Hope burst into giggles, clapping her hand over her mouth at the same time Faith tried to bury her laughter in a large drink of water.
“Well…that’ll be fun…I’m reserving my seat now,” Faith chuckled.
“Any reply?” Hope asked, not even bothering to try for casual.
“Thursday at six, their suite, which I sent them back a note telling them the cost comes out of their allowances. The estate does not pay for their vacations,” Charity took a large spoonful of the vegetable soup and glared at the table.
“Does Nico know yet?” Faith knew the answer as soon as she asked the question. “You’ll have to tell him.”
“You’re not good at hiding that stuff, Charity,” Hope told her, shrugging casually. “Not any better than either of us from our guys. I’m thinking it’s some kind of rampant guilt gene in us…”
“I know…” Faith sighed. “They pin you down with the wolf glare…” She chuckled at the glower from Charity.
“I am not telling him and neither are you two,” Charity told them firmly. “I will handle them. I’ve got my memories back and know what I’m doing as far as they’re concerned. I handled them before Nico came into my life and I will continue to do so,” she looked firmly from one to the other. “Clear?”
“But we’re going with you,” Hope returned, equally as firm. “Someone tried to steal Mina…I want payback.”
“And someone else scared the crap out of me…I deserve revenge,” Faith declared, accepting the nod from their friend. “Meet you at the elevator at five-thirty…we’ll ascend together.”
“They’re doing what?” Dominic spoke the words very slowly, tipping his wrist over and glaring at it.
“I only know because Hope talks in her sleep,” Devon said into the conference call he’d arranged, guiding his car carefully as he headed south to the resort.
“Somehow it doesn’t surprise me,” Nico said quietly. “Charity has her memory back and she’s determined to find who hit her and who’s behind the scares to her friends. I’m still at the center. I’ll meet you guys in the lobby at five-forty-five, if that works.”
“I’m heading up there now,” Devon said.
“Oh, Devon…the sale was finalized an hour ago. Charity doesn’t know yet, but it’ll provide a little ammo for us,” Dominic told him. “I have the papers in-route to me now. I’ll get with you on the transfer of the funds after we deal with this other issue.”
“And how do you suggest this go down?” Devon asked carefully.
“We stand in the background looking mean and let the girls deal with it,” Nico advised calmly.
“He’s right,” Dominic admitted with a sigh. “She hasn’t said anything, but given a chance, Faith wants to hit something.”
“I personally wouldn’t mind the chance at whoever struck Charity with a stone, but I’ll mind my manners,” Nico said dryly. “See you in a few.”
Charity stood outside the wide double doors, her head bent and taking in a long breath when she heard the elevator doors open. She only looked when she heard Faith whisper.
“Oh, crap.” Faith did not like the way his gaze was focused on her. At all.
Charity looked at Nico. Then she looked at Faith with a little frown. Then they both looked at Hope, each arching an eye brow. They knew their friend too well.
Hope closed her eyes. “It only happens when I’m stressed!” She hissed at them both.
“I’m guessing it’ll come in handy throughout our lifetime,” Devon said dryly, nodding to the other women. “Ladies…”
Charity whipped up one hand, one finger raised at each of them.
“You…should not be here.”
“We are…deal with it,” Nico said firmly. “If we’re involved with you, we’re involved in this mess, including your relatives.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Dominic put the back of his palm beneath the stubborn glare. “Accepting is easier than battling me, Faith.”
“Nothing to say, Hope?” Devon watched her chewing on her lip.
“I figure I’m gonna spend the rest of my life atoning for talking in my sleep,” she mumbled testily.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen in there,” Charity said softly, tapping on the door and waiting.
“All the better to have back-up,” Nico said behind her, his palm at her waist, he balanced himself on both feet, the cane resting firmly in the center.
Charity listened to the muffled voices on the other side and felt her stomach begin to ache. Whether conscious or not, she instinctively backed against Nico. She felt his lips against her ear and swallowed hard as the door was pulled wide.
“Charity…” the older man a little taller than Charity stopped in his quiet welcome, dark blue eyes scanning the hall. “And friends. I thought I said I wanted to speak with you about family matters, Charity?”
“You’ve involved my friends because of actions taken against them,” Charity said quietly. “Do we come in, talk in the hall or just forget the whole thing?”
The man gestured graciously and the couples entered the large, wide open penthouse, each taking note of the people around the room.
Faith broke from the group immediately. She wore her coveralls today with high heeled boots that made her stride long and lanky.
Dominic knew he wasn’t going to like this, but he also knew if that’s what it took for her to feel vindication, then he’d support her.
Faith’s hand whipped out and up even as the man tried backing out of the room.
“Oh, no…please stay…you don’t want to leave before the party gets started, now do you?” She asked with deceptive sweetness, her hand wrapped firmly around his tie and pulling him back into view.
“Let go of me, you…”
“Me…me, what? Me…the woman you bruised?” She bit the words out in cold anger. “Me, the woman you struck with your palm so I was too dazed to fight back?”
“Charity, please contain your friends…”
Charity chose to ignore her step-mother, her eyes going from Faith to her father. “Does he work for you?”
“Robson? Of course he does,” came the blustering response. “Make your friend…”
“Faith?” Charity stood her ground.
“I’m good,” Faith answered firmly. “Did it make you feel powerful because you could hit a girl when she wasn’t prepared? You bruised me,” she repeated quietly. “You scared the crap out of me…and you gave me nightmares…do you have any idea what that felt like? How about we give it a shot…” she raised one booted foot and brought it down solidly on his foot, her elbow sunk hard and deep into his ribs before she stepped out of his reach. “Now we’re even.”
Dominic was across the room the instant she turned her back to him.
“You stupid little bitch…”
Faith heard him and had been about to turn, she had her move planned and prepared this time. Her gaze caught on the look in Dominic’s eyes, that feral wolf just below the surface.
She decided having your very own wolf wasn’t such a bad thing at all.
“Call him off,” Dominic ordered, a quiet growl in his words that no one missed. “Or it’s my turn and he won’t be standing when I turn my back.”
William St. James hitched his head angrily at the man cursing below his breath, sending him out of the room.
“Really, Charity,” Rachelle St. James tsked loudly. “These are the kind of people you’ve brought to visit with us?”
“This isn’t a visit and you know it, Rachelle. From now on, discussions about anything financial will be held through my attorney. I won’t respond to any of your personal calls or texts or anything else,” Charity moved to the sofa and sat down with Nico.
“The sale of the Seattle hotel is complete,” Dominic told them in the silence, surprise on their faces. “The non-profit is now the owner. The papers were signed and notarized earlier today,” he had his hand firmly around Faith’s waist, holding her close. For all h
er bravado, she was shaking.
“Whatever you and the others promised regarding the hotels, I strongly suggest you find a way to make it understood that they had no right to make those claims,” Charity chose her words carefully. “Your allowances are set. If you do not follow my advice, there won’t be money at all. I’ve sent a detailed outline of the assets to your attorney, explaining very carefully that it is not a limitless well. It will dry up if you do not follow the rules.”
“You have no idea what you’ve done,” Rachelle hissed angrily. “Those people would have paid us three times what you received for the hotels!”
“I know what I’ve done,” Charity stood up, her head shaking. “You negotiated with….” She cast a quick glance at Dominic, who was already wincing. “Less than savory people…now you have to straighten things out with them.”
Hope opened the folder she held, tossing two photos to the table before the sofa. “Do you know that man?” She watched their faces, her answer there. “He’s dead. He died falling down a flight of stairs in our house after trying to kidnap a three year old. All because of money. I’ll let the police know you were his employer, Mr. St. James.”
“Did you bring your friends here to cause more trouble, Charity?” William St. James glared at his daughter, his hands clenched at his side.
“We’re here because this is what real family is about, Mr. St. James,” Nico said softly.
“It bothers me that you…” Charity ground her teeth. “That you even know people like the ones wanting those hotels. You…got yourselves involved with them…you…have to find a way out of the problem.”
“What did you hope to accomplish by coming to Tacoma, Mr. St. James?” Nico watched him closely, his features filled with frustration and anger. “Charity is not going back to San Francisco. Her life is here now.”
“This does not concern you,” he said bitterly.
“That’s where you keep making a major mistake,” Nico answered, his head shaking at the man.
“You…all of you…tried to conduct business with items that did not belong to you,” Dominic kept his voice coldly level. “I’ve had those accounts gone over by two reputable accounting firms as well as several attorneys. There is no recourse for you regarding the inheritance. Your allowance exists only because of the benevolence of your parents and now, your daughter…your niece…your step-daughter,” he paused, letting the words sink in. “I have advised her to stop the allowances completely. She’s under no obligation to give you anything.”
“How dare you interfere!” Rachelle voiced the feelings and gasps that echoed through the three males.
“The allowance continues only so long as there is no interference in my life or the lives of anyone I know,” Charity said flatly. “It’s in my will. Nico is my beneficiary. If anything…anyone…I know…is harmed again…you’ll all be cut off immediately. Find the people you’ve involved yourselves with and fix it.”
“Damnit, Charity,” Robert St. James paced in front of the window, his hands thrown up in the air. “This isn’t something that can be fixed!”
“Not my problem,” Charity decided it was over, standing up and waiting for Nico to join her. “We’re leaving. Good luck. And good bye.”
They moved silently from the penthouse suite, Faith leaning heavily against Dominic, her knees shaking.
“Are you going to pass out on me?” Dominic asked quietly, doubting the rapidly shaking head, he kept his hands on her waist as they entered the elevator.
“I’m good,” she whispered shakily, locking her knees to keep them from wobbling.
“She’s lying,” Hope whispered, her body leaning against the stainless steel, her head down and breathing slow.
“Good thing I’m a doctor,” Nico chuckled softly, peering into Charity’s eyes. “You okay?”
“Pissed. But not like them…remember, I hit things…they run…they’re good in the middle of the situation but when it’s over,” Charity chuckled at their growls. “The adrenaline fades fast and I have to pump them full of sugar to keep them upright.”
“I’m afraid to ask what you’ve been through to have this knowledge,” Devon said carefully, looking from one innocent face to the other and groaning with the other two men. He had a very clear memory of Hope the night they met and it fit exactly what Charity outlined.
“Lies…but a smoothie right now would sure be good,” Faith commented, inhaling deeply and straightening up and ignoring the laughter.
“How about dinner? My treat,” Devon told them, receiving nods all around.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“Do you think they got the message, Charity?” Hope sighed heavily after the plate of pasta was gone, the cold glass of water held between both hands.
“I wish I knew,” she answered honestly. “I don’t have a clue how you get out of what they got themselves into, that’s the problem.”
“You turn states evidence and hope it’s enough to entice a prosecutor to throw them into witness protection,” Dominic said dryly.
“What you said about the will…” Nico looked at her with one brow raised.
“She had it changed three days ago,” Dominic saw the evasion on Charity’s face. “And she forgot to mention it to you…”
“I was working up to it,” she said sullenly. “I know you’d do what I wanted done if something happened to me.”
“I prefer nothing happen to you,” Nico responded, his voice a low growl, his lips close to her ear. “And we will discuss this later.”
“I’m telling you…wolf pack…” Faith shook her head, wincing at the palm at her neck.
“And it seems no matter how much we try and protect our own, they manage to stray into unsafe territory,” Devon commented cynically.
“It is not always our fault,” Hope declared firmly, holding a palm up when the looks she got told her differently. “Alright…so we have the choice of whether or not to get involved…sometimes…I refuse to take the blame for the behaviors of…of people messing with our lives. All we can do is manage the situations we’re given.”
“We aren’t blaming any of you,” Nico said with a sigh.
“And believe it or not…we aren’t and don’t want you to change who you are,” Devon said softly.
“But include us…that’s all we ask.” Nico continued.
“Wouldn’t including us be part of the friends…partners…” Dominic peered into the evasive eyes at his side.
The three women fell silent, the words striking a strong chord in them all.
“I hate it when they get all…logical…” Faith sighed in resignation.
“Well…on that note…and because I don’t see any decent way out of it for us,” Hope stood up and went to hug Charity and Faith. “See you tomorrow. We got a three year old to wrangle and six comes too darn early sometimes. Thank you, guys…for being there.”
Faith wandered with Dominic toward the car they had arrived in that morning, stopping him and backing him against the door.
“I know sometimes…well…I just wanted to thank you,” she let her fingers toy with the open edge of his suit coat. “For not stopping me…and for…for being there…”
She felt his hands rise, one large palm on either side of her face as he tipped it back so their eyes met.
“Faith…I love you…where else would I be but with you?” He whispered before kissing her softly. “I’ll try and always have your back…I promise you that.”
Faith wasn’t sure where her brain went. She didn’t remember getting into the SUV or the short drive home. All she heard were those words whispered to her over and over.
“A guy can understand when you need payback, Faith,” Dominic said when the silence dragged on. He parked in front of the condo, frowning when she slid out of the SUV to the ground and stared at him. “Faith?” His hands shook slightly when he saw those big blue eyes swimming in tears.
“It…” She struggled to clear her throat, her head shaking numbly even as hi
s words echoed inside every cell of her body. “It wasn’t supposed to…I shouldn’t be…”
“Faith…” Dominic groaned, pulling her against him and ignoring the rest of the world. “Honey, give me a direction…a clue…”
“You said…” she pushed against is chest firmly, she needed to see his eyes. She swiped angrily at her own, dragging the backs of her hands over the tears. “You love me…” came the whispered words.
“I’m not sure I ever really had a choice,” Dominic admitted softly, slowly moving them to the elevator and pushing the button.
“The…those words are important…you wouldn’t say them unless you meant them,” she blinked quickly when more tears threatened as she watched him. “It isn’t just…just living together and great sex…”
Dominic was about to answer when she let out with a very girl scream and threw herself against him. He was grateful for the sturdy railing behind him, his body absorbing her energy and his hands out to catch her. Her hands shot up and wrapped around his neck to pull his mouth to hers, both of them tasting the salted tears, both of them breathless when the elevator doors opened.
“Inside, Faith…” Dominic said through the fog of passion and laughter.
“You love me!” She shouted happily, spinning inside the large living area and throwing herself into his arms again. She pulled his tie free, fingers opening the buttons on his shirt. “You love me!” She whispered excitedly against his mouth, her feet moving him toward the bedroom.
“What are you…” Dominic continued laughing as she broke from her kiss and pulled her boots free, tossing them toward the closet before shoving hard on his chest and moving to sit astride him.
Her hands finished the buttons down his shirt before pulling it free of his slacks and moving to his belt buckle. He grabbed her hands and gave an upward thrust, knocking her to the side and reversing their positions. He shrugged out of his suit coat and shirt, tossing them to the chair at the end of the bed. He had her hands pinned at her sides with his knees and leaned on his heels to stare at her.
WindSwept Narrows: #13 Charity, Faith & Hope Page 23
