Chapter 21 Ansel
ANSEL
Cade’s behavior over the next week proves that Neo is full of shit. Or at least mostly. I could forgive a friend for his worry if it didn’t make me question everything about Cade and me.
But as the week moves on, I notice that not only does he sleep curled up against me, but he takes me out every day too. Alone. When I hesitantly questioned him about whether he needed guards, he just laughed.
“Butterfly, you’re the only person who’s ever successfully kidnapped me…and that was only successful because I let you.”
Turns out that Cade has a lot of free time because he doesn’t work a “regular” job, The Firm apparently keeping him busy enough. Officially, he’s an “investor,” but unofficially, he’s doing shady shit that no one knows about.
Including me. For someone who’s open about every thought he’s having, Cade is surprisingly tight-lipped about what has him slipping from the house at random hours of the day and night.
I try not to let it bother me. It’s not like I’ve told him everything.
He still doesn’t know about the Umbra Syndicate…and I have no plans to change that.
With neither of us needing to work, we spend our days in town, exploring the library some more and walking along the river.
We have dinner at a different restaurant every night.
We’ve even used Wylder’s box at the opera.
Not going to lie—that last one was a total snooze fest. Cade ended up sucking me off less than thirty minutes in.
By the time I finished returning the favor, it still wasn’t time for the intermission.
Goes without saying that we snuck out during that and didn’t return.
The only fly in the ointment is that Cade won’t let our past go. He’s been pushing more about the people behind the kidnapping. He wants names. Locations. Anything I can give him.
The truth is that I can give him everything.
But I don’t.
Neo might’ve been wrong about me being held here, but he was right about everything else. I don’t want Cade getting mixed up in my mess.
Besides, it’s done now. They told me to lose their number, and by the looks of things, they’ve lost mine too.
I know The Firm is powerful, and clearly a little violent, given the punches that are thrown between the brothers, but I can’t wrap my head around the why of it all.
Why was a simple photo of Cade enough to get them to back off?
It doesn’t matter, really. The important thing is that they have backed off. I haven’t heard from them, and likely never will again.
There’s no point telling Cade what he wants to know, only for him to go and poke the hornet’s nest. I’m not sure exactly what The Firm does, but the Umbra Syndicate is bad news. Like, the worst.
I don’t want the Buckinghams anywhere near them. I would never forgive myself if something happened to them.
Especially Cade.
It’s funny, I’ve known him for such a short time, and I already know I’m falling in love with him. Have been since he kissed me in the cabin to shut me up.
If I’m being completely honest…I think I’m already there.
I don’t say anything. Not yet. I’m waiting for the right moment.
It might be fast, but when you grow up with nothing, you learn to hold on to good things. Cade is good. Better than good.
The best thing to ever happen to me.
After everything he went through as a child—his terrible father, his induction into The Firm—I know that a man like that is resilient, brave, and fierce. I don’t know everything, only bits and pieces, but I have time to learn them all when he’s ready to tell me.
For the moment, I’m holding on to him with everything I’ve got.
We’re in a coffee shop, Cade at the counter getting our drinks.
It’s late, but neither of us is ready to turn in for the night.
He always looks edible, but today’s choice of a tight tank and ripped jeans has me wanting to get him home sooner rather than later.
I have the strangest need to bite his biceps.
I think he’d like that too. It’s something I’ve noticed. The pain, the way he yearns for it. I don’t ask why, just make sure to give him a little of it every time we’re together.
My eyes swivel around the shop. It’s surprisingly busy given the hour, a small crowd waiting, but Cade doesn’t seem to mind.
He’s chatting amiably with the person next to him, probably making a new friend.
It’s something I’ve learned about him this week—Cade can’t be out somewhere and not make conversation with someone.
Me, however, I’d rather pull splinters out of my eyeballs than make small talk. That’s why I’m sitting down, content to people-watch while I hold our table.
My phone vibrates. I don’t look at it at first, too busy watching a couple trying to fend off a seagull. Greedy fucker already stole an ice cream off a small child a few moments ago, but is now determined to get its metaphorical hands on some tacos.
Not that I blame the seagull. They do look really damn good.
My cell buzzes again. Then again. Breaking my gaze away with a sigh, I reach for it.
What can Neo want now? I’ve already spoken to him twice today.
It’s a good thing Wylder gave me my phone back, because he’d lose his mind with how often it goes off.
Now that Neo knows my life is finally interesting, he wants to know every detail about it.
I flip it over, and my chest constricts.
Oh.
It’s not Neo.
It’s an unknown number. Not one I recognize, but that doesn’t matter. Not when I can see the preview of the most recent message.
UNKNOWN
A single word to anyone and your boyfriend will be the one to pay the price.
With trembling hands, I swipe open my phone to see the rest.
The first message is a photo of Cade. It’s of him standing at the counter a few feet away. Tank top. Ripped jeans. His head is thrown back in a laugh, the overhead lighting highlighting one of his dimples.
Whoever took the photo is in this café.
I go to look around to seek them out, but the next message grabs my attention before I can.
UNKNOWN
You’re going to want to keep this quiet, Ansel.
No. No, no, no. This can’t be happening. It can’t. It’s over.
It’s supposed to be over.
I should’ve known better. Good things don’t happen to me. They never have.
I reread the message over and over.
I can’t draw a breath. There’s something wrong with my lungs.
Another message suddenly appears. Another photo. This time, a detail on it has been crudely circled in black.
I zoom in with trembling fingers. In the center of the circle is a red dot.
My brain doesn’t catch up fast enough. Why is the red dot significant?
As if reading my mind, a text appears.
UNKNOWN
A single word or sign to Cade and I’ll pull the trigger.
The phone drops from my hand as a choked sound erupts from my throat. Cade twists around at the noise, concern lining his face.
That’s when I see it.
The tiny red dot on his chest.
I can’t get to him in time. He’s too far away.
I do the only thing I can to save him.
I smile, my muscles screaming at the motion. I wave him off and blow him a kiss.
Cade eyes me for a second longer before going back to his conversation.
UNKNOWN
Smart choice, Ansel.
My mouth is dry as I type back a response.
ANSEL
What do you want from me? I thought this was over with.
UNKNOWN
We were prepared to let this go, but then we realized what a unique position you’re in. No one can get close to The Firm…apart from you.
My blood runs cold. Cade suspected they knew the Buckinghams were The Firm. That’s why he sent his selfie to them in the first place.
Question is, what do these people want from them? Are they going to try to blackmail Cade using me somehow?
Think. Think. Think. My mind is racing, searching for any way to defuse this situation. To turn their attention away from The Firm and back to me.
ANSEL
We’re not close. We ran into each other today and decided to get coffee.
I don’t mean anything to Cade and he doesn’t mean anything to me.
The lie hurts to even type.
UNKNOWN
Maybe we’d believe that if we didn’t see how you reacted to us threatening to hurt him.
Fuck. Fuck. I should’ve realized that wouldn’t work. I can only blame the panic coursing through me. “Not good in an emergency” could be written on my gravestone—one I might be rotting under sooner rather than later if I don’t think of a way out of this.
UNKNOWN
Or if we didn’t have all of these…
Photo after photo comes through, too fast for me to process. All of them are of Cade and me. We’re walking down the street. We’re at different restaurants.
The final one has the contents of my stomach fighting its way up my throat.
It’s shadowed, but what’s happening is clear enough.
It’s us in the opera box. Me on my knees, Cade’s cock in my mouth. That isn’t the worst part.
No, it’s Cade’s hand gently cupping my head, the open adoration in his eyes as he watches me.
There’s no hiding it. Cade’s feelings are written over every inch of his face.
Before I can respond, the same photos reappear. This time, each has one of those terrifying black circles.
In every photo, there’s a pointer trained on Cade.
Every. Single. One.
I close my eyes briefly, forcing myself to calm down. Focus. If Cade realizes something is wrong, it’ll all be over.
When I can be sure I’m not going to vomit everywhere, I open my eyes. They seek out Cade immediately. He’s chatting to the barista, gesturing at one of our drinks. It’s my hot chocolate, I realize. It’s missing the whipped cream. He’s making sure it’s perfect for me.
Just as he always does.
He twists slightly, and I see it. The red dot. It’s in the center of his back now.
Right over his heart.
I force my attention back to my phone, to the other messages that have come in.
UNKNOWN
We’ve been patient, Ansel.
The Firm likes to think it’s indestructible, and maybe as an institution, it is.
But, as you can see, its members are not.
There’s a roaring noise in my ears as I type the same question I sent earlier.
ANSEL
What do you want from me?
UNKNOWN
We want what everyone wants from you, Ansel—information. Names of those The Firm has worked with. Who their connections are. The senators and judges they have in their pockets. We want all the dirt on everyone.
I glance up at Cade. He’s drumming his fingers on the counter, watching the barista like a hawk as she adds my whipped cream.
There’s no way I’m betraying them. I’ll die before doing that. I just need to hold him off long enough to get Cade out of here. Once we’re back at Wylder’s, I can tell him everything. I don’t want him involved, but it’s too late for that.
Cade is involved, and his life is the one on the line. I’ll do whatever I need to to protect him.
ANSEL
I can’t get any of that.
UNKNOWN
We both know that’s not true.
A hacker like you can get anything.
Sweat rolls down my brow.
ANSEL
Their systems are unbeatable.
UNKNOWN
Lies. Even your little friend Neo was able to override them.
Shit. How long have these fuckers been watching me? And how fucking closely?
That’s when it hits me. The house is compromised. It has to be. That’s the only way they’d know about Neo overriding their systems.
UNKNOWN
That’s right, Ansel. We know everything. The pie in that bitch’s face was a nice touch.
Heat is washing over me as the whole room shrinks. They’ve been watching the house. They know. Somehow, they know what’s happening inside it.
ANSEL
If you’ve got access to the cameras, you can get everything else. You don’t need me.
It’s a bluff, a helpless shot in the dark, but I’m desperate. I’m scrambling. I just need time. A few seconds where I can fucking think.
UNKNOWN
Stop trying to get out of this, Ansel.
Your death warrant is already signed. We’re being generous by giving you a chance to stop Cade’s from being signed too.
You have 48 hours to get us what we need. If you don’t deliver, you won’t be the only one the Buckinghams bury.
More photos come through. Black circles around red dots.
Jules.
Wyatt.
Jackson.
Neo.
UNKNOWN
Two days, Ansel.
When my phone screen goes dark, my pale reflection stares eerily back at me.
What the fuck do I do?
What the fuck do I do?
“Butterfly? Are you okay?”
Cade’s voice makes me jump, the phone falling to the table with a clatter.
He frowns, his big hand cupping my face. “Ansel? What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I don’t look at his face. No, I can’t drag my eyes away from the red dot at the base of his throat. Cade doesn’t notice it. Why would he? It’s just a tiny light. So small you wouldn’t notice it unless you looked for it.
But I know. I see it.
It appears and disappears. Winking at me.
Taunting me.
Reminding me.
I summon up a smile, and it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
No. I’m wrong.
That’s the thing I have to do next.