Frank sneered. “Look at you, the whore’s champion. How noble.”
“What is wrong with you?” he asked incredulously, his temper rising, and his fist clenching. “Stop calling her a whore before I put my fist in your mouth.”
“Why should I? It’s what she is. She screws men for money. It is her job,” he said, letting go of Skye as if she were contaminated and he might catch some thing. “There have been countless men between her legs. Including me,” Frank said with a casualness that was insulting.
“Stop it,” Skye sobbed, covering her face with her hands. “Don’t do this, please.”
Revulsion crowded his thoughts and he wasn’t sure if it was directed at Skye or Frank but he knew he couldn’t stay any longer without wanting to do some damage. Gage muttered, “You’re on your own, pal,” and disappeared to escape the ugliness unfolding like a bad movie.
Christian hardly noticed Gage’s departure. “Where’s Nico?” he asked with a steely calm that shocked Skye. She wiped at her eyes and slid from the chair, away from Frank who was watching Christian with murder in his eyes. “Go get him.”
Skye hesitated only a second before fleeing from the room.
“What now?” Frank asked.
“Now I’m leaving and I’m taking Skye and Nico with me.”
Frank laughed. “Nico belongs to me. The minute you leave I will call the police and have you arrested for kidnapping.”
“What legal proof do you have that Nico is your son?”
Frank’s smile faded and his gaze hardened. “He is my son.”
“So prove it. And in the meantime it will take weeks to get a paternity test. By then, things will be a little more clear for everyone.”
“You’re a fool.”
“Most likely,” Christian agreed. “But I’m not leaving without them.”
“I will ruin you,” Frank Rocco said, almost casually but the fury in his eyes burned like banked coals. “I’ll see to it that you never open so much as a grocery cart in this city if you walk out that door with what belongs to me.”
Skye appeared, holding a sleepy Nico. She stared hard at Frank and moved to Christian’s side. “Me and Nico are people, and we do not belong to anyone much less you, you disgusting pig.”
“Brave words,” Frank said, his mouth tipping in a tight smile. “We’ll see how brave you are when I have you alone.”
She suppressed a shudder but held her ground.
“I detest scenes,” Frank said. “Get out of my house. But, Skye,” he warned her with a glint in his eye that made Christian want to snuff it out, “this isn’t settled. It has only begun.”
Yeah. Somehow Christian didn’t doubt that for a minute but the way he saw it—he didn’t have a choice.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
SKYE’S ENTIRE BODY SHOOK from nerves frazzled by adrenalin. Christian hadn’t said a word aside from terse instructions to the cab driver as they left Belleni’s. Nico was terrified, too. Everything in his world had changed in a short time frame.
“Are we going home?” he whispered.
“No, darling. We—” Don’t have a home any longer. She risked a glance at Christian who ignored her but moved to ruffle Nico’s hair softly.
“You’re going to stay with me tonight until we figure out what’s happening next. Is that okay with you?” he asked.
Nico nodded. “Can we go back to Thomas so he can teach me checkers?”
Christian didn’t make promises but said, “We’ll see.”
“Christian—”
He shot her a warning look and she shrank away from the anger she saw there. She swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked away tears but she looked away so he wouldn’t see her cry. Her pride burned but she had nowhere to go and for the time being, Christian was her sanctuary. Belleni would be looking for her tomorrow. She had to find a way out of the city before he found her.
They arrived at Christian’s loft and took the short ride to his place. He opened the door for them and they walked in.
“I can take the couch with Nico,” she said. “Do you have some blankets we could use?” She glanced down at her cream gown and grimaced. “And maybe something I could change into? I didn’t exactly have a chance to grab any clothes before we left.”
“Yeah,” he said, but his expression hadn’t softened. He went to his dresser and pulled out a pair of soft linen drawstring pants and a T-shirt for her.
“I’ll figure something out tomorrow. I promise we won’t be a burden for long,” she said, accepting the clothes.
“What’s a burden?” Nico asked, looking up at her with wide eyes.
She smoothed his brow and forced a smile. “Nothing for you to worry about, sweetheart. It’s late and everything will look better in the morning.”
She hoped.
Christian brought blankets and tossed them at her. She choked back the glare she wanted to give him and busied herself making a bed for Nico who was already yawning and struggling to stay awake.
Christian disappeared into the bathroom and she heard the water running. She sighed. She’d love a shower or a bath but that would have to wait. She had bigger problems than her need for a little quiet time.
She stroked Nico’s soft hair until he fell fast asleep. His slow, even breathing soothed her jagged nerves but not her heart. The water shut off and she couldn’t help but look toward the bathroom in the hopes of seeing Christian again, only this time with forgiveness in his eyes.
The door opened and Christian emerged, head damp, and dressed in sweats and a T-shirt. Again, he ignored her. The tiny hope she’d harbored died quickly and soundlessly. The smart thing would be to tuck herself into the blankets and allow sleep to wipe away her fear and turbulent thoughts but she couldn’t let things sit the way they were without saying her piece. She eased away from Nico so as not to wake him and then padded silently to the four-poster bed where Christian was getting ready for bed. “Do you need something?” he asked curtly.
“Yes. I need to explain.”
“Not necessary,” he disagreed, dismissing her. She took a bold move and followed him, startling him as she climbed onto the bed with him, determined to have her say. “What are you doing?”
She ignored his question. “Everything the man you knew as Frank Rocco said was true,” she started, her cheeks heating with shame. “Except there were parts he left out.”
Christian settled against the pillows, his gaze hard. “Oh? And you feel like sharing, I see.”
“You can be a jerk about this but I’m still going to tell you what happened so just shut up and give me the courtesy of at least listening. Afterward, you can do what you want.”
“I’ll do what I want regardless,” he retorted.
She ignored the dig and drew a deep breath to continue. “Frank Rocco is also known as Belleni.”
“You’re a Belleni girl?” he asked and she nodded. Of course he’d heard about the Belleni girls.
“Yes. Not by choice,” she added.
“Excuse me?”
“I have to start at the beginning otherwise it’s hard to imagine how in this day and age someone could do this to another human being and get away with it. Belleni came to me shortly after my dance career ended. I was broken inside and maybe a little reckless. I was looking for a way to dull the pain and at first, he seemed the answer. He tricked me into thinking I could simply go on dates without any sex and make a good living. He was charming and protective and just the person I thought I needed. I thought I was in love with this kind, older gentleman. Then I got pregnant and everything changed. He became obsessed with me and started using Nico as leverage. He threatened to take Nico from me and when he found I’d been stockpiling money to get away from him, he had me beaten. He owned me. I was his slave as surely as if he had shackled me. I couldn’t get out and couldn’t get away without leaving Nico behind.”
“What about your family in Iowa?” he asked.
She looked down at her fingers. “They don’t know what I’ve bee
n doing for the past five years. They don’t even know about Nico. I was too ashamed.”
Christian’s expression wavered, as if he were having a hard time believing her yet desperately wanted to. “Why didn’t you tell me from the very beginning?”
“Tell you what? How was I supposed to tell a complete stranger that I was being held captive by a man who had more power than most politicians in this city? I’m sure that would’ve gone over well.”
“Maybe not at first but—” He stopped, frustration lacing his tone then he gestured angrily. “How about when I was baring my soul to you by the creek? You had plenty of time at that point to level with me.”
“I wanted to,” she cried softly. “I truly did but I was afraid.”
“Afraid?”
“Yes, afraid. Belleni is a dangerous man. I wasn’t lying when I said the less you knew the safer you’d be. Belleni has secrets he would kill to keep safe. I couldn’t put you and Mama Jo at risk like that.”
“You didn’t even give me the chance to decide for myself if it was a risk I was willing to take,” he countered hotly.
“No, I didn’t,” she acknowledged. “But how was I supposed to know that things were going to turn out this way? My main concern was Nico. That’s it.” She blinked back tears. “I know you hate me right now. Because of me your biggest chance at opening a club is ruined. I’m not stupid. I lied to you, hell, you might even say I used you to get out of the city. But until you’ve walked a mile in my shoes don’t judge me. You haven’t a clue how much misery I’ve endured since making that one fatal mistake of trusting someone like Belleni.”
Skye wiped away the moisture tracking down her cheeks and slid off the bed.
“So what now?” he asked, stopping her. “What happens to either of us?”
“I don’t know,” she murmured regretfully. “But there’s one thing I know for sure…Belleni won’t stop until he’s made to stop. I can’t stay here. Belleni owns my apartment and has confiscated all my money. The only thing I can do is try and go home. As for you, I’d say give it time, find a different venture capitalist but I’d be giving you false hope. He will set out to ruin you now. I’m sorry.”
His expression fell and she could imagine the true weight of his decision was finally settling in and it was heavier than he imagined.
For that, and so much more, she was sorry.
BELLENI THREW THE DINNER KNIFE on the table with such force it stuck in the wall. How had the night disintegrated so quickly? Had he just allowed that miserable prick to walk away with his family? “Vivian!” He required action to fix this problem. No one stole from Belleni. Where is that woman? He bellowed her name again and she appeared framed in the doorway, looking as unruffled as ever, untouched by his personal crisis. “Did you know about them?” he demanded on a growl.
“Contrary to popular belief I am not infallible,” Vivian said, moving to the marble-topped bar to fix a drink. “I guess you could say she pulled one over us. I didn’t know until you knew.” She lifted her shoulder in a shrug before sipping at her brandy. “How was dinner?” she asked, seemingly disinterested in the events that had just occurred.
Damn her, she was still sore at him. She wandered, drink in hand, to where the knife stuck rigidly and pulled it free. A faint look of disgust for the damage marked her face, but she refrained from commenting, which was just as well. Belleni wasn’t in the mood to be chastised.
“Tomorrow, I want you to find out where he lives. Take two men and teach him how things work in this town. Then, call our contact in the city building inspections and ensure that no permit with his name on it ever gets cleared. I want to ruin him,” Belleni said vehemently, closing his eyes against the rage that continued to simmer just beneath the surface. “I want him to return to me begging for a crumb from my table. And I want Skye brought home at all costs.”
Vivian remained quiet as she returned to the bar. “You need to relax,” she advised. “Your blood pressure is surely going through the roof. The doctor said you need to be mindful of your stress levels.” He grunted something but he nodded. She was right, ranting and raving did nothing but foster sloppy thinking. He noticed with faint appreciation that Vivian was making him a drink. She smiled and put it into his hand. “Your favorite,” she said simply.
He sighed and leaned back in the chair before shooting the rich, silky brown liquid down his throat, enjoying the smooth burn and the lingering aftertaste that coated his tongue. “Vivian, you are too good to me,” he said at last, giving her an appreciative smile.
“I know,” she acknowledged and he chuckled. “Another?”
He lifted his glass. “You know me well.”
“That I do.”
She refilled his glass and settled in the stiff-backed chair to his right. She was still a striking woman, he noted, fighting a sudden and pervasive fatigue. Cement weighted his eyelids and he struggled as his vision blurred. “Something…wrong…” he gasped, reaching out to Vivian for her help but she merely smiled. “Vivian…help me…”
“But I am, darling,” she said with a patronizing tilt of her head. He stared in disbelief and she settled more comfortably in her chair as if to wait. And he knew.
“You’ve p-poisoned me?” She remained silent but her clear, chilly gaze answered loudly enough. “Why?” he demanded, his voice weakening as quickly as his body.
At that she leaned forward, her eyes flashing with all the banked fury she held inside and spat, “Because you had the audacity to think you could be rid of me so easily. As if the years between us simply evaporated because you got a sudden whim to play house. I have tolerated a lot but this—” she sank against the chair, her fingernail tapping the linen tablecloth “—was simply too much. How dare you throw me to the curb, from my home, like day-old garbage!” She took a moment to collect herself and then continued with a shrug. “I’ll admit my first plan was to kill Skye and Nico but I realized they weren’t the true problem…you were. Even if they weren’t here, they would be in your heart and there would be nothing I could do to stop it. And I am nothing, if not efficient, wouldn’t you say? I am rooting out the problem—you.”
He struggled against the lethargy that was stealing his strength and sapping his mental clarity. “I take it back, you can live here as long as you like,” he promised with a slight slur. Black dots danced at the edges of his vision. “I love you, darling, I always have. There is no one who can ever replace you!” he exclaimed in desperation.
“I know.” She placed her hand on her chest in a gentle motion. “And there is no one who will ever replace you in my heart. I will remember our time fondly.” She rose and pressed a sweet kiss to his slack lips before walking away.
The last image Belleni ever saw was Vivian’s slim backside as she left him behind to die—alone.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHRISTIAN AWOKE THE NEXT morning to find Skye and Nico gone. He couldn’t say he was surprised but he cursed out loud just the same.
He supposed she’d called her family and they’d wired her some money to get back to Iowa. He didn’t envy her homecoming after all these years. In fact, he couldn’t stop the twinge of concern for her in spite of everything.
Hell, who was he kidding? It was more than a twinge. It hurt like hell. His chest felt caved in, as though someone’s foot was lodged where his heart beat.
He scrubbed the sleep from his eyes and climbed from the bed. Skye had left their blankets folded neatly, an attempt, he supposed, to minimize the trouble she left behind in some small way.
He grabbed the top blanket and brought it to his nose to inhale deeply. It smelled faintly of Skye’s shampoo. The pain in his chest increased and he dropped the blanket back to the sofa.
He ought to call Gage, clean up some of this mess but frankly, he didn’t know what to say. Gage probably didn’t want to see him right about now anyway.
How had everything turned to shit so quickly? Talk about blindsided. He needed to focus, fix one problem at a
time. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed Thomas. His brother answered after the first ring. He didn’t waste time on frivolities. “I got a problem,” he stated, going right to the point.
“Yeah? What’s wrong?”
Christian took a deep breath and then spilled it all.
“What about Skye?” Thomas asked gravely. “What about her? She’s gone. For all I know she could be halfway to the cornfields of Iowa by now.” Was that bitterness in his voice? Yeah, he was fairly certain it was. “Listen, I just want to make sure she’s safe.”
“It’s not really your problem at this point,” Thomas said.
“It feels like it is. I can’t walk away until I know she’s okay. Then, she’s on her own.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah,” he said dully. “I’m sure.”
“You got it. I’ll call as soon as I know something,” Thomas said on a sigh. “Maybe you ought to come home for a few weeks, let things settle before you head back to the city,” he suggested.
“I can’t, I have work. But I’ll be fine.”
“Okay. I’ll be in touch. I’m here if you need anything.”
Thomas hung up and Christian went to grab some breakfast but a knock at the door caught his attention. His heart rate leaped at the hope that it might be Skye and Nico but when he opened the door and saw the woman Skye called Vivian, he stiffened and was tempted to slam the door in her face.
“May I come in?” she asked, removing her sun glasses and stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. Her gaze roved the loft and faint appreciation lit her eyes. “Not bad,” she noted with an air of disdain. “What do you want? If this is about last night, you can tell your employer my brother works for the FBI and he’s already looking into his business so he better back off. And leave Skye alone.”
Vivian smiled but it seemed more perfunctory than genuine and he didn’t know what to think of it until she rooted in her purse and pulled a thick envelope. “Give this to Skye, please,” she instructed. “Inside is the money Belleni took from her, all ten thousand dollars plus a small additional amount for her trouble. It’s all she’ll ever see from Belleni so she can forget about asking for more.”
A Chance in the Night Page 19