Just Plain Lucky

by Tesa Devlyn

  Liana lifted her chin to give him better access to her sensitive skin. “I could charge him with harassment take him to court for child support, but I don’t want to. I just want this to be over.”

  She turned and looped her arms around his neck. “Even if Frank decided to resurrect the grounds for divorce, California is a no-fault state. The law doesn’t care about the supposed affair.”

  “Sounds like you’ve had a busy afternoon.”

  He claimed her mouth and his probing tongue sent her senses reeling. Liana wiggled closer and discovered the hard evidence. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. She moaned against his mouth. “I guess that answers my question.”

  “What question?”

  “Was one night enough?”

  “Forever won’t be enough.” Michael kissed her again. “If I don’t stop, we’ll have some explaining to do to the kids.”

  Liana’s heart lifted from the deep hole she’d been in all day. “I’m so glad you came over.”

  The phone rang. Michael raised a dark brow. Reluctant to allow anyone into their evening, she glanced at the caller ID. “I have no idea who’s calling. Guess I’d better answer.” She hit the green button and put the phone to her ear.

  “Liana? It’s Molly Matthews.”

  “Molly.” Liana turned toward Michael and pointed to the phone with a frown. “What’s happening?”

  “I’m worried about Frank. He told me the shocking news about Brittany’s paternity. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me the truth long ago. He loves her so much, Liana. Why does their relationship have to change?”

  “It didn’t have to, Molly. Frank’s the one who drove a wedge between them. Brittany loves him.”

  “He said you’re dragging him to court to get full custody of Brittany.”

  “That’s not true. I finally stood up for myself and served him with settlement papers to end the alimony I’ve paid him every month for the past four years.”

  “Alimony? Are you kidding me?”

  “It’s a long story, but I never intended for Brittany to stay away from Frank. Frank wouldn’t let me stop making the payments without the penalty of him disclosing certain things to Brittany. Lies, basically. Frank’s ruining his relationship with everyone.”

  “I’m sorry for you and Brittany, but I’m really worried about Frank. When he called this morning, he sounded a little unhinged and said he’d see me later, but he hasn’t shown up or called.”

  Uneasiness curled in Liana’s stomach. “Please call me if you hear from him, and I’ll do the same. Should I call you at this number?” Liana verified the number with Molly before she disconnected the call. “That was Frank’s fiancée.”

  “So I gathered.”

  “Molly hasn’t heard from him since early this morning. I’m really worried, Michael. She said when he told her about Brittany’s paternity, he sounded unhinged. He told her I’m trying to take Brittany from him.”

  “He’s probably been unstable for a while, Liana, you just didn’t see it. It’s easy to adjust to certain behaviors in people. Believe me, I know.”

  Michael put his arms around her. “I’ll stay as long as you want me to.” He tilted his head and gazed into her eyes. “I think we should call Richard and get some law enforcement advice.”

  “Now, I really feel creeped-out.” Liana rested her head on Michael’s chest. “Frank could be on his way to snatch Brittany.”

  “Forewarned is forearmed.”

  “Brittany’s ballet recital is tomorrow night. I don’t want her life disrupted.”

  “We’ll do what we can. Whoever Richard recommends can keep an eye on her when she’s out of the house. You’ll take over when she’s at home. I plan to work on your bedroom tomorrow, so if you have an outside appointment, I’ll watch for anything suspicious. If you have a photo of Frank, I’ll show it to my crew.”

  Liana rubbed her upper arms to dispel the chills. “I hate this! It didn’t need to happen. He was always so possessive, but I attributed it to his jealousy over Jack. Now, I see it as mental illness. I should have done something about it a long time ago.”

  “Stop it.” Michael bracketed her arms, and gave her a gentle shake. “Quit heaping the blame on yourself. Frank’s an adult, not a child. Doesn’t he have a family?”

  Liana nodded. “His parents live in San Francisco and used to visit often.” She grabbed her head with both hands and closed her eyes. “Oh, I don’t know. One day you think you have so many problems, so much stress. Out of the blue something happens and it all boils down to elemental survival and protecting your loved ones.”

  “Realty can be a harsh thing, but not always a bad thing. It’s a check to get us back to what’s important.”

  “I just don’t want Brittany hurt. Physically or emotionally.”

  Michael handed her the cell phone. “Call Richard, or I will. You should dig out a photo of Frank so I know who to look for.”

  ****

  Every creak in the house, every breath of wind through the trees startled Liana. An evening with the Saxon men should have been fun. She and Michael had weathered her confession and Frank’s unstable behavior. Instead, each time the phone rang or a branch scraped the window, she jumped.

  Liana told Brittany about Molly’s call. The best defense against Frank’s craziness was for Brittany to know everything.

  Michael and Leif were a godsend. They made her feel safe and kept Brittany’s mind at least partially off her father. Leif suggested they play a board game, so Brittany pulled out her old version of Monopoly.

  Liana’s usual enthusiasm for buying and selling properties was dulled by her fear of Frank prowling around her house. She had just paid Brittany the rent for Park Place when something occurred to her. Frank spent Thanksgiving Day in her house. He’d stayed when she left to meet Michael. He could have checked out the house, learned all the entrances, what windows belonged to which rooms.

  She shivered.

  “Need a sweater?” Michael’s question startled her out of her paranoia.

  Liana glanced down. She’d been rubbing her arms and probably looked like a maniac.

  “Yes. I’ll be right back.” She slipped from the living room and closed her bedroom door. Oh, my gosh. Would she make it through the night without falling apart?

  She took the phone into the bathroom and called Shari.

  “Liana, is everything all right?”

  “I’m hiding out in my own house. The upside is, Michael and Leif came over for dinner and we’re playing Monopoly. Shari, what if Frank takes Brittany? I’ll lose my mind if anything happens to her.”

  “Do you really think Frank would harm Brittany?”

  “I don’t know what to expect from him anymore.”

  “For heaven’s sake, don’t shake up Brittany. She has to be completely off-kilter already.”

  “You’re right.” She sighed and lowered the toilet seat and sat down.

  “Hmm, I think I’ll call Richard just to make sure we’re not overlooking something. He’s at an Elk Foundation meeting. Have you met the guy he sent to watch the house tonight?”

  “We did. He’s seems very compassionate and sharp. I can’t thank you and Richard enough. You’ve done so much for us.” Liana straightened the roll of toilet paper. “I must confess, I was jealous of your relationship with Brittany. I think I had a slipped cog.”

  “Jealous?” Shari sounded genuinely amazed. “Liana, Brittany loves and respects you. You’re her mom. She’d never want to replace you. I just wanted to help, to take some of the pressure off until you were settled into your job and new home.”

  “I realize that now.” She leaned back and jumped when her back hit the cold tank. She giggled and stood up to peer at her reflection in the mirror. “I’m a ninny!”

  “What happened? What did you do?”

  “I’m in my bathroom so the others wouldn’t hear me call you. I’m supposed to be getting a sweater. I’d better get back to the game before they send o
ut a posse.”

  “Yeah, if the posse is Michael, you might be detained even longer.” Shari giggled.

  “You’re naughty, my friend, but accurate!” Laughter lifted some of the heaviness from her chest. “I’ll see you at the recital tomorrow night.”

  She left the bathroom and grabbed a long cashmere cardigan before she hurried into the living room. Michael glanced at her and an image of them locked in the bathroom flashed through her mind.

  “I almost went after you.” His eyes warmed to a slow burn.

  Liana tingled from head to foot. Her awareness of Michael helped dull her fear of what Frank might do. She smiled at Leif and Brittany. “Whose turn is it?”

  Michael struggled to tamp down his fantasies. He ached to hold her and kiss the worry from her brow. With the kids around, he’d have to wait to show her how much he wanted her.

  Brittany playfully punched his arm. “It’s your turn, Michael. Are you too tired to play?”

  Michael chuckled and rolled the dice. “Kensington Palace. I’ll buy it.”

  “Dad,”—Leif peered at the board with tired eyes—“it’s Boardwalk.”

  “Wouldn’t you rather own Kensington Palace?” Michael winked at Brittany.

  “No, I’m happy in Lakeside.” Leif yawned with all the abandon of a growing teenage boy.

  Liana laughed at their antics, folded her arms on the edge of the table and glanced between the kids. “Maybe we should call it a night. I’m so grateful for your company, but we’re all exhausted.”

  Michael reached across the board-game and clasped her hand. “Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

  “The detective is parked outside. I’ll lock all the windows and doors the moment you leave.”

  “No, we’ll check the windows and doors before I leave. Remember, I’m only a quick call away.” Michael cringed at Brittany’s worried expression. “I’ll bet Lucky wonders where we are.”

  Brittany brightened. “I want to see Lucky. It seems like something always happens and we don’t go to your house. How are the puppies?”

  “Squealing, eating and growing like weeds. Your recital’s tomorrow night. How about dinner at our house next week sometime?” He raised a brow at Liana.

  Brittany wiggled in her chair and smiled. “I can’t wait to see the puppies. Can we go over Monday night, Mom?”

  “Do you have ballet Monday night?”

  “Nope. The Nutcracker performance tomorrow night is our last recital until after the first of the year.”

  Michael gathered up the game pieces and money. “It’s settled. Dinner on Monday night with puppy time.” He smiled at Brittany. She’d accepted his presence from the start and seemed happy about him dating her mom.

  Brittany hugged him goodnight. “Would you and Leif come to my recital?”

  Michael’s throat tightened. He glanced over her head and met Liana’s approving smile. “We’d love to, wouldn’t we, Leif?”

  “Sure.” Leif shrugged and stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets.

  “Let’s check those windows and let you ladies get some sleep.” Once Michael confirmed the windows were all firmly shut and locked, he and Leif said goodnight and headed for the truck. Clamping his hand on his son’s shoulder, he grinned. “You okay about watching a group of girls dance around in tutus?”

  Leif grinned. “I’ll suffer through it.”

  Michael waved at the private eye, relieved the guy looked alert. He’d rather spend the night on Liana’s couch, but it wouldn’t be fair to Leif or the dogs. They needed to go home.

  He had a feeling Frank was more hot air than physical danger. At least he hoped so. Nevertheless, he’d learned a long time ago to never underestimate an enemy.

  ****

  The night dragged by.

  Michael dozed off and on, his mind on Liana. Each time he roused, he reached for the phone, but pulled back before he dialed. She should be asleep and he didn’t want to disturb her. At three in the morning he gave up and stumbled to the kitchen to make coffee.

  Before he’d met Liana, he’d believed his life was complete and satisfying. He built quality houses, spent time on the lake, and both his kids were doing great. Meredith, well, she was only a mild pain in the ass.

  He’d been content and only occasionally missed female companionship. By some quirk of fate, he met Liana. She created something so big, so mind blowing, he didn’t think he’d ever be satisfied with the way things were before Lucky brought them together. He hadn’t known what he missed until that gutsy little blonde with the big green eyes shook up his quiet, low-key world.

  The coffeemaker gurgled and sputtered before it expelled the last ounce of dark, rich coffee. Michael filled a mug, wandered into the dark living room and gazed through the floor to ceiling windows. The clouds had moved out during the evening, and the moon cast a bright silver glow over the backyard and across the lake in a column of iridescence. He glanced at the dark outline of his boat and froze.

  Something on the dock moved.

  Michael blinked a couple of times to lubricate his tired eyes and stared hard at the area around the boat.

  A shadowy figure emerged. He stepped away from the windows, glad he hadn’t turned on a light, other than the one over the sink in the kitchen. It faced the side yard, so wasn’t visible from the boat dock.

  Lucky ambled out of Leif’s room. Her tail swished from side to side. Michael crouched and patted her head. “It’s okay, girl, I see him. You go protect our kids.” He herded Lucky into Leif’s room where they kept the puppy box at night.

  For a few seconds, he watched his son sleep. If something went bad, Leif needed to be aware and alert. “Son, wake up.”

  Leif moaned and rubbed his eyes and peered through the darkness at his dad. “What? What time is it?”

  “Three-thirty. Someone’s at the boat. I want you awake in case we need to call the sheriff’s office.”

  Leif sat up, his eyes wide. “Why don’t we call the sheriff right now? That’s what they get paid for.”

  Michael ruffled his son’s wild hair. “Don’t let them hear you say that. Maybe you’re right. Stay in your room and keep Lucky calm. I don’t want her to bark and scare the guy away.”

  Michael’s boat wasn’t a small fishing craft, but a cabin cruiser with a full galley and bunks. An RV on the lake. It’d cost a chunk of his retirement money, and he didn’t intend to let some bum live in, or vandalize it. He dialed 911 and reported the prowler. Dispatch assured him they’d have a couple of patrol cars headed his way in about two minutes.

  Michael moved toward the windows and buttoned his Levis as he scanned the moonlit backyard and dock. Nothing. He barely breathed, waiting for something to move.

  A light flared. The prowler leaned over the edge of the boat. The idiot had set off a flare!

  “Leif! The boat’s on fire—call the fire department!”

  “Dad! Don’t go out there!” Leif hollered from his bedroom, but Michael kept going. His bare feet crunched against the frosty grass, his shirttails billowed. Someone threatened his home, and he wasn’t going to get away with it.

  He pounded onto the dock and blinked. The bastard was gone. He glanced around the deck before he leaped into the boat to use one corner of his shirt to grab the flare.

  “Ouch! Dammit!” He stumbled over some ropes on the deck and barely reached the side of the boat before his shirt ignited. His heart hammering, he pitched the flare into the lake and smothered the flames on his shirt.

  From the house, Lucky barked and snarled. A chill of premonition spread up his neck and scalp and adrenaline coursed through him.

  “Leif.”

  Michael raced to the house and slammed through the door into the pitch black living room. In the glow from the kitchen light, a large man dragged something toward the front door. Lucky’s barks were earsplitting as she danced around the intruder. The man didn’t seem to realize Michael had entered the house and continued his slow movement toward the foyer.

/>   Michael wished his hunting rifle was handy, but he’d locked it up in his bedroom. He stayed close to the wall and edged around the living room. Where was Leif?

  Lucky snarled and grabbed at the man’s leg.

  “Damn dog, let go of me!”

  Michael took advantage of the distraction and leaped on the man’s back. They both went down. Michael’s elbow connected with the slate floor. In the jumble, he realized Leif was the thing the man had dragged to the foyer.

  Sharp fear sliced through him. “Leif? Son? Are you okay?” His eyes on the shadowy figure, he hoped his voice would rouse his son.

  Leif groaned and tried to roll away from the scuffle.

  With a shriek that would make his Cherokee ancestors proud, Michael pinned the intruder to the floor and pummeled him until he harmlessly lay groaning.

  Breathing hard, Michael pushed off the floor and hit the switch and flooded the entry with light. His mind rapidly registered two things: Leif was pale and unconscious on the floor and the intruder was Frank Nash.

  Frank struggled to his feet.

  Michael’s blood ran cold. “What the hell are you trying to prove, Nash?”

  Filled with rage, Michael knocked Frank against the wall. Frank surged toward him and pulled off a punch. Bells rang through Michael’s head.

  “You’re took my daughter from me. I want you to know what it’s like.”

  “You crazy son-of-a-bitch.” Michael slammed into him, knocking him to the floor. “I’m not taking Brittany from you.”

  Frank yelled, and with insane strength, threw Michael against the entry wall. Before Michael could react, Frank grabbed Leif’s arm and pulled him toward the living room. Michael rebounded, snarled and raced through the house. He slammed Frank into the French doors. The glass shattered and showered the carpet and Leif with sparkling shards.

  Michael waded through the glass and cold-cocked Frank. The bastard crumpled.

  Lucky’s frenzied barking and the wail of sirens penetrated Michael’s rage. He dropped to Leif’s side. “Son.” His voice broke and his eyes watered. “Leif, wake up.”

  “Mr. Saxon?”

  Michael glanced over his shoulder. Two officers and a paramedic had entered the house. “Please, help my son.”