Escaping Vegas (The Inheritance Book 1) (23 page)

“What happened? Did they try to pull a fast one? What did they say?” she asked, tipping her head back to see Cole’s eyes. She let him hold her aloft, feet off the floor.

“Yes, Cole, what did they say?” Brandon asked, gaze full of mischief.

“They have the dragon in their possession, and I have promises that they won’t be bothering any of us any longer. I insinuated that I had people there taking photos and video, that I had
their
faces and information, just to add an extra layer of protection. They’ll think twice before they consider another attack,” Cole said.

“Do you believe them?” Madalina asked.

“Yes. They were quite distracted with the dragon, and I think it’ll keep them busy for a while. I’m sure there will be celebrations and parties and all that.”

Madalina experienced a tiny pang upon hearing that the original dragon was truly gone. It was a minor pang and vanished quickly. “We’re really free of it all.”

“We are. I still think we should stick to my plan and remain here for another two days, but after that . . .” Cole let the sentence trail.

“Looks like you two are all set. Madalina, it was a pleasure to meet you. Cole, you know where to find me if you need me.” Brandon playfully saluted the duo and made his exit.

Madalina glanced back at Cole’s eyes once his brother was gone. “I probably should have been more discreet. I think we scared him off.”

Cole laughed. “I’m not sorry. We have some celebrating of our own to do.”

Madalina kissed his mouth. “And I know just where to start.”

C
HAPTER
T
HIRTY
-O
NE

M
adalina stared at the front of her rented house, ambivalent about going inside. Two days had passed since the festival, and she’d done nothing but think about the wreckage that awaited. Cole had made his plan clear: he wanted to return to the house today, not so much to begin the cleaning-up process but to see what, if anything, might happen. To see if the agents kept their word.

Although she knew Cole was armed, her nerves remained on edge.

“You ready to do this?” he asked at her side.

“Yes.” Madalina cast a surreptitious look up and down the street at the cars parked along the curb, then glanced at Cole. He, too, had been scanning the surroundings but met her eyes when her attention swung his way. “Do you think anyone will show up?”

“I feel confident that we’re in the clear—but it doesn’t hurt to make sure. As I said before, I
think
that they’re happy to have what they came for. It’s been decades of searching, and I’m sure they can’t wait to present the dragon to the higher members of their government or whoever sent them in the first place. It’s a monumental achievement, and I’m hopeful that the distraction of the dragon will keep the men at bay,” he said, squeezing her hand.

Madalina enjoyed the rough texture of his palm, the way his hand engulfed her own. “I hope so, too. I’m ready to get on with my life.”

“Ready to get back to the boutique, hmm?”

His question gave her pause. As before, she was less excited about returning to the task of inventory, paperwork, and management than she thought she would be. After high-speed chases and skulking from one hotel to another, it almost seemed mundane to go back to a nine-to-five job. Which was ridiculous. All she’d wanted from the start was for things to get back to normal.

He arched a brow at the hesitation.

“Yes, of course, I’m ready to get everything back in order,” she said.

“That wasn’t quite the question.”

“I don’t know,” she confessed with another glance at the street. She’d been on the run too long, spent too many days evading people to feel comfortable in the open yet. “It all seems . . . strange.”

“How so?”

“Just going back to work every day after all this. I can’t imagine doing the paperwork and ordering and unpacking and inventories when things have been so chaotic lately. I’m sure after a day or two, I’ll adjust.”

“Mmm, I think I understand. The action and suspense and mystery can be a little addicting.” Cole made it sound as if the sentiment was an understatement.

Madalina searched his eyes. “Is that why you do this? Because the action is addicting?”

“It’s part of the reason.”

“What’s the other part?”

“I get to work for myself, travel the world, and take what cases interest me most. It also pays extremely well.”

She quirked her lips. “Indeed.”

He squeezed her hand. “In a few weeks, what used to be normal will be normal again. It takes a little time to adjust. I have no doubt that you’ll enjoy your freedom once we’re certain the danger is past.”

“Then let’s get to it. I’m anxious to put all that behind me.”

The inspection of her house was a painful exercise in sorrow and frustration. Nearly everything she owned had been damaged in one way or another. Furniture, dishes, clothing. The house itself sustained more wounds than she’d initially thought: holes had been punched in the walls, the carpet had been ripped up in search of hidden compartments or cellar doors, and even the ceiling vents lay scattered over the floor. Rather than appearing as if the thugs destroyed her belongings out of rage, it seemed to Madalina an orchestrated event, leaving no stone unturned in the search. There was something methodical about the destruction, as if the men had gone room to room, object by object.

Some of her clothes were destroyed by the sheer force used in yanking them out of the closet and off the hangers. Her shoe collection had fared better. She was able to salvage eighteen pairs, although it took her thirty minutes to locate the matching sets amid the debris.

Cole aided in collecting anything important that could be saved, from kitchen utensils to coffee mugs to a lampshade that hadn’t been trampled. He remained alert throughout, often checking the windows for signs of unwanted visitors in the front or backyard. Once or twice he caught her eye, expression waning sympathetic yet stoic.

By the time they were ready to depart three hours later, Madalina had the equivalent of three plastic bins full of belongings. Three bins left from an entire household.

Cole carried two, one atop the other, out to the Jaguar. After setting the bins in the backseat, he took the final one from her arms and put it in the trunk.

“Well, I guess the good thing is that no one bothered us today,” Madalina said. She glanced from the car to the house, pensive, emotional.

“It’s a start. What do you think you want to do about the house? I’m sure you have to call the landlord, but what about living here? It’ll take a couple weeks, at least, to fix the drywall, paint, and lay down new carpet.” Cole closed the trunk and hovered at her side, staring into her eyes.

Madalina felt the weight of his gaze and glanced up. “I don’t know, Cole. I guess I could stay with Lianne while the repairs are made, then move back here once everything is fixed. If my landlord will allow me to stay, that is.”

He set a hand low on her back and escorted her around to the passenger’s side, then helped her into the seat. One arm on the open door, the other braced against the roof, he said, “I’m willing to help you make this place yours again. Or, I’ll help you find someplace new to rent. I know that sometimes it’s difficult to remain in a place where you feel your safety and privacy have been violated.” He paused, then held up a finger in a traditional wait gesture. Once he was ensconced in the driver’s seat, engine running, he said, “This may be too soon for you. Maybe not. But I’m going to find a place here to rent while you figure this out, and you’re welcome to stay there with me if you want to. It’ll be bigger than Lianne’s, you’ll have your own bedroom, and you can come and go as you please.”

While he got on the road, putting distance between them and the house, Madalina watched him rather than the scenery. Cole West was infinitely more interesting. She tried to decipher whether or not he was asking her to live with him—which was a rather shocking thought—or just to be roommates. Except they weren’t roommates at the hotel; they were lovers. Would she spend her nights in his bed or her own? She didn’t know where they stood or how to ask what was on her mind. The semantics mattered to her. After a moment she took the bull by the horns and said, “What does this mean? Will I be sleeping in your bed or mine, or yours only whenever we both feel like it? Is there a time limit that I have to move out? And no, since you brought it up, I don’t want to live in that little house anymore. I’m not sure I could sleep for worrying that someone would show up in the middle of the night and bash down my door.”

“I think we should take it one day at a time. I plan to stay here for a while, if things keep going the way they’re going, although I
will
have to go back to Rhode Island occasionally to take care of business and check on my home there. Maybe, if you’ve got time and want to, you can come with me.”

“Really?” Madalina hadn’t expected that.

“Really. Nothing will be too different than the way it is now, which we both seem comfortable with. I’m not dating anyone else, and I don’t plan on hooking up with other women while I’m with you. Instead of putting labels and names on things, why don’t we leave it at that?” He glanced across the car.

Madalina always preferred hard lines drawn in the sand when it came to relationships. Yet with Cole, he made the proposition of one day at a time sound appealing. Perhaps because it allowed her time to explore him, explore her own emotions. Surprisingly, she believed him when he said he didn’t plan on seeing any other women.

Reaching over, Madalina set her hand atop his. She slid her fingers through his, a gentle glide that sent tingles racing up her arm. The prospect of dating Cole without the pressure of being on the run, without the threat of danger, was alluring and enticing. Exactly the opposite of her type, Cole was nevertheless the most exciting, enigmatic man she’d ever been with.

“All right. One day at a time. I’d rather live in your house than sleep on Lianne’s couch,” she said, drawing a muffled sound of amusement from Cole.

“I hope so.” He checked the mirrors, ever and always on alert. Then he shot her a quick wink and curled his fingers around hers, a gentle squeeze that Madalina returned. “I’ve had my brother searching for rental properties nearby. Want to check a few of them out?”

“Absolutely.” Madalina paused, then added, “By the way. I don’t think I ever said thank you.”

“For what?”

“For saving me in the warehouse.”

“You weren’t an idle victim, you know. That chair action was pretty intense. I nearly asked whether you really work for the CIA,” he said with a devious smile.

Madalina laughed and doffed a nonexistent hat. “Agent Maitland, at your service.”

Cole brought their combined hands to his lap and rested them on his thigh. “See, I knew there was more to you than met the eye.” His smile widened.

“Cole West, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

E
PILOGUE

M
adalina stood in the front yard of 224 Chestnut Drive, staring at the two-story, Tudor-themed home with wide-eyed glee. The peaked roof, mullioned windows, and traditional Tudor architecture appealed to her on every level. From the first second she’d laid eyes on the house six weeks ago, she’d been in love with it. And it was just as fabulous on the inside as the outside: 2,900 square feet, tiled floors, marble countertops, and three walk-in closets.

Cole hadn’t batted a lash when she said she didn’t want to see any other houses on the list of rentals, giving in to her whim with ease. She knew it was because he liked the house, too. It fit in with his preference for the finer things in life. Although the home wasn’t a mansion, it sat in an upscale, gated community, which gave them a little extra layer of protection.

Not that they’d needed it. The prior month and a half had been quiet, with no Chinese agents in sight. There had been no contact, no phone calls, no trailing cars. Each week that passed made Madalina feel better and better. She still looked over her shoulder when she drove to work, or even when she watered the yard. The sense of being hunted hadn’t vanished entirely. At the same time, she wasn’t as on edge as she had been; the fear and tension were finally receding.

Cole stepped out the front door, jarring her from her musings. Dressed in new blue jeans, a white button-down, and an ash-gray blazer, along with his favorite snakeskin boots, he looked devastatingly handsome. Sometimes Madalina couldn’t believe he was hers. They’d come a long way in repairing any emotional damage Madalina had suffered from his original deception. Cole had proven these last weeks to be honest, forthright, dependable, and honorable. He kept every promise and followed through on his word.

“Hey, I’ve got a few errands to run. You want to come along?” he asked, approaching on the cobbled path that cut through the deep-green manicured grass.

“Actually, I think I’ll stay here. I need to place another order for the boutique before I go in later. How long will you be gone?” She tipped her face up for his kiss.

Cole lingered, dusting two more kisses on her lips. The faint layer of dark whiskers scratched her skin. “About an hour, maybe two. I should be back before you leave. If not, I’ll stop by the store.”

“Okay. Be careful.” Madalina slid her palm down his chest, then off. She never tired of feeling the honed perfection of his physique.

“I will. Call if you need anything.” He cupped her jaw, brushed another kiss on her cheek, then whispered, “I love you, Madalina Maitland.”

Drawing in a surprised breath, she tilted her head back far enough to meet his eyes. It was the first time he’d ever said he loved her. He’d shown his affection in many different ways these last weeks, but she adored hearing the endearment from his lips.

“I love
you
, Cole,” she whispered back, and meant it. His eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled.

Madalina watched him traverse the cobbled path where it forked off to the driveway and the garage. Minutes later, the Jaguar cruised by; she waved, finally tearing her gaze off the car when he turned onto the street.

Making her way inside, reeling with emotion and affection, she crossed the luxuriously decorated foyer to the staircase. Cole had allowed her free rein to furnish the rental in any way she saw fit. He’d approved of the rich mahogany, elegant tapestries, soft leather, and accents of crystal she’d spread throughout the home. Their shopping trips together had been pure fun and filled with typical banter. Not only had he allowed her to decorate the new rental, but Cole had also stepped up in other ways. He’d organized a team to clear and clean the other house, sparing her the agony and heartbreak. Madalina adored him for his thoughtfulness, his selfless acts on her behalf. He’d also become a regular at the boutique, popping in often to admire the store, give suggestions, and steal her away for lunch whenever possible. Although she sometimes found the ritual workday tedious, Cole made up for it with his surprise visits and random bouquets of flowers.

Consumed with thoughts of love—and the future—she made her way to the second level, down a long hallway, to the very last door on the left. Another staircase awaited, this one narrower and steeper than the last. Snapping on a light, she ascended into a quaint, finished attic. Here the wood had been stained a deep brown and polished to a shine. Decently sized, the peak-roofed attic held little in the way of boxes or bins. There hadn’t been much time yet to collect seasonal decorations to store here.

There
were
three clear bins with Madalina’s name prominently displayed, remnants salvaged from her old garage. High school memorabilia, mostly, along with a few dishes not in use in their new kitchen.

It wasn’t to the bins she walked, but to the very corner of the attic, at the far back, where the shadows were deepest. She reached high, standing on her tiptoes, and fished around on a small crossbeam for the object she knew would be there. Encountering a small box, she brought it down and walked it toward the light. Opening the lid, she ran her finger over the side of the Treasure Dragon replica, reassured to find it exactly as she’d left it. She was amazed by the resemblance to the original. Even the most minor details had been added, right down to the color and shape of the eye to a few speckles of black near a hind leg. The aged patina must have been difficult to master.

Now and then she paid the dragon a visit, both to reassure herself it was still there and to recall fond memories of her grandfather. She didn’t feel comfortable yet leaving the dragon in the open, where anyone might see it. Her abductions and the unrelenting determination of the agents had left a lasting mark; Madalina preferred to hide the replica out of sight, as if displaying the dragon in plain view might invite tragedy to the new house. An irrational fear, perhaps, but a fear nevertheless. Soon, maybe, she would feel confident enough to have a special curio cabinet made to exhibit the collectible to its fullest potential. If only her grandfather knew that he’d gifted her with much more than a dragon when he’d left it to her in his will. He’d gifted her a new life, a new love.

It was more than she could ever ask for.