by Claire Adams
The gentle sound of teeth being brushed held up her response. She even took the time to rinse and gargle. “Sorry, I’m getting ready to go out. But it’s not like he denied you. It sounds like he got scared.”
“No, you didn’t see the look on his face – like I was nobody.” I shook my head. “I should have left with you. I wanted to, you know. I could have lain down in the back seat and no one would be the wiser. The stupid media hasn’t been around for days now anyway, so I don’t know what he’s so afraid of.”
She laughed. “Maybe he doesn’t want you to leave because he loves you, too, and he doesn’t know how to say it. And, you know damned good and well it isn’t the media he’s afraid of. Some asshole out there killed two of his exes.”
Even though she was being light-hearted, the reminder hurt. “I have no doubt he cares about my safety, but it’s different. People care about each other’s safety every day of the week without being in love.”
“So, what are you going to do? You can stay here if you want, but I’m leaving in a few days to go stay with my aunt in Kentucky.” I’d forgotten about that trip, and as much as I would feel safe in her home with her there, I’d feel strange there alone.
The only other option wasn’t going to be as fun as staying with my best friend. “I guess I’ll go to my dad’s house. He’s there all the time, and when he’s not, he’s in church, which is across the street from the parsonage. He can keep an eye on me.”
“You know Gabriel is going to want to send security.” I wondered if he would and who he’d send. Not Joe. Joe was his personal detail. He’d probably send that guy who knew my father.
“I doubt he’ll care once I’m gone. As long as I show up to work, though I’m not entirely sure he’ll honor his promise about that, either.” Losing my job would be devastating.
“What on earth would you do? You couldn’t find another job that pays like Gabriel. Could you make it?” I didn’t want to think about losing my apartment or having to change my spending. I’d wanted to take a huge shopping trip once I busted out of G2 lockup, but I probably should wait for final word to come down.
“I hope so. If all else fails, I’ll get a roommate.” Silence on the other end had me feeling defensive. “Hey, I’m not that bad.”
“I didn’t say a word. You were an amazing roomie.” She didn’t manage to hold her laughter on that last part.
“Why the quiet spell? We both know you were the party animal who drank too much and brought home guys who stole from us.”
“Don’t get me started on that fool. I was thinking you might be jumping the gun. Give it some time.” I wondered if she only said that so it wouldn’t put a wrinkle in what she and Joe had cooking.
“I’ve given it time.” I’ve given him more than enough time. I thought about the past week and how things had progressed to us making love each night like a true honeymooning couple should. I should have known our honeymoon period ended when we left that miserable suite.
“You haven’t given it time since you told him you love him, so trust me and be patient. Besides, if Joe says they are having security issues, you know his mind is mush. Maybe you should find out what it is.”
“I didn’t think it was too important or I’d have known already.”
“You’re being stubborn, Ms. Spencer.” It was a sure sign of things being bad when Kim used my last name.
“Fine, I’ll go down and find out what’s going on. Maybe I’ll ask Joe directly.” I hoped that last part made her jealous.
“Tell Mr. Hancock I’m waiting on his call.” Her voice had lowered to a seductive tone, and we both giggled as we ended the call.
At least I had Kim to keep me grounded. She’d always picked me up no matter how low I’d gotten.
I slipped on my sandals and headed down to Gabriel’s office, which was empty. Two glasses and his decanter were on the desk, and I wondered who’d been day drinking with him. Probably Mason.
I continued my search of the downstairs and went out front where Carl was weeding a flower bed. “Good morning, Carl. Have you seen Gabriel?”
“He went down to the winery to check the security with Joe. There’s been excitement all morning.” He turned his attention back to the ground, and I wondered if he’d looked up from the dirt long enough to know what the excitement was all about.
Instead of asking, I turned to leave. “Thanks, Carl.” His welcome came from behind, and I went to the carport to find the cart missing. There were a pair of beach-cruiser-style bikes and I didn’t waste time hopping on one, thankful I’d dressed in my comfortable capris.
I rode out to the winery and went inside. Gabriel wasn’t anywhere to be found, though the cart was outside. I felt like I was wasting more time trying to find him. For what? Nothing was going to change. I couldn’t make him love me.
As I turned and walked back to the front to leave, I heard Gabriel’s voice mumbling from the back of the room with Joe’s. They were working on the security, probably doing a routine check.
Before he could see me, I ducked out the door and jumped onto the bike. As I hurried off, I noticed a large commercial truck was about to turn in. On the side was the Emma’s Taste of Heaven logo. I hurried off, hoping Gabriel wouldn’t come out to greet the truck and see me.
I’d made up my mind: Gabriel was too busy with things for me to disturb him. Too distracted with making his money to have time for anyone, which was why he hadn’t before me. I was the product of a weak moment, a slip in his routine, and one he’d soon remedy.
I decided it was time to leave. I’d call my dad and see if he could come get me. I couldn’t spend another day in that house – or another night in it without Gabe.
I stopped at the port and parked the bike before hurrying in through the patio and down the hallway to the stairs.
With any luck, Gabriel would be tied up with the truck that had arrived and I could have all of my things ready to go before he even noticed. I hadn’t unpacked too much since changing rooms, but I’d scattered my toiletries and makeup all over the counter in the bathroom while getting ready.
As I hurried to collect the things, I thought about Gabriel. He would be angry, but he’d get over it. Maybe somewhere on the other side of everything, we’d be friends. It wasn’t like I hated him, and I hoped he would understand.
He didn’t need me in the same way I needed him. He’d be fine. He’d go on with his company and find a suitable replacement for me. He’d have no problem with that. I knew plenty who would give their right arm for my job.
Besides, the whole relationship was off balance anyway. He was a billionaire with houses all over the world, a vineyard, and could have any woman he wanted. What would he want me for? It wasn’t as if I could give him anything he didn’t already have. I brought nothing to the table, except an overprotective father and a bossy best friend.
Everything else was by his grace to keep me employed. I was prepared to lose it, too, the house and my car, if I had to, just to stop this torture. That’s what it was to know someone didn’t love you the way you loved them. Torture.
I sat on my bed and stared at my phone. Then after a deep breath and a big dose of courage, I called my father. “Dad, I think it’s time I come home.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Gabriel
Joe and I had gone over inch of the house’s security feeds and couldn’t find anything out of place, but just to be safe, I had one of my ITs go back to check each connection. He’d been at the house all day, and I was in my office waiting for the all-clear at any moment.
“Things have worked smoothly; perhaps whatever it was is fixed. That one loose connector could have been the issue.” Joe wasn’t in the habit of soothing me, so I guessed I must have looked pretty ragged. I still hadn’t had any sleep and the day had me wore thin.
“Let’s hope. It’s a sad day when the owner of a billion-dollar security company has glitches.” I hoped it didn’t become an epidemic and strike my mainframe system. I�
��d had the stations call in with reports all day to be sure.
Aside from my problems with the security, Luna was still not talking to me and had stayed upstairs most of the day. I’d seen her out riding a bike, and I assumed that was to cure her boredom. I imagined her relaxing upstairs with one of her books or curled up in front of my big screen. I’d shown her how to work the remote so she wouldn’t deprogram anything while trying to find a channel.
Once all of this was settled, I would go upstairs for a nice hot shower and see if she wanted to join me. We needed to talk. And, ever since she’d admitted her love, my desire had been to get inside her so I could claim her properly and tell her how I felt, too. I couldn’t wait for us to start a normal life together without all the drama that unraveled in Las Vegas and the simple thought of her beneath me had me hard.
Thank God I was sitting at my desk.
My phone rang and brought me to my other issue for the day: Kyle Johnson. Boner killer.
“How’s it going, Mason?” I’d been waiting on him to call back for hours.
“It’s going. Detective Hatcher said not to toot your own horn too hard. He claims that the boys in blue down at the good old LVPD were already onto this lead, but you sidetracked them with your information about Harbor.” The laughter in his voice was generous considering we both knew what a load of shit that was.
“Yeah, that’s why they questioned the wrong man. Did you tell him nice try?” There was no way they’d had their eye on someone they didn’t know existed, and since the LAPD were the ones who’d had the tip off about the car, I knew better.
“Nah, what’s the use? There’s no cure for his kind of arrogance. You’ll be in the clear before you know it.” A horn honked in the background, and he spat out a curse word.
I cringed thinking he might cause an accident. “Listen, man, let me go before you kill yourself or someone else.” After another curse, he ended the call. As my screen went dark, I placed the phone on my desk and stared at Joe, who glared down to his own mobile device like he wanted to throw it across the room.
“Bad news?”
My voice brought his head up and he frowned. “It’s the ex. Madison’s been sick for three days. She finally thought I should know.”
It was easy to forget the man had a family of his own because he spent more time with me than anyone else. “If you need to go, I understand.”
“No, she needs her rest. I’ll go tomorrow when we get everything cleared up here.” He was a good man and a great father. I’d hate to think of the poor bastard that tried to date his daughter.
“Well, I’ll have Judy send her a care package. She told me she loves it when Uncle Gabe sends her treats.” The little one held a special place in my heart and Judy treated her like a granddaughter.
“You spoil her,” said Joe, shaking his head. “But thank you. She’ll get a kick out of it. Besides, I know it chaps Myra’s ass.” All the more reason to do it. I never did like Myra.
An image of Luna illustrated in my mind of her with a big baby bump. I wondered if she had ever considered having children. I swallowed hard, thinking it was much too soon for all that, but I could see us long-term having a family of our own.
Joe’s phone ringing snapped me out of my daydream and a moment later. “That’s the man with the all-clear. But I think I’ll pull it up on your monitor and check out the quality on your end.”
“That’s great news; make yourself at home and let me know how it is. I’m going to find Luna.” I left Joe there and headed down the hall and up the stairs.
I went to my room and threw open the door with a wide smile, which faded as I searched for her. I went to the bathroom, thinking I might find her in a warm bath, but it was empty, too.
Panic struck as I went to the closet and found it empty of her belongings. She couldn’t have left the house. Did someone take her? Before the adrenaline could get good and pumping, I heard a noise from the guest room.
“Luna?” I hurried down to the door and threw it open so hard it bounced off the door stop and almost came back in my face. I barged in placing my hand on my heart in relief. “My God, you scared me! What are you doing in here?” I searched her eyes, but she looked away from me.
“I’ve called my father. He’s coming to get me in a few hours when he’s done with his counseling sessions.”
“You can’t leave – and why would want to?” She cringed away as I crossed the room and sat beside her. She’s changed her mind?
Her hands trembled, and I took them into my own and squeezed them tight as she took a deep breath. “I told you how I feel, Gabriel. But I can’t stay here if you don’t feel the same way. It’s too painful. Every time we make love, it’s like I’m falling deeper and-”
“You were going to up and leave? When were you going to tell me?” Anger boiled through me. “I can understand you wanting to change rooms, but to bail on me completely when you know I don’t want you to go and we haven’t had a chance to talk. What are you thinking?”
“I need to know how you feel,” she snapped.
She didn’t know? “I don’t want you to go. I feel the same, Luna.”
She blinked her eyes and shook her head. “But you said… Well, you didn’t say, but you acted like you… Do you want the annulment?”
I barely moved my head back and forth and formed the word no with my lips. She was already in my arms. “No, of course I don’t.”
“I thought when you didn’t come to bed that you didn’t want to be near me.” She covered her mouth and wiped the tears that pooled in her eyes.
I pulled her into my arms and held her. “We’ve had a bad time around here, and I didn’t want to worry you. You took me a little off-guard by sharing your feelings because I thought you wanted the annulment. I always felt that in the end you were going to leave me.”
“I didn’t want to, but I knew I would if I had to, no matter how much it hurt.” She wiped her face and took a deep breath.
“I’m sorry I didn’t come up sooner. I had no idea you were up here feeling this way. You should have come down and talked to me.”
Her eyes widened. “The last time I tried to do that, you were too busy. And earlier, I rode out to the winery, and you were busy then, too.”
“I’m always going to have busy times, especially if it concerns your safety. We’ve been having glitches the past few days and I’ve had to have someone come out and look at the system.” I hadn’t told her about Kyle, the suspect, but wondered if it were best to keep that to myself. I didn’t want her scared.
“I know you’re a busy man, and I’m used to being busy with you at your side, but here I feel like I’m in the way. I guess I’m out of my element.”
“Nonsense, this is your element. You’re home, Luna. This is our home together.” The words were like a magic spell that brought a smile to her face.
“It’s so weird when you say it like that.” She closed her eyes tight and held them that way, as if savoring the moment.
“Get used to it.” I brushed my thumb across her cheek and swept away one last tear.
“I guess I should move my things back into your bedroom.” She held up a finger and smiled. “I mean our bedroom.”
“Yeah, let’s get you unpacked and-”
My phone rang out Joe’s tone, and I hurried to answer it. “Yeah?”
He didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “The system’s down again for a minute now. The guards are on alert.”
“Have they found anything?” I glared at Luna, who stared back with wide, curious eyes. I didn’t want her to be afraid, but I had to warn her to sit tight.
“Nothing, but it’s still down. It’s usually back up by now.” His tone didn’t sound hopeful.
I remembered Luna’s father planned to show up at some point. “Don’t let anyone in. If Mr. Spencer shows up, bring him into the guard shack until we’re secure.” Luna’s eyes widened as she clenched my hand. “I’ll be right down.” I ended the call and met h
er eyes directly as she gazed at me with worried, hopeful eyes.
“Gabriel? What’s happening?”
“The system went down earlier and it’s down again now. I’m going to go down and do a walk-through with the men to make sure the place stays secure while it’s down.”
“Who’s trying to get in?” She clutched her collar and gripped the fabric tight in her fist. “It’s the killer?”
“We’re not sure, but it could be. You sit tight up here. Go ahead and get yourself moved back into our room and wait for me to get back.” I lowered my voice to a whisper. “I want us to spend the night together.” I claimed her mouth, kissing her hard hoping it would give her something pleasant to look forward to until I got back.
“Promise you’ll hurry?” She smiled before pressing her lips against my neck.
“You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll be back before you know it.” I kissed her three more times before I broke away and ran down the stairs to find Joe.
When I didn’t find him downstairs, I went out into the yard. Crossing the patio, he ran from the front guard shack and changed directions when he saw me. He stopped caught his breath. “I have the guys watching the perimeter, and so far it’s all clear.”
“Good. Are we back up yet?”
“Not yet. I have Jones in the shack waiting on it.” He followed me back up to the house and stopped outside the patio door. “I’ll let you know as soon as I find out.”
I pulled my phone from my pocket and noticed the low battery signal. “Dammit, I have to plug in my phone. I’ll be in the office if you need me.” I walked into the office and went around my desk to where I kept my charger. As I plugged in my phone, my computer screen lit up. I glanced up and realized we were back online.
Thank God. I glanced to the small camera shots and saw Luna in our room. She stood at the bed where she’d laid her suitcase to unpack it. As I looked away, something caught my attention.
I hurried to enlarge the screen and when I did, fear gripped me and a wave of nausea hit knowing I was not going to reach her in time. As I processed what I’d seen, I pressed the alert for the guards, then I grabbed my gun from my desk and prayed I wouldn’t be too late.