With that, we were spent.
“Two more sleeps until we make this our forever,” Elle said.
“I can’t wait.”
“Neither can I…”
Our forever! If only…
55 • Point B
Valentine’s Day came and we made our way to the elevator. We’d be driving together and preparing at the venue, which wasn’t far from our hotel.
Everything had arranged: from the venue to the girls’ outfits. All we needed to do was show up, change clothes, and enjoy the atmosphere before exchanging tokens of our new commitment to one another. I’d already pictured it all in my mind.
We all had…
Skylar met us in the penthouse lobby, calling the elevator so we could all go down to the underground parking together. As we got inside, the doors closed and the descent started. I exhaled, feeling my body grow light as we sank from the top floor down. Then, a shudder.
The elevator stopped.
A crystal-clear electronic voice spoke from a speaker above. “Emergency override. Please proceed to the nearest emergency exit.”
Before I could even think, Skylar had drawn her gun and got out ahead of any danger. As the doors opened on the 11th floor, her instruction was clear.
“Stay behind me. Keep moving. If I shoot, don’t stop, don’t try to cover your ears, and don’t look at the body.”
Inhaling sharply, the danger suddenly hit. My palms were sweaty and I feared my sisters could sense my anxiety as they reached to hold on to my hands.
A screeching alarm — broadcast at an unnatural pitch — filled the air as Sky moved through space with choreographed precision. She knew the escape routes, having memorised them the day we picked this hotel. Sticking close to our bodyguard, she covered every corner and kept us going as we moved to make our escape.
When we reached the stairs, I got the first sense she was afraid. An attack from above, below, or both ends at once was her worst fear. She was radioing our team, getting information, and organising reinforcements. We’d been split from them, but not for long.
As more and more men joined us, my confidence built. Then, we met up with Alicia, and I knew we’d be safe.
Whatever was going on, nothing would beat her or Skylar.
Nothing. Never.
• • •
We were raced from the Wicked & Divine to what our people called ‘point B.’
An unremarkable conference room, halfway across town, Point B wasn’t quite an ultra-secure bunker. Still, we had three dozen armed guards protecting us with more arriving by the minute.
I’d grown used to seeing a small army around us morning, noon and night. Yet, every now and then, I wondered if this was good for the girls. Sure, these rogues we employed kept us safe, but the constant presence of guns and grunts must’ve provided its own kind of trauma.
Our stay at Point B seemed like it was going to last forever as we passed midnight and some security people brought in blankets as if we’d be sleeping there. Any chance at completing our ceremony had evaporated, even as Alicia finally approached with the facts of what had happened.
“The hotel fired one of their security guards about fifteen minutes before the alarm went off. We have him on CCTV going straight from the supervisor who sacked him to a control panel. Thanks to his stunt, they lost a few hundred-thousand dollars because of the evacuation…”
I actually found myself grinning, unable to hate too much on a man who fought back against the system. “Sounds like a maverick,” I remarked. “But one who should go to jail, nonetheless.”
“Yes, sir,” Alicia agreed. “We’ll follow the case and make sure he’s prosecuted appropriately. In the meantime, shall we reschedule–”
Just as my chief of staff was about to finish her sentence, her phone rang. The ringtone was one reserved for the London office and she worried it might be urgent, excusing herself to take the call.
With Alicia leaving for a second, I had a chance to turn to my sisters. “Sorry about all this.”
“It’s okay,” Elle assured.
“Yeah,” Tecla echoed. “The important thing is that we’re all safe. Skylar was pretty badass, whipping out her gun like that. She moved like a freakin’ cat.”
I agreed. “She’s pretty cool, ey? They both are… In fact, I asked Alicia if she’d mind teaching you guys some self-defence techniques. Would you be interested?”
“Yes!” the girls smiled in unison, quickly getting on board with the idea.
One trick I learned over the years was the power of distraction; both for the girls and for myself. Soon, both sisters were asking if they could get guns of their own, which meant I was thankful when Alicia interrupted.
My chief of staff was wide-eyed and pale after her call. It was the look that came with genuine surprise, rather than one that came from shock. Yes, it was an expression of bafflement and amazement, and she struggled to find the right words…
“Sir, do you know Felix–”
“Felix?!” I cheered, not even needing Alicia to finish his name. “Of course I know Felix! He was my best friend in Switzerland. We were roommates at boarding school. His dad is president of–”
“I just spoke to him on the phone,” Alicia interrupted, still not quite believing the conversation she’d just had with the son of one of the world’s most notorious dictators.
Remembering my old friend, I couldn’t believe that he’d reached out. Felix and I were close, but hadn’t seen each other since I graduated nine years ago.
Alicia lowered her voice. “He says… He says they want to talk to you about Edward Sardonis. And that you should fly over there as soon as possible.”
“Who’s Edward Sardonis?” Tecla asked, with Elle soon repeating the question. At first, I wanted to scold Alicia for letting the name slip in their presence, but I thought better of it.
I had an old friend out there who wanted to help. The time for secrets was fast coming to an end.
There was no way around it — not when my life was on the line. I had to share the facts with my sisters; for their sake and my own. Accepting what had to happen next, I made up my mind. They’d be coming with me… Together, we’d hear what Felix had to say.
“Look’s like we’re skipping the wedding and going straight on an island honeymoon…”
Alicia nodded. “Indeed, sir. I’ll have the plane prepped… If they have a big enough runway.”
“You don’t know Felix,” I said. “He’ll build one if he has to.”
56 • El Presidente
Having finally arrived from Texas, we met the twins’ friend, Amanda, on the plane. She was happy to see us and unhappy to be ignored, considering the girls had other things on their mind.
“Where the hell are we going?” she asked, having developed a bit of an American accent after moving from Canada to the States. Her dream career was to go become a big-time cheerleader.
She got the gig and looked the part.
Amanda was a dirty-blonde with curly hair that fell to her shoulders, a petite frame, and a dancer’s body. Her hips were always moving, always swaying, and always inviting trouble… She oozed sex appeal along with arrogance — preferring raw personality over gentle charm.
The truth was that I judged Amanda. Yet, even I was moved by the disappointment in her eyes as her old best friends seemed too preoccupied for her.