by L. P. Dover
Emmitt pointed down the hall. “He’ll be okay. Your mother’s in the room waiting on him to get out of surgery.”
I nodded at Josh. “Take her.” They disappeared down the hall, while I stayed behind with Emmitt. Wade stood off to the side, giving us space. “What happened? Is he going to be okay?”
Emmitt nodded. “He’ll be fine. Luckily, the bullet went through his shoulder.”
Relief flooded my body, but it still didn’t change the fact someone tried to kill him. “Where were you when it happened?”
With a heavy sigh, he rubbed his hands over his face. “At a winery, not far from here. He was shot on the patio.”
“Did you catch the guy?” By the look on his face, I had my answer. “Dammit,” I growled, clenching my fists.
Emmitt moved closer, lowering his voice. “It was long range, Brina. I thought maybe someone could’ve done it on a whim, but I just got the call before you arrived. Whoever it was had it planned. There were wrappers and magazines littering the ground where the shooter had been.”
Dread settled into the pit of my stomach. “Who knew he was going to be there?”
His eyes darkened. “That’s where things are complicated. The only people who knew are those of us in his inner circle. This whole trip was kept under wraps.”
I felt sicker by the minute. Glancing around the hallway, there were multiple secret service agents who were hired to protect my brother. What if one of them was a traitor? “What are we going to do if one of the agents is responsible?”
He looked at the others standing guard, his lips set in a firm line. “For now, I’m keeping that part of the investigation quiet. If we have a traitor in our midst, I’ll find them.”
“Thanks, Emmitt.” I pulled him into a hug.
“You’re welcome.” He patted me on the back and pulled away. “Now go. Noah should be getting out of surgery soon.”
Wade opened his arms and I fell into them. “Did you hear everything he said?” I asked, whispering the words.
His chest vibrated against my ear. “I did. If you need help with anything, you know I’m here for you.”
I scoffed. “Thanks, but I’m pretty sure there’s nothing you can do.”
“You’d be surprised.”
I’d waited impatiently for a couple of hours, until Noah got out of surgery. As much as I wanted to be the first one in the room to see him, I knew I couldn’t. But he needed to know he couldn’t trust the people around him.
“I hate waiting,” I growled, waiting for the door to open.
Wade put his arm around me. “So do I.”
When the door finally opened, I held my breath. Josh stuck his head out and motioned me in. I squeezed Wade’s arm and he let me go. “I’ll be right back,” I told him.
The room was dim and I could see my brother in the bed, his right arm bandaged and in a sling. He tried to sit up and grimaced in pain. “Shouldn’t you be drugged up on pain meds?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he said with a grunt. “I will be soon. First, there’s something we need to discuss.”
I glanced at Trinity and Renee, and both had forlorn expressions on their faces. “Okay,” I replied.
He nodded toward Trinity. “Whatever’s going on here, I don’t want my family involved. If someone’s after me, who’s to say they won’t go after Renee or Trinity? I need to keep them safe.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying,” he drew in a ragged breath, “that I want Trinity and Josh with you. Take them to Charlotte, so she’s away from all of this. Just don’t let anyone know she’s with you. Her whereabouts need to remain a secret at all times.”
Eyes wide, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “What about Renee?”
Renee sniffled and stood. “I’m going to the Bahamas to stay with your mother. It was the only way to keep her from hopping on the next flight here.”
Noah nodded. “She wanted to fly up, but I told her it wasn’t safe. The farther away she is, the better.” He stared at me, his eyes pleading. “Can you do this for me, Brina? I have to know Trinity will be safe.”
I walked over to him and gently grasped his hand. “Of course, I’ll do it. We’ll leave in a couple of days. Until then, we’ll be at Wade’s. No one will expect Trinity to be staying there, and it’s well secured.”
Sighing, he leaned his head back on the bed, his voice tired. “Thank you.”
Trinity stood with her mother and I nodded toward the bed. “Say your goodbyes. After tonight, you’re not coming back.” Lips trembling, she walked over to her father and I exited the room.
Wade stood directly outside, his arms crossed over his chest. “Everything okay?”
Taking his hand, I pulled him down the hall to a private corner. “Noah wants Trinity and Josh to come back with me to Charlotte. The only problem is keeping it covert. We can fly out on a private jet, but we need to keep her whereabouts a secret. Our first obstacle will be getting her out of here.”
He studied me, then his gaze shot down the hall. “Remember when you said I wouldn’t be able to help you?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m about to prove you wrong. However, we might have some issues from your friend.”
I had a feeling I already knew his plan. “Leave Josh to me.”
Brina
“Have you lost your fucking mind? I’m not letting her leave with him,” Josh hissed. Luckily, Renee had already been escorted out. The last thing I needed was to have her against me too.
I walked over to Noah and gently took his hand. It was going to be hard on him to be separated from his family. “It’s the only way. If the paparazzi believe I’m Trinity, Josh and I can throw them off, while she sneaks away with Wade. This way, they won’t be able to trace her back to his ranch.”
The plan was simple. Since Trinity and I looked similar, we’d switch clothes and have her walk out with Wade, while I pretended to be her. Huffing, Josh glared at me. “What if her cover gets blown? This guy isn’t one of us. He won’t be able to protect her.”
Trinity grabbed his arm, her voice soft. “Josh, I’ll be fine. If my father and Brina trust him, you can too. It’s the best plan we have.”
It was in that moment, I could see the true connection between them. Noah noticed it too and looked away. “Let her go, Josh. That’s an order. She leaves with Chandler.”
Clenching his jaw, Josh stepped away.
I placed my hand on Trinity’s arm; I’d been exactly where she was thirteen years ago, only my father didn’t survive. “We need to swap clothes,” I murmured.
Nodding, she walked over to the bathroom and I followed her in. As soon as we were hidden inside, we changed clothes. “You need to be more careful with how you interact with Josh. I’m pretty sure your dad just figured it out,” I whispered low.
Her eyes widened and she lowered her voice. “Seriously?”
“Yeah. So if you want Josh to keep his job, watch yourself. I’ll warn him too, as soon as we leave here.” I reached for the door handle. “Let’s go.”
Tears fell down her cheeks. “I’ll be out in a minute. I just need a little bit of space to collect myself.”
I wanted to stay with her, but I knew how hard it was to be in her situation. “We’ll leave when you’re ready.” I opened the door and shut it quietly behind me.
When I turned around, Josh was there. “She okay?”
I nodded. “She just needs some time to breathe.”
“Which is good,” Noah called out. “It’ll give me time to talk to you. There’s something you both need to know.”
With furrowed brows, I glanced at Josh and he was just as confused as I was. We rushed to Noah’s side and I sat down in the chair while Josh knelt beside me. Noah met our gazes, his expression serious. “What is it?” I asked.
He tried to take a deep breath and winced in pain. “I know you’re worried about Trinity leaving with Wade,” he said to Josh, “but you can trust him. His father is import
ant to our family.” Slowly, he turned his focus to me. “Glenn Chandler wasn’t just a friend to our father . . . he was one of his protectors, one of the three. He was brought on mainly to protect you.”
Eyes wide, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. After all the time that’d passed, why hadn’t Glenn said anything? “He never told me,” I murmured.
“Dad didn’t want you to know. Given the circumstances, I figured it was time you learned the truth. Plus, it’ll keep Josh from killing your boyfriend.”
Heart racing, I moved closer. “Tell me everything.”
He gently clasped my hand. “When I tell you I get numerous threats on Trinity’s life every week, I’m not exaggerating. The same thing used to happen to you. Our father knew you were smart and would suspect something was wrong if he increased your security detail. That’s why he only added one . . . Glenn. He’s a skilled assassin.”
The thought was absolutely ludicrous. I kept waiting for him to tell me he was joking, but it never came. Glancing back at the door, Wade was just on the other side. He was so much like his father. Did he know? “I can’t believe this,” I whispered.
“I’m not sure what all Wade knows,” Noah added. “But I do know Glenn can be trusted. He wouldn’t entrust your life with his son if he didn’t think he was capable of keeping you safe. That’s why I know Trinity will be okay.”
“Fine,” Josh huffed. “But if anything happens to her, he’s dead.” He marched to the door. “I’m going to get him.”
My mind was in a whirlwind. What if Wade knew what his father was? What if he didn’t? There was no way I could ask him without blowing Glenn’s cover. The only solution was to call Glenn myself.
Noah squeezed my hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. Dad didn’t want you thinking of Glenn differently.”
“It’s okay. I love Glenn. Nothing’s going to change that.”
The door opened and Josh walked in with Wade, only he didn’t look the same.
“Gotta hand it to him. Didn’t see that coming,” Josh said, speeding away from the hospital.
“Neither did I, but I knew he was resourceful.”
Wade had walked right out the front doors, with Trinity trailing behind a minute later, and the media had no clue. They weren’t looking for people in scrubs. While Wade was waiting on us outside the hospital room, he’d orchestrated a whole getaway plan. Instead of wearing our clothes, we all changed into full sets of scrubs, including different shoes.
It was a gamble, but we’d walked out individually, as if we were just workers leaving for the night. No one suspected a thing, and they sure as hell weren’t anticipating Trinity going out on her own.
Josh glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled. “Doesn’t look like anyone’s following us. Should we turn around and head to the ranch?”
Blowing out a tired breath, I looked down at my phone. I had multiple missed calls from Chris, Lexi, and even Glenn. “Not yet. I have a call to make first.” I sent Lexi a text to let her know everything was okay, and I didn’t even bother to call Chris. I didn’t know what to say to him yet.
I pressed the button to call Glenn and he picked up after the first ring. “Brina, are you okay? Wade told me everything.”
“I’m fine.”
“I don’t like this.”
I scoffed. “Neither do I. The suspect knew my brother was not only going to be in California, but the specific winery they visited after the show.”
“That’s what I don’t like,” he reiterated.
Taking a deep breath, I slowly let it out. “Glenn, there’s something I want to ask you.”
“Anything,” he replied.
“Why’d you never tell me you were part of my father’s inner circle?”
Glenn sighed. “Noah must’ve told you.”
“He did. It was the only way Josh was going to let Trinity sneak out of the hospital with Wade.”
“Obviously, you trusted him enough to let her go.”
“It’s because I trust you and him, Glenn. I know you wouldn’t let your son anywhere near me if you honestly thought he was going to hurt me. Plus, I knew he had the means to get us out inconspicuously. There’s more to Wade than most think.”
He chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “You’re right about that.”
“Does he know about you?”
“There are some things I like to keep private and that’s one of them, Brina. I’m trusting you’ll keep this between us. I just wanted you and your family to be safe. I loved your father like a brother.”
My eyes burned but I held back the tears. “And that’s why I love you, Glenn. I appreciate you always being there for me. I can’t begin to imagine the danger you had to face to keep me safe.”
“It was worth it, peanut. It’s always been worth it. My son’s a lucky man.”
When we’d finished our conversation, Josh looked at me. “Does Chandler know about his father?”
“I don’t think Glenn wants him to know. I have to respect that.”
“So, you’re going to keep this from him?”
I nodded, uncomfortable with where the conversation was headed. “Speaking of keeping things from people, my brother knows about you and Trinity. He could see it on your faces.”
“What do you mean?” he snapped.
I turned and glared at him. “I’m not stupid, Josh. You’re in love with her. Not to mention, she has a boyfriend at school who she’ll be spending a lot of time with when she goes back.” He averted his gaze to the road, hands gripping the steering wheel so tight I could hear the leather squeezing under his grasp. “And that’s what I’m talking about. If things don’t work out, it’ll be absolute hell for you both. I don’t want to see you lose your job. You’re good at what you do.”
I waited for him to deny it all, but he couldn’t. He knew I was right. I just hoped he knew what he was getting himself into.
When we pulled up to the gate of the house, it opened automatically. Wade was in the driveway and opened my door when we parked. Without saying a word, he held me in his arms. I melted against him, wishing like hell I could tell him all my secrets.
“Thank you,” I murmured, hearing his heart pound against my ear. “This has seriously been one fucked up day.”
Josh slammed his car door. “Where’s Trinity?”
Wade let me go, but slid his arm down to my waist. He nodded toward the house, where a light shone through one of the upstairs bedrooms. “Up there. It’s the second door on the left. She wanted to be alone.”
Josh glanced up, the worry on his face evident. “I guess I’ll give her some space then.” He turned to us and held out his hand to Wade. “Thank you for keeping her safe. I’m sorry if I was a dick earlier.”
Wade shook his hand. “I would’ve been the same way if the situation were reversed. Feel free to make yourself at home. You can take the room beside Trinity’s.”
Josh nodded. “Thanks again.” He disappeared inside, but I didn’t want to go in just yet.
Pulling me back into his warmth, Wade tilted my chin up, his expression dark and dangerous. I’d never seen him look like that before. “I can’t imagine what you must be going through.”
I shrugged. “Would it shock you if I said I’m used to it? Every time I get a phone call, I imagine the worst. It’s never going to stop.”
He tucked my hair behind my ear. “It won’t always be like this.”
“I wish I could believe you. My family has been a target most of our lives. And it doesn’t help that my brother is now in office.”
His hands grasped my face. Heart racing, I stared up into his eyes. “Not anymore,” he growled low. “You’re safe with me. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
For a moment, it felt as if I could tell him anything. Sliding my hands up his chest, I gripped onto the green scrubs he still wore. “I trust you.” His lips closed over mine, and I opened to him, my tongue caressing his. I’d never needed anyone before, but right
now, I needed him.
“What are we going to do now?” I asked, gently breaking the kiss.
Hands sliding down to my hips, he gripped me tight, rubbing his body against mine. His lips trailed down my neck and he nipped me. “I know what I want to do. But that’s not what you were asking, was it?”
I chuckled. “No, but it’s definitely on the agenda tonight. I want to know the plan for Trinity, moving forward.”
He peered up at Trinity’s window. “I’m assuming you want to leave sometime soon?”
I nodded. “Monday would be good. We’ll need to secure a private jet.”
A small smile spread across his face. “I already have that handled.”
I should’ve known he’d have his own. “Let me guess, you know how to fly?”
Chuckling, he shook his head. “Never had the time to learn. However, my brothers are proficient pilots.”
“I think I remember them now.” I laughed. “They used to destroy my sandcastles.”
Recognition flashed across his face. “Yes, they did. I remember getting in trouble for hitting them because of it too.”
My heart jumped. “Really?”
“I didn’t like seeing you cry.” His thumb brushed across my lips. “I’m sure I’d remember more if I saw pictures. I know there’s some at my father’s house.”
“And at mine,” I added. “Once everything’s over, and Trinity’s back in D.C., maybe you could come to Charleston and tour the shop? We could make it a long weekend.”
“And then what?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” I knew there’d come a time when we’d have to separate and go back to our own lives. Charleston was only three hours away from Charlotte, but I couldn’t expect him to change his life for me. I’d have to be prepared to give him up. Luckily, I didn’t have to worry about it just yet. “What are your plans for tomorrow?” I asked, changing the subject.
His smile faded. “Actually, that’s something I needed to talk to you about. Will you be okay staying here for a while with Trinity and Josh?”
“Yeah, why?” I asked, brows furrowed.
