Get You Back: Part Three: Redemption: Part Three: Redemption

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Lauren

As the adopted daughter of a master con artist, I was accustomed to living on the edges of wealth. Other people had it, and Glee Blakewell, the woman who raised me, craved it. Me, I wanted something else. I wanted to be free. I wanted to love and be loved. I'd come so close to achieving that dream, so close I could feel it in the deepest part of my soul. But it had all been snatched away when Rye McAllister, the man I loved, disappeared from the little tropical island beach where we were hiding out.

Ever since that day, one purpose had consumed me. I had to find Rye, no matter what it took. Now that I knew what love felt like, I'd do anything to get it back.

That was why I'd come back to the States, even though I could be arrested if Glee chose to report me. For years, she'd held incriminating evidence—a videotape—over my head like a guillotine. She'd used it as a bribe, promising to hand it over after I was done with my fake engagement to a senator's son.

That job had been ruined by the appearance of Rye McAllister and the inconvenient circumstance of my falling in love with him. I fled the United States so I could be free from Glee's threats. Rye came after me, but our tropical idyll lasted barely a week before he was snatched away.

For Rye, I'd risk arrest and worse. For Rye, I’d returned to America, to this soaring glass-and-steel structure in downtown Houston.

Now I was about to knock on the door of the penthouse loft where the three McAllister siblings lived.

I wiped my hands on my cotton skirt. Butterflies were dancing a frantic rhumba in my belly. I hadn't seen Elijah or Annabelle for almost thirteen years. Would they remember me? Would they hate me the same way Rye had at first? Would they associate me with bad memories from those last days of their father's life, when Glee had been their stepmother and destroyed their family?

I felt the pulse of money all around me as I knocked on the door. The front door of their loft was crafted from hammered copper. The door handle was a unique work of art, iron twisted into two long horns. I reminded myself that I didn't want Rye's money. I just wanted to find him and make sure he was safe. Keep your cool.

But when the door swung open and I faced a hulking, towering version of the kid I'd known back in Chicago, my dignity vanished. "Elijah?"

Elijah had always been a dreamy, quiet boy, one year younger than me. He still had that offbeat quality, but he'd grown into a gentle giant. He had dark hair like Rye's, but he wore his long. It reached nearly to his shoulders, giving him a piratical look. His eyes, on the other hand, were a soft gray-green, as if he spent hours gazing at the horizon. Right now, he was looking at me in shock.

Lauren?

Hi. Yes, it's Lauren. You remember me. I stuck my hand out nervously. I really didn't know how he was going to feel about me showing up after all this time. If he felt the same way Rye had, he might toss me back into the elevator.

Automatically, he took my hand, then frowned, as if just remembering that I was the enemy. What are you doing here?

It's kind of a long story. I'm here because of Rye.

He looked even more alarmed at that. "Rye isn't here. He's been looking for you. After that, he turned scarlet, which was kind of sweet to see on such a big guy, photo came out. And your TV interview."

I felt my own face burn at the mention of that humiliating episode in my life. Rye and I had been caught on camera in a very compromising position. Basically, I was nude and his hands were all over me. Then I'd gone on national television to explain that I loved him. Then I'd …

Anyway, he said you disappeared, Elijah was saying. He's been trying to find you ever since.

He did find me. In Thailand. We were together there for a short while. The thing is … I hesitated, trying to read his expression. Just how much did he hate me for what Glee had done? Did he blame me for her actions?

Then again, did it matter? I had to find Rye, and I needed help from Elijah and Annabelle. They might hate me, but they loved their brother. Rye disappeared from the island. I'm almost completely sure he was kidnapped. I'm trying to find him and I need your help.

"Kidnapped?" His face twisted with suspicion.

Rye was a tough guy, a fighter and a cowboy. I knew from very intimate experience how powerfully strong he was. So I understood Elijah's doubt.

Even though he didn't look convinced, he opened the door all the way. Not saying I believe anyone could get the drop on Rye, but you'd better come in.

Relief flooded me as he let me into the loft. Maybe I wouldn't be searching the world for Rye all on my own. Maybe my former stepfamily didn't completely despise me.

The McAllisters' space was open and airy. One side was made up of floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the urban sprawl of Houston. On the opposite wall, someone had painted swirling patterns of cobalt and sunflower-yellow and deep umber.

Annabelle? I guessed, gesturing at the mural. Rye's younger sister held a special place of affection in my heart. She'd followed me around like a little lamb when I'd been their stepsibling. She and I shared a love of art. We used to steal away with our watercolors and sketchbooks and paint different parts of their estate.

Yeah. She should be here for this. He raised his voice and called into the shadowy reaches of the loft. Annabelle! Rise and shine, honeybee.

He gestured me toward a collection of overstuffed couches at one end of the loft. They were oriented around a large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. As we walked toward them, he shoved his hands in his pockets.

To be honest, Lauren, I don't know if I should be yelling at you or offering you a drink. You look like you've had a long trip.

I have, and I wouldn't say no to some water. But if you need to yell at me, I can handle it. Don't hold back. Rye sure didn't.

His mouth curved and suddenly he looked so much like Rye that my heart ached. I'm not much of a yeller, he admitted. I like to keep things peaceful as long as I can.

I smiled at him. I remember you were always the peacemaker. Rye was the fiery one, and so was Annabelle. You were always trying to keep harmony in the family.

Right. The way his face closed off, I knew that mentioning the past was a mistake. He waved me toward the couches then veered off toward an open-plan kitchen. As he poured me a glass of water, I cursed myself for bringing up Chicago. I had to convince him to help me. Reminding him of how Glee had crushed his father's heart was probably not the best strategy.

When he offered me the glass, I was ready. Elijah, I am deeply sorry for everything Glee did to your family. The time that we lived with you was the best of my life and I was so sad when we left. I didn't really understand what she was up to. I still don't know the full story.

He settled into the opposite couch, dwarfing it with his big frame. I never blamed you for anything, Lauren. At least not until you got tangled up with Rye in Washington. Now I don't know what to think.

I knew one thing he must be thinking. Like mother, like daughter. But in Thailand, when I'd been beyond Glee's reach for the first time in my life, I'd made a vow. I wasn't going to be her puppet anymore. I was going to be an honest person who didn't pull cons on anyone. Let alone the man I loved or the members of his family.

I get that, Elijah. You're right to be cautious. I figure the best thing I can do is tell you what I know. I'll be as truthful as I can, but if you know Glee, you know she's pretty cagey.

He leaned forward, elbows on knees, his dark hair falling in his face. I don't care about that right now. I just want to know one thing. How do you feel about my brother? Be careful how you answer. If I think you're lying, we'll have a problem.

I didn't hesitate for a second. I love Rye. If you watched that interview I gave, then you know how I feel. I had a crush on him when I was thirteen, and I never really forgot him. When he showed up in Washington, I fell right back in love with him even though he was out for revenge.

Elijah watched me closely as I talked. But then you vanished. Talk about a hit-and-run.

I had to. It was the only way I could be free of Glee. It was the only way I could get control of my life. If I was still Glee's tool, I'd be no good for anyone. Especially Rye.

He nodded slowly, mulling that over. He'd always been a guy who thought deeply about things.

I wasn't sure how Rye felt about me, to be honest. When he first came to DC, he hated me. It wasn't until he showed up in Thailand that I realized he might care for me. That time was … I swallowed. The pain of missing Rye was a constant ache. It was amazing. I never thought I'd be happy like that. Like he knew everything about me—well, most things—and still wanted me. He even said he wanted to marry me. But I said no.

"You said no? Annabelle's shriek made me jump. She came hurling into the room like a demented fairy, all flying hair and long legs. She jumped onto her knees on the couch next to me. We could have been sisters! Again!"

I took her in with wonder. She'd changed just as much as Elijah had. I remembered a skinny toothpick of a tomboy. She still looked like a wild child, with plucked eyebrows setting off her shiny silver-moon eyes, and the remains of glittery face paint on her cheeks. But now she wore her wildness like a flag, inviting people in for the party. I bet she had boys falling at her feet.

Annabelle, you look … I shook my head. I can't believe how grown-up you both are. In my mind, we're all still kids playing badminton and Spades.