by Erin Bevan
“That’s not true, Annie. I love you.” If the word was so important to her, then he would tell her what she wanted to hear.
He gripped her hand again, fearful. The apprehensive look in her eyes had changed to pity, and that caused his blood to rage all over again. He was losing her.
He couldn’t lose her.
“I think in your own way, you actually might, Duke.” She squeezed his hand. “Unfortunately, our versions of love are completely different, but if you do love me, then you will let me go. You need to seek help.”
Help? He didn’t need help. He needed his fiancée back—willingly.
“If I do, will you reconsider coming back to me?”
Voluntarily, at least.
“Annie? What’s going on back here?” Ogre turned the corner and placed his hands on the top of the doorframe, covering the exit.
“I’m coming, babe.” She dropped his hand and stepped her back into Wilde’s chest. He snaked a possessive arm around her waist.
“I wish you all the best, Duke. I’ll see to it you get your ring back. Good luck with everything.”
His ring back? He watched as she turned into her new lover, and the man moved his hand to the small of her back, whispering in her ear.
Duke wasn’t losing her…he’d already lost her. To a giant, blond, monster. The man cocked a hard stare back at him, and he could see small beads of sweat lining the giant’s hairline.
He had to stay calm. Figure something out.
“Annie, wait,” he called.
Her and her bodyguard stopped.
“I really am sorry, and I’d like for you to have these.” He passed her the roses. “I know flowers aren’t much after everything I’ve put you through, but I do really love you, and I meant what I said. I won’t get off my medicine. I hope in time, maybe you’ll see that I’m sincere.”
“For your sake, I hope you do stay on your prescriptions.” She gripped the roses tighter to her chest. “I remember what you were like when we first started dating. I see that same person now, but it’s too late for us, Duke. Move on with your life. I have to get back to work.” She turned on her heel and walked back toward the dining room with her new beau, and out of his life.
What the hell am I going to do?
His speech was coming up, and his father expected Annie by his side, playing the role of good wife. Half the town would expect it.
The brunette from the courthouse came to mind. Big-bottom Becky or Bethany. Shit. He couldn’t remember. While she may have been fun to screw, she wasn’t what he considered trophy material. Hell, for now, she might have to do. Make Annie jealous.
His phone rang in his pocket. His father. Christ.
“Dad, hey.”
“Son, a speech writer will be here Monday at four to help you with your speech. He also wants to meet with Annie, prep her on what to say in an interview. She’ll be your wife, so she needs to be trained as well. Is she back from visiting her mother?”
“Dad…” He rubbed his forehead. “Annie and I, we’re having some relationship problems. I’ll make sure I’m there by four, but I can’t guarantee she will be.” The phone stood silent. “Dad, did you hear me?”
“What do you mean, you’re having relationship problems?” His father’s voice escalated. “What have I told you all along? You have to have a wife on the campaign trail.”
“I’ve got a replacement in mind.”
“A replacement? A replacement?” His father’s tone grew. “Are you a fucking moron? Have I taught you nothing? You can’t replace Annie so close to the election. People will think you are unreliable, untrustworthy. You get her back. I don’t care what you have to promise her. You have money, use it.”
“Dad—” The line went dead.
Duke shoved his phone in his back pocket and clenched his fist as he stepped out of the office.
Sandi’s voice echoed down the hall, and he took a quick step back inside the small room.
“What do you mean, his father?” the older woman said.
“I mean, I’m Tank’s father. His mother and I, we have a history. I’m just as shocked as you are. I had no idea.”
“Oh my gosh.” The woman gasped. “What about Tank. What does he say about it all?”
“Didn’t you see the cold stare he shot me? He won’t talk to me. Not yet, anyway, and from what Clara said, he’s barely talking to her. She leaves on Wednesday, and for her sake, I hope he comes around a bit more.”
The leader of the Blue Guardians…the ogre’s father? Won’t talk to him? Mad at mom. His mind began to spin.
“Give him time, Jack. He will.”
“I don’t know, Sandi. I’m going to let him make the moves. I hope he can come around, if not for me, at least for Clara.”
“I hope so, too.”
Footsteps echoed down the hall, and grew quieter.
Duke peered around the corner. When everything was clear, he stepped quietly out of the office and poked his head out the back door. The brute’s friend had disappeared. He slipped out, the heat of the sun searing his head. He’d just received the information he needed. If Annie wouldn’t come to him by choice, then he’d make her come by the only other way he knew.
Force.
Chapter Thirty
Tank stood with his back to the kitchen counter, sipping coffee. The top of Annie’s thigh peeked at him from under her nightshirt each time she raised her hand to flip the omelet, the shirt daring to go higher.
“What’s that smile on your face for?” She plated his eggs for him.
“Just enjoying the view.” He sat his coffee cup down and nibbled her neck before grabbing both of their plates.
“Rascal.” Annie shooed him away. “I’ll refill your coffee.”
Tank set the plates down in what had routinely become their spots, and tossed Alfred a piece of bacon.
“I’m excited we both have the day off together. Too bad you have to work the rest of the week though.” Beauty frowned.
“I know. The only reason I got a Wednesday off is because I’m working all weekend.” He cut into his egg. “Speaking of that. I wanted to talk to you about me being gone. Now that you’ve talked to Duke, and he knows we’re together, I’m not comfortable with leaving you alone yet. Even with this new alarm system. I think we should have someone here at all times. Until we figure out new living arrangements, or he gets a new girlfriend.”
Tank clenched his fist. Poor woman. If he had his way, the bastard would be behind bars so he couldn’t hurt another person again.
“What?” Annie pointed to his hand. “Why are you doing that?”
He glanced down and relaxed his fist. “Because, undoubtedly, whoever he picks, the Guardians will have to come in and save her, too.”
“Oh.” She nodded. “True, and while that will be terrible, I just want you to know, she’s not living here.” Annie gave him a half-smile.
He reached over and squeezed her thigh. “I only have eyes for you, babe, but I’m serious. I don’t like the idea of you being alone. Duke knows you’re here. Perhaps we should consider moving? A new town.”
“Moving? This is your home, Tyler. Your grandfather’s cabin, and the Blue Guardians are here.”
“The Blue Guardians are in other cities, too. Father can help me find a new club.”
“Father?” She raised an eyebrow. “The man you currently aren’t speaking to?”
She had a point.
“Besides, I don’t want to move. I like it here, with you, in this cabin in the woods. And that’s why you spent all of that money installing the new alarm system. The minute the door even so much as opens, a signal goes straight to your phone. And if the alarm fully sounds, your phone will go bezerk with a warning. And if I put in the distress code, then the call center also knows something is wrong. If anyone walks inside this house, you will know, and you can come be my hero, again. Also, I have a phone. I could call someone.”
He’d bought her a new cell along with the al
arm system. At least Duke couldn’t track her exact whereabouts. Still, the guy was too dangerous.
“That’s all technology that could fail.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Annie, this is serious. Even with all of these alerts, what if I can’t get to you in time? Or I can’t call the Guardians fast enough to alert them for help? Or what if the call center does send someone out, and Duke, as Chief of Police, talks his way out of it before I have a chance to show up? If anything happened to you, I…I don’t know how I could handle that.”
“Hey.” She stood, scooted onto his lap, and snaked her arms around his neck. “I know you are concerned, and I love that you care for me so much, but I really don’t believe anything is going to happen to me. Not anymore. Duke is on his medicine. I could tell yesterday when we talked. As long as he stays on that, he’ll be fine.”
“Yes, as long as he stays on it, but you yourself have told me he isn’t good about that. What if he gets off of it again? Then what? What other terrible things is he capable of? I can’t take the chance when it comes to your safety.”
She let out a sigh. “I understand, and I know you’re right, but I just can’t keep living like a prisoner. I need a life again.”
He could see the passion and sorrow in her eyes. She wanted a normal life back. He couldn’t blame her. Normalcy was something he wanted to give her, but taking the chance, leaving her alone… it was all so risky.
“Besides.” She sat up straighter on his lap. “His campaign is in full swing. He doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that.”
“Why?”
“Why what?” Beauty pulled back and stared in his eyes.
“Why is this campaign so important to him?”
“His dad. His father pushes him to do more, be more. I didn’t spend much time with his parents, and he didn’t talk about them much, but I gathered different mental illnesses run in the family, each one suffering from their own demons. And each pushing hard trying to prove themselves to the other one.”
“Sounds sad.”
“Yeah, it does, but they are no longer my concern. You are.”
“And you’re mine.” He pulled her closer, resting one hand on the lovely thigh that had been taunting him in the kitchen. “That’s why I don’t feel right about leaving you alone. At least until you press charges. He needs to be put away for what he’s done.”
“That’ll really send him over the edge. Besides, who are people going to believe? Him or me?” She let go of him and stood, crossing her arms. “Him. Which is why we didn’t have the alarm trip straight to the police station, but to your phone. If he does break in, you were right, he could just use his pull and tell the police it was all a misunderstanding. And they would believe him.”
“Again, which is why I don’t like leaving you alone.” He reached for her hand. “Annie, I’m a nervous wreck just thinking about it.”
“I understand, Tyler, I do, but I refuse to be trapped forever.”
He clenched his jaw. This was a conversation they had over and over, and it seemed to always get them nowhere. Until legal actions took place against Duke, he wouldn’t feel comfortable.
Give her time.
Perhaps in another month, he could convince her to seek council. Before anyone else was hurt.
“Then what about gun safety?”
A slight fear crossed her green eyes.
“I know you aren’t keen on the idea, but please, if I knew you could handle yourself with a gun, I would feel a little better about leaving you alone.”
“Let’s bed the conversation for now,” she said, and pulled her hand away from his. “Let’s enjoy the day, and think about it later tonight. I’m tired of Duke taking up my thoughts. I want to move on.”
She was equally as stubborn as she was beautiful.
Still, he could understand her opinion. He remembered what is was like to feel trapped in his fears. No one deserved that feeling.
“Sure.” He nodded. She was safe now, and right now was all that mattered. “What would you like to do today?”
“I don’t know. Shouldn’t we see your mom off this morning?”
“We said our goodbyes last night. She said to give you her love.”
“When do you think you’ll be ready to really talk to your mom?”
“I don’t know. I just… I don’t know.”
“I understand.” She sat back in his lap. “When the time is right, you’ll know.”
“Thank you.” He wrapped his arms around her waist.
“I was thinking we could walk through the woods, to my old home. I think I’m ready to see it now. I’d like to show you.”
She wanted to open up more of herself to him. He could definitely handle that.
“I’d like that.”
“And I was thinking, maybe we could go to the bank and ask about the price?”
“The price?” He took a sip of his coffee, and she slid off his lap and into her own chair.
“Yeah. I mean, I know the house isn’t much, but it comes with some land. Maybe we could fix it up and rent it out or something, or maybe restore it for my mom? I just hate to know it’s sitting over there, empty, and my mom, she’s just so far away. I’m sorry, I know it’s a stupid idea, I just thought—”
“Annie.” He reached his hand out to her. “It’s not a stupid idea. It’s a great idea. I’d love to give it to you, but we just can’t get ahead of ourselves, okay? We’ll call the bank. Talk to them first. See how much money we would need, and work out a plan to start saving for it. And as for your mom’s care, maybe my mother can give us some ideas on how to establish it. She’s a nurse after all.”
“Really? You mean it?”
“Yes. Of course. Your mom is all the family you have left. We should see about moving her closer regardless if we can get the house or not. We could make sure she is cared for properly if she lived close by, and you could visit her as much as you’d like.”
“Oh, Tyler.” She jumped back onto his lap. “Thank you so much. I love you.” She peppered him with kisses as a tear slipped from her eye and fell on his cheek. Joy. He’d given her joy.
His cellphone danced across the table.
He reached for it. “Annie, baby, I can’t breathe. Need air.” He joked as he answered his phone. “Hello.”
“Tank, it’s Steele.”
“Hey, man. What’s up?”
“It’s Bear.”
His little buddy. He sat straighter and tightened his grip on Annie.
“Bear? What’s wrong?”
Annie pulled back, her expression changing from happiness to concern.
“Nothing’s wrong, dude. Mary’s sitter is sick and had to cancel on her last minute. She doesn’t have anyone to watch Bear today. I can’t do it because I’m working, and JoJo went out of town to visit her grandparents or something like that. I haven’t tried Father yet, but the kid really wants you. Are you off today? Can you babysit?”
Babysit. His endorphins slowed. He pulled the phone back from his mouth and asked Annie, “Can we babysit Nathaniel today?”
“Sure.” Beauty shrugged. “It’ll be fun.”
“Yeah, man,” he said into the receiver. “We’ve got it handled. I’d rather do it out here though. We can take the little man fishing.”
“Yeah, good idea. I’m sure little dude will love that. I’ll tell Mary. She’ll probably be out there pretty soon with him. It’s almost eight-thirty, and she said she has to be at work around nine.”
“No problem.”
“Thanks, man.” He clicked off the phone. “We have about fifteen minutes before we have company.”
“I need to run and grab a shower.” She wiggled off his lap and stood. She did that on purpose. His excitement grew.
“Woman, you’ve got it coming to you now.”
“I hope so.” She raced down the hall, as he chased her into the bathroom and straight to the shower.
Tank pinched Annie’s behind as she turned
her blow dryer off.
“Behave, you rascal. We’re about to have company, and the boy doesn’t need to see you act like a horndog.”
Horndog? He wasn’t a horndog, but a man in love.
“Maybe he does. I gather his dad didn’t show his mom much love. Perhaps the kid needs to see what love is.”
Beauty turned to face him. He stepped in closer, causing her tight butt to smack the counter top as their bodies touched.
“Love is completely different than lust, big guy.” She poked him in the chest. The arch of her back caused her breasts to stick out.
Mercy.
“Maybe so, but right now, all my lines are crossing.”
Her chest poked in the air, her cheeks slightly red from the heat of the blow dryer, and her hair all down and windblown looking. Tank was about to lose his mind. He reached for her hips as his mouth dove for her neck.
The doorbell rang.
“Ah! Saved by the bell.” She shimmied out from underneath him.
“Oh, man.”
At least he had their romp in the shower to start his day. He reined his lust under control as he watched Beauty check the monitor to make sure it was Mary and Nathaniel. She unlocked the door, as the alarm announced, “Door Open.” Alfred bounced by her side.
“Hi there.” Annie greeted their guests. “I’m Annie, Tyler’s girlfriend.”
His heart inflated as she claimed herself as his.
Beauty stuck out her hand and pulled the dog back with another. “This is Alfred. Sorry, he’s excited.”
“Hi, Annie.” Mary shook Annie’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Down, Alfred,” Tank reprimanded as he walked to the door. Nathaniel hugged his teddy close to his mom’s side. The boy’s eyes grew when he spotted him walking to the door. “Hey, little dude.”
“Tank,” Bear squealed and ran into his arms.
“Thank you so much for doing this,” Mary said. “Are you guys sure you don’t mind?”
“Not at all. In fact, we’re looking forward to it.” Annie released her hold on Al. “I’m sorry I haven’t met you before, but it’s nice to officially meet you now. I’ve heard a lot of good things.”
