Heart of the Falcon

by Francis Ray

  “Please don’t. I detest people who lie, and I already like you a lot.”

  A smile tugged the corner of Madelyn’s mouth. “I like you, too.”

  “Good, then let’s give them five more minutes and then we’ll go back.” Jane took a sip of wine.

  “Thanks for the rescue,” Madelyn replied softly.

  “Women have to stick together.” Jane lifted her glass in a salute. Madelyn joined her.

  “Hey, this is pretty good,” Jane said after downing half the contents. “I usually have only half a glass because it goes straight to my head, but since Sinclair is helping to underwrite this affair, we should do our best to have a good time.”

  “I agree.” Madelyn drained her glass. Grinning, they placed their empty glasses on the tray of the circulating waiter and reached for full ones.

  When they returned to their table several minutes later, Madelyn was feeling comfortably mellow. Her boss took one look at his wife’s wide smile and decided it was time to go home.

  Not wanting to stay, Madelyn followed them outside. “Good night, Mr. and Mrs. Sampson. Thanks for allowing me to sit at your table. I had a wonderful evening.”

  The older woman patted Madelyn’s hand. “Call me Jane. We like each other, remember?”

  “I remember.” With a wave, Madelyn started toward the parking lot.

  Mr. Sampson called after her, “You didn’t valet park?”

  “No, the line was too long.” And I was foolishly impatient to get inside and see if Daniel was there.

  “We’ll take you to your car,” Jane offered, her expression worried.

  “It’s all right. I’ll be fine.”

  With a wave, she headed for the packed parking lot. When she had arrived it had been twilight, but now darkness shrouded the area away from the bright gold and chrome hotel entrance. It was just her run of bad luck that the overhead light was out on the aisle where she had parked her car.

  Chastising herself for her earlier impatience, she stopped near the outer perimeter of light shining from another part of the hotel to search in her bag for her car keys. A noise behind her spun her around.

  Less than seven feet away was the ill-mannered man with the horrible cologne. “Thought you were waiting for someone.”

  “That wasn’t your concern then or now.”

  He shrugged and the too-large jacket almost slipped off his shoulder. “Since we’re both alone, what do you say we go someplace?”

  “I’m going home. Alone.”

  He stepped closer. “Don’t play so hard to get. You and me could have a lot of fun together.”

  “You’re pushing it.” She was more angry than frightened. Men could be such egotistical jerks.

  The man snorted. “Like I’m scared. What are you gonna do to me any—”

  He never completed the sentence. He might have if he hadn’t reached for her.

  She reacted instinctively to the threat. Grabbing his hand, she used the momentum of his off-balance body to flip him over on his back. His wrist secure in her hands, she pressed her foot to his chest to keep him down.

  “You were saying?” she asked mildly.

  Angry curse words singed the air. However, another deeper, angrier voice had no trouble being heard.

  “Shut up, you piece of trash. Count yourself lucky she got to you before I did,” snarled a cold voice.

  Madelyn jerked her head up and around. She’d know that voice anywhere. Daniel stood glaring down at the man who had suddenly quieted.

  When Daniel looked at her, she saw black rage burning just short of control in his dark eyes. She swallowed.

  “Are you all right?”

  She swallowed again before she could answer. “Yes.”

  His gaze swept over her like silent, invisible fingers. “We’ll talk about your part in this later.” Taking the man’s hand, he moved her aside, yanked him off the ground, then twisted his arm high up behind his back.

  “Ohh! You’re breaking my arm.”

  “Shut up and move.”

  The man moved.

  Daniel called over his shoulder. “I’m not in a very good mood, so I suggest you follow us inside.”

  What did she care about his mood? He had messed up hers three weeks ago. And where was Miss Congeniality?

  Picking up her purse and the scattered contents, Madelyn remembered Daniel’s high-handedness in taking the man once he was down. Show-off.

  Then she remembered something else: Daniel’s close connection to her brothers. If they or her parents heard about this, she’d never hear the end of it.

  “Daniel, wait a minute. We need to talk.” Her skirt raised up over her knees, she sprinted to catch up. Her comfortable state of mellowness had lasted all of ten minutes.

  Chapter 5

  Madelyn couldn’t believe what was happening. She had seen Kane on a tear, but he was mild compared to Daniel. She didn’t blame the on-duty executive manager for looking uneasy. The chief of hotel security didn’t escape his wrath, either.

  Daniel’s tone was scathing when he mentioned the light out in the parking lot and the stupidity of not putting on extra security people to patrol the parking lot on the night of a big event.

  Both men had initially tried to defend themselves, but after Daniel got through with them, they simply listened. Madelyn didn’t blame them. She wasn’t about to forget his words about her part in this.

  As for Jerome Turner, the man who had started all this, he remained slumped in his chair, his thin shoulders hunched forward in the ill-fitting tux. He worked in the janitorial department of one of the oil companies and had stolen the invitation out of the wastebasket. He probably hoped Daniel had forgotten him.

  The thought was wasted. Every few seconds Daniel would turn those steely, black eyes of his on the man, and the tension in the room would almost sizzle.

  Madelyn had thought of leaving the private office they were quickly and quietly escorted to, but as if he had a sixth sense where she was concerned, each time she began to ease up from her chair, Daniel’s attention immediately shifted to her. Considering she had to ask a favor of him, she decided after being caught for the second time, she’d stay.

  “If Ms. Taggart had been harmed in any way because of your carelessness, you would have answered to me,” Daniel said, his voice crackling with dark promise.

  He was a magnificent warrior, she admitted reluctantly. He intimidated and commanded respect. No one in their right mind would antagonize him. She’d read that traits such as fearlessness and daring were inheritable. He’d certainly gotten his share.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Falcon,” David Flowers, the executive on duty repeated, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down in his thin neck. “Maintenance is taking care of the light, and extra security is on the lot. We’ve pulled off some of the valet attendants to escort unescorted ladies to their cars.”

  “The police are on their way,” offered the middle-aged security guard, his hands noticeably by his sides instead of hooked in the waist of his pants as when he had arrived. He had ripped them out two seconds after Daniel tore into him.

  “Police,” Jerome shouted, straightening in his chair. “Now wait a minute. Ain’t no call for that. I just wanted to pick her up for a little fun.”

  Daniel whirled and reached for him.

  “Stop him,” Jerome yelled, toppling his chair backward in an attempt to get away from Daniel. It was useless. Tossing the straight-back chair to one side, Daniel kept going.

  “Daniel, if you touch that man you’ll end up in jail, and I thought you wanted to talk to me,” Madelyn said, trying to sound calm when her entire body was shaking.

  He stopped, but didn’t turn. “I know where to find you.” The implication was that the cowering man might not be so easy.

  Both hands defensively in front of him, the young man scooted until his back hit the wall. He swallowed repeatedly. “Look, man, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean no harm. I was on my way to the bus stop, saw her and thought I’d t
ry one more time.”

  “Bus stop,” Madelyn cried in disbelief. “You were trying to hustle me, and you didn’t even have a car?”

  “What’s this about one more time?” Daniel asked coldly.

  “I-I asked her to dance. She turned me down.” He shook his head. “I didn’t mean no harm. I just reached for her, and she pulled that judo crap on me.”

  “I thought Mr. Falcon subdued you,” said the executive.

  The man on the floor shot Daniel a glance before answering. “I-I forgot.”

  Madelyn returned the speculative looks of the hotel executive and the security guard with what she hoped was an I’m-just-a-helpless-female look. It galled her to do so. But the thought of having her name on a police report wasn’t thrilling.

  “Daniel, can we go now?”

  With one last lethal look at the cowering man, Daniel turned. “Let’s go.”

  “Man, please—don’t send me to jail. I ain’t got no record, and I’m gonna lose my job as it is,” Jerome pleaded.

  Daniel jerked around, his eyes as ruthless and chilling as his voice. “You should have thought of that before you tried to attack her.”

  “Man, I told you, I just wanted to pick her up. My partner said he came to one of these things last year and scored. He didn’t have no car, either.”

  “And you believed him?” Madelyn asked incredulously.

  “Greg’s a player. Says he always scores. Said they left in her ride. I figured I could do the same. Please,” Jerome cried, “I apologize. I was being cocky, but I didn’t mean to scare your woman, man. I swear. My mama would take a broomstick to me.”

  “Your mother?” asked Madelyn softly, her curiosity growing with every word the young man spoke.

  As if realizing his hope lay with Madelyn, the young man gave his full attention to her. “I live with my mother. If I didn’t have to give her a hundred dollars every two weeks for rent and take out health insurance, I’d have a car—and Keisha wouldn’t have kicked me to the curb.”

  “You might have needed the health insurance if you had touched Ms. Taggart,” Daniel reminded him.

  The young man began shaking. Madelyn wanted to swat Daniel. Any man who paid his mother rent money wasn’t all bad. “Have you ever missed paying rent?”

  His gaze touched the floor. “Once—but she had my clothes packed two days later. I had to borrow the money from my partners.”

  “Was Greg one of the men you borrowed money from?” she asked.

  “No. He said his ex-wife was hassling him about child support. He wanted money from me,” Jerome admitted.

  “Greg sounds like a person I’d stay away from,” she said.

  “That’s what my mama says.”

  “Then perhaps I should call her and let her know you didn’t listen,” Madelyn threatened.

  Wide-eyed, he came off the floor. “You can’t. My mama would kill me if she knew about this.”

  Daniel had matched movements with the man, his huge bulk defensively in front of Madelyn. Scowling at his broad back, she stepped around him. The man’s fear was obvious. Somehow Madelyn knew he didn’t mean “kill” literally.

  “I won’t, if you do some things for me.” The man was bobbing his head in agreement before she finished. “Apologize to your employer, scratch Greg off as a buddy, and give your mother a hug when you get home.”

  He hung his head. “If I hug her, she’ll know I did something wrong.”

  “Then you’ll just have to suffer the consequences. It’s better than going to jail,” she told him. “In case you think about forgetting…” She paused, adding, “Remember this man standing by my side, because he certainly won’t forget you.”

  “I won’t forget,” he promised, looking as unhappy as any teenager made to own up to his misdeeds.

  Madelyn touched Daniel, felt the tenseness in his arms, and forged ahead anyway. “I believe him. There are enough young men with police records. Life for a young black man can be rough enough without that. You believe in giving young people a chance, or you wouldn’t have started the work-study programs,” she finished softly for his ears alone.

  His surprised gaze jerked toward her.

  “Please,” she said. “I think he’s telling the truth. I don’t want to press charges.”

  A muscle leaped in Daniel’s bronzed jaw, then he spoke to Mr. Flowers. “If it checks out he has no prior arrest records, we won’t press charges.”

  “Thank you. Thank you,” Jerome cried.

  Daniel turned cold eyes on him again. “Don’t make me regret my decision.”

  “You won’t. And, miss, I’m sorry.”

  “I hope you are, but another thing you can do for me is start treating women with respect,” she told him.

  “Come on.” Daniel urged her out of the office and down the lush carpeted hallway to the immense atrium lobby. Passing the two rushing Houston policemen, they kept walking.

  “You don’t want to talk with them?” Madelyn questioned.

  “I’ve ranted enough for one night,” Daniel answered.

  From beneath her lashes, Madelyn glanced sideways at his stern profile. “You mean you don’t always have men sweating bullets.”

  “I’m glad you can smile about it,” he said, steering her around a group of chattering people.

  She heard the tightness of his voice and knew she shouldn’t have teased him. He had been concerned about her safety.

  “I’m all right, Daniel. I was too angry to get scared. I overreacted.” Her lips twitched. “Imagine him trying to pick up someone while riding a bus.” Laughter bubbled from her throat.

  Daniel stopped and stared down into Madelyn’s animated face. She could laugh—and he was still shaking. His rage against the hotel staff had been misplaced. He was the one really to blame.

  The instant he had seen the light go out of Madelyn’s dark eyes when he introduced the opera singer, his guilt had begun. The woman had meant nothing to him. Another woman who wanted to add his name to her list of lovers. He had met her at the ball and had escorted her back to her table after she had tried to insult Madelyn.

  She should have saved her breath for her arias. No one got the best of the laughing woman in front of him. Not some cocky jerk trying to pick her up, and not Daniel Falcon.

  He had seen her leave with the Sampsons and followed. People stopping him to speak had caused him to lose sight of her. The valet had pointed Daniel in the right direction. Hearing the man boast, then seeing him reach for her, had enraged him. He didn’t know who was surprised the most—him or the man on the ground with her foot in his chest.

  He shook his head. “You’re something.”

  “Glad you noticed.”

  “I noticed.” He started walking again. “I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t tell anyone about my involvement with the work-study program.”

  “I won’t. Kane explained everything to me.” She glanced up at him through a dark sweep of lashes. “I think it’s very generous of you.”

  He shrugged. “Don’t go picturing me any different than I am.”

  “Why won’t you let me think anything good about you?”

  “Because there isn’t,” he said, leading her down three marbled steps. “We’ll get my car first, then I’ll follow you home.”

  “That isn’t necessary. Besides what about Miss Congen— Kemp?” Madelyn quickly corrected.

  “I met her only tonight,” he said, ushering her through the outside glass door held open by a uniformed attendant. “I’m not going to renew the acquaintance.”

  “Mr. Falcon, Mr. Flowers called and your car is waiting.” The smiling young man looked at her. “I’ll be happy to escort you to your car.”

  “Thank—”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Daniel said, cutting her off, then urging her to his Bentley coupe parked by the curb. He opened the door. “Get in. I’ll take you to your car.”

  Madelyn lifted her chin. She was tired of him seeing her as his friends’ he
lpless little sister who always needed rescuing. “I can see myself home.”

  “Do I call Kane or Matt first?”

  Madelyn got in the car without another word. Closing the door, Daniel tipped the attendant standing a respectful distance away.

  “You really aren’t going to tell on me are you?” she asked, gnawing on her lower lip.

  “That depends,” he said, setting the car in motion.

  “On what?”

  He shot her a glance before turning in the direction of the parking lot, glad to see a security guard on foot patrol and the burned-out bulb replaced. “On whether you appease my appetite or not.”

  A soft gasp echoed in the car.

  Daniel didn’t know if the sound pleased or displeased him. “I didn’t get a chance to eat at the banquet today or tonight. Any chance on fixing me a sandwich or something?”

  * * *

  Madelyn vacillated between anger and disappointment. She took both out on the French bread she was slicing on the cutting board. How could she keep letting herself in for disappointment?

  Easy—she got within an inch of Daniel, and her brain shut down. Too bad his didn’t do the same.

  “You sure I can’t help?” he offered.

  She glanced up and wished she hadn’t. He had made himself comfortable. His jacket was gone, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar, and the sleeves rolled back. But the worst thing he had done was to take the band from his hair.

  Shannon, her sister-in-law, hadn’t exaggerated when she described it as being sensual. The lustrous black hair lightly streaked with silver moved with a supple grace that was almost hypnotic.

  She didn’t know if the reason was because she wasn’t used to seeing men with long hair, the hair itself, or because everything about Daniel seemed to make her heart beat faster.

  “My beautician wanted me to tell you she wanted to get her hands on your hair,” she said, thinking she’d better leave the other part out. “I told her I’d tell you if I saw you.”

  Pushing away from the door, he came to stand beside her. She barely kept from jumping when he touched her hair. “She did a good job with yours, but I think I’ll pass.”