She turned now and rejoined Emory and Luca. Luca was talking on his cellphone, presumably to his security team, and Emory sat quietly beside him, her hand in his.
‘Thank you for saving my daughter again, Emory,’ Clem said quietly. ’I wish it didn’t have to be like this.’
Emory smiled a tired smile at her. ‘We haven’t got her back yet, Clem. Let’s just hope.’
Yes, let’s hope, Clem thought bitterly, although that bitterness wasn’t directed at Emory, let’s hope Bree comes home safe and you, you dear girl, get brutally murdered by your bastard of an ex-husband. Jesus. This world is fucked up.
‘Can I ask,’ Clem said, ‘how on earth were you ever married to someone like him?’
Emory smiled again. ‘Ever been at such a low ebb that anything seemed like a good idea at the time?’
Maximo flashed into Clem’s mind, but she pushed the thought away and just nodded.
‘Well, that was me a few years back. I’ve never known my father, but my mother was with me until she was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. Lymph nodes, bones, liver, everywhere. It took her in less than three months. As you can imagine, the shock was…debilitating. I was at college then; Ray was my professor. Very old story. It took me a good five years before I found out what he was really like.’
‘He hit you?’
‘Amongst other things. I think the word for someone like Ray is a sadist. He loves watching pain, inflicting it. However he chooses to kill me, it won’t be quick, and it won’t be merciful.’
‘Holy Christ, how can you even think like that?’
Emory looked drained, exhausted. ‘Because I lived with it, Clementine. Every day he would describe a new way to kill me if I ever left him. Usually, while he was raping me. If I’m honest…I always knew he would. I just wanted some happiness before I died.’ She looked over at Luca, who was off his phone and had his head in his hands, listening to her. She put her hand on his thigh and smiled at Clem. ‘And I have. I’m sorry that we didn’t tell you, Clem, before the pictures came out, that you found out about us like that. I’m not sorry I fell in love with Luca.’
Clem didn’t know how to react to that, except she felt shame. Shame for being hurt when Luca divorced her, shame for being angry at him for moving on so quickly. He had been right; she and Luca had not been in love, not for a long time and never had Luca looked at her like he was looking at Emory now. And as for herself, last night with Maximo had been a revelation.
She closed her eyes and allowed herself the fantasy that Bree would come home safe, Emory would escape her psychotic ex-husband and that she, Clem, could apologize to the sexy, sensual man she couldn’t stop thinking about, that he might forgive her and take her in his arms.
‘What time is it?’
Emory’s voice shook Clem out of her reverie. ‘Eleven p.m.’
An hour. An hour to go before the rendezvous. Before her little girl was returned to her. An hour before the time when Emory might die. God.
Clem looked at them both, and when she spoke, her voice was strong. ‘I want my daughter back,’ she said, ‘but as much as that, I want us all to be together at the end of this night.’ She looked at Emory. ‘All of us. We’ll get through this, so help me God, we will. I’ll give you some time alone.’
She went to the guest bedroom, heard the couple go quietly into the other room and close the door. She went into the little en-suite bathroom, two doors away from the other bedroom so she couldn’t hear them and took out her phone.
Maximo’s voicemail kicked in. Her heart pounding, she began to speak and didn’t stop until, at last, she started to cry.
Portland
Jared held out the bottle.
Zea took the gifts warily. ‘Thank you.’ She’d been asleep on the couch when she heard Jared’s car pull up. For a second she thought about ignoring his knock but the guilt kicked in and she’d reluctantly opened it. Jared had smiled at her, and as she studied him, his expression had been blank, innocent.
‘May I come in?’
She hesitated for a second and he put a hand on her arm. ‘Zea, I got lonely, and I know it’s late.’ She stepped aside to let him in. She followed him into the kitchen and opened the bottle, Jared sat, his smile almost a rictus. Zea felt her stomach twist with irritation. She poured him a flute of the champagne he bought, a half glass for herself. He raised his glass.
‘To family.’
She touched her glass to his and tried to smile. A strange silence fell. Zea looked down at her hands, twisting the glass around and around on table. Jared put his hand on hers.
‘You don’t seem okay, Zea, is there something wrong?’
Yes, everything. ‘No, I’m okay, just tired. I always seem to be tired lately.’
‘It’s the strain of it all, David, the shooting.’
‘I guess it is.’
Another long silence. Jared sighed. ‘Look it’s real warm in here. How about we go drink our beer on the stoop outside?’
‘Of course, it was him,’ Jared said a half hour later, as they sat on the steps outside her apartment. They kept their voices down so they wouldn’t wake her neighbors. ‘Didn’t you say the door hadn’t been broken into, that it had been unlocked? Who else could it have been?’
Zea went cold thinking about it. What Jared was saying was making sense, but Flynt had seemed almost too offended when she’d accused him of being the intruder. Now Jared had a point.
Zea sighed. ‘You know what, Jared? I’m tired of talking about that. About him.’
Jared smiled, his expression almost tender. ‘Couldn’t agree more.’ He looked away for a second then leaned in kissed her cheek. ‘How about I go grab us another couple of beers?’
Zea smiled. ‘Sounds like a plan.’
Flynt drove until he was almost at her house and then killed the lights. He sat in the car for a moment, arguing with himself. Just leave it man, she’s bad luck. But something kept drawing him back to Zea, and now, he wanted to clear the air. The muscles in Flynt's jaw clenched. He walked slowly around the side of the building but stopped when he heard voices. Laughter. He stole a glance around the corner. Zea and Podesta were sitting on the porch steps; Zea had her back to Flynt but Podesta’s expression was easy to read. Lust. Desire. Flynt swallowed down the anger in him but couldn't tear his eyes away.
Then Podesta seemed to look straight at him. Flynt's stomach lurched as he watched the big man kiss Zea's cheek, tenderly, possessively. Flynt wanted to beat the shit out of him right there but instead watched Zea say something to Jared and smile. The blood roaring in his ears, he watched as Jared went into the house, leaving Zea alone on the porch. Flynt watched her for a few seconds before sliding around the corner and into her eye line.
Emory sat next to Luca in the cab as they pulled into the shipping yard at five of midnight. She couldn’t stop trembling but she drew in a long breath.
‘Luca, I want you to know, that if everything doesn’t go to plan…I have been happier in the last few weeks than I ever have before. Ever. I love you so much.’
He took her face in his hands and pressed his lips roughly to hers. They had made love a little earlier, both knowing it could be the last time. ‘I can’t bear this,’ he whispered.
‘I know.’ Her cheeks were damp with tears.
‘I love you, Emory. You are my world.’
She nodded and sighed. ‘It’s time.’
Outside, he reluctantly let her go, not taking his eyes from her as she walked, as per Ray’s instructions, into the dark maze of containers. Luca felt his heart smash into pieces. How could he send her to her death like this? What the hell was wrong with him?
In another cab parked behind the first, Clem saw her ex-husband drop his head into his hands as his love walked toward her certain death. Clem got out of the car and went to him and they clasped hands.
After a few moments, they saw a figure, a tall figure stumbling out of the mess of containers. Clem cried out as she saw Bree staggering towa
rds them and then they were running, speeding over to their daughter. To their relief, she didn’t seem injured but she was crying, sobbing uncontrollably. They couldn’t make out what she was saying but then they heard the cars screeching into the parking lot.
From them poured many armed men who surged like a wave into the mass of containers. Luca, Clem and Bree all looked at each other in confusion, until out of the last car to arrive, stepped a tall man. Dark hair, dark beard, swarthy skin. Clem’s heart leaped.
Maximo.
Portland
She started as she saw him and his heart dropped when he saw the distress in her expression.
'You shouldn't be here.' But she made no move to get up, instead shoving her hands into her lap, pulling her knees up to her chin again.
He walked forward a little more then stopped. They stared at each other for a long moment. Flynt raised his chin, nodded towards the house.
'He's made himself at home.'
She said nothing, looked away from his gaze.
Flynt sighed. ‘Look, Zea, I wanted to apologize.’
She gave a humorless laugh. 'For what? Breaking into my apartment? Or lying about it?'
‘I did neither. I wanted to apologize for losing my temper earlier.'
She shook her head. 'You don't have to apologize, Flynt, I'd rather just forget it and get on with my life. You shouldn't have come, is all. I don't want you here.'
'Is that it, then? It's all over, just like that? Even our friendship?'
'You have a strange view of friendship.' Zea jumped at Jared's voice behind her. He put a hand on her shoulder and moved past her, walked over to where Flynt stood. 'She asked you to go.'
Flynt ignored him, looking around him to Zea, who stood, clearly worried that the two men would fight. 'You let him make your decisions now?'
Zea's eyes narrowed 'I make my decisions, Flynt. That Jared is supportive of them is no concern of yours. Not anymore.' Her words made Flynt's face redden, anger flashing in his eyes.
‘Supportive'? Is that the word for it?' His smile was unpleasant, and Zea turned away from both of them.
'Go home, Flynt. This is not the time.'
'Flynt!' Zea whirled around and ran down the stairs just as Jared stepped closer to the visitor. Zea was at his side, pushing Flynt away from him. 'That's enough. Jared, please, let me handle this.'
Jared nodded and stepped back from them. Zea made Flynt look at her, holding his head between her hands. He gazed back at her, pain, tears in his eyes. He leaned his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes and wished the past few hours away again.
Zea pulled away, and he opened his eyes. She was so beautiful, her face lit by the moonlight, her dark eyes soft and sorrowful.
'Please, Flynt, don't make this harder. It's been hell, these past months, just hell. I need to move on.'
Flynt shook his head, the tears flowing freely now, his hands gripping the back of her head, desperate to keep her close. She tried to pull away, but he would not release her.
’Listen to me…he’s no good for you,' he whispered, and she gave a little gasp of distress, yanking herself free, angry now.
She turned away from him and started to walk towards the house.
' Zea…' Flynt started after her, but Jared was there, blocking his way.
'Get out of my way, Podesta…damn, I seem to have said that a lot lately, you'd think you'd take the hint.'
Zea whirled around 'Jared is my friend, Flynt, you don't get to talk to him like that.'
Flynt recoiled at her tone, laden with dismissiveness, hurt. 'I…'
'The arrogance of you.' Jared spoke up now, walking towards Flynt, a smile playing around his mouth. 'You think, just because you knocked boots with Zea, you have some almighty right to tell her how to live her life?'
Zea sighed. 'Just leave him, Jared.'
Inside, they heard his car start up and drive away. Zea's shoulders slumped.
'I'm sorry about that, Jared.'
He said nothing, poured her another drink. 'Here.' She threw back the shot of vodka and attempted a smile.
'We were having a good evening.'
'We still can. Don't let Newlan ruin it. He's in your past now, Zea.' This time he poured them both a drink and clinked his glass against hers. 'Onwards and upwards, baby girl.'
Five minutes later, on the couch in the living room, she felt herself giving into the exhaustion she felt. Outside rain had started to fall, rattling against the windows, its rhythm soothing and soporific. Her cheek was against the soft fabric of the comforter; her legs curled up beneath her. Time slipped away from her, and the first flickers of dreams were like sparks in the darkness.
She stirred. 'I'm sorry, I must have - ' The words slurred and Jared smiled at her, his face soft.
'I'd better go to bed, or you'll be left with a zombie. 'She got up and swayed. Jared put his arm around her.
'Let me help you.'
She had shuffled a couple of steps before the darkness came and as she passed out, she felt Jared sweep her up into his arms and carry her to her bed.
The bedroom light went on and Flynt, sodden with rain, watched as Jared walked over to the window. He paused, looking down into the woods where Flynt stood in the shadows. Jared appeared to look straight at him, a small smile on his lips. He turned his head, as if to speak to someone - to Zea - then drew the drapes slowly.
Son of a bitch. Flynt got in his car and gunned the engine. Well, Jared could have her.
Flynt was done. He just hoped the pain in his heart would stop.
Zea came around just as Jared lay on top of her, pressing her legs apart. What the hell? Had she led him to this? And why did she feel so spaced out? Had he put something in her drink? It didn’t matter; she needed it to stop. Now.
’No, Jared, please, I don’t want this. Please let me go.’
He laughed. ‘Don’t tease me, Zea, come on now. We both want this.’
She felt him pull her legs apart, felt his penis push against her as he tried to enter her. Zea started to sob, panicked, bucking to get him away from her.
‘No, no, please, Jared stop, stop,’ her voice rose, cracked, hoarse with terror. She pushed against his chest, her tears choking her. At that moment, she didn’t care if he killed her, her need to get him away from her, to stop him, all consuming.
Then, utter, utter relief, Jared released her and sat back. She scrambled into a ball, tugging the sheet over her naked body. Her head ached, spinning fatigue. Her body ached from fighting him off, from the racking sobs which now faded away. She glanced at Jared. He sat there, naked, flaccid. His expression was a shock. Not anger. Hurt. The lost little boy was back. Shame flooded through her.
‘I’m sorry.’ She couldn’t look at him anymore. She curled up away from him. Her head felt fuzzy again. So tired.
‘I have tried, and tried to make you see it,’ Jared said bitterly, not moving from the bed, ‘you belong with your family, Zea. But no, still you want to spread your legs for the pretty rich bad-boy.’
Zea gasped at his tone; angry, raging, spiteful. She got angry and tugged the sheet over her naked body.
‘Get out of my house, Jared or I’ll call the police.’
He stood up and for a second, she thought he might go but turned suddenly and grabbed her, clamping a hand over her mouth. ‘Well, now you’ll learn all about loyalty, you little bitch…’
Zea tried to scream as Jared covered her body with his, tried to fight him off but he was too strong for her.
As he forced himself into her, Zea struggled against him, but as he raped her, she suddenly knew one thing for sure.
She was sure this monster couldn’t be David’s brother.
Ray pushed Emory back against the metal container. ‘Lovely Emory, you came back to me.’
Emory stared at him with a mixture of disgust and terror. The muzzle of his gun was pressed into the depression of her navel, and she knew it was all over. This was how she would die.
‘J
ust get on with it, Ray. Just do it. Just shoot me. It’ll be so good to know I never have to see your repellent face again, you piece of shit.’
Ray hissed, his spittle flicking her face and she heard him click the safety off. ‘Fucking little whore,’ he said, pressing the gun harder into her abdomen. ‘I’m going to enjoy this.’
There was light, a loud sound, lights. Emory was discombobulated for a second then as she realized they were no longer alone and that the loud noise wasn’t Ray’s gun, and that the expected bullet had never come, her heart leaped.
Rescue?
Ray laughed. ‘They might kill me, sweetheart, but it won’t save you.’ They heard a shout and Ray’s head shot around.
Emory, taking advantage of the distraction, brought her knee up into his groin. ‘Fuck you, Ray.’
He groaned and let her go, and she didn’t hesitate. She darted around him and ran towards the commotion. Ray fired the gun at her, chasing, hunting, but the bullets pinged harmlessly off the containers around her.
Almost free, she took a wrong turn and ended up at the edge of the water. She knew the bay was two-hundred-foot-deep, and she wasn’t the best swimmer. Shit. She turned to back track but Ray stood behind her, grinning widely. Emory could hear shouting now, people calling her name. All she could see, however, was the gun pointing at her belly and Ray’s hideously triumphant expression.
Evergreen: An Alpha Billionaire Romance Page 10
