FRACTURE: Hearts of Stone Book Six

by Woodward, Kaya

  I can smell her woman’s scent, and I bury my face between her breasts, kissing and squeezing, gently coaxing each soft moan from her lips.

  My fingers move under her and massage her clit, and she bites my earlobe. Her need is evident, and I guide her into the shower.

  The water turns on automatically, and it’s already at the perfect temperature. We languish under the torrents, licking and kissing and sucking, and then I wash her hair. It flows in my hands, the suds and bubbles mirrored in the slate wall of the shower as I tend to her.

  She smiles, and my heart melts.

  We dry off and then move to the bedroom, where the lovemaking becomes serious.

  Each orgasm leads to another, more intense one until we both collapse; sated.

  The morning sun is just breaking through the blinds.

  We don’t care.

  Noah has it covered.

  We fall asleep in our home for the first time in forever.

  When I awake hours later, Leigha’s head is at my groin, and she’s using my penis as her pacifier. She’s got a Cheshire cat grin on her face.

  I feel content.

  Safe.

  Home.

  * * *

  The phone rings.

  It’s a voice I don’t recognize.

  A woman’s voice.

  It sounds familiar.

  “Hello, Evan. This is Elena. If you value the lives of everyone you know, you and your wife will meet me in Madrid in two days. On your kitchen table is an envelope. Follow the instructions therein. Otherwise, it’s been nice not knowing you,” the voice says.

  The line goes dead.

  I gently remove Leigha’s mouth from my groin. She groggily protests but then buries her head in the pillows.

  When I am sure she’s asleep again, I get out of the bed. I put on my shorts and retrieve my Glock from the nightstand. I walk downstairs to the kitchen.

  There is a manila envelope on the table, next to the dishes and food we’d left out overnight.

  My hands tremble slightly.

  How did anyone get in here unnoticed?

  I check the security system. It’s armed!

  The doors all show they are locked. The windows as well.

  I notice a muddy print next to the garage. The door is locked, but that could have been from whoever locking it when they left.

  I open the envelope, and two first-class airline tickets fall out.

  The destination is Madrid, Spain.

  There is a card, with a phone number on it and the sole instruction:

  CALL WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT AIRPORT

  I walk back upstairs, my heart pounding.

  “Leigha, wake up. We need to pack,” I whisper, kissing her cheek.

  She mumbles something and flops over onto her other side.

  I marvel once more, at her full, ripe body.

  Her soft breathing causes her breasts to rise and fall, and I can see the pulse in her neck.

  I kiss her on that spot, tasting her.

  She blinks and smiles.

  “Where are we going, Ev?” she whispers, and I can feel all the love she has for me.

  I sit up and gently run my fingers over her curves, as she becomes more aware.

  “Madrid.”

  * * *

  I call Noah and tell him about Elena.

  I can hear him sigh over the line.

  “Well, this was inevitable, after all. The idea was to flush her from hiding. It appears to have worked. Evan, go with Leigha to Spain, as Elena has instructed. I will have Lucius, Merc and Aidan travel under separate transit to keep an eye on you. Just stay cool, son. I am counting on you!” Noah says.

  “Look, isn’t this more about Olivia than Elena?” I ask. I am more worried about why Olivia suddenly surrendered the brooch.

  “What are you and Tinsley going to do about the provenance? You know that Prince Phillip is the one everyone thinks will be King, once the Queen is gone?” I reply.

  “It’s a bit more complicated, Evan. Tinsley’s becoming a true princess means that Sebastian is also a Prince. It depends on whether the lineage is honored, and the brooch put paid to the evidentiary part. The Duke is going to try everything in his power, including using Olivia, Lauren, and Bishop to regain control. It’s why I have everyone moving around. It’s the only way to keep him off balance,” Noah explains.

  “I have an idea,” I say.

  “Why don’t we use the Ventretti’s against the Duke?” I ask.

  Noah pauses for a few moments and laughs.

  “A chip off the old block, eh, son?” he chuckles.

  “You read my mind. I’ve got Lucius and Vic working that angle, and…” he says.

  “Vic? You aren’t serious? What can she possibly do?” I ask, worried.

  Vic is the mother of my son, and I can’t help but worry for her.

  Noah chuckles again.

  “Don’t worry, Evan. Levi seems to be on top of that. I can’t say I blame him. He’s keeping a close eye on Vic. The three of them are just doing some surveillance analysis. Identifying patterns, looking for routines, that sort of thing. I expect that Vic and Lucius might have some paternal insight that we’ve missed. It’s a bit of a long shot. But I trust their instincts. Like I trust yours,” Noah adds.

  I feel a surprise swell of pride, and for once, I’m glad Noah can’t see me.

  “I probably don’t tell you enough, Evan, but I am very proud of you. You’re a good son. You’ve made mistakes. God knows I’ve made more than my share. But your heart is always in the right place, and you’ve grown into a man who knows what he’s about. Tinsley thinks the world of you, as well,” Noah says.

  I feel choked up.

  “Thanks,” I manage.

  “You take care of Leigha, and I will get Lucius and the other two on it right away,” my father says.

  “Be sure to not deviate from whatever Elena is asking, Evan. Don’t worry about things from this end, okay?” he adds before he rings off.

  I wish I felt as confident as he sounds.

  34

  Leigha

  February 14, 2019

  We arrive in Madrid, and I am again stunned by the beauty of the Spanish city. I’ve been here any number of times; it still takes my breath away!

  Evan and I exit the plane. The trip was uneventful, but I can tell from Evan’s hurried gait that he’s worried about Elena.

  I am, too.

  Evan informed Noah and Vic that we would be traveling incognito to Madrid, and he and Noah spoke at length about the activities with which we would become involved.

  The airport is awash with international travelers and local color. It’s a maelstrom of people coming and going. I think about how lucky I am to finally be with the man I love – my soulmate, Evan Stone.

  I think about how tenuous things can be and the tremendous odds that we surmounted. All this hustle and bustle; people living their own lives; loving; working; going from day to day.

  A woman comes past us, pushing an older woman in a wheelchair. She’s tired, but still smiling, listening as she chats with the woman. “Selena is going to be so happy to see her grandmother, and with a new baby, too!” I overhear.

  Something tugs at my heart.

  I look over at Evan, and he is busy making a call to the number from Elena. There’s a moment of unreality, where for just a second I wish our baby had survived. Then, it’s gone.

  I shake my head. That’s all in the past.

  * * *

  Evan hangs up the phone.

  “There’s a small restaurant, two and a half kilometers from the airport, next to a train station. We’re to meet her there,” Evan informs me.

  He must sense my discomfort, because suddenly he smiles, and then bursts out laughing.

  “I know, right? Fucking trains!” he says, then kisses me with his patented Evan Stone kiss and I melt into him. People stream past us, some giving us a look, but most are grinning. They can see how deliriously happy we are toge
ther.

  We get a taxi and soon are at “Abuela’s Cantina,” which is a small dive.

  They serve tapas and have a full bar.

  I am suddenly starving, even though the First-Class accommodations on the flight were exceptional. We had Chilean sea bass and arugula salads, champagne and cheese torts for dessert. I thought I was going to explode then, but the smell of the delicious small dishes in the restaurant has my mouth watering.

  We sit in the back, in a quiet area. The place is not very busy. I notice three men at the bar, and two women sitting at a table.

  A solitary woman walks through the front door.

  It has to be her! She’s got familiar features, and when I finally place them, I gasp.

  Evan does as well, but he seems as though he was expecting something.

  She’s a Stone.

  “I am Elena Stone, Evan. Your grandmother,” she announces with a little flourish.

  Evan nods.

  “What?” I cry, shocked. “Noah always told me his parents had died! No offense,” I spit out.

  Elena shrugs.

  “I cannot say I blame you, dear. Evan, what a wonderful girl you’ve found!” she smiles.

  There is something refreshingly honest, but after all the weirdness of the past months, I am uneasy to give my trust over to someone I don’t even know, regardless of whether she is a Stone or not.

  Our food arrives, and the plates of olives, small pastries, and other delicacies are arranged artfully around our table. We eat silently, and I am filled with amazement at how good the food tastes.

  “This is delicious!” I exclaim around a mouthful of seasoned bread.

  I giggle.

  “Excuse me! That’s so rude!” I say, trying to swallow. I drink some of the excellent sangria and wash down a lump of half-chewed food.

  Evan is laughing, and Elena is picking daintily at her meal.

  She glances around, and I notice the other patrons subtly nodding.

  “All clear, Miss Stone,” says one of the men at the bar.

  Suddenly, I realize that this is a sterile place!

  All of the people are her security team!

  Evan gives a low whistle.

  “That’s very neat, uh, do I call you ‘Granny’ or what?” he grins.

  “You may call me Elena. Yes, my team cleaned this area for two blocks, and this is one of my favorite haunts when I am in Spain,” she says, wiping her lips with a napkin.

  “Arturo, uno mas, por favor!” she says in perfect Castilian, and the waiters bring another course of small dishes stacked with fragrant delights.

  “Try the piscanta!” she says, picking up one, and pushing it at Evan.

  He opens his mouth, and his face looks orgasmic.

  “Holy mother of God, that is unbelievable!” he says and grabs one for me.

  He pushes it into my gaping mouth, which was about to chastise him for being so common when the flavors hit me.

  I shudder with delight!

  “Oh, my God! What is this?” I say. It’s the most delicate and flaky fish I’ve eaten!

  Elena smiles.

  “An old family recipe. I let them use it, in exchange for allowing me to have the occasional rendezvous. It works,” she says.

  She looks again, and the team is doing very discrete surveillance.

  Elena reaches into her bag and pulls out three items: a book, a manila envelope, and a small box.

  “You are about to enter a much larger world than either of you previously imagined,” she says in a serious tone.

  She gets comfortable and opens the box. She sets it next to the book, which I can see is an ancient Bible.

  Then, she puts the envelope next to her napkin, careful to avoid any watermarks.

  She motions, and a waiter clears the table of extraneous plates and refills our sangria and water glasses.

  Elena sips, and flips the Bible open to its frontispiece.

  “This Bible is the personal property of Lazarus Jedediah Stone, the first modern Stone scion. He was responsible for laying the foundation of our current familial wealth, by selling the Crown Jewels of Anne Boleyn, the wife of the Tudor King, Henry the Eighth. The real reason she was beheaded was that she had lost these priceless treasures, thus weakening Henry’s power over the Catholic Church. It led to the split and the Reformation, and the founding of the Church of England,” she explains.

  Evan and I sit in rapt attention, hanging on her every word.

  “What is not very well known is that one of Henry’s illegitimate sons became the sire of the house of Whittaker. Duke Geoffrey’s ancestor Llewellyn Whittaker, was the first to challenge King Edward VI, Henry’s son by Jane Seymour. It was unsuccessful, but Llewellyn managed to convince Pope Clement VI in 1640 A.D. to deny Henry’s right to declare a separate religious empire. This is what led to the founding of the Church of England. And, in payment for his assistance, Llewellyn was given the right to take the name Whittaker and granted the title of Duke. You won’t find any of this in your typical history books, dears,” she says.

  Elena takes a sip of water.

  “So, there is a direct lineage from Llewellyn to Duke Geoffrey, then?” Evan asks.

  “Yes. But there is more in this Bible and also this envelope. Let me explain how Lazarus came to own the Crown Jewels,” she states.

  “Are you familiar with the story of William Wallace?” she asks.

  “The dude in ‘Braveheart’?” Evan answers.

  Elena nods.

  “He is your ancestor, Evan. One of his other heirs was Thomas Ghent, the man who convinced Anne Boleyn to surrender her brooch and other jewels, and a small footnote in English history. This single act sped up the conversion of the Church of England,” she adds.

  “You have proof of all of this, then?” I ask.

  “Yes. And, the contents of this envelope provide the necessary provenance,” Elena says, and carefully withdraws white cotton gloves from her purse. She takes an unused napkin and spreads it on the table, and places the envelope on it. I can tell it’s ancient, and there are wax seals on the flap.

  She takes forceps and pulls the parchment from the envelope, taking several minutes to arrange it. When she finishes, she continues.

  “This is the official order that Lazarus Stone managed to pry from the Catholic Church just before World War One,” she says.

  She points to a wax seal on the parchment.

  “This is the Holy Seal of the Catholic Church, and it was placed there by Pope Pius VII, in 1939. It creates the House of Stone and allocates a two-and-one-quarter percent of the wealth of the Church to be placed under the care of Lazarus Stone, and his heirs,” she says.

  “You’re fucking kidding me!” Evan exclaims.

  Elena sits up and gives him a look.

  “Really, Evan. Such language!” she says, with a small smirk.

  “But, that’s…I mean, how much money is that?” I ask, stunned.

  “It’s not all money, Miss Bergmann. Or is it Mrs. Stone? I get all confused sometimes, the way you young people do things,” she says with a wry smile.

  I like her!

  I smile back.

  “After that arrangement was made, several Church properties were conveyed to Lazarus. As things progressed, he was able to work within the Church to move people and resources worldwide. Eventually, he was forced to make a choice. He had married outside of his religion, you see. And, hence, come to the Second World War, found himself on the wrong side of the Third Reich. You probably had not been made privy to this information, but Lazarus was a contemporary of Oskar Schindler and helped finance many of his efforts to protect the Jewish citizenry of Poland. The famous factory where Schindler kept his people safe was financed via Abraham Bankier, and was a Stone Family holding, for the Vatican,” she says.

  This is incredible!

  Evan sits there, tapping a finger on the table.

  His eyes wander to the box.

  “So, Lazarus Stone, a descendant o
f William Wallace, was given a grant from the Catholic Church for about two percent of its assets? That seems unlikely, Elena,” he grins.

  “Pardon me for being skeptical,” he adds.

  Elena takes the box and extracts a ring.

  She places it next to the seal on the parchment, and the seals on the envelope. Then she pulls out some photographs from the manila envelope and some copies of various documents.

  The seal on the ring is identical to the ones in the wax!

  “How did Lazarus obtain the jewels?” I ask.

  “It was handed down, father to son, for generations. A great family secret kept that way because of the ruthlessness of Llewellyn’s clan. They assassinated many to assure they would always have a place in the Royal Court. The feud between Whittaker and Stone almost rivals that of the War of the Roses. And, there are many aspects to that epic tale that are only answered properly by the inclusion of an unknown third party. And, that was the influence of the first of many Noah Stones,” she replies, emphasizing the name ‘Noah.’

  “What do you mean?” I ask.

  “The first Noah Stone was a contemporary of Llewellyn. He managed to prevent the ascension of a Whittaker from claiming the throne from Edward. From that time forward, there has been bad blood between the two houses. Each successive generation of Stones has one male heir that is chosen and named Noah. Your father is the latest in that line,” she explains.

  “But Tinsley and Noah’s son is Sebastian?” Evan asks.

  Elena is silent for a moment.

  “That’s because the next Noah will not be coming from your father, Evan. It’s going to be your son. Yours, and Leigha’s,” she replies.

  I feel suddenly faint.

  35

  Evan

  February 14, 2019

  “Uh, Evan already has a son? Ethan? With Vic?” Leigha stammers.

  “That is correct. I am just going to call you Leigha if you do not mind?” Elena responds.