by J. D. Chase
It’s Joel. He’s got his back to me. And he’s distracted. That’s both of them with their backs to me!
Before I could do anything, I saw Carter nod and he launched himself at Joel. The other guy picked up his gun off the table top and pointed it towards them.
“Stop, or I’ll fucking shoot!” Ava!
I was almost too scared to watch. Then I saw that Carter had Joel bent over the table. I could see that Joel’s head was pushed against the desk but Carter was blocking my view of most of his body.
“You shoot, and I’ll shoot,” Carter’s guy said. Looking at Ava but keeping the gun pointed at Joel’s head.
“But I can’t miss,” she replied, with chilling finality. “Now put your gun down, there’s a good boy. And this time, put it on the floor and kick it towards me.”
I saw him hesitate but then, looking defeated, he bent down and placed it on the floor.
“Kick it,” she said. “Now you, let Joel go.”
Carter’s man widened his eyes at me and jerked his head slightly towards the center of the room. He did it again. What the fuck?
I saw that Carter was ignoring Ava. So I peered even further into the room. Oh my God! Ava was standing so close to me. I could see the gun pressed against Lucas’ head. He was standing to her left. She wasn’t touching him. She just had the gun at his head. My nerve failed and I almost pulled back, but I knew I had to do something. I looked around me wildly as she repeated her demand to Carter—this time with a warning. There was nothing around for me to hit her with. Then I had a flash of inspiration and, to this day, I don’t believe what I did next.
I stuffed my hand in my pocket as I straightened up. I stepped into the room just as Carter was pulling Joel up off the desk. Blood was pounding through my veins, almost deafening me. I couldn’t hear what Ava shouted, presumably to Carter, I only heard her muffled voice but I noticed that the gun had moved away from Lucas’ head a few inches. I crept up behind her, gave Lucas a shove and pressed the end of my flashlight against the back of Ava’s head.
“Don’t move, bitch, or I’ll blow your fucking head off,” I growled.
She began to turn around but I heard a click and she froze.
“Freeze! Drop it. Now!” a male voice shouted.
I thought he was shouting at me. I froze, alright. Dropping the flashlight wasn’t an option. I was immobilized completely. Then Ava moved forward, leaving me standing there holding a flashlight in mid-air, looking like a complete dickhead.
Then I saw that Carter’s man had disarmed her. He pushed her onto the floor, his own gun trained on her head. Carter still had Joel pressed against the desk.
I dropped the flashlight and started to shake uncontrollably. Then Lucas’ arms were around me. I began to sob. I couldn’t help it. I was a shaking, sobbing mess and Lucas just held me tightly. “It’s over, Issy, you brave but foolishly headstrong woman. It’s all over now,” he muttered.
Lucas eventually led me to the couch. He sat and pulled me across his lap, folding his arms back around my shaking frame. I felt numb; not even feeling any pain in my shoulder as I moved.
I was aware that Joel and Ava were led out of the room but nothing else. I guess I must’ve cried myself to sleep once the adrenaline and shock had worn off. I remember wondering where Scott was—and the rest of Carter’s men—but I felt too drained to even ask Lucas. I think he must’ve felt the same because he didn’t speak or move a muscle, except to stroke my hair, comforting me.
*
I woke fearful and agitated after having a nightmare reliving what had happened, but Lucas was there, soothing and calming me in his arms. Carter’s guy came up to us, looking very sheepish. He apologized profusely for not passing on the information that could’ve ended things so much more simply and safer. Lucas asked him what he meant. I just shook my head and waved the guy away. I was too emotionally drained and couldn’t face an inquisition from Lucas—or the risk of a thermonuclear reaction when Lucas found out that I’d suspected Ava and had tried to tell him. After all it was thanks, in part, to that guy that I’d found the courage to tackle Ava.
It wasn’t until Lucas said it was time to go home that we moved. Carter drove us back in the Lexus SUV—I had no idea how that had got there. Lucas again placed me on his lap and held me as I finally asked the questions I could no longer contain.
I learned that Scott was safe. He’d been locked in the cellar, which was some sort of stronghold by all accounts, along with the rest of Carter’s team. Ava had led the team to rescue Scott but had locked them all in before making her way back to Joel. Lucas promised to apologize to Scott, as he now knew that Scott was totally innocent. He kicked himself for not suspecting Ava.
He froze suddenly and turned to me, asking me whether I’d overheard him trying to talk Ava around. I nodded and headed him off before he could worry that I’d believed him when he’d said he still loved her. I told him I’d realized what he was trying to do. I felt him relax completely. His insecurities and issues would probably torment him for as long as he lived, but I knew I loved him enough to accept him, flaws and all—just as he’d have to do for me.
I asked what would happen to Joel and Ava, but Lucas just shrugged and said it was probably best that we didn’t know. My eyebrows took flight as I absorbed what his words could possibly mean.
Then it was my turn to be interrogated. I told him everything about my suspicions about Ava. By then, we’d both figured out that she’d found the footage of the two of them at Odyssey, after she’d taken over as the manager, and had passed it on to Joel along with information about its influential members. Lucas was still angry that the former manager had been secretly recording the goings on in the private rooms. He declared that the club was a liability and said he was getting rid of it. I had mixed feelings about that. I had both good and bad memories of the place. Part of me wanted to spend more time in there with Lucas, if it was possible to overcome the near disastrous events caused by Joel and Ava. I sat up suddenly as I recalled how Denial had almost lost their recording contract, thanks to an anonymous female caller. That had to have been Ava too. Bitch!
Lucas also reiterated his promise that there’d be no more dodgy business activities. No matter what his competitors did, he’d win contracts and obtain planning consent by fair means only. I wondered how much of that was because of me, because of the trouble it had caused or because his mission of hunting down Joel and extracting revenge was complete. I decided it didn’t matter.
He then shocked me by informing me that he’d found out earlier that day, thanks to a joint investigation by Daniel and Carter, that his glamorous, young receptionist was also in Joel’s employ and had given Joel the information he needed to be able to hack into Lucas’ secure server. I recalled seeing him with a strange man and how they’d tried to enter Lucas’ office but had quickly vanished when I appeared. I’d forgotten to tell him about that but then it hadn’t seemed important at the time. I decided there was nothing to be gained from raising it after the event. Instead, I snuggled in closer and told him that we should forget all about the past. That only the future mattered now, not the past.
*
As soon as we arrived at the Orion Building, we went straight to Lucas’ apartment. We both needed a shower but were so exhausted that, when he led me to his bed, I didn’t argue. I had to summon all my energy just to pull off my clothes and crawl under the covers.
Lucas slid in next to me, switched off his lamp, and lay back. I moved to rest my head on his chest, snuggling up to him.
I was just drifting off to sleep when I heard a tiny voice say, “Okay. I’ll give it a try . . . for you.”
I lifted my head in confusion. I noticed that his bedside lamp was switched on but my sleepy eyes weren’t focusing properly. “Give what a try?”
“Seeing a therapist. I do have issues, you’re right, and I’m not risking losing you because of them.”
“Oh, Lucas,” I whispered as my eyes cleared and I took
in his worried expression. “You’re not going to lose me because of that. And you can’t do it for me. You need to do it for you.”
His hands cupped my face and his eyes of deepest blue sought mine. There was sincerity and acceptance in those eyes. “I’ll do it for both of us.” Then he kissed me. Softly and reverently. It was as if our souls embraced as we kissed, reuniting and cementing our relationship after all the emotional crises we’d endured.
Six Months Later . . .
I walked back from the Orion Building to my new home—no, our home—after a very rewarding afternoon with Jenson, Lucas’ architect, going over plans for the refurbishment of Lucas’ latest property acquisition in the heart of Manhattan. As mini-Dakota came into view, I stopped briefly to take in the beautiful building looking majestic in the autumn sunshine; bathed in a golden glow. It still stunned me every time I saw it. But that was nothing compared with the thrill I felt whenever I put my key in the lock and opened the gateway to our home.
A few minutes later, having stopped for a brief chat with the lovely James, who was now our new doorman, I did just that, then entered the huge apartment. I paused to drop my keys and purse on the console table in the hall. The light glinted on the small yet ridiculously expensive diamond which was secured to my finger by a slim white-gold band reminding me that my new neighbor, who was also my wedding planner, was due over that evening, if she could tear herself away from her new job—owner and manager of Odyssey. Angel was often late these days. Man, she loved that club. I’d been worried about her relationship with Chad when she’d asked Lucas about taking it over, but he’d been so distracted, being halfway through Denial’s tour, that he hadn’t batted an eyelid. . He’d also had the unfortunate task of keeping Travis out of trouble. Much as he loved Jenny, it seems that refusing the advances of brazen fans, throwing themselves at him every night had perhaps proved too difficult for him. Chad had kept tight lipped about exactly what Travis may or may not have been up to, probably because he didn’t want to put Angel in a difficult position. She and Jenny were now good friends.
Oh yeah, the boys were due back this weekend. Lucas had arranged a massive party at his Queens bar to congratulate them on the incredible success of their tour. It would be the only chance they’d have to party . . . they were due in the recording studio the following week. Thank God Lucas was no longer their agent. Denial was in serious demand. Their fan base was huge!
I walked into our bedroom and found an outfit laid out on the bed. My fiancé must have forgotten about Angel coming over . . . he was obviously hoping for a repeat of the evening before. I rubbed my ass absentmindedly as memories of last night flooded my mind.
I shook my head, bringing my thoughts back to the present. What was it with men and weddings? I was sure they just buried their heads in the sand until all the work was done. Well, except for the bachelor party . . . they seemed to manage that just fine. Lucas must’ve invited half of the male population of Manhattan. Mind you, his circle of friends was growing by the day so maybe that wasn’t so surprising.
I picked up the flimsy, sexy outfit and took it back to the closet. Not tonight, Mr. Hunter. I walked back to the bed and collected the large, slender white-gold band. I picked it up and put it around my neck, locking it into place easily after so much practice. I glanced down at my engagement ring and thought of the matching wedding band that we’d picked out together. They meant the world to me . . . but not as much as the collar I wore around my neck.
I bent over and began to pick up the other objects on the bed. My hand fondly stroked the leather handle of the wickedly narrow-tipped crop. As I lay it in its velvet-lined box, I muttered, “Thank heaven for sex therapists . . .”
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Six Months Later . . .
