Redemption (Enigma Black Trilogy Book #3) Read Free Page A

actually,” she said, reappearing from the back room, vests in hand. “You’re the fourth wedding party I’ve had in the last five days. Business has really picked up.”
    Chase and Trey glanced at each other, eyebrows raised. “Well, I guess that’s progress,” Trey muttered.
    “Okay, let’s decide on the color, and then I’ll begin to take your measurements, and—” As she spoke, the lights in the store and the rest of the mall flickered, causing her to pause mid-sentence, her eyes widening in fear. “Not again,” her voice cracked.
    “What?” Chase asked, looking around. “What’s going on?”
    “President Brooks’ new administrative order. They can disable a city, a neighborhood, a business, or really anywhere they suspect rebel activity. The power went out here three days ago and the place was crawling with soldiers. Apparently, they found a guy in the parking lot coordinating some sort of demonstration. They detained him and hauled him away on the spot. About an hour later, our power and cellular phone service was restored again, like nothing ever happened.”
    “There are parts of the Capitol that have been without power since the night of the address,” Chase said, feeling uneasy. “They’re trying to flush out the rebels, but all they’re doing is making the innocent suffer.”
    “I wouldn’t say that out loud if I were you. Not with the way people are being imprisoned left and right. It’s best just to keep those thoughts to yourself and go about your life the best you can,” the woman said, her nametag catching Chase’s eye.
    “Well, Kate, it’s that kind of thinking that landed us in the spot we’re in right now. If more people spoke up instead of hiding what they truly felt, things would be a lot different now.”
    Kate smiled at Chase, stealing a glance at the rest of the mall outside her shop. “It looks like the coast is clear,” she said, relaxing a bit. “Let’s start with your measurements first.” She nodded at Trey.
    Trey followed her to the back of the store while Chase browsed the racks near the entrance, keeping an eye on the activity going on outside. He thumbed through the different suit coats absentmindedly. In his head, he ran through all the preparations they still needed to make: the food, the cake, the venue, the flowers, the guest list, the invitations. Everything streamed through his consciousness in a blur, and he was happy that Paige had volunteered to handle the majority of it, even if that meant having the frilliest, most emasculating wedding in the history of mankind.
    Chase looked up from the racks at Trey, who seemed to be enjoying Kate taking measurements of his inseam a little more than he should be. Trey noticed Chase watching him and flashed him a thumbs up, prompting Chase to shake his head at him out of both warning and disgust. Turning away from the racks, Chase sighed as he began to make his way to the back of the store to spare Trey inevitable embarrassment and Kate an awkward situation. But just as he was about to turn toward the back of the store, a passerby caught his eye. A woman, tall, with a slender frame and long brunette hair, walked by. Though he couldn’t see her face, he could feel his heart rate pick up as though it had locked in on the woman’s identity.
    No, it can’t be , he thought. He glanced back at Trey and then back at the mall outside the store, noticing that the woman was already steadily disappearing from sight. Against his better judgment, Chase hurriedly walked out of the tuxedo shop, turning in the direction the woman had gone. I can’t let her get away again, not without getting answers , he thought, his mind racing. To his relief, he quickly spotted her and picked up his pace to catch up to her, all while his heart pounded furiously inside his chest. The right build, a near perfect match in the color and style of her hair. It had to be her. It had to be.
    Chase reached out and grabbed the woman’s shoulder.