Noah half-smiled. ‘Still want the picket fence?’
A look of pain crossed her face briefly but she nodded. ‘I do. With you. Nothing else matters, Noah, not to me, except you now. But I won’t be defeatist, or,’ – and she smiled for the first time in days – ‘be a kept woman. I’ve decided I don’t want to keep Richard’s money. I never wanted it in the first place. If the Carnegie’s won’t take it back then I’ll tell them I’m giving it to charity – one of Richard’s that he supported or a few of them, I don’t know. I’m rambling, I know.’
Noah kissed her gently. ‘Ramble away. And I agree with you…why hold onto something that never felt right? It’s not as if we can’t afford it.’
‘I need to pay my own way,’ Lila said firmly then her shoulders slumped. ‘But I realize I can never compete.’
‘It’s not a competition and it’s just money. I would give away every cent as long as I have you.’
‘Romantic but totally impractical, that’s why I love you.’ She cupped her cheek in her palm.
‘When we’re married, it’ll be legally yours anyway,’ he said but didn’t say anymore.
‘I’m glad Charlie and Tinsley are coming today.’
‘Me too, baby.’
When their guests arrived, it gave them both a release. Tinsley and Lila held each other for the longest time, Lila horrified to hear what had happened to her friend. Tinsley and Charlie, Lila noted, were closer than ever. At least one good thing had happened and Lila was glad. ‘I’ve put you in the front bedroom, I hope that’s okay,’ she said so nonchalantly that the other three looked at her askance and she broke into giggles. God it felt good to laugh.
‘Subtle as a sledgehammer as always,’ Charlie grumbled as Tinsley laughed. Noah checked Lila’s cheek.
‘Momma Bear,’ then realizing what he’d said, he froze. Lila, despite the jolt of pain, smiled at him.
‘Always Momma Bear,’ she said softly. ‘Now, come, people, let’s eat.’
After lunch, Noah’s phone buzzed and he grimaced. ‘Looks like I have to go to the city for a work thing. Will you be okay?’ He left the question hanging, looking at Lila.
She nodded. ‘Of course, honey.’
He kissed the top of her head. ‘I’ll see you later. Charlie, can I grab you a sec?’
Charlie followed him out to his car. Noah took a deep breath and fixed him with a steady look.
‘You locked and loaded?’
Charlie smiled grimly. ‘You bet I am. Don’t worry…nothing’s going to touch our girls.’
Noah shook his hand. ‘There is back-up should you need it – Lila knows where the panic buttons and alarms are.’
‘Don’t worry, dude, I got this.’
‘I know, I trust you.’
Seattle
In the city, instead of driving to the hospital, Noah headed downtown to the business district, pulling into the underground parking garage of one of the high-rise office buildings. Joanne was waiting for him. ‘I can get you through security easier,’ she said when he asked her what she was doing.
Noah stopped. ‘You’ll be fired.’
She laughed. ‘Hell no I won’t, not when he hears what you have to say.’ She put a hand on his arm. ‘I’m so sorry, Noah, about the baby. I don’t have the words.’
‘Neither do I, Joanne, but thanks. Is she here?’ Joanne was showing her credentials to the security guards.
‘And utterly clueless as ever. I’m looking forward to this.’ Security waved them through and they stepped into the foyer of the Shannon Media building.
Noah smiled grimly as they got onto the elevator. ‘Believe me, so am I.’
Derek Shannon had built his company over forty years of hard, hard work, to the detriment of two marriages and, he believed, of his fathering skills. Lauren had the talent but none of the application, or hunger that he had, or required in his staff. But he was too kind-hearted to do anything about it, relying more and more on Joanne, who ran the company with such efficiency that Lauren was merely a figurehead. Strangely it had worked out well; Lauren glad-handed the clients, Joanne happy to stay out of the limelight. But lately, Lauren had grown morose, sulky and become that thing Derek had always feared – spoilt.
Derek Shannon could trace the very day it had happened; it was the day Noah Applebaum had decided he’d had his fill of Lauren’s princess act and cut her loose. Not that Derek blamed Noah; he had liked the intelligent young man very much and had hoped he would have some influence over Lauren. But once Lauren had discovered that Noah was from old money – forget it. Lauren wanted to be a trophy wife and never have to work. Derek actually admired Noah for saying no to Lauren and ending things but that was also the problem – Lauren was never dumped; she always did the dumping. And it rankled.
Right now, as he spoke to his board members, he kept glancing over at his daughter, who was staring out of the window, clearly bored. Derek sighed inwardly then looked up as Joanne entered the room with Noah Applebaum. Derek’s face lit up.
‘Noah! How wonderful to see you,’ he strode forward and took his hand, pumping it vigorously. Lauren was halfway out of her seat, looking shocked and alarmed but Joanne, very deliberately stood with her back against the only door to the room, and stared her down. Her gaze, full of disgust, said Try it, bitch, and I will take you down. Lauren quelled under the gaze of the much older woman.
Noah too glared at Lauren then turned back to Derek, who was looking mystified. ‘Derek, I’m sorry to intrude on your meeting but the reason I came was this. You need to know about what kind of person your daughter is.’
‘Noah, please,’ Lauren began but Noah raised a hand and she shut up. ‘Derek, a few days ago, your daughter broke into my home in the early hours of the morning and assaulted my girlfriend. My six-months pregnant girlfriend. Lila was defending herself and Lauren attacked her.’
‘Lauren, what the – ‘
‘Two days ago, Lila lost the child due to the attack. Our daughter died in utero. Lila had to give birth to a stillborn baby and yesterday, we buried her.’
Lauren’s face drained of all its color and there were gasps around the table. Joanne looked sick and Derek, seeming to shrink into himself, stumbled and had to grasp the table. He looked at his daughter.
‘Dad – ‘
‘Lauren, is this true? Did you break into Noah’s home and attack his girlfriend?’
‘She hit me first!’
Noah rounded on her. ‘You had broken into our home in the middle of the night! I should tell you, Derek, that my girlfriend is Lila Tierney.’
‘That name is familiar,’ Derek said weakly and Noah nodded, his face hard.
‘She was stabbed last year, brutally and she nearly died. At the time, she was engaged to Richard Carnegie.’
‘Oh my god…’
Lauren, seeing the look in her father’s eyes, started to plead. ‘I just wanted to see her, who she was, why Noah was moving on so fast. She attacked me; she hit me with something, look!’ She tugged her blouse down to show them the large bruise on her shoulder.
‘You broke into the home of a survivor of attempted murder in the middle of the night just to see her?’ Derek’s voice was flat now, angry. ‘And you wonder why she hit you first? And when you saw she was pregnant?’
‘No, no, no, I swear, after I saw she was pregnant I didn’t do a thing.’
Noah closed his eyes. He would never, ever strike a woman but Lauren was making it hard for him to remain calm and focused.
‘But you tried to choke her before,’ Noah said, his rage a roiling thing inside him. Everyone else seated around the table, Joanne at the door, was riveted on the three people at the center of the drama. Lauren took a deep breath.
‘Daddy,’ she stepped towards her father but he moved back, staring at her aghast.
‘Who have I raised?’ His voice was a whisper. ‘What kind of person are you, Lauren? You were given everything. Everything. Including more chances than most people would ever d
ream of. And finally your recklessness has cost a life.’
Lauren started to cry but it was Derek that Noah felt bad for, but then he thought of Lila and Matty and his resolve hardened. Derek put a hand on his arm.
‘What do you want me to do, Noah? I will try to make this right, I swear to you.’
Noah sucked in a lungful of air. ‘No-one can do that, Derek, not when our child is lying in a grave and not in her mother’s arms. But there has to be consequences.’
Derek nodded. ‘I understand. Do you want me to go to the police, or handle this in-house?’
‘I’ll leave that up to you, Derek, I’ve said what I came to say.’ He stepped closer to the man and leaned in to murmur ‘Leave Joanne out of this, she was doing the right thing.’
Derek nodded tightly, glancing at his deputy. ‘You can trust me on that one, Noah.’
Noah nodded at him, then the others, ignoring Lauren and walked to the door.
‘I’ll make this right, Noah.’
Noah nodded again and left the room followed by Joanne. In the hallway they hugged, not needing words, then Noah rode the elevator down to the foyer. Before he went to get his car from the parking lot, he walked out into the fresh air, down the side alley of the building and threw up and up until he was dry-heaving.
San Juan Island
‘It is gorgeous here,’ Tinsley said, her arm linked with Lila’s as they walked around the state park. Lila was pointing out all the places she used to come walk when she got here, mostly to watch the orca from the shoreline. They found a bench and sat down. Lila looked at her friend.
‘How are you? I mean, after the attack. You seem surprisingly well.’
Tinsley sighed. ‘I’m angry more than anything. Who the fuck could do that? Break into my apartment like that? And my fucking neighbors…’ She gritted her teeth and shook her head and Lila took her hand.
‘Tins, you can stay with us as long as you need.’
Tinsley grinned then. ‘Lila Tierney, if this is more of your plotting to bring all of your friends to Washington…then I’ll admit it’s tempting when it’s as beautiful as this.’
‘All of my friend except one. I just can’t believe that Riley is the suspect. Riley…he looks like a giant teddy-bear; he is a giant teddy-bear. I can’t get my around it but Charlie is convinced.’
Tinsley's smile faded. ‘I know. Part of me wants to scream at Charlie, don’t be so fucking ridiculous! But until we find Riley…’
Lila looked away from her friend and Tinsley could see tears glistening in her eyes. ‘Lila…’
‘In my head,’ Lila interrupted her, ‘we find Riley, he’s a bit banged up but okay and he tells us he found who it was but they tried to silence him. Then he and Charlie go catch the bastard and…’
‘We all live happily ever after. I’m sorry, kiddo, you know better than most. It ain’t gonna happen.’
Later, at home, Lila and Noah were alone. Tinsley and Charlie had gone to collect some takeout from town – were giving the couple some space, Lila knew.
‘How’s my girl?’ Noah brushed his lips against hers. She leaned into his embrace.
‘I wish I could say okay, Noah, but I think it’s a ways off yet.’
‘Yeah.’ His lips on her temple now. God, she wanted him to take her to bed, to forget everything but the doctor had warned them off penetrative sex for a few weeks. She looked into Noah’s eyes and knew he was thinking the same.
‘How about a soak in the tub?’ she murmured against his lips. Noah led her by the hand to the bathroom and they stripped each other slowly as the bathtub filled, kissing every piece of exposed flesh before climbing into the tub. Lila straddled him, coiling her arms around his neck and studying his face as if she’d never seen it before.
‘I love you, Noah Applebaum.’
He smiled, his large hands stroking slowly up her back and around to cup her heavy breasts. He dipped his head to take each of her nipples into his mouth in turn, his tongue flicking around the nub. He slipped his hand gently between her legs. ‘Does it hurt when I do this?’
He stroked her clit gently and she shook her head.
‘No, that feels so good.’ She reached down to stroke his cock, engorged and throbbing as she ran her hands along it, her finger gently teasing the tip, feeling it jerk, hearing Noah’s moan. They kissed slowly, tasting each other, their tongues massaging, their breath mingling.
It was a slow, tender, beautiful release of tension, bringing each other to orgasm, Lila’s back arching, her head dropping back as she came, Noah groaning her name as her hands stroked and caressed until he shot hot, white semen onto her belly.
Afterward, she lay back against his chest, and he splayed his large hands over her stomach, still swollen but noticeably slimmer. Lila sighed.
‘One day, I hope that my belly will be swollen with your babies again. Lots of them. Boys and girls and the boys are as handsome as their daddy, and the girls are all as brilliant as you too.’
Noah kissed her temple. ‘So the boys don’t have to be brilliant?’
‘No, they’re boys; they just have to be pretty.’ They both laughed, glad that they could still be silly together in the face of recent horrors.
‘I meant to tell you,’ Lila said, ‘I got a lovely bouquet from a friend of yours…Joanne is it?’
Noah was surprised. ‘That was nice of her.’
‘I would like to meet her…and speaking of meeting people, I think it’s time I met your parents.’
‘Dad and step-mom, but yes.’
‘Don’t you like Molly?’
‘I adore Molly and I guarantee so will you but she’s always been very careful to say she’s not replacing my mom, even though she loves me like I was her son.’
Lila felt a pang. ‘That’s really sweet. I wish I had known my mom but no, not a thing.’
Noah’s arms tightened around her. ‘Molly will mother you, I promise. And, look, I’ll try and arrange something soon. Should we include Charlie and Tinsley?’
‘It might keep the conversation lighter,’ Lila said, trying to hide a grin.
‘You just want Tinsley there as a shield.’
‘Damn right. You know who I’ve been thinking about? Cora and Delphine.’
Noah sighed. ‘I know. We really do need to go see them, clue them in.’
‘Yes, I think we’ve been lucky none of this has gotten out and I haven’t called to explain. I couldn’t bear that.’
But, of course, it finally did get out – and in the worst way. Lila and Tinsley were shopping at the local farmer’s market when Lila suddenly noticed people stopping to stare at her. She frowned at them but didn’t say anything until they got into her car. She asked Tinsley if she had noticed.
‘Yes, actually, all morning, even when we were having coffee,’ Tinsley admitted. Lila shook her head.
‘I don’t get it – do I have a booger on my face or something?’
Tinsley laughed. ‘Girl, don’t you know me better than that? I would have told you.’
They laughed about that on the drive home but it wasn’t until they were preparing lunch and Lila flicked the TV. on in the kitchen that they discovered the horrible truth.
Lila, her stabbing, Richard Carnegie, his murder and her subsequent pregnancy by her own doctor. All over the news. And the angle? Lila was a gold-digger who drove an ex-lover to stab her just as she was about to ensnare billionaire Carnegie. Her subsequent disappearance and pregnancy by her doctor – another rich man, of course and the loss of that baby – what would Lila do now that her meal ticket was slipping out of her grasp?
Tinsley was enraged – but Lila felt sick. This was everything she hoped would not become public knowledge.
When Noah came home, furious, a couple of hours later, she merely looked at him calmly and said one word.
‘The Carnegies.’
Upper East Side, Manhattan
Delphine looked at her coolly. ‘You look…well.’
Lila knew she
didn’t – in fact she looked like crap, flying on the red-eye from Seattle, having begged Delphine to see her. Her hair was a messy bun at the nape of her neck, her clothes hurriedly pulled on sweats.
‘Delphine…I’m so sorry you had to find out like this. I was going to come see you but events over took me.’
‘You had six months.’
Lila winced but nodded. ‘I did. But I was a coward. I didn’t know how to tell the mother of my murdered ex-fiancé that I was already pregnant with another man’s baby. Would you have been able to do that?’
Delphine looked away. Lila took a deep breath in.
‘Delphine…Richard and I…we should never even have been engaged, or even been a couple for a long time before I was attacked. We both knew it. We loved each other but as friends. We just didn’t know how to get off the rollercoaster.’
Delphine studied her. ‘When you went to see him that last time – ‘
‘We broke things off. We parted on good terms, I want you to know that.’
‘Did you sleep with the good doctor before or after that conversation, Lila?’ Delphine’s voice was ice and Lila knew she already knew the answer.
‘Before. And I am sorry; Delphine, but I don’t regret anything. I fell in love with Noah long before I slept with him. He is everything to me and our child, although she didn’t survive, she is still real to me. I still feel like a mother.’
Delphine’s face softened. ‘I’m sorry about the child, Lila, truly. But I thought we were close, that you trusted me enough that you would have known to come to me. When we lost Richard, it was agony but when you left too…a part of me died.’
Her words broke the dam that Lila had been building around her emotions and she gave a sob. ‘I don’t want to do this,’ she said, ‘I don’t want to cry and have you think I’m crying so you’ll be nice to me. What I did…I cannot take back, I don’t want to take it back. But if I could save some of the hurt you felt…I know it’s too late. I love you, Delphine, I loved Richard, I love Cora and Harry and Richard Sr. But I cannot be part of your family anymore.’
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