Chapter Three #3
Chris liked cool, clean lines, but when in a castle, go with what would normally be here.
It felt like showering in a legitimate castle bathroom—had they had them back then.
Seeing a hamper, Elizabeth began shedding her things. When she moved into the shower, she saw all of her favorite things, and there was no doubt that Gene had helped a girl out.
She loved him for that.
Clearly, the two men downstairs had gotten the memo from her shampoo to her razor. All of her necessities were there, and she was going to utilize them.
This was her kind of luxury.
It felt like she hadn’t showered in a month. The last four days had been a marathon. All a girl wanted was some clean clothes and to smell nice—even for herself.
Thank God she wasn’t a man, or the funk would be overwhelming.
Showering, she washed her hair, and it felt so damn good, too. All she needed was a back rub, and she’d sleep like a log. Since there was no man to be found, she’d have to miss that part and call it a night.
During her shower, hidden in the rainfall from the ceiling, she broke down and cried.
No.
She sobbed.
This was one of the most difficult journeys of her life, and she knew it. What she wanted was to go home to them and hide in that moment.
What she could do was stay, deal with the fallout of her choices, and find herself in the chaos.
Before she could go back to being Deputy Director Elizabeth Blackhawk, or the woman who chased lunatics, she had to figure out who she was beneath that.
It was soul-searching time.
When she wrapped up her shower, she was staring at her phone. It was currently off, and she wondered if they were missing her as much as she missed them.
The them being her husbands.
Instead of turning it on, she left it there. Elizabeth knew that calling them meant not only sharing her location, because Ivan would be tracking her—no doubt—but it meant failing in finding who the hell she was now.
So, she forced it from her thoughts. Instead, she began thinking about the painting and the chances of that being a coincidence.
Why would a woman who was forced here, be so damn pissed off at her husband for telling her to go home when that was what she wanted?
Why would she birth the child before opting to take the plunge, if she wanted to make him pay—like with a curse that devastated his bloodline?
Why would she risk cursing her child?
None of it made sense, and Elizabeth knew if she started down that road, she’d never let it go until she figured it out, and this wasn’t about solving a mystery.
Unless that mystery was about her, and her life.
So, she let it go.
Maybe this was just a coincidence, because Michael wouldn’t lie to her.
If he said it wasn’t planned, it wasn’t planned. There was no way Callen would screw around with that either, knowing how the ‘honeymoon caper’ nearly got his ass, and his brother’s, divorced.
Yeah, a coincidence.
That was it.
Wrapping a towel around her body, a warm one from the towel warmer, and one around her hair, she headed into the bedroom.
On the bed, there was her bag and a few things. She’d never fit in Gabby’s pants. The woman was four inches smaller than her, but she would fit in the other things that she’d left there. She also saw the massively large t-shirt, and now had her nighttime attire.
It was soft cotton, worn and broken in, and that, too, reminded her of her husbands.
God.
They were everywhere.
Once more, she pushed it from her mind, and instead, Elizabeth got changed.
Then, she did what any self-respecting, exhausted human being would do.
She climbed into the massive bed and closed her eyes.
Tomorrow would be the first day of finding herself.
And she had no idea how long that would take, or what would happen.
Honestly, it was anyone’s guess.
Meanwhile…
Downstairs, Michael had returned from leaving her some things. Graham was already putting everything away, and the kitchen was back to being tidy.
When he sat, his husband focused on him.
“You look worried.”
He nodded.
“Yeah, I am. Between the painting falling, and what I saw in the lake, plus add in how I’m worried about Elizabeth…”
Graham made them both a cup of tea so they could wind down for the night. If Elizabeth was going to bed early, that likely meant she would be up early, so they would be turning in too.
“What should I do?” Michael asked.
He was confused about what he was asking. Someone had to help a husband out.
“About?”
He shared what he was thinking.
“I don’t think she is going to make it through this alone, Graham, and I don’t think we can get her there. Her heart…it’s hurting. I really wish one of them would have come with her, so they could be there for her. I can only do so much. It’s not like I can cuddle her after sex.”
Graham dropped the mug, and Michael caught it.
“Pardon, HUSBAND?”
It made him laugh.
“You know what I meant. I’m not suggesting that. She’s my Mom, and that’s gross.”
And never happening.
Graham would lose his freaking mind before that went down.
Instead of going there, because clearly, he was overreacting about it, he tried to help his husband through this, like a good partner would.
“What do you propose?” he asked.
He knew.
“Before she left the States, she and Ethan had a falling out, of sorts. I think he needs to know she’s okay. I think he needs to know she’s good.”
Well, there was one HUGE problem with that.
“If you let him know, he’ll know where she is, and Gene specifically said don’t do it. I know you want to help her, but we’re in a very precarious position here. Did she ask for them?”
He shook his head.
“Well, then…”
He was aware.
Only, what was good before might not be what is good now.
He was staring at his phone.
“Why don’t you call Gene, and tell him she’s here, and to pass a message on to Ethan. Tell him to share that she loves him and misses him. That way, you’ve conveyed her feelings without betraying her need for hiding or getting us fired.”
Well, that couldn’t hurt.
“They can’t fire us. We own half the castle,” he said, amused. “You need to stop worrying about that. Once a Blackhawk, always a Blackhawk. They won’t vote you off the island. I should know, my ex-fiancé betrayed them through me and my phone, and they never told me to leave.”
He was trying, but learning that took time. It was always one of his fears.
Now that he had family, he didn’t want to lose it.
Michael considered his suggestion.
“I mean, I could do that. She does miss and love him, so it’s not a lie. She was distraught over the issue.”
He was curious.
“Can I know the issue?” he asked.
The man nodded.
“Yes, sure you can. He told her that he lost faith in her while she was hunting this killer. That broke her heart a little that with all they’d been through, it was abandon ship time—her being the S.S. Elizabeth.”
He cringed.
“To a woman like Elizabeth, that had to hurt. I couldn’t imagine telling my spouse I didn’t have faith in them. Plus, for him to say it, that means he had to be in a bad place too.”
He nodded.
“Yeah, pretty much. Ethan has one rule, and it’s this. Elizabeth is OFF LIMITS. If he hears anyone saying shit about her, he’ll go to war over it. Not that anyone in the family would, but still.”
Oh, well, Graham understood that.
Michael continued.
“I think I need to help them fix this. She sent me here when I was lost and pointed me at you. I think I need to help it out a bit. You know…give it a little gas to keep the home fires burning. Maybe it’s time for me to play Cupid for…Cupid.”
Graham wasn’t sure of that reference, but he understood his willingness and desire to help her.
He felt it too, and he’d only just met her.
“It won’t hurt it. Gene will likely be curious to know if she’s okay, or he’s being held hostage by the men to torture her location out of him. I do believe he told you to check in, so consider it that.”
Damn.
He was right. He’d forgotten about that.
As for the other part, he clued him in.
“I mean, the Den of Iniquity is a real place,” he joked. “A lot of torture goes on there.”
Graham didn’t get it.
Clearly.
Because Michael saw the look and opted to explain it.
“They built a sex playpen with all kinds of kinkery outside of their home so they can go there in private and have some sexy fun. Sadly, it’s in DC, and they aren’t there anymore. The place was wild. You’d like it,” he said. “HINT. HINT.”
Immediately, his eyebrow went up.
“Did they now? Lucky them,” he said, grinning. “I absolutely would love a Den of Iniquity. Now I have a bedroom of kinkery.”
That had Michael thinking about other things, mainly his dick.
Why?
Well, they were newlyweds only married a few weeks.
“Would you go there with me if I asked you to, husband?” he asked.
Graham laughed.
“I’d insist. I’m not batshit insane. You, me, and sexual torture? I’d be an idiot to say no. I’ll drive, paddle, or whatever it takes to get us there.”
Oh, well, they were on the same page there.
While he couldn’t give him that, he could give him something else.
“Might I convince you to come upstairs with me and maybe go to bed early so we can fool around?” he asked.
He actually tossed the dishtowel over his shoulder, and it landed IN the sink.
“I’m ready.”
It made Michael laugh.
“Calm down. I’m going to text Gene, and we’re calling Gabby. She can go shopping with us tomorrow morning while Finn’s doing inspector shit.”
That worked for Graham.
“I’ll handle one. You handle the other.”
Sign.
Him.
Up.
“See you in our bed?” Michael asked, kicking back his hot tea, so he could go lock up and set the security to keep the place safe.
The man laughed wickedly.
“Oh, you’ll be seeing a lot of me in bed. Naked.”
Again, it appeared they were on that same page, and tonight, they’d have a little cuddle time.
Immediately, Graham fished out his phone, and started calling Gabby, because he knew she’d be up.
When she answered, she was worried.
“What happened?”
He laughed.
“It’s only eight thirty, Lass. I’m not calling at three in the morning. Why would you think something was wrong? Can’t you take calls after the sun goes down?”