by Bobbi Brattz
“I’ll be here, too. Nothing had better happen to Layla.”
Van cleared his throat. “I know you’re upset, but have a little faith. We’ll catch him. I swear it.”
“I hope so. I suppose you’ll have to stay here. I’ll talk to Mateo about getting you a room in the mansion.”
“Thanks, Kona. Is there one next to Layla’s room?”
Kona glared at him, his hands tightening into fists.
“I meant, so that I could be close if there were any problems.”
“Do you think he’ll attempt to get in here? Mateo had a new security system installed after Tara was attacked. He’s got this place working like Fort Knox.”
“Still, I prefer to keep her close.”
“All right, I’ll ask Moki since she’s the one who keeps the house.”
“Thanks, Kona.”
“I only hope that we catch the bastard. Layla…well, she’s had a rough time of it since high school. I can’t tell you why. That’s up to her.”
“She barely speaks to me at all. I doubt she’d tell me a thing about her past.”
“You never know. She’s always liked you, but she’s shy. You have to make the first move. I noticed you don’t talk much around her either.”
“Kona, I don’t know what to say. She keeps brushing me off.”
“She does that to any man who comes near her.”
“Yeah, including me.”
“I’ll talk to her. I’ll call Moki now and get you set up. I’ll be here all night, so if you need to go home and get your things, we’ll be okay.”
“Thanks, but I already have my gear. I brought it because Mateo and I figured it would get to this point. This guy means business. He has no idea who he’s up against. With you and Logan, Mateo, and me, she’ll be safe enough. I hope.”
* * * *
Eyes watched from a distance as Layla paced her room. She hadn’t given him her answer and that infuriated him, especially since she walked off with those two men. He knew one was her brother, but the other one? Who knew? The firefighter walked around the beach as though searching for someone. He’d never find him even though he stood practically on top of him.
Now that Layla was more accessible, it was time for a new gift.
She’ll marry me. Then we’ll play with fire.
Chapter Four:
Bid for Freedom
The parasail flew up high above the ocean. Freedom, that’s what Layla wanted. The bad baggage she’d carried around since her teens was something she wanted to get rid of. Van was a good man, she knew, but he was a man above all. There was no way she could feel comfortable around him or any other man.
“Good morning, Layla,” Van said, grabbing a coffee from the sideboard. “Did you sleep well?”
She sensed him watching her face, making her uncomfortable. Shy, she nodded then sat down at the table. There was a large bowl of prepared fruits sitting there, and she helped herself to it. Her appetite was gone, but she had to keep her hands busy to keep from looking at him.
“Any word on the stalker?” she asked quietly, her voice low and husky. His scent was driving her nuts, musk and spice. His cologne only tickled her senses and made her want to get closer. She loved the sky-blue color of his eyes, but she’d only seen them when he wasn’t looking at her. A quick glance his way proved that he watched her with a mixed expression of concern and something she couldn’t define.
“No. It looks like our new entertainment director has everything under control. I see that the parasail is up and running. Have you ever tried it?”
“No, I’m not much into sports. I only play with fire.”
Another quick gaze showed that Van’s eyes suddenly held a wary look in them. He sat down beside her and began placing food on his plate. Moki had outdone herself when she loaded up the table with hot bacon and eggs on a heated tray. When she came into the room with more coffee, she smiled at them.
“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”
Layla shook her head. “I kept thinking the arsonist would break into my room. Do you ever feel like someone’s watching every move you make? I even dressed for bed in the dark last night. Maybe I’m paranoid, but it feels like eyes are watching me.”
Again she knew that Van watched her, so she studied him from beneath her lashes for a moment. He definitely studied her face, making her cheeks burn. Van looked surprised, probably because she seldom talked when he was around. Always, she could sense the heat in his gaze when he stared at her. She wanted to be held in his arms and allow the world to pass by without interference. When he’d hugged her the night before, she’d melted into him for a brief moment before her deep-seated fears kicked in. Just once, she wanted to stay there, safe and free from memories.
The others left Kona, Layla, and Van alone.
“I’m going to be with you all day and night, Layla, until we catch the creep.”
“You don’t have to, Van. Mateo and Rae are always here.”
“They’ll be teaching sex therapy today. You’re going to have to accept that I’m here to protect you. I’m sorry if it’s a bother to you.”
Gnawing on her lower lip, she tried to think up an excuse to be alone. She much preferred it. When her cell phone rang, she went to answer it.
“Hello?”
“I want an answer.”
“Oh!” she exclaimed, dropping the phone.
“What’s the matter?” Van asked, picking it up. When he listened, there was no one on the line.
“It was him. His voice was a whisper. He said that he wants an answer,” she said, tears forming in her eyes.
“I’ll trace the call but they might not be able to do a thing because it was such a short one.” Taking his cell out of his pocket, Van called someone and demanded a phone trace. Once he hung up, he turned to Layla. “Don’t worry, I’ll get him.”
“I’m going to find Mateo,” Kona said and left the house.
Layla began to tremble, fear clawing at her stomach at the thought of being alone with him.
Van moved over toward her and placed his arm around her. This time she didn’t pull away.
“It’ll be okay, Layla. I’m going to make sure of it. If it’s a guest, we’ll dig him out.”
“Van, I’m scared, and that pisses me off. I hate being afraid all the time.”
“What are you afraid of? It’s me, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Van, but it’s hard to explain. I’m going to tell you something that I’ve never told anyone before. Please, don’t judge me until I’ve had my say?”
He gave her a gentle squeeze. “Why are you telling me now, Layla?”
“I have to or I’ll go insane. This man has shaken me up worse than I’ve ever been and…and I feel safe with you.” Her face flushed with heat as she avoided his gaze.
“Go ahead, honey. Tell me what’s wrong.”
She took a deep breath, shaking like a leaf. When Van’s strong arm slipped around her waist, it didn’t alarm her like when other men tried to touch her. She melted into him, trembling as his hard body came up against her.
“It was my first year at college and I was on a date when the guy… he…”
“He hurt you? What was his name?”
“He didn’t just hurt me. He raped me. I’m sorry, but I’m no good to you or anyone else. I can’t get it out of my head and every time someone touches me, I freak out.” She began to tremble with the fear of his closeness.
“Now, wait a minute. Layla, it wasn’t your fault. Do you know how many people I run across who’ve had that happen to them? It’s the fault of the man who did the deed. Who was he?”
“What difference does it make, Van? It’s too late to do anything about it.”
“No, it’s never too late to do something. Just tell me.”
She stood up and walked to the window, losing the secure feeling she’d had when he held her.
“He’s a powerful man now. I don’t know what to do, but I’m sick to death of living this
lie. When I’m fire dancing, I feel strong, like no one can touch me, but afterward, it all comes rushing back, especially when someone touches me like that drunk did the other night.” When she turned to him, her heart was pounding. She was afraid she’d see disgust on his face, but was surprised to see anger.
“Please don’t be angry with me, I couldn’t bear it.”
“I’m not angry with you, honey. I’m furious that the guy got away with it. Do you realize that he’s probably hurt a lot of women like you? He’s a predator and I’m going to stop him. Tell me his name, Layla. It’s time to stop dying inside every time someone comes near you. You’re a brave woman. I know we can fix this together.”
“He’s the mayor of Maui, Jeff Hanson.” When she saw the surprise in his eyes turn to cold anger, she started crying. “You see what I mean? He’s too powerful to touch.”
“No, he isn’t. I’ll take care of it. I promise you.”
He stood and came to her side, slipping his arms around her. She froze in place for a moment then allowed him to hold her.
“You’re sure you don’t blame me?”
“Not at all. This happens to women and young men all the time. Predators take advantage of the innocence, and bank on making you afraid to tell anyone.”
“He said, “Don’t tell anyone we made love, or I’ll come back a second time.” I’m worried it will get Kona in trouble if he found out who it was. He already knows about what happened. I told him the guy doesn’t live here, and that I didn’t know where he was. You know how protective he is of me.”
“Yes, let’s keep this between us until I track down the bastard.”
She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. Placing her hands on his hard chest, she felt the muscles beneath his shirt, and shuddered as her belly flipped.
“I don’t want to be afraid anymore, Van.” She whispered, afraid he’d say no. “Will you kiss me?”
Falling into his gorgeous eyes, she felt lightning strike down her spine as she offered her lips to him. “Don’t hurt me.”
“I’d never hurt you, honey. I’m going to kiss you now, but at anytime, you can stop me, all right?”
Her hand reached up to cup his cheek, tentative and shaky, but she did it and sighed. She’d been in love with him for a long time. Touching him made her bolder as she raised her head so he could capture her lips. At first he was so incredibly tender, a brush of his mouth over hers, and then she leaned into him and slipped her fingers into his hair, pulling him down to meet her passion. It was like she’d freed a side of her that she’d never known existed.
His mouth tasted sweet and minty. When he pushed at her teeth with his tongue, she faltered, pulling back slightly. Their lips were still a hairsbreadth away from each other when she spoke.
“Van, I don’t know how to kiss like that. Will you teach me?”
He groaned, touching his forehead to hers. His arms tightened even more, crushing her against him.
“I would, but it will wait. For now, I only want to please you and show you that not all men are like Hanson. I’m going to go as soon as Kona gets back and deal with him. I want you to stay brave for me. If I touch you any further, I might not be able to stop. You are so beautiful, Layla. I’ve wanted to be with you for a long time, but you always pushed me away or didn’t talk to me. Now I see why.”
As he talked, he held her close and kissed her neck, the side of her cheek, her lips. He was so tender that she started to cry.
“Oh, honey, please don’t. I can’t bear it.”
“I’m not crying because I’m sad, Van. It’s because I feel free. Thank you for listening and not judging me. Please be careful with how you deal with him.”
“I will. Now, why don’t you go have a warm bath and relax? Kona and Mateo should be back soon then I’ll go. I won’t tell them anything about what you said. You can trust me.”
“I do. I do trust you.”
He took her hand, kissing her palm. She gasped at the sensations rolling through her core. She wanted him. It was the first time she’d wanted anyone since that horrible night three years before. Layla pulled away and left him, tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. She couldn’t believe how much better she felt. The fact that she trusted him was a new thing to her, and it made her more confident. She’d be all right now, she was sure. At least she hoped so.
* * * *
That evening Layla, Kona, Van, Tara, Piers, Rae, and Mateo shared a festive meal. The fire was put on the back burner, and each of them relaxed for the first time since they lost the house.
Mateo closed the patio door curtains to ensure privacy since Layla had become jumpy about people watching her. She calmed down when the windows were covered.
“I’d love another glass of wine, Mateo,” she said, smiling shyly at him.
“It would be my pleasure to pour you some. Do you like the brand? It’s a merlot.”
“It’s delicious.”
Rae laughed. “It should be. He paid a fortune for it. Crazy man. I told him we should make our own. It would be cheaper.”
“I happen to like this stock, and money is no object.” Mateo tweaked his wife’s nose, making her squeal and laugh.
Kona took a sip and nodded. “I think it’s worth the money—let’s stash some in our rooms, Layla,” he whispered loudly.
“The bar is yours anytime, Kona.”
“I know, Mateo, but it’s more fun to sneak around and pilfer your bottles.”
Layla could tell that Van was biting back laughter. “I think I’ll stick to one glass. I’m on duty tonight.”
That brought Layla up short as she remembered why he was there. Determined that the stalker wasn’t going to ruin her first official night with the Mann’s, she brushed it off. Though fear fought for space in her stomach, she closed it off and smiled as brightly as she could.
“I want to toast to our hosts. May you always be our friends, and may we always be there for each other.”
“Here, here,” Mateo shouted.
There was a knock at the door and Moki came out of the kitchen.
“I’ll get that. You all start eating.”
“Rae, I can’t wait to try on some of the outfits we bought. You have exceptional taste in clothing.” Layla began to relax, chatting with ease.
Van nodded. “Maybe we should get you to fashion them for us.”
Laughing, Tara said, “I seriously doubt that will happen. A girl’s got to keep surprises up her sleeve to keep men interested. Right, Piers?”
“Hey, leave me out of this. I know when I’m supposed to keep quiet.”
Everyone laughed, the mood much improved until Moki came to the doorway and cleared her throat.
“Excuse me, but this is for Layla.”
She held another gift in her hands, her expression one of dread. The entire group fell silent, all eyes going to Layla. She was devastated and cried out.
“I don’t want to see it.” Rushing from the room, she ran to her bedroom and slammed the door tight.
* * * *
Van stood up, taking the package carefully from Moki. He placed it on the table and took out his pocket knife, tearing it open with great caution.
“We still haven’t been able to get any fingerprints off the gifts except for Layla’s. Moki, I’ll have to fingerprint you as well to eliminate yours.”
As he opened the note, he swore.
“It says, ‘I’m coming for you soon.’” Once he opened the box, he swore. “It’s Haumea, goddess of fertility and childbirth. I’m going to talk to Layla.”
Kona made to move as well.
“No, Kona, I have to do this alone.”
“But she’s my sister. I need to be there for her.”
Van shook his head. “I’ve got this.”
“Moki, we’ll be back for dinner soon. Thanks for bringing the box to me.”
As soon as he left the room, everyone began to talk at once. By the time he was at her door, he couldn’t make out one voice in the melee.
At first he knocked on the door, but she didn’t answer.
“Layla, it’s me, Van. Please, open the door.”
Nothing happened. He could hear her sobbing softly.
“Van,” Mateo called from down the hall. “There’s a key above the doorframe, just so you don’t have to kick the door down.” He disappeared back into the dining room, leaving Van to his own devices.
Reaching up, he retrieved the key and opened the door. Layla was sprawled across the bed sideways, her face buried in a pillow to muffle her cries.
Van sat beside her on the bed and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Layla, please talk to me.”
She turned and threw herself into his arms, her tears wetting his shirt in seconds.
“What was it this time, a ring for my nose?” she sobbed, her voice all wobbly.
“Close, he sent you a statue.”
“And what’s wrong with that? What twisted message is it now?”
“I think he wants you to have children with him. It’s the Goddess of Fertility. Isn’t there a Hawaiian superstition that if a woman touches the statue, she’ll get pregnant?”
Van caught the ghost of a smile as she tried to laugh, but came up with a hiccup instead.
“He’s got to be kidding me. Oh, Van. This is such a mess. What did I ever do to deserve this?”
“Honey, he’s obviously a sick man. We’ll catch him.”
Her nearness was driving him wild, his cock swelling and as hard as a rock. She smelled of vanilla, a sweet scent that turned him on even more. With his arms around her, he could barely take a breath for fear of scaring her away. Now that she’d opened up to him, he wanted to give her no cause to run.
Van couldn’t help threading his fingers through her beautiful hair. It was like black silk. She only wore it up when she danced. Incredibly, he held himself back from kissing her, but she took the initiative and kissed him first, her lips tentative and quivering.
“Make love to me, Van. I need you.”
“Honey, your brother is down the hall. I don’t want to cause any problems for you.”