He shook his head. ‘No buts. You spend so much time and energy looking after everyone else. It’s time you let someone look after you.’ He leaned closer. ‘And I want that someone to be me.’
Bob Michaels stuffed his clothes into his suitcase and zipped it hurriedly. He scooped up the passport and travel wallet off the bed, grasped the handle and wheeled the bag along the hall to the stairs.
He would have to organise for his wife to join him at a later date. At the moment, though, he had to split. With Mark Shein arrested and remanded, it wouldn’t be long before the weak sap caved in and gave him up. All because of some self-righteous goody-two-shoes secretary, for Christ’s sake.
A muscle in his jaw flexed.
It was all so simple, really. He doctored the prospectus, Shein attracted the investors, and they ran a legit operation for the first phase, paid the investors handsomely, which attracted even more investors, more money – and then the investment tanked. They’d organised it so that while it was unfortunate, it could still all be blamed on the whims of the market.
Until that Montgomery bitch had started looking into it. She wouldn’t accept the cover story, wouldn’t accept that a dip in the market had cost her father his life savings. He should have done something as soon as he realised Shein was skimming off the top. He’d let it slide, because he’d fully intended for Shein to pay it all back in spades, when the time came.
But no, Darcy Montgomery had to start following the money trail that damned greedy prick left behind, and unravel the whole thing.
Fortunately she had no idea he was involved. Only two people knew that – and both were currently in jail. Kowalski could keep his mouth shut, Bob had no concern there. The man prided himself on being a professional, and professionals don’t snitch.
Mark Shein, on the other hand, couldn’t even hide a mistress from the wife, and Bob didn’t trust the man as far as he could piss. If it shortened his jail sentence, Shein would give him up in a heartbeat.
It was time to split. He had the bulk of his savings set aside in the Cayman Islands for just such an outcome.
He took the last three stairs at a jump, the suitcase clattering along behind him, and he hurried to the front door. He set the suitcase down to check his hands and pockets – wallet, passport, keys, travel cheques – it was all good. He pulled the door open and froze.
A tall man stood on the other side, his hand raised to knock. Behind him in the drive were two police cars and two unmarked cars, and several uniformed police were fanned out along the front of the house.
The man at the door took in the scene – Bob’s suitcase, keys, travel documents – and a slow smile spread across his face. The man looked like a surfer trapped in a suit: fit, and ready to get physical in an instant. He reached into his jacket pocket and removed a black wallet, flicking it open to reveal a badge.
‘Robert Michaels, I’m Detective Bernard Knight, and you’re under arrest for conspiracy to murder, embezzlement and fraud.’ The surfer cop indicated the suitcase. ‘I don’t think you’ll need that where you’re going.’
CHAPTER
36
Darcy shifted the curtain to look down on the garden below, and smiled. Jonah and Julia were playing among the topiary, along with her niece and nephew. Her brother, Hugh, stood off to the side talking with Alex Knight, while her father chatted to Roland and Gertrude near the barbecue. She’d had to move away, the smell of the cooking meat had made her stomach flip. She still hadn’t told Dom yet, didn’t know how he would take the news.
‘Hey, here you are,’ a deep voice said as strong arms encircled her waist, and she leaned back against the wall of muscle.
‘Here I am,’ she murmured, smiling, then shivered as he brushed her blonde bob aside to kiss the nape of her neck. Her henna tattoos had long since faded, and she was beginning to recognise the woman she saw in the mirror.
‘I missed you,’ he whispered, and she chuckled.
‘I just came upstairs for a shawl.’ It wasn’t a lie. They’d made a pact – no more lies, no matter what. No more secrets. She had needed to come upstairs. The autumn afternoon was crisp, and the way things were going, they’d be celebrating well into the evening.
Mark Shein had been found guilty of all charges, and George Kowalski had entered a guilty plea, so his sentencing was due the following week. He would get a harsh term, though, as he hadn’t cooperated at all with police, maintaining a silence for all interactions.
Ava had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, and would receive psychiatric care for the foreseeable future; a court would have to decide whether she would be incarcerated or hospitalised. Either way, if she was ever released it would be under the strictest of conditions, but Darcy couldn’t see that happening. Jonah and Julia had been confused and upset, but the ensuing months had seen a stability return to their household that settled them, offering a sense of security and support that they were responding well to.
‘I came upstairs for you,’ he said in a low voice, gently nipping at her earlobe. She trembled in his arms, her nipples tightening against the dove-grey jersey dress she wore.
‘Dom, we have guests.’ She laughed, then moaned as his hands slid up to cradle her breasts through the smooth material of her dress, and all thoughts of guests, of propriety, evaporated, swiftly replaced by thoughts of naked flesh and loads of impropriety.
‘I can’t get enough of you, Darce. I’ll never get enough.’ He hugged her closer, and she surrendered to his embrace, arching her neck to give him better access as he kissed a hot trail over her skin. She found it hard to process sometimes, the monumental shift her life had taken. Six months ago she’d been running for her life, not expecting to live long enough to testify. Now she was cherished by Mr Hot Property himself, with an instant family she loved more than life itself. She still suffered nightmares, but she could handle the dark when she was living the dream.
‘I have to ask you a question, Darce,’ Dom said as he kissed the nape of her neck.
‘You know I can’t think when you do that,’ she murmured, arching into his touch, her heart kicking up in gear.
He laughed, and she trembled at the rumble that set her core on fire.
‘Maybe I don’t want you to think. You think too much. I want you to feel.’
She closed her eyes, tilting her head back against his broad shoulders as he caressed her with his lips and hands. ‘Uh huh.’ Oh, she was feeling, all right. Feeling all hot and shaky in his arms as he rocked his pelvis against her.
‘Feel how good we are together,’ he whispered, as he lifted her arm up behind his neck, and trailed his fingers down her side. Her breasts swelled at the sensuality of his caress.
‘I’m feeling it.’ Oh heavens, she was ready to combust.
‘I want to feel this forever,’ he whispered to her as his hand dropped away.
Her eyes opened. ‘What?’
‘We haven’t had the most conventional courtship,’ he said as he pulled something from his trouser pocket. ‘But we’ve packed more into a few short months, faced more together than most couples experience in a lifetime. I know a good deal when I see one, Darcy Montgomery, and you’re the real deal.’
He raised his hand and flipped open the ring box. She gasped at the stunning solitaire diamond ring nestled in the black velvet box. ‘Marry me, Darcy Montgomery.’
‘Oh. My. God.’
‘Is that a yes?’
She wanted to scream yes, but a last shred of reason gave her pause. ‘You don’t think it’s too soon? What about the kids?’ They had only known each other for six months, and he was right, they had experienced a lot in that time. Still, the kids were dealing with so much at the moment – and there was one more thing she had to tell him about, something that would be life-changing…
‘Oh, they wanted to propose to you. I had to insist on doing the job myself.’ He moved the box, as though teasing her. ‘Well, what do you say?’
‘Yes! Oh, yes, Dom!’
>
He removed the ring from the box and tossed the box over his shoulder. Darcy watched, stunned, as he slid the beautiful ring onto her finger, the facets catching the late afternoon sun and sending prisms of light against the gauzy curtain.
‘Oh my God, it’s beautiful, Dom.’
‘But you’re more so,’ he whispered. He turned her in his arms and gazed at her intently, a warm smile on his lips. ‘I want you in my life, Darcy. You make our family complete. I love you.’
‘I love you, too, Dominic.’
He bent to kiss her, and at first it was gentle, their smiles tender and happy, but the kiss gradually grew into something hotter, deeper.
The sound of children’s laughter outside caused Dominic to pull back, just for a moment. ‘We should probably go downstairs and join them,’ he said, then kissed her, his tongue sliding briefly into her mouth to stir up all manner of dark fantasies.
‘Probably,’ she agreed, then kissed him back, pulling his shirt out from the waistband of his trousers.
‘We should probably tell them what’s happened,’ he said, as he backed her towards the bed, and she nodded.
‘Probably.’
He tugged the shirt over his head and tossed it somewhere – probably in the same direction as the jewellery box. He pulled her close, his lips pressing against hers as he gently grasped the skirt of her dress and slowly raised it up her thighs.
‘You know, share the good news,’ she murmured, her breath hitching as he caressed her thighs.
‘Yeah,’ he said, pulling the dress up over her head. ‘It’s not like it’s a secret,’ he whispered, his light blue gaze darkening with desire as he gazed at her silk- and lace-clad body.
‘That’s right,’ she said as she fumbled with his belt. She paused.
‘What?’ he whispered, bending down low to kiss her shoulder.
‘Well, it’s not exactly a secret,’ she said tentatively, and chewed her lip. Dom slowly raised his head until his gaze met hers.
‘Darcy?’
‘I just wasn’t sure how to tell you,’ she said, dropping her gaze.
He lifted her chin with a finger. ‘Darcy,’ he said, his tone low in warning. ‘No more secrets, no more lies.’
She nodded, her heart pounding. God, she didn’t know how he was going to take this, whether he’d be happy with the news, considering all Julia and Jonah had been through recently. They hadn’t spoken about more kids, and he’d seemed completely happy with the twins – how was he going to take this news?
She grasped his hand and held it to her still-flat stomach. ‘Um, with everything that was going on, all the running, I may have missed a few days with my pill,’ she whispered, eyeing him anxiously.
His eyes widened, and he looked down, his tanned hand spread against her stomach. ‘What are you saying?’ he whispered. His expression was shocked – dazed, really.
‘I’m saying I come with some baggage.’
His jaw moved. He blinked. ‘Are you? Are we?’ He couldn’t finish a sentence.
She nodded. ‘We’re going to have a baby!’ She squealed when he lifted her, twirling her around in his embrace, then laughed as he kissed her. Okay, so that went well. He peppered her with kisses, before falling sideways on the bed with her.
‘Are you sure?’ he said, eyeing the tummy he couldn’t stop caressing.
She nodded. ‘I’m seven weeks.’
He leaned forwards to kiss her again, sliding his hand around her back to hold her close. Eventually he pulled back, breathless, a happy light in his blue gaze. ‘We’re going to have a baby,’ he said, sighing.
She nodded. ‘Yeah.’
He grinned. ‘You know what this means, right?’
She arched her brow in enquiry as he stroked her back in lazy circles, causing the fire to flare to life yet again inside her. ‘What?’ She tried to concentrate on their conversation, but his touch was distracting, tempting, wicked.
‘It means I’ve caught you but good.’ He kissed her again, rolling with her until she lay on top of him. He gently clasped her face with both hands, meeting her gaze solemnly. ‘No more running,’ he said.
She smiled. ‘No more running,’ she whispered against his lips, and gave herself up to his kiss.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As a writer you get to create fictional characters and worlds, but as a realist you have to inject some authenticity into those characters and worlds. In writing Runaway Lies, I had the benefit of generously offered professional expertise. I would like to thank Stephanie and Michael Sawan of Elsie Street Physiotherapy, who patiently answered all questions related to dislocated shoulders, injuries, treatment and recovery. Oh, and sorry about the physio – it couldn’t be avoided. Well, it could, but it wouldn’t have been as much fun. I’d also like to thank Chief Superintendent Chris Lewis of the New South Wales Fire Investigation and Research Unit – you were amazing, you were patient, you were generous with your time, expertise and experience. You and all firefighters rock. Thank you to Patrick O’Brien, whose financial expertise gave birth to the concept and crime of Runaway Lies. I’d like to thank Sue Brockhoff and the Harlequin Australia management team for having faith in my story, and the courage to publish it. I’d also like to thank Kylie Mason and Annabel Blay for their valuable editorial, along with my agent, Lucienne Diver.
Elements of law, bombs, treatments, etc have been fictionalised for the benefit of the story. Any and all errors are entirely of my own making. Thank you to one and all who helped develop this book.
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ISBN: 9780857996251
Title: Runaway Lies
First Australian Publication 2015
Copyright © 2015 by Shannon Curtis
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilisation of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the permission of the publisher:
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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