Chasing Memories: The Forevermore Series, Book 2 (12 page)

Chapter Nineteen

Problems with sex.
India had issues with sex. The image of her pale, stricken face popped into his head. Not issues. Fear. She’d been afraid. Of him. His stomach plummeted. Bile rose in his throat.
Dear God, no.
He couldn’t bear it if he scared her, if she dreaded his touch. “Did I hurt you?”

India shook her head. “No.” She dragged stiff fingers through her disheveled hair. “I don’t… I can’t handle being pinned down. Trapped. When you moved I was okay.”

Who the hell had done this to her? And why did she believe he’d run off? A stupid question. His reputation preceded him. “Contrary to what you may have heard in the media about me, I’m not the modern-day playboy they’ve pegged me for. I don’t do one-night stands, and I wouldn’t just walk away from someone I care about if they have a problem. Sexual or otherwise.” All right, he’d never cared for anyone as much as he cared for India, and yes, he was definitely out of his element with this, but still, he wasn’t about to disappear on her.

Grasping her chin, he lifted it, and waited for her gaze to settle on his. “I want you to listen to me, and I need you to believe me when I tell you I’m not going anywhere. I don’t want to leave, sweetheart. I want to be here with you. Do you understand?”

“But—”

“No buts. I want to be with you, India.”

She stared at him as if debating whether to believe him or not. He grasped her hands, and laced their hands together. She didn’t pull away. It gave him hope. “I don’t know where this thing between us will lead, or even where you want it to go. I only know I want to be with you. If you feel the same then we can work through everything else.”

A slow smile crossed her face. She sagged against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her. “I want to be with you, too.”

“Do you want to tell me about it? What happened to you? You don’t have to, if you don’t want to.”

“I was sixteen. My manager at the time, he ah…” Wet tears trickled down his bare chest. “He’d been a friend of both my parents for years. They trusted him. I trusted him. What a mistake that turned out to be.”

She shuddered against him. He pulled her closer so no space separated them. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

“I thought he was so cool because he’d sneak me an alcoholic drink or two at industry parties.” She shook her head. “What an idiot I was. Little did I know he’d slip something into those drinks to make me lose…”

His hands clenched into tight fists. He wanted to kill the street rat who’d done this to her. The son of a bitch had drugged her. “He took advantage of you.”

“Repeatedly and not only sexually. I got hooked on cocaine because of him.”

“I hope to hell you made the bastard pay.”

India let out a mirthless laugh. “I wish. He’d overdosed by the time I recalled what he’d done to me.”

“What do you mean?”

India sighed and eased away. He pulled her back to him, needing the contact. “This isn’t the first time I haven’t been able to remember certain events in my life. The trauma of what the slime ball did to me was too much, and I blocked it out. The shrink I’d been seeing at the time, as part of my rehab, told me it was a defense mechanism. I didn’t start to get my memory back until after I’d learned he’d OD’ed.”

“When you felt safe.”

“Yes.”

He thought of all she’d already been through, and the events of the last few weeks. “You are the most amazing person I have ever known.”

Her lips pressed against his chest. “I’m afraid something else might have happened. Something bad. During the time I can’t remember, and it may be part of the reason why someone tried to grab me today.”

He frowned. The police had told him she had retrograde amnesia caused by a blow to the head. “Why?”

“At first I assumed the guy who tried to take me earlier had been Victor Shea. We broke up recently, or I should say I broke it off with him. He seems to be in denial about the whole thing. Says we got back together during those two months I’ve forgotten.”

“He’s the person who called you the morning I went up to your room.”

“Yes. He’s been phoning day and night since the accident. I meant to block his number, but with everything going on, I forgot. Anyway, he texted me earlier today and told me he wouldn’t let me leave him. He’d find me, and then we’d be together. Forever.”

Psychopath.
Lucas drew in a sharp breath. “He’s stalking you?”

“He might be, but I can’t figure out how he’d have found me. I told no one I’d be in Miami. Not even my family. I even drove down to Los Angeles and took a flight from there. If Victor followed me, he would have assumed I’d gone to visit my brother.”

She may not have told anyone, but he had. Amanda knew. She’d have told Aunt Susan, and Brett knew, too. Had this Victor somehow found out from one of them? Even if he had, no one knew India was here at the condo with him. “If you don’t believe Victor is behind the attempt to take you, do you know who might be?”

She eased away and sat on the edge of the bed. Her shoulders sagged. “No.”

Lucas joined her. “Why do you believe something bad must have transpired?”

“I wake up screaming every morning from horrible nightmares, or memories, or whatever the hell the images in my head are.” She flexed trembling fingers. “Something must have occurred, bad enough to make me want to forget two months of my life and it scares the crap out of me.”

Maybe this involved more than the accident with Grams? He’d chalked up the scaffolding collapse to a wrong time, wrong place thing, but given someone had tried to kidnap her a couple of hours ago, he wasn’t as sure, especially after what he learned yesterday from his night manager. India’s had been the only occupied room on the second floor.

Someone wanted her out of the picture, but why, and how the hell could he keep her safe? They certainly couldn’t stay here. Hell, they had to get out of Miami.

Only one place had the kind of security she needed to stay safe. Fort Knox couldn’t hold a candle to this dwelling. Too bad it was the last place on earth he wanted to be.

Shit.
He’d have to grovel to finagle an invite to stay.
Doesn’t matter.
He’d do anything to keep India safe, even if it meant begging his father.

He eased his arms around her and clenched her to him. “I’ve got your back, sweetheart. We’re in this together, no matter what. Okay?”

Chapter Twenty

India stared out the passenger window at the decayed, tangled vines and unkempt grass as Lucas drove along the private lane in his BMW M6 Coupé. Vibrant colors in hues of yellow and orange filled the blue sky as the sun descended toward the horizon.

It had been a long day, and India couldn’t wait to get settled. They’d left Miami International Airport hours ago. A private plane, which Lucas chartered, whisked them to San Francisco. He rented a car and they made the trip north to Sonoma, but why had they turned off the main thoroughfare, onto this secluded road? “Aren’t we supposed to be staying with your father?”

“Yes.”

A tire hit a rut in the road and India jolted. “Then what are we doing here?”

“This is where my father lives.”

A tall, concrete barrier with barbed wire on top came into view, followed by a building with armed guards. “He lives in there?” She pointed to the blockade.

Lucas stopped the vehicle and waited for the watchman to approach. “Yes.”

“What is this place? It’s like a fortress.”

Lucas flashed a tight, sardonic smile. “Welcome to Knowles Wood.”

Her brows furrowed. “The vineyard?” Hadn’t it gone under years ago?

“
Former
vineyard. My father converted the place. Now, it’s thirty plus acres of majestic mountains, sweeping valleys and rolling planes. All locked down tighter than a drum.”

“Huh?”

“This
is
a fortress, of sorts. A luxurious stronghold with all a billionaire recluse could ever want or need. Top-of-the-line everything, including state-of-the-art security that could rival a prison, but, where a prison prevents escapes, my father prevents entry.”

Even to his own son, who’d all but begged Edward Morgan to let them stay. Lucas had no idea she’d overheard his part of the conversation with his father, and India wasn’t about to tell him. It was bad enough Edward made him grovel. She wouldn’t humiliate Lucas further by mentioning it to him. She was grateful he’d go to such lengths for her.

The truth was she hadn’t been keen on staying in Miami. The incident with the scaffolding was bad enough, but to learn it hadn’t been an accident, coupled with the kidnapping attempt yesterday, scared the hell out of her. She’d been more than relieved when Lucas had suggested the change in location. Hi-tech security that kept people out was exactly what she needed.

“Does your mother live here, too?” she asked.

Lucas cast wary eyes on her. “She died when I was five.”

The image of a lonely, sweet little boy formed in her head. Her heart twisted. “I’m sorry.”

He gave a casual shrug of one shoulder. “It happened a long time ago.”

She didn’t buy his indifference. The Lucas she’d gotten to know over the past few days cared for people on a soul-deep level. Look what he’d done for her, a woman he barely knew. He’d risked his own life to save hers the night of the accident. He took care of her when she’d been injured, gave her a place to stay, and now he’d humbled himself to keep her safe. Once again proving good guys still existed. Something she hadn’t believed before now.

Lucas Morgan was definitely one of the “good guys”. Someone she’d like to keep around for a long time. Definitely a new experience for the woman who made a point of ending a relationship at the first sign of intimacy. Somehow, Lucas had gotten under her skin and crept into her heart, and she’d fallen in love. The notion both thrilled and terrified her. She’d never experienced anything resembling the emotion with any other man. Hadn’t believed she had the capability inside her after everything she’d gone through.

A guard finally made it over to them. Lucas muttered something under his breath about keeping them waiting on purpose. He lowered the window and stated his name. The sentry checked his clipboard and then nodded. The gate slid open and Lucas drove through.

India gasped at the Spanish chestnut trees, the lush green grass and wildflower gardens. Lucas hadn’t been kidding when he’d said sweeping planes and rolling hills, but he’d forgotten to mention the view of the Mayacamas mountain range. Oh my, it was much better from here than from Leone Estates. Everything seemed bigger and brighter. She couldn’t believe this place existed not more than ten miles from where she’d lived most of her life. “Oh, my God. This place is gorgeous. The complete opposite of the landscape leading into the compound. What was it like growing up here?”

His lips tightened. “I wouldn’t know. I didn’t spend a lot of time here as a child.”

India frowned. “Did your father buy this place recently?”

“No, it’s been more than twenty years.”

Twenty years?
“If you didn’t live here, then where did you?”

“Boarding school during the school year, and with my grandmother over the summers.”

“You didn’t live with your father?” She couldn’t imagine such a scenario. Her family had always been tight.

“No.”

He didn’t elaborate, and India didn’t push. Obviously the two weren’t close. She wondered what could have happened to form the rift between them. “Where is your grandmother’s home?”

He flinched, and then relaxed back against the leather seat. “In San Francisco, right in the city. I visited here on holidays, at least for a few years, but my father and I had a falling out when I turned twenty-two.”

“What happened?”

Lucas let out a mirthless laugh. “He didn’t like some of my choices at the time, and I told him he didn’t have a say in how I should live my life.”

Eight years later and he still had to plead with his father to return. “We don’t have to stay if you don’t want to. I can go to my parents’ home at Leone Estates.”

His grin took her by surprise.

“Getting sick of me already?” he asked.

“No!”
Not by a long shot.
“But, if you and your father don’t get along, then we can go somewhere else.”

Lucas parked the car at the far end of the semi-circle driveway and stopped the engine. “You’ll be safe here, that’s what’s important, and I doubt we’ll even see him. As you can see the place is huge, and he tends to stay in his own suite of rooms.”

India marveled at the gigantic mansion that stood before her. Contemporary in style, the house was a sharp contrast against the rugged, picturesque mountain backdrop. It stood three stories tall, and married crisp, sharp lines and broad, sweeping curves creating a luxurious, distinctive home. She’d never seen anything like it. “How big is huge?”

Lucas emerged from the car, and came around to open her door. “Almost one hundred thousand square feet.”

India stopped halfway out the door. She gazed up at him, eyes wide. “Did you say one hundred thousand? Good grief. You’d need an army of people to run the place.”

“Yes, I’d say that’s about right.”

“Why on earth does one man need one hundred thousand square feet to live in?”

“He doesn’t. In actuality, the living quarters take up a small portion of this monstrosity, but the property also boasts a media room the size of a movie theater, a bowling alley, a game room and a lot of other novelty spaces. The man is a recluse, for the most part. He rarely goes out in public. Hates to be around people.”

India couldn’t imagine such a life or what might have happened to make someone loathe human contact to the extent Edward Morgan did.

Lucas extended his hand. She grasped it, and he helped her out of the car. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

They walked along the short, curved, pebble path from the drive to the grand glass-and-stone front entrance. A large bed of gorgeous, full-bloom yellow roses stood by the front door. She stopped and stared. The exquisite, natural beauty was striking but seemed out of place among the ultra-modern design.

“Do you like the flowers?” Lucas asked, in a husky tone.

She turned to face him. “Yes. They’re lovely.” Without conscious thought, she reached down and touched a soft, lush petal.

“My grandmother and I planted them, on one of my rare childhood visits here, in memory of my mother.” Lucas bent down and broke off one of the stems, and then presented it to her. “For you.”

She lifted the bloom to her nose and inhaled deeply. The sweet floral scent overwhelmed her. She staggered back.

India’s heart pounded. The car jerked hard to the right. Skidded. An enormous tree loomed in front of them. “Watch out,” she screamed.

“Hold on,” Evelyn shouted.

The vehicle slipped and slid some more, then spun around in a complete circle. The loud screech and acrid stench of burning brakes filled the air. They slammed into the side of a tall oak, then ricocheted off. India hit her head on the passenger door window, hard.

The car skidded to a stop in the middle of the road.

“Are you okay?” Evelyn asked.

“India.” Lucas grasped her shoulders in his big strong hands and gave her a gentle shake. “Look at me.”

She jerked her head up.

“Focus on me,” he commanded.

She did, and within minutes, her pounding heart slowed and her breathing returned to normal.

“Good.” Lucas grasped her hand in his. “Let’s go inside, and then you can tell me what happened.”