First Love Only Love (The Life 2)

Lance didn’t say anything as he followed me out to the garage, which was more worrying than his usual gab. I bypassed the hummer and went for Pop’s Bugatti Chiron Super Sport. Known as the fastest car in the world, I felt the need for speed. Not sure what I’m out running, but something is riding me hard. “Strap in!”

He looked like a kid in a candy store when I punched it, daring Pop’s team to keep up in their G-Class. “Aren’t you afraid that I’d run us into a pole?”

“You won’t, not with me in the car.” There was a wealth of meaning behind those words, and they were both heartening and worrying to me.

“Did Pop call you?”

“What goes on with my uncle and I have nothing to do with you. Speaking of which, dad sent a command for you to come to the house tomorrow night, no excuses.”

Meaning, Pop was worried about me, so he called up Uncle Marvin, the priest, another worrier, and they’d sent their stool pigeon to reel me in. “I’ll be there.”

We pulled up outside the Alden mansion in ten minutes instead of twenty, and I buzzed the gate, which opened seconds later. The place looked dead, too quiet for a family of five, two of them being young preteen boys. The housekeeper answered the door looking surprised to see us there. “Were you looking for Lisa? She’s not here.”

“No, actually, I’m looking for Mrs. Alden.” Her smile became much more welcoming then. “None of the family are here right now. Mrs. Aden decided at the last minute to take the kids away for fall break, and they all left this morning.”

“Fall break isn’t for another week.”

“I know, but she said since the kids can turn their assignments in online, it didn’t make a difference either way. Was she expecting you? She must’ve forgotten. I’ll let her know you came by.”

“That’ll be fine, thanks.” I turned and left with Lancelot keeping stride with me and could feel his stare on the side of my head. “Spit it out.”

“You’re becoming Uncle Draco.” I just looked at him without uttering a word as we headed back to the car.

DRACO

I left the house not long after the boys did and headed for the meet I’d set up. I’d hoped this meet wouldn’t happen for a long time, if ever, but the way things had been going this last week or so, I’m not taking any chances. Once I dug through and saw the things my son has been up to, I knew I had to act.

I know the signs, but I wonder if he does. I’d instilled all that I am in Gabe in hopes that my son, after learning that he wasn’t of my body, would never doubt that he’s mine. Now I think maybe he’d learned too well. It was like watching a repeat of my life after meeting his mom. That fiery need to protect the woman you love can’t be matched by anything else, and I know the lengths I’ve gone to and still do to keep her safe.

The only reason I haven’t annihilated the one who hurt her is because I have no idea where her father is or if he had anything to do with his disappearance. Sofia still believes her dad had cut ties all those years ago to keep her whereabouts hidden, but I’m not so sure.

On the other hand, Gabe has nothing standing in his way, and he seems set on a course of destruction that will make our little town spin on its axis. The things he’d done, the information he’d dug up in such a short space of time, was surprising in itself, but it is the way in which he’d used and is using that information that's got me worried.

Every step has been calculated; no stone left unturned. And the fact that it looked like my own father was letting the boy use his resources was making me sweat. I pulled into the parking lot of the out-of-the-way warehouse and drove around back out of view of the street that was barely used by the public.

The young men I’d called here were already waiting. Marcus and Matthew, the Jamaican twins who excel in all forms of hand-to-hand combat from Korean Han Mu Do to Israeli Krav Maga, leaned against the building as if they didn’t have a care in the world, while Robert the expert marksman paced back and forth as if restless.

That boy is never happy unless he has his eye to a scope. Denver was the last of the group, his proficiency in Paranza Corta is the reason he’s here.

“I thought you said we weren’t going to be needed for a while; what changed?” Robert, the most restless of the group, spoke up before I could even greet them. “Good evening to you too, Rob.”