by Lydia Rowan
For now, she’d rely on her family’s much-needed support.
10
Damien pushed the button and took the parking ticket, somehow managing to keep the irritation that threatened to edge up at bay.
He’d let Lacey go yesterday and told himself that he’d done his part. She’d proven how little she thought of him. Even the suggestion that he would have anything to do with Tremaine showed that Lacey thought nothing of him and made him question everything he’d felt for her.
He’d been blind, mistaken, too caught up in the desire that had made it impossible for him not to fuck her even after she’d said she didn’t trust him, so he knew he couldn’t rely on whatever he thought he’d felt. She was gone anyway.
As he’d listened to his car pull away, the sound of the engine fading, he had waited for the anger to come.
It had, but not in the way that he’d expected.
She’d been open in her unwillingness to trust him, and that hurt him, but what had made him angry, what made him angry still, was that he had put her in a position where she couldn’t.
He’d put everyone in that position, so as hurt as he was, as angry as he wanted to be, he couldn’t say that he blamed her.
No, he understood well why she’d had to pull away, why she wouldn’t trust him.
He’d grabbed a bottle and a glass and headed to the study like he had so often before, ready to play out the same scene he had so often before, the one that ended with him too drunk to remember, though the pain never went completely away.
He’d set the bottle on the table, then sat himself on the couch, and then he’d waited.
He had known the urge would come, the silence of the house making his thoughts that much louder, the reality of having been close to her just hours ago making it unbearable, the drink the only thing that would help it pass.
He hadn’t even broken the bottle’s seal.
No, he’d sat on the couch all day, unmoving, his mind still racing, but not with the thoughts of his failures, the ones that had plagued him for all these years.
All he’d been able to think about was Lacey.
Not that she was gone, though he’d thought about that enough, but rather, the fact that she was still in danger.
Lacey might not trust him, and he might not blame her for that, but Tremaine was on her trail, and he wouldn’t relent until he got what he wanted, whatever that was, from her.
When the sun had finally broken across the horizon the next morning, Damien had given up the pretense of not acting.
When he had gone to her house, found her, his decision had been made. He was in this with Lacey heart and soul and he would do whatever it took to protect her.
Even if that meant doing something he never thought he would.
Even if it meant asking for help.
He’d had to rummage through the stacks of unopened mail to find a shareholder statement that had Silver Industries’ new address. Back when Damien had been involved, they’d been in a different location, small offices downtown, and by the time the company had grown enough to move, Damien had shed pretty much all ties with reality, especially things as mundane as addresses.
Still, though he knew the location was different, he was quite surprised by what he found when he reached the new location.
He parked and walked across the marble-floored lobby and quickly stepped into an open elevator.
Damien impatiently pushed the button for the twentieth floor, but the elevator didn’t move. He pushed it again, staring at the elevator confused.
“You’ll need a key card to access that floor,” the woman who had entered the elevator after him said.
He noted she held one, but that she made no attempt to move, and Damien stepped off the elevator.
The doors closed and he stood in the busy lobby. Of course he wouldn’t be able to just waltz in, but what did he do now? He saw a security desk and approached it, trying to ignore the embarrassment of not having access to a company he technically owned.
“May I help you, sir?” the young security guard asked.
“I need to go to Silver Industries,” Damien said, his voice lowering over his last name. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d said it.
“Are you an expected visitor?”
Damien shook his head. He probably should’ve called but he hadn’t, and had instead waited until a reasonable hour and decided he’d just show up, worried he might chicken out if he had to make that call.
“Do you have identification?”
Did he?
Damien fumbled in his wallet and retrieved his license, wondering if it had expired. The security guard looked at it quickly and then looked at Damien, eyes flat and not giving any clue of what he thought. Damien wondered if he’d ever get over that, the sensation that everyone knew who he was, judged him.
The security guard picked up the phone and punched a few numbers. “I have a visitor down here. A Damien Silver,” he said, looking up at Damien quickly.
Damien did his best to be impassive and was impressed when the security guard’s voice didn’t give away any sense of his thoughts.
“Someone will be down in a moment,” the security guard said.
Damien nodded and then took his driver’s license back and shoved it into his wallet.
His little brother was doing well, far better than Damien ever had. He was proud of him, even though that pride was tinged with shame at not being able to help him or do better.
Damien heard the elevators open, but didn’t pay them any attention, instead focused on the traffic in the lobby. It wasn’t until he heard the muffled sound of footsteps that seemed to be coming directly at him that he focused his attention on the short black woman approaching.
He blinked and frowned. “Sloan?” he said.
She came to a stop in front of him and extended her hand. “Damien! It’s so lovely to see you!”
“Sloan?” Damien repeated.
She chuckled and then nodded. “It’s me, and soon to be mini-me.”
Damien let his gaze drop to her rounded belly, unable to speak.
It had been over five years since he had last seen Sloan, and apparently a lot had changed. Her face glowed with health and what appeared to be happiness, and she rested one hand on her round stomach.
“When?” Damien asked as they headed back toward the elevator.
Sloan scanned a key card and then pressed the button before she looked at him.
“Three months,” she said.
“You’re still working?” he asked.
Sloan laughed and shook her head. “You guys are so predictable,” she said.
Damien looked at her again, let his eyes linger on her finger, eyeing the ring there.
“Yeah,” Sloan said, noticing where he looked. “That’s another recent development.”
“Who’s the lucky guy?” Damien asked.
“Adam,” Sloan said.
Damien blinked. “Adam Reins?”
“Yep,” she said, blushing sweetly, that reaction part of the reason why Damien never would have expected Sloan and Adam Reins to ever exchange a conversation.
He shrugged. “Guess I lost that bet,” he said.
Back when Damien had thought he knew things, he’d sworn he had them pegged, thought that nice-girl Sloan was too, well, nice for Adam. Lucian had warned him against being so sure, but Damien hadn’t given it further thought. Another sign Damien didn’t know anything at all.
Sloan laughed, bringing him back to the present. “Trust me, I would have too. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing,” she said.
“Well, you look amazing. Congratulations,” Damien said, and he meant it too. She did look amazing, and though it was jarring, seeing this, seeing proof other people had moved on, he couldn’t help but be happy for her.
“Thank you. And you look…”
“Like shit. I look like shit, Sloan,” he said.
“But you’re here,” she said.
They wen
t silent then, and a moment later the elevator dinged.
As the doors opened, Sloan stepped out and Damien followed her.
“Nice place,” Damien said.
“Too nice, probably. I actually miss the old place. Too much space to cover,” she said as she led him into the office at the corner.
“Chat before you leave?” she asked when she stopped.
He nodded, though he was vaguely terrified at the prospect. Sloan had been living her life, moving forward. He was stuck in one place, drowning himself in booze. What could they chat about? Did he even know how to do that anymore?
Sloan looked at him softly, eyes full with understanding. “It’s great to see you, Damien,” she said, reaching out to touch his arm. “He’s in there.”
Then she turned, moving back down the hall quickly.
But Damien waited, didn’t go into the office immediately. He’d seen his brother often. Lucian had kept coming to the house even when Damien had screamed he shouldn’t. Those visits had lacked a certain lucidness that he felt now. Damien wasn’t trapped in a haze of alcohol, self-pity, or rage.
Now he was clearheaded, far too much so for his liking, and not only would he have to confront the person who had pushed away his brother, the only member of his family, but he’d also have to confront the fact he couldn’t take care of the woman he loved.
Two bitter pills to swallow in a short period of time, chased by his memories of all the times Lucian had seen him drunk or on his way there, doing his best impersonation of their father, something he had sworn he would never do. Another jab to his chest, one that stung a little more than the others because Damien had always wanted to be an example, and he’d failed so many times.
He swallowed hard, brushed his hand through his hair. Delaying this wouldn’t get Lacey out of trouble any more quickly, nor would it make the pain of this moment pass any faster.
So, after a deep breath, Damien walked in, saw his brother sitting, Cassandra Portersen-Silver beside him.
Lucian stood, crossed over to Damien and pulled him into a masculine hug. Damien was taller, used to be heavier, but that had changed over the years.
“Lucian,” Damien said, patting his brother’s arm, trying to ignore the tug in his chest, but still happy to see that his brother looked so well. Then he turned. “Cassandra.”
“How are you, Damien?” she asked as she stood and crossed over to them.
He didn’t respond when she gave him a quick peck and held on to one of his hands, looking at him with concern in her eyes.
Cassandra had been a good friend to him and was now a part of his family. He was glad about that, knew that Cassandra would keep Lucian in line and would make him happy. But Damien hadn’t been there to help them celebrate making their bond official, yet another failing on his part.
“I’m sorry for missing the wedding… I got the invitation, but I just…”
She swayed her hand lightly. “Don’t apologize. It’s good to see you,” she said.
“You too,” he replied, something he could say with no hesitation.
By the time she finished speaking, Lucian had put his hand on her shoulder, betraying the intimacy between them.
Lucian and Cassandra as a couple seemed far more likely than Sloan and Adam, but what did Damien know?
He’d been in his own world for so long, he doubted his capacity to understand anything about the one outside it. They looked good together, looked happy, and Damien was happy for them and tried to ignore the fact that his chance for that same happiness was gone forever.
“Heard you were in trouble,” Lucian said.
His brother was even-toned but met his eyes, and Damien could swear he saw a look of disappointment. He couldn’t focus on himself, because he wasn’t here for himself. He was here for Lacey, here to help her, and that couldn’t happen if he was wallowing in self-pity.
“Where did you hear that?” Damien asked.
“Sloan told me you were downstairs, said she thought you might be in trouble,” Lucian responded.
Damien blinked. “Why did she think that?” he asked.
“You’re here,” Lucian said, stating the obvious conclusion.
He wanted to protest, but he didn’t have a leg to stand on, so he didn’t even try.
“I’m not. But Lacey is,” he said, his voice hitching over her name, his heart lurching at the thought of Lacey in trouble.
Lucian blinked, surprised. “You’ve been in touch with Lacey?”
“Yeah. I got a call from Artemis, and he told me Tremaine was going after her,” Damien said.
“Artemis Crow?” Lucian asked.
Damien nodded. “Yeah.”
Lucian laughed. “I thought Crow was dead,” he said.
Damien gave his own grudging smile. “Nope. It’s worse. He’s in Hollywood,” Damien said.
They both laughed at the idea of their old friend Artemis in La-La Land, but they soon went quiet.
“So, Tremaine, huh?” Lucian said.
“Yeah,” Damien replied, looking at Lucian. “You don’t seem surprised by that.”
When Lucian looked to Cassandra, Damien’s suspicion kicked into overdrive.
“Lucian, what the fuck is going on?” he said. “Sorry, Cassandra.”
He kept his gaze on Lucian but saw Cassandra’s quick smile.
“Don’t be. I’m used to profanity,” she said. Then she looked at Lucian. “I’m going to leave you two to talk.”
Lucian nodded, and Cassandra patted Damien on the shoulder and then left, leaving him and his brother alone.
Damien thought he might explode from the tension that gripped him, and Lucian’s expression was doing nothing to help. “Tell me,” he said.
“Tremaine’s been up to his old tricks,” Lucian said.
Damien shrugged, though even the sound of his name made him murderous, let alone thinking about the things Tremaine had done. “No surprise there. I hadn’t expected he’d stop.”
“Me either, but I got sick of waiting,” Lucian said.
“What did you do?” Damien asked, trying to rein in his warring emotions. He was proud of his brother for caring enough, being brave enough to try to stop Tremaine, but he had the sinking feeling Tremaine intended it to be Lacey who paid for Lucian’s actions.
“You know I’ve been looking for something that would bring him down for years,” Lucian said.
Damien did, but he hadn’t paid too much attention, knew all too well how futile opposing Tremaine would be.
“Yeah. You found something?” Damien asked.
Lucian nodded. “He had an interest in a resort in Bali,” he said.
Damien frowned. “Bali? Tremaine did most of his work in South America and the Middle East selling weapons and information. What was he doing in Bali?” he asked.
“He’s been expanding, and Bali was his way into Asia,” Lucian said.
“Was?” Damien stared at his brother with question.
“A little over a year ago, I got a tip that Bali had good intel on Tremaine’s operations. Adam and Sloan went in undercover and got the information and captured one of Tremaine’s associates. He still hasn’t completely recovered,” Lucian said.
“What the fuck?” Damien said, looking at Lucian with disbelief. “And since when did you start sending Sloan on missions?”
Lucian shrugged. “Long story, but the thing is, this is real, Damien. Our first real crack at taking Tremaine down,” he said, emphatic now.
“So if you have something, why is Tremaine still free?” Damien asked.
“It’s taking…time. You know Tremaine is good at covering his tracks.”
“A year?” Damien asked, narrowing in on his brother.
“We’re close,” Lucian said.
Damien thought he would explode with anger. “And it didn’t occur to you that Tremaine would respond?”
“The guys can take care of themselves, and Sloan and Cassandra are covered,” he said.
“Lacey
isn’t,” Damien whispered through clenched teeth.
Lucian frowned, but Damien hardly noticed. He’d been disgusted at Lacey’s lack of trust, but it proved well-earned. This was his fault. Lucian had gone after Tremaine in an attempt to get justice, but he’d put Lacey in Tremaine’s crosshairs.
“Sorry, man. I didn’t think…” Lucian said.
Damien waved his brother off. He couldn’t be angry with Lucian for doing what he himself would have if he’d been even a shadow of his former self. He wasn’t, but he wouldn’t let Lacey suffer more than she already had.
“He’s on her scent now. He’s not going to drop it,” Damien said.
“Do you know where she is?” Lucian asked.
“Somewhere in Nevada,” Damien replied. He knew she wouldn’t go back to her house in Oregon, which meant her family’s ranch would be her next stop.
Lucian frowned but didn’t speak. He didn’t need to, though. Damien knew how ridiculous he sounded, not being able to identify where the woman he’d cared for so deeply lived.
In theory, it shouldn’t be hard to find her, but though he had loved that woman, had been certain he was going to marry her, he had no idea where the family ranch she had told him so much about was located.
They’d made plans, talked about how he would one day meet her family, how she’d get to know Lucian better. Another dream that wouldn’t come to fruition. But he pushed that aside and focused on the reason he’d come here. Lucian would help him keep Lacey safe. As soon as Damien found her.
“Sorry. I don’t have any more than that,” Damien said, acknowledging how little he had to go on.
“Hold on a second,” Lucian replied, striding to his desk. He grabbed a piece of paper and thumped it. “We might not need more than that.”
11
“Good to catch up with you, sis,” Daniel said.
Lacey lifted her closed eyes and looked at Daniel, who sat across from her on the porch swing, both of them swaying in the darkness of the night.
“You too. And the ranch is just as beautiful as ever,” she said.