WindSwept Narrows: #18 Paige Andrews

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “She doesn’t see it…she sometimes questions why her over someone like Marietta,” Sebastian said quietly.

  “I know…I got that from Pepper at first.” Chase leaned back in the chair. “Somehow it makes the other things work easier. I’ve never had someone to bounce ideas off before, someone to argue with or who listens when I just want to rant.”

  Sebastian looked past his friend into the early morning sunshine reflecting off the waters of the Sound. “It’s like being a kid again. When you walked in…she’d just read the first file and told me how proud she was of me. I…I don’t even know how to explain how it felt. I still can’t wrap my head around it.”

  “Just accept it, Bastian. I know what you mean,” remembering a similar event with his wife. “You have people like Marietta who only see the upwardly mobile guy and admin. And she could care less about the money or prestige.”

  “Yeah…no kidding…” He pushed up and took both cases in his hands. “I’ll be out awhile. Thanks.”

  “Any time. I’ll be out later and probably won’t see you until dinner.”

  Sebastian nodded and went to gather his helmet and gloves, moved his magnet to out and winked at the redhead smiling at him as he left the office.

  Paige made it through the day, grateful there was no Marietta showing up on the doorstep today. Maybe she took Friday’s off, she thought briefly, packing her bag and going through closing windows and locking things down for the weekend. She went to her car just as Sebastian pulled into the lot. He waved at her and fell into line behind her on the road to the house.

  He waited at the front door while she ran in and changed jackets, his feet holding the bike steady when she balanced and slid behind him, hands buckling the helmet next.

  “Ready?”

  “Yes. I spoke with some people today about the jewelry. Each of the places is sending a rep to pick them up and Jack is holding them until then, so we don’t have to move them. They’re extremely surprised and so very grateful, they’re signing off on the anonymous benefactor who returned them to where they belonged,” she told him warmly, hugging him tightly. “That’s you.”

  “That’s us, goose,” Sebastian laughed. “You found the things and had them cleaned up.”

  “No matter…it’s a good thing. Now people can view them and enjoy them in all those museums,” Paige said with a little nod. “So that’s a really good thing.”

  “The money was delivered this morning and the gun turned over to the police,” Sebastian continued the summary. “The site is being cleaned up and made ready for the digging and building. Have you seen anyone around the office, Paige?”

  “The old truck? No. I think you scare them,” she teased with a little laugh.

  “I’m going to just let that one pass,” he said, pulling the bike into a slot and dropping the stand before offering his palm. He couldn’t stop the grin at how easily she’d stepped into his life, his body beside hers as she locked her helmet and gloves into the case.

  “Crap…I left my pack at the house,” Paige patted down her pockets. “Got my phone, though, so I guess that’s all I need.” She didn’t mention the little gun in her boot.

  “I think I can afford you tonight,” he spun her in his arms before they left the bike, his mouth down on hers for a long, slow kiss. Her fingers curled around the opening of his shirt and his head spun when the passion she returned wasn’t contained, wasn’t held back from him.

  “You two need a room?” Chase called out, his palm at Pepper’s waist as they came toward the entrance to the resort.

  “Maybe…” Paige pushed against his chest with a gentle pat. “I need some ice water. Hi there…glad you could join us for dinner,” she frowned. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without a suit…weird…”

  “Hey…I think he’s sexy,” Pepper threw back. “The limo is a little creepy, but you get used to it after a while.”

  “Yeah…right…” Paige rolled her eyes.

  “Like getting used to being on the back of a bike,” Pepper tossed back with a chuckle at her friend’s groan.

  “Well, I’m starving,” Sebastian announced, giving his name to the maître de and glancing around. “Your family is already here.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Paige couldn’t remember the last time she had such a fun evening just having dinner. Between her mother and Pepper, she managed to keep mostly out of trouble and wandered off toward the arcade a couple hours later with Pepper, trying to decide which of the shooters they wanted to tackle first.

  The resort arcade was filled with kids and teens enjoying the facilities while their parents wandered the more adult attractions.

  No one noticed the men wandering through the arcade except Paige who offered a light hip bump to Pepper. Once she had her friend’s attention, she leaned closer and spoke quietly.

  “I need you to go out the back. Through the employee door.”

  “Paige…who are they?”

  “People after the stuff we found at the granary. Go out, Pepper. I can handle this,” she finished the game with a couple rapid fire shots, her hands up in the air and whoop loud. “Go find the others in the casino. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

  “Come with me then.”

  “No. I want this over.” She met the blue eyes firmly. “Go. Stay with Chase.”

  “We can call security, Paige,” Pepper dug in her heels when she was shoved to the side.

  “Aww, crap…just what the hell I need now,” Paige turned a pair of desperate eyes on Pepper. “Please. Go. Find Sebastian. His damn ex-wife is here looking for him. Go!” She shoved her hard through the door and let it close.

  She went forward, keeping a corner eye on the pair circling through the arcade. Possible, but unlikely, she thought, slinging her jacket to her shoulders and quickly crossing the floor to Marietta.

  “Where is Sebastian? I know he’s here, I followed you and I saw you having dinner with all those people,” she said, frowning at the sharp fingers biting into her elbow. “What…let me go!”

  “Walk an’ talk, Marietta…are you wanting to sell your stock? Is that what this is about?” Paige asked, wanting her paying attention as they moved.

  “How did you know? Where are we going?” Marietta turned her head, her heels making tapping noises when they came to a stop outside one of the shops.

  “Fine. I’ll buy the stock from you at whatever the value is,” Paige kept her eyes on the windows, the men not out of place, but not quite fitting in, either. “I’ll even add a little extra, alright? But I really need you to…shit, shit, shit…” she felt the sharp, biting hand just above her elbow and watched the look on Marietta’s face when the other one took hold of her.

  “Hey!” Marietta tried pulling her arm free.

  “Let her go,” Paige winced at the thumb dug into her elbow.

  “You know who we are,” the one holding her said quietly, just above her ear. He was taller than her, barely, but larger and strong.

  “I saw you prowling outside my office,” Paige said, dragging her feet when he nudged her away from the window.

  “Let’s take a walk, red, toward the exit.”

  “Who are these men? Let me go, you creep!”

  “If you don’t want her screaming down the place, I suggest you let her go. Seriously,” Paige said with a sigh.

  “I don’t think so. I think the guy owning the granary will pay a lot to get you back,” he looked her up and down. “You two put on a good show.”

  “She’s right, you are a creep. What do you want?”

  “You were prowling around the granary,” he said, walking slowly, casually toward the entrance to the resort. “We saw you on one of the Saturdays. What’d you find?”

  “Dust. Dirt. Lots of pigeon poop…” Paige swallowed the urge to protest the hard hand gripping her arm. “Seagull poop, too…a couple journals about who was crooked and what they were bringing in or taking out. What were you looking for? I saw you there a couple t
imes in the evenings…coming in on a boat.”

  “What is going on, Paige? Who are these…oowww…damn it…that hurts!”

  “Get them outside,” growled the man holding Paige.

  She felt the gun he’d slipped beneath her leather jacket and saw a similar one pressed against Marietta. “Marietta…just go with it…they have guns and we don’t…”

  “Guns?” Came the suddenly frightened whisper, blue eyes going from the man holding her arm to Paige. “Why are they…they want money? I don’t have any! I don’t! That’s why I need to sell the stock! I don’t have any money, honestly!” She said frantically, her voice rising and a few people turning to look at them.

  “Shut up, you stupid bitch!”

  He raised his hand and swung at the same time a bouncing collection of women exited a limo, a woman wearing a bride’s veil leading the conga line. They kept dancing forward enough that Paige took a long step forward and pushed Marietta into the line, swerving at the same time and falling into the two men, keeping them busy with arms and legs while Marietta was carried away with the bridal group.

  “Grab her, damn it! Over to the car!”

  They each took an arm holding her tightly between them. Paige blinked and stared at the car being driven toward them. With a woman driving. The third piece to the puzzle, she thought, thinking of the headache she had for a day because of her.

  Paige brought her feet up against the closed car door and kicked hard, sending all three of them back against the concrete. The place was flooded with tourists on Friday night and they kept coming from all directions. She heard the woman swearing, saw the other man make a grab for a gun that skittered away and gratefully saw security come from the sides and take him into custody. Another stepped up to the car and stopped it, weapon raised.

  She kicked out once and felt the hard side of a gun against her ribs.

  “Let’s walk,” he pulled her to her feet.

  Paige saw the blur out of the corner of her eye before the explosion and the pain struck her side. She glimpsed Sebastian’s raised fist before the night caved in on her.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Sebastian felt his fist hit twice before someone grabbed him around the middle and pulled him free, his knees striking the concrete. He bounced to his feet and was at Paige’s side, his eyes taking everything in quickly before going to the other side and lifting her from the ground. He held her against him, ignoring the people telling him to put her down, ignoring the people blocking his path. There wasn’t a lot of blood, he told himself. That was a good sign.

  Since he’d done it before, he knew how to hold her, gripping her close and pulling the key from his pocket. He didn’t bother with anything else, sure hands bracing her and steering. There was shouting and people in his way that moved when he shot them a glance that dared them to get in his way more than once. He knew where the health center was and it was closest.

  They took her from him. He heard people coming behind him. Heard the siren of the resort car and saw them take her away. He stuffed the key in his pocket, only just noticing the blood on his hands. But he still didn’t see it. He tried following but was held back. His eyes saw her father and Chase but it didn’t matter who they were. He started to pull his arms free when Chase put a hand on his shoulder.

  “This way. A restroom…clean up while they’re working on Paige,” Chase led him off, letting her mother and father deal with the paperwork and questions.

  “Paige…”

  “Is being helped, Bastian,” Chase steered him into the restroom with a slight shake of his head at Pepper who stayed pacing outside. “You need to wash up.”

  He looked once at his friend before doing what he was told, throwing the towels in the trash and heading immediately for the door. Chase stayed back with Pepper, walking with her to join Paige’s family.

  Sebastian had seen which curtain they’d taken her behind, his hand up and on the opening when he heard the low, calm voice.

  “Call time of death at twelve-eighteen AM. There was too much internal damage to save her,” said a quiet, sad voice.

  Sebastian felt his insides tighten and stopped himself from throwing the curtain back. He didn’t want to see her like that. He didn’t want that memory. She wouldn’t be there, he told himself, turning and striding toward the exit. He vaguely saw one of her brothers holding his helmet and took it, his palm on his arm briefly before going out the door without looking back.

  Gail and Alex weren’t the only ones looking after the departing figure with more than a little confusion. Pepper came from another direction fifteen minutes later, her head shaking as she walked with Paige along the corridor, her jacket dangling from one hand.

  “God my head hurts. I really am getting tired of hitting things with it,” pale red lashes blinked and glanced around. “Where’s Sebastian? I saw him…he hit the guy, didn’t he?” She asked with a satisfied nod.

  “Twice,” James assured her with a chuckle.

  “Probably would have pounded him into the ground but Chase and Dad got him off,” Greg told her, leaning a little. “Still covered with blood, sis.”

  “Don’t go there.”

  “He was here, Paige,” Gail told her daughter. “I’m not sure…he went out the doors.”

  Paige shrugged. “Probably home. I can catch a ride with Pepper and Chase. They live next door. Don’t forget brunch tomorrow at ten. You guys can come over if you want food. Marta is making this huge…food thing…she’s been planning since last night.”

  “Sure you’re alright, Paige?” Her mother kissed her cheek.

  “Got pills…got stitches…I’m good,” she hugged them all and sighed. “Man thinks I should have special health insurance coverage…and I’m starting to agree with him.” Her head shook slowly. “See you guys tomorrow.”

  She walked with her friends to the waiting car, sliding in and letting her head go back. “Was Sebastian alright?” She asked when they were on the road toward home.

  “I honestly don’t know, Paige,” Chase answered when Pepper looked at him. “I don’t think I’d ever seen him like that. Almost…not there. Silent.”

  “He gets that way when he’s really pissed,” Paige said with a little chuckle. “I’m glad you got out of it.”

  “I ran like no tomorrow, calling security and crashing their blackjack game,” Pepper leaned into Chase and welcomed the arms around her from behind.

  “Then we ran into Marietta in the melee of people in the entrance area,” Chase shook his head.

  “She was about to make me scream,” Paige said with a low groan. “I shoved her into a bridal group and thankfully, she was smart enough to take off running. God, imagine being held hostage with her…”

  “Not all females are calm under duress, Paige,” Chase laughed at the look on her face and the small giggle from Pepper.

  “I couldn’t get the angle right to avoid the gun,” she said with a sigh when she felt the car come to a stop. “Thanks guys…see you…”

  “Sure you don’t need help?”

  “I’m good, thanks. Long as he hasn’t changed the codes on me,” she said with a sigh, closing the door and tapping in the code to the walk-through gate. She waved as they drove off, walking slowly toward the house and frowning. It was dark. No lights, but the bike was there.

  Paige checked the alarms once she was inside, dropping her jacket on the chair and sitting long enough to pull her boots off. Novocain was still in effect and it didn’t hurt much as she went through the house, checking and frowning until she made it to the lower level. They hadn’t quite finished adding things to make it a comfortable pub atmosphere for entertaining, but the bar was fully loaded.

  Minus one bottle of very expensive scotch. She looked at the empty bottle and the glass that sat beside it, half full. She knew it was expensive because Sebastian had told her he’d brought it back from Scotland several years ago for a special occasion. Evidently this was the occasion, she thought, eyes wide at the la
rge man sprawled on the sofa, one arm flung up and over his face. One leg was on the sofa, the other braced, bent, with foot resting on the floor.

  “I’ve driven him to drink,” she sighed and blew a long puff of air between her lips. “The whole bottle,” she moved to the sofa, dropping to her heels and lifting his arm. “Sebastian?”

  Paige stood up and tugged, pulling him to sit upright. Pale lashes blinked and only stayed half open.

  “Ghosts…”

  “Alright,” Paige said slowly, draping his arm around her shoulder and pulling him to stand beside her. “Let’s go up to bed. I can keep an eye on you there.”

  “Don’t want ghosts…”

  “Me either…” She agreed without a clue what they were talking about. “Come on…hold the rail, Sebastian. Pull up the stairs…Jesus, if I lose in this we’re both going to be in traction,” she said thickly, grabbing the belt he wore and holding on as they climbed the first set of stairs, grateful there were only seven of them.

  Paige was glad for the Novocain by the time they made it up the second flight of stairs to the bedroom. She made it as far as dropping him to the bed before sliding to the floor and breathing. The man weighed a ton when he wasn’t controlling his own muscles.

  Well, as long as she was down here, she thought, hands moving to open the zippers on his boots. Boots the size of Rhode Island. She tugged one at a time and tossed them toward the large closet. She fell to her back when the second one was flung over her shoulder and bounced on the carpeting in the closet.

  “Okay, girl…” She pushed against the floor and grabbed both his hands, pulling him to sit up. His head fall against her chest as she pushed the leather jacket over his shoulders and down one arm at a time. Like the man, the jacket weighed a ton. She got the last hand free when a small dark blue velvet box came tumbling out, over the bed and onto the floor.