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“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Fine. Turn him over,” said Mike. “Let’s see if the sheriff changes his mind.”
As the sheriff hauled him away, he turned to Sage, sneering in her direction. She instinctively stepped back.
“You’ll be dead by Fat Tuesday, Sage. Give them what they want, or you’ll be dead.” She shook her head, tears filling her eyes.
“Hey, it’s all good,” said Mike. “We’re going to protect you. You’re gonna stay here until we can solve this whole issue.”
“What about my things?” she asked, sniffing.
“We got ‘em,” smiled Pigsty. “We work fast around here. The jewels are in our safe, and all your things are in garçonnière one.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“That would be my cottage,” smiled Mike. “Come on.”
“Wait. I don’t know you. You don’t know me. We can’t stay in the same cottage. Can we?”
“I have two bedrooms. There is nowhere safer for you than being here, under our protection.”
“I don’t know who you are!” she said with a panicked expression.
“Okay,” he said calmly, holding up his hands. “Okay, listen to me. We are Voodoo Guardians. The premier security agency in the world. I shit you not. In the world. We are all former military, agency, or para-military. We run several businesses here on the property, including the dance studio you went to as a child.”
“Y-you own that studio? You really own the studio?”
“My Aunt Lissa owns it,” said Luke. “She’s married to my Uncle Alec.”
“Alec,” she whispered. “He’s really big, right?”
“Very,” laughed Mike.
“I’m feeling very overwhelmed and confused,” she said, shivering. Mike took off the brocade jacket and placed it over her tiny shoulders. “Thank you.”
“Of course.”
“Honey,” said Mama Irene, taking her hands. “Listen to me. Your granny and me, we were friends for a long, long time. Most of the engagement rings you see around you were bought from her.” Sage smiled at the older woman.
“Why didn’t I know that? I mean, I knew the name, but I didn’t know of your friendship?” said Sage.
“Well, now. There were a lot of reasons we didn’t broadcast our friendship, but she was a special lady to me, and I want to take care of the only thing she ever truly loved.” Sage sniffed back the tears, nodding at the older woman. Mama Irene gave her a big hug, kissing her soft cheek.
“Listen to me, honey. My boys here, they’re gonna take care of this mess and keep you safe. Nobody is better than them. Nobody. My Mike is a good boy.”
“He’s your grandson?”
“They’re all my grandsons,” laughed Irene. “I don’t distinguish between blood and non-blood, honey. They’re all my boys and girls. Let Mike get you settled, and everything will be okay. Tomorrow is a new day, and we’re gonna help you.”
“Thank you,” she said, hugging Mama Irene. She felt and smelled just like her grandmother in that moment. It was almost too much for Sage to bear. “Thank you.”
“Can you walk a distance in those shoes?” asked Mike, staring at the high heels.
“Yes,” she smiled. “I’m short, so I’m used to walking in high heels.”
“OH! There she is! I heard you were here!” said Lissa. “Sage Marshall! One of my prize students. It’s so good to see you, honey!”
Lissa looked exactly the same as she had twenty years earlier. Almost six-feet tall, long lean legs, and gorgeous waist-length blonde hair. In the shimmering white gown, she looked like an angel.
