Vendetta Nation (Enigma Black Trilogy #2) (24 page)

The Man in Black loosens his grip on Chase’s limp body, and it slumps to the ground, landing at 
the base of the altar.

*****

“Celaine.” Ian’s voice, along with his hands shaking my body, forced my eyes open, waking me up from my worst nightmare. “Celaine,” he called my name once more. “It’s okay, I’m here.”

“Chase,” I called out. My eyes shot open, and I quickly rolled over to face Ian, who stared down at me in shock. It was several octaves better than the expression he’d worn in my dreams, but still pained nonetheless.

“No,” he said, “it’s only Ian.”

“Ian, I’m sorry. It’s just the dream I had, it was so vivid, and…”

“Chase was in it,” he sighed.

“Yeah, you were there, too,” I said, noticing his lack of clothing and his practically naked, toned body.

“Yet my name was nowhere to be found on your lips,” he answered. He’d begun to push himself up from off the bed when I grabbed his arm to stop him. His body grew rigid with my touch, his solid arm seemed invincible, as though it could withstand anything. Maybe it could.

“Ian,” I practically whispered his name, and his hardened expression softened just enough to show me that whatever anger he’d had was short-lived. “Please.” My eyes watered, an indication of just how emotionally drained I’d become.

Ian smiled slightly before kissing my forehead. “I’m sorry,” he said as he held my face in the palm of his hand, wiping the beginnings of a tear away from the corner of my eye. “Don’t cry. I’ll feel like a royal asshole if you start crying,” he said.

“You’re not the asshole, Ian. I’m beginning to feel like maybe I am.”

“No, Celaine, I honestly don’t think that’s possible…” he paused. “You loved Chase. You’re still in love with him…and although, given what happened between us last night, it’s like a sock to the gut to hear you calling his name, I need to suck it up. You had someone in your life you loved, who meant a great deal to you. Losing someone like that in any capacity would be devastating. I haven’t had anything like that in my life in a long time…until recently.” He smiled, rubbing my cheek with his thumb before letting his hand fall away from my face.

“Are you scared, Ian? About this evening?” I asked him, smoothing out the wrinkles in my dress.

“A month ago, I wouldn’t have been. I would have been gung-ho about all of this, with a ‘whatever happens, happens’ attitude. But, as I sit here with you now, looking into your eyes, I’m scared. I’m scared shitless, Celaine, but not for me. I’m afraid of losing you. Whatever happens to me can happen, but nothing can happen to you. I won’t allow it.”

“You can’t keep me shielded forever, Ian,” I said, realizing, as I spoke, that’s what he’d been doing all along, perhaps even before he’d realized it himself.

“Then I’ll die trying.”

*****

“Look at the amount of space in this master bedroom,” Paige stated in awe.

“It looks exactly like it’s the same size as the one in the apartment we saw before this one, and the one before that,” Chase sighed.

“Are you kidding me? There’s at least three more feet of space in this room compared to the others,” she said, gesturing around the room as though its dimensions would become readily apparent.

“Whatever you say,” Chase answered, decidedly allowing her to win this battle.

“I’m with you, Doc,” Paul whispered next to him. “I don’t see much of a difference here either.”

“Well, at least I know I’m not going entirely insane.”

“Oh!” Paige squealed. “Chase, come here. This one has walk-in closets.”

“No way,” he feigned excitement in response to her exclamation as he walked over to where she stood.

“Mock me if you want, mister,” she said, “but these are deal-sealers right here. That’s it, this is the one. This is our apartment.”

“Really?” Chase asked, unconvinced. “That’s what you said about the last one, the studio.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love the open floor plan of the studio, but this one feels more like home.”

It’s also three hundred dollars more per month to live here
, he thought.

“I think it’s a keeper too, Doc,” Paul piped in. “Besides, this one has a more spacious spare bedroom. It would be perfect for when your girlfriend’s father comes to visit,” he said, winking.

“Well, when you mention that…” Chase half-chuckled. “I guess it
is
closer to my parents’ house, and it is further away from the city…”

“Then this is it?” Paige asked, her eyes widening. “This is our home?”

“Yeah, this is it.”

“Eek!” She flung her arms around him and kissed his cheek. “I love you so much! I’m going to go downstairs to the leasing office.” She bounded out of the room, her excited footsteps making a beeline out of the apartment.

“You’re welcome,” Chase muttered.

“I know my daughter can be a handful,” Paul said next to him. “She’s high-strung, stubborn, selfish at times, and has been completely pampered—entirely my fault—since her mother died when she was twelve. However, she’s also insecure and was in a constant state of depression before you came along. Since you’ve been in her life, I’ve seen a change in her. She seems to be happy again, like when her mother was still alive. Not only did you save me, it would seem you also rescued her too.”

“Well,” Chase replied, feeling flushed, “she’s helped me out quite a bit too, Paul. I wasn’t in exactly the best shape when we first met either.”

“It seems like you two are a perfect match, then. Just do me a favor, Doc?”

“Sure, Paul, anything.”

“Keep doing what you’re doing. I’m not going to live forever, you know.”

“Oh, Paul, I think you’d be surprised. Characters like yourself never truly die,” Chase laughed, his expression changing immediately upon noticing the less than playful one on the older man’s face.

“Just promise me you that you’ll take care of my little girl, Doc,” he said.

I carefully pulled my hair back into a French braid, probably taking more time to complete it than I should have, considering we were expected downstairs in less than ten minutes. An elastic band encircled my wrist, and I removed it to secure my hair into place before pulling my helmet over my head. A knot had situated itself in my stomach, unmoving, no matter what reassurances I tried to give myself. The events of today remained to be seen, their outcome undetermined, whether we fought with those whose ideals we believed in or stood back and allowed Brooks his moment of glory, no matter what that moment would mean.

“Ready?” Ian poked his head inside my door. He was suited-up, ready for action.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I answered. Ian smiled from behind his helmet and stooped down to grab my suitcase.

“I’m capable of grabbing my own things,” I said to him.

“Trust me, I know what you’re more than capable of. Just let me be a gentleman for once in my life.”

“You should give yourself more credit than that, Ian,” I sighed. “You had plenty of chances last night to be anything but gentlemanly.” I pulled the visor of my helmet down over my face so he wouldn’t be able to see the worry painted on it.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, setting my suitcase back down on the floor.

“I have this feeling that nothing will ever be the same again after today. It feels like we’re being led into something pivotal. Something that will be written about in history books for years to come.”

“Or it may be the single most anti-climatic moment of our lives.” Ian wrapped his arms around me. “Whatever happens today, whether war, peace or absolutely nothing, we’ll get through it. Who knows, maybe all this country really needs is a little uprising.”

“If we’re part of that uprising, you know that will be the end of us, right? There’s no way we’ll get through that unscathed.”

“I’m a firm believer that you can get through anything if you follow your heart. Doing so led me to this room, after all.” He tightened his hold on me before uttering the one phrase that would stick in my mind for the rest of the night. “It led me to you.”

I felt his arms around me loosen their grip as he dropped down to retrieve my suitcase. “Ian,” I said, still contemplating the words that were milling about in my head, “I care about you…more than I was ever prepared to care about anyone again.”

“Ditto,” he laughed.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt out there or feel the wrath of Brooks because of any decision I may make. When we’re out there, we each need to do what’s in our hearts, and not just follow the other’s lead.”

“Celaine, although I appreciate that you don’t want to see me hurt, I’m perfectly capable of thinking for myself. But there’s also no way I’m going to allow you to throw yourself to the wolves, either. I trust your judgment implicitly and, no matter what, I’m sticking by your side. Besides, there’s more of a statement to be made if you and I stick together.”

“I know, Ian. I just don’t want to see someone else die or get hurt because of my actions.”

“If I get hurt, it’s because of my actions. The same was true for Blake as well.”

“I suppose it’s been ten minutes, hasn’t it?” I asked.

“Twelve, actually. It’s been twelve minutes since they alerted us.”

I nodded. “Well, we shouldn’t keep Our Majesty waiting a moment longer, should we?”

*****

The SUV Brooks sent for us, driven by one of his many henchmen, pulled through the gated entrance to the pier. Outside, the news media lined the streets, hoping to catch a glimpse of Brooks and his newfound allies. Thankfully, the vehicle’s windows were tinted, and the only images they were able to capture were those of the side of the SUV. I turned my head away from the flashbulbs. Even within the sanctuary of the van and despite the protection of my mask, the constant flashes were giving me the beginnings of a migraine. Ian, on the other hand, had to practically sit on his hands to keep from hitting the button that controlled his window to greet his adoring fans with his middle finger.

“Leeches,” he muttered. “They love you when things are golden, but turn on you at the first sign of trouble…or after you’ve been through the worst tragedy of your entire life.”

I remembered the days following the attack on The Lakes; the constant parade of reporters who gathered a few feet away from my hospital room, and the near mob who waited outside the cemetery gates on the day of my family’s funeral. Had it not been for my Aunt Tasha, and the protective stance she took over me, keeping the cancerous growths at bay, I probably would have succumbed to them. But Ian didn’t have that same type of maternal support system. Having had an emotionally divested mother, it was hard telling what kind of hell he endured after his father’s death, or how many times he was forced to relive that experience over and over again.

We pulled through the gates, which swiftly closed behind the SUV.
At least we’ll be able to board the boat in relative peace
, I thought, somewhat relieved that we wouldn’t be mobbed as soon as our doors opened. I glanced at the river before us. With the overcast sky threatening rain, the water had turned from a sparkling azure to a despairing gray, perfect for the tone of the evening. Moored at the pier, three high performance boats waited for our arrival, though they were not the type of boat we would be traveling on. Dwarfing them further down the pier was a smaller-scale—yet nonetheless luxurious—yacht, ironically christened with the name ‘
Let Freedom Ring
’. It was a vessel fit for a king, and there was very little doubt in my mind that Brooks was already on board. Along the boardwalk, soldiers milled about, keeping guard, still as expressionless and as synchronized as ever.

Our SUV pulled up next to the boardwalk in front of the yacht. From the deck of the monstrous boat, a figure appeared, walking steadily toward where we were parked. Ian and I glanced at each other, and then back at the figure drawing nearer. As it came into better focus, I recognized him as the man who’d opened the door for us to Brooks’ suite. Yet again, he was being sent to escort us to his leader. Next to me, I heard Ian’s door open and decided to follow suit.

“You’re a couple of minutes late,” the man said before I could even finish exiting the vehicle. “We’re on a tight schedule tonight. Deviations and distractions from what has been planned for you will not be tolerated.”

“Yes, sir,” I responded. “Are you here to bring us to the principal’s office?” I could hear Ian snickering under his breath beside me.

The man regarded me coldly, his eyebrow arched. “Something like that,” he said. “Come, we must hurry.” he motioned for us to follow him. I hadn’t been on a boat since the summer before my family’s death. My parents rented one for a week when we vacationed in southern Florida. Back then, I thought that we were living a luxurious lifestyle, but now after seeing the virtual palace on water we were entering, my assessment of luxurious was beginning to change drastically.

We followed the man up some steps to the deck of the boat, and were then ushered to a set of stairs that led down into the lower deck to the spacious living quarters. A large screen hung on the wall. On it was live coverage at Potomac Park with reporters eagerly awaiting the President’s arrival, and shots of the large crowd amassed to take in his every word. Hardwood floor wrapped around the entirety of the room complete with leather furniture, a lounge area, and a fireplace.
A fireplace on a boat—now I’ve seen everything
. By the way that Ian looked around the deck, I could tell that he was also in awe of his surroundings.