Savage Beauty (The Arrow Tactical Series Book 5)

Chapter 24

“Sloane, if you’re willing to come back, I’ll cancel the rest of the interviews. I’d much rather have someone working for me who I know and trust. I’m sure if I explain to our board what happened, they’ll let me re-hire you. I mean, if you get some documentation to back your story. Do you think you can do that? You’re not making this up, are you?”

The conversation plays over and over in my head. The cab driver pulls up to the front of the villa, and I realize I don’t have any money.

“Oh, let me run in…” I can borrow some from Max.

“It’s okay, miss. Don’t worry about it.”

“No. I’ll pay you. Just give me a minute.” He’s a dark-skinned man with a peculiar pattern of moles around his cheeks, and perched on his head is a red, yellow, and green hand-knit cap. I peer forward, looking for a meter that tells how much I owe, but there isn’t one.

“They paid for your fare.”

“Who did? Dr. Kallio?”

“Your employer. I’m on their payroll. They pay a monthly fee, and we respond to pick up calls.”

“Oh. Well, thank you.” After I get out of the car, I close the door and then remember the tip. I wave to catch his attention and tell him I’ll bring him a tip, but he’s already pulling away.

Headed back into the villa, my mind brims with all I need to do. I’ll need to get my bags back to my apartment. I won’t need to fly today. Will the CIA and NSA still want to meet with me? I suppose they will…but could we maybe do a phone meeting? It’s a voluntary meeting, so a phone meeting should be fine.

The front door of the villa doesn’t twist open. It’s locked. Of course it is. It automatically locks upon closing. When I left with Dr. Kallio, I didn’t grab the keys.

I rap my knuckle against the solid wood door. I press my ear against the wood but hear nothing.

Maybe Max isn’t back from his run. Or maybe he’s in the shower.

It’s not a big deal. I can get in from the back. I didn’t lock the sliding glass door. My feet sink into the sand on the side of the villa.

“So. You came back.” I stop, frozen by the sharp anger. Twice today. Two people have been angry with me. First Dr. Kallio, and now Max.

I should look up and face him. People appreciate it when you look them in the eye, and it’s an important thing to do. But I can’t force my gaze higher than his shoes. Brown slacks fall over worn hiking boots. It’s an odd combination that isn’t seen often here on the island.

“I ran into Dr. Kallio.” I walk around to the steps because I have a lot to do. My gaze remains trained on his dusty boots.

“Really. Tell me all about it.”

He blocks the door with his body, crossing his arms like he’s blocking me from entering.

“I was walking down the beach, and she had a morning meeting and saw me over by the hotel that?—”

“Cut the crap, Sloane. Don’t fucking lie to me.”

“I’m not.” I close my eyes and place my index fingers on my thumbs, acquiring my bearings. “You were wrong. All of you were wrong. Dr. Kallio offered me my job back. If I can prove I was abducted, I get my job back. They weren’t involved at all. She was mad at me. Like you are.”

“You gave her back her laptop.”

My eyes snap open, and I look straight at him. “Well, of course. It’s hers.” On my side hangs the messenger bag. It dangles off one shoulder below my hip. I lift it and offer it to him. “Here’s yours. I didn’t take it out. I just…I was barefoot when I ran into Dr. Kallio, and when we came back to get my shoes?—”

“Did you go to the office to meet her?”

“No. I was walking along the beach. Where we decided it was safe for me to walk. I went a little further down and she was there. There’s a hotel and she had a meeting there. She saw me and came out and spoke. It’s a good thing. She wants me back. If we had left, I wouldn’t have known that. She would’ve hired someone else.” He has to see this is a good thing. He shouldn’t be angry. I should be angry. Arrow’s advice almost ruined my career.

“You are one fantastic actress.”

“Ack—”

“I just can’t figure it out. What did you gain by pulling Arrow into this little scheme?”

“It wasn’t…I didn’t…”

“Right. You’re totally innocent.”

“What exactly do you think I did?”

“I don’t fucking know. All I know is you lied to me!”

“You’re shouting.” I dislike it when people shout. “There is no reason to shout.”

“Right.” He paces the front porch. “And so, what now? You go back to work here? I get on a plane this afternoon. It’s all done. Is that the plan?”

“Well. Yes. I will probably return to work as soon as tomorrow. This afternoon, maybe. If I can get…what kind of proof would I provide? Would Arrow write something for me?”

“Are you for real?”

“Yes.”

“Did they pay you off?”

“My annual salary isn’t any of your business.”

“Right.” His hands rest on his hips, and his elbows jut out to the sides. “You’ve still got meetings in D.C. you need to attend. You’ve raised a lot of questions with some powerful worldwide entities.”

He’s right. I did. Or someone did. The person who hired Anton Solonov. But… “Why are you so angry? I never lied to you.”

“You didn’t? Really? Now you’re staying. One meeting with Dr. Kallio and everything is right with the world?”

“I never thought she was involved. That was always Arrow’s theory. Never mine. And you wouldn’t let me talk to her. And now my theory is proven correct. My employer had nothing to do with what happened to me. You and your team will have to go back and develop new theories. Because you were wrong.”

“And what happens to us?” The bite is missing from his words. I suppose he sees I am right.

“I need to finish my research. I’m too far along to walk away from it. You’re like Sam. You’ll be fine.” Sam was always fine.

My chest stings. I rub my sternum in the same way Sage does. Why is he being mean? When William left none of this anger existed. And it’s the same really. I am here. William left. Now Max is leaving.

He swings the front door open, bends down, picks up a bag. A click sounds. The trunk. He’s loading the rental car.

I bypass all the luggage and head up the stairs. Putting no thought behind it, I reach for my phone. I normally keep it turned off because I don’t like to be interrupted. I hate ringtones. I squeeze the sides until it comes to life. I open it to my contact list. My favorite. The sole star. And press her name.

“Sloane?” She sounds so far away. My lips curl up on their own, as do my nose and eyes, and everything gets blurry. My nostrils burn.

Kids scream in the background. She’s at work. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called.”

“What? No. I’m so glad you did. How are you? You’re flying back today, right?”

“You’re at work.” I shouldn’t have called her at work. I hate it when people call me at work. I tell everyone to text first. It’s not appropriate to take personal phone calls during work hours. Sage and I schedule our calls to ensure we do not?—

“I’m at recess. Hold on. I left you a message. I wanted you to call me.” Sage lowers the phone. I can tell because her words sound more distant, but I still hear a muffled, “This is my sister. Do you mind if I take this?” And someone with a high-pitched joyful voice says, “Oh, go right ahead. Tell her we all say hi and for her to come visit.”

“Okay. I’m back. Now, tell me everything. I called you, but Knox said you can’t have a phone on where you are in D.C. and that Max and you have been very busy.”

We have been busy but not doing work. An image surfaces of Max holding me in bed, and a sob escapes. I hold a hand over my mouth, then pull it away because my face is wet.

“Sloane? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know why I’m crying.” I sniffle again. I hate this. I hate feeling like this. I hate my face crumpling and… and… losing control. This doesn’t happen to me. Not often. Not like it used to when I was a kid.

“Ohhh. Sloaney Baloney.”

“Don’t call me that.” I clean the bottom of my nose with the back of my hand then wipe it on my dress. Gross.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

“If you call me that, I’m going to call you Sagey Bean.”

“I won’t call you that again.” She sounds happy. Like she’s smiling. And she should smile. She deserves happiness. I want my sister to be happy. “What’s going on?” And now she sounds concerned and my tears free fall. It’s… “Sloane, just…start from the beginning. Is this about something that happened in D.C.?” I hate I lied to my sister. All these Arrow people told me that’s what I should do, but lying is never right. How could Max think I would lie to him?

“I’m actually in the Caymans. I’m not in D.C.”

“I know. Knox told me. I was playing along because, well, I don’t know. I’m out here on the school grounds, and it just seemed…”

I let out a loud sigh and sit down crisscross apple sauce in the middle of the floor. My dress makes a big tent, and I curl over and bury my face in the material. My muscles in my back stretch to the point of pain, but I don’t care. The physical pain is worlds better than this nonsense going on inside me.

“Sloane? What’s going on?”

With a huff, I sit up, squeeze my wet eyes shut, pull my knees up to my chest, wrap one arm around them, and say, “I was right. All of you were wrong. Dr. Kallio isn’t involved. She was interviewing replacements for me until she found out I didn’t run off and get married. Which is stupid, by the way. Who would do that? And why would she believe I would resign via email? That’s just stupid. But she offered me the job back. And now Max is angry. At me.” Tears leak through my lashes. I can feel them, and it’s not at all a positive sensation. Or there aren’t positive and negative sensations. It is a sensation I do not want to repeat. That’s what I mean.

“So…you’re going back to work for them?”

“Yes. It’s excellent news.” A sob breaks through, and I swipe my nose on my palm. “I can resume my research. My job. It’s all here. I don’t have to start over.”

“Are you going to be going to D.C.? Or was that never–”

“Arrow wanted me to tell you I was going to D.C. They said you would insist on coming with me here if you knew the truth.”

“That’s what Knox said. But he also said you’d be going–”

“I needed to get into the lab. I wanted to find the report that I thought caused all of this because I can’t let anything bad happen to you. That’s why I came here.”

“Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Sort of. And I suspect I know why someone came after me. Maybe. I have a theory.”

“Well, why?—”

I open my mouth to explain, but all I see is Max’s crossed arms, and tears gush uncontrollably.

“Sloane. Honey. Why are you crying?”

“Max thinks I lied to him. But I didn’t. I lied to you, and I’m sorry about that. I shouldn’t have, but they told me it was best for you.”

“It’s okay. I know you’ll always do what you think is best for me.”

“I will. I love you Sagey.”

“I love you too, Sloaney. Whatever is wrong, it’s going to work out. I’m glad you called me.”

“But you’re at work and it’s not scheduled?—”

“Sloane, if I can’t answer, I won’t pick up. But your calls are always welcome. You hear me? I’d talk to you every day if you were up for it.”

“Really?” More tears tumble down. It’s just…wow. Maybe I’m ovulating. This level of emotion is not a normal reaction. Other people do not react like this.

“Really. And I’ll ask Knox to talk to Max. We’ll find out what he’s upset about. I can’t imagine he thinks you lied to him.”

“It doesn’t make sense, does it?”

“No. It doesn’t.” A loud screech pierces the line, and Sage, in her teacher voice, says, “Maddox…you know the rules. No jumping from the top of the monkey bars.”

“I don’t know how you deal with loud children who don’t listen.”

She laughs and I sniffle. “That’s…they aren’t… Ah, Sloane, now may not be the best time to tell you, but I have news.”

“Oh?” I sniffle. Changing the subject is good. What’s going on in my head is not.

“I’m engaged!”

“To who?”

“Knox!”

Oh, right. Of course. Knox. Max said they were in love. “Are you happy?”

“Sloane, I’ve never been happier. I’ve been so eager to tell you. I’m so glad you called.”

“I’m happy for you. You know, I only want you to be happy.”

“I met with my cardiologist. He says there’s no reason I can’t have a child.”

I close my eyelids and breathe in. Count to three. Why would she take that risk?

I don’t understand it, but I don’t have to understand everything. That’s what Mom said.

“Adoption is always an option.” We’ve been telling her that since she was a kid and asked an adult if one day she could have kids. “There are many types of families and not all parents are biological ones.” I say it in the same voice I used to read to her in.

“I know, and I can’t really explain it, but I just want to have a child. It will feel like maybe all I’ve gone through will be worth it if I can give someone else life.” She’s referencing that someone else lost a life to give her organs. I know this because it’s bothered Sage for years. But that person was already dead. It’s not like she killed them.

My gaze rises to the ceiling. Sage is all I have. Why would she risk her life? “You don’t have to have children for your life to have value.”

“I know that.”

“Sage, you’re my everything. How can you not see how valuable you are?” And again those damn tears flood and my snot secretions increase.

“Sloane.” She says my name with a sigh. “I love you, too. Please try to understand why I want this. Why it means so much to me.”

“The doctor said it’s okay?”

“Yes.”

“And he’s a good doctor? With a good rating?”

“Yes. One of the best cardiologists in the state. He’s been my doctor for years.”

My gaze rises skyward, and I breathe in and have to clean my nose again with the back of my hand. Life’s too short not to take risks. It’s a line from a romance book I once read, and it comes to me out of nowhere. “Then you should go for it.”

“Well, we’ll see. This is all so premature, but I’m telling you because you’re my sister and you’re my everything too, you know?”

“Max says that Knox is crazy about you. He told me he was going to stay in Asheville for you. I’m happy for you, Sage.” My voice cracks on her name, and it shouldn’t because she is happy. I’ve always wanted her to be healthy and happy.

“Max might stay there for you if you asked him.”

“No. Max doesn’t love me.” And dang it, the tears fall all over again. Snot fills my nose. I need tissues.