by Mina Carter
He dragged his hands down his face.
“I’ll call you later. Maybe you can come over then. I just need a little while alone, but I promise, I’ll let you know if anything happens, okay?” she pleaded.
He shook his head. “No. I’m putting my foot down on this one.”
“Oh… a foot,” Pepper quipped. “Well, that’s very serious then.” She tried to make light of his demand, but if she didn’t get rid of him, Mario would be in trouble.
“Come back inside,” he said.
“Fine.” Pepper sighed. “Could we go to the beach instead of back to the hotel?”
“Of course.”
“Why don’t you run in and make sure no one needs you,” she suggested. “Then we’ll go.”
“Why don’t you come with me?”
“I’ll just grab my coat and wait for you here. I don’t really want to go back inside.”
“Pepper,” he admonished.
She unlocked her trunk and pulled out her coat, then held out her keys. “Here. I can’t go anywhere without keys.”
He took the key ring from her and stared at her for a few seconds before nodding and walking inside.
Pepper waited until the door closed on him and reached under the wheel well for her spare. She climbed into her car and took off. She needed to get distance between them before her resolve completely failed her.
* * *
Connall heard the sound of a car starting up and his stomach dropped. He threw open the door just in time to see Pepper peel out of the driveway. He swore as he slammed his fist into the wall, causing some of the brick on the side of the building to crumble.
Pepper Brooks, you and I are going to have a serious conversation!
Please don’t be mad, Con.
Connall turned when he heard footsteps and saw Dalton rushing out of the reception hall, his face frantic with worry.
“Where’s Pepper?” he asked.
“She went home,” Connall said.
“To my parents’?”
Connall shook his head. “No. Pretty sure she’s heading to her house. She said she wanted to be alone.”
“Damn it!” Dalton ran his hands through his hair. “Why the hell did you let her go?”
“Not exactly how I’d put it,” Connall said and held up Pepper’s keys.
“What about the spare she has under her wheel well?”
Connall said a few four-letter words in an effort to relieve himself of the sudden need to wrap his hand around the neck of Sam’s grinning brother.
Dalton pulled out his phone and punched in a number. “Damn it!”
Connall scowled. “What?”
“She’s not picking up.”
“What aren’t you telling me, Dalton?”
“Nothing. I’ll take care of it.”
“What will you take care of, exactly?”
“Nothing. I’ll head over to her place and talk to her in person.”
“How about I head over to her place, pick her up, and take her back to your parents’,” Connall suggested. “Can you give me her address?”
“If she didn’t give it to you, then I don’t feel comfortable going behind her back.” Dalton smirked. “We’re all good. I’ve got her back and she trusts me. You don’t need to concern yourself with her. Come on. We should make sure the gifts get loaded.”
Connall watched Dalton disappear back inside the building and scowled.
Pepper?
Nothing.
Sweetheart, please answer me. I need to know you’re all right.
He waited, his irritation and concern rising with each passing second.
Con, I’m fine. I just need to be alone.
He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax. Pepper.
Connall, she mimicked. Calm down, baby. You’ll give yourself a coronary.
He couldn’t help but smile at her endearment. He figured she probably didn’t realize she’d thought it. Pepper, just give me your address. I’ll leave you to your thoughts, but I’ll feel much better knowing how to get to you if you need me.
I won’t need you.
Pepper!
Nothing… again. He stood in the middle of the parking lot and waited, making numerous attempts to contact her. She had effectively blocked him out, or was doing a damn good job of ignoring him.
Connall made his way back inside, an idea forming and a plan already mapped out. He located Max in the crowd talking to a stunning young woman, and shook his head. Max was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome and used it to his advantage. With his black hair, ice-blue eyes, and athletic physique, women gravitated to him. Connall couldn’t remember a time when Max didn’t have a woman hanging on him. He wondered what would happen when Max finally found his mate. Connall shook his head and chuckled to himself. He hoped she gave him hell.
“Excuse me, would you?” Connall smiled at the pretty brunette and pulled Max aside. “I need you to do something for me.”
Max raised an eyebrow. “This sounds ominous.”
“I need Pepper’s address. You’ll have to get it from Dalton since Sam’s gone.”
“I take it you already asked him?”
“Aye.”
“Bloody idiot,” Max said with a frown.
“Aye.”
“Pepper wasn’t forthcoming, eh?” Max surmised.
“Max.” Connall narrowed his eyes. “I’m not in the mood.”
“Okay. Give me a sec.” Max headed toward Dalton, returning within minutes, a scrap of paper in his hand. “That was too easy.”
“Thanks.” Connall grabbed the paper and headed toward his car. He was once again grateful his closest friend had the power to make people tell him things.
Connall climbed into the rental car, entered the destination information on the GPS, and sped off toward Pepper’s home. He pressed harder on the gas pedal when he felt her sudden panic, hoping he’d make it in time. Pulling up in front of the dilapidated brick house, he saw Pepper’s beat-up VW Rabbit sitting in the driveway.
He slid out of the car and made a run for the house, hearing Pepper’s angry voice filter through the open door. “Get off me!”
“I just want a little kiss.” A deep voice slurred.
Pepper said something Connall couldn’t quite hear and then a slap sounded. “You bitch! You’ll pay for this.”
Before Connall could react, he heard a groan and something crashed to the floor. Pepper came flying down the hall and nearly slammed into him. He caught her firmly, not fully prepared for her reaction. She screamed and slammed her fist into his cheek.
“Pepper! It’s me. Shh. Sweetheart, I’ve got you.”
“Connall?” she asked, her breath coming in short pants. She scowled at him. “You’re not supposed to be here!”
“You’re not the boss of me,” he retorted. “Is it safe to let you go?”
“Oh, yes.” She stepped away from him and laid her fingers over her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I’ll get you some ice.”
He reached for her again. “Pepper, wait. What’s going on? Who were you yelling at?”
“Nothing. No one. Everything’s fine. You should go.”
A grunt from the other room indicated all was not fine.
“Who the hell is that?” he demanded.
She shook her head. “No one.”
“I want you to wait outside,” Connall said.
“Um… but… ”
He narrowed his eyes. “Pepper. Please wait outside.”
She hesitated, then sidled out the front door. Connall went looking for the person attached to the groaning. He rounded the corner and found a scruffy-headed man with several tattoos covering his neck and arms, writhing on the floor with his hands between his legs.
“Did you catch that little bitch?” he snapped.
Connall leaned over him. “And who are you?”
“I’m the boyfriend, who the hell are you?”
“The mother’s boyfriend, correct? Not Pepper’s.”
Connall reached down, wrapped his hand around the man’s neck, and lifted him from the floor. The man got a scream out before his windpipe began to close. “I would suggest you leave. Never come back. If you ever touch Pepper again, I will kill you. Do you understand?”
The boyfriend’s face was turning red, but he managed to nod.
“If you look at her again, I will kill you. Do you understand?”
He nodded again as he tore at Connall’s arm.
Connall cocked his head. “If you try to contact her in any way, I will kill you. Do you understand?”
Another desperate nod.
“If you speak her name, I will hear it, and I will find you and kill you. Do you understand?”
Connall released his hold and the man slid to the ground, taking in large gasps of air. Connall strode outside to find Pepper pacing the driveway.
“Where’s your mother’s cat?” he snapped.
“Next door, why?” Pepper said.
“Do you have anything inside you care about?”
“What?” she asked in confusion.
“You have ten minutes to pack anything of value. You are never coming back here.”
“What? Why?”
Connall calmed his anger and laid a hand on her shoulder. “I would very much appreciate it if you’d pack up anything that might be important to you. If it’s more than what you can carry, I will return with Brodie tomorrow and we’ll take care of it, but you are never coming back here.”
“He warned me to make you stay away.” Her eyes swept the surroundings. “He could be watching, Con. It’s not safe.”
“Let me worry about that.”
She bit her lip. “What about my mom? This is her house—I should watch it for her.”
“If your mother makes it through rehab and sobers up long enough to realize you’re gone, I will personally fly her to wherever you are, but you are never coming back here. As far as her house, I will hire someone to look in on it.”
“You don’t understand.”
He took a deep breath. “What don’t I understand?”
“If she’s in rehab, then she can’t work. I pay most of the rent, anyway, but I can’t cover all of it, and if she loses the house, she’ll have nowhere to go.”
“You pay the rent? For your mother?” He failed to keep the disgust from his tone.
Pepper nodded. “I don’t want her to worry about having a place to live when she’s out of rehab.”
“I’ll take care of it, Pepper.”
Pepper groaned in frustration. “I don’t want you to ‘take care of it,’ Con! This is my responsibility.”
“Let’s just get you away from here and then we can put together a plan. Okay?” He stroked her cheek. “Now, anything you need from the house?”
Pepper stared up at him for several seconds before she took a ragged breath and nodded. “I’m already packed. For Scotland. Um… the bags are in my room. Third door on the left.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Connall made his way back into the house and to Pepper’s room. He stepped inside and saw the ratty suitcases sitting against the wall. One of the closet doors was partway off its hinges and adorned with a couple of fist-sized holes. He scowled and grabbed the luggage. As he wheeled them out of the room, one busted open, spilling out a fan of envelopes. He investigated the zipper and saw that Pepper had tried to reinforce it with duct tape, but not very well. He sighed and picked up the letters, his intention to put them back, but one caught his eye and his blood went cold.
See how easy that was to please me? I’m very proud of you. Now I won’t have to kill him. If only your puppy had been as lucky.
He didn’t read any more. He slid the notes into his pocket and dragged the suitcases outside. Pepper rushed toward him. “Crap. I thought I’d taped that better.”
“It’s fine. I’ll put them in the boot.”
“Boot?”
“You call it a trunk.”
“Oh.” She reached for the broken bag. “I’ll take that one for you.”
“It’s fine, lass.” He hit the unlock button on the key fob, frowning when he saw her shiver. Leaving the luggage on the curb, he shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket and laid it over her shoulders. “It’s a bit chilly out here. Let’s get in the car.” He held her door and waited, but she hesitated. “Pepper, you need to get in the car.”
She pulled the jacket closer. “What about Thumper?”
“Thumper?” he asked.
“My car.” She nodded toward the VW Rabbit. “I’ll follow you.”
He tried not to scowl. “Were you planning to take that to Scotland?”
“No, of course not.”
“Have you removed everything you need from it?”
“Yes.”
“Right, then.” He pointed to the open door of the Mercedes. “Get in the car. You’re not going to need it.”
She didn’t move. “My mom was going to try and sell it for me. I guess that won’t happen now.”
Connall sighed and threw the luggage in the boot before closing the distance between them again and taking her hand. He felt her panic, but then she calmed and took a deep breath.
“We’ll sort it out. I bet Dalton can help.”
“Oh. Right. I hadn’t thought of that,” she said hopefully.
“Will you get in the car now, lass?” he asked.
She nodded. Connall waited until she was settled before closing the door and making his way to the driver’s side.
Pepper sat with her eyes closed, her head back against the headrest and wringing her hands in her lap. Her stress was pouring off her and Connall was having a difficult time not heading to the airstrip and flying her home.
“Con, I didn’t make arrangements for a hotel.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I’m sorry. I just thought I’d stay here.”
He rolled his eyes. “Not about that, love. You’re coming back to the hotel with me.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll find something else. A Motel Six or something.” She pressed her lips into a flat line.
“Damn it, Pepper, stop!” he snapped.
She jumped and he instantly felt her fear.
He grasped her hand and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I don’t mean to scare you. I just don’t understand why you’re trying to shut me out.”
Her gaze flew to him. “It’s working?”
He scowled. “Better than I’d like.”
“How did you find me?”
“I’ll always find you, love.”
She dropped her head. “I told Dalton not to tell you.”
He reached over and ran a finger gently down her soft cheek. “I convinced him otherwise.”
“I’m so sorry.” She sighed as she blinked back tears. “I forgot about Jeff.”
“Jeff?”
“My mom’s new boyfriend.”
He started the car in an effort to distract him from his need to kill Jeff. “He won’t bother you again.”
“How did everything get so complicated?” she asked, seemingly to the window.
He pulled away from the curb and reached for her hand, linking his fingers with hers as they drove toward the hotel. “I’m going to fix this, love. I promise.”
CHAPTER NINE
CONNALL PULLED INTO the parking lot of the hotel and slid from the car. He opened Pepper’s door, holding his hand out to her. When she slipped her hand in his, he couldn’t stop himself from running his thumb across the top of her knuckles. Her skin was so soft. “In our chaos, I was remiss not to mention how bonny ye look, lass.”
She blushed and smoothed a palm over her stomach. “Oh, thank you.”
She’d managed to change from her bridesmaid dress into dark blue j
eans that hugged every curve perfectly and a black cardigan with a red low-cut lace top underneath that showcased her full breasts… however, not as much as the night before, which he was grateful for.
A faint purple mark was forming on her jaw and Connall scowled.
He was surprised when she laid a hand on his arm. “What?”
Connall felt the calm cover him. “You have a bruise, lass.”
“Oh.” She dug in her purse and pulled out a mirror. “Crap.”
Connall lowered her hand with the mirror in it. “Pepper.”
She blinked up at him.
He ran his thumb gently over her jaw. “Did Jeff do this?”
She nodded.
He leaned down and kissed her bruise and did his best to shove his rage deep enough for her not to feel it.
“What are you doing to me?” she asked.
“The same thing you’re doing to me, love.” He covered his mouth with hers.
She slid her hands up his chest and sighed as he intensified the kiss. She broke the connection and stepped away. “If he sees us… ”
“Come inside.”
As they headed into the hotel, her phone rang. “Hello.”
He watched as terror permeated her features and she grasped his arm. “What did you do? No. No. Why?”
Tears filled her eyes and Connall could no longer hide his anger. He pulled the phone from her hand and put it to his ear. “Listen here, you bloody bastard, I will find you and you will pay for this.” He hung up and swept Pepper into his arms, heading straight for his room. He opened his door and carried her inside, sitting in the chair by the window and settling her in his lap. “What did he do, love?”
“He hurt Rio. He told me to stay at home and I didn’t.” She hiccupped. “Rio’s leg is broken and it’s all my fault.”
“It is not your fault. If we are placing blame on anyone other than the bastard harassing you, then it should be on my shoulders.”
“You, why?”
“Because I had security watching Rio.”
She sat up. “You did?”
“Yes. And I need to call Ali to find out what happened, okay?”
“Yes. Please. I need to know if Rio’s all right.”
She pushed away from him, but he pulled her back. “I can call Alasdair and hold you at the same time.” Once she was settled, albeit reluctantly, Connall dialed Ali.
