As he walked through the lobby toward the elevator, Brice felt several eyes shift his way, which wasn’t unusual lately, considering his family was always in the news for one reason or another. He refused to let whatever the latest Kingsley gossip was distract him from spending a wonderful evening with his wife. Brice couldn’t wait to see the look on Brooke’s face when she found out they were about to re-create their first date. However, tonight would end the way they had both wanted it to back then.
Brice smiled and nodded at onlookers as he waited for the elevator to arrive. He entered the car, hit the top button and rubbed his hands together like an evil villain in a cartoon. Brice couldn’t wait to get his hands on Brooke.
When the elevator doors opened, Brice froze. The commotion in the hall caught him off guard. He stepped out of the car and saw two paramedics standing around talking. One said, “She won’t go.”
She. Brice’s heart sped up and he nearly tripped on his own feet as he ran to Brooke’s door. “Excuse me, sir,” a large gentleman dressed in all black stated firmly, preventing Brice from entering the room.
“It’s okay, let him in,” a familiar voice instructed. It was Meeks Montgomery, COO of Blake and Montgomery, the security agency his family often used. Meeks was standing next to two women who were mirror images of one another and one large man that looked very angry, all dressed in black with guns on their hips. They looked like they were ready for war.
“Montgomery, what the hell’s going on?” Brice frowned as he scanned the room. The place was a mess. Roses were scattered everywhere and furniture was toppled over. “Where’s Brooke?”
“Brooke’s in the bedroom with your mother and we're trying to figure out what happened.”
Brice’s frown deepened and his jaw clenched. “My mother?” His voice rose slightly as he headed for the master bedroom’s door.
“Wait.” One of the two identical women stepped in his path, holding up her hands. “I’m Francine Blake Montgomery, and your wife has been through something horrific. She’s going to need you to stay calm.”
“Yeah, she doesn’t need you going in there wilding out,” her twin replied.
“Farrah, please, let me handle this.”
The woman put her hands on her hips and said, “Handle it then.”
“Sorry about that, Mr. Kingsley. That’s my sister and business partner, Farrah Blake Gold, and that menacing-looking guy next to her is another partner, and Farrah’s husband, Robert Gold.”
Farrah offered up a half-smile and Robert nodded. Brice released a breath he didn’t even know he had been holding. “We all know how you feel, trust me,” Meeks stated, reaching for his wife’s hand. “... But Francine is right. Brooke needs you to maintain your composure.”
Brice fought to keep it together when all he wanted to do was burst through the door to get to Brooke. “What...happened?”
“She was beat up pretty bad, but she’s refusing to go to the hospital,” Meeks explained.
“Beat up? By who, and what do you mean she won’t go to the hospital?” Brice’s head was spinning as he was trying to make sense of what he was hearing.
“We’re trying to figure that out now, but all Brooke wants is you...a calm you.” Brice offered a quick nod. Francine opened the door to the master bedroom.
Brice crossed the threshold and stopped in his tracks. His eyes zeroed in on Brooke, who was sitting up in bed on top of the covers with her legs stretched out in front of her. She was still in her work clothes, her left hand was resting on her stomach and she was holding an ice pack against the lower half of the right side of her face.
Brooke lowered the compress and extended her right arm. “Brice...”
Brice was at Brooke’s side in two strides. He sat on the bed and wrapped her in his arms. “Baby, are you okay?” he whispered.
Brooke nodded. “I am now.”
Brice leaned back so he could examine her more closely. Brooke’s lip was swollen and cut, her neck was red and bruised and she continued to clutch at her stomach. Brice was struggling to keep his anger under control. “Are you in much pain?”
Victoria’s face twisted and her nostrils flared at his ridiculous question. “Of course, she’s in pain, son.”
Brice gently cupped Brooke’s face and she laid her head against his palm. “Mother, can we have a little privacy, please?” he requested, holding Brooke’s gaze.
“No. We don’t have time for privacy.” Victoria looked down at Brooke. “Do you want everyone in here or—”
Brice dropped his hand “Everyone? What’s going on?” His eyes danced between his mother and Brooke.
Brooke reached for Brice’s hand and squeezed it. “I promise, I’ll tell you...everything soon just...be patient with me.” She looked up at Victoria. “I’ll come...to the...living room.” She winced when she tried to move.
“Are you sure you should move? You need to see a doctor,” Brice suggested, biting the instinct to carry her to the hospital himself.
“I’m sure. I have called...a doctor...already. Peter’s on...his way. Things can remain private.”
“Peter, your foster brother?” he asked, frowning.
“Yes.”
“Stop making her talk,” Victoria demanded.
Brice rubbed his face with both hands. He was losing the desire to be patient. Brice wanted Brooke taken care of, and he wanted answers and he wanted them now. “Look—”
“Later, son. They’re waiting.” Victoria opened the door.
If Brice couldn’t take Brooke to the doctor, he’d settle for the living room. He scooped Brooke up into his arms, carried her out of the bedroom and placed her on the couch where he took a seat next to her. The room had been cleaned and everything was back in its proper place. Meeks and his wife stood near the kitchenette and Farrah and her husband were standing near the balcony doors.
“What happened in here? How did this place get cleaned up so fast?” Brice asked no one in particular.
“We have a team that was waiting downstairs. They work very fast. Our crime scene technicians had come and gone just before you’d arrived,” Francine said.
“I appreciate you all coming so quickly when I called. Where are we on finding the people who did this?” Victoria asked, standing with her arms folded across her chest.
Meeks stepped forward. “Shannon and her male companion are at her apartment.” He turned his attention to Brooke. “Thanks to the information you provided, we think we may have identified the man that attacked you. Do you think you’d recognize the man who did this to you?”
“Wait, you know the bastard that did this and he’s not in custody yet? And who is Shannon?”
Brooke could see the mixture of fear and confusion mar his handsome face. She reached for Brice’s hand and intertwined their fingers. Here she was, in pain, and trying to comfort him. He loved her even more. “I’m...not sure. I never got—” she adjusted her position slightly “—a good look at his face.”
“What about height or body type?” Francine asked, her voice calm. “Anything you can tell us will be helpful.”
Brooke sighed, squeezed Brice’s hand and closed her eyes. Brice watched as Brooke recited in painstaking detail everything she’d gone through and even managed to supply a brief description. Brice was experiencing a whirlwind of emotion, from anger to sadness to pride, and all he could do was sit there and hope his silent presence was giving her everything she needed.
Brooke opened her eyes. “I hope...that...that helps.”
“Baby, you okay? Are you having trouble breathing?” Brice asked, trying to control the panic he was feeling.
“I’m...just tired.” She offered up a weak smile. “I’m...closing...my eyes...for a while.” Brooke lay down on her left side with her arms wrapped around her stomach.
"Try to stay awake until the doctor can check you ou
t," Brice insisted.
“What now?” Victoria asked.
“That depends on Brooke. She’s in no shape to move forward with the plan,” Meeks advised.
“I agree,” Victoria replied.
“Where's the doctor and what plan are you talking about?” Brice stood and moved closer to where Meeks and his mother stood. “Will someone tell me what the hell’s going on?” he demanded through gritted teeth.
“The people who broke in and attacked Brooke work for Evan Perez,” Victoria announced.
Brice felt like he’d just been hit hard in the gut by a baseball bat. Memories of the pain they’d all experienced—especially his brother Alexander—the last time Perez came after their family had him riddled with fear. While fear was an emotion he’d spent a lot of quality time with ever since Brooke left him, this fear—fear for Brooke’s safety—was new. He looked over at Brooke’s now-sleeping form and vowed to himself to keep her safe no matter what.
“Evan Perez, are you sure?”
“Very,” Victoria reassured.
“But why? He doesn’t even know Brooke. Plus, as far as the world knows, we’re getting divorced. Why would he think attacking my wife would hurt you in any way?” Brice questioned his mother, as he started pacing the room. “I mean, he’s hell-bent on destroying our company because of something you did to him. Don’t misunderstand me, you had every right to punish him for trying to hurt Aunt Elizabeth.”
Victoria snarled. “Hurt? That bastard tried to sexually assault my sister. He put his hands on her. What I did to Evan Perez was nothing compared to what I could have done if Elizabeth hadn’t begged me not to.”
The room fell silent and Brice looked over at Brooke. He knew no matter how reasonable he tried to be when it came to avoiding violent confrontations, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree when it came to protecting his family. He too wanted to harm the people who hurt Brooke.
“It makes no sense for him to come after Brooke.”
“No, son, he doesn’t know your wife, Brooke. But he does have a connection to someone with direct access to me. Brooke Avery.”
Brice released an exasperated sigh. “Who’s Brooke Avery and what does she have to do with any of this?”
“Brooke Kingsley and Brooke Avery happen to be the same person.”
Chapter 13
Brice frowned, knowing he must have misunderstood his mother’s words. “What did you say?”
“The woman—”
“I just need to close my eyes,” Brooke mumbled a couple more times, capturing Brice’s attention. He knew something was really wrong with her. He turned toward Brooke when there was a knock on the door and everyone froze.
“I’ll get it,” Meeks announced, moving toward the door. Brice watched as the others from his team positioned themselves in front of Brooke, his mother and even himself. But before he could inquire as to what they were doing, the door was open.
“I’m Dr. Peter Schultz,” a man in running clothes and sneakers introduced himself. Standing next to him were two women dressed in scrubs, rolling bags on wheels behind them. “This is my nurse and mobile X-ray technician.”
“Thank you for coming so quickly, Doctor. I see we must have interrupted your workout,” Victoria guessed.
“Yes, but anything for... Brooke,” he called out, making his way over to where she lay. He knelt down beside her. “Brooke... Brooke.”
“What’s wrong?” Brice’s heart was racing so fast, pushing blood through his veins so loudly he could swear everyone could hear it.
“Brice,” Brooke moaned with her eyes still closed.
“How long has she been this lethargic?” Peter asked, checking her pulse.
“Not long,” Meeks advised.
“I need to move her to the bedroom,” Peter announced. But before he could act, Brice stepped in and stopped them.
“Don’t touch my wife. I’ll take her.” Brice didn’t wait for a response. He gently picked up Brooke and carried her back to the bedroom. She felt light as a feather and looked weak. He carefully laid her on the bed, sitting on its edge next to her.
Brooke slowly opened her eyes. “Brice, you’re still here.”
“Of course, I am.”
Brooke closed her eyes and Brice looked up at Peter. “What’s wrong with her? Shouldn’t we get her to the hospital?”
“That’s not what she wants. If you’ll leave us alone, we can do our job.”
Brice was done being cordial. “I’m not—”
“Son,” Victoria called from the doorway. “Come, let them work.”
Brice didn’t want to leave Brooke’s side but he knew he needed to let the doctor do his job, not to mention he needed a few answers himself. Brice gave Brooke a soft kiss on the lips and whispered, “I love you.” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.
“I love you too,” Brooke replied with her eyes still closed.
Her words covered him like a welcome blanket on a cold winter’s day; only Brice wasn’t sure if Brooke meant it or even realized what she’d said but he chose to believe her words. Brice followed his mother out of the room, closing the door behind him.
“What did you mean, my Brooke and this Brooke Avery are the same person?” Brice asked, coming to stand next to his mother, who was making herself a drink at the bar.
Victoria picked up a bottle of vodka in a case adorned with Swarovski crystals and read the label. “Iordanov, very nice. Finally a hotel that knows how to treat their guests by providing a nice bottle of alcohol.”
“Mother, that’s a four-thousand-dollar bottle of vodka in the suite you always reserve. That bottle is to impress you, not most guests.”
Victoria rolled her eyes skyward as she poured herself a drink. “If they really wanted to impress me they would’ve bought me a bottle of Russo-Baltique or Billionaire.”
“Excuse me,” the X-ray tech called as she entered the room.
“How is she?” Brice asked, feeling anxious for her response.
“Dr. Schultz is checking her now. I’m going to go develop the X-ray.”
Brice sighed and ran his right hand through his hair. “Thank you, dear,” Victoria said, encouraging the woman to leave.
“Can we get back to the question, please?” Brice’s eyes scanned all the faces in the room before landing on his mother, who was sipping her drink.
Victoria pushed out a breath. “Son, there are a lot of things that you don’t know about your wife’s past—”
“Then tell me—”
Victoria raised her right hand, presenting Brice with her palm. “You have every right to know—however, it’s your wife’s job to share it,” she continued to explain.
Brice threw his hands up. “I don’t understand any of this.” His anger and frustration were about ready to boil over.
“What I can tell you, son, is that Brooke has history with Perez.”
“History?” Suddenly Brice was not only fighting his anger but jealousy too. He knew Brooke hadn’t been a virgin when they got together, but she told him she’d only had two boyfriends: one in high school and the other in college. Neither was Perez.
“Yes, and he’s trying to use that history to blackmail Brooke. Convince her to steal half a billion dollars from us.” Victoria poured Brice a shot and slid the glass in his direction.
“What?” Brice felt like his stomach dropped to his feet. “She wouldn’t.”
“You’re right. She wouldn’t.” Victoria took another shot.
“Is that why this happened to her?” His nostrils flared. “Because she refused to help him?”
“Yes.”
Brice picked up the glass and tossed back the drink. “How do we stop this bastard?”
Meeks stepped forward. “We have a two-part plan so that, if all goes well, Perez will be out of y
our life once and for all and behind bars where he belongs.”
Brice ran his knuckles under his chin. “Don’t keep me in suspense. What’s the plan?”
* * *
Brooke... Brooke. She heard her name being called from what seemed like a long way away. Brooke slowly opened her eyes. A worried-looking Peter was sitting on the bed next to her. She felt as if her body had been shattered into a thousand pieces like a jigsaw puzzle and was slowly being put back together. But Brooke wasn’t hurting as much as she had been. It soon felt like the pain was being held at bay by something pretty powerful and she found it easier to breathe.
“How do you feel?” Peter asked as he checked her vital signs.
Brooke swallowed hard. “Like I’ve been hit by a truck. Can I have some water, please?”
“How’s the pain now? On a scale of one to ten.”
“An eight, I guess. It’s more like a dull whispering ache everywhere,” she described, hoping she was being clear.
“Here you go, Mrs. Kingsley,” a pretty dark-haired woman offered, handing Brooke a small glass.
Brooke accepted, noticing the tremors from earlier had gone. She drank the water and handed the glass back to the woman. “Thank you. Who are you?”
“She’s my nurse, Sylvia,” Peter introduced.
Brooke offered her a weak smile. “Where’s Brice?”
“He’s in the living room, standing in front of the door, I’m sure. We had to send him out so we could even examine you. He was like a security guard waiting to attack at even the slightest provocation. His instinct told him to take you to the hospital. I tried to assure him that I could handle things.”
Brooke slowly tried to sit herself up in the bed and found it surprisingly easy to do, which was something she hadn’t expected. “How did you treat me, exactly?”
“After we made sure nothing was broken, I figured your symptoms had to be related to your MS. The stress of the attack triggered an MS hug, so I gave you a shot of a pretty strong steroid and something to relax those affected muscles,” Peter explained.
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