Page 12 of Her Vengeance

“I was mildly coherent and remember joking about you asking permission to manhandle me,” I recall, the mental wounds still fresh.

“You were bleeding everywhere and told me where to find the book,” Claire recalls.

“If I told you how many times I drafted that letter, you would make fun of me. I am not the best with my words, but I couldn’t leave you, even temporarily, without you understanding that I love you,” I admit, brushing my thumb across her hand.

“Romaine, do you have any idea how it felt to feel you fading from me?” Leo asks, and I feel the lump in my throat.

“Lettuce be friends forever, Leo. I promise that I am not going anywhere, ever again,” I respond to him, just like I did that day. This time, it will end significantly happier.

“What happened after we got to the hospital?” Claire asks, trying her best to keep us on topic.

“I had paid a nurse to come in and help switch charts with one of the other males who was shot at the scene. She was contracted the same way that I found Eva. Before that day, she had no idea who I was but put me under an assumed identity, and as soon as I was stable, transferred me so I wouldn’t be seen,” I admit, laying it all on the table.

“Eva, did you know he was alive?” Claire asks, sounding frail in asking the question.

“No, I didn’t have any idea who my contract was from or that he had faked his death. You were my only focus from the week leading up to the wedding, and I was supposed to stay out of sight until you left town,” she tells Claire gently as she takes her other hand. It was perfect having Claire sit between us. I see the way that she looks at Eva, and even though I never thought about sharing her before. I know that I won’t be the one to break her heart.

16

Chapter 16

Eva

“When lines are blurred, and the water gets cloudy, sometimes you have to rely on instinct alone.”

“What did you find about Fabbri that made you have to fake your death?” I ask him, needing to help keep the conversation going. I look down at where he is holding Claire’s hand, and I know I should feel jealous, but I don’t. She deserves the world. I won’t leave her side unless she asks me to.

“When I was digging into his empire, I found that he has an older female partner. I was digging further into the offshore accounts and shell companies when I walked into a code that alerted them. They couldn’t backdoor into my system, but they had enough time to figure out where and who I am.” I admit, disappointed in myself that I didn’t see it sooner.

“I thought you were the best at what you do. How did you walk into a digital trap?” Leo asks his best friend, his voice laced with confusion.

“It was an account that was making transfers from one shell company to the next. I followed the money and didn’t realize until it was too late. He knew where I was and that I was onto him, so I needed to disappear before he sent more people after you,” Rome responded with an almost desperate tone.

“What have you found since?” I ask him, knowing that he wasn’t going to give up so easily. Not when the lives of the people he loves are on the line.

“This is the weird part. I have been tracking them all over the world. Most of the transfers were scattered and hard to track until I dug deeper. When I finally figured out how to break the encryption, I found money being funneled and spent on a secluded house just outside of Seattle,” Rome admits, and we all look around in shock.

“He’s here?” Ella asks, and I feel Claire’s hand tighten on mine. I squeeze her hand back reassuringly.

“He and his accomplice have been at the property since you got married. They are hiding in plain sight and hoping that no one will catch them,” Rome responds, smiling for the first time all day.

“When do we leave?” asks Leo, and I smile at his eagerness. I take a moment to observe the room and all of us. No one wants to be left behind on this, but will everyone make it through this? Is it a good idea to attack an enemy with so little backup?

“We can leave at any point today, but I would recommend going at dusk, stashing the vehicles on an access road, and traversing in when the sun is down,” Rome responds, ready and waiting for further instruction from his best friend.

“Okay,” Leo says, looking at his watch and assessing the time.

“We can meet at my place at three to go over the plan and suit up.” Rome offers, knowing that we have some hours to kill between now and then.

“What do we do until then?” asks Claire in a soft voice. I know how hard this is for her. She thinks that she is getting left behind and she cannot sit here alone.

“I am going to stay here and catch up with your brother and sister-in-law on the background information that I didn’t have access to before,” I responded, knowing that she needs time with Rome to clear her head. This is going to be hard given her history and the emotions that she has with everyone involved. They need time to smooth the waters before we are all thrust into battle.

“What about me?” she asks, looking at the floor afraid of the answer. My poor sweet flower. I promise that you will never be cast aside. As long as my heart beats, it will be for you.

“You’re coming with me to my place,” Rome responds to her question, and looks over at me for approval. I nod, glad that we are able to ensure her safety and I still get to be fully debriefed about the people we are about to face.

“You aren’t going to lock me up here and leave me?” Claire asks in astonishment. My heart breaks for her. She is so used to being kept from the world and out of sight that she honestly expected us to shut her away. I take my free hand and cup her cheek gently.