Treasuring Amber: The Temptation Saga: Book Five

by Hardt, Helen;

  Three women lay on the red satin bed. Two were playing with each other, their eyes glazed over. The other was out cold. Drugged. God help me, Amber was telling the truth. Amber. Sweet, beautiful Amber.

  Marta, clad in a black satin robe, covered the unconscious girl with a quilt.

  Three cameras stood on tripods at various points throughout the room.

  No doubt what was going on here.

  “I found some peepers,” the big man said. “Saw them nosing around out back and followed them to their car.”

  A bigger man—Oscar, the bouncer from Rachel’s—stalked forward. “Good work, Don. Who the hell are you two?” He studied them. “Wait a minute, weren’t you in the club the other day? Jesus Christ, this is that lawyer who’s been skulking around asking questions. Holy fuck.”

  “You’ve got the wrong guys,” Blake said. “We don’t know anything about any lawyers.”

  “Cut the crap,” Oscar said. “I don’t forget a face. What the fuck do you think you’re doin’ here?”

  Harper gulped. “Trying to stop you from harming any more innocent women.”

  Oscar let out a boisterous laugh. “Excuse me? We don’t hurt anyone. They come here of their own free will.”

  “Right, and then you drug them and have them pose for pictures and make them sign their rights away. We know all about your operation.”

  “Jesus,” Blake said through clenched teeth, “shut the fuck up, Bay.”

  “What does it matter now?”

  Oscar clapped him on the back so hard he almost fell over. “You’re absolutely right. What does it matter now? Because I’m afraid we can’t let the two of you live.”

  “Hey, we don’t know anything,” Blake said, shaking. “Nothing at all.”

  Harper said nothing. His stomach threatened to empty. For a moment, he envisioned his brains glopped all over the gold carpeting, but then he realized these were professionals. They wouldn’t make a mess of things. One bullet to the back of the head, a clean shot. What would they do with the bodies? What would happen to Amber when he and Blake didn’t come back?

  Weird, his life wasn’t flashing before his eyes. Just his brains on the carpet.

  And Amber.

  Beautiful Amber.

  “Take care of ’em, Don,” Oscar said. “You know what to do.”

  “You got it, boss.” He nudged Harper and then Blake with the gun. “Come on.”

  Harper’s guts threatened to explode. He was going to be sick right here, right all over Don’s ostrich boots. What would happen to their bodies? The goon had taken their wallets with their IDs. They’d be John and Jim Doe.

  If they were ever found…

  His bowels convulsed. Was he going to shit right here? Right in front of Blake and the thug?

  He didn’t give a flying fuck.

  His life was over.

  “Hold it right there, asshole,” a deep voice said. “Take the gun off those boys. I got ten of my men upstairs and all around this place, and if you don’t do what I say, I’ll set fire to this whole operation.”

  Harper didn’t dare turn around. The sound of Don’s gun hitting the floor was operatic to his ears.

  The next voice he heard was Oscar’s. “Donetto. What are you doin’ here?”

  “I heard there was a party goin’ on and I wasn’t invited, you dumb fuck.”

  “Where the hell did he come from?” Harper whispered to Blake.

  “I texted him.”

  “Are you fucking crazy?”

  “Hey, Amber didn’t want the cops involved. He’s the next best thing.”

  Harper’s heart still beat like a bass drum against his sternum. He was safe. He wasn’t going to die. At least not yet. Five minutes felt like a lifetime reprieve.

  Oscar strode forward. A head taller than Donetto, he was an imposing presence. “This has nothing to do with you.”

  “So? When has that stopped me from showing up wherever I want to?” Donetto looked around. “Now what exactly is going on here? Buchanan’s text said it would interest me. And I have to say, given the looks of things, I’m definitely interested.”

  “They’re drugging girls and taking X-rated photos,” Blake said.

  “Shut the fuck up, asshole,” Oscar said.

  “You shut the fuck up,” Donetto said. He looked at Blake. “Go on.”

  “They get them to sign the release form while they’re drugged, and when they come out of it they don’t remember anything.”

  “And I care about this because?”

  “They’re making a hell of a lot of money on the Internet. If you shut them down, you have a new clientele. You can start your own site.”

  “Small potatoes,” Donetto said.

  “Not that small,” Blake said. “They charge twenty grand a year for access to the site. And they have over two thousand members.”

  “Forty million a year? Must be some hot babes.”

  “Just Rachel’s girls. The men love them and they all have their favorites. It’s a fantasy. If they’ve got the money, they’re willing to pay.”

  “If the site brings in that kind of cash, why not just pay the girls to pose?”

  Blake fidgeted next to Harper. “They won’t do it. Most of the dancers are nice girls. They’re just trying to make a living.”

  “And you know all this how?”

  “My friend’s brother runs the site.”

  “I see.” Donetto cocked his gun, which was aimed at the bouncer. “Tell me why I should let any of you shitheads live.”

  “We’ll cut you in,” Oscar said. “Jesus, Donetto. This is business. You of all people ought to understand that.”

  “True, it’s business.” He walked closer to Oscar. “I’m a businessman myself. I kind of like Buchanan’s idea. I’m gonna shut you shitheads down. You’re exploiting innocent babes here.”

  “Since when do you care about exploitation?” Oscar backed away from Donetto.

  “When it’s being done without my knowledge or consent. I run this area, asshole. When you didn’t deal me in, you made a fatal mistake.”

  Three more men entered the basement and held guns on Marta, Don, and Harper and Blake.

  “Hey!” Blake protested.

  Donetto looked over his shoulder. “Those two are harmless. Let ’em go.” He turned back to Oscar. “Toss all those cameras over here.”

  When the three cameras were lined up in front of Donetto, he shot them each with a silencer.

  Harper grimaced at each shot.

  “Now let’s fire up that site of yours,” he said to Oscar, “and either it comes down, or your brains will be all over the monitor.”

  He turned around and looked at Harper and Blake. “Damn it, I told you two to go. Don’t make me think twice.”

  Shit. We can really go?

  Harper nearly peed his pants. “Let’s get out of here,” he said to Blake.

  “Our wallets,” Blake said.

  Damn. Harper had forgotten about their wallets. Obviously Blake had been through this kind of thing before. “Who cares about the wallets? Jesus!”

  Donetto turned slightly. “Christ almighty. Give them their goddamned wallets so they can get out of here!”

  Don retrieved the wallets. Harper gripped his with white knuckles as he tripped up the stairs behind Blake.

  When they were out of the unit and in the parking lot, Blake doubled over and heaved. When he was finished, he looked at the ground. “Sorry about that.”

  Harper shook his head. “No need to be. I thought I was going to do the same thing all over that thug’s boots. I’ve never been so scared in my whole life.”

  “Me neither, even when Donetto’s goons threatened me. This was some serious shit. But now he owes me one.”

  “Huh? Why would he owe you one?”

  “You paid my debt, so that wiped the slate clean. Now I clued him in on a competitor. In his circles, that’s a debt. It’s probably why he let us go.”

  “Wow.” Harper
shook his head. “There’s a lot I don’t know about the family business, I guess.”

  “I don’t know a lot more than you, but I know a few things. They hate being indebted to anyone. The thing I know most is I never want to get involved with any of those freaks again.”

  “Brother, me neither.” Harper raked his fingers through his hair. He checked his watch. Five fifteen. “Let’s get back to the hotel. Thank goodness Amber’ll still be asleep so she won’t be worrying about us.”

  * * *

  “Where the hell have you been?”

  Amber had been sitting outside Harper’s hotel room door for what seemed like days. When his tall, broad form walked up the hallway toward her, she jumped up and ran into his arms.

  “Hold on. I’m tired as all hell. I can hardly stand, Amber.”

  “Where have you two been? I’ve been worried sick. I’ve been out looking for you for the last hour. I just got back.”

  Harper seized her shoulders. “You went out looking for us? Where? Are you insane?”

  How she wanted to melt into his hard body. She held herself back. “I…I just went to Rachel’s. It was dark and empty. I drove around a little. I had to do something, Harper. I was worried sick.”

  “Are you crazy? Jesus, Amber.”

  Blake let out a yawn. “Sounds like you two have a lot to talk about, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m beat.” He ambled to his door and let himself in.

  “We’re fine,” he said. “But I’m beat too, Amber. Can we talk in the morning?”

  “Harper, it is the morning.”

  “Not for me it ain’t.” He paused at the door. “I can’t talk about all this right now. But come in with me?”

  Amber’s heart lurched. Did he mean? No, of course not. He looked like death warmed over. He and Blake had obviously been up all night.

  But he needed her. He didn’t want to be alone right now, and she knew all too well how that felt. All she’d wanted was a little company the other night, even though it had turned into more.

  What went down tonight? Harper was not himself. He seemed agitated and exhausted at the same time. His eyes were glassy with a faraway look in them. It was a look of resignation, of thankfulness, laced with a little bit of…fear?

  The thought niggled at her. She had been right to be worried. Something bad had gone down.

  But that didn’t matter right now. Harper was here, safe.

  “Sure. Let’s get you to bed,” she said.

  She followed him into the room. He plunked down on his bed, still gazing into space.

  “Come on,” she said, “let me help.”

  She pulled off his cowboy boots. Then she unbuttoned his shirt and slid it over his broad golden shoulders. Her fingers tingled as they brushed his skin.

  He was so broad and manly, so incredibly handsome.

  Her hands shook as she unsnapped and unzipped his jeans. The zing of his zipper rang in her ears. He lifted his hips for her as she maneuvered the jeans over his backside and pulled them off his legs.

  Clad only in his boxers, he remained in his sitting position.

  No hardness beckoned. He was flaccid. No matter. She wasn’t after sex. She wanted only to take care of him, to nurture him. He needed her, and she wanted to be needed right now.

  She pulled down the covers on the bed. “Lie down, Harper.”

  She gently eased him into a supine position. His head hit the pillow and his glazed eyes closed.

  “That’s it,” she said. “Sleep now.”

  She took off her jeans and put his lounging pants on. They were way too big, but way more comfortable than jeans for sleeping. She unsnapped her bra under her shirt and took it off, leaving the shirt on. Then she climbed in next to Harper and snuggled against his hard body.

  “Amber.” His deep voice, barely more than a whisper, resonated against the walls of the quiet room. Dawn was breaking, and a sliver of light burst through the line in the curtains.

  “I’m here,” she whispered against his neck.

  His head turned slightly and his lips touched the top of her head. “My baby.”

  She smiled against his hard body. Within a few minutes, his breathing had steadied, and she knew he’d fallen asleep.

  “Sleep, my love,” she whispered to him. “Sleep all your cares away.” She closed her own eyes. “I love you,” she mouthed against his warm skin. “I love you so much.”

  * * *

  Harper woke with Amber in his arms. Oh no, they hadn’t! He sighed with relief. He was in his boxers, and she was fully clothed.

  Thank God.

  First things first. He fired up his tablet and typed in the URL for the Rachel’s site. It was down. Donetto had done it. They sure owed him. Harper wasn’t sure he liked being in that position. But Blake knew Donetto better than he did, and he didn’t think there was anything to worry about.

  Of course, the site could go back up at any time. At least they’d taken care of disposing of Amber’s photos. He hoped to God Donetto had made sure the rest of the photos were trashed.

  He wished he could be sure. For Amber. It was what she wanted. He regarded her lying on his bed, her platinum hair fanned on the pillow, her hands clasped together as if she were praying.

  She looked like an angel.

  He nudged her gently. “Wake up, Amber.”

  She opened her gorgeous gold eyes and yawned. “What time is it?”

  Harper checked his watch. “Ten thirty a.m. Crap, I’m late. I have to pick someone up at the airport in an hour.”

  “Okay.” Amber rubbed her eyes. “Who?”

  “Your father.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  During the ride to the airport, Harper told Amber about the previous night.

  Amber tensed in the passenger seat. Her hand itched to reach over to Harper’s, but she held it back. She couldn’t believe Harper and Blake had both put themselves in such danger for her. And she hated the idea of Paul Donetto being involved. What if he came after them?

  “Blake doesn’t think that’ll happen,” Harper said when she voiced this concern. “Now that Blake’s debt is paid, we’re even. Sure, Donetto got us out of the mess with the others, but Blake says that was a payoff—for letting him in on what they were doing. Donetto doesn’t like others impinging on what he thinks is under his control.”

  “What does Blake know about it?”

  “I have no idea, but he knows more than I know, that’s for sure. Besides, we’re all going back to Bakersville. There’s no debt hanging over our heads like there was for Blake. We’re small potatoes to someone like Paul Donetto.”

  Amber should have been thrilled that her photos were gone and the web site was down. Truly, she was, but her tummy fluttered and her hands were fidgety.

  They were about to pick up Thunder Morgan.

  Her father.

  What would he say?

  Harper hadn’t told him why he wanted him to come down, just that it was important. Thunder clearly respected Harper enough to take his word for it and fly in.

  Would he think this was important?

  Would he be angry?

  Would he demand a DNA test?

  Would he tell Amber to stay out of his life?

  Fear and uncertainty gripped her like icy fingers again. Why did Harper feel he had to do this? For her? For Karen? For himself? For Thunder?

  She had no idea. He’d made it clear enough that she had no future with him. Yet here he was, taking care of her again. She’d never asked him to take care of her, so why did he do it? Maybe he thought if he got her father to take over, he’d be off the hook.

  Thing is, he was never on the hook to begin with. True, she loved him, but he didn’t know that. She’d never told him.

  And she never would.

  * * *

  “Thank you for lunch, Harp,” Thunder Morgan said, touching his napkin to his lips. “The small talk’s been great, and it was great seeing both of you, but now I’ve gotta ask why you had me come dow
n here.”

  Amber stiffened. Here it comes. Now or nothing.

  Harper cleared his throat. “I’m thinking Amber should tell you.”

  Amber’s chin dropped to the table. Seriously? He might have warned her.

  “Well, pretty lady, what’s goin’ on?” Thunder asked.

  “Um…well. I’m not sure where to start.”

  “Always best to start at the beginning,” Thunder said.

  “Yeah, I suppose so,” she hedged. “Do you remember a woman named Karen Hedstrom?”

  Thunder’s forehead wrinkled. “Hedstrom? Can’t say it rings a bell.”

  “She was a cocktail waitress here in San Antonio about twenty-three years ago. Very light blond hair, clear blue eyes.”

  Thunder’s amber eyes lit up. “Karen? Ah, yes. Gorgeous thing. I remember meeting her. Never saw her again when I came through here. She must’ve stopped waitressing.”

  Amber cleared her throat. “Yeah. She did. She…uh…had a baby.”

  “Did she? I never knew what happened to her. I’m glad she settled down and got married.”

  “She didn’t actually get married.”

  “Oh? Well, single motherhood works these days. Lots of women are doin’ it.”

  “Yeah.” Amber shrugged and looked at Harper. Now what?

  “Go ahead,” he urged. “Thunder’s a good guy.”

  “Sure I’m a good guy. But what’s that have to do with anything?”

  “You see…” Amber swallowed and gathered every ounce of courage she possessed. “I was that baby Karen had. And you’re my father.”

  Thunder didn’t react at first. He simply stared. Second by second passed, until Amber didn’t think she could bear one more, when Thunder finally spoke.

  “Say what?”

  There went that shrink-wrapped feeling again. Her guts would squeeze out of her skin any minute now. “You’re my daddy. Your name’s on my birth certificate. Morgan Cross.”

  “That’s my name all right, but that don’t mean nothin’. Karen coulda put any old name on there.”

  “She swears I’m yours. We can…do a DNA test if you want.”