by AliyahBurke
“Couple weeks. Can you come with me?”
“No, I have to stay here. We are opening another restaurant and I want to make sure it goes smoothly.” She spun in his arms and put her arms around his neck. “I’m going to miss you, though.”
“You’d better,” he growled playfully.
“Thanks for a wonderful holiday, Gavin.”
“Thank you.” He kissed her and before long she was stretched out on the couch as her husband slid in and out of her body.
Later she packed his suitcase as he made flight and hotel arrangements. “I’m leaving my information here by the phone so you know where I will be.” Gavin took a deep breath as he watched his wife fold his clothes with care. “I’m going to miss you, kitten.”
She smiled at him. “Well, you are all packed. Let’s get you to the airport.”
“Maybe I should send Clint.”
“Maybe you should pick up your bags and head down the stairs so we can get going.” She smacked him in the shoulder as she preceded him out the bedroom door.
Finally all his things were loaded in the Yukon and they were headed for the airport. “I will try to come out and see you if I can make it.”
“I hope so. A couple of weeks is too long to be away from you.” He smiled at the woman driving. Gavin knew he could fly home to see her, but she frowned on the waste of money and had told him many times before.
“You can survive.”
They pulled up into the drop-off lane and she stopped in front of his check-in door. She slid out of the vehicle and waited as he unloaded his bags. Gavin gathered her close and held her as if she were the most delicate being in the universe.
“I love you, Sanura. Never forget that.”
“I love you, too. Now come on, kiss me and get on your plane.”
“Bossy wife.” His mouth captured hers and stayed there until she sagged against him for support. His eyes were wicked as he pulled away. “Remember me, kitten.”
One more quick kiss and he was walking inside to catch his plane. He looked back once and smiled gently at her, before turning around and disappearing into the airport.
* * * *
Gavin was walking up the hall to his suite when a slender young blonde woman came barreling around the corner and smacked right into him. He knocked her over and as he looked at her he saw the red stain that spread across the jacket of her white suit.
“Oh hell,” she swore. Violet eyes gazed at him as she took the hand he had offered. “I’m so sorry about this. I wasn’t paying any attention to what I was doing. Damn, my outfit is ruined now.”
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“Fine. Embarrassed at how clumsy I am, but fine. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Here, come in and at least wash the wine out of your coat so it doesn’t stain. Then send me the bill for it.”
“Oh no. I can’t do that. It was my fault.” She blushed and backed up.
Gavin opened the door to his room and said, “Really. I insist. Please, I feel horrible for this.”
“Well, alright. But leave the door open.” She looked nervous.
He smiled and she blushed under the attention. “Agreed. The bathroom is through there.” He shook his head as the small blonde disappeared to try and save her jacket. He sat in the chair by the door and thought about his wife. Tomorrow she would be here. Tomorrow.
The little woman’s voice reached him from the bathroom. “Are you here with someone?”
“No. I am here alone. On business.”
“Oh, that’s surprising. You don’t seem to be the type of guy who would be alone.”
“I’m alone.” He rose and poured himself a drink, his back to the open door.
“Really?” Her voice grew husky and suddenly Gavin wasn’t sure he wanted her in his room.
“How’s the stain coming?” he questioned.
“Oh, it’s coming fine. Be right out.” Her sultry voice flowed through the suite.
“Fine.”
“Alone, huh, doesn’t seem like it.” A sharp drawl cut through his apprehension. Gavin spun around to lay eyes on his wife as she stood in the open doorway. “What’s going on?”
“Sanura,” he breathed. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow.”
“Obviously.” That brow of hers arched as pain flashed through her eyes followed by rage and betrayal.
A noise behind him caused him to turn around. He found himself looking at an entirely different woman. The innocent young lady he had offered to help was gone. In her place stood a woman that looked ready for sex, and lots of it. Her hair was taken down and she was in nothing more than a white teddy, complete with the garters and everything.
Bright red lipstick was on her face giving her a pouty look as she breathed, “I’m ready, lover.” Her gaze flicked over to Sanura—who wore jeans, boots and a sweatshirt—and added, “Is that the second one who was supposed to come over? We need to get you undressed first, though.”
She sauntered towards Gavin who stood motionless with shock. He looked to Sanura, who had set down her bag and begun to back up out of the room. “Please, Sanura. It’s not what it looks like.”
Sanura looked like she wanted to say something to the woman beside him. Then she shook her head and whispered, “Sorry to interrupt you. You seem busy. I . . . I . . . have to go. My mistake.” She spun around and bolted down the hall.
Gavin began to run after her but the half-naked woman moved in front of him and wouldn’t let him pass. “What the hell are you doing?” he thundered, cursing every bit of his upbringing that wouldn’t allow him to manhandle a woman.
“Doing what I was paid to do. Not that a romp with you wouldn’t have been fun, but this was for an obscene amount of money.” She cast a look down the hall and, not seeing Sanura, stepped aside and returned to the bathroom to gather her clothes. Moments later she was covered by her coat and walking out the door. “Thanks for a wonderful time.”
Gavin grabbed her and yanked her back in the room. He was pissed.
“What do you mean someone paid you to do this?”
“Just what I said. I got a call and came to do a job. Nothing personal, they said it would be a joke and you would understand.” She spoke quickly but she was fidgety, her eyes darting, her body jerking around.
“This was no joke. That was my wife.”
“Your wife?” She held up her hands. “Hey, they didn’t say anything about that. Said it was to be a joke. I don’t want to cause problems here…”
“You already have. Get the hell out of my sight. Who told you to do this?”
“Don’t know. Sorry.” She scampered out of the room and disappeared as Gavin bolted for the phone, calling the front desk.
“Front desk. What can I do for you, Mr. Rawlins?”
“Have you seen a woman come through in jeans and a Navy sweatshirt? That’s my wife. Will you please stop her when you see her?”
“Sorry, sir, she left in a taxi.”
“Are you sure it was her? Where was she going?” he ground out.
“Don’t know, sir, most people go to the airport from here. She was running and didn’t say anything. I’m sure it was her since she asked for your room number before she went up, said she wished to surprise you.”
With a hoarse shout he slammed down the phone, only to pick it up again and dial her cell. Getting in touch with her was the most important thing to do right now, that way he could explain everything. He heard the ring in his room, and found her phone in the side pocket of her bag.
Gavin sank to the floor and began to shake. He felt like he was being torn in two, the pain was so intense. The look on her face as she saw the scantily-dressed woman as she called him “lover” haunted him. Now she was gone and her phone was here with him.
He had no way of contacting her. Gavin stumbled to his feet and called the airport. He rented a Learjet and made plans to fly back to Georgia. Then he called Harris and told him Clint would
be taking over. He was rich, and it was about time he used his money to find his wife.
It was early morning when he sped up to the house in his rental car. The vehicle had barely stopped moving before he was out of it and sprinting up the stairs, relief at the sight of her Yukon parked in the drive.
He slammed open the door and shouted, “Sanura! Sanura? Where are you?” He pounded up the steps as he ran to the bedroom. Nothing. Dread began to fill him again as he searched the entire property and found no sign of her. His message was still on the phone, unchecked.
She hadn’t come home. He called the restaurant to find out if she were there. Didn’t give his name, but asked to speak to Mac. Sherry said that she had gone to California for a few days, but would be willing to take a message for her. His heart was torn to pieces.
Gavin changed into jeans and boots before he slid behind the wheel of his powerful car. Then he drove to the airport. He checked with all the airlines and couldn’t find any reservations for Sanura Rawlins.
His next stop was the bank. He checked on her account and at the word she had taken a large withdrawal he looked at it. She didn’t touch the money he had automatically deposited into her account, but she had cashed in some bonds and taken them.
Another dead end. Then it hit him, if she wouldn’t take money from him perhaps she was using her maiden name. They wouldn’t provide him that information. Swearing enough to make a sailor blush, Gavin called her father and found out he had not heard from her at all. She was gone. Disappeared from the face of the earth. He didn’t know where to begin.
Driving back home, he tore apart her desk looking for Allison’s information. It took him all the next day to find. Finding it, he placed the call not caring what time it was where he was calling.
“Hello?” the sleepy voice said.
“Let me speak to Allison,” he snapped, already at the end of his patience.
“This is her.”
“It’s Gavin. Is Sanura with you, or on her way to you?”
“Why?” Her voice became guarded.
“I don’t have the time to play games with you. Tell me if you know where she is.”
“Gavin, what is going on with you two? Last I knew you two had gotten married.”
“She’s gone. Is she with you?” He took a deep breath. “Or is she on her way to you?”
“No.”
“Would you tell me true if she were?”
“Yes I would. But I haven’t heard from her. What happened between you two?”
“She came out to see me in California. She came a day early and there was another woman in my room.” Allison released a sharp hiss. “I was set up, Allison. The woman admitted it later. Sanura found her in almost nothing and calling me lover. She bolted and I haven’t seen or heard from her since. She left her cell phone with me so I have no way of contacting her. I came straight home and she hasn’t been here. Her Yukon is still in the drive, the messages were unchecked on the machine. I have to know if she is alright. Do you know where she would be?”
“I don’t know where she is, Gavin. Sounds to me like she doesn’t wish to be found. I’m guessing she’s not using her married name so the airlines won’t provide you with anything?”
“Yes. Allison, I am desperate, can you give me something to work with?”
“Let me think on it and talk to Bryce. I’ll call you back.” She hung up on him and Gavin called his mother and told her to have the plane readied; he would need it at a moment’s notice. He hung up on her when another call beeped in.
“Sanura?” His voice desperate.
“No, it’s me, Allison.” Gavin could hear Bryce in the background soundly cursing his very name. “I have no idea what to tell you. Bryce said if she doesn’t want to be found than she won’t be until she is ready. He taught her how to hide. I will let you know if she contacts me. Goodbye, Gavin.” Then she hung up.
That afternoon the doorbell rang. Gavin opened it to look upon an older man with glasses. “Can I help you?”
“Are you Mr. Rawlins?”
“Yes.”
“This is for you.” The man handed him a thick package and left.
Gavin sank to the step and slit it open. It was a lot of papers with an envelope on top. He opened the small envelope and dumped out its contents. Two rings fell out—Sanura’s wedding set.
The papers were divorce papers. She didn’t want anything from him, just a divorce. She had signed them all that was left was for him to sign. Left him everything from the house to her Yukon.
“No. No!” He shouted to the heavens. “Do you hear me, Sanura? I won’t divorce you.”
He stood and went back into the house that seemed to mock his every movement. He searched through her jewelry and found a plain silver chain. Gavin slid her rings on the chain and attached it to his neck and spoke to his reflection.
“When these leave my neck it will be to settle back on your fingers, wife. I will find you, and I will bring you home to my side. For that is where you belong.”
Then he grabbed his keys and drove to his mother’s house to get a few things and take the jet.
* * * *
He started at the top of the list of where he thought she would go. Months later he still hadn’t found her, but refused to give up looking.
The Gavin Rawlins on the private plane now was a different man than before. He was leaner, gaunter. His eyes held a profound sadness in them. But his attitude was curt—anyone who got in the way of his quest, he cut down without thinking. A wall had been erected around his heart and he once again fit into his old stereotype of a heartless bastard.
Rich, but heartless, unfeeling, cold. With Sanura gone from his life it was as if the sun had been swallowed in his world, leaving him bereft of any and all light. That in turn left him deprived of any care for others.
Flying back to Georgia, he found Clint waiting for him with a letter. There was no return address and Gavin’s name was printed on the front. No handwriting at all.
Gavin ripped it open, his face thin from his travels and lack of sleep. A single sheet of paper drifted out and fell to the floor. With a trembling hand he picked it up.
I thought you might wish
To know that I am not
Carrying your child.
That was it. No signature, nothing. It wasn’t even in her handwriting but typed.
He pinned a hellish look on Clint and demanded, “Where did you get this?”
“It was in with the mail. No one saw anything. I have already asked. I’m sorry, man. I am truly sorry.”
“I won’t give up, Clint. I can’t and I won’t,” he said in a tortured voice.
“I know. I know. Don’t worry about work, I got it covered. You do what you have to and bring her back.”
“I will. That is a promise you can take to the bank.” Gavin’s phone rang. “Rawlins. What do you want, Mother? Sure, I’ll come over.” He shook hands with Clint then left.
Chapter Nineteen
He turned into Rawlins Manor and walked into the house to see his mother. She looked the same, older. “What is it, Mother? I’m leaving again soon.”
“Are you sure you are doing the right thing by her?”
“Meaning?” The word was hard.
“Meaning, maybe if you let her be she will find her own way home. You need to give her time to work it out from beginning to end in her own mind and her heart.”
“No. I am not giving up. I don’t want her to have time, it’s been more than enough already. I need to explain this to her. Let her know I won’t divorce her and we can get through this. Maybe she is out of money. What if she needs me? What if she is hurt somewhere? I love her, Mother, and I will find her and prove it.”
“If you are sure. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.”
“She hasn’t contacted you, has she?”
“Sorry, Gavin. I doubt she would, we never really had a chance to get to know one another. Well, the plane will be ready for you in
a few moments. Godspeed, son.” His mother kissed his cheek and left the room.
His cell phone chimed. He couldn’t contain the jump his heart gave when he saw the ID screen light up. “Allison? Is that you?”
The voice on the other end was so hushed he could barely hear her.
“Shhh. Listen up. I have to stay quiet or else Bryce will hear me and he wouldn’t like that I was doing this. I have an idea of where she might be.”
His heart thundered in his chest as if he’d left the gate at the Kentucky Derby. “Where?”
“Awhile before she met you she was talking to this guy over in Ireland. He asked her to come over and marry him. She never wanted to leave me and go, but she did like the guy. Maybe she went over there. He lived in County Kerry. That is all I remember.”
“Why are you helping me now?”
“Because I know she still loves you, otherwise she would have come to us. She is hiding because she is still confused and in pain. Sanura isn’t as strong as she pretends. She’s more like a little girl than the strong woman everyone thinks she is. She doesn’t think she’s worth much, which is why she ran instead of fighting. Sanura doesn’t have much confidence; well, not when it comes to herself.”
“What was the guy’s name?”
“I don’t remember. I’m doing this against my husband’s wishes, Gavin Rawlins, so don’t you dare disappoint me and hurt her again.”
“Thank you, Allison.” Gavin shut the phone as he ran for the plane. Ireland? A guy wanted to marry her? Not on her life, she belonged to him. The thought of someone else enjoying her body sent bolts of rage flying through his frame.
As he pounded up the steps to the plane he shouted to the pilot, “Ireland. County Kerry.”
They were in the air soon after the flight plan was filed.
* * * *
Sanura took a deep breath. It was beautiful here. She stood by the edge of the cliff and watched as the surf pounded on the shore. The wildness, the ruggedness of it all. The vivid green of the countryside and the brilliant blue of the water.
“Beautiful, isn’t it, lass?” The rich brogue reached her and she turned with a smile.