I bring her hand to my lips, kiss it. “A lot on my mind, that’s all.”
“Brianna?”
“Haven’t talked to her, but Jake checked in. He’s not making much headway into the equipment thefts. I urged him again to take over as head of security for the project, but he thinks he can do more incognito.”
“He may be right. Since you fired him, the thieves may believe he doesn’t care and grow careless. What’s his cover?”
“Brianna.” Something easy for everyone to believe since he’s carried a torch for her forever, and the construction workers in Brazil have known it all along.
“Are things better with her now?” She slips her hand from my grasp. She doesn’t wish to maintain contact with me, that much is clear.
“Jake wouldn’t discuss her, the blighter.” I spit out. I’d specifically sent him down there to stop two things—Brianna’s out-of-character behavior and the equipment pilfering. “He told me he was handling her.” I can only imagine the kind of handling going on.
Elizabeth’s lips curve upward in a sad sort of smile. “Look at the bright side. Maybe they’ll finally get it out of their system.”
“What?”
“The attraction they feel toward each other so they can move on.”
Telling, that statement. Does Elizabeth hope to get over her attraction for me? Her distant behavior over the last week seems to indicate such a direction. But no sense asking her about it. She won't tell me what's wrong, though I've asked her a million times. And by now I don't want to know. I'll just sit here and wait for the ax to fall. “I don’t know about Bri. But Jake? He’ll never get over her. He’s carried that torch too long.” As I have for Elizabeth. As I bloody well have.
She glances out the window. “We’re traveling away from London. And this is the road to the airport. Are we flying somewhere?”
My hand clenches. “No. We’re not.” I hope she doesn’t zero in on the ‘we’ part of that statement.
“Then why?”
I brush my finger against her lips, feel her warm breath against my skin while I still can. “Hush. You’ll see. It’s a surprise.”
“Good surprise or bad?” Her gaze grows wary.
“I’m hoping you think it’s good.”
She claps her hands. A smile of pure joy lights up her lips. She hasn’t appeared this happy for a long time. “I know what it is.”
My heart clenches. “Do you, love?”
She nods and her curls bounce around her shoulders. “You flew in Casey and Gina. Is that it? Did I guess right?”
“I’ll never tell.”
“Spoilsport.” She settles back into the seat and gazes out the window, content for now. But for how long?
When we roll into the hangar where we keep our company jet, her eyes light up. Excitement ripples through her as she hops from foot to foot, no doubt expecting Casey and Gina to come tripping out of the plane. When nothing happens, she gazes at me, a question in her eyes. “Aren’t they getting off?”
“They’re not on the plane, Elizabeth. Nobody arrived, but somebody is leaving.”
Her eyes turn dark. “Who?”
“You.”
“Me?” Her breath harshes. “Are you”—she swallows hard—“are you sending me away?”
I grab her hand, hold it tight. “Yes. I am.” Scotland Yard’s not even close to finding Brian Sullivan. With every passing day, the danger grows. What if he finds a way to get to Elizabeth? She continues to work at Payne Industries. I’ve doubled and tripled security, all with Sebastian Payne’s approval. Even so, I can’t help but worry Brian Sullivan will find a way to nab her and hurt her in an attempt to get to me. If she’s not here, he won’t be able to use her as leverage. She will be out of danger in D.C.
“Don’t do this, Gabriel. Don’t send me away.” Tears swim in those beautiful eyes of hers.
“I have to. It’s too risky for you here. You’ll be safe in D.C., and you can finish your final semester at school.”
She wrenches her hand from me. “I’m not going. You can’t make me. I can’t leave Andrew. Please don’t do this, Gabriel. Please.” She’s trying hard not to cry, but one tear escapes anyway. Thankfully, there’s no one around to witness this scene.
“You’re not leaving Andrew. You’re taking him with you. He’s already on the plane. And so is Nanny, Jonathan, Jorge and Marisol, and a full contingent of security guards.”
“But.”
“No, buts.” I give the high sign toward the plane. The door slides open and Samuel descends, followed by Nanny with Andrew in her arms. Jonathan and several other guards follow her down the stairs.
Elizabeth’s gaze bounces to the plane, back to me. “I don’t understand. You said Andrew would never leave England.”
“Brian took a potshot at us in front of a marquee crowded with theatergoers. He injured Jonathan. That tells me he doesn’t care who gets in the way. He’ll do whatever it takes to hit his target.”
“What makes you think he won’t come after me in D.C.?”
“Because it’s me he wants, Elizabeth. Not you.”
“We don’t know for sure it was him. It could have been anyone,” she says in a small voice.
“Give over, love. We both know it was him. He was a sniper in the Army. And now that Smith Cannon severed their partnership with him because of the information I turned over to them, he’ll be even more dangerous. His vendetta is against me, not you. But if you’re here, if Andrew is here, you might get in the way. You and our son will be safe in D.C.”
“But if you’re sending Samuel and all those guards with me who will remain behind to protect you?”
“Travis, plus a whole slew of other guards. Don’t worry, love. I’ll be fine.”
“No, Gabriel. I can’t leave you. I won’t leave you.”
“If you don’t leave for yourself, leave for Andrew’s sake.”
By this time, Nanny has arrived at our side. I pluck Andrew from her arms, hold him one last time, kiss his soft cheek before I hand him over into Elizabeth’s keeping. “Take care of him. Take care of my son.”
“Gabriel. I can’t go. I can’t leave you all alone.”
“Yes. You can.”
“Come with us. Please.”
“I can’t. I’d put you in danger if I did.”
“Now—” I give Andrew one final kiss— “Go.”
“Gabriel.”
“Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be, Elizabeth. Please.” I give her a hard kiss on the lips and walk back to the car. When I arrive there, I turn to look back at her.
Standing right where I left her, she stares at me for a long while before heading toward the plane stairs. At the top she takes Andrew’s hand. “Say goodbye to Daddy, Andrew.”
“Dadaddadadaaa.” He waves.
Hiding her face in him, she disappears into the plane. Everyone else follows suit, except for Samuel, who remains by my side.
“Take good care of them, Samuel. They are my life.”
“Yes, Sir. You can count on me.”
“I always have, my friend.” I shake his hand. He nods before he follows Elizabeth and the rest of the retinue into the plane in that measured, dignified gait of his.
The door slides shut. A few minutes later, the engines rev up and the aircraft heads toward the phalanx of other planes on the runway. It might be fifth in line and dwarfed by the bigger jets, but it carries my heart, my soul, my very reason for living. Slowly the other birds take their turn and lift off, until it’s the Storm Industries jet’s time to go.
Something inside me screams ‘Stop’. I miss her so much already it’s like I’m bleeding inside. I take several steps forward as if somehow my anguish can call it back. But that would be the wrong thing to do. She will be safe in D.C. and she’ll fulfill her goal. She needs this so she can become the best corporate attorney she can be. So she can be happy and fulfilled. But when she obtains that degree, will she still want to be married to me?
> Picking up speed, the plane rolls down the runway. Faster and faster it goes until finally it loses contact with the earth and spreads its wings into the evening sky. Standing on the tarmac, I watch the plane become smaller and smaller until it disappears from sight. And even then I remain, hoping for one more glimpse before she’s gone from my life. Knowing the futility of such a thing, I turn and walk back to the car where Travis waits by the open door.
“Where to, Mr. Storm?” he asks, once I’m inside.
“The Brighton.” The place I’d called home before but no longer is. Not now that they’re gone.
Chapter 35
______________
Elizabeth
ON THE PLANE RIDE, Samuel assures me the Cathedral Arms penthouse is ready for our arrival. Gabriel arranged for a cleaning service, plus he’d asked the designer we’d used before to set up Andrew’s baby room on the second floor and an additional mini nursery in the room next to mine. He’d thought of everything, hadn’t he? And never breathed a word to me about his plans.
By the time we get to our new home, I’m beyond exhausted. So I tuck Andrew into bed with me and drop into a troubled sleep. In my dreams, I glimpse Gabriel in the distance, but no matter how fast and hard I run, I never catch up to him.
By the time I wake up Friday morning, the penthouse is running like clockwork. Nanny has put her own unique touches in the nursery, displaying Andrew’s favorite toys in and around the room. Since he needs to establish his routine in the new place, I give him a quick kiss and hand him over to her.
In the kitchen, Jorge and Marisol are busy stocking up food supplies and arranging things. The security staff has set up their command post in one of the bedrooms and is busy checking the equipment to ensure everything’s in working order.
After grabbing a quick cup of coffee and a fresh croissant Jorge popped out of the oven, I head back upstairs to unload the five suitcases, none of which I filled. Parker had to have been the one to pack for me. His attention to detail shows in everything. From the clothes carefully folded between sheets of tissue paper to the toiletries stashed in their own satchel. It only takes me an hour to hang everything in the closet, store my underwear and lingerie in the clothes armoire, and lay out my toiletries in the bathroom.
In the bag that contains my laptop, I find an envelope from Gabriel. The letter inside tells me that everything’s ready for school. The classes I’d chosen have been reserved for me. All I need to do is pick up my textbooks. When I check my class schedule online, I discover my first three classes run one right after the other starting on Monday at ten o’clock. All have extensive reading assignments. Which means a trip to the law school bookstore is in order.
But before I head out, I call Gabriel. I hate the way we left things. Shellshocked as I was, I didn’t ask any questions. Only begged him to let me stay. I’m worried sick, not only about his safety, but his well being as well. And let’s face it, I’m more than a little concerned about this Chris Langenfeld.
He knows her. Those pictures Brian showed me didn’t lie, given that phone call. And yet Gabriel denied their acquaintance. Could he really be having an affair with her? He’s been so loving and caring toward me. But maybe, just maybe, he’s had enough of my need for a career and shipped me off so he can conduct a liaison without me around.
The phone rings for several seconds before it goes to voice mail. Where is he? And why isn’t he picking up? Those questions torture me. But I can’t obsess over them. Not with as much as I have to do today.
After a quick kiss to Andrew with a promise Mommy will be back soon, I track down Jonathan and tell him I need to go to my school. He’s still recuperating from his injury and is not 100%, but, other than Samuel, I won’t trust my well being to another guard. Given the circumstances, though, I need an additional one. He introduces me to Ben, a local behemoth who’s got to be at least six six. He’ll accompany us where ever I need to go.
The three of us head down the elevator to the garage where the silver Benz waits for us, the same one Gabriel bought for me so many months ago. The new guard gets behind the wheel and off we go to my law school.
The smell of books hits me as soon as I walk into the store. Gosh, I’ve missed this. I roam the aisles with my class list and hand books to the new guard to carry for me. I’m just about to check out when I hear my name called. “Liz!”
Maggie, a student from my first year and a member of my former study group, is bearing down on me, dragging behind her another familiar face.
“Oh, my gosh. You look fantastic.” She hugs and kisses me. “Look, Mike, doesn’t she look faboo.”
“Absolutely.” Mike grins. He eschews the hug and kiss for a handshake. His wardrobe hasn’t changed a bit. He’s still sporting his favorite Nationals team jacket and a Washington Nationals cap.
“When did you get back in town?”
“Last night.”
Maggie points to one of my books. “You’re taking Finance Law? Us too. The teacher’s a bear. She works her students to death.”
“Looking forward to it.”
“You want in on the study group?”
“Absolutely.” During my first year, the weekly get togethers helped me not only assimilate the extensive reading material but socialize with my fellow students. Working a full time job as I had, I enjoyed the comraderie of our tight-knit group. We’d celebrated birthdays, each other’s successes, and shared a brew or two at a pub close to the school. Of course, things are no longer the same with me. I can’t socialize as freely as I used to do. But at least there’s one advantage to my current lifestyle. “How about we meet at my place?”
“Where do you live?”
When I give him the details of my Cathedral Arms address, Mike whistles. “That’s some fancy abode.”
Maggie elbows him in the ribs, probably to get him to shut up.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to go through a bit of security.” I point out my two guards who are hovering close enough to prevent me from coming to harm but far away they don’t intrude on our conversation. “But I can promise you the most divine food. I have a chef who loves to cook.”
Mike’s eyes light up. “A chef? Wow. I’m in.”
I laugh. His slender, six-two frame belies the fact he loves to eat. He’d often scarfed down every last bit of snack the students brought to study group. Looks like his appetite hasn’t changed.
After discussing several time frames to meet, we settle on Saturday mornings at eight. That would give us four solid hours of study group and still leave time for other weekend events.
“I’ll call the rest of the gang and let them know,” Maggie says.
“Great.”
“See you Monday in class.”
She wiggles her fingers at me, while dragging Mike away with her other hand. They’d always been sweet on each other. From the way she’s bossing him around, it looks like their relationship has moved to the next level.
“Yeah, see you.” It’s good to get back into the swing of things. I may have a killer schedule. Seven classes. But at least I don’t have to work as well.
On the way back to the Cathedral Arms, I pull out my cell and check the call log. But nothing recent pops up. Why hasn’t Gabriel called? Hating myself, I dial his number. It rolls to voice mail once more. Refusing to be needy—too late, I know—I leave an upbeat message and ask him to call back.
Needing a pick-me-up after degrading myself, I phone CeCe who screeches into the phone when she hears I’m back in town.
“You want to get together this weekend?” I ask, hoping she’ll say yes. Need something to keep my mind off Gabriel.
“Drats. Can’t. Paul and I are going away.”
Last time we talked, she’d been on the outs with her husband, suspecting him of stepping out on her. “Oh, how are things with the hubs?”
“Great. All those late hours he was putting in?”
“Yeah.”
“He made partner at his accounting firm.”
>
“Oh, that’s so great.” I’m happy for her. God knows she deserves it. But I sure wish we could have gotten together. She would have been a great sounding board. But it’s not her fault my marriage is such a disaster.
“So now that he can actually take a weekend off now and then, we’re going to Atlantic City. Leaving in an hour.” Somebody says something at her end. “Gotta go, girlfriend. But definitely let’s get together next weekend. Shopping and lunch?”
“You got it. Have fun.” And she rings off.
By mid afternoon, I’ve rearranged everything on my desk, marked my assignments in my textbooks, and worked out a reading schedule.
I pull out my phone and check the call log. Again. Nothing. Nada. Not even a text. Collapsing on the bed, I stare at the ceiling, as I play with the cell buttons. With no pride left, I dial his number one last time. It predictably rolls over into voice mail. I don’t leave a message. Why bother?
Chapter 36
______________
Gabriel
SHE’S CALLED THREE TIMES, and every time I’ve allowed the call to roll over to voice mail. If I answer, I’m likely to beg her to come back to me and that’s something I won’t do. She’s worked her whole life with one goal— to work as a corporate attorney. A dual degree earned from American and British law schools, when coupled with that brilliant mind of hers, will make her the best of the best. She need never look for a job, the jobs would come to her. As they already do.
Sebastian Payne did not hesitate to triple her salary, offering as much as someone who worked full time because he wants to keep her working for him. No doubt in my mind why he made the offer. She has a steel trap of a mind when it comes to international financing. With time and experience, she’ll make a brilliant lawyer. So she needs this time to focus on her school work and the peace of mind that comes with having Andrew by her side.
Late in the evening, I head for home. No sense asking Parker to whip up something. His culinary skills don’t extend to French cuisine. About all he can manage is boiling water and warming soup. I’ll need to ask him to pick up the basics so at least I’ll have bread, milk, eggs, luncheon meats, coffee. I’ll eat lunch at the office and grab takeaways for dinners.
Storm Redemption Page 20
