The Private Serials Box Set(64)

"I want to give you all that too," she whispered.

"When all of this is behind us, we'll figure everything out. Together."

She nodded then pressed one hand to my cheek while she kissed the other. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

I watched her disappear into the bathroom, then raked my hand down my  face as I sighed loudly. I wanted nothing more than to get Lena to a  place where there wasn't constant upset. She deserved peace. A normal  life with normal issues.

I picked up my phone and dialed Parker, unaware and frankly uncaring of  the time difference. He answered, sounding alert and awake.

"Preston, I was just about to call you."

"Tell me you've got good news."

"I do. I pulled a few strings and had a judge sign the divorce papers. So, it's official."

I let out a silent sigh, and my hand went through my hair as I exhaled. "Lena received the money too."

There was a long pause. "Sounds like everything's in order, then."

"Yeah."

"Preston," he said, his voice pleading, "you don't have to go through with it. There has to be another way."         

     



 

"This is the only way that ensures Lena is out of the mess for good. I don't want this to touch her ever again."

Parker sighed, and I could hear the torment in the groan he released.  All he wanted to do was protect us, but we were out of his reach, both  literally and figuratively. We were in too deep, and he was standing on  the shore waving a life vest that could never save us.

"I'll let you know when it's over. Everything will be all right." I  wasn't sure who I was trying to convince more, him or myself. There was a  very good chance that everything would definitely not be all right. I'd  never attempted anything like I was planning with Derrek. But Lena's  safety and future happiness was more than enough of a motivator to get  it right.

"If I don't hear from you by midnight your time, I'll call the local  authorities. I'm serious, Preston. This ends today, one way or another."

"I know. I'll call you."

"Good luck."

"Thanks." I'll need it.

I ended the call with Parker and sent a text to the phone I'd given to Derrek.

**Meet me at the Marina at 2 p.m. Bring Jessica and the girls.**



At two p.m. on the nose, I watched as Derrek walked down the planked  walkway of the marina, one hand holding Jessica's, the other supporting  the small blonde girl on his hip. Jessica's free hand held on to the  older girl's hand. They looked like the perfect family, on vacation,  about to enjoy a relaxing boat ride. They were all wearing white linen,  sandals, and hats. I couldn't have planned it better myself. It was the  perfect set up. It was almost ironic.

"Derrek," I said as he approached.

"This is a very strange place for a rendezvous," he said, his voice dripping with disdain.

"There's a method to my madness." Just as my words left my mouth Lena  appeared at the end of the walkway, and for a moment, I lost the ability  to speak.

She looked the part as well. Too well. Her incredible body was adorned  with a black bikini, her hips covered by a sheer black sarong that did  absolutely nothing to hide the perfection of her curves. The sandals she  wore laced up her calves and made her legs look endless. As she got  closer, she pushed her sunglasses up, making her soft hair fall to the  sides of her face, then flow behind her shoulders.

She smiled at me, her eyes never straying from mine, and walked straight  to me, wrapping her arms around my neck, pressing her breasts against  my chest. My arm slid possessively around her waist, as I knew Derrek  was getting a fantastic view of her perfect ass. He swallowed hard and I  knew he'd taken her in, seen exactly what he'd once had and lost.

"Hello," she said sweetly when she pulled away, not removing her arms from around me.

"Hello, sweetheart." I watched her eyes soften at my endearment, then she turned to face the man she was ready to leave behind.

"Derrek. Jessica." That was her greeting to them, and it was cold. She  did, however, give a small wave to the little girl at Jessica's side,  and I wasn't surprised when the child's face lit up with a smile and she  waved back.

"What are we doing here?" Derrek asked, irritated.

"We're here to go boating," I said deadpan, fully aware that my answer was snarky and frustrating.

"Cut the bullshit," Derrek snapped.

"Lena and I are going to rent a boat. You and Jessica are going to rent a  boat. We are going to meet about seven miles southeast of here. You can  follow me."

"First you tell me what's going on."

"No. We're doing this my way. You either rent this boat and meet us in  the water, or the first call I make is to Edgar. I'll remind you that  you no longer have enough money to pay him back." Derrek thought about  his options, but in the end, the choice I gave him wasn't really a  choice. I turned, my arm around Lena's shoulders, and proceeded to the  small building to rent a speedboat.



Forty-five minutes later Lena and I were shooting through the water,  cutting through the ice-blue waves, wind whipping past us. Lena was  smiling and so was I. Even though we were about to try and pull off  something completely crazy and illegal, it was hard not to enjoy the  ride. Lena looked back toward the shore, Athens disappearing in the  distance, and I couldn't help but admire the picture she had painted for  me. Long tanned legs crossed, black bikini covering enough to be  appropriate, but leaving enough skin available for me to peruse that my  thoughts were anything but. Her hair was captured by the wind, flowing  behind her in a wild mess that looked both beautiful and free. Perhaps  she felt free. Perhaps she had faith enough in me to understand that  this would be the last hour of her life where she'd have to worry about  Derrek or the mess he'd made. I couldn't help but smile bigger thinking  I'd given her the happiness and freedom painted across her face.

Once we'd reached our destination I slowed the boat to a full stop.

"I know you've wanted to keep the details to yourself, and I understand  why, but I'm really curious as to what we're doing way out here." Lena  was sitting on one of the benches that lined the side of the boat, her  hair no longer blowing in the wind, but her face a little pink from it.

"Derrek and Jessica are about to get lost at sea," was my only response and Lena, God love her, accepted it with a nod.

When their boat pulled up near ours, obviously a little behind, not  wanting to take theirs at a full clip with little girls on board,  Derrek's face was both worried and irritated.

"Okay, we're here. Now tell me what the hell is going on."

"First thing's first. Jessica and the girls need to board our boat."

"What?" The rage in his voice was clear and loud, and I completely understood.

"Listen, Derrek. I give you my word that everything will be all right.  But you've got to trust me here. I want nothing but for this to be over  with." I picked up the rope I'd pulled out of the supply hatch and  raised my eyebrows at him, waiting for him to comply. I knew he would-he  had no other choice. He held his hands out and I tossed him the rope,  then we gently pulled until our boats were side by side.

Jessica climbed aboard first, then slowly, Derrek passed the girls over  to her. Lena held her hands out, offering to take the smaller girl from  Jessica. She hesitated for just a moment, but then handed the tiny girl  to her. Even though she was holding the love child her ex-husband  created while cheating on her, Lena's face lit up and she made it her  mission to make the little girl smile amidst all the uncertainty and  chaos.

Once all three were safely aboard, I looked to Derrek.

"You see that island just south of us?" I pointed to the horizon, where one could see the outline of an island in the distance.

"Yeah … ." Derrek's answer trailed off as he tried to put together all the pieces I was giving him.

"The east side of the island is just a rocky cliff. I want you to take  your boat around the island and then point it directly at the rocks. Max  the speed out. You need to be going fast enough to wreck that boat  beyond recognition."

"What?" Jessica practically yelled, but then calmed immediately when both her children began to panic too.

"You want me to crash the boat into the side of that island?" Derrek's voice was both scared and unbelieving.

"Yes. I want you to aim the boat at the rocks, but jump into the water  about five hundred yards out. We'll come and pull you out of the water."

"That's crazy. I could die."

"That's the idea."

Derrek stared at me, eyes wide, until I saw recognition cloud them over.  "You want me to fake my own death." It wasn't a question, but a  statement.

"Not just yours. The registrar at the marina thinks your whole family is  on that boat. They'll find the boat, but they won't find your bodies.  They'll think you all died in the crash and your bodies were lost at  sea."

"This can't be the only way," Derrek said, his voice wavering somewhere between angry and scared.