Erin McCarthy - Vegas Vampires 03, page 18
Damn it, that’s what she’d been hoping he wouldn’t say. “No, Corbin, no. No, no, no. We can’t let him do that.” The thought of that man with her child—influencing her, keeping her from a normal, nurturing life—made every cell in her body vibrate in protest. It made her want to dissolve into a full-fledged hysterical panic. But she couldn’t. She needed to act, and it seemed there was only one obvious solution. “Shit. I just need to leave, don’t I? I need to change my hair, my name, start over somewhere else. Hide from him. Never let anyone know.”
Corbin stopped clicking and deleting, and slowly rubbed his forehead. “Mon Dieu. Brittany.” He turned to her and his face was hard, eyes agonized, a rich cobalt blue. “Maybe that would be the smartest thing to do. At least temporarily. If anyone asked, Alexis can just say her sister had moved to California or something. And then you can go to Atlanta or Boston, somewhere far from California. Hell, maybe Europe or India and get lost in the crowd.”
Wet washcloth wrung between her hands, Brittany nodded. “I’ll have to tell Alexis and Ethan, but no one else.”
“I’ll destroy all evidence of the biological connection. I will move my other files, then destroy this hard drive. It will take me a few hours.”
“Can you stay awake?” She knew how hard it was for vampires to function during the day.
“I’ll have to.” He nodded. “It will be fine. Everything is fine. You go and pack and I’ll pick you up tonight. We can leave immediately.”
That stopped her. Her mind had been racing ahead, mentally picking a replacement for her dental practice until she could sell it, trying to decide where she’d want to live, what her name might be. How she would need Ethan’s help to establish a new identity for herself. An identity by herself.
It had never occurred to her to take Corbin with her.
While part of her wanted to fling herself into his arms and let him fix everything, her pride, her independence, and mostly, her maternal instinct told her Corbin couldn’t leave with her.
“I was planning to go alone.”
He stopped clicking on things long enough to stare at her, mouth wide open. “Alone? No, I am going with you. I will protect you. Watch over you and the babe at night when you cannot.”
Brittany made note there was no mention of love or devotion or how he couldn’t picture his life without her.
But regardless of that, even if he did love her, which he clearly didn’t, he still couldn’t go with her. It was dangerous, she sensed that. Felt it instinctively. “Corbin.”
“Yes? Explain this to me. I cannot let you go without me.”
“You have to. No one knows you are the baby’s father, remember? That is the key to our success. No one knows about the baby. Or if they do, they will assume the father is mortal. That was your plan all along, and it was a good one, even if you didn’t tell me. If I leave, alone, no one will think twice about Alexis’s half-mortal sister moving to another state. No one will bother to check to see if I went where I said I was going. No one will care. If you leave with me, everyone will want to know where you went. And they will start to put two and two together and wonder if we left together. If vampires start asking questions, they might find answers we don’t want them to. They might get suspicious. They might eventually find us.”
He shook his head. “But… I cannot just let you go off into the night by yourself. I cannot.”
“You have to.” She swallowed the massive lump in her throat. “I know you want to protect us, and this is the best way. The same reason you wanted to marry me before is the same reason you can’t marry me now.”
It was a solid minute before he answered her. She could see the agony on his face, but she knew by the set of his jaw he had made the right decision.
“You are right.” He shook his head. “I hate it. I despise the idea of letting you go without me, but you are right. Brittany, I am so sorry that I have brought this all upon you. It is all my fault.”
“Hey, I was there that night, too.” And while she was terrified, she wasn’t sure she’d undo anything. She was having a baby, the child of the man she loved. That was worth any sacrifice, any inconvenience. And she would battle the devil himself to protect her baby. “Recriminations are a waste of time. I admit, I’m very angry that you didn’t disclose the danger of the situation to me, and it’s possible I’ll have a hard time getting past that, but it has nothing to do with my rationale here. We both know this is what we have to do. And I promise to let you visit if it’s safe, and I’ll send you updates and contact info through Ethan and Alex.”
At that, he stood up, and she realized that her words of reassurance had just undone her previous logic. In two seconds, he was on top of her, expression fierce and passionate, pulling her tight against him.
“There has to be another way, damn it.”
Brittany closed her eyes and let her face rest against his chest. “You know there isn’t another way.” She wrapped her arms around his middle and breathed deep. Touching him calmed her, and she savored the moment, knowing this might be the last time she was this close to him. “We have to think about the baby. That has to be our priority.”
Hands in her hair, he said, “Just promise me… ” His voice cracked. “Promise you will tell our child who her father is when the time is right. Explain that I would have been there for her if I could have.”
Brittany felt the tears rise all over again at the pain she heard in those words. Pulling back, she blinked hard. “Hey. Don’t worry about that. You are the father and our child will know all about you. I promise you that.”
“Merci. I appreciate that.” He stared at her, eyes wandering over her face, hands on her cheeks. “I love you.”
She hadn’t expected him to say that. It shattered her composure. “Don’t… ” If he was exaggerating to make her feel better, it wasn’t working. If he was sincere, then it only made her feel worse. It was better to leave it unsaid, to not know what they were giving up.
“Yes. I must say it.” He brushed his lips over her forehead. “Know that even if there were no baby, I would love you. And I would marry you just for being you, if I could.”
“Corbin.” She was sobbing now. She felt relief, glee, that he felt what she did, felt the pressure of her hurt dissipating, yet it only made her regret, her pain, her understanding of her future loneliness increase tenfold. It would be impossible to move on, to forget him, knowing he loved her in return. “I love you, too.”
The kiss he gave her was passionate, but tender. She opened her mouth for him, almost cried at the sweetness of his tongue sliding across hers. It was a good-bye kiss and they both knew it.
Brittany couldn’t stand it. If he kept touching her, she wasn’t going to be able to leave. Breaking the kiss, she pulled away and wiped her cheeks. “I should go.”
“Go to Ethan. He’ll help you make arrangements. Do what you need to. I’ll finish this up then I’ll come over. Do not leave until I get there.”
“Okay.” Brittany suddenly realized she had no car. “I didn’t drive here. You picked me up.”
“You can take my car. I’ll find a way there tonight. The keys are on the kitchen counter.” He gave her hand a last squeeze. “I’ll see you tonight. I’ll be there before midnight, all right?”
She nodded, and went to get dressed. By the time she was dressed and flipping him a good-bye wave, he was back at the computer, popping CDs in and out of the drive, working on all three computers at once. It amazed her he was that technically savvy. He always struck her as resistant to modern amenities.
And she wasn’t sure if she was glad he had the capability to decipher who her father was or not. Walking down the hall and out the front door of the apartment building, she knew she’d certainly been blissfully ignorant not knowing her biological origins. On the other hand, now that she knew Donatelli was her father, she was better prepared to protect her child.
The morning was hazy and chilly. Crossing her arms and rubbing, she tried to remember where Corbin had parked his BMW the night before. All the rows looked the same, many of the sedans a similar black or blue.
She didn’t see the man until he was standing in front of her. Then she jumped and gave a little shriek of surprise. Corbin had said this wasn’t the best of neighborhoods, but her thoughts of muggers died when she realized it was Ringo. His hair was longer, and his eyes bloodshot, his hand twitching in a disturbing tick.
Instinctively, she knew he wasn’t there for a social call on Corbin. Turning around, she started to move back to the building.
“What’s your hurry?” he asked, blocking her path.
Oh, God. Brittany couldn’t believe this was happening. Maybe Ringo just needed money. He looked high as a kite. A skinny, creepy, dangerous kite.
“I just realized I forgot my cell phone.” It was a total lie but she wanted to feel out his intention before she panicked. Maybe she could just give him what he wanted. Maybe it had nothing to do with the baby.
“That’s a shame. But you weren’t going to be able to call for help anyway.”
Ringo grabbed her arm before she even saw him move. “What do you want?” she asked, trying to yank out of his hold. He was too strong. She couldn’t even make his arm move with her violent attempts to jerk herself away.
“I want money.”
“Oh.” She sighed in relief. “I have a hundred in my purse, and if you go upstairs, Corbin can give you some, I’m sure.”
But he shook his head slowly, a small laugh rolling out of his mouth. “No, that’s not what I mean. I need money, so I’m doing a job. You’re the job, sweetheart.”
Okay, no use holding back on the panic. It was there, full force, and it propelled her into action. Brittany kicked him in the shin and opened her mouth to scream.
Ringo slapped his hand over her mouth, his vampire strength so intense Brittany felt her lips start to bleed from being ground against her teeth. “Be nice. I’m not going to kill you. I just have to take you to someone who wants to talk to you. Now will you be good? Keep your fucking mouth shut?”
She nodded her head, sucking in air when he let go of her. “Where’s Kelsey?” she asked, as he dragged her across the parking lot.
It didn’t make any sense, but in her head she kept thinking if Kelsey was okay, then somehow she would be okay, too. If he could care about a woman, he could care about her unborn child.
But his face darkened. “We had a bit of an argument.”
Wonderful.
“Which car is yours?” Ringo demanded, ripping the keys from her hand.
“The blue BMW.” Brittany tried not to cry. Now Corbin wouldn’t even notice she was missing with his car gone. In her head she called to Corbin, hoping like hell their mind-connection still had some kind of power.
Otherwise, she was screwed.
Fourteen
“What do you mean, she called off work today?” Alexis asked the receptionist at Bright Smiles. It was six o’clock, Alexis had just gotten up for the night, and Brittany should be doing her end-of-the-day bullcrap in her dental office.
“I mean, she called off work today,” the receptionist repeated dryly. “I guess she’s sick.”
“Thanks.” Alexis hung up and dialed Brittany’s house. No answer. She tried her cell. Nothing. She frowned. “Ethan!”
“What?” her husband answered, voice still sleepy.
“Do you have Corbin’s phone number or address?”
“In the address book on my computer.”
Two minutes later she impatiently waited for Corbin to pick up the phone.
“Allo?” he said.
“Where’s Brittany?”
There was a pause. “Alexis? Brittany should be at your apartment by now. Have you called her cell phone?”
“She’s not answering. Why didn’t she go to work today?”
“You mean you haven’t spoken to her at all? There was no message from her?”
“No.” Alexis started to feel annoyance and a nagging little worry morph into serious fear. “Was she supposed to call me? What’s going on?”
“Brittany was planning to ask for some assistance. That is all I wish to say at the moment.”
Every time she thought she might actually learn to like him, he had to go and piss her off. “Ethan and I need to talk to you and Brittany. Get your French ass over here.”
“I will be there in a few hours. I have an issue or two to resolve here first. Brittany and I intend to meet at your apartment around eleven.”
That wasn’t good enough. “Gwenna is here.”
“Gwenna Carrick?” Corbin sounded surprised. “Why?”
“She has something she needs to share with you and Brittany.”
“Perhaps I can get there sooner.”
She thought so. “Good idea.” Even though she meant to play it cool, she couldn’t help voicing her suspicion. “Are you two planning to elope?”
There was a pause. “No. That is not what we are planning.”
The words should have been reassuring, but instead they scared the crap out of her.
Brittany had spent her whole life in Las Vegas, and had frequented her fair share of casinos and bars in her teens and early twenties. But she had never been inside a suite at the Bellagio.
She would have been impressed with the luxury and the amazing décor if she hadn’t been tied to a chair and scared out of her everlovin’ mortal mind.
There were two guards posted on either side of the door. A woman lounged on a divan reading a book, her long legs crossed at the ankle, her expression bored and disinterested. And three men staring at Brittany, each in a club chair that matched hers. One was Ringo, and he looked half-asleep, a glass of blood in his hand that he continually sipped from. She briefly wondered if a vampire could overdose on drugs, because he looked perilously close to a coma. One of the other two was Donatelli. Her father. He gave her encouraging smiles, alternated with inquiries into how they might make her stay more comfortable. Would she care for a pillow? A drink? A bite to eat? It was irritating to listen to him being so civil, when she was strapped down like cumbersome luggage on a car top. But the annoyance she felt at Donatelli was nothing compared to the fear she felt when she looked at the third man. He was huge, with a thick beard, broad shoulders, and fat, hairy hands. His appearance wasn’t the only reason he terrified her. She wasn’t real thrilled with the sick smile on his face. He was enjoying her fear. And his eyes were dead, empty. Insane. He didn’t speak, so she tried not to look at him. She concentrated her attention on Donatelli, who was doing all the talking.
It appalled her to look Donatelli in the face and admit to herself that he was her father. That he had oozed oily charm and suckered her mother into bed, and she was the result of that illustrious encounter. What was worse, though, was the realization that he knew she was pregnant. There was no hiding it. And it was clearly the reason she’d been brought there, because Donatelli’s overly casual questions all focused on the baby and Corbin.
“So when are you due?” he asked, crossing his leg.
She didn’t answer.
“Come now, no need to demur. I can see that you are at least four or five months along. April? That is a pleasant month to give birth. Lots of walks in the spring sunshine. Good for you and the baby.”
Moving her head to flip her hair out of her eyes, she kept her mouth shut. She didn’t know what he wanted or why, and she didn’t want to give him whatever information he must be seeking.
“And Atelier will be there when you give birth? That is so charming.”
It wasn’t hard to stay quiet. She had no interest in making chitchat with him.
What she wasn’t prepared for was the big, boorish man to suddenly stand up and smack her cheek with the back of his hand. He moved so fast she couldn’t even try to shield the blow, and it stung like hell, ripping tears out of her eyes and an involuntary gasp from her mouth.
“Show some respect and answer.”
Brittany flinched, but he only returned to his seat. The woman on the couch gave a casual glance up before turning the page of her book.
“I’m due in April,” Brittany said quickly when he made like he was going to stand up again, hand raised. She was actually due in May, but Donatelli had guessed April, and it felt safer to lie.
Donatelli sat forward, elbows on his knees, a frown on his face. “Really, Gregor, that was not necessary.”
“She gave you an answer, did she not?” Gregor’s accent was thick. Russian.
“I’m sure she’s willing to be reasonable, aren’t you, Brittany?” Donatelli asked, giving her a charming smile.
“I can be reasonable.” In her head, she screamed for Ethan, hoping he would hear her cry for help. She was afraid to call for Corbin, fearful of what would happen if he showed up and the men in front of her forced Corbin to hand over his research. Besides, her mental connection with Corbin had been silent since their second separation, after she had told Corbin about the baby. She didn’t understand why, but they could only hear each other during sex.
Alexis had never been able to hear Brittany’s thoughts, but Ethan could. Once he’d even heard her cry out from an amazing orgasm the first time she’d been with Corbin, and Ethan had been miles away from them, which had been really damn embarrassing. But surely he would hear her fear now if he had been able to hear her pleasure then.
“We know Atelier is the father of your baby. What we need to know is what he plans to do with your child.”
“Nothing.”
“So he has told you nothing about his plans?”
She shook her head, confused. What did they think Corbin was going to do with her baby?
“Alright, that’s fine. Perhaps he hasn’t been forthcoming with you. You are a surrogate. No need for him to share everything with you.”
Brittany frowned. A surrogate? Why would they think that? She glanced at Ringo, who had heard her telling Corbin he was the father of her child. He knew she wasn’t a surrogate. Why would he lie to Donatelli? But he clearly had, and his face revealed nothing. His eyes were hard, glassy, going in and out of focus.
