Secret Passions (Secret Series Romance Novels)

by Sanders, Jill

  Chapter Six

  Sandi was back at her easel working with the television on, when another report came through. This time Mrs. Bernstein was standing outside her building, looking frail and lost. She was again begging for whoever had Sandi to return her, safe and sound.

  Dropping her paintbrush, she ran to the door and out it, only one thing on her mind: calling Mrs. Bernstein. She’d passed by dozen of pay phones on the way there. She didn’t know if any of them worked still, but she was willing to take that chance. She just wanted to tell her friend that she was okay. That she was alive and not in any danger.

  When she entered the lobby, she saw John standing outside, just in front of the doors. His back was to her, and she quickly and quietly moved behind a large plant so that if he turned, he wouldn’t be able to see her. She had to figure out how to get out of the building without John knowing. Looking around, she noticed a side hallway and saw daylight coming from it. Moving towards the light, she turned a corner and saw that someone had propped the fire exit open with a brick.

  Rushing out it, she made it a few blocks away before she started looking for a payphone. She knew her neighbors number by heart and quickly dialed it.

  “Hello?”

  “Mrs. Bernstein, it’s me San... Samantha. I’m okay. I’m not hurt. I’m...”

  “Sannidhi?”

  Sandi’s heart stopped and her vision grayed. Hearing her cousin’s voice on the other end of the line scared her. What was he doing with Mrs. Bernstein?

  “Sannidhi?”

  “Yes, Anish. I’m here.”

  Thirty minutes later, she approached the dark sedan with a plan. She would do whatever she needed to ensure that Mrs. Bernstein was safe.

  When she got closer to the car, she noticed only one person in the car. What had he done with Mrs. Bernstein? Where was her father?

  Her cousin stepped from the car and tried to grab her arm. Sandi knew she needed to stay in sight of people. There was no way she was going to get in the car with her cousin.

  “What do you want Anish?”

  “For you to pay. Come with me.” He reached for her again.

  “No!” She jerked back. “What have you done with Mrs. Bernstein?”

  “The old lady wouldn’t leave her apartment, and when I tried to pull her with me, she fainted. I didn’t want to carry her, so I left her there on her floor.”

  He reached for her again, this time grabbing her arm in a tight grip. She spun and did one of the moves she’d been taught the first few months of self-defense classes. He reached for her again and she twisted away, this time stomping on his foot really hard with the heel of her new shoes. When he grabbed her around the waist she started screaming like she’d been taught to do. He released her when everyone within a block radius looked her direction, and she took off running to the one place she knew she would be able to lose him. The street market was three blocks away. It was always crowded and she thought she could easily lose him in the crowds.

  She heard him yelling for her and could tell how close he was behind her. She was a fast runner, had always been faster than her cousin, but she was working on little sleep and she heard him getting closer and closer. People looked at her as she ran past them. Some moved out of her way, others didn’t. When she rounded the final corner and the street market was finally in sight, she felt his hand grip her shirt. He jolted her shoulder back as he grabbed it. She heard a rip and then she jerked her shoulder free.

  Taking a risky chance, she darted into the street and made it halfway across before she heard tires screech and a horn blast right before she felt the impact of the taxi on her hip.

  Mitch was right on Sandi’s cousins heels, but when he rounded the corner, he saw her bolt across the street and screamed her name just before the taxi clipped her hip and watched in horror as she flew across the street and landed in a small pile a few feet away.

  People stopped and some ran towards her from a street market to help. He watched her cousin stop on the sidewalk, look around at the people, then casually walk away. Mitch rushed to Sandi’s side, pushing several people away as they stood around her to stare.

  There was no blood, he thought as he knelt beside her. He knew better than to move her, so he gently touched her face. “Sandi?” he said over and over, lightly rubbing his fingers over her face. When she moaned and turned her head, he held her still. “No, don’t move.” He looked up to a woman standing across from him. “Call an ambulance.”

  “Already on it,” she said, shaking her phone.

  He gently ran his hands over Sandi, checking for broken bones. When he got to her hip, she bolted up and let a little scream out, starting to fight him off.

  “Easy, you’re okay. It’s me.” She stopped and looked at him, then she was in his arms as everyone around them clapped.

  Over an hour later, they were still stuck in the small room in the ER, waiting for a doctor to tell her what he already knew: no broken bones, just some bad bruising. But the doctor had wanted an X-ray and so they were waiting for her turn to be rolled into the x-ray room. She was a trooper through it all. They had given her a mild pain pill. She had a slight bump to the back of her head where she’d landed on the cement, but he didn’t see a scratch on her. He was thankful.

  The police had come and gone. They both explained everything several times to several different officers. The missing persons report was updated and when they finally left the small hospital room, he believed the police were going to look for her family for questioning. He got the impression that they didn't mark it as high priority.

  Mitch had held back his temper at her for leaving his place, since she'd explained everything several times. He sat across from her in a very uncomfortable chair, watching her closely. How did she learn to kick butt like that?

  “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  He uncrossed his arms and tried to relax. “Like what?”

  She looked at him more closely. She was propped up in one of the beds with several pillows behind her head. Her new jeans were ripped at the knee and her shirt was almost a complete loss. He’d given her the light jacked he’d been wearing to cover the lacy bra he’d glimpsed.

  “I don’t know, like you’re trying to figure me out. Mitch, I’ve already explained why I went to meet my cousin.”

  “I know.”

  “I’m just thankful Mrs. Bernstein is okay. If anything had happened to her...”

  “Don’t. Don’t do that to yourself. You heard what the cops said. She’s fine and going to stay with her son for a while. She was just happy to hear that you were okay.”

  “I know. It’s sad. I didn’t even know that much about her. I had lived there three years and talked to her almost every day, but I didn’t know she had a son.”

  He could see her frowning and got up to cross the room. Taking her hand, he waited until she looked at him.

  “Sandi, I’ve lived in my building for over ten years. The only people I talk to on a regular basis are John and Matt, the two doormen. Neighbors have come and gone. I’m courteous to them, but short of saying a few words in the elevator, I don’t know much about them.”

  She looked down at their joined hands.

  “You risked too much for someone else. I’m trying to understand why you would do something like that.”

  “Mrs. Bernstein was the first person I knew outside of the people who helped me settle here. She was my first friend. She always cared about me. Where I was going, what I was doing. She’s the sweetest person I’ve ever known. You would have done the same thing.”

  He looked down at her and could see tears forming in her eyes. “You’re right. It doesn’t mean I am condoning you doing something so risky. But I can understand.”

  Just then the nurse walked in with a wheelchair to take her to get her x-ray. He sat in the small room and thought about her. There really was more to her than even she thought. This was New York. People tended to stick to their own business here. No one really
stood up for their neighbors that much, anymore. Yet here she was, bruised all because she had thought her little old neighbor lady was in danger.

  Two hours later, they walked in the front door of his building. Matt was on duty tonight and he was shocked to see Sandi hobbling in the front door, leaning on Mitch for support. Thank goodness she hadn’t broken any bones. She’d been very lucky. She was having a hard time walking and when they finally made it in the door, he swooped her up and carried her the rest of the way into his place and gently set her down on the couch. He could tell she was tired. Her eyes were dull and when he’d carried her, she had rested her head on his shoulder.

  Then he remembered that she’d spent the entire night painting. She must be exhausted.

  “I can carry you upstairs if you want?” He stood over her as she adjusted her legs on the couch. She shook her head, no.

  “No, I think I’ll stay down here for a while. What are your plans?” He thought about it.

  “Well, there’s a game on tonight. I suppose if you’re game, we could watch it down here. I could make us some sandwiches and popcorn?”

  “That sounds wonderful.” She adjusted her legs a little more. He realized she was trying to get comfortable and walked over to retrieve the pillows from one of the chairs. Propping it behind her, he handed her the blanket off the back of the couch. She was still wearing her torn jeans and his jacket, but acted like she was cold. Could it be that she was still in shock? He didn’t want to take any chances. He helped her lay the blanket over her gently.

  “Thank you.” She straightened the blanket over her lap. He turned to walk into the kitchen. “Mitch?” He turned back to her. “I mean it, thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been here.”

  He smiled at her and nodded. “Here.” He handed her the remote. “The game is on ESPN.”

  He walked into the kitchen and felt like banging his head on the wall. He didn’t want her gratitude. Didn’t she understand she was in this mess because of him? He walked to the fridge and started making them some turkey sandwiches.

  By the time he walked back into the living room with his arms full of food, he stopped dead in the middle of the floor when he realized she was asleep. Her head was tilted back on the pillow, her arms were crossed over her chest lightly, and her face was more beautiful than he had remembered. He was really in trouble.

  Setting the food down on the dining room table, he walked over and muted the game, then bent over and gathered her up in his arms and carried her upstairs to her room.

  When he started to lay her on the bed she moaned and tried to keep her arms around his shoulders. “Mitch?”

  “Shh, you’re okay. I’m just putting you to bed.”

  “Stay with me for a while? I don’t want to be alone.”

  He looked into her sleepy eyes and nodded. Laying her down gently, he walked to the end of the bed and removed her shoes one by one. Then he toed off his own and crawled into the bed beside her. Making sure the blanket was firmly covering her, he pulled her into his arms. He relaxed as she sighed and snuggled closer.

  “Thank you, Mitch.”

  He kissed the top of her head and wondered if there would ever be a time when her thanking him wouldn’t sting so much.

  Chapter Seven

  Sandi woke alone, sore, hungry, and in desperate need of a shower. She didn’t know how long she had slept, but she did feel a little refreshed. When she moved to the end of the bed, her hip screamed with pain. Using the night table to help her stand, she tested her strength slowly. When she finally got fully upright, she realized the pain wasn’t as bad as she had thought it would be. Three steps later, she realized she’d been wrong. When she walked her hip joint felt like it was grinding. By the time she made it into the bathroom, her pain level had tripled.

  “Okay, so I’ll be staying off my feet for a while,” she told her reflection as she noticed that she looked a mess. She was still wearing Mitchell’s jacket and when she removed it and hung it on the hook on the back of the door, she cringed at the shape her new shirt was in. The whole back seam was torn. Her new jeans were torn on each knee, as well.

  Slowly removing each item, she tossed her shirt in the small waste bin. When she started to remove her jeans she gasped at the large bruise running down her left side. She assumed that her hip had taken the brunt of the weight when she’d landed. Her side was covered in a nasty, dark purple bruise. When she finally pulled her jeans off, she tossed them in the bin as well.

  Turning to get a better look at her left side, she realized it wasn’t just her front that was bruised. Her entire left butt cheek was purple. She’d never had a bruise so big before. After looking at it for a few minutes, she walked over and started to run a bath, thinking that it might be easier on her to sit rather than stand to clean up. She moved the shampoo and soaps down to the bottom shelf so she could easily reach them. Then she climbed into the hot water and almost cried with relief when the heat hit her hip.

  She didn’t know how long she stayed in the hot bath, but she felt her head getting dull and so she finally climbed out. What she needed now was a clean set of clothes and a large cup of coffee.

  When she made it to the landing, Mitch walked out of his room.

  “So, how are you feeling?” he asked as he approached her on the landing. She noticed he wasn’t wearing a suit and wondered if he was going to go into work that day since it must be past nine already.

  “A little sore. I have a large bruise across my hip.”

  He frowned at that and she realized when he did so, a small crease formed between his eyebrows.

  “We should have iced it last night. I bet you’re hungry.”

  She nodded her head. “I could use a quart of coffee at this point, too.” He chuckled.

  “Do you think you can maneuver the stairs yourself? Or do you want me to carry you again?”

  She blushed, remembering how she had sighed and laid her head on his shoulder as he carried her upstairs last night. It had been the stuff of dreams, being held by his strong arms, her head resting against his chest. She desperately wanted it to happen again, but she was too afraid he’d realize her thoughts.

  Shaking her head, she started walking towards the stairs, holding onto the wood railing tightly. By the time she made it to the bottom, she was breathing hard and a bead of sweat rolled down her forehead. He was beside her the entire trip down, his hands out just in case she started to topple.

  “You’re staying on that couch all day.” He was frowning at her when she looked up, and she could see the worry in his eyes.

  She nodded in agreement and started walking towards the living area. He scooped her up and carried her the ten feet to the couch. When he set her down gently, she wished the room was larger so he’d have to hold onto her longer.

  “I’ll get you that coffee and an ice pack.” He turned and walked out of the room. Reaching over, she grabbed the remote and turned on the television and was shocked to see her face on the set again.

  “…apparently was involved in an altercation yesterday. Police aren’t saying where the young woman is now, just that she is uninjured and under protection.”

  The end of the report was all she needed. She flipped off the set and tossed the remote down.

  If her cousin or father asked enough questions, they would be able to find her connection to Mitchell and her safe haven would be exposed. She needed to move on. Her mind worked frantically as she heard Mitch making her coffee in the kitchen. She knew he wouldn’t let her go on her own, so she started making plans on how she would sneak away and where she would go.

  Maybe back at the shelter was the best place for her at this time? Regardless, she needed to make a choice on what she was going to do and act on it soon. She doubted she had a week before her cousin and father would find the connection.

  “What are you scheming?” Mitch walked in balancing a tray holding a cup of coffee, a bowl of fruit,
and some toast on a plate. He set the tray on the coffee table and sat across from her.

  “What?” She tried to look innocent. Apparently it wasn’t working.

  “You have something on your mind. You might as well spill it. I’m known for getting my way.” The smile he gave her almost stopped her heart.

  How could she hide anything from him? She tried to start talking about what had happened yesterday, but he stopped her.

  “Sandi, I know there is something else on your mind. You get a small crease here.” He reached up and touched her forehead. Almost the same place she’d noticed his earlier. “Don’t tell me you are just thinking about what happened to Mrs. Bernstein. You know she’s safe at her son's.”