Perfect Partners (19 page)

“And?”

“I said I’d think about it. Just to bide time,” she quickly added. “After we talked, I grabbed the animal and left fast.”

Chelsie wasn’t reassured. “He let you walk out of there?”

Amanda nodded. Chelsie remained silent. From past experience with other clients, and from her married days, Chelsie knew Jeffrey’s lack of pressure meant he had an alternate plan.

“Amanda, if you’re still serious about divorcing him, then we’ve got to get moving. I have statements from your friends and relatives. I’ve got pictures of the bruises the last time he hit you. Now it’s time for legal action. I want a restraining order taken out as soon as possible. And I want you to seriously consider pressing charges. Okay?”

“He’ll be furious.”

“Yes. But he doesn’t know where you are, so you’re safe. Unless…”

“I didn’t say a word. I swear.”

Chelsie breathed a sigh of relief. “All right. I’ll handle things. Just don’t do anything like that again. Don’t go home. Don’t go near his office. Don’t get in touch with him at all.”

“You’re sure about all this?” Amanda lifted her head. Sad, dark eyes looked to Chelsie for reassurance.

“You’re the one who has to be certain.” Chelsie grasped the other woman’s shoulders. “But if you’re asking my opinion, then yes, press charges. Stand up for yourself and your child. I didn’t. As a result, you’re in this position now, and I’ll never have the future I want. I’d hate to see the pattern repeat itself.”

Tears shimmered in the other woman’s eyes, but she nodded her assent.

“Good. I’ll be in touch.”

Chelsie left Amanda behind and instead of going to Griff’s, she headed for home. Shutting the door to her apartment, she turned the lock firmly behind her. She needed a reality check before taking her next step.

Once in the living room, she flicked on the overhead lights. The crystal animals sat in a pile on the floor where Alix had left them. Chelsie knelt down and picked one up, fingering the small bear with a delicate hand. What would it feel like to have a child you loved so much you would risk your life to retrieve a simple toy? Alix immediately came to mind. Faced with such a decision, Chelsie knew she’d do anything to keep that dimpled smile on the little girl’s face. She’d do anything to make the child’s uncle happy, even if it meant sacrificing her own desires.

A tear dripped down her cheek and she caught it with her sleeve.
How would she ever let them go?
Clutching the bear in her fist, she brought the animal close to her heart.

By becoming a part of Griff and Alix’s life, she had set herself up for the heartache she’d avoided for years by pulling away from her sister, her only real family member who cared. Not for the first time, Chelsie wished she’d had the courage to take this risk sooner, so she and Shannon would have had more time. She didn’t miss the irony. Revealing the truth to her sister would have brought them back together, while telling Griff everything would drive them apart.

Chelsie hadn’t played this smart. She had gotten too close, too involved with a man who wanted more children, and too involved with her niece, the child she loved like the daughter she’d never have.

When she finally faced what she had done, she accepted the fact that she’d acted on instinct. Alone and afraid, she had saved herself without thought to those who would come after her. She couldn’t change her own actions, but she’d attempted to atone ever since. Although she’d volunteered, counseled, and represented women who needed her, the sin of being selfish haunted her even today. Wasn’t Amanda proof?

It was enough
. Didn’t she deserve a chance at happiness? Maybe Griff would understand and accept it. A big maybe, she knew. If not, at least she’d taken a step towards regaining her life.

She glanced around the apartment and knew she couldn’t remain here any longer. Since Griff and Alix, this sterile environment no longer suited her.

A loud knock startled her out of her reverie. Maybe this was her chance. Griff might not have a vehicle, but he hadn’t let it keep him away. Knowing him, he’d hijacked Ryan and brought Alix along.

She ran to the door, fumbling with the lock and swinging it open as she spoke. “Griff…” Her smile froze and so did her heart.

“Hi, Chelsie. It’s been a long time.”

“Jeff.” Her voice sounded hoarse, strange even to her own ears. Five years dissolved as if they’d never been, but she refused to show a hint of fear. Disregarding the blood that surged to her head and her suddenly damp palms, she glared at her ex-husband.

“You remember.” He pushed her aside, entering her apartment without invitation.

How had he gotten past the doorman?
I latched onto a large party, and if I could do that, so could anyone.
Her safe haven didn’t feel safe anymore. Griff had warned her. Somehow, she didn’t think he’d take too much pleasure in being right this time.

“You’re looking well.” Jeff’s eyes traveled the length of her body. Though fully clothed, she felt as if he’d stripped her bare with his gaze. A strong wave of nausea washed over her and she clamped down on the nerves and memories that churned her stomach.

Jeff stood half a room away. He hadn’t changed. His slick blonde hair had that just-styled appearance. Not a hint of razor stubble marred his chiseled features. He wore his trademark navy blue suit with a maroon tie. He hardly looked the abusive type, but then, there was no such thing. Appearances meant little. In Jeff Sutton’s case, latent violence seethed beneath the conservative façade. How he’d managed to bury that side of his nature for the first year of their marriage still amazed her.

Chelsie hung onto her composure by a slender thread. “I’m sure you didn’t come to exchange pleasantries.” She tried to swallow, but her mouth was too dry. She walked to the window, away from her ex-husband. “How did you find me?”

He smiled and lowered himself onto her couch, stretching his long legs in front of him. “How about a drink for an ex-husband?”

“How about an answer?”

“Finding you was easy. I followed you after your meeting with my present wife. Amanda never knew I tailed her from our home. Her meeting with you was a definite surprise—although you never did know when to mind your own business.” He flicked a spot of lint off his dark suit.

Chelsie wasn’t fooled by his bland tone and seeming lack of interest. “She hired my firm. That makes it my business.”

He shook his head in a patronizing manner that indicated he thought she was sadly mistaken. “Maybe after we’re through
talking,
you won’t be so quick to step into other people’s lives.”

“Is that a threat?”

His casual smile didn’t fool her. “I don’t threaten, you know that.”

No,
he lashed out
.

“I just want to talk, Chels.”

“We have nothing left to say.”

Jeff shook his head. “Actually that’s not true. Someone’s been digging into our affairs, and it’s become a damned nuisance.”

She narrowed her gaze. “What do you mean?”

“I let you go without a fight because you promised no one would ever know. I gave you that divorce as a parting gift, but did you really think I could risk not covering myself? I have a career that means everything to me. If someone found out you were careless enough to fall down the stairs and I let it happen…”

“You mean if someone found out you
pushed me
.”

With no warning, he sprang up from the couch. She’d pushed him too far. Chelsie bit her lower lip and gauged the distance to the door. Jeff blocked any escape.

He walked towards her, his stride deceptively lazy. “I have a friend in hospital records, and someone’s been snooping.” Griff, Chelsie wondered? Had he hired someone to dig for information for Amanda? If so, what did he know?

Jeff grabbed her arm, yanking her back to face him. “Make sure it doesn’t happen again. Have your boyfriend back off and tell my wife to come home.”

She wouldn’t allow him to see how badly he rattled her, and she inhaled deep. His cologne hadn’t changed either. The sweet smell almost made her gag. She stepped backwards and her heel hit the wall. She’d trapped herself, and the feeling of
déjà vu
wasn’t particularly comforting.

He lifted one hand and ran a finger down the length of her cheek. The feel of his hands on her skin repulsed her. She jerked her head back and came into hard contact with the wall. She closed her eyes against the dizziness, then opened them again. Her skull ached from the blow. “Get out,” she said through clenched teeth.

She lifted her right leg, bringing her foot down on his. Unfortunately, sneakers didn’t cause much pain. His larger physical size gave him an advantage, one she had hoped to overcome.

He slid his large hand around the back of her neck until his fingers tangled in her hair. “Be nice to me, Chelsie,” he whispered, his head bent close to hers. With his free hand, he ran his thumb over her lower lip. He watched her closely as he brought that same finger to his mouth.

She shuddered despite her resolve.

“Let’s just call this a settlement meeting about Amanda’s case,” he said.

“There’s nothing to settle. Your wife wants out.”

He tightened his grip and his fingers dug into her scalp. “I won’t let her go as easily as I let you.”

Though Chelsie forced a laugh, her voice rose in direct proportion to her growing sense of panic. “You didn’t
let
me do anything. It was a quick divorce or jail. You knew that. This time, there are no options. You’ll get both.”

He shook his head and leaned closer. “This time I have a son,” he said in a loud, clear voice. His forceful tone left no doubt that he intended to get his way, regardless of the means. To make his point, he pulled back on her hair.

Though she suppressed a groan, Chelsie no longer cared about the physical pain. Lashing out at the person she had allowed to ruin her life overrode all sense of caution. “You had one last time, too,” she spat at him.

His eyes darkened in fury. As he yanked her backwards, her head hit the wall again. Tears sprang to her eyes. She bit her lip but refused to utter a sound. Her helplessness rose like bile in her throat. The past five years closed in on her, suffocating her worse than Jeff’s proximity.

Suddenly, Chelsie couldn’t take any more. She wanted to live again. She wanted to be free.

ELEVEN

G
riff stepped out of the elevator. Voices carried down the corridor leading to Chelsie’s apartment. City living was much different than suburban life, he mused, thinking of his quiet home.

When he reached her partially open door, he realized one of the voices belonged to Chelsie. The words stopped him cold and he couldn’t help but overhear.

“This time I have a son.”

“You had one last time, too.” Silence punctuated her statement. “You killed my baby.” Her voice raised in near hysteria. “I’ll be damned if I’ll let you do it to Amanda.” She was sobbing now, and the heartwrenching sounds made Griff move. He burst into the apartment.

Her back was pressed against the wall. Tears streamed down her cheeks. The man Griff assumed was Jeffrey Sutton stood beside her. He raised one hand and Griff realized the other held Chelsie against her will. He cursed the time he’d spent outside her apartment.

“Chelsie.” She jerked her head towards the sound of his voice, wincing as she did so. Her ex-husband turned to see who had interrupted. Griff took one step forward, but Chelsie moved faster. Taking advantage of the opportunity, she smashed her hand against the back of the other man’s head. He staggered away from her with a loud moan.

She looked down at her hand in stunned silence. Griff watched as one of her crystal treasures fell from her fingers. She followed, sliding to the floor in relief.

Griff grabbed the man by the back of his suit collar, thrusting him up against the same wall where he’d cornered Chelsie. Rage filled him. This man had laid his hands on Chelsie again. Blood rushed to his head and pounded in his veins. So easy, he thought. He could kill Jeffrey Sutton without a second thought.

“How does it feel to be cornered?” Griff asked.

The other man remained silent.

“You’re not so brave against someone your own size.” Griff raised his fist. “One good blow could do a lot of damage. Then again, jail could do a lot more.”

The man turned white beneath an obviously fake tan.

“Griff, don’t.” Chelsie’s low voice penetrated the throbbing anger that heated his body.

“Press charges, Chelsie.”

Her gaze swung back and forth between the two men, but she remained silent. Griff knew she might be in shock. Dealing with the police could come later. She no longer had to face Jeffrey Sutton alone.

He turned to the man Chelsie had once called her husband. “You’re a lawyer, so understand this. From now on, you’d better act like a restraining order has already been issued. Stay the hell away from Chelsie
and
Amanda.”

Chelsie emitted a startled cry. Griff turned towards her, unwittingly loosening his hold on the man he’d had pinned to the wall. Jeff darted around Griff and out the door without looking back.