Forbidden Lover (The Diamond Club Book 7)

by Elizabeth Lennox

  “He’s teething,” Jessa groaned. “I’m trying to write a fight scene between the detective and the bad guy, and all I can think about is sleeping and having my breasts to myself.”

  Carly laughed, as she took the carrier, and Jessa gratefully sank down into a chair.

  Deni burst into the waiting room. “Hi! Am I late?” she gasped, rushing to a stop in front of Nancy, Charlotte’s receptionist and office manager. “Good grief, I love this town! Did any of you notice the pretty new flowers on Main Street?”

  Deni was a beautiful brunette with the most shockingly happy attitude. Life was always good and happy and wonderful for Deni. She could get sick from food poisoning and, at the end of her weekend of throwing up, she’d just beam about how much weight she’d lost! Deni was beautiful and refreshing among the cynical group of ladies and the other three tried to emulate her positive attitude, if only to keep from hurting her feelings. And also because she made them feel good about life and the world when she was around.

  “You’re not late,” Jessa said, hugging Deni before slumping back down into her chair.

  “Can I hold Liam?” Carly asked Jessa, already pushing the carry bar back so she could unbuckle the little guy who was currently chewing on what looked to be a giraffe. The ears of the giraffe were the obvious favorite, but when Liam realized his favorite aunt was going to take him out of the car seat, his tiny legs wiggled back and forth, his hands reached out, ditching the giraffe completely.

  “Help yourself. You seem to be able to work wonders with him.”

  Carly smiled as she lifted Liam out, of the car seat. “Oh, you’re a big boy, aren’t you?” she smiled, bouncing slightly as she walked around the coffee table. “And so handsome too!” she cooed.

  “Not so handsome this morning around three-thirty,” Jessa grumbled.

  Carly laughed as Jessa ruefully rubbed one of her breasts. Teething infants and breast feeding was a complicated combination.

  Deni stood up as well, standing behind Carly to make faces at Liam.

  Suddenly, the door to Charlotte’s office flew open and several people stepped out. It was an older man and woman with their teenage daughter. The girl slumped out, her head bowed. Even her shoulders curved inward, as if she needed to protect herself from something.

  The mother, in her mid-forties with short, stylish hair, pushed in front of the girl, heading towards the exit. “I don’t know why you don’t just move on, Emily. Boys will be boys! You should know this by now!” and she shoved her way through the door.

  The father and daughter followed behind at a slower pace, all of them unaware of Jessa, Carly and Deni, none of whom were able to block out the conversation.

  “If you’d dressed more lady-like,” the father grumbled, “then this wouldn’t have happened!”

  As Jessa and Carly watched, the teenage girl curled in on herself even further in humiliation and self-hatred.

  Deni, Jessa, and Carly stared, horrified. Charlotte stood silently behind them as all four women watched the family get into a conservative sedan and drive away.

  Carly was the first to speak. “Give me the name of the boy who raped her,” she hissed with a barely controlled fury. “Ryker will take care of him.”

  Charlotte sighed, rubbing her forehead slightly before placing a gentle hand on Liam’s back. “It isn’t that simple,” she replied. “And you know that I can’t divulge information on my patients.”

  Yes, Carly knew that. But it didn’t ease her fury. Which probably should be directed at the parents of that poor girl as well. “How dare they say things like that to her! She’s the victim! It doesn’t matter what she wears, no man has the right to assault a woman!”

  Jessa bristled as well. “And what did the mother mean, ‘boys will be boys’? That it’s okay for boys to rape girls because it’s in their DNA? That’s ridiculous! It’s outrageous!”

  Charlotte smiled grimly. “Unfortunately, a lot of people, women as well as men, still think that boys can torment girls and it’s fine because they have some sort of XY entitlement.”

  “That’s horrible!” Carly growled, rubbing Liam’s back soothingly. His only response was to blow a spit bubble, completely unconcerned with the violation of that teenage girl’s rights as a human being.

  Even the normally uber-positive Deni was outraged, bristling with anger. “Do the parents have any idea of what they’ve just said to their daughter? They are blaming her for being assaulted!”

  Charlotte only smiled sadly, genuinely frustrated. “I’m sorry, but I can’t discuss this.” She grabbed her purse. “Should we head out for dinner?” Nancy shut down her computer, grumbling slightly. “Nancy, would you like to join us for dinner?”

  Nancy shook her head with resignation. “Thanks, but I have to get home and start baking. My grandkids are coming over this weekend and I want to make sure they have plenty of cookies to eat before I send them back to their folks.”

  The ladies laughed and Charlotte shook her head. “You’re an evil grandmother, Nancy.”

  “I know. It’s so much fun!” she laughed as she grabbed her purse and walked out of the office.

  Charlotte went back into her office to lock up her files, but stopped at Nancy’s desk, writing something on an orange post-it note.

  “What’s that?” Carly asked.

  “I’m writing Nancy a note for Monday,” she explained.

  Carly leaned over and read the note, nodding with approval. “Good. Separate meetings with the parents to tell them that they are being jerks and tormenting their little girl?”

  Charlotte laughed, shaking her head. “You and Sheriff Jansing would make a great team.”

  The four of them stepped out into the evening sunshine, then waited as Charlotte locked up her office doorway. “Okay, ladies, Tony’s has a reservation for us!” The four of them were just about to walk up the street when a big SUV pulled up outside.

  “Oh no!” Carly groaned.

  “Jayce!” Jessa called, beaming as her handsome husband stepped out onto the sidewalk. “What are you doing here?”

  “You mentioned this morning that you are having a girls’ night,” he commented. “I came to pick up Liam so that you can have a relaxing dinner.”

  “How sweet!” Jessa gushed, lifting her face for Jayce’s kiss.

  Carly groaned as Jayce pulled Jessa closer, needing a better kiss than just the peck Jessa had planned. “This isn’t right,” Carly muttered, turning away so she didn’t have to see her brother kissing her friend. “I’m going to be warped when I grow up!”

  Deni laughed, linking her arm through Carly’s. “Oh, don’t be a grump,” she teased. “I think it’s sweet!”

  Charlotte chuckled. “Deni, you think everything is sweet.”

  Deni tilted her head slightly, then nodded. “Yeah, life is pretty good right now.”

  A moment later, Jayce lifted his tiny son into his arms, high into the air, then lowered him down to blow raspberries on his tummy until the tiny boy was shrieking in delight and smacking his father’s cheeks.

  When Liam was appropriately loved, Jayce turned to his wife and again kissed her soundly before saying, “Have a good time. I’ll see you when you get home.”

  “I love that guy,” Jessa sighed dreamily as she waved to the departing SUV.

  Charlotte laughed as she put an arm around Jessa’s shoulders. “Come on, my dear. Jayce will probably bring Liam over to our place. Oz is teaching Bethany how to make ice cream.” she said, referring to her daughter, who was only about six months older than Liam.

  “That sounds like fun! Liam loves ice cream!”

  Carly walked beside Deni, feeling a tug of…something. Immediately, Ryker flashed behind her eyes, holding a child and…No. That wasn’t a good thought, she told herself. Because Carly couldn’t stand the thought of Ryker having another woman’s baby. It was too painful.

  “Hey, you okay?” Deni asked, slowing down to allow Charlotte and Jessa to get ahead of them, allowi
ng for a bit of privacy so Deni could look into Carly’s eyes.

  “Yes. I’m fine!” she replied quickly. Too quickly. “Of course I’m fine,” she reiterated. “Why would you ask?”

  Deni frowned skeptically. “You just seemed a bit distant.” She paused for a moment, tilting her head slightly. “And sad. Or angry?”

  Carly shook her head and banished visions of Ryker from her mind. Again. The man had an annoying habit of breaking into her thoughts lately.

  “No, really. Everything is perfectly fine. I’m fine.”

  Deni wasn’t convinced. “Then why are your hands all torn up again?” she asked softly.

  Carly glanced down at her hands, and sighed. “I just…I tried the obstacle course again,” she whispered, not wanting Charlotte or Jessa to know. They’d tell her brothers and her brothers would demand to know why she was doing the course.

  But she and Deni had known each other for a long time, had been friends long before Charlotte and Jessa joined their group. “I know that you want to master that obstacle course, Carly. And I know that it has something to do with Ryker.” She lifted her hand to stop Carly who was getting ready to argue. “And I also know that you aren’t ready to talk about it. Yet.” She laid a hand on Carly’s arm. “So just know that I’m here when you’re ready to talk. And I don’t judge. Nor will I go to your brothers and reveal your feelings for their best friend.”

  Carly blinked at Deni, not sure what to say. A lump formed in her throat and she sighed heavily. “You’re sweet,” she replied, neither confirming nor denying Deni’s comments about her feelings for a certain dark haired giant of a man who tormented her dreams just about every night. “Come on. We need to catch up with Charlotte and Jessa or they’ll think something is going on.”

  Deni smiled. “Right. We wouldn’t want them to think that, now would we?” she teased.

  During dinner that night, Carly laughed and pretended as if everything was okay while Charlotte and Jessa described how Jayce and Oz changed diapers and fed their infant offspring. Would Ryker ever want something like that? She doubted it. Ryker had been out of town more and more often lately, volunteering for the missions that the other team leads used to take on. The more dangerous, the better, she suspected.

  Not her issue, she thought, and took a long sip of her water. Charlotte and Jessa were both nursing still, so alcohol was out of the question. And it wasn’t as fun to be with them now that they both had exactly what she wanted. Oh, she didn’t begrudge either lady their happiness. And Carly loved the fact that Oz and Jayce were so madly in love with their wives as well as their new babies. Charlotte’s dog Bart and Oz’s dog Betty were happily in love, with Betty about to give birth to a litter of puppies.

  Thinking of babies, maybe one of Betty’s puppies would fill this void, she thought as she pushed the excellent meal around on her plate, no longer hungry. Would Ryker want a dog? He’d never indicated that he liked pets. Was she pushing her luck on adopting another animal? But a puppy might be a pretty good substitute for what she really wanted. Ryker’s baby. Oh, the thought of having his baby sent a thrill through her system.

  That was stupid as well. After that last kiss….good grief! She doubted that he relaxed enough to have sex. Ryker was too serious. Too stern and intense. What would it be like to have all of that intensity focused on her? A shiver went down her spine with the idea but she pushed it way, just as she’d done with every fantasy she had about Ryker. He didn’t…

  She lifted her glass of ice water and…noticed that Jessa, Deni, and Charlotte were watching her.

  “What?” she asked, lowering her water instead of taking a sip.

  “That’s what we’d like to know,” Jessa replied. “We’ve been sitting here, asking you where you’ve been the last few weeks, but it looks like we know.”

  “Fantasy world,” Charlotte announced, nodding her head. Deni just grinned, agreeing with the group and didn’t mention Ryker. Bless her happy heart!

  Carly felt her cheeks heat up. Charlotte was too close to the truth. Yes, she’d been fantasizing, but they could never, ever, know about who. Or what! Good grief, if they knew about the stupid, school girl crush that she had on Ryker, well, they’d tell Oz and Jayce and her brothers would then pummel Ryker into a bloody mess. Especially of either of her brothers knew about the stupid kiss that she’d shared with Ryker that day…!

  Then again, Ryker wasn’t a slouch. He was a bit taller than her brothers, with just as much training. The things they could do with a paperclip would give an ordinary person nightmares, she thought.

  “So, what’s his name?” Charlotte asked, interrupting Carly’s thoughts about Ryker’s muscles.

  Carly looked up, realizing that she’d gone off again. “Who?” she asked, hoping that her cheeks weren’t turning that telling shade of pink. She’d seen both Jessa and Charlotte do that right before they’d admitted that they had feelings for her brothers. No way would Carly act that silly!

  Deni laughed. “The guy you were just fantasizing about.”

  “Um…”

  Jessa leaned her head closer to Charlotte’s, both women still watching Carly. “Notice that she doesn’t deny that she was fantasizing about some guy.”

  Charlotte nodded sagely. “I noticed. And that blush? Didn’t she tease us about that when we were struggling with Jayce and Oz?”

  “Yeah,” Jessa laughed. “And I don’t remember her being particularly compassionate about our situations.”

  Charlotte smiled. “You’re right. Are we nicer than she was?”

  Jessa thought about it for a long moment, then cringed, shaking her head. “I don’t think that we are!”

  “Deni, say something,” Carly urged.

  Deni only shrugged. “Hey, I’m not part of this situation. You tormented Charlotte and Jessa right before their weddings.” She leaned her chin on the palm of her hand, grinning with a mischievous glint to her pretty brown eyes. “Karma really does come back to bite ya, doesn’t it?”

  Carly laughed even as she rolled her eyes. “Ladies, if you even try to mock me, I’m going to order a lemon drop martini.” She leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “And you know that Julia makes the best lemon drop martinis,” she warned, referring to the gorgeous woman who had married the famous chef.

  Both Charlotte and Jessa’s mouths fell open. “Oh, you play dirty!” Charlotte hissed.

  “Not nice,” Jessa grumbled. She then turned to Charlotte. “But you know what? Someday, Carly will get pregnant and we’ll be finished having children!”

  Charlotte’s eyes lit up again. “Then we can sit here and torment her!” They high fived each other and Carly lifted her hand up threateningly.

  Julia, the always efficient manager of Tony Itola’s world famous restaurant, noticed Carly’s signal and walked over to them.

  “What’s going on, ladies?” she asked. Turning to Charlotte, she asked, “How’s Bethany doing?”

  “Great,” Charlotte replied. “I don’t suppose you need a puppy, do you?”

  Julia laughed. “Don’t you dare! We have our own two beasties, thank you very much. TJ still rules the roost in our house.”

  TJ was an adorable, lovable mutt whose name is actually Tony Junior, named after her husband, but the dog’s name was given to him before Julia and Tony had figured out that they were madly in love with each other after having worked together for years! Their other dog’s name was “OB” which stood for Obnoxious Boss. Another name derived during Julia’s pre-loving-Tony phase.

  The four of them laughed and Julia moved off to check on other tables.

  “So what gives?” Jessa asked, taking another bite of the marvelous raspberry pistachio mousse cake that they’d ordered and were supposedly sharing, although Carly kept drifting off into her own world, leaving her share of the dessert as fair game to her friends.

  Carly glanced briefly at Deni who was looking down, not adding in her slight knowledge of the situation. “Nothing. I’m just�
��busy at work. I have a bunch of outstanding issues that need to be finished.”

  Carly missed the glance between Charlotte, Deni, and Jessa. That’s when Jessa asked gently, “Hey, when is Ryker coming back from wherever he’s been this past week?”

  Carly’s for clattered noisily onto her plate. “Um...” she picked it up quickly, glancing around at the nearby patrons apologetically. “He’s…I don’t know actually,” she replied finally.

  Charlotte snagged a honey glazed raspberry, popping it into her mouth before the others could get it. “I thought he might be home in a few more days.”

  Carly put her fork down, no longer interested in the decadent desert. “He’s…actually, another assignment came a few days ago and he agreed to tackle it.” Carly felt her chest tighten just thinking about the danger Ryker might be in. Abruptly, she put her napkin down on the table. “If you ladies will excuse me, I need to run to the restroom.”

  She didn’t wait for her friends to respond, but stood up and wove her way through the tables to the elegant bathroom that had just been renovated. It was light, airy, and immaculately clean, and Carly stepped into a bathroom stall, locking the door behind her. Leaning against the door, she took several breaths, trying to calm down her racing heart. “He’s fine,” she told herself smoothly. “Absolutely fine. Just because he’s on assignment doesn’t mean he’s in danger.”

  Five minutes later, she had herself back under control. Stepping out of the stall, she splashed cold water on her wrists and looked in the mirror. “You’re fine,” she whispered to her pale reflection. Straightening, she shook her hair back into place, then nodded to her reflection and pasted a smile on her face. “You’re fine.”

  And she headed back to the table.