Chapter 26
TWENTY-SIX
LANCE
The morning after Cricket and I reconciled in the alleyway—and by reconciled, I do mean fucked like two cats in heat—I’m laid out on my couch thinking about another woman, ironically enough. My mother. It’s been nearly ten years since I’ve seen her, and not by my choice.
Actually, over the past couple of weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about decisions that have been made for me.
I’ve always been a soldier. A loyal sidekick, so to speak, even to bad men. I know I was just a boy, but I never stood up to my father like I should have. My brother was only a couple of years older than me, but he was brave enough to pull the trigger, not me. After that, I let Colt rule our family with tyranny. I went from never questioning Colt, to never once questioning Vesper’s command. I always did my part and trusted the ones who I assumed knew better.
That’s what lost me Cricket in the first place. I don’t regret stopping her from killing Luca, but the mistake I made was running to Vesper.
I should’ve stepped in—bound her wrists and threw her in my trunk, if necessary, all to ensure that Cricket stayed safe. From now on, I won’t count on anyone else to fight my battles. If Cricket and I are going to do this, she needs a man who stands on his own two feet, who can be her rock. After all, it’s only fair; she’s mine.
I grab my phone off the coffee table and dial before I can change my mind.
“Lance?” Vesper asks, like she’s confused about why I’m calling.
“Hey, V. I need to tell you something.”
I hear shuffling papers in the background. “I’m free. Just walk down here. Actually, I need to talk to you anyway about a situation in Dubai I want you and Linc to handle.”
I pull my phone from my ear and check the time. Whoops. Vesper thinks I’m at headquarters because I’m over an hour late. “Okay, actually two things I need to talk to you about. The first being, I’m going to be a little late to work today…”
“What’s a ‘little’ late?”
“I’ll mosey in after lunch.” She draws in an audible deep breath, and I know a lecture is coming. I quickly cut her off. “You know what? I’m drawing the line. It’s weird that you’re trying to have assassins on a nine-to-five schedule anyway. We don’t actually work at work, Vesper.”
“It’s what separates us from hitmen for hire, Lance. We’re an organization, not mindless thugs.”
“Well, I’m putting my foot down. From now on I’m not wearing a suit in the office. I won’t be arriving until ten in the morning, and if there’s nothing to do, I’m going home early.”
“You done?” she asks.
“Yes.” I grin through the phone, amused by her agitation.
“Nice try, but wrong, wrong, and no to all of that. Get your ass to headquarters, now, Lancelot. Anything else you need?”
“I’m going to see my mom.”
“Lance, I—”
“End of story, Vesper. I’ve made up my mind. I know you think you’re protecting me, but you’re not. I need to see her and apologize for not taking better care of her. After the life she’s had, she deserves to know she’s loved.”
I know my mother won’t recognize me. The medication they have her on would be enough to cloud her mind, but she was already lost long before she was institutionalized.
“I was going to say I think that’s a good idea…and I’m sorry.”
Her response catches me off guard, so much so that we’re quiet for a long time. When I finally find the words to speak, I ask, “What changed your mind?”
She lets out a deep sigh. “I think a good mom would do what’s best for her kids, even if it’s not what’s good for her. I know I’m not your mom but—”
“Vesper…”
“Lance, if seeing your mom can bring you peace—do it. Don’t wait. I just don’t want you to be too hurt that she won’t remember you—”
“Vesper,” I say again, interrupting for the second time.
“Yes?” she huffs out.
“You’re my mom, too. I had the shittiest dad in the world, so maybe two moms to love was the world’s consolation prize.”
We stay on the phone in silence for a while. I swear I hear Vesper sniffling, not that she’d ever admit it.
“You know, I’d pay top dollar to see you cry over there,” I tease. “I wasn’t sure if your tear ducts were operational.”
“I’m not crying.”
“Liar.”
“You sure know how to ruin a moment with your unnecessary humor.”
I smile. “Nonsense. You love my humor. We all know I’m your favorite.”
She laughs softly. “Maybe that’s true.”
I hear the soft beeps of call-waiting and check the screen. Cricket.
“V, I have to go. I’ll see you in a bit.” I switch the call over and answer in a hurry. “Hello?”
“What are you doing?” Cricket asks. Her tone is laced with urgency.
“Sitting on my couch wondering what happened with you and Gabriel last night that you waited until past ten in the morning to call me.”
“Okay, we’re going to need to work on your jealousy, Lance. I told you nothing would happen, and nothing did.”
I release the breath I was holding. “Good to know nobody’s clothes came off last night.”
“Well, in the spirit of honesty, I did see Gabriel naked last night—”
“ What—”
“—but only because I had to change him after his clothes got soaked in the shower.”
“Please start making more sense, C, very quickly,” I bite out.
“I’ll explain later. Right now, I need your help.”
I sit up straighter, feeling myself become immediately alert at the magic words. Cricket needs me. “What’s going on?”
“We have to get Gabriel out of the country. Then, we can deal with Vienne. She’s the head of Aeon, not Gabriel. She’s setting us all up, Lance.”
I’m on my feet immediately. “How do you know?”
“Gabriel told me everything.”
“There are two sides to every story, Cricket,” I caution. “Vienne told me that Gabriel created a thermonuclear bomb that could literally wipe out mankind. He’s not right in the head.”
“It’s an excuse. Just a cover. She’s trying to get rid of him.”
“Why?” Money doesn’t make much sense. From what I understand, Vienne comes from an affluent family. She’s already rich.
“To cover up the fact they’re lovers. It started thirteen years ago.”
I rush to the bedroom closet and choose a pair of clean slacks. I hold the phone to my ear as I tug on my pants, one leg at a time. “They were lovers, or they are lovers?”
“I don’t know. It’s clear he’s still in love with her.”
“You know what?” I ask, pausing to think about it. “She does kind of give off cougar vibes. I thought she was hitting on me at one point and—”
“ Lance! Focus.”
“Okay, sorry, what do you need?”
“I need some things from headquarters. IDs, cash, and can you make a couple of passports—one for me, one for Gabriel? He’s about six foot two, one hundred and ninety pounds, brown eyes, black hair.”
“Uh-huh, and how big is his dick?”
“I am positive that information doesn’t go anywhere on a passport, Lancelot.”
“Call it curiosity.”
She exhales in exasperation. “Much smaller than yours. Happy?”
“Are you lying?”
“Do you think I’d tell you if I was?”
True. “Okay, fine. So, what’s the plan?”
“Gabriel needs to disappear until all of this dies down. If Vienne can’t find him, he’s safe. I’ll escort him out of the country, then when I come back, we’ll go to Vesper. She’ll know what to do about the First Lady and Aeon.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“I can handle it. It’s just a quick trip. One day there, get Gabriel settled, one day back. I’ll be back in your arms by the end of the weekend.”
Every red flag inside of me is waving furiously. But the last time I didn’t have my girl’s back, I nearly lost her. “Are you sure, C? I don’t like this. What if you don’t make it back? How will I know where you are?”
“Ask Vesper to call my vet and activate my chip,” Cricket sasses.
I hate to admit it, but the fact that there’s a tracker in Cricket makes me feel loads better amidst her current plans. “When all is said and done, we’ll get that taken out, C. I promise.”
She laughs. “Deal.”
“Where are you going to hide Gabriel?” With my pants on and a fresh dress shirt buttoned up and half-tucked beneath my belt, I make my way to the front door. “How do I know you’re coming back?”
“The less people who know, the better. Lance… I promise you I’m coming back. We have a really important date coming up.”
“What?”
“June twenty-seventh is in two weeks… I mean, if you still want to—”
“I want to,” I answer without hesitating.
“Are you sure? Because I know I put you through it. If you need more time for us to get back to where we were, that’s okay, too,” she says.
I wish I could see her face right now. If I was close enough to pull her into my arms, I’d show her there’s nothing to be insecure about. My love hasn’t changed. I smile into the phone. “I waited almost ten years to marry you, Cricket. Let’s get on with it already.”
“Okay, then I’m holding you to it.”
“Same here. You make sure my bride makes it back to me safe and sound, okay?”
“Roger that.” She clears her throat and lowers her voice. “I love you, Lance.”
I can’t control my grin. If she could see my playful expression, she’d know what was coming next. “Say it again…using my real name.”
I picture her rolling her eyes. “I knew you were going to do that.” She laughs. “I love you, Levi Moore.” There’s a loud ding in the background, like the arrival of an elevator. “I have to go, Lance. Give me one hour and meet me in the break room at headquarters with the supplies, okay?”
“Got it. Oh, hey, wait—”
“Yes?”
“I love you, too, C.”
CRICKET
My warm smile has returned. Somehow, even in the midst of what can only be described as a disaster of a situation, I feel grounded and safe. After hanging up with Lance, I tuck my phone into my back pocket and proceed to the open elevator in Gabriel’s penthouse foyer.
He’s getting packed, just the essentials. I’m going to pick up what we need from headquarters to obscurely board a commercial flight. A private jet would be too much of a tip-off. Right now, Gabriel needs to blend, and Vienne needs to be wondering where he went. Gabriel has a friend in Rome who can hide him until we can ensure his safe return to the U.S.
The elevator doors close, and I only descend three floors before it stops. The doors peel apart, and in front of me stands a gentleman in a butler’s uniform. He’s holding a silver platter balanced in his palm, and a clean white cloth folded over his forearm. “Are you going up, miss?” he asks with a smile.
“Actually, down,” I say. I examine his uniform once more and ask, “Are you headed to the penthouse by chance?”
“Indeed. I’m Borris, Mr. Lochland’s personal butler.”
I nod with a smile. “I actually just came from his room, and I think he’s headed out.” I point to the platter in his hand. “I already made him breakfast, and he didn’t have much of an appetite.”
“Ah, you must be Miss O’Leary.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Well, if Mr. Lochland doesn’t have an appetite, I’ll just return this to the kitchen.” Borris steps into the elevator beside me. “Down we go, then.”
I press the “L” for lobby button and wait for the elevator doors to close. The very moment they do, Borris elbows the emergency stop button.
“What’re you—”
Clank. He takes the lid off the silver platter, revealing a pistol. My instincts kicking in, I lunge for the gun. I knock the tray out of his hand, and the gun slides to the corner of the elevator. When he makes a move to recover it, I tackle him to the ground. On my belly now, I crawl, trying to beat him to the weapon. I kick Borris in the head with the heel of my shoe as hard as I can, but he still puts up a fight. He yanks me back by my long ponytail and elbows me with all his might in the spine.
“Ah,” I gasp out. He hits a nerve, and for a brief moment, my limbs seem to go numb. Taking advantage of my brief paralysis, he grabs the gun and stands over me with the barrel pointed right at my neck.
It dawns on me that this is not actually Borris…and I’ve been set up.
No way this was Vienne.
There’s only one person who could’ve orchestrated this attack.
I hang my head, knowing my options are futile with the gun this close. Instead, I close my eyes and picture Lance’s face. I try to focus on him smiling, not the anguish that I know will overcome him when he finds out I was killed in an elevator.
I love you, C.
I let the words play in my head over and over, focusing on his voice that I was listening to just moments ago. At least I got to hear it one last time.
I love you… I love you….
The gun deploys, and there’s a painful, sharp sting in my neck.
But there was no bang.
And outside of the pain, I’m still okay…
The man steps back a few paces, his narrowed, dark eyes never leaving me. Reaching up, I touch my neck to feel the end of a dart. I wince as I yank it out of my neck. Right on cue, my vision starts to go blurry. My eyelids feel heavy, and my hand falls to the ground as I lose feeling in my right arm.
“What did you…” I try to ask, but the words seem to be fleeing. Everything is blurring together.
“Tranquilizer. You’ll live…for now. Boss has plans for you, sweetheart.”
“Fool,” I murmur, as I summon every ounce of strength to memorize this man’s features as my world starts to go dark.
He should’ve killed me…
Because I swear if I ever see him again…
I’ll kill him myself.