A Cry in the Dark
Page 24
“Flowers don’t grow in fortresses,” Alex pointed out, brushing away the pretty white petals. “My mom said the same thing.”
Violet waited until he’d turned to study his pile of sticks, then dropped three petals among the rocks. “Wouldn’t that be cool?”
“Yeah,” he said, “I always wanted cousins.”
Violet grinned. She already had cousins, but with the exception of Hank they were all just babies. Alex was so much more interesting. And she could talk to him when he wasn’t even around. “What about the bad man?” she asked.
Alex stabbed a twig into the fort. “Mr. Liam is going to make sure he doesn’t come near us ever, ever again.”
She glanced up to the deck, where the adults sat around in lawn chairs, drinking lemonade and talking about grown-up things. “Is he gonna be your new dad?”
“I think so,” Alex said, scrunching up his face. “He showed me this ring….”
“Look at them,” Danielle said from the doorway to Gretchen’s shady backyard. “You’d never know they just met today.”
Liam slid his arm around her waist. “Maybe they didn’t.”
The thought defied logic, but not the intuition the old fortune teller had told her to trust. Not the previously unheeded voice deep inside that had led her to Liam’s arms—and his love.
“This is all so incredible…,” she murmured, leaning into him and absorbing the warmth of his body, the strength of his touch. “What happened with Alex…,” she said, remembering the first phone call that chilling afternoon not so long ago. She’d felt as if the world had been yanked from beneath her feet.
But now a new world sprawled before her, a world populated by hope and promise, possibilities she’d never imagined. “Gretchen and her family…” she added, then gazed up at him. “You…”
His eyes, once dark and shrouded by shadows, gleamed like finely polished diamonds. “Maybe you’ll quit pulling guns on me now.”
The smile slipped from her heart and brke on her mouth. She loved seeing him like this, content and relaxed, the aura of darkness muted. The hunger for justice still burned within him, but there were other auras now, those of strength and courage, passion.
“Only if you behave,” she teased, but then her smile changed, turned wicked. She rather liked it when Liam didn’t behave. “On second thought—”
“There you two are!” Gretchen pushed her hair from her face and stood. “Come, sit.” She extended an arm in welcome. “Join us.”
The tight knot of emotion made no sense. Danielle gazed at the woman who’d welcomed her like a long-lost member of her family, then at Gretchen’s two brothers, Jake, the polished, sophisticated financier, and Marcus, the rough-and-tumble military man, whose irreverence reminded her of her own brother, Anthony. Gretchen had other siblings, brothers Gideon and Connor, both technical wizards, and a sister, Faith, who’d drawn the blood that might explain the draw they all felt, why she and Alex—like they once had—had become targets.
Why they’d all heard her son’s cry in the dark.
Liam reached for her hand and squeezed. “Don’t be nervous,” he said quietly.
She knew he was right. There was no reason to be nervous. And even if there was, with him by her side she knew she had nothing to worry about. It was okay to lean, because he would never, never let her fall. Too well she remembered that first day in the hotel, when she’d watched him sitting in the wing chair, pretending to read the newspaper. His eyes, she remembered. At the time she’d thought them the eyes of a man who saw everything but felt nothing.
Now she realized just how wrong she’d been. The aura of darkness had prevented her from seeing the truth. Liam Brooks, son of an abusive father, widower, FBI special agent, felt everything. Deeply. Passionately. Intensely. And because of that he’d been hurt. And he’d retreated.
But he was back now, alive and vital. He’d brought her back with him, taught her the full measure of what it was to love.
In a few hours they would travel to Brunhia, a remote island off the coast of Portugal. There, together, secluded and secure in the Millers’ family compound, they could finish piecing together the mystery that had haunted him for years. And they would be out of Titan’s reach. Liam wouldn’t rest until he’d brought down the elusive criminal, she knew that, just as she knew Magdalena had been right.
Believe in yourself. Walk your own path. That is the only way you will rise above your enemies.
The intuition Danielle had denied for so long, the intuition that had once been the guiding force in her life, surged anew. She and Liam were on the right path, and together they would rise above their enemy. There was no more fear, no more denial, no more darkness. Only light and love.
“I’d love to,” she said. Then, hand in hand with Liam, she took the first step toward the rest of her life.
A special thanks to my fellow FAMILY SECRETS: THE NEXT GENERATION authors—Marie Ferrarella, Candace Irvin, Linda Winstead Jones, Kylie Brant and Ingrid Weaver.
ou ladies define class, talent and professionalism—working with you was an absolute joy.
For Stephanie Maurer and Leslie Wainger—thanks for inviting me to participate in such a wonderful project. Developing these characters and this story was a terrific experience.
For Susan Litman—thanks for being such a gem to work with!! Thanks also for all your guidance and input as Danielle and Liam came to life. You’re awesome! And for little Ellie, thanks for allowing me to finish this book before you made your big arrival!
Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Jenna Mills for her contribution to the FAMILY SECRETS: THE NEXT GENERATION series.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-7763-6
A CRY IN THE DARK
Copyright © 2004 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Epilogue