“Fair enough.” He guided her toward the stairs. “Let’s head back to our room.”
She lowered her hands and walked beside him. “Our?”
As they climbed the stairs, he offered his hand and she accepted. “If you’re to be my wife, we’re going to share everything.”
Perfect. Galen was all hers and it felt freeing to have said yes. But as they reached the top step, she asked quietly, “Tell me about your life when you were married before.”
He stopped, ran his hand down her body and gently tugged her closer. “Let’s not ruin the mood, Natalie. I was young and stupid once.”
But that was all she knew. Something in her mind wanted to know more, but she relented. His hard body pressed against hers made her ache with desire. She kissed the back of his hand that traced the side of her face. “So this time we’re not young?”
His dimple showed as he stared down at her. “We’ve known each other for over a year and I learned I could trust you, long before I knew just how sexy you are.”
A laugh escaped her. In that year, he never once blinked at her disguise. “With my wig on.”
“Did you pack it?” He linked his arm through hers as they neared his bedroom.
“No.” She answered fast, though a memory emerged of that day she’d tried to hide under her extra layer of clothes because her blonde hair started to fall out of the wig. Luckily Galen had been so into his conversation with his brother Damien that they passed her office without seeing her. If they had, she’d have for sure been caught.
He opened his bedroom door for her and waited for her to enter. “We’ll pick it up tomorrow when we check on your old place.”
She slipped inside and as he closed the door, she asked, “So we’re making room for me here?”
They both knew his closet was half-empty.
He winked and took her hands. “I suppose. We could always move if the place is too small.”
Another laugh escaped her as she pulled him toward her for a kiss. “Before or after we have an army of children of our own?”
His lips brushed against hers and she felt a release growing inside her already. He ended the kiss, and reached for her zipper. “Would you want a lot of kids?”
She turned and kept the dress on to answer. “Everyone keeps assuming I’m pregnant. It’s getting to me.”
He reached for her shoulders. “Let’s get you out of that dress.”
His hand brushed against her skin and made her feel alive. She let the dress drop to reveal her bra. However by the bed she heard her own phone ring and knew instantly it was her mother. She tugged her dress up and said, “Wait, it’s my mom. I hope nothing happened.”
Galen’s phone rang too. He glanced at it and said, “Security is calling me.”
Her heart beat so fast in her chest it felt like her body caved inward. She plopped on the bed before she tripped in her panic to reach the phone. She answered with a breathless, “Mom, Dad, are you okay?”
Her mother sounded calm and in control. “We’re fine, sweetie, but we have security guards in the room with us. We were told someone was looking for you.”
Oh God. She clutched her gold cross around her neck and closed her eyes. “Mom, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
Her father asked, “Where are you?”
Right. Her father would want details. She opened her gaze and stared at Galen who stepped near the window to talk to security on his phone. She swallowed and tried to form words in her throat. Finally sure of herself, she said, “With Galen, on Star Island. His house has more security than Fort Knox.”
“That’s good to hear,” her father said. “We need our girl to be safe.”
Her mother quickly added, “We were worried about you, sweetie. When I got that strange call about you and then the alarm went off, you were my only concern.”
“What call, Mom?”
“I was instantly suspicious when some strange man whose identification didn’t check out called and asked specific questions about you. Then with this hospital threat, I told your father to call you immediately.”
“I’m fine.” Neither of them should worry. She wasn’t horribly weak and never had been. She sat, took a deep breath and said, “Now I’m worried about you—Mom, you know you have to stay calm, no stress.”
“Don’t come here,” her dad said. “Not until they reopen the hospital.”
What did that mean? Galen walked over to her and from the tension in his shoulders, it seemed he had news. “Call me as soon as that happens,” she told her parents. “I’m worried about you two more.”
“Relax sweetheart. Security is top notch right now,” her mom said in her steady way where no one in their right mind questioned her. “Your dad and I couldn’t be more protected.” This was why her mother needed to beat cancer and why they chose procedures not covered under her insurance. Mom was the safe harbor where her ship could always find refuge. If her mother left them, she’d be lost. Natalie let go of her cross and scooted over so Galen could sit next to her. “The second they open the doors again, Galen and I will be in to see you.”
She hung up the phone and Galen immediately massaged her leg. “Someone went there, looking for you and the entire hospital is on lockdown.”
“My parents told me, kind of.” She put what Galen said with what her parents had said together. She glanced at the floor like it might steady her thoughts and stop the pounding in her chest. “Mom is impressed with security.”
He kissed her cheek. “We’ll go check on them.”
If this had anything to do with her then it needed to stop. Now. She tried to ignore the welling of tears in her eyes and turned toward Galen. She hoped she sounded logical and together as she asked, “I’m so confused. I don’t do anything or go anywhere. I’m usually pretty boring—and if it is Rocco, I haven’t talked to him in ten years before now.”
Galen stood and offered his hand. “Let’s go talk to Rafe, get the security report from him, and discover what he found so far.”
Answers would be good. She stood on her own and realized she wasn’t going to fall. “Where are we going?”
He walked to the window that pointed to the street over the sun-drenched white patio. “Across the street. See the yellow house?”
She squinted but saw that the house was literally across the street and would take them at most two minutes, if they walked slowly. She turned toward him. “I’m getting paranoid.”
He stayed at the window and gestured toward his black gate. “Everything will be fine. See the men on the carts?”
Again, she followed his direction and saw the men in the golf carts drinking water. “Yeah?”
He rubbed her back. “They are the House of Morgan security team. We’ll go and find out what’s happening and the moment the hospital opens, we’ll go see your parents.”
“That’s a great plan.” She and Galen entered the long hall. “I hope this ends soon.”
He offered his hand and this time she took it. “Me too. I’d rather take my fiancée to bed and not get interrupted.”
A surprised laugh escaped her throat. She hadn’t expected, but she agreed. “Now that is something to look forward to.”
Once they found whoever was clearly after her, she’d have peace. Right now, marrying Galen seemed like a far off possibility that was more like a dream in the nightmare of her life. But soon, possibly, she’d hold his hand in front of a preacher and tell the world how hard she’d fallen.
Galen checked all the mirrors before he unlocked his SUV car door. Without waiting for him or his opinion, Natalie opened her own door and slipped out. Green dress, leather flats, long blonde hair swinging—she kept saying how she hadn’t done anything, but just maybe her beauty, inside and out, had attracted the wrong man.
His brother-in-law’s house was perfectly safe and he trusted Rafe to protect them all, but still. The open air brought tension.
Someone wanted to hurt Natalie, and he’d do everything in his pow
er to protect her. He hopped out fast and walked behind her, like he might cover her if someone aimed for her back. At the door, Natalie waited for him to join her. He did and hit the doorbell.
Rafe immediately answered and motioned for them to come inside. “Natalie. Galen. Come in. Brandon’s playing in the backyard with Clara and my wife.”
Rafe, a former detective, was totally fine with his wife and son outside—which meant he didn’t fear a threat. Galen tried to rationalize his thoughts though his hair still stood on end.
Natalie walked into the foyer and asked, “You’re babysitting?”
Galen closed the door behind them as Rafe walked with Natalie into his living room. “Victoria needed time to heal so we offered for the day.”
Natalie turned toward him and stared at him with wide eyes. “What happened to your sister, Victoria?”
Galen explained, “She was run over at Damien’s wedding.”
Her face went whiter than he’d ever believe possible. She covered her lips but then dropped her hand. “I’m glad she’s recovering.”
Galen added fast, “And the person who hit her is now in jail. It isn’t related to this.”
Color returned to her face, and she took his hand as they followed Rafe. “That’s good to hear. Rafe, any news on who might be after me?”
He waved for them to follow him down a hall. Outside they heard children laughing which again told Galen everything was fine. His brother-in-law said, “Come to my office. I’m chasing two leads at the moment from the list you gave.”
The room had a laptop, listening devices, and microphones—the whole space could double as a base of operations, which it probably was. Rafe took security seriously.
Natalie adjusted the hem of her dress as she took her seat and waited for him. Galen joined her and sat in the empty leather seat while Rafe took the chair at the desk. Once they were settled, Natalie asked, “Okay, what?”
Rafe opened his laptop, pulled out a report and spun his laptop for them to see. “First, stay away from Rocco Dubois.”
Galen took the laptop and read the rap sheet on Rocco.
“Not a problem.” Natalie kept her attention on Rafe and asked, “Why? What does he want?”
Rafe leaned forward and told Natalie what Galen was reading in a nicer way. “I don’t know what he wants, but he’s a low level thug working for the Perez crime syndicate. He’s been in and out of jail for years.”
Rafe skipped telling her the part that read Rocco had been to jail four different times after having sixteen trials for charges that went from murder to arson.
Natalie clutched her cross in surprise. “Really? In college, he was always quoting poetry. It’s hard to think of him as dangerous.”
Perhaps Natalie wouldn’t ask to read the report where her ex had left poetry on a dead body, stapled to the victim’s torn clothes.
Rafe sat straight, his mouth in a firm line. “One of the cases I read had him quoting poetry while he assaulted a woman leaving a night club.”
That was in the file too. Galen glared at Rafe in warning.
Natalie swallowed and dropped her hands in her lap, her head down. “Wow. And I invited him into my apartment for his apology. That was stupid.”
Galen placed the laptop back on the desk and swung it toward Rafe. He caressed Natalie’s knee and said, “Rocco sent her flowers at work.”
Her lips parted as she gazed up at them. “That I took to the hospital and re-gifted to my mother.”
Rafe motioned for them to be quiet. “I’ll have my men investigate the flowers right now.”
He called over his radio and talked to security at the hospital.
Once he was done, Galen asked, “You said you had two leads.”
Resting his elbows on his desk, Rafe nodded. “The second is Maria Hernandez. She’s engaged to Rocco and was seen at the hospital. The Miami PD are searching for her as we speak.”
A sarcastic laugh that didn’t sound like Natalie at all emerged from her throat. “I guess it was true love on their end back in college.”
Well, she had said they cheated on her, but there was no way Natalie would ever have stuck it out with a bad guy like Rocco for long. She’d have eventually seen his true colors on her own, so it was lucky for her she caught him.
“Maria may be involved,” Rafe said.
For now, Natalie wouldn’t relax until she saw her parents so Galen intended to bring her to the hospital. He stood and held out his hand. “We’ll watch our backs then.”
Rafe rose in a fluid motion and shook. “One more thing. I haven’t located Alison Evermore yet. I have no reason to suspect she’s involved, but I wanted to let you know she’s not anywhere we can find.”
Natalie straightened the collar on her dress. “Her online profile said Tibet.”
Rafe shook her hand next. “Perhaps she’s studying with monks in some remote location? I will let you know what I find out.”
Galen then stated the obvious in case Rafe had anything to say on the matter. “We’ll head to the hospital now.”
“One second.” Rafe held up his finger for them to wait and pulled out his cell phone. He scrolled as he said, “I’ll talk to security but if you know anyone else connected with the Perez family, it might shed some light on why they are targeting you, Natalie.”
Natalie shook her head. “I don’t think I know anyone who does anything like that.”
“Not even Eddie?” Rafe showed a picture on his phone.
Natalie doubled backwards and the color drained from her face. “Wait. That guy lives in my building. I’ve seen him at the pool for years. I know he never seemed to work, but I thought he made money in the stock market or something.”
Rafe nodded like he knew that already but asked, “Have you ever had any conversations with him?”
Natalie met Galen’s gaze like she was searching for answers. She hugged her waist and quietly said, “Hi. How are you? Umm. How’s the pool today? Nothing that pops out as suspicious, though sometimes during the political season, he overstated his extremist opinions.”
Rafe finished his goodbye with a pat on Galen’s shoulder, an unspoken expectation that he would protect Natalie. “Okay, if you think of anything it might help.”
Natalie walked beside him as they left Rafe’s house. Neither said a word as they got into his SUV for Miami General Hospital. Galen drove onto the street when Natalie finally said, “This is a head trip. I’m telling you my life is usually pretty boring.”
The last thing he’d do was worry her. He kept most of what he read in Rafe’s report to himself. “How often do you go to the pool, Natalie?”
She huffed and took a deep breath as she considered, “In the summer, a lot more. You know once Miami hits eighty, we all put on our sweaters.”
Winter in Miami was summer everywhere else. He kept his gaze on the road. “So it’s been at least a month. If you think about any conversation that might now seem strange, Rafe is just a phone call away.”
She swallowed and nodded. “Galen, I’m worried. What if this has nothing to do with you after all?”
He hit the gas slightly as he entered the highway and blood rushed to his head. “Did you think it did?”
“Kind of.” She brushed her hair behind her ears and turned in her seat, closer to him. “We started dating and don’t get me wrong because I love being with you. But suddenly my boring life became crazy and you’re a billionaire from the House of Morgan. Your family is always being discussed in the checkout counter magazines.”
And he’d asked her to join the House of Morgan and to be one of them after their first date. Perhaps this was why she’d hesitated. “Natalie, I can’t stop idle gossip. I hope you understand that.”
She touched his arm. “Of course—I’m not blaming you, I just didn’t know about Rocco and that changes things.”
They didn’t speak for the rest of the trip. He’d have to buy Natalie a ring and propose properly after he won over her parents. He kept his
focus on that and nothing else. Galen pulled into the hospital parking lot. “We’re here. Let’s go see your parents.”
She reached for his hand. “Are you upset at me?”
Why? He stared at her blankly. “No, not at all. Let’s go in.”
Color returned to her cheeks. “Thanks.” She looked outside the windows and unfastened her seat belt.
Once Natalie was safe from Rocco, they had every chance to be happy. He’d take her to Paris and anywhere else she’d want to go—she was his number one priority.
Visiting her parents seemed like a strange dream after the crazy day. Natalie walked into the hospital room, pasted a smile on her face and the stress fell off her shoulders the second she saw her mother’s healthy glow as she sat on the bed. Her mother was always the strong one in their family, so seeing her as frail scared something deep inside Natalie’s soul.
Holding Galen’s hand the entire way from the parking lot had kept her calm. He hung back now as she had the urge to run forward. So she walked calmer next to him and introduced everyone. As she pointed to her bald, but clear blue-eyed mother, whose face was free from pain and her cheeks flushed with health, next to her gray haired brown-eyed father, whose shoulders were still tight with worry, she said, “Galen, this is my mother, Ana Parker, and my father, Eugene Parker.”
Her father stood, with the bowed shoulders of a middle aged man who worked his entire life, and offered his hand to shake. “Gene is fine. Nice to meet you, Galen, and thank you for watching out for my daughter today.”
Galen took his hand back with a nod. “It’s my pleasure.”
Her father then tapped him on the arm like they were going to have a man-to-man talk. “I don’t expect you have much experience talking to fathers of young ladies.”
Galen quickly shook her mother’s hand, but then returned to her father while he kept his head lower, showing respect. “Not at all. My own dad wasn’t a good example but I want to assure you that I’m nothing like him.” Then he glanced up and met her father’s brown eyes directly. “If your daughter marries me, she’ll be respected and cared for.”
Secret Date Page 11