It was after midnight, and the streets were empty, littered with downed branches and debris. The traffic lights at the intersection swayed like crazy, and Aidan had to fight the wind gusts to keep the truck going straight. When he crossed the highway, he saw a live power wire down, throwing off sparks. The drive seemed endless, because he didn’t know what he’d find at the other end. Would Caroline be safe? Would her beautiful house be reduced to a pile of rubble? If she was safe, would she allow him back into her life? Or would she close her heart and mind against him because of the very things he’d done to protect her?
He drove down her road with his heart in his throat, peering through the sheets of rain. When he reached her house and saw her car in the driveway, he jumped out of the truck, crazed with fear. A branch had landed on the Escalade, a big one, and Aidan got it in his mind somehow that she might still be inside, crushed and bleeding. He ran over, playing his flashlight across crumpled glass in the pounding rain. When he saw that the car was empty, he nearly cried with relief. Then the flashlight beam caught graffiti scratched into the side of the SUV. “DIE BITCH,” it said, and his blood went cold all over again.
This vandalism must be the work of that thug Jason Stark had hired. Was he here? Caroline’s house was completely dark. Had he tracked her to this place, defaced her car, hurt her? Aidan ran up to the front of the house and looked in through the glass sidelights that ran on either side of the mahogany door. It was dark inside. The rain streaming off the hood of his jacket made it even harder to see. He swept the flashlight beam from his phone back and forth, and gasped when he caught a movement. Caroline materialized out of the darkness and floated toward him like an apparition. She came up to the door, looking through the glass at him.
“Let me in,” he shouted over the rain and the wind, but she shook her head firmly.
“Go away,” she said.
“Are you all right? Is anybody there with you? Please, you have to let me in.”
Caroline took a step back, away from the door, looking pale and afraid. Was it possible that the thug was already inside the house?
“Caroline,” Aidan said, and pounded on the door frantically. “You have to let me in. I’m here to protect you. Somebody is coming to hurt you. Your daughter, too.”
Her eyes widened. She came back to the glass. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s your husband. He’s mixed up in something dirty. Let me in, and I’ll explain.”
The rain came down sideways in sheets, and the wind shook the trees. She opened the door a few inches to hear him better over the racket. A gust kicked up and pushed at the door. He took the opportunity to press his way in. In the foyer, she backed away, grabbing an umbrella and brandishing it at him.
“Stay back,” she said, looking frantic.
“Are you all right?”
“I don’t want you here.”
“I’m here to help.”
“What was that you said? Something about Jason?” she demanded.
“Yes. I’m going to tell you. I’m dripping on your floor. Put that down. Please?”
Grudgingly, she lowered the umbrella, placing it on a bench, still within arm’s reach. He held up his hands placatingly.
“Is it okay if I take my coat off?”
“Why should I trust you, after what you did to my daughter and my sister?”
“I was trying to help. If I could come in for five minutes, I’ll explain everything.”
She studied his face.
“I would never hurt you. You know that,” he said.
She sighed and nodded.
“Thank you for trusting me,” he said.
“I don’t trust you.”
He stood by the door, stripping off his jacket and shoes, then followed her into the great room. The fire had been turned on in the gas fireplace, and candles placed around the room, which glowed with a warm light.
“The power’s out, as you can see. Sit over there and don’t come any closer,” she said, pointing at a leather club chair.
She sat down cross-legged on the sofa opposite and folded her arms, glaring at him. He was taken aback by her hostility. Everything he’d done was for her. How could she not understand that?
“I don’t know what you think you know about my husband, Aidan,” she said. “But I can assure you, he’s not mixed up in anything dirty.”
“He is. And he’s a danger to you and your daughter.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“From what you told me about him, I was worried, so I followed him.”
“You what?”
“Why is that so crazy? You asked me to kill him for you.”
“Okay, that was a mistake. I said so. After Jason left and took the money, I was very, very upset. I said that to you out of desperation, then I immediately took it back. You promised not to mention it again.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I only said it to point out that you can’t trust him.”
“It’s you I can’t trust. You scare me, Aidan. You went after my family.”
“No, I didn’t. You don’t understand. I was trying to help.”
“What are you talking about? You approached my daughter like you wanted to date her. You—”
“Wait a minute, that’s completely untrue. I never wanted to date her.”
“She sent me this selfie of the two of you looking like two lovebirds.”
“I’m sorry if she misunderstood. But I never came on to her in any way. It was totally friendly and on the up-and-up.”
“What were you even doing there? She’s eighteen years old, Aidan. She’s my little girl. What were you thinking, going anywhere near her? And you tried to run my sister off the road. These are the people I care about, that I love. If you hurt them—”
“I never tried to hurt anybody, swear to God. Your sister came to the bar and threatened me, then she drove away. All I did was try to catch up to her. Maybe that looked like I was attacking her but I was only trying to talk to her.”
“Even if I accept your explanation about what you did to my sister, what about Hannah?”
“Okay, I see now maybe that was a mistake. But I made it because of my love for you. I wanted to make sure she was safe. Your husband is dangerous. He wants to have you killed, and your daughter, too.”
She laughed in shock. “That’s insane. Either you’re making it up, or there’s something wrong with you.”
He really thought that, once they were together, she’d see his loyalty and his love, but he wasn’t getting through. He had to try harder, to say whatever it took to convince her.
“I swear it’s true. I told you, Caroline, I followed him. Jason and his girlfriend went to Queens, where they met with a guy who looked like some kind of mobster. I watched Jason hand the guy an envelope full of cash. I heard them mention your name, and Hannah’s. Don’t you see? Jason wants to be with this other woman. I don’t understand how anyone could feel that way, but there it is. And he’s taking extreme steps to make it happen. You’re in danger.”
She stared at him with a horror-stuck expression, saying nothing. He had to make her understand.
“I didn’t seek this out,” he said. “All I did was offer you a ride home when you weren’t safe to drive. And yes, I thought you were beautiful. I thought you were incredible to talk to. But I would never have made a move because you were too far above me. I never thought a woman like you would go for a guy like me. You came on to me first, you can’t deny that.”
She didn’t deny it. She didn’t say anything. She continued to stare in disbelief, and Aidan kept talking to fill the silence.
“Normally, I wouldn’t mess with a married woman. But I knew your story. I knew that your husband had mistreated you, and that you deserved better. And I thought, when will I ever get a chance at a woman this amazing again? We slept together, and I fell for you, Caroline. I fell for you hard. As we got to know each other, I saw that your problems were even worse than I imagined. But I didn’t run. I stayed. I’m here to fight for you. Everything I did—following your husband, going to see Hannah, breaking into this house to save it from the storm. It was done to protect you, because of how I felt about you. I’m sorry if I frightened you. But you stopped talking to me. You wouldn’t see me or take my calls. So, there was no way for me to explain. Please, tell me you understand.”
As they gazed at each other, the lights came on suddenly. She looked around in amazement.
“Look at that,” she said. “I wonder if it will last.”
“Answer me. Do you understand why I did what I did?” he said.
“Aidan, whatever you think you saw, you’re wrong. I need you to stay away from my family. Do you hear me?”
“From your daughter, your sister, okay. But your husband—”
“Jason and I are trying to reconcile. He wouldn’t hurt me, and he would certainly never hurt his daughter.”
“Reconcile? No. That’s messed up. I won’t let you.”
“It’s not up to you,” she said.
“Tell me something, Caroline. Who vandalized your car, huh? Was that him? Or the thug he hired? Be honest.”
She wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“You’re letting him abuse you,” Aidan said.
She sighed and stood up. “I’m exhausted after the drive out here. I need a drink. Do you want one?”
He nodded. If they had a drink together, she would relax and let down her guard. He could bring her around. She couldn’t be serious about going back to the man who’d cheated on her and robbed her and threatened her life. Jason Stark was a menace. An animal in a fancy suit. Aidan had to make her see that.
Caroline walked into the kitchen and came back with two glasses. Aidan took a swallow and grimaced.
“What is this?” he said.
“Bourbon. You don’t like it?”
“It’s fine. Cheers.”
They clinked glasses and drank.
“You should to listen to me,” he said. “I have your best interests at heart. I’m the only one who does. Why would I lie?”
“Maybe you’re not lying. Maybe you’re mistaken. But you go too far. I need you to back off and give me some space.”
“And then we can be together.”
She sighed. “Maybe.”
“Caroline, please. You’re all I think about. Night and day. Only you. I’m yours, completely.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips. At the touch of her flesh, the room seemed to tilt. He felt a hot shiver run up and down his spine. He put his hand over his heart.
“I’m sorry for the way I approached your daughter and your sister. Please forgive me for my bad judgment. It won’t happen again.”
She didn’t absolve him. She didn’t say a word. But when he turned her hand over and kissed the palm of her hand, and then the inside of her wrist, she didn’t stop him. Her pulse was racing. He laid his hand over her breast and felt her heart jackhammering. The knowledge that she wanted him made him dizzy.
“Can I stay?” he said.
“It’s not a good idea.”
“Please? We’ll be together through the storm. That’s all I ask. Let me protect you until morning.”
She looked searchingly into his eyes and sighed. “All right.”
“Would you dance with me? You don’t have to commit to anything more. Just one song. Let me hold you.”
She leaned forward and picked up a remote from a docking station on the coffee table. Everything was moving in slow motion. Sinatra started crooning from hidden speakers in the walls around them, and the music flowed through his bloodstream like he’d injected it. He took her in his arms, and they melted together, swaying to the luscious sound. Aidan understood in that moment that his love for Caroline was fated, ordained. This song was proof. It had been written a hundred years ago, just so they could hear it tonight. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her hair. Was this how true love felt? Her closeness made him unsteady on his feet. As long as they kept dancing, whatever happened to him, he wouldn’t mind. He would welcome his downfall if she was the cause of it.
The song ended. A fist pounded on the front door.
“It’s Jason,” Caroline said, her eyes wide with panic.
Aidan had been expecting the worst, and yet when the moment came, he wasn’t prepared. He broke out in a cold sweat, made a move for the door, and stumbled over his own two feet. He must be more tired than he’d realized after his hours of labor in the storm. Caroline grabbed him by the elbows.
“You have to leave, Aidan. Go out the back, down to the beach. He can’t know you’re here.”
“He will know. My truck’s in the driveway.”
“I’ll think of a way to explain the truck. He doesn’t know who you are. He’d never know it’s yours.”
“I can’t leave you alone with him.”
The husband pounded on the door. “Caroline! Let me in, now!”
“Please, I’m begging you,” she said. “Let me handle him. I don’t think he’d hurt me. But if he sees you here, I don’t know what he’ll do.”
Aidan felt wrong abandoning her to that brute at the door. But his thoughts were scrambled, and he felt confused and exhausted at the same time. He’d go outside and let the rain lash his face and wake him up. Then he’d sneak around to the front door and jump that asshole from behind.
His coat and shoes were back near the front door.
“My shoes—”
“There’s no time. Go!” Caroline said.
She opened the French doors and shoved him from behind. Aidan stumbled out into the stormy night, barefoot, fighting against the wind.