by Aria Ford
He smiled. I could hear the way his voice changed when he did it. “It will be good to be back. It’s not just because I’m worried that I’m coming back early.”
“Oh?”
“I miss you.”
“I miss you too.”
When we had said goodbye, I was flushed and excited. He would be here tomorrow? I hugged myself, thinking about it, and slid into bed. Wrapped in the glow of it, I fell asleep.
The next day I dressed carefully. I had no idea when he would be back and I wanted to look my best for whenever it happened. I felt like a little girl.
The kids were prepared for the arrival. Alex had clearly already called them, and they were even more excited—at least more visibly—than I was.
At four o’clock, I was sitting quietly outside, keeping an eye on the kids while they played tag in the garden. I heard a footfall on the path behind me. Then his voice.
“Emma!”
“Alex!”
I leaped up and his arms wrapped round me. I wrapped my arms around him and drew him close. We embraced tightly.
My body ached. I wanted him so badly that I thought I would actually explode. I pressed against him tightly, feeling my pulse quicken. He kissed me. I let my lips slide over his, letting in his wet tongue.
We stood there for a while and he broke the kiss, gasping. “Emma, we shouldn’t,” he said quietly. He looked around. I blinked. Alexander was not like that, suspicious or overconcerned. Looking at him, I noticed that he looked stressed.
“Alex,” I asked, reaching to stroke his hair. I breathed in his ear, kissing his cheek. “You’re stressed.”
He gave a chuckle. “No. I’m not. I mean, yes. But.”
“But what?”
“But I’m also so, so glad to be here.”
He kissed me in a way that made my bones go fluid and left me needing him. He looked into my eyes. “Upstairs, soon?”
I giggled. “Now, if you like,” I whispered back. He nodded.
“Can’t wait.”
We shared a sexy smile, and then he went striding across the grass toward where Jack was chasing his sister hastily across the lawn.
“Jack! Camille!” he called, arms out. “It’s me!”
“Daddy!”
“Dad!”
The two of them bolted across the lawn and embraced him, Emma clinging to his knees and Jack round his waist. From a discreet distance, I watched the sweet reunion as he scooped Cammi up to his chest and patted Jack’s head.
“Kids! It’s so good to see you!”
Jack flushed, reaching up to his hand. Cammi beamed. “Daddy! You’re back. We wished you would be back earlier, and then you are! And now we can ask you…”
“Let Dad freshen up first,” Jack advised Cammi, stalling her. I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn’t want to push Alex’s volatile temper. They walked past me toward the house, and I sent a big grin in Jack’s direction. He nodded back.
A moment or two later, I followed them inside.
I didn’t wait long, actually. About three minutes later I heard Alex walk along the hallway and I followed him up to his bedroom.
We kissed and fell through the door, hands already tearing at the suddenly-unwanted clothing. His body was against mine and I could feel how much he wanted me. I wanted him, probably even more.
When we were done, I lay in his arms, perspiring and peaceful. I kissed him and he kissed me back, slow and tenderly. He stroked my head.
“I had to come back,” he said simply.
I smiled. “I’m very glad about it.”
We giggled together. “You are a wonderful woman,” he said, looking into my eyes with an expression so sweet it made my heart hurt.
“You are a wonderful man,” I whispered softly. He giggled.
“I don’t think so really, but thank you.”
“You saying I tell fibs?” I said crossly.
“I would never do that!” he made an exaggerated expression of shock. I grinned. We kissed again and I felt immense satisfaction. I ran a hand over his muscled body.
He made a satisfied grunt and drew me closer. We kissed again. He ran his fingers down my spine.
“We should go somewhere,” he said. “I don’t like the fact that people know…”
“Let them know,” I said recklessly, echoing him confidently.
He chuckled. “I wish I could,” he said. “Emma,” he added, clearly noticing I looked upset. “It’s not because I’m hiding you.”
“Yes, it is,” I said. “But that’s understandable.” I blinked, feeling angry tears. I wouldn’t cry in front of him. Dammit! I looked at the ceiling, holding them back.
“It isn’t.” He insisted. “One day I can tell you what. But not now. It’s unsafe.”
“Okay,” I said quietly. I didn’t want him to be upset.
“Good,” he said. “I’m happy you understand.”
“Of course I can,” I said, even to my own ears sounding desperately unconvincing.
“Well then,” he whispered. “Bear with me. And join me in Miami.”
I swallowed. “Really?”
“Really, I can go next week. Please, I want you to. The kids will come. They’ll have their own rooms, though,” he added, winking. “I rent a house there, and…”
I chuckled. “Alexander! You’re awesome.”
He blushed. “No, I’m not. But does that mean you’ll come? I can’t be there every day, but I would try to spend at least three days and seven nights.”
I laughed. “Oh!”
He blushed. “Sorry about the priorities. But that’s your fault.”
I giggled. “I’m glad to hear I am priority.”
“Prime priority, my dearest. The first and foremost. Truly.”
I shivered, holding him close. “Thank you,” I said.
“Don’t mention it,” he said, chuckling as he exaggerated his drawling accent for that part. “Now, then. What can we do this evening?”
“Well…” I said, breathing sexily into the curve of his neck. “I wonder…”
He laughed throatily. “I didn’t mean that,” he said, stroking my side. “I meant, besides that!”
I smiled. I felt a huge happiness filling me, it was like nothing I had ever felt before.
“Well then,” I grinned, kissing his nose. “That depends on you.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. On how tired you are.”
“Okay,” he agreed. “In which case, I’m never tired. In fact, I am the least tired thing in the whole world,” he laughed. I kissed him on the tip of the nose.
We lay together for a while, then he slid his arm out. “Okay, supper!” he said, glancing at the clock. I was surprised that it was already six pm.
“I was asleep,” I smiled.
“Well, I was thinking,” he said. “How about we have something special?”
“Okay,” I said.
“We can eat in, though?” he asked. “I’m tired.”
“Okay.”
I couldn’t help assuming that he wanted to eat in because he was embarrassed about my status. I had gathered that he didn’t want me to know that, but I couldn’t imagine another reason for Alexander to be so secretive.
“I’ll go and call. You like sushi?”
“My best.”
He grinned. “Your wish is my command.”
I felt a tingle in my tummy, butterflies shimmering in there. I giggled.
“And your wish is mine too.”
He kissed me. “Now don’t go giving me ideas,” he whispered. “I want you so much already. Feel?”
My hand gripped his cock and I smiled. “Yes. You are.”
He laughed.
We got dressed and had dinner. I hadn’t asked how much it cost, because I didn’t want to know. It was incredible. The kids ate it too, with the same incredible politeness I had come to expect from them.
I was feeling sleepy, probably because of our afternoon excess, and so I excused myself for a walk in the garden. It was s
till dusky-darkness out there, and the lawn smelled of dew. I enjoyed my walk, and resolved to head up to the back of the stand of trees and then head back again.
The night was quiet, so quiet. Suddenly, something rustled in the bushes. An arm shot out and grabbed me. I screamed.
A hand came down on my mouth and something hit me on the back of the head and everything went dark.
Chapter 12
Alex
“Where are you?” I called. I wasn’t really worried. It was my garden, and I knew every inch of it. I knew that it was not dangerous. Somewhere a night bird shrieked once but otherwise was silent. The crickets sang. The grass was soaked with dew and I breathed deeply and walked along the path. When I reached the end of it I stopped.
“Emma?”
Something felt wrong. I couldn’t have said what it was exactly. It was just that the place at the end of the path where it touched the edge of the copse of trees felt wrong. I looked at the grass, and while I did I started noticing what it was. The grass was flattened.
I could see footprints on the surface of the dew. They glinted there. They led toward the wall.
“Emma!”
I shouted it, running to the wall. I felt a sudden madness enter me. I reached up to the top of the wall, being careful not to zap myself on the electric wiring around the top part of it. Hoisting myself up, I found a surprising thing. It wasn’t on…not anymore, anyway.
“Oh, my…” I dropped off the wall. I felt dazed. This was terrifying. This was…this was exactly what happened the last time. Exactly what happened to Ada.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to run. I had absolutely no idea what to do, other than hate myself for doing this again. For loving someone and killing them because of it.
I heard a car in the road beyond. That broke the stunned state that I currently was. Cars hardly ever came down our road. Especially at this time. Or that fast. I knew what to do.
Reaching into my pocket to call the private security firm I employ now to look after my private security needs, I found my hand was shaking as I tried to dial. I called, and spoke to Klaas, the head of the unit, as I ran to the garage.
“Klaas? Yeah. There’s been a breach in the wall and…” and I could barely say this, but I had to say it anyway, “and my girlfriend’s gone.”
I paused while Klaas said all the things one might expect—most of them beginning with the letter F—and then took a shaky breath.
“Quite,” I said. “Well, calling them fuckers isn’t going to help us. Please send two cars round here now. We need to trace these people. I heard a vehicle in the road behind and we can identify the tracks and follow them from there.”
Klaas apologized, and said he’d sort it out. I was already inside the garage. I was about to jump into the fastest car I owned and streak off to find her myself, when I realized how very stupid that actually was. I had no idea at all where she might be.
I ran back to the house.
“Kids,” I said, when I met them standing in the dining-room, looking scared. “There’s a problem. Um…Emma’s gone. We don’t know where. Daddy has to go find her. Okay?”
“Emma ran away from here?”
“No, sweetie,” I explained. “We just need to find out where she’s gone.” I didn’t want to say she’d been taken. Jack was old enough to remember what happened the first time. And I didn’t want him to think it would happen again. I didn’t want to think that either.
I heard the front doorbell. Happy for the fast response of the team, I ran to answer it. I found myself confronted with Klaas himself, the thickest South African with a blunt, open face.
“Hell,” he said. “What the fuck happened, man?” He ran a hand over his shaved head, face a picture of concern.
“No idea, Klaas. I appreciate you coming here.”
“Not at all,” he nodded. “Take us to the tracks.”
I nodded, leading him out to the place beside the hole in the fence. Sure enough, there were tracks there in the road. It must have accelerated at a hell of a rate because there was dark rubber left on the tarred surface.
“Yeah, that’s it,” Klaas agreed, studying them for a moment. “SUV. Smallish one. Colt treads. We’ll look up possibilities. In the meantime, I’m sending one of the cars that way.”
“Thanks,” I said, feeling suddenly weak with relief. Klaas looked at me astutely.
“No worries, man.”
I swallowed hard. It was probably sound advice, but impossible to follow. I had to get Emma back. I had to.
“Where will you go?” I asked, indicating the other team and Klaas himself.
Klaas started giving instructions. “You,” he said to the first man. “Go and question the security guard. You can do the house staff. You, look at the security camera data for…when, Mr. Carring?”
“Around six thirty,” I said, thinking quickly.
“Okay. Any time between six and seven,” Klaas nodded to his man, who disappeared. That left him with one other, and himself.
“Okay, Juan,” he said to the last man. “You keep in radio contact with the guys. Let me know if they find anything. And I,” he said to me, “will go and find what we’re looking for.”
“Thanks,” I said again.
“No worries, man.”
I followed Klaas inside and showed him to my office. He could use whatever he needed to in there to try and find whoever these would-be killers were. Because I have not one doubt in my mind that they were.
My mind went back to that time I had tried so hard, so fruitlessly, to forget. Then the call came through that they had Ada. Unless I closed my company, they would kill her.
I had hesitated maybe a moment too long. Not because I valued the company more than Ada, but because I had no idea how to start dismantling it. And perhaps, at least a little, because the company was our livelihood. What would Ada say if we suddenly lost everything?
It was a ridiculous thought, but it was a thought I had. And those two things had cost Ada her life.
They shot her. I was grateful at least for that. Cleanly through the head. It was shocking that I was grateful for that. It should never have happened at all. Images of her—of what she had suffered—played out through my mind for months, robbing me of sleep so that I thought I might lose my mind.
And now it was happening again, this time with Emma.
“I hate these people,” I hissed. The hate was a living thing, like an animal inside me. I clenched my fists, wanting to hold it in. I glanced at my desk, where Klaas calmly sat at the Mac, looking for things about cars. Seeing him was reassuring and I saw that much of my hate was to cover up my fear.
“Well, the fuckers are driving a Colt Ralliart.”
“Oh,” I said. They weren’t exactly cheap cars. Whoever this was seemed to have money at their disposal. But then that should have been obvious: breaching the security around Park House was a serious achievement in itself. I closed my eyes, wondering if I could make any guess at all about who these people might be. Who could possibly hate me enough to hurt the deepest part of my heart? Who was simultaneously well heeled enough and angry enough to do this?
I had no idea. But I knew that the need to get to where they were as quickly as possible. I would not let them take Emma. I had failed Ada and I lived haunted by her spirit all my life. I would not fail Emma. She was my light.
A sound made Klaas look up in surprise.
“Radio,” he said quickly. “Team two. They have something for me.”
“Answer,” I snapped, before I had thought about the fact that Klaas didn’t appreciate that. He raised a brow at me but did it immediately.
“Ace. What you found?” A pause. “Yes.”
I looked at him.
“They found the car.”
That was all I needed.
“I’m coming with you.”
Chapter 13
Emma
The room had a funny smell. That was the first thing I noticed. A sort of dusty scent, like
sweeping was a thing it had recently forgotten. I breathed in. Then I noticed I was stiff.
Ropes. On wrists and ankles. I was tied up. Why?
I tried to scream. My throat was very dry and my chest was sore. I managed to wheeze. Instantly, I heard voices.
“She’s awake.”
“Do something.”
“Wait. We don’t know what he’s going to do yet.”
A short sound. It was someone laughing. “Doesn’t matter, does it?”
The other three voices were silent. So was I. I had to know what was meant by that. He was, I guessed, Alexander. What he would or would not do was of personal interest to me and I was terrified. Too frightened to move or think or really do anything except to wait there, still and silent, for whatever they would do.
I wasn’t there very long. Someone pulled me to my feet.
“What we going to do with her?” a rough voice asked.
A laugh that was distinctly horrid. “Plenty o’things we could do,” the voice said. I swallowed hard. I knew exactly what he was talking about and so did everyone else. I wanted to disappear. I felt horrible. Threatened and shamed at once.
“Boss…”
“Phone him.”
“But…”
“Do it.”
Someone must have been phoning, because I heard the fourth man saying: “Tell him we’ll kill her.”
Reality withdrew a step. I was asleep. I had to be. This was a horrid dream and I would wake up. I had to.
“We’re gonna kill her.”
I don’t know what Alex said, or if it even was him, but the person hung up in frustration.
“What did he say?”
“Nothing.”
Nothing. I felt my eyes cloud over. I was crying. Alexander said nothing? Was it even Alexander?
“How do we know this is the right girl?”
“Dunno, boss. Right place, right?”
“So?” he chuckled. “Lots of people could be there. You checked carefully?”
“Careful as I could be. You think she looks like the shot?”
I lay very still, pretending not to breathe, while someone came close to me and held a flashlight close by. I closed my eyes tight to avoid the brightness and so I had no idea what the person looked like. All I knew was that someone was holding my hair off my face with a rough hand. I wanted to move away, to wrest my hair from their fingers, but I knew that any attempt to fight would make things harder for me. Not for them. I lay still and pretended to be sleeping.
