Chapter 50
Ben stood over the bed and watched me rub sleep from my eyes.
“Welcome back, sleeping beauty.”
My body was slow to fire, but my brain started to function.
“How long have I been out?”
He tapped a message into his phone.
“Jessica said it’s been seven hours.”
“What? Are you texting Will…is he okay? Why isn’t he here with you?”
“He’s quite alright. But come on, Ellie, why do you think he’s not here?”
“Well, where is he and what is he doing?”
Ben kept looking at his stupid phone, reading Will’s reply.
“What do you think he’s doing?”
“Damn it, Ben, stop answering my questions with questions.”
His eyes moved from the screen to me, and he gave me his quiet death stare.
“Well?” I asked.
Jess interjected before Ben could say anything else.
“Oh for God’s sake! Just tell her everything or I will.”
His dark eyes darted across the bed to Jess, then back to me.
“Christ, Ellie, you should be in England. Do you understand how your reckless behavior could fuck up his entire plan?”
My head still pounded a little. I rubbed my temples.
“Save the lecture. I answer to Will only, and if he’s upset with me, that’s our business. And maybe if I had known the plan…but right now, I would like to know where he is and why you left him alone.”
“Isn’t that quite rich coming from you. You flew across the Atlantic—alone.”
“Maybe I screwed up, but it’s too late to change that, so let’s just move on. Please tell me what’s going on.”
Jess cleared her throat and tapped her foot to warn him.
He glared at her again before turning back to me.
“Jack Lewis and Charles Green are here. Remember what Will’s uncle Robert said?”
“Yes…and Thomas said Charles and his brothers were paid to spy on us. But why would they come to Connecticut when they clearly knew we were in the UK?”
“They’re searching public records, your house, looking for connections to something or someone, because they assumed it might draw you back. They know Will doesn’t have the same resources here as he does in the UK. And here you fucking are.”
“You know, Ben, when I’m kept in the dark, how can I know just where the hell I’m actually supposed to be?”
He nodded.
“All right, that’s quite fair enough. Long story short, they came over with some hired guns. Will’s watching their movements now.”
“Go back to him. I don’t want him to be alone.”
“I agree. We have eyes on them, and now you, but he still ordered me to be here with you.”
Will out there by himself again, it broke our agreement. I couldn’t be angry with him because I had forced his hand by leaving Eastridge, breaking my word to him first.
“When do you think I can see him?” I asked.
“I don’t know…let’s see…he’s quite fucking busy right now, don’t you think?”
Ben shifting between anger and insolence aggravated me.
I inhaled deeply, drawing in more strength.
“You don’t have to be mean about it, Ben. I’m worried about him. I love him, damn it, and it’s reasonable for me to want to see that he’s safe. You could literally put yourself in my position for a minute to get that.”
After staring at the carpet for a minute, Ben moved his attention back to me.
“You’re right. It’s not helpful, but it is reasonable. I’m sorry. I’m worried too. Christ, he’s mad when it comes to protecting you, but that’s not your fault…none of this is your fault. But listen, let him keep his distance for now. They’re aware he’s here, and he doesn’t want to lead them to you.”
I nodded.
“Give me a minute to get dressed, and I’ll meet you guys downstairs.”
After throwing on clean clothes, brushing my teeth, and pulling my hair into a ponytail, I went down to find them, determined to take charge in Will’s absence.
Will managing me was one thing, but other men ordering me around was another. If my requests were sensible, then the security team needed to respect my damn wishes. Will’s safety was as important as mine—and for that reason alone, I had to assert myself.
Ben and Jess were sitting in the kitchen when I came down, and I made a beeline straight to them.
“No one else knows Will like you do, Ben, or how to predict an assassin’s movements like you can. Go back to him. And I won’t take no for an answer. Jess will help cover me.”
Ben straightened his back and raised his brows.
“Jess, show him your guns and tell him about your shooting skills. Will needs him out in the field, not here babysitting me.”
I turned away from them both, grabbed some water, and headed back upstairs to shower. But then I stopped for a second, hesitating, and looked back at them.
“Tell him I’m safe, that I’m well, and that I love him.”
I walked away with everyone quiet. Then, as they headed to Mr. Johnson’s library, my best friend teased Will’s best friend about taking orders.
I smiled.
Jessica knew guns pretty well. To get her father’s attention, she had learned to share his enthusiasm for shooting and hunting. One of the mounted deer antlers on his library wall belonged to her.
I found her there alone.
“Ben’s gone, right?” I asked.
“He left, but we’ll see what happens. Will might send him right back, you know.”
She continued loading a small revolver as she went on.
“He was out of line talking to you that way, Ells. I told him so. He seems like a decent guy, very straight forward and authentic, maybe just stressed out a little. I’m glad you stood up to him. Will might give you a hard time, but not his guys.”
I didn’t want her to have the wrong idea about my relationship with Will. I had to address it to be sure.
“Will doesn’t talk to me that way. And if I ask him for something, he gives it to me. Don’t get me wrong. He’s moody, and he can be a prick sometimes, but just not to me.”
One of her big laughs burst out of her.
“Ells, are you saying Thor is pussywhipped?”
I laughed at her laugh and her comparison to her favorite mythological hottie.
“He’s definitely not pussywhipped. God, no woman likes that in real life. It’s a mutual thing between us. You’ll just have to wait and see what I mean.”
“So,” —she cocked her head and lifted a brow— “he taught you to shoot.”
“Yeah, he did. It was necessary. You know how much things have changed.”
“Everything has changed, and I get that. Ben said you have a Glock 26 Gen-4.”
“True, but Will keeps it under lock and key.”
She handed me one of her pistols.
“Here, see how my Ruger feels. It’s similar in size and weight, but it has a manual safety.”
Her pistol was about the same as mine. I tested the sight.
“How’s the recoil?”
“Mid. A little more kickback than your baby Glock.”
Time to get serious, I realized. Time to be sure Jess truly understood the situation.
“Hey, Jess, listen. This whole thing…well, it’s worse than you might think.”
She frowned.
“Whatever you’re holding back, Ellie, just say it.”
I drew in a shaky breath, hoping she wouldn’t see Will as a cold-blooded killer.
“I need you to understand just how dangerous these men are. They won’t hesitate tokill me given the chance, or anyone else in their way. You know what they did to Isabel and my gran. Thepeople involved in this mess have killed others. Allthe men, Jess…all of them have done it…on both sides.”
Her pretty blue eyes hardened, and I knew she understood what I couldn’t really say.
“Some people kill because they can, and some people mustkill to survive. If the alternative is losing you, I’ll kill those fuckers myself,” she said.