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“Why am I sensing a little ploy here?”
“I had nothing to do with it, boss,” Garrett pipes in from somewhere behind me.
“I know, Mustang. I’ve come to anticipate your wife’s tactics.”
Mustang? Must be his nickname. It’s probably from his military days. That’s if he was in the Army, but he has that sort of air about him.
“Hand the phone back to Ella, Mrs. Smith,” he pretends to say sternly. “We can negotiate when you’re back in Atlanta.”
Miranda holds out the phone to me, and Gary is once more smiling at me.
“Sorry about that. One thing you’ll learn quickly hanging out with the lot of them is that Miranda is a troublemaker.” Protests arise from behind me, but Gary ignores it.
“I really appreciate you helping me, Gary. But you have to know, I have no way of repaying you for what you’re doing for me.”
Given what I’ve overheard from Lex about his future employer, their services aren’t cheap. They’re one of the best security companies in America, maybe even the world.
“Don’t worry about it. You’re part of Lex’s family, and he’s part of ours. We look after our own. Besides, you’re up against a Mafia family. I’m not trying to sound dramatic but you’ll need all the help you can get.”
My heart swells with gratitude and with sorrow at his words.
“Tiero won’t give up trying to find me, Gary.”
“Then he will look for you for a very long time because he won’t find you. But let’s get you to the States first. Have they filled you in on the plan as it stands at the moment?”
I nod. “The girls were about to make me look like a new person.”
“Good, I won’t hold you up then. You’ve got a lot to get through. I’m looking forward to meeting you when you arrive here.”
“Thank you again, Gary. I’ll be forever grateful.” We hang up, and I give Ethan his phone back, and the guys leave.
Could everything really be that easy? Okay, easy might be the wrong word because the situation I find myself in is anything but that.
This morning I woke up in despair, and now, out of the blue, a path to safety is laid out for me. And I’ve seen Rhia and Lex with my own eyes!
God, I hope I won’t wake up to find the whole day was a dream!
Maybe everything is going to work out for me, and I can build a new life in Atlanta with a lovely bunch of people around me? Suddenly, the future doesn’t seem quite so bleak anymore. I just wish that Rhia was part of that future, too.
“Oh, before I forget it,” Miranda announces. “I’ve got something for you from your best friend. Let me tell you, it wasn’t easy to find, and I had to drive a fair distance to get it. But she told me you will need this on the cruise ship to keep you sane, so I persisted.”
I look at her questioningly as she rummages through a bag and produces a gift-wrapped box. She hands it to me, and I shake it lightly. “What’s in it?”
“Open it and find out.” I do exactly that.
I smile from ear to ear when I open the box and find a speed-stacking mat and cups.
“Oh my gosh, that’s brilliant. Thank you so much.” Rhia just knows how to cheer me up. I love that girl.
“Are these sport-stacking cups?” Trina asks. “I’ve always wanted to try that.”
“Well, it’s your lucky day. I’m more than happy to teach you.”
“That’s great, girls,” Miranda interrupts. “But let’s get the makeover done first. There’s hair to be cut and colored and makeup lessons to be taught. First the work, then the fun.”
“Who is going to cut my hair?” I ask, the dread in my voice obvious.
“Me, of course,” Miranda replies.
