Vicki's face paled until she almost matched her all-white dress, but then she licked her lips which had the only trace of pink color. "I see my brothers both decided to keep my friends as girlfriends."
Alice's face flushed. "John and I are just friends."
Jennifer rolled her eyes. "Sure, and I'm applying to be a nun next week. Alice, we're adults now. You don't have to pretend to be an angel."
Alice clenched her hands. Jennifer was too much. "Not everyone is like you, Jenny."
Jennifer's nose curled at her old nickname. Alice bit her lip and then realized she had nothing to be guilty for. One kiss didn't make a relationship. This whole thing was crazy. She had avoided Jennifer for years and would again, once they all left this room.
Victoria smiled and nodded at how John and Alice held hands. "I approve of you two, if that means anything to either of you."
Alice broke into a laugh. This was a ridiculous conversation. Someone was out to kill someone—her—and they spoke about dating. They were no longer teenagers.
John released her hand, and Alice's body chilled. He went to the door to speak to security as she glanced at the bulge on his spine that must be his gun. Her heart almost stilled as he returned to her, placed his hand on her spine, and addressed his brother. "Our family reunion needs to be better planned. Peter, ensure that Vicki is kept safe tonight at Castle Morgan. I'll plan our escape from here and see the rest of you tomorrow."
Alice opened her mouth and almost asked, "What about me?" but clamped her lips together. Her mind returned to the fact that she was at a funeral where two former US Presidents showed up and the current one had sent his apologies. The shot had to be related to that, and not some threat to John. No one was going to kill her. Or her family.
John took Alice's hand and dragged her out the door.
Her feet stumbled to keep up, but he held her close as he went to a Secret Service agent. He spoke to the man so fast that Alice turned toward the funeral and tuned out their conversation. Guests sat in the pews of the church, talking animatedly. "She's alive?" "It's better than a soap opera." "Do you think the old man is dead or will he wake up later today?"
Once again Mitch Morgan set off a firestorm in his family, at his own funeral. Her mother would say he was stirring trouble from the grave.
Alice's face heated. Victoria's funeral had been with a closed casket while Mitch Morgan's waxy face beamed from his silken coffin. He had been the richest man in the world who craved power over the rest of mankind.
John told the agents, "My father loaned the government money to pay the national debt. This threat is either against the Presidents, me, or my family. I'm heading to a safe house with this woman. Cover us until we make it out of the parking lot."
"Woman?" Alice said as he turned her on her heel and they headed back where someone had almost killed her.
He opened the door and didn't bat an eye. Her heart raced. "The Secret Service cleared the parking lot to get the Presidents out. I'll have your car brought somewhere safe, later, but we're heading to my car."
John kept her hand in a tight lock, and she shivered as she ran to stay beside him. "Don't call me woman. My name is Alice."
He stopped at a brand new black Mercedes Benz with tinted windows. Her white SUV on the other end of the lot was dusty from the road but right now it seemed like a shrine toward home. John opened the passenger door and waved for her to get in. "Alice, I didn't mean to offend you."
Her shoulders curved inward. Part of her wanted to run toward her SUV and take off for the family farm. The other part didn't think that was a good idea. Her body shook. "I don't feel safe outside right now."
He placed his hand on her shoulder and she jerked back at the touch. Then she took a breath and relaxed. John said, "I'll protect you, but we can't camp out at the church."
Noise behind them caused her to spin on her heel and stare at the Secret Service taking one of the Presidents to a limo. Alice rubbed her arms and turned back to John's strong profile. His five o'clock shadow somehow soothed her. "Where are we going?"
He tilted his jaw in the air. "I can't tell you."
She wasn't a child and that was not a good answer at all. She shook her head. "Why not?"
John leaned closer. "In case someone is listening."
"What?"
He opened the door. "We're outside, open targets. Alice, please get in."
She stared into his blue eyes. Then she slowly nodded and ducked into the passenger seat of his car. "John, okay, I'm going to trust you."
He locked her door and then swung around the car and joined her. He found his sunglasses and then sped out of the parking lot. Alice massaged her forehead. "Your brother canceled his contract with my family."
"What?"
This was a topic she'd have discussed with him over coffee. The original plan sounded like a dream. "Peter spoke to me before we all went in. He canceled the contract. It was why I was upset earlier when you came over to me. I have no idea how my parents can retire without that. I have to get to work."
The engine purred and she paused. He kept his gaze on the road and clutched the wheel. "We have more important things to discuss."
No. She wouldn't think about herself or the bullet that almost lodged itself in her brain. She played with her gold pendant. "My parents are my priority."
"I'll speak to Peter for you."
If Peter Morgan changed his mind then she could breathe easier, but it wasn't wise to hope. There had to be another production company that would buy their oranges up north. The cash crop was a commodity many people around the country craved. "If he doesn't change his mind, then I have to go shopping for a new shipper. That's going to be my priority."
His hand crossed the seat and squeezed her arm. "It's not as important as your life."
John Morgan was bringing up things out of her comfort zone. Her body tensed as she wrapped her head around what she could handle. "I don't have a life if I don't find a new contract."
"Alice, you have your priorities backwards."
She stared out the window. Today was something out of a movie. The funeral, her best friend returned from the dead, someone almost shooting her, her lost business contract, while her body buzzed with awareness of John and it was altogether too much to handle.
John wasn't being reasonable right now and her muscles were so tight that she couldn't breathe. "Let's not talk anymore for a while. I'm not in the mood. Today has been insane."
Chapter 10
John's gut clenched as if he'd been sucker-punched. Alice Collins had almost died today and it was because of him. He shouldn't have spent the evening with her the night before his father's funeral.
Alice stared out the window and refused to look at him.
Mitch Morgan ruined everything and even from his grave, he'd ensure that his children did as they were told. John's mind flashed back to his father's opinion of Alice he'd shared one night to Vicki at the dinner table.
Alice isn't good enough for you.
Dad, she's my friend and nice to me. No one is nice to me.
People shouldn't be nice to you. People should fear you and the House of Morgan.
John had stayed quiet, but the message was always the same. Fear was the weapon of choice for the Morgans. Unlike his sister, John snuck out of the house and did what he wanted. His father never knew how he played high school and college football as it didn't bring anything substantial to his business. It had been better to simply not bother him, as he was the spare son. It had been easy to disappear. Peter and Victoria had had it different.
"Where are you taking me?" Alice turned toward him. His heartbeat quickened as he stared into her pretty eyes that now seemed almost green and not her usual deep blue.
He tugged his ear and turned south. "I own a house in Pinecrest."
Her gaze narrowed. "I thought you didn't have any property here."
"My dad bought it for me."
"Must be nice."
His sho
ulders tensed. "I never wanted it."
"Houses in rich areas are tough to give up as a present." The harshness in her tone disappeared and she reached over and caressed his arm. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day. What did you want?"
He turned off Biscayne and down a side street. "From my father, absolutely nothing."
"Then why are we going to the house?"
He made another turn. Soon enough he'd have her at his place. "It's safe. The House of Morgan has better security than the Secret Service, and neither of us wanted to go to Castle Morgan."
"True." She crossed her arms. "Now that your dad is dead, you'll take your place in the House of Morgan, and everything will go back to normal, fast."
"I don't have my own place here yet or a final decision on my career." His body still burned. He licked his lips to cool down. "I don't know anything other than you need to be safe."
She shook her brown hair and a piece of shattered glass glinted from the strands. He reached behind her ear and removed it as she said, "Don't pin your inheritance on saving my life."
He clutched the wheel and drove into the driveway with huge trees that blocked the view of the black gate that he clicked open. "You know way too much, Alice."
She gazed at the modern home where he parked the car in the garages to the right, and her eyes widened. He followed her gaze toward the Spanish-style open air courtyard. Then she unlocked her own door. "I paid attention."
He clicked the garage open and drove the last few feet so no one would see his car from the street. Behind him the garage door closed, and the lights came on automatically. He turned off the engine. "I should have paid more attention a long time ago."
She crossed her arms beneath her breasts. "Why don't you just take me to the farm? We'll know if anyone steps foot on our dirt."
The garage was fully closed now. He unlocked his door and stepped out. "Alice, you know I can't."
She unbuckled her seatbelt, and then jumped to follow him. "I don't know anything."
He walked toward her even though it was the wrong side of the house. She took a step back. Her eyes were so big. He opened his hands, palms showing, and nodded. "I was in the FBI and investigated bad people."
Her gaze narrowed again. He'd have to remember Alice was really sharp. "Was? Are you or are you not?"
With her, he was honest and not holding back. "I am making new plans for my life. There's no point staying in the FBI."
"Except for the threat on your life." She moved nearer to him and even though the garage still had the car engine smell, his nostrils picked up her strawberry scent. "The House of Morgan tempting you back."
He gestured toward the house but she stayed still. John straightened his back. "I left Miami because of Victoria."
Her voice softened. "She's alive."
He nodded. "And I don't know what I'm supposed to do any more."
She came closer. His world went from gray and lifeless to full color. Her brown hair had a shine to it, and her pert lips tempted him. She clearly wasn't affected because she acted angry. "Live. It's what we're all supposed to do. We find a way in the world to give back to our community and shine as the individuals we truly are on the inside."
She was like a big human puzzle. He tilted his head to try to figure her out. "What if I turn out like my father?"
"Impossible."
If John planned on making the money to prove his father wrong, he'd need someone next to him to remind him. A smile spread across his face. No one ever said that with so much conviction. He almost believed her. "Why?"
"'Cause you care too deeply."
His heart did a double beat in that second. "Most people think I'm cold."
She shook her head. "That's because you went into the law where there is black or white, no room for color."
Alice was the most fascinating woman he'd ever met. She must spend her evenings thinking up witty answers, and if so, he hoped she carried the pen in her purse. "Will you come inside now?"
He opened the door and said a silent prayer that she approved of the mansion he had keys for but never saw. From the living areas they could see Key Biscayne and the clear blue bay of Miami. He flipped on the lights and she followed him into his house. "Okay, but John, I can't stay long. I have no idea how I'm going to explain this to my mother."
They weren't in high school anymore. He spun on his heel. "We're adults, Alice."
She sighed and ignored the house. Her stare was on his face, and his entire body lit up from her interest. "I moved home to take care of my father after his heart attack. Now Mom and Dad are moving to the beach. Besides, until I'm married and with children of my own, then there's no excuse with her."
He'd marry her tomorrow if it meant she'd never disappear, but now wasn't the time to say that. Instead he tugged on his ear and went into the kitchen. He'd get wine and help her unwind. "I wish I had your mom."
She rubbed her arms and walked into the living room. The ocean was dark now as evening fell, but tomorrow with the sunshine, life would be good. Alice's smile kept his every attention. She was beautiful in her black dress with the sweetheart neckline that modestly hid her curves.
Chapter 11
This mansion with the view of the bay made Alice's body tremble. She hadn't been in a home this austere since she'd picked up Victoria from her father's house to go to school. Modern art gave splashes of color on the walls, but the entire space was sterile and lifeless. Alice rubbed her arms. She couldn't live without warmth for long. Unlike his family, hers was in her life and not going anywhere. Her parents and brother checked on her every day.
John called out from the right, "Are you hungry?"
He must be in the kitchen. She turned and followed his voice, but then her phone rang. She saw her mother's number. Her heart raced as she answered, "Mom?"
"Where are you? Are you okay? I saw the news."
Alice touched the pendant. She couldn't lie to her mother, ever, and she wouldn't start now. She gazed out a window that overlooked the blue water. "I'm fine. I can't come home tonight."
"Why? What happened?"
Alice had no idea how to explain. She wasn't a child, but her mother was the closest thing she'd had to a friend for some time. She held her breath and chose her words with care. "Someone was shot at the funeral."
Her mother's voice had an edge of steel. "Come home. I want you here."
Alice paced back to the living room. "Mom, I'm fine."
"Then why aren't you with your family?"
"It's complicated."
"Which of those Morgan brothers is trying to steal you?"
Score one. Alice gritted her teeth and cleared her throat. "Mom…."
"You'd be home if that wasn't the case. Peter is just like his father and you never liked Jennifer. John?"
"That's not it." Alice should have moved out long ago. Her mother had no idea. Other women her age moved to the city and had sex every night, maybe even with a different guy. Alice swallowed. Her television probably lied about that life, but that didn't stop how her face heated. "Mom, I'm staying with John tonight."
The disgust in her mom's voice was palpable. "Where? I'm coming to get you."
This wasn't happening. Alice went back to pacing. "I can take care of myself, Mom. Victoria is alive."
"Don't divert this conversation."
She envisioned her mother with her arms crossed and blowing smoke like a dragon. "It's true. Vicki is alive."
"Is she there? Put her on the phone."
Alice knew her mother had her hand on her hip like she didn't believe a word. Alice shook her head and swayed on her feet. "That wasn't on the news?"
"I don't believe you. If you don't tell me where you are, I'm calling the police."
Dad's health meant Alice had spent too long at home. To help. She remembered the four wonderful years she'd been away to college when no one questioned anything she did. "Mom, I'm fine. I'll explain everything soon."
"You'd better. If John hurts you the
n I'm having your father shoot him."
This was ridiculous. Alice lifted her chin. "You're being silly. Don't include Dad in your insanity. We want him to live a nice long life."
"You were holding John's hand and the news reporter said you were his girlfriend."
She swallowed. Reason always won with her mother. "Stop. You know better. The last time I saw any of them was at Vicki's funeral. Right now, what I do doesn't concern you."
"Yes it does. I'm your mother."
This conversation was too much. "And I'm an adult." Alice hung up, shaking her head. So much for being reasonable. She put her phone on the small end table by the couch and turned back toward the windows.
If this were a week later, then her mother wouldn't even know that Alice hadn't returned home. She'd be at her own condo in Brickell and living a city life. Her temples ached.
John's arm brushed against her back. She closed her eyes and the scent of cedar and pine filled her nostrils. She leaned into his back as he rubbed her shoulders.
"That didn't sound like a fun conversation."
"Did you know we're dating?"
He massaged her shoulders. "We are?"
His hands took away some of the stiffness in her back and her body grew warm and soft. "It was on the news."
He stopped, and her body craved the warmth of his touch. "And your mother wouldn't approve."
Her mother didn't matter. Alice stepped out of his strong personal space, and turned to gaze into his blue eyes. She played with her necklace and ignored how her heart and body acted like she had no cares near him. "I'm famished. What's for dinner?"
His dimples appeared as if he was amused that she changed the topic. "I'm having food brought in."
She rolled her eyes and pretended shock as she covered her lips. "The refrigerator isn't well stocked? Will a country's children starve because the House of Morgan isn't satisfied?"
"You were nicer at the church."
Score one for him. Alice swallowed as she realized how deep her mother's words scarred her. Plus her Cinderella fantasy was just that. She couldn't stay near the hottest man she ever met without being affected. He was a crush, and she didn't do carefree and meaningless anything. She hugged her waist. "I was free then."
[House of Morgan 01.0 - 03.0] Boxed Set Page 8