Two of Hearts

by Christina Lee

  “If I knew we had more time, I’d strip you naked, pull you in the shower with me, and make you come in my mouth,” he said before grabbing his sneakers by the door. My knees quivered at the thought, because sex in the shower with my man was just plain hot.

  I smiled when I heard the door close behind him, and I stirred the pan of sauce before replacing the cover. When there was a knock on the door a couple of minutes later, I figured that Kai and Rachel had actually shown up early. Maybe almost-parenthood did that to you.

  I swung the door open, ready to make a crack, and was jolted to a stop. Ridge stood in my hallway looking a mix of bummed and flustered.

  I looked behind me, formulating my excuse about having dinner guests, so I could politely ask Ridge to leave. “What are you—”

  He pushed past me and entered my condo. “Sorry, Dakota, I needed to talk to you—”

  “This is not a good time. I’m expecting my brother for dinner.” I tried to keep the annoyance out of my voice but it was nearly impossible. How dare he just show up like this out of the blue? “You should’ve called first.”

  “I did try to call you. All week,” he said, thrusting my door closed and turning to me. “But you didn’t respond to my messages.”

  “I’ve been busy,” I said, marveling at his persistence. He had always been determined, but usually in a quieter, gentler way. “You could’ve come up to the casino but to show up at my house . . . You haven’t been here since—”

  “It’s more private here,” he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. I noticed that despite being immaculately dressed as usual in a suit, his shirt was rumpled and his tie was askew. Had he been drinking?

  My pulse picked up speed imagining Shane having a coronary when he found Ridge in my living room. “Private for what?”

  He moved within inches, his hand reaching to touch me. For the first time I caught a different vibe from him. Almost like there was this untapped desperation humming through him. He was being bold, and it made my stomach dip and twist from uneasiness.

  “We could be so good together, Dakota.” His fingers squeezed my shoulder as he stepped nearer. Normally I felt warmth for him. This time I felt aversion.

  I placed my hand in the center of his chest to ward him off. “Ridge, we’ve been down that road already.”

  He moved his face closer, and I half expected to smell alcohol. Instead I inhaled his cologne, which used to be a pleasant scent, but now my stomached revolted. “You just had to go and ruin it, didn’t you?”

  “Ruin what?” My eyes narrowed. He had never spoken this way to me. Even after I ended things, he was the consummate gentleman.

  I heard Shane’s cell phone blaring from the coffee table and I was momentarily distracted by the fact that he had forgotten to take it with him. But Ridge’s next words kept me riveted in place.

  “Our chance to build something together. We could’ve been successful, you and me.” His lips came dangerously close to my jaw, and I pushed at his chest to keep him at arm’s length. “We could’ve gotten married, owned several businesses, make a shitload of money.”

  “You never mentioned any of those plans when we were dating,” I said, gritting my teeth. I knew that he liked having nice things, drove nice cars, wore the best suits, but now he just seemed greedy. “You sound like your father.”

  “Fuck my father,” he said. I took a step back but his fingers grasped firmly onto my elbow and he kept me positioned there. My brain began combing through the conversation I had with Charlie about using my knee as a weapon. “My father is too impulsive, too much of a hothead to ever be as successful as me.”

  “I’ve always been glad you’re nothing like your father, Ridge. And you already are a successful businessman.” My eyes darted around the room as my stomach did uneasy flips. I didn’t like the person before me and I needed to get him the hell out of here. “Why . . . why don’t we set up lunch plans for this week? Right now I need you to leave before—”

  “Before what? Before I talk some sense into you? Because somebody needs to.” In one quick maneuver he had forced me up against the wall with his arms trapping me. This was a side of Ridge I had never seen before. “Don’t you get it? I could have anybody I want, Dakota, but I’ve been waiting for you.”

  Holy shit. It was just as I had feared. And now, in this compromising position, I dreaded that Ridge wouldn’t stop whatever he had in mind, even if I asked him to. I just knew whichever way this played out, it wouldn’t be good.

  “I’m sorry that I don’t have those kinds of feelings for you, Ridge. I’m sure some other lucky girl—”

  He growled as he pushed his forehead into mine, and his breath smelled sour on my lips. Bile crawled up the back of my throat and I slammed my lips together, afraid he was going to kiss me.

  “I want you to give me another chance,” he demanded. “We can make this work. It would be a win-win for both of us. Your father—”

  “No, Ridge!” I yelled, hopefully loud enough for the neighbors to hear. I pushed at him to step back but he didn’t budge. My knee came up to smash into his groin, but he grabbed it and squeezed. Hard.

  “Don’t you dare bring my father into this!”

  His other hand glided up my neck and it felt like a snake slithering on my skin.

  And then suddenly the door banged open and Ridge was lifted away from me. I heard the roar of Shane’s voice as he slammed him to the ground. “How the fuck did you get up here?”

  “Shane, I opened the door,” I gasped, pulling in lungfuls of air through my nose. “I—I thought it was . . . Kai.”

  Ridge slowly sat up, a sneer plastered across his face. “So you’re the college boyfriend. What in the hell are you doing here?”

  He looked Shane up and down in contempt. My man’s hair was damp, his neck glistening with sweat, the thin material of his T-shirt sticking to his clammy chest.

  “News flash, this is Dakota’s house and she invited me,” Shane growled. “You won’t show up here or put your hands on her ever again. I catch wind that you got anywhere near this property and I’ll shove your teeth straight through your fucking skull. Now get the hell out.”

  Ridge stood up on shaky legs, wiped off the front of his expensive suit, and backed toward the door as Shane advanced on him.

  “What do you see in this guy?” Ridge said with a quick glance toward me. “He’s like some overgrown ape. He’s not going to make you any money with that government job. You and me? We could’ve had it all.”

  “When have I ever cared about money, Ridge?” And now I felt anger coursing so swiftly through me, I wanted to slam his teeth through his skull myself. “Shane is strong and honorable and doesn’t force his way into someone’s house just because he didn’t get what he wanted. He’s a class act.”

  A look crossed over Shane’s features that I couldn’t decipher as he stepped in my path, shielding me from Ridge. “Move back, Dee.”

  I had the urge to mess Ridge’s perfectly coiffed hair or gouge out his smug eyes. “He makes me feel safe and protected. Something you just stripped away from me.”

  “Babe, step back,” Shane repeated.

  Shane was now staring intently at Ridge, as if he were reading something fascinating in his eyes. It occurred to me that this was the very first time these two men had been face-to-face. Even at Kai’s wedding, Shane had avoided us.

  “Was it you?” Shane said in a surprisingly calm voice, his gaze never leaving the other man’s face. “You send those protesters? You put the Whitman Corporation up to all that nonsense? Threatening her to sell?”

  My hand grasped my throat because in all of this time, I would’ve never considered that. Not until Ridge’s erratic behavior tonight.

  “Put them up to it?” Ridge scoffed, as a sinister laugh released from his throat.

  A shiver traveled down my spine like cold fingers.

  “Fuck you. I am the Whitman Corporation.”

  Chapter Thirty-three

&nbs
p; DAKOTA

  In one swift move, Shane had grappled with Ridge, forced him up against the wall, and had his arms yanked behind his back.

  “Answer my phone and tell Alex to get his ass up here now,” he said just as I realized that his cell was blaring again.

  But before I could go through the motions of doing as Shane asked, a man who must’ve been Alex was already standing at the door. “When I didn’t hear back from you I decided to come anyway.”

  “Good call,” Shane said, adjusting his hold on Ridge.

  Alex was shorter than Shane, with lighter hair and features. But he was even more muscular and just as imposing.

  “Your mom is safe,” Alex said to me by way of greeting and then turned back to Shane. “Charlie’s on her way.”

  Relief charged through me as I quickly nodded in thanks. But I could scarcely drag my gaze away from Ridge. He’d become a completely different person tonight. My fingers shook as I tightened them into fists.

  “You’re missing out,” Ridge said suddenly, before looking between Shane and me. “He’s not even in your league. When the day comes that you want me back because he couldn’t give you the lifestyle you deserve? You’ll have to beg.”

  Rage ping-ponged through my body, alighting fully in my chest. How had I never noticed what an arrogant asshole he could be?

  “I will never beg you for anything.”

  His gaze turned hard, his eyes darkening as if they’d become void of life. “You’re just like that pig-headed father of yours. He refused to beg, too.”

  My knees nearly gave out as a whimper escaped my lips. “Wh-what did you say?”

  “Shut the fuck up,” Shane growled at Ridge, mashing his shoulder against the wall. “Baby, I want you to leave the room.”

  I shook my head. “I’m not leaving.”

  “Babe—”

  “Maybe she wants to hear about how weak her father was in the end.”

  “You motherfucker,” Shane growled as his knee flew up and jabbed into his lower back.

  “It was you?” I doubled over as the room spun sideways. I felt Alex’s hand on my back, attempting to keep me steady.

  Ridge grunted and panted as his forehead now ground against my wall with the force of Shane’s forearm. “Of course it wasn’t me. I wouldn’t get my hands dirty.”

  “But you gave the order,” Alex said and then looked at Shane. “Let me get him the hell out of here.”

  Shane loosened his grip as soon as Alex slapped the cuffs on him. I couldn’t get my brain in any semblance of working order. I could only feel the burn heavy in my chest, radiating out to my limbs. I sank to the floor and momentarily shut my eyes.

  As Alex led Ridge to the door, I muttered, “What did my father ever do to you?”

  Ridge glanced back briefly, his eyes narrowed. “He stood in my fucking way at every turn.”

  When Shane yanked the entrance wider, Charlie was positioned in the hallway. She stepped aside to allow Alex and Ridge to pass. Her eyes met mine and immediately softened around the edges.

  Shane tipped his chin at Charlie. “The guy you brought in for questioning yesterday—the one you think threatened Dakota by her car?”

  I gasped because Shane had never shared that information.

  Maybe because he hadn’t been sure. Maybe he didn’t want me to let down my guard. But I already had with Ridge.

  “That’s our guy?” Charlie said.

  “I’d bet on it,” Shane said. “Get him in a lineup in front of our witness. Maybe we’ll finally catch our murderer.”

  “I’m on it,” Charlie said, and then her gaze swung to mine. “I called your mom and your brother. He’s on his way to be with her.”

  I couldn’t even respond. The only motion I could make was to wipe my wet cheeks with the back of my hand.

  “I’m not leaving her tonight,” Shane said as my face dropped to my hands.

  “Of course not,” Charlie said. “You’ll hear from me in a few.”

  After the door closed behind them I sat there, utterly stunned, the breath having been literally zapped from my lungs.

  Shane turned to me as more tears began filling my eyes. He yanked me into his arms, easily lifting me, my legs sliding around his waist. He carried me to the couch and sat down with me straddling him. I buried my face in his neck as my tears bled out.

  He tightened his grip on my waist and pulled me closer. I felt safe and warm and completely enveloped by him and I didn’t want him to let go. Ever. Because in the last thirty minutes my world had been wrenched upside down.

  And I felt a gnawing fear burrowing deep in my gut that I had never felt before. That the world was way uglier than I’d ever thought was possible.

  And yet utterly beautiful at the same time, as I stared into the face of this captivating man. “I’m so sorry, Dee.”

  My breaths were broken and shuddery. “Me, too.”

  “He didn’t hurt you, did he, baby?” Shane asked as I began trembling.

  I shook my head into his shoulder and he increased his hold. This time when I felt the slide of hands against my skin, I welcomed them, because it was a protective gesture to position me closer to his warmth.

  He lifted my chin with his thumb to stare into my eyes, which were clouded over with tears. “Baby, you’ve got to promise me that you’ll look in that peephole no matter what.”

  I nodded my head, not finding the words.

  “Fuck!” he grunted, his body growing rigid. “Seeing his hands on you.”

  “Honey, peephole or not, I would’ve opened the door because . . . because I never saw him as a threat before,” I said. “I just . . . I can’t . . .”

  “Shhhh,” Shane said. “I know. It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay.”

  He held me for what felt like hours as I cried and shook and got numbly used to the idea that my ex-boyfriend had murdered my father out of greed.

  * * *

  After Shane checked in with Charlie, who was at the station booking Ridge, he put away our forgotten dinner and hit the lights in the kitchen. Then he sat back down and pulled me firmly against him, my face at his neck as so many strings of thoughts swirled around my head. “You guys have been following Ridge?”

  “Not exactly. Only tracked him for a couple of days.” His low voice reverberated through my skin as he tucked my head beneath his chin. “Flint was our main suspect. We never thought it was his son, given their history with one another.”

  I nodded, trying to line up all the pieces in my head.

  “Ridge has kept himself pretty clean,” he said, lightly stroking my hair. “But there were a couple of things we were still checking out.”

  My head sprang up. “Why didn’t you tell—”

  “Babe.” There was finality in that one syllable. I realized this was the Shane I would need to get used to if we were to be together long-term. He would keep details of his work-life separate from me even if some parts of it involved me. I was too emotionally wrought to argue, so I just sighed and lolled my head back into his chest.

  “Honey?” I asked, after several more quiet minutes.

  “Yeah, Dee,” he said, kissing the top of my head.

  “You’ve had your suspicions for a while now?”

  “Yeah, babe,” he said. “Knew there was probably a link to your father’s murder, been trying to figure it out.”

  In some small way, I knew, too. I just couldn’t pinpoint it. Or didn’t want to.

  “If Ridge is invested in that corporation, then it was probably as a silent partner, because there were no other traces to him. We’re lucky we got that confession out of him.”

  “All of this is so difficult to understand,” I mumbled. “I thought Ridge hated Flint.”

  “Probably does. Might’ve used his father’s guilt about his mother to do some of the front work for him,” he said. “Maybe offered him money to take over the casino and then he’d add another investment to his belt.”

  “So when we would
n’t budge on selling the casino, he got frustrated?”

  “Probably had a plan B that included you, Dakota.”

  My stomach was pulsing and pounding, my veins turning ice cold at the thought of how far Ridge would’ve taken all of this.

  I turned in his arms and flung my hands around his neck. “I’m scared.”

  “I know. But I got you, baby,” he said, kissing my forehead. “Don’t plan on letting you go.”

  Damn, this man rocked my world.

  “You sure you’re not hungry?” he asked and all at once, I remembered how this night had begun. Shane cooking a meal for family and friends. Me feeling content and hopeful and famished. It all seemed like a distant dream now.

  “I’m sure,” I said, my stomach still roiling. “Can we stay like this a bit longer?”

  “Absolutely,” he murmured in my ear, rocking me gently.

  His fingers drew lazy circles against my back, almost lulling me into sleep. Almost. But my brain would never allow my body to shut down. Not tonight.

  “You mean what you said tonight, angel?” he whispered almost absently. “About feeling safe with me?”

  My breath hitched in the back of my throat. Of all the mind-bending stuff that just happened in the last hour, I had forgotten all the things I had spouted off to Ridge about Shane.

  “Yes.” I looked him deeply in the eyes. “Completely.”

  His eyes shut momentarily as if my words contained a touch of magic. I gaped as his long eyelashes brushed his cheeks and when he reopened them, his irises were a vivid and dazzling ocean blue.

  “Good. Because I’m not going anywhere,” he said, touching his lips to mine. “I’m going to stay in this town and make it work with you, however I can.”

  “Shane.” My heart strained against my rib cage and all I could do was slant my forehead against his. I had wanted to hear those words for so long.

  “What you said? Even if was to that scumbag?” His eyes locked on mine. “Meant the world to me, babe.”