Much too quickly, they’d reached the bedroom, and Easson finally moved past her to where he’d already lifted a portrait of Walter off the wall and onto the floor, exposing a wall safe the size of a large television.
“He hid his money behind a portrait of himself?”
“Does that mean you’re not judging me for killing him?”
Cali’s mouth dropped open. “No. There’s still lots of judgment for that,” she said with a cracking voice. Damn it, that wasn’t groveling. And why wasn’t Easson acting all crazy killer-y? She was supposed to be dead by now. She wanted to ask him why he was keeping her alive but didn’t want to give him any ideas.
“I need to get this open in the next thirty minutes. Any ideas?”
Cali tried really hard to keep the shock from her face. “Ideas? Exactly how well do you think I knew Walter?”
“You were showing up at his place in the middle of the day. What do I really know about you?”
All pretense of sucking up fell as Cali glared at her ex-boyfriend turned nemesis. “How well do you know me?” she shouted. “You’re nothing but a sleazy, lying, whore of a henchman and you have the nerve to question how much you know about me?”
“You already have one billionaire wrapped around your finger. What’s one more?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Please don’t tell me it’s a jealousy thing. The only reason I’m here is because you were obviously blackmailing Walter with something big and he’s been scouring every inch of the city looking for you. He called me because he thinks that somehow I knew where you were.”
“So you don’t have anything that can get me into the safe?” He faced her as he asked, moving closer with every word.
“Ummm...are you going to kill me if I say no?”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Neither was that.”
At least he had the grace to not look happy about it. He ran a hand through his dark-brown hair and unshaven jaw. The weeks in hiding hadn’t been good to him. “Give me something, Cali.”
She’d managed to somehow fight back the fear so far, but now it bubbled up as her palms started to sweat and her heart kicked up to a frantic beat. “Easson, please.”
“I have the FBI breathing down my neck, and Walter Farrell’s pit bull, Carter, has his hands in every dark corner of this city. I have a bit saved away, but the Farrell money was going to get me out for life. Help me get it.”
“I...” She searched every dark corner of her mind for anything she’d learned that could get that safe open, but she drew up one big complete blank. “I can’t.”
A muscle in the back of his jaw ticked. “Damn it, Cali. You weren’t supposed to say that.”
He stalked toward her and Cali shook her head as she backed away. “Wait, Easson. I have money. I can give you anything you need.”
He cocked his head, giving her a pitiful stare. “Don’t beg, Cali. I knew your bank balance as soon as Longineu sent me sniffing your way. You don’t have what I need.”
“But...but...I’m telling the truth! I got a finder’s fee for Rourke and—”
Easson reached her and suddenly his hand was at her throat. Not squeezing yet, but Cali knew it was only a matter of time. She reached behind herself to the shard of plate in her pocket. It was now or never....
“Let her go,” said a deep voice from behind Easson. A deep, familiar voice.
“Rourke—”
Before she could say any more, Easson’s grip tightened on her neck as he pulled her in front of his body. In an effort to hide the hand reaching into her back pocket, she arched away from him as far as possible.
Rourke and Colin both stood in the doorway, guns drawn. Was that Rourke's gun or did Colin loan him one? Did Colin give him one and not her? She’d have to remember to be offended at that later.
“Give Cali to me,” said Rourke, his voice calm, cool, the gun not shaking at all. Which was good, because the gun he pointed at Easson was also pointed right at her.
“Please, Easson. You don’t want to hurt me,” she pleaded even as she used the hand behind her back to pull out the shard.
“You two are going to let us walk out of here, or the billionaire bait is going to get it.”
Billionaire bait? This was getting more and more insulting. “You don’t have any money. Turn yourself in, Easson. It’s the only way to at least get some leniency in your sentencing.” At least according to the police procedurals she watched. Though considering what he’d done to Evelyn, that lenient sentence wouldn’t be that lean, she was guessing. Judging from the way his grip on her throat tightened, he thought the same thing.
Except he was outmanned and outgunned. All she needed was for him to let her go and get out of the way and she’d be in the clear. And she happened to have the perfect distraction in her hand.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath—well, as much as possible with his tight grip—and opened her lids.
Rourke met her gaze and gave her a small, reassuring smile. “Everything is going to be okay,” he assured her.
The corners of her mouth twitched. It was going to be okay. With that, she slammed the shard into Easson’s leg. In the fraction of a second that his grip loosened, Cali let herself go limp and she fell to the ground, rolling away.
Rourke dove for her, and Colin let off three quick shots. And then Easson was on the ground next to her, blank, open eyes staring at the ceiling.
She skittered away and found herself in Rourke’s arms. “You killed him?” She meant the question to come out strong, but it was barely more than a whisper. She’d been around way too many dead bodies today.
Colin didn’t answer her question, obviously not feeling the need to state the obvious. “Take her out of here. I’ll call the police.” He unloaded his gun and set it on the table behind him.
Before she could see Colin’s other preparations for the police, Rourke pulled her up and out of the room. She tripped over her feet as she tried to keep up, but by the time they were out of the room, she had more of her wits about her. “Wait.” She pulled her arm out of his grip and stood still. “What happened? How did you get in here?”
“There’s a secret entrance into the apartment downstairs. Carter said Farrell would sneak his mistresses down there during his married times.”
She’d never known someone could gross her out so much post-death.
“Rourke, I—”
He leaned in for a kiss, taking her breath away. “I love you,” he breathed against her lips. “I was so sure you were gone.”
Cali rested her forehead against his. “I don’t think he wanted me dead. He was stalling.” But that wouldn’t have stopped him forever. Another chill rushed through her as she realized how close to death she’d come. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
He pulled her into a tight bear hug, and she smiled into his shirt before his pants started to vibrate.
“Shit.” He backed off and pulled out his phone, smiling down at the screen.
“What is it?”
“It’s official. Michael and Lori set a date for their wedding.”
EPILOGUE
Cali’s heel caught in the crevice between two of the bricks in the beautifully paved path, and she started to tumble to the ground. Right before all hope was lost, Rourke’s strong arms came around her waist and pulled her back against him.
She couldn’t stop the stream of giggles that bubbled up from her throat as she turned in Rourke’s arms.
“I think,” he murmured against her neck, “that you’ve had too much to drink.”
“Oh, come on.” She playfully swatted at his bicep. “I’m a little buzzed, but that’s it.”
“Just because it’s an open bar doesn’t mean you need to drink it all.”
Cali giggled again. “It’s not the drinks! This pathway is very, very pretty, but it doesn’t like my heels.”
“Does that mean I need to carry you the rest of the way to the reception?”
“No! I can walk. But hold my hand just in case...”
He did one better and wrapped his arm around her waist as they entered the pavilion. Whoever Michael and Lori had hired to do the decorating had done amazing. There were tiny lights all around the posts and borders that, along with the candles in the centerpieces, gave the entire party a beautiful, ethereal glow. The family had tried so hard to keep the guest list count down, but it had kept growing and growing. Though, considering how well-known the Devereauxs were, the fact that it was under five hundred was a good sign.
“Aren’t you supposed to be doing co-best-man duties?”
“I got him down the aisle. Doesn’t that mean my job’s done?”
She snorted. “Please. Like you could keep that man from getting down the aisle. I think you’re overstating your importance.”
He led her through the maze of tables until they reached one of the front ones, where Luke and Evelyn were already sitting with Emma and Jace.
“There you are!” said Evelyn. “We were getting worried!”
“Just taking in the sights,” said Rourke as Cali giggled again, remembering how close she’d been to getting an up close and personal view of the sidewalk.
“They’re going to cut the cake soon,” said Emma. “I was at the tasting and you’re not going to want to miss it.”
Darn it. Cali knew missing that tasting was going to come back to bite her. But she’d been dieting for weeks to fit into her new dress, and she was going all out today. This was a family celebration, and she was going to eat as many slices of that cake as she could get her hands on.
Evelyn said something to Emma that Cali couldn’t hear, so she leaned into Rourke, looking over the lavishly dressed guests. “So all the Farrells turned down their invites?”
“I have a feeling they’re busy enough at the moment.”
“I thought you hadn’t seen any of Walter’s sons since the funeral.”
“I haven’t. Just figured digging through all of Walter’s estate and the grief of losing a parent would be tough.”
“And I’m sure Colin has been giving them a hard time.”
Rourke frowned. “Colin didn’t seem too broken up about Walter’s death.”
“He wouldn’t. He told me he was written into Walter Farrell’s will. One-fifth.”
Rourke frowned. “What are you talking about? Colin Carter isn’t getting a fifth of Farrell’s estate.”
“Well, that’s what he told me.”
“No wonder he’s dropped off the face of the earth.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, the estate was split five ways.”
“One for each son and...who else?” asked Cali.
“And a daughter. Apparently he had one hidden away somewhere.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much about him. Guys like that always bounce back one way or another. But don’t think about Colin Carter. Shouldn’t you be taking notes?”
“Shhh! Not today!”
“We’re going to have to tell them eventually.”
“You’re not supposed to propose to someone during your brother’s rehearsal dinner. I swear, you’re a caveman sometimes.”
“How dare I?” He intertwined his fingers with hers. “You just looked so good in that green dress with the slit all the way up to...” his free hand moved up her thigh, “there. I couldn’t not ask you.”
“And you just happened to have a ring on you?” She smiled.
“I bought that ring the day Farrell died. But I figured that was an even worse time to ask you, so I bided my time.”
“We’ll tell them,” she promised. “After the honeymoon. Just let them have their moment.” She glanced over to where Michael and Lori were making the rounds and greeting guests. They both looked so beautiful and posh, but she had a feeling Rourke wouldn’t have a guest list in the three digits. Lord knew she didn’t have enough family to fill up half a church anyway.
Luckily, the Devereauxs didn’t seem to be lacking for family at the moment.
“What are you two talking about over there?” Emma took a drink of champagne, her own new wedding band sparkling under the lights.
“Just talking about the future.” Cali smiled.
Emma’s gaze bounced between the two, giving them a knowing glance. She raised her glass up. “To the future then.”
Cali raised her glass up to her future cousin-in-law. “To the future.”
~~~THE END~~~
RUTHLESS Sneak Peak!
Coming in March, 2016
AMAZON US
AMAZON UK
Colin Carter was promised a fortune by his late boss, but instead the money was left to a daughter no one knew the old man had. Now he has to find the lost heiress before anyone else and claim his stake in the Farrell family fortune... even if that means claiming her.
Taming The Boss (Billionaires In The City Book 7) Page 17