Completion - Chapter 233

My heart stopped. Dread and terror filled me. Colors danced before my eyes making it hard to see. The whoosh of blood traveling into my head made it hard to hear. I had to get control of myself. I gulped in air. “You goddamn son of a bitch. If you hurt my father I’ll kill you.”

“He that blasphemeth the name of the LORD shall be put to death and stoned. Remember that when you feel the pain of my hand, Olivia.”

Brack startled me by gathering me close and placing his head against mine so we both listened. “Where’s my father?” I demanded.

“That’s better. I have instructions for you, Olivia. You will follow them to the letter. Please bring that man with you. The one you’ve been with lately.” His voice took on an eerie quality. “If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife, both the man and the woman must be put to death.” He breathed heavily and then gave a sadistic laugh. “You may choose your father or lover to pay for your sins. One shall die and the other walks away.”

“But-”

He laughed again knowing he controlled me. “I will only give direction once.”

“You’re nuts. We aren’t married,” I shouted.

He ignored me and began relaying his instructions. “Wear the gown I left for you,” were his last words before ending the call.

If Brack hadn’t taken the phone from my fingers I’d have dropped it. He immediately took out his cell and started dialing numbers and giving orders. My mind felt scrambled and following his rapid-fire instructions was beyond me.

My father. He was all I could think about.

“Snap out of it, Olly. We have a tracker on your father’s phone. It’s still at his home.”

I realized Brack was speaking to me, so I processed what he said. “What about the security team? They should be with him. How could this guy be at my dad’s house?”

“No one is answering their phone. The police are on the way as well as my team.”

Panic rushed in again. “He’ll kill my father if the police go there.” The look on Brack’s face said it all. Ty would kill my father anyway. I couldn’t allow that to happen. “No. I’ll give him what he wants. Me. I’m the answer to this mess.” I grabbed Brack’s arm and squeezed. “Do not get my father killed. You can’t do this. I’ll go to Ty.” The last came out through my tears. Brack’s expression remained hard. “No, no, no,” I said as I released him and backed away.

“Olivia-,” he tried to speak.

“No, dammit. Don’t do this.” I turned at the sound of the car engine approaching us. It was Brack’s driver. Brack picked me up off my feet at the same time I decided to run. Kicking and screaming did no good. Brack launched himself back into the door opened by Sander bringing me with him.

“Olly, stop. We’ll do everything we can to protect your father. Without the police, we don’t have the gift Ty left for you. It’s in police custody and we need it. I’m on your side. Now stop.” He tightened his grip around me practically cutting off my air.

The calmness of his words registered. “Then they can’t go to the house. Please, Brack.”

“They know what they’re doing. We’re heading that direction and waiting to hear that the coast is clear. Ty didn’t ask us to go to the house anyway. I have a feeling he left as soon as he ended the call. The phone’s there. That’s all.”

I tried to breathe. Gathering air felt impossible. Brack turned me in the seat so I faced him. His hands captured my cheeks. “You’re okay. You can handle this. I’m here and I’m not leaving you.”

I looked into Brack’s dark glasses. “He- he’s going to kill you.”

He removed his aviators and gazed at me with the eyes I loved and trusted. “No, Olly. No one else dies.”

I took a slow, deep breath and continued focusing on Brack’s eyes. I’d never noticed the matching gold flakes that ran through both blue and green eyes. “I’m okay,” I said against his lips. “I’ll be okay,” I breathed again. His lips grazed mine before he pulled away and moved me to sit beside him. Our shoulders touched and his scent filtered through my senses. I should have paid closer attention to Brack’s phone calls and now felt stupid that my hysterics took over. “Did you give the police the location Ty said to meet him?”

“No, I trust the police to a point and we really do need them. They never ruled out that Ty is a cop or former cop, so some things stay within my team only. Are you with me now?” His lips tipped upward gently.

I lifted my finger and ran it across his bottom lip. “Yes, I’m sorry.”

He ignored my apology. “I have someone heading to the location Ty gave. He’ll be careful and Ty will never know he’s there. When we know your father’s house is clear, we’ll go there and meet Detective Fuller. He’s bringing the package.” Brack looked quickly out the window before returning his attention to me. “It contains a dress.”

Brack was terrible at keeping secrets from me. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“It’s a long black gown.”

The implications ran through my head as I repeated the word, “Black?” Mourning- funerals. The color said it all. “Ty doesn’t know me very well.” I gave Brack just a hint of smile. “I’d never be caught dead in black at a funeral. Navy maybe, but never black.”

“That’s my girl. You can wear a low-cut red dress to Ty’s funeral.”

“With fuck-me pumps.”

We both smiled. I was back in controlscared shitless but controlled.

Brack pulled out his phone and began making more calls. This time I paid close attention and didn’t need him relaying the information. His team seemed endless and Brack had absolute faith in them. I did, too, because I trusted Brack.

“Head to the senator’s house,” he told Herman after he ended a conversation with Sander. We were only ten minutes away. I peered out the window watching the busy streets change to sweeping old tree-lined lanes as we drew closer.

The gate to my father’s house was open and there were several vehicles parked in front. No police cars. One ambulance. Detective Fuller stood at the front door and I realized his car must be unmarked. Though it was such a small thing, I breathed easier. Fuller gave me a tight smile then directed his attention to Brack.

“The senator’s security team is alive. They were Tased and zip tied. Medical is checking them out. We have a name and positive identification on your man.”

“And,” Brack asked.

“Leonard Tyler Cochran. Apparently his mother has worked in the senator’s household for years.”

The name was a punch in my gut. I played with Leo as a child. Hell, when we were five years old, we planned to grow up and marry someday. Oh hell no, I thought as memories swamped me. “I married him.”

Two shocked faces turned my way. Any other time and I would laugh at the priceless look on Brack’s face. “I was five years old and we said vows.” I turned and pointed out into the yard. “Under that tree right there. I think Leo was six or seven. My dad paid for Leo’s private school and I don’t remember him much after that. For several weeks I loved him, though.” I had. I remember his smile, minus a few teeth as he impatiently waited for them to grow in. “He tried to kiss me after we said our vows and I punched him in the nose.” I was having trouble adjusting to the fact that Ty was someone I’d known years ago. “What about Marcy, his mother?”

Detective Fuller turned back to Brack, but not before I saw the look on his face. “I dispatched a car to her home and just received a call a minute before you pulled up. She’s dead. Shot several times at close range.”

My legs were trying to buckle again. Brack placed his hand on my arm and squeezed really hard. I snapped out of it. No more hysterical drama for me. Ty was not the man I knew from my childhood. He was a killer.