“Agreed.”
“You show up, she’s not with you. He may go ballistic and make a mistake. Let us know where he is. Be vague in your statements. Brock has a press release if you want to look over it. If Brandon doesn’t make a move, we up the stakes with another plan. Miss Dawkins will stay here.”
Aiden frowned. “Wait, I don’t feel good about Olivia not being with me. I can’t protect her if she’s not there.”
I had to agree with that one. I didn’t want to be left behind. It seemed like the only times during this entire mess that I did feel safe, were the times he was with me. I also didn’t want to spend any more time in this windowless, stuffy command center. I didn’t even know where we were.
Holden looked offended. So did Jake.
Brock just rolled his eyes and said, “She can stay here.”
I piped in, “Oh fuck no. It’s like a dungeon. And it smells stuffy.”
Aiden squeezed my thigh. “Language, princess.”
“What—No. I’m not staying here. I’m going to go crazy. I don’t even know where I’m at. I can’t stay here in the dungeon of slow death.”
Jake said, “The what?”
“Uh, slow death. No windows, no air. Hell, this thing is probably rigged with poisonous gas if I set off some alarm somewhere. No thank you!”
Brock considered that for a moment. “That’s not a bad idea. That would certainly guarantee security. Hmm.”
I raised my eyebrows at Aiden and gave him a look that indicated his friend was insane.
Holden came up with the solution. “She’ll stay at your family’s cabin. The title and land are still under your mom’s maiden name. We put in a bunker three years ago, if you remember. It’s tricked out. Has enough room to house ten if we do minimum pack in. Took the guys up there a couple of months ago for some training so they know the land.”
Aiden thought about it for a moment. “Done. Let’s arrange for tomorrow. I want on a plane before dawn. Three days, then I’m back. Have the New York team ready for anything.”
I chewed on my lip. It could be worse. At least I would have a nice view and the cabin, wherever it was, sounded delightful at this point.
Chapter Seventeen
The cabin was a disaster.
Aiden had parted that morning with a kiss on my cheek after keeping me up nearly the entire night. He had been relentless in his appetites, and had made good on proving that I was his, over and over again. I didn’t complain at all.
Holden and Jake had escorted me to the cabin that morning in the blacked out Suburban. We had taken so many turns, that I forgot about trying to remember the way to get there, and had decided to take a long nap.
Now that we were here though, I was regretting my choice between “Brock the Dungeon Keeper” and fresh air.
The cabin, if that’s what they wanted to call it, was huge. It had a wrap-around porch on all sides. The main room took up most of the bottom floor with an open floor plan that included a state-of-the-art kitchen, and a bathroom large enough to satisfy fifteen people. The living room featured a fireplace, two sitting areas, a dining table for twelve, and floor to ceiling windows.
It was palatial. It was pretty. It was also dirty.
I spent half my day finding cobwebs in the corners and eradicating unwanted crawlers. Then I went on a cleaning frenzy in the bathroom. It looked like Holden and his goon squad had been using the facilities in their training escapades.
There was half an inch of dust on everything which caused several sneezing attacks, and reminded me to take my allergy medication. I was then reminded that Aiden and I had been doing the dirty tango without protection again.
I wasn’t too worried about it. My period was due in a week and the chances of conception were remarkably low according to nine internet sites. But for safe measure, I had also posted on several fertility sites. I was waiting for the multitude of highly experienced and educated web crawlers to respond. Julia was also checking with her psychic.
The view I was looking forward to, wasn’t what I expected. The windows in the living room faced out toward thickly wooded trees. So did the entire view on the porch. My visibility was hindered because no one had thinned the brush out in years.
The second floor, which had four dirty bedrooms, was also a disappointment. However, if I stood up on a chair, and then on my tip-toes, I could see what might be the lake about a mile through the woods.
So, I cleaned. And I cleaned. I took a break and then cleaned some more.
The guys had stationed themselves around the cabin in various places. I assumed they were out there playing hide and seek in their gear. They had seemed eager earlier to be relocating to the bunker. That building, I was told, was less than fifty yards from the cabin. Not that I could see it at all.
While I cleaned, I had Holden send a grocery list to whomever did those sorts of things. They had delivered everything to the house about the time I was finished.
I sat down with my chips and sandwich in the kitchen and turned on the TV. There were five TVs in the house. One of which was in the bathroom of all things.
The national news came on and was reporting the miraculous appearance of the missing billionaire, also known as Aiden Latimer. He was decked out in a three-piece suit and looking very much like the man who left me in bed this morning. He looked tired and was giving a tight smile to reporters.
He confirmed the reports of the deaths but wouldn’t give names. He said that he was carrying on with business as usual, and wrapped up the interview by saying that his firm was working with local authorities in the area to investigate the explosion.
I turned off the TV. Well that was anti-climactic.
Holden walked into the house.
“Wait! Wait! Don’t track mud in here Holden.”
He stopped.
“Shoes off if you’ve been tromping through mud playing super soldier.”
He rolled his eyes. “We don’t play super soldier. We have mock scenario training in a realistic environment. Which keeps you and Aiden safe I might add.”
“Uh-huh,” I said with a chip in my mouth. “Sounds like a bunch of boys playing to me.”
Holden walked into the kitchen and looked in the fridge. “Got everything you need?”
“Yeah, but I know how you like to eat so please leave some for me.”
“Nah, we have plenty at the bunker.”
“I just watched Aiden on TV. He was really vague but he looked good.”
He took a seat at the island bar with me and stole a chip. “Yeah, exactly what he’s supposed to say.”
I eyed him, wondering what he was doing here. “Yeah.”
“So, we amp it up if we can’t flush Brandon out. I’m pretty sure that pecker will come out from whatever rock he’s hiding under. He’ll want to see if you’re dead or he’ll start threatening Aiden for information. That’s what Brock thinks anyway.”
“So, Aiden is bait in other words?”
“Yeah, kind of. We’re going to see if he’ll make a move toward Aiden. He’ll want to know about you. Meanwhile, we’ll be looking for him. If he’s as obsessed with you as we think he is, then he’ll be frantic. If he doesn’t make a move by tomorrow, Aiden will go for the second press release and that should drive him wild.”
“I see. You know, one thing about Brandon that you’re not considering is that he is highly intelligent. He may just lay low.”
Holden thought for a minute. “Never know, either way we have things covered.”
“So, what are you really doing here Holden?”
He gave me a grin. “Well, now you can’t tell Aiden.”
“Oh no.”
“You said you wanted a gun. Aiden and I had a blowout about it on the phone today before he got on his flight. I think you should have one. Aiden is being an idiot.”
“What are his reasons for not letting me have one?”
He gave me a serious look. “He thinks you’ll shoot him.”
“Hmm, I
might.”
He laughed and stood up. “Come on. Tell him. Don’t tell him. I don’t give a fuck. Let’s go do some practice shooting. I have what we need set up at the back.”
The rest of the day was spent on learning how to handle a weapon. I was nervous with guns, which Holden said I shouldn’t be. However, he reminded me that I did need to remember to have a measure of respect for what they could do.
He demonstrated by shooting a squirrel at fifty paces. I was horrified! He didn’t care.
He then went into Holden soldier mode and barked out orders for the next several hours. By the time we were finished however, I did have a fairly good understanding of how stance and handling played a massive role in accuracy.
When the sun descended, I ate some noodles on the couch and tried to relax. It had been a busy day. My arms were sore, I smelled like dirt and I was just worn out.
My phone rang. Sexy Beast Calling.
“Hello?”
“Hi gorgeous.”
“Hi honey, how was your day?”
“Terrible. I feel like my lips are permanently welded to my teeth, I smiled so much today.”
“Aww poor baby, you actually had to pretend to be nice.”
“I am nice. If you want a demonstration I’ll be giving it to you the day after tomorrow.”
I giggled. “Uh, no. I think I’m going to have to go on an Aiden diet. At least until you pick up condoms or I go see a doctor.”
“Fine, we’ll see how long that lasts. I won’t be going on a diet and you’re on the menu. Condoms, whatever. So, what did you do today?”
He was extremely nonchalant about the condom issue. I suppose he had a point whether he realized it or not. There wasn’t much we could do now except wait. But as soon as the red tide started and confirmed that I wasn’t pregnant, I was buying an industrial box of them and going to the doctor.
I filled him in on cleaning the house, made suggestions about the brush on the property, and mentioned that I was incredibly bored. I did not tell him about the shooting lessons. I wasn’t lying technically, just omitting it.
“So, has Brock or anyone heard anything yet?”
“No babe. Not yet. If we don’t then we’ll do something in a press conference tomorrow sometime. Did you watch the one today?”
“Yeah, honey. You looked like you just rolled out of bed.”
“Hmm, sucked I had to. If you’re bored then call Julia over to the house. Just don’t start any fires, don’t let her near the appliances, and no sharp objects. You two are way too much alike. Hey, I meant to ask you, what’s up with her and Holden?”
“I have no idea. She hates his face off and every time I mention her, he looks like he’s ready to stick hot pokers in his eyes or go on a killing spree.”
“Yeah, invite her over but give Holden a heads up so he can avoid the area.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
“I like the sound of that.”
I rolled my eyes. “You would.”
“Have to go babe. Do what you’re told and stay out of trouble.”
“Okay honey. Bye.”
“Babe give it to me.”
I let out a long sigh. “I love you.”
“Better,” he replied, then hung up.
It was strange how much I had missed his voice in only the space of a few hours. It was irritating in some ways too. I had lived twenty-five years of my life without him being in it. Now, one day without him and I felt like pouting. I was pathetic. I needed ice-cream.
I called Julia.
“What up?” she answered.
“Hey just checking on you. Do you have some time off tomorrow?”
“Actually, I do. I’m going on vacation early. Started packing today. My room is a wreck. Why?”
“Well, I’m up here at Aiden’s cabin. He said it was on the lake but it’s really in the middle of the woods and the lake just happens to be close to it.”
She chuckled. “You’re bored.”
“Yeah I am.”
“Tell ya what, I’ll get the henchman that’s been with me to drive me up there. I’ll be there in an hour or so. Good?”
I was elated. “Awesome! Bring ice-cream. He has satellite out here so we can watch movies, and tomorrow maybe we can go find the lake.”
“Does he have alcohol?”
“No, unless you want to whip up some moonshine out of lake water, pine cones and a dead squirrel. Not sure I should be drinking anyway.”
“Dead squirrel?”
“Eh, nevermind.”
“Oh, that reminds me, my psychic says you’re not pregnant. But, so did the doc at the hospital.”
“Yeah but would they even know since it’s only been like what? Three days?”
“I’m just reporting the facts from two reliable sources. Consider it a last hoorah before I leave in celebration of your non-relationship.”
I scrunched up my nose. “Yeah, so, I told him I loved him.”
I could hear something in the background slam and some muffled noises. “Jules?”
“Yeah, sorry, I dropped a bowl. Did I hear you correctly? The woman that runs from everything said she loved someone that wasn’t family?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”
“I’m impressed. That’s growth. What happened?”
“I don’t know. Thinking he was dead I guess. Maybe before that. I just know he makes me feel like things are going to be good. I can’t explain it.”
“Trusting someone is probably the biggest hurdle you’ve ever faced Liv. I think it’s awesome!”
“Yeah but he hasn’t said it back yet.”
“Give him time. Guys are different like that. Meanwhile, your friend Julia here is still single. I have got to get out of this place soon. I was thinking of heading out tomorrow afternoon. There’s a band that’s going out to Cali with a few stops at some shows.”
“Okay, just leave me their contact numbers like you usually do when you travel.”
“You got it. Booze to the rescue commencing in three, two, one.”
She hung up.
An hour later, she showed up with two pints of chocolate ice-cream, two coffees, her guitar, and a box of assorted hard alcohol. She was wearing jeans, an off the shoulder bell sleeve blouse and had her hair up in a messy ponytail. Her black designer glasses were perched on top of her head.
I eyed her. “How is it that you can still look like a goddess even when packing?”
She shrugged and started unloading the box of alcohol.
“Geesh Jules, did you buy the store?”
“I’ve been going through my bartender’s guide. We have alcohol. I say we experiment.”
She started laying out the contents of the box on the counter.
“The last time we experimented, we ended up trashed on the lawn of your apartment complex with a dog that didn’t belong to us and two dozen yard signs. Maybe we should just have a couple of drinks and call it good.”
She looked at me like I was crazy. “I’m an artist. We experiment.”
She laid out two lemons on a wooden chopping board on the island and pulled a butcher knife out of one of the drawers. Without warning she started hacking away like an axe murderer. Pieces of lemon went flying everywhere.
I sighed. “Aiden’s going to kill me.”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “Let’s just try a few things and see how it goes. I could get my bartending license someday. That wouldn’t be so bad. Then I could just experiment on patrons.”
I wasn’t sure that would go over well. Her experiments were questionable at best. But she was gorgeous, could sing, dance and flirt. All of which might make a great bartender. I doubted Aiden would want her being anywhere near the bar, but the nightclub might be looking for someone.
Aiden.
I missed him. Time for some drinks.
An hour later, we were sitting on the porch singing songs we had heard on the radio. Julia was anyway. She knew most of the bands we liked. She was incredi
bly talented as a singer but she refused to do anything with it.
I, on the other hand, had no singing abilities. I mostly just screeched out lyrics off tune.
Two of the security guys that were stationed near the house were trying to ignore us. We tried our best to be as loud as possible, just to enrich their evening.
I looked down at the bottom of my glass and swished what was left of Julia’s last drink concoction around. It had been blue-ish, but it was mostly grey-ish now.
I was going to ask Julia if she had any more after she finished her little jam session, when Holden walked up to the porch. I had forgotten to warn him about her visit.
Julia stopped mid song and glared at him.
“Ladies,” he said while looking at Julia.
I set down my drink on the porch. “Hey Holden, we’re just sitting out here enjoying the fresh air.”
“Looks like both of you have had a few.”
“Nah, maybe a couple. We were putting on a mini concert out here for the dead squirrel and the boys.”
Julia frowned. “What’s up with the dead squirrel?”
I grinned. “Yeah, Holden taught me how to shoot and took out a squirrel.”
Julia’s jaw clamped shut. She threw Holden a drop-dead look.
I probably shouldn’t have mentioned the squirrel. Feeling uncomfortable, I tried to change the subject. “Any news?”
Holden looked annoyed. “No. But we can hear you at the bunker. You realize it’s past midnight, right?”
I looked at the hairs on my right wrist. “Must have forgotten my watch.”
Julia stood up and set her guitar down by the railing. “You know, I think I should just head back tonight so I can get everything ready Liv. I’ll text you the route and numbers tomorrow.”
“Aww, don’t go.”
Holden and I watched as Julia went into the house.
I looked at him. “You just had to be a party crasher.”
He looked at me like he was going to say something then turned around and walked down the drive. “I’ll get Jared to take her back. Go to bed Miss Dawkins before I call Aiden.”
Run (Lakefield Book 1) Page 17
