Girl From The Tomb 6a6w3x

Girl From the Tomb

ID Johnson

Copyright © 2020 by ID Johnson

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Book Cover by Sparrow Book Cover Designs

Created with Vellum

For Grandpa Lady

Contents

1. Escape From Italy

2. Don’t Trust Anyone

3. Bathroom Brawl

4. Chased

5. Crazy Adventure

6. Don’t Stop the Train!

7. Closing In

8. Rearrange Your Face

9. Ruse

10. Change of Plans

11. Meeting King

12. Safe House

13. Stewing

14. Safe and Sound

15. Breakfast of Kings

16. Find a Way

17. New Identity

18. Fly Away

19. Welcome to the Hotel Russia

20. Call to Life

21. Paradise

22. Calling Mom

23. Home For a While

24. Some People Never Change

25. A Decision

26. Texas

27. Cowboy

28. No One’s Coming

29. Last Resort

30. Getting Out of Dodge

31. Swimming Thoughts

32. California

33. Abalone Cove

34. An Unexpected Call

35. Ready to Face the Music

36. Are You Sure You Want to Do This?

37. Face to Face

38. Discovery

39. Surprises

40. Heading Home

41. Ella Gets Caught Up

42. Daylight

43. Moving On

44. Social Search

45. No Answers

46. Locked Away

47. Fate

48. Surprise Friendship

49. Meeting Fae

50. Fairy Godmother

51. On the Set

52. Falling Into Place

53. Revelation

54. Reframing

55. Emerging

A Note From the Author

Also by ID Johnson

Chapter 1 Escape From Italy

One night. That’s all they’d had together. After being torn apart by their parents, Ella faking her own death, and Rome being drugged and taken overseas against his will, they’d spent one night together in a hotel in Italy before having to face the realization that they were still on the run, that Rome’s father was certain to have his men after them, and there was nothing they could do to guarantee their safety except for run as fast as they could and try to get lost in the nameless, faceless world Rome had never been a part of. The morning light was just beginning to seep between the curtains when Ella pulled herself from bed. Rome was in the shower. She could hear the water running. Since she’d taken a shower the night before, she decided to skip that and stared at the costume Bart had dropped off for her the night before. A curly red wig, some darker, larger sunglasses than the ones she’d been wearing, and a fake mole. Could she work with this? When Rome emerged from the bathroom, he also quite look like himself, though she could still recognize his strong chin and perfect nose. His hair was bleached blond, and he had a tuft of a beard in a similar shade attached beneath his bottom lip. She wanted to laugh at him but was pretty sure she would look just as ridiculous in her getup so she stifled it. Once she had the wig on and the mole strategically placed, Rome stood behind her in the mirror, trying to hide his own laughter. “We don’t look anything like those two crazy kids who got hitched in Vegas a few weeks ago,” Rome said, his eyes fixed on hers in their reflection. “No, we don’t,” she agreed. It seemed like that had been years ago when in fact it had been less than a month. So much had happened since that day. So much had happened because of that day. When Bart and Mary ed them later, her friend who used to clean her house didn’t look like herself either. Mary was wearing a black wig with a blunt cut

and thick reading glasses. Her makeup was way over the top as well. Bart, on the other hand, looked more like Rome than her husband currently did. He had his hair styled the way Rome usually wore it and was wearing clothing that was very similar to an outfit Rome wore often. “I sure hope this works,” Rome said, looking Bart over. “Me, too. At least the hotel staff has agreed to help. Having the three of you sneak out the back door and get into a private car should make it very hard for your father to track you, even if he does have eyes on the hotel.” “If he does, it will be great if they follow you to the airport,” Mary said, still staring at Bart. “Unless they try to kidnap him.” Ella didn’t like the idea of Bart putting himself into harm’s way--again--trying to help them escape from Rome’s father’s men. “I’ll look different when I get out of the car. I won’t look like myself, but I won’t look like Rome either,” he assured them. “Bart is a master of disguise,” Rome said, chuckling. “Clearly. He did a great job of making you look like someone else,” Mary noted. “Well, I am heading to the airport now,” Bart said. “You guys have thirty minutes. Go downstairs, and ask for Gia. She’ll help you out.” Ella had tears in her eyes as she stepped forward to hug Bart. “Thank you so much, for everything. We could’ve never done this if it wasn’t for you.” If it hadn’t been for Bart, she never would’ve considered faking her own death, and she certainly wouldn’t have been able to pull it off. She’d either be in California, held hostage at her father’s house again, or she would’ve been forced to go to to marry Henry Caron, her father’s work associate’s son. “You’re welcome, Ella,” Bart said, hugging her back. “Call me on the burner phone if any of you need anything.” She let him go and watched as Rome wrapped his arms around what was clearly a lifelong friend.

Mary said her goodbyes to Bart, too, and then Rome’s look-alike disappeared out the door, hopefully leading anyone who might’ve been watching far away from the rest of them. “Okay--so we are headed to Madrid, right?” Mary asked Rome, going over the plan again. “Yes. This car will take us to the train station. From there, we’ll make our way to Madrid. We have a few changes to throw anyone who might be following us off. Then, once we get to the airport, we’ll fly to Budapest, then take another train. Eventually, we’ll end up in South Korea and then on to Mindoro. I can’t imagine my dad would ever think we’d be headed there.” “How did you decide that’s where we’re going?” Mary asked him. Ella stifled a giggle. “We chose randomly,” she replied, thinking about how fun it had been to chart their course with random blind pointing at Google Earth the night before. “I guess that’s one way to make sure they won’t guess where we’re going,” Mary agreed. “Once we get to Budapest, I’m going to call my aunts,” Ella reminded both of them. “And I’m going to call a lawyer. Bart gave me the name of a guy he trusts.” Rome’s jaw was set, and Ella knew then that he was going to do whatever he could to reestablish them in LA so he could continue to pursue his dreams. It was an unsettling idea to say the least. She had no idea how she’d go about doing graphic design again. She might have to start her own company, but she definitely wasn’t ready to give up her dream either. “I think we should head downstairs,” Mary said, gathering the bags she’d brought over when she’d come from her room. “I sure hope this works.” Ella felt nervous tangles forming in her stomach. “If my father’s men try to take us, we have to fight and scream,” Rome reminded the girls. They both nodded. “We can’t let them take any of us to a different location. There’s no one else here to save us.”

“I sure hope Bart knows that,” Mary said, shaking her head. “Me, too,” Rome itted. Ella could tell he was also nervous for his friend. She prayed they heard from him soon, that he was at the airport, through security, and safe. For now, she had to worry about herself and Rome. They both knew his dad wouldn’t just let him go without a fight. Even though Milan was a big city, and there were plenty of hotels to be watching, she wouldn’t relax as long as there was a chance they were being followed. “It’ll be all right,” Ella, Rome assured her. “We’re back together, and I won’t let anyone ever tear us apart again. Ever.” She nodded, believing him. Rome would die before he let anyone come between them. That was exactly what she was afraid of.

Chapter 2 Don’t Trust Anyone

Mary went to speak to someone at the counter about meeting Gia while Rome and Ella hung back. He could see the lobby well from their position, and there were a few muscular men in suits milling around. One had a newspaper in his hands which seemed odd to Rome because not many people actually read those anymore, did they? Maybe Rome was just being paranoid. A few minutes later, Mary headed back with a woman dressed in a hotel uniform black slacks, a black jacket, and a white button-down shirt. The brunette seemed nice enough, with a relaxed smile. Rome didn’t know exactly what Bart had told her--if she knew who she was helping, or if he’d just paid her off to help special guests get out the back door--but he was going to keep his mouth closed as much as possible. Once she reached them, Gia said “Hello,” with a thick Italian accent. “Right this way.” She led them through a door marked “Staff Only.” Rome went last, carrying most of the bags. They went down a long hall and then through another door before stepping into a garage. A sedan idled nearby. Behind the wheel, a young man dressed in the hotel uniform sat waiting. He gave a wave from behind the wheel and then popped the trunk. Quickly, Rome tossed the bags inside the trunk as the girls got in the back seat. He thanked Gia and slipped her a few bills Bart had procured for them. She gladly accepted and wished them good luck before ducking back inside. Rome got into the front seat and hooked his seatbelt, his eyes glued on the rearview mirror. If they were being followed, he wanted to know sooner rather than later. “Ready?” the young man behind the wheel asked.

“Ready,” Rome agreed, and the car took off, headed toward an exit that would take them out into the back alley. The car was silent. Rome watched out the back glass carefully, but he also kept an eye on the driver. The fellow didn’t seem nervous, which was a good sign. If his father had gotten to the hotel worker, he would probably be anxious about the situation. Unless he was a damn good actor. They pulled out of the alley and headed down a side street. No cars fell in behind them. It seemed to Rome as if they were headed the right way, too, away from the apartment where his dad had been keeping him. Pulling into a place where his father could be waiting would be enough to make him punch the driver in the face and force him out the other door, so he wanted to be ready. Mary’s phone buzzed, which was a distraction Rome didn’t need. His eyes continued to flicker around, looking for any signs that they were in trouble. “It’s Al,” Mary said. That was their code name for Bart. “He was followed to the airport. He paid the driver to lose them, and they did. He’s at the airport now, his new disguise on. He’s not through security yet, though.” Rome didn’t like the sound of that. If his father had discovered what hotel he was at, there was a chance he’d gotten to the driver. He searched the man’s face for any nervous tension and saw none. “Everything all right?” the driver asked, narrowing his eyes slightly at Rome. “I hope so,” he said. “I’m just trying to decide whether or not I can trust you.” “You can,” he said with a nod. “Your man pays more than that other guy. Besides, I’m a big fan of Axes and Blades.” Rome’s eyes bulged. Not only had this guy been approached by his father’s men, he knew who he was. While it seemed like a good thing that he’d chosen to be paid off by Bart and not Rome’s dad, that might not last. Depending upon what they’d asked, he may have helped them more than he realized. They might be back. The fact that this guy liked one of his movies was nice but not necessarily a guarantee. Ella must’ve caught all of that, too. “So once we get to Portugal, we’ll catch our

flight to Australia from there, right?” “Yes, and then we’ll head to Belize,” Rome replied, catching her eyes in the mirror. Mary looked confused, but Ella reached over and squeezed her hand. “Great. Because I’m tired of dressing like a woman,” Mary chimed in, almost making Rome and Ella laugh. “Don’t worry. We’ll be on a beach in South America before you know it.” He turned and smiled at her but then resumed his mirror watching. There was a car a few back from theirs he wanted to keep an eye on. Something about it made him suspicious. He didn’t trust anyone right now, save the girls in the back seat and Bart, and he wasn’t even sure he could completely trust all three of them. He certainly didn’t trust the driver. He let out a deep sigh and kept his eyes moving, looking for signs that they were in trouble. How long would he have to live this way? How long would he be able to?

Chapter 3 Bathroom Brawl

The airport was crowded, and Bart couldn’t walk two steps without looking over his shoulder, afraid he was about to be snatched from the thoroughfare and carted away somewhere by giant thugs who were about to beat his ass. He had on a disguise that should’ve made him unrecognizable to anyone who’d followed him from the hotel, but he’d have to take it off before he went through security so that he would match the picture on his port at least a little better than he did now. He’d gotten in the car looking like Rome and gotten out with red hair and freckles. He had no idea if Rome’s dad would have people looking for him, too, or just Rome, but he didn’t want to find out. Bart scoped out the line to get through security and saw that it wouldn’t take him too long to get through since he had no baggage and had pre-check to go through the shortest line. He found the bathroom closest to the line and looked around one more time before heading to the door. He almost bumped into another man heading into the same room. He looked a lot like Rome. Clearly Italian, with the same build, his hair a similar shade of light brown. “Excuse me,” Bart said, gesturing for him to go first. “No, excuse me. Please,” he said, his thick Italian accent letting Bart know he was a local. Thanking him, Bart went into the bathroom first and headed for a stall where he could take his disguise off in relative seclusion. He’d just walked into the stall and locked the door when he heard a commotion outside of the door. “What are you doing? Let go of me!” It sounded like the same man Bart had just encountered on his way in. A nervous anxiety bubbled up inside of him. Afraid to peek out, he listened intently to the kerfuffle, wondering what was happening.

“Free ride is over, Verona. You’re going home now.” “Verona?” the man repeated. “You are talking to the wrong person. My name is Marco Rossi. Let go of me!” “You feel that piece of cold steel in your back? Shut up, or you’ll be feeling a bullet instead.” “I no want any trouble,” Marco said, and the next thing he knew, Bart heard them dragging the man out of the bathroom. Sweat beaded up on Bart’s forehead as he thought about what he’d just escaped. Would they have nabbed him instead if he’d still been dressed like Rome? Probably. With any luck, Marco would be set free before they could get him out of the airport. He felt horrible for the man but wasn’t sure what to do. Fortunately, he heard another man on the phone in the stall next to him, and though Bart’s Italian wasn’t very good, he understood that the man was calling the police, letting them know he’d just overheard someone being kidnapped in the bathroom at the airport. Maybe they’d catch up to Marco before he was harmed. Certainly, Rome’s parents would recognize the error when they saw that the person their thugs had brought in was not their son, but that didn’t mean Marco wouldn’t get hurt. At this point, Bart wasn’t sure what Monty Verona was capable of. Bart tore his disguise off and rushed out of the stall, washing his hands as if he’d used the bathroom, and shoving the plastic bag he’d carried in his pocket that now contained the costume deep into the trash can. He ran his damp hands through his hair, trying to style it slightly different so he’d look similar to his port picture but not exactly the same in case some of Verona’s thugs were still hanging out at the airport and might be looking for him. Satisfied it would do, he took off for the security line, thinking he’d need to hurry and get through before the thugs realized their mistake and came back after him. His scheduled flight wasn’t supposed to leave for two more hours. He’d wanted to give himself plenty of time in case he had to do a bit of running around like a wild goose so that he could be chased, but once he finally got through security and everything else he had to do to get to the plane, he decided to see if he could get on another flight. He didn’t care where it was headed to, as long as it was North America and it was leaving soon.

It cost him a pretty penny, but ten minutes later, Bart found himself standing in line to board a plane to Chicago. He was just about to board with the other first class engers when he saw two large men in suits walking through the boarding area, closely looking at every face. With a deep breath, he turned and looked straight ahead, handing his boarding over to be scanned and then thanking the pretty Italian woman who ushered him in saying, “Enjoy your flight.” He would enjoy his flight, once it took off. Landing, on the other hand, would be another story. He prayed no one would be waiting for him at the airport. Surely, Rome’s dad wouldn’t be checking to see if Bart landed in Chicago.

Chapter 4 Chased

From the back seat, it seemed as if something was bothering Rome, and Ella could only assume that it was the fact that he thought someone was following them. She couldn’t see the mirrors as well as he could and didn’t want to turn around and stare out the back of the car the way that he was, but she was nervous. What would happen if they got out of the car at the train station and Rome’s father’s men were there waiting for them? She could see herself throwing elbows and screaming, doing her best to get away from them, her red wig coming off. People might see her face and recognize her. If that was the case, her dad would figure out that she was still alive, and then he’d be after her, too. “We’re about two blocks from the train station now,” the driver said. “I see that car back there. I am hoping we are just headed to the same place, but just in case, I’m going to go around the block and see if he follows, okay?” “Thank you,” Rome said, but his shoulders were still up, indicating he wasn’t relaxing due to the man’s offer to do his best to lose the other car. Ella couldn’t help but look out the back now as they went past the main entrance to the train station. She saw the car now. It was a black sedan, which probably made it look more ominous than, say, a light colored minivan. The driver headed past their intended target, and the sedan stayed with them. “Great. Now what?” Mary asked, having observed the same thing. “Now, we lose them.” The driver had a bit of a glimmer in his eye as he spoke, as if he had always wanted to be in this sort of a situation. He hit the gas and changed lanes quickly before darting over into the turning lane and hanging a left on a yellow light. The sedan must’ve run a red because it followed.

“They’re definitely following us. Damn,” Rome muttered. “How do they know where we are?” “They did a lot of asking at the hotel,” the driver said with a shrug. “Maybe someone said more than they should’ve.” “You said my guy paid more,” Rome reminded him. “Paid me more. By the way, I’m Octavius, but my friends call me Gus.” “So what should we call you?” Mary asked, leaning up to look at him through the space in the seats. “Gus, of course,” he said with that twinkle in his eye again. “Don’t worry. I won’t let them get you, pretty lady.” Mary’s cheeks turned a little pink as she sat back, and Ella almost smiled, but the serious expression on Rome’s face wouldn’t let her. “We need to come up with a plan,” Rome said. “Eventually, we are going to have to get on a train.” “I can drive you to a different station, once I lose these assholes,” Gus suggested. “If they heard that was the one you were leaving from, they might not figure out that you’re actually going to another one.” “Where?” Ella asked. “I don’t know. I can drive you to Grenoble.” “But that will take you hours,” Mary reminded him. “Yes, but they will not expect it. Besides, I made plenty of money today. Who wants to go back to work? It’s boring there. This is an adventure.” “First, you’ve got to lose them,” Rome reminded him. “I’m working on that.” He checked his mirrors, and then Gus said, “Hold on!” He cut across three lanes of traffic and caught an exit just before he ed it. The sedan didn’t have the chance to do the same and had to continue on to the

next exit. Ella kept her eye on the sedan for as long as she could. “Now what?” “Now, we do the thing they’d least expect,” he said. “We get back on.” “Won’t they take the next exit?” Mary asked him. “Yes. They will be in a hurry to get there, to come back this way, so we will go slowly at first until I am certain they have had the chance to double back, and then I will get on and drive like lightning to Grenoble.” “Are you sure you haven’t done this before?” Ella asked with a smirk on her face. Gus laughed. “Only in my dreams.” He crawled through the intersection and then sped up, getting back on the speedway they’d just exited. Ella held on, praying she didn’t die--again.

Chapter 5 Crazy Adventure

When Gus came back onto the freeway, headed out of town, there was no sign of the car that had been following them. Rome kept his eyes glued to the mirror anyway in case they reappeared. He didn’t think his dad would think of sending people to Grenoble. It wasn’t a station that would’ve been on his dad’s radar, especially not if he thought there was a chance his father thought Bart had been Rome going to the airport. Thinking of Bart made him want to call his friend and see if he’d gotten through security yet, but he didn’t want the distraction of having his phone out, even though he was extremely worried about Bart. Gus had slowed down to a manageable speed now, and they were headed out of town. The urge to relax was tempting, but he still couldn’t take any chances. They were a few miles out of Milan when Rome’s phone started buzzing. He pulled it out. “Yeah?” “Hey. I’m on the plane. Getting ready to take off. I think I’m clear.” Rome let out a sigh. He was certainly relieved to hear that from Bart. “Good.” “Listen, man. Something awful happened in the bathroom, though.” “What’s that?” He felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. “Two men in suits jumped a guy who looked a lot like you. They thought he was you.” “Seriously? Are you sure?” “Yeah, they called him by your name. I guess they followed me, but when they saw the guy who looked more like you, they grabbed him instead.”

“Damn. Thank God they didn’t get you.” “I heard someone else calling the police, so hopefully they got to the guy before he gets into too much trouble.” “I hope so.” “I felt bad for him, but I didn’t know what to do. Trying to help him would’ve just ended up getting us both into trouble.” “No, I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t have done anything either” “I gotta go. We’re taking off. Be careful.” “Let me know when you land.” “Will do.” Rome hung up and turned to look at the two girls. “He’s on the plane.” “Thank God,” Ella said. “And he’s okay?” Rome nodded. He’d tell them what happened with the other guy Bart had encountered in the bathroom later, not now, not in front of Gus or anyone else. They drove on, and Rome went back to staring out the window, looking for anything suspicious. Mary and Gus were chatting, and the more they talked, the more trustworthy Gus seemed to be, but he still couldn’t be certain his father and his goons wouldn’t show up back at the hotel later and try to make Gus talk. “Listen, Gus, there’s something you need to understand,” Rome said. “These guys that are after us are bad news.” “I sort of figured that out,” Gus said with a nod. “I mean… they could show up at your work and mess you up, man. I don’t want that.” The driver turned and looked at him for a second, his eyes widening, before he looked back at the road. “I hadn’t thought about that. You think?”

“I know.” “I thought it was just your father, and he wanted you to stay at home--or something.” “More or less, but he’ll do just about anything to figure out where I am and make me come back.” Gus swallowed hard. “A little danger is a bit of fun, but now I am worried.” “Do you have family back in Verona?” Rome asked, even though he was pretty sure he’d just overheard Gus telling Mary his family was in a different town, a smaller one near the heel of the boot. “No, just a roommate. He is a, uh, what do you call it… douche, though.” Rome couldn’t help but laugh. That wasn’t what he was expecting the young man to say. “You wouldn’t happen to have your port with you, would you, Gus?” Gus was contemplative for a moment. “What are you asking me, Rome Verona?” “I’m asking you if you want to come with us?” “To the Caribbean?” “I think we both know that’s not where we’re going.” “Where are you going?” Gus asked, and Rome could see him considering his options. “I’ll tell you if you want to come with us. But only once you’re on the train.” Mary leaned forward and put her hand on his shoulder. “Come on, Gus. Come with us. It’s a crazy trip. But you only live once.” It didn't take too long for him to be convinced after Mary’s statement. “Hell, you got it. I’m in.”

Chapter 6 Don’t Stop the Train!

The train station wasn’t too crowded, which should’ve made Ella feel more comfortable because it meant it would be easier to see any of Verona’s thugs coming after them. It would also mean that there were less places to hide, though. It would be harder for them to try to blend into a crowd. “What about the car?” Mary asked as they got their luggage out of the back. “Whose car is it?” “It belongs to the hotel,” Gus explained. “I will call Gia and let her know where it is. There are more keys. I will lock this set inside.” “God, I can’t believe you’re coming with us,” Mary said, putting her hand on their new friend’s arm. “Me neither. I must be crazy! I don’t even have a change of underwear.” “But you do have your port?” Ella asked, slinging her lightest bag over her shoulder. “I do. I never leave home without it. You never know when you might need it.” “Do we have everything?” Rome asked, taking the heavy bags. Ella was so glad to have him there to handle her oversized rolling bag. “I think so,” she said. Mary agreed, so Gus put the keys in the glove box and locked the doors. As they all swung closed, Ella hoped they hadn’t just made a huge mistake. If Rome’s dad or his men were there, they’d be in trouble. The four of them hurried to the ticket counter and bought what they needed to make it to their next stop. A train was leaving in twenty minutes, which should work out well for them. The less time they spent standing around the train station where they could be spotted, the better. They checked all of their luggage

so that it could be loaded on for them, except for Mary’s purse and Ella’s handbag. Then, they decided to split up. They wouldn’t be sitting together on the train either, so if the Verona henchmen showed up, some of them might have a chance of getting away. The only other person in the world who might be checking on them was Bart, so if something happened to all of them, it would be very difficult to get help in a timely fashion. “I feel like I shouldn’t stand so close to you,” Ella said to Rome as they waited on the platform, far away from Mary and Gus who were chatting each other up far down the line. “I know, but it’s awfully hard to stay away from you.” He winked, and she felt herself melting inside. “I’m so happy to be back together with you, but I don’t feel like I can relax at all.” She continuously scanned the station, including the parts of the parking lot she could see from where she was situated. “And it’s never gonna stop,” Rome noted, sort of under his breath. She wasn’t even sure he was talking to her. “What do you mean?” Ella asked, glancing back at him but not for long until she was forced to look away again so she could continue to scan the crowd. “I mean… we’ll always have to be looking over our shoulders. Until he’s dead.” She didn’t like to think of it that way but supposed he was right. They’d talked about that fact already, and they were getting a huge taste of what it was like not to be able to relax. Ella didn’t like it, but their choices were limited. The train pulled into the station a few minutes early, which was great, except it made Ella extremely nervous that she could no longer see what was happening around them with the train in the way. “Let’s go,” Rome said, taking her hand. An uneasiness settled around her, like something was wrong. She took his hand, but she wouldn’t feel comfortable until the train pulled away, and even then, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to relax.

They got on, had their tickets punched, and looked for their seats, all the while checking their surroundings. The train itself seemed fine, but then Ella looked out the window. The sedan they’d seen following them earlier pulled into a spot in the parking lot. Two large men in suits got out. “Rome--look!” she said. “Shit! We’ve got to make sure they don’t see us.” “But we can’t take our eyes off of them either!” she reminded him. They didn’t seem to be in a huge hurry, so Ella hoped that meant that they didn’t suspect they were already on the train. The two thugs sauntered over to the ticket booth and pulled out a picture. The man behind the counter started shrugging, like he had no idea what they were talking about. Then, one of the men slid something across the counter. Ella couldn’t see what it was, but she thought it might have been money. The man behind the counter suddenly started singing a different tune. Had the ticket salesman actually recognized Rome in his disguise? Now, it was Ella’s turn to curse. “Shit,” she muttered. The train started slowly rolling forward. “Are we leaving?” Rome asked, looking around for the attendants. One was coming their way. “Have a seat please. The train is leaving,” she said in Italian. Ella sat down closest to the window and turned her face away from it so Rome could look through her long red hair. “They’re buying tickets and trying to get the train to stop,” he said. The train didn’t seem to be slowing. “Now what?” “One is running, signaling for the train to stop, pushing people aside.” He leaned over her and looked back, and Ella couldn’t help but turn her head and look, too. She saw two men running after the train as it continued to head out of the station. “Please, don’t stop,” she said. “Please, please, please don’t stop.”

The train didn’t seem to be stopping, but it also didn’t seem to be gaining speed either. Could It be the engineer was getting ready to apply the brake and wait for the two men to catch up? Ella had to pray they wouldn’t stop, but until the train picked up speed, she wouldn’t be able to breathe.

Chapter 7 Closing In

After what seemed like forever, the train began to speed up and shot out of the station, leaving the two men in suits behind. Ella finally sucked in air, leaning back in her seat and trying to get her heart to stop beating out of her chest. “We lost them for now,” Rome said, taking her hand in his. “But this isn’t over yet.” “I know. Do you think your dad will have people waiting for us when we get to the next station?” “It’s a very real possibility. If he thinks there’s a good chance that I’m the one on this train, then, yeah, he won’t stop until he has me back under his lock and key.” She swallowed hard, wondering what they could do. “If we pull into the next station, and some of his thugs get on, we could just get off.” “But we won’t have our stuff. And besides, what would we do then? It’s just a game of cat and mouse, and we’re the mice.” He shook his head in defeat. Ella couldn’t think of anything to do either. The train they were on would take them into . They’d have to get off at the stop after next to switch trains if they decided to go on with their initial plans. Otherwise, they’d have to purchase additional tickets to stay on, and they’d eventually end up back in Italy, which probably wasn’t a good idea at all. “Maybe they will give up, since they probably think you’re the one at the airport.” “Maybe.” She could tell by the way he said it that he didn’t mean it, though. He didn’t think his dad would ever give up.

They sat there for a long time holding hands and contemplating what to do when Mary and Gus came back and sat down across from them. “Are you two all right?” Mary asked. “No. Did you see the two henchmen at the station, trying to chase down the train?” Ella asked. Mary nodded. “Yes, but Gus has an idea.” “What's that?” Rome asked, perking up for the first time in a long time. “Well, I was just thinking, we could use your fame to build up some hype and throw your father off of your tracks.” “How can we do that?” Ella asked, praying this was a good idea that would work. “I have a friend--Jacques. He is French but I try not to hold that against him.” “Hey!” Ella said, and Gus chuckled. “Anyway, despite his heritage, he looks much like you, Rome, my new friend. I thought I could give him a call, get him to go out to some public place with a bunch of his friends who could take some pictures and start posting them, try to build up a viral video, break Twitter and IG, that sort of thing, so that maybe it will get back to your father that you’re in Italy.” “That’s a good idea,” Ella said, nodding. “But you should have him go to the train station where we saw the car following us so that they’ll think we never left.” “And have him wear a similar outfit to Rome’s--jeans and a white shirt,” Mary added. “Just in case some of those guys in the hotel lobby were working for his dad.” “Yeah? You want me to try it, Rome?” “Sure,” Rome said with a nod. “It can’t hurt, right?” “Not unless they grab Jacques and do him some trouble, but I will have him

bring big, strong friends.” “Do you think he’ll be willing to do that, though? What will he get out of it?” Ella had to ask. “Are you kidding? Jacques is a big, big fan of Rome’s. He will be so happy to help him out. Also, he will be so happy to get to pretend to be his idol for a few hours. I will give him a call.” Gus pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Thanks, Gus. I appreciate it.” Rome reached over and shook his hand. “It’s no problem. But as soon as I am off of the phone, I would like for you to tell me how it is that your wife is still alive.” He looked at Ella and winked, and she realized for the first time that he had no idea what he’d truly gotten himself into. Gus stood and walked down the aisle. The train wasn’t very crowded, so he found a secluded spot and started talking to his friend. “You didn’t tell him?” Ella asked Mary, a small smile on her face. Mary shrugged. “No. I wasn’t sure you’d want me to. He asked me if you were who he thought you were, and I asked him who he thought you were, and he just laughed.” “I suppose if we can trust him with everything else, we can trust him with this. Did you tell him where we are going?” Rome asked her. “I told him our initial plan but not the whole thing. I figured we could just do this one step at a time. He seems fine with it and very trustworthy.” Mary had spent the most time with Gus of the three of them, so Ella was willing to trust her. A few minutes later, Gus was back. “He is so excited. He can’t wait to make a big stir at the train station. He said he’d keep us posted on how it goes. I told him not to get kidnapped.” “Solid advice,” Rome said with a nod. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to take that advice ourselves.”

“Hopefully,” Gus said. “This is not what I had in mind when I got up this morning, but it is an adventure, so I am happy for it.” “That makes one of us,” Ella said, shaking her head. “Yes. Now, Mrs. Verona. Tell me how it is that you’re alive.”

Chapter 8 Rearrange Your Face

They were approaching the first stop, and Rome was out of his seat pacing. He knew the attendants would tell him he had to sit down soon, and he would when they asked, but he was nervous. Not only did he have to take care of his wife and make sure nothing happened to her, he had two other innocent people with him as well. Ella had filled Gus in on how she had faked her death, though he noted she’d left out some of the details, like how they’d gotten the coroner and the police involved. Gus had thought it was hilarious and clapped his hand on his leg in glee. Now, Gus was busy giving them updates as to what was transpiring back at the train station in Milan. Jacques was doing an excellent job of impersonating Rome, and they’d already gotten thousands of likes, shares, reposts, and other attention. With any luck, the news had gotten back to his father, and he had his goons concentrating on that train station instead of the one they were about to stop in. “I have another idea,” Ella said, walking up to him where he was pacing between empty aisles. “What’s that?” he asked, noticing just how beautiful she was, even with her wig on. “Why don’t the three of us go into the bathroom and mix up our disguises a little bit. If they got a good look at us, and I’m not sure they did, they’ll be looking for two women and a guy, right? Maybe a male driver? What if we become three guys and a girl?” “Couldn’t we do that just by splitting up?” he asked. She shrugged. “Maybe. But this wig is pretty memorable. Maybe I can borrow some scissors from that lady back there who’s knitting and cut it off. I could borrow your mustache or something.”

“I have an extra mustache in my pocket,” Rome said, ing he’d kept that one in case the one that he was wearing came unglued and fell off. “Perfect. Then, if they do come in, we could all sit around and speak French and just not look at them. If we’re not afraid of them, they might not notice us.” “But I don’t speak French,” he reminded her. “That’s okay. Gus and I do. We can teach you enough to make it sound like you understand. Mary, too. Come on, we’re running out of time.” She took his hand and led him to the bathroom, borrowing the scissors along the way. Mary ed them, and a few minutes later, Rome found himself exiting the bathroom a red head while his wife wore a mustache and her long hair was tucked inside of a baseball cap Mary had borrowed from a little boy. She looked a lot like a guy, especially with an oversized jacket on and that facial hair. They almost didn’t recognize Gus when they came back because he’d changed, too. No longer wearing his hotel uniform jacket, he was wearing a sweater he must’ve borrowed from the knitter. He also had on glasses. Ella giggled as she sat down but then covered her mouth, realizing that was too feminine. She’d returned the scissors, and the older woman had chuckled and said something Rome didn’t catch, but she seemed to think they were all up to some shenanigans. Perhaps she was right. Ella and Gus taught the other two a few key phrases in French--”That’s interesting.” “You don’t say?” “What happened after that?” and gave them some signals so they’d know when to say them, and then the four of them waited. The train pulled into the station and there was a welcome announcement. They all four fought the urge to look outside because they were trying to pretend they weren’t afraid of anything. New engers began to board. Rome only glanced in their direction. He felt Ella tense up beside him. The way she was sitting, she was looking right toward the aisle where new people were coming on. He caught her eye, and she gave him a small nod. He didn’t dare look but he knew what that meant. His father’s men were on the train.

Chapter 9 Ruse

Ella willed herself not to look in the direction of the men in the suits headed her way, but it was all she could do to keep from lifting her eyes and look at them. She kept her focus on Gus, who was telling them a story from when he was in elementary school. While his French was perfect, he had a bit of an Italian accent. She hoped the men wouldn’t be listening too closely as they came by or that she could take over the majority of the conversation by then. But… would they be looking for her and expecting Ella Sinders to be speaking French? Surely, they didn’t know she was alive, did they? There were two of them, and they were large. Their slow pace let her know they were scrutinizing everyone. Rome wasn’t touching her since they didn’t want it to be obvious they were a couple, but she could see in his eyes that his muscles were as strained as hers. A few rows away, the men froze. She didn’t dare glance up and look at them to see if they were studying their group. Her heart was pounding out of her chest. Mary said something that was supposed to mean one thing and was really something else, which had Gus laughing, and telling her she needed to work a little harder on her French, not that she understood. She said, “Oui, oui,” like a poodle on a cartoon television show. The men were moving again. It was impossible not to see them now as they drew even with the row they were sitting in. Gus’s story continued. Then, one of the men slammed into Rome’s shoulder, hard. Ella looked up at them. She couldn’t help it. Tall, bald, with broad shoulders, dressed in a black suit jacket, white buttondown, tie, and slacks, it was clear he’d done it on purpose. Luckily, all of those years of wearing costumes in theater and movies had paid off for Rome and his wig didn’t budge.

In Italian, the man said, “Pardon me.” Rome waved him off like it was no big deal, and Ella said, “He said excuse me,” in French, as if Rome might not understand. Then she said, also in French, “In Italian, you can say, ‘Nessun problema,’ as a response.” Rome only looked at her because he didn’t speak French, but when she said the Italian phrase again, he caught on. “Oui,” he said, and then turning to glance at the man, he said, “Nessun problema.” Ella held her breath as she waited to see what the man would do. Did he buy it? Did he know he was looking right at the man he’d been searching for? It took a long moment before he continued on, and Gus praised Rome’s great Italian accent--in French, so he had no idea what he was saying, but Ella laughed and went along with it. Gus launched back into his story, and the two thugs went on down the row. As tempting as it was to turn and see if they sat down somewhere, Ella fought the urge. She stayed focused on Gus. She could tell Mary was watching the men, though. A few minutes later, she stuck her hand out and grabbed Gus by the wrist. “They got off,” she said. “What’s that?” Ella couldn’t believe that was the case. It seemed too good to be true. “Yeah, I see them over there, outside of the train on the tarmac.” “It could be a trick,” Rome reminded them. “It’s possible those were the two we were meant to see, but there are others.” It was a good point, so Ella didn’t let herself relax, even though it was tempting to do so. She wanted to melt into the seat and let all of her worries go for at least a few minutes. But with Rome’s cautionary statement, she kept herself on full alert, even after the train had pulled out of the station. “Now that the train is leaving, can I ask where we are headed next?” Gus asked. “I mean, after the train reaches its final destination.” Ella looked at Mary, not sure whether or not they should tell him, but she gave her a nod, as if she had already come to fully trust the driver.

Rome answered for them. “We were originally taking the train to Madrid then catching a flight to Budapest,” he said. “Now, the plan’s sort of up in the air.” “Budapest? I would've never thought to look there if I was your father. That could be a good plan,” Gus said with a shrug. “Do you have a better plan?” Mary asked, not sarcastic or rude at all, just inquisitive. A sly grin overcame Gus’s face as he contemplated the answer, and something told Ella when he got around to answering the question, he would definitely have a better plan.

Chapter 10 Change of Plans

Ella waited to hear what Gus’s plan might be. She had a feeling he had something up his sleeve, which shouldn’t have been a surprise considering how useful he’d been already. “Why not Domazlice?” he asked with a shrug. “I have a friend from my childhood who lives there who might be able to help us. It’s a much less likely place for them to be looking than a bigger city like Budapest.” “But won’t it be harder to blend in, too?” Rome asked, his tone not conveying he was opposed to the idea, just that he was thinking aloud. “The beautiful thing is that my friend is a master of disguise,” Gus said. “He used to be an undercover investigator for Interpol, but he is retired now.” Ella’s forehead crinkled. “How old is your friend?” “He’s much older than us,” Gus said. “He used to be my neighbor when I was a schoolboy, and I would go over every day and let him rearrange my face.” Rome laughed at his misuse of the phrase, but Gus didn’t even blink. “I guess you’re certain we can trust him if you’re suggesting we go there?” “Oh, yes. We can trust him. He’s quite trustworthy. He lives out in the country because he hates almost everyone, though. We will have to find an untraceable way to get there.” “Do they have rideshare there?” Mary asked. “I don’t even know what country that is.” “It’s the Czech Republic,” Ella told her, not blaming her for having never heard of the town. “They might, but it will be difficult to get a vehicle large enough for us and all of our luggage.”

“Could you call him? Could he pick us up?” Rome asked. Gus shrugged and got out his phone. “He doesn’t have a phone, but he does have email. It is possible he will check it before we get there, though not likely.” “Be cryptic,” Mary reminded him. Gus looked at her for a second and then smiled. “Do you think I do not know this, Mary?” “Sorry. I’m just paranoid after those guys were so close to nabbing us. They were right here. I thought they were going to grab Rome for sure.” Mary was visibly shaking. “I know,” Gus said, resting his hand on her leg. “It will be all right, Mary.” Ella thought it was really sweet the way he was comforting her. She looked at Rome and smiled, but he didn’t seem to notice what was going on between the other two. Gus typed in a quick email and then put his phone in his pocket. “Now, we shall wait and see.” “We’ll need to figure out a route to get to Domazlice,” Rome said, clearly thinking aloud. He pulled out his phone and began looking through train schedules. Ella preferred to look out the window and leave that to him. He was better with that sort of thing, anyway. She could manage , but that was about it. The countryside out the window was beautiful. It would be nice to stay there in her homeland, her mother’s homeland, anyway, and hide in the beautiful rolling hills. But they wouldn’t be safe there. She longed to call her aunts and let them know she was alive, but she couldn’t do that until they were safely out of the area. She missed Tim. Now that she had a few moments to relax and not worry about being apprehended, she thought about her cousin. She missed his laugh, the way he was always so excited to see her. Thinking of how scared he must’ve been, struggling to swim in the ocean and knowing he was going under, almost brought tears to her eyes, but she had to be strong.

Why he ever brought that gun on the boat, she couldn’t understand. He had become so paranoid all of a sudden, just in the last few days of his life. It had been her father who’d brought that upon him, making Tim so afraid that he’d come after Ella, that he’d need to protect her, that he’d gotten that stupid gun. If she had told Tim the truth about Rome, he probably wouldn’t have been happy about it, but he might’ve learned to accept it. He might at least still be alive. Or, in the back of her mind, she wondered if maybe he would’ve shot Rome instead of Mark…. “All right, I’ve got it figured out.” Rome seemed satisfied with his plan and put his phone away. Ella reached over and took his hand, glad he was there with her. Even if they were in an awful predicament, one she would never wish anyone would have to be on, she was glad she was with him.

Chapter 11 Meeting King

It was dark by the time they got off of the train in Domazlice. So far, they hadn’t seen any of Rome’s father’s men again after the incident on the train earlier in the day, but Ella wasn’t about to let her guard down now, even though it seemed very unlikely that they would’ve followed the party here without picking them up at all of the other stops they’d made that day. “King is here, waiting for us in the parking lot,” Gus said, looking at his phone. “He answered you, then?” Mary asked, leaning over to look at Gus’s phone as they were walking behind Ella and Rome on the way to get their baggage. “Yes, he emailed me and said he would pick us up in his truck.” Ella turned and looked at him, raising an eyebrow. Would they all fit in his truck? What kind of a truck would it be? It didn’t matter so much, as long as he would take them someplace safe so they could figure out what to do next. Once they had all of their bags, Gus led the way to the parking lot. Ella kept her head busy, looking around for anyone suspicious. So she didn’t see where they were headed until they were almost there. King’s truck had to be at least fifty years old if not older. He was standing outside of it. A large man, wearing thick work pants and a flannel shirt with a jacket over it. The weather was substantially colder here than it had been in and Italy, but Ella was too nervous to feel it. Gus said something to the man in a language Ella didn’t understand, and they shook hands before the giant man engulfed him in a huge hug that almost made Gus disappear. Their new friend laughed and then, turning to them, said, “Toss the bags in the back. Rome and I can ride back there so the girls will be safer in the cab.

Ella didn’t like the idea of Rome riding in the back of the truck for several reasons, not the least of which was that he could be spotted and recognized. He did still have on his wig and mustache. But what if he fell out or was hit by debris? Seeing the uneasiness in her eyes, Rome leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’ll be all right,” he said. She nodded, hoping he was right. She also realized she just didn’t want to let go of him. But she did. Ella released Rome and went around with Mary to get in the front of the truck. It was a tight squeeze, and she found herself in the middle. King got into the cab and she had even less room as the burly old man filled the space. He smelled like tobacco and leather, but he flashed them a friendly smile. Once the men were in the back, he started the truck, and they headed out. “You girls all right?” he asked in broken English. She had assumed he would be Italian since he had been Gus’s neighbor when he was younger, but his accent sounded more Slavic or Russian to her. She wanted to ask him where he was from but also didn’t want to pry. “We’re good.” Mary answered for both of them as Ella tried to calm her mind and get her bearings. They were headed out of town now, which should’ve made her feel better, but she was nervous about this man driving the truck. He was so muscular, and she had trouble trusting anyone she didn’t know. “Good, good,” he said. “I am happy to meet the both of you. I will do my best to help you. Gus is a good friend of mine.” “Yes, he’s great,” Mary agreed, and Ella hid a smile, thinking there was more to that statement than King would be able to decipher. “Is King your first name or your last name?” Mary asked. “It is nickname,” he said. “I like to think of myself as king of my world, so everyone calls me that,” he said with a shrug. “Out at my place, no one bothers me. It’s just me and my dog. I am the king of my own world.” A rich, deep chuckle emanated from deep inside of his throat. “So there aren’t any neighbors or anything?” Mary asked. Ella was glad her

friend was relaxed enough to ask the important questions and be polite. She couldn’t think clearly enough to come up with anything to say. “No. You will be perfectly safe at my place. It is like compound. No one comes in or out without me knowing.” That did make Ella feel better. Perhaps they could stay there for a while, if they ended up liking it. The truck hit a big bump, and Ella spun around the best she could to make sure that Rome and Gus were okay. They were laughing, so she figured they must be. Rome waved at her, and she waved back, starting to relax a little bit. King might be a big guy, but he seemed to be a good one, and she felt like he could keep them safe. That didn’t mean they were out of danger, but at least she could stop peering into the darkness for a while and let her lungs fill completely with oxygen, something she hadn’t done in days.

Chapter 12 Safe House

Rome had never ridden in the back of a truck before, but it was actually kind of fun, even when King went over big bumps that made him think he might go flying out at any moment. Gus was also having a good time, though he was keeping his enthusiasm reined in so as to keep eyes off of them, Rome supposed. It took over an hour to get to King’s property, and even then, they had to wind their way through a thick woods to get to his house. Rome and Gus laid down flat in the back of the truck to keep the tree branches from reaching out and clawing at their eyes. Between the branches, Rome could see the night sky. Without a cloud in sight, the stars were bright and plentiful. Looking up at them brought a sense of peace to him he hadn’t felt in days, not since before the incident with Tim and Mark on the boat. It seemed like that had happened weeks, even months, ago, but it wouldn’t even be a week until the next day. So much had transpired, it was almost surreal to think of all the things that had changed in just a few days. Out there somewhere, his parents were coordinating a search for him. He knew his father was ordering the men out into the streets to try to find him, but his mother would be demanding results. She probably hadn’t stopped crying since she realized he was gone. Part of him wanted to feel sorry for her, but she was just as guilty in this as his dad was. He thought back to how he’d felt when he was about to use that knife to end it all. He’d never been in such a dark place before in his entire life. Thoughts of living a life without Ella in it had driven him beyond his breaking point. He prayed he never felt like that again. They drove out of the woods, and Gus sat up. Rome pulled up off of the truck bed as well, and his phone vibrated in his pocket. He imagined it was likely Bart since no one else had this number. Hopefully, his friend was calling to report he was safely back in the US or maybe even back in LA, but he didn’t have time to

check at the moment. A large fence wound its way around King’s property. The man got out of the truck to open the gate. It took him a moment to get enough traction to push the large wrought iron edifice open, but eventually he got it moving and it was open enough for him to come back to the truck and drive it through. He then got out to reverse the process, and Gus jumped out to help. Before Rome could even think about doing the same, they were back in the truck, driving up a winding lane to a large brick structure. The place looked like a compound. The closer they got, Rome could tell much of what he’d initially thought was part of the house were actually brick walls. Layers upon layers of them surrounded the building proper. Rome wondered just how big the place might actually be on the inside. King got out again, this time to open a garage door. He drove them inside and then turned off the truck before he went over to close the solid wooden door. He locked it into place with several large silver bolts. Nothing was getting in that way. “Welcome to my place,” King said, helping the guys grab the luggage out of the back. “You will be safe here, that I can assure you. No one comes in or out of King’s land without King knowing.” He gave a hearty laugh, and Rome felt safe for the first time since before the boat. He gave Ella a reassuring smile and followed King into his house. He flipped a switch, illuminating a large room with a couch and a few chairs, a coffee table, and a wall full of monitors that showed various scenes of the woods and spaces around the house. A solid wood door separated this room from the only other exit Rome could see. Setting their luggage down, King said, “Let me explain. Each room is separated by heavy wooden doors in case intruder does get in. I can keep them in one area. I have weapons in each room.” He gestured at the ceiling where Rome could see various spray nozzles that looked a bit like a sprinkler system, though more rudimentary. “Kitchen is through here. Bedrooms are down staircase here.” He went over to the corner and lifted what appeared to be a section of wood floor up, revealing a staircase. “Entire house is made of brick so no worries about fires. Except

wooden floors, and I am always very careful about flames in house. I will take you downstairs, show you other exit and your rooms. I only have three bedrooms, two guest rooms, so you will have to sort that out.” Ella and Mary exchanged a glance that let Rome know he might not be rooming with his wife. Maybe Gus could sleep on the couch…. The basement was similar to the living room. Another couch sat here, with more monitors, but there was also a small television and a computer. There were five wooden doors here. “These two are guest rooms. This one is where I keep my disguises, and this is my bedroom. That is exit.” He pointed to the smallest door. “There is tunnel that leads up to barn in woods. I keep motorcycle there in case I need to get away.” “Wow--it sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into this,” Mary said. King nodded. “When zombies come, I’ll be ready!” He froze for a second, and they all tried to puzzle through whether or not he was serious. When he started laughing, they all did, too. No one asked his true reasoning for going to all of this trouble to keep society away from him, and Rome thought it was just as well that they didn’t because he was too tired to get into all of that at the moment. “What about a restroom?” Mary asked. “Restroom is inside bedrooms. It’s not fancy. You will not like.” “That’s okay. I just need to use one,” Mary said with a giggle that indicated she was slightly embarrassed to it that. King unbolted the door closest to him and Mary went in. She made a sound that alarmed them all, but only Ella went in to investigate. She came back a few seconds later with an awkward smile on her face. “It’s a… bucket. With a seat on top.” “Shower is in my bathroom in my room, but only have cold water,” King explained. “Great. Well, I think… we’ll wait until tomorrow to explore that.”

“I make stew earlier,” he said. “You come upstairs when ready.” He patted Gus on the back and then headed back up the stairs. “Well, at least we have someplace safe to sleep tonight,” Ella said with a smile. “Yes, and someone to help us with our disguises,” Rome agreed. He had considered asking if they could stay for a week or so, but now he knew they’d have to move on soon. He couldn’t ask the girls to take cold showers and go to the bathroom in a bucket. Mary came back a minute or so later. “How do I wash my hands?” she asked, spinning in circles as she looked around the room. “You don’t,” Gus said with a shrug. “Ready to go eat?” Mary wrinkled her nose, but when they headed up the stairs she came along. “Maybe there will be water in the kitchen.”

Chapter 13 Stewing

The aftertaste of King’s stew lingered in Ella’s mouth long after she’d finished shoveling down a few bites, which had been hours ago. She lay in the dark on a small, twin bed, listening to Rome’s heartbeat and trying to be thankful that they were together, despite the fact that she was hungry and uncomfortable. “It could be worse,” he whispered, brushing her cheek with his fingertips. “You could be Mary.” Ella giggled and moved slightly so that she was probably facing him. It was hard to say since there were no windows in the room, and the only light came from underneath the door. The sliver of light did little to illuminate anything in the room, but she could still see his eyes. “I don’t think she minds as much as she let on,” Ella pointed out, thinking of what Mary had said when Gus had volunteered to sleep on the couch outside of the door, and she’d said he could share the small bed with her… she guessed. Rome chuckled and brushed her hair back from her face, kissing her on the forehead. “I think we should leave tomorrow, as soon as King is done transforming us.” “I agree. Do you still think we should head to the same location we were going to before, or should we go somewhere else?” He let out a sigh, which made her think he’d had more on his mind lately than she’d been privy to. “I sort of want to see what the lawyer has to say before we head too far away from a flight or two to LA.” She had a feeling that’s what he was pondering. “You want to go back?” “I mean… I’m thinking about it. Bart’s home now, and as far as he can tell, no one’s looking for him.”

“He told his dad, though, right?” “Yes, and he moved into his parents’ house just to give himself that extra barrier of protection. He said that, as far as he can tell, everyone still thinks you’re dead.” Ella hated that she hadn’t gotten a chance to call her aunts yet, but King had been very hesitant to even let Rome call Bart back. He didn’t want any “pinging in his location” was how he’d put it. He didn’t even want them to leave their cell phones on, but he’d given in as long as they didn’t make “a lot of phone calls.” “Tomorrow, we can reassess the situation, but I’m not crazy about the sleeping arrangements here, and I’m not even sure if the lack of exits makes us safer or more like trapped rats.” Ella had thought the same thing when King was showing them the limited amount of ways to get out. “Hopefully, no one knows where we are, and we can get out of here without being followed.” “Hopefully,” Rome agreed, kissing her on the head again. Ella closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep, hoping they could both get some rest despite the uncomfortable circumstances. As much as she wanted to believe tomorrow would be a new day, one where no one was chasing her, she had a feeling her luck wouldn’t allow that to happen, and she’d need as much rest as she could get. Rome’s dad wouldn’t stop coming after them, not until he got what he wanted. If he already thought she was dead and he was still trying to track down his son, that meant he just wanted control over Rome. As long as that was Monty Verona’s prerogative, she and Rome could never be happy together or left in peace. Ella had dozed off and was in the middle of an odd dream when a noise woke her. She couldn’t quite place it at first, but after she was awake and heard it again, she knew what it was. “Gunfire?” she whispered to Rome, who was sitting up in bed beside her. “Yeah.” He was moving, putting on his shirt and his shoes. “Where’s it coming from?” Ella asked. It didn’t seem like it was inside of the house, but with all of the walls around the compound, it was difficult to believe

they’d be able to hear something that was coming from outside. “I don’t know. Stay here.” Rome went over to the door and unbolted the large silver locks he’d put in place hours ago when they’d first gone to bed. Ella was putting her shoes on. She was already dressed. Before Rome could close the door, she was out into the common area behind him. “I told you to stay inside.” “I didn’t listen.” she said with a shrug. There was no way she was letting him go without her. If she had her say, she’d never leave his side again. The computer monitors were on, and they immediately caught Ella’s attention. She saw two men with rifles out in the woods, walking stealthily between the trees. One of them paused and fired his gun. Even though she should’ve expected to hear it a split second later, the noise made her jump. “Hunters?” Rome asked. “What time is it?” Ella couldn’t believe hunters would be out that time of night. “I don’t know, but those guys don’t look like the sort of guys my dad would pay. They’re scraggly and dressed in old clothes.” “Disguises?” “No, they’re not here for us.” Gus’s voice behind her had Ella spinning. How had he snuck up on her? He continued. “They’re here for King.”

Chapter 14 Safe and Sound

Rome stared at Gus for a long moment before he said, “So the guy who is supposed to be keeping us safe brought us to a shootout?” “I think it’s more like the guy who is keeping us safe went out into the world to fetch us and brought back some enemies who otherwise might not have known where he was,” Gus said with a shrug. “Where’s Mary?” Ella asked. “Asleep.” “How can she sleep through this?” Rome wanted to know. Gus shrugged. “She was… tired.” He ran a hand through his hair and looked away, and Rome found himself wondering how he had slept through that--how thick were these walls, anyway? “What should we do?” Ella asked. “I don’t think we should do anything,” Gus replied, looking Ella in the eyes. “King has it under control, I’m sure.” “What were they shooting at then?” Rome asked. Gus stepped over to the monitors, his hands on his hips, as he looked from one to the next. These weren’t as high tech as the ones upstairs, but they could see what was happening. The two men they’d seen with shotguns were making their way through the woods. On another monitor, a spring of some sort was triggered, and the guns went off again, but this time, there was return fire, apparently from the spring that was triggered and the form of a man, that looked something like a scarecrow. It was clear on the monitor that it wasn’t a real person, but in the dark, the attackers wouldn’t be able to see that. He wondered if the gunshots

fired back at them were real or if they were just blanks. When one of the men on the monitor grasped at his arm and shouted something in what sounded like Russian to Rome, he got his answer. “How did he do that?” Rome wanted to know. “King is a genius when it comes to setting up defenses such as these,” Gus explained. “He has discussed how he would do it with me many times. I just didn’t realize he had put it into play.” “It’s no wonder he was so careful when we drove in.” Ella had her arms folded as they watched the monitors. Rome put his arm around her. At the moment, he didn’t think she was in any danger, but he wasn’t walking away from the monitors as long as the gunfire was close enough to the compound to be heard. The door at the other side of the stairs opened, and they heard footsteps coming their direction. “Is that King?” Rome asked, pushing Ella behind him. “I believe so,” Gus said. Then, in Italian, he shouted, “King is that you?” Rome’s Italian was just good enough for him to be able to understand. “Why are you kids up?” King asked with a chuckle before he appeared at the end of the stairs. “Because someone is shooting at us?” Gus asked, and King let out a loud chuckle. “Not at you. At me. I shoot back though. They’re on their way. Don’t worry. There is no danger here.” “We’re sorry if they followed us here,” Rome said, meaning it. “We never meant to put you in harm’s way.” “Everything is a harm,” King said with a shrug. “I am used to being in danger. That’s why I have built this place. Don’t worry. You’re safe. Go back to sleep. The sun will be up soon.” Taking that to mean King expected them all to be up at first light, Rome took one more look at the monitors. Deciding they were safe, now that the men were out of the picture, he took Ella by the hand and led her back toward their bedroom.

Once inside, he bolted the door into place, took off his shoes and shirt, and sat down on the cot. Ella was sitting on the edge, too. “I don’t think I can go back to sleep,” she said, stifling a yawn. “You’re obviously tired.” “I am, but… that was scary.” He brushed her hair back. “You’re safe.” “How do you know? We don’t even know where those guys went.” “They weren’t here for us. They were here for King. He didn’t even put any shoes on, so I think he’s not scared. If he’s not, why should we be?” “True.” She stretched and slipped her shoes off. “Still….” “Do you want me to stay awake while you sleep?” “No. You need to sleep more than I do. I slept for three days.” Laughing, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down onto the thin pillow. “I slept quite a bit, too, ?” “That’s true. Life was a lot simpler then… when we were unconscious.” He kissed her and rotated his arm so it was around her middle. “True. But I’d rather be awake and with you, even if it’s more complicated, than alone.” “Me, too.” She kissed him but then lay back on the pillow, and he had a feeling she’d be out in a few minutes, even if she did say she didn’t want to go to sleep. She felt safe in his arms. He could only hope she actually was safe there.

Chapter 15 Breakfast of Kings

Rome woke up with a crick in his neck. He had to look at his phone to see what time it was, since the windowless room gave no clues. It was just a little past seven. Normally, he wouldn’t get up that early, but something told him he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep under the circumstances anyway. He may as well let Ella try to get another hour or so with the entire tiny bed. He feared using the makeshift restroom would be enough to wake her up, but he didn't have a choice and was glad that she only let out a little sigh when he relieved himself. He put on a shirt and his shoes and went out to see if anyone else was stirring. He had the feeling King wasn’t the sort to sleep in--he had the feeling King wasn’t the sort of fellow to sleep much at all. He found their host in the kitchen, mixing up some concoction that was probably supposed to be their breakfast. The scent of sausage and eggs mingled with a bold spice Rome couldn’t quite put his finger on. He doubted Ella would want to eat this. “Good morning,” he said as King turned to look at him. “Good morning, Mr. Rome. How are you?” Rome found a smile. “Good, good. And you?” King let out a hearty laugh. “Good. The excitement last night keep you up?” “No, not for too long. I managed to go back to sleep. Does that happen to you often?” With a shrug, King gave his pan of food a stir. “Sometimes. I am afraid I have many enemies. But I don’t worry so much. I have lots of defenses all around to keep them away from my home.” “I saw that.” Rome really didn’t want to go into everything that he’d seen. “Well, if you don’t mind, I think we’ll ask you to help us with our disguises, and then,

we’ll be out of your hair.” “Oh? You don't want to stay a few days?” “We don’t want to be any more trouble,” Rome said, leaning back against the one counter in the kitchen. “Is no trouble,” King said with a shrug. “You going to the airport?” The fact that he didn’t protest too much made Rome think he’d actually be happy to see them go. “That’s the plan. If you can give us a ride either to the airport or to a place where we can catch a ride….” “I’ll take you there. But will have to wait until nightfall. I don’t drive out of here during the day.” “That’s fine. Thanks,” Rome said, but he was disappointed. He was hoping to get out of there soon rather than later. He wanted to call Bart, and he knew Ella was dying to call her aunts. But they needed to respect King’s wishes not to use their phones from his compound. “This is finished,” he said, removing the pan from the heat. “Shall we wake the others?” “Uh, I’m not sure about Mary and Gus, but I know Ella would rather sleep than eat any day.” “Then I guess they’ll just have to warm it up.” He laughed again and grabbed a few plates from a cabinet. Rome knew he’d have no choice but to eat it, and he hoped it wasn’t as awful as the stew from the night before. It was nice of King to go to so much trouble for them, and he didn’t want to seem ungrateful. The man heaped a portion on a plate and handed it to Rome, along with a fork and a tin cup full of water. “Thanks,” Rome said, stilling himself before he took a bite. To his relief, it wasn’t that bad. A little spicy, which made him think Ella wouldn’t like it, but it was edible.

“How long have the two of you been married?” King asked. “Not long,” Rome said with a shrug. “I’m not exactly sure what Gus told you, but our parents have been enemies for years.” “He said that your father didn’t want you to marry her, and she faked her own death to get away from her dad.” He took a bite from his plate, his spoon so full that pieces fell back into the mixture. “That’s pretty much it. To make things worse, my best friend was killed by her cousin, and then her cousin accidentally drowned. The police thought the drowning might’ve been my fault, but I did everything I could to save him. Then, my dad realized I’d married her and kept me locked in the house, drugged me, and brought me to Italy.” “Wow--that sounds like something out of a movie,” King mused. “Yes, it does. My friend Bart helped Ella fake her death. Mary helped, too. She used to work for Ella’s dad but is Ella’s personal assistant now. The two of them managed to sneak Ella out of the country. In the meantime, I’d heard that Ella was dead and was just about to take drastic measures to be with her again when she showed up outside my window.” Rome shrugged at that last bit. He still didn’t know how Ella had found him. Even with the address, it was a large building with lots of windows. The fact that she’d found his made him think she was sent there to save him. “You’re one lucky bastard,” King said. “Even though it sounds like you’ve been through a lot, you’ve got a beautiful woman willing to give up everything for you. She is sweet, too. It sounds like the two of you will have good life, soon as you figure out how to get away from your crazy parents.” “Yes--and that’s the rub. I don’t think I want to keep running forever, King. I think I want to try to go back and face them.” He nodded. “Running is… no good. Especially when you have loved ones to care for. Out here, it’s just me most of the time. I don't worry about anyone else. If I still had a wife… it might be different.” “What happened to her?” Rome asked, taking a drink of his water and hoping he wasn't being too nosy.

King shook his head slowly, and Rome figured that meant he wouldn’t answer. To his surprise, the man said, “KGB.” “Really?” King shrugged. He clearly didn’t want to say more. Rome managed to finish off the food on his plate. “You want more?” his host asked. “No, thank you. I’m stuffed.” He rubbed his stomach, which really was full. “Thank you, though. It was good.” King looked proud of himself. “I no cook many things, but I can handle breakfast.” Rome smiled at him. “I agree.” He definitely preferred King’s version of breakfast to his stew. They heard footsteps on the stairs, and soon Gus and Mary had ed them. As they made their plates, Rome excused himself to go check on Ella. She may as well take her time if they couldn’t head to the airport until later. He’d need to look at flights, too, which meant he’d need King’s permission to use his phone, or he’d have to find an alternative method to checking the schedule. She was still asleep when he opened the door. Rome stood and stared at her for a long moment, taking in how beautiful she was. King was certainly right. He was a lucky man. He just needed to figure out how to make sure he kept her safe. Losing her again was not an option.

Chapter 16 Find a Way

The weight of someone’s eyes on her face had Ella’s eyelashes flickering. She knew it was Rome before she even opened her eyes, before she was even fully awake, but she didn’t want to come back to the real world just yet. She knew where she was, and she was glad he was there with her, but facing life in the compound wasn’t nearly as blissful as the dream she’d be leaving where she and Rome were alone on a secluded beach, his arms around her, the sun beating down on them as the cool waves crept up their legs. Unable to fight it any longer, she moaned and rubbed her fists in her eyes. “What time is it?” she asked, her voice so groggy she hardly recognized it. “Almost eight,” he said. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.” She opened her eyes to see a small amount of light coming in through the cracked door, enough to illuminate his silhouette as he kneeled beside her on the floor. Ella ran a hand through his hair, her fingers caressing his cheek. “It’s okay. I guess I have to get up and get on with it.” Her bladder was full, but the thought of using the bucket toilet again made her wince. Rome’s arms around her had her scooting closer to the edge of the bed, closer to him. His lips were on her neck, warm and comforting. She moaned, but this time, it wasn’t because she was struggling to stay asleep. She wanted him to keep touching her, despite their bleak surroundings. His hands ran across the thin fabric of the T-shirt she was wearing, bringing her body to life. Her eyes were closed, but that didn't hinder her from finding his lips when he bent to kiss her. He tasted like eggs, sausage, and spices, but she didn’t care. He was there with her; they were together. Nothing else mattered. “Let me bar the door,” he said to her, and Ella let go of him so he could do just

that. She suddenly felt cold without his arms around her, but he was back in a moment, and as his kisses intensified, she lost herself in his touch, letting him carry her out of the compound back to the beach, to the edge of ecstasy, and keep her there for what seemed like hours. When they were finally finished, she lay in his arms, caressing his chest, trailing her fingers down his abdomen, wondering at this marvelous man of hers and how lucky she was that they were together again. “I love you, Ella,” he whispered. “I’ll do everything I can to make sure you’re safe.” “I love you, too,” she said, leaning up to kiss him. “I know you will. But… we can’t just be safe. We have to be happy. And if running isn’t what you want to do, then we’ll figure it out.” “Wherever you are, I’ll be happy, as long as I’m with you,” he assured her. Ella smiled and kissed him again, knowing what he said was true, but if he wanted his life back, she wouldn’t stand in the way of making that happen. She’d just have to figure out how she could stay dead and be in California with him at the same time. It sounded impossible, but so was nearly everything else they’d been through. So she knew they’d find a way.

Chapter 17 New Identity

“The key to a good disguise is to make one feature draw the attention away from all others,” King was saying as he worked on transforming Ella into someone else. “You want to make it look as if it isn’t possible that one feature is false, so that the mind is tricked into focusing on that feature and dismissing all others.” Ella watched the face she’d drawn used to recognizing in the mirror transform into something else, a person she didn’t even know. Her eyes weren’t even the same color as usual after King put colored s into her eyes. Her hair was short and feathered, though it wasn’t actually hers. She was wearing a truly convincing wig. Her teeth were off-white with a gap between them, and behind thick glasses, she had dark eyes. Perhaps the most noticeable part of her new facade, though, was the mole next to her nose. It was placed so much better than the one she’d stuck on the day before. It looked real. She didn’t look like a young woman even. She looked more like she was in her mid-to-late thirties. King had clothes for her to wear that fit her new facade and would make it less likely to recognize her as a wealthy American as well. “Wow!” Rome said, as she turned to look at him. “I wouldn’t even know it was you.” Ella smiled, and he noticed the gap between her teeth and laughed at that. “What do we do about our port pictures, though?” Ella asked King. “I will take care of those before you leave. Don’t worry. I have gotten hundreds of people through screening without fail. Not one failure.” Ella had no choice but to trust him. She certainly wouldn’t be able to get through customs looking like this. She looked nothing like the fake picture Bart had attached to her port. Over the next few hours, King transformed all four of them so that not a single one of them looked anything like themselves. Mary became an old woman with

a crooked back. Gus became even younger somehow, and Rome looked nothing like the athletic heartthrob he had been when King started. Once he was satisfied with his work, King took new port pictures of each of them and then set about remaking their fake documentation, giving them fake driver’s licenses as well. He changed their names to something that seemed random to Ella. She wasn’t Juliet anymore. Now, she was Cindy Grimm. “All of these name changes, I’m not going to be able to keep track of who I am anymore,” Mary said, looking at her new port that called her Nancy Ratcliff. “I think I will just start calling everyone, ‘Hey you!’” Rome joked. Ella agreed with a giggle. It would be hard to who everyone was. They decided they needed to travel lighter, so as much as it pained her to do so, Ella left her wedding dress and the gown she’d gotten from Tim in King’s care, along with some other items. He promised he’d take good care of them and return the items to her as soon as she was settled somewhere. She had no idea if or when she would ever be able to be settled again, but she prayed she would be, someday. Night had fallen by the time King loaded them up and headed back to the airport. This time, each of them only had one small bag. King had kept their expensive luggage and traded it out for some old bags of his. “Now, this isn’t going to have any bomb residue on it, is it?” Gus asked him. King laughed and said, “No. Probably not!” Ella hoped he was joking. This time when she squeezed into the truck with him, she didn’t feel so odd sitting next to the older man. He took his time winding his way out of the woods, and now Ella understood why that was important, too. There were traps and other triggering devices planted everywhere, meant to deter people like the ones who’d attacked the night before, but it was just as likely King would accidentally trigger them himself if he wasn’t careful. Eventually, they made it out to the main road, but he took a different route, trying to establish that they weren’t being followed.

He didn’t drop them off at the airport, either. Instead, he dropped them at a bus station, and the four of them would have to catch a bus to the airport. That was fine with Ella. If any of King’s enemies were following them, maybe they’d be able to lose them before they got to their actual destination. “No dilly dallying when I stop,” he said to the girls as they approached the bus stop. “Thank you for everything,” Ella said to him, understanding what he meant. “You are quite welcome. Best of luck to all of you.” He stopped a half a block away from their destination, and the girls got out. Rome and Gus hopped out of the back, grabbing their bags. Ella thanked him hastily again, closed the door, and stepped onto the sidewalk, taking her bag from Rome, even though he would’ve kept it. But the four of them were planning to act like they didn’t know each other, even on the plane. Of course, first they had to figure out where they were going. Rome stepped away from the others while they walked toward the bus stop. He had his phone out and was investigating plane tickets. The bus pulled up, and about five other people got on. Just as Ella stepped onto the bus, Rome got in line behind her. She turned to look at him, and he nodded. They had tickets. That was something. Now, where in the world were they going?

Chapter 18 Fly Away

There was a rhyme and reason to Rome’s plan when he chose his flight. He didn’t pick the most obvious of no-go flights, the one where he thought his father, if he had an idea of where he was, would suspect they might be headed. He didn’t choose any of the smaller towns one could fly to out of Domazlice. Instead, he picked a medium-sized city, one he doubted his father would pay too much attention to. It was a city in Russia, Orenburg, one Rome wasn’t familiar with, but he saw that it was easy to reach destinations outside of Russia from that airport. The size was also appealing. It wasn’t so big they would have trouble navigating, but it was big enough for them to get lost if they needed to. Rome emailed all of the others their boarding es from an anonymous email so they couldn’t be traced back to him. They would have two hours to get to the airport and get through security. That shouldn’t be a problem, as long as they didn’t meet any opposition. As he settled into a seat on the bus, it was difficult to fight the urge to look around him. He felt as if he should be watching to see if they were being followed again, but then, why would the person he was pretending to be have to worry about something like that? Acting paranoid was the best way to draw attention to himself, and he didn’t need any of that. They seemed to be safe on the bus. There was no sign of anyone following them or anyone on the bus who looked as if they might be of a questionable nature. The other engers looked like regular people either headed to the airport or just making their way from point A to point B. When they reached the stop near the airport, Rome grabbed his bag and stood, waiting for a few other people to exit ahead of him. One of those people was Ella. “After you, miss,” he whispered, catching her eyes. She smiled but didn’t say anything. Speaking English was probably not in their best interest, so he

didn’t blame her for not responding to him. The airport wasn’t busy at all. Rome took his time stepping over to get his boarding from one of the machines. Ella had gone to the desk to get hers, and Gus was across the room, on the phone. He’d lost track of Mary momentarily but then glimpsed her coming out of a restroom. Eventually, he saw all three of them head through the screening process. It was only when all of the others were free and clear that he went through, having told them all ahead of time he’d be last. He wasn’t surprised to see the others hadn’t gone far, though. Once he was through the screening, he didn’t stop or signal to them at all. Instead, he headed toward his gate as if he didn’t know a single other person in the airport. It all seemed too easy--almost. About two hours after Rome had left King’s compound, the four of them were scattered throughout the coach class seats of an airplane, bound for Russia. No one on the plane seemed to recognize him. No one seemed to be looking for him. He wanted to let down his guard and go to sleep, but his mind wouldn’t let him. Just because he couldn’t see them, that didn’t mean the bad guys weren’t still out there, hunting him like he was an animal. No, he knew his father wouldn’t give up. Just because the trail went cold, that didn’t mean that he’d stop looking. He knew Monty Verona well enough to understand he wouldn’t stop hunting until he found his prey.

Chapter 19 Welcome to the Hotel Russia

The plane landed in Orenburg early in the morning. Rome had arranged for each of them to get to a hotel far away from the airport by different means. He didn’t like the idea of having his eyes off of Ella for even a few minutes, but it seemed like the safest thing to do. He’d arranged for her to take the bus, so she would at least be in public. Likewise, Mary would take a hotel shuttle. Both Rome and Gus would take cabs, but not together. In fact, he waited until he was sure Gus had already gotten into a cab before he even got in line. Once again, he was thankful Bart had managed to get all of his money into an that would be untraceable to his father so he had plenty of money to make it happen. They all had separate rooms at the hotel, too, on different floors. That wouldn't stop him from sharing a room with his wife, but he didn’t need to alert anyone who was looking for four people, or even more than one person, traveling together. Rome got into the cab and told the driver the name of the hotel. He nodded and pulled away from the curb. Rome sent Ella a text. “Are you okay?” “Yes. I’m on the bus. Everything seems fine.” “Good. Just be careful. I love you.” “I love you, too.” Of course, he got to the hotel before she did. Gus had already sent him a text that he was checked into his room before Rome approached the check-in desk. He got his room key and headed to the elevator, but he waited to go up until he saw Ella walk in the front door. He almost didn’t recognize her at first, she looked so odd. He’d forgotten that he should be looking for a middle aged woman with a large mole. He smiled to himself. She didn’t even notice him. Deciding she was safe now, he headed

upstairs. Mary sent a text that she was in her room. He hadn’t noticed her at all. Had she been in the lobby at the same time he was? Rome got to his room and carefully removed his costume. He had watched with interest when King had applied it, and he had the tools to put it back on so he could look like his port again the next day when they flew out of Russia. He sat down on the edge of the bed, his phone in his hand. He was waiting for Ella to text him. Instead, he heard a knock on his door. He went over and checked the peephole. It was her. “Well, hello stranger….” She still had her disguise on. She came in, laughing, and he quickly shut the door. “I’d kiss you, but I’d feel like I was cheating on you,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “You’d better kiss me,” she said, making a face at him that made her look even more odd. He couldn’t help but chuckle, but when he closed his eyes and found her lips, it was almost the same as usual--except for the gap between her teeth. Ella pulled back and they stared at each other. “Okay… you gotta take that off. I just can’t.” She giggled at him. “Are you sure you can put it back on me tomorrow?” “I'm not sure I want to, but yeah, I think so. I’ve had my makeup and enough prosthetics put on me over the years, I’m pretty sure I can.” “Okay,” she said, going into the bathroom to take her fake face off. Rome went back to the bed and called Bart, not even sure what time it was there. He answered. “Hey. You okay?” Bart asked. “Yeah.” Rome didn’t tell him where he was. Bart didn’t want to know. “You?” “So far. Some guy came over to talk to my dad yesterday. He was from your father’s staff. He wanted to know if I’d been out of the country recently. My dad told him no, I’d been there, but he didn’t see why that was anyone’s business. Dad seemed to think he’d bought it.”

“Shit,” Rome muttered. “I’m glad your dad was willing to lie.” “Dad doesn’t know about Ella, but he knows I went to help you get out.” “Be careful, Bart. The last thing we need is for something to happen to you.” “I’ll be okay. Have you called Donnie yet?” Donnie was the lawyer. “Not yet. I was waiting until it seemed safe to do so.” “All right. I’ve heard some rumors that the police are wondering where you are. They haven’t come to talk to me, though.” “Great.” That wasn’t good news at all. He hoped that wasn’t because they wanted to question him about Tim’s death. “Okay. I’ll give him a call.” He let out a loud sigh. “Thanks, man.” “Yeah. Just… be cautious, all right?” “I will. Thanks.” Rome hung up just as Ella came out of the bathroom. She was herself again. And all she was wearing was a T-shirt and a pair of panties. Rome forgot all about the phone call he needed to make. Ella came to him on the bed and straddled him. He pulled her close, and she leaned down and found his lips. Losing himself in her kisses, Rome let everything else go and concentrated on this woman he loved. At the moment, nothing else mattered.

Chapter 20 Call to Life

The streets of Orenburg were dark as Ella sat with her phone in her hand, back in her own room for some privacy, trying to figure out how to tell her aunts she wasn’t dead. She had to be careful that they didn’t find out where she was and that the call wasn’t traceable. If her father ever found out that she was alive, he’d pressure them to tell him everything they knew about where she was, and she didn’t want either one of the women she loved so much to go through that. She decided to call Aunt Suzette first. It would be easier to explain to her because she wasn’t grieving the loss of a son. A nephew, yes, one she didn’t get to fly to America to say goodbye to either, for that matter, but not a son the way Aunt Genevieve was. She did everything she could to block her phone number and location and then dialed her aunt’s number. Since it was an unknown number, she wasn’t sure if Suzette would answer. But she did, her voice hesitant. In French, she asked, “Hello? Who is this?” Knowing her aunt would recognize her voice, Ella said, “Aunt Suzette? Be calm. It’s me.” There was a long pause and then sobbing. “Ella?’ “No one else is there, are they?” she asked, hoping she hadn’t given anything away. “No, no just me. Oh, my God! I thought you were dead! I was told you were dead! I couldn’t go to the funeral. It was all so fast. Tim and then you….” “I know. I know. I’m so sorry. I hate that you had to go through all of that. But I’m alive. I faked my death to get away from my dad. You can’t tell anyone, okay? He doesn’t know. They can’t know.”

“Okay. Okay,” she said, still sobbing. “Where are you?” “I can’t tell you because if my father figures out that I’m still alive, I don’t want him to try to track me down. If he thinks you know, he’ll pressure you into telling him. So I don’t want you to know where I am. But I’m safe.” “Thank God. Oh, Ella! If I had had any idea that you were in such trouble… I never would’ve let you go back.” “I know, Aunt Suzette. It’s okay, though. If I hadn’t gone through that, I never would’ve met Rome.” “Is he with you, dear?” “Yes, he is.” “But Tim… Tim really is gone, isn’t he?” “Yes, I’m afraid so.” “Rome didn’t… kill him, did he?” “No. Tim drowned. It was an accident. Rome tried to save him, but he couldn’t.” “I see.” She was quiet for several seconds. “God, I’m so glad you called.” “I would’ve called before, but I had to make sure I was someplace safe.” “I understand. Your father doesn’t seem to think you’re alive, honey. He called me a few days ago, distraught, wanting me to tell him this wasn’t his fault, but I couldn’t do that.” She wasn’t sure what to think about that. It was his fault. If he would’ve consented to her being with Rome, she wouldn’t have had to do any of this. “Do you think you can keep the secret?” “Yes, of course. But what about Gen? Does she know?” “No, but I’m planning to call her. How is she?” Ella wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

“Not well. You might actually want to let me call her. It might be too much for her, dear.” Ella raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure I can ask you to do that.” “I don’t mind, honey. She’s my sister. I can tell her. And I’ll make sure she understands that it’s a secret.” “Gosh, Aunt Suzette, if you don’t mind….” “I don’t mind. Thank you for calling me, sweetheart. I’m so thankful you’re alive. Will you be able to call again sometime? When you’re sure it’s safe?” “I will. I just have to make sure that Rome’s dad isn’t following us.” “I see. All right. If there’s anything at all that I can do to help you, please let me know. Okay?” “I will, Aunt Suzette. I love you.” “I love you, too.” Ella hung up and took a deep breath. She was so thankful to have that over with, and she was glad that Aunt Suzette was willing to call Aunt Gen, too. She took a few deep breaths and put her phone in her pocket, ready to go back to Rome’s room. Making that phone call made her feel free from her family in a way she hadn’t before. Now, she just had to figure out how to free Rome from his past, and then, maybe they’d be able to ride off into the sunset together, leaving everything else far behind.

Chapter 21 Paradise

The ocean was an emerald green. The wind was hardly stirring, so there weren’t waves of any size, and the sound of the birds and other wildlife calling from the jungle behind her were almost as calming as the vision in front of her. Waking up to step out onto the sand every morning, to take a dip in this heavenly sea, to know that she and Rome were completely safe, that Mary and Gus were not far away and equally safe and happy, was a dream come true for Ella. She never could’ve imagined a remote island in Thailand could be so perfect. “What are you looking at?” Rome asked, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his bare chest. “Heaven,” she said. The feel of his lips on her neck made her rethink her answer. Maybe heaven was behind her. She turned and let him envelop her, resting her head against his chest. He was so much more tan now than he had been before. They both were, which was saying something for Ella since she was naturally darker, thanks to her mother’s French heritage. A month in a tropical paradise had changed both of them for the better in so many ways. She could stay here forever. The house they’d rented was more like a cabana. It was one room and a bathroom, but it was right on the beach, and it was quaint and lovely. Waking up every morning with Rome’s arms around her and the jade colored sea in front of her was the sort of life most people dreamt of. As much as she’d loved her job, she didn’t miss it at all now. But Rome missed his. She could see it in his eyes. He’d spoken to the lawyer several times and found out that he had been cleared from everything associated with Tim’s death. His lawyer had also brought up charges against Monty Verona for kidnapping Rome, but in order for the district attorney to do anything about it, Rome would have to come back. He was the only one who would testify against his dad. Of course, if he decided to do so, so would Ella and their friends who had helped them. But he’d have to make the first move.

And every day she feared it would be the day he said he was ready to go. They’d talked about how they could keep her identity, possibly even her existence, a secret from everyone. It would be hard. Someone like Rome was constantly being watched and evaluated by more people than he could even count. If they were seen in public together at all, people would want to know who she was. There could be speculation. If her father saw her, he might recognize her and would wonder if she was really alive, and since she was buried in a mausoleum, it would be easy for him to go and check to see if she was still there, should he be moved to do so. “What if we bought a place on the beach in California, just like this one?” Rome asked her as they ate fresh fruit for breakfast. “I don’t think they make places just like this in California.” She smiled, hoping to tell him it wasn’t completely out of the question, but she didn’t think she was ready to leave their paradise. Not yet. “Okay, so maybe not exactly like this, but close. We could find a place near the beach, make sure it had a big pool. It wouldn’t have to be too large of a house, right? As long as it had great security?” “Right,” she agreed. “I could get on board with that. I just… don’t know how we’ll keep the fact that I’m alive from my dad.” “I know. And I don’t want you to alter your appearance either, not much, anyway. Maybe just your hair. Even that… I don’t like.” “And we have to be sure that your father won’t continue to chase you, too.” “I have been thinking about that,” Rome said. “Now that we’re sure all of the charges he thought I’d be facing have been dropped, maybe he’ll calm down. Maybe my mother can convince him to leave me the hell alone so that he doesn’t run me off again.” “Bart says they’re still searching for you, though,” she reminded him. “But that’s because he doesn’t know where I am. If he knew, maybe he’d stop.” “Maybe he’d drug you again and haul you back to Europe.”

“I’d definitely have to make sure that wasn’t a possibility before we return.” He ran a hand through his hair, and she felt so bad that he was facing all of this. It would be so much simpler if they could both just return to life as they’d known it before. But that wasn’t a possibility. “I’m sorry, babe,” Ella said, meaning it. His life had been so much less complex before she’d met him. “It’s okay. We’ll figure it out.” He leaned across their tiny table and found her lips, and Ella tried to let all of their worries melt away and they were in paradise, at least for now, and that’s all that mattered.

Chapter 22 Calling Mom

Sitting on the ledge of a high hill, looking out over the ocean, Rome prepared for a phone call he didn't want to make. It was necessary, though. He’d spent a lot of time talking to his lawyer over the last month and a half since they’d come to Thailand. He loved it here and knew Ella was happier than she had ever been in her life. But they couldn't stay here forever, not if he was going to go back to acting. Unless, of course, he left her there and only came back between films, which really wasn’t an option. They had plenty of money, so it wasn’t that. He just couldn’t stop thinking about making another movie. It was in his blood, and he needed to get back to it, before he started going crazy. He had found the perfect city to live in on a beach in California, lined up security, and taken care of nearly everything else except for finding the perfect house. Now, he just needed to gauge how safe it was for him to go back. Thus the phone call he didn’t want to make. The phone rang several times before it went to voicemail. It didn’t surprise him too much. It wasn’t like his mom to answer calls from someone she didn’t know, and since he had obscured the number he was calling from, it was no shock she didn’t answer. He left a voicemail. “Mom, it’s me. I’ll call you back in five minutes. I need you to answer this time, and do so in private. I don’t want anyone else to know I’m calling you.” He hung up and waited the five minutes he’d mentioned, hoping she’d actually do as he said and answer without anyone else being around and without tipping anyone off. After five minutes had ed, he called her back. This time, she answered right away. “Rome? Oh, my God. Is that you?” “It’s me, Mom.”

“Where are you? Are you okay? I thought I’d never hear from you again….” Lacy Verona was clearly on the verge of tears. “You deserved to never hear from me again, Mom. If I hadn’t been able to get out that window and get away, I would’ve killed myself. How would you have felt coming back into that bedroom to get your dinner plate and finding that?” “I think about that every day!” She started crying. “Rome, I’m so sorry! I never should’ve let your father do that! We should’ve let you and Ella be together, to be happy. Now, we’ve lost you for good!” He listened to her sob for a few seconds before he said, “I don't have a lot of time to talk to you right now. I can’t stay in one place for more than a few moments for fear that dad’s men will show up. I’ve been on the run for almost two months now.” Of course, that wasn’t true, but she didn’t need to know that. “I need you to talk to Dad for me. I need you to convince him to call his thugs off. I’m not being charged with anything in relation to Tim Bolt’s death. We know that now. So there’s no reason for him to try to kidnap me again. And since Ella’s not a worry anymore….” “I’ll tell him, Rome. I’ll tell him. And then, will you come home?” “I will think about it,” he said. “I need proof that I can come home without being hunted or constantly harassed.” “I’ll do my best to make sure that he understands, Rome. The only reason they’re looking for you now is to make sure you’re okay. All of your s have been emptied. It looks as if your apartment was robbed. We were so worried that something had happened to you, that maybe Sinders had come after you.” “Haven’t you learned yet what your hate cost you? Both Dad and Lloyd Sinders need to get their shit together. They need to sit down and talk about what hate has brought to both of our families. They should do that for Ella’s sake! Their hatred has cost three lives. How many more people have to die before they can resolve their differences?” “You’re right, son. I’ll tell him you said so.” “Fine. I’ll call you back in a week. I want to be assured that he’s called off his

thugs, and that I’m safe to come back to California. Don’t expect me to want to see either of you for a while, certainly not him. I won’t even tell you where I am living, just if I’m back.” “Okay,” she said through sobs that told him she didn’t like that plan. She’d have to get used to it. “Can you call before then?” “No. I have to make sure it’s safe and that the call’s not being traced. I’m about to get on a plane. I’ll talk to you next Tuesday.” He hung up and rested his head in his hands, hoping this would work. His mom had never been able to convince his father of anything, but maybe, under the circumstances, he’d listen to her. Otherwise, there was no chance of him going home. Ever.

Chapter 23 Home For a While

Ella fixed a dinner of tortillas, chicken, and a few vegetables in the modest kitchen space of their little piece of heaven. It was a different take on fajitas since she didn’t have all of the typical ingredients she would’ve put into them if she was in a place where she could go to a grocery store more frequently, but it would do. She’d made them a few times in the last few weeks, and Rome liked them. He was sitting outside on a big rock, staring out at the ocean as the tide came in and lapped his bare feet. They spent a great deal of time out there, looking at the ocean or swimming in it. She knew, someday, maybe soon, she’d have to leave this place, and when she did, she’d miss this view, this freedom, this little piece of heaven. He’d called his mom a few days ago, and Ella knew he’d be calling her again in a few more. She carefully sliced through some peppers, trying not to get her fingers. Cooking had never really been her thing, but she liked preparing meals for Rome. Oftentimes, he’d come and help her, and that always made it more fun. But today, he was lost in his thoughts. Going back to California would be so much harder for her than it would be for him. She knew he wouldn’t go back unless he was sure the lawyer he’d been speaking with had a good case against his dad for kidnapping, and several other charges, one he could file if his father stepped out of line by even a step or two. She’d asked Rome to talk to his mom about trying to get his dad to reconcile with her father, but she wasn’t hopeful that would matter. If it was possible that the two warring parties could find some common ground, maybe she could let her dad know she was alive. That would make her life a lot easier. Ella wasn’t expecting it to work that way, though. She would either have to somehow make herself look like a completely different person or never be seen in public again. How she could do either one was a mystery, although there were enough plastic surgeons in Los Angeles if it was possible anywhere in the world,

that’s where it would be. Rome didn’t want her to do that, though, and she wasn’t excited about changing her face either. She hadn’t exactly been happy about her looks her whole life, but ever since she’d met Rome, she’d felt better. She was just about done preparing dinner when Rome walked in. “I didn’t realize you were cooking. Can I help with anything?” he asked, kissing the top of her head. “Nope. Just about done.” She smiled, turning her face toward him, and his lips found hers. Rome stepped over to the small sink and washed his hands. “I spoke to Gus today,” he said, wiping his hands on a towel. Ella hadn’t seen either of their friends in the last few days, not since Mary said they’d decided to start looking for jobs on the island. They liked it so well, they wanted to stay indefinitely. Ella couldn’t help but be happy for them. She’d offered to continue to pay for Mary’s housing and keep paying her the salary she’d been giving her since she’d started working for her, right before Ella “died,” but Mary had insisted they needed to make their own way. “What did he have to say?” she asked, taking the plate with the tortillas over to their small table. She came back for the other ingredients. “He said they had decided to purchase an existing rental business that caters to tourists on one of the larger islands nearby. They’ll be renting paddleboards, surfboards, things like that.” “Wow, that sounds like fun,” Ella said with a genuine smile as she went about fixing her plate. Rome had already dug into the food, talking between bites. “Do they have enough money for that?” “Yeah, Gus said he had a nice savings before he left his job at the hotel. They seem pretty excited about it. They just need to find a place to live on the other island first.” Ella was envious that they’d get to stay here, or close to here, but then, she knew how important it was to Rome to get back into acting, and she didn’t want him to stop his career for her, not if he didn't have to. “I hope they find a nice place.

They seem to like the one they have now.” “Speaking of places, Bart found a house for us to look at,” Rome said. “He said he’d send over the listing later.” That made butterflies come to life in Ella’s stomach. Everything was getting very real. “Where’s it at?” “Right on the beach,” Rome said with a smile. “A lot like this. Bigger, though. Still, you should have plenty of privacy.” “Cool,” Ella said, smiling, even though it was mostly forced. “I can’t wait to see it.”

Chapter 24 Some People Never Change

It had been a week since Rome had called his mother. He sat in the same spot as he had before, phone in hand, assuming she’d answer on the first ring as soon as he called. He took some deep breaths and thought about what this phone call would mean. Ella was so happy here, and he could tell that she wanted to stay. He hoped that the house Bart had found for them was enough to make her happy. He’d shown her pictures, and she seemed to like it, but he knew she was nervous. The idea of having to face her father and let him know that she was alive was terrifying to her, and he couldn’t blame her. He wouldn’t want to have to do that either. Hell, he didn’t even want to call his mom, and she already knew everything he had to tell her--well mostly. Ella would avoid revealing she was alive as long as she could, but if they moved back to California, that might not be possible forever. Deciding there was no use in putting the phone call off, Rome dialed her number. “Hello? Rome?” she asked, answering immediately, as he’d known she would. She’d probably answered every phone call she’d received all week in the exact same manner. “Hi, Mom,” he said, feeling a little sorry for her. She hadn’t always made the best decisions, but she was his mother, and it wasn’t easy for her, being married to such a powerful man. “How are you?” “Oh, God. I’m so happy to hear your voice, son. I’m fine. How are you? Where are you? Are you back yet?” “No, I’m not back, and I can’t tell you where I am, but I’m fine. What do you have to tell me?” “I spoke to your father. I told him everything you said--about calling off his men, about you deciding to maybe come back to California if he did that. I told him what you said about Lloyd Sinders as well. He called off all of his men

everywhere else in the world, Rome, but I don’t think he’s actually called them off at the airports in the States yet. I told him he had to do that, and I could lie to you and tell you that he has, but I don’t think that’s the case. He is too stubborn for that, Rome. He wants to know where you are so badly, it’s killing him. The fact that you were able to get away from him, to get out of Europe without his men catching up to you, is eating at him.” Rome rolled his eyes. “Mom, I don’t care about Dad’s ego. That’s the reason so many people I know and cared about are suddenly dead. He will call them off, or I’m not coming back. While I appreciate your honesty, I have to know he’s not going to grab me again the second I hit American soil. I have a lawyer, Mom. You could both be in a lot of trouble. You drugged and kidnapped me. Dad might think that he runs the law around there, but he doesn’t.” “You would do that? You would have us arrested for that?” “Hell, yeah, I would. Are you shitting me, Mom? After what he did? And it’s not like you were sitting on your hands.” She was crying, and he felt bad, but he had to be tough with her. “Tell him, if he doesn’t want yet another legal case brought against him, he needs to call off all of his thugs.” “All right. I’ll tell him.” “What did he say about talking to Sinders?” “He asked me if I had lost my mind and said over his dead body.” Rome ran a hand down his face. “So Dad doesn’t feel at all responsible for what happened to Ella?” “No, he doesn’t. He said you should’ve known better.” “Son of a bitch.” The last time Rome was this angry was the moment he’d heard that Ella was dead. “You can tell him to go screw himself, and he’ll be hearing from my lawyers. Never mind everything else, Mom. I’m just going to stay where I am.” “What? No, please, son, you’ve got to come home! I miss you so much!” He had been stupid to think that he could ever convince his dad to do the right

thing on any front. “I’ve got to go.” She was still crying, but he hung up anyway. He’d have to find another way to go back to America, and while this hadn’t been his only option, it would’ve been easier if his dad wasn’t watching the airports. At least he knew the truth now….

Chapter 25 A Decision

Ella was sitting on the beach, waiting for Rome to come back from the trip he’d made up the mountain to call his mom where the reception was better. The tide was rolling in. It washed over her feet, up to her skirt, but she didn’t care. Living on the beach, one couldn’t be averse to water or sand. It was going to be everywhere, anyway, and that was fine with her. The second she saw his face, she knew the call had not gone the way he’d wanted it to. His lips were pressed together in a defiant line, and his hands were fisted at his sides. She swallowed hard, knowing she could well see this as an opportunity to press him to stay here longer, but that wasn’t what he wanted. She didn’t want to be selfish, not when it meant so much to him to go back and prove he could handle his father. Rome dropped down next to her on the sand, shaking his head slowly. She let him gather himself together before she even bothered to ask him anything. He would talk when he was ready. It took several minutes, but he finally said. “I hate that old bastard. I wish he was dead.” Whether he meant that or not, it didn’t matter. She reached over and put her hand on top of his in the sand. Again, she didn’t bother to say anything, only waited for him to be able to speak again. “She said… he called off his thugs that were chasing us through Europe, but he’s still watching the US airports. Obviously, not all of them, and wearing that costume King gave me, I could probably walk right past them anyway. But that’s not the point. I shouldn’t have to be afraid of my own goddamn father.” “You’re not afraid of him,” Ella said, her voice just above a whisper. “If you were afraid of him, you wouldn’t be thinking of going back at all.”

“True,” he said with a violent shrug. “I just don’t want to have to constantly be looking over my shoulder. And he refuses to talk to your father.” He shook his head again, his free hand scooping up the sand and crushing it. It spurted out between his fingers. That didn’t surprise her either, sadly. She wondered if her own father would want to talk to Monty if it had been suggested to him. She was sure Aunt Gen would’ve told him to reach out, but he likely wouldn’t listen either. “What do you want to do?” she asked, doing her best to keep her own wishes out of the question. “Maybe we should stay here longer,” he said with a shrug. “I know that’s what you want.” “I want whatever you want.” She meant that, even though her preference was not the same as his. “What about movies that are being filmed overseas?” He shook his head. “All of the auditions are in New York or LA if they’re US productions. And that’s what I want.” She nodded. That made sense. “Then… we’ll have to go back.” He looked up at her, trying to read her face. “How? Sneak in?” “Why not? Bart did it.” “He flew through Chicago.” “We could do that, too, or someplace more obscure. Your dad can’t have eyes everywhere in all of the states in the entire country, can he?” Shaking his head, Rome said, “No, but it’ll be impossible to tell which ones he’s at and which ones he’s not.” “That’s okay.” she said. “We’ll put our costumes back on, fly into Dallas or someplace, and then rent a car and drive to LA. We can do that.” “You’d be willing to do that?” His eyes brightened with the question. “Sure. We’ve been on a hell of an adventure together all over, baby. I'm ready for

another one.” Rome’s smile broadened, and then he leaned in and kissed her. “Then… I guess we’re going home.” Ella smiled back at him, even though on the inside, it was the last thing she wanted to do. She’d find a way to focus on the bright side. Maybe she’d like their new home. As long as her father didn't find out she was still alive, that was all that mattered.

Chapter 26 Texas

“Attention, engers. We will begin our descent into Dallas in approximately twenty minutes. The temperature there is seventy-eight degrees….” The pilot continued, giving information about where the plane was headed next, what to do if one were looking for connecting flights, etc., but Ella’s mind was on what was going to happen when she stepped off of the plane. Would they be followed, or would they make their entry into the United States undetected? It was weird not sitting next to Rome. She had for the first flight, the longest leg, but when they’d switched planes in Bolivia, they’d decided it would be better if they weren’t spotted together, just in case. So she was sitting a few rows ahead of him. The plan was pretty straight forward. She’d get off first and head to the rental car counter where she already had a reservation in her fake name, one she’d picked herself this time. They’d had King send the new ports that matched their current appearances, which weren’t too far off from what God had created, though Ella’s short red hair was her own. She wasn’t Ella anymore, though. She was Ramona Spears. Rome’s hair was a white blond, partly from the bright sun at their home of the last several weeks, but also a bit from a bottle. His skin was darker than it had ever been though, as was Ella’s. He looked like a bronze god as she caught a glimpse of him making sure his seatbelt was buckled tightly for landing. Soon enough, they’d be in a car headed to California--assuming no one was watching this particular airport too closely. She’d get the car while he got the bags. Then, she’d swing by and quickly pick him up, and they’d take off together to make the long drive west. After that, the stakes got a lot higher. If his father had been watching the real estate market closely, he might know that Rome had bought the house in his own name. He’d had little choice but to do so,

unless he wanted to trust someone else with a lot of money. They’d bought it a few weeks ago, so there was a chance that would help because any spying would’ve been over with, or they could be walking into a trap. Either way, they’d have to be careful. She wouldn’t be able to see anyone in person for who knows how long. The idea of hiding from the world wasn’t comforting, but she had to continue to remind herself that she was doing this for Rome, that she was willing to go into hiding in order to give him his dreams. She’d still be able to start her own marketing company or work for another one from home. If she dared. The fact that she might run into her father or someone that knew him was one that made her nervous. The plane began to descend. The tightening in her stomach and the feeling that she was floating had more to do with what she would be doing once they touched down than the fact that the plane was in the middle of a controlled plummet out of the sky. The wheels touched down, and she let out a deep breath, looking around at the other engers. They were checking the time, pulling out their phones, gathering up their belongings. Ella was just trying to breathe. She’d have her phone on and in her pocket the entire time, connected to Rome so that if anything went wrong for either of them, they’d know right away. What she would do if she heard Rome in trouble, she wasn't sure, but she’d do whatever it took, including shouting that there was a bomb in the airport or that someone had a gun. She’d learned that the man who’d been grabbed at the airport when Bart was leaving Italy had been released without being hurt, but if they sunk their fingernails into Rome, who knew what they’d do to make sure that he got back to his father’s house? Ella unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed her carry-on bag, waiting her turn to head down the aisle. She couldn’t help but catch Rome’s eyes, even though he was now Billy Shaker, someone she didn’t know. She didn’t smile, just looked at him, silently praying that this worked and they were both in the car soon. As she headed down the aisle, she heard a voice in the back of her head telling her they were there, that Rome’s dad’s men were at the airport, that they were being hunted again. She had to push it aside and concentrate on putting one foot

in front of the other because if she didn’t, she’d crumble then and there, cause a scene, and bring more attention to herself than she could afford. “Have a great day,” the flight attendant said as Ella ed her. “You, too.” She managed a smile. “Welcome to Texas,” another said. “Thanks.” If everything was bigger in Texas, hopefully, that made it easier to hide.

Chapter 27 Cowboy

Rome waited for Ella to get off of the plane and followed her at a distance as far as he could, keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious. He didn’t think they’d see anyone on this side of security who might be a threat. His dad was rich but too cheap to buy a ticket to get behind the security keepers if he didn’t have to. Once they were outside, Rome took a deep breath and let Ella go from his sight. It wasn’t easy to do. He wanted to stay behind her, to make sure she got the car safely, but he had a job to do, and if the airport was under surveillance, chances were they were looking for him and not for her, since, as far as he knew, everyone still believed Ella was dead. At least, if they followed him, she’d be safe. Then, she could the lawyer to try to track him down. He prayed that wouldn’t be necessary. He took the escalator down to baggage claim, looking over each shoulder as he went, trying not to look as if he were worried. Perhaps he was just looking for a friend…. Downstairs, he saw two men in suits hanging out near the revolving baggage wracks. Were they men on a business trip, or should he be suspicious? Neither of them seemed to glance in his direction as they appeared to wait for bags to come down the line. Would his dad send men in suits anyway? Or would he send people who would blend in better, especially considering Rome had known that his henchmen were wearing suits in Italy? The bags started to come out from his flight, so Rome checked for his and Ella’s. Not seeing them yet, he backed away slightly, getting as close to the corner of the large space as he could so that he could observe everyone. Down near the third carousel, two men looked around. Dressed like vacationers,

in Hawaiian shirts and khaki shorts, they didn’t look like Rome’s dad’s people, but then, perhaps that was the point. He had a Bluetooth device in his ear that let him listen to Ella, who hadn’t said a word until now. She was talking to the person at the reservation desk, getting the car. Everything seemed to be going fine. They had a code word for if they thought there might be trouble. It was “cowboy.” He hadn’t heard her say that yet. Keeping an eye on the suspicious duo, Rome crept back over to the carousel that was spitting out bags from their flight. He saw Ella’s black bag, recognizable from a pink ribbon she’d tied around the handle. A few seconds later, his own green bag appeared. He’d just need to get them and head outside to meet her. He heard Ella say, “Thank you very much. Have a great day,” and then the sound of her walking on what sounded like concrete. Was she in the garage already? Rome grabbed the two bags off of the carriage. He surveyed the room slowly, as if he was looking for a friend. Then, he took out his phone and pretended to text someone, as if he were just discovering he was supposed to meet the person outside. If anyone was watching, they wouldn’t think he was alone, and Monty was looking for a person by himself now, wasn’t he? Either that or four people, depending upon what his Italian workers had told him. Heading for the door, Rome glanced back over his shoulder. The two tourists had bags now, and they seemed to be coming his direction. The fact that one of the bags was a pink rolling bag was suspicious. Had they just grabbed some unclaimed baggage from the carousel? Not wanting to alarm Ella, Rome asked quietly, “Baby, can you hear me?” “Yes. I’m in the car now. Just heading toward the exit.” “Okay. We may have to come up with a plan B.” “Why is that?” he could hear the panic in her voice now. Rome was outside. He took a few steps down the sidewalk and saw the two tourists come out the door. One of them was on the phone now. Were they arranging his kidnapping?

Or was he just being paranoid? Seeing a way out, Rome said, “El, I’m going to get on the tram that goes to the parking garage.” “What? Why?” she asked. He waited for the line to the tram to go down and then darted on, just as the doors were about to close. He saw the two tourists react. They definitely didn’t like that. They were there for him, all right, and somehow, despite his costume, they knew who he was. Rome had a one word reply for his wife. “Cowboy.”

Chapter 28 No One’s Coming

Ella had waited patiently for the slow woman behind the counter at the car rental place to eventually get her the car she’d rented. While she didn’t want something too flashy, she did want something that would go fast, just in case she needed that. What she ended up with was really neither--a black SUV. Now, she could be the one who looked like she was chasing someone. When Rome told her he was taking the tram to the parking garage, every hair on the back of her neck stood on end. “What? Why?” she asked, using her Bluetooth. “Cowboy,” Rome had said. Ella caught her breath. That was their danger word, the word that was to alert her something was wrong, or that it might be wrong. “Is someone following you?” It took Rome a moment to answer. “Yeah, I think so. A couple of guys in Hawaiian shirts followed me out of baggage claim. They just hopped into a cab. Hopefully, I’m overreacting, but I don’t know.” “Can you still see the cab?” she asked, wondering what she might encounter when she got to the tram drop off. She would have to figure out where to go and how to get there before Rome did. “Yes. They’re right behind the tram.” “Damnit,” Ella whispered. “What level are you getting off at, do you know?” “The tram says it’s going to parking level C.” “Okay.” She would have to wind her way around the parking garage and get back up there. “What are you going to do if they’re still following you when you get there?”

“I don’t know, but I’m not getting off of the tram until I’m sure I can get in with you.” “Unfortunately, I’m driving a black SUV, so you could be fooled.” “Honk twice if it’s you. Do you have a hat? We don’t need them knowing what your hair looks like already.” “Good point.” She did have a stocking cap tucked away in her carry-on. She managed to pull it out while she was driving, not caring about the few odd objects that scattered on the floor when she did so. “We’re pulling into level C, and the cab is still behind me.” “What are they planning to do? Force you into a cab?” “No, there’s another car following behind them. God damnit! How in the world did he know I was going to end up flying into Dallas?” “Stay calm, babe. I’m not letting them take you anywhere, you can bet on that. I’m pulling into Level C now. I see the tram, and the cab. If I have to ram them, I will.” “I see you,” he said. “I may have to abandon the bags.” “Do what you need to do. But I doubt they’re going to grab you in front of the driver. They’re probably banking on you walking to a car.” Sure enough, she watched the cab slow and the other car drive down the next aisle over, so that no matter which way he went, they’d be on him. If he had to walk very far. Ella pulled up right next to the tram and popped the back lift gate. “Hey! You can’t park there!” the driver shouted. She waved at the driver as Rome shot out of the vehicle and jumped into the back, bags and all. She pressed the button to lower the lift gate and headed for the closest exit, knowing she’d have to go through the bottom two levels of the

garage and there was a good chance the assholes behind her would catch up. Careful not to squeal her tires, Ella shot down the aisle, watching the taxi try to squeeze past the tram. It wouldn’t quite fit through the narrow aisle, which was to her advantage, even though the other car was moving in her direction. “Can you duck down below that seat?” she shouted to Rome. “I think so. Why?” It was a crazy idea but the only one Ella could come up with. She pulled into an empty spot in a crowded row, one where she could back up or go straight and dropped down into the floor boards, praying the other drivers hadn’t gotten too close a look at her SUV’s license plate numbers. “I hope this works,” Rome said. “Me, too. Otherwise, they’ll just catch up with us at the exit.” “True. How long do we wait?” “I don’t know.” Ella could see the cars driving by through the side mirror of the car parked next to her since it was facing the other way. Slowly, a cab drove past the front of her car, and she could see the two men in Hawaiian shirts frantically looking around, urging the driver down the aisle. They didn’t seem to notice the car, but then, why were they going so slowly? Perhaps the other car had gone off looking for them. As soon as the cab was out of her line of sight, Ella sat up, looking around for the other vehicle. Seeing neither, she placed her hands on the wheel but didn’t pull out yet. She wanted to give the cab a chance to get ahead. A couple of other cars came by, likely people who were on the tram with Rome. They were going the posted speed limit. Ella fell into line with them, taking off her hat and putting on a different one, wishing she could change something else, but that was the extent of her quick costume changes. She followed the other two cars down the ramp, a minivan getting in behind her.

She could see a frazzled mother behind the wheel, barking at her kids. Once she was in line to exit, it would be really difficult to get out of line. A quick survey of the area let her know exactly what she was up against. The other car, a dark sedan, was parked a few rows over. As Ella headed toward an exit lane that only had one other car in front of her, she noticed the sedan pulling out of its spot. Another car cut between them, but it was back there, and they would be exiting the airport parking garage nearly at the same time. She wished she had someone to say, “Cowboy,” to, but there was no one coming to help.

Chapter 29 Last Resort

Rome had to keep his head down, even though he wanted to peek out the window and see where the cars that had been following them were. “What’s going on?” he whispered to Ella as she approached the toll booth. He could see her behind the wheel without lifting his head far enough to be noticed by anyone in other vehicles. “They’re two back from us,” she said, rolling down her window and crushing a twenty dollar bill into the person’s hands. “Keep the change,” she said. The bar raised, and Ella shot out of the parking lot, going right because she could merge into traffic that way, even though Rome was pretty certain they needed to go to the left. “How the hell did this happen?” he muttered. What were the chances that his dad would be monitoring every damn airport in the nation? “Maybe he just has someone at every big airport. I mean, DFW is pretty big. A lot of international flights arrive there each day.” “True, but I don’t even look like myself, do I?” She didn’t answer for a second, and when he looked back at her, she was doing her best to get as many cars between them and the vehicle following them. Or were there two of them on their tail now? They came to a stop, and Rome looked up to see they were sitting at a red light. “Shit,” Ella muttered. “I don’t see them anymore, but I also don’t know where we are.” “That’s okay. That’s what phones are for.” Rome climbed up out of the back of the car, figuring if she didn’t see the other cars anymore, there wasn’t much

chance of them being spotted at the moment, and if they already knew he was with her, what was the point in hiding? From the driver’s seat, he took a look around and saw the sedan about three cars back in the lane on their left. “Okay, they’re back there, but my dad’s not going to authorize them to shoot at us, especially not in a crowd. We just need to get on the highway and then maybe we can lose them.” “But what if we drive out of the city, and they’re still on our tail?” she asked, looking in the rearview mirror. She pulled the ball cap she was wearing down a little lower. “We’ll figure that out when it happens. We lost them before, ? Did you learn anything from Gus’s crazy driving?” He laughed, trying to get her to laugh, too. “Yeah, I guess so.” “Just this highway cuts through the middle of the airport, so we don’t want to turn around and get stuck back in there because it’ll give them more of an opportunity to get us while we’re stopped.” He was a little surprised no one had jumped out of the sedan and tried to force their way into the SUV at the long light. Rome made sure the doors were all locked, just in case. “I’d stay out of the middle lane,” he murmured. “Right.” The light changed, and Ella waited for the car in front of them to go, then she switched lanes as soon as he could, to get into the left lane and took the on ramp to the highway, the one that led back to the airport--if she were to go the other direction. Ella flew around another car, her foot mashed to the gas pedal as she swerved around a enger van and got back on the highway, headed out of Dallas-Fort Worth--to where she wasn’t sure, but they could straighten that out later, after they lost the sedan. “Do you see the other car?” Ella asked. “No, just the sedan. It’s pretty far back there, but they could just be waiting for

traffic to thin out.” “What do you think I should do?” “Uh… let’s see what happens,” Rome said. He pulled up an app called Waze that would tell him not only what direction they needed to go to head to California but also if there were any cops spotted on the road by other drivers. The last thing they needed at the moment was to get pulled over. Actually, that might help--if he could tell the police he was being followed by some henchmen sent by his father to track him down and kidnap him…. That probably wasn’t the best idea either. A couple of eighteen wheelers slowed in front of them. Ella tried to go around them but was blocked in by a minivan. Rome glanced out the back window to see the sedan getting closer to them. “Damn it!” she shouted. He drew in a deep breath, trying to decide what to do. The sedan went around another car, and now they were right behind the minivan. In another few seconds they’d be even with them, on Ella’s side. What if they didn’t have any qualms about shooting after all? “What do I do?” Ella asked. They were hemmed in by other cars with no place to go. “I don’t know,” Rome replied. There had to be a way to put some distance between them on the crowded highway…. Before he realized what she was doing, Ella had her window rolled down and was gesturing for the large man in the enger seat to roll down his window, too. “What the hell are you doing?” Rome asked her. “Last resort,” she said over her shoulder as the man next to her rolled his window down.

Chapter 30 Getting Out of Dodge

“Howdy!” Ella shouted out the window at the bewildered man next to her. “Y’all from around here?” Beside her in the enger seat of the SUV, she felt Rome’s nervous energy. Maybe she was taking a huge gamble engaging the enemy--assuming that’s who these people were there to try to kidnap Rome and take him back to his father. The two men exchanged glances. “N--no, miss,” the enger said. “Too bad. Me and my cousin just got here from North Carolina, and we’re a little lost. We’re looking for the stockyards. Any idea which way we might need to go?” “Sorry,” the enger said, shaking his head. “Maybe try an app.” “Oh, right. Good idea. Unfortunately, my cousin’s sufferin’ from PTSD from his time in the service, and he’s gettin’ anxious about everythin’. Includin’ getting lost. So I thought y’all might be able to help. It’s okay, though. We’ll figure it out. Y’all have a good day.” “You, too,” the would-be kidnapper said. Ella gave him a little wave and then rolled her window up. Apparently, the ballcap, glasses, and change in her skin tone thanks to so much time on the beach hadn’t clued them in to her true identity. “The light,” Rome said, and she glanced up to see it was green. The car ahead of her had already gone and someone behind her was honking. Ella hit the gas and powered ahead, trying not to change the way she had been driving since she wanted the men in the sedan to assume she wasn’t trying to outrun them--she just always drove like a maniac. “Are they following us?” she asked, switching lanes in preparation to take a turn

at the next light, despite the fact that she was fairly certain that wasn’t the way to get to the stockyards or to California. “No, they switched lanes. They look like they’re arguing. Maybe they’ll head back to the airport.” “Any signs of the other vehicle?” It took him a moment to answer. “No, I don’t see it--wait!” Ella was in the middle of her turn and had to assume he didn’t mean to stop turning. Rome turned around and looked over his shoulder. “What is it?” “Yeah--the other vehicle just came from the other direction. They’re pulling into that gas station back there.” He was basically up on his knees now, peering through the back glass. “Both cars?” “I think so. It looks like they’re regrouping.” Ella breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she really had fooled them after all. “All right. Should we actually start following the directions to California then?” she asked as the phone chimed at her that they were going the wrong way, there was a car on the side of the road ahead, and a cop was nearby. “Yeah, I guess so,” Rome said, seeming to relax slightly. He had turned back around now. She reached for his hand, and after he adjusted his seatbelt, he took it. Ella felt her heartbeat beginning to return to normal. “I guess Gus and his strategy of facing the enemy works.” “Yep, we’re two for two,” she said with a smile. Letting go of his hand for a minute, she took the ball cap off and dropped it on the console, running her hand through her hair before re-lacing his fingers with hers. Getting used to this short hair had taken a while, but for once she didn’t expect her fingers to keep going after she hit the end. Rome’s hand wasn’t sweating anymore, a sign he was also calming down. “How many hours do you think we should drive today?” he asked.

“I don’t know. But I think we should take a detour off of the main route. Just in case they decide to follow us at a distance. I’d rather stay at a hotel a town or two away from where they might think we would stop, you know?” “Definitely,” Rome agreed. “Once we put some distance between us, I’ll start looking for a place that should give us some buffer room. They can’t possibly have eyes on every single hotel between Dallas and California.” “God, I wouldn’t think so,” Ella said. Thinking about the possibility that Mr. Verona could infiltrate every hotel so easily made her stomach twist. Was this what reality would be like for them from now on? Running? Hiding? Sneaking around? She knew Rome could eventually get back to normal because he’d have the protection of his bodyguards and lawyers, not to mention he could film his movies on private property. But as long as Ella’s dad thought she was dead, this would be her life. She wasn’t sure she could continue with it, even if getting away from the henchmen had been a lot easier than she’d expected. It might not always be that way. And if it had been her father’s men, they would’ve recognized her for certain. Then, what would she do? “Are you all right?” Rome asked, squeezing her hand. Finding a smile, she turned to look at him. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she assured him. Rome nodded, but she could see in his eyes that he didn’t believe her. He knew her well enough to see when she was being less than honest with him. They’d have to find a time to talk about this, to figure out if this was the best course of action for both of them, but now was not that time. Now, she just needed to drive.

Chapter 31 Swimming Thoughts

Two towns over from the exit Ella had taken somewhere in the middle of New Mexico, they found a hotel off the beaten path. It wasn’t bad, though it was nothing like what Rome was used to. It would do for one night, though. She drove the SUV around back and parked it in the shadow of the building, despite the fact that the room he’d gotten them was on the other side. This way, maybe his dad’s men wouldn’t see the vehicle, but even if they did, they wouldn’t know what room the two of them were in. They hadn’t seen anyone suspicious since they left Dallas-Fort Worth hours ago. The whole time he’d been pumping gas into the vehicle at a gas station, while Ella was inside using the restroom and grabbing some snacks, he had his eyes glued to the surrounding area, looking for anyone who might try to jump out and grab either of them. But even if those men had worked for his dad, they were long gone now. Grabbing their bags, the two of them went to their room on the second floor. Ella popped the door open with the electronic keycard she’d been given, and they walked into the scent of recently used cleaner and a bit of must. There was one large bed, a TV, and a couch off to the side. It wasn’t a five-star resort, but it would do. Rome made sure the door was completely secure in every way possible. They’d eaten dinner on the drive, so there was no reason to go out again until they were ready to leave, which would likely be about the time the sun came up so that any spying eyes would have more difficulty finding them. After showering together, the two of them fell into bed, exhausted, and ready to get some sleep. Jet lag, uncertainty, adrenaline rushes, and the unknown had them both beat. With Ella’s head on his chest, Rome tried to go to sleep, but even though his body was beyond tired, his head wouldn’t stop swimming. What would they do if they ran into more of his dad’s men? What if they recognized

him this time? What would happen when they got to California? What if his dad caught wind of the transaction and found out he’d bought a house? There were so many things still up in the air… his mind just wouldn’t turn off. Ella was restless, too. He could tell by the way she was breathing that she wasn’t asleep. He lightly brushed his fingers across her arm, and she looked up at him. “Rome, we’re doing the right thing, aren’t we?” “I think so,” he said, his fingers tangling in what was left of her hair. “Don’t you? I mean… we had to go back eventually.” “I meant… maybe I should tell them.” “Tell them? Tell your dad and stepmother?” He thought there was no way he could’ve possibly understood her correctly. “That you’re alive?” Ella was quiet, and then he thought she must’ve meant exactly that, and he’d offended her. She turned and folded her arms on top of his chest, resting her chin on them, and stared at him with a look in her eyes he was having trouble reading. “I guess I’m just nervous,” she said. “I’m afraid I’ll be found out. Then what will I do?” “They won’t be able to prove anything,” Rome reminded her. “Only a few people in the world know you’re alive. Gus and Mary won’t be back anytime soon. Bart won’t talk. Neither will King. Your aunts aren’t going to say anything or else they would have by now. Obviously, I’m not telling anyone.” “Yeah, but I look like me, Rome.” “Not to anyone else.” “My dad will recognize me. If he sees me at all, he’ll know it’s me. Then what? Do I just deny it?” “I don’t know, baby. I really don’t. But… if you stay in the house for a bit, and no one sees you, then we can figure it out later. He won’t see you if you don’t go anywhere.” She opened her mouth, like she wanted to say something else, but then closed it. “Okay,” she whispered. “You’re right. I’ll just lay low for a bit.”

“You’ll be on the beach. You can go there. I didn’t mean you’d actually have to stay in the house.” “I know.” She moved so that she wasn’t looking at him anymore, though her head was still on his chest. Rome felt like a jerk, like he’d said something she didn’t want to hear for selfish reasons. He continued to play with her hair, but he could tell by her response that she was still upset. Exactly what it was that was bothering her, he wasn’t sure, but he knew he’d have to figure it out on his own soon enough. Or else, he’d hear about it when she couldn’t take it anymore, and that was no way to start a marriage--again. With a deep sigh, Rome closed his eyes, the same questions from before still swirling, but now he added to it--were they making the right decision about not telling Ella’s family the truth? He thought so; she clearly didn’t. If they told Lloyd Sinders the truth… they were asking for the same sort of trouble Rome was in the process of running away from now, and of all the decisions he was trying to make, he was most confident that telling her father the truth would be a bad one.

Chapter 32 California

Over the next few days, Ella had plenty of time to ponder what her new life on the beach in California would be like. Staring out the window while Rome drove, or letting her mind wander while she was behind the wheel and he dozed in the enger seat, there were lots of opportunities for her to daydream about all of the possible outcomes if she tried to stay hidden away in the house, versus letting her parents know she was alive. In the end, she couldn’t imagine how guilty her father would make her feel when he found out the truth, that she’d faked her own death. She didn’t think she could live with herself after hearing him berate her about all of her transgressions, even if she had felt as if he deserved it at the time and still felt that way right now. So… even though she wasn’t thrilled with the idea of staying inside of the house for the majority of her time, not going out with Rome to events, and basically living almost as much like a prisoner now as she had before she’d run away from Teresa’s attic, she decided she’d have to wait until her father ed away before she dare give anyone an opportunity to discover the truth. They were almost to California after days of driving a few hours at a time and then finding a place to hide out, always looking over their shoulders, when a thought slipped between her lips. “Maybe I should get a nose job,” she said, mostly to herself. “What?” Rome’s head flipped around so quickly, Ella was glad they weren’t in traffic or else he might’ve hit another car. “You’re kidding, right?” “Oh, uh, yeah. I mean, I wasn’t kidding. Just thinking aloud. I wasn’t serious, though.” “Good.” His eyes were back on the road now. “Because I love your nose. I would hate it if you changed it. Or any part of your beautiful face.” She let out a small sigh and folded her arms. They’d talked about this before,

just in ing, as they discussed possible ways for them to come back without her parents knowing she was alive. “I know,” she said. “I just… don’t know what else to do.” He reached over and squeezed her leg. “You’ll have more freedom than you think, Ella. There aren’t a lot of people who met you in California, anyway. I know your picture was all over the place, but you look a lot different with your hair that way. You’re much tanner now. People won’t ask.” “They might not ask, but they’ll wonder if they see me. And if they wonder, someone is bound to say something to, or in front of, my father or stepmom eventually. Or one of my evil stepsisters. Then, they’ll come to investigate.” He reached for her hand, and she gave it to him. “If you are uncomfortable, babe, we’ll leave.” “We won’t be able to leave once you start your career again. You know that. I don’t want you to have to sacrifice your happiness for me. I’ll be fine. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I was just thinking, and it slipped out.” “Maybe we can get you a prosthetic nose,” he said with a small laugh. “Something like what King made for us. Then, when you go out, you can look like someone else.” Ella could tell he was joking around by his tone, but it wasn’t a half bad idea. What if she had a fake face she put on whenever she went out in public? She could ask King to make something for her, something different than all of the other looks he’d created for her before. He’d need to send them their belongings they left behind eventually anyway. Of course, they’d have to make sure Rome’s father didn’t know there was a connection, or else he could trace the packages to their new location…. All of this sneaking around was demanding, and it was making her tired just thinking about it. Ella closed her eyes and tipped her head back, not that she would go to sleep. She wasn’t able to sleep while the car was moving. She trusted Rome’s driving, but she always had a sensation she was falling that woke her up. “There it is,” he said, and her eyes came open. With a smile on his face that reminded her why she was doing this, why she had left paradise, he said,

“Welcome to California.” Ella managed a smile. It had been so different the last time she’d arrived in California. She’d flown in, landed at the airport, and been greeted by what she thought was a loving family. Tim had been there, his arms open wide. Ella had thought she would have many great adventures with her favorite cousin. Instead, she’d hardly gotten to do anything with him before his tragic death. Now, she was back in California, and her eyes were wide open to the fact that life wasn’t always what you thought it would be. She loved Rome, though, that was something she was absolutely certain of. And he belonged here. He was made to be in movies, and taking him away from them would be like snatching a goldfish from its bowl and expecting it to live on dry land; it couldn’t last. It would still be several hours of driving until they reached their new home, and Ella imagined Rome would start looking for an out-of-the-way place to stop for the night before too long. He’d be on high alert here because he’d expect his dad to be watching every car coming into the state. They’d considered trading in their rental SUV for another one, one that they were fairly certain his father’s men hadn’t seen, but it would slow them down, be a lot of trouble, and there was no way to know for sure that his father wasn’t somehow monitoring the car rental locations since they knew who this rental had been through, assuming they’d read the sticker on the window. It seemed easier to just monitor whether or not they were being followed the closer they got to their new home. Rome drove on, a smile on his handsome face, and Ella did her best to be happy, too. At least she was with the man she loved. That was more than some women ever got in their whole lives. With any luck, she’d be in a beautiful home on a pristine beach, she’d be able to get back to her work, and Rome would be able to make all sorts of wonderful movies. The unsettled feeling in her stomach should’ve been a warning that that wasn’t the way it would all work out, but Ella chose to ignore it and focus on the positives. The misfortunes of her past could all be left behind now as they started their new life together again. It wasn’t as if bad luck was written in the stars and couldn’t be erased, after all.... was it?

Chapter 33 Abalone Cove

It was late afternoon when Rome pulled up to the fence at the end of a long winding drive that led up the hillside toward the new house. They’d stopped overnight, as Ella had assumed they would, and driven into LA slowly, in a roundabout manner, never quite entering the city. Instead, Rome had taken back roads and side routes to Abalone Cove, and now, here they were, going through the gate and sneaking up the driveway, as if they might have to turn around and drive back out again. The gate closed with a sharp snapping noise behind them. At least they could be certain no one would be following them in unless they knew the code. “Do you know where the key is?” Ella asked as the roof of the house started to come into view. She was sure the house was beautiful; she’d seen pictures before Rome had gone through with the purchase. Still, she knew it would look different in real life. She was glad the sun was still up, only just starting to slip toward the horizon, so that she could see it with some light. “There isn’t a key, only a code,” Rome explained. “It’s 0613, your birthday.” Ella arched an eyebrow. “Don’t you think your father might guess that?” “No, I don’t think so. We can always change it if it makes you nervous.” They rounded the top of the drive, and the house came into full view in front of them. It really was gorgeous. Mostly white, full of open windows, in a modern design, it was about 2500 square feet of elegance in an understated way that seemed to blend in with the beach setting. Palm trees were the primary focus of the landscaping, but there were also plenty of floral plants everywhere. The yard was a beachscape, with large stones and plenty of sand. It rolled down the hillside, disappearing into the beach which was only a short stroll down the mountainside if one took a more direct route than the winding drive. “Well, what do you think?” Rome asked, leaning over and taking her hand. “Do

you like it?” Streaks of pink and red lit the sky now, changing the color of the house from white to a soft rose tone. “It’s beautiful,” Ella confirmed. Her hand went to the handle of the SUV to push the door open, but Rome reached out and stopped her. “Let me just walk around quickly and make sure there’s no one here.” She tipped her head at him. Wouldn’t they see a car if someone were? Besides, he was just as liable to get shot or clubbed over the head as she was. There was enough glass in the house with so many windows, she didn’t think there was much of anywhere for someone with bad intentions to hide, but she nodded, thinking if it made him feel better, she’d let him go. Rome got out and locked the doors before he closed them. He walked around the outside of the house, stopping to give her a little wave, before he went up the front steps and pushed a few buttons near the doorknob. It opened, and Rome stepped inside, leaving the door ajar. She could see him walking around, flipping on lights, opening closets, looking under furniture. After all they’d been through, she couldn’t blame him for being careful, but it was also a bit surreal. After he was certain the house was safe, he came back out to get her. “Let me pull the car into the garage, just in case we were followed.” Nodding in agreement, Ella removed her hand from the door a second time. If anyone had followed them, they’d have to know the gate code, or guess it, but she supposed that was a possibility, especially if it was also her birthday, a date that she was certain had been all over the newspapers when she’d died a few months ago. The garage was empty, except for a few shelving units and some tools hung on one wall. She knew the house was mostly furnished, which was great because she didn’t want to go to all of the trouble to buy furniture online and couldn’t go to the stores. As her fingers reached to open the door a third time, Rome took her other hand in his. “If you don’t love it, we can find another place.” She smiled at him, appreciating his kindness. She knew how much he’d paid for this house, though, and it had taken most of what he’d saved up over the years. “It’s beautiful.”

Rome leaned over and kissed her, his warm lips melting away all of her concerns, and when he released her, Ella ed why she’d agreed to this. Rome wanted to be here, so she would be sure she loved it. Pushing the door open, she stepped out, Rome coming around to take her hand. He punched in her birthday, and the door that led from the garage into what appeared to be the kitchen swung open. Though she preferred a style closer to the house she’d grown up in located in , which was more of a small cottage with historic touches, this house was beautiful. As she walked around looking at the clean lines, the modern furniture, all in white with highlights in earth and beach tones, she could see herself being happy here. A view of the ocean from the living room, as well as the master bedroom, a wide deck, and an infinity edge pool all assured her she’d have lovely surroundings as she worked on starting her new marketing company. “Well?” Rome asked as Ella paused with her hands against the railing on one of the decks, watching the sun continue to slide down the sky. “Well, I love it,” she assured him. “And I love you.” “Do you?” he asked, reaching for both of her hands. “Are you sure? Because if you don’t--” “Rome… I love it. I really do. I know we can be happy here.” A thousand thoughts invaded her mind--how did she hide in a house mostly made of glass? What would happen when his parents discovered where they were, as they surely would? How would she find a way to start a business when she was legally dead? But she pushed all of those thoughts aside and concentrated on his smile. Rome pulled her close, his arms circling around her waist as his lips found hers. In the distance, Ella could hear the waves crashing against the rocky shore. Her heart was beating so noisily in her chest, the two began to mingle together until she thought she just might become a part of the ocean instead of just the girl in the beach house.

Chapter 34 An Unexpected Call

The beach wasn’t as beautiful as the one she’d left behind. Ella walked along the shore, trying to concentrate on the positives. The water was beautiful, even if it wasn’t a teal blue. The beach was warm, even if it was rocky and the sand wasn’t as white and soft. Some interesting foliage grew in the cracks, even if they weren’t large palm trees. “What do you think?” Rome asked, walking along behind her. “You don’t like it here, do you?” “I do like it,” she said, turning to face him and finding a smile. “It’s beautiful. It’s not the same… but it’s still very pretty. I’m sure I’ll learn to love it even more.” He raised an eyebrow at her, and she knew that meant he didn’t believe her, but he didn’t want to argue about it either. It was just as well. Ella definitely didn’t see the point in discussing it further. Finding a smooth rock, she sat down and wrapped her arms around herself, wishing she would’ve brought a sweater. She should’ve realized the wind would make it a little chilly this time of morning. They’d spent the night in their new home, and it had been enough to be with Rome to let all of her concerns go. Now, though, in the morning light, all of those problems were back, but she wasn’t ready to have another conversation with Rome about her concerns. Besides, it was too late now, anyway. They were in California, and he’d spoken to his agent the night before. Marge was so excited that he was back, she was already lining things up for him. She’d even mentioned ing the director of the movie Rome had been set to make with Wynnie to see if they were still interested in having him in the film. He might even get to play the part of Robert after all, the role he’d given up so that Tim could have it. There was another role he’d given up in order to do that movie, and it hadn’t

started filming yet either. Marge was under the impression Rome would be a hot commodity now. He tended to think no one would want to work with him since he was tainted now. Some people thought that he had killed Tim, or at least that he should be held partially responsible for Tim’s death. Then there was the fact that word had leaked that Rome had secretly married her shortly before she “killed” herself. The whole thing was enough to put a black cloud over his head, or at least that was his fear. Marge didn’t see it that way, and neither did Ella. She looked over at him, standing with his hands on hips, staring out at the water. He was unbelievably attractive. Any woman would swoon to have the chance to play opposite him. Besides that, he was also extremely talented. He hadn’t gotten a chance to show everything he could do yet, but Ella knew, as soon as he got the right role, there would be no stopping him. He turned and looked at her. The sun caught his hair, sending flickers of gold shooting out like a halo. When he smiled at her like that, she knew she’d do whatever she had to do to make sure that he had everything he wanted, that he had his chance to show the world what he was capable of. Rome turned and took a few steps in her direction, but before he reached her, his phone rang in the pocket of his jeans. With a sigh, he pulled it out, and his face fell as he saw who was calling. “Who is it?” Ella asked, her blood running cold. With an expression like that, it had to be bad. “It’s my dad’s number. But… this is that burner phone. How could he have the number?” Ella turned around and looked behind her. She was on the beach a few feet from their gate, but it wasn’t private. Were they being watched right now? “Hello?” Rome asked, his eyes also searching over her head. Ella didn’t see anything, and neither did he, but she stood and turned toward the house, wondering if maybe there was someone parked in their drive. If there was, she couldn’t see from here, but then, it was hard to see the entire house from this angle. She turned back around to read Rome’s expression. His face was still white as he

listened to his father’s voice, so loud, Ella could hear him barking through the phone. “How did you get this number?” Rome asked, his voice sounding more astounded than angry. Ella swallowed hard. What could Monty possibly be saying? “Fine,” Rome said, a hiss of defiance in his voice. “But if you try anything, I swear to God….” Her eyebrows went up, but he looked away, not wanting to stop the call to explain to her. “All right. See you then.” Rome hung up and shoved his phone into his pocket, glaring off into the distance. “What is it?” Ella asked, taking a step toward him. “He wants to meet with me. He says he wants to apologize.” “Do you believe him?” she put her hand on his arm, thinking there was no way they could trust Monty Verona. “No,” he said quickly. “But I want to hear him out. We’re going to meet in a restaurant in the afternoon, before dark, in a few days. He said I can bring a bodyguard if I want to. I will. It’ll be a public place.” “What if he tries to grab you again?” “I’ll be careful,” Rome said, his eyes darting around to meet hers. “But… he drugged you.” “I haven’t forgotten that, Ella. That’s why I want to talk to him. I want to ask him how he could do that.” “You know you’ll never get a straight answer from him, not one you can trust.” “I know,” he said, breathing heavily as he turned and looked back up at the house. “But I have to give him a chance, or else I’ll never forgive myself.” That, Ella could relate to. She was still terrified that, after all they’d been through, Monty Verona would find a way to keep them apart again, but she couldn’t argue with Rome on this one. She slipped her arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. She loved him more than anything, and she

knew, if she ever lost him, she’d have to kill herself for real, because she couldn’t go on without him. She also knew the pain of being away from her family, so she wouldn’t want to be the one to keep him from his parents. A bird cried out overhead, its tone haunting as it dove down toward the rocky shore. Rome’s lips pressed to the top of her head, and Ella held back her tears. If Monty Verona tried to take him away from her again, he’d pay dearly. At that point, Ella would have nothing left to lose.

Chapter 35 Ready to Face the Music

Four days after they arrived back in LA, Rome stood in front of the full-length mirror in the bedroom, tying his tie. In the mirror behind him, he could see his wife, anxiously chewing her bottom lip, her bare feet sliding along the wooden floor, back and forth, her fingers digging into the floral blue bedspread. “It’ll be fine,” he assured her, catching her eyes in the mirror. “I’ll be back before you know it.” Ella didn’t say anything, and he couldn’t blame her. She’d already tried to talk him out of going to meet his parents a dozen times, and every time, he’d shot her down. Why bother to try again now when he was clearly set on going? He finished with the tie, smoothing the black fabric down along his white shirt and checking his cufflinks. He wanted to remind his parents that he was an adult, twenty-five years old, fully capable of taking care of himself. He turned to look at her. Ella was a vision of beauty in a long peach gown that reached past midcalf, her skin still as tan as it had been when they’d been under a tropical sun every day. She’d wanted to stay. That had become abundantly clear over the last couple of days as she tried to talk him out of going to the meeting. Despite the fact that she’d told him time and again she wanted him to do whatever he needed to do to make himself happy, she hadn’t wanted to come back to LA. He’d had a suspicion that was the case all along, but it wasn’t until he caught the undertone of her arguments he realized just how much of a sacrifice this was for her. Why had they been so careful on their way back, sneaking around, hiding, changing his appearance, if he was just going to drive over and meet with them? Ella wasn’t wrong, but he needed to do this. He needed answers from his parents, an explanation, and a promise that they would leave him the hell alone. He might actually need their help, too, which he wasn’t happy to it. Marge

had let him know that he was squared away to play Robert now; they’d start shooting next week. After the incident with Mark and Tim, the rest of the cast had insisted on taking some time off from the project, but when Wynnie heard Rome was back in town and was willing to work on the project, new life had been breathed into the movie. After that, though, he’d have to find another movie, and then another. It had been a struggle when he’d been here before because he’d been fighting his father. Perhaps, as part of their new understanding, he could agree to work on projects his father’s company was involved in. If he could pull it off as part of a compromise, he wouldn’t have to it life would simply be easier that way. Was it possible he’d left part of his fight on that beach halfway around the world? “Charles is right outside,” Rome reminded her. They’d hired several security workers as well as a housekeeper/chef the last few days. Bart’s connections at the police department had done thorough background checks on all of them. In fact, Bart had started interview applicants before they’d even headed back to LA. None of them knew Ella’s true identity, though the housekeeper/chef, Lenore, an older woman with gray hair and a bright smile, was obviously suspicious. He would tell them the truth in a few days if it seemed to make sense to do so. “I’m not worried about myself,” Ella reminded him, not moving off of the edge of the bed as Rome crossed to a chair and plucked his black suit jacket off of the back. He slid his arms into it, trying to think of a response. “I should be back in a couple of hours. I’ll keep you updated. You really don’t need to worry, El.” She nodded. He knew what she was thinking, though. She thought he was being too forgiving, that by giving his parents what they wanted, the requested meeting, he was accommodating them. Answers would certainly be given, though. They would be made to explain their actions--why they felt it was necessary to drug and kidnap him, twice--and a number of other atrocities. He also wanted a promise from his father that he would reach out to Lloyd Sinders and begin to patch things over. Otherwise, Rome would have nothing more to do with his parents. He was also still contemplating legal action for the kidnapping. Seeing the look on her face made his heart heavy. He wished there was

something he could do to make her happy, but he’d been concentrating all of his energy on getting back to LA, something he thought she wanted, too. Now, he would have to find a way to fix everything for Ella. The frown on her face tugged on his heart, making it hard to breathe. Taking a few steps across the room, Rome grabbed his wallet off of his nightstand and stuck that in the pocket of his jacket, double checking he had his phone as well. Bart would be driving him and staying with him. His parents wouldn’t want to cause a scene in a public place, so he and Bart should be fine. He’d also be followed by two of the other security workers--Kevin and John. Moving to stand in front of her, Rome found a small smile and offered her his hands, hoping she’d take them. “Don’t be mad, Ella. It’s for the best. Trust me.” She let out a sigh that shook him to his soul and then slipped her tiny hands into his, pulling up to standing. “I’ll never trust them.” “I know. That’s for the best. I don’t trust them either, but I’d rather hear what they have to say and make sure I don’t have to be looking over my shoulder every five seconds now. Since the district attorney has said there will be no charges brought against me, there’s no reason for my dad to try to hide me now. I can’t imagine there being any reason now for them to want to control me. I’m hopeful we can put this aspect of our problems behind us soon. That doesn’t solve everything, but it should make it better.” Slowly, Ella’s head rocked back and forth, but he knew she was only letting him know that she understood, not that she agreed. “Be careful. Don’t trust anything they say. Don’t go anywhere with them. Don’t even go to the bathroom while you’re there.” Rome nodded with each of her bullet points. They’d already talked about all of those things, but if it made her feel better to say them again, he’d listen. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his chest, breathing in that floral scent that had always made his pulse race. He kissed the top of her head, figuring that he wouldn’t get more from her under the circumstances, but when he stepped back, Ella leaned up, stretching for his lips, and he accommodated her, pressing his mouth against hers. His phone vibrated, and he checked it to see it was Bart. A text let him know his friend was there. “I’ve got to go,” Rome said to Ella.

Again, a sigh came out and nothing more. He took her hand and led her out of the bedroom, toward the front door. Bart’s voice echoed through the foyer as Lenore let him in. They hadn’t seen him since he’d departed for the airport. “Hey, hey! If it isn’t the international man of mystery!” Bart joked as Rome let go of Ella’s hand to hug his longtime friend. “Man, are you tan!” “Living on a beach will do that to you,” he said, smiling at the man who’d done so much to save him and Ella. “Ella, you look gorgeous as ever. Love the haircut.” Bart hugged her, too, and Rome was thankful his friend thought to be so complimentary about an aspect of her new life Ella wasn’t so excited about. “It’s great to see you, Bart,” she said, releasing him. Her demeanor hadn’t changed though. She was still leery of this entire situation. “You, too, Mrs. Verona. Don’t worry. I will keep Rome safe tonight. And we won’t be long. I think it’s fair to say neither of us wants to have this conversation, but I do think it’s important. Got to get those rules down from the beginning so they know what happens if they cross the line again.” Ella nodded, but she didn’t voice an agreement. Rome had already told Bart over the phone that Ella wasn’t happy about any of this. “Guess we better hit the road if we’re going to be on time,” Rome said, gesturing toward the door. He was certainly ready to get this over with as well. Before he followed Bart out, he turned and hugged Ella one more time, praying this wasn’t a mistake and he wouldn’t end up regretting this moment, as he had the last time he’d purposely separated from her, to get on that boat. “I’ll be back soon.” “You’d better be,” she said, not joking. Rome took one more glance around his new living room, smiled at his wife, and then followed Bart out into the evening, taking a deep breath of the sea air, and climbing into the car. With any luck, he’d be back here in a couple of hours having solved some problems without having created any more.

Chapter 36 Are You Sure You Want to Do This?

The hum of the wheels riding the road drowned out almost all of Rome’s thoughts as he stared out the enger window of Bart’s car, watching the suburbs turn into cityscape. The sun was setting, casting the world in a soft orange glow, reflecting off of the metal surfaces of cars and buildings, creating a warm ambience that might’ve been a comfort to Rome if he was headed anywhere else. Neither man spoke much at all as they made their way toward the restaurant where Rome’s parents would meet them. He’d already spoken at length to Bart about his agenda and the plan, should something go wrong. His goal was to confront his parents about the kidnapping, ask them to speak to Lloyd Sinders and try to make peace, and then to ensure they were prepared to leave him be so that he could start his acting career over again without being harassed and without having to look over his shoulder every five minutes. If he could convince them to speak to Ella’s father, perhaps it would open her choices for the future. Revealing that she was alive to her father seemed like a huge mistake to Rome, but he had no idea what his wife might decide to do on down the line. It would be best if the two families finally found a way to get along together, for everyone’s sanity. As they neared the part of town where the Italian restaurant they’d be dining in was located, Bart’s phone rang. The intrusion into his solace made Rome jump slightly. He turned to see Bart pick up his phone, rather than using the car’s Bluetooth, which made him question who it might be that his friend didn't want him to hear the conversation. “Hello?” Bart said, bringing the car to a stop behind a taxi at a red light. “Yeah. Okay. Thanks.” He hung the phone up and dropped it into the console. Rome couldn’t help but stare at him, an eyebrow raised. Not that Bart owed him an explanation. He could’ve been talking to someone unrelated to their current endeavor. In fact, he could’ve been talking to a girl. Rome had been so caught up

in his own world for the last several months, he hadn’t even talked to Bart about what was going on in his life. He felt bad about that, but now wasn’t the time to ask his best friend how it was going. He didn’t have to ask him about the call, either. Pressing the gas pedal, Bart went through the light, driving another block before he got into the turning lane, his blinker on, and said, “That was Max. He’s been at the restaurant for hours, and so far he hasn’t seen anything suspicious. Your parents’ car just pulled up out front.” Rome took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He knew Max was a trusted associate of Bart’s. He had several. Rome had his own security working the scene as well, and they were asked to let him know should they see anything dangerous, but otherwise to let things unfold. He was completely confident that his parents wouldn’t be able to abduct him again, not tonight anyway. In fact, he was more concerned about Ella. She knew about Charles, who had come highly recommended from an actor friend of Rome’s. But there were three other security personnel posted around the property. One of them was at the gate. One was near the fence closest to the ocean, the place where someone might cross on foot, and another was at the back of the property. All of them had cell phones and walkie talkies as a backup. If his parents wanted to break into his house while he was gone, either because they were suspicious that he had brought a woman home with him, after what their people had seen in Texas, or to snoop around and see if they could find any information that might be helpful to them somehow, now would be a good time to do so. He’d make sure that didn’t happen. The restaurant came into view ahead of them. Rather than valet parking, they’d already discussed taking a spot in a parking garage nearby. While it meant they’d have to walk to the restaurant and be in a potentially dark, deserted place for several minutes, it also meant Bart would have his keys so they would be able to leave without waiting in front of the restaurant. One of Rome’s bodyguards, a woman named Alice whose biceps were the size of Rome’s thighs, was also parked on the ground floor of the parking lot and could be in front of the restaurant in less than two minutes, should Rome need to get out of there even more quickly. Bart pulled into a parking spot on the second floor of the garage and shut the car off, but rather than moving to open the door, he turned and looked at Rome.

“You sure you want to do this?” It seemed like an odd time to ask such a question. Rome cocked his head to the side slightly, wondering what he was getting at. He’d been under the impression Bart understood his reasoning. “You think I shouldn’t?” “I don’t know.” Bart shrugged. “I’m just thinking about how difficult it was to get you away from them, and now, here we are, walking right back in there. Dude, the last time you were with your parents, you were ready to kill yourself, ?” Rome had to look away. He wasn’t sure if the trio standing on the sidewalk when he had that knife in his hand had put two and two together. Ella had never mentioned it, and he’d sort of put it out of his mind. He had been ready to slit his own wrists, but only because he thought Ella was dead, not because of what his parents had done to him. Bart reached over and put his hand on Rome’s arm. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t mean to upset you. I think we’ll be fine. I don’t think they’ll try anything. I’m just concerned about how upset they’re going to make you, when they refuse to do anything you ask them to. Which is pretty much how I feel this is going to go.” Running a hand through his hair, Rome considered what Bart was saying. Of course, he’d had the same thoughts. He knew his parents well enough to know they were likely to attempt to make their own demands. While he was willing to compromise on some points, like working for his father’s studio, he wasn’t going to budge on others. He certainly wouldn’t be moving home or coming over for Sunday dinner. And he was going to press the issue with Ella’s dad, too. “It’s too late now, Bart. We’re committed. I’ll make it through. Come on.” Before he could start to second guess himself again, Rome opened the car door and got out, his eyes panning the area around them. He saw two men dressed in suits in a dark SUV about three rows away. The car was running. Were those his dad’s men? Would they try to grab him and throw him into the vehicle? “The elevator’s right here,” Bart said, gesturing to the marked area on the wall only about twenty feet away. It would be difficult for the car to get over there in time to grab him before they could get in. “I’ll go ahead and call it.”

“Okay,” Rome said, keeping his eyes on the men. They were chatting like they were just sitting in the car waiting on someone to them, but Rome didn’t trust them. Not one bit. There was a chance his parents had positioned them there to keep a watch out for him, not to grab him, but nothing was beyond the devious mind of Monty Verona. Bart had reached the elevator and pushed the button. Another group was headed that way, chatting like there was nothing in the world to worry about. Two couples, dressed like they were also going to the restaurant next door, or perhaps one of the others nearby, couldn’t be part of Monty’s team--right? Rome decided they would actually be helpful to him. He seriously doubted his father would send someone in to grab him with so many witnesses in the garage. With one last look at the pair of suits, he headed off to the elevator, just as the doors opened. He and Bart got in, followed by the couples. One of the women recognized him and started gushing. Rome tried to tune her out. “I’d heard you were back in the city!” she exclaimed, fixing her blond curls as she smiled at him as if her date wasn’t even present. “Yep. I’m here.” “It’s amazing to see you! Are you just having dinner with a friend?” Rome wished the elevator would go faster. They had only been on the second floor, after all. “Yep. That’s what I’m doing.” “Leave him alone, Shelly,” her friend said, tugging on her arm. “Can’t you see he doesn’t want to be bothered.” “Yeah,” her date agreed. A tall, thin guy with a haircut that said he wanted to be important but couldn’t quite swing it, he leaned in closer to her ear and whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, “His girlfriend just died, ?” “I ,” Shelly said, throwing an elbow. She scowled at him, as if she wanted to say that was exactly her reason for speaking to Rome in the first place. If Rome’s “girlfriend” had just died, he would’ve been hurt by the comment, but since Ella was at home, safe and sound, he shut the comment out and was glad

when the elevator doors opened. “Can we take a selfie?” Shelly asked, pulling her phone out of her bag. Rome didn’t want to. He would rather rush off to his parents than stand there in the parking garage and take a picture. But he did it, keeping an eye on his surroundings the entire time. Shelly slipped her hand around his waist, which he thought was odd, but then she was strange anyway. Once the picture was taken, the group thanked him and headed off. He stared after them for a few moments before Bart tugged on his arm. “Come on. We don’t want to be too late.” With a nod, Rome followed Bart out of the garage and down the sidewalk toward his fate, praying everything went well. If he was wrong, and his parents attempted to take him again, he’d lose his mind. He couldn’t live without Ella.

Chapter 37 Face to Face

Amelia’s was a five-star restaurant where the Hollywood elite mingled with LAs movers and shakers in nearly every industry. It was fair to say not a single person dining in the Italian restaurant was worth less than a few million dollars, except for maybe Bart. Rome wasn’t sure what photographers were making these days, but he didn’t think it was that much. As he stood on the threshold of the impeccably decorated establishment, he took a few deep breaths and tried to still his raging heart. He could do this…. “Ah, Mr. Verona. It is nice to see you,” the Maître d said with a nod as they approached his post. “I am so glad to see you are alive and well.” Rome raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t dug into what the papers were saying about him while he was gone, but it seemed like an odd comment. He couldn’t let it bother him, though. Instead, he just muttered a thank you as the short man with a finely groomed, pencil thin, dark mustache greeted Bart and then added, “I will show you personally to your table.” Again, Rome thanked him, but it wasn’t necessary or him to walk them across the restaurant. Rome could see exactly where they were going. His parents were sitting in the back of the room where there was more privacy, their eyes glued on him as he made his way across a richly embroidered carpet in shades of burgundy and navy blue. The soft Italian instrumental music might’ve calmed someone who was merely on a first date or thinking of proposing, but Rome’s heart couldn’t be tamed. Even looking at his father’s face made anger well up inside of him. His mother made him want to shake his head in disgust. “Here we are,” the Maître d said, ushering them to their seats. Rome hated that he would have his back to the door. When Bart lifted his chair and moved it to the end of the table so that he would be able to see the entry point, despite the fact that he seemed to be encroaching on Mrs. Verona’s space, no one said a word. Rome hid a smile and settled into his chair across from his father, wishing the table were wider so he’d be less inclined to follow his first inclination and

reach out with a left hook, sending his father tumbling out of his chair. Once the Maître d had left, and before a waiter could come and interrupt them, Rome’s mother gushed, “Oh, baby, it’s so nice to see you. You’re so tan! I might not have recognized you if….” She stopped talking. If she hadn’t seen pictures of him recently? Making his way from Texas to his new house? “Hi, Mom,” he said, trying to keep his tone as light as possible. He wouldn’t say it was nice to see either of them. That was a step too far. “Thanks for agreeing to meet with us.” Monty Verona tugged at one cufflink, clearly uncomfortable. He wasn’t used to being in this sort of position, where he was sitting across from someone who wasn’t eager to see him. When he met with clients, they were grateful to be in his presence. Owners of other companies who might have a chance to work with him considered themselves the luckiest people on earth. His son stared at him, his eyes slightly narrowed, not commenting, and Monty swallowed hard enough that Rome could see his Adam’s apple bob up and down in discomfort. Good. Let him feel a little pain. They both turned their attention to Bart. “You’re looking well,” Lacy said, offering him a smile. “How have you been?” “Busy,” Bart replied, his countenance not far off from Rome’s. A picture of a much politer neighbor boy came to mind. Bart was always so nice to Rome’s mother whenever he’d come over to hangout in the game room or swim in the pool. Today, he was a different person, and Rome couldn’t blame him. His friend had recently gone to a lot of trouble on his behalf, and he realized just how much he owed him for taking the time to be there. “Still taking pictures?” Monty asked, trying to infuse some lighthearted banter into the conversation. Bart only nodded stoically and then shifted his eyes to Rome. Catching his drift, Rome clarified, “Bart is only here to make sure nothing happens to me,” he explained. “He won’t be partaking in dinner and would prefer to stay out of our conversation.” “Oh,” Lacy said, her eyes widening slightly before a hint of hurt seeped into them. “That’s too bad.”

“You can’t honestly think you’re in harm’s way, sitting in a crowded restaurant in the middle of LA’s most prominent dining area, do you?” Monty asked, chuckling nervously as if even he knew it was a stupid question. Rome raised an eyebrow, ready to unleash all of the reasons why he did, in fact, think he was in danger. But he didn’t get to that. Before he had a chance, a waiter was there, thrusting a bottle of wine into his face. “How are we this fine evening?” he asked, his cheeriness completely out of line with the table he was serving. Monty answered on their behalf. “Just fine. Give us a bottle of the Argyle Pinot Noir, ‘17.” The waiter’s eyebrows raised at the expensive order. “Yes, sir.” Whether or not he recognized the man he was speaking to remained to be seen, but now he knew the ballpark. “I’ll be right back. It’ll give you a chance to look over the appetizers.” He smiled broadly as he gestured at the menus each of them had in front of them, save Bart who’d left his behind at his original spot since he wouldn’t be eating. Rome didn’t think he’d be eating much either, but he’d at least play the part. The waiter walked away, but none of them moved to open the menu. Instead, Rome calculated whether or not there was a point in responding to his father’s comment and decided the moment had ed, so he let it go. Getting into the meat of the argument before they ate would go against his father’s agenda. He was a stout man, shorter than Rome and heavier with a barrel chest, and he appreciated good Italian food. He would want to eat and then “discuss business.” While Rome knew it was likely a waste of time to bring up any of his talking points before Monty had consumed a full plate of spaghetti and meatballs, he didn’t want to sit there all night either. “I want an explanation,” he said, his voice as soft and even as he could muster. The last thing he wanted was to draw attention from the surrounding tables. Just over his right shoulder, he could hear the cackle of an older woman telling a story to her husband, and the annoying sound was almost enough to draw him to turn his head around. He didn’t want to be that person. “Yes, yes,” Monty said dismissively waving his hand. “We’ll get to that. Let us enjoy our meal first.”

“I assure you, I won’t be enjoying anything until I get some answers,” Rome replied, folding his hands together over the menu. He wanted to get home, back to Ella. Every moment he was away from her was another death, especially when he was worried something might happen to her. Monty stared at him, his eyebrows heavy over his dark eyes. His mother sighed loudly, and Rome looked to her. “We didn’t mean to hurt you,” she said, an acquiescence to Rome’s wishes Monty would have to find a way to forgive. “You didn’t?” he asked, trying to keep his emotions in check. “You do realize… if you’d stayed out of it… if you would’ve left me alone… Ella would’ve never done what she did.” He wouldn’t go so far as to say she’d killed herself, not when she hadn’t. They didn’t know that, and he didn’t intend to tell them, but as far as they knew, she was dead, mostly due to the fact that his parents had interfered with their relationship. “We are very sorry for your loss, son.” Monty’s tone actually sounded slightly apologetic. “We know how much you cared about the girl.” “The word is love,” Rome replied, looking his father in the eye. “Loved her,” Monty corrected, clearly not realizing Rome had not spoken in the past tense. “We know that now. We didn’t quite grasp the situation at the time. I was only thinking it would be best for you to leave so that the police didn’t come looking for you, Rome. I wanted to give the lawyers a chance to sort everything out. And they have.” The waiter came again, pouring them each a glass of the requested wine. When Bart ed, he said, “Are you sure? This is our most expensive bottle on hand.” “I’m certain,” Bart replied, his words leaving no doubt he meant it. “Very well. May I bring you something else?” “No, thank you.” “Water?” “No.”

His tone had lost all appearances of politeness at that point, and the waiter’s face fell slightly, as if he were personally injured by Bart’s drink choice, or lack thereof. He recovered enough to ask, “What will we be having this evening?” “Damnit,” Monty muttered, picking up his menu. “We haven’t even looked at the menu.” “I’ll give you a few moments.” The young man, whose name tag read, “Cristino,” though Rome figured it was actually Christopher, based on his lack of an accent, started to walk away. “Give us a moment while you wait right here,” Monty said sharply, halting the kid in his steps. “I’m starving.” Rome wasn’t sure why his father even bothered to look at the menu. He’d order the same thing he always did at an Italian restaurant, but Monty pored through it anyway, mumbling to himself as he searched for something appetizing. Rome’s mother ordered the osso buco while her husband continued to try to decide. “I’ll have the lasagna,” Rome said, without even opening the menu. He wasn’t hungry anyway--why bother looking at the menu? Every Italian restaurant had lasagna. Eventually, Monty closed his menu and said, “Spaghetti and meatballs. Extra meatballs.” “Yes, sir,” Cristino replied, taking the last of the menus. “I’ll bring out the bread and salads and get your order in right away.” Monty waved a hand at him, as if the last few seconds of his life had been stolen away by unimportant gibberish. Once he was gone, the uncomfortableness weighed them all down again. One of them would have to reopen the topic at hand. Rome had no problem being the one to do so, but he had a feeling no one would actually be enjoying this expensive meal. Monty Verona lifted his glass to his lips, took a sip, set it down, and said, “That’s a fine wine. Now, where were we?” Rome swallowed hard, ing exactly where they were. “We were at the

part where you tell me why you thought it was a good idea to kidnap your son, fly him across seas, and keeping him from his wife such that she took drastic measures to end her own suffering.” His father’s eyes wavered slightly as he saw the situation from his son’s perspective. A low chuckle escaped his lips, and he picked up his wine glass again, taking another slow sip. It was going to be a long night.

Chapter 38 Discovery

The night was unusually quiet. Ella sat on the sofa in the living room, staring out the window at an ocean that continued to cover and uncover the sand, but the hypnotizing crashes she’d grown used to hearing seemed absent. Only an occasional rogue wave, larger than the others, would meet the shore with such velocity that the resulting sound would hit her ears. Her phone sat on the coffee table in front of her, the blank screen looking up at her as a constant reminder that she had no idea what was going on. Rome had offered to leave his phone on in his pocket so she could listen in, but she’d decided against it. He needed the opportunity to say what he needed to say to them without her eavesdropping. Besides, she had a feeling they would say plenty that would just make her angry, and there wouldn’t be a thing she could do about it. For about the tenth time since he’d left an hour and a half ago, she got up and walked to the window. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she imagined what she might say in a similar situation. Sitting across the table from her father and stepmother, telling them exactly how she felt about the way she’d been treated, the way they’d attempted to manipulate and control her life, she doubted she’d be able to keep her composure. Now that they believed she was dead, she’d never have the chance to do that, but she hoped Rome might someday. If he could tell her father how he’d made her feel when he took her stepmother’s side, when he’d insisted Ella divorce Rome, when he’d tried to make her marry Henry from Paris, maybe she’d get some closure from his efforts. A seagull flew by outside, and Ella was reminded of the little bird that used to visit her when she was locked in the attic. How many hours had she spent watching that bird flutter around, free to go wherever it liked, while she was a prisoner in her own home? It was too bad the little birdie from the other house couldn’t find her here. For a while, that bird and Mary were the only friends she had, save Tim whose visits were not as frequent as either of them would’ve liked.

Thinking of the bird made her realize she hadn’t wandered up to the attic in this house. When Rome had made the purchase, the old owners had left most everything behind, save their clothing and personal effects. They’d even left the dishes in the cupboards, many of the knickknacks and decorations, and several hundred books in the library. They were moving overseas, and it was simply easier for them not to take any of those items. A growing curiosity lit Ella’s mind. Had they left anything in the attic? Venturing into the attic to see what might be up there would certainly take her mind off of the situation with Rome. She’d seen the pulldown in the hallway upstairs, and it seemed easy enough to pull the ladder down and climb on up. As far as she knew, Rome had never gone up into the attic either, so there was no way to know what was up there unless she went and found out for herself. She decided it would be a good idea to put some shoes on, just in case the attic was unfinished or otherwise full of potential hazards that might be painful to her bare feet. In the bedroom, she slid on her slippers and then headed toward the pulldown, her phone in her pocket, the ringer turned all the way up, in the chance that Rome should call her while she was on her adventure. Her first tug only resulted in a squeak as the door fought back. Clearly, no one had opened it in a while. Ella chastised herself, thinking she was probably wasting her time. She’d probably just see an unfinished space full of insulation, pipes, and ducts. But those thoughts didn’t satiate her curiosity, so she gave it a stronger pull, and this time, the squeaky door came down, the ladder unfurling, and a plume of dust accosting her lungs. She coughed a few times, waving her hand in front of her face; a little dirt never stopped Ella from taking action. Carefully, Ella placed her foot on the bottom rung. The steps were narrow, and the railing was unfinished. The idea that she might get a splinter crossed her mind, so she positioned her hands carefully and tried not to grip too tightly. After about six steps, the attic began to reveal itself. It was dark, so she couldn’t make out too much, but it looked as if the space was finished, and it was larger than she expected as well. When Ella reached the top, she felt the floor with her hand first to make sure it was a surface that would hold her weight. She was met with wooden flooring, similar to the floor in the attic at her father’s house. Spreading her feet apart on the rung so that she could keep her balance, Ella pulled her phone out of her

back pocket and turned on the flashlight application. What she saw almost sent her tumbling back down the ladder. The room was finished all right. It was a studio--an art studio. Ella shown her light around the expanse of the space, save the part behind her where she couldn’t safely twist to get a good view. To her left, near a large window she couldn’t noticing from the outside of the house, stood an easel with a canvas. Next to it was a table covered with paints and cups of brushes. A partially painted seascape adorned the canvas. It was hard to tell from here, but it looked as if the artist had been painting the scene out the window. Ella was dying to see what else might be on the canvas, but there were several others set up around the room. Ella climbed up off of the ladder, only pausing in her haste to look around the room to pull the cord hanging from the ceiling to turn the light on. The familiar clicking sound sent shivers down her spine, but she didn’t let it distract her. The floor was finished, so she didn’t need to worry about falling through the ceiling or stepping on a nail. She hurried over to the half-finished painting, turning her flashlight off, and putting her phone back in her pocket. It was beautiful. The sky was full of soft pinks and oranges, the water a sparkling turquoise. Seagulls played in the foreground, and it appeared as if the bottom would’ve been filled with sand in whites, light yellows, and gold. A look at the wooden palette sitting on the table next to the easel told her that was what was to come next, but the paint had long since dried, never having made it to the canvas, a lonely paintbrush, coated in turquoise paint matching the sea lay next to it on the table. “Why aren’t you finished?” Ella asked the painting. Talking to herself had become one of her coping mechanisms while she spent so much time alone in the attic of her father’s home. Thankfully, no one answered. Bending down, she studied the corners of the unfinished painting. No artist’s signature graced the canvas, which wasn’t surprising considering most artists signed their work once it was finished. Once again, curiosity bubbled up inside of Ella. Who had been painting such a masterpiece and then left it? What could possibly have happened to make this person abandon their art? Surely, the people who owned the house before Rome

bought it hadn’t decided the artwork was as expendable as dishes and towels. ing there were other paintings behind her, Ella made her way across the room to see if any of them were signed. Several large canvases lined the other wall, many of them landscapes, some similar to the unfinished scene, a few nightscapes, and one full of buildings she assumed had to be the LA skyline. Intermixed were several other images--a cat lying by a window, a bowl of fruit, a pair of hands. Tucked behind them, Ella saw a single dark eye staring back at her, sticking out from between the other canvases. Gently, she lifted the paintings obscuring her view. Moving aside the last seascape, Ella gasped and covered her mouth as she took in the image of a beautiful young woman. Her eyes were dark brown, as was her hair. She had a sadness about her that Ella couldn’t quite describe, as if she were about to cry but was fighting through it. She wore a red sleeveless top with ornate embroidery that Ella imagined might be a formal gown. Small golden earrings peeked out from between her dark locks. Ella carefully lifted the painting and carried it over to the light so she could see it better. The woman in the picture seemed to be calling to her, as if she desperately wanted to be released but knew it could never be. Those sad eyes held a thousand secrets, and Ella wished there was some way to unlock them all. In the bottom corner, she saw a signature. It was in cursive and difficult to make out, but she thought it said F. Ward. “Who are you, F. Ward? And what happened to you?” Ella’s eyes went back to the woman in the image. Was this F. Ward--or someone else? Whoever F. Ward was, he or she was extremely talented. Ella glanced around again at all of the paintings. Why would someone leave these treasures behind? It didn’t make any sense, but she’d do whatever she could to find out why--and unravel the mystery of the identity of F. Ward.

Chapter 39 Surprises

“I am very sorry for what happened to Ella Sinders. It was a tragedy,” Monty Verona began, finally setting his wine glass down to respond to Rome’s statement. “She was a beautiful young woman with her whole life in front of her. I have to say, though, son, I think it is for the better that you had disassociated with her. She clearly wasn’t stable.” Anger began to seethe below the surface, but Rome fought it. So much of what his dad had to say made him want to yell, to reach across the table and punch his own father in the mouth. “Ella Verona--I don’t care what you did legally, she was my wife--and you have no idea what the mental anguish of going through everything she’d had to endure could do to you or to anyone.” Monty seemed to concede, giving the response a small shrug. “Perhaps not, though I know more about struggle than you seem to realize. I wasn’t always the billionaire you see before you, you know, Rome? I started out with twenty bucks in my pocket and a dream. I built this empire….” Monty’s voice faded off as he stared up at the ceiling, lost in time for a moment. His gaze returned to his son’s face. “It was Sinders who tried to take it all. He cost me more than money. He attempted to ruin my reputation, and in the film industry, that’s worth more than money. I understand you never cared to know the details of what went on between us, so I never went further than to tell you to steer clear of him, a warning you obviously failed to heed.” Lacy stirred in her seat next to Monty, catching Rome’s eyes for a moment. Whether she’d jabbed her husband or the movement had been enough to get him back on track, he changed courses. “I truly am sorry for your loss--but everything your mother and I did was in an effort to protect you, Rome.” “We just wanted to make sure you were safe. Sinders is a bitter man.” Lacy shook her head adamantly as she spoke, the lines around her mouth more noticeable now than before, as if she’d finally started to age with everything that was going on. Rome thought she’d looked exactly the same for the majority of

his life, but now, studying her face, he could see that wasn’t the case. “Do you honestly expect me to believe that?” Rome asked, keeping his voice down. “If that were truly the case, that you were afraid Sinders might come after me, then why not explain it to me, and let me make my own decision?” “This town had buried enough kids,” Monty said, his tone sharper than before. He didn’t like to be questioned. “I knew what you’d say. You’d refuse to go, or beg to be with her. Now that she’s gone… I’m not certain he won’t still come after you, though the settlement should help.” Monty had that far off look in his eyes again. This time it was tinged with bitterness. “Settlement?” Rome repeated, having absolutely no idea what his father was talking about. “What settlement?” Before he could get a response, Cristino was back with the food. He set all of the plates in their proper places and took his time asking if there was anything else he could get anyone. When he finally left, Monty already had his fork in his hand. “Let’s eat first. We'll get into business afterward.” Rome opened his mouth to protest but closed it, knowing there was no reason to argue. His father had been accommodating in answering any questions at all before they ate. He certainly wasn’t going to change his mind now. The older man took his time, savoring every bite, all of his attention focused on the pasta he carefully twisted around his fork before adding a small bit of cut-up meatball to the tip of each bite. Rome picked at his lasagna, not hungry at all. The dish tasted just fine, but his mind was elsewhere, and he ed Ella’s warning about eating or drinking, though he thought such an establishment as this one wouldn’t want to be associated with the drugging and kidnapping of a famous actor. A few times, his mother attempted to make small talk as she ingested tiny bites of her food, much like a bird. She’d been watching her weight as long as Rome could . He’d never seen her clean her plate--not once. Her attempts at trying to start a conversation so they wouldn’t have to suffer in silence were futile. No one wanted to talk about the lovely flowers the Gibsons had planted outside of their gate or the fact that Crystal Davis was getting married next weekend. Eventually, she gave up, eating a little more than normal, probably because her feelings were hurt that no one wanted to chat.

When Monty was finished, he pushed his plate aside, wiped his mouth on his napkin, and deposited the cloth on top of the empty dish. He took another drink of his wine, which had been refilled enough times that the bottle was nearly empty now, and then snapped his fingers. It wasn’t the waiter he was summoning. A few tables over, a lanky man in his mid-forties wearing a nice suit and black tie approached, carrying an attaché case. He set it down next to Monty on the floor and then strode back to his table. Rome shook his head. Even with all of their careful planning, they’d had no idea that man was part of Monty’s brigade. He was tempted to glance around and see if he could pick out anyone else. The woman sitting at the table with the suit was dressed nicely in an evening gown and seemed to be genuinely interested in his father’s goon when Rome had caught a glimpse of them earlier. Anyone could be a part of the Verona circus. His father didn’t reach for the case just yet. Instead, he steepled his hands in front of his face. “After the unfortunate demise of Mark Hutio, Tim Bolt, and Ella Sin--Verona,” he began, catching himself, which brought a pleasant smile to Lacy’s face, “there was plenty of blame to throw around, despite the fact that you were found not to be responsible for Tim’s death and weren’t even in the country when Ella ed away. Mark’s parents sued Tim’s family and Sinders, saying someone needed to be held able for Mark’s death. They settled out of court quickly. After that, the enemy came looking for me. Both Tim’s parents and Ella’s father sued me for wrongful death.” Rome’s eyebrows arched. He’d had no idea. While he could believe Lloyd Sinders would find any excuse possible to sue his father, he couldn’t believe Ella’s aunt would do such a thing. She knew the truth--that Ella was alive, and that she was still married to Rome, in practice if not legally. “Wh--what happened? Are you still fighting it?” Monty sighed and ran a hand through his graying hair. “I’m tired of fighting things, Rome. I’m not getting any younger. We settled, just to get it over with. But… that did take a chunk out of our savings, son. And your mother and I have been discussing retirement for years.” Rome didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t happy that Ella’s family had sued his, especially when what had happened to Tim was an accident, but he’d have to

fight to make sense of all of that later. “Are you saying you’re going to retire?” His parents exchanged glances. “I hadn’t planned on it, not so soon, but when we were approached by a buyer who was willing to give us even more than the company is currently worth, well, we’re strongly considering it now.” “You have a buyer? Who is it?” Rome couldn’t imagine his father selling his company. He’d poured everything he had into it for so long, Rome didn’t even know who he’d be without it. “The attorney won’t disclose the name, not until we agree to sell. Just that it’s a European firm with a strong background in film who would like to move into the American market.” “It’s a fine offer,” Lacy said, smiling at her husband proudly, as if he’d somehow made the offer happen. “Are you going to take it?” Rome asked. He glanced down at Bart, trying to get a read on whether or not his friend thought he was missing something, but Bart looked disinterested, which told Rome, while he was paying attention, he wasn’t alarmed. “I think so,” Monty itted with a shrug. “The company’s worth more right now than it ever has been, despite your antics. I had been pondering what to do with it when I retired, since clearly you want no part of it. So… I think I may sell. There’s just one stipulation you need to be aware of.” “What’s that?” Rome gulped in air, swallowing hard. What could it possibly be now? “The buyer wants an agreement with you that you will star in ten movies produced by the company in the next five years. All major roles, all paid at or above your going rate at the time filming begins. They want to continue to use the Verona name to their advantage, and for some reason, they seem to think your return to Hollywood is bound to attract a lot of attention. If you say no, they’ll pull the offer.” Once again, Rome caught Bart’s eyes. His friend’s were slightly wider now, which wasn’t a surprise. Rome felt as if his were about to bulge out of his head. He had come into this meeting assuming he’d be asked to work for his father’s

company some. Now, he had the opportunity to do so without his father in the picture. He’d get to do what he loved, and he’d be making a lot of money. The fact that he didn’t know who the buyer was bothered him, but he couldn’t imagine any foreign buyer coming in wanting to get a piece of the American market by making such a large investment would make bad choices in the movies they released. “Okay. I’ll do it.” “You will?” A smile broke out across his father’s face. “Yes, under one condition. You stop stalking me. I don’t want you or your men showing up anywhere I’m at anymore. I take it, when you retire, you’ll be headed to Europe?” Monty nodded. “Good. I’ll check in with you once a week so you know how I’m doing, but I don’t want any more suits showing up, got it?” “What if Sinders comes after you?” his mother asked, that worried expression back on her face. “I have my own people. I’ll be fine,” Rome assured them. “Fine, fine. I’ll call them off,” Monty said with a sharp nod. “Now, let me get your portion of the contract so you can sign it.” He bent down and opened the attaché case, pulling out a stapled document about five pages long for Rome to sign. He wished he had his lawyer there to look it over, but it all looked straightforward to him, nothing different than the contracts he was used to g. He handed it down to Bart to read through, just to have a second pair of eyes on it. Bart nodded and handed it back, and Rome took the pen from his father, g the contract and dating it. He prayed he was doing the right thing and this wasn’t just another one of his father’s tricks. The opportunity to get his parents off of his back would make it worth it, assuming this wasn’t some form of deception. Monty put the contract back into his case. “I’ll get you a copy of that, and of the lawsuit paperwork, for your records.” “Lawsuit paperwork?” Rome asked, confused again. “Why would I need that?” Tipping his head to the side, Monty studied his son for a second before he said,

“You were named in the lawsuits, too, Rome.” All the blood seemed to drain out of his face as Rome realized what his father was saying. Again, he wasn’t surprised that Lloyd Sinders would sue him--but Genevieve Bolt had done so? “I was?” “Yes, of course. They hardly had a case against me, for Tim, anyway, but you-well, clearly, they could argue you had something to do with Tim’s death. All they need is a reasonable doubt in the judge’s mind, and they win.” Rome’s unsettled feeling was growing. He had spent enough time talking to his parents. While he hadn’t been able to try to convince them to go speak to Lloyd, it seemed evident now that that couldn’t happen, not under the circumstances. He wasn’t even about to try. “I think I should go.” “Already?” Lacy asked. “It’s been so nice to see you, dear.” “Yes, I think so. I have some things I need to do.” “When do you start filming on the Wynnie project?” Monty asked, as if he hadn’t heard him say he needed to leave. “Uh… couple of weeks.” “That’ll be big. Soon as it’s over, I’m guessing the new owners will want you for one of their movies.” “Probably so.” “Are you seeing anyone, honey?” Lacy asked, drawing Rome’s eyes to her face. He was certain his expression was a mix of disbelief and hatred that someone would dare ask him that under the circumstances. “It’s just… we saw the pictures from Dallas.” Rome closed his eyes. He shouldn’t have been so quick to grow angry at her. It was an assumption anyone would make. “No. That was just a woman I met at the airport. She was also headed to California, to see her boyfriend, and we decided to ride together.” “Oh. She was lovely,” Lacy said, slightly disappointed. “I thought perhaps she

was someone you’d met on your...adventure.” That was an interesting way to put it. “No. Haven’t met anyone.” Rome hoped his father would end his snooping before he noted Rome wasn’t living alone, if he didn’t know already. “Pretty girl,” Monty said, rubbing his chin. “Looked a little, uh, familiar, to me. She… remind you of anyone?” The look in his eyes as he met Rome’s gaze let him know the suspicions were there. Calling upon all of his skills as an actor, Rome looked right back and said, “No, no she didn’t.” Monty chuckled slightly, looking away. “I’ll get you a copy of this paperwork. You take care, son. Check in with your mother.” Rome nodded and pushed back his chair. Lacy was on her feet, her arms open. He walked around and hugged his mother, kissing her cheek, and then shook his father’s offered hand. As soon as he withdrew it, he had the urge to wipe it off, but he didn’t. Instead, he put his hands in his jacket pocket, and turned to signal to Bart that he was ready to go. There was no sense in trying to pay for his portion of the meal. All that would do was hurt his mother’s feelings. As they headed toward the door, Rome realized there was something small and round in his pocket. It felt almost like a button or a cufflink, but smaller. He didn’t normally put his hands in the pockets of his suit jacket, so he had no idea how the item might’ve gotten there, but he didn’t stop to pull it out. Instead, he followed Bart out the door, ready to be free of this situation once and for all.

Chapter 40 Heading Home

Fresh air was a welcome greeting as Rome lifted his face to the sky and took in a few whiffs of the LA street. Fresh might’ve been an exaggeration, but at least the heavy floral perfume his mother wore and his father’s pungent cologne, along with the stifling weight of the conversation he’d just left, were behind him now. Bart hurried him toward the parking garage, neither of them speaking, which Rome thought was for the best since they had no idea if any of the people they were ing on the street were his father’s associates. And there was the strange object he’d found in his pocket as well. He wanted to share that with Bart but not until he had assurance no one was watching them or listening in. How it had gotten there was still a mystery. Bart kept careful watch in every direction as they retraced their path to the parking garage. Some people oohed and awed when they saw him, waving, even a few pictures. But no one asked for a selfie or invaded his personal space, so Rome got a bit of a reprieve from the norm. They got in the elevator alone and were soon in the vehicle. Rome buckled up, wishing he could call Ella and let her know he was on his way home, but he didn’t dare do that yet. His eyes went to the car they’d noticed earlier with the two men. They were gone. Either they’d never been part of his father’s network or Monty was actually doing as he said he would and had called them off. Bart steered them out of the parking garage, his eyes constantly flickering to the rearview mirror to make sure they weren’t being followed. It didn’t seem as if they were. He saw his friend relax slightly. Not wanting him to let his guard down just yet, Rome tapped him on the arm to get his attention. Pulling his eyes away from the road at a red light, Bart raised an eyebrow. Rome shook his head, as if to say not yet. Bart nodded, his eyebrows knit together. Rome patted his pocket. When the light changed color, Bart headed through it, a

look of understanding on his face. He traveled on for about three blocks, past where they normally would’ve turned to get onto the highway that led to Rome’s house. Then, Bart turned right. Rome had no idea where he was going but figured he had a plan in mind. He sat still, contemplating whether or not it was safe to send Ella a text. Deciding it wasn’t worth the risk, especially if this thing in his pocket was a device that could somehow read cell phone data, he tried to stay patient. After a few more turns and five minutes or so down a lane that led into one of the ritzier parts of town neither of them had ever lived in, Bart pulled over between two large houses with gates that rivaled the one outside of the Verona or Sinders compound. He shifted into park and then turned to look at Rome, his eyebrows raised. Nodding, Rome pulled the device out of his pocket, hoping it was nothing. By his friend’s expression, he could tell that he had been right to be suspicious. Bart muttered something so quietly, Rome didn’t hear it and turned the tiny object over in his hands a few times. Then, he rolled down the enger side window and tossed it out into the yard of one of the large houses, rolling up the window and driving on. Since Bart still wasn’t speaking, Rome decided he’d better not either. Instead, he kept his mouth shut until Bart pulled over again in the back of a parking lot of a gas station several miles away. This time, Bart shifted into park and got out of the vehicle, leaving it running, and gestured for Rome to get out as well. He did, and Bart came around to his side, taking his own jacket off and patting it down as he did so. He felt his pockets, and the rest of his clothing, and Rome got the idea. They were making sure there was nothing else on them. Rome patted himself down, taking his jacket off and checking it thoroughly, but that wasn’t good enough for Bart. He patted Rome down, too, and then insisted they both check their shoes. Satisfied that there were no other unusual objects, he said, “That was a bug.” “I got that impression from the way you’re acting,” Rome replied, putting his jacket back on and glancing around. There were a few other people around, but no one was paying them any mind. “How did it get in my pocket?” “I’m guessing the girl in the elevator put it there,” he replied. “She was the only

one who touched you, wasn’t she?” “Son of a bitch!” Rome hadn’t suspected that group in the parking garage had anything to do with his father’s plan. “Great. I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised that my parents can’t be trusted, but I really thought they meant what they said when they agreed to stop following me.” Bart shrugged. “It was there before they agreed to that, but no, I’m not surprised either.” “Why do you think they’d do that?” “Probably trying to figure out who that girl really is. Your dad seemed awfully suspicious.” Rome raised an eyebrow. “You think my dad is suspicious that Ella… is Ella?” Bart nodded. “He implied that he thinks she is, don’t you think?” Rome had caught his father’s implications as well, but he didn’t want to believe it, so he’d pushed it out of his mind. “What about the vehicle? Couldn’t they have planted something on that?” “Yes, they could have.” Bart pulled out his phone and sent a quick text. “Your parents already know where you live, so a tracker wouldn’t do them any good. It would have to be some sort of a surveillance device to get them any knew information.” “Why did you toss it in that particular yard?” He kept his voice low, hoping if there was a device on the vehicle listening to them, it wouldn’t be audible “I’ll tell you in a minute.” Rome was still confused, but he figured it had something to with Bart’s fear that his parents’ people were listening in. A moment later, a dark grey sedan pulled into the parking lot, headed for them. Rome tensed up, his eyes widening, and his mouth dropping open. “It’s okay,” Bart assured him. “One of mine.”

Rome looked at his friend incredulously. “Since when do you have people?” Laughing, Bart replied, “Since you got married. You got everything out of this vehicle?” Rome nodded, and Bart led him to the car. The driver’s door opened, and a middle-aged man shaped like a bowling ball got out. “Hey, Rod. Thanks for getting here so fast. Take it in, get it scanned?” “Of course, boss,” he said, lowering his dark glasses at Bart and giving Rome a small wave. How he drove with those on was beyond Rome. Bart got behind the wheel of the sedan, and Rome climbed into the enger seat, hoping this meant they could talk freely. Once the car started to move, Bart said, “You can call Ella now.” “Right.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly dialed her number, relieved when she answered on the first ring. “Hey, baby. I’m headed home.” She let out a long sigh. “I’m so glad to hear that. Are you okay? How did it go?” “Yeah, I’m fine. I’ll tell you all about it as soon as I get there, okay? I just didn’t want you to worry about me.” “Well, I will keep worrying about you until you’re in my arms, but I’m glad you called.” “Don’t be alarmed, but we’re in a different car now.” “What? Why?” That shrill tone was back, along with a quiver that told him she was on the edge of panicking again, a state she’d been in ever since he’d agreed to meet his parents. “It’s all right. We just thought there was a chance they might’ve bugged the other car, so we switched with one of Bart’s friends.” Friends sounded less hostile than associates. He glanced at the GPS Bart had just programmed to get an indicator of how long it might take for them to get home. “I should be there in an hour or so.” “Okay. I’ll be holding my breath until you are.”

“Don’t do that. You’ll out.” “Then, when you get here, you can revive me.” The teasing lilt to her voice had him wishing Bart could drive faster. Damn traffic. “I’ll see you soon, baby. I love you.” “I love you, too.” Rome hung up the phone and turned to look at Bart. “Well, what do you think?” “Where do you want me to start?” his friend asked, only slightly more relaxed now that they were in a different vehicle. His shoulders were still halfway to his ears, and he had both hands on the wheel. “Do you think they’ll stop following me?” “I hope so, but it’s hard to say. Probably for a little while. If they do sell the company and move to Europe, it’ll depend on how informed you keep them.” Rome nodded, thinking that was probably true. “What about those lawsuits?” His stomach rolled over. “Can you believe Ella’s aunt sued me?” “Could she have filed before Ella called her?” “I don’t know. But I want to find out.” How could someone who knew the truth do such a thing? Was she really that money hungry? “Maybe her husband did it. He doesn’t know about Ella, right? That she’s still alive?” “I don’t think he does. That’s a good point.” Rome considered the contract he’d signed. “I wonder who this foreign buyer is. I sure hope I don’t end up having to make ten shitty movies because this person has a personal vendetta against me.” “I think Lloyd Sinders is the only one in the movie business who fits that description isn’t he? Does anyone else hate you?” Rome shrugged. His head hurt. “Who knows.” He had an uneasy feeling about the contract, but at the time, he hadn’t had much of a choice but to sign it. “If I

catch one of my father’s men on my tail, that contract is null and void. That’s what we agreed on, right?” Bart nodded. “Yes, that’s what you said. He’ll just have to be sneakier so he doesn’t get caught.” “He’ll owe the new owner a hell of a lot of money if he breaks his portion of the contract with me. It said that, too.” Bart changed lanes to go around a slower car. “Yep. That should be a deterrent, especially if he settled those lawsuits for a quarter as much as what they likely sued for. All the more reason for him to hate Lloyd Sinders.” “Which is exactly why I didn’t bother to ask him to make peace with Sinders.” His friend didn’t say anything, but there was a nod of understanding. They continued on in silence for over half an hour before Bart suggested, “You might want to your team at the house and let them know we’ve changed vehicles.” Thinking that was a good idea, Rome sent a text to the security personnel he’d left at home and called off his people at the restaurant, too. He saw he had texts from the ones who’d been stationed outside the Italian t saying that his parents had left a few minutes ago, and they were headed out. He told them to go home, and thanks for their work. Once all of the texts were sent, Rome watched out the window as the city faded away and the ocean took over, ready to be home with his girl on the beach, ready to forget about his parents again for a while and just concentrate on her--the only one that really mattered.

Chapter 41 Ella Gets Caught Up

Headlights shown through the window. Ella leaped up off of the sofa and ran over to the window to watch a sedan come up the lane. It wasn’t Bart’s vehicle, but then, he’d mentioned on the phone they’d switched cars. She held her breath, hoping this was Rome returned home and not trouble brewing. When she saw her husband step out of the enger side, a flood of relief washed over her. Bart got out, too, though he didn’t step away from the open door. Ella couldn’t contain herself anymore and went out to greet him, flying past the security guard on the porch who only chuckled. Rome opened his arms just in time for her to slam into him, burying her head in his chest. “Well, hello there, beautiful,” he said with a smile, squeezing her tight but not as ferociously as she was gripping him. “Did you miss me or something?” Regaining her composure, Ella looked up and shrugged. “Maybe a little.” He grinned and bent down to kiss her. Ella’s hand snaked around to the back of his head, and she let him know just how much she had truly missed him. After a few moments, Bart cleared his throat and said, “Well, I guess I’ll be going.” Rome pulled away from her, and Ella felt a rush of red to her cheeks. She’d forgotten Bart was still standing there. “Thanks for everything, man,” Rome said, reaching over the top of the car to shake his best friend’s hand. “I’m not sure what we would’ve done without your help in all of this, but I’m pretty sure we’d both be in one hell of a mess.” “It’s no problem,” Bart said, as if he wasn’t responsible for the fact that the couple was standing there together. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Okay--thanks.” Ella echoed Rome’s thanks, and Bart started to get back into the car, but Rome stopped him. “By the way, you never told me. Whose yard was that?” Bart stopped and stood back up. “Oh, uh, Ruby Waterstone. You know, the actress from Better Days? I thought she looked enough like Ella that if people started asking questions, they might just go with the rumor that you’re dating Ruby.” “There’s a rumor that I’m dating Ruby?” Rome asked, his forehead furrowed. Ella hadn’t heard that either. She stared at Bart, her forehead also puckered. “Well, there will be soon enough.” Bart shrugged and got into his car, closing the door this time before Rome could ask anything else. Rome gave Bart a little wave and they stepped away from the vehicle. He was shaking his head as he took Ella’s hand and led her up the steps to the front door. A million questions stormed her mind, but she waited until they were inside. Once they were in the bedroom, Ella took a seat on the end of the bed as Rome took off his suit, carefully checking every piece of clothing before he hung them in the bag for the dry cleaners. Exactly what he was looking for, she wasn’t sure, and she didn’t ask. He put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, leaving her in suspense the entire time, and then came and sat down next to her. “Well?” she finally asked, wondering why he hadn’t told her what happened while he was changing. “How did it go?” Rome shook his head. “Not that well. Okay, I guess. I mean--I didn’t get kidnapped. So that was something.” “What was that bit about Ruby Waterstone?” With a sigh, Rome brushed his hair back and let it go. It fell perfectly back into place. “We found a bug in my jacket pocket when we left the restaurant. Bart wasn’t exactly sure what it was, so he drove it to Ruby’s house and threw it in the yard. If they were intending to track me, they could follow it there. If it was a listening device, they got nothing out of it.”

“Crazy. How did that get there?” “We think a woman who asked for a picture when we were exiting the parking garage to enter the restaurant put it there.” Ella shook her head. “I guess your dad’s still up to his old tricks then?” The idea that neither one of them would ever be able to leave the house came to mind, filling her with dread. “No, we don’t think so. We think that was planted before dinner, in case I didn’t agree to his requests.” “And did you? What requests?” Again, he sighed, leaning backward on his elbows and looking up at the ceiling, as if he wasn’t sure that what he was about to tell her had been a good idea on his part. “I agreed to do ten movies with his studio.” “In exchange for what?’ “For him leaving me alone. He’s selling the company, El.” “What?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The idea of Monty Verona selling was preposterous. It would be as if her own father had agreed to sell his company, and she couldn’t fathom her dad ever parting ways with his marketing firm. “Yeah. He said he had to spend a lot of money on lawsuits recently, so when he got a significant offer from a foreign buyer, he took it.” “Lawsuits? For what?” Rome’s countenance changed. His mouth formed a straight line, and his eyes narrowed. “Your family suing him. And me.” Ella’s eyes widened as she took that in. “Suing you? For what?” “Wrongful death.” Rome shook his head violently and then sat up. “I can understand them being upset over Tim’s drowning, but I didn’t cause that. And it pisses me off that my father settled with them for millions, as if I had some sort

of responsibility.” “Rome, God. I’m so sorry. My father is a vindictive person, but… I don’t understand how he could sue over that. Tim wasn’t his child.” “No, that was your aunt and uncle, babe. Your dad sued over your wrongful death.” “My wrongful death!” Ella’s blood ran cold. “You’ve got to be shitting me!” How dare he try to profit for something he caused. “That son of a bitch!” “Exactly! So I didn’t bother to ask my dad to try to make peace with yours now. It seemed pointless when all of that has gone on in the last few months.” Ella folded her arms, anger still pulsating through her as she took all of that information in. She couldn’t blame Rome for not asking his father to call a truce under the circumstances. “Anyway, I really don’t understand why your aunt sued when she knows that you are alive and we are together,” Rome said, the anger still evident in his voice, too, though he seemed to have calmed down more than she had. “I agree. It just doesn’t make sense. I’ll call her tomorrow and see what’s going on. I wonder if my uncle insisted. She couldn’t tell him I’m alive. He’s not trustworthy.” Rome put his arm around her, pulling her close. “I’m sorry, babe. It didn’t quite go as we wanted it to, but at least it’s over.” “That’s true. With any luck, you’ll never have to see your parents again. Unless you want to.” “They’re planning to go to Europe once the deal’s done for the company, so it may be a while.” Mention of the deal reminded her that she had more questions about that. “Who bought it? Do you know?” Rome shook his head. “My dad doesn’t even know at this point. It’s a deal through their lawyers.”

“So how does he know it’s not my dad?” “He made sure it wasn’t and put it in the contract that it couldn’t be or else the company reverts back to my dad, and he keeps the money. And if he gets caught sending his men after me, my part of the contract is null as well, and he’ll owe the new buyer a lot of money for the movies I won’t be making.” “What if it’s an associate of my dad’s?” Ella thought of all the companies her father worked with in Europe. “They could ask you to make some really shitty movies, Rome.” He laughed. “I thought about that, but I don’t think anyone would purposely make crappy movies just so I have to be the star of them, so I think it’ll be all right.” Ella stared at him for a few moments, not quite sure he understood what he might be getting himself into. “You already signed it?” He nodded. “I had to in order to get out of there without any more problems. Whatever it is, it’ll be worth it to get him off of our backs. And I don’t have to start filming until after I finish my current project with Wynnie.” Swallowing hard, Ella tried to smile. It was all done now, so there was no reason to fret over it. She rested her head on his shoulder, hoping that they’d look back on this day as one where problems were resolved, not as the beginning of a new wave of assaults. But the knot in her stomach told her not to be too optimistic. Brushing her hair away from her forehead, Rome asked, “What did you do when I was gone? Anything exciting?” The paintings in the attic came to mind. She’d been so excited to find them and couldn’t wait to tell him about them. But now, it all seemed sort of silly. She’d wait for another time. “Not much. Just… waited for you to call.” He kissed her forehead. “Did you eat?” “Lenore made me some soup earlier.” She didn’t bother to tell him she’d only been able to get down a few bites. “Good. I think I’ll go see what we have to eat. I took your advice and didn’t eat

much of anything at dinner. Care to me?” He stood and offered his hand. Even though she wasn’t hungry at all, Ella took it. After the harrowing events of the evening, she wouldn’t be letting him out of her sights anytime soon. As they walked to the kitchen, her thoughts continued to race around her mind like migrating butterflies, a frenzy of activity with one goal in mind but no one clear path to get there. Was this the end of their problems with their parents--or were they just beginning?

Chapter 42 Daylight

Sleeping should’ve been easier since Rome had spoken to his parents and gotten a few things settled, but Ella had had a hard time of it and was up with the first rays of light pouring in through the bedroom window. A glance at her sleeping husband told her that she wouldn’t disturb him if she crept out of bed, so she did, stopping by the closet for a change of clothes on the way to the bathroom. Even the shower didn’t wake him. When she went back by a half hour later, he was still out cold. She smiled at how handsome he was, sleeping with one arm tucked under his pillow, the other stretched up over his head out straight, and grabbed her phone off of her nightstand, wondering if anyone else was up. Of course, Lenore was. She always seemed to be awake, no matter the hour. Ella stopped by to tell her good morning, grabbing a piece of fruit and asking her not to worry about breakfast yet since Rome was still asleep, and then headed outside to the patio that faced the ocean. Settling into a comfy cushioned, wicker chair, Ella breathed in the sweet sea breeze and tried to calm herself. She’d hoped that Rome meeting with his parents would provide answers to their pressing questions. Instead, it just seemed to make things even more unsettled. She hadn’t even gotten a chance to tell him about the artwork she’d found upstairs. Those paintings had left an impression on her, though. That was for certain. Whoever had painted them had been enormously talented. It was too bad they’d all been left in the attic. Ella didn’t know much about the history of the house, but she wanted to find out as much as she could so she could see if she could determine who F. Ward might be. On an off chance, she searched for an artist by that name on her phone. Surprisingly, some paintings came up that looked similar to the ones she’d found upstairs. Could this be the same artist?

Ella clicked on a link that took her to a short biography of a woman named Fae Ward. She learned that the woman had begun painting later in life, in her sixties, and had been most well-known for her seascapes. While her work had been popular in the LA area in the late nineties, she’d only sold a few before she quietly slipped back into the abyss of normalcy, never to be heard from again. That, Ella could relate to. She certainly knew what it was like to fade away into oblivion. The article was short, so Ella searched for more but couldn’t find anything. She even tried looking for Fae Ward’s name in the white pages but also came up short. If this woman had been a famous artist in the area for any amount of time, surely someone had to know where she was now. Had she lived in this house? Chances were she had. Why hadn’t she sold the paintings in the attic? Frustrated at her lack of answers, Ella checked the time and saw that it was almost nine o’clock. She had a phone call to make, and even though she didn’t want to do it, she needed to get back to a place where she had more answers and less questions. The phone rang four times before going to voicemail. Ella said, “Hey, Aunt Gen. It’s me. Answer when I call back, please.” She understood Aunt Gen wouldn’t want to answer a phone call from a number she didn’t know. Rather than waiting for her to call back, her aunt called her. “Hi,” Ella said in a hushed voice, as if she was the one who might be overheard by someone who didn’t need to know what she was up to. “I didn’t wake you, did I?” “No, no. I was just sitting out back having my morning tea. How are you, dear?” “I’m okay.” She’d called when they’d first gotten back to California to let her aunt know she was safe. She’d called her other aunt, Suzette, in as well. “How are you?” “Not well,” her aunt itted. Ella could practically hear the tears in her voice as she spoke. “God, Ella, I just miss him so much.” It had been a while since Ella allowed herself to think about Tim, but now that her thoughts had returned to her cousin, she felt tears forming in her eyes as well. “I know, Aunt Gen. I miss him, too.”

“It just all seems so unfair. I wish… I wish I would’ve known how he was feeling so I could have done more to protect him.” Ella wasn’t sure what to say. Clearly, Tim had gotten irrational about his hatred for Rome’s family or else he never would’ve taken that gun on the boat, the gun he’d insisted was meant to protect Ella against her father, not to use against Rome and his friends. “I don’t think there was anything any of us could’ve done, Aunt Gen.” “You’re probably right,” she said with a sigh. “Anyway, how are you dear? Are you all settled?” “Getting there.” She hadn’t told her aunt where they were living because she didn’t want there to be a chance she might accidentally tell her father. “Rome found out about the lawsuits yesterday. I was calling to ask you… why.” Her aunt was quiet for a long moment. “I’m sorry, dear. Tim’s father… was angry. He thought Rome should’ve been prosecuted for Tim’s death. When the district attorney dropped the charges, he was livid. It was the only way to talk him down from going after Rome himself.” “So… it was your idea?” “Yes. I’m sorry, Ella. I hope you can understand. Without being able to tell him the truth… I didn’t know what else to do. If you need money--” “No, no it’s not that. Rome’s dad paid for it. All of it. I just couldn’t believe….” Ella stopped talking. There was no point in finishing the sentence. “It was the only way.” Ella knew her uncle well enough to understand what her aunt was saying and had to suppose that might be true. “Well, if it gave the two of you a little bit of peace, I guess it was worth it.” “It didn’t. Not me, anyway. No amount of money can bring Tim back. His father… I don’t see him much these days. He’s always working, more now than ever. He’s always busy. Trying to keep his mind off of it, I suppose.” “I’m sorry, Aunt Gen.” Once again, she was at a loss for words.

“At least you’re all right, dear. Back when I thought I’d lost you both… well, I was ready to go on and you myself. Have you considered speaking to your father? He’s not well.” Ella didn’t want to get into that at the moment, even though she had considered talking to her dad. “I don’t know, Aunt Gen. If he’s unwell, I’m sure it has nothing to do with me. He wasn’t too put out when he discovered how I was being treated.” “He tries to hide it, but I think he feels just terrible about the entire situation.” The door behind her opened, and Rome walked out. Ella was glad to have a reason to get off of the phone. “I have to go, Aunt Gen. I’ll talk to you later. Love you.” She hung up before her aunt had a chance to say more, and set her phone in her lap, wishing the conversation had gone better. At least she’d got the answer to one of her questions. It had been her uncle who’d wanted the lawsuit, not her aunt. “Everything okay?” Rome asked, sitting down next to her in a chair identical to hers. Shrugging, Ella said, “I don’t know. She said it was her idea for the lawsuit but only because Uncle Thomas was ready to come after you physically after the charges were dropped, and she thought that might appease him.” He raised an eyebrow as he took that in. “Seems harsh,” he said. “But then, I guess if they truly thought it was my fault Tim was dead, it’s hard to blame them for being upset that the DA dropped the charges.” “I think they just needed someone to blame. It was too hard to blame Tim himself, even though it was clearly all his fault. If he hadn’t shot Mark, the two of you would’ve never fallen in the ocean.” Rome nodded. He knew that, of course. “Well, it’s over now. There’s no point in dwelling on it. The lawsuit, that is. I don’t expect you to get over your cousin’s death so quickly.” Ella thought about how long it had been since the incident had occurred. Several months had gone by. Still, she hadn’t really allowed herself much time to think about Tim and what had happened to him. She’d kept her mind preoccupied with

trying to make sure she and Rome were safe and keeping the fact that she was alive undetected. Now that she was settled again, she’d have time to her sweet cousin and how kind he’d always been to her. Rome reached over and took her hand. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” “No, it’s okay. I’m all right.” “Are you sure?” She nodded, managing a smile. “I’m fine.” He squeezed her hand. “I think Lenore is about done making breakfast if you’re hungry.” Ella hadn’t even eaten the apple she’d brought out with her. It sat untouched on the chair next to her where she’d set it when she picked up her phone to search for F. Ward. She’d have to show Rome the attic later. “I could eat,” she assured him. He grinned at her and stood, stepping over to pull her up. Ella tucked her phone into the pocket of her white shorts before it could fall off of her lap and hit the porch. Pulling her closer, Rome pressed her against his chest, slowly stroking her hair. “I love you, Ella. So much.” “I love you, too.” She meant those words more than she meant any she’d ever said. He kissed her temple, and she breathed him in, content to just stand there in his arms near the ocean, letting the rest of the world fade away.

Chapter 43 Moving On

Breakfast was delicious, as it always was when Lenore made it. Ella ate way too many blueberry pancakes, paired with the crispiest bacon she’d ever devoured, washing it down with fresh squeezed orange juice. By the time she dropped her fork, there was no way one more bite could’ve slipped past her lips. She leaned back in her chair, one hand on her stomach, watching Rome finish off the last few bites, the look on his face telling her he was just as stuffed as she was. “Man, now that was a good breakfast,” her husband declared, placing his fork on his plate definitively. Lenore, who was at the sink, chuckled. “I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I’ll be over to clear the table just as soon as I finish scrubbing this griddle.” Ella was thankful they had found such kind help. Lenore was wonderful, and for the first time in a long time, she almost felt like she had a mother. “Well, beautiful, what would you like to do today?” Rome asked her, wiping his hands on his cloth napkin and setting it next to his plate. “Actually,” Ella began, thinking of her secret in the attic, “there’s something I’d love to show you.” “Great. What is it?” Ella opened her mouth to tell him, but his cell phone rang. He held up his finger and pulled the device out of his pocket. Normally, he wouldn’t be so rude, but she knew he was waiting for a call from the director of the movie he was doing with Wynnie, so she stopped talking and let him answer. “Oh, hey Jackson,” he said with a nod. She smiled at him, and Rome stood, still talking to the director as he headed outside to take the call on the patio where he’d have more privacy, not that he cared if Ella knew his plans. He’d fill her in

later. Sighing despite her understanding, Ella stood, picking up her empty plate and Rome’s, and carrying them to the sink. “Dear, you don’t have to do that. I’ve got it.” Lenore smiled at her, taking the plates and setting them in the sink. A sympathetic smile brightened her plump face, her cheeks the same rosy shade they always were despite her otherwise pale complexion. “I know,” Ella said, leaning back against the counter. Her eyes went to Rome on the patio. He was laughing, the grin on his face brighter than she’d seen it in many months. “And what about you?” Lenore asked, finishing with the griddle and moving on to rinse the breakfast plates before putting them in the dishwasher. “Mr. Verona is going to be making many movies. What are you going to be doing, Mrs. Verona?” Lenore was one of the only people in the world who knew her true identity. Even most of the security people didn’t know who she was, only that Rome wanted her kept safe and not to ask any questions. They were used to being impersonal, but someone who would be living in their home and caring for them on the level that Lenore was needed to know the truth. Ella trusted her completely. “Well, I don’t know. My options are sort of limited. I’d considered trying to get another job in marketing. My graphics continue to sell movies even after my death.” Lenore snickered at her phrasing. “But I can’t use my past experience or any of my current portfolio to do it.” “Could you create some new pieces?” Lenore asked, starting the dishwasher. She took a clean washcloth from the drawer, wet it, and squeeze the extra water out before moving over to the table to wipe it down. “I guess I could,” Ella said, the thought having crossed her mind before. “It’s just difficult without an assignment. And any identity I give them will be completely made up. If they fact checked my background, they’d see I was lying.” Lenore made a sound in the back of her throat which showed she disapproved of

that. She brought the cloth back over to the sink, dropping in a few collected crumbs, and then rinsed it out, washing the crumbs down the sink. Wringing it out again, she hung it over the faucet and then washed her hands, drying them on the apron she wore around her waist. Ella watched the whole process, waiting to see if she had any other suggestions. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find something to do, dear,” she finally said. Ella held back another sigh of disappointment. She’d hoped Lenore would have a better idea, something she hadn’t thought of before. Instead, she just had the same message everyone else who knew she was alive seemed to have--you’ll figure it out. What if she didn’t? Ella smiled at her anyway as the housekeeper went on about her business. Her eyes flickered to Rome. He was headed back inside, the phone still in his hand, but as he opened the sliding glass door to come into the kitchen, he hung up, still smiling. “Good news?” she asked him. “Great news. They want to start filming tomorrow.” “Tomorrow? Really? You’ve only had the new script for a couple of days.” “I know. So… I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’m sorry, baby. I know you had something you wanted to show me. Can I take a raincheck?” He was standing in front of her now, his hands on her waist. “Sure,” she replied. What else could she say? Images of her trying to drag him to the attic against his will came to mind and might’ve made her laugh if she wasn’t slightly upset that she still had nothing to do, and his life was going on as normal--maybe better than normal. “Thank you, sweetheart.” He kissed the top of her head and then bounded off toward the bedroom where his script lay on his nightstand. Ella took a few deep breaths. She knew what she was getting into when she’d agreed to all of this, and she truly was happy for Rome. It was just hard not to be slightly jealous that he was moving on with his life, and she was standing still. He’d be busy for the rest of the day, memorizing his lines for the next day, and as long as he was filming, he’d be swamped. She might not even see him most days

as he went in early and got home late, especially since they lived so far out of town, where he’d be filming. Resolved not to let it bother her, Ella decided there was something she could do. Hoping to find some answers to her questions about F. Ward, she headed in to get her laptop and do some work of her own.

Chapter 44 Social Search

The first bit of information she needed had been found rather quickly, once Ella settled into a seat by a large window in the hall upstairs. She had her feet up on the matching chair, her computer open on her lap, a view of the sea out the window not enough to distract her from her search. She’d learned quickly that Rome had purchased the house from a couple with the last name of Brand. While she’d been able to find the seller’s name online, the buyer was undisclosed in most places she found and listed under Rome’s lawyer’s name elsewhere. At least there seemed to be no public record that Rome Verona had purchased the property, not at the moment anyway. After that, Ella hit a brick wall. There seemed to be no documentation as to who Mr. and Mrs. Bill Brand had purchased the house from. Frustrated, she decided to take another route and searched for Fae Ward’s information on an ancestry site. That led her to her husband’s name--Harrison Ward. After what seemed like hours of searching, she finally found where he’d purchased a home in 1974, but the address was different than her current address. Was it possible the address had changed at some point after the Wards moved in? Or was it during the time the Brands lived there? Finding the answer to that question took some more digging. Eventually, she found a piece of evidence that confirmed her house had once had a different address. After that, she was able to establish who the Wards had bought the house from, which was the daughter of the builder. Margaret Gier had sold them the house, and her father, Alistair Gier, had built it--in 1924. She was even able to find a picture of the Giers standing in front of the house--Alistair, his wife Betty, and their three children, Margaret, Helen, and Wallace. Sadly, she found a newspaper clipping that stated Wallace had drowned outside the family home when he was only four. That sent a chill down Ella’s spine, but she kept on with her research. She wasn’t looking for ghost stories. “Besides,” she reminded herself, “I’m already dead.”

A little more searching turned up Harrison Ward’s death certificate. He’d died in 2008, two years before the Brands had bought the house. So… what had happened to Fae? There seemed to be no death certificate for her. If she were still alive, she’d be 95 years old. Had she lived in the house alone for a few years before she sold the house to the Brands? The Wards had a son, Kenneth, but Ella wasn’t able to find much information on him in any of the ancestry sites. Deciding that was because he might not be old enough for that data to be ed there, she searched the white pages and found nothing. Then, she decided to turn to social media as a last resort. She doubted a man of Kenneth’s age was too active on any of the sites she normally used, but she was able to locate three potential matches on a network older people tended to navigate toward. Sure enough, Kenneth Ward, who lived in Fresno, California, matched the age she was looking for. It turned out Kenneth liked to look at pictures of his grandkids. He only had a few friends, but most of them shared his last name. Ella studied the pictures, trying to determine what to do next. Chances were, if she sent him a message, he wouldn’t even see it. If he did, she felt he was unlikely to respond. Instead, Ella decided to send a message to a woman she thought might be his daughter, Miranda Ward Bowles, who looked like she was in her mid-thirties, had two kids, and lived in Nebraska where she worked as an interior designer. Ella’s new social media wasn’t that old, and she only had a few friends, none of them people she even knew in real life since friending the people she actually knew would be too risky, so there was a good chance Miranda might ignore her message, too, thinking she was a Russian bot or hacker. It took her a few minutes to decide what to say. Rather than getting into it too deeply, she wrote, “Hi. You don’t know me, but I think I might be living in the house your grandparents used to live in. Is Fae Ward your grandmother? If so, I found some of her artwork in the attic and thought she might like to have it back.” She left it at that, hoping Ms. Bowles would bother to answer Cindy Grimm, and closed her laptop. Ella rubbed the bridge of her nose and stretched, deciding the ocean was calling her name. Maybe she could convince Rome to come outside with her for a bit. Or maybe not. Either way, she was going out to the beach to calm her spirit and look for some direction. Cindy Grimm needed a job, and

sleuthing around about former residents of her beach house did not count. Setting her laptop aside, she went downstairs to the bedroom. Rome was pacing back and forth, his manuscript in his hand, as he read his lines aloud. She watched him for a few moments, a smile on her face. He was so talented. Even without someone replying to him, she could feel the ion of the scene unfolding around her. He didn’t notice she was there until he was done with the page he was on. Looking up, he spotted her, and a sheepish grin came across his face, as if he was embarrassed to have been caught rehearsing that way. Ella smiled. “You’re amazing,” she said. “This movie is going to be so great.” “Thanks.” His smile morphed into one of pure joy. “What are you up to, beautiful?” “I’ve decided to head to the beach for a bit. Would you like to come?” She stepped forward, into his open arms. “I wish I could,” Rome said, tossing his script on the bed and wrapping his arms around her waist. “But I have to finish learning my lines for tomorrow’s scene.” Ella tried not to let her disappointment change her expression. “Okay. Well, I’m going to go stick my feet in the surf and see if it helps me decide what I want to be when I grow up.” He snickered at her. “I thought you wanted to be a graphic designer.” “I do, but I am currently unemployed and not sure how to go about getting a job when Ella Verona is dead, and Cindy Grimm has no experience, no actual degree, and no references.” He nodded, finally understanding her dilemma. “Perhaps… you can start your own company?” A chuckle escaped her lips. “What clients would hire me?” “Uh… I would,” Rome said, his smile a mix between sympathetic and teasing. “Well, thanks, babe. But I’m pretty sure you don’t have a media marketing

company.” “True,” Rome said, looking off in the distance in deep thought. “But I could.” “Don’t you have enough on your plate?” Ella turned and nodded beside her at the script that was sitting on the bed. Rome’s eyes went there as well. “Yes. I do have a lot on my plate, but if you want me to start a company--” Before he could finish, Ella reached up on her tiptoes and found his lips, cutting him off. She kissed him deeply, thinking about how amazing he was for even offering. Rome pulled her closer, but ing that the ocean was calling her, and he had work to do, Ella fought the urge to tumble with him onto the bed and managed to work her way free. “Thank you for offering, Rome. I can’t ask you to do that right now, though. You’re too busy. I’m going to go see what the sea has to say.” She found a smile, even though her frustration was mounting with every moment of unanswered contemplation. “I’ll see you later.” “All right, baby. I love you,” Rome said, knowing how important it was to get back to his script. Ella leaned up and gave him one more quick kiss and then hurried out of the room before she was tempted to get lost in his eyes again. She had a lot to figure out, but she wasn’t going to find any answers watching Rome memorize his lines, so she headed out to the beach to find a different sort of inspiration.

Chapter 45 No Answers

The ocean waves wet her bare toes as Ella sat on the sand, staring out at the cresting waves as they broke apart twenty feet in front of her, spilling onto the shore and gently rolling up to greet her before slowly sliding away. Above her, seagulls called to one another, arching and swirling, their white wings offset against the vivid azure sky, fading into the puffy clouds aloft as they twisted and turned without care. Ella’s mind went back to the little bird that used to visit her window sill and how she had longed to have the sort of freedom wings could bring. Now that she was no longer a prisoner in the attic, she was bound by a different sort of chains, the kind she’d inadvertently put on herself when she’d traded the attic for the tomb. The answers she sought were not in the ocean waves. Nor were they twirling above her with the floating clouds. Her mind went back to what Rome had mentioned earlier--starting a marketing company. She couldn’t expect him to take that on at the moment. But what if she used his name to get her foot in the door and then created her own business? Would that work? A thought occurred to her. Perhaps she could take advantage of her own situation. Her tragic ing seemed to have benefited Rome. His social media was full of posts from people offering their condolences still, even all of these months after her ing. Ella began to consider the possibilities, her head spinning with ideas. She wished she’d brought some paper with her to jot down her ideas, but then she realized she had her phone and could take some notes on that. She opened up her notes app and started thinking through some steps she’d need to take if she decided to go through with starting a business it when she got an alert that she had a new social media message. She sucked in a deep breath and held it for a moment. The message was from Miranda Bowles, the woman she assumed was Fae Ward’s granddaughter.

Letting a stream of hot air out through her mouth, Ella opened the message and began to read. “Hi, Ms. Grimm. Thanks for reaching out. Yes, Fae Ward is my grandmother, but I’m sad to say there was a break in our family years ago, and I haven’t seen her since I was five or six years old. My father won’t speak of her at all. I have no idea whether or not the paintings you found belong to her, but if they did, consider them part of the property and yours to do with as you will. Our family has no need for them.” Ella read the message over again, unable to believe what Mrs. Bowles had written. “How tragic,” Ella whispered, lowering her phone and looking up at the same sky represented in so many of Mrs. Ward’s paintings. How could someone disown their family so easily? The question stung before she even fully formulated the sentence in her mind. Who was she to judge the circumstances of other people’s family problems? She sent a quick message back to Mrs. Bowles thanking her for her time, but she wasn’t going to give up that easily. When she got back to the house, she’d do some more searching to see if she could find Fae Ward herself. If there was no death certificate, that led her to believe the artist was still alive. Mrs. Bowles might not want the paintings, but Fae might. Deciding she’d had enough time to let her thoughts formulate, Ella stood and dusted the sand off of her jean shorts. She had plenty of work to do if she was going to find the elusive Mrs. Ward and write a business plan for a marketing company built to conceal the fact that the owner and sole proprietor was legally dead, and still become a profitable entity. “No problem,” she muttered as she headed back to the house. “If I can return from the dead, surely I can figure this out….” Ella wasn’t completely confident it was possible, but she knew it was worth trying. A little bit of determination went a long way, and determination was the one supply she wasn’t short on.

Four hours later, the sound of Rome’s footsteps on the stairs had Ella closing her laptop and stretching her back. “Hello, beautiful,” he said, smiling at her from the end of the hall as he headed over to where she sat by the window. “Did you eat any lunch?” Ella checked the time and realized it was 2:30. She hadn’t stopped working on her business plan for anything, certainly not to eat lunch. Now that he mentioned it, her stomach was growling. “No, I haven’t.” “Wanna come down to the kitchen, and I’ll fix you a grilled cheese? I told Lenore we wouldn’t be needing her for the rest of the day, so she went to her sister’s house.” “Oh, sure,” Ella replied, setting her computer aside. Her eyes could definitely use a break. “What have you been working on?” he asked, sitting down next to her on a chair that looked exactly the same as the white plush seat she was curled up in. “A business plan,” she said, giving him a small smile. Rome’s eyebrows arched and he smiled back at her. “Really? For a marketing business? So… you’re going to take me up on my offer?” Glad to see she had his approval and encouragement, Ella nodded. “I think so. I mean, I hate to use you as a crutch, but I don’t know how else to get the traction I need--what with my being dead and all.” He chuckled, and she rolled her eyes. “So, I thought maybe I could still do all of the work but just use your name to get established.” “That sounds like a perfect plan, El.” She could tell by the way he was looking at her that he was proud of what she was doing, even if he didn’t know the details. “I’ll do whatever I can to help.” “Thank you.” Ella leaned over and kissed him, glad to have such a wonderful man to her not only in a particularly risky proposition but also to be there with her in all that she did. “How are the lines coming along?” she asked.

“Great. I’m all ready for tomorrow. I just wanna go over them again a few times later to make sure I have them all memorized.” “I’m so proud of you. You really are amazing.” “Thank you, Ella. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate having your . I know this isn’t easy on you, but I promise you, I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you can follow your dreams, too.” “I know you will.” Ella wrapped her arms around him, and Rome pulled her into her lap, kissing her and reminding her exactly why she’d chosen to be with this man forever. “Ready for that grilled cheese?” Rome asked her, his stomach rumbling. “I’m ready.” Ella hopped up, confident that the plan she’d begun was off to a good start and her company would be successful. As they walked down the hallway toward the stairs, her eyes fell on the pull to the attic. She still hadn’t told him about the secrets she’d found, but she would, as soon as she got a chance. She’d also continue her search for F. Ward. The woman had to be out there somewhere, and Ella was determined to find her.

Chapter 46 Locked Away

Days of searching online and getting nowhere brought Ella right back to the place where the adventure had begun, the attic. Rome was on set, so she was in the house alone, save the security guards and Lenore who was in the kitchen humming as she prepared to drop a stew into the crockpot for dinner. Ella stood at the top of the ladder looking around at all of the paintings, trying to imagine F. Ward here painting. Why had she left these behind? She decided to do an inventory of the paintings here. Maybe that would give her some clues. Pulling out her cell phone, Ella moved across the room to the stacks of finished paintings and began to photograph them, both front and back. A few had tags on the back, as if they were already meant to be off to a gallery or a new owner. They had the name of the painting, the artist, and the date it was completed. Most were finished in the early 2000s, right before the house was sold and F. Ward stopped painting. As she moved the paintings, Ella was careful where she touched them and how they were stacked. She was just about done with all of the ones that had been finished and stacked to one side when she moved a large one out of the way and revealed a small trunk. Ella glanced around the rest of the attic, not sure if she was looking to see if she was still alone or if perhaps there were other items here she’d missed. Of course, she was still alone and she didn’t see any other furniture. Setting the large seascape painting aside, she dropped down to examine the trunk. It was small enough she could’ve easily carried it down the ladder if she needed to, but she saw no reason to move it from the place where it had resided all these years. Sinking down cross legged before it on the floor, she dusted off a layer of debris and examined the locking mechanism. It was meant to take a key, but when she lifted the two latches on either side of the keyhole, she found that it hadn’t been secured.

Inside, she found stacks of letters and cards, hundreds of them, all organized by whom they’d come from with the earliest on bottom and the most recent on top. One of the stacks was from Fae’s son, Kenneth. Even though she knew she was invading the privacy of at least one person who was still alive, Ella leaned back against the wall beneath one of the attic windows and began to read, hoping the correspondence would give her some insight as to what had transpired between this mother and son. It didn’t take long before she realized exactly what had happened. Fae had gotten several offers from well-known art gallery owners asking for specific types of paintings, ones she didn’t want to paint. She enjoyed her seascapes and other outdoor paintings, she explained to her son. He’d written her back that the money was enough for a sort of lifestyle he’d only dreamt about and that she should just do the paintings the buyers were requesting. It was clear that Fae had refused, stating that her husband, Harrison, wasn’t feeling well, and she couldn’t get the large paintings up and down the stairs without him anyway. If Kenneth continued to pressure her, she’d stop painting altogether. Ella could gather that from the one-sided argument Kenneth was making in his letters. He didn’t stop, though. He continued to hound his mother into painting the requested scenes, saying if she didn’t do it, he’d cut her off. She wouldn’t see her granddaughter anymore. The letters stopped about the same time that Harrison had ed away. Ella also noticed that the last date on the back of one of the finished pieces was dated a few weeks before Fae had lost her husband. Whether or not she had continued to write her son, Ella couldn’t say. But if she had, he hadn’t responded, or at least the letters hadn’t been stored here with the others. The situation brought tears to Ella’s eyes. How terrible was this son that he’d decided to disown his mother because she refused to paint what others wanted her to? Clearly, Fae wasn’t painting for the money, and the fact that her son wanted her to was sad. “The allure of money,” Ella said aloud, shaking her head. In some ways, her own plight was similar to Fae’s, only it had been her father who had essentially disowned her when he’d attempted to force her to be something she couldn’t be. Ella decided to look through the rest of the letters and cards while she was there, though she didn’t plan to read all of them as closely as she had the letters from

Kenneth. Many of them were from Harrison. Ella glanced through a few but didn’t invade the couple’s privacy by reading them word for word. It was clear that he adored his wife, though, that he would do anything for her. The other stacks were from friends, cousins, a few from fans, and then Ella found a few from someone else, a woman named Myra Costly. After the first few lines of the letter on top, Ella froze, her mouth dropping open. “I’m so happy we will be living with each other soon. I have missed you these past several years since you and Harrison moved away from town. It will be lovely to see you every day again, once you arrive at Elkwood Manor. You will like it here. I know it will be an adjustment, and I hate the circumstances for you, dear friend. But you’ll see. It’s a lovely place to live.” “Elkwood Manor?” Ella repeated. Realizing she might finally know how to find Fae, she reached into her pocket for her phone. It wasn’t there. Where had she set it down when she’d found the trunk? Ella scoured the floor and finally found her phone setting on the window sill above her. By the time she got it unlocked, her hands were shaking slightly with anticipation. She searched for Elkwood Manor and found out it was a retirement home in LA, just as she’d expected. With a deep breath, Ella decided to call them. The phone was ringing before she realized she had no idea what she should even say. Would they be able to tell her whether or not Mrs. Ward lived there? A woman’s friendly voice said, “Elkwood Manor. Carol speaking. How may I help you?” “Uh… hi. I was wondering…. I’m looking for someone I believe may be a resident there. Fae Ward?” “I’m sorry. We’re not allowed to give out information like that to just anyone. May I ask your name?” Ella hadn’t told anyone her real name for so long, the lie came easily enough. “Of course. My name is Miranda Ward Bowles. Mrs. Ward is my grandmother, though I haven’t spoken to her for years. There was a bit of a falling out.” “I’m very sorry to hear that,” Carol said, her tone implying she meant it. “While

I can’t confirm or deny whether or not Mrs. Ward is a resident here, I can take down your number and it along, should that be the case.” Thinking it sounded as if Carol were trying to say that Mrs. Ward did actually live there, Ella gave her the number. If Mrs. Ward actually called, she’d have to continue to lie to the old woman and let her think she was her granddaughter, which was terrible, at least until she was able to meet with her in person and tell her the truth--the truth as it had become, anyway. She wasn’t planning to tell her who she really was. Carol repeated the phone number back to her, and Ella thanked her before disconnecting the call. Then, she put the letters away and closed the trunk before deciding she needed to go ahead and finish inventorying the paintings. If she was able to meet with Fae, she wanted to be able to show her the paintings she’d found so that the artist could tell her precisely what to do with each of them. By the time she was finished, she’d determined that there were 34 finished paintings, mostly of landscapes, though there were a few she assumed were selfportraits, some of beach homes, and a couple of inanimate objects. There were two that were not finished. The large one, still on the easel and another smaller one that she’d found sitting by itself on the other side of the attic from the stacked, finished paintings. It was a much smaller seascape where the focal point was a seagull in flight. From what Ella could tell, it was almost finished, but the ocean wasn’t quite complete, and there was no sandy beach yet as there was on the finished seascapes. Ella studied it for quite some time before she set it back down. Could she finish it and the larger one? Was she talented enough to bring Mrs. Ward’s vision to fruition? While she had painted some back in , she hadn’t had access to paints while she lived in the attic, and she hadn’t bothered to buy any while she was on the run or since. She hadn’t even been spending as much time with her sketch pad since she’d met Rome. She wouldn’t do anything until after she spoke to Mrs. Ward, assuming she was able to speak to the artist at all. What if she wanted to finish the paintings herself? With nothing more to be done in the attic, Ella took one more look around and headed back downstairs. The scent of the stew roasting in the crockpot made her

stomach growl, and even though dinner wouldn’t be ready for hours, she decided to head into the kitchen for some lunch. Perhaps Lenore would be up for a chat. Ella could use the conversation. She felt bad about lying to the nice woman on the phone, and if she had to continue to lie to people to get what she wanted, a meeting with Mrs. Ward, she’d feel even worse. But she was doing all of this for the woman’s own good, wasn’t she? Or perhaps Ella felt as if the paintings locked in the attic were her kindred spirits, locked away with no means of escape. Maybe freeing them had more to do with her own history than she was willing to it. Either way, she needed to speak to Fae, and once she had the opportunity to do so, she’d tell her the truth—or most of it anyway. She just hoped it wouldn't damage the old woman to think she was about to speak to her granddaughter when the woman who wanted to talk to her was of no relation whatsoever, no matter how close to the artist and the paintings she’d become.

Chapter 47 Fate

The call came a couple of days later. It was no surprise that Ella was alone when her phone rang, the unknown number alarming her. Since Rome’s movie production had kicked into high gear, she was alone most of the time, unless she was with Lenore. She’d been spending a lot of time on the beach, just sticking her toes in the waves or sitting on the sand. That was where she was when her phone chimed in her pocket, letting her know that someone wanted to speak to her. “Hello?” Ella said, caution filling her voice. Even though the chances that it was someone who knew her true identity were next to nothing, every time her phone rang, she jumped a little on the inside, even when Rome’s name popped up on the screen. “Hello. Is this… Miranda?” She’d never heard the woman’s voice before, but she was certain it was Fae Ward. It had to be. She sounded older, but not frail. There was a hint of a question within the question, as if she didn’t think it was actually her granddaughter who had called in the first place. Ella wasn’t sure what to say. Lying about who she was had become second nature, but that didn’t mean she was comfortable with it. “Is this… Fae?” Miranda wouldn’t call her Mrs. Ward, would she? “It is. Now, are you my granddaughter--or not?” The suspicion had risen in the few seconds between the two questions. Ella readjusted on the sand, leaning back on the large rocks she’d been using for . Rather than attempting to calmly explain why she’d lied, she blurted, “I live in your old house. I found your paintings.” Fae was so quiet, Ella could hardly hear her breathing and wondered if she had

hung up--or was she just contemplating it? After what seemed like several minutes, she asked, “So you’re an imposter?” “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Ward. I truly am. I knew if I told them the truth, they likely wouldn’t give you my message. I tried to your family, but… didn’t get anywhere.” She couldn’t say that they didn’t want to have anything to do with the woman, could she? “And I have so many of your beautiful paintings, I didn’t want them to just continue to sit in the attic, unclaimed.” “You live in Abalone Cove?” she asked. The tone of her voice changed again. The anger and suspicion was gone, replaced with a sadness, a longing, Ella imagined had to do with times gone by. “I do. It’s a beautiful home. We just moved in a few weeks ago. I went upstairs into the attic because….” Ella stopped talking. Because she used to live in an attic? “Because I wanted to see the view from there.” She shook her head. Lying had become like breathing to her. “I saw your paintings and did as much research as I could, but it was difficult to track you down. Then, I found a box with letters in it and saw mention of the retirement home and took a chance. I would love to reunite you with your beautiful works of art.” Even that wasn't true. She honestly wanted to keep every single one of them, to display them in her home where she could see them every day. “My goodness. I hadn’t thought about those paintings in… years,” Fae said, the emotion in her voice evident again. “Are they all there? All thirty-six?” It didn’t come as a shock to Ella that she knew exactly how many she’d left behind. “Yes. I don’t think anyone has touched them since you left. Well, except for me.” “Imagine that. All those years that other family lived in the home and never once went up into the attic?” “I know. It seems surprising to me, too. But if they did, they didn’t bother your work. One of the pieces was still on the easel--unfinished.” “Tell me, dear, what is your real name?” The kindness infused in Mrs. Ward’s voice completely erased the anger and resentment that had been evident when they’d first begun the conversation, and

Ella was compelled to tell her the truth, even though she knew it could potentially be problematic. “My name is Ella,” she said, hoping it didn’t come back to haunt her. “Ella. That’s a beautiful name. And… are you an artist?” “I am. But… I mostly do sketches. I used to paint some. When I lived in . But that was years ago. Now, I’m lucky if I even take time to draw an hour or two each week.” It was as if she were at confession; the words coming out of her mouth couldn’t be slowed. “Why is that?” Fae asked. “Are you busy with a family? A career?” Ella chuckled. “No, not really. I used to be a graphic artist, but I’m not working in that field anymore. I am married, but my husband works a lot. I’m really not sure why I don’t make more time to draw.” Perhaps it was because she just didn’t feel motivated at the moment. It was sort of hard to find her muse when she wasn’t even sure who she was anymore. “You just never know when inspiration may strike,” Fae replied, her tone conveying that she knew what she spoke of firsthand. “Well, Ella, dear, what shall we do now? I certainly can’t move all of those paintings into my small room at the retirement home.” “I don’t know.” Ella hadn’t considered what the next step would be. She’d just assumed Fae would want her art back. “What would you have me do with it?” “Technically, I suppose it’s yours now. Anything left in the house and all of that.” “I guess, but I don’t truly think of it that way. It’s your art. Are you sure you don’t want any of it? Not even the smaller pieces?” Again, Fae was thoughtful for a moment before she answered. “Oh, how I’d love to see it again. I haven’t kept a single piece from when I lived there, you know? Those several years that I was creating and selling my art, it was in such high demand, I didn’t keep anything. Then… when everything fell apart, I couldn’t bear to look at it anymore…. I left it behind. I’ve painted since, but it’s not the same. I don’t suppose you ever leave something you’ve created behind, no matter how much you begin to resent it. But… I didn’t bring it with me when I

left that place, obviously.” “I have pictures on my phone. I can send them to you. Or better still… if you’re up for a visit, I could bring the pictures over and show you.” “You would do that?” The hope in Fae’s voice brought a smile to Ella’s face. “I mean, you’d drive all the way out here to see a woman you don’t even know?” “Of course. It would be an honor,” Ella said. “I’d love to meet you in person, if you’d be up for it.” “Goodness. I can’t even the last time I had a visitor. It was probably back before Tilly died. She was a good friend. Used to come and see me, but then she ed.” “I’m sorry to hear that.” “Oh, it’s all right. Happens to the best of us. Yes, dear, I would absolutely love to have a visitor, if you’re sure it’s not too much trouble.” “It’s not any trouble. Like I said, I have nothing else going on.” A thought occurred to her, and Ella took a deep breath, realizing she could go see Fae, but Ella Verona couldn’t. “There’s just one thing, Mrs. Ward. My legal name isn’t Ella anymore. I mean, when I come to see you, I’ll have to tell them my name is Cindy Grimm. It’s all quite complicated, and I’d be happy to explain it in person, once I arrive. But no one knows my real name is Ella.” “That sounds… mysterious.” That cautious tone was back in Fae’s voice. “Are you running from the government?” “No.” Ella scoffed. If only it was that simple. “The mafia?” “No.” “A drug cartel?” “No--my father. I’m hiding from my father.” That would have to do. She couldn’t tell this woman she didn’t know over the phone that she had faked her

own death. “I see.” That seemed to satisfy her curiosity, at least for now. “Well, then, Cindy Grimm, when can I expect you?” “How about tomorrow?” Ella asked, the thought of actually having something to do thrilling her in a way that also made her slightly sad. “Hmmm… let me check my calendar.” Fae broke into a fit of laughter, as if her joke was the funniest one ever told. “Yes, tomorrow would be perfect. I like to get up early so I eat lunch around 11:00. Perhaps you’d like to me? Tomorrow is tuna casserole day.” “Tuna casserole sounds… interesting. Or, I could bring you something for lunch. If that’s allowed.” “I wouldn’t want you to go to any trouble, dear.” “It’s no trouble. Is there any place you used to like to eat that you haven’t been able to in a while?” Without missing a beat, Fae said, “Blue Wisteria Cafe. Is it still there? Just a few miles down the beach road from your place? Oh, they had the most wonderful BLT!” Ella ed having ed that particular establishment when they’d moved in. ”Yes, it’s still there.” “A BLT would be divine!” “All right then. I’ll see you tomorrow at 11:00--with your sandwich, Mrs. Ward.” “Please, call me Fae, dear. I’ll see you then.” Ella hung up, chuckling. Fae was delightful, and the idea that she actually had someone to see the next day was amazing. Perhaps stumbling upon those paintings in the attic would serve to send her on her next adventure. The last one hadn’t ended up anything like what she’d anticipated, but something told her Fae would be a positive influence in her life, a life so upside down and jumbled up, she hardly recognized it at the moment. But that needed to change--just as soon

as she figured out who she wanted to be next.

Chapter 48 Surprise Friendship

Getting Rome to agree to let her take the car the next day was no easy feat, especially when Ella hadn’t been exactly honest with him when he’d asked where she was going and why. “I just need to go see someone about a business proposition,” she’d explained. He’d arched an eyebrow and stared at her. “I don’t want to tell you all of the details at the moment because it’s nothing solid yet.” She’d shrugged like it didn’t matter, and he’d eventually agreed, even though he wasn’t thrilled about it. After he left for work via rideshare, Ella had some time to take better pictures of the artwork for Fae. She wanted to leave a little early since she wasn’t familiar with where she was going, and she had no idea how long it might take for the cafe to fix their food. It would’ve been great if she could order ahead and pick it up on the way, but she didn’t see that option online and didn’t want to take a chance with them getting the order wrong if she called. So about an hour before she was supposed to meet with Fae, Ella grabbed her bag, making sure she had her phone with her, and headed out to Rome’s car, plucking the keys off of the hook by the door as she went. She’d never driven a sports car before and was a little nervous about how hard it might be to keep from going super fast. Her mind was on that, and how nice it was that Bart had taken care of the car while they were gone and brought it to Rome when they’d moved in, so that she didn’t notice there were footsteps behind her until she was almost to the car. Realizing she was being followed, Ella whirled around, relieved to see that it was just Charles, one of the many bodyguards Rome had employed to make sure she was always safe. “Oh, God. You scared me,” she said, clutching her chest. “Sorry about that, Mrs. Verona,” he said, the morning sun gleaming off his polished bald head. She had no idea if Charles knew her true identity or just knew she was the misses. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to meet someone about a business opportunity.” She already had the driver’s door open, but he didn’t look amused or convinced. “Rome knows.” “Mrs. Verona, I have direct instructions not to let you out of my sight. At all. Ever.” “What about when I have to go to the bathroom?” He rolled his eyes. “Let me rephrase. I have direct instructions not to let you leave this house without having you in my sights at all times.” “What about when I go to the beach?” “There’s always someone watching you when you’re down there,” he said with a shrug, as if that didn’t violate her privacy. Ella’s eyebrows arched as she considered what that might mean. “Really?” “Listen, if you and Mr. Verona have already discussed this, I’m not going to try to stop you from going to meet your friend. But I’m either going with you or following you. Which would you prefer?” She stared at him with her mouth open for a long while, debating her options. Finally, she realized she was going to be late if she didn’t make up her mind. It was clear Charles wasn’t going to budge. “Well… you see… I haven’t exactly told Rome the God’s honest truth about where I am going. He thinks I’m going to meet someone about a potential business opportunity… but I’m not. Not really.” Charles twerked an eyebrow at her but didn’t speak. “I’m really going to meet with a woman who used to live here. I found several of her paintings in the attic. She seems like a lovely woman. I guess… I just wanted to talk to her.” Ella realized then exactly why she was so keen on going to meet Mrs. Ward. “I just wanted someone to talk to.” Charles nodded. “It’s not my job to judge you, Mrs. V. Nor is it my job to get into your business with your husband. It’s my job to keep you safe. That’s what I intend to do. Now, would you like for me to drive, or would you like to?”

Relieved that Charles wasn’t about to pick up the phone and call Rome, ratting her out before she even had a chance to explain herself, Ella handed over the keys. “You can drive.” Charles grinned at her and took the keys, but rather than getting in the car, he went around and opened the door for her first. She slid inside, a bit relieved that she wouldn’t have to drive into town by herself. She didn’t know Charles well, but since he seemed to have an idea of who she really was and hadn’t said anything to anyone, she thought she could trust him. Besides, Bart had vetted all of these people quite well, and she was certain she could trust Bart. He circled around and headed down the driveway, Ella giving him directions to the cafe. “So… do you have a family, Charles?” Ella asked, realizing she might have an opportunity to make a friend before she even arrived at the nursing home. “I do. My wife, Valerie, and I have been married for twenty-two years. We have a fifteen-year-old daughter, Kaylee, and a thirteen-year-old son, Calvin.” “That’s great,” Ella said, smiling. He didn’t volunteer any more information, so she started asking him questions, realizing just how starved for conversation she truly was. Not that Rome wasn’t wonderful to talk to. But he’d been so busy, working long hours, always rehearsing his lines. It seemed like she really didn’t get much of a chance to talk to him lately. Lenore was always nice to talk to, but she was busy, and Ella didn’t like to interrupt her work by asking her more than a few questions at a time. When they reached the cafe, Ella had already learned quite a bit about the bodyguard, including the fact that he used to play defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins. He stayed in the car while she ran inside to get them all some lunch, including him. Ella had a smile on her face for the first time in a while and wasn’t even concerned about anyone recognizing her, though she thought perhaps she should be, once she walked inside and dozens of eyes were on her. If anyone thought she looked familiar, there was no obvious sign. Her hair still looked different, she was wearing colored s, and her skin was still quite tan. She went to the counter and ordered Fae’s favorite, as well as something for herself and Charles, even though he wouldn’t tell her what he liked because he didn’t want her to bother with getting him anything. It took about fifteen

minutes, but when Ella had her order, she felt that she had plenty of time to get to Fae’s before the scheduled meeting. Back in the car, Ella punched the address of the facility into the nav on her phone, and Charles headed out, noting, “I see three lunches.” Ella smiled at him. “Well, I couldn’t let you starve. I hope you like hot ham and cheese. And freshly made potato chips. And pasta salad.” Charles smiled, though his eyes didn’t stray from the road. “You didn’t have to do that, Mrs. Verona.” “I wanted to.” She patted him on the arm. “It was the least I could do. It can’t be easy for you, being away from your family so much while Rome is working.” “There are a lot of security guards on our team. We have shifts. It’s not so bad.” He shrugged as he pulled back onto the highway, like it was no big deal. “Still… I know how much each of you does. Even if I don’t always see you sneaking up behind me.” He chuckled. “And I appreciate it.” Ella realized she was starved for people to talk to, but only because she hadn’t made an effort to get to know the people at her own house. Perhaps part of it was because she was used to being treated poorly by the help. Her parents’ servants had treated her as if she were beneath them, after all. But this was different, and she needed to that. “You know, you’re a nice lady, Mrs. V. I’m glad I got a chance to talk to you.” Charles seemed surprised. Ella knew that her timidity could sometimes come across as being too full of herself. “Thanks,” she said, patting his arm again. “I’m glad you came along.” With a grin, Charles continued down the road, and Ella turned on the radio, thankful that she’d made at least one new friend that day. Maybe she’d end up making another one in Mrs. Ward. She hoped so. Something told her that the artist was wise beyond her years, and Ella could use a little wisdom about now.

Chapter 49 Meeting Fae

The moment Ella saw the sign for the retirement community, her stomach muscles tightened, and a wave of nausea washed over her. It wasn’t that she was nervous about meeting Fae--although she was a little. It was more the fact that the people inside were going to scrutinize her ID, and she hated the fact that the name on the license wasn’t her own. “Are you all right?” Charles asked, pulling into a parking spot. “Yep. Fine.” She had already been through various airports flashing the same or a similar ID and had never had a problem before, so it was silly to be so uptight about it now. “Well, if you need anything, my number’s in your phone. Mr. V. programmed it when I first started working for you.” She nodded, knowing that already. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.” “I’m sure it will be, too.” Charles patted her shoulder, and Ella grabbed her meal and Mrs. Ward’s, leaving him the other, and hopped out of the car, taking a deep breath. She could do this. As she pulled open the door, the scent of disinfectant and florals hit her fully in the face. It reminded Ella of the perfume her French grandmother used to wear, and she had to take a step back. Elkwood Manor had an ambiance all its own, that was certain as she walked into a lobby that had a view straight into a large sitting room where several dozen residents were reposed in comfortable chairs and on sofas with large pillows, listening to a young man play the piano. It seemed like a nice place, even if the smell was a bit overwhelming. A friendly young woman smiled at Ella from behind a large counter near the entryway. “Hi there! Can I help you?” the brunette asked.

Ella thought the woman couldn’t be too much older than she was. The nametag on her pink uniform read “Gretchen,” and Ella supposed the two of them might be friends under different circumstances. “Hello. I’m here to see Fae Ward.” “Aw, Mrs. Ward is so sweet. Are you her granddaughter?” Gretchen asked, walking over to a computer as she gave Ella a warm smile. “No, no. Just a friend.” “Wonderful. I’ll just need to see your driver’s license so that I can check you into our system. We do a quick background check on all of our visitors just to make sure everyone is safe to be around our residents.” Ella fished her fake ID out of her wallet. Since her hair had changed since she’d left Russia, the picture was updated. It was great that Bart was almost as skilled at getting fake documents as King had been. Gretchen didn’t even bat an eye as she ran the identification through the system. Of course, Cindy Grimm had no illegal activity to report. The woman smiled and handed her ID back. “Perfect--here you go!” “Thanks.” Ella stuffed the card back into her wallet and dropped it into her purse, shuffling the lunch bag as she did so. “Now, Mrs. Ward is likely in her room. It is our policy to escort all first time visitors so that no one gets lost or misplaced.” She glanced around, checking to see if anyone else was available to serve as escort, Ella assumed. Several other people were busy behind the desk, going in and out of offices, but no one seemed free. “I can probably find it myself,” Ella offered, not that she minded having someone walk with her. She wasn’t really that good with directions. “Don’t be silly. I’ll walk you. I just wanted to make sure there was someone available to greet any other visitors. Becky, I’m going to walk this visitor back to see Mrs. Ward. Can you keep an eye on the front desk?” Becky was a mousy looking woman with large glasses sitting in an office behind Gretchen. She nodded, but she didn’t look thrilled about her new assignment. At least there was a large window she could peer through before she had to get up

should the door chime again. Gretchen thanked her replacement and headed around the end of the counter, opening a half-door on the far end that Ella couldn’t even see until she was through it. “All right then. Right this way.” She made a sweeping gesture with her arm. Ella smiled and followed her down a hallway to the left. “How do you know Mrs. Ward?” Gretchen asked. Her question didn’t seem too prying, only curious. For the first time since she’d arrived, Ella wondered if the staff had put two and two together that someone had called and identified herself as Mrs. Ward’s granddaughter and now this odd woman had shown up and said she wasn’t her granddaughter. Deciding there was no point in addressing the potential concern, Ella said, “I live in the house where she and her husband used to live.” “Really?” Gretchen stopped and turned to smile at her. “The one where she did most of her paintings?” Ella nodded, smiling that Gretchen also seemed to be a fan of the artist she was about to visit. “Yes. You know it?” “I do. I just love Mrs. Ward’s work. I wish she’d still paint. I’ve tried to convince her to get back to it several times over the last two years since I started working here, but she refuses. She says she’s not inspired anymore. It’s really a shame.” Not sure what to say to that, Ella just nodded. She understood what it was like to be uninspired. After a few minutes and a couple of turns, they arrived outside of room E62. Gretchen knocked gently on the door. “Mrs. Ward? You have a visitor.” “I do?” Ella could hear the vaguely familiar voice on the other side of the door. Why she sounded surprised, Ella couldn’t say. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t confirmed just the day before that she would be there. “You do!” Gretchen replied, cheerfully.

The door swung open, revealing a petite woman with short, white hair, fashioned in waves on top of her head that gave her at least two extra inches. She was wearing a lovely day dress, a solid light blue, and satin slippers. It was as if she had dressed up for the occasion, and Ella felt flattered that her visit meant so much to her. “Hi, Mrs. Ward.” Gretchen leaned over and gave the resident a hug. Then, she stood and gestured at Ella. “I’ll leave you two be.” “Hi, Mrs. Ward,” Ella said, suddenly feeling more self-conscious than she had in a long time. “Cindy, please. I’ve told you. Call me Fae.” A wrinkled hand reached out and patted Ella’s arm. A quick glance at Gretchen let her know the worker approved of her, that she had been hesitating in order to make sure that Fae was comfortable with this firsttime visitor. “Come on in, dear.” Fae opened the door to her room wider, and Ella went inside, thanking Gretchen for her help. The other girl said it was her pleasure and headed back down the hallway in the direction they’d come. Fae’s room was larger than Ella had expected. There was a sitting area with a plush sofa and matching chairs in front of a large plasma TV and a coffee table. Across the room, a full-sized bed sat in front of a window with beautiful blue curtains that matched the comfy-looking bed spread. The rest of the bedroom set matched the bed frame, the wood a rich mahogany, and on the walls there were plenty of photographs, some black and white and quite old from what Ella could tell. What caught her eye immediately was the large oil painting above the bed. A white house with sand for a front yard offset by a beautiful orange and pink sky in the background, two seagulls circling overhead. Ella recognized it immediately and let out a small gasp. “That’s the only one I have.” Fae’s voice had a far-off quality to it. “Painted it the day I left.” Without considering that she was invading Fae’s personal bedroom space, Ella

walked closer to the painting. “It’s beautiful.” By the time she reached the bed, she realized her error. Feeling her cheeks pink, she said, “I’m sorry,” and backed away. “Oh, honey, it’s fine,” Fae said, waving her off. “Once you move to a place like this, there’s no privacy anymore.” Her words evoked a sadness in Ella that she hadn’t ever experienced but could understand. “I’m sorry.” Fae shrugged. “You get used to it. Now, how about that lunch?” “Right.” Ella shook her head, ing that she’d brought Fae one of her favorites. “I’m not sure what condition it’s in now. It’s been a while since I picked it up.” “It will be delicious, I’m certain.” Fae patted her arm and led her toward the sitting area. “Can I get you a drink? I have a small refrigerator over here. I have water, tea….” “Water would be fine, thank you.” Mrs. Ward stepped over to the tiny refrigerator nestled next to a dresser and returned with two bottles of water as Ella got the boxes containing their lunches out of the plastic bag from the restaurant. Since they were both exactly the same, it made no difference which was which. Fae sat down next to her on the couch, a floral scent much lighter and less invasive than the one Ella had noted when she’d entered the facility hit her lungs, bringing a smile to Ella’s face. “Now then, how was your drive?” Fae asked as she opened up the container holding her lunch. Before Ella could answer, she gasped, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of her favorite meal. “Oh, that’s the stuff right there,” Fae said, her eyes still closed. Ella couldn’t help but smile at her expression of pure joy. “I hope it tastes okay.” “You can’t ruin perfection, dear,” Fae said, her eyes open now as she patted Ella on the arm. One bite confirmed that the lunch was still as tasty as Fae ed. She closed her eyes again, moaning in satisfaction. Ella held back a chuckle. She tried hers as well, and it was good, but she didn’t think it was

quite as delicious as Fae seemed to think it was. About halfway through her lunch, Fae gave a bit of an explanation. “You know, my husband and I used to run up to the cafe almost every Saturday night. It was so nice--just to sit there in a booth and watch the families come in from the beach or the teens on dates. We’d spend hours, just people watching. I love people watching, don’t you?” Ella nodded. “I guess I do. I think I’ve spent a great deal of time watching life from the sidelines.” She hadn’t meant to be quite so forward, but the words came out easily enough when she was speaking to Fae. Her new friend tipped her head to the side and asked, “Why do you say that?” “Oh. Uh… it’s a long story. I don’t want to interrupt yours.” Giving her a look that said she wasn’t about to let Ella leave the topic unaddressed, Fae nodded. “Well, anyway, the taste of this sandwich brings back memories I thought I would never experience again. Thank you for bringing it back into my life, dear.” “You’re welcome Mrs.--Fae,” Ella corrected, catching herself this time, before she accidentally said Mrs. Ward again. “I’m so glad you agreed to meet with me.” She glanced at the painting behind her. It was so beautiful. Seeing that alone was reason enough for her to come all this way. “It’s my pleasure, dear. Now, let’s finish our lunch. Then, I want to see those pictures.” Ella nodded. She couldn’t wait to show Fae the pictures of the paintings she’d found in the attic. She had a feeling Fae would have a story for each of them, and Ella couldn’t wait to hear any stories her new friend might care to tell. Something also told her Fae would find a way to get Ella talking, too, and even though she wasn’t excited about the prospect of telling anyone the grim details about what she’d gone through recently, it was apparent to Ella as she sat there in the woman’s presence that part of the reason she’d traversed so far was because she was seeking guidance from someone who had been through life’s rough patches. Deep down inside, Ella knew she held a spark of hope that Fae could magically make all of her problems seem less daunting and somehow

change all of her problems into opportunities with the quick wave of her hand. While Ella doubted any of that would come to , unburdening herself to someone like Fae, someone who might understand, would at least give her an opportunity to think through the situation herself. She had to find some answers for how to move forward with this new life. Otherwise, she may as well have stayed locked in that tomb.

Chapter 50 Fairy Godmother

“Oh, my. I’d forgotten just how busy I was that summer.” Fae held Ella’s phone in her hand, the screen shaking slightly as the woman battled old age and her nerves. She was scrolling through the pictures slowly, taking each one in. “I completely lost myself in my work that summer and did an awful job of paying attention to my friends and family.” Ella wasn’t sure what to say. She hadn’t realized that all of those paintings had been done in one summer. If that were truly the case, then she could only imagine the long hours Fae would’ve put in to get them all finished within a few months’ time. As Fae looked through the paintings, she told Ella what she could about each one, including when she’d painted it, the mood she’d been in, anything particularly striking about the scene, and the details of what had been going on in her life at the time. “There was such demand for my work,” Fae said, shaking her head. “It seemed to come out of nowhere, too. I’d been painting my whole life, but all of a sudden, people wanted to see my work--to buy my work. Then, the offers and requests came pouring as well. People wanted me to paint them. To paint their homes. To paint… all sorts of things. It doesn’t work that way, you know?” She lowered the phone and looked Ella in the eye. She did know. “Inspiration has to strike,” she said with a nod. “Exactly. I mean… I could have faked it, I suppose. But I felt that it would’ve been obvious in the presentation, that people would’ve seen paint on a canvas but not my heart, not my soul. If I couldn’t fill it with love, then I didn’t see the point in painting it.” Again, Ella’s head rocked back and forth. She realized then why she hadn’t been drawing much at all lately. She hadn’t been inspired. If she had been attempting to do her graphics, would she have been able to do those, or would her lack of artistic inspiration have affected that work as well?

“Well, my son didn’t like that. He was of the opinion that I should just ‘fake it till I make it.’ That’s what he told me. ‘No one will know, Ma. Just paint what sells.’” Fae’s slumped shoulders rose and fell as she shook her head slightly, looking down, beyond the phone at her lap. “I never wanted to hurt him, to hurt anyone. But he didn’t understand. My Kenny, that’s my son, he doesn’t have an artistic bone in his body. He was more like his father--Harry couldn’t draw a stick figure!” Fae laughed then, slapping her thigh with her free hand. Ella found herself chuckling along, not sure if conjuring up these memories was doing the older woman some good or making things worse. Eventually, Fae stopped laughing, and her face grew serious again. “Are you close to your family, dear?” Ella’s eyebrows shot up. She hadn’t been expecting such a serious question so soon. She’d already mentioned the problem with her father over the phone. “Well, uh… my mother died when I was a little girl. And my father…. No.” Fae nodded, her eyes shifting in thought. “I’m so very sorry to know you lost your mother. That must’ve been very hard on you. And your father--is there any chance of repairing that relationship?” Slowly, Ella shook her head. “I don’t think so.” “That’s too bad. But I understand. After I refused to do the work others were requesting, Kenny got so angry. At first… it inspired me to paint exactly what I wanted to. I went into a manic fury, painting all of these works in the span of a month or two. But then one day… it just dried up. I was so upset about Kenny. Harry’s health was failing. I just… stopped going up to the attic one day. The next thing I knew, Harry had ed, the house was for sale, and I had no family left, nowhere to go. My son wouldn’t even let me see his daughter.” Tears glistened in the corners of her eyes. She set the phone down on the coffee table and placed both hands on her lap, patting down her blue day dress. “That was a long time ago. No sense fretting about it now.” Not sure what to say, Ella reached over and gently touched her arm. “I’m still sorry it happened.” Without turning to look at her, Fae put her hand on Ella’s. “We can never tell what’s going to drive a wedge between us and those we love most.”

The words began to flow out of Ella’s mouth before she realized she even had the urge to confess. “My father thinks I’m dead,” she said, her voice just a whisper. It was then that Fae’s large blue eyes focused on Ella’s face. “Why is that, dear?” Ella shrugged. “Like you said, it all sort of happened so quickly.” Regardless of whether or not it was a good idea to confess the truth of her situation to a woman she’d just met and might not be able to trust, the story insisted on being told. “After my mother died, I went to live with my aunt in . I stayed there until after I graduated from college and only came back last year. My stepmother didn’t like me at all. I suppose I reminded her of my mother. So… when my father was gone, she kept me locked in the attic.” “My goodness, Ella. That’s terrible!” Fae’s grip tightened. “It was. I couldn’t see just how terrible at first. But then… I met Rome.” “Rome?” “Yes. My husband. He called me by accident one day. It turned out that his father and mine were archrivals. We had to keep our relationship a secret. But my cousin--Tim--well, he and Rome got into an argument. Tim ended up killing one of Rome’s friends, and then Tim drowned. It was awful.” She shook her head, realizing she was leaving out so much detail, it would be impossible for Fae to follow. Except, a glance at her new friend’s face revealed she was there with her. “Tim Bolt?” Ella nodded. “How did you know?” Fae shrugged and then gestured at a magazine stand over by the bed, one Ella hadn’t noticed before. It was full of tabloid-like magazines, ones that would’ve carried every detail of her story and then some. “I see,” Ella said, realization dawning on her. Fae must have known who she was the entire time. At least she wouldn’t have to retell the rest of the story. “Well, then, you know.” “I know what I’ve read. In my experience, that isn't necessarily the truth.”

“I’ll have to agree with you there. But… it’s probably pretty close. Anyway, Ella Sinders Verona is legally dead, and now I’m Cindy Grimm.” “But you don’t know who Cindy Grimm is.” Fae read her mind. “No, I don’t. And therein lies the problem. How can I be a woman I don’t know?” “And how can you go back to being the woman you used to be, the one you were comfortable with, when she’s gone?” “Exactly.” In a way, it was refreshing to hear Fae so eloquently express her problems. At the same time, it also made it more real. It was as if this woman she’d just met knew exactly how she was feeling without Ella having to say a word, as if she’d already lived it herself in a way. “You know, Ella, when you emerged from that tomb, you weren’t Ella Verona anymore. But you weren’t entirely Cindy Grimm either. There is a way to take parts of your old life you liked and merge them into who you are now.” “There is?” Ella peered at Fae curiously, wondering how in the world that could be. It was an enigma she’d been struggling with since she first realized what it meant to be dead. “Of course there is. What do you love most in this world?” “My husband, of course.” There was no doubt, no hesitation in the answer. “I mean, what did you love best about Ella Sinders Verona?” “Oh.” That was a harder question to answer. “Well, I loved to draw and to create graphics. I loved her family--my aunts, my mother, Tim. I loved my father, too, until he betrayed me. I loved how Ella was so down to earth. She didn’t freak out about things all the time, the way that Cindy does.” “That’s natural. Cindy has reason to question the situation, to assess the dangers. Ella assumed everyone had her best interests in mind, didn’t she? Even when those people were trying to hurt her?” She found herself nodding again. “How do you know me so well when we just

met?” Fae chuckled. “I know you well because we have a lot in common, dear.” She patted Ella’s knee. “What’s preventing Cindy from drawing or working on graphic designs?” “Well… nothing is stopping me from drawing. Except for what you said earlier. Inspiration. As for graphics… how does a dead person get a job?” “Can you start your own company?” “Rome volunteered to do that for me. But I haven’t quite got it all sorted out yet. It’s a lot of work. I don’t know how to get clients when no one knows who I am.” “Hmmm….” Fae’s eyes went to Ella’s phone that was still sitting on the coffee table in front of her. “What if you start with something other than graphic arts. What if you start with art in general?” “What do you mean?” She definitely had Ella’s attention now. “The paintings in your attic, dear. What if you start with a gallery show? You know marketing, yes?” Ella nodded. “Do you think there would be any interest in newly discovered work of an old woman who hasn’t been in the limelight for decades?” Not sure she quite understood, Ella turned toward Fae and folded her fingers around her hand. “Fae, are you saying… I can use your paintings to launch my new business?” “If it will help you--of course you can, dear. They belong to you now anyway. You can do whatever you’d like with them.” “Fae, I know that they came with the house, that technically, that means they belong to Rome and I. But that doesn’t mean they are ours on a moral level. If you want them back, you can absolutely have them.” “What I want is for you to be happy, dear. You deserve it. I don’t know all of the details, but I know enough to realize life hasn’t exactly been fair to you. If you can use my paintings to establish who Cindy Grimm is either as an artist, an art

exhibitionist, or a graphic artist, then that’s what I would like for you to do. And… if there’s anything else I can do to help you, I would love to be a part of your life. If you’ll have me.” Now, it was Ella’s turn to feel tears glistening in her eyes. “Oh, Fae! Absolutely. I would love to have you in my life as well. You’re like… an angel. A godsend. My… fairy godmother.” “Well, my name is Fae,” she replied with a chuckle and a twinkle in her eye. “True!” Ella hadn’t made the connection before, but it was obvious now. Fae meant fairy, and there was certainly something magical about her new friend. Fae wrapped her arms around Ella, pulling her close, and Ella returned the embrace, suddenly feeling like perhaps she’d finally found the light at the edge of the tomb.

Chapter 51 On the Set

“That’s lunch! Be back in one hour. That includes traveling time!” Jackson, the director, shouted through his megaphone on the set of Rome’s movie. The scene they’d been working on was particularly difficult, so he was ready for the break. When he’d originally auditioned for this movie, he’d wanted to play this part because it would push his acting to new levels, but it was also emotionally draining, so he was glad to have a few minutes to go into his trailer and recoup. While most of the rest of the cast and crew would choose to go out and grab something to eat at a local restaurant, Rome would spend his hour focusing on the next scene while he nibbled on a sandwich from craft services. “Do you need anything, Mr. Verona?” his assistant, Phil Brink, asked as Rome headed inside of his trailer, which was parked not far from where they’d been shooting, out in the desert. It was still within driving distance of LA but seemed like it may as well be another planet. Thank goodness for air conditioning. Phil, who had been Rome’s assistant on movie sets for a couple of years, was a good guy, but was often way too formal. “I’m good,” Rome said, giving him a little wave with his free hand as he pulled the trailer door open with the other. “You can go.” “All right. Thank you, sir. I’ll be back before the hour is up to see if you need anything. Your phone rang a few times while you were shooting.” “Okay. Thanks.” He imagined that it was likely Ella or his mother. They were about the only ones who ever called while he was shooting. Ella would only call if it was important since she knew his shooting schedule. Inside, Rome found his phone sitting next to the sandwich he’d snagged earlier and a copy of his script. Before he checked it, he grabbed a cold water from the small refrigerator and wiped his face with a wet cloth. He’d have to have his make-up fixed before they started shooting again anyway, so he may as well get

some of the grit off of his skin. He had two messages. One was from his mom. The other was from an unknown number. Alarmed, his gut tightened, as he ed all of those days he’d been terrified that his parents would discover where he was, but then he realized those days were over. There were still secrets to be uncovered, but he doubted this had anything to do with Ella still being alive. He listened to his mother’s message first. She just wanted him to call and check in--as usual. Then, he clicked over to the other message. “Mr. Verona, hello. This is Al Lancaster. I’m one of the head producers for what used to be your father’s company. Now that the contract is complete, we’d like to meet with you, introduce you to the new owners, and get an idea when you are available to start filming your first movie with us. Ten movies is a hefty contract number, so we’d like to get started right away. Give me a call at this number, and we’ll figure out when is a good time. The new owner is flying in from Paris next Monday. He should be here for a couple of weeks, so if you can fit us into your schedule, we would appreciate it. Won’t take long. I know you’re filming another movie right now, so we’ll work around your schedule. Talk soon.” Rome stared at the phone for a moment. He knew of Al Lancaster and had met him a time or two when Rome was younger. He was one of his dad’s head honchos--or had been anyway. Now that the company had shifted hands and his dad had nothing to do with it, ing the company belonged to someone else would take some getting used to. Meeting with the new owner and discussing his obligations brought a wave of anxiety over Rome. He hoped whoever the new man in charge was that he would know what he was doing and select some quality films for Rome to star in. If his current project took off the way he hoped it would, he could potentially be looking at some award nominations. The last thing he’d need is some idiot, brand new producer casting him to play subpar roles in what were sure to become B movies. He had to trust that this person would know what he was doing and not want to embarrass himself or lose any money. At least they wanted to meet with him ahead of time. That was something. Perhaps they’d even give Rome some sort of say in what roles he took on. Deciding he may as well call Al back before he got distracted, Rome glanced at

his production schedule and saw that he had the afternoon off next Wednesday. He got Al’s voicemail and left him a message to call him and confirm if that would work for the new owner. Satisfied that everything would have to work out, Rome sat down and took a bite of his turkey and cheese on rye, his script open to the next scene. He had all of his lines memorized, but he wanted to read through the entire scene and get a feel for the emotions of the other characters as well. It was the complexity of the relationships between the men in the film that had drawn Rome to the production in the first place, and he wanted to make sure he tapped into those emotions as deeply as possible so that everything appeared genuine to the viewer. Before he realized it, his hour was almost up, and Phil was coming back in to see if he needed anything before heading to make-up. “No, I’m fine, thanks,” Rome assured him. He was a little surprised Ella hadn’t called. She typically phoned during his lunch break, but then, she’d had that appointment or whatever it was that day. Realizing he hadn’t checked in with her on the first day she’d left the house, Rome grew anxious. “Just let me make a quick phone call,” he said, wishing he’d ed sooner. Jackson would be pissed if he wasn’t ready when the director was. Phil nodded. “Is there anything I can do to help you out?” Slightly annoyed that Phil was so eager to please, Rome shook his head and dialed his wife’s number. She didn’t answer, so he left her a message, asking her to text him and let him know she was okay. Frustrated at not having reached her, Rome set his phone down on the counter and headed to make-up, wishing he could trust Phil to check in with her, but since he wasn’t even aware that Ella was still alive, he didn’t want to take a risk with yet another person knowing the truth. Deciding his security personnel would’ve let him know if anything were wrong, Rome went to make-up. He’d check on Ella again on the next break, and if she still didn’t answer, then he’d call Charles. “Are you okay? You seem anxious,” Phil said as the sun caught his blond hair. Rome shielded his eyes from the glint and then looked away. “Yeah. I’m fine. Anxiety is just a part of my life now, Phil. You’ll get used to it.” He tapped Phil on the arm, an attempt at reassurance or camaraderie, or some other emotion Rome wasn’t really feeling, and continued on his way to get his make-up

touched up. “That’s really too bad,” Phil mumbled under his breath. Rome turned to look at him, watching the man who’d known him before his involvement in Tim, Mark, and Ella’s deaths as he slowly shook his head. Rome agreed, but there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it.

Chapter 52 Falling Into Place

“You sure are awfully quiet,” Charles remarked as he drove Ella back to the house. His voice brought her head around, the cityscape blurring in the corner of her eye as she realized she hadn’t seen any of it anyway. “Sorry. Just lost in thought.” She smiled, thinking for once the thoughts she’d been lost in were productive and satisfying, not terrifying and pessimistic. “Did your meeting go well, then?” he asked, his tone conveying he was making conversation, not attempting to be nosy. “It really did. As soon as I get home, I’m going to start making some plans for the future. Fae is… amazing.” She’d had such a great conversation with the artist about how Ella could use her paintings to launch herself into the art world. If she wanted to, Ella could use that platform to begin her own graphic design company. Or she could stick with visual arts. She already had ideas for paintings of her own, and Fae had offered to give her private lessons to improve her skills. The idea that Fae Ward could teach her to paint the same sort of magnificent works of art as Ella had discovered in her attic was enough to make her genuinely smile about something other than Rome for the first time in months. And the fact that she’d inspired Fae to start painting again was also remarkable. “Well, that’s good to hear,” Charles said, his expression conveying moderate pleasure. Ella knew him well enough already to understand that was about as excited as Charles got about anything. “It is. You’ll probably be driving me to see her a lot in the future. I hope that’s okay. Or I guess I could drive myself. Or get a driver….” “I’ll be happy to drive you,” Charles assured her. “Cool.” Ella didn’t really want to drive herself in LA traffic anyway, and the idea of hiring someone else wasn’t appealing anyway. The fewer people who knew

the truth, the better. “Charles, can I ask you something?” “Sure,” he said, though he didn’t sound thrilled about the inquiry. “You know who I am—don’t you?” He looked at her out of the side of his eye for a second before slowly nodding. “I think so.” “Then you know my real name isn’t Cindy? Right?” Again, he nodded. She sighed, glad that he was on the same page as her but still frustrated at her dilemma. “Do you think I look like a Cindy? I mean… I didn’t pick that name for myself. Not that most people do pick a name for themselves. But do you think I need to change it? Again?” They were stopped at a light, so Charles took a moment to turn and look at her before turning back to traffic and following the taxi in front of him through the light. “I don’t really think Cindy suits you much. You need something a little more sophisticated. A little more… elegant.” Ella felt her face light up at the compliments. So Charles thought she seemed sophisticated and elegant? That was nice to know. “I was thinking a professional artist, even a professional art dealer should be called something a little more exotic, don’t you think?” Charles shrugged. “Yeah, probably so.” “Something… sparkly. Like a rare jewel.” “So… why not Jewel? Or Ruby? Or Sapphire?” “Sapphire?” Ella repeated, trying not to laugh at any of his suggestions. “Is that a name?” “Hell if I know. Anything can be a name these days. This is LA. There are people named Apple. And North.”

“True.” She had heard of some celebrities naming their children some odd things. “I like Jewel, but that seems a little pretentious.” “Julia? Julianna? Juliet?” “Juliet?” Ella repeated. “Now that would be fitting wouldn’t it? But I’d have to change my last name, too, if I chose that, wouldn’t I?” She ed Juliet being one of the names Bart had given her when they were on the run. “Sure, I guess so. If you’re going with the Shakespeare theme, may as well go the whole way. Wasn’t Montague Romeo’s last name?” Charles asked. “I think so. I think that’s why Bart picked it for me at one point. He thought he was being funny.” “Okay, so in the play, if Juliet would’ve lived, she would’ve been Juliet Montague, right? You’re like her--except you did live. Why not? Why not be the girl who came back from death--the girl who walked out of the tomb?” Ella listened, her eyebrows arched, as she considered what the overly-serious, yet apparently profound, security guard had to say. Had that been what Bart was doing, too, or had he just been trying to get a chuckle out of her? “Do you think my father will suspect it’s me if he hears a name like that?” she asked. Would Lloyd Sinders be clever enough to put two and two together? “Hell if I know. Do most people even know Romeo’s last name?” “No. In fact, most people probably don’t even know who wrote Romeo and Juliet, not anymore anyhow.” “So… I don’t know, girly. Maybe your old man will figure it out. Maybe not. I’m just here to make suggestions.” Ella put her hand on his shoulder. “It was a good one. I especially like what you said about me being the girl who lived, the girl who walked out of the tomb. That’s how I’ve felt this whole time, like someone who died and came back to life. Lost and afraid but ready to make myself into something new, someone I couldn’t have been before, if I hadn’t gone through that experience.” Outside, the city was turning into beach, and Ella realized she was going back into hiding, but this time, she was taking a small piece of the world back with her, thanks to

her two new friends. “You can be whoever you wanna be, Mrs. V.,” Charles reminded her. “The world is just gonna have to get ready for you.” Ella giggled. She’d never thought of herself as a force to be reckoned with, but Charles had a point. If she was going to be someone else, she may as well be someone fierce. Someone who knew what she wanted and was willing to grab it with both hands. “Thanks, Charles. You’re the best.” She turned to look at him and noted his cheeks were slightly pink. He shrugged but didn’t comment, and she looked away, glad she’d decided to let him drive her. This new world was beginning to reveal itself to her, slowly, but it was happening just the same. He was right. The world had better get ready because Juliet Montague was about to take it by storm.

The house was dark except for the light in the largest bedroom in the back of the house. Rome waved goodbye to the rideshare driver who’d brought him home and went inside, wishing he’d gotten there before the sun went down, but that was just how things were going to be for a while, at least until he was done making movies. Inside the house was quiet, but as he approached the bedroom, he could hear the soft sound of Ella typing on her laptop. As he entered the room, she closed it, smiling at him and setting her device aside. She was so beautiful, he just stared at her for a moment, leaning against the doorway. Even with her hair a little messy, wearing an oversized T-shirt and leggings, she was the most gorgeous girl he’d ever seen. “Hi there,” she said, patting the bed next to her. “How was your day?” “Good. How was yours?” “Busy.” She wore a satisfied smile on her face as she nodded. “I assume yours was, too?” “Very busy. We got a lot filmed today, though.” He plopped down on the bed next to her, the force of him dropping onto the mattress bouncing her up into the air, which made her giggle. “That’s awesome,” she said, settling back down. “Still on schedule to finish as planned?” “I think so,” he said with a nod. “And I got a call from the new studio today. I forgot to ask what they’re calling it these days since I’m guessing Verona isn’t going to be part of the title anymore. I’m going to go meet with them soon and get everything outlined. The new owner is flying in from .” Ella’s eyebrow shot up slightly before she caught control of herself and brought them back down. “? That’s interesting. Still no idea who it is?” “Nope, but I’m not too worried about it. My dad made sure it wasn’t your father.”

“Right.” Ella still looked concerned, despite her response. “Well, it will be nice to have your schedule fixed.” “Exactly. What about you? How was your trip into the city? I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to talk today.” “No, it’s okay, but I do have a lot to tell you. You look tired, though, and I know you have to get up early. Maybe now’s not the time to tell you what I’ve been up to.” Rome reached over and took her hand. “Ella, I am tired, but I always have time for you. I feel like you have some secret project going on that I haven’t heard about yet. What is it?” A mischievous smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as she turned to clasp his other hand so that she had both of them. “Okay, I’ll tell you. The other night, when you went to meet with your parents, I went up into the attic.” “What did you go up there for?” Rome asked, cocking his head to the side. Ella shrugged. “I don’t know. I just hadn't been up there yet. I guess part of me was probably trying to figure out if I’m still that girl--the girl who was locked up there for so long. Anyway, our attic didn’t have any prisoners in it. But it did have something else.” That mischievous glint was back in Ella’s eyes. “What’s that?” he asked, wondering how she’d kept this information from him for so long. Rather than answering him right away, she picked up her phone off of the nightstand and scrolled through the apps, opening something and then turning the phone around so he could see. Rome scooted back onto the pillow, lying flat on his back as he took the phone to study it, trying to figure out what he was looking at. “Is it a painting?” “Yeah. Scroll through.” He did as he was instructed as Ella shifted so that she was lying next to him, her head on his shoulder. Still unsure exactly what she was getting at, Rome asked, “All of these paintings are in our attic?”

“Yes. Three dozen of them. It took me a while, but I tracked down the artist. Her name is Fae Ward. She’s ninety-five and lives in an assisted living facility in the city. That’s where I went today.” “You went to see an old woman who left a bunch of paintings in our attic? Why?” “For a few reasons,” Ella said as she shifted. Done with her phone, Rome handed it back, and she set it on the nightstand before propping her head up on one elbow and staring down at him. “First of all, she’s very talented. I was in awe when I found them. I wanted to give them back to her. Secondly, I was curious about who used to live here. But then I did a little research and found out she was quite a big deal when she first started selling her paintings. Then, she just sort of disappeared. I wanted to know what happened.” Rome nodded. He could see why Ella would be drawn to a woman who just seemed to disappear. “So you found her?” Her head rocked back and forth. “And you met with her today?” “I did.” “And… you said she’s ninety-five? Does she want her paintings back?” “No. She said I can keep them.” That twinkle was back in her eye. “We came up with a plan. I’m going to need your help to get this business going, but… I think it’s going to be exactly what I need in order to re-enter the world.” Knowing Ella, she already had all the details worked out, including some sort of a business plan, and he really did want to hear all about it, but Rome was on information overload, and by the look on her face, he had a feeling she wasn’t quite ready to reveal the plan in its entirety anyway. “That all sounds… fascinating.” He grinned at her, so happy she was finally getting back to her old self. She’d been so gloomy ever since he’d said he wanted to come back to LA. While he couldn’t blame her, he had been hopeful she would just snap out of it. Now, maybe she was beginning to. “When you get it all worked out, just let me know what I need to do, okay?” “Okay,” she agreed, leaning down to kiss him. Her lips were so soft and warm, it was tempting to forget how tired he was and that he had to get up in about six hours to head back to the set.

Ella hadn’t forgotten, though. She rested her head on his chest, and Rome wrapped his arms around her, hopeful for the future. He had no doubt Ella would figure out a way to make a name for herself, even if that name wasn’t Ella Verona. He’d do whatever he could to help her make a success out of her new plan. He owed that much to her. After all, she was risking everything by coming back to LA with him, to a place where everyone thought she was dead and no one could know that she was still alive. He kissed the top of her head and then felt his eyelids grow heavy. She said something, but he didn’t quite catch it. No matter how badly he wanted to stay awake, he was exhausted. A peace settled over him as he drifted off, certain that everything was going to be okay now that Ella had herself sorted out.

Chapter 53 Revelation

The restaurant was busy with the lunch time crowd as Rome walked in the door, glancing around and quickly finding Al’s familiar face in the back. The executive lifted his hand, a smile on his face. Rome returned the smile and waved before heading that direction, skirting around a waitress and a young girl who was clearly not having the best day as she shouted at her mother and flung her chair backward across the tile floor with a screech. It wasn’t an elegant restaurant, that was for certain, but the casual atmosphere of Shooters made it a hit with the younger crowd, and it was owned by a celebrity chef, so Rome hadn’t thought twice when he’d agreed to meet Al and the new owner of the production company here for lunch. It wasn’t too far away from the backlot where he was filming that day either, now that the desert scenes were all in the books. “Al, how are you?” Rome asked, extending his hand as the other man stood to shake it. “Great, Rome. Nice to see you. Have a seat.” He gestured at the chair across from him, and Rome pulled it out, ignoring the dozens of eyes that were on him now. A lot of these people were either stars themselves or upper class people who were used to hanging out with the rich and famous, but enough of them were starstruck at his appearance, Rome was praying he wouldn’t have to sign any autographs or take any photos. He just wasn’t in the mood at the moment. “How’s it going?” Al asked as he adjusted his tie and sat back down. “You look great.” “Thanks,” Rome said. “It’s going well, all things considered.” Sometimes it was difficult for him to that the rest of the world thought he was a grieving widower, but enough people asked him how he was in a sympathetic voice that it often jarred his memory. “How are you?” “Couldn’t be happier,” he said with a genuine smile and a nod. “The company has so many great things coming up, I’m really excited to see where this all

goes.” “That’s great to hear,” Rome said, honestly glad to see Al so upbeat about the state of the production company under its new ownership. The waiter came over and took Rome’s drink order. “Is the owner coming?” “Oh, yeah. He’ll be here soon.” Al checked his phone and nodded. “Traffic. Paris is one thing, but LA is another beast altogether.” Rome nodded in understanding and glanced down at the menu. He only had about an hour before he was expected back on set. He hoped the new owner would arrive soon so they could get their discussion out of the way, and he could go back to work. It seemed odd to be talking about what was to come next when he was so engrossed in what he was currently working on. “I think you’re really going to like what we’ve got planned,” Al said, gesturing enthusiastically with his hands as he spoke. “The films we’ve got lined up are all going to be huge. We’ve really taken a lot of time and effort to make sure each one is a new challenge for you, suitable for your talents.” Rome raised an eyebrow, hoping he meant a challenge in a good way. “That’s good,” he said, not sure what else to say. “Are they all dramas?” “I’ll wait until Henry gets here to go over the details, but I’m sure you’ll really like everything. We’ve got a few comedies and action flicks sprinkled in, but the majority of them are dramatic roles, pieces you can really sink your teeth into.” Al was talking fast, but the mention of the new owner’s name caught Rome’s attention. Something in the back of his mind began to niggle away, though he couldn’t quite put the pieces together. The waiter brought him his drink, and Rome took a sip of his tea, trying to slow his thoughts down. Did Al say Henry? Why did that name seem familiar to him, and what was the association between Henry and ? The other man was continuing to chat at a hundred miles a minute, and Rome was a few steps behind, his mind struggling to decode the mystery set before him and keep track of the current information spewing out of Al’s mouth. It wasn’t until he said, “Ah, there’s Henry now,” and stood up that Rome got a sickening feeling in his stomach. Even without turning to look at the man, he realized exactly what was going on.

Slowly, Rome stood, turning around to look at the young man approaching their table, a snarl of a smile on his handsome face. He couldn’t have been more than a year or two older than Rome, and his expensive French suit let Rome know his suspicions were right. Shaking his head, Rome tried to keep his emotions under check. He’d already signed the damn contract, and there was no getting out of it now. He may as well hold onto his dignity. “Rome Verona! We meet at last!” Henry Caron said, offering his hand. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person.” Rome took his hand, even though he would’ve preferred not to touch the snake at all. “Mr. Caron,” he said. “This is a surprise, I will say that much.” Henry smirked at him. “You didn’t know?” “Can’t say that I did,” Rome itted. “But… a contract is a contract. I’m sure you have the best interests of the company in mind.” “Indeed,” Henry said, letting go of his hand and shaking Al’s. The executive was confused. He shook Henry’s hand and asked, “Do the two of you know each other?” “It’s a long, sorted story,” Rome replied dismissively, sitting back down. Al’s eyebrows were still arched as he, too, took his seat, Henry filling the chair next to Al. He seemed to accept he’d have to get the details from Henry some other time, so Rome didn’t bother to explain. It would be impossible for him to tell Al how he knew Henry without getting angry. The words, “Henry is the man Lloyd Sinders forced my now-dead wife to become engaged to right after he made her get an annulment from me,” sort of choked in his throat. It would be better if Henry told Al from his perspective. Somehow, Rome assumed it would sound less harsh and accusatory coming from him. The idea that Ella would be furious when she realized who Rome would be dealing with crossed his mind, and he took a few deep breaths, trying to keep his cool. It also occurred to him that Henry might have agreed to the of the ten movie contract in an attempt to ruin Rome’s career. Perhaps the man had money to burn and could make some awful movies just to bring him down. He prayed that wouldn't be the case, but there was something about Henry Caron’s beady

eyes that made him think otherwise. Just when things seemed to be going well, Rome found himself falling right back down a rung or two--or ten. Was this always going to be the case? For the rest of his life? “How have you been?” Henry asked after ordering a beverage from the waiter who’d followed him to the table. His accent was much thicker than Ella’s, but Rome had no trouble understanding him. “I hear you bought a lovely house on the beach.” Rome’s eyebrows shifted as he wondered who had told Henry about the house. What else did he know? Surely, he didn’t suspect that Ella was truly alive, did he? “I did buy a beach house. I wanted a refuge away from the city so that when I’m not filming, I can find some peace.” “I can understand that. With all you’ve been through recently, peace must be hard to come by.” Henry’s tone wasn’t sympathetic. If anything, it was accusatory. “Yes, well, I’ve lost a lot recently,” he said, looking into the Frenchman’s eyes. A condescending snicker came out of Henry’s mouth. “As have I,” he replied. Rome’s dander was up now. Apparently, there would be no pretending that this was an actual business arrangement meant to prosper both of their careers. It was obvious now that Henry’s reasons for bringing Rome onboard had nothing to do with continuing the company’s association with the Veronas. “Is everything… all right?” Al asked, either lost, frightened, or both, at the clear angst between the other two men at the table. “Al, can you do me a favor?” Henry asked, not answering the question. “Could you step outside and call Garrison back at the office? I need that order from Benson Light and Sound processed immediately, and I forgot to tell him before I left for this meeting.” “Yes, of course,” Al said, still confused. His eyebrows were raised as he looked at Rome, an indication that he had no idea the meeting would become hostile so quickly. Shaking his head slightly to let Al know that he didn’t hold him responsible,

Rome let him go and then turned his attention back to Henry. “What is this all about, Caron?” he asked, trying to keep his anger under control. “Surely, you don’t have enough money to waste making ten terrible movies because you have a bone to pick with me.” Henry smirked, saying nothing as the waiter set his drink down. “Do you need a few more minutes to look at the menu?” the young man asked. “Yes,” Rome replied. He’d need all the time in the world, his appetite having left with Henry’s appearance. Henry waved the man away, as if he was beneath him, and took a sip from his glass before he set it aside and said, “I’ll be honest with you, Rome, there is nothing more in this world I would like than to see you fall flat on your face, but no, that was not my reason in creating the contract.” The anger boiling inside of him shot to the surface. Rome took a deep breath to push it back down. It worked only mildly. “Then what is it?” he asked. “And where do you get off being angry at me? Let me remind you that if you had spoken up for Ella even once, said to her father that you couldn’t break up a perfectly happy marriage to suit your own purposes, she might be sitting here today!” “Me? You’re blaming me for Ella’s death? Don’t be ridiculous!” Henry’s voice was loud enough that people from surrounding tables were staring at them now. He didn’t seem to care. Leaning forward, his eyes narrowed as his voice lowered into a growl, he continued. “You cost me everything, Verona. The perfect wife-intelligent, sweet, beautiful. The daughter of a successful billionaire who would’ve helped me build my own empire. Because of you, she’s gone now, and I’m left to start over. If you think I don’t hold you responsible for that, then you have another thing coming!” Rome’s eyes bulged as he stared at the man across the table from him. The audacity of this man to accuse Rome of doing him wrong when all he had to do was tell Lloyd Sinders he didn’t want to be part of breaking up Ella’s marriage, and she might have been able to convince her father that she wasn’t a token to be bartered with, made him sick to his stomach. “So what is your plan, then, Henry? It’s evident you aren’t hoping to make me a Hollywood star.” “My plan isn’t fully developed yet, Rome. But when I had the opportunity to

take something from your family, to put you in a position where you’d have to answer to me, I seized it. So that’s where we are now. What comes next remains to be seen, but I can assure you, I will take every opportunity I have available to me to be sure that you are as miserable as humanly possible. Whether that means roles you don’t like, embarrassing love scenes, or movies that tank at the box office, I don’t yet know. But you can be sure, by the time you’ve fulfilled your ten movie obligation, you will be wishing you’d never heard the name Ella Sinders.” Rome pushed back from the table, ready to be done with this meeting. “You won’t get away with this, Caron. My father included in the contract the clause that none of Sinders’s associates could buy the company. You are clearly an associate of Lloyd Sinders. The contract will be null and void!” “Do you honestly think I didn’t have that part of the contract examined closely by every high-powered attorney in the city? Even if that did stand up in court, which it won’t because I’m not d with Sinders--my father’s company may be, but I’m not--there’s the fact that your parents will lose everything they have suing me, if they choose to do so, and in the end, I’ll still have the company, and they’ll be penniless. And if you simply choose not to make the movies, then I’ll get all of my money back and keep the company.” He snickered, much calmer now that he was thinking of all he had to gain rather than when he was speaking of what he had lost. “Face it, Rome. You’re trapped. I have you now.” Realizing there was nothing constructive he could possibly say under the circumstances, Rome stood, pounding his fist on the table. “Two can play at this game, Henry. You’re going to wish you’d never heard the name Verona.” Henry chuckled and slammed back his drink before he said, “Don’t you think I’ve been there for quite some time, Rome?” Cursing beneath his breath, Rome decided it was time to go. Plenty of people were staring now. Some were even using their cell phones to snap pictures. Rome hurried out of the restaurant, nearly colliding with Al as he flew out the door. “Rome, what’s going on?” the executive asked. “I don’t understand….” “Henry Caron’s father is an associate of Lloyd Sinders,” Rome explained, his

teeth gritted together, his hands in fists at his sides. “Sinders decided it would be best if his daughter married a Frenchman and relocated to Paris to get her away from her first husband--me. Rather than marry a man she didn’t know and be away from me for the rest of her life… Ella did the unthinkable, Al.” As the story flew out of his mouth, he could see the understanding seeping into the other man’s face. “Rome, I’m so sorry. I had no idea. If I’d known….” Shaking his head, Rome waved his arm at Al. “It’s not your fault. I just… call me when you get a schedule figured out. This meeting wasn’t about my films. It was Henry’s way of trying to tell me he owns me now.” Al’s mouth opened, but he didn’t speak, and Rome was done with the entire situation. He hurried off toward the parking lot where he’d left his car, hoping he could calm down enough to drive safely. How he would finish his afternoon scenes on his current production, he had no idea, but at the moment, all he wanted to do was jam his fist through a brick wall. If Henry Caron thought he’d take this lying down, he had another thing coming. One way or another, he’d make that man pay--for everything.

Chapter 54 Reframing

A glass of sweet tea on the table next to her, Ella sat on the back patio, her laptop poised on her knees, as she finished adding a banner to her website. It was starting to come along, everything falling into place, and before long, she’d be ready to reveal her new enterprise to the world. Over the last few days, she’d spoken to Fae several times, running ideas past her and getting her take on most of the details. Fae was like the grandmother she’d never had, always encouraging her and also coming up with moments of inspiration that sent Ella off in a new direction as her creativity took hold. Ella’s realtor was looking for the perfect site for the unveiling, and she was working with several other marketing firms as well as the new LLC Rome had helped her establish to get the plan ready for the launch. Everything was beginning to come together, and within a few months, she’d be ready. Her cell phone rang, sliding as it vibrated in the condensation ring from her tea. It was difficult to pull her mind away from her work until she ed Rome was supposed to be having lunch with the new owner of the production company today. She expected him to call when it was over, but it seemed early. Hurriedly, she picked up her phone, alarmed that it was him calling only twenty minutes after his scheduled meeting time. “Hello?” “Hey, babe.” She could tell immediately that he was angry. His words were clipped, and his tone conveyed the meeting had not gone well. “What’s wrong?” Rome sighed loudly. “You will never believe who the new owner is.” Her breath caught in her throat, and Ella found it almost impossible to swallow. It couldn’t be her father--the Veronas had made sure of that. So who else? She quickly pored back over the details of what Rome had told her about the new owner so far, and a realization dawned on her, one she wished she would’ve put

together days ago. “Not Henry?” she asked, praying she was wrong. In the back of her mind, the suspicion had been there, but she’d pushed it away, praying it couldn’t be true. “How did you know?” Rome asked, surprise making its way through his rage. She couldn’t answer his question, so she ignored it. “Oh, God, Rome. I’m so sorry. What the hell does he want with your father’s company?” “To make my life a living hell!” Rome spat. “As if he hasn’t already contributed enough to my personal angst, he has now decided he needs to own me for however damn long it takes to make ten shitty movies!” Ella had no idea what to say to that. She couldn’t blame him for being mad. She was, too. After a few moments, she said the only thing that came to mind. “I’m so sorry, baby. What are you going to do?” “Call my lawyer,” he replied. The sound of horns honking and other traffic noises made her realize he was driving, which worried her. He seemed way too angry to be behind the wheel at the moment, and even though she knew he was hands free, she didn’t want to distract him. “What else can I do?” “Okay--yeah, that’s a good idea. Maybe there’s something he can do to get you out of it. Why don’t you… call me back when you get to the set?” “I’m angry, Ella, but I’m not going to crash. Traffic is moving about five miles an hour.” He always could read her mind. “I know. I just… I worry about you anyway. Now, I have even more reason to do so.” “Don’t worry about me, Ella. I’ll be all right. I just… God, he had the audacity to try to tell me that I ruined his life. Seriously? All he had to do was tell your father that he didn’t want to marry you and maybe you wouldn’t have had to go to such lengths to get away from both of them.” “I know,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm and her tears from falling. She’d been over all of that a million times. How would things have been different if Henry would’ve spoken up on her behalf, the way she almost thought he was going to that day before she faked her own death? The idea that he would

dare to try to blame Rome made her wish she could call him and chew him out. But she couldn’t do that because Henry thought she was dead…. “Anyway, it’ll be all right. I’ll sort it out. I just wanted to talk to you about it.” “I’m glad you called. But seriously, be careful driving back to the set.” “I will be. I’ll text you when I get there.” “Thanks. I love you, Rome. More than anything.” “I know you do, El. I love you, too. I’ll talk to you later, sweetheart.” Ella hung up and set the phone aside, but inside, her stomach was churning. There had to be something they could do to get even with Henry. What it was, she wasn’t sure, but as she was reinventing herself, she’d be sure to work it into her plan--one way or another. Refocusing her attention on the project in front of her, Ella had a harder time concentrating than she had before, but she was even more determined than ever to get herself back together. With the plan she and Fae had created, she simply couldn’t fail.

Back on the set, Rome was filled with anger. The meeting with Henry had him completely out of sorts, and his acting was suffering because of it. They’d gone over the same scene four times before Wynnie finally called a break and asked to speak with him. It had been a long time since anyone had needed to pull him aside and talk to him about his acting in a negative context, so when she’d sent him to his trailer to take a few minutes and regroup, he wanted to send his fist through the wall. She was an award winning actress, and if it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t have this role. He couldn’t stand the thought of disappointing her. “Can I get you anything?” Phil asked, after giving him a few minutes by himself. Rome shook his head. “No, there’s nothing anyone can bring me right now to make me feel any better.” If he’d had a few minutes, he would’ve called his lawyer before he tried to get back to work, but he hadn’t had time then and knew he didn’t have time now. Just the idea that someone else was working on the problem might’ve made him feel better. “I take it your lunch meeting didn’t go well?” Phil asked. He was never one to pry, but it was obvious he was concerned about Rome, and for good reason. “No, not at all,” Rome replied. He was sitting in a chair in front of a mirror, and a glance in that direction told him he even looked angry and out of sorts. He needed to calm down and trust that there was a solution to this problem, but that was easier said than done. “Well, if you wanna talk… I’m always willing to listen,” Phil said with an easy smile. Rome might’ve taken him up on the offer if his cell phone hadn’t rang at that moment. He glanced down to see who was calling, and when he saw that it was his mother, a fresh bolt of lightning soared through his body. He snatched up the phone and growled, “Hello, Mom.” “Rome? Is everything okay?” “No, Mother, it isn’t. Do you and Father realize exactly who it is that you sold the production company to?” Rome glanced up to see Phil backing out the door, clearly not wanting to eavesdrop. Rome wouldn’t have cared if he’d stayed. It

would’ve saved him having to tell the entire story twice, but it was okay that he’d left, too. He probably didn’t need a firsthand witness to the conversation he was about to have with his mother. Anyone who didn’t realize all the woman had put him through, as the willing pawn of his father, might think he was being cruel. “Well, I’m not exactly sure. I know it was a man from . Henry something or other, I think. Why do you ask?” “His name is Henry Caron, Mother. He’s the man that Ella’s father tried to make her marry!” “What?” Lacy sounded just as shocked as Rome had felt when he finally put two and two together a few hours ago. “But… your father was sure to put into the contract that the sale couldn’t be to anyone associated with Lloyd Sinders!” “Apparently, someone screwed up then, Mom, because Henry Caron is definitely an associate of Lloyd Sinders, at least on a personal level if not professionally. And now I’m going to have to make ten movies with a man who hates me.” He ran a hand through his hair, grabbing hold of it and tugging as if he might pull a wad of it out. “Rome, I’m so sorry. I am sure that your father will find a way to fix this.” “I don’t think it can be fixed. Henry said that he made sure the contract was solid. But by all means, do what you can to see if there’s a way you can get me out of this. I should’ve listened to--” He stopped himself short of saying Ella’s name, thankful that he wasn’t so mad that he almost blurted out something he’d regret. “I should’ve listened to Bart and not come back here so quickly. I should’ve never trusted you and Dad! After what you did to me last time, I should’ve known better.” “Rome, please, stop shouting,” she said in that child-like voice that told him she was on the verge of tears. “I’m so sorry, honey.” “I’m sure you are. Just… tell Monty Verona to get his shit together and fix this!” He hung up, not even letting her tell him what it was she’d called about in the first place. Looking up, he saw Wynnie’s familiar face in the doorway, her lips drawn

together in concern as she stared at him through narrowed eyes. “Rome? Are you going to be okay, or should we just call off the rest of the shoot for the afternoon?” “I’m sorry, Wynnie,” he said, bending over with his elbows on his knees. “It’s just that… once again… my parents are causing chaos in my life.” He shook his head. “I should’ve never trusted them.” With a sympathetic look on her face, Wynnie crossed the room, pulling out a chair and sitting down across from her. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on, or just be angry for the rest of the night?” “Neither,” he said, making her chuckle. “I have to make ten movies with my dad’s former production company--which he sold to the man Ella’s father was trying to force to marry before… before….” He didn’t finish the sentence. There was no reason to. She got it. He could tell by the slow nod and the way she dropped her eyes. Reaching across the space and taking hold of his hand, Wynnie said, “I’m so sorry, Rome. That has got to be unbelievably difficult for you. I’m sure you’re feeling betrayed by your family for the second time, and you’re probably anxious, thinking this person will do whatever he can to make your life difficult for the foreseeable future. But Rome, if there’s anyone in the world who can handle this, it’s you.” He smirked at her, dropping his head as he attempted to find the right words to tell her that she was crazy. “I don’t think so, Wynnie.” “I know so, Rome. Think about everything you’ve gone through in the last year. Yet, here you are, making movies again, and doing a kick ass job. Most of the time. That asshole could give you the worst script ever written, and you’d find a way to make it work. Besides, I’m assuming that just because he owns the company, that doesn’t mean he’ll be on set every day. He probably won’t even be in the country for most of the productions. I know it’s not ideal, but you’ll make it work.” Rome stared at his friend for a few moments, still not sure what to say but feeling much more positive now than he had before she’d come in to speak to him. It was one thing for Ella to tell him everything was going to be okay. She didn’t know--she wasn’t an actress and had never been on a set before. Her

words were just to make him feel better. But hearing Wynnie say that he’d be okay was different because she knew the industry; she knew how all of this worked. She knew him. “Do you think?” he asked, a ray of hope finally sparking within him. “I know,” she said again, with emphasis. “It sucks, Rome. A lot of things have sucked for you lately, and I hate that, because you’re a good guy, unlike a lot of the bastards in this industry.” He snickered. Leave it to Wynnie to tell you how it really was. “But you’re going to be fine. Now, go see Samantha, get that hair and make-up touched up, and let’s get through this last scene of the day so we can all get the hell out of here.” She patted him sharply on the hand, almost a slap, and then headed out. She’d reached the door when he called after her. “Wynnie?” Turning to look over her shoulder, she raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?” “Thanks.” She smiled and gave him a little nod before continuing out the door. Rome felt remarkably better considering nothing had changed. Wynnie was right, though. He’d been giving Henry Caron his power and letting him wield it against him. The truth of the matter was, Henry had no power over him. He needed to believe in what he’d said when he left the restaurant. Even if Henry’s contract was sound, and Rome did have to make ten movies with him, that didn’t mean it had to be an enjoyable experience for Henry. Rome still had the power to make things hard on the producer without jeopardizing his own career. He just had to be calculating in his every move, and that was something that he should be able to do easily enough. After all, he was an actor. With a deep breath, Rome headed out to find the hair and make-up personnel, resolved to get through the scene so he could go home to Ella’s arms. In the end, the fact that Henry hadn’t won, that he didn’t have Ella, and Rome still did, should be enough fuel to get him through whatever was to come.

Chapter 55 Emerging

Two months later… Nervous energy percolated through Ella’s veins as she sat in the back of the limousine, trying not to wring her hands. This was it--the night she’d been waiting for ever since she’d returned to California. She may have snuck into the state in secret, but tonight, every eye would be on her, by design. She’d never been one for the spotlight. She preferred using her graphic skills to highlight other famous people, rather than having everyone stare at her. Yet, sitting in the limo, dressed in a fabulous red, sparkly gown that reached the floors, save for the slit that went so high up her thigh it left little to the imagination, she was ready to make her grand entrance. If she was actually going to pull off the plan she and Fae had come up with, she had to launch herself into this project fearlessly, and that included walking into the gallery tonight the returning queen, the victor, not the frightened girl who had easily been tricked into staying in an attic rather than facing the world at large. She was ready, too. Rome had been schooling her in the art of commanding a room, giving her acting lessons, helping her become Juliet Montague, the powerful art mogul who would bring Los Angeles and the rest of the world spectacular pieces unlike anything they’d ever seen before. They’d get a taste tonight at the grand opening of her new art studio, Montage, a name Fae had helped her settle on. Most of the pieces waiting to be unveiled were Fae’s long lost paintings, but they’d also worked together to find some promising new artists who were sure to catch the eyes of the collectors who’d be in attendance that night. No one would dare miss the return of Fae Ward to the art scene after all. Juliet had a few pieces of her own intermingled amongst the rare Wards and the up and coming finds, pieces she’d poured her heart into as Fae worked with her to hold her brush a certain way and bring the canvas to life in ways Ella had never imagined possible.

The car slowed for a red light, and Ella tried to calm her nervous fidgeting. Juliet wouldn’t be nervous. She’d be ready to part the crowd with her mere existence. The chances of her being recognized as Ella Sinders by anyone in attendance that evening were low, although she’d been sure to invite a special guest, one she was hoping to leave an impression on. Her hair was different. Her skin tone was different, thanks to many days spent on the beach. She had on colored s that transformed her eyes into a lavender shade that she would argue was her natural color should anyone be so bold as to ask, and she’d put on ten pounds of muscle over the last several weeks as well, making her body shape different from Lloyd Sinders’s frail daughter who never got a ray of sunlight on her pale face. More than anything, she was certain she could fool anyone who might ask the question through her change in persona. Ella Sinders had been timid and weak; Juliet Montague was bold and fierce. It had been Fae who’d given her the ability to walk into that room and fool everyone. Like the fairy godmother she was named for, Fae had built up Ella’s confidence. If she hadn’t found those paintings, she might still be cowering in the corner somewhere. Now, she was willing to face her enemies head on. It was too bad Fae wouldn’t be attending. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to; she said she would’ve loved to come. But at her age, crowds this large were potentially dangerous to her health, and the nursing home had regulations about how late their residents could stay out. Even for something like this, Fae didn’t ask for an exception. Rather, she said she’d watch the virtual show online. Ella would be livestreaming the event on her website, which was already seeing over two million visitors a day, thanks to her marketing campaign. Montage was more than an art gallery--marketing was also a focus for the company, though Ella was playing that off for now, just to make sure there were no questions about her identity. When Rome had announced he was investing in the up and coming company, he’d said he’d found a graphic designer whose skill reminded him of his late wife, so he’d decided to invest in Montage, becoming a full partner. There were rumors about whether or not he was dating the artist in question, but no one even knew who Juliet Montague was at the moment. That would change as soon as she arrived at the show. Through the tinted windows, it was difficult to see exactly where they were, but Ella had a feeling they were getting close. She took a few deep breaths, hoping to calm herself. Rome was already there, and she was looking forward to seeing

him, but she’d have to they were just business associates. She didn’t want anyone to think that they were a couple, not only because it might make people suspicious of her true identity but also because there was someone else she planned to pull into her web of deceit. With any luck, he had already arrived at the event as well. The car pulled to a stop, and a few seconds later, her door came open. This was it--her big moment. The red carpet reached the curb, so she’d be stepping directly onto it. Ella steeled herself and ed she was Juliet Montague now, fearless and unflinching. She took the valet’s hand and let him help her stand up on her high stiletto, silver heels. A thousand flashbulbs went off in her face. People shouted her name. Ella lowered her dark glasses slightly to look over the top of them, but she didn’t respond. She didn’t have time for any of these foolish people. She had a show to attend, impressions to make, art to sell, hearts to steel, and a nation to fool. She did give a small wave in the direction of a cluster of younger people pushing to the front of the paparazzi, clearly fans wanting to get a look at her. That she would allow. Ella kept her chin held high as she walked into the event, tucking her silver handbag under her arm, letting the lights catch her shimmering gown and all of the jewels she was wearing. She imagined she was a work of art herself, not a subtle seascape, but a beautiful, bejeweled mosaic. The door was pulled open for her, and she walked into the gallery. Immediately, the crowd of three hundred invited guests, ones she’d taken great pains to select, erupted in applause. Ella tried to look demure while still staying confident as she waved and thanked them all, ing the role Rome had ingrained in her brain. They’d practiced this, assuming the show would be a hit. She was bombarded with people who wanted to speak to her, to get a word with her, to make an offer on a specific piece. Ella took her sunglasses off and placed them into her bag, waving off those who wanted a piece of her time. “Please, darling, you’ll have to speak to Tucker about that,” she said over and over again, gesturing at the assistant she’d hired a few weeks ago, a man in his mid-thirties who was well-versed in current trends in the art world. He’d come at a hefty price, but he was already proving himself worth it as he steered the crowd away from her. “Where’s my drink?” Ella shouted in the direction of her personal assistant, a woman named Kinsley who had also come highly recommended by one of Rome’s actor friends. She scurried off, and Ella surveyed the crowd.

There weren’t too many people there that she actually did want to talk to--but she saw two of them. Rome commanded the room, or at least he had, until she’d made her entrance. She could tell by the way the people were situated around him, all of their bodies facing toward him, only their heads turned in her direction. A pang of jealousy hit her in the stomach at the site of the blonde actress on his arm. It really wasn’t fair that Carry Carmichael had no idea Rome was still married and that his wife had just walked into the room. For all she knew, he’d asked her out because he was interested in her, not because she made a good diversion. The other person she wished to speak to was there because Rome had invited him as part of their alleged truce. Set to start filming the first of his ten movies in a few weeks, Rome had decided it was time to extend the olive branch--or at least, that’s what he’d said when he’d made the phone call. Of course, neither Rome nor Ella was truly ready to forgive and forget, but if their plan was to work, he had to think they were. Henry Caron stood near a sculpture Ella had acquired from an up and coming artist in the Midwest, a piece entitled, “Revenge of the Betrayed,” which featured a smiling nude woman with a dagger behind her back. It was fitting in ways Henry would’ve never guessed as he gazed at Ella from across the room. If he had any idea who he was truly looking at, his expression did not give it away. He had that smirk on his face, the one that most women found appealing; the one that made Ella nauseated. She pretended not to be looking at him because it was too soon. She couldn’t simply walk into the event and make a beeline for a man she’d never met. He’d have to come to her. There was no doubt in her mind that he would. Ella began what Rome called, “Flittering around the room.” He’d schooled her well. “Give each of them a small taste of who Juliet Montague is, but not enough. Not so much that they feel they know you. Keep the mystery there so they’ll be longing to come back for more.” It had made perfect sense to her, and as she breezed from one conversation to another, she did her best to keep the mystique, and keep her eyes off of Rome, which was more of a struggle than she’d previously recognized. Making her way from one group to another, it became clear the show was a success. Many of the pieces already had bids placed on them. The strategy to

make it more of an auction than a sale had paid off. Tucker and his team were doing a marvelous job of keeping the interested parties apprised of the going prices, and it was certain most of Fae’s pieces were going to bring in well north of a million dollars apiece. Even Juliet’s paintings were going for hundreds of thousands of dollars, as were several of the pieces from unknown artists. The money she made tonight would mostly go back into the business, save the portion she’d insisted on putting back for Fae’s great-grandchildren. One way or another, Fae would benefit from her work. After this, Montage would be squarely on the map, and Ella would have plenty of work to keep her busy while she scouted out fresh new artists and more work from the ones on display tonight--including Fae, who’d agreed to give her a few more pieces because Ella had inspired her to start painting again. After an hour or so of making small talk with so many people there was no way Ella would be able to keep all of their names straight, she finally found herself in exactly the location she’d been waiting for all night, standing right next to Henry Caron in a secluded part of the showroom. He was sizing her up from a few feet away. Slowly, Ella raised her champagne glass to her lips and took a sip, waiting for him to come closer. She could tell by his expression that he wanted to, and he had no idea of her true identity. “I’m not one of the pieces of artwork,” she said, looking at him coyly through her eyelashes. If it hadn’t been for Rome’s training in how to present herself to this beast, she might’ve lost her cool and screamed in his face--or maybe thrown up on those expensive Salvatore Ferragamo dress shoes. “I know you’re not,” he said, smugly pressing both hands into the pockets of his slacks. “But you could be.” He was wearing a Brioni suit that probably cost as much as a small car. Ella wasn’t impressed, though. He might cut a fetching form on the outside, but she knew his heart was black as sin. Offering him her hand, as if it wouldn’t cause her skin to crawl at his touch, she said, “I’m Juliet.” “I know. Henry Caron,” he said, lifting her knuckles to his lips. The graze of his mouth along her skin had bile rising in the back of her throat. She fought it, catching Rome’s eyes from his spot far across the room. He looked as irritated as Ella felt, but she knew he wouldn’t interfere, unless she signaled for him to. Which she wouldn’t. She had to do this or else everything would be for not.

“Caron, you say? I’ve never heard of you.” She withdrew her hand, crossing that arm under the one holding her champagne flute in front of her lips. She took another sip, studying him over the rim, as if she’d never seen him before. Henry chuckled at her comment. “You’re refreshingly honest, Miss Montague. I am a film producer. I just acquired Verona Cinema Productions. Perhaps you’ve heard of that?” Ella nodded. “Oh, yes. I am familiar with the Veronas. Have you met Rome?” She gestured at her husband across the room with the tip of her glass, as if he was also just an acquaintance. “I have met him,” Henry said, his eyes flickering over his shoulder, a bored expression taking over for an instant, before his eyes were back on her. “Tell me, where have you been hiding all of these years?” Ella laughed. “I’ve hardly been hiding. It takes time for people to make a name for themselves, as I’m sure you’re learning now. Until I met Mrs. Ward, I was like half the starving artists whose work fills this room. She discovered me. I discovered them. It’s just… I know how to present artwork in a shiny package that makes everyone realize how desperately they need it.” The words sounded so fake coming out of her mouth. If she were a bystander, she’d be sick at the presentation Juliet Montague was making. But she wasn’t Ella anymore, and Juliet needed to be strong and bold, to grasp the recognition Ella would’ve shrugged off. It was working. Henry was intrigued. “Perhaps you and I could meet over coffee or drinks at some point and discuss what we can do for each other? I understand you are in marketing as well as art, and I could use a good marketer. I have several films scheduled for release in the next year.” Staring at him for a moment, Ella left him in suspense. Then, slowly, she let a smile spread across her face. “I would like that very much.” She rattled off a phone number she’d gotten specifically for him and watched as Henry saved the number in his cell phone. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other guests to mingle with.” She gave him a softer smile than the one she’d been flashing earlier, patted him on the arm in a way that suggested that perhaps she’d be open to more later, and then walked away, keeping her back to him so that he wouldn’t see the look of disgust she was sure was claiming her face.

Across the room, she caught Rome’s eyes and winked at him, their signal so he’d know everything had gone as planned. She hadn’t even approached him in public that evening for fear someone might start to put the pieces of the puzzle together. She didn’t go near him now, either. Instead, she crossed to her favorite piece of the collection, other than Fae’s. This was a painting she’d done herself, the meaning of which would be lost on anyone who didn’t know the secrets hidden in the artwork. It was a self-portrait of sorts, though the girl in the painting didn’t really look like her. She wore a bright red dress and reclined on a slab of stone, leaning up on one elbow. Her hair was a darker brown than Ella’s had ever been, her eyes a shade that looked nothing like Ella Verona’s or Juliet Montague’s, and it would’ve been easy for even the toughest of art critics to mistake the slab for a bed. The piece was publicly titled, “Emerging,” and whenever anyone asked, Juliet would simply say it was a piece that captured what it was like to suddenly have the spotlight shining on even the darkest corners of one’s life. But in her mind, the title was, “Girl From the Tomb.” This image captured the moment when Ella Verona had begun her transformation into Juliet Montague, how she’d overcome death and transformed herself into something else, like a caterpillar breaking through the chrysalis to reveal the butterfly. “It’s beautiful,” a familiar voice said over her shoulder. “Just like you.” Ella didn’t turn to look at her husband, who hadn’t seen the painting before that night. “Thank you,” she said. “Life is beautiful.” She gave him a subtle smile and then walked away, leaving him behind her. That’s where she’d need him to be for a while--in the shadows, ing her without anyone truly knowing the depth of their relationship. Ella Verona might be the girl from the tomb, but Juliet Montague was the girl on the beach, the one who would burst into the lives of all of these fancy rich people, take their breath away, and their money, and put her life back in order the way it should’ve been before the Veronas, Sinders, and Carons came along to mess it up. With a confident smile on her face, Ella crossed the room to speak to another group of adoring fans, wondering what this new chapter of her life would bring, confident that her love for Rome and her drive to success would make it impossible to stop her.

Want to keep reading? Find Girl on the Beach here.

A Note From the Author

Thank you so much for reading Girl From the Tomb. If you’d like to continue reading Ella and Rome’s story, look for Girl On the Beach, coming out January 15, 2020. You can preorder here:https://books2read.com/girlonthebeach If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a quick rating or review on your favorite retailer so others will consider checking it out. Ratings and reviews are much appreciated! Find the links here: https://books2read.com/girlfromthetomb I know that there are literally millions of books you could’ve chosen to read, and I’m so thankful you’ve selected mine. I love my readers more than anything! To thank you for reading my book(s) you can get several of them for free when you sign up for my newsletter here: https://books.bookfunnel.com/idjohnsonnewsletter I also provide previews of works to newsletter subscribers, often months before release dates. I’d love to stay in touch, so please feel free to subscribe. I send out my newsletter twice a month on the 1st and 15th, and it’s always full of free and discounted books from other authors I think my readers might like, as well as a little update on what I’m working on. Please see the “Also by ID Johnson” section for more of my books, and thanks again for your !

Also by ID Johnson

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Collections

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Reaper’s Hollow Books 1-3

The Clandestine Saga Books 1-3

The Chronicles of Cassidy Books 1-4

Celestial Springs Collection

Heartwarming Holidays Sweet Romance Books 1-3

Heartwarming Holidays Sweet Romance Books 4-7

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