Forever Concealed

by Kathleen Brooks

  “Sloane,” Gabe said, his hands tightening quickly on her shoulders, bringing her back to the now.

  “What? Sorry, I missed that.”

  “Did the men pay with cash or credit card?” the cop asked.

  “Men? Oh, the college students. They paid with credit cards. I’ll get you their names.”

  “I got it.” Billy? When did Billy come outside? The man looked as if he belonged in a biker gang. Well, to be fair, he did. It was also not common for him to show a bit of concern for her.

  “Do you think you can stand?” Gabe asked quietly.

  Sloane nodded and Gabe stood up. She missed the warmth and safety of his arms immediately. He reached down and helped her up, wrapping his arms around her waist and anchoring her to him. The feeling of being safe washed over her.

  “Can you think of anyone else who would want to hurt you?” the officer asked.

  “Sloane, why don’t you help Billy find those receipts?” Gabe asked immediately. Sloane’s brow creased. “We’re done here, but the police can find the others if you get the names to them. And we don’t know if Billy even remembers them.”

  “It would be a help, ma’am,” the officer added.

  “Of course,” Sloane said, stepping away from Gabe wondering who he really was.

  * * *

  Gabe watched Sloane head into Billy’s before pulling out his diplomatic identification. It also didn’t take long for Ahmed to come to a screeching halt in his beloved McLaren. This was a replacement after Ryan Parker kind of blew up his last one.

  The officer looked questioningly at the expensive car and back to the identification. “Well, this is going to be a dead end. Isn’t it?”

  “What happened?” Ahmed barked.

  The officer shivered.

  “Someone shot at me,” Gabe said dryly.

  “That asshole. I’ll kill him.”

  “I believe you would,” the officer said seriously. “Would you care to fill me in?”

  “Sorry, it’s a diplomatic issue that will be handled diplomatically . . . if the men from the bar aren’t behind it, that is,” Gabe said with much respect. He knew about the police’s frustration with diplomats, even though it was more common in D,C. He was sure every officer would feel the same about not being able to investigate a case.

  “Would you be kind enough to let us know what you find?” Gabe asked, fishing out a business card and handing it to him. He had to get this line of questioning closed before Sloane came back outside.

  The officer nodded as the door to Billy’s opened. Gabe watched Sloane walk toward them and finally let the anger come. Draven could have killed her. Someone completely innocent, someone who didn’t even know that Gabe was a prince, or that a king, a queen, and a president were all staying at his parents’ house. It infuriated him that one spoiled brat of a king would kill someone completely innocent simply because he was mad.

  “I think I’ll beat you to killing Draven,” Gabe murmured to Ahmed as Sloane approached them.

  “Here you go, officer.” Sloane handed over a sheet of paper as his partner came over.

  “It was a speedball. We found it in his pocket. Hard to tell what it’s mixed with. Usually it’s heroin, but fentanyl is becoming more popular and deadly. They’re rushing him to the ER.”

  “Can I take her home now?” Gabe asked, wanting to end the conversation before the officer told his partner about Gabe’s diplomatic immunity.

  “Yes. We’ll be in touch,” the officer who interviewed him said.

  “Where’s your car?” Ahmed asked. Dammit. He didn’t have it with him, and if he took Sloane to his penthouse to get it she’d start to put everything together.

  “It’s at home,” Gabe bit off.

  “It’s okay. I’ll call a cab,” Sloane said, and he felt like a cad. She’d just been attacked and shot at. He’d sure as hell not allow her to go home in a cab.

  “We can take my car. I’m sure his hi—”

  “His height won’t be an issue,” Gabe finished quickly as Ahmed’s face never changed. “I’m sure I can squeeze into the backseat.”

  Sloane’s mouth opened as she turned to look at the black McLaren. “I don’t think there is a backseat,” she said in amazement. ”Who are you?” It came out as a whisper while still staring at the car.

  “I’m Ahmed. You’re Sloane. Now get in.”

  * * *

  Gabe didn’t know how he fit in the sports car at all. He ended up straddling the console and giving thanks that recent models had opted for paddle shifters on the steering wheel rather than the old stick shift.

  Luckily, there was no traffic in the middle of the night. Lexington was the smallest big town Gabe had ever seen. In his travels a town of three hundred thousand wasn’t considered big. But in Kentucky, it was the second-largest city.

  “Get off me,” Ahmed growled as Gabe slid off the console and onto Ahmed’s lap as they went around a corner.

  Gabe let out a frustrated breath and perched himself back on the narrow console. He didn’t want to make Sloane nervous by suggesting she sit in his lap, so this was the best solution—except he kept finding himself in Ahmed’s lap. They went around another corner and down a dark street. Gabe slid into Ahmed’s lap again.

  His discomfort meant nothing though as Sloane fired off question after question about the car to Ahmed. She was clearly enjoying the ride, and he was clearly enjoying talking about his baby. And yes, Ahmed called the car his baby. The car slowed, but Gabe leaned forward, feeling Sloane’s shoulder and knee press against his as he tried to look out the window. Unfortunately, his head was crammed against the low roof and he couldn’t see much besides the fancy console.

  “Are you sure this is right?” he heard Ahmed ask.

  “This is it. Thanks for the ride.”

  Gabe fell into the passenger seat as Sloane slid out. Then he finally got a good look at what Ahmed was talking about. She lived in the worst part of town in an apartment building that looked as if were about to fall apart.

  “I’ll walk you up.” Gabe took her arm, not giving her the option to protest as he knew she would. An overwhelming feeling of protection came over him. It took all he had not to toss her over his shoulder and carry her back to his penthouse. The building was dark. There were no lights to help navigate. The mortar around the bricks was crumbling. The brick on the street level was covered in graffiti. Beer and liquor bottles littered the sidewalk around the building.

  The stairs up to the third floor were rickety and only one dim light worked. Yelling came from behind the paper-thin doors of her neighbors, and some unidentifiable smell caused Gabe’s stomach to turn. Sloane took out her keys and unlocked the five locks on her door before turning to smile at him.

  “Thanks for a very, um, eventful evening. I don’t know how my next fake boyfriend will ever measure up.”

  Gabe looked down at her in the shadows of the hall. He wanted to take her home. He wanted to spoil her, to take care of her, and to protect her. But he knew she would hate it. She earned everything she had on her own and he wanted to earn any feelings she might have for him, not buy them.

  Instead he lowered his head slowly, giving her time to back away. Only she didn’t. And with a sigh of relief he kissed her. He couldn’t explain it, but it was a feeling of overwhelming need to be connected to her. As their lips touched, his heart pounded and his body felt a rush he hadn’t felt since his first kiss.

  Her lips were soft as they tentatively brushed against his. He didn’t push her. He kept his hands to himself when he really wanted to pull her tight against him. But when she sighed romantically against him before pulling away, he knew he’d made the right decision.

  “Goodnight,” she said softly, her eyes still dreamy.

  “Sweet dreams, Sloane.”

  * * *

  Gabe practically floated down the stairs and into the car. What was wrong with him? Whatever it was caused a goofy smile to appear on his face. Ahmed looked at him an
d shook his head as if Gabe was pathetic.

  “You finally become interested in more than a one-night stand, and you decide to pursue it now?”

  “I believe you fell in love in the middle of a battle for your life, so I don’t want to hear it,” Gabe teased as his memory played the sound of that happy little sigh Sloane made over and over again. “But for the love of all things holy, don’t you dare tell anyone in Keeneston. And that includes my parents and your wife.”

  “Bridget wouldn’t say anything,” Ahmed defended instantly.

  Gabe just stared at Ahmed.

  “Okay. You’re right. I won’t say anything,” Ahmed finally said as they both thought of how Bridget would tell her best friend, Annie Davies, who would tell all her sisters-in-law, which included Paige Davies Parker, who was good friends with Gabe’s mother, Dani. It would take less than five minutes to get back to his mother.

  “Besides, I have other things to focus on instead of my love life,” Gabe said seriously.

  “Like killing Draven?” Ahmed asked, sounding perkier than he had all evening.

  “Exactly. He crossed a line this time.”

  7

  “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Gabe asked, rubbing his eyes because surely there was a better explanation coming.

  “If you are seeing two orthopedic-clad legs hanging from the trashcan with Miss Daisy and Miss Violet each holding a leg, then yes, I see it,” Ahmed said as if this wasn’t the most bizarre thing possible.

  When the two white-headed seniors and the pair of legs were highlighted in the headlights, they turned wide-eyed at the car and froze. Gabe had to assume it was Miss Lily’s legs that were kicking out of the trashcan as a bag flew out.

  “I—” Gabe couldn’t finish the sentence. He just couldn’t process what he was seeing.

  Ahmed stopped the car and slowly rolled down the window. “Good morning, ladies. Can we assist you in any way at this early hour?”

  Gabe looked at the clock. It was three in the morning.

  “Oh, no. We, um . . .” Miss Daisy stuttered as Miss Lily’s legs began kicking, sending her flower-patterned dress farther toward her hips. Muffled shouts came from inside the trashcan as Miss Daisy and Miss Violet looked panic-stricken at each other.

  Gabe got out of the car before he was mooned by Miss Lily. As he got closer, he heard the muffled shouts. “What is going on? Don’t you two leave me here!”

  Gabe reached into the large rolling trashcan, grabbed Miss Lily around the waist, and almost laughed at the surprised look on her face when he pulled her out. “Geez Louise, what are you doing here?”

  “Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing,” Gabe said, staring down the three old ladies who suddenly found their fingernails very interesting.

  “We were, um, driving home.” Miss Violet pointed to the oversized golf cart pulled off the road near the trashcans. This was their preferred mode of transportation for snooping since they no longer had their driver’s licenses.

  “Yeah, and we stopped because . . .” Miss Daisy shot a desperate look to Miss Lily.

  “Because,” Miss Lily picked up, “there was a kitten!”

  “Yes, a kitten,” her two sisters agreed.

  “And that kitten fell into the garbage can,” Miss Lily said with a snap of her fingers.

  “That’s right,” Miss Violet agreed. “And Lil went in and saved the poor thing.”

  Gabe looked around. “Where is it?”

  “It ran off as soon as it was freed. Not even a thank you. Can you believe that?” Miss Daisy added. “Luckily you came when you did. We were having trouble getting Lil out of the trashcan after rescuing that thing.”

  “What color was the kitten?” Gabe asked innocently.

  “Black.”

  “White.”

  “Orange.”

  Gabe raised his eyebrows as he heard Ahmed smother a laugh.

  “I guess you’d call it calico.” Miss Lily smiled and blinked those old wise eyes innocently at him.

  “Well, thank goodness you were out for a drive in the middle of the night. But now that the kitten is safe, you better get home before your husbands realize you’re gone.”

  The three shot each other a look and then smiled sweetly back at Gabe. “Of course. Our civic duty is now complete,” Miss Lily said seriously.

  The three started walking back to the cart. “Did you find anything?” Miss Daisy whispered. Gabe, unable to avoid overhearing the way-too-loud whisper, just shook his head.

  “No. It’s not Mila. I thought after that trip to the Bahamas she would be, even if she wasn’t at the wedding,” Miss Lily said.

  “He’s watching,” Miss Violet hissed.

  The three turned their heads and smiled at Gabe. “Goodnight!”

  Gabe shook his head and got back into the car as Ahmed’s shoulders silently shook. “I will never get that image of Miss Lily’s legs sticking out of a trashcan out of my head.”

  Gabe finally let loose with the laugh he’d been holding in. “What were they looking for?”

  “I don’t know, but I know someone who will. I’ll ask DeAndre when I see him,” Ahmed said of the state trooper who took over Matt Walz’s state trooper shift in Keeneston when Matt became the county’s sheriff.

  DeAndre and his girlfriend, Aniyah, rented a house on his parents’ farm. DeAndre and John Wolfe, Miss Lily’s husband, were currently in a battle over who could find out the most gossip. It was previously believed John talked with aliens, but since he couldn’t figure out how DeAndre knew things, the new prevailing theory was feuding alien races in a battle of gossip. That, or they had wired the town. And DeAndre being a good seventy years younger than John had just done a better job.

  Ahmed pulled up to the main house and Gabe saw the faces of his family nervously waiting on the front steps.

  “Gabe!” his mother called out as she rushed down the steps before the car even stopped.

  Gabe looked up as he got out of the car and saw his father only a couple steps behind his mother along with Zain, Mila, Nabi, and Nash.

  “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” his mother asked as she ran frantic eyes over him.

  “I’m fine, Mom,” Gabe said reassuringly as his father came and wrapped him in a silent hug.

  “What happened?” Zain asked when he finally got to hug his brother.

  As they headed inside, Gabe told them about Sloane, about the drunk men, about the fight, and about the shooting.

  “Do they think it was the college boys or could it be Draven?” his mother asked as they sat in the comfortable family room. This room was not like the public areas of the house and had always been Gabe’s favorite. Large-screen TV, super soft couch, family pictures everywhere—it was the place they could just be themselves.

  “It’s too much of a coincidence not to be Draven. However, I’m waiting until the police speak to the other men at the bar that night. Speaking of Draven, how’s your hand?” Gabe had noticed his mother was flexing her fingers.

  “It’s been a while since I punched someone. He threatened to hang me, and that’s when Veronica grabbed his, according to her, small dick and twisted. Draven recanted his order to his guards immediately.” Dani smiled happily.

  Gabe, Zain, Ahmed, and his father all crossed their legs fending off the phantom pain.

  “Before I go to bed, is there any reason why the Rose sisters would be going through our trash in the middle of the night?” Gabe asked, changing the subject.

  “I knew they were up to something!” Mila cried as she slapped Zain’s arm. “I told you so.”

  “They said they were rescuing a kitten. But as they walked away, they said something about finding nothing so it wasn’t Mila,” Gabe told them as Ahmed just shook his head.

  “Me?” Mila gasped. “What have I done?”

  Dani sucked in a quick breath of air and then pursed her lips as if to zipper her mouth shut.

  “Mom? What do you know?” Zain asked slowly.

/>   Dani shook her head.

  “Dear,” Mo asked softly as he began to rub her leg, “what were the Rose sisters looking for?”

  Dani shook her head again and his father leaned forward and whispered into her ear. His mother flushed as Zain and Gabe looked grossed out. They could guess what their father had said. Or at least the gist of it based on their mother’s reaction. Nope. No one wanted to think about their parents having sex.

  “Fine.” Dani spun around to look at Mila. “They must think someone is pregnant. If they’re digging in trash cans, it must be more than a hunch.”

  “It’s not me!” Mila shouted at the sympathetic looks on Dani and Mo’s faces. Zain had talked to Gabe about their problem conceiving. Since the family had learned of it, their parents had backed off teasing and pestering them for grandkids.

  “I’ll pee on a stick right now if it’ll get everyone to stop looking at me like that. Honey, do something.”

  Zain cleared his throat. “We’ll keep practicing. That’s the fun part.”

  “Ugh!” Mila smacked the back of his head, and the smirk fell from Zain’s face. “There’s going to be no more practicing, thanks to that comment.”

  Mila stormed from the room with Zain hurrying to catch up to her. Ahmed silently slipped away as well and Gabe could see his shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. He was probably running home to Bridget to tell her all about the crazy Ali Rahman family.

  “There are certain perks to marriage, my son,” Mo said, holding out his hand to his wife.

  “Seriously?” Gabe gasped at his mom blushing. “No, that’s just wrong.”

  “Maybe we can meet this Sloane girl soon,” his mom hinted.

  “Mom! Fu—I mean, dang, Mom, she doesn’t even know who I am. She thinks I’m a college student. And it’s not like that. I was just making sure she got home safely.”

  His mom looked temporarily defeated, then a gleam hit her eye and Gabe got nervous. “Interesting you didn’t tell her who you are. Anyway, goodnight, dear. I’m glad you weren’t shot, and I’m so proud of you for doing the right thing for Sloane.”