by Sorcha Grace
Once in front of the bakery, I covered my mouth in surprise. A huge Coming Soon sign stood in the window. It was flashy and totally professional, and they’d done a lot of work on the exterior. The whole thing looked hugely impressive.
“What do you think?” Beckett was watching me and smiling.
“Oh, Beckett.” I grabbed his arm. “It’s awesome. I can’t wait to see the inside. Look at this window. It’s almost the whole length of the shop! There’ll be so much light.” I was a photographer and I always thought about light.
“It’s a great location, too.”
“It’s a perfect location.” I hugged him. “I’m so happy for you. This is the big break you’ve been waiting for.” I’d known it was going to be amazing, but I hadn’t realized quite how amazing. The building, the location—right in the heart of Lincoln Park. I could just picture all the trendy, young moms stopping by for their morning coffee and all the neighborhood hipsters clamoring for a table to do whatever hipsters did on their days off. I couldn’t help but wonder if William had more to do with this venture than he’d let on.
We said our goodbyes. I gave Beckett another hug and a quick kiss on the cheek, then pulled out my phone as he went inside. I really should have texted Asa then, but I knew I was going to get a lecture from him about not being where I said I would be. I glanced at the time, seeing that I still had some left before my hour was up.
And then I realized I was only a few blocks from my condo.
It felt like years since I’d been home and no way would Asa let me go. Which was stupid. I mean, what was going to happen? My condo was in a nice neighborhood where I had lived for a year, perfectly safe, until the random incident less than two weeks ago. A break-in where nothing was stolen. Besides, it was a gorgeous February day, one of those rare thirty-degree days without wind that offered the hope of spring. It was good to be outside, and I wanted to stretch my legs. So I started walking.
As I walked, my thoughts turned back to Beckett. I still couldn’t believe he and Alec had broken up. I’d known him forever, and he was a total romantic. I mean, he’d gotten weepy when guys didn’t call him after the first date. He had more ideas about his future wedding than I did. There was just no way he was as cool about this break-up as he acted. Why wouldn’t he talk to me about it? Maybe he figured I couldn’t relate. I met Jace my freshman year of college and then we got married right after I’d graduated. He’d died six months after the wedding, but that wasn’t exactly the same thing as a break-up. It wasn’t having someone voluntarily walk away from you.
William and I had had that big fight about the dossier I’d found on the women he’d dated. I’d been pretty miserable for a few days, but we hadn’t broken up. When I thought about it, I’d never been dumped, and I’d never really dumped anyone—getting away from Jeremy didn’t count. And Beckett had been—and still was—frustrated with me for complaining about my life. He had told me as much. Maybe I wasn’t the person he wanted to confide in anymore. The thought broke my heart.
Still, I knew that there was more going on than Beckett was letting on, and I wanted to find out what.
Five
I smiled when I reached my building, which was as charming and welcoming as ever. I felt warm all over when I saw it, with no fear whatsoever. The converted old greystone mansion was my home, and I was thrilled I could have a few minutes alone here. I headed inside and stopped to check my mail in the foyer. I slipped my mail key in and pulled the door open, expecting envelopes to tumble onto the floor, but the box was empty.
Okay, that was odd. I’d been gone for almost two weeks. The box should have been full of junk mail and catalogues, at least. Was Minerva taking care of my mail? Or maybe William had had it held? On the way up to my condo, I stopped at the Himmlers and knocked on the door. Minerva opened it, her face breaking into a huge smile when she saw me. “Catherine! Darling!” She pulled me into her arms and hugged me tightly. “We’ve missed you,” she said when she released me. “You look wonderful.”
“So do you.” She looked as trim and elegant as ever in a sweater and wool slacks. Her grey hair was swept up and back in an effortless twist.
“Come in, come in. I just made bienenstitch. It will melt in your mouth.”
“So that’s what smells so good.” The whole condo smelled like almonds and honey. “I can’t really stay, but I wanted to stop by and check in.” I spotted Hans sitting in his chair, reading a newspaper. He lowered it to smile at me. “Hi, Mr. Himmler.”
“It’s good to see you, Catherine. If you can’t stay for cake, take some with you. We can’t eat it all.”
“Yes, take some to that handsome man of yours.” Minerva motioned me into her kitchen, which was warm and homey as usual. It was full of vibrant colors that matched her personality. While she wrapped up two slices of the cake, we chitchatted about the neighborhood.
“No one has seen anything suspicious since the break-in?”
“Not a thing.” Minerva slid open a drawer and pulled out aluminum foil. “And we’ve all been very careful not to buzz people in we don’t know.”
“Good. I worry about you and Hans. Call the police if you see anything that doesn’t seem right.”
Minerva laid a hand on my arm. “We’re fine, Catherine, really. Besides, with the new security system, we will be safer than ever.”
“You installed a security system? That sounds pricey”
“No, your William offered to have it installed. It’s state of the art, with cameras and computer monitoring.” She said more, something about keycards, but I wasn’t listening. William was having a security system installed in my building? He’d never even mentioned it.
“Your William is very thorough, Catherine.” She pressed the warm cake into my hands. “We’re very grateful. You’ll tell him?”
“Of course. Thanks again for the cake.” I gave her a hug. “Oh, before I forget, I wanted to ask. Have you picking up my mail? My box was empty when I checked.”
“No. But I have no doubt that man of yours took care of that for you, no?”
“I’m sure you’re right,” I said more to reassure myself than her. “I’ll see you soon.” I waved to Hans on the way out. “You too, Hans.”
As I climbed the stairs, I could feel myself getting pissed. William hadn’t said one word about the new security measures, even after I’d mentioned how much I wanted to go home. With a security system in place, my condo would be perfectly safe, so why was he insisting I stay at his penthouse indefinitely? William had promised to be open and honest with me but yet again, his version of that was still very different from mine.
I unlocked my door and walked in. The condo was so quiet and still, and it was weird not to have Laird bounding up to greet me. I almost felt like a visitor in my own home. I vowed that wouldn’t last long. I’d be back soon.
I wanted to grab a few things, so I headed into the guest room and dug out a duffel bag. As I moved from room to room, I couldn’t get over how eerie it was. It was the middle of the day, not dark at all, but my place seemed stale and different. I suddenly wanted to hurry and get out.
I grabbed some clothes from my bedroom and a few toiletry items, then on the way back to the kitchen, I spied the one picture of Jace I had displayed. It was of the two of us in Hawaii, the last time we’d been together. I had the urge to take it off the shelf and pack it, but how awkward would that be? Taking a picture of my dead husband to my new boyfriend’s place? It was strange enough that William has a big Cat Ryder surfer print hanging in his living room. He definitely didn’t need Jace staring him in the face every day. But this picture always felt like it belonged with me, just like Jace’s memory, so I grabbed it and shoved it in my bag.
I headed into the kitchen. I tugged open the Sub-Zero thinking I’d clear out any spoiled items, but it was almost empty as always. Just a few condiments and my good bottle of champagne.
My arm started to hurt from all the stuff I was holding, so I placed the wrapped pl
ate of Minerva’s cake, my purse, and the duffel on the counter. Now unencumbered, I couldn’t resist the lure of my darkroom. I’d converted the pantry of my condo into a darkroom right after I’d moved in. I just wanted to make sure it was in order, I told myself, and I headed in and shut the door out of habit.
I flicked on the red light and inhaled. Everything was right where I’d left it. There were prints still hanging on the line, long since dry, and I pulled them down, one by one, looking them over. A few shots of William and me, a few landscapes, a cute shot of Beckett. I should take pictures at the bakery opening, I thought. I could frame them and give them to Beckett as a gift. I thumbed through a stack of digital prints sitting on the table. These were my shots from the nyotaimori dinner—the naked sushi dinner—that William had staged for me. I’d been thinking about creating a series of small film prints based on the images as a gift for William. But I’d have to wait until I was home to start working on them. Just thinking about it made me excited and eager to get back to my art. I missed my darkroom and the way it relaxed me to work in here. There was something comforting about the process of developing film, watching the image materialize in the bath. I often lost track of time when I was in here and—shit, today was no different.
I checked my watch. I’d been in here for over half an hour just musing and looking around. Asa was definitely going to be looking for me and was probably worried. I turned the handle of the door and pushed, but the door didn’t open. I pushed harder. It didn’t even budge.
Okay, that was bizarre. Had I been gone so long that I couldn’t even open the door to my own darkroom? I took a deep breath and tried again. Nothing. My heart raced. There wasn’t a lock on the outside of the door. I didn’t even have one on the inside. Something had to be holding it closed, somehow. I tried again, practically wrenching the knob off.
Tears welled up in my eyes and my palms started to sweat. “Calm down, Cat,” I said out loud to myself. “Maybe the door is just stuck. Old buildings. Old doors. That happens.”
Right? I wasn’t so sure, but I needed to believe it. I took another deep breath and decided to try the door with more force. I moved back and slammed my shoulder into the door.
Nothing.
My heart thundered in my ears, and I started shaking. “Don’t panic,” I murmured to myself, but I was already doing just that. I checked my pockets, hoping I had miraculously brought my cell with me, but they were empty. My phone was in my purse, just like it always was. Shit.
I pounded on the door, slamming my fists into it. “Help! Help!” I screamed. Maybe somehow Hans and Minerva could hear me. Their kitchen was right under mine. Could I scream into a vent?
Impossible. This was a converted pantry, with no extra duct work. There was no way anyone could hear me.
Suddenly, the room seemed to close in on me, and all I wanted was to get out. I slammed against the door again and again, adrenaline surging through me, making me almost dizzy with fear and urgency.
Finally, I stood back and kicked the door. “Let!” Kick. “Me!” Kick. “Out!”
The door flew open, and I stumbled out as a screwdriver sailed across the kitchen floor. Instantly I realized the screwdriver had been wedged in the door frame, holding it shut until all my slamming and kicking dislodged it.
Someone had deliberately locked me in.
It seemed surreal. How was that even possible? I was sure I was alone in the condo.
A cold wind ruffled my hair, and I swung toward the back door, which was standing wide open. No way was that open before. My gaze dropped to the counter and I saw the scattered contents of my purse and duffel. I stared at the evidence in disbelief, trembling, my heart racing. I was about to run for—I didn’t even know where—when I heard, “Catherine? Miss Kelly?”
I practically crumpled onto the counter. I recognized Asa’s voice and relief surged through me. “In here!” I yelled, my voice sounding hoarse and weak. I heard the front door bang open and the clump of Asa’s boots as he raced to the kitchen. He took one look at me, surveyed the kitchen, and said, “Are you hurt?”
I shook my head then slid to the floor. I felt like I was going to throw up or pass out or both. Asa knelt down before me. “Tell me what happened.”
Trying to hold back tears, I spilled the whole story. When I finished, Asa made no comment—nothing about how dumb I was or how I should have listened to him and William. Nothing about how much trouble he would be in when he explained to his employer that he had lost track of me. Instead, he pulled out his phone and started making calls. I closed my eyes and tried to stop shaking. I heard him tell whoever he was talking to that I was pale, shaken, and scared, but not hurt.
I just about had the nausea under control when Asa put a hand on my shoulder. I jumped, and he held his hands up in front of him. “Sorry. I’m taking you home now, Miss Kelly. We’re to go to the penthouse immediately.”
The penthouse. William. Shit. Asa carried me outside to the SUV, and I let him. I didn’t think I could make it down three flights of stairs on my shaky legs anyway. He placed me in the backseat, handed me a bottle of water, and put the seatbelt into my hand. I managed to click it into place as he closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side. Asa got in and quickly pulled the vehicle into traffic and I gripped the armrest, the pangs of fear I had felt in the darkroom still fresh in my mind.
On the way back to the penthouse, I stared out the window. Asa had picked up the screwdriver from my kitchen floor and placed it in a Ziploc bag and I’d watched him do it, staring in disbelief at the object. I didn’t own a screwdriver, so whoever had come into my condo had brought it with them. Did they bring it just to lock me in? I shuddered at the thought of it being used as a weapon. As we approached William’s, I started to calm down. I was safe. I also started to apologize to Asa. “I’m so sorry. I really don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“Don’t worry about it, Miss Kelly.”
“It was all my fault. I’ll make sure he knows it.”
Asa didn’t answer, and we lapsed into silence. I was glad because I was still really nauseous. Wouldn’t the day be perfect if I threw up in the back of William’s SUV? I’d only ever felt this kind of fear once before and that was when Jace died. I never wanted to feel it again.
Finally we arrived at William’s building. Asa opened the door for me and asked me if I was okay to walk. I said yes. He escorted me up to William’s residence. He didn’t exit the elevator when I did, leaving me alone in the foyer. Then William stepped into view.
He crossed to me in three steps and pulled me into his arms. He engulfed me in his warmth, his strong arms encircling me and holding me close. He put his head down and breathed in my ear, “Thank God.” He wrapped his arms around me even tighter. I felt safe, loved, and oh so stupid. I lost it. I couldn’t hold the tears back, and I started weeping and blubbering. “I am so sorry, William. I should have listened to you. I’m so sorry.”
“Jesus, I’m not mad,” he said against my temple. “I was so worried.” He kissed the top of my head.
“I’m so sorry,” I said again. I felt awful. I never meant to worry him. What a complete nightmare.
William pulled back and looked at my face. “I was so scared something happened to you. You have no idea what you mean to me.”
His eyes were grey and as full of love as I had ever seen them. This man truly loved me. I had been a fool to put myself in danger. I burst into tears again, and William held me and rubbed my back until I was finally spent.
I was so tired by then that I allowed him to lead me to the bathroom, where he drew a bath, stripped me, and washed me. Everything was so tender. He touched me, as though I was some rare, priceless object. Then he dried me and took me to bed. He slid in next to me and pulled me against his chest.
“I love you more than I can say, Catherine. More than words. I can’t lose you. Do you understand that? I can’t.”
I nodded and snuggled deeper into him. “I love you too, W
illiam.” And I knew it was true. I had never felt safer or more whole than I did at that moment in William’s arms.
He kept talking, telling me over and over how much I meant to him until I fell asleep.
Six
I opened my eyes slowly, wiggling and writhing in William’s expansive bed as spirals of pleasure wound through me. It was early and the room was still dark, but I could feel William’s tousled curls softly brushing against the sensitive skin of my inner thighs. His tongue lapped leisurely at my sex, but he paused and raised his head when he realized I was awake.
“Good morning, beautiful girl.”
“Yes, it is,” I said with a moan as he gently thumbed my clit.
“It’s about to get even better.” His smile was wide, genuine, and a little bit devilish as he looked up at me from between my legs. I was barely awake, but I could feel myself yielding just from that look alone. God, how I loved playful William, even first thing in the morning and hours before my first cup of coffee.
William excelled at sex, but he really excelled at oral sex. William clearly loved it. He knew how to use his tongue, his lips, his whole mouth to keep me on the brink of coming for what seemed like forever, heightening my pleasure in tiny increments until I was insane with need. If he wanted to start the day with a little taste of me, who was I to say no?
I spread my legs wider.
William got right back to business. My hips bucked, and he pulled away, teasing me with darting little flicks and nibbles. When his tongue dipped lower, thrusting inside me, my moans intensified and echoed through the enormous master suite.
“You’re so sweet, Catherine. Just like candy,” William said, withdrawing and then licking me with long, luxurious strokes that threatened to shatter me.
“William, please,” I begged. I could feel beads of sweat starting to break out across my forehead and chest. I hadn’t even been up to pee yet and the building pressure was starting to get a little uncomfortable.
