“Now you’ll dance for me as you’ve never danced before,” Ethan declared with a wicked gleam in his eyes. He leaned dangerously far over the ledge. “All the city will see you perform but I will be your audience. I will watch you move.”
Olivia took a hasty step back and tottered on the stilettos, but Ethan’s grip wouldn’t allow her to go far. She remembered what happened the last time she performed publicly. Ethan had caused the accident that ended her career. “There isn’t much room on the balcony and I’m tired tonight. Please be reasonable, Ethan.”
“Reasonable?” Ethan mocked. “You danced for him. You bragged about it and tried to wound me. I saw how your eyes gleamed defiantly as you taunted me. Do you know how it wounds me still to think of you with him? You will never see him again, I promise you, Olivia. And now you will prove your dedication to me. Get on the ledge and dance.”
Olivia stared at him in horror. “Surely you can’t mean –“
“Of course I mean it. Climb up and give me the performance of your life. One false move will prove hazardous, so I suggest you be careful.”
No, she couldn’t! They were forty stories up! “Ethan, there must be another way –“
He shook his head grimly. “There isn’t. You wanted to hurt me. You defied me and ran away. You played the whore with another man.”
Olivia imagined climbing on the wall. Her balance wasn’t good to begin with. It would be very easy for Ethan to nudge her over and she’d fall to her death. “We were never intimate, Ethan. Paul is gone. There is no one else in my life,” she said quietly as she tried to fight her desperation. She had to reason with him before he forced her to do his bidding.
His eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Now you plead with me. Yes, that’s right. Go ahead and beg for your life, but it won’t change anything. The only way you can redeem yourself is by dancing for me. Like a butterfly high in the sky.” He drew her into his arms and tried to kiss her but Olivia remained stiff in his embrace. She tried to turn away from his kiss but he held her head in place. “You will submit, damn it! You are mine!”
She knew fighting him was a mistake but she couldn’t submit as he demanded. His lips ground hard against hers until she tasted blood. When she gasped for breath his tongue invaded her mouth. She felt violated and angry. She tried to push away from him but he held her tight and refused to let her go. He backed her against the wall and pressed until she was leaning across the ledge. Her shoulders passed the wall and nothing supported her head. If Ethan wanted, he could shove her over. She clutched at him fearfully as he slowly pulled the pins from her hair and let them drop one by one.
“It would be so easy to push you over,” he murmured against her throat. He was considering her worst fears. She knew he was crazy but she didn’t think he would kill her tonight!
“Please don’t, Ethan. I’m sorry I made you angry.” She tried to wiggle out of his grasp but he pinned her body against the ledge. She could feel the breeze rustling through her loose hair. Ethan grabbed her thigh and raised her leg, inching her further over the ledge. She hated reaching for him but she had no choice and clutched him desperately.
Ethan let out a low chuckle. “That’s right, lovely one. Beg me for your life. Submit to me. Wrap your legs around my waist.”
Olivia didn’t want to. She didn’t want to have that sort of contact with him. He was evil and repulsive. But she knew if she didn’t obey, he’d easily toss her over and there was no one to stop him. Before she could comply, he jerked her upright so she stood facing him again. Her hair streamed wildly around her shoulders. With shaking fingers, she tried to brush it into order. He hated when she looked wanton, even if he caused it.
He watched her as if mesmerized. Then suddenly his gaze snapped into focus. “This isn’t working, but I have a better plan. We will climb the ledge together, Olivia. Together we will prove our eternal bond.” He grabbed her wrist in a steel grip as he climbed onto the ledge. She clutched the wall frantically as he tugged on her, encouraging her to follow. The ground was far far below.
“Come, butterfly, let’s dance.”
FIFTEEN
Paul waited outside the apartment for his opportunity to enter. He knew every second counted at this point, but short of using a battering ram, he wasn’t getting through that steel door by force. He’d already pinpointed each security camera along the hall. No doubt Moore already knew he was there. He was surprised no one had come out to apprehend him – neither the bad guys nor the good. The silence was making him edgy. Why hadn’t Moore sent someone out to deal with him? He’d counted on Ethan bringing him inside for a little “discussion.” He knew it was dangerous, but he relished meeting Olivia’s tormentor face to face to exact a little revenge on her behalf. But no one came out, not even Rogerson, to order him away from the scene. Tasha Bennington hadn’t sent one of her men up to drag him back down to the unmarked van parked on the street.
Which meant something was wrong.
Anger and fear rode beneath the surface as he stalked the doorway. He’d been an undercover cop long enough to know he couldn’t ride on his emotions. He needed to do this right or Olivia would get hurt, just as Jodee had.
The door to the apartment suddenly swung open. There was no time to duck around the corner so Paul stood his ground. His wariness turned to curiosity as he watched Rogerson drag a very large unconscious man into the hallway. Rogerson stiffened when he spotted Paul and quickly shut the apartment door behind him.
“Where’s Olivia?” Paul demanded, wasting no time. Rogerson’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. Ethan had enough friends and enemies that Rogerson would be wary of everyone. Too bad Tasha hadn’t arranged a “meet and greet” so the agent would be more willing to help him out.
“Come on, man,” Paul urged impatiently. “We’re on the same side. For the sake of secrecy and too many security cameras, I’m not going to name names. Just get me through that door.”
“You’re Paul Justice?”
“Yeah,” he admitted with a big measure of relief. Maybe Tasha was on his side after all. He needed ten minutes inside to get Olivia out, then the FBI could play around with Ethan Moore as long as they wanted.
“He was dragging her onto the balcony when I left. I couldn’t intervene. He’s flying high on a lot of substances and is very unpredictable. There’s no one else in the flat for you to worry about. This guy was his bodyguard.” Rogerson nudged the big man with his foot. “Don’t blow this case, Justice. We have a lot riding on the evidence.”
Paul didn’t bother with an answer as he pushed the door wide enough to peer into the apartment. All was quiet. He crept inside as Rogerson pulled the unconscious man further down the hall and away from the apartment. At least Rogerson didn’t try to stop him – another gift from Tasha Bennington. Maybe they realized how dicey things were for Olivia, which set Paul even more on edge. He didn’t like coming in empty handed and wished for his service issue firearm. He crept silently through the foyer, taking in a lot of details at once. The place was posh, not surprising for a billionaire criminal. He moved past what looked like a large office to an open living area. The remains of a meal were forgotten on the long dining table. Place settings for two.
He heard voices arguing through the open doorway to the balcony. He stayed as close to the wall and out of sight as possible. As he drew closer he could hear Olivia. He couldn’t make out the words but her voice was filled with panic. Anger surged through him and he wanted to charge out there, but he knew any sudden moves could put her at risk. He had to stay calm, assess, and then take out the bastard.
Keep her safe – don’t fail her.
He stepped into the doorway and froze at what he saw. Ethan Moore stood on the balcony wall, balancing precariously on the narrow ledge forty floors above the street below. Olivia sat on the wall next to his legs; she gripped the ledge tightly. Her face was badly bruised and filled with terror. Ethan had his hand buried in her hair. Paul let out a low, imperceptible growl. She was hu
rt. They’d warned him, but the cuts and bruises coloring her face were still a shock and Paul could barely see through the haze of his rage. Ethan Moore would pay dearly for abusing her.
“Stand up!” Ethan barked. He gave a sharp tug on her scalp, making her cry out.
“No!” she screamed. “I won’t do this. Let me go, Ethan!” Her eyes widened when she spotted Paul in the doorway. “Paul!” she mouthed silently as tears started trekking down her cheeks at the sight of him. When he stepped forward she shook her head almost imperceptibly. “No! Don’t!” her lips formed the silent words.
He didn’t allow her fear to deter him. He wouldn’t let this psychopath murder the woman he loved. Very slowly he eased onto the balcony, keeping to the side. He kept his gaze locked on Olivia’s as he watched Moore in his periphery.
He was less than four feet away when Ethan glanced in his direction and realized they weren’t alone on the balcony. Ethan jerked viciously and Olivia cried out in fear and pain. “Ethan!” she shrieked as he tottered, pulling on her with desperate fierceness. She leaned forward and tried to wrench herself out of his grasp but Ethan’s hold was too strong. He regained his balance with some effort then laughed. With another sharp tug he held Olivia on the wall when she tried to slip free again.
“Welcome to the party, Paul Justice,” he sneered. “Don’t take another step or I’ll knock her off the ledge.” He gave a sudden violent pull on Olivia’s hair. Her entire body shifted and she let out a small scream. Ethan teetered, righted himself, and then laughed again.
The man was insane. Paul held up his hands. “Fine, I won’t come any closer. Just let her down. We can discuss this rationally.”
“Why? So you can put your hands all over her? I was told you were dead. Maybe you’re a ghost standing here, coming to destroy my happiness. But I won’t let you take Olivia away from me. She belongs to me. Not you. Never you. I will kill us all before I let you touch her again. Her body belongs to me. I know what she needs. I’m the only one who can provide for her.”
Paul’s anger grew with every word. How dare this spineless worm of a man think he could control Olivia’s life? How dare he lay a hand on her? Paul wanted to beat him into a bloody pulp and have him cry for mercy, but he knew he couldn’t act on his anger – not yet. He forced himself to remain calm while wearing a mild expression. He wouldn’t let Ethan know how pissed he was.
Time to play good cop. He hated that role. “All right, buddy, take it easy. I know you care for Olivia, but this is no way to treat her. She’s in danger and she’s hurt. Let her down gently so the three of us can talk about this.” Paul held his hands up in a placating way as he took a small step forward. “I can see you’re upset. You’re angry. But this isn’t the way to handle your anger. Let her down nice and easy so we can go inside and talk. Come on, buddy.”
“Don’t take another step!” Ethan yelled. He shook with rage and a tremor ran the length of his body. Paul could see how it affected Olivia and froze in his place.
“Okay, okay. I won’t move. Take it easy.”
“Don’t tell me what to do! I know who you are, Paul Justice!” He pulled Olivia’s hair, making her stretch higher. She winced but didn’t take her gaze off Paul.
Paul held up his hand and forced his voice to remain easy – soothing. He wanted to tackle the guy and knock him off the wall himself but he forced himself to remain still. “I’m only Olivia’s friend. You don’t need to take your anger out on her. Step down and face me, man-to-man. She doesn’t need to be in the middle of this.”
Ethan laughed derisively. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? You think I’m a fool, Paul Justice? No! You turned her into a whore! I should kill you both for what you’ve done. You stole her from me and I will make you suffer more than you ever thought possible. You will wish you died in that car crash – those fools should have killed you as I ordered them to. They told me you were dead.” Ethan’s voice grew softer with each word until he was muttering to himself. Paul took another step closer. He kept a close eye on Ethan as he slowly reached toward Olivia.
“You were supposed to die!” Ethan said suddenly as his full attention went to Paul again.
“Sorry to disappoint you,” Paul answered evenly as he froze in place. His hand was still outstretched toward Olivia but she had yet to release the wall.
“I know all about you,” Ethan didn’t seem to notice the attempted rescue as he continued his musings. “You used to be a cop but you botched a case. You let a young girl get killed, didn’t you?” Paul didn’t answer so Ethan gave a sharp tug on Olivia’s hair. “Didn’t you?” he demanded again as Olivia gasped at the sudden pain.
Paul clenched his fists as he saw her silent tears. “Yeah, Jodee Sullivan was my underage informant in a drug ring we were trying to bust. I tried to get her out of there but she wouldn’t listen. They learned she was giving me information and they killed her.”
“Doesn’t it bother you, being responsible for an innocent’s death?” Ethan taunted. “And guess what? It’s going to happen again. I’m going to kill Olivia and it will be your fault. She’ll die because she never should have allowed you to touch her. This was a test of her loyalty tonight. She was supposed to dance for me but she wouldn’t do it. She failed the test.”
Paul sensed rather than heard someone moving in behind him. He was tempted to turn to make sure they were friends and not more foes to deal with but he couldn’t take his eyes off Olivia. Every time she tried to ease off the wall, Ethan gave a sharp tug. There was enough lip on the wall to hold her secure but he knew her grip was getting tired. She was beginning to tremble.
“You wouldn’t kill someone you love, would you Ethan?” Paul asked as he eased a little closer.
“I would kill anyone who betrays me!” Ethan retorted angrily. He reached down with his free hand and grabbed Olivia’s throat, pulling her upward. Before she could gain her footing, there was a shout behind Paul. Two agents rushed onto the balcony; at the same time Paul reached frantically for Olivia. His fist wrapped around her wrist as Ethan lost his footing. Ethan grasped desperately for Olivia as his body pitched back over the wall. At the same time Olivia launched herself toward Paul while Paul instinctively jerked her close. She landed hard against him, knocking him to the ground.
It was eerily silent as Paul gathered Olivia’s trembling body into his arms and held her tight. Fear and adrenaline coursed through him as he realized how close he came to losing her. The sound of her sobbing filled his ears and it was the sweetest sound he’d ever heard. Beside him, the agents rushed to the rail to peer below. One barked information into his phone as sirens were heard in the distance. None of it mattered because Olivia was safe.
He drew back enough to press a kiss to the top of her head. “It’s over, baby. It’s all over. Ethan Moore will never hurt you again.”
EPILOGUE
Olivia glanced up as her husband stepped near the viewing window of the dance studio and tapped on the glass. He still wore his uniform and she grimaced at him, making him grin. They were supposed to leave in a few minutes to pick up her parents at the airport, as soon as she finished teaching ballet to this group of adorably clumsy four-year-olds.
It had been one year since her abduction and rescue. Thankfully Ethan never harmed her family as he threatened and she was able to reunite with her parents and sister right away. Immediately after the rescue, Paul insisted she receive trauma counseling as well as medical treatment for her hip. After extensive physical therapy, she was now able to walk without a limp. She could even dance without pain or fear of losing her balance. She also slept easily in her husband’s arms with no recurring nightmares. Sometimes she thought about Ethan. Her life was forever changed because of what he did to her. Yet she was a stronger person now.
Paul expected her to return to her old life with the ballet company – at least on some level since she could never pick up where she left off – but she didn’t want to remain in California. There were too many bad memori
es for her there and she’d found a new home with him in Colorado. When he realized how determined she was to be with him, he swept her off her feet and insisted she marry him quickly.
The investigation concerning Ethan’s crimes and death were ongoing but were handled discreetly since so many levels of government had been tainted by his corruption. Thankfully Olivia was now free of their questioning. Through Olivia’s rescue, Paul realized he needed to rejoin the police force. He was a good cop – always had been, even when the one undercover bust had turned more deadly than it should have. He decided it was time to forgive himself for his part in Jodee’s demise and go back to the work he enjoyed.
Olivia motioned to him through the window, encouraging him to join her in the dance studio. As the little girls practiced plies she crossed the floor to meet him halfway.
“I thought you were going home to change before we leave to pick up my parents,” she admonished as he pulled her into his arms.
“I got off later than expected.” He lowered his voice so no little girls could eavesdrop. “We have plenty of time before their flight gets in. You want to go home now and get me out of this uniform yourself? It’ll take your parents awhile anyway – disembarking the plane, going to the bathroom, collecting their luggage. We have hours,” Paul suggested as he pressed a kiss to her lips. “You know it drives me crazy when you wear these sexy leotards.” He kissed her neck, bending her back over his arm in a very dramatic display. Olivia knew the watching parents would have a fit. The little girls in the class giggled at them – at least the ones who were paying attention.
“That’s an offer I can’t refuse, Officer Justice.” She laughed at his look of surprise. They had a little extra time before her parents’ plane landed, not as much as he suggested – as long as they hurried.
“Oh yeah? Well let’s wrap up this dance class before you change your mind. Girls, it’s time for your final curtsey,” he called out to the little dancers who were obviously ready to be done. One was laying on the floor.
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