“I can’t go to court, Zach. I can’t do that again.”
He wiped the tears from her face then kissed the top of her head. “Sshh, don’t worry about that now. Let me deal with it.”
“Zach—”
“Sshh.” He silenced her with a kiss to her mouth. “Now, change into a night shirt and get some sleep.” He held his hand out and in it, the package of sleeping pills he’d picked up on their way home. “Take one and go to sleep.”
“I don’t know what I would do without you, Zach.” She took the pills with a watery smile.
“Another thing you don’t have to worry about.” He kissed her head one more time before leaving her to get ready for bed. He’d worried about having her come back to work so soon after leaving her abusive jerk of a husband but she’d insisted she needed something to keep her occupied and he’d agreed. Having her sit alone in her apartment would only have led to dire consequences.
He paced the spacious suite, furious that Simone had been through hell tonight, and he hadn’t been able to do anything about it.
Then.
There was nothing stopping him now.
He waited until Simone fell asleep, checking to make sure she was out before he left. She was not going through the agony of testifying in court or having to deal with cops and lawyers. She’d had her fill of both for a lifetime with her husband. This time, Zach was going to make damn sure she didn’t suffer.
He drove toward Cali Anders’ house—changing into a cop to get her address hadn’t been the most pleasant experience, but it had been worth it—and parked three blocks away to avoid suspicion or being seen. Slipping from the car, he locked it up; making sure the alarm system was engaged before walking away. He shifted into a black lab and sprinted down the street. When he came up to Cali’s house, he went around the back where it was dark. He figured her room had to be on the second floor and looking up, saw two windows facing the back. He hoped one was her bedroom.
Shifting from the black lab to a black cat, he pounced his way up the trellis to the second floor window. Using his nails and the strength that was bestowed upon him, he ripped the screen open enough to slither through. He pounced onto the floor and saw Cali asleep in her bed. Wasn’t he lucky to have found her room right off the bat?
Changing back to his human form, Zach walked to the bed. So this was the woman with grabby hands. She didn’t look that troublesome now, asleep in her bed. But Zack new perfectly well that looks could be deceiving.
It was time she understood who she was dealing with.
He kicked the foot end, calling her name loudly. “Cali, wake up.” When she rolled over, pulling the blankets up to her chin, he decided just to yank them away.
“What the he—” She broke off as she sat up, and seeing who was standing by the bed her eyes went wide. “How did you—”
“You’re going to listen to me very carefully now.” Having her completely naked did nothing for him. He’d come for a reason and it hadn’t been for sex.
“Get out before I call the cops,” she warned him, yanking the blanket up to her chin to hide her nudity.
He kept his cool and continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “You will contact the cops but not now. Tomorrow. And you will tell them you wish to drop the charges against Simone Dumont.”
She snorted a laugh. “The hell I will.”
“Oh, you will, if you know what’s good for you.”
Her brown eyes narrowed on his and her voice grew dark. “Not only will I not drop the charges, but I’ll add to them by telling the cops you broke into my house while I was asleep and assaulted me.”
He hadn’t laid a finger on her but he was damn close to doing so now. Instead, he morphed into the officer who had taken her statement. That should show her who she was dealing with.
Her chin dropped, her mouth fell open, “What the—”
“Can you be sure who it is you’ll be speaking with?” He changed into another one of the cops she’d spoken with. “You won’t know if it’s the real officer or if it’s me. I can change into anyone, and anything.” And to show her, he changed into her lawyer, then a cat and as he pounced up on the bed, then changed into the black lab. He bore his teeth and growled at her.
She yelped, crawled up to the head of the bed, clutching the blanket to her breast.
He changed to his human form again and leaned in real close. “Now, let’s try this again. First thing in the morning, you will contact the officers and inform them that you wish to drop the charges. Is that understood?”
She quivered as she spoke, “Ye…eesssir.”
“Wonderful. Have a good night then.” He climbed off the bed and sauntered to the window. Turning back into the cat, he scurried away.
That should do it.
***
She whimpered when he lifted the large steel knife and she felt her blood drain. It glinted in the overhead light as he climbed onto the bed. His eyes were dark and dangerous and when he smiled, it sent chills down her spine.
“Now, where was I when we were so rudely interrupted?” He pressed the knife to her chest and as he stared down at her, slid the knife along her skin.
The fire erupted as the blade split the skin.
“I hate causing you pain, but…well…you need to learn who is in control.” She sucked in a breath when he leaned down and to her horror, his tongue slid out to lap up the blood. “You’re very tasty. I can’t wait to have more.”
She began to sob even harder, her body shaking with it.
“Stop crying!”
The tears spilled out and her body shook with them.
“I said stop crying!” She screamed when the blade came up over his head, then plunged down into her chest.
Deborah woke with the scream choking her. Eyes wild, she looked around the room and it took several moments before she realized where she was.
She was safe, at Ginny’s place.
Falling back against the pillows, Deborah wept as she always did after her nightmares. The wound on her chest was healing but the pain was still clear in her heart, and the scar would always be there as a reminder. And apparently her fears were manifesting into horror in her dreams.
Laying a hand over her chest, she traced the mark with her finger. It ran between her breasts and nearly to her belly button. He hadn’t killed her, but she knew perfectly well if he were to find her, he wouldn’t hesitate to do so next time.
She had everything she could possibly want in life. She was an award-winning concert pianist with enough money to live comfortably and more. She was able to supply her mother with all the comforts needed to help her live her final years with Alzheimer’s disease. She had plenty of friends, had her share of lovers in her day and had the best friend any girl could ask for.
Yet at this very moment, Deborah wished she were dead.
Was she courageous enough to end her life? Far from it. Did she wish Peter had killed her instead of her being found? Sometimes she did. At least then she wouldn’t have to deal with the memories, the nightmares and the reminders.
She stared up at the white ceiling lit by the bright sunlight coming from the window and wondered why it had to happen to her. Sure she had fame, but still… she’d gone nearly her entire career without being bothered much. She had fans, some very devoted ones, but none had become as severe as Peter had. Each one of her fans had been cherished, and Peter had been at the beginning as well. Until his letters had become hostile and he’d begun stalking her.
She still remembered his first hostile note. He’d sent her a bouquet of red roses on her birthday and inside the card had read, “I’ll be waiting for you tonight and finally you will be mine.”
When she had switched hotels to be safe, he’d sent her an angry note the next day telling her he would have her one way or another
and nothing would stand in his way. From that day on, Bruce had not left her side. That had been six months ago.
Well, Peter had made good on his threat. He’d broken into her apartment and had managed to capture her. And now nothing would ever be the same again.
Closing her eyes, she wished it would all just disappear.
Chapter Seven
Deborah couldn’t believe she’d slept until two in the afternoon. She never slept that long. Sure, she’d awakened at seven to the nightmare, but the fact that she’d fallen back to sleep had been astounding. She had never been able to fall back to sleep before.
Maybe it was the comfort of knowing she was safe in Ginny’s house.
Setting the coffee to brew, Deborah snooped in the refrigerator and cupboards for something to eat. Good old Ginny—she could always be counted on for the pick-me-up foods. Ginny must have stocked up knowing she was housing a junk food addict for a friend. Grabbing the chocolate cake out of the fridge, Deborah cut off a huge slice, slid it onto a pretty floral plate which she assumed had belonged to the previous owners, then poured a cup of the still brewing coffee.
Taking the first bite of the chocolaty delight sent her taste buds into heaven. She’d polished off half the plate by the time Ginny sauntered into the room.
Ginny stretched her back, pulling her arms up over her head and smiled. “Knew you’d like that. How’d you sleep?”
Deborah swallowed what was in her mouth before speaking, “Same as always. This is really good cake. I know you didn’t bake it so tell me where you got it from.”
“There’s this new bakery that opened up a few months ago. I could practically live in the place. They have this French torte that’s to die for.” Eyes dreamy, Ginny sighed as she filled her own cup with coffee.
Deborah jumped, let out a muffled cry and dove under the table at the sound of the knock on the back door. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought she might pass out.
“Oh my God, Deb! It’s just Mitch. Come out of there.”
Though it pained her, Deborah let Ginny pry her from under the table. She was shaking like a leaf on a tree blowing in the wind when she tried to stand.
Ginny gave her a hug before setting her back down in the chair. “Just sit here. I’ll send him away.”
“No, no, I’m okay.” She felt foolish at her display of fear. She didn’t want Ginny to send her boyfriend away on account of her.
“He’ll understand. He borrowed my car last night. He’s probably just here to return it. I’ll only be a minute.”
Deborah sat at the table, her body beginning to level and listened as Ginny stood in the back deck speaking to her boyfriend. The last thing she’d wanted was to disrupt Ginny’s life.
When the door clicked shut, Deborah jumped.
“My God, Deb. He really did a number on you.”
She didn’t want to talk about it. “I feel so foolish. You should let him come in. I can go to my room and give you both your privacy.” She stood up only to have Ginny lay a hand over hers.
“Don’t be silly. He has to go to work anyway. Sit down and finish your cake.”
Despite the deliciousness of the cake, she’d lost her appetite. “I’m full.” Lifting her cup, she sipped the coffee, not really tasting it.
“We both know that’s a lie. You’ve lost so much weight since I saw you last. Have you been eating?”
“You know what my schedule is like. It’s hard to eat a decent meal,” she lied, picking at the cake that had at first tasted delightful but now held no appeal to her.
“I’ve seen you on TV and in your concerts. This weight loss is new. It’s because of him, what he did to you isn’t it?”
“I’m fine, Ginny. It’s been a rough few months tour wise, but I’m fine now.” If only she could believe her own lies.
Ginny laid her hand over Deborah’s again and gave her a somber look. “I heard you move the dresser last night.” Ginny gave her hand a squeeze. “You’re safe here. He won’t be able to find you.”
“I know; still…” Deborah let out a long breath. Sure she was safe here, now, but what would happen when she left and went back on tour?
“I could call Zach and tell him I need the week off. You shouldn’t be alone—”
“Don’t you dare do that,” Deborah insisted. “I didn’t come here to make your life hell. You have a life. You need to keep living it. I’ll be fine. It might take me a few days to get used to the place but I’ll be fine.” She squeezed her friend’s hand. “Really.” She hated making her friend worry and she hated the way Ginny looked at her now.
Ginny sighed, squeezed Deborah’s hand back. “Anytime you need me, just call. Zach is very understanding. He’ll let me go if you need me.”
“I’ll be fine, Ginny.” Deborah smiled though inside, her body was still shaking.
***
There was coffee brewing which Zach had yet to touch. He hadn’t brewed it for himself; it was there for Simone when she woke. His preference was Earl Grey tea with a sprinkle of sugar and a dash of lemon. With the New York Times open on the table, Zach looked over the stock reports. It looked like his stocks were up, again. It had been a good week for him in business. He’d have to reward his employees with a raise. Why should he be the only one to benefit when it was his employees who kept his businesses running smoothly, and made it possible for him to invest in the stocks? Grabbing his Smartphone, Zach made the notation in his memo then decided while he had the thing open, he might as well check his emails. He heard Simone enter the room by the slide of her feet. She always walked like a zombie when she woke up.
“You know, I honestly think you would go into withdrawal if you lost that thing.”
With a wry smile, Zach looked up at Simone. She looked rested and a hundred percent better than she had the night before. The nightshirt she wore landed mid thigh and though it was baggy, it didn’t hide the trim body beneath. Her red hair was piled up at the top of her head spilling out like a wave of messy curls. The make-up she’d forgotten to take off the night before was smudged from crying and sleep. But to him, she looked beautiful.
He was happy to see some color in her cheeks. “Probably. Just like you refuse to leave the house unless your hair and make-up are perfect. We all have our vices.” Email could wait a few more moments.
“True. Coffee smells great.” She slid along to the cupboard where the coffee pot sat.
“And just how you like it. Wickedly strong. There are fresh bagels in the toaster oven, warming. Cream cheese and strawberry jelly are in the fridge, second shelf to your left.”
“You crack me up, Zach, with your need for organization and tidiness.”
He stood after she’d gotten what she needed from his fridge and opening the door, saw that she had shifted the butter and milk to the opposite side of the shelf as he’d expected her to do. She loved to mess with him in any way she could. Always had. He set them back in the spot where he preferred them and closing the door, saw her shift the coffee maker a quarter of an inch to the right. “Aren’t you the funny lady this morning.” He shifted it back. Everything in his house had its place and he liked it that way.
Grabbing a plate from the cupboard, she slid a bagel out of the toaster oven and began slathering cream cheese and jelly on it. “I decided last night while I was crying myself to sleep that I wasn’t going to let that gropey-handed bitch get the best of me. I’m better than that.”
“Good for you.” He dusted the counter after she’d finished preparing her bagels then set the milk, jelly and cream cheese back in their exact spots in the fridge. “And on that subject. There’s a message for you by the telephone.”
He took his seat, picked up his Smartphone and continued going through his email as Simone took the note he’d left for her by the telephone. He glanced up to see her brow curl in a
frown.
“What?” She turned to him, surprise on her face. “Is this for real?” She held the note up, giving it a wiggle.
“Right from the officer’s mouth who called.” And Zach couldn’t be more pleased—well, he’d preferred the incident hadn’t happened but some things he couldn’t change.
“This says the charges have been dropped.”
“Yes it does.” He deleted the junk mail, sent the business notes to his ‘Important’ folder and decided the jokes could wait until later. When Simone slapped her hands on the table beside him, he casually looked up. “Yes?”
“What did you do?”
His brow lifted and he tried to sound as innocent as possible. “What do you mean by asking me what I did?”
“Don’t play coy with me, Zachary Adams. I know you better than that.”
Pushing up from his seat, he kissed her forehead with a smile, and took his cup to the dishwasher. “Your bagel is getting cold.”
“Screw the bagel.”
“An interesting suggestion and quite plausible with the hole in the center and all but I would only manage to crumble the thing with my size.” He turned around only to see her stare at him with absolute seriousness. “Did it occur to you that the woman came to her senses after a good night’s sleep?”
“No.”
“Well, she might have. Things always look different in the daylight. Perhaps she realized what a fool she had made of herself and preferred to just let things go without further embarrassment.”
“Nice try.”
Simone knew him too well. Still…he wasn’t about to admit he had encouraged the woman to drop the charges. “I have some business to attend to upstairs. Feel free to take a shower before you leave. You know where the towels are.”
“Zachary!”
“Love you, Simone.” As he closed his apartment door he heard her cursing. Laughing boldly, he took the elevator up to his club.
She could be angry at him all she wanted for helping her out, but it didn’t matter as long as she was safe.
Shiela Stewart - [Darkness 08] Page 4
