The Ultimate Romance Box (6 Bestselling Romance Novels)

by Eckhart, Lorhainne

  “I don’t know. She died five years later of cancer.”

  Alexa stared at her former husband, hating him and hating her father. For so many years, they’d lied to her. She wished she could cry or yell, vent her anger and sadness. No tears came to her dry eyes. No words formed in her parched throat.

  “Alexa,” Greg ventured a look at her.

  “Is there more?” she snapped.

  “Not about your parents. At the beginning, my wife Nancy, who was a good friend of Annabelle’s, tried to interfere on behalf of your mother. Dan was inflexible. And I respected his wish to protect you. So Nancy took care of you as often as he’d let her. Until she died in the car accident. I was left behind. Like him. Bitter and lonely.” Greg’s voice lowered to a murmur. His breathing labored. His jaw tightened. Had she pushed him too far?

  Worried, Alexa frowned. Her intention had not been to harm Greg, but to get an answer to the question that had tortured her teenage years. Relief flooded her heart. Her mother had never abandoned her.

  Eventually, she’d learn the sordid details. But for now, she’d prefer not to hear more. “I think it’s time you go back to your apartment and get some sleep.”

  He nodded, and without protest he followed her to the door. “Whatever you decide, Alexa, I wish you the best.” For a change he hadn’t called her sweetheart, or tried to belittle her.

  “Good night, Greg.” She turned on the alarm and picked up a bottle of water from the refrigerator. A chapter of her life had closed. She couldn’t undo the past, but she’d build her future, her way.

  Calm and composed, she strode to her bedroom, grabbed her little Bible from her night table, and extracted the cherished old picture from between the yellowish pages. “I love you, Mom. I know you’ve been watching over me from up there.”

  Independence and poise would be her new motto.

  “What about Dante?” a little voice nudged.

  “I love him, Mom. It’s going to be damn hard to leave here and go away.”

  ****

  “You can enter,” the nurse said, as Alexa raised her hand to knock on the door. “He’s awake and can use some visitors. He’s already asked me ten times when he’ll be discharged.”

  “Good morning, Dante.” The sanitized hospital smell of the room greeted her.

  “Ah finally, you’re here. I thought you’ve forgotten me.”

  As if she could! Every thought that had invaded her mind since last evening’s battle had involved him. And now as she approached the bed where he lay covered only to the hips, her pulse raced at the delicious sight of his brawny naked chest, and her heart commiserated at the bandage on his right shoulder and hand, and the sling holding his arm against his side.

  “It’s only 10 am. Visit hours start at eleven.”

  His grin denied his disapproval, and he held out his good arm. “Come, cheer me up. I need some compassion to stop me from falling into self-pity.” Humor and mischief flashed in his blue eyes as he offered her a childish pout.

  “Don’t be a cry-baby.” But his arm encircled her and brought her down against his hard chest. “Aw, I’m losing my balance.”

  “Good, hold on to me for support.” His fingers cradled her neck and immobilized her to receive his kiss. An eager tender kiss on his part—a passionate response with a hint of confusion on her part. Would this be one of their last kisses?

  The depressing thought tanked her mood. She wriggled out of his arms and straightened. “I’m glad you’re recovering fast. The detective called me. He’ll be here anytime now. He wants to check on you and talk to us.”

  “Bad timing. I didn’t get a good enough dose of antidepressant.” He pouted his lips and blew her a kiss. “Come back here.” He patted the side of his bed and sent her a bone-melting smile.

  “Good morning.” Ladd called as he banged on the door. “I’m glad you’re recovering fast, Mr. Cantari.”

  “Hello, Detective Ladd. We were expecting you.”

  “Really?” He arched a sarcastic eyebrow. “Hmm, and here I was afraid I was interrupting something.”

  “Alexa said you wanted to talk to us.” Dante recovered a serious expression. “So what’s going on now?”

  “Carter has gone through surgery. Tomorrow he’ll be moved to jail to await his trial. Dianna spilled the beans to try to lessen her sentence. What she told us confirmed the information we found on Carter’s emails. She’s been Carter’s girlfriend for years, although she managed to attract Mr. Partson. And she had Carter’s key, which explains how she entered into the 502 as soon as she heard the gunshot from her next door condo. In the frenzied situation, she didn’t lock the door behind her.”

  “How did they plan to abduct me?” Alexa braced herself for the answer.

  “They concocted to have you marry Steve. When you refused his proposal, he brought you the drugged Amaretto. The Valium was provided by Dianna. The three pills missing from your own bottle were used to put you to sleep the night you signed the two-million check.”

  “Were they planning to take Alexa to Las Vegas?”

  “Las Vegas?” Alexa shuddered and spun toward Dante.

  “I found three tickets with your name, Steve’s and Carter’s.”

  “Oh my God.”

  “They wanted you drowsy enough to go with them without protest,” Ladd explained. “They would have even dragged you to the car. At the airport they’d have claimed that you were tired and needed a wheelchair, according to Dianna. They’ve arranged for a quick wedding in Las Vegas.”

  “And then what?” Alexa bit her lip.

  “Dianna would have kept Greg occupied and maybe drugged too, while they drugged you for weeks, signing more checks until they got the bulk of your fortune, and then...” Ladd’s voice trailed away, and he glanced at Dante who nodded.

  “Tell us everything. Alexa is strong enough to take it.” With his good arm, Dante reached out to hold her hand.

  “An overdose is an easy way to get rid of people. Your friends would have heard of your suicide from the news. By then the criminals would have paid their debtors and disappeared in Europe.”

  “Oh my God.” Her head reeled from the incredible plot that was supposed to destroy her.

  “You saved yourself by not drinking the drugged Amaretto.” Dante squeezed her hand.

  “Their plan A failed, and Steve drowned. They tried to divert the police’s attention on you by putting the ring in your drawer and denying your claims of a trip to Atlanta. But the continuous presence of your lawyer at your side pushed them to act quickly before you discovered the existence of the check you signed.”

  “I owe you so much, Dante.”

  “I’m glad I could help, but let Detective Ladd finish his report.”

  “Carter tried to get rid of you in the ocean before you started uncovering things. Steve had already written a two million check to his company from the joint account he opened in his name and yours, while waiting for your check to go into his account. Dianna felt that things were becoming unhealthy for them. She pushed Carter to steal your jewelry and cash the check so they could leave as soon as possible. They were supposed to fly to London today if you haven’t messed up things for them by entering Carter’s apartment.” Ladd rubbed his chin. “I hope you know what you did was illegal, breaking into his apartment.”

  “Detective Ladd,” Alexa pointed her finger accusingly. “It wouldn’t be fair to punish Dante for bringing criminals to justice.”

  For the first time since she’d met the detective, a smile hovered on his lips. “Ms. Alexa, you always misjudge me. Your friend, hmm, I mean your lawyer is not going to be prosecuted for breaking into Carter’s condo. The Chief of Police and I have decided that in the light of the evidence Cantari found in the 502 apartment, he’d be granted a pardon.”

  “Thank you, Detective Ladd.” Dante extended his hand for a handshake with the detective, while Alexa heaved a deep breath of relief.

  “I’ll leave you now, and wish you a spee
dy recovery. Have a good day, Ms. Alexa.”

  “You, too.” She returned his smile, finally forgiving him for suspecting her at the beginning of the investigation.

  “Dante, we need to talk.” She settled back in her chair after the detective left, and crossed her hands in her lap.

  “Wow, it looks like a very serious subject,” he said in a voice that was anything but serious.

  “First, I want to thank you for everything you did for me, and—”

  “Stop there, Alexa.” He frowned, all humor gone. “Please, don’t ever try to thank me or talk about gratitude. I hope our relationship encompasses more than feelings of obligations.”

  “They could have drowned me, kidnapped, or killed me.”

  “No, for the record, you saved yourself from your attacker in the ocean, and you saved me from losing my sight by banging on Dianna’s head at the right time.” He chuckled and added. “I wish I had a picture of that scene.”

  A laugh escaped her. “But you supported and helped me, and risked your life for me.”

  “I would do it again anytime, cara mia.” His good hand reached over the lowered bedrail and caressed her cheek.

  “Oh.” She blinked a few tears of emotion and focused on the subject high on her priority list. “Dante, I told you I was planning to go to New York, and then to Paris.”

  His jaw tightened. “Do you still plan to go ahead with this? At the time you wanted to run away from the nasty atmosphere in this building. But the people causing it are gone. Well except Greg.”

  “Greg is not a problem anymore. Last night he even apologized for being selfish toward me.”

  “No kidding. I can’t imagine your ex being that humble.”

  “Well his girlfriend’s duplicity has disturbed him so much you wouldn’t have recognized him last night. He seemed so lonely, so lost. I was sorry for him and asked him to come and talk. Gosh, I felt like I was mothering him for a change.”

  “I’m glad you cleared the air with him.”

  “And I asked some crucial questions. For a change, he told me the truth.” Memories assaulted her and clenched her heart. “I learned that my mother never left me behind. It’s my father who threw her out and didn’t let her see me again.”

  “I’m sorry for your mother, and for you, growing up without her.” He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “As my nonna would say, your mom has probably been watching over you when we were fighting yesterday and before in the ocean.”

  Alexa nodded. She’d thought the same. “We fought and survived and won.”

  Things were falling in the right place for him. As for her... She released a heavy sigh.

  His eyes captured hers. “Alexa, you don’t have enemies at the Blue Waves anymore. Do you still want to go away?”

  Really, she didn’t have to go away. Especially when she loved Fort Lauderdale and its gorgeous beach so much, the view of the ocean on one side and that of the Intracoastal on the other. And she loved Dante. Her gaze traced his chiseled features and lingered on his sensuous mouth.

  But if she stayed, she’d fall into his arms every time he beckoned, and she’d become dependent again, waiting for him to call or stop by her apartment.

  Reason and desire battled in her heart. “I have to go.”

  Trying to raise himself on the pillows to better observe her, Dante squirmed and winced with pain.

  “What’s wrong?” Alexa jumped to her feet, ready to help him, just after she’d announced she was leaving him.

  “I’m trying to raise myself. I’ll call the nurse.”

  “No, I’ll help you. Here hold onto me.”

  He suppressed a grin, held her shoulder for support, and kept stroking her back while she arranged the pillows. “Now, I’ll pull you up. Is it better?”

  “Much better.” He didn’t release her. He kissed her. His tongue careened in between her parted lips with confidence and waltzed a happy dance with hers. When she cradled his head, he moaned. “You see how much I need you.”

  “You don’t really need me, Dante. And I can survive on my own now.”

  “Of course, you can. Let’s not talk about need. There are more important feelings to dwell on. I don’t want to lose you, cara mia. You’re very precious to me.”

  “Oh, don’t worry. We’ll still be friends.”

  Who cares about friendship? Dante wanted much more than a friendly relationship with Alexa. Damn it why did he have to be stuck in this bed? He glared at his bandaged arm and growled.

  “Are you in pain?”

  “Yes. Very much in pain. Here.” He pointed to his heart. “Darling, a hospital bed is the last place I’d ever imagine for a romantic interlude. I had hoped to be on the beach or on your balcony, anywhere but here to tell you I love you. I can’t live without you, my love.” His good hand caressed her cheek. “Ti amo tanto, amore mio.”

  “Oh Dante.” Her eyes opened huge, so green, so limpid, so full of love.

  “If you stay in Fort Lauderdale, I’ll be at your side day and night. If you want to go to New York, I’ll come with you. If you want to study in Paris, I’ll visit and wait for you to come back, but please promise you’ll marry me before going anywhere.”

  “Oh Dante, you really want to...”

  “Yes, I really, really want to marry you and keep you forever. I can’t drop on my knee right now, but will you say yes?”

  “Yes. Yes, I love you. I was so afraid to fall in love, but I think I can handle it.”

  “You can handle anything, my love. Even better, we can handle things together. See I can’t even hold you correctly for a proper kiss, so I hope you’ll help me kiss you the right way.”

  Epilogue

  Four months later, groups gathered around a flowered gazebo erected in front of the Blue Waves building. The beach bustled with elegant women in short evening dresses walking barefoot on the sand, and male guests in open shirts or printed Floridian tops. Dante moved from one neighbor to another, exchanged greetings with friends, and accepted congratulations.

  Not too far away, his sister laughed at something Juan was telling her. Dante snorted at the besotted expression on the lawyer’s face. Isabella had the young man practically eating out of her pretty fingers.

  On the terrace, Greg hovered near the bar, a drink in his hand, and chatted with Julia Bairey and Tom Dallen. Dante heard fragments of conversation. “They are both behind bars for a long time,” Julia said. In white pants and black silk shirt, Julia looked as elegant as usual.

  “They were such a bad influence on Steve,” Tom answered, his arm around her waist. “Your nightmare is over, darling.” Maybe Julia had suffered from Steve’s dishonesty. She was better off with a nice guy like Tom.

  “The bank is foreclosing on apartment 502, and my 1003 is for sale. I couldn’t spend another day in it after that woman’s treachery,” Greg said with a disgusted tone. “Here is the groom,” Greg had spotted him. “Hi Dante, come and have a drink.”

  Dante checked his watch. Ten more minutes before the bride’s arrival. “Sure.” A drink would help him stop looking at his watch and glancing at the door every minute. “How do you like your apartment?”

  Greg smiled broadly. “I love the 2101. So glad Alexa sold it to me and agreed to leave all the furniture and decorations. I love the view and the spacious rooms. I heard your grandmother and sister are going to be my neighbors in 2102.”

  “They are moving to the Blue Waves, next week.”

  “Aren’t you going to miss the beach?” Tom asked.

  “We plan to visit often and enjoy the beach.”

  “So how is your new house?” A curious gleam brightened Julia’s eyes. “I heard it’s a gorgeous mansion on the Intracoastal.”

  “Well, it’s my grandmother’s house, but it’s too big for her and my sister. Alexa is renovating it. She’s planning to start a decorating business from home as soon as we return from our honeymoon.” He didn’t specify that he and Alexa had been camping in one of the many rooms
while Alexa oversaw the remodeling of the house and helped Isabella decorate the apartment. The exchange had been suggested by his grandmother and suited them all.

  “Dante,” Greg took him aside. “How was the trip to New York?”

  “Good. Both productive and sad. Alexa met her mother’s friend, heard stories about Annabelle, and collected many of her pictures. Somehow she found her closure.”

  Dante glanced at his watch. Two more minutes left. “Excuse me now.” He took off his shoes and socks, left them in a corner on the terrace, and strolled to the gazebo.

  “What a lovely location for a wedding,” his grandmother Regina exclaimed from the portable chair set for her on the sand. “And perfect weather in the high eighties. You look so handsome, bambino” she added with a proud look, as she tilted her silk umbrella to direct more shade on her head.

  With an impatient look, Dante checked his white shirt, open at the neck, and wiped a speck of sand from his long white pants. He spotted Jay standing next to the priest he’d convinced to perform the wedding ceremony on the beach and joined him under the gazebo to wait for his bride.

  At four o’clock sharp, the music started and the guests turned toward the building. A hum welled up. “Ah, here she is.” Dante’s breath caught in his chest and a smile parted his lips at the lovely vision proceeding toward him, all by herself, a bouquet of five pink roses and a single white lily, in her hands.

  Dante swept his gaze from her red painted toes, to her tanned legs and thighs revealed by the short swinging hem of her muslin dress. She was simply adorable, her generous décolletage enhanced by two straps, embroidered with gem stones like her top. A ruby cross, gift of his Nonna, was displayed on her chest. Her curly hair cascaded on her naked shouldered and she’d pinned a white hibiscus flower over her left ear.

  Instead of waiting for her, under the gazebo, he took a few steps forward to greet her and brought her hand to his lips. “You’re so beautiful. I love you.”

  They walked hand in hand and stood in front of the priest who started the wedding ceremony. “Dearly beloved... Who gives this woman in marriage?”