B01EU62FUC (R) (13 page)

“How old is she again?”

“Twenty, but she’s a young twenty, like I was. When you grow up in such a small town, you don’t have a lot of opportunities to grow up quickly. She’s in college, but she commutes. She doesn’t even live on campus.”

He frowned for a moment. “We can’t protect her. I tried to talk your mom into letting us hire a couple of bodyguards for the two of them, but she wouldn’t hear of it.”

“You did? When did you talk to my mom?”

He realized then he’d put his foot in it. “I talk to her sometimes while you’re in the shower. I want to make sure they’re safe.”

“Are you taking care of me again?”

“I can’t seem to help myself.” He pulled her to him, kissing her. “Are you mad?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m not mad. But I do think people need to give me credit for being strong enough to take care of myself at times.”

“I know you can take care of yourself sometimes. But sometimes, I like to be the one making sure you’re safe. It makes me feel all manly and sappy and stuff.”

She laughed softly. “And manly sap is so important!”

“It is to me!”

CHAPTER 9

O
n Friday afternoon, Jesse received a call shortly after they finished filming for the day, that had him upset. Valerie asked him about it. “Who was on the phone?”

He debated for a moment about whether he’d tell her, but she had a right to know what was happening. “Your sister didn’t come home from work last night.” He watched her face carefully for her reaction.

She stopped in her tracks, halfway back to the trailer. “What? Has Mom heard from her? Why did she call you and not me?”

He slipped his arm around her shoulders and guided her back toward the trailer. “No, she hasn’t heard from her yet. She called me because we’ve been talking about all of this regularly. I told her to contact me, because I knew you’d hear it better in person than you would over the phone.”

She shook her head, trying to think about where her sister could be. “Does she have any friends she could be staying with? What exactly did Mom say?”

He waited until they were in the trailer with the door closed to answer. “All of her friends have been checked with, and no one knows where she is. She was last seen leaving the grocery store where she works at nine last night, and her car is still parked out front.”

“Curtis disappeared too, didn’t he?”

“Yeah, he did. We’re going to find her though. I promise. We just have to stay calm.”

“You can be calm. I’m going to panic! This is my sister we’re talking about!” How dare he expect her to be calm? It wasn’t his sister!

Jesse reached out to rub his hands up and down her arms. “I know that. I do. Your mom called the police first thing this morning when she knew Rikki was missing.”

“What about the FBI? The CIA? The National Guard? This is my
sister
!”

“I’m sure the police know the right people to call.” He led her to the couch and pulled her down beside him. “Here’s the deal. I really don’t think he’s going to hurt her. I think he needs her to be healthy enough to call you. You’re what he wants.”

Valerie closed her eyes, nodding. “I know I am.”

“But you’re not going to use yourself as ransom money.” Jesse’s eyes were steady and clear on hers. “I don’t care what he says. You aren’t going.”

Valerie just nodded, knowing if she got the opportunity, she’d do it in a heartbeat. Her sister shouldn’t suffer because Valerie had made bad choices. It wasn’t right. “Will you teach me to shoot?”

He looked at her with surprise. “I thought you didn’t want to learn.”

“I didn’t. Now I do.”

He nodded slowly. “I bought a gun. It’s in my trailer. We can work on shooting tomorrow.” They’d drive off the set to land the production company owned. No one would care if he spent a few hours on Saturday teaching her to shoot.

“Thank you.”

Jesse took Valerie to the spot he’d decided on the following afternoon. Valerie was reminded of how much she hated firearms as soon as she touched the handgun, but she’d do whatever it took. Never again would she feel this defenseless.

They practiced for hours, until she could consistently hold the gun steady as she fired. The whole time Jesse gave her pointers. “If you ever have to shoot a person, aim for the chest, not the head. The head is a smaller target. If you hit the chest, you’ve stopped him.”

Valerie hoped it would never come to that. Shooting at old soda cans was one thing. Shooting at a human being was something else entirely. She didn’t think she’d even be able to shoot an animal. How could she hurt anyone or anything?

Finally, Jesse took the gun from her. “I think that’s enough for today.”

“Do you think I could defend myself?”

He nodded. “I know you could. You’re not going to have to, but you could.”

She didn’t argue with him. She didn’t have to. He could see in her eyes that she wanted to protest that she could take care of herself.

“Let’s drive into Wiggieville for dinner,” he suggested, taking her hand and pulling her toward his car.

“You know, Wiggieville is a very strange name for a town. People around here act like it’s the most normal thing in the world.”

He shrugged. “There’s a little steak house there. Very romantic.”

She stopped walking and turned on him, one eyebrow raised. “Oh? And you know this how?”

“People talk. I’ve been there with some of the crew.”

“Where was I?” She knew she was being difficult. She’d always stayed to herself during shooting, never trusting that Curtis wouldn’t pop out of nowhere. If she was with Jesse when he showed up, she knew she’d suffer for it.

“Why? Jealous?”

“Of course not!” But she was. She knew she was. He’d said he’d loved her and been faithful for four years. He’d better not have been out with anyone else.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as soon as they were in the car. “Well, it was more of a guy night. The directors and some of the crew. And Bob, of course.”

“Of course.” Bob was the only actor on the show who had the same real name as his character. “We can’t forget Bob.”

“No, ma’am, we can’t forget Bob. He keeps turning up like a bad penny.”

She laughed. “Oh, Jesse. I feel so guilty being with you and laughing when Rikki is out there with Curtis somewhere. You really don’t think he’ll hurt her?”

He shook his head. “His ultimate goal is to get you back. He knows if he hurts someone you love, that will never happen.”

“It’s never going to happen anyway. I’m married to you.” She rested her hand on his chest. “I don’t know why he thinks things can go back to the way they were.”

“I don’t either. Just promise me you won’t do something stupid.”

She frowned at him. “Something stupid? Did you really just say that?”

“You know what I mean. I don’t want you to try to be all heroic and go looking for your sister or something.”

“There’s no point, because I have no idea where she’d be.”

“And if you did, you wouldn’t attempt anything stupid. Right?”

“There’s that word again. I don’t think I like it.” She carefully skirted his question, knowing that if there was something she could do to help her sister, she would do it in a heartbeat. “I’d like to start keeping the gun in our trailer. I want to know we have access to it if we need it.”

He didn’t like that but nodded. “I think that might be necessary at this point. You’re not walking ten feet without me.”

“I’m not a possession.” She tilted her head back to look up at him. “I’m stronger than anyone gives me credit for!”

“No, you’re not a possession. You’re the woman I love, and I don’t know what I’d do if you were hurt.”

“I’m fine. Stop worrying.”

He sighed, pulling the car out onto the highway toward Wiggieville. “Let’s go to that steak house.”

She grabbed her purse and looked inside, digging for something.

“What are you looking for?”

“Every time I’ve gone into Wiggieville since we started filming the show, I’ve had at least one request for an autograph. Making sure I’m prepared.”

He shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re still thinking about the fans first.”

“They still pay my bills.”

“Technically, the show’s sponsors pay our bills.”

“We wouldn’t have the sponsors without the fans!”

“All right.” He wasn’t going to argue with her. He really liked her attitude about doing the best thing for the fans. It showed she didn’t take her blessings in life for granted.

“Am I dressed well enough?” She looked down at her jeans and T-shirt. “There’s mud on my pants.”

“So you won’t be the ultra-glamorous star everyone expects you to be. Does that bother you?”

“Not really. I’m human just like anyone else. If they can’t see it, then they need to. I won’t be idolized.”

He grinned. “Not even by me?”

“Nope. Not even by you.” She threaded her fingers through his hand. “I like being your wife.”

“I’m glad, because you’re stuck with me.”

“Like glue.”

They were seated in a quiet corner of the restaurant, and she chose what she wanted before excusing herself to use the restroom. She could see in his eyes he wanted to follow her, but she shook her head. “No way are you going to stand outside the bathroom and wait for me like I’m a child.”

He studied her for a moment as if trying to decide if she would be safe, but he finally nodded. “Hurry.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ll be fine.”

As she was washing her hands before going back to the table, her phone rang in her purse. She grabbed it, her mind immediately on alert. When she looked, she saw it was Rikki. “Rikki. Are you all right?”

“Sure she is,” Curtis responded. “She’s with me. Why wouldn’t she be all right?”

Hearing his voice sent cold chills down her spine. “Curtis, where are you?”

He chuckled. “Worried about your sister? Isn’t it a little late for that?”

“What have you done to her?” Valerie closed her eyes, leaning against the counter in the bathroom. “Is she okay?”

“Sure, she’s fine. For now.”

There was a short silence and then she heard Rikki’s voice. “Valerie, I’m all right. He won’t let me go, though.” Her voice sounded as if she was crying.

“Where are you?”

Curtis responded. “Why would you ask her that? I had her blindfolded when we came in. She has no idea. I’ll tell you though. I’m at the motel at the corner of Main St. and First in Wiggieville. Room one-twenty-two. Come alone, and I’ll let her go.”

“And what will happen to me?”

“You’ll be reminded who you belong to.”

Valerie closed her eyes. “I’ll be there in a minute.” She hurried from the bathroom and out to the car, where she knew Jesse had left the handgun and ammunition. She didn’t think twice as she took the gun from the glovebox and carefully loaded it, pushing the safety on as Jesse had shown her.

Sticking the pistol in the small of her back, she hurried down the street, determined to be the strong this one time. Her sister needed her, and she couldn’t trust Curtis not to hurt her sister if she brought anyone with her.

She walked the block down to the motel Curtis had mentioned, and taking a deep breath, knocked on the door of room one-hundred-twenty-two.

Curtis opened the door, a wide grin on his face. “I knew you’d come back to me.”

“Let Rikki go.”

“How’d you get here so fast?”

“I was having dinner here in town.” Valerie kept her face averted, trying to make him think she was being timid. She didn’t want him to realize she was stronger now, but as she stood there in front of him, hiding her anger, she realized she was. She wasn’t afraid.
She was angry
!

“With
him
?” Curtis grabbed her arm and pulled her into the room, slamming her against the wall.

She ignored the pain where she hit and hurried to her sister whose hands were tied in front of her. “You said you’d let her go.”

Curtis shrugged. “I don’t care about her. Only you.”

She carefully untied her sister’s hands. “Go to the steakhouse. It’s only a block away. Jesse is there. Tell him who you are, and he’ll take care of you.” Valerie carefully kept her voice down as she gave her sister instructions, explaining how to get there. “Tell him I’m all right.”

Rikki nodded, rubbing her wrists. “Thank you for saving me.”

Valerie could tell her sister didn’t want to leave her there, but she’d been a captive for two days. “Go.”

Rikki got off the bed and walked to the door. “Don’t hurt my sister!”

Curtis pushed her out the door and locked it, turning back to Valerie. “Now I want to know why you married him. You belong to me!”

CHAPTER 10

V
alerie’s eyes met Curtis’s for the first time since she’d entered the room. “Because I love him.”

His face turned red with rage. “You’ve loved me for eight years. Don’t lie to me! What did he do to force you to marry him?”

“He didn’t have to force me. I’ve loved him since the moment I set eyes on him.” Well, since she set lips on him, but she didn’t need to tell Curtis that. “I never loved you. I let you control me. That’s something entirely different.” She knew she was making him angrier, but she couldn’t help herself. She needed to tell him the truth.

“Why are you trying to force me to punish you? You know you can’t lie to me that way. Did you do it for the show? For the publicity?”

She shook her head adamantly, her hand going to the small of her back and pulling out the gun, but leaving it out of his sight. She had to be ready. She knew he was going to come toward her at any moment. He wouldn’t be able to resist hitting her for the things she was saying.

She smiled sweetly. “Publicity was the last thing on my mind. Remember how you used to tell me how frigid I was? That I was too cold to ever respond to a man? It wasn’t true. I was only cold with you. Jesse sets me on fire. I married the right man. The
better
man.”

Curtis shook his head, obviously having a hard time believing she was talking to him like that. “No! It’s not true!”

Valerie suddenly felt powerful, more powerful than she’d ever felt with him. “Yes. I love my husband, and I’m so glad I married him.”