There was movement behind him.
Even as the double-paneled doors opened, he didn’t turn.
“Titan,” Vitali boasted with pride, and was it something else? A blatant and overbearing smugness, perhaps? “I’d love you to meet someone.”
I just bet you do.
Masking a fake smile, he turned.
His face froze.
He fought to hide his shock.
In the flesh…alive…breathing…more beautiful than ever…
Ravishingly dazzling in red, clinging to his father’s arm, and wide-eyed with astonishment, his elusive damsel stood.
***
Moments earlier…
“Bella, are you there?” With outstretched arms, Gage pleaded and reached out to her. The uncontrollable tears streamed down his brown face. In his trembling arms, he clutched the little brown teddy bear. “Please, say something…”
A clear glass barrier was between them.
She wept at the sight of his open fear.
“I’m here, honey,” she murmured hysterically, but it seemed that she was voiceless. The vocal sounds played in her mind, yet found no outlet to him. “I’m right here, in front of you. Just look closer and you’ll see me!”
“Bella, where are you? You promised that you’d always be there for me, no matter what. But, you’re not here,” Gage sobbed again, looking around, bewildered. It was plain that he didn’t see her on the other side of the barrier. Hopeless and lost, the look of fright on his small face worsened. “I’m scared…so scared…”
She planted both shaky hands against the barrier.
Her breath caught on a desperate hiccup.
A white mist was rolling in!
“Gage, I want you to run!” she breathed against the pane. “Run as fast as you can!”
There came the sound of footsteps.
They mimicked a death knell.
Eyes widened, heart beating fast, she looked through the mist and finally spied the monstrous creature. His visage was plain and clear---Carlo Vitali.
Frantically, she beat against the glass.
“No! No! Stay away from him!” she screamed loudly. But, still no sound came out. “Stay away from him!”
Vitali zeroed his lethal stare on her.
The cruel smile stretched along his face, from ear to ear.
Then, his maniacal laughter filled the entire mindscape.
“No!” She pounded the glass harder with her fist—till she was bleeding red. Finally, it shattered into millions of pieces, spraying the glassy shards in differing directions. But, as she fought to run forward, she was completely immobilized. Horrified at her inabilities, she cried out in both torture and pain. “No! No! No!”
Suddenly, there was a gunshot.
Stunned, surprised, Gage finally saw her. “Bella, why didn’t you come…why didn’t you come…why didn’t you come…?”
“No,” she sobbed uncontrollably, unable to move. “No!”
“I’m taking him straight to the grave. He will never be free,” Vitali vowed coldly, stopping directly behind Gage. Slowly, he and Gage began fading away into nothingness. But, his words echoed over, over, and over again. “Never…never…never…never…’
“No!”
Releasing a terrified scream, she reared up in the bed.
Heart pounding fast, shaking all over, she glanced around the room.
Everything was intact.
No monsters or ghosts lingering about…
All the lavish furnishing was undisturbed and sat perfectly in place. The heavy drapes were not drawn and closed out the dark evening. A faint soft glow filled the room because of the low lighting. The light fire leapt behind the fire screen.
Except for the sound of her frantic breathing, the inside space was quiet.
Closing her eyes, she fell back against the pillows. “Oh Gage,” she murmured, tearing up, and swallowed hard. Quickly, she brushed the stray tear from her cheek. “How could I let it happen?”
For a moment, she just lay there, trying to fight off the unrest.
Wasn’t it typical?
Another day…the same recurring nightmare…
A smoking gun…a dead child…a cruel sadistic killer…
A cruel sadistic killer that she was facing each and every day…
Considering the circumstances, though, she had no other choice. Grieving was natural and understandable, especially since she’d opened herself wide-open to the pain again.
She stared up at the blank ceiling.
But, she was handling things better.
She was healing.
And healing was a slow process…
Earlier in the day, she’d visited Dr. Ranger, her therapist, for a weekly session.
Of course, weeks ago, consulting the therapist again had been a ruse, serving as a purpose to keep her lies to Vitali intact. Yet, she’d found comfort in reestablishing her sessions, and they’d given her a much needed outlet. The sessions, naturally, included intense introspection on her feelings and thoughts. As always, once she left, it took a considerable amount of time for her to settle. Though the horrors still danced in her head, she had to find some balance or normalcy.
Now, hours later, she was still dealing with her fragile emotions.
Her real feelings…
She sighed heavily.
But, they had no place here---
Her startled gaze flew to the clock.
8:00 pm…
“Oh goodness!” Sitting up quick, she kicked the covers off. Then, she scooted over to the side of the bed before pushing the disheveled tresses from her face. Frustration at her own ineptness tore through her. “Of all the days to oversleep, why did I choose this one?”
This evening, Vitali’s mysterious guest was dining with them.
The idea of tonight sobered her at once.
Finally, real solutions were falling in place.
There were good things in life after all.
Still, she was pinching herself.
Weeks ago, she’d met a milestone and persuaded Vitali to take her on. Tentatively, he’d agreed to place her in a meager position, just so that she’d exposed to his business at some length. True, it was a small step, but it had huge implications. For one, it meant that Vitali was really beginning to trust her, and that’s what mattered.
“We’re one step closer to destroying you, Vitali. That means that I’m going to make the most of this rare opportunity,” she vowed quietly, staring across the room. As her confidence mounted, she embraced the feel of impending victory. “After all this time, the end is finally in sight.”
Bounding from the bed, she scurried to the massive walk-in closet. After venturing inside, she quickly sorted through the expensive clothing. When her hands landed on the first dress, she removed it from its hanger. Frowning, she held the sleeveless halter evening gown upward for closer inspection.
“This should fit the occasion---subtle, classic, simple, and yet, flirtatious.”
Flowing and a sweeping floor length, the dress was a striking color of red, and the fabric was a fine blend of polyester and spandex. That only meant that it’d cling to every feminine curve about her body. Around the waist, it was embellished with sparkling jeweled beads. In short, it was just perfect. Satisfied with her choice, she snatched the 2” red heels from the floor and left the closet.
Moments later, dressed and with her hair pinned in an upswept do, she hurried from the bedroom. She bypassed the stairs and headed towards the elevator. That was a wise decision, considering that she stayed on the mansion’s seventh level. During most occasions, though, when she dreaded facing Vitali, she always took the stairs. Sure, that route was strenuous and lengthy. Yet, it was her way of prolonging their encounters.
But, tonight, she couldn’t evade the inevitable.
She had a timely date with destiny.
“And I’m not about to stand you up,” she whispered quietly. “Not for anything.”
A minimal moment
later, she reached the ground floor.
Just as she moved away from the elevator and forged ahead, she yelped in surprise when nearly careening into Vitali. “Carlo.” Quickly, she placed a hand over her beating chest. “You nearly scared me to death.”
“Be rest assured---that wasn’t my intention,” Vitali said smoothly, pulling her close for a fast embrace, and kissed her cheek. Then, he passed a long appreciative glance over her. “You look simply beautiful, my darling. When you failed to show at the exact time, I became concerned. You know how I value punctuality, Isabella.” His features turned disapproving and stern. “It’s so unlike you to disregard my wishes.”
“I’m so sorry.” Stepping back somewhat, she fixed a phony smile, and it seemed that her face would crack. Pretending with the master criminal was becoming quite a feat, especially when she was becoming so antsy around him. It was taking everything within her to keep her loathing secret, and the hatred festered poison inside of her. But, the end was near, she mulled, raising her chin. That’s what she had to remember. “My therapy session ran longer than usual. When I got here, I was physically and mentally exhausted. I fell asleep and overslept. Forgive me, again.”
“Tonight, I will overlook it. But, that won’t be the case next time. Unfortunately, there will be considerable consequences. You’re here now, and the only choice remaining is to go forward.” Vitali frowned at her. “Allow me to give you fair warning. Our dinner guest is not too welcoming or accommodating especially where I’m concerned.” Carefully, he placed her hand along his bended elbow and escorted her across the way. “To spite me, he’ll go out of his way and make things difficult for you. But, we can’t overlook our goal for this evening---convincing him to take you on as a protégé. Therefore, we have to be a formidable team and make this shit happen.” He stiffened beside her. “One way or the other.”
Her bravado faded a little.
Would convincing Vitali’s cohort be that difficult?
From Vitali’s demeanor, it appeared so.
Though he tried to appear unfazed, he wasn’t.
In fact, down deep, he was boiling mad.
And just what did he mean by ‘one way or the other’?
That warning couldn’t be a good thing.
It meant one thing.
Trouble.
They neared the living area.
Puzzled, she stared straight ahead as they made way.
Why all of a sudden was there tumultuous somersaults flipping her belly?
Sure, she had reason to be unnerved.
But, not this much.
As the double-paneled doors opened, she didn’t have the opportunity to muster a further thought. Rather than venturing in fully, they hovered at the threshold. The Italian opera music played in the background, and at this point, it reached a high crescendo.
The moment was operatic at best.
Across the room, the mystery guest awaited.
As she caught sight of him, her breath halted.
Simultaneously, she experienced anticipation, joy, and fear.
The handsomely dressed man was hardly a stranger.
No, she knew him all too well.
The world began turning in slow motion.
It became a breathtaking and startling still.
Painfully and achingly beautiful…
In the background, all sound faded except her fainting heart.
She sucked in a painful breath.
Slowly, her eyes slid over his masculine form.
He was sexier and more dangerous than ever before.
The white tuxedo coat stretched across his broad back, and the black suit pants molded along him. Under the bright white lights, his black hair glistened and was cut close in a masculine style. The dark hair-roughened stubble lined his jaw bone and added a blatant sexiness that should be outlawed.
Though, he said nothing, he was aware of their arrival.
His stiffened posture said as much.
Throwing his head back, he downed more liquor, but didn’t turn.
The air in her throat tightened.
All of her suppressed feelings rushed to the bay.
Batting her eyelashes fast, she prayed for the tears not to come.
There he was…
The man who haunted her dreams and reality…
The one man who was clearly out of her reach…
Forever…
The brutal truth was too difficult to accept.
Especially, she whispered inwardly, especially when he was all she wanted.
“Titan,” Vitali boasted with pride, and was it something else? A blatant and overbearing smugness, perhaps? Smiling broadly, he edged closer to her before guiding the way. “I’d love you to meet someone.”
Tensing further, still cradling the glass in his hand, Braden turned to face them.
Any word that he would’ve said died on his lips.
Their gazes collided and locked.
At once, with expedited speed, the breath of life filled her lungs.
Once more, she lived.
Yet, at what cost?
Watching each other, they fought to hide their shock.
But, why did she?
Deep down inside, her troubled heart mourned.
This very moment was inevitable.
At some point in time, they were destined to meet again.
But not this way...
Not yet…
Not when she didn’t have the answers…
Though she walked and the physical part of her operated on cue, the emotional and spiritual parts of her were paralyzed. By the grace of life, she wasn’t alone in her folly, she noted, sweeping a painful glance over him.
Her presence literally stunned him.
Valiantly, though, he struggled against his own stormy emotions. But, because only she knew him---the very man---she witnessed his fight.
Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock….
Was it a millisecond, two, or three of them that passed, she mulled, breaths quickening. Was the echoing sound her frantic heart beating or the swinging pendulum of time?
For surely, the whole universe stopped spinning.
Across the way, their tortured gazes continued to hold.
Their soulful connection was startlingly intense.
Her knees went weak.
Her lips trembled.
Against her chest cavity, her heart beat in a wild craze.
Oh sweet goodness, save her…
Despite the danger…despite the consequences…they couldn’t look away.
His eyes were filled with a convoluted mix of emotions.
But, as they stopped before him, it was clear which emotion won out.
Explosive anger…
Jaw tightening, he masked it quick, and now his expression was blank.
“Titan, I’d love for you to meet, my beautiful companion, Isabella Spencer,” Vitali said smoothly and patted her hand. “With all hope, she’ll be more than that soon. Isabella, I’d love you to meet Sir Titan, the son who’ll never openly claim me.”
Somehow, she managed a tense smile. “So you’re Sir Titan, the very man himself?”
A pregnant pause ensued.
She held her breath.
Would he give her up?
If he did, all would be lost, namely everything.
“The pleasure is all mine,” Braden said stonily, draining the alcohol. Then, he toasted her with the empty glass. “Ms. Isabella Spencer.”
She expelled a breath of relief.
Stiffening, he eyed her close, easily noticing her silent elation. Still, his intense gray eyes held a warning. A warning that would be heeded to sooner rather than later…
She dropped her gaze to his chest. “Likewise.”
“Why don’t the two of you have a seat and get acquainted?” Vitali suggested, releasing her, and then moved behind the bar. “I assume a Strawberry Daiquiri, darling?”
“T---that will be fine,” she stammered, gulping hard, an
d passed a surreptitious glance at Braden. Before her, he was like a complete stone structure---all cold and unfeeling. In the deepest depths of herself, she felt the threat of tears. But, she couldn’t and wouldn’t cry! Blinking fast again, she looked away from him. “With extra garnish, please. Lime especially.”
To her relief, Braden faced the bar again. “Whiskey---straight.”
But, it was short-lived.
When she moved to walk away, so did he.
Rigid, uptight, she stared straight ahead as they journeyed towards the sitting area. While she sat at the corner edge of the sofa, he took the plush armchair directly facing it. Together, they both sat in tensed silence.
“The weather turned out to be quite nice today, didn’t it? Chilly, but nice nonetheless,” Vitali touted, attempting small talk. “It certainly beats the nasty weather that we had several months ago. The great Georgian flood---who could ever forget that?”
Neither of them took the bait.
The flood should always be a closed topic for them.
For them, wasn’t the flood a significant event?
It brought them together in more ways than one.
“Straight whiskey at your pleasure.” Vitali gave a charming smile while passing the glass to Braden. After handing her a drink, he plopped down close beside her on the sofa. “And a drink for you, my darling love.”
“Thank you,” she mumbled politely.
Now, he was watching her.
The heat rose in her face.
Stubbornly, she avoided looking at him.
Like a sledge hammer, her heartbeat slammed against her chest.
How would she not fall apart?
Especially when it was the only thing that she wanted to do…
How many long days and nights had she longed to meet him in the flesh again? There were too many to count. As she’d imagined, her heart was full of him.
Forcing her hand to steady, she raised the glass to her ruby-stained lips. As she gulped the alcohol down, her throat felt tight, and she feared that she’d choke.
“Tell me, Ms. Spencer.” Coolly and aloofly, he regarded her across the room. “Are you from around these parts?”
She raised her chin a bit, and the action gave her some poise. “No, I’m not originally from Georgia. I moved here a short while ago.” She stiffened alongside Vitali. “Took a brief hiatus so to speak and returned. Just recently, I relocated to the Powder Springs area.”
Rise of the Titan Page 33
