Page 55 of Submit

I DECIDE TO SLIP BACK into my tactical gear not only because Cas likes it so much but also because it feels good. More substantial than my dress, yet light enough to not leave me overheated. This time though, I pull a white t-shirt on over my head and leave the bulletproof vest behind.

Casper puts on gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt - obviously trying to kill me slowly. We sit at the bar in the kitchen to go over the plan.

“I have a feeling you’re not going to like what we came up with, but it’s the only option.” My face falls at his words. “Lib, we have no idea what Will has at his disposal and he’s made it quite clear he’s got more information than we do. I can’t risk you getting hurt, so you and Bea are going to lock yourselves inside the weapons vault while we deal with the problem.”

My eyes bug out of my head. “What? Cas, no!”

“Libby, I can’t ask the guards here to get involved in a personal vendetta, which is what this is now because the threat wasn’t made against the governor, whom they are paid to protect. The threat was made againstyouand I can’t turn my back on you and hand you back to Willem. Richard agreed that Will won’t stop until either one of us is dead or he gets you back and we both feel that it has to do with more than just his ego. We think it’s tied to the woman in the picture we showed you, but we haven’t had enough time to do more research.”

“Then we need to get away from here. We need to get away from Richard and Bea so we don’t endanger them more than I already have.”

“They both said no. We’re sending the guards home so there is no collateral damage.” His eyes drop and I know he’s thinking about Adriana.

I cut in before giving him a chance to finish. “Abso-fucking-lutelynot,Casper. I will nothidewhile you risk your life!” My temper flares causing me another moment of satisfaction. I missed this fiery girl.

“I knew you’d say that.” Instead of sounding defeated, he’s smirking. “Would it make you feel any better to know that I’m only making you hide because I don’t want you to see your former fiancé’s brain splattered on the front driveway?”

“What do you mean?” I knew it might come to this, but to hear that actually killing Willem is part of the plan disturbs me despite the fact thathevery well may killmeif he gets his hands on me.

“We have to make our stand here. It’s the only place I can control all the other factors like the presence of bystanders. There are no other homes around so it’s less likely someone will catch a stray bullet,” he explains.

“If you’re so confident, why lock me and Bea in the room then?”

“Because I’ll be distracted if you’re an available target.”

“Butyou’llbe an available target!” I pound my fists against his chest in a full-blown temper tantrum. He catches them easily and holds them in place. Before I even realize what I’m doing, I plant my forehead on his chest, between my trapped fists and kiss the bare skin at the base of his neck.

I don’t like talking about this. I don’t like thinking about losing him. I justgothim. Hell, I’m not even sure he’s “mine” but I want him to be.

“Libby, I do this for a living. Even as hot as you are in the outfit, you’ve never fired a gun. I don’t want you to have to use tomorrow to learn.” Looking right in my eyes he adds, “Besides, Richard and I will have the element of surprise. We’ll have reinforcements that Will won’t expect.”

I pull back to look at him. This better be one helluva surprise. “Please explain.”

“The call I made earlier was to my brother, Luis.”

A literal bomb could have been dropped outside and it wouldn’t shock me as much as this statement.

“Youcalledyourbrother?”I didn’t even know he had a brother. I’d only ever heard about his sister and her tragic end.

“I didn’t have much choice. Not being able to use the regular guards and only having Richard and I, knowing Willem could show up with fifteen or twenty guys seemed like not-great odds. Luis was happy to help.”

Even if I believed him - which I don’t - the sneer on his face would have given hie lie away.

“For a price, I’m guessing?” I try to take the judgement out of my voice. He’s doing this for me. Risking everything, including his life and his freedom, forme. Casper responds with a nod but won’t meet my eyes. “What does he want?”

“Me. He wants me to come back to Venezuela with him. Run his security teams like I did for my parents before I left.”

This is hard to wrap my head around. On one hand, I’m shocked Luis would want anything to do with Casper after he left without a trace and abandoned the family. On the other hand, Casper is Casper and I’m sure his reputation was not easily forgotten even after he departed Venezuela.

I put my arms around Casper’s waist and squeeze him tightly. “You can’t do that, Cas. That’s not who you are anymore.”

“If it keeps you, Bea, and Richard safeandgets Willem the hell off my island, it’ll be worth it.”

“So how does this plan go? We don’t exactly have a lot of time.” How long does it take for armed guards to fly to Aruba, get through customs and get up here all without raising any flags?

At the same time the words leave my lips, there’s a knock on the door. Casper grips me tighter for a second before releasing me completely.

He gives me a hard kiss that feels like goodbye. “Whatever happens, know that you’re worth it.” He pauses before adding, “And it’s best if he doesn’t suspect anything is going on between us.”

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