His phone rang.
Luca blinked then slowly moved off the bed. ‘Better get that,’ he said lightly, ‘could be Bree needing me.’
‘Of course.’ Her voice was scratchy. Luca grabbed his cell phone and slowly walked out of the bedroom. Emory sat up and rearranged her clothes. What had she been thinking? Jesus…
She slipped silently out of Luca’s bedroom and down to her own, closing the door behind her. She felt…angry. Angry at herself and angrier still at Dante. Was this what he meant by making sure? Was he testing her? Testing her love, her fidelity? You pushed me into this. She shook her head; she knew that wasn’t fair but goddamn it, she was mad. She grabbed her own phone and texted him.
I need to see you. Tonight. I’m not asking, I’m telling. Come pick me up, or I’ll take a cab, your choice.
A bleep. Sweetheart, are you okay? What does Luca say?
She gritted her teeth. Luca is not my keeper. I need to see you, Dante.
I’ll be there in an hour. Keep calm.
‘Keep calm, my ass,’ Emory growled but put the phone down. There was a gentle knocking at her door. ‘Come in.’
Luca came in, but before he could speak, she stood. ‘Luca, Dante is coming to pick me up in an hour. I have to talk to him.’
To her surprise, Luca nodded. ‘That’s probably a good idea. Emory, I don’t know how to tell you this, so I’ll come right out and say it. That was Maximo. Ray’s escaped. He’s on the run.’
Emory stared at him in horror for a long moment. ‘He’s coming for me, isn’t he?’
Luca nodded, his eyes full of love and sorrow. ‘Yes, sweetheart, he is. And we’ll be ready for him.’
Zea Azano Newlan sat at her vanity, brushing her hair. It had grown, she noticed, longer than she’s realized, the dark brown waves falling below her shoulders. A wave of nausea passed through her, and she closed her eyes, willing it to pass.
Pregnant. A few weeks, even days ago, she would have been delighted, overjoyed – the same as Flynt was now. When she’d told him the news, a broad grin spread across his face, and he leaped up and hugged her, close to tears. She’d pushed him away gently.
‘It’s the wrong time, Flynt, we can’t keep it. What if…Jared…’
‘We are not putting our lives, our family on hold because of him, baby. God, our child,’ his expression was almost reverent, and she couldn’t help but feel a little excited despite her misgivings. Flynt’s son or daughter. She ran her hand over her belly. She could feel a slight bump – not much, no wonder she had missed the signs.
‘Hey, beautiful.’
She turned and smiled at her husband, leaning against the bedroom door watching her. She smiled at him and held out her hand. ‘Hey, handsome.’
He took her hand and pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips against hers. ‘Sweetheart, can I say that you’ve never looked lovelier?’
Zea grinned. ‘You sound like Cary Grant.’
Flynt laughed. ‘Well, my dear,’ he said in his best Grant impression, ‘What says we take a little trip to Bedfordshire?’
He twirled her around – not helping her nausea – but Zea giggled, cheered by his high spirits. Flynt danced her to the bed and swept her onto it. He ran his hands over her body, sheathed in the silky lavender nightgown she wore – but never kept on for long. Tonight was no different. Flynt soon peeled it off and was kissing every part of her skin that he could until she was a quivering wreck of desire. Grinning, he pressed his lips to hers. ‘You want me, baby?’
Zea nodded, her entire body vibrating with longing. Flynt grinned down at her; she could feel the tip of his hard, thick cock nudging against her cunt and moaned with anticipation. Flynt pushed into her – just an inch then withdrew. She cried out in frustration, and he laughed. ‘Gonna tease you, baby until you beg me. Say the words, beautiful…’
‘Fuck me, Flynt,’ Zea gasped, clawing at his back, desperate now. Flynt teased her some more, and she yelled, ‘Fuck me now, dammit!’
Flynt, his smile smug and triumphant, drove his cock into her hard and she moaned long and hard as he fucked her, driving her on and on and on until stars exploded in her vision and she came, shivering and sweating, a second orgasm hitting when she felt his cock pumping thick creamy semen deep inside her. She caught his mouth with hers, clamping her hands onto his head, kissing him deeply and thoroughly as, still inside her, his cock thickened and swelled again and they began again…
Jared Podesta sat in the rental outside Flynt’s building. He had kept meticulous notes on the couple’s movements over the last weeks. From their change in security over the last few days, the heightening of it, he knew they must know he wasn’t dead. So be it. He hadn’t assumed that ruse would last forever, but he’d gathered enough intel now that it didn’t matter. Any security system had flaws – especially when he had no compunction about killing anyone to get to Zea. Anyone.
He slept in the car often now – it was easier than disguising himself to check into motels. As long as he kept off the police’s radar…he was paranoid about keeping the car in tip-top shape. No brake lights failing, no reason to pull him over. There was no way he would be able to explain the arsenal of weapons he had accumulated. Revenge was a sweet, sweet thing, but a delicate thing that he cradled to himself, cultivated his plans.
Soon, all too soon, he would unleash his hatred on the newlyweds and turn their ivory tower into a slaughterhouse.
The moment she saw Dante, she wanted to run into his arms and never leave them. Instead, Emory stood and waited for Luca to bring him into the room.
‘I’ll give you two some space in a moment, but before that, Dante I need to tell you what we’ve just learned.’
Dante was having a hard time tearing his eyes away from Emory, and in turn, her heart pounded with longing, with love. She had forgotten her anger from before; it didn’t seem important now.
Luca cleared his throat, and Emory looked at him, noticing two pink spots of color high on his cheeks, sorrow in his eyes. ‘I’m sorry, Luca,’ she said softly, ‘What were you saying?’
Luca met her gaze, nodding. He knew she wasn’t just apologizing for not listening. Dante too was obviously aware of the tension in the room. ‘Luca, please, go ahead, we’re listening.’
We. Emory’s heart beat a little faster. I love you, I love you. But she sat down opposite Dante as Luca began to speak. ‘Maximo Neri called me a little earlier. Raymond Grace killed one his guards and has escaped. Neri questioned his guys – it seems the guard Ray killed had boasted that he was soon to be a very rich man and that the ‘bitch’ – sorry, Em – that had ‘screwed Ray over’ – again, sorry, his words not mine, was going to die real soon. So…’
‘He’s coming after her. After you, sweetheart.’ Dante’s voice was flat, dead, hopeless. He stood up and came to her. ‘I won’t let anything happen. I…we…’ he glanced up at Luca who nodded, ‘We will throw everything into the search for him and this time, he won’t be able to escape. This ends now. And we will keep you safe, baby, I swear we will.’
‘Agreed. Look, Dante, is your place safe? Ray obviously knows this place – he abducted Bree from here.’
Emory moaned dropping her head into her hands as Dante shook his head. ‘The fact Emory was at my place was in the press. However, I do have a place that no-one knows about, down near Portland. We should take you there, Em – if that’s what you want.’
‘What about Bree?’ she asked, ‘He might come after her again to get to me. And both of you…please, I couldn’t bear it if he hurt anyone else, I’d rather he kil – ‘
‘Don’t even finish that sentence,’ Dante growled, his voice full of pain. Luca too looked angry.
‘Bree is on Bainbridge Island. As far as I know, she’ll be going back to Auburn soon. Jesse Kline’s family is well-connected too. They’ll be safe, I promise. I will see to it. Clem is in Italy with Maximo. Dante, I think Portland is a good idea. You should stay here the night, and we can take Emory down in the
morning.’
‘Agreed.’ Dante looked between them. ‘Look, there’s the elephant in the room that we can’t avoid here so…’
‘No elephant,’ said Luca softly and he gave Emory a small smile. ‘I wish you both every happiness. Truly. You are a good man, and I couldn’t have given Emory up to a better person. Emory has made her choice, and it was an informed one. I would like to consider you both as my good friend – if it won’t be too awkward.’
Emory, stunned, got up and threw her arms around him. He hugged her hard. Emory put her lips to his ear. ‘Thank you, Luca. For everything.’
Luca held her tightly. ‘Be happy, darling. That’s all I ask.’ He released her and offered his hand to an equally stunned Dante. ‘I know I don’t have to ask you to treat her right.’
‘You don’t but thank you, Luca.’
Luca nodded, half-smiling. ‘As I said you should stay here tonight. Emory’s room has a king-size bed. Goodnight.’
He left the room, closing the door behind him. Emory and Dante stared at each other for the longest time. Dante studied every inch of her lovely face then said simply, ‘I love you.’
She went into his arms, and he kissed her, deeply, passionately. Hot tears were flooding down her face. ‘I love you so much, Dante Harper. I’m mad at you for putting me through this, but I understand why you did. Thank you for coming for me.’
They stood for the longest time, kissing before Emory led him to her bedroom. She looked guilty down the hallway to Luca’s closed door. When they were inside, she and Dante kissed again and then if, by some silent agreement, they made love, not on the bed, but on the floor, quieting their cries of pleasure, kissing instead of moaning, their joy at being together muted but no means diminished. Emory fell asleep in Dante’s arms, knowing one thing for certain; that she loved, and was loved by the most wonderful man she had ever known.
And that was enough.
Jesse scratched furiously at his head with both hands, trying to get some blood flowing, trying to wake up. Ethan was paying for their coffees, and Jesse grinned at him as he gingerly balanced the two cups and two fresh pastries.
‘Ouch. Man.’ Ethan grumbled as he spilled the hot drink on himself. Jesse laughed.
‘Thanks, buddy.’ He sipped his coffee. ‘Ah. What did you want to talk to me about?’ He pulled a hunk of one of the pastries off and shoved it in his mouth.
Ethan sipped his latte. ‘Kizzie. Now that all this crap with Petersen is over…’
‘Almost over,’ Jesse interrupted him, ‘we still have to testify.’
Ethan nodded. ‘Okay, yeah, almost over, I think Kizzie should be thinking about what she does next.’
Jesse looked amused. ‘What about what you do next?’
‘I’m going back to school,’ Ethan said, shrugging. ‘As soon as docs say I can, I’m going back to Auburn.’
Jesse was stunned. ‘Really?’
Ethan smiled. ‘Hell yes. I know some people may blame me for not saying anything about Petersen, but I have to show that I believe in my college, I love it. That’s the best way to atone. And I had an idea that may benefit both the school and Kiz. I think she should do a charity concert in Lexi’s memory.’
‘That’s a great idea,’ Jesse felt adrenaline surged through him as well as new found respect for Ethan.
‘Kizzie hasn’t picked up her cello in weeks, and I think she needs to have that push, that reason to do it. It would be a shame to waste her talent – not that I’ve ever heard her play so there is a selfish part of me that’s doing this.’
Jesse smiled at him. ‘Dude…you’re really into her, huh?’
Ethan flushed a little scarlet but grinned. ‘Yeah man. She rocks my world.’ He took a slug of coffee to hide his embarrassment. ‘What about Bree, then? How are you two doing?’
Jesse’s smile faded a little. ‘She’s scared about testifying, bringing back those memories. She’ll do it, obviously but I wish I could spare her the pain.’
Ethan looked away for a second and Jesse could see the guilt on his face. ‘Hey, hey, stop that,’ Jesse said, ‘Anyone in your position…well, we all react differently. I don’t think I would have believed Petersen would do what he did. Or that his plan would work out so violently. Jeez.’
‘Yeah,’ Ethan sighed. ‘Can’t wait until this is all over, though, dude.’
Jesse nodded. ‘It will be soon, buddy. I know things are going to get better.’
‘The mountain’s out.’
Luca pointed unnecessarily toward the ethereal sight of Mount Rainier, rising out of the horizon, breath-taking and deadly. Dante nodded, and Emory wondered if he was really listening or locked in the memory of their lovemaking. This morning, early, they had woken, and without speaking, begun to make love silently again, intensely, their gaze never leaving the other. He caught her looking at him. She grinned, and he winked at her.
As they sped out of the city, Emory noticed the Waterfront bustling with tourists, kid too, taken out early from school. The sunshine reflected off the cars that jammed Seattle’s streets, and the smell of seafood from the Waterfront restaurants filled the air.
Luca headed south out of Seattle, toward Tacoma and the Mountain. He eased the car onto the Interstate and chuckled at the annoyed sound Emory made from the back seat. She loathed the Interstates. He looked round, and she poked her tongue out at him. She had insisted that Dante took the shotgun. She knew she would end up sleeping all the way to their destination – car travel was always like a bucketful of Valium for her - and Dante would be better company for Luca. Sure enough, the rhythmic sound of the wheel made her drift off. She was hovering on the cusp of sleep when she heard Dante speak.
‘Quiet in the back, there.’
She heard Luca laugh. ‘Any car trip over ten minutes, man, she’s out like a light. Unless she’s driving and even then it’s a fine line.’
Dante chuckled. ‘Guess there’s still some things I have yet to learn.’
‘That’s the thing about Em,’ Luca said without bitterness, ‘there’s always something left to learn about her.’
‘I can’t wait.’
As Emory drifted off into a deep sleep, she heard Luca’s soft laugh. ‘I’m not even going to pretend I don’t envy you, Dante. Promise me you’ll always do right by her.’
‘I promise, Luca. On my life, I promise.’
Did they really think this would work? Arrogant fuckers. As he drove the rental car two vehicles back from Luca’s Mercedes, Ray spotted one, two…no, three, black SUV’s around them, following a discreet distance. Not discreet enough, he grinned to himself. They had no idea he was here. He’d shaved his head entirely, grown a beard and he’d bulked up in Neri’s holding cell, having nothing better to do than exercise. Even if they checked him out as they passed, they would not guess it was middle-aged, running to fat Raymond Grace. He would follow them just long enough to know where they were taking Emory then peel off before he became suspect.
Then he would take his time to plan his final act.
Clementine Saffran sat beside Maximo in the car, watching his face anxiously. Naples. The city where Ophelie had been murdered. Maximo had never returned to the city after she had died and now Clem could see the journey was affecting him deeply. She held his hand, felt him trembling. His face was a mask of haunted grief, but he kept his countenance as they traveled together in the taxi.
They were going to the apartment. Maximo had said he needed to see it, to return there or never get past his loss. So far, they had traveled to Zurich, Paris, Rome, even back to Lima all in pursuit of Ferdie but no-one knew where he was.
‘I can’t believe he has dropped off the face of the earth,’ Maximo had raged one night as Clem tried to calm him down.
‘Sweetheart…someone somewhere must know something.’
Maximo had stopped then and stared into space before turning to her. ‘You are right. We have been doing this all wrong. We need to go back, to the start. Retrace out steps.’
Maximo had been so sure this was the right path…but now, as they approached the building where the murder had taken place, Clem could see the strain etched on his face.
‘I’m here, I love you,’ she whispered to him now, and he leaned into gratefully.
‘Grazie mia cara,’ he said in a low voice, gruff with emotion.
At the building, they walked slowly up to the apartment. At the door, Maximo hesitated and glanced at Clem. ‘I haven’t been here since they day she died…and neither had anyone else since the police cleared out. I wouldn’t allow it. Her things are here. Her…’
Clem put her hand on his face. ‘Let’s just go in, baby, and we’ll handle it together.’
Maximo gave her a tight nod and opened the door. A whisper of air went through the place, dust and motes floated in the air. Silence. The apartment was beautiful, classical, high ceilings. Maximo, holding Clem’s hand tightly, walked slowly around. Clem swallowed the tears that threatened.
In the small kitchen, plates were stacked on the draining board – discolored from the sun that poured in through the window. She couldn’t stop staring at them. Maximo let go of her hand and walked into the living room, staring at the boarded-up French windows. She joined him a moment later, and with a glance at him, an unspoken agreement passed between them. They pried the boards off – weathered by a decade’s worth of rain, they came away easily.
Maximo took her hand as they stepped out onto the balcony.
‘She died here.’
Clem nodded. Old, dark bloodstains were visible in the stone floor. ‘I wouldn’t let them clean it up,’ Maximo told her, his eyes haunted. ‘Ferdie threw her through the windows, then used a piece of the glass to stab her to death.’
‘God.’ Clem’s throat was closed.
‘I saw the whole thing,’ Maximo’s voice was distant as he recalled it. He looked back into the room. ‘He had hit me, hard, my legs were weak. I couldn’t get to him before he finished it…after, I crawled to her, tried to save her but she was too far gone.’
Evergreen: An Alpha Billionaire Romance Page 29
