“What do you mean you have to go? Are you crazy? Sasha, it’s not safe.”
Pierce was angry…very angry when she told him a few days later that she was flying back to London. He was in the middle of a business meeting, but he’d promised he’d call her as soon as he could.
Considering how terse his message had been, she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk to him in real time. She tried to explain that she’d noticed that her rent check had not cleared her account. When she looked online to check on it, there was no record of it posting to her account. It was odd because up until that point, her landlord had religiously cashed her checks. Concerned, Sasha tried to call her landlord several times, but hadn’t reached her. She’d even contacted her friend to inquire about her aunt, but she wasn’t able to get a hold of her either. Sasha had a gut feeling that something was wrong. It was then she’d decided to return home and get to the bottom of it. She wasn’t losing another home.
Her phone chirped again. This is not a good idea, Sasha, Pierce continued. Anything could happen, and you’re halfway around the world.
Ben is with me, Pierce, she typed. I’ll be fine.
Well, I’m not fine with this. This is reckless. You’re putting yourself in harm’s way for no reason—at least not one that makes any sense. Just have your friend drive over to her aunt’s house. She’s already there. Let her figure out what’s going on.
That got her ire up. She fired off a rapidly typed message that it wasn’t her friend’s responsibility to solve this issue, it was hers and that she didn’t need his permission to go home. She informed him that she was boarding her plane and would discuss it with him later. Before Pierce could type a reply, Sasha cut her phone off and shoved it back in her purse.
She glanced around and wasn’t surprised to find Ben close by. If he was put off by her decision to go back home, he kept it to himself. When she told him her plan, he merely assured her he would be ready and that she would be safe. That was all she needed to feel better about her decision. Her father’s silent brooding, her mom’s worried glances, and Pierce’s flat-out annoyance had rubbed her the wrong way. Only Sienna and Vaughn had understood that she needed to go handle her business. She knew Pierce and her parents was merely concerned about her well-being, but she didn’t like being made to feel like she was still making one colossal mistake after another.
At hearing the announcement that boarding would begin in a few minutes, Sasha gathered her purse and backpack and went to stand in line. Ben had told her that the operative Colonel Mangum assigned would come to the house to meet with her the next morning. She was both excited and apprehensive about hearing what she’d discovered, if anything. She turned around and caught sight of Ben again. His stared past her, then glanced down at his boarding pass. He didn’t make eye contact again.
She knew he didn’t want to draw attention to himself, but it was hard for her to act like she didn’t know him. Well, you really don’t, she mused. He was hired to protect her, and she had no idea about anything else other than that piece of information and his name. If that’s even his real name.
After Sasha boarded the plane and stowed her backpack in the overhead bin, she sat down and got comfortable in her seat. Her laptop was stowed in the seat pocket in case she wanted to write later, but for now she wasn’t in the mood. Though irritated at Pierce’s reaction, the last thing Sasha wanted to do was spend the long flight stewing about their conversation. Reaching into the purse she’d tucked under the seat in front of her, Sasha retrieved her noise-reduction headphones and sleep mask. After the flight attendant’s procedural announcement, she’d slip them on. A nice, long nap would be welcome. The investigation would be wrapped up soon, and whoever was harassing her would be out of the shadows. Right now, she planned to block out everything and everyone. Just for a few hours, Sasha wanted to pretend the last year of her life hadn’t been fraught with one emotional struggle after another and that her summer hadn’t been full of enough peril to rival a soap opera. There were some amazing highlights as well: her relationships with her family, her book and definitely her newfound love for Pierce…but all the other stuff she was dealing with was zapping her energy and joy. One thing that gave her comfort was knowing she was almost at the end of the maze, and at that end, the truth would come out and someone would have to answer for their actions. She’d have her life back. No fear, no worrying. Everything would return to normal. It had to.
Pierce checked his watch for the fourth time and waited impatiently as his driver maneuvered through the throng of traffic. His decision to catch a late-night flight to London after his meeting was spur of the moment but necessary. The thought of Sasha returning home to face uncertainty alone didn’t sit well. Granted, she had a bodyguard and an operative on the case, but he wasn’t there. Sasha was his girlfriend and his love. He refused to sit idly by and watch a possible disaster unfold before his eyes. Not again.
Besides that, their argument earlier was another reason he had to go. He wasn’t happy hearing she was going home alone. His fear had caused him to take his frustration out on her, and he needed to make amends. She was going through a lot, and the last thing she needed was him piling on and adding to her stress. It was important for him to make things right between them.
Another thing that confirmed that going after her was the right decision was that neither Vaughn, Sienna nor even the Lamberts tried to talk him out of it.
“Are we going to make it?” he asked his driver impatiently.
“Yes, sir. Don’t worry. You’ll make your flight.”
He’d better make it. It was bad enough that he wouldn’t arrive until the next afternoon. She’s in good hands with Colonel Mangum’s team, he tried to assure himself. Pierce stared out the window at the blur of lights zooming by. A headache was forming right behind his eyes. He closed them to try and relieve some of the pain and pinched the bridge of his nose. Sasha was the center of his world now. When he got there, he’d apologize for being angry. Somehow, he’d get her to realize that while his actions may have come across as boorish, it wasn’t his intention. She was the one person he simply couldn’t live without. The thought that he might have to had made him crazy. He had to make her understand his actions, and that when she made decisions, they affected them both. And though he’d handled it badly, her safety and well-being were his primary concern.
Pierce inhaled a deep breath and slowly released it. It was hard not to recall another time long ago that he failed to help a woman he cared for in time. She’ll be fine, he told himself while trying to block out his catastrophic failures of the past. This was not the same thing. He wasn’t there for Diane, but he would not let Sasha down. She’ll be fine, he repeated like a litany. She had to be.
“Sir? We’re here.”
The driver’s voice snapped Pierce out of his daydream. Passing his credit card to the front, he included a very generous tip.
“Thank you, sir,” the man said excitedly.
Before Pierce could respond, his driver had jumped out of the limo, retrieved his luggage from the trunk and was waiting at the curb.
“Good luck, sir, and have a safe flight.”
“Thanks,” Pierce replied.
“I hope things turn out alright with your lady friend.”
Pierce didn’t bother to ask how he’d figured it out. Instead, he just nodded. Taking his bag, he strode into the terminal.
There was nothing like waking up in your own bed. Sasha stretched and cuddled under the covers. Sun streamed in her bedroom window, bathing her room in a soft glow. For this moment in time, all was right in her world. It was short-lived.
The first tell-tale sign that things weren’t the norm was the smell of coffee. Ben was up and about. When they’d arrived yesterday, he’d dropped his luggage in the guest room she’d given him, grabbed a backpack and headed outside. He’d told her he was going to secure the perimeter. She didn’t ask what that entailed, merely trusting that by the time he was done, no one was getting in or near her home unnoticed.
She turned her head and glanced at the left side of her bed. It was neatly made and looked exactly as it did the night before. Nothing disturbed. Pierce usually slept on that side of the bed when they were together. He’d say he wanted to be closest to the door because anyone coming in would have to get through him.
Running a hand lightly over the bedcovers, Sasha felt melancholy. She wanted to call him, to see how he was doing, but something halted her action. She wouldn’t call Pierce. If he wanted to speak with her, he’d have to make the first move. It might be childish, but he’d been the one who had started the argument, so she wasn’t going to be the one trying to get them back on the same page. Thinking about her sister, she knew Sienna would point out that it didn’t matter who made the first move, but to Sasha it did.
With a loud rush of breath, Sasha rolled onto the other side of her bed and got up. It did no good pining. Instead, she would try contacting her landlord again. If that didn’t work, she’d drive over to the woman’s house. At this point, she didn’t know if she still had a place to call home or not. That really made her anxious. Throwing the covers back, Sasha jumped out of bed. She stripped off her pajamas and threw on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.
She’d just gotten there, and already she loved the cottage as if it were her own. She’d clear up whatever the mix-up there was with the rent and ensure it never happened again. She thought back to Andromeda yanking the townhouse out from under her. Anger made her movements choppy as she shoved on socks and her athletic shoes. As she stomped past her dresser, she stopped suddenly to gaze at her reflection in the mirror. “The only way someone is kicking me out of this home is over my dead body.”
Two hours later…
With music pumping and her wireless headphones in her ears, Sasha was mopping the first floor with wild abandon. She’d cleaned, scrubbed and dusted every square inch of her cozy cottage—at least the first floor. She’d washed clothes and had them hanging out on a clothesline in the backyard. Having a line was one of the things that caused her to fall in love with the property. Seeing it, Sasha couldn’t help but recall her childhood since that was the last time her family had lived anywhere that allowed homeowners to have an outside clothesline.
She was outside taking the dried clothes down when her music paused and her phone rang. When she picked up, it was to find her assistant on the other end.
“Hi, Lana, How are you?”
“Amazing. “We’re here,” she announced enthusiastically.
Getting caught up in the excitement she could hear in her assistant’s voice, Sasha couldn’t help but grin. “You’re where?”
“In London,” she enthused. “After months of planning and talking about it, I’m actually here. I tried calling you a few times, but didn’t get an answer. I was starting to think you were blowing me off."
Sasha’s face crumpled. Lana was in London…for a visit…and she’d forgotten. She could’ve kicked herself. She’d had reminders on her calendar in her phone, and she and Lana had talked about it several times. She’d still forgotten.
“Look, if you’d rather not see me, I—”
“No, of course not,” Sasha assured her. “I was traveling myself and just returned home. I’d love to see you, Lana.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, I zoned out for a minute. Jet lag and all.”
“We can make it some other time then. Maybe on the backend of our trip before we leave.”
“No, it’s fine. You’re fine, Lana.” She glanced at the time on her cell phone and grimaced. “How about we meet in an hour? Do you want to come here first, or I can meet you in town?”
“No, there would be great. I’d love to see your new place.”
“Great. Then we can decide where to go after you get here.”
“Sounds awesome,” Lana enthused. “My parents are meeting up with some of the other couples from the tour bus tonight, so I’ve got the car. It has GPS too, so just give me your address.”
Sasha gave Lana her address then hung up. She whipped the rest of the clothes off the line and dumped them into her laundry basket before rushing back into the house. Her phone rang as she was on the way upstairs. She paused to decide if she should answer. Setting the basket down, she ran to get her cell phone. When she didn’t recognize the number, she let it go to voicemail.
After putting her clothes away, Sasha went outside to find Ben.
He was standing a few feet away and was frowning.
“Miss Lambert, Agent Summers has been trying to reach you.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. She said she’s tried to call a few times, and also emailed you her report.”
Sasha frowned. “I’m sorry, I haven’t checked email in a while, and I’ve been cleaning all morning. My assistant Lana’s in town and coming over shortly.” I’ll look over Agent Summers report as soon as I can.”
“When she contacted me, I told her you were here. She’ll be by shortly to go over the report in-person. Maybe another day would be better to meet up with your assistant?”
“Ben, today is just fine. I can’t blow Lana off. It’s bad enough I completely forgot she was coming. If Agent Summers arrives while Lana is here, I’ll simply excuse myself and go meet with her. Surely that’s not too much to ask?”
“It might be,” he pointed out.
“You worry too much, Ben.”
He nodded. “It’s my job.”
“And you’re doing an outstanding one,” Sasha praised, “but I’m not going to be rude and refuse to see Lana because it may not be convenient, Ben. I promised to show her London.”
“It’s your call, Miss Lambert.” He walked past her and into the house.
Sasha followed behind him. She looked at the time. She had a lot to do before Lana arrived, but the first thing was a much-needed shower. Afterwards, she’d read Agent Summers report. Her stomach tightened with both excitement, and dread. Today, she’d discover who’d been harassing her. The veil of secrecy would be lifted, and when it was, she’d nail their butt to a prison wall. “Time’s up,” she said aloud.
Sienna strode into Vaughn’s office and sat in the seat opposite his desk. He glanced up and smiled.
“Hey, beautiful.”
“You’re working kind of late, aren’t you?”
“We’ve got a pitch to a new client in the morning. Just going over some last-minute updates to our presentation.”
She nodded absentmindedly. Familiar with the look, Vaughn set his papers aside, leaned back in his chair and focused on his wife.
“What’s the matter, doc?”
“I haven’t heard anything from Sasha since she returned to London—no phone call, no email, nothing. That’s not like her.”
“Sweetheart, she just got there yesterday. She’s probably dog tired and jet lagged. Maybe she decided to sleep in,” he reasoned. “Either way, I don’t think you should take it personally. Besides, your dad said she’s meeting with Colonel Mangum’s operative soon, so there’s bound to be good news. Ben’s there, and my brother decided to use the common sense God gave him, so he should be there soon, too.” Vaughn got up and walked around his desk to pull his wife on her feet and into his arms. He rubbed her back. “She’s well protected, doc. Nobody will be bothering her again.”
“I know,” she murmured against his chest. “I just…I don’t know why I’m feeling uneasy.” She hugged him before pulling away. “I know Sasha’s in good hands and I should stop worrying.”
He rubbed her shoulders. “Exactly.”
Sienna attempted a smile, but it was a weak one. “I think I’ll feel better when she calls.”
“You know, you could always call.”
She shook her head. “If she’s sleeping, I don’t want to wake her up. No, if I don’t hear from Sasha by tomorrow, I’ll call.”
Vaughn nodded and kissed his wife. “Good plan. You know, maybe she and Pierce are making up.”
Sienna scrunched up her face. “I don’t even want to think about that.” She laughed. “It wasn’t too long ago when they were at each other’s throats.”
“Now they are, but in a different way.” Vaughn chuckled.
“It’s still kind of interesting they ended up together, don’t you think?”
“Sometimes when people get along the way those two did, it can turn out to be a smoke screen for latent attraction.”
Sienna’s eyebrows shot to her hairline. “Is that so, Mr. Deveraux?”
He grinned. “You know sometimes I pay attention when you’re reading all those psychology journals in bed.”
She stared at him. “You said they were boring.”
“Not all of them.” He reached up to twirl a lock of her hair around his finger. “Some concerning the motivation behind more…carnal pursuits are downright riveting.”
She eyed Vaughn suspiciously. “Is this a distraction, Mr. Deveraux?”
He swept her up in his arms and kissed from her collarbone to her lips. By the time Vaughn reached the prized destination, Sienna was moaning softly.
“You know,” he said, nuzzling her neck, “my advances have been called many things, but never a distraction.”
“Oh, but they are,” she insisted as he walked them toward the stairs. “Incredible, sexy and irresistible distractions. A woman would be hard pressed to ignore them.”
“Good to know, but you’re the only woman I want to distract.”
Beaming with pleasure, Sienna ran her fingers over Vaughn’s bottom lip. His expression grew intense, drifting to her parted lips before lowering to the group of buttons open on her blouse. The skin teasing him beneath the silky material beckoned to him like a siren’s song. His warm brown eyes smoldered with growing desire and purpose. They were halfway up the stairs before Sienna said, “Aren’t you going to turn out the lights?”
“Depends. You wanna make love in our bedroom or these steps?”
Emboldened by his declaration, Sienna leaned in and nipped at his neck. “Lead on, my love.”