27. Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Lili
Victor opens the door to my room without knocking and tosses me a bag. “Grace picked up some things for you. Get dressed because we are leaving here in one hour.”
I grab the bag and open it. “Where are we moving?”
“My house,” he says gruffly. “I’ll be back when it’s time.”
The door slams behind him and I shake my head. What the hell got into him? The clothes inside the bag aren’t quite what I would pick out if I were shopping, but I like them because Grace selected them. Part of me wants to ask how she made her choices. I wonder if I’ll get to see Grace, or if I’ll be alone at Victor’s house. Surely he still has to work. I can’t imagine him just holing up at home to babysit me.
Then again, that might be exactly what he has to do since he’s the one who made this mess. I suspect Matteo and the others don’t enjoy cleaning messes up for each other. They will if forced, but not when it’s a mess of someone else’s making. In this particular case, it’s a mess that could have been avoided by not kidnapping me.
I get dressed and sit on the sofa to wait for Victor to come back. When he does, Grace is with him, which surprises and delights me.
“The clothes fit,” she says with a smile. “I was worried.”
“You’ve got a good eye. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. The shirt reminded me of your eyes.”
“We have to move quickly.” He tosses me a jacket. “Wear this out until we are sure we aren’t being followed and put the hood up. You’ll resemble Bellamy who just came in wearing this jacket. You’re close enough in height, and the bulk of the jacket should hide the weight difference.”
I put the jacket on and pull the hood up. It’s a puffy jacket that conceals how slender I am, and the clothing not being quite my style now seems like a good thing if they are concerned about us being watched.
We make our way out to the parking lot where I climb into the backseat of an SUV I don’t recognize. Owen and Tobias are sitting in the front.
“You’re going with Owen and Tobias. Grace and I will travel together to my house. Bellamy is staying here for a little while.”
My head is spinning as Victor rattles off details. Is all of this really necessary? I don’t see how Finn could know where I am. But if he really is trying to take down Victor and his friends, he could just be watching the place to be safe. He can be a paranoid man when it comes to his enemies.
According to the clock on the dashboard display, it takes us twenty minutes to get from the club to our destination.
“Is this Victor’s?” I ask as I stare at the massive home.
Owen laughs. “Victor’s taste is not this good. This is our home. You’ll stay here for a little while this evening, and then we’ll get you to Victor’s either by me taking you or him picking you up after I’ve made sure none of us were followed.”
I frown. “How do you intend to make sure of that?”
He holds up a tablet as he opens his door. “I can do just about anything on this, including peeking in on traffic and surveillance cams across the city. The routes that Victor and I took have enough cameras along them that I can easily tell whether anyone followed us or not.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Does the city realize you have that access?”
He stares at me, and I can tell he’s trying to decide if I’m going to be a problem for him, given my connection to city government.
“Enough of the right people are aware so that it won’t be a problem,” he finally says as we all walk into the house.
“Your home is incredible,” I say as he leads me from the entry to the living room.
“It’s a little froufrou for my taste,” Tobias quips from the kitchen, “But the people I love are here, so I deal with it.”
“I let you redesign the playroom,” Owen grumbles.
Then he turns to me. “Lili, can I offer you a drink?”
“Just a glass of water, please.”
He fills a glass from the dispenser on the fridge and passes it to me. Tobias excuses himself to work in his office for a little while but tells Owen to alert him when Victor arrives.
“I’m surprised you’re not holding a gun on me to make sure I don’t try to escape.”
Owen shrugs. “You’re Victor’s problem. Not to mention, you wouldn’t get past the front door without a code.”
“I have no desire to escape right now, anyway. I suspect my husband wants me dead if he realizes I possess concrete proof of his affairs. And since the lot of you seem to want him dead, I figure my odds of survival are better here.”
Owen smirks. “I see why Victor is smitten with you.”
My cheeks flame. “He’s in love with Grace, whether he wants to admit it or not.”
Owen shrugs again. “Ask my wife whether or not you can be in love with two people and make it work.”
I laugh. “Fair point. But I’m just an apparition. Grace has been in his life for a long time.”
Something in his demeanor changes, and he stands a little straighter as he reaches into his suit jacket to pull out a cell phone.
“I need to make a phone call. Please make yourself comfortable in the living room. You can watch TV. Remote is on the coffee table.”
“Thank you, but I spy a book collection. I was hoping to browse.”
Owen smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Help yourself.”
He leaves the room, and I make my way to the bookshelves in the living room, trying to shake the feeling that he doesn’t like me. In front of the shelves, I scan the collection available. There isn’t time to get sucked into a novel, so I choose a book of poetry instead.
I sit on the sofa with my legs curled under me and open the book.
I’m not sure how much time passes, but several poems in, I hear the beep and snick of the lock for the front door and glance up in time to see a familiar pretty woman with long dark hair step through the door. She’s wearing leather pants, a leather jacket, and holding a helmet under her arm.
She offers me a genuine smile as she shakes her hair out, as if she’s just taken the helmet off.
“How lovely to see you again, Lili.”
I set the book aside and stand. “And you as well, Bellamy. You have a lovely home.”
“Is that you, love?” Owen shouts from somewhere in the house.
He appears, and Bellamy’s gaze immediately shifts to him. The attraction and love between them is palpable. I’m witnessing an intimate moment between the two even though all they are doing is looking at each other, and there is no way for me to give them privacy.
“How was the ride over? Were you followed?” he asks.
Bellamy shakes her head as she puts the helmet on a table in the entry and goes to her husband. “No, Sir. Everything seemed fine. I’m sure you’ll study the cameras along my route, though.”
“Sarcasm about your safety, love? Is that allowed.”
She leans back in his arms and studies his face. “No sarcasm, Owen. It’s a fact. That’s just how you are, and I wouldn’t want you any other way.”
He cups her face for a kiss, and I turn my head away because now I really am intruding.
“We’re being rude to our guest,” Bellamy says with a little giggle. I turn back to find Owen staring at me with an icy gaze.
“According to her she’s an apparition, not a guest.”
Bellamy’s mouth falls open. “Owen! That is so inappropriate.”
I laugh to lighten the mood. At least now I understand the change in Owen’s behavior around me. He’s worried I’m going to hurt Victor and Grace.
“It’s OK, Bellamy. I did say that, and I think Owen is being protective of the people he loves. I don’t blame him. In fact, I admire him for it.”
Bellamy leans into her husband. “Owen is the most protective man I know.”
“I heard that, Vixen,” Tobias says from the hallway.
Bellamy’s face practically melts into a puddle as she turns in Owen’s arms so she can look at Tobias over his shoulder.
I want to ask Owen if it’s strange to watch Bellamy melt that way over another man, especially when she’s in his arms. But he seems unbothered by it. And when Tobias appears, the long haired man goes to Bellamy’s side and kisses the back of her neck until she turns in Owen’s arms. Owen pulls her back against his chest and Tobias kisses Bellamy full on the mouth, his hands framing her face.
“We’ll be taking you to Victor’s house soon, Lili,” Owen says, peeking around the kissing couple.
I motion to them. “Is this ever weird for you?”
Owen kisses the top of Bellamy’s head and releases her fully into Tobias’s arms then crosses the room to sit with me.
“It was at first. The story is long and complicated, and if you end up with Victor or Grace, I’ll share it sometime. The condensed version is that the three of us were friends long before we were lovers. Bellamy is devoted to both of us in unique ways, and Tobias and I have rekindled a friendship that never should have ended.”
“That sounds lovely. I’m glad it all worked out. I fear my own complicated story won’t have such a happy ending.”
“My wife is right. I was incredibly rude a moment ago. Forgive me. I am protective of Victor and Grace and everyone else in my family. But I suspect your story is filled with the same family politics that many of our stories are. If you decide to stay with us, you will be welcomed with open arms.”
I put a hand on his arm. “Thank you, Owen. I can’t say what will happen, but I’m smart enough to understand I’m safer here than with my husband. It’s true that I have no good reason other than a gut feeling, but I trust you all more than I trust him and his contacts. So, while it’s hard to get past what Victor did, I understand where it’s coming from, and I will do my best to help put an end to this madness.”
Owen stands. “I have to finish one more task and then we can go.”
As he passes Bellamy and Tobias, who are still huddled together talking quietly, he pauses.
“Bellamy, love, I’ll see you in my office as soon as you’re finished saying hello to Tobias.”
Her demeanor shifts and she ducks her head respectfully. “Yes, Sir.”
As Owen walks away Tobias teases her. “Uh Oh. Someone is in trouble.”
She smacks him and he catches her wrist. “Stop. We have company,” she says with a smirk on her face.
Tobias kisses her and shoves her off in the direction Owen went.
When she disappears, he comes to sit in the spot Owen vacated.
“Hello again, Lili. Apologies if we’ve made you uncomfortable.”
I shake my head with a smile. “Not at all. I’m very fascinated by your dynamic. I get the idea that Owen is in charge.”
Tobias laughs. “We let him believe he is anyway.”
“And it works for you?”
“Bellamy is my priority, and she is happiest with both of us. Owen has been my best friend forever. Though we had a falling out and didn’t speak for a few years. We have worked through that, and this relationship just makes sense for us.”
“What about the power exchange element? Is she submissive to you?”
Tobias raises an eyebrow, and I drop my head. “Forgive me. I’m being too intrusive again.”
He chuckles. “Don’t worry about it. We aren’t exactly being subtle around you. I’m happy to answer questions, I’m just always surprised when people pick up on the differences. Then again, Bellamy can’t hide her slave-like devotion to Owen. I’ve known he owns her since the beginning. But I also know how committed she is to me, and I am an equal partner in this relationship. Yes, she submits to me, but for us it’s more about fun and perhaps even tenderness. With Owen, I would describe him as her God. If it ever came down to it, his orders would take precedence over any that I’ve given. But he and I agreed in the beginning not to step on each other in front of Bellamy. We work out our differences away from her on the rare occasions we have them.”
I smile. “That’s so sweet, and I’m thrilled you’ve found each other. My marriage was an arranged political maneuver, which is why it’s ending.”
Tobias laughs. “I was betrothed to Bellamy as a similar political arrangement. If we had gone through with it the way our families wanted us to, we would not be happy, so I understand. It sounds like there are some other aggravating circumstances forcing you to leave as well.”
I know he’s referring to the abuse and the cheating, and my face flames. Embarrassment and shame are not emotions I am used to, but for some reason having this man acknowledge the darker failings of my marriage invokes both now.
Owen returns without Bellamy, and I wonder what the conversation in his office was like. I’ve always been a bit of a voyeur when it comes to human interactions, and I’m discovering that I’m even more intrigued by the dynamics of dominance and submission when it’s outside the bedroom. Finn’s proclivities have always been strictly about sex and control, and while I tried to meet his needs in the beginning, he saw me as property and couldn’t give in to that side of himself to let me, and I became the object of his ire instead.
“Are you ready to go, Lili?” Owen asks.
I nod and stand to return the poetry book to the shelf.
“Tobias, will you go release Bellamy in twenty minutes? Make sure she also passes my message along.” Owen says.
I raise an eyebrow. Did he leave his wife tied up somewhere in the house?
Tobias pats Owen’s shoulder. “Just make sure you’re back to check in before she’s supposed to be asleep, or I’m letting her stay up.”
Owen twirls a set of keys around his finger and nods in confirmation to Tobias. “Let’s go,” he says as he heads for the door. “It’s a long drive.”
I follow him out of the house. For a moment, a voice tells me to take off running down the street. The main reason I don’t listen is because I’ve already made up my mind about staying with this group until my husband is dealt with. But even if I hadn’t, I don’t know where I would go, and I would almost certainly be found in minutes by Owen and the others, and if not, it would only be a matter of hours before my husband’s men found me.
Finn is bound to have ears to the ground all over the place searching for me even if it doesn’t appear that way to the public.
So I do what I’m told and get in the front seat with Owen.
The car ride is silent for a while, but I struggle with silence, so I ask if we can turn the radio on. Owen nods to the dash and tells me to flip through and find something I like.
The station I land on is taking a news break.
“Speculation on the whereabouts of Liliana Draven is dominating local headlines today, but no missing persons report has been filed. Phineas Draven, the mayor’s son, has offered no comment about his wife or the public appearances she has missed. The mayor’s office is also declining to comment.”
Owen shuts the radio off again. “Jesus. Don’t they have anything better to do than speculate? Who would have even tipped them off if no one is commenting.”
“I have missed a couple of high-profile events. It was bound to cause some questions.”
“I just want to understand why your husband hasn’t asked more of those questions.”
“He did go to the casino and raise a fuss according to Victor.”
“That’s true, but he was placated too quickly, in my opinion. I don’t trust it. If my wife were missing, I would not leave the last place she was seen without answers. It’s like he knows more than he’s letting on.”
Lights shine bright in the rear-view mirror and Owen revs the engine. “Come on arsehole,” he mutters, “Go around me.”
He takes the next exit, and the car with the obnoxious lights follows.
Owen curses.
“What is it?” I ask, turning to see the car behind us.
“We’re being followed. Give me a moment and keep your seatbelt secure.”
My heart races. What is he going to do?
He punches an icon on the dash, and Tobias’s voice fills the car.
“Everything OK?”
“We’re being followed. I need you to have Bellamy look through the footage and see if we can figure out how long.”
Tobias doesn’t say anything, but he must mute the speaker to get Bellamy, because a minute later it’s her voice in the car.
“Sir, it looks like they pulled in behind you after you turned off our street. At first, I almost missed it, but they’re switching cars to throw you off. I would say there are two following for sure, and there is a third that may have been involved but has since fallen off the path.”
“Fuck. Thank you, love. Get license plates to Luke as quickly as possible.”
“Yes, Sir. Drive safe.”
“I don’t know how to drive any other way. Be good for Tobias.”
“Always.”
Even in moments of stress and emergency, they find ways to connect. It makes me feel oddly warm and fuzzy on the inside. It’s odd because we apparently have suspicious people following us. That shouldn’t be a time for warm and fuzzy.
Owen jerks the wheel suddenly and turns us down a residential street. We maneuver through the neighborhood and Owen’s gaze continuously flicks to the mirror.
“Should we call Victor?”
“Why are you whispering?” he asks as he turns onto Rainbow—a major road in Las Vegas that stretches across the city.
I laugh nervously. “I’m not sure. It just felt right.”
Owen chuckles. “We’ll call him soon. Right now, I need to focus on losing these fuckers. It will be easier to lose them in the city than out in the middle of bumfuck where Victor lives.”
“Is he out in Pahrump or something?” It doesn’t seem like we’re going in the right direction for that, but maybe it’s because we are trying to lose whoever is following us.
“No. He’s out past Boulder City.”
“Oh. That is the middle of nowhere.”
Owen laughs. “That’s Victor. He would live in a cabin with no running water if he didn’t like women so much. Though come to think of it, I don’t know that he’s ever taken a woman to his house.”
For some reason, that strikes me as hilarious.
“I’ve only ever seen him in his dark suits looking angry. Are you telling me he’s secretly some kind of mountain man?”
Owen laughs. “Something like that. He just doesn’t like people. But he likes... sex.”
The hesitation before landing on sex tells me he wanted to say something else but thought better of it. I wonder what it could be.
I don’t ask though, because he’s still focused on the road. Though I’m also getting the sense that the chatter is helping him focus.
“We’re about to get pulled over.”
I lift my head and see him barreling towards a red light with the intention of running right through it.
“I don’t have ID or anything on me.”
“Damn it. You’re right. That would cause more questions. Right then. Brace yourself. We’re going on a wild ride.”
He makes a hard right turn at the last minute, and I blow out a tense breath as I grip the handle on the ceiling. Now I know why they call them ‘Oh shit’ handles.
For the next ten minutes, Owen ducks in and out of random streets, making hard turns at the last minute to try and lose the car or cars behind us.
He calls Bellamy again after at least a dozen of them. “It looks like you’ve lost them, Sir. I’m not picking up on anything else that looks like a tail.”
“Thank you, love. I’ll be home as soon as possible. Remember the rules.”
“Yes, Sir. Tobias already knows and is enjoying it a little too much, if you ask me.”
Owen smirks. “I guess it’s a good thing I’m not asking then.”
I’m so curious about what they are talking about, but I keep quiet even after Owen ends the call.
Victor’s house is another hour away. It is far from a cabin in the woods, but it’s definitely modest compared to Owen’s luxury home.
Still, the inside is nice and appears to have all the amenities one could want or need. Grace is sitting on the couch twisting her hands and bouncing her leg. The nervous energy rolling off of her is palpable. Victor stands at his kitchen counter with a glass of scotch looking as angry as ever.
“What the hell took you so long?” he snaps at Owen.
“We had a tail, and I had to lose them.”
“So why didn’t you call me?”
“Because I wanted to make sure it was legit, and I wanted to focus on losing them instead of on you losing your shit.”
He has a fair point, but I suspect Victor won’t see it that way.
Surprisingly, he doesn’t protest.
“You’re sure you lost the tail before you got here?”
“I had Bellamy on the cameras for me. She sent license plates to Luke to run for me. We’re as sure as we can be.”
Victor nods tersely. “I’m putting in for a few days off at the casino.”
Owen shakes his head. “We need to keep things business as usual. You’ve got security out here and we’ll take turns keeping an eye on your guests.”
Victor grips the counter, and I can tell he’s biting his tongue.
“I’m not going to try and escape if that’s what you’re worried about,” I offer. My momentary contemplation in Owen’s driveway was enough to put me off the idea, and there’s definitely no way for me to get anywhere all the way out here in the middle of nowhere.
He narrows his eyes as if he wants to say something to me, but he changes his mind.
“We’ll touch base after I get home and dig into who was in those cars,” Owen says.
“They’ll have covered their tracks,” Victor grumbles.
Owen winks at me as he heads for the door. “Probably. But we can learn a lot about a person based on how they cover their tracks.”
When Owen is gone, I stand awkwardly in the foyer looking between Grace and Victor, who haven’t moved.
“Is there a bedroom or somewhere I can lie down? I’m exhausted.”
Grace jumps up and looks at Victor. “I can show her.”
Victor nods. “Thank you, butterfly.”
I follow Grace quietly up the stairs to a large guest room with its own bathroom. “You should be comfortable here. If you need anything specific, let me or Victor know. There’s a den down the hall where you can read or watch TV. The only room we’re not really allowed in is Victor’s office, but he keeps that locked.”
I nod and squeeze her shoulders. “Thank you, Grace. I know all of this is hard on you.”
She laughs and waves her hand. “It’s just another day in the life of The Sin City Suits.”
I look at her with a questioning stare. “Sin City Suits? Is that what they call themselves?”
“It’s mostly an inside joke. I think it’s fitting. I’ve never met four, five now if you count Tobias, men who look that good in suits. And they all have very particular preferences about the suits they wear. It’s a little comical, given their backgrounds.”
It makes me chuckle, but Victor hollers for Grace to get back downstairs before I get the opportunity to say anything else.
When I’m alone, I sit on the bed and contemplate how the hell I ended up here. I should be strategizing with my team about how to handle a divorce without completely ruining myself financially. Instead, I’m sitting in a criminal’s guest room lusting after two people I can’t have.