Authors: Lily Bishop
She heard the keys clatter as they hit
porch. Feeling sorry for him, she got up and opened the door. She saw the girl
wrapped around him, giggling, and stepped back. Her sympathy faded.
“What are you doing up?” Ben asked,
waltzing past her, holding the girl’s hand.
“I waited up to talk to you.”
“Oh.” He leaned into the girl. “Megan, go
get us a couple of beers. I’ll be right there. I promise.”
Megan formed her thick lips into a pout.
“Who is she?”
“My roommate.” When Megan turned toward the
kitchen, he swatted her bottom. The girl looked over her shoulder and grinned.
Lindsey watched Ben, her eyebrows raised.
In response, he sat down on the couch and kicked his legs out in front of him.
“What can I do for you? You’re never up this late.”
“Usually not. I wanted to talk to you a
minute, and I wasn’t sure I”d see you tomorrow.” She looked around him to point
out Megan. “Does Brittany know you’re bringing a girl home?”
“Are you my mom?”
Lindsey took a deep breath. This was
already not going well. “Forget it. That wasn’t what I wanted to talk to you
about. Have you got drugs in your room?”
“No, why? Want me to find some?”
Lindsey stood up, irritated. “I’m serious.
My sister’s fiancé said he saw drug junk in your room.”
“He was in my room?”
“Checking the windows.”
“Well, I’d be happy if you’d keep your
family out of my room. I don’t go in your room when you’re not here.”
Lindsey felt guilty, but it wasn’t her
fault. “I didn’t know he was going in there.”
“Come see for yourself.” He opened his
door and waved her in.
The dresser and night stand was clean,
carpet vacuumed, and the bed made up. Lindsey stood there for a minute, not
sure what to do.
“But Fox said stuff was in plain view.” He
stood there, his hands on his hips. “Is there a camouflage duffel bag?”
He opened the closet, and the floor was
empty except for shoes. The top wire shelf was also empty.
“Nothing. Sorry.”
Lindsey frowned. “I guess I owe you an
apology. But you know I don’t want drugs in my house.”
“I don’t either,” he said.
“All right. I guess I’m going to bed. It’s
been a long day.”
The girl Megan walked past her, smirking.
Lindsey watched Ben head to his room and wondered why she had never noticed the
cocky hitch in his walk.
One of them had lied about the drugs, and
after Ben’s defensive attitude, she didn’t think it was Fox.
Kayla had asked Lindsey about drugs that
night she went to dinner with them. What was that about? Did she know he used
drugs? Was that why she had asked about Lindsey? She decided to call Kayla as
soon as she had some proof.
#
He missed her so much his heart hurt and
he worried about her all the time. He knew he shouldn’t. She was an adult used
to being on her own, but he still couldn’t let it go. He felt like he should be
beside her, making sure she was in at night and not staying at the library too
late. Her innocence was so pervasive, he was sure that the college boys would
take advantage of her.
It had been a few weeks since his spur of
the moment trip to Clemson, and he still couldn’t get Lindsey out of his mind.
He knew he should call her less and give her more space. Every time he tried,
his need to protect her ran over his good intentions and sucked him back in.
Lindsey saw goodness in everyone, whether
they had any or not. She had traveled to Calliope with Vaughn Bruce without
thinking twice about it. Somehow, the man had convinced her that he was
harmless when he was anything but.
Learning that Vaughn Bruce had connections
to Miguel told Ric all he needed to know. It wasn’t a question of whether the
man was a criminal. He jus had to identify which of Miguel’s criminal
activities that Vaughn specialized in. If Vaughn Bruce recruited women into
Miguel’s slave trade, Lindsey had dodged a bullet.
He looked up to see Jacquetta coming in
with paperwork. He smiled, but his heart wasn’t in it. When he set the picture
frame down, she gave him the look. She hadn’t given him that look in months.
Not since he had told her he was giving all employees an across-the-board ten
percent raise. No, Jacquetta had her mind on profit and nothing else.
“Isn’t that the woman that you kept in the
tower for three days?” she asked.
“Yes.” He didn’t add anything else.
“We are lucky she didn’t file a lawsuit
for false imprisonment.”
Ric shrugged. He had known the risks. He
expected his management team to bring up concerns, but he always had the final
call. “I did what I had to do.”
“Rudy was hoping to see you this weekend,”
Jacquetta said. “Will you be around?”
Ric grimaced when Jacquetta brought up her
young son. “No, I’m afraid not. Lindsey is flying down for a long weekend. She
has a semester break.”
He knew Jacquetta would be disappointed,
but he continued to distance himself from her. The two of them had never dated,
but he had spent time with her and her son. It was time for him to put an end
to that. He could tell she was beginning to build expectations around his time.
He loved her son Rudy, but the boy needed a long-term parental figure. An
occasional hour of Ric’s time on the weekend wasn't enough.
“Well, have fun.”
She gathered the signed forms and left.
Xavier came in after her, another sheaf of papers in his hand. In a foul mood
now, Ric didn’t need Xavier coming in to pile on more bad news.
“What do you have? Some massive security
risk?”
Xavier shrugged. “Not massive. But you
won’t be happy.”
“Go ahead. It can’t get much worse.”
“I called Nassau to check on the criminal
cases we sent them in the past quarter. Vaughn Bruce pleaded guilty, paid a
fine plus restitution, and was released. On top of that, he’s banned from
traveling to the Bahamas for at least five years.”
Ric slammed his hand on the desk. “That’s
it? No jail time? I thought he would at least get a few months.”
“They’re not going to give a rich American
jail time unless the case involved drugs. Sometimes not even then. When they
pay the fine, they are usually home the same day. You know that.”
“I don’t have to like it,” Ric growled.
“Where is he now?”
“No idea.”
“Do some basic searches and see if you can
find him. I want to make sure he’s not bothering Lindsey.”
Xavier paused for so long, Ric thought he
had started to leave. But when he looked up, Xavier was still standing there.
“You do realize that she can see who she wants, right?”
Ric narrowed his eyes at Xavier. “Yes, I
just don’t want her hurt.”
“I’m just telling you, man, if you crowd
her, it’s not going to end like you want.”
“Believe me, I know. Have you found out
anything about her roommate?” As soon as he returned from Clemson, he had asked
Xavier to find out everything he could about Ben Morton.
“Not much.”
“Well, hell. Hire a local investigator up
there if you have to.”
“Can you tell me what you're looking for?”
Xavier asked.
“I have a feeling he’s a drug dealer, but
I need facts.”
“I’ll do my best. How much do you want to
spend if I have to hire someone?”
Ric frowned. “When have I cared about
money? Whatever it takes.”
Ric's plan to involve Fox and Laura hadn't
worked. He told Fox about what he had found, but as far as he knew, nothing had
happened. Lindsey hadn't mentioned anything about Ben. He had expected Ben to
have moved out by now.
#
The girl arrives
on Calliope Island Friday. Departs Tuesday.
Miguel read the text from his insider at
the Castle Resort and smiled at his second in command, Javier.
“This is perfect. Ricardo will never know
what hit him.”
“Send Vaughn Bruce. He wants to get even
with the girl.”
Miguel waved away that idea. “Not him. By
now, Ric knows Vaughn’s sentence. That five year banishment wasn’t expected but
we can’t ignore it. If Ric or your brother see him, they can arrest him again.
No, I want to use him in the United States. His passport lets him travel
freely. You and I have to limit our US visits to only the most critical tasks.
You will go. Just keep a low profile. I don’t want you to run into Xavier.”
Giada brought more wine out and then left
them again. Miguel frowned at Javier.
“Are you sure about Giada? Is she loyal to
you?” he asked, remembering how Javier and Xavier had fought over the girl
years ago.
“Giada does what I tell her.”
“As long as you are sure. If she’s going
to be the primary one taking care of the women, I want to make sure she will
follow orders. How much longer until they complete the dungeon?”
Javier shrugged. “A few months maybe.”
“Push the men to finish it sooner.”
Fall break couldn
’t come fast
enough for Lindsey. Ric’s quick visit over Labor Day weekend had just left her
wanting more. As promised, Ric sent his jet to the local airport to pick her
up. She took a short nap, and by the time she woke up, the plane had landed.
She walked down the jet steps in Calliope right into Ric’s waiting arms. This
was the life.
“How was your flight?” he asked, looking
down at her in the circle of his arms.
“So good, I barely remember it.”
“Well, let’s see if we can make it more
memorable now that you’re here.” His lips hovered near hers.
Lindsey stretched up and brushed her lips
against his. He smiled beneath her lips, letting her lead the way.
“Yes, let’s,” she said. “I’m yours for the
weekend.”
She didn’t realize how much she had missed
Ric until she saw him in person again. The video-chats and hour-long phone
calls weren’t enough. Ric had a charisma that had seeped into her soul, and she
had missed having him near. How was that even possible, since they hadn’t been
together for more than a long weekend? She didn’t know why, but she knew her
heart arched towards his, no matter where he was.
“Xavier, it’s good to see you.” She smiled
at the burly security chief that had stayed with her almost the whole time on
her first visit. She knew Xavier was a sweetheart. He didn’t speak much, but he
and Ric had been friends since childhood.
“And you, Miss Lindsey.”
“Just Lindsey, remember?”
Xavier smiled and hefted her bag into the
back of the golf cart. She and Ric took the back bench, and she snuggled next
to him. The golf cart lurched and Xavier took off in the opposite direction
from the resort.
“Where are we headed?” she asked Ric.
“You wanted to see my villa, remember?”
“Ooh, can’t wait. I get to see more of the
real Ric, not the guy who has to be nice to the guests all the time.”
“Well, this is about as real as it gets.
No maid service, no chef. Real Ric, at your disposal. And no take-out, either.
You’ll be begging me to send you back home.”
Lindsey laughed and squeezed him in a
fierce hug that surprised even her. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
Ric looked nervous as Xavier pulled up to
the front of his villa. Lindsey felt a rush of affection so strong it almost
knocked her over.
“Well, this is it,” he said, hopping down
and offering his hand to help her.
Lindsey laughed and squeezed him in
a fierce hug that surprised even her. “You’re not getting rid of me that
easily.”
Ric looked nervous as Xavier pulled up to
the front of his villa. Lindsey felt a rush of affection so strong it almost
knocked her over.
“Well, this is it,” he said, hopping down
and offering his hand to help her.
“It’s beautiful,” she said. Flowering
bushes and trees surrounded the white brick exterior.
“Not as beautiful as you.” From anyone
else, the words would have seemed hokie.
She grazed his shoulder with a teasing
blow. “Stop it. You know I’m not beautiful. I left the wig at home, remember?”
“You still have it? You don’t need that
wig. I promise. And you’re wrong.”
“What?” she asked. He had sounded so
serious.
“You are beautiful.”
Lindsey beamed, pleased that he found her
at least attractive. She had never felt beautiful, not growing up with Laura,
the blonde with the tight curls. She had always been the afterthought, the girl
with the mousy brown hair who was good at math. “You don’t have to, but thank
you for saying it.”
He shook his head. “At some point, you are
going to realize how much you have to offer.”
“You’re sweet. Come on. Show me your casa.”
“Mi casa es tu casa.” He led the way, his
hand reaching out to take hers.
He opened the front door and stepped back
to let her enter. Lindsey gasped at the beauty in the room. Three arches
delineated a separate sun room.
He walked her through a sleek,
ultra-modern kitchen. The den sported a U-shaped sectional and large
flat-screen television. A colorful rug tied everything together.
The master bedroom featured a large
king-sized bed draped with white filmy curtains.
“I love that bed frame,” she said.
“The last storm felled some old mahogany.
I hired a woodworker to make some furniture and racks for my sword room. He
also made this bed.”
“Beautiful.” She touched soft, sheer
fabric, surprised that he had decorated everything on his own. Not sure where
to put her hands, she turned back to him.
“Here’s the other two bedrooms." He
walked her through the other two spaces. Xavier had left her suitcase in the
larger of the two rooms. Lindsey wanted to ask why her suitcase was there and
not in his room, but she hesitated.
“Through here is my training area.” He led
her through an open breezeway and through French doors. They entered a wide
open space larger than her house. A spongy material covered half of the floor
and stone tile covered the rest. Two treadmills and other exercise equipment
took up one end.
“Wow. You weren’t kidding. Is all this equipment
yours?” She glanced at the different swords—foils, épées, and sabers. One area
appeared to hold antique swords.
“It is. We will have to have a match
later. When you’re rested.”
She winked at him. “Right. When I’m
rested. Like that’s going to matter.”
He shrugged. “It’s good to keep in
practice, regardless of who wins, don’t you think?”
“What is this sword?” She pointed to the
antique basket hilt sword that held the position of honor on the rack’s high
shelf.
He lifted it down and presented it to her,
his hands holding it parallel to the ground.
“Wow. I’ve never seen anything like this.
Is it real?”
“Yes. I bought it at auction a few years
ago. This belonged to a Venezuelan Naval Officer during the time of the great
blockade.”
Lindsey had to admit she was weak on
Venezuelan history. “What was that?”
“Britain, Germany, and France blockaded
Venezuelan ports in 1902 and 1903. They withdrew after arbitration, but the
Venezuelan Navy didn’t fare as well. My great-grandfather carried a similar
sword, but my family's sword is missing. I bought this one at auction."
Her fingers traced the fine engraving on
the steel blade. “It’s beautiful. May I?”
“Of course. Be careful. It’s sharp.”
Lindsey took a step back and lifted the
sword over her head, swinging it high once in a wide arc. The sword weighed
more than the light swords she trained with.
“Would this have been used in actual
fighting?”
“Maybe. Most swords were ceremonial at
that point, although it may have seen some action.”
She returned it to him, palms up, holding
it horizontal as he had done. He sheathed it smoothly and placed it on its
rack.
“So what happened to the sword in your
family? Why is it missing?”
“As the oldest, my cousin claimed that he
should inherit. I think he stole it from my mother, but I haven’t been able to
prove it or to find the sword.”
“That’s awful. I always wished that I had
more family. My mom was an only child, so no cousins.”
“What about your dad? You never mentioned
him.”
“I don’t know much about him. He was an
over the road truck driver. He died in a massive wreck before I was born, so I
never knew him.”
“I’m sorry.”
Lindsey shrugged. Insurance money from the
accident had bought her mom’s house and funded their education. It was hard for
her to miss someone she had never known. She missed the idea of a father more
than anything else. She and Laura never talked about him. “What about your dad?”
“Sadly, that appears to also be something
else that we have in common. He’s also dead. I don’t remember him either.”
“How did he die?”
“My mother’s family had money and she
received a good bit when she got married as part of her dowry. My father’s
family held a large estate but had no money to run it. The government wanted
more and more in taxes every year. My dad used up my mother’s dowry making
needed improvements. She had money from her modeling career that she had put in
a trust fund for me, but he wouldn’t touch that. He left to go work on the oil
rigs, which weren’t as safe then as they are now. He died in an explosion when
I was two.”
“I’m so sorry. So what happened to the
estate then?”
He shrugged. “My mother returned to
modeling and made enough money to save the estate. Investment markets evened
out and the family was on better footing. She claimed the sword belonged to me
because she is the one who saved the estate from ruin. Other members of the
family didn’t agree.”
Lindsey could tell that the estate and
sword meant a great deal to him. “Who holds the legal title?” Lindsey asked.
“The estate has always been a family
affair, with many families living there and working. The castle is large with
several separate apartments. A family trust hold the title, managed by the
oldest living member. When my father died, management of the estate passed to
my eldest cousin. He has all but pushed me out. I offered to buy his stake, but
he refused. If he dies without an heir, the management of the trust reverts to
me.”
“Why don’t you live there?”
His mouth twisted. “Let’s just say that my
cousin and I do not get along, and I’ve made my fortune elsewhere.” He paused
for a long beat, almost as if he was trying to decide how much to tell her,
before he continued. “But I digress. I hope you brought a swimsuit. The
weather’s perfect this afternoon, so I thought we could take a dip.”
“That sounds great,” she said.
He led her to the second bedroom where her
bag waited. “Go ahead and get changed and then come out the back doors through
the arches.”
He bent down and kissed her cheek and then
he was gone, closing the door behind him.
Disappointment crashed over her. What had
she expected? That she would share his bed? After their steamy phone calls,
that’s exactly what she thought.
Lindsey sighed as she looked around the
gorgeous room, decorated in sage green and ecru. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the
room she wanted. She wanted Ric's room. Her suitcase waited for her on a low
bench by the window. She retrieved her white and gold bathing suit and matching
white crochet cover-up. In the bathing suit, she sank down on the bed, her
hands extended straight beside her.
What did Ric want? Why had he put her in a
second bedroom? She hoped he didn’t see her as a friend, or even worse, as a
little sister. She wanted something from Ric, but it wasn’t the affections of a
brother.
After she tired of moping, Lindsey got up
the nerve to go find him. Lindsey followed the stone path to the pool area. She
expected a typical backyard pool but found a half-Olympic-sized pool instead.
She found Ric at at a table under a large
cabana-style pavilion. He still wore his business suit from earlier. A woman in
the straight-skirt and Bolero jacket uniform of the resort stood talking to
him. Ric saw Lindsey and waved her over.
“Lindsey, there you are. I’d like you to
meet Jacquetta Renault. You may remember her from the front desk during your
last visit. She’s my new Director of Human Resources.”
“Nice to meet you,” Lindsey murmured. The
two of them shook hands.
“And you as well. I hope you are enjoying
your stay?” Lindsey noticed the woman’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.
“I just got here, but I’m sure I will.”
“Lindsey, I will be right with you. I just
have to glance at this paperwork.”
“Sure. Not a problem.” Lindsey spread out
her towel on a nearby lounge chair and set down her e-reader.
“Ricardo, are you still planning to come
to the funeral tomorrow?”
“Oh, right. That’s tomorrow. What time?”
“It starts at eleven.”
“We will try. I forgot about that.”
“It would mean a lot,” Jacquetta said,
Who were they talking about? Lindsey
watched Jacquetta touch his shoulder and told herself it wasn’t jealousy. She
didn’t stand around to hear Ric’s response. Instead, she pulled off her
cover-up and dove into the deep end.
So swimming was not a euphemism for some
other activity. He had meant swimming, and since he was still in his suit, he
had meant for her to swim alone. She bit back her disappointment and swam
several laps. She had always loved to swim, and her stroke settled into a good
rhythm almost immediately. In the middle of October, the water was still balmy
here. The outdoor pools had already closed in South Carolina.