Chapter 40

After the four women finished making their choices, the dresses were tried on and decisions for alterations made. Only Charlotte had needed any. Because of her smaller stature, her straps and hems would have to be taken up. Measurements were carefully taken and the dresses marked. Their own seamstress would complete the alterations and have the dresses sent to their hotel the following morning.

They had decided that the mates and potential boyfriend/husband(?) would not see their dresses until the day of the events. They would still take pictures of a corner of each dress given to them so that they could see the photos to match their ties or shirts of their suits.

they each called their significant other and decided to eat a light lunch then go to their appointment at the spa.

Lunch was a somewhat joyous affair, with each of the women revealing stories from their past. Until they got to Charlotte and Agnes asked her, "So Charlotte, tell me how you met Jaxson."

Charlotte looked to Amber and then to Miney. Clearly, she wasn't sure that the other woman would be able to understand the circumstances around how she had met her mate.

"Did I ask the wrong question?" Agnes asked, confusion plain on her face.

"No, you did and I suppose you will hear about it eventually. I just don't want you to think bad about what I am about to tell you." Looking at Miney, Charlotte asked her a silent question. When she responded with a nod, Charlotte took a deep breath and began.

"How I met Jaxson is a difficult and frightening kind of tale and is definitely not for the faint of heart. It's harrowing and heart-wrenching, to say the least. Please don't think bad of those involved as I tell you my, our tale." When Agnes nodded, she began.

"I am obviously from a very wealthy family and have been hidden and protected all of my life. Not only that, I was trained in several different ways to be able to protect and take care of myself in many different situations. Situations that only the elite rich would have to deal with." Taking a deep breath, Charlotte continued. "I had gone to college to become a nurse and decided to specialize in geriatrics. It was heart-wrenching. My self-care routine had quickly become to drink copious amounts of wine when I would have a patient pass. I knew what was happening and I didn't like who I was becoming. But, I couldn't give up and go back to my grandfather. I had to fight him just to be allowed to go to school and become a nurse, let alone work out in the 'real' world. I had even changed my name to my mother's maiden name to help me. A world that could be extremely dangerous for me if my identity was discovered." Charlotte paused to use her straw to stir her drink. Telling this story was never going to be easy, she thought. "I had decided that I had to step away from nursing. For my own sanity and continued mental health. So, I decided to start looking around for something different. I had been looking on job board sites and noticed an ad for a secretary with inventory control skills. As a nurse, I had to keep up with certain types of supplies and notify the proper person. I sent my resume and the next day I received a response that they were interested in me as an applicant. I was asked to fly from Virginia, where I was living at the time, to Florida. Tampa, to be exact. So, I packed a bag and flew down there. The man that I knew as Liam would become my boss and was, at the time, running one of the largest US-based smuggling operations. He sold everything from information to black market art. He is a deadly man with multiple terrorist connections. A very nasty little man." Having finished her lunch, Charlotte placed her napkin and silverware in the large salad bowl. Needing something to do with her hands, she grabbed a breadstick and broke it and put a small bite in her mouth. Taking a sip of her drink, she swallowed before continuing her story. "I began to notice inconsistencies in the bills of laden that would cross my desk. Things were not adding up. I would notice that the weight would be off or that the number of crates that were brought in were not accurate. When I brought it to Liam's attention, he promised to speak to the shippers so that it wouldn't happen again. It didn't for several months. Then, I started noticing it again. This time with more frequency. I didn't say anything this time. I had realized what was going on and I began documenting it. I kept every copies of all of the incoming and outgoing freight. I was able to take pictures with my phone and upload them to my computer. It took me several months to gather all of the information. When I did, I downloaded it all to an SD Card. It would eventually end up implanted on one of my ribs under the skin. Of course, I ran. Ran in the way a frightened animal runs. I had enough money to pull the case out of my account and close it out. I left Tampa without a backward glance. I ended up driving across the country and ended up in Arizona, on a reservation. I found a Medicine woman there who implanted the SD Card into my ribs. As I was leaving a few days later, she told me that I would need to head towards the Appalachian Mountains, that I would find my destiny there......So, I headed back to the East. I was in a small mountain town when they caught up to me. I was stabbed multiple times, shot twice, several fingers broken and then when they were finished with me, I was taken out into the country and tossed out of the back of a van and my head hit a rock and was busted open. I was grateful that I was dumped on Jaxson's property. He's the one who found me and called the doctor who stitched me up and took care of me until I recovered."

Agnes did not know what to say. She sat there with her hand over her heart and her face a mask of anguish.

Charlotte smiled gently and said, "It was rough. But as you can see, I survived. With Jaxson's help."

"But....but what happened to the man....men who did that to you?" Agnes asked her.

Charlotte looked over at Amber and smiled.

"That's Amber's tale to tell, I'm afraid. It's wholly up to her if she wants to tell you."

Agnes turned to look at the young agent. She was smiling a bit wistfully and somewhat uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, Amber. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."

"No, it's fine. We just don't want you to think bad of us." Amber replied.

"Why would I think bad of all of you?" Agnes was really confused now.

"Rio was the one who tortured Charlotte. He was a deep cover agent working to bring Liam down. Along with his entire organization." Agnes was once again aghast at the information. "Once Liam realized that Charlotte had gotten away with all of his contacts and information, including all of his banking information. That's what was on the SD Card that was in her body. The town doctor, a former soldier, removed it and gave it to Jaxson until mine and Rio's boss showed up with me, Misty, our coroner and Sr. Director Powers."

Amber sat there for a minute letting the information she had given Agnes sink in. When the older woman calmed, Amber could see the wheels to start turning in her mind.

"But, there's more information, isn't there? Something that you aren't telling me." It wasn't a statement.

"Yeah. When Charlotte was dumped, Rio and two of Liam's hired thugs, went back to her hotel room. They destroyed everything. They ripped up the mattress and box springs, the carpet. They tore the mirror off the wall. They broke every piece of furniture in that cheap hotel room. All they left behind was blood where Charlotte was stabbed. They were looking for the SD Card." Amber smiled and looked over at Charlotte and reached for her hand and squeezed it.

Agnes could see a strong bond between the two women, but there were still questions that were not being answered. "But there is still more, isn't there?" She asked Amber.

Amber nodded and smiled again. "Yes. The two thugs with Rio. They were horrible men. Their specialties were rape and sodomy. They also liked to remove fingers and toes from their victims. When Liam realized that they had not located that card, he sent them back to search Charlotte's body. When they came back, Jaxson and the town sheriff was waiting on them. The three of them, Rio, Tony and Marco got out of the truck and were walking up to Jaxson's home, when Rio reached into his jacket with both hands and pulled out two guns and shot both men, killing them. When he begged his brother to reassure him that he had found Charlotte and that she was alive. Jaxson was furious. He literally was ready to kill his brother to protect his mate, if necessary. When Jaxson asked why he shouldn't drop him where he stood, Rio dropped the clip out of his gun, ejected the chambered bullet and dropped the weapon and kicked the gun over to his brother. From there he instructed the sheriff to call his boss in the state capital."

Agnes looked from Charlotte to Amber in wonder. "How can you forgive him for that, Charlotte?"

"Rio protected me the only way that he could, given the situation. If he had refused, he would have given himself away and possibly blown his cover. That would have gotten us both killed. No, this way, he controlled the situation. You have no idea what agony that man faces when he closes his eyes. Besides, think back to what Amber had said about Tony and Marco. Their specialties. Where would I have been if he hadn't done what he did. At the very least, I would have been broken. Besides, Rio made sure not to hit any vital areas and where he placed the gunshots were also non-vital areas and while bleeding out was a possibility, I wouldn't die from gunshot wounds."

Miney reached over and hugged both girls then looked at Agnes. My sons and their mates have lived through horrendous circumstances, and I am thankful for them in my life. They are all very important to Anders and I." Getting up, she hugged Agnes. "Now, we have a spa date to go to. I don't know about you, but I am in need of some definite pampering. Tell me, Agnes, have you ever had a massage, manicure and pedicure, a facial and any body and/or facial waxing. I promise, it won't disappoint."

Speaking to their server, Miney paid the bill and left a generous tip. She led the way back to their limousine, and they went to spend the rest of their day being pampered.

Back at the hotel, the three shifter males and the Graeham, along with the two journalists, were still attempting to figure out the logistics of how and when to do the reveal. It will be broadcast as a live feed, of course. The reveal will be handled with a great deal of security. Graeham wasn't leaving anything to chance. He had already spoken to Caleb and had ordered that every team not active to be there in attendance. He had one of the best, if not the best, private security in the world. His granddaughter and his woman will be there in the midst of it all and he would make sure that they were both protected along with everyone else involved. Graeham was already thinking about building there so he could be close to his granddaughter and any potential great-grandchildren she and Jaxson were fortunate enough to have.

Smiling to himself, he included Rio and Amber's children in that too. Their children would also be his grandchildren and there would be no difference shown between the two.