I nod because I can’t bring myself to open my mouth or else all my words are going to come spilling out.
“Let’s talk about something happy. Remember your father’s first wedding?” I say.
Evan laughs loudly.
“I wasn’t there, but I heard it was quite the scene. Apparently, my father was so drunk after they finished the vows he fell right off the platform they were on,” Evan laughs.
“Olivia didn’t know about me then,” Evan adds.
“I can’t picture your dad doing that,” I laugh.
“He normally doesn’t get that drunk, but when you’re about to make a huge mistake, I guess you have to get that drunk,” Evan notes.
“Did you ever wonder why your father married Olivia?” I ask.
“Not really, I just assumed it was the alcohol talking,” Evan shrugs.
“Well, your dad seems smarter than that. To marry a woman he’s known three months, and then…” I stop talking.
“What? What did you figure out?” Evan begs for my answer.
“Olivia blackmailed your father into marrying him,” I explain.
“That’s the only way he would’ve done that! You’re right!” Evan’s eyes suddenly light up.
“Think about it - he’s got a kid; he’s looking for Ava; he doesn’t have time for marriage. Then suddenly he gets married, and decides to hide me from his wife? And Olivia is one of the benefactors that helped Elizabeth start ISA,” Evan continues.
“Oh, my God!” I gasp.
“Why didn’t he tell me?” Evan asks.
“Probably to protect you. It’s just a crazy theory anyway, Evan, but we’ll have to ask him when…" I start to say.
Before I can get another word out, three men come to us with Uzi’s drawn, and I know we’re toast.
“Get up!” one of the men orders.
He roughly manhandles me to my feet.
Evan and I stand side by side.
One man conceals his face.
I can’t see who he is.
Who cares?
I’m about to die anyway!
This is it!
“Leigha…” Evan starts.
“Evan, I’m sorry, I’m not mad. I get it. I know Vic was the one for you, and I’m not going to fault you for that,” I say with tears in my eyes.
“No,” Evan shakes his head.
He turns to face me, and I face him with tears streaming down my cheeks.
“I love you, Leigha, don’t forget that. I love you and care about you more than anyone I’ve ever cared about, and I’m so sorry this is how it ends,” Evan says.
“Evan,” is all I can say.
“It’s going to be alright,” he whispers.
“Ready!” One of the guards says.
“Aim!” He continues.
The two guards aim their Uzis at us, and I close my eyes.
“We’re together Leigha, it’ll be alright,” are Evan’s last words.
25
Evan
March 18, 2018
I hear gunshots with my eyes closed, but somehow, I’m still standing.
“Open your eyes, you two idiots!” Merc’s voice booms.
“Merc! Thank God!” Leigha gasps.
“Come here, I’ll get those off you,” Merc says.
He undoes Leigha’s cuffs first, and then unlocks mine.
I rub my wrists as Leigha sobs into Merc’s arms.
“I thought we were dead!” she cries.
“Come on! There’s a boat waiting a few miles away, and I’ve got scuba gear stashed for the three of us,” Merc says.
“How did you escape?” I ask.
“I followed Elizabeth, and I just followed her and followed her. Levi is fine. He knows I’m going to bring you two home,” Merc says.
Leigha wraps her arms around Merc and holds him close, before dragging me in for the hug as well.
We hold each other, Leigha in the middle, Merc and I on either side.
It feels so right for the three of us to be together again.
Merc cuts the moment short because we don’t have a lot of time.
It takes time to get into a wetsuit, pull the gear on, check that everything is working, and make sure we’re safe.
I’m sure someone is going to come looking for us at any moment.
Leigha holds her fins in her hands as Merc moves to one of the loading doors.
He opens it, and we’re further from the water’s surface than I’d prefer.
Probably twenty feet…
It’s also the middle of the night.
“Come on!” he urges.
He’s already got his fins on, and just hops over the edge, and drops into the water with a loud splash.
Leigha hurries, but she pauses at the open door.
The water is choppy, and the wind is fierce.
“Together,” I tell her.
I take her hand, and we jump.
There is a long fall, and a huge splash, and then I’m surprised at how cold the water is.
I realize I don’t even know what day it is.
I need to relax, however.
Leigha floats a few feet away from me, fiddling with the flashlight in her hands.
She’s a natural.
Composed and controlled.
Merc’s a few feet away, and we swim towards him.
It’s a long, arduous process as we swim the mile or so to the boat.
That’s when I notice something.
What about the suction from the ship?
Why has it stopped?
It’s eerie down here; nothing but black around us, under the water.
Fish avoid our lights.
Being in the ocean at night actually calms me.
The longer we swim, the more comfortable I get, and part of me wants to spend more time down here.
I’ve always loved diving, but I’ve never been in the ocean like this at night.
When we reach the motorboat, I almost don’t want to get out.
But, a shower of bullets makes me scramble into the boat, just after Leigha, before our driver jets off and out of reach of the shots.
“They had dropped anchor for the night,” Merc explains.
“It was only a matter of time before they figured out what happened,” he continues.
“Oh, God!” Leigha gasps, as she sees Aidan in the driver’s seat.
She drops all her gear and strips down to her underwear in the cold, as Merc hands her a blanket.
“Did you guys really think we were going to leave you for dead?” Aidan asks.
“Yeah, yeah we did,” Leigha says breathlessly.
I’m just so relieved that I can’t say anything.
“Where are we?” I ask
“We’re near Fiji,” Aidan explains.
“The shipping line was luckily close enough that we could grab you,” Aidan says.
“Do you think that was planned?” Leigha asks.
“Yes,” Aidan says.
“That’s why we’re going to Hawaii. We’ll catch a flight out of Fiji,” Merc says.
Hawaii.
Leigha remains silent as the motorboat reaches a more massive mega-yacht, and we board.
That’s when I realize it’s my father’s mega-yacht.
That can only mean one thing.
I hear a crying baby.
Sebastian.
We all sit around the dinner table after having eaten.
Leigha and I tried not to push since we don’t know the last time we’ve eaten.
No use in being rescued only to get sick.
“What day is it even?” Leigha asks.
“March the eighteenth,” Tinsley answers.
She’s sitting beside my father, quietly feeding Sebastian from a bottle.
“I’m going to repeat it. You really didn’t have to come all the way to Fiji to rescue us,” I tell my father.
“Nonsense, family sticks together,” he replies.
“It was Athena’
s idea,” Tinsley adds.
“For you to come?” I ask.
Tinsley shakes her head.
“She noticed how close the shipping line was to Fiji, and she figured out how to rescue you,” Tinsley explains.
I’m not surprised.
“Yeah, she was a huge help. She noticed it and figured it was probably planned for your bodies to wash up in Fiji, to send a message. We had other plans,” Aidan says.
“Well thank you, thank you all for not leaving us,” Leigha says.
She’s still shaking slightly.
Now that she’s in fresh clothes, and warm, she’s still a little shell-shocked that we almost died.
“We’re safe now, together,” I tell her.
“I know, I just… I’ve never faced death like that before. I really thought that was it,” Leigha explains.
“It really opens your eyes, when you’re sure death is on your door, and you survive by the skin of your teeth,” Merc says.
I’m sure he’s been through plenty of those situations.
“Merc, you saved us, I will be eternally grateful for that,” I tell him.
“I couldn’t have done it alone,” Merc says.
“You’ve got an amazing family, Evan,” he adds.
“Merc, you are part of our family,” Noah Stone rumbles.
“You’ve done more than enough for us; how could you not be family to us?” he asks.
Merc nods, emotionless.
“I appreciate that, Noah,” Merc says.
“So, why Hawaii?” I ask.
“We have some property there. I’ve put heavy security in place. I think it’s time we all took a breather from chasing after Elizabeth, just for a few days. Who knows, maybe she’ll come to us?” my father laughs.
I don’t want to relax.
I want to fight.
I want to kill.
I want to see my mother’s face when we bring down her whole operation.
Leigha and Tinsley start chatting about the baby, and I excuse myself to go outside.
At the rail, it’s cold.
But I like the cold now, it reminds me that I’m alive.
“What’s on your mind, Evan?” Merc asks.
He’s followed me.
“I just don’t want to relax,” I say.
“Don’t worry Evan, we will find Elizabeth. We just have to catch her by surprise. There’s no use in chasing her all over the world if she’s one step ahead. Levi and Aidan were just saying that we have to figure out who’s behind this. She’s doing all this work for someone,” Merc explains.
“You want to bring down the Ventrettis?” I ask.
“The man behind the Ventrettis,” Merc says.
“What?” I ask bewildered.
“Someone is controlling the Ventrettis behind the scenes, and it’s not Michael Bishop. Bishop just thinks he has control of the Ventrettis, but he’s answering to someone. You really think the Italian mob is going to be controlled by someone who isn’t Italian? Dream on, Evan. Someone is telling them what to do, and we need to find out who,” Merc explains.
“Any leads?” I ask.
“None, and the agency is working overtime on this. They’re going through every organization trying to find any connection, as weak as it might be, to the Ventrettis,” he explains.
“And the Donato mafia?” I ask.
“Elizabeth just trades with them, and, as far as I’m concerned, the Donato crime family is just one of her contacts,” Merc says.
“They’re old school too, so I doubt they would have anything to do with this Ventretti mess,” Merc adds.
“Well damn, I guess we just have to wait then?” I ask.
“It’s a waiting game, for sure. In the meantime, don’t make me have to rescue you, all over again. Elizabeth is dangerous, and whenever she’s around bad things happen. You need to wait, Evan. Do you understand me?” Merc asks.
“Yes,” I lie.
“Evan, I know you’re lying,” Leigha says.
Merc and I both look back at Leigha standing behind us.
“He is lying, isn’t he?” Merc laughs.
“Yes,” Leigha says.
“Evan, just wait. Don’t get killed over something that could be done an easier way. Now that your mother knows we’ve got more power behind us she’s bound to back off to come up with a better plan. I bet she retreated to the South African compound before we were even rescued,” Leigha adds.
“She’s right,” Merc says.
I know Merc’s people have probably been tracking Elizabeth for years, to the best of their abilities anyway.
She’s sly, that one.
Merc goes to take a nap, since we’re still a few hours out from Fiji, but Leigha and I stand at the rail together.
“Evan, about what you said, don’t worry about it. We were both about to die, people always say things they don’t mean when they’re about to die,” Leigha says quickly.
“Leigha…” I’m taken aback.
I meant what I said.
It’s clear that I love Leigha, and it’s clear that we’re always pulled back together.
I meant it.
Now, she wants me to forget this?
I don’t know what her reasoning is, but I know I have no choice but to agree.
“Okay,” I nod somberly.
“I don’t want you to think that I expect anything, because I don’t. Not yet anyway, Evan. This whole mess needs to be cleared up before we can even think about us,” she explains.
“So, there’s an ‘us’?” I ask tentatively.
“Maybe in the future. I don’t know,” Leigha admits.
I know she’s telling the truth.
I wonder if she’s so hesitant because I’m ready to jump in head first.
Maybe it’s too soon?
I need to talk to my father.
He’s inside, reading a newspaper from England.
“What’s in the news?” I ask.
“You married Leigha?” my father asks.
“What?” I stutter.
He points to a headline in the paper, grinning.
“Stones Have Big Rocks for Their Ladies” is printed in four-point bold letters.
“No! It was just a stupid tourist thing! We were trying to blend in!” I ask.
He shows me the pages he was reading.
There’s pictures of Leigha, Levi, and I.
The ring on Leigha’s finger is undeniable.
What’s glaringly loud is the sub-headline.
“Evan Stone Finds Love After Heartbreak” it reads.
“I’m so stupid,” I say, sagging onto the couch beside him.
“Yes, you were,” my father scolds me.
“Can’t you just tell them it’s a misprint or something like that?” I ask.
“She’s wearing bloody fucking rings, Evan! It’s not something that can be undone easily,” my father snaps at me.
“That was irresponsible!” he growls angrily.
“No! That was me trying to find my mother without being ambushed and…” I begin, but he cuts me off.
“Look how that turned out!” My father roars.
Leigha, who has just entered the room, looks startled.
“What’s going on?” she asks slowly.
“Apparently Alfonso, the tour guide, was working for my mother,” I tell her.
When I hand her the paper Leigha’s eyes go wide.
“I’ve got to go call my father, and tell him this is a mistake, that I’m not married!” she gasps.
My father immediately hands her his phone and Leigha steps back into the kitchen to make the call.
I doubt her father even heard of it, holed up in Canada.
“You’ve ruined that girl’s life,” my father tells me.
“No, I haven’t Dad. We really do care about each other, a lot,” I tell him.
“Evan, you’re not over Victoire,” my father insists.
“I’m not completely over her, no. But, this is so
mething else. I’ve never felt like this, secure in how I actually feel about a woman. With Victoire, I was never sure that she wanted me. I know Leigha, and she knows me. She’s seen every ugly part of me, taken it in stride and she’s still standing. We’re both still standing, Dad, and that means something!” I rage at him.
“It means nothing,” my father tells me.
“What about you and Tinsley?” I ask.
“That’s different,” he says, dismissively.
I am shocked.
“You’re full of shit!” I yell.
He looks stunned.
“You just don’t want to admit that, maybe, I’m right for once! That I can think clearly about this! Leigha and I are obviously not going to jump into anything too fast, but for fucks’ sake, it’s like you’re not even listening!” I scream.
He looks hard at me, his fists balled.
Then, he relaxes, willing himself to tone it down.
He runs a hand through his hair, and I am again reminded of an older version of Levi.
“Because you are a boy, Evan! You are a boy, and you have no idea what you’re talking about,” my father says calmly.
I look around and wonder if Leigha heard us.
“You just don’t want to see me in a healthy relationship,” I tell my dad.
“Evan, that’s not it,” my father says calmly.
“Yeah well, maybe you just don’t get me at all. Maybe because you were never there when I was growing up,” I spit back at him.
My father doesn’t even look hurt.
“Go calm down, we’ll talk about this later,” he says as he dismisses me.
He sits back down with the paper, ignoring me.
I take my best shot.
“At least I didn’t marry a woman who blackmailed me into it. Dad,” I spit out.
Noah Stone looks up from the paper.
I can’t read his expression at all.
He goes back to pretending to read it, and I notice his hands are trembling, slightly.
Then, I leave.
Part III
26
Leigha
March 18, 2018
On my way to find somewhere to lay down, I get lost on Noah’s mega yacht, and instead, I find Merc.
“Hey,” Merc says.
There’s that handsome, devilish smile I’ve missed for so long.
Secret: A Stone Billionaire Series Novel (The Stone Billionaire Series Book 5) Page 16