Enraptured (20 page)

“
Do it quick
,” he shot back. “
Before she marries this guy and moves us both to Dubai
.”

The thought sent a shiver through my bones. I didn’t know which revenge would mean the most to her, sticking it to Drew for alimony or moving his son halfway across the world.

The only comforting thought was that Drew would never let it happen. He would fight for his son until the bitter end.

And now I knew why.

All that mattered was that he was safe for the moment. Things had quickly fallen into place across the border and Agent Delgado was ready to move forward with the sting.

Alex had already begun to court Troy De Havilland
from the moment he landed in Mexico. It was his job to convince the good senator that he was willing to trash his own company from the inside out just to get even with his brother. It was an easy sell, and over weeks following his return from Mexico, he had finally convinced De Havilland that he was the angry, bitter brother who wanted to make Drew pay for his broken heart and shattered family. Max and Millicent were sent to Europe, and Alex was poised to head back down to Mexico so that he could finish setting up accounts with Prescott Petroleum Bank, a Houston-based bank whose CEO, Hank Prescott, was a proud, flag-waving member of the EAL. This would put millions of dollars back into their full pockets, clean and legitimate.

And if Alex did his job right, it would finally tie the notorious Super PAC to the Rojas cartel.

He had one test left as far as Senator De Havilland was concerned. He had to show up to the housewarming party in Santa Barbara and prove that he and his brother were still on the outs with a public scene that would ultimately involve me.

Troy had decided to use me as bait, which made both Drew and Alex want to nix the whole thing immediately, as was his plan. But
Martina knew that if we didn’t play this De Havilland’s way, Alex would never get access to those accounts that would link EAL to dirty money and illegal drugs and guns.

“You’re not risking my children,” Drew snapped. “We’ve already had one scare. We don’t need another.”

“I’ll do it,” I said. Both Alex and Drew stared at me in open-mouthed disbelief. “I haven’t dilated anymore and I’m barely effaced. I’m not even on strict bed rest yet. So as long as I keep my physical exertion to a minimum, we’ll be okay. I just want it over. I’m tired of it looming over our heads.”

Both Fullerton men fought me that evening, but I would not be swayed. If they could take their risks, I had to be ready to take mine.

We prepared for our final showdown over Memorial weekend in Santa Barbara.

Troy and Sloane De Havilland opened up their brand new home to Drew and me, another of their many gestures of generosity and friendship. I was amazed how well Drew could keep up his act, as though he never learned how Troy had planned to set him up as a stooge all along, all the while calling him friend.

I was not as happy to see them, but fortunately I never had been. After our last confrontation over Zoe, the congressman and I were barely on speaking terms anyway. No, the whole reason I was there was so that he could punish me with a public scene in the middle of his high-profile party. Alex was going to say the things that Troy already believed about me; that I was some manipulative money-grubbing gold-digger who slept with both men to get a life that I, as a humble schoolteacher, did not deserve.

I suspected that Troy wasn’t that fond of most women, which was why he had set up his life to use them like disposable toilet paper. From his politics to his extracurricular bedroom activities, I got the distinct impression that Troy didn’t see women as equals as much as
conveniences to use and abuse at will.

I was just another piece in the puzzle. He had to know from what happened with Elise that throwing a woman in the middle of the Fullerton brothers was like setting a match to gasoline. While they focused on one-upping each other, Troy could easily manipulate from behind the scenes. And Drew would trust him, thanks to their long association.

He fed his ego while he encouraged his ire, and Drew had been putty in his hands.

But my husband didn’t get to the top of the mountain by making stupid mistakes. Now that his ego was out of the way, he was ready to take Troy De Havilland down. I had the sneaking suspicion that he wouldn’t really know what hit him when we were done.

It was the only thing that made being in his presence tolerable.

Sloane was a perfect hostess, taking me by the hand and showing me to my room so that I could rest. Her eyes were big when she saw the size of my tummy. “You look like you’re five months overdue. How do you walk around with that thing?”

I laughed. “I don’t do much walking anymore.”

“Well, put your feet up, you poor dear. You’ll be standing enough when we have our party this evening.” She plopped happily on the bed. “And to make it up to you, I splurged and bought you a whole day at a spa
tomorrow to recuperate. They will pamper you so much that you’ll never want to give birth.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “After this pregnancy, birth will be a breeze.”

She lay down beside me, propping up on her elbow. “Aren’t you scared?”

“I little,” I confessed. “I just want to make it as close to my due date as I can.”

She rubbed my tummy like a Buddha statue. “Don’t you worry. We’ll keep those little babies in there as long as we can.” She hopped back off the bed. “Now get some rest while you still can. Guests will start arriving in about two hours.”

Their brand new, six-bedroom mansion near the ocean began to fill as the sun set. I was moved from the bed to the living room sofa, where Sloane would parade the occasional politician or celebrity by so we could meet. My large tummy became a topic of conversation as everyone wanted to know all about the twin heirs to the Fullerton fortune. I made small talk where I could, but inside my stomach was rebelling once again from the stress of what was about to occur.

I drank ginger ale and shooed away the hors d'oeuvre platters. I couldn’t risk putting any food whatsoever on my gurgling tummy. I hadn’t vomited in about two weeks and had no plans to start again. Instead I soothed my babies with one hand and willed myself to be strong.

Troy eventually ambled over to join me. “You are lovelier than ever, my dear,” he said with that same slick smile. “Pregnancy really agrees with you. I’m sure Drew won’t mind filling that house full of babies, provided you’re up to it.”

I gave him a sweet smile of my own. “If not, I’m sure you can unearth some concubines to meet that need for him. Since you’re so good at that.”

Given our prior relationship, I was the only Fullerton allowed to be nasty to Troy. And I was going to take advantage of that. But he seemed amused, rather than insulted.

“Still sore at me, I see. Hopefully soon you’ll realize that I’m not your enemy, dear Rachel. In fact, there may come a time when I may be the only real friend that you have.”

“Is this where I wake up with a horse’s head in my bed?” I asked.

He laughed. “Nothing as sinister as that. It’s just nice to remember that you have friends in very high, very powerful places.” He patted my knee with that piercing look in his eye, before rising to mingle with other guests.

Drew found his way over to me shortly after that. “Are you feeling okay?” he asked softly as he touched my belly with his large, warm hand.

I gave him a brave smile. “I’m fine. We’re fine. Stop worrying.”

“I just want to get you home,” he said quietly. He couldn’t say much more than that but I understood what he meant. I leaned up for a kiss.

“You are my home.”

He smiled as he caressed my face. “I love you,” he said. “I should have told you that years ago, from the minute I started to fall.” He rested his forehead against mine.

But our peaceful moment was quickly shattered.

“What a fucking fantabulous party!” we heard Alex exclaim as he slammed through the front doors.
Agent Delgado was with him, but now she was merely Martina, the beautiful underling he had hired to keep his mind off of me.

At least, that was what Drew had confided into Troy
, so those were the parts they were forced to play.

I held onto my stomach and braced myself as we watched
them part the crowd like Moses. He wore a simple tuxedo, with his long hair pulled back. But his eyes were wild and unpredictable as he took drinks off of every tray and saluted each and every stunned guest. Martina trailed behind, looking uncertain, trying to mitigate the damage like any good girlfriend would. “You all might not know me,” Alex announced, “but that’s because I’m the dirty little Fullerton family secret. But I say secrets are meant to come out. And what better way than at a party with family and friends?”

He toasted Troy and Sloane. While I knew Troy’s look of surprise was feigned, I truly believed that Sloane was startled to have such a loud, obnoxious wrench thrown into her perfectly planned party.

Alex played his part with relish. We had already figured out that this scene was meant to establish Alex as a rogue that couldn’t stand Drew or Troy, so that anything he did in Mexico couldn’t be traced back to either of them no matter how it went down. And we all knew this made him expendable, which made his next trip across the border his most dangerous.

It was that, and not his words, that would hurt me the most. This was his chance to put on his own cape and fly to his brother’s rescue, and he was determined to do it. He would not fail. He would not run.

He was ready to assume his place as a Fullerton, no matter the cost.

“Ah, there’s that brother of mine. Looking good, bro. Right in your element with all these other fat-cat phonies. Love the house, though,” he said to Sloane. “The stench of the one percent is barely detectable.”

Drew rose to his feet. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here because you’re here, brother dear. I’m ready to roll my shirt sleeves up and get my hands dirty
, just like the rest of you.”

I stood to my feet as well. “Alex, please don’t make a scene.”

“Ah, sis!” he greeted with a smile. “So good to see you. Not used to seeing you with all your clothes on, but hey. I’m adaptable.”

Drew squared off with his brother. “Get the hell out of here, Alex.”

“Truth hurt?” Alex wanted to know. “Honestly, I never figured you for a guy who liked sloppy seconds. To each his own, I guess.”

And just like it was scripted, Drew punched his brother square across the jaw, sending him right to the floor. Security personnel pushed through the crowd, to pull Alex up by the arms. “Have me arrested, I don’t care. I’ll never stop telling the world what a bastard you are.” He turned to Troy. “Or what a crook you are. You all deserve each other.”

He glared at me before he announced to the crowd, “Line forms to the left. But be forewarned, she’s a wild ride.”

I sank back into the sofa and Drew followed me down. Chatter followed Alex as they dragged him out of the house.

Drew ushered me back to our room and Sloane was quick to follow. “Are you all right?” she asked me.

I nodded. “I’m sorry that he ruined your party, Sloane. This is our family drama. Not yours.”

She patted my hand. “We are family, dear. Troy will make this right. I promise.”

I nodded again. “I think I just want to get out of here. I can’t stay here after that. I can’t face these people.”

She patted my hand. “I understand. You stay here. I’ll make the arrangements.”

I gave her a grateful smile and she departed. By ten o’clock, the pla
n had perfectly executed itself. Agent Delgado contacted us to let us know that Alex had been arrested for disturbing the peace and ultimately (and anonymously) bailed out by his new friend Troy De Havilland, and Drew and I were in our own private hotel room with Troy’s blessing.

We could all breathe a little easier, at least until Alex headed back down to Mexico.

Thankfully we had a few days reprieve in the meantime.

Drew
gathered me in his arms as we lay together on the king-sized bed.

“I hated you had to go through that,” he said softly. “
Especially since every news outlet from here to Washington picked up the story.”

I covered his hand with mine. “
That was the point, was it not?” Drew sighed. “It was worth it. If it ends this thing once and for all, I’d do it a hundred times over.”

He caressed my face. “You amaze me, Rachel.
Your strength. Your passion. Your love. I never knew the meaning of any of those things until I knew you. You make everything that ever happened before you a lie.”

I kissed him softly and it quickly sparked. We hadn’t done anything in months in order to avoid the inevitable temptation, so the hunger between us was instant. His tongue blazed a fiery trail around my lips before deepening the kiss. I groaned as I arched toward him.

“I wish I could make love to you,” he whispered. “I ache for you, Rachel.”

“I know,” I murmured. “Maybe I can do something for you,” I offered. It wasn’t fair to him to abstain when I was the one who couldn’t risk a labor-triggering orgasm.

And from our history, I knew that was exactly what he would jumpstart if he touched me.

He simply shook his head. “I’ve been selfish long enough.
I’ve got a lot to make up to you the next time we make love.”

“I can’t wait,” I said breathlessly as my hand trailed down his body. He groaned as my fingers brushed against his throbbing erection. I kissed him harder, to sway his decision. Bu
t he simply pushed my hand away.

“I can,” he said. “
You’re more than a conquest to me, baby. You’re the air that I breathe, every minute of every day. I used to think I had to conquer you because I had something to prove. I’m not proud of that. I needed to win, and I thought sex with you was simply the prize.” He ran his hand along the slope of my breast to cover my heart. “This is the true treasure. This is where I live now and it’s a beautiful world. It’s safe. It’s home.”

I covered his hand with mine as I fought my tears.

“I don’t need to be a god now that I’ve found my goddess,” he concluded, as one lone tear dropped onto my skin from his face. “You are my happiness now. I need nothing more than that.”

He took me in his arms and we stayed locked together as we drifted off to sleep.

Our cell phones were buzzing early that following morning. I knew Sloane had planned a full spa day for me, but I was willing to use the drama from the night before as an excuse to cut our trip short.

Only it wasn’t Sloane calling. It was Elise.

I put her on speaker phone. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” she screeched.
“Where the hell is my son, you cunt?”

Drew sat up immediately. “What?”

“Jonathan’s missing. He took off sometime in the middle of the night. We can’t find him anywhere. Zoe mentioned something about your visiting Santa Barbara, so we figure he’s on his way there now.”

Drew’s brow furrowed. “How did Zoe know where we were?”

“I don’t know,” Elise spat. “And I don’t care. You see Jonathan, you call me immediately! Do you understand? He’s supposed to be with me this weekend. I don’t want him anywhere around you. You’re dangerous, Drew. You destroy everything you touch.”

I was already off the bed and pulling out my clothes. Drew disconnected Elise’s call to phone
Martina. “I can’t have my son out there without someone to protect him,” he barked into the phone. “The situation is still too volatile.”

“If he thinks we’re in Santa Barbara, he’s going to go to Troy’s,” I concluded.
I texted Jonathan.