“Apparently, Tripp.” I fill him in on the conversation with Presley, and he gives me a sideways glance.
“Ember texted me about the kickboxing class. What do you know about this place?”
“As in, have I researched Presley’s gym and know that it’s completely safe and secure? The membership is sixty-five percent women because it’s in close proximity to five area schools.”
His face breaks out into a wide smile, but before he can say anything, his dad walks in. “We have a situation,” James announces to the group.
The room goes silent, everyone waiting for him to elaborate.
“Governor DeSantis received a disturbing envelope. It came to his home office in the Governor’s mansion. It’s a set of pictures of his three kids at the park. His wife was with them, but not pictured. They’re all clean—no prints, no identifying agents in the photo-finishing, nothing. The video cameras around the area show nothing unusual.”
There are a few low rumbles through the room. You don’t ever fucking take chances when kids are involved. Too many variables come into the mix, including kidnapping, torture, dismemberment, and death.
“The envelope was marked private and confidential so his assistant didn’t open it. Besides sharing it with me and the guy I assigned to investigate, it’s being kept quiet.”
“He doesn’t want to tell the local police anything?” Robbie questions, inspecting the contents of the files we were given.
“No, this is tricky. DeSantis has stepped up his stance on issues in the campaign. It’s no secret he’s an extremely conservative candidate and his values are in-line. His newest endorsements and ads are making people angry. He’s drawn a line in the sand and pissed off a lot of people. With the election only twelve weeks away, he’s now asking for complete protection. I’ve convinced him to talk to two of my contacts with the FBI. Along with his current security, I’ll be assigning new people to his detail under the ruse of campaign consultants. All their credentials have been created, and the wheels are in motion. He’s conducting mock interviews today, including one for a full-time nanny with a trained undercover consultant I trust fully.”
“So what do we do?” Ray, a member of our team speaks up.
“Each of you have your assignments, but to break it down, Finn and Robbie will be heading to Louisiana next Friday to install additional security measures, including wiring the current system to feed directly to us. A few of you will be assigned as direct liaisons to the team I have undercover. Once I get my FBI contacts in the loop, we’ll have frequent updates. Any more questions?”
We all take a few minutes to go over our assignments, confirming we understand. I think of Presley on my way back to my office and wish we could have stayed in bed another day.
Chapter 20
Presley
“Stop the madness!” I double over laughing and try not to spill my drink, as Ember nods enthusiastically.
“No, I promise! It really happened. He was a complete dick to me. Twice. Then he walked into my shop, and after five minutes of conversation, he says, ‘That stops now’. Of course, I was stunned almost silent. A minute later, he walked out to get us dinner. Robbie isn’t a man to take no for an answer. Don’t get me wrong, we had our ups and downs, but all in all, I’m not sure I ever stood a chance.”
“Ups and downs? Yeah, right. That man worships you!” Reese wags a finger at her.
Ember gives a dreamy smile and takes a large gulp of her wine. “Maybe, but I’m convinced it’s in their DNA. All of them. I haven’t been around for long, but I know the stories. Declan and Jimi fell hard and fast. Gabe took years to admit it, but the instant he realized his mistake, he claimed Harper in front of a room full of people.
“And don’t get me started on Finn. I actually felt the air change when his eyes landed on you. There was a shift in the atmosphere. Told him that, too.” She beams with pride. “I’m so glad it worked out.”
“Me too,” I agree. “I’ve been meaning to thank you, too, Ember. Thank you for coming over here on Tuesday to try to help me see the light. Finn never gave me any reason to doubt our relationship. It was my own insecurities bursting through at Raven’s declaration that he loved her. The fact that Declan, Tripp, and you came to talk sense into me was a testament to your loyalty and friendship.”
She puts her glass down and looks between Reese and me with apprehension before speaking. “Look, Raven is my sister-in-law, and I adore her. What she said and the way she blurted out her feelings was out of character. But I’m not going to defend her. What you may not know is Finn’s reaction. He went ape shit. No one, and I mean no one in that group has ever seen him lose his composure like he did.
“It’s no secret how close he and Raven are, and they don’t talk about their time away because it’s private. Finn didn’t hesitate to blast her. I was personally scared to death that he and Declan would come to blows because Declan is wildly protective. But Finn had fire in his eyes and the kind of raw emotion no one
could deny. His passion was pouring through his words. I’ve known for a while he was in deep, but I had no clue. Never in my life, even with my husband and our hurdles, have I ever seen a man so hurt and scared.”
“Wow, I wish we could have seen that.” Reese tips her glass at me. “Thank God you came to your senses.”
I nod in agreement, picturing the scene Ember described. Finn told me he had words, but he never told me how intense it was. Part of me wants to ask him about it, but then again, he’s proven how much he cares about me repeatedly since our reunion on Tuesday. Bringing it up doesn’t seem like a good idea.
“Since we have a little bit of time before the guys get here, can I ask you a personal question?” I nibble on my lip to see Ember’s reaction.
“Of course. You’ve met my aunt and cousin. There’s not a lot of room for privacy unless Robbie stands up to them.” She refills our glasses. “Ask away.”
“Do you ever get scared of their jobs?”
“Every day. But I’m a special circumstance. I’ve seen firsthand how awesome they are at their work. It’s amazing. James is a master in his field, and he’s trained each of his team members well.”