Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
“I’ve confirmed it’s her.”
“Visually?” the man on the other end of the line asked. Demanded.
Annoyance spiked in my chest, sharp and bright.
He was always like this. Controlling, arrogant.
Expecting everyone to jump when he snapped his fingers while he sat in his secure location on the other side of the world and let others do the work for him.
“Visually, verbally, personally. It’s her, and she’s still on the island. ”
“I need confirmation.”
“My word should be more than sufficient for confirmation.” It was impossible to curb the anger buried beneath those words. “But I already sent you some visuals. Check the usual communication channel.” A new encrypted email they used for that sort of thing.
“What’s next if it is her?”
The little jab didn’t merit a response. “Then I follow her, do the usual recon.”
“Why not just take her now? Put her in your trunk for all I care and get on a ferry to the mainland. It’s a small island with minimal police presence. No one’s going to check your vehicle on either end of the journey.”
“For one, Slater. She’s under his protection, and that makes this more complicated. For another, I don’t intend to risk getting caught.”
But mostly, I had my own plans in mind. Fucking with her head was only the start.
His answering chuckle held no trace of humor. “You understood the risks when you took this assignment. Just as you understood the urgency.”
“I’m not moving on her until—”
“You have forty-eight hours. No more.”
The threat was unspoken, but clear, unfurling a trickle of fear in its wake. “I’ll take however long I need,” I fired back. This was my op. It was my ass taking the risks.
Hitting the button to end the call before he could say another word was deeply satisfying. Maddy Krause was here and would be dealt with as soon as I was ready.
Now to formulate a plan. And as luck would have it, there was a new bit of intel to help expedite this operation.
Maddy was moving to a small house not far from town. A house that apparently belonged to Willow. Everyone knew her.
It wouldn’t be hard to find out the address. As soon as I had it, I could make my next move.
Lachlan entered the code Maddy had given him into the keypad, his truck idling as the electric gates at the end of Blaine’s driveway swung open. Through the windshield, he stared at the huge house at the top of the curving driveway, hardly daring to believe his eyes.
“Wow,” was all he could say.
He’d known Blaine was rich as hell, but seeing the massive, ocean-view property in person was different. The custom-built house had to be ten thousand square feet or more, and that was just the part of it he could see from the driveway.
It was hard to imagine Xanthe living here and being part of this lifestyle.
She was as down to earth as they came, and had managed her limited finances carefully month to month the whole time Lachlan had known her.
For someone with Xanthe’s strong morals and frugal nature, this must have been a huge adjustment. A nice one, but still.
“Yeah, wow is right. Why’s she moving out again?” Grey asked from beside him in the passenger seat. “Because I sure as hell wouldn’t.”
“She wants her own space.” He respected her for that. For wanting to go her own way.
He eased his truck through the gates. The setting sun bathed the estate, lush lawn and surrounding trees in a rosy glow.
When he got out next to Blaine’s Audi near the stone front steps, the sound of the wind moving through the tall evergreens behind the house hit him first, bringing the sharp smell of cedar, damp earth, and the comforting salty tang of the ocean.
Just under the wind was the restless churning of the waves against the rocks at the base of the cliff.
He half expected a butler to answer the door when he rang the bell, but Blaine pulled it open himself. “Lachlan.” He seemed surprised to see him. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, we’re just here to help Maddy move her desk.”
“Her desk?” He looked confused.
Oh, shit. Apparently she hadn’t told Blaine about moving.
She appeared behind Blaine a moment later, a big smile curving her pretty pink lips. “Hi. Everything’s ready. Come on in.”
Blaine frowned at her. “Mads, where are they moving your desk to?”
“Willow’s cottage. I’m renting it for the next month or more. Moving in tonight.”
“What? Why?”
“Because it’s time. Don’t worry. You’ll still see me all the time.” She waved Lachlan and Grey in.
They wiped their boots well on the mat and followed her through the foyer. Lachlan tried not to gawk. This place was unreal, like something from the Gilded Age.
Wood floors, solid wood paneling on the walls, coffered wooden ceilings.
All finished so smoothly they had a satin sheen.
He wanted to run his fingertips over it.
Everything about the house was solid, and all the customization screamed big money.
Not to mention the bank of huge windows along the back of the place to take advantage of the views.
Every bit of the finishing was impeccable.
Good for Blaine. Lachlan needed to talk to him about investment strategies.
“Just down here.” Maddy led them down a carpeted staircase to the lower floor and into a private suite that overlooked the water. The bedroom was huge and bright, and the immaculate, white marble ensuite was bigger than Lachlan’s kitchen.
He exchanged a loaded look with Grey on the way in, agreeing with his brother’s earlier comment. Why was Maddy leaving all this again?
“Just the desk and chair,” she said to them. “I’ve already got the rest of my stuff loaded into my car.”
“Sure.” The desk was much bigger than he’d expected, and looked like an antique. Solid wood, hand carved if he wasn’t mistaken. Probably cost more than his truck. “It’s a nice desk.”
“Tripp built it,” Blaine said from behind them at the base of the stairs, a frown stamped on his face. It was clear he didn’t understand why she was leaving, and Lachlan wondered why she hadn’t talked to him about it beforehand. “Mads, are you sure about this?”
She didn’t seem the least bit uncomfortable. “Yes. You’ve been more than generous with letting me stay here and looking out for me all this time. You and Xanthe deserve privacy now, and I need to stand on my own again.”
Looking out for her all this time. What did that mean? There was a story there, Lachlan was sure of it. He was dying to know, to peel back her layers so he could know her on a deeper level.
Blaine rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, watching her. “Can we talk for a minute? Alone.”
Maddy considered him for a moment, then nodded. “Sure. Be right back,” she said to him and Grey.