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“I need to do some work and get the details for you, but I should be able to have it within a couple of hours.”
“Thank you, Jax,” Mariah said.
“We’ll be waiting,” I said, then ended the call.
“Do you think this could be it?” Mariah said, looking up at me hopefully. “Do you really think we can get Rosalind to fold?”
“I can’t be sure,” I said, wishing this was open and shut. “But it’s the best opportunity that’s come along. It would be foolish not to try.”
“I want to come.”
I wrapped my arms around her with a chuckle. “That doesn’t surprise me in the least.”
She blinked up at me. “You aren’t going to argue and tell me to stay here?”
I tightened my arms around her. “While I can’t say I love the idea of you being near her, I’m pretty sure talking you out of coming is futile.”
She grinned. “You’re finally learning.”
I laughed at that.
“Maybe I should be the one to talk to her,” she said.
“What? No. I draw the line at that.”
“Please, hear me out.” Mariah stared up into my eyes, bringing her hands to my face. “She might respond better by talking to me. It’s clear the two of you can’t speak without it devolving into a fight. She’s being used as a pawn. Now that we have more insight into the situation, I think Rosalind might listen if I can relate to her, woman to woman. You can be…” she paused, angling her head as she looked at me, “…a little alpha. Maybe a gentler approach would go over better.”
The idea of Mariah speaking to Rosalind on her own made all my alpha instincts flare to life, ready to go to the ends of the earth to protect what was mine. But the rational side of me knew Mariah had a point. Rosalind wouldn’t listen to a word I said. While she wasn’t Mariah’s biggest fan either, their past wasn’t nearly as tumultuous. After all, this was an issue of motherhood and womanhood—something I’d never be able to relate to like Mariah could. We might only get this one chance, and we needed it to work.
It wasn’t an hour later that I got the text from Jaxon. It was an itinerary, including flight and hotel information for Rosalind’s getaway. Our window would be short—only a couple of days to locate her and get her to talk.
“What is it?” Mariah asked.
I glanced up from my phone. “Looks like we’re going to Miami.”
Chapter 4
Mariah
I woke well before the sunrise, my eyes popping open as the reality of what we were about to do sank in. We’d barely slept after Jax texted us, and instead talked to Mason, booked flights, and packed for a quick trip. It hadn’t left much time for actual rest, but I wasn’t tired. Not when we were about to embark on a journey that’d hopefully result in Rosalind dropping this custody case.
As I stretched my arms, I rolled to my side and found Evan already awake, his silhouette etched against the dim light trickling in from the bathroom as he sat on the edge of the bed. The sight of him, solid and unwavering, gave me a sense of calm in the face of what was ahead.
“Morning,” I whispered, reaching out to run my fingers down his back. His skin was warm as always, and I was blanketed in his glow while he turned to me, bending to brush his lips over my forehead. The kiss was tender, a comforting gesture that felt like a promise: we were in this together.
I needed that comfort more than I’d realized. Despite my hopes that this meeting with Rosalind would prove fruitful, a small part of me still shuddered at the knowledge that I was willingly leaving the safety of the clan lands. I hadn’t left since Evan rescued me from Tomas. I knew I couldn’t hide out here forever, and I didn’t want to, but it was still unsettling to know I’d be vulnerable again.
“You doing okay?” He studied me closely in the dim light. “You know you don’t have to do this. You can stay here.”
I sat up in bed and pursed my lips. “You know me better than that.”
Evan chuckled. “Indeed.” Then he grew serious. “You know that no matter what happens, I’ll be right there with you. I’ll protect you, Mariah, with my life, if need be.”
I sucked in a sharp breath at his words, at the fierce tone. “Evan, don’t talk like that. This is going to be fine, especially with the updates Jax sent. It’s as if there’s nothing to worry about.”
After Jax had sent Rosalind’s flight and hotel information, he’d followed up with more information about her security detail for the trip, or rather, the complete lack of one.
Evan squinted. “As long as this isn’t a trap.”
