Enigma, Maine, Bundle Three

by Iris Abbott

  The woman in question stood and walked forward to give Jenna a hug. “Hi there. I’m Scarlet Gannon.”

  “I’m Jenna.” She quickly stepped away from the woman, putting plenty of space between them. Scarlet, if that was really her name, was a stranger. For all Jenna knew, Scott sent the woman to get rid of her.

  Jenna couldn’t stop herself. She had to ask. “Are you a friend of Craig’s?”

  “We’re acquaintances. I actually don’t know him very well,” the blonde admitted.

  That was confusing. “What brings you by, Scarlet?”

  “Craig had to go to work. My brother-in-law is making sure you’re safe while Craig is out. His wife Rose and I are friends with Brittany and Jessica, so we thought we’d come over and introduce ourselves.

  Jenna wasn’t exactly sure what to think of the bubbly woman trying to talk her ear off. She was relieved on several accounts, however. She was thrilled to know that the gorgeous Scarlet was married to someone other than Craig. And if Scarlet were friends with Brittany and Jessica, she couldn’t be all that bad.

  Jenna immediately warmed up to the other woman. She sat down on the edge of the sofa and motioned for Scarlet to join her. “It’s lovely to meet you. I’m grateful for the company,” she truthfully admitted.

  “That’s what Rose and I figured. She’ll be here in a few minutes, by the way. She left a couple of packages in the car, and she went to get them.”

  As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Jenna hesitated. “Craig told me several times not to open the door,” she explained to her visitor.

  Scarlet laughed. “Honey, most of the men in Enigma are fiercely protective. You’ll learn that the longer you stay here. Justin is out there keeping the bad guys away. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll open it.”

  Jenna didn’t want to do anything foolish to put herself in jeopardy. She didn’t want to cower in a corner hiding from the world either. That would be a win for Scott. Jenna wasn’t giving up any more of her life for the jerk.

  “No! I’ll do it. I’m not giving another inch to my ex-boyfriend. He’s not worth it.”

  Scarlet punched the air with her fist. “You go, Jenna! Take back your life.”

  “I’m all for it.” She marched toward the foyer. “Got any ideas on that score?”

  Scarlet gleefully rubbed her hands together. “As a matter of fact, I do. Hurry up and let Rose inside. We’ll tell you all about it!”

  Jenna glanced through the peephole. Reassured that Scott wasn’t the one waiting, she partially opened the door. “Hello, I’m Jenna. And you must be Rose and Justin.”

  Justin nodded and nudged Rose through the door. “Nice to meet you, Jenna. Now I need you ladies to move inside so I can close the door. And make sure you lock it as soon as it’s closed. Craig would not be happy if he saw you standing at an open door.”

  Rose huffed. “You men worry too much,” she firmly stated. “Us women are quite capable of looking out for ourselves. Besides, you’re the best at what you do. Nothing or no one is getting past you.”

  Justin grunted. “I wouldn’t try selling that argument to Craig. Go on inside,” he said with a grin. “And try not to get into too much trouble.” He shut the door.

  Jenna locked it and looped her arm through Rose’s. She eyed the large overflowing bags Rose carried. Feathers and whimsical looking lace in all shades of color spilled from the container. “What’s the plan?”

  Rose sat down on the opposite end of the sofa from Scarlet, leaving the middle open for Jenna. She patted the cushion, encouraging Jenna to sit down. “I think with everything that’s happened this week, Craig forgot it was Halloween.”

  Jenna frowned. Halloween was one of her favorite celebrations. It completely slipped her mind, however. “Is Halloween a big deal in Enigma?”

  Scarlet and Rose burst into laughter. Their mirth turned to giggles that seemed to go on and on. Finally, Rose wiped the joyful tears from her eyes and apologized.

  “Sorry about that. It’s not printed it in the Chamber of Commerce brochures or anything, but you could say that Enigma is the Halloween capital of America.”

  “Definitely” Scarlet agreed. “As a matter of fact, our friend Julie and her husband Alessandro host an awesome Halloween costume party every year on Halloween night.”

  “This is my first Halloween in Enigma, so I haven’t gotten to experience it yet,” Rose admitted. “But all my friends have been talking about it for weeks!”

  “It’s by invitation only,” Scarlet added.

  “Oh,” Jenna felt a little of her excitement wane. “I don’t know the host and hostess, and I’ve been in town less than a week. I don’t have an invitation.”

  “Not a problem,” Rose was quick to reassure Jenna. “Our husbands’ company is in charge of security for the event. We brought an invitation for you.”

  “I don’t know. I don’t want to feel like a party crasher,” Jenna said with a sigh.

  “That’s not going to happen,” Scarlet insisted. “Julie and Brittany have been best buddies for decades. Julie can’t wait to meet and welcome Enigma’s newest resident. Did I mention that Brittany, Jessica, and Brianna will be there as well?”

  Knowing the little bit of family she’d met in Enigma would be there sweetened the invitation. She focused on something else the woman said. “You make it sound like I moved here when in reality I’m hiding from an evil ex who’s intent on snuffing out my life. I really haven’t decided if I’m staying yet.”

  Rose and Scarlet gave each other knowing looks. Jenna wasn’t too sure she liked their expressions.

  “Craig might have a thing or two to say about that,” Rose said with a secretive smile.

  Heat coursed through Jenna’s body at the thought of the scorching kiss she shared with Craig a short time before. “We don’t have a claim on each other,” she confessed.

  “You’re fooling yourself if you think that,” Rose snorted. “Justin and I know Craig well, at least as well as anyone else does.”

  She tried to hide her chaotic feelings from Rose and Scarlet. “We just met,” she said with a shrug of her delicate shoulders. “Craig is only keeping me safe until the danger passes. His home just happens to be the safest place for me now.”

  Rose snorted. “Yeah, Justin told me the same thing, when my cousin was trying to kill me. Even moved me into the Gannon home for my own protection. Two months later I was planning a wedding, and four months after that Justin and I were married.”

  “I could make almost the exact same claim,” Scarlet spoke up. “A stalker followed me from Boston. Mitch decided the small cottage I inherited from my grandmother was too isolated and unsafe. He talked me into being his houseguest. The next thing I know, we’re sexing it up. Then there’s a ring on my finger, and we’re getting married. Now I’m a happy wife and the mother of a strong and handsome baby boy!”

  Scarlet opened her purse and showed her several pictures of one of the cutest infants Jenna had ever seen. An ache in her chest reminded her of how much she wanted a family one day. “Wow, he certainly has a head full of the darkest hair. Such a cutie.”

  Scarlet giggled. “Just like his daddy.”

  Jenna couldn’t even begin to guess at any ulterior motives Craig might possess. “Well, just because that’s what happened with the two of you and your men, doesn’t mean the same fate is in store for me.”

  “Craig doesn’t bring work home with him, at least not the living, breathing kind,” Scarlet informed her.

  “That’s right,” Rose insisted. “He’s very territorial, as are most of the males in Enigma. This is Craig’s home base, his sanctuary. He doesn’t let just anyone inside.”

  Jenna wasn’t sure if they really knew what they were talking about. The possibility turned her insides to jelly and made her heart skip a beat. “Maybe,” was the only comment she made. She didn’t understand her own sudden and intense connection to Craig. She wasn’t ready to discuss it out loud with anyone else.

&
nbsp; She needed to take control of the conversation. “Getting back to this big Halloween bash you mentioned earlier. It sounds intriguing, but I don’t know. I don’t have a costume, and it’s probably too late to find a decent one now.”’

  “Not at all,” Rose enthusiastically declared. She picked up the bags she’d brought in earlier. “We have the costume thing under control. Brianna owns and manages a lovely little shop named Witch’s Brew. She really gets into the spirit of Halloween. She carries all sorts of seasonal decorations and costumes. She helped us pick out a variety of things for you to try on.”

  After all the stress she’d been under because of her urgent flight from Baltimore and the attempt on her life, she deserved a little fun. She really wanted to see her extended family again too. She excitedly reached for the overflowing bags.

  Jenna dumped out the contents and stared. All sorts of materials, textures, and colors greeted the three women. “Wow look at this sexy witch costume,” Jenna exclaimed. She held up the skimpy, black cocktail dress with the attached lacy shawl. A large pointed, black hat with a nice sized blue stone adorning the center of the base completed the flirty and fun costume.

  She couldn’t contain the joyful laughter that spilled forth. She dropped the witch costume to one side, well away from the jumbled mess of the rest of the costumes. “That one has possibilities,” she said between giggles.

  “You might want to know that Brittany, Selena, Julie, and Jessica all went as witches last year,” Scarlett spoke up. “They probably will again this year too. Sexy witch is their go-to costume.”

  Another look that Jenna couldn’t quite interpret passed between the two women. Jenna didn’t want to be like everyone else in her limited circle. She sifted through the various outfits, dismissing and moving most of them to the side. She was about to settle for the popular choice of witch when a clump of golden brown feathers caught her eye.

  She grabbed hold and gently pulled the feathered costume to the forefront. The large, bronze and golden feathers were attached to the side and top of a heavy, bronzed, Venetian mask. A stunning stone reminiscent of a topaz rested top center of the mask. “Oh my, this is absolutely stunning!”

  She frantically started digging through the rest of the clothing that now surrounded her. She had to find the rest of that costume. It reminded her of the golden eagle she was now so fond of. Jenna knew without a doubt that this was the costume for her.

  “I want that one,” she pointed to the mask. “Help me find the rest of it!”

  Rose and Scarlet both joined in the search. “It’s funny, but Brianna said that’s the one you would choose,” Rose confided.

  “Really?” Jenna didn’t remember mentioning her golden eagle fascination to her visitors. Maybe Brianna was one of those super intuitive women with great instincts. She spotted a large piece of brown material and yanked it out of the pile. “Jackpot!”

  Jenna shook it out to get a better look. It was a close-fitting bodysuit made to hug a woman’s curves. The silky material shimmered. Many shades of brown including copper, bronze, chocolate, and russet glistened in the sunlight, putting Jenna under its spell.

  “Look at this!” Scarlet held up a garment. The micro mini skirt was made of the same material as the bodysuit, but it was adorned with several large brown feathers.

  Jenna reached out her hand and lightly traced the soft and silky feathers. “It’s almost like this costume was made especially for me,” she exclaimed. “We have a winner, ladies!” She stood up and collected all three pieces of the costume. “It looks like it’ll fit, but I should try it on just to be sure.”

  “Go ahead,” Rose waved a hand at her. “Scarlet and I will pack up the rest of these while you do that.”

  Scarlet stood and started sorting through the piles of costumes now scattered around the immediate area. “Brianna has a pretty good eye. I’m betting the costume you picked is a perfect fit.”

  “I guess we’ll find out soon enough!” She stepped into the guest bedroom and quickly stripped out of her clothes and slipped on the costume. A good look in the mirror told her the bra had to go. The bodysuit was tight enough to leave lines. Luckily for Jenna, her breasts were pert, and she could go braless. Otherwise, she might have chickened out and gone with a less risqué costume.

  On second thought, maybe not. It was almost as if the costume were made for her. It was a perfect fit, it complemented her figure, and paid tribute to her good omen, the golden eagle. It was this costume or nothing.

  She was tickled pink that the costume fit! If she’d been excited about the Halloween party before, she was ecstatic now. She couldn’t wait to see members of her extended family again. And she was thrilled for the opportunity to meet lots of new people in a safe and protected environment.

  Jenna was so happy she practically skipped into the living room. “What do you think?” She twirled around so that Scarlet and Rose could get a good look.

  “Oh my gosh!” they exclaimed in unison.

  “Craig is going to have a heart attack when he sees you in that getup!” Rose said with a saucy grin and a wink.

  “I totally agree,” Scarlet chimed in. The party tonight just got a lot more interesting!”

  Anticipation fizzed through Jenna’s body. She felt all tingly inside and was having a hard time controlling her excitement. Jenna had a feeling that the simmering passion between them was going to reach untold heights tonight. She paced the floor, listening to her visitors as she aimlessly moved around the living room.

  Jenna glanced at the clock. The party started in a couple of hours. She wasn’t going to bother changing out of the costume. If she were ready for the party when Craig arrived, he’d have less chance to say no. All she had to do was wait and hope he didn’t take forever to return home.

  EIGHT

  Craig bristled as he listened to the voicemail left by Justin Gannon. He was furious with the wolf. Craig asked the security expert to guard Jenna while she was nestled safely inside his penthouse apartment. But instead, she was on her way to a costume party.

  He did not need this on top of the frustrating chase and failure he suffered. He managed to track Scott West to an alley on the edge of town. He was tensed, ready to swoop in for the takedown. But he lost his chance! A store owner opened the access door in the alley, and two deliverymen barreled through pushing a hand truck loaded with boxes.

  Not wanting to be seen by anyone, West ducked out of the alley well away from Craig. Opportunity lost. Which meant that West was still on the loose, and still trying to get to Jenna. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be skulking around Enigma. He would have gone back to Baltimore or left the country.

  And while Craig knew it would be virtually impossible for the man to get to Jenna inside Russo’s castle, Craig was furious. He zipped across one lane of traffic and did a quick U-turn at the next intersection. Jenna was in the opposite direction, so that’s where he was going.

  He glanced down at his black jeans and T-shirt. Not exactly a costume, but he wasn’t wasting time going back to the penthouse. His eagle already clawed to break free. It wouldn’t rest until Jenna was in his sights and he saw for himself that she was fine.

  He turned his black, sporty car onto the desolate road that led toward the party and Jenna. He had sharp eyesight and split-second reflexes. He pushed the pedal to the floor, taking the curves on the winding road with ease. He didn’t breathe easy until the large, stone castle came into view.

  Craig slammed on brakes just a few scant feet from the front door. He threw open the door and tossed his keys to the valet. “Keep it close,” he instructed the shifter. “I won’t be here long.” Craig knew that Mitch and Justin Gannon were in charge of security for the party. The valets were employees of Gannon Security, the first line of multilayered protection.

  Even knowing how thorough the Gannon brothers were, he still had a burning need to lay eyes on Jenna. He climbed the large stone steps two at a time. He was stopped at the top by another wolf who greete
d people and collected invitations. Luckily, it was one of his search and rescue teammates.

  He greeted the wolf. “I left my invitation at home. But Jenna’s here, and I’m going in.” His narrowed eyes and harsh tone of voice signified that he meant business.

  The security guard took a small step back. “Don’t take it personally, but I have to check with Mitch or Justin. They aren’t working, but they’re on the premises.”

  “Do what you’ve gotta do,” Craig growled. “Justin, Rose, and Scarlet are the reason Jenna’s here, so you might want to start with him.”

  Craig impatiently paced. He barely resisted the urge to force his way through the door while Mark checked with one of the big bosses. Only a few seconds passed, but it felt like hours to Craig. Mark must have got the okay through his earpiece because he waved the eagle shifter through.

  The large open foyer and hallway were crowded. There had to be at least a hundred people at the party. All of them wore costumes except, of course, him. Finding Jenna should be an impossible task, especially since he didn’t have any idea what type of outfit she wore. It wasn’t.

  He was unexplainably drawn to Jenna. He was able to zero in on her location immediately. Craig stalked to his left. In a secluded corner toward the back, he spotted a group of women loosely surrounded by their men. He strode that way knowing in his gut that Jenna was with that cluster of people.

  Right before he was on top of the gathering, they parted. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight that greeted him. Craig sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a rush. Jenna was magnificent and heartbreakingly beautiful. She was dressed as a golden eagle, his inner self.

  As if sensing his presence, she turned and gifted him with a stunning, heartfelt smile. She rushed up to him and threw her arms around his neck. “I’m so glad you made it. Everyone has been really wonderful to me, but I missed you.”