CHAPTER 4
Fleeing the country turned out to be even more stressful and nerve-wracking than I’d expected. I almost immediately regretted lying to Kennedy. Thinking I needed time away to consider whether or not I wanted to end my marriage, she rented a small condo in Malibu and arranged for a security team to follow me down the coast. Her gestures both terrified me and filled me with guilt. I had no idea how I was supposed to shake the security team. I had even less of an idea how I was supposed to apologize once Kennedy learned what I was really up to. When I woke up Monday morning, I still had no answers.
I had no idea where I was going or how long it would take me to get there. I dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt and tied a fleece pullover around my waist. I packed a few last necessities in my duffle bag and crept out of the house. Kennedy was waiting for me in the driveway with a tall red-headed man I’d never met before.
“Are you all set?” she greeted me.
I nodded and tossed the duffle bag into the back of my white rental car. “I think so.”
“Did you get enough sleep? Are you sure you’re okay to drive?”
“I’ll be fine, Kennedy. I promise.”
“Okay. Text me when you get there and let me know you’re safe.”
The man cleared his throat and Kennedy suddenly remembered his presence. She turned to him to make introductions.
“John, this is Lauren Reynolds.”
John? That has to be a coincidence.
“Lauren, this is John Rogers. He’s the head of the team that’ll be taking care of you in Malibu.”
My heart raced, but I didn’t let on. I extended my hand and looked our guardian angel in the eyes. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You as well, ma’am. I’ll be following you from a safe distance. The rest of the team will meet us there.”
“Sounds good.” I wrapped Kennedy in a hug, thanked her one last time, and then climbed behind the wheel. I hadn’t reached the driveway when my phone rang. I answered, already knowing who was on the other end.
“Great job back there,” John told me. “We’re heading to Seattle. From there, you will take a series of planes to your final destination. You’re going to have a long trip. We’re sending you the wrong direction more than once to ensure no one follows you.”
“I understand,” I assured him.
Long trip turned out to be the understatement of the century. I lost count of how many private jets I boarded and the number of time zones I crossed. I saw Ireland, Shanghai, the Netherlands, and Croatia. Each time my plane touched down, I prayed my journey was over. And each time, I was politely led off of one jet and onto another. Three days into the trip, I started to think I wasn’t actually going anywhere, but destined to spend the rest of my life being shuffled from one airport to another. But when the eighth jet of my journey touched down in a large green field, I was greeted with a sight that made my heart soar. Asher was waiting for me at the end of the runway.
I impatiently waited for the pilot to emerge from the cockpit and open the jet door. He seemed to sense my anxiety and quickly lowered the small staircase. I raced to the ground and into my husband’s arms. The moment we touched, we both started to cry.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he said, covering my face with kisses.
“I missed you too. I can’t believe I’m finally here.”
The pilot descended the stairs and passed my duffle bag to Asher. He slung the strap over his shoulder and put his other arm around me.
“Our bungalow is just a short walk from here,” he explained. He turned toward the beach I’d spotted from the air.
“Where exactly are we?” I asked.
“We’re on a small Polynesian called Tonga. It’s actually a series of about a hundred islands. This is one of the smaller ones.”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“Most people haven’t. That’s one of the reasons we’re safe here.”
“And your dad is here as well?”
He nodded. “Yes, but we have our own bungalow. I know I’ve already said this, but I’m so glad you’re here. I know I have a lot of explaining to do.”
I sighed and wove my fingers through his. “You know, I spent most of the trip thinking about all of the things I was going to say to you once I got here. I had so many questions. But now that we’re together, I can’t remember a single one of them. I’m just so relieved to be together.”
“I don’t deserve you,” he observed with a sigh of his own.
“Yet, here I am,” I teased.
We stepped out of the tree line and the beach appeared in front of us. The sand was dotted with small, straw thatched bungalows and colorful umbrellas. There wasn’t another soul in sight.
“Do we have the entire beach to ourselves?”
Asher nodded. “We rented all of the bungalows on this side of the island.”
“Didn’t that set off some red flags?”
“People come here for privacy. The couple who owns the place didn’t bat an eye. This is definitely the type of place where he who has the cash makes the rules… this is the one I’ve been staying in.”
He turned toward the nearest bungalow and I followed him through the door.
“It’s nothing fancy,” he warned. “But we have everything we need.”
“It’s perfect,” I insisted. I scanned the room while he put my bag in the small closet.
Three bungalows would have fit on our terrace back home. But the room was cheerful and comfortable, with a queen size bed, a small television, and tropical island décor.
Asher opened the refrigerator and offered me a Red Stripe. I accepted and took a long, refreshing drink before taking a seat on the foot of the bed. Asher sat down beside me and put a hand on my thigh.
“Lauren, I am so sorry. I feel like every time I try to fix things, I just mess them up worse. Leaving the country without you, being away from you for so long… it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I can’t believe you’re actually here. And I’m ready to tell you everything.”
I turned to face him and threw my arms around his neck. I covered his lips with mine, finally taking the kiss I’d been craving for so long. Asher hesitated for a moment and then wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me back with equal abandon. I crawled into his lap and tugged my t-shirt over my head.
Asher dove for my cleavage, nuzzling his face between my breasts. He rested his head against me and squeezed my hips in his hands. “Are you sure?” he whispered. “We can talk first, if you want.”
“I want to talk,” I told him, fighting with the buttons of his incredibly tacky floral button up.
To hell with the shirt. It was probably the only thing he could find. It’s certainly better than a prison jumpsuit, but it’s nothing I want to see again.
I grabbed both sides of his collar and tugged, tearing the shirt open. The cheap plastic buttons scattered to the floor and Asher’s breaths came in short gasps as his cock hardened beneath me.
“It doesn’t feel like you want to talk. Unless you’re getting me worked up as some form of torture. Which I admit, I deserve.”
I climbed out of his lap, stood in front of him, and stripped out of the rest of my clothes.
“I do want to talk,” I said again. “But not right now. And I have no intentions of torturing you. I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t already forgiven you. We have plenty of time to talk. Right now, all I want to do is make love to my husband.”
I dropped to my knees and unbuttoned Asher’s shorts. He lifted his hips and I slipped my hands beneath his waistband, sliding the shorts and boxers to the floor. I took his smooth, hot cock in my hand and stroked it lightly.
Asher let out a deep breath and fell back against the bed. I pushed his legs open and let my loose hair fall across his thighs as I took him into my mouth.
“I don’t deserve this,” he confessed with a sigh.
“Stop talking,” I insisted. I rolled my tongue around the head of his cock and then down his shaft. I wanted to thrill and tease him, but I couldn’t delay my own satisfaction for another second. I climbed onto the bed and straddled him, impaling myself on his long, thick rod. I gushed wet the moment he entered me.
“Oh God, baby, I’ve missed you,” I moaned, rocking my hips from side to side.
“This is not the kind of reunion I was expecting,” he confessed with a dumb grin.
I planted my knees on the mattress and slowly rose off of his cock. I held myself there with just the tip inside me.
“Do you want me to stop?” I teased, still moving my hips.
“God, no,” he groaned.
I lowered myself slowly and then rose again fast, over and over again until my legs gave out beneath me. My head fell to Asher’s chest as the waves of my orgasm overtook me.
Asher stilled himself inside me and planted a passionate kiss on my lips. “Do you need a break?”
“Are you kidding me?” I laughed. “We were in the middle of our honeymoon when you left. The way I see it, we have some serious catching up to do.”
I climbed off of him and lay stomach down on the bed.
“I like the way you think, Mrs. Reynolds,” he replied with a smile.
Asher moved behind me and lifted me to my knees. He slid in slowly and then lowered me to the bed again, hovering just above me and holding his weight with his arms.
He brushed his lips across my neck and shoulders as he rocked in and out of me. I shifted my weight to one hip and lifted the other slightly off the mattress. Asher slipped his hand beneath me and found my magic button with his fingers. He nibbled at my earlobe as he moved inside me and against me, and I knew it was just a matter of moments before I came again.
I pushed my thighs together and tightened my pussy like a hot, wet vice.
“Oh… God,” Asher moaned, pushing into me harder. I bucked against him and he erupted inside me. He came in waves, thrusting wildly as he filled me. He gave me a quick, stinging slap on the ass, sending me over the edge. I came with a loud growl and collapsed onto the mattress.
Asher slipped out of me and crawled out of the bed. He fetched a towel and a bottle of water and then rejoined me, pulling me into his arms.
“I wasn’t sure that would ever happen again,” he confessed, struggling to regain his breath.
“There was never a doubt in my mind,” I replied with a smile.
His face softened and he stared down at me with love in his eyes. “Do you really mean that?”
“There were times I wondered if I’d ever see you again,” I admitted. “But when the doubt crept in, I kept my promise. I looked at this ring and remembered the promises you made when you put it on my finger.”
“Do you have any idea how much I love you?”
“I have a pretty good idea,” I said with a yawn.
Asher ran a light hand up and down my back and kissed the top of my head. “Okay, start with the questions. I know they must be driving you crazy.”
I yawned again, fighting to keep my eyes open. “I want to know everything that’s happened since the day you were taken to Atwater. But first, I think I need to sleep.”
***
A few hours later, I woke to the sounds of Asher’s gentle snores. A soft breeze blew through the open windows of our bungalow and moonlight cast shadows across the room. I was still in Asher’s arms, our bare skin stuck together by the humid tropical air. I rolled over and he stirred beside me.
“Are you awake?” he whispered, reaching for the glass of water on the bedside table.
“I’m awake. I’m kind of hungry,” I confessed.
“Well then let me feed you,” he insisted.
Asher rolled out of bed and made his way to the small kitchenette that took up one wall of the single room bungalow. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a platter of cold cuts and tropical fruit. He carried it to the bed and sat it in front of me, then went back to the fridge for white wine. He curled up beside me on the bed, pulled the cork, and took a drink straight from the bottle before offering it to me. I popped a slice of mango into my mouth and washed it down with a long sip.
“Ready to catch each other up on life?” I asked, eager to finally learn Asher’s latest secrets.
He nodded. “Would you mind going first? I’ve been desperate for news from home.”
I shifted nervously on the mattress. There was so much bad news to tell and I didn’t know where to start. I also had no idea how much he already knew.
“Hasn’t anyone kept you up to date with the investigation?” I asked, my voice full of hesitation.
Asher shook his head. “John’s the only person other than you that I’ve been in contact with. And he’s been no help at all when it comes to the news. He said I needed to concentrate on clearing my name instead of worrying about who’s saying what. But the look on your face tells me something serious has happened.”
“A few serious things have happened,” I agreed. “To be honest, I’m not sure where to start.”
“Start from the day Dad and I escaped and work your way to now,” he suggested.
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, bracing myself for Asher to flip out. “I was at the bed and breakfast visiting my parents when Kennedy called to tell me you’d escaped. She didn’t want to tell me over the phone, but I threatened to turn on the news if she didn’t. Then, she warned me that Jackson hadn’t been able to get in touch with my security team. FBI agents were on their way to the house and all I could focus on was getting home. I was too upset to drive, so Dad insisted on taking me. We were about three miles from the farmhouse when Rachel crawled out of my trunk with a pistol.”
Asher’s eyes widened and a strawberry fell from his hand. “She did what?”
I nodded. “She was crazier than I’d ever seen her. She kept talking about how she used to be your everything until I showed up and ruined her life. It was clear that she was planning to kill us. She mentioned she’d already dug my grave. The cops found the hole the next day.”
“Is this how you got hurt?” he growled.
I nodded again. “Yes, but I promise it doesn’t feel as bad as it looks. And everything worked out in the end. I was wearing a surveillance necklace Jackson gave me. It had a tiny camera, a tiny microphone, and a GPS tracking chip. I was able to record Rachel’s entire confession and Kennedy was able to tell the police where to find us.”
“I’m surprised she didn’t panic and shoot you both when she saw the cop cars.”
“She was unconscious by the time the police showed up. Dad wrecked the car on purpose. You should have seen him. He spun us into a tree, right on Rachel’s side of the car. She was knocked out on impact. She spent a few days in the hospital and then she was transferred to a state mental facility for evaluation. The court hasn’t ruled on whether or not she’s fit to stand trial. But Kennedy said the fact that two different experts ruling she was sane less than a month ago should work in our favor,” I explained.
“I hate that you were in danger. When I think about what could have happened to you if you’d been alone in the car with that monster… I can’t believe I ever thought she was my friend. I swear if I’d known back then what I know now, I’d have let Miguel and his friends get rid of her when they had the chance.”
“You don’t mean that,” I insisted.
“The hell I don’t. Was your dad hurt?”
“He’s got a nasty case of whiplash and lots of cuts and bruises. All three of us went to the hospital in ambulances. But he didn’t have to stay. I had a mild concussion on top of the broken ribs, so they kept me overnight. Once I was released, we all just kind of holed up in the house and tried to stay out of the spotlight.”
“You told me over the phone that the press was out of control. How bad did it get?”
“As bad as it possibly could. I think everyone you’ve ever laid eyes on has given an interview with one network or another. They’re all basically saying the same thing: you’re guilty and anyone who’s surprised by it is a blind fool who should have seen your true character all along. I won’t lie. It’s been difficult to watch. Kennedy finally made me turn off the television.”
“I’m glad she’s been watching over you. Is that the worst of it?”
I shook my head. “No… the company, Asher. The feds have seized it. They froze all of the accounts and cleared the building. The SEC is doing an audit and the FBI is still investigating the smuggling accusations.”
Asher clenched his jaw and balled his hand into a fist. He took a deep breath and relaxed them both.
“They won’t find anything,” he assured me. “Nothing that doesn’t trace back to Rachel, at least.”
I shifted my weight again and he narrowed his eyes.
“What is it, Lauren? What are you holding back?”
“They’ve already found something that doesn’t trace back to Rachel. I’m so sorry, baby. It looks like Brian has been embezzling too. He hasn’t been arrested yet. But Kennedy said it’s only a matter of time.”
He took another deep breath and blew it out loud and slow. “That’s definitely not something I ever expected to hear. I trusted Brian. But if he’s been stealing from the company, I’m glad the feds have caught on. As for the rest of it, I’m devastated that this has leaked over into the company. I built that place from the ground up and I’m not going to let Rachel, the feds, or the Chavez family run it into the ground. Now I’m even more motivated to take care of business and get back to our real lives.”
I nodded and cleared my throat. “That’s all the news from home. Can you fill me in on your end now?”
He nodded back at me and took another long drink of the wine. “I was pissed when the warden put me in Dad’s cell. But he was overjoyed. I found out later that he’d called in some favors to get me assigned to his room. The first thing he did was try to hug me, and I punched him in the face.”
“But things obviously calmed down between the two of you.”
“I’m not sure I’d use the word calm in regards to any of this. He hit me back, but then helped me from the floor to my cot. He sat down and started explaining himself and I lost the desire to beat the shit out of him.”
“What did he tell you?”
“Now I’m the one who doesn’t know where to start,” he replied with a light, nervous laugh. He ate a small piece of ham and then finally continued.
“Dad explained that he’d had me put in his cell because my life was in danger. Atwater is full of people who are connected to the family and there was a price on my head for killing Luis. The guards knew all about this, but some of them are on the Chavez payroll so that didn’t help us much. But Dad wasn’t too worried, because he had a plan.
“I’d always been told Dad volunteered to take the rap for Luis. But that wasn’t the case. Luis blackmailed him into taking the fall.”
“What did he use as leverage?”
“Me,” he answered with a sad smile. “Turns out, Dad’s been keeping quite the family secret. He is a family secret.”
I narrowed my brow in confusion. “I’m not sure I’m following you.”
“Carlos Chavez was my dad’s biological father.”
“What?”
He nodded. “You heard me. My grandmother worked at one of his night clubs. They had an affair and Dad was the result. He didn’t know himself until after I was born.”
I suddenly remembered the inconsistencies Kennedy and Parker had found on William’s birth certificate.
“Did Luis know?”
“The whole family knew. Luis is the one who spilled the secret to Dad. He resented having to work with him. One night he had a few too many shots of tequila and told him he didn’t care if they were brothers, Dad would never be fit to shine Luis’s shoes. Dad went to Carlos with questions and the old man admitted the truth.”
“But how did that make you leverage?”
“As an illegitimate child, Dad wasn’t in line to inherit anything. Luis reminded him of that. He offered to make me his heir in exchange for Dad taking the fall. That’s why he took such a special interest in me. He knew Dad would talk if he didn’t keep up his end of the bargain.”
“So Luis was—”
“My uncle, just like I always called him,” Asher finished. “And I killed him.”
“He didn’t leave you a choice.”
“I know. But I had no idea the chain of events I was setting off.”
“Kennedy’s under the impression that your dad had been planning the escape for a while.”
“As usual, Kennedy’s right. Atwater got really tough for Dad after I killed Luis. When everything went down ten years ago, the family did a good job of covering the truth about what happened to Miguel. Most of the organization’s people on the inside believed that he’d had a tragic four wheeler accident. They learned the truth at the same time they learned about Luis. And they jumped to conclusions.”
“What type of conclusions?” I asked, my voice weary.
“Luis was supposed to take over the business when Carlos retired,” he explained. “And as the oldest legitimate grandson, Miguel was in line after him. Most people in the organization know that Dad is Carlos’s other son. And everyone knows he took the fall for Luis. Then they found out that I, the actual oldest grandson, killed the two people next in line for the throne. So they all assumed that Dad had grown resentful toward the family and regretted taking the fall for Luis in the first place.”
“They think the two of you are trying to take over the organization.”
“Exactly. It couldn’t be further from the truth. When Dad was my age, I’m sure he’d have jumped at the chance to be acknowledged as a rightful member of the family. But I wish I could have lived my whole life without knowing the truth.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. But you know this doesn’t change who you are. Though it may explain a few of your instincts,” I confessed.
He nodded. “Believe me, I’ve been thinking about that a lot.”
I could tell that the subject was upsetting him, but I pressed on.
“So your Dad started planning the escape after Luis died?”
“Yes. He knew there was a good chance I’d end up at Atwater and he wanted to have a plan in place for my safety. But he’d been hoarding evidence against the family since Miguel died.”
“If he has evidence, why was the escape necessary? Couldn’t he have just handed his information over to the police?”
“It’s not that kind of evidence. Dad gathered information from other inmates. He learned which rival families the Chavez’s had screwed over, how they’d done it, and how they’d covered their tracks. The police don’t care about criminals screwing over other criminals. But the heads of those other families certainly do.”
“So for lack of a better term, your dad’s been snitching.”
“Yeah, I guess you could call it that. He didn’t start talking until after I got to Atwater. He actually asked my permission before he made the first phone call. I agreed that taking the family down for good was our best chance. We already had people out to kill us. I couldn’t just sit by and wait for them to succeed. Dad started leaking information to the other families. A few days later, we came in from rec time and found two nooses hanging in our cell. That’s when we knew we had to run.”
I took a long sip of wine while I absorbed the information. There was one detail that I couldn’t get past.
“I understand the need to take down the family,” I began. “But isn’t there a better, legal way to go about it? Correct me if I’m wrong. But I assume that the rival families haven’t been thrilled to learn that the Chavezs are responsible for their misfortunes. And I know the kind of retribution crime organizations take out on the people who screw them over. Isn’t there a way to neutralize the family without getting them all killed?”
Asher’s face softened and he lowered his voice. “Lauren, if the cops could take down the family, they’d have done it by now. And honestly, all Dad and I are doing is telling the truth. I’m not responsible for how other people choose to react to that truth. These people would kill me and you and everyone you love without thinking twice about it. So if a few of them have to die for us to be safe, so be it. I won’t be losing any sleep over them and you shouldn’t either.”
“I guess you’re right,” I finally agreed. “If we’re choosing between our lives and the lives of a bunch of criminals, I definitely choose us. I’m just having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that those are our only options. What’s the plan going forward?”
“We’ll stay here and keep feeding info to the other families,” he explained. “Dad’s keeping in touch with a few of his contacts back home. The guard that walked us out of Atwater has been exceptionally helpful. Of course, he’s being paid handsomely. But three million dollars is a small price to pay for the kind of assistance he’s given us.”
A flash of realization hit me and I looked up at Asher in disbelief. “John Rogers is an Atwater guard?”
He nodded. “That’s not his real name. But yes, he’s one of the guards.”
“And you trust him not to turn on you?”
“John’s a good guy. He’s actually a retired detective. The two things he hates the most are drugs and organized crime. Dad helped him out with a violent inmate a few years ago and they’ve been close ever since. He knew we were tipping off the other families. He kept his eyes and ears open for signs of trouble. The moment he realized the Chavez’s people were on to us, he came to our cell and announced it was time to leave. He gave us each a guard uniform and walked us out the back gate. He’s not going to flip on us. He’d be in as much trouble as we would.”
“I hope you’re right,” I said and dropped my face in my hands. “And now I feel even worse for leaving my family and friends behind. You’re pissing people off, baby. They’re going to want to retaliate. What if they go after my parents when they can’t find us? Or Kennedy and Jackson?”
“We have people watching them,” he promised. “And Dad has eyes within the organization. I also have contingency plans in place in case the Chavez’s make a move. My people have a standing order to take Kennedy, Claire, and your parents to a safe house at the first sign of trouble. I’m doing everything I can to protect them.”
“Thank you,” I replied with a sigh.
“That doesn’t make you feel better, does it?” he asked with a slight hint of sadness.
I shook my head. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy we’re finally together again. I just feel incredibly guilty. I can’t help but wonder what they’re doing right now and if they’ve realized I’m not in Malibu. I wish I could call and tell them I’m okay.”
“I know this is hard. If I could have arranged to bring everyone here, I would have. But we couldn’t have moved that many people without the feds or the Chavez’s realizing what was going on.”
“I understand. I just hope I get the chance to apologize and explain myself.”
“Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?” he whispered. He leaned down and planted a soft kiss on my collarbone. I crawled to the head of the bed and propped myself up on a pillow.
“You could hold me. The only place I feel safe is in your arms.”
Asher moved the food tray to the bedside table and curled up beside me, pulling me to his chest. He held me and our breaths slowly synchronized. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine what our lives would be like once the Chavez family was no longer a problem.
***
“Relax, baby. There’s no reason to be nervous. Not about this, at least,” Asher assured me. He eased up behind me and turned me away from the mirror. I leaned into his chest and he planted a kiss on the top of my head.
“I can’t promise to be nice,” I warned. I was moments away from meeting my father-in-law and I wasn’t looking forward to the introduction.
“He doesn’t expect you to be. And I want you to feel free to say whatever you’d like.”
I leaned back in Asher’s arms and stared up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Are you sure? It sort of seems like you’ve taken the forgive and forget approach.”
“I understand him a little better, I guess. I honestly believe he thought he was doing what was best for me. I don’t know if I’ll want to have a relationship with him once all of this is over. All I’m sure of is that I’m tired of secrets and its best if everyone’s feelings are out in the open. So if you feel like you need to give him a piece of your mind, by all means go for it.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” He planted a quick, firm kiss on my lips and then released me.
“It’s a beautiful day. Let’s wait for Dad out on the deck,” he suggested.
“Sounds good to me.”
Asher grabbed a bottle of rum and three glasses from the kitchen counter and led me outside. The cedar deck facing the ocean was twice as big as the actual bungalow, with overstuffed lounge chairs, a wet bar, and a built in fire pit. Asher and I settled into side by side chairs and he poured us each a finger of rum. We’d just toasted to our reunion when I heard footsteps shuffle across the deck. I shaded my eyes with one hand and turned toward the noise.
Asher must take after his mother.
William quit walking the moment I laid eyes on him. His shoulders slumped and he shoved his hands awkwardly in his pockets. He looked nothing like what I’d imagined. His complexion and hair were much darker than Asher’s. His shoulders were narrow and he was at least five inches shorter than his son.
“Good morning,” he greeted us.
Asher stood and I followed suit.
“Good morning, Dad. This is my wife, Lauren. Lauren, this is my father, William.”
I extended my hand. “It’s nice to meet you,” I lied.
William received my handshake with much more sincerity than I’d extended it. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too. Though it’s terrible to meet you under these circumstances. I am so sorry for everything you’ve been going through.”
“Well, you were only responsible for about half of it,” I replied dryly. The words had left my mouth without thought, but I didn’t feel a bit sorry for them.
William cringed but nodded. “I know. If I could go back in time, I’d do a lot of things differently. But I can’t.”
“I think if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that we need to focus on the present,” I told him. “Discussions of the past and the future can wait.”
“Agreed,” William replied.
We sat on the edges of the chaise lounges and suffered through a few long moments of awkward silence before Asher cleared his throat.
“Did you check in with John this morning?” he asked his father.
William shifted nervously on his chair and looked from me to Asher.
“Lauren knows everything,” Asher explained. “We can speak freely in front of her.”
“It’s not that,” William stammered. “I assumed you’d caught her up. I just got off the phone with John. I’m sorry, kids. The feds realized Lauren was missing late last night. Warrants have been issued for your arrest and your picture is being circulated around the world. The authorities have warned that all three of us should be considered armed and dangerous.”
“Damn it,” I sighed.
“It’s okay,” Asher insisted. “We knew this would happen. And it doesn’t change anything. We’re safe here.”
“I know. I was just hoping my parents would have a few more days of peace before they started worrying about me. I have a pretty good idea of what they’re going through right now,” I added, thinking back to the moment I’d learned Asher was on the run.
William cleared his throat. “My people in California are working on getting a message to your parents. It will take some time. The feds have them under intense surveillance. But they’ll know you’re safe soon.”
“Thank you for arranging that,” I replied.
“It’s the least I could do. I have to say, my son’s a lucky man to have a woman who loves him enough to leave her whole world behind.”
“I’m the lucky one,” I insisted, taking Asher’s hand. “So how did my cover unravel?”
William frowned. “The SEC indicted three of the EnvisionTech board members yesterday.” He paused, pulled a small notepad from his shirt pocket, and read off the names. “Brian Harris, Harold Tatum, and Regina Miller.”
“All three of them?” Asher asked, his brow furrowed.
William nodded and put the notepad away. “From the look of it, Harris is the only one who was stealing before everything else happened. Tatum and Miller started lining their pockets shortly after the payroll money disappeared.”
Asher sighed. “Harold and Regina have always been opportunistic weasels. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised they started looting the company at the first sign of trouble. But I always thought Brian was a good guy.”
“I’m sorry, Asher,” William offered. “Anyway, when the agents couldn’t reach Lauren on her cell, they stopped by your house. Your attorney gave them the address of the Malibu condo you were supposed to be staying at. They dispatched a local team and canvassed the neighborhood. The people in the neighboring condo told them that your unit had been empty all week.”
“What am I being charged with?”
“So far, two counts of aiding and abetting and three counts of interfering with a federal investigation. We’re also now the leading suspects in the bank hack.”
“We knew that would happen as soon as we refunded the other accounts,” Asher reminded him.
“I know and I still say that was a dumb shit move,” William grimaced.
“It’s one thing to steal our own money, Dad. Stealing from innocent people is quite another. I agreed that a widespread hack was our best shot of throwing the suspicion off of us until Lauren was able to leave the country. Now that she’s here, I can no longer justify keeping the hard earned cash of strangers.”
“Asher’s right,” I agreed. “Our ultimate goal is to clear our names and go home. If we have a prayer of getting back to our old lives, we’re going to need the public to sympathize with us. That won’t happen if we act like selfish pricks.”
“I understand that, Lauren. But I think you’re making a mistake in assuming we’re all eventually going to be able to go home and pretend like none of this happened. We need to do whatever it takes to cover our asses and stay alive. If we can accomplish more than that, it’ll be icing on the cake.”
“I don’t see how keeping innocent people’s money covers our asses or keeps us alive,” I countered haughtily. I’d already had my fill of William and I was in no mood for his lecture.
“Of course you don’t understand,” he said, rolling his eyes with an air of impatience. “I don’t mean this as an insult, but you don’t understand any of this, Lauren. You couldn’t possibly imagine what we’re up against. No one would expect you to. Now, I know you’re not my biggest fan and that’s fine. But I’m an expert at dealing with these people. I know where they’re weak and I know how to take them down. I can protect both of you if you just stay out of my way.”
I opened my mouth to fire off a snarky reply and Asher gently squeezed my hand, silencing me.
“Dad, we’re not trying to make anything more difficult than it has to be. But there’s no point in Lauren and me fighting to get back to our lives if we’re not able to look ourselves in the mirror at the end of this.”
William sighed and reached for the bottle of rum on the table. He poured a double shot and sipped it, silently staring out at the ocean. It was clear something was on his mind so I finished my rum and filled my glass again while we waited for him to gather his thoughts. Finally, he cleared his throat and turned back to us.
“You know now that Lauren is here, maybe the two of you should just enjoy each other’s company and let me handle what needs to be done,” he suggested. “You’re newlyweds, after all. And that way, you won’t have anything to feel guilty about if and when all this is over.”
“There’s no way I’m agreeing to that,” I announced, my voice firm.
“Lauren’s right. Like it or not, we’re all in this together,” Asher insisted. He lowered his voice and turned to his father.
“She left her whole life to be here, Dad. She deserves a say in what we do. You’re right, too. You’re the expert when it comes to the family, but Lauren and I have held our own against some pretty tough shit. It would be a mistake to underestimate what we’re capable of.”
“I’m just trying to make this as easy for you as possible,” William explained. “That’s what parents do for their children. And I have a lot of catching up to do.”
Asher set his jaw. “I managed to do just fine on my own long before you showed up in my life again. I’ve already asked you to stop thinking of me as the son you owe something to. At the moment, we’re just two men working together against a common enemy. Whether or not we become more than that depends largely on whether or not you can respect that Lauren and I are adults and capable of making our own decisions.”
William nodded and stood. “You’re right, Asher,” he replied, emphasizing the name with no sign of resentment. “I apologize if I overstepped. I assure you that wasn’t my intention. I’ll leave the two of you alone now. You know where I’ll be if you need me. Lauren, it was lovely to meet you.”
“Thank you, William,” I replied with a polite nod.
“We’ll see you later, Dad.”
“You kids have a good day.”
I watched William step off the deck and through the sand. He disappeared into the bungalow three doors down from us and Asher breathed a sigh of relief.
“That went better than I expected,” he confessed. “I appreciate you being so polite. But I’m also glad that you stood up to him. It’s good that we’ve set some boundaries.”
“He’s not as bad as I thought he’d be,” I grudgingly admitted. “He doesn’t seem to mind that you don’t go by Billy anymore.”
“My first day at Atwater, he told me he completely understood why I didn’t want his name. I don’t think he’s proud of anything he’s done.”
“He certainly seems confident in his abilities to take down the family,” I observed. “And he genuinely seems to want to have a relationship with you.”
“I have too much going on in my head to even think about that. I do appreciate everything he’s done lately. There’s no way I’d have survived Atwater without him. The adult in me really does want to just forgive and forget. But the kid in me… it’s complicated, that’s all.”
“I can’t even imagine. He seems willing to give us some time and space to figure things out. You’re the only person who can make this decision. But I’m here if you need to talk it out.”
“Say it again,” he whispered, pulling me into his arms.
“Say what?” I giggled.
“You’re here,” he replied, kissing me delicately on the mouth. He pulled away and nuzzled his lips beneath my ear. “I missed you so much,” he continued. “I was so afraid I’d never see you again. And now, you’re here.”
I turned my chest into his and stared into his eyes. “I’m here, Asher. And if I have my way, I’ll never be away from you again.”