by Naomi Niles
"That part will be nice," she conceded with a kiss. "I just don't understand why you've been working from home all this time if you loved being at the office so much."
I held her close and thought hard, searching for the words to explain such a complicated past. My throat was dry as I started to speak, and Rachelle squeezed my hand, giving me the courage to continue.
"When Stuart murdered Rose, I couldn't leave Halle alone with no one to watch after her. After I hired you, however, Miller threatened to put me under house arrest pending a criminal investigation because he was convinced I had killed Rose. Thomas Tandy suggested I voluntarily confine myself to home, not even leaving the mansion to go to work.
“So, I started conducting all my business from my home office, even though it killed me to miss everything that was going on at my corporate headquarters downtown. It was a hard adjustment, but over time, it became the new normal for me. I'd grown complacent with it, but I haven't been happy about it since it first began."
"The murder investigation has been over for quite a while. Why didn't you go back to work when Miller first realized you were innocent and Stuart was to blame?"
"Well, at first, I didn't want to leave you and Halle alone. Then, I was recovering from my surgery. Then, I was too afraid to leave you two again.
“Stuart is viciously violent. He killed Rose, broke into my home twice, cut Emma, stabbed me, threatened you… All that takes a toll. He's robbed me of my sense of safety in my own home, of feeling in control of my life. He robbed me of my confidence and has done immeasurable damage to my reputation, costing me a fortune in lost business, customers, and investors. It's time for me take back what he's stolen from me and reclaim my life."
"Well, when you put it that way, how can I try to keep you here?" Rachelle smiled lovingly. I lifted her chin so our mouths could meet and share a tender kiss.
"I have to admit, you do make it hard to go," I said with chagrin.
Wrapping her slender arms around my neck, she kissed me passionately. Then she straightened my tie and said with a sassy smile, "Well, I won't let you put this off another minute. You've got a lot of work to do, and I'll be waiting to welcome you home when you get back."
The erection rising in my slacks made it harder than ever to go, but then Halle suddenly knocked on our bedroom door, and the spell was instantly broken.
"Come in, sweetheart." I unlocked it for her, and she came bounding into our room, full of youthful exuberance.
She was used to Rachelle and me sharing a bedroom now instead of having her nanny sleeping right next door to the nursery, and when she awoke in the mornings now, she always came right to our room.
"Wow, Daddy. You look extra handsome today," she exclaimed. I felt myself beam under the compliment.
"Thanks, and you look extra beautiful." I admired her outfit of a paisley shirt, polka-dot skirt, and striped tights. "Did you dress yourself again?"
"Yes! Everything matches! They're all purple and blue," Halle boasted with pride.
"They sure are," I said, and I had to kiss her adorably chubby cheeks. I left her in Emma's care while Rachelle showered and dressed for the day. It gave me a chance to meet privately with Blake Barnes.
"Everything is under control. Nothing unusual happened during the night, and I'll continue to rotate the guards’ shift rotations so if Haynes is out there watching, he won't be able to discern any patterns he can penetrate."
"That's been working great for the house, but I don't like rotating the personal bodyguards for Halle and Rachelle," I stated. Barnes made a noticeable frown.
"I'm sure your men are good,” I continued, “but I don't know them as well as I know you. I won't be able to concentrate at work unless I know you're keeping your best man with Halle and that you personally are the one protecting Rachelle. After I've had time to adjust to leaving, we can rotate the other bodyguards in. Until then, don't let her out of your sight."
"You can trust me to stay with her every minute, and I'll keep Morton with Halle," Barnes promised, and we shook hands. They were both good men, strong and excellent at their jobs. I trusted them both with the lives of the two people who meant the most to me in this world.
It wasn't until I was sitting in the backseat of my car while Scott drove me to work that I began to doubt the wisdom of my choice. Barnes was good at being a security guard, but he had been a damn good private investigator.
Maybe I would be making better use of my resources if I sent him out to search for Stuart Haynes. After all, wasn't that the best way to keep everyone safe in the end? Besides, if Barnes were out looking for Haynes, he wouldn't be able to flirt with Rachelle. As it was, basically I'd instructed him to spend every minute of his time ogling my girlfriend. After seeing the way he'd flirted with her in my office that first day, I should have kept the two of them as far apart as possible, but he had the best natural instincts for keeping Rachelle safe, and he was the one she felt most comfortable with. I just hoped they didn't get too comfortable with each other, but that was ridiculous.
Rachelle had assured me there was nothing between them, and I believed her. Besides, I'd seen no evidence of any flirting since I'd hired him. Rachelle loved me, and I trusted her to be loyal to me; even if Barnes did hit on her, it didn't mean that I'd lose her to him.
So, there was no need for me to send away the best bodyguard I had to play private investigator just because he used to know my girlfriend. I'd hired Barnes to be Rachelle's bodyguard because he was the best, and I wasn't going to question my plan over a fit of petty jealousy.
Satisfied with my decision, I relaxed in the back seat of my luxury sedan as Scott drove me to my corporate headquarters. He opened the door for me, and I stepped out of the sedan and stared up at the grandiose building. When I strode through the doors into the lobby, it felt like coming home. The familiar sights, sounds, and smells greeted me like a long-lost friend, and I breathed them all in.
"Mr. Holland, welcome back, Sir," the receptionist, Kelsey, smiled prettily. "Everyone is in the conference room waiting for you."
"Good. I can't wait to get started." I handed her my coat and took the express elevator straight there. The moment I stepped into the conference room, all eyes were upon me. There was a tangible anticipation in the air as I strode to the front of the room, and from the moment I started to speak, I had everyone's rapt attention.
Although I'd been keeping tabs on my businesses from home and attending conferences by phone and video link, it wasn't the same as actually being there in the flesh. The room had an energy that I craved, and as I fed off of it, I could feel myself becoming stronger. It was electrifying, gratifying, and energizing all at once.
"We need innovative new products with applications customers value in their daily lives," I said as the room full of employees listened with attention. "That's what drives customers to want to spend their money, and what keeps them coming back. Enough with this research on the recent economic downturn. I don't give a damn about yesterday. I want to know what the products are of tomorrow and give them to our customers today. What have we been developing?"
As I looked around the table, my executives came alive, presenting their ideas with a level of enthusiasm I never would have been able to generate from home via video link. In order to command the ship of my businesses, I had to be there live to read the emotions of the room, stave off fears, inspire ideas, and generate excitement for what we were doing and what needed to be done. For the first time in a long time, I felt confident and genuinely enthusiastic. I felt like myself again.
The meetings went on all morning. As soon as one ended, a new one would begin. In between, there were phone calls, emails, and documents to read and sign. Just because I'd been working from home, didn't mean more work hadn't been backing up here at the office. Time flew by, and I barely had time to think about home.
At a quarter past one, everyone filed out for lunch, and I was finally alone. Collapsing back against my chair, I marveled tha
t I used to do this fourteen hours a day and never tire; now I could barely make it halfway through the day. Being at home had made me soft, or perhaps I still hadn't fully recovered from my surgery like I'd been telling myself.
I used the brief moment of peace to check my cell phone. There was a text Rachelle that said, I love you.
Missing her already, I hit dial on my phone so I could hear her voice, and she answered on the third ring.
"Hello." The sound of her voice was so beautiful, but her breathing was strangely rapid.
"You sound out of breath," I said with concern. "Is everything all right?"
"Yeah, I'm just in the pantry. I had to move around a lot of heavy boxes."
"What for?"
"I want to make you a special dinner to celebrate your return to the office. It's one of Mama's best recipes." I strolled out of the conference room and took the express elevator down to the lobby, to sit where I could watch all the people coming and going as I listened to her talk about all the food she was planning to make.
"You're starting dinner awfully early aren't you? It's only one o'clock," I teased her.
"I know, but it’s strange not having you at home and being surrounded by bodyguards all the time. Almost like being in prison. I guess I'm going a little stir crazy, so I'm just trying to keep busy the best I can."
"It's strange not being there with you. I really miss you, too," I said, but when my throat tightened with emotion, I knew I was in danger of crying at work. I had to change the subject quick in order to avoid ruining my reputation as a serious businessman; after all, billionaires didn't cry at the office because they missed home. Trying to sound casual, I asked, "So, how's Halle?"
"Great. She loves all the attention of having a captive audience. She keeps putting on ballet shows for Morton, making him watch as she spins in a circle in her tutu until she falls down, then she gets up and does it all over again."
"Sounds like she's going a little stir crazy, too. Maybe this weekend we should all go out together, just the three of us, to the park or the zoo."
"That would be great." I could hear Rachelle beaming. "Could it really be just the three of us?
"Well, the three of us, plus a team of bodyguards," I chuckled, and she groaned with exaggerated exasperation, playfully teasing me. I'd wandered to the main entrance of the lobby and watched all the pedestrians out onto the street. The lobby doors opened, and dozens of employees came pouring in, returning from their lunch breaks.
"Listen, I have to go," I said to Rachelle. "I can't wait to taste your special dinner tonight but tell Halle to save some energy so I can watch one of dance performances when I get home. Then, after she's gone to bed, you and I can have dessert in the bedroom."
"Sound's perfect. I guess missing each other isn't so bad, after all," Rachelle said. "I love you."
"I love you, too," I said just before she hung up the line. I was surrounded by a sea of people, walking around me on their way back to their offices, cubicles, conferences, and meetings. Then, suddenly, through the crowd, I saw a familiar face and my blood ran cold.
Stuart Haynes was standing just a few feet away from me. He was wearing a wide-brimmed hat to hide and sunglasses to hide his face, but it was definitely him. I could have reached out and touched him, he was so close; but we were separated by a flood of people rushing past, turning the inches between us into a wide river that was impossible to cross.
He lowered his glasses, and his eyes looked directly into mine in a moment of clear contact. The seething hatred he felt towards me was a tangible energy burning from his retinas. Then, he put the dark glasses back on, pulled his hat down low on his head, turned, and blended into the crowd, rushing away from me.
"Stop him!" I shouted out over the din of the crowd, and a few confused faces looked back at me. I didn't want to cause a scene. I had to think fast. Reaching into my back pocket, I held up my billfold and said, "That man in the hat, he forgot his wallet. Don't let him leave without it."
I heard a commotion as he pushed through the doorway, onto the street, and out of my range of sight. I ran through the doors, onto the sidewalk, but of course, there was no sign of him. Just random pedestrians and cars going in every direction; he could be anywhere. Stuart Haynes had effectively disappeared – but he'd been right there in my lobby, I was sure of it.
"Is everything all right, Mr. Holland?" Building security surrounded me.
"Yes, everything is fine. I wanted to give that man back his wallet," I sputtered.
"Let me have it, sir, we'll try to find him." One of the guards held out his hand.
Chuckling uncomfortably, I opened my billfold to show them my identification was inside, and said awkwardly, "I thought he had dropped it, but it turns out I was the one who dropped mine. All just a misunderstanding on my part. Go back to your duties. I have work to do upstairs."
As I entered the express elevator, Scott Roberts joined me. Breathlessly, he asked, "What happened? I was by the car when I saw you running outside."
Scott was the closest thing I had to a brother and the one man I trusted most. I told him everything that had happened, and he instantly went on alert.
"We've got to notify security, lock the building down so we can find that bastard."
"No. Stuart's already gone. He left through the lobby doors and is loose on the streets. We'll never find him."
"But locking down the building secures all the witnesses. Someone here saw him and may even know him. They might be able to tell us where he's gone, how he got here, or how long he's been watching."
"Forget it. I'm not going to quarantine all my employees and interrogate them. That would cause panic and resentment and totally undermine any sense of confidence they had in me. No, what we've got to do is notify Barnes to secure the house. Stuart is out there and following me; he might try to go to the mansion. But tell Barnes not to let Rachelle know about my encounter with Stuart. She's been through so much; I don't want to cause her any more worry.
"Yes, sir,” Scott said, and I knew he'd follow my orders to the letter.
"I'm going to my office to call Thomas Tandy. I'll have him notify Detective Miller about my sighting of Stuart Haynes and to get the police to search the outside streets and surrounding neighborhoods. That's all we can do for now."
Scott clasped me on the shoulder in a brotherly hug, and said, "Let me know if there's anything else I can do."
"Just one thing: pray."
Chapter Sixty-Seven: Rachelle
I couldn't stop smiling after I hung up the phone with Tate. It was good to hear him so happy. When I first met him, he'd exuded power and charisma. There had been a pride to his demeanor that only came with from knowing one was living up to the fullness of their capabilities. Tate hadn't just inherited his father's money and businesses; he'd expanded them into a vast cooperate empire worth far more than his father's sum. He had women, wealth, and the respect of all his peers – and he knew it.
That cocky swagger had diminished over the short time I'd known him, but it had happened with such subtleness, I hadn't noticed. Now that his pride was coming back, it was suddenly apparent to me that it had been missing. I was as happy for him as I was proud of him. I couldn't wait to make this celebration dinner the best it could be.
After hanging up the line, I finished my inventory of the pantry and made a list of ingredients that needed to be ordered by the grocery service. When I tried to dial the number, however, I was surprised to discover that I couldn't.
"This line is blocked. Only calls to emergency services can go through," the recorded voice on the line replied to me.
"Is everything all right?" Blake was by my side so suddenly, it startled me.
"I can't call the grocery service." I handed him the line so he could listen to the automated recording himself, but he didn't need to. He took my cell and gently turned it off.
"Yeah, sorry about that. Cell service had to be temporary turned off due to some work my team is doing. It mig
ht take a while, but we don't want to inconvenience you. Give me your shopping list, and I'll have one my men take care of it for you."
"Thanks," I said, and a funny smile creased the corners of his mouth. "What are you grinning at?"
"I'm still taking care of your groceries for you. I guess things haven't changed that much between us, after all."
"I guess not." I smiled with amusement. I handed him my shopping list, and a spark flashed between us where our hands met. I pulled away suddenly, and he did, too. He shoved the paper in his pocket and walked away, leaving me feeling strangely breathless.
"Why are your cheeks pink?" Halle's voice asked, and I looked up to see her and Morton coming into the kitchen.
"I'm just sweaty from moving bins around in the pantry," I said, even though I wasn't sure that was the truth. I felt tingly with sexual arousal and told myself I must still be excited from talking to Tate on the phone before the cell service was cut off by Barnes' team.
"Can I help?" Halle asked, excited. She loved helping me in the kitchen, and I loved having her. With Stuart gone and no replacement hired, most of the cooking fell to me. It seemed I had become like the lady of the house, cooking meals for my family, running the household, and caring for Halle and Tate. It was just what I always secretly dreamed of having, only in a much more lavish setting, and I loved every minute of it.
"I'm afraid I'm all done sorting the pantry," I said to Halle, and her lower lip stuck out in a pout. "Why don't you help me bake your daddy a celebratory cake, instead? Afterwards, you can make the frosting and put it in the decorating bag, and I'll make fancy flowers all over it."
"Yeah!" Her pout instantly turned into a huge, happy grin.
We spent the afternoon baking together. As the cake cooled, we made my mother's famous casserole. Then we frosted the cake, and I even let Halle use the decorating tube to put leaves on some of the flowers.
