Once they were in the hall, Emily stayed in front of her. “Okay, she’s fine. Now tell me what’s going on.”
Right. She had to tell Emily something, but being almost kidnapped today was enough for her to worry about. Sophie’s mind raced. Emily had to guess something was wrong and nothing would convince her to simply go to bed. So she let out a soft sigh and circled the truth. “I’m not sure. Jack came during dinner and needed to talk to Michael. I figured I’d make sure everyone’s okay. Don’t wake them for now.”
Emily held up her hand and showed her goosebumps on her arms. “Now I’m scared. Why would Jack interrupt your dinner, unless it was important?”
No. Her sister didn’t need to be frightened. No one was going to get to her again. They were after Sophie and she’d sacrifice herself to save any of them if she needed to. This was all her fault anyhow. So she avoided Emily’s knowing gaze and said, “Could be for anything. Don’t stress, Emily. Finish reading your book.”
She rolled her eyes. “I can’t. Let’s go downstairs together and wait for Michael and Jack.”
There was no way Sophie could force her back into her bedroom and they both knew that. Perhaps worldly Emily had seen too much? “Okay, but then you’ll have to come up alone—I will finish dinner with Michael on the other side of the house.”
Emily walked beside her and bounced her in her step. “As long as I know we’re safe, then I don’t mind.”
This time they both took to the steps and Sophie tried to control her walk to a normal pace. Without her sister, she’d have run at full throttle. As they made it to the first floor, Bernadette stood guard at the door. She rose from her chair and stared at both of them. “Why aren’t you in your rooms? Emily, I thought you were reading.”
Hoping to convey that Emily didn’t know the full truth, Sophie said, “I couldn’t find a good book. Bernadette, will you let us know when they get back?”
“Of course.”
Emily kept her arms crossed and asked Bernadette, “What do you know?”
Her heart raced. Emily wasn’t one to back down despite her earlier scare.
Bernadette’s face turned red. “Just that Jack and Mr. Haniel said to stay inside with the doors locked.”
Emily dropped her arms. “What happens if they don’t come back and someone else comes to the door?”
Bernadette walked them to a metal box near the entryway and opened it. It reminded Sophie of her fuse box at the condo but instead kitchen lights or bathroom lights, the labels were assault weapons, front gate explosions, or artillery rifle. Bernadette patted Emily’s shoulder. “The house has security measures. We’re armed and don’t need to be sharp shooters. We are okay.”
Her heart leapt to her throat, but she lowered her hands. At least she’d keep her sisters safe inside. “Isn’t this type of home security illegal?”
Bernadette closed the cabinet but waved the key that she kept under her shirt. “It was left over by the government when they used this house during World War II as a command post.”
“But it still functions?” Emily asked. When both of them stared at her, Emily added, “What? That was a long time ago.”
Sophie pressed her lips together, unsure how to explain any of this to her sister.
Bernadette nodded, but then held her hand to her heart and pointed toward the front door window. “Absolutely, but it seems Mr. Haniel and my Jack are back and they’re alone. It’s time for you to go to bed, young lady.”
The windows were probably bulletproof if Michael had all of the rest of the house armed. She let the thought go and turned toward her sister. “Fine. Good night, sis.”
Emily nodded and walked up the stairs on her own.
The door opened, and the two men laughed about something as they entered.
Sophie stilled and met Michael’s gaze whose eyes widened. “You’re here.”
She swallowed. “I couldn’t just wait in your room. What happened?”
Michael took her hand in his and kissed it. “The ship returned.” His chuckle deepened. “Jack and I ensured they won’t come back again.”
Oh goodness. Her sister wasn’t the only one with goosebumps. She tried to breathe, but her small breaths didn’t get a lot of air. “That sounds ominous.”
Michael let her hand go and motioned toward the door where they’d first really talked. “Actually, please join me in the library, Sophie. I had an idea on how we might help each other.”
Her ears perked as she walked ahead of him and opened the door, turning on the light. “Sounds interesting.”
He closed it behind him and motioned toward the desk. She walked but then stopped as they reached the area. “We’re alone now. What are you thinking?”
He took both of her hands in his and his gaze intensified. “Before I ask, I want you to know that I meant it when I asked you to marry me. I still want to come home to you.”
Was she so in love with Michael that she couldn’t turn away? Her heart whispered yes, but her brain screamed no. So she lowered her lashes to avoid his gaze. “And I want to say yes. I just need for my heart to be sure.”
He squeezed her hand. “Fair enough, but I’m hoping your brain says yes faster, at least to my plan.”
Again, the plan, and that was probably more important. Her gaze narrowed. “What do you mean?”
He guided her to sit, but then he scooted the other chair over so he wasn’t planning on taking the seat behind the desk this time. She sat and waited for him. Once they were both seated, he leaned forward, took her hands again and said, “It might be more prudent for you and I to return to Miami as an engaged couple. We’ll lie a little about some wedding we’re planning for next year and make the social rounds and be seen so the Villefort brothers come out in person.”
“I thought you got Daniel.”
“No. He’d hired men.”
Home? But she’d run. However, if Michael could keep her safe, then it would be best for her family to return to their normal life. There was a zip in her pulse as she asked, “And what would that accomplish?”
He scooted even closer, letting their hands fall to her side. “They don’t know who I truly am or what I intend. Plus, the FBI will be there to catch your problem while I keep you and your sisters safe.”
If she trusted anyone to do that, it was Michael and his words burned through her brain. She leaned closer to him. “But you said you had unfinished business with Simon, Daniel Villefort’s brother.”
He nodded, and his brown eyes seemed almost black as he said, “No one will connect Michael Haniel with the past.”
Something about his name made her blink. She released his grip with understanding. “Did you change your name?”
He leaned forward, his forearms on his knees. “You are very perceptive.”
Her instincts had been right. She swallowed and let her brain put everything together. Then she crossed her arms. “No, it was the next logical question. What was your name at birth—no, what did your ex fiancée call you?”
His face went dark and he sat back, almost like he wanted the shadows to swallow him. She couldn’t see his face for those seconds and wondered if he was going to jump out of his chair and leave. Instead, he took her hand. “Michael is my baptismal name that my parents chose for me. Haniel is my mother’s maiden name.”
His identity was a lie. She stilled and asked, “And the name on your birth certificate?”
His dark gaze blazed with some light she’d never seen and didn’t understand fully, magnetizing her. “If I tell you, I need to trust you won’t betray me and give this name to anyone.”
He’d been through so much. She brushed her hand on his face and leaned closer to him. “It’s an act of faith then, when we’ve both been betrayed. I swear I won’t tell a soul.”
He pressed his forehead to hers and held her hands near his heart. “For my plan to work, we’ll need to trust each other.”
Yes. Her heart wanted to trust him too. “It starts with your
name.”
She could feel his heart beat wildly fast and she stayed still, clutching his hands. She trusted him with her life and her sisters’ lives, which said a lot. She waited and finally he said, “Dante Delligatti. My parents were Italian.”
She kept her words soft but she pulled her head back to stare directly into his eyes. “Dante, I trust you. If you can keep my sisters safe and in no danger, I’ll do whatever you need to help you.”
“Then we’re agreed.” He helped her stand. “Though call me Michael. It’s what I identify myself as now.”
Perhaps she’d just made a deal with the devil, but her heart whispered that she hadn’t. She trusted Michael to keep her safe so she’d trust Dante/Michael with the same. He hadn’t changed. His past couldn’t mean they had no future and for once she wanted a future.
If he found a way to end her fears and keep her safe, then she’d do her part and all of this might not be a lie. It would be nice to think about a wedding. Anything was possible.
Chapter 11
Sophie showered, changed and found a plain blue woman’s t-shirt that read ‘in charge’ and another pair of mom jeans lying in Michael’s room for her. She changed and went downstairs.
In the dining room, she heard her siblings laughing so she detoured inside. Her sisters all stopped talking immediately. Sophie felt them all watching her as she took a seat. Finally, Emily asked, “Sophie, what’s going on? Jack kept going outside and he’s moving our luggage. Are we being kicked out?”
Abby and Isi stared at her with apprehension in their huge eyes.
Drat. Sophie picked up a piece of toast and smiled at them, so no one freaked out. “Not at all. Michael has called for his yacht, that’s all. We’re leaving this afternoon.”
Emily shifted in her seat, closer to Isabelle. “Are we going to Kimberly’s now?”
“Good question.” Sophie put some butter on her plate for toast and avoided eye contact as she said, “No, we’re going home—well, to Miami anyway.” Her sisters’ intakes of breath mixed with a scream. She glanced up and smiled at Abby and Isi to ensure everyone was good. “But we’re going to stay at Michael’s place there though.”
Abby smiled at her with confidence and Sophie felt like the sun beat down on them already. Good—at least one of them approved of the plan.
Emily picked one foot up and knelt on it while at the dining room table. “Why can’t we stay at our condo?”
How to handle this delicately? This was not her usual, but she had to avoid sounding worried. She shrugged. “Not enough room and we need the police to investigate our old place.”
No one said anything. Isabelle looked like holding her tongue was a chore.
“Oh.” Emily let out a loud sigh. “Well it will be nice to be warm outside again and I’m sure Michael’s place is nice.”
Finally, Isabelle lowered her head but spoke, “I don’t like getting wet, Sophie.”
The small rowboat she’d dragged her sisters on had been a bad, desperate idea. No wonder her sister wasn’t looking forward to another go. Sophie relaxed as she realized what was happening and she let her shoulders drop. “On Michael’s yacht you can stay indoors the entire time we travel the ocean. There should be no ocean water inside the cabin.”
Isabelle’s face finally relaxed, and she smiled again and picked up a muffin. “A cabin sounds nicer than Smither’s old boat.”
Sophie spread butter on her toast, then added a slice of cheddar cheese. “Agreed, so when we finish breakfast, make sure that you haven’t left anything here, all right?” She hadn’t noticed that Jack had taken their luggage because Sophie had lost hers to the ocean.
They all ate with renewed silence until Abby laughed at something Isabelle whispered.
Sophie wanted to ask what was so funny and swallowed her bite but Emily asked, “Will we get our own rooms at Mr. Haniel’s place too or are we sharing again?”
Sophie stared at her unsure what to say. She shrugged. “I never asked him. But whatever happens, we will make the best of it until this is over.”
Behind them, Michael’s deep voice boomed. “Everyone gets their own bedroom.”
She hadn’t seen a door on the other side of the room, but then she hadn’t explored too much. She stood as he came beside her. “Michael! I hadn’t seen you.”
He placed his hand on Sophie’s back, but he smiled and offered that cute wink of his at the two little ones. “Abby. Isi. I’m hoping you’ll start calling me Michael as I intend to marry your sister.”
Isabelle finished her muffin and pushed her plate back. “So you’d be our new big brother?”
“Yes.” He motioned for Sophie to sit and he took the seat next to her.
Isabelle shared a secret look with Abigail and then with Emily, but then Emily said, “Okay--Michael.”
“Okay.” He nodded, like everything had been decided. He then picked up a muffin and borrowed part of Sophie’s plate.
He broke it apart and popped a morsel in his mouth. When he finished, he said to her sisters across the table, “When we get there I want to buy all of you new dresses. Your sister and I are having an engagement party to tell people.”
Abigail giggled.
Emily folded her hands and stared at them. “Well, this is serious and moving fast. Sophie, I’m glad you finally listened to me.”
Oh no. Emily’s advice had been all wrong. She wrapped her arms around Michael’s and patted his muscle. Her sister needed to believe that love was possible and she didn’t need to use her body. “Emily, I… I love Michael. I know that it happened quickly, but I feel very deeply for him. I said yes because we love each other.”
Michael’s arm twitched as she said the word, but he didn’t say anything.
Emily gazed at both of them, like she was trying to figure them out. She then shrugged. “If you say so. Can I bring Wuthering Heights from your library with us? I want to finish it today if possible.”
“Take any book you want.” Michael nodded.
“Thanks.” Emily jumped out of chair. “I’m going to pack.”
Abigail and Isabelle decided to follow her. Sophie stood as they neared the door. Her stomach flipped as she turned toward Michael and stared into his eyes. He smiled and motioned for her to sit while she said, “Michael?”
He finished his muffin and then stood, taking her hand. “Let them go. We have to talk.”
“About?” She followed him to the other end of the room. He opened the wall and led her down a path that reminded her of the scene in Phantom of the Opera where the heroine is spellbound and determined to follow the Phantom to his lair. She laughed and shook off the thought as Michael led her to the room with the Italian Villa wall mural again.
She sat on the bed and Michael tugged a chair from the wall and brought it in front of her. Then he sat and stared at her. “While I am going to ensure Daniel Villefort is taken care of and not a threat to you, I have a second part of my plan that I don’t want you involved in at all.”
Good. His plan. She leaned closer to him and massaged his thighs. “Why?”
He sat straight, and his breath stilled. “It’s my problem and only I can solve it.”
Part of her wanted to forget asking and not create waves. However she needed to know they had a future where he trusted her. So she inched closer to him but kept her voice low as she said, “That’s not an answer. I won’t stop you but I need to know what to avoid, or who to avoid and I must know you’re safe.”
He covered his lips while he stared at her. For a second, she wondered if he’d jump up and leave. His eyes were big and bright. But then he let his hand fall and took one of her hands in his. “My family was murdered, Sophie. It was to silence them for asking too many questions about what happened to me. The prison guards showed me the video to drive me insane.”
Clearly her view of the justice system came from television and bad lessons in school. She shook her head, not believing how naive she was. “They showed you the video of your p
arents’ murder?”
“Yes.” He then squeezed her hand and leaned closer. “I put together how it happened and when on my own, but the people involved need to be brought to justice.”
Right. All they had to defend themselves were their wits and abilities and the truth was she’d never studied self-defense. Her heart beat faster. “If you were imprisoned on false charges and showed a video like that then I have no faith in our justice system.”
He kissed her knuckles. “Here is the rub. I wasn’t really arrested.”
He’d lied? She blinked but tried to calm her racing thoughts. “You said you were in prison in one of those secret places the government hides people.”
He kissed her hand again, but his gaze never left hers. “It wasn’t run by the government, not really. My life was stolen from me by a man who thought he was rich and spoiled enough to get away with it.”
Wait. So all his suffering was because of one man? One rich man who thought the law worked for him? She felt her skin grow cold and clutched his fingers. “So you think the FBI will be on our side?”
He nodded. “If I give them airtight proof and use my own money and power to stop any more perversions of justice.”
Her breathing became normal as she understood that despite what had happened to him he respected authority. The more she knew about Michael’s past the more questions popped up. “How did you escape then if it wasn’t a prison and wasn’t run by actual authorities?”
“With difficulty.” His tone might win understatement of the year. He lowered her hand to his lap. “And a deal made with the US Army.”
So much information caused her brain to overflow with possibilities. She tugged his hand for him to sit next to her on the bed. When he did, she curled into his lap. “Your life sounds horrible but also fascinating, Mi…Dante.”
He massaged her back. “I’ve been known as Michael for most of my adult life now. I told you last night. Please call me that.”
“Okay.” She wouldn’t have to relearn his name and then tell her sisters later, if there was a later. Sophie glanced up at him. “You were wonderful with my sisters today, but please explain in simple terms for me. You weren’t really arrested or in prison?”
Hidden Michael Page 7