‘I know how long that flight is from Sydney,’ Imogen said. ‘I’m thinking you’d probably love a chance to freshen up. Why don’t I show you to your room?’
He trailed along behind them. So many emotions pounded through him in such quick succession it left him feeling disembodied. Happiness, grief, anger, protectiveness, relief—they all wrestled inside him.
‘It’s a beautiful room.’ Emily’s gaze zeroed in on the photo of George sitting on the bedside table. Imogen had taken it on her phone and had sent it to Jasper to print out before she’d placed it there in a pretty frame. ‘Oh, Jasper, thank you so much!’
She threw an arm about his neck—her other held George clasped to her hip. George cuddled Jasper’s arm and something that had been broken inside him started to knit back together.
When Emily released him, Imogen moved across to the bedside table and opened the top drawer. ‘I took the liberty of grabbing you a few personal items.’
Emily moved across to glance inside. She stilled before meeting Imogen’s gaze. ‘Thank you.’
Curiosity shifted through him and he started to move across, and then stopped. They were probably referring to feminine hygiene products. Not that he was the least squeamish or embarrassed about such things, but a woman was entitled to her privacy.
‘Is there anything else you need? Anything else I can do?’ Imogen asked.
Emily shook her head. ‘You’ve been so kind, thank you.’ She glanced at them both, hesitating. ‘I’d just love an hour to rest and...and to spend some time alone with George.’
She looked scared—as if she was afraid he would refuse her that...as if she’d started to equate all men’s attitudes and behaviours with Aaron’s and their father’s. It pierced him to the core. ‘Take as long as you want. Let me—’ it occurred to him then that she might be more comfortable around another woman ‘—or Imogen know if there’s anything you need or anything we can do.’
She nodded, and he left the room, stumbled down the hall to his own bedroom. Slumping down to the bed, he dropped his head to his hands and tried to stem the tears that scalded his eyes.
There was a soft sound in the doorway, and then a pair of arms went around him and pressed his head gently to the softness of her stomach. Imogen. He didn’t need to open his eyes to know her. He knew her by her scent, by the sound of her movements, and by the way his every atom came to life at her nearness. He wrapped his arms about her middle and held her tight until the burning stopped. Only then did he ease away.
‘Sorry.’ His voice came out gruff. He felt vulnerable, exposed...embarrassed. ‘What a big baby. I—’
She cupped his face and lifted it to meet her gaze. ‘This is a normal human response to an overload of emotion. You’ve been on this island on your own for far too long, have kept too much bottled up.’ She bit her lip, her eyes troubled. ‘And despite her make-up, I know you saw her bruises too.’
He had. They were old bruises and were fading, but it hadn’t stopped him from wanting to punch something—preferably Aaron. ‘She’s so thin.’
She swiped the pads of her thumbs beneath his eyes. ‘That, at least, is something we can fix, right?’
He nodded. She dropped her hands and eased away. ‘It’s time for me to get back down to the kitchen.’
With a smile, she was gone.
* * *
Over the course of the following week, Emily did put on weight—her cheeks filled out and her eyes started to lose their shadows. Katherine received her full test results, which verified the findings of the preliminary report—she didn’t have breast cancer. It gave her the impetus to finish her book and send it off to her editor, and to resume her housekeeping duties. Meanwhile, Jasper desperately tried to think of a way to tempt Imogen back into the water for her daily swims.
She hadn’t been for a single dip since they’d returned from São Paulo. He had an uncomfortable feeling he was to blame, but he didn’t know how or why, and he desperately wanted to make amends. She’d arranged her return flights to Australia and now only had another week before she left. That was all—one single week! He wanted to make it as pleasant for her as he could.
And he definitely didn’t want to think about how he’d feel once she was gone.
‘What’s on your mind?’ Emily said from her spot on the floor where she played with George.
‘Imogen.’
‘Hmm...’
He glanced up at the knowing note in his sister’s voice when the front door crashed open with a bang that made them all jump. Aaron appeared in the doorway. His shadow seemed to darken the room. Emily gave a strangled cry, her hand flying to her mouth. Jasper shot to his feet. Little George pulled himself up on unsteady legs and hurled himself at Jasper, clinging to his leg and hiding his face against it.
‘I knew this was where you’d be, you traitorous cow!’
Jasper fought the urge to move across and punch the other man. Emily and George had seen enough violence, had been through enough.
At that moment Imogen came walking down the stairs with an armful of dirty linen. ‘Do we have another visitor?’ she called out cheerfully. ‘Should I make up another room?’
‘No need,’ Aaron said with a snarl as she reached the bottom of the stairs. ‘My wife, son and I won’t be staying.’
‘I see.’ She pursed her lips, staring up at him. She looked tiny beside him. ‘I take it you’re Aaron?’
He gave a thin-lipped smile that made Jasper’s heart pound so hard it almost hurt. He handed Jasper to Emily and started across the room, but before he could reach them, Imogen calmly lifted an arm and sprayed Aaron full in the face with something that had the other man immediately screaming and dropping to his knees. ‘Agh, help! She’s thrown acid in my face!’
She stepped over him and handed the can of spray to Emily. ‘I knew that was going to be a good investment. Pepper spray,’ she added for Jasper’s benefit. ‘I know it’s not legal in New South Wales, but when I saw a can of it in São Paulo I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have some.’
He didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t believe how...how efficiently she’d handled a potentially deadly situation.
Katherine came through from the kitchen. ‘I’ve called the police. They’re on their way.’ She tossed Jasper a roll of duct tape. ‘Tie him up for his own safety. Before Imogen is tempted to hurt him some more. And, Jasper,’ she added, ‘I wouldn’t be too gentle about it if I were you.’
As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t hit a defenceless man, and at the moment Aaron was nothing but a helpless, snivelling mess.
The police arrived an hour later and took him away. Emily and George retired to her room for a rest. Katherine returned to the kitchen. Jasper stared at Imogen. ‘You really are something.’
She shrugged, but it didn’t hide the way her hands had started to shake. ‘I was pretty amazing, huh?’
He pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips to her hair. ‘You scared me half out of my wits.’
CHAPTER TEN
KEITH COLEMAN ARRIVED two days later.
‘Jasper,’ Katherine called out from the living room. ‘Your father is on the supply boat. It’ll have docked by now, so he’ll be here any minute.’
Jasper came out from his office where he’d been digitising Imogen’s tapes for her. He couldn’t decide if he was surprised by this turn of events or not. He glanced across at Emily, who’d paled, but she kept a resolute angle to her chin. Beside her, George crab-walked the length of the sofa, holding on to it for balance. The kid was going to be a runner when he grew up—a top-class athlete.
When he glanced back up, Imogen had appeared at her aunt’s shoulder. Everything inside him clamoured at the mere sight of her. Ever since he’d watched her approach Aaron, fear had filled his soul. He’d wake in the middle of the night in a cold sweat from dreams where she was in trouble and he
couldn’t get to her in time.
Not that she’d needed him to come to her rescue two days ago. She’d rescued all of them instead.
The fact was she didn’t need him.
The front door rattled and then shouting and pounding followed when it didn’t open.
George fell to his nappy-clad bottom. Emily picked him up and cuddled him. Katherine’s brows rose. ‘The door’s locked?’
‘Oh, didn’t I mention it? I’ve taken to locking it.’ Imogen shrugged with an utter lack of concern.
Jasper wanted to smile at her complete disregard for his father’s impatience—growing louder by the second. And then he wanted to hit something. Was she afraid to stay here since Aaron’s unexpected arrival? Was—?
‘Should I get it?’ She pointed to the door.
He blew out a breath and nodded. ‘Chin up, Em. I won’t let him hurt you.’
‘I know. It’s like this is the final hurdle, and then I’ll be free.’
He kept his gaze trained on Imogen as she moved towards the door. She opened it with a scolding, ‘Heavens, what a racket. Really, sir, the doorbell is in perfect working order. Now, how can I help you?’
‘I’m Mr Keith Coleman, and I demand to see my daughter and son. I will see them and no damn servant is going to stop me.’
Jasper moved into view before Keith could push Imogen out of the way. If his father touched her, he knew he wouldn’t be able to think straight. And it’d be better for all concerned that he kept this as civilised as possible. From behind Imogen, he met Keith’s glare. ‘If you so much as lay one finger on any person here on my island, I will beat you to a bloody pulp and then take you a mile out that way—’ he pointed seawards ‘—and drop your sorry butt overboard.’ He kept his voice pleasant for George’s and Emily’s sakes.
Keith’s mouth worked, but no sound came out.
Imogen glanced at Jasper and he nodded. She opened the door wider. ‘Why don’t you step inside, Mr Coleman?’
Keith straightened his suit jacket before stalking into the living room.
Emily stood and Jasper went to stand beside her. Imogen moved back beside her aunt. Keith sneered at them all. ‘You think you have the upper hand, but you’re wrong.’
Once upon a time a veiled threat like that would’ve had Jasper turning cold with dread. Now he saw through the bluster to the ugly bully beneath.
Keith stabbed a finger at Emily. ‘I demand you return to your husband immediately.’
‘You want her to return to a dangerous criminal?’ Jasper kinked an eyebrow. ‘How very egalitarian of you.’ He couldn’t believe his father hadn’t washed his hands of his son-in-law and put as much distance between himself and Aaron as he could, given Aaron’s allegedly illegal activities.
The older man dismissed that with a wave of his hand. ‘It’s all a misunderstanding. And one that will be more quickly cleared up with Emily at home by her husband’s side.’
‘That’s not going to happen.’ Emily lifted her chin. ‘I won’t be returning to Aaron. Ever. I’m filing for divorce, and I hope he rots in prison.’
Keith’s eyes narrowed to slits. ‘If you don’t do as I say I’ll have you declared an unfit mother. I’ll sue for custody of George.’
‘You can try, but you won’t succeed. I’ve been planning my escape for months. I know my rights. I’ve photographic evidence of the bruises Aaron’s given me. And I think it’s safe to assume that Jasper will provide me with the very best family lawyers available.’
‘Goes without saying,’ Jasper murmured, proud of the way she held her ground.
‘And if you do take this to court, Father, I’ll tell the police that you and Aaron wanted me to perjure myself in court and say that Jasper’s attack on Aaron two years ago was unprovoked.’
‘Why, you little—’ He broke off, his eyes narrowing. ‘Your mother will pay for your disobedience.’ He clenched a hand, that fist leaving none of them in doubt as to how he meant to make her pay. From the corner of his eye, Jasper saw Imogen flinch and had to bottle down his instant desire to plant a fist in his father’s face.
He wasn’t his father.
‘Mother doesn’t deserve the way you treat her, but I can’t take responsibility for that any more.’
Emily’s words made Jasper blink. Had she stayed with Aaron all this time to protect and support their mother?
Giving a derisory snort, the older man turned his attention to Katherine. ‘I know what you’ve been up to. I’ve been keeping tabs.’
Katherine’s eyes went mock wide. ‘How thrilling for you, Keith.’
‘I could make you a laughing stock—expose the ludicrous stuff you write to everyone you know.’
Jasper’s gut clenched, but Imogen gave a barely stifled giggle. ‘He has no idea about the world of genre fiction, does he, Auntie Kay?’
‘None.’
Imogen winked at Jasper, who must’ve also looked at a loss because she added, ‘Katherine’s more likely to be swamped by adoring fans than mocked. I mean, there’s bound to be the odd literary snob, but—’
‘But not anyone we need concern ourselves with,’ Katherine said.
‘I know who your agent is. I know the name of your editor. Your publisher is a member of my club.’
Ice tripped down Jasper’s spine. Keith would ruin Kate’s career? The sense of déjà vu, of helplessness, rose up through him.
Katherine folded her arms. ‘The thing is, publishing houses can be sold. I’m quite certain that Jasper could be prevailed upon to buy a publishing house, and to maybe even make me one of his lead authors.’
His panic dissipated, his heartbeat steadied. ‘I’ve always fancied becoming a patron of the arts.’
The smile Imogen sent him was worth the price of two publishing houses.
‘I know all about you too, Imogen Hartley. And you needn’t think you’re out of my reach.’
Jasper’s every sense went on high alert.
‘If you and your aunt don’t want any trouble, you’ll both leave this island now...today.’
‘Or?’ she inquired with a polite lift of her brows.
‘Or you’ll find the lease for your business premises has disappeared and the space mysteriously let to someone else. Or maybe the zoning laws will have changed...and then your planning-permission paperwork might go astray.’
She glanced at Jasper. ‘He really is an unpleasant piece of work. You and Emily have my sympathies.’
Acid burned his chest. She was leaving in five days anyway. Her leaving today would make no difference. This wasn’t her fight. She had a life to get back to. He steeled himself for her nod of acceptance and tried to control the nausea swirling through him.
She folded her arms. ‘You’re a slimy eel of a man, Mr Coleman.’
Jasper stiffened. What was she doing? Couldn’t she see the danger of kicking the hornets’ nest?
‘You don’t see it, do you?’ she continued. ‘The tables are turning...the power is shifting. Jasper would buy me the perfect premises and hire a business lawyer on my behalf—just to make sure all my paperwork was in order—if I asked it of him. And I’d rather take my chances with him than with you, thank you very much.’
He stilled. It hit him then—Imogen would always choose to do what was right rather than what was easy. She wasn’t like Bronwyn. She was a woman who would stay and fight for him. For a moment he could barely breathe.
And then his heart swelled.
‘But he won’t be able to prevent the bad publicity of a smear campaign. I’ll make sure word gets around that your workmanship is substandard and your ethics questionable.’
The threat rocked her, Jasper could see that, but her chin didn’t drop. ‘Like I said, I’ll take my chances.’
‘You’re fools, the lot of you. You—’ he swung back to Jasper ‘—will return to Aus
tralia at my side tomorrow and help me fix this sorry mess or I’ll destroy them all.’
Jasper’s mind raced. Imogen’s words going round and round in his mind—the power is shifting. Why hadn’t Keith disassociated himself from Aaron? Why hadn’t he claimed ignorance of the man’s activities and thrown him to the wolves? Keith had done that more than once in his political career to so-called trusted colleagues. Unless...
Jasper widened his stance. Unless he was involved in Aaron’s illegal activities too.
All the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. The reason Keith had championed Emily and Aaron’s relationship. The reason he’d renounced Jasper before his son could work out what was going on. His desperation now.
Jasper no longer feared his father. He might not be able to nullify all the harm Keith could do, but the women in this room had just shown him how he could mitigate it.
He didn’t want to mitigate it, though. He wanted to demolish it. He recalled his father’s threats to Imogen, and his resolve hardened to tempered steel. He wasn’t letting the man get away with that. He was not going to let him hurt Imogen. Not now. Not ever.
His every thought sharpened—honed by years of imagining all the ways he could bring Keith to justice. An image fixed itself in his mind. He’d been digitising Imogen’s tapes. That recording equipment was sitting in the top drawer of his desk.
Keith obviously interpreted Jasper’s silence for apprehension because he gave a triumphant laugh that made Jasper’s skin crawl. ‘You always were a soft touch. It was your downfall. You’ll do what’s right by these women.’
‘Why don’t we take this discussion into my office? Katherine, could you organise refreshments, please?’
Katherine didn’t so much as blink, but Emily grabbed his arm and stared up into his face with earnest eyes. ‘Don’t do this, Jasper. Please.’
It hurt that she had so little faith in him, but he couldn’t blame her—not given her experiences with their father and Aaron.
He ignored Emily’s plea to glance across at Imogen. ‘Make up a guest room for my father.’
The Maid, the Millionaire and the Baby Page 15
