“Stop it, Nick!”
Now, instead of saving him, Nick pummeled him with punches, kicks, and cries until the man was an unconscious, crumpled mass.
“Stop! Nick, stop it!”
At last, he looked up, the berserk, bloody haze fading from his eyes. He blinked away tears and madness, and saw her, really saw her.
“Natalie ... you’re alive. Thank God.” He filled his arms with her, held her close.
“You found me.” She collapsed into him.
“I had to.” Kisses dusted her face. He pushed back sweat-plastered hair, pulled her free. “My life doesn’t work without you.”
He removed the bindings still around her feet and inspected her for wounds. She felt warmed, loved, and healed with every brush of his hands on her skin.
“I can’t lose you, Natalie.” His voice was ragged, ruined with the mere thought of it. “Never leave me.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Forehead to forehead, they inhaled each other and their gratitude for the other’s life. Her mouth found warmth, solace, and life in his. Until he pulled back. Something clouded his vision.
“Was what he said true?” Nick sat back on his heels, his hand shaking in hers.
Natalie knew the conversation he’d overheard must have rocked him to the core. His eyes flashed golden with a whirlwind of emotions as if he couldn’t decide what to think or how to feel.
She nodded through the bright and sudden fear of losing him. Of coming so close to first love—real love—and then having it denied by the sins of her biological past.
Was the Lakeview Slayer her birth father? How much did that matter? Should it matter?
He wasn’t a demon, but a man. A man who lay splayed on the floor, a man who’d chosen darkness and evil and reveled in the doing of it.
As Nick called Dalton to give him their location, Natalie wondered if her romance was over. Would Nick ever be able to look at her the same way, knowing that somewhere in the darkness of her DNA was the one responsible for his sister’s death?
How could love and hatred live in the same house?
Police milled around the area. Dalton hadn’t looked Nick in the eye since the police had retrieved the Slayer and taken him away to the hospital under heavy guard.
Nick reviewed what happened yet again, the convoluted mess he’d made of it all. He’d broken his promise to Dalton by not killing the Slayer. He’d failed Rebecca. He’d failed his family. In the end, it had been his love for Natalie that made him break his vow of revenge.
Standing in the castle’s shadow, Nick couldn’t wait to leave this place. He couldn’t stop wondering if Rebecca had died in the cave. It was so close to home. Shards of grief choked his throat at the realization that Natalie’s father had done this. He had ruined so many lives.
He’d stayed with Natalie while the paramedics looked her over, followed her to the hospital, waited through x-rays and exams, and then he’d brought her home.
Hours later, they sat together on her doorstep.
Nick knocked knees with Natalie as his thoughts scrambled. She played with the hospital tag still on her wrist. Scratches and bruises marred her skin, but the true hurt was invisible to the eye.
“You don’t have to stay.”
“I’m not leaving you, Nat.”
“I hope not, but I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”
He blinked. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means there’s a lot of garbage in my birth history. If you’re here, I want it to be because you love me.”
“I do, but—”
“But the Valences aren’t my family, Nick. Marie was a lonely, sad old lady trying to undo her mistakes.”
“She did right by you. Look what you have now.” He swept his hands out at the property. “You don’t need me anymore. We found a fortune in that cave; you don’t have to worry about debt collectors or auctions ever again. Besides, now you can hire a real contractor and do this place up right.”
“Y-you think I don’t need you? Of course I need you!”
He stared at the ground. “I can help you sell the wine. We’ll inventory it, get it to a good buyer. Then …”
“Then wh-what? We’ll go our separate w-ways?”
High, thin clouds threaded the sky. A bird darted from one tree to the next. How could the world keep moving after this day?
“I just need time. I … I can’t process this right now. It’s too much.”
Natalie recoiled as if he’d slapped her.
He cupped her warm cheek and her tears welled between his fingers. His heart broke. “Please don’t cry.”
“If it’s too much …” She reached out, touched his hand. “I understand. I don’t blame you if you can’t love me anymore.”
“Nat …” His breath went jagged, but the fight had left him frozen at a crossroads. She was a living, breathing reminder of the man who killed his sister. Would he ever be able to see anything else when he looked at her?
They stood together. She lifted on tiptoes and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips. The warmth of her waist and the scent of her hair overwhelmed him.
With a quivering smile, she whispered, “It’s okay. I’ll take that as goodbye.”
Yeah. Hearing her say it hurt as bad as he thought it would. But he couldn’t move, couldn’t break through the numbness as she closed the door between them.
Chapter 35
Another day dawned. So many had passed without any word from the man who’d stolen her heart and taught her to love. But he’d left. And rightfully so, she mused. Who knew what bitter secrets were hidden in her biological makeup? Would she snap someday like Rudy Kastleheimer had?
The newspaper said he was being held without bail. He was cooperating with the prosecution, working with a team to make sure every life he had ended was accounted for. There might not even be a trial. That was salt in Dalton’s wounds, surely. And Nick’s. And what about Violet? How could Natalie face her again? How could she face anyone?
As she brushed her teeth, she wondered if she should go ahead with the DNA test. It would prove whether or not Rudy was her father, but what if she really was a Kastleheimer? Plunging the brush under water, she dismissed the idea. What was done was done.
Nature. Nurture. Natalie Turner was exactly who God made her to be. Jesus saved children from the sins of their father, and that was good enough for her, even if it wasn’t for anyone else.
For now.
Tromping down the stairs, her hand trailed along the fixed banister rail. The chandelier gleamed with jewel tones in the morning sun. Crystal rainbows painted the wall, the stair treads, and the decorative flooring below.
Nick managed all of the renovation from afar now. He checked on things when she was out. Whether she was shopping for a new, sturdy SUV or meeting with the wine auctioneer, she returned to find he had come and gone, leaving a note behind to explain his progress. Now, she was waiting for the final bill to arrive, signifying that their business was done.
On the foyer table, under the floral spray, she found yesterday’s mail. Bills, bills, and more bills—all easily paid once the auction settled at the end of Harvest Weekend. Nick had done so much so quickly. With their first guests due today, the house would never be empty again. Pride and panic wrestled in her pumping heart.
Her parents and Aaron would arrive this weekend. The family that raised her gathered in times of crisis.
They couldn’t care less about the wine or the now-bursting bank account; they just wanted to see her and Corie. To know that they were safe.
She stepped into the sunlit kitchen. White curtains surrendered to the breezes while Corie whisked powdered sugar and milk together. “Morning!”
“Mm.” No stomach for coffee today, Natalie fished in the canister for tea. She filled the kettle and set the water to boiling, but the whoosh of gas from the burner startled her. She leaned against the counter to steady herself.
How long would that dreadful day haunt her?
This was her life now, and every bit of her energy was spent on marketing this place. She’d set up a new website, created links to travel blogs, and offered free stays to two respected reviewers. The first guests and a few high-rolling collectors would soon arrive, coming in for the Kastleheimer First Crush Auction.
“We’re really doing this!” Corie danced as she waited for whatever was filling the room with such buttery, yeasty aromas to finish baking in the oven.
Natalie finished making her tea in a porcelain cup.
“Ready!” Corie removed a fresh batch of scones from the oven. “Timed that about perfect. You are nothing if not predictable, sister.”
Natalie kept her gaze trained on her cup and watched the water spin and steep until it reached her favored strength.
Corie sat beside her with a huge mug of coffee and a scone for each of them. Natalie covered her tea with a healthy dollop of cream.
“How’re you feeling?” Corie slathered butter over the golden scone.
Not waiting for Natalie’s answer, she drizzled a healthy dose of honey atop the steaming treat for good measure. Passing the plate to Natalie, Corie prepared another for herself. “Eat.”
Natalie did as she was told, and found it melted in her mouth. Though humming in delight, she merely nibbled at the corner.
“You haven’t been eating enough,” Corie scolded.
Natalie made a face in response. “You sound like Mom.”
Corie brightened. “Hope so! You need someone to lift you from your funk.”
“I’m not in a funk. I’m … healing.”
“Yeah, well, you get thirty days for a sucky bio-past. That’s my limit. This is day thirty-one.”
“Has it been that long?” Natalie dragged her hands through her hair, dropping her forehead to her waiting palms. “Feels like yesterday.”
“But it wasn’t. And you’re not responsible for—” An interrupting knock brought Corie to her feet. “Hold that thought.”
Natalie sipped her cup of tea. The golden raisin scone was tempting. She took a second buttery bite. Hunger awoken, she dunked the next bite into her tea and drizzled a third taste with honey. Calories didn’t matter anymore. Nothing did. Perhaps she’d eat nothing but scones and cream from here on out.
It’d be better when the house was full of strangers. As hostess, she could listen to other people’s stories instead of getting questioned every five seconds. No more, How are you feeling? Are you okay?
People walked on eggshells around her, but there was nothing left to break.
“Thought you’d never get here!” Corie squealed from the foyer.
Natalie’s ears perked at the low, male voice and the approach of cocky footsteps.
“Look who I found!” Corie said as she came back into the kitchen. She clapped her hands and made a grand gesture to the open doorway.
A lanky man shouldering a duffel bag like a shield stepped through the doorway. The bag dropped to the floor to reveal Aaron.
“Where’s the murderer’s daughter? I’ve got to see this for myself.”
“Aaron!” Corie shrieked her protest, punching his shoulder.
Face buried in her big brother’s shoulder, Natalie hugged him tight and then looked up into his heavenly blue eyes. “You would burst that bubble right away, Aaron.”
Still in his bear hug, he swung her around in a circle and then set her back on her feet.
“No sense tap-dancing around the obvious. Now. Where’s breakfast?”
Corie whipped him up an omelet while she dished on the events of the weekend. “Mom and Dad come tomorrow, and the auction’s Sunday night here at the inn.”
Aaron stuffed a third scone into his mouth. Speaking around the crumbs, he mumbled, “Thought you said it was a castle.”
“We made a few changes. The façade got a facelift. It’s more like a Tuscan mansion now than a medieval fortress.”
Aaron nodded, glancing from the tinted plaster walls, to exposed dark wood beams, and to the beautifully hung copper pots. “Nice digs for a first kitchen, Corie.”
“Thanks, bro.” Her eyebrows danced as she wiped the surface of her ovens clean.
Aaron swallowed the last bite of scone and helped himself to Natalie’s tea. He made a face. “Is there any coffee?”
Natalie rose, poured him a full mug, considered dumping it on his head, but handed it to him instead. “You should have seen this place a couple months ago.”
Aaron sipped at the drink and then pushed it across the table as he drew her to sit in his lap like when she was little. “You okay, Sis?”
Head to his shoulder, she nodded, hating that her lip quivered. “It’s been a lot to take in.”
“Yeah, we can’t all have my wine and roses adoption story, I guess.” He scratched his cheek and downed his coffee in three long gulps. “Actually, I kind of like yours. Just like I always imagined it. Full of mystery, redemption, and let’s not forget the money.”
“Here’s to the money!” Corie cheered. “And this spooky, haunt-riddled—”
“About that.” Natalie interrupted. “I was thinking—”
“Oh, boy. Here we go.” Corie sat, worry washing over her Audrey Hepburn features as she waited for another harebrained Natalie idea.
“No, just hear me out.” Natalie glanced at her watch, knowing he’d arrive any minute.
A knock sounded at the door.
Corie rose, but Natalie waved her off. “I’ll get it. And I’m leaving that front door unlocked. We’re gonna be jam-packed by tonight.”
Natalie pressed the pantry door closed as she passed, shoving horrors from her mind. Time would soothe the bad thoughts away and replace them with happy things. Or at least she hoped so—otherwise she’d go raving mad.
The knocking continued as she passed the library stuffed with carefully selected books. Only the best for her guests. The room was full of comfy chairs to draw guests in and encourage them to sit, read, and enjoy.
“Coming!”
Natalie hustled through the living room with the wide swath of oriental carpet, the new dual couches, the antiques, and the brightly-colored local landscape hanging over the grand fireplace. Entering the foyer, she smiled at the huge vase of flowers that was dropped off just yesterday. The lilies opened into the rainbows of sunlight streaming through the stained glass windows.
She’d made this place her own. Now, the priest would bless the house. Remove whatever darkness still lingered. Perhaps she was superstitious, but she needed this. Deserved this. And it was right that Corie and Aaron, the two people who knew her best of all, whom she loved most of all, were here to witness it. Nick surely wouldn’t be. He was no longer part of her inner circle. Someday, maybe that wouldn’t hurt quite so much.
The pastor was early, but that was all right. Natalie adjusted her outfit and opened the door.
But instead of the pastor, Nick filled the doorway. His forehead creased with a worried line, but the boyish smile that stole her heart softened the look. In his hands, he held a spray of daisies. The same flowers he’d given her that day at the fountain.
“For you.”
She took them, stared at their white, happy faces, mind tripping to the day when he’d talked of love.
But that was before he knew where she came from. Before he understood her biological family’s blood-soaked, murderous past.
She swallowed and kept her smile easy. Their business was done. He must be here for his check.
“All finished?”
“Done and done.”
She kept the breezy smile pasted on her face and hoped the stab in her soul would ease. She edged toward her office. “I’ll just get my checkb—”
“That can wait.”
He dipped a kiss to her mouth as if he hadn’t avoided her for a month. “Good morning, sunshine.” He stepped inside and sniffed deep. “Is that coffee?”
“Mm-hmm.”
She stood, dumbstruck, as he set off toward the kitchen like no
thing had happened, like nothing had changed. She let him pass, hands stuffed full of the daisies.
Natalie shuttled after him through the maze of rooms back to the kitchen. He stopped just outside the swinging doors, bringing her to a halt as well. He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm.
She despised the thrills that raced up her arms. She should be mad, she reminded herself. She did her best to hang on to that emotion while she fought the instinct to rush into his arms.
He shifted his feet, ducked an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry I’ve been … unavailable.”
She scoffed. But before she could voice her questions, her brewing anger, he propelled her into the kitchen.
“How sweet. Button daisies,” Corie cooed, unfazed by Nick’s sudden appearance. She quirked a grin. “What? He called. We’ve been talking.”
She cut the stems and set to arranging the bright blooms in a vase while Natalie poured herself a cup of coffee just for something to do.
Silence bloomed as Aaron and Nick sized each other up. Her brother’s frown eventually eased into a satisfied smirk.
“You must be Nick.” Aaron stood and shook his hand, biceps bulging and veins showing as they tested each other’s grip.
Nick sat and accepted a mug from Corie.
How could everyone be so normal? As if nothing had happened?
“So what were you saying about ghosts?” Corie blinked innocently at Natalie.
“I’m, um, having the house blessed. I talked with Father Lon. He’s coming this morning to take care of it. I thought it was him when you knocked.” Natalie splayed her hands on the table, watching Nick devour his own share of scones. “But … I’m glad you’re here. All of you. I guess.”
“Is anyone else coming?” Corie asked Nick. Her voice held a hopeful tinge.
Nick spoke around a fat mouthful of carbs. “Dalton’s on his way. So is Mom. Dad’s cataloging bottles with the auctioneers, but he’ll be here tonight.”
Aaron plucked up his military duffel as if it were feather light. “Corie,” he said, “it’s time to take that grand tour. Show me to my room before you put me to work.”
“You’re staying?” Natalie’s smile bloomed from the inside out.
First Crush Page 26