But, his expression was strained, she noted with concern.
That was alarming enough for her.
So engrossed they all were in conversation, they didn’t even notice her.
Taking a slight sideways step, she hid further behind the potted plant.
“How in the hell could I let this happen? Am I getting that lax?” he snapped and swung his gaze between the other men. “What was I thinking? Damn it, days and nights like this are the worst for her.” Cursing lightly under his breath, he braced both hands against the counter before centering his attention on Goliath. “I know we split up miles back. Did you have any luck or see anything, Cassius?”
Her stomach dropped.
Exactly, who was the ‘she’ that they were referring to?
Did he have a significant other or secret bride stashed away?
But, the files hadn’t indicated such a thing, she fretted, peering at him through the small crack in the leaves. And why, pray tell, was she bothered by the idea of him having someone special in his life?
“I’ve driven around to all the places that I can think of. Every corner and crack in the woods, I’ve looked.” Cassius blew an exasperated breath. “She’s getting too good at this game---”
“Where she hides and we seek,” Titan finished for him. Then, he released a bitter curse. “Shit, this is all my fault. Days ago, I should’ve been here.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” the butler broke in and passed Titan a long look. “You can’t stay and watch her 24/7. Stop feeling guilty for at least trying to live some small part of your life. Haven’t you sacrificed enough?”
“Stop trying to assuage my guilt, Carmine. I’m the one to blame and no one else. It’s my responsibility to take care of her.”
At that point, mother-nature showed her fury again.
Thunder rumbled and rolled along the mountainous expanse.
The lights flashed overhead.
She held in a breath of relief as they stayed on.
“This damned rain---when will it ever stop?” he exploded and combed a hand through his wet hair. Then, he pushed away from the counter. “To hell with it. I’m going back out. Maybe we missed something.”
“And look where exactly?” Carmine braced a hand against his broad shoulder and stayed him. “We’ve checked the garden house. She’s not there, so she has to be hidden in this house somewhere. Past experience should tell you that.” The man looked at him long and hard. “You know that this is her form of punishment for you, right? Hiding like this is her way of doing so. I hate to say it, Titan. But, her actions are a blatant form of manipulation.”
“No, you’re wrong,” he disagreed in fast denial and then anger. “Damn it, Carmine. How could you even suggest something like that? Manipulation is clearly something that she’s not capable of.”
“Don’t be so naïve, son.” Carmine narrowed his gaze further. “Surely, you haven’t forgotten the tantrum she threw once she realized that you’d be gone for a couple of days. It was one of her worst yet.”
“How could I forget?”
“And this woman---Bella, right? Is she still asleep on the sofa?” Cassius directed the question at him. “Don’t know why it is. But, I don’t have a good feeling about her being here. Especially considering that we’ve been taking extra precautions here lately. Hell, I don’t trust anybody.”
She tensed behind the plant.
Now, she was the topic of conversation.
“How many times do I have to tell you the same thing? She’s harmless.” A hint of irritation played in his voice. “But, since you want to hear the story again, here it goes. She got lost, her car broke down miles back, and I had no choice but to bring her here.”
“Rather convenient, don’t you think?” Cassius suggested with a heavy frown. “In your world, Titan, there’s no such thing such as simple convenience.”
“Relax, man. While most people are out to get me in one capacity or another, she’s not. Again, everything about her is completely innocent. There’s no penalty for getting lost, and hell, it happens to the best of us,” he muttered in her defense. “Even more, she has no sound reason to have a vendetta against me.”
Again, the guilt seared through her.
He couldn’t be more wrong…
Still, Cassius didn’t seem convinced. “I hope you’re right.”
“I am right. So, quit fighting me on this,” he said with a heavy sigh. “She’s probably been wondering where the hell I’ve been all day. What kind of host am I? Guess I better go check on her. After that, Cassius, we’ll go back---”
She broke from behind the plant and made her escape.
Quickly, she scurried back down the hallway.
When she reached the living area, she was nearly out of breath.
She’d barely settled on the sofa before he entered.
“Oh, so you are awake.” Rather than sitting beside her on the sofa, he kept standing. His expression was blank as he regarded her. “My apologies for being out all day---it’s just that I’ve been busy with some things and lost track of time.”
“I completely understand, and you don’t have to explain things to me. But, I have to admit that your absence was concerning.” She stood up and faced him fully. Again, she couldn’t dismiss the sudden desire to protect him. “Is everything okay? You seem somewhat agitated.”
“No, everything’s fine.” He stared at her hard. “What makes you think that something’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. All of a sudden, you just seem so tense.” She peered at him with real concern. Biting her lip, she dropped her eyes to a point on his chest. Then, she met his eyes again. “Other than that, isn’t it a bit dangerous to be out there in the storm?”
“Don’t worry about me,” he quipped tightly. “I’m fine.” Then, he hesitated for a brief moment. “You haven’t heard or seen anything since you’ve been sitting here, have you?”
“No,” she murmured, shaking her head. “Wait. That’s not exactly true. I’ve seen a cat once or twice.”
“Oh, so you met Tabby,” he inquired with his brows pierced in a frown. “Nothing else?”
“Nothing. Why?”
“No particular reason.” He sighed hard. “Oh, I should’ve mentioned it before. We’re not alone on the property. There are others here---my butler Carmine, and the head of my security team, Cassius.”
Once more, disappointment filled her.
Why didn’t he mention the woman?
She gave a short laugh. “Nice to know that now.”
“As I said, I should’ve mentioned it earlier.” His gaze moved away from her and to the window. Across the sky, the lightning blazed a fiery bright bolt and lit the heavens. As it did, he couldn’t disguise his unease. “Listen, I have to go out again. Carmine will be here to assist you.” Just as he said the butler’s name, the man materialized in the room. As he did, Titan turned to face the man. “And speaking of the devil, here he is. Allow me to make introductions.” When the man stopped alongside them, he did just that. “Carmine, this Bella. Bella, this is Carmine.”
“A real pleasure, Ms. Bella,” Carmine’s gave a wide smile and made a courtesy bow before her. Immediately, she was charmed by his serene presence. “I’m happy to serve you in any way that I can.”
“Thank you so much, and I’m sorry to intrude in such a way,” she apologized and glanced at the crumpled throw on the sofa. “I’m trying not to be too much of a nuisance while I’m here.”
“I’m sure that you’re certainly not that,” Carmine said with full confidence. Looking away from her, he passed a fast look at Titan. “How long do you anticipate being out?”
“At the moment, I don’t have a particular timeline.” As he looked at Carmine, his expression was hard. “I’ll be in touch with you if things necessitate it.”
“Didn’t we just speak of those things?” Carmine stressed and frowned. “Trust me. My assessment on the situation is spot on. Stop being so damned stubborn and li
sten to me for once, will you?”
“Don’t mind him, Bella. He can be overbearing when he wants to. But, I value his opinion above anyone else.”
“And ten times out of ten, I’m generally right about things,” Carmine shot back. “It’s apparent, however, that you’re intent about going back out.” A sigh left him. “The elements are rather nasty outside. So, be careful, will you. Exercise good judgment.”
“Thanks for the warning. But, I’ll be fine, and besides that, Cassius will be with me. Don’t worry---I’ll be sure to keep my head on straight. See you when I get back.” Glancing at her, he gave an abrupt nod. “Hope that the rest of your evening is pleasurable, Bella.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “I’m sure that I will be.”
Helpless once again, she watched him leave.
Chapter 6
Several moments later, they’d still come up empty-handed.
As it’d been earlier, the garden house was vacant.
Also, the stables were empty except for the two black stallions.
The vagueness left them with the remaining damning question.
Where was she?
The Jeep Wrangler climbed the rugged mountainside with ease, and for the hundredth time, he cast a worried look out the window. Sighing hard, he peered past the swishing wipers, and again, the night held a foreboding spirit. “How long have we been out here?”
Cassius glanced at his watch. “Long enough.” As the vehicle rambled over the jagged rocks, he gripped the dashboard. “Carmine’s right. She’s not out here. She’s back at the house.”
“But, we’ve looked everywhere in the house.” Again, he couldn’t dispel his worry or agitation. “Granted, the place is monstrous-sized and all. Still, it doesn’t make sense how she’s been able to evade us.”
“Don’t underestimate her abilities. She can be quite crafty when she wants to be.” Cassius treaded carefully. “How long have you known me, Titan?”
“Since we were shit-nosed seven year old kids.” He grinned in the darkness. But, his smile quickly faded. Usually, his friend’s loaded question was a precursor to something heavier. “Why?”
“Have you ever known me to bullshit you?”
“Hell, bro. I trust you with my life.” He took his eyes from the jagged road briefly and glanced at him. Then, an unwarranted anger filled him. “Just spit out whatever in the hell you want to say.”
“Curse at me again, and I’ll punch your fucking lights out,” Cassius’ piercing black stare landed on him, and then he released a suppressed breath. “Know you don’t want to hear it, but Ma needs some real help.”
“No, don’t start with that again.” He gripped the steering wheel harder, but it did little to alleviate his rising tension. “Mama is fine. I’m doing everything possible to ensure that she’s getting proper care.”
“Housing her in these damn mountains hasn’t helped her in the least. In fact, it’s made her more of a recluse.” Another exasperated breath left him. “Bro, you’re not betraying her by making sure that she receives the proper professional help---”
“We’ve had this conversation countless times before,” he said sharply. “I’m not locking my mother up in some fucking loony bin. For years, she’s been trapped in a private prison, and to physically do it would only hurt her more.” For some reason, the hard tears burned his eyes as he drove. Still, he was able to get the words out. “Hell, hasn’t she suffered enough?”
“Of course she has. That’s not what I meant, and you know it, bro.” Cassius paused for a second. “But, these episodes like tonight. They’re becoming too frequent. If we don’t get a handle on things, something horrible is going to happen. Are you prepared for that?”
As the Jeep climbed the mountain, that very question haunted him.
***
“Thank you, Carmine. You really didn’t have to do this.”
“Of course I did,” Carmine remarked from the open doorway. But, as he hovered there, it seemed that he was doing a subtle yet, deep perusal about the bedroom. He balanced a food tray in his hand, and the food on it left an extremely pleasing aroma. “The hour’s late, and after looking in the fridge and seeing what Titan thinks constitutes as food, I know that you’re hungry.” Humor played in his voice. “After all these years, it’s obvious that I haven’t trained the boy well in the culinary area, and he still has a lot to learn in that regard.” His dark gaze met hers. “Once more, allow me to apologize for not being here to greet you properly. This area is generally pleasurable and inviting. Still, I would’ve liked to have spruced it up a bit more for your visit.” Stepping further inside, the butler smiled at her genuinely. “Dinner preparations took awhile. But, the wait was worth it, I can ensure you. There’s Sheperd’s pie, minestrone soup, miniscule cucumber sandwiches, and a light salad. Along with that, there’s sweet tea to drink, spruced with wedges of tangy lime and lemon, of course.”
Her stomach grumbled loudly.
She looked across the room shame-faced.
Even the mention of food was driving her hunger.
“Everything sounds heavenly,” she murmured. “Sorry for the tummy noise. It’s just that I really haven’t eaten anything since this morning.”
Carmine waved a free hand at her. “Don’t be embarrassed. It happens to all of us.” He placed the tray on the table by the bed. “Allow me to apologize on the behalf of all of us again. There were unforeseen circumstances that prohibited us from greeting you in a more cordial manner.”
She straightened against the pillows and tried not to ogle to tray outright. But, the sweet smell of the food was making it so hard. “Again, none of you have any reason to apologize. It’s not like you were expecting a guest. Not to mention a stranger at that.”
“You’re being much too generous. There’s no justification for our blatant lack of hospitality. But, hopefully, spoiling you with dinner in bed will alleviate our wrongs somewhat.” He smiled again. “When you’ve finished eating, just place the tray outside the door, and I’ll pick it up. Is there anything else that I can get you?”
“No, I’m fine. You’ve done more than enough.”
“Well,” he said, clapping his hands together. “There are other things that I have to catch up on. Before I go, though, allow me to give you a quick rundown on tomorrow’s schedule. Breakfast will be hot and ready by 6am in the morning while brunch is at ten thirty. Lunch is at one. So, don’t worry about being malnourished while you’re here.” Then, he dropped his voice low to a conspiratorial whisper. “Just between me and you, Titan is literally a tyrant first thing in the morning. Nothing utterly pleases him. So, be forewarned.”
“I’ll heed your warning.”
“With those words, I shall go.”
After giving another customary bow, Carmine departed.
She grabbed a cucumber sandwich from the tray. “I’m starving to death! And I can’t wait to eat you.”
Thirty minutes later, she was placing the tray outside the door just as she’d been instructed. After locking the door, she moved in the direction of the bathroom. In a short time, showered and refreshed, she emerged from the bathroom, dressed in the sports jersey that she’d borrowed earlier. Quickly, she twisted her hair into a ponytail and secured it a hair band.
She crawled onto the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin.
Within minutes, she was asleep.
Yet, a short time later, she was jolted awake.
The cold wet chill swept over her again.
Shivering, groaning, she pushed up in the bed and blinked at the darkness. It took her eyes a second or two to adjust. When she looked towards the window, her heart beat violently against her chest.
Through the open window, the wind rushed in. The beige colored curtains billowed out under the wind’s assault. Amidst them, a shadowed figure stood and watched her.
A piercing scream lodged in her throat.
Was she hallucinating, or was she really seeing a ghost?
; The shadowed figure was a woman.
From head to toe, she was draped in white.
The woman wore a floor length dress, but her bare feet peeked from beneath the soft fabric. A thin veil covered her face and concealed it from sight. What she could make out, though, was the raven black hair that touched the woman’s shoulders.
Once more, the violent storm announced its presence.
A peal of bright lightning filled the sky.
As the light illuminated the room, the strange woman released a tortured cry. At breakneck speed, she charged away from the window and rushed straight for her.
The fear sliced through her fast.
But, she couldn’t let it overrule her!
Especially when it meant fighting for her very life!
Releasing a frightened scream, she scrambled from the bed.
***
When he entered the house, Carmine was waiting at the front entrance. His anxious gaze met the butler’s. “Any luck here?”
“Haven’t heard a thing.” Frowning, Carmine ushered them in from the driving rain and closed the door. Then, he switched a concerned look between him and Cassius. “After our special guest was settled in, I searched every crack and crevice in this place.”
“We rechecked the garden house and the stables. All her usual hiding places are empty.” He fought against the rising fear. “She has to be somewhere. We’ll split up and retrace our steps again. Maybe we all missed something the first time around. We’ll check the wine cellar, closets----”
A piercing scream came from upstairs.
At the same time, the three of them realized the truth.
“She’s upstairs in the west wing!” Carmine announced with surprise. “She’s there with Bella!”
The revelation already had him running.
***
She rolled from the bed and readied for a full on attack. But, her apprehension died quickly and turned to alarm. Speechless, stunned, she took in the woman’s strange behavior and antics.
Rise of the Titan Page 12