by T. J. Kline
“I FOUND HER.”
“Alyssa? Where is she?” Elijah sat up straighter behind his desk as James smiled broadly from the doorway. “It’s about damn time.”
James strutted into the office and tossed a manila file folder onto his desk. “El Dorado County. You didn’t notice that’s where the restraining order was filed?”
Elijah frowned as several documents and photos scattered over the mahogany surface of his desk. “We already know that much. It’s where the car was. I thought you said you found her. Unless you have an address where I can go and pick my wife up, this information is useless.”
“Her mother said she was on her way to stay with them, but she never made it there. The tow company reported picking up the car just off the highway.” James pulled out a map of the area and spread it across the desk, smoothing it out and knocking over the photo of Alyssa.
“Damn it, watch what you’re doing,” Elijah grumbled as he righted the frame, letting his fingers glide over the glass.
James narrowed his eyes at Elijah. “You realize you can’t just go get her. There’s a restraining order issued against you.”
“No shit, Sherlock,” he said. “It’s a good thing I have you to figure out these little details for me at six hundred dollars an hour.”
He wouldn’t need to show his face. All he needed to know was the address where Alyssa was staying so he could send someone to go pick her up. When he saw her, he could convince her to drop this ridiculous restraining order. If they didn’t get this taken care of in the next day or so, the media were sure to get wind of it. And it wouldn’t look good for him if his estranged wife, whom he had led people to believe was missing, had issued a restraining order for domestic violence.
His eyes fell onto the documents in the file. It hadn’t slipped by him that her lawyer on file was Franklin Monroe. When had he surfaced again? Elijah was certain he was the one pushing her to get the restraining order. He’d never understood Franklin’s persistent hatred of him, even after their wedding. Elijah knew the man had a thing for his wife. Hell, hundreds of men did.
“Well, where is she?”
“Here.” James laid a picture in front of him. The only thing he saw was a building with a brick wall on one side and a sign for some veterinary clinic.
“Where?”
James tapped his finger against the glossy photo paper. “According to my investigator, she’s staying at this clinic. Well, the house behind it, just outside of Placerville.”
“She doesn’t know anyone in Placerville.” His voice pitched higher and he cleared his throat. If Alyssa was in contact with Franklin Monroe again, she might have other secrets hidden from him. He arched a brow, fury at her audacity pulsing through him. “Is that even on the way to Carson City?”
“His name is Justin Hart. He has two sisters who live on adjacent property and run some sort of dog or horse training facility or something.”
Elijah felt jealousy slither through him like a living creature, eating away at his insides. Who was this man? How did she know him? Had she been cheating all along and run off to meet up with her lover? Was that why she’d filed for divorce so quickly? There was only one way to get answers. He rose, his fingers pressed against his desk as rage made its way to his spine.
“Let’s go get my wife and bring her home.”
“Aren’t you listening? You can’t be near her. There’s a restraining order against you.” James slid the papers into the file folder. “Trust me, this guy is the least of your worries right now. You need to do some damage control. The media are bound to find out about this restraining order before the end of the day. My advice is to jump on the offensive and call a press conference. You told me you were worried she was cheating on you. Maybe it’s time you tell the rest of the world and make this”—James tapped the restraining order on the desk—“look like she’s trying to deflect attention from her affair.”
Chapter Fourteen
ALYSSA WOKE TO the sound of a fire alarm and a complaining howl coming from the mudroom. She hurried from the bed, trying to remember where she was and why she didn’t have clothing on. As her memories cleared, she couldn’t waste time with the embarrassment that heated her skin with a blush. She heard Justin cursing from the kitchen and caught a whiff of something burning.
“Lucky, quiet. I’ll get it to stop as soon as you do.”
Alyssa pulled the sheet from the bed and wrapped it around her, tucking the corner at her breast, and hurried into the kitchen. “What’s going on?”
Smoke poured from the pan on the stove and she hurried over to turn it off. Justin stood under the smoke alarm, waving a towel just below it as Lucky sat in the doorway, singing her song of protest. Alyssa hurried to open the kitchen windows and the back door so the air could clear. The alarm finally halted and Lucky quieted, looking at Alyssa proudly with her tongue lolling out.
“I think a clock alarm might be a little less dramatic next time.” Alyssa laughed.
“It was supposed to be breakfast in bed.” Justin sulked and she couldn’t help but laugh even harder at his mournful expression. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“You did that. Now I understand the need for frozen dinners.” She laughed again. “Since nothing is about to burn down, I’m going to go get some clothes on.” She turned to leave but Justin snagged the edge of the sheet.
“Oh, no you don’t.” He pulled her back into his arms, and she let herself melt against him. He made her forget every bit of the reticence she’d practiced over the years of her marriage. With Justin, she didn’t want to hide her feelings. She wanted to be completely open with him, and that vulnerability excited her even as it frustrated her. In her experience, love wasn’t like this.
Love? When had this become love?
Justin paused as he looked over her shoulder and out the front window. “You’d better get dressed after all. We have company.” She followed his gaze and saw a rental car coming down the driveway. Franklin said he’d be here today, but this was far too early, and she wondered what was so important he would leave LA before dawn.
“Something’s wrong.” She saw a frown crease Justin’s brow but didn’t have time to explain as she hurried to the guest room and grabbed her clothes, then took them into the bathroom to get a quick shower before she faced whatever devastation she was sure Franklin was bringing up the drive with him.
She tried not to speculate. It was almost as difficult as keeping her mind from straying back to making love to Justin. She had to be more careful, to keep at least some distance between them. She couldn’t let herself fall in love with this man when her future was still so uncertain. She wanted to stand on her own feet, not fall back into the same pattern where she allowed a man to run her life and career. She wanted her freedom, and falling in love with another man, no matter how perfect he seemed, was a mistake she couldn’t afford to make. Not for her, not for Justin, or her son.
She stepped from the shower and got dressed, brushing her teeth quickly and running a comb through her hair, before heading back toward the kitchen. She heard the male voices rumbling quietly and slowed. She felt guilty for eavesdropping, but she was worried Franklin would hold back the truth for fear of upsetting her.
“Aly doesn’t know yet. It’s not going to be fun for you.”
Alyssa heard Justin’s sigh. “I’ve already been through this with my sister. It was a nightmare. The media can be brutal.”
“With Aly being a celebrity, it’s going to be bad. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“No,” Justin answered honestly.
Alyssa didn’t want to hear any more. This wasn’t the first time Franklin had dealt with the paparazzi. He’d had several famous clients, she knew, and he would be ready for what was coming, but Justin had no idea what he was getting himself into. And, from the sound of things, he didn’t want to.
She couldn’t blame him. Her world wasn’t for everyone. She couldn’t blame Justin for wanting to keep his privat
e life private, for protecting his sisters and cousin from the negative attention her presence would bring. They might have shared something special last night, but, obviously, it wasn’t that special.
She’d wanted to stand on her own feet, to maintain her freedom, and this was just the motivation she needed. Justin might help her, but there was a limit to how much, even if he wouldn’t admit the truth to her. He didn’t need to know she’d heard him and knew his doubts. Alyssa swallowed the knot that formed in her throat, pressing the pain deep into her chest, burying it within her heart. She would never admit that she’d allowed herself to feel as much for him as she had. One night didn’t equal a forever kind of commitment.
She breezed into the kitchen and both men jumped up from the table, as if she’d caught them plotting. “Morning, Franklin.” She smiled brightly, giving her friend a hug and a quick peck on the cheek. “I thought you weren’t coming until later.”
He looked from Justin to Alyssa. “You two really don’t ever turn on the television, do you?” Franklin shook his head and held up a hand as if he didn’t want an explanation. “Elijah is trying to make you a pariah. He had another press conference last night and did everything possible to portray you as a cheating wife who has run off with his child.”
“What? How?” She tried to keep her hands from shaking. She’d known Elijah wasn’t going to take the news of the restraining order lightly, that he’d attempt to crucify her in the media, but how could people be so gullible to just accept what he said without any evidence?
“He leaked his ‘proof.’ ” Franklin passed a picture to her across the table. It was a fuzzy black-and-white image of her walking into the back door of the clinic with Justin close behind, his hand on her lower back. She wasn’t even sure when it could have been taken. “The good news is that he’s not disputing the paternity of the baby.” He eyed Justin. “At least, not yet.”
“So, now what do we do?”
“The media are going to descend like vultures. You’ll notice that he made sure the name of the clinic was visible. That was deliberate. We need to get a jump on this and spin it.”
“Spin what?”
“People are going to believe the two of you are involved now, whether it’s true or not.” Franklin looked at each of them as if waiting for them to clarify their relationship. She saw the flash of clarity in Franklin’s eyes. “Right. So, we need to turn the tables on him. You left to protect yourself and child. We’ll play up the way Justin rescued you in the storm.” He looked at Alyssa pointedly. “This is going to get ugly. You’re going to have to go public with how he’s abused you.”
“No.” She pushed away from the table as her eyes shot toward Justin. “I’m not going to lie.”
“What lie?” Franklin exploded, looking to Justin as if he expected him to back his point of view. “He has emotionally abused and manipulated you for years, Aly. You can’t tell me that you don’t see it now. That man sabotaged your career in order to keep you under his thumb and let you believe it was your fault.”
Alyssa paced, not wanting to admit aloud that Franklin was right. She’d spent the past four years pretending that her marriage to Elijah was normal, that there was nothing questionable in their relationship—no arguments, no outside affairs, no pain. There was nothing out of the ordinary. She’d gotten to the point where his hurtful words could be overlooked and she pretended it was just a natural part of every relationship. She wasn’t just a good actress—she was a great one. In trying to convince the rest of the world, she’d almost convinced herself.
“Lyssa, all three of us know the truth, even if you don’t want to admit it.” Franklin’s voice had gone somber. “You need to expose this side of him, and the cheating.”
She spun to face him, but Justin spoke up before she could say anything. “Lyssa, you need to stand up to him, let him know he can’t do this to you anymore.”
She felt as if both of them were ganging up on her, trying to force her into claiming something that sounded worse than it was. Elijah was far from perfect, but he hadn’t abused her. He’d never raised a hand, not really. They’d fought, he’d said cruel things, been passive-aggressive with his demands, even held her roughly on occasion, but he’d never hit her.
The truth fell over her like a wave crashing and knocking her off balance. Elijah had spent the six years of their relationship beating her with his backhanded remarks, breaking her self-confidence with his criticism, and destroying her with his words. It had been just as abusive and damaging as if he had hit her. He’d turned a woman who had been confident and sure into a victim who hid behind a wall of doubt and insecurity, content to survive in silence rather than risk the wrath of a verbal assault that would cut to the quick. Regret followed her realization. How could she have stayed so long? If it hadn’t been for Lillian, she would still be in Hollywood, pretending she was a happy, doting wife, even while she was slowly dying inside, blaming herself.
Elijah wasn’t the only one to blame for what their relationship had become. She had allowed him to treat her that way, had even begun to think it was what she deserved. Justin told her to stand up for herself. She would do better than that. She would stand up for her child as well. She squared her shoulders, determination in the set of her jaw.
As if recognizing the change in her, Justin turned to Franklin. “What do we need to do?”
“We?” she asked. “We aren’t going to do anything. I am.” She turned to Franklin. “Is that offer to stay at your place still open? I need to get back to LA and start trying to line up jobs once the baby is born.”
“You’re not going anywhere.” Justin knocked his chair backward as he jumped up from the table. “I’m not letting you anywhere near him.”
“You can’t stop me,” she pointed out, jabbing a finger into his chest. “You said to stand up to him, and that’s what I’m doing.” She hadn’t expected him to be so vehement in his protests, especially when she’d just heard him tell Franklin he didn’t want to deal with the media circus heading to town. “I’ll be fine. Now that he knows where I am, I can start using our accounts again, right?” She looked at Franklin for confirmation.
“Aly, you have to stay here. If you leave now, it will look like you were hiding an affair. You’ll only give Elijah more fuel against you, and he’s already got enough. You’re going to have to take the offensive and answer every question people might have before they ask it.”
Justin crossed his arms, calming for the moment, and leaned his back against the counter with a satisfied grin. She threw her hands into the air in frustration.
“A few days ago, you couldn’t wait to get rid of me. Now, you want me to stay.”
She saw him clench his jaw in indignation, and his eyes grew dark. “Lyssa, you know I want you to stay. I thought I made that clear.”
She could see he was trying to control his temper. She’d just heard him tell Franklin he wasn’t ready to deal with the ensuing media rigmarole. Why was he protesting her leaving now? She rubbed her fingertips over her temples. “I’ll just go find a room at a hotel.”
“Yeah, because there are a ton of those around here. All we have is the crappy Crazy 8 up the road, and you’re not staying there.”
Franklin leaned against the back of the chair and crossed his arms, a smile lighting his face. “Sorry, Aly, but you’re going to need to stay here. If for no other reason than to prove there is no basis to his ‘evidence’ against you.” He waved a hand between her and Justin. “Whatever this is, we can make this work. We are going to give people exactly what they want—a hero. You’ve got this tragic story going on: abused wife, rescued on the side of the road when she’s been abandoned. This is going to hang Elijah out to dry. People will love the cowboy-knight-in-shining-armor bit. Just keep it up.”
Justin’s eyes darkened as he glared at Franklin. Alyssa looked at Justin and wondered what was going on in his head. “Do whatever you have to, say whatever will help Lyssa.”
He looked
pissed as he walked out of the room, not even giving her a chance to tell Franklin she wouldn’t do this. She wasn’t about to use Justin as a media ploy. That was something Elijah would have done.
SON OF A bitch!
As much as he wanted Lyssa to stay, he never wanted it to be a spectacle set up for publicity. He was going to be put on display, nothing more than a tool used to torque her ex-husband’s pocketbook and to twist the media around her finger. Maybe she was more like the Alyssa Cole he’d seen on the big screen after all. Maybe, the woman he thought he knew was the fantasy.
He headed for the back door to the clinic as he saw Franklin, completely pleased with himself, come trotting down the porch steps and wave. “I’m heading out, lots of calls to make to set up this press conference for tomorrow morning. Think we could set it up right here?” He waved his hand toward the front porch.
“Does it really matter what I say?” He couldn’t help the disgust from creeping into his voice. This was a sham and he didn’t enjoy feeling like a common fraud. “Sounds like you and Alyssa have this all planned out.”
Frank arched a brow in question. “If you’ve got a problem with this, say something now. I need for this to be real, Hart.”
Justin grunted at the man. “Sure you do.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Franklin slid the shoulder strap of his messenger bag over his shoulder. “I’ve got too much to get organized to play this guessing game with you. Aly needs you.”
“Why? She has you and she’s a good actress. I’m sure the two of you can pull this off with or without me. I’ve got work to do.” He spun on his heel, disgusted and frustrated.
“You realize she’s not acting right?” Franklin’s words stopped him, his hand on the door. “She’s falling in love with you.” Justin looked back at him. “And whether you want to admit it or not, you’re falling for her. You wouldn’t be this pissed if you weren’t.”
