Chasing Memories: The Forevermore Series, Book 2 (18 page)

Chapter Thirty-Two

Lucas pulled into the driveway at Leone Estates. A tan coupe sat parked in front of him, but Brett’s Corolla was nowhere in sight. He’d made it in time.
Thank God.

He got out of the car, strode to the front entrance and knocked on the door. A tall man with short brown hair and blue eyes answered. He was the spitting image of India’s brother except for the scarring on the right side of his face.

“Can I help you?” the man inquired.

“I need to speak with India. It’s important.”

“Who’s here, Wyatt?”

Lucas recognized the baritone rumble as Dante Leone, but who was Wyatt? Another brother?

Dante stepped into the entry. “What are you doing here, Morgan?”

Lucas blew out a breath. “India. I need to see her.”

“She doesn’t want to see you,” Wyatt growled.

Same mannerisms and hard, uncompromising expression. Definitely another brother.
Shit.
He didn’t need this right now. “I only want to talk with her for a minute. This has to do with all the accidents that have happened over the last few weeks.”

Dante mimicked his brother’s stance. “Fine. Tell me. I’ll relay the message.”

Lucas’s hands clenched into tight fists. “Back off. Both of you. I have to warn your sister. She’s in danger, and I know who’s after her.”

“What’s going on?” Sophia Hamilton appeared and cast a speculative glance at each of them. “I can hear you three arguing from the kitchen.”

“India? Where is India? I need to see her.”

Sophia frowned. “I’m not sure. Your assistant came by about ten minutes ago to pick up her design sketches. That must be his car.” Sophia pointed to the tan coupe. “I haven’t seen her since she went to let him in.”

His stomach plummeted, pitched and rolled.
No way.
“India let him in? He’s the one who’s after her.”

Dante yanked out his phone. “We have to call the police.”

“Already did. Detective Harte is on his way.” Lucas scanned the surrounding area, searching for any sign of India. He jerked his eyes toward Sophia. “Did you see where he might have taken her?”

“No. I was in the kitchen.”

Sirens blared in the distance. He couldn’t wait for the police to arrive. It might be too late by then. He shuddered.
No.
He couldn’t lose her. Not now. He loved her.

He loved her! With all his heart. Dear God, what an idiot he’d been to deny the truth all this time. Now, she might die. He’d never have the chance to tell her how much she meant to him.
No damned way.
He wouldn’t consider the possibility. Couldn’t.

Lucas scanned the property. Structures of many shapes and sizes lay scattered across the hills and plains. “He’s got to be close by. Which way?”

“Outbuildings and barn behind the house are empty now.” Dante pointed north. “Wyatt and I will go the other way.”

Lucas sprinted across the lawn to the first building. He listened at the entrance. Silence. He jerked the door open.

“No!”

India’s blood-curdling scream came from behind him. He spun around and raced the short distance to the wood structure. Lucas yanked open the door. Bright sunlight blazed through the opening, and he almost didn’t see Brett standing with his hands wrapped around India’s throat.

He launched himself at him. Tackled him to the ground, and wrenched Brett’s hands from India’s neck. “You son of a bitch.” He slugged him. Hard.

Brett groaned, his eyes rolled, and then he flopped back.

Lucas left the unconscious form where it was, and scrambled to India’s lifeless body. “No. Sweetheart. No.” He stabbed a finger to her neck. A thready pulse beat at the hollow.
Thank God.

India’s eyes flickered open. She gazed up at him.

“That’s it. Stay with me. An ambulance is on the way.”

India let out an agonized moan. “Lucas.”

“What is it, darling?” He leaned down to hear the hoarse whisper.

“Watch—”

A sharp, burning ache tore through his back and chest. He slumped foward.

The world went black.

*****

“Wake up, Lucas.”

“Yes, wake up.”

Amanda? Aunt Susan?
What were they doing here? Where was here? Machines beeped and hummed. An ache throbbed on the right side of his chest.
Gunshot wound. Brett.
He must be in the hospital.

“Please, sweetheart. Please wake up.”

India? No.
He was hearing things. She wasn’t here. Wanted nothing to do with him.

“Please, Lucas, open your eyes. I want you to open your eyes now. Do you hear me?”

He didn’t want to wake up, didn’t want to go back to a reality where he was alone. He wanted to stay here in the dream. Where India still wanted him. Loved him. Where he hadn’t screwed up the best thing that ever happened to him.

What an idiot he’d been. It took her almost dying before he could finally admit he loved her.
Fool, fool, fool.

“Come on, honey, I need you to come back to me.”

Come back to her
? Lucas opened his eyes. He found India sitting beside him. The crushing weight that had settled in his chest since India left lifted, and his heart soared.

“Oh, thank God.” She leaned over the bedrail, brushed her lips over his.

The soft, fleeting caress soothed the longing and loneliness inside him. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Ahem. Don’t forget us. We’re glad you’re okay, too.” Amanda stood behind India, Aunt Susan by her side.

Heat crept up his neck and flooded his face. He hadn’t seen them standing there. India had been his only focus since he opened his eyes.

Aunt Susan stepped forward and placed a kiss on his brow. “Edward is outside in the waiting room with Alaina.”

His father was here?
Holy shit!

“He’d like to see you if you’re feeling up to it.”

“Yes.” These last two days without India gave him a better understanding of what Edward went through all those years ago. If his father loved his mother even half as much as Lucas loved India… “I’d like to see him. But I need a few minutes alone with India first.”

Aunt Susan gave him one more kiss, and then she and Amanda left.

“So…” Lucas gazed up at India. A nasty purple-and-yellow bruise marked her right cheek and the faint imprint of fingertips lingered on each side of her neck. His gut twisted. If he ever got his hands on that bastard… No, he’d let the police handle Brett. “Are you all right?”

India smiled at him, her eyes shining. “Doctor checked me out. My injuries are minor. They would have been worse if you didn’t come along when you did.” Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and trickled down her face.

“Hey what are these for?” He lifted his thumb and brushed a droplet from her soft cheek.

“I was so scared. He wanted to kill you.”

“Brett, or Victor, or whoever he is?”

“Yes, and he’s Victor. The real Brett is dead. Victor’s brother, I mean.”

“Yeah, I figured as much from the information my private investigator pulled up on him.”

“Detective Harte did some checking, too, after you called. Turns out Victor has a history of mental illness. He’s been in and out of institutions over the years. The authorities think he might have killed his mother, and he was responsible for the car accident that killed his brother and his date the night of their prom.” India shivered. “He said you betrayed him, like Brett, and you had to die, too.”

“But I didn’t die, thanks to you.”

“I saw him lift the gun.” She shivered. “I couldn’t let him. I didn’t want to lose you.” India grabbed his hands and squeezed them tight. “I’m so sorry, Lucas. I shouldn’t have walked out without letting you explain.”

He pulled her into his arms and held on as if his life depended on it, because, really, it did. “No, you were right to go. I shouldn’t have kept secrets from you. I should have told you the truth from the beginning.”

“Why didn’t you?” She eased away, gazed at him.

He needed to make her understand. “You weren’t supposed to matter. I only wanted to find out what happened to my grandmother, but then…”

She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “Then what?”

“I fell in love with you, but I couldn’t admit it to myself. I couldn’t risk getting hurt again.” Amanda was right about that too. He’d been afraid to love anyone. They’d all left him: his mother, grandfather, uncle, Grams, and even his father. He hadn’t died, but it seemed that way to Lucas when Edward shut him out the way he had.

“You love me?”

He cupped her face in the palms of his hands and grinned. “More than I ever dreamed possible. I’ve been miserable without you.”

A slow smile spread across her face. “I love you, too.”

“Enough to marry me?” He held his breath. His heart thudded faster than a freight train traveling at top speed. Seconds ticked by. Why didn’t she answer him?

“Yes, yes, yes!” India glowed with happiness.

Everything was now right with his world. India loved him as much as he loved her. “I’ll get you a ring as soon as they let me out of this place.”

She laughed. “I don’t care about a piece of jewelry. I just want you. Always. I love you, Lucas. With all my heart.”

“I love you, too, India.” His woman, his heart, his soul.

His life.

Epilogue

One year later

“Are you ready, Mrs. Morgan?” Lucas asked as India stood in front of the bedroom mirror in their suite at the Acquati in Miami.

Mrs. Morgan.
A year into their marriage and it still thrilled her to hear the name. “I will be in a minute.” She turned and handed him the diamond necklace he’d given her to mark their anniversary yesterday. “Can you put this on for me?”

He stepped up behind her, swept her long wavy hair aside and placed the choker around her. Leaning down, he nuzzled the crook of her neck. He rained soft kisses up to the hollow behind her ear. “Mm. You smell great.”

India shivered. “Keep that up and we’ll miss the Luxurious Hotel Awards Ceremony.”

He lifted a hand to the zipper of her sapphire-blue beaded gown. “Sounds like a plan.”

She whirled around to face him. “There’ll be none of that until we come home later tonight.”

He pouted.

India grinned. Secretly, she loved that he couldn’t keep his hands off her, and reveled in the joy and pleasure his touch brought. “Come on. This award is a big deal. Based on guest reviews, the organizers have selected
your
hotel as this year’s winner.”

“
Our
hotel. And your designs had a lot to do with those rave reviews. It was the lavish extras you insisted on that did the trick. I say it’s time to start our next joint project.”

India laid a hand on her still flat stomach. “We already have.”

His brows furrowed. “But we haven’t even chosen a city yet.”

She kissed his lips. “I saw the doctor this morning.”

“The doc—” His eyes widened as comprehension dawned. “You’re pregnant?”

Warmth radiated throughout her. “About three months along.” They hadn’t intended on starting a family this soon, but a spontaneous cruise to a private island, a romantic dinner on the beach and a moonlit stroll resulted in…

“A baby? We’re going to have a baby?” His stunned expression made her laugh.

She threw her arms around him. “Yes. I’m thrilled.”

Fourteen short months ago, she’d never have believed it possible. She’d been stuck in a rut. Existing day to day, but not really living. Then she found Lucas. He’d seen the real her. The survivor. The strong, confident woman. With him by her side, India learned to see her, too.

Now, she had everything she’d ever wanted. A man who loved her as much as she loved him. A successful career as the exclusive interior designer for all the future Acquati hotels. And a baby on the way. Life couldn’t get any better.

“I love you so much, India.”

“I love you, too.”

He gave her a slow, sexy grin.

She went weak in the knees. He scooped her up and strode to the bed.

As always, his smile was her downfall, and she just loved it. Loved him.

Forever.

About the Author

Anna James writes heartwarming contemporary stories with strong, confident heroes and heroines who conquer life’s trials and live happily ever after. She has been writing professionally since 2010, is a member of RWA, CTRWA (Connecticut Romance Writers of America), CORW (Charter Oak Romance Writers) and RWA Contemporary Romance Writers. Publishing credits include two novels, six novellas and one short story.

Anna is married to a wonderful husband who spends countless hours picking up the slack around the house so she can pursue her dream of writing, and is the proud mother of five fabulous children.

Although she’s lived in several locations throughout her life she now calls Connecticut home. When not writing, she can be found spending time with family and friends.

You can learn more about Anna James at:

www.authorannajames.com

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Look for these titles by Anna James

Now Available:

The Forevermore Series

The Business of Love

Chasing Memories

Don’t miss the other titles in Anna James’s Forevermore Series!

Behind their united front, they’re butting heads—and fighting their hearts.

Forevermore
, Book 1

Sophia Hamilton can’t believe her late stepfather split the family firm three ways. With her hard-earned master’s degree, she and her stepbrother, Allen, are perfectly capable of running the firm. Instead, she’s forced to share the reins with Dante Leone. The man who split her heart in two.

Six years ago Sophia fell hard for Dante, but when he discovered she was a starry-eyed nineteen to his twenty-eight, he shut her out. Worse, Allen’s defection from the firm has left Dante with controlling interest.

Dante is having a tough time seeing Sophia as anything other than the woman who lied to him. Yet her resignation isn’t the moral victory he intended. He feels her absence deep in his heart—and the company plunges deeper into turmoil.

Sophia returns on one condition: equal partnership all the way. But their redoubled efforts aren’t working. And soon it becomes clear someone is bent on destroying not only her stepfather’s legacy, but any chance of a future with Dante.

Warning: Contains a no-nonsense hero who thinks he can manage his heart as easily as he manages money, and the one woman capable of adjusting his risk tolerance for love.