by Sherri Hayes
Chapter 14
Brianna
“You did what?” Cal’s irate voice echoed off the walls.
I cowered behind the couch where I’d been sitting, watching television with Cal and Jade, when the news anchor had interrupted for a special report. They’d cut to a scene outside Agent Marco’s office and announced that an official indictment had just been made against Ian Pierce. As soon as his name was mentioned, Cal had been all ears, turning up the volume.
They hadn’t said much, really. At least, nothing we didn’t already know. Not about Ian anyway. What had set Cal off, however, was the mention of a witness who’d come forward.
“Sources say this witness was not only aware of Pierce’s alleged illegal activities but was one of his victims. A name hasn’t been release, however many in the media have speculated that it may be the mysterious Brianna Reeves, who disappeared from the public eye shortly after her father, Jonathan Reeves, was arrested.”
After that, they’d shown the picture of my father and proceeded to go into detail about his arrest. Even though the reporter kept saying “we’re told” and “sources say,” his information was accurate. Toward the end, a picture of Stephan and me from the hospital ball was put up on the screen.
“As many in the Twin Cities are aware, Mr. Coleman has come under scrutiny recently regarding his connection with Pierce and possibly Brianna Reeves herself. In the press conference held just moments ago, the FBI confirmed that Coleman is no longer a person of interest in their investigation.”
The television was blaring in the background, but no one was paying attention to it anymore. Cal’s gaze darted back and forth between me and Jade, his face red, his chest heaving with every breath he took. I’d never seen him so mad before—not even that time at Stephan’s when I’d thought they were going to fight. I was shaking. The only thing holding me to reality was my death grip on the back of the couch.
“Cal, you need to calm down. You’re scaring Anna.”
“I’m scaring Anna? I’m scaring Anna?”
“Yes. And if you’d just take a deep breath and sit down for a minute, we can explain.”
Instead of sitting back down, Cal turned on his heel and marched toward the front door.
“Where are you going?” Jade yelled.
“I need some air.”
The door slammed shut behind him, leaving a deafening silence in his wake.
After a few minutes had passed, Jade turned down the volume on the television and came to kneel beside me. I hated causing problems, but I’d had to do it. I had to.
“He’ll be okay, Anna. He just needs some time to cool off, absorb the information, that’s all.”
I didn’t know if she was right or not, but I hoped she was.
She stayed by my side, holding tight to my hand, until I was no longer shaking. “Are you hungry? I’m thinking ice cream sounds really good right about now.”
“No.” I didn’t want ice cream. What I wanted was for Cal not to be mad at me. I had done what had to be done. Why couldn’t he understand that?
Eventually Jade stood, encouraging me to go back to where I had been sitting on the couch. Once I was settled, she disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes and returned with a glass of water.
I accepted it and took a small sip. The cool liquid coated my parched throat. It felt good, so I took another drink.
Jade sat on the floor and leaned back against the couch, her knees bent as she held a glass of amber liquid in one hand. Jade didn’t drink often—in fact, I hadn’t seen her drink anything harder than soda since that night at the club. It was only now, seeing how her shoulders slumped and her head bowed, that I realized what I’d done by asking her to keep this from Cal. I’d put a wedge between them—I’d made her choose between us.
“Do you want me to leave?”
Her head snapped up. “What?”
“Do you want me to leave?”
Jade looked confused. “Why in the world would I want you to do that?”
“Because Cal’s upset, and it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have asked you not to say anything to him. I shouldn’t have—”
“Stop right there. I could have told you no, but I didn’t. I understood your reasoning for not wanting Cal to know ahead of time, and you were right. He would have tried to stop you.”
“But I’ve caused problems between you.”
“Cal has a temper sometimes. He’ll get over it.”
Jade crossed her legs in front of her and leaned forward, holding her glass in both hands.
“I never told you this, but I had a friend my freshman year of college who was raped on her way across campus one night.”
I gasped. Was this why Jade was so nice to me?
“She had a rough time of it afterward. I was there for her as much as I could be, but in the end, she was the one who had to fight through her fear and stand up to the guy who attacked her.”
Jade took a drink, and I watched the muscles in her throat move as she swallowed.
“She said it was the hardest thing she’s ever had to do but that she was glad she did it. He’d taken her power away from her, and standing up to him gave her some of it back.”
She paused again and looked down. I waited, not knowing what to say.
“I understand why Cal doesn’t want you to get involved, I do. But that doesn’t mean that I agree with him.” Jade looked up, meeting my gaze. “This has to be your choice, Anna, and yours alone. If standing up to this guy means you get your life back, then I’ll support you one hundred percent.”
Jade downed the rest of her drink, stood, and strolled back into the kitchen. When she returned, it was with a large bowl of rocky road ice cream, two spoons, and a dining room chair. She set the chair down to my right and sat down.
Without a word, she handed me a spoon and dug into the ice cream. After a minute, I did the same. We sat there, staring at the television, eating ice cream while we waited for Cal to return.
It was dark by the time I heard the front door open and close. I’d retreated to my bedroom, but I could hear the hushed but heated voices coming from the main part of the house. It was my fault he was upset, and I’d struggled with how to fix it all evening. So far, I hadn’t come up with anything solid. Jade insisted he’d get over it, but I wasn’t so sure.
Eventually their mumbled voices faded, and I heard the door to their room close. Sighing, I leaned back against the headboard of my bed and looked out the window at the night sky. Surely Stephan knew what I’d done by now. Was he mad at me, too?
Before I could second-guess myself, I reached into the drawer and dug out a piece of paper and a pen.
Stephan,
Please don’t be mad at me.
Brianna
Tomorrow was Wednesday, and I was hoping Cal would be having lunch with Stephan like he had for the last two weeks. Folding the note, I laid it reverently on the pillow beside me as I slid down under the covers.
I didn’t sleep, just stared at the paper on my pillow and waited until morning. As the first signs of the sun began to appear against the trees, I heard movement in the main part of the house. I crawled out of bed, grabbing the note, and inched toward the door.
Gathering my courage, I opened my bedroom door. Cal stood with his back to me. He was dumping cereal into a large bowl. I waited until he was finished pouring his milk before I interrupted him. “Cal?”
He jumped, sending milk and cereal across the counter and down on the floor. His loud curse filled the otherwise silent space, causing me to backpedal. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
“Shit, Anna. You scared me. What are you doing up this early?” Cal snatched a towel from one of the drawers and started to clean up the mess he’d made.
I didn’t move.
He stopped halfway through his cleanup, looked over at me, and frowned.
Throwing down the towel, he walked to the table, cutting the distance between us in half. He pulled out a chair and sat do
wn. “I’m sorry I yelled, but you scared the crap out of me.”
Before I could lose my nerve, I thrust the paper I was clutching in my right hand out to him.
Cal stared at it before he arose and took it from me. Flipping it over, he examined it. “What’s this?”
“A-a note. I-I want you to give it to Stephan.”
He tightened his hold on the note, and for a moment, I thought he was going to rip it up. “Did he know about what happened yesterday?” Cal scoffed. “Of course he knew. He had to.”
“H-he didn’t.” Cal looked skeptical, and I knew I had to explain. “It was my decision. Just mine.”
“Yours and Jade’s, you mean.”
I shook my head. “Please don’t be mad at her. She only did what I asked her to do.”
“You asked her to lie to me?”
Lowering my gaze to the floor, I took a deep breath and finished my confession. “I asked her not to tell you. I knew you’d try to stop me, and I couldn’t let you do that.”
“Why, Anna? Why would you do this after everything Coleman and I have done to try and protect you?”
Looked up through my eyelashes, I met his frustrated gaze. “Stephan saved me. He saved my life. Agent Marco offered me the opportunity to save him. I had to.”
He didn’t respond.
“Will you please take Stephan the note?” I paused, but when he still didn’t say anything, I added, “For me?”
After another very long and tense moment, Cal nodded.
I’d nearly torn a hole in the leg of my jeans by the time Cal returned home. It was completely out of character for me, but when I heard him come in the door, I ran from my room and into the main part of the house.
He stopped when he saw me. “I gave Coleman your message.”
“Did he say anything?” I probably shouldn’t have asked since he hadn’t wanted to deliver the note in the first place, but I had to know.
“What is this, high school?” Cal muttered as he strolled into the kitchen and began his afternoon routine of making himself a sandwich. “I didn’t give him a chance to.”
I wanted to ask why, but I didn’t. It didn’t matter as long as Stephan had gotten my message. That was what I’d asked Cal to do for me, and that was what he’d done.
While Cal was busy slathering mayonnaise on two pieces of bread, I slunk back into my room. Maybe one day both Cal and Stephan would forgive me.
I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew I was waking up to yelling, and the sound was getting louder. I heard my name and knew that once again I’d caused a rift between them. I had to fix it.
Seconds later, I opened my bedroom door, following the voices. They weren’t difficult to find—they were in their bedroom. The door was open, and they were both glaring at each other.
“You can’t be serious?” he huffed.
Jade stood with her hands on her hips. “I’m completely serious. This has gone on long enough.”
“The whole point was to keep her out of the public eye. So what, you just plan to throw caution to the wind now?”
I halted my movement at the door. I’d never been inside their bedroom before.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course not.”
It was then they finally seemed to notice me.
Jade lowered her arms and walked to where I was huddled by the door. “Oh, Anna, I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to frighten you.”
I didn’t move. Whatever they were fighting about had to do with me, that much I knew.
Cal let out a defeated sigh and ambled over to the window. “You might as well tell her.”
That got a reaction out of me. “Tell me what?”
Jade smiled, and I could see excitement in her eyes. “Would you like to see Stephan?”
My eyes went wide. Stephan? “Yes! How?”
“Well, I have an idea.” I was listening. “Cal and I are going to The Coleman Foundation’s big fall gala in two weeks. What if we could arrange for you two to meet privately? No press, and no one would know but us.”
Was she serious?
“So what do you think?”
I opened my mouth to give a resounding “yes, please,” when reality slapped me in the face. What if he didn’t want to see me?
Jade must have noticed the change in my mood. “What’s wrong?”
“What if he doesn’t want to see me?”
Cal snorted.
Jade scowled at him over her shoulder and then turned her attention back to me. “Of course he wants to see you. Why wouldn’t he?”
“I don’t know,” I whispered, looking down.
She tilted my chin up with her fingers until I was looking at her again. “Well I do, and we’re going to find you the perfect dress. You’re going to knock his socks off.”
Jade was practically beaming, and it was impossible not to get caught up in her emotion.
“Okay.”
“Perfect!” Jade took hold of my hand and led me back to my room.
She went directly to my laptop and plopped down on my bed, patting the space beside her. Cal had followed us but lingered at the door. I could see the worry lines etching his face.
“Cal you might want to find something else to occupy your time. Anna and I have some dress shopping to do.”
Chapter 15
Stephan
I glanced in the mirror, making sure my bowtie wasn’t crooked. Tonight was The Coleman Foundation’s big night, and something I usually looked forward to. That wasn’t the case this year. Too much was going on in my life, and I didn’t have the one person I wanted beside me.
Tugging on my jacket, I realized the man in the reflection looked tired and years older than his twenty-five years. The last two weeks had been hell. I’d spent two days the week before going over the details of my statement with Agent Marco and one this week with the federal prosecutor. I didn’t understand the need for repetition, but they insisted it was necessary to make sure nothing was left out—that and people tended to remember specifics the more they talked through an incident.
Agent Marco had done a complete one-eighty when it came to me. He was no longer in my face, trying to weasel a confession out of me. With this immunity agreement, I was suddenly his new best friend. He’d even let it slip at our last meeting that he’d seen Brianna the day before. I’d come to find out after grilling Oscar that Brianna had been required to officially acknowledge that Ian Pierce had held her against her will in the agreement she’d signed, but that they were slowly working with her to rehash the details of her captivity.
Knowing that she was suffering and I couldn’t do anything to stop it—to help her—was killing me. Not to mention the note Ross had given me the day after the indictment had been announced. I’d wanted to respond, but how? I wouldn’t lie to her. I was upset, and part of that was directed at her. Everything I’d done to protect her had been in vain.
“Knock, knock.”
I looked over my left shoulder. Sarah stood, framed by the open doorway. She’d chosen a dark blue gown with short, sheer sleeves and a high waist to disguise her growing baby bump. The dress had a slit up the front, showing off her long legs, and she’d pinned up her hair off her neck. She looked beautiful. Once upon a time, the sight of her like this would have caused a physical reaction in me. The only thought running through my head at that moment, however, was how Brianna would look in the dress. Brianna had taken my breath away in the purple gown she’d worn to the hospital ball, and I’d hoped to get to see her all dressed up again as she accompanied me to tonight’s event. Fate had dealt us different cards.
Knowing how protective I’d been recently of my personal space, namely my bedroom, Sarah remained at the door while I slipped my wallet, keys, and phone into my pocket. “You look handsome.”
I shrugged. “You’ve seen me in a tux before.”
She stepped back into the main room as I came closer. “True, but that doesn’t make you any less handsome.”
Ignoring her
attempt to bait me into casual conversation, I checked to make sure I wasn’t forgetting anything before heading for the closet to get our coats. “Ready?”
Sarah sighed. I helped her with her coat and held the door open for her before locking up.
“You know, it wouldn’t hurt for you to try to have a good time tonight. People are going to notice your sour mood if you don’t at least make an effort.”
I waited until we were in the elevator on our way down to the parking garage before answering her. “Once we get there I’ll do what I have to and play the gracious host.” I looked her square in the eye. “I didn’t think I had to pretend with you, Sarah.”
She frowned. “That’s not what I meant, Stephan. I know you miss her. I see the effect being away from her has on you every day.”
“Then what exactly do you want from me?”
“I don’t know. I guess I was just hoping that my being here would somehow cheer you up, make it better—easier—somehow.”
The elevator doors opened, and I motioned for her to exit first. I followed her to my car and held the door open while she got in.
It didn’t take long to reach the hotel. Sarah hadn’t attempted to restart the conversation. Instead, she kept glancing over at me with a worried look on her face.
Finally, as we pulled up to the front of the hotel, I addressed the elephant in the car. “There are no words to describe how much I miss her. It’s not something I can explain to you or anyone else. I know you’re trying to help, and I’m grateful, but please let me do this my way.”
Before she could respond, the valet was there. I handed over my keys and hurried around the car to join Sarah. As we walked inside, I noticed a few photographers off to the side snapping pictures, but nothing outside the norm. I knew that wouldn’t last, though. We were early. I wanted to check in with Lily before people started to arrive to make sure everything was as it should be. Given who would be attending tonight, there would be plenty of press both inside and outside the main ballroom. My only hope was that they would pay more attention to the local celebrities than to me. With recent events, I knew it was a longshot, but I was holding out hope.
