“Taking a run. I need to work out to get my head straight.”
“Okay, but be safe.”
I took off along the beach until I hit the road that led to the main area of the hotel. It wasn’t like most hotels as it was rustic and had a lobby where you only checked in. The rest of the hotel was scattered among the acreage it owned. There was a bar situated over the water, and a few restaurants that dotted the area. One was in a treehouse that was super cool and another on the beach. There were enough roads to get a nice workout on, and in the late afternoon, it began to cool down so the heat wasn’t brutal.
I ran along, enjoying the views of the lush foliage and colorful flowers, but soon felt a presence behind me. Looking back, I didn’t see anyone. Continuing along, I traveled the roads until I made a complete circle and was heading back. That feeling of being followed persisted. I picked up my pace to an all-out sprint so when I returned to our cabin I was whipped.
“Are you trying to kill yourself?”
“No, but someone else may be.”
Lindsey/Gemini flew to her feet and dragged me inside. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I explained between huffing and puffing, getting my breath back.
“You’re sure?”
“Never saw anyone, but I know that sensation and I’m usually right.”
“We’re getting out of here. It’s a good thing we didn’t dive today.”
Eyeing her with skepticism, I asked, “How do you possibly think we can get a flight out tonight?”
“Charter one.” She’d picked up the hotel phone and called the front office. Then asked how we could get a flight out. It took a few minutes, but her mouth curved into a smile.
“Our pick-up will be here in twenty. Get packed.”
I took the fastest shower in history, got dressed and threw all my stuff into my bags. A knock on the door came about then.
We loaded up and checked out. Then another vehicle took us to the airport. A chartered plane flew us to the island of Efate where we had to stay the night. Then we caught a flight in the morning to Aukland.
“Now what?” I asked once we were airborne.
“Two things. We need to figure out who was following you and… a trip around the world.”
My head throbbed. No, it was close to exploding. “How are we going to do that? I never saw who it was.”
“I called Drex and Huff is checking flight manifests to Vanuatu. There’s only one way there so it should be easy.”
“What if they took a boat?”
“He’s checking boat charters too.”
I rested my head on the seat. I had to get a new hairstyle or color. They were on to this one. Gemini agreed.
“We’ll do that in Auckland. As soon as possible. This time at a salon. We have to figure out a way to make you look less attractive.”
“Me? What about you? You’re the sexy one everyone checks out.”
“Fine. We’ll both figure it out.”
As I thought about it, an idea sprung up. “Wigs! We should buy several.”
“Great idea and large sunglasses. I think we should buy some wigs that older women would wear, like grandma wigs.” She giggled.
“I like that idea.” I sat there, envisioning us walking around with gray bouffant wigs on and I cracked up. Then I told her.
“We need grandma dresses and shoes too. And glasses.”
“Don’t you think that’s taking it a bit too far? Maybe we should just go with frumpy.”
Gemini was so excited about our disguises, she almost shouted.
“Hey, calm down. You don’t want everyone to hear.”
“Right. How’s this? No gray hair, but bouffant wigs and frumpy clothes and we get those suits to make us look chubby or pregnant.”
“I like the chubby and pregnant idea. That would totally throw them off.”
We’d chatted about our disguises the entire flight and landed. Once we checked in, we checked out wig stores and asked the concierge if he could send someone there to purchase some for us.
A woman knocked on our door, with two large bags that held six wigs. They were perfect. Before she left, we asked her if there was a costume store nearby. We sent her there next to buy our chubby and pregnant suits, along with some clothes to wear. The next day, we checked out of that hotel. One of us looked pregnant and the other appeared to be in her forties and had gained twenty pounds. We were on to our next hotel.
“I hope we can plant here for a few days,” I moaned, plopping my rubber butt on the bed.
“Yeah, because these suits are hot. I’m sweating like crazy in it. Are you?”
“Have you not noticed my upper lip?”
Gem checked it out and asked, “When was the last time you waxed your brows?”
“Oh, God. Ages. I probably look like a hairy monkey.”
“Not as bad as that.”
“Wait.” I went to check her out and belted out a laugh. “Have you looked in the mirror lately?”
She hopped up and waddled to the bathroom. “Ugh. This is awful. We’ve let ourselves go.”
I swatted her padded butt as I checked out my belly in the mirror next to her. “Who cares? No one’s here but us anyway.”
Then we both broke down and cried. “Look at us. We look like two awful hairy women, who can’t stop eating.”
She’d pretty much hit the nail on the head with that one. “At least we’re not eating dirt.” Then I wailed like it was the end of the world.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Raiden
Pissed off. Enraged. Infuriated. Incensed were just a few words that came to mind when I thought of Scottie. And no one, no one would tell me anything. My brothers were patronizing me, claiming they didn’t know. I believed them, but they needed an attitude adjustment toward me. Or maybe it was my salty disposition.
However, one person did, and he wasn’t budging from his stance. He knew. I fucking knew he did. Drex. He said he didn’t, but I swore he did. I badgered the hell out of him daily, but he wouldn’t give in.
“Raiden, I can’t tell you what I don’t know. They’re gone. I know that.”
“Of all the people I know, you’re the last one I believe when you say that. There is no way in hell you’d let your wife walk away and not know where she’s going. Not a fucking chance.”
The muscle in his jaw twitched. He was pissed too. I didn’t care because he couldn’t possibly be as angry as I was. “You’re wrong. This time I did, because the situation left me no choice.”
“Fine. Then tell me why.”
“How many times are we going around this block? I can’t tell you why.”
“So you don’t know where your wife is and you can’t tell me why you don’t know and you’re fine with this? This is bullshit. The Drex I know would never settle for this. You’re hiding something.”
He slammed his fist on the counter. “Hell yes, I’m fucking hiding something from you, just as Gem is hiding her location from me. Raiden, you’re an intelligent guy. Figure it out. Put the pieces together. If they’ve gone away and I’m not worried, what does that tell you?”
“They’re safe.”
“Exactly. So go with it, man. Will you drop this damn barrage of questions? I’m not now, nor am I ever, going to disclose anything to you.”
“Will you tell me something else?”
His head whipped up and down. “Only if I can.”
“What’s going on with the O’Brien case?”
“The less you know, the safer you are.”
I raised up my hands and walked out of his place without another word. How was I going to deal with the fact that no one would disclose Scottie’s whereabouts to me? I had never been this frustrated in my life. The woman I cared deeply for had left without a trace. It was an impossible thing to handle.
It didn’t take over fifteen minutes to get home, and that was only because I’d stopped along the way for some coffee. But they treated me to another shock wh
en I walked inside. Suitcases were stacked by the door and everyone was bustling around.
“Where the fuck have you been?” Cruze shouted. “I’ve been calling you for over an hour.”
“I was at Drex’s and then came home. What’s going on?”
Acer ran down the stairs carrying some baby stuff, and Isla was behind him with Olivia. Mom was asking her something, but my attention went back to Cruze.
“Go pack. We’re leaving. ASAP. They’ve found us.”
This was utterly ridiculous. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m done running.”
Cruze stared at me as though he would punch my lights out. “No, you’re not. I don’t care if I have to knock you out with a cast-iron skillet, and drag you out of here by your hair, you’re leaving. Go pack.”
“I will not.”
Mom came over and wanted to know what was going on. I told her.
“Raiden Kent, get your butt packed now if you know what’s good for you.”
“Mom—”
She frowned, pointed to the stairs, and said, “Now! If you think I will mourn your dead body because of your bull-headed foolishness, then you have another thing coming. Go pack, or I swear I’ll do it for you.”
Dad joined us and asked what the problem was. When Mom explained, his nostrils flared as he glowered at me. “I didn’t think we raised such a dumbass.” Then he stomped off. My father had called me many things while I was growing up, and even as an adult, but he’d never called me that.
I marched up the stairs and packed my clothes. Resentment flooded my veins, but then realization hit over how idiotic I behaved. They were trying to save my life, and I was acting like a dumbass. What had gotten into me lately? Scottie Sullivan, that was what. I’d give up my life for her.
We loaded up the vehicles, and it was then I asked where we were going.
“A hotel for the night,” Acer said. “We need to find a safer place than that, but until then, we have to stay somewhere.”
My fingers burrowed through my hair. “This moving around shit has to end. We’re like a group of vagabonds.”
“Until they apprehend O’Brien, it won’t,” Acer said, slamming the back of the SUV shut.
“What about that mission they went on?”
“Isla isn’t saying much.”
“Are you saying it didn’t work?” Sarcasm seeped out of every pore of mine.
His voice rose. “No! That’s not what I said at all. What’s wrong with you? Stop being such an asshole.”
The tension in my neck was almost unbearable, and a vise grip clenched around my head. “Look, I’m sorry. I’m frustrated with the situation.”
“Raiden, if you haven’t noticed, we all are. Try doing this with an eleven-month-old. It sucks and scares the shit out of me.”
It was quite an ordeal for them to move. Every time they did, it wasn’t just packing a bag. They had all that baby equipment to gather up too.
“You’re right. I am an ass. And I am terrible when things are out of my control. I apologize.” I gave him a man hug. “I’ll try to improve.”
“Good, because you’re making it harder on everyone when you act like this class A jerk.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Worse.”
“Shit. Sorry, man.”
“You need to apologize to Mom and Dad, too.”
Everyone was congregating by their respective vehicles, so I went over to my parents and apologized. “Sorry for acting like such an idiot.”
Mom grabbed both my shoulders. “You need to get a grip on yourself. This is a rough time for everyone, not just you. We understand how worried you are about your Scottie, but you make it harder for everyone.”
My Scottie, huh? Mom was right. I considered her mine. “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll get rid of the jackass, I promise.”
Dad scowled but nodded. He was pissed off. I’d acted like a dick and he had every right to be angry.
Acer came around to each driver and told us where we were staying and which route each of us should take.
“Ace, I need to stop by Drex’s first so I’ll be a little late.”
Everyone set off, and I went back to Drex’s place.
When he let me in, he asked, “Is this going to be a civil visit, or do I need to put on my boxing gloves?”
“No gloves. I’m here to apologize.”
He opened the door wider so I could enter. Then I explained how sorry I was.
“Sit.”
We both sat in the expansive living area and talked.
“Gem and Scottie are safe. I talk to Gem every day, but I do not know where they are. That’s the truth.”
“Can you at least tell me why they left?”
When Drex gave you one of his serious looks, he made you feel as though you were at the other end of a laser target. That’s how I felt, as though he was aiming a weapon at me.
“Scottie was targeted, and it wasn’t safe for her here anymore.”
“Fuck.”
“Do not repeat this to anyone. Understand?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you regret knowing?”
“Not sure yet. I traded frustration for anxiety. Can’t tell which one is worse.”
“I can ease your anxiety for now. They’re safe. That’s why they’re not here. They’re both traveling under aliases and using burners.”
“That’s a relief.”
He chuckled. “You think I’d let my wife go gallivanting around the globe without a safe cover?”
“Now that you mention it, no.”
“One other thing. Gemini knows everything about staying safe that I do. And she’s as shrewd as a fox. Add to that, Scottie’s experience, and I’m close to being one hundred percent sure the two of them can outsmart anyone.”
“But they’re women,” I argued.
His brows shot up. “Oh, man. Never let the two of them hear you say such sexist bullshit. They’ll both have you by the balls so fast you’ll never sit again.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. All I meant was my parents raised me to protect women.”
“Raiden, who are you trying to convince? That was the most sexist thing you could’ve possibly said. I’ll give you some advice. If you have the least bit of interest in anything long term with Scottie, or any woman for that matter, you’d better get that protective bullshit out of your head. Women can and will take care of themselves. Most can do a damn better job of it than you can. Who do you think saved your ass and took a bullet for you in the apartment that night?”
“That’s what I’m trying to avoid a repeat of. I don’t want her to get hurt again. What I said came out wrong. I was raised to respect and honor women. And to protect them at all costs. With Scottie, I feel so inferior because I have no ability to do that.”
“She’s not interested in someone to protect her. She knows how to do that on her own. I believe she wants someone who looks at her as an equal. Until you can do that, you’ll have a tough time with her.”
“I look at her as an equal. No, I look at her as one up from me.”
“Maybe that’s your problem. Get her off that pedestal you’ve placed her on. Start treating her like an equal. Then you’ll be on even footing.”
“I don’t know how to do that.”
“It’s easy. Treat her like a man. Except send her flowers and do pleasant things for her.”
Treat her like a man? That was ludicrous. “Are you trying to get me tossed in the dog house permanently?”
“What do you mean?”
“If I treated Scottie like a man, I’d be up a shit creek without a paddle.”
“Okay, I didn’t mean that in a literal sense, you idiot. Where are your fucking brains lately? All I meant was, treat her like you would a male co-worker. How’s that?”
“So, no rude comments, then?” I smirked.
“You are such a dick.”
“I know.”
“I can’t believe I even had to have this conversation w
ith you. Did you learn nothing about women?”
“Honestly, I never cared. I only wanted one thing from them and as soon as I had my fill, I was on to the next one.”
“Sounds like the real thing has bitten you in the ass.”
I shrugged. “I know this. I’ve never worried or missed a woman before Scottie. She’s changed the way I think about things.”
“You’d better get a hold of how you think about women in general or you’ll lose her, Raiden. The woman I know won’t put up with any bullshit from you. Gemini and I had our headbutts at first. I was and still am a controlling son of a bitch, but we’ve learned to compromise on things. You must figure out a way to do that with her. Strong women or most women today won’t even give you a second chance with an attitude like yours. And you know something? They shouldn’t. Women and men should be treated the same. Let me ask you something. Do you pay your women employees the same as your men in the same roles?”
“Yes! Why wouldn’t I?”
“Just checking.”
“I’m not that kind of an asshole. Ask my admin. When I get out of order, she tells it like it is and pulls in the reins.”
“Okay, fine. I only hope Scottie does the same.”
I laughed because of the last argument we had. “Believe me, she does.”
Drex grinned. “I bet the two of them have had some great conversations about you while they’ve been away.”
“Why do women have to talk so much?”
“They’re much better at problem solving than men, that’s why.”
I grunted out my response of, “Thanks a lot. Just the answer I was seeking.”
He howled out a laugh.
“I’d better be going. They’ll wonder where I am. We have to hunt down another place to stay.”
“Right. I emailed a couple places I found to Acer. Check them out.”
I held out my hand. “Thanks for the chat.”
“Any time.”
“I have a feeling I’ll be having more of these with you.”
I heard his laugh as I left. As I started the engine, I remembered I’d forgotten to ask about the mission. Damn. I’d have to do that later. Acer would send out a posse on me if I didn’t get back soon.
Between the time I’d left Drex’s and the time I checked into the hotel, all hell had broken loose.
Raiden: A Stand Alone, Irish Mob Crime Romance (The Kent Brothers Book 2) Page 16