That is exactly what they’d been doing since that party. Gavin gave chase and Adelle ran from him. It was a well-orchestrated dance that would soon be over, one way or another. They were both getting older, maturing into adults who now had careers and lives of their own. Adelle couldn’t run from him forever; the time would come where she’d have to make the decision to walk away for good… or allow the persistent man to catch and keep her.
But for right now, Adelle would enjoy their little game.
Safehouse
Upstate NY
Susan couldn’t explain what came over her, but after the terrifying call she received from Dalton and the many sleepless nights that followed, all she could think about was Dominick. He was the only man… the only person she trusted.
Dalton’s reach was boundless. There seemed to be no boundaries strong enough to contain him. With a snap of his fingers, they all came crashing down at his feet.
Dominick.
It wasn’t just his blind loyalty and sense of justice that had her breaking protocol and demanding to see him. After that one long afternoon they’d spent together before she and her family entered into witness protection, Susan had been dreaming of what life could possibly feel like if she was free to see him… to be with him under normal circumstances.
Dominick had to have felt the connection that passed between them the moment she opened the door. It was electric. Palpable. Undeniable. When Susan wasn’t fighting Dalton in her nightmares, she was playing out intimate scenarios with the irresistible detective. And now, here he was in the flesh, sitting in her living room. His dominant, larger than life persona commanded the small homely space.
Susan must’ve been blushing from her thoughts of him because he reached across the tiny space, running his thumb along her pink stained cheeks.
“You all right, Suzie Q? You don’t look well.”
Forcing a small smile, Susan tried her best to look stronger than she felt. “I’m… I’m okay.”
“Tell me what happened, sweetheart. Don’t hold back. Tell me every detail.”
Susan’s lids fell at the sound of his deep voice expressing the endearment and the comfort his tender touch offered. A pent up sigh of relief left her body, immediately releasing the heavy burden that had been weighing her down these many months. The fearful girl would finally be able to breathe easy again now that Dominick was here.
Blowing out one more cleansing breath, Susan attempted to collect her thoughts. Her mind prepared to unleash the truthful accounts Dominick sought. After a moment, she was ready to give her explanation as to why she’d summoned him to her side. She’d fidgeted with her trembling fingers, nervous that the busy detective would find her overdramatic and leave.
Seeing her hesitation, Dominick abandoned his chair and rounded the coffee table to her side. The lost look in Susan’s beautiful eyes, as she gazed up at him, stopped him short. Her stunning picturesque face took his breath away. Lowering his muscular frame down beside her, Dominick took hold of her trembling hand and laced his fingers through her delicate ones.
The weight of his dense physique caused the antique couch cushions to dip under his strong frame. Dominick hit her with his serious, piercing gaze that promised trust and protection and waited patiently for her to speak.
“The day of Dalton’s sentencing, Dalton looked right at me and threatened me. It didn’t matter what he had to do, he’d get out and come after me. He’d come after my family.” Susan hesitated for a moment. “He… he knows I’m here, Dominick. Dalton called this number, knowing it was mine, and knowing I was here to answer it. He is out. I know it.”
Dominick’s brows dipped incredulously.
“That’s impossible. He’s in prison,” Dominick muttered to himself, still in a state of disbelief at what he already knew. He’d worked his ass off to put that bastard behind bars. Dalton was supposed to rot in there for the rest of his pathetic privileged life. This… all of this was supposed to be over.
“Are you sure it was him?” The detective knew that was a stupid question, but it flew out of his mouth without thinking. “It wasn’t just an asshole prank calling, or a former employee of his, trying to scare you?”
Susan adamantly shook her head, determination clear on her face as she cast her stern eyes up into his.
“It was Dalton. He knows where to find us. I don’t know how, but he won’t stop until… until…” Susan trembled as she remembered his sneering voice crackling on the other end of the phone.
“Game over, Susan.”
“Dalton never quits. He will never stop until he kills me for betraying him. I worked for that evil man for far too many years to know… He doesn't bluff.”
Dominick’s body stiffened at the thought of that man’s disgusting hands harming Susan, doing exactly what he’d done to Ellora. “You have nothing to worry about, Susan. I won’t stop until I get to the bottom of what happened and how. I won’t leave until you’re all safe again.” For a brief moment, Dominick’s heart ached when he’d said out loud that he’d once again leave. Now that he’d seen her after all this time, that’s the last thing he wanted to do.
Susan hadn’t heard his sworn declaration. Her mind was tangled up in the web of fears Dalton had weaved, staring off into space, imagining the worst.
The detective cupped her soft cheeks, turning her to face him. With determination in his eyes and seriousness laced in his tone, Dominick repeated himself, making damn sure she heard him this time.
“I’m NOT leaving you… defenseless. I’m staying until I know you’ll be safe from him. For good. Do you hear me, sweetheart? I’m not leaving.”
Susan’s heart swelled at hearing the conviction behind his sworn promise. Her stomach continued to flip-flop as his penetrating eyes bore into hers.
Dominick didn’t mean he’d stay here, here… did he? He simply meant nearby, like a motel… right?
The thought of this man sharing such a small dwelling with her did strange things in the pit of her stomach. Susan had dreamt of a similar situation on several lonely nights stuck inside her protective prison. This should be interesting.
A few tense moments ticked by in the all too quiet room. Susan continued to tremble as she felt the full force of his powerful gaze willing her to believe in him. To trust him.
She already did.
Their moment was interrupted when a group of stomping feet marched through the front door. The crashing noise of the old wooden door banging into the entryway wall nearly had Susan shout with freight. Adrenaline flooded her system, getting her body ready to flee the scene. Her racing heart thundered painfully inside her chest.
In bounded her little brother, Alex, being dropped off by his special needs teaching instructor. Unaware of the terrible scare he’d given his older sister, he removed his sneakers and neatly put them on the shoe rack. Blowing out a puff of pent up air, she watched as he made his way toward her with his wary eyes cast downward.
Dominick couldn’t drag his eyes away from Susan. She lit up with unconditional love and enormous pride poured out of her as the little boy marched stiffly into the room. A large finger painting was clutched tightly in one hand.
The detective observed how the little boy avoided making eye contact with everyone and repelled from being touched by everything around him. Susan was the exception. Little Alex mechanically climbed into her lap and presented the picture two inches from her face.
“Oh, that’s a beautiful picture, buddy. Is that for me?”
He didn’t answer, just raised it higher. Dominick smiled as he watched Susan dote attentively on her special little brother with the love a mother would possess. Studying their interaction, he’d noticed that Susan hardly touched him back. Alex must not like being touched by anyone.
Dominick’s curiosity got the better of him, asking, “Autism?”
Susan glanced over her shoulder at the detective’s question, nodding.
“Yes.” Susan looked down at her brother and introduced
him to the new stranger. “Alex, this is Detective Dominick Antonelli. He’s a police officer. He’s going to be staying with us for a while, okay, buddy?”
Dominick ducked down to the boy’s eye level. “Hello, Alex, it’s nice meeting you.”
Alex grunted and turned his head away from the stranger, tucking himself into Susan’s side. “Let’s help make him feel welcome here.” Alex shook his head frantically, making it obvious he was uncomfortable with interacting with the newcomer.
This news blew him away. He now had a clear picture of the heavy burden of responsibility that rested solely on her delicate shoulders. Susan was much too young for such a role. She had hardly lived life and already was the sole provider for two special needs family members—acting as a mother figure to one and a babysitter to the other, who was supposed to hold the role of mother to Susan and Alex both.
The unfortunate hand life had dealt her had permanently etched itself in her matured expression. Dominick sat back and tried to guess her age. Her maturity and seriousness gave the impression that she was in her late twenties at least. Dominick himself was pushing thirty-five this year.
“How old are you, Susan?”
The look she shot him had the man backtracking quickly. “I only ask because your brother is so young. There’s a big gap between the two of you.”
Nice save!
The suspicious girl glared at him incredulously, lifting one brow. It looked as though she was debating on whether to answer him or not.
“Yes, well, when my mother was in the beginning stages of her dementia transformation, she’d thought it was a decade earlier and that she was on one of her most memorable dates with my father. She was stuck in a confusing memory from her past that played out to her as if it was happening for the first time. She’d come on to him strongly, one thing led to another…”
Susan waved a hand in the air, motioning to Alex, and lifted both her eyebrows in an obvious gesture.
While the two were talking, Alex peeked out from around Susan’s arm at Dominick. He concentrated on the badge that dangled from the chain around the detective’s neck. After a minute, he reached out and touched it. His curiosity brought a smile to Susan’s face.
“I’m twenty-two years old.”
Shit.
Twenty-eight or twenty-nine would’ve been better. The more than a decade age difference between them left Dominick feeling like a dirty old man. He felt guilty for having feelings for the girl he’d been in charge of protecting. Was it wrong that he’d developed such strong feelings for one so young? Or that she was under his protection?
One thing was for sure, Susan acted like no other twenty-two year old woman he’d ever met in his life… God help him, Dominick just had to look into her eyes, and the usually composed detective was a goner. It was going to be extremely difficult for him to keep those feelings in check while staying here in such a small house with her. But Dominick was a professional and didn't want to take advantage of her in this frightened, vulnerable state.
Yeah. Easier said than done.
“Well, I’d better get dinner started.” Whispering in Alex’s ear, she asked her brother, “Hey, buddy, how about watching some cartoons with the detective?” Once again shaking his head, he plopped down from her lap and walked brusquely down the hall to his bedroom.
“He isn’t comfortable around strangers. It’ll take him a while to get used to having you around.”
Dominick shrugged. He didn’t expect him to. “He’s a smart boy.” Rising from the sagging couch, Dominick asked, “Need any help?” before he followed Susan into the kitchen. Poor fucking fool, he knew he probably looked like a dutiful puppy. All those thoughts were cast away when she whipped her head back to lock eyes with him, causing her wavy blonde hair to flip over her shoulder.
Yup. Dominick was definitely a goner.
Dalton stepped out of the dreary, slate gray penitentiary with all the style his wealth could afford—paid armed escorts, wearing a new tailored suit, and he had his driver waiting out front for his next command. Troy stepped out of the car’s shadow, approaching Dalton once the armed guards marched back inside the prison.
“Glad to see you out in the real world, Mr. Claiborne.”
“It’s a pleasure as always, Mr. Wyndham. I hope you have everything ready for my release. Did you bring me what I asked?”
Troy walked tall with all the confidence an unstoppable, fearless man in his position commanded and handed over the items.
“I’ve taken care of everything in your absence, sir, just as you requested. I’ve attended every business deal, handled every negotiation, and dealt with all your scheduled conference calls as your right-hand man. It was a struggle in the beginning to get all your affairs back in line, but after some… persuasion… everyone who’d opposed had been set straight, having seen the error of their ways, and are now back on board with the next project.”
“Very good. I’m impressed as always. I knew I could count on your strong leadership, diligence, and loyalty. What about the other matter?”
Troy smiled, breaking his usually serious façade, and handed over the manila envelope. Troy watched, admiring Giddeon’s handy work as Dalton tilted his head to his only remaining sight and peered inside. That boy fucked him up pretty good. If he actually had the ability to give a shit, he’d respect him. As it was, Troy Wyndham only looked out for one person… himself. Dalton had told him once that life was a game of chess; play to win and never let your opponent know your next move.
Dalton squinted as he looked at the photo of Susan laughing and playing with her little brother in the back yard. Sneering at the still shot of her happiness, he hissed out in disgust, “I can’t wait to wipe that smile off your face. When I get my hands on you, you’re going to beg me to kill you. I’m going to take great delight in destroying everything you’ve ever held dear… traitorous bitch!”
Troy spoke up, “Are you sure you don’t want me to take care of it for you, Mr. Claiborne? It’ll be clean and you’ll be in the clear.”
Growling out in fury, Dalton shook his head as he glared at the picture. “No. I want the satisfaction of dispatching her myself, with my bare hands. Once she is out of the way, I’ll refocus my attention on acquiring Ellora. This time I won’t stop until she is back in the States.”
Troy smiled. That’s what he wanted all along.
Shoving the contents back inside, Dalton addressed Troy, “I want you to continue handling things on the business front for a while longer. I plan to keep a low profile. Not a soul is to know I’ve been released for as long as possible. Not until I’m ready to reveal it.”
Troy nodded his reply. “As you wish. If a problem should arise, I’ll contact you straight away.”
Dalton shook his hand as the driver got out to open his door. “And how is our newest secretary fairing for you?”
Troy’s lip curled into a sinister smirk. “Shannon is serving her purpose quite nicely.”
Dalton laughed, clapping him on the back. “Go easy on her. Good help is hard to break in these days.”
Troy joined his laughter. “I’ll try my best, sir. I like this one.”
The man dressed in black cleared his throat, nervous in his approach toward Dalton. “Where to, Mr. Claiborne, sir?”
Dalton made himself comfortable in the luxurious space in the backseat before replying. “Upstate New York. I have to pay someone a visit.”
CNY maximum security Psychiatric Center:
Mental Health correctional facility
Today was the day. Giddeon looked forward to this day and time every week. Any moment now, his beautiful Angel would walk through that heavy metal door and he’d finally be able to breathe again.
Without the presence of Eva to reassure him, in only the way she could, life’s doubts and self-hatred would crawl back into his heart. Incarceration left too much time on his hands to ponder all the vile things he’d done in the past. His bottomless depression and gut-wrenching guilt thre
atened to drag him back down to the pain of old wounds that had barely begun to heal. The vile monster lay in wait for the chance to once again claim its victim.
Eva had a way of breathing life back into his spirit. Pacing the all-white sterile room barefoot, Giddeon grew agitated as the time dragged on and on, eager to be in the same room with his Angel.
God help him if she ever decided to walk away, his past too much for her to bear. If he was too much for her to deal with anymore, Giddeon would never survive the entirety of his miserable life without her in it. But he wouldn’t blame her if she did.
Now that he had her, Giddeon couldn't live without her. The year of minimal contact had been torture of the worst kind. Pure agony devoured him when all his mind, body, and soul really wanted to do was mount her and claim his perfect Angel as his. The ominous man had fallen for Eva. Darkness had given into the light, and there was no coming back from it.
Heavy metal bolts were thrown aside, pulling him out of his dark thoughts. Giddeon turned on his heel and rushed toward the door. In strode his flawless Angel, lighting up the world around her with that brilliant smile and sparkling eyes. Eva immediately zeroed in on him, looking at nothing or no one else other than her dark warrior. She gazed straight into his black eyes as if they were the most beautiful in the world.
With just one look, she had a power over him that only she possessed, her eyes seeming to reach in and take hold of his soul. Giddeon fought the urge to clutch his chest at the unadulterated ache that tore through him whenever she walked back into his life. Once a week wasn’t enough time. Giddeon desperately needed his Angel.
This week, she had come in alone. Due to their unmatched rapport and the uplifting impression she always left Giddeon in after every meeting, his therapists, anger management counselors, and countless Psych doctors at this correctional facility had allowed Eva to evaluate him in a few sessions on her own.
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