by Lori Foster
* * *
Ridley waited until Baxter stopped at the table. Wearing a black scowl that, okay, she had to admit was a bit intimidating, he gestured for her to sit.
She paced instead.
Baxter gave her a look, then sprawled onto the bench seat, arms crossed over his bare chest, legs parted.
At least he wore his reflective sunglasses. Somehow, not seeing his eyes made it less nerve-racking to say, “I’m pregnant.”
Other than his jaw going slack, he turned to stone.
Damn. She hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that. Now that she had, anxiety dampened her palms and made her heart hammer.
When Baxter didn’t say anything, she leaned in and snarled right into his handsome face, “Pregnant. Knocked up. Bun in the oven.” To punctuate all that, she added with a sneer, “Dad.”
He came to his feet so swiftly, she didn’t realize he was moving until suddenly he towered over her.
His lips moved, twice, before he choked out, “How?”
He sounded more stunned than angry. Ridley could feel heat pulsing in her face, feel the prickling of the skin on the back of her neck. This won’t do. She wouldn’t let herself be this nervous.
Now that he was on his feet, she sat, legs crossed, arms spread out on the table behind her. “I didn’t figure you for the type who’d need an anatomy lesson.”
Chest heaving, he faced her and warned, “Ridley...”
“Fine.” She was too stressed herself to drag it out. “I’ve been thinking about it. I mean, we’ve been careful, right? Even though I didn’t think I could get pregnant, there are other things to worry about. Not that I was still worrying about them with you, but my middle name is ‘responsible,’ so—”
“Wait.” He twirled a finger in the air. “Rewind that.”
She lifted her brows. “Which part?”
“You didn’t think you could get pregnant?”
Oh, yeah, she’d never really explained that, had she? Shrugging, she said, “That’s why Robbie divorced me. He and his parents wanted an heir, but it wasn’t happening. Not even after three years of boinking without protection. I was willing to try some medical routes, but he refused.” She scowled, thinking. “Maybe the dick knew he was the problem, not me. Could be why he didn’t want a reproductive professional’s input. I mean, he lives off the largesse of his haughty—”
“Ridley,” he said again, and she noticed that his hands were clenching and unclenching into fists.
Fascinating. “So anyway, he wanted out so he could find some other, more fertile lady to give him a brood of kids. He and his parents were happy to pay me off to make the divorce easy. I was...hurt. I mean, not that I was actively wanting kids back then...or really, even since then. But eventually I figured I would.”
“Ridley,” he said again, his voice even softer.
She sighed. “So anyway, it hurt me to be told I was defective, to be discarded because of it, to learn that Robbie never really loved me.” Defensively, she added, “When I hurt, I get even.”
He stood over her. “Good for you.”
Crazy how much his understanding meant to her.
“So,” he said, “Robbie was an asshole who didn’t want the truth exposed. How come you didn’t get medical confirmation?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t know I wanted kids, so why bother? I was all butt-hurt about his defection, invested in my revenge, then things happened with Phoenix and...”
He stared at her, his brows raised above the rims of his sunglasses.
That got her back on track. “Anyway, you remember way back at the beginning, we were fooling around and you hadn’t yet rolled on a rubber? I distinctly remember...” She coughed for emphasis. “Contact.” Though her pulse seemed to be on a race, she fashioned a smile. “Delicious contact. Apparently, you’re such a potent stud, that’s all it took.”
“I’d say that makes you potent, as well.”
“Yeah. Take that, Robbie.”
His chest rose on a big breath, then he eased himself down beside her and breathed in wonder, “A baby.”
“Yup.”
It startled her when he jerked off his sunglasses. Those green eyes of his were downright incandescent with some emotion she couldn’t quite read. “We’re having a baby.” His nostrils flared. “We are, aren’t we?”
Time to come clean. “Yes, I am.” If he heard the clarification, he made no mention of it. “Baxter...” This was the hard part. Best to spit it out quickly. “I’m in great financial shape. You know that. I can care for the baby on my own—”
His body jerked toward her. “Fuck that. You’re not cutting me out, so forget it.”
“—but I...” She blinked at him. “What?”
“I said forget it. I want in.”
Ridley blinked. “In...on dad duty?”
“Damn right. Long haul. Birth to college and beyond.”
Well, he was certainly thinking ahead. “Okay, fine.” Relief lifted some of her worry. “But—”
“No buts.” His shoulders tensed as he leaned into her space. “In fact, I think we should get married.”
Whoa, somehow she’d totally lost control of this convo. “Married?”
“Stop repeating everything I say, damn it!”
“You won’t let me finish what I want to say!”
His jaw flexed and his eyes narrowed. “Because you’re trying to dump me.”
“Wrong!”
He paused. “Wrong?”
Throwing up her hands, Ridley stood again. Nervous energy made it impossible to stay still.
Baxter snatched her into his lap. Much more softly, he asked, “How am I wrong, babe?”
She couldn’t look at him this closely, so instead she stared at his chest. “I love you.”
This new silence cut deep.
“Baxter?” She peeked up and found him grinning, the jerk.
He started to speak, and then suddenly Daron was there, pausing only long enough to say, “Fire at the maintenance building! Joy’s calling Coop. Maris is calling the fire department. It looks bad.” And off he went in a fast jog.
They both stood and sure enough, smoke visibly filled the sky at the far end of the resort.
Baxter cursed. “I’ll come find you as soon as we get things under control.”
Ridley started after him. “I’ll help.”
Pivoting fast, Baxter pinned her with an incredulous glare. “You’re pregnant!”
Oh, good grief. “Doesn’t make me lame.”
“No.” He grabbed her shoulders, kissed her hard and said, “Please, for my sake, stay at this end of the park, okay? Maris will need help with the store anyway.”
Wondering if this was what she’d have to put up with, Ridley nodded. “Fine. I’ll stay. But we’ll talk about this later.”
“No doubt.”
She grabbed him before he could go. “You better be careful, Baxter McNab. I’m going to be really pissed if you get hurt.”
“Because you love me,” he said with a grin, then he turned and ran after Daron.
Ridley huffed out a breath. Life was about to change big-time.
She was pretty sure it’d be awesome.
Grinning, she headed to the store to help Maris.
* * *
The ringing of Coop’s cell phone sounded from somewhere down on the floor. Still trying to catch her breath, Phoenix lazily kissed his sweaty shoulder and asked, “Should you get that?”
“Probably.” Yet he didn’t move, except to fondle her breast.
Lightly, she bit his shoulder, tasting the salt of his skin, relishing the heat of his body and his scent, intensified from their fast, urgent lovemaking.
They were both very mellow now, and for Phoenix, it felt as if everything were fresh and new.
The ringing stopped, but not for long.
When it started up the second time, Cooper groaned and turned away from her, glancing around the room as if trying to locate it.
“Sounds like it’s coming from under the bed.”
“Yeah.” He stood, giving her a nice view of his broad back, narrow hips and taut behind before he knelt and located the phone.
Propping up on her elbow, she watched him as he answered the phone before sitting on the side of the bed.
The straightening of his spine told her something was wrong even before his side of the conversation registered.
“Damn it, they should all stay clear.” Already up and struggling into shorts, he added, “No, don’t go near it, Maris. I’ll take care of it. Yeah, I’m on my way. Thanks.” He disconnected, saying to Phoenix, “Fire at the maintenance building.”
“Fire?” She slid from the bed.
“I have to run. Daron and Baxter are on-site, and the fire department should be on the way, but I need to make sure our guests keep their distance.”
She tugged on her panties, then a T-shirt, not bothering with a bra. “I can help with that.”
Cooper grabbed her shoulders. “Think about it, honey. This could be a trap.”
“A trap?”
He let her go to shove his feet into shoes. “I’m willing to bet the fire was deliberately set. And that means whoever’s been hassling you is back.”
“Oh.” Slowly she sank onto the side of the bed, her thoughts spinning. “But there has to be a large crowd out there.”
“Exactly. How are we to know who did it, or who we can trust? It’s going to be chaotic and I’ll feel better if you stay here, with the door locked.”
He was ready to go, his expression stern, concerned, and the last thing she wanted to be was a distraction.
“All right. But please be careful.”
He nodded, and she followed him to the kitchen. Only a handful of stars lit the sky, so Cooper flipped on the outside floodlights.
Just then they heard the siren.
“Lock this behind me,” he said as he went out the door and over to his golf cart, which would get him there quicker than walking.
“Seriously,” she called after him. “Be careful, and please let me know how bad it is as soon as you can.”
“I will. Don’t worry.”
Through the closed door, she watched him drive down the hill in the grass. In the distance, colored lights flashed from the fire truck.
If it was a deliberate fire, that would mean she’d brought even more trouble to his door. The thought made her sick.
When she heard a noise behind her, she assumed it was Sugar and turned to greet the little dog, ready to comfort her—and take some comfort of her own.
She saw only a shadow in the hallway. A big shadow.
Her heart jumped into her throat, strangling any sound she might have made. She edged toward the door, quietly opening the lock and turning the doorknob, but just as she got it open, the shadow merged into a man.
A very large man.
Despite the smothering summer heat, he wore a ski mask.
* * *
Coop stood back as the firefighters quickly got the blaze under control. With spotlights aimed at the building, he saw that it was a loss with two burned sides, the others singed, the roof severely damaged.
The damned security camera had all but melted.
At least no one had been hurt.
Baxter and Daron had done an admirable job of blocking curious guests outside the perimeter set up by the firefighters. Joy had quickly created a makeshift play area for kids well away from danger, but unfortunately still within view of the chaos. The lodge was already in use, so she’d gotten them as far away from the smoke as she could. Frazzled parents alternately gawked and reassured their children. One of the firefighters had walked over there, equally flirting with Joy and leaving the kids in awe. He passed out badges and plastic helmets, so at least the children weren’t upset by the destruction.
Coop, however, was outraged.
With the entire park up and awake to witness the spectacle, he kept his rage under wraps.
Standing beside him, Gibb silently studied the building, his arms folded, hat pushed back, expression thoughtful.
So others wouldn’t hear, Coop kept his voice low. “It was deliberately set.”
“I’d say so.”
They both watched as a female firefighter inspected the area where the fire originated. She’d already informed them that a flare, placed against paper and wood at the back of the building, had been deliberately set up. Apparently gasoline or some other accelerant had been splashed on the exterior walls.
The big question remained: Why?
Gibb’s eyes narrowed more. “Does Phoenix ever work this late?”
“No. And even if she did, she wouldn’t be at this end of the park alone at this time of night. We’ve discussed it, and while she considered the threats over, she agreed to be extra cautious.”
“So this wasn’t to trap her, then.”
Something, some odd sense of alarm, dug into Coop’s spine. He stiffened. Phoenix was alone now.
Gibb looked at him, a reciprocal unease on his face. “Where is she?”
“In my house.” Already turning, Coop took off at a run. He wouldn’t risk the motor on the golf cart possibly alerting their firebug to his approach. That is, if the man thought to get to Phoenix. If he’d set the fire to distract Coop.
If, if, if.
Why didn’t I keep her with me?
Fear left a sick churning in his gut, a cold sweat on the back of his neck. He heard Gibb calling to him as he darted in and around RVs, mindless of the privacy of others as he took the most direct path to the house.
Halfway up, he saw that the kitchen door was open. Oh, God.
A hand grabbed his arm and he turned, fist already cocked back.
“Don’t you dare!”
Ridley. He tried to shake her off. “I have to—”
Baxter grabbed his other arm. “Hold up one second, Coop.” He sounded strained, urgent. “We need to think about this.”
There was no time to think, no time to talk. “I have to get to her.”
“Agreed,” Baxter said. “But if you charge in, she could get hurt.”
The rationale sank into his pounding brain.
Ridley still held on to him as she spoke in rapid, jumbled chatter. “Sugar came to me. The poor little thing was frantic. Soon as I saw her, I knew something was wrong. Phoenix would never leave the door open for the dog to get out, so I put her with Maris and was ready to call you when Baxter showed up. Then we saw you running...” She stopped to inhale, sucking air. “What are we going to do?”
Gibb reached them. “I’m going up, the rest of you are going to stay here.”
“Like hell.” Coop shook them all off.
“Fuck,” Gibb growled, then quickly rallied before Coop could get far. “Fine—here’s a plan. I’ll go around to the front of the house, see if I can get in that way and come up behind him. You two cover the back. Do not barge in. That’s dangerous for everyone, including Phoenix.”
Coop started forward, making no promises at all. He’d do whatever was needed to keep Phoenix from being hurt.
Behind him, he heard Ridley and Baxter in hushed disagreement with each other, but a second later, Baxter caught up to him.
Staying low, they crept to the open kitchen door.
And then Coop saw it: Phoenix in her T-shirt and panties, her hair still tumbled from their exuberant sex, her expression pale and stoic behind her glasses.
Across from her stood a man as large as Coop himself, a face shield covering his face and neck.
In one beefy hand, he held a bed pillow, and in the other, he gripped a gun—aimed at Phoeni
x’s chest.
* * *
Even as she stared steadily at the masked man, Phoenix prayed. She prayed for herself, desperately wanting to live, and for Cooper. He needed her, she sensed that now. If something happened to her, if she died in violence as his wife had, would he be able to recover? Yes, he was a survivor, but by his own admission he’d retreated from life, hiding in the masses, living partially in the past with only memories to sustain him.
He deserved so much more than that.
He deserved everything.
If she lived through this, she’d see that he got it.
“You didn’t think I’d find you, did you? You thought you were safe now.”
The hard beating of her heart caused a physical ache in her chest. She shook her head. “Who are you?”
Though she couldn’t see his face, she heard the smirk in his voice when he said, “Come on, now, sweetheart. You’re not dumb. Who do you think?”
“Not David,” she said, confident about that. “Not Harry, either.” He was too big to be either of them... She gasped as shocking recognition clawed past her fear. In a strained whisper, she said, “You robbed me.”
“Now she’s catching on.”
She clutched the counter behind her with both hands, determined not to crumble. “There were two of you.”
He tilted his head in assent. “My friend has no spine, no sense of completing a task. I say fuck him.” His voice softened. “Just as I say fuck you.”
“But I did nothing to you!”
All calm fled him and he roared, “You got away!”
Flinching back from his anger, Phoenix tried to think, but drew a blank. At least Sugar wasn’t in danger since she’d fled out the open door in a panic. Maybe, with any luck, someone would notice the little dog, notice the open door and help would arrive in time.
“No one will save you this time,” he crooned, quashing her hopes. “The fire will keep everyone busy. I made sure of that.”
So it had all been part of a plan—a plan to kill her? “How did you get in?” Through the throbbing panic, she thought that if she could keep him talking, maybe she could buy some time.
“A window around front.” He strolled closer, his head tilted to the side, the gun getting closer and closer to her. “That entrance that’s never used, since it faces away from the park. I found that out my first day here—more than two months ago.”