James (Members From Money Book 34)

by Katie Dowe

  “My name is Carly,” the woman said as she stood in front of the room. “I've been in this abusive relationship for the past ten years and I can't take it anymore.” Her lips wobbled. “I'm not very strong but I feel like if I don’t leave he's going to kill me one day. We have kids.” She paused and blinked. “He always threatened that if I leave he's going to hurt them and I've stayed for their sake. But I can't do it anymore.”

  She came and sat next to Kennedy. At first she didn't make a move, just sat there stock still, listening to the advice and conversations flowing around her. But she turned her head and looked at the girl, with her swollen face and the tears on her cheeks. Kennedy reached out and took her hand. “You did the right thing.”

  “Thanks,” she smiled through her tears.

  *****

  “Hey,” he tilted her chin up to look at her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Stop doing that,” she said in exasperation.

  “Doing what?”

  “Analyzing me, James.” She went into the kitchen and he followed her. They had a routine. After class they would wait until the others left and then they would leave together. She was practically living with him now and a few weeks ago he'd persuaded her to train with him. She was getting quite good.

  The housekeeper had left lasagna in the oven and Kennedy took it out and reached for the plates he'd taken out of the cupboard.

  “Then talk to me.”

  She sighed in exasperation as she placed the plate in front of him. “We had a new member today. She was bruised and looked hopeless. She'd been abused for the past ten years.” She accepted the glass of wine from him and saw him look at her trembling hands. “They have kids and he's threatened the kids. What kind of monster threatens their own kids?” she sipped the wine, her eyes bleak.

  “A bully,” he said quietly.

  She looked up at him and her eyes cleared. “Conway was a bully,” she murmured.

  *****

  Every time she spoke about the man who'd caused her so much misery he felt the anger curling inside him. It had gotten so bad that at one point he had to wait until she was sleeping then went to his gym to take his anger out on the machines he had there. When he was finished he was soaking wet and had to take a shower before going back to bed. Kennedy wrapped her fingers around the glass. “He was jealous of the promotions I got at work and I stopped telling him what happened there because he couldn't handle it. I made the mistake of telling him that I made good on an account and I was given a gift certificate and he shouted at me telling me that all I ever thought about was myself. I never said anything to him about work again.”

  “It’s over,” he said hoarsely, feeling the familiar anger at her words.

  She looked at him. “You don’t like when I talk about it.”

  “No,” his fingers tightened on the slim stem of his wine glass and it broke. Kennedy jumped and scrambled off the stool, her eyes wide as she stared at the dark red stain on the counter. “I'm sorry,” he muttered as he saw the terrified look on her face. “Please Kennedy.” He started towards her and she backed away. He stood where he was, his body tense and his heart twisting inside him. “I've proven to you over and over again that I'm not him. I get angry Kennedy, but I'm not angry at you. I wish he was still alive so that I could kill him myself. I'm being compared to him and I have no idea what to do. I love you dammit!” There was silence after the admission and when she didn't respond he turned on his heels and left her standing there.

  He went straight to the gym and sat on one of the benches before he started to lift the weights on the floor. He'd fallen in love with her and this was new to him. He'd been torturing himself into thinking that maybe it wasn't love he felt. Maybe it was empathy. She basically went through the same thing he went through but so had all the women in the self-defense class his sister ran and he'd singled her out. Was it because of the sadness in her large dark brown eyes? He'd been wrestling with his feelings for her for the past several months. Wrestling with the fact that he wanted to ask her to marry him but not finding a way to do so and afraid that she would tell him she didn't want to see him again. He placed the weights on the floor and flexed his muscles. He heard a sound in the doorway and saw her standing there. He got up and went to get a towel to wipe his face, ignoring her as she came into the room. He stiffened when she put her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back.

  “I know you're not him,” she whispered softly. “You've proven that to me over and over again. But I need more time, James. I need time to be me. You came into my life when I was just learning to be that person and I need more time.”

  He turned in her arms and with a sigh he used his hands to frame her face. “I hate what he did to you and I wish I'd met you—”

  “Shh,” she used a finger to touch his lips. “Everything happens for a reason and we're together now. I just need some time.”

  “Okay,” he bent and kissed her lips gently. He'd hoped she would get pregnant by now but he was thinking that bringing a baby into the mix wouldn't be such a good idea right now. “Let’s go and finish the meal.”

  *****

  But a week later, tragedy struck. Kennedy saw the women huddled at the front of the room and wondered what was happening.

  A girl by the name of Maria detached herself from the group and came towards her. “Have you heard?”

  “Heard what?”

  “Carly is dead.”

  “What?” Kennedy stared at her in shock.

  “Murdered by that sick son of a bitch last night.”

  “How?’

  “She went back home to him, Kennedy. She went back home because she missed her children and wanted to spend time with them. She wanted to try for the children’s sake and now she's dead.”

  Kennedy felt as if she was spiraling into despair. She stumbled back and then without a word she ran from the room and to her car. She had a class today but she couldn't go. She started her car with a trembling hand and drove aimlessly until she came to a park where she switched off the engine and sat there behind the wheel. Carly had been making progress. She'd talked about going back home to Missouri to stay with her parents and sort herself out. She'd been hopeful and had had plans for the future. Now it had been taken away from her. She started as her phone rang and she saw that it was James. She couldn't talk to him. She couldn't talk to anyone right now. She thought that she was better but she wasn't. She was never going to be better and she had to break things off with him. “Oh God!” she whispered agonizingly. She'd wanted it to work but she was a mess and she couldn't do this to him. She had to tell him it was over. She had to convince him that being with her was not something he should want. He was James Zhang the billionaire who could get any woman he wanted. She was too much work and she would probably never recover.

  *****

  James was frantic. He had been calling her for the past hour or more and she wasn't picking up. He'd come to class only to find out that she wasn't present. He'd been impatient for the class to finish so that he could ask his sister if she knew what had happened.

  He waited until the women had left before he turned to his sister, but she spoke first. “Have you heard what happened?” Julia asked him as she put away the gloves she'd been using.

  “What?”

  Julia told him.

  He shuddered as he realized how much that would have affected Kennedy.

  “I have to find her.”

  “Find who?’

  “Kennedy.” He bit off a sigh at the look on his sister’s face. “I've been seeing her, Julia, and now she's in trouble. I don’t know where she is. I have to find her.”

  “Have you checked her apartment?”

  “Yes, earlier but she wasn't there and I've been calling her.”

  “Check again. Maybe she's back now,” Julia suggested quietly

  He turned to leave. “How long?”

  “Almost six months,” he told her wryly. “She wanted the secrecy. I want to mar
ry her and start a family with her, but she's not ready for that yet. I'm in love with her.”

  Julia nodded. “Go get her, and don’t take no for an answer.”

  *****

  He found her sitting in the darkened living room, curled up on the sofa. His heart shuddered with relief and he walked over to her swiftly. She didn't even look up at him as he came over, just sat there staring at nothing. He felt his heart move within him. She'd spoken to him about that same girl who'd been murdered and he knew that this was going to set her way back. He sat on the sofa next to her and didn't say anything for a full minute and then he moved, pulling her reluctant body into his arms. He stayed that way with her until when he looked down she was fast asleep. He took her into the bedroom and pulled the sheets over her. He stood there looking down at her for a long time before he strode into the kitchen to look for a bottle of wine. He found one and poured himself a glass, bringing it with him to the living room sofa. He held the glass between his fingers and sat there staring at nothing. It was going to take some time for her to get over this tragedy. He'd been about to ask her to marry him again, maybe a December wedding, but right now he couldn't very well bring that up. “Dammit!” he swore softly beneath his breath. He was going to be there for her even if she didn't want him to.

  *****

  It was difficult and he came near to giving up. She stayed in bed for three days and didn't go to work. Her phone rang incessantly and finally he had to answer it and tell Markeeta about the situation. Next it was her sister who came around to find out what was happening. He couldn't leave her and told Julia and his secretary to forward everything to him.

  It was on the third day of her being in bed that her sister had come over.

  “Hi. Nice to finally meet you. I wish it was under better circumstances,” he said briefly as he shook her hand and stepped back to let her pass.

  Joan stared at him in obvious fascination.

  “How is she?” Joan asked as she hurried into the bedroom.

  “She's not eating and she isn't responding to me.” They both stared at the woman curled up in the bed. “Was it like this before?”

  “She stayed in bed for two weeks.” Joan sat on the edge of the bed. “Honey?” She touched her sister and Kennedy looked right through her. “Kennedy please, you're scaring us.”

  She didn't respond and Joan got to her feet. “She'll snap out of it when she's ready.” She turned to look at James. “I can stay with her and let you go back to work.”

  “I'm not leaving her,” he bit out.

  Joan nodded.“Thank you.”

  “I'm in love with her, so no thanks necessary,” he said abruptly as they left the room. “I have a place several miles from here. It's private and isolated. I was thinking of taking her there.”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “I'm not sure about anything anymore. I just want her to get well.”

  *****

  He did everything. He packed a week’s clothing for her and made her get out of bed to take a shower and eat something. She hadn't spoken to him since he'd gotten there and he was trying not to panic. He had his housekeeper pack his bag and it was taken to him by one of the drivers. He wasn't exactly putting his company on hold but he needed to do this. When she came out of it if she didn't want to be with him again then he'd have to deal with it. But he couldn't just leave her like this. He drove the several miles to the location with her curled up in the passenger seat, not saying anything at all. He endured the silence and felt his heart breaking into little pieces. He wanted her back and he would do anything to make that happen.

  They arrived at the pretty farm house in the late afternoon. It was a building he'd bought a year ago when it had come up for sale. It was hardly used but was properly maintained. A caretaker lived nearby. There were flowers blooming and vegetables that the man had planted ripe for the picking. He'd called ahead and the place was stocked with food. He would get her to eat if he had to force her to do it. James took her hand and helped her out and he saw her eyes going around the place. That was the first time she'd responded in the past three days and it gave him hope.

  He let her sit on the faded sofa in the charming living room while he went to get their stuff. It was still light out and he wanted to suggest that they take a walk along the grounds. There were horses grazing along the paths and some other animals wandering around. It was peaceful and quiet and he hoped that this was somewhere she would be able to heal. He came back inside and went to put their stuff into one of the bedrooms before coming back to find her curl up on the sofa, her head back and her eyes closed. He came and sat next to her but she didn't stir. “I don’t know what the time frame is on what you're going through,” he began quietly. “I wish I could take all the stuff that hurts you away from you. I hurt when you hurt and I cannot bear to see you this way. I want you back Kennedy. I want the laughing woman who reaches for me in bed. I want to make love to you and I want you to start living again. I'm going to stay here until you do. I'm not going anywhere, but I wish you would talk to me.” She opened her eyes and looked at him and he felt hope flaring. “Talk to me, please. I'm here.”

  His heart jumped when she reached out a hand to touch his arm. He didn't dare move in case he spooked her. “I'm hungry,” she whispered.

  He almost shouted with joy at that and a wide smile came over his face. “Anything you want,” he said hoarsely.

  She nodded and closed her eyes.

  He got to his feet swiftly and went into the large, airy kitchen. There were pots hanging from hooks in the ceiling. An old range stood to one side and a freezer on the other. He pulled open the pantry and found it well stocked with food. He hadn't done many repairs to the place even though he'd planned to renovate the kitchen and the bedrooms. He decided to make pasta and went about doing so. He dug up a bottle of wine to go with it and within minutes the aroma wafted through the air. He was so absorbed in the preparations that he didn't notice her coming in until she touched his arm. He jumped and turned to look at her. She'd lost weight and her face was etched with sadness, so much so that it broke his heart.

  “Hey,” he said gently. “I'm just about finished.”

  “I want to help.”

  “The wine.” He'd already opened the bottle. He got the glasses and handed them to her. “Want to eat in here?”

  She nodded and passed a glass of wine to him. “This is nice,” she said looking around.

  He wanted to weep for joy that she was talking again.

  “Yes. I think so. Maybe we could go for a walk when we're finished eating,” he said casually.

  She nodded and went to sit at the counter. He made plates for both of them and they ate in silence, but this time the silence wasn't strained and he wasn't trying to find ways to get through to her.

  They finished eating and put the plates in the sink. He went to get her a sweater. Even though it was almost summer, it had gotten chilly as the sun made its way out. He helped her with the sweater and took her hand as they went outside. They walked in silence for a little bit and then he stopped at a stream where they watched the clear water gurgling over the smooth stones. The place smelled of flowers blooming and the air was clean. “I like it here. It makes you think that nothing bad ever happens in the world,” she broke off and he knew what she was thinking. He pulled her into his arms and she didn't resist but wrapped her arms around him as she stared off into the trees.

  “We could stay here forever,” he said lightly as he ran his hand over her back.

  “Very tempting,” she murmured. “But one day we would have to go back to the real world. You have a company to run and I have my store.”

  “We could at least stay for a little bit.”

  “Hmm,” she snuggled into his arms and then stepped back to look up at him. “Thank you.”

  “For?” His thick eyebrows rose.

  “For not giving up on me,” she murmured. “You're a very busy man with a company to run and you
never left my side.” She took a deep breath. “That evening I had every intention of telling you it was over. I heard the news about Carly and it took me back to the despair that was my life and I knew that I could never be in a relationship, at least not now.”

  “And now? Do you still feel that way?” His heart was beating hard inside his chest as he waited for her answer.

  “No.” She shook her head. “I want to try.”

  Chapter 7

  She slowly healed. After that first day at the farm she started talking to him more. They had come inside and had sat in the living room with her in his arms while she spoke. She'd called her sister and Markeeta and told them she was getting better but she was taking a few days.

  “A week,” he told her softly as she hung up.

  “You can't take a week,” she protested. “You've taken too many days already. I'm not going to be responsible for running your company into the ground, James.”

  “I doubt that my taking time from the company will run it into the ground,” he told her dryly as he reached out a hand to cup her cheek. “You're my number one priority and whatever it takes, I'm all for it.”

  She placed her hand over his and closed her eyes. “You never gave up on me,” she whispered.

  “That’s the downside of being in love,” he told her lightly. “You keep coming back for more.”

  She opened her eyes and looked at him. “I know you're waiting for me to say it James, but I can’t, not right now.”

  His heart twisted but he was not going to let her see how much it hurt him to know she still couldn't say she loved him. “I'm in it for the long haul,” he told her lightly.

  “Make love to me,” she whispered.

  “It’s too soon.”

  “Please,” she whispered as she reached out a hand to touch his chest, covered by the plain t-shirt he had on.