The pain at the back of Elodie's skull was making her want to throw up the food she had just...how long ago?

She had no idea and was just as clueless about how long she'd been out or where she was.

Sensations rushed back to her and assaulted nerve endings all over her body. Every where, and everything ached in a manner that made her want to gouge her own eyes out.

Rolling over onto her right side, she fluttered her eyes open, shutting them when the bright glare of sunlight pierced her eyes, sending a stabbing pain through her head.

Muffled footsteps came from somewhere behind her, and the alarm of being attacked had her springing out of the bed, and whirling around, eyes wide open now.

On the other side of the bed, Angelo came to a stop, his eyes flaring briefly at her sudden movement.

Neither of them made a move to break the silence or approach each other. But, Elodie did look though.

The first thing she noticed was that she was in a bedroom that was bare except for the single bed, several stools and an old antique dresser with peeling paint. The second was just how put together Angelo looked.

It was annoying that she'd gone through the wringer and came out looking like she lost the battle while he looked as though he hadn't even moved a finger in all of...twenty four hours? Forty eight?

Angelo broke their stare first, though, by going over to set down the tray she hadn't noticed him holding. And now that she'd noticed, the sight of the two slices of toast, scrambled eggs and glass of OJ made her stomach rumble. She didn't realize just how hungry she was until that moment.

Elodie remained where she was, eyeing him and the food, but not trusting him enough just yet. How did she know that he wasn't working with Brooks and whoever else wanted her dead?

There was also the question of how she came to be here when she was almost kidnapped for the third time in the matter of hours.

"How's your head?" Angelo asked, finally turning to face her. He didn't move from where he was. Smart man.

Elodie touched a finger to the throbbing part at the side of her head, wincing when she felt the small bump there. "I'll live." She dropped her hand to her side. "What's going on?"

"You should eat first."

She frowned at him, planting her feet. Nothing but the truth would make her budge from where she was standing.

"Food is the last thing I need right now." She ignored his own frown and said, "what I do need is the truth. So, I'll ask again, what is happening? I was almost killed for fucks sake! Twice, might I add."

"I'll tell you, but only if you eat first."

Elodie knew how stubborn the man was. If she truly wanted any answer, then she had to give in. Besides, she was so hungry that her stomach quivered with each breath she took.

"Can I brush my teeth at least?"

"The bathroom's right there." He jerked a finger in the general direction of a door that was two feet to her right. "I'll be here when you return."

Elodie made her escape into the room, taking care to lock the door behind her, and it was only then she took a deep breath. After everything that had happened, she didn't trust Angelo anymore than she could throw him.

Her life went downhill because she got involved with him. She couldn't vouch for his innocence in all these.

He also made her go into the vault to retrieve information he could have any other person retrieve. Plus, he'd also lied to her about his relationship with Vasily. There was alot she didn't know. And wouldn't know unless she went back out there.

Elodie found a packaged new brush waiting for her on the sink. After brushing her teeth, washing her face and taking a piss, she took a deep breath, then unlocked the door and went back out.

Angelo was seated on a stool a few feet from where he'd set up the tray for her. Cautiously, Elodie sat on the stool and reached for a slice of toast, broke off a tiny portion, popped it into her mouth and chewed slowly.

Without her prompt, Angelo began to speak. "I apologize for the attack yesterday. Bones got too carried away and attacked you."

That explained why she was tackled like that. She made a note to give the bastard an earful when next she saw him. "Why was I attacked back in Las Vegas?"

Angelo took a deep breath, unbuttoning the cuffs of his jacket, and rolling the sleeves up. "Brooks believed you betrayed him."

"That wasn't what Hana said." The reminder of the late woman made her breath catch in the back of her throat, and the toast suddenly seemed unappealing.

"Stop eating and I won't tell you anything," he threatened when she dropped the slice of toast on the plate.

Elodie reached for it, tore another piece and chewed. "Well?"

"You were a bait all along." Angelo had the grace to look ashamed for a minute before he was back to wearing his blank face. "Brooks always planned to kill you, and have it pinned on me, the question was just how and when. Thankfully, Hana was able to figure it out on time."

Elodie sucked her lips between her teeth as the information sank in.

She'd been played all along?

"But, why? I didn't do anything. I don't even know him before I met you."

Angelo pressed his lips into a thin line, and he only relaxed when she sipped from the juice. "Brooks has been watching you for a very long time."

Elodie just watched him, dumbstruck by this revelation. If Brooks had been watching her for a very long time, that meant she'd been in danger all along and never knew about it.

That explained how the BIA was able to locate her that quickly. But, no matter how much she thought about it, something wasn't adding up. Why was he after her anyway?

She'd never hurt someone before, never stole, never lied or killed. Brooks had no reason to hate her enough to kill her.

"How do you even know all these?" Elodie asked, her suspicion shooting through the roof. "You also claimed, at one point, to have been watching me too. Why? What do you know?"

Angelo gave her a slow glance, assessing her from head to waist, then back up. "I'll admit that I approached you initially because I was curious about why Brooks was so interested in you."

"But?"

"I guess I couldn't resist you in the long run," he simply said, as though he wasn't telling her that he was attracted to her. "And as to how I know all these; like I said, I've been watching you for a long time, too."

"Ah, I see." It made sense. "Was that why you bound and tortured me?"

He looked offended. "No. I wanted to see what Brooks would do if he discovers that you've been missing for days."

"That's why you paid and asked specifically for me." It wasn't a question. Something were starting to make sense, but there were still loopholes. "You know about Mace, too, then?"

He nodded.

"Then, you know how important he is to me," Elodie said. "Should anything happen to me, I want you to promise to take care of him for me. Can you do that?"

Angelo's eyes darkened, and twin lines appeared between his brows. "Nothing will happen to you."

Elodie suppressed a shiver at the venom behind his promise, but it didn't assure her one bit. Hana gave her life for hers back in Vegas, Angelo was nowhere to be seen then.

"Just promise me."

Angelo opened his mouth, but was interrupted by a knock. His gaze promised that they would revisit their conversation later on, before he turned to acknowledge the knock.

"Come in."

The door swung open to reveal Rocco and two familiar faces that Elodie didn't expect to see so soon.

"You look like shit," Lux said, then huffed when Asami jabbed her pointy elbow into their ribs. "What, it's the truth," they grumbled, rubbing the sore spot.

"Don," Rocco said by way of greeting, bowing slightly. "Ms. Evans."

Huh? So, she was Ms. Evans now that they were in Angelo's presence?

"Rocco," Angelo replied, eyeing Lux who had the good sense not to meet his gaze. "Any new information?"

"Yes. They've cracked through the security and they insist on seeing you and Ms. Evans to explain what they found."

"That's fast," Elodie mumbled. Maybe not as quietly as she thought because she could see the proud smile on Asami's face, and Lux's preen.

"We'll join them downstairs shortly."

"Of course, sir."

Rocco escorted the bickering children back, closing the door behind them, and leaving Elodie and Angelo alone once again.

She managed another sip of her juice before abandoning the food and getting to her feet. "Let's go."

Angelo stopped her by gently grabbing her wrist. Before she could ask him what the matter was, he swept her into his arms, squeezing her tightly as he buried his face in her greasy hair.

Elodie stood still, surprised by his sudden movement. She could hear just how rapidly his heart was beating, and felt how he trembled lightly.

"Angelo?" She asked, hands hanging limply beside her, while her own heart pounded.

"Please," he murmured. "Let me hold you just for a while. Please."

Her eyes widened.

He tightened his grip, not to the point of pain, but just tight enough that her breasts were crushed to his chest, and she could feel every plane of his hard body. Elodie breathed deeply, relaxing into his hold. The familiar scent of his cologne enveloped her, and his warmth blanketed her.

For a little while, Elodie promised herself, I'll enjoy this for a little while.

So, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let him hold her.

Although she could have sworn she felt something wet touch her scalp.

But, that was impossible, because men like Angelo didn't cry.

Or so she thought.

*

When they finally went down the wooden stairs a while later, Angelo was back to being his granite self, and Elodie was calm. After their hug sesh, she'd excused herself to wash her face once again, heart pounding.

She'd needed that hug just as much as Angelo did.

The large space they were in looked like an abandoned warehouse with big boxes stacked high to the ceiling by one wall, and several plastic wrapped machinery along with old clothes, and dusts and motes. That answered the question of where she was then.

Rocco was standing by a large table along with Bones who was sporting a black eye and busted lower lip. He wasn't looking at anyone, and flinched as they neared.

Lux and Asami had set up their laptops along with keyboards, mouse and several hard drives on the table. They were both seated on a low stool and typing furiously, mumbling to themselves as they worked.

"Boss," Rocco said, standing even straighter. "Bones has something to say to Ms. Evans."

"Me?" Elodie raised a brow, wondering what he wanted.

Instead of answering, Rocco tapped Bones at the back of his head, and the other man came forward, then sank to his knees.

"I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday," Bones said, keeping his gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Elodie fidgeted. "He can stand up now, right?"

"You may go," Angelo told him. "And be grateful for her generousity."

Bones scrambled away, keeping his head down as he went. Elodie would ask about how he got those scars, but decided that she didn't want to know.

"Come." Angelo led them to the stool across from the tech wizs while Rocco stood behind them, gaze on the computer screens. "What do you have for us?"

Lux looked up from his screen, fingers pausing above his board. "A lot. But, I'll let Asami go first."

"Thanks," Asami murmured, before she also abandoned her screen to meet Elodie's eyes. "Do you know anyone whose names are Marian Evans and Lex Evans?"

Elodie straightened, mouth going dry. "Those are my parents names."

Lux picked up their iPad, typed something, then turned the screen to her. "This them?"

On the screen were two 4x4 images of a woman with chestnut hair and large brown eyes, and a man with short cropped blonde hair and a goatee dyed a reddish coppery tint. Neither of them were smiling at the camera, but what stood out to Elodie was the background.

There was the unmistakable large circle with with swords cross over an open book with a torch above the crossed sword. In the outer ring of the first were the words: BIA.

Elodie's throat went dry as different scenarios went through her mind's eye, but what she focused on was her parents face. Even though they lost everything, even their pictures to the mortgage collectors, Elodie recognized them anywhere.

"Yes," she replied, hands reaching out to take the device. She couldn't take her eyes off them. "They're my parents."

"Hmm, okay," said Lux.

Elodie looked up, meeting their carefully blank gazes. "What? How do you have their pictures?" Her gaze dropped back to the screen. "And why is that logo there?"

"We found this image under a file in your name," Asami explained. "It was buried in several encryption and we almost missed it."

Elodie traced her mother's sharp jaw with the tip of her index finger. "But, that does not explain why they are here."

"We do have an explanation for that."

She looked up again in time to catch them exchanging glances. Even Rocco shifted, eyes narrowing at the screen. Elodie felt Angelo stiffen beside her.

A glance at him told her he already knew what was coming and it wasn't good.

"And?" Elodie prompted, when everyone remained silent and wouldn't meet her eyes.

"They were agents for the BIA," Lux said, finally, but they weren't done. Nothing could have prepared Elodie for it. "And Brooks killed them."

The iPad dropped to the floor.

A/N:

Hola! Hello!

Happy new year everyone. Welcome to 2024, and I do hope you enjoyed your Holidays!

I enjoyed mine and got the chance to spend time with family, then got throat infection along the way, but I'm doing better now, after ingesting lots of antibiotics, that now I hate the smell of that stuff.

I plan to update every week now until I complete this book, sometimes, wtwice a week, hope to finish it by January 31st so I can move onto other things.

But, I do know we aren't going more than fifty chapters, so there's that.

While I was away, I saw some new comments, met new readers and also voters. Thank you so much for reading and still sticking around.

Again, this book isn't edited so forgive any errors you find.

So, what do we think?

How many of you suspected this all along?

Why do you think Brooks is trying to kill Elodie?

Why do you think he killed her parents?

Do you think Angelo knew about this?

Finally, we meet the parents even if it's posthumous.

Don't forget to vote, comment or share💕💕💕