Spectrum (Stone Society #14) - Faith Gibson Page 0,73
he left the door open so he could keep an eye on her. Remy only woke her when it was time to land. The long sleep did his mate wonders, because as soon as her feet hit the ground in Australia, the fierce female he had first met came back to life. She was in familiar territory, and Isla took over their mission.
“She reminds me of my Lucy,” Tamian muttered with a gleam in his eye. The half-blood merely inclined his head when Isla began barking orders.
It was over three hours’ drive from the airport to where Felix and Imogen made their home. It was a gaudy monstrosity, and Remy hated it. The former abbey was a castle complete with dining hall and chapel. The building was less than three hundred years old, but it felt as though all the souls who ever walked the grounds still inhabited the place. Frankly, it gave Remy the creeps. It was another reason why he hadn’t wanted to visit with Isla and Rain over the holidays. He’d never make that mistake again. If ever Isla wanted to visit her family, Remy would be plastered to her side for the duration.
Chapter Seven
Isla wanted to call her mom since it had been a full day since she spoke to her, but she also didn’t want to give Felix a heads up he was going to have company. Isla didn’t want the male to call in reinforcements.
The castle her parents called home was located in a quaint neighborhood. Isla always wondered how Felix and her mum got away with living there hundreds of years with no one asking why they weren’t aging. Per Isla’s wishes, Lorenzo drove right up to the house. The four males exited the rental and flanked Isla as she strode up to the front door. When she tried the knob, it was unlocked, and they silently made their way inside.
Isla wanted desperately to call out to her mum, but they had a plan. One she had decided on, so she had to keep her mouth closed and her ears opened. Her mum’s laughter rang out from farther in the house. Isla froze. If her mum was laughing, either Felix wasn’t home, or Imogen had lied about knowing of his plans. The males surrounded her, and Isla stood on tiptoe to see why. Her mum had entered the hallway, accompanied by a male Isla didn’t know.
“Isla!” Her mum broke into a run toward Isla. Remy and the others remained where they were, guarding her.
“It’s okay, Remy. Stand down.” Remy allowed Isla to move forward just as her mother reached her and strangled her in a tight embrace. The stranger remained where he was, hands in his pockets. The smile on his face as he watched Imogen and Isla embrace was kind.
“Mum.” Isla hugged her mother just as tightly while keeping an eye on the male.
“Oh, my baby! What are you doing here? Not that I’m not happy to see you, but shouldn’t you be with Rain?”
“Mum, you hung up on me. I was worried about you. Where’s Felix, and who is this?”
Imogen released Isla and slid her arm around Isla’s waist while grinning at Remy and the other males. “Hello, Remy. It’s so good to see you, Son. It appears you brought a small army, but there really was no need. I have my own bodyguard.” Imogen held out her free hand, and the stranger strolled to her as though Isla wasn’t about to have a heart attack.
“Mum, where is Felix?”
“I’m getting to that. Isla, I’d like to introduce you to Benjamin Ward. Ben is my true mate.”
“Say what?” Isla eyed the handsome male as he fisted his heart and bowed his head.
“On my honor.” When Ben straightened, he turned to Remy with his hand out. “Remy, it’s a pleasure. Imogen has told me so much about you and your vineyard. I hope she and I will be allowed to see it soon.”
“Mum, what the hell is going on? And where the hell is Felix? I have something I want to say to him before he—”
“Ben took care of him yesterday.”
“What?” Isla’s head was spinning. “What do you mean took care of him?”
Ben rocked back on his heals, smiling. “He’s currently fish food in the Coral Sea. I pretended to be a businessman who made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. If there’s one thing Felix Hogan was, it was greedy. I took him out for a business lunch on my yacht. He