Redemption (Bennett Sisters Book 5)
Kate Allenton
Chapter 1
****
“Yes, sir, I understand.” FBI Agent Rick Thompson replied into his cell phone as he turned away from the table he’d been watching across the dance floor. “Recruit or kill the target. Consider it done.”
****
Lydia Steven’s, the half-sister to the Bennett clan leaned back in her chair with apprehension eating away at her nerves. Her future was uncertain just like her visions. Her family and all of their pasts had come full circle to this one moment in time.
She lifted the flute to her lips and sipped. The bubbles from the champagne tickled her nose. It wasn’t the drink of choice for the Bennett women, but it was fitting for the occasion. Her hand glided down her lap smoothing out the lines over her silky mauve bridesmaids’ dress. Men and women in their Sunday best had come out all to celebrate her sister Claire’s marriage to Butch. Her assigned protector had turned out to be the man of her dreams. Who knew?
Soft music drifted from the dance floor to Lydia’s ears as the band played a slow melody. All of her sisters sat surrounding the wedding party table each happily married to the love of their lives.
Lydia closed her eyes and compared her vision to the reality she was in. She knew what was coming next and there was no way to stop the clock or the changes that were about to alter her life forever.
General Guy Lister pushed from the reception table, leaned over and placed a kiss on his daughter, Elizabeth’s head. Lydia’s brother, Mike was the latest to fall victim to the love bugs bite and had proposed to the General’s daughter. The journey Elizabeth had taken and the odds she’d beat were proof enough that she was meant to be a Bennett. She and Mike would finally getting their “happily ever after.”
“It’s time for me to go, Elizabeth.” The general patted Mike, his soon to be son-in-law on the back. “Take good care of my girl.”
The General glanced over at Lydia and held her gaze. A knowing look ensued. She didn’t need Claire’s gift of reading minds to know what the look meant. There was no denying she was leaving today, she just hated that it had to be in this particular moment.
“Can I speak to you outside?”
Lydia Stevens gave a slight nod of understanding and rose from the table. She’d seen this in her vision but it didn’t make it any easier. She, just like her new found siblings had all inherited a gift from their father, and hers just so happened to put everyone including herself in danger. Each gift was unique to each of them, but still gifts that they couldn’t explain or make go away.
Lydia had been elated and devastated that the dreams of her family were real. Elated that she wasn’t alone in the world anymore, and devastated to find out that all of their troubles she’d seen had truly happened.
She turned to her family and smiled. Over the entire day, she’d tried to memorize them, so she could take a little piece of each of them in her heart when she left. Leaving them was the only option she’d had to keep them safe. “It’s time for me to go. I’ll call you when I can.”
Her brother, Mike pushed from his chair. “You can’t just leave. We’re your family now.”
Mike rounded the table and threw his arm around Lydia’s shoulders. His compassion filled eyes contradicted his tough cop exterior, but it wasn’t enough to make her change her mind.
Lydia leaned against his shoulder and looked up at her brother. She still couldn’t believe that she had one at all. “Mike, I’m not leaving for good. You can’t get rid of me that easy.” Lydia winked. “There are just some things I need to take care of.” She glanced toward Elizabeth’s father. “Besides, I’m in good hands with the General.”
Lydia shook her head. They wouldn’t be changing her mind; not today. She’d seen what she was up against and even with her families’ gifts, they weren’t going to be able to help her. If anything it would just bring the fight to them and that was something she couldn’t leave to chance.
Lydia stepped out of Mike’s embrace, rose on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his cheek. “It’s something I have to do, if I ever want to be able to come back and have a normal life. You’re just going to have to trust me.”
With a smile she knew didn’t reach her eyes she took one last look at her sisters. With gut wrenching sorrow she let out a breath, leaving them was harder than she ever thought it could be. Lydia turned and followed the Generals path. Her future was waiting and there wasn’t a damn thing anyone could do about it.