Page 33 of The Perfect Escape
“Thanks for the offer, but just coffee for me.” What I had to say wouldn’t take long since the reason for my visit was to talk to Patton. “Patton, can I have a word with you?”
Sliding his chair back, Patton placed his cloth napkin on the table and followed me outside. The guest house didn’t have the amenities necessary to have a private conversation; therefore, it was best to talk outside.
Confusion sat on Patton’s face as I pulled the door closed behind us. “Can you tell me what this is about?”
Shoving my hand in my pocket, I pulled out the small piece of paper and handed it over to him. “I need you to find out what these numbers mean.”
Patton took a quick look at the note before putting it in his pocket. “Do you have any particular place you want me to start looking?”
“If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking you.”
“I’ll see what I can do. Without a starting point, it might take some time.” Even though he didn’t look at me, I knew there was something else on his mind. “Is there anything else I need to know?”
I had danced around what I learned from Curtis long enough. Patton had every right to know the kind of danger we might all be in. “Curtis took fifty million dollars in diamonds from Salko. He also informed me that Salko is aware of this property. I have a feeling it won’t be long until he comes for us.”
Scraping his hands across his bald head, Patton twisted his head toward me. “This just keeps getting shittier by the minute. Do you have an idea where the diamonds are that he took?”
“I think he’s lying, but Curtis said someone broke in and stole them from Reyna’s childhood home in Gainesville. He was stupid to take them in the first place, but I don’t think he is that stupid to keep them in the house where they were hiding out.”
“Well, maybe these numbers will tell us something more.”
“I hope you’re right. In the meantime, I think it would be best to get Reyna off the island. I have something I need to take care of first, but be prepared to leave.”
“What are you going to do with Giles and Louise?” Patton had every right to show concern. If I didn’t have a conscience and they weren’t Reyna’s parents, I would say leave them to their own devices.
“Honestly, I would love to see them out of Reyna’s life, or at least her father. But she would never forgive me if I threw them to the wolves. I think, for now, keep them here. Let Kian and Darius keep an eye on them.”
~24~
Reyna
I couldn’t have been more nervous about seeing the doctor. It didn’t matter how much Davian reassured me that we would work through it together, no matter what the pregnancy test result showed. His silence during our drive wasn’t comforting.
Something was on his mind that he wasn’t sharing with me. All I wanted was for our relationship to work. There had to be trust. Angling my body toward him, I looked over, noticing the tension shadowing his handsome features. “Something is bothering you. I can tell.”
His hands gripped the steering wheel, turning his knuckles white. “After we finish with the doctor, we are leaving the island.”
“Wait… why? I thought this was the safest place for me to be.” I didn’t understand why we would leave unless it was because of my father. “Is it because of what my father said? Is that why we are leaving? You promised me that Salko would never take me away again.”
“The decision has everything to do with your father, but not because he tried to take you.”
“Then, why?”
Pulling the car close to the curb, Davian put the car into park and turned off the engine. “There are some things about your father that you need to know.”
“Like what?”
“He double-crossed Salko. Salko knows about my home here. Having your father here puts you in more danger.” Davian’s eyes softened as he looked at me. “I can’t lose you again, princess.”
The information Davian shared didn’t surprise me. There was something about my father I didn’t trust. When he asked me about my mom’s locket, he was so angry when I didn’t know where it was. I always wore it, but it was no longer around my neck when I went to touch it. There wasn’t an ounce of empathy from him when I got upset—thinking I had lost it. His only concern was getting away from the island.
I raised my hand to my neck and wrapped my fingers around the heart-shaped locket. “Before my father tried to take me away from the villa, he asked me about my mom’s locket. He was angry that I didn’t know where it was. Do you think the locket has something to do with him double-crossing Rui?”
Davian didn’t immediately reply, but I could tell the wheels were spinning in his head. Reaching across the console, Davian held the weight of the locket in his hand. “I think anything is possible. Until we can figure out your father’s motives for coming here, my only concern is keeping you safe.”
Giving my hand a light squeeze, Davian leaned over and kissed me on the lips. “Are you ready?” Somehow, he always made me feel better. The kiss, although quick, was just what I needed to face the doctor.
Davian got out of the car while I unfastened my seatbelt. I pulled the handle to the door as Davian rounded the car. Before I could step out, Davian was there to give me a hand.
