Chapter 26
26
A s Alex kept an eye on Leslie and Renee, he hung up with Luke, waited, and then dialed another number.
After he’d told Luke they’d arrived, Luke’s update had been this: a man named Luca called and told me you should call him at this number. He said it was urgent. “Is there something I should know, Alex?” Luke had asked.
“There’s plenty, but I can’t get into it now, Luke. I’ll be in touch again in two days.”
“Got it. Take care of yourself, Alex. And Leslie.”
As Alex listened to the phone ring, he reflected on the similarity between Luke and Luca’s names, but how the men were nothing alike.
Except for their ability to kill a man if needed.
“Alex,” Luca suddenly said over the phone. “My men have told me you and your woman have settled in well.”
“We have,” Alex said. “What have you found out?”
“No small talk. I understand. The names Stephen Anderson and Ed Pearson. You’re familiar with them?”
The names hit Alex like dual punches to the face.
“Very,” he bit out. Ed Pearson was Lucy’s stepfather, the federal judge who’d raped her. The same one Alex had rescued her from. Stephen Anderson was the Brooklyn Borough President, recently discovered to have been involved in sex crimes against young girls along with Pearson.
“They were in jail when I left New York,” Alex said.
“They hired the Russians.”
It shouldn’t have surprised him so much, but it did. Bastards! Why?” he breathed. “Why come after Leslie?”
But he already knew. To get back at Alex. To fuck with Branden. Leslie was important to them both—two men, along with Logan Fredricks, who had helped take Pearson and Anderson down. Shit. He needed to tell Luke. Inform Branden and Logan.
Even as his mind whirled with extra security measures that could be put in place, Alex allowed himself to feel a modicum of relief. The danger wasn’t over, not to Leslie and not to her family, but this connection of the Bratva to Pearson and Anderson meant the attack at Leslie’s place hadn’t been mixed up with Alex’s past.
At least, not the part of his past he’d thought had been responsible, in any rate. No matter though. The fact was those two scumbags had sent the Bratva after Leslie in part because of Alex rescuing Lucy.
“As I told you before, Alex, word has gotten around about you—the man who killed the son of one of the Bratva’s top men. Names have been mentioned. Identities bantered around. If my own men haven’t made the connection yet, they will.”
Alex understood. Whether or not his connection with Luca or his cousin Mia had caused the attack on Leslie, the fact that it had happened had cast a spotlight on Alex. That light would call to other enemies, maybe even enemies that hid in Luca’s very own army.
“Your men—" Alex began.
“Know nothing of me contacting you or where you are. The only people that know are myself and the people on that island, who are unfailingly loyal to me, Alex.”
“You’re sure?”
“So sure, if I was you, I’d swap places with you in a second. You and your woman are safe there. I promise.”
Alex remembered another promise Luca had given Alex, one cemented with the shaking of their hands, both covered in blood. Luca had kept his promise then, and Alex trusted he’d keep it now.
It didn’t mean the danger to them was over, but Alex felt more strongly that so long as they stayed on this island, Leslie was safe. Maybe, he thought, the best course was to leave her here, under the care of Damien and Luca’s other men.
“I need to rally my men back home,” Alex said even as he hated the idea of leaving Leslie. But neither did he want to just sit here while the Russians were hell bent on finding them. “I need to make sure Pearson and Anderson recall their contract with the Russians.”
“You need to stay exactly where you are,” Luca said. “I'll have a word with my Russian friends, see if I can't dissuade them from their current course. Pearson and Anderson might be paying them, but when it comes to relationship between the families, there’s more than money at play.”
Luca was the head of the mafia in New York, and yet Alex had always respected him. He was loyal to a fault, especially to someone he considered family. And like it or not, Luca considered Alex family. “You’re going to a lot of trouble for me and a woman you don’t know Luca.”
“You were Mia’s. Mia was my cousin. What I do, I’m doing for her just as much as you. No guarantees, Alex. But I’ll try.”
You were Mia’s.
The words echoed in Alex’s head and he remembered how beautiful Mia was, how much he’d cared for her even if he hadn’t love her. And he did while staring at Leslie.
"Are you sure the Bratva don't know about the island?" Alex asked.
"If they did, they'd have tried to infiltrate before. But we aren't taking chances. My people are keeping an eye on them, Alex.”
“Thank you for that. For finding this information. And for the continued use of Caris.”
“You’re welcome. If you can breathe only a little easier now, knowing that our Mia wasn’t the reason Leslie was in danger, it eases my soul. She wouldn’t want you thinking that.”
“No, she wouldn’t,” Alex said. “And I’m glad I no longer do. But if those men had been connected to Mia, we both know it would be me responsible for them coming, not Mia.”
“Perhaps. Regardless, continue to enjoy the island. I’ll report to your man if I find out anything else. Ciao .”
At Renee’s urging, Leslie had donned an apron. The older woman was now demonstrating how to properly knead dough for fresh baked bread, her hands moving expertly over the sticky mound. Leslie tried to imitate the movements, at first awkward, but growing more confident as Renee gently corrected her technique, guiding her hands until she got the right motion, the right pressure.
Slowly, Leslie felt the raw mixture come alive under her hands, turning supple and smooth. She glanced at Alex and saw he was off the phone, staring intently at her. She smiled and he smiled back. It was a restrained smile, but he wasn’t rushing her way, telling her that something urgent had occurred, so she assumed his call to Luke had been uneventful.
When he didn’t come straight to them, she and Renee continued working. Soon, the dough was set aside to rise, but the bread already in the oven smelled delicious. Next, again under Renee’s direction, Leslie whipped eggs before pouring them into a pan over a thick pad of butter as the bacon and sausage sizzled away beside them, creating a harmony of scents that filled the kitchen.
It was almost time to serve breakfast when Alex finally walked up to them.
She eyed him cautiously. “Everything okay?”
He nodded. “Under control. There are things I need to tell you but it can wait."
“Okay. I—"
A blur of movement suddenly caught her eye. A young girl, no more than ten years old with curly brown hair and large hazel eyes, burst into the kitchen. She was flushed from running, her wide eyes sparkling with childlike excitement. Leslie watched with amusement as the girl, in her haste, nearly collided with a stack of pots by the door.
"Maria!" Renee reprimanded, her tone both stern and loving. "How many times have I told you not to run into the kitchen like that, especially when we have guests?"
The young girl paused, her bright eyes flicking between Leslie and Renee. She seemed to be taking in the situation, her expression slowly morphing into a picture of contrition.
"It's okay," Leslie interjected before Renee could continue her reprimand. She looked at the young girl with a warm smile. "She's not bothering me."
Renee looked taken aback for a moment before a reluctant smile tugged at her lips. "Alright then," she conceded, casting an affectionate glance at the wide-eyed girl. "Just don't get in the way, Maria."
Maria bobbed her head in an eager nod before turning her curious gaze on Leslie. Her shyness forgotten, she moved closer, standing on her tiptoes to catch a glimpse of what was cooking on the stove. Leslie turned to smile at Alex, to share her delight at seeing the adorable girl, only he’d retreated several steps and was now leaning against the kitchen wall, his strong arms folded across his chest, his gaze fixed on Maria, seeming more disturbed than delighted.
What on earth was that about? She’d seen Alex with his brother’s adopted daughter, Natalie, plenty of times to know that Alex liked kids. He wouldn’t be the type to think anything of a young girl barreling into a kitchen and making noise.
Was this about his past again? His past with this family?
Leslie decided right then and there that when she and Alex talked about what he’d learned on the phone with Luke, she was going to ask him some pointed questions and not give up so easily when he tried to maneuver around them. It wasn’t just that she was curious; it was apparent that whatever Alex’s relationship with was this family, it involved friendship, even love, but it also involved heartache.
“Time to eat,” Renee said. She plated a generous serving of scrambled eggs and toast for Maria, who took it to the small dining table in the kitchen. “Please, take your seats in the dining room.”
Leslie suppressed her instinctive offer to help because Renee had already turned away and was filling dishes, and Leslie didn’t want to offend her. “Thanks for showing me how to knead the bread,” Leslie said instead, and Renee smiled at her over her shoulder. “Go,” she shooed. “The food is coming.”
Leslie and Alex dutifully walked out of the kitchen and sat at the table in the dining room. Renee was obviously some kind of wizard with a talent for storing food in magical places because in addition to the fluffy scrambled eggs, perfectly crisped bacon, and fresh bread Leslie had helped her prepare, she also served fresh fruit and a variety of fresh pastries that would put a Parisian bakery to shame.
After taking a huge bite of buttery croissant, Alex looked at Leslie. "After breakfast, why don't we see what kind of art supplies they have around here? If we can't find anything suitable, we can always send someone to the store."
Leslie appreciated Alex's thoughtfulness. He’d remembered what she’d said this morning about wanting to eat then sketch. He was making such an effort to ensure her comfort and happiness.
After the last bites of breakfast were finished, they went in search of art supplies together and were just about to ask the housekeeper if she knew of any when Leslie looked outside. “You know what? Maybe the drawing can wait and we can go for a swim. It’s beautiful out.”
“Whatever you want, Leslie.”
Leslie frowned. Something was off but she wasn’t sure what. Alex was here with her. He was being attentive, but he also seemed to have slipped into professional bodyguard mode with a side of “I fingered this woman to orgasm this morning so I need to still do my job but just with a lighter touch.” She got that it had to be hard, to be the protector as well as the lover, but she didn’t think that was it. This had something to do with his phone call with Luke…and possibly the appearance of Maria.
“Alex, what did Luke and you talk about?”
Alex’s eyes flickered. “I’ll tell you later, Leslie.”
“Why later? Why can’t you tell me now?”
He clenched his jaw then relaxed it. “Because there’s nothing we can do about it. And as you said, it’s a beautiful day out. Let’s enjoy ourselves a while before we delve back into reality. I know I could use that, can’t you?”
Wow. Of course. Alex needed some time to breathe, too, and it wasn’t something he ever asked for. It was easy for her to observe and try to impart meaning to his every expression or movement, but she had to remember there was so much of Alex she still didn’t know about.
What she did know, however, was that Alex was always on .
If he wanted a break from reality for a little while, she was more than happy to give that to him.
“Okay,” she said, forcing herself to sound cheerier. “Well, what do you want to do?”
He studied her for a moment before he shook his head, his mouth tipped up. “I think you should go for that swim you talked about.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll keep watch over you, of course.”
“Of course,” she echoed. There went her fantasies of Alex completely relaxing and her splashing in the water with him like a couple of dolphins. “Shoot. I don’t have a bathing suit, though.”
“You need a bathing suit?” The voice came from behind her. It was the housekeeper, Rosa, who’d been passing by.
“I was hoping to go swimming and I didn’t bring one,” Leslie explained.
"I bought several new ones for Bella, Renee’s oldest granddaughter. But they never fit her quite right. She’s at school but she won’t mind. I'm sure one of them will fit you perfectly. Come. Follow me.”
With a glance at Alex, who nodded, Leslie followed Rosa, and Alex trailed behind them.