Miguel nodded. “I love her too much to ever hurt her.”
“I can draw up a Pre-Nup for you.”
Miguel turned around and gave his sister a dirty look after that comment. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Don’t be foolish, you are worth billions, you need a Pre-Nup.”
“I trust Alex.”
Alex looked at Miguel and smiled. “Eden is right; I should sign a Pre-Nup. It’s fine. If we ever separated, I wouldn’t want anything from you anyway. Of course, if there were children involved I would expect you to do your fair share of supporting them.”
Miguel felt sick to his stomach. Alex’s smile had faded and the mere thought of a life without her was incomprehensible. “I still don’t think it’s necessary but if it is what you want, Alex, then fine, draw one up, Eden.”
“Sis, before you sign anything, I want to look it over.”
Miguel held onto Alex’s hand as if he was afraid she was going to flee. “We came here to share our news with the two people who mean the most to us and instead of being happy for us…”
“Miguel, they are just looking out for us, because they care.”
“Alex is right, Miguel. I am happy for you.” Eden walked over and punched her brother in the arm.
“Me too. I just need to leave that overprotective brother attitude at the door.”
“Thanks, Ryan.”
“I love you, Sis.” Ryan hugged Alex.
“Ok then, we are going to head off to work now.” Miguel kissed Alex on the top of her head and then walked them out the door.
Miles was waiting inside Miguel’s office when he arrived. Miguel walked through the door and Miles jumped on his back. “I’m so fucking happy for you, Migs!”
Miguel shook Miles off of his back and then the two hugged. “Thank you. I still can’t believe she said yes.”
“She loves you, stupid.”
“I know. I can’t believe how much my life has changed since I met her.” Miguel sat down next to Miles. “Miles, I can’t even begin to explain how I feel. My heart feels like it’s going to explode. I love her so much.”
“Aww.”
Miles turned around and jumped up to hug Alex. “Congratulations! I’m so happy for you two.”
Alex walked over and plopped herself down on Miguel’s lap. “Thank you. I’ve never been happier.” Alex kissed Miguel.
“Ok, I think it’s time for me to go.”
“No, actually I want you to stay. I have to talk to you about something.”
“I guess that’s my cue to leave?”
“If you don’t mind?”
Alex kissed Miguel on the cheek and got up. “You know where to find me if you miss me.”
“I already miss you.” Miguel smiled.
“Migs, I’m going to puke. Being in love is all sweet and stuff but you’re turning into a pussy.”
“Pussy is one of my favorite things.” Miguel punched Miles in the arm and they laughed.
Alex walked back to her office. Some of the employees were looking at her. They hadn’t told anyone about their engagement but it seemed like people knew something was up.
“Alex!” Faith came screaming down the hall and hugged her best friend.
“Faith, calm down. Let’s go into my office.”
Faith followed Alex, once inside her office Faith closed the door and grabbed Alex’s hand to see her ring and again began getting over excited and jumping up and down. “I’m so happy for you. Oh my God, what a beautiful ring. Oh I can’t believe this. You’re going to marry Miguel McHottie!”
Faith hugged Alex again and again. Finally, she began to calm down.
“Faith, now that you’ve finally calmed down, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure. But I am still over the moon excited.”
“Was it Miles who was with you last night when I called to tell you?”
Faith rolled her eyes and hesitated to answer, “Would it matter?”
“No, except I know you’re still randomly hooking up with…let me exhale…my brother.”
“Don’t worry. Ryan wants nothing from me but…plug your ears…sex.” Faith laughed. “Yes, Miles and I have hooked up but only a few times and I don’t think it will happen again. And before you ask, yes I spilled the beans about your engagement. I was so excited; I couldn’t hold it in.”
“I figured as much when Miles was already in Miguel’s office this morning and he knew.”
“So when’s the wedding?”
“Slow down, we’re not even engaged for a whole day yet.”
“It seems like forever.”
“Faith, don’t you have to get to work?”
“You mean Faith, I’ve heard enough, please go now?”
“No, I mean you’re going to be late for work. It’s almost nine.”
“Oh crap, yes. I’m going to be late. Damn. I love you. Call me later.”
Alex hugged Faith before she shot out the door.
Miguel waited until Dane and Eric arrived to talk with Miles.
“I received confirmation this morning that it is Jakey who is being held. I’ve already contacted Simmons and he is making the necessary arrangements. We need to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Understood?”
Dane looked over at Eric who had doubted his informer. “I knew it. My gut told me it was really Jakey.”
“Dane, shut up. We couldn’t trust just your gut last week.”
Dane got in Eric’s face. “You’re a dick.”
“You’re an asshole.”
The two of them threw punches at one another. Miguel and Miles each grabbed one of them and they tossed them each down on a different couch.
“Listen to me. We need to have each other’s backs, not stab one another in them. Now make peace and move on.”
“Miguel is right; we need to take care of each other or we’re going to end up coming home in a body bags.”
“Don’t be so dramatic, Miles.” Eric got up and walked out. Miles walked out after him.
“What the hell is wrong with him lately?”
“I don’t know Migs but he better shake it off before he gets one of us killed.”
“May I come in?”
Alex looked up and Lacey was standing in her doorway holding a piece of paper. “Sure.”
“I wanted to congratulate you on your engagement and your new position.” Lacey held up the paper and Alex could see the words PRESS RELEASE across the top of the page in red.
“Position as fiancée?” Alex laughed.
“Very funny. Well, I just wanted to tell you how happy I am for you and Miguel.”
“Lacey, can I see that press release?”
“Here.” Lacey handed Alex the piece of paper.
Alex read the paper and gasped. “Vice President?”
“Yes, that’s what it says.”
“Oh no, Miguel and I never discussed this. Excuse me, Lacey.” Alex took the paper and headed down the hall.
Miguel’s door was closed. Alex knocked and then walked in. Miguel didn’t even have a minute to speak before Alex was in front of his desk holding out the press release.
“What is this? Vice President of YOUR company?”
Miguel blinked a few times and then stood up and walked around the desk. “I thought you would be ecstatic; I want to share everything I have with you.”
Miguel walked over to his chair and sat down.
“Miguel, you can’t do things like this without talking to me first.”
“Great, I already fucked up and we’re not even engaged for a day.”
Alex went from shock to anger to feeling sorry for Miguel. He looked like a kid in a candy shop without any money. Alex walked over to Miguel and sat down on his lap.
“You didn’t fuck up. You did something for me, to make me happy. I guess maybe if I wasn’t in shock I would have realized that I should have been grateful that you wanted to share your company with me. I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m sor
ry. I didn’t think and yes, I should have discussed it with you first.”
“Maybe we should kiss and make up?” Alex winked.
Miguel smiled before kissing her.
TWO DAYS HAD PASSED. Miguel finally got the call he was waiting for but now he had to tell Alex that he had to leave. He was more nervous about telling Alex than risking his life to save Jakey.
“Miguel, is everything alright? I heard the phone ring.”
“Yeah, it was business.”
“At five in the morning?”
“It’s not five in the morning everywhere.”
“Since you’re off the phone why don’t you come back to bed and let me give that…”
“Alex, I have to leave.”
“Oh, ok. Maybe we can sneak in a nooner.” Alex smiled.
Miguel walked over to Alex and kissed her forehead. “I have to leave town on business.”
“Where are you going and how long will you be gone?”
“I should be home in a few days.”
“And you’re not going to tell me where you’re going, are you?”
“I can’t.”
“Will Miles and the rest of your friends be going too?”
“Yes.”
“Well then you better get going.” Alex walked out.
Miguel punched the wall. He hated lying to Alex. After this, he was done. No more lies, no more missions, he was done.
Alex got dressed and was leaving the bedroom when Miguel walked in.
“I love you, Alex. I promise this is the last business trip.”
Alex walked over and sat down on the bed. “I’m worried. I don’t like not knowing where you are or when you’re coming home.”
“Me either. I don’t want to leave you.”
“Then don’t.”
“I have to. I made a commitment and I have to keep it.”
“Are you running guns or drugs?”
“Alex, NO! I swear. It’s nothing like that.”
“I’m going to miss you. Promise me you will come home soon.”
“I will come back as fast as possible.” Miguel kissed Alex.
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Alex.”
Miguel got to the airport and Miles, Dane and Eric were already there. No doubt they arrived there first because they didn’t have Alex at home crying her eyes out to contend with.
“Is the plane ready for takeoff?”
“Five minutes, it is being fueled up.”
“Thanks, Dane.”
Miguel and the guys grabbed some coffee and then headed onto the plane.
Alex decided that she needed to know what Miguel was up to and if he couldn’t tell her then she would have to find out for herself. She snuck on the plane while it was being fueled. Apparently, the grounds crew can be bribed. She hid in the bedroom closet and hoped to God that Miguel didn’t find her.
Dane and Miguel sat talking strategy while Miles paced. Eric said he had a bit of a headache and went into the bedroom to lie down.
“What’s up with Eric?”
Miguel looked at Dane, who shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know but I’m not getting a good vibe.”
“Yeah, something’s not right.”
Miles walked over and looked at Eric’s computer screen. It had been black but then a message popped up in the bottom corner from someone who’s name was Milton.
“Guys, come look at this.”
Miguel and Dane walked over and looked at the screen and then at Miles.
“Milton is dead.” Miles pointed to the screen.
Miguel leaned in and whispered. “Let’s see if Eric says anything when he checks his messages.”
“I agree, now’s not the time to start anything.”
“You’re right, Dane. Let’s just watch each other’s backs.”
Eric sat down on the bed and pulled out his cell phone. He replied to some texts and then he dialed his phone and laid back on the bed.
Alex could hear someone in the room but until she heard his voice she couldn’t tell who it was.
“It’s me. We will be landing very soon and then this will be all over with once and for all. I’m so sick of taking orders and being dismissed because they think I’m some dumb computer geek. I will show them when I’m the last man standing.”
Alex covered her mouth. She wasn’t sure what Eric was talking about but it sounded like he was referring to Miguel, Dane and Miles. She was terrified. She didn’t know what to do. What if she was wrong and accused Eric and exposed herself, maybe Miguel would never forgive her? But if her intuition was right, he was out to harm them and they needed to be warned.
“How are you feeling? Is the headache any better?”
Eric just looked at Miguel for a minute. He didn’t want to talk to him, but figured since he had come this far with his plan, that he shouldn’t do anything to ruin it now. “Much better, thanks.”
“Good. We should be landing in a few minutes. I guess we should change and get ready to bring Jakey home.”
All of them changed into black clothes from head to toe. Then unpacked their weapons and geared up.
Alex was peeking through the bedroom door. She was horrified when she saw Miguel loading his gun. She started to think about his last business trip with Miles and how he said that they were in a car accident. Clearly he must have lied and if he lied about that then what else had he lied about? He had a lot of scars which she had dismissed since she knew that as a child he had been abused and was in a gang but maybe they weren’t from his youth. Now the man that she loved and thought she trusted was loading a second gun and slipped a knife into a shoulder holster. She felt like she was going to be sick, she staggered over to the bed and sat down.
The plane landed and the four guys got off and headed to where they were led to believe that Jakey was being held. As usual Miguel and Miles headed off first. Dane was their back up and Eric would lie low somewhere with his computer nearby. The guys had ear pieces so that they could communicate with Eric.
“Blade to Einstein, we’re about to go inside the warehouse. They have cameras around the perimeter. Can you hack in and disable them?”
“Standby.” Eric disabled the outside cameras. He also hacked into the cameras inside the warehouse. He was ready and waiting to see Miguel and the guys get taken down. “Einstein to Blade, it’s been taken care of, you can proceed.”
Eric sat back and watched as Miguel led Miles and Dane into his trap. What he didn’t know was that while he was so busy being amused by his scheme to kill his friends, Alex had followed him and was hiding.
Miguel and Miles entered the warehouse first. Miles took down the first two guys by snapping their necks, hence why they called him the Sandman, because he put people to sleep…permanently.
Miguel moved forward and when he was attacked he slit the guys throat and then continued on.
Dane followed behind with his gun drawn. He was a perfect shot. “Sniper to Einstein, we’re in. Do you have eyes?”
“Einstein to Sniper, standby.” Eric laughed. He wasn’t going to help them, he was just counting the minutes until Milton killed them all and set the warehouse ablaze. Then he would disappear with Milton and everyone would think he was dead too.
Miguel and Miles took a turn down a hallway and were jumped. Miles and one of the guys were fighting until Miles broke his arm and then pushed him out a window. Miguel was in a knife fight. He took a gash to the arm but his opponent wasn’t so lucky. Miguel stabbed him in the neck.
Alex watched in sheer horror. Miguel was a murderer. She was sick both mentally and physically. She thought she was going to pass out. She grabbed onto a tree limb and it crackled. Eric jumped up and turned around and caught a glimpse of Alex. He put his computer down and started towards her.
Alex knew Eric saw her. It wouldn’t be long before he figured out that she knew what he was up to and that would give him more than a reason to kill her. She didn’t know what to do, so she ran towards th
e warehouse. She knew that no matter what, Miguel would protect her, even if he was angry as hell at her.
Eric pulled out his gun and started shooting at Alex but she just kept running. She made it inside the warehouse before Eric. She saw the man that Miguel killed lying in a pool of blood. She reached over and grabbed his knife and continued running.
Miguel and Miles entered the room where Jakey was. They could see him lying on the floor shackled. He looked as if he were dead. “Blade to Einstein, do we have eyes yet?”
“Eyes? The only eyes I have are on your fucking fiancée who I am about to kill.”
Miguel looked at Miles in horror and whispered, “Alex? He has Alex?”
“Einstein, what the fuck?”
“You heard me.” The line went dead.
Miguel’s heart sank. He knew Eric had been acting strange. But, Alex? He couldn’t be for real, Alex was home. Yes, Alex was home safe and sound. Eric was just trying to throw him off his game. Miguel took a deep breath and he and Miles got over to where Jakey was.
“Jakey, it’s Blade, can you hear me?”
“It’s a trap…run.”
Miguel and Miles continued to free Jakey. Then there was a gunshot. Dane had shot two men who were just about to shoot Miguel and Miles.
Miguel lifted up Jakey. Miles helped them walk over to where Dane was hiding.
“It’s a trap…leave me…run.”
“Jakey, we didn’t come all this way to save you to turn around and leave you to die.”
Love & Lies Page 16