Where to Belong

by W.J. Smith

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Make A Deal

  The vehicles pulled into a business complex in an area she had never seen before. They were not outside the city. Rather, they were in a location she was unfamiliar with. There was not any kind of security or check points at all as they pulled into a garage under the tall building.

  Most of the vehicles looked alike as they were parked in tight rows; big, black SUV after big, black SUV. There were a handful that differed from the seemingly endless collection of burly trucks like Skyler's silver G-Wagon across the way and a blue van next to it.

  Madison's entourage didn't park. They pulled along a set of double doors made of glass. One of the men riding with her got out and opened her door, gesturing for her to do the same. Levi soon joined them as they entered the building.

  He went ahead of them and led the way through the bare-walled facility. The entire setup had a temporary feel to it. The halls were not well kept. Paint was peeling in places and tiles were missing out of the ceiling. Offices they passed along the way told a different story. They were brightly lit and well furnished. Once she thought they were coming to an active area, but there were no other persons in the halls or rooms as far as she could see.

  She did well in keeping track of the halls they took and turns they made. At first. After awhile, though, she felt they were going in circles. There were not any numbers over the doors or plaques to decipher one room from another. The scenes looked to be repeating themselves.

  Her nervousness pushed to the fore when she lost count of their turns. Madison became more aware of how tense Levi was as he guided them. Neither he nor the man beside her spoke a word. She tried not to let her mind wander with the possibilities of what she was going to face here, but the silence did too little to distract her.

  A countless number of halls and one elevator ride later, Levi finally came to an opened office door and ushered her inside. It was one of the more presentable rooms she had witnessed in the building. The walls were a soft, sky blue. The carpet had a complementing pattern that wove through the inset scrolling. A plush living room set welcomed those who stepped into the room. There was a large, dark stained, wooden desk at the back of the room to her right. A slender computer monitor and a bronze desk lamp was all that sat atop the tidy desk.

  It was the figure behind the desk that caught her attention and refused to let it go, the ghost from her dreams in all his recalled beauty. Morgan slowly stood as a warm smile parted his lips. His deep brown eyes met hers. The stupid girl in her wanted to run to him and wrap her arms around him. She bit her cheek to keep her heart from racing and to remember how to breathe.

  "Madison." His accent sung her name as he motioned to the chair in front of the grand desk. "Come, we have much to talk about."

  She glanced at the two beside her as they stepped back and left the room. It was just her and Morgan. Looking back to him, she found him still holding the inviting smile. She forced one of her own and was grateful her feet carried her along the way instead of letting her fall on her face.

  When she neared the chair, Morgan moved from behind the desk and reached for her. He pulled her into the wonderful embrace she remembered. She held him without thinking, completely caught up in the confusion of seeing him after believing all these years that he was dead. She wasn't ready to face him much less be close to him. The stupid girl was winning.

  His hands glided up her back until his fingertips whispered across her throat. "I think it's safe for you to wear this," he said as he tugged at the gold chain around her neck. She had unknowingly put on the necklace with the ring in all the excitement. It was in her pocket last she knew. Morgan unclasped the chain and freed the diamond ring. "I see you've been waiting for me." He smiled as he slipped it onto her finger. It still fit.

  Butterflies filled her stomach as she gazed blankly at the sparkling stone. She had been waiting for him, wishing for him. But now that he was here, it wasn't what she thought. That wishing had shifted to Skyler. But she couldn't let Morgan know. If he was the monster that Skyler painted him to be, he needed to believe that she was still that gullible and naive girl he fooled all those years ago.

  Madison raised her eyes to his and smiled. It was easy. Part of her heart still ached for him.

  He leaned in and kissed her cheek. She flinched slightly, refraining from meeting his warm lips with her own. "Let me take you coat," he spoke into her ear. She could smell the hint of hazelnut coffee on his breath at his nearness. He was never without his favorite coffee.

  She shook her head both to clear it and to deny him. "I'm still a little cold," she lied. She was melting. The syringe tucked within the sleeve held her to her resolve. She was here for Skyler.

  Morgan perched on the edge of his desk and again motioned to the chair. "Welcome home." She took it slowly while keeping her eyes on the sight she was still struggling to comprehend. Feelings of loss and abandonment swirled in her head, screaming for answers, and she fought to conceal it, hoping with all her heart that her face didn't betray her.

  "You undoubtedly have many questions," he leaned closer, "and I will do my best to answer, but I am a little short on time at the moment. You see, I am in the middle of wrapping up a deal. It has taken far too long to get to this point, and I need to get back to it." He paused in his explanation and studied her, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes.

  "Actually," he went on. "Your timing couldn't be better." He shifted back with a pleased smile. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you have nowhere to go, do you?"

  The question was too convenient. She couldn't answer. Of course she had nowhere to go, but to tell him so would only leave her all the more so open to his scheming.

  He didn't wait for her answer. "I can give you what you're looking for. Help me finish this job and I will let you come home to stay. You won't have to worry about rebuilding an identity or finding work. Everything is right where you left it. Here, with me."

  She wasn't the one who left, not really. And this wasn't what she was looking for, but it was a chance to get closer to what she truly wanted. "You want me to work for you."

  "With me, love. Not for, with."

  "May I ask what it is?"

  Morgan studied her again. This time it was a little unnerving. His eyes didn't hold the kindness she had come to know. They looked dangerous, cunning. "I can only share the details if you agree to take part." He gave a one-sided smile. "You know how this works. Can I count you in?"

  "Do I have a choice?" she answered in surrender.

  It was what he wanted to hear. "That's my girl."

  She didn't like the position she was placing herself in, but it seemed to be the only way she could think of to get to Skyler. She desperately hoped he was close and that he was within reach. "How may I be of use to you?"

  He transformed back into the Morgan she remembered, the one who broke her heart. His eyes softened and he moved closer. "I am hours from concluding an arrangement with Lake View. It seems that my associate leading the team has stepped down. You already know the place better than anyone. With you taking charge of the crew we can be in and out in a fraction of the time."

  Fierce dread gripped Madison. She knew who was originally leading the team. "Where's Skyler?" The question tumbled out before she could stop it.

  Morgan's smile shifted. He peered at her as if he had missed her words. "He stepped out for coffee or something. He'll be back any moment, I'm sure."

  Her mind raced. All her fears attacked her resilience and she groped for a hint of hope. "May I see him? I need to speak with him."

  The man before her never flinched. "I'll see if he can be located." She nodded in understanding and worked to calm herself as he went on. "As I was saying, you have all the knowledge needed for this job. It's perfect for you. Take my team, go in, take one safe ..." He stopped short and clasped his hands in thought. "Unless, of course, you already ha
ve it."

  She knew what he was getting at and felt even more trapped. Was there nothing she could do to keep one step ahead of him? She tried to play innocent. "I'm sorry?"

  "Come on," he chuckled. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist such a prize. Tell me, after all these years, was it as good as you remembered?"

  A smile came to her face. He couldn't have been more wrong. She hated that she took the diamond. Even though she knew it was in the best interest of the company, she lost many nights' sleep over it. She wished everyday that she hadn't done it. She wished even more that she wasn't able to do it.

  "Where is it?"

  "I want to see Skyler." It took all her concentration to keep from trembling as adrenaline poured into her veins. She had something he wanted. But how badly did he want it? And would she be able to deliver if it came down to it? The diamond was in Skyler's possession and she didn't know how to get to it without endangering him anymore.

  "And you shall." His reply came too easily. She was unsure of how to take it. He didn't give her much time to ponder his meaning. "He will be happy to know you are back with us. He has been a little difficult to manage since you went your own way. You were the glue that held this team together. He is a brilliant young man, and full of potential, but I have to admit that I've doubted him as of late.

  "I take care of my own, Madison. You know this. I pieced that boy back together after you left. I taught him everything I know. He will never be lacking because of what I've shown him. I made him my partner in this business that I've built from the ground up. I expected the same from him. But his recent actions has forced the question of his loyalty."

  She wondered his sincerity. "Can I ask what he's done?"

  "He hid you from me." Morgan looked genuinely concerned. "I can't figure out why he would do such a thing. I've suspected of him starting his own group, but this is more than I anticipated. I'm afraid he is trying to turn you against me."

  A twinge of doubt formed against Skyler in her mind. Was he as innocent as he had her believe? What was he really after? His odium of Morgan was obvious each time he spoke of him. Would he purposely turn her against her lost fiancé just to please himself?

  But Morgan's own explanation contradicted his actions. "You knew I was at Lake View and you went ahead with your plans. If you took care of you own, you would have found another way to close the deal without force. If it wasn't for Skyler, your men would have left me to die." It took much effort to keep her voice from cracking with the memory of him deserting her.

  "My hands were tied," he said softly. "And I owe Skyler for saving you when I could not. There are times I want to wring his scrawny neck," he gave a humorless chuckle, "then he turns and does something that reminds me of why I keep him around. This is one of those reminders. He brought you back to me."

  He stared at her as if he expected her to say something more. She met his silence for a moment and mustered up a nod. "Could I see him now?"

  He took too long to answer for her comfort. "Of course." His smiling face was a mask and she didn't want to think of what was on the other side. "Tell me where my diamond is and I'll see if I can locate him." He wasn't as passive as he was letting on.

  Madison spun the ring on her finger and caught her breath. "Let me see him, please. I'll tell you where you can find it." He didn't appear to be buying her offer. "I trust you," she perjured. "I just want to see him. You'll get your diamond and I'll work for you. I just need to know he's all right."

  The look on his face hinted that she was about to get what she had wished for. He never could pass up a win-win situation. She knew he was already forming his own plan to keep all three and to do whatever he saw fit with them. Once the diamond was in his hand, she and Skyler were as good as dead. That was if she was out of her own tricks.

  He slowly got to his feet and glanced about the room before turning to her once again. Morgan offered his hand to help her up. When she took it, he hugged her to his side. "My biggest regret was losing you," he whispered as he held her close. "I'm sorry I didn't do more to keep you. You have no idea how delighted I am to have you back. You belong here, Madison. You're my girl."

  His choice words sent a chill down her spine. She didn't belong to him. She didn't belong to anyone. She was her own person. But yet, when he gazed into her eyes as he wrapped her in his secure embrace, she found herself losing out to the stupid girl all over again. She had no idea why his hold was so strong on her, but she couldn't make herself fight against it. When he leaned closer, she followed through and pressed her lips to his.

  They were transported back eight years and into their old life. Their kitchen surrounded them. She could see the calendar on the wall. Two weeks and she would be his wife and they would have a full life together. Two weeks and she would have everything she could ever ask for. Why not?

  Because Skyler was in danger and he needed her help, that's why not. He had been her friend for as long as she could remember, and he had never once lied to her or tried to mislead her. He had risked everything, even his own life to keep her safe. Though his techniques have not always been ideal, his heart was in it. He needed her to keep her head clear long enough to finish this. He couldn't break free of Morgan's leash on his own.

  Madison regained her thinking ability and eased back from him. His eyes were cold when she looked into them. It brought back the uncertainty of his love for her in the beginning. Was it ever real? She needed to know. "This whole time ..." She shook her head and stumbled over his name, "Morgan, I've loved you this whole time."

  He cocked his head and blinked slowly. "I know," he finally answered as his hands ran down her waist. His fingers ventured some, seemingly curious at first. But when they came to the wound on her belly, he pressed against it. She winced with a whimper at the sudden pressure. He drew his hand away and gave smile that didn't touch his eyes. "Apologies."

  After a few breaths, he waved a finger for her to wait and walked over to the door. Morgan spoke with someone in the hall briefly before turning back to her. "Levi is going to take you to Skyler. I have to finish something up here then I'll be down shortly and we'll discuss our options."

  Her mind raced with all the horrible outcomes that could come from going along with his plan. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her stomach was in knots, but she decided it was a risk she was going to have to take. She accepted his statement as if it were music to her ears. Madison smiled an appreciative smile and straightened her coat before following after Levi.