The sudden cold after the heat of Lucien’s embrace helped cool the fever that encompassed Lara. Pulling her dress into place, she was once again embarrassed by her brazenness. But she had been so positive that he felt the same way she did.
Turning back toward her, Lucien helped her to her feet, and they both started walking back up to the house.
At the edge of the sand, he gripped her elbow and halted their progress. “I seem to always be taking advantage of you.”
When Lara shook her head in denial, he ignored her. “I want you so much, but I am the worst thing that could ever happen to you. I can’t promise you much. I can only promise you each and every night that we will be together.”
Lucien had never had a true relationship. He had always taken his pleasure without a second thought. But this encounter with Lara was different. He didn’t want to treat it with the same callousness as he had with the cheap women in his life.
He needed time to think. “I have to be away for a short time. Will you stay here and wait for me?”
Tears filled Lara’s eyes as she looked up at him.
Laying his fingertips against her kiss swollen lips, he implored her. “Please.”
She nodded her head, and the tears fell down her cheeks as he took her hand in his and they headed back up the beach to their shoes. Silently, they slipped them on and climbed the steps, hand in hand, each submerged in their own thoughts.
Entering the quiet house, Lucien solemnly watched Lara walk down the hallway to her room.
The hypnotic sway of her hips lured him. Needing to be apart from her, Lucien traced himself away.
Conscious of his new surroundings, he stared out the windows at the California coast line until his senses picked up the cloying aroma of roses. Closing his eyes in irritation, Lucien turned to confront his uninvited and unwanted guest.
Moving toward him, Marissa wiped all the anger off her features and pasted on an overly bright smile. “I have been looking for you,” she said in a chiding voice. “In fact, this is the third time I’ve been here, hoping we would cross paths.”
She drew to a halt in front of him and placed her palms flat on the hard surface of his chest, sliding them to the back of his neck. Stretching up, she kissed the stubborn tilt of his jaw then flicked out her tongue to trace the contours of his face until she reached his mouth.
Standing motionless throughout the initial assault, Lucien grabbed her shoulders and roughly set her away from him.
“What do you want?” he bit out.
Obvious annoyance and lust warred within Marissa as she stood back and faced the only thing so far that she had ever wanted and hadn’t won. A malicious smile crept across her face. “Have you seen your plain-looking mortal, lately?”
“Why do you ask?”
Laughing, Marissa shrugged free of his hold. “Well, answering a question with a question. That leads me to believe that you have indeed seen her. Where do you have her hidden away, Lucien?”
Staring down into her hard eyes, he smoothly lied, “I have no idea what you’re talking about Marissa. I have better things to do this evening than entertain you and your overactive imagination. Now tell me what you want of me, and then get out.”
Appearing to accept his words, Marissa leaned into him.
“Lucien, you know how much I want you. Why do we continue to play games and deny that we belong together?” Winding her arms around his neck again, she pressed her firm body into his.
Barely resisting the urge to fling her away, Lucien stood stiffly, wishing she would hurry and state her business, and then leave.
“I only stopped by to invite you to another get together. This time, I’ve decided to hold it in Rome. You remember that quaint little farm I own outside of the city? Well, it has been deserted for quite a while, so no one will be surprised when it just burns down, leaving a few charred bodies. Unlike you, I have to dispose of the bodies I use so the police won’t get too curious.”
Realizing she wouldn’t take no for an answer and also knowing that her powers far outreached his, Lucien spat out, “When?”
“Tomorrow night.”
“All right, I’ll be there.”
“Come early, so we can talk.”
“I already said I would be there. That should be enough.”
“Never with you, darling,” Marissa smiled up at him, “Never with you.”
Marissa’s laughter faded away with the lingering scent of roses.
Chapter Six
The days began to drag as Lara waited for Lucien’s return. Their night on the beach felt like it had been years ago, but still she wanted the feel of his arms around her again. Her answer hadn’t changed. She had wanted him then as much as she wanted him now.
Everyone she had cared about was gone from her life. This only confirmed to her that there were no guarantees in the future.
She wanted to enjoy what remained of her life and spend it with the man she loved.
She focused her attention on the colorful sunset as she stood in front of the windows in her room. Crossing her arms on her chest, she rested her forehead on the cool panes of the glass, silently wishing Lucien was there beside her.
Mentally shaking herself, she headed for the bathroom where she turned on the shower and began to strip off her clothes. Determined to change the dismal direction of her thoughts, she began to plan for her night out alone.
First off, she would treat herself to dinner at the same establishment where she and Lucien had dined. Then she would go to that same local nightclub he had taken her to and just sit back and enjoy the music and memories.
Hopefully, she would feel closer to him and dispel the sheer loneliness that held her.
After what seemed an inordinate amount of time assuring both Margaret and Ethan that she did indeed know the way to town and back, Lara slipped behind the wheel of the sleek sports car and headed down the road into Lahaina.
After a dinner that left her lonelier than ever for Lucien, she strolled along the sidewalk that connected the brightly lit establishments facing the beach. She wondered what Lucien was doing tonight. Was he looking up at the same stars? Or was he even thinking about her? Couples walking hand in hand passed her, leaving Lara even more aware of her love and need for Lucien.
Wanting the distraction of a crowd, Lara entered the nightclub they had previously visited together. Straining her eyes in the smoke-filled room, she found a table and chair back in the far corner, where she was able to watch young couples dancing to the blasting music.
Ordering a glass of blush wine, Lara sat back in awe, watching the twisting motions that were involved in the dances of the current day. As her eyes scanned the crowd, she was jolted by the sight of a man on the opposite side of the room. If she didn’t know better, she would swear he was her ex-husband, Steven. But it couldn’t be. Steven was dead and buried.
Her hand went to her throat in shock when his piercing green eyes met hers. Lifting his drink in a silent toast, he headed her way.
Lara grabbed her purse and began to push her way through the jumble of bodies in the direction of the exit. Almost within reach of her goal, she gasped in terror when her arm was roughly grabbed.
Turning, she came face to face with the man she had truly believed dead. The scream died in her throat as the room began to tilt beneath her feet. Fighting the oblivious darkness pulling at her, Lara struggled for fresh air.
“The lady needs air. Please clear the way,” Steven ordered and propelled her forward.
Out in the fresh cool night air, Lara stared up into the familiar face. “You’re supposed to be dead,” she whispered. “I even had a funeral for you.”
Steven’s eyes narrowed as he met the questioning gaze of his mortal ex-wife. “That’s what they want everyone to believe.”
Confused now, Lara asked, “They, who?”
“The U.S. government. You might say I’m working deep undercover.”
“Why?” She sputtered.
�
��We’re trying to get rid of all the drug kingpins and the pushers in the area. The only way I could do that was to assume a whole new life and identity.”
She had read in the papers how the government sometimes operated like that, so she hesitantly accepted his explanation, just to get him away from her. “But why pick you? Doesn’t the government have better trained people to handle all of that?”
A sick smile twisted Steven’s mouth. “You might say I’m the best operator they have around these parts.”
Flashbacks of Steven and his giant ego almost made Lara ill. That was one thing she hadn’t missed since they divorced.
During the years they were married, he had changed from the caring and loving husband she first knew into the self-centered man she intensely disliked. When he died, she overlooked all his faults, only remembering the few good times they had in the beginning of their marriage.
That was a problem, since there were too few good times.
His arm slipped around her shoulder, and Lara glanced questioningly at him as he steered her away to a less-traveled area, until they were hidden from view by the trunks of the towering palm trees that highly populated the Hawaiian Islands.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered in her ear and his hand came up to cup her breast.
Lara deftly twisted away from him. “Just tell me what you want?” He always wanted something from her. From money to possessions, there was just no satisfying him.
“Honey, you know you always did something to me,” he whined and moved further in on her.
Not liking the obvious direction that this conversation was headed, Lara turned to leave. Steven’s arms blocked her on each side, pinning her securely against the rough bark of the tree trunk.
His hand roamed up her back, and Lara closed her eyes and prayed he would soon tire of this game and just leave her alone.
The cool night air poured over her as he lowered her zipper and exposed her back. Heartlessly pulling her dress off her shoulders, he revealed her skimpy lace bra. “I see you’ve gotten a new bra. Whatever happened to all of your ugly, old, cheap white cotton ones?”
Fingering the thin straps, he licked his lips then viscously tore the material in two. He pushed the fabric aside and lowered his head. She struggled to prevent his touch, but his strong hands kept her firmly in place as his mouth savaged one of her nipples.
When he began to push her dress up past her hips, Lara pushed firmly against his shoulder with one hand and grasped the dress with the other. She sought to escape the pain of his cruel sharp teeth as they attached to one breast.
“Stop, Steven, you’re hurting me!” she cried out and continued to fight to get him off and away from her.
“Relax and enjoy it. I’ll let you go in just a minute. Trust me,” he whispered, while his hand began working its way up between her thighs.
Trust me.
Those two words were the final straw for her. How many years had she trusted this man and look where it had landed her.
Struggling to get away from him as his fingers ripped the fragile panties she wore, Lara screamed out in fury. She began to beat her fists against his unyielding shoulders with all her might.
Steven lifted his head and glared at Lara as she fought him. The sound of several voices nearby had him pushing her away in pure frustration.
Quickly gathering the top of her dress to cover herself, Lara shuddered in relief as he stepped away.
“I need to get back to work,” he called out over his shoulder. “I’ll keep in touch.”
Leaning against the same tree that, moments ago, held her a prisoner, Lara took several deep gulps of breath and tried to gather her scattered wits. She stepped away from the tree and scanned the expanse of green lawn that stretched out to the sandy shoreline below. It was such a beautiful place for such an ugly encounter.
Turning away from the scene, Lara practically ran back to the car and sped toward the safety and security her temporary home offered.
****
Turning the car’s engine off, Lara checked one last time in the rear view mirror to make sure she looked at least presentable before she entered the house. She quietly entered though the front door and headed straight back to her room. She didn’t want to upset either Margaret or Ethan with her tattered state.
Closing the door softly behind her, Lara undressed and wadded up the torn bra and panties. She threw them into her bathroom waste basket and turned on the shower to hot. The hotter the better, she needed to erase Steven’s touch from her body.
While she waited for the water to heat, she picked up her brush and turned toward the mirror. The breath left her body as she stared back at her reflection. Smears of blood covered the pale skin that surrounded the nipple of the breast Steven had clamped on to.
Hurriedly, Lara entered the hot shower and lathered up the washcloth, scrubbing all traces of blood from her chest and his touch from her body. Her breast was tender to the touch as she gently dried it off, but it would heal. And so would she.
Chapter Seven
Lucien listened as Margaret told him about Lara’s excitement over his invitation to join him for dinner.
“I must tell you that you have made a lasting impression on Lara,” she said. “The poor girl has moped around here just waiting for you to return. Why, she even went out one night all by herself, didn’t want either one of us with her. You can imagine my surprise when she arrived home early and real pale-looking.”
Staring out over the ocean, Lucien fingered the smooth black stone in his trouser pocket as he thought over Margaret’s words.
“Lucien?” a soft and familiar voice whispered behind him.
When he turned to face the very woman who occupied his thoughts, she ran to him. He caught Lara up in his embrace, and kissed the top of her head, then held her back so he could see deep into her brown eyes. Catching a tear on his thumb, he was troubled to see that she was crying. “What is this? Have I done something to make you cry?”
“I missed you so much. These are happy tears,” she answered.
Closing her in his arms, he held her until the tears eased. Then, leaning back, he moved his hands up to frame her face. He lowered his lips to hers, tenderly kissing her tear-drenched mouth. “I have missed you, too, love.”
At the discreet cough near the dining room table, Lucien slipped an arm around her shoulder and escorted Lara to her place at his right.
A beaming Margaret hurriedly arranged the steaming dishes and left them alone.
Lucien pushed the food around on his plate. “Margaret tells me you went out to dine alone?” he softly asked, not wanting to sound as if he was questioning her. But he did want to know what had happened that night.
“Oh, yes, I did,” she said, and then quickly added, “Tell me how your business went.”
“It went fine. Where did you go to eat?” Lucien asked, doggedly.
“The place you took me.” She smiled and showed him her arm. “Have you noticed that I’ve gotten quite a great tan started? I’ve been lying out in the sun almost every day you’ve been gone.”
Clearly she wasn’t going to tell him what had upset her that night, so Lucien decided to find out in his own way and followed her lead, letting his questions die as she finished her meal.
A pale blue dress and the gold crucifix around her slim neck enhanced her golden body this evening. How Lucien wanted to hold her in his arms and keep her safe. Clearing his throat, he pushed away from the table and went to stand behind her chair.
Setting aside her napkin, Lara stood as he pulled her chair out. She joined him when he headed out onto the patio underneath the canopy of the star filled night. Recalling Steven and his undercover work made Lara shiver with worry for Lucien.
“What kind of work are you in, Lucien?” Deep down she was afraid of what his answer might be. What if Steven’s connection to the government had something to do with Lucien’s profession?
A dark brow kicked up at this sudden chan
ge of topic. “I have many interests, my sweet. Which one would you like me to tell you about?”
Nervously, she fingered the sleek ties of the belt on her dress. “What I mean is...how...how do you make your money?”
Now both his brows lowered at her question. “I dabble a bit in the stock market.”
Frustration and embarrassment had Lara ready to break down and tell him everything about Steven and the night she had encountered him.
“Now tell me why you would so desperately need to know,” he coaxed.
“I’m just so worried about you. Please tell me that whatever you do is legal,” Lara pleaded.
“Is that it?” Lucien chuckled. “Sweetheart, I have never done anything against the law in my entire life, so you can stop worrying your pretty little head over me. I promise you that I can most assuredly take care of myself.”
Elated that she could relax, Lara put her arms around Lucien and rested her head against his solid chest.
****
Once Lucien had deposited Lara outside of her bedroom door, he went back to his own suite of rooms, showered and changed into his jeans and a black shirt before disappearing into the dark night.
The hospital corridors were dark and quiet in the cancer ward; the only sounds were from the monitors stationed beside each hospital bed. Lucien eased in and out of the rooms, checking on the progress of each patient until he found the one that needed his help.
The relief and happiness his assistance gave was a salve to his mind in regards to Lara and her worries. Her image came to mind as he recalled her question. He truly believed he was helping people and not actually committing murder, so he could say with a clear conscience that he personally felt he wasn’t breaking any laws.
After slaking the dark hunger that plagued him, he arrived back at the privacy of his California home. He held the black stone in the palm of his hand as he pictured the concern that had been plainly written on Lara’s face when she questioned him about his work. No one had ever worried about him, not since his family’s untimely death at the hands of armed highwaymen a long time ago. Scores of women had claimed to love him, but they only had eyes on his wealth and social position.
The Wishing Stone Page 5
