Heart Raider (Heartthrob Series, Book 1) (14 page)

Kissing the top of her head, he held her tight, delighting in the way her body hummed with aftershocks of their recent lovemaking. She’d matched his lust with fervor and a total lack of restraint. She’d been wild and magnificent—so beautiful and trusting.

How would it feel when his house was empty again? He didn’t need to be alone and isolated anymore. He didn’t want it either—he wanted her.

His life had been turned upside down with her arrival, especially when she’d told him,
“You’re still that successful, self-made man, Nick. What I admire most is your integrity. Nobody can take that away from you unless you let them. I never believed a word of all that crap the media put out there.”
Her loyalty had floored him then and it did now. They hadn’t had any contact in the fifteen years since he’d last seen her, yet she’d never lost faith in him.

Maddening, irresistible and stubbornly loyal, she’d entrenched herself so deeply in his life that just thinking about her leaving gave him a cold, hollow ache in the pit of his stomach.

“Nick, tell me about your childhood,” she said. “You mentioned your father had been a mean drunk. How mean was he?”

Nick shook his head. “I don’t think you want to hear about it. It was ugly.”

“Well, you already know about my disastrous childhood.” She smiled at him. “Look at us, we turned out all right in spite of it. Yours couldn’t have been much worse than mine.”

“Trust me, it was. I still have nightmares.”

“About what?” Veronique kept her face tilted upward as she listened. “Tell me.”

“As a kid, I never used to get a good night’s sleep. I’d sleep fitfully until my father would get home and he was usually stinking drunk. Then the violence would begin. My old man would beat my mom viciously and if I tried to stop him, he’d whip me with his belt until his arm got tired. Then he’d finish up what he started with her.” Nick shuddered as bile rose in his throat. He couldn’t bring himself to mention the darkest part of his nightmares when his old man would kick and pummel his mom, leaving her in a crying heap on the floor.

“Oh, God,” she moaned. “I’m so sorry, darling.” Veronique cradled the side of his face and tenderly kissed his clenched jaw. “You don’t have to say anymore if you don’t want to.”

He sucked in labored breaths. He couldn’t believe he was sharing the vile memories of his childhood, the dark ones he never wanted to revisit. He hadn’t told anyone about it, not even his ex-wife. Now that he’d started, he needed to finish.

“I used to climb into my baby sister’s bed and cover her ears so she wouldn’t hear the horror outside her bedroom door. No matter how I try to shake it, the awful sound of my mom weeping and desperately pleading is engraved in my mind. When I was eight, I told the school counselor about my dad and she helped my mom escape with me and my sister. The shelter we stayed in was for women hiding from their violent partners. Dad used to yell at us that he’d kill Mom if she ever left him.”

She gave him a searching look. “How is your mom doing now? Is she okay?”

“Yeah, she had a hard life, but she’s a survivor. As soon as I made enough money, I bought her a condo in a doorman building close enough so I could visit her. She always had a talent for painting, so she took art classes and has become an accomplished artist. It helped her heal.”

“Oh, I’m so glad to hear that,” Veronique said, hugging him.

“She deserves happiness after all the sacrifices she made to keep us fed and clothed. Her biggest fear was that my sister and I would end up in foster homes.”

“What about your grandparents? Didn’t they help her?”

“No. She was estranged from them. They were strict and very conservative. My mom was a sheltered only child and the one time she rebelled, she ended up pregnant and had to drop out of high school and get married. Her parents never accepted my dad. Ironically, they were right about him.”

“She must be very strong.”

“She is, and spiritual. When I was growing up, she always said, ‘Remember whose child you are. I birthed you, but you’re God’s child. Use your talents to make a better world.’”

“I wish I could meet her,” Veronique said. “Do you have any pictures of her?”

“I have some in my office. I’ll show you tomorrow.”

Ronnie was so different from Elizabeth
. He’d mistakenly thought that marriage to the sophisticated Elizabeth Remington would somehow erase his tainted pedigree and give him a shot at a new life. Initially, she’d acted like she respected and liked his mom, but after many pretend illnesses and excuses not to visit her during the holidays, Nick realized something was off. During a fight when Elizabeth admitted her disdain for the blue-collar working class and included his mother in it, Nick decided the marriage was over. Good thing too because she was already hooking up with Zack.

“I think she’d like you,” Nick said quietly.

“She must be so proud of you. I know I am. How did you cope?”

“Not very well as a kid. I felt powerless and sick to my stomach most of the time.”

“Because you were afraid of your dad?”

“No, because I was afraid of what he’d do to my mom and my little sister. I had a constant knot of anguish in my stomach, ashamed that I was too scrawny to rescue her from the monster she’d married.”

“But you did rescue her. You did the best thing a little boy could do. You went to your school counselor and got help—for all of you.”

“I also worked my butt off to get as strong as steel, physically and mentally as I got older. If he ever threatened Mom again, he’d have to deal with me. Even with a restraining order, he was dangerous.”

“Did he ever find you?”

“Yeah, when I was much older. He got wind of my success and tried to get money from me.”

“How awful.”

“He showed up drunk at the courthouse during the trial demanding money from my company. He was arrested when he pulled a knife on one of the reporters outside.” He paused. “I’m sure you remember the circus that day. It was all over the news.”

“Yes…I remember,” she said softly. “Is he still in jail?”

“No, he died there of a heart attack.” He scoffed, “Funny how that didn’t constitute big news. I’m glad he died in jail. It’s where he belonged.” His gut twisted at the memory of the vast relief he’d felt at his old man’s death. “I’ve done everything to disassociate myself from him. I legally changed my last name to my mom’s maiden one, but that doesn’t wipe out the bad seed I inherited.”

“Don’t ever say that again. You are
nothing
like your dad!” she cried passionately. “I have loved you from the first time I set eyes on you in camp.”

“What?” Nick pulled back and stared at her incredulously. “You said you had a crush on me. That’s not love.” She had been nothing but a pest during camp and now she was telling him she’d loved him?

“It is to a little girl. Even as a kid, I appreciated how decent and honorable you were compared to the other counselors. You always went out of your way to help any of us kids who needed a hand.”

“It was my job,” he said quietly.

“No, it was more than that. You
care
about others.” She nuzzled his neck with her face. “Earlier today you searched for me, worried about my safety. No one has ever shown that much concern for my welfare. You are the most heroic, most wonderful man I know, and I love you!” Tears sprung from her eyes, wetting his chest as she hugged him tightly. “It’s true I used to have a girlish crush on you, but I’m not a little girl anymore. This is a woman’s love,” she said fiercely.

He caught her chin and tilted her face up. The look of pure love in her eyes made his insides clench and his heart ache. He raised her up to eye level, anchoring her beside him to gaze in her eyes.

“Ronnie,” he said tenderly. “My brave, beautiful Ronnie.”

Her eyes watered as they searched his with such profound hope, his heart rocked.

“I’ve treasured our time together…but…”

She froze in his arms, her eyes filled with alarm. “But what, Nick?”

“I don’t want to hurt you. You know I don’t intend to get married, and I—”

“Nick, I already told you. We’re living in the moment. I know what I’m getting into. Don’t take this away from me…from us!” She clutched his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin with desperation. “Don’t regret this. I don’t.”

Nick didn’t know what to say. He wished he could live up to Ronnie’s absolute trust and confidence in him. She was special and unique, and she’d already carved a place in his heart, but he couldn’t tell her he loved her back. It wasn’t fair to mislead her. She would want more—marriage, children, the whole romantic picture.

Her soft hand circled his chest and settled over his heart. Pretty ironic, he thought ruefully. She already had his heart in the palm of her hand.

Chapter Fifteen

When nobody answered the knock on Nick’s front door, Daisy waited a few minutes and then let herself in. Stealthily, she made her way through the house, stopping to glance in each room. There was no sign of Nick or Veronique. As she approached Nick’s bedroom, she noticed the door was open and she could hear the shower water running in the master bathroom. Tiptoeing closer, she heard sexual moans and intimate sounds of bodies and skin coming together.

Ugh, they were at it again.

With a sour twist of her mouth, she forced the insufferable image from her mind and concentrated on the hatred for Veronique mushrooming inside her. With a little luck, they’d stay in there a while longer and she could get her task done efficiently. She ran to the guest bedroom and threw open Veronique’s suitcase. Pushing aside the pile of clothes, she put Veronique’s camera in and covered it with clothes, just the way she’d found it yesterday. Good thing she had a photographic memory because she’d memorized the top articles of clothing and where they’d been in the suitcase. It looked as if the bitch hadn’t touched anything since their return from the beach. Hopefully, she hadn’t noticed her camera missing.

Daisy took one more look around the room and left. She crept down the hall and glowered when she passed the master bedroom and heard their voices coming from the bathroom. They were going to be in for a big surprise, one they’d never expect. She felt like kicking the door down, but she darted away before they came out.

Just as she cautiously closed the back kitchen door, she heard a rustling sound behind her.

“Where are you going?” Felipe asked. “I thought you were cleaning today.”

Daisy jumped and whirled around to face her nosy father. “I’m going back to Fort Myers with Manuel. Those two are busy.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s obvious they don’t need me around.”

Felipe nodded.

“Papi, don’t tell them I came by. They’ll know I caught them in the shower,” she said, hiding her rage with a cunning smile. “They were going at it like—”

“Be quiet.” Felipe’s stern eyes tried to silence her. “Stay out of their business, Daisy. They are in love.”

“No they’re not! He’s bonking the bitch, that’s all,” she huffed.

“Don’t talk like a slut!”

Daisy clamped her mouth shut so tightly, her teeth hurt. She wanted to lash out and scream obscenities at her father, but she couldn’t risk unleashing his temper, especially in Nick’s yard. Instead of telling him to go to hell, she gave him a hate stare.

“When are you going to pick up Manolito?” he asked wearily.

“He’s staying with Mami for the rest of the week,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him aggressively. She wasn’t about to let him guilt her into picking up the kid. She had something better to do, especially now. It was going to be difficult to get rid of Veronique since she’d wormed her way into Nick’s home…and pants. How long was the bitch planning to camp out at his house—forever?

The need for revenge exploded inside Daisy. After hearing them in the shower, she wanted to annihilate the bitch for good. She was done waiting. Now that the roads had been cleared and power was back in Fort Myers, she could set her plan in motion.

Felipe shook his head, his eyes severe with condemnation. “Suit yourself,” he said, turning away from her.

“I will.” He didn’t know the half of it. If everything worked out, she’d be sitting pretty in Nick’s mansion telling
him
what to do!

Peasant
.

Chapter Sixteen

The next couple of days rolled by hot and sultry as Nick and Ronnie swam in the ocean, fished together, ate together and slept together. Nick made love to her as often and as long as he wanted and she was always wildly passionate, returning his hot caresses with her own. He got to know a side of Ronnie he’d never imagined. Underneath the intrepid journalist, lay a young woman who had constantly put herself in danger physically, but had always guarded her heart. She’d candidly told him she hadn’t had luck in love, until now.

One morning while Ronnie got ready for the day, Nick went outside and met with Felipe, who’d promised to come by early.

“Morning, Felipe. How’s the family?” Nick asked, clapping him on the back.

“Doing good. How is your lady friend?” Felipe gave him a smile of male camaraderie. “She’s very pretty.”

“Thanks, I’ll tell her you said so,” Nick said, smiling back. He wondered where Daisy was. She hadn’t been by since the day after the hurricane, and that wasn’t like her. “Is Daisy’s son still sick?”

“No, Manolito’s fine now. And he’s getting bigger every day.” Felipe beamed with pride.

“Good. Where’s Daisy? I haven’t seen her since the day after the hurricane.”

Felipe’s smile vanished. “She’s with Manuel. She was planning on going to Fort Myers, but if you need her, I’ll tell her to come here instead.” He looked uncomfortable as he rubbed the back of his neck and shifted his stance.

“No, don’t tell her to come. The house is clean and picked up. I was just wondering.”

Felipe nodded.

“There are lots of fruits and vegetables left over from the hurricane. Take as much as you want for your family and friends,” Nick said.

“Gracias,”
Felipe said, thanking him.

The two of them worked most of the morning hauling big bags of fallen fruit and vegetables to Felipe’s truck. Nick had just handed Felipe the last one to load, when he heard a scream that sounded like “Nooo!” coming from behind him.