29. Everything Is Gone
Chapter 29
Everything Is Gone
Ori
“A
re you hungry?” I murmur, pressing a kiss to Ash’s chest.
We’ve lazed around in bed for hours. Sue us—we had some serious catching up to do.
“Starving,” he replies, his hand absently tracing patterns along my shoulder.
“Let me get dinner started.”
Ash catches my wrist before I can leave the bed. “You’re supposed to be resting. I’ll pick us up some food.”
“You said that whole bedrest thing was a crock.”
“Bedrest, yes. Resting, no. Dr. Fulton wants you to take it easy.”
“That’s no fun. I want to cook.”
Ash shrugs, his grip firm on my wrist. “And I want you safe, so I win.”
“You’re full of great lines today.”
“I was saving them up, showing you what a catch I am.”
“I think the entire world knows you’re a catch.”
“See? This is why you should ask me to marry you.”
“Right,” I mutter, rolling my eyes. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a hell of a one-eighty to hear Ash discussing marriage, but I need to play this one cool.
“You know you want to.” He props himself up on one elbow, his grin widening into that signature cocky smirk.
I’m 99% positive the man is messing with me, but that 1% is mighty interested in this recent development.
Shaking my head, I smack a kiss to his mouth. “Sadly, I’m not brave anymore where you’re concerned.”
But Ash doesn’t miss a beat. “I’ll be brave enough for both of us, and Ori—you will marry me.”
I lean back, wagging a finger at him. “Laying down a demand doesn’t qualify as a proposal, either, you know.”
“Since you’re such an expert, why don’t you show me how it’s done?”
“Nice try,” I reply, swinging my legs out of bed. “I’m going to hose off. Order me some fettuccine, please? I’m craving carbs.”
“At least it’s not pickles and ice cream.”
“Yet. Give it time.”
“Hey Ori, one day you’re going to regret not jumping on this marriage deal while it’s still on the table,” he calls after me.
“Don’t hold your breath,” I reply in a sing-song voice. “Ash, your phone is ringing.”
He waves it off, content to lounge in the bed a few minutes longer. “They can wait. I’m too busy enjoying this moment.”
I duck into the bathroom and turn on the shower. Although I might have laughed off Ash’s persistent hints about our betrothal, every single one hit the bullseye of my heart, leading me to one undeniable fact: he loves me.
Maybe he can’t say those exact words, but he’s told me in so many other ways.
And yet, there’s still a niggling voice in the back of my head, reminding me that Ash doesn’t believe in love. He’s told me this on numerous occasions.
What if this is all just an elaborate way of keeping me close without risking anything deeper?
I try to dismiss the thought as lunacy, but it lingers like a bruise that’s only tender when you press it.
Then again, does it even matter?
How could I not love him? He risked everything—his reputation, his business, his life—to save those girls. He also risked losing me to keep me safe from the same monster.
Maybe I should ask him to marry me, though if this is some kind of new game, my heart won’t recover this time.
I stroll out of the bathroom after a luxurious shower to find Ash on the phone, tension radiating off him in waves.
“ Everything is gone? And you didn’t see her leave?” he snaps into the phone.
Uh-oh. I pull the towel from my head, my ears perking up at his heated conversation.
“Shit, Braden. Just search high and low for a note or anything, okay? Yeah, I know you already did, but can you do it again? Thanks.”
Ash ends the call with a frustrated sigh. He tosses the phone on the counter, raking his fingers through his hair.
“Everything okay?”
Not sure why I bother asking when I already know the answer is a definitive no.
Ash shakes his head, his hands drumming an erratic beat against the counter. “That was Braden. He went to check on Lucille. All her stuff is gone from the farm—every stitch of clothing, all her toiletries, everything.”
“Did she say she was leaving?”
“No, which has me really fucking worried.” He runs a hand over his jaw, another sigh escaping his lips. “Come on. Take a ride with me to Black Lotus .”
“What are we looking for?”
“She kept all her tattoo gear there. I want to see if it’s gone, too.”
“Let me get dressed.”
I’m ready to go five minutes later, although I look like a hot mess in my oversized sweats, my damp hair twisted under a hat. “Don’t say a word about my appearance,” I warn Ash as I slide on my coat.
I mean for it to lighten the mood, but it falls on deaf ears. Even though Ash doesn’t love Lucille anymore, the thought of harm befalling her is more than he can bear.
I grasp his hand and offer what I hope is a reassuring smile. “Let’s go.”
My apartment is less than five minutes from Black Lotus, but we’re not even halfway there when blue lights flash behind us.
“What the hell?” Ash grumbles, pulling to the side of the road. “I’m doing thirty.”
“It’s probably some bullshit reason.”
The officer knocks on the window, and Ash rolls it down, irritation playing across his face. “Seriously? What’s up, Drake? Since when does the chief play traffic cop?”
“Hey, Ash. Sorry to startle you, but I wanted to let you know you have a taillight out.”
Ash glances over his shoulder, his brow furrowing. “No problem, I’ll fix it tomorrow. Are we good?”
Drake taps the truck door, ducking his head to shoot me a smile. “Oriana Thorne. We’ve yet to be officially introduced.”
Ash motions between us with a sharp jerk of his hand. “Ori, this is Drake, the police chief. He’s married to Kiki.”
“I love Kiki. She has worked a few fabulous real estate deals for me,” I reply, leaning across Ash to shake the man’s hand. “Tell her I said hello.”
“Will do. Oh, and I hear congratulations are in order. About time, Hammond. You’ve got a good woman in Oriana Thorne.”
The smile drops from Ash’s face, his expression hardening. “Yeah. Thanks.”
“Alright, well, drive safe.” With a last nod, Drake walks back to his car and pulls past us on Main Street.
Ash grips the steering wheel like a vise, staring at the road ahead like it’s suddenly a battleground.
“Are you okay?” I ask, noting the rigid set of his shoulders.
“Fuck no. I think I found the leak.”
What the hell is he talking about? “What leak?”
“Someone here in Sparkwood is working with Kevin Duncan.”
“And you think it’s the police chief?”
“He knew about you being pregnant, which he would have heard from Kiki after she ran into us at urgent care.”
“Right, but I’m not connecting the dots.”
Ash exhales sharply and smacks the steering wheel. “Kevin knows you’re pregnant. That’s why I lost my shit this morning. I knew someone was feeding him information about us—where we were, what we’ve been doing. Since I doubt it was Dr. Fulton, and you haven’t said anything, that leaves one person—Drake.”
“Jesus,” I mumble, my heart thumping against my ribs. “You hear about dirty cops all the time on TV, but you don’t expect them in your town.”
"Think about it," Ash says, his voice vibrating with barely restrained anger. "How else is Kevin getting the girls in and out of Sparkwood without anyone noticing? Drake controls the police routes, the patrols—everything. If he’s in Kevin’s pocket, the whole town is compromised. And what are the odds the chief is handing out tickets tonight? He was waiting for us."
I swallow hard as the reality of Ash’s words sink in.
“Do me a favor. Hop out and tell me if a taillight is out.”
When I walk behind the truck, both taillights are fully lit. I’ll be damned—Ash is right. “They’re both working.”
“Fucking bastard. He was toying with me.”
“Maybe he was stalling you?”
Ash’s jaw clenches. “Or sending a message. Let’s get to Black Lotus . I need to call Trace.”
Ash races to the tattoo parlor, and we hurry inside. He heads straight for Lucille’s temporary office. Sure enough, all her belongings are gone.
“Fuck,” Ash yells, pulling his phone from his pocket. “Pick up. Pick up. Dammit—voicemail.”
I need to calm Ash down because flying off the handle never helps in any situation, even one as dire as this.
“Hold up a minute. If Kevin’s guys had grabbed Lucille, why would they bother taking her things? That makes no sense. Is there any possibility she cleared out without telling you?”
Ash stops, considering my words. “I mean, it’s possible, but knowing the danger, wouldn’t she get word to me somehow?”
“Maybe she can’t right now. Keep calling, and hopefully, we’ll have an answer soon.”
Ash’s phone buzzes, and he grabs it on the first ring. “Thank God. Where the hell are you? Okay, I can do that. I’ll be there in twenty.”
He hangs up and motions to the door. “We need to take a ride.”
I slink down in the seat as Ash pulls into the seedy motel parking lot.
“What is this place?” I grumble.
“A shit hole,” Ash answers, smiling at my horrified expression.
“Why are we here?”
“You’ll see.”
He parks and walks around to open my door, wrapping a protective arm around me.
A couple of people, high on God knows what, yell something in our direction, and I scrunch closer to Ash’s side.
All my senses are on high alert, and I just want to leave and never return.
Ash strides to room #7 and knocks on the door.
Moments later, a man with dark blond hair and a beard opens it and ushers us inside. “You made good time.”
I glance around the room, at the dingy, outdated furniture and threadbare carpet, and the seed of unease in my stomach grows.
But then I see Lucille emerge from the bathroom.
“You’re okay,” I cry, not bothering to stand on ceremony.
She walks over, giving me a quick hug. “I’m fine. Sorry to worry you.”
“You scared the shit out of me,” Ash interjects as we sit around the rickety table.
“Couldn’t be helped,” the man replies, turning his attention to me. “I’m Trace. It’s nice to meet you, Ori.”
“You’re the agent?”
He nods. “Something like that.”
“What’s going on?” Ash asks, resting his forearms on the table.
“I’m moving Lucille somewhere safe,” Trace replies.
“But I thought it was all going down tomorrow. Aren’t you taking a risk moving her now?”
Trace clears his throat and gazes at the far wall. “I lied. See, I didn’t know who the leak was, so I fed you and your brother some fake info. Needed to figure out the answer real fast.”
“Dude, are you nuts? I was working with you,” Ash argues.
But Trace is unaffected by Ash’s surge of anger. “You know how many good guys actually work both sides? I couldn’t risk it.”
“Well, it wasn’t me, but I know who it is,” Ash says. “The police chief.”
Trace nods, his expression grim. “We had a feeling he was involved. Caught him and Kevin together too many times for it to be a happy coincidence.”
"So now what? That’s it? It’s over?"
Trace stretches, rolling his neck to work out the kinks. “Yes, and no. We intercepted the shipment of girls, and they’re safe, but Kevin has fled the country.”
Ash groans and lowers his head to the table. “Holy fuck.”
“He’s in the UAE. We’ll monitor him, but their laws make it nearly impossible to extradite him, which he knows. For now, he’s out of reach.”
Ash frowns, a muscle jumping in his jaw. “And what about Ori and me? Are we safe now?”
Trace leans back in the chair, his expression softening slightly. “Yeah, you’re safe. Kevin knows you didn’t know anything. To him, you were just collateral—something to keep Lucille in line. He’s not going to bother you.”
“Are you sure about that?” Ash presses.
“What can he get from you? You don’t know anything. I made damn sure of that fact. Trust me, Ash, I’m not going to say you’re safe if you aren’t.”
Ash nods and glances at me. “That’s something, at least.”
More than something, Ash. It’s our safety.
“But what about Lucille? Is she safe? What if Kevin comes back?” I ask, fully aware I play no part in this scenario but desperate for answers. Hey, this turned my life upside down, too.
“That’s why I’m getting Lucille out of here, although I doubt Kevin will want anything to do with her now that his operation is shut down. Plus, he knows I’ll be watching Lucille, and the second I hear he’s in the country, I’ll be all over him.”
“Sounds like a lot of what-ifs and maybes,” I state, worrying my lower lip with my teeth.
Lucille offers me a sad smile. “Trust me, it’s not an optimal ending, but Trace has assured me he’ll take care of me. His word is good.”
Ash rubs his chin, the exhaustion wearing lines into his face. “What do I tell everyone? You know people talk in Sparkwood.”
Trace shrugs as he pulls out his phone to check the time. “Tell them the truth. You were helping a friend who ran into some trouble. Now, she’s heading to a new spot to prepare for the birth of her baby.”
“Where are you going?” Ash asks, grimacing when Lucille and Trace exchange glances. “Let me guess—need-to-know basis, right?”
“Yeah,” Trace says. “But Lucille insisted on saying goodbye first. So, let’s make it quick because I don’t want to waste any more time.”
Lucille and Ash move to one side of the room, and I give them their space. I’m not sure what they have to say to one another, or if this is the last time we’ll see her, but they’re closing a chapter in their lives. They deserve that privacy without my interference.
“Thank you,” Trace says, giving me an awkward pat on the shoulder.
I widen my eyes. “For what?”
“Understanding this situation and why we had to play it this way.”
“I’m just glad I’m not in the dark anymore.”
“Do me a favor? If you hear or receive anything from Kevin Duncan or McGwyer Holdings, call this number, yeah? Doesn’t matter what it is, or how insignificant. This bastard loves to play games, and you were his favorite pawn.” He slides me a card with some numbers scribbled on it.
“Is this your number?”
“No, but they’ll know how to reach me.”
“Cloak and dagger,” I mumble. “Kevin always gave me an uneasy feeling. He never did anything, per se, but there was an air about him.”
“Luckily, that’s all he gave you.”
Truer words have never been spoken.
I slip the card into my pocket. “Will you ever return to Sparkwood?”
Trace shrugs. “Eventually. I’m not giving up on catching that son of a bitch, but for now, I need to protect Lucille. Kevin thinks he’s gotten away with this, but he hasn’t. We’ll get him one day.”
“I’m glad Lucille has you in her corner.”
Perhaps my senses are off, but there’s something tangible between Trace and Lucille. Ash mentioned they were once married. Who knows? Maybe this crazy-ass ride might rekindle their romance. Stranger things have happened, and the woman needs a good man to protect her. Seems like Trace is up for that job.
Lucille returns to my side, opening her arms. “Give me a hug, preggers.”
I stand and embrace her. “Take care of yourself.”
“You too—and take care of this guy, okay?” She glances at Ash, her eyes misty. “He’s one of the good ones.”
“You have my word.”
“This isn’t goodbye forever,” Lucille says, giving Ash’s hand a squeeze.
But I can’t help wondering if that’s exactly what it is.
Ash is quiet as we return to Sparkwood.
“Are you okay?” I ask, glancing at him.
He sighs and shoots me a half-smile. “Yeah. Just hard to believe it’s done. Not the ending we hoped for, though.”
“Hey, you helped save a dozen girls from a lifetime of slavery. That’s a pretty damn good ending.”
“But he’s still out there. He can still come back.”
I rest my hand on Ash’s arm. “You and I don’t have anything he wants. Like Trace said, we were pawns to him.”
“I just wish they’d captured the bastard.”
“They will. I saw the determination on Trace’s face.”
Ash exhales, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. “I guess.”
I toy with the seatbelt, hesitant about asking my next question. “Are you okay with Lucille leaving?”
“I want her safe, and Trace will take care of her.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Ash glances at me briefly before returning his focus to the road. His free hand reaches for mine, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “I told you, you’re everything.”
Tears sting my eyes, and my voice shakes. “I didn’t believe it the last time you said it.”
“It’s always been true. It’s always been you. Sei sempre nel mio cuore. ”
My breath catches at the unfamiliar words. “What does that mean?”
The corners of Ash’s mouth quirk up. “It means you’d better learn Italian.”
“I’ll get right on that and come back in a year with either a thoughtful response or a clever retort—just in case you insulted me.”
He laughs, his thumb still tracing lazy circles on my hand. “I didn’t insult you.”
“Good to know.”
“Just listen and you’ll know what it means,” he says, his voice dropping slightly. “ Sei sempre nel mio cuore. ”
Even though I don’t understand the individual words, I feel their weight.
Once again, Ash has assured me that his heart is safely—and only—mine.