She gave him a searching look. “How is your mom doing now? Is she okay?”
“Yeah, she had a hard life, but she’s a survivor. As soon as I made enough money, I bought her a condo in a doorman building close enough so I could visit her. She always had a talent for painting, so she took art classes and has become an accomplished artist. It helped her heal.”
“Oh, I’m so glad to hear that,” Veronique said, hugging him.
“She deserves happiness after all the sacrifices she made to keep us fed and clothed. Her biggest fear was that my sister and I would end up in foster homes.”
“What about your grandparents? Didn’t they help her?”
“No. She was estranged from them. They were strict and very conservative. My mom was a sheltered only child and the one time she rebelled, she ended up pregnant and had to drop out of high school and get married. Her parents never accepted my dad. Ironically, they were right about him.”
“She must be very strong.”
“She is, and spiritual. When I was growing up, she always said, ‘Remember whose child you are. I birthed you, but you’re God’s child. Use your talents to make a better world.’”
“I wish I could meet her,” Veronique said. “Do you have any pictures of her?”
“I have some in my office. I’ll show you tomorrow.”
Ronnie was so different from Elizabeth. He’d mistakenly thought that marriage to the sophisticated Elizabeth Remington would somehow erase his tainted pedigree and give him a shot at a new life. Initially, she’d acted like she respected and liked his mom, but after many pretend illnesses and excuses not to visit her during the holidays, Nick realized something was off. During a fight when Elizabeth admitted her disdain for the blue-collar working class and included his mother in it, Nick decided the marriage was over. Good thing too because she was already hooking up with Zack.
“I think she’d like you,” Nick said quietly.
“She must be so proud of you. I know I am. How did you cope?”
“Not very well as a kid. I felt powerless and sick to my stomach most of the time.”
“Because you were afraid of your dad?”
“No, because I was afraid of what he’d do to my mom and my little sister. I had a constant knot of anguish in my stomach, ashamed that I was too scrawny to rescue her from the monster she’d married.”
“But you did rescue her. You did the best thing a little boy could do. You went to your school counselor and got help—for all of you.”
“I also worked my butt off to get as strong as steel, physically and mentally as I got older. If he ever threatened Mom again, he’d have to deal with me. Even with a restraining order, he was dangerous.”
“Did he ever find you?”
“Yeah, when I was much older. He got wind of my success and tried to get money from me.”
“How awful.”
“He showed up drunk at the courthouse during the trial demanding money from my company. He was arrested when he pulled a knife on one of the reporters outside.” He paused. “I’m sure you remember the circus that day. It was all over the news.”
“Yes…I remember,” she said softly. “Is he still in jail?”
“No, he died there of a heart attack.” He scoffed, “Funny how that didn’t constitute big news. I’m glad he died in jail. It’s where he belonged.” His gut twisted at the memory of the vast relief he’d felt at his old man’s death. “I’ve done everything to disassociate myself from him. I legally changed my last name to my mom’s maiden one, but that doesn’t wipe out the bad seed I inherited.”
“Don’t ever say that again. You are nothing like your dad!” she cried passionately. “I have loved you from the first time I set eyes on you in camp.”
“What?” Nick pulled back and stared at her incredulously. “You said you had a crush on me. That’s not love.” She had been nothing but a pest during camp and now she was telling him she’d loved him?
“It is to a little girl. Even as a kid, I appreciated how decent and honorable you were compared to the other counselors. You always went out of your way to help any of us kids who needed a hand.”
“It was my job,” he said quietly.
“No, it was more than that. You care about others.” She nuzzled his neck with her face. “Earlier today you searched for me, worried about my safety. No one has ever shown that much concern for my welfare. You are the most heroic, most wonderful man I know, and I love you!” Tears sprung from her eyes, wetting his chest as she hugged him tightly. “It’s true I used to have a girlish crush on you, but I’m not a little girl anymore. This is a woman’s love,” she said fiercely.
He caught her chin and tilted her face up. The look of pure love in her eyes made his insides clench and his heart ache. He raised her up to eye level, anchoring her beside him to gaze in her eyes.
“Ronnie,” he said tenderly. “My brave, beautiful Ronnie.”
Her eyes watered as they searched his with such profound hope, his heart rocked.
“I’ve treasured our time together…but…”
She froze in his arms, her eyes filled with alarm. “But what, Nick?”
“I don’t want to hurt you. You know I don’t intend to get married, and I—”
“Nick, I already told you. We’re living in the moment. I know what I’m getting into. Don’t take this away from me…from us!” She clutched his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin with desperation. “Don’t regret this. I don’t.”
Nick didn’t know what to say. He wished he could live up to Ronnie’s absolute trust and confidence in him. She was special and unique, and she’d already carved a place in his heart, but he couldn’t tell her he loved her back. It wasn’t fair to mislead her. She would want more—marriage, children, the whole romantic picture.
Her soft hand circled his chest and settled over his heart. Pretty ironic, he thought ruefully. She already had his heart in the palm of her hand.
Chapter Fifteen
When nobody answered the knock on Nick’s front door, Daisy waited a few minutes and then let herself in. Stealthily, she made her way through the house, stopping to glance in each room. There was no sign of Nick or Veronique. As she approached Nick’s bedroom, she noticed the door was open and she could hear the shower water running in the master bathroom. Tiptoeing closer, she heard sexual moans and intimate sounds of bodies and skin coming together.
Ugh, they were at it again.
With a sour twist of her mouth, she forced the insufferable image from her mind and concentrated on the hatred for Veronique mushrooming inside her. With a little luck, they’d stay in there a while longer and she could get her task done efficiently. She ran to the guest bedroom and threw open Veronique’s suitcase. Pushing aside the pile of clothes, she put Veronique’s camera in and covered it with clothes, just the way she’d found it yesterday. Good thing she had a photographic memory because she’d memorized the top articles of clothing and where they’d been in the suitcase. It looked as if the bitch hadn’t touched anything since their return from the beach. Hopefully, she hadn’t noticed her camera missing.
Daisy took one more look around the room and left. She crept down the hall and glowered when she passed the master bedroom and heard their voices coming from the bathroom. They were going to be in for a big surprise, one they’d never expect. She felt like kicking the door down, but she darted away before they came out.
Just as she cautiously closed the back kitchen door, she heard a rustling sound behind her.
“Where are you going?” Felipe asked. “I thought you were cleaning today.”
Daisy jumped and whirled around to face her nosy father. “I’m going back to Fort Myers with Manuel. Those two are busy.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s obvious they don’t need me around.”
Felipe nodded.
“Papi, don’t tell them I came by. They’ll know I caught them in the shower,” she said, hiding her rage with a cunning smile. “They were going at it like�
��”
“Be quiet.” Felipe’s stern eyes tried to silence her. “Stay out of their business, Daisy. They are in love.”
“No they’re not! He’s bonking the bitch, that’s all,” she huffed.
“Don’t talk like a slut!”
Daisy clamped her mouth shut so tightly, her teeth hurt. She wanted to lash out and scream obscenities at her father, but she couldn’t risk unleashing his temper, especially in Nick’s yard. Instead of telling him to go to hell, she gave him a hate stare.
“When are you going to pick up Manolito?” he asked wearily.
“He’s staying with Mami for the rest of the week,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him aggressively. She wasn’t about to let him guilt her into picking up the kid. She had something better to do, especially now. It was going to be difficult to get rid of Veronique since she’d wormed her way into Nick’s home…and pants. How long was the bitch planning to camp out at his house—forever?
The need for revenge exploded inside Daisy. After hearing them in the shower, she wanted to annihilate the bitch for good. She was done waiting. Now that the roads had been cleared and power was back in Fort Myers, she could set her plan in motion.
Felipe shook his head, his eyes severe with condemnation. “Suit yourself,” he said, turning away from her.
“I will.” He didn’t know the half of it. If everything worked out, she’d be sitting pretty in Nick’s mansion telling him what to do!
Peasant.
Chapter Sixteen
The next couple of days rolled by hot and sultry as Nick and Ronnie swam in the ocean, fished together, ate together and slept together. Nick made love to her as often and as long as he wanted and she was always wildly passionate, returning his hot caresses with her own. He got to know a side of Ronnie he’d never imagined. Underneath the intrepid journalist, lay a young woman who had constantly put herself in danger physically, but had always guarded her heart. She’d candidly told him she hadn’t had luck in love, until now.
One morning while Ronnie got ready for the day, Nick went outside and met with Felipe, who’d promised to come by early.
“Morning, Felipe. How’s the family?” Nick asked, clapping him on the back.
“Doing good. How is your lady friend?” Felipe gave him a smile of male camaraderie. “She’s very pretty.”
“Thanks, I’ll tell her you said so,” Nick said, smiling back. He wondered where Daisy was. She hadn’t been by since the day after the hurricane, and that wasn’t like her. “Is Daisy’s son still sick?”
“No, Manolito’s fine now. And he’s getting bigger every day.” Felipe beamed with pride.
“Good. Where’s Daisy? I haven’t seen her since the day after the hurricane.”
Felipe’s smile vanished. “She’s with Manuel. She was planning on going to Fort Myers, but if you need her, I’ll tell her to come here instead.” He looked uncomfortable as he rubbed the back of his neck and shifted his stance.
“No, don’t tell her to come. The house is clean and picked up. I was just wondering.”
Felipe nodded.
“There are lots of fruits and vegetables left over from the hurricane. Take as much as you want for your family and friends,” Nick said.
“Gracias,” Felipe said, thanking him.
The two of them worked most of the morning hauling big bags of fallen fruit and vegetables to Felipe’s truck. Nick had just handed Felipe the last one to load, when he heard a scream that sounded like “Nooo!” coming from behind him.
He swiveled around and caught sight of Ronnie on the front porch. His heart in his throat, he sprinted to the house and bounded up the steps.
Slumped against the wall, Ronnie clutched her cell phone to her heart. “Oh God, oh God,” she repeated tremulously, her cell phone slipping from her hands.
Nick caught the phone in time and slid it into his shorts’ pocket. “What’s wrong?” He raised her chin with his thumb and saw all the color had drained from her face, leaving it alarmingly pale. Seconds ticked by like hours as he waited for her to form words through trembling lips.
“Slinky is gone.”
The wide-eyed shock in her eyes shook him to the core. “Who is Slinky?”
Veronique swallowed a few times before she spoke. “She was my cat…my baby,” she whispered, her eyes brimming with tears.
He squeezed her shoulders gently and peered into her eyes, jolted by how eerie they looked. Why was she so frightened?
“Did she run away?” he asked gently.
“No. She’s dead. Gone forever.” Her raw voice sounded so despondent it tore at his heart.
“Oh, I’m sorry, honey,” he said, putting his arm around her bent shoulders.
Her head hung forward as she wrung her hands. “I never had a pet before her. Maman said animals were dirty and wouldn’t let them in the house,” she said in a small voice. “I always wanted a pet, but it was impossible with all the traveling.”
He heard the pain in her heart and wished he could make it vanish.
“Slinky was everything I’d ever dreamed of. A fluffy white ragdoll kitty who stole my heart the minute I laid eyes on her.” She gazed at him with desperate, stricken eyes. “It’s my fault she died. I wasn’t there to protect her.”
Nick’s brows snapped together. He hadn’t expected her to say that. Sadness over the loss of her pet was understandable, but guilt?
“Your fault? That’s nonsense. How did you find out?”
“I finally got through to Natasha.” She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her fingers to her temples, massaging them in small circles.
“What did she say?” He rubbed the length of her spine with gentle, soothing strokes.
She stared at him as if in a trance, her eyes hazy and wide with shock. “I can’t bear to say it out loud.”
From afar, Nick caught sight of Felipe’s alarmed look and upturned hands. He shook his head and waved him away.
Turning his attention back to Ronnie, he said, “Let’s go inside.” He kept his arm around her quaking shoulders as he led her into the house and shut the door. “Now, tell me what Natasha said.”
“Somebody killed Slinky. It was sick, cruel…” Her voice broke and she looked close to passing out. “I can’t wrap my head around that kind of viciousness.”
Black fury formed a block of cement in his chest at the thought of anyone harming her. He cradled her to him, troubled by how fragile and broken she felt in his arms, as if she might fall apart at any moment. “Breathe slowly and try to calm your heart rate,” he murmured against her temple.
Veronique leaned her forehead on his shoulder and drew in harrowing breaths.
After a few moments, he said, “Okay, honey. Try to tell me what happened.”
She heaved a ragged sigh and looked up at him helplessly. “Slinky died of a broken neck. Snapped in two.”
“How did it happen?”
“The vet thinks she was strangled.” She turned her face into his chest and moaned.
Nick’s gut constricted. Who in holy hell would strangle a cat? An icy stab of alarm made him pull her closer, securely sheltering her in his arms.
“I’m sorry, baby. If it wasn’t for this damn hurricane I’d buy you a kitten.” Instead of comforting her, his words unleashed a torrent of sobs. He held her tight, patted her back and let her cry it out as he struggled with mounting impatience. He knew she needed to calm down before she could continue, but a sick feeling crawled under his skin when he contemplated the reasons anyone would strangle her cat. There was a clear threat there.
After several hiccupping snuffles, she said, “Slinky was a starving kitten when I rescued her last winter. She had gotten separated from her mother during a snowstorm. This may sound stupid, but sometimes it felt like she was the only family I had.” Her voice quavered with sorrow. “I loved her so much.”
“I’m sure you did,” he murmured, resting his chin on top of her head.
She clung to him, her arms wrapped t
ightly around his waist as she sighed heavily. A few moments later, she wiped her eyes and touched his wet chest. “I’m sorry. I need a tissue badly.”
“It’s okay.” Nick kissed her forehead and released her. “Be right back.”
* * *
Veronique wiped her eyes and took calming breaths as she watched Nick’s retreating back. Dread mushroomed inside of her, adding to her misery. She was grateful for his kindness, and touched when he’d kissed her forehead so tenderly, but she wasn’t ready to disclose details of her investigation and its possible link to Slinky’s death.
She sank down on the sofa with her head in her hands. This was awful. Natasha had barely gotten the words out about Slinky before bursting into tears. She felt bad for Tash and was worried about her safety. She’d told her to leave the studio apartment immediately and be extra cautious about watching her back.
Nick returned with a box of tissues and joined her on the couch. He handed her a tissue and patted her knee.
“Thanks.” Veronique dried her eyes and blew her nose.
“Tell me everything Natasha said. Start from the beginning,” he said in a compelling tone.
Veronique got up and paced the room. She didn’t feel like repeating everything, but Nick was concerned. He deserved to know. “She said she got home late and found Slinky lying lifelessly on the floor.”
Nick’s face was stone hard as he watched her. She had to look away to pull herself together.
“Ronnie.” The tension in his voice drew her attention back to him. “Was there any sign of a break-in?”
“I don’t know. I was too upset to think of asking.”
“Did they steal anything?”
“I’m not sure. I feel like an idiot.” Her mouth twisted with self-deprecation. “Some reporter I am. Something horrible happens and I don’t even ask the right questions.”
“You were in shock,” he told her kindly.
Veronique nodded and took a deep breath. “Natasha didn’t mention how they got in or if they took anything of value. She said everything looked untouched…except for Slinky.” She stopped before him and put her closed fist against her mouth, wishing she didn’t have to continue.
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