Escaping Christmas

by Lisa DeVore

Owen’s eyes narrowed as he looked her way. “Alexandra, I know you don’t believe me, but I do love you. I would never do anything to hurt you.” He shifted his attention back to Zach, not waiting for her response. “Okay, whatever you want me to do Camden, I’m in.”

  Zach was no longer threatened by any feelings Lexie might have had for her former boyfriend. The blank stare in her eyes at Owen’s profession of love was his confirmation.

  He filled Owen in on his former involvement with the NYPD and how he had some strings being pulled in California, but they had to move quickly before this thug found out. The CEO at the company couldn’t be tipped off before they found the evidence. Yeah, Zach had copies, but they were stolen. Because of his connections to the police force, the judge agreed to the search warrant with no questions as to how the information was obtained.

  “The main objective of their hired help is to keep you and Lexie quiet.” Zach was careful to keep his voice down. “I’m sure he’s watching the room now.”

  “So, you want me to go out there and let him kill me?” Owen was more than a little snide.

  “Against my better judgment, no.” Zach pulled the gun from underneath his coat and Owen stepped back with his hands up in surrender. “It’s legal, Banks. Relax.”

  “Easy for you to say when you’re the one holding the gun.” Owen gulped and Zach felt no shame in the pleasure he took from it.

  He turned to Lexie. “Order room service for two. Tell them it’s a romantic dinner for two and if they could include chocolate covered strawberries.” Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “We have to make him believe you two are back together.”

  “What if he manages to be the one that delivers it?” Owen added with apprehension.

  “All the better. Make the call.”

  She ordered and hung up the phone. “Now what? We wait for the pistol duel?”

  “Turn down the lights. If he delivers dinner I don’t want him to get a good look around. Lexie, go lock yourself in the bedroom.”

  “Oh, no. You can forget that. I’m not some shrinking violet.”

  “Damn it, Lex! You promised to do as I said.”

  “Listen to him, Alexandra. If anyone gets hurt I don’t want it to be you.”

  Zach watched a look pass between them. Something from the past? He ignored it. He had to stay focused. “Go in the bedroom and keep your cell close. I’ll yell for you when I want you to call the P.D.”

  “What if something goes wrong? How am I going to know locked away like a princess?”

  “Nothing’s going to go wrong. Now go.” He only wished he was so sure. There were no guarantees.

  Chapter Twenty

  Alex grudgingly did what she was asked. That left Zach and Owen waiting for their romantic dinner. Owen broke the silence first.

  “I know she loves you. I can see it when she looks at you.” He rubbed a hand down his face. “I love her. I know you don’t believe that. I really blew it, but she’s better off. I know I would make a terrible husband. Acting’s my life. That’s why I was so desperate to go along with this. I handled it all wrong, but I want you to know I would never have involved her…I assumed we could get back together and everything would be fine.”

  The loud knock resonated throughout the suite not giving Zach time to respond to Owen’s confession. “Are you ready for this?” Zach cocked the automatic, ready to fire if need be. “Answer the door, but keep yourself to the side, allow him in. I’ll be behind the door.”

  The knock became more impatient. “Room Service.”

  “Be right there,” Owen responded, nodding toward Zach.

  “You recognize the voice?” Zach whispered in Owen’s ear.

  He shook his head and turned the knob. Zach didn’t miss the nervous intake of breath Owen took before opening the door. The bellboy walked in, pushing the cart. It was the same young man that escorted Zach to the room. He couldn’t be positive, but he was confident this wasn’t their assailant. He stayed behind the door while Owen gave him a tip.

  “You and Miss Storm have a nice dinner, Mr. Banks.” The boy grinned at his ample tip.

  “I’m sure we will. Goodnight.” He closed the door and secured the latch. “Now what?”

  “We wait. You hungry?”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  Zach held up a crystal bowl. “Strawberry?”

  “I’ll pass.”

  “Shame to waste the food. We could be waiting awhile.” Zach grabbed a plate and moved toward the bedroom. “Lexie, you hungry?”

  She opened the door. “Am I permitted to come out yet?” The fire was in her eyes.

  “No. You’ll need to dine in. And keep the noise down with the TV. I think he might be waiting until lights out.”

  Alex took the plate and shut the door in his face. He grinned. He would much rather have her angry than scared out of her mind. He returned to the living room to find Owen sipping champagne. “Don’t drink too much of that. I don’t need to save a drunk too.”

  “Just trying to calm the nerves.”

  “Let’s get this show on the road. I want you to say, ‘I’ll be right there. I’m going to shut off the lights.”

  “I wouldn’t say it like that.”

  “Are we going to argue over the delivery?”

  “Someone who knows us won’t believe I would say that.”

  “Okay, Banks. Write your own script, but don’t change the meaning.” Zach watched Owen’s expression change before his eyes.

  “Turn down the bed, sweetheart,” he said loud enough to echo throughout the suite. “I’ll grab the strawberries before I shut down the lights.”

  Jealousy pumped through Zach’s veins as he glared at Owen through the dimmed light. How many nights like this had he shared with Lexie? He inhaled a calming breath and remembered his training.

  “What should I do now?” he whispered. “Join Alexandra?”

  “You haven’t forgotten I have a gun, right?”

  “Just a little joke to break the tension. Seriously, what should I do?”

  “We wait for him to break in. Obviously, he’s good at picking locks.”

  “Yeah, well, you have a weapon. I’m a bit defenseless.”

  “Stay out of the way. That’s your job.”

  Zach was about to tell him to wait in the kitchen, away from harm. There was no time before the knob jiggled. Zach moved to the side of the door, motioning Owen to stand next to him. He made a hand gesture for him not to move. The suspect was working at the lock. Finally, the door slowly opened. The room was dark, but for the light shining in from the city that never sleeps. Zach pushed himself snugly against the wall, waiting for the intruder to enter. He crossed the threshold and Zach put the gun to his head. “Don’t move.”

  The suspect ducked and went for Zach’s knees, but he was ready for him and avoided the contact. What he wasn’t expecting was Owen to leap on the guy’s back, covering the suspect’s eyes with his hands. Zach was rather enjoying the sight, but decided to end it. “Owen, get off his back. Down on the ground, spread-eagle,” Zach ordered, the gun aimed and ready. The man, dressed all in black, complied while Zach frisked him. He was unarmed. He pulled the mask off.

  “What the hell? Are you out of your damned mind, Ford?”

  “I take it you two know each other?” Zach asked as the bedroom door opened. “Lexie, I told you to wait for me to tell you to call the police.”

  “Would now be a good time?” she asked sarcastically.

  This side of her was quite a turn on and he grinned. “Yeah, now would be fine.”

  “You son-of-a-bitch. The money I pay you to represent me and this is what you do?”

  Zach let them talk. He figured he’d find more out this way.

  “I’m sorry, Owen. I had no choice. All your talk about going public about your pretend marriage. I couldn’t let you do it. You’re my biggest client. If you never work again I’m done too. I swear I wasn’t going to hurt her. I followed her to Colorado. I thou
ght if I scared her, she’d stay away from you.”

  “You don’t think terrorizing her is hurting her?” Owen pulled his manager’s head from the floor by the hair and landed a very nice right hook across his jaw.

  “Are you going to arrest me for that?” Owen asked Zach.

  “I’m just a ski bunny. I didn’t see a thing.”

  “What happened to your hand?” Alex stared suspiciously at the wound on Ford’s hand. “Dog bite?” She thought back to the night Joey had chased the snowmobile and brought back a piece of material. It wasn’t a scarf after all…it was a glove. She’d have to get Joey an ice cream cone for his efforts.

  The footfalls of the city police making their way to the suite interrupted her line of thought. Zach holstered his gun.

  “Well, well, well…still got it Zachy?” A man in a suit commented jokingly.

  “Shut the hell up, Troy. Did you take care of things in California?”

  “What things?”

  “Am I going to jail?” Owen’s concern for his own neck interrupted the answer to Alex’s question.

  “They don’t usually arrest people for being an idiot and you were somewhat useful tonight, so I’d say no.”

  “You sure, Zach? I can get him a nice room downtown, a new jumpsuit, and a fresh bar of soap.” Troy remembered Alex being present. “My apologies, miss. I tend to speak like a sailor.”

  Alex watched them haul off the guy who had invaded her space, threatened her, and scarred her for some time to come. It would be awhile before she felt safe behind a locked door.

  “Would someone tell me why all this happened?” She held on to Zach’s arm for support.

  Detective Troy explained. “The production company that does your movies was near bankruptcy. The CEO was behind the scheme to create a sensational story. One that would grab attention and lift their ratings. His job was on the line. The Board of Directors was threatening to replace him. In turn, he threatened Owen’s manager to get Owen and Salina to go along with it. Which, as you know, they did.” Alex flinched at the memory. “Owen told his manager he was done with his pretend marriage and said manager got desperate to keep him quiet.” The detective looked at Owen. “Is that fairly close to how it happened?”

  Owen nodded and looked to the floor. Alex almost felt sorry for him.

  “Do they have enough to prosecute?” Zach pulled Lexie close.

  Troy smiled. “Pretty cut and dry. They found quite a bit of damning evidence in Cohen’s office. The Board is cooperating fully and I’m sure that manager of yours,” he glanced at Owen, “is already squawking like a songbird.”

  “Thanks for the help, buddy.” Zach shook Troy’s hand.

  “I still owe you about three, don’t I?”

  “Four, but who’s counting.” They laughed.

  “I’ll get down there and help them book him.”

  “Well, I should be going too.” Owen shoved his hands in his pockets.

  “Zach, could I have a minute?” She and Owen needed closure.

  He looked at her and nodded. “I’ll just be in the kitchen. He grabbed the champagne bottle on the way out.”

  “Alexandra…” Owen started.

  “Don’t,” she shook her head. “What’s done is done. You had your reasons. I can move on now and so can you. All this might even give you more publicity.” She smiled.

  “I love you.”

  “You loved what you thought we were and so did I. You love the glamour and the glitz. I found out I don’t want that. I want a little cabin in the mountains. Be happy, Owen.” She kissed him on the cheek.

  “You too. And if he ever gives you any trouble I’ll use my moves on him.”

  Zach came through the kitchen door and grinned at him. “It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective. If you’re ever up in Colorado again, tell them Zach said you get a complimentary room, complete with strawberries.” He shook Owen’s hand before he left.

  Now, they had only one thing left to do…

  Chapter Twenty-One

  She pulled off a glove with her teeth and dug in her purse for the key. The image of the intruder flashed through her mind. She turned the knob. It was locked. Zach stood next to her as she inserted the key and cautiously walked in. Her knees went weak as her eyes worked their way around the room. The smell of pine hit her first. There, right before her, was a Christmas tree glistening with white lights, tinsel, and ornaments. Her hand went to her chest. Had he done this? She glanced at him unashamed as the tears fell freely down her face. The mantel was decorated with lights and more evergreen. Two stockings hung from the fireplace that was blazing with warmth. “Merry Christmas, Lexie.”

  She wiped the tears from her face. “How?”

  “I had some help from my elves.”

  “You saw the news? The papers?”

  “I did.”

  “And yet you still believed in me??”

  “I asked you to trust me. I had to do the same.”

  “No one has ever done anything like this for me. We never decorated for Christmas when I lived at home. The staff handled all of it. And I’m sure the nanny bought my Christmas gifts.”

  “I promised to give Christmas back to you.”

  “You didn’t give it back to me. I never had it to begin with. Now, I understand what it’s about.”

  He smiled, stepping closer he tilted her chin up, so their eyes met. “Tell me. What’s it about?”

  “Love.”

  “Love?”

  “I have never had anyone to care about my happiness, my safety, my protection…Christmas is the giving of yourself for the happiness of others. You have given me so much, Zach Camden, and the only thing I have to give you is my love.”

  “Say it,” he demanded.

  “What?”

  “I made a promise to myself. Do you remember?”

  She nodded, smiling through tears. Yes, she was ready for this. “I love you, Zach Camden.”

  The clock struck midnight as he scooped her up to carry her to the bedroom. This would be a Christmas she would never forget. She glanced at the tree. The lights didn’t mock her, but were like tiny little stars that were begging to be wished upon. But now, she had no wishes left. They had all come true. Alex had many more chapters to write, but one thing she knew for sure…she would have her happily-ever-after.

  A word about the author…

  Lisa DeVore has always dreamed of being a published author since she wrote her first “book” at age eleven. Living in her NE Ohio town, with its own castle, led to an active imagination. Her debut novel, Beautiful Music, was a dream come true.

  She splits her time between family, writing, and utilizing her accounting degree. She’s an avid reader, loves dolphins, the beach, and hearing from her readers on Facebook or Twitter.

  Lisa is married to her best friend, and they have two sons and a daughter.

  Find her here:

  Facebook: Lisa DeVore, Author

  Twitter: @mrsldevore

  ~*~

  Other Lisa DeVore titles

  available from The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

  BEAUTIFUL MUSIC

  Thank you for purchasing

  this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.