Anger flowed through him, watching the attention she took with each item. The idea of a man touching her, harming her, and taking away this simple joy of an ugly ass suitcase and a gaudy yellow sweater made his blood boil. He tucked her in, passing the unicorn to her, and she held it tightly. Her eyelids drooped, and in no time at all, she was out like a light.
Raphael went to lay out her clothing for in the morning, but Karli had beat him to it. The socks, pants, and matching zippered hoodie lay on the luggage rack along with the unicorn bow for her hair. The items meant nothing to him, but for Karli, it was all she had.
Those simple items meant everything to her.
THE ALARM ON HIS WATCH went off at five in the morning. He rose, making quick work of his shower and morning routine and getting dressed before he woke Pooh Bear. Normally, when he made service calls for The Company, he wore a suit. It allowed him easier access into offices and buildings. People never paid much attention to a white man in a business suit. Raphael could come and go with no muss and no fuss and no one actually noticing him. On occasion he had to get down and dirty, but those times were rare.
Every job required a bit of reconnoitering before completing the assignment. As part of the tools of his trade, Mr. Exit maintained dark clothing in his shop, a pair of black slacks with matching cotton turtleneck shirt and black anti-tracking boots with smooth soles. For good measure, he added a dark cap to his head.
He didn’t want to stand over the bed when he woke Karli, but instead sat on the far side of his own and called her name. He said it again a bit louder, and her small eyes cracked open.
“It’s time,” Raphael said.
“I’m awake,” she lied, stretching under the covers like a lazy cat. Slowly, she dragged herself from the bed, taking her clothes into the bathroom with her.
Raphael heard water running and the flush of the commode, and to his surprise, she was only in the bathroom a few minutes, and she came out dressed complete with shoes. At the sink she washed her face, brushed her teeth, and then for good measure checked her hair.
“Daddy, I’m going to leave the bow in the car until we have Willow Rayne and Dusty Rose safely inside the vehicle,” she told him.
“Sounds good. Are you ready?”
Karli looked around the hotel, ensuring she hadn’t left anything. Unicorn under one arm and the ugly suitcase in hand, and the little lady was ready to roll. He calculated a 30-minute drive from Williamsburg to Pine Knot if he took Highway 92 West. This would put him in the wood line just after sunrise at seven a.m. Several concerns rolled through his head relying on the intel from a 10-year-old, but by the time they loaded the vehicle and got part way down the road, the call he was expecting had come through.
“Mr. Exit,” he said into the mouthpiece.
“The laundry run starts at 7:15. The noisemakers arrive at 7:35. You must be loaded and rolling from the area no later than 7:42,” the Archangel said into the line.
“Uhmm, any word on how long the packages are to stay with me?” he asked again for clarification.
“A week or two tops,” the Archangel replied. “I’m entrusting them to your care until arrangements can be made for identifications, schooling, housing, et cetera.”
Raphael knew what the Archangel was doing, and he knew the response to the line, and with no hesitation he replied, “Arm me with watchful care.”
“Oh, let me not my trust betray,” the Archangel added.
“But press to realms on high,” Raphael stated, waiting for the last of the instructions.
“I know this is unusual for you, but there is a reason. She was chosen for you, so even if the lessons you are supposed to learn come from a pint-sized instructor, open your mind and heart to receive the blessings she’s about to bestow upon you,” the Archangel said.
“Or the can of whoop ass she and her two hippie mothers are about to unleash on my person,” he said, thinking of which weapon he would take with him.
“Have faith, Mr. Exit. You’re a clean worker. In and out. Seven minutes. Start the clock,” the Archangel told him and ended the call.
Seven minutes to enter an encampment of zealots and rescue two women who might not want to be rescued didn’t sound like a morning of fun for Mr. Exit. He thought of all the things that could go wrong and made the decision to go in strapped with his second favorite sidearm, the Nighthawk AA Recon gun with the predator grips. Raphael didn’t plan to take any chances. In the backseat, Karli held tight to the unicorn while snacking on a banana.
“Pooh Bear, let’s go over the plan one more time to make sure all is clear, what to do if anything goes wrong, but most importantly, getting back to my truck,” he said again. “If things go wrong, get back to the truck, press one on my phone, and talk to the man about what to do next, okay?”
“Okay, Daddy,” she told him, looking at him with eyes older than her years. “I’m not worried though. We got this.”
-Fin –
Until Next time, loads of love,
About the Author
Olivia is a USA Today Best Selling and multiple award-winning author who loves a good laugh coupled with some steam, mixed in with a man and woman finding their way past the words of “I love you.” An author of contemporary romances, she writes heartwarming stories of blossoming relationships about couples not only falling in love but building a life after the sensual love scene.
When Olivia is not writing, she enjoys quilting, playing Scrabble online against other word lovers and spending time with her family. She is an avid world traveler who writes many of the locations into her stories. Most of the time she can be found sitting quietly with pen and paper plotting more adventures in love.
Olivia lives in Hephzibah, Georgia with her husband, son, grandson and snotty evil cat, Katness Evermean.
Learn more about her books, upcoming releases and join her bibliophile nation at www.ogaines.com
Subscribe to her email list at http://eepurl.com/OulYf
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olivia.gaines.31
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Did you love Becoming the Czar? Then you should read Bleu, Grass, Bourbon by Olivia Gaines!
The matchmaking, mail order bride lady set them up on a date with free tickets to a Vegas show. A reckless passionate night, a few sleepovers and fast forward three months later, Isiah Neary wasn't surprised by the phone call from DeShondra Leman.He knew it was coming.He expected it.Isiah just didn't expect it to be so much damned fun.
Fall in love with DeShondra and Isiah, a man known as Bleu, with a fixation on perfect grass and a great glass of Bourbon as we close out the Neary Saga. Bleu, grass, bourbon, but there is so much more to this man as DeShondra finds out.
Read more at Olivia Gaines’s site.
Becoming the Czar Page 25
