Heart of Gold

by J. R. Ward

  Checking his watch, he guessed it would be another forty minutes before Lyst called back. It seemed like an eternity.

  When the phone rang, his head snapped to the sound and he picked it up in a flash of movement. It was Freddie, calling to confirm that the transfer was all set and that Smith had connected with her. The trace was ready on the account.

  As Nick put the receiver down, the policeman who’d been working on his phone line stood and closed up his tool case. “If he calls again, keep him on for as long as possible. We can find him now.”

  Nick nodded tightly and stared at the phone, willing it to ring.

  He thought over the conversation with Lyst, wondering how the man would have gotten Carter inside a motel without being noticed. He’d have to have her tied up or have forced her into the room with a gun or knife. You do that in the light of day and you’d get seen, somehow, by someone. Unless it was a hotel set far back from the road. In the woods. Nick started to review all the places he could think of.

  The phone rang again.

  Nick snatched it to his ear.

  “I know I’m a little early but how are we doing?” Lyst asked. The cockiness in his voice made Nick want to reach through the phone and put his hands around the man’s throat.

  Instead of yelling, which was what he wanted to do, Nick nodded to the policeman, who activated a machine and put earphones up to his head. As calmly as he could, Nick said, “We’re ready but I want to talk to her first.”

  “That wasn’t part of the deal.”

  “It is now.” Nick’s tone brooked no argument. “How do I know she’s still alive?”

  Lyst laughed. “She almost bit my lip off when I tried to kiss her. I can assure you, she’s doing just fine.”

  Nick gripped the receiver so hard, the plastic creaked in protest. Through gritted teeth, he said, “I talk to her or you don’t get the money.”

  There was a long pause while Lyst breathed into the phone. “Fine. Make it short.”

  There was a rustling noise.

  “Nick?” Carter’s voice was painfully thin. She was trying to be strong, he could tell, but she was scared. His heart pounded.

  “I’m going to get you out of this. Are you okay? Has he hurt—”

  Lyst came back on. “Like I said, she’s just fine. Now wire the money and I’ll call you with further instructions.”

  “No. Tell me now.”

  Lyst’s voice was sharp. “You are not in a position to be making demands. Wire the damn money.”

  Abruptly, a third voice came on the line. It was that of an older woman and she sounded confused. “Hello, Jeanie? Oh, have I interrupted another call?”

  Then the phone went dead.

  Nick hissed in surprise, meeting the state policeman’s eyes.

  “I know where he has her,” he said urgently, throwing the phone down. He ran through the house while talking, the state policeman and Buddy right on his heels. “She’s at the Forest Ledge Cabins. They have a party-line system there, which means that all the phones are on one wire. Anyone can pick up at any time and interrupt someone’s conversation. Old Mrs. Cullay just got on. They’re only twenty-five miles from here.”

  As Nick sprinted into the kitchen, he knew the local cops had come to the same conclusion he had because they were grabbing for their hats and keys as well.

  Before racing from the house, he got his .357 Magnum out of the locked gun closet in the mudroom. With deft movements, he threw a clip into the butt of the gun and cocked it. When he emerged, strapping on a shoulder holster, none of the state police stopped him from getting armed or coming with them. They weren’t going to stand in his way.

  Nick ran to the Porsche and gunned the car out of the garage. As he shot out onto the road with three state police cars behind him, he wracked his mind for what he could offer God in exchange for Carter’s safety. Except for plenty of cash, he came up woefully short on trades.

  You sure as hell can’t put salvation on a credit card, he thought grimly.

  So he made a promise to himself. If she came out of this alive, he was going to spend the rest of his life convincing her he loved her. Nothing would ever keep them apart again.

  It took only twenty minutes to reach Forest Ledge Cabins, a conglomeration of small, dark green structures, the Adirondack version of bungalows. Nick knew that they would get whatever help they needed from the proprietors.

  He wrenched open the screen door of the office and the officers followed him inside.

  Mrs. Cullay, a spry older woman, was already looking up in surprise, having obviously seen the rush of cars pulling in. “What’s going on?”

  Nick spoke urgently. “Have you rented out a cabin to a guy who’s about six feet tall, black eyes, whip thin—”

  “Sure did. He wanted one way in the back. In the woods.”

  “Which one?”

  “Number nineteen.”

  Nick stormed out, running fast over the grass and dodging trees.

  When they got to cabin nineteen, he crouched behind the thick trunk of a pine and the police fanned out around him. It was dark underneath the canopy of the forest and he was grateful for the protection the dim light offered.

  Up ahead, he saw a white Lincoln parked close to the door.

  Nick was wracking his brain for what he should do. He kept coming up with Hollywood scenes, like him bursting through the door and knocking Lyst out, taking Carter into his arms, and holding her. The trouble was, real life couldn’t be scripted and he was smart enough to know it. He wasn’t sure how they were going to get in there without spooking Lyst and endangering Carter’s life even further.

  And then, unexpectedly, the door to the cabin opened a crack.

  Nick peered through the shadows, watching as Lyst stuck his head out, looked in both directions, and cautiously went to the car. He was carrying a suitcase and seemed to be in the process of leaving.

  That was all it took.

  Nick sprang into action, leaping forward and running full tilt at the man.

  Lyst couldn’t have known what hit him. He looked up just as Nick tackled him and laid him out flat with one punch to the face. As Lyst went slack on the ground, Nick yanked him up by the shirt. He was ready to hit the man again and again when the officers pulled him off.

  In an instant, the anger left him and he was filled with a desperate need to find Carter.

  He broke free and raced through the door of the cabin. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw a vision that broke his heart.

  She was sitting in a stiff-backed chair, her hands tied behind her at an awkward angle. Her face was red on one side and he watched as tears started to fall from her eyes as she looked up at him. Crossing the room in two strides, he fell to his knees and reached out to her, needing to touch her face, her arms, her body, to reassure himself she wasn’t injured.

  “Did he hurt you? Are you hurt?” He kept repeating the words.

  With Nick actually in front of her, Carter couldn’t find her voice. She shook her head, trying to speak and struggling to free her hands. All she wanted to do was touch him. He went to work freeing her and, when she was able to put her arms in front of her, she saw his eyes grow stark with grief. He was looking at her wrists, the skin torn and bleeding.

  “Oh, God,” he moaned, carefully bringing her hands to his lips. He kissed her palms and then buried his face in her lap. Wrapping his arms all the way around her body, he held on to her and she clutched at him in return. She felt him shaking, or maybe it was her.

  “I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to find you,” he said, lifting his head and staring into her eyes with love. She felt a warm rush replace the cold numbness in her body. Brushing aside a strand of her hair, he kissed her softly on the lips, as if he was afraid of hurting her.

  As he pulled her to him, she felt the rough brush of his cheek against hers and smelled his aftershave. The familiar scent made fresh tears come to her eyes.

  The gratitude and relief she
felt to be in his arms was more than she could express. She’d been saved and he was with her. That made them both more than lucky.

  “Blessed” was the word, she thought.

  His hands, always so sure and steady, were trembling as he pulled back and stroked her face. “Are you okay?”

  “Just hold me,” she whispered. She didn’t want to talk, just wanted to be near him. She’d had enough distance from him to last her a lifetime.

  “Ma’am?” one of the state police said. “Ah, excuse me.”

  They reluctantly pulled apart. It was only then that she realized Nick was armed.

  “Are you going to need medical assistance?”

  She tried to steady herself with a deep breath. “I think I can take care of my wrists.”

  “Well, the paramedic is here if you want her to check them out. And we’ll need to take a statement from you.”

  “Can’t it wait?” Nick demanded protectively.

  “I’m afraid not. She’ll have to come back to the sheriff’s office.”

  Carter shuddered.

  Nick got to his feet, putting himself between her and the officer. “The hell she is. You can come talk to her later.”

  The other man didn’t argue.

  When Nick turned back to her, his eyes were gentle. With the help of his arm, she rose stiffly to her feet. Together, they walked out into the daylight, holding on to each other. There were police cars everywhere, and she and Nick watched as the first of the TV crews arrived.

  “How did you find me?” she asked.

  Abruptly, a man moving fast and low to the ground burst in front of them and blinded Nick and her with a camera flash. The state police were on him at once, but the picture had been taken.

  “We’ve got to get you out of here,” Nick said urgently, shuttling her over to the Porsche. He slid in next to her and got out his keys. Before he started the engine, she put her hand on his arm and stopped him.

  “Nick?” Her voice was soft and low. His eyes, alert and worried, met hers. “I need to tell you something.”

  “What is it?” He seemed to stop breathing.

  “I knew you were coming for me. Deep inside, I knew that you would do everything in your power to get me out of there.”

  Her eyes drifted over his handsome face, his features showing the strain he’d been under. She reached up and ran her forefinger along the length of his solid jaw.

  “It takes courage to love.” Her voice was a mere whisper. “It wasn’t until today that I realized how much I could trust you. How much I should have trusted you. I’m so sorry I doubted you.”

  Nick leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. “Don’t worry about that now.”

  She shook her head, needing to say her piece.

  “I was looking for excuses to push you away because I felt so out of control. I was afraid of being hurt. I was looking for us to fail.” Her eyes flashed up to his and she was touched by his tender expression. “I want to start over, Nick. Start again.”

  When he shook his head, her heart dropped.

  “We don’t have to,” he said. “As long as you’re beside me, now and in the future, that’s all that matters. I don’t give a damn about the past.”

  He brought his mouth down and captured her lips in a kiss that was both heartfelt and a promise of passion. Reaching up behind his neck, she pulled him closer to her until she could get her arms around his big shoulders. When they parted, she smiled.

  And then yawned widely.

  “You need food and a rest,” he said briskly. “I’ll bet Gertie’s been cooking up a storm.”

  As he sped toward home, Nick was thinking how much he loved life. And how much he loved Carter. His feelings for her were big, noisy ones, like cymbals crashing in his chest, trumpets blaring in his head. He didn’t mind them in the slightest. He felt no urge to run from them, no panic to get away. They felt just perfect to him.

  A goddamn symphony he could listen to forever.

  Nick grinned.

  And abruptly decided he couldn’t wait any longer. Even though he told himself he should give her some time to recover, he couldn’t hold back what he needed to say. A defining moment in his life was about to occur and, if the last twenty-four hours had taught him anything, it was that you didn’t wait on the important things.

  As he went to open his mouth, he became surprisingly nervous. His voice was rough and he rushed through the words. “Carter, you know I love you.”

  He paused.

  “Will you marry me?”

  In the silence that followed, he felt tension growing in his gut until he couldn’t stand it any longer. He glanced over at the woman he loved.

  Carter’s head was back against the seat rest and her expression was one of utter relaxation. Her mouth was open sweetly, like a child’s, and her eyes were firmly shut. She was out cold.

  He couldn’t believe he’d just proposed and she’d slept through it.

  Nick laughed out loud. He never thought he’d love a woman so much that he’d ask her to marry him. And he sure as hell never figured she’d sleep through it when he did.

  God, he thought with a smile, had one hell of a sense of humor.

  Nick reached out, taking Carter’s hand in his, and she roused briefly. Just long enough to squeeze back.

  He was still grinning when he pulled up to the mansion. Because Carter was dead to the world, he opened her door, picked her up, and carried her to the front door. She only murmured a little, snuggling closer to him.

  As they came inside, Buddy, Ellie, and Cort burst into the hall, looking alarmed.

  “Is she okay?” Buddy’s face was showing the worry they had all felt.

  Carter stirred in his arms and opened her eyes.

  “Hey,” she said in a groggy way. “What happened to the strongbox?”

  “You’re kidding me.” Buddy laughed in a short burst. “You get kidnapped and the first thing you think of is some old tin can in a dark cave?”

  “Is it still there?”

  “I guess so.”

  “Buddy, you have to go up and get it.” She lifted her head and spoke with growing urgency. “Photograph the heck out of it and bring it down to the house. I don’t want it left unattended. Ask Ivan to help you.”

  “Listen to you, barking orders,” Buddy said with obvious relief. “I guess you’re all right, after all.”

  “Thank the Lord, yes,” Nick interrupted. “Now, I’m taking her right upstairs.”

  “Don’t forget about the box,” she called out, waving to the teenagers.

  As Nick started up to the second floor, she looked at him from under her lashes. “You know, I could have walked up these myself.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?” he teased gently as he took her to the bedroom she’d been using.

  Kicking the door open, he settled her on the bed. As he pulled back, she said, “Please don’t go.”

  “I’m not.” He took off her shoes and then his own, and lay down next to her. She moved in close and he kissed the top of her head. “I’m never leaving you.”

  A muffled response was spoken into his shirt.

  In the quiet that followed, Nick took a deep breath. He wanted to savor the moment, store it in his mind forever, soak in the perfection of her warm body against his. The incredible gift of having her safe and in his arms overwhelmed him.

  So this is redemption, he thought, stroking her shoulder as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

  24

  CARTER KNEW whom she was with and where she was before she opened her eyes. She could feel Nick’s arms wrapped around her, his body pressed in close, his heart beating against her own. She could hear the sounds of water lapping against the shore and the high-pitched, sweet calls of songbirds. In the soft summer air, she caught the delicate scent of lilacs.

  It was exactly where she wanted to be.

  As she looked up into Nick’s face, she saw that he was staring down at her, those diamond eyes of his soft and wa
rm. Oh, so warm.

  Her lips found his.

  “Make love to me,” she whispered against his mouth.

  She felt him shudder with need as her words sank in, and then he was on top of her, pressing her into the bed, his body a weight she couldn’t get enough of. She peeled his shirt from his shoulders and went after his belt while he unbuttoned her top and released the clasp of her bra. When his mouth found her breast, she arched up, swept away in the wildness between them.

  Clothes were pushed and pulled away, thrown to the floor, lost in the sheets, wedged into pillows. She felt his hands traveling across her skin, into places that made her sweat and moan and sway against him. He was raw with need, rough but tender, his powerful body swollen and throbbing with a passion she knew only too well.

  “I have to be inside you,” he groaned.

  His fingers tangled in her hair, pulling her head back for his kiss, and her nails bit into the smooth skin of his back in response. She felt his rock-hard muscles straining under her hands, the ridges and valleys testaments to his strength.

  His knee came up to part hers and he nestled in between her legs. When he settled over her, suspended by his powerful arms, he hesitated. She reached up, cupping his face in her hands, stunned by the pain in his expression.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  “Oh God, I needed to hear you say that.”

  And then he slid into her and swallowed her cry of ecstasy. Moving as one, they rose and rose until the explosion came and they fragmented at the same time, falling to the earth like snow.

  They were lying together, taking deep breaths, when Nick rolled to the side and braced himself up on one arm. With his free hand, he stroked hair out of her face. In his eyes, she saw a solemn light.

  “You seem so serious,” she murmured.

  “Carter,” he began. “I have something I need to say. I tried on the drive home but…You know I love you?”

  “Yes.”

  He reached over, kissed her slowly and whispered against her lips, “Will you be—”

  “Well, jeez, Gertie, which bedroom are they in?” Buddy’s voice drifted in through the closed door. There was a frantic note in it. “That Wessex guy’s been calling all morning. He’s gotta have tendinitis from dialing the phone. There’s a knot of reporters on the front lawn that your husband keeps threatening to pick off like tin cans on a fence, and I need to show Carter what we brought down from the mountain last night.”