Wine and Whiskey (Surviving Absolution #1) (13 page)

“Shae! I’m a huge fan. Can I have your
autograph?” A young woman in a pink and white polka dot dress shoves a notepad
and pen in front of her. With a shaky hand, Shae scrawls an illegible
signature. The girls shriek as a hotel security guard arrives and attempts to
guide them away.

Polite but firm, Max dismisses them.
“Thank you, ladies. But Miss Armstrong is late for an event.”

As they cross to the other side of the
lobby, Nick reaches them and his hands cup her face, his eyes searching hers,
searing her with his intensity. “Are you okay?”

She nods, anxious to learn about Juan’s
other victim. “What about Jacks? When we drove away, he was lying in the road.”

“Max’s guys are taking care of him. He’ll
be all right.” He runs his hands across her shoulders and down her arms, making
her flinch as he touches her raw skin. His fingertips trace the pink marks, his
face white with rage, his teeth clenched together. “He fucking hurt you.”

Max steps closer to them. “We need to get
her out of here. I don’t trust Juan and his guys not to try something else.”

Nick leads her down the corridor with Max
following behind. She can barely keep up with his long, quick strides, his
fingers curling into a fist against her rib cage. Walking out of her heels, she
stumbles. “Nick, please slow down. You’re frightening me.”

He stoops down and slips his finger
through the straps. Looking around, he guides her to a door marked
Authorized Personnel Only
and shoves it open. Once inside, he drops
her shoes, the rhinestones scraping against the tile floor. He envelops her in
his arms so tightly she can’t tell where her trembling from fear ends and his
shaking from anger begins. “I’m sorry. I can’t believe I let Juan get to you.”

A silver cart stacked with eight trays of
dinner salads sits next to a stainless steel counter covered with baskets of
rolls. Clinking silverware and muted voices drift down the hallway. A man in a
red jacket and black pants opens the door and reaches for the handle. His eyes
widen at them standing in the restricted area.

Nick presses her against the wall and
lays his cheek against hers, blocking her face from the waiter’s view. He
whispers in her ear, “I don’t want to give him anything to gossip about.”

She clings to him, clutching the lapels
of his tuxedo, her body weak with both relief and gratitude they’re safe and
together. As the rattle of the cart wheels against the concrete dies away, Nick
lifts his head, worry darkening his blue eyes. “What did he say to you?”

“He said if I didn’t promise to convince
you to work with him he would…” Her voice catches in her throat. The gravity of
his threats even more ruthless when saying them out loud. “His bodyguard was
going to shoot you as we pulled up to the hotel if I didn’t agree. And, if I
failed, he would kill me.”

His body stiffens. Shivers trail down her
body at the dark expression crossing his face. A stranger stands in front of
her. The Nick she knows and loves replaced by a man engulfed with anger and
vengeance. She caresses his cheek and meets his gaze, trying to bring him back
from the fury gripping him. “Nick? It’s over. I’m fine.”

He blinks, almost in surprise, as if she
hasn’t been here all along. “I’ll have Max get the car, and we’ll go home.”

Home.
A word meant to invoke feelings of peace and relaxation,
a sanctuary from the outside world. Tonight, however, it means a boys’ club
intent on exacting revenge. Her stomach clenches at the realization of what
this man and his life are all about. He will soothe her and make her feel safe
before relegating her to the cinema room or deck while he holes up in his
office with Max and Carter, the three men plotting retaliation against Juan and
his threats.

Her head swims from the surge of emotions
invading her mind and heart. If she can keep Nick here, focused on something
other than revenge, maybe she can prevent the battle from turning into a war.
This glimmer of hope buoys her enough to mask her feelings and try to get back
the Nick she loves. She takes a deep breath and smiles at him. “What about the
gala? You can’t miss it. It’s important to you.”

His eyes widen, and he shakes his head.
“My God, Shae. You’re what’s important to me. We're leaving.”
Anger
lurks beneath the surface of his calm appearance, his
face red hot, his breathing labored. “Let me help you with your shoes.” He
bends down and slips them on her feet before rising and taking her in his arms
again, making her tremble at his intensity. “I love you.”

She closes her eyes and lies against his
chest, hopeful it’s enough.

Chapter Seven

Juan has Shae.

The three-word text that made his head
almost explode circles around and around in his mind. How could he have been so
stupid? Letting that bastard get to her, put his hands on her, threaten her.
And nothing he could do about it but wait.

Twenty minutes of torture after he and
Max learned why Jacks remained at her house, yet the limo continued to move.
Located and trailed by Max’s men, the car meandered slowly yet steadily toward
the hotel. Under strict orders, his team had been poised to attack only if
necessary, unwilling to jeopardize her safety, no matter how much he wants Juan
dead.

“Please don’t worry. I really am fine.”

Shae's soft voice pulls him out of his
thoughts. He takes a deep breath, yet fails to rein in his fury, more angry
with himself than Juan. Her smile pierces his pounding heart, the sentiment
small and sad,
a
slight tremble to her lips. She lies
to protect him. Trying to prove she’s okay. Attempting to ease his guilt. Which
will never happen.

The vise grip on his hand the only other
clue to her anxiety as they wait for Max to get the car. Her delicate fingers
squeeze his, her pink sparkly fingernails rubbing against his knuckles, which
ache to find Juan and eliminate him permanently. But that has to wait. He
caresses her cheek, a bit of color brightening her pale skin from his touch. He
won’t let her out of his sight until he gets her to the house. Her home now
too, even though she doesn’t know it yet. It’s the only way he can keep her
safe.

With a slight tug on his jacket, she
meets his gaze, guilt clouding her expression. “I’m sorry tonight was ruined. I
know how much the Foundation means to you.”

“I’m the one who’s sorry.” He drops his
head and blows out a long breath, her shaking hand so small pressed against his
chest. “For everything you’ve gone through being with me.”

“Then don’t make things worse. Please let
it go with Juan.”

An impossible request in a world ruled by
domination. Ignoring Juan’s attempt to intimidate him ensures a death sentence
for both of them. Yet, telling her the truth guarantees the demise of their
relationship. “I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

She searches his face before looking
away, shaking her head in defeat. “I know. That’s what I’m afraid of.”

A knock bangs from the hallway, and he
aims his gun at the door, unable to take chances, refusing to assume anything.
Guilt burns through his stomach at her sharp gasp as he curls her against his
body. Another cruel exposure to his brutal world he can’t avoid. At the sight
of Max in the entryway, he loosens his grip and kisses her forehead before
shoving the Glock into the back of his waistband.

She bites her lip, shivering as he
whispers in her ear, “I’m sorry. I had to be sure.”

The men walk down the hallway with Shae
sandwiched between them. Max glances at him before returning his gaze to scan
the corridor. “The car’s on the top floor of the parking garage. No one else is
up there. Once you head out, we’ll sweep the limo for any surprises Juan may
have tried to leave behind and then bring it back to the house.”

Nick nods. “We’ll pick up a few things at
her place tonight and go back tomorrow for the rest. Let Spencer know. He can
help.”

At the car, Shae reaches for Max before
she climbs in. “Thank you for everything. You take good care of us.”

Even in his turmoil, Nick smiles at Max’s
widening eyes before he returns her embrace. No one in his line of work ever
receives hugs. Even more disturbing, no woman he’s dated would have ever
offered one.

Only Shae.

The sweet angel he’s somehow lucky enough
to have found. His gut tightens. And will probably lose.

As they drive, she fingers the tiny
rhinestones lining the side of her skirt. “Juan knows where I live, and now, I
can’t go home.”

He shakes his head, loathe to admit the
truth, dreading her realization of the danger she faces unless she allows him
to protect her. “He was trying to prove he can get to me through you. I won’t
let it happen again.”

She turns toward the window, preventing
him from reading her expression. “I don’t know what to do.”

The flatness of her voice makes his
stomach clench. She’s shutting down on him. “Move in with me. I’ll keep you
safe.”

Her humorless laugh drifts toward him,
wasting him with her doubt. “If we were regular people, we’d never do this.
We’d still be dating, going to the movies, and eating frozen yogurt.”

So many times he’s dreamed of not being
in this world. What it would be like to fix cars or build houses. Working hard
and trying to make ends meet, but his life his own. No bodyguards or gated
homes or looking over his shoulder. “We can’t change who we are. Even if we had
normal lives, I would still love you and want to be with you.”

“What happens after we start living
together? I don’t want to spend our lives hiding from Juan.”

Only until he’s dead. “It won’t be like
that, I promise.” They drive in silence, her gaze never leaving the window. His
phone buzzes in the cradle, and he glances at the screen before pushing a
button on the steering wheel. “This is Nick.”

“
Hi Nick. It’s Bridget. I wanted to catch you before the banquet and try
one more time to talk you into letting me recognize you for the completion of
the new safe houses and underwriting of the crisis hotline. Tonight is our opportunity
to celebrate the Foundation’s successes, and I want to include these
achievements.”

A bittersweet request for a man like him,
who can’t accept kudos when this is the only good thing he does in life. “I
don’t care if you announce it, but keep my name out of it. We’ve discussed this
before, and I haven’t changed my mind.”

“
I have never understood your thinking, but if that’s what you want,
that’s what I’ll do. Anyway, are you on your way? We’re going to be starting in
a few minutes.”

“No, I’ve had an unexpected complication
come up. I’m not going to be able to make it.”

“
You’re not coming?”

Ignoring Bridget’s shock, he picks up
Shae’s hand and kisses it, the soft skin against his lips a reminder of how
much he’s missed her. “I have something important I need to take care of.”

“
Oh…Well, I hope everything is okay.”

“It will be. Thanks, Bridget.”

After the phone clicks off, Shae squeezes
his hand. “She’s disappointed. We should have gone.”

“This is where I want to be.”

Her gaze returns to the window, but she
doesn’t release his hand. After a few minutes, her soft voice breaks through
his thoughts. “When I’m performing on stage or filming a movie, it feels
surreal. Like any minute someone’s going to realize they have the wrong person
and send me on my way. So, if it all disappears, my heart won’t be broken. I
would think ‘what a great time’ and go on with my life.”

His grip on the steering wheel is as
tight as his chest, uncertain about where her story is leading.

“But, when Juan was threatening you, I
realized how much…” Her voice catches, seemingly from emotion as well as
hesitation, unwilling to admit her feelings. “You mean to me. If we move in
together and things fall apart, I don’t know what I’d do.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“You don’t know that.” Hysteria coils
through her voice. “You could get tired of me or resent protecting me. Or fall
for someone else, and I’d be in the way because I can’t go home.”

What the fuck?
He jerks the steering wheel and pulls the car over to the
side of the road. Laying his head back on the seat, he inhales deeply before
speaking. “Why won’t you just let me love you?”

“Because I’m scared. Of Juan and you and
myself. I don’t know if I should wrap my arms around you or run away and never
look back.”

Fearful of the answer, he forces himself
to ask the question. “If you left me right now, how would you feel?”

She looks down, smoothing invisible
wrinkles on her dress. “I would be devastated.”

He slides his finger under her chin and
lifts her face to look at him, drowning in her blue eyes glistening with tears caused
by him. “Me too. I can’t imagine my life without you.”

Her hands wraps around his forearm. “What
if someone hurts you? I’m terrified Juan or some other…” She looks away, her
lip quivering. “What will I do if you’re gone?”

The closest declaration of love he’s ever
received from her. He has to close the space between them. After jumping out of
the car, he races to her side. He flings open the door and draws her into his
arms.

She clings to him as her words pour out. “My
heart aches when I’m not with you. I think about you all the time. I don’t want
to do anything but be with you. And now, I’m scared I’m going to lose you.”

His heart sinks, knowing the fear of that
bastard killing him is what finally makes her reveal her feelings for him.
Right now, it’s all he has to keep their connection going. He strokes her hair
as she cries. “
Shhhh
.
It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere.” As he holds her, the phone buzzes again. He
checks the screen and puts it to his ear. “Yeah?”

“Everything okay?”

“We’re fine. I just pulled over to talk.
We’re heading to her house now.”

He shoves the cell into his pocket as she
wipes away her tears. “Was that Max?”

“Yes, he’s tracking the car and saw we
stopped. He was worried something was wrong.”

“I don’t know if I should be relieved or
freaked out.”

Kissing her temple, he smiles against her
flowery scented skin. “You were right about what you said earlier. Max takes
good care of us.”

“Just like you. You didn’t put it on
speaker in case it was something bad. You always want to protect me.”

“Yes.”

“That’s why Max put another gun in the
glove compartment.”

He sighs before nodding. Too smart to get
it
past
her, she confirms her realization of the
risks she faces being with him.

She sits down into her seat. “We’d better
go.”

Silence welcomes them when they arrive at
his house. Once inside the bedroom, he drops the bag she hastily packed at her
house. Grateful Carrie wasn’t there to hear what happened. Otherwise, Shae
might not be here.

He slides his arm around her waist. For the
first time all night, he relaxes, confident she’s safe in the well-guarded
house, all his men on high alert. “I never had the chance to tell you how
beautiful you look tonight. I like your hair up.”

“I did it for you.”

Tipping his head down, he kisses behind
her ear and nuzzles her throat. Heat courses through him at the thought of his
tongue trailing along the soft, sweet-smelling skin of her shoulders. “I better
let you get changed.”

Her slight nod confirms he deserves his
guilty conscience for his growing desire. “Okay. I’ll be right back.”

His groin throbs at her lips brushing his
cheek before she takes her suitcase into the bathroom. He releases a long, slow
breath as he shrugs off his tuxedo jacket. A full bottle of whiskey sits on the
bar, enticing him, steeling him for what he’s about to do. He downs two long
gulps before the door opens.

The dim light in the bedroom doesn’t
diminish any of her delicate beauty as she moves to the bed wrapped in a silky
pink robe. He’s still in awe this angel lets him love her, at least for now.
His heart pounds as he sits down next to her with a black velvet box in his
hands. “There isn’t a doubt in my mind I love you.”

Her eyes widen at the realization of his
intentions, and she shakes her head. “Please don’t do this.”

“You have to know how much you mean to
me. It about killed me when you said I might fall for someone else and you’d be
in the way.”

She grasps his arm and shakes it. “I was
scared, and I panicked. I didn’t mean it.”

“You’re not here just because I need to
protect you.”

“I don’t want to hurt you. You know I
can’t say yes.”

Her whisper stabs his heart. He nods his
head as he palms the tiny box. “Sometimes, I feel like we’re just a bubble
waiting to burst. I will somehow fuck this up, and you’ll leave me. But before
that happens, there’s something you have to know.” He looks up to meet her
gaze, her expression filled with what he hopes is love. “You bring me the only
happiness I’ve ever known.”

Her lips part in a small gasp. “What?”

“I was dead inside before I met you. I
just existed. Then, you came into my life and changed everything. You have
given me joy I never expected and sure as hell don’t deserve. I know it’s too
soon, but if you ever have even the slightest doubt in your mind about my love for
you, think of this ring.” He lifts the lid, revealing a white diamond solitaire
with pink diamonds on each side, the meaning behind it more powerful than the
money used to buy it. “I had it made for you, because I love you and want to be
with you. That will never change.”