Chapter 32
We stopped once to refuel. I suggested a helicopter would have been faster, but I was met with rolling eyes by my two bandmates.
“Rick’s just boarded a helicopter,” I announce, dropping my phone into the console. “His ETA should be roughly the same time as us.”
The other two remain silent.
“When Eden changes her mind about us moving in with her, it’s something for us to consider because I don’t think either of us fancy a five-hour drive every week.”
“She shut us down, I wouldn’t push it with her,” Jagger advises.
“You don’t reckon she’s there yet with us?”
“Oh, I believe she loves us like she said she does, I just don’t think she’s contemplated living with us on a permanent basis,” Jagger admits, and I’m shocked by this sudden declaration.
“She told you she loved you?” I ask, a little taken aback.
“You two haven’t had that discussion?” Asher asks, leaning forward between the two front seats where Jagger and I sit.
I’m guessing they both did. This isn’t high school where I should feel left out because all my friends have girlfriends, and I’m straddling behind without one.
For fuck’s sake, she knows how I feel about her. I just wanted to give her space; I came on fast with her and didn’t want her to freak out.
As pathetic as it is, I can’t help but feel bloody left out.
“She knows how I feel,” I reply, looking out the window. Dawn is fast approaching as the inky darkness of the desert night begins to relent. The skies are an interesting shade of soft purple and pink hues.
I turn to Jagger, who grips the steering wheel with a sense of purpose, his eyes fixed on the winding road ahead.
“You have nothing to worry about, mate. I’ve seen how she looks at all of us. I’ve spent enough nights with you both to know that sometimes words aren’t necessary,” Jagger assures.
“Did you ever think we would all end up with the same woman?” Asher asks with a level of astonishment in his voice.
“Mate, I didn’t even contemplate Eden and I would ever hook up again, let alone go back to that relationship,” I admit.
“That’s right. You almost did end up with….what’s her face …..?”
“Jessie,” I cringe. The breakup was brutal.
“Is it true then?” Jagger asks.
Until recently, I rarely hung out with the guys. Maybe because old memories hurt or some shite, but the truth is I missed this. Us fellas, just talking.
“That I cheated on her at her sister’s wedding in Dubai?”
Both men nod.
“Not even close.”
“Come on, mate, it’s just us lads; expand on the story.”
“The story is. I never cheated on Jessie. End of story.”
“So…”
“Jessie fabricated the story, increased her followers, and became an overnight TikTok sensation, but Hayes Evans still rocks the top ten influencers, and my team back in London is running it without me. Sometimes things happen for a reason.”
“Does Eden know about her?”
“No, and I don’t see the relevance. Do people talk about their exes to their current partners? What would the new partner gain from it? I don’t see the reason. I almost married a woman. The key word here is almost. Have either of us asked Eden about her exes?
“I don’t want to know. The idea of another man ….” Ash can’t even finish his sentence because the suggestion of it is incomprehensible.
“Exactly. What do we gain out of it, other than becoming seething lunatics because some knob touched our girl? She was always ours and somehow slipped through our fingers.
“A mistake never to be repeated again.”
“Except the bastard who’s re-inflicting this torment on her ….”
“Will die,” I confirm sternly, grappling with the overwhelming need to protect Eden, my every instinct screaming for justice.
“She hasn’t admitted it, but the fear and terror is written all over her face whenever she talks about what happened to her that night.”
“Three. There were fucking three. No wonder she fled.”
The mere thought of the stalker laying a finger on Eden sends a shiver down my spine, and the image of her vulnerability ignites a visceral rage within me.
“Do you reckon they …?”
“I’m beginning to suspect they did more than stalk.” My mind races through a kaleidoscope of vengeful scenarios, each more brutal than the last. The desire for retribution fuels a dark energy within me.
“They’re hunters. Played cat and mouse with her.”
“Only she knows what they did. But her past has haunted her for a long time, and their reappearance can only remind her of the torment he put her through.”
I turn to find both men’s eyes burning with an intensity fueled by a volatile mix of love and fury. My mind becomes a turbulent sea of emotions as I envision confronting the bastard, contemplating the physical toll I yearn to inflict.
”He needs to know what it feels like to be powerless and terrified,” I muse, and the other two flicker their eyes at me in agreement.
I want to unleash the full force of my anger and become the avenging force against the threat that looms over Eden. She may not have openly discussed her feelings with me as she has with the other two, but my feelings for her are stronger than I have ever felt for any woman.
The profound length I would go for Eden is unmatchable by anything I would ever do for anyone. My true test lies in whether I can channel my anger into a protective strength rather than succumb to the destructive allure of revenge.
As soon as Eden pulls her truck to a stop through the gates of her property, a massive dust cloud kicks up around them, and I see her run out, but Callum manages to grab her and wrap his arms around her to prevent her from blindly running inside the house.
Asher and I jump out of the SUV and join them.
“Callum, let me the fuck go!” she screams, trying to escape from his tight grip.
“Siren, it might be a trap. Let someone go inside first,” my brother urges her, his voice remaining solid and firm.
“Do you have security on?” I ask, knowing that she probably does.
Calming down, she tells me the code for the lock on the door, saying it’s all connected to the same security system. Callum lets go of her as she stops the thrashing and agitated behavior.
“There’s no alarm because who the fuck would hear it. It just alerts me and Catalina on our phone apps.”
“Then send her a message that you’re here so she doesn’t panic,” Jagger says, punching in the long code she quotes him.
“Should fire the old bag,” My brother blurts out quietly, and I give him a stare to shut his trap. We’ve spoken about this. It’s up to Eden, but I don’t trust the old lady anywhere near anything I consume. I’ve already asked Rick to change the code on the front door to my property. Catalina can ring the bell from now on.
As the front door lock clicks open, we hear a buzzing noise coming from a distance, breaking the profound silence of the desert, and we all turn towards the helicopter descending from the vast azure sky onto the arid landscape.
Dust swirls in the air as it lowers, the pilot adjusting its position, and the thud of the landing gear meeting the desert floor reverberates through the air.
We watch our man Rick running towards us, the dust settling around him, revealing the giant machine that seems out of place on the rugged terrain.
“Update me,” he says, reaching us, but before we can inform him, a dog’s bark emerges, breaking through the air.
The sound, muffled by the distance, carries a certain distressed quality – a blend of longing and alertness echoing through the vast empty space.
“Storm!” Eden exclaims, and we all look around because it’s not coming from the property.
Abruptly, Rick removes the gun from his holster and charges towards the side of the house, and we follow him in pursuit.
“Stay here!” he warns as we approach the trailer parked on the empty plot. I grab hold of Eden’s wrist. Her pulse is racing like crazy, and I can only imagine the anxiety she suffers.
Jagger and Callum follow Rick as backup, and as soon as the door to the secondary home is opened, Storm jumps out. He catches sight of Eden; a surge of recognition and joy transforms his demeanor. His ears perk up, and a flicker of disbelief lights up in his old, weary eyes, and then, in an instant, his whole body reacts. His tail whips through the air and bounds towards her. I let go of her, and upon reaching her, Storm crashes into her, his massive frame almost dwarfing her as he jumps up for an embrace.
Eden meets him with equal warmth, showering him with soothing words and gentle caresses, understanding the magnitude of his emotions.
My attention goes to the other three who ventured inside the trailer and now come out empty-handed and poker-faced. Leaving Eden with Asher, I approach the others.
“There’s no security in the trailer, which is why they left the dog here,” Callum explains.
“There’s evidence the animal was left with food and water. But it”s been a few days, so there’s no telling how much.”
“She gives him measured food as he tends to overeat. So he may have eaten all the contents in one go.” I remember observing Eden, and my interest only extended to watching her bend over to retrieve the dog bowls while wearing nothing but an oversized T-shirt.
I slowly lick my lips with that thought, and my brother smacks at the back of my head.
“What the f—”
“You plonker,” he grins at me. “I’m your brother, not your therapist, but judging by that grin on your ugly mug, even I know where your head just went!”
Jagger huffs a loud laugh. “The Evans bruvs strike their horny knobs once again.”
He waltzes off towards the house, shaking his head in amusement, and I follow in pursuit, leaving my brother and Rick to check the surrounding property.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t think of her in that T-shirt feeding the dog. We’ve all seen her bend over!” I say as we enter the house.
Jagger stops and turns to me with a smirk all over his face.
“Yes, we have, and for the record, she has one fine view, but the difference between me and you two bruvs is that I can keep a straight face and a knob from tenting in my trousers when talking about Eden feeding her dog!”
Fuck was it that obvious?
Jagger chuckles once more, and we head further inside to find the other two in the kitchen.
Both Asher and Eden sit on the floor cross-legged next to the dog, who is currently lapping up a bowl of water and is obviously dehydrated. He was abducted two days ago, and with the kidney issues he suffers from, I’m surprised the animal still stands on his four legs without getting the necessary liquids he needs.
Judging by the concerned look on Eden’s face, I can see she’s thinking the same thing. Her eyes look weary, and I can see the faint dark shading under them, signifying her exhaustion. This has been deliberating but more for her psyche than anything else.
“Sir,” I hear Rick standing by the entryway and turn to see his face beckoning Jagger and me to him. I nod my understanding and address Eden.
“Princess, how about you and Storm get some rest in your bedroom.” She flickers her eyes up at me, and Asher leans over to say something to her. I watch them both stand up.
Jagger and I go to meet Rick out front.
“I”ve checked the security cameras. They’re all running fine.”
“So the perpetrators are on camera.”
“No, that’s just the point. The entire system was hacked. It runs as if the dog was in the trailer the entire time.”
“Like the cameras back home,” I say, thinking out loud.
“The system I installed and the one Ms. Rivers has are both top-end systems. Whoever these people are, they are organized professionals that know how to overrun even the most sophisticated equipment.”
“Eden said her home in Bel Air was hacked in a similar manner too. It has to be from the same individuals. But what is it they want with her?”
“Mr. Evans, I’m going to be blunt with you,” Rick looks at me sharply. “We aren’t dealing with your average stalker. This is work from a highly skilled professional.”
Concerned, I stare inside to watch Eden and Asher disappear down the hallway with Storm. My attention is brought back to Rick and Jagger.
“Do what you need to do to protect her. I don’t give a toss about cost. I don’t want that bastard coming anywhere near her, and when you do catch him….”
Dare I finish my sentence?
“Shoot him dead, or I’ll do so,” Jagger does it for me. “And while you’re amping up the security, I’ll need access to firearms.”
“With all due respect, Sir, but do you know how to operate a gun?”
“I commanded a platoon for three years in South Sudan,” Jagger explains, gaining an impressed look from the usually stoic bodyguard. “It was a few years ago, but I think I’ll remember how to use a gun,” he adds wholeheartedly.
“I spent some time in Bentiu and Malakal. The British troops had a large operational base there supporting the UN’s camps.”
“Keeping the peace…” Jagger’s voice trails on as I leave the two men talking about their military experiences. Instead, I take a walk around the outside perimeter of the property, and begin to snap photos.
Squinting my eyes, I survey my surroundings and the vast expanse of this rugged landscape beyond the property. I feel like a mere speck in the midst of this expansive panorama. This desert sprawls in every direction under the relentless gaze of an unyielding early morning sun.
The swimming pool, unused, is covered with a mechanical floor to keep dirt and animals out. Past the paved area, into the undeveloped land, scattered shrubs and hardy vegetation cling tenaciously to the parched ground, their resilience a testament to the harsh beauty of this desolate terrain. The silence here is profound, interrupted only by the occasional whisper of the wind. The stillness seems to echo through the vastness, a reminder of the solitude that defines the Mojave.
In the far distance, jagged mountain ranges rise, their peaks touched by the warm hues of the setting sun. The shifting shadows play across the landscape.
Eden was a genius to choose this place to live. One doesn’t need sophisticated equipment to know someone is approaching. She could see them coming from miles away, allowing her to escape in the opposite direction.
I have no idea how long I’ve been out here, but the sweat droplets from my forehead run down into my eyes, and I wipe them away with my forearm.
Taking out my phone again, I realize the signal is low. There’s no way I’ll be able to send photos of this place to Sierra to get building quotes. I think there’s an excellent opportunity to expand this property. Now, all I have to do is get Eden on board with us moving in with her.