Carmen Price.
Did he just say Carmen Price?
Of course, he did. Why else would she be in Miami, standing right in front of him?
It felt like a joke, a cruel one that hit him square in the gut.
Ronin's frown deepened, his muscles coiling with tension. He turned to face the old man, who appeared to be smiling behind those seasoned lips as if he had accomplished something that seemed unachievable. Ronin had to hand it to him—the old man had managed to drop a bombshell that he wouldn't easily forget.
He gritted his teeth, his voice low and strained. "Care to have a word, Grandpa?"
Grandpa Edgar's smile didn't waver as he looked at Ronin. "Of course, my boy."
Ronin motioned towards another room, his frustration and confusion evident in his body language. He led the way, his mind spinning to make sense of the sudden twist in their plans. He couldn't shake off the shock of Grandpa involving Carmen in all of this. She was the last person he expected to be part of their plan, especially considering their complicated history.
Once sure they were out of her earshot, he turned to face the older man. Hands on hips. "Okay, spill it. What's the deal with her? Why is she involved in this?"
"I know you have a history with her, Ronin. But sometimes, unexpected alliances can be the most effective ones."
"I don't get it," he ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Why drag her into something like this? What if she gets hurt? What if they target her too?" The idea of her being endangered sent a shiver down his spine. It was precisely what he had been striving to prevent all this time—to keep her out of harm's way because of his own troubles.
Grandpa Edgar's expression softened. "I've talked to her, son. She knows what she's getting into. And besides, she's not alone in this. We'll be watching out for her."
But Ronin wasn't convinced. He shook his head, pacing the room. "No. She can't be part of this. I don't care what you told her. Just send her back. Tell her to forget about all this."
"You're worrying too much, Ronin." Grandpa tried to reason, but he was interrupted when Ronin abruptly stopped.
"And you're not worrying enough. Can't you see how dangerous this is?"
Grandpa sighed loudly. "I can see you care about her, and I understand your concern. But Carmen is a capable and strong-willed woman. She knows the risks, and she's made her decision. She believes she can contribute, and frankly, I think she can too."
But Ronin wasn't listening, he was too startled to find Carmen standing at the door, having overheard everything.
Grandpa noticed the expression on his face, then turned around and spotted Carmen too.
"Carmen," the old man beckoned her. "We were talking about you just now."
Carmen stepped into the room, her gaze moving between Ronin and Grandpa Edgar. She looked surprisingly calm, her eyes holding a determination that surprised Ronin. He had expected her to be shocked or hesitant, but instead, she seemed resolute.
"I apologize, I didn't mean to interrupt," she said, her voice steady. Then, she turned to Grandpa Edgar. "You were getting a call, I thought you wouldn't want to miss it."
"Ah, you're right. Thank you, my dear." He glanced at Ronin and then back at Carmen. "Why don't the two of you chat for a bit? I'll take this call outside."
Grandpa left the room before either of them could stop him. And now that the two of them were alone, awkwardness was quick to settle in. Ronin shifted his weight from one foot to the other, feeling a mix of emotions swirling within him. He looked at Carmen, trying to gauge her reaction to the situation. Her composure was impressive, but he wondered if there was more going on beneath the surface.
Carmen was the first to break the silence. "I heard what you said."
There was no denying that she did, and now that she had, for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to regret it. He didn't always think about wanting her to hate him. Sometimes he wished to have her understanding too. "You don't have to get into this."
"I believe that's true," she spoke calmly, like she always did. He couldn't even match the level-headedness that seemed to reflect through her eyes. "But you always underestimate me, Ronin. I'm not as fragile as you might think."
Little did she know that he never underestimated her in the first place—it was all an act—what he didn't want was for her to waste her skill on someone as messed up as him.
He frowned, unable to hide his frustration or, more like, fear. "It's not about how strong you are. It's dangerous. Period. You have nothing to prove here."
"I'm not trying to prove anything," She looked irked for some reason, maybe something he said rubbed her the wrong way. "I'm just trying to help."
"I can't let you."
"You don't have a say in this."
His jaw ticked, but he also couldn't deny she was right. And maybe that's what aggravated him even more. He wasn't exactly mad at what she said, he was just mad that it was the reality of his life.
The silence stretched between them, charged with unspoken emotions. Ronin struggled to find the words to convey how much he cared about her safety, and how desperately he wanted to shield her from harm. But he also didn't want to push her away, not when she seemed so determined to stand by his side.
It was such a beautiful thought to have, to have her by his side—he couldn't have asked for more. But he couldn't shake off the worries snaking around his heart, making him fear the worst.
However, he was relieved when he heard the door closing and the sound of shoes heading their way. He was glad they weren't alone anymore, especially when his mouth was this close to spitting out something discouraging and equally disturbing to try to push her away from being a part of this madness.
The entrance of someone else into the room provided a much-needed distraction. It was Grandpa Edgar, returning with a maid in tow, carrying a tray of tea and cookies, as if the situation called for an abrupt change in ambience. The maid placed the tray on the table and quickly left the room.
Grandpa stood taller with his hands on the cane. "Well, I see you two have been having quite the conversation." His tone was light, but his eyes held a knowing glint that suggested he was aware of the tension that had just transpired between Ronin and Carmen.
Ronin shifted uncomfortably.
Carmen, however, remained composed. She cast a brief glance at Ronin before turning her attention back to Grandpa. "Yes, we were just getting done."
Grandpa nodded, a satisfied smile crossing his lips. "Good, good. It's important that you both are on the same page."
Ronin wasn't sure if they could ever be on the same page. This situation felt like a disaster waiting to happen. He could feel it in his gut—the fear gnawing at him, warning that something was about to go terribly wrong.
Grandpa Edgar gestured toward the table where the tea and cookies were laid out. "Well, why don't we all sit down and enjoy a cup of tea? We have a lot to discuss and plan, and I believe it's best if we're all on the same team."
It was a good idea, but not exactly what Ronin needed at that moment. He needed to clear his head, to understand what the hell was going on, to convince himself that this wouldn't lead to disaster.
He shook his head. "You two go ahead without me. I'm going to take a walk outside. Need some fresh air."
Ronin had barely turned to leave when he heard Grandpa teasing him with a quip. "What happened to 'Beaches are for people who don't have anything better to do'?"
Ronin couldn't help but scoff before he tossed a careless glance over his shoulder. "Well, as you can tell, I have nothing better to do either way. I'm on house arrest, remember? Taking a walk on the beach might be the most exciting thing I can find."
With that, he stepped out of the room and into the open, hoping the salty breeze would help clear his mind.
* * *
By the time Ronin returned, the house felt strangely quiet.
He almost feared that both of them had left without a word. However, he caught sight of the maid, Lucy as he recalled, carrying a tray of steaming mugs of coffee toward one of the rooms upstairs.
Curious, he decided to follow her, and to his surprise, she led him to a small office space at the end of the long hallway.
Ronin tried not to let his unease swallow him down—after all, they were both trying to help. The only problem was, he wasn't quite sure if this plan would ever work. And beyond that, any involvement of Carmen was like a nightmare waiting to happen. If something were to go wrong and she got hurt because of him, he would never be able to forgive himself.
Ever.
He needed to find a way to convince her to back off. He needed to do this for her sake. And maybe his, because just thought of her getting into this dangerous game was driving him insane.
Before he could enter the room, however, he overheard their conversation. His curiosity got the better of him, so he stepped back and leaned against the wall, straining to catch snippets of their conversation.
"I think you should tell him," Carmen spoke calmly.
"About Willow? Absolutely not."
"Come on. It's obvious he couldn't have been behind what happened to her. He's being targeted himself. What if the people behind both incidents are the same? What if we're dealing with a common enemy here?"
Ronin frowned. What the fuck were they talking about? What happened to Willow?
Grandpa sighed, a hint of hesitation in his voice. "I understand your point, Carmen. But telling him about Willow now might just complicate things further. He's already dealing with a lot."
"Keeping him in the dark won't help either. Just look where it got him. He tried to keep things to himself and it potentially led his life in further danger. You're making the same mistake."
A heavy silence hung in the air, and Ronin's mind raced to piece together the puzzle.
Willow? Targeted? What was going on?
Just then, Lucy, the maid, emerged from the room, almost bumping into Ronin in the process. The surprise encounter caught him off guard, and he stumbled back slightly.
"Sorry, Mr. Logan," Lucy mumbled frantically, clearly flustered by the unexpected collision. She quickly gathered her composure and hurriedly walked past him.
Ronin shook his head, sighing deeply into his chest, only to realize his sneaky attempt to eavesdrop had been busted, when he came face to face with Carmen herself. She was frowning at him, her pink lips slightly parted.
"How long have you been standing here?"
Ronin pursed his lips, feeling caught and a bit embarrassed. He raked a hand through his hair, attempting to appear nonchalant despite the tension that had built up in the room.
"Long enough to catch bits of the conversation," he admitted, not bothering to feign ignorance. "Willow's name came up. What's going on?"
How do you think Ronin will react?
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