by Jillian Neal
“I didn’t know you’d been back to Felsink.” Logan commented. Rainer nodded his agreement; though, he reasoned that Vindico might’ve gone when he and Logan were looking after the twins.
“Yeah, I went last weekend,” Vindico explained as he drew another slow sip of his Scotch.
“So do you ever, like, not work?” Logan quizzed as he finished his beer.
“No.” Vindico looked like the very idea was preposterous.
Already growing weary of the small talk, Rainer cleared his throat.
“So, what’s up with my phone?” Vindico drew a deep breath.
“I know yours has been cloned. I don’t know about theirs.” He gestured from Logan to Emily. “Replacing them is precautionary. Fitz called me this morning to make certain that your cells were safe, and it got me to thinking. I couldn’t figure out how Wretchkinsides had learned that you all were in Paris so quickly.” He shook his head and appeared highly annoyed. “But, Fitz has a guy imbedded deep in the Interfeci.” He dropped his low, gravelly voice to a hissed whisper; though, he was holding the sound barrier cast firmly. “A few hours ago, he sent Fitz these photos.” He laid out several small black and white photos on the table.
Rainer gasped. He lifted one of the photos. He was unable to believe what he was seeing. He shook his head and turned to Vindico for an explanation.
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Emily and Logan’s mouths fell open simultaneously as Adeline shook her head in stunned disbelief.
Rainer picked up another of the photos of his Uncle Stan, seated at a table, in what appeared to be the Tantra. He was with, none other than, Dominic Wretchkinsides and Cascavel, the man Rainer and Emily had seen on the beach at the beginning of the summer with the snake sleeve tattoos. There were two other higher ups in the Interfeci seated at the table as well.
“Bridgette didn’t know he was your uncle, but when I showed her the picture she confirmed that he’d been in several times with Nic and the boys.” Vindico spat furiously. “Listen to me, Lawson. You do not hold court with Wretchkinsides unless you’re doing something big. There are members of the Interfeci that have never even seen his face.”
Rainer let the implications of what Vindico was saying wash through him. His body rejected the information. He felt sick. Violent revulsion threatened to overwhelm him. “I assumed your uncle might have Logan and Emily’s cell numbers, from when you were younger.” Vindico explained why he’d suspected all of their phones might have been cloned.
“Only Logan’s.” Rainer managed to choke out.
“Good,” Vindico drawled. “We’re going to have some fun then.”
Rainer felt heavy. The air he breathed seemed suddenly laced with lead. What was Stan going to do? He shook himself slightly and waited to hear Vindico’s plan.
“I’m staying with Fitz and Maddie tonight. I haven’t seen my godsons in quite a while, so this works out well. In a little while, Fitz will text both of your old phones with where he’ll be in order to supply Logan and Miss Parker here with the thumb drive of evidence he’s collected. Then Fitz and I will see just who shows tomorrow, but I have a feeling we’ll be taking out Ferratus and his little snatch-and-grab team.”
“Do you want some help?” Logan offered, but Vindico shook his head.
“No, I don’t want you to take your eyes off of the two of them, but thank you, Haydenshire. I’ll be taking the information home with me tomorrow afternoon. That way you won’t have to try and get them on a plane with that level of evidence.” That was the first thing all evening that brought Rainer any form or relief.
“So, basically, after I put all of this together and booked one of the jets to get out here, I traced your uncle’s bank account. There’s been a recent deposit of $10,000 and there’s another four hundred thousand pending. I don’t know what Wretchkinsides is planning, but be careful. This is how he works. That deposit won’t post until Stan has done whatever Wretchkinsides has commanded in order for him to get that money. Fitz’s guy is trying desperately to find out, but so far no luck.”
Rainer’s heart raced; though, he certainly wasn’t surprised that his uncle was trying to do him in. It terrified him that he’d teamed up with a snake like Wretchkinsides. His uncle’s stupidity had always been a comfort to Rainer, but now he wasn’t the one doing the thinking.
“I’ve had a few guys stationed near your uncle’s apartment, but he hasn’t been by in a few days. Either Wretchkinsides is already done with him and has disposed of him, or he’s put him up somewhere a little nicer while he gets his work done.” Vindico drew the last sip of his scotch. “I’m sorry. I know this isn’t exactly the kind of trip you wanted to give her for her birthday.” Vindico did look truly devastated to be the bearer of bad news.
“Emily, I’d really like you to take the new phone as well. I feel certain your number could’ve been accessed as Rainer was probably talking to you at the point he amplified his phone and whoever was following him caught the waves.”
“Oh, ok. Thank you.” Emily picked up one of the new phones but didn’t turn it on. She still looked stunned over all they’d just learned, and she was busy trying to send soothing pulses through Rainer’s hand.
“Can I, uh, talk to you alone for a second, before you leave? I, uh, need some help tomorrow, and I need to ask you something.” Rainer begged. Vindico studied him and then nodded.
“Yeah, of course, Lawson.” With that, Vindico stood and moved to a table for two on the other side of the bar. He gestured for Rainer to sit down. Rainer tried to sort through the dozens of thoughts all swirling violently in his mind.
“You ok?” Vindico now looked extremely concerned.
“I don’t know.” Rainer admitted truthfully. Vindico waited patiently.
“I uh already know the answer to this, but…” Rainer choked. He wasn’t certain he wanted the verbal confirmation, but he went ahead with it anyway.
“What?” Vindico quizzed.
“When my phone was cloned, does that mean that they’ve only been able to hear the conversations or they can access everything on there texts, data, whatever?” Rainer suddenly felt feverish and faint as just a few of the images and the banter he’d engaged Emily in coiled in his mind. Vindico’s brow furrowed for a moment and then realization etched his chiseled features. He gave Rainer a sorrowful expression and shook his head.
“I’m sorry, Lawson. Really I am. I can only imagine how violated you feel or she’ll feel when you tell her.” He gestured his head back to Emily who was studying the two of them from across the bar. “I’m sure your texts were seen as well. With the election in just a few weeks, and with Peterson’s connection with Wretchkinsides I also wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up in some campaign propaganda.” Rainer let his head fall into his hands.
“That bad?” Vindico eased. Rainer nodded. He tried not to whimper in front of his boss. “Ok Lawson, I give you permission for approximately the next sixty seconds to tell me to go to hell, but I’m gonna try to help you.” Vindico immediately began planning. Rainer raised his head.
“Pictures?” Vindico quizzed quietly. “I assume her, since you don’t seem like the ‘selfie in the gym mirror of your biceps’ type, and please tell me you did not send her a picture of your junk.” Was the next rapid fire command.
“No, it was her.” Rainer answered audibly for the first time. His voice sounded distant and distraught even to him.
“Her face in them?” Vindico didn’t appear off put or judgmental of Rainer and Emily’s flirtatious texts. Rainer shook his head.
“No,” he answered without volume. His cheeks colored rapidly. He’d looked at those snapshots a dozen times in the last week. He’d memorized every detail. He knew Emily’s face wasn’t in any of them.
“Hey,” Vindico shook his head and lowered his voice even further. “This isn’t like the belly shot. You’re a grown man. You weren’t putting her on display. Those were messages meant for your eyes only, to the girl you’ve been with s
ince birth and that you’re engaged to marry. It’s not your fault your cell got cloned and neither of you did anything wrong.” Rainer tried desperately to believe what he was telling him. With another hesitant glance, Vindico considered for a long drawn moment before his face lit with a wry smile.
“Ok, let’s say Governor Haydenshire had to see either the messages or the photos. Which would you rather him see?” Vindico quizzed. This actually make Rainer chuckle at the way Vindico had gone about his inquisition.
“The photos,” Rainer immediately answered as he thought of just a few of the things he’d informed Emily he wanted to do to her via their texts. Him telling her he was going to ‘tear her up’ ricocheted violently in his mind. Vindico chuckled.
“That’s good.” He assured Rainer.
“How exactly?”
“Well, there’s no way to prove that messages published in some of Peterson’s ‘vote for me’ shit actually came from either of your phones unless he comes out and says ‘yeah I’m working with Dominic Wretchkinsides and he had Lawson’s phone cloned.’ That doesn’t seem very likely. They could’ve copied any iPhone messages. Hell they could’ve written them themselves and captured the screens. If there are no…” he hemmed momentarily before going on “…compromising photos that would be easily recognizable as Emily then they don’t have a lot of proof that they’re from either of you.” Rainer tried to feel the relief that Vindico was attempting to supply him, but the thought of his uncle and Wretchkinsides’s men, having any part of he and Emily’s relationship made him violently ill.
“Truthfully, I doubt he uses them. Unless the polls change dramatically, your future father-in-law has already discounted so much of the propaganda he’s already used, he seems to be reigning it in, at least a little.” Vindico stated thoughtfully. “I really am sorry about all of this. Try to enjoy your day tomorrow. Let me take care of Ferratus. You go take care of her. Watch your back Lawson. I don’t know what your uncle is supposed to do for that money, but it’s nothing good.” He gestured his head back to Emily who was biting her lip so hard Rainer was concerned she was going to draw blood.
“Yeah, I actually need a little more help.” He managed.
“What’s that, Lawson?” Vindico seemed willing to do most anything.
“Uh, she found a wedding gown here that she really wants. She has an appointment tomorrow morning at nine to try it on again and then buy it. She doesn’t want me to see it, but I can’t let her go back to the store with just Adeline. Logan and I were going to take them and stand outside. I wouldn’t mind a few extra sets of eyes though.”
“Good thinking, Lawson. That’s how excellent Iodex officers think and act. I tell you what. Fitz and I will both be there. We’re running the sting a little later in the day. Shouldn’t be a problem.” Rainer extended his hand to Vindico. He looked very pleased with the gesture. Vindico shook Rainer’s hand and then with a wave to Logan, Adeline, and Emily he scooted quickly from the bar and disappeared out into the chilly Parisian night.
“What did you ask him?” Emily eased as Rainer returned to the table.
“We’ll talk about it later, ok?”
She stood as Rainer threw down enough Euros for their drinks, and Logan and Adeline followed them on to the elevators.
Absolution
The morning light seemed to carry absolution on its hesitant rays. Rainer allowed himself to forget all of the harrowing details of the night before, as he held Emily tightly on his chest.
She was safe. She was tucked up beside him, and he allowed himself a few minutes to revel in her energy. It was flowing in even, steady thrums as she slept. He glanced down and lamented her swollen eyes. He shuddered slightly as thoughts of his confession that the pictures of her cleavage, her thigh, and the flirtatious banter they kept up most days, had most definitely been viewed by his uncle and half of the Interfeci ricocheted in his mind. Her eyes blinked open. She’d picked up on his trepidation, even in her sleep.
“What’s wrong?” She whimpered in an adorable squeak. He smiled and shook his head.
“Hey there, sweetheart.” He soothed.
“Tell me what’s wrong.” She urged with a deep yawn.
“Just worried about you, baby, and about the fact that until this moment I completely forgot that we’re supposed to stay somewhere different tonight. Somewhere I don’t want to stay with Logan and Adeline.”
“Why?” She nuzzled her face on his chest making him smile as he massaged his hands over her back and tried to work out the stress from the day before. He worked his hands upwards and tenderly caressed her face.
“Well, remember it’s where Will and Brooke stayed on their honeymoon, and we also have to call Brooke’s mother because we won’t be here tomorrow night.” He lamented.
“Ok, but why don’t you want to stay there with Logan and Adeline?”
“Well…” Rainer hemmed. He wasn’t certain why he was suddenly blushing.
“What?” She was suddenly very interested.
“It’s supposed to be a couples only hotel. There are only seven rooms, and they’re supposed to be pretty provocative, I guess.” He hoped she wouldn’t be offended that he’d booked them a suite there. Emily giggled.
“So, Will told you we should stay at a hotel designed for sex?” She managed before her giggles overtook her. Rainer joined in her laughter.
“Yeah, he’s a lot more accepting of your sex life than the rest of the men in your family.” He was thrilled to hear her laugh, after he’d soothed her tears for so long.
“Well, I think Keaton and Henry are ok with it.” She teased and effectively cracked him up.
“Anyway,” he drawled when he’d regained his composure. “I’m kind of worried Logan would be pissed if he found out where I’d been planning on taking you, and I think if they tried to get a suite there it might make Adeline very uncomfortable. I’m gonna call and cancel it, and I’ll just add a night on here. Hopefully, we can just keep this suite one more evening.
“Whatever you want to do, baby.” Rainer agreed as he kissed the top of her head.
“Rainer, are you sure you don’t want to talk about Stan?” She tried again. She’d tried a dozen times the night before.
“Em, baby, I just don’t, ok. I don’t want to talk about him or think about him. If Wretchkinsides killed him, I don’t even know how to feel about that. I mean how am I supposed to feel? He was a horrible person that never did anything to me but abuse me. He was horrible to my parents. I just don’t have any idea what I’m supposed to feel. Honestly, I’m tired of letting him ruin my life. He doesn’t deserve to occupy my brain this much, and he sure as hell doesn’t have the right to ruin this time that I want to spend with you.” Rainer laid it all on the line. He wasn’t trying to keep anything from her. He truthfully didn’t know what to feel.
“Ok, if you’re sure.” Emily leaned her head up and kissed his cheek.
“I’m sure.” Rainer had no doubt.
“Well, then, do you know what we should do now?” She suddenly sounded thrilled. Rainer was ecstatic. She seemed to have let the horrific intrusions with their phones go at least for a little while.
“What’s that Miss Haydenshire?” He turned on his side so she was lying beside him tucked under his chin and in the protection of his entire body. She wriggled delightedly as she folded herself into him.
“We should get ready and then go get my dress, that you are not allowed under any circumstances to see.” She trilled. Rainer tried to get used to the overwhelming love that welled in his soul from just being with her. The spark that always lit in his heart, usually travelled to the tips of is fingers, and then settled in his groin. It was his very life force. He decided then and there, and he hoped he never became accustomed to it. He loved the feeling. It righted his world each and every time he felt it.
“I swear, baby, I’ll stay outside the boutique the entire time, unless something happens. I want our wedding day to be perfect for you. I don’t want to
see the dress until you’re wearing it down the aisle, ok.” Her entire body tensed deliciously as she squealed.
“I can’t wait.” Rainer kissed her cheek.
“Me either.”
Before they left for breakfast, Rainer phoned The Seven hotel. His mind tumbled over the suite he’d booked. There was a large bed that was mounted from one of the walls in the bedroom. Cloud murals and mirrors made up most of the walls. It was to make one feel as if they were either sleeping or making love in the sky.
The entire suite, and every suite at The Seven, was designed to indulge the five senses. It was complete with a view of the river, red lacquered walls, furniture made for two, and everything about the design was steeped in eroticism.
As Rainer explained that he needed someone who spoke English and then proceeded to cancel the room, he decided that perhaps he didn’t want Emily staying there. He wasn’t certain the suite was them, especially after everything that had happened. It seemed they couldn’t ever do anything without someone finding out. A night or two at a hotel specifically designed for carnal pleasures would make quite a front page.
With a determined nod, Rainer ended the call and waited on Emily to finish getting ready.
Inside and Out
After a delicious breakfast at a café near the dress shop, Logan and Rainer escorted the girls back to La Belle. It was a century old home, a few streets over from the Champs, that had billowing wedding gowns on bright display in the windows. Fitzroy and Vindico joined them a moment later. Rainer couldn’t go in the dress shop. Both Vindico and Logan looked very uncomfortable with the thought of entering a bridal salon. Fitzroy laughed and offered Emily his arm.
“I will gladly escort you in and keep you safe, Mademoiselle Haydenshire. As I have been married for many years, I am not frightened of the fabled, white gown that terrifies lesser men.” He chastised Logan and Vindico. Emily and Adeline laughed as Vindico rolled his eyes.