Chapter 13 #2
Hannah says something emotional from behind them.
Drew shouts, “Don't let him manipulate you. He abandoned us on Thanksgiving.”
“It wasn't Thanksgiving when I got married.”
“That isn't the point.”
Jade takes the phone.
Everything changes.
Her face fills the screen.
“Where in France?”
“No.”
“Xavier.”
“No.”
She turns.
“Leo.”
Leo looks up from the counter.
“What?”
“Book the jet.”
He freezes.
I do too.
Jade points toward the phone.
“I am going to London, France, Switzerland, wherever the fuck Blackwell is, and I am interrogating his wife.”
“There is no London in France,” Leo says.
“I DON'T CARE.”
Drew immediately lifts a hand.
“I'm coming.”
Kane says, “Same.”
Vale sighs.
Stella looks thrilled.
Jalen grabs another roll. “Road trip.”
“No,” I say.
Nobody listens.
Jade is already walking away with the phone.
“Leo, call the pilot.”
“Jade.”
“You secretly married a hacker none of us have met.”
“Yes.”
“You introduced us to Sergei before your actual wife.”
“That wasn't intentional.”
“Doesn't matter.”
“You're not interrogating her.”
Jade turns back toward the phone.
“I absolutely am.”
“No.”
“You think I'm asking?”
There are very few people who speak to me that way and continue enjoying access to oxygen.
Jade Holt is one of them.
A soft voice comes from behind me.
“Who is terrifying?”
The entire Miami kitchen goes silent.
I close my eyes.
Wonderful.
Sabine walks into the room carrying a mug of tea.
Barefoot.
Naturally.
She is wearing one of my black cashmere sweaters, which reaches halfway down her thighs over leggings. Her caramel curls are piled messily on top of her head, several escaping around her face.
No makeup.
No contacts.
Wedding ring.
My wife.
Every person on the screen stares.
Sabine looks from me to the phone.
“Your friends?”
“Unfortunately.”
Drew shoves his face into the camera.
“IS THAT HER?”
Sabine stops.
Then takes one step backward.
I hold out my hand.
She looks at it.
Then at everyone watching.
Her mouth curves.
She comes anyway.
Her fingers slide into mine, and I pull her down beside me.
The reaction from Miami is immediate.
Hannah squeals.
Isa says, “Oh, she's gorgeous.”
Stella smiles.
Jalen whistles.
Leo says, “Interesting.”
Vale looks entertained.
Jade studies her like she's already constructing a dossier.
And Drew—
Drew goes completely still.
His eyes narrow.
He leans toward the screen.
“Wait.”
Sabine sips her tea.
Drew points.
“I know you.”
Her eyes sparkle.
“No, you don't.”
“I do.”
He moves closer.
“That face.”
Sabine takes another sip.
“You've never seen this face.”
“Not that hair.”
I feel her hand tighten slightly inside mine.
Drew's eyes widen.
“Holy shit.”
I know where he's going.
“Travers.”
He ignores me.
“The wedding.”
Sabine's smile grows.
“Drew.”
“The blonde bombshell.”
Everyone turns toward him.
Isa's head snaps around.
“What blonde bombshell?”
Drew immediately realizes he has created a second problem.
“No, no. Operational blonde bombshell.”
“That is not better,” Isa says.
Sabine laughs into her mug.
Drew points at her.
“YOU.”
“Possibly.”
“Big California hair.”
“Wig.”
His mouth falls open.
“Baby blue eyes.”
“Contacts.”
“Tan.”
“Mostly real.”
“Pink lipstick.”
She raises the mug toward him.
“That was mine.”
Drew throws both hands into the air.
“I FUCKING KNEW IT.”
“You absolutely did not,” I say.
“I SAW YOUR WIFE BEFORE YOU DID.”
“No, you saw a disguise.”
“I described her.”
“You described breasts.”
The room stops.
Sabine turns slowly toward me.
I immediately understand my mistake.
She lifts one eyebrow.
“Did he?”
Drew disappears from view.
Isa's voice follows.
“DREW.”
“It was relevant at the time.”
“How?”
“Identification.”
“Breasts are not identification.”
“They can be distinguishing characteristics.”
A smacking sound.
“Ow.”
Sabine is laughing hard enough to put her tea down.
Drew shoves his way back into frame, rubbing his shoulder.
“See? This further proves my point.”
“What point?” Kane asks.
“I knew her first.”
“You saw her once,” I say.
“Enough to facilitate destiny.”
Sabine looks at him.
“Facilitate destiny?”
“Yes.”
Drew points between us through the screen.
“I am the reason you two are married.”
She considers that.
I know immediately I won't like where this goes.
“He did invite me.”
Drew's entire face lights up.
“THANK YOU.”
I turn toward my wife.
“He illegally accessed NULL.”
“Still invited me.”
“He called you Miss London Bridge.”
“I found it mildly amusing.”
“You said you hated it.”
“I was flirting.”
Drew slaps both palms against the counter.
“I KNEW IT.”
“You knew nothing.”
“Blackwell, I handed you your wife on a silver platter.”
“She infiltrated the wedding.”
“Because I invited her.”
“She sent Sergei.”
“Because I motivated her.”
“You threatened her.”
“Because I cared.”
Sabine presses her lips together, trying not to laugh.
I point at her.
“Do not encourage him.”
“I’m simply observing.”
Drew looks emotional.
“Finally. Someone appreciates me.”
Isa walks past behind him.
“No one appreciates you. Stir the gravy.”
He turns.
“I'm busy.”
“Drew.”
He disappears immediately.
Sabine looks at me.
“He really is afraid of her.”
“Respect,” Drew calls from across the kitchen.
Vale raises his wineglass.
“Fear.”
“Fuck you, Prince.”
I rub my forehead.
“This is why I didn't tell any of you.”
Kane reclaims the screen.
“Hey, Sabine.”
She wipes beneath one eye.
“Hello.”
“I'm Kane.”
“I know.”
He pauses.
Right.
Vesper.
Kane grins.
“That is going to take some getting used to.”
Hannah leans in.
“And I'm Hannah.”
Sabine's expression softens immediately.
“The bride.”
Hannah laughs.
“Yes.”
“Your wedding was beautiful.”
Kane points toward the phone.
“See? She was there.”
“I was aware,” I say.
“No, you were running around interrogating catering staff.”
Sabine smiles sweetly.
“Very aggressively.”
“That was your fault.”
“You're welcome.”
Drew returns carrying a whisk.
“I'd also like the record to reflect that I told him to stop terrorizing the elderly.”
Sabine nods solemnly.
“Thank you for protecting Sergei.”
Drew presses the whisk to his heart.
“My pleasure.”
“Stop bonding with my wife.”
“No.”
Sabine laughs.
Jalen appears again.
“Okay. Nickname.”
“No,” I say.
He ignores me.
“We cannot keep calling her Vesper because that's hacker shit.”
Sabine tilts her head.
“I like Vesper.”
“Miss London Bridge is classic,” Drew says.
“Retired.”
Kane thinks.
“Mrs. Ghost?”
Sabine wrinkles her nose.
“No.”
Vale says, “That sounds like a children's Halloween book.”
Stella laughs.
Isa calls from across the kitchen, “Her name is Sabine. Why does she need a nickname?”
Drew points toward himself with the whisk.
“Branding.”
“You don't brand my wife.”
Sabine pats my hand.
“Relax.”
“I am relaxed.”
Every person on the call laughs.
Then Drew goes quiet.
Rare.
He studies Sabine.
Then me.
A slow grin spreads across his face.
“Blackwell's Bride.”
Jalen stops chewing.
“Oh.”
Vale's brows rise.
Kane considers it.
Stella smiles.
Hannah says, “That's actually kind of romantic.”
“It sounds like a gothic novel,” Vale says.
“Exactly,” Drew says. “Blackwell's Bride.”
“No.”
Sabine takes a sip of tea.
“I kind of like it.”
I turn my head.
She looks innocent.
Betrayal.
“You do not.”
“I might.”
“Sabine.”
“What? It has mystery.”
“You already have a name.”
“So do you, Ghost.”
Drew slaps the counter.
“BLACKWELL'S brIDE WINS.”
“It does not.”
Jalen raises his glass.
“To Blackwell's Bride.”
Everyone grabs whatever they're holding.
Wine.
Champagne.
Beer.
Hannah has a wooden spoon.
Drew lifts his whisk.
Jade has nothing because she is still staring at Sabine.
She finally speaks.
“Sabine.”
Sabine looks toward her.
“Yes?”
“I want the entire story.”
“No,” I say.
Neither woman acknowledges me.
“Beginning to end,” Jade continues. “The bridge. Sergei. How you got inside the wedding. Why Xavier suddenly disappeared. How you went from anonymous hacker to Mrs. Blackwell in approximately fifteen minutes. Everything.”
Sabine glances at me.
I shake my head.
She smiles.
“Maybe.”
Jade points at the phone.
“I like you.”
Sabine blinks.
Then looks at me.
“She is terrifying.”
“I warned you.”
Jade hears.
“Good.”
Sabine's eyes widen.
I almost laugh.
Then Jade turns toward Leo again.
“Seriously. Book the jet.”
Leo takes a drink.
“We're not flying to France tonight.”
“Tomorrow.”
“Also no.”
“Why?”
“Because it's Thanksgiving.”
“It'll be over tomorrow.”
Vale mutters, “Hard to argue with that logic.”
I point at the screen.
“No one is coming to France.”
Drew appears.
“Too late. Group trip.”
“No.”
“Christmas?”
“No.”
“New Year's?”
“No.”
“Blackwell, we're meeting your wife.”
Sabine quietly says, “Eventually.”
I turn.
She shrugs.
“They seem fun.”
“They're not.”
Drew clutches his chest.
“Sabine, don't let him poison you against us.”
“I've known him longer.”
“Emotionally, yes. Socially, he's defective.”
“Travers.”
“What?”
Sabine leans closer to the phone.
“I have a question.”
Everyone goes silent.
Drew's eyes light up.
“Yes.”
“Did he really sit at the wedding smelling his jacket after I wore it?”
I close my eyes.
The Miami kitchen detonates.
Kane bends over laughing.
Vale nearly spits wine.
Jalen pounds the counter.
Hannah shrieks.
Even Leo loses whatever restraint he possesses.
Drew is crying.
Actual tears.
“He buried his face in it.”
“I was identifying fragrance.”
Sabine looks at me.
“Orange blossom.”
“I identified it.”
She smiles.
Drew screams, “HE WAS IN LOVE WITH YOU.”
Silence.
Not complete.
But enough.
My attention snaps to him.
Drew's grin disappears slowly.
Sabine goes still beside me.
The room in Miami suddenly develops an intense interest in everything except the phone.
Fuck.
Drew clears his throat.
“I mean. You know. Obsessed. Whatever.”