Midnight Promise

by Dara Girard

  Her sister reached for the phone. “I can.”

  Naomi held it out of reach. “But you’re not going to.”

  “You need to talk to him.”

  “I’ll talk to him when I’m ready.”

  The phone stopped ringing.

  “You just lost your chance,” Elia said with a sigh. “You could have had a lovely evening instead you’re stuck here with me.”

  The phone alerted her to a text.

  She read it. “That’s strange.”

  Elia leaned over to see. “What?”

  “He’s inviting me to go swimming.”

  “Say yes.”

  She hesitated. “But it’s not like him to—”

  “Naomi, don’t over think this. This is your chance. Don’t blow it.”

  Her sister was right. She wouldn’t run away again, she did want to see him. She had to face life and all its mysteries. Love was something new to discover. She typed in her reply and hit Send.

  Chapter 21

  Gregg Scott stared at his older brother who sat across from him in the fast causal restaurant. They’d decided to stop at the American grill type facility for lunch after looking at one of their properties. “Got something on your mind?” he asked as one of the waiters walked past their table with a hot pan of sizzling meat, filled with the scent of jalapeño peppers.

  “No, why?”

  Gregg nodded to his brother’s cup. “Because you just put pepper in your coffee.”

  Sebastian looked down and swore.

  “I know meeting me to look at the Renton property wasn’t on your schedule but—”

  “It’s not that,” Sebastian said, lifting his hand to get the attention of one of the wait staff. “I need another coffee,” he said when a fresh faced teenager with six earrings approached.

  “What is it then?”

  “I made a mistake.”

  “What kind of mistake?”

  “With a woman.”

  “Don’t worry,” Gregg said with a laugh. “We all make those.”

  Sebastian thanked the waitress when she set down his coffee and reached for the sugar. “I thought that being honest would fix things, but I think I made things worse.”

  “What did you say?”

  “When should you tell a woman you want to sleep with her?”

  Gregg stared at him. “You told a woman you wanted to sleep with her?”

  “Yes.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Yes.”

  His mouth fell open. “Are you out of your mind?”

  “Clearly.”

  “Who is she?”

  He hesitated.

  Gregg read the expression on his brother’s face and groaned. “Don’t tell me it’s Naomi Mensah.” When his brother didn’t reply, he swore. “You’re lucky you’re not really employed or she could sue you for harassment or something.”

  “I thought she wanted it too.”

  “What did she do when you said it? Did she slap you?”

  Sebastian took a sip of his coffee. “Forget I said anything.”

  “No way. What did she do?”

  Sebastian took another sip then set his cup down. “She ran away.”

  Gregg looked at him for a long moment then threw his head back and laughed.

  Sebastian frowned. “It’s not funny.”

  “How old is she? Fifteen?” He laughed harder.

  Sebastian lowered his gaze and slowly turned his cup counter clockwise. “I’ll make you stop laughing in a minute.”

  Gregg quickly sobered. “I’m sorry.”

  Sebastian lifted his coffee.

  “It’s just…” Gregg started to laugh again, then quickly covered it with a cough. “I want to help.”

  “You can’t help. I have to find a way to fix this.”

  “There’s no way. You already put it out there. It’s like trying to unring a bell. You should have waited until you were more certain of her.”

  “I know that now.”

  “Give her time. How long has it been?”

  “It happened this morning. She won’t return my calls.”

  “It’s not like you don’t know where she lives.”

  That didn’t make things any easier. First he’d blundered by letting her overhear that he’d initially used her so that he could get to work with her father and now he’d told her how he’d felt and been rejected. He should have kept his mouth shut. Now he could lose two things he’d wanted.

  He returned home that late afternoon in a foul mood.

  Andre met him at the door. “What are you doing here?”

  Sebastian closed the door behind him. “I live here.”

  “B-but I thought you were meeting with Naomi.”

  “Why?”

  “I just saw her about fifteen minutes ago. She told me she was meeting you to go swimming. She looked very eager.”

  “Swimming?”

  “Yes, you sent her a text.”

  Sebastian felt his heart sink to his stomach. “I didn’t send her a text.” And Naomi couldn’t swim.

  Chapter 22

  He found her floating face down in the water.

  Sheer, stark terror raced through him. How could this have happened? She couldn’t be dead. He dove in the water and pulled her out, while Andre called an ambulance.

  “Come on Naomi,” Sebastian pleaded doing chest compressions on her limp, lifeless body. “Naomi, you came here to meet me and I’m here now. You can’t leave me again. Come on, Naomi you can fight this. You’re not going to die on me.”

  But she didn’t move, there was no flicker of life left in her.

  Please, please, please, he silently prayed. She’d come to him. She’d wanted to see him. To give him a second chance after running away. He couldn’t lose her, not like this.

  “Let me take over,” Andre said.

  Sebastian gritted his teeth. “No,” he said, continuing to do the steady compressions, until he feared he’d break her ribs. Soon despair swallowed his hope, if she didn’t breathe soon her brain would be affected. Just as the crucial time ticked close, she vomited up water. He turned her head and she took a long gasp.

  He gathered her in his arms, holding her close, more for his sake than for hers. He needed to feel her body close to his, to feel her cold skin grow warm in his embrace and be certain that she was protected, that nothing could get past him. “It’s okay,” he said gently. “You’re safe now. You’re going to be all right.”

  It was all still a blur.

  Naomi lay in the hospital bed still trying to understand how she’d ended up there.

  She remembered getting Sebastian’s text and feeling both anxious and eager to see him again. Her sister had helped her purchase a new suit and swim cap and on the drive there, she practiced what she’d planned to say to him. Was swimming supposed to be foreplay? Did he still want to spend the night with her? She wasn’t going to run away this time. If she didn’t learn how to swim that night, it would be fine with her.

  Then he hadn’t been at the pool, which confused her because Sebastian was usually prompt. After that she couldn’t remember much else except, hearing echoing footsteps, which she thought was odd since she’d expected him to be barefoot, and then she felt a hard shove at the base of her back.

  She hit the water with a splash, panic and fear seizing her as fought to keep her head above water. Blackness soon followed. The next thing she remembered was Sebastian holding her then being whisked into an ambulance.

  Naomi reached for her glasses and saw a figure in the corner. She was about to scream when the figure spoke. “It’s me,” Sebastian said. “You’re safe.” He stood and came out of the shadows. “You’ll be discharged soon.”

  “Good.”

  “You don’t remember what happened?”

  I have my suspicions, but not enough to share. “Not really. I think I slipped.”

  Sebastian stood beside her bed, his dark gaze holding hers. “Are you ready to tell me what
you’ve been up to?”

  “I don’t know what you mean?”

  He took her hand and sat on the side of the bed. “Then let me be clearer. Give me a reason why someone would want to kill you.”

  Chapter 23

  “Kill me?” her voice cracked in surprise. “Who would want to kill me?”

  “That’s what I want to know. How much should the police know?”

  “Know about what?”

  “Whatever you’re not telling me.”

  “There’s no need for the police. Do you think I’m involved in something illegal?”

  “No.”

  Naomi rubbed her forehead. “This is all so strange. I thought that after…I ran off…you’d forgiven me by offering to give me lessons.”

  “I didn’t text you.”

  Her face burned, she lowered her head embarrassed. Someone had made a fool of her. “Oh.”

  “I wish I had.”

  Her head shot up. “Really?”

  “Yes,” his jaw twitched. “Then this might not have happened. Do you think any of the men that showed up at your former apartment had a grudge? Did you tell someone to get lost in a way that might have made him angry?”

  “Yes, but it’s been months since then.”

  Sebastian fell silent then said, “You’re hiding something from me.”

  Yes. “No, I’m not. You know everything about my schedule. I don’t have room for any secrets. Unlike some,” she said, reminding him of the real reason he’d approached her.

  “We’re not talking about your father right now. Why did someone attack you?”

  “How do you know someone attacked me? I said I slipped—”

  “And I said, I didn’t send you a text. Now answer my question. Why would someone attack you?”

  “I don’t know,” she said honestly. “I haven’t been doing anything except…” She stopped as a thought came to her.

  His gaze darkened. “Except what?”

  She rested her head back. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

  “What?”

  “I know you hate talking about the past.”

  “Go on.”

  “I was looking into the BioCorps case.” She held up her hand before he could speak. “But I haven’t found anything so I don’t see how the two could be connected.”

  Sebastian’s gaze hardened as did his voice. “I told you to leave it alone.”

  “I was just…I wanted to help. What if it was sabotage? Internal espionage? Maybe you could be vindicated.”

  He sighed. “Are you really this naïve?”

  “What?”

  “Do you think I wouldn’t have thought about that? Do you think these past five years I wouldn’t have looked at this from many different angles?”

  “But I thought with fresh new eyes I could—”

  “What?” he said with a sneer. “Restore me to my former glory? Do you have any idea how big this case is?”

  “That doesn’t frighten me.”

  “It should and I hope it does now.”

  Naomi folded her arms. “It makes me angry. If someone tried to hurt me then I’m on the right track.”

  He stood and looked out the window. “They didn’t try to hurt you, they tried to kill you. Make an effort to understand the difference.”

  “A moment of desperation. You must see what we have here.”

  “I mean it. Let it go.”

  “You can’t walk away from this.”

  Sebastian spun around with anger in his eyes. “Yes, I can. I have. I can’t restore my reputation. I made a choice and I have to live with the consequences. I once got my hopes up that I could…” He shook his head in frustration. “It’s too late for me.”

  “If you had hope once you can have it again. You were alone before. This time I can—”

  “No.”

  “But I believe in you. If we can prove—”

  “I said no. Leave this alone. Am I clear?”

  “Isn’t it worse not knowing?”

  Sebastian shook his head and tapped his chest. “I know what happened. End of story. I like what I do and now I just—”

  “Want to work with my father,” Naomi finished in a dry tone. “I get it.”

  “Do you want me to leave?”

  Her voice cracked in surprise. “No.”

  He pointed at her. “Then stop playing games.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Someone tried to kill you and you want me to focus on rebuilding my reputation? Right now all I can think about is how to find the bastard who did this to you and tear him into pieces. Yes, I want to work with your father, but I love you.”

  Naomi hung her head, trying to process his words. He loved her? What did that mean? She knew he wanted to sleep with her, she could accept him liking her, but love? The big L.O.V.E? Would it be wise to believe him or was it another strategy to manipulate her? But he looked genuinely upset as if she meant a lot to him. “I’m sorry,” she said still trying to process what he’d said. “I should have listened to you. I won’t look into it anymore.”

  “It’s too late now, someone sees you as a threat.”

  She shook her head, hating the anger and fear in his voice. “No, I’m safe now.”

  “We’ll have the police trace the text, but I’m not too hopeful they’ll get anything. We won’t pretend that this was done by an amateur. We’ll let the police look into it, but I don’t have much hope.” He walked to the door.

  “Sebastian?”

  He stopped and turned to her. “What?”

  She took a deep breath, her pulse racing. “I love you too.”

  He closed the space between them, gathered her in his arms and held her as she always dreamed he would and when she whispered ‘darling’ this time it wasn’t pretend.

  “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you,” he said in a low voice.

  “I’m sorry I made you angry.”

  “All that matters is that you’re safe.”

  She drew away. “You said I can be discharged?”

  “Yes, but are you sure you’re up to it?”

  Naomi nodded, pushing away her sheets. “I want to leave here.” She lightly touched his cheek. “And spend the night with you.”

  Chapter 24

  They were both eager to reach Naomi’s bedroom the moment they got home, but Josephine met them in the foyer. Her lips tightened at the sight of them holding hands. Her gaze shifted to Naomi. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, thank you I—”

  She looked at her son. “Sebastian, there’s something I need to tell you.”

  He gritted his teeth. “Not now.”

  “It’s important,” she said then walked into the sitting room.

  “Maybe we should do this later,” Naomi whispered, releasing his hand.

  He let out a heavy sigh then said, “I’ll join you in a minute.”

  She blew him a kiss. “I’ll be waiting.”

  Sebastian watched her disappear up the stairs, then walked into the other room. “Whatever you have to say had better be very important.”

  “What’s going on between you two?”

  He rubbed his hands together annoyed. “Is that what you wanted to discuss? Because if so, I’m leaving.”

  “I want to know what’s going on,” Josephine said in a rush when he turned to leave. “Andre told me you found her in the pool.”

  The concern on her face softened his irritation. He sat down in front of her. “Naomi was attacked because of me.”

  “Because of you?”

  “She was looking into my research at BioCorps.”

  Josephine rubbed her hand along the arm of her chair. “Why would she do that?”

  “Because, for some reason, she thinks I’m innocent.”

  “I knew she was trouble,” Josephine said with a frown. “This must bring back terrible memories for you. How could she be so careless?”

  “Her heart was in the right place, but I’ll need to keep her close un
til I find out what’s going on.”

  “I think you should send her away. I don’t want her in this house.”

  “This is my house,” he said in a soft voice.

  Josephine’s voice rose. “Are you choosing her over me?”

  “If you don’t want to be here you can leave.”

  Tears sprung to his mother’s eyes. “You’re throwing me out?”

  “Mom, you know you can stay as long as you need, but you can’t run my life. If you don’t like to see Naomi you can go back to your place.”

  “Someone attacked her.” She pointed to the ground. “Here on our property. What if something happens to you? How do you think I’ll bear it?”

  “I can take care of myself. You don’t have to worry about me. My only concern is Naomi.”

  “She’s gotten a warning, I’m sure if she stops digging nothing else will happen.”

  “But I can’t let it go.”

  “Why not? You think she knows something?”

  “No.”

  “Then forget it.” She leaned forward, clasping her hands together. “Please listen to me. You don’t need this. You don’t need her. You’d finally gotten your life in order, but you haven’t been the same since she came into our lives.”

  He leaned back in his chair and studied his mother for a long moment before he said, “No, I’m not. I’m not the same man I once was and I have no regrets. She thinks I’m innocent. She believes in me. Her family welcomed me. She talked to me like an equal, something that hasn’t happened in a long time.”

  Josephine sat down beside him and touched his sleeve with tentative fingers. “I know you miss your career, but this isn’t the way to get it back. We made an agreement. Can’t you forget this and—”

  “Is that the man you raised? Do you think I can just walk away after finding out someone lured somebody precious to me and tried to kill her?”

  “Sebastian, I’m sure someone was just trying to frighten her.”

  His eyes blazed, but his voice remained soft. “They may have frightened her, but they made me angry.” He stood and stared down at her his voice filled with venom. “And they’re going to pay.”