Silver Lining, page 15
“And hungry. How about you?”
“Yes, first…” Wrapping my arms around CJ’s torso, I held tight, listening to the steady yet rapid beat of his heart, feeling the rise and fall of his chest, and sensing his determination. His arms followed suit, encircling me. With his chin on the top of my head, he reassured me again that we were alone and safe.
Lifting my chin, I met his gaze. “I feel the need to apologize. I’m not a woman who expects anyone, a man or woman, to pick up the pieces of her life and put them back together.”
“I’m not picking up pieces nor am I putting them back together.” CJ teased a rogue strand of hair away from my face with his finger. “I’m just holding the glue, Lena. Don’t apologize for asking for or accepting help. You said it today.”
I was listening.
CJ went on, “You said you buy companies, not to run them yourself or micromanage. You employ competent people who will strengthen your investment.” He shrugged. “Maybe not a direct quote, I was a little preoccupied with memories as I listened.”
“I was preoccupied with memories as I spoke. You could say I got up and talked about the benefits of pet adoptions or green energy. At this point, I’d have to agree with you.” I shook my head. “I don’t remember.”
“I remember your confidence, your knowledge.” He reached for my chin and held it in his grasp. “You trust others with your investments. Trust me with your greatest asset.” When I didn’t respond, he tilted his forehead down to mine. “You, Lena. Trust me with you.”
A few minutes later, I stood in the open doorway, watching as CJ pulled his Range Rover into one of the garages. With the garage door closing behind him, he walked toward me, the bags of groceries hanging from one hand and the twelve pack of water under his other arm.
Once he was inside, I asked, “Do they ever stock the bar for showings?”
“I don’t know. We can look.” After setting everything on the kitchen island, CJ walked toward the far end of the house. “There isn’t anyone close, but if we don’t want every boat on the lake to know we’re here, we should turn off some of the lights.”
As he went about the house, I pulled the groceries from the bags. No one would call me a good cook. In reality, I never tried. Madison, my sister, was more of a homemaker. That didn’t mean that I’d starve if left to my own devices. Based on the ingredients CJ bought, it appeared that turkey on wheat bread was our dinner. He even had an assortment of condiment packages. I grinned when I discovered the yogurt containers. He had breakfast covered and remembered what I’d eaten in Cancún.
With no plates, I opened the paper towels and laid a piece of bread on each. Searching the kitchen drawers, I found a stash of individual plastic silverware place settings. Our dinner was almost prepared when CJ appeared, coming from the way of the master suite.
“You didn’t need to make me a sandwich.”
I pushed the paper towel toward him. “I’m not a chef. But I can manage a sandwich.” Suddenly, what I’d said earlier in the day came back. “I’m not someone who takes care of others, but I can be a team player. You are hiding me away. I can make us something to eat.”
Sitting side by side at the breakfast bar, we ate our dinner and drank from water bottles.
With all that had happened, I found myself surprisingly calm.
“I checked in the master bath,” he said. “There are towels if you want to take a shower.”
Looking down at my blouse and skirt, I said, “This is all I have. No other clothes.”
CJ chuckled. “Who knew hiding out was so complicated? There should be a checklist of supplies.”
“I wasn’t planning on staying the night. This was a one-day trip.” Marveling at the house around us, I asked, “How many children do Colton and his wife have?”
“None. Why?”
“The house. It’s large.”
CJ got down from his stool and collected the remains of our meal. “The man who had this house built was an early investor in Architech. He and his wife have kids and grandkids. A year ago, his wife passed away. I would imagine this house was too full of memories. I don’t know what Colton offered, but I know he and Devon—that’s my sister-in-law—were excited to purchase it. They plan to travel and then come back and settle down.”
Smiling, I hummed as I sat back. “I have one sibling. A sister. She was always the one with the dream of a family. She never cared about money or a career. I didn’t agree with her goals, but I respected her choices.” I shrugged. “They weren’t mine.”
“What’s your sister’s name?”
“Madison.”
“Did she get what she wanted?”
I shook my head. “It didn’t exactly work out.”
“Do you want to tell me what happened?”
“Not really,” I answered honestly. “She has a daughter. My niece lives in San Antonio. Her other aunt, Brooklyn’s father’s sister, is raising her.” I looked out at the wall of windows where CJ said the lake would be visible in the morning. “I let my sister down.”
CJ came back, taking the chair to my side as he turned his attention on me. “How?”
“I moved on. I felt shut out, and I didn’t try to fight. Instead, I worked night and day to turn everything into more. More money. More power. More influence. I’d been beaten down, and I refused to stay that way.” My tone saddened. “In the process, I missed that my sister was ill and needed me.”
“Did she ask for your help?”
I shook my head again.
CJ’s warm hand covered mine, which was suddenly cold. “It doesn’t sound like you let her down. If she didn’t tell you…”
“I didn’t try to see. I should have.” I took in a deep breath. “I’m helping her now.”
“That’s what matters.”
“She’s in prison, CJ.” I couldn’t say what made me blurt out the information, but I did. “She is lost in her own mind. I wasn’t the only one who let her down, but I deserve a portion of the blame. Now, I’m doing all I can to get her the help she needs.”
CJ sat back, exhaling. “What about your niece?”
“I’ve offered her other aunt financial support. She has sole custody.”
His gaze narrowed. “Your brother-in-law?”
“Ex-brother-in-law. He’s in prison.”
“Did he hurt your sister?”
“Yes, but that’s not why he’s in prison.” I turned my hand until our palms met and our fingers intertwined. “I told you. I’m a whole lot of trouble.”
“I don’t believe in guilt by association. I also don’t believe that by concentrating on yourself and your career that you are culpable for your sister’s choices.”
“How are you so young and so wise?” I asked.
“My mom has told me I have an old soul. I’m not sure what that means. As to wisdom, I’ll give credit to years of watching Law and Order. I used to think I wanted to be a prosecuting attorney.”
“What happened?”
His cheeks rose. “I preferred video games to studying. Then I realized I wanted more out of the games.”
“That’s how Architech was born.”
CJ nodded. “I guess law school isn’t out of the question now.”
“Stay with Venus.”
He lifted our joined hands, bringing mine to his lips. “I won’t let you go again, Lena.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
CJ
I wanted nothing more than to wrap Lena in my arms and hold her all night long, helping her to forget about the asshole with the grudge, the one threatening her life.
“We need to discuss the threat level.”
“DEFCON 2, maybe 1.”
Letting out a sigh, I asked, “Is there a pattern?”
Lena shook her head. “That’s what makes it the most unnerving.”
“Yet nothing happened in Cancún.”
She grinned. “Something happened but not with my stalker. The threats even stopped in Missoula while I was away.”
“The threat isn’t only in Missoula. The man…in New York.”
“Right. There was one time in…” She paused. “I travel so much that cities get mixed up. I think it was in Atlanta. Room service delivered my meal.” She looked down and took a deep breath, her breasts pressing against her silk top. “When I lifted the dome there was a clown fish on top of my meal.”
“What the fuck? How?”
Lena shrugged. “The delivery man said he’d never left the cart unattended. The kitchen staff claimed innocence. But there it was, taunting me, telling me I was being watched.”
I forced a smile. “The only one watching you right now is me, and let me tell you, you’re a stunning sight.”
“Yeah,” she said with a scoff, “I’m sure. I think I might like that shower you mentioned.”
It was then I remembered something. “I have a softball bag in my Range Rover.”
Lena grinned. “I think our chances are better with the gun than a bat, or are you suggesting a game? I was an all-star catcher in my day.”
“Now that’s not listed on your bio.”
“It was in high school, you know, when you were in diapers.”
I stood taller. “I’ll have you know, I was potty-trained at a younger-than-average age. My mom says it’s because I was trying to keep up with Colton.”
“I stand corrected,” she said with a grin.
“In that bag, I have extra shirts and shorts for when I don’t have time to go home to change. As our luck continues to hold out, they are clean.” I scrunched my nose. “I definitely wouldn’t offer if they weren’t.”
Her gaze fluttered over me. “I could wear a t-shirt to bed.”
“Yeah, I was thinking in preparation for bed. For the actual bedtime” —I lowered my timbre— “I’d like to recommend an alternative dress code.”
She looked down at her phone. “I should check in with Adam or Kelsey.”
That wasn’t the response I was going for, but she was probably right.
“I need to call Colton.” I met her soft stare. “Are you going to disclose our location?”
Lena shook her head. “I’ll tell them what I told Jeremy—I’m safe.”
“Okay.” I stepped down from the stool and leaned in, leaving a kiss on Lena’s cheek. “I’ll go get that bag and be right back.”
“Hurry back.”
There weren’t words to describe what I saw in her expression. The person who was doing this to Lena needed to be caught and deserved to be imprisoned. I didn’t know what transpired with her sister and brother-in-law, but I knew whoever this was sending Lena the messages was the cause of the anguish in her eyes. I also knew I’d do whatever I could to take that torment away.
The air beyond the air-conditioned house was heavy and hot despite the setting of the sun. After entering the garage, I lifted the hatch on the Range Rover and removed my softball bag. It was about three feet long with a place for my bat and a rather cavernous interior, filled with more than a few shirts. While I played on one team, I was a regular sub for a few others. It could be said that I had a competitive streak in me.
Closing the hatch and the garage, I went along the stone path toward the front door. There, standing at the window with one arm around her midsection, was Lena. She had her other hand near her chin. She’d taken off the high heels as soon as we arrived at the house. In bare feet and her blouse and skirt, I didn’t see the ice queen Colton saw. No, I saw a strong, successful woman who wanted the comfort that came with handing over the reins.
Once back inside, I locked the door and again brushed a kiss over her hair. “I thought of something else I have in here.”
I tilted my head toward the master bedroom suite. Together we walked down the hall until we were within the suite. Placing the bag on the bed, I unzipped the top. Digging to the right, I found a roll of toilet paper and presented it to Lena. “For emergency use. Some ballparks are…well, they need help.”
Laughter filled the room. “I hadn’t thought about it, but I’m glad you have it.”
Next, I pulled out a travel bag with hotel-sized soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions. There was also a full-sized deodorant and toothbrush and toothpaste. “I collect most of this when I travel and throw it in here.”
It was her turn to scrunch her nose. “Share a toothbrush?”
I turned and pulled her flush against me. “I’ve had my lips on your pussy and you’ve deep-throated my cock. I think sharing a toothbrush is acceptable.”
As I spoke, a rosy hue filled her cheeks. Her eyelashes veiled her gaze for only a moment until she replied, “When you put it like that...”
“Let’s see what else is in here.” I removed three t-shirts all in different colors and a pair of nylon shorts. There were also cleats and long socks.
“It’s like Mary Poppins’s bag.”
I narrowed my gaze. “English nanny?”
“How can you be a genius and not know who Mary Poppins is?”
“I know who she is. I’ve never watched the movie.”
Lena’s smile grew as she shook her head. “Just when I was beginning to believe you were this well-rounded man.”
“Give me your thoughts on Mewtwo, Dragonite, or Tangela.” When Lena’s expression blanked, I added, “Pikachu?”
Pressing her lips together, Lena shook her head. “I admit to having never heard those words before in my entire life.”
“They’re Pokémon.”
“What are Pokémon?”
A laugh bubbled from my throat. “You teach me about Mary Poppins. I’ll teach you about Pokémon.”
“Do I want to know what that is?”
“Not tonight, but if we ever go out with Colton and Devon, it would be best to at least pretend to understand what they’re saying.”
“Your brother and sister-in-law?”
“Yes.”
She took a step back. “CJ, let’s take this a day at a time. Once my life isn’t being threatened daily, I may consider a merger of real life and” —she motioned between us— “whatever this is.”
“A merger,” I said with a grin.
“Maybe.”
“Listen, I still haven’t dug fully into your bio, but if Lena Montgomery is mentioning a merger, I think I should hire a representative to investigate the fine print.”
“Absolutely not.” Her smile grew and her head tilted to the side. “I will only negotiate the merger with one person and one person only.” She took a step toward me and placed her palm over my chest. “And you should be warned, I have a reputation.”
Cupping her cheeks, I brought her lips to mine. Turning my face and hers, we melded together. The bedroom filled with her moans as our tongues fought for the lead. When the kiss ended, Lena’s lips were pinkened and puffy and curved into the perfect smile.
“You should be warned,” I said, lowering my tenor. “I know the woman behind the name. She’s my lioness, and I’m not afraid to use that knowledge to my advantage.”
Lena grinned. “You fight dirty. I like that.”
This was the Lena I wanted to keep, the one who pushed back with equal force and desire, the one who could let down her walls and live in the moment. Colton was wrong. There was no ice in the veins of the woman before me. On the contrary, there was fire.
Lena took one of my shirts and the travel kit. “I’m going to take you up on that shower.”
“Do you want company?”
“After the shower.” She looked at the screen of her phone. “Shit. First, I should contact Adam. The poor man will have a meltdown if I don’t.”
“I’ll give you some privacy.” I walked toward the bedroom door. “I need to call Colton. You’ve at least been in contact with Jeremy, Kelsey, and Adam. I haven’t talked to anyone.”
She nodded as she took a seat on the side of the bed.
One last glance told me that the lioness who had made a brief appearance was gone, replaced by a combination of the strong, successful woman and the terrorized prey of some lunatic. Closing the bedroom door, I walked to the kitchen.
With all the interior lights out, I could now see beyond the windowpanes. These windows looked out onto the driveway and the wooded area around the house. The trees in the distance were lit by a blue hue from the large moon hanging low on the horizon.
Colton answered on the second ring. “What the fuck have you done?”
I waited, trying to decipher his question.
“CJ. Do you have any idea of the trouble you’ve caused?”
“How did I cause trouble?”
Colton’s voice was hushed. “Ms. Montgomery’s security is livid. They’ve accused you of stalking and tormenting her. Tell me that’s not true.”
“They accused me?”
“Mr. Dillon said Ms. Montgomery would not want the publicity, but if you don’t produce her by nine tomorrow morning, he’ll be forced to involve the police.”
“He’s an asshole and has never liked me.”
Colton replied, “This isn’t a popularity contest. Where is she—Ms. Montgomery?”
“She’s safe. I don’t know what you know, but someone has been stalking her—long before we met—and no, it’s not me. Whoever it is continues to leave her calling cards. I’m not going into detail, but something happened today. She texted me.”
“She blocked your number.”
“And she unblocked it,” I said. “She asked for my help, and I said yes.”
“Lena Montgomery who has a full-time security team contacted you because why? You’re some kind of superhero and I didn’t know. Why would anyone believe that?” Before I could respond, my brother went on, “Listen, CJ. That’s not the story I’m hearing.”
“It’s not a story. I was with her when she called Jeremy. He knows she’s safe. She later called Kelsey or Adam; those are the two that follow her everywhere.”
“From what I’ve heard, Jeremy went back to Missoula. The other two are still here and pretending Ms. Montgomery is too, to the public. In private, saying that man isn’t happy doesn’t begin to cover it.”
