“Tell me about Erika Vincent,” Zee suggested calmly, the hand he placed on her wrist easily catching the sharp jump in her pulse.
“She minds her own business and doesn’t endanger her friends,” Erika slid her hand carefully from his and lifted his wrist with two fingers, carrying it to his thigh and dropping it there. “I blame the moon. I’m not generally careless and going to a party is definitely not one of my brighter moves right now. But I so need to relax.”
“You’re not growing furry, so I’m assuming it’s not a lycan thing,” Zee grinned at her, pulling up to the valet and turning the car off. She was out and around the front in time to offer his arm. “Shall we, Miss Vincent? I think the evening promises to be filled with unforgettable adventures. And everyone needs a little down time now and then.”
“Why is a special forces security expert running a delicious sandwich shop?” Erika asked as they entered the large, open area of the foyer to the WindSwept Narrows Resort and Casino.
“It’s calming and creative and I’ve always enjoyed cooking,” he told her without missing a beat. “Are you going to make me investigate Erika Vincent to find the story behind the lady?”
“I seriously doubt anyone could make you do anything, Xavier,” she returned sweetly, facing the front of the elevator when they entered and not looking back over her shoulder. “Who told you my name?”
“The cop investigating your disappearance.” He heard the slightest hitch in her breathing. “Very cool and collected,” he murmured softly, his palms settling at her waist and his mouth moving next to her ear. “And you aren’t running. Why did I believe you would run?”
“It’s what I do. It’s cleaner, easier,” she answered, swallowing hard and refusing to move or react. “They should never have involved the police,” she said with a hint of anger.
“I think uncovering your secrets would take a lifetime. But I never would have thought you were a coward,” Zee inhaled the fresh, simple scents of shampoo and soap and Erika Vincent. “What’s scared you enough to run?”
“You should consider a career change. I don’t think you’re being stimulated enough owning a sandwich shop,” Erika strode forward the instant the elevator opened, her head up and feet crossing as she walked that sexy model walk down the hallway. Only a little stumble when she heard the low wolf whistle behind her.
“Zee! I was hoping you’d make it,” Tre Thorne stepped forward, Natalie at his side wearing a simple cocktail dress in silver and lavender. “Natalie, an old friend of mine, Zee Moore. I don’t know your date,” he offered his palm. “Tre Thorne.”
“Mr. Moore, what a surprise,” Natalie pursed her lips and looked at the blonde beside him. “Natalie Templeton,” she offered her palm, listening to the man whispering in her ear. “Natalie Thorne.”
“Erika…nice to meet you,” she said, applying a smile.
“Help yourselves. Plenty of food,” Tre walked with them into the large ballroom, two banners adorning the room, one of each end of the room.
“Looks like all kinds of congratulations are in order,” Zee read the banners and looked at Natalie, trying to determine her thoughts. And how much he should apologize for. “I think we’ll track down some food, Tre…Natalie.”
“We have a quiet table over in the corner,” Tre gestured toward the far side. “Join us, please.”
“I’d like that,” Erika said quietly, meeting the expression on Natalie’s face with a nod.
“Do you know the detective?” Zee asked when they were walking along the buffet, his plate filling and hers, less so. “Not hungry?”
“No…I’ve never met her before. I think I should go,” Erika hated the quiver in her voice. She wasn’t too fond of the idea of leaving, either. She didn’t quite understand why, but she enjoyed the sharp banter with Xavier Moore. His precise, handsome features, short clipped hair and teasing voice made her forget for a while.
“Whatever it is, Erika, let me help,” he began putting food on the plate she held as they walked, even as she looked around her. He could see the quick little pulsing at the side of her throat.
“You can’t help, Xavier, he’ll crush you,” she whispered hoarsely.
“Who?” He kept his body close to hers, guiding her along the line and toward the far corner where Tre and Natalie sat waiting. “I’ll snag us some wine and be right back.”
Erika hesitated, her gaze sweeping around the room nervously.
“I might be able to help if you let me try, Erika,” Natalie tucked a long strand of dark hair behind one ear, her fingers tight in Tre’s hand on the table.
She shook her head and sat down, wanting to chalk the discomfort up to general nerves. She’d been gone four days. She left a note apologizing to Adam; telling him simply that she didn’t love him and wouldn’t go through with the wedding.
She didn’t offer an excuse. Didn’t bother telling him that she had seen him with someone else. She had thought all this time he was being a gentleman. Polite, even chaste kisses from the good looking high level vice-president in one of her father’s companies. It was like kissing a stone.
She’d felt more sexual, more electricity the last hour with Xavier than she had in four months with Adam Wayne. But it wouldn’t have been possible to continue rising in the company if they knew the truth, so he pretended interest in her. Were his reasons that simple? Or had she been that distracted. She sighed. She’d seriously been distracted and had no one to blame but herself.
And six days before the wedding, she saw and heard the huge fight between Adam Wayne and Ross Richardson. Then she saw them making up.
On the grounds of her father’s house out on the island. She felt the oxygen leaving her; felt the color draining from her face and almost went to her knees. He wasn’t interested in her. He was marrying her to stop the rumors about his sexuality and to aid his boyfriend’s political career.
What could possibly have been worse than that?
Her parents knew and approved because he had an excellent pedigree.
“Erika?” Zee had come up at the instant that last thought struck her, the cold glass of wine in his hand held to her lips. “Drink this…what the hell…”
She shook her head, her hand taking the glass and setting it down. She wiped the damp fingers over her cheek.
“I’m alright,” she said with a jagged breath. “I…just lost in thought.”
“Didn’t look like a happy thought,” Tre commented, concern at the pale features. Natalie had filled him in while they were getting food. “We got chocolate cake,” he said, looking for a distraction.
“I’m not sure facts can count as happy thoughts. They’re just…thoughts,” Erika picked at the food on the plate, her stomach churning.
“Maybe if you shared, we could brainstorm a solution for you,” Zee bit into the stuffed mushroom.
When the sharp light struck their table, Erika realized she hadn’t run far enough from Seattle. She felt Zee’s hand settle on her shoulder when she jumped, the familiar voice of a reporter seeping through the sudden onset of fog.
“Dr. Thorne…Stacy Brock with the Times,” she was smiling down at them, her breath catching when her gaze landed on Erika. “Miss Vincent…Erika Vincent.”
“I think you’ve made a mistake,” Erika tried to push to the side, heart thumping and ready to make an escape.
“No, no, I haven’t. We’ve been running your photo for three days. Your parents reported you missing and they feared that perhaps you’d…”
“I am not missing. I am not…” she closed her eyes and swallowed the shudder.
“Have you been in touch with your family? Your fiancé?” The reporter pushed quickly, as if sensing her prey was faltering beneath her assault.
“Please go away,” Erika whispered.
“Your wedding is scheduled for tomorrow…”
“I sincerely doubt she’ll be there since we were married two days ago,” Xavier Moore said coolly, looking up at the reporter with a fer
al grin. “I’d be a little put out if my wife changed her mind now.”
A reporter shouldn’t be at a loss for words but she stared for a long minute.
“It was a nice ceremony,” Tre said casually. “One of those simple things at a judge’s chambers. A double ceremony,” he told the woman with a grin, carrying Natalie’s palm to his lips.
“You’ve married, Dr. Thorne? It’s been quite a week,” the reporter finally managed, regrouping and half listening to a commentary in her earpiece.
“Natalie and I were the other couple, Ms. Brock. Who said Erika was missing?”
She looked pointedly at Natalie. “She was reported as a missing person in Seattle and then in Tacoma when she was sighted in the area. Obviously there’s been a misunderstanding.”
“Perhaps you don’t have the complete story, Ms. Brock,” Natalie said casually, smiling brightly and freezing in place. “The night just keeps getting better and better.”
“I seem to be missing a lot of facts on this story,” Stacy admitted with a smile, stepping to the side and allowing the older couple through. She knew her social calendar quite well and recognized them immediately. Better and better, she repeated. “Mr. and Mrs. Templeton…” Then the names registered. “Your parents.”
Natalie smiled brightly, unconsciously moving next to Tre. But only for a moment.
“If you’ll excuse us, Erika needs some cold water and a little air,” Natalie was up and taking Erika’s palm, the other woman coming from the seat quickly and following at her side.
“Is there an escape hatch here?” Erika asked hoarsely.
“I think running isn’t working, Erika,” Natalie reached the large, gleaming restroom and caught their reflections in the wall length mirrors. “For either of us. I have a feeling your parents have mucked up your life as much as mine have. As much as I’ve allowed mine to,” she corrected firmly.
Erika turned the cold water on, her wrists beneath the stream and her eyes closed, her forehead resting on the cold granite counter.
“No, running was working until I let myself think they’d accepted my decision,” she straightened slowly, striding to the wall and tapping the warm air to dry her hands.
“Why are you on my missing person’s list, Erika?” Natalie leaned against the counter, hoping Tre was alright.
“I left a note,” she looked at the other woman. “I told Adam I was calling off the wedding. I gave him back his ring. And I left. I am not missing and it was wrong of them to…to use police resources like that. The only thing I can think of is they wanted some kind of…of story to avoid being humiliated.”
“Alright. I can accept that. But…” she sighed. She avoided her parents like the plague. She knew she wasn’t the only one with dysfunctional parents. “I think I need to rescue Tre. He doesn’t deserve my parents,” Natalie looped her arm with Erika’s. “I don’t know why you had to run, but I do know you’ve got a guy willing to stand up to the demons with you, if you give him a chance. It took me a bit of time to accept that same thing, so I do understand.”
“Xavier? I only met the man this morning,” Erika told her in a hoarse whisper. “I had to ditch my car because my father was having me followed and…oh, god, what a mess.”
Natalie laughed. “I learned that time isn’t what matters. Not at all,” she said positively, smiling brightly at Tre when he stood up and held out his palm.
Chapter Three
Erika tried to ignore the newly added camera. And the reporter. Watching.
Natalie’s words echoed in her head at the same time she felt warm and protected, a palm out and twining with hers until he had her close enough to circle. The band of his arms circled her when he positioned her in front of him, his mouth moving next to her ear.
“Smile and never let them see your fears, Erika.”
It wasn’t so difficult to do as he said, half listening to the older couple.
“You cannot be serious, Natalie,” Geofrey Templeton demanded, his voice laced with disbelief. “You only just divorced!”
“That was over two years ago, Father,” Natalie leaned into Tre. “In case you forgot, this is my life, my choice. Wish me luck and please don’t cause a scene. Excuse us…Tre promised me a dance or three.”
With Tre taking the lead, she exhaled and continued on to the dance floor without looking back. Her life was now and with Tre. She loved him and knew it wouldn’t be ending anytime in the distant future.
Erika watched them move into the room where the music was playing, people laughing and dancing.
Happy. For a brief time, she forgot where she was.
“How about we join them on the dance floor?” Zee whispered in her ear, ignoring the sputtering older couple and the reporter asking questions. “Leave before I have you thrown out for harassing my wife,” he told the woman sharply.
“You don’t realize what you’ve done,” Erika said when they were on the dance floor, his hands settled on her waist and guiding her to the slow music.
“Complicated your life?” He didn’t try hiding the amusement in his voice but he did try and look somber when her eyes widened and she stared at him.
“You just announced to a reporter that we were married.”
“You didn’t protest. And it actually seemed to shock the reporter,” Zee recalled with a chuckle.
Erika shook her head, even as the urge to rest it against his shoulder took over.
“I should have. I usually handle bulls in china shops much better than I have been lately.”
“What do you think will happen to me, Erika?” His hands moved a little closer together, willingly taking up the space she was granting until her head rested on his shoulder as they danced. “Why was the reporter so shocked?”
“You are just full of questions, Xavier Moore. And you know what curiosity did to the cat,” she warned with a sigh.
“How about an easy one, then? What do you do for a living, Erika Vincent?” He let his eyes cruise over the soft curve of her cheek when she lifted her head and met his eyes. “Hey, a guy’s gotta know a little something about his mysterious wife.”
“I’m a pharmacist,” she answered finally. “I received the letter of intent from the resort personnel department the same day I…” she stopped, her head shaking and her face turning back to rest against his shoulder.
“Same day as what? That you called off the wedding,” he felt her body stiffen at his guess. “It’s difficult for you to trust me.” That part he could understand. He’d spent six years in the military and forming that kind of trust wasn’t easy when your life depended on it.
“When you trust people, you open yourself up to either you being hurt, or they get hurt,” she said without looking up. She could indulge. Just for one night. Relax and feel safe. Feel like a woman again.
“What if you meet someone willing to take that chance of being hurt? And promises not to sell you out?” He barely managed to get his chin out of the way before it was clipped by her head shooting up, eyes wide and staring at him. “I’m good at puzzles,” he said with a wink. “Someone you trusted sold you out in some way. Maybe you trusted the wrong people, Erika.”
“I told you, trust people and they could be hurt,” her head shook slightly. “That’s not my idea of…of friendship to put someone in a position where…” Erika shook her head. “It’s all too convoluted, Xavier. Please, believe me. Four months ago I would never have thought…”
Zee felt her stiffen when the noise began behind them.
“Sir, I’m sorry, this is a closed party.”
“My fiancé is here and I want inside now,” came the hard, cold exclamation.
“Fucking reporter,” Zee growled, his hands tightened on Erika. He looked over to see Stacy Brock waiting eagerly with her camera guy to catch the drama.
“It’s her job,” Erika sighed. “Adam can be quite forceful when it comes to what he wants.”
“Is that why you broke it off? Did he hurt you?”
“Physically? No…no…in fact, he never even touched me. And the only kiss I ever got was usually on my forehead,” she told him, watching the stark disbelief on his face. “I have no sex appeal, Xavier,” she whispered with a wrinkled nose. “He’s quite successful and quite handsome. But sexually…I don’t appeal to him.” She said very slowly, watching; hoping those sharp blue eyes would understand what she was saying.
“And the betrayal?”
“My parents knew and never told me,” she answered, sighing and realizing how much she’d needed to talk to someone, anyone, about what was trapped inside her.
Zee stared down at the pale pink lips.
“So if it makes me a coward to run until I could get my head straight, it’s what I am,” she shrugged one shoulder.
“No is still no, Erika.”
“You haven’t met my parents or Adam. If this got out…let’s say they’ll do whatever they have to for it not to happen,” she didn’t have time to do more than move closer when Adam stormed up to them, his hand on Zee’s shoulder. For one whole second.
Pale lashes went wide when Zee’s elbow shot back, catching Adam in the ribs, hard.
“Erika!”
“Zee!” She hissed, working to keep from laughing at the bent over figure, his suit coat open and hands rubbing his ribs as he straightened up.
“I don’t like being snuck up on,” he answered with a casual shrug, turning to face the man but never taking one arm off Erika. They watched the man who had been maintaining the door standing beside Adam Wayne.
“This is a private party, Adam. You shouldn’t be here,” Erika didn’t want to admit it, not out loud, but there was a safe feeling being held close to Zee, his palm warm on the rise of her hip. And it kept her from falling to the floor because her knees were quaking.
“Where have you been? We’ve been searching since you vanished. You and I need to talk,” the perfectly styled dark hair barely moved as he gazed around. “Away from here. Come with me,” he reached for her arm only to have his wrist gripped tightly and bent. “What…!”
WindSwept Narrows: #22 Erika & Vianne Page 2
