Canada. He was taking me to fucking Canada.
There I'd been, thinking it would be somewhere far like Bali, or some incredible place like Bora Bora. But no, he was taking me four hundred miles north of Seattle, in British Columbia. For fucking real, his big plan to escape involved taking a seven hours road trip closer to the cold.
This was the man I'd chosen to share my life with. The one who had my entire life. A man who could go literally anywhere, but whose pragmatic brain decided this was the safest, most efficient way to disappear. I loved him terribly, but fuck, I really wanted sand between my toes and a sun-kissed skin.
But I had to trust him on this, because it seemed his plan was much, much more complex than I'd originally thought.
This morning, if anyone had been watching his building to keep track of us and figure out our next move, they would have noticed the convoy that had exited the parking sub level at seven sharp. Four black SUVs had driven from our building to the airport, to the private jets section. There, part of the security detail had boarded a small and sleek plane, along with their two heavily protected clients. If anyone was indeed paying attention to know how to get us, they would find out that this specific jet was heading for Cancun, in Mexico.
But it didn't matter if they headed all the way to there, because all we really needed was that they followed the cars, so they'd be lured away from our actual departure. About ten minutes after the SUVs had left, my small, beat up old Ford had made its way into the morning traffic, heading in an entirely different direction. And that was actually us. Not the two bodyguards hired to impersonate us and head into the jet in our stead.
About half an hour after we'd exited the city, Lex had turned into a small dirt road, and ten minutes after we'd left the main highway, a small farm had come to view. He had parked by a building that looked like a small barn before turning off the engine.
"Okay, can you tell me the plan now?" I asked while he helped me out of the car. Although I wasn't in terrible pain anymore, I was still scared to make ample moves, worried I'd ignite any sort of ache.
"We're going to Canada."
Perplexed, I stood there and stared at him, wondering if he was pulling my leg. He either ignored or didn't notice my confusion, and headed to the small barn, taking out the key chain from his pocket. He shuffled through it, making the keys on it jingle with metallic sounds, before finding the one he was looking for.
"Wait, are you serious?" I insisted, bewildered. He'd opened the padlock that held the sliding doors shut and pushed them open.
"Yes. We have about seven more hours to go, and then we'll get to our destination."
"Which is?"
"Canim Lake. There's a house there waiting for us."
"Aren't you worried it'll be too close to Seattle? What if they've heard about Nammota? What if they recognize you from the trial?"
"Canadians don't give a shit about American news. And the place we're heading to is relatively remote. There won't be that many people to make the connection."
Since he disappeared into the barn, I was forced to leave the car's side to keep talking to him. The inside of the wooden shed was more or less what one would expect of a barn, with various things scattered all around it. In the middle of it, though, there was something massive, covered by some old and dusty cloth. Seemingly comfortable around the place, he pulled on it, revealing a big Chevy that looked brand new.
"Lex, what's this place?"
"Seven years ago, I bought the land and the farm on it. The owners were crushed by debts, and they had no choice but to sell. So I acquired it for a very generous sum, and then offered them a one dollar lease, for the next ninety-nine years. All I asked for in exchange was that they allowed me to keep a car in their barn, which I might need to access at any given time. It's part of our agreement that they make sure it's still running."
"Aren't you worried they might denounce us?"
"They don't know who I am. Never met them face to face, and my name never actually came up. Also, I saved them from losing a property that's been in the family for seven generations. Their gratitude ensures their silence. And, I picked them exactly because they are good, honest people. I knew they'd respect their end of the bargain, because I'd researched them thoroughly."
As he'd explained it all to me, he'd gotten a key out of an old, rusty can which had a few paint brushes in it. He clicked on the buttons on the key, and the car's headlights blinked three times. "Was this all part of your original plan to escape if they ever found out you were Nammota?"
"Yes, that part is. But I've had to alter the rest, to include you in it."
With ease, he climbed into the car and started its engine. Quite stunned by the extent of his meticulousness, I moved to the side so he could drive it out of the barn. Once it was out, he returned to my Ford and transferred our stuff into the new car. Then, he drove mine into the barn. I watched him do the opposite process, covering it with the cloth, dropping its key into the can, and then he closed the barn doors and turned the key in the padlock.
Without a word, he assisted me into the second car, which was easier to get into than the Ford. Its height was perfect for me to not struggle with broad gestures. Once I was settled in, he went around it and climbed into the driver's seat again. From the glove compartment in front of me, he retrieved a very thick package, which had a very distinctive seal on it. After he'd checked that it was untouched, he tore it open and took a few things out of it. Among them, there were several bundles of Canadian bills, which amounted to twenty-five thousand Canadian dollars, as well as a burgundy passport with golden lettering. He threw the latter on the console between us and set the money in his bag. Curious, I picked up the British passport and inspected what was inside.
Sure enough, there was a picture of him, along with a fake name. "Clive Thomas Langston?" I asked.
"Hmm... First and second were honestly picked at random. Langston is a family surname on my mother's side. Not hers, but a good portion of her family is named Langston."
"It sounds fancy as fuck."
"Well, they are part of the British aristocracy."
"Neat. Okay, but for real, how were you going to pass as British? I mean, people can guess you're American as soon as you open your mouth."
"But are you absolutely sure they would?" he asked in what must have been the most flawlessly executed English accent I'd ever heard. Holy fucking shit, he sounded so hot. A little posh, and very, very fuckable.
Then it clicked in my head, and I felt stupid for not seeing it coming. "Your mom. You picked it from your mom."
"I did. She used to hate it when I'd talk back with the same accent as her. It would freak her out, and she thought I was doing it to make fun of her."
"Were you?"
"No, not really. The first time it was because she was scolding me and I panicked and it came out on its own. From then on, I did it again because it annoyed her, and that usually cut the argument short."
I hated being reminded of his awful parents, and I wasn't sure what to answer. Lex wasn't expecting me to, though, as he took the passport from my hands, ready to move on. "This one's not necessary anymore."
"Do you mean you have another one?"
"Yes, we do."
"Really? I have a fake passport too?!" Somehow, the perspective was exciting. It probably should have worried me, but it felt as though I'd fallen into a movie, and reality was like a distant, subjective thing at the moment.
Understanding that I would need to see it asap, Lex fished out a kraft envelope from his bag, and pulled out two navy blue passports from it. One had gold lettering and the other one was silver. One Canadian, one American. He kept the gold one with him, and gave me the second one. I instantly opened it to see my new identity, and my eyes widened. The picture there was me, but it also wasn't. It had been altered just enough to not fully be me, but still resemble me enough to pass controls and such.
The names had my eyebrows move even higher. "I'm... Alexandra Wilson?"
A faint blush spread in his cheeks, and I understood there was more to come. Since he didn't seem about to confess, I grabbed his passport as well, and checked on his name. Keen amusement made me burst into giggles when I saw what name he'd picked for himself.
"Andrew Wilson... That's hilarious," I let out. When I realized we had the same surname, my mood switched instantly. "Oh God, tell me we're not supposed to be brother and sister." That would be so wrong...
"No, we're not."
It was the gravity in his voice that made me realize what he meant.
Oh...
From the envelope he was still holding, he took out three more items. The engagement ring he'd bought for me back in December, and two wedding bands. Simple and elegant, both were made of gold. One was thin and small, while the other was thicker and much larger.
My eyes traveled up to his steel irises, and my breath caught in my throat. This was... It meant...
"Lex..." I started, my words dying as my throat clenched hard.
"I know, freckles. We'll do it right one day, I promise. But for now, this is who we need to be."
He handed me my rings, and I mechanically took them, my hand slightly shaking. I hadn't been ready for that. It was fake, and I knew it, but it hit too close to home, and it would certainly feel very real. To everyone we'd meet there, we'd be husband and wife. We'd be the Wilsons. Andrew and Alexandra Wilson, a happily married Canadian couple.
Lex was about to pass his own band on his ring finger when I impulsively stopped him. "Wait, no!"
He sent me an inquisitive look, and warmth spread in my cheeks as I was forced to voice the silly brain fart my mind had conjured. I extended my hand toward him, gesturing for him to give me the ring. He hesitantly did so, and I swallowed away the nervous lump that was clogging my throat.
"This will certainly be pure garbage because I'm winging it, but bear with me, okay?" He nodded, and I took his hand in both of mine, staring at him in the eye with loving intensity. "I never... I never thought I'd live a great love story. My entire existence was supposed to be average, or at least that's what I expected. But then you entered my life. You showed me I could get more, you showed me my worth in so many ways, you showed me I deserved to know the greatest love story I could ever have fathomed. I love you like I didn't even think was possible to love someone, and I know you feel the same. There is nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you, as your wife, your best friend, your lover, your confidant... You are the best thing that ever happened to me, and claiming you as my husband will be the smartest one I've ever done. You are my forever, Ale— Andrew."
The last word had him chuckle low, and he kept his gaze on me as I slipped the ring on his finger. The sight of his big, tanned, and powerful hand with the ring on it was heavenly. He was mine, and everyone could see it now. When I looked up, his eyes were humid with emotions, just like mine, and the love that was so clear to read in them surely matched mine.
Without needing to be prompted to do so, he took the rings I'd settled on the console and delicately grabbed my hand. As if he couldn't resist, he first kissed the back of it before running my knuckles on his cheek, claiming a caress I was glad to give. Holding the ring with the diamond first, he met my tender gaze again.
"Would you make me the luckiest man on this planet and become my wife, freckles?"
I nodded, wiping away the tear that was running down my face with my free hand. With poignant reverence, he slipped the ring where it belonged, and I loved seeing it back on me. I'd missed it, what it meant, and how comforting and right it felt.
Holding the simple gold band, he took a few seconds to. Think of what he would say. As suspected, it felt wonderfully real. While the ceremony was nothing official and legal, the words were all true. Our intentions were genuine, and it felt as though an unbreakable seal was being conjured on our relationship.
"Falling in love with you was the easiest thing I've ever done. As I got to know you, as I had the honor to discover more and more about who you are, I found an endless supply of lovable things. Strangely enough, while I adore the entirety of you, it's your faults that made me fall in love with you the hardest. I usually avoid human relationships, because life has taught me I can't sustain one. I quickly grow bored, irritated, annoyed... and the other party generally feels the same. But with you, it's been different from anything else I've ever experienced. The more I got to know you, the more I wanted to spend time with you. Now, it's gotten to the point where even a lifetime won't be enough to satiate my need for you, my desire to learn more, to be with you, to give you everything you deserve. You gave life to an entire part of me I didn't know existed, one I didn't think I'd ever get, one I didn't even want. Becoming your husband will be, without a doubt, the highlight of my entire existence."
I was full-on crying, tears blurring my vision. My heart had swelled so much in my chest that it was aching painfully. But it was the best kind of pain. When I sensed he was slipping the ring on my finger, I blinked a few times to see it clearly. The gold band fit perfectly and found its spot next to the diamond one.
"Your vows were so much better than mine," I protested with a croaky voice. "I demand a do-over."
He laughed softly, his hands coming to rest on each side of my face. With his thumbs, he wiped away my tears, his beautiful eyes scanning mine with adoration. "You'll get one, my love. A real one."
As he bent toward me, he pulled me in, and our lips met in a perfect kiss. It was tender yet intense as we officialized our unofficial union. While we had no papers to confirm the bond that now tied us together – although I was fairly certain he had forged one – it was as official as if set as stone for us.
We had known for a while now that we were each other's forever, and we needed no legal paper to remind us of that fact.
When he pulled away, he rested his forehead over mine, keeping me close to him, reluctant to let go. "I love you, Andrea."
"I love you, Alexander."
It took him longer to finally be ready to let go, and he gave my forehead a long kiss before completely moving away from mine.
"Alright, let's go. We'll be in our new home in seven hours plus the breaks."
"How about a long honeymoon in French Polynesia? I feel like Andrew and Alexandra deserve that."
That ripped a genuine laugh out of him. I hadn't hidden my desire for a safe house near a warm and sunny beach, and this further attempt would probably not work either.
"I promise we'll spend our actual honeymoon in paradise, Andrea. But Canim Lake is the plan. I promise you'll love it."
My doubtful protest was lost in the sound of the engine starting, and soon, we were off to our destination.
To fucking Canada...
• • •
On our way up north, I found the absolute best way to kill time. It came to me shortly after we'd passed the frontier, the border guard welcoming Lex back home. Because we might come across people, our story had to be convincing enough. So, since we didn't have anything else to do, I started inventing our life together, pushing Lex to participate now and then.
My fake passport said I was born in Ohio, and Lex was from Toronto. In preparation for his own identity, he'd created a quick interior architect website for himself, based in New York City. He had left my pretend life blank, so I'd get to pick who I wanted to be. I chose to become a preschool teacher, deciding it was simple enough to keep up with.
"You said the wedding certificate dates back to three years ago, right?" I asked, laid back in my seat with my feet on the dashboard. He confirmed it with a nod. "Okay, so we met... seven years ago."
"Really, we dated for four years?"
"Yeah, we took our time. But you've wanted to marry me since you first saw me at that bar."
"We met at a bar?"
"We did. I was on an evening out with some friends."
"And what was I, of all people, doing at a bar?"
"You were celebrating signing a big client with your associates. You saw me from the other side of the room, and it hit you like a freight train; you had to have me."
"Of course I did," he answered with amusement.
"So you walked up to me and started using your undeniable charisma to win me over."
"Did it work?"
"Well, two hours in, I dragged you to the bathroom, and we locked ourselves in one of the stalls."
"So, we first fucked two hours after meeting? That's a pleasant change."
"No, I'm not easy like that," I teased him. "You gave me head, and I left you hard and high, to head back to my friends."
"I guess the blue balls are quite realistic, given our actual history. So, I went down on you and got nothing in return?"
"You begged me to let you do this, saying you needed to know what I tasted like. I warned you it wouldn't go further, and you still agreed. Anyway, you found me again in that bar after, and you managed to get my number."
"Didn't we go back to my place together that night?"
"I told you, I'm not easy like that. But you texted me as early as the morning after, offering to buy me brunch."
"And that worked, because it involves food."
"It did. You picked me up and drove us to your favorite place."
"I have a car in New York?"
"You're a successful man, of course you do. We went to a fancy place in the Upper East Side, where we ate, talked, and learned more about each other. Then we had the longest walk together, and after that, we went back to your car. You drove me home, walked me up to my front door, and that's when we first kissed."
"We hadn't kissed before?"
"No, you hadn't kissed my upper set of lips," I explained with a twinkle in my eye.
"And then what happened?"
"We went out on a few more dates, and we took our time there too. We texted a lot and even exchanged a few steamy pictures. Two weeks into it, we finally had sex. It was explosive, with sweat and cum everywhere. Once we started, we couldn't stop for an entire weekend."
"Yeah, we are good at this. It sounds like everything was very smooth."
"It was. Easiest relationship ever. I moved in with you after five months of dating, and aside from a few typical arguments here and there, not a single wave in our relationship."
"Why did it take us four years to marry, then?"
"I was twenty when we first met. It was too soon. I refused to tie the knot before I was twenty-five. It sounded too early. But you proposed on the anniversary of our encounter. I said yes, and we had a long engagement."
"How did I propose?"
"I don't know, you tell me."
With his eyes on the road before us, he took his time coming up with his answer. A small smirk stretched his lips, as he envisioned how he would have done it, had this pretend life been real. "Okay, for our anniversary, I took you out to some fancy restaurant, where people usually go for proposals and such."
"That's rather cliché," I pointed out, not hiding my disappointment.
"I didn't propose there. I think you expected it, though, because I could tell you were gutted when we exited the restaurant and the big question hadn't come up. But I could feel the ring burning a hole in my pocket the whole time. I was so nervous, I kept having to wipe my palms on my pants. We strolled around for a moment and ended up walking by that bar we met in. It looked random, but I'd meticulously planned our casual itinerary. We headed inside for a beer, had three each, and you dragged me to our stall in the restroom. That part, I hadn't planned, although I should have seen it coming. Anyhow, you got busy opening my pants, and I realized it might jeopardize everything. So I took the box out and kneeled on the tiled floor. You hadn't realized what was happening, so you hiked your dress up, expecting some reenactment of our original encounter."
"Of course I did," I cringed, sensing my face warming up even though none of it had actually happened. It was so something I might have done in real life. Horny me was a stupid hoe.
"But then, you looked down, you saw the box, and your eyes went round. I was so fucking stressed, my voice came out wrong the first time, but then I cleared my throat and started over. I popped the question, opening the box, and you stared at me for a solid thirty seconds."
"I wasn't hesitating, though. I was tongue-tied, wondering how I could be lucky enough to land you."
"I know you were. I'm a great catch."
"You really are. So, what did I do next?"
"You nodded, your beautiful eyes glistening with tears of joy. I was just done slipping the ring on your finger when you pulled on my shirt to get me to stand up. We kissed with fervor, and it turned into more, like it often does with us. We made love in the stall, ignoring the people who came in and out right outside. I held you against me for the longest time after we were done. In the aftermath of it all, you told me we'd have to wait, because you were too young to marry."
"But I knew you were the one. I always did. I even gave in and became Mrs. Wilson at twenty-four."
There was a short break after my declaration, and my eyes dropped to my hand, where the rings shined and filled me with joy. I felt compelled to speak again, in an attempt to manifest some of this to reality. "I can't wait to become Mrs. Coleman at... twenty-eight?" I tried.
He chuckled at my obvious attempt and shook his head a little. "Not happening."
"Are you saying I'll still be twenty-seven? Because I'm okay with that too."
"I meant you won't ever become Mrs. Coleman." His statement confused me beyond words, and I stared at him in disbelief. Wasn't marriage our end goal anymore? He noticed my perturbed mood, and after a flash of guilt had crossed his face, he explained himself. "You're not taking my father's name. You deserve better than that, and his name isn't worth going through the struggle of changing all your legal mentions."
"His isn't, but it's also yours. You are worth it. And I want us to share a name, I want our kids to share it too."
"It doesn't have to remain my name."
It took me much too long to understand what he meant. "You'd take mine?"
"Alexander Walker has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"
I'd never thought about exchanging names like this before. Of course, I'd already fantasized about becoming Andrea Coleman, and if I'd been a teenager, I probably would have written it everywhere in some sparkly diary. But he was right in the sense that his family didn't deserve to have their name passed on. Mine, though, was much more suited for it.
"You really wouldn't mind?"
"It's just a name, Andrea. Not only do I like the symbolism of us sharing the same name, I also think it would be a smart thing to change mine. Because of what happened, too many people are familiar with my name. Changing it would bring us some anonymity."
I nodded mindlessly, staring at the trees fast passing by us. He was right, of course. And Alexander Walker did sound nice. If it could help us get a more normal life, it was something we should definitely do.
This false life we were building as Andrew and Alexandra was very, very enticing. Something in me wished things could have been this easy between us, but I also knew the insane bond that tied us together was this strong because of everything we'd been through. If we were ready to fight so hard for one another, it was because of how hard it had all been. Had we met in such a casual manner, with barely anything to strengthen our connection, we might never have been this insanely in love with one another.
So strangely enough, I wished we'd met in such an easy and uncomplicated fashion, but at the same time, I didn't. What we had was wholeheartedly unique, impressively surreal. Still, it was tempting to imagine we'd only had all the good and none of the bad.
"Baby?"
"Hmm?"
"Once all of this is over, if we find out who wants Nammota dead, if we sort everything, and get our life back... Do you think we can really have such a simple and easy life together?"
There was a flicker of doubt in his steely eyes, but I couldn't tell if it was for getting our lives back, or getting a peaceful one together. "I think we could, yes. We have found such an amazing harmony in the past, I'm convinced we could be a remarkably happy couple. If nothing comes in the way, we can become that fantasy, become Andrew and Alexandra."
I nodded silently, turning my attention back to the nature outside. He was right, and I believed we had amazing potential together. The outside world kept screwing us up, but when it was just the two of us, it was utter bliss. Eventually, we'd run out of issues, and then an exhilarating life would await us.
"I still can't believe you went for Andrew and Alexandra," I pointed out with a ghost of a smile on my lips.
"It's silly, but I thought we'd get to keep a part of us like that. We're still Andy and Lex, but the other way around."
"I like it," I revealed. "I never would have picked those names, but it suits us. I'm definitely calling you Andy when we're out in public."
"Ah-ha."
"What are we telling people if they ask why we moved from NYC to British Columbia, by the way?"
"Whatever you want."
"So, we got sick of the city? We wanted to get away from it, and be surrounded by nature. So I quit my job, and you still get to work, but remotely. Maybe I could pick a hobby, like candle-making. Oh, or join a book club."
"The goal is to keep a low profile, Andrea, not to make friends and mingle with neighbors."
"You mean we won't get to see other people?"
"We will, but as little as possible."
"What are we supposed to do with our time, then? We don't have jobs, we won't have social lives, we'll be stuck in the middle of nowhere... It'll become dull."
"We'll find ways to keep ourselves busy," he insisted. There was a playfulness in his voice that didn't lie, and it sent a tingle into my lower stomach.
"Okay, but even sex is bound to become boring if it's all we do. We'll be over it in four weeks."
"I'm not touching you until the end of your prescribed period of rest. So we'll have to find things to do other than that for the next five weeks."
"Are you serious?" I asked with a dramatic gasp.
"Like a heart attack."
"Not only did I get shot, but you're also withholding dick from me for six weeks?! Have you got no mercy?"
"It's for your own wellbeing, you impossible woman. The doctors ordered six weeks without any straining effort, and I fully intend on making you respect it."
"Sex doesn't have to be straining. I could lie down spread eagle and you'd do everything."
"Mmm, you know how to get me in the mood. That image is so enticing," he joked, sending me a mischievous glance.
I couldn't prevent a giggle from bubbling in my chest before forcing myself to pout again. Of course, the man was dead-set on respecting that stupid rule. Especially since it concerned my own well-being. But at least he wasn't keeping a distance between us out of guilt or because he felt like he needed to atone for what had happened to me. I was sure he still felt that way to some extent, but he wasn't pushing me away this time around. Which was a much-appreciated development in his character.
Even though I was the weak link of the two, I was fairly confident I'd manage to make him cave in earlier than six weeks. As soon as I'd feel ready for it, I'd lure him into some mind-blowing session of hot slex.
And if he held his ground, I'd brought Idris and Jason with me. They'd be up for the job, and they might even get Lex to feel the urge to participate.
We had a wedding night to celebrate, after all.