If Looks Could Kill (8 page)

“Madison, what you see is dangerous, don't you understand? You don't dare be dangerous to this killer. I mean, I know how I felt when I thought you were invading the privacy of my life. Imagine a killer…”

She pulled away from him, staring at him furiously. “Invading your life?” she repeated softly.

“Madison, that's what it felt like. Like I said before, I was in pain at the time, in agony, and I'm sorry about the way that I acted. But if this killer became aware that you could enter into his very thoughts…if he somehow came in contact with you, if he happened to be someone you met in a social situation…”

“I'll be very careful regarding who I sleep with in the near future, Kyle,” Madison informed him blithely. “Thanks so much for your concern.”

Then she turned on her heels and forced herself to walk slowly back to the house.

B
y eight o'clock Jordan Adair's party was in full swing. A trio was playing by the pool, and family and friends had arrived.

Kyle's father had been among the first to arrive, and they had greeted one another with a long hug and a lot of emotion. Then Rafe had arrived, and they had greeted one another warmly, as well.

Jimmy Gates showed up, having become a close family friend. He'd cared deeply; they'd all known that.

Kyle and Jimmy greeted one another with a careful, professional assessment. They would be getting down to business come Monday.

Then Kaila had shown up with her three little ones—hassled, harassed and busy. Kyle, Rafe and their father had helped her deal with her brood while she explained that her husband, Dan, was running late. Kaila looked badly flustered. But Jassy, cute and sleek in a sleeveless, clinging black cocktail dress, came to take the baby. A minute later Madison—barely acknowledging Kyle, though she was friendly and warm with his father and brother—took the two older children. Older! The baby, Anthony, wasn't quite two; Shelley, was three and half, and the oldest, Justin, was five. Kaila seemed deeply relieved to have the respite and was delighted when Rafe made her a piña colada and she had a few minutes to sit in peace.

Kaila, like Madison, had a wealth of long, deep red hair, huge blue eyes and finely chiseled features. Kyle thought she was very pretty and might have been mistaken for her sister, except that their personalities were so different, they moved differently. Kaila was always anxious; her movements were abrupt. Madison…Madison was subtle. Graceful. Agile. More…

Sensual, he thought dryly.

And furious with him once again.

Tonight she was wearing emerald green. Redheads weren't supposed to be able to wear green, but she pulled it off spectacularly. She was wearing an emerald green halter-topped dress. Her hair was swept up, and her back was bare.

It was a sin to have a back so perfect, he thought. He was tempted, every time she was near him, to run a finger up and down its bare length.

So tempted, he thought dryly, just as any other man would be.

Once Madison had the kids settled and playing in Carrie Anne's room, she moved among her father's guests with incredible ease.

Kyle noticed that she didn't come near him. Well, she was angry with him again. Naturally. He didn't seem to be able to express himself very well with her. He was concerned, that was all. And she didn't seem to understand that whatever else her strange power might be, it was also very dangerous. Watching her talk, listen and laugh, he felt a strange knifing within himself. He tried to forget the way she had looked that afternoon, the passion in her eyes when she tried to explain how she couldn't see the suffering of others without helping if she could….

If only her damned power would go away. He'd hoped it might have done so. Apparently not.

It wasn't easy seeing Madison again.

He thought of the women with whom he'd slept on a casual basis. No involvement, no great emotion.

Easy to sleep with a woman when he didn't care.

This time, he did care, but even if her temper ever waned enough that she was willing, it couldn't happen. He cared too much.

Now, though he tried to be covert, he couldn't keep his eyes off her as she sipped champagne.

In moderation, he noticed. She kept the same glass with her all night.

Darryl Hart arrived among the later guests. Kyle was irritated to feel an instant hostility toward the man—especially since Darryl greeted him with a firm handshake and a sincere welcome, and seemed genuinely interested in his life.

Madison greeted her ex-husband with a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. Studying her, Kyle wondered curiously what could have come between the two of them. They seemed to be good friends. Still close. They seemed like a perfect couple. Darryl was a good-looking man, big, built—hell, he'd been a football hero through high school and college. Madison was vibrantly stunning. They'd been Ken and Barbie, homecoming king and queen. She was still quick to smile at whatever Darryl said to her. They both took the greatest pleasure in their daughter. He had a feeling that Darryl was still in love with his ex-wife. What were Madison's feelings?

What the hell had broken them up?

Though he maintained his distance from Madison, he milled close enough to her to hear some of the things being said to her.

“Madison, you need to let me paint you in that dress.”

His own father.

“Madison! Just for a weekend. Fly in, fly out, you on the white-sand beach of Cozumel!”

A renowned, gay advertising executive.

“Honey, I know you don't like exploiting your name and family in any way, but if you'd pose for the poster for the art fest, I just know that it would do incredible things for business—and all the proceeds go to children's charities!”

An attractive silver-haired matron, obviously a patron of the arts.

“Kyle!”

He turned.

His half brother, Rafe, handsome as a beach boy with his blond hair, silver eyes and perfect tan, was approaching him, a little brunette on his arm. “Kyle, meet Sheila Ormsby. Sheila is with—”

“The Storm Fronts,” Kyle said, shaking the girl's offered hand. She was cute, with dimples and a wide smile. She was probably in her late twenties, he thought. He'd seen her playing the keyboard last night, while Madison was singing.

“I didn't get a chance to meet you last night,” Sheila said, smiling broadly.

The dimples were great. Deep and charming.

“I hadn't seen Madison in a very long time.”

“So I understand. Rafe tells me that you're kind of like the prodigal son returned.”

Kyle arched a brow at his half brother. Rafe hunched his shoulders.

Oddly enough, his family—and extended family—members, had been trying to introduce him to women all night. Being a widower seemed to bring out such conduct in others.

“Well, Sheila, it's a pleasure to get to meet you, and I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to say hello last night. How long have you playing?”

“All my life,” Sheila said.

Rafe grinned and walked off, leaving him to discuss music with Sheila. As they talked, his father returned, bringing the elegant silver-haired patron of the arts along with him—along with her daughter, a voluptuous girl with a headful of sleek, shiny black hair inherited from her Colombian father.

Then Trent came up to him, beaming proudly, as if he'd created the pretty sandy-haired entertainment reporter on his arm specifically for Kyle.

As they talked, Kyle noted Kaila checking her watch nervously, then excusing herself and heading for the house.

Madison, apparently watching Kaila, as well, excused herself.

Jassy did likewise.

Curious, Kyle excused himself and walked to the self-service patio bar, then looked through the partially open glass doors into the living room. Kaila was on the phone, talking too quietly to be overheard. The other two hovering worriedly nearby.

He slowly set ice in his glass, concerned. He wasn't sure why. He'd been gone a long time, but it didn't really change things. Once upon a time, before Lainie's murder—or perhaps before Fallon's death—they'd all been close. He cared deeply about them. All of them. Yet…

Why the hell was he eavesdropping?

He didn't know.

Yes, he did.

He was worried. Worried about Madison. He wanted to keep his distance from her. She was trouble; she could slip right beneath his skin. She could slip into his damned mind, for Christ's sake. He would be better off hundreds and hundreds of miles away from her….

Not only was she trouble, but, damn, if she just didn't seem to be Lainie reincarnated!

All true.

And all immaterial.

He wanted her. Naked. Panting. Hot. He wanted to—

Whoa. Not so graphic, he warned himself.

The pictures in his mind were graphic as all hell.

He started, dropping an ice cube heavily into his glass as Kaila hung up the phone with such angry force that the slam could be heard on the patio.

As she hung up, the other two looked away uncomfortably. Madison cleared her throat, staring at Jassy in perplexity, then looking back to Kaila.

“Kaila,” she said quietly, “you can't get so angry every time Dan can't make something. He's an attorney—”

“Yeah, and attorneys don't have lives?” Kaila asked acidly.

“Kaila,” Madison said patiently, “Dan's a good guy. He worked his butt off to get through school, and he works diligently now. He knows that you come from money, and he wants to provide for you. He's very honorable about never wanting to borrow money from Dad, or touch your trust fund, or—”

“Oh, he's just a fucking saint!” Kaila lashed back.

Madison tried again. “Kaila—”

“Hey, come on, now, watch the language!” Jassy said, trying a teasing approach.

“Kaila, seriously, come on now—” Madison tried.

“Oh, yeah, right! Marriage is so sacred! This from the woman who divorced Mr. All-American!”

“Yes, and divorce isn't pleasant! But you and Dan love one another—”

“Oh, shut up, Madison! You don't know anything. Madison, Madison! Everything is Madison! Madison would look so lovely in a poster for the art fest, Madison, can't you please fly to Cozumel just for a day, darling? Madison, you look so much like your mother! Well, damn it! Madison, I look just like you, and still I'm just Kaila, with three little kids, PTA meetings, McDonald's lunches, a regular baby factory. Naturally I nursed my children. A rich kid like me with nothing to do but raise my beautiful children and be Dan's wife. While you—you're the god-damned, all-glorious Madison!”

Kyle couldn't help watching Madison's reaction. Part of her must have wanted to tell her younger sister to go straight to hell. But he watched her gain control before she spoke; it was obvious she loved Kaila, and she seemed to realize that her sister was only lashing out in pain.

“Kaila, what the hell is wrong?” Madison asked her softly.

“Nothing. Nothing!” Kaila snapped. But her huge blue eyes were becoming liquid with tears.

“Kaila—”

Kaila went dashing off down the hall toward her bedroom. Madison started after her.

“Leave her for a few minutes,” Jassy said.

“Jassy, something is really wrong, for Kaila to be acting like that!”

“And you should talk to her. Just give her a few minutes first.”

“All right.”

Madison turned around, heading out to the patio. Kyle sheepishly realized that he had been a miserably intrusive eavesdropper, and he moved away from the bar.

Luckily the art patron's daughter with the great head of black hair was nearby. He quickly engaged her in conversation. Madison walked by, to all outward appearances composed, except that she didn't even seem to notice him.

Maybe she didn't.

He wondered if he should go talk to Kaila himself. He couldn't. His stomach was clenching. He couldn't help watching Madison. He wondered, if he could just fuck her once, would the feeling of obsession go away?

 

Madison couldn't wait too long; she was too anxious. She slipped back into the house and hurried down the hallway. She paused at the door to Carrie Anne's room and heard Martique, her father's amazingly patient Haitian housekeeper, reading to the kids in her beautiful singsong voice.

She hurried on to Kaila's door. She knocked softly, but didn't wait to be bidden to enter. She went on in, treading softly.

“Kaila?”

Her sister was stretched out on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She stopped crying, but her cheeks were damp with tears. “Oh, Kaila!” Madison said softly, and hurried across the room. Kaila half rose, ready to meet Madison's hug.

“Oh, Madison, I'm so sorry! It's just that he never shows up, and I never really know where he is, and I just keep thinking that there's more going on! I know he's sleeping with someone else. God! If I just had the balls to have an affair myself!”

“Kaila! That wouldn't help anything.”

“Yeah, it might. It might make me feel wanted. Special.”

“Kaila, I know that Dan loves you.”

“You just want that to be the truth! And you don't understand! Everyone loves you. Everyone! You're beautiful. You're perfect. People fawn over you all the time.”

“Kaila!”

“It's true.”

Madison shook her head, a crooked half smile on her lips. “You picked the wrong girl to blow up at, if you're talking about relationships. Don't you dare tell a soul, but the closest thing I've had to a sexual relationship lately is a really hot, steamy romance novel one of Dad's friends gave me a while back.”