Free Be Brave by Fyn Alexander

uniformed driver, a
    woman got out in a shimmering evening gown, her smooth, dark hair in a
    sophisticated French roll. The stunning engagement ring and wedding ring set,
    expensive and understated, was the first thing that Kael"s practiced eye settled on.
    Behind her, a man, tall and thin, the very image of the French aristocrat, emerged.
    Kael had seen only a couple of photographs of the woman, and none of them
    did her justice. She was beautiful. No wonder it was so easy for her to go from
    stripper to rich man"s wife. “Angel, is that her?”
    “Oh my God. She looks so beautiful.” He looked up at Kael proudly. “Doesn"t
    she, Daddy? Mom!” Angel skipped over to the couple while Kael stayed close behind.
    “You look so beautiful.”
    “Hi, Angel Gabe,” she said.
    There was an awkward moment when Angel opened his arms to hug her and
    she remained still, as if she was afraid to disrupt her carefully crafted appearance.
    Finally she leaned forward and kissed the air on each side of his cheeks without
    actually touching him. “How have you been, Angel? You remember Gregoire?”
    “Yeah.” He looked briefly at the Frenchman. “I"m good. I go to college now.” He
    spread his arms to show off his school clothes. “Redmond Independent College. I"m
    going to go to university.”
    “Good for you, baby.”
    She looked at Kael, assessing him, and her pupils dilated as she took in his
    build and handsome face.
    “Mom, this is Kael Saunders. He"s my…” He looked up at Kael, unsure how to
    introduce him.
    Kael put his arm around Angel and drew him to his side. He wanted to protect
    him from this woman and all the harm she had done. “Angel lives with me now. I
    take care of him. He"s in school. He"s a very bright boy, and he works hard. He"s
    doing well.”
    “Wonderful.” She looked at the aristocratic Frenchman. “Isn"t that wonderful,
    Gregoire?”
    He smiled and then nodded very slightly at the theater door. He wanted to cut
    the meeting short.
    “Mom, did you know I was kidnapped last year?” Angel asked quietly.

    38
    Fyn Alexander

    “That was because of Sven.” She sounded defensive and snappish. “I had no
    idea what he was up to. I found out later about the guns.”
    “No, I know that, Mom. But did you know I was kidnapped by gunrunners?”
    “Yes,” she admitted.
    “Why wouldn"t you pay them? They wanted to ransom me.”
    St. Germaine spoke for the first time; his English was impeccable, with only
    the slightest trace of accent. “It is never good to give in to terrorists.”
    Angel didn"t look at him. He couldn"t take his eyes off his mum. “They were
    going to kill me. Daddy rescued me.” He looked up at him for validation. The pain in
    his eyes tore at Kael"s insides.
    The woman patted Angel"s shoulder as though he were someone she had just
    met and felt a passing sympathy for. “You"re safe now; that"s all that matters. I had
    no idea what Sven was up to.” The edge to her voice made Angel look nervous. “It
    could just as easily have been me as you that got kidnapped.”
    “I know that, Mom. I"m sorry. I would much rather it was me than you.”
    Kael wanted to kill her. She was an expert at making herself the victim.
    Maybe that was what appealed to straight men: a woman who needed rescuing.
    Angel stood there apologizing to the woman for reminding her that he nearly lost
    his life barely six months ago.
    At last Angel noticed the rings. “Mom, are you married?”
    St. Germaine placed his arm around her shoulders in a brief hug. “We married
    last month.”
    “How come you didn"t invite us?” Angel glanced at Kael.
    “Give him this; we have to go,” St. Germaine said in French and passed his
    wife a small gold and cream colored gift bag he had been holding.
    “I was very busy; things have been hectic,” she said with a shrug. “Anyway,
    look. I brought you a belated Christmas present.”
    Angel took the bag but made no attempt to look inside. He was getting upset.
    “Is