Reese: A Safe Haven Novella

by Terri Anne Browning

  Around two I ventured to the bathroom. After I was finished with my business I stood with my hands under the faucet, frowning at my reflection in the mirror over the sink. I was wasting water, yet couldn’t bring myself to leave the little room. But a hard knock on the door forced me out…

  I nearly walked right into Kevin as I opened the door. His hands shot out to steady me and when I glanced up at him I was surprised to find him glaring down at me. “Excuse me.” I muttered, trying to take a step back to break contact with him. As uneasy as he had made me in the last few hours, I didn’t want to cause trouble. Not when this man could end up as my brother-in-law.

  “What are you doing?” He demanded.

  “Well I was using the bathroom.” I raised a brow at him, thinking he was either really slow or drunk. “But I’m finished now if you want to…”

  His arms around my waist moved to my arms and he shook me a little. “No, dammit! What the hell are you doing with Kieran? Don’t you have better sense—taste—than that?”

  I blinked at the forcefulness in his tone. “What business is it of yours?” Did he not approve of me and his brother? Was I not good enough for him or something?

  “He’s just after the business, you stupid girl. He would never go for someone like you unless there was some kind of incentive behind it.” He shook me again, but I was so surprised by his words that I didn’t even notice. “He’s playing you!”

  “Get your hands off of me.” I gritted out between clenched teeth. “Now.”

  He ignored me. “You should be with me. I will take care of the business end of things. I am prepared to deal with it all. Kieran just wants the sports part of the deal. Daventry has no idea what he is getting himself into…Neither do you.”

  As he continued I began to put some of the pieces together. The reason for Kevin’s—I guess flirting touches would describe it despite the coolness in his eyes and tone all evening. The approval in Greg’s eyes all night as he watched the two of us together…

  I remembered that before I had run away that everyone assumed I would one day inherit everything. And I did mean everything: All of my grandfather’s business and stock holdings, personal interest ventures…All of it. When I was sixteen the net worth had been estimated in the ten billions…Five years later how much could it be worth?

  Maybe that was still true, although I could have cared less about it all. I was happy with my life the way it was without the money and aggravation that went with it.

  What if my grandfather had finally ‘found’ me so that he could marry me off..? To Kevin Stone, the VP in his legal department at the New York branch? What if he had arranged all of this so that I could meet and get to know the man that he had personally handpicked to become my husband? A husband that would take over the business when something happened to him…or sooner!

  My heart started racing so fast that it hurt my chest.

  But that didn’t explain what Kevin was rambling about…What did Kieran have to do with all of this?

  He shook me again, this time harder. His fingers were so tight around my upper arms that I knew I was going to be bruised. I had had enough! I pushed him back so hard that he crashed against the wall behind him. He looked surprised, dazed that I was able to handle him like that. Before he could say a word I slapped him across the face so hard that my hand ached.

  I wanted to cradle it against my stomach, but refused to show that kind of weakness in front of the man who had wanted to use me to gain a multi-billion dollar corporation. “Stay the hell away from me!”

  His daze lasted only a moment longer before he followed me down the hall toward the rest of the party. Before I had reached the main room where everyone else was having a good time he grabbed my wrist and swung me around to face him. “Don’t walk away from me!”

  I glared down at the hand hurting my arm. “Let go of me.”

  “Not until you listen to me.” He was irate now, and I could smell whisky on his breath. Yes, definitely drunk. But I was used to dealing with drunks. Oh, how I wished I had my baton strapped to my thigh right then! I would have laid this guy out flat in no time, Kieran’s brother or not.

  When he took a step closer I lost it. “Let go of me!” I yelled at him. “Let go of me! LET GO OF ME!” The last was nearly a shriek, but the music in the next room was loud; the laughter even more so.

  “The lady said to let go of her, dude.” Jake! I breathed a little easier knowing that he was right behind me. But I didn’t turn to face him. No way was I turning my back on Kevin again.

  Kevin’s hold only tightened and I flinched. “Stay out of this.” He barked at Jake. “This has nothing to do with you.”

  “What the hell is going on?!” Kieran’s hand wrapped around my other arm and I wanted to fall against his chest. “Get your fucking hands off of her!” Kevin’s grip loosened ever so slightly, just enough for Kieran to pull me away before pushing me into Jake’s arms.

  “You think you have won little brother, but she knows the truth now. You won’t get your hands on any of it.” Kevin’s grin was menacing. “Too bad for you.”

  “You’re drunk.” Kieran shoved at his brother’s chest, making him take a wobbly step back. “I’m going to forget about this, Kev because of that one little fact. But you ever touch her again and I promise you will regret it.”

  “I’m not scared of you, Kier.” Kevin assured him. “I kicked your ass all your life. Not going to be any different now that you’re a big shot MMA superstar.”

  I was beginning to shake with suppressed reaction. Kevin had disturbed me more than I had thought. His hands on me the way they had been, hurting and rough, brought back so many unpleasant memories. I had thought that Kieran had cured me of those unpleasant feelings, but I was wrong. Jake felt me trembling and pulled me closer. “Okay?” He murmured so that only I could hear.

  I shook my head. “Not really.” I wanted to cry, to scream…I just wanted to go home!

  “You won’t get to take over Daventry’s sports interests.” Kevin was saying now. “He want’s someone who will take over the business. Someone who will be good for the company. Not some tattooed, over muscled brute that beats people up for a living.”

  I thought—hoped—that Kieran wouldn’t know what his brother was talking about. But all of those hopes vanished with his next words. “Oh, so he thinks that a tight ass like you will be good for his granddaughter? The company comes before the feelings of Reese? Doesn’t he realize that all you will do is screw your secretary and break her heart?”

  Kevin turned pink with embarrassment and rage, but didn’t speak and his brother continued. “But that’s just it, isn’t it? He has you so far in his grasp that he probably already has some guy lined up as your secretary. You are set and ready to take over, all you need is Reese. Well you aren’t getting her. She’s mine!” He took a threatening step toward Kevin, as if he was ready to take a swing at his brother.

  “Stop it!” I cried. “Just stop it.”

  Kieran turned to face me. “Reese...” He reached for me but I stepped back, away from Jake and the man I thought had loved me.

  “What’s he talking about Kieran?” I demanded. “What does he mean about the sports thing?”

  I saw guilt cross his face before he could hide it. “It’s nothing. Just Kevin’s drunken rant. Come on baby, I’ll take you home.”

  “Don’t you dare lie to me!” I glared at him. My heart was pounding, hoping that he wasn’t about to break it into a million little pieces. “I get his reasons. I’m so mad at him and Greg right now that I think I will do physical harm to that old man when I see him. But I want to know what he is talking about when it comes down to you and sports interests…Is that why you’re with me, Kieran? Do you want what comes with me? Daventry money?”

  “No!” He took a step toward me, but when I took two steps back he stopped and raked a hand through his hair. “I love you, Reese. Daventry money has never been a part of any reason for the way I feel about you
.” But there was guilt that remained in his steel gray eyes.

  “So why is your brother saying otherwise?”

  “Because he told me about what Greg had planned!” He exploded. “He told me all about it. I knew it was part of the reason that the old man wanted to contact you. Daventry had a heart attack three months ago. Now that he’s faced with his own mortality he wants to put all of his ducks in a row and make sure that you don’t marry some guy that will take over the business and run it into the ground.” He sent a glare in his brother’s direction. “He thought that Kevin was the perfect candidate: He is a lawyer that knows the business inside and out from a legal stand point. He is reasonable attractive and young enough to suit you. Of course he also has to deal with Kevin’s cravings for blonds and his cold attitude when he doesn’t get his own way.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” I whispered the words, but he heard me.

  “Because I knew from that first bike ride that you were mine, sweetheart. Kevin never stood a chance. And I knew that it would hurt you to know that your grandfather had this premeditated…I didn’t tell you because I was scared that you would think the same fucking thing that he is thinking.” He held out a hand, silently pleading for me to take it, to believe him. “I just want you, Reese. Now and forever.”

  His words warmed me…And then his brother snorted. “You and controlling interest in half the biggest MMA-“

  He didn’t say another word because Kieran turned quicker than I could blink and punched him in the face. “Shut up, Kevin!”

  I couldn’t deal with all of this right now. It was just too much for me. I turned and walked away from them. Without a word to anyone I weaved through the crowded penthouse. Afraid I really would go off on Greg Daventry if I saw him I kept my eyes on the front door. A few people called out my name. Mel tried to get my attention out of the corner of my eye, but I couldn’t handle talking to anyone just then, Mel included.

  Chapter 14

  I have never had a hangover before. Odd, as I have worked in a bar all my adult life, but true nonetheless. Yet, I was sure that the way I was feeling was far worse than any hangover.

  I moaned as I rested my head against the cool porcelain of my toilet. It felt cool and soothing against my aching head. For the last hour I had done nothing but empty everything that I had managed to eat the day before. It hadn’t been much, as I had been feeling nauseas even then. Now I was on the point of dry heaves and all I wanted to do was cry from the misery of it all.

  I couldn’t remember ever feeling so sick. Stomach flu just wasn’t something I had a lot of experience with.

  My cellphone buzzed with an incoming text from the sink where I had tossed it on my mad dash to the bathroom. I didn’t even try to muster the energy to reach for it. Besides I was pretty sure I knew who it was.

  Kieran.

  It had been two weeks since his big fight. Two weeks since I had last seen or spoken him. I couldn’t handle dealing with him. My emotions were raw from finding out about my grandfather’s wild plan, Kevin Stone’s manhandling, and Kieran’s confession that he had known about it all alone. But now the anger was starting to fade, replaced by a deep loneliness like nothing I had felt before. I still loved Kieran. Missed him terribly…But I hadn’t been ready to handle his brother’s confession on top of his own deceit.

  I had gone to work, gone on with my normal schedule; only the bouncer at the door to Safe Haven kept Kieran out. But the walls I had let him tear down so easily were now back up with support beams keeping them in place. I didn’t smile anymore; rarely talked to anyone—even Mel, unless spoken to. In the month since I had met the beast of an MMA fighter my world had gone from okay, to perfect, and now it was destroyed; laying crumbled at my feet.

  When the rolling in my stomach eased enough for me to attempt to stand and clean my mouth, I reached for the kit that I had picked up at the twenty-four hour drug store on my way home from work. I was more than a week late, which just didn’t happen to me. I was as regular as a clock. But the first few times that Kieran and I had made love we hadn’t even attempted to be careful. My fingers shook as I opened the box and went about taking the pregnancy test.

  It didn’t even take a full minute for the digital screen to blink the words that I already knew to be true.

  PREGNANT

  I sighed and tossed the box in the waste basket, then went back to cradling the little stick that was coated in my own urine. Emotions swamped me. Fear. Anxiety. Anger. Excitement. Love.

  No matter what happened now, I had someone other than myself to think about. Someone that already depended on me to take care of it, protect it, and love it above all else. And since the very second that I had suspected life was growing in my belly I have loved my baby.

  My cell buzzed again. I reached for it.

  Please talk to me. I miss you. I love you.

  That had basically been every other text that he had sent me over the last two weeks. Seven hundred and twenty seven of the same messages. My fingers hovered over the keys. A father deserved to know that he had helped create life. But did I want to share this baby with Kieran? Would I be able to handle eighteen plus years of dealing with my baby’s father?

  I’m pregnant...

  I pressed send before I could second, third and fourth guess myself. When I could do nothing about the sent message, I leaned back against the toilet seat and closed my eyes. My mind was made up…

  The pounding on my apartment door forced my eyes to snap open. Tossing the cellphone on the sink once more, I left the bathroom with the pregnancy test stick still clenched in my hand. My heart began to pound as I walked the short distance through my apartment. I paused in front of the door and took a few deep breaths to calm myself. I felt shaky, still nauseas, but ready to face the beast standing on the other side of the door.

  The pounding came again, causing the door to shudder under the force, and I reached for the lock. As soon as they clicked the door was pushed open and then I was wrapped in Kieran’s arms. “Reese.” He breathed my name against my ear, his voice choked with emotion. His big body trembled.

  After only a small hesitation, when all my hurt and anger seemed to overwhelm me, then completely dissolve I snuggled into his chest. It was like I had been missing a part of myself over the last two weeks, and now with Kieran holding me like I was everything in the world to him, I finally felt whole again. Tears clogged my throat and burnt my nose.

  A sob pierced the quietness of the apartment and I raised my head to find tears pouring down Kieran’s handsome face. “I’m sorry.” His arms tightened around me ever so slightly. “So, so sorry. I should have told you from the beginning. I never should have…”

  I covered his mouth with my hand. “I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have walked away from you like that. I wasn’t thinking clearly. My emotions were all over the place that night and I was more sensitive than I normally would have been. With your fight, seeing my grandfather again, your brother...” I grimaced. “We won’t have to see him that often will we?”

  “He wants to apologize to you about how he treated you…But no, we won’t have to see him often. Just Christmas and when I have fights in New York.” He stepped back just enough to look down at my stomach. “So…” There was a new emotion in his eyes, his voice deepened in a way I had never heard before.

  “We weren’t careful.” I reminded him. “I know it’s too soon, but-“

  “Do you regret it?” He demanded in a small whisper, as if he was scared of my answer.

  “No, I would never regret this. I love her already.”

  His steel gray eyes turned to liquid and he pulled me close, cradling me against him. “Me too.” He breathed against my ear. “You both are my whole world.”

  ()

  “Are you sure about this?”

  I turned to face Kieran in the back of the limo. We were in New York, outside my grandfather’s disgustingly humongous mansion. I had called him two days ago and told him that I needed to
see him, to talk about everything. There was just one thing I needed for him to do for me…

  Inside the mansion somewhere was my mother and The Pervert. It was time to finally face my past. I was ready to deal with it, put it to rest so that I could be complete for Kieran, but more especially for the new life growing inside of me. So I gave the man holding me close a reassuring kiss and reached for the handle of the door. “I’m sure.”

  Of course he knew that underneath my calm façade my heart was racing and nerves were making my already queasy from morning sickness stomach roll. We have only been together for two months now, but we seemed to know each other inside and out already. He got out right behind me and pulled me close to his side as we rang the doorbell and waited for someone to let us in. I clung to his hand as the butler, someone who I didn’t recognize, led us into the library. I had rarely been to this house, had hated it even as a child. It felt cold, empty. This was not a home.

  The first person I saw as we entered the oversized room was Greg Daventry. He was standing by the fireplace. He looked like he was made of stone as he kept his eyes locked on the couple seated on one of the three stylish sofas. Greg had aged slightly in the last few weeks since I had last seen him. There were a few more wrinkles on his forehead from frowning; his hair was a little grayer. He had been very sorry for trying to set me up with Kevin Stone, but he had just wanted to make sure that I was taken care of before something happened to him. I hadn’t completely forgiven him, still thought that perhaps he was more worried about his business than me.

  My gaze moved to the couple. From where I was standing I could see that my mother had changed very little over the years. Her hair was still expertly colored, her face still ageless from the use of a good dermatologist and plastic surgeon, and her figure overly thin from drug use. There was nothing about her to suggest that I was her daughter. We looked nothing alike, were as different in personality as night and day.

  Next to her sat a man in his early fifties. There was a little gray streaking his brown hair. His teal colored eyes and long lashes would have been beautiful on a girl, but on him they appeared doctored. He had a strong profile, was leanly built, and wore an overly expensive suit. The man was metrosexual, cared more about his appearance than my mother probably did. He might have been handsome if I didn’t know how ugly he was underneath the pretty exteriors.