“Dandy,” she says.
“Got your Kevlar and your piece on?”
“Yes, sir.” She lifts her skirt and shows me the gun tucked into a holster at her thigh. It does give me relief aside from the fact that she flashed her lace panties too. That I did not need to see.
“Good,” he rumbles through the mic and she puts her skirt down. “Detective Redding is already in place. Sniper one, call out.”
“Locked on.” The first man says.
“Sniper two?”
“On point.” The second man’s voice is deep, much more so than the first.
“Sniper three.”
“Affirmative.” This guy’s voice sounds downright scary. A gravely rumble which reminds me of thunder.
Agent Brennen’s tone changes and gets low. “Eyes on, be careful, and play it the exact way we planned. We’ll get this bastard in cuffs by the end of the night.” That’s if he’s actually still tracking Dana’s phone where we planted the seed. “Alright, let’s make it good and head out.”
Those last two words gets both Detective White and me moving into action. Our bodyguard opens the car door, I get out, then hold her hand. I pull her close and she snuggles into my side, tipping her face toward my chest. Perfect. In case the fucker is watching, he won’t get a good look at her face.
We make it into the building without any problems. As if I’m really on a date with my wife, I lead Detective White through the catacomb of the tower’s floors. She takes off her glasses, and makes sure her hair is fluffed in front of her, covering as much of her face as possible. Christ I sure hope this works.
The walls throughout the Coit Tower are painted in murals. Some are sports activities, like rowing and golf, others show old-fashioned farmers picking oranges.
“So, baby, do you know much about the tower?” I ask holding her close. She shakes her head. Smart girl.
“Well, Coit Tower, also known as the Lillian Coit Memorial Tower, stands approximately two-hundred and ten feet tall. It was built in 1933 using Lillie Hitchcock Coit's bequest to beautify the city of San Francisco. When she died, she left a third of her estate to the city for civic beautification. It was designed by architects Arthur Brown, Jr. and Henry Howard, with fresco murals by twenty-seven different artists.
“Interesting,” she says, low and thoughtful, as I lead her to another mural. Her eyes are not on the paintings but the surroundings. She seems to note every subtle nuance in the air as we move through the designs. When this is all over and done with, I’ll bring Gillian here. She’ll be in awe at the artwork and the magnificent design.
“Also, the story claims that the tower was designed to resemble a fire hose nozzle because of Lillie’s affinity with the San Francisco firefighters.” I waggle my eyebrows, and she rolls her eyes. Now see, if I’d made that joke to Gillian her laughter would have filled this room and echoed off the walls. I already miss her, and it’s only been a couple hours.
Again, I lead the fake Gillian through the rooms, pointing to each painting, trying to make it look like we’re in love. I nuzzle her neck, hold her close, and she smiles. At one point, she nuzzles my neck, and I can feel her kissing along the skin. Even though it’s what I want, it still doesn’t feel right and absolutely nothing is going on down below. Looks like my cock even knows the difference between Gillian’s touch and someone else’s.
After spending a good hour going through the rooms and traveling up a multitude of winding staircases, we make it to the top floor. The entire tower is in the shape of a sphere. Large, concrete pillar type walls that have half-moon shaped arcs, lead to the end of the expanse. Open cutouts that are shaped like small doors that start waist high, give an unencumbered view of the city of San Francisco and the Bay. Every window-like shape is accessible and allows you to view the horizon without screens or panes. When you stick your head out, it is as if the horizon meets up on the other side like interlocking puzzles pieces.
The view from up here is beyond the view I have at the penthouse and that is a top notch view. I lead fake-Gillian over to the table where champagne is chilling and pour her a glass. Once she takes it, I lift mine up in a toast.
“I hope our future is as beautiful as you are today.”
She smiles, clinks glasses and leans forward for a kiss. I pull her into my arms and look down at a face I don’t recognize. I close my eyes and place my lips over hers. They are warm and tentative, nothing like the fire and passion I fell when I kiss my wife. While I am kissing her, I place my hands to her face, pull back, scan the area and see out of the corner of my eye a dark figure just peeking out.
“He’s here.” I whisper against her lips then take her mouth in a crushing kiss.
Gillian
From: Husband
To: Wife
I’m going to be later than planned. Have Jack take you to Davis Estate after hospital. I love you. Kiss our babies.
I look at the name over the text and laugh. Kat smiles, and, for the first time, I feel like everything is going to be okay.
“What is it?” she asks, her voice even more hoarse after having spent the last couple hours talking to me.
I shake my head. I want to show her that Chase has changed his name in my phone to “husband”, but then she’d know we are married, and I want to tell them all together about the wedding and the baby—shoot, I mean babies. That is the hardest secret to keep. I want to shout from the rooftops that I’m pregnant with Chase’s children. Twins. I still can’t believe it. “Nothing honey.” I say and am startled when Carson enters the room.
“Hey, our girl is doing much better today,” I stand up and give him a hug. He half-heartedly hugs me and then rushes over to Kat. Her face goes from happy to closed off instantly. I slump against the wall watching what she’s doing.
“Sweet cheeks, she’s right. You’ve got some color back.”
“Not sweet cheeks anymore since they cut off a layer from my ass to put over my arm,” she sighs and looks away. I know what she’s doing and why, but it’s the absolutely wrong way to handle this. I watch the sparkle in Carson’s eyes dim and his shoulders sag. Defeat is a tough thing to battle, especially when you’re playing against someone who thinks they have nothing left to lose. She is so wrong, but it’s going to take her figuring it out. The only thing that I, or any of the girls can do for her right now, is be here whenever she needs us. Whatever decisions she makes are hers. There’s nothing we can do if she chooses to push Carson away like she’s is. I can only hope they’ll make it past this rough patch, because I know he loves her, and she’s head over heels in love with him.
I let out a slow breath and then try to call Chase as I walk out. It goes right to voicemail. Huh. He said he was working late and to have Jack take me to the Davis Estate, but that’s the last thing I want to do. I could surprise him at work.
Leaning against the waiting room chair I can see Jack speaking to one of the other guards. He clocks me and dips his chin making it obvious that he’s aware of me and will join me shortly. I can’t wait until I can walk around without a shadow. Though now that I’m pregnant, and we’re not only dealing with a psycho, but also dealing with the paparazzi on a regular basis, the odds of me walking free are slim to none.
Pressing some buttons, I wait for the ring.
“Davis Industries, Dana Shepherd speaking.” Dana answers Chase’s private line at his office. I narrow my gaze and look at the clock. It’s after six.
“Hi Dana, it’s Gigi. I know Chase is going to be late…” I start but she cuts me off.
“Gillian, why aren’t you at the tower?”
Tower? “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about?”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Daniel
It’s like watching a mouse in a maze, tracking them as they take in the murals of the Tower. It’s easy to stay just out of view. Every moment that goes by, I want to storm over, blast his brains all over the shit they call art, hike Gillian over my shoulder, and take her
away.
Seeing him touch her, hold her close has the rage within simmering, buzzing just under the surface of my skin. I don’t even attempt to calm down. No, I need this monster inside me to come out, to show Chase Fucking Davis exactly who’s in charge, and who’s going to leave here with the girl. My princess. She’s always been that way since the moment I saw her at the gym that first time. Her pale skin was glistening like a shining star, her bright hair a halo around her pretty face. I knew that day, close to two years ago, she was the woman for me. Then I found out about her history, about how a man beat her and that was it. She had to be protected, cherished like the princess she is.
Only now, she’s lost that status. No, the second she laid with the rich fucker, debased herself like a dirty whore, she lost a bit of herself. I’m going to bring it back. Even if I have to break her down first, she will eventually come back to the perfect woman I know her to be.
Over the next hour, they hold hands, touch, making their way up to the top of the tower where it will all end. I can taste how good revenge will be when I lock my pistol right in between the eyes of the man who dirtied up my girl and planted his seeds in her. A sort of cooling calm slides all over me from head to toe, easing the tension, the anticipation. Everywhere except for my hardening cock. Thinking about taking him out, that rich fucker leaving this world, makes me hard as granite. Maybe once I’ve killed Chase, I’ll take her up against the wall. Yeah, that will be memorable. The first time I get my princess back, I’ll stake my claim. Spill my cum all over her muddy cunt.
Leaving them at the last level, I snake my way through the inner workings of the tower to where I need to be on top. Before I find my spot, I hear the sound of heavy feet coming up the stairs. I look out the windows but don’t see any cops. I do see one, blacked-out SUV. Mother fucking Jack Porter. I wonder where he is. I hold back a groan, stand firm in my position just around the edge of one of the turns in the stairs, and wait for his ass to appear. The second I see the giant, black block of man that is Jack Porter, I swing my gun directly into his face. He falls back a few steps, grasping for the wall. I use that opportunity to lift my leg and kick the fucker hard. His arms flail and his powerful form falls down the stairs, rolling, rolling, rolling until it finally stops at one of the flat landings.
I wait several breaths to see if he moves. Nothing. I hope he broke his fucking neck. Stupid dick. Walking back up to my spot, I leave Jack the giant jock and hold my position off to the side. Quietly as possible, I remove the safety off my gun the moment I see them trail up the other side of the stairs, hand in hand like two, love sick teenagers. Chase brings Gillian over to one of the sides. The entire tower is surrounded by open windows built into the stone. Her hair blows as the wind stream through. Fuck she’s beautiful. I could cut a god-damned diamond with my dick looking at her like that. My girl is perfectly at ease, looking out the window, not a care in the world.
It changes the moment the prick puts his lips all over her neck. She returns the gesture rubbing all over him like a slutty call girl in heat. My hand clenches around the gun weighing down my arm. The burn I sustained when I killed my parents left a scar, and that fucker still itches. It always does when it’s time to right an injustice. Like blowing up that gym, taking out the yoga cunt, killing Chase’s mother. That was the sweetest day of my fucking life. Seeing Gillian in her wedding dress, standing there, her mouth open in a silent scream as the blood poured down the chest of old-hag Davis. I knew in that moment that she was proud of what I’d done. Once again, I proved I could protect her. Even from a nasty, old woman who couldn’t shut her fucking mouth. Thought she had the right to throw barbs and daggers at my girl. Well, I made sure she could never say a filthy, fucking word again. And I know, I know deep down inside Gillian was relieved, happy I’d taken action in her honor and I always will. Just like tonight when I rid the world of one, less snobby, rich prick who thinks he can steal my girl away with his money, fancy houses, limos, and jet planes. He can’t, because ultimately, my gun and I are going to have the last word.
I take my time, watch a few more seconds as he leads her over to the table, pours her a glass of champagne and says something stupid about their future. Then she leans forward, my girl fucking leaned toward him! Holding the gun supremely tight, I find my way out of the shadows as Chase pulls Gillian flat against his chest and kisses my woman. Fuck! The time is now.
Gillian
“I just assumed you and Chase would arrive together, but you’re seriously late!” Dana offers. She blows out a long frustrated breath into the receiver.
“Dana, hold on. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve been at the hospital all day with Kat.”
“I get that. What I don’t get is why you aren’t at the Coit Tower with Chase? He’s planned this incredibly romantic dinner for the two of you.” Her voice comes across panicked, and I can’t for the life of me understand why.
None of this makes any sense. “Okay. And when did he plan this?”
“Days ago. It was supposed to be a celebration. Congratulations by the way on getting married and the baby!” she squeals into the phone.
Bastard! He told his assistant, but I can’t tell my best friends. He is going to be in so much trouble when I get my hands on him. “Thank you, Dana. We’re very excited about the twins.”
“Twins!” she screams into the phone, and I have to wait until she calms down.
“Dana, where’s Chase now?”
As if she’s run out of breath she says. “He’s at the Tower. I sent a car with one of the other bodyguards. The entire thing is set up for dinner, so you better get down there fast.”
“I don’t understand. He sent me a text saying he had something to do late tonight, and he’d see me back at the Davis Estate?”
Dana goes dead silent. “Why would he lie?”
Then it hits me. All the whispered conversations he’s had before bed, off to the side of the hall at the hospital, first thing when he wakes up. I know he’s been working with Thomas and Agent Brennen and Jack, but honestly would he put himself at risk?
I don’t even need to think about it. His love for me, his belief in protecting our children, which is a resounding “yes.” He’d do just about anything, putting himself in the line of fire to ensure me and the babies are safe. “Fuck!” I roar into the phone.
“Jack!” I scream down the hall. He stops whatever he’s doing and literally runs to me. If you’ve never seen a giant, NFL-sized man run in a suit, you’re missing out. It’s extreme, it’s lethal, and something I’ll remember for the rest of my days. “Gotta go, Dana.”
“Mrs. Davis,” Jack clasps my shoulders his dark eyes piercing mine.
“Chase is going after Danny alone. Probably working with Tommy and that Agent. He’s at Coit Tower now. He’s going to do something stupid.”
“Let’s go,” his voice comes out in a deep bark.
Jack and I race to the parking garage and to the car. Jack’s flying out into traffic within minutes of giving him the run down. It takes twenty of the most intense moments of my life waiting to get to the tower only to have Jack stop at the front entrance loading zone like he was in a bad cop, chase movie. Just when I grab the handle to get out, he locks the doors. “Stay in the car,” he growls.
“But…” I try.
“Stay in the fucking car!” He’s taken a tone with me that he never has before. It’s scary, it’s bad ass, and actually frightens me a little. “This guy is after you. You go in there, he has you. I’ll bring Chase out. Got me?”
Looking into the fierce eyes of one Jack Porter, I whisper, “I got you.”
Then he’s gone. Up the stairs and out of view. For five nail-biting minutes I wait. Then I wait two more. Nothing. I can’t handle it. The prickles are firing all up and down my scalp, the hair of my arms, and down my spine. Fear replaces the prickles. Not fear for me. Not for our unborn babies. Fear for Chase. The love of my life. The man that this life isn’t worth living if I don�
�t have him to share it with.
I hit the unlock button and am running up the steps to the Tower in seconds. Once I get to the top, I can’t see anyone through the glass doors but am supremely thankful to find them still unlocked.
Thinking that if I was Chase, or Daniel, or even Jack for that matter I’d sneak up the stairs, find every dark corner possible and hide in it. Only I’m not them, I’m me. So I’m going to take the path more often traveled. And if I know my husband, and I’m pretty sure I do, if he was going to make a romantic gesture, even a fake one to ferret out Daniel, he’d go big. So the top of the tower it is. I hit the button for the elevator and it opens with a ding. The double, blue doors shut and then I see a set of metal gate-like doors. I push those closed hoping I’m doing the right thing and lock that into place. Now that I’m inside I look around for a panel of buttons to get to the top and find there isn’t one. However, on the back wall there is an old-fashioned lever with a ball at the end of it. Making a guess, I shift the lever from the left side to the right. Instantly the car starts to go up. I’m assuming it’s going to take me to the Tower level.
The elevator creaks and rumbles as it goes up the twenty-one floors. Eventually it stops, and it’s so loud I’m afraid the entire building heard my arrival. Either way, I know my man is up here sacrificing himself for me, and I’m not letting him put himself into the frying pan alone. The blue doors open. After struggling with the metal door, I finally get them to unlock and open into place so I can walk through. A sign across the wall says “Top of Tower Use Stairs.”
Now I’m scared. The hallway is dark, barely lit by a speck of light lining the floor every few feet. Fire lights probably. I reach the stairs and slowly make my way up. I hear the sound of wind screaming through an open space and brace myself for the chill.
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