Read Online The Arrangement 18 by H. M. Ward - Free Book Online Page A

twisted around the mansion so many times. I don’t know where the hell we are.
    Sean glances at me out of the corner of his eye, as he releases my wrist. We’ve come to a set of double doors made from thick, dark, wood. They're elegantly carved, but not as ornate as Sean’s. He released my wrist so we can pound on the doors.
    Sean’s phone rings in his pocket. He lifts it to his ear and listens, then says, “It’s just us. No, Pete's at Sidney’s and Jon is God knows where, but he's not here. It’s just us. Yeah, bikes. Take the back way out of here and we'll meet up with you.” They say a few more words and Sean disconnects.
    “No one else is here?” I ask, confused. “How can that be?”
    “Between business and pleasure most of the family is usually away. I wouldn’t come here either, but I thought there was a remote chance you might show up, so I came. We need to move. This is a lot more complicated.” Sean looks over at me and takes my hand, pulling me through the grouping of rooms that looks like one of the Ferro boys' residences. There are books scattered about, and posh, manly finishes on the walls.
    Before we know it, we’re at a small door. Sean shoves through and in a second we’re outside in the crisp morning air. Marty is standing there, as is a girl that I’ve not seen before. She’s my height and weight, wearing leather jacket. Long brown hair flows down her back. Marty tosses a set of keys to Sean. There are a pair of motorcycles parked right by the back door.
    Marty watches me carefully. “Are you ready to go? I’m going to take her out the front route, you guys go the other way. With the helmets and leather, in the early morning sun, maybe they won’t be able to tell it’s not you.”
    This is wrong, it’s so incredibly wrong. Shivers take hold of me and I can’t shake it off. I pull my hand away from Sean’s, demanding an explanation. “You have to tell me. What’s going on? Why are they still chasing us?”
    Sean’s chest expands as he sucks in a short breath and glances down at his hands. Our fingers are intertwined, his hand holding mine.
    He looks back at Marty, who gives a visual no. “Don’t say it.” Marty looks over at me with so much empathy in his eyes, I can’t stand it. I don’t know how anything could possibly be this wrong, but whatever Sean wants to tell me is important. “Sean, we need to go.”
    But Sean remains glancing at his hand that’s holding mine. “The reason why Campone wanted those papers had little to do with the ledger. There was something else in there, something else that your mother was hiding. It meant enough to her that she spent her entire life running and looking over her shoulder. She knew he’d find her one day, and take back what was his. The ledgers were a cover, and the reason why you attracted so much attention. It became less obvious when Campone died. I thought they wanted me. It wasn’t until Marty shed light on things that I realized what we were really up against.”
    My throat is dry but I managed to ask, “What do you mean?”
    Marty interrupts, “Don’t—”
    But Sean doesn’t listen. “During the reading of Campone’s last will and testament, your name came up.”
    I stare at Sean, gaping. “What? Why would I be in his will? That doesn’t make any sense. I don’t understand what you’re saying? The ledgers make sense, but not this. You're saying they want me.”
    The two of them seem to understand something that I don’t. Marty waves his hands over his face and groans as he turns around. The woman standing with him says nothing, although I can tell she cares about him.
    Sean swallows hard and looks down at our hands. He turns toward me and says the last thing that I expect to hear. “Victor Campone was your father.”
    “No, I don’t believe you.” I pull my hand away from his, trying to back up, but Sean won’t let go.
    “That’s why he showed up.” Sean explains, jabbing his thumb at Marty.