In the Arms of a Stranger (14 page)

 
                                                                ***

Jake turned off the water in the shower and grabbed for a towel, anxious to talk to Bri now that he’d had time to go over their conversation in his mind and sort some things out.
  He didn’t know why Chad spent the night in her room or why he was half naked when he emerged in the morning, but Jake did know that Brianne wasn’t the type of woman to have sex with one man then hop into bed with another a few hours later.  If he hadn’t been so hurt and angry, he would have seen it earlier and let her explain what really happened.  Now he could only pray it wasn’t too late to set things straight.

He dressed quickly and knocked on her bedroom door but she didn’t answer.
  Thinking she must have smelled the coffee he’d put on to brew, Jake went downstairs to look for her.  The kitchen was empty, as were all the other rooms on the first floor.  He told himself there was nothing to worry about, that she was probably fast asleep in her own bed and hadn’t heard him knock, but he couldn’t stop the wave of panic that washed over him as he marched into her room without knocking and found it eerily quiet inside. 

He called out her name, even knowing she wouldn’t answer.
  It didn’t take a genius to figure out what the empty closet meant or draw the right conclusion when he discovered the rest of the room was devoid of all her things.  With a sinking heart, he pulled open the dresser drawers one by one but they were all empty.  He wandered aimlessly into the bathroom, catching the stark look of fear on his face in the mirror.  She was gone. 

Nothing remained, not a toothbrush or bottle of shampoo, or those silly flower shaped soaps she kept in the dish by the sink.
  Jake closed his eyes, letting his head drop while the pain worked its way through every muscle, tissue, and fiber in his body.  What kind of man was he to accuse the woman he loved of such horrible things?  He opened his eyes, absently staring at the small piece of white cardboard in the sink; the only evidence that Bri had been here at all.

He picked it up and turned it over in his hand then tilted his head.
  It was obviously the top to a box; cold medicine maybe?  Jake opened the medicine cabinet, his eyes scanning the contents but didn’t find a box with the same pink and blue coloring.  He tried to convince himself he was merely curious as to what kind of pills she’d taken, but he knew even before he plucked the paper bag from the trash and opened it what he would find inside.  With the box in one hand and the test strip in the other, Jake skimmed through the instructions until he found the part that told him how to read the results.

For a moment the room shifted in and out of focus.
  The test strip fell from his hand and clattered onto the counter, but he was too preoccupied with trying to keep himself from toppling over to worry about it.  Bri was pregnant. 
Pregnant
.  Was that why she left so suddenly, because she was afraid to tell him?  Jake raked his fingers through his hair.  No, it wasn’t because she was afraid to tell him Bri was afraid he wouldn’t believe the baby was his. 

Laughter bubbled up inside of him then erupted and echoed off the bathroom walls.
  This changed everything.  She would have to marry him now.  With purposeful strides, Jake returned to his room and called Phillip Carrington.  He didn’t divulge Bri’s little secret.  After making up a story about needing to relay her flight information to Chad, he casually asked Phillip for Chad’s cell phone number. 

If Phillip suspected anything, he gave no indication, and happily rattled off the number before telling Jake to stop by sometime the following week to discuss a new project.
  As soon as he hung, Jake punched in the number he'd been given.  Strangely enough, Chad didn’t seem too surprised to hear from him.

“I
expected there would be a confrontation at some point,” Chad told him, “although it took longer than I anticipated.”

“So you kn
ew Bri told me about the pictures and how you’ve been using them to blackmail her.”

“Actually, no.  I was talking about the panic attack that
put her in the hospital and the…uh…events that led up to it.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Donahue?”

The conversation that followed left Jake with the unsettling knowledge that his perception of things had been skewered by his own jealousy and were horribly distorted.  Chad believed Bri’s panic attack was a result of the pressure he’d put on her to marry him, but Jake knew differently.  He recalled the vile things he’d said to her in the kitchen that morning and the God awful look of sheer pain in her eyes, which he’d callously chosen to ignore.

But that wasn’t the only thing Chad revealed
, and with each new revelation, Jake’s heart sank lower and lower. 

“You’ve been a thorn in my side from the beginning,” Chad said.  “Convincing you
that I slept with Bri was a little immature, I admit, but then I’ve always been a bit of a sore loser.”  He proceeded to tell Jake what really happened that night.  “I used the connecting door to get in but when I got into bed with her, she acted like she’d been branded with a hot iron and jumped out the other side.  When I refused to leave, Bri went to sleep in my room.  Unfortunately, she locked the connecting door so I had no choice but to go through the hallway to get back to my room the next morning.”

Jake was furious.  “You had to have known she wouldn’t sleep with you.”

“Just as you should have known, Malone,” Chad’s accusatory reply hit its mark.

“
Okay, so we’ve done quite a number on her.  I know you’re not in love with Bri, but like it or not, you
are
going to help me make it right.  And just so there’s no misunderstanding, that means calling off the wedding and handing over those pictures.”

“Done.”

“Done?  That’s it?  After everything you put her through, you’re backing down without a fight?”

“Look, I said I would do it and I will
,” Chad’s tone was curt.  “Simply put, my ambition was to be Phillip Carrington’s son-in-law; Bri was merely a means to the end.  It might have worked too, if you hadn’t come along.”

Suspicion
made Jake cautious.  He didn’t believe for one minute that Donahue would fold so easily.  If he was ruthless enough to use Bri in order to secure his future with Carrington Cosmetics, resorting to blackmail and intimidation tactics, why would he throw it all away?  And why confess to Jake, of all people, that he hadn’t slept with Bri?  It didn’t make sense.  Unless Donahue had an ace up his sleeve. 

“What about your job?” Jake asked.  “Aren’t you concerned that calling off the wedding will jeopardize your position at Carrington?”

“Phillip is a fair man.  He won’t hold it against me, not after Brianne assures him I didn’t leave her broken-hearted.”

No, Jake grimaced, Donahue wasn’t the one who had broken Bri’s heart.  And now she wa
s on her way back to California, carrying his child and planning out a future that didn’t include him.  Would she be desperate enough to patch things up with Chad in order to provide the baby with a father?  It made Jake sick to think of another man marrying the woman he loved, raising
his
child.  Oh, hell no, that was never going to happen.

“What if Bri doesn’t agree?” he forced himself to ask.

There was a long pause before Chad replied.  “Why wouldn’t she?  I mean…she’s not in love with me.  Even if you were out of the picture, it wouldn’t work now.  Too much has happened that can’t be undone.”

For a moment, Jake thought Chad must have guessed what happened that first night at the hotel, but he quickly brushed it off.  Bri certainly wouldn’t have volunteered that information and they were the only two people who knew about it.  And Chad couldn’t be talking about the photos or the wedding. 
Something else must have happened, something Bri didn’t tell him about.  Or…an idea began to form…maybe it didn’t have anything to do with Bri at all.

“Listen, Donahue, I think it’s safe to say you and are never going to be friends
, but neither of us wants to hurt Bri anymore than she has been, agreed?”

“Cut to the chase, Malone.  What is it you want from me?”

“The truth,” Jake told him.

                                                                 ***

Jake wasn’t thrilled about working with
the man, but it was the only sure way of convincing Bri they were both sincere.  Some of his suspicions had been confirmed, although Chad managed to dance around the most important one.  Persuading Chad he owed it to Bri to set things right consumed even more time Jake couldn’t afford, but they finally agreed on a plan of action.

At least something was working in his favor
; Phillip and Juliette were more than willing to help out.  Ideally, he would have handled the situation on his own, but under the circumstances it was necessary to draw on all his resources to insure nothing went wrong.  Thanks to Bri’s parents, he didn’t have to waste anymore time by making sure the house was in order before leaving.  All he had to do was toss his things in his luggage and go.

Of course, he didn’t go into detail
, and Phillip made no attempt to pry it out of him.  Jake was confident he would win Bri back, but then he had to be.  She was everything to him.  Failure was not option.

Bri debated on whether to call Chad to
pick her at the airport or just take a cab.  After spending two hours in the terminal counting down the minutes until her plane took off, she wasn’t sure she could deal with the barrage of questions that would ensue once he learned she was taking an earlier flight. 

To her immense relief, he didn’t go into his usual lecture about how the sudden change of plans was inconveniencing him, but merely told her he
would be there.  How ironic that he seemed to have discovered a kinder, more understanding side of himself now that she was pregnant and there was no chance they could ever be married.  Not that the baby was the reason, but it certainly prompted her decision to tell Chad as soon as he took her home.

Bri was feeling pretty ragged by the time the plane began its dissent and knew she
looked as bad as she felt.  An hour before the flight she’d made the huge mistake of eating a pancake breakfast to appease her grumbling stomach, but what little she’d consumed made a hasty exit not twenty minutes later. 

Still
a bit queasy, she nearly lost it again before the plane even took off because the older gentleman in the seat next to her smelled as if he’d bathed in bacon grease.  It was just sheer luck that the flight wasn’t packed and one of the flight attendants was able to procure another seat for her. 

Her legs wobbled beneath her as she filed in behind the other passengers and made her way off the plane, regretting now that she’d called Chad.
  The rollercoaster of emotions she’d experienced since leaving Jake had her teetering on the edge of a meltdown.  All it would take was one disparaging remark to push her past the point of no return. 

For a moment, she considered breaking it off with Chad right there in the airport
and then booking a flight back to Wyoming.  It was a foolish idea since she knew Jake wasn’t likely to welcome her with open arms, and in all reality he’d probably taken off for the airport himself and…Bri's thoughts came to a screeching halt.  She didn't need to go to Wyoming.  She could wait here in the airport.  He was bound to fly in sometime today.  If she could just talk to him…

“You look tired, honey.”

Caught off guard by the sincere concern in Chad's voice, the last of Bri’s reserve finally crumbled.  Launching herself into his arms, she unleashed the tears that had been damned up for hours, babbling incoherently and sobbing her heart out, without the faintest idea what had set her off.  The old Chad would have demanded to know if she’d lost her mind and whisked her out to his car where she couldn’t embarrass him, but the new Chad simply held her and without uttering a word. 

When she finally cried herself out, he wound
 his arm firmly around her waist as they walked to the baggage area then somehow managed to carry both of her suitcases in one hand so he could keep his hold on her.  He couldn’t possibly have known what caused the emotional outburst, but he was treating her with such kid gloves Bri wondered if he must have sensed how close she was to breaking.

Chad watch
ed her closely as he settled Bri into the car and buckled the seatbelt for her.  She could see it in his eyes; the fear that she was going to start gasping for air any minute now and he would have to race her to the hospital as he’d done before.  Bri remembered him saying she’d scared the hell out of him because he was sure she’d died in his arms instead of just losing consciousness.  Maybe that was why he was being so careful of her now, and why he wasn’t pressuring her to answer any questions.

Bri closed her eyes
as they pulled away from the curb. 
Jake
.  Oh, God, she couldn’t do this.  She couldn’t go the rest of her life without seeing him, touching him, hearing his voice.  So he jumped to some wrong conclusions and was too angry to let her explain.  She could fix that.  All she had to do was get him alone for a few minutes and make him listen this time.  Jake loved her, there wasn’t any doubt in her mind about that.  He just wasn’t thinking straight that was all.  Bri’s hand moved protectively over her belly.  She would not, would
not
let this child grow up without knowing its father.

Bri opened her eyes, surprised at how calm she felt now that she
knew what she had to do.  Even her voice was steady when she turned her head and looked at Chad. 

“We need to talk.”

“I know,” he said, reaching across the seat to squeeze her hand.

 
                                                               ***

He could get used to this, Jake thought, as the private aircraft taxied towards the terminal.
  It had taken one phone call to Phillip Carrington and a brief explanation as to why it was so important to beat Brianne back to Malibu, and just like that, Jake had his own personal airplane ready and waiting at the airport.  Phillip was also sending someone to meet him at the other end, and if everything went according to plan, Jake would be waiting inside Chad’s house by the time they showed up.  Assuming Chad delayed their arrival like he was supposed to do.  

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
  He could almost see those beautiful blue eyes widening in surprise and the fight Bri would put up when he insisted she leave with him.  The struggle would be purely for show of course, because she had to prove she wouldn’t be bullied, but in the end she would give up and come with him.  Because she loved him.  All he had to do was get her to admit it. 

True to his word, Phillip had a car waiting for him.
  And not just any car, it was a shiny black Mercedes that still had that new car smell to it.  He was met at the gate by a stately looking man who introduced himself as Phillip’s chauffeur then handed Jake the keys and showed him where the car was parked.  Apparently, the Mercedes was just one of Phillip’s many cars and the chauffeur had been instructed to tell Jake it was at his disposal for as long as he needed it.  It handled like a dream, and in no time at all he was pulling up to Chad’s house and maneuvering the sleek vehicle into the garage.

Maybe he was being overly cautious, but he didn’t want to take the chance Bri would recognize her father’s car.
  And since he wasn’t sure how much time he had before they arrived, he closed the garage door and hurried inside.  Chad was taking Bri out to eat first and would call before they left the restaurant, which should give Jake a solid ten minute warning. 

The place was meticulously clean
; he wouldn’t have expected anything less from a man who ate vegetarian meals and probably starched his boxers.  He took a few minutes to investigate the layout of the living room and the adjacent study where he would be tucked away when Chad brought Brianne inside.  Jake meandered through the house, curious to see if it was as staid and unimaginative as its owner.  The rooms were large and filled with expensive furniture that was a bit too contemporary for his taste, but he was having too much fun mentally picking apart Chad’s choices to stop. 

It was only the closed door at the end of the hall that made him hesitate.
  In all likelihood it was Chad’s bedroom, so he didn’t feel right about going inside.  But just as he turned to retrace his steps back to the living room, Jake thought he heard a rustle of movement coming from behind the door.

Chad hadn’t mentioned a dog
, or any other pet for that matter, and he knew no one else was supposed to be here.  Had he surprised a burglar?  If it was and they were armed with a gun or some other weapon, he would be walking in to a potentially dangerous situation.  On the other hand, he could hardly call the police and wait until they arrived because it would ruin everything.  Of course, getting wounded or killed could put a pretty big damper on things too. 

As in all badly scripted movies, it was at that precise moment that he felt the vibration of his cell phone; the signal that Chad and Bri would be here shortly.
  It was the thought of Bri walking in and possibly getting hurt by the intruder that spurred him into action.  Jake gripped the doorknob, gave it twist, and burst into the bedroom.

A shrill scream from the
startled intruder stopped him dead in his tracks.  He stood there, gaping like a fool while his mind tried to wrap around the concept that this was not an illusion.  He took a step forward, confident it was just a figment of his imagination and that any second now he would blink and she would be gone.  She swung her shapely legs over the side of the bed and stood up, offering him a tentative smile.

“Hello
, Jake.  It’s good to see you again.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”
 

They both turned towards the door when the
unmistakable hum of a car engine drew near the house then died altogether. 

“I don’t have time to explain,” she pushed him out of the room.
  “You need to get to the study before they come inside.”

Jake
had no choice but to leave.  It didn’t really matter at his point; his questions would be answered soon enough.

 
                                                                ***

Bri
was irritated when Chad insisted they stop and have lunch before he took her home, but afterwards she had to admit it helped settle her stomach.  She tried to bring up the subject of the wedding while they were at the restaurant but he put her off, promising to have a serious talk later.  They’d kept the conversation light, discussing the project and the weather and a dozen other trivial things until they finally finished their meal and it was time to go.  Her relief was short lived, however, when Bri realized Chad was heading towards his house and not hers.

“Why are we going to your place?”
 she asked sharply.

“I’ll feel more comfortable there.”

Bri almost laughed.  It was so typical of Chad to be concerned about himself and not even consider whether
she
would
be uncomfortable or not.  Now if things got ugly, she would have to call for a cab or rely on him for a ride home.  Pressing her lips together, she turned her head and stared out the window for the rest of the drive.  She was determined to get this over with and if it meant having to endure Chad taking her home afterwards then so be it.  His house wasn’t far from the restaurant and within ten minutes he was ushering her through the front door and into the living room.

“Would you like something to drink, a glass of wine maybe?”

“Yes…no!”  She couldn’t drink alcohol, she had Jake’s baby to think of now.  “Iced tea would be nice.” 

Bri sat down on the sofa, forcing herself to relax.
  She would keep it short and unemotional and then retreat to her own home where she could plot out a strategy to get Jake back. Her mind was still wandering when Chad returned from the kitchen and placed her glass of tea on the coffee table then sat down beside her. 

“I
f you don’t mind, I’ll go first,” Chad said.

Bri cringed inwardly, fully expecting the lecture he’d forestalled on the way here, but what could she say? 
“I don’t mind,” she said, wishing she could just go home.

“
Bri…I have some things to tell you that are going to sound…unbelievable and I want you to try to keep an open mind.”

“Okay,” she agreed,
unsettled by the ominous sound of it.

“
I’ve been unfair to you, and…not entirely honest.  I was attracted to you, but I was never in love.  I’m sorry for deceiving you, and for trying to blackmail you into marrying me.  I…uh…destroyed the pictures a few days ago.”

“Thank you,” she murmured.

“There’s more.”  Chad cleared his throat.  “Do you remember the night I was supposed to meet you at the Amangani Hotel?”

Bri stiffened.
  As if she could forget.  “Yes,” she answered simply, afraid she might give something away about her and Jake if she said anything more.

“Well, I wasn’t exactly truthful about when I arrived and what
happened afterwards.  I know this is going to sound preposterous, but I swear it’s the God’s honest truth.  My plane really
was
delayed, but I did eventually make it to the hotel just a little after midnight.”  He looked down at his hands which were clenched together.  “I’m not quite sure how it happened, but the clerk gave me the key to the wrong room.”

Bri’s breathing slowed at the same time her heart rate began a rapid ascent.
  “So you…you went to the room and discovered I wasn’t there.  Is that why you were so upset with me the next morning, because you thought I changed my mind?”

Chad grimaced.
  “Not exactly.  You see, it was dark and I didn’t want to wake you by turning on the light so I undressed beside the bed and climbed in next to you.”

“I don’t understand, it wasn’t you…I mean, you never came to my room that night.”

He lifted his head, a guilty look stealing over his face.  “Bri, I thought it was you.  I mean, how was I to know it wasn’t?  And after we started making love, there wasn’t a whole lot of talking going on so I didn’t realize it was another woman until we woke up in the morning.”

Bri blinked.  “A…another woman?”  She imagined Chad waking up to find himself in bed with a stranger, just as she had done, and how horrified he must have been. 
Bri couldn’t help it.  The humor of it bubbled up inside her and exploded in a fit of giggles.  “You…you’re telling me…” she covered her mouth in an attempt to sober herself, but the whole situation was so incredibly bazaar, she couldn’t seem to stop.