by Amy Deason
Deep and soulful, the piano notes drifted over him, tugging at his soul. Instantly he was transported back to the monastery. In his mind’s eye, he saw Cadence sitting in a shaft of sunlight, the rays dancing on her hair, turning it to burnished copper. His heart began to pound with the intensity of the memory and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe.
As if in a dream, he drifted down the long hallway, following the plaintive notes. Hindered by the damnable cane, he managed to reach the parlor just as the last chord faded away.
Cadence must have felt his presence because she turned suddenly, her sapphire eyes latching on to him. The look of surprise on her face surely mirrored his. Cadence, however, recovered quicker than he did.
“Nikolas?”
Rising from the piano bench, she blinked as if seeing a ghost before taking the first step toward him. He, in turn, took an awkward step in her direction. Vaguely he noticed everyone else had disappeared, leaving them completely alone, the only two people in the room.
“Cadence,” he whispered, his eyes raced over her, drinking her in like a dehydrated man being offered cup after cup of ice water.
He remained unable to move as she crossed the room, the soft lavender dress dancing around her thighs. For the first time since he could remember, he was at a total loss for words.
She touched his face, cupping his jaw gently. Her palm felt like silk against his skin and he fought the urge to sigh.
“I thought I would never see you again.”
“I wasn’t sure you wanted to.”
Confusion swam in her watery eyes as she searched his face. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“At the monastery, the hotel . . .”
“Shhh,” Cadence whispered, placing her fingertips to his lips, silencing him. “None of it matters. Besides, I know nothing happened.”
This time it was his turn to be confused. “How did you find out?”
“I just realized I already knew. And I know something else.”
Grinning like a fool, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. “What’s that, princess?”
A soft smile touched her lips. Lips he longed to kiss. “That you love me.”
Staring deep into her eyes, he realized she was right. He did love her. She was all he ever needed or wanted. She was his world. “Yes, I do love you.”
“I know.” Placing her hands carefully on his shoulders, she stood on tiptoe and leaned in, her lips scant inches from his. “And I you, Lyubov moya.”
~ ~ ~
The sun beating down had never felt so good, Henry thought. Perhaps it was because he was in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea on his brand-new fifty-foot yacht, the scent of salt water floating on the crisp breeze. Or maybe it had something to do with the two million dollars he had secreted away in three different bank accounts around the world.
Whatever the reason, Henry was feeling pretty damn good. He was insanely rich and better yet, Dmitry was no longer a threat to him. His death had cornered the international news for all of ten minutes.
Tragic, really. A man of his wealth being gunned down for the money in his wallet. According to the reports, it had been a robbery gone wrong. No arrests had been made.
The only fly in his ointment, or sunscreen for that matter, was the strange disappearance of Cadence Montgomery. Despite his best efforts to obtain information, there was no word on her whereabouts. Absolutely none. It was if she had dropped off the face of the earth. He supposed it didn’t matter. The naive little twit could squawk her lungs out about him until she was blue in the face. It wasn’t like she had any proof anyway. Besides, it was too late. He was free and clear, living under a new name, in a new country with no extradition laws, every shred of his previous identity gone. He had nothing to worry about except getting a sunburn. And getting his personal chef slash boat captain to bring him his drink.
“MACK!”
Behind his Ray bans, he watched Mack Briggs, the six-foot-three Aussie, climb to the deck, a large martini glass in his hand. With bleach-blond hair and blue eyes, he looked more like a playboy rather than a boat captain but looks could be deceiving.
About damn time.
“Sorry, sir,” Mack replied, handing over the alcoholic drink, “I misplaced the olives.”
“Idiot,” Henry grumbled under his breath. If the man wasn’t so good at his job, he’d be more inclined to swap him out for someone else the next time they reached land. Hell, he might do it anyway.
Taking the first sip, he felt the familiar bite of vodka.
Damn, that’s a good martini. Maybe I’ll keep Mack for a while longer.
Noticing him still standing there, Henry lost the smile. “Well, why are you still here? I’m not paying you to stand around.”
Mack had the decency to blush. He stepped back nervously. “Of course, sir. Is there anything else?”
“No.”
With a slight bow, Mack dipped his head before turning on his heel and disappearing below deck.
Left alone to bask in the sun, Henry finished the martini in two huge gulps. Blinking against the ultraviolet glare, he let the glass slip from his hand. It clinked against the deck, the crystal stem breaking but he barely noticed as his vision first doubled then tripled.
What the . . .?
That was as far as he got before he surrendered to the blackness swimming before his eyes.
~ ~ ~
Johnny’s phone vibrated, signaling an incoming call. Reaching for the device, he tapped the button, connecting to the person on the other end.
“How’s our boy?”
“Kozlov. Nice of you to call.” Placing his hip against the marble counter, Johnny peered through the wheel house window at the man dressed only in a pair of green Bermuda shorts. “Our boy is just fine. Snoring peacefully in fact.”
“That was easy enough.”
“No, I’m just that good.” He smirked.
“Don’t you mean the drug is that good?”
“Maybe a little of both. How’s Cadence?”
“She’s good. Mrs. Wang is one hell of a piano teacher.”
“I’ve heard she’s better than any instructor at Julliard. Only the best for your girl, huh?”
“You’re damn right. Now, about Henry . . .”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered. You watch the weather lately?”
“As a matter of fact I have. Looks like one hell of a storm is coming your way.”
“That’s what I’m counting on. It’s predicted to be a monster.”
“You mean the kind of monster that chews up lonesome boats out on the open sea and spits them out?”
“Boy, Kozlov, you catch on real quick.”
“Asshole,” Nikolas muttered.
Johnny could hear the grin in his voice and smiled back, terminating the call. Returning to the helm, he turned into east, heading into the building clouds.
Chapter 36
Nikolas reclined in the parlor chair, watching Cadence’s fingers glide over the piano keys like water over stones. Each note was precise, poignant, and stirred an emotion in him that nothing else had save Cadence herself.
With her eyes closed, she was lost to the music and to his intense gaze. The moon, peeking in the windows, graced each strand of her dark hair with its soft glow, caressed her skin with a gentle touch.
Breathtaking…
How did I get so lucky to find her? The one woman that sees me, understands me, loves me?
He didn’t know but as the powerful chords echoed throughout the library, he was grateful. More than he had been for anything else in his life. Cadence had stumbled into his life at the exact moment he needed her, although he hadn’t known it at the time. She’d saved him. And more than that, she’d made him face his demons and let them
go, allowing him to become the man he’d always wanted to be. He could never repay her. Not in this lifetime or any other.
“Why are you staring at me?”
He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn’t realized she was staring at him, her lips turned up in a gentle smile.
“Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you,” was his honest reply. Lucky was not a strong enough word for what he was at this moment but it was all he had.
“Don’t be silly,” Cadence laughed, rising from the piano bench.
Crossing the floor, she settled herself onto his lap, careful not to press against his hip, which was still healing.
“I’m the lucky one. Without you, I never would have made it out of Russia alive. Or learned what had happened to my dad.”
There was a slight pause as she leaned in, kissing his lips tenderly.
“He would have loved you.”
Nikolas stared up into the face of his angel. “You think so?”
This time the smile on Cadence’s face was radiant, heating every part of him with the intensity of the sun.
“No, I know so. Now come on, it’s time for bed,” she whispered, her voice suddenly husky. Rising from her seated position, she laced her fingers through his, helping him to his feet.
“Are you sleepy?” he asked innocently, knowing that his new wife had no intention of dozing off once they made it to their bedroom.
“No but you might be when I’m done with you,” she teased, wrapping one arm around him, supporting him.
“Do I hear a challenge? Because you know how I love to win.” He matched her teasing tone as the promises of making love to her, his wife, filled his head and heated his blood.
“I do know. But this time, I’m pretty sure I will get the best of you.”
Nikolas leaned down, his lips brushing hers, inhaling her scent, a scent he could no longer live without.
“Lyubov moya, you already have.”
