Prologue #3
“And this asshole is handled?” he asked. “Asking as Jet’s friend, and a VERY angry pissed-off Marine.”
Graham heard the tone, and he knew that his husband took the news of his friend’s death very hard. In fact, he’d reeled yesterday when he’d learned that they’d lost part of their family.
It was just one more reason he was trying to distract the man with his masculine wiles in bed.
Gene didn’t mince words.
“Let’s just say he died in a horrific fire with the remains of the animals who spawned him. We’re going to leave it at that, if you know what I mean.”
Oh, he got it.
The trash had been taken out.
PERMANENTLY.
Good for them.
He hoped it was painful as fuck, too.
“I’ll make sure that she has a ride to the castle. I know what Mom likes. We’re safe up here, and with both myself and Graham, she won’t be in danger.”
That was what they’d both hoped when Elizabeth told him the plan.
Michael continued.
“Even if she ventures into the town, media…it’s not as persistent here as it is there.
I know the media played over the whole Riley-Blackhawk thing, and no one even acknowledges it here with me.
So, I doubt they’ll give a shit she’s here.
We’ll get Finn involved to help keep her safe if I think they’re going to start circling. ”
Gene knew he would.
The fact that the people who lived there might not care that a Blackhawk is there…
That was precious in their world.
Anonymity had been stripped from their lives a while ago, and that kind of fame made a person regret a lot in life. It was all kinds of bizarre to have someone walk up to you and ask if you were sleeping with someone.
“If it gets hairy, get her out of there. Call up Jim and make sure she’s on the quickest flight out—with guard duty attached. I’ll make sure you guys get paid for it and back to the castle.”
Oh, he would.
Trust and believe, but he stopped him.
“I’m not taking payment to guard my mother. Don’t insult us, Gene. You can’t call us family, her children, and then offer us money to pay us. It’s weird. I don’t work for Archangel Security anymore.”
At his words, he relaxed.
“Thank you, Michael. I appreciate this. I would have gone with her, but she wanted to do this alone. She’s trying to find herself, and that’s a quest that she needs to make in order to heal.”
Oh, he understood that.
To his soul.
It wasn’t that long ago that he’d landed here, and Ravensmire had been just what he’d needed to figure out who he was as a person.
“If need be, we’ll hire on some help to take care of the animals and move her personally. Neither Graham nor myself mind.”
At that cue, his husband chimed in.
“Absolutely. We’ll keep her protected. She’s safest here with us. You have our word on that.”
Gene was grateful.
“I’m going to be telling the men in her life that she’s not coming back. So, expect that the calls will start. If Ivan contacts you, or anyone else but me, REMEMBER you don’t know where she is. I know I said that already, but it bears repeating.”
Oh, Michael got it.
Already, the picture had been painted clearly.
“Clear, Gene. Trust that we will help her through this. The castle is calm, and she’ll heal here.”
That was all the other man needed to hear.
He loved Elizabeth, and all he wanted was for her to find herself again.
Why she wanted to do it there, he had no clue, but that was neither here nor there. The bottom line was that she had every right to make this decision and to take a break.
Sometimes, you needed to do just that.
Hell!
He wanted to join her at this point. It had been a long week for them.
“I plan on calling Gabby, but if you talk to her first, warn her that she’s going to have to play dumb, too. Ivan is a sneaky man, and he’s driving the tech bus.”
He got it.
The word would be spread.
“No worries. She’s safe. We’re her family too, and while she’s here, we’ll keep her busy. We have some new horses, and fall is gorgeous outside. If there was ever a place to come to recoup, this was it.”
Gene was grateful.
Now, he had to hope she found what she was desperately seeking.
“She’s arriving with cash. If you need more money, or anything, just message me.
Use an encrypted line—like I am now. Quiet is the utmost necessity.
Ivan is going to be on the prowl, trying to mitigate this.
You know how he has to control freak security like he’s guarding a virgin on her wedding night five hundred years ago. ”
That made them both laugh.
With this castle, at least they had the right time frame for examples. That was period-related commentary if they ever heard it before.
He reassured the man.
“She’s not alone. Technically, once an Archangel, always an Archangel. My name was never retired, and I’m willing to pick up my sword and charge back into battle for this family.”
Oh, there was no doubt there. Michael was a good man, and they were lucky to have him in their family.
“Just love her for us. She’s pretty shattered.”
That broke his heart, but now, for Michael, the mission was set. It was ‘Operation Protect Mom’.
When Michael looked over at his husband to make sure he knew what was about to go down, Graham nodded, signifying he was on board.
“We will. I’ll update you and send texts when she lands, and if something needs to be communicated. If you hear nothing from us, consider it safe and going well.”
That was all Gene could ask.
He hoped he didn’t hear from them.
“Thank you, guys. We appreciate it.”
With that, he hung up, knowing he had a whole other shitstorm waiting for him.
If a case came up…
They were on their own.
That was going to be interesting since none of them had ever had to run a case alone but him, and he was definitely out of practice.
At the castle, there were plans to be made. Immediately, Michael put down his phone, and Graham was ready. He began doing what he did best.
It was all about preparing for another guest who needed to be healed. That was becoming a common theme here.
“We need to get the Master’s Suite ready. Looks like you and I are moving back to the caretaker’s apartment.”
At his words, something occurred to Michael, and he stopped him.
“No, we can’t. We’re going to need one of the rooms right outside that one so that we can pull double duty as hosts and bodyguards. We’re going to be hovering. Protection duty is twenty-four-seven,” he admitted.
He could feel the tension in his husband.
So, he reassured him.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I know you’re stressed that this will put a damper on our newlywed phase. It won’t. There’s room for our mom here with us. I love her too.”
Michael’s demeanor softened.
Why wouldn’t Graham want to make sure she was just as safe with the Marines at home as she was here?
Elizabeth was a sweet woman—from what he’d learned about her through a few phone calls, he could tell she genuinely loved Michael.
And Michael loved her.
That meant he was all in.
Meeting her was something he was looking forward to. She was, after all, very important in Michael’s life.
“I’m just worried,” Michael admitted, sharing with his partner.
“She’s the strongest person I know, and if she’s faltering, it has to be bad.
I’ve seen her stand there when a drive-by shooting happens, and she doesn’t flinch as she takes out a shooter in a moving car.
Then, get a burger after. If she’s running, Graham, she’s in bad shape. ”
He was honest.
“I’ve heard a lot about her, but I assumed it was exaggerated.”
He stopped him.
“It’s not. She’s brave, loyal, and titanium. When strong women like her break, it’s spectacularly bad.”
Well, they’d fix that.
Together.
“We’ve got this, Laddie. The Lass is safe under my watch, too. That’s my mother-in-law. She has my loyalty the second I began working for her, but now, especially since I’m married to her son.”
He smiled.
“Thank you for understanding,” Michael stated. “She’s very important to all of us.”
His husband reassured him.
“She’s the reason I have my husband and this life. She gave us her stakes in this castle. Babe, she can come here and sleep between us for all I care.”
He laughed.
And laughed.
And laughed.
Oh.
Hell.
No.
“What in the Freudian bullshittery is that? I mean, let’s not go crazy,” Michael said, laughing. “That’s extreme.”
Graham winked at him.
“I am sorry about one thing,” he said.
That made Michael curious. So, he waited to hear where he was taking that.
“The castle is calm, and the mystery, other than the whole painting thing, is all that’s left. I kind of wish she was here to help us work on the case. That might take her mind off of it. Maybe she could help us figure out why she looks like Ceit.”
He stared at him.
What was this?
Uh…
“Did you just wish our castle was more haunted or back to being haunted in the first place?” he asked.
He nodded.
“Yeah, I think I just did, Laddie. Trust me, no one here is more surprised than me. The second it was out of my mouth, I started questioning my sanity again.”
Michael just shook his head.
“Universe, he was kidding,” he said to no one in particular.
Oh, but Graham had already done it.
Unfortunately for him and all of them, he’d just put that out into the universe, and fate was always one to deliver.
And she was about to.
The mystery was not over.
Not.
Quite.
Yet.
* * * The Ravensmire Castle * * *
Early Evening
Across The Pond
The Escape
When the jet landed, she tipped the pilot and flight crew generously and hugged them.
Yes, a few weeks ago, Chris had arranged for a gift in the form of another jet, and it was coming in handy. What was also handy? Well, he made sure that she flew with the normal people who got them place-to-place.
To be safe.
“Thank you, Jim. Head home, and don’t tell anyone where you dropped me.”
He patted her arm.
“Don’t worry, Ma’am, Doctor Leonard already told us to take a vacation after our flight back, but for now, we’re not going home. We’re going to Fiji to pick up the kids, and help transport them back in a few days. We’re all getting a beach vacation.”