“It’s not Robert’s fault his wife got desperate and made some bad decisions,” Sage tried to shrug it off, but she hadn’t entirely forgiven the woman for trouble she’d gotten involved in that summer. “You’re looking well. You’ve been a little pale the past few weeks.” She figured Lana had to know she was pregnant by now and wondered if Blake knew. She glanced his way, but he didn’t show any indications of being in on the secret.
“No big deal. I’ve just been working harder than usual. You can’t argue with results, and the resort is doing great.” Lana waved away any reference to her health, but her brows lowered a little when she glanced at Sage.
Sage didn’t bother to hide her smile. “It sure is. Dad would be proud.” That thought brought a twist of discontent into her chest.
Joel slid his arm around her shoulders. “He would, and you girls should be proud of yourselves too, regardless of what your dad would think.”
Sage rested her head against his shoulder for a moment while Rosemary walked over.
“Whew. It’s getting hot in here, and I’m pretty sure that punch was spiked.”
“Not the kind of refreshment you had in mind?” Sage asked.
“No.” She threw her arms out as if to encompass the whole room. “Tonight I’m high on life. I don’t need any help.”
“Hey, you’re not holding a conference without me, are you?” Jonquil asked as she sidled up holding the hand of a dark-haired cowboy. “This is Hank Carver. Hank, everyone.”
“Nice to meet you all.” He tipped his cowboy hat at them. His eyes slid over all of them, curiosity evident. “Jonquil’s been telling me all about the fun you’ve been having with rumors of ghosts. It’s amazing what some people will believe, isn’t it?”
Sage stiffened, not liking the dismissive way he talked about it. Why were so many people unbelievers?
Joel shot her a knowing look. “We’re going to take off. It’s been a long day.”
“The silent auction doesn’t end for another half an hour,” Lana protested.
“Keep an eye on my items and add more if needed, would you? However much, it’s all for a good cause,” Sage said.
“That could be dangerous, you know. You better watch out,” Lana teased. “I might spend you into the poor house.”
“I think I can handle it.” They’d all been given sign-on bonuses through the will when they agreed to take the jobs. The rest of their inheritances would come when the year was finished, but Sage had barely touched her bonus. There were worse ways to spend it than to help someone pay for a kidney transplant.
“You’re looking pretty tired, too,” Blake said, looking at Lana with concern. “Some fresh air might do you some good.”
She hesitated, biting her lip as if considering the pros and cons, then slowly nodded. “Just for a minute.”
Joel grabbed their coats from the pile on a nearby chair and helped Sage with hers.
Sage turned toward the door and had to stop abruptly when she found Mick standing in front of her. “Great party, isn’t it?” he asked.
Joel tensed up beside her, but Sage pretended she didn’t notice. “Yeah, it’s been fun. I can’t believe how many people showed up. It’s good to see all of the public support.”
“There’s not much to do at this time of year. Not enough snow for skiing or snowshoeing, way too much for mountain biking or golf.” Mick didn’t even glance in Joel’s direction, focusing completely on Sage. “Would you care to dance?”
“No, she wouldn’t,” Joel said in a hard voice. “Go away, Mick.”
Mick turned to look at the taller, much stronger man with derision. “Funny, I don’t remember asking you, and I wasn’t aware that you were her boss. You’re not mine anymore, so you can’t intimidate me. You gimp.” He sneered a little.
“What part of California did you say you were from?” Joel asked, holding tight to Sage’s arm. “Rosamund, wasn’t it? And you moved here around August?”
Sage stiffened as she realized what Joel was trying to tell her. Mick spent an awful lot of time in the spa and he’d lived surprisingly close to her. Could he be her stalker? And why hadn’t Joel mentioned it to her before now? Had he just found out?
“Yeah, what’s it to you?” He shifted his gaze back to Sage. “You don’t have to let him bully you. He’s completely obsessed about you, always watching the video feed in the spa when he’s in the office. He’s like some freaky stalker.”
“You haven’t acted overly disinterested either,” Joel pointed out. “How many times have I caught you there chatting her up instead of doing your job? And I’ve caught you watching the monitor too.”
Sage’s breathing became shallow and she could feel her heart race at the implications. All this time she thought Mick was a nice guy. Joel had done background checks, hadn’t he? How could Mick have ended up working in security at the hotel if he was the stalker? He was supposed to be there to keep everyone safe. She even thought he might be spending so much time in the spa because of Wendy, but maybe she was a smokescreen.
She reached over and grabbed Joel’s hand where it rested on her arm and gave it a squeeze.
He looked at her for the first time since Mick appeared and his expression turned from angry defensiveness to concern. “Hey, let’s get some air. Come on.” He looked around and tipped his head to someone.
“Sage?” Mick asked.
“Not tonight, I’m...” hyperventilating, becoming nauseated. “We were just leaving.”
“You don’t have to leave with him, you know. My car’s out here.” Mick followed alongside them while Joel swept her out the door. “I could give you a ride.”
“Except that she’s coming back to my place,” Joel told him. “And she’s not riding anywhere with you.”
“Why do you always have to be such a bully?” Mick asked as they stepped into the cold night air. “I’m not scared of you, you know?”
“Good for you. Stupid, but that’s your call.” Joel moved Sage toward his SUV, checking over his shoulder for someone. He returned to watching Mick.
“Sage, it’s your decision. There’s a deputy inside. You don’t have to go with him.” Mick pointed to the right. “There’s my car. I could take you home.”
Sage zeroed in on it and nearly lost everything she’d eaten that night. She licked her lips to wet them, but her mouth felt insanely dry. “You have a broken tail light and there’s a bullet hole in the license plate.”
“No there isn’t.” Mick turned to look, then started to swear as he walked over, checking it out. “Stupid hunters; don’t care what they’re shooting at.”
Joel stopped there in the parking lot and pushed Sage behind him. She went willingly, fighting to keep herself from retching even as she wrapped herself tighter in her coat to ward off the cold. How could she be so wrong about Mick?
“Blake, go get the deputy. He was standing just inside the door when we left,” Joel commanded. He reached behind him for the reassuring feel of his gun at the small of his back, but didn’t draw it. “How long has your plate been like that, Mick? Four or five days?”
“I don’t know, I’ve never noticed it before.” He turned back to Joel again. “And I think I can make my own police report, thanks. No need for you to send for help.”
“I didn’t send for someone to make a vandalism report. I know how the hole got there,” Joel said. When Sage tried to peek around his shoulder, he pushed her back again, though he didn’t take his eyes from Mick.
Mick folded his arms over his chest. “I suppose you put it there?”
“Yeah, actually. Right after you tried running me over last week.” He pulled his gun out and held it at his side, visible to Mick, but facing the ground and he didn’t load the bullet into the chamber.
Mick’s eyes flashed to the gun, and he grew very still. “They said you slipped on the ice.”
“That’s what we’re telling everyone. But you know better, don’t you, Mick? You tried to run me down. You’ve been s
talking Sage for almost a year now. Haven’t you?”
His eyes widened in surprise. “What? No. No way, I’m not crazy like that. I didn’t even meet her until I started working here in August.” He backed up, holding his hands out in front of himself to ward off the accusation. “Don’t get me wrong, she’s a nice girl, but it wasn’t about her. I’ve been seeing Wendy.”
“Right. Nice cover story. I almost believe you.” His voice was hard as flint, though, saying otherwise.
Deputy Peacock came over, followed by Vince, Alex, Blake and several of Sage’s sisters. “What’s going on here?”
“We found the car from my hit and run.” Joel used his empty hand to point to it. “It seems to be Mick’s. And he’s been paying an awful lot of attention to Sage and the spa since he moved to town.”
“No way,” Cami said softly, followed by a soft swear word.
“I can’t believe it.” Jonquil shifted closer to the cowboy she was still holding onto.
The deputy spotted the gun in Joel’s other hand. “You better have a permit for that.”
“Of course I do—in California and Colorado.” He re-holstered it, making Sage feel a moment of relief that it hadn’t gotten to the point of shooting. “I just kept it out in case. The guy’s sick—you saw what he did to the cat.”
“Settle down and I’ll see what’s going on.” The deputy walked over to Mick. “That your car?” he asked.
“Yeah, but I don’t know anything about that bullet hole.” Mick looked around at the small but growing group around him. “Or anything about a cat.”
“Great. How about if we have a chat about it? We can do it at the station.” He took Mick’s wrist and twisted it behind his back, then grabbed the other and pulled it back as well. “You’re under arrest for vehicular assault and battery. And I have a feeling we’re going to find some other charges as well.”
“Wait, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t have anything to do with it,” Mick protested as the deputy hauled him to his truck. “He’s just got it in for me, probably planted evidence or something to make me look guilty.”
Sage shivered in her coat and Joel swept her into his embrace, his back to the deputy as if to further shield Sage from the scene. “How are you feeling, baby? We got him.”
She burrowed her face in his neck, breathing him in and absorbing his comfort. “Cold, and tired. Can we go home?” Adrenaline still pounded through her, and the nerves fired in her fingers, but she thought she might not be sick after all. She needed to be wrapped close in his arms in the safety of his home and then she would feel better.
“No need to worry anymore,” Joel said, but his voice sounded uncertain.
“It seems too easy, doesn’t it?” she asked. “Like after everything he put me through, it should have been tougher to catch him, shouldn’t it?”
“Because I’ve just been sitting back and letting him have his way?” Joel asked. His arms tightened around her.
She nodded, but didn’t think he was completely convinced either.
“We’ll look into it. He’ll be in custody and we’ll prove it’s him. Just relax for now.”
Joel held on to Sage, snuggling her close. When he spoke again, his voice had a different tone. “What?”
Confused, Sage followed his gaze and saw Blake grinning at them.
“Hey, Vince, didn’t you say that Gage was supposed to be out of town for poker this week?” Blake asked.
“Yeah. He seems to think he’s entitled to a vacation.”
“I think we found our alternate.” Blake looked meaningfully at Joel. “I think he’ll fit right in with the purpose of our group.”
Vince stated to smile, eyeing Joel and Sage, then sauntered closer. “I think you’re right. Play any poker?”
“Sometimes. Not recently.” Joel’s voice was wary.
“Hmm. Well, we don’t exactly play high stakes, so you don’t need to worry about losing your shirt. Now things are calming down here you should join us tomorrow night. We’re meeting at my place and Jeremy will be there.”
There was a moment of indecision. “You don’t mind, do you, baby?” He asked low in Sage’s ear.
It was safe for her again, she had no right to keep him constantly tied to her side. “No, you should go. I’ll be fine and you never get to do things with the guys. You’re always stuck with me.” Still, she held him a little tighter, glad to have the terror of the past year behind her. Maybe. It all fit, so it had to be right.
“I like to be stuck with you.” When that made her smile, he looked at the guys. “I’m in.”
Joel hung up after talking to a detective about Mick. They had gotten a warrant for his place and his electronics, to try to match him to the stalking, and they were on their way to the house now. It was a small department with limited staff, so it would be a while before they had answers. That made him itchy, wanting answers now. He wanted to put it behind them for everyone’s peace of mind.
He watched Sage laughing with Jonquil about something. The footage on the video camera wasn’t clear enough for him to be able to lip read, and the angle was all wrong, anyway. This one didn’t have a microphone, which he told himself was good, since she was entitled to some privacy, after all.
In the past six months their lives had entwined more than he ever could have anticipated. Now the danger was past, he expected that would change. He’d promised Sage that when her stalker was behind bars, they would re-evaluate the living arrangement. He always figured that meant while she would always appreciate what he’d done for her—she was that kind of woman—her newly regained freedom would prompt her to look in other directions. To someone who wasn’t steeped in violence.
After all, she still thought veggie burgers were an acceptable substitute for a nice, rare steak, and she had left the handgun he’d bought for her on her nightstand that morning. She was all Mother Earth and he was a SEAL to his core. It wasn’t like they had a real future.
He thought of the way she’d clung to him the previous night—the way they had held to each other when they’d gotten home. She’d been sweet and passionate and fallen asleep in his arms, but she never said she loved him. It had been an emotional response to the situation, as all of hers had been so far. Once she started to regain ground emotionally from her ordeal, she would pull away and do her own thing.
She’d be better off without him, anyway. All he’d do was hold her back. He was darkness and she was light.
Sage laughed again, and tipped her head toward the camera, throwing him a kiss, then mouthed ‘I know you’re watching. Thank you.’ Joel’s hands fisted on his lap and he stared at her as warmth spread in his chest. She was his whole world now—he’d do anything for her. He thought about her moving back with her sisters again and shuddered with emptiness.
Oh, no, he couldn’t just let her go. He could never watch her start dating other men and say nothing. Joel stood from his desk and hurried out the door, pausing only long enough to check that his office was locked behind him.
He was glad their offices were close as he limped purposefully along the hall to the spa. He found Sage and Jonquil still chatting at the counter.
“Oh, have you been doing rounds?” Sage asked in surprise.
“No, I was in the office. Watching.” He smiled to let her know he’d caught her message.
She blushed and he came around the counter, taking her hand. “You’ll excuse us, won’t you?” he asked Jonquil, then turned to the spa employees without giving her a chance to answer. “Sage is taking a break for a few minutes.” He pulled her into her office and shut the door between them and everyone else, then lowered the blinds she never bothered to use.
“What’s going on? That was rude!” But Sage didn’t look angry, she looked curious.
Joel released her hand and started to pace. “I’m not letting you go.”
“Sorry to break it to you, but you just did.” Her voice was mildly amused.
“No, not that. I
know I told you we’d re-evaluate, but I can’t let you walk away. I thought I could, that it would even be best, but it isn’t. You belong with me now, and if you don’t agree, then, well, that’s too bad.” He was making a mess of this, but the words were tumbling out faster than his brain could process.
Sage crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him for a long moment. “You were going to let me leave without a word to ask me stay. But now I don’t have any choice?”
“No.” No choice—that would simplify things for him. “Or, yes—that’s right. And what’s more, you’re going to marry me. We should be married, it’s a good institution and your dad wanted it too, so I don’t even have to ask his permission. Which I guess is good, since I can’t.” He cringed at the way that came out, but didn’t get a chance to try again because she interrupted.
“You’re saying I have no choice, and that you expect me to marry you. And because Dad wanted it, it’s a good thing, and I should go along quietly with it and not put up a fuss.”
“Right, or wait, no, that’s not what I meant.” Joel tried to figure out where he went wrong as she stood and walked toward him, her eyes flashing with anger.
“The little woman has to put up with whatever you want and you’re going to keep dictating to me, even though you don’t have to worry about my safety anymore. Because the fact that I’ve been sleeping with you gives you control?”
“No?” Joel stood his ground, trying to remind himself he was twice her weight and nearly a foot taller, so why was he suddenly scared of her? Surely he hadn’t said it like that, had he? “Now hold on. That’s not what I meant at all.”
“Really? It’s what I heard. How about if you try to explain yourself again?” She stopped a foot away and folded her arms over her chest, tapping her toe on the floor. Her eyes glittered with anger and her face was flushed with indignation. He’d never seen her look more beautiful.
Come on, idiot, you’re supposed to be good under pressure. Twelve years in the Navy—most of those as a SEAL, and he’d been in plenty of intimidating situations, but he had the feeling that he’d never encountered anything as dangerous as this. “Let me start over. See, I know I’m not good enough for you. I never could be, no matter what I do, and I know that part of why you’re with me is because you feel like you should. I’ve been protecting you, so you think you owe me something, or you’ve tricked yourself into thinking that you have feelings for me. It’s not like you spend any time with other guys.”
SEALed With Love (DiCarlo Brides book 2) (The DiCarlo Brides) Page 19