Secret: A Stone Billionaire Series Novel (The Stone Billionaire Series Book 5) Read online

  Lucius shoots the guard with the M4, before anything else can happen.

  The sound it makes is short and ugly, and the guard is dead before he hits the floor.

  “Freeze, Darlington!” Lucius orders.

  In the split second that follows, Lauren manages to bolt from the room.

  Olivia’s face is bloody, Lauren is gone, Elizabeth is cackling madly, and then Noah darts in the patio door after Lauren.

  It’s too much!

  Elizabeth aims a gun at my head.

  “Evan, put the gun down,” she says calmly.

  “You first!” Evan screams back.

  His gun is now pressed against the back of Olivia’s head.

  “Put the gun down, you insolent little boy!” Elizabeth shouts.

  “You put the gun down, Mother!” Evan yells back.

  “Evan, please!” I scream, afraid for my life.

  “Listen to the girl!” Elizabeth yells.

  “No!” Evan roars.

  “Evan!” I scream.

  All at once Levi springs off the floor, knocking the gun from Elizabeth’s hand.

  I drop to the floor, rolling off the chair, and I pull my Glock from its holster.

  My hands shake as I hold it, but it’s aimed directly at Elizabeth.

  I will not miss this shot.

  I pull the trigger, and the gun bucks once in my hand.

  Elizabeth is hit!

  Her eyes go wide with realization that she’s been shot, and she falls.

  Levi stares at me in shock.

  “Go get the twins!” he orders me.

  “Right,” I nod.

  I scramble to my feet, with Corban by my side, and we take the stairs two at a time.

  “Split up!” he yells.

  I run straight for the room at the end of the hall.

  I push through the door.

  Empty.

  Another room.

  I slam into the door, scanning inside.

  Empty!

  “Here!” Corban yells.

  I can hear the sound of the boys crying as I run for the sound of Corban’s voice and slide into the room.

  The nanny looking after the twins is sitting there, frozen, her hands up in the air.

  I scoop up one of the boys in my hands.

  Levi is downstairs.

  He has the radio.

  “How are we going to get out?” I gasp.

  “Come on,” Corban shakes his head, the other boy in his arms.

  I nod and continue after him.

  “Levi!” Corban screams.

  But Levi doesn’t respond.

  14

  Evan

  March 6, 2018

  Olivia struggles against me, and I push her head down against the tile floor again.

  Leigha shot my mother!

  The shock of what’s happened only lasts mere seconds, as Elizabeth turns on Levi, her gun still in her hands.

  A bulletproof vest has prevented any damage!

  Goddamnit!

  Then, I hear Corban scream Levi’s name.

  It’s enough to distract him long enough for Elizabeth to drop her gun, and make it out the back-patio door.

  “No!” I scream.

  I release Olivia, and bolt after my mother.

  I can see the waiting boat, and I know if I don’t catch her she’s going to escape.

  “Mother!” I yell.

  I aim my rifle at her, seeing her face covered by the green lines of the reticle.

  I pull the trigger.

  I see her turn back one last time, and then I realize in the confusion of everything I somehow left the safety on.

  I flip it off, but she’s already inside the cabin of the boat.

  Her guards, however, are not.

  They fire at me with Uzi’s, and I dive for the ground.

  The dirt is packed and hard when I hit it, bullets zipping past where I was previously standing.

  There’s no time for caution as I push myself off the ground and stumble over some rocks before continuing after my mother.

  It’s not enough.

  The boat speeds away, and I fire at it, futilely.

  Lucius stands beside me, suddenly, firing with no effect as well.

  He stops after only a few shots.

  He looks at me, his face a stone mask.

  “Fuck!” I scream.

  In a moment of desperation, I hurl a large rock in the direction of the boat, but it just lands in the water with a huge splash.

  “Fuck!” I scream again.

  We take a few moments to catch our breath, and then we make our way back towards the house.

  Lucius and I walk up to the compound, where Leigha is holding one of the boys.

  “What happened? Where’s Olivia?” I ask.

  Leigha holds Grayson in her arms as he wails lustily.

  She coos at him, and rocks him back and forth, as Corban holds Landon close to him.

  “She got away,” Lucius admits.

  “Not before Leigha shot her, but I suspect she was wearing a vest,” Levi adds.

  “So, they all got away?” I ask stunned.

  My mother is gone, my father has gone after Lauren, and Olivia is right on her way towards them!

  My father!

  Without another word, I bolt for the front door and run as fast as I can towards the closing gate.

  I manage to slip through just before it slams shut, but my jacket gets caught.

  I shrug it off as I run down the road.

  One of the sedans is stopped a few kilometers down the road, and I pick up the pace, bolting for it.

  Ava!

  Goddamnit!

  I reach the sedan out of breath, and my father is in the back seat.

  “Are the twins okay!” Ava screams.

  I nod.

  “Where’s Lauren!” I ask my father.

  Then, I know she’s gotten away because it’s painfully evident what’s occurring.

  Tinsley is in labor.

  15

  Leigha

  March 6, 2018

  There is sheer relief in Ava’s cries as she holds her boys in her arms.

  It makes me shed a few tears.

  I’m not ashamed to admit that even I feel relief that twins are okay, regardless of Elizabeth getting away.

  I can wait.

  This was more important.

  “Ava, they’re alright,” Corban says.

  “Oh, my God! My babies!” Ava weeps.

  “I’m so glad they’re okay,” she adds through her tears.

  “We should go,” Levi says.

  “If they call for back-up, we’re sitting ducks,” Lucius adds.

  “And, Tinsley is in labor,” Ava manages a sentence without sobbing.

  “All the more reason,” Levi nods.

  He’s so calm and collected, even when Evan rams the front gate open with a jeep.

  “Come on! We have to get to the hospital!” he screams out the window.

  “Did your father already go?” I ask.

  Evan nods.

  “Aidan is driving them to the nearest hospital,” he adds.

  “We should get a hotel first,” Levi muses.

  “I suspect she’ll be in labor for a while, there’s no harm in getting Ava, and the twins settled somewhere safe, beforehand,” he adds.

  Evan nods.

  “Right,” he says.

  The car is packed full, but I don’t mind, even when both Landon and Grayson begin to wail in the back seat beside me; it’s such a relief to hear Ava’s twins crying.

  “Here,” Levi indicates.

  Evan turns into the hotel drive, and hands his keys to a valet.

  Levi has chosen a place that is far more luxurious than I expected.

  In the middle of Rio, it seems an unlikely place for us to lay low, but there is a gated entrance.

  It isn’t until we are in the lobby, as Levi books the rooms that I realize I’ve been holding my breath.

  �
�Leigha, are you alright?” Ava asks.

  Her voice is steady now, and she seems much calmer now that we’re out of that run-down compound.

  She’s also got her boys back.

  “I’m fine,” I nod.

  “I just can’t believe she got away. I shot her,” I admit.

  Ava presses her lips together, and I see her face darken.

  She wants her mother dead as much as I do.

  “I don’t fault you for that, dear. It’s the only way for this whole crock of shit to end,” Ava admits.

  “She was wearing a vest,” I add, a little dazed.

  “Do you think she knew we were coming?” Ava asks.

  “Maybe she was just being careful?” I suggest.

  “Who was being careful?” Evan asks.

  “Elizabeth,” Ava responds.

  “Oh,” Evan says.

  “Well, come on then. Leigha, you’re sharing with me, they only had a few rooms left,” he adds.

  “Right,” I nod, not really thinking about what he is saying.

  But, when he unlocks the door to the room, there’s only one four poster bed.

  No couch, nothing else.

  I sigh.

  Goddamnit.

  “Call your father,” I tell him.

  “See how Tinsley’s doing,” I add.

  “Right,” Evan nods.

  He steps out onto the balcony with endless views of the ocean, and I take a moment to wash my face.

  I go into the washroom, and run the water, mixing it until it is warm.

  All I want to do is sleep.

  I splash water on my face, and rub at it briskly.

  When I look in the mirror, the woman that I see is absolutely haunted.

  She’s broken and destroyed, because she just missed her chance to end the life of the woman who wrecked hers.

  Then again, I try to reason, if Elizabeth had died, what were the chances that I could free my father from the FBI’s cage?

  What are the chances we’ll get the company back otherwise?

  “Leigha?” Evan knocks on the door.

  “Come in,” I sigh.

  “Are you okay? That was pretty intense,” Evan mentions.

  “You’re telling me,” I respond.

  “You shot my mother,” he laughs.

  “And she didn’t die,” I laugh with him.

  We break down into peals of laughter because it’s the only way either of us knows how to deal with this.

  “Tinsley is still in labor; my father is insisting that we all rest. It could be a while,” Evan says, after we’ve calmed down.

  “He’s blaming himself for Lauren getting away, but what more could he do?” he adds.

  “Tinsley is more important; your father knows that. I blame myself for Elizabeth getting away, so there’s that too,” I tell Evan.

  “She got away from me,” Evan admits.

  “I was right there, and I had her in my sights, and then she was just… gone,” he says.

  His voice sounds strangely detached.

  Evan sinks to the ground beside the tub, and I can see how disappointed he is.

  “I really thought that this was going to be over,” he says.

  “We got the twins back, that’s the important part,” I tell him.

  “I realize that. But, she was right there! Right within our grasp! It’s like she knew we’d be too concerned over the twins. As if she knew she could get away,” Evan explains.

  I lower myself down to the floor beside Evan.

  “Hey, we’ll find her, okay?” I say.

  “How can you be sure? What if this was our only chance?” he whispers.

  “It wasn’t, it can’t be. We just spoiled your mother’s plans. What are the chances she’s going to just let that go?” I ask.

  “She won’t,” Evan admits.

  “You’re right, as usual,” he adds with a grin.

  “Usually, yes,” I admit.

  “What do we do now? Do we just wait for my mother to come up with another plan of attack?” Evan questions.

  The truth is: I don’t know what to do.

  I only have one suggestion, and Evan isn’t going to like it very much.

  “What about Levi? He probably has an idea of where Elizabeth and Lauren might’ve gone?” I tell him.

  “Of course, he does,” Evan grumbles.

  “Where was he all these years? Why did he just wait until the last possible second to make himself known?” he asks me.

  “That’s a question for Levi,” I answer.

  “You know, when I was younger, I used to wish for a brother. I knew I had a sister out there, but I always wanted a brother. Now I have one. But, do I? Really? He wanted nothing to do with us, all these years,” Evan says.

  “That might not be true,” I say.

  “But, it is!” Evan argues.

  “He had plenty of chances and knew who he was, yet he only came forward now,” he adds.

  “Levi was working with the Ventrettis, passing information to Merc. It sounds more like he didn’t have a choice. Actually, it sounds like he knew he had a choice, and instead of doing what he could’ve, he took the high road. How many people do you know would go so far to protect family they don’t even know?” I ask.

  “Valid point,” Evan admits.

  “I can’t help wondering if I wasted all my time. Maybe I could’ve done the same thing,” he continues.

  “Evan…” I say.

  But, the rest of my sentence is lost on my lips.

  I don’t know the answer to that.

  “Leigha,” Evan replies.

  “Am I really a bad person?” he asks.

  “No,” I reply.

  Then, I shake my head.

  “Then, why didn’t I do what he did?” Evan asks.

  “Because you didn’t know that was an option,” I reply.

  “But, should I have?” Evan says.

  “How could you have known, Evan? You’ve spent your whole life knowing who your mother is, and the kind of person she’s become. You know your father needed you all these years. Would you really have turned your back on him? Because, I don’t think you would have," I tell him.

  Evan nods, and I know I’m right.

  Then, there’s a knock at the door.

  He doesn’t move, so I go to open it.

  Merc is standing in front of me.

  16

  Evan

  March 6, 2018

  “I wanted to see how you were doing,” Merc says from the doorway.

  “I’m fine,” Leigha says, sounding annoyed.

  “Are you sure? That was…” Merc begins.

  “Merc, you lost the right to look after me when you faked your death,” Leigha cuts him off.

  “Leigha, I told you, I had to do it! I had the opportunity. You know me. I just… I couldn’t say no to this. You have to understand that!” Merc replies.

  “Consider it understood, Merc. You decide you have to do what you have to do. But, you end up hurting everyone you love, and that’s okay with you, isn’t it?” Leigha retorts.

  I get off the washroom floor.

  Even though I don’t want to face Merc, I know Leigha needs backup on this.

  “You were dead to us! Do you even know how much pain you caused everyone?” Leigha cries.

  “A lot of pain,” I add.

  I lean against the doorway, with my arms crossed, blocking Merc from Leigha.

  “Listen, I’m not going to argue with either of you. This doesn’t mean I didn’t value my relationships,” Merc says.

  “No, you just valued MI6 more!” I retort.

  “That’s not true! If you had the choice, wouldn’t you have done the same thing?” Merc asks.

  He’s got a point.

  With my mother the mess that she is, if MI6 had approached me with the same opportunity, I know that I would’ve accepted, despite my family.

  Or, do I think that because of Levi?

  Levi has changed my
view, on a lot of things.

  “He has a point, Evan,” Leigha reads my mind.

  “True,” I say darkly.

  “What are you going to do now?” Leigha asks Merc.

  “Well, Elizabeth is still out there. Lauren and Olivia are just as dangerous, even if Evan broke Olivia’s nose,” Merc says.

  There’s a twinkle in his eye.

  Leigha and I both burst out laughing.

  “Come on, let’s go have a drink,” says Merc.

  I have no reason to say no.

  Merc orders beer, Leigha goes for a gin martini, and I just order whiskey straight.

  But, the hotel bar is beside the pool, outside in the Goddamn heat.

  I can’t believe it, but I do miss London.

  The heat is almost unbearable in a suit, and I make a mental note to buy some cooler clothes if I have to stay here much longer.

  It could be a few days at least, with Tinsley on the verge of giving birth.

  “Where is everyone else?” Merc asks.

  “Athena went to the hospital, Ava and Corban are resting. I think they need it after the last couple weeks,” Leigha answers.

  “I can only imagine,” I admit.

  “Thank God,” Leigha mutters.

  “I was seriously afraid something was going to happen to Landon and Grayson, and then we would’ve really had some hot shit to deal with,” she adds.

  “Did you really think my mother would hurt her grandsons?” I ask.

  Leigha mulls over this for a second and takes a sip of her martini.

  The golden light of the sunset bathes her skin in an orange glow, her hair pulled up into its usual bun.

  “I did,” she admits.

  Then, as if the thought of that is too much for her, Leigha swallows the rest of her drink all at once.

  “Wouldn’t have put it past her,” Merc admits.

  “Now we’ve got Bishop to deal with, along with your mother and her cronies. Not to mention Bishop has to force of the Ventrettis behind him, which only makes this more complicated,” Merc says.

  “Does that mean you’re not going anywhere?” Leigha asks.

  Merc breaks into a smile.

  “What do you think? I’m just going to leave you guys in trouble?” he asks.