Daniel and Mr & Mrs Brown were also going to be there tonight. She'd seen Daniel a couple of times since she'd returned from Quinaard and she really felt that they were growing close. She smiled as she remembered their meal together earlier in the week. She didn't think she'd ever call him 'Dad', but she was beginning to think of him as her father rather than just the man who had sired her. Even the couple of speculative articles about them meeting for lunch hadn't spoilt how she felt about having him around.
Her sister, Kelly, who had asked her to participate this evening, seemed to appreciate her contribution to the college's charity concert. She'd been quite civil to her for a change. Maybe there was hope with one sister.
As she applied a light lipstick she couldn't keep the big grin from her face. Yep, one of her sister's was being pleasant, she had a family member in Daniel who genuinely loved her and she was going to spend time with Matt. Life was sweet!
Just as she reached for her wrap the doorbell rang.
'Flowers for Miss Cannon.' A voice shouted through the door.
Ella flew to the door to answer it, so excited at the thought that Matt had sent them she never wondered at how the delivery had made it to her front door when it was a gated property. As she opened the door, she was roughly pushed backwards and a man hiding behind the flowers slammed the door shut behind him.
Ella's heart began thumping in her chest.
'Wh… Who are you? What do you want? H… How did you get in the building?'
'Bit late to wonder that isn't it after you've opened the door.' The man continued to push her backwards until she was in the lounge with her legs up against the sofa. He shoved her down onto it. He chucked the flowers onto one of her chairs and stood in front of her. A baseball cap pulled down low on his forehead kept his face in shadow. She looked down into his hand and realised he had a gun.
Before she could stop it a gasp escaped her lips. Her breathing hitched in fear.
The man smiled. It seemed he liked the affect he was having on her.
'What do you…?' Ella took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She didn't want to show her fear. 'What do you want?'
'Well, I just thought I'd sit here a while, but she never said you were a bit tasty. Might just change the rules.' He played around with the gun in his hand and continued to do so as he walked round the room.
Ella pulled her legs up underneath her, terrified at what he might do. She was no big fish. She didn't understand what he was doing here.
'Seems you've got some good stuff in 'ere. Might just help m'self when I leave. After I've 'ad some fun.' He leered at her.
She shrank into the sofa. His phone rang and he turned his back on her to answer it. While he argued with whoever was on the phone she frantically searched her room with her eyes to see if there was something she could use as a weapon. Short of trying to smother him with cushions, everything else was either too small to have any impact or too heavy to lift.
'You never said she 'ad money.' He listened to the reply. 'Yeah, mebbe. But the rules 'ave just changed.' With that he snapped his phone shut and turned back to Ella.
*
Matt was knackered, even by his standards. He was getting too old to undertake the ridiculous number of catering engagements he'd taken on this week. Well maybe it wasn't the number of them but the fact they'd been in three different cities, in three different countries!
A vision of Ella popped into his head as he finished dressing for the concert. The thought of holding her in his arms later on and making love to her energised him. He'd never looked forward to seeing a woman as much as he did Ella. Sex, yes, but not a woman. He shook his head. He wasn't going to waste energy analysing it, he would just enjoy it while it lasted.
He whistled to himself as he reached for his phone. He would just send her a quick text.
'Glad someone's happy!' Zander interrupted him so he popped his phone into his pocket. He'd text her later.
'Hey bro!' He gave him a hard stare. 'What does a guy have to do to get privacy in this house? I thought we were meeting at the front door?'
'If you want some privacy, you need to remember to shut your apartment door. What are you so damned happy about anyway? I thought you were knackered.'
Matt grinned at his twin.
'You're obviously getting some tonight.'
Matt punched him on the shoulder.
'Don't be so crass,' he said as the smile slid from his face. 'It's none of your business. And don't say anything in front of the girls.'
As he walked past, Zander rubbed his arm. Matt had never responded like that before. More evidence that this relationship was different.
'Sorry.'
Matt turned sharply. That one word had a heap of emotion in it.
'Me too.' He relaxed. 'I've never asked - how were things in the office this week?'
Zander tried to shake his mood. If Matt and Ella were going to become an item, he'd have to accept it. It wasn't that he had anything against Ella, it was the strength of his jealousy that Matt had found someone that unexpectedly made him edgy and moody.
'The news on Mike is just the same - he's still in a coma. It doesn't sound promising. When - if - he comes round, he's got so many injuries it would be weeks before he'd be strong enough to fly home and months before he could think about work. I've offered his wife whatever support she needs to be able to stay out there with him.'
Matt hadn't expected to hear any different. He and Zander had been unanimous that their business practices would be people focussed. They were lucky that they could afford to be generous in times like this.
'And how about the threat? Any more word from anyone?'
'Just a reporter from the same paper phoning every day trying to catch me out. He's becoming an irritating little bug. I'm having my secretary screen my calls.'
At that moment, the girls came down the stairs, looking far too evocatively dressed for a concert at a local college.
Matt and Zander both raised their eyebrows.
'You boys are so funny stood there with identical expressions of disapproval on your faces.' Tess turned to Ronnie. They both grinned at each other. They'd just finished betting that their big brothers wouldn't approve of the shortness of their skirts or the evidence of their cleavage.
'You are so predictable!' Ronnie laced her arm through Zander's and tugged him out the door. 'We're big girls now remember.'
Tess took hold of Matt's arm and laughed at them both. 'It's just as well you can't see the affect my outfits have when I'm doing the jazz clubs in France, you'd beat up every man in the room.'
Matt opened his mouth ready to utter a string of expletives at the thought of what she wore.
'Gotcha!' Tess pointed at him. 'Quit being our father. Now big brother, take me to this concert. Ronnie and I are hitting the clubs afterwards.'
*
'Wow, this place looks busy.' Tess and Ronnie headed off to a table whilst their brothers went to the bar.
'Good evening. Matt and Zander isn't it?' They both turned away from the bar.
'Daniel,' Matt acknowledged.
'I confess you have me at a slight disadvantage because I'm not sure who is who.'
Matt laughed and reached out to shake his hand. 'Matt. I'm the talent in the family. That's all you need to know.'
'Yeah, he's just about learnt how to crack an egg. I'm the brains that keeps the company afloat and his feet on the ground.' Zander also shook his hand.
'Hah,' Matt was getting into this now. He loved sparring with his brother. 'If he didn't have me to show him some fun he'd be pasty white and humped back from stooping over his computer all day and night.'
A voice tutted to their right. 'At it again I see boys.' Mr Brown laughed and clapped them both on the shoulder.
'Hi Mr Brown. Mrs Brown. What can we get you all to drink?'
Daniel experienced a moment of disappointment as he sat down at their table. He'd been so sure from the little Ella had shared that she was see
ing Matt and yet he and his brother had both brought dates tonight. He was so lost in his thoughts that he missed the warmth of the greeting between the two young women and the Browns.
'Daniel, let me introduce Thérèse and Véronique Duval-Adams.'
He turned to his friend and then towards the two girls.
'Tess, please, and this is Ronnie.'
Mr Brown continued with the introductions. 'As you can see, Tess and Ronnie, like their brothers, are also identical twins.'
Daniel smiled in welcome and swallowed a sigh of relief. He had misjudged Matt.
After ten minutes of listening to the banter between the siblings he excused himself. Their enthusiasm and open affection for each other was infectious but exhausting. When Tess had discovered who he was, he'd learnt that Ella was one of their dearest friends. From what he'd heard of Ella's mother and half-sisters he was pleased that she had these good people as friends.
Daniel made his way towards the gents' cloakroom. He stopped as he heard Ella's name being whispered furiously between two women.
'You what?'
'I arranged for a friend to detain her at her apartment.'
Kelly looked at her half-sister as if she'd sprouted a second head. 'What the…! Why?'
'It was supposed to show her up - to have people think she didn't see this as important and couldn't be bothered to turn up. The press would have had a field day.' Bianca didn't look as happy about it as Kelly expected.
'But I asked if she'd do this Bianca. I didn't mind going along with the hair colour but the college Principal actually looked at me with respect when I said Ella would be here. You've gone too far this time Bianca. Phone your friend, now, and get her brought here.'
'I don't think I can.' Bianca looked worried.
'Why not? What's the problem? Just tell whoever it is you've changed your mind.'
'I phoned earlier to make sure he'd done it. He sounded weird. He said something about the rules changing.' Bianca started to get agitated and grabbed Kelly's hand. 'I think he's got a gun with him Kell!'
Daniel darted back to the table, unable to believe what he'd just heard. Taking a deep breath he repeated it to everyone as quickly as he could. Saying the words out loud made it all seem completely unreal. As they sat there in stunned silence he was beginning to think he'd imagined it, then Matt shot from his seat.
*
Matt barely noticed Kelly or the woman stood beside her as he grabbed Bianca by the arm and demanded to know what was going on.
She stared at him in fear. Her arm was hurting where he'd shoved it up her back.
'I… I….' She stuttered. For the first time in her life she was really frightened.
'Phone your 'friend' and tell him to get the hell out of there.' Matt growled at her. He was just about rational enough to realise he was attracting attention. He let go of her arm. 'Phone him!' He hissed.
Bianca fumbled around for her phone and with shaking fingers made the call.
After exchanging a few sentences her face went white and the phone dropped to the ground.
Matt shook her. 'What? WHAT?'
'She's tied up. That's all I asked him to do. Honestly! I never intended for him to do anything else!' Bianca sounded frantic.
'For Christ's sake woman. What's he done?' Matt could feel his fingers digging hard into her flesh. He couldn't relax the tension held there.
'He…. He says he's holding her at gunpoint.' Bianca started to crumble. 'He sounds drunk, out of control.' She put her head in her hands. 'Oh god, what have I done? What have I done?'
Everyone around him started talking at once. Matt looked round and realised his family were there, Daniel, the Browns and two other women he didn't recognise. One of them raised her voice above everyone else's.
'What about the concert?' She turned to the other woman. 'Kelly, all these people are here because you promised me Daniella Lewis-Cannon. What am I going to tell them all?'
Selfish bitch, he thought.
'Tess, go on instead of Ella.' He turned to his sister. She looked like she was going to faint. 'Zander, get Tess on the stage. Go get the concert started.'
Zander put his arms round Tess and Ronnie and led them away. 'Don't do anything stupid. Phone me.'
Thank god for twin telepathy. Zander understood without words, what needed to be done.
He handed Bianca to Mr Brown. 'Here, hold her 'til the police get here. Daniel, come on. We'll phone the police on the way.'
Daniel had a moment to admire Matt's performance. He was an impressive piece of work. He would do well for Ella - if they could only get to her in time.
*
Matt was frustrated at the lack of progress. By the time he and Daniel had arrived at Ella's apartment building, the police were already there. Shortly afterwards, armed police turned up with a hostage negotiator. They had spoken to the man holding Ella and deemed him to be unstable. They'd been on the phone with him a couple of times trying to talk him into giving himself up. The building had been cleared as a precaution and the press were beginning to arrive. It was turning into a three-ringed circus.
Matt paced up and down outside, not caring what anyone thought. His only concern was for Ella - getting her out in one piece. If he could have got inside, he'd have dragged the drunken lout out and killed him with his bare hands.
The police had warned him twice that if he tried to do anything stupid he would be ordered to leave.
They'd brought Bianca along at some point to see what she could tell them about the man who was inside. Matt had walked away in disgust, unable to take her snivelling apology any longer. She was facing a jail sentence for kidnap - worse, possible murder. No, he couldn't think like that. They'd get Ella out. They had to!
He had a tightness in his chest. It was a familiar feeling but the last time he'd had it, he'd been eighteen years old and he'd just learnt that his parents had been killed in a car crash.
He felt his muscles contract around his core. He was wrong, this feeling wasn't familiar, it was far worse than when he'd found out about his parents.
That was when it hit him. Ella was his life, his very reason for being. If he lost her, he lost everything.
He ran his hands through his hair. 'Come on, come on,' he chanted to himself. 'Do something!'
A shout went up and then all hell broke loose. Everyone seemed to rush into the building. Matt was right there behind them. No-one stopped him this time.
They burst their way into Ella's apartment and through to the kitchen where they'd been keeping tabs on the kidnapper through gun sights from an apartment opposite. Matt forced his way through them.
He sent up a silent prayer of thanks as he dropped to his knees in front of Ella and grasped the sides of her head. He wiped away her tears with his thumbs.
A policeman crouched behind her to cut through the tape that bound her and at last she was in his arms. She clung to him and welcomed his kiss. At that moment they were the only two people in existence.
Matt raised his head to look at her as if he couldn't take in that she was okay.
'I was so scared Matt,' she forced out in a whisper. 'He kept waving the gun around. Then he threatened to rape me.' A shuddering sob left her lips. Matt held her to him.
It's okay sweetheart. You're safe. You don't have to talk just now.'
Ella shook her head. 'Yes I do. I need to talk. That's what was wrong before. You've taught me to talk it out.' She sounded desperate to have him hear her out.
'Why didn't he go through with his threats?'
'I don't know. After he'd moved me in here and tied me up, he found the brandy and started drinking. He became delirious at times. There were so many times he pointed the gun at me, but he seemed to sway and mutter himself out of it.'
'Ahem, sorry to interrupt, but we'd like to get Miss Cannon checked out. Then we need a statement.'
Matt looked up and realised that it was just them and the policeman.
'Where's the kidnapper? Where's ever
yone else?'
'He's been taken to hospital. He collapsed, that's how we knew we could come in.'
Matt turned to Ella.
'He just fell in a heap to the floor. He was muttering again, then his eyes rolled and he fell.'
'We'd like you to go to the hospital as a precaution. One of my officers will take a statement from you there.' He looked kindly at Ella and put a hand up to Matt in anticipation of his objection.
'We need to do this and then you can take Miss Cannon home. Not here though. My men will be here for a while processing the scene. I'd prefer it if you didn't return here until we say so.'
As they left the kitchen, Ella noticed Daniel. She ran into his arms. Matt watched as father and daughter at that moment created a bond he was sure would never waiver.
*
Matt lay in the darkness with Ella in his arms. He had her where she belonged and she was safe but there was still that tightness around his heart. He didn't think it would shift until he had a ring on her finger. Even thinking about getting married eased the pressure.
While Ella had been checked over and interviewed, Matt had spoken to Zander. Tess's performance had been nothing short of outstanding and Zander had hosted the whole evening. No-one seemed to have minded that the person they'd paid to see had been indisposed. Matt had asked Zander to keep the girls entertained in the morning. For some reason he wasn't ready to share the news that he and Ella were an item. Maybe it was because she was their friend. He couldn't explain it. Zander seemed to know exactly how he felt about her, but then he and Zander read each other so well. He wouldn't be surprised if Zander had known before he'd worked it out for himself.
The thought of losing her had been the catalyst he'd needed to see the reality of their relationship, the special bond they had together.
Daniel had come to the hospital too. He was another one who'd seemed to know. Without being asked, he'd given his blessing, telling Matt he would welcome him as a son-in-law. He'd given Matt hope too that Ella felt the same. Seemed Ella had loved him for a very long time.
Heat in the Kitchen Page 16
