Kidnapping His Bride

by Karen Erickson

  “Hurry, Cat! She’ll be inside in minutes!”

  Her mother’s behavior was troubling. Why the panic? Why did her mother need to see her? Why was it so important that she wake up? Too many odd things were happening and Annalisa seemed to be right in the middle of it. Now Mama acted as if she was almost afraid of her oldest daughter, and they’d always been so close.

  The door suddenly swung open, her mother stumbling in, nearly falling on her face. The look of shock she gave Cat before she broke out into a smile shocked her. When was the last time she’d seen her mother smile like that?

  “I unlocked it!” Mama announced proudly, holding up a skinny key. “I found it on top of the doorframe.”

  “Good job,” Cat said weakly, feeling like she was talking to a child.

  Her mother rushed toward the bed and sat on the edge, reaching out to smooth Cat’s hair away from her face. “You’ve been asleep for hours.”

  Cat shook her head. “I don’t understand why I still feel so sleepy, then. And how did I get in my bed?”

  “Annalisa put you here.” Her mother’s face was grave, eyes full of sadness, mouth turned down at the corners. “She drugged your tea. I saw her do it.”

  “What? What are you talking about?” Shock coursed through her veins, rendering her skin ice cold.

  “She did it on purpose. Slipped a few of her sleeping pills into your tea so she could knock you out. I left so I wouldn’t have to witness what happened to you.” Mama shuddered.

  So her own mother knew that Annalisa had slipped sleeping pills into her drink and then left so she wouldn’t have to see what happened? What about defending her? What about grabbing the tea and not letting Cat drink it?

  What the hell was wrong with everyone she lived with? Her family? She felt like they’d both lost their minds.

  “So you left me there alone with Annalisa so she could do whatever she wanted? Like drug me?” She was incredulous. None of what her mother said made any sense.

  “I didn’t know what to do! And then I grew afraid that she’d given you too much. She put three sleeping pills in your tea. So I went to her and she told me you only had a few sips and that was all it took. Thank goodness.”

  Cat stared at her mother in disbelief. Her life was starting to feel like a bad movie.

  “Once Annalisa brought you up here, she left. Ran off to go pick up that…man. Now they’re back here. In her car. Together!” Mama shook her head. “It’s disgusting, their behavior. Too soon, I tell you.”

  “Whose behavior?” Cat could hardly keep up. She couldn’t recall seeing her mother so agitated yet excited like this before.

  “Your sister’s and Rafael Renaldi’s behavior. They’re together, you know! Already, and it’s so shameful. You ended it with him and now they’re a couple.” Mama snorted. “The man is fickle, jumping from one Campioni girl to another. His father would be ashamed.”

  “He’s not with Annalisa.” The idea was downright laughable. She hadn’t a doubt in her mind what her mother spoke of was false. “He’s with me, Mama. I broke it off with Rafe, but then I left with him to New York City, remember? I let you know where I was. Well, I told Annalisa.”

  “Annalisa said you ran away with some boy you just met. Some stranger who wanted to show you the city. I thought you wouldn’t return to us ever, and I cried and cried. That’s why I was so worried, darling. You were all alone in the States with a strange man far too eager to show you the sights. Annalisa told me she thought you’d lost your mind, all over a man.” Mama shook her head, the disappointment on her face clear. “You need to be more careful.”

  Confusion swirled. Cat could hardly keep pace with what her mom said. Annalisa claimed she and Rafe were together? And that Cat had run off to New York with a complete stranger, like a complete idiot, and somehow convinced their mother the story was true? No wonder Mama had been so worried.

  “I didn’t go to New York with a stranger, Mama, I promise. Annalisa lied. I’m not that stupid. I went there with Rafe. I spent time with him, remember what I told you? I met his sister who I’d never really talked to before. It was wonderful. We’re going to get married after all. He’s the perfect man for me. I know we’re going to be happy together.”

  A snort escaped her. “If you say so. Considering he’s been with you and your sister, I’m not sure what Rafael Renaldi thinks he’s doing, playing with both of your hearts.” Mama shook her head. “The pig.”

  Cat was offended. “Don’t insult him like that,” she said, her voice low, her thoughts muddled. She wished Rafe were here. Right now. He could clear everything up for her—for all of them—in an instant.

  “Mama! Where are you?” Annalisa suddenly called, then the sound of a door slamming.

  “Oh, dear. She’s home.” Mama leapt to her feet, surprisingly quick for a supposedly in-constant-pain old woman. “Hurry, Cat. We must go greet her. I’m sure she has her new fiancé with her.”

  Her mother was making her head spin. Speaking so fast, telling crazy stories, none of it made any sense. “I can hardly get out of bed, Mama. If Annalisa wants to see me, she can come into my room. And she can bring her new…fiancé with her.” She could hardly get the word out. As if Rafe was Annalisa’s new fiancé.

  He belonged to her and no other woman.

  Mama nibbled on her lower lip, wringing her hands together. “She won’t like that. She’ll get mad.”

  “So? I don’t care.” Cat flopped back on her pillows, closing her eyes, blessed sleep already threatening. She could do it. Fall asleep so easily, let it take over and help her forget all her troubles for a while.

  But she needed to face her sister and this crazy situation head on. Figure out what exactly was going on. Everything seemed confused, abnormal. Her mother’s behavior, how her sister drugged her tea, the story that Annalisa was the one with Rafe now…not a bit of it made any damn sense.

  “I’ll have her come see you, then,” Mama said as she headed toward the door. “I know she’ll want to speak with you. Give her a chance to explain herself, Cat. I’m sure you’ll understand everything that’s happening once the two of you talk. Annalisa always seems so determined. She knows what she’s doing. Don’t you think?”

  Cat didn’t have the heart to tell her mother that she believed Annalisa had completely lost it. There was no point in upsetting her further. “She’s always full of explanations, that’s for sure. Send her to my room. Tell her I need to talk to her—and Rafe.”

  There. Let Annalisa know that I know exactly what she’s doing. And I’m going to call you out on your crazy-making behavior.

  “If she’s angry, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Bobbing her head once, Mama turned and headed toward the door.

  “If you think she’s angry, wait until you see how I feel,” Cat called after her.

  Mama didn’t bother replying. Cat watched her scurry out of the room, slamming the door behind her with a final thud. Her voice trailed down the hall as she called out to Annalisa, her sister returning the cooing sentiment, both of them fawning over each other as if they hadn’t see each other in years, months.

  It made Cat’s stomach churn.

  Closing her eyes, she fell back against the pillow and breathed deep, searching for strength. She could get through this. Surely Rafe wouldn’t let this charade continue. The air needed to be cleared and quick.

  Now, more than anything, Cat wished she could get the hell out of here and be with Rafe.

  Forever.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Annalisa strode into the room with the determination of a bulldog, acting like she owned the place.

  Cat remained calm, blinking up at her big sister from where she sat in her bed, propped against the pillows, her head remarkably clear.

  “Stop acting so pitiful and get out of bed,” Annalisa muttered, resting her hands on her hips as she stood over the bed.

  Rafe entered the bedroom, his gaze landing on Cat, his expression pained. She smiled at him, re
lief flooding her at having him here. Filling the space with his dominating presence, reassuring her that everything was going to be all right.

  “I don’t feel well,” Cat said, her voice strong, almost as strong as her determination. “Do you have a clue as to why I feel this way, Annalisa? I wonder.”

  Annalisa’s eyes narrowed, her lips firmed. “You should watch what you say in front of my—”

  “Annalisa, I need to speak to Cat for a moment,” Rafe interrupted. “Alone.”

  “I don’t know how I feel about that.” Annalisa turned away from the bed to face Rafe, her simpering voice grating on Cat’s nerves. “I think I should be in the room when you tell her about us.”

  “She deserves a bit of privacy for what I’m about to tell her,” Rafe said irritably. “Please. Give us a few minutes. I’ll let you know when I’m finished.”

  Annalisa turned to glare at Cat before she went to Rafe and kissed him hard on the lips. He stepped back, his expression full of disgust, though Annalisa didn’t seem to notice. She practically skipped out of the room, slamming the door so hard the walls shook.

  Rafe rushed toward her bed, gathering Cat in his arms so quick, she gasped. “I’ve missed you,” he murmured just before he kissed her.

  Despite Annalisa had just kissed him, Cat melted against Rafe, his strong arms tightening around her, holding her close. She opened to him, his tongue sweeping in, sliding against hers, and she wound her arms around his neck, her fingers buried in his hair.

  He broke the kiss first, his gaze locked on her face when she opened her eyes. “We need to talk fast before she comes back in here. Are you all right? You look good. God, you look beautiful.”

  She reluctantly withdrew from his embrace. “What’s going on, Rafe? My mother told me Annalisa drugged me and that the two of you are now engaged? And how did you get out of jail?”

  “Your sister dropped the charges.” He blew out a harsh breath. “She wants to be with me. Claims she’s always wanted to be with me and said this was the only way she would get me out of jail.”

  “By drugging me and getting you to be her fiancé?”

  He nodded. “She’s crazy. She hates you. I think she hates me too, but she’s convinced we belong together. So I agreed.” Reaching for her, he smoothed the hair away from her forehead, his fingers lingering, caressing her skin. “You know this is all pretend, right? It was the quickest way to get me out of that damn jail cell and to you. She admitted she drugged you, which I recorded.”

  “How did you record it?”

  “I left my cell phone recorder on. I got a bit of incriminating evidence. Not much, but hopefully enough that we can have her institutionalized, at least temporarily,” Rafe explained.

  Cat shook her head. “I’m still a little fuzzy-headed from the sleeping pills, I guess. What do you mean, institutionalized? Commit her to a mental facility? Doesn’t she have to commit herself?”

  “Not if we prove she’s a danger to herself and others, which she absolutely is, especially to you. Now come on, get out of bed.” He stood and waved his hand. “We don’t have much time. I want to sneak you out the window.”

  “Are you serious?” She tossed back the covers and climbed out of bed, thankful she still wore her clothes. Slipping on her shoes, she looked around the room for her purse but it was nowhere to be found. “I need my purse.”

  “That can wait till later. I need you to hop out the window and go to Matteo. He’s waiting for you in his car.” Rafe went to the window and bent to peer out of it. “See? He’s right over there.”

  Cat followed him, glancing out the window to see a sleek, black Mercedes sedan parked on the edge of the drive. “Won’t Annalisa know I’m missing? See me running across the yard?” The front lawn was huge and there was nowhere to hide.

  “I’ll distract her. Tell her you’re despondent and you need to be left alone in your room for a while.” He threw open the window and fiddled with the screen, pushing it off within seconds. “I’ll replace it if it’s damaged,” he muttered. “Now go.”

  “But…”

  He kissed her, smoothed his hand down her cheek. “Go, Cat. Trust me.”

  She did. She trusted him more than anything. But she was scared. The situation had gone from weird to scary in a matter of minutes and she didn’t want to be apart from Rafe. “Be safe,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

  Leaning in, he kissed her forehead. “You too, my love. Now go. Hurry.”

  Cat climbed out the window with Rafe’s assistance, dropping onto the wet with rain ground and breaking out into a full-on run when Rafe gave her the signal by flashing her the peace sign with his fingers.

  She hoped her sister or her mother didn’t notice. Was thankful when she saw the car pull forward, cutting her running distance by quite a bit. Matteo climbed out of the car and glanced around, hopefully making sure no one else was in sight, and she increased her pace, thankful for Rafe, for his brother, for his family.

  They would keep her safe. She knew this without a doubt.

  “How did she react? Is she mad? Is she upset?” Annalisa asked eagerly when he stepped out of Cat’s room, closing the door firmly behind him. “Should I go talk to her?”

  “Absolutely not.” Christ, she was sick. “She asked that we give her some privacy. She’s very upset.”

  “I knew she would be.” The triumphant smile on Annalisa’s face was beyond disturbing. “But it’s for the best. She’ll see it. Just like you’ll see it too.”

  “I already see it,” he said automatically, wanting to please her. Not wanting to give her an ounce of suspicion that something was amiss.

  Worry consumed him. He hoped Cat made it to his brother okay. The distance was short and he’d distracted Annalisa, but still. What if her mother saw? That poor woman would tell Annalisa everything in a heartbeat. Her oldest daughter treated her terribly, yet her loyalty stood true.

  The family was a mess—and the curator of the mess was Annalisa.

  “I’m glad you see that we belong together,” Annalisa said, her voice soft, her eyes sparkling. She was pretty. And smart. But the crazy edged all her positives out. Such a shame too, because she could’ve married and married well if she wasn’t so hell-bent on having him.

  He still didn’t quite understand why she was, either.

  “We should leave. Will your mother be all right here alone for a few hours?” he asked, his voice full of concern as he took Annalisa’s arm and led her down the hall toward the living room.

  “She’ll be fine. That feeble, old woman act she puts on is just that—an act.” Annalisa gazed up at him. “Where do you want to go, though? I thought we could stay here. I’d like to make you dinner.”

  What, so she could drug him and tie him up and keep him her prisoner forever? He didn’t think so. “I’d like to take you to my family’s home. I’d like you to meet my mother as my fiancée. I know the two of you have met before, but never under this important circumstance.”

  The joy on her face from his lie was unmistakable. “Are you serious? Oh, that’s wonderful, Rafe. I would love to go see Claudia and tell her our happy news.”

  “It’s decided, then. It will take us almost two hours to get there, so maybe you’d like to pack a small bag? We could stay overnight. Then come home tomorrow. Will your mother be fine with that?”

  Annalisa waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t worry about her. She’ll be fine. I’ll go right now and pack some things. Give me a few minutes and then I’ll be ready.”

  He watched her go, grabbing his cell from his pocket as soon as she disappeared into her bedroom. Hitting speed dial, he called Matteo, who answered on the first ring.

  “I have her in the car with me,” he said.

  Rafe kept his gaze trained on Annalisa’s door. “She okay?”

  “Shaken up and a little confused, I think, but she’s fine. Where do we go now?”

  “Head for the facility you texted me the address for. We’ll be behind you. A
nnalisa is packing her bag now.” Rafe paused, swallowing hard. “Thanks for your help, Matteo. You don’t know much this means to me.”

  “Ah, I think I do. Just…be careful with that woman. You don’t know what she might do if she figures out what’s going on,” Matteo warned.

  “You’re right. I know.” Shit. He needed to keep his wits and convince this woman that he really wanted her to be his wife.

  He’d have to do some of the best acting of his life—and he was no actor.

  But he could do this. All of it, if it meant he and Cat would be rid of her sister interfering with their life once and for all.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “I didn’t know you could get to your family’s house this way,” Annalisa said as she stared out the passenger side window.

  Rafe shifted in his seat, gripping the steering wheel tight. She’d remained relatively quiet for the latter part of the drive to the facility, having filled the first forty-five minutes with nothing but nonstop chatter about his family and how much she adored his mother. How eager she was to please everyone, especially him, and become the best wife he could ever want.

  Praising all of his brothers, his sister, how badly she wanted to be a good sister and daughter-in-law to everyone. How she wanted to provide him with plenty of babies and stay at home to take care of them. Wherever he went, she would go, she told him in a singsong voice.

  She even tore down Cat with a string of vicious, angry words. How much better of a wife she would be compared to her sister. How undeserving Cat was, to have such a good and handsome husband handed to her when she’d done nothing to deserve it. How hard Annalisa had worked her entire life to be the good daughter, the good employee, the good potential wife.

  Finally, finally, she was being recognized for her achievements, she told him proudly. As if someone had given her a blue ribbon and she’d won him as the prize.

  Years of resentment had built up inside this woman that no one seemed to know about. Anger and frustration had festered inside her, bubbling up until it resulted in this crazed lashing out against her sister, who’d never done anything but admire and love her all this time.