Straightening up the mess in the living room, she felt someone watching her. No, she was just being paranoid. Cal said the ghost had been caught. She glanced quickly over her shoulder out the glass doors to the deck, screaming and dropping a handful of garbage. The blond guy who’d brought room service two nights ago was standing on the deck. His blue eyes raked over her body and then he grinned.
Cold chills encompassed her body. Haley didn’t know if the door was locked or not. Taz liked to run in and out of it, and with all her frustration with Cal and him saying the ghost had been caught, she hadn’t been double checking locks on doors.
Haley wanted nothing more than to sprint down the hallway to the safety of Cal’s arms, but there was no way she was leaving her son alone. She and the man stared at each other for a few excruciating seconds. Her palms started sweating, but the rest of her body was horribly cold.
Haley scrambled for some idea to protect Taz from the creepy guy leering at her like she was a steak dinner. Why wasn’t he making a move? Haley tensed her muscles and then sprinted for Taz’s bedroom, screaming with increasing intensity, “Cal, Cal, Cal, Cal, Cal!” She had no clue if he could hear her from his suite, but maybe someone would hear and come help.
The sliding glass door squeaked open and Haley about collapsed as her legs weakened from the terror. She made the mistake of glancing over her shoulder. The young man was feet away and moving fast. His carefree expression changed to determination as he reached out for her. Sprinting through the door, she slammed it as hard as she could. Jamming her back against the door, she pressed her feet into the floor and exerted every ounce of strength to hold it shut. The handle turned next to her and she felt the door move an inch.
“No!” She dug in harder, gritting her teeth, her thighs on fire. “Taz! Wake up, baby. Taz!”
A sleepy head slowly rose from the bed. “Mama?”
The door slammed against her back and she lost another few inches. “No!” She screamed again. “Taz, pick up that phone by your bed and call Cal.” She inhaled a quick breath. “Press 4334.”
Taz slowly obeyed. The pressure on her back was killing her. The man didn’t say anything, just grunted as he pushed and banged against the door. Sweat trickled down her back and her entire body shuddered from the effort and the fear.
“4335?” Taz asked.
“No. Hang it up.” Oh, help! She couldn’t hold out much longer.
Taz pressed the phone down.
“4334.” Haley grunted out, giving every ounce of effort to keeping the man from moving the door. His hand snaked around the partially opened door and grabbed her arm. Haley cried out and pushed harder. She was able to gain a few inches back and slam the door on his hand. He didn’t pull his hand back or give any indication of pain. The door rattled as they battled against it.
“Hi, Cal,” Taz’s happy voice was so opposite the horror of the situation, Haley weakened for a second and the door came open half a foot. She pressed back immediately but the mistake had cost her. The man jammed his shoulder through the door. Haley gritted her teeth and pushed harder, but she knew she’d just lost a battle she couldn’t afford to lose. Her muscles trembled from fear and overuse. She prayed harder than she ever had in her life.
“Tell him to come!” Haley screamed.
“Can we play tomorrow?” Taz asked, somehow oblivious to his mom’s fight for their lives.
“Now,” Haley begged. A tear leaked out and trailed down her cheek. Cal probably had no clue what Taz was saying and as bratty as she’d been, she doubted he’d come over because Taz called him. “Not tomorrow,” she groaned. “Now.”
“Kay.” Taz hung up the phone.
“Is he coming?” Haley asked.
“I no know.” Taz shrugged and lay back down. “I’m tired Mama.”
The man’s torso wiggled through the door. Haley screamed. With one final heave he threw it open. Haley scrambled away from him and planted herself next to the bed in front of her son. She grabbed the phone and dialed 911, cursing herself that her first instinct had been to call Cal. He was probably entertaining some floozy.
The young man crossed the room in measured strides and grabbed for the phone. Haley held on. He pulled so hard the cord ripped out of the wall. Haley’s heart sank.
Taz stood behind her on the bed. “Mama,” he whispered, finally seeming to understand the trouble they were in.
“Stay back,” Haley demanded. “It’s okay.”
“So, we’re finally alone. No boss to interfere,” the man said. His voice was playful and unconcerned. “I’ve been watching you all week.”
“What do you want?” Haley congratulated herself that her voice hadn’t pitched up in fear and she’d been able to form a semi-coherent sentence.
“You,” he said simply. He tilted his head to the side and his eyes raked over her body. “I heard about some ghost terrorizing you and I thought, this is the perfect chance to get a piece of the boss’s woman and not be blamed for it. Put the little dude to bed and you and I can.” His lips curled into a sadistic grin. “Get to know each other.”
Haley stared at him, terror coursing through her body. With damp palms and tears sliding down her face, she slowly turned to Taz. “Lay back down, buddy. You get some rest while I go talk to… this guy.”
“Bryce,” he supplied, winking with a leer in his eyes that shortened her breath and made her feel like an elephant was sitting on her chest.
“Bryce,” she repeated, starting to pant from the fear.
Taz stared at her with wide eyes. “No way, Mama,” he whispered.
“Yes way. Please.” She begged him with her eyes to comply with a request the first time, for once. If she could lead the man away at least Taz could be safe. Maybe Cal would actually come. Maybe that phone call to 911 went through and they could pinpoint their location. Did the island even have 911 service? Oh, crap.
Bryce. She remembered Cal calling him that on the beach, so it was his real name. Why would he tell her his real name and think he could get away with this? He brushed up against her and she shivered. He took her elbow and directed her toward the door. She looked back at Taz. He watched them with fearful eyes, but thankfully didn’t jump up and pursue.
Bryce’s long fingers on her arm made her nauseous. He had a build like a surfer. What was he planning to do to her? She couldn’t let her mind go there. Focus on the fact that Taz was safe and keep praying for someone to come. She had little hope of fighting her way free. She’d wrestled with her brother and his friends enough to know that men were much stronger than she was. This guy wasn’t as big as Cal or Isaac, but he wasn’t a shrimp either.
They walked through the living room and straight into her bedroom. Haley tried to swallow down the fear but her throat was too dry. Bryce reminded her of Brad, taking what he wanted and not caring who he hurt. “I’ve, um, noticed you around too,” she said. “I’d love to get to know you better. Why don’t I find us a drink and we can sit down and talk?”
Bryce smirked at her. “Good try, Haley. Maybe after we have some fun you can get me that drink.”
Haley’s body was trembling so hard she could barely walk. Bryce dragged her along. When they got to the bed he shoved her onto it and then smiled. “Don’t worry, beautiful. I’ll make it fun.”
Haley scrambled across the bed and away from him. He grabbed her ankle and yanked her back toward him. Jumping onto her, he pinned her down to the soft mattress. His weight cut her already shortened breath to panting. “Okay, maybe you like it rough.”
“Get away from me, you psycho,” she ground out.
“Ah, there’s some of the feisty woman I’ve wanted to slay all week.”
Haley hit at his arms and kicked at his legs but couldn’t get him to budge. He ground his body against her and she wanted to throw up. Through the haze of fear she heard a door open. No, please, at least keep Taz out of this nightmare.
Footsteps pounded into the bedroom. Bryce was ripped away from her and bounced
against the wall. Cal grabbed at him, but Bryce dodged and scurried out the bedroom door.
“You okay, sweetheart?” Cal asked.
“Yes.” Haley collapsed against the soft bed.
Cal sprinted out the door in pursuit of Bryce.
Haley hardly dared believe she was safe. Cal had come, even after the way she’d treated him earlier, he’d come for her. She stood and rushed to Taz’s room. He jumped off the bed and into her arms. “Mama, you okay?”
“Yes, sweetie. I’m okay.” She could hardly speak for the tears clogging her throat. Clinging to Taz, she whispered, “You did so good, buddy. Calling Cal and then staying in your room like I said.”
“Do I get a prize?” Taz asked.
Haley laughed.
“Definitely,” a deep voice said from the doorway.
Haley whirled around, gratitude surging through her as she saw Cal leaning against the door frame. “I’m buying you a huge prize tomorrow, buddy.” He came to them and Taz quickly transferred to his arms.
“Did you catch him?” Haley whispered.
“Yes, in the hallway. Sadly the police were there too quick for me to thump him properly.” Cal winked at her.
“So the 911 call worked?”
“Yes. You did great, sweetheart.” He transferred Taz to his right shoulder and wrapped his left arm around Haley. She collapsed against him, feeling safe and warm for the first time since he’d stomped away from her earlier tonight.
Taz laid his head against Cal’s shoulder. “Say me a prayer and sing me a song,” he demanded.
Cal smiled and offered a prayer of gratitude for their safety tonight and a blessing that Taz would sleep well before gently laying her little boy on the bed. He wrapped both arms around Haley and sang Jesus Loves Me a couple times through. Taz was breathing softly. Cal reached down and brushed the hair from Taz’s forehead. “What a kid.”
“He loves you,” Haley admitted.
“I love… both of you,” Cal said.
Haley glanced up at him. In the shelter of his arms and the aftereffects of being attacked and terrified she wanted to tell him she loved him too, but she didn’t know if this was really love or just some passing obsession. She wanted to be with him every second, but she was still angry he’d lied to her and was sickened by all the women she’d seen pictures of him with. It was probably just irrational jealousy, but she wasn’t ready to let it go yet.
Cal chuckled softly. “It’s okay. After the way you cussed me out earlier I don’t expect you to say it right now, but someday I hope you will.”
“Maybe in your dreams,” Haley countered.
Cal laughed louder and tilted her chin up with one hand. “Maybe.” He kissed her, softly at first and then the fire of passion and the joy she always felt when he touched her wrapped around them. Thankfully, a rap came on the door before she let herself get carried away and experience a repeat of last night.
Cal released her with a smile. “We’ll continue this later. I think the police need a statement.”
Haley studied his blue eyes and the handsome face with those irresistible dimples. How was she going to leave him tomorrow?
Cal woke the next morning with a grin on his face. He and Haley hadn’t had time to talk everything out last night with the police needing statements and she was exhausted when the adrenaline finally ran out. He was able to get in some pretty great kisses before he left her so she could rest. Would she be ready to talk this morning? He’d tell her all about his finances, the women he’d dated, the army, anything she wanted to know.
How great would it be if they could spend the day on the beach, relaxing and playing with Taz. Tonight, he’d take them someplace nice and unless he kept his head, he’d probably propose. He’d finally found a woman who drove him crazy with desire but was innocent, hard-working, and real like Maryn, and she came with a bonus. He’d always liked children, but Taz was really something special. The thought of being Taz’s dad didn’t scare him at all. He cared about the little man almost as much as his beautiful mother. He grinned, thinking of Haley’s dark curls and expressive golden-green eyes. He was way past smitten. How was she going to react when he told her he was going to be living in her hometown for a while? They’d have even more opportunity to get to know each other and he could convince her that his love was genuine.
He was getting way ahead of himself, but he didn’t care. Showering quickly, he ordered room service to Haley’s room and strode down the hallway. He knocked lightly on the door, waited a few seconds then knocked a little more firmly. A weight seemed to lodge in his gut. This wasn’t going to be a repeat of yesterday. Haley had to be here.
The waiting about killed him. He knocked and listened and knocked and listened some more. Nothing. Finally, he pulled his master key out and swiped it. It took less than a second to feel the emptiness of the place. Everything was straightened with the dishwasher running and the beds stripped. Bedding and towels were piled in the corner of the master suite. How like Haley to clean everything up and make the maid’s job easier.
Cal swallowed hard and blinked a couple of times. He’d finally found a woman he wanted to pursue and obviously she didn’t return those feelings. A note written on the hotel stationary sat in the middle of the table. A small rope in his stomach rolled into a loose knot. Please, not a note.
Cal,
I wanted to thank you for so many things—rescuing us last night, spoiling us this week, and making this such a memorable and fun vacation. I’m sorry I accused you of lying. You’re a great guy and I wish you all the best.
Warmest regards,
Haley
You’re a great guy? Warmest regards? How pathetic and lame was that? He was the one who usually kindly placed girl’s in the friend zone, not the other way around. The knot in Cal’s stomach tightened into a burning anger. He’d told her he loved her, put himself out there like he never had in his life, and she wrote an impersonal thank you and walked away before he could say goodbye?
He crumpled the note in his hand, wondering if he should change his travel plans and not go to Colorado. How could he face her now? His heart that had grown with the joy of being around Haley and Taz now seemed to shrink within him. Apparently the playboy lifestyle was what he was meant to lead. Better to have never cared than to open himself up like this again. He knew he couldn’t handle feeling this ache and pain twice in a lifetime.
Haley didn’t want to watch the island disappear but she couldn’t look away. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She was such a wimp. Cal had said he loved her and he loved Taz. What did she do? Crawled away like the bug she was. Brad was right about everything. She was pathetic and she didn’t deserve better than someone like Brad. She straightened her shoulders. She’d never succumb to someone like Brad again. She’d be alone. Not alone, she had Taz. She squeezed his hand.
Taz glanced up at her. “We’re really going home, Mama?”
“Yes.” She couldn’t force any life into her voice, but she tried. “Won’t it be fun to see Uncle Isaac and Papa?”
“Yeah, but Mama, I gotta tell you somepin.”
She smiled at his lingo, squatting down, and looking into his dark eyes. “What’s that, buddy?”
“I love Cal and I don’t want to leave him. I’d trade all my girlfriends to be with Cal.”
Haley’s tears spilled over then. Taz blinked at her then wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I sorry, Mama, don’t be sad. I wouldn’t trade you.”
“I know, love. I wish you didn’t have to trade anybody.”
He wrapped his thin arms around her neck. Haley held him close and savored his sweetness. She had her boy. They were both going to miss Cal, but she was making the right decision. Maybe. She reminded herself for the hundredth time that Cal was a nice guy, but really just a rich playboy. Men like that didn’t settle down and love one woman forever. Sooner or later he would’ve broken their hearts. She’d chosen sooner and now she’d have to pray that the woun
ds healed someday.
Haley walked out the front door of her store, just needing a breath of fresh air. Taz was playing with his cars and race track in the children’s area and she didn’t have any customers for the first time in hours. She loved the crisp scent of spring in her mountain town. Maybe tonight, she and Taz could go for a hike or bike ride. It’d been a week since she’d seen Cal. She was busy and enjoying Taz. She couldn’t say her heart didn’t hurt, but it would heal. Maybe.
A man swaggered down the sidewalk. Haley gripped the door handle. Not interested in talking to anyone who wasn’t a customer or Taz.
“Haley,” the man called.
She turned to face him and gritted her teeth. “Brad.”
He was almost as tall as Cal but not quite as muscled. He was good-looking with his dark hair and eyes, but not nearly as handsome as Cal. Why did she have to compare every man to Cal?
“I was just thinking it had been a while since I’d seen that beautiful face.”
“More like since you’ve harassed me.” She pulled the door open. “I’ve got to work.”
“Wait.” He pushed the door closed and stood in front of it. “I’ve been thinking about you, about us. I’ve realized something. You don’t want another one night stand. You want us to be a family. You want me to claim your son as mine.” He gave her a triumphant grin as if he’d solved the Rubix cube. What an idiot.
She gagged. “You know, I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.”
He cocked his head to the side and smiled patiently like she was a simpleton.
Haley was more than ready to put him in his place. “I have never wanted you in any way, but especially not to be Taz’s father. I wanted to prove that you raped me and have you sent to prison.”
The Independent One: A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance Page 13
