Page 90 of Bed of Thorns

The wind had kicked up, the flowing breeze as turbulent as the waves. By the time I returned to the house, I sensed a storm approaching, shadows crisscrossing the sky. I slammed the car door, unable to shake the feeling I’d been followed. Did I believe Markus would keep his word? Hell, no. But maybe the conversation would buy us some time.

Her horrible accusations had been true. I’d found an article on Senator Villanova’s death.

Mercedes had kept her promise, and the door was locked. As I slipped in the key, I threw another look over my shoulder and saw a dark sedan parked just far enough away most people wouldn’t pay any attention. While nothing appeared to be disturbed, I had an eerie sense that the space had been invaded, people crawling through the house. I hated myself even more for putting her through such turmoil.

“Mercedes.” My call seemed to echo yet there was no reply. My nerves on edge, I moved through the house in near panic and found her on the floor in her studio.

When she lifted her head, I could tell she’d been crying. Mercedes was the strongest person I’d ever known in my life and because of my blasphemous need for revenge, she’d lost her faith.

Not only in life, but in the man she’d once trusted.

I moved toward her slowly, crouching down only a few inches away. On this late afternoon, I hated the sound of tree limbs tossed against the window. There was a sickening ominous aspect within the room. She’d kept the lights off, the ugliness of the dark clouds presenting her beautiful paintings like a horrible reminder of that night.

“Baby. Everything is going to be alright.”

“Edmond,” she whispered, wrapping her small hands around my shirt, pulling herself away from the floor.

As I gathered her into my arms, I cursed the day I’d agreed to work with my father. If only I’d chosen another fork in the road.

If only.

I pulled her even closer until she was curled in my lap. She pushed her hands against me, taking several deep breaths. “Where is the box?”

“In a safe location.”

“Where, Edmond? Whatever is inside that box is worth them killing for. We were foolish not to look at everything inside. Every detail.”

“I know, baby. I know. We’re going to pack up a few things and leave.” I couldn’t tell her that I’d finally opened the box for a third time, going through the contents once again. While I’d handwritten several passages, listing names of different people, that wasn’t the proverbial smoking gun. The single CD located under a false bottom was. I’d had to use an older computer at the library to study the contents.

Although what I’d found had been expected.

Names of the Prism Group members, details of various operations they’d handled. It didn’t matter how my father had gotten his hands on the information; the fact that he’d betrayed the organization in such an egregious fashion had placed a target on his head. However damning the information was, including exposing the members and their real purpose—blackmail and extortion—there was enough missing that no law enforcement agency could secure convictions against them.

My father had been a smart man, but he’d tossed his only son to the wolves in exchange for his life. That remained unforgivable.

“What? Where are we going?”

“Somewhere safe.”

“Is there anywhere that’s truly safe? They will find us.”

What the hell was I supposed to say to her? She was right. I’d been given a single warning, much like she’d been. No matter the ridiculousness of how Markus felt about me, I wasn’t his son. Neither did I want to be. “There’s a way.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Who are these people? What kind of power do they have? This has nothing to do with financial planning, Edmond. I’m no fool. How was your father involved? This is exactly what the situation is and why you were handpicked. Right?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Damn it! I don’t care how complicated it is. Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on. For once, tell me the truth. I deserve that. You should have seen Carl’s contrite face. The man knew I’d play along, pretending I didn’t care about what they were doing to you. He doesn’t know me very well. But he wanted to make certain I knew he did me a favor. Trust me. We’ll both be forced to repay him in blood.”

There was no other choice as far as what had to be done. No one was going to threaten the woman I loved. No one.

I brought her hand to my mouth, pressing kisses against her palm. “You’re right, baby. Let’s get a drink. Then I’ll tell you everything. Then we decide about the rest of our life.”

As I pulled Mercedes to her feet, I didn’t need a bright light to know her eyes were imploring, trying to believe in a man she wasn’t certain she could trust any longer.

A man who couldn’t trust himself.

Minutes later, I stood with a drink in my hand, staring out at the darkening sky, wincing every time there was a flash of lightning.

---