by Eve Langlais
“She went for a morning jog around six and then wanted to have a swim before people invaded the pool,” Mae informed.
Joanna went on patrol while Ted lazed away in bed. He just couldn’t seem to make a good impression.
“Let me shower first,” Macey began to say, to immense groans.
“I can’t wait that long. I’ll die of hunger,” Lin exclaimed, clutching her belly.
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, Mother.” Mae lifted her chin.
Ted came to the rescue. “You shower. I’ll take the girls.”
Macey opened her mouth, and he was convinced that she’d say no. As were the girls, who readied their expressions to protest.
She surprised them all. “Sure. I’ll meet you in the dining hall.”
What?
Macey rolled out of bed, her shorts and T-shirt covering her, and yet the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. He averted his gaze and encountered that of the observant twins.
“So, Daddy,” Mae enunciated. “What’s the plan today?”
“We’ll decide over breakfast. And for that, I need pants or shorts,” he declared. “Shoo, while I find my clothes.” It didn’t take him long to dress, but he did run into a problem of where to hide a gun. He couldn’t. Not in this tropical weather that didn’t allow for layers.
But they should be safe on the ship.
The breakfast was served buffet-style. While he loaded up on pancakes, bacon, hash browns and coffee, the girls chose fruit and yogurt with nuts.
He eyed their healthy plate versus his. He had to ask. “Do you ever eat junk food?” Because it occurred to him that during their trip thus far, he’d yet to see them munching on chips or candy.
“We did last night. Popcorn and licorice. But we rarely partake in processed garbage,” Lin said, and he couldn’t tell if she offered her own opinion or a parroted one.
“That stuff might be processed crap, but bacon is the food of the gods,” he declared, holding up a strip.
“Salty fat,” Lin declared.
“Delicious,” he countered.
“Yes, it is.” Macey arrived sooner than expected and plucked the piece out of his hand.
“Hey! That’s mine.”
“Everyone knows bacon is more delicious when it belongs to someone else.” She flopped into the seat beside him. “You going to finish that?”
She tugged his plate over, and the girls giggled.
“Mom. What are you doing?” Lin exclaimed.
“Since your dad forgot to get me a plate, I’m sharing his.”
“Poor Daddy is going to die of starvation.” Lin snickered.
“Let’s get them more,” Mae declared.
“Bring bacon,” Ted demanded.
“And hash browns. This is good.” Macey began to seriously eat his food, and he had to wonder…
“I’m surprised you’re not going for the fruit like your girls.”
“Usually, I would. But this is going to be a high carb kind of day.”
“What makes you say that?” he asked.
“When we dock at noon at the first island on our stop, we’ll be scouting some possible new homes. Marie sent me a list while I was in the shower.”
“You’re going to move to the Caribbean?”
“Possibly. Depends on how we like it.”
“And if you do, does that mean the cruise might be over by dinner?”
“No. It would cause too much attention for us to miss the ship’s departure. But the shore leave gives us a chance to house hunt without drawing notice.”
“What about your work in the States?”
“I’ll find another lab, or KM will start one. I’ve got enough money socked away to not really worry about that stuff for a while. Have you thought about where you’ll go after the cruise? You do realize you can’t return to your old life, right?”
“Yeah, I know.” But he’d not given it much thought.
“Are you going to be okay? Do you need help getting set up somewhere?”
He arched a brow. “Are you offering?”
“Not me, but I’m sure Mother could manage something.”
“If I need anything, my buddy Ben will take care of me. But thanks.”
Macey didn’t reply. She stared at the buffet and the girls.
An older man with his hair combed back from a receding forehead, and a camera around his neck talked to the twins. He pointed to the device then at the girls, and Ted could see Macey readying to go mama bear on his ass.
Ted rose before she could act. “Finish your breakfast.”
“I should—”
“Keep your ass in that chair. This is the kind of job made for an overprotective father.” He winked. “I met enough angry daddies in my youth to know what to say.”
As Ted neared the twins, he heard the man spouting a line of bullshit. “…modeling opportunities for beautiful ladies.”
Fucking perv. Ted didn’t smile as the guy noticed his approach. As soon as he neared, Lin tucked close to his side. “Hi, Daddy.” She smiled up at him.
“Hey, baby girl.” He put a hand on Mae’s shoulder and found her stiff. “Everything okay?”
“This man wants to take our picture.”
“Oh, he does, does he?” Ted eyed the man, whose pale skin sweated.
“You must be the twins’ dad. I was just telling them about my photography business. Always looking for new talent. Your daughters are quite beautiful.”
“I know. However, we’ve chosen to focus more on what’s inside than outside, especially given their impressionable age. Girls, why don’t you bring Mom that bacon. She was just saying she was craving more.” He waited until they were out of earshot before smiling and saying in a deadly tone, “Listen, you pervy fucking bastard, and listen good. Stay away from my daughters, or you’ll be one of those unfortunate souls who falls off the ship at sea and is never found again.”
The fellow’s eyes widened. “Is that a threat?”
“A promise. Don’t come near my girls.” Damn, there was something awesome about calling them his. About taking on a role he’d never even considered.
The other fellow, too cocky by far, sneered. “We both know they’re not yours. Or your wife’s. Was it your idea to adopt Oriental? In-home dining rather than takeout.”
If they’d been anywhere else, Ted would have decked him. But he couldn’t get tossed off the ship. It took iron control to murmur, “Say one more word, and you won’t live to see the sunset.”
“You can’t threaten me,” the man blustered.
Crash. Joanna accidentally bumped into the fellow, sending him reeling into the buffet.
“Oops. Sorry about that. Clumsy me,” she exclaimed without a hint of apology.
When the perv would have whirled from the mess to freak on Joanna, she subtly hooked his ankle, sending him crashing to the deck.
“You fucking bitch. How dare you touch me?”
“I dare because those are my nieces, asshole,” she said, leaning down so that only Ted and the perv could hear.
“You’ll pay for this,” threatened the man as the ship’s staff came running.
Joanna pointed at the perv. “That man touched me without my permission.”
“Did not!”
When the staff looked at Ted, he nodded. “And he tried to get my daughters to go somewhere private with him. You might want to check his camera.”
The very idea led to the perv being taken away with Joanna following behind, threatening to sue if he and his wandering hands weren’t put ashore.
Ted returned to the table and the girls, who sat quietly with their mother. She wore a bemused expression, but Mae nodded at him as if she approved, while Lin beamed. “Way to go, Daddy. Can we go for a swim now?”
“Only after we have our lessons.” Because he wanted the girls able to defend themselves should the next perv be a little more handsy.
After forty-five minutes of sweating, the swim in the pool refreshed. After a light lunch, th
e ship docked. The family group, minus Joanna, who’d disappeared again, set off to explore. They headed on foot into the town, the bazaar-type atmosphere loud and bright. Great to hide in, but not so good for keeping an eye out for suspicious sorts.
Logically, he knew Ronin and his cronies couldn’t have found them, and yet, Macey’s paranoia proved contagious. Especially after his run-in with the perv that morning. The nerve of that fucker, soliciting the girls right in front of him.
What would have happened if he or Macey hadn’t been around? The girls were smart enough to not go off with a stranger, but what if the guy threatened? He really needed to work on those self-defense lessons with them.
The girls browsed a selection of shell art. He leaned close to Macey and muttered, “Is it me, or is being a parent stressful?”
She side-eyed him. “What makes you say that?”
“There are so many dangers they’re unaware of, and a parent’s job is to keep them safe.”
“Mine never did,” was her low reply.
“Mine either.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I kind of wish I’d had someone looking out for me, though. It would have made things easier.”
“But then you wouldn’t be the person you are today,” she remarked.
“Exactly.” He grimaced. “I’ve not been a model example.”
“Dwelling on our past mistakes doesn’t help us move forward.”
“Helps to make sure I don’t repeat them, though.”
“Ain’t that the truth?” she said on a sigh, following as the girls flitted off and pointed as they identified the array of spices being hung and dried in a stall.
“You never got involved with anyone after your ex,” he stated.
“Who told you that?” she asked, only to groan. “The girls.”
“They’re under the impression that you’re pining for their father.”
She grimaced. “More like never repeating that mistake. Even now, I can’t believe I let someone control me like that.”
“It’s hard to recognize the signs of an unhealthy relationship, especially when we’re young. It doesn’t help that the toxic ones tend to be the hardest to shake.”
“Speaking from experience?”
“Not with women, if that’s what you’re asking.”
He noted the blush as she quickly exhaled. “No. I didn’t mean— Just—” she stammered.
Ted laughed. “My toxicity was with drugs and alcohol. I knew they were bad for me. Hated how they made me feel, but it took me a while to break away. And even now, I’m constantly on guard.”
“Always worried you’ll get caught in that trap again.” She cocked her head as she eyed him. “I guess we’re both living with ghosts.”
“Can you imagine what life would be like if they stopped haunting us?”
Her expression took on a sad mien. “No, I can’t.”
His turn to grab her hand and hold it. She glanced down at their laced fingers and him. For a moment, he thought she’d pull away. Instead, she leaned closer to him.
“Nine o’clock.”
“What?” It took him a second to grasp that she wanted him looking in a specific direction. He shifted to subtly peer.
Someone was taking pictures of the crowd. Probably to post on social media. Moving quickly, he tucked his arm around Macey and tilted them to shield the girls. It wouldn’t do to have their faces plastered anywhere. Recognition software might suss them out.
“We should get out of here,” she muttered. “According to my messages from Mother, the first house to look at is past downtown, we can walk there.”
“I’ll wrangle the girls.” By wrangle, he meant take them each by the hand and begin walking. Lin followed, but Mae dug in her heels. She tugged to free herself, but he held tightly.
“What are you doing? I’m not a baby.”
“Just making sure you don’t get kidnapped.”
“No one is going to abduct us,” was her disdainful reply.
“Hate to break it to you, protected princess, but every day, dozens of kids, probably more like hundreds, are taken against their will.”
“Why?” Lin asked with an innocence he didn’t want to ruin.
But Mae, who might be the same age, but appeared more street-savvy, knew. “He’s talking about human trafficking.”
“Only bad people do that, and we stay away from them.”
“Because bad people wear a sign around their neck?” he mocked. Probably not the mature thing to do, but the twins had a cockiness about them that would get them into trouble.
“Of course not, but we’re careful,” Mae insisted.
“So careful you got caught up talking with a man this morning at breakfast when you should have walked away?” Macey declared as they cleared the crush of people.
“We didn’t want to be rude. We weren’t going to go anywhere with him.”
“You have to be more cautious. There are bad people out there who would do you harm.”
“You just want us to be paranoid like you,” Mae hotly declared, tearing free from his grip so she could confront her mother.
“It’s called staying safe,” Macey said primly.
“No, it’s not. You’re afraid of something,” Mae stated.
“Don’t be silly.”
“Then you’re okay if I call Pedro from school and let him know we’re okay? He’s probably worried and all, given that our house burned down.” Lin was the one to provide the sly request.
“And what about the police? I’m sure they want to talk to us. Arson is a crime.”
Ted saw the trap the girls laid, with no way for Macey to escape it. He jumped in and threw himself on the grenade to save her.
“You can’t call anyone. Because no one can know we’re together.”
“Why not?” Mae’s gaze slewed in his direction.
He needed an excuse. One good enough to keep the girls from questioning the subterfuge. One that would take the focus off Macey and put it on him.
He blurted the first thing that came to mind. “I think it was my ex-wife who burned down my dojo and your house. If she finds out I’m on this cruise with your mom, who knows what she’ll do. I’m afraid she’ll come after us.”
Chapter Thirteen
Ronin
Ronin flew to the United States the moment it was confirmed.
Macey lived. As did his daughters. Very intelligent girls, according to school records. It was via their classmates that he got the most details and a picture. Serious-looking, and most definitely his.
Macey had much to answer for.
By now, Macey probably suspected that Ronin was coming after her. He’d not been exactly subtle when he set fire to all the places connected to her and his daughters. Let her fear his wrath. Let her lie awake at night and worry. Twitch at every shadow.
She deserved it for what she’d put him through. She’d pay, once he found her.
Which was proving more difficult than expected. It would seem that Macey had a knack for disappearing. And she’d once more vanished. However, unlike a decade ago, when he thought she’d died, this time, he actively sought her. She could try and hide, but he wouldn’t stop looking.
Given that he couldn’t exactly sit on his hands and patiently wait, he’d flown to the States, and was now in the penthouse condo he owned in San Francisco. Someone had kindly fetched Ralph, the last person to have seen Macey.
A man who was proving disappointing in the information department.
“Let’s start over,” he said, pulling the gag from Ralph’s mouth.
“I don’t know anything else. I swear.”
Ronin glanced at Jiao, his current right-hand man, the newest in a long line of disappointments since Chen. Some days, he regretted not killing his old friend. Other days, he thought about bringing him back. But then he would appear weak.
That wasn’t something he ever allowed.
“I think our guest needs softening.” A statement that led to Jiao heftin
g a hammer.
Ralph squeak and began pleading. They always did. Ronin had long ago learned to tune it out.
Once the screams tapered to moans and sobbing, Ronin stepped close and pressed his fingers into a wound pierced by bone.
Ralph blubbered. “I don’t know.”
Ronin believed him. But his frustration demanded some kind of satisfaction.
His phone went off, a standard ring because he couldn’t stand all the ridiculous sounds other people chose for theirs. There was nothing wrong with being traditional.
Lee, his manservant, held it up. “Kira calling, sir.”
“I’ll take it.” Wiping his bloody fingers on a rag, Ronin then took the outstretched phone. “You’d better have news.”
“I do.”
“Give me a second.” Ronin cast a glance at Jiao. “Dispose of him.”
Ralph roused enough to moan and beg, “No, please.”
Ignoring the plea, Ronin stepped out of the concrete bunker—with walls so thick, no one could hear the screams. Built as a panic room in the center of the condo, it served as a place to handle delicate matters. The drain in the floor had been added in after the fact.
Only once he’d entered his office and closed the door did he speak again. “What did you find out?”
“Not much yet. Whoever is helping her, hid her tracks pretty damned good. Every electronic record is gone or changed.”
“But you did find something.”
“I think I’ve located your daughters.”
His body went still, and his tone low. “Are you sure?”
“Like ninety percent certain it’s them.”
“And how did you arrive at this premise?”
“Using the images we retrieved, we’ve been scanning social media.” While Macey might have tried to keep her social media presence to virtually nothing, she’d been less successful with curbing that of his daughters. He had many images of them, indulging in serious pursuits of which he approved. At least Macey appeared to be giving them a proper education. However, they needed their father.
“I take it you got a hit.”
“The facial recognition software has been filtering every video feed and online platform out there. Which takes time, I should add. But we got a possible match.”