“Please, Colonel. My fiancé is waiting for me.”
“That’s right. Good for you. You nabbed a rich pretty boy with more dimples than sense. Once again, you landed firmly on your back.”
“Colt is a good man.” The quaver in her voice was anger, but as she hoped, Montgomery heard fear.
“Meaning I’m not? My offer was made in good faith.” He looked at her finger. “I couldn’t give you a ring. Tell me, what did you have to do for that?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do. Tell me.” Montgomery pulled her closer. “I want details.”
“You’re drunk.” Sable made a poor effort at trying to get away.
“Not drunk. More like feeling no pain. I have a room upstairs. I’ve always preferred showing to telling.”
“I said no when you were my commanding officer. My answer hasn’t changed.”
“But a few well-placed words from me, and everyone will believe you came on to me.”
“It’s a lie.”
“I know it and you know it. But when a full bird colonel in the United States Army speaks, the world listens.”
“But you admit that you tried to force me into a sexual relationship? I quit the Army because it was either give in to your demands, or you would have ruined my career.”
“Sure, I admit it. To you. You weren’t the first. Or the last. But no one would have listened to you then. And they sure as hell won’t listen now.”
“They won’t have to.” Sable took her phone from her purse. “I have it all right here. In your own words.”
“I DON’T CARE if you paint my ass blue and call it the Pacific Ocean. You take care of the publicity. I need to find Sable.”
Wyatt had been yapping about PR for what seemed like an eternity. Colt didn’t know what bee had gotten in his brother’s bonnet, but enough was enough.
“I don’t find the idea of your ass, no matter the color, appealing. But for some reason, the rest of the world does. I’ll keep the ocean idea in mind,” Wyatt called after him. He looked at his watch. Twenty-four minutes, thirty seconds. Not bad. He hoped it had been enough time for Sable to finish her business.
Frustrated, Colt searched the room for Sable. It didn’t take him long to spot her. She was engaged in an animated discussion with a man in an Army dress uniform. They were too far away for him to make out the insignia, but from his age, and the number of medals and other hardware on his chest, Colt guessed he was fairly high ranking.
“I seem to have lost my daughter.” Mathias Ford said, stopping by Colt. “Does that frown mean you’re in the same boat?”
“She’s over there.” Colt nodded. “Do you recognize the man she’s with?”
“Son of a— I didn’t know that bastard was here.”
“Who is it?”
“Colonel Baker Montgomery.”
Colt heard the anger. It echoed through him. But when Mathias started over, Colt stopped him.
“I know you want to save her. So do I. Sable can take care of herself. She needs to do this, sir. On her own.”
Reluctantly, Mathias gave a short nod, but he kept his eyes glued on his daughter. As did Colt. He would let Sable finish with Colonel Montgomery. If there were anything left, he would take his turn.
“GIVE ME THAT, you cunt.”
Montgomery made a grab for her phone. Sable was way ahead of him. She had no intention of taking any chances. Before putting it in her purse, she quickly sent a copy of the recording to her boss, Alex Fleming.
“I kept silent once. It was a mistake. This time, you’re going to pay, Colonel. For what you did to me. And every woman you’ve ever harassed.”
Montgomery sputtered. Sable had knocked the perpetual smirk off his face. In its place was a look of disbelief—and growing rage. She needed the last nail in the coffin. To get it, she poked the bear one more time.
“Don’t take it so hard, Colonel. It isn’t the end of the world. Oh wait,” Sable slowly smiled. “In your case, I guess it is.”
Sable knew it was coming. Had planned for it. She used her training to move at the last second. Even so, Montgomery’s punch hurt. When she staggered back, clutching her face, it wasn’t entirely an act. But falling to the floor was. She could have easily stayed on her feet. But the effect on the crowd wouldn’t have been as dramatic.
She lay in a heap, covering her face with her arm as though afraid he would hit her again. Gasps echoed through the room. Shouts of outrage followed a brief shocked silence.
“Sable!”
Colt pushed his way through the crowd, her father close behind. Going to his knees, he pulled her close.
“How badly are you hurt?”
“He’s dead,” Mathias growled. “If he’s breathing tomorrow, I’ll know the reason why.”
This had gone on long enough. Baker Montgomery had shown his true colors. In front of a crowd filled with high ranking military officers, reporters, and flashing cameras. She didn’t want her father getting into trouble because she overplayed her part.
“I’m fine.” She let Colt help her to her feet, whispering under her breath, “If my father goes for Montgomery, hold him back.”
“Is this an act?” Colt whispered back.
“Yes.”
Colt’s eyes met hers as if to say, I got this. Sable saw the moment it happened. When Colt Landis, fiancé, became Colton Landis, movie star. He turned, the fury was real, but the actor in him knew how to sell the emotion.
“Someone arrest that man. You saw it. He hit my fiancée. What kind of monster punches a defenseless woman?”
“Careful,” Sable warned. No need to overdo it. But Colt knew his audience and the crowd was with him. The outraged voices grew in volume and as if on cue, two men dressed in Army MP uniforms appeared beside Colonel Montgomery.
“Will you come with us, sir?”
“I will not.” The alcohol was wearing off, but Montgomery’s arrogance was bone deep. “Remember who you’re addressing, soldier. I can have you stripped down to private before you can cry for your mommy.”
“Take him away, Sergeant.” Mathias Ford stepped forward in full colonel mode. “And if he resists, you have my permission to use force.”
“Yes, sir.”
Montgomery seemed to weigh his options. He looked around for support, finding none. His best course of action was to cooperate. He had friends, damn it. Important men who had his back.
“You think this is over?” He directed the words at Sable. “Burn me down, I will rise from the ashes.”
Head held high, Colonel Baker Montgomery walked from the room, flanked by military police.
“I’ll go with them.” Mathias took Sable’s hand. “You’re going to have a shiner. Not your first, but I’ll bet the most memorable.”
Sable hugged her father. “You won’t leave town without saying goodbye.”
“No. I’ve been invited to breakfast with the Landis family. Do you think I would miss the opportunity to sit across the table from Callie Flynn? Take care. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Mathias marched across the ballroom, stopping to speak with several Army officers, one a general. Whatever he said had the men nodding in agreement. After the brief conference, they left as a united force to be reckoned with.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” On the bandstand, microphone in hand, Caleb Landis drew everyone’s attention. “This shocking event will stay with us for a long time, but as you can see, my future daughter-in-law, Sable Ford, is going to be fine. Please, honor the cause we are supporting this evening by staying and enjoying the party. And,” he winked, “opening your wallets.”
The light laughter Caleb’s words generated seemed to do the trick. The band played an up-tempo tune and the crowd began to disperse. Some toward the bar, others the buffet. But the gossip ran rampant.
“Our PR team has already put out a statement,” Wyatt assured Sable.
“That was fast.” Sable was impressed.
�
�It’s what they do,” Wyatt shrugged. “It was only a few lines—just to get ahead of the inevitable demands for information. They will take care of everything. If you want to do an interview at a later date, that will be up to you.”
That was the last thing Sable wanted. She would have to give a statement to the Army. If there were a trial, or court martial, her testimony would be read. She was no longer military. They kept things as internal as possible. Sable wasn’t adding fuel to the fire by making public declarations. What happened was now between Colonel Montgomery and the United States Army.
“YOU GOADED HIM into punching you.”
They were in the hotel suite. He had whisked her away as soon as his family had made sure Sable was all right. The party would continue—without them.
“I goaded him,” Sable admitted, sighing with pleasure when Colt placed a cool cloth on the darkening bruise. “But I expected a slap. Bastard. Who punches a woman?”
“I wanted to kill him.”
“Me too.”
“In which case, we would be the ones in prison.” Colt had removed his jacket and tie, draping them over a chair while he unfastened the first two buttons of his shirt. “Will there be justice?”
Sable reached to remove her shoes, smiling when Colt did it for her. He kept one foot in his hands, massaging the sole. With a grateful sigh, she reclined on the bed.
“I can’t guarantee anything. However, the Army can’t ignore one of their colonels punching a woman—in public. Nor will they be able to sweep the recording I made under the rug.”
“So smart.” Colt joined her on the bed, pulling her close. “Sending it to Alex. The way your mind works fascinates me.”
“I spent a lot of time picturing a confrontation with him. I wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip away. He dug his own grave. I made certain he was too deep to climb out.”
“You’re still a soldier at heart.”
“Part of me always will be.”
“Sable—”
“I know what you’re going to say.” She rested her hand on Colt’s cheek. She looked into his blue eyes and smiled. “That life is over. It was over the day I turned in my papers. I had my regrets, but they weren’t because I left the Army. It was how I left. Leaving Colonel Montgomery free to abuse other women has eaten at me, Colt. It won’t anymore.”
“They would take you back.”
“Maybe. But I don’t want it. Not anymore.”
“You’ll be happy here? Hollywood can be a bitch.”
“So can I,” Sable grinned when Colt laughed. “Can you live with an ex-Army Ranger who carries around a bit of an attitude? One who can kick your ass?”
“I came to grips with that reality the first time you knocked me off my feet.”
“Then kissed you.”
“Best day of my life. Until now.” Colt unzipped her dress, caressing her warm, silky back. “I love you, Sable. Attitude and all. If you promise to kiss it and make it better, you can kick my ass anytime you like.”
EPILOGUE
“WHO WANTS TO knock the sexiest man alive on his ass?”
“When I said you could do this anytime you wanted, I meant you and me, in the privacy of our bedroom.” Colt lowered his voice. “You know. Foreplay? These women mean business.”
Damn straight, they did. This was Sable’s new business. When a woman signed up for a class, she was taught how to take care of herself against all comers. When Colt volunteered to help, he knew what he was getting into.
“Fine.” Sable turned to the class. “Ladies. Mr. Landis will be starting production of a new movie next week.
There was a squeal of excitement from several women, followed by a buzz of conversation.
“Ladies.” One word from Sable and they quieted, but the hum of energy remained. “This is a multi-million-dollar face.” She took Colt’s chin between her thumb and forefinger, turning his head for the women to admire. “No damage, please. Besides, I’m rather fond of it. So for my sake, be careful.”
“I love you, too,” Colt muttered as he waited to play attacker. But the twinkle in his blue eyes took the edge off his words.
Sable wasn’t worried about Colt. He knew how to take a fall. One woman. One demonstration. Then he would leave. He was meeting his mother for lunch and had stopped by to say hello. Commandeering his services had been a spur of the moment impulse. And Colt, no matter what he said, was happy to oblige.
Lord, he was beautiful. And so sweet with the women in her class. Colt took the time to speak with each one—drawing them out with his trademark charm. Her heart melted when he shook the hand of a shy fan, bringing a blush to the woman’s cheeks. If Sable hadn’t already been in love, that would have done it.
The decision to start teaching self-defense classes full time had been an easy decision. The response from the one Jade had organized had been overwhelmingly positive. With some help from her friends, Sable had put out feelers—to get an idea if there was interest. She had to turn away applicants. Plans were in place to hire more instructors—women Sable knew from her Army days. But for now, she was happy to start small and build a solid reputation.
Colonel Montgomery resigned his commission. End of story. Sable’s father had kept them up to date. At first, Montgomery tried to bluster his way through, convinced he was too important—too well connected. He soon discovered there was no support to be had. He was left with two choices. Leave with a full pension, or face charges. In the end, there was no choice. He retired. Scandal averted.
The story died down in Hollywood because Sable refused to speak out. Requests for her to tell her side stopped when they realized no meant no. She wasn’t waiting for a better offer. Money wasn’t the issue. As far as she was concerned, it was over—and she wanted it to stay that way.
Colt graciously let the volunteer send him to the mat. Applause followed, and Sable ended the class. Reluctantly, the women gathered their things, talking excitedly as they exited the room.
“Thank you.” Sable handed Colt a bottle of water. The small refrigerator was one of the reasons she had chosen this space to rent. Another plus was the convenient location. Sable liked being able to walk to work each morning. There was room to expand when she was ready, and the owner was open to making renovations.
“My pleasure. I got to spend part of the day with you, and look.” He did an impressive pirouette. “No bruises.”
“Are you sure?” Sable wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling close. “Tonight I better check. Just in case.”
“Now that you mention it, there’s a spot right here.” Colt pointed to his inner thigh. “Want to see?”
“Yes.” Sable laughed when Colt’s hands went for the waistband of his sweats. “Later. You don’t want to keep your mother waiting.”
“No. And we’re meeting Alex and Dani for dinner, right?”
Alex and his wife, Dani, were in Los Angeles on business. He had taken Sable’s suggestion about hiring more women to heart and wanted to get her input. The couple used it as an excuse to visit. Sable looked forward to seeing her friends.
“He’s going to ask you to come back to work.”
“And I’ll tell him the same thing I have every other time. I’m willing to do the occasional freelance job. A day or two at most. But not full time.” Sable gave Colt a lingering kiss. “I’ll miss Harper Falls and my friends. But this is my home. With you.”
“Because you love me.” Colt rubbed his cheek against hers.
“With all my heart.”
Sable looked into his eyes, the blue deeper than usual. This was home. Right here, in Colt’s arms.
COMING SOON
COMING IN JUNE
After the Fire (One Pass Away Book Three)—Gaige’s story
COMING IN JULY
Dreaming Again (Hollywood Legends Book Four)—Wyatt’s story
COMING IN AUGUST
An exciting new series.
Flowers on the Wall (Hart of Rock and Roll Book One)
And in December look for Callie and Caleb’s story
Dreaming of a White Christmas (Hollywood Legends Book Five)
AN EXCERPT FROM
AFTER THE RAIN
(One Pass Away Book One)
LOGAN. LOGAN. LOGAN.
Logan Price closed his eyes, taking it all in.
“Hear that, kid?” Starting quarterback Gaige Benson slapped him on the back. “Two games under your belt and you’re a star. Now let’s go out there and add super to the front of it.”
The announcer for the team set them in motion down the tunnel with his familiar introduction.
“And now, let’s hear it for your division champion SEATTLE KNIGHTS.”
The roar of the crowd. There was nothing like it. A packed stadium. Fans chanting his name. Few people would ever experience what it was like to take the field in a professional football game.
Logan Price had been working for this his entire life. He could still remember in exact detail the first game he ever saw. Too small to climb onto the stool in his father’s bar by himself, his old man had lifted him onto the seat.
Stay and be quiet.
Not an easy order to follow for an active, inquisitive little boy. One glance at the game and for once, Logan had no problem following his father’s command. The old TV transported him to a foreign world filled with bright lights and shiny helmeted warriors. Logan didn’t know what he was watching. He did know he wanted to be one of those men.
A Sunday afternoon in rural Oklahoma. Lefty’s Pub was filled with after-church drinkers who figured they had done their duty to God and family. The rest of the day was their time. A beer. Or two. Or six. Cronies who understood a man’s need to unwind before the start of another workweek.
And football.
If the Friday night high school game was their true religion, the Sunday afternoon games were a close second. As Oklahoma boys, they hated anything Texas. The men of Denville gathered every week to root for whichever team was playing the Dallas Cowboys.
Dreaming Of Your Love (Hollywood Legends #3) Page 29