by Lacey Thorn
She laughed. “I’ll think about it.”
He dropped another kiss, this one just a quick slide of lips before grabbing his keys from the dresser and heading out. She followed him to the door. He paused again to kiss her.
“You’re going to be late,” she warned when he still seemed reluctant to leave her. “I’ll be okay.”
He nodded and without saying another word, turned and walked away. She watched until he got to his truck then she shut the door and locked it. She headed back to the bedroom and rummaged through her bag for fresh clothes. She’d throw in some laundry before Bare came back. She’d eventually need to pick up more clothes from the house. Funny, she had no desire to go back to the home that had been her refuge for the last five years.
She made the bed and laid out her clothes on it then gathered her dirty stuff and the few of Bare’s he’d left in the room. She carried them through the kitchen to his laundry room. After that, she went back into his bathroom and put on a minimum of makeup. She didn’t have a blow dryer. Marco hadn’t thought to pack hers. Gilly had kept one under the bathroom sink at his house, but Bare didn’t, so she pulled a rubber band from the bottom of her cosmetic bag and braided her hair back.
With that done, she straightened the rest of his bedroom then moved out to do the rest of the house. He was actually pretty neat and tidy, a trait he’d said he’d picked up in the military. It didn’t take her long, and other than a few dishes from breakfast, there was nothing to do in the kitchen either.
She found herself slipping into Bare’s office to see if he had a notebook she could use to journal. She really wanted to get her thoughts about the last few days on paper, especially since she’d made the bold statement she was going to write a book.
The idea had been brewing for a while now. It would be a chance for her to share hers and Lance’s story, the real story, not the one shared in the dozens of unauthorized biographies that had been released in the last five years. She’d briefly mentioned the idea when she’d spoken to Andromeda, and the other woman had loved it. It felt like a fitting way to say one final goodbye to Lance, to let the world see the man behind the name.
She didn’t see anything lying out in Bare’s office and wasn’t comfortable going through his stuff to search. She’d just have to wait until he came to get her then have him stop somewhere along the way to grab one. Instead, she headed back out to the front room and turned on the television. She was flipping through the channels when her mother’s picture appeared on the screen and caught her attention.
Still no word on the mother of actress, Paisley Ames. Vivian Ames was injured in a car wreck yesterday in Oklahoma. Though we have it on good authority she was treated and released, we’ve been unable to obtain a statement. Surprisingly, she has refused all inquiries by local media. Or perhaps not so surprising after her daughter’s press conference a few days ago where the former Hollywood sweetheart warned the press away from her mother.
Paisley muted the television and dialed Bare. The call went straight to his voicemail. She tried her dad next and got the same. Normally, she’d call Tuck next, but with his gunshot wound, she wasn’t going to bother him. Guilt ate at her, and she did the one thing she’d sworn she wouldn’t. She called her mother. A man’s voice answered the phone, one Paisley didn’t recognize.
“Good morning, Ms. Ames,” he said. “I’m afraid your mother can’t come to the phone right now. She’s resting.”
“How is she?” Paisley asked.
“She was injured in a car wreck. Usually, she would have stayed in the hospital, but the press found out rather quickly, and she knew how much you didn’t want her near the media.” There was censure in the stranger’s voice, as if he blamed her.
“Is she okay?” Paisley asked, more guilt eating at her.
“Ms. Ames will recover. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to give her another dose of pain medication.”
Paisley sighed. “Where is she staying?”
“I believe you made your wishes not to be associated with her crystal clear to the entire world,” he said.
“I’d still like to check on her.”
“I’d say you’ve done enough.” The phone clicked in her ear.
She set down her phone and unmuted the television. When the newscaster didn’t say anything else, she switched to another channel and wanted to kick her own ass when she couldn’t find anything else mentioned. She turned to her phone and did a Google search on her mother, coming up with an article about Vivian’s arrival in Oklahoma, along with the house she’d rented.
She tried Bare again. When there was still no answer, she left a message telling him where she was going then she called a cab. She wasn’t ready to bury the hatchet with her mom, but she wasn’t vengeful enough to want her mother to refuse needed medical treatment because of what Paisley had said.
She stood at the door and waited, running out to meet the taxi as soon as it pulled up. She gave him the address then sat back to check her phone again. She knew Knight’s Watch often took on high profile clients when they were in the area. Bare had told her he expected to be in the meeting for a couple hours, which meant he should be getting back with her within the next half hour. She had to admit she was surprised he hadn’t answered or called her back already. It wasn’t like him.
The cab dropped her off at the house her mother had rented. She paid and asked him to wait while she made sure she had the right place. A man answered on the third knock, and as soon a he spoke, she knew she was in the right place.
“I told you you’ve done enough,” he said, barring her entry into the house.
“I’m here to check on my mother,” Paisley said. “I’m not leaving until I do.”
He glared at her and finally moved aside. He made a motion with his hand, and she turned in time to see the cab pull away. It looked as if he wasn’t going to rush her away. She preceded him into the house and glanced around. Her mother wasn’t anywhere she could see.
“Where’s my mother?”
She turned and found the man standing closer than she’d expected. She took a step back, finally focusing on him. There was something about him, something that sent unease trickling along her spine. Her phone rang, and he snapped his hand up, pointing a gun at her chest.
“Put the phone down,” he commanded, and she caught her breath as she looked him in the eyes. Black. They were black pools that took her back to a night five years ago when he’d loomed over her with a bloody knife in his hand.
The phone slipped unanswered from her fingers to land with a thud on the carpet as she lunged for him.
“You killed them!” she screamed and charged him, catching him off-guard.
It was as if he’d expected her to docilely go along with whatever he wanted. Rage consumed her, negating the gun as images of Lance filled her head. Their child, the one she’d lost to this man’s blade. The one’s she’d never have because of the damage he’d left behind. She wanted him dead. Better yet, she wanted him bleeding out on the ground, suffering.
He struck back, gun clipping her on the side of the skull as he swung his arm. She fell back, catching herself against a table and shaking her head to clear the ringing. She had every intention of attacking him again, and he must have known it. His next words stopped her cold.
“Restrain yourself if you ever want to see your mother again,” he told her coldly.
“What have you done with her?”
“She’s alive,” he said. “For now. Whether she remains that way is entirely up to you.”
“What do you want?”
“To finish what I started,” he declared. “Move.”
Her phone began ringing again, but it was left behind as he forced her through the house and into an attached garage. He popped the trunk of the car.
“Get in.”
She balked but really had no choice. Her mother might not be her favorite person, but Paisley wouldn’t be the reason Vivian died. Taking a deep breath, Paisley climbed
in.
“Turn around. Hands behind your back.”
She bit her lip as he wrapped her wrists together with duct tape and wasn’t surprised when he did the same to her ankles. The next thing she knew, he clamped a rag over her face. She knew what it was by the smell but was unable to turn her face before inhaling. Her last thought was of Bare, and the hope he’d somehow manage to find her before her attacker killed her.
* * * *
Bare walked out of the meeting and headed back down to the security checkpoint to pick up his personal items. He hated meeting with government officials, usually leaving them to Jamison or Tuck, but this time, it had fallen to him.
Knight’s Watch was being requested for a recovery. It didn’t look pretty, and from what had been disclosed, Bare had the distinct feeling they’d bring back nothing more than a corpse to bury. That was only if they were lucky enough to find her. The complete file would be dropped off at Knight’s later today, and Bare would go over it with Jamison before officially accepting the case.
He grabbed his stuff from the guard station and powered his phone back on as he exited the building. He’d run a bit later than he’d expected. He’d call Paisley and see if she wanted to grab lunch before heading back to Knight’s with him. His pulse kicked up when he saw he had two missed calls from her. He immediately pulled up voicemail.
Hey, Bare. I know you told me to stay put, but my mother was involved in a car wreck. I’m headed over to the house she rented to check on her now. Give me a call when you get this. I miss you.
Bare gritted his teeth and called. It went to voicemail. He hung up and called again. He kept calling, and every time, it went to voicemail. Something was off. No one else had left a message for him about Vivian being in a car wreck, and he had no doubt they would have. He wished Paisley had said how she knew her mother was in a wreck. Who had contacted her?
He called Levi as he jumped into his truck.
Levi answered immediately, and the tone of his voice made Bare even more anxious.
“Bare, I’ve been waiting for your phone to turn back on. I was just getting ready to call you.”
“What’s going on?”
“Jamison caught a piece on one of the local stations saying Vivian was in a car wreck. He had me check into it, but I can’t find a police report or even any evidence the accident happened. The local station said it was an anonymous tip.”
“Paisley called while I was in the meeting,” Bare said. “Left me a message saying she was going to check on Vivian. This sounds like a setup.”
“Yeah,” Levi agreed. “Seth went to check on her when Jamison saw he had a missed call from her. He’d put his phone on silent while the doctor was there checking on Tuck.”
“Where’s Seth now?”
“I don’t… Wait, that’s him calling in now. Just a sec.”
Bare heard a click then Seth’s voice filled the line.
“I don’t know what the fuck is going on here, but my senses are going crazy,” Seth said.
“Where are you?” Bare demanded.
“In my car. I arrived at your house just in time to see Paisley get into a cab. I followed her, hanging back. She went to the house her mom stayed in while she was here. Man answered the door, and the two exchanged words. He waved the taxi on and they went inside. I haven’t seen anything since. Wait a sec.”
“What is it?” Bare demanded when Seth didn’t continue right away.
“There’s a car leaving. The man’s driving. Paisley isn’t with him. This feels wrong, Bare.”
“Fuck!” Bare exploded, feeling helpless and not liking it one bit.
“What do you want me to do?” Seth asked. “Follow the car or check the house?”
Bare gritted his teeth. “Follow the car,” he ordered.
“Jagger and Sterling are already headed to the house,” Levi said. “They’re only about five minutes out.”
“Keep the line open, Seth,” Bare said. “Keep Levi up on exactly where you’re headed. Levi, patch it through to me. I’m leaving now. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Don’t lose that car, Seth.”
“I won’t,” he replied.
“If she’s in that car…” Bare couldn’t finish the sentence.
“I’ll protect her with my life,” Seth said.
“Thank you,” Bare said, swallowing the lump in his throat. “Levi.”
“Already on it,” Levi said. “Everyone I can pull, I will. We’ll find Paisley.”
Bare just prayed they’d find her before it was too late.
Chapter Thirteen
Paisley woke with a pounding headache, most likely from the chloroform her assailant had used on her. She had no idea how long she’d been out, but she was no longer in the trunk. She was lying on a couch. She blinked her eyes, doing her best not to moan at the burns on her wrists where the tape had been ripped off. At least, her jeans had protected her ankles.
She tried to look around without moving her head, but there was little to see from where she was. She needed to find her mother and figure out how to get in touch with Bare.
“I know you’re awake, Paisley.”
Her mother’s voice had her jerking her head to look over her right shoulder toward the foot of the couch. Vivian looked her normal, regal self. There was no sign she was even worried about their captor.
“Mother,” Paisley whispered. “Do you know where he is? Is he still here?”
“He’s securing the house, making sure no one knows we’re here.”
“Where’s a phone? I need to call Bare or dad. Someone. They’ll come get us.”
“Don’t be silly, Paisley. No one knows where we are.”
“That’s why I need the phone.”
“It won’t matter,” her mother said. “You’ll be dead before anyone gets here.”
Paisley sat up, openly scanning the room now. “No,” she said. “I won’t let him kill me. Not without one hell of a fight.”
“Really, Paisley, can’t you ever do anything right?”
It was the tone of her mother’s voice that pulled her gaze back and had her focusing on Vivian.
“What are you talking about?” Paisley asked softly, almost afraid that if she spoke too loudly it would spook her mother.
“Do you know how angry I was when I found out you were buying pregnancy tests? I mean a pregnancy? Really? And you weren’t even married yet! Making us look like common trash. Painting yourself as a whore.”
“Mother, Lance and I were engaged to be married.”
“I wouldn’t have it,” Vivian yelled. “Do you hear me? I wouldn’t have it.”
Paisley shook her head. “No.”
Her mother smiled, and there was no missing the taint of madness surrounding it. “Everything I did was for you. My whole life, I’ve devoted everything to you, making you a star.”
“I never wanted—”
“You were too young and stupid to know what you wanted!” Vivian screamed. “But I knew, and you listened to me until you got caught up with that man.”
“Tell me you didn’t do this?” Paisley begged, swiping at the tears falling down her cheeks. It was too much. If Vivian had been the one, it was all Paisley’s fault. All of it.
“You weren’t supposed to be there, you know?” her mother continued. “If you’d just been the dutiful daughter and visited like you always did, all this mess could have been avoided. Lance would have been gone, and the two of us could have moved on. I could have slipped you something to force a miscarriage and not had to worry about getting a plastic surgeon to fix the mess. God knows you wouldn’t have needed to come to this godforsaken place to heal. I mean, really, Paisley. Oklahoma?”
“Why?” Paisley said. “Why would you do that? Lance? For what? To control me?”
“You were listening to him. I felt you pulling away. I gave you my whole life, and you were just going to leave me, for some man. For sex and a few words? They never last, Paisley. He would have moved on and left you shattered
. They always do.”
“You had Lance killed,” Paisley whispered, fighting the urge to curl into herself and hide from the pain. Her mother had done this. She’d teased and joked with Bare about her mother, but not once had she actually believed Vivian capable of having someone killed. She’d thought she’d known the lengths her mother would go to, but she’d never anticipated this… Never murder.
“I go to the effort of saving you from the biggest mistake of your life, and you run away. Then you have the audacity to shun me from the press? Me! I made you! You’d be nothing without me, just as you have been for the last five years.”
“Did you know the man you hired was going to stab me?” Paisley asked, rising from the couch. Her entire focus was on Vivian. She tried hard not to think of Vivian as her mother any longer. No mother did what she had done. As for the man who’d brought her here, the one who’d done her mother’s dirty work back then and seemed more than willing to do it again, he wasn’t anywhere she could see him right now. So she kept her attention on Vivian. She’d worry about him when she had to.
“Did you?” she asked her mother again when Vivian didn’t answer. “Did you tell him to stab me?”
“You weren’t supposed to be there,” Vivian replied sharply.
“But I was there,” Paisley yelled. “I was there, and he came up those stairs after me. He threw me to the ground and stabbed me, repeatedly. Did you fucking know he was going to? Did you order him to kill me, too?”
Her mother glared at her. “Coarse language is unnecessary.”
“Did you fucking order him to kill me?” Paisley roared.
“No!” Vivian screamed. “I ordered him to stab you precisely where I wanted him to. No Lance. No baby. You’d come right back to me. I’d help you pick up the pieces, and in the aftermath, we’d make your career even more successful. Then that idiot father of yours stepped in and decided to play daddy after all this time.”
“He was always willing to play daddy,” Paisley said. “You were the one who wouldn’t let him.”
“Jamison Knight didn’t deserve you. If things had gone right at that little press conference, he’d be dead now, and you’d have no choice but to come to me and beg for my forgiveness. I should have known his lover would protect him. He always does. Really, you’ve all left me with no other choice.”
