What a fucking day.
And this happened on his watch.
The comm beeped.
“Guys?” Vaughn yelled over everything. “Douglas has left the house.”
Nolan snarled.
All the God damn problems happening at once.
“Where is he? What happened?” Grant asked, his voice hard.
“Not sure.” It was easier to hear Vaughn now. “I caught sight of him jogging out to the garage then he lit out of here in a sports car. I’ve got him heading out of town at a fast pace.”
“Brenden, Nolan, go retrieve the kid and bring him back,” Grant ordered. “Get Zain on it. See if he can’t kill the car remotely.”
“On it.” Nolan picked up the pace, leaving their little convoy behind.
A moment later coordinates chimed on his phone and he adjusted his course.
“Zain says he can kill the car, but it’s going to leave Douglas stranded on a stretch of low traffic road,” Vaughn reported back.
“I’m not far behind him,” Brenden said through the comms.
“Kill the damn car,” Nolan said. “I’m ten minutes behind you. I’ll wait for a tow”
“Agreed,” Grant said. “Kill it.”
Nolan listened to the drama unfolding over the comms. This was not the job he wanted. He didn’t want any job at all right now. And here he was being a fucking pick up boy.
What the hell was Melody thinking to let Yvonne and her mother go out like that? What were they up to?
He couldn’t help but think of what Yvonne had said yesterday when she’d said he was right. Was this somehow connected?
This whole job was pissing him off. How would he protect Yvonne if she couldn’t trust them?
By the time Nolan reached the stretch of road where Zain had killed Douglas’ car Brenden had long since made the pick up and was gone. Instead, a dark van idled just behind the fancy, yellow sports car.
No doubt someone looking to take advantage of an opportunity.
Nolan whipped around the road block and got out.
A man with sandy colored hair hand his hands braced on the roof, peering inside.
“Can I help you?” Nolan’s tone wasn’t friendly.
“This your car?” The man had a southern drawl. Sunglasses obscured much of his face.
“Yes.”
“Oh, well, it’s just sitting here.”
“Sorry about that. Taking care of it.” Nolan slowed to a stop a few feet away and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Alright. You have a good one, ya hear?”
Nolan watched the good old boy amble back to his van and chug past the two Krieger cars.
What a fucking day.
He pulled out his phone, but there were no new messages. No explanation from the woman who couldn’t be honest with him. What had he expected? She’d told him plainly that her top two priorities were her family and work.
Nolan shouldn’t care, but he did. And that was a problem.
14.
Thursday. Grimaldi Place Guest House, Chevy Chase, MD.
Yvonne knew she was in trouble. Bad trouble. Maybe the worst of her life.
And all for doing what mother had asked her to do.
She closed her eyes and willed her heart to slow down a bit. A deep breath in and she felt as though someone sucker punched her with a fistful of lavender. The candle was across the room on Dad’s desk.
Wasn’t one of the side effects of pregnancy a heightened sense of smell?
The silence in the room was absolute. Both of her brothers had retreated to the sofa.
Her feelings teetered back and forth. On one hand, she was ashamed that she’d allowed herself to be pulled into this deception. Her mother had asked her to do many things for the good of the family, but nothing like this. On the other hand, Mom had gift wrapped Yvonne’s way out. In the future, she would need to remember today. It would serve as a reminder why she was putting the best interests of her child above that of her family.
Because in the end, neither Yvonne or her baby would matter as much as Theodore or Douglas. They were the preferred children. The favorites. Yvonne would always be second best.
The library door hinges squeaked. Mom whispered something at Dad, but he didn’t respond. The door thunked shut without anyone speaking.
Yvonne clasped her hands together in her lap and stared at the gleaming surface of the table. She wouldn’t sit here and be a part of the board meeting any longer. It was hard to miss that testosterone party.
Dad’s footsteps on the hardwood came nearer. His shadow stretched across the room until he was beside her. He vibrated with anger, and worse—disappointment.
She’d always wanted to make him proud. Everything she’d ever done had been about that. Deep down, she was still that same daddy’s girl she’d always been. She’d made his dreams hers. All of her life’s choices were about making him proud.
“Vee, what were you thinking?” Dad braced his hand on the long table in the library and bent over her.
“She was thinking about this family,” Mom said from across the room.
Dad ignored Mom and lowered to crouch at her side. He wore jeans and a button-down shirt, which was about as casual as Mom allowed him to dress these days. The light glinted off the silver in his hair and there was pain in his eyes.
Yvonne loved her father fiercely. She’d do anything for him. Even lie to the police.
She couldn’t explain it to him. Not yet. In nine months or a year, maybe he’d understand her choices leading up to today, but right now she didn’t have answers for him.
“I don’t get the big deal.” Douglas sighed and sprawled on the sofa.
“Shut your mouth,” Theodore snarled.
“Vee?” Dad gripped her knee.
Yvonne had to tell him something. The easiest answer was to follow Mom’s reasoning, even if it went counter to everything Yvonne had ever done. “Mom’s right. If we say I did this, the worst that happens is they ask me questions, I make apologies...” She’d step down from her role as VP, but that was a personal decision more in line with her new trajectory.
“This is the best way for us to all be happy,” Mom said.
Dad straightened. “Everyone—out. Give me and your mother a moment.”
“Finally.” Douglas leapt to his feet.
“Yvonne, we’re going to talk more about this later. Theo, keep an eye on your brother,” Dad said.
Douglas groaned.
Yvonne knew Dad would want to talk to her one on one. She’d have to put that off for as long as she could until she came up with some foolproof answers for him. For now, she took the chance to slip out of the library and away from the others.
Normally she’d have resisted her mother’s attempts to meddle. Yvonne took after her father with her strict sense of right and wrong. But soon she would be removing herself from the family picture. Not altogether, but she would not have a role in these dramas. She’d quit the company. Her history wouldn’t matter much. She figured a baby didn’t care who she lied to so long as it got to eat, had its diaper changed and slept comfortably. There were years to go before her baby wanted to understand the events leading up to its birth.
Was her little bean a boy or a girl?
She slowed to a stop in the hall and placed her hand against her stomach.
It was an obvious question, and yet she stood there with two, mental images of a baby in her mind. One wore a little blue hat, the other pink. She’d never anticipated children of her own, so she had no preference.
Except...
She hoped the baby had Nolan’s eyes. The green was mesmerizing. Beautiful.
Theodore’s voice rose, carrying down the hall. She glanced at the kitchen. In no way did she want to get sucked into that. As of today she’d done her part in helping Douglas avoid the consequences of his actions. She was done.
Her mental to-do list nagged at her.
Yvonne needed to touch base with Melody, find out if the prescription
s had been filled. But that meant braving the guest house. Yvonne owed Melody an apology for dragging her into this.
Mom wasn’t nearly as good at sneaking around as she thought. Given how fast Dad had reacted, Yvonne thought it was safe to assume Mom had pitched the plan to Dad before she confided in Yvonne. Dad would have shot down the idea in a heartbeat.
It was going to hurt Dad to learn Yvonne’s motives later on, but she wasn’t willing to admit her secret yet. Not until she was farther along in the pregnancy.
Yvonne needed some air. The house smelled of lavender and citrus from the cleaning crew and it was all too much. She let herself out onto the patio by way of the living room and drew in her first breath of fresh air. The scent of freshly cut grass was a relief after the heavy fragrances inside.
Her relief was short-lived.
Sitting in a chair facing the house was Nolan. His sunglasses hid his eyes, but she felt the stare and his wrath. Inwardly she cringed, but she’d also expected this.
It was time to face the music.
She went to him, smart enough to know the angry beast inside of him had to be soothed. What she’d done was wrong and he would take it personally. Nolan was a protector, and she’d gone against him and in his mind put herself in danger.
Nolan pushed to his feet, towering over her, but he didn’t speak. He’d trusted her. Confided in her. And she’d still gone behind his back, breaking the trust they’d built.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“For what?” He crossed his arms over his chest.
Yvonne opened and closed her mouth. “This morning. Sneaking out. Making you worry.”
“What happened at the station? What did your mother talk you into doing?” His rage was palpable. It blistered her.
“I can’t tell you, but it’s the last time.” She was surprised by how much she wanted to tell him. Was it because he’d seen through the bullshit before?
Nolan threw his hands up in the air. “Addicts say that.”
Yvonne couldn’t respond to that. She couldn’t explain her reasoning to him right now. Not when he was angry with her. It wasn’t the time to drop the bomb on him that her whole world was shifting priority, and he was involved.
“I can’t believe you’re the one who ran off on us.” He shoved a hand through his hair.
“It was stupid.”
“Yes. For a smart woman I didn’t expect you do something so stupid. And you know.” He leaned toward her. “You know the risk.”
“That’s why I took Melody with me—”
“Melody is not a field operative. She didn’t make you wear a vest, and she didn’t even have a gun on her.” He slashed his hand through the air. “You should have told me. I’d have...”
“You’d have tried to talk me out of it. You were also on duty.” And there was no way she’d have taken him to the clinic.
“You’re damn right I would have. Fuck. I can’t do this if I can’t trust you. I thought you were better than that. I thought you were better than them.” He flung his hand out toward the house.
Yvonne bit the inside of her cheek, his words drawing blood.
“I have to go.” Nolan whirled and stalked off across the paving stones and the grass toward the guest house.
Was that the baby kicking her for being stupid? Or someone stabbing her heart?
She sucked down a shuddering breath.
Her emotions were all over the place. Fear. Sadness. Hope.
It was overwhelming to the point her body’s only reasonable reaction was tears she didn’t want to cry. But Yvonne couldn’t afford to wallow. This was a time of action.
Dad would come talk to her later likely in private. Mom might seek her out to reaffirm that Yvonne had done the right thing. Theodore would likely wait a day or two before speaking to her. And Douglas, well, she didn’t expect much of anything from him.
Yvonne had always tried to be more like Dad. Do the right thing. Work hard. Dedicate herself. But none of that mattered. Who she was only went so far. Her actions were what people would remember, and the damage was done. If the only thing she could do for her family was to take the fall to be worthwhile, then at least she was giving them this before she changed course.
As for Nolan, she couldn’t fault him or his words. There would always be a piece of her mother in Yvonne that drove her to protect at all costs. This time that protection meant doing the wrong thing for the right reason.
Yvonne turned toward the house and caught Theodore studying her from the kitchen. She wasn’t up for his questions so she turned and walked through the grass, willing her spine straight and her eyes dry.
Today marked the end of this chapter of her life. Changes were coming, and change always hurt. She just hadn’t expected Nolan to possess the barbs that would draw blood.
THURSDAY. RONALD REAGAN Washington National Airport, Arlington, VA.
Samuel hadn’t stepped foot on US soil in well over a year. He’d have preferred to have other reasons for being back here, something work related on the above board side would be ideal. Until this threat to his inheritance had been taken care of he couldn’t move forward expanding the company as his brother had balked at doing.
One thing at a time.
And at the top of that list was taking care of anyone who might have accessed the drone’s video.
His analyst had made a report based on the project and people attached to it.
Top that list was the whole Krieger family.
He’d have their heads by morning.
THURSDAY. GRIMALDI Place, Chevy Chase, MD.
Nolan opened the fridge, but it was empty.
“Who took the last water out of here?” He turned to glare at Brenden and Grant standing at the breakfast bar. “The rule is whoever takes the last has to refill the God damn fridge.”
Grant stared back at him. “You need to check your tone.”
“Fuck you,” Nolan muttered under his breath.
He grabbed the case of bottled water and began filling the door with the bottles.
When he’d finally crashed after another run to de-stress, he’d hoped that a little sleep would ease the anger and frustration knotting his back. Instead he’d woken with knots so tight it hurt to breathe.
All because of Yvonne.
He’d trusted her to be the reasonable one. The rational asset who wouldn’t take unnecessary risk. And she was the one who succeeded in getting off the property for hours without anyone the wiser.
It was salt to the wound to know that Yvonne hadn’t turned to him for help. He didn’t care if she’d decided some crack-pot plan hatched by her scheming mother was her only option, it was that she hadn’t come to him. She’d gone to Melody.
Grant picked up what was left of the water packaging. “Go back to bed, Nolan.”
“No.”
“It’s four o'clock. You went to sleep at noon.”
“Thanks for the math lesson.” Nolan twisted the cap off the bottle and tipped his head back.
Light footsteps made the hair on the back of Nolan’s neck rise.
Melody stepped into the kitchen, head up, not a bit of remorse on her face.
“I’m heading out,” she announced.
“Where the hell are you going?” Grant wheeled around to face off with Melody.
“To do my job,” Melody snapped. She pulled her phone off the charging station and slid it into her purse.
Grant crossed his arms over his chest. “Like you did this morning?”
Melody cut a glance sideways at the other man, but her polished exterior didn’t crack. Hardly anything fazed that woman.
Nolan took that opportunity to exit through the arch into the dining room. He was drawn to the surveillance set-up, as though it might give him a glimpse of Yvonne.
Riley glanced up from the monitors. “What’s going down in there?”
“Grant and Melody.” Nolan pulled out a chair and sat.
“They’ve been going at each other all da
y.” Riley’s eyes widened, and he dropped his chin, gaze on the screens.
Nolan grunted and sipped more water. “Anyone look into that van plate I saw?”
“Uh, yeah. Zain emailed back. It’s a rental.”
He nodded and told himself to let the incident go. The whole situation with Yvonne had him tied up in knots.
“Vaughn still asleep?” Riley asked.
“Do I look like his nanny?”
“You’re cheerful.”
Nolan opted to not respond.
His phone vibrated against his thigh. He pulled it out and scowled at his mother’s number blinking at him. She was up to four calls a day. He knew she wanted to badger him about something, but he wasn’t immune to the guilt of ignoring his own mother.
He still let the call go to voicemail then tapped his baby brother’s number.
The line barely rang once.
“You back in the country?” Nick asked.
“Yeah.”
“Still on a job?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t answer Mom then.”
“What’s her deal?” Nolan scrubbed a hand across his face.
“Which day? She’s driving me nuts, man. Did you know she joined this new activity group?”
“Uh...” Nolan was the one who’d suggested it to his mother after an internet search. He’d been desperate for her to have an activity. Something that wasn’t calling him repeatedly.
“Uh—what?” Nick’s voice dropped. “You didn’t...”
“She needed to get out of the house. I thought finding her a group of friends was a good idea.”
“Oh, man. You have no idea what can you opened, do you?”
Nolan leaned forward and cradled his head in his hand. “No.”
“Well, she’s made friends and I guess they sit around and talk about their kids. She’s calling to make sure we’re all telling the same stories about how perfect our family is and to con you into coming to visit so she can show you off like a prize pony. I fell for it. It’s too damn funny to listen to her crazy stories about a fake family I somehow fit into. And it’s all your damn fault.”
“I’m sorry man.”
Nick blew out a breath. “Yeah, well, at least she’s not mad at us for no reason. I guess that’s something. Still, do yourself a favor and don’t answer until you wrap this job up.”
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