White Wedding

by Ursula Sinclair

  “Hi.”

  “Hey, babe. You called me?”

  “Yes. Simon’s here.”

  “Oh, good. He’s going to keep an eye on you for me until I can get back.”

  “Do you really think that’s necessary? I mean, come on, what do you think is gonna happen?”

  “Nothing. Which is why Simon is there. He’s sharing duty with another one of our people—Karl. I don’t think you’ve met him yet. He might have been on assignment when you came by. He’ll introduce himself to you if Simon has to leave.”

  “I don’t need a bodyguard.”

  “You got one. I’ve got to run. I’ll call you tonight. Are you going to my place?”

  “No. I’m going to go home. I haven’t been there in days, and before you say anything, I’ve got a bodyguard, remember? So I should be fine.”

  “Okay. I’ll call you later.”

  She hung up the phone just as her sister and Simon walked in.

  “The last client is checking out now,” Eboni said. “You want to go get some dinner?” “Sure. Simon, since you’re my shadow, why don’t you join us?”

  “I’d love to.” His head didn’t turn but Shanna knew his eyes, hidden behind those

  dark shades, were on her sister.

  “Shadow?” Eboni asked, frowning. “He’s your bodyguard? Why would you need a bodyguard?”

  “Ross. Just being over protective.”

  “Why? Did something happen?”

  “I got a call from Kevin last night.”

  “That bastard. Still pisses me off that they got away with their shit. What the hell did he want?”

  “To apologize, or so he said.”

  “I hope you told him where to shove it.”

  The snort from Simon had her turning to grin at him. “Yeah, I did. I told him I’d take a restraining order out on him if he bothered me again.”

  “Damn prosecutor would probably issue one for you instead,” Eboni huffed. “Idiot.”

  “Ross didn’t like Kevin calling me at all.”

  “Don’t blame him,” Simon said. “Always best to be careful.”

  Shanna shrugged. “Since he’s out of town he has Simon here looking out for me.”

  “And it’s my pleasure,” Simon said, nodding in her direction.

  “Cool,” Eboni said, glancing at Simon from beneath lowered lashes.

  “By the way, your hair looks nice,” Shanna said.

  He quickly turned his head in Eboni’s direction. “Yeah, thanks. Your sister did a great job.”

  “Any time,” Eboni said. “Really, any time at all.”

  “I might have to take you up on that.”

  “You do that,” Eboni said.

  Shanna grinned, watching the two interact.

  Dinner with Simon was eye-opening. He had a lot of stories to tell about Ross and how they’d first met. Ross had actually saved Simon’s life.

  Simon said, “We’d been on one of those dark ops and this was my first time with Ross and company. The mission was supposed to be simple, observation only, confirm that Al queda held a Canadian journalist hostage.”

  “What happened?” Eboni asked.

  “It was a trap. We’d come into the town under cover of darkness. The streets were narrow and a lot of the buildings were bombed or burnt out. Lots of places for snipers to hide. When we got to the building where our informant said the journalist was being held, we could tell it was deserted. The roof of the place looked like an elephant sat on it, it was so caved in. Just as Ross gave the order to withdraw, I saw someone hiding in the back and took off after the person. Of course Ross told the rest of the unit to fall back and he came after me, tackling me to the ground. A shot hit the wall where my head had been. But I took another shot in the leg. Ross dragged me out of there.”

  Shanna wasn’t surprised. Ross was a protector; look at the way he wanted to take care of her. After dinner, Simon followed her back to her apartment and waited until she got past the security guard before leaving. She walked into her condo and headed straight for the bedroom. As soon as she got into bed, the phone rang. She checked caller ID but the number was blocked. Frowning, she picked up the receiver.

  “Hello.”

  “Shanna.”

  “Ben, what the hell is this? Some kind of tag-team?”

  “No. No, Shanna. Look, I’m sorry, so sorry for everything. But I…I need your help.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me?”

  “No. It’s…it’s Kevin. Shanna, he’s threatening to kill himself. He’s been drinking and I can’t find him. I’m worried about him. I know what I tried to do was wrong, but please understand. I would never have hurt you. Kevin loves you and, well, I love Kevin.”

  “I’m sorry to hear all that, but I’m sure Kevin will be fine. He’s a big boy. He’ll get over it.”

  “No. You…you don’t understand…”

  There seemed to be real remorse in Ben’s voice. It was hoarse, choppy, like he might have been tearing up. She would have laughed at the thought of Ben—always together, cool-as-they-come Ben—feeling remorse. She didn’t. That was the only reason she hadn’t hung up the phone on him, yet.

  “Whether I do or I don’t doesn’t really matter. What do you expect me to do about it?”

  There was whispering in the back ground, then Ben said, “Here, if you don’t believe me, Mrs. Feldman is here and wants to talk to you.”

  Shit! Before Shanna could protest, Kevin’s mother got on the phone. She had no choice but to listen to the woman. Her own mother had called her last week to tell her they’d run into each other down in San Diego and made peace. Mrs. Feldman merely thought her son was gay, and it was eating at him. She’d confronted him about it and he’d denied it. Shanna didn’t explain to her mother what had really been going on, nor did she think it her place to enlighten Mrs. Feldman.

  “Shanna, honey, we need your help,” Mrs. Feldman said. “My baby’s in a bad way. We can’t find him and he’s been drinking. Ben wouldn’t have called you otherwise. Please help him. Here he is.”

  Crap.

  “Shanna,” Ben said.

  “Yeah, I’m here, Ben. But I’m still not sure what you all expect me to do.”

  “I don’t know. I thought maybe if he came to see you you’d call me. Just don’t let him leave and I’ll come get him.”

  “Ben, I’d prefer not to see either one of you any time soon.”

  “I know and, believe me, I understand. But you almost married the guy; you obviously cared about him once. He’s got the message—he lost you. Kevin’s lost so much already. I just don’t know what he’s going to do.”

  “Don’t try to lay any guilt shit on me. Look, if he calls I’ll tell him to call you. If he comes by I’m not letting him in, but I’ll call you and let you know.”

  “I guess that’s all I can ask for.” He gave her his cell number.

  Five minutes after she hung up the phone, Kevin called. A very drunk Kevin.

  “I need you to forgive me,” he said. His words were slurred, running together.

  “Kevin, where are you? Ben and your mother are worried about you. If you call Ben, he’ll come and get you.”

  “No. Don’t want Ben the way he wants me. Knows that. Want you, but you don’t want me. Ain’t this some shit.”

  “We were friends once, Kevin, so as your friend I’m telling you to call Ben or your mother.”

  “Not calling my mother.”

  “Then call Ben or LaToya. Either one of them will come be with you.”

  She heard the sound of a click on the phone. “Kevin? Are you still there?”

  “Yes. I’m here. LaToya’s gone, too. She…she kicked Ben out, told us both not to come back.”

  She was on her house phone, but she grabbed her cell phone from her nightstand. Flipping it open, she dialed Ben’s cell number. As it rang, she spoke to Kevin again.

  “Kevin, tell me where you are. I’m calling Ben so he’ll come get you.”

>   “No. Not Ben. You. Need you to come get me.”

  “Hello, hello.”

  At the sound of Ben’s voice on her cell she raised it to her ear. “Ben, Kevin’s on the other phone. I’m trying to get him to tell me where he is.”

  “Shanna,” Kevin cried. “I’m begging you.”

  “I’m here, Kevin. Tell me where you are and I’ll come get you.”

  “Promise?”

  “Yes. Yes.” She would have said anything just to get the address and get him off the damn phone.

  After he told her where he was, she hung up and gave the address to Ben. That would be the end of it. Let Ben deal with Kevin.

  ***

  Ben got off the phone and told Mrs. Feldman he had to go. He breathed a sigh of relief once he got on the road. Kevin had to be okay. He’d told Shanna the truth; Kevin was a mess and talking crazy stuff about not wanting to live without her. And Ben was scared. It wasn’t hard to let that show in his voice. But he’d also lied to Shanna. Kevin still wanted her, and damn it, he wanted them both.

  He slammed his hand against the steering wheel. “Shit! Shit! Shit!” The damn plan should have worked but, no, instead of turning to Kevin to help her with her problems, she turned to that other guy. Now what the fuck were they going to do?

  Kevin had to be okay when he got there. He had to.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Ross knew something was wrong. After a few phone calls and getting some information out of Feldman’s firm, now he knew. Even though the charges were dropped, Feldman’s firm wasn’t too pleased with him. Not only was he not going to be made partner, but the firm changed his status from senior associate to consultant. A move tantamount to driving him out. Having an associate arrested was not the image the firm wanted to project, even if the charges were dropped. The fact he was involved in a threesome, forced or otherwise, was not something the firm wanted to be associated with. Feldman’s career there was over.

  Hurst’s clients were also tied to Feldman’s and he’d already lost a few of his larger accounts. Both men had reason to blame Shanna for their downfall. Ross cut his trip short.

  Shanna couldn’t believe she was in her car and back on the road. She must be out of her ever loving mind. Ben had called her back. He’d found Kevin with a gun, threatening to kill himself. He didn’t know what to do. Kevin swore if he called the cops he would. He wanted to see her. He needed her to forgive him. Ben was in tears on the phone, begging her to come and talk Kevin out of this, further tugging on her emotions by reminding her of a mutual friend who years ago threatened to kill himself. Kevin meant something to her once, he had a truckload of issues he had to face, but she didn’t want his death on her conscience.

  She found the motel where Kevin was and spotted Kevin and Ben’s cars parked in front of the room number Ben had given her. Pulling in next to their cars, her headlights illuminated the curtained window in front of her. After she killed her lights she noticed some sort of glow behind the curtain.

  She got out of the car, but as she stood in front of the door, she realized how stupid it was for her to be there. What the hell had she been thinking? She’d cared about Kevin once, but she didn’t owe him anything. She turned to go back to her car to call the police, which is what she should have done in the first place, but the door opened behind her. She glanced over her shoulder as Ben stepped out looked around, grabbed her hand and pulled her into the room.

  No lights were on, but there were candles all over the place. A couple sat on the windowsill, which would explain the light she’d seen. There were even more placed around the room, casting it in a soft glow that should have been romantic. Kevin must have remembered how much she loved candles, and was trying to recreate one of their early dates, but instead of a romantic atmosphere, it seemed eerie. There was a tall, fat one on the nightstand beside the king-sized bed. The flames illuminated Kevin sitting on top of the covers. His back rested against the headboard and his face was in shadow. His shirt was unbuttoned, and his slacks were unzipped. One leg lay stretched out on the bed, the other was bent at the knee with his foot flat against the blanket. He was shoeless. There were six somewhat empty beer bottles, an almost full bottle of whiskey beside the candle, and an empty glass. No gun in sight.

  The entire set up gave her the creeps. “What the hell is this?” She turned to look at Ben, who’d stayed behind her, leaning against the closed door. She stepped away from him. There was no place to go. The bed dominated the room; she backed away from him and the door until her hip hit the side of a desk.

  Ben held both hands palms-up. “It’s okay, Shanna. After you agreed to come, I got him to calm down and removed the gun. I put it in the glove box of my car.”

  “That’s great. Then you don’t need me.” That sickening feeling in her stomach intensified. She should never have come. Too late now.

  “No, Shanna. Don’t leave. Not yet,” Kevin said, sitting up and placing his feet on the floor.

  “You were never going to harm yourself, were you? God, I’ve been such a damn fool.”

  Kevin stood up slowly and faced her. “No, baby. You’re not a fool. I was, am. I really don’t know what I was going to do.” Even in the candlelit room his eyes appeared bloodshot and he reeked of alcohol. The entire room did, the scents from the candles couldn’t hide it. “I…I was thinking and talking some crazy stuff. I’ve been drinking all day.” He glanced over at Ben. “Ben found me, and he did talk me out of doing anything stupid. I just need you to forgive me now. That’s all.

  “No matter how drunk I got I still feel badly about hurting you, scaring you. All I ever wanted to do was love you.” He raised a trembling hand toward her, but she angled her body as far away from him as she could.

  “Don’t touch me, Kevin. I’m leaving and I’m leaving now.”

  He lowered his arm. “What happened, Shanna? What happened to us? Everything was so good. We were going to get married; you would have been my wife by now. I was going to be made partner. Now, nothing. I got nothing. It’s all lost.” He shifted his gaze toward Ben again, who still stood near the door. “Even LaToya’s left us. There’s only Ben and me now.”

  Just then, the room began to shake then stopped. Like they’d just had a small earthquake.

  She looked in the direction of the door again, but Ben still stood in her way. “Don’t worry, that was just a little tremor,” Ben said. “Nothing to fear, you know that.”

  Kevin sighed and stumbled away from her to sit on the end of the bed. “Let her go, Ben. She’s never going to be a part of us.”

  “No, no.” He shook his head. “You love her. She can make you happy.”

  When he finally spoke, Shanna heard the sadness and finality in Kevin’s voice. “But I can’t make her happy. I love you, Shanna, and want you in every way. But while I have never, not even close, desired Ben or any man sexually, I do need Ben to be part of my life. I’m sorry.”

  “Ah, God, Kevin, you’re killing me here,” Ben sobbed.

  Before she could respond, the window started rattling. The bed Kevin sat on began to move like it was possessed. After that, everything happened quickly. The nightstand shook from side to side. The bottles on the nightstand tipped over, knocking the candle onto the bed. She watched in horror as the whiskey and beer poured out, soaking the blanket and feeding the flame, catching the bed in a blazing fire. It flared at Kevin’s back.

  “Kevin!” Ben screamed. Ben and Shanna both lunged toward Kevin to pull him away from the bed, but Ben bumped her into the desk, knocking both candles onto the floor. The worn carpet immediately caught fire. The ground, the entire room, kept shaking, the candles on the windowsill ignited the filmsy curtains, and the other candles around the room fell to the floor, creating patches of flaming carpet everywhere they landed. In a matter of seconds, the entire room was engulfed in flame.

  “Shanna, get out of here,” Kevin screamed. “Go!” His shirt was on fire and Ben was trying to beat the flame with his hands. Even the fl
oor was on fire. Shanna moved toward the door to get help when it was kicked open. Ross and Simon barreled their way in. She’d never been gladder to see anyone in her life; she launched herself into Ross’ arms. He took her out of the room. She turned in time to see Simon helping Ben pull Kevin’s shirt off his back and get them both out of the room.

  ***

  When he’d first pulled up into the parking lot and met Simon, Ross was glad he’d had him shadowing Shanna. Otherwise he would never have known she was in trouble until it was too late. They’d just pulled up beside her car when the earth began to shake violently, and the curtain caught on fire. Running toward the door, he didn’t bother to knock. Shanna was in there and that was all that mattered to him.

  After the fire department and the police came and took their statements, they were allowed to leave. Not so, Ben and Kevin. This time they’d not be able to talk their way out of this so easily. Shanna was safe and sound, in his arms, right where she belonged.

  He took her back to his condo, and she finished telling him what had happened, why she’d gone there in the first place. She admitted it was a stupid decision, but when his mother asked for her help, and Ben pleaded with her, it was difficult to say no. Shanna had a soft heart. Any softer and it might get her killed. At least she realized her mistake almost as soon as she got there and had changed her mind.

  If he lived to be a hundred he’d never forget the terror he’d felt when he’d found her in that inferno. He wouldn’t be forgiving Kevin anytime soon, either, for endangering her life like that. At least they didn’t have to worry about him or his friend again. They were facing other charges now that fancy talking wasn’t going to get them out of. Even if they weren’t held criminally negligent for starting the fire in the room, the hotel sure as hell had a case against them for damages.

  He looked down at Shanna. Her head rested on his arm, her arm and leg curled around his body. She’d fallen asleep shortly after they’d gotten home and he’d carried her to bed. He stripped them both before lying on the blanket next to her. She was emotionally exhausted. Drawn to touch her, he caressed the side of her face.