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His call ended and he was walking out of the kitchen when I intercepted him. “I’ll tell her,” I said emphatically enough it left no room for argument.
“Fine, but he doesn’t want her here when he gets back.”
I raised a brow. “He said that?”
“Not in so many words.”
“Which words, Oliver?” I pressed.
“I suggested we relocate to one of the guesthouses, and he said he thought that would be for the best.”
I had no doubt there was more to the conversation. However, if Press wanted to see Luisa upon his return, he would do so.
Her reaction was as I expected it to be. When she’d asked earlier, I had no doubt she’d sensed Press’ mother was gone.
“We think it would be best if we went to the guesthouse to give him and his father privacy upon their return.”
“Of course.”
When Zin followed us, I sent Tank a text, asking that someone intercept the bastard. Given there was more than one guest accommodation, he could bloody well stay elsewhere.
A little overan hour after Press and his father returned, Luisa was standing by the window, looking at the main house, while I sat on the sofa, pretending to read a book.
“You can sleep if you want to,” she’d said more than once.
“Not tired,” I’d murmured in response.
When I saw her pick up her mobile and place a call, I stepped out of the room yet remained close enough to hear most of what was said.
“Press—” I raised my head and returned when I heard Luisa’s voice crack.
“I have to go to him,” she said, racing out the door. I knew Tank, Blackjack, and Atticus were close enough to cover us as I rushed out behind her. What I hadn’t expected was to see Zin run past me, after her. What I would give for a stun gun.
“It’s okay,” I heard Press say to him when he reached the front door seconds after Luisa did.
I walked up behind them. “The house is secure,” I said, motioning for Zin to step away. Instead, he grabbed my arm and closed the door behind us.
I immediately swung it down toward the meeting point between his thumb and finger—the weakest part of his hold—then yanked it free. At the same time, I put my hand on his wrist and jerked his arm behind his back. “Touch me again, and the consequences will be far worse,” I seethed right before releasing him.
“What the fuck?” he bellowed.
“Lower your voice, sir. Your best friend has just suffered one of the greatest losses of his life. Show him the respect he deserves.” I stalked off in the direction of the guesthouse.
“Let us know if you want backup,” Tank said through the comms.
“Is he following?” I asked. I doubted he was, since I couldn’t hear him. However, I didn’t want to turn around and check.
“Negative.”
“Then, no. However, it’ll be in the man’s best interest if he’s encouraged to keep his distance.”
I knew from the sound of his laugh it was Zeppelin I heard chuckling. “Maybe he needs a little fear of Unit 23 put in him.”
“We’ll allow him to live, given Press needs him. When the time comes he doesn’t, we’ll readdress.”
I smiled when I heard their laughter through my earpiece. It had been a very long, equally trying day for everyone, but it was far worse for Press, his brother, and his father. I’d suffered the loss of someone far too young for their life to be over. While my own mum was still alive, as was my father, I knew their pain would not be any less than what I felt when my husband died. I took comfort in the fact that if anyone could help Press through this loss, it was Luisa.
At zero sixhundred the following morning, I gathered the team together to review the goals of our mission.
