59. Shovels and Pennies
Shovels and Pennies
SARAFINA
I grimaced as Carter paused his digging and rested a hand atop the shovel.
He panted, looking mildly distressed as he surveyed his mother’s now torn-up rose garden.
“We’ll find it.” I encouraged, passing him a cold bottle of water.
We needed to find it soon or at least take a break.
I was worried about his shoulder. He was trying to hide it, but I could tell he was in pain.
Carter guzzled the bottle down to the last drop. “What if I just destroyed all this for nothing?” He grimaced, wiping his brow. “I mean, it could be anywhere. We’re probably just digging up another pile of decade-old pennies my mother buried. We could dig for months and still not find it.”
He was right, the metal detector was lighting up all over the place, because there were literally pennies everywhere. I wondered if that was exactly what his father had intended. “Maybe if I go upstairs, I can get a better view?” I offered at my wit’s end.
“When you come back will you bring me another bottle of water?” He asked, looking all too exhausted.
“Of course.” I nodded, shoulders sagging as he started back in with the shovel.
Upstairs, I realized the best view of the garden was in the south wing, and it didn’t take me long to realize his parent’s bedroom was positioned with a perfect view. Because of course it was, his mother had probably planted the garden on that side of the house so she could look at it more often.
I hesitated before pushing the door open and finally slipping into the dark room. As I dragged the heavy brocaded drapes open, I coughed, a cascade of dust tumbling loose. The housekeepers had clearly left this room alone.
As I scanned the garden from the window, an odd pattern of flowers caught my attention, but before I headed back down to check it out, I couldn’t help but take a lingering look at Carter, shirtless, sweaty, and sexy as hell, his muscles rippling with his every movement—then my heart froze, crossing the lawn, headed straight for the gardens was a tattooed man with a small army of men behind him.
I struggled to force the old heavy window open, only prying it up a mere inch—I screamed through the crack at Carter in warning.
His gaze snapped up to mine, and then across the garden. “Hide.” He belted a panicked scream.
I sprinted into the hallway before skidding to a halt—the tattooed man from the hospital was blocking my exit out of the south wing.
“Hey curly whirly.” He crooned, beckoning me towards him with heavily inked fingers. “Let’s take a walk.”
“Who the hell are you?” I demanded, slowly backing down the hallway, panic rising in my throat.
He lifted his hands innocently, revealing a gun at his side with the motion. “Now, now, let’s not do anything impulsive.” He murmured, following my gaze. “Just come with me. I’m not going to hurt you.” Which is exactly what people said right before they did just that.
His footsteps were heavy and fast behind me as I bolted back into the bedroom—slamming the door shut behind me before I locked it.
“Open up.” A smooth voice called in contrast with the violently shaking door as I spun in every direction, feeling like a trapped animal. “Come on, cupcake, are you really going to make me break down this door?” He threatened all too cooly.
Bile rose in my throat as I tripped over myself, sprinting through the sitting room and into the bedroom. Terrified, I fumbled with the window, realizing it wouldn’t open—the door to the suite burst open with a thunderous crack.
I whirled, eyes desperately sweeping the room, my gaze snagged on a heavy stone bust, and I hauled it off the dresser, launching it at the window.
Glass shards went flying as I wasted precious seconds looking over my shoulder and found the tattooed man giving me a psychotic grin as he strode into the bedroom.
Oh my God, was he enjoying this? Chasing me like a cat playing with a mouse—I was not about to become a chew toy, I had a goddamn wedding to plan for Christ’s sake.
I shoved the thick, heavy panel of curtains over the ledge of broken glass and out the window, hoping I wasn’t about to break my neck as I slid over the edge. I gasped, feet dangling as the man lunged, but I slid lower before he could grab me.
“Take my hand.” He barked, straining over the ledge. “ Now! ”
I laughed in disbelief, realizing I was hanging over a relatively sturdy-looking flower trellis.
I scrambled over to it, ripping vines loose left and right as I hurried towards the ground, screaming when it gave way and I fell the last few feet.
Crashing into a bush, I groaned when something hard bounced off my head, adding insult to injury.
I flailed, hauling myself out of the bush, and sitting on the manicured lawn, glinting in the sunlight, was a beautiful little metal box. I snatched it up, skin prickling as I fumbled with the latch, finding something small wrapped inside. This had to be it!
My gaze snapped up as the trellis cracked again, and I realized the man was almost to the ground. I shoved up and sprinted like my life depended on it, because once-fucking-again it did.
Crashing through the maze of gardens, I wove through the hedges and finally dove into one, forcing silent breaths in and out as I quickly unwrapped the small object.
Inside several layers of plastic, no-doubt to protect it from moisture, was a USB drive.
I stared at it, realizing I had it—the blackmail.
What else could it possibly be? Carter’s father must have hidden it in the stone masonry outside the bedroom window, where Claire would stand and look at her favorite painting every day—her roses.
We’d been halfway right about the garden.
The man’s shoes suddenly appeared next to me, as he strode through the gardens. “Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.” He crooned, and I clamped down on each panicked breath as a tear streaked down my cheek. “Don’t you want to come out and play? I promise I don’t bite.”
The second he wandered into the next row, I shoved the USB drive into my pocket, leaving the box, and crawled towards the sound of Carter’s voice—trying not to think about all the bugs that were probably all over me as I stayed hidden between the hedges.
I was surprised to hear Carter talking in conversational tones as I got closer, but as I peered through the branches, I discovered a nearly identical, tattooed man was holding Carter at gunpoint.
Oh fuck no. Over my dead body were we doing this little number again.
I eyed the shovel lying on the ground behind the man who was about to shoot my damn husband to be. Heart pounding, I steeled myself and quietly crept across the lawn—whether or not Carter saw me, he didn’t let on.
It was now or never. I inched up behind the man and grabbed the shovel, aiming for his head as I swung hard—his hand shot out, halting my swing with an iron grip that left me stunned and panicked.
I yanked, but his grip didn’t budge and neither did the shovel. “ Let go. ” He demanded with such quiet, powerful menace that I did.
Just then, an arm slid around my shoulders from behind, and I froze. “Damn, you run fast.” The Cheshire Cat chuckled. “Not gonna lie, wasn’t expecting that.”
“She’s a track all-star.” Carter’s head ticked to the side in a tense movement. “And Luca, if you don’t get your hands off her in the next two point five seconds, you won’t have any. I don’t give a fuck who you are.”
“What do you think, Dante?” Luca asked. “I’m thinking maybe I should keep this one for myself.” My breath caught, and the muscles in Carter’s arms rippled as his eyes went lethally dark.
“Didn’t you hear what they did to the last guy that made that mistake?” Dante droned with a lazy roll of his eyes. “Your buddy likes to play with his food just as much as you do.”
“Exactly, makes me think I want to see what all the buzz is about.” Luca smirked, releasing his broad grip—I jolted when he patted my ass. “Alright, off you go, Legs, back to your keeper.”
I glared, but quickly hurried over to Carter, who immediately pushed me behind him, and as he kept that one hand on me, I realized he was trembling—with fear or rage, I had no idea.
“You wound me.” Dante touched his heart, still aiming the gun at Carter. “That you honestly feel the need to do that.”
Carter was tense but didn’t say anything, and as I looked at the two tall tattooed men in front of us, I suddenly understood why Tag had yelled and screamed and thrown his fists at me.
Because looking at these men, truly dangerous men, there was a quiet, understated arrogance there, and I knew if they wanted, we’d already be dead.
Taggart had been a powerless bluffer—his father’s pawn. Just like Eric.
“So what do you say?” Dante asked. “Wouldn’t it be easier if I just made this all go away?”
“As tempting as your offer is, I told you. I don’t know where the information is.”
“Oh, but I do.” Luca ran a tongue over his teeth and grinned. I inhaled a sharp breath and frantically patted my pocket, realizing it was empty. “You may be fast, Legs, but I’m quicker.” Luca held up the USB drive, giving me a wink .
“No,” I breathed, realizing the ass slap had been a pick-pocket.
Carter squeezed me, murmuring, “It’s alright.”
“Well, I guess that’s that.” Dante put away his gun, and I tipped my head against Carter’s back in frustration and relief. “We’ll send you a copy.” Then he turned his back and seemingly floated across the lawn, the group of men following after him like an army.
Did that mean my father was still in danger? I felt tears well up in my eyes because I was so incredibly frustrated. “I’m sorry.” I finally murmured. “I had it, right here.”
Carter watched the men load up and then finally turned, gripping me by the shoulders as he exhaled roughly, and I was startled by his sharp tone when he spoke. “You wanna tell me what the hell you think you were doing?”
“What?” My lower lip wobbled as I stared up at him.
“Don’t you ever risk your life for me again.” He scolded as I stood there dumbfounded. “Do you understand?” He brought his eyes down to mine, softening. “I am begging you, Sarafina.” His eyes shuddered. “ Begging you. ”
My lower lip wobbled as emotion got the better of me.
“You don’t get to ask that of me! Not anymore.
” I said, tears filling my eyes. “You don’t get to sacrifice yourself and not expect me to do the same—I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing while someone pointed a gun at you again .
” I sobbed, and his expression softened.
“When I tried to escape, I thought you were dead, and I honestly didn’t even know if I had the will to go on. ” I confessed shakily.
“Don’t say that.” He rasped, looking devastated as he tipped his forehead against mine.
“ You don’t understand. ” I sobbed, and he gripped me tighter.
“I love you with every fiber of my being, with every breath that I take. You’re a part of me, you’re my safe haven, my landing place, you’re my home.
I may have made you crawl for me, but the truth is, I never stopped loving you.
Even when you made me mad as hell.” I laughed through my tears, and he did too.
“You can’t expect me to stand by while someone is threatening to harm you.
Carter, I have the lines that crinkle around your eyes when you smile memorized, the sound of your laugh memorized—the curve of your mouth when your lips are pressed against mine is like a beautiful shadow, haunting me during every waking hour and every sleeping one too.
Even if I wanted to, I could never escape you. ”
“Sara.” His words were an ache of devastation, and understanding all at once.
“Promise me.” I demanded adamantly, wiping my cheeks. “You said, anything that I needed, and what I need is you. Alive, and in one piece preferably.”
“Okay.” He promised gently and pulled me against him to give me a soft, reverent kiss.
Finally I pulled back, shaking my head. “I’m so sorry I lost it—it was right there, and I just let it slip through my fingers.”
“Don’t be sorry, sweetheart, your safety is far more important than a piece of plastic.”
“Carter, it was way more than just a piece of plastic.” I lamented.
“It’s alright. It’s done, and I made a deal with Dante, anyway—honestly, it might even be better this way.”
“Who were those men? You knew them, one of them showed up at the hospital.”
“You don’t want to know.” Carter muttered, slipping his fingers between mine and pulling me towards the manor, but I stopped him.
“Actually, I do. No more secrets, no more doing things you think I shouldn’t know about, in the name of protecting me.” His eyes danced between mine, hesitating. “You said anything I needed.” I reminded him . Again.
Carter nodded slowly. “They run the mob, and whatever blackmail is in that file is damning enough to protect us.”
“So they’ll just leave us alone? What about my father? ”
“If that USB contains what they think it does, it should be enough to clear his debts and then some .”
“You don’t think they’ll come after you again?” I asked. “ Us? ”
“I don’t see why they would.” He admitted, watching me closely.
“This whole time, it was never about you or me, or any of it. They were just desperate to retrieve the blackmail my father had collected. And now that it’s out in the wild—now that Dante has it, it doesn’t really have anything to do with us.
I do have a whole host of security measures I’ll be putting in place, but Sara, I promise I’m going to keep you safe.
” He shook his head with a heavy sigh. “Even if I have to dig a damn moat around this place.”
“Like the Belacourte Estates?” I quirked a brow.
He rolled his eyes. “Okay, maybe not a mote, just a really tall fence.”
“Yeah, okay.” I chuckled as I led him to the house. “I don’t know about you, but after all that, I could use another shower. How about a bubble bath for my fiancée?” I asked, raising a brow.
A grin slowly spread over his face. “If you can make it up there before I catch you, then I accept.”
My heart started to race as I backed away. “And if I can’t?”
“Then, as my future wife, I plan to give you a taste of what you can expect from your future husband.” I bit my lip, backing away as he let me create some distance between us. “You should start running.” He hummed, “Because I don’t intend to be a gentleman for round two.”
I only made it several paces before his strong arms wrapped around me, and I squealed as he hauled me up against his chest in a bridal carry. “That was cheating.” I breathed. “You didn’t even give me a chance.”
“I’m never letting you get away from me again, that’s a promise, Mrs. Kensington.” He chuckled gleefully, “God, that sounds good.” And I couldn’t help but agree.