Fire and Ash (Immortal Touch) (28 page)

“Rick,” she said
flatly, obviously not at all happy to see him. “What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Sami.
Long time no see. How’ve you been?”

“I’m
…fine.” She frowned, shifting her weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Finally she asked rather stiffly, “And you?”

“Better. I’m doing
a lot better.”

“
Good. That’s good.” They both stared at the ground awkwardly for a minute or two, then she seemed to remember her companion. “Stuart, this is Rick. Rick, Stuart.” She made the introduction half-heartedly.

The eyes behind Stuart’s thick lenses lit up in recognition. He’d heard about the ex, apparently. It bugged Rick that this stranger seemed to already have insight into her life. The man didn’t speak, just nodded rather
coolly. God, surely Sami wasn’t
dating
this geek? He must be ten or fifteen years her senior.

“
Yeah…hi, Stuart. Look, Sami…I didn’t come here to intrude on your life or anything like that but…well, I did drive all this way just to see you. To talk to you. Do you think maybe you could spare five minutes for me?”

“Rick, I
don’t see how it’s…”

“Five minutes.
That’s all I’m asking. Then I’ll never bother you again, I promise. I just have something I really need to get off my chest…something I think you should hear. It’s important. Please?”

She sighed. “Okay
, fine. I’ll give you five minutes. But that’s it.”

“Can we
maybe go someplace a little more private?”

Hesitating, Sami
evaluated him as if trying to decide whether or not she should trust him. After a moment she said to Stuart, “Do you mind if I take a rain check?”

“Of course not.”

“I’ll see you after lunch then.” Motioning for Rick to follow, he trailed behind as she headed back inside.

Down another hallway, she stopped in front of one of the room doors and
opened it with a card produced from her back pocket. They both stepped inside into the chilly air conditioning. The place was a typical beach condo, bright and airy and pleasant, but different in that it was personalized with her touch. He recognized some of the items and the intimate familiarity delivered a painful blow.

That peach-colored camisole lying on top of the laundry basket
, for instance. He could remember her wearing it once to an outdoor concert where his band was opening. She was always supportive. Used to love to watch him sing. Her eyes would sparkle with admiration and excitement.

And yes, h
e’d loved her, but in the end he’d proved that maybe he just wasn’t ready for marriage, plain and simple. Talented rock vocalists attracted chicks like a magnet, hot young girls who were more than willing to give him anything he wanted. Who could say no to that? He was only human. He’d thought he could juggle it all, have his cake and eat it too. Okay, so it wasn’t fair to her. In all honesty, he’d never been fair to her.

And then the nightmare of what happened here, just next door at the
Jade Palms. Paisley falling to her death. The police inquiries. The news crew. The sickening knowledge of what would happen when word of it got back to Sami. How ironic that she would have wound up here, so close to that place. Working right beside it. God, how ludicrous life could be.

And the other thing. The thing he’d shared
with her and only her, for fear of being forced to submit to a mental evaluation. He must have been drunker than he thought, to see
himself
strolling nonchalantly out of the Jade Palms. To see a mirror image of Rick Radcliffe pass by and smile directly at him in the most evil way imaginable. As if his soul had left his body to wander about on its own. And then people were running, shouting, and he heard someone saying that a girl had fallen and he could hear the wail of an ambulance in the distance and the night went straight to hell from there. And all he could see in his mind’s eye was his own face grinning back at him. He’d finally, just recently, managed to convince himself that it was an illusion manufactured by a guilty conscience. It was the only explanation possible.

N
ow he had to try and somehow explain his shortcomings to her. The person caught in the crossfire who didn’t deserve one single bite of the poison he’d dished out to her.

“Well?” She was tapping her foot impatiently, arms crossed in that
I-don’t-have-all-day
stance he knew so well. She’d always been a spunky one.

“Nice place you have here,” he said lamely.

“Did you come all this way to check out where I’m living? Who told you where I was, anyway?”

“
Kelly’s new roommate. I kinda dragged it out of her.”

“
Marcie? Kelly told
Marcie?
”

“Yeah. Look, I didn’t come to cause trouble. That’s not why I’m here.”

“Why
are
you here then? And when was the last time you called me, by the way?”

Her
odd question caught him off guard. “I haven’t talked to you since before you moved here. Remember?”

“You haven’t been calling me and hanging up?”

“No. Why?”

“Never mind. You have about four minutes left.
Better make ’em count.”

Same old Sami. Full of spit and vinegar.
Jesus, he wanted her back…wanted her back more than he would have believed possible, but he’d have to do some serious smooth talking to make up for all the damage done.

“
All I wanted to do was apologize to you, Sam. I know I was acting batshit crazy after what happened and I also know I made your life miserable, calling you all the time when I was drinking. Which, by the way, I’m not doing anymore.” Not exactly the truth, but at this point he’d say anything to get her to forgive him. The consequences could be dealt with later. “And what I did - you know, coming here with Paisley - it was the stupidest mistake I’ve ever made in my life. I don’t even know why I did it. I know it had nothing to do with
you
- you were perfect. It was me. I totally took you for granted. I was a selfish, inconsiderate jerk.”

“No argument there.”
Her stony expression didn’t change. He’d have to try harder.

“I just needed to tell you that I never meant to hurt you.
I loved you, Sami. I never knew how much I loved you until you were gone. And I know what I did was inexcusable and I deserve everything that happened to me, but you…you didn’t deserve any of it. I don’t expect you to forgive me. I’m not even asking you to. I just want you to know how sorry I am. From the bottom of my heart, I am. I’m so sorry…” He nearly choked on those last three words. Dammit, men weren’t supposed to get all emo. What the hell was wrong with him?

She said nothing for a minute as she studied him,
weighing the sincerity of his words. He had a sudden fleeting wish that things could go back to the way they were before he’d proposed to her, before he felt trapped and everything started spiraling out of control. When they were still friends. When she didn’t hate him. And he wanted to fall at her feet, to beg, to plead, whatever it took…just so long as she’d let him back into her life.

Then her eyes softened and quietly she said, “
It must have been really hard for you to come here and say that to me.”

“Actually, I think it was the easiest thing I’ve ever done in my life. You have to know I meant every word.”

“I’m sure you did. And I appreciate your honesty.”

“So…where do we go from here?”

“I accept your apology, Rick. And I’d like it if we could remain friends. But I’m afraid that’s just about as far as I’m capable of going.”

All right, so it wasn’t
quite the answer he’d been hoping for. And maybe it wasn’t absolution.

But
it was a start, wasn’t it?

~*~*~*~

Stuart’s heart sank when he looked up from his bacon cheeseburger to see Reid strolling over to his table. He’d seen enough lately to conclude that there was definitely something going on between him and Sami, and the last thing he wanted was to get caught in the middle of trouble brewing. He prayed he wouldn’t be asked where she was.

“Hey, Stu. You seen Sami?”

Shit.
“Ah…yes, sir. She was here a minute ago.”

“Where is she now?”

“Now? You mean,
right
now?”

Reid gave him a strange look.

“I believe she went back to her room for something.”

“Okay, I’ll
catch her there. Thanks.” He turned to leave.

Panicking,
Stuart blurted out, “Wait! Don’t you wanna have some lunch?”

“I already had lunch.” He started to walk away again.

“
Wait!
”

“What is it, Stu?” He
turned around, looking annoyed.

“
I think…” He coughed nervously. “I think now might not be the best time. To disturb Sami.”

Reid’s
bright eyes bored right through him. “Is there something you’d like to tell me, Sedgwick?”

“Her ex is here. Rick.”

He saw the man’s jaw clench. “Rick is here? In her room?”

“Yes, sir…well, he said he only wanted five minutes to talk to her
alone…”

He didn’t have a chance to say anything
more. Reid was already on his way back into the building. And he looked about a thousand miles from happy.

“Shit,” Stuart muttered, pushing his half-eaten cheeseburger away. Suddenly he’d lost his appetite.

~*~*~*~

The door opened behind Rick, and
before he even turned around to see who was there he saw Sami turn visibly pale.

The dark-haired man with ice chips for eyes closed the door behind him and leaned against it, folding his arms
across his muscular chest. He didn’t look like anyone Rick wanted to tangle with, and whoever he was, he didn’t seem at all thrilled to see him.

He didn’t say a word. Just stood there, arms crossed, eyes drilling coldly into him
.

“Can we help you?”
Rick snapped, irked by the man’s overbearing attitude.

“We?” The deep voice was as
glacial as the eyes, which strayed to Sami and then back to him. “There is no
we
here for you. Only for me.”

“Yeah, well…I don’t know who
you
are, but I just came to talk to Sami. And this is a private conversation, if you don’t mind.”

“She has nothing to say to you.”

“I think that’s for her to decide.”

“Really?” The man turned his attention to Sami, who stood motionless. “Samara. Come here.”

She brushed past Rick to join the stranger in front of the door, leaning into his body with an almost vacant expression. The man put an arm around her and she rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes with a childlike sigh. “I make her decisions now.”

Rick couldn’t believe what he was hearing. What’s more, he couldn’t believe Sami was just
standing
there, accepting the audacious statement without argument. That wasn’t the girl he knew. It was as if, in a matter of seconds, a switch had been flipped and she’d become another person. Someone he’d never seen before.

“
She belongs to me.” He brushed his lips across her forehead, his eyes never leaving Rick’s. “Don’t you, baby?”

“Yes,” Sami responded immediately.

“Maybe you’d like to show him.”

Obediently she
untucked her shirt and lifted it to her ribs, and Rick felt sick to his soul when he saw the four letters slashed into her otherwise flawless skin. “Jesus, Sam! What has he done to you?”

“Nothing she didn’t want me to do. I can promise you that.”
The man ran his hands underneath her shirt, stroking her slowly, deliberately. His lips curved maliciously, and Rick could have sworn he’d seen that corrupt smile before. “Fucks like a dream, doesn’t she?” he said softly.

“You son of a
bitch
…!”

“I think it’s time you
were leaving. What do you think, baby?”

“Leave,” she repeated automatically
, pulling away from the man just long enough to open the door. Her eyes wouldn’t meet his. Dear God, where the hell had his precious, unshakable Samara disappeared to? Who
was
this person?

“Sami
, honey…”

“Rick, just
go!
” There was desperation in her voice.

“
I’d listen to her if I were you. You never know when you might run into yourself leaving the scene of another fatal accident.”

Rick
took the man’s advice then. He hauled ass. And he didn’t stop to look back.