The Billionaire's Twins Play Matchmaker novel Chapter 53

“Alexis your mom is here to pick you up,” the teacher announced.

Alexis tilted her head and frowned. Why would her mother be there? She should be at work. It was Monday and three days since she met their father at the aquarium. They had been waiting for him to make his next move but so far he hadn’t made an appearance. She was beginning to think they might have scared him off. But now her mother was here?

She didn’t have a doctor’s appointment and it was strange her mother would only ask for her. Her hair stood on end as another thought occurred to her. Biting her lip she said, “Okay. Can my brothers escort me since I left my cane at home?”

“Of course, sweetie. Go right ahead but boys come back quickly.”

With nods her brothers stood helping her pack away her work. Alexis seldom brought her cane to school since her brothers were always close at hand. Thanks to that the teachers were also used to such requests. Alexis was familiar enough with the school layout she could easily find her way by herself particularly without other students rushing around but there was no reason to tell the teachers that.

Theo carried her backpack as they led her out of the classroom and headed down the hall. She could feel their nervousness though she tried to remain calm.

“This is weird, right?” Theo asked.

“Do you have an appointment you forgot about?” Sean asked.

“No.” Alexis shook her head. “It’s probably our grandfather. He moved faster than I thought he would.”

“It could be our father,” Sean said.

“No. He would have asked for all three of us.”

“So…what do we do?”

“Mom will be waiting at the office. We’ll see if she’s alone or if someone is with her. Then we’ll decide.”

They walked steadily but tried not to hurry. The last thing they wanted to do was attract unnecessary attention. Nearing the office they slowed and stopped before rounding the corner. Theo peaked beyond confirming their mother was waiting with two men in suits. They weren’t as burly as the man who had come into the diner but the way they stood suggested they had some training hinting they were guards of some sort.

“So…what do we do?” Theo asked after describing what he saw for his sister’s benefit. In his mind he imagined various scenarios they could use to rescue their mother and escape pursuit.

“I’ll go. Mom must be terrified,” Alexis said.

“Then we’ll go too.” Sean said.

“Yeah.” Theo seconded.

“No,” Alexis shot them down. “Our grandfather doesn’t know about you two yet.”

“But…”

“You guys need to get to the computer room and infiltrate Carlisle Enterprises. Mom and I will probably need help getting out once we’re there. We need to be prepared. We are entering the belly of the beast.”

“Okay. Got it.” Sean said immediately understanding her thoughts.

He could access the building’s security easily enough and use the cameras to watch over them. Once he was in the system he could also control various areas to distract pursuit.

“I don’t know,” Theo hesitated. He didn’t like the thought of their mother and sister going alone.

“Don’t worry. Our father’s men are still watching us so he has to know what is going on. I don’t think he’ll just stand by and we can use them.”

Theo chewed his lip. Honestly he wasn’t sure if they should consider that a good thing or a bad one. Alexis and Sean might believe their father was worth giving a chance but he would not be so easily swayed.

“Okay. We’ll head to the computer room,” Theo finally agreed. “I don’t think any class will be using it so we won’t have to worry about questions.”

Sean agreed.

“Okay.” Alexis gave each a comforting pat then she stepped out and headed for the office counting her steps.

She walked with her arm extended and fingers brushing the wall. To anyone casually watching she looked like she was a typical, playful, ten-year-old girl. Only those who knew her knew she was using the wall as her guide to avoid wandering off track.

Nearing the office she called, “Mom.”

Lynn turned at her daughter’s voice. She was surprised to see Alexis approach alone since the boys never left their sister unattended. She hurriedly closed the distance and pulled her into a firm hug.

“It’ll be okay, mom,” Alexis whispered before the men hemmed them in.

“Miss Carlisle, it’s time to go.”

Lynn’s embrace tightened as she cringed. Ten years she hadn’t even thought of the name. When she heard it in the diner she had froze.

* * *

“Be right with you,” Lynn said as she cleared a table without looking at the new arrivals.

“You’ll be coming with us now, Miss Carlisle.”

Lynn froze feeling herself go cold as she broke into a sweat that had nothing to do with the hours on her feet. Straightening she turned to see two men in business suits but their presence was far more frightening as was the guns tucked under their jackets.