License to Love: Holiday Box Set (Contemporary Romance)

by Kristen James

  Alexander was perched on the bed like a bird about to take flight. Why was he sitting there, watching her like that? She stood there, in his clothes, not sure of what they’d do now and feeling that spaced out feeling again. Maybe it wasn’t good for her health to swim for several hours in a cold, snow fed river. Or maybe he’d slipped something into her food?

  “You really are tired.” She heard him say as her hand searched for the doorframe. Cora thought she heard him walk closer and realized she was about to fall over.

  He lifted her up in his arms. It shocked her awake, but she didn’t fight him.

  “I’ll let you stay here and get some sleep tomorrow while I check on Jerry.” He laid her down on the bed. She was already asleep.

  Ten

  Where had she gone? Was she alright? Nick left the police station in the early morning, his nerves still vibrating with the same overwhelming fear that had hit him the second he woke up alone the day before. She was gone, just gone. He jumped in his car and ripped out of the parking lot too fast.

  He had promised Jerry, and then Cora, that he’d keep her safe. How did he let this happen?

  Nick wasn’t sure which prospect frightened him more: that Alexander had found them and stole her away, or that she took off on her own, into the wilderness with no way to defend herself and no map. He’d searched, yelled, searched, and yelled some more, even though Alexander might have heard.

  Alexander didn’t show up. That most likely meant he hadn’t heard.

  At least the police would be looking for her. That might make her mad, and probably made him a suspect, but he was not risking her safety.

  His feelings for her seemed to grow with each breath he took. He gripped the steering wheel in anger. He had to stay focused if he was going to find her again.

  He headed to Keith’s house, dreading it yet knowing it was his best lead. Thinking back, he wondered what he could have done differently, but the other options just wouldn’t have worked out. He had kept Cora safe, at least until she disappeared. Nice. Now she was might be going rogue and planning to save her father from Keith…but what if…what if Jerry had embezzled that money? He could be as crooked as Keith.

  Nick had originally planned to get Cora away from his family, hide her away, and then call the police to investigate and sort out who did what. It would have worked if Alexander hadn’t followed them that first night. That would have kept both Cora and her father safe, but it hadn’t worked out that way. Now he needed to right the situation. Even if Cora never spoke to him again, he would get her out of this alive.

  He pulled up to the gate and waited for it to open.

  “Show time,” Nick muttered, pulling together his courtroom persona: cool confidence, but not to an offending degree. He worked his shoulders, relaxing them, and then let the tension out of the rest of his body. He refused to let any nervousness show through.

  He parked outside the garage and went inside to Keith’s office. He knocked and opened the door, almost in one motion, so he’d catch Keith off guard. As expected, Keith’s brothers were present, sitting two chairs pulled back toward opposite walls. Keith stood, leaning back against his desk.

  “I don’t think Alexander’s following your plan.” Nick caught Keith’s attention.

  “And you are?” Keith pulled in a drag from his cigarette and watched Nick while squinting in the smoke. He knew Nick had bashed Alexander’s head in, and he might know Nick reported Cora missing. “We have Jerry here, and I’m sure Alexander has Cora under control.” Keith snuffed out his smoke and lit another before sitting down.

  Nick knew it, too. “Alexander set Jerry up just to get his hands on Cora.”

  Michael and John exchanged skeptical looks. They seemed to be enjoying the show. Nick feared he wouldn’t be able to convince his father, or his uncles. The three brothers looked related by their similar features, but their ever-thirsty greed truly held them together. The Holloways had secrets like every family, but their secrets got people hurt. Killed.

  He tried anyway. “You’re all aware of how close Alexander kept to Jerry.”

  “Well, of course,” Keith said, “Alexander recommended I hire Jerry, said he’d follow orders and keep quiet.”

  This new information stopped Nick in his tracks. He was amazed that they had the incriminating proof right in front of them, yet they disregarded it. Counting the facts on his fingers, Nick rattled off, “Alexander brought Jerry in. Alexander accused Jerry. Alexander supplied the plan to take Cora as incentive. He wanted to take her out in the mountains.”

  “So what?” Keith broke in, “What does that mean to us?”

  “Isn’t it clear to you that Alexander planned to frame Jerry to get his hands on Cora?”

  “That’s Cora’s problem. She wouldn’t be in this mess if her father were honest.”

  Like Keith could recognize honest. Nick clenched his fist to control his temper. “Do you care that Alexander stole your million dollars?”

  A chilling look washed over Keith’s face. A murderous look.

  Nick kept going. “You have an innocent man held hostage downstairs.”

  Keith coolly stared at his son while John and Michael stiffened in their leather chairs.

  “We’re going to find Alexander, one way or another, and hear what he has to say,” John said. “Maybe you should get back with the program and help us.”

  Nick remained quiet, but Keith said, “We don’t need to go looking for him. Either Cora will show up here again, looking for Jerry, or Alexander will hand deliver her.”

  Keith’s words ran up Nick’s spin like a cold knife blade. Knowing that he needed to bluff, he waited a long minute and said, “So we wait for them to show up here. Then what?”

  Keith stood up from leaning on the desk. “You’ve been disrespecting us for some time, but I still gave you one job to do. Look how that turned out.” He walked past Nick to the door and opened it. “We’ll let you know when there’s something you can do.”

  Nick left the room and Keith shut the door behind him. He could try to eavesdrop, but that wouldn’t help him find Cora.

  Was it possible that he misread the look in her eyes? Could a woman kiss like that and not mean it? Was she afraid of him, along with his family?

  He drove away, wondering where to look. Her apartment was empty still. Cora was too smart to endanger anyone else, so that didn’t leave many choices.

  His cell rang. He wouldn’t have answered calls from very many people just then. However, it was Adam.

  “Hey bro,” Adam greeted. “Where are you? I’ve been trying to reach you.”

  “I’m driving... I’m surprised I haven’t spotted someone following me yet.” Nick glanced in his mirrors and let out a heavy sigh. “I didn’t take my phone in when I talked to King Kong and his thugs.”

  King Kong had been their nickname for Keith when they were kids.

  “You were there?”

  “Just now. Why?”

  “I went there last night, looking for you, and Alexander stopped by.”

  Damn it! They had lied to his face. Of course Alexander beat him there. “Cora?”

  Nick yanked the steering wheel and drove the car over to the curb, realizing he wasn’t watching the road at all.

  “Alexander sounded sure that Cora’s going to show up there Friday morning.”

  “How could he know what Cora’s planning to do.... unless she’s with him. Great, just great.” Nick punched the steering wheel. “So, Alexander is bringing Cora to Keith. Why is he waiting? Did he try to make a deal with Keith?”

  “That’s where I’m confused. Listen, man, I couldn’t get the whole picture, but what I understood was bad. I heard Alexander tell Keith ‘make sure she sees it. I’ll get her out of there and get you the key.’ I’m not sure what it is.”

  “Can’t be good. I’m going in tomorrow morning. You with me?”

  ***

  Cora dreamed of Nick, striding to her and kissing her, throwing her into t
he cold stream, flashing her that charming smile. Her mind was saturated with thoughts of his smile, his strong hands, his scent, and his smooth voice talking in almost musical tones. Images and feelings mixed. Nick was looking into her eyes, making her feel like the universe revolved around her. Then he was holding her, cradling her against him while he nuzzled her neck and whispered in her ear. In all her dreaming, she forgot Nick wasn’t there.

  She woke up looking for him, expecting to find his scent and launch into a new argument. Instead it was dark. And she was alone.

  Oh. Alexander had found her.

  Nick. Where was he right now? It must have hurt him when he realized she was gone, but she had to leave. Her dad needed her.

  Where was Alexander? She had to concentrate to remember the details of the night before. He had said something about where he would be, but she couldn’t remember. She barely remembered going to bed.

  A hot-cold chill simmered through her as she remembered Nick’s warnings. Cora jerked upright in the bed and wrapped her arms around herself. She was still dressed and didn’t feel wrong. Still, she felt reckless and foolish for trusting Alexander and staying there. Anything could have happened. He could have tried… something. Everything seemed okay.

  It looked like it was still night because the room was dark. Once she got up she realized the curtains were blocking the daylight.

  The clock read 3:30. 3:30? In the afternoon?

  She went into the bathroom, about blinding herself with the light. When she left the bathroom, she turned off the light and pulled back the curtains enough to see the hotel’s surroundings. She could see part of the parking lot and the street it opened onto. Cars drove by. Life continued, not caring about her.

  The door opened and Alexander took one look at her before yanking the curtains shut again.

  “It’s so dark in here.” At first, she couldn’t see a thing. Then her eyes adjusted.

  “Good, that way no one will see you.” He flicked on the lamp beside the bed. “I brought lunch.” He reached into a large paper bag and removed several boxes of Chinese takeout. Her traitorous stomach growled. It seemed like she’d just eaten, but that had been the evening before. It was well past lunchtime; she’d slept the day away.

  “Are they still looking for me?”

  “You’d better believe it.” Leaving the boxes open and the hotel’s plates sitting next to them, he walked to the window and peeked out where she had stood. Dressed in slacks and a black polo shirt, he looked like he was on lunch break from the office. It was the way he scanned the parking lot outside that made her think he had experience hiding out and sneaking around.

  She wanted to know if Nick was looking for her, if he cared enough to look for her. Even if Nick found her, however, she couldn’t be sure if he would take her back to Keith or not.

  Alexander glanced back at her. “Sit down, you need to eat.”

  She was about to argue when she decided she needed to hide from his roving eyes. He’d been relaxed yesterday, but now he seemed agitated. She watched him, thinking he might have learned something he didn’t like today. He glanced at her and his face softened.

  “Do you feel better today?”

  He was staring at her so she nodded instead of answering. She did feel better; she wasn’t dead tired and starving anymore. Cora knew she should thank him, but decided to leave it at her sorry attempt the night before.

  He sat down across from her and they ate in silence. He had distracted her before she was able to ask where he had been all day. Something told her it wouldn’t work to simply ask. He was brooding. She was full and picking at her food before he finished his.

  “You’ve always been so mean and angry. I can’t figure out why you’re helping me.” Then again, what if he wasn’t helping her anymore? Things could have completely changed since yesterday.

  “You can’t deny that you need my help.” He spoke without emotion. Still, he didn’t say he wasn’t going to help. She wished she could read the thoughts behind his dark, cold eyes.

  Yes, she needed his help, but she was still interested in the why’s of all this. She was naturally curious about people and, in this case, what made them tick. Understanding Alexander was critical to her safety and to finding her father. She looked at him and said, “Why are you so bitter, and so mad at Nick?”

  He reached for a smile. “I see why you chose journalism.”

  “So?”

  He kept his face guarded and said, “Let’s just say I’ve had to try a lot harder than some people to get what I want.”

  “Harder than Nick?”

  With a snicker he said, “He only knows what’s been given to him.”

  Given to him? He lost his mother and had to leave his family behind to attend law school. Nick didn’t seem arrogant or flashy. She almost voiced her opinions, but decided it wouldn’t help the situation.

  She fidgeted with everything on the table while wondering how she let herself end up in a dark hotel with Alexander. Oh yeah, she ran away from Nick and jumped in a river.

  “You and I,” he said, “We know what it’s like to fight for what we want.”

  “We do?” That wasn’t what she meant to say. He couldn’t guess what she knew or how she felt.

  Or could he? Maybe her father confided in him, or Alexander pieced together their story. He could have snooped into their finances too. Alexander might have been checking into her, but there wasn’t any way for other people to know that becoming a reporter was about fighting something, overcoming something.

  The touch of Alexander’s hand jerked her attention away from her thoughts. He had leaned over the table, somehow without her noticing, to lay his hand on hers.

  “You do realize you can’t trust Nick anymore.”

  Nick’s name threw images across her mind. She opened her mouth to protest but quickly realized she wasn’t sure what to argue. Did she ever trust Nick? Just thinking his name hurt. It was like that deep, out of proportion pain that you feel after a breakup, but she couldn’t – wouldn’t! – discuss Nick with Alexander.

  He was waiting, watching her, and fighting a smirk. Cora wasn’t sure how or why, but she felt like Nick hurt her. Or leaving him hurt her? Alexander could see it too, and she could finally read his expression and see past his crusty shell.

  He was the second place guy realizing he had a chance. How had she missed it before?

  “Why do you think I had feelings for him?” She saw surprise cross his face for a second, before his expression turned to pleasure.

  He leaned back and appraised her through silted eyes, and she guessed he was redesigning his game plan. He bent down to retrieve something out of his bag. A cigar.

  A victory cigar? Are you freaking kidding me?

  It was like she thought that hard enough for him to hear because he didn’t light the smelly thing. Instead he rolled it around, thinking.

  They were both sitting here thinking and not helping Jerry.

  “Tell me the truth,” she said, stopping before saying his name. “How did my father really get into this mess?”

  He sighed. “Knowing everything won’t make it any better, Cora.”

  “Can’t I decide that?” She countered, almost shaking because she was so close to the truth.

  “Well, it’s a misunderstanding, but that’s beside the point.” He was drawing it out, torturing her, and loving every minute of it.

  “What was?”

  “Keith Holloway is going to kill your father.”

  She stared at him as the Chinese food rolled around in her stomach. “And we’re just sitting here, not doing anything, after you said—”

  “Shh!” He put the cigar in his mouth, then took it out and examined it. “We have to get into Keith’s house and rescue him.”

  She gripped the table, leaning forward. “That’s how you’re going to help me?” She wanted to shove the table into him. She really thought about doing it.

  He gave her a pointed look. “It’s the o
nly way.”

  Didn’t he say we? “But how? And how am I going to help?”

  He dropped the cigar on the table and laced his fingers behind his head. If this made him nervous at all, it didn’t show. In fact, it looked like he was enjoying it. “You’re our way in.”

  Her stomach felt so bad that she had to rub a hand over it. She’d come this far, and now she needed to walk the walk and actually help her dad. She closed her eyes and concentrated on breathing in and out. That usually calmed her nerves. Not this time. Especially not when Alexander stood and moved into the chair next to her.

  He caught her face in his hands just as she opened her eyes.

  “Alex—”

  “Shhh, Cora. Now do you want my help to get your father out of Keith’s house? Or do you want to go to the police by yourself and see if they believe your story? See if they can even get a warrant to search Keith’s house? See if they have half a chance of doing anything before Jerry gets a bullet to the brain and a remote burial?”

  She tried to shake her head but couldn’t. He held her still. She couldn’t go anywhere to get away from his unwavering, calculating stare.

  “Cora, what do you want to do?” His gaze left her eyes and dropped to her mouth.

  Her lungs hurt because she couldn’t breathe. When he met her eyes again, she starting gasping.

  “Do you want my help?”

  She nodded. He studied her face for a minute more before letting go and standing up. “Good. Let’s talk about a plan.”

  Eleven

  At eight forty five in the morning, Cora left the car and walked the block to the Holloway property. The cool morning air reminded her, for a second, of waking up in the mountain with Nick.

  She pulled in a deep breath and refocused, but her mind was doing summersaults back and forth. Alexander wanted to kiss her last night. She was sure of it. She was extremely relieved he didn’t, and yet she knew a man like Alexander wouldn’t lose his nerve. He was planning something. Maybe he thought she’d like him if he helped her and her dad. It might get ugly after this, when he realized she wasn’t interested at all. She was using him, and she felt dirty about it.