Sin on the Run

by Lucy Farago

  “So he turned Sarah in?”

  “No, he called me. Krupin also doesn’t like to owe favors.”

  He kept her in suspense until they were outside and he’d given the valet his car keys. “I nailed his nephew’s killer. Remember our tête-à-tête on the plane? In his book, he owed me. I wasn’t going to argue.”

  “How did Sarah know where to look for me when …” She cut herself off, not wanting to embarrass him. Given his profession, she hadn’t been sure he wouldn’t find her.

  “When I didn’t know? It’s okay. You haven’t hurt my feelings. And don’t give Sarah too much credit. She’d learned a few tricks from Harris and bugged my mother’s cellphone. My mother had let it be known she wasn’t happy about our situation. Sarah figured, correctly, she was her best chance at getting to you.”

  And there it was. He’d gone and said it. Their situation. There was a lot that needed to be said, but for now they’d deal with this crap. “What about the data stick? Wouldn’t his name be on it? Did she offer that to him too?”

  “No, she was keeping it for insurance. You don’t make a deal with the mob and not have back-up. She knew enough to do that. She married my brother for power and money. And I can attest firsthand to her lack of scruples or fidelity, but that she was screwing Harris since before she married Colin surprised even me.”

  “She said Harris had saved her father from public humiliation. Sounded like hero worship to me.”

  “If that was the case then it was misplaced. The documents she was referring to were evidence linking her father to Russia. Secret Service had been looking for those for years. Harris was protecting his own ass, not her father’s.”

  “Has Colin been told?” The poor guy. His wife going to jail was one thing. Everything else might have the effect Blake had feared.

  “My mother is telling him. Apparently we may have been wrong about Colin. She suspects Colin got wind of Sarah’s affair. The last few months have been hard on him, but he didn’t crumble or fall apart. He’s reconnected with all the old friends Sarah had scared off. Maybe Colin is beginning to see his life without his ‘lovely’ wife.”

  Rhonda tilted her head to one side, scrunching up her face. “Did you throw up in your mouth just now?”

  “Pretty much.”

  Their car arrived. He took the keys as the valet opened the door for her, assuming she was getting in. She glanced at Blake, who watched her expectantly. She’d rehearsed what she’d say to him when she saw him, but had considered it to be along the lines of “Meet your son or daughter.” Or, if she reconsidered and allowed him in the delivery room, “Shut up and push yourself.” Now what could she do?

  “I can take you back to the cabin. I’m sure the police are done with it by now.”

  “All my things are there.” It made sense. Would he want to stay with her? He’d been trying to find her since Scotland.

  He seemed disappointed, but nodded anyway. She got in the car and waited for Blake.

  “So, where’s the data she stole?” she asked, attempting to keep things between them neutral. This was what had brought them together. And now it was over.

  Blake stuck his hand in his front pocket and pulled out the chain he’d ripped off Sarah’s neck. He dangled it between them. “Here.”

  She took the diamond pendant as he drove out of the hotel’s parking lot. It was the one she’d seen Sarah wear the evening they’d met. Three inches in length, the stones were set side by side, starting with three at the top and working their way down to one. Where a cross guard would be on a sword, this was plain platinum with two more diamonds on each tip. The pommel held the chain. “It’s the one your brother gave her for their anniversary.”

  “No, it isn’t. After I got the call from Krupin, I had Monty do some digging to find out what she’d been up to the last few months, and with whom. He tracked a credit card receipt to a jewelry designer in London, the same one who made the necklace found in Dubai. Monty wanted to know if she’d actually given all the stones to Krupin or kept some, so he called the jeweler. That,” he motioned with his chin at the pendant, “is it.” He took a right onto Paradise Road toward the airport.

  “Why would she make a duplicate?”

  “Pull the pommel from the sword.”

  She did, and withdrew a USB flash drive the size of a small fingernail. “Impressive.” She eyed the gadget and froze. “Oh my God. What kind of stuff is on this thing? How many people can it bring down?” She snapped it together and quickly tossed it into the console between them, wanting no part of the foul thing.

  “Yeah, I hear you,” Blake said. “No telling what’s on it.”

  “What are you going to do with it?”

  “Ryan will see that it gets into the right hands. Now, if Sarah was stupid enough to copy it onto her computer, the police will find it. But considering the effort she took to wear it around her neck, I don’t think she took that route.”

  Frankly, she had serious doubts about the brains everyone gave Sarah credit for. But for all she knew, Sarah could be an evil genius as well as a deranged one.

  “Monty will meet us at the airport to take it off our hands. Then we’ll head up to Tahoe. If that’s all right with you?”

  “Sure. The farther away I am from that thing the better.” She rubbed her belly, hating Sarah for threatening to take her baby and appreciating her own decision not to end her pregnancy. It would have been one of the biggest mistakes of her life, and she’d made plenty.

  To think that bitch thought she could pull off pretending that Rhonda’s baby was her own. “Could she have done it? Made people think this baby was Colin’s?”

  Blake fisted the steering wheel, the muscles in his jaw tightening. “If he’d thought to question the paternity, he’d have ordered a standard test. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t have been good enough. And he wouldn’t have had any reason to suspect the baby was mine to have insisted on a more comprehensive test. So yeah, she might have gotten away with it. But she didn’t. Let’s be grateful for that.”

  She was grateful for a lot of things. One thing especially. She was grateful for Lady Helen on all kinds of levels. It was true, Sarah would never have found her if not for Blake’s mother showing up at the cabin, but that nut job had been determined to find Rhonda and take her baby for her own. No, that scene had played out the way it was supposed to. And if Lady Helen hadn’t shown up, Rhonda wouldn’t have the biggest decision of her life to make.

  She wanted to say more to Blake, but she’d wait until they were on the plane, when she could have his full attention.

  At the airport she finally got to meet the infamous Monty, who’d arrived via motorcycle. She’d imagined a cute geek, but if they’d had geeks like this in her computer courses, she might have taken more than the prerequisite class. He looked a little like David Beckham, except without the steely edge, a softer, more laid-back version with glasses. And like all of Ryan’s men, he was super-nice to her and rude to Blake.

  “Not that you care, but I’m not a delivery boy,” Monty said. “That’s Cowboy.” He reached out a hand for the CD case Blake had used to hide the pendant.

  “I just thought you needed some fresh air. You know, sky, sun, birds. There’s more to life than computer screens and video games.”

  “Ha. What would you morons do without me and my video games? I’m surprised any of you know how to answer email. Hey Rhonda, besides the crazy lady, how was the cabin? Maggie’s promised to let me use it over the holidays.”

  “It’s nice. You’ll love it,” she said.

  “Wait, you know about the cabin?” Blake shoved Monty.

  Monty grinned. “I know everything, dumbass, and before you say anything or touch me again …” He held up a hand. “Maggie swore me to secrecy, and she had Christian as back-up. Two against one, bud.” He walked past Blake, returning the shove with one of his own.

  Before this turned into a who has bigger balls match, Rhonda stepped between the two of them. “D
o we need a time out?” she asked the two children.

  Blake growled at Monty, who simply grinned from ear to ear, egging Blake on. She didn’t know who was worse. But before anything more happened, Monty got on his bike and roared off, flipping Blake the bird.

  “Stupid shit,” Blake muttered under his breath.

  Stupid wasn’t a word she considered appropriate for Monty, but she wisely kept that to herself.

  On the plane Rhonda settled into her usual seat, dumping her purse by her feet and leaving everything unsaid between them. Funny, she was getting used to flying in private planes. She’d come a long way. She was no longer the girl who’d had to quit her job to start stripping for money. That girl had changed who she was, then hid behind a fake persona to make certain no one confused her with the woman on stage. And then, little by little, the woman she’d been trying to insulate disappeared.

  Rhonda was the woman who took care of her father. Black Opal was supposed to be the woman in the club. She herself had forgotten there were two of her. Maybe that’s why she hadn’t stopped stripping after her father died. It had taken Jason’s attack for Rhonda to realize her life wasn’t where she wanted it to be and she deserved more. That thinking had led her to Blake.

  Running for your life wasn’t something anyone would want to do, but look where she was because of it. The precious life she hadn’t wanted to be responsible for was everything to her. But baring her soul to a man she loved was harder than baring her body. For her sake as well as their child, should she? Was Lady Helen right? Could they eventually have a normal life? And more importantly, could their child have a mother to be proud of?

  Blake buckled his seatbelt for takeoff. What was going on in that beautiful head of hers? He had this long speech prepared. Why they should be together. The press didn’t matter. He’d planned on trying to convince her to move to Scotland, to help him renovate the house—their house. If she preferred to stay in Vegas, he would, but he believed it wasn’t what she wanted. He just had to convince her of that. He hadn’t touched her yet, but oh, he wanted to. He yearned to put his ear to her so very pregnant stomach, to listen, maybe even feel his child kick.

  But if he didn’t grow a pair soon, none of that would happen. They had an hour or so before they landed. He considered waiting until they returned to the cabin and she could rest. Pregnant women needed their rest. But what if she asked him to leave? At least here, there was nowhere for her to go. Why was he hesitating? He knew why. He was afraid. The first time he’d been shot had been in the jungles of Colombia. His team had had a hell of a time getting him out. It had taken days. He’d stopped bleeding, but everyone had feared bleeding out would be the least of his worries. Losing her was more frightening than dying in a Colombian jungle. He only hoped his mother had gotten her to see reason.

  “Hey,” she said, breaking the silence between them. Now in the air, she unbuckled and turned sideways, awkwardly tucking one leg beneath her. “I just remembered.”

  And she didn’t look happy about it.

  “With everything going on, I forgot to question you about it. We can add sneaky to your list.”

  “I don’t understand,” he said, worried that maybe he did.

  “You tricked Maggie into telling your mother where I was.” She crossed her arms over that beautiful belly.

  “I didn’t trick her. I didn’t even talk to Maggie.”

  “No way, buster.” She wagged her finger at him. “You got your mother to call her.”

  “How was that a trick? You think she’d have revealed where you were because of my mother’s title? Maggie is a loyal friend and she isn’t stupid.”

  Rhonda appeared to consider what he just said. Then her eyes widened. “Loyal, my ass. She knew how I felt about your family, and why I didn’t think you and I should be together. I don’t know how,” she said, giving him the stink eye, “but she got you to call Lady Helen, didn’t she? She’d never have asked directly. I know her. I’ve seen how she works her voodoo on the girls at the club.”

  “She didn’t.” And he wasn’t lying. Christian had, with Maggie’s help. But Blake didn’t want Rhonda’s relationship with the woman tarnished because of him.

  “I don’t believe you. She’s smart … and nosy as hell. She has this mother complex she can’t shake.”

  “Sounds a lot like someone I know.”

  Rhonda snorted, turning forward and reclining her seat all the way back. “Yeah, but she actually enjoys it.”

  “Are you saying you don’t?” He unbuckled and reclined his seat too. Together they stared up at the ceiling.

  After a long pause, she surprised him.

  “I’m scared. What if I suck when it really counts?”

  He flipped onto his side and finally did what he’d been longing to do. He placed a hand over her protruding belly, on top of his baby. “Not a chance in hell of that happening.”

  She swiveled her face toward his. He heard her swallow. “What happens if … when the baby is old enough to find out I was a stripper?” In Scotland, it would be inevitable.

  He knew he’d eventually have to answer this question, and he was prepared for it. “I don’t think it’s something you want to hide. You may not be proud of it, and that’s okay, but you did what you had to do to take care of your father. The same way you’ll do whatever you have to do to protect our child.”

  “Easy for you to say. I’m not ashamed of what I did. Not anymore. But a kid?”

  “Shame is nothing more than the denial of truth.”

  “You come up with that all on your own, or did you pilfer it?” she asked, not as impressed as he expected.

  As she wasn’t telling him to remove his hand, he rubbed her belly, hoping the little bugger would kick. “Nah, someone named M. Funkhouser. I saw it on the Internet. But the man, or woman, had a point. Besides, people like Harris should be ashamed. He was helping to incite a military coup. Sarah has several strikes against her. Not only was she unfaithful to my brother, but she plotted to take our baby. What did you do that was so bad? Anyone who knows you, truly knows you, knows you’re not an evil person. Hell, every team member who’s met you loves you. Bad people should feel shame. Not you.”

  “That’s very philosophical of you, but people won’t see it that way. Children can be cruel. Our child could be ridiculed,” she said, staring at his hand with what he was certain, what he hoped, was a faint smile.

  Then right on cue, the baby kicked. Blake grinned like a stupid fool, wishing he could place his face against her stomach for a tiny boot in the head. This was awesome. “This baby is a fighter. Just like his mum. Anyone who bullies my child will answer to me.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. “His or her mother is the best woman I know and anyone who says contrary will also answer to me.”

  “You’ll defend my honor, will you?”

  “With my life. Which isn’t worth much without you in it. I love you, Rhonda.” He pressed his nose to hers. “You and this baby are all that matters. The rest is bullshit.”

  “Yes, I’m sure your grandmother will see it that way. She’ll have a heart attack.”

  It sounded like she was reconsidering them being apart. “And that’s a bad thing?”

  She swatted his arm. “Don’t talk like that. You know you don’t mean it.”

  “I don’t wish her ill, no. But I won’t have her badmouthing my family either.”

  “She is your family.”

  “She and I share blood, but you have my heart. Say you’ll marry me.” He held his breath, praying she’d come to her senses and that his mother had convinced her the past didn’t matter.

  “And if I wasn’t pregnant?”

  “Regardless of that, I love you. We don’t need to get married. As long as we’re together. But would you kick yourself later, if this baby was the heir apparent and we took that away from him? My brother could still have a child. When he gets over what Sarah did to him, he might very well remarry. And he might not. But think of what
you could do with three point four billion. Scholarships for kids. Addiction programs.”

  Her face lit up. “I didn’t think of that.”

  He was gifted another kick, this one so hard, he’d swear he felt toes. “Damn,” he said, proud of the little football player. “It’s a boy for sure.”

  “Or a girl who can take care of herself.”

  He laughed, content to have either. “Just like her mother.”

  “Here’s the thing, Blake. We can find out the sex of the baby. If it’s a girl …”

  “It won’t matter.”

  “So, you don’t care that I have the results? I can tell you right now.”

  He was curious, but more because he was the kid who snuck downstairs to open his Christmas presents than because of his grandfather’s will. “No. Girl or boy, I want to marry you.”

  She bent over and reached into her purse, pulling out a small manila envelope. She tore it open and stopped, assessing him with speculative eyes.

  “Put it away, Rhonda. And let me give you the things you never had. Help me restore Kendrick Manor. Be a family with me, allow me to take care of you for a change.”

  Someone to take care of me.

  Slipping the envelope back into her purse, Rhonda stood, needing to stretch her back, and get the little bruiser off her bladder. She didn’t care that she looked like a stuffed turkey. She hated feeling like she had to pee every five seconds. She wasn’t keen on the whole breast thing either. Hers were already big enough. Now, she’d resorted to wearing sport bras just to look human—instead of the alien who could feed the entire world.

  “Are you okay?” Blake asked, his furrowed brow making her smile.

  He’d have waited on her hand and foot the entire pregnancy if she’d allowed him to. “No. I think I’m going into labor.”

  “What?” He jumped out of his chair so fast, she didn’t see him move.

  Part of her felt guilty, the other part … didn’t. “Kidding. We can add gullible to the list.”

  He put a hand over his heart. “That was not funny.”

  “Yeah, it kind of was.” She’d been cooped up in the cabin for months and then a serious nutcase wanted to take her baby. If anyone deserved a laugh, it was she.