by Risk, Mona
“I want to see you happy, Holly. Then I may be able to take care of myself.”
Holly shook her head. “You’re too tired. And you have so much to do. I can’t just abandon you and deal with the guilt.” She bit her lip and glanced at Olivia, as if expecting help with her decision. “How about if I spend the weekend at grandma’s? I’ll stay home the rest of the week and help you after school.”
“You’d do that, darling? Thank you.” Teresa opened her arms to her daughter. “And will you try to be polite to Emilio? I want to keep him.”
The girl mumbled, “I’ll try.”
Olivia sighed in relief. “Teresa, continue your medicine exactly as prescribed. You’ll hear from a social worker soon. I want to see you in two weeks.” She walked them to the registration area where Emilio waited with the small children.
“We found a solution,” Teresa told her husband. “I’ll tell you everything in the car.”
Olivia let the adults gather their children and went back to the consultation room, eager for a moment of quiet to cool her aching nerves.
“This was a precedent. A whole family instead of one patient.” Luc shook his head, his gaze fixed on her. “How are you feeling?”
“I badly need an aspirin. Teenagers are the most difficult patients to work with. It’s tough to predict how they’ll react.” The day was far from over. Soon she’d have to deal with another teenager in a far more difficult confrontation.
She fumbled in her purse for a small bottle and extracted a coated capsule. As she swallowed it with a glass of water, a piercing female voice interrupted by male grumbling wafted through the door.
“What now? I hope the Tarinos are not fighting again,” Olivia muttered, her headache escalating to a peak.
The door swung open admitting a tall blond man, followed by the receptionist.
****
Olivia gasped.
Him. Face to face after seventeen years.
His scowl melted, replaced by surprise as he stared at her.
Her hand flew to her heart to clutch her metallic name tag. Her legs leaden, she stared at him and forgot to breathe.
“Dr. Luc, I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen,” the receptionist said, her face red and her hand brandishing a pen as if she was debating whether to stab the intruder.
“Mr. Rutherford, what are you doing here?” Luc barked and stepped forward, hiding Olivia behind his tall frame.
I hope he didn’t recognize me. Her jaws slack, she cringed behind Luc, her heart pounding against her ribs.
Jeremy tilted his head to the side. She glimpsed his curious grin. Luc followed suit, shifting in the same direction. “I have to talk to you, Dr. Lucien. When I called for an appointment, this woman said you were with patients.”
“You should have waited for me to call you back.” Luc’s angry tone snapped her out of her panic.
Take a deep breath and count to ten. Still rooted to the floor, Olivia counted to twenty and then to thirty.
He can’t hurt me. I am stronger. Her fingers clasping her name tag relaxed, and then tightened again.
Yes, but he can hurt Melissa. Another deep breath. The stiffness in her back ebbed, but her heartbeat was still running out of control.
This is ridiculous. You need to get out of here, her brain scolded.
“I don’t have all day.” Jeremy shrugged, completely at ease. “Instead of wasting my time waiting for you to call back, I decided to stop by. I waited outside. When I saw your patients leave, I came in. As simple as that. Do you still have a patient?” Frowning, he craned his neck to look behind Luc.
“No. Have a seat.” Luc indicated a chair and gestured to the receptionist to leave.
Was Luc planning to keep Jeremy here for an analysis session?
Olivia was done cowering. Time to function and get out of here. She touched Luc’s back to push him out of her way. But Luc turned toward her, enfolded her in his arms and cradled her head against his shoulder.
“My love, I will walk you out.” He swiftly slid to the door with her nestled against him.
Bless you, Luc.
Jeremy burst out laughing. “Ha ha. I caught you playing hanky-panky with a pretty nurse. Don’t worry, Luc, I won’t report you. I’m an understanding guy.”
“Calm down and go,” Luc whispered against her ear. “Chérie,” he raised his voice, “I will pick you up in half an hour for dinner.” He entered the consultation room and closed the door behind him.
Olivia took another deep breath and wet her lips. Jeremy’s voice reached her. “You’re head over heels for her, you son of a gun. She’s a pretty morsel.”
A moment of silence. She pictured the sarcastic smile accompanying Jeremy’s condescending tone.
“Strange, she looks familiar. I wonder...”
Oh my God. Her bravado crumbled. She forced herself to navigate the reception area with a steady pace, but once in the corridor, she rushed to the Psychiatric Department and locked herself in her office.
****
“Amazing. There’s this feeling of déjà vu,” Jeremy mused as Luc observed him from under hooded eyes. Had Jeremy recognized the young student from his past? Luc had better distract him.
“How have you felt since our last session, Mr. Rutherford?” Luc shot out his routine question, while struggling not to tell his reluctant patient to get the hell out of here and let him check on Olivia.
“Cut the crap, Lucien. I’m not here to listen to your psychiatric jargon.”
Keeping a tight leash on his temper, Luc narrowed his eyes and fixed Jeremy with a warning look. “I would appreciate you addressing me as Doctor and keeping a civil tongue.” For a moment, their gazes dueled as fiercely as the sharp blades of swords. “And you can leave any time, sir.”
Jeremy sneered but lowered his eyes. “You know you have me cornered, Doc-tor.”
“Why is that? Has anything changed since last time?” Luc tented his fingers. In spite of his exasperation with Jeremy’s insolence, his patient’s last sentence intrigued him.
“The police came to interrogate me. I told the detective I was your patient. I insisted you wouldn’t tolerate them harassing me and exacerbating my medical problems. Now, you better not contradict me.”
“Mr. Rutherford, the police have nothing to do with any medical conditions you may have.”
“You have to talk to them, Dr. Lucien. I came specifically to ask for your help.” For a moment, Luc doubted his ears. Jeremy asking politely, almost begging? That was a precedent. “As my doctor, you have to protect me.” The politeness melted. Jeremy was back into his arrogant skin. “I am paying exorbitant sums for your consultation. You’d better earn your fees.”
Lips pinched, Luc gripped his wrist, so as not to throw a punch at the jerk goading him. “Mr. Rutherford, I will prescribe an anti-anxiety medicine to help you relax.”
“I don’t need your medicine. I want you to talk to these idiots at the police.”
Refusing to be intimidated, Luc scribbled in his prescription notebook and handed the sheet to Jeremy. “Take one pill in the morning.”
Jeremy glared at the prescription and huffed, but pocketed it. “Okay, I’ll do as you say. But you owe me your help. Come with me to the police station.”
Praying for patience, Luc stood. “Mr. Rutherford, psychiatrists don’t go to the police to protect their patients. If we are subpoenaed as medical witnesses in a case, we testify on our patients’ sanity, or insanity.”
“You testify on your patient’s...hmm.” Jeremy scowled, considering Luc for a moment, but then he shrugged. “If it comes to that, we’ll plead insanity. I count on your integrity to tell the court that I’m your patient and I’m innocent.”
“I will tell the court my professional opinion on your medical problems,” Luc said, keeping his voice under control.
“Good.” Jeremy nodded. His scowl relaxed. “See you next week, at our scheduled appointment.” He smiled, reverting to his charming side. �
��By the way, she’s really cute. And hot. Have fun tonight.” He stopped at the door and turned around. “If only I could remember why she seems so familiar. What’s her name?” he asked curiously.
Luc arched an ominous brow. “My fiancée is off limits to my patients. Have a good evening, Mr. Rutherford.”
“You fiancée?” Jeremy chuckled.
Luc glared, not liking one bit the interest gleaming in Jeremy’s eyes. Jeremy had never had qualms about going after other men’s fiancées or even wives.
****
Too restless to sit at her desk, Olivia had spent the last half hour pacing her office. Jeremy hadn’t recognized her. The sophisticated image she presented now was a far cry from the skinny college girl with long chestnut hair. But the color of her eyes and her features hadn’t changed and might trigger his memory. His last sentence about her looking familiar scared the bejesus out of her.
In spite of her shock, she’d instinctively hidden her badge so he wouldn’t know her identity. With Jeremy’s taste for women and his habit of going after anything that caught his fancy, would he try to discover who she was?
Once her initial fear subsided, she’d been ready to walk past him her chin high, and to hell with the consequences. Luc had stopped her with his little flirtatious game, and she’d played along because it was safer than confronting Jeremy—both for her and for Melissa.
Would he eventually remember her?
He might.
Whether he remembered her or ran into her again, she’d better be ready for any eventuality before exposing her innocent daughter to a traumatic encounter.
Olivia had told Luc she’d talk to Melissa although she hadn’t been convinced it was the right thing to do. But now...
Now, Jeremy was here. At the Crisis Center. He’d been in Olivia’s consultation room a few minutes ago and proved once more that nothing stopped him from imposing his will.
What if he bumped into her again? Or worse, into Melissa? What if he noticed his daughter’s resemblance?
Olivia sagged onto her chair and licked a drop of blood at the corner of her lower lip. She hadn’t noticed she’d been biting her lips that hard.
Would Jeremy hurt Melissa?
Or would he befriend his lovely daughter, now that she was grown up and not a burden? He might even shower her with gifts and try to turn her against her mother.
Melissa wanted a father so badly. She’d hate her mother for lying to her all these years. Olivia would lose her.
Oh God.
Olivia’s head dropped as she wrestled with her conscience, her deepest beliefs and her fears. She dreaded upsetting her daughter’s peace of mind, but there was no escape.
Jeremy was here.
Bile rose in Olivia’s throat, and she doubled over.
Did she have any choice now?
Come on. Shake it off.
Raising her head, Olivia stared at the door. She shouldn’t fear him. She’d fight him with all her strength.
Determination tightened her jaws.
She would confess everything to Melissa, explain the past, and assure her daughter that only she had mattered in her life. Hopefully Melissa would accept her explanations. She might still insist on meeting her father, but at least she’d be prepared, she’d know what sort of man he was.
The need to tell her daughter the truth cemented in her head.
A knock on the door jolted her out of her internal discussion. “Yes?”
“Olivia, it’s me.”
She unlocked and opened the door, sighing with relief as Luc walked in. He gathered her in his arms.
“I am sorry, chérie. I know it was a shock for you,” he said, smoothing her hair with a gentle hand. She relaxed and leaned into him, absorbing his scent and strength with every pore of her body.
“Why was he here today?”
“A detective had interrogated him. In spite of his bravado, Jeremy is scared. He said he counts on my protection in court. He wants me to testify on his behalf.”
“Pathetic.” She shook her head. “If I wasn’t worried about Melissa, I’d laugh at his stupidity. That idiot doesn’t know he has a psychiatrist who never lies.”
“Let’s not talk about him now. How do you feel?” He lifted her chin with his finger and captured her gaze.
“Better. I’ve been thinking a lot. Cincinnati is not a big city. I may run into him again. Imagine if Melissa is with me.”
This was a subject Olivia needed to discuss with a cool head, and Lord knew she’d never remain composed in Luc’s arms. Sighing, she stepped back. “You were right. I have to talk to her. The sooner the better.”
“Good.” He nodded and smiled, his eyes reflecting approval and respect. “In that case, we should go to your mother’s house right away.”
Olivia grabbed her purse and yanked her coat from the hook behind the door, not bothering to take her laptop. Tonight would be totally reserved for Melissa. Tonight would be the most stressful night of her life.
Melissa, my baby, I hope you’ll understand and forgive.
Olivia’s stomach knotted. Tonight...
Oh God, help us survive tonight.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Luc drove in silence for a while and then threw a look at Olivia. Eyes narrowed, she stared straight ahead, deep in her thoughts.
“How are you doing?”
“Okay, I guess.”
“Are you having second thoughts?”
“I’ve made up my mind to talk to her. And I will.”
He reached out and squeezed her hand. “I admire you for doing this. I know it’s not easy.” He glanced at her again. She was chewing on her lower lip. “Olivia, I am sorry if I have pushed you too hard. It’s not only for your daughter. It’s also for yourself, for your future.” He tapped the steering wheel. “For us.”
“Us?” She looked at him, with a sad lopsided smile.
“Once the way is clear, we will be able to plan a future for us.”
She shook her head. “I’ve tried to dream of a future. Many times. But... Look what happened this afternoon. With every passing day, new obstacles arise.”
“Non, mon amour. We will remove them one by one.”
“Luc, I’ll talk to Melissa, not only because she’s entitled to know the truth, but also because I can’t continue to live with this heavy burden. I can’t continue to fear that she’ll run into her father. I’m also doing it because...because I want to be free to come to you without seeing reproach in your eyes.”
“I never realized—”
“You’re very strict in your quest for truth. Somehow I always feel you’re comparing me to that woman in your past who’s responsible for your son’s death. I don’t want to fail in your eyes anymore.”
“Oh, mon amour.” He was tempted to stop the car, take her in his arms and prove to her how much he loved her. He’d been so worried about her when Jeremy had barged into the consultation room. Later when he’d noticed Jeremy’s interest in Olivia, he’d struggled not to punch him. Luc had been jealous. He, the man who despised jealousy as an irrational feeling.
“I just hope I don’t mess up with Melissa.”
“Tell her everything, Olivia. Don’t skip details about her brutal father to protect her. Once she knows the sordid truth, she will understand you and admire you.” He extended his arm to stroke her hair in a soothing caress.
She snorted. “I wish I had your faith.”
“Remember the girl we met this afternoon. My first impression was that she hated her mother.”
“Me too. I couldn’t believe it when she refused to leave home and insisted she had to stay and help her mother.”
“See? And Melissa is by far a nicer girl. She loves you. She may be shocked at first, but once she adjusts to the news, she will appreciate all you did for her.” They were about to reach her mother’s house. “Olivia, do you want to talk to her before or after dinner?”
“After.”
He smiled. “Good. Marianna has promis
ed a duck à l’orange. You will be in a better shape after eating.”
“I can’t believe it. You act like a kid deprived of food.”
“In a way, I am. I don’t cook, so I survive on restaurant meals and fast food. Your mother’s cooking is incredible.” He turned into the driveway and cut the engine. “Ready?”
“Yes.” She gathered her purse and jacket. “Let’s go.”
Amazing Olivia. She was running on sheer willpower. She’d already shoved her feelings aside to deal with the problem at hand. Luc climbed out of the car and went around to open the door for her. She straightened and squared her shoulders. As she put one foot out, he bent and pressed his lips to the back of her hand and then he turned it and kissed her palm.
He raised his head. A streak of pain danced in her bluish-green eyes, the only sign of emotion in her otherwise calm attitude. It sucker-punched him straight in the gut.
Had he been wrong to put so much pressure on her? Was the specter of his own past haunting him to the point of skewing his judgment? Should he have kept his mouth shut?
****
Olivia entered her mother’s house as if she were crossing the board exam room. Except that tonight her heart reeled in a pathetic, busted shape and ruled over her usually sharp mind. The rest of her life and her daughter’s peace of mind depended on tonight’s events, on Olivia’s ability to convince Melissa of her genuine motivation to protect her, on Melissa’s reaction to her mother’s revelations.
Clutching Luc’s hand, Olivia paused for a minute in the living room and surveyed it as if seeing it for the last time. She wanted to memorize every happy moment she’d ever spent here with Melissa.
“Chérie, don’t torture yourself,” Luc murmured against her hair as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Hello.” Marianna welcomed them with a smile that stretched to her ears. “Oh, sorry. I still have a lot to do in the kitchen,” she called over her shoulder as she scurried away.
“Mom, please, come back here.” Olivia wiggled out of Luc’s arms and sighed. “I can’t believe it. She’s going to sit in the kitchen for an hour to give us privacy.” With Luc following in her steps, she strode to her mother’s haven. “Mom, where’s Melissa?”