Tarin knew she should move but for once she felt safe and free. She shifted slightly in Graham’s lap, his arms immediately tightening around her. She only hoped he’d still want to do that once he knew everything about her. It was one of the reasons she didn’t want to get up; she didn’t want to face that reality yet. When she’d first opened her eyes, she’d found herself held gently in his arms while he was sitting on the floor with his back to the wall. Her first thought had been of Chance but she’d seen him right away; across the room, he was being held and rocked by Bill. He was laughing and giggling, so she knew he was unaware of what had gone down. She became aware they were no longer in the room where the wedding and the ensuing shooting had taken place. She shuddered as she thought how close Geoff had come to taking everything from her.
She couldn’t prevent the moan that escaped her lips as she moved to get more comfortable. There was no question she was going to be black and blue from the dog pile that had happened when Bill and Graham had tackled Geoff. Since Geoff had such a hard grip on her, she’d ended up somewhere on the bottom.
“You okay?” Graham’s gentle concern and the warmth of his breath whispered across her cheek and straight to her heart.
“A bit of a headache and bumps and bruises. But I’m okay,” she said quietly, not wanting to break the warm, safe cocoon she was enveloped in.
“Hey guys. You okay?”
Tarin lifted her head to look at Guy and Bailey, who had their arms around each other.
“Yeah. I don’t think it’s quite the wedding you’d planned but it sure had a big bang—and the ending we wanted. Well mostly, anyway.” Graham smiled tiredly.
“A little more than we had wanted or hoped for but we’re married. And that son of a bitch is dead.” Bailey gave Guy a deep kiss.
“Dorothea, I really think you should go to the hospital.”
“I’m fine, LJ but thank you. I’d like you to meet my family.” Dorothea introduced her new assistant to everyone.
“And since I know what you do for a living,” LJ looked directly at Guy and Graham. “I know you’re aware of my life prior to this job. Yes, I ran an escort service. And yes, I was interested in Caspian Winery for purely selfish reasons. I met with Dorothea a few weeks ago and shared my story with her. She knows everything and she had me thoroughly vetted. You can as well but I promise you, I’m not here to destroy her. Geoff had wanted me to do that but I couldn’t. I never thought he would want me to do something so sick.”
She looked each and every one of them in the eye but when she got to Tarin, she watched her carefully before walking toward her. Tarin pushed herself to her feet.
“I have so much to share with you. I don’t know where to start. I’m the one who’s been sending you emails about finding my daughter.”
“Did you?”
LJ took her hand. “Yes. And I’m slowly building a relationship with her.”
“There’s more. I think I went through what you did. I believe Geoff is the father of my daughter. I never slept with him but he had me drugged and artificially inseminated. I’m assuming it was the doctor who helped him that left me with the piece of paper with just a logo on it. It led me to Caspian but I hadn’t heard from anyone and I wanted my life to go back to normal. Which it was for a long time. I thought the whole thing was some sick bastard who got off on drugging me and having his way with me for a few days. Especially since I couldn’t identify him. When I found out I was pregnant, I almost had an abortion but I couldn’t. But I wasn’t mother material either. I gave her up for adoption. But when Geoff threatened that he’d hurt her if I didn’t do some damage to Caspian Winery, I had to do something. He watched everything I did. Knew every move I made. That’s why I contacted Dorothea.”
Tarin gasped. She’d been right. There was someone else who’d gone through what she had. “Do you know if there were any more?”
LJ shook her head. “I think I found the doctor who might have helped Geoff but he died in a freak accident. But I’m betting he kept some records.”
“I had a piece of paper stuck to my back as well. He obviously was trying to do something to stop Geoff by giving us a clue. He also gave me a code; I’ve seen it on bills from Caspian. Maybe there’s a paper trail.” Tarin looked at Graham to gauge his reaction. He was watching her with questions in his eyes. Not feeling able to answer them just yet, she turned away. The ringing in her head, thanks to the gun that went off right next to it, intensified. She pressed her fingers to her temple as she watched Bill entertain Chance in the corner. She couldn’t believe how much she owed that man. Not only did he treat Chance like a precious child but he’d saved them all. The minute Geoff had raised the gun, he’d charged. She shuddered to think what would have happened if he hadn’t been brave enough to make that move. Thankfully, this was over and Geoff had been the only one shot.
It was Dorothea though who answered. “When you were cuddling Chance that day of the explosion, I knew he was Geoff’s. I used to hold him like that when he was a baby. There is no question he’s my nephew. I’m truly sorry for what my brother put you through, but I’m so very grateful for the beautiful boy you’re raising.”
Tarin simply nodded; she didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t look away from Graham but she couldn’t read his face either. There was no question he was stunned and hurt but she didn’t know if it meant he didn’t want to hear her version.
At that point, the police returned to the room they’d all been ushered into after the shooting. They’d all been questioned. One officer called Graham and Guy to go outside into the hallway with him. They all seemed to know each other. It was twenty minutes before they came back and another half hour before they were all allowed to leave—but only after they’d confirmed where they could be reached. Everyone went their own way. Tarin, Graham and Chance, who was sleeping in his arms, made their way back down to their hotel room. They hadn’t talked since Dorothea had shared her news.
Graham laid Chance down. While he was busy, she remembered her cell phone and pulled it out of her dress, unsure what shape it would be in. She clicked off the recorder. It was almost dead. She looked up just as Graham turned to face her. He caught and held her gaze.
“I want to find out if there are any other women whose children were fathered by Geoff. I think there might have some I’ve connected with on my site. I may need your help.” She pursed her lips as she handed him her phone. “I think this has some information the police would want about Geoffrey.”
Graham slipped it into his pocket. “I’ll pass it on to Walters. Tomorrow.” He remained still with his hands in his pockets.
“I’m sorry. I know I should have told you but I didn’t know how. I mean, how do I say, by the way, I don’t know who the father of my son is? Makes me sound like a bit of a loose woman, right? I had to find some answers first.”
“So your interest in the job was because of the ties to Caspian Winery?”
She nodded.
“Hacking my computer, same thing?”
Again she nodded. “Uhm, I did something else that you won’t be happy about. I hacked into Caspian Winery and took some information off Oliver’s computer. I heard you talking about him and you couldn’t find some files. I may have what you’re looking for. It’s pretty damning.” She briefly told him what she’d found.
“That’s classic Geoff. He probably had someone Photoshop Oliver’s face onto them. He’s that sick. It appears Tom might have been helping Geoff but we’re not sure of his motive. Money, maybe. His mom’s in a very expensive nursing home. The police will have to sort that out.”
She sat down wearily on the bed. “I truly am sorry.”
Graham’s lack of response was enough to compel her to look at him. He was staring at her bare legs where her skirt had risen without her knowledge. She quickly stood.
“We’re going to have to track down all those women and the kids that are Ge—that man’s. I tried to find who might have helped him. LJ says she tracked the doctor and he’s dead but maybe the code meant that Geoff was paying through Caspian?”
“It’s possible. We’ll look into it. Dorothea has already commissioned us to find everyone that pretty much has ever come into contact with Geoff. Every child that might possibly be his. She wants to make sure all of them are taken care of. That son of a bitch damn near killed her this time.”
“He’s sicker than anyone I’ve ever met and he’s destroyed so many lives.”
“I know. Hopefully we can help repair some of them.” He smiled tenderly at her. “I have to tell you, I know about your internet group for abused women.”
“I know, Janice. Cute name by the way.”
He walked toward her until he stood a foot away. “How’d you find out?”
“I check out everyone who joins or asks to join the inner circle. Do you think you’re the first guy who’s tried it?”
“Sorry. I was just—”
“I know. Making sure I was on the up and up. Don’t worry; I’d have done the same thing.”
“I couldn’t get into much.”
“Well not through your name but when you hacked mine you could.”
“Uh—”
“Yeah. I’m that good too.”
“Well, it’s better than Tari Lynn. Cute alias by the way.”
She smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
He grinned. “Damn, this is gonna be fun.”
“Is it?” She stared at him long and hard, trying to determine if he had forgiven her for all she hadn’t shared with him.
He gently pulled her into his arms and lowered his lips to hers. She leaned into him and pressed her mouth firmly against his, while her arms looped around his neck. She smiled but it soon turned into a frown when she thought about all she hadn’t told him. “Uh, I haven’t told you about my—well everything.”
“We have time.”
“I know, but there have been so many secrets, so many things I’ve kept from you. My father’s not a good man. Although he’s not quite in the same category as Geoff, he’s done his share of ruining lives as well. I have a half-sister I never knew about. My mother was a prostitute, if Cal is to be believed. So you can see,” she added sardonically, “I come from really fine stock. Stephen—”
He kissed her long and deeply. “—is an idiot who didn’t know how to savor what he had. I’m not like him but—”
“I didn’t think that for a minute. He’s—”
“Going to jail for a long time.”
“What?”
“It appears he was selling secrets to rival oil companies. His father isn’t too happy with him.”
“Stephen’s plenty of things but I don’t think he’d—”
“He probably didn’t. Anyone who crosses Geoff, pays. So do you want to rescue him or let him pay for all of his other illegal and immoral activities?”
His raised eyebrows and expectant look, let her know that her future clearly rested on her answer. She may not have been the perfect daughter or the perfect wife but she wasn’t an idiot. The man standing in front of her was far better than anyone she’d ever had in her life.
“He’s not my problem. I just want my marriage over. Maybe he and Cal can share a cell together.” She briefly told Graham about the ten-thousand-dollar dress she’d left for Stephen tacked to the bed.
He whistled long and slow. “Hmm. Remind me never to piss you off.”
“I really want to help the women I’ve connected with. They’ve been through some awful things and may have no one else to turn to.”
“Any ideas?”
“Some.”
“K. We’ll figure out something.”
“Thank you. I really am sorry about my father, about Stephen, about Cal, about—”
“Stop apologizing for them.”
She jerked away. “Yeah but—”
“It’s a waste of your time and energy. They aren’t your fault.” He pulled her to him. “I guess we’ll have to find something better for you to do, with all that pent-up anger. Any ideas?”
Tarin laughed; for the first time ever, she wasn’t worried about her future, because she’d found one of the good ones.
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