Lure of Obsession (The Muse Chronicles Book 1)

by Lisa Kessler

  Sirens blared in the distance.

  Come on…

  He kissed her temple and whispered, “I’m not giving you up. Please, Mel. I love you.”

  The door burst open and in rushed two paramedics with a gurney. “We’ve got it from here.”

  He forced himself to turn her over to them. They slid her onto a crash board and took her vitals. Pulse was tacky, breathing shallow.

  Nate gave them room to work, staying close enough to notice she didn’t open her eyes again, even when they inspected where she’d been stabbed. He ground his teeth. Once they had her lifted onto the rolling gurney, the police pulled up. Nate rushed through his explanation about the dead assailant and let them know they could call him at the hospital.

  Maggie ran across the waiting room and flung her arms around his neck. He’d never been more grateful to see her. He closed his eyes, holding her tight.

  John walked over and took the chair next to him. “Maggie insisted we come see you before I took her back to Mrs. Gaines.”

  She sat on his lap and patted over his heart. “Is Mel…” Her voice trembled. “Will she be okay?”

  “I think so.” He nodded, hoping he looked more certain than he felt. “The doctors are fixing her up.”

  John met his eyes over her head. “They ID’ed the guy in the mask. Ben Rodgers.”

  “Does he work for Belkin Oil?”

  “He’s not on the employee roster, but we’re running a background check now.” John glanced at Maggie. “I should probably get her home. School in the morning.”

  Maggie lifted her head to look at Nate. “Can I stay with you? Please?”

  Nate sighed. “It might be a long time before they finish with Mel. You should go home and sleep. I’ll come by and see you tomorrow, okay?”

  She slid off his lap. “Okay.”

  John squeezed his shoulder. “Keep me posted.”

  “Will do. Thanks for taking care of Maggie.”

  John nodded and they left him alone, the silence of the waiting room weighing on him. He fought to keep his eyes off the second hand on the wall clock. Mel had been in surgery for almost four hours now. He leaned back, rubbing his hands down his face.

  If only he’d been faster, or shot first, or never walked away at the park, or done anything to avoid this outcome.

  Before he could make himself insane, a doctor came through the door. “Are you Melanie Jacoby’s husband?”

  A small lie. It was the only way he could get to see her after surgery.

  “Yeah.” He stood, every muscle tense. “Is she all right?”

  The doctor’s single nod stole the breath from Nate’s lungs.

  “We repaired the damage. Thankfully the blade missed her heart and didn’t puncture her lung. She and the baby should be fine. She’s in recovery now. A nurse will come get you when she’s conscious and stable.”

  Nate’s pulse jumped a beat. “Excuse me? What?”

  The doctor frowned. “She’s in recovery. It shouldn’t be long before you can see her.”

  “No.” Nate fumbled for the words. “Before that. I thought you said…”

  “Oh… You didn’t know.” The doctor’s eyes widened, then he shook his head. “I’m sorry to spill the beans.”

  “So Melanie…Mel…she’s…”

  “Pregnant. Yes, the blood test was positive. She should definitely visit her doctor to get a due date and prenatal care soon.” He held out his hand. “Congratulations.”

  Nate stared at his hand for a second. Maybe he’d drifted off in the waiting room. A baby? Mel had seemed so sure she was in the clear.

  He gripped the doctor’s hand. “Thanks for saving her.”

  “She’s a fighter.” The doctor smiled. “I just plugged the holes.”

  CHAPTER 19

  “Ben is dead.” Ted stared at the back of his father’s head. Although Ted had taken over Belkin Oil as CEO, his father was still chairman of the board and he wore the power like a king’s robe.

  Belkin, Sr. turned his chair around slowly. His gray eyes pinning his son where he stood. “You’re sure his body won’t lead the police to us?”

  “No, he’s not on the company payroll.”

  His father shook his head. “Damned waste. He was the first of the Order to take the bull by the horns and get rid of a muse.”

  “He won’t be the last. I’m already grooming a new enforcer. A better enforcer. He follows orders.”

  Belkin, Sr. leaned back, his executive chair squealing in protest. “Good thinking. Does he know about the Order yet?”

  Ted crossed his arms. “Not exactly. He thinks he does.”

  “Good.” His father nodded. “Reconditioning is more successful the less he knows.”

  “You’ll like him. Bryce isn’t as…driven as Ben, but he’ll do what he’s told.”

  “No ‘loose ends’?”

  “Exactly.” Ted dropped his arms to his sides, relaxing slightly. His father was taking the news much better than he had anticipated.

  “Tie Ben to the C-4 so we’re out of the police investigation. And have our investigator check into Bryce’s background. Be sure he has no family to start missing him. If he’s clear, bring him to me next week.”

  “I already did. He’s estranged from his mother and he doesn’t know his father.”

  His father actually smiled. “Good work.”

  Ted nodded and went to the door before his father could see how much his praise meant to him. Stopping at the door, Ted turned back. “Melanie Jacoby made it through surgery, by the way.”

  “As long as that detective is protecting her, she’s not worth the risk.” His father picked up a pen and began signing documents. “There are seven other muses. Perhaps one of them will be easier prey for our new enforcer.”

  The corners of Ted’s mouth curved into a thoughtful smile. “I was thinking the same thing.”

  Nate flinched when the nurse called his name. He’d been lost in his jumbled thoughts, staring out the window as if something out there might tell him what to do next.

  “I can take you to see Melanie.”

  “Thank you.” He followed her, his heart racing.

  Walking the white halls, he struggled to figure out what to say, what to do. And what would she want?

  His own desires shocked him to his core. Never in his life had he ever considered having children. Besides having no inclination to get married, his only example of a father was a piece of shit. What if he became the same man?

  But since Maggie came into his life, she’d wormed her way into his broken heart, and from the core of his being, he knew there was no way on earth he’d ever hurt her the way his father had scarred him.

  He and the nurse turned the corner and entered the room. Mel was pale, but her weak smile brought unexpected tears to his eyes.

  “I’ll leave you two alone,” said the nurse before vanishing down the hall.

  Nate approached Mel’s bedside. His stomach was tied in knots as he took her hand. “The doctor says you’re going to be fine.”

  Mel squeezed his hand. “Yeah… Remind me never to get stabbed again.”

  A smile tugged at his lips as he bent to kiss her forehead. “I’m good with that plan.”

  “I must’ve been out awhile. I woke up married.” Her eyes sparkled.

  “Hope you don’t mind.” He chuckled and shook his head slowly. “It was the only way they’d let me in here with you.” He met her eyes. “The doctor said you’re a fighter.”

  She caressed his cheek. “I had unfinished business.” Her smile faded. “I didn’t mean what I said at the park. He was on the phone listening. I was trying to get you to take Maggie home—out of rifle range.”

  “I know.”

  She raised a brow. “You didn’t look like you knew.”

  “Well I didn’t right away.” At the time, he’d been more pissed at himself for letting his guard down. Her words had only hurt because he’d let her into his heart. He cleared the lump of
emotion from his throat. “But I figured it out.” He sobered. “My instinct was to back off and shut you out of my life, but even before my birthmark started to burn, something occurred to me.” He swallowed, forced himself to speak. “What you said didn’t make sense…because I make you happy. We’re good together.”

  His voice dropped to a raspy whisper. “And I’m not nothing. I never was. You were the one who made me believe that.”

  She wiped a tear from her cheek and lifted their joined hands to her lips. “I love you. I had to go with them to protect Maggie, but I knew you’d come for me, even though I told you not to.”

  “That’s pretty ‘glass half-full’ for you, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah.” Her face brightened a little. “You have that effect on me.” She glanced down at her gown and back up at him. “I need to tell you something else, but you have to promise to remember that this has nothing to do with my having a near-death experience.”

  “Okay.” He tensed but didn’t retreat. Whatever she had to say, he could take it.

  “When they gave me a choice, my life or Maggie’s…” She shook her head. “I knew right then that… It’s horrible timing, but…” She met his eyes. “I love that little girl, and I’d like to adopt her.”

  “No,” Nate blurted without hesitation.

  She frowned, shocked. He was the one who’d told her about the couple who had decided not to make Maggie part of their family. He’d said he wanted her to have a home; apparently just not one with Mel.

  “Wait, that came out wrong.” He pulled up a chair and sat beside her, fidgeting.

  Nate Malone was fidgeting?

  Maybe she was more lightheaded than she realized. “What’s going on?”

  He lifted his gaze, his expression unreadable. “I need to tell you something, a few things, but they might be a little out of order.”

  She winced a little. This couldn’t be good. She rolled her eyes. “Well the setup sounds great so far.”

  “Sorry.” He chuckled, but the uncertainty still lined his eyes. “The thing is, none of this has to do with the attack, and I don’t want you to think it does, so I’m not sure if I should wait…”

  She laced her fingers with his. “We’ve been through hell and back the past few weeks. As long as it doesn’t involve you leaving, I can handle it.”

  “Okay.” He kissed her forehead and stared into her eyes. “Until the Kronos guys crashed the party, being at the park with you and Maggie, going to her class…” He shook his head slowly. “I didn’t want it to end. I don’t want it to end.”

  He searched her face. For what, she couldn’t be sure. She worried her lower lip to keep from speaking.

  Nate pressed his mouth to her knuckles and met her eyes. “I don’t want you to adopt her…” He swallowed. “I want us to adopt her.”

  “Us?” Mel’s heart pounded, her eyes brimming with tears. Nate paled at her response, and she squeezed his hand. “Yes. I’m just… I’m shocked.”

  He nodded with a tentative smile. “See what I mean about it all being out of order? I should be asking you to marry me first.”

  She laughed. “According to the hospital, we’re already married.”

  Nate didn’t laugh or smile. His eyes never left hers. “I will do my best to fill your glass when it starts to get half-empty, keep you and our family safe, and love you for the rest of my life.” His voice trembled. “Melanie Jacoby, will you marry me?”

  Tears slipped down her cheeks as she smiled. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes.” She leaned up to hug him and winced, setting off an IV alarm behind her. Settling back on the pillow, she chuckled. “I wish I weren’t lying in a hospital gown and we could celebrate, but come to think of it…” She gestured to the lifesaving equipment. “It’s probably perfect for me and my muse.”

  Then a tear escaped from the corner of Nate’s eye, too. “I have one more bomb to drop. I wish it could wait, but I don’t want you to hear it from anyone else while you’re here in the hospital.”

  She frowned. “You didn’t get in trouble for shooting that bastard, did you?”

  “No. At least not yet.” He wiped his cheek and leaned in closer. “But what I’m about to tell you has nothing to do with my proposal, all right? Telling the hospital you were my wife came out of my mouth as naturally as telling criminals they have the right to an attorney. No one was more surprised than I was to realize I wanted to get married, but being with you is where I always want to be.”

  “Okay.” Her pulse bounced on the monitor. Did they find cancer in her chest while they were sewing her up?

  Nate rested his large hand on her abdomen. “Maggie is going to be a big sister.”

  Mel paused for a second while her muse caught up. She wasn’t dying. The puzzle piece fell into place.

  She brought her hand down to cover his and let out a soft gasp. “We’re having a baby?”

  Nate nodded. “The doctor thought we already knew.”

  Mel choked on a happy sob, squeezing his hand. “And you swear you’re not proposing out of obligation, right?”

  “I swear.” He smiled, and her belly warmed. “I want to marry you because you make my life crazy in the best kind of way. I want to see you every day and raise our family together.”

  She grinned, overwhelmed on all fronts. “I need to tell my sisters.” Her gaze snapped to his face. “And you need to tell John. He’s going to think the world ended.”

  “Nah, he’ll cover and say something like ‘I knew you’d come around someday, Malone.’”

  John was a good guy in spite of their rocky first meeting.

  Mel smiled up at Nate. “Callie’s going to blow a gasket.”

  He chuckled. “She better be happy, or she and I will be having some words.”

  “You’re so sexy when you go all Guardian like that.”

  Nate laughed and leaned down to hold her tight. “Heal up.” He kissed her lips, slow and tender, until her toes curled. “I need to let Maggie know you’re all right.”

  Mel grinned. “Don’t tell her about us yet. I want to be there.”

  “You got it.”

  CHAPTER 20

  With the help of Mel’s sisters, Nate got all of her things packed up and moved to his place before she returned from the hospital. They peppered him with questions, but he managed to keep quiet about the engagement, letting them know they had decided to keep living together even though the danger was over for now.

  He left the boxes labeled and neatly stacked in the corner of his dining area so she could put her stuff away wherever she wanted. His days in the bachelor pad were numbered. And he was surprised to realize he didn’t give a shit. Being with her made his old life seem so…empty. He wasn’t going to miss it.

  During her hospital stay, they’d made plans for their future. As soon as she was up to it, they’d start looking at new places with three bedrooms, one for Maggie and one for Baby Malone. Mel came up with the nickname, and his heart swelled every time he thought of it. As a kid, “family” meant pain and fear, but with Mel, he found himself eager to make new memories.

  She showed him a whole different world, one full of strength, loyalty, and laughter.

  He was a lucky bastard. And any time those old feelings of panic and insecurity crept up on him, he was quick to remind himself of that fact.

  It also kept his mind off the debriefing at work. He was cleared for duty after shooting the suspect, but the relief didn’t come as he’d expected. There was still a lingering foreboding in his gut. The guy in dark glasses had gotten away.

  Nate had given the sketch artist his best description, but all his attention had been on Mel at the time. He didn’t get a good look at the man. And so far, they hadn’t gotten any hits on the composite. The man in the mask wasn’t working alone, though, and it was more than likely that there were more men in golden Kronos masks out there.

  He wanted to believe it was over with one bullet, but his instincts told him not to drop his guard.
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br />   John crossed his arms, trying not to smile. “Don’t you have someplace to go, Malone?”

  He glanced up at his partner with a grin. “Yeah, I’m heading out now.”

  Mel was coming home today. To say he’d been counting down the minutes would’ve been an understatement. He set the composite of the man in sunglasses aside and grabbed his jacket. “Catch you later.”

  John nodded. “Homecoming party still on for tomorrow?”

  “Yeah. My place at five. Callie will be there to let you in.”

  Nate made the drive to the hospital in record time. When he got to Mel’s room, she was already up and dressed. He shook his head. “Damn, you’re beautiful.”

  She smiled and walked straight into his arms. He embraced her, careful not to hold her too tightly.

  Her lips brushed his neck. “I’m not going to break.”

  “I’m not taking any chances.”

  She pulled back, her smile warming him all over. “As long as you’re not planning to poke my wound, I’m all right. Really.” She rose up on her toes and brushed her lips against his. “See?”

  “Good to know.” He grinned, stealing one more kiss.

  He carried her bag in one hand and held her hand with the other. He helped her into the car and happily left the medical center in the rearview mirror.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Not really. Just anxious to get home.”

  He rested his hand on her thigh. “Then home it is.”

  “And you didn’t tell anyone?”

  He chuckled. “No one would believe we were getting married and having a baby even if I told them.” He squeezed her leg. “But when I make a promise, I keep it.”

  “Sorry. Tough to shut down the muse sometimes.”

  “I did start the paperwork to adopt Maggie, but I haven’t said anything to her yet and I swore Mr. and Mrs. Gaines to secrecy.” He glanced at her and back to the road. “She made me crazy trying to get me to take her to the hospital to visit you.”

  “Sorry they wouldn’t let her in.”

  He hadn’t told Maggie the hospital denied her. Family members only. He’d opted for telling her only grownups could visit. “Pretty soon we’ll all be family and it won’t be a problem again.”