I kissed him, and he startled before he kissed me back. Kade dropped his bag with a clunk, all of his attention going to kissing me. “Do you swear it?”
“I do. I swear it, Evy. Let me be with you. No more separations. And I have a gift for you.”
“Of course you do.” Judson stormed into the room. “I’m going to be the only asshole without one. What did you buy her?”
Kade grinned. “Hey, Judson.”
“Kade. We’re worried about Trace.”
Kade set me down, turning his attention to Judson fully. “Why? He’s in the Caribbean. I have you all on movement algorithm.”
“Fuck.” I grabbed onto Kade, needing to feel him right there. I would not give in to terror. Trace was alive. He just was. That was all there was to it.
6
“We never unpacked you. We’ll just go, somewhere more off the grid, and figure out how to get to Trace, to find out if he’s alive.” Judson strode past me into the kitchen. “I need coffee. I can’t think yet. This is why I don’t sleep. It makes me… sluggish.”
Judson knew better than that. He was a doctor. I wasn’t, however, going to argue with him while it would be like poking a bear. I’d probably roused him right from REM. Instead, I spoke to Kade who was on his computer running through searches to see if he could get a reading on what happened. So far, whoever had done this had left a big old black hole right where we needed to see. He’d been muttering about Marcus. “We can’t just go. Warden is in the hospital.”
“We’ll get him,” Jud yelled from the kitchen. “I’ll do his care, which will be minimal, wherever we go. I have some thoughts on that.”
“Actually…” Kade walked away from his computer, but the screen still ran through the search pattern. He must have set it up to run continuously. “I know where we can go.” He tugged me against him. “You missed me,” he whispered in my ear. “I was afraid you didn’t. That you… that you wouldn’t be able to forgive me for what happened.”
I turned all my focus to him. “You aren’t to blame for that.”
“Fuck, yes, I am. My system failed. That’s how they got up. I couldn’t break into their system to get up to you. It’s all on me.”
I sighed. “Kade.” I kissed his chin. “This is not on you. This is on Ben. On the Alliance. Not on you. Unless we want to chase this back to you guys deciding to kidnap me to begin with, and I’m over that. Really done. That is over with.”
He rubbed his eyes. Like Judson, he was sporting dark circles under them. “I… I’m not accepting that.”
“Okay, well you said something about where we should go, so let’s focus on this and I’ll alleviate you of guilt for the fact that I, not you, killed my father later.” I patted him on his arm.
“Am I making this about me?” He lifted his eyebrows. “I’m just recognizing my role.”
I sighed. “Look, I’m in love with you. I told you I was.”
He liked that. A red hue lit up his cheeks. It was adorable. “I love you, too.”
“That’s good. But we’re all narcissists. You are. I am. That might be why this works or why this falls apart. I don’t know. I can’t predict the future. But yeah, you’re making this about you, and I’m making this about me. This is what we do.” I kissed him again. “Let’s shelve this until later.”
He sighed. “Kiss me again, and I’ll think about it.”
I did that because I wanted to, not because of his statement. Or at least I’d pretend as much. I was good at deluding myself. I couldn’t do this too much. The loop of my “what am I” thoughts tended to screw me up for days.
He ran his thumb under my eye. “I bought you a house. I think that’s the right place for us to go.”
“You bought her a house?” Judson shouted from the hall, holding his coffee. “Shit. Tell me did you do that before or after you saw the necklace.”
Kade met him by the doorway before he patted him on the shoulder. “Before. Absolutely before.”
“Like you’d admit otherwise.”
They could go ahead and do this song and dance. In the meantime my head spun. I gripped the wall. “A house? Where did you buy me a house?”
He grinned. “Destin. Florida.”
I gaped at him. “I love Destin. Happiest family vacation of my youth.”
Kade nodded toward me. “I know, Evy. That’s why I did it. You could go off the grid there without going off the grid. It’s not in your name, and it can’t be traced to any of us. I worked on this for a while. It’s a hole in the satellites because I made it one, but I cut out like a thousand other places too. We’ll be safe because it doesn’t look like a hole. I made it a loop.”
I put my hands on my hips. “You bought it for me?”
“I started to realize you were going to go off the grid. I didn’t want… you really off the grid. I’m sorry. But how am I supposed to keep you safe if I were to somehow lose you?”
That was so sweet it almost pushed out of my head how much money he must have spent. “So you bought me a small place in Destin. That is very sweet.”
“Oh, I bet it’s not small.” Judson laughed. “Is it on the beach, Kade?”
The word yes banged around in my head. I thought I might have passed out with my eyes open. I had a car. A diamond necklace. A house. And Judson had given me an orgasm I’d never forget in getting-reacquainted sex. All I needed was Trace to be alive. I needed that more than anything.
Judson’s phone blared to life. “It’s Derrick. He’s outside.”
I grabbed the door and flung it open. Derrick walked in like he’d gone out for bagels instead of distracting bad guys.
“Hey.” He looked around the room. “Warden okay?”
I nodded. “He is. Trace may not be.”
Derrick sighed. “Fill me in and where are your diamonds, Evs? You can’t be bored with them already.”
Judson groaned. This was almost perfect. If only I didn’t have one love in pain, just out of surgery, and one who knew where, not dead—I couldn’t let him be dead, even in my head. Not now, not ever.
“We have to get to St. Croix. If Trace is there, he’s in hiding. Or if they’ve taken him, we need evidence of that. We have to go look. If Kade can’t see from the satellites, that either means that Trace is being really careful or Marcus has him. And at some point, can one of you give me a rundown on Marcus?”
Kade sighed. “I’m shocked it’s him. I thought he’d go into hiding. He was Mr. Uninteresting on the council. Sort of stupid. I can’t believe he’s running things.”
“I feel the same.” Derrick sighed. “He’s a fucking idiot. A good shot but that was about it.”
I walked over to Jud, leaning my head against his arm. “We can’t leave Warden, and we can’t take him with us just yet.”
“I know.” Judson kissed the top of my head. “I’ll stay here with him until he’s ready and then we’ll travel to Destin. Assuming Kade will give me the address?”
Kade grinned. “I’m all in on this new let’s-not-betray-each-other thing that Evy wants. Yes, I’ll give you the address. Keep in mind, the way we keep it secure and offline from the satellites is by not drawing attention to it. So no guards. Show up in an expensive looking car but not flashy. The people there have money. They’ll expect whoever is there to have it as well, but a red sports car with Dr. Nose on the license plate will catch attention we don’t need.”
I looked up at Judson, amusement flashing through me. “Do you have a car with that license plate?”
“No. I’m not cheesy. I’m old money. That goes against my cellular makeup. Nondescript car. Anything else. Presumably I need a key to get in this place? How are you keeping it from being attached to Everly?”
Kade lifted his eyebrows. “The bills are being taken care of through over a thousand different companies located all over the world. It’s impossible to trace. Take my word on it, I’ll never let her down again.”
I sighed. “Kade, seriously.”
“Evy.” He winked at me
. “I get to feel how I want to feel. The whole narcissist thing.”
He was so going to keep using that now that I’d introduced the topic. I grinned. It was absolutely ridiculous that I liked this so much.
Judson shook his head. “So no noticeable car. I bring Warden in. We hang out and wait for you guys. Ever going to tell me how I get in?”
“I have a code,” Kade answered. “Texting it to you now. Go in through the garage.”
“Got it.” Jud stared at his phone before shoving it in his back pocket. “I’ll go to the grocery store.”
I stared at him. “You will?”
He rolled his eyes but smirked at me at the same time. “Yes. I can do that. Sometimes. What I can’t believe is that I just got you back and now you’re leaving. Everly, it is everything I can do to do not wrap you up in a warm blanket and figure out where to put you that you can be safe. We can all take turns being with you and keeping you that way.” He held up his hand to stave off any argument I’d have made. “But Warden’s been shot. Trace might be dead. And if he’s not, he needs you guys, so go.” He pointed at Kade and Derrick. “Take care of our girl. We’re all sharing her. It’s not conventional, but it’s the only way this works. We’re loyal to her, and she wants us loyal to each other. We’ll make it work.”
Derrick disappeared to the kitchen without a word. Maybe he wanted some coffee. Kade responded to Judson. “Well, since not one of us is going to give her up, I guess we all have to figure out how this is our normal. For me, I never expected to want or love anyone past a night. I’m keeping Everly. If you guys fuck it up, she’s still mine.”
I sighed. This really wasn’t going to be simple, but I’d never expected it to be.
Derrick came back out, holding the diamond necklace. Judson gaped at him. “Did you break into my safe?”
“I didn’t have to break in. You and Alyssa used the same code. I knew hers, I know yours. Come on. I’ll keep this, Evs. You can wear it in the Caribbean if we’re not running for our lives. I like you draped in diamonds.”
Judson put out his hand, and I took it. He drew his lips to mine. “Be careful. I haven’t slept in months without you. I don’t want to know what a lifetime without you would feel like. We can all be done with the Alliance. Get Trace and we’ll walk away.”
Marcus had shot at Warden and now maybe killed Trace. I didn’t think that was exactly going to be possible, not the way he’d had me threatened on the street. Still, it was a beautiful sentiment, and I wouldn’t spoil it with reality. I leaned up to whisper in his ear. “Bring the black tie to Destin. Tonight was incredible, but I want my wrists tied up again by you sometime.”
He jolted before he kissed me hard. My bruised mouth hurt, but I loved it. I stepped back. “See you soon, Jud.”
“Love you.”
* * *
The plane was quiet. Derrick and Kade were both asleep, stretched out in chairs on either side of me. I remained upright in mine. I scanned through the pictures of my house on Kade’s tablet. It was bizarre that it was mine. If it was technically mine. I wasn’t really clear on who legally owned it, if anyone at all.
When I’d tried to tell Kade it was too large a gift, he’d lowered his chair, placed his hand on my side where it remained, stretched out, and fallen asleep. Derrick had been out before takeoff. His hand remained staunchly right below my left breast so that every time the plane jolted at all, I got a little thrill. I was half convinced he’d done that on purpose while the kinder side of me thought he’d wanted to feel my heart beat.
The house was beautiful. I wondered if Judson knew it was unfurnished or if he was going to arrive and be shocked that there was nowhere to sit. I needed to ask Derrick to text him about that. Warden was going to need somewhere to lie down. Judson could order furniture. The man had the ability to get things done fast.
Derrick moved his leg, which caught my attention. I stared over at him. He was quiet and peaceful in sleep. I hadn’t shared a room with him since his surgery. He didn’t snore anymore, air making its way in and out of him almost silently. I reached out to touch his face, running my finger down his nose. He didn’t stir. He was beautiful.
In my need to admire the men in my life, I turned my attention to Kade. He frowned in his sleep and shifted slightly. Whatever he dreamed, it wasn’t pleasant. I ran my hand through his dark hair, and he shifted.
“Evy?” His voice was light. He didn’t open his eyes, and his face relaxed. Maybe I’d disrupted the dream long enough for it to move on.
I needed to sleep. We were going to get there, and I wasn’t going to be any good to anyone.
Why wasn’t I tired? I should have been. It had been a long time since I’d rested. Warden asleep in my bed had been my last bit of shut eye. I hadn’t even knocked out after the incredible sex with Judson. It was like my mind wouldn’t shut down now that I’d returned to this life.
Fear wasn’t playing a role, at least not for me. Worry about Trace and Warden did make me squirm. But I wasn’t afraid of things suddenly happening to me. Other than death, I’d already pretty much been through everything.
Like they could sense it, or maybe because I’d disrupted their sleep, both Derrick and Kade lifted their lids.
“Evs.” Derrick pushed at my chair. “Lie back. You need to sleep.”
“Come on.” Kade reached over me and hit the button for the chair to lie flat. “He’s right. Sleep. It’s very late. Lots of stuff to do when we land. Just a couple more hours. Not enough. Take a nap.”
Kade’s speech was stilted, like he wasn’t really awake. He never slept much as it was, and I was immediately sorry I’d disrupted him. “I don’t think I can guys. Can’t seem to calm down.”
“Yes, you can.” Derrick was more alert. “Here.” He opened a drawer under the seat, pulling out a blanket. All of their planes were very different, and this one had a lot of storage. We were officially on Kade’s now. Maybe Derrick had been on it before. He tucked me in before he scooted to the edge of his seat to put his arm entirely around me. Kade did the same. We weren’t pressed against each other, but it did feel like I was in bed with them.
“It’s just a few hours or so,” Kade whispered. “Not enough. But just rest your brain. Shut it off. We’ve got you.”
I closed my eyes, although I didn’t expect to sleep.
Except I did.
I walked toward my father, running down the stairs in my childhood home. He held out his hand, which I didn’t think he’d ever done in his life, but I put out my own to grab it. Just as we would have linked fingers, he vanished. I stumbled forward, barely avoiding hitting the floor.
I spun around. What happened? Where had he gone? Then the floor was gone. I was falling. I screamed for my father, but he never came.
With a splat, I hit the floor. Unable to move, I watched in horror as the room changed. I was back in Ben’s basement. He walked toward me, a sick, twisted smile on his face. “You killed us.” My father stepped up next to him, and they both leaned over, staring at me. “But we’re never really going to go away.”
I sat up, my heart racing loudly in my ears.
“Hey.” Kade tugged me to him, reaching over to pull off my seatbelt in a swift motion, so that I ended up in his lounge chair with him. Derrick had been asleep and didn’t move until I was all the way up against Kade.
“What’s wrong?” Derrick took off his own seatbelt and came over to sit on the edge of Kade’s lounge. “What happened?”
I pushed my head into Kade’s chest. He’d held me through another bad nightmare once. He did seem to know when I was having a freak out.
“Bad dream.” He held me tighter before he kissed me on top of the head. “She gets them sometimes.”
Derrick rubbed my back. “I’m sorry that’s still happening, Evs.”
I lifted my head. “Just dreams. I thought they had stopped. I’d been doing really well lately but now—I guess with seeing you guys and being thrust back into this—they’re back. I�
��ll get it under control. I’m sorry I woke you.”
My ears clogged, indicating that we’d started our descent. I tried to sit up but couldn’t because Kade didn’t let me go. The lounge chair was not made for three people to sprawl across and yet that was just what we did. Kade lay on his side and so did Derrick. I was squished between them. We were clearly not in the right position for landing, but they didn’t say anything and neither did I.
“Do we have any idea where we’re going to start looking for Trace?”
Kade ran his hand through my hair. “We’ll go to James Robert’s house. From there, we’ll see if we can get in. Get some sense about whether the second person was killed. That might take some maneuvering. If he is… and it’s Trace…”
I clenched my jaw. I hated this, but I had to hear it. “Then what? If it’s Trace?”
“We get his body, and we go home. We don’t let him be identified or taken,” Derrick answered, as he ran a hand through his hair. It was loose and soft looking. I reached out to touch it, and he smiled at me.
“If Trace isn’t dead?” This was the best case scenario, and even though I was not a glass half full woman anymore, I would hold onto this until the idea was physically forced from my head.
Kade sighed. “Then we figure out where he went from there. The man’s house was sort of a dead zone in the satellites. Trace wanted it that way so the council didn’t figure out that Trace was still working with him after he was told not to. I did that for him, so consequently, I don’t know what went on there. We have to go look physically and then maybe ask ourselves, hey, if I was on the run for my life, where would I go?”
Derrick nodded. “And you have the search engines going so if he appears on satellite somewhere else, like he’s left the island, we’ll be notified.”
“Immediately.”
Most people dreamed of going to the Caribbean; they looked forward to these kinds of trips. So far I’d been twice and both times had been hell. I might become a skier to avoid doing this again. Or just give up travel altogether.
Deadly Truths: Kiss Her Goodbye #3 Page 7
