His phone rang, and he quickly eased out of bed and glanced over his shoulder. The place where Darcy had lain was empty. He figured she had probably gotten hungry and had gone downstairs to grab something to eat. After all, it was way past lunchtime.
He grabbed for the phone and recognized the number. “Yes, Wesley?”
“Mission accomplished.”
He smiled knowing what that meant. Once again, his men had done an outstanding job. He had wanted to be there, right in the thick of things, but he had been needed here to keep his woman out of trouble, out of harm's way. “I need full details. Give me a minute to get downstairs to my office, and I'll call you right back.”
He hung up the phone and glanced around and immediately knew something was wrong. Darcy's overnight bag, the one that had been sitting next to his dresser, was gone. He quickly went into the bathroom and found his vanity cleaned of her belongings. It was as if she'd never been there.
Grabbing a robe, like a madman he tore out of the room and rushed down the stairs. But the house was empty. He moved back to the kitchen and saw the note she had scribbled and left on the front of his refrigerator. She had written the message with red lipstick. You got what you wanted. Now stay away from me! Fuming, he snatched the paper off his refrigerator and crushed it in his hands before tossing it in a nearby trash can. He growled deep in his throat. “Like hell I will.”
Chapter 14
“If you think finally getting around to admitting you had an affair with York in Jamaica will exonerate you from spending New Year's with me then you are wrong, Darcelle Owens.”
Darcy rolled her eyes as she stood at the window in her New York house. It was two days after Christmas. If her parents had been surprised that she had shown up on their doorstep a few days earlier than planned, they didn't let on. And she knew her brothers had been itching to ask why her eyes were so swollen and her nose was red. Instead, they did what they usually did when she was a kid and would fly into the house crying from a boo-boo. They would cuddle her and try to kiss her hurt away.
And for a while she was able to get York Ellis out of her mind but not out of her heart. Instead of leaving her parents’ home the day after Christmas as planned to head to Cavanaugh Lake, she had returned home to New York, determined to spend New Year's alone. She was not surprised that Ellie wasn't happy with that decision. Even after confessing and telling her friend everything, she wasn't budging.
“Did you hear everything I said, El?”
“Yes, I heard you. I saw York on Christmas Day in Phoenix when everyone flew in for Eli Steele's wedding. He didn't give anything away.”
That meant out of sight, out of mind. She hadn't expected anything other than that anyway. She wouldn't be surprised if Ellie mentioned he had brought someone. She wouldn't ask for fear of finding out something she didn't want to know, something that would break her heart even more.
“Besides, Darcy,” Ellie broke into her thoughts and said, “I heard on the news about that case his company busted. From what I understand it was pretty dangerous, so I'm glad he kept you from getting involved.”
Darcy frowned. “I could have handled my own.”
“Are you listening to me? Those men would not have hesitated to hurt you if you tried to disrupt their plan.”
But still …
“He used me,” she said, determined for her best friend to see her point. She needed some sympathy here.
“And I'm sure you used him as well, so get over it, Dar, and catch a plane here.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip. “I'm not ready to see him, and chances are he'll be there.”
“Yes, he will be. But that shouldn't stop you from coming as well. It will be business as usual since you and York have always avoided each other anyway.” There was a pause, then Ellie said, “Unless there is more to it than what you're telling me.”
Darcy continued nibbling on her lip. “More like what?”
“Your true feelings for him. You sound more like a woman in love than a woman upset for not getting her way.”
Darcy frowned. “I'm not in love with York!” Maybe if she said it enough times she would be able to convince herself of that.
“Um, if you say so. Look, I need to get out of here and go to the grocery store, but I'll call you later. The weather around the lake is beautiful. You don't know what you're missing.”
Darcy wiped a tear that had just fallen from her eye. “Yes, I do.” I won't be seeing York again anytime soon.
“Is there a message you want me to give York when I see him?” Ellie asked.
“Of course not. He means nothing to me. I just don't like being played.”
“Well, it sounds to me you're getting played confused with protected. I'll talk to you later, Darcy.”
She heard the phone click in her ear and shook her head. What did Ellie know? She loved a man who loved her back. Some women had all the luck. Not ready to start her day yet, she tightened her robe around her and headed toward the kitchen to grab something for breakfast.
Since she'd planned to be away for the holidays, she hadn't put up a tree this year. But she had decorated the fireplace with garland and had even hung out the stocking her secretary's eight-year-old daughter had made for her last Christmas.
With a cup of hot chocolate and small plate of crescent rolls, she went back to the living room to enjoy her breakfast alone. Turning on the television, she saw that more arrests had been made in the case York and his people had cracked, including members of the Medina family. She even caught a quick glimpse of a handcuffed Damien being led away by authorities. Feeling even more depressed she turned off the television and finished her breakfast.
An hour or so later after cleaning up the kitchen, watering her plants and rearranging items in her cabinets, she decided she would take a nap. She might as well since she still had her nightgown on underneath her robe. She would treat this as a lazy day. She was headed toward her bedroom when her doorbell sounded. She figured it was her neighbor who'd been kind enough to collect her mail while she was gone.
Darcy glanced out the peephole and caught her breath. York!
Mixed emotions flooded her. On one hand, she was tempted to pinch herself to make sure what she was seeing was real. On the other hand, she wanted to open the door just to slam it in his face. It had been over a week since that morning when she had slipped out of bed to flee the island, needing to put as much distance between them as she possibly could.
Over a week.
And she hadn't heard from him. But she had to admit she had warned him to stay away from her. However, when did men like York do what they were told? And why was he here now? And why was a part of her glad that he was?
He rang the doorbell again, and she drew in a deep breath. “I can handle this,” she muttered under her breath as she slowly removed the chain off the door. “And I can handle him,” she added to assure herself as she slowly turned the knob.
The moment she flung the door wide and his gaze connected with his, she knew she'd assumed wrong. She couldn't handle him. He was standing there, leaning in her doorway. Her nose inhaled his cologne that mingled was the scent of primitive man. He was dressed in a pair of snug-fitting jeans and a blue pullover sweater, looking like the man he was, the man who'd captured her heart.
The man she loved.
“Darcy.”
York studied the woman standing in front of him. Had it really been eight days since he'd seen her, eight days since he'd made loved to her, heard her scream? Even with that little annoying frown forming around her mouth, she looked beautiful. She looked as if she'd raked her fingers instead of a comb through her hair. It was tossed in disarray around her shoulders, and the early morning sun gave it a sun-kissed luster.
“Why are you here, York?”
That question was simple enough. “I came for you.”
She looked surprised. “For me?”
“Yes.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, and th
e gesture uplifted her breasts. Her cleavage looked good, and he bet her nipples looked even better. His tongue seemed to thicken at the thought of being wrapped around one.
“Didn't you get my note? The one I left on your refrigerator?”
He shrugged. “Yes, I got it.”
“And?”
“And I figured you were mad when you wrote it.”
An angry tint suddenly appeared on her cheeks, and she just stared at him. York suspected that she was probably wondering what would be the best way to throttle him.
“Yes, I was mad when I wrote it and I'm still mad.”
He held her gaze. “Then I suggest you get over it.” And before she could pick up her mouth that had nearly dropped to the floor, he took the opportunity to walk past her into her house.
“Wait a minute. I didn't invite you in, York.”
He glanced over his shoulder. “You didn't have to.”
She slammed the door with enough force to make the room shake. “Now, you listen here.”
He turned around. “No, you listen here,” he said back at her. “I've given you eight days, and I refuse to give you any more.”
“Y-you g-gave me,” she stuttered in anger.
“Yes. I would have come after you right away but I figured you needed to cool off and think things through. That gave me time to wrap up the case and attend Eli's wedding since I knew you'd already made plans to spend the holidays with your own family. But I talked to Uriel last night, and he mentioned you had changed your mind about coming to the lake.”
“Not that it's any of your business, but I have,” she said lifting her chin.
“Then you need to rethink that decision.” He knew if she had something handy to throw at him, she would.
She crossed the room, and he could see flames bursting in her eyes. “Just who the hell do you think you are?”
He couldn't help the smile that touched his lips. “York Celtic Ellis,” he said, moving to cover the distance separating them. “The last man you slept with. The only man you'll be sleeping with from here on out.” When he came to a stop in front of her, he said in an even huskier voice, “I'm also the man who loves you more than life itself.”
She nearly stumbled backward. “No.”
He advanced forward. “Hell, yes. You might not ask for my love, probably don't even want it, but you got it, lock, stock and barrel.”
“No.”
“Why are you in denial, Darcy? There was no way in hell I would let you go into danger of any kind. Now I understand what true love is. I know what it truly is to love a woman.”
Darcy stared at him, nearly frozen in shock at his words. She had to take a few moments to inhale and slowly exhale to fight the emotions that tried overtaking her. Did he know what he was saying? Did he understand the full impact?
She studied his features and saw the intensity in the dark eyes staring back at her. Yes, he knew and understood. She felt the sincerity of his gaze all the way to her bones when he lowered his voice to say, “I hadn't planned on loving any woman this much. I honestly didn't think that I could. You proved me wrong, Darcy.”
His words propelled her to move, take a step closer to him. “How wrong?”
“Very wrong. But in my heart I know I did the right thing keeping you out of that mess with Felder.”
In her heart, she knew the same thing. She could finally admit that. Not only had he and the people who worked for him exposed the persons behind the black marketing of those movies but they were able to establish a strong connection between the death of York's former girlfriend and the Medinas.
For a moment she couldn't say anything. She just stood there and stared at him, and she knew Ellie had been right. Her stubbornness wouldn't let her see what was quite obvious. He hadn't played her but had protected her.
She inched a little closer to him and heard his sharp intake of breath when a hardened nipple protruding through her silk robe came into contact with his chest. Electric energy flared between them and sent a jolt to the juncture of her thighs. She could feel every beat of his heart. If her move surprised him, he didn't let on. Instead, he was watching her with those dark eyes as if waiting to see what she would do next.
Darcy didn't give him long to wait. She wrapped her arms around his neck and then leaned in closer to bring her lips just a breath away from his sensual mouth. “And I love you, too, York. So very much,” she whispered.
By the way his brow arched, she could tell that he was surprised by that, and from the immediate curve of his lips she knew her admission had pleased him.
“But don't think for one minute that I'm a pushover,” she warned.
“Such a thing never crossed my mind,” he responded, wrapping his arms around her waist.
And then he leaned in to kiss her, and she didn't hesitate in kissing him back. The hunger was immediate, the desire apparent. She needed to be his woman, the one to whom he'd declared his love. She relayed it in her kiss with a relentless attack on his mouth. When he lifted her up into his arms and wrapped her legs around him, she knew it was just the beginning.
He broke off their kiss and stared at her. “Marry me.”
She smiled. It wasn't a request. Instead, it sounded more like a demand. Would he never learn? “I'll think about it.”
She let out a sharp gasp when he jousted her up and all but tossed her across his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. “York, put me down!”
“Soon enough.”
It was a short walk from her kitchen to her living room, where he gently placed her down on the sofa and joined her. She couldn't help but laugh as she stared up into his love-filled eyes. And just to think she had fled New York three weeks ago because of the cold, and now she was back in the city surrounded by intense heat.
“There's nothing to think about, baby. I refuse to spend any more time without you, so plan a wedding.”
She knew he was dead serious and deciding they needed to spend their time doing things other than arguing. She asked, “Would a Valentine's Day wedding be soon enough?”
“Yes, if I have to wait that long.”
She smiled up at him as she reached up to entwine her arms around his neck. “I'll just have to make sure it's a pleasurable wait.”
And then she pulled his mouth down to hers.
Epilogue
York smiled down at his beautiful bride thinking she had kept her word and it had been a pleasurable wait. But as of an hour ago, the waiting had come to an end. Darcelle Owens was now Darcelle Ellis and he couldn't be happier. However, a quick glance across the room at his remaining three single godbrothers showed they were just the opposite.
He inwardly smiled thinking sooner or later they would get over it. But then again, in a way he knew just how they felt. If anyone would have told him months ago he was headed for the altar he would not have believed them.
“Do you mind if I have a dance with my daughter-in-law?”
York chuckled as he glanced over at his father. His parents, like everyone else, had been shocked at his wedding announcement. “Sure, Dad. That will give me some time to go over and smooth three of your godsons’ ruffled feathers.”
His father laughed. “Good luck.”
York placed a kiss on Darcy's lips. “I'll be back in a minute, sweetheart.”
“I'll be waiting,” she said, grinning up at him.
He couldn't help the smile that touched his lips. Darcy had been a beautiful bride and he would never forget how she'd looked walking down the aisle on her father's arms in her beautiful wedding gown. He was convinced the memory would remain in his heart forever.
York came to a stop in front of Winston, Zion and Virgil. He was glad to see all three of them, as well as Uriel and Xavier who were on the dance floor with their wives.
“So the traitor has decided to say a few words, has he?” Winston Coltrane asked in a clipped voice.
York nodded, smiling. He couldn't help it. He was definitely a happy man. “Don't hate, guys. A
ppreciate.”
“Appreciate what?” Virgil asked, frowning. “The fact that another member of the Bachelors in Demand Club has defected? I see no reason to jump for joy at that. I hope you know what you've done.”
York glanced over his shoulder at his wife and couldn't help the way his gaze lingered on her awhile as she danced with his father. He then turned back to his three godbrothers. “Yes, I know what I've done, and honestly, I don't expect the three of you to understand things yet. But I have a feeling you will one day. Trust me when I say I have no regrets in getting married.”
“But you and Darcy never got along,” Winston reminded him.
“Yes, but we definitely get along now,” York replied.
“I guess you're out of the club,” Zion said, shaking his head smiling. “And to think you were the president.”
Yes, he'd been the president, and a staunch supporter of bachelorhood. “Sorry, guys, but I got a feeling one of you will be next. Probably in less than a year from now,” York said grinning.
Virgil frowned. “Marriage has turned you into a fortune teller, Y?”
“No, just a happy man who wants to spread the cheer. I'll see you guys around … after my honeymoon.”
Moments later he returned to Darcy and pulled her into his arms. She tilted her head back and glanced up at her husband. “They still don't look too happy with you.”
He brushed a kiss across her lips. “I've been where they are before. In fact, I'm the one who delivered the news to Uriel at his wedding that he was no longer in the club. Not that he cared.”
York sighed and added, “Winston, Virgil and Zion see the club's members dwindling and can't help wondering what the hell is going on. That's three of us that have taken the plunge and three still remaining as bachelors.”
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