by Jillian Neal
“Yeah,” he agreed; although, to what, Rainer wasn’t entirely certain.
“I mean, a part of me was glad because I think I was always afraid of Maredon, and I certainly always believed my uncle would gladly do me in to get the estate. So, I think it was a little bit of a relief, like the terror was over, but I think both things really just made me miss my dad so much more.” Rainer poured his heart out for his boss who he realized now was also his friend.
Vindico’s eyes flashed with relief as a slight smile spread across his face. Rainer had struck a cord.
“Yeah, that’s it exactly.” Vindico agreed as Rainer watched his shoulders start to relax and his breaths come easier. “I guess that's what I was talking about. I thought it would feel better, but it just doesn't. My killing him didn't undo what he'd done.” Rainer and Logan were too stunned to speak. They felt vastly unqualified to offer Vindico comfort of any kind.
Vindico seemed to equivocate momentarily over whether or not he should finish with his confession. After seeing that Rainer and Logan were both committed to the conversation and wanted to help, he drew a long sip of his beer before finishing.
“I mean I'm glad he's dead. Hell, I'm glad I killed him.” He glanced around to make certain no one heard him. “But I just thought it would feel better. It doesn’t. Nothing seems to make it better.”
Fitzroy furrowed his brow.
“It will, Dan. Just give it some more time. Maybe find a girl that isn't Bridgette, someone who's more than a distraction. It’s been ten years, man.” Rainer watched to see how Vindico would respond to Fitzroy’s directive. Vindico shrugged, but Rainer knew he wasn't planning on taking the advice.
Silence loomed again as everyone, save Rainer, resumed eating. Rainer’s phone had chirped, and he’d reached for it instantly.
There is absolutely nowhere here that I can talk to you! There are people everywhere. We’re going to have to text for three weeks :(
“Do you mind if I answer this? It’s Em.” Rainer asked the table at large. Everyone motioned for him to continue as they ate.
I’m sorry baby. We could text during the day and then talk at night, maybe.
No, we thought that we would only be sharing rooms with one or two other Angels, but we’re all in one room in bunk beds.
Emily explained. Rainer grimaced. He could tell, even via text, that Emily was exhausted and that nothing was going to cheer her up, until she got some sleep. Another text came through immediately.
Rainer all of the kids here just break my heart. I’ve already cried like ten times just seeing how they live. I can feel how hungry they are and how scared. I can feel everything they feel. It’s awful.
Rainer’s heart ached. He’d known that Emily would have a difficult time with the Gifted orphans, at least until she got to know them. Her ability to understand and receive what they were feeling was going to make her very emotional.
I’m so sorry baby. Try to get some sleep. I know you were up most of the night worried about me.
I’m all right. I’m going to go help put some of the girls to bed. Fionna and I are in charge of the seven year old girls. They’re so sweet! I’ll text you before I go to sleep. I love you
Rainer fervently hoped that Emily would find the experience fulfilling. If she were enjoying herself, it would ease the aching pain in his stomach.
Love you 2 baby
He texted back and then returned his phone to his pocket.
“How’s she doing?” Garrett quizzed. “She hate me yet?” He chuckled as he continued to eat.
“No,” Rainer furrowed his brow in confusion. “She’s, uh, just a little tired.” Rainer didn’t think that he should go over the reasons why Emily was so tired.
“Yeah, I was pretty floored when mom told both of you to go get in her bed last night.” Garrett chided. This brought a genuine smile to Vindico’s face as he chuckled.
“So, does that mean the Governor has deemed you worthy?” Logan and Garrett laughed.
“He’ll never be worthy.” Garrett assured Vindico. “He’s just lucky.” Rainer nodded his adamant agreement with the assessment and raised his beer in acceptance.
Everyone laughed and seemed to settle in. No one really wanted to discuss the evening before, but they all found peace in being with the people who’d been through the harrowing ordeal with them.
“Well, if Em doesn’t hate me yet, I’m sure Chloe does.” Garrett slid back to his earlier statement.
“Why would they hate you?” Logan quizzed. With a wry smile, Garrett chuckled.
“Well, I mean I’m not saying the Angels aren’t all great, sweet, hard-working girls, but let’s be real they’re all a little spoiled. Just take Emily…” Garrett urged. “The Crown Governor’s baby girl marrying Rainer Lawson.” Rainer furrowed his brow. He’d never really thought of Emily being any more spoiled than he or the rest of the Haydenshire children; though, none of them ever acted like they thought anyone owed them anything.
“I mean Em will love the kids, and they’ll love her. That’s why I wanted them to go. They can really make a difference, and I kind of think Chloe, at least, could use a few weeks to see that a lot of people have a lot less than the Chief of Staff of Georgetown Hospital’s daughter, who also happens to be the captain and highest paid player of the Arlington Angels.” Rainer felt his stomach twist in what it took him a moment to realize was anger.
“I don’t really think Emily needed to go to Brazil for three weeks to understand that.” He was suddenly furious with Garrett. “Your parents did a tremendous job of teaching us all that growing up.” Logan glanced at Rainer and gave him a look that said he was definitely overreacting. Logan turned back to Garrett.
“Yeah, he, like the rest of us, kind of had a long night. Only he had sort of huge plans with Em and a suite booked at the Royale that they never even saw. So, now may not be the best time to tell him that it’s your fault Emily’s not going to be here, for almost a month. Trust me, they’re like rabbits. By the end of three weeks, he’s going to be so hard up we may have to get him crutches.” Logan concluded by eliciting the laughter he’d been after.
Rainer drained his beer. He was ready to leave and was still irritated with Garrett. Though Vindico chuckled, he looked concerned.
“Hey, Lawson, I’m sorry. I completely forgot she was leaving this morning, and I didn’t know you had plans last night. Not that it would’ve changed anything, but I really am sorry.” Vindico urged sincerely.
“No, it’s fine. I mean that’s my job.” He stated earnestly. “I just think, with everything that Em’s been through in the past couple of months, and with the wedding, and the new baby, that this may not have been the year for the Angels to head off to Brazil. There are plenty of people in need right here in America.” He threw Garrett an infuriated glare.
Garrett shook his head with a slight eye roll that let Rainer know that he’d just been chalked up to the same spoiled status as Chloe Sawyer. After deciding that he didn’t care, Rainer gave a slight huff. He felt like being mad at someone, and Garrett was just as good as any. As the tension he felt permeated the table, Logan seemed to understand that Rainer needed to blow off a little steam, before he ended up saying or doing something he’d regret.
“Hey, I know it’s a little cold, but we haven’t played paintball in ages.” Logan urged the table excitedly. Vindico rolled his eyes, but Rainer could tell he was intrigued. Fitzroy and Garrett seemed pleased that Vindico was interested in something that might get his mind off of Cascavel and Amelia. Fitzroy gave Garrett a concerned glance.
“Are you sure you’re up to that? Most guys look to get shot only once a weekend. Maybe we should go easy on your shoulder.” He offered kindly. Garrett scoffed.
“Uh, I don’t play with a handicap, and who says I’m going to get shot.” He goaded cockily. “Call Will and Levi. I’ll call Patrick and Connor.” Garrett instructed Logan.
Rainer wondered momentarily if going out in the Haydenshires’ b
ack field and shooting one another was a little too reminiscent of the evening before, but he’d been playing paintball with the Haydenshire boy’s since well before his father had been killed. It was exhausting, and fun, and a physical release, which is exactly what he needed.
The only time he’d ever not enjoyed playing paint ball was the day, many years ago, when Levi had gotten mad that Rainer had taken him out. He fired a shot at Emily, and had left a welt on her shin. Rainer had come unglued. He threw his newly developed shield at Levi. He was only fourteen and had little to no control over his newly acquired abilities. His fury drove him, and he ended up in a vicious fist-fight with Levi, which Will and Governor Haydenshire had promptly broken up. Rainer had been punished for starting the fight as Levi had for shooting Emily. They’d ended up having to weed the entire garden that hot, summer day but had made up quickly and actually ended up having fun.
After coming back to the present, Rainer stood and followed Logan out of the booth. He listened to him tell Will to meet them in the barn.
“You sure you’re up for this?” Garrett studied Vindico.
“Sure, why not? Nothing else has worked. Might be fun to make the Haydenshire boys cry.” He seemed desperate to do something to get his mind off of the events of the last twenty-four hours.
“You wish,” Logan and Garrett chanted sycophantically.
Consumed
~Dan Vindico~
“I’m uh… I’m sorry I haven’t been out here for a while.” The crushing guilt set like stone in his gut. He always felt so horrible for not going to the grave that had robbed him of everything good in his life, and yet when he went he never felt at ease. She wasn’t there, and he needed desperately to let her go. He’d existed inside of that tomb for so long he wasn’t certain he knew how to live anywhere else.
“Hey, Dan, I’m sorry. Just let me call a cab.” Fitz eased softly beside Dan as they stared down at the marble representation of all that Dan had lost.
Dan shook his head and tried futilely to halt the downpour of tears that burned his face and strangled his throat like a jagged noose. They slowly beaded and trickled down the headstone.
“It’s fine.” He lied. “Let’s just go.” He scrubbed his hands over his face and half-heartedly laid the bouquet of pink camellias on the top of Amelia’s grave.
“You stay. I’ll just catch a later flight.” Fitz offered kindly. Dan turned and directed his feet back to the Expedition he’d taken from the office. He tried to hear his footsteps as they crunched on the graveled ground. He heard nothing but the fire’s vicious roar. He didn’t speak. He was unable. The relentless fire that burned so fiercely in his gut had seared his vocal cords as he felt his body reignite with vengeance and fury.
He cranked the SUV and narrowed his eyes in on the road before him. The path away from that damning enclosure, from that grave, led straight to Wretchkinsides.
“You sure you’re ok? I can stay another night?” Fitzroy was bordering on panic.
“I’ll be fine.” Dan huffed. His voice was distant and raw. It existed a lifetime ago. It had taken up residence with his heart that had been replaced with a hollow, empty, wound.
“Oh yeah?” Fitz shook his head. “When?” It seemed Fitzroy was losing patience with Dan’s vengeance fueled wrath.
“When I end every, last, fucking one of them.”
From the Author
Thank you for reading “Every Action.” I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, and you would like to know more about The Gifted Realm or my writings, there are several ways for us to connect.
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Turn the page for a preview of Rock Bottom, the forth book in The Gifted Realm series. Coming soon...
Rock Bottom
While keeping his head down, Dan moved quickly through the darkened streets of Berlin. He snatched a baseball cap and a sweatshirt from a vendor, with his back turned, who’d been closing up for the night. After ducking into another alley, he pulled the shirt over his dress shirt and donned the cap before slinking along the sidewalks carefully staying out of the light of the street lamps. His rib cage vibrated with every thundered pound of his heart. He allowed himself to breathe as he reached the train station.
He scanned quickly to make certain no one in the station was looking for him. He moved to a ticket teller with no line.
“A friend of mine phoned in a ticket for me on the enhanced express to Paris. It’s leaving in five minutes.” He informed the clerk in a decidedly French accent. “You from France, but you learn zee English and no German.” The woman scolded sassily, in an obvious attempt to flirt. Dan smiled and winked at her.
“No, je suis desole. Je ne parle francais et un peu anglais.” He raised his eyebrows expectantly before continuing. “I should learn German. Perhaps when I return to the city you could teach me?” He drawled with another cocky grin. Her eyes goggled momentarily as she smiled.
“It would be such an honor.” She feigned coy; though, it appeared to task her.
“I just need my ticket madamemoiselle.” He kept his French accent flowing heavily and tried not to smirk. She was most certainly not young enough to be called anything other than madam, but she was clearly flattered and that was all that mattered. She asked his name. Dan supplied the agreed upon alias, and she slid him the reserved ticket along with a small piece of paper where she’d written her phone number and address.
Dan forced a broad grin to spread across his chiseled features. He held up the paper and winked at her again. He slipped the number in his pocket as he moved towards the enhanced train boarding for Paris.
As soon as he was out of her sight he threw the paper away. If he got caught, he didn’t want her implicated in anyway. He entered the train and moved to the back corner. He slunk down in the seat, pulled the cap further over his eyes and discreetly studied every other passenger on board.
About the Author
Jillian Neal is a New Adult author with a passion for passion. She tells strong character driven novels told from the male perspective. Her guys aren’t afraid to let us inside their minds or inside their bedrooms. Young love comes to life inside the author’s Realm along with sinister crime fighting, mixed in with a hearty dose of family. The engaging adventures will stretch your mind and keep you coming back for more.
Jillian lives outside of Atlanta with her husband, children, and their precocious potbelly pig, Beans.
For more information on the author and her stories, check out her website at http://jillianneal.com