New Beginnings (5 page)

Walking around behind me, he lifted my jacket off my shoulders and slowly pulled it down my arms. His knuckles softly grazed down my arms as he did so. He deposited my jacket unceremoniously on the floor. “So I don’t want to fight.”

Wrapping his arms around my waist from behind, he splayed his right hand over my abdomen. Pulling my back to his front, he held me there tightly. Lifting his left hand, he swept my hair behind my shoulder. Goosebumps exploded across my skin from the light touch of his fingers and in anticipation of his mouth on me. My breath hitched as he nuzzled the sensitive skin under my ear.

Xavier didn’t go unaffected either. His heart was pounding against my back. Restless hands ran along my abdomen, skimming the bottom edge of my bra, while he pressed the hard ridge of his arousal into my lower back.

My breathing became embarrassingly erratic as I fought the little spell he was trying to cast in order to keep from talking to me. “You are trying to distract me,” I said breathlessly.

“Is it working?” he asked, gently nipping my earlobe with his teeth.

Yeah, it was working all right and that was the problem. Leaning into him, I sighed heavily. “Please talk to me. Why did Carline say that about Stephen?”

He let go of me and stepped away so abruptly that I nearly fell backwards. I stumbled a couple of steps before I caught my balance. Glancing around the office, I found Xavier standing in front of one of the floor-to-ceiling windows. He had his hands in his pockets as he solemnly stared out his office window.

Walking up behind him, I threaded my arms through his, wrapping them around his waist and squeezing him tightly. “What is it, Xavier? Please.” I rested my cheek on his back.

He removed his hands from his pockets. Gently, he took my hands in his and loosened them so he could turn around and face me. Staring intently into my eyes, it appeared as if he was conflicted with what he should and shouldn’t reveal. There was some internal struggle going on. I gave him an encouraging nod in hopes that he would start talking.

“I think it was Stephen who was outside the house on Saturday,” he blurted.

“I gathered that already. Now, you want to tell me what the hell would make you think such a thing?” I asked, trying to keep my anger in check. His obsession with Stephen really had to stop. He was involved with Carline now. There was no reason for him to be stalking me.

“Ella, please. Just hear me out.” He held his hands up as if he were surrendering. “Stewart and I also believe that it’s Stephen who is tracking your cell phone. I’m not convinced that he was called out to work like Carline said. I think he was only using that as an excuse so he could get away from her. When we saw him at the Four Seasons dinner and he was all nice to you, I think he was doing it so he could win back some of your trust. He’s going to come after you again, but he’s going to wait until you feel comfortable.”

“You’re wrong. That’s just crazy.” I said, slowly stepping back from him. “You are so obsessed with what happened to Heather that you’re convinced that I’m doomed to the same fate. Stephen is with Carline now. He’s not going to come after me.”

“Ella, Stephen was outside the courthouse after Tom and Renatta got married. I saw him standing across the street. And don’t tell me that I’m crazy. I know it was Stephen, because our eyes locked onto to each other. He looked angry. I could see the malevolence just rolling off him in waves.”

“No. No.” Shaking my head, I continued to walk backwards as Xavier advanced on me. “I don’t believe it. Why would he? Why would he do something like that?” Not paying any attention to where I was going, I stumbled as I backed into my bag and jacket on the floor. Before I could trip over them, Xavier grabbed my upper arms.

“You don’t believe me?” he asked angrily. He gripped my arms tightly almost painfully as he glared at me.

“Stop. Let go of me,” I said, as I tried to pull my arms out of his grip. He let go of me and backed away a few steps, but he still glared at me angrily.

“Answer me,” he said, narrowing his eyes at me.

“I don’t know what to believe, Xavier. I don’t doubt that you saw him, but I don’t think he was there because of us or me.”

“You didn’t see him. You didn’t see the hate-filled stare he was directing at us.”

Turning around, I grabbed my bag, scarf, and coat off the floor, and quickly headed for the door.

“Where do you think you’re going, Ella?”

“I have to go. I can’t be here right now.”

His long legs enabled him to reach me as soon as I got to the door. Before I could turn the doorknob, his long fingers were wrapped around mine tightly. “Don’t run away from me, Ella,” he whispered in my ear.

He was standing so close behind me that I could feel his chest raise and fall with each harsh breath. His unique, musky smell filled my nose. The heat radiating off his body felt like a blast furnace behind me. I closed my eyes trying to calm myself, but his comment of running away immediately took me back to the alley behind Il Bistro at Pike Place Market with Stephen. He had also accused me of running away. The comment pissed me off coming from Stephen, but it pissed me off even more coming from Xavier.

“Go to hell! I’m not running away. You need to let me go before I do or say something we’re both going to regret,” I said through clenched teeth.

He inhaled sharply as his hand dropped from mine. I opened the door and quickly walked out without a glance behind me.

I quickly exited the building onto Second Avenue. It was drizzling out and cold, and I was pissed that I didn’t have access to my car. I didn’t want to call Marissa. Xavier’s condo was only a few blocks down Second Avenue. Pulling my hood up, I quickly walked down the street. Being as angry as I was, I needed the walk home to clear my head and calm down.

I understood Xavier’s need to protect me, but sometimes his concern for my safety was so suffocating. I had to admit that I didn’t think Stephen would stalk me like he had the past few months, but I felt things were different after we saw him with Carline. They both looked genuinely happy. Granted, that was also the night that Stephen ambushed me in the hallway of the Four Seasons to tell me he still had feelings for me. Shit. Could Xavier be right? Could Stephen still be stalking me? No, there had to be another explanation for Stephen being near the courthouse. There just had to be. He saw Xavier and shot him a dirty look. That was all.

Mindlessly, I looked at the windows of the businesses as I walked down Second Avenue. I stopped short at a dress shop. It wasn’t just any dress shop, but a bridal dress shop. I glanced at the dresses on display in the window. They were all white and off the shoulder. Three of the dresses had full skirts while two were snugly fit. I tried to picture myself in the gowns that were on display in the window, but none seemed to be for me.

My phone vibrated in my bag. That had to be Xavier. I didn’t have to look at it to know. I’m sure he was pissed that I left and didn’t wait for Marissa. I thought for sure he would’ve sent her out after me assuming that I had walked.

I turned my attention back to the wedding gowns. For a moment I thought about going into the shop and having a look around, then I spotted his reflection in the window. My blood ran cold. It was Stephen. He was standing on the sidewalk across the street from me and he appeared to be glaring at me. Instantly, I froze. I was suddenly sorry I hadn’t contacted Marissa now. I was on my own. My phone vibrated again. Casually, I reached into my bag, and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was Marissa.

“Ella, where are you? Mr. Hart asked me to pick you up. We assume you left the building on foot or did you catch a cab?”

“Marissa, thank God it’s you. Have you left Xavier’s building yet?”

“No, ma’am. Where are you?” she demanded.

“I’m only a few blocks away from Xavier’s office. I did leave on foot. I stopped in front of a bridal shop. He’s here, Marissa. Stephen. He’s across the street staring at me.”

“Don’t move, Ella. I’m on my way.” The phone disconnected.

I glanced back in the window only to find that Stephen was gone. Whirling around, I looked up and down the street, but he was nowhere in sight. Like a ghost, he just vanished.

Within minutes, Marissa pulled up to the curb in my silver SUV. Without hesitation, I climbed in.

“Where was he?” she asked. She scanned the street up and down.

“He was standing right there.” I pointed to a spot across the street. “He just disappeared. If I weren’t so sure that he had been right there, I would have thought I imagined seeing him. Does Xavier know?”

“Yes, ma’am. I was in his office when I called you. He tried to call you first, but you didn’t answer the phone. I’m to take you straight home.”

“Of course. Thank you, Marissa.”

The hands free in the car suddenly rang muting the radio. According to the caller ID, it was Xavier calling from his office.

“Mr. Hart,” Marissa said.

“It’s Stewart, Marissa. Do you have her?”

“Yes. We are heading back to the condo now,” Marissa replied.

Before Stewart hung up, I could hear Xavier’s angry voice in the background prattling on about being irresponsible and not thinking. Great. This was going to be a grand fight.

Two hours after I had gotten home, I was sitting on the couch in the living room reading from my iPad. Bev was in the kitchen making dinner. I wasn’t even hungry. Between the impending fight that I knew was coming with Xavier and spotting Stephen spying on me, I had completely lost my appetite. Putting my iPad down, I headed into the kitchen.

“What’s for dinner, Bev? It smells fantastic.” I smiled at her as I pulled out one of the stools to sit on.

“Xavier’s favorite. Baked chicken and rice,” she said. She smiled up at me as she prepared the salad.

I was secretly glad to find out it was one of Xavier’s favorites that she was cooking. Maybe that would help put him in a better mood. Xavier suddenly came storming around the corner into the kitchen with such force he startled both Bev and me.

“Ella, I need to speak with you,” he said calmly. The anger flashed in his eyes. His hands were fisted at his side. I knew he was anything but calm.

I excused myself to Bev. I smiled weakly at her as I slid off the barstool. She gave me a sympathetic smile.

Turning, I reluctantly followed Xavier into the bedroom. He waited until I cleared the door before he kicked it shut. He grabbed my right arm and spun me around with such force I would’ve fallen if he didn’t have a hold of me. He reached out and grabbed my other arm, and shook me slightly as he spoke.

“How could you, Ella? How could you do it?” He sounded angry, but I soon realized that it wasn’t anger I saw flash in his eyes but fear.

“How could I do what?” I quietly asked.

“How could you put yourself at such risk? You left my office on foot without Marissa or Stewart only to find that Stephen
was
following you.” He glared at me.

I thought about this earlier, and I knew the assumption that was about to spill out of my mouth was a stretch. “I don’t know if he was following me. He could’ve been there for another reason. Maybe he just spotted me and stopped at the same moment I just happened to notice his reflection in the glass.”

“Stop it, Ella! I know you aren’t stupid! You know that I’m right! That bastard is following you!” His hold on my arms increased imperceptibly.

“Xavier, that hurts. Please, let me go,” I said calmly. He quickly dropped his hands, and turned away from me. Nervously, he ran his hands through his hair.

“What’s it going to take, Ella? What’s it going to take to get you to understand the danger that Stephen poses? Are you waiting until he approaches you again with a gun? I can assure you that the next time the gun will be fully loaded.” He kept his back to me. Walking over to his side of the bed, he plopped down on the edge. He slumped over looking completely defeated.

“Xavier, you need to understand. I have known Stephen since I was in high school. I was married to this man for sixteen years. He never showed any kind of behavior like this. He never hurt me physically. It’s difficult for me to picture Stephen as the bad guy you keep making him out to be.”

He rested his elbows on his knees as he put his head in his hands. “He approached us at gun point, Ella.”

“As a scare tactic, Xavier. The gun wasn’t even loaded.”

“I know the warning signs. I sat and watched Heather go through the same motions with her ex-boyfriend. She told me how he never physically hurt her in any way. She never thought he would come after her the way he did, but he was growing more and more desperate in his attempts to reach her. When he saw our engagement announcement in black and white, I know that’s what pushed him over the edge. Seeing it made it real for him.” He paused for a moment. “Since that story appeared in The Seattle Times concerning our engagement, Stephen has seen the ring on your finger. I blame myself for that. I never should have waived it under his nose that night at The Four Seasons dinner. He just made me so angry. I acted on impulse and it was stupid of me. Since then, I see him getting more desperate in his attempts to reach you. You have to believe me, Ella, when I tell you it’s only a matter of time before he comes after you again.”