by A. V. Asher
“Understood. I’m doing everything I can to find the answers she needs,” Cressida said.
“I know you are. Thank you,” Alec said. “Now, let’s talk about our accommodations.” He tilted his head at the camera.
Cressida suppressed a smile. “Is it not to your liking? I’ve stayed there a few times myself. It’s a beautiful place.”
“Aye, they have a very uncomfortable floor.”
Declan chuckled. “I told you,” he said to Cressida.
“I know,” she sighed. “Look, I actually was limited on locations. The inn was the best of my options, but they don’t have rooms with twin beds there. I knew you wouldn’t want to stay in a separate room.”
“Mm-hmm,” Alec grumbled. “Tell me about the Kennison family. How deep is your background on them?”
“Very,” Cressida said. “Gavin Kennison is a former investigator who retired to take over the inn when his older brother died. They have five children. One is a police officer in the village, one is an accountant who recently moved home, and the others live and work on the estate.”
“David is an accountant?”
“Yes, he moved home with his infant daughter. You’ve met him?”
“Aye, he’s taken a liking to Sadie.”
Declan scoffed. “If this bloke thinks he has a chance with Sadie, you aren’t doing your job, mate.”
“Aye, I know. We’re working on that.” Alec wasn’t worried about the ruse. They were becoming more natural together. Sometimes a little too natural. But there were other ways they could blow their cover. “Sadie had a nightmare last night, which woke the neighbors and brought the Kennisons to our door. It’s not sustainable to stay around other people.”
“Poor lass,” Declan murmured.
“Aye. She’s tough, but this is wearing on her. Kennison has a cottage within walking distance. They were using it as a vacation rental but, it’s currently for sale. It’s a perfect location to move her if they’ll let it to us.”
“I chose that inn because I knew we could trust this family,” Cressida said. “If your identity were exposed to Gavin Kennison, I’m ninety-nine percent sure you’d be safe. It’s been over ten years since he retired, but he did a lot of work at the Specialist Crime Division, including work with victims of domestic abuse. And the inn’s location is obscure enough to be outside of Jason’s circle of corruption.”
Alec contemplated this information. The way both father and son had evaluated them last night meant they were likely already suspicious. It was a risk to bring more people in on this, but Gavin Kennison might have resources that could keep Mercedes hidden.
“I’ll think about it,” Alec said. “I’ll see you all in a few days?”
“Aye, keep the phone nearby and message if you need us.”
Alec closed out the meeting and tucked the phone into his pocket. The call brought more questions than answers, but at least he knew more background on his host.
On his way to join Mercedes, Alec stopped at the reception desk and asked if he could make an appointment with Gavin Kennison to see the cottage. He’d start with trying to rent it. Ideally, he could do that without telling him who they were.
When Alec returned to the library, David Kennison was sitting next to Mercedes, talking to her in hushed tones. She was shaking her head, whispering to him. Heat rose in his chest. What the hell is up with this dobber?
As Alec got closer, she whispered, “You have this all wrong. Really.”
“No, I don’t think I do,” David said, equally as hushed.
Alec approached them, watching as David earnestly tried to talk Mercedes into something.
She turned her wide eyes to him, brows furrowed in alarm. Alec’s heart rate kicked up as David looked around. Seeing Alec, he stood, blatant dislike in his eyes.
Alec gave him a stiff smile. “Can I help you with something, Mr. Kennison?”
Mercedes jumped up, taking Alec’s arm. “We were just chatting, my love. We should be on our way.” She turned to David as she pulled on Alec’s hand. “I’ll see you later, David.”
Alec didn’t let his gaze stray from David’s until they were nearly to the door. Alec turned for one last glare at David.
“Stop that,” Mercedes hissed. “You’ll make it worse.”
“Make what worse?” Alec growled, pulling her to his side and heading for the exit to the garden.
Mercedes led him to a corner with a high wall of hedges before she turned to him. “We have a problem.”
“Aye, clearly he didn’t buy our story. Damn it.”
“No, he bought it.” She grabbed his arm to move them away from another couple strolling in the garden. “But he’s not into me.”
“My arse, he isn’t!”
“Shh. No, he isn’t. He offered to help me leave you.”
“I think you’re making my point,” Alec scoffed.
“He said he’d take me to a victim advocacy center in Glasgow.”
Alec’s mouth fell open. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah.” She rubbed her eyes and took a breath. “He saw my bruises the other night. I told him I’d been in an accident. But he noticed these.” She picked up his hand and showed it to him. Tinges of blue and purple colored his knuckles along with a few scabs left over from the fight with Jason. David had stared at their hands at breakfast yesterday.
“Shit.”
“And last night at the fire, when I looked to you to make sure it was okay to play the guitar, he thought that was a sign of how controlling you are.” There was a quiver to her voice. “Add that to the middle of the night screaming, and now he’s damn near ready to call his brother. Who’s a cop, by the way.”
God damn it. No wonder the bastard kept glaring at him.
Mercedes paced back and forth. “Alec, what do we do? If his brother runs our names, they’ll know we lied.” Tears welled in her wide hazel eyes.
“Hey, hey. No. Don’t cry. We’re okay.” Alec pulled her to him, gathering her up. She moved without resistance into his arms, fitting against him perfectly. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Sadie.”
“Do we have to run again?” she sniffed.
“No, darling. I’ll work it out.”
The conversation he would be having with Gavin Kennison would be different now.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Gavin was waiting for them outside the river cottage when Alec drove his Camaro through the open gate and parked in front of the house. Alec could sense Mercedes’s nerves were tightly wound. He was feeling the rush of anxiousness too. If he got this wrong, they’d be back on the road in a matter of minutes. Alec would do anything to keep that from happening. Mercedes didn’t need any more disruptions.
When they stepped from the car, he wanted to take her hand, reassure her it would be okay. But they didn’t need pretense anymore.
Gavin held his hand out to each of them, as he always did. His words were welcoming, but Alec could sense the change in demeanor. Far more subtle than his son, their host was discreetly surveying the two of them.
The door opened, and David Kennison stepped onto the porch. Alec saw Mercedes’s shoulders tense, but her lips turned up in a soft smile.
After the exchange of pleasantries, Mr. Kennison waved them in. “Well, come on in. Let’s have a look around. Don’t mind the construction. David is finishing up the remodel in the bathroom.”
The charm of the house couldn’t be ignored. Recent refurbishments had gone a long way to modernizing it. The hardwood floors were stained deep espresso and were accompanied by a cream shag area rug and black leather sofas. A large white brick fireplace was the focal point of the living room. The kitchen was clean and contemporary. Subway tiles complimented the marble countertops and cream cabinetry. An island at the center allowed room for four tall bistro chairs.
“It’s beautiful,” Mercedes said. “Did you design the remodel yourself?”
“Aye. Well, my daughter Cecily worked up the design
.” He laughed. “We’re the labor. The sunroom is new as well. Really did wonders in opening up the view of the river.”
The windows of the sunroom allowed light and a stunning scenery into the space. A tall window seat with oversized pillows created a cozy nook. The doors were open to the patio, letting the cool breeze and the sound of the rushing river to sweep through. The backyard was a perfect hideaway. Hedges, at least ten feet tall, lined the sides of the grassy space. The riverbank made up the back of the property.
David’s eyes trailed him. After touring the two bedrooms and bathrooms, it was time.
“Sir, I understand you used to let this as a vacation home. How much would you charge for a week?”
Gavin tilted his head. “Oh, anywhere between three and five hundred a week, depending on the season. And that was before the remodel. Now you could probably get closer to six or seven.”
Alec turned to face him. “I’ll pay you twenty-one hundred pounds a week to let the two of us move here for the rest of our stay.”
Gavin’s brows went up. David shot a look at Alec.
“Is there something wrong with the room you have now, lad?”
“Not at all, but we desire security . . . and privacy.”
David shot to his father’s side. “Da . . .”
His father put his hand up to silence his protest. “You’d pay three times the rent just to have privacy?” Gavin shot a look at Mercedes, clearly trying to read her thoughts.
Alec nodded, “And security.” He pulled his wallet from his back pocket and handed a card to Gavin. “We haven’t been entirely honest with your family. My name is Alec McKinley. I run a private security firm in London. This morning, your son approached my companion and offered to help her flee, accusing me of abusing her.”
Gavin turned an eye on his son. Clearly, Mercedes had been the topic of conversation already. David grimaced but kept his eyes locked on Alec.
“The thing is, he’s not wrong. Except I’m not the man who abused her.”
Alec gave the Kennisons a rundown of what had occurred in the last two weeks, leaving out some specifics they didn’t need to know, including their personal connection. Alec warned them of Jason’s skill with technology, which was what had brought them to the estate.
Gavin listened with interest, then turned to Mercedes. “This is quite a tale.”
She met his eyes. “I know. It’s true, though.”
“So, if his name isn’t Will Cameron, can I assume you aren’t Eliza Carter?” David asked.
Mercedes looked to Alec. He tilted his head at her. He’d told her it was up to her to share her personal information.
“I’m Mercedes. Most people call me Sadie. I am from San Francisco,” she said to David. “I wasn’t lying about that.”
“Do you have any identification, lass?”
She shook her head. “No. My ex took it from me when we arrived in the UK. He told me he was using it to get my visa in order.”
“Do you have any sort of proof at all?” Gavin asked. “Anything that might help us understand what you’ve been through?”
Mercedes pulled up her sleeve. Mason had removed the stitches back at the safehouse, but a healing pink scar stood out against the pale skin of her forearm.
“This is the one that almost killed me. And this.” She lifted the hem of her shirt, exposing the thin scar on her abdomen.
It was hard to see her delicate skin so torn. Yellowed bruising mottled her ribs.
Gavin looked with a furrowed brow. “I’m sorry you went through that, lass.”
She gave a tight smile and lay her shirt down.
Gavin contemplated them both for a moment. “I won’t take over four hundred a week, and you’ll have to wait until tomorrow. It’s not ready to be lived in.”
Relief washed through Alec as he took Gavin’s hand. Mercedes’s shoulders relaxed.
“If you two aren’t together, you might be more comfortable with a second room,” David said.
“Aye. We don’t have a double room, but we’d be happy to get you a second room free of charge,” Gavin added. “We can move you right next door. You don’t have to share.”
Mercedes looked away, and Alec wondered what she thought of that. Maybe she wanted him to go, but he wasn’t having it.
“Thank you, sir. But I’ll not sleep away from her. We can manage for one more night.”
Gavin offered them a dram of whisky, which they both accepted.
Mercedes sipped delicately and cleared her throat. “Can I take another look outside? It’s such a nice day, and that yard is so pretty.”
Gavin joined her. Alec watched her wander the backyard while Gavin pointed out various features of the house.
David took a seat at the table. “I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions. I only wanted to make sure she was out of harm’s way.”
“Aye, I know.”
“So, did she hire you off the internet, or did you know her before that?” David was trying to sound casual, but it was easy to see he was digging.
“I met her at a wedding here in Scotland three years ago.”
“And this guy, Jason Marsh. Was she with him then?”
“No.”
“So, you and she . . . were never together?”
Alec gave him a cool smile. No way would he share anything about his relationship with Mercedes with this guy. The whisky burned as he shot the rest of it.
“Thanks for the drink.” He patted David on the shoulder as he walked out of the room. Now that they had cleared the air between them, David seemed a decent bloke. But he’d be damned if he made it easy for the man to move in on Mercedes right before his eyes.
On the short drive back to the inn, Alec evaluated their circumstances. Things were looking up. By this time tomorrow, they would be comfortably settled at the cottage and away from the main house. And watching how Gavin Kennison worked, Alec had no doubt he’d help keep Mercedes hidden.
Mercedes had said little since leaving the cottage. Instead, she laid her head against the headrest and looked out the window.
“Are you alright?” Alec asked.
“Yeah. Just worried. I feel like every move I make is a disaster.”
“I know it’s hard to trust anyone, but I think it’ll be alright. Cress’s background was extensive, and there’s no reason for Jason to even know this place exists.”
“Did she tell you?” she asked. Alec shot a glance at her. “Did she say who he is?”
It wrenched his heart to see the anxiety on her face. “No.”
Her shoulders slumped.
“There’s a chance he’s a part of an organization that spies on corporations. There’s a lot we’re trying to find out.”
Mercedes was quiet again, the tips of her fingers drumming on the armrest. “David asked me to have a drink with him after the fire tonight.”
Fuck.
Alec’s fingers clenched the steering wheel, and he forced himself to pull air into his lungs. “Did he?” He did his best to keep his tone moderate. “What did you tell him?”
“I said I didn’t know.” Mercedes looked to Alec. “I used to be so decisive. I knew what I wanted, and I went for it. If I fell on my ass, I bounced back without a second thought.” The muscles of her jaw worked as she clenched her teeth. “Now, I can’t even give a simple yes or no to a drink without second-guessing myself.”
Alec swallowed hard and asked the question he dreaded most. “Do you want to go?”
She paused for way too long. “Is it okay if I do?”
His gut twisted. Was she asking if it was safe or if he cared?
Christ. Yeah, I fucking care.
But he couldn’t stop her. David wasn’t a threat. Alec wouldn’t lie to her. She already had enough to keep her nightmares fueled.
The only way was to tell her how he felt, to clear the air and hope she felt the same. But if he threw that door open, he’d also throw out the shaky truce they’d reached yesterday. They weren’t ready to rip
open the wounds of the past.
The heaviness in his chest was crushing. “It should be fine. I’ll be nearby if you need me.”
Alec didn’t know if he was strong enough to watch over her while someone else pursued her.
Chapter Thirty-Four
The umbrella wavered precariously in Jason’s hand as the wind shifted. It had been drizzling for most of the day. The bustle of the morning commute had long since died, leaving the sidewalks less congested. Londoners and tourists ignored him as they rushed by.
The scent of espresso carried to him from across the street. The memory of nuzzling Mercedes’s hair after she’d gotten off her shift kept creeping up on him. The ache he’d felt since he’d lost her struck him with each assault of the breeze.
Mercedes wouldn’t leave his mind.
Where is she now?
It was a question he’d asked so many times he was going mad from it. It was his own fault. Not that he’d ever admit it to anyone. Well, he’d probably say it to Mercedes. A confession of how much he had fucked up might go a long way toward winning her back.
He just needed an opportunity to tell her how much he loved her.
Of course, Alec McKinley had to die first.
Jason tightened his grip on the handle of the umbrella. He should have put a bullet in that fucker’s brain three years ago.
It was Adam who had insisted they let McKinley live. Mercedes needed to be vulnerable after being dumped on her ass, not grief-stricken. If her long-distance boyfriend ended up at the bottom of the Thames, she’d never be open to meeting someone new.
Jason had to hand it to Adam. He was a manipulative motherfucker. He’d figured both of them out pretty quickly. Adam judged, given her past, that she only needed to be ignored to give up. She wouldn’t chase a man who didn’t want her, no matter how much it hurt.
McKinley had been trickier. He hadn’t taken her silence laying down. The asshole nearly got his head blown off for it, which would have screwed everything up. Adam finally intervened, sending a series of text messages telling McKinley that Mercedes had met someone else and to piss off.
