The Art of Love

by Celya Bowers

  Brendan coughed and coffee spewed everywhere. “I love it. What did the idiot say?”

  “Nothing. Haven’t heard from him since that day.”

  Brendan was very proud of his assistant. “Good. I’ll call him later. His display is coming down today. Maza’s is not into blackmail and histrionics. You did great, Dante.”

  “How’s Peri feeling?”

  “Fine. She went to work today. I think she just pulled a muscle. You know what I want to know about. How was your date with Katie?”

  “Would you believe me if I said it was one of the best dates I’d ever had?”

  “No.”

  “Well, it was,” Dante said. “We had dinner, then went to a jazz club for a while. We ended up at a coffee bar and talked until the wee hours of the morning.”

  “What about Paul? Monte? Javier?” He asked of Dante’s former lovers. “I’m not worried about Javier confronting you here, but the other two might not take kindly to the idea of you dating a woman.”

  “Oh, that. Katie and I are just hanging out, Brendan. She’s only a few years younger than me, and the only people she knows in Dallas are the employees here.”

  “She’s been here a few months. She should have made more friends by now.”

  Dante laughed. “She was also nursing a broken heart. That’s what we talked about the most. I believe Katie still isn’t over her yet. She’s some kind of techno geek in Manhattan.”

  Brendan relaxed; if Katie’s heart is still with her former lover, Dante didn’t have a chance. If anything, they could be good friends. Maybe Peri was right and he was worried for nothing. “Great, Dante. I’m glad you guys had a good time.”

  He cleared his throat. “We’re going out again tonight.”

  Brendan digested the information. Again his conversation with Peri came to mind. He had to be honest with Dante or their boss/employee relationship would be the casualty. “Dante, you know I’m fond of you and you’re an awesome assistant. At first, this thing with you and Katie had me seeing red, but after talking about it with Peri, I can only caution you guys, which I have. It’s your decision.”

  “I get it. This is a lot for you to take in, Brendan. So far neither one of us has changed teams, I’m still gay and she’s still a lesbian.”

  “Where are you taking her tonight?”

  “You’re not going to like it,” he warned.

  Brendan braced himself for it. “Hit me.”

  “The Dallas Museum of Art. They’re having the Ansel Adams exhibit, then some guy who runs the family museum is going to speak about some of the photos. Maybe you and Peri can join us?” Dante teased, knowing exactly how Brendan felt about the competition. Everyone who worked for Maza’s knew Brendan loathed the DMA and never to mention the museum in his presence.

  “The day I step a foot inside that place, I’m going back to Ireland!”

  * * *

  Peri decided to visit Kyla after work. She knew Brendan was watching her every move for fear that Robert might attack, but Peri knew better. Robert was about symbols. To attack her in her new home and possibly harm or kill her would be the ultimate revenge. She just had to make sure that it didn’t happen. If she could only find out when he was going to strike.

  She arrived at Kyla’s two-story house. She noticed Ryan’s Mercedes was in the driveway. She hoped nothing was wrong. She hurried to the front door and rang the doorbell.

  Ryan answered the door, smiling. “Hey, Peri,” he said, motioning her inside. “It’s good to see you.” He kissed Peri on the cheek. “You’re looking well.”

  “Thank you, Ryan. I must say impending fatherhood agrees with you.”

  “Blame that on your friend. She wore me out yesterday, I had to take a day off just to get some rest. I hope these hormones calm down soon.”

  “You know you like it,” Peri teased. This Ryan reminded her of the Ryan she’d met a few years ago. He was more relaxed and not stressed about work.

  “I never said I didn’t like it,” he joked. “Kyla is upstairs. She should be dressed by now. She finally let me free for a few hours. Would you like something before I run to the store?”

  “No thanks, Ryan.” She headed for the stairs.

  She entered the bedroom and laughed. Kyla was asleep. Peri decided to go back downstairs.

  “Where are you going?”

  She faced her friend. “I thought you were asleep. I was going to let you rest. Ryan said you wore him out.”

  Kyla sat up in the bed and turned the TV set off. “Come sit over here, so I don’t have to shout.”

  “Ryan’s going to the store,” Peri reported. “You gotta let him take a breather now and then.”

  “Oh, please. Half the time, he was begging me for just one more time. If anything he’s tired me out.”

  Peri rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “And for those of us who know the real Kyla Stone, can I have the real version?”

  “Okay, you got me. But he didn’t say stop.”

  “They never do.”

  “Peri! I’m shocked.”

  “Whatever! I came by to talk to you about my sister.” She knew Bailey was not Kyla’s favorite person.

  “Now you went and ruined my sexual high. What does Ms. Perfect say this week?”

  “She confessed that she’s not happy with Elijah. I needed your advice for what I can do to help. Brendan says I should wait until the Robert fiasco is over.”

  “Sounds like good advice.”

  “That was the second reason I came over. I think I have a plan to bring Robert out of hiding.”

  Kyla eyes lit up. “What?”

  “I stayed at Brendan’s last night, but I had to go home to get dressed. As usual he came with me, but I noticed something on my bedroom window. Xavier went over and checked. He told me it was an electronic bug. It couldn’t pick up much, since it was on the outside of the house, but he said it was picking up my bedroom activity.”

  Kyla shuddered. “That’s just sick.”

  “Yeah, it creeps me out, too. Just think what he heard. Xavier said it didn’t look like it had been there long, a few days at the most.”

  “So what’s your plan?”

  “I’m going to leave the bug in place. I want him to think his plan is working. I’ll let it slip that I’m alone, I’ll leave the door unlocked so he can get inside the house, where I’ll be waiting.”

  “Is Brendan going to be there?”

  “I was thinking he could be waiting in the closet or something.”

  “I don’t know, Peri. There’s a lot left to chance.”

  “I know, but things cannot go on as they are.”

  Kyla sighed. “You know I’d love to help you, but Ryan would divorce me if I did. At least talk to Brendan about your plan.”

  “I will.”

  CHAPTER 28

  Brendan parked in front of Peri’s condo, still seeing red. Kyla had called to inform him of Peri’s insane plan to bring Robert out in the open. “Blasted pigheaded woman,” he muttered. What did she think she was going to do once he got inside the house? He glanced across the street. No Robert. Kyla had also told him about the bug Peri had found. Bastard. No, Robert was a coward.

  About thirty minutes later, he got out of the SUV and went to the doorbell. She answered the door in record time and had an excited gleam on her face. “Brendan, I didn’t think you were coming here. I was getting ready to come to your place.”

  He was in such a mood, he didn’t care how good she looked. He took her arm and pulled her inside the condo, closing the door.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  She wretched her arm free from his iron grasp. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I know about the bug on the bedroom window. I also know about this insane plan to try to drag him out into the open.”

  “I see Kyla has been sharing information.”

  “It’s a good thing she did. Have you lost your mind? There are too many variables for th
at to work. What kind of weapon were you planning on using?”

  She shrugged. “I was going to leave that up to you.”

  “What happens if I’m not here? You need to let the police handle this.”

  “The police said until he harms me, they can’t do anything. If I wait until he harms me to call the police, then I’ll be dead. You don’t have to help me.”

  He sat down, ran his fingers through his hair. “Yeah, right. You think I’m going to let you carry out this hare-brained scheme alone?”

  “I don’t need your help.”

  “Peri, just calm down and think about this. This man beat you to a bloody pulp and left you for dead.”

  “I have a baseball bat.”

  “And he has a gun, most likely,” Brendan said. “You’re asking for a bloodbath.”

  “No, I’m not. He hasn’t waited this long to just shoot me. I’m telling you I lived with that man for five years, I know him. He has some elaborate scheme planned, I just know it.”

  Brendan had one stubborn woman on his hands. Now it was his job to talk her out of it. Before he could form a thought, his cell phone rang. He looked down at the display. Claire. This was all he needed right now. “Honey, I gotta take this.” He answered his ex-wife’s call.

  “Brendan, can you pick up Chelsey?”

  “Now? This is a really bad time.”

  “I know, but Oliver is stuck on the other side of Dallas, I just got rear-ended in a three-car wreck, you’re all I got left. It may be an hour before they get all this sorted out.”

  “Okay, I’m on my way.” He ended the call. He rose. “I have to pick up Chelsey. Promise me you won’t do anything until we finish this conversation.”

  “Okay.”

  “Why don’t I believe you?”

  “Oh, now I’m a liar as well as being scatter-brained? Go pick up your daughter,” Peri said shortly.

  “Peri, your idea isn’t thought out. I’m just asking you to wait.”

  “Get out.”

  Brendan felt his head explode in anger. He had to pick up his daughter, there was no way around it, and this woman before him didn’t want to listen to reason. “I’ll be back.”

  “Don’t bother.”

  He knew she was upset and, rather than make the situation worse, he left the house.

  * * *

  After he collected Chelsey from her school, Brendan wasn’t sure what to do next. Chelsey was seated in the backseat watching a movie.

  “Daddy, where’s Peri?”

  “She’s at her house, sweetheart.”

  “Can we go see her?”

  “No, baby. Peri is mad at me right now. We might need to let her cool down for a few days before we visit.”

  “I like her, Daddy. I can’t wait until you get married.”

  “Who said anything about getting married?”

  “Mommy said that you really loved Peri and you were going to marry her and she’d be my stepmother one day. She said it would be okay to call her Peri.”

  So much made sense now. When they were in Ireland, Chelsey called Peri Miss Reed, but in Colorado she had started calling her Peri. Claire was the culprit. “Well, baby, I don’t know about marrying her, but I do like Peri a lot.”

  “Are you running away from her?”

  Brendan almost hit the car in front of him. Where did she get this stuff? “What?”

  “At school when a boy likes a girl, he chases her. Sometimes the girl chases the boy.”

  He shook his head. “I guess she’s running from me. She had a plan I didn’t like.”

  “So?”

  So? he thought. Scatter-brained or not, it was her idea. He was going to have to go back to Peri’s. But he couldn’t endanger Chelsey. Hopefully Claire would be home soon. “Thanks, Chel.”

  “For what, Daddy?”

  “For showing your stubborn daddy it was time to stop running.”

  When Chelsey didn’t answer him, he looked in the rearview mirror and noticed she’d put on the headphones and had resumed watching her movie.

  Well, she told you, he mused. He headed home.

  After he had given Chelsey a snack, he tried to call Peri. No answer. Either one of two things were happening. Either she just wasn’t answering the phone or Robert had already attacked.

  * * *

  Peri sat on her couch in shock. “What did I just do?” She replayed the scene with Brendan in her head several times, and each time she had acted like a crazy person and kicked him out of her house. Now what?

  She was in too deep now. She was going to have to put the plan in action. She looked across the street; the car wasn’t there. Xavier had told her the bug didn’t have much range, so he’d have to be near to listen.

  She set everything in motion. She walked to the rear of the condo and unlocked the back door. Thinking like her abusive ex-lover, she knew he was waiting for it to get dark. That way it would be harder for her to determine if he was in the car and easier for him to harm her.

  She just turned this into a waiting game, and she was the prey.

  * * *

  Robert had thought luck was finally on his side. Minutes ago, he had witnessed the Range Rover leaving Peri’s house at breakneck speed just as he was entering her neighborhood. All he had to do was wait for the cover of darkness. He was going to do this, and he was going to take care of this woman once and for all. He was down to nothing. He was out of money, out of favors. And Peri Reed was out of time.

  He couldn’t use his brother’s car anymore. His parole officer had a warrant out for his arrest and the car was now tagged. He was now in a car he ‘borrowed’ for the purpose of killing Peri Reed.

  Everyone else in his life had deserted him except for his cousin, Henry. He had staked out Peri’s place when the heat got to be too much. Finally, she was actually alone.

  * * *

  Brendan had never been happier to see Claire than when she picked up Chelsey that evening. Hopefully, he’d be able to get to Peri in time. But Claire wasn’t cooperating. She wanted to talk while Chelsey was gathering her school backpack.

  “What’s wrong, Brendan?”

  “I have something I need to handle.”

  “Peri?”

  He sighed. “Yeah, we had this crazy fight and she’s got this crazy idea that’s going to get her hurt.”

  Claire nodded. “So what are you going to do?”

  There was only one thing he could do. “I have to save her.”

  “Instead of saving her, how about helping her, Brendan?” Claire said. “I know you love her and she loves you. But a relationship is about sharing. Don’t bulldoze your ‘I’m a man, so I must protect you’ theory. Help her tackle her problem and be there for her if it doesn’t work out. You have a good heart, Brendan, but sometimes you can be overbearing.”

  After Claire and Chelsey left, he locked up the house and headed for the garage. He knew Claire was right. As always. Instead of telling Peri how wrong her plan was, he should have helped her come up with a better plan. Not tell her that it just wouldn’t work and that he’d come up with a better plan. He was such an ass.

  CHAPTER 29

  Brendan made it to Peri’s in record time. To his relief the quiet neighborhood was not filled with police cars. He parked in front of her house and immediately noticed the parked car across the street. No one was inside the car. Oh, that was so not good. He hurried out of his SUV and went to the front door.

  “Peri!” He yelled as he rang the doorbell several times.

  No answer.

  “Peri, let me in!” He started beating on the door with his fists. Where was she? Why wasn’t she answering her door? His thoughts were starting to take a dark turn when the front door finally opened. Her beautiful face was puffy from crying.

  “Brendan!”

  “Peri!”

  “I thought that might have been Robert, so I didn’t answer it until I recognized your voice. I’m so glad to see you. I was so wrong.” She stepped toward him
.

  “Baby, are you all right?” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “I was so worried. I called earlier, but I never got an answer.” He stroked her hair, just happy that she was not harmed and he could hold her.

  “It was me being silly. I’m sorry, Brendan.” She pulled him inside the house and closed the door. They walked to the couch and sat down.

  “No, I’m sorry. We should work on a plan together.”

  She wiped her eyes. “Thank you for that. I should have listened to you in the first place and left this to the police.”

  “I’m glad you decided that I was right, but so were you. Until Robert harms you in some way, the police aren’t going to intervene. And that’s not happening on my watch.”

  Peri sighed. “So what do you think we should do?”

  He liked when she said “we.” “Right now, I don’t have a clue. There’s a car parked across the street, but I didn’t see anyone in it. Robert is near. I can feel it. We’ll have to be ready when he makes his move.”

  * * *

  Some days Robert just couldn’t catch a break. Today was one of those days. Just when he thought he was going to get his chance at Peri, the Range Rover was back, driving like he was going to a fire.

  Damn.

  His well thought out plan had just gone down the tubes. Okay, maybe it wasn’t too thought out, but close enough. He could overpower Peri’s man and still have his revenge. He’d even make that loser watch as he exacted his own brand of justice on the woman that sent him to prison.

  Robert waited until the cover of darkness before he made his move. He walked around her condo looking for a way inside. The front door was too obvious, only an idiot would have tried it. Robert moved as quietly as he could along the side of the house. Windows were another possibility, but he also didn’t want to set off the alarm. The back door? Another bad idea. Or was it? All the time he’d been watching her house, she never went in the back way, it was always the garage or the front door. He made his way around the back. He turned the knob and smiled. That was his way in.

  * * *

  “Did you hear that?” Peri whispered to Brendan. “Someone is outside.” She moved closer to Brendan. Although she wanted this mess with Robert to be over as soon as possible, she was scared to death.