by Jillian Neal
Garrett rolled his eyes again.
“That’s a pretty good description of me.You got anything else?”
“He had more tattoos than you,” Fergus offered hopefully. Garrett had numerous tattoos covering his upper arms, back, and chest; Tribal symbols, the Ioses crest, and a massive dragon, to name just a few.
Garrett nodded his understanding.
“What were the tattoos of?” He let his hand slip to Chloe’s backside.
“I don’t really remember, but they were the kind that go from here to here,” Fergus started with his wrists and ended at his neck.
“Sleeves. Do you remember anything else?” Fergus thought for a long moment, but then shook his head. “What’d the stuff he give you look like?”
Rainer stepped in. “It was chalky yellow, melted at a pretty high temperature. I had to drop it before I could evaporate it. It was definitely Ecstasy.”
Garrett looked both pleased and impressed as he nodded and gave Rainer a smile.
“Ah, Venequae; very big seller.” He shook his head and gave Fergus a knowing smirk.
“So let me guess,” he continued to goad, “your heart’s racing, can’t stop sweating, can’t take a piss, and having a hell of a time with the pup tent?”
Chloe looked disgusted, but didn’t comment. Fergus turned the color of a beet before nodding.
“You’ll be fine in a few days. Drink lots of water. Try to get some sleep, keep eating, and don’t be an idiot and try to score more. It’ll be out of your system in about forty-eight hours,” Garrett informed him knowledgeably.
“Two days?” Fergus was stunned.
“Hey, you’re the idiot who took it!”
“Yeah, ok,” Fergus slumped over further in his chair. Garrett patted Chloe’s thigh, and gave her a decidedly wanton grin.
“Let’s get outta here, and get on the beach, baby.”
Chloe stood, and Garrett followed her. He seemed to consider before he slapped Fergus on the back rather hard. Fergus winced in pain.
Garrett chuckled before he laced his fingers with Chloe’s. “Yep, Venequae’s a bitch.”
“Call us if you need us,” Logan offered. “But don’t need us, ‘cause we’re heading home.”
Fergus nodded. He looked a little green, and was attempting to rub the spot on his back that Garrett had just slapped. He thanked Rainer and Logan again as they turned to follow Garrett and Chloe outside.
“Why did you hit him like that?” Chloe quizzed as soon as the door was closed.
“Every time someone touches you when you're on Venequae, it amplifies the touch. That’s why people take it before they hop into bed, but it can obviously backfire.”
He gestured back to the house. Logan and Rainer shared a worried glance. As angry as he was with Fergus, Logan had hit him with a great deal of force the night before, for what he’d said about Adeline.
After tossing Rainer the keys, Logan dodged the cameras that followed them, and sank into the passenger’s seat of the Mustang.
“That must’ve hurt like hell,” Rainer cranked the engine, and watched the reporters and cameramen disperse rapidly.
“Yeah and I’d feel bad...” Logan quipped, “if Adeline hadn’t cried all the way home last night.”
Rainer offered him a sorrowful look. “I’m sorry, man, that’s rough.”
Logan nodded, but stared steadfastly out the passenger side window, and Rainer knew he didn’t want to talk about it.
Two police cars were parked across the street to keep the press away when they arrived at the beach house.
Emily ran into Rainer’s arms as soon as he entered. He lifted her off the floor in his exuberant embrace.
“Aww,” Chloe swooned.
Emily’s eyes goggled as Rainer set her down.
“Uh… hi, Chloe,” Emily stammered.
“Hey,” Chloe offered sweetly. “I was just telling Rainer that I can‘t wait to see your tryout next weekend.”
“Oh,” Emily flushed and seemed to have lost her breath. “Well, I’m really excited...and really nervous.”
Chloe scoffed.“Don’t be nervous. You’ll be great. You were our top pick out of the Academy this year.”
Delight lit Emily’s eyes as she nodded and reached to squeeze Rainer’s hand, biting her lip excitedly.
“If my baby brother and sister would get outta here, we could start our weekend.” Garrett ordered.
Chloe hit his chest playfully. “Be nice.”
Emily was still staring up at Chloe like she’d never seen anything quite so amazing.
“Yeah, yeah,” Logan huffed. “We’ll get out. I think we’re going to look for a place to rent today anyway.”
Garrett laughed. “Mom and Dad have a few of their rentals available but, please, please wait ‘til I get back tomorrow night. I really want to be there when Em tells Dad she’s moving out, and in with Rainer.”
Rainer’s stomach turned uncomfortably as Emily shot her brother a look that said if he didn’t shut it, she’d shut it for him.
Chloe shook her head. “Just ignore Garrett. I always do.”
Garrett feigned insult, making her laugh.
A little while later, Rainer and Logan had loaded the cars, and everyone was waving good-bye to Garrett and Chloe.
“Oh, my gosh! My brother is dating Chloe Sawyer. What if he breaks her heart, too, and then she doesn’t want me because she’s so mad at him?” She wrung her hands as Rainer proceeded down the road.
“Em, baby, she seemed fairly taken with you, with or without Garrett.”
“You really think so?”
Rainer nodded, and smiled at her sweetly.
Garrett did have quite the reputation of being a heart-breaker. He refused to settle down, despite his mother’s pleadings. He changed women like most guys change pants, Rainer thought wryly as he steered onto the interstate, and tried not to let Emily know what he was thinking.
“She said I was the top pick!” Emily squealed, which made Rainer laugh. He rubbed his eyes as a deep yawn overtook him. His exhaustion from their harrowing night settled on him in full force.
“Mind if I stop for some coffee?”
“Of course not.” Emily looked concerned. “Do you want me to drive?”
“No, baby, I’m fine.” He knew she didn’t want to drive at all, but much less his Mustang.
“Just call Logan for me, and tell him I’m gonna go to the Waffle House at the next exit, get some coffee, and maybe something else to eat. The eggs I ate a few hours ago aren’t cutting it.”
Emily nodded, and pulled her phone from her purse.
After they’d eaten, and Rainer had consumed several mugs off coffee and ordered a Dr. Pepper to go, they started back on their journey.
“Do you want me to go around the bridge?” Rainer offered as he studied Emily’s reaction.
“No, that’ll take longer. We need to get you home and into bed.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure, Rainer. I know you’ll keep me safe. You always do.”
Welcome to the World, Rainer
A few hours later, they pulled up to the Haydenshires’ farm. Rainer was suddenly struck by how much had changed since the last time he’d driven the gravel path to the barn, just over a week ago.
“Rainer,” Emily was on the verge of tears all of a sudden.
“What’s wrong, Em?”
She shook her head as she bit her lip. “Nothing really.”
“Then why do you look like you’re going to cry, baby?”
She smiled through the tears that escaped her eyes. “I don’t know.”
As he studied her, Rainer racked his brain, unable to come up with why she was suddenly so emotional.
She drew a deep breath as she studied her surroundings; the expansive fields that were set off in the noonday sun, the barns, the lake, the serenity of it all, and Rainer suddenly knew why she was crying.
“Em, we don’t have to move until you’re ready, sweethea
rt. I love it here, too. This is where I grew up, as well.”
She fought the tears, but didn’t quite seem up to the task of halting their downpour.
“Baby,” Rainer pulled the car into the barn quickly, turned off the motor, and reached to hold her tightly. She shook her head, and looked embarrassed by her sudden emotion.
“I want to move in with you and plan our wedding and everything. I guess I’m just overwhelmed.”
“A whole lot has changed in the past week, Em; I totally understand.”
This seemed to bring on more tears.
“I know; you’re just the sweetest guy ever. And I just don’t feel like I deserve you, and, we’re engaged!” She stared down at her ring in disbelief. “And you made it to Elite Iodex, right out of the Academy, just like you always wanted. And I’m getting to try out for the Angels. I just feel like I’m in some kind of fantastic dream, and I’m terrified to wake up.”
“Baby, shhh, shhh,” he hushed as he rubbed her back, and tried to soothe her. “Listen to me, Em. We’ve been through enough horrible things. The past few years haven’t been the easiest. So, let’s just try to make the rest the best we possibly can. We can take it slow, baby. We don’t have to move out tomorrow and get married the next day. I want you to plan the wedding of your dreams. Anything you want. And we’ll start working, and we can look for a place to live whenever you’re ready.”
“But I can’t sleep with you here.”
He smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Probably not, especially if your parents are home.”
“Then I want to move out soon.”
“Ok, but probably not today. So, why don’t we go inside, and let everything that’s happened in the past week settle in?”
She drew a deep breath, nodded, and let him wipe away the last few tears. Rainer emerged from the car, and moved quickly to open her door. After he’d pulled their bags from the trunk, they walked to the house quickly. A storm was gathering in the distance.
“You’re here!” Mrs. Haydenshire trilled, and pulled them into her forceful embrace. When she finally released them, Governor Haydenshire was chuckling.
“How’s my baby girl?” He gazed at Emily and swallowed down raw emotion as she threw her arms around her father.
“I’m good, Daddy, perfect really,” she offered, and then took Rainer’s hand with a smile.
“Are you hungry?” Mrs. Haydenshire urged suddenly as Keaton and Henry rushed to Emily. She grinned, and leaned down to hug them both.
Rainer shook his head. “No, ma’am, we stopped on the way back. I’m just bushed,” he commented through a deep yawn.
Governor Haydenshire nodded, and gave Rainer the smile he usually reserved for when he had to tell someone something they didn’t want to hear.
“I know you had a rough night, Rainer, but could we talk before you hit the sack, son?” It bordered on a command.
“Oh, of course.” Rainer’s heart picked up pace as he nodded. “Just let me put these upstairs.” He rushed the bags up the stairs and placed all of Emily’s in her room. After tossing his duffle into the room he shared with Logan, he returned to the kitchen.
Rainer thought perhaps the Governor wanted to talk about his uncle. His stomach churned as he wondered what Stan had done now. Rainer offered the Governor a nervous smile.
“I...uh...guess I’ll go unpack,” Emily shot Rainer a look that meant he was to tell her everything her father wanted to talk about, as soon as possible.
Rainer gave her a slight nod. The look on Governor Haydenshire’s face had the large amount of coffee and pancakes he’d consumed twisting uncomfortably in his stomach.
The Governor started towards the back door, and Rainer began to sweat. Walks around the lake with Governor Haydenshire generally meant something was wrong.
There’d been a walk when Governor Haydenshire had walked in on Rainer on the couch with Emily, with his hands up her shirt. There’d been walks around the lake for most of Rainer’s life. The Governor had walked Rainer and Logan around the lake, once Logan had recovered from the accident on the tractor, and he’d tried to explain what had happened between Logan and Adeline. Discussions about his father’s death and funeral, his inheritance, his appointment to Iodex all began replaying in Rainer’s mind. The setting was always the same, for every discussion.
The magazine article about the lingerie seared through Rainer’s thoughts as he forced himself to follow Governor Haydenshire outside.
He clenched his stomach, and willed his breakfast to stop attempting to make a return visit. He broke out in a cold sweat and wondered if the Haydenshires had seen the article.
The Governor was silent as they trekked towards the lake. Rainer’s heart raced, but Emily’s father seemed at peace, for the most part. He offered Rainer a reassuring smile, and commented on the burgeoning garden. Rainer nodded, but wasn’t entirely certain what he’d actually said. He hoped he hadn’t asked a question.
Thunder echoed in the distance, and Rainer glanced back at the house. Emily hated storms; almost all Receivers did. There was a tremendous amount of violent energy in storms, and Receivers could feel it all.
It had been pouring when they’d found out Cal had been killed, and the rain was relentless when her car had been edged off of the bridge. He wanted to be with her and to hold her. If something frightened her, he wanted to make it better. These thoughts distracted him slightly from the Governor’s impending lecture.
“Guess we better make this a quick jaunt,” the Governor chuckled as he took in the darkening clouds in the distance.
“Uh, did I do something wrong?” Rainer finally asked as they made their way to the edge of the lake, and took the well-worn path around the water. Governor Haydenshire studied him, and then gave him a wry smile.
“‘S’pose that depends on whom you’re asking,” he allowed. “But I’d probably go with-- not intentionally.”
Rainer continued to rack his brain. Her parents knew perfectly well what had happened between him and Emily at the beach house. Her mother had made that abundantly clear with her phone call the morning after.
Governor Haydenshire had seemed very pleased when Rainer had called to ask for Emily’s hand. Rainer tried to reason, as he walked beside his future father-in-law.
After drawing a steadying breath, Governor Haydenshire leaned over and scooped up a flat rock on the shore of the lake. He skipped it out across the water as Rainer waited impatiently.
“Rainer, I certainly couldn’t be more proud of you. And son, you don’t know how pleased I am that you and my baby girl are getting married, and you know how high my standards are.” He smiled kindly as Rainer nodded.
“Thank you, sir,” Rainer swallowed, and tried not to sound as nervous as he felt. “Is this about my uncle?” His desperation to know what he’d done was getting the better of him. Confusion colored Governor Haydenshire’s expression before he remembered what Rainer was referring to. He chuckled and shook his head.
“No, Rainer, we released him the next morning, but honestly, I cannot fathom how he’s related to your father or to you.” Rainer wasn’t certain if he was relieved or not.
The Governor seemed to pick up on Rainer’s nerves, and he began his talk.
“Rainer, I know your friend put you in a terrible position last night.”
The pent-up air released from his lungs, and Rainer listened intently.
“I also know that over the past week you’ve grown up, rather quickly,” Governor Haydenshire offered hesitantly. He looked momentarily nostalgic, as he gazed at Rainer.
Rainer felt blood rush to in his cheeks. He drew another deep breath as they continued walking. The Governor halted abruptly.
“Rainer, I don’t know how to say this as gently as I’d like to be able, so please just hear me out. Know that I couldn’t be more proud of you and that I don’t want you to feel guilty in any way.”
Rainer wished he’d just get on with it.
“With the sheer amount o
f your inheritance, coupled with who your father was to the Gifted people, and frankly, who I am, you know that you and Emily are a source of constant entertainment for the Realm, so to speak.”
Rainer immediately assumed this was about the lingerie article. He felt another wave of nausea overtake him.
“I just need you to be extremely cautious, Rainer. You’re an extremely wealthy young man now. The ring on my little girl’s finger alone is worth thousands upon thousands of dollars. That makes her a very appealing target for people looking to make a great deal of money quickly, at her expense, and at yours.” It sounded like the words threatened to make him gag.
Rainer stopped walking, and tried to determine exactly what he was being told.
“You mean, like someone would take her?” He felt all of the blood in his body slither quickly to his feet.
“It’s a definite possibility, Rainer.”
“I never wanted the money!” Rainer declared. “I just want her. I don’t ever want her to be in danger!” He felt vile revulsion threaten to overwhelm him.
“I know, son.” Governor Haydenshire laid his hand on Rainer’s shoulder to steady him. “And I want you and Emily to go on and live the life you’ve both worked so hard for, and that your parents died for, Rainer. You are going to have to be careful. You need to watch your surroundings, and she’ll need to be with you or one of her brothers, unless she’s at work or here at the farm.”
Rainer nodded as his breath came in panting gasps.
“I’ll just give it all away,” he decided, as that seemed like the only viable option. “I don’t want it. I just want her to be safe. I didn’t even earn it,” he stated the thing about the inheritance that always bothered him most.
“Calm down, Rainer. I didn’t want to scare you,” Governor Haydenshire soothed. “Your family worked too hard for all that you have, for you to do that just because you’re frightened. Remember, son, there is always evil in the world, but if we let it rule our lives and our decisions, then we’re letting it win. And your ancestors earned that money, Rainer. We’ve talked about this. You’ll be adding to it, but it is yours, and you should use it as you see fit.”