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“I’m sorry, Ariella. I never meant to lie to you. At first, I had been winning so much that I thought I couldn’t lose. But then I did, and it snowballed from there. I kept trying to win back my losses, always failing. I ended up way in over my head and was too embarrassed to say anything. It won’t happen again,” he promises.
“It better not. If it does, you’ll feel my wrath! It will make those guys who did this to your pretty face seem like schoolyard bullies.” I put up my fists and do a very poor imitation of boxing.
“Put those guns away, Tiger. You have my word. No more gambling.” He gestures to his face, “This was a mighty big wake-up call. I can’t go around looking like Frankenstein all the time. I have to worry about what the ladies will think now that I’m officially on the market,”
Jordain joins us, “They’ll think that your older brother is still much wiser, smarter, and better looking.”
I give Jordain a friendly hug, “You, I did not expect to see. I knew you were in the area, but I didn’t think you would get your hands dirty.”
“I was recently informed that I was high on the suspect list because of this whole opium nonsense. I was deeply hurt to know that you thought I would harm you or Alex over a silly little plant.” He clutches his heart as if I’ve severely wounded him. I know better. Not much ruffles his feathers.
Kiernan elbows his brother, and Jordain raises an eyebrow at him. “Don’t give me that pompous king look; it won’t work on me. Don’t forget that I caught you admiring yourself in the mirror while you were perfecting it.”
I snicker at the thought of a younger Jordain doing such a thing, especially because I wouldn’t have put it past him.
“But seriously, Brother, I never thought you were capable of such things, and I don’t think Ariella did either. It was her mother who planted the idea in her head.”
“Is this true, Ariella?” Jordain asks.
I nod. “I never wanted to believe it. Julietta, on the other hand…”
Both brothers laugh, and Jordain tells me, “Julietta is a piece of work. I can admit that. However, in this case, she was misguided, having always admired your mother and being in love with your brother since she was 19.”
“No way! They’ve been married for two years and don’t even share the same bedroom. They practically hate each other.”
“There’s a fine line between love and hate. Julietta thought she was doing her duty, and knowing her like I do, she went about it the wrong way. Gabriella has been grooming her, indoctrinating her into believing that the opium trade was of critical importance to both countries. She never questioned your mother because she idolized her. When Aaron wouldn’t bend, I guess she refrained from engaging in post-marital bliss, if you know what I mean. It didn’t work; it only pushed Aaron further away.
With everything out in the open now, maybe they can work things out when she gets over whatever virus has her laid up.”
“Oh, no! Julietta isn’t sick! Mother put her in a drug-induced coma! Excuse me, I have to get my father!”
I run over to where my family is gathered, Patrick looking amused at my delay. When he notices I’m not smiling, he asks me what’s wrong.
“Julietta isn’t sick! She’s not involved in any of this!” I tell them everything my mother had confessed regarding what she had done to Julietta. Patrick’s team was occupied at the time and didn’t get to hear that part of the conversation. When I’m done, my father immediately gets on the phone to call Aaron and explain the situation.
Jordain and Kiernan overhear what’s being said and offer their personal doctor to assist. I breathe a sigh of relief when my father gets off the call and tells me that Aaron is on top of it and that our physician will be detained until we get home.
Patrick wraps his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my head. It’s something he likes to do.
“Who’s that coming up the driveway?” Alex asks.
His question gets people scrambling, and everyone with a weapon aims it toward the vehicle as it approaches. Patrick and his team are the first to lower their guns, recognizing the SUV. I assume it belongs to Shining Knight Protective Services since it looks exactly like the two cars parked in the barn.
“They’re with us!” Jessie shouts.
Patrick goes over to greet the two men that emerge from the vehicle. I recognize Carter from the initial meeting at the Shining Knight building, but this time, he looks far more tan than I remember. The other man is someone I haven’t seen in almost ten years. Roger Cavanaugh.
“It looks like we’re late to the party,” Carter says.
“We’ll be having another one for you later. Congratulations on your engagement!” Savannah yells.
Roger’s serious expression morphs into one of sheer happiness when he sees Patrick, Alex, and me standing side-by-side. “Well, don’t you two look happy as clams? It’s nice to see both of you together again. And who is this young man?”
“I’m Alex! This is my Daddy!” he says, hugging Patrick.
Roger and Carter’s eyes widen as big as dinner plates at the announcement. Evidently, Ethan didn’t tell them that part.
“That explains a lot,” Carter says, and at the same time, Roger comments, “It must have been some honeymoon!”
