by HELEN HARDT
“But how…”
He silenced me with a gesture. “I’m dying to know what you have to say to me. Don’t get me wrong. I know how devoted you are to me. I know how responsible you feel. But I’m telling you this. The doc needs you right now. And Joe, you need her.”
* * *
Melanie was waiting for me, sitting in the kitchen sipping some water. I was tired, but awake. I was glad I’d had that cup of coffee with Talon. I had so much to tell Melanie.
She smiled at me serenely, gliding her fingers through Lucy’s soft fur. Melanie was beautiful, clad in soft cotton pajamas, her face devoid of makeup, her long hair pulled back in a sloppy ponytail.
How could I have even thought of letting her go? She had said we were worth fighting for. Of course we were worth fighting for. Why hadn’t I trusted her to know that? To feel that?
And it dawned on me then. That even though I loved her more than anything, to the sun and stars and back, I had never quite believed that she loved me the same. I had never felt worthy.
I had to make this work. Not just for me, and not just for Melanie, but for Talon as well. My brother knew how important this was because it was what he had with Jade. He was willing to forgo hearing my news if it meant I could work things out with the amazing woman sitting in front of me.
“Hey, sweetheart,” I said.
“Hey, yourself.”
I had never in my life pictured myself doing what I did next. I knelt before her, took her hand in mine, and laid a gentle kiss upon it. “Can you ever forgive me?” I looked into her emerald-green eyes.
“I already have.”
I laid my head in her lap, and she gently stroked my hair.
And I finally understood true love.
She stood, pulling me up with her. Saying nothing, she led me to my bedroom, undressed me slowly, and pushed me gently onto the bed. Then she unclothed herself.
So beautiful. Her breasts were rosy, her nipples red-brown and hard. My cock was thick and ready for her when she lay down next to me.
I held her naked body against me, savoring every inch of her as I stroked her, caressed her. I kissed her—not with the fervor and passion that was normal between us, but with love. Only love. Pure emotion. Our lips slid against each other’s, our tongues tangling. And when I entered her, with no foreplay other than kissing her, she was wet for me.
She clasped me so sweetly, almost reverently, as I slid in and out of her heat. Her soft sighs whispered against my cheeks, and she clamped her legs around me, drawing me farther into her.
We were one being, bonded by our love.
As I released into her, claiming her, she shattered around me, and we climaxed together.
As one.
* * *
My alarm clock went off at its usual five a.m. I’d only gotten three hours of sleep, but I had certainly functioned on less in the past. I nudged at Melanie, who was softly breathing beside me.
“Mmm,” she murmured.
“Baby.” I nudged her again. “I need you to wake up. We need to talk, and then we need to meet for breakfast at Talon’s at seven.”
She opened her eyes. “What?”
I smiled. She was so beautiful in the morning, her blond hair in messy tangles on the pillow.
“I’m sorry. But we need to talk.”
She shot up. “Is everything okay?”
I took her into my arms. “Yes. I have some new information and a lot to tell you.”
“I have a lot to tell you too.”
“You do?”
“Yes. You won’t believe what I found out.”
“And baby, you won’t believe what I found out. Let’s take a quick shower, and we can talk before we go over to Talon’s.”
She smiled seductively. “All right. Except for one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t really relish a quick shower.”
Chapter Eleven
Melanie
Jonah sprinkled a few drops of lavender oil in the shower and turned on the water. Within a few seconds, a fragrant, steamy paradise surrounded us.
We hadn’t slept much, but that was okay. I was home, where I wanted—needed—to be. Jonah was here, stepping into the shower behind me and then pulling me into his arms for a passionate kiss.
I opened for him, as I always did, and welcomed his tongue into my mouth. Unlike last night, the kiss was full of the desire and passion that was the norm for kisses between Jonah and me. We ravished each other’s mouths, both giving and taking, surrendering to the love and passion between us. When I broke the kiss to take a much-needed breath, his dark eyes were full of fire, full of lust, full of desire. His skin was red from the heat of the shower, and his larger-than-life cock stood out proudly.
Without hesitation, he lifted me and sank me down upon his hardness.
I moaned. The sweet stretching, the purposeful joining—it was all so perfect.
This was where I belonged. This was where I would take myself back. With this man at my side.
I cupped his cheeks, staring into those dark eyes full of love. “I love you,” I said. “I love you so much, Jonah.”
He groaned. “God, baby, I love you too. How did I ever think I could exist without you?”
“You don’t have to.” And then I unraveled around him, my orgasm spiraling me upward, until every cell in my body was tingling. I breathed in, the lavender infusing through me as my body pulsated around the man I love.
Jonah’s hips pistoned frantically as he plunged in and out of me. “That’s it, sweetheart. Come for me. Come all over me.”
Then he thrust into me so hard, I almost believed he touched my heart and my soul.
As he shuddered, my climax soared again, and we flew together over the tops of the Rocky Mountains, releasing, flying.
When his trembling finally ceased, I slid off of him, against his hard body, my head tucked into his wet shoulder. We stayed there for a few timeless moments, the hot water pelting us, and I listened to his heart thudding against his chest. My own beat in synchrony with his.
And that’s when I knew the truth.
Jonah Steel and I could get through anything, as long as we were together.
* * *
Once we were dressed, I made a pot of coffee in the kitchen while Jonah took care of Lucy. Then he sat at the table, and I brought over two mugs of the fresh brew.
“Who should go first?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Hell if I know, baby. All I can tell you is that what I have to say is big.”
“Me too.”
“Well”—he took a sip of coffee—“I always say ladies first.”
“All right.” I smiled but then got serious as I told him what I had learned from Ruby Lee the previous night.
“I can’t believe it,” he finally said, after a few moments of silence when I stopped talking.
“I can’t either. Seems we now have proof that Nico Kostas, alias Theodore Mathias, is Talon’s third abductor.”
“I just don’t get it though.”
“What?”
“Who the hell is this guy with blue eyes? The one who kidnapped you?”
“Most likely he was a hired gun. He pretty much told me that himself.”
“But the guy who went to Felicia, who threatened her and forced her to leave that rose for Jade, he had blue eyes, and also…”
“What?”
“I came in contact with another guy yesterday. A guy with really bizarre blue eyes.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. It’s a long story.” He looked at his watch. “And we need to get to Talon’s. I’ll tell you everything in the car.”
“No,” I said. “I’ll wait until we get to Talon’s. Whatever you have to say, he deserves to hear it first.”
* * *
When we walked into Talon’s, Marjorie was busy at the stove, making bacon and eggs. I inhaled the appetizing aroma.
“Morning, Marj,” Jonah said.
&
nbsp; His sister turned around. “You better have a good reason for getting us all up at the butt crack of dawn, Joe.”
Talon walked quickly into the kitchen, followed by Jade. “Well, Sis, we’re all used to getting up at the butt crack of dawn.”
Marjorie laughed and scooped eggs onto a platter. The table had already been set, and glasses of orange juice sat at each place. Jade brought the coffeepot over and filled the mugs.
“Everybody, sit down,” Talon said. “Joe says he has something important to talk to us all about.”
“You don’t have to worry about my mom being here,” Jade said. “She stayed in the city overnight for therapy with her nurse.”
A little bit of tension released from Jonah. And from me as well, to tell the truth. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that Brooke Bailey had tried to seduce him.
I took a seat next to Jonah. Marjorie sat on my other side and began passing around a platter of eggs, bacon, and toast. Once we were all served, Talon spoke.
“So, Joe, it was your idea to get us all together for this breakfast. Let’s hear it.”
I was antsy. I had no idea what Jonah was about to tell us, and my nerves were doing a little jig underneath my skin. After he was done with his news, and if there was any time left, I’d let them all know that I had almost positively identified the third abductor. I wondered if that was bigger news than what Jonah was about to say.
I didn’t wonder for long.
“Colin has been found,” Jonah said.
A chorus of gasps came out of all of our mouths.
“How did you find him?” Jade asked.
“It’s a long story,” Jonah said. “I went after one of your abductors yesterday, Tal.”
“Say what?”
“You heard me. I know who another one of them is.”
I kept my eye on Marjorie. She was chewing on her bottom lip. She knew as well, but no one had told Talon yet.
“Who the hell is it?” Talon said through clenched teeth.
“It’s pretty unbelievable, Tal. I didn’t believe it myself at first, but we have proof. It’s Tom Simpson. The mayor. My best friend’s father.”
Talon stood, clenching his fists. “The fucking bastard.”
“It’s true, Talon,” Marjorie said. “I’ve seen his birthmark. It’s exactly how you described it.”
“And nobody told me any of this?”
I itched to say something. Raising voices would do no good, and I, as a psychotherapist, could be the voice of reason. But I wasn’t a member of this family, at least not yet, so I kept my mouth shut.
“We didn’t have any solid proof, other than the birthmark.” Joe rubbed at his chin.
“Who the hell else would have a birthmark just like the one I remember?”
“That’s fair enough,” Jonah said. “But I have proof now. I found the motherfucker.”
“Jesus Christ!” Talon grabbed a fistful of his hair. “Where the hell is he?”
“Well, that’s the bad news. He got away.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Talon sat down hard.
“Talon,” Jade said soothingly. “Let’s hear him out.”
Jonah inhaled and let out a slow breath. “Mills and Johnson found the address where Simpson was holed up. He disappeared about a week ago. Bryce told me. Anyway, I went there to confront him. He had a bad dye job on his hair, but it was him. He finally admitted who he was. And Tal? Where he was holed up? I’m pretty sure it’s the same place you were held.”
Talon’s forearms tensed. “The same place?”
“I’m pretty sure. It’s just how you described it.”
“How did he get away?” Talon asked through clenched teeth.
“I’m sorry about that. I didn’t have a choice. When I first got there, Tom wasn’t there. So I searched the house. When I went down to the basement, I found that they were keeping yet another prisoner. This was a grown man. His head had been shaved, and he had been beaten and abused.”
Jade clasped her hand to her mouth.
Jonah nodded at her. “Yes. It was Colin.”
Talon shook his head. “I certainly can’t say I like the guy, but I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.”
“Anyway, I was in the process of untying him and I got him unbound, but then I heard something upstairs. I told Colin to stay still and, if I didn’t come back in half an hour, to get the hell out of there if he could. He looked so weak though, I wasn’t sure if he’d be able to move.
“So I went upstairs, and lo and behold, who should be coming in with a bag of groceries, but Tom. He had dyed his hair dark brown, but I recognized his blue eyes. They’re just like Bryce’s. He denied it at first, tried to get away, but I tackled him to the ground, got him tied up with his own duct tape, and then I threatened him with…bodily harm.”
Jonah visibly tensed. What had he threatened Simpson with? I would ask him about that later. Or maybe not. He would come to me if he needed to.
“Anyway, I was getting ready to call the cops on him, when a guy all in black wearing a ski mask barged in, holding a gun.” He gripped the edge of the table. “I’ve never stared down the barrel of a gun before.”
I reached over and rubbed Jonah’s thigh. I hoped I was offering some comfort. I certainly wasn’t feeling comfortable myself. My nerves were on edge. The man I loved had been held at gunpoint. I kept quiet…for now.
“I decided to bluff. I told them I had already called the cops, that I’d let the guy in the basement go and told him everything. I told them they could kill me if they wanted to, but they wouldn’t get far.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m not sure I’ve ever been so fucking scared in my entire life.”
I squeezed his thigh. I was scared myself right now.
“What happened then?” Marjorie asked, her eyes wide.
“He took Simpson and got away. But now we know for sure, Talon. Tom Simpson was one of your abductors.”
“What about Colin?” Jade asked.
“He managed to get up the stairs, and I took as good care of him as I could until the ambulance got there. He’s at a hospital in Murphy. He’ll be all right. He’s dehydrated and malnourished, has probably been raped, but he will survive.”
Jade’s eyes glistened. “I’ve been nothing but angry with him for the last several months, with good reason, but I would never wish this on him.”
“None of us would, blue eyes.” Talon sighed. “So now we know who two of them are for sure. I never thought I’d see the day.”
Jonah turned to me and nodded.
For the first time, I opened my mouth. “Actually, Talon, we know for sure who all three of them are.”
He stood again. “Doc?”
I quickly related the story about Ruby Lee and her father.
“So Gina’s uncle is one of the same men who abused Talon?” Marjorie said.
“Yes.”
Talon sat still, staring at the cup of coffee in front of him.
“Tal?” Jonah said.
“I can’t believe it,” Talon said, still not moving.
Jade stroked his forearm. “This is good news, Talon. We now know who they are. Both of them. Now we can find them.”
“I can go see Larry Wade again,” Jonah said. “Now that I know who they are, there’s no reason for him not to tell me any information he knows.”
“The guy who came to the house,” Talon said. “The one who held the gun on you. Were his eyes brown?”
Jonah sighed. “I wish I could say they were. But they weren’t. They were very stark blue. Almost an unreal color of blue.”
“The man who kidnapped me had weird blue eyes too,” I added. “He told me he was a hired hitman. And I believe the man who threatened Felicia also had blue eyes, right?”
“So it wasn’t Nico Kostas or whatever the hell his name is.” Talon sighed.
And then a light bulb went on over my head.
Chapter Twelve
Jonah
Me
lanie was thinking. She was gnawing on her lower lip as if her life depended on it.
“What is it, sweetheart?” I asked.
“You said his eyes looked unreal. Maybe they were.”
“What do you mean?”
“He was wearing colored contact lenses. The kind that can make dark-brown eyes blue.”
I smiled. “Why the hell didn’t the rest of us think of that?”
“I don’t know,” Jade said. “Now that you mention it, Melanie, that makes perfect sense. I’m not sure why I didn’t think of it. Remember those funky cat-eye contacts you had in college, Marj?”
Marj chuckled. “Oh, yeah. They were yellow.”
“They were creepy,” Jade said.
“I suppose there’s no way to know for sure,” I said. “But all three of us seem to think that the eyes were bizarre looking. Unreal looking. Granted, the guy who took Melanie said he was a hired gun, but it’s not so far-fetched for him to have been lying.”
“It makes sense that Gina’s uncle is the one who abducted you, Doc,” Talon said. “First of all, you knew what he had done to Gina. Second, he probably also knew you were my therapist and assumed I had told you everything.”
Footsteps thumped in the foyer. In a few seconds, Ryan popped his head in the kitchen. “I’m sorry I’m late. An issue in the vineyards early this morning.”
“You missed quite a revelation,” Marj said. “Sit down. I’ll make you some eggs.”
“Don’t bother. I had a couple doughnuts this morning. What’s going on?”
* * *
After Ryan had been filled in, Jade had to leave for work, and Marjorie left with Ryan to help him in the vineyards. Talon refilled our coffee cups.
“You okay, Tal?” I asked.
He was a little pale, but he nodded. “Yeah. I’m not the one who was held at gunpoint yesterday. I should be asking if you’re okay.”
“I’m good, bro. I’m just sorry I let him get away.”
Melanie caressed my forearm. “You didn’t have a choice. None of us want you dead.”