by Lane, Arie
My phone chimes before Cage can reply to what I just said. Looking down, I click the incoming message from Jacob.
Pretty sure any sense of reality your girl had just snapped. You’ve got a week to figure this shit out. ~ Jacob
Now what the fuck happened? What happens in a week? I text back to him.
Last night your girl raised a gun, cocked and loaded, at some dude's head with her finger on the trigger. Pretty sure if he had so much as twitched, she’d have blown his fucking brains out. Darla set a meet up for a week from now to arrange a new hit on Bentley. They are going to try and intercept her there. If she gets locked up, your girl is as good as dead. She’ll arrange the hit from jail and no one will catch it in time. ~Jacob
What fucking dude? What the fuck is going on? Shit! I’ll have Darla before a week, as I’ll be in the town in a couple of hours. Can you just keep her fucking safe until I handle this?
I’m fucking livid. What the fuck is Bentley doing with a gun, and where was Jacob? How the fuck is it that he can’t even keep one five foot nothing woman under control? At this rate, she’d be getting herself killed while he stands there and fucking watches. I’m flipping the fuck out as my phone beeped another time. I looked down, fully expecting him to tell me she’s shot herself or some shit.
Oh shit...yeah the dude. Umm...Bentley’s sister isn’t dead. Turns out mommy dearest decided to off both daughters. Cora’s out of the country living a cushy new life. About keeping Bentley safe, that might be a problem. She’s in the fucking wind again. Turns out whatever was said last night made her snap. She took off, said she’s ready to handle Darla, and she’s going back to where it all began. Any idea where I should start looking? ~Jacob
Motherfucker! You have got to be shitting me. I have no idea where it all began. Why the fuck would she run again? She was fucking safe with you there. What the hell does that mean? She’s ready to handle Darla? Fuck no! She isn’t ready to handle her. She’ll either get herself killed or destroy herself by doing something she can’t come back from. Bentley’s moral compass only points one way. She can’t handle having that over her head. Damnit!
I hit the send button and stew over the conversation I just had. Why the hell can’t anything just go the way I need it to? I really can’t believe this shit. Only I would have the fucking luck to fall for a girl with a death wish. Why can’t she just for once let someone fucking protect her without flipping the fuck out and taking off? Most girls would love to know they have someone who’d risk their life for them. Bentley...no...She’d rather see just how far she can stick her neck out there before someone tries to cut it the fuck off. Looking back down at my phone, Jacob confirms exactly what the fuck I’m afraid of.
She’s going somewhere Darla will know to look. Your girl’s playing for keeps, and if you don’t grab Darla and she goes for your girl, one of them is going to end up dead...that’s a guarantee. While I know Darla is psychotic, my money would be on Bentley. But are you willing to take that chance? ~Jacob
Fuck No! I’ll have that bitch at the cabin one way or another. The package won’t be here for another five days. So I’ll keep her tied up until it arrives. Find her Jacob. Make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid...please...
I’m not one to fucking beg. Hell, I rarely even ask nicely. But this shit...it’ll kill me. I thought I had five fucking days to get this bitch where I need her, or risk losing Bentley. Now I’ll have to lure her out there as quickly as possible. There’s no other fucking option; she can’t be allowed to go looking for Bentley. I have to get this bitch far away from where any law might stumble upon her. I start planning out how to get her in my head when Jacob chimes in one more time to let me know he’s still got my back.
I’ll find her. I just don’t know where to start looking. Let me know if you catch any leads as to where I should be heading. In the meantime, I’ll contact Zeke and see what he can pull up. Maybe I can track down the agent who came to see her last night. ~Jacob
I placed the phone back down and caught the questioning look on Cage’s face.
“What’s going on? You look like someone just ran your dog over,” he says.
“Bentley’s fucking gone again. Some suit showed up and told her Cora isn’t dead. Apparently Cora fell out of Darla’s good graces and she tried to have her killed. She got a new identity. They set the whole fucking thing up. It was all a plan to get her out of the country. Bentley has been living with some fucked up guilt shit for all of this time and it was all a fucking lie.”
“Holy shit, man! I mean...I guess I can understand the set up part, but why involve Bentley? Why would they let that shit hang over her head? Wasn’t the fact that she wasn’t there to help her part of the reason Darla went postal and tried to kill her?”
“Darla doesn’t exactly need a reason to try and kill Bentley, but yeah she blamed her. I don’t get it though. Bentley was supposed to be with Cora that night. She said her interview ran late and she never made it to the club.”
“What if it wasn’t just Cora they were setting this up for? Maybe Bentley was supposed to be taken also, but they couldn’t deviate from the plan and only grabbed Cora. Maybe Cora had arranged it so they would both be given new identities.”
“That makes sense. They were both in danger. Cora knew about Darla’s deadly obsession with Bentley, so yeah I could see her making arrangements for both of them. But why wouldn’t they just hold off until they could get them both?”
“My guess is they didn’t have a choice. If her life was in imminent danger and she needed to be moved right away, it’s possible they couldn’t chance doing it another time. Chances are had Bentley been with her, they both would be wherever, and Bentley as you know her wouldn’t exist.”
“Whatever...nothing to do about that now. There’s more though, he told her Darla is looking to put a new hit out on her. And if that’s not bad enough, Bentley took off… told him she’s going back to where it all began to wait for her,” I say the words, but my mind is still on what Cage said.
The weight of his words hit me hard. I can’t even imagine what my life would be like without having that little ball of rage occupying my every thought. Still, everything she has known the past seven years is a fucking lie. Well no, not everything. My love for her isn’t a fucking lie and she better damn well know that. Everything concerning Cora though, that shit, knowing the truth can’t be easy. I can’t blame Cora for her decision, but that doesn’t mean I’m not fucking pissed at how much it hurt Bentley.
His words cut my thoughts off as I listen, “You do realize that now we have no choice. Darla can’t get to Bentley and she can’t get locked up. We have to find her and get her into the mountains, and we have to do it quickly. We can’t fuck around, Tristan. There is a small window now. We don’t know when whoever will have eyes on her. So it needs to be done quickly and quietly. Once we have her at the cabin, I’ll help you secure her then I’ll go to the meeting place to pick the package up.”
I agree with his plan and go back over the details that were sent to me. Darla has been frequenting a bar with some male companion. I’ll either have to play it close to the ear and lure her away, or be more conventional. Talking it over with Cage, we decide it would be less risky to have her come to us. I know Darla watches my social network because Cage’s buddy has it rigged that every time she clicks on one of my links, he’s alerted. Right now, she checks it about half a dozen times a day for any slip ups. We decide to give her some bait and see if she bites. I post a message on each of my sites letting people know I’ll be off the grid for a couple weeks. I post that I’m taking Bentley up to the mountains for a romantic cabin holiday. I’m praying Bentley doesn’t see my message and do anything stupid like call me out on it. Although I doubt she’d say anything, I don’t want to take any chances. So I block her from seeing it wherever I can.
It’s another hour before we make it into the town. It’s not too big, so the diner and bar that Darla’s been hitting is easy to find.
I don’t know what to expect of her companion though. There hasn’t been any word on whether he’s just some guy she’s fucking or if he’s hired help.
We decide to crash for a few hours since Darla is like a fucking vampire and only comes out at night. I called ahead to arrange two rooms so that if she does have eyes in this town, we’re seen the least amount possible. After grabbing our keys, we head up to our rooms and plan to meet up in four hours. Intel says she normally goes to the diner around 8:30 pm, so we’re going to head over and be there around 8:00. I want to already be seated and pretend to be engrossed in conversation when she gets there. I’ll keep my back to the door, so Cage will alert me when she arrives. I need her close enough to be able to overhear us. If she isn’t, then the plan won’t work. Of course the plan won’t work anyway unless she’s as eager as I hope she is. I think my mental exhaustion is catching up to me. As I play it over again in my head, a yawn escapes me and I lay my head on the pillow, closing my eyes.
Leaning against a tree outside the coffee shop, I watch her. I guess her new identity isn’t giving her any sense of peace, as she’s more fidgety than usual. When she gets up and walks towards the back of the shop to the bathrooms, I find my feet acting of their own accord.
I walk inside and head straight for her. She’s looking at one of the flyers scattered across the bulletin board that is posted outside the door. I don’t give her time to react as I slide my arms around her and pull her back against my chest. Her body doesn’t stiffen at my touch. It’s as if it recognizes me after all this time.
“Lost angels should know better than to venture into dark corners all alone. You never know naughty little creature could be hiding in wait,” I say trying to sound scolding.
Her reply catches me off guard, the words hitting me like an aphrodisiac. “What if this angel is looking to tarnish her halo?”
Turning her around in my arms, I have to see her. Her eyes are hooded as she looks up at me. I need to feel her so badly. Lifting my hand, I brush the hair away from her face so I can see all of it. “I don’t know if your halo can be tarnished, but I’m sure I can fuck you hard enough to knock it off.”
The giggle that escapes her is downright sexy. I stare down at her mouth as she sucks her bottom lip between her teeth before responding. “Are you attempting to seduce me Mr. Reece?”
My name rolling off her tongue is pushing at my limits, and has my dick trying to burst through my pants. “Do I really need to seduce you Bentley?” I say, whispering in her ear, my warm breath causing shivers to snake down her spine.
“Fuck me, Tristan.” Her words are a sensual groan as they leave her mouth. I’m not sure if it’s her way of saying no to my question, or a plea for my cock.
Before I can think of anything else to say, I am pushing her through the bathroom door. As soon as we are both inside the room, I have her wrapped around me. I need to feel her, to bury myself so deep inside of her that she will feel me for weeks. She reaches into my pants and grasps my cock. At the same time, someone starts knocking on the door. I feel her giggle against my skin as I tell whoever is on the other side to go piss somewhere else. Just as I’m about to bury my dick deep inside of her, the knocking grows louder and my eyes shoot open. Fuck me. I know I need to get my ass moving, but damn if I didn’t want to stay there with her. Instead I haul ass and head over to the door.
Cage is standing there looking at me like I have lost my mind. Looking back at the clock, I see it blinking 8:05. Shit! I fucking overslept. Not bothering to check my appearance, I grab the key card and shut the door behind me. That little fantasy has me all fucked up. I swear if I don’t get Bentley back soon, I’ll lose my fucking mind.
Bentley
It takes me three damn days to travel across the country. Not because it should take that long, but apparently Mother Nature is feeling slightly bitchy and has decided to dump a wrath of freezing hell onto the better part of the country. This is why I prefer to live where it’s fucking warm. I hate the cold and I hate snow no matter how pretty it looks. I’m not fooled by the state of bliss it creates. That shit is cold and messy and it’s a fucking bitch to drive through.
Whoever believes that Cali is nothing but sunshine and fair weather has obviously never been to the northern part of the state. It has shitty weather just like every other part of the country.
Pulling into the long drive, I scope out the building in front of me and second guess if I have the right place. Who the hell would need a house this big if they live alone? This place is the size of a museum. Double checking that I have the right address, I drive up the round driveway and park in front of the building. It’s the right address, though it’s probably the most intimidating mansion I’ve ever seen.
On both sides of the steps there are twin gargoyles leering out into the vast white that covers the lawn. I quickly jaunt up the steps and click the door knocker twice. I can hear the sound echoing through the foyer and it leaves me feeling hollow. The sound is as empty as I feel inside.
The door opens a minute later and a woman who reminds me of Mrs. Pott’s from Beauty and the Beast greets me. “May I help you?” she says with a warm friendly smile.
“Hi...umm...I’m Bentley Celeste,” I stumble over my words as I try to figure out exactly what I’m supposed to say. Hi there, I own this place now so if you don’t mind please move out of my way. No I’d come off as a mean bitch. Hi I’m Bentley, my father owns this house, or well he did until three days ago. Nope...still sounds snobbish. “I uh, I think this is my father’s house. Well was his house. Might still be, I’m not really sure. Since I think he’s still in a coma, Marco Linzetti?” I say, stumble through the words.
“Welcome home, Bentley. Mr. Linzetti spoke of you often. It broke his heart that you couldn’t be here with him, but that nasty witch of a woman made good on her promise too many times that she’d hurt you if he even tried to see you. Of course he’d have done anything he could have if it meant she didn’t touch you again. It cost him his beloved Wendy. Well no matter, you’re here now. And bust my buckle; you’re a spitting image of him. Just as pretty as all of those pictures he keeps. I do wish he was here with us, but Mr. Linzetti was moved to a private facility for care. His personal physician said we weren’t equipped to handle his treatment here. He had been feeling sick for quite some time, though the doctors couldn’t find a single reason for his declining health. Of course, if you ask me, I think it’s all the business with that wretched woman. He was always receiving reports about you, and when he heard you’d been abducted… well...let’s just say this isn’t the first time his heart has given out. Though come to think of it, he had just received news about her the day he had his heart attack. It’s such a shame for you to be here now, and him in such a terrible state. No mind though, he’ll be waking up soon enough, and I’m sure everything will be right as rain when he sees you there.”
I listen to her go on about my father while still standing in the doorway. I wonder how long she has been with him that she seems to know so much about our past. I imagine quite a while if she’s familiar with his deceased wife. It's then that the thought hits me: I’ll be not only staying in a stranger’s home, but a stranger who lost his wife because of me. The thought unsettles me, but before I can back out, the woman catches my attention again.
"Oh my goodness, listen to me… I’ve been yakking your ear off and you haven’t even made it into the foyer yet. Come inside dear. You must be freezing out there. I’m awfully sorry for the lax state that the place is in, but Mr. Linzetti never resides at this residence. He has a much smaller home that he prefers. He never has the heart to sell it though. He bought it shortly after the first time he saw you. He wanted a house big enough that it would echo with your laughter. That never happened though. After he lost Wendy, he couldn’t seem to make it a home. He doesn't have the heart to sell it though either. So instead, this house is used for when he entertains guests or has a one of his holiday parties.”
Looking around,
I can’t understand why anyone would live here. Don’t get me wrong, the place is gorgeous, but it really is a museum. There are pieces of fine art and sculptures everywhere. Everything is intricately detailed. There are no photos at all. Nothing personal. As we tour the downstairs, I listen as she explains where everything is located. Feeling overwhelmed, I stop her as we reach the enormous kitchen.
“I’m sorry, Ma’am. You said he doesn’t usually reside here. Then why am I here? I don’t see even the slightest bit of anything personal here at all. This place looks like a living museum, with bedrooms so people can visit. I don’t get why I wasn’t directed to where he actually lives.”
With another smile and a nod she replies, “I understand. You may call me Mrs. Anders, though I’ve not been married a great many years. I still hold my love for my Henry. Mr. Linzetti wanted you to have a fresh start. He didn’t want you bogged down with memories that weren’t your own. He arranged with his lawyer that any property he has be cleaned out of any personal effects, although this house hasn’t had a personal touch in… I dare say...twenty-four years. He moved out shortly after Wendy’s death and moved all of his memories with him. It’s usually just myself and a few others who are here, although none of us are live-in help. Of course, if you’ll be needing live-in help I can have that arranged.”
“No thank you, Mrs. Anders. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time. I don’t need anyone to do it for me. I’ll still keep you and the others on for whatever it is that you do though. I’m not looking to cause any kind of hardships.”
“Of course dear. Maddie usually comes in the mornings and evenings to cook. Though I never much saw the need, since she’s only cooked for the staff other than on special occasions, but your father wanted to make sure her skills are kept in good use. I’ll let her know that you are here. She’ll be ecstatic to have someone new to test her culinary skills on. Jameson usually deals with the grounds keeping as well as anything that needs to be fixed inside. Emilia comes twice a week to tidy up, and she’ll keep everything ship-shape. As for myself, I’m here on a daily basis to make sure everything continues running smoothly. Your father already arranged for his employees' holiday bonuses. They tend to be given a few days before Christmas, although that’s up to you now. I ordered a Christmas tree to be delivered tomorrow, but if you don’t plan to celebrate the holiday, I can always have it cancelled.”