“I thought she was your ex-wife?” Isaac deadpans.
I turn to face him. Looking him up and down, I fail to see what Grace does. The man is a douche, to my way of thinking, and a thug.
“Let’s get one thing straight, shall we?” I say, my voice even.
Isaac stares back at me, his mouth twisted into a stupid grin.
“She will always be my wife, till death do us part,” I tell him.
He comes into the office, and I close the door behind us.
Lucius is waiting.
“Lucius, good to see you again,” Isaac smiles, and they shake hands as Lucius grunts.
“I hear you’re working again, eh?” he says, noncommittally.
“Can you please focus?” I snap at both of them.
Lucius rolls his eyes so hard it appears they may come out of their sockets. He was ex-paramilitary or whatever. He knows something. Why else would he forgive Isaac?
“What do you want to tell him?” Lucius asks Isaac.
“What does he need to know?” Isaac asks.
“Is the girl alive?” Lucius asks, all too casually.
I want to slam my fist right into the richly paneled oak walls, but instead, I steel myself for whatever may lay ahead.
“She’s alive,” Isaac replies.
He drops the words onto my lap like they’re meaningless.
“Leigha’s alive!” I crow.
The tightness in my chest is gone! It’s lightened, and I’m free!
The woman I love is certainly not dead.
“Where is she!” I demand instantly.
“I don’t know,” Isaac lies.
Or, at least I believe he is lying. I’m not sure who I believe now. I have to think hard about what I know about Lucius, but really, I know very little about the man.
My father knows everything.
Noah Stone.
The legend.
My father is alive, and I’ve been running around worried about Leigha being safe when really, it’s my father we need to find.
He can restore some semblance of sanity to this madhouse.
“Is she safe?” I ask hesitantly.
Isaac eyes me, as though this isn’t what he was expecting.
“Yes,” Isaac says evenly.
“Okay,” I say.
“Okay?” Isaac questions.
He blinks a few times, probably in disbelief.
“I love her, but if she’s safe, I’m not going to do anything stupid to put her in harm’s way,” I explain.
“Most definitely in good hands,” Isaac responds quickly.
His confidence is what spurs me forward. If she hasn’t contacted me, there must be a reason, and I don’t let my mind drift any further than that.
In my heart, I truly know who has her.
Merc.
And, Merc would never let anyone hurt Leigha.
I’d stake my life on that simple fact.
“Now, if only we knew where my father is,” I sigh.
“Evan, we don’t even know if he’s still alive,” Lucius says.
I stop talking, my mouth open, but the words not coming out that I meant to say because I haven’t once considered the fact that my father may no longer be alive.
No.
That’s not the case.
I refuse to believe it.
“What’s going on?” Lucius asks Isaac.
Isaac has fallen eerily silent.
“You’re sure Noah Stone is alive?” Isaac asks.
“Evan saw a video. Leigha had one. She wasn’t even supposed to share that with him. Nor was he supposed to share that information with you. Moron,” Lucius chides me.
Isaac shakes his head at me.
“You would be terrible in intelligence; do you know that, Evan?” Isaac takes a jab at me.
“That’s why I’m not, and you are,” I challenge him.
Isaac’s face darkens, but only for a second, before he grins mischievously.
“You saw, Noah Stone, alive?” Isaac’s words are slow and deliberate.
Like he’s searching for me to say something I haven’t already.
“Leigha showed me a video of my father in a cell. It seemed pretty long, like a surveillance video,” I tell him. I try to recall everything.
“But he was alive?” Isaac confirms.
“Yes,” I answer.
“But I don’t know where they found this,” I admit.
“That’s alright,” Isaac pats me on the back.
“I’m sure that I do,” he says with a smile.
“Don’t make me regret this, Isaac,” I warn him.
“The only thing you’re going to regret is not following my instruction. I don’t need you; I need your money; I’m going, to be frank with you. I want to find your father, you want to find your father, and the intelligence community seems to have no interest in finding your father. Don’t you find that curious?” Isaac points out.
“Why would I?” I ask.
“One of the security cameras at an airport in Germany caught a photo of what appears to be your father and Olivia, which of course I would only believe if he was under duress. That woman is a snake, for all she’s done,” Isaac explains.
“Why didn’t…” I trail off.
Merc knew my father was alive and didn’t tell me!
Son of a bitch!
I wait for the rage to come, but then it doesn’t because I understand suddenly, why it doesn’t matter if he told me or not.
I know now.
Who even believed he was dead, to begin with?
Not me.
Certainly not Tinsley.
“I’ll give you whatever you want,” I tell Isaac.
Lucius nods in the background. If Lucius had a bad feeling about Isaac, he would’ve already said something, and he hasn’t.
“I’ll help you find your father, but you have to promise me, you won’t make an effort to find Leigha,” Isaac says.
“Leigha is safe,” I repeat the words firmly.
“She’s safe,” Isaac confirms.
“Deal,” I tell him.
We shake hands on it.
I don’t trust Isaac, but he’s the best bet we have to find Noah. I can feel my heart ripping apart at the prospect of being away from Leigha for so long, but if she’s safe, I know that deep down this is the best I can do for her right now.
Somewhere, somehow, I know she knows I’m thinking about her, missing her, wanting to hold her.
I remember the last time my father and I were here, sitting in the pool together, surrounded by luxury.
Thoughts tumble through my head of all the things I should’ve said to him, and things I can say now when we find him.
My dad.
We may not have had the best relationship through the years, but, underneath all that, and the crap that has happened, we are family, and we are solid together.
I know I will not rest until my family is safe.
“Can I join you?” Grace asks.
She takes a few steps on the marble tile towards me and sits down without my acceptance of her offer. I’d rather be alone. We watch our legs in the water, the steam rising as we create little waves.
“I know you don’t want to talk to me, but you’ll have to face me eventually, Evan,” Grace says.
“Did your sister tell you everything?” I ask her.
“No. Truth be told, I didn’t even know you’d married someone until your annulment was splashed all over the papers,” Grace admits to me.
“Grace, that annulment was a mistake,” I insist instantly.
“Was it, Evan?” Grace asks, swirling her toes in the water.
“Leigha is the love of my life, and I love Vic, but it’s not the same kind of love,” I explain.
“Why didn’t you fight harder against the annulment then?” Grace asks.
“I fought as hard as I could, but I’m sure Vic didn’t tell you that,” I retort.
“She hasn’t told me anything,” Grace
replies.
Her voice is soft even though I’ve gone into defensive mode.
“I’m not going to discuss Leigha,” I say sternly.
“But what I will say is that I love Victoire as the mother of my son, I love her for all that she’s done. Loving her as the mother of my son doesn’t equate to a happy marriage, and our son deserves better than that,” I explain.
“That’s true, but if you’ve never given it a shot…” Grace begins.
“Grace, I know you want the best for Vic, but it’s just not there,” I cut her off rudely.
I instantly know that it wasn’t necessary. It wasn’t intentional. I don’t like being pushed into what I’m sure would be an unhappy marriage, especially when my life is so intertwined with another woman. Leigha loved me when I wasn’t Evan Stone - when we were barely scraping by - and I was ready to abandon everything else in my life to escape.
I can’t say the same for Vic.
I know I started as a conquest for Victoire. That’s the part that I can’t forget.
Back then, I was just a man who wanted to add notches to my bedpost. Vic was just a challenge that spiraled out of control.
“I’m sorry Grace, I just…” I stumble over what I want to say to her.
She loves her sister; of that, I am sure.
I want to explain that it’s over with Victoire, and I can’t see things working out with us.
“Look, Grace. I know you probably think I am an uncaring ass to your sister, but it’s complicated. I don’t love her like I do Leigha. That part is pretty much a given. I know Vic and I have a history,” I say, kicking at the water.
“I can see us co-parenting Ethan, but not as husband and wife,” I tell Grace.
My voice has softened as I attempt to explain this fucked up mess to her.
“I’m truly sorry, Grace. I do wish it were different, for all of our sakes. But it is what it is, and I hope you can see it that way,” I say.
“I know,” Grace says.
She hangs her head, looking down at her legs.
“I just really wanted things to be different for her, you know? She’s been through a lot, and now she’s a single mother,” Grace admits.
“She may be a single mother, but she’ll never be alone,” I say to comfort Grace.
Grace smiles and I see the resemblance between her and Vic, in the way the two sisters smile.
For a moment, I remember why I fell for Victoire, but now I know there’s something more to just falling for someone.
It’s not just love. It’s the little nuances of daily life together. I can identify it now, in how Leigha sleeps beside me, the way she always has my coffee ready in the morning.
Leigha and Bond. They’re my family.
But I have more family, part of me that I could never let go, and that includes my father.
“Evan?” Grace interrupts my thoughts.
“Yes?” I ask.
“You’re a better man than I thought you were. I wish I could hate you.” Grace says.
“But you can’t hate someone for not wanting to be with your sister when it’s the right thing to do,” Grace adds.
She gets up and walks away, tiptoeing across the tile.
23
Leigha
January 25, 2019
Monte-Carlo
My heart physically aches when I look at the rings on my left hand, and the physical loss of Evan hits me hard all at once.
I know he’s alright, and he’s got every right not to come looking for me, but the fact that I have no idea what Evan is doing or thinking, or how he is? All of that flows through me in intense waves of grief. I could very well lose him after everything is said and done! I’d be lying if I didn’t think that a part of me deserves to lose him.
Damn.
We were so close too!
“Are you ready?” Merc asks from the doorway.
“No,” I tell him honestly.
Merc laughs lightly, like this is all a big game, and I feel furious for a split second before I realize how irrational I’m being. There is no rational thought where Evan is concerned, and my mind goes everywhere from Evan going on a bender to ending up in Vic’s arms. The latter makes me crazy.
Merc taps my forearm to get my attention.
“This is simple; no danger,” Merc tells me.
“I’m not sure if that’s a lie or not,” I reply.
Merc presses his lips together and shakes his head.
“I just need you to keep an eye out, that’s all,” he explains gently.
“While you steal all the information they have on Geoffrey Whittaker’s financial dealings with the Casino?” I ask.
“Not steal, borrow,” Merc corrects me, with a devilish smirk.
“Right. Borrow,” I say.
I’ve always loved Monte-Carlo, especially on the trips Evan and I have taken here. The celebrities, the paparazzi, the little luxury that comes with being in a place so high-class it’s hard to believe that anyone belongs. The suite in our hotel offers an endless expansive view of the Riviera. Everything from the plush beds, to the heavy curtains, the finely detailed polished wood and the elegant furniture drip with class.
Anyone else would envy us to be in such a suite.
Pink isn’t my color, but the way the one-shoulder wrap dress drapes across my waist is quite becoming, I won’t lie. One side of my dress drips down the floor in metallic lamé, the other side, a short mini skirt, and the strapless number is studded with Swarovski crystals.
With my hair flowing in elegant curls around my face, I could easily pass for a nouveau-riche heiress, looking to waste some of my inheritance.
“You look perfect, by the way,” Merc reads my mind with his words.
“The shoes aren’t my style,” I admit.
Then, I glance down at the gilded silver pumps, a touch too high for my liking.
But I tell myself, I can easily manage this.
I am no longer Leigha, I am simply the mysterious woman at the bar, taking slow sips of a Bombay Sapphire martini, eyeing Merc across the room.
He doesn’t acknowledge me.
“Madame, if I may offer a compliment, you are truly breathtaking,” a man says as he approaches me.
I take the olive on its toothpick out of my drink and slowly suck on it. I look the man over. Late twenties, maybe; blonde hair and blue eyes, with a striking resemblance to Evan.
It’s Levi.
“What are you doing here?” I laugh, throwing my head back as my hair spills every which way.
Levi leans in close, to whisper in my ear.
“You didn’t think Merc was going to be able to just leave the Stones out of this completely, did you?” Levi smiles.
“And pray tell, why did he choose you?” I ask, my voice sassy.
“Because I can keep a secret,” Levi says.
He presses his finger to his lips.
My mind swirls with questions about Evan.
“Where do they think you are?” I ask, instead.
“I’ve gone to the Maldives on a trip, for the relaxation away from all the trouble,” Levi lets the lie roll off his tongue so easily.
He’s a natural charmer, just like his father. Like Evan can be when he is trying his best. I can picture him lounging in a pool in one of those over the water villas, a few women hanging on his every word.
Levi is like that, debonair and hypnotizing.
“Monte Carlo isn’t too far off from that, I suppose,” I reply.
We smirk at each other. It’s a knowing look, and I feel a sense of comfort that Levi has joined us, at least for now. Though Levi’s appearance does make me wonder exactly what he does.
Levi orders himself a drink, and we make small talk until I hear a huff from Merc through the little device in my ear.
“What’s wrong?” I ask although I am leaning in as though I’m speaking to Levi.
“Security is tighter than I thought here, we need to regroup. I need a new plan,” Merc say
s.
“I’ve got one,” I say smoothly.
“Oh?” Levi asks.
“I know how to count cards. I taught Evan,” I whisper back.
I know my eyes have lit up, because Levi, who looks so much like Evan, is giving me that trademark devilish grin.
“No,” Merc automatically says through the comm system.
“Too late,” I whisper.
This could be foolish, but I feel a rush of adrenaline, and anything is better than the dullness I’ve been feeling. I’m not generally a woman of bad habits, but if there’s one I’d like to develop it’s throwing myself into things mercilessly without considering the consequences.
Concern flashes across Levi’s blue eyes, and for a moment, I see Evan’s worried face.
My mind plays tricks on me so quickly.
“Come on, let me teach you how to play Black Jack,” I tease Levi.
He has no choice; he nods as I trot away, bringing along his drink.
Levi follows me hesitantly to a Black Jack table, where a couple of handsome looking men in crisp Armani suits chat idly. They must be brothers. A woman is sitting beside them, looking blasé about their conversation as she twirls a blonde curl around her fingers.
“Hello,” Levi and I greet the table in unison, entirely by accident.
We all glare at each other for a moment.
The men nod in acknowledgment, the woman smiles as though things are about to get a bit more interesting.
“Deal us in,” Levi says confidently.
He puts quite a few chips on the table, and I don’t bother to count how many.
It takes a few hands, but eventually, I’m cleaning everyone out, and a small crowd has gathered around the table.
“Time to deal out,” Levi whispers.
“Security is coming,” he adds.
I smirk and stand just as two bulky security guards, and a man in a suit approach us.
“Please, let us help you with your winnings, Ms.?” the man in the suit asks.
“Victoire Bishop,” I lie through my teeth.
I hear Levi choke back a laugh and elbow him in the gut.
“Of course, Ms. Bishop, you may call me Sergio,” he tells us.
Levi and I follow Sergio and his guards past security, into the inner workings of the Casino.
FRACTURE: Hearts of Stone Book Six Page 13