Carole’s eyes pop wide.
“She’s a year younger than Tess, and she’s been missing for over two and a half years.”
Carole covers her mouth with her hand.
“Hera thought Jasper was involved in her abduction. That’s why she was with him. She needed to get close to see if he had any evidence that could point to where her daughter is being held.”
“Oh my God.” Tears glisten in Carole’s eyes. “I had no idea. The poor woman. That is…There are no words.” Sadness cloaks her like a shroud. “It makes so much sense now. I wish she had just asked. Perhaps Jasper might have been able to discover something about the kidnapping.”
As if Hera or Ares could just walk up and knock on their door and ask Jasper if he was involved in sex trafficking and could help them to find Lilianna.
I resist the urge to roll my eyes at her naivety.
Leaving Ash to talk to Carole, I head outside to make a few calls. I return fifteen minutes later with an update. “I have a couple of bodyguards on the way over to watch your place,” I tell Chad’s mom. “They will rotate shifts every twelve hours. I advise you and Tessa to stay home unless it’s absolutely necessary to go out. Then one of the men will go with you while the other will stay to guard the apartment. I have spoken to my father, and he’ll prepare one of our safe houses tomorrow for your arrival. I will call you when it’s arranged, and we’ll send a car to take you there. I suggest you pack whatever you need to bring with you ASAP. The house will be fully stocked with groceries, so just clothing and personal belongings.”
“We’ll bring Chad to see you as soon as we can,” Ash adds.
“Thank you.” Tears pool in her eyes again. She pulls Ash into a hug and then me. “I can’t thank you both enough.”
“Chad is our family, and you’re his,” I say, taking Ash’s hand. “We look after family.”
After saying goodbye to Tess, we head to the car in silence. Before she buckles her seat, Ash leans across the console and kisses me.
“Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?” I ask, securing my seat belt and kick-starting the engine.
“You’re amazing. What you just did is amazing.”
“I meant what I said.” I drive out onto the road. “Carole and Tessa are important to Chad, and he’s important to us. It’s only right we take care of them when he’s not here to do it himself.”
“Yeah,” she whispers, biting on the corner of her lip and averting her eyes.
“Hey.” I glance over at her as I head in the direction of the lake. “Look at me, baby.”
Ash wears her heart on her sleeve, and I can see everything she’s thinking. “It’s not your fault Chad was taken. The person responsible is Rhett Carter. That’s not on you, and Chad would not want you taking that burden on.”
“It isn’t easy to ignore the guilt. If he wasn’t messed up with me, this wouldn’t have happened to him.”
“Temptress, stop. Please don’t do this to yourself. If you need to blame someone besides Rhett, blame me. I was the one who first brought this shit into his life.”
The seat squelches as she turns to face me. “No way. You did everything to protect us. This isn’t on you.”
“Exactly.” I pin her with a knowing look. “You need to take your own advice.”
Slowly, she nods. “I know you’re right, but it’s hard to let the guilt go.”
“Carole just told us Jasper was either a grunt or an expert. Chad wasn’t dragged into this world because of us, baby. His father did that.”
“God, it’s so fucked up.”
“I know.” I’m wondering why my father didn’t know Jasper was working for The Luminaries. He said he checked it out—unless he was lying. Surely someone must have known? “By the way, I have a meeting at my house in the morning with my father.”
Her brows climb to her hairline. “How come?”
“He agreed to provide the safe house, but he was hinting at other stuff that makes me nervous. He insisted I come over to talk.”
“Do you think he knows something is going down?”
I swallow heavily, fearful he has gotten wind of something. “I don’t know. Guess I’ll find out tomorrow.”
