The Russian's Tender Lover (The Sisterhood) (18 page)

“I’d be happy to help out, ma’am,” he replied.

“Do you have a pen and paper?”

Immediately the man found some and handed it to her. Darcy didn’t hesitate, writing the address of a small coffee shop about ten miles from her house where she could wait for Sergei, and also watch to make sure no one was following him. She added a time so she wouldn’t be waiting all day, then folded the note. “If you could give this to him when he’s finished with his meeting, that would be wonderful.”

The man blushed as she added her famous smile to the request, then turned on her heel and walked out. Suspecting that the guard was still watching her, she stood outside in the sunshine for a moment, looking to the right and left as if she was trying to figure out which way to turn and was in no hurry to go anywhere.

The reality was the complete opposite. She put her hands behind her back to look more casual, as if she were simply walking along the street waiting for her friend and getting some air. Meanwhile, she was walking in a very specific, deliberate way towards her getaway point which she’d just identified.

Along the parking lot, there was a wonderful thick tree line with cars parked along that side of the lot. She walked in that direction, staying as close to the building as possible so she couldn’t be seen as easily from the security cameras, some of which, she suspected, were both obvious and not so obvious. Since she wasn’t exactly sure where they were, she continued to appear casual.

At the tree line, she stood against one of the cars as if she were looking for something, then quickly ducked down behind one of them. Walking like a duck, she moved as quickly as she could from car to car, hiding from the building. When she reached the end of the lot, she stood up once again and walked down the street, working her way into the other people who were all moving in different directions. Thankfully, she was able to slip into one of the stores and pretend to browse the sweaters and shirts for several minutes, but at the first opportunity, she slipped into the back, ignoring the call from one of the shop workers that she wasn’t supposed to be in that area, then ducked out the service entrance in the back.

Pulling out her cell phone, she dialed Claire’s number, praying she would pick up.

“Claire!, Oh, thank goodness you’re there. I need help and I’m so sorry to call you but I didn’t know who else might be able to help me.”

“Darcy! Where have you been?” Claire asked, her voice desperate. “We’ve all been looking for you. Even Mitch has been out looking for you! I’ve been worried sick and I was just about to call Emma and ask her to see what resources her husband could bring out to help me find you!”

“Claire! Stop talking!” Darcy waited a moment, taking a breath as she crossed the street. “What did you say your fiancé’s name was?”

“Mitch Sargent. You’ve heard all about him. He’s been trying to find you for the past several days but there’s been absolutely no clue where you might have gone. It’s like you just disappeared into thin air.”

“Are you sure he’s only been looking for me? It hasn’t been Marco?” Darcy asked. She was just about to step out into the street and hail a cab when a dark, powerful sedan drove down the street. Darcy just about tripped over her feet to get back to cover as she watched her brother’s grim face pass by in the driver’s seat.

She watched from the corner of the building, her stomach turning in knots as she watched the car turn into the parking lot she’d just gotten away from. “Claire, you’re fiancé, are you sure he wasn’t hired by Marco?”

“Your brother’s name hasn’t even come up in our conversations, I promise. I’d never let anyone know of the connection unless they’d already made it. I wouldn’t do that to you.”

She stepped back, hiding behind several of the cars and her breath froze in her throat. “Well, why is my brother driving over to your fiancé’s building?”

There was a long pause as Claire assimilated Darcy’s words. “You’re at Titan Securities? Why would you be there?”

“Because Sergei is looking for his sister’s fiancé, who disappeared over a week ago, breaking off their engagement because he said he was in love with me.”

“Who is this other guy? And who in the world is Sergei?” Claire demanded.

Darcy would have laughed at the incredible irony of the situation, if she didn’t feel as if she were going to throw up at any moment from the fear chocking her. “Claire, I have to go. Don’t tell anyone about this conversation. Please!”

She hung up the phone to Claire’s argument but didn’t hear the words. All Darcy knew was that she had to get away.

She thought about calling Matt for help, but was too afraid of the potential resources that could be brought to bear on finding her. She knew her father’s wealth was enormous, all gotten from illegal means. Marco had those resources at his disposal, probably set up as her father’s second in command now. Then there was Mitch, who had an entire security force at his disposal, and Sergei, who had more money than she even wanted to know about.

One small tear escaped from her lashes before she was able t blink it back but she wiped it away impatiently. She had Claire, and Emma if there was any way she could reach her. She knew her friends wouldn’t give her up to her father, but she couldn’t ask for Claire’s help if Marco was paying Claire’s fiancé. And she couldn’t reach Emma easily right at the moment either since she was in another country, on the other side of the planet.

Nope. If she was going to escape this latest debacle, she’d have to do it on her own. Sergei would help her she knew, but he didn’t understand what she was up against so he might discuss her whereabouts with Marco and Mitch. If only she could have spoken to him before she ran out of the building, she wouldn’t be worried about the connections.

She only prayed that Sergei would meet her. She wouldn’t put him in the middle, but she desperately wanted to say goodbye to him. And she wanted just one more kiss if that was possible.

A taxi cab was letting off one of its clients so she hurried down the street, her arm raised to hail the cab but she didn’t wait for him to come to her, meeting it more than halfway. Diving into the back of the cab, she gave her address, grateful when he eagerly sped off down the street, excited about such a long fare.

It took an hour to get out to her house. Paying the cab with her credit card wasn’t a good idea, but she didn’t have any other options. She knew that Mitch, and now Marco, would easily be able to follow her since she’d left such an obvious trail, but she did it anyway. Speed was more important at the moment.

As soon as the cab pulled away, Fred and Ginger raced up from the field, panting happily as they danced around her. “Oh, guys! It’s so wonderful to see you!” Bending down, she hugged both of them to her, their wiggling bodies trying to lick and be petted at the same time and neither winning out. The rest of the crew followed with the kittens, now much bigger, trailing behind. All the animals were so happy to see her and it broke her heart to know that she would have to leave. Now. As soon as she could pack up her things and disappear.

Matt came to the doorway of his house, wiping his hands on an old towel. When he looked up to see what the animals were so excited about, he threw the towel to the side and rushed her, calling for Dave to come out as well. “She’s here! And she’s okay!”

Matt reached out and picked her up, swinging her around with a massive hug. Darcy couldn’t take the strain under this kind of enthusiasm and the tears she’d been holding at bay for the past hour and a half broke through the damn of her control, spilling out as she hugged her friend, reaching down to pat the dogs as well. “Oh, guys it’s so good to see all of you again!” She sniffed. “I’ve missed you terribly. How are you all?” she asked. Her eyes looked up and saw one other animal coming up from the field, limping, but wagging his tail slowly. “Moxie?” she whispered, so amazed that the poor dog had survived all his wounds. He wasn’t one hundred percent, and he even stopped several feet away from the rest of the animals and humans, wary and watching.

“Guys, can you keep the other animals back for a few moments?” she asked. She didn’t bother to look back, her whole focus watching the wary animal as she bent down low. She knew that getting lower than the dog would show that Moxie was in control and the alpha, giving him confidence at her approach. Putting her hand out, she walked slowly towards the animal, stopping when he started to growl softly.

It took several minutes, but slowly, ever so slowly, she was able to reach the psychologically wounded animal. Moxie sniffed gently, reaching out with his neck but not coming any closer. Darcy waited, holding out her hand patiently, not moving any closer or moving in any way that might startle the animal. In the end, Darcy triumphed. Moxie remembered her scent and her gentle touch, her soft words and slowly moved forward, touching Darcy’s hand with his wet nose. When that was okay and Darcy still didn’t hurt the animal, he moved even closer, rubbing Darcy’s hand against his fur.

Darcy gently, ever so slightly, petted the animal, rubbing his fur and whispering soothing sounds. After long minutes, Moxie moved closer, sighing softly as he settled his wounded, sore body against Darcy’s side.

With a wide grin, Darcy continued to stroke Moxie, but turned to smile back at Matt and Dave. That smile froze on her face as she noticed the three other men standing directly behind her friends. Sergei’s face was the only one relaxed though and she wasn’t sure what to make of that.

He started to move forward but Marco’s hand shot out to stop him. Darcy realized in a split moment, that her brother and her lover were about to fight. And since both of them were muscle bound, large men, neither would come out of that kind of battle unscathed.

Standing up, she faced all three with an angry expression. “Marco! Let go of him!” she commanded, keeping her hand on Moxie’s fur as the dog also stood up, wounded, sore and embattled, but more than ready to fight for the kind hand who had talked him through his recovery.

All five men looked down at the dog who had bared his teeth in a defensive posture, ready to attack. Darcy soothed the animal and shook her head, and Moxie relaxed slightly, but still ready to dive in to defend her if she needed it.

“Marco, I don’t care what father says, I’m not coming back. I don’t know why you’re here, but let go of Sergei and leave. Right now!”

Marco’s angry eyes turned to glare at Sergei, who was already glaring right back. “Father died six months ago. I’ve been trying to find you to tell you that you can come out of hiding,” he said. “But it appears that this…” he stumbled over what to call Sergei who immediately stepped forward, ready to pound Marco for the insult, “has tried to kidnap you! Come home with me, Darcy. Everything is better and you won’t be roped into any marriage you don’t want.”

Sergei was having none of that. “She’s going to marry me! Step back you bastard! Whatever you’ve done to her, it stops now!”

Darcy couldn’t believe her ears. “Father is dead?” she said softly.

Marco stopped glaring at Sergei just long enough go glance in Darcy’s direction. “I’m sorry that you had to hear it like this. I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that but I assumed he’s the reason why you left so suddenly all those years ago.”

“You’re right,” she said, in a daze of confusion. “Father was trying to get me to marry Tony Zapelli.”

“He was a gangster!” Marco spat out. “I’d already convinced dad to not follow through on that, but then you’d disappeared. I’m glad though. Because Tony died two months later and dad was still looking for you, determined that you would marry Benny Vanova.”

Darcy couldn’t believe her ears. “Benny Vanova was almost sixty when I was in college!”

“Exactly. It was disgusting.”

Sergei couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You’re the daughter of Albert DiAngelo?” he asked, his eyes moving from Marco to Darcy, then back again.

Darcy looked at the man she loved with all her heart. “Yes. I’m afraid so. That’s why I do all the things I do. The final piece of the mystery, I guess you could say.”

Sergei walked over to Darcy, ignoring Moxie who growled at his approach. “Come home with me. I’ll protect you from all of that nasty business. Be my wife and I promise, you’ll never have to run again.”

Marco stepped forward. “You don’t have to do that, Darcy. No one is going to make you marry anyone. You can finally be yourself. Come on home with me. You can do anything you want.”

Darcy looked at her brother, then up at Sergei’s tender eyes. She’d never thought to see that look on his face. “Why would you want to marry me?” she asked, terrified of the answer, but needing to know the truth.

He shook his head and looked up at the sky, his hands moving down her arms so he could hold her hands and press them against his chest. “Because you drive me crazy, Darcy DiAngelo.” He smiled gently down into her sage eyes and grimaced. “I love it when you get all polite when you’re angry or scared, and I love beating you at poker because everything you’re thinking is right there on your face. I know I can trust you, unlike the other women of my acquaintance who will try just about anything to get my money. You, on the other hand, would rather be surrounded by hounds than diamonds.”

She laughed, but then was sad again. “We’ve only known each other for a week. Is the only reason you want to marry me because I drive you crazy and you know I won’t rob you blind?”