Secret Obsession

by D. M. Mortier

  “I think I will leave that earth-shattering tale for you to tell.” Imani tried to lighten her bitterness with a smile.

  “Yeah, and maybe I won’t have to tell him if Tony agrees to take this thing.”

  Imani shook her head at Sarah’s idiocy. Does she think Colt will miss seeing her growing with child? Is this chick mental? How the hell did I miss this instability?

  “How are you planning on hiding this from Colt?” She had to ask.

  “Simple, I will wear jackets and complain the entire time about my weight gain. I will insist on going to a weight loss clinic, have the baby out of sight, give it to Tony, and then all will be as it should have been.”

  Imani had no idea if Colt would give Sarah the time of day. However, she had to think about the innocent life Sarah was now carrying. Poor kid had a sociopath as a mother. Perhaps if Tony heard about it, he could talk some sense into his lover. “Do you want me to drive you over to Tony’s so you can tell him?”

  “Is Colt letting you out of the house now?”

  “Don’t worry about your guardian. I think I know how to break out of this prison.” Imani smirked.

  “Given how you want to jump his bones, I thought you’d like being trapped here with him.”

  “I would like it more if I was still in his wing of the house,” Imani grumbled.

  Sarah laughed as Imani had intended she would. “Girl, you got it bad. I swear if you ever get what you want from my Colt, I’m gonna lose my shit.”

  “Well, you have no freakin’ idea what I’m going through. That man makes me wet just by walking into a room. So if he asks, I’m definitely giving him some.”

  “Eww! TMI!” Sarah complained. “Why put that visual in my head? I don’t want to hear this, Imani. If you care about our friendship, please don’t mention that again. And we can’t be friends anymore when Colt and I are married.”

  Imani pushed away the dark emotions churning inside and tried to pretend all was well with this situation. “Okay, got it. No more talk about convincing your guardian to sample some of this brown sugar,” she said and posed in a provocative manner to make light of her comment.

  Sarah started to giggle.

  Imani gave her a grin that she was certain didn’t reflect in her eyes. She felt no joy.

  Sarah shook her head and dissolved into full-bodied laughter.

  Out of nowhere, Imani’s emotions defeated her, and soon she was laughing and crying at the same time. Sarah had no idea that Imani’s tears were real tears of pain. Imani knew that it appeared as though she was laughing with humor.

  That was how Colt found them a few minutes later.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Colt stared at Imani and Sarah indulgently, clearly relieved that they were now friends again. “Should I ask what’s going on?”

  “Ah, I don’t think so,” Imani said lightly.

  “Imani was just telling me about this guy she’d like to rock her world.” Sarah giggled.

  “She did? I can see how funny that could be.” The expression on Colt’s face told them that he thought no such thing. He stared at them coolly.

  “Colt, we’re grown women.” Sarah was emphatic. “You have to stop treating us as though we’re little girls.”

  Imani almost choked. Did Sarah realize that she was giving Colt the green light to pursue her? Only after knowing Sarah’s secret did Imani see that Sarah was trying to give Colt signals to pursue her. She’d never paid attention to the amount of times Sarah touched him before, but now that she knew, Sarah’s intent was so obvious. The eyes see only what the mind tells it to see, Imani thought.

  “Trust me, this last few days, I’ve had no choice but thinking of you as grown women. Imani has reminded me of that time and time again,” Colt told her dryly.

  “Good, I’m sure Imani doesn’t need you fussing over her.” Sarah grinned and caressed Colt’s arm again.

  “I’m right here, guys. No need to talk about me as though I’m not here.” Imani frowned at them. “Sarah, I know you have more important things to talk to your guardian about. Why don’t y’all go do some of that father-daughter bonding thing and leave me to my work?”

  “We could, but why don’t I go run my errand, seeing as how you’ve motivated me and all. And then I’ll need Colt to have a late lunch with me. I have some things we need to discuss.”

  “Scared? I see you’ve found your big-girl’s panties?” Imani teased. She really hoped Sarah did the right thing for her baby.

  Colt looked baffled by their conversation. “Are you girls, uh, ladies, forgetting that we’re under tight security here and none of you can just loiter around the place? We have to stay on lockdown for now.”

  “Colt?” Sarah frowned.

  “That’s hardly sustainable, Colonel,” Imani told him. She turned to her laptop again to see if the data she’d tapped into just before he came into her room the first time had finally downloaded from the Pentagon system. Using some back channels, and with the help of a friend who was a talented hacker, she’d been able to get into Lippman’s file. She did a quick read of the file even as she spoke to Colt and Sarah. “We need to call Lippman on his bullshit and be done with it. My work is my own, and if I don’t want to make death machines for the US Government, no one is going to make me.”

  “I’m sure many reluctant scientists, engineers, doctors, etcetera thought that they could out-last the resolve of the government,” Colt scoffed. “When these mudderfuckers want something, nothing and no one can stop them.”

  “What if I leave the country?” Imani asked. She was stunned by what she was seeing on the monitor but was trying like hell not to show it. While she knew she had to tell Colt, telling Sarah wasn’t even a possibility.

  “I know you’re well aware of our government’s reach.” Colt frowned at her suggestion of running. “That’s a non-starter.”

  “I have a house in Jamaica, up in the mountains.” Imani went on as though he hadn’t spoken. “I get there, and no one will reach me.” She knew she sounded desperate now. She’d just come across the intel going to be filtered through channels on Colt. It was diabolical.

  Colt laughed grimly. “There’s nowhere on Earth the US Government can’t find someone eventually. Running isn’t a viable option.”

  “Are we to remain prisoners here forever then?” Sarah was clearly frustrated at the thought.

  “I have a plan.” Colt walked toward the window overlooking the backyard gardens and didn’t seem inclined to elaborate on what his plan entailed.

  “Are you going to tell us what this plan is?” Sarah’s voice was filled with impatience now.

  Imani got the feeling that she wasn’t going to like whatever he had to say. At least it seemed that Colt thought she wouldn’t like it. His next words proved that.

  “Neither of you will probably like what I have to say, but I think it’s the only way to save Imani’s life and my own. I see no other option of getting Lippman and men like him to stop coming after her.” He turned to look at them again. “It would stop the government in its tracks, and the Russians or Chinese wouldn’t dare.”

  “I’m guessing, whatever you’re going to say, you’re thinking it will have the desired effect.” Imani shook her head. After what she saw, she was chafing at the bit to tell him what she’d accessed. “Their interest in me won’t be easily terminated,” Imani warned. “Lippman wants you to think that it’s because of the gun and shield, but it’s much more than that and goes back longer than that. Nothing is going to change their interest in me unless they get what they want or I’m dead. And they won’t care who they destroy, hurt, or kill to get what they believe is their due.”

  “I can’t believe that’s true or that my plan won’t work.” He tunneled his fingers into his hair with uncharacteristic uncertainty.

  Imani laughed bitterly. “That’s because you have no idea who I am and what you’re dealing with.”

  “You’ve s
aid that before, and you’re starting to make me nervous,” Colt said dryly. “And I don’t do nervous.”

  Hoping he’d understand the urgency, Imani held his gaze. “I need to tell you about my family, and then you will understand the extent to which they would go.”

  “Let’s go down to lunch. Everyone should be here already.” Colt herded them out of the room.

  Clearly, he didn’t get her signals that they needed to talk.

  “Colt, we have to discuss Lippman,” Imani whispered fiercely as they descended the stairs. “And you need to get your family out of here and away from me.” After reading some of the back channels and seeing what was being said about her and about Colt, there was no doubt in her mind that Lippman was planning another assault. And perhaps the person or persons who’d been after her father all those years ago was somehow involved. It couldn’t be a coincidence her father’s name coming up in those files.

  “We’ll talk, Imani,” Colt told calmly. “There’s no doubt about that, and we’ll find a way out of this.”

  “You need to listen to me and get your family out of here.” Imani didn’t try to hide her anxiety this time.

  Colt turned to Sarah and nodded to let her know to continue downstairs without them. As soon as Sarah was out of sight and hearing, he grabbed Imani’s shoulders and forced her to look up at him. “Imani, do you trust me?”

  “Of course,” Imani murmured, not at all sure why Colt was asking such an inane question.

  He nodded as if her declaration was expected. And then he placed his forehead against hers and his gaze bore into her. “Do you love me?”

  She stiffened and tried to step away from him. However, Colt held her firmly, placed a finger under her chin, and kept his forehead against hers.

  “Do you love me?” he asked softly.

  She swallowed, closed her eyes, and whispered, “You know I do.”

  Wrapping his arms around her, he clutched her to him.

  Imani melted against him, and hot tears leaked from her eyes as emotion consumed her. She wasn’t at all happy that she’d revealed her feelings, but he hadn’t reciprocated. She cried from the overwhelming hopelessness of her situation, Sarah’s lack of support, and how vulnerable she now felt after admitting her love for him. Heck, her emotions seemed to be all over the place now. Everything seemed overwhelming.

  “It’s okay, baby,” he whispered close to her ear.

  She pulled back and looked up at him through watery eyes. “You need to listen to me,” she pleaded.

  “I get that you’re worried, but I’ve got you,” he went on, as though she hadn’t just bared her soul. “My family is here to help. You don’t have to do this alone anymore.” He gripped her palm in his and started leading her down the stairs.

  Still in a daze following her new revelation, Imani numbly descended the stairs with her fingers entwined with his. She was so disturbed by what she’d read and needing the contact with Colt that she couldn’t make herself care about what Colt’s family thought of them holding hands.

  However, when they arrived at the bottom of the stairs, Colt, still gripping her palm, walked through the foyer, a formal dining room, and then onto the patio that was set up for lunch.

  Imani was shocked by the amount of people present. This wasn’t just his family. There were at least fifty other people there, and she had no clue who they were. She tried to pull away from him, but he held her hand firmly.

  “Remember that you trust me,” he reminded her as the crowd started clapping on the sight of them.

  “But what’s going on?” Imani asked in an urgent whisper. “What’re all these people doing here?”

  “They came for a wedding.”

  Imani looked around, trying to see who the groom was, assuming the bride must still be inside getting in her dress. She stared at him in confusion. “And you think it’s a good idea to have all of this going on when armed men can descend on this property at any moment?”

  “Absolutely.” Colt smiled to take the sting from his no-holds-barred decision. He gazed down at Imani, watching the confusion play in her expression. He wanted to smile, but this situation didn’t allow much amusement. Imani wouldn’t be the only one confused; his family and friends had no idea what was going on either. They’d been given a vague reason for this decision.

  He expected that by now Justin would have warned Sarah about what was about to happen. The loud shriek of “hell no!” he heard a few minutes later told him what support, or lack thereof, he could expect from her. In fact, among his family, she was in the majority. With the exception of Justin, no one thought this was a good idea. It might have something to do with why they thought he was doing it. Justin was the only person who knew the real reason for this. And while Colt had been occupied with Imani, it was Justin’s job to gather the family and friends necessary to give the ceremony legitimacy. Justin would also ensure no one fucked with his plans, including Sarah or his parents.

  “I’m sorry, but this ceremony will be highly publicized in an effort to introduce the couple to millions of people and stop the government from taking them into custody,” he told Imani.

  Her frown deepened even further. “Why would the government…” Her voice trailed off as understanding dawned. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “What’s going on, Colonel?”

  Colt wanted to laugh at her calling him colonel. She always did that when she was pissed with him. “We’re getting married.”

  “Say what now!?!?”

  Some heads turned in their direction. And people smiled back at them indulgently.

  “Imani—”

  “Don’t Imani me! What the hell do you mean ‘we’re getting married’? Did I miss a proposal somewhere?”

  Colt grinned, and it felt strange on his face. He hadn’t had many opportunities in his life to find levity, but making her his made him lightheaded with happiness.

  “No obscenely large diamond engagement ring?”

  His grin widened, and he shook his head in the negative.

  “No white lace and silk extravagant Vera Wang wedding dress?”

  “About that…” he started, but she interrupted him as though he’d not spoken.

  “What about you being too old for me?” Her voice lowered in despair. She held his gaze with a troubled frown.

  Colt tilted his head to the side, loving that she didn’t say no. “You love me, remember?” He put his palm up as Justin started toward them. He wanted to give Imani time to digest what was going to happen, what had to happen to ensure her safety.

  “Have you gone and lost you damn mind?”

  “It’s the only way, baby. And we don’t have much time.” He moved closer to her as their audience grew. The crowd openly stared at them and waited expectantly. Colt wanted to wave in their faces and say shit like, “Nothing to see here folks, just me trying to get my bride to the altar gracefully.”

  “Can I at least take a shower first? I’m stinking and…”

  “You have twenty minutes, and then no more stalling, Imani. We’re doing this before it’s too late.”

  “But what about Sarah? I know for damn sure she’s not on board with this. She just told me so.” Imani twisted her head around trying to look for Sarah in the crowd.

  Colt knew exactly when she spotted his ward. Her face reflected the hurt and disappointment at what she saw. He turned just in time to see Sarah turn her back and walk away hurriedly in anger. Colt wasn’t going to let Sarah’s likes or dislikes dictate his personal life anymore. If she wasn’t onboard with him and his wife, then it would be her having to learn to deal with it. Once Imani said, “I do,” she was it for him. This girl had no idea how gone he was over her.

  “Sarah will support us,” Colt asserted in a hard voice, “whether she likes it or not.” He hated seeing Imani hurting. He was going to have a long talk with his ward. No one was getting away with hurting Imani. “Go to your bedroom. You’ll find everything yo
u need there. Be back down here in twenty minutes, Imani, or I’m coming for you, and then we’ll be getting married in whatever you have on.” He looked around for his remaining family members. “Thank you all for coming to celebrate this day with us on such short notice. As you can appreciate, time is of an essence. My bride will be back shortly.”

  Imani looked at him in speechless, spooked wonder.

  He winked at her. Colt couldn’t wait to claim her as his in front of everyone. Finally, this gorgeous creature would be his and his alone.

  One hour after Colt had spoken to their guests, Imani stared down at the biggest diamond ring she’d ever seen. It wasn’t the wedding of her dreams, but she was now married to the man of her heart and for sure couldn’t fault him on her amazing dress. When she arrived in her bedroom after a mad dash up the stairs, she’d been shocked to be greeted by a team of women who hassled her into a five-minute shower, beat her face into flawless makeup, styled her hair in an up-do that was fitting for the elegant diamond tiara, and stuffed her into an exquisite ivory-lace off-the-shoulder Givenchy wedding gown with a Swarovski crystal beaded cathedral veil that was fairytale inspired. She’d walked toward her groom in a giddy cloud of amazement with Dan and Shay’s “Speechless” playing in the background.

  Colt had stared at her with such molten heat and possessiveness, she thought he would take her there and then in front of everyone. Clearly, he loved the form fitting, sexy dress that showed off her curvy svelte figure to perfection. He gazed at her throughout the brief ceremony and reception with sensual dark promise.

  Despite not having any family or friends at her wedding, she was thrilled to be now married to the man she loved beyond reason. She’d done it in a gown that was princess worthy and had a diamond that could rival Kim Kardashian’s.

  Colt had introduced her to their guests. And she now started to understand why he’d insisted on marrying her in front of these specific guests. Among their guests were a few former presidents and vice presidents, prominent US generals, former CIA and FBI directors, senators, elected congressman of the House of Representatives, and even a few world leaders. Colt was letting whoever was coming after them know that he had the support of some very powerful people.