Chapter 37
I had settled Lissie in the family lounge with Chelsea and Mrs. Bates. The house alarm had frightened her, and then she had scared us all by tumbling down several stairs before Will got to her.
“Ben’s quite sure it was a false alarm,” Will said.
Ben nodded to reassure me and followed us to the war room.
Will held my hand while using his other to put his palm on the electronic entry pad.
“Elle, never mind my uncle. He can be forward…don’t read anything into it.”
“Got it,” I said.
“Nothing said in this room changes anything, baby…it won’t make you less safe.”
The door slid open to reveal a high-tech conference room. More like a situation room. Definitely a war room.
Maps and photos hung on the walls. Some old, some new. Security monitors covered the entire far wall. A wooden table and twelve high-back leather chairs occupied the center of the room. And two sophisticated-looking computers had active screen savers displaying the Hastings business logo.
Will guided me in with his hand on my back.
Robert Moore immediately got up from his seat, cleared his throat, and rubbed his pointy chin while staring at me. His eyes twinkled like Mary’s, and he smiled like her as well.
“Come, William. Here, take your place at the head of the table.”
Will ignored his uncle and pulled me to the opposite side of the room near Mary.
She hugged her son and then steered me to the chair on his left. She sat next to me and held my hand under the table for a minute, her gaze jumping to Will’s fresh tattoo, then meeting mine. She gave a warm smile and squeezed my hand before letting go.
I smiled back, happy for her approval.
Will tugged my chair closer to his.
“Let’s get on with it…Uncle Robert, do you have something for me?” he asked.
“Yes, I found out a man named Jack Lewis is putting out the orders against the two of you. I believe he’s aligned with someone in this community. I couldn’t get that name, but you should be careful tonight…his informant could be someone you invited here for the dinner.”
Will gripped his brother’s shoulder.
“Thomas, you find me Jack Lewis quickly.”
Robert cleared his throat.
“Your mum and I have questions about your time away.”
Will shifted his gaze to me, though he still spoke to Robert.
“I’m quite sure, but first let me make something clear to everyone.”
My heart began to race. The bitter metallic taste of panic filled my mouth. I didn’t know why…maybe the warning in Will’s tone triggered it. I clutched his thigh under the table.
He took my hand and leaned in close to my ear.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
I inhaled the warmth of his breath, the scent of his skin, calming myself, then pasted a smile on my face.
“It’s fine. Go on,” I said.
He raised his voice to the room.
“This goddamn Jack Lewis is about to find out he’s fucking with the wrong person. He’ll learn the hard way…this family is unlike others he’s terrorized. And Ellie is part of this family. She’s mine, and when it comes to her safety, not a drop of mercy runs through my veins. I will not tolerate threats at any level.”
“I’m with you, brother. Zero tolerance,” Thomas said.
Ben held up his fist. His arm flexed, drawing my attention to his brotherhood tattoo.
“I’m with the family too…all in,” he said.
“Same goes for me,” Joe Turner added.
Will gave them a slight nod, then he leaned forward to make eye contact with Mary.
“Mum, what questions do you have for me?”
Pride twinkled in her honey-colored eyes.
“Did you meet with the ministers this week?” she asked.
“Yes. I saw the prime minster as well, and I made my terms clear. If the government can’t put an end to this, the prime minster will have no choice but to allow me to eliminate the threats to my family without prosecution.”
“How do you know he will? What leverage do you have to make such demands?” Robert asked.
Will let out a dark chuckle.
“You forget who your sister married then? As far as the government is concerned, I’m merely an extension of my father. But fuck that…the prime minister understands I’ll break him financially. Ethan and I worked hard to pull in his assets—not because we needed his fortune, but because I knew this day would come.”
Thomas leaned back, put his hands behind his head.
“Good. You have more than one card to play. And with that, how do we come away from our response to the London attack?”
“The ministers exercised influence with Scotland Yard and also pressured the director general to keep the case out of the National Counter Terrorism Office. They ran with the media’s assumptions and covered it up.”
He paused, looked at his mother as her chin dropped. He softened his tone.
“I’m sorry, Mum. I will find him.”
Ethan.
Mary pushed out a heavy breath, then she patted my arm.
“Are they all right with the fact that Ellie’s here?”
Will nodded and exchanged a small, perceptive smile with her. Their quiet exchange, his hand holding mine, her hand on my arm, it all caused my heart to flip wildly.
Uncle Robert shifted in his seat.
“What about Ellie’s claim and yours?”
“She hasn’t made a claim, so stop signaling that dangerous fucking idea.”
Robert frowned.
“What about yours…the earldom?”
“I’ll let everyone know when I’ve made a decision.”
My head spun with so much to take in. I thanked God for Will, for his wisdom, his strength, for the stability he gave me.
Robert decided to push his luck with Will.
“You’re rather curt, William.”
“Listen, Robert. Move past your disapproval. It hurts my mother, not me, so knock it the fuck off. I’ve said all I’m going to say—the rest is our personal business. Elle and I will choose what we want and how we’ll move forward, and you’ll know when it happens.”
His uncle nodded and looked down at his hands.
Will checked his watch as he stood and offered me his hand.
“Thomas, you find me in a couple hours.”
“Are you two joining us for lunch, Ellie?” Mary asked.
Will and I said “no” at the exact same time, and relief washed over me. I needed time alone with him. Only he could settle the nervousness thrumming inside me.
Will winked at his mother, then kissed her cheek.
Totally disarmed by her son’s charm, Mary blushed.
“I’ll have something sent up for you,” she whispered to him.
I stared at Will, admiring how he made his mother feel special, and I fell even more in love with him.
On our way out, we stopped in the billiard room, so he could again question Ben about security, and I could take a minute to wrap my mind around everything.
There was so much I didn’t know how to process. What dinner? But a few things came to me clearly. Will would always take care of Lissie and me. I would follow him anywhere, give up everything to be with him. And it made no difference to me whether he kept his family title or let it go.
“Elle,” he said.
“Sorry…what?”
He eased me back against the bar and kissed my neck.
“Come on, baby. I’m mad for you.”
His mouth roamed over my skin in a playful frenzy.
I squealed and then laughed.
“I’m getting a shower first. You’re supposed to join.”
He shook his head.
“You have fifteen minutes while I ring the security tech company. When I’m done with that call, you’re all mine. And Elle, don’t play games with me. You know what I want…”