Chapter 8
Jasper
As I left Alysa’s hospital room and made my way back down the hall, there was James again, lurking. What the hell is it with him? Doesn’t he have anything better to do? I mean, he was in charge of security at the resort, not security over Alysa. I was glad she’d be staying with me. It would eliminate any reason for James to hang around.
This is going to be sweet.
When I approached him, I said, “She’s awake, but tired. So, if you’re going to visit, make it short.”
I saw his jaw tense, and I tried not to smirk at the great effort it took him to manage a calm reply. “I had plans to.”
“I will send someone to pack her things,” I announced. The surprise and confusion on his face were priceless. He wasn’t prepared for that. Of course, I’d surprised myself a few times since meeting Alysa as well.
“What do you mean, pack her things? She’s leaving Tabiq?” he asked.
Oh, I’m enjoying this too much.
Mastering my face, I replied, “When she is discharged from the hospital, she will be staying with me.”
James raised a brow and asked, “In your suite?”
“At my home,” I said, and walked away. It shouldn’t please me so much to see the hint of panic that had crossed his face. I’d always been a man who got what I wanted, and I believe I’d just made that clear to James. He needed to back the hell off and just do his job.
Of course there would be repercussions for this move, but I’d deal with them as they arose. For now, I would do as I promised and visit Alysa each day, while pushing forward with what was most important to me-winning the election.
As I got into my SUV, I pulled out my cell phone and called Mikal. He picked up on the first ring.
“Yes, sir. What do you need?”
I liked how he knew not to waste time with unnecessary pleasantries. He was all business, like me.
“Miss LaHouse will be staying with me. I want to you notify the resort, have them pack her things, and bring them to my home.”
“Your home?”
“Yes. And while you’re there, collect my things as well. I will no longer require the use of the suite,” I stated. “If anyone asks questions or refuses to give you her things, please have them contact me directly. And before you overstep, I’ve already spoken to Miss LaHouse and she has agreed.”
Although it wasn’t final, she’d hinted as though she would. That was enough for me. Alysa didn’t need any more stress, and at my home, my housemaid would tend to her needs while she was recovering. But most importantly, James wouldn’t be there.
“Will she require her belongings to be set up this evening?” Mikal inquired.
I found it hard to believe that he had not been keeping abreast of Alysa’s condition. If she was a native, it wouldn’t have been such a hot topic, but anything around Americans spread fast and not always accurate.
“She will require a few days in the hospital. That doesn’t mean you can delay on fulfilling my request. I’ll expect to see them when I return home later this evening.” The only urgency was creating distance for her from New Hope.
I ended the call and decided to make a surprise visit on my opponent Ocalla. Although my meet and greet had backfired, I hadn’t missed how many of his supporters had turned out last night. Since none of them had spoken directly to me, I could only assume they’d been sent either to spy or to start false rumors. Ocalla had no issue playing dirty. It was how he had made his money and why he still held any power in Tabiq. But those criminals were slowly finding their way to jail. If I ever found proof that he was in cahoots with the leaders of the human trafficking ring, he’d be joining them.
As I approached his compound, the guards at the gate stopped me. It said something that he needed to be surrounded by armed men. It meant he had enemies who wished him harm. I didn’t feel the need for guards, because as far as I knew, no one respectable wanted me dead and the lowlife bottom feeders had gone into hiding. Once I won the election, however, that could change. I made a mental note to investigate hiring a personal security team around the election. Because after the election is over and I have won, there might be more than just Ocalla who wishes I was dead. Anyone who wanted Tabiq to return to its evil way was going to have to answer to me. That was going to make me very unpopular with the greedy bastard that think they’ve gotten away with their crimes against humanity.
“Is Mr. Ocalla expecting you?” asked one of the guards.
“No, but I need to speak to him,” I stated firmly. He stepped inside the guard house and I saw him make a phone call. There was no way I could sneak up on Ocalla, but showing up at his home unexpectedly could be enough to throw him off his game.
A few minutes later the guard returned and said, “You may pull up to the front house. Do not get out of your vehicle until the guard tells you to.”
It was my first time here, and most likely would be my last. I didn’t regret coming here, but I began to have doubts - I should have let someone know where I was going. I had no proof that Ocalla could make me disappear if he wanted to, but I highly suspected it to be true. Even his guards looked more like hired thugs than a true security team. Tabiq still had its share of mercenaries, and these guards seemed to fit the profile. When the government crumbled, the already corrupt military and law enforcement either fled the country or went into hiding, working for people like Ocalla thinking they would be safe in their numbers. They are mistaken. The time will come and soon there won’t be a place on this earth they can escape too.
As I pulled my SUV up the long driveway, my cell phone rang. I looked at the caller ID. What does he want?