'Hey, Dad, did you get my message?'
'I did, and I thought you were in Tobago for missionary, not helping Raj. Not that I mind the two of you captured Alexei, but why were you with him?'
'I wasn't. He called and told me his people had word a Russian was in Tobago. Something about he was homeless and had told some people he was on the run from the mafia. He was going to kill him, but I thought it would be better if we captured and sent him back to you.'
'Eva, are you sleeping with Rajesh?'
'WHAT!? NO! Daddy, why would you ask me something like that? I told you I he called me....'
'There is something about how you said that makes me not believe you. The man is married... but married men are your thing. What are you trying to do, pumpkin? It's not like you can ruin him. The man is already on our side, and his wife knows what type of man he is.'
'I'M NOT SLEEPING WITH RAJESH!'
'EVA RENAE KÖHLER, YELL AT ME AGAIN, AND I WILL COME TO TOBAGO AND BEAT YOUR ASS! Whatever you are doing is your business, but let me warn you. You are playing a dangerous game. I have told you this before; I don't support it, but the man you are playing with now. Is the wrong man? I have known Raj for a long time, and if he is interested in you... meaning if this has been going on longer than a week or a month. You are the one getting played or stuck. So I want you to know, don't come running to me when you realize it. As I said, Rajesh saw something he wanted, and he got it. I asked you some months before this started if anything happened between the two of you I needed to know. You told me no. Now I want you to listen to me closely, Eva; this isn't one of your play-and-release games. You're stuck with this man... he's been asking Gen to find him a way out of his marriage.'
'Dad....'
'Save it. I know what you are doing and what trap you played yourself in... Look, I have to go. Elijah is ready to kill Alexei, and we leave for Japan tonight. See you there in a few days. Love you, and tell Raj I said thank you.' Xerxes said before giving Eva the time to respond. He wasn't crazy and could see something was going on with the two of them. The first clue was the day X saw the man leaving his home, the second was when he popped up without a cause, and the third was her deciding to do missionary work in Tobago beside the place that needed it. The fourth and final clue was her being with him one night when he called her. X could hear the man speaking to one of his men and not to mention his wife and her outburst a week ago. Also, Gen told him he was seeking a divorce. It was sad to say Eva had trapped herself, and Xerxes couldn't save her this time.
"Is it true? Alexei is in that warehouse. I want to see him...."
"No!"
"NO!"
"No, and that's final, Maddi. You are in a good place after all the hell that man put you through. If you walk in and see him, all of the hard work Neveah and Heaven put in would be a waste. He's about to die that should be satisfying enough for you." He said as his older sister stood there looking up at him disappointedly.
"You don't understand X. I need this. I need to look the man who broke me in the face. Let him know he didn't win. Please, I promise you I won't go completely inside. I can talk through the two-way glass." She spoke as he opened his mouth to refuse again.
"Let her in," Luca spoke, making Xerxes sigh, looking at his father and then back at the woman. Slowly he turned, opening the door, and the first thing that hit their ears was Alexei screaming. Neither knew what Elijah was doing to the man, but the lights were flickering, and Lexei's screams told Madison might not like what she was about to see.
