“I passed out I think. Oh, mama, he’s really alive?”
“Si, mi amor. Are you coming home?”
“Yes! I’ll call you as soon as I know the details.”
“I’ll pick you up at the airport and drive you straight to Creed. Oh, I’m so happy!”
“Me too!” Kiera ran past Milo and grabbed her purse, ending the call and stuffing her phone in it. She wished she had time to change out of her white sequined stage costume, but nothing could keep her from Creed.
She hurried to the door, but Milo grasped her arm. “What are you doing? Where are you going?”
“I’m going to New York. Creed’s alive!” Her heart threatened to burst. The Dear Jane letter Creed had sent telling her to move on meant nothing now. She and Creed were meant to be together, and he was alive. She didn’t know such happiness could exist after the past three months of misery. She couldn’t stop grinning.
“We’ve got a show in twenty minutes, and what about us?”
“They’ll have to cancel the show, and I’m sorry, but there is no us.” Kiera ripped her arm free and ran for the door. By tomorrow morning, she’d be in Creed’s arms.
Two hours after Creed’s dreams had been smashed and tattered, Sutton Smith, the British guy who looked like James Bond, walked into the security office. Creed was properly cuffed and not even fighting. He always fought. It was who he was. A hot head and a smart aleck and the man who loved Kiera. But did she love somebody else? Had his alleged death driven her into another man’s arms and driven Creed out of her heart?
Sutton smirked at Creed and sat across from him. “Are you ready to stop wallowing and get to work?”
Stop wallowing? It had been two lousy hours since his world had fallen apart. He was entitled to a little indulgent misery. “Is she dating that guy?” Creed demanded. Somehow he knew Sutton had all the answers, and suddenly, he also knew why Sutton had acted so off in Syria about him finding Kiera.
“Milo Lopez—a B-list actor, acclaimed Broadway star, and Kiera’s dance partner.”
Creed glared. He didn’t need the guy’s credentials. He needed to know what he was doing with Creed’s girl and how Creed could rip them apart.
“For the past few months, they’ve been inseparable.” Sutton paused and eyed him, as if concerned how he would take his next words. “Even before your mission.”
“She’s his dance partner.” Creed exploded. Surely a man as accomplished as Sutton Smith understood the difference between performing and real relationships. Yes, Milo and Kiera worked closely together, but Kiera would never cross those emotional and physical lines.
Even if you were dead and told her to go be happy, to live her life? A snide voice whispered in his head.
Creed’s jaw tightened. No. Not Kiera. Not in three stinking months.
Sutton gave him an understanding look. “I’m afraid it’s more than that. Of course the press have been claiming Milo and Kiera are together but I took the liberty of asking Logan to dig.”
If Logan found the information, Creed could trust it. But what if that information confirmed the unwanted compassion in Sutton’s eyes?
Sutton threw some pictures on the table. Creed forced himself to glance over them. He could hardly stomach the ones of Kiera in Milo’s arms. None of them were of them kissing but he’d seen that with his own eyes. With his hands cuffed he couldn’t rip the evidence of Kiera and Milo being together outside of dancing to shreds.
Sutton pointed to several shots of Milo walking out of a ritzy-looking high-rise. “Kiera’s condo. Some of these are early in the morning, some extremely late at night.”
Creed’s chest tightened.
“His agent confirmed to Logan that Milo Lopez moved in with her three weeks ago, and he recently purchased a five-karat diamond ring.”
Creed dropped his chin to his chest. He felt like his insides were being ripped apart, but he’d been trained to project no emotion. Three lousy months he’d been dead, and Kiera had moved on that easily? Found somebody else. Living with him? The Kiera he’d known and loved would never live with someone. She was a strong Christian, and they’d both committed to saving themselves for marriage … to each other. Their last night together, she’d offered herself to him, but that was because she loved him so much. She wouldn’t do that with another man, would she?
His heart felt like it had splintered inside of him. Had celebrity status changed Kiera? Was she no longer the woman he craved and could never be without? He loved her more than anything in the world. And right now, he hated this Milo joker and the images of the guy holding her more than anything in the world.
All those years, all those promises. They’d stayed pure for each other. Even when it was tougher than sitting in a sweltering cave in Afghanistan and not moving for hours. Staying strong while kissing Kiera had been much harder than that. And she threw all their love and discipline away on some B-list actor. Rage filled his chest, and he felt like he was under water. Like during BUDs training when they would have to lay in the sand and do scissor kicks on their backs as the waves rolled over them. He would hold his breath until the wave receded, but sometimes he was completely out of oxygen and his abs were screaming for relief. He would pull in air too soon, and then he would be suffocating, certain he was going to die. That’s what this felt like.
He finally raised his eyes. Sutton’s blue eyes were serious, understanding, like someone who’d been there. Creed didn’t need his sympathy. He needed to escape from the reality of a world where Kiera didn’t love him enough to wait. A world where his girl gave her purity and love to someone else, without even waiting to marry the loser. Would Kiera really do that? He’d told her in his letter to be happy, to move on, but not like this. Their love felt cheapened and disgusting now. She’d thrown away their love like an already-used gun casing, not even worth finding a trash can for. His stomach churned, and his mouth filled with bile.
“Do you have underground assignments?” he asked.
Sutton quirked an eyebrow.
“I want to be in the dark to anything that happens in America.”
Sutton nodded his understanding. “I’ll give you the darkest assignments I can find and make sure everyone knows you want no reports on American social media.”
Darkness, tough assignments, and a world where Kiera and Milo didn’t exist sounded like the best option available to him. “When do I start?” he muttered.
Sutton gave him half a smile. “I thought you would never ask. Welcome aboard, young chap.”
Chapter Three
The ride to the airport, waiting until after midnight to pay an exorbitant amount to get on a plane, being in the air on a red-eye flight for six hours and forty-two minutes, none of it could wipe the perma-grin off Kiera’s face. Even though time passed excruciatingly slowly and she got some strange looks in her stage costume and makeup—until the people recognized her and interrupted her daydreams of Creed asking for autographs—her happiness didn’t evaporate as her mind kept repeating over and over again “Creed’s alive. Creed’s alive!”
She couldn’t wait to be in his arms. They’d fallen in love in high school. He and his brothers were all superhero athletes, handsome and sought after by every girl whose hormones worked properly. Creed had been the quarterback for Paul D. Schreiber High School, and his brother Emmett was their wide receiver. The two broke every record at the school then went on to play college ball together at Cornell. Emmett went on to play professionally for the Titans, but Creed enrolled in Navy training during college, like they all knew he would. He was determined to make a difference, and he would rather be below the water than on land.
When Kiera had first seen Creed, she’d been a sophomore and he was a senior. His family was from the unreal expensive area of Sands Point, whereas her parents were middle class and had a condo in Manorhaven, which was considered the most dangerous neighborhood in Port Washington, Long Island. Kiera smiled. Dangerous was a relative term. She loved all of Long Island and had always felt safe
. The fact that the billionaire hunk Creed Hawk had noticed her still shocked her. His friends and brothers gave him a hard time about robbing the cradle, but Creed didn’t care. He only had eyes for Kiera, and she’d been enamored with him from day one as well.
So much history together and so much love. Then he’d died. She shuddered. All that awful emptiness and sadness was behind her now. Creed was alive.
She finally made it onto land, through the airport, and into her mama’s arms. When her mama could see through the tears, they jumped into her Volvo, and her mama drove like a crazy woman through the morning rush hour toward Creed’s parents’ colonial mansion on Sands Point. When Kiera stumbled out of her mama’s old car at the Hawk mansion gate, she knew she was a mess—wearing her costume outfit and makeup, some of her makeup smeared from the tears of happiness she couldn’t stop crying. She wanted to yell to everyone—Creed’s alive!
“Ma’am?” the guard said respectfully but warily.
“Creed.” She gushed out. “I’m here for Creed.” She clasped her hands together and couldn’t stop grinning. “Kiera Richins. I’m his girlfriend.”
The guard glanced over her sequined white dress with the high thigh slit so she could move easily. His glance said he wondered if she was a crazed Hawk brothers’ fan. She prayed he wouldn’t call the cops on her. Dredging up every bit of training, she tilted her chin and gave him a challenging look.
Recognition flared in his eyes. “You’re the Just Dance lady,” he murmured.
At least he’d recognized her and probably wouldn’t throw her out. “I need to see Creed … please.”
He nodded. “Just a moment, ma’am.” He paced away from her and pulled out his phone, conferring for far too long. Finally, he pushed open the walking gate and ushered her through. “Do you need assistance to the house?” he asked, glancing down at her high-heeled dancing shoes.
She laughed. “I can sprint in these things.” And sprint she did, feeling so carefree and happy. She was here. Creed was here. Life was beautiful and wonderful. Running along the wooded path that paralleled the tree-lined drive, Kiera finally spotted the huge Colonial mansion. Kiera had always loved this spacious house with the wide planks, black shutters, huge porch, and the views over the sweeping lawn, pool area, and the ocean beyond. But it was the love that filled the house that made her so happy. Creed’s mom was an angel, and his brothers were very similar in dark good looks but very different in personality, talents, and temperament. Despite that, they were all good men who could tease her like a sister.
The front door sprang open as she crossed the circle drive and raced past the water features. Caroline ran out with her arms wide. She was a few inches shorter than Kiera’s five six and was always done up to the nines with her dark hair perfectly coiffed and in a different color of business suit and skirt every day. Yet she’d bake cookies and cuddle and wrestle with her boys as if she was in holey sweats. Kiera loved her almost as much as she loved her own mama.
“Beautiful girl, you’re here!”
Kiera pumped her way up the stairs as Caroline descended them. They slammed so hard into each other Kiera would’ve lost her balance if she hadn’t been born with the ability to teeter on her toes for hours. Caroline held her tight. Tears ran unchecked down Kiera’s face. A small part of her wished she could clean off her stage makeup that had to be smeared to kingdom come and get all beautiful for Creed, but most of her couldn’t care less. She just wanted his arms around her and knew he would feel the same, no matter what his letter said about her moving on with her life, no matter how many horrors he must’ve gone through being imprisoned for three months. They were meant to be together and heal each other’s hurts. Creed would want her even with the makeup smears.
“He’s alive.” Caroline kept repeating it. “I’m just so happy.”
“I want him!” It came out as an anguished wail, and the words sounded completely inappropriate to say to Creed’s mother, but she knew Caroline would understand. Kiera had distanced herself from the Hawks because of how hard it had been to see each other and be reminded of losing Creed all over again, ripping the unhealed wound open over and over again. Still, she knew the Hawks loved her, and she loved them. Her heart was bursting with happiness. They could all be one big happy family again. Creed would come soon—hold her, kiss her. They could start making plans for when they would get married. She knew he’d support her in her career, but that was the last thing on her mind right now. She needed Creed more than water, food, or air. More than dancing. Okay, she was getting a little dramatic, but she loved him so much.
“Oh, sweetheart.” Caroline pulled back and daintily swiped her tears away with her first finger. “You just missed him. He … had to leave.”
“Leave? Where?” Surely, she’d heard wrong. Creed would never leave. He’d know Kiera would come. In fact, if he had the time, the Creed she missed and loved would’ve flown straight to find her. She knew it.
“Packed up his stuff and left with some charming English man an hour ago.”
Caroline’s words screeched all of Kiera’s dreams to a halt. Caroline studied her like she might break apart. With good cause. Creed had left?
“Did he go looking for me?” She clenched her hands together, terrified of the answer. She never thought she’d be terrified of anything Creed would do. What was happening?
“Earlier I thought he was going to.” Caroline seemed as confused as Kiera felt. “You didn’t see him in Vegas?”
Kiera shook her head.
“I was so certain he was going to find you, but now he’s headed to California.”
California? If Creed really went to Vegas, why didn’t he find her? In the hallway, after Milo kissed her, she thought she’d heard Creed’s voice call her name. If that had been Creed he wouldn’t have left without finding her. She was so confused.
“When’s he coming back?” she asked in a small, unsteady voice. She would wait. Though it hurt that he hadn’t been able to wait for her, what was a few more days when they were going to be together forever? He must’ve had to go on an essential assignment. Surely there was someone dying who needed Creed’s skills and help. That was the only reason he’d leave before he saw her. She had to believe that or she would crumble.
“I don’t know exactly how long, sweetheart.”
“Can we call him?”
Caroline wrapped her hand around Kiera’s arm as if in a show of support. “He … he said there’s no way for us to get a hold of him. Said he’ll be ‘underground’ for”—Caroline swallowed—“months.” She looked down as if she couldn’t meet Kiera’s gaze. “He asked me to send his things to California.”
Kiera stared, not even blinking. Most of all not comprehending. Was Caroline trying to say that Creed had been brought back from the dead, only to leave her again?
“The job is undercover and very important. Somebody needs him. You know Creed.” Caroline smiled, but it fell away quickly.
Kiera did know Creed. Knew and loved him completely. He’d been her world. She’d been proud and thought it was very honorable when he’d enlisted in the Navy then worked his way into being a SEAL and then on a special elite task force. Her stomach rolled. All of Creed’s accomplishments made her suddenly ill. She’d assumed he’d done everything because of his love for America which he’d claimed was deeper because of his love for Kiera. It had been hard when he’d missed the entire season of America’s Got Talent: Just Dance. Especially when she won and he couldn’t be there to pick her off her feet and kiss her in that joyful moment. She had expected to make sacrifices as the loved one of a Navy SEAL, and she’d never begrudged him serving his country. Yet now, when he should have returned to her, he’d chosen an undercover job over her? He was so noble and good, and of course, someone needed him, but why couldn’t that someone be her?
She was numb. Creed hadn’t cared enough to even come find her before he left again? He’d been resurrected from death, and he couldn’t even send her a text? Maybe she
could understand if he would’ve at least made an effort. Would it have killed him to call? Explain why he had to leave?
“Come inside, sweetheart. You look exhausted.”
Kiera pulled back and shook her head. She wasn’t exhausted. She was heartbroken and shattered, and as the depth of Creed’s rejection and betrayal sunk in, she was royally ticked off. She focused in on Caroline. Creed’s mom didn’t deserve Kiera’s wrath. Creed did. “I … I’d better go be with my mama and”—she gestured to her ridiculous outfit—“change out of this.”
Caroline nodded, pretending she understood, pretending they didn’t both know that Creed apparently didn’t love Kiera enough to make any effort to contact her. Ditched. She’d been ditched by the man who was her world. What kind of man did that to the woman he claimed to love? Not her Creed. Had his imprisonment changed him, stripped him of his ability to love her? In his letter he’d asked her repeatedly to move on, to find happiness and love. Had he planned even then to never come back to her? Maybe, before he’d been imprisoned, he’d already doubted their relationship? Doubted their love? The bottom fell out of her stomach. She was on an emotional roller coaster more vicious than any ride at Six Flags.
“I’ll tell Creed I saw you when he calls.”
“No!” Kiera shook her head fiercely. “Please don’t, Caroline.”
“But Kiera—”
“Please.” Kiera swallowed hard so she wouldn’t cry again. Before, the tears she’d been crying were due to happiness and anticipation and joy. Now, they would be bitter and selfish and pitiful. Kiera touched Caroline’s arm. “If he didn’t want to see me …” She swallowed again and shook her head then bit her lip before taking a quick breath. Nothing helped, the tears spilled out.
“Oh, sweetheart, of course he wanted to see you!” Caroline crossed the distance between them and hugged her tight. “He’s always loved you. It’s always been you for Creed.”
“Then why wouldn’t he come for me? Why wouldn’t he wait?” The anguished words rushed out, and Kiera wished she could call them back. She didn’t want to do this with Creed’s mom. It wasn’t fair of her. This sweet woman had been through more than enough. Creed had left her too. How could he just leave his mom for some job, days after returning to her? This job must be singularly important. Unfortunately, that thought didn’t help ease the pain at all.
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