I felt him hovering behind me, and his radiant heat teased. It made me wet when I wanted to be angry. He said, “Go to lunch, okay? But please take a bodyguard—or two.”
“Just like that? Don’t you think we should talk more?”
“No.” He left me for his closet, and emerged wearing nothing but boxers. “I’ve got a few fires to put out. Go on to bed. I’ll see you at breakfast, all right?”
No. But since he’d already left, there wasn’t much else to say.
—
“You look like shit.”
“Thanks.” Saturday afternoon, beneath the warm sun, I sat across from Nathan at the same Sausalito picnic table I’d been at when learning the tragedy of what happened with Liam’s mom. We’d even ordered the same food-truck meal of creamy chowder served in sourdough bread bowls. While my heart ached from missing Liam for even this afternoon, I hoped being away from him gave me the clarity I needed to get my head back in this game I used to call life. But I was scared—maybe not just of Blaine, but of myself. The way being with Liam had become as necessary as brushing my teeth or hair. The old me had gotten lost somewhere in our love—as though the sum of us together was somehow bigger than I could ever hope to be on my own. “Guess I feel like it, too.”
“Let me guess—now that you know him a little better, Romeo’s a mere mortal just like the rest of us schmucks?”
“Ha, ha…” I dug into my chowder. “He’s fine.”
“Just ‘fine’? I thought you two were the ultimate couple. Antony and Cleopatra? Cinderella and Prince Charming?”
“Knock it off. We’re just going through a rough patch, okay?”
“Sure. I get it. But what’s the problem?”
“That’s just it.” I dropped my spoon to my plastic tray. “I don’t even know. We had a stupid argument about me seeing you, but more than that, I’m struggling with Blaine. He agreed to the divorce—it’s gone from being a complicated nightmare to just done. We’re not even going to court. I can’t escape the feeling that he’s lulling me into a false sense of calm, and so I’m constantly in fear—always looking over my shoulder. Liam has me surrounded by soldier types.” I nodded toward my bodyguard. How many more were lurking that Liam didn’t tell me about? “The house is wired with cameras and alarms. I’m supposedly free of Blaine, but still living in a prison. Liam tells me to relax and start planning the wedding, but how can I do that when clearly he’s saying he’s not worried, yet his actions tell a different story? How long are we supposed to live this way? And then that has me asking myself, is it worth it?” I paused for air—to really breathe, and think about the confession I was about to make. “Are Liam and I as a couple worth more to me than my sanity? Because honestly, I feel like I’m losing my mind.”
“First…” He leaned close and took my hands. Far from the erotic jolt holding Liam produced, joining my fingers with Nathan filled me with calm. “Relax. It’s no secret I thought the two of us could potentially share something great, and—”
“Nathan, please…” I withdrew my hands. “We’ve already been over this, and for better or worse, I’m with Liam.”
“I know.” He took back my hands. “If you’d let me finish, instead of cutting me off, you would have heard me tell you to see this thing through. You and I are good. But you and Liam?” He shook his head. “When you’re with him, your whole body glows. And your smile…” His whistle said it all. “Stay the course, Julie.” He winked. “That’s who you’ll always be to me. But to Liam, he has the very best of you—Ella. You’re smart and funny and so fucking sexy…” After arching his head back, and washing his hands over his face, he lowered it to devastate me with a killer smile all his own. “You’re the total package, Ms. Patton. But then, as much as this pains me to admit, so is your Mr. Stone. Give yourself permission to enjoy every second of your engagement and the wedding and then, your life. You’ve earned your smile. Don’t let anyone take it away—especially yourself.”
—
Over the next days and weeks, I thought a lot about Nathan’s words and knew he was right. I shoved aside my worries about Blaine and the video to instead focus on what was important—Liam.
The day Garrett presented me with the papers that officially severed my ties to the monster who had almost been the end of me, I’d been so overcome by emotion that I couldn’t even see where to sign.
And now, a week later, in the midst of our official engagement party, my heart felt light enough to have wings. Not only had Liam surprised me with this formal affair held in our favorite suite at The Fairmont, but true to his New Year’s promise—and I hadn’t even had to wait for my birthday—Sting provided the entertainment.
All of our friends were there. Natalie and Owen and Darcy and the rest of their brood. Yvonne and her husband, Peter. Nathan and Carol. Stephanie and Doug and their baby. Mimi and Rocco—even all of Liam’s housekeepers, who always took such good care of us. There were many more who I knew only casually through the office.
“Having fun?” Liam asked while we slow danced to “Every Breath You Take.”
“Where do I even start to thank you for this?”
“Might sound corny, but your smile works for me.” His kiss only made the night that much sweeter. “Oh—and I think it’s about time this was back on your finger.” He slipped my engagement ring—the one I’d feared forever lost—back where it was supposed to be.
“Where did you find it?”
“I tracked it down through your doctor at the clinic. All this time, it’s been in his safe. He took it for safekeeping the night you were admitted.”
I couldn’t stop staring—at the ring and at the man who would soon be my husband.
He kissed my ring and I kissed him.
“There’s one more issue we need to nail down.”
“Okay?” Hadn’t we already dealt with enough?
“We need to set a wedding date.”
“Agreed.” That wasn’t an issue, but a blessing.
“How about first thing in the morning?”
I frowned. “I need more time than that. Plus, Blaine and I were married in May, so I’d rather be a June or July bride.”
He laughed. “Deal. June, it is.”
We were sealing the deal with one more kiss when another girl grabbed hold of my man. I didn’t mind, though, since Darcy looked like a princess in her pink tulle ball gown and sparkling tiara.
She outstretched her arms and pinched her fingers. “Dance with me, too!”
“Yes, ma’am.” Liam hefted her into his arms, and all three of us shared the next song. “Out of morbid curiosity,” he asked me around Darcy’s bouncing curls, “what day was your anniversary, so we avoid that, too.”
I shook my head and grinned. “The twenty-eighth.”
“Whew.” He winked. “Bullet dodged.”
33
Liam
May 28 was a Thursday. I should have gone to the fifteen meetings Carol had scheduled. Instead, I invited my fiancée on a date.
“Where are we going?” she asked for the forty-third time. I’d blindfolded her for the occasion, so I could see why she might be antsy, but when would she learn I had everything under control? I had the top down on my Jag convertible for the drive through Palo Alto, and the almost-summer sun made quick work of burning off what remained of that morning’s fog. In honor of our big day, I’d made the guard dogs ride behind. If Blaine intended to try something, I figured he’d have done it by now, but at this point, I’d learned it was a crazy world. I didn’t see the harm in making security a permanent feature.
“Geez, woman. If I told you, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise.”
She crossed her arms.
At the next light, I kissed her. “That pouty lower lip only makes you hotter.”
“Please tell me.”
I kissed her again, before accelerating when the light turned green.
“This isn’t very nice of you—especially after…you know…” Even behind the b
lindfold, she blushed. It had been quite a night.
“It’s because of last night that I think you’ll appreciate my surprise. Promise, only a few more turns and we’ll be there.”
“You’d better be right. If I have a raccoon-mask tan line for our engagement pics, you’re going to have hell to pay.”
I laughed, but put the top up at the next light. “We could always go with a themed wedding.”
“Or, you could let me take off this thing.”
It wasn’t much longer till I pulled into the circle drive and killed the engine. “Give me a minute to at least help you out of the car. I want you to have a great view.”
By the time I got around to her side, the security crew had already pulled in behind me. I’d hoped to have a few minutes alone, but I guessed once we moved in, we’d have plenty of time.
I opened her door, then took her hands, gingerly helping her to her feet. Once she was fully upright and I’d led her a short way up the walk, I whispered in her ear, “Ready?”
Laughing, she said, “I’ve been ready. Can I take it off?”
“Three, two, one…” I slipped the red silk scarf up and over her head. My pulse raced while awaiting her reaction. “Well?”
“I-I don’t understand. It’s incredible, but…” She glanced back to me. “Is this a B&B? Are we here for brunch?”
I slipped my hands around her waist. “Babe, it’s yours—ours. I know you don’t like my other house in town, so I thought since Owen has the whole castle theme covered, we should take this era—what is it? Georgian?”
She gaped. “You bought this? Sweetie, it’s—”
“Huge? Awesome? Like a fancy hotel, only we don’t have to mess with reservations?”
“You’re nuts…” She spun to kiss me. And by kiss me, I mean she pretty much pressed her delicious lips to every crag on my face. “Can we go inside?”
I jangled the keys. “This wouldn’t be much of a tour if we didn’t.”
That earned me more kisses, then she took the keys and sprinted toward the front door.
The porch was an austere, two-story affair, featuring eight Corinthian marble columns marching in a row. Weathered redbrick flooring had been laid in a herringbone pattern and urns overflowed with geraniums and ferns. Eight towering paned windows framed red double front doors. “This place was built in 1890, and loosely modeled after the California State Capitol.”
“Oh my gosh…” She covered her mouth with her hands. “Liam, no. We can’t live here. It’s too much. Way, way, way too much.”
“Are you saying we don’t deserve it? You don’t deserve it?” The cavernous formal entry featured a sweeping double staircase and a ceiling that culminated in a stained-glass dome. Sun shone through the intricate floral pattern, etching the reflection onto the white marble floor. “Imagine our kids sliding down the stairs on Christmas morning.” I nuzzled her neck. “Or hell, for that matter, imagine us making those kids right now.”
We wandered through room after empty room, marveling at the intricacy of the stone fireplaces and original wood floors.
“How are we going to decorate it?” she asked in a quiet tone, arching her head back to take in the view of cherubs dancing across the dining room ceiling.
“Hire a decorator. I’ve got a couple in mind. You can look through their work, then pick your favorite. They’ll walk you through the whole process. It will take a while, but when you’re finished, every inch of this place will have your seal of approval. I want you to be proud to hostess everything from our kids’ birthday parties to holiday open houses to everything in between. I want this house filled with laughing and pets and lots of Hot Wheels and naked Barbies.” When I gazed down at Ella, her eyes shone. “Happy?”
She nodded. “How do I know this isn’t all a dream?”
“Wait here. I’ve got a great way to show you.” After telling the security team not to bother us under any circumstances, I took Ella to our new master bath, where we christened the soaking tub.
“What are we going to do without towels?” she asked once I had her naked under the suds.
“See that balcony over there?” I nodded toward a set of French doors. “We’ll air dry.”
She giggled. “I’m sure the neighbors will love that.”
“As hot as you are, yes, they—”
“Mr. Stone!” one of the security guys shouted from outside the closed bathroom door.
“I’m busy!” I hollered back.
“Sorry, sir, but there’s been an emergency. We need you and Miss Patton outside.”
Ella’s gaze widened. “What do you think happened? Could Nathan or Carol be hurt? Or Yvonne?” She was instantly out of the tub, then struggling to tug her jeans up still-wet legs. She pulled her blouse over her head, skipping her bra. First out of the room, she asked Hunter, “What happened? Was someone in an accident?”
Obviously unsure how to deliver his news, the man forced a deep breath.
“Spit it out,” I barked. “What’s wrong?”
“Your associate—Owen. It’s his youngest daughter, sir. She’s been taken hostage in his home. Your wife’s ex has the child held at gunpoint. He has agreed to exchange the girl for Ms. Patton.”
34
Ella
“OhmyGod!” Not Darcy. Please, Lord, don’t let that monster harm Darcy. “I have to go. I have to get to her now.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Liam said. “Wait here. Let me and the guys handle this.”
No. If anything happened to that precious little girl, it would be on my head. I’d brought Blaine into her life, and I’d take him out. I still had Liam’s keys, so I ran. I ran down the stairs and hopped in the car, locking the door before starting it. I ignored Liam banging on the windows, or the guards commanding me to stop.
I roared the Jag’s engine to life, then gunned it down the drive. I knew Liam and his guard dogs would follow, and that was fine—great. But if I was the key to freeing Darcy, then I’d surrender.
I’d known Blaine agreeing to the divorce had been too easy. I’d known it, and yet I’d allowed myself to be lulled into this fantasyland where monsters like him don’t exist. Owen’s family never even locked their doors—that’s how secure they felt. Here, I was under constant surveillance, yet all along he must have been watching. Learning our patterns and habits and friends. He could have picked anyone. The fact that he’d targeted such a small, defenseless girl made me feel at once sick yet vindicated for having all along been right. It was twisted and wrong, but I put that confusion on him, too. Everything bad that had ever happened in my life was all on him. If it were my last act on Earth, he’d pay.
I wound my way through the neighborhood, getting to a main street I recognized. From there, I backtracked to Owen and Natalie’s, breaking numerous laws along the way. So what if a cop chased me? The way I saw it, when it came to dealing with Blaine, the more the merrier. He was going down.
I pulled into the castle’s drive, punched the car into park, then leapt out, not caring that the motor was still running.
Sirens whined in the distance, as did the angry rev of Liam’s security team’s Hummer.
I bolted up the stone path and burst through the front door to find Natalie sobbing on the stairs, hugging Charlie in her arms.
The twenty-something nanny sat on an entry hall bench with her arms around the twins.
Fortunately, Jane must have been at school.
“Where is he?” I asked.
Natalie vaguely pointed toward the back of the house. “H-he said if we b-brought help, or he could even see us, he’d kill her. But I called Owen and h-he must’ve called the police. The man with the gun. H-he wants you.”
I nodded. “I’ll get Darcy, Nat. I promise. Where is she?”
“He’s got her in the pool house,” the nanny said when Natalie cried too hard to speak.
I didn’t have time for more conversation. Besides, they’d already told me all I needed to know. I ran through the house
until my lungs burned. The back door hung open, so I had a clean shot to the mini-castle Owen had built alongside the pool. It was the children’s sanctuary, filled with arcade games and popcorn and snow-cone machines.
Would Darcy ever be able to play there again?
“Blaine!” I shouted from outside. “I’m here! Let Darcy go.”
The door creaked open.
He stood just behind it, wagging a gun. “Is that the kid’s name? She’s a spirited little thing. Reminds me in subtle ways of you.” He winked. “She likes duct tape. Now that you’re here, I think I’ll have my way with both of you.”
“Bastard!” When I roared at him, flailing for all I was worth, he tripped backward. I might have had the advantage, but he had the gun—aimed with a tidy red dot right between Darcy’s panicked blue eyes.
Pain in my chest crushed out all of my air. My pulse couldn’t keep up.
Poor Darcy had been trussed into a tiny play chair. Her eyes were as wide as one of her china doll’s. Blaine had taped her mouth, so she could only breathe through her nose.
“It’s going to be okay,” I soothed. “I promise, sweetie, I won’t let him hurt you.”
“How can you lie to a child?” Blaine made himself comfortable on a love seat, even going so far as to cinch up his pant hems before crossing his legs. “That’s the difference between you and me, Ella. All I ever wanted was to transform you into a proper lady. You could have been my greatest star—what am I saying? When we leave here, you will be my star.”
“Let the girl go,” I said, “and I’ll go anywhere you want. I’ll stay with you for the rest of our lives. Just let her go.”
“How stupid do you think I am? Do you think I haven’t noticed the security team your new man has assembled? Why else do you think I’ve had to resort to playing with little girls? I know they’re all no doubt outside as we speak, which is why the two of you lovelies are going to serve as my human shields.”
“You’re sick…” I rushed to Darcy, wrapping my arms around her slight shoulders. I kissed the crown of her dear head. “You’re going to be fine, sweetie. Keep breathing nice and slow. We’ll be back with your mom and sisters and brother real soon.”
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