I moaned in pain, my ears picking up the sound of hurried footsteps behind me. I tilted my head up, the agony spreading throughout my body causing me to grit my teeth. Jake had just hurtled past me, the light of the lamppost reflecting off his massive back.
His large figure was able to block the stranger from view in moments. I splayed my fingers and pushed myself up, desperate to witness what was about to unfold. I staggered forwards, my heart thumping against my ribcage. Thrusting his arms out in front of him, Jake lunged towards the culprit. His large body knocked him off balance with ease. My friend literally landed on top of him, pinning him down on the ground.
“He’s mine!” I barked out. “The son of a bitch threatened to kill me and Stacy.”
Keeping his mouth shut, Jake leaned back. I moved around them and bent down, reaching both hands towards him. I gripped him by the shoulders and spun him around, slamming the side of his body against the wall. Watching him roll on his back, I dropped to my knees beside him.
“All right, you little prick,” I growled, jerking my arm back. “Who the fuck are you?”
“No one!” He spoke in a panic-ridden voice, shaking his head once. “Sorry, man. A guy just paid me a hundred bucks to say that thing to you.”
“A guy?!” I grumbled, grabbing him by the throat. “What guy? What’s his name?”
“I don’t know,” he choked out. “He didn’t say.”
“What did he look like?” I snarled, tightening my grip.
“Big guy in his fifties. Gray hair,” he let out another, choked-out whisper, the skin on his face turning blue.
“David, you’re killing him. Let him go,” Jake advised, the urgency in his tone acting like a call back to reality. He was right. Had I kept on choking him like that, he would soon draw his last breath. I yanked my hand away from him, staring into the void as I exhaled hard. He jumped up and barreled off, the sound of his footsteps fading in my ears.
“Carlton…” I gasped out, Jake’s large hand entering my line of sight. “It’s got to be him.”
“Maybe,” he huffed, pulling me up. “Come on. The girls will be wondering where we are.”
“Well, the night just got fucked up,” I groaned, adrenaline still surging through me. “And I don’t know if going away is a good idea.”
“Actually, it is,” Jake disagreed. “Remember, you’re not doing this just for yourself.”
“What the hell do I tell Stacy about this?” I asked, turning my head left to face him.
“Whatever you say, leave Carlton’s name out of it.” This time, I agreed with him. Mentioning that name could traumatize her yet again. So far, we had treated the shooting like it had never happened. And if I wanted her to get over this, I had to keep the truth from her. We found her and Michelle strutting towards the exit of the bar, the moment we walked back in.
“David! What did that guy say to you?!” Stacy exclaimed, her eyes lit in anger. “We were just about to go out looking for you two.”
“He just mistook me for someone else.”
A lie. I hated it, but it was the lesser of two evils.
“I caught up to him and he explained himself. Nothing to worry about,” I continued.
“Then why is your shirt covered in dirt?” She assumed a strict voice, her gaze settled on mine.
“I tripped on something on my way back,” I maintained the calmness in my tone. “Let’s go grab another drink, okay?”
To my relief, neither Stacy nor Michelle insisted. Instead, they looked at each other and then strolled back to the bar. Our night out had been rescued, but that lie had saved a lot more than just an hour or two of fun. Although I didn’t like it, it had kept Stacy from a painful trip down memory lane. There would be a time for me to tell her the truth. I just couldn’t—and wouldn’t—disclose it to her that night…
Chapter 18
Stacy
The barrier island off the coast of North Carolina was a breathtaking sight. Its golden beach stretched for miles and miles, forming a tranquil paradise for those lucky enough to own or rent one of the numerous beach houses. Surf City offered unique views of Waters Bay, convincing me about the correctness of Michelle’s choice. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read online that the beach stretched along pretty much the whole length of Topsail Island. Beholding this rare spectacle blew my mind, making me wonder why that place had been eluding me all this time.
My friend was thoughtful enough to rent two separate houses on the beach. I loved Michelle and Jake’s company, but we did need some privacy. Both of them featured patios with direct access to the sand. In truth, it couldn’t be more than ten yards away. All we had to do to enjoy the crystal waters of Topsail Island was put on a swimming suit and jump right in. No cars, no driving, no packing, no fuss whatsoever. A towel and a will to enjoy ourselves sufficed.
I didn’t even unpack once we got there. I rummaged through my suitcase, found a red bikini, put it on and ran outside.
A mild sea breeze awakened my senses as I gazed out over the ocean. The sun was on the horizon, hiding between two clouds, red shades of the sunset up in the sky. A seagull whooshed down just beyond the surf, a wave hiding him from sight for a fleeting moment. He emerged from the water with a small fish in his beak and flew away into the sunset.
My gaze following the bird, I shuffled off towards the sea, a smile painted on my face. Cool water embraced my feet, my heart relishing the tranquility of my surroundings. I lifted my arms over my head, tucked in my chin and tilted forward. The ocean engulfed my entire body, sending a sense of relaxation into me. Small bubbles leaving my mouth, I resurfaced and faced the rental house. David was in a pair of black swim trunks, having just left the wooden staircase behind him.
“Someone looks very happy to be here,” he teased, sauntering towards the water.
“It’s amazing,” I commented, pushing my hair back from my face. “Would you like to join me?”
“Thanks, but I’ll pass. Besides, I’ve got a little surprise for you,” he claimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
“A surprise? Here?” I asked in a high-pitched tone. “What is it? Where is it?” I continued, looking around me.
“It’s an alligator. The guy I bought it from put a shrinking spell on it so that it could fit in my pocket. Once I pull it out, it will become a twenty-footer,” he joked, widening the smile on my face. “Come on, Red. Get over here,” he urged, sitting down on my towel.
“I’m going to need that,” I remarked, pointing at the towel.
“Nah,” he waved his hand in front of his face. “I’ll warm you up. Just sit with your back on me.”
“Okay,” I chirped, indulging him. I brought my knees to my chest, David gathering my hair in his palms. He snaked his arms around me and eased me into his embrace, before laying a tender kiss just below my hairline.
“You got me curious, Mr. Marshall.”
As water drops rolled down my calves, the rhythmic melody of a guitar flew into my ears. Jake was walking down the beach with a sunburst acoustic guitar in his arms, singing an old tune that I recognized immediately.
It was none other than Lenny Kravitz’s ‘I Belong To You’.
Jake hadn’t even reached the first chorus, when images of the recent past returned to my mind. David’s gesture to carry me back to my bedroom, his singing in his bathroom, our first kiss, our first night together…
With goosebumps rising all over my body, I rolled in his embrace, laying my back in his arms. He was silently mouthing every single lyric, his warm eyes looking right into mine. I pressed my lips together, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment. He lifted his hand up to my cheek and wiped some water off, swaying his shoulders to the music. I let out a short laugh, feeling like a schoolgirl in the arms of her first ever crush. Before long, I was mouthing lyrics with him, savoring that brilliant look in his eyes.
Jake was drawing large circles around us, making sure to stay close enough so we could hear him. Still, even if he wasn’t t
here at all, I was certain that I would wind up singing that wonderful song with David. The setting was just perfect in every way. Waves splashing on the sand, the breeze picking up grains of sand, sweet memories flashing back and most of all, the love in his eyes.
Yes. Love.
I had no doubt anymore.
Every other thing he had done for me had implied it, like his desire to look after me and his agreement to go on this trip. Now, we were lost together in the magic of that song, dedicating it to one another. We hadn’t said that, but was it necessary? No. Just locking gazes with him was enough to help me realize that he was singing it for me. And I was happy to do the same for the man who had been so tenacious and patient with me.
Guitar notes were still wafting through the air when I broke my silence.
“I’m at a loss for words,” I confessed. “Um…” I faltered. “There are literally thousands of songs to choose from. Why did you choose that? And why were you singing it on the night of Michelle and Jake’s wedding?”
“Because it was the first thing that came to mind when I met you,” he explained. “I don’t know why. It just did.”
“Does this happen to you with other people?” I posed a question, not sure how to respond to that. “I mean, did you do the same when you first met Jake or Michelle?”
“Nope,” his answer came fast. “Just you. Just you alone.”
“Are you…?”
“Okay, I know what you’re going to ask next,” he interrupted. “Was it love at first sight? I’m not sure. I’ve never been in love, and…”
“Never?!” I interjected with a squeak.
“No. It’s just never happened,” he spoke in lazy tones, as if he was talking about something minor. “I keep asking myself why that song just popped into my mind the first time I saw you. I’m sorry to say this, but you didn’t look your best that day. In fact, you looked like you’d just been to a heavy metal concert. Your hair was all over your face, your clothes were all dusty and you were mad at the movers for breaking a vase.”
“Jeez…” I chuckled, wrapping my arm around his neck. “You remember all that?”
“Yeah,” He gave a quick nod.
“In my defense, it had been a terrible day,” I giggled, caressing his hair. “The movers were forty-five minutes late; Michelle and I had carried most of our stuff before they arrived.”
“You still looked phenomenal,” He complimented, making my heart melt.
I leaned up, my eyes shut, David running his fingers across my jawline. Our lips joined in a soft, tender kiss, the wind tossing more grains of sand over my calves. My wet hair sticking to the side of my neck, I held him closer, desiring more caresses, more kisses…
More David.
His romantic nature had sent me to heaven. His delicate touch was luring me to him, leaving me powerless. He had disposed of the stubborn girl within me. Now, I had become his, and I actually loved it.
I longed for more days and nights like these. The scent of the sea, the cool breeze, golden beaches, kissing him in the sunset and after those, steamy nights in his arms, showing him how much I cherished what we had. The playboy had forgotten his old ways. He was a different man now, and he was mine…
Chapter 19
David
Topsail Island turned out to be an amazing experience. For a little over two days, Stacy and I managed to leave our troubles back in New York, and focus on us. For me at least, it was impossible to focus on anything else, other than the immediate. And the immediate was that glorious location, the sunny skies, and my feisty redhead.
Life couldn’t get much better than that.
Luckily for both of us, our mood didn’t change upon our return to the Big Apple. Stacy was in great spirits, laughing and teasing me. To my astonishment, the difficult redhead who had been shooting me down for months was a whole new woman. Topsail Island had invigorated her. Indeed, nothing in her behavior even indicated that she had been through a traumatic experience.
Alas, two days later, the text I received from Jessica Trent threatened to destroy Stacy’s mood, and once again put me in an impossible position.
My office. 9pm. You’re going to want to see what I’ve found so far.
This was good news; yet, that appointment was a little later than the ordinary. More than that, it concerned the person who had attempted to kill us. I couldn’t risk telling Stacy who I was meeting with, and that could lead to a misunderstanding.
I called Michelle and asked her to come over. To my satisfaction, she was happy to pay her friend a visit. I excused myself and claimed that I’d go for a drive with Jake. Knowing how much Stacy hated my noisy cars, it was the best excuse I could have thought of.
I didn’t mention our destination to Jake, either. Still, when he noticed that we were heading further and further away from Manhattan, he got suspicious.
“You said we’d go for a drive, not a road trip,” he remarked. “Why don’t you turn back?”
“No can do, big man,” I replied. “The drive was just an excuse to get out of the house. I have an appointment with Trent at nine. I didn’t tell Stacy because I was afraid she’d lose it again.”
“Don’t you think you’re being a little too overprotective?” He wondered, lifting an eyebrow. “It’s not like you’re going to meet with Carlton himself.”
I heaved a deep sigh, keeping my attention on the road up ahead. “Maybe you’re right.”’
“She’s not going to like this,” he warned, his tone strengthening. “You may think you’re protecting her, but she might take it as a lie. Which it is, if you ask me.”
“I know,” I retorted, clenching my jaw. “You heard the doctor, man. You were there. What would you do if you were in my shoes?”
“I get it, man,” Jake commented, scratching his forehead. “The thing is you’re going to have to lie to her, every time you meet with Trent. You know that, so why not be honest with her?”
“Fine,” I muttered under my breath. “I’ll talk to her when we get back.”
“You two have come pretty close,” he said, a smile of contentment on his face. “You’ve become her favorite topic. Michelle used to complain to her because she used to ramble on and on about how obnoxious you were. Now, she talks you up all the time. What did you do, put a spell on her?”
“No,” I snorted in amusement. “I just realized that my approach wasn’t working too well. I had to change it, and I did. It was worth it. Behind that cold façade, hides a warm, loving woman. I just had to try harder to see it.”
“Well…” Jake sneered. “I never thought I’d say this, but David Marshall is in love.”
“I was due,” I laughed, somewhat expecting his remark. He was one of the smartest people I knew, and I couldn’t hide from him. He just knew me too well. “She was stunned when I told her I’ve never been in love, back on Topsail Island. I guess I should have seen that coming. Stacy has no idea how dull my past relationships have been.”
At that moment, I turned my car left and into Trent’s neighborhood. The rumble of the engine was still ringing in my ears as I got out of my Porsche. That night, the awful shape of her building had no effect on me whatsoever. The prospect of learning something about my mother’s case overshadowed the view of ruined walls and cracked cement.
Jessica had managed to replace what remained of the glass in her door. The light from her office revealed the black letters glued to the glass.
‘Urban Fox
Private Investigators’
“Evening, gentlemen,” she tipped her head down in a polite manner, putting her cigarette out in the ashtray. “Have a seat.”
“Dazzle me, Trent,” I urged, seating myself.
“That’s what I do for a living,” she claimed, the corners of her lips quirking up. “First things first. Consolidated Building didn’t have anything to do with it. I had a nice chat with their CEO yesterday. Five months ago, they were planning to knock every house down in Anna Williams’ neighborhood, and b
uild luxury, single homes in their stead. Ryan Proctor even showed me a scaled model of that project. Anna’s refusal to sell put their plan on hold for a few weeks, but even if they did convince her to sell, he said that project would still be canceled. The bank wouldn’t lend them the money due to outstanding debts.”
“I’m not buying it,” I voiced my opinion, pressing my lips together. “They spent more than three million bucks to buy everyone out of that neighborhood. They don’t have cash flow issues.”
“I didn’t buy it, either,” Jessica attempted a firm tone, her face hardening. “In case you haven’t heard, Consolidated Building is currently working on two more, similar projects. There’s another one in Jersey, and the other’s around here somewhere in Brooklyn. All construction ground to a halt for these other two projects, about two weeks ago. Now, they’re trying to sell the houses in your mother’s neighborhood, so that work can resume. Also, I called a contact of mine at Citibank. She said they had defaulted on a number of their loans, so weren’t being extended any more credit.”
“Wow…” I whistled.
“Yeah, so Consolidated Building aren’t involved. Now, let’s get to Mr. Dwayne Carlton,” she suggested, pulling open the top drawer of her desk. “He made it to Major before he was dishonorably discharged from the Navy in 2004 for shooting a sergeant. Just two months later, his wife filed for a divorce due to domestic violence. Their son, Brad, who was eighteen at the time, chose to live with his father.”
“Why are you even bringing his kid up?” I asked, a touch of discomfort in my tone. “Surely his dad’s responsible for everything.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions, Mr. Marshall,” Trent said, her voice picking up speed. “There’s a very good reason why I brought up Brad. I contacted Dwayne’s landlady in New Jersey. According to her, Dwayne’s name may be on the lease, but it’s Brad who lives there. She hasn’t seen his father in months, and junior only spends a couple of nights there every other week.”
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