Perfectly Flawed (25 page)

At the desk, he explained in his most charming way that he was there to meet with Mathew Brooks. He was the new social media expert and had gotten tied up. Laughing casually, he noted the girl at the entry smile as he went by. “Hope there’s some food left for me.”

Inside there was a banquet room, but it looked like dinner was over. Napkins and plates with half-eaten desserts were strewn over the tables. A few stragglers were finishing up conversations and gathering belongings; others made their way out. Sean looked around frantically for Adrianna. But he didn’t see Kevin or her. He’d missed her.

Desperately he searched, hoping she was just in the bathroom, or getting a wrap from the coatroom. Adrianna was nowhere to be seen. An attractive lady strolled by and gave Sean a smile. He nodded.

“Excuse me. I have to say that I’m more than fashionably late.” Sean laughed, trying to keep it all very casual.

The woman looked Sean over, her gaze lingering on his muscled arms and chest. “Yes, it seems you are. It’s all over.”

“That’s unfortunate. I was supposed to meet Kevin.”

“Kevin Scott?”

“Uh-huh. He was counting on me being here, but I got tied up. I stopped by the Brooks’ home on the way, and…”

“Oh, you’re friends of the Brooks. Yes, Kevin was here with Adrianna. They are such a lovely couple. But they’ve gone, left at least half an hour ago. I’m sorry.”

“Darn.” Sean gave her his most winning smile. “Maybe not all is lost. You don’t happen to know where they went, do you?”

“Well, I understand they were going to his parents’ vacation home for a few days. I was jealous; it’s right on the beach in North Shore.”

“Sounds like a great place.”

“I imagine. Kevin said the home is right at the water’s edge. It sounds so romantic. Must be a huge place—five bedrooms, a panoramic view, and a forty-five-foot deck hanging right out over the ocean.”

“I’m sure they’re looking forward to spending some time there.” Sean was already heading for the door. “Too bad I missed them.”

Once out of the banquet room, Sean ran for the car. It was about a thirty minute drive to the resort town of Nahant on North Shore. He’d been there many times with his family; it was a great place to see the fireworks launched into the sky above Boston Harbor on the Fourth of July. And a couple of times he’d biked the area with
Bradan. Some of Boston’s most wealthy and influential people treated the town as their summer retreat of choice.

The beach front homes there were memorable, and the town was small. A forty-five-foot deck hanging over the ocean in a small cove shouldn’t be hard to spot. It was dark out, but still. If he had any luck at all, the lights would be on, spotlighting the place like a beacon.

Plus, anyone who owned a flashy beach home would certainly have a well-lit deck. He just had to hurry. They had a head start. Sean headed for the Massachusetts Turnpike. Once he reached Nahant Road, he could take it down to the beach.

I’m coming for you, Adrianna. I’ll be there as fast as I can, love
.

Chapter 29

Adrianna hadn’t much time to get ready for the company dinner. By the time she finished the letter to Sean, there was less than an hour until Kevin would be by to pick her up. The simple task of showering and dressing went by in a haze. With a heavy heart, she managed, though what to wear held no significance.

A black cocktail dress, one of the many her mother had bought for her over the years, would suit the occasion. It hugged her body and had straps that crisscrossed just below her collarbone and then dipped to the back. The cut of the bodice created a peek of cleavage. Kevin would likely complain, but that thought did not give her pause.

She had to go out with Kevin, at least give him a chance. But she didn’t have to like it. And no doubt she’d annoy him whether she intended to or not. Some things couldn’t be avoided. The fact that the dress was more snug than it had been when she’d worn it more than a year before—and the curve of her breasts at the top was all the more obvious—gave her satisfaction. It was a tiny rebellion, and she could hear her mother say, “
You’re too curvy, Adrianna. You need to watch it
.”

After clipping her hair up in a huge barrette, she was ready. One glance in the mirror told her that her makeup was less than passable. It didn’t give her enough color, nor did it hide the melancholy she felt. If
Cari were with her, something could have been done about it. But Adrianna didn’t care what she looked like. The only requirement was for her to accompany Kevin, and she would.

Until it was time to go, Adrianna stayed in her room. Though her aunt was downstairs in the kitchen, she had no plans to talk with her. There was nothing to say, and Krista would feel bad for being unable to help. The situation was beyond repair. It was best to endure as best she was able. The only thing that made her move forward at all was the knowledge that she’d kept Sean out of her parents’ grasp.

Just moments before Kevin arrived, Adrianna crept down the stairs and outside, quietly closing the door behind her. He pulled up to the curb and she was at the door before he could get out. Without waiting for his assistance, she got in. His cologne stifled her, driving home the reality of what was ahead. It seemed odd that once she’d even wanted to go out with him.

“Hello, Adrianna. I’m glad to see you. You look lovely.”

She glanced over at him, noting his attire. The dark suit with maroon and black striped tie was stiff and conservative, the starched white shirt proper. Adrianna felt as though she were being smothered. Visions of Sean in his tight blue jeans and cotton shirts came to mind, making her heart ache with renewed force.

Kevin pulled away from the curb. “I’m pleased that you decided to accept my offer. We’ll have a great time.”

One thing Adrianna knew was that she would not have a great time. And she wondered if Kevin knew the threats her mother had made to coerce her to go. Unlikely, as Hannah would prefer that Kevin think her renewed interest in dating him was her own—though her mood would reveal that something was amiss. There was no way to avoid that.

The company event was as boring as most were. Adrianna had been to more than her fair share. It seemed fine with Kevin if she faded into the background as long as she attended. He talked, a little too much really, to anyone that would listen. Boisterous and overly friendly, he seemed to make every effort to be the center of attention.

Throughout dinner, some meaningless speeches, and dessert, Adrianna suffered. She picked at her food and didn’t even touch her lemon water. The only good thing was that her parents didn’t attend. Though it was their company, the event that night was for lower-level execs. The subject had something to do with goals they’d met, though most of the discussion went right by her.

Mathew and Hannah saw themselves as upper crust, and though they attended plenty of events, they were selective about which ones were worthy of honoring with their presence. It had been a while since Adrianna had been involved at all. Her last year of high school, she’d flatly refused. And since she’d moved out, she’d had as little connection with her parents’ company as possible, so the evening’s attendees were strangers to her.

Kevin was on his best behavior, polite and considerate of her at every turn. They even danced on the small wood floor in front of the band and he was reserved, touching her in only an acceptable fashion. He inquired about her food to see if it was to her taste, and asked several times if she was okay.

If things kept up that way, she might make it through the evening. Then, near the end, she heard him bragging about his parents’ vacation home. Not so long ago, he’d wanted her to go there with the idea that it would give them a chance to get to know each other better. His attitude was that they were going there directly after the event.

It would have been nice if she’d had a clue that was his plan. Being away with Kevin for days was not agreeable. Yet she couldn’t talk to him with so many people around. Biding her time, she nodded at people that looked her way, but mostly zoned out, just waiting for the merciful end. Finally, when dessert dishes were being cleared, Kevin announced that they had to get going.

Once in the car, Adrianna said, “I never said I was going to the resort home with you.”

Kevin looked at her, eyebrows raised, his smile looking vaguely like a smirk. “What do you mean? Your mother gave me a suitcase for you, already packed.”

Hannah had probably assured Kevin that Adrianna would be—what was her favorite word?—
flattered
to go with him. She thought of saying no. But felt cornered. So far, she’d done what her mother had asked. It would be disastrous if Kevin went to her and complained that Adrianna was rude to him. That would never do.

She had to make sure Sean was out of the picture first. And it was too soon to have any confidence about that. Better to go along with things, at least for a while. What did it matter what happened to her, anyway? Without Sean, nothing mattered—except to keep him safe. She’d do anything, sacrifice herself if need be, to keep her love safe.

“Okay, but this doesn’t mean we are taking our relationship to the next level. This is our first date in quite a while.”

Kevin smiled at her, but his look made her shudder.

“Shouldn’t take long to get there. My parents had the place stocked with food for us. And the weather is perfect. You’ll enjoy it, Adrianna. You’ll see.”

She closed her eyes, not wanting to look at the man beside her. Adrianna thought of Sean; he was all she
could
think about. By now, he’d received the letter. A knife stabbed to her heart as she thought of his reaction. There was no way she could have done it in-person. Looking at Sean’s handsome face, into the depths of his brown eyes, Adrianna would never have found the strength.

The only thing that gave her solace was the knowledge that Sean was out of harm’s way. He’d live his life, stay in the warmth of his family circle, and eventually he’d be happy. Adrianna knew he was suffering now, just as she was. The love he claimed for her was strong; she’d felt it.
But he would obey her request to let her go. At least, she prayed he would.

It was past sunset when they reached the vacation home, and the outside lights were already on. They were probably on timers. The place was even more impressive than Kevin’s descriptions. It was three levels: a ground level for the main house that went out to a huge deck, a lower level overlooking the beach, and one glassed-in upper room for viewing the sunsets and sunrises.

Kevin showed her around, stopping by the master bedroom to drop off their suitcases. The lovely beach home felt more like a haunted house to her. With windows everywhere, the dark night wrapped around her. And the crash of waves against the rocks below was scary. The romantic getaway felt more like a scene in a horror movie, and Adrianna put on a sweater to cover her cleavage and find warmth in the austere surroundings.

Turning on more lights, Kevin motioned for her to come out on the deck. She peered over the railing, looking down at the craggy rocks, lit by elegant spotlights from above. It was a warm evening, but Adrianna felt cold. She shivered and pulled back when Kevin tried to put his arm around her.

“Here,” he said, handing her a glass of wine, his precision-cut hair barely moving in the light breeze. By normal standards, he was handsome. But his looks had the reverse effect on her, and she wanted to run.

Adrianna shook her head. “I don’t drink.”

“You did that other time.”

“I shouldn’t have.”

“Adrianna, you need to start being more cooperative. I’ve brought you out here so we could be together.”

“Give me time.”

“That’s all I’ve given you is time. You’re not being fair.”

Adrianna felt a pang of guilt.
No matter how she tried to make things right, she was always doing something wrong, continually messing things up. “I guess not. It’s just…hard for me.”

“It’s always about you. What about me? What about how you treat me?
Huh, what about that?”

Noticing his stance and the way his jaw stiffened, Adrianna took a step away.

“And don’t back away from me.” Kevin took a huge swig of wine and put the glass on a nearby patio table. He’d already been drinking at the party. “I’m tired of you pulling away from me.”

He took a step toward her.

Adrianna wondered how much he’d had to drink. He’d been okay driving, but still, she hadn’t been paying attention to how much alcohol he’d had. “Don’t. Kevin, please don’t.”

“I have put up with a lot from you. I’m a man, Adrianna. I have certain expectations. You can’t use me for your purposes and then toss me aside. I’m sick of it.”

“That’s not what I’m doing, Kevin.”

“I’ll have a good company position waiting for me when I graduate. You should be grateful that I’ll take care of you.” The smug look he gave her was infuriating. “And I know what kind of girl you are, Adrianna.”

Adrianna shouted, “You don’t know me at all!”

Kevin reached for her, and before Adrianna could get away, he kissed her harshly. The oppressive smell of alcohol on his breath gagged her. The feel of his slightly dry lips, and his hands hurting her arms, repulsed her. But he didn’t stop.

Now that he had her, Kevin gripped her harder, taking what he wanted. He was rough, and Adrianna couldn’t breathe with his mouth covering hers, his tongue delving, unwelcome. Gasping, she pulled back.

Kevin grabbed her hair and annoyed with clip holding it up, yanked it out—hurting her. Clutching a fistful of hair, he pulled her head back so Adrianna was unable to struggle free. “Don’t fight me. We’re all alone out here. Just enjoy it.”

He jerked her closer and Adrianna kneed him, missing her target, and hitting his thigh. That only incited him. Kevin drew back his hand and slapped her hard, making her cry out. With one hand he held tight to her long hair, and with the other he grabbed the bodice of her dress and pulled.

The top came down, ripping with the force, and Adrianna struggled harder. She screamed. Kevin’s drunken laugh repulsed her, and she clawed at him. Then he reached under the hem of her skirt and she kicked his shin.

“Ugh.” Kevin lurched back, but did not let go of her. “Bitch.” He grabbed her partially ripped dress and yanked again. The sound of it ripping was drowned out by loud repeated thudding.
Was someone bounding up the stairs?
It caught Adrianna’s attention, but Kevin was so intent on his target that he didn’t seem to notice.

Then, all at once, Kevin was torn away from her and hurtled across the deck. He struck the wall and fell to the ground. Crumpled on the wood planks, he looked up for the source of the attack.

There stood Sean.

Anger flamed in his eyes. “Stay where you are,” Sean barked at her oppressor.

He looked at Adrianna, and emotion welled inside her. The love she felt for him had never been stronger. But the good feeling of seeing him was immediately followed by anxiety. What was he doing here? He wasn’t supposed to come after her. Sean didn’t realize what trouble he was in.

Kevin struggled to get up, using the wall for support.

Sean glared at him. “You just don’t get it, do you, slimeball?”

Kevin coughed and tried to straighten his clothes. “She’s not with
you
anymore,” he countered. “
You
don’t get it.”

Sean turned, blocking Adrianna from approach. “Keep your hands off her.”

Strolling across the deck, arrogant as ever, Kevin smirked. Right in Sean’s face, he said, “Let’s just ask the lady, shall we? She doesn’t want to go with you.
Do you
, Adrianna?” He turned to glare at her.

Adrianna winced when Kevin held out his hand for her to go to him. She looked at Sean, loving him so much, but intent on avoiding any harm coming to him. Pulling her dress closed, and trembling, she hesitated.

Sean looked at her, his eyes soft. “It’s okay, Adrianna.”

“No, it’s not,” Kevin barked. “I’m the one that will still take her—no matter what.”

“Stay out of this,” Sean snapped at him, without looking away from Adrianna.

Kevin dropped his hand to his side. “Okay, Adrianna, tell him that you are staying with me. I’m willing to forget this ever happened.”