Blind Ambition (28 page)

His brain reeled as she slipped her fingers beneath her neckline and retrieved her locket, opening the clasp to reveal two small pictures, curled from water damage. One showed a pretty blonde who had to be Despina. He could see the resemblance to Alexa in the shape of her face and her wide smile.

The other picture was of him.

“I cut this from one of the photos of Vinh’s party after your team left the island. I’ve been carrying you next to my heart for three years, Dan, but really, you’ve been inside my heart the whole time.”

A tremor ran through him. He wanted to believe her so badly it hurt. He was so close to having the woman—and the family—he’d desired for years. If he could just reach out and take what she offered.

She rose onto her tiptoes and kissed him softly, a gentle brush of the lips that ended much too quickly. “I’ll wait. However long it takes for you to be ready,” she whispered. She kissed him again and then held his gaze, pleading with her gorgeous blue eyes. “Don’t you get it? There’s no one else for me. There never will be.”

Hearing his own words echoed back to him stole his breath. When had he become such a coward? Where was his fucking warrior spirit? He knew better than anyone how few guarantees life offered. Alexa stood before him offering everything his heart desired—begging him just as he’d begged her—and he was hesitating.
You’re a goddamned fool, Molina.

Time to change that.

He looked into her eyes—captivated by all the shades of blue that sparkled there—and moved closer until he met her luscious, warm, welcoming mouth. Then he gave her the kind of kiss he’d been craving for days. A deep, desperate, soul-baring kiss that left them both breathing hard.

“Marry me,” he said.

She gave him the brilliant smile he’d missed so much and launched herself into his arms. “
Yes
.”

THE FOLLOWING EVENING, DAN SLOUCHED into a plastic chair on the patio of an old South Carolina mansion-turned-bed-and-breakfast and watched Mr. and Mrs. Mick Fury take their first dance.

It was about fucking time those two were happy.

And maybe it was his turn. He’d hated to leave Alexa and Flore in Barbados, but he wouldn’t miss Mick’s wedding for anything. So here he was, surrounded by his best friends, just steps from the beach under sparkling lights strung between giant oak trees to create a festive atmosphere for the wedding reception.

“Hey,” Tara said, settling into the chair next to him. “You seem distracted.”

Dan grinned and watched Mick dance too close to his bride on the wooden floor the B&B’s event crew had laid over the grass. Jenna’s cheeks were pink, but her smile was huge. “Because you won’t dance with me.”

Tara laughed and several men’s heads turned. She had that effect on most of the male population. “You’re so full of shit. If you hadn’t walked down the aisle with me, you wouldn’t have noticed I was here.”

He looked at her then. She was stunning in a clingy, red gown that came up to her neck but had no sleeves. “I’m sorry.” He swirled his glass of bourbon. “I’ve been a bit preoccupied.”

“Let me guess. A certain strawberry blonde do-gooder with loads of cash.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, if she doesn’t want you, she’s an idiot,” Tara said. “I’d totally be into you if I liked, you know,” she gestured toward him with both hands, “freakishly tall, muscular guys.”

He laughed. She
did
like tall, muscular guys. Or at least she had. Her asshat of an ex-boyfriend may have put an end to her affinity for that portion of the population. “I’m five-ten. That’s hardly ‘freakishly tall.’”

“It is when you’re not even five feet.” She leaned back and took a sip of beer straight from the bottle. Even a few months ago, he would have thought Tara was the kind of woman he should be with. Beautiful, fun, maybe a little messed up—but who wasn’t?—and surprisingly down to earth despite her always-perfect appearance. And hell, she could shoot a gun.

But now he only had one type. “I appreciate your support. But I don’t need it.” He couldn’t hold back a smile. “I think things are going to work out for me this time.”

“Good. You deserve it.” She stood and clinked her bottle against his glass. “I’m going to mingle. You should do the same.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

She winked and sashayed over to where Mick’s younger brother Adam stood talking to Kurt.

Dan stared out over the ocean. The setting sun danced over the waves, shooting off sparks that reminded him of Alexa’s gorgeous hair. He should take her and Flore to meet his grandmother in Albuquerque. Things were looking up, but it had been a rough week, and his grandma had a way of realigning his world that he could really use right now. And she would absolutely adore Flore.

“Dude, I know you’re not a party guy, but could you try to look at least a little bit interested in my wedding?” Mick plopped down in the seat Tara had vacated and set a bottle of IPA on the table.

“Sorry.” Dan tore his gaze away from the water. His friend hadn’t lost his grin the entire afternoon. Not that anyone could blame him. “I’m happy for you, man. You did good.”

Mick glanced at his new bride, who was on the other side of the dance floor chatting with guests. “Yeah, I did.”

Jenna caught his look and smiled back, blushing clear to her neckline.

“I wish Rob were here,” Mick said, fiddling with the label on his beer bottle, clearly lost in thoughts of his best friend, Jenna’s brother. The man had kept them apart in life, but he’d brought them together in death.

At least something good had come from their loss.

“Me too, man.” Dan cleared his throat. Everyone missed Rob. “He would have approved.”

Mick glanced at him. “That’s what Jenna says. I’m not so sure.”

“All he wanted was for her to be happy. To be with someone who loved her and treated her well. If he could see you now, the way you are together, he would have gladly given her away today.”

The new groom nodded and ducked his head. “Thanks.” He gripped Dan’s shoulder with surprising strength, given that he’d been shot only months before. “Now tell me what’s going on.”

Dan took another sip of his drink and watched the waves roll relentlessly up the beach and back down, in time to the steady beat from the band. “Do you remember Alyssa Drake?”

“Queen Alyssa-bitch?”

Dan smiled. He’d nearly forgotten the moniker Mick had come up with after she dumped Dan three years ago. “Yeah. Turns out she’s actually Alexa Alyssandratos.”

Mick’s jaw dropped. “She’s related to that shipping mogul?”

“His daughter.”

“No shit?” His friend let out a low whistle. “That might explain a few things. How’d you find out?”

“Kurt sent me to St. Iz this week to rescue her from SIR after she was kidnapped.”

Mick frowned. “Wow, talk about shitty coincidences. Is she okay?”

“She’s fine. And it wasn’t a coincidence. Her father asked for me specifically. Apparently he’s had a guy watching her for years and he knew our history.” He drew designs in the condensation on his glass with his thumbnail. “Speaking of which, we’re back together.”

Mick’s eyes narrowed. “You’re letting her do it to you again?”

“No, it’s good.” He’d known his friends wouldn’t understand. Not yet. “I asked her to marry me. She said yes.”

“Jesus.” Mick straightened. “You move fast.”

“You’re one to talk.”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t burned before.”

Dan frowned. “You can’t tell me you didn’t use other women to fill the void when you couldn’t have Jenna.”

His friend scowled but gave him a conceding look.

“Instead of a whole stable of women, I just picked one and married her. We both deserved better.” And thanks to Alexa’s dad, he was finally out from under that mistake. Dan had been reluctant to take the money, but he didn’t want to start out his life with Alexa on financial footing even more unequal than they already had. At least he’d earned that money. “Alexa’s the only one I’ve ever wanted. Be happy for me, man.”

“I will be. As long as she treats you right.” Mick took a swig of beer and rose. “I’d better get back to my beautiful bride. But you owe me the whole story.”

“Deal. We’ll talk after your honeymoon.”

Three weeks later, Alexa lay next to Dan in the master bedroom of his Falls Church apartment. A quick trip to IKEA had turned his old office into a room for Flore.

She traced his shoulder and admired his naked body in the golden light of sunrise that filtered through the privacy sheers. They’d spent the last three weeks learning how to be a family. Dan was on leave from Steele until they got settled, and she’d started working with a therapist—as had Flore—determined not to let anything undermine her happy beginning.

The sessions weren’t easy, but she was already feeling better, lighter, just from talking about her sister. And she’d go to therapy for the rest of her life if it reassured Dan that she wasn’t going to change her mind.
 

They were planning a small wedding for early autumn, and making love like there was no tomorrow. Her father even planned to attend. He’d been silent on her choice of husband—which was just fine with her—but she’d seen a tiny spark in him when he met Flore. That slightest hint of a thaw gave her hope.

And for now, Dan’s lovely grandmother would make up for any lack of affection on Alexa’s side of the family. Grandma Shue and Flore had bonded instantly during a two-night stopover in Albuquerque after the visit to Seattle.

Every morning, she thanked Despina and reminded herself that it was okay to be happy. By some unknown grace, she made Dan happy too. And he was so good with Flore…

How did I get so lucky?

Dan’s eyes opened and he looked up at her. “You waiting for a show?” he asked, his voice scratchy from sleep. He flexed his pecs, alternating between left and right, until she laughed.

“I’m waiting for you to get up.”

“I’m up.”

“Oh, yeah? Let me see.” Sliding one leg over his hip, she straddled him, settling over his erection as she kissed the
spot on his neck that turned him into a wild man. “Mmm.”

“Woman…” He gripped her hips and rocked her against him. “Jesus,” he whispered. “It’s a wonder we ever leave the house.”

“Speaking of houses—”

“Shhh.” He lifted her up and entered her, groaning as she sank all the way down.

She abandoned her train of thought and gave herself over to the joy of being loved by this man, touching as much of him as she could reach, and humming her pleasure at the feel of his hands on her skin.

Later, when they had both caught their breath and their bodies had cooled, Alexa propped her head on one hand and faced him. “Okay, let’s talk house hunting.”

Dan covered his head and groaned. “Now?”

She lifted the pillow. “You’ve been avoiding this conversation all week. What’s going on?”

He tugged the sheet up to hide their nakedness and rubbed a hand over his face. Without looking at her, he said, “I don’t want money to be a
thing
between us, but this home search worries me.”

Her stomach knotted. Despite everything they’d been through, she knew the difference in their net worth bothered him. She tried to be sensitive to that while still providing for Flore. “I lived comfortably in shacks smaller than this bedroom for years. Trust me, I don’t need anything fancy.”

“I’m pretty sure your idea of fancy doesn’t jive with mine.” He sat up, all tousled and handsome, and looked down at her. “But I don’t want you to give up the good life just because I have issues.”

“Dan, I have no desire for the trappings of wealth that my dad has. All that stuff is for show. He needed it to prove to the world that he’d made it. But none of it ever made any of us happy.” She rose and faced him, stroking his cheek. “The things that matter to me can’t be packed into boxes. You and Flore are what’s most important.”

She slid from the bed and retrieved a stack of papers from the small desk tucked into a corner of the room. Tossing them on the bed, she said, “I know the D.C. area’s not cheap, but we have a chance to raise Flore—and our future children—in a multi-cultural setting with incredible opportunities. These are nice homes, not too big, in safe neighborhoods with good schools and a decent commute for both of us.”

He ignored her nudity and flipped through the listings. “I’ve looked at them. They’re all four bedrooms and at least three thousand square feet. We don’t need that much space.” Crumpling the top sheet, he said, “I doubt I can cover even half of the mortgage on any of these, never mind fill them with furniture.”

This is where it got tricky, she knew. He had so much pride. She climbed onto the bed and sat on his thighs so they were face to face, and took his jaw between her hands. “I want to have babies with you.”

His look softened and his lips parted, but she cut him off.

“I know it’s not strictly necessary, but I’d really like our children to have their own rooms. And a yard to play in with a neighborhood full of other kids. And access to a good education. And room for Grandma Shue to visit.”

“I want all those things for our children too,” he said. The “but” was evident in his voice.

She placed her fingertips on his lips. “Just hear me out.”

He watched her and waited.

“Most of my money came from my father. I didn’t do anything to earn it. But with your help, I’d like to continue to give away as much of it as possible.” She raked her fingers through his hair, loving the silky thickness of it. “But after all we’ve been through—together, apart—I think we deserve this one thing. A house.” And maybe a second one in St. Isidore, but that was a conversation for another day. “And then we spend the rest of our lives helping those who need it more than we do.

“I’d like to start with St. Isidore. I’ve been directing my money to NGOs working there for years, but there has to be a way to create jobs. Jobs for the families of children like Jazzie and Esther and Carter so they can finally bring them home. People who want to work and raise their children, but their lives have been torn apart by disaster. I want to help that island become strong again now that Frederick is gone and SIR has disintegrated. I want Flore to see the potential of her native country, the good in the people there.”