by Tia Wylder
“Really?” I frowned. “That’s surprising.”
Gianna laughed, but she didn’t sound amused. “Why?”
I shrugged and took another long sip of wine. “Because, you’re a smart, strong, independent woman.” I glanced at her – the poised way she was sitting and looking at me like I was actually a man deserving of such beauty. “And I have a hard time believing your parents would’ve tried to suppress that.”
“They did,” Gianna said. “My younger sister, Diane, is dealing with the same shit now. She’s only twenty-one, and she’s got a lot more ahead of her…at least, unless she gets married.” A sour look came over Gianna’s face, and she reached for the bottle of wine, filling her glass nearly to the brim.
“That’s a little young to get married,” I said.
“Yeah, but if she doesn’t get married, she can’t move out. And ever since…” Gianna trailed off and flushed.
“Ever since what?”
“So, I sort of took money from my account without telling my parents,” Gianna said. She gave me a guilty look. “I mean, it was mine and all. When I was born, It was given to me by my grandparents. But their names were on the account, too. I lied to the bank.”
I burst out laughing, and Gianna glared. “What?” I asked innocently. “What did you think I was going to say?”
Gianna shrugged. After a few seconds, her frown melted and she giggled. “I know, it sounds like something a crazy person would do…but maybe I am crazy. I ran away from home.”
“You’re twenty-five,” I pointed out. “It’s not like you were held in some high tower, like Rapunzel. You’re a legal adult – and your sister is, too.”
Gianna snorted. “I always forget you’re a lawyer,” she said, tossing her head. “And it wasn’t like that. We had security cameras, motion-sensing lights…the works. Just leaving the house for a couple of hours always felt like a major coup.”
I stared. “I can’t believe that,” I said. “I mean, I believe you – of course. I just…what the hell were your parents thinking? What was the logic of keeping you and your sister locked up like that?”
Gianna shrugged. “Honestly, I wish I knew,” she said. She sighed. “The plan was for me to marry some old stuffy family friend of theirs – some old man, that I’d never even met. And I kept putting it off, which was actually easy…he never showed, either, so it wasn’t like I was actually worried about it. But the years kept passing, and I guess my parents never gave up hope that I’d respect their wishes.”
“And what about your sister?”
“I don’t know,” Gianna said. “She was never the type to want independence, at least not the same way that I did. I don’t know what’s going to happen to Diane. I told her that I’d send for her and that she could come out here and live with me, but I don’t know.”
“Why not?” I frowned. “Aren’t you close?”
“We should be,” Gianna replied. There was a trace of guilt in her voice. “But four years felt like such a big gap when I was growing up. She always seemed so much younger than me – like a baby, you know? And when we got older, she clung to Mom and Dad like she was still a girl.”
“I see,” I said quietly.
“But I’m happy now,” Gianna said. She reached across the table and put her hand on mine.
“And I want to hear more about you.”
I laughed. “There isn’t much to tell. I’m thirty-seven, and I’ve never been married. Hell, I haven’t even been engaged.”
“That’s hard to believe,” Gianna said slowly. She bit her lip. “You’re a great catch, Barnes. Any woman would be lucky to have you.”
I snorted. “I’m a workaholic who chose a career over having relationships. You think that makes me a great catch?”
Gianna laughed. I was relieved to hear that she sounded much more relaxed than she’d sounded a few minutes ago when we’d been discussing her family.
“Yeah,” Gianna said softly. She reached under the table and put her hand on my thigh. Even though it was more comforting than sexual, I still felt a powerful wave of desire crashing over my body at the warmth radiating from her palm.
“Well, then I guess you’re one lucky woman,” I said with a smirk. “More wine?”
Gianna nodded. “You must have friends,” she said. “What are they doing now?”
“My best friend, Jack, and his wife just had their first child,” I said. “He was sort of like me – a late-bloomer when it comes to relationships. But he’s really happy now, and I’m happy for him.”
“That does sound nice,” Gianna said. She smiled. “My best friend got married a week or so ago, back home in Boston. Her name is Jessica – I was supposed to be a bridesmaid.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here instead,” I said.
Gianna nodded. “Me, too,” she replied. “But I think Jessica was pretty angry with me.” She sighed. “I wish I could make her understand – hell, I wasn’t even allowed to go to college! And Jessica just acted like I was spoiled and bratty because I couldn’t ever stay out late or go on vacation with her.”
“So, you’ve never really gone for a vacation?”
“Not without my parents,” Gianna said drily. “So, no, I guess. I haven’t.”
“We should take a trip,” I said impulsively. “What do you think about that?”
Gianna grinned. “That sounds perfect. But what about Heaven Cove?” She pulled out her phone and flipped through her calendar. “I’m working every day next week, and after that, too.”
“I’m the director,” I said with a smug grin. “I could find a way to write you off the show.”
Gianna frowned. “Well, I don’t want that,” she said. She bit her lip. “I’m really enjoying it.”
I laughed. “Okay. Well, how about this – let’s take a weekend trip somewhere, you know – somewhere almost local where we could drive?”
Gianna relaxed against the back of the booth. She took her hand away from my thigh and reached across the table to hold my hand. “That sounds perfect,” she said quietly. “I’d really like that.” She grinned. “Hey, could we go to Vegas?”
I snorted. “Really?”
“Well, yeah,” Gianna said. She sounded almost hurt. “I mean, I’ve obviously never been…and it’s always looked like it would be kind of fun, don’t you think?”
“Hey, baby,” I said with a grin. “If you want Vegas, let’s do Vegas. And we’ll do it right – stay in the biggest hotel, play the biggest casino…we could even go to a show if you want.”
“Oh, I want everything,” Gianna said. She took a sip of wine and sighed. “I really do, Barnes. I can’t believe I’m saying this – it makes me sound so naïve – but I feel like I’m eighteen, or something. I feel like I wasted so much of my life waiting for it to change without ever taking control of my own destiny.”
“I’m glad you feel that way,” I said. “Because honestly, I do, too. And I don’t mean to sound patronizing because I know I’m so much older than you, but I think being here and meeting you has changed my life in a way that I would never have thought possible.”
Gianna smiled and sighed happily. “I know exactly what you mean,” she said. She rubbed her thumb on the back of my hand. “And it’s perfect.”
Just as I was about to lean across the table and kiss her, Gianna’s phone buzzed. She glanced down at the screen and gave me a guilty look.
“I hate to be rude,” she said, picking up her phone. “But do you mind if I take this? Eric keeps calling from different numbers, and if it’s something about the show, I don’t want to miss his call.”
“Of course,” I said.
Gianna flashed me a grateful smile. “Thanks.” She swiped open the call and held it to her ear. “Hello?”
I watched in silence as Gianna’s smile faded. I could hear the faint, tinny sound of a voice on the other end of the line but there was just enough ambient noise in the restaurant to make the words sound like a blur. Gianna’s expression grew
steadily more horrified by the second, and after only a few moments, she gasped and threw the phone down on the table.
“I’m going to guess that wasn’t Eric,” I said slowly. “Is everything okay?”
“No,” Gianna said in a shaky voice. “Nothing is okay.”
“Gianna, what happened,” I said urgently. “Tell me – I can help you.”
When Gianna looked into my eyes, I saw that she was about to cry. “I think my family sent someone after me,” she said softly. “And they’re threatening me – blackmail, kidnapping…” She trailed off, gnawing fiercely at her lip. “Oh, Barnes, I don’t know what to do.”
I got up from my side of the booth and pulled her into my arms.
“It’s okay,” I said softly as I stroked her hair. “We’ll figure something out.”
That night, I took Gianna back to my condo. I stayed with her all night – even waiting outside the bathroom at her request as she peed. And in the morning, I knew I had a solution.
“How are you feeling?” I asked Gianna. I passed her a cup of coffee. “I made this for you.”
Gianna smiled weakly. “Not good,” she said softly.
“Well, that’s about to change, I hope,” I said. “Because until we get this mess straightened out, you’re moving in with me.”
Chapter 9
Gianna
“What?” My jaw dropped. “Barnes, you can’t possibly be serious!”
Barnes narrowed his eyes. “Of course I’m serious,” he said. “Gianna, I know how independent you are, but this is dangerous – what if something happens to you? I’d never forgive myself,” he added passionately.
I flushed. As shocked – and surprised – as I was feeling, I couldn’t deny that Barnes’s words made me feel something I’d never felt before in my life.
“Really?” I asked in a small voice. “You mean that?”
“Of course I do,” Barnes said. “Gianna, don’t you know how important you are to me?”
I bit my lip and leaned back against the leather booth. As scared as I was feeling, knowing that I was with Barnes made me feel safer. This is ridiculous, I thought as I looked down at my hands. I barely know him! How could I be falling in love?
Although I’d never been in a relationship – or even dated anyone other than Barnes – I somehow knew this wasn’t the normal trajectory. In all of the books that I’d read and movies that I’d watched, it seemed that true love wasn’t something that happened overnight…or within a short timespan at all. And yet, looking at Barnes, I knew that I was feeling something deeper than a mere crush.
“I think so,” I said softly. “At least, I’m starting to.”
“Please, Gianna,” Barnes said. “At least, please consider it.”
“I will.” I reached for my glass of wine and took a long sip, wondering what I should do. I tried to think of Jessica and Diane – if they were faced with such similar hard decisions, which choice would they make?
As much as I wanted to forget all about the creepy phone call and go back to enjoying dinner with Barnes, I couldn’t. There was no way I could get that voice out of my head. It had been a man’s voice – deep and raspy and grunting – and it had sounded evil, like it wanted to hurt me.
I didn’t understand. I knew my parents were angry with me, but why would they want to hurt me? After all, I was an adult. I was twenty-five years old, and I had the freedom to do what I wished. Was my father angry because I’d gone to the bank and taken out the money? And if so, why couldn’t he just call me himself?
I was feeling very, very confused.
When my entrée arrived, I barely touched it. It was one of my favorite meals, filet mignon topped with lump crab and béchamel sauce, but I didn’t feel hungry anymore. I felt lost.
“Eyes bigger than your stomach?”
I looked up to see Barnes staring at me. I shrugged. “I’m just thinking, that’s all.”
“About whether you’re going to move in with me?”
I bit my lip. “About everything,” I said.
“Gianna, I can only protect you if you let me,” Barnes said. His voice was low and deep and serious. “And I very much want to protect you, do you understand?”
“I think I’d like to go back to my hotel room tonight,” I said softly. I pushed the plate of food to the center of the table. “You can have this boxed up if you want it. I’m not hungry.”
“Jesus,” Barnes said. “What, you think I need leftovers? Christ, Gianna, I’m just worried about you.”
I got to my feet and nodded, still feeling shaky. “I know,” I said. “Trust me.”
I was surprised Barnes let me leave the restaurant without a fight – I half expected him to follow me outside – and when he didn’t, I realized that I was almost disappointed.
This is so screwed up, I thought as I stood on the curb with my arm out for a cab. As much as I wanted to run back inside and throw myself into Barnes’s strong arms, I knew I couldn’t do that. I’d moved here because I wanted to be strong and independent, not throw myself at the first man who said he could protect me. But then again, I’d never thought I’d really need protection.
I barely slept that night. I tossed and turned in my giant hotel bed, wondering what I should do. Every noise and sound startled me. I almost expected a masked man to jump out of the shadows, wielding a gun, and threatening my life. I got out of bed six times to check the amount of cash I had left in the safe. Everything looked untouched, but if my parents were crazy enough to hire someone to threaten me with anonymous phone calls, did that mean they were crazy enough to hire someone to watch me?
In the morning, I felt terrible. It took a huge effort to haul myself out of bed and into the hot shower, where I stood under the water until it went from scorching to lukewarm. I had to be on the set of Heaven Cove in a little over an hour, and despite the shower, I still looked as bad as I felt. I tried to camouflage the dark circles under my eyes as best I could, but nothing could hide the strain and stress of a bad night.
“Gianna?”
I looked up to see Barnes getting to his feet in the hotel hallway. His suit was wrinkled, and he looked almost as bad as I did.
“Don’t tell me you stayed here all night,” I said. “You can’t possibly have done that.”
Barnes shrugged. “I told you I would protect you,” he replied. “And there was no way I was going to let you stay all alone. Someone could have broken into your room while you were sleeping.”
“I barely slept,” I said. “And I don’t know whether to feel violated or pleased that you did that.”
“No rules against being in the hallway,” Barnes said. He stepped closer, and I felt my heart start to beat faster. “So, did you make up your mind?”
Looking into Barnes’s deep eyes then, I knew I’d made a decision.
“Yes,” I said quietly. “I’ll move in with you.”
Barnes wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. “Good,” he said as he nuzzled my hair. “Because I don’t think I can stand another night of staying on the floor here.”
--
Over the next two weeks, I was busier than I’d been in my entire life. I worked long days on the set of Heaven Cove – Eric told me that my character was responsible for the huge uptick in daily viewings – and in the evenings, Barnes and I worked on his condo. It was nice, and it definitely had potential…but it wasn’t quite the level of luxury I was used to.
One night, I climbed off the couch and walked into Barnes’s office.
“Hey,” I said softly, knocking on the door. “You’ve been in here a long time.”
Barnes spun around in his chair and nodded. I saw that his phone was pressed between his shoulder and his ear, and he was frowning.
“I’ll be out soon,” Barnes mouthed. He motioned for me to leave and close the door.
I rolled my eyes before walking out of his office and leaving the door open. When I heard it slam closed seconds later, I groaned and flopped back down on th
e couch.
It was two hours before Barnes finally appeared.
“Sorry about that,” he said. “Still dealing with a lot of cases in Boston. It’s getting really hectic.”
“You should really just hire someone to do your work for you,” I said. “It has to be hard, what with the time difference and all.”
