Branded (24 page)

She met Mary’s gaze, and they both realized
whoever got the gun first would win this round.

Nicole slammed an elbow into the growing red spot
on Mary’s leg.

“Bitch,” Mary yelled as Nicole wrenched from her
grasp, sliding down a couple of stairs, snatching the gun on her way.

She reacted without thinking and pointed it at Mary. 
Terror rumbled through her as she tried to keep the weapon steady.  “Don’t
move.”  She got to her feet, and backed down several more stairs in order to
put a safer distance between them.

She gave Xander a quick glance, finding him also
on the floor, crimson blood staining his gray shirt.  She needed to help him.

Before she could do anything, the sound of sirens
ripped through the night.  Within seconds, the scene was flooded with officers,
two checking Xander and Mary, another disarming her weapon and asking her name.
 

“There’s another man in my apartment.  Mary shot
him.  Apartment twenty-two.  He might already be dead.”

The policeman nodded to another coming up the
stairs.  “Gunshot victim in apartment twenty-two.”  The second cop rushed up
the next flight of stairs, calling for medical assistance as he went.

Nicole tried to explain to the officer what had
happened, but he cut her off and read her rights before leading her down the
stairs.  She caught a glimpse of Xander between the two EMTs who worked on
him.  His face was pale, but his eyes were open.

She held his gaze as she passed, trying to convey
what she felt, but she wasn’t sure he was coherent enough to realize what was
taking place around him.

Then the officer forced her out the door and into
the drizzling night.  Xander’s Corvette was parked outside, and Apollo
continuously barked at the commotion.

Janie’s bewildered boyfriend arrived just as the
officer led her to his car.  He widened his eyes when he spotted her in
handcuffs.

“Paul,” Nicole called to him.  “Please take Apollo
inside.  Janie will watch him.  Have her get Stormy, too.”  She hated asking
him for a favor, knowing his true nature, but there was no one else.

He nodded, still looking a little shocked.  But
she saw him lead Apollo toward the building as the officer put her in the back
of his car.  At least the dogs would be okay.

She prayed Xander would.

*        *       *

Once again, Nicole sat in the small interrogation
room far more afraid than she had been the first go round.  This time, direct evidence
connected her to a crime, even if it wasn’t the ten million from First
Freedom.  Worse, it was most likely blood money.  Money her father had stolen
from Xander’s dad.  Money that could have cost her aunt her life.  Money that
would certainly cost her Xander’s love if not her freedom.

A chill hovered in the air, and she wished she had
a jacket to keep her warm.

After nearly an hour, the door opened, and
Detective Holden walked in, his jacket and ball cap still wet from the rain.

“How is Xander?”

“Mr. Secrist is in surgery at the moment, having a
bullet removed.”  He took a seat across from her.

Tears burned behind her eyes.  “Will they let you
know when he’s out of surgery and if he’s okay?”  He had to be fine.  There was
no alternative.

“I’m certain someone from the hospital will call
the precinct.  We would like to question Mr. Secrist at the first possible
moment.”  He assessed her with intense brown eyes.  “For now, I’d like you to
tell me what your relationship is with him.”

She inhaled, trying to stay calm.  How did she say
in words how much she loved him?  “We dated.”

“Lovers?”  The detective arched a brow.

“Yes,” she whispered.  And now Xander was in the
hospital.

He made a note on his paper before turning his
gaze to her.  “What about Riley Holmes?”

She gasped, horrified that she’d been so concerned
with Xander and herself that she’d forgotten to ask about him.  “Oh God.  Is he
okay?”

“We’re not sure if he’ll pull through, but he’s
alive for now.  He should be dead with all the blood he lost.”

“He didn’t deserve to get hurt like that.  Xander,
either.  They were both trying to help me.”

Detective Holden narrowed his gaze.  “Would you
care to expand on that?”

Nicole spent the next fifteen minutes recounting
everything she knew about what had transpired, interspersed with the officer’s intense
questioning.  They ended with the blood money attached to her name.

“Apparently there’s an offshore account in
Singapore with sixteen million dollars that has my name on it.  I just found
out about it today.  I guess my aunt was aware of its existence, but she never
said a word.”  With the exception of Stormy, she’d basically lost everyone she
loved that night.

“I’m aware of the account.”

“You are?  Then why are you questioning me about
it?”

“I need your side of the story.  Is part of it
First Freedom’s ten million?”

“I don’t think so.  I think it’s money my father
took before he died.  Possibly some of it belongs to Xander’s family.  I’m
really not sure.”

He nodded.

“I think Mary or the man she works for has First
Freedom’s money.  At least that’s what she said to me.”  Nicole released a pent
up breath and met his gaze square on.  “Detective Holden.  I know how this
looks.”

“How’s that?”

“Like I’m guilty.  Like I had something to do with
the theft, with Xander and Riley getting shot.  But I have proof.  On that
video.  There’s someone there with me.  I think it’s the real thief.”

“I’m aware of the second person.  We’re currently
investigating that aspect.”  He dropped his pen and leaned forward on the
desk.  “Ms. Camden, to be honest, I was certain you were involved.  But…Mary
broke and gave her confession in exchange for leniency.  She’s willing to
testify against Georgio Donati, and quite frankly, he’s a much bigger fish.  If
what she says is true, you are another victim in this case.”

She stared at him a moment, replaying his words,
wondering if she’d heard incorrectly.  “You believe me?”

“It appears you’re telling the truth.  We still
have more investigating to do.  We’ll definitely be chasing down the information
Mary gave us.  I’ll need to talk to your aunt and Xander.  We’re waiting on
more details from Singapore, which it appears we may get.  If the account is in
your name, and we have your cooperation, it should speed things up.”

“Oh my God.”  She couldn’t believe it.  “So, I’m
free to go?”

“You can leave.”  He stood.  “The building, but not
the city, if you don’t mind.”

She tried to laugh at his attempt at humor, but
failed.  She stood, her legs still weak and shaky.

“Do you have a phone so I can call a cab?”  She
hoped she could find a cabbie willing to wait for her to retrieve her wallet
from her apartment since she hadn’t brought it with her.

“I can have an officer drop you home.  Your
neighbor is here as well.  Janie.  She came downtown to make a statement.  If
you’d like, you can ride home together.”

“Janie’s here?”  She couldn’t wait to hug her
friend.

Detective Holden led Nicole to the waiting room
out front where Janie sat alone in a row of chairs.  The moment she spied
Nicole, she hurried toward her, throwing her arms around her.

Nicole responded with a fierce hug. 

“Thank God you’re okay.”

“Officer Helberg is waiting out front when you’re
ready,” Detective Holden interjected.

Janie released her and turned to the handsome
officer, holding out a hand to shake.  “Thank you so much, detective.  Things
would have turned out very differently if you and your men hadn’t shown up.”

The officer took her hand in his, an interested
smile spreading over her lips.  “My pleasure, Janie.”

Nicole lifted a brow, surprised at the obvious
attraction sparking between the two.  She waited until they finished their
short exchange, and then she and Janie headed for the exit.

“Did I miss something?” Nicole asked as they
headed for the police cruiser waiting for them.

“No,” Janie replied a little too quickly.

“You two seemed awfully friendly.”

She shook her head.  “He’s just doing his job. 
Besides, you already know I have one man too many.”

Talk of her loser boyfriend reminded Nicole of the
dogs.  “Did Paul get Stormy and Apollo?”

“They’re safe at my house.”

“Thank God.”  If only she could say the same for
Xander.

*        *        *

Nicole leashed up Stormy and Apollo, preparing
them for their last walk of the night.  It had been over a week since the
shooting, and Xander had not come to claim his dog.  He’d been released from
the hospital, so it wasn’t that.  Maybe he didn’t love Apollo like she’d
thought.  Maybe he’d never loved her, either.

The first four days after their horrific event, Nicole
had tried repeatedly to see Xander in the hospital, only to be chased away by
some intimidating men telling her in no uncertain terms he wasn’t up for
visitors.  The men included the unfriendly guy she’d seen at Xander’s office
and Christian who had been willing to give her a job, but now met her with a
cold stare.  When she tried again on the fifth day, she ran into Detective
Holden who’d informed her that Xander knew she’d visited, and he’d get his dog
from her as soon as possible.

She’d walked away feeling like the worst person
ever.  If her father hadn’t destroyed his dad, they would have never met. 
Xander wouldn’t have a hole in him from trying to protect her.

There was a small part of her that was angry for
the way he’d implanted himself in her life, but the love she felt for him far
outweighed her anger. 

She’d thought no one would be able to convince her
he didn’t love her, but she was starting to falter.  He’d told her he loved her
when he’d thought she was asleep, and she was sure she’d felt it in her heart. 
But it seemed they’d both been caught in a web that had been woven by their
fathers, and who knew what the final damage would be?

She’d prayed they’d find each other now that they’d
disentangled themselves.

But he’d been out of the hospital several days,
and she hadn’t heard from him.  Maybe it
had
all been about revenge, and
he didn’t want her or Apollo.

She let the dogs lead her down the stairs of her
apartment, memories of that night fresh enough to nauseate her as she passed
the spot where Xander had been shot.  The dogs tried to pause and sniff, but
she forced them on their way.  She’d had a heck of a time in her apartment when
Riley had been.  The cleaning company had done a good job removing visual
traces, but there were some things no amount of cleaner could erase.

At least Riley had pulled through.  She still
visited him in the hospital daily, but he’d be going home soon.  She had yet to
face her aunt.  She’d insisted she needed time, and that was the least the
woman could do.

A cool breeze hit her face when she opened the
door to the outside.  She headed down the sidewalk toward the park trying to
keep her waning hope alive.

Not many people out tonight.  Only a white sedan
and a little black Focus in the parking lot.  She wasn’t afraid, though.  The
park was well lit, and no one would bother her with Stormy and Apollo in hand.

She started down the first stretch of sidewalk,
stopping to let Apollo take care of business.  She used the plastic doggie bag
to clean it and tossed it in the nearby trash can.

“Cute puppy,” a deep voice said from behind,
nearly stopping her heart.

She couldn’t turn, afraid it would only be someone
who sounded like Xander.  Apollo tugged on his leash, furiously wagging his
tail.

“Are you not going to forgive me, then?” he asked.

She dropped her gaze before turning, looking at
his feet first before trusting her eyes enough to raise them.  “Xander,” she
whispered when her gaze met his.  Tears sprang to her eyes to see him alive and
looking so damn good.  “Are you okay?”

He shrugged.  “That depends on you.  I can heal
from a gunshot wound.  Not so sure I can lose you.”

“Oh God.”  She slammed herself against him, earning
a groan from him, as she hugged him as tightly as she could.  “I can’t lose
you, either.”

They held each other as the dogs barked and danced
around them, wanting to join in.

After a long while, she leaned back, looking at
his beautiful eyes.  There was no mistaking they had some distance to erase
between them.  “What are we going to do?  Between our two families, there’s
been a lot of hurt and deceit, lies and pain.”  But she knew they could make it
if he would agree.

“True.  I guess it’s up to us to fix it.”

She nodded.  “I’d like that.  We can do what they
couldn’t.  Let’s make what we’ve been through count for something.”

He kissed her until every inch of her turned to
molten love.  “Thanks for taking care of Apollo.  I knew he was safe with you.”

“I wanted to see you in the hospital.  I tried. 
Those guys wouldn’t let me.”

“I know.  They’re a little overprotective.”

“Who are they?  Not brothers?”  They’d been too
close in age and were too dissimilar in looks.

“Brothers of a sort.  I’ll fill you in later. 
Right now, I’d like to take you home with me.  Permanently, if that’s okay with
you.”

She widened her eyes.  “Oh, Xander.  I’d love
that.  I didn’t know how I could stay another day in that building where you
were shot.  If I had a job, I would have left already.”

“Yeah.  I’m not too fond of the place, either.”

“I still don’t know how you knew I was in danger. 
Janie called the police.”  She narrowed her gaze.  “But you’re not an officer. 
And how did you find out about the offshore account?  I didn’t even know about
it.”  She tilted her head from side to side as though that would help her sort
through things. “Although Aunt Claire did.”