by Nicole Vidal
After scanning the room, Connor scoots his chair even closer to mine and takes my hand beneath the table. “I don’t have adequate words to express how much I appreciate this.”
I bring my lips near his ear even though I’m sure no one is listening nor do they care. “Thank you for not pushing for details. Ideally, I won’t need Jake’s help soon.”
“I look forward to that too. I love you, Calliope, and I’m grateful Mickey was incompetent and you fired him.”
“I love you. It was the first decision I’ve made about my security in a long time. I’m glad I did it too.” I brush my lips across his as our server approaches the table.
“What can I get for you?” She’s a college-age girl with long, brunette hair twisted into a braid down her back. Her eyes stay glued to Connor. Can’t say I blame her.
“Get whatever you want, sweetheart. Then we need to discuss how many bedrooms we need for our family.” Connor smiles brightly at our server.
Apparently, she got the message as her attention shifts to me and I place my order. Bethany, as her name tag indicates, takes Connor’s order and scurries away.
“I’m perfectly secure in our relationship that she can stare as long as she wants.” I lean into him.
He shakes his head. “That’s great, but if our server were a man, I would be making it even more obvious that you’re mine.”
“I really love that—being yours.”
“I do too since that also makes me yours.”
Connor leans over and kisses me again. When I pull back, I see Jake smirk and Maia smiling at us. From where we are, I can’t see Christoph. Alex and Finn stayed at the hotel to prepare for our flight this evening. Bethany returns with two waters and two coffees, then promptly walks away.
We enjoy sitting here at this cute patisserie featured in a movie of the same name chatting about nothing overly important. It’s a nice shift from this morning and even our discussions at the hotel about my safety. Bethany returns with our monstrous sundaes, two spoons, and a stack of napkins in case we need them.
I scoop a dollop of the whipped cream and savor it. I notice that Connor isn’t digging into his ice cream creation. “What’s wrong?” I follow his gaze over to Jake. He’s scowling at his phone.
“I know that look. He got more information. We need to leave.” Connor gets Maia’s attention and gives her a credit card.
I shake my head.
“What?” Connor asks.
“It isn’t important right now. I promise.”
Maia pays the bill on my surprise date with Connor’s credit card. Then we quickly move to the exit and into the car.
Chapter Forty One
Connor
The silent language I share with Jake has gotten our clients away from danger more than once, including Norah. Jake was concerned that the Morettis were following him rather than her. We had Maia and Norah dress similarly, and I escorted Norah to her meeting with the FBI instead of Jake. His gut is rarely wrong, and his facial expression and clenched fist are telling me he doesn’t like the information he’s reading.
With Maia in front of us, we move toward the front entrance. Christoph falls in behind us while Jake has already started the car. My concern level ticks up a bit more. Once Calliope is settled between Christoph and me in the back seat, Jake pulls away from the curb.
“Callie, who handles your flights and hotel reservations?” Jake asks.
Her shoulders slump. “Bruce handles my air transportation, and I selected all the accommodations for the tour. I booked the hotel for this trip myself not through the tour.”
“Who knows where you’re staying?”
I don’t like the edge to Jake’s voice. Something happened at the hotel, and he’s concerned about her flight to Atlanta.
I set my hand on her leg, which is bouncing up and down. She gets fidgety when she’s worried or anxious. Her leg stops bouncing, but she’s still vibrating with concerns. “For this trip, Olivia and Madeleine. I suppose Bruce could know if either Madeleine or Olivia spoke with him. What aren’t you telling me?”
I tighten my grip on her thigh. She casts a look over at me. She’s questioning her ability to trust the people closest to her right now.
“Kellerman and Kincaid were spotted at your hotel. Could it be a coincidence? Perhaps. I don’t believe in them, especially when it pertains to a client’s safety. Additionally, Blaine tracked two suspicious deposits into Bruce’s personal checking account last night totaling ten thousand dollars.”
“What about my flights?” Calliope asks Jake.
“Bruce sent detailed information about your flights from New York to Atlanta to an encrypted recipient. Blaine is still working on finding out who owns the email account,” Jake replies.
Calliope balls up her fists and is likely digging her nails into her palms. I turn her knees toward me before grabbing each fist and opening her hands, covering them with mine.
“Callie, can you contact Olivia and authorize her to allow payment for new flight with Pemberton Airlines?”
“Yes.”
I hand her my phone, and she calls Olivia.
“Hey, Liv, I need you to authorize a new flight from New York to Atlanta for me through Pemberton Airlines.”
“Are you safe, Cal?”
She sighs. “Yes, I’m fine. There are some concerns with the airline and my itinerary. Please don’t share this change with anyone, especially Bruce.”
“Of course.”
She takes a deep breath and composes her next sentence. I’ve seen this look once before. My powerhouse businesswoman is about to take control again. She’s fierce and sexy as hell when she makes impactful decisions for her career. “Liv, please draft a termination packet for Bruce effective as soon as you can get it done.”
“Are you sure about this, Cal? I don’t normally question your business decisions, but he has been your manager since day one.”
“Thanks, Liv. Yes, I’m sure. This isn’t the first instance of concern for me since the tour started. I’ll work with Madeleine after Atlanta to find a new manager if we feel one is necessary.”
“Consider it done.” Calliope ends the call and lifts her gaze to me. A small smile curls at the edge of her lips.
“Well done,” I whisper.
She nods, hands me my phone, and retakes my hand. I overhear Jake talking to Cash Morgan. He’s a client and owner of Pemberton Airlines. The question is going to be how long it’ll take for a pilot from Pemberton to get here. Once Jake ends his with Cash, he pulls over and he starts giving out instructions.
“C, call Finn and have him clear out of the hotel and meet us at the Morgan’s. Christoph and Maia, I will order an Uber for you. Go and secure the location. Once we’re settled there, we’ll figure out how to handle this situation. Lt. Cruz may or may not beat you there.”
“Roger. Did Cash add all of us to the guest list? I think Callie and Alex need to be added,” Christoph informs Jake.
“All set. Cash added a blanket permission for anyone from Blackthorne or with Blackthorne Security. The concierge’s name is Arthur.”
“Thanks. I remember,” Christoph assures him. Maia and Christoph hop out of the vehicle, and Jake pulls away from the curb.
I glance at Calliope. She’s deep in thought again. I’m confident she’s cataloguing and questioning every interaction with Bruce over the last six months or so. “This isn’t your fault.”
She shakes her head. “It is, at least partially.”
“How so?”
“He’s my manager. I hired him. I trusted him to meet his contract requirements and nondisclosure agreement. He violated both. I have no reason to question the information Blaine found. But why? Why now? Sure, I decreased his responsibilities, but I didn’t cut his pay, benefits, or his insurance.”
“You may never know why. Money is a keen motivator for most people. Plus, his wife took half of his assets in the divorce. Maybe the draw of extra money was too strong this time.” I lif
t her hand to my lips.
Jake is driving along while monitoring his messages. We aren’t that far from Cash’s penthouse. Thankfully, he kept this home when he moved to Maine. Cash uses it when he’s in town for Pemberton as well as offers it to Blackthorne or other family members as needed.
After receiving an all-clear message from Maia, we pull into the parking garage of Cash’s building. With Calliope between us, we move to the elevator that leads to the lobby.
I stay with Calliope near the elevator while Jake checks the lobby.
“Mr. Blackthorne, pleasure to see you again,” Arthur croons as Jake enters the open double foyer.
“Hello, Arthur. Thank you for your expedient assistance. All clear, C.”
I move into the lobby with Calliope tucked against me.
“You’re welcome. Lt. Cruz, Christoph, Maia, Finn, and Alex are already here. Connor, nice to see you again.”
I nod. “You as well. Arthur, please meet Callie Sutton.”
He extends his hand to Calliope. “Pleasure to meet you. I saw your performance earlier today. Your voice is spectacular.”
A slight blush creeps into her cheeks. “Thank you.”
“We will need to order some food while we’re here. Please send it right up,” Jake informs Arthur.
“Will do.”
Jake acknowledges his response before we ride up to Cash’s penthouse. Cruz is in the kitchen on the phone when we arrive.
“Yes, thank you.” Cruz ends his call and greets us. “Hey, guys. Great to see you both.”
“Cruz, this is Callie Sutton. Callie, Cruz. He served with us in the Army,” Jake introduces them.
Cruz extends his hand to her. “Pleasure to meet you. Your performance this morning was stunning.”
“Thank you.” Little by little she’s learning to handle accolades for her voice as herself. It’s wonderful to see it happen. “Where is the restroom?”
“Down that hall. First door on the left,” I reply. She walks away.
“Yours?” Cruz directs the question to me.
“Yes.” Without question, without reservation, without limitation, Calliope Sutton is mine.
He nods. Jake pulls the menu from the island drawer and orders food from Romano’s. It’s a nearby family restaurant and the food is outstanding.
We join the rest of the team assembled on the terrace. It’s a bit larger than my rooftop patio. Before we start hashing out a plan, Calliope joins us as well. Her skin is a bit pale. I catch her eye and ask without words if she’s okay. She nods tightly and takes a seat in a rattan chair with her legs drawn against her chest. I would give almost anything to be able to comfort her right now. If I touch her, I won’t be focused on the plan to protect her.
“Calliope is originally scheduled to leave from Jones private airfield in three hours. We can only surmise that Kellerman, Kincaid, or both will be there waiting for her. They must know someone who works there,” I reiterate to the team.
“What are our options?” Jake asks aloud.
“For starters, she isn’t leaving here,” Maia asserts.
Calliope glares at her. Maia is right though. Calliope isn’t going to the airport for her original flight. She’s staying here. Even more, she isn’t going to like I’m leaving her here. In fact, I know she’ll be pissed at me. I’ll handle her wrath for her safety without question.
“Can’t we use the same tactic that we used for Norah’s Boston meeting with the FBI?” Christoph suggests.
“Keep talking,” Jake instructs.
“Either Alex without tall heels and a wig or Maia with tall heels and a wig could pass as Carys.”
“No,” Calliope says empathically. She uncurls her legs and stands.
All six sets of eyes turn in her direction. “No what?” Jake asks, which surprises me. Generally, the client has no input about handling their security.
If she’s intimidated, it isn’t showing. “Carys isn’t here. I am.”
She’s absolutely right. The whole point of this trip was for her to sing as herself.
“She’s right,” I tell Jake.
“She is. Keep going, Christoph.”
Calliope nods at him.
“So Maia with a blonde wig would go to the airport as Callie, along with Connor, myself, or Finn, and Cruz as if we’re leaving as scheduled. I suggest that Alex stays here so there’s only one woman at the airport. It will help sell the disguise. If Kellerman or Kincaid are present, we can deal with them. If they aren’t, we can simply wait for her actual flight or come back here.”
“That could work. Callie isn’t in any danger, and we can handle the breach without press at the airport.” Jake looks in his direction. “Any additions, Cruz?”
“No, Christoph’s plan is solid. I’ll put local backup on standby staged close enough if either Kellerman or Kincaid are on site at the airport.”
I have been fully engaged in this strategy session with my mind and my ears. My heart, well that’s an entirely different story. I’m in the exact position as Jake was last year with Norah. Leaving her with Jake is going to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. The sound of the intercom pulls my attention inside.
“The food is here,” I announce and move toward the door and accept the food from Arthur. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
I make two trips to the kitchen island with armfuls of food and inform the team on the terrace to come inside.
Jake nods. “We leave in one hour. C, can I have a word in private?”
I hang back with Jake until everyone leaves, including Calliope. Her expression may look blank to everyone else, but I see the turmoil brewing in her eyes.
“I need you to stay with her,” I say before Jake utters a word.
“I know. Would you prefer Christoph or Finn?”
I consider the options and whether Finn was with Calliope outside of the hotel. “Christoph makes the most sense considering Finn was never with Calliope outside the hotel, right?” Bruce has never met Finn or Alex. If for some reason he is present or provided deeper information, nothing would be amiss.
Jake nods in agreement. “Okay. Are you sure you can handle this?”
I raise an eyebrow to him. “She is everything. I’ll be fine if she’s with you. I know you will protect her for me.”
“I will. You should eat.”
I shake my head. “I need to talk to her first.”
“If she’s anything like Norah, you need to be straight with her.”
“About what?”
“The potential danger of confronting these two. We still don’t know their motive. We know Bruce’s but not theirs. I will protect her for you.”
“Thanks, Jake. Could you send her out here?”
He nods and walks inside. Focusing on handling her security won’t be difficult if I know she’s safely here with Jake. I will do this for her. Then we can move forward with our life without security concerns.
Chapter Forty Two
Calliope
I’m learning increasingly each day that I need to trust my gut. When I demoted Bruce, niggling in the back of my mind was the idea it wasn’t enough. I should have listened. Admittedly, he hired Blackthorne, but the instant he wanted to remove them after a few days should have given me pause for more than removing his duties. I should have asked why he wanted to make the change in the first place. Why were the other firms changed?
We assemble at someone’s gorgeous home in the heart of the Big Apple, planning how to safely get me out of the city and to my next tour stop. I’m sure they know how to handle my situation. I’m questioning the people in my tight circle. Is it even safe for me to trust anyone I knew before Connor? I’ll know soon enough if Olivia is trustworthy.
Jake approaches me in the kitchen. I’m scooping some pasta onto a dish. “Callie, Connor wants to talk with you.”
“Sure.” I finish plating the food and carry it with me to the terrace. It’s for him, not me. When I step outside, I d
on’t immediately see him.
“Over here, gorgeous.” Connor is sitting in a mostly private corner of the terrace.
“Eat.” I set the plate beside him.
“Thank you. Where’s yours?” He takes a few bites of the pasta.
I shake my head. “I can’t eat right now. I will, I promise. I need to sort out my issues with this whole situation and how I ended up here. I mean, the same person who hired Blackthorne Security made you necessary. I should have fired him when I demoted him.”
“Loyalty is important in business and in life. He earned that. Other than poorly choosing your security firm before, you had no reason to question his judgement. Now you do.”
“I should have asked more questions. I only know what Bruce told me about the other three firms. Were they really drinking on the job? Did the second firm truly quit? Can you find out for sure?”
“Yes, but what will that information tell you?” His voice washes over me. Despite the situation, it’s calming.
“If I’m a poor a judge of character. Did you already check out Madeleine and Olivia?”
He slowly sets the fork onto the now empty plate. Either I didn’t get him enough or he was hungry already. “You aren’t, beautiful. I think his circumstances and the temptation of money made him betray you. Yes, I checked them out. Your trust in them isn’t misplaced.”
“Thank you. Can I?” He opens his arms to me, and I curl into them, setting my head on his shoulder. “You’re leaving me here with Jake.” It’s a statement, not a question.
He closes his eyes and exhales slowly. The warmth of his breath sends shivers down my spine. “I need to. He will protect you for me. I trust no one more than him to keep you safe.”
“I know. It makes sense in here”—I point to my head—“but here isn’t getting the message”—and then my heart.
His hold on me tightens even more. It’s almost enough for me to grasp my situation. “Please listen to Jake. Don’t do anything rash. I will come back to you.”