Sapphire Ice

by Hallee Bridgeman

  The air burned in her lungs. Suddenly, she could feel the cold and started shivering. She took another step away from him. "You killed them?"

  He stepped forward. "He's the one who had the gun. He pulled it on me. But I knew how to move back then and got it from him. The first shot was an accident. I swear it was. But then I had to kill her, too. She knew who I was and I wasn't going back inside. No way was I going back."

  He let out a shuddering breath. "But that's all water under the bridge. All in the past," he said in a calmer voice. "I wanted to talk to you about the present."

  She dropped the packages on the ground, wondering if she could take him. Fear kept her frozen, and she knew she couldn't. She also knew she couldn't risk Sarah. "What about it?"

  "See, here's the deal." He suddenly showed signs of nervousness, and that terrified her even more. "I really worked on going straight, you know? I wasn't ever even going to tell you who I was. I figured, you'd work the bar and I'd get to know you, and in the meantime I was doing whatever I could to keep it going, to have a roof over my head and still be able to pay my tab."

  He calmed, grinned again. "But the problem is, the straight and narrow ain't never worked for me. I slipped here and there, nothing major, but a deal's a deal, you know?" He fished a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, and his hands shook badly enough that she wanted to take it away from him and get the cigarette out for him. "Then the bar closed down and I had all this free time. So a few months ago, I got into something big. Only, I didn't know who I was dealing with, and they don't have a sense of humor about the money I skimmed off the top. I never touched the merchandise, never have. You gotta be stupid to touch the merchandise. But, I've always skimmed. Everybody does. You know, to cover expenses and what not."

  He paused long enough to light the cigarette, then leaned against her car and hooked his thumb in the pocket of his dirty jeans as casually as if he were discussing last night's football game. "So, I'm finding myself in a bit of a jamb. I have to come up with the money, see, all of it."

  She rubbed at throb that had suddenly appeared above her eye. "I don't have any money, Sandy."

  He made a sound in the back of his throat like a strangled cough. "My name's Craig. Craig Bartlett."

  She spoke with extreme patience, as one would to a child. "Okay, Craig. I don't have any money."

  He laughed then bent over and coughed until his face turned beet red. He finally recovered and straightened. "I know you don't. But I also know that your boyfriend does."

  Ice clawed through her stomach and began working through her veins. "What are you talking about?"

  "Oh, come on. You can't lie to your old man. I know. I been watching." He straightened and flicked the cigarette away. "Here's how it's going to work. Either ask him for the money or pilfer something we can hock. I don't care which. But you do that, and you do it before Thursday. I have to pay these folks Friday morning. Got that? You got until Thursday."

  "No way." She was mad now, and the heat of anger started to thaw the ice.

  He grabbed her by her shirt front and dragged her toward him. "Ten thousand. I need ten large by Thursday, or I hurt your sisters. I don't care which one, either. Neither of them's mine." He pushed her away and she staggered into her car. "Thursday," he repeated, then stalked away, leaving her standing there in the cold.

  CHAPTER 15

  THE dress had the faintest of silver snowflakes sewn into icy blue satiny material. It had long tight sleeves hemmed at the wrist with silver thread and buttoned down the front with silver buttons in different snowflake shapes from the scooped neck down to where the dress stopped just below her knees. When she'd put it on in the store, she'd felt elegant and beautiful. Tonight she felt cheap and gaudy.

  Robin managed to get her hair piled on top of her head and styled into a mass of curls secured by a silver clip on loan from Maxine. But when she tried to apply her makeup, tremors kept going through her hands and she had to wipe it off and start over again twice.

  She added lipstick and stood back from the mirror. No one looking at her would know that it had taken a full half an hour to apply the makeup, and only the façade mattered, anyway. She took a deep breath and slowly released it before she reached for the necklace, another loan from Maxine. The latch wouldn't catch, so she took another breath to try and steel her nerves, then tried again. Still nothing.

  It all started to overwhelm her, and suddenly her world began to gray and her heart started racing. Then she heard the knock on the door and let out a strangled cry.

  Steeling herself, she met her own eyes in the mirror and tried to give herself a little boost. Tonight was a big deal for Tony, and she could pretend she felt perfectly fine and dandy until tomorrow.

  Secure in her ability to control her emotions, but not sure how much time had passed since the knock, she quickly moved through the apartment and threw open the door. There stood Tony, clad in his tuxedo, looking gorgeous and strong. Her eyes met his, and some calm returned. Just remember the façade, she told herself. This night belonged to Tony.

  "Wow," he said. "You look absolutely beautiful. More than beautiful. Amazing."

  She smiled and fought back the sting of tears. "Thank you. I actually went shopping this morning."

  "You have both beautiful eyes and a good eye, cara," he said with a smile. "Problem?" he asked, gesturing to the necklace she still had clutched in her hand.

  "Yeah. The latch isn't working. Or my hands aren't. One of the two."

  He picked the necklace up and made a show of inspecting the latch he'd personally had Maxine rig while her spicy perfume wafted up and assaulted every sense he had. His hands shook and he thought about them all alone in the apartment. Then he thought about the hundreds of people waiting for him at the hotel. So, he turned her toward the mirror by the door.

  Behind her back, he switched necklaces, then put the new one around her neck. Maxine had done him the favor of calling him the very second Robin had returned with the dress, so he'd known exactly what to buy. It was a simple single strand choker of diamonds set in snowflake patterns in white gold that complemented the dress as if it had been made for it.

  He watched the reflection of her face while he secured the ends of the chain. Her eyes were downcast, her expression serious, and he wondered what was going through her mind. He could almost see the waves of tension radiating from her.

  "There," he said, "all fixed."

  "Thanks, I don't know what was wrong with the stupid – " Her hand touched the choker as her eyes flew up to the mirror. She stared at her reflection with wide eyes before she slowly raised them to his. "Tony, I … you … I … "

  Tony kissed the side of Robin's neck just below her ear and smiled. "It's perfect." He murmured. He turned her by her shoulders and tilted her chin up. "You're perfect."

  He turned her gently, but firmly, and he deliberately took her mouth with his. The slow languid kiss made her sigh. The sound vibrated through him. She stepped closer and wound her arms around his neck. A spark of desire ignited and spread through his middle. He forced himself to break contact and stamp it down.

  Robin closed her eyes and rested her forehead on his shoulder. "You need to quit giving me gifts like this."

  He grinned and trailed a finger down her sleeve, over the pulse in her wrist and back up again. "Why?"

  "Because I don't want you to think that I expect it." She raised her head and gripped the lapels of his coat and looked at him with eyes so intense they glittered. "That's not why I'm with you. I don't care about the jewelry or the money."

  His eyes sobered as he tilted his head and looked at her. "I know that, Robin."

  She jerked away and reached her hands behind her neck, fumbling with the clasp. "People will see me and they're going to think – "

  "Stop!" He grabbed her wrists and jerked them down. "What does it matter? Huh?" He rolled his eyes over her head and muttered under his breath. "Si un piccolo testardo."

  She'd been working
on learning Italian, and her eyes widened while she fought to keep up with the words as he rattled them out. "Did you just call me a little pig?"

  "Pig headed. I called you pig headed, because I've already made it clear that I don't care what others think."

  "People will – "

  "So what?" He realized the level to which they'd raised their voices and took a deep steadying breath. "We know. You and I know. Us. God knows. That's all that counts."

  She breathed in and out, concentrating on fighting off the panic. "Okay." Another breath, in and out. She nodded. "Okay, I'm sorry. I guess I'm just nervous."

  He smiled and kissed her one more time. "Everyone will love you." Like I do, he silently added. "I have no doubt."

  Wanting to lighten the mood, she pushed away and grabbed her clutch bag. She pulled out her lipstick tube, intending to repair the damage of his kisses. "Except those who call me a pig."

  He laughed and kissed the top of her head before gathering her coat from the back of the couch. "The exact translation was you're a little pig headed fool."

  She snorted while she laughed and tried to hold her arms steady through the gale while he helped her put on her coat.

  BARRY watched them walk into the ballroom arm in arm – the tall, dark Italian with the cool, slim blonde. Even he, skeptic of their relationship, could see how well they looked together, and could see the way his friend practically hovered over her as they worked the room. His touches were casual but constant – a brush on her cheek here, a hand at the small of her back there, and Barry relaxed further when he saw how Robin responded, how she leaned into Tony or smiled a smile just for him. They communicated through touches as though they'd been married for years, and for the first time, Barry began to rethink his earlier opinion.

  Deciding that he'd observed from a distance long enough, he headed in their direction. The party consisted of all of the people who ran the individual companies of Viscolli Enterprises across the country, and their spouses or companions. The gathering was mandatory without being called that, and airplane tickets and lodgings were part of the annual budget for this event. They all knew Barry and several accosted him with different legal questions. At one point, he lost sight of the couple while he talked to a manager and his deejay wife from a west coast radio station Tony owned. Finally, though, he managed to make it to them.

  For the first time since they'd arrived, they stood in a corner alone. Barry watched Tony turn his head and whisper into her ear before he looked up and saw Barry's approach. He felt that conversation they'd had about Robin was the right conversation at the right time. Still felt that way. But he couldn't help feeling relieved when Tony's eyes warmed.

  "Barry. I was wondering where you were." He looked over Barry's shoulder. "Where's Jacqueline?"

  Barry looked at his watch. "She should be landing in Zurich within the hour."

  Tony raised an eyebrow. "Christmas in the Alps this year?"

  "Apparently." His lips formed a hard line. "My flight will leave Tuesday morning."

  Catching Barry's tone and leaving the subject alone, Tony slipped an arm around Robin's back. "Robin, you haven't officially met Barry Anderson, Viscolli's lawyer and, I'm proud to say, a personal friend. My best friend, in fact."

  Robin remembered the last time she'd seen the giant now standing in front of her. She'd been in Hank's kitchen and he had defended Tony when she claimed that Tony insinuated that she could be bought. Her cheeks flushed a little at the memory. "You're the Shirley Temple," she said with a big smile, hoping to cover some of her uneasiness.

  Barry cleared his throat and squeezed her outstretched hand. "How can you even remember that?"

  "It was just surprising that a guy who looked like a linebacker would order that drink. I guess it stood out." She noticed the same drink in his hand and laughed. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you. Tony speaks of you often."

  Robin imagined he could look really mean if he gave it half an effort, but after so many years with Hank, his size did nothing to intimidate her. She could see the kindness in his eyes, and immediately liked him, though she couldn't help shifting under his appraisal.

  "I wouldn't have recognized you if I hadn't known who you were," he said, finally releasing her hand.

  She gestured at the dress. "Well, it's a far cry from a tuxedo shirt and slacks." She leaned closer to him. "But I'll confess that I'd be more comfortable." She shifted her feet in the silver heels. "Especially in those ugly shoes. I miss my ugly shoes."

  The longer Barry spoke with her, the further Tony relaxed. He checked his watch. "It's about time for me to give my yearly pep talk." He glanced around the room until he made eye contact with someone and nodded. "Why don't you two go sit at the table and we'll get the party started."

  Robin hooked her arm through Barry's. "How uncouth would it be for me to kick my shoes off at the table?"

  "Your feet don't smell do they?"

  "Of course not. My nose smells. My feet walk."

  Barry patted her hand while Tony followed behind them. "In that case, anyone who wants to say anything will have to come through me."

  She laughed and glanced back over her shoulder at Tony. He looked so relaxed, so at ease, and she vowed to keep the simulated smile solidly on her face, no matter what.

  SILENCE cloaked the interior of the limo while Robin toyed with the choker around her neck and stared out of the window. Tony stayed quiet himself, choosing to just watch her while the car cut through the quiet streets. He'd known something had been bothering her earlier in the day and had assumed it was nerves from the party, but as the evening wore on, he watched her become more and more tense. He watched all night and whenever she wasn't actively engaged in speaking with someone or laughing just a second too long at something someone said, her face sobered up and a few times she seemed on the verge of tears.

  Neither spoke when the car pulled up to her apartment building or when the driver let them out. They held hands as they climbed the stairs to her floor and walked, slowly, down the hallway to her door. She slipped one shoe off in the hall outside of her apartment, leaning into Tony when she wobbled on one foot and peeled the other shoe off, but still never spoke a word. Tony decided to be the one to break the silence. He took her key from her and unlocked the door but didn't open it.

  "May I make an observation?" He asked, leaning against the wall by the door.

  Robin raised her eyes from the ugly green and orange design in the carpet to look at him. "Sure."

  "You wouldn't be able to play poker. Every single thought you have is written all over your face the very instant you think it."

  Her head started spinning. She smiled a smile that hurt her face and stepped forward to run a finger over his bow-tie. "Then you know what I'm thinking right now," she said.

  He covered her hand with one of his and waited until she raised her eyes to look at him. "Yes, I can tell what you're thinking now. I know you're trying to distract me, because something is seriously bothering you. And I know it's something important."

  She raised an eyebrow. "Can you also tell that I don't want to talk about it?"

  He closed his eyes and sighed before looking at her again. "I wish you would."

  He didn't resist when she pulled her hands out from under his. Framing his face with her hands, she kissed his unyielding lips. "I don't know how." She tried to kiss him again but he didn't give in. Finally she stepped back. "I really wanted to wait until tomorrow. This was your big night." She opened the door and stepped into her apartment. "Can you please come in?"

  After a moment of hesitation, he stepped inside. In the late hour, the apartment lay dark and silent. Robin knew her sisters lay sleeping in their shared room, so she kept her voice low as she and Tony sat on her love seat, their bodies turned toward each other. "Would you mind terribly if I said I didn't really want to go to Florida?"

  Tony reached out and took her hand. Her fingers were like ice, so he sandwiched her hand between both of his, hoping to gi
ve her a little warmth. "Depends. Would you go if I said I had to go, regardless?"

  She stared at his face, his handsome face, his beautiful face and thanked God for giving him to her. "I want to spend Christmas with you, but Sarah can't come."

  He could hear the hurt in her voice, could see the sting of tears in her eyes. "I really need to go. I've been neglecting it, but it can wait until after the holiday, mi amante. I will spend Christmas wherever you are." The relief he saw flash in her eyes had nothing to do with her sister. He frowned at her. "What is wrong, cara?"

  Robin felt tears flood her eyes and spill down her cheeks. She ripped her hand from his and scrubbed at both cheeks. "I'm afraid to talk about it." She sobbed.