“Yes.” Her voice cracks, and she rests her head on my shoulder. The soft silk of her hair brushes my cheek. “I’m…this was supposed to be the day of my dreams,” she whispers. “The day to celebrate everything I’ve worked so hard for the past few years. And now…”
“I know, darlin’. But I’m with you. And we’re going to find out who’s after you and stop them. I promise.”
31
Dax
Clive opens the door of the Town Car at the curb. “I’ll park the car around back and wait. There’s a service entrance I can get through in under a minute if you get into trouble, and I’m on comms.”
I hold out my hand to help Evianna up, then tuck her against my right side. “As soon as we get into the building, darlin’, we’ll do a comm check. The mic is on all the time. So don’t fiddle with your ear, don’t touch it to make sure it’s still there. Got it?”
“Uh huh.”
She’s been so quiet since we left the hotel, I’m worried. But we have to go through with this—and it has to be tonight. “You’ll be fine. I’ll be by your side the whole time.”
Clive clears his throat. “Just got a text from the two hired muscle outside your mom’s room. Everything’s been quiet, and your mom’s watching Law & Order.”
With a shudder, some of the tension leaves Evianna’s body. “Oh, thank God. And they’ll stay there?”
“She’ll have round-the-clock protection until this is over,” I say. “These guys are ex-Israeli military. Meanest fuckers on the planet—unless you’re under their protection.”
With a chuckle, Clive agrees. “Eitan already texted Yosef to bring your mother a chocolate milkshake when he comes on duty.”
Evianna’s delicate snort settles me, as does the relief I hear in her voice. “Mom always has been persuasive.”
“Ready, darlin’? The sooner we get this over with,” I lower my voice and brush my lips to her ear, “the sooner we can get back to the hotel.”
“Hey!” Wren’s voice says in my ear. “Your comms are hot, boss.”
“Shit. Sorry, Wren.” Unfolding my cane, I feel out a semi-circle in front of me. Clear. “We’re going in now.”
When we step off the elevator, one floor above Evianna’s offices, the heavy bass beat of the music sets my nerves on edge. “Wren, can you hear us over this shit?” I murmur as I angle my head towards Evianna’s.
“Loud and clear, boss.”
“Evianna!” a booming voice calls from a few feet away. “We were getting worried!” Her boss, Noah, claps me on the shoulder, and I jerk back. “Dax, was it? It’s Noah. Evianna’s boss.”
His voice is unnaturally loud, even with the volume of the music in the room, and I grit my teeth. “I’m aware, Noah. Next time you want to say hello, do it with your voice, not your hand. And I can hear you just fine.”
“Boss,” Wren says in my ear, “calm down. You’re supposed to be playing nice.”
Evianna angles her body between me and Noah. “Plumbers are notoriously late, Noah. I had to wait almost two hours for the guy to show up. My basement’s a mess.”
“Well, you’re here now. Have some champagne. You too, Dax.”
“In a few minutes,” Evianna says. “Ulysses and Cyndi did a great job. You’d never know this place was empty three days ago.”
“Absolutely not.” The words come a little slower, a little softer, almost like he’s distracted. “I should mingle,” he says and brushes past me.
The scent of his cologne wafts over me, and I stiffen. I know where I’ve smelled it before. Outside Kyle’s apartment. But…for all I know, one of his neighbors might use the same one. “I don’t like that guy,” I grumble as Evianna wraps her arm around my waist.
“He’s a jerk, but I think he’s harmless. He hired me. Paid for all my moving expenses from San Francisco to Boston…hell, he bought extra insurance coverage when Mom was diagnosed so I could get her into a better facility.” Evianna guides me across the room, towards bright lights that make my eyes hurt.
“What’s in front of us, darlin’?” Turning towards her, I adjust my glasses, hoping to stave off my headache until the end of the party. I’m no use to anyone if I can’t concentrate.
“The bar. Well…one of them.”
“And a disco ball? Or strobe lights?”
