Interfering, page 17
“She was my friend, and she didn’t trust me enough to tell me the truth? That’s not a friend.” Livy’s mouth set in a grim line. She clearly wasn’t defecting to my side.
“So are you planning on putting a ring on her finger?” Lill pushed for an answer.
“Yeah, yeah, I think I am. The three of you can accept her with open arms or be minus a brother.”
“Fat chance that’ll happen,” snorted Lill.
“Then I guess I don’t have sisters anymore.” I had the Sullivan stubborn streak myself.
“And Mom and Dad? Are you willing to write them off too? Do you think they’ll approve of you being in a serious relationship with a hooker?” Evie demanded.
“She’s a hairstylist. End of story. God damn it. Why don’t you give her a chance? She’s made something of herself, and I’m proud of her.” If they weren’t bluffing and forced me to choose, I’d choose Heidi. I wasn’t bluffing either.
“Have you researched her? We did briefly, and her criminal record came up immediately. We didn’t go further. God knows what’s out there. Before you get deeper into a relationship, you’d better think twice. Anyone can Google her and stumble across what we did and possibly more.”
I hadn’t Googled her. I didn’t know what else there might be, but it still didn’t change things.
“You’re a celebrity. If you date her, she’s going to face some tough scrutiny. Do you want that for her?” Evie switched tactics, but she wasn’t fooling me. She didn’t care about Heidi.
“I don’t think she’d be able to handle it. She seems somewhat timid,” added Lill.
“She’s stronger than she appears.” Despite my courageous insistence that we’d deal with any problems, I still had a few concerns. I could handle the negative publicity myself, but could Heidi? And what would it do to her business? I hadn’t actually considered the possible effects on her livelihood.
I shook off my doubts, because at some point, Heidi would have to face possible exposure no matter who she was with. I wanted to be the guy who protected her and helped her through whatever came next. Right now, the most important thing was going after Heidi and doing damage control after what my sisters had said in front of her.
“I’d love to stand here and debate with the three of you, but I have to find Heidi. Maybe you should take your judgmental narrow minds and get off my property. Call me when you can behave like the kind, forgiving sisters I know you can be.”
I opened the door and stood next to it. The three of them filed out. Livy hesitated and started to say something when Evie whipped around and shot her a death glare. Livy clamped her mouth shut and followed her sisters.
As soon as they were gone, I whistled to Hogan, who’d taken refuge on my bed. “Let’s go, buddy. We need to find Heidi and show her she’s loved.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
More than Hockey
~~Heidi~~
Once a hooker, always a hooker.
My mom had told me that once when I’d asked her why she didn’t get out of the business. I’d been a naive teenager at the time, even though I’d seen more than most teens would ever see in their lives .
Back then, I still believed my mother loved me. I slept with men to earn her love, not that she’d given me a choice. I didn’t have any real friends growing up and had no clue what a good family was like. I only knew mine, and my mother was all I had.
It took me a few more years to realize she was toxic and not good for me. By then, I’d been in the business a couple years. I struck out on my own. After which, I had a few live-in boyfriends who pimped me out. Eventually, I broke ties and met Adelle, a woman who was a madam for high-end escorts and was willing to give me a chance. I made good money and started going to school. First, I had to get my GED, as I’d never graduated from high school. Adelle treated me well and gave me plenty of time off for my studies. I wouldn’t go so far as to call her a mother figure, but she was better than my own mother, not that Mom had set a high bar.
I regretted running out of Trent’s house as soon as I got in my car, but my pride wouldn’t let me go back in and stand up for myself. I guess I hadn’t matured as much as I’d thought. With my tail tucked between my legs, I drove home, ready to curl up in my bed and watch something mindless.
I pulled behind the salon and parked at the base of my steps. I rested my forehead on the steering wheel. To prevent the inevitable tears, I squeezed my eyes shut and concentrated on generating some indignant anger. Trent’s three sisters had been raised in a normal, loving family.
What the fuck did they know about surviving in a dark world? Not a damn thing. How dare they judge me when they’d never walked a mile in my shoes?
I should’ve stood my ground and let them have a piece of my mind, but I didn’t. I’d done the cowardly thing and retreated. Now I was beating myself up for it.
After several minutes, I lifted my head and swiped angrily at the few tears that’d managed to escape. The sun had set, and night had crept up on me without my noticing. I stepped out of the car and turned to lock it. Distracted and distraught by my own reactions to his sisters’ attacks, I didn’t pay attention to anything around me until I saw headlights coming my way.
Trent.
Of course it was Trent.
I expected him to follow me, and he hadn’t disappointed. I waited in the parking lot, wanting nothing more than to be wrapped in his arms and convinced everything would be okay.
As the car came closer, I squinted into the darkness. The sound of the engine wasn’t right for Trent’s truck, nor was the low-slung silhouette.
The car slowed as it approached my block and crept into sight.
Every cell in my body turned to ice. My hands shook, and I crossed my arms over my chest in a defensive posture I hadn’t used in a while. My feet froze to the ground and refused to carry me to the safety of my apartment.
I knew that car.
It stopped on the quiet street opposite my building. I couldn’t see the driver, but I knew who was inside watching me. How many times had he driven by my place, and I’d been oblivious? He knew where I lived.
My secure little world wasn’t secure after all. I’d been a fool to think my past wouldn’t come looking for me.
The car inched its way closer and turned into the parking lot. I pedaled backward, holding on to the wall until I was at the base of the steps, poised to make a break for it up the stairs and in my door.
He was toying with me, just as he’d always done. Scaring the shit out of me had been one of his favorite pastimes. Adelle had warned me not to take him on as a client, but I hadn’t listened. He’d been charming at first and a total gentleman. I’d been fooled by him and ignored the red flags.
The humiliation of an hour ago was compounded by the panic of the present. This man was capable of anything. I’d learned that the hard way, and now he knew where to find me.
I fumbled in my pocket for my keys.
Crap. They were in the car, as was my cell phone. I gauged the distance between my car and his, speculating whether I’d have time to retrieve them before he could catch me, if that was even his goal. He thrived on the terror of his victims, and he had a score to settle with me. I was the one who got away, and he wouldn’t take kindly to that.
I heard another car approaching, and my head swiveled in that direction before snapping back to the black sports car. I didn’t dare take my eyes off him, even for a second. The crunch of gravel alerted me to the other vehicle pulling into the parking lot, inching behind the sports car. A second later, the sports car roared onto the street and accelerated out of sight.
Trent leaped out of his truck, leaving the driver door open and the engine running. I met him halfway and threw myself at him. He wrapped me in his strong arms and held me tightly. Despite my promise to be brave, I broke into tears and pressed my face against his T-shirt.
“It’s okay, baby. It’s okay. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise.” He rubbed my back and nuzzled my neck while I took comfort in his touch. My body shook from both fear and rage at myself and at that asshole for continuing to make my life miserable. He didn’t want me. He merely wanted to control me.
Finally, my sobs turned to hiccups, followed by the occasional sniffle.
“Heidi, let’s get you inside .” Trent put an arm around my waist and led me up the stairs and into my apartment. He sat me down on my dilapidated couch, went to the refrigerator, and came back with a glass of water. I gulped it down gratefully.
Trent sat next to me, never taking his eyes off me. I owed him an explanation and didn’t think for a second he’d let this go, and he didn’t.
“Who was that guy?” He spoke more harshly than I expected from him. His gaze caught mine and he refused to release it in a silent demand for answers.
“A former client.”
“That’s it. A former client?” He sounded incredulous. He deserved more of an explanation, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the entire sordid story, even though I should. I would another day, I promised myself. After what happened earlier with his sisters, I didn’t want to add fuel to the fire.
If Trent knew everything, he might consider me too much trouble and walk away. I’m not sure I’d survive losing Trent. I’d passed the point of no return, and I couldn’t go back.
I knew what it was like to love someone with every fiber of your being and have them love you back. Trent loved me. Not because I was good in bed or pretty or had a sexy body, but because he loved the person I was. Of course, the other stuff did enter into it. I’d be a fool to think it didn’t, but we’d progressed beyond the physical realm into a place I’d never imagined residing.
I had to give Trent more to satisfy him and show I trusted him with my darkest secrets. Yet I didn’t. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him what really happened and how it tied into my lost month, as I’d come to think of the month I’d essentially spent in captivity.
“Heidi, who is that asshole?” By the determination in those blue eyes, Trent wasn’t backing down. I had to give him enough to pacify him, even if I wasn’t ready to spill my guts.
“I’ve become a bit of an obsession with him, but I thought he’d moved on. I hadn’t seen anything of him in a while.”
“Well, I have.” Trent lifted me onto one of my cheap wooden barstools, then took a seat on the other.
I choked and gaped at him. “You’ve seen him?”
“Yeah, several times outside this very apartment. I paid Carla to investigate him, but he went to ground, and I’d hoped he’d given up and gone away for good. Carla never did locate much about him since he didn’t come around any longer, until tonight.”
“You hired Carla and never bothered to tell me? Don’t you think that’s something I should know?”
“Yeah. It is, but you’re trying so hard to be independent, I knew you wouldn’t approve of me paying for a PI. I’d hoped to locate that dickhead and take care of him like an enforcer would.”
I frowned, not sure what he meant but not liking the sound of it.
“An enforcer in hockey retaliates when one of his teammates gets hurt. Usually it’s nothing more than a fistfight or a hard slam against the boards to get the point across.”
“You were going to rough him up for me?” I was incredulous. “I’m flattered and more than a little concerned, but you can’t. You don’t know who he is. He’s powerful in Portland, and he has plenty of money and friends in high places.”
“So do the Barlowes. Tell me his name, and I’ll talk with Icehawk management.”
“You’re not dragging them into this. I don’t want to make this even worse. He…he scares me. He’s capable of evil things. Please, don’t do anything.”
“I won’t if you tell me who he is.”
“He’s part of my former life I’d rather forget.”
Trent nodded, but I could tell by the determination on his face, he wanted more.
“He’s a former client, and his name is Rufas John Howe III.”
Trent shook his head. The name meant nothing to him as he wasn’t from Portland. Trent’s eyes gleamed with an intimidating glow.
“Please, don’t go after him. Please,” I begged him, imploring him to let this go.
“I can’t make that promise if he comes around again, and I will go after him if I ever see him anywhere near you.”
I nodded, relieved Trent wasn’t going to dig any deeper in the near future. If he knew the things Rufe had done to me, he’d probably kill him, and I wouldn’t be responsible for Trent going to jail. Now I didn’t dare tell him the truth.
“Trent, you can’t hire people to help me without consulting me first. That’s not how a relationship works.” As if I knew how a healthy relationship worked. My knowledge was limited to what I’d seen on TV and in the movies. And there was Pretty Woman.
“Okay, I promise if you’ll promise not to take chances. If you see him or even have an inkling he’s around, I want to know about it.”
“No more PI.”
“I’m not making that promise. If this guy doesn’t go away before my road trips start, then all bets are off. I’m getting you a guard dog.”
Trent stood, went to my refrigerator, and retrieved a box of cheap wine. He poured us two glasses. My head spun with everything that’d happened tonight and the one thing I didn’t want to think about. Not right now. Not when my head was in the space it was in.
…take care of him like an enforcer would. … it’s nothing more than a fistfight or a hard slam against the boards.
How well did I really know Trent? Had I been fooling myself about his predilection toward possible violence? If he could rough up guys during a game, what else might he be capable of?
My reasonable side belittled my paranoid self for believing Trent would ever lay a hand on me or any woman, but I’d believed that so many times of men and been proven wrong each time. Was this another one of those times?
No. No. No. He isn’t like that.
But how well did I really know him?
Pushing those worries to the background, I ask the question that’s been burning a hole in my heart.
“How did it go with your sisters after I left?”
“About the same as when you were there.”
“Will they come around?”
He shrugged, as if it didn’t matter if they did or not.
“I can’t be the wedge that separates you from your family.”
“You won’t be. Give them time. They’ll come to love you like I do. They’re not bad people, maybe too controlling, and they worry too much about me, but they’ll change once they get to know the real you.”
“And if they don’t?” I held my breath, waiting for his answer.
“If they don’t, we’ll have to make our own family out of our friends.”
“Trent—”
He held a finger over my lips. “No more arguing. I love you, Heidi. I’m in this for the long haul, and I hope you are too. We’re going to face challenges. We have to believe in each other and trust we’ll get through them, perhaps a little battered in the process, but with a strengthened relationship.”
I didn’t want him to give up his family. I still struggled with being worthy of this man, and to think he might lose his family because of me broke my heart. I had to do something to mend this rift between his sisters and me, even if they said some hurtful things.
Trent walked to the window and peered through the curtains.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, no one’s out there, but I’m concerned about leaving you alone here. Let’s go back to my place, and we’ll formulate a plan.”
“Are you sure?”
“Please, stop asking me that. I’m as sure as I am that I love hockey. But I love you more than hockey.”
I had to laugh, and the tension eased between us. We hugged and exchanged one of those soul-defying kisses. What had I done to deserve a nice guy like this? And would he always be a nice guy once I got to know him? I knew the answer to that question, even if my logical brain didn’t.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Contingency Plans
~~Trent~~
Battling a heavy dose of guilt, I showed up at Carla and Michella’s office that Monday armed with the name of the asshole who’d been stalking my girl. Heidi hadn’t wanted me to take any action, and I wasn’t, not exactly. All I was doing was preparing for possible action down the road. By my way of thinking, that didn’t break my promise to her.
“What’s his name?” Carla asked, her pen poised to write it down.
“Rufas John Howe III.” I spat out the words, which were as distasteful as the man’s behavior.
Carla’s pen dropped to her desk, but her hand hovered in midair as if she still held it. Michella gasped and clamped her hands over her mouth. The two exchanged a silent conversation that left me out in the cold. They were longtime Portland residents. I was not.
“Fuck,” Michella hissed under her breath.
“This is not good,” said Carla.
“Does someone care to enlighten me?” I threaded my fingers through my hair in frustration. I was in the dark while they were in the light.
Carla sat back with a deep sigh. “Rufe, as he’s known, is from a very wealthy and powerful Portland family. His dad was a US senator for years. His sister is a state representative. Rufe also has political aspirations, but his tarnished reputation keeps coming back to haunt him. There’ve been multiple allegations of rape and assault. The first one dates back to when he was a teenager. He’s served no jail time. Expensive lawyers have gotten him out of every charge against him, or his family has bought off the victims.”
“Well, fuck,” I growled. “What do we do?”
Carla pressed her hands over her eyes for a long moment. “That’s a tough one. Do you know why he’s fixated on Heidi?”
