Bright lights zipped around Dani like ghostly phantoms. They’d almost made it to Jett’s truck when she saw the headlights of a car coming straight toward them. Jett was yelling, and there were other voices. She thought she heard someone call her name. The next thing she felt was the hard pavement coming up to meet her face. She landed hard, busting her nose and bottom lip. Glaring lights exploded in her head. Then everything went black.
“Dani. Can you hear me?”
Dani’s eyes felt heavy, but she managed to open them. She looked up at Samantha, who was leaning over her. Gingerly, she touched her mouth, which felt ten sizes too large and sore. “Where am I?”
“At Liam’s condo.”
“W-what happened to me?”
“You were drugged,” Samantha explained.
“Jett Barnes slipped a date-rape drug into your drink,” Liam added.
At that, it all came rushing back. Alarm raced over her. For a minute, she felt all of those same feelings she’d felt in the club: the dizziness, the loss of control, the futile fear… Her throat felt like it was shrinking, and she swallowed to open it back up. “He drugged me!” she exclaimed angrily. Her eyes turned to saucers. “How did I end up here with you? He was taking me to his truck.” Tears pooled in her eyes as she clutched her throat. “He was going to rape me, wasn’t he?”
“We’re not sure what his intentions were,” Liam said, his jaw tight with anger. “But whatever it was… it wasn’t good.”
“But how?” The words got strangled in a croak. She began again. “How did you rescue me?”
Samantha put a comforting hand over hers. “We came up on the scene just as he was about to put you in his truck. Liam confronted Jett and punched him. I went to you, but you fell and went unconscious. Jett took off in his truck, and we brought you here. You’ve been out for several hours.”
She sat up, wincing at the dull pain in the center of her forehead. It felt like a hole was slowly being drilled in her head.
“Are you okay?” Samantha said, looking at Liam in concern.
Dani gave her a weak smile. “I’m fine. My head just hurts. I’m sure it’s just a residual effect from the drug.” Her mind tried to comprehend all that had happened. “How did you find me?”
“It was Liam. When you told him you were going to a club with someone you hardly knew, he got worried. His agent called a friend at the police department. They ran a check on Jett. He’s been accused of rape before … twice that the police know of. And he’s linked to human trafficking.”
Horror twisted over Dani’s as her hand went to her mouth. “Oh my gosh!”
“We tried to call and text you several times, but we couldn’t get through.”
Guilt churned in Dani’s stomach. She’d ignored the calls and texts from Liam because she assumed he was being overprotective. And she didn’t like him butting into her business. When she realized Samantha had been trying to reach her, she called before she went into the club, but the call got dropped. That’s when she left a message.
She realized then that Samantha was still talking. “Thank goodness you told Liam the name of the club where you were meeting Jett. Otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to find you. When we drove into the parking lot of the club, we saw Jett taking you to his truck.”
Tears starting running down Dani’s cheeks. “If you’d gotten there a minute later…” Her face was chalky white. She clasped her hands in her lap to keep them from shaking. “There’s no telling what would’ve happened to me,” she whispered. She looked at Liam. “I’m so sorry. You tried to tell me, and I wouldn’t listen. How could I have been so stupid?”
“We all make mistakes,” Liam said tenderly. “The important thing is that you’re okay.”
Wow, he was really impressive. Any other person might’ve given her a well-deserved reprimand right about now, but Liam was defending her. Impressive. Then she thought of something else. Her brow furrowed. “What’re we going to do about Jett?”
Liam looked thoughtful. “That’s entirely up to you. The good news is that we kept him from doing anything to you. The bad news is that since we stopped him before anything drastic occurred, the worse you can accuse him of is putting something into your drink. If you want to pursue this, then we need to act quickly and have you tested before the drug’s completely out of your system.”
Dani felt so embarrassed and stupid for getting herself into that situation. There had been so many warnings, but she’d blatantly ignored them. If only she’d left the club the instant she felt something was off; then this whole fiasco could’ve been avoided. Or better yet, if she’d had sense enough to listen to Liam, she wouldn’t have gone there to begin with. It terrified her to think what would’ve happened if Samantha and Liam hadn’t shown up when they did. It would plague her for some time, knowing that if they’d been a minute later… She pushed aside the thought. If she dwelt on the what if too long, it would lead to her undoing.
“It’s a miracle we found you,” Samantha said.
“Yes, it was,” Dani said quietly.
Samantha’s eyes met hers. “What do you want to do about this?”
It took less than a second for Dani to make up her mind. “I want Jett to pay for what he’s done. We need to go to the police and have me tested.”
“I agree,” Samantha said. She turned to Liam. “Would you mind taking us to the police station?”
“Not at all.”
Dani looked at Liam. “I owe you big time. You saved me.”
His face turned pink. “It was nothing.”
“Thank you.” She looked him in the eye. “I mean it.” She held out her hand. He looked surprised, but then grasped it. She squeezed his hand and then placed her other hand over it. “You were my guardian angel tonight.”
He smiled but looked uncomfortable with the praise. “You’re certainly welcome, but no thanks is necessary. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Thanks to you, I am.”
15
Time was Samantha’s greatest enemy. In a few short weeks, she would be married and the fantasy would be over. No more Finn. No more butterflies in the stomach. No more love. Only duty and a dull existence with Anthony that centered on the inconsequential details of daily life. Every morning, she went through the mental checklist. Did she wipe the bathroom counter and sink dry? Were the towels on the rack straight? Was the dishwasher loaded? Were the floors swept, mopped, and vacuumed? The list went on and on.
To make matters worse, things were getting a little tense with Finn. Ever since that day at Goat Island, where he pressed her to divulge her secret, he seemed distant and guarded. It was painful to know that he was separating himself from her, but what could she do? They would be torn apart in the near future anyway. At least Finn still wanted to spend time with her, though. She wanted to hold onto every moment with him. That day, on Goat Island, he’d said he wanted to share something with her. It sounded important, and she kept waiting for him to bring it up again, but he didn’t.
The incident at the club had left its mark on Dani. She was quiet and pensive instead of her fun-loving self. Samantha noticed that she’d not once taken the bus to go anywhere alone. When Dani’s blood was tested, the date-rape drug Rohypnol was detected. The police officer on duty the night they filed the police report assured Dani that Jett would be brought in for questioning. He also told Dani that she might be called upon at some point to testify against Jett.
On the upside, Dani and Liam were spending lots of time together, and Dani seemed quite taken with him. Samantha hoped her sudden infatuation with Liam wasn’t solely because he rescued her. At least he was a good guy.
Her phone buzzed. Samantha could tell the second she heard her mother’s voice that something was wrong. Her chest tightened. “What’s going on?”
Katia’s voice quivered. “Anthony told me that he’s not going to be able to invest in my business.”
“What?” Samantha went cold. Her mother sounded fragile, like she
had when her father first died. All of the fears came rushing back with a vengeance. Samantha’s throat constricted, and she balled her hand into a fist. She wanted to punch something hard, and that something was Anthony. “Did he say why?”
“Only that I should talk to you. He said you would know the reason.”
The air left Samantha’s body, and she felt like a fish that had been marooned on dry land, gulping to get a breath. “Why did he tell you that? I don’t know anything about the investment.”
“That’s what he said—that I should talk to you.”
She ran a hand through her hair. This was another one of Anthony’s twisted games. He was obviously using her mother to manipulate her, and it was working. “Mom, everything will be okay. I’ll talk to Anthony the minute he gets home from work.”
“Okay, honey. Call me back as soon as you can.”
“I will. Love you.”
“Love you too. Bye.”
Ever since she mentioned going back to college the night they were at dinner with the interior designer, Anthony had been pestering her about it. The night before, they’d had an argument about it. Samantha told Anthony in no uncertain terms that she was attending college, and he needed to get used to the idea. Maybe this was Anthony’s way of getting back at her. How dare he use her mother to get his way! If anything happened to her mother’s health, it would be his fault.
The doorbell rang, and she went to answer it. The first thing she saw when she opened the door was an enormous bouquet of tropical flowers. Then she saw the deliveryman. “These are for Samantha Fairchild,” he said.
She reached for the flowers. Had Anthony sent them? “Thanks,” she mumbled, shutting the door. Her breath caught as she pulled out the card. They were from Finn.
The card was short and to the point: It’s time for us to talk. —Finn.
She jumped when she heard Anthony’s car pull into the garage. Her heart began hammering in her chest as she shoved the card into her pocket. She couldn’t think about the flowers or Finn right now. She was going to have to face Anthony. Otherwise he would keep walking over her for the rest of her life.
She placed the flowers on the counter, walked over to the sink, and splashed water in her face. She was drying off and trying to compose herself when he came in. From the moment Anthony came through the door, she could feel his anger as he dropped his briefcase on the table with a loud thud. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the flowers. “Where’d you get those?” he demanded, his face turning red.
“It’s not important,” she mumbled.
“I asked you a question!”
She rocked back, shocked by the outburst. This behavior was extreme, even for Anthony. She managed to keep her expression neutral as her mind grappled to come up with an explanation. “They’re for Dani.” She winced inwardly at how easily the lie came out of her mouth.
He remained skeptical. “Who gave them to her?”
“Liam. Probably because of what happened at the club. He’s worried about her.”
He walked over and took a closer look. “Where’s the card?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “You’ll have to ask Dani.”
He just stood there, glaring at her. His eyes were like impenetrable black marbles—a not-so-pleasant reminder that she really didn’t understand him at all.
She straightened her shoulders and looked him in the eye. He was obviously trying to intimidate her, but it wouldn’t work tonight. “I just spoke to my mother.”
“And?” he sneered.
“And she’s very upset. Why did you tell her you weren’t investing in her business? You know how much the boutique means to her.” Was it her imagination? Or was that a satisfied smirk she saw on his face? Fury boiled within her. It was like he got some perverse satisfaction out of tormenting her. She hated the tears that misted her eyes. “If you didn’t want to invest in Mom’s boutique, then that’s your business.”
“You’re right about that!” he yelled. “It is my business!”
Talking to him was like having a screaming match with a raging windstorm. He was shutting her down faster than she could speak the words. “The reason I’m upset is because you told her you would invest and then rescinded the offer without any explanation whatsoever.”
He let out an abrasive laugh as indignation flashed in his eyes. “You think you’re upset?” he thundered. “You don’t know the meaning of the word upset.”
Any other time, she might’ve questioned why Anthony was acting so irrational, but she was too caught up in her own drama to pay attention. “You of all people know how fragile my mom’s health is. It’s like you’re doing things to intentionally hurt her. And I want to know why.” She clenched her jaw. “I demand to know why.” Her words trailed off, and she stood there, waiting for an explanation.
A hard amusement came over him. “So you’re demanding answers? All right. I’ll give them to you.” Anthony opened his briefcase, removed a thick envelope, and flung it at Samantha. Before she could catch it, pictures fell out onto the floor.
At first, she didn’t understand what she was seeing. And then it registered. The pictures were of her and Finn. She felt the sensation of the floor falling out from under her as she let out a cry. She dropped to her knees and started picking them up. “Finn was right. You had someone following me. You’re insane!”
“Don’t you ever say that to me again! Now get up.” He grabbed her wrist and jerked her to her feet. He got up in her face. “Let’s try this again. Who are the flowers from?”
“They’re from Finn,” she spat.
A ruthless expression twisted over his face. For a minute, she feared he might hit her. Instead, he took his arm and swiped the vase of flowers off the counter, sending them crashing to the floor. Then he put his hands to his head, a frenzied look in his eyes. “Look what you made me do.” He let out a string of curse words.
She backed away from him. “I never want to see you again as long as I live. You’re a miserable person.”
He laughed. “I may be a miserable person, but I have the one thing your surfer boyfriend doesn’t have—money! The one thing your family can’t live without.” A triumphant smile twisted over his face. “So you see, I win.”
Humiliation burned through her like a river of unquenchable fire. Anthony had seen right through her the entire time. It was always about the money. “That’s where you’re wrong,” she said quietly. “You’re not going to win a thing, and neither am I. The two of us are both losers. This is over.”
“Oh, no. We’re not over. We’re not over until I say it’s over. We’re going to get married just like we planned.”
She gave him an incredulous look. “But I don’t love you. In fact, I don’t even like you.” She felt tired and empty. “I’m sorry, but I can’t marry you when I’m in love with someone else.”
“The surfer?” He chuckled. “Get real, Samantha. What’re you gonna do? Live in squalor with him on the beach?”
“I’d rather live simply with Finn than spend another minute with you in this prison, where everything has to be perfect. I can’t even blow my nose for fear you’ll freak out over the germs.”
His eyes narrowed. “And what about your mother? How long do you think your love affair with the surfer will last when I throw her out on the street?”
Tears pooled in her eyes. “You’re a horrible person.”
“No, I’m a realist.”
“Why? Why do you want to marry me? When we have absolutely nothing in common.”
He stepped up to her and touched her hair. She tried to back away, but he caught her wrist in an iron grip. His merciless eyes bore into hers. “You belong to me. I have a lot invested in you. And I never back away from an investment.”
In that moment, she hated him. How could she not have seen him for what he was from the beginning? “Let go of my wrist,” she demanded.
He laughed and dropped her arm. “You know, I’m kind of glad we got this out in the o
pen. Now there’ll be no more pretending. You’re gonna break it off with your little boyfriend—immediately. Otherwise, I’ll throw your mother out before you can blink, heart problem or not.” He touched her cheek. “And it’s about time that I started laying claim to what’s mine. You’ll move into my room immediately. And there’ll be no more talk of this silly wait until we’re married nonsense. And your crazy sister goes back to California.”
Tears blurred her vision. “You’re pathetic,” she muttered. Before he could stop her, she ran upstairs to her room and slammed the door. Her body felt numb all over as she sat down on the edge of the bed. Then the shaking started. She folded her arms tightly over her chest in order to stop them.
The pounding on the door nearly caused her to jump out of her skin. “Samantha, open the door!” Anthony yelled.
“Go away!”
“Just remember—I tried to do this the easy way.”
She heard a click, and then there was silence. She stood and went to the door. She pressed her ear against it, but couldn’t hear anything. She tried the doorknob. It turned, but the door wouldn’t open. Tears burned her eyes when she realized Anthony had locked the door. “Let me out of here!” she screamed, pounding as hard as she could. “Anthony!”
She searched around frantically for her phone and then realized, with a sinking feeling, that she’d left it on the counter in the kitchen. She slumped down against the door and sobbed.
16
Finn looked up at the clouds churning overhead. It was muggy and hot, letting him know rain would soon be setting in. But not even the darkening sky could dampen his mood as he hummed softly. He was in love. And he didn’t care who knew it. It was time to tell Samantha the truth. He hoped she wouldn’t be too angry and that she would understand why he’d kept her in the dark.
She should’ve received the flowers by now. He’d been expecting a text or call, but none had come. Finally, he decided to head to Turtle Bay. That way he could be close by when she contacted him. If he didn’t hear from her in the next hour, he would stop by her condo.
Everything to Lose (Destination Billionaire Romance) Page 13
