by L. P. Dover
“Thank you,” I cried. “I’ll see you tomorrow, all right?”
“See you tomorrow,” she repeated before hanging up.
Lying down on Brett’s pillows, I could still smell his masculine scent on the bed sheets. I breathed him in and closed my eyes. Please hurry up and get home.
Twenty-One
I awoke to the sound of the front door opening and closing, and the clanging of keys being tossed on the counter. Immediately, my heart hammered in my chest as if I’d run a marathon, so I sat straight up in bed and clutched my heart. I could see Brett’s shadow moving around in the living room, but he’d yet to come into the bedroom. It was like everything moved in slow motion as I waited to face my fate.
Finally appearing and running his hands through his hair, Brett slowly made his way into the bedroom. It was dark in his room, and when his gaze flitted over to the bed that’s when our eyes locked. “I thought you’d be asleep right now. It’s three in the morning,” he informed me softly.
I shrugged. “Yeah, well, I haven’t been enjoying sleep these days.”
Releasing his tie, he took it off, unbuttoned his shirt, and dropped his pants on the floor. Without another word, he climbed into bed and folded me in his arms. I tried to hold back the tears but I couldn’t. I lost it and broke down into trembling sobs.
“I’m here now, Melissa. Talk to me,” he said, rubbing my back soothingly.
I held onto him for a few more minutes, touching him and breathing him in, because once he found out my secret I may not be allowed to touch him again. I wanted to make sure I had enough time to enjoy his final touches. Taking a deep breath, I reluctantly pulled out of his arms and turned to face him. His stormy gray eyes were guarded like they were in the pictures after his mother killed herself, and it devastated me to know I did that to him.
“I … I have something … to tell you,” I sputtered weakly.
Clenching his teeth, he motioned for me to get on with it by waving his hand impatiently. “Spill it, Melissa. I spent hours on a plane imagining all the sorts of things you were going to tell me tonight. And believe me, none of them were good thoughts.”
I nodded quickly and averted my gaze. “You’re right, it’s not. Shit, I don’t even know where to begin,” I said angrily.
“How about you start from the beginning?” he replied.
Taking a deep breath, I blew it out slowly. “Okay, here it goes. Do you remember the night we went out to dinner with your client and I said I didn’t feel well?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, and I pushed you to join me.” He paused for a second, anger growing across his face. “Something happened between you and Daniel, didn’t it? I could feel the tension the whole time we were at dinner.”
The tears flowed freely and in hot streaks down my cheeks. “There’s a reason for that tension, Brett, and I was stupid to have not told you from the beginning.”
“Is he one of your past boyfriends? Did you sleep with him?” he ground out through clenched teeth.
“Hell no,” I exclaimed and paused, thinking about the question. “Or at least not recently,” I added sheepishly.
Brett bolted out of bed and pinned an accusatory glare my way. “What the fuck does that mean?” he shouted. “Not recently? What kind of shit is that?”
“He’s my ex-husband,” I blurted out, meeting his gaze head on.
Brett’s mouth dropped wide open and he angrily ran his hands through his dark hair. “Holy shit, you can’t be serious. You mean I’ve been talking to the same douche who you married and who fucked you over?”
Hesitantly, I nodded and murmured, “Yes. He told me not to tell you who he was.”
Incredulously, his eyes went wide. “And you listened to him? Since when do you do things he tells you to?”
Pursing my lips, I shrugged and answered, “Never, but since he’s blackmailing me I kind of had no choice. It was either keep his secret or lose my career and possibly you in the process. But that was before things took a turn for the worse.” I moved to the edge of the bed, but I didn’t dare touch him. He was like a bomb about ready to explode and I had no clue if my touch would be welcome. Softly, I ended up saying, “You can’t build on that land in California, Brett. It doesn’t belong to Daniel.”
Coming to an immediate halt, Brett pierced me with his stony gray eyes. “Tell me,” he demanded. “What do you know?”
Releasing a heavy sigh, I explained, “That land was supposed to go to his sister, Claire. Daniel was furious when he found out that his sister was going to inherit it all. I even talked to his mother about it. I’ve tried calling his sister but I can’t get in touch with her. I think he paid some people off to make it look like he owned the land or something. He was very adamant that you start building as soon as possible, and he told me today that his investor was getting impatient. I have a detective looking into it who also happens to be my cousin. I just don’t have a good feeling about this.”
“Fuck,” he exclaimed. “I have to tell Galen what’s going on.”
I nodded and lowered my gaze, muttering softly, “We’re supposed to meet with him and Korinne tomorrow at the firm, and I’m also going to call my cousin to join us, too. I’m hoping he has some information for us. I already set it up with Kori, but I didn’t tell her what was going on. I wanted to tell you first. Please don’t be mad at me, Brett. I knew I had to tell you. It’s just you were so excited about the account, and then with Daniel threatening me I had no clue what to do. I was going to do it the other day, but you had to leave for Seattle and I didn’t want to lay this on you before you left.”
Shaking his head, he sighed and walked over to me, taking my face in his hands and tilting my chin up. “I know I kind of pushed you into the dinner with him, but it still doesn’t explain why you would lie to me. If you knew he was doing something illegal you shouldn’t have kept that a secret. That makes you just as guilty.”
“I know,” I cried, unashamed of the guilty tears flowing down my cheeks. “But I have a reason. I haven’t told you the whole blackmail part and everything else that happened.” I paused and swallowed hard. Here I go. “He threatened me, Brett. He told me that if I told you who he was and what I thought I knew about his mother’s will and their land that he’d go to the school board and claim that I slept with a student. I’ll go to jail if he pulls it off and pays the right people.”
“Dammit,” Brett hissed. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”
Desperately, I added, “I didn’t want to lose my job … or you. That’s why I lied until I could come up with a plan.”
Brett stared at me blankly, his jaw muscles clenching over and over, before he closed his eyes and turned away. He took a seat across the room in the corner and placed his elbows on his thighs and hung his head. “Why, Melissa?” he asked forlornly, holding in the rage that I knew wanted to spill out.
“Why what?” I whispered.
Shrugging his shoulders angrily, he lifted his head and met my gaze. “I don’t know … why to everything maybe. You should’ve had faith in me to know that I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
“I know,” I agreed, “but you have to let me explain. You see, Daniel wasn’t always like the way he is now. He didn’t start getting greedy and turning into the giant dick until much later when some big time investors sought him out. Once the money started really rolling in, he got cocky,” I explained warily.
When all he did was stare at me, I balked under his gaze and lowered my head. I was afraid of what I’d see … rejection, disgust, hate, anger. My heart was already broken to the core and I couldn’t bear to see what he must honestly think of me now. Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I slowly got out and grabbed my bag off the floor that held my things and draped it over my shoulder.
When I ambled out of the bedroom, Brett shouted behind me, and I could hear his heavy footsteps following me. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
Sniffling, I wiped the
tears from under my eyes and turned to face him. He was breathing hard and fisting his hands at his sides, looking like he was ready to kill. “I’m leaving, Brett. I’m sorry for everything I’ve done to you and for lying. I didn’t want to, but I felt like I had no other choice. I’ll still meet with Korinne and Galen tomorrow so I can let them know what is going on. Once Daniel gets figured out it’ll all be over. I know my cousin will help us expose him.”
His features started to soften and he slowly approached me. “You’re not going anywhere, Melissa. You have to understand how pissed off this makes me, especially with being lied to when all you ever used to talk about is trust. I love you, and no matter what happens I’m going to be here for you. I’m not going to let your ex get away with anything, and he sure as hell isn’t going to threaten you.”
He took my face in his hands and crushed his lips to mine, protectively yet demanding. “Don’t you ever … ever lie to me again or not tell me what’s going on in your life. This whole situation could’ve gone differently if you would’ve just had faith in me to help you.”
“I know,” I breathed against his lips. “I’m so sorry, Brett. I love you so much and I was afraid of what this information would do to us.”
Brett pulled away and slid the bag off my shoulder before taking my hand to lead me back into his room. The second he touched my right hand, I hissed in pain and bit my lip, hoping the sting would go away quickly. One of my knuckles was torn open and bruised from hitting Daniel and my wrist was slightly swollen. I had been so upset over everything else that it dulled out the pain until now.
“What happened here?” Brett asked, lightly grazing his finger over my knuckle.
Groaning, I sighed regretfully. Things were about to get worse once I told him about what Daniel did to me, but if I didn’t tell him and he found out then Brett definitely wouldn’t trust me.
Hesitantly, I bit my lip and took my aching hand out of Brett’s. “You might want to sit down for this one,” I suggested. He was already holding his anger in check, but I knew what I was about to tell him would send him over the edge. By the danger swirling in his eyes, I knew it would only take one push to unleash that anger.
“There’s more?” he snapped, gripping the edge of the couch as he sat down. “You’ve got to be kidding me. What else haven’t you told me?”
Instead of sitting beside him, I sat across from him in one of the other chairs so I could face him. “Did you get a call from Daniel while you were stuck in Texas?”
Snarling, Brett closed his eyes and punched the side of the wall after he stormed off of the couch. Gasping, I quickly leaned back in my seat to give him distance, breathing hard while I watched the fire in his eyes explode. “That motherfucker,” he hissed. “He came to see you, didn’t he? He knew I wouldn’t be there.”
“Yes,” I sputtered nervously. “He did. That’s why I wanted to come here to your place and stay. I’m not afraid of him, but after what he did I didn’t want to be alone at my house when he could obviously get in.”
Immediately, Brett grabbed my shoulders and hauled me up to him, a look of terror marring the beautiful planes of his face. “He got into your house! What did he do to you, Melissa?” he growled. “So help me God, if he touched you I don’t know how I’m going to get through this without beating the shit out of him. It’s just not going to be possible. What…did…he…do?”
“You can’t go after him,” I warned him, placing my hands on his chest. “That’s one of the reasons why I didn’t want to tell you, but I knew I had to.” Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly before meeting his angry glare. “I was out by the pool reading, and since I hadn’t slept well the past couple of nights I ended up passing out. I was out there for a couple of hours and when I woke up, I was blindfolded.”
Fuming, Brett tightened his protective hold and hung his head, clenching his jaw. “What else?”
“I thought it was you back from your trip,” I explained warily. “I didn’t know he would have the balls to do what he did.”
“How far did it go?” he demanded, finally lifting his fiery gaze to mine.
When I didn’t answer right away, he repeated it by shouting, “How far did it go?”
Quickly, I shuddered in his arms and replied, “Not far, Brett, I promise. He touched me and tried to kiss me, but as soon as he kissed me I knew it wasn’t you. I bit his lip hard and punched him in the face. That’s how I hurt my hand. He’s wanted me back for a while now, and every time I turn him down. Unfortunately, he keeps coming back; he’s relentless. He said that if I come back to him he’ll forget all about the threats on my career.”
Brett closed his eyes and trembled with fury. A second later, he bolted for the front door and grabbed his car keys from the kitchen counter as he passed. “Brett, where are you going?” I shrieked, scrambling along behind him. I grabbed his arm hard and didn’t let go; he stopped. “Please, don’t go out there like this. I’m so sorry…for everything.”
Breathing hard, he looked down at me clasping his arm and then into my teary gaze. “I need to go, Melissa. I’m too angry to think straight and looking at you is only going to fuel my persistence to kill your fucking ex. Let…me…go,” he ordered.
Sobbing uncontrollably and with tears streaming down my face, I removed my hand from his arm as if it burned me. He stormed out of his condo and slammed the door, only to leave me breaking down on his living room floor…alone.
Twenty-Two
I cried until I passed out on the hardwood floor, tired and full of guilt. I didn’t know what time it was or how long I was there, but I knew it was late-morning by the sun creeping in through the blinds and leaving trail marks on the floor. The front door opened quietly, but I was too tired and sick to move. I was afraid this was the end to me and Brett.
However, when his fingers tenderly brushed the hair off my face I felt a new surge of hope travel through my veins. Brett lifted me off of the floor, wrapping me into the warmth of his scent and his protective arms.
Sniffling, I snuggled closer. “Brett,” I whispered.
“I’m here. Just rest.”
I didn’t think I could cry anymore, but the sting behind my eyes burned like fire. He was there and he was holding me; that was enough. When I drifted off to sleep and woke up again, Brett was behind me, cradling me in his arms. I didn’t want to move because I was afraid that if I did he would pull away again. Instead, I lay there and stayed quiet.
“I know you’re awake, Melissa,” he breathed softly against my neck. “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. I just needed to leave and clear my head. I didn’t mean to leave you the way I did, but I had to go.”
“Where did you go?”
He sighed and ran his fingers over my bare arms making me shiver and move closer to the heat of his body. “I mainly just drove around so I could think and calm down. I spent the rest of the time at the airport watching the planes take off. I had to do something to keep from going after the bastard.”
Turning around in his arms, I was scared to face him, but I had to look into his eyes. “Please forgive me,” I begged. “I don’t want you mad at me when all I wanted was to protect us. You have to know it made me sick to keep it from you. I was angry and disgusted with myself for not telling you.”
He nodded. “I know, baby. I understand now that that’s the reason why you haven’t been eating.” When I averted my gaze, Brett lifted my chin so I’d look at him. “Look, I’m not mad at you anymore, okay? I know I stormed out of here last night, but I do understand why you didn’t tell me. I just had to have a clear head to think straight. I promise I’m not going anywhere. If I get mad and walk away that’s just how I deal with things sometimes. We’re not always perfect.”
He leaned over, kissing me softly on the lips, and whispered, “Just always know that I will come back to you no matter what. No matter what obstacles are thrown our way, I will always come back. But there is something I have to know.”
“Do you trust me?” he asked warily.
And there it was, the one question I’d been dying to answer all my life with the sound of three simple words. What’s crazy is that I should be asking him the same question? I was the one who betrayed his trust, but yet I loved him with all my heart. Why was it so easy to love someone, but so hard to trust? Did I trust him?
Deep in my heart, I knew the answer. I’d known for a long time. Yes, I trust him.
“Do you?” he repeated, his brows furrowing with my hesitation.
With tears flowing down my cheeks, I nodded my head and cried softly, “I do, Brett. I trust you with all my heart and soul. But I’m the one who should be asking that question to you. I’m the one who kept things from you when I should’ve been honest. So …” I paused for just a moment, “… do you trust me?”
Biting his lip, Brett slowly rolled on top of me and pushed my legs apart with his knee. Running his fingers through my auburn hair, he smiled down at me with such longing and need. “Firecracker, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t, and right now I want us to enjoy this morning together with no thoughts of anything else except you and me … making love. Can we do that?” he asked, lifting my tank top up and over my shoulders, exposing my bare breasts.
For the first time in days I had a genuine smile spread across my face. “I think I can live with that.” Because once we met with Korinne and Galen everything was going to come back full force; the stress was going to come right back.
Even though our emotions were running high, once we were both naked and laid out on his bed, he entered me gently and rocked his hips in a slow, torturous pace while holding me tight against his body. His muscular arms caged me in as he took my face in his hands and kissed me slowly, passionately.
