by Nana Malone
“I was treated well. They knew who I was, so they didn’t hurt me. But when Carlos found out they killed my parents, he was very angry with his men. They were supposed to leave them alive for a ransom. But the explosion that was supposed to disable the lead car was too strong, and they died instead. I’m not sure why he didn’t kill me at first. Eventually, he learned about the trust fund, so it was in his best interest that I be alive to claim it.”
“In all this time, you’ve never told anyone who you are?”
“I’m not allowed to leave the compound, so I don’t have any friends except for the maids. I haven’t been to real school, but he makes sure I get a tutor. I have books, and I dream about home a lot. The things my mother used to make me, my grandmother.”
“Shit, Annie. I’m so sorry. I know it’s not enough, but it’s all I have right now.”
“It’s not your fault. You tried to help me. But now I want to go home.”
“And I want you to get home. But it’s not safe right now.”
Micha stood. “If I may?”
He nodded.
She continued thoughtfully. “Look, Sabine knows your moves. Annie is right to get a little antsy about staying in a safe house. And you said it yourself—when it’s important to you, you like to keep an eye on it yourself. I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to stay here. If Sabine knows you as well as you say she does, she’ll find this place eventually. You need to move her somewhere Sabine wouldn’t think to look. Somewhere you can also look after her yourself.”
Caleb didn’t like the sound of this plan. “I need to keep an eye out for you. My guys—”
“Are good, but not you.”
“Then what are you suggesting?”
“That we pack her up and move her to Jaya and Alec’s. The wedding is in two days, and both of them are prepping already and have moved into the hotel. Jaya already insisted I move into her place till we sort out”—she darted a glance at Annie—”my little situation. They have enough room and security to make fort Knox look penetrable. And you’ll control it all. Both of us will be safe, and you can stop running yourself ragged.”
She had a point. It was a better solution, and Sabine wouldn’t know to look for the girl there. Plus, he knew that Alec and Jaya’s house had a pretty sick panic room built in, in case of emergencies. “That might work. I’d have to work out some details with Alec.”
“In the meantime, let’s take her back to my place for the night.” She turned to the girl. “If that’s okay with you? You can have a shower. A home cooked meal. Maybe call your grandmother, if Caleb says you can.”
Caleb winced. Calling family was not part of the plan until he knew Sabine was contained. But he’d figure out a way. The joy on Annie’s face was too much to ignore. He’d been in touch with her grandmother over the years. Checked on her once every few months or so. “It looks like you have it all figured out.”
Micha smirked. “I knew you kept me around for my brains.”
His gaze skimmed her body. Yeah, her stellar mind was why he’d fallen in love with her. But her killer body was why he wanted to keep her in bed for the next month, doing nothing but sinking into her warmth. He forced his attention back to Annie. “What do you say? Will that work for you?”
A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she nodded. He’d done it. After years of searching and never finding out what happened to that little girl, he’d finally found her. Beaten and battered, but not broken. And she remembered that he’d tried to save her once. She didn’t think he’d failed her. And she was willing to trust him to look after her again. Thanks to Micha. If he didn’t already love her, this would have sealed it.
“I promise you, I will deal with Sabine. I will make her pay for any pain she put you through.”
Annie bowed her head. “Will you kill her?”
He frowned. He’d killed people before because he’d had to. He didn’t want to go back to the part of his life where killing was part of his lexicon. It didn’t sit well with him. “I’m not one for killing people. But I will make sure she pays for what she’s done to you now. And if I know Sabine, for what she did to you then. Micha’s right. She knows me, so she’ll be trying to hack my financials and will find properties in my company’s name. It’s better I don’t hide you here. This time, I promise you, I will keep you safe.”
She rubbed her eyes, then sticking her middle finger gently into each, she removed her contacts. Wide blue eyes stared back at him. “I believe you.”
Chapter 27
A cloud of white surrounded Micha’s head as she helped Jaya step into her wedding dress. The deceptively simple, A-line cut had a mountain of tulle and several petticoats. “You couldn’t go with mermaid dress or with simple sheath, Jai?”
Jaya laughed. “You know full well you two helped me pick this one out. Don’t complain now.”
Micha escaped her tulle captors and stood up. Ricca’s delicate fingers zipped up the back of the dress. They’d practiced their roles dozens of times, to be more efficient, per Jaya’s request, of course.
Micha had to smile. Thanks to her friend’s constant planning, they weren’t all running around like chickens with their heads cut off. When she and Ricca stepped back, neither one of them spoke.
Jaya looked resplendent. Her skin looked as smooth and rich as melted milk chocolate. She’d wound her hair up in a simple high bun, showing off her slim neck and elegant jaw line. The dress was pure Vera Wang simplicity and so perfect for Jaya, showing off her tiny waist and her toned back.
Tears pricked at Micha’s eyes, and she rapidly blinked them away. “Jai, you look beautiful. Seriously awesome. I’m really happy for you.”
Jaya and Ricca stared at her. When Jaya spoke, her voice was incredulous. “Micha? Are you crying? No pussies in my camp. Now buck up. It’s a wedding. I need you and your usual moxie.” Jaya rolled her eyes. “Tears. From Micha Bennett. I’m taking away your badass card.”
Micha grinned. “Shit, even I’m not that much of a hard ass that I won’t sniffle at a wedding.”
Jaya grinned back. “No. But you’ll ruin your makeup and be all raccoony for the pictures. I mean the better to make me appear more beautiful, my darling, but honestly, not such a good look.”
Ricca laughed. “Jai, don’t tease her. She’s in love.”
Micha swiped at the tear that escaped down her cheek, then quickly applied powder to cover the telltale track. “I’m not in love.”
Ricca rolled her eyes. “Hmm-mm. Then what would you call it? You and Caleb have obviously come to some kind of detente. Hell, better than a compromise, because he’s back to looking at you like you’re a sprinkles cupcake and he has a serious sweet tooth.”
Micha flushed. This was her job—to rib her friends about their men and love lives. She only ever had to endure mild ribbing regarding flings and one night stands. She wasn’t sure how she felt about the turned tables. “He doesn’t look at me like that.”
Jaya stepped in to rescue her. “Ricca, My is right. That’s not how Caleb looks at her at all.”
Micha sniffed. “Thank you.”
“He looks at her like she’s walking around naked and he can’t decide what part of her to lick first. You know, hungry. And a little frustrated. With a touch of indecisiveness.” She giggled. “And then there’s the hint of possession if anyone even dares glance in her direction. Did you see him last night when you guys were all at our house? I swear he growled at Alec and Beckett for even hugging her.”
A grin tugged at Micha’s lips, but she schooled her expression quickly. “Cut the shit, you guys. I’ve never teased you this bad. You two are terrible.”
Jaya grinned. “We’ve learned from the best.” She smoothed her hands down the bodice of the dress. “I have my something borrowed and blue. But what I want is some single girl deets on my wedding day, so you better get to talking, otherwise I’m not walking down that aisle on time.”
Micha laughed. “As if you would keep
that fine piece of ass you’re about to call hubby waiting.”
“He is a fine piece of man, isn’t he? A fact he proved last night. And this morning, and right before you guys arrived.”
Ricca inhaled sharply and smacked the bride on the arm. “Jai, he’s not supposed to see you before the wedding!”
Jaya shrugged. “No such thing as bad luck for us. We went through a hell of a lot to get here. Nothing will ruin this day, unless Micha doesn’t get to talking.”
Ricca then smacked Micha on the arm. “You heard the woman. Spill. Besides, Beckett and I have a bet on how long it took you guys to make up.”
Micha’s jaw dropped. “What?”
“Yep. He said you’d make up the next day, and I said you’d make up the day of your trip. There was no way you guys would be locked up in a car together and not feel the tension.”
“Ricca, I cannot believe you.” Her friends taking bets on her love life—what the hell would be next? Besides, Ricca had the clear upper hand; she knew Micha, and if it hadn’t been for the confined space of the car, she wouldn’t be talking to Caleb now.
“Beckett also said you’d talk it out. But I threw in that you’d screw like bunnies first. There’s too much crackle between you guys not to.” Ricca shrugged.
Micha wasn’t sure if she should laugh, cry, or make Ricca her bookie. “And what were the stakes?”
“Five hundred large and the loser has to spend two days around the house completely naked.” Ricca winked and flashed a grin. “I’m so hoping I win.”
Jaya and Micha met gazes, then howled with laughter. Micha wrapped a hand around her middle trying to hold it in. “Can we get viewing tickets for this?”
Ricca clapped with glee and did a dance saucy enough to make most video vixens jealous. “I won, huh?”
Micha rolled her eyes. “Yeah. You had the advantage. You know me.”
“He knows you too, but I know you better. So…” Ricca waved her hands as if trying to hurry Micha up with the story.
“We uhm, we worked things out,” Micha hedged.
“What?” Jaya stared at her. “That’s it? Come on. You have to do better than that.”
Micha was unaccustomed to be in the vulnerable position. Sucking in a deep breath, she exhaled deeply. “Well, I was still pretty pissed when we headed up to L.A. And you know how important that interview was.”
Ricca scowled. “Did Simon behave?”
“Of course not. He used every trick in the book to try to rile me up. And I stayed perfectly cool. Too bad the same couldn’t be said about Caleb.”
Jaya covered her face. “Please tell me he didn’t.”
Micha nodded. “Oh, he did.” Then she gently removed Jaya’s hands from her face. “You’ll ruin your make-up.”
Jaya only stuck out her tongue at her and Micha rolled her eyes. “So yeah, Simon was his usual self. Overall too charming for his own good and a little smarmy, but then, he goes into full I had the love of my life and lost her mode.”
“Wait, he’s in love with you?” Ricca asked.
“How did Caleb take that? “ Jaya jumped in.
Micha answered as best she could. “No. Simon is not in love with me. I haven’t heard from that man in years. He’s only saying that now because I’ve crossed into his sphere of consciousness. Next week, I’ll cross back out again, and he won’t remember me. It’s how he is.” She turned to Jaya. “As for Caleb, he acted like an overgrown ape.”
Ricca giggled. “Beckett’s going to be so pissed that he lost the bet.”
“Well, at least you bet on me. You should have seen Caleb. There was one point when I was touring the grounds with Simon and there was this suspicious sound, so he comes barreling into the shot and literally throws Simon aside and covers me like I’m POTUS and there’s a sniper on the roof.”
“God, that’s so sexy,” Jaya whispered.
Micha shook her head. “Oh, not you too, Jai. I thought Ricca was the hopeless romantic. Simon could have been pissed enough to cut filming and cut off the interview entirely. The whole rest of the interview, if you look closely, you’ll see Caleb’s shadow literally towering over me in several shots.”
Ricca laughed. “Come on, cut the guy a break, he’s in love.”
Micha snorted. “His love and hormones could have cost me my job.”
“Given the way you describe the day, it doesn’t seem conducive to making up,” Jaya said as she added the teardrop pearl earrings to her ears.
Micha flushed. “Yeah, well, there’s more to it than that.” Conscious of the time, she quickly recounted the bare bones of their interaction in the car bay. She left the more risqué details to their imaginations, but she had it on good authority that they had pretty good imaginations.
Both of them sat back when she was done. Neither spoke a word. Ricca looked a little dazed as she mouthed the word wow over and over again. And Jaya’s jaw went slack.
Finally Jaya spoke first. “So that’s it, you guys are together now?”
Micha shifted uncomfortably. “Well, yeah sort of. We’re going to wait till things die down to figure it all out but pretty much, yeah.” She hesitated before adding, “When we left L.A., he brought me to my mother’s house.”
Both of them stared at her. Ricca’s voice was hushed and she asked, “As in your birth mother?”
Jaya frowned. “I thought those records were sealed.”
Micha chewed her bottom lip. “He has a hacker on the team who sort of unsealed them for me.”
Neither Jaya nor Ricca spoke for several seconds. Then Ricca asked, “Did you meet her?”
Micha gave an exaggerated sniff as she tried to ward off the tears. “I couldn’t do it. I watched her working in her garden, and all the shit from when I was a little kid wondering who I was came back, and I couldn’t do it. I could not make it out of the car. I sat there, frozen. Then it hit me. I made my own family. I don’t need to meet her. If I’m ever ready, I know where she is.”
Jaya reached out and grabbed her and Ricca’s hands. “At the risk of sounding like a cheesy seventies song, we are family. The best kind. I love you both.”
Micha rapidly blinked away tears. “Enough with the heavy stuff.”
Ricca stood to help Jaya with the buckle of her shoe and patted Micha’s arm as she passed. “Back to Caleb, then. Are you cool with this? We know how you feel about relationships. About being vulnerable at all. You hanging in there? It all sounds a little intense.”
For the first time, Micha let the question sink in. Since she and Caleb had returned from L.A., it had been a little hectic with getting Annie settled and in contact with her family, then the wedding prep. They hadn’t had a lot of time not sleeping or actively entwined around each other to actually talk. But surprisingly, she felt okay. She didn’t have the usual panic about being attached to someone. And she knew that no matter what happened with them, he wouldn’t let her lose her family. He took care of the people considered his. “Yeah. Actually, I think I am.”
Both the girls beamed at her. “Thank God. I thought you’d be an old lady and we’d be harassing you about finding somebody and not chewing men up and discarding them.”
“I’m not that bad, am I?”
Then answered in unison, “Yes.”
“Fine. I have a bit of a commitment problem.” Micha crossed her arms over her chest. “You guys don’t need to worry about me. I think Caleb can handle me. I’ve tried everything to push him away, and he won’t go. That’s the guy I need.”
Jaya blinked away tears. “I’m really happy for you.”
Micha smiled. “Thank you. Now, can we go get you married off before your man sends Interpol and the CIA looking for us?”
“Try and stop me.”
***
Caleb held Micha tight against his body. She smelled of strawberries as usual and something a little spicier that ticked his nose. As the music played on, he led her in the Rumba steps they’d practiced for months. Her hips moved in time with his
. She had just enough tension in her arms to allow him to spin her properly. They moved easily together, like they’d been doing this for years. Like they were partners.
When she rolled back into his embrace from a spin, he whispered, “You look stunning when you dance.”
She grinned and executed the next series of steps. “I thought I looked stunning all the time?”
Caleb nuzzled her neck. “That you do.” A niggling voice in the back of his head told him to be careful. He was already in too deep with her, but he didn’t care. Even if she didn’t love him yet, she would. Just as soon as she could see that relationships weren’t the end of the world.
She would have to see, because he’d rather cut off a limb than let her go.
Micha drew her body flush to his, and they worked a circular motion with their hips. Blood from the thinking, rational part of his brain immediately rushed to his dick. Then all he could think about was a dark room where he could bury himself inside her and bury all the doubt.
“Why, Mr. Atkins, is that a hard cock in your pants, or are you happy to see me?”
Unable to help himself, he barked out a laugh. When he executed the closing sequence of the dance, he kept his gaze on her as she twirled. With her face upturned to the ceiling and a broad smile on her face, she looked truly…happy. That look on her face—that’s what he’d been trying to put back there since the moment he first saw her.
When they took their bows, and Jaya and Alec had hugged each of the dancers and opened the floor up to dancing, she leaned in to whisper to him. “So are we going back to our table, or are you going to take me somewhere dark and semi-private and make me come?”
He opted for the latter. He didn’t even pause to give Alec or Jaya a heads-up. He’d helped create the program as he’d been in charge of security. He’d already done his best man speech, already given them their present. He didn’t need to be back until it was time for the bouquet toss. He wanted to see Micha’s inner competitor come out to play. So while everyone else was dancing, he was going to get some much needed alone time with his woman.