Beach Reads Boxed Set

by Marie Force

  “Please,” she begged. “Tell me what happened.”

  “It sounds like one of the Benedettis grabbed a gun and shot up the courtroom,” the younger of the two cops said.

  “Michael,” Juliana moaned, sinking to the cement stairs. “Oh, Michael.”

  As the younger cop went to the patrol car to find out more, the other one sat down next to her and took her hand. “We’re going to find out what happened just as fast as we can, okay?”

  She squeezed his hand and nodded, knowing all the cops who had guarded them in the last few weeks had become fond of her and Michael. They knew exactly what she needed to hear just then.

  Her heart raced as she absorbed the very real possibility that Michael could be dead. Promising anything God wished to ask for in return, she asked Him to protect Michael and bring him home to her.

  The waiting became unbearable, and she began to cry. The movie of her brief time with him ran through her mind over and over again. Resting her head on her arms, she was overcome with love and fear unlike anything she’d ever experienced, even when Escalada held a knife to her throat. Her worries for Michael’s safety were far greater than any she had ever felt for her own.

  Just when Juliana thought she would go mad if she didn’t hear something soon, a police car pulled onto the street. The back door opened, and Michael ran for her. Later, she wouldn’t recall the exact moment when it registered with her that it was him, and he was safe. All she remembered was running and crying and screaming his name.

  Right in the middle of Chester Street, he scooped her off her feet and into his arms.

  She rained kisses over his face before she found his lips.

  “It’s over, baby,” he whispered. “It’s really over.”

  “So then John fired from behind me and hit Marco right in the heart,” Michael recounted to Juliana. They were curled up together on the sofa after saying a tearful good-bye to the police officers who’d provided protection over the last two months.

  “Thank God he was there.” Juliana couldn’t seem to stop touching Michael—his face, his hair, his chest—as if to confirm he was really safe.

  “Yeah, he was unbelievable. He fired while he was in midair tackling me, and the shot was dead-on accurate. I don’t know how Marco missed us both. When I tried to thank John, he said, ‘I owed you one, Mr. Maguire.’”

  “It must’ve been so scary.”

  “It all happened so fast there was no time to be scared, but I’ll tell you what, in that one second when Marco fixated on me and I thought I was going to die, a lot of shit ran through my head.”

  She caressed his face. “Like what?”

  “I had just enough time to be really sad that I wouldn’t get to spend my life with you. And I thought about my poor parents who’ve already lost one son. That’s why I called them on the way home, before they heard it on the news. My mother was hysterical.”

  Juliana closed her eyes tight against the burn of tears. “I was so sure you were dead.”

  He pressed his lips to hers. “All I could think about was getting home to you. I left Tom to deal with the media and got the hell out of there.” He checked his watch. “They’re having a press conference in a few minutes.”

  She released him so he could turn on the TV.

  They listened to Police Chief Noonan recount the events that occurred in the courtroom. He announced for the first time that the Benedettis had been linked to the attempted murder-for-hire of the eyewitness and the police officers guarding her in the Annapolis hotel room. The chief answered a flurry of questions about the connection between the Benedettis and Escalada without naming Juliana.

  “Thank God it’s over,” she whispered.

  “Thank God they’re dead, and they can’t hurt you or anyone else.”

  Tom appeared next. “I want to thank everyone on my staff who worked so hard over the last year to secure the convictions of Marco and Steven Benedetti. In particular, the entire city of Baltimore owes a debt of gratitude to lead prosecutor Michael Maguire. Despite repeated threats to his safety and that of his loved ones, Mr. Maguire never wavered in his commitment to see justice served on behalf of the Borges, Domingos, and Sargant families. I think it’s safe to say the Benedettis are now facing a higher form of justice than anything we could’ve meted out here on earth.”

  “Isn’t that the truth?” Michael said. “I hope they rot in hell.”

  They listened to interviews with several jurors who expressed shock over the events in the courtroom, as well as what they finally learned about the arsenic attack.

  “I wondered why she didn’t testify in person,” the foreman said. “We had our suspicions that something happened to her, but we never could’ve imagined all of this.”

  “This means Rachelle’s family can go home again, right?” Juliana asked.

  “They’re on their way as we speak, and I heard today that Scott Brown is on the mend.”

  “That’s great news,” she said, overcome with relief to know that Rachelle would get back at least some of what she’d lost on that fateful night and that Officer Brown would recover from his injuries. “I don’t ever want to hear the name Benedetti again. Can we never, ever talk about them again?”

  “Fine by me.” Michael flipped off the television and turned to her. “I have a big idea.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Tom told me not to show my face in the office until next Monday, and you don’t have to be anywhere until Saturday. What do you say we get out of here for a few days?”

  “I’d love to.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Michael and Juliana spent three blissful nights at a resort in the Bahamas. The sunshine and relaxed atmosphere did wonders to restore their battered nerves, but they were subdued as they flew home late on Friday afternoon. Juliana was due to meet Jeremy in the morning, and Michael had decided to go to Jacksonville to finally deal with Paige and her alleged pregnancy.

  “I wish we could’ve stayed there forever,” he said after they landed in Baltimore.

  “I know. Me, too. But the sooner we take care of things with Jeremy and Paige, the sooner we can get on with our lives.”

  “I like the sound of that. Where do you want to get married?”

  “I don’t really care. I’ve never wanted a big wedding because of all the crap with my family, so whatever you want is fine with me.”

  “My mother and sisters would never forgive me if they weren’t there, so maybe we can do it in Rhode Island?”

  “That’s fine.”

  “I love you.” He kissed her left hand. “I can’t wait to get my ring on that finger where it belongs and put another one right on top of it.”

  Holding hands, they walked through the airport.

  “I’ll never be in this airport again that I won’t think of you and the night I met you here,” Juliana said.

  “What a long, strange trip it’s been since then, huh?”

  She grinned. “The craziest two months of my life, that’s for sure.”

  “For me, the craziest and the best.”

  “Same here.”

  After they dropped off their luggage at home, they went to Fell’s Point for pizza and beer at one of the waterfront restaurants.

  “It sure does feel good to be free of the cops, doesn’t it?” he asked.

  “And free of the fear. The cops were all so terrific, though. We got really lucky.”

  “They have a tough job. I have a whole new appreciation for them after spending so much time with them.”

  “I have a whole new appreciation for a lot of things after everything that’s happened,” she said. “Regular people don’t pay much attention to the criminal justice system until we need it, so I never had any idea how much danger people like you and the cops put yourselves in on our behalf. It’s impressive and admirable.”

  “Thank you,” he said, touched by her insight. “Luckily, it’s not usually this dangerous.”

  “What are you goi
ng to do now that the trial’s over and Rachelle’s attackers are all dead? I know you’d like to go to Rhode Island to open your practice there.”

  He laced his fingers through hers. “And I know you have an obligation here to your mother, so we’ll be staying put for the time being. I’ll probably get a few offers because of the publicity the trial generated. We’ll see what happens.”

  “You’d really put your plans on hold for me?”

  “Of course I would. The Rhode Island thing was always a pipe dream anyway. It’ll still be there if someday ever comes.”

  “My mother could live for years yet,” she warned him.

  He squeezed her hand. “I hope she does.”

  When they got home, they unpacked from the Bahamas and repacked for the weekend away from each other.

  Juliana zipped her bag closed, sat next to him on the bed, and leaned her head on his shoulder. “I wish we didn’t have to do this. I wish we could just run away together and never look back.”

  He put his arm around her. “It’s just a few more days, baby. We can get through a few more days to have forever together, can’t we?”

  “You’ve never had a moment’s doubt, have you?”

  “Not about my feelings for you. How you feel has given me a few worries.”

  “I’ll tell you how I feel: I love you, Michael. I admire you, I respect you, I adore you, I want you.”

  He sighed with contentment as he kissed her softly at first and then with growing passion when she responded with equal ardor. They rolled across the bed, pulling at clothes without breaking the kiss. His hands were everywhere, uncovering the soft skin he craved. He pushed aside the last of their clothes and entered her.

  She gasped and clutched him tight against her.

  Their lovemaking was desperate and almost frantic throughout a night neither of them would ever forget.

  As the sun came up the next morning, Michael was filled with a sense of foreboding that left him wondering if what she had given him that night was going to have to last a lifetime.

  Juliana took her time in the shower, wanting to prolong her departure as long as she could. She heard the bathroom door open.

  “Want some company?”

  “Sure.”

  He got in behind her and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head. “I don’t want you to go.”

  She turned to him, the water sluicing over them. “You have things you need to take care of, too,” she reminded him.

  Capturing her mouth in a plundering kiss, he lifted her, pressed her against the wall, and made love to her one last time. When it was over, tears mixed in with the water on his face as he struggled to catch his breath. “I’m sorry,” he said against her ear. “I didn’t come in here for that.”

  “Don’t be sorry.” She kept her arms and legs wrapped around him until the water turned cool, and they released each other with great reluctance.

  They got dressed in silence, and Juliana dried her hair. She covered what remained of the bruise on her face with makeup before gathering the last of the things she needed from the bathroom and adding them to her bag. Then there was nothing left to do, no reason left to stay.

  Michael walked her downstairs and held her coat for her. He gathered her hair from under the collar and let it slide through his fingers.

  “What time’s your flight?” she asked.

  “Noon. I’ll be back tomorrow night around seven.”

  She rested her hands on his chest. “Good luck with all that.” With a small, sad smile, she added, “Don’t let her hit you.”

  “I’ve learned to be ready for it.”

  She hugged him.

  “You’ll be back tomorrow night, right?”

  “Yes.”

  He kept his arms around her. “I don’t want to let you go.”

  They held on tight for a long time before Juliana took a step back, gazed at his handsome face, and reached up to kiss him. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” He stepped aside so she could open the door. “Don’t forget to come back.”

  “I won’t.” She leaned in for one last, quick kiss and was startled when he responded with a burst of desperate passion.

  “Go,” he whispered against her lips, his eyes bright with tears.

  Without another word, she went out the door to her car.

  Juliana drove around for almost an hour to get her emotions under control before she faced Jeremy. She willed herself not to cry so she wouldn’t have to explain red eyes to him. Pulling up in front of the house on Collington Street, she noticed his black Toyota SUV parked outside for the first time in nearly a year.

  For several minutes, Juliana was unable to move. Finally, with a last deep breath for courage, she grabbed her bag, got out of the car, climbed the cement stairs, and used her key in the front door. Inside, she dropped her bag on the floor and took off her coat, filled with the odd sense of having landed somewhere she no longer belonged. In just two short months, Michael’s house had become home to her.

  Jeremy came bounding down the stairs with a big smile on his face. “Oh, babe, I’m so glad you’re home!” He flung his arms around her and lifted her off her feet. By the time he put her down, they were both in tears, but for different reasons. “It’s so good to see you.” He caressed her face as if to convince himself she was really there. “I missed you so much.” He brushed his lips over hers but was so caught up in the moment he failed to notice her lack of response.

  “Jer, we need to talk,” she said, pulling back from him.

  He reached out to run his fingers through her hair, and she was stricken by the memory of Michael doing the same thing only an hour ago.

  “I know, but I just want to be with you for a while first. Is that okay?”

  She hesitated and then nodded.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “Sort of.”

  “Why don’t we go get some breakfast?”

  Juliana didn’t think she could eat, but it was something to do. “Okay.”

  They put on their coats to walk the short distance to their favorite coffee shop. On the way, Jeremy kept his arm looped around her shoulders. Juliana prayed that Michael wouldn’t drive by on his way to the airport and see them together. She was finally able to breathe again after they ducked into the tiny restaurant where they were greeted like returning royalty.

  “Hey, you guys!” their waitress friend Carla said with a warm smile. “We were just talking about you the other day! Where’ve you been?”

  “I was working in Florida for the last nine months. I just got back last night.” He reached for Juliana’s hand. “It sure is good to be home.”

  “It’s great to see you,” Carla said. “Can I get you the usual?”

  “That works for me. Jule?”

  Juliana swallowed the lump that lodged in her throat as she and Jeremy slid back into their old life like nothing had happened. “Just coffee and wheat toast for me, please.”

  “You’re sure, babe?”

  She nodded.

  “Coming right up.”

  Jeremy smiled and reached across the table for Juliana’s other hand. “I can’t believe you’re really here with me. I thought today would never get here.”

  “It’s good to see you, too.” She hadn’t expected to be so glad to see him.

  “I’m surprised I can even function after the last two weeks. I worked sixteen, seventeen hours a day to finish everything so I could leave by Wednesday. A couple of nights I slept on the floor at the office because it wasn’t worth going home.”

  “Did you get it all done?”

  “My part’s done. I might have to go back for a day or two in the next few weeks, but that’s it. The rest of them have at least another month, maybe two, before they’re done.”

  “So you didn’t have to quit to come home early?”

  “Fortunately, it didn’t come to that. They even gave me next week off and a bonus for getting the in
stall done early.”

  “That’s good. Congratulations.”

  “How’s everything at the salon?”

  “Oh.” The question startled her. She hadn’t been to the salon in almost three weeks and was due back to work on Tuesday. “Fine. Nothing new.”

  Carla brought them coffee.

  Jeremy added cream and sugar to Juliana’s and slid it over to her.

  “Thanks,” she said, touched by his attentiveness.

  “I missed you so much, Jule. Did you miss me?”

  “Of course I did.”

  His face sagged with relief. “I’m glad to hear that. I was so nervous about seeing you today, but the minute you walked in all the nerves went away.” He kissed both her hands and then released them when Carla brought their food.

  “Just holler if you need anything else.”

  Jeremy dove into his omelet while Juliana picked at her toast.

  “I thought you were hungry,” he said.

  “Not as much as I thought.”

  “Are you okay?” he asked, his eyebrows knitting with concern.

  Her heart ached when she realized this was going to be much, much harder than she ever could have imagined. “We really need to talk.”

  “Later. I promise.” After they had a second cup of coffee, he paid the check and extended his hand to her.

  “Take care, you guys,” Carla said. “Come back again soon.”

  Jeremy held the door for Juliana. “We will,” he replied.

  At home, he took her coat and hung it next to his in the closet.

  Juliana wandered into the kitchen to flip through the mail. Most of it was junk, which she threw away. She wished desperately for something else to do, anything to avoid confronting the needy, hopeful vibe coming from Jeremy. When she couldn’t put it off any longer, she went to sit next to him on the sofa.

  He put his arm around her and brought her close to him.

  Juliana resisted his efforts to kiss her.

  “What?”

  “Don’t.”

  “Why?”

  She pulled free of his embrace and stood up. “I can’t do this! I can’t just pick up where we left off like nothing’s happened!.”