Page 37 of Keeping Her Secrets

She angled to him. “I know. I don’t like it.”

He remained silent, but he felt it too. That itch all operators got when something bad was about to go down. They entered the house when another guard opened the door. The man was tall and muscular and, if Ash was not mistaken, ex-forces. He nodded at Ash with respect, no hint of anger that they’d come into his territory and taken over.

Senator Craven stepped out of her office, beautifully dressed in a pale-blue gown. “Thank you, Brad.” Craven smiled at the guard, dismissing him, and he nodded and disappeared into the back of the house.

“Asher, Mustique, I can’t tell you how relieved I am to have you here tonight. I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why, but I have the damndest feeling, and I’m happier knowing you’re here to watch Leonie. If I could get out of this, I would.”

Mustique stepped forward, and all the doubt she’d let him see earlier was gone as she went into mission mode. “Senator, please don’t worry. We’ll make sure Leonie is safe. Do the staff know that we’re in command?”

“Yes, my team knows that, as far as tonight goes, you’re in control.”

“Where is Leonie?” It was because of what they’d shared that he was able to detect the faintest hint of nerves in Mustique’s voice.

“In her room, playing music.”

Mustique turned at the sound of a vehicle outside.

“That must be my car.” Craven grabbed her shawl and clutch, and Mustique opened the door for her.

“We’ll stay in touch with our team, but make sure you stay with your security at all times. We don’t know exactly where this threat is coming from yet.”

“I will.” Senator Craven stared behind them, and Ash followed her gaze. Leonie was on the stairs, and he noted Mustique’s back stiffen slightly before she relaxed. “Night, sweetie. Make sure your homework is done and you’re in bed no later the eleven. And mind the security staff.”

“Yeah, mom,” the teen murmured, blushing as she peered at the near-strangers in her house. With that, she spun around and went back upstairs..

“Do you want to speak to the guards while I do a perimeter walk?” Mustique asked Ash, after Senator Craven had left.

“If you want or you can speak to them.”

“No, I need some air anyway.”

His face softened. “Fine. I have you on comms if you need me or I need you.”

Mustique nodded before exiting through the back door leading to the patio and gardens. It was still light out, and he didn’t expect any trouble yet. If it came, it would be much later.

Three hours later, the house was quiet, and he and Mustique were in the lounge with their charge. The television was on and Leonie was watching The Bachelor. Ash noticed the glances she was sneaking at him and Mustique. He wondered if she could see the similarities between herself and her biological mother. The girl was far from stupid, and if she didn’t know what it was exactly, he was sure she suspected something odd.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he slid it out, standing at the sight of Jake’s name on the screen. Striding from the room, toward the hallway leading to the patio door, he answered the call. The backyard was empty and gave him privacy to talk. “Jake.”

“We got Hashemi to talk. Ben Rensburg is the man behind the plot.”

Ash felt his entire body go on alert at those words. “Where is he?”

“We don’t know, but we lost Hanley.”

“Fuck.”

“Be on guard. From what we heard, Rensburg is a fucking psycho, and that’s coming from Hashemi, who’s a big enough psycho on his own.”

“Okay, keep me posted. Is Hashemi a potential threat?”

“No, we have him locked down.”

“Craven?”

“Is safe, and I have eyes on her.”

“Copy that.”

Ash hung up and turned to move back toward the patio doors when a bullet tore into him, sending him crashing to the ground.