Chapter 8
Waylen slipped from behind the steering wheel of his rental. He wasn’t used to having emotions cloud his usually clear head when it came to what he considered a job.
But Presley wasn’t an assignment. Even if the Brotherhood Protectors considered her that, she was a woman he cared for and that muddied the waters in ways he had no idea how to compartmentalize.
The cops had left. So had Hale. Waylen had spoken to him twenty minutes ago and while he agreed the two incidents were most likely related, he wasn’t jumping to conclusions.
That pissed Waylen right the fuck off. It didn’t matter that Waylen understood the man had a job to do and part of that was to look at every angle. Every aspect. If Waylen were in his shoes, he wouldn’t be putting his personal spin on it in front of anyone except those he worked closely with.
Meow. Meow. Meeeeoooow.
Waylen paused, craning his ear. The sound was so soft and muffled he wasn’t sure he’d even heard it.
Meeeeooooowwwww.
Where the hell did that come from? He spun around but didn’t see any cat.
He lifted his cell and turned on his flashlight. He looked under his car. Under Presley’s vehicle. “Where are you, kitty?” He checked under the stairs that led to the upstairs apartment.
Nothing.
He strolled toward the marina gate. The closer he got to the dumpster, the louder the meowing got. He lifted the lid. “Oh, you poor thing.” Reaching his hand inside, he grabbed the scared, dirty, smelly cat. “You’re a big boy. Or girl.” The cat wore a collar. Waylen fiddled with the tag.
“Waylen.” He chuckled as the cat, shaking in his arms, snuggled into his chest. “I got you. Let’s go up and see your mommy. She’s going to be so relieved you’re okay.” He scratched the cat’s head as he climbed the steps to the upstairs apartment. He couldn’t believe this was where she lived. Her parents used to rent it to deckhands, mechanics, or other people who worked for them and needed cheap rent for the short term until they could afford a place in town.
He tapped on the door.
“Who’s there?” Remi’s voice boomed through the wood barrier.
“It’s Waylen. Open up.”
“How was the… you found Waylen.” Remi glanced over his shoulder.
Presley bolted off the couch and took the four steps to the door. “My cat!” She grabbed the kitty from Waylen’s arms. “My little Waylen.” She hugged and kissed him before scrunching her nose. “Oh my God. What is that smell? Where have you been?”
“Sadly, I found him in the dumpster.” Waylen put his hands on his hips. He stared at Presley as she continued to show affection for her cat. Named Waylen.
And not the man named Waylen.
Being jealous of a cat was about the dumbest fucking thing ever.
“Oh, you poor baby. Let’s go get you cleaned up.” She kissed the cat’s nose as she turned toward the bathroom. Glancing over her shoulder, she smiled weakly. “Thank you. Not just for finding my cat. But for coming.”
“Of course.” He nodded.
“I haven’t seen her like this since you moved to Maryland,” Remi said. “Do you want a drink?”
“Does she have anything stiffer than a beer?”
“It’s Presley. Of course she does.” Remi laughed.
“This place hasn’t changed much.” He scanned the room.
The same surfboard bed was pushed up against the west wall, but with a different comforter, which made him chuckle because the anchor in the middle of it was so Presley.
A couch faced the east, where a small television was hung on the wall.
On the south wall was the kitchen and tiny island. Next to that, the door to the bathroom.
Other than a small closet, that’s all there was and this is what Presley called home.
Well, he’d lived in worse over the years.
Remi handed him a short glass of scotch on the rocks.
“Jesus. I remember the first time I tried this stuff.”
“It was the night before you left.”
Waylen laughed. “Not the first time I got drunk, but I was so hungover on that plane. I got sick like ten times. My mom wanted to be pissed, but she couldn’t. She still carries some guilt for moving me.”
“We missed you, man.” Remi clanked his glass against Waylen’s. “Especially Presley. And that display with the cat, well, you should know she was worried that Vernon killed the damn thing.”
“That might have been what he was trying to do by putting the poor thing in the garbage. If it wasn’t, it certainly sent a message about how he feels about the cute little bugger.” Waylen took a sip of the brown liquid. It warmed his belly. Over the years, he’d developed a taste for the liquor, but it always reminded him of the friends he’d left behind.
“Have you talked to Mano? I thought he was tailing Vernon.”
“He has been. Unfortunately, Vernon parked his vehicle in the garage, and then four other cars came. Looked like he was having a party. At the time of the break-in, two cars had left, but Mano said it didn’t appear Vernon had.”
“Doesn’t mean he didn’t switch clothes or something with one of his guests or hired someone to do his dirty work.”
“That’s what Mano thinks.” Waylen planted his ass on the stool. “Hale promised to call me after questioning Vernon, but it gives him a built-in alibi.”
“That man is a fucking asshole. I swear to God, he targeted Presley from the get-go.”
“I might not have seen her since she was seventeen, but she’s not the kind of person to fall for a man’s charm. I mean, she didn’t fall for Mano, and he tried. I thought I would have to fight him to get him to back off.”
“Your memory is way off when it comes to Mano.” Remi leaned against the counter. “But Vernon came into her life at a strange time. Coming home after college was hard. Everything reminded her of you and she didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life. Some of us were getting married or moving away. When she wasn’t working for her parents, she worked on yachts as a deckhand, bouncing between the islands. After a while, her mom started to struggle, but no one knew what was wrong with her, and you know Presley. She was always fiercely protective and insanely close with her folks.”
“I didn’t know her mom was sick for that long.”
“It was a gradual thing and she hated doctors. It wasn’t until after Presley married Vernon that she got her mom to get all the tests the docs wanted her to have, but by then it was too late. The cancer was everywhere. There was no hope.”
“What was so special about this Vernon asshole that she fell that hard and fast? Because she hates him now and I don’t mean like most exes do. She passionately loathes the man.”
“In the beginning, on the outside, he treated her like a princess. He had a good job, was making money, and helped out with the family business. It wasn’t until the miscarriage that his true colors came out.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Naming the cat was a fuck you to Vernon. Only he had no idea for a year or two who Waylen was.”
“I can’t imagine what happened when he found out she named her cat and her boat after me.”
“They got into a huge fight and not the normal yelling. She laid into him and you know how she gets. She nailed him with every transgression. She didn’t hold anything back.”
“That woman can fight dirty.” Waylen almost wished he’d been a fly on the wall for that conversation. In all the years he and Presley had been friends, then boyfriend and girlfriend, they’d had their share of arguments. Some were typical and some weren’t pretty. She could hit below the belt when she felt backed into a corner. She was a fiery, feisty woman. Passionate. Loving. But one didn’t dare piss her off. “But the one thing I know for sure is she gives people she cares about many chances before she comes out swinging. He had to have done something obnoxious for her to name a cat after me.”
“That’s a story for her to tell,” Remi said. “I’ve already given you too much as it is. She hates it when people gossip about her business.” He raised his glass, downing the last few drops. “I need to get home to my wife and kid.”
“I’d really love to meet your family and see Akela again.” Waylen shook his head. “I can’t believe you and she are married. I always knew you liked her, but you had big dreams of leaving and she was never going to follow you.”
“No, she wasn’t. But when I came back, I knew there wasn’t another woman on this earth for me.” Remi smiled. “When I told her you were back in town, it brought tears to her eyes. She’d love to cook you a nice Hawaiian meal when all this calms down.”
“Consider me there.” He stretched out his arm.
Remi gripped his hand. “Hale said the cops will be patrolling the area.”
“Mano’s got a friend hanging around too. I’ll call my team in if necessary.”
“I know she’s in good hands.” Remi rinsed out his glass and placed it in the tiny dishwasher. He’d always been the kind of guy to do stuff like that. “I’ve got a snorkel charter in the morning, so I’ll check on you both then.”
Waylen stared into his drink. The ice had melted a tad. He twirled it before bringing it to his lips and sipping. A million things ran through his brain. He’d left a piece of himself on this island. He’d given Presley his heart.
When he left Big Island, he never believed it would end. But the more he poured himself into his studies at the Naval Academy, the more he understood Presley and her letters. And she was right. They both needed to focus on their education.
He did his best to put her out of his mind and forge forward.
He believed he’d succeeded. But in reality, she was etched into his soul. Elena was right. Presley was a ghost in their marriage. However, it was more than that. He spent twenty-three years living a life—that he was born to navigate—all so he could return to this place.
Because this was where he belonged.
This was home.
“You’re a weird kitty.” Presley poured more water on Waylen, rising off the cat-friendly soup. “You’re not supposed to like baths.”
Meow.Waylen rubbed his head against her hand.
“I love you too.” She leaned over and kissed his nose. “I’m sorry that mean man hurt you. I won’t ever let him near you again.”
It had to be Vernon. No one else hated her this much, but she didn’t understand why. When they divorced, he’d done a complete flip. He acted as if he wanted to stay married. He told the judge he wanted to go to therapy but that she had refused.
Lie. It was the other way around.
He went on about how he’d started dissolving his business so they could work together at Driftwood Tours.
Another lie. She didn’t know what the hell was going on with his job or why he suddenly had no money. But she knew he’d taken money from Driftwood Tours and depleted their bank accounts.
His explanation for that was that, against his better judgment, he’d allowed her to make questionable business decisions, which put the family business at risk.
Asshole.
The fucker was a damn good con artist and she’d been one of his greatest conquests.
Tears burned the corners of her eyes.
Meow.Her cat placed his paws on the side of the tub and nuzzled his face in her neck.
“You’re a sweet boy, Way-Way. And that’s what we’ll have to call you because Waylen, the man, has returned. He’s the one who saved you. He saved me too.” She snagged a towel and wrapped up Way-Way, snuggling him close and rubbing his fur. She opened the door and set the cat on the floor. He danced between her legs before darting off to do the same to Waylen. “He likes you.”
“I like him too.” Waylen reached down and scratched Way-Way’s head. “How are you holding up?”
Fuck. Here came the waterworks. Crying didn’t make her weak, but it sure as hell made her feel that way. Her father had always told her that there was a time and place for her tears, and she needed to learn to control her emotions. She was a woman working in a male-dominated industry, and they were going to try to beat her down at every turn. If she showed them they could push her buttons, she wouldn’t last five seconds.
“Hey. Come here.” Waylen stretched out his arms.
She caved, diving into them, gripping his strong frame with all her might.
He was safe. He wasn’t going to belittle her or tell her to pack up and go home. No. He’d let her cry it out and then tell her to fight like hell.
“I’m here. I got you.” He kissed her temple.
“I fucking hate this.”
“I know,” he whispered, lifting her off the floor. He carried her to the bed and climbed onto the mattress, keeping her between his legs with her head on his chest. “If I were in your shoes, I’d be bawling like a baby.”
“No. You’d punch a wall.”
“That too.” He laughed.
She sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Vernon has done a lot of shitty things. He’s lied to me and to my parents. He used me. He’s gotten into some shady things. Cheated on me, although that just gave me the push I needed to divorce his sorry ass. But this is over the top, even for him.”
“I’m not sure it is.”
She jerked her head. “What does that mean? You’ve never even met him. You only know the crappy stuff I’ve told you. Or maybe what Remi’s put in your head.” She covered Waylen’s mouth. “Trust me, I’m not defending Vernon. He’s a prick. But I can’t wrap my brain around why he’d try to blow up my boat with me, Remi, or his business associate on it.”
“Hale told me that no one on that boat knows anything about a business deal, including Frank’s wife.”
“That doesn’t mean jack shit. If Frank’s into something shady, then why would they admit to anything?”
“You’re right about that, and Hale is looking into it, but this break-in points to you being the target. That means whoever did these things is after you.”
She shivered.
He held her tighter.
“Don’t get mad. But I did some poking around in Vernon’s financials.”
“You did what?” She bolted to a sitting position and brushed her hair from her face. “As in, you illegally hacked into his bank records? You could get into some serious trouble for that.”
Waylen shrugged. “Part of my job in the military was cyber intelligence. I got paid to do some illegal shit.” He smiled.
She smacked his shoulder. “I can’t believe I’m going to ask this, but what did you find out?”
“Yeah. You’re not going to like this.” He took her hand. “All of this is conjecture. I have no proof and because I am skirting half a dozen laws, I couldn’t go too deep. But I’m wondering if Vernon wasn’t possibly using your boats to do some smuggling of something.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” She cocked her head. “He tried to reroute the boats to give his so-called VIP clients a wow experience. But it wasn’t that far off the beaten path.”
“It doesn’t matter. All it takes is a meet-and-greet with one boat where puddle pirates or other authorities aren’t generally looking to do a trade.”
The blood in her veins turned ice-cold. “I’m going to fucking go off on that man if he put me or any of my crew in?—”
Waylen pressed his finger over her lips. “Babe, I’m making a guess based on very little information, and I don’t need you going off half-cocked, landing yourself in jail for doing something stupid.”
“I’m so angry I could scream.”
“Well, maybe I should keep the rest of what I found to myself.”
She poked his biceps. “Don’t you dare.”
He held up his hands. “I’m not exactly sure what he’s into, but it appears the businesses he’s gotten involved with are fronts to launder money and that he might have been either setting this place up to do that, or he was, until you got in the way by divorcing him and taking over the books again.”
“I always had one hand on the books. He just kept finding ways to stop me.” She let out a sigh.
“How?”
“Well, when we first got married, he acted like he wanted to be part of it, but more in a supportive role. He learned the business, but he still worked outside of Driftwood Tours. He kept telling me to relax and take time for myself. He thought I worked too much and it was interfering with me getting pregnant. After the miscarriage, once he apologized for blaming me for it, he begged me to take time off so I could put it behind me and we could try again. Then it was about helping my mom. Or taking the load off after she died. Or my dad died. There was always a reason for me to back off and for him to take over. He’s so fucking good with words and making you feel like you’re the problem.”
“I know people like him.”
“I should have seen what a snake he was before I married the douchebag.”
Waylen leaned in, kissing her tenderly. “People like him are masters at finding someone’s weakness and exploiting it. One of your biggest flaws is you tend to take the burdens of the world on your shoulders. You put other people’s needs before your own. Even when I first met you and we were like ten, you would take care of all your friends before you’d do a single thing for yourself.” He placed his hand in the center of her chest. “You have the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. And that’s an awesome thing to have. But when you combine that with your uncanny ability to believe everything is your fault…” He cocked a brow. “Like the day my father died.”
“I still feel bad about that.”
“Babe. Me staying a little longer with you wasn’t going to save him.”
“We don’t?—”
He pressed his finger over her lips. “Yeah. We do. He didn’t have just any heart attack. It was the widow-maker. Not only that, but the autopsy showed the blockage was at ninety-nine percent. His heart just stopped. The doctors told us that even if we’d seen him drop, the likelihood they could have saved him was slim.”
“But there could have been a chance. If only I hadn’t asked you to stay.”
Waylen let out an audible sigh, running a hand over his face. “I’ve thought long and hard about that day for years. I blamed myself, and you, better than anyone, know that. I was more upset that he died alone. That my mom had to go on without him. But I never once blamed you. I decided to stay and we had no way of knowing. However, if I had held you responsible, you’re the kind of woman who would have taken that and ran with it. If I hadn’t been able to comprehend what happened to my dad, you’d be holding on to that as fact, instead of simply feeling bad. Do you see my point?”
“Kind of,” she admitted. It wasn’t the first time she’d heard that. Akela had been telling her that for years.
“We can all be exploited,” Waylen said.
“I bet you can’t.”
“You’d lose that bet,” he said. “I was captured and tortured once.”
“Is that what the scars are from on your back?”
He nodded. “It took them three days to break me. But they did.”
“How?”
“They found one of my biggest weak spots. My mother.” He pursed his lips. “And how she’d feel about her son being sent home in a body bag. That’s all it took. Lucky for me, before I gave them everything, my team busted through the door and saved me. But even a badass Navy SEAL can be exploited. It might take someone a little longer, but it happens.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you.”
“I lived to tell the tale and went home and kissed my mama. That’s all that matters.”
She cupped his face. “You’re a good man, Waylen.”
“’Cause a good woman raised me.”
“My God, once a mama’s boy, always a mama’s boy. And you’re still the corniest guy I know.” She dropped her hands to her sides.
“Just a little humor because there are a few things we still need to talk about before we get naked under these sheets.” He waggled his brows.
“You think you’re getting laid?”
“You think I’m not?”
“You’re insufferable.” She shook her head, laughing. “What else is on your mind?”
“Do you have a will?”
“That’s a weird-ass question.” She narrowed her stare. “But yes.”
“Where is it?”
“There’s a copy of it with my attorney and one here. Why?”
“Have you checked to see if it’s still here?”
Her lips went numb. Her face tingled. She jumped off the bed, nearly knocking the cat over.
Way-Way snarled, running out of the way.
Presley raced to the closet and opened the door. She rummaged through the accordion file case where she kept a few personal documents. Her heart dropped before lurching to her throat. She stood, still holding the case as she stepped into the room. “It’s gone.”
“Anything else missing?” He sat cross-legged with a grim expression.
She shook her head. “Why would he take that?”
“Before I answer that, who gets your half of Driftwood Tours if you were to die tomorrow?”
“That’s fucking morbid,” she muttered, climbing back on the bed.
“Just answer the question.”
“Mano.”
“Are you kidding me? Why the hell did you ask him?” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Why not Remi?”
“Because he doesn’t want to deal with Vernon. Trust me, I asked him.”
“Okay. That’s fair. But Mano? The man had a thing for you when we were kids and he probably still does.”
“Are you jealous?”
Waylen tapped his finger to his chest. “Me. No. Never. Not of hunky, sexy, rich man Mano who used to buy my girlfriend flowers, chocolates, and offer to take her for rides in all his fancy toys.”
She ran her finger along the side of his face and across his lower lip. “Mano was not in love with me back then. And he’s certainly not in love with me now. He was one of your best friends growing up. He’s like a big goofy brother and you know that. But he did kind of like fucking with you when it came to me.”
“And you enjoyed going along with it.”
“Only because you knew I was your girl.”
Waylen smiled. “That is a true statement.”
“But Mano doesn’t like Vernon. Not one fucking bit.”
“He did make that perfectly clear,” Waylen said. “Do you know who gets Vernon’s half if he dies?”
“Yeah, me,” Presley said. “In our divorce settlement, because it was a family business, I was able to negotiate that little piece. The judge made it clear that I have to be left Driftwood Tours.”
“I’m glad for that,” Waylen said. “By chance, did you give Mano a copy of your will?”
“No.”
“All right. First thing in the morning, we need to call your lawyer and get a new copy. I’ll work a little of my IT magic and see if I can find out if Vernon has made a fake one on your behalf.”
“Jesus, you really think he’s trying to kill me?”
“I don’t know, but I’m not going to sit around and wait for him or anyone else to try to hurt you again. He’s going to have to come through me. Besides, I care too much and I’m not going to lose this chance to get to know you again.”
“That’s both a little Neanderthalish and sweet at the same time.”
“I do still care very much about you. No matter where I’ve been in the world or what I’ve been doing, that’s a fact that has never changed.”
She pushed him back and straddled his hips. Her pulse raged. “That same holds true for me.”
He flipped her on her back and kissed her hard.
The kiss was a whirlwind of passion and longing, years of separation melting away instantly. As their bodies pressed together, the weight of their shared history hung heavy in the air. It was a dance they knew well, the push and pull of desire and restraint, a familiar rhythm that neither could resist. In that moment, all doubts and fears vanished, leaving only the raw vulnerability of two souls laid bare before each other once more. And as their bodies entwined, they found solace in the familiarity of each other”s touch, knowing that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together.
Her hands sought out familiar paths, tracing scars and curves that time had etched into his body.
The room filled with the echo of whispered promises and the scent of rekindled desires. Each touch was like a stolen memory as she surrendered to the pull of their undeniable connection, their bodies moving in perfect harmony as if no time had passed at all.
Outside, she knew danger lurked in the background, waiting to pounce. But within those walls, time stood still, a sanctuary where past and present converged in a symphony of passion and love that had weathered every storm. As she clung to both their past love and their present need, she worried that this reunion could still be a fleeting moment instead of a chance to rewrite the story that fate had once torn apart.
He covered their bodies with the blanket, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her shoulder. “We did it again,” he whispered.
“No shit, Sherlock.”
“Not that.” He chuckled. “I meant we were reckless again.”
She closed her eyes. There was a part of her that wasn’t worried. That wasn’t scared.
But she should be utterly terrified for so many reasons.
“It’s not like us to be like that. We never once went without when we were kids, and that’s when people make idiot mistakes.”