Page 18

F eeling mildly frustrated, Zack sat at his laptop the following morning and checked on the searches he was running for Saul.

Not much to do or see there, so that just left him with too much time to sit and think.

He’d spent a sleepless night tossing and turning after Dani’s reaction to his confession, and as much as he wanted to go to her and demand she give them a chance to explore what was very obviously more than simply a fleeting attraction, he was determined to give her the space she’d asked for.

Dani was stubborn and guarded, something he was certain had its origins in her upbringing, though he frustratingly didn’t know what.

He did, however, know pushing her was the wrong thing to do.

That was guaranteed to make her bolt, so he was resolved to stay away.

But surely even she could see that this thing between them had outlived both the distance and the acrimony she’d put between them after she’d fled to this private island.

Sure, she’d devoted her life to her work and succeeded impressively.

He’d done the same, had that same drive to succeed when he was younger.

But age had made him realize there was a lot more to life than working yourself into an early grave without the joys and comforts of someone to share your life with.

Now, Zack wanted more than the sterile monotony of the workplace.

He wanted companionship and laughter… children.

And he wanted them with Dani.

He muttered to himself, his voice breaking the heavy silence pressing in around him. “Fucking hell, Dad! Why didn’t you at least leave me some kind of correspondence, so I know what’s going on?”

He knew it was pointless to berate a dead person with ‘what ifs and whys’, but it gave him an outlet for his frustration if nothing else.

While Zack was overjoyed to have reconnected with Dani, and their shared time together - not just the recent intimacy - had cemented his feelings, he was pretty sure Dani herself was just scratching an itch.

One that hasn’t been scratched for a good long time. That’s surely got to mean something.

It wasn’t like he could blame her for being cautious. The way things stood, he wasn’t much of a catch, and regardless of the circumstances, he knew his marriage was a major stumbling block, even now Dani knew the truth.

Zack ran a hand through his hair, sighing heavily.

He understood Dani's hesitation, but it didn't make the situation any less frustrating. He wanted to prove to her that his feelings were genuine, that their connection was more than just physical attraction or convenience. That the relationship they’d shared, while years ago, and based purely in a kink club setting, still had meaning and depth.

Fingers racing over the keys, he opened up the file platform he shared with his legal team to see if there were any updates on their search for Emylyah Baskov.

Maybe not the best use of his time, considering his current mindset.

Still nothing.

How could a woman simply disappear off the face of the earth?

He typed out a message to his team leader.

Have you checked death certificates?

While he’d been assured the girl and her mother had escaped the shooting at the judge’s chambers, that could be the reason. It wasn’t like Zack had good reason to believe anything his father said.

First thing we did, the response came back immediately. Nothing official has come up in her name except a birth and marriage certificate.

Zack sighed. He knew all this.

Widen the search parameters. Cross check family members, see if that leads us anywhere.

Saul had hinted at something, and Zack was doing the guy a pretty damn big favor. Perhaps it was time for a chat.

Zack pushed away from his desk, the chair wheels squeaking in protest. He needed to clear his head, get some fresh air, blow the cobwebs away.

As he made his way outside to his veranda, the warm Caribbean breeze caressed his face, carrying with it the salty scent of the ocean.

The sun was beginning to dip towards the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant hues of orange and pink.

It was beautiful, but Zack barely noticed, his mind still racing with thoughts of Dani and his convoluted circumstances.

Pulling out his phone, he dialed Saul's number. After a few rings, the other man's suave voice answered.

"Zack, how’s it going?"

"All your searches are up and running. It’s a process of elimination now. In the meantime… you mentioned you might have some ideas about my, ah… situation," Zack said, cutting straight to the chase. "I could use a little insight right about now."

Saul chuckled, a low, rumbling sound. "Ah, yes. Well, what I have is more like speculation, but it has its basis in a lot of inside information. Sadie’s at work right now, so if you come over here, I’ll explain. I think you'll find what I have will at least put you on the right track.”

Zack didn’t wait, hurrying out of the house as soon as he ended the call.

A short while later, Saul strode onto the veranda of Sadie’s cabana, his usual confident swagger on full display, despite his recent injury. Zack accepted the drink Saul offered with a nod of thanks.

"So, what's this insight you have?" Zack asked, leaning against the railing, too antsy to sit down.

Saul took a sip, savoring the cool liquid. "I think I have a lead on your wife, or should I say, the woman who's technically your wife."

“I still don’t understand how you know all this,” Zack muttered. Although they were both co-owners and investors in Elysium and the Eden Resort, this was only the second time he’d met the man.

Saul shrugged easily. “Like I said, I work for several alphabet agencies. I check out anyone who comes into my circle with knowledge of my own - ah - extracurricular activities. My life often depends on it.”

“And how does that help me?” Zack asked with a frown. How could Saul Stevens possibly know things Zack himself hadn’t been able to find out?

“Well, you see,” Saul began, wiping the condensation from the side of his glass. “The operation - I call it that loosely, since it was really a favor for a friend - that led me to the little issue I have now…”

Not such a little issue, Zack considered, since the guy’s secret identity was literally about to be auctioned off with video proof, placing a massive target on his back.

“…Involved the kidnapping of one Gabriella Preston, the now wife of Marcus Mountbatten, Duke of Buckingham. You may know him better in lifestyle circles as Marcus Thorne.”

Zack pursed his lips. “I know who you mean. He and his sister are also investors in the island.”

“That’s right.” Saul nodded his agreement.

“As you know, the video up for auction shows me charging to Gabi’s rescue, after she was abducted by Vito Rossi.”

Zack shook his head in confusion. “That’s not the guy who set up the auction.”

“No. He got the evidence out, somehow, but the man himself has already met his end.”

“So, I don’t understand. How does he figure in all this?”

“Well, this story goes back eighteen years… does the time scale seem familiar to you?”

Zack narrowed his eyes on Saul, but stayed silent, sipping at his own drink.

“You see, Gabi’s father got into a spot of bother with Rossi - otherwise known as the Viper - in his role as consigliere to La Cosa Nostra.”

“Jesus! The mafia?” Zack exclaimed, dragging his fingers through his hair.

“The same.”

Fuck!

“So where does Emylyah fit into all this?”

“Well, you see, Gabi wasn’t the original target. That would have been her sister, who Gabi’s father had promised in marriage in exchange for his debts. Except…”

Saul paused, and Zack had to curb the urge to snap at the man to get on with it.

“Her mother wasn’t having it, so the story goes that the sister was married off to someone else, real young, and then she disappeared.”

Zack sucked in a breath that caught in his throat.

“Apparently, the girls had different mothers, so different names, different households. But eventually, the Viper got wise to it and decided to set his sights on Gabi instead, since the sister had slipped through his fingers. Gabi spent years on the run, trying to stay under the radar while Rossi pursued her. That’s how she ended up here at the Eden Resort, working as Greg Taylor’s assistant at Iniquity. ”

“Y-you think…” Zack stuttered, barely able to get the words out.

“I don’t know her name, but the mother of Gabi’s sister was Russian. And I think there’s a good chance she’s the woman you’re looking for.”

Zack collapsed onto the seat, his mind reeling as he processed Saul's words. Could it really be that simple? After years of fruitless searching, had the answer been right under his nose this whole time?

"So, you're saying..." Zack began, his voice hoarse with disbelief, “That Emylyah might be Gabriella Preston's sister?"

Saul nodded, taking another sip of his drink. "It's a strong possibility. The timeline fits, and the circumstances match up too well to be mere coincidence."

Zack leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, head in his hands. "The fucking mafia! Christ. If that's true, it changes everything… but it sure as hell makes a lot of sense.”

"It certainly complicates matters," Saul agreed. "But it also gives you a new avenue to explore. Maybe you should consider reaching out to Gabriella directly."

Zack's head snapped up. "Do you think she'd be willing to talk to me about it?"

Saul shrugged. "It's worth a shot. She's a sweet and compassionate woman. If she knows anything about her sister, I’m sure she’ll tell you, although before you get your hopes up, I believe, through past necessity, they keep away from each other. But that may have changed now the Viper is dead. Either way, she should be able to at least confirm the name, and as luck would have it, she’s on the island right now. ”

Zack stood, strode over to Saul, and clapped him on the shoulder, pulling his hand back fast when Saul winced.

“Shit, sorry, man,” he apologized, having completely forgotten about Saul’s shoulder wound.

He took his hand and pumped it, instead.

“Thank you so much, my friend. If nothing else, it’s somewhere to start,” Zack breathed, trying not to let the tiny seed of hope take root, in case it came to nothing, but it was there, regardless.

“And it’s so much more than I had before. ”

“You’re doing so much for me, Zack,” Saul’s voice cracked with unexpected emotion. “The least I can do is reach out to Gabi and Marcus, pave the way, and see if they’re prepared to talk to you.”

“No one’s supposed to know you’re here,” Zack reminded the other man, as excited as he was at the prospect, Saul’s life was in danger.

Saul nodded. “Yeah, but they were there. They deserve to know about the threat against me in case it has repercussions for the two of them, as well.” He squeezed Zack’s hand. “I’ll let you know what they say.”