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“Why not?” frowned Abe.
“He didn’t want to know. He said it was safer for me and him if I didn’t tell him all the details or show him where it was. In the end, it probably killed him,” she said, shaking her head.
“He’s dead?” asked Abe.
“You left the cottage, but that man, Hiro, said he was dead. I don’t know the details, but he said that my uncle got to him.”
Abe just nodded, pulling her tightly to his body again. He looked over her head at his father and the other men, all of them already knowing what he’d just been told.
“We’ll worry about all of that tomorrow. Today, we talk. We tell one another everything. No holding back, no secrets, everything. Feel me, Lyra?”
“I feel you,” she whispered. “Everything.”
Abe hugged her, and over her shoulder, he saw Grip, Tony, Nathan, Yori, and Martha. Then he noticed a few new faces and shook his head.
“Yea, so about telling you everything.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
After Lyra had water splashed on her face, came back to consciousness, and met the ghosts face-to-face, she seemed to calm a bit. It was a lot for a girl to take in at one sitting. Abe made the wise decision to hold off on the pond for a while. It might be too much.
Pigsty brought a box to the table with a bracelet, necklace, and earrings. He told her what they were, and she shouldn’t remove any of them. The bracelet was attached with an unbreakable clasp. They were beautiful pieces designed by Ela and Harper. The gold made them look like high-end jewelry pieces. Small colored stones of various sizes were sprinkled across them.
“These are beautiful,” smiled Lyra.
“They’re practical,” said Pigsty. “These have trackers in them, communications devices, GPS, everything. We’ve been perfecting this for years, and with Ela and Harper designing them now, we can make them look mainstream.”
“Well, I’d wear them no matter what. They’re truly unique.”
“You must have a lot of questions for me,” said Abe.
“I suppose I do,” she smiled. “It’s pretty obvious that you’re not some average, everyday SEAL. I mean, if there is such a thing. What do you do, Abe? What is all of this?”
“I am a SEAL, although I may be retiring very soon,” he said, shaking his head. “My entire family lives here. Blood and non-blood. My father was a SEAL and served on the team of Ghost, another SEAL.” He pointed to Ghost, who smiled at her, nodding. She’d seen him around the compound but never left the cottage before today.
“Every man here served his country. Many of the women as well. Evie, Savannah, Piper, Lucia, Addie, Hazel, Kate, and so many more. These men and women are extraordinary. They’re intelligent, highly skilled in weapons, hand-to-hand combat, speak multiple languages, and are the finest people I know. I’m honored to be their family.”
Abe sat up straighter, looking around the room. He was honored. And it was time he showed them that. He’d been running for so long and wasn’t even sure what it was he was running from, or to. This was where he belonged. This was where he was supposed to be.
“Lyra? This is where I want to be when all this is done. I want to come back here and work with my family. Live right here in this compound. I need to know now if you think you might be willing to do that as well.”
“Now? Can’t I think about it?” she grimaced.
“What’s to think about? If you love me, and I think you do, what would hold you back?”
“Abe. What would hold me back? Are you kidding me? My uncle has a price on my head. By all appearances, he’s killed the only man who was protecting me.”
“Not the only one,” said Abe. “If you had let me know, I would have been protecting you all along.”
“Abe, I couldn’t tell you. I told you that.”
“I know, I know,” he said, shaking his head. “Your uncle has nothing to do with how I feel about you. You heard what we said about my mother’s brother, my uncle. You’ve heard the stories. What your family does is not a reflection on you, Lyra. You’re a good person. Kind. You, we, could have a life together here.”
“How is that possible? Even if my uncle goes to prison, he will have men that come after me. It’s just not possible, but neither is me walking away from testifying against him. Someone has to stop him, and since I’m the one with all the information, I guess it’s me.”
Abe was screaming on the inside, but there was also a part of him that was proud of Lyra. She was taking a huge risk with her life. He wanted to yell at her for that. Truth is, he would do the same. So would everyone else at Belle Fleur.
“I sure hope you have solid evidence against this man,” said Abe.
