23. Blue
23
BLUE
W hat? No, Zeke. No way. I m not leaving, not without Wren and not without you.
You are. You re leaving as soon as I can arrange it.
You said yourself, he can find us anywhere. It s just a matter of time. He shakes his head. And I m not leaving Wren.
Wren is safe here. She will be protected, I promise you. And she needs to settle in. All that change can t be good for her.
How do you know what she needs?
You know it too, Blue. Besides, it s not her they want.
When we get to the house, we re still arguing but he won t budge. I follow Zeke to the front door where he punches in the code to unlock it. He steps inside and stops. I m right behind him, seeing the mess the Councilor s soldiers left. When Zeke mutters a curse and stalks to the study, I realize something.
He doesn t know they were here. He must have come right to the Councilor s house. He doesn t know that they didn t find it.
Fuck! They ransacked the house. He goes straight to the desk with its overturned drawers. Shit!
Wait, how did you know to come for me? I thought you d been here.
He shakes his head, crouches down to look through the items they dumped out of the drawers. No. When your father told me it was Augustus and that his men had taken off as soon as I d gotten there, I knew they were coming for you. I didn t think they d tear the place apart but of course they would. He wants those files. He straightens, mutters another curse.
I glance at the fireplace where I hid the flash drive. It s undisturbed.
One of his soldiers must have it. That explains why he took the laptop and let us walk away. Augustus must not know. I wonder if it s another one of Girard s men if he didn t hand it over.
I almost open my mouth to tell him that no, it s right here. What he wants is right here. But when I turn to him, I find him putting the phone to his ear. He s calling his brother, explaining what happened.
I wait, listen. I can t let him send me away from Wren. Away from him. When Councilor Augustus learns he s been duped, and he ll figure it out soon enough, he s going to come after Zeke. Maybe Jericho too. And if Zeke is too stubborn to give up the flash drive, he s going to get himself killed. Hell, even if he handed it over, no way that monster is going to let him walk away. I know it. I watched him beat his wife. I saw exactly what he is.
I decide then.
I can t let Zeke bear the consequences of my actions. I need to get the drive to Girard and make a deal with him. I need him to vow to protect us all. It s the only sane choice and if Zeke can t see that, then I need to handle it even if it means betraying Zeke.
When he walks out of the study and down the hall, I wonder what he doesn t want me to hear but rather than eavesdropping, I hurry to the fireplace and crouch down, reaching under that log and into the pile of ash. I grab the flash drive and Antoine s card. I straighten, hearing Zeke return and shove both deep into my pocket. I wipe my hands on the backs of my jeans and clear my throat when Zeke enters.
Go upstairs and pack, Blue. We leave within the hour.
Zeke, let me stay. Let me help you, I try once more. I don t want to lie to him. I promised I wouldn t.
He shakes his head. Go. I need to think.
With a sigh, I walk out and go up to my room. I close my door. I sit on the edge of the bed, staring down at that card.
If I do this there s no going back.
But there s no coming back if I don t do it either. So, I dial the number.
Antoine answers on the first ring. Ezekiel. Good to hear from you. Guessing you ve had a change of heart?
I clear my throat. It s not Ezekiel.
There s a moment of silence on the other end. I hear Antoine Girard draw a breath. Well, then, this is Blue, I believe. What can I do for you?
My heart races. I have what you want.
Oh, I know you do.
I ll give it to you, but I need something in exchange. I need your help.
My help?
I need you to promise you won t let anything happen to my sister or Zeke and Jericho or his family.
So, he doesn t know you re calling me.
No.
Naughty.
That s the deal.
Well, sweetheart, I ll look out for your sister, although your boyfriend has stationed guards already. As far as the St. James brothers, though, they re more than capable of taking care of themselves.
No. Not after what he did. I need you to promise.
I m intrigued. What did who do?
I wipe a stray tear. Zeke gave the Councilor the laptop but it s empty.
He whistles then laughs. Well, that explains the excitement at the house.
I don t have a lot of time. Will you do it? Will you promise?
I could come and take it from you. Then I won t need to promise anything. I paid for it after all.
You won t though, I say, not really sure he wouldn t. It s not exactly a secret where I am.
No?
He beat her.
Excuse me?
Ines. He beat her until he broke skin, and he made me watch.
A loaded silence weighs the phone down. He cares about her.
He calls it her Hour of Atonement, I continue, not wanting to cause pain but needing to. He lets those soldiers watch. It s a whole sick ceremony, I say, my voice breaking, my stomach turning. I push through though because I need Antoine Girard angry. I need him to act now because time is running out. He has to be stopped.
And that s why you re coming to me.
I nod even though I know he can t see me. Please. Don t let him hurt them.
When I m finished with the Councilor, he won t be able to hurt anyone. Where and when am I picking you up?
He s taking me to the airport. I don t know which. Maybe private. I really don t know. We re leaving within the hour. We re at the Bishop house, I add, just in case he doesn t know. You need to get to me. I can t get on a plane.
You want me to kidnap you?
I can t get on a plane, I repeat. I won t.
Blue? Zeke calls out from down the hall.
I need to go. You figure out the rest. I ll bring the flash drive. If that plane takes off, it goes with me. I disconnect the call and rush into the bathroom, closing the door just as Zeke enters the bedroom. I drop the card into the toilet and flush before splashing water on my face. I need a minute to calm my racing heart. To mask my betrayal.
Everything okay? he asks, studying me closely, when I walk back into the bedroom.
I don t want to go, Zeke.
I m sorry, Blue. You have to trust me that this is best. You have what you need? He gestures to the tote.
I nod although I m not sure what s in there. But it won t matter anyway.
He picks it up. I follow him out the door.
Where are you sending me?
Amsterdam, for now. Dex will travel with you. You ll stay in my apartment, and I ll come for you when this is all over.
If you survive, you mean, I ask growing angry. Why won t you let me help you?
Blue. Stop.
I can t look at him as tears blur my vision.
He pulls me into his arms. There s no if. He takes my face in his hands and tilts it up to his. I ll come for you, Blue. I swear it. I ll come for you. He bends down to kiss my mouth and I set my hands over top of his.
I m scared.
He draws back, a furrow between his brows. It s going to be fine. You re going to be fine. Safer there than here.
I shake my head. No. I m scared for you.
He smiles, kisses me again. Don t be. I can take care of myself. I promise.
I, I start but stop. What am I going to say? I love him? He doesn t want that. He s made that clear. Besides, saying it feels like I won t see him again.
We walk out and get into the SUV, me dragging my feet to give Antoine time although if he knows where I am he might already have someone stationed near the house. I look around as Zeke drives, Dex in the passenger seat, me in the back. I catch Zeke s eyes on me in the rear-view mirror and try to sit still as we drive toward the highway.
Which airport are we going to? I ask.
Private one.
The drive is forty minutes long and I can t be sure if Antoine or his men made it or not. We pull onto airport grounds where a plane is waiting ready for us. Zeke and Dex climb out. I grab my tote and Zeke opens my door as I reach for it.
Change your mind, I say before getting out. Don t make me have to betray you .
He shakes his head. Come on, Blue. He holds out his hand, but I don t take it. I step out of the vehicle, looking around.
What are you looking for, Blue?
Nothing. I don t know.
He drops it and we walk toward the plane where the captain and the first officer greet us. They shake hands with Zeke. I guess this is not his first private flight. Zeke introduces me and I try to smile. We all get on the plane, and, for a moment, I think maybe he s changed his mind, but then he hugs me hard, like maybe he won t get to again. Maybe I won t get to hug him again.
Tears come unbidden as they always seem to and he draws back, wipes them away. His eyes are sad, and I get the feeling neither of us know what to say.
Sir. Our time slot, the captain says and Zeke nods.
If anything happens to me, you ll look after Wren?
Nothing is going to happen to you. What would happen to you?
Just will you?
His eyes shine, that line that forms between his eyebrows making him even more handsome. He nods. I promise.
More tears stream from my face. I nod too because I can t speak over the lump in my throat.
Sir, we don t want to lose our time slot.
Zeke gives me one final, sad smile before deplaning. His phone rings as he does, and I hear that it s Jericho.
I m on my way, he says, and I watch him rush to the SUV through a small window. He doesn t wait until we take off but speeds off and I wonder what Jericho said to him.
We ll be on our way in a few minutes. Just settle in and relax, the Captain says over the intercom. We ll be flying to Boston to pick up the fuel we ll need then we ll head to Amsterdam. Should be landing by mid-morning.
For some reason I panic about not having a passport. I have no idea why. They d send me back, I m sure. I shake my head, not sure why I even think about that.
I take my phone out, my hands sweaty as I watch intently out the window. Girard isn t going to make it. They re closing the doors and the engines have started. The captain announces we re cleared for take-off and instructs the flight attendant to take her seat and I scroll to my calls and hit redial, my heart racing because we can t take off. We can t. But the call just goes to voice mail.
The plane starts moving and we slowly make our way toward the runway.
Shit.
I disconnect and dial again. Again, voicemail.
The plane turns and I lose sight of the main gate. I ve just about given up hope when, just as we get to the start of the runway, I see a huge, black SUV speed past my window toward the front of the plane. Tires screech and the plane makes a sharp turn I guess to avoid the SUV, then comes to a sudden stop, jerking me forward. I grip the armrests hard.
What the fuck? Dex is unbuckling his belt.
Sir, please remain seated, the flight attendant says.
He ignores her, walking to another window to get a better look. He reaches under his jacket to the gun I ve seen holstered there. Movement in my periphery has me turning my head and I watch three men stalk right up to where the door is. The first officer steps out of the cockpit looking paler than he did before we took off and unlatches the door.
What the fuck is going on? Dex demands just as those three men board, guns drawn, all aiming at Dex as soon as they see he s armed.
I watch, dumbfounded, as a fourth man enters the jet.
It s him.
Antoine Girard.
I recognize him. Of course I would. It s his arm, how the jacket is pinned where his hand should be and tucked into a pocket. He s wearing a similar hat to when I d seen him in my house that night three years ago. It s pulled down low. My throat goes dry, my heart racing, mind whirling, wondering if I ve done the right thing. If he ll hold up his end of the bargain. He could kill us all and take what he wants. He knows I have it on me.
He looks around, gaze slowly scanning everything and everyone before landing on me.
I realize I m still strapped in when he steps toward me.
Ms. Blue Thorne.
I search his eyes, try to read him. I don t remember his face from that night at my house. I barely saw it and what happened after overshadowed all else. He s not ugly, Antoine Girard, but he is hardened. It s in the set of his jaw, in the coolness in his hazel eyes. Can I blame him? His life was stolen from him. And maybe the woman he loved, too.
Where is it? he asks.
I clear my throat, fumble with the belt and finally unbuckle. I stand. It s days like these I wish I were taller. I have it.
He holds out his hand.
How do I know you won t just take it and shoot us?
You don t.
I glance at Dex, who is glaring at me, his hands in the air, his gun now in the hands of one of Girard s men.
Girard steps closer, bends down to whisper, although I m not sure why. To intimidate me? I m already intimidated. And besides, his whisper is loud. You called me, remember?
Fucking hell, Dex mutters.
Girard nods to the soldier pointing a gun at Dex.
No! I scream, thinking he s going to shoot him. I leap toward them, but Girard catches me, holds me back. He s remarkably strong, considering his handicap, Don t! I cry out just as the soldier slams the butt of his pistol against Dex s head. Dex stumbles, eyes meeting mine momentarily before he falls to the ground. The soldier tosses Dex s gun, emptied of ammunition, onto the floor.
The flight attendant tries to run but another man catches her, sits her back down in her seat.
What did you do? I scream, staring at an unconscious Dex.
Relax. He ll be fine. Don t want him calling Loverboy just yet. He releases me and I stumble away before turning to face him. I hope you weren t wasting my time. Where is it?
I reach into my pocket and take out the flash drive. My hand trembles as I hold it out to him.
Girard takes it, raises his eyebrows at the ash on his palm.
What the hell did you do to it? he asks almost casually.
I had to find a hiding place quickly.
Hm. All right. He tucks it into his pocket. I hope for your sake the files haven t been damaged. Your phone please.
My phone?
He nods and I notice his men collecting phones from the captain, the first officer and the flight attendant. One of them reaches into Dex s pocket and takes his phone as well.
Why?
Tracking devices.
No one can track me.
Can you be sure? I guess not. You ll get it back. He holds out his hand and I place my phone inside it. He switches it off and tucks it into his jacket pocket. Let s go.
Go where?
You wanted me to kidnap you. I m kidnapping you.
I just wanted you to make it look like that to Dex, which you didn t. He knows I called you. You have what you need. You don t need me.
But what if you give me a flash drive like the laptop Loverboy gave the good Councilor?
I didn t.
I don t know that. I don t know you. Let s go, you re wasting my time.
Where?
Why, my humble abode on Councilor Augustus s property, of course.