Annihilate Me (Vol. 4) (The Annihilate Me Series) (8 page)

“It
’
s been tough being away from my surrogate
womb.”

She
pulled away from me.
 
“Your
surrogate what?”

“My
surrogate womb.”

“
I don’
t know what that is, and I
’
m fairly certain I don
’
t want to know.”

“You
know what it means.
 
And I
’
ve missed you, too.
 
More than you know.”

“We’ll
have plenty to discuss later.
 
But
first, let me welcome home Ann and her family, and give Alex a kiss.
 
OK?”

“Of
course.”

I
watched her go over and shake Ann and Mark’s hands, and ruffle Max
’
s hair.
 
She said something to them that I couldn
’
t hear before she walked over to Alex with
her hands on her hips.
 
For a
moment, they just looked at each other before they smiled.
 
Alex lowered his head to kiss her on the
cheek, they exchanged a few words, and then Blackwell, who rarely showed any
sort of emotion, quickly stood on tiptoe to kiss Alex on the cheek.
 
When she turned and realized that all
eyes were on her, she stepped away from Alex and looked almost embarrassed.

“Certainly,
it
’
s time for us to go home,”
she said.
 
She pointed at one of the
SUVs.
 
“Ann, Mark, and Max, that one
’
s for you.
 
Try to get some sleep.”

“Thank
you, Ms. Blackwell.”

“No.
 
Thank you.
 
I mean that.
 
You and your family have been a
treasure.”
 
She motioned toward the
other SUV.
 
“This one is for us,”
she said to Alex and me.
 
“As much
as I enjoy the way the cold makes my pores practically vanish from my face, I
suggest that we get inside where it’s warm and get the hell out of here.
 
Are you with me, Tank?”

“With
you, ma
’
am.”

“Alex
and Jennifer?”

“Right
behind you,” I said.
 
And with a
quick farewell to Ann and her family, we were off.

*
 
*
 
*

In
the SUV, I sat between Alex and Blackwell, and texted Lisa.
 
“
Home in 45.
 
Can
’
t wait to see you.”

Almost
immediately, she texted me back.
 
“Finally.
 
Hugs, kisses and
martinis in 45.”

I
smiled at that, put my phone in my jacket pocket, and leaned back against the
seat.
 
A martini would probably
knock me out at this point, but I
’
d share
one with her.
 
We
’
d catch up as much as possible, and then I
would be off to bed.

“Was
that Lisa?” Alex asked.

“It
was.
 
If you don
’
t mind, I
’
ll stay with her tonight.
 
I
’
ve
gone through withdrawals.”

He
squeezed my hand.
 
“Whatever you
want.”

“You
’
ll need protection,” Tank said from the
front seat.
 
He nodded toward the
driver, who somehow was as large as Tank.
 
What did these men eat?
 
Where did they come from?
 
Mount Muscle?
 
“Scott here
will stay in the lobby.”

“That
’
s going to be a long night,” I said.
 
“Is it necessary?
 
Does anyone even know we
’
re here yet?”

“Not
yet,” Blackwell said.
 
“They will
tomorrow.
 
But Scott is nothing if
not a funnel of stamina, and none of us is taking a risk with either of your
lives.
 
You
’
re properly caffeinated, Scott?”

“Yes,
ma
’
am.
 
Well rested and ready to go.”

“Perfect.
 
We
’
ll
drop Jennifer at 800 Fifth, and you
’
ll
stay there.
 
Tank will bring me
home, and then he
’
ll guard
Mr. Wenn
’
s personal elevator at
Wenn after he brings him home.”

“Yes,
ma
’
am.”

Blackwell
turned to me.
 
“Tomorrow is the
press conference.
 
Two p.m.
 
Bernie will be at Wenn at noon to do
your hair and makeup.
 
He
’
s going to cut Alex
’
s hair at eleven because I
’
ll be damned if he
’
s going to look like some hippie on
television and in the papers.
 
I
have a suit picked out for each of you.
 
Alex will work on a brief statement in the morning.
 
You
’
ll stand by his side when he delivers it to
the press, which will be alerted of your return first thing tomorrow morning,
so expect a crowd outside your apartment when you leave.
 
Look your best.
 
This is Phase One.
 
We let people know you
’
re both back in New York, and then we launch
into Phase Two.”

“Which
is when we catch our rat?”

She
hesitated before she said, “That
’
s
right.”
 

*
 
*
 
*

When
the SUV pulled alongside my apartment building, I gave Alex a meaningful kiss,
and told him that I loved him and that I
’
d
call him before I turned in for the night.

“I
’
ll miss you,” he said.

“Being
without you is going to be strange.
 
But I hope you understand.
 
I
need to see her.”

“You
know I understand—I
’
m just
being selfish.
 
Give Lisa my best,
OK?”

“I
will.
 
And try to get some
rest.
 
Have something to eat.
 
You refused all meals on the way here.
 
You know I worry.”

“I
’
ll find something to eat.”

“I
appreciate that.”

This
was the first time in a month that I’d be leaving his side, and I had to press
myself to do so.
 
It would only be
for a night, but my emotions nevertheless got the best of me.
 
I teared up as Blackwell got out of the
car so I could get out.
 
Never one
to miss a thing, she saw the expression on my face when I stepped onto the
pavement.
 
She held each of my arms
and looked up at me.

“He
’
s going to be fine,” she said.
 
“So are you.
 
Go and be with Lisa.
 
Have some girl time—you deserve
it.
 
Try your best to relax.
 
Scott will make certain that you
’
re safe.
 
Tank will do the same for Alex.”

“Who
is going to watch over you?”

The
question took her by surprise.

I
looked at Scott, who was standing beside me.
 
“Who is going to watch over
Barbara?”
 

“I
’
m going to watch over myself,” Blackwell
said.
 
“I always have, even when I
was married.
 
There
’
s no need—”

“Tank,”
I interrupted, “please call one of your men and have them waiting to meet
Barbara at her apartment before she arrives.
 
If Alex and I are to be protected, then
Barbara is, too.
 
Can you make that
happen?”

“This
is unnecessary,” Blackwell said.

“Can
you make that happen?” I asked again.
 
“Because my friend Barbara?
 
Even though she might not have considered it, she
’
s also a target.
 
People know how close she is to
Alex.
 
People know how much she
means to him.
 
If I
’
m a target, she
’
s a target.”
 
I looked into the SUV at Alex.
 
“Do you agree?”

“I
do.”

I
turned to Tank, who already was on his cell.
 
“Please don
’
t drop her off until your man is there,
OK?
 
I want her escorted into the
building.”

“You
’
ve got it.”

But
Blackwell was having none of it.
 
“This is ridiculous.
 
I
hardly need a babysitter.”

“But
you
’
ll do it for us, right?” I
asked.
 
“So we can have some peace
of mind while we try to get some sleep?
 
You
’
ll do that for us, won
’
t you?”

She
moved to speak, but then she let her shoulders drop.
 
“You
’
re as tricky as you are infuriating.”

“So
are you.
 
Now go home and be
safe.
 
I
’
ll see you at noon tomorrow.
 
Hopefully Bernie can do something with
this mop of mine.
 
It
’
s out of control.”

“It’s
a bird’s nest of split ends.”

“
What
did you expect
?
 
We were in the ocean every day.”

“You
should have considered conditioner.”

“Who
says that I didn
’
t?”

“
Well,
apparently, I didn’t send enough.
 
When I look at that head of hair of
yours, I think ‘Bride of Frankenstein.
’”

I
rolled my eyes at that.
 
I
’
d won the battle about her having a security
detail, and she was just reasserting herself.
 
Fine.
 
So long as she was safe, I was happy to
spar.
 
“I will admit that I need a
facial.”

“How
gracious of you.
 
You
do
need
a facial.
 
And dermabrasion.
 
And a complete body paraffin dip.
 
Or better yet, sand blasting.
 
The sun has ruined your skin.
 
You look as if you
’
ve been baking in a tanning bed for the
better part of a month.
 
I don
’
t know what Bernie can do with that, but he
’
ll come up with something.
 
Some potent elixir.
 
Some secret serum that nobody knows
about.
 
Probably something
prescribed on the sly, but we
’
ll work
around that.
 
Bernie and I have our
ways.”

“At
least I don
’
t have any tan lines,” I
said.

“Too
much information, Jennifer.
 
Now,
go.
 
You got your way with me
tonight.
 
But tomorrow?
 
Tomorrow, I have my way with you.”

“Just
as Alex did with me on the island.”

“Enough!”

I
bent down and blew Alex a kiss, which he caught with one hand, and then I
kissed Blackwell on the forehead before I crossed the sidewalk with Scott and entered
the building.
 
For a moment, I felt
a little thrill.

At last
, I thought.
 
Lisa.