Bound by Steel

by Connie Lafortune

  I compel myself to sit on the coffee table directly across from her and wait while she composes herself. I think I’m being quite gentlemanly considering the circumstances. But I can be patient for just so long. “I asked you a question, Mrs. Harper. The least you can do is answer me.”

  She slinks deeper into the couch, rubs her throat and glares at me. Like I’m the one who’s done something wrong. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Mr. Steel. I had nothing to do with your wife’s death. In fact, I was devastated when I realized it happened after our interview. So if you blame me because I was the last one to see her alive, then you need to reconsider.”

  Well, I guess it’s true what they say. Nice guys finish last. I’m not playing a fucking game and she’s going to find that out. Now! “Tell me how you pulled it off, Vega, or I will kill you with my bare hands!” I’m in her face and it ain’t pretty. She’s kicking, biting and scratching to break free and I don’t care! I lost three fucking years with the woman I love because of this bitch. And I’ll be damned if I lose another second.

  “I swear, Ryker, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t kill Bella.”

  “Let me paint you a picture, Vega. I am Ryker Steel aka Jonathan Day. And the woman who shared my bed at the cabin was not Lyra Harper but Bella Steel. Don’t shake your head, Vega. It’s the truth. I know my wife, inside and out. Would you like to know why I’m one-hundred percent positive? No? Well, I’m going to tell you anyway. Bella has a birthmark shaped like a tiny heart in one of her most intimate places. So imagine my surprise when I found out my wife was still ALIVE!”

  Part Three

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Ryker

  “That’s preposterous. Jonathan Day died in an explosion after Lyra was rescued.”

  “Believe me when I tell you we are one and the same, Mrs. Harper. Jonathan Day was my alias after I went into hiding. I’d never planned on being Ryker Steel. Ever again. And then lo and behold, my wife suddenly appears at my cabin. Claiming to be Lyra Rose Harper. I want answers. Now! Tell me why my wife doesn’t know I exist.”

  The moment the truth hits her, I can see a veil of grief pass before her very eyes. If Bella’s alive, then it’s possible her daughter Lyra is the one who died all those years ago. That’s the same conclusion I came to back at the cabin. I’ve even contemplated whether it could have been intentional. I’m still working on that theory because I don’t have any solid proof yet. The woman I buried was not my wife but obviously someone who looked exactly like her. Now I know it was Lyra. But I’ve yet to figure out the connection between the two or why Bella took on her identity. I’m hoping today’s the day I can find out why the love of my life doesn’t remember I exist.

  “Don’t you dare lie to me, Vega! And don’t use your journalistic skills to spin a tale. I want the fucking truth!”

  I know this woman is a shark and won’t relent until she has all the facts. It’s in her blood to find out the truth. So perhaps that’s why I think she knew all along about Bella and Lyra. Today, I’ll be challenging her to see if what I believed is fact or fiction.

  “Excuse me if I need a minute to process the fact that my daughter could be dead, Mr. Steel. If what you say is true, then I’ll have to accept it. But before we jump to any conclusions, I’d like a dental exam to be conducted on Lyra, just to be certain.” I know I should feel sympathetic towards her. Especially when I see her wipe at a tear that penetrated her stony façade. But I don’t. Her pain is my joy and if that makes me a cold prick, then so be it. Bella’s alive! And no one will ever stand in our way again.

  “In case you haven’t noticed, Bella’s not in the right frame of mind. So you tell me what happened. She has no clue who the fuck I am and she’s obviously assumed the role of your daughter. Why?”

  I scrutinize her as she runs her fingertips through her hair. I can tell she’s contemplating what to say next and that pisses me off. “Vega, I’m warning you…”

  She holds up her hands to silence me. “Please give me a minute, Mr. Steel.” Once she’s composed herself she continues. “Lyra and I always went out to dinner on Thursday nights. So when I told her I couldn’t make it because I had an interview, she decided to go out with one of her friends. Lyra never came home that night. We called everyone we could think of and no one had seen her. Grant and I were frantic. Thirty-six agonizing hours later, a police officer found her in an alleyway. I’ve never been afraid, Mr. Steel. Until I walked into her room and she was so disorientated she didn’t even recognize her own parents.”

  “Didn’t you think that was a bit odd, Mrs. Harper? She’d been missing for so long and no one asked where she’d been?”

  “It’s hard to have a conversation with someone who doesn’t know who the hell you are! Fine! Lyra was diagnosed with dissociative amnesia. It happens when a patient goes through something stressful or traumatic and is unable to remember personal information. It could last for months, years, or indefinitely. Or her memory could easily resurface due to her surroundings. Look, I can’t have this conversation with you right now, Mr. Steel. Please, give me some space. For the love of god I need time…”

  “No! The clock’s been ticking long enough, Mrs. Harper. Your time is up! I want answers and I want them now.” I can’t stop the growl that rises up from deep inside of me. I suddenly feel violent and feral. Like I could hit her and never stop until she tells me what I want to hear. My military instincts are kicking in and I need to distance myself from her.

  Her eyes snap shut as I stand up. She’s waiting for me to hit her. Good god! What is wrong with me? With my hands clenched at my sides, I begin pacing back and forth. The echo of my bare feet smacking the hardwood floor is the only sound in the room. I inhale slowly through my nose, then blow out in short bursts. Once my heart rate has slowed, I focus on the woman in question. She appears poised when I stop pacing and cross my arms over my chest.

  “I wish I had all the answers to your questions, Mr. Steel. Unfortunately, I do not. If you give me some more time, I’ll try to get them for you. Under one condition.”

  Ah, I should have known she’d want it on her terms. “And what might that be, Mrs. Harper?”

  I watch her stand, smooth over her skirt and saunter over. We’re now standing a foot apart and I automatically brace myself for a slap that never comes. “I will only help you if you let Lyra go on believing she’s my daughter.”

  What? She has got to be out of her fucking mind! I take a quick step forward and I’m impressed when she doesn’t cower. I thought I was quite intimidating, but apparently not. Well, I’m sure she’s seen enough violence as a reporter to last her a lifetime. “That’s not acceptable! No deal. I don’t need you to find the answers, Vega. I’m more than capable of finding them myself. I was just hoping that maybe, just maybe, you could shed some light on this precarious situation. That’s all.”

  “I’ve no doubt in due time you’ll find the answers, Mr. Steel. But remember, I have access to the media. There are certain facts that I could get much faster than you. What might take you months to find, I could easily acquire in hours.”

  Dammit, she’s right... I don’t want to play cat and mouse, but I don’t see any other way. “You have my word that I will let her believe you’re her mother, Vega. But if for some reason she starts to remember the life we had together, then all bets are off.”

  “I don’t foresee that happening, Mr. Steel. After all, she didn’t remember you back at the cabin. Suffice it to say you’re not very memorable.” Ouch, that really stings. But I will not tell her that Lyra already remembers me. To some degree. A good poker player never shows his hand.

  I don’t have time to respond as Bella crashes through the front door. It’s evident by the way she’s glaring at us that she wants to know what’s been taking so long. So, I say the first thing that comes to mind. “Your mother and I have been having a wonderful chat.” Vega’s eyes widen in horror at the thought of me coming clean. Of course, I
wouldn’t do that. “I’ve just informed her that Ryker Steel is Jonathan Day.”

  Lyra

  I can’t, for the life of me, understand why he would reveal this to my mother. Of all people! She makes a living on piecing little tidbits of information like this as a headline for The New York Times. Is he crazy?

  My mother speaks before I can respond. “Lyra, close your mouth. I promise his secret’s safe with me. Now, how about that cup of coffee.”

  My mother would never be this blasé about such big news. It’s huge! “Ryker, don’t you see what you’ve done? You’ve played right into her hands. She will use this against you sometime in the future.”

  He shortens the distance between us and when his hands land on my cheeks, I try not to melt into his touch. How much did he tell her? “I wanted your mother to know that I’m not the monster everyone made me out to be. Did I fulfill my promise, precious? Did I reunite you with the ones you love?”

  “You did, Ryker. And I will be forever grateful.” When his thumb gently strokes my bottom lip, I know he wants to kiss me. Unfortunately, it will have to wait. My mother’s a more pressing problem at the moment. I have to force myself to look away from his mesmerizing stare. He’s just so damn sexy. Quickly, I turn and focus on my mother. “C’mon, Mother. I’ll brew you a fresh cup and then you can catch a later flight. We don’t want Dad to be jealous that you had a visit and he didn’t.” With a smug smile, I grab her by the arm and whisk her far, far away. The last thing I want her to see is the chemistry between Ryker and me. I’m not ready to confess my true feelings for this man. Not until I’ve spoken with Gage. It just wouldn’t be right.

  Mother and I don’t bother speaking until we’ve stepped inside the house. “So, how late is Gage working?” And there it is. The subject that I’ve been avoiding at all costs. I try to avoid her stare as she sits down at the kitchen table. I busy myself by grabbing the cream and sugar before brewing her a fresh cup. “Sweetie, did you hear me?”

  Once I’ve placed everything on the table, I can’t stall any longer. “Mom. Gage is living in Toronto. He was offered a six-month position and he accepted it.” I feel the crackle of tension the moment our eyes meet.

  “Doing what, Lyra? What could possibly be more important than his father’s business? When did all of this come about?”

  “Please, I can only answer one question at a time. Gage had an architectural opportunity of a lifetime and he grabbed it with both hands. With his parents’ blessing, I might add. It’s only for six months but if they like what they see, it could be a permanent position.”

  “I can’t believe this. Didn’t Gage offer to take you with him? Don’t give me that look, Lyra. Did he?”

  “Mom, it’s complicated. I’d rather not talk about it. Besides, that’s not the reason why you came here today. We need to figure out why I’m having these hallucinations. Hell, I feel like I’m going backwards instead of forwards. I haven’t had them in years and all of a sudden they’re back. What’s wrong with me?”

  “Do you remember when they started? Perhaps that’s what triggered them.”

  Crap! I can’t tell her it happened when I read that note inside of Cody’s collar. Then she would want to know what it said, who it was from. Ugh, my head is spinning out of control just thinking about it. I hate lying to her but I see no other way. “Mom, I really don’t remember. Look, I’m fine now so there’s no reason for you to stay. I’m sorry I panicked. Why don’t you call the airline and see if you can get another flight out tonight.”

  She studies me for a beat. I can see her wheels spinning and my heart begins to race. She’s on to me, I just know it. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with your ‘precious’ abductor living next door, now would it?”

  Damn! She heard him call me precious.

  One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three…

  “Of course not, Mother. I had no idea he was next door. I was having a spell and he helped me find Cody. That’s all.”

  “Don’t you think it’s a bit odd that he’s living next door to you now that Gage is gone? I don’t like it, Lyra. I don’t like it one bit. I think you should come home with me.”

  “I have a job, Mother. I can’t just take off any time you want me to. Look, I know you’re worried about me and I really appreciate your concern. But I’m fine. Really. If you want to stay the night, I understand. But I need to get up early to go to work.”

  “I’d feel a whole lot better leaving you if you made an appointment with Dr. Banks. Can you do that for me, Lyra? Please.”

  Dr. Banks was the therapist who was treating me for my amnesia. “Fine. Under one condition.” When she nods, I continue. “Can we stop talking about this and go out for a nice dinner instead?”

  “If that’s what my girl wants, then that’s what she’ll get.”

  After everything that happened earlier, I spend a copious amount of time showering and getting dressed. Once I feel human again, we go out and have a wonderful dinner. Together. And it feels just like old times. All the while, making sure to keep the conversation pointed in her direction. By the time we get home, I’m utterly exhausted. So I excuse myself, crawl into bed and dream of a beautiful man with piercing blue eyes.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  July

  Ryker

  It’s been over a week since my run in with Mrs. Harper. I have no idea what she’s told Bella, but she’s been keeping her distance. It infuriates me! So every morning, I watch her leave for work. Then the first thing she does when she comes home is let Cody out. I would offer to do it for her but I don’t want to interfere. It’s obvious she’s trying like hell to stay away from me. I, on the other hand, ache for her. I desperately want her to remember me and the life we had. Fuck! And to make matters worse, I haven’t heard a damn thing from her mother. Fortunately, I’ve started my own investigation and I have a few things I need to follow up on. So I’ll be leaving for New York in a matter of hours. Which reminds me, I still need to pack.

  This will be the first time in years that I’m staying at my apartment. In fact, I haven’t been there since the day I walked away from my old life. I thought it was about time for me to man the fuck up. As painful as it’s going to be, I need to get it over with. Maybe then, I’ll be able to decide whether I want to hang on to the place or get rid of it. It belongs to Bella and me. That’s why I’ve been hesitant about selling it. Especially now that I know she’s alive. Would she even recognize it if I took her there? Fuck, that’s it! What a great idea. Once she comes home, I’m going to tell her we’re going on a road trip this weekend. And that I won’t take no for an answer.

  I’m antsy as I sit on my front steps, waiting for her to come home. Normally, she’s right on time. Just watch, today of all days she’ll have made plans to go somewhere. God, I hope not. I’ve been planning what I’m going to say for the last hour. Over and over again until I have it memorized. She’ll use Cody as an excuse not to come, but I plan on taking her with us. All she’ll have to do is pack a few things and we’ll head out. I’ve already called ahead to let them know I’ll be arriving in the early evening. I thought it best to prepare them since they haven’t seen me in years. The last thing I want is to cause a scene once I get there. It’s bad enough that I’ll be walking in with a woman who they thought was dead. I’ll make sure to introduce her as Lyra Harper so there won’t be any mistakes.

  My nerves are just about shot by the time I see her little black Honda driving down the road. Well, here goes nothing. I’m half way there by the time she’s rolling down the driveway. I can sense she’s trying to ignore me but it’s impossible when I open her car door. “Lyra, pack your bags. You’re coming to New York with me this weekend.” Wow! That is so not the way I’ve been practicing it in my head.

  I quickly take a step back when she swings her legs out without warning. “I don’t think so, Ryker. But thanks for asking.” Oh, she’s a feisty one today. Well, let’s see if I remember how to calm her the fuck down.


  Instantly, I invade her personal space. To the point where I now have her pinned between my chest and the car door. Which she just recently slammed like a petulant child. My hands itch to reach out and touch her. So I let them. Lyra closes her eyes when I wrap my hand around the base of her neck and pull her in closer. Then I allow my other hand to caress the curve of her hip before grabbing her ass. I want her to feel how aroused I am whenever she’s near. I lean down just close enough to whisper in her ear. “It’s not up for discussion, precious. Pack your things now or you’ll be running around naked all weekend. Come to think of it, never mind. We’ll just grab Cody and go.” My precious girl shivers when she feels how fucking hard I am for her.

  She’s breathless when she responds, “I can’t, Ryker. It wouldn’t be fair to Gage if I slept with you again. Last time, I never thought I’d see him again. It’s different now.”

  I’m so angry that I can feel the bile burning a hole in the back of my throat. Just the thought of her rejecting me to be with him makes me livid. “I’ll understand if you want the white picket fence with the two-point-three kids, Lyra. But please don’t sacrifice yourself because you think it’s the noble thing to do.”

  When she shakes her head, I get this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. “I want you, Ry. God help me, I do.” Aw, hell. That name drives me fucking insane! I want to scream, “That’s right, Bella. It’s me. Your husband.” But I can’t! So I do the only thing I can. I crush my mouth against hers and breathe her air. Taste her lips. And stoke the fire that’s been raging inside of me for far too long. I bite her bottom lip and slide my tongue over the sensitive pink flesh, while her hands slide beneath my T-shirt and worship my heated skin. I’m on fucking fire and the only woman who can put it out is consuming me. “I’ll go with you,” she whispers against my lips. “Only if we sleep separately. I can’t control myself when you’re near me.” I can’t help chuckling at her honesty.