Infamous (18 page)

She slumped back against the door, battling tears. Things had been so much easier when she only had to worry about herself. It was easy enough to shrug off rumors and innuendo. After all, she could always turn it into fodder for her next book and publicity was a currency that could be traded quicker than cash in Hollywood. She didn’t want to go back to that, though. She wanted to be part of a proper family with Kinsey and Morgan.

Squaring her shoulders, she picked up the phone and started dialing. She had an agent, a publicist, and a lot of famous people who owed her favors. Now that the press had discovered her marriage, she intended to control the spin.

She had been on the phone close to an hour when Mason called. She almost let it go to voicemail, but picked it up at the last minute. She couldn’t lay all the blame for last night’s fiasco on Mason.

“Mason, I’m a little busy this morning … .”

“Jess,” he interrupted. “You might be a bit careful going out of your room. I was going to come by for a chat, but there are several photographers loitering around the hotel. You seemed a upset after they showed up last night, so umm,” he sounded a little hesitant. “I thought you might not like them to catch me heading for your room.”

“Since when have you cared that I might be bothered by something the press assumes about us?”

“Now, Jess,” Mason sounded hurt. “It’s not like that and you know it. You never
were
bothered by it all that much until you took up with your stodgy suit of lover. We used to laugh at the stuff they printed, remember?”

“Yeah. Good times,” She said caustically. “Don’t you ever wish you could do something stupid and
not
have the whole world know about it the next day?”

There was silence on the line. Jessica felt like she had kicked a puppy. No one knew how she felt about the press better than Mason. Together, they had turned merciless scrutiny, gossip, and outright lies into the springboard that launched their careers.

“Don’t mind me,” she apologized. “I’m just grumpy because they set their sights on Kinsey. She’s not used to it like we are and she has no idea what it could turn into if we aren’t careful.”

“Kit said you would be upset about that. He’s not too pleased about it either.”

“So, what were you coming up for?”

“I just … Susan and I split up. I wanted you to hear it from me.”

“Is it the doctor?”

“That’s part of it. I think they could really have something together and there’s no way either one of them was going to pursue it if she was with me.”

“Wait a minute.” Wow. “
You’re
ending things?” She had assumed that Susan was leaving Mason.

Holy cow! And now Mason was here in New York. It was big news and she didn’t have time for it. Her head was already spinning. Mason was going to have deal with this one on his own, at least for a little while until she got her own life under control.

She heard the door to the suite open behind her and turned to tell the housekeeper she wouldn’t be needed. The words died, as the door opened the rest of the way.

“Mason, I have to go,” she said. “I’ll call you later.”

Morgan left his luggage by the door and slid the keycard into his pocket. She gave him a tremulous smile. His cold eyes and tight lips dashed any hopes that he might not have seen the paper.

“Knight?” He gestured at the phone. “I saw his car leaving as I was coming in. Can’t you be without him for five minutes?”

Jessica shook her head. “He said there were some photographers hanging around outside.”

“I hadn’t noticed.”

His sarcasm cut across her raw nerves.

“Christ.” He ran a hand though his short hair. “I guess I’ll be the story tomorrow.”

“Morgan,” Jessica took a deep breath, “I know you’re upset, but … .”

“Upset,” he cut her off as he stalked toward her. “Upset doesn’t touch what I’m feeling right now.”

He was standing in front of her, just out of reach. He always seemed to be just out of reach. She took a tiny step closer and reached out imploringly. “It’s not as bad as the papers make it seem. I’ve already called … .”

“So you weren’t out last night with Knight?”

“Well yes, but … .”

“And that wasn’t Kinsey some two-bit actor had his paws all over?”

She gaped at him. Two-bit actor? Kit was a leading man in Hollywood and on Broadway. He hadn’t been pawing Kinsey. If anything he had been trying to shield her from the cameras.

She bit back her immediate angry retort. She had broken the cardinal rule; she had exposed Kinsey to the untender mercy of the paparazzi. He had every right to be worried and angry. Settling her back into relative anonymity in suburbia would be easier said than done after last night.

She took a deep breath and tried again.

“Morgan, I know it looks bad, but you can’t believe … .”

“Jessica,” Morgan’s eyes were as cold as she had ever seen them. “I do not want to hear it. Where’s Kinsey?”

“She’s in her bedroom, e-mailing all her friends.”

Morgan turned and began striding toward the bedroom door. His gait was jerky from the tension that gripped his body.

“Morgan,” she tried one last time, but flinched as he turned a look of utter hatred on her. He wasn’t going to listen to her side of the story, she realized. Why had she thought he might? With an effort, she forced a mask of composure over her face. “Kinsey thinks it’s all a great adventure,” she told him. “You won’t take this out on her, will you?”

For a minute his eyes bored into hers, almost as though he was searching for something. “None of this is Kinsey’s fault,” he said. “I’m taking her home.” He turned back toward the bedroom. “Let me know where you want your things sent,” he tossed back over his shoulder.

Jessica swayed where she stood. He couldn’t mean that. He wasn’t throwing her out. A black tunnel rushed in around the edges of her vision. She took a shuddering breath, then another. Keep breathing, she told herself. Just keep breathing.

Somehow she made her way into her own bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed and stared straight ahead. She could hear the muted sounds of Morgan and Kinsey’s voices — Kinsey’s high and excited, Morgan’s deep and clipped. Then there were sounds of protest from Kinsey, and finally, a flurry of activity.

She forced herself to stand up, to go into the bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror, dry-eyed. Shouldn’t there be tears? She splashed cold water on her face, but the sensation seemed far away, like it was happening to someone else. She dried her face and walked back into the bedroom. She should be doing something. Packing? To go where?

She was standing indecisively in the middle of the room when the door burst open and Kinsey flew in. She flung her arms around Jessica.

“I can’t believe Dad’s being such a spoilsport. So what if I got my picture in the paper?” She looked around the room. “Aren’t you packed? Dad said he chartered a plane and we’re leaving right away.”

Morgan appeared in the doorway, his face grim. “Jessica’s not coming with us. She’s still got some things to finish here.” He glared at her, as though the decision had been hers.

Kinsey looked confused and her eyes were suddenly worried, “Jessica?”

“It’s okay,
chica
.” Her chest tight, Jessica smoothed back Kinsey’s hair. “You go on with your dad, he’ll explain it all to you.”

Morgan’s mouth drew into a tight line at that, but what else was she supposed to say? It was his decision to leave without her; he could explain it to Kinsey.

Kinsey gave her searching look, a final squeeze, and they were gone.

She stared at the closed door for a long time. Then she lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She lay there a long time, but the tears never came.

The tears never came, but the anger did. Eventually, her numb brain began functioning again and the first thing it did was begin asking
why
? Why had he left her? Sure, she knew he was angry about the pictures, but it was a bullet she was surprised they had dodged as long as they had. And all in all, the story was relatively tame. She hadn’t actually
done
anything. Kinsey hadn’t done anything. So why was he so angry that he had abandoned her in the city virtually telling her not to come home?

The whole thing was almost an exact replay of the first time they had separated, except then she had been the one to say the words. In typical Jessica Sinclair fashion, she had staged her own exit, leaving before he could throw her out. She had always wondered if they could have worked things out if she had stayed.

Morgan was angry right now. He was used to being in control of his life. He was used to having Kinsey tucked safely away out of the limelight. It was probably pushing all his buttons that he couldn’t control this. What if he had said things in anger he would later regret?

Jessica picked up her phone and dialed her travel agent. Within minutes she had changed her ticket to a flight later that day and arranged for a car to meet her at the airport on the west coast.

On the long flight back across the country, she changed her mind half a dozen times. From the airport, should she go back to her condo, or home? It was when she realized that home was not her condo that she made her decision. If Morgan wanted to get rid of her, he was going to have to literally throw her out. She wasn’t going to conveniently evict herself like last time. This time she intended to fight for her marriage. She knew she loved Morgan; given time, she could convince him to love her back. There had to be some way they could make this work.

Even with the time difference, it was well past dark by the time the car pulled up to the gates. From across the street, a camera flashed as she leaned out the window and punched in the security code at the gate. She didn’t have a remote with her and she wasn’t going to give Morgan a chance to deny her entry by having the driver ring the house to be buzzed in. What was one more picture at this point? They could hardly make a story out of her coming home.

She sighed in relief as the gates swung open. She had been half afraid that Morgan had changed the codes. The driver let her out and began unloading her bags from the trunk.

“Do you want some help getting these inside, ma’am?”

She flashed him a smile as she lugged the last of the cases out herself and dug in her purse for a tip.

“No, thanks, I’ve got them from here. You’re probably in a hurry to get back.”

She could manage the luggage. She was more worried about Morgan noticing her arrival and sending her packing.

“It’s no trouble at all.” He gave her a smile that was just a little too warm.

Great, just what she needed.

“My husband,” she emphasized, “will bring them in for me.”

Thankfully, the young man took the hint. He pocketed his tip, gave her final smile, and headed back down the driveway. Jessica grabbed the handle of the nearest suitcase and wheeled it toward the door. She was pulling the last garment bag across the threshold when she noticed Morgan standing in the foyer, frowning at her stack of luggage. As she closed the door, his head swiveled toward her, cold eyes raking over her incredulously.

“Jessica?”

“Hello, Morgan, I’m home. I didn’t want to bother you, so I got a car from the airport. Did you and Kinsey have a good flight? We had horrible turbulence somewhere in the Midwest and … .” She trailed off, aware that she was babbling. “… And here I am,” she finished, lamely.

Now that she was here, her confidence in her decision deserted her. Her heart thudded against her chest.

Morgan frowned. “Why are you here?”

Her heart sank. She wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. She had made a mistake; he was going to tell her to leave. The black tunnel threatened to close in the sides of her vision again, but she battled it back and raised her chin. She gave him her most brilliant smile, “Well, I live here, don’t I?”

His eyes narrowed and she braced herself for a scathing reply. She would
not
cry, she told herself. Before Morgan could speak, he was forestalled by Kinsey, who threw herself into Jessica’s arms.

“You’re home!” She gave her father an angry look, “I thought … .” she looked up at Jessica. “Dad said you might not be coming back?”

She wasn’t sure what to say. She glanced over Kinsey’s shoulder at Morgan and quaked at the loathing she could read in his eyes.

“Yet here I am,” she said. Maybe Kinsey wouldn’t notice that she hadn’t really committed to anything. She wanted to say she was home for good, but that would only make it harder on Kinsey if Morgan wouldn’t let her stay. From the look on his face, he couldn’t wait to get rid of her.

“Kinsey,” Morgan’s voice was deceptively mild, “Jessica just got here. I think you were on the way to bed, so maybe we can talk about this in the morning.”

Kinsey looked like she was about to argue, but one look at her father’s set face changed her mind. She gave Jessica a final squeeze and headed for her room.

As soon as she was gone, Jessica turned back to Morgan. Nothing to do but brazen it out. At least she had plenty of practice at that. She picked up her carry-on and started to breeze past Morgan. A hard hand on her arm jerked her to a halt.

“Jessica,” he warned furiously.

“Not here, Morgan,” she said in a low voice. “You don’t want Kinsey to hear this, do you?”

With an exclamation he released her arm and followed her down the hall to their bedroom. As soon as they were inside, he shut the door behind him and yanked her around to face him.

“I want some answers. Why are you here? And,” his eyes bored into hers, “don’t give me that ‘I live here’ crap.”

Finally, the anger surfaced again, pushing back some of the fear that he would turn her away. What did he want her to say? Did she have to beg?

“I made a commitment, Morgan. I said I would be here for Kinsey. You
asked
me to be here for Kinsey. You may have changed your mind, but I haven’t.” She yanked her arm away from him. “Did you think we could avoid the press forever? It was bound to happen. Kinsey and I didn’t do anything but go out to dinner with friends. As far as I’m concerned, our agreement still stands.”