No Regrets: A Lexi Carmichael Mystery Book Ten Read online

  Eventually I figured I needed to participate a little, so I turned to Basia. “Tonight is your last time sleeping as a single woman. Remind me again, why you’re spending it with me?”

  Finn cleared his throat and Slash looked at me in amusement.

  Okay, maybe that hadn’t come out like I planned.

  Basia swept her hand out in front of her, the diamonds in her engagement ring sparkling in the light. “Because you are my best friend and because the groom absolutely, positively cannot see the bride on her wedding day until the moment she walks down the aisle.”

  “That tradition is supported exactly how?”

  “I’ll answer that.” Finn leaned against the bar with one hand, his Irish accent thickening, which it always did when he drank. “Traditionally, it was done in medieval times to ensure arranged marriages were completed. The bride didn’t even meet the groom until the ceremony and wore a veil until after the vows were repeated and the deal was sealed, so to say. This prevented the groom from backing out until it was too late.”

  “Whoa. That’s so sexist,” Basia protested.

  “Don’t kill the messenger, lass,” Finn said grinning and lifting his hands. “I’m telling it like it was.”

  “You wouldn’t need a veil,” Xavier told Basia. “You’re stunning. There would be a rush of men to have you. But you’re mine. Plus, you know I love you for your mind.” Xavier bent down and kissed her. She laughed and slid her arms around him, kissing him back.

  Jeez. Get a room already.

  I glanced over their heads at Slash and Finn in exasperation. They look amused. It was totally unfair.

  “Come on, guys, are you sure you don’t want to spend tonight together? I’m more than happy to abdicate.” I didn’t want to admit it publically, but the truth was, these days I slept better when Slash was around. Seeing as how tomorrow was going to be an extremely nerve-racking time for me, I needed all the rest I could get.

  Basia unwound her arms from around Xavier’s neck and pressed her cheek against his. “Nope. We’re sticking with my plan, mostly because I want to surprise Xavier with my dress.”

  “I’m going to be so floored, babe,” Xavier said. “No doubt about it.”

  “That makes no sense,” I said. “You can wait to get dressed until he leaves. He’ll never see the dress.”

  “No,” Basia said firmly. “My last night as a single woman will be spent with my best friend, without whom I never would have met my future husband. I’ll never forget that moment when that huge wave crashed you into Elvis and you, ahem, pulled down his swim trunks.”

  Everyone laughed, including Slash.

  My face heated. “You were the one who made me go swimming in the first place.” I pointed a finger accusingly at Basia.

  She just grinned. “I was. And look where it got us. You crashing into Elvis led to me meeting Xavier. Now I’m getting married to the most incredible man in the world, and I have my best friend to thank for it.”

  “That kind of reasoning, while understandably sentimental given the circumstances, still doesn’t explain why you’re spending tonight with me,” I pointed out.

  “It totally does,” Basia said. “Trust me on this.”

  Since she was the bride, I knew I was on the end of a losing battle, so I refrained from arguing, no matter how illogical her position was.

  Slash reached around me and retrieved his scotch, taking a drink. “Are you two ready for the honeymoon?”

  Basia and Xavier had been planning their honeymoon since the day they’d announced their engagement. They’d be winging their way to a super-secret location for ten days of “just us” time. None of us knew where they were going—not even Elvis. Of course, we had their phone numbers in case of emergency, but they warned us they would only check their phones occasionally. I guess they wanted to unplug as much as possible. I got that, too, although I’m not sure it would ever be that easy for Slash and me.

  “I’m so ready,” Basia said with a sigh. “We need a break and time to be alone, no offense, guys. Weddings are so stressful.”

  That was the understatement of the century.

  “The rehearsal was flawless,” I reminded her. “That should relieve some of the stress. We just have to go through the motions tomorrow.”

  Xavier put his hand on Basia’s shoulder. “Yeah, and Andy did a great job. That was one of the few unknowns.”

  Andy was Andrew Garrington, the Chief Operating Officer, or COO, of ComQuest in Baltimore and Xavier and Elvis’s boss. He’d been tapped to officiate the wedding because he was a former district judge and had a special fondness for the genius twins who’d brought his company considerable profit. But more than that, he’d become a close mentor and friend to the twins. It was both fitting and bittersweet that he’d be the one asked to officiate, especially given the absence of the twins’ father, from whom they were estranged.

  “He’s perfect for the officiant,” Basia sighed. “It’s all going to be amazing tomorrow. I just know it. The wedding of my dreams to the man of my dreams is finally happening.”

  To my alarm, she started to tear up. Xavier threw me a worried glance. Like, somehow, I’d be better at handling this. Which I wasn’t. But since I’d been riding the wedding rollercoaster for the past several months, it didn’t scare me as much as it used to.

  “Maybe we should call it a night,” I suggested. “Getting a good night’s sleep is important so we’re all good to go tomorrow.”

  Basia sniffled. “You’re right, Lexi. It is getting late.”

  We finished our drinks and walked to the elevators together. Tonight, Basia and I were in the bridal suite. Tomorrow I’d move into Slash’s room and Xavier would move into the suite in my place. It seemed like a lot of musical rooms to accommodate an outdated tradition, but it wasn’t my wedding, so I played along.

  Xavier, Finn and Slash got off on the eighth floor and Basia and I rode up to the bridal suite on the twelfth. I had the key card ready, so I swiped it and opened the door. I heard a slight rustle and a footstep just as I flipped on the light.

  The three guys from the lobby were there waiting for us.

  Chapter Two

  We were so surprised we barely had time to yelp, let alone scream, before the guys grabbed us, pushing us against the wall and covering our mouths with their hands.

  “Make a sound and we’ll hurt you,” the guy holding me warned. It was the one with the navy blue knit hat. I didn’t see any weapons, but that didn’t make me feel a whole lot better. “Understood?”

  I nodded and he slowly lifted his hand from my mouth. I glanced to the side and saw the guy holding Basia had released her as well. She was trembling, but in true Basia form raised her chin and glared at the guys.

  “What do you want?” she said. “I’m getting married in the morning and you are so not ruining it.”

  Like that would convince them to apologize and leave. But still, I had to give her credit for trying.

  “That’s up to you,” Knit Hat Guy said. “I need something from you.”

  That’s when I noticed all the wedding presents had been opened. The boxes, wrapping paper and bows strewn across the suite common area, over the couch, chairs and coffee table.

  “You’re stealing wedding presents?” I said. “That’s low even for petty thieves.”

  “We are not petty thieves and we’re not stealing wedding presents. We’re looking for a box that belongs to us.”

  “What box?” Basia asked.

  “Let’s say a client mailed us a box, but it didn’t arrive. Instead, the shipping company screwed up by putting the label with your name and the address of this hotel on our package. All we got was a stupid can opener. We traced the box here to the hotel and now we want what’s ours.”

  “Hey, the can opener was one of my most desired gifts on the bridal registry,” Basia protested.

  I shot Basia an exasperated look. “Just take your stupid box and get out of here. We aren’t going to stop you.”

  “That’s the problem. Our box isn’t here, lady. Where do you have the rest of the presents?”

  Basia glanced at me with worry in her eyes. “I think there might be some boxes still in the hotel safe in the reception area. They ran out of space, so that’s why we’ve been storing the rest of them up here. How big a box is it?”

  He made a size with his hands that indicated it was about the size of a breadbox. I thought the hotel had given us all the large boxes, but I couldn’t be positive. For all I knew, Xavier had taken some to his room.

  “Look, dude,” I said. “We don’t know where your box is. Maybe it hasn’t even arrived. Or maybe it’s in the hotel safe. All I know is that we don’t have it here.”

  “That’s why she and I are going to go down to the lobby and ask real nicely for them to give us all of the boxes in the safe.” He loomed over Basia. I estimated his height to be about six foot four. He shook a finger at her. “If you scream or try anything funny, my friend will slice your friend’s throat here.”

  The Hispanic guy advanced on me, pulling out a large serrated knife. I shrank back against the wall.

  “So, little bride, are we clear on what we’re doing?” Knit Hat Guy asked Basia.

  She swallowed hard and nodded. “Perfectly.”

  Basia met my gaze across the room. “Just do what he says, Basia. I’ll be alright.” I nodded encouragingly even though my heart was doing the tango in my chest.

  Nodding, she straightened her shoulders and headed to the door with Knit Hat Guy following close behind her. I tried not to act petrified, but being alone with two big guys who might hurt me in ways I didn’t care to imagine wasn’t helping much.

  The guy with the knife motioned for me to sit in a chair. I slid into it and poked a gigantic white vase with pink roses that was lying sideways on the coffee table. A wedding present, I presumed. The guys must have yanked it out of the box, probably looking for whatever it was they’d lost.

  “That’s a big vase,” I commented.

  “It’s butt ugly,” the other guy said from his perch on the corner of Basia’s bed.

  He was right, but it didn’t feel right agreeing with thugs, so I kept my mouth shut. Knife Guy paced back and forth in front of the door and I thought he might wear a hole in the carpet. I feared he might be juiced, and not with just alcohol. The other guy noticed it, too.

  “Chill, hombre. We’re going to get the package.”

  Knife Guy whirled around. I wished he would put that stupid knife away. If he were strung out on something, it might fly out of his hand and hit something. Me, for example.

  “And if we don’t get the package?”

  “We will.”

  Knife Guy kicked at some discarded wrapping paper that was on the floor. “If we don’t find it, we’re all going to be dead, man.”

  “No one’s going to be dead. We know it’s here somewhere. My bet is the broad’s going to bring it back with her.”

  “Bride, not broad,” I said helpfully. “Just trying to point out a more politically correct manner of referring to her.”

  Both guys glared at me.

  I shut up after that and started chewing on my fingernails, which I always do when I’m nervous. Since I’d been nervous ever since Basia said she was getting married and had asked me to serve as her maid of honor, there wasn’t much left to chew. Another fifteen minutes passed before there was a soft knock at the door.

  “About damn time,” Knife Guy said, jumping to the door and yanking it open. He took a step back, startled.

  Slash stood there.

  Chapter Three

  I’m not sure who was more surprised.

  Knife Guy, Slash, me or the other dude, who’d leapt to his feet with a shout. It all went down fast. Suddenly, explosively, Slash surged forward, his fist connecting with Knife Guy’s elbow with a sickening crunch. Knife Guy dropped his blade with a screech of pain and reeled backward as his buddy ran past me, throwing himself at Slash. Without even forming a plan, I hoisted the heavy vase and swung it at the back of his head. It connected with his skull and shattered into pieces.

  “Who’s butt ugly now?” I shouted.

  The guy staggered a couple of steps before Slash kicked out with his leg, striking him so hard in the stomach with his foot, he fell backward over the coffee table, hit his head and lay motionless. Knife Guy tried to swing at Slash with his one good arm, but Slash easily blocked it and gave him a right hook under his chin. Knife Guy crashed into the wall and slid down, his eyes rolling back in his head.

  It was over in a few terrifying seconds.

  Slash yanked me to him in a one-armed hug. “Cara, what’s going on? Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. But just so we’re clear, this is not my fault.” I squeezed against him in the hug, taking a second to close my eyes and relish his warmth and strength. Then, not wanting to distract him too much from the situation at hand, I straightened and stepped back.

  “Are they dead?”

  Slash’s hand lingered on mine for a moment more before he knelt next to Knife Guy. “He’s unconscious.”

  He patted down the guy all the way to his feet, presumably looking for more weapons. He was clean, but Slash took the guy’s wallet and knife. He did the same to other guy, who, according to Slash, was still breathing.

  “Where’s Basia?” he asked, straightening.

  “The third guy took her to the lobby to get the rest of the wedding packages.”

  “Third guy?” Slash’s eyes quickly swept over the carnage of opened presents and wrapping paper. “Packages?”

  “These guys are looking for a package—their package. They said the address label got mixed up and adhered to a package that was mailed to Basia and Xavier at the hotel by accident. They think maybe it’s still in the lobby safe and took Basia with them to retrieve it.”

  Slash pulled out his phone and called someone, barking out a couple of commands. He slid the phone back in his pocket.

  “Who were you talking to?”

  “My Secret Service detail. They’d already retired to their rooms for the night. They’ll contact hotel security and check the lobby for Basia. We’ll wait here in case they return.”

  The adrenaline began to disappear and my legs got shaky, so I sat on the couch while Slash ripped up a couple of pillowcases and tied both the guys’ arms behind their backs. I wondered how much would be added to the bill for shredded pillowcases. I bet the bridal suite wasn’t used to seeing this kind of action.

  “Why did you come up?” I asked him.

  He finished testing the last knot with a hard jerk, then rose. He reached into his pocket and held out my phone. “You left it in the bar.”

  I slapped my forehead. “Oh, wow. I totally did. How did you remember?”

  “I didn’t. The bartender took it to the receptionist. I’d picked up the tab, so he had my name and room number. The receptionist called me, so I went down to get it and bring it up to you.”

  There was a knock at the door, so Slash held a finger against his lips and headed to the door. He looked out the peephole and then opened the door. Three guys dressed in hotel security uniforms, Slash’s Secret Service detail, Knit Hat Guy in handcuffs and Basia entered the suite. Everyone was talking at once.

  Basia ran to me and for a moment, we simply hugged without speaking. A huge lump had formed in my throat. She was okay, thank God. She was alive and unharmed.

  Basia pulled back and looked at me. “Oh, Lexi, I was so worried about you.” Her eyes swam with tears of relief and concern.

  “I’m fine,” I lied. My legs still felt weak. The truth was I’d been far more terrified something would happen to her than me on the eve of her wedding. “You’re okay and that’s what’s important. I’m sorry, but one of your wedding presents—a vase—is a lost cause.”

  “Forget the vase. I’m just relieved no one got hurt.” She looked at the guys tied up on the floor and then at Slash. “How did you get away from them?”

  I dipped my head toward Slash. “I forgot my phone in the bar and he came to return it to me. You can imagine the rest.”

  “Oh, Slash.” She walked into his arms. “You’re our hero.”

  He held her tight, resting his chin on her head. Our gazes met over her head and he smiled at me. I smiled back in both relief and love. In this crazy mixed-up world, I knew I’d always be able to count on him to have my back.

  “All’s well that ends well,” he said.

  For the next hour, Basia, Slash and I spoke at great length with hotel security, the hotel manager, the Secret Service, and the state police who showed up about fifteen minutes later. A few minutes after that, the bellhop arrived with all Basia’s and Xavier’s wedding packages on a rolling cart, and we all watched as the police started unwrapping the rest of the boxes, hands clad in plastic gloves. Less than ten minutes in, the police opened the box in question. Neatly wrapped plastic bundles were stacked in two piles.

  It definitely did not look like a wedding present.

  Another policeman took several photos before the guy who had initially discovered it unwrapped the top bundle. He looked at the tablets, smelled it and looked at one of his colleagues. “Mandrax, I think.”

  “What’s Mandrax?” Basia asked.

  “A popular synthetic drug originally prescribed back in the 1960s and ’70s as a sleeping pill,” a policeman explained. “It was also used as an antidepressant and a treatment for high blood pressure. It causes a severe psychological and physical dependency. It’s been banned in most of the world, which, naturally, makes it a favorite among crime syndicates.”

  “Ewwww...” Basia said.

  Yep. It was certainly not an appropriate wedding gift unless you were off your freaking rocker.

  The police took the Mandrax and left. The Secret Service and hotel security departed shortly after that, and Basia was finally permitted to call Xavier. He and Elvis arrived at the suite minutes later to join the party and make sure we were okay.