Hidden Threat (35 page)

Something in him snapped at her words. She can’t stay? “Why not?” he said a little harsher than he’d intended. “Your father’s here and Jessie. And what about Lisa and Jen and Becky. They seem like good friends. And—” He swallowed. He wasn’t an overly emotional person until he’d met this woman.

Yes, until he’d met Cali, his life had been predictable. He didn’t want that anymore. Swallowing down his nerves, he went for it. “And, me,” he whispered.

At first, Cali didn’t think she heard him right, but then she looked into his eyes and saw the vulnerability there. She knew she had to speak. “Matthew, I—” 

But he cut her off. “No, I just…I need to say this.” Then taking a deep breath, he put it all out there. “I love you.” And once those words left his mouth, he realized just how good they felt to say. “I love you,” he said again with more force this time. “And I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay. With me. I know you may not feel the same way about me, but I just—”

“I love you, too.”

It took a second for her words to register, but when they did, Matthew felt like he could breathe for the first time in two weeks. His hands came up to cup her face as his eyes found hers and held them. “You…”

“I love you,” she whispered.

A slow smile spread across both their faces as Matthew lowered his mouth to hers. Their kiss was soft and gentle, full of the love they’d just declared. Cali’s good arm found his waist, and she melted into her lover’s arms just as she’d dreamed about for the last two weeks.

Cali’s injuries broke them apart. She couldn’t stand long on her leg without pain, and it demanded her attention.

Matthew apologized and helped her onto the bed but didn’t go far. Pushing the overnight bag out of the way, he sat beside her, pulling her close.

There were things they needed to talk about, and as much as he didn’t want to, he knew it was time. “Why are you leaving?”

She leaned into him, and he placed a kiss on her hair. “I couldn’t stay here anymore. It was just too hard being here without you.” 

And then he got it. “Being here? You mean in this house?”

“Yeah.” She nodded.

Pulling back, he lifted her chin so he could see her face. “So you weren’t going back to Africa?”

Her eyes went wide. “No! How could you think…You thought I’d just leave?” 

For the first time, he realized how foolish his thoughts had been, how little credit he’d given her. “I didn’t know. I hoped not, but then your father said you were leaving…and well I just…I guess I panicked. I couldn’t lose you.” 

She smiled at that, but then her face sobered again. “I was going to the lake house,” she whispered.

“Oh,” he said as mind reeled over the fact that she loved him and wasn’t leaving.

Then suddenly, he came to a decision. “Don’t go to the lake house.”

“What?”

“Don’t go to the lake house.” She started to question him again but he continued.

“Come home with me.”

“What?”

That made him smile. “Can you say something other than what?” 

She couldn’t help but smile a little while she tried to remain serious. “What do you mean, come home with you?” Cali thought she knew what he was asking, but she wanted to make sure.

Matthew reached out and brushed a still wet strand of hair behind her ear. “I mean, move in with me.” He paused to let that sink in. “I’ve been miserable without you for the last two weeks. I need to see you every day, and I need you in my bed every night.”

More than anything Cali wanted to say yes, but she had one question. “Why didn’t you visit me at the hospital?”

He was taken aback. “I did.”

“No,” Cali said. “I mean, I know you did right after, but I was in there for over a week and…and you never came.”

Matthew was stunned. She thought he’d just left her? He cupped her chin again, making sure she was looking at him when he spoke. “I was there. Every night I stopped by your room to make sure you were okay and to give you a kiss. Maybe I should have woken you, but I just couldn’t. And I called to check on you every day. You thought I’d just…abandoned you?” he could barely get out the words.

“You—” Cali choked on her words as she felt her tears again. “You came every night?”

He nodded. “I couldn’t get out of the office until really late. It was midnight usually before I made it to your room, but I just couldn’t go to sleep without seeing you. Then, Jessie told me you were coming home, and I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to come to you, but your father was here and…I just didn’t know what you wanted. Then, yesterday I’d finally decided it didn’t matter, that I had to see you. That was when Alvin showed up to tell me you were moving. I thought—”

“That I was leaving you,” she finished quietly. She caressed his face.

“Yes.” He let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

“I picked up the phone at least ten times a day to call you.”

“Why didn’t you?” he asked as his continued to reacquaint himself with Cali’s features.

She bit down on her bottom lip, considering her next words. “I didn’t know if you still wanted to be with me.”

Matthew leaned his forehead against hers, their noses almost touching. “I will always want you.”

“Why didn’t you call me?” she asked.

He sighed and brushed her hair back from her face. “I was afraid, I suppose. I had promised to take care of you and looked what happened. I didn’t know how you felt.” He hesitated. “I should have called. I should have been here when you needed me.”

“You should have. None of this was your fault, and I did need you.” 

It was his fault, but he wasn’t willing to argue with her. He had her in his arms, and that was all that mattered. “I know,” he whispered.

Her face tilted, and his lips met hers. Everything they couldn’t say with words came through in that kiss. Matthew’s hands slid through the silky wet strands of her hair and held her to him, never wanting to let her go.

Cali’s arm wrapped around his neck as her fingers ran down his back underneath his shirt.

It was a long time before they came up for air, but when they did, her eyes opened to meet his. “Yes,” she whispered.

“What?”

“Yes, I’ll come home with you,” she said, bringing her hand up to stroke his face and running the pad of her thumb over his moist lips.

Matthew’s smile lit the room. And before she knew what hit her, she was tumbling back onto the bed. His hands held her face firm on each side, and he kissed her hard. “I love you.”

She couldn’t help the laughter that bubble out of her even if it was followed by a groan of pain. “I love you, too.”

“That’s all I need to know,” he said as his mouth claimed hers once again.

Cali could barely believe her life over the last two months. There had been so many changes, the biggest of which was moving in with Matthew. He lived in a nice size townhouse on the edge of the city. There was plenty of room for the two of them, and for the most part, the adjustment had been easy. After all, they’d already been living together before the shooting.

Her injuries were a point of contention. Matthew felt responsible. Cali didn’t think he should.

But because of his sense of responsibility, he’d insisted on doing everything for her. He was literally driving her nuts with his hovering. She’d put up with it for almost two weeks before she’d put her foot down. It led to their second fight, and it was a good one.

It wasn’t like the time before when there was a clear misunderstanding. She knew he felt guilty and why even if it was absurd. The last time involved a few abrupt words and then silence, but not this time. This time it was raised voices and harsh blunt words. She was very glad he didn’t share walls with his neighbors.

Finally, she got him to see reason. He was very stubborn although she’d been given that title many times over the years herself. This was one time she was grateful for it. She would not let him take the blame for something that was not his fault.

And no one thought her injuries were his fault, not her or her father. Not even the press.

The press. Now that was an entirely different matter. A month went by with no more than a small blurb about the situation, and then the lawyer representing Mariana dropped her case. It wasn’t a surprise really, considering the money dried up once all the red tape had been handled. And when Mariana saw she was facing some major jail time, she began talking to anyone who would listen, including a sympathetic reporter.

Suddenly it became front-page news, and everyone had their roles to play.

Matthew became the hero while Peter and Rachael were painted as the heartless villains. After some digging, the police found a rather astonishing connection.

They were siblings. Peter’s father had an affair producing a little girl, Rachael.

And Mariana? She became the poor, unsuspecting, lovesick victim.

It still floored Cali how much the woman had changed. When she’d seen her in the interrogation room, she’d been stoically defiant. Now she was the epitome of remorse while playing up the love is blind angle.

Cali didn’t buy it, and she was hoping a judge didn’t either. At least that part they’d find out today.

Walking down the carpeted stairs, Cali stopped for a second to admire the man standing in the kitchen. His back was to her. The light blue, dress shirt he had on went well with his suit. He looked edible as he stood over the stove. It amazed her that less than six months ago, she’d been in Africa oblivious to his existence. And now, he was the center of her world.

Seeming to sense her presence, Matthew glanced over his shoulder. He smiled when he saw her.

Without a word, Cali walked across the space and wrapped both her arms around his waist. She was glad to be free of the restriction her sling had caused. “Good morning, Mr. Andersen. You ready for today?”

Leaning down, he placed a soft, lingering kiss on her lips before answering. “Yes. I want to get this over with.”

Cali smiled. “Tired of the reporters trying to knock down your door for an interview?”

He gave a small snort. “Most definitely. The sooner things get back to normal the better,” he said, turning slightly to grab two plates.

She released his waist and moved to the refrigerator to get the orange juice.

Matthew had started receiving phone calls the day the article on Mariana hit the newsstands. It had surprised everyone, but no one more so than him. They all wanted to know his side of the story, and they wanted details. That was the last thing Matthew wanted to do. He and Cali had survived, Peter and Rachael were dead, and Mariana was safely behind bars. As far as he was concerned, the case was closed. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that easy, and a couple members of the press had even camped out in front of their townhouse.

And if the reporters weren’t enough, the offers were. He must have received half a dozen phone calls from other companies in the Chicago area with job offers.

Much to Alvin’s relief, Matthew turned them all down, but that didn’t stop Cali’s father from being nervous. Alvin Stanton was not a fool. He knew he was lucky to have Matthew and Jason.

Alvin didn’t need to worry. Matthew did not intend to go anywhere. He liked his job and looked forward to a few mundane security issues and not the types of things he’d been dealing with for the last two years. There was also the bonus of dating the boss’s daughter.

Matthew was still trying to wrap his mind around that. At odd times, it would strike him that Cali was Alvin’s daughter. Although he knew she was, he just thought of her as his most of the time.

Over breakfast, they talked about their evening plans. After the court hearing, he needed to stop by work for a few hours before meeting Cali at her father’s place.

Alvin had invited Matthew, Cali, Jason, and Lisa to come by, saying they all needed to decompress. Matthew suspected there was something else going on, but he didn’t think it was anything bad, so he kept his suspicions to himself.

Taking separate cars, Cali and Matthew drove to the courthouse. As expected, the press was there, shouting questions to both of them as they hurried inside.

***

The hearing itself was short. Mariana’s court appointed lawyer couldn’t sell the sympathy plea to the judge once the prosecution presented their evidence. A trial date was set in six months, and she was to remain in custody. With Peter gone along with the money, she couldn’t afford the increased bail.

In light of the bleak outlook for her case, it wasn’t surprising that her lawyer approached the prosecutor about a plea agreement.

This new development was a good thing, as far as Cali was concerned. Matthew was a little less thrilled. With Peter and Rachael, the masterminds behind this mess, dead, he wanted someone to suffer for all the pain he’d watched Cali go through these last two months. Unfortunately for Mariana, she happened to be the convenient scapegoat.

“She’s going to get off with a slap on the wrist,” he said, frustrated.

Cali put her arm around him as they walked down the long hallway toward the elevator. Even though her leg was almost healed, stairs were still a little difficult.

“He used her.” She saw he was about to protest. “Yes, she went along with it and made some really bad choices. But she isn’t the one who hurt me.” Leaning into him, she said, “She’ll get what she deserves.”

His arm pulled her closer, and he rested his cheek against her head as they stepped into the elevator and watched the doors close. “I hope you’re right.” 

She gave him a squeeze. “I am.”

***

The mob of reporters seemed to have grown as did the variety of their questions.

Matthew and Cali both ignored them as they rushed to their cars. Saying their goodbyes, they heard the flash of a camera as they separated and sighed.

It hadn’t been the first time they’d been caught in an intimate moment, and Cali knew it wouldn’t be the last. She was the daughter of a prominent member of Chicago society. When she was younger, she went to events with her father. Her picture made the papers all the time. Now that she was back from Africa, in the middle of a corporate espionage scandal that had rocked the business world and romantically involved with the man who had saved her life, it was more than the gossip hounds could resist.