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He. Needs. Full. Focus. He has children, just like Chaka does. Did. If Chaka was sent in and was killed, it means that King is one step ahead.
I hate this.
I hate Danny.
I hate this fucked-up world we live in.
“Mum.” Danny’s voice drifts into the room, and Esther looks past me.
“I’ll get the rest of my things ready,” she says, collecting Maggie and leaving, probably knowing the volume is about to be cranked up.
“I don’t want to leave on bad words,” he says quietly.
“Why? In case we never see each other again?” I ask, going to a drawer and pulling it open, taking out some more clothes. I roughly fold a sweater and dump it on the bed.
“We will see each other again.”
“Have you had all of the razors removed from the villa?” I ask, pulling out another sweater and dumping it next to the other. “In case I have a wobble? In case I spiral and feel helpless and unstable?”
“Don’t, Rose.”
“What about Doc? Who does he go with?” I yank out another sweater. Stare at it. My Union Jack sweater. And burst into tears.
“Baby, don’t cry.” He sighs and comes to me, taking my hair and pulling it hard. Reminding me of who I am. His wife. “You will meet me on the beach in St. Lucia.”
I’ve been here before. Many times. I’ve had this feeling of dread, waited for the words I need you to be strong, to come, but it doesn’t get any easier, and I can’t control my knee-jerk reaction to fight it. Because my fear is a different fear since Danny took me. I’m scared of losing him. Terrified. He can say he’s immortal. He is to an extent. But this time feels different. And how many times can a man be shot before it’s fatal? I thought I’d lost him six months ago. I also thought I’d lost him four years ago. I feel like he’s pushing the law of probabilities. “What if you don’t come?” I whisper.
“There’s only one person in the world with the ability to kill me, and she’s going out of town, so I’ll be safe from Death’s claws.” He kisses my lids. “Come on.” He dips and collects the sweater, wiping at my face. “The jet’s waiting at the airfield.” He gets the cases and leaves me, and I watch his tall, capable frame go. My husband. The Brit. Be safe.
I turn one full circle of the room, swallowing and sniffing. I hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but it has. So I must do what I must do. I walk to the bathroom and wash my face, pulling myself together. I don’t know who I’m kidding. I look distraught. Disturbed. Apprehensive.
I sigh and head downstairs. James is loading the trunk, and Otto has Esther in a hug.
No Pearl. Because she must stay with them.
“I need to get Maggie’s milk,” I say, diverting to the kitchen. And say goodbye to Pearl. I see the door to the outside open and find her sitting on a wall smoking. I go over, lowering, and she smiles with effort. I don’t tell her everything will be okay. I’d be a hypocrite. “Here.” I hand over my cell. “So we can reach each other. Call Beau’s, okay?” She nods, I give her a kiss in her hair, and leave her, going to the kitchen and finding a cooler bag. I open the freezer and start loading my milk supplies inside, hoping it keeps until it makes it to the other end.
Hope that it lasts as long as I need it to.
64
PEARL
* * *
The house is like a huge box of tension, everyone quiet. I watch from the window as Rose and Beau are put in a Range Rover with Maggie. James gets behind the wheel, Danny in the passenger seat. Ringo and Goldie are up front in a Mercedes. Otto, Esther, and the Vikings at the back in another. All are armed. The girls are being sent to St. Lucia. Sent away from the danger. I know it both pains and enrages Brad that he can’t put me on Danny’s private jet with them.
I watch the cars until they pull out of the gates where a car is waiting. Blue lights flash once. An unmarked police car. An escort. The FBI agent? Higham? I pop some more pills and swallow them with some water. Now the house is quiet. The kitchen’s empty, but there’s a mug by the sink. Esther wouldn’t have that. Moving slowly, my pain far less cutting since Doc prescribed those wonder painkillers, I swill the mug under the water before tugging the dishwasher open and setting it on the top rack. I close it and look across the work surface. A few smears mar the shiny top, so I take a cloth and dampen it, wiping them away. Then I rinse the sink. Straighten the tea towel that’s hanging on the stove handle.
Distracting myself.
Killing time until the men get the call they’re waiting for. There will be no time for them to plan. And that’s the point. I reach to my back pocket and pull out the mobile Rose gave me. I know she’s worried about me, worried for everyone, but I also know she and Beau need to know what’s happening here or they’ll go crazy. I send Beau a message.
I didn’t know police escorts were available to hire for criminals.
When you’re our husbands, you can get anything. Keep in touch xxx
I slip the phone back into my pocket and pad through to the entrance hall. Quiet. I go to the office. No men. A few sounds from the TV room catch my attention, so I head there and find Mason, Leon, and Jerry.
