“Of course,” Leigha replies.
“Leigha, you and Evan are the next in line for the honor of a son who will maintain the tradition of managing the assets of the family,” she says smoothly.
I laugh.
“How the hell can you be so sure that we’re even going to have children?” I ask.
Leigha gives Elena an odd look.
“How did you find out?” she asks.
“I wasn’t certain myself until last week when we came back from Monaco,” she whispers.
“What? What are you saying?” I ask, stunned.
“I’m pregnant, Evan,” she replies.
The look on her face is complex.
She’s elated, and scared and awed by the entire thing with Elena.
“Well, I didn’t know, but I suspected as much. You aren’t drinking very much sangria, even though Evan thinks you are. But I noticed you are only on your first glass, and it’s almost full,” Elena says, smiling.
“I was going to wait, to be sure, Evan. On top of all the other things going on, I didn’t want to risk…” Leigha begins.
I grab her and crush her against me.
My joy seems boundless.
I kiss her full on the lips, not caring who’s watching us.
A few minutes later, Elena makes a polite coughing sound.
“If you two can pay attention for only a short while longer, I can assure you I will arrange for a more appropriate place where you can, umm, celebrate?” she smiles.
I separate my face from Leigha, suddenly aware of all the security team watching us.
They are all smiling or hiding grins.
I am tempted to stick my tongue at them.
Leigha, reading my mind, sticks out hers.
A small round of applause comes from the group, and then they go back to work.
“You are going to take all of this to Tinsley. Be sure that Noah is aware of the importance of getting this to the Vatican. Only he can do this. Well, technically, Levi can also, but only if Noah is completely incapacitated, or deceased. Which brings up a rather unpleasant point,” Elena says.
I am suddenly wary.
She closes the box, keeping the ring out.
“You are going to be the keeper of this ring. It gives you access to many corridors of power, Evan. Use it wisely, and for God’s sake, never lose it!” she says, placing it on the forefinger of my right hand.
“Uh, this might mess up my shooting?” I say, immediately feeling a bit stupid.
It isn’t all that obtrusive.
She frowns.
“Well, it’s a bit too small for a cock ring, don’t you think?” she asks.
The serious look on her face has me gasping until she bursts out laughing.
It’s a melodious sound.
She hands Leigha the Bible and places the parchment back into the old envelope with the wax seals. Then she puts that into the manila envelope and pushes it across to Leigha. Leigha gracefully accepts all the items.
We’re pregnant!
I still can’t get over it!
My smile threatens to split my face in two.
An agent comes over, unbidden.
He places a small leather briefcase onto the table.
Leigha places all the items into it and locks it.
“Thank you,” she tells the agent.
“You are most welcome, Mrs. Stone,” he answers and walks back to his place at the bar.
“Remember, Evan. Give that briefcase to Noah, and don’t let the ring out of your sight!” Elena warns.
I nod vigorously, my head still spinning from all of this.
“One final thing, dears,” Elena says.
“Tinsley is a Whittaker. Noah is a Stone. This has been a very trying time for me these past years. I had to assure my son would be protected, yet ignorant of many things until the time was ripe for me to act. That is why I had the Queen, and the President set up RISC,” she confesses.
“What do you mean?” Leigha asks.
“RISC is an organization under my control. Noah reports directly to me, although he believes that he is reporting to a State Department spook named William Cook. I am Mister Cook, of course. We’ve never actually met, so it’s been childishly easy to pull off this ruse. Now, Olivia is a problem. Her interference and scheming with Duke Whittaker have been thwarting many of my efforts, and the entire debacle with Ava, Elizabeth and Lauren and the Darlington clan has been entirely too frustrating. When Noah contacted Michael Bishop, he did it under the authority of RISC, because the Church had been implicated in many unsavory acts that were blamed on it. RISC took it upon itself to clean house, but the Ventretti Family solved the problem for us, thanks to Levi’s influence. The people responsible for those heinous crimes were appropriately disciplined,” she says drily.
A few of the security agents chuckled.
It gives me a chill up my spine.
“However, the problem of Mr. Bishop still exists. He and Olivia are doing something that will affect the Duke. And Tinsley is the target,” she says.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Levi can tell you when you get back, Evan. I don’t want to spoil all his fun, you know!” she smiles.
“Tinsley Whittaker is next in line for the throne if Duke Whittaker can orchestrate it. But Olivia could become Queen. Levi will fill you in on the details,” Elena states flatly and rises.
“You two have a suite at the Gran Melia Palacio de Los Duques. Enjoy yourself, but be prepared to return to London in two days. I will arrange a security detail, and you have my number, of course,” she says.
She leans in and hugs Leigha, and then kisses her cheek.
“Congratulations, my dear, both on your marriage to my fine grandson, and your coming child!” she says.
Then, she walks out of the restaurant, followed by the two women agents.
I can see her get into a taxi with them, and then she’s gone.
Shortly after, all the other agents leave, save the one who brought us the briefcase.
“I am Alan Ross. Miss Stone has asked me to provide security for you during your stay here in Madrid. If you’d like, I can liaise with your team?” he asks.
“That will be fine. I’ll call Levi and Merc and see that they make the necessary arrangements,” I tell Alan.
“Very good, sir,” he replies.
He goes back to the bar, keeping an eye on things. When his phone rings a moment later, I am not surprised.
Levi insisted I wear a wire. I didn’t want to, but he had a team assigned to us, from the moment we left the house. At the airport, two agents boarded separately and shadowed us to the restaurant. Merc had also arranged a strike team only one block from the address, once I had called Elena.
I smile at Leigha.
She smiles back, looking a bit woozy.
“It’s all so much to take in, Evan,” she says.
“Let’s go to the hotel. I want to check out the womb with a view,” I whisper in her ear. I give it a slight nip.
She smacks my upper arm.
“You better treat me a whole lot better, now I’m carrying your kid!” she teases.
We leave, and I see our people merge behind us, with Alan.
A short while later, we are in our suite, and I make good on my threat.
Leigha doesn’t complain at all…
36
Leigha
February 15, 2019
Dawn seeps into the darkness of the night as I sit up in bed, twirling my hair around my fingers marveling at all that’s happened in the past few days.
It’s honestly a lot to digest, but most of all?
I’m still in shock that I’m pregnant!
It started as what I thought was chest pain, and I assumed it was something related to anxiety, because of everything that’s been going on, of course, but when it didn’t go away, and I was having a hard time keeping breakfast down something told me to take a test.
I didn’t fully exp
ect to see two lines, but there they were, faint but the second line was there!
It was so faint I didn’t believe it at first. I ran out and bought at least three more pregnancy tests.
The anticipation of waiting to take another test in the morning meant I didn’t sleep a wink, but sure as anything that test was darker!
Even now, I can still feel the sheer fear, and I already love this baby more than I thought I could.
Evan’s elation made me ecstatic, and in a way, a little sad.
I’m so afraid that something will happen to our little nugget!
The doctor has already assured me, a thousand times it seems, that everything is looking just fine and has promised to keep a close eye on me.
“You okay?” Evan asks groggily.
I can see the outline of his morning wood in the beautiful silk sheets of the large king size bed that dominates the bedroom of our suite.
Everything about Evan makes me weak in the knees, and now that I’m having his baby?
Every time I think about it, I’m just so much more stunned.
I never imagined I could be this deliriously happy with my best friend, and get everything I’ve ever wanted.
“A little afraid,” I admit to Evan.
“Don’t be,” He tells me calmly.
“Why? Why are you so sure?” I ask him.
“I know, some things are meant to be, like us. We made it back together, to me that stands for more than anything,” Evan, my Evan, explains as he pushes a piece of hair away from my face.
Naked and raw like this is how I prefer Evan.
“How far along are you?” Evan asks.
“Six weeks tomorrow- I wanted to tell you, but I spent too much time waiting for the right time,” I laugh at myself.
Evan laughs with me, and his hand reaches up to grab the side of my face and pull me in for a deep, heartfelt kiss.
Every kiss Evan gives me makes my mind spin; I throw myself into the moment and let all my worries wash away as Evan eases me down into the sheets.
“I got you pregnant,” he says in wonder, between the spray of kisses he leaves across my stomach.
“I know,” I respond with a smile as I relax back against the sheets and pillows, everything is strewn about from the previous day and night’s activities.
Just the knowledge that Evan has put a baby inside me makes my thighs quiver, and the wetness between my legs grow, even before he spreads my legs.
“Mmm…” Evan growls from between my legs.
Evan’s tongue slides along my clit, his fingers beginning to massage inside me and I find myself already gripping the pillows.
I look down to see Evan’s unabashed gaze meeting mine, and I bite my lip to keep from screaming as his tongue does that delicate little dance to make me cum.
“Ev- “I manage to get the beginning of his name out of my mouth before the word gives way to a long moan.
I don’t know if it’s the hormones or what but I find myself coming undone at his touch quickly and without warning, his name escaping my lips in the ecstasy of the moment.
“I love it when you scream my name,” Evan whispers.
“Then I’ll scream it over, and over again,” I reply with a devious little smirk.
“Oh?” Evan takes this as a challenge, raising his eyebrow at me.
Evan begins to crawl over my body, and to tease him I back away, no matter how much I want him between my legs, teasing him is more fun.
I back into the headboard and Evan’s hands find mine.
“Trying to escape, Mrs. Stone?” he asks.
“Never, Mr. Stone,” I reply, giggling.
“What’s so funny?” He asks.
“I forgot to tell you…” I trail off in a fit of laughter.
“What?” Evan pauses, glancing down at his throbbing cock.
“My lawyer called, our annulment didn’t go through, because we weren’t married in the UK,” I explain.
My attempts at being serious fail and I collapse against the softness of the bed in a fit of laughter as Evan joins me.
“You mean all of that was nothing to worry about?” Evan rasps from laughing so hard.
I nod.
This really shouldn’t be so funny, but it’s a moment I want to take a mental picture of and save for later: naked in bed together, laughing as Evan showers me with kisses.
Evan’s lips on mine make the laughter subside, in a more serious way I need him now.
I look up at my husband, just as he is about to devour me- looking up at Evan is like looking at the sun: blindingly bright and dangerous, but warm and addictive. I always knew that he could hurt me, but I’ve always wanted more of him, more with him.
I always told myself my feelings for Evan were just a crush, but as our friendship continued, I couldn’t help myself from wanting more.
In Private School, when we were practically kids, I knew I wanted more than he could give.
After Merc ‘died’ I wanted him to be my solace and to be his.
I knew that there was no way I could live without him in my life, so I had to let him go.
And Evan came back to me!
“I love you, Leigha,” Evan whispers, raw emotion in his voice as he fills me.
I wrap my legs around his waist, envelope his face with my hands, and kiss my husband as thoroughly as ever, biting his lower lip in the process.
“I love you,” I respond, my breath hitching in my throat as Evan buries his cock deep inside me, making me whine and twist and beg for more in his arms.
Every touch and movement sets my body alight with new waves of pleasure; every kiss sends my mind spiraling in another direction.
It’s natural for us to find our climax together, twisted between the sheets, our bodies sweaty and tired but somehow wanting more.
“I’m so glad, we are still married,” Evan tells me after.
However, there’s a feeling deep down in my gut, that something horrible is about to happen.
37
Leigha
February 17, 2019
When we get back to London, Noah calls a meeting.
Levi, Merc, Aiden, Evan, Tinsley and I wait expectantly, passing the time telling jokes.
Noah enters the room and sits down. He’s taken most of the day to digest the information gleaned from the documents we brought for him from his mother. He wipes his face with both hands and begins.
“Tins, this is some bad news, for sure. We’ve got a cordon set up, with layers of protection. But the Duke and Olivia have vanished,” he starts.
“Do we have any intel at all? Maybe Lauren?” Levi asks.
Merc shakes his head.
“Mossad and MI-6 are mum. No chatter on the other channels, either,” he says.
He glances at me, and I smile.
Merc turns his gaze over to Noah.
Something inside me feels sad. I at least wanted to remain friends, but I guess that door is closing. I mentally shrug and listen to the others discuss what’s to be done.
Evan looks happier than I’ve ever seen him.
The morning sickness is starting to kick in, and I have to continue sucking on a candy to keep myself from vomiting up breakfast. Candy at eight in the morning, I think to myself, everyone is going to know before I’m ready to tell them!
I can’t believe that a tiny baby is growing in me, and it’s Evan’s!
My mind thinks of Ethan and how cute he is.
Vic may have had Evan’s first son, but I have Evan.
My cheeks blush slightly. Luckily no one notices.
Evan squeezes my hand under the table. I grip it tightly. His warmth calms me.
Noah’s phone rings and he picks it up, looking slightly puzzled.
“Hello? Yes. Ah. I see,” he says.
He listens for a few moments, and it’s fascinating watching his expression.
He’s thinking very hard, it is apparent.
“Fine. We’ll set a meeting. Where would you like
to rendezvous? Yes, that will be fine. Should I send someone? Excellent. Tomorrow noon, at Alain Ducasse. Good choice. Public enough. No, my men will be discrete, so please assure yours are as well,” he continues, and he glances at Levi and Merc.
“Goodbye, then,” he says.
Noah puts down the phone.
“That was Michael Bishop. He wants to make a deal.”
38
Evan
February 18, 2019
Noah and I coordinate a meeting with Levi, Merc, and Lucius as to how we want to handle the situation with Michael Bishop.
Levi and Lucius are to be in the restaurant, at the bar. Merc will keep an eye on the entrance, and work with Noah’s usual team to keep things tight.
We leave at the appointed time, and arrive at the Dorchester, our limousine pulling up to the valet. The attendants open our doors, and we exit.
I look at the grey clouds above; nothing like London rain.
As our limo pulls away, I see our security men in their cars, which have been following us at a discrete distance — the first vehicle stops at the valet, and several men exit.
One of them is Merc. He holds a short discussion with the valets. Handing the lead valet a wad of bills, he signals to Noah and me that all is clear.
We enter the Dorchester and make our way to Alain Ducasse, which encompasses a considerable space. There are three separate sections, and we stroll over to the Salon Park Lane, escorted by the Maître D.
As we enter the room, I take note of the layout. There are three long tables, with enough seating for thirty, ten at each table. Pristine white linens and matching napkins top the tables. Exquisitely carved crystal glassware, fine bone China dishes, and Sterling silverware are arranged as if for a banquet.
Down at the far end sits Michael Bishop.
And, Lauren Darlington is sitting next to him, sipping a glass of white wine.
My father and I walk to the table.
He nods at Lauren, and she smirks.
“Please, sit down, and order whatever you’d like,” Michael Bishop laughs. “After all, you’re buying!” he grins.
FRACTURE: Hearts of Stone Book Six Page 21