FullDisclosure

  His mouth opened but no words came. He finally sputtered out, “I-I didn’t think you considered this home. I thought—”

  “So did I. I thought home was with my mother, and that’s why I went back. But when I got there I realized that the real reason I wanted to go back was to see if it still felt like home.” She reached out a hand to Noah, who was now standing beside her. “And when I was there a few days I realized that it didn’t. I saw my mother and the way she lives with new eyes, and I realized how bitter and angry and how very, very old she is. She stopped living after she had me, and I can see that now. She hid away from the world and the thing is…” She gently withdrew her hand from Noah’s and took a tentative step forward. “The thing is, I realized that the world isn’t all evil and sin and ugliness. There’s a lot of beauty out here if you just open your eyes to it.”

  Evan swallowed, felt Sadie’s hand slip into his. Her love and strength flowed into him. “So you’re willing to accept me? Who I am—and the people I love?”

  “Yes. You’re a wonderful man, and I’m so glad that you’ve found love with these people. It doesn’t matter who you find happiness with…as long as you find it. I’m just sorry it took me so long to figure that out.” She sighed. “Now if only I could convince my mother of that.”

  “She doesn’t like that you’ve come back here.”

  Rachel shook her head. “No. Apparently I’m dead to her now. My decision to fornicate and enter into a relationship with a man whose father is gay is just more than she can accept.”

  Evan gave Sadie’s hand a squeeze before withdrawing and crossing the room to his daughter. He touched her cheek. “I’m so sorry you had to make that choice. It shouldn’t be like that. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t glad you’re here.” He glanced at Noah. “You made the right choice, Rachel. I hope you believe that.”

  “I do. I’m so happy to be with Noah—and with you. I’m just sorry I hurt you so much in the process.”

  He drew her into a hug. “Enough with the apologies. Let’s just enjoy what we’ve got and move forward from here.”

  “Great!” It was Noah’s enthusiastic voice. “Thank God we’ve got that out of the way. Now my dad has invited us all to their place for dinner tonight to celebrate. He’s cooking steak.”

  Evan kissed Rachel’s forehead and laughed. “Isn’t he a vegetarian?”

  “He figures the occasion merits a little indulgence. If Rachel can be flexible, so can he.”

  Evan glanced from Jake to Sadie and knew that they felt his happiness as much as he did. “We’ll be there.”

  Ellen Ballantyne pulled into the parking lot of a large park far outside the Toronto city limits. Rattlesnake Point sat high atop the sandstone cliff that was the Niagara Escarpment. It was a Monday morning so the park, which was a common destination for picnicking families and avid hikers, was all but deserted. Leaving her car, she followed the winding pathway that led past a small stream, through the dappled shade cast by a sea of poplar trees, and over enormous sandstone outcroppings to a popular lookout spot on the edge of the cliff. She sat down to wait, enjoying the view of forests and farmland as she sipped her coffee from its cheap paper cup.

  It was almost twenty minutes later when, at last, her companion arrived.

  The other woman sat down in a huff, popped the tab on her own coffee and took a long, loud gulp.

  “You’re late,” observed Ellen.

  “The cops are still watching me. I wanted to be sure no one was following me.”

  “All right. That’s understandable, I suppose.”

  “Well, I’m fuckin’ glad you approve. You know, lady, I’m sick of this skulking around and waiting bullshit. I just want my money and I wanna get the hell outta here.”

  Ellen turned slowly. “There’s no reason to take that tone with me, Taylor. I apologized and I meant it.”

  Taylor took a deep breath, closed her eyes and let it out. “You’re right. I’m sorry. You’ve got to understand how stressful this is. I’m still scared.”

  “Well, I hope you’re less scared of me than you were of my husband.” Ellen tried to smile warmly, but Taylor’s response was less than convincing.

  “I…suppose.”

  Ellen chuckled. “You know, maybe I should be flattered. I never thought of myself as a particularly manipulative or even particularly smart person. I never schemed or plotted a day in my life. I barely even lied. It took having to deal with Cyril to bring that out in me.” His years of philandering that had mutated into what Ellen eventually came to see as a dangerous and risky obsession had planted the seed of an idea. She’d known she had to get rid of her husband, she just wasn’t sure how.

  Divorce, however unpalatable, had been the best option—until she had come to suspect the full nature of his crimes. A man who could engineer the death of his own father had no place in her children’s lives. No court—and no ocean—could put enough distance between them. Death had been the only option. At that point it had just become a matter of how and how soon.

  “And I never thought of myself as a killer,” remarked Taylor.

  “Technically speaking,” said Ellen, “you’re still not one. You merely led him to the trough. She made him drink.” She was speaking, of course, of the ‘prostitute’ whom Cyril had hired the night prior to his death. Ellen had retained her services months earlier, and she had spent that time earning his trust and looking for a way to set up a convincing scenario for his death. She’d come and gone through back alleys and back doors, and had made sure she left no trace of herself behind. She had returned that fateful Sunday and she was the one who had coaxed Cyril into the cocaine—and ultimately the noose. He had been just high enough—and arrogant enough—to go along with it. She was a professional—just not the kind Cyril thought she was.

  Taylor cradled her coffee in both hands. “Yeah well, I’m not sure a court would see it that way.”

  “Hopefully we did it right, and they’ll never have to see it any way.” She handed Taylor a thick envelope. She had met Taylor at a company function just shortly after she’d been hired as Cyril’s assistant. Ellen had discreetly cultivated a friendship with her and had warned her about Cyril’s tendencies. When Cyril made his first proposition Taylor had informed Ellen immediately. His misuse and mistreatment of his assistant had sealed his fate. “It’s all there. You can count if it you like.”

  Taylor smiled. “That’s all right. I trust you.” She leaned over and lavished a long, slow kiss on Ellen’s lips. Her mouth merely a breath from Ellen’s, she whispered, “I brought my SUV. I left the foam pad in the back. Are you sure you wouldn’t like to use it one last time?” Her tongue darted out to taste Ellen’s. “For old time’s sake?”

  Ellen response was instant and visceral. She was tempted. Deeply tempted. Taylor was beautiful and intelligent, with a strong heart and a clever tongue. Their lovemaking had been unlike anything she’d ever shared with a man, and it had opened new and exciting doors of pleasure for her. But she was through taking risks. From now on her life was for her children, and God knew they could never accept a mother who was a lover of women. She could never ask that of them. And what of her friends? Who was she kidding? She would no longer have friends.

  She returned the kiss, took a moment to caress Taylor’s perfect breast. The nipple hardened at her touch and she longed to bend her head and take that perfect point into her mouth. But she pulled away. “No. I’d love to…but no.”

  Her expression filled with regret, Taylor sighed, rose from the bench and walked away, back toward the parking lot. Ellen watched her go, enjoying the gentle swing of her hips, the delicate curve of her waist and the way her jeans hugged those long, lean legs. She turned around, furious with herself for wanting something she had no right to want.

  That part of Ellen’s life was definitely over. She swallowed against a lump that had formed in her throat.

  It had to be.

  About the Author

  Nikki lives i
n a small town in Ontario, Canada. In the midst of the chaos that comes with raising three small boys, working part-time as a lab tech in a hospital blood bank and caring for her ever-adoring husband, she dreams up her stories. Nikki’s work is an eclectic combination of romance, mystery, suspense and humor, with characters who have plenty of room to grow.

  Nikki welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

  Tell Us What You Think

  We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email us at [email protected].

  Also by Nikki Soarde

  Balance of Power

  Beyond Innocence

  Duplicity

  Ellora’s Cavemen: Legendary Tails III anthology

  Essential Seduction

  Firefly Promise

  Jagged Gift

  Legacy of Sin

  Mortal Wounds

  Package Deal

  Perfect Cadence

  Phobia

  Prism

  Redeeming Alec

  Roguish Hearts

  Triple Knot

  Tuxedo Tryst

  Wild Oats

  Print books by Nikki Soarde

  And Lady Makes Three anthology

  Duplicity

  Ellora’s Cavemen: Legendary Tails III anthology

  Essential Seduction

  Firefly Promise

  Jagged Gift

  Legacy of Sin

  Mortal Wounds

  Redeeming Alec

  Roguish Hearts

  Sexy Summer Fun anthology

  Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

  www.ellorascave.com