Isabel leans forward. “Grant’s mother took me through some kind of a portal to get back here. I ended up…”
Penelope holds up her hand to stop her. “Coming out of Daphne’s closet in her old home. Yes, I know. Daphne made that particular portal. Now any spirit can use it. Even dark ones. That’s what we’re dealing with here. Dark spirits that want to control human lives.”
“Is Bart Mason human?” I had to ask.
“Very,” comes her quick reply. “But the master he serves isn’t. It’s a dark entity that’s managed to gain power by granting certain things to those who help do his evil deeds.” Her eyes go to Bell, and she reaches over to pat her on the hand. “That dark spirit has made Bart believe that he can drain your blood from your body and replace it with some of his own that he’s been stockpiling. He’s been made to believe that once his blood is running through your veins, you will fall for him and devote yourself to him. Bart is very wrong.”
“That he is,” I add as I run my arm around Bell’s shoulders.
Penelope looks at us both before turning just to me. “You let darkness rule you for a period of time, Grant. I can see that.” Then she looks at Bell. “Not to worry, that’s behind him now. Nowhere to be seen anymore.” She smiles and nods. “Yes, Daphne, I will tell her that.” She laughs as she looks at Bell once more. “Grant’s mother wants you to know that she loves you and she knows you’re the best person for Grant to spend his life with. She says she knows you’re worried about him going back to the way he was, but you don’t have to. She has influence over Grant now, and she’ll never allow him to revert back to that man.”
“Is that so?” Isabel asks as she looks at me. “Good. I’m glad to hear that.” Then she turns her attention to Penelope. “And can you ask her if I’m in any mortal danger by not being married to Grant at this time?”
Penelope listens for a moment then shakes her head. “No. But she does say that marriage is sacred and to take those vows seriously. Walking away from the person you’ve made this kind of a commitment to isn’t a sin the way most think, but it is a tragedy. One that will follow you for eternity. Once you allow another person into your heart and they do the same for you, you’re connected forever. No matter what you’ve been told.”
“Wow,” Bell says then looks at me. “Well, I let you into my heart a long time ago. I guess getting the paper to make it legit here on Earth is a thing we need to do too.”
Kissing her cheek, I give her shoulders a squeeze. “Glad to hear that. We have to pick up our wedding rings this afternoon too. Don’t let me forget about that. We only have a week until the ball, you know. Seven days, until we get married. Not a lot of time.”
“Congratulations.” Penelope gets up and walks around the room. “I can tell you that this man will come back here. He’s left a little something here to make sure of that.” She goes to one corner and moves her hands through it. “This is how your mother came into the room. Bart Mason has managed to make a portal here. His dark master has trained him well and given him many secrets only those on the other side have. He’s lied to Bart though. He’s told him he is an immortal, which he’s not. Keep that in mind when you deal with the man. He’s as human as you two are. And so are the women he keeps around to help him. The only spirit is the dark one who manipulates them all.”
I get up and go to feel the air in the area she’s told us is a portal. I can’t feel any difference at all. “Can’t you close this? Or maybe Mom can.”
“It’s next to impossible to close one of these up.” Penelope walks back to Bell and pats her on the back. “You can handle this if you say the words I told you when you need them, and remember that as much as Bart and his cohorts look like they have magical powers, they don’t. But they do have someone working on the other side for them that makes it seem that way.”
“So, what you’re saying is we can handle this. No matter how bad it looks, we can deal with it. Right?” Bell asks.
Penelope gives her a reassuring smile. “You can deal with anything and everything that’s put into your path, Isabel. The same way you dealt with what your stepfather did to you when you were too young and helpless to defend yourself. Don’t you remember how you dealt with that situation?”
Bell’s face goes pale, her hand covers her mouth, and her eyes bug out. “You know what I did? I never told a soul. Not anyone.”
“You’re never as alone as you think you are. And that was clever for a ten-year-old to think of. Keeping your stepfather on the toilet did keep him from getting aggravated by anything you did, didn’t it?” Penelope gives her a wink. “Don’t worry, my lips are sealed.”
Stepping up to the ladies, I have to admit, “And my curiosity is peaked. Would you let me in on what you did, Bell?”
“I put chocolate flavored laxative in his coffee every morning. He liked lots of sugar and milk in it. One morning I told him we’d run out of regular milk and I put chocolate milk in it. After he smacked the shit out of me, knocking me to the floor, he took a sip and loved the flavor and told me to do it that way from then on.” Bell looks at Penelope as she shakes her head. “I never told a soul, I never spoke the words out loud about what I was doing. If he would’ve ever found out, I thought he’d have killed me”
“And he never did, did he?” Penelope asks. “He never told a soul about his bathroom issues either. And he lost a lot of weight. He also lost his strength, didn’t he?”
Bell can only nod. “I knew it was from the laxative. I did. Am I going to be punished for what I did? You know, maybe this is the punishment. Maybe that’s why this dark spirit wants my blood.”
“It has nothing to do with that.” Penelope shakes her head. “And you only served up the karma your stepfather deserved.”
I could tell Bell wasn’t sure that was entirely true by the doubt that shone in her brown eyes. She looked down at the floor, and I knew she was freaking out a bit that Penelope knew so intimate a secret.
Pulling her to stand up, I wrap my arms around her and hug her tightly. “Don’t worry. You were a scared kid who came up with a plan to stop something bad from happening to you. I’m with Penelope; I think that was damn smart of you.”
She rests her head on my chest as I rock her back and forth, then she looks up at me. “Promise me you’ll never hit any children we have, Grant.”
I can see it there, written all over her face. I’ve doled out punishment to her. I’ve hit her and other women. Not out of anger, or spite, or cowardice. But I have hit them. I know how to use a belt and a paddle—things that some would use to discipline children.
Now I find Penelope touching my arm, taking my attention. “Grant, your mother wants to tell you that she knows what you do. She wants you to know she’s not one to judge and she knows what you both get out of it. There’s nothing wrong with it as long as you both get something out of it. And she knows you’d never intentionally hurt a child.”
Although I’m sort of mortified that my dead mother knows what kind of stuff we’re into, I still manage to say, “I wouldn’t. I’ve never thought about having kids until very recently. But I don’t think I agree with physically harming a child. No matter what they’ve done. There’s more than one way to teach a child the difference between right and wrong, after all.” I turn to Bell and make her the promise she needs. “I will swear to you I will never raise a hand or any other thing to our children. And I’ll never do anything to you that you don’t want to do. All you have to say is…”
“Red,” Bell finishes my sentence. “I know.”
Penelope claps her hands just once. “Okay. I think I’m done here. I hope I’ve helped you both. Daphne has left so I think she’s done talking to you both too. Good luck to you and if anything comes to me that I haven’t told you, I’ll call you, Isabel.”
Walking her back out, I hold Bell’s hand as we watch Penelope leave and smile at her. “That was on the edge of crazy, huh?”
With a nod, she comes in close to my side and rests
her head on my chest as her hand presses against my stomach. “Right on the edge. I guess there’s nothing to do but wait to see what Bart Mason and his dark spirit come up with.”
I’m not real happy with that, but I guess she’s right.
Chapter 34
Isabel
One day later
Sitting in the lawyer’s office Grant has hired to get his father free, Grant is handed the documents that should see that happening soon. As soon as today, is what the lawyer has told us.
Grant looks at me nervously as the lawyer heads out of the office. He’s heading across the street to the courthouse to see the judge he’s in good with. “If not today, then soon, Grant. I’m sure it’ll be soon.”
With a nod, he stops his pacing and takes a seat once more, moving away from the window he hasn’t been able to take his eyes off of since the lawyer left. “It’s just that tomorrow is the wedding, and I’ll feel terrible for leaving him home alone.”
I take his hand and remind him of something. “You have more than enough siblings that can come over to stay with him for the night. We’ve already set up one of the private apartments to spend our wedding night in. They can have the run of your house…”
He looks at me as he interrupts, “Our house.”
I can’t help but smile at him and lean over to kiss his cheek. “Our house. They’ll have the run of it. They all know their way around now, thanks to that little cookout we had the other day. He’ll be fine and happy as a clam to be free, I’m sure.”
“I suppose you’re right. And I know he’ll understand that we’ve already planned this. He’ll be happy just to see his kids, I hope.” He takes my hand and kisses the top of it. “I’m lucky to have you, and I can’t wait to change your last name.”
“And I can’t wait to use it. Mrs. Grant Jamison. Isabel Jamison. I like the sound of that.” I smile at him then get up to look out the window myself.
The day is gorgeous—a spectacular early autumn morning with birds zipping through the sky and trees moving in the slight breeze. The leaves have already changed colors, and everything seems so tranquil.
Grant comes up behind me, slipping his arms around my waist, interlocking his fingers to hold me in the circle of his embrace. His chin rests on my shoulder as he looks out the window with me. “Pretty day, isn’t it?”
“Perfect for bringing your dad home, isn’t it?” I turn my head, and he catches my cheek with a kiss.
“Perfect.”
Turning in his arms, I put mine around his neck. “Should I find someone to stay with while you go get him?”
“Hell no. You’re coming with me. You all are. I’ll be hiring a service to take all of us to go get him. He’ll be the first prisoner to be picked up by a limo, I bet.” He kisses my lips softly as his hands move down to cup my ass, pulling my body closer to his.
The sound of the door opening interrupts us, and he sighs as he has to let me go. The lawyer walks in and chuckles at us. Jason Stone happens to be one of the members of our little club, and his smile is on the naughty side. “I see you two can’t seem to get enough of each other. I can’t wait for the big event tomorrow night. What are you two going as?”
Grant shakes his head at me. “Don’t you dare tell him. It’s a secret, baby.”
We’re going as a bride and groom, of course. I nod and act as if I’m locking my lips closed. “You’ll just have to wait and see, Jason. So, are we allowed to go get him today?”
He hands Grant the stack of papers and nods. “Here’s your copy and the judge has already called the warden of the prison himself. The warden allowed the judge to fax over the paperwork and your father is being discharged as we speak. When you get there, give this to the guard at the gate, and he’ll send you where you need to go from there.”
Grant looks elated as he takes the papers. “Thank you, Jason. I knew you were the right man for the job.”
Pulling me to hurry with him, Grant leaves the office and nearly sprints out of the building. “I can see you’re excited.”
“I’m more than excited. I did it, Bell. I did what Mom asked me to.” Once we’re outside, he pulls me into his arms and kisses me with a long hard kiss that leaves me breathless. “I did it, baby. I’m doing everything I said I would. I actually feel like I’m becoming the man you deserve now.”
“You are.” I push my hand through his thick hair. “You always have been.”
With a shake of his head, he disagrees. “Not always. But now I feel like I am that man.”
We climb into his Jag and head out. Then he makes the call to his sister Jenny. “Hi Grant. What’s up?”
“I hope you’re ready, and I need you to get our two younger siblings ready, to be picked up. Mom’s reports came back. She had stage four cervical cancer that was inoperable. And the knife only had her prints on it, and there was blood splatter on her right hand where she held the knife and cut her own left wrist. The coroner’s report proved Dad’s innocence, Jenny. And my lawyer got the judge to overturn the initial verdict. Dad’s being let out today, and I’m hiring a car and driver to take us all to pick him up. Can you guys be ready in about an hour?”
“Oh, my God. We’re bringing Dad home!” she screams excitedly. “I’ll get the others ready. I can’t believe how fast you’ve done this, Grant. You’re the most amazing person in the whole world.”
“Tell them to pack their bags too,” Grant adds. “I want you guys to come out and stay with us for a few days. I don’t want Dad to miss anyone for a minute.”
I take his hand and hold it to my heart. Seeing him so is a dream come true for me. Even when he was pushing my love away, refusing to allow us to be together, all I ever wanted was for him to be happy.
They end their call, and I let him know what I think about him. “I think you’re the most amazing man in the world too, Grant. I feel lucky just to know you. I feel honored to be marrying you.”
His smile is huge and genuine as he glances at me before taking off out of the parking lot. “Baby, I’m the one who’s honored to be marrying you.”
Laying my head back on the leather headrest, I look out the sunroof at a perfect sky and pray things can stay perfect for a while longer. I know things can’t go this smoothly forever, but a nice long while would be greatly appreciated.
“The psychic was right about the diagnosis,” I mumble as I think about everything Penelope told us. “That means she’s right about all of it —I think so, at least.” I turn my head to look at Grant. “You know, I think I can handle Bart and his minions. I know I believe in the light being much more powerful than the darkness.”
“Hell yes, it is.” Grant takes a turn and I see we’re heading to the club. “I think about it like this: I had darkness inside of myself, and when light—the light being you—was introduced, it kept eclipsing the darkness. And when I let my heart take you in, you filled me with your light.”
With a nod, I agree. “And I think one can look at how dark and light react to one another. The darkness can’t extinguish the light. But the light can completely obliterate the darkness forever if it wants to.”
Pulling up to the parking garage of the club, Grant parks the car and gets out as I wait inside for him, per his orders. I think it’s silly. Nothing is going to come swooping down out of the sky to pick me up and carry me away. But I also think it’s very chivalrous how he’s been treating me.
I love being his princess and I feel like I’m his most prized possession.
“We’ll take the club’s private limo. It’s large, and there’s plenty of room in it for us all. And the driver can be ready to go in only minutes. We’ll give him a call and wait inside for him to arrive.” He swipes his card to get us inside, and we head in.
The club is so quiet when no one is here. It’s kind of spooky how everything echoes in the empty space. Grant’s office is closer than mine, so he unlocks that door and we head inside.
I take a seat on the red leather sofa as he goes to his desk
to retrieve the driver’s number. He turns on his computer and smiles. “Tad left me a message on my email. He’s been ordained, and he’d love it if you and I would let him officiate the marriage ceremony.”
“I’m game,” I say, thinking that’ll be so cool. “Hey, tell him to dress like a monk. I want it to look gothic, you know.”
He taps away at the keyboard, and I hear a quick response has been given as the computer makes a little ding sound. “He’s cool with it. He’s got the main stage booked for us for thirty minutes, starting at precisely 11:30 PM so we can be officially wed at one minute before midnight on Halloween.” He chuckles. “That’s what I love about our group. We’re all so into the show.”
“And the show we’re going to put on will rock them, baby.” I jump up, suddenly very excited, and have to wrap my arms around him from behind as he sits in his chair. I nuzzle the top of his head, inhaling his spicy scented shampoo.
Calling the driver, he sets up all the transportation and all we have to do is wait for him to get here, which will only be about fifteen minutes.
I spin his chair around and put one leg over the arm to straddle him when we hear footsteps echoing in the hallway. “What the hell is that?” he asks.
We both look over to the open door as it suddenly slams shut. I scramble off him and he gets up. “Get behind me now.”
I duck behind him, hiding myself from whoever is out there.
Please, don’t let it be Bart or one of his evil people.
The sound of a little child laughing can be heard as Grant pulls the door open again. Then the sound of little feet hitting the floor fills the corridor. Grant looks back at me. “Your office door is open.”
“I closed and locked it. I know I did. I always do.” I run my arms around him from behind and hold on tight. I’m not about to be taken right now.
He takes a step out into the hallway, and I come along, not about to let him go. “Come here. I want to be able to hold you. I can’t be sure something won’t yank you away from me with you back there.”
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