Ridge Creek Reunited (Ridge Creek Duology)

by C L Green

  “Oh,” I mouth the word but don’t let any sound out.

  Letting his hand drop down again, Jim leans back in his chair and settles himself. “I’ve already ordered for us all, there’s whiskey and wine on the way and we’re eating seafood.”

  Jake nods his thanks and looks to me. “Arianna, meet Jim. Jim, keep your fuckin’ hands and eyes to yourself.”

  Jim lifts an eyebrow and turns his attention from me to Jake. “I’m about to turn sixty-four and arthritis is starting to kick my ass, can’t an old man enjoy the vision of a beautiful woman when one sits directly in front of him?”

  “No,” Jake growls but I can see a small smile lifting the edge of his lips.

  They’re just fucking with each other.

  Realizing all their yabber is just that, I relax and lean back in my chair. Seeing me relax, both Jake and Jim smile at me for a brief second and then they get down to business. Introductions seemingly complete, both men update each other as if they haven’t conversed in months.

  Fascinated, I watch in comfortable silence as they discuss everything openly. Jake explains the fourth house is up and running. Jim explains he’s found three more distribution points. Jake explains he’s added a whole new layer of security. Jim supports the changes fully. Jake explains that all distribution points will now be background checked. Jim agrees that all the new security measures are excellent and he supports them fully.

  During all this rapid fire conversation, our food and drinks arrive. Which means we eat, we drink, the two men joke around with each other and we laugh. Which also means that I have a good time. Which also means that it’s not until the end of the evening, when we stand up to bid our goodbyes that I realize a very important thing. Not once during the entire night did I spend one single moment thinking about Stephen, Patricia or one single event of my past.

  The only thoughts in my mind have been of Jake, his business and the future. A future that I’m sure is going to be very different from any future I could ever have imagined before. But at least it’s a future. Which after the events of the past few weeks, is something I was seriously wondering if I was ever going to have.

  Waving goodbye to Jim as we step into the lifts to head back to our room, I notice Jake’s mood darken slightly. Suddenly he looks detached and broody. “Are you okay?” I ask as the doors close in front of us.

  “Fine,” Jake rumbles flicking me a small smile as he reaches for his phone in his jacket pocket. Glancing at the screen, I notice a look of concern shoot across his face so I ask again. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m fine Ari,” he sighs as he shoves the phone back in his pocket. “Just worn. Conversations with Jim can be intense.”

  “I can understand that,” I murmur as we watch the numbers on the lift light up as we travel skywards to our room. “Do you not have phone conversations between meetings?”

  “Not often. They add too much risk. That’s why we have these cram meetings face to face. As you heard, there’s little time for more than business when we get together like this. Which is sad because I like Jim, he’s a good man. It would be nice to spend some time relaxing with him now and then. All we ever seem to talk about these days is business. Sadly, because I am no longer married to his daughter, even meetings like these will need to be few and far between.”

  I nod my understanding as Jake’s hand slides around my waist and he pulls me closer. “It was nice to have you there tonight. It was nice to do business and still have my pleasure at the same time. You make everything better.”

  “No Jake,” I disagree as I lean my head against his huge shoulder. “You make everything better. You haven’t stopped making everything better for me since the moment I met you.”

  Feeling Jake sigh against me, I lift my head again and twist to search his face. He still looks dark and broody and it worries me. Seeing my concern, he relaxes and pulls me back hard his shoulder. His lips brush the top of my head and he sighs. “And I plan to keep making things better, for both of us.”

  Fully trusting that Jake is capable of anything and that if he tells me everything is going to just keep getting better, I believe him. I believe him so much that within an instant, I know what I must do.

  “I do believe I love you,” I whisper as I snuggle against shoulder.

  “Glad to hear it,” Jake murmurs as he brushes his lips against my head again. “I was starting to wonder if you were ever gunna say it.”

  “You were?”

  “I was,” he replies with a squeeze.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Anton

  Meanwhile, Towball…

  Looking at the scrawny, middle-aged woman sitting on the couch in front me, I sigh. The bitch is nearly ready to piss herself and I still can’t work out if Arianna looks anything like this woman or not. Every now and then I think I see a shadow of Arianna in her, but then I decide it’s just a mannerism and not a physical look. I’m gunna vote they’re not related.

  Which is good for Arianna because if this is what she’s gunna look like in a few years, it’s all downhill from here.

  Turning to look towards the kitchen, I see the new guy Anton come wandering in. Everything is going to plan and he’s been busy. In his gloved hands he holds an old, well-thumbed Manilla folder. Moving towards the woman on the couch, he tosses the folder on the coffee table in front of her.

  “I couldn’t find anything, we’re never gunna know the full story. They’re in it together, but I still can’t work out why,” Anton announces. “I’ve grabbed some photographs from her albums and put them in the folder. With all the other bits and pieces I had on the abduction, we’ll just have to let the police put two and two together. It’s clear it’s the same kid when you look at the photographs.”

  Nodding, I lean back to peer through the crack in the curtains again. I’ve already received word the Bradford woman is on her way and she should be here shortly.

  “Please don’t kill me,” Patricia whispers from her seat on the couch as she continues to stare at the gun in my hand.

  “Already explained the deal sweetheart. You answer the door and let the Bradford woman in, your free to go.”

  Anton glances up at me and smirks. I know he knows differently but no need to upset the bitch any more than she already is.

  Catching a glimpse of headlights in the crack in the curtains, I lean back and confirm a car has arrived. A new black Volvo pulls up to the kerb. It idles for a short while and then the engine shuts off.

  Glancing back to Anton, I nod and watch as he moves quickly to vanish back out into the kitchen.

  Shifting my eyes back to the crack in the curtain I watch. This could be the point where the whole play goes south. If she brings one of her companions inside, there could be trouble.

  The interior light of the car comes on and I curse internally as I watch a tall, dark guy climb out the passenger seat. He’s carrying a gun.

  Fuck.

  I’m about to signal Anton that there’s a problem when our luck changes and I watch as the guy shuts his car door and heads straight to the side of the house. He’s not coming to the front door; he’s heading around the back.

  Bad move buddy. You’ll find some company round there.

  As I watch him disappear around the corner of the house, the car light comes on again and a short woman with short, spiky blonde hair steps from the backseat of the car. Seemingly satisfied she’s safe now that she’s sent one of her soldiers to the back of the house, she closes her car door and walks straight up to the front door.

  I’m surprised at her mature age and that her movements are so bold. I can tell she’s a woman used to getting her own way. “You’re up,” I murmur to the woman on the couch.

  She nods and licks her lips nervously but does as she’s been told to do. When there is a loud tap on the front door, she lifts from her seat to walk over and answer the door. She moves hesitantly but at least she’s moving. She could have done the dumb thing and either not moved o
r even worse, screamed.

  We’re nearly there.

  The door swings inwards and towards me which works to my advantage by keeping me hidden while the two women greet each other. Patricia’s voice is shaky but the Bradford woman seems happy to ignore her wobbly greeting and barges through, pushing Patricia out of the way.

  Smirking at her stupidity, I flick a toe out and watch as the door swings shut behind her.

  The look of surprise on her face as she turns to see me pointing a gun straight between her eyeballs is gold. I watch as her mouth drops open and I can see she’s about to yell a warning to her man out the back when Anton steps into the room and she closes her mouth.

  “You,” the Bradford woman murmurs and I can hear the venom in her voice. Anton smiles at her and points with his own gun towards the couch. “Five fucking years it’s taken. It wasn’t easy but as I warned you it would happen, the moment you made a dumb move, you were mine.”

  “You sure about that?” She murmurs again as she moves and takes a seat on the couch. Her movements still bold and confident.

  “I’m sure,” Anton replies without hesitation as he crosses the room to stand in front of her. “You only brought two men with you. The first fell asleep on his way to the back door and the second fell asleep in the car out-front. They’re both already in the back of a van and headed far, faraway from here.”

  The woman’s eyes flare before moving to Patricia who is still standing at the door looking like she’s going to piss herself. Patricia sees the Bradford woman’s eyes on her and looks to me. “Can I go now?”

  Shaking my head slowly, I give her a sad look. She seems to get the message and a sob escapes her mouth.

  She’s not as stupid as I thought.

  Moving to take a seat on the couch, her ass is barely on the cushion before Anton’s hand goes to the back of his jeans. Quickly pulling out a gun with a suppressor already attached, he shoots her straight in the heart. Stunned, Patricia looks around the room for a moment or two, hiccups a couple of times and then falls back onto the couch.

  One down.

  Gotta say, the man does not fuck about.

  Interestingly the Bradford woman doesn’t even blink. Her eyes simply move from the body of the dead woman next to her to settle on the gun in Anton’s hand. My guess, it’s not the first person she’s seen shot dead.

  “I take it negotiation is out of the question,” she says slowly shifting her eyes to look directly into Anton’s.

  “You know Stephen doesn’t pay me to negotiate,” Anton explains as he moves and walks around to the back of the couch.

  The Bradford woman then shifts her eyes to mine. “Do you know who I am?”

  Nodding, I shrug my shoulders. This isn’t my fight. I’m just here to make sure Anton gets done what he needs to get done. Jake asked me to help Anton, I’m helping Anton. No questions asked.

  Slowly unscrewing the suppressor from the gun, Anton looks up at me and I can see he still doesn’t plan to fuck about. Without saying another word, he holds the gun to the side of the Bradford woman’s head and pulls the trigger. A loud bang echo’s through the room.

  Leaning forward over the back of the couch to catch her as she slumps forward, he lifts her off her ass and turns her body to face Patricia. Knowing what I have to do next, I walk over and with my own gloved hand, take the gun from Anton’s hand where it is currently holding up her armpit. “Left or right,” I ask.

  “Right,” Anton grunts as he continues to hold the woman in position. Rounding the couch as well, I lean across and press the gun into the Bradford woman’s right hand. I then place her finger on the trigger. Aiming the gun straight at Patricia’s heart, I pull the trigger.

  Another loud bang rings out and across the room.

  Both of us letting the body go at the same time, the Bradford woman slumps back into the couch. Anton nods to me as he reaches his hand inside the front of his jacket. Pulling a second gun from a holster, he points it towards the front door and pulls the trigger. Another loud bang echoes through the room.

  “A blank,” Anton explains as he puts his gun away and then picks up the expended shell. “Time to move. That should be just enough noise to rouse the neighbors.”

  “Just a second,” I mumble as I reach into my jacket and pull out the DNA kit handed to me back in Ridge Creek. Tearing the package open, I grab the swab and lean over and shove it in Patricia’s mouth. Scrubbing it around a couple of times, I put it back in its holster and shove the kit back in my pocket.

  Looking up to find Anton already gone, I make my move as well.

  Time to get the fuck out of here.

  Chapter Eighteen

  You Belong With Me

  The next morning, Arianna…

  Waking up after yet another late and energetic night where Jake showed me just how much he appreciated my impromptu confession in the lift, I instantaneously sense something is not right.

  I don’t know how I know this, I just do.

  The hairs suddenly prickle on my arms and along the back of my neck and everything in my whole being is screaming at me that something is amiss.

  Rolling over, the first thing I discover is that Jake is already gone. This in itself does not ring alarm bells because I can hear him on his phone in the other room. Interestingly the bedroom door is shut.

  Jumping out of bed, I head straight to the bathroom. After a quick pit stop to take care of morning business, I grab one of the complimentary, soft, fluffy robes to put on. Wrapping the belt tightly around my waist, I wonder if Jake will care if I steal this robe and we have to pay for it. Considering we’re here under false names, probably not.

  Still unable to shake the strange feeling that something is amiss, I head straight for the bedroom door. Placing my hand on the handle, I can still hear Jake’s voice rumbling on the phone but it’s slightly muffled by the television which is on as well.

  Opening the door, my eyes instantly find Jake sitting on the brown leather couch. He looks delicious in just a pair of cargo shorts as he sits talking on his mobile and watching the morning news.

  Sensing movement, he turns to look at me. Quickly muttering, “Gotta go,” into his phone, he hits end on the call and tosses the phone on the couch next to him. He then grabs the television remote and switches the television off.

  “Morning,” he rumbles in his deep sexy tone as watches my approach.

  Keeping my eyes trained on his, I close the gap between us. With each step closer, I study his face and become even more certain something is going on. “What’s going on?”

  Nodding as if he’s agreeing with me, he waits until I’m close enough that he can reach out and grab me. “Lots to talk about. Not sure where to start,” he explains as he twists me and bends me to fall in to his lap and lean back against his chest.

  Stiffening at his words, I feel the prickle of my hairs again. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong, we just need to talk,” he says twisting me even further and settling me sideways so I’m looking up at him. “You want me to grab you a coffee first?”

  “No,” I reply instantly. “I’m edgy, something’s up. What is it? Hit me with it.”

  Nodding he gets straight to it. “You’ve made the news, again.”

  “I have?” I ask confused. “How’d that happen?”

  “Your so called mother, Patricia and her alleged accomplice in the alleged abduction of Penelope Bradford twenty-eight years ago were found dead in your house in East Melbourne late last night.”

  “They were?” I ask feeling a strange knot in my stomach as I realize Patricia is dead.

  “They were,” Jake reaffirms slowly.

  “Who was her alleged accomplice?” I ask as I start to register what he’s telling me. “And how do they know about the abduction?”

  “Elizabeth Bradford. The bodies were found with two files of incriminating evidence. One was in your house and one was handed into a police station in Sydney a few hours earlier. It app
ears that Elizabeth shot Patricia for giving her up and then, not wanting to go to jail for her part in the abduction, shot herself.”

  “Really?” I ask wondering if he’s telling me the full truth and there’s not more too it. This seems to be way too big of a coincidence after our conversation with Stephen yesterday.

  “That’s what the news report says,” Jake says lifting his eyebrows and making his eyebrow piercing rise.

  “That’s what the news report says,” I say slowly as I nod and chew at my bottom lip. “What does Jake Holder say?”

  “Jake Holder says that it would be in your best interests to believe the news story and understand that Arianna Lovett can now walk back into her old life if she wants to. Arianna Lovett can also take up her rightful position as the daughter of Stephen Bradford if she wants to too.”

  Searching his face for more answers, the enormity of what he’s saying hits me. “I can go back,” I whisper.

  “You can go back,” he agrees softly.

  Feeling suddenly emotional I feel the tears springing to my eyes. “I can go back.” I whisper again as hot tears start to burn my eyes. Feeling the salty burn, I find that there are only four words that keep repeating in my head.

  I don’t want to.

  “I don’t want to,” I blurt as the tears start to roll down my cheeks. “I love being Arianna Davidson and I love you. Please don’t make me go back.”

  Looking suddenly confused, Jake blinks and I watch as his jaw ticks and his nostrils flare. Reaching out suddenly he grabs my chin and tips it towards him. “I’m not fucking telling you you have to go back. I’m saying you can. Two very different things Arianna. I don’t want you to go back, I want you to stay. You belong with me. The only reason we did all this was to keep you safe and give you a real choice to take your old life back.”

  “I can stay?”

  “Of course you can fuckin’ stay. Stay as Arianna Davidson. Stay as Arianna Lovett. Stay as Penelope Bradford if you must. Although if you do decide to become Penelope, I’ll still be calling your Arianna or Ari. Pene is a shit name and it doesn’t suit you.”