Page 71 of Degrees of Acceptance
“No, Baby. I want to make sure your mom is okay and doesn’t need a physician once she arrives. Once I know everything is fine, I’ll get some sleep. Things happened tonight in the process of getting your mom out, Katarina. Do you want me to share these with you or do you wish to see the papers and wonder what happened?” he asks, his eyes searching mine.
“I want you to tell me, Chase,” I say, willing myself to stay calm.
“The house your mother was being held in was a drug haven, and Carlos and I had it overtaken by our teams. There were multiple men in and around the house guarding your mom, and you will at some point read that they were killed in an explosion caused by gasses produced by the meth they were cooking in the home,” he says.
I take his face in my hands and kiss his lips gently. “I love you so very much Chase, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you getting my mom back and for protecting our family,” I say, trying my best to conceal the questions that rise in my subconscious.
The relief in his eyes is evident, and his jaw seems to relax as he pulls me close, holding me tight to him. “I love you so much, Katarina. I didn’t want to subject you to this, but you told me you wanted me to be honest with you. I wasn’t sure how you would react to what we had to do, Baby.”
“You’re in no danger of losing me, Chase. I love you, and I was the one that told you I would not think any less of you or my dad for doing what you needed to get my mom home,” I say.
“I’ve extended an invitation for Carlos to stay here tonight so he and your mom can catch up. If all goes as planned, we will still be leaving for Aruba tomorrow,” he says, running his finger across my lips before kissing me. “Baby, let’s go downstairs, they should be here any minute.”
My dad leads my mom into the foyer. She appears disheveled and her eyes are puffy from crying. I race to embrace her and hold her tight, unable to control the tears of relief that stream down my face at the sight of her. I look up and see the tenderness in my dad’s eyes when he looks at my mom. He appears weary, and I hold out my arms and embrace him in a hug. “Thank you for getting my mom back,” I say, unable to keep the tears in check. He leans down and wipes them from my eyes.
“You’re welcome, Katarina. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to keep my family safe,” he says. I see that Chase is giving my mom a hug and Gaby is not to be left out, capturing my mom in a giant hug, as well.
It is odd seeing my parents together. My dad’s arm is wrapped possessively around my mother’s shoulder the entire time we talk. My mom tells us how she was getting ready to be picked up and answered the doorbell. She was immediately overpowered by two men. They put a cloth of some sort over her face and when she came to she was locked in the basement of a house. She said no one told her why she had been kidnapped and that once she heard Chase’s voice on the phone, her hope was restored. I capture his eyes with mine in silent appreciation recalling my repulsion at the conversation with her captors. They did not hurt her, but she overheard one of them say they had to wait for an order before taking her out. She was asleep when she heard gun shots fired upstairs, and then lots of shots. I glance at Chase and my dad, but they are not giving anything away.Did they blow up the house to cover up the shootings? Why didn’t he tell me that?Chase excuses himself to take a call and when he returns he looks relaxed. Everything is completed for the night. “Prince Alfreita has the message,” he says to my dad. “Karissa, I’m so very sorry that you went through what you did. Prince Alfreita is seeking retribution for his monetary losses of last year. He still believes that I had something to do with what happened on his ship. Carlos and I are working on a plan to mitigate this in the future, but until we do I have assigned security around the clock again.” She groans, but does not argue. “Karissa, it is for your safety and this time security will not be dismissed until Carlos and I know you are not at risk. We never would have allowed you to be without security except the Middle East situation had stabilized. Katarina and I are leaving for Aruba in the morning. You are welcome to stay here as long as you like. I think we’re going to retire for a few hours of rest before our flight leaves,” he says.
My parents are not up when we wake, so I leave them a note to give us a call a little later in the day. The flight over is uneventful, and I read a novel while Chase sleeps almost the entire duration having gotten a minimal amount of sleep in the past few nights. When we arrive on the island, we are driven to the resort. Chase guides us to the towers and to the same penthouse suite where we stayed two months ago. As we enter, I am enthralled with the arrangement on the table. There must be at least three dozen white calla lilies surrounded by an array of greenery in a beautiful burgundy crystal vase. I turn, and he is looking at me with that intensity I’ve seen before.
“Chase, they are amazingly beautiful. I don’t think I will ever see a calla lily and not think of you,” I say.
We spend the afternoon strolling along the beach. We pass a vendor selling body boards, and Chase buys two from the elder gentleman. “I’ve never been on one of these,” I say. “Let’s drop our stuff off by the lounge chair,” he says. I slide out of my sandals and unzip the transparent cover up and turn around to put it on the seat so it does not wrinkle. I feel the intensity of his stare. “Did you wear that suit to intentionally provoke me?” he asks.
“Does that mean that you like it?” I ask, feeling myself moisten, and my skin begins to heat.
“I most certainly do, it looks great on your ass, but I’m not sure if I enjoy sharing the view,” he says.
I smile. “My butt is quite partial to you and the things you’ve been doing to it, it’s all yours,” I say.
“Come on; let’s get you into the water,” he says, taking me by the hand. The sea is cold at first, but it doesn’t take us long to acclimate. “I want you to put the leash of the board around your arm, so you don’t get separated from it, and then lie face down,” he says holding the board steady and assisting me with it. I feel his hands run down the length of my thigh. “Keep your chin up and let the rest of your body relax on the board. I’ll bring you out to where the waves are starting to come in, then as soon as you see the whitecaps I want you to kick your legs and paddle… the wave will catch you allowing you to ride it all the way to shore. “Here, now watch… do you see the whitecaps on the waves?” he asks.
I take my position on the board, tense and poised for the tide.
“I am going to let you go now. Okay, go…,” he shouts. I paddle and kick, and pretty soon the wave catches me and I find myself gliding across the sea heading full throttle to shore. When I reach it and land he’s right behind me riding a wave of his own with a large smile on his face.
“I loved it. Let’s go again!” We ride the waves until I’m exhausted and come out of the ocean feeling exhilarated, but tired.
We pass by two young boys playing in the surf, and Chase asks them if they know how to body board. The young boys do not, so he asks them if they want to learn. “I’ll be up in a minute,” he says to me and nods at Jay, who is never far away. I know it means that he is to keep his eyes on me. I walk along the beach drying off in the heat of the island sun. On my way back to our suite I can see him and watch him for a little while instructing the young boys, pointing out the waves. They are soon kicking and paddling, catching great waves of their own all the way back to shore… they are laughing and having a great time. I lose sight of them as I enter the resort and head to our suite. The air conditioning is cold to my damp skin, and I peel my wet suit off and jump into the warmth of the shower, relaxing under the multi-showerheads that rain down on my body. I pull the white cashmere robe around me as I dry off and smile as I recall the first time Chase wrapped me up in it. My phone is beeping. I have missed texts from Jenny and my mom.
I hit my mom’s number first wanting to make sure she is okay since she was not up when we left, and I have not talked to her since last night. She answers on the first ring. “Sweetie, have you seen the newspapers?” she asks.
I frown. “No Mom, what’s going on?” I ask.
“Katie, the story of the explosion in Miami is all over the news. Apparently the house imploded instead of exploding and the reporters are having a field day with that information.
“I don’t understand the significance, Mom.”
Sweetie, the articles are saying it takes a lot of coordination and precise orchestration to implode a building, versus just blowing it up. Although not much remains in the way of debris, the police were able to uncover remnants that make them believe the house was being utilized as a meth lab. However, the last article I read is speculating on how the house would have most definitely exploded if meth were being processed in it. The reporters are interviewing experts who say while it’s completely possible the house could have contained the materials used in meth production and not exploded, it’s highly doubtful. I asked your dad, and all he will tell me is not to worry. I think he is responsible, and I understand that he was trying to get me back, and I will be forever grateful, but…”
“Mom, what is bothering you?” I ask, sounding much more in control and confident than I feel. Chase told me this. He prepared me for the fact that the news would hit after mom had been rescued. But, an implosion would have taken lots of planning after they got the location confirmation. It means the mission was a thoroughly planned and premeditated attack, instead of a rescue that went awry, as I initially thought. Fuck… I feel sick to my stomach, but try to keep a positive front for my mom.
“Katie, my captors had me blindfolded, and when I woke up, I was in a room downstairs. Everything was dark and dank like a basement. They did not take my blindfold off, but I could hear them jeering at me as I came to. They were talking about raping me and other vile things that I don’t even want to share with you. They would have done just that and more if Chase had not insisted on my safety and demanded that they put me on the phone. If he had not asked the questions he did and threatened them with mafia exposure, I believe they would have done whatever they wanted with me. They were pissed when they got off the phone. They told me that as soon as the deal was done, they were going to make me suffer for making them wait.” I can hear her sobs and realize she is trying to hold them back. I wish I could hold her in my arms.
I feel even sicker and catch my breath trying to be strong for her. “Mom, calm down, please. Chase and Dad were never going to let that happen,” I say, trying the best I can to alleviate her concern from halfway around the world.
“Katie, I already know that,” she says, and her voice sounds strong and resolved. I am confused. “What I am trying to tell you, is that if Chase had not done what he did, I would have been used in any amount of despicable manners at the hands of these monsters. He ensured with one conversation that I was not assaulted, beaten, raped and degraded until they were able to reach me. But there is more… “
