Captive at Christmas (16 page)

“Mhmm. But of course, I never believed her. I always thought my dad would be this dashing hero, saving the world by eliminating one evil bastard at a time.” Silent for a moment, she then continued, saying, “Looks like she was right and I was wrong.”

Mac stared at the fourteen year old incredulously, wondering where she worked up the audacity to make such a claim. No doubt her mother had a hand in that, especially where
he
was concerned.

“You
are
a real prick, you know that? I mean, you tell me this incredible story about a woman who, not only pretty much told you that she’d give up her entire world just to be with you, but that she loves the hell out of you too…and how do you repay her?”

“Careful,” he warned. Mac’s fingers began to tremor, the telltale sign that he was seconds away from losing control.

“Jesus, I can’t believe you’d do it a second time! Or perhaps you make a habit of loving and leaving women, all over the world. I wonder how many other siblings I might have floating around out there.”

“Kayla! That is
enough
!” He pulled the vehicle over, tore off his seatbelt and threw open the door, storming off into the snow.

“You think running away is the answer to all of life’s problems, don’t you?” she called after him. “Maybe that’s all you know how to do, but it’s like you don’t even want to
try
and change. You can’t keep running forever, you know! At some point, you’ve got to grow up, suck it up and be a man!”

Stopping in his tracks, Mackenzie turned around to face his daughter who was proving to be just as stubborn as him. If looks could kill, he’d be a dead man right about now. Her shoulder-length hair whipped in the biting wind, though she didn’t let it get to her. And in that moment, he knew that she was right.

After taking a deep breath, he swallowed his pride and did away with the distance between them. “What would you have me do?”

Kayla regarded him, sticking out her chin in defiance before she spoke. “You said that Hannah is pretty much in love with you and from the way you talk about her, I can tell that you feel the same. Even if you don’t want to admit it to yourself. For once in your miserable life, do the right thing, Mac. So, let’s go get her.”

“Just like that?” He stood with his hands out, palms facing the heavens. “Just head on up to Vancouver, appear at her house and say ‘Oh hey, remember me? That guy who held you hostage, took a piece of your heart that you can never get back, made you love me, and then ran off before you woke up?’ Yeah, that’ll work.”

Making a face like she was going to be sick, Kayla rolled her eyes and shook her head laughing. She had that look, just like the one Mac got before he came up with some crazy, messed-up plan. Whatever plan they came up with could go one of two ways. Either Hannah would forgive him and let him spend the rest of his life making it up to her, or she’d tell him where to go, effectively crushing what was left of his heart and soul.

Just like I must have done to her.

“No, you most definitely do
not
say anything even remotely close to that. But the surprise visit sounds like a step in the right direction.” Kayla shivered in the cold breeze. “Can we get back into your vehicle? I’ll tell you the plan when I come up with it. I’m quite good at thinking up schemes like this.”

“You know,” he mused, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder, “I think you and I will get along just fine.”

She beamed, hiding behind her raven hair and climbed into the passenger seat at the same time he got into the driver’s side, closed the door and clipped her belt. While he drove the rest of the way home, Kayla gnawed on the inside of her cheek – another trait she seemed to have inherited from him – as she thought. Strange as it was to have his own kid here, Mac felt an odd sense of peace surrounding him. Until his thoughts strayed back to Hannah. Then his chest ached.

A few hours later, he pulled up at the house and Kayla gasped in amazement. Any other day, he might have been proud of the home he built, but all Mac could think about was Hannah. Christ he missed her. Why did he leave? He could have told her that he’d be back to get her after taking care of Aaron. That didn’t matter now though. Together, he and Kayla would come up with a plan and he’d do whatever it took to get Hannah back.

“This place is amazing. A little remote, but amazing.”

Grinning, he took Kayla’s luggage from the trunk and led her to the front door. “Yeah, I guess it isn’t the best place for a teenaged girl. Although, if this plan we come up with works to win Hannah over, we’ll probably have to move up to Vancouver. Unlike me, she’s got a business and a foundation to run there and I wouldn’t want her to give either of them up.”

“Brilliant. Vancouver isn’t…well, in the middle of bloody nowhere like this place,” she admitted shyly.

Christ, he’d never heard a kid talk like that before. “Uh, did your mom let you say things like ‘bloody’?”

Kayla stared at him, expressionless, probably attempting to read him. “You’re kidding, right? That’s just the way we talk. I thought mum said you spent some time in Britain.”

“I did, almost eighteen months.” Fifteen years ago…

“Then surely you must’ve heard
someone
using the word. Come on,
bloody hell
is practically a British-isim!”

“Yeah, your mom said it all the time–”
Ah, I just went ahead and answered my own question
, he sighed. Viv was known for her ‘bloody this’ and ‘bloody that’. Kayla no doubt picked it up from her or school, or anywhere on the street…or television.

Christ.

Mac shoved his hand through his hair. He’d have to watch his own language now too. Wouldn’t want her starting school and coming out with one of his phrases.

Need to cut down on the ‘f’ word too
, Mac chuckled, recalling Hannah’s surprise at his use of the term on their first meeting.

Pressing his hand to his heart, he tried to stave off the feeling of panic and dread at her name. Damn, why had he left? He could shoot himself in the foot for that…

Never mind.

Soon enough, he’d be in front of her, down on his knee while he begged her to forgive him, to take him, damaged as
he
was. Hopefully Kayla’s plan would be good enough. If not, he’d damn well crawl over broken glass on his hands and knees, do anything she requested, go anywhere she told him to, just for her to let him be a part of her life.

Two Months Later

Hopefully this fundraiser won’t take all night
, Hannah sighed, taking another sip of water.

Her back ached and she felt nauseous. The only thing she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for days, allowing her heart to continue the healing process after it had been fractured into a thousand pieces.

But obligations kept her going, even when she tried to give up. Thank God for Allyson and the foundation they ran together.

“Ms. Magnus? We’re all ready to begin the final walkthrough.”

Hannah turned to see Jarrod, Tess’ boyfriend and a volunteer, standing next to a very tall and very famous actor. Nikolas Halldorsen was tall, a few inches shorter than Mac. His slender frame was well muscled and auburn hair had the beginnings of grey near the temples. His pale blue eyes seemed to gaze directly into her soul. And although she found him incredibly attractive, Hannah continued to compare the man to Mackenzie. But no man could ever truly compare to him.

She smoothed the front of her dress and met them near the stage for a final walkthrough before the event. “Mr. Halldorsen, I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am that you agreed to take part in this celebrity auction.”

Nikolas grinned, taking her right hand in both of his large warm ones. “The pleasure is all mine, I assure you, Ms. Magnus.” His voice still carried a hint of his Norwegian heritage. “Tell me,” he asked in his mother tongue, “would it be too forward to ask you to join me for a drink before the auction?”

In spite of her unsettled stomach, Hannah smiled. How long had it been since she got the opportunity to speak Norwegian with anyone? Not since Erik… Her smile faltered. And her mind went back to Mackenzie again.

“If I have time, I-I would like that very much.” Turning to Jarrod, she spoke in English. “Please escort Mr. Halldorsen back stage while I locate Allyson.”

Exerting herself in an effort to make it to a proper receptacle in time, Hannah all but ran from them and located one of three small powder rooms on the lower level of the building. The meagre piece of toast with honey she choked down a few hours earlier came up, along with all of the water she drank.

Darn. She must have caught the flu in her exhausted state.

Great. Just great. What else can go wrong?

Rinsing out her mouth and drying off, Hannah then straightened out her appearance and left the bathroom. Destination; wherever Allyson was hiding.

She found her at the bar with her daughter, both women toasting with glasses of champagne. They offered her a flute, but Hannah declined.

“What’s the matter?” Allyson pressed her palm to Hannah’s forehead. “You feel warm. Perhaps you should see your doctor in the morning.”

Hannah shook her head, accepting a bottle of water from the man behind the bar. “It’s probably nothing. I’ll spend a day in bed and be just fine.”

The older woman offered a skeptical glance, then shrugged. “If you say so. Shall we make our way to the dining room to do a final run-through for this auction?”

The Norwegian actor’s face popped into her head, immediately replaced by Mac’s.

Great. Just flipping great.

Hannah followed the other women, attempting and failing to put a stop to the growing ache in her chest. Her feelings for Mackenzie just wouldn’t fade. No matter how she tried to keep them from taking over her entire being.

“Did you have a chance to speak with the Norwegian man who was looking for you?”

Hannah eyes Allyson suspiciously. “I did.”

“Oh.” The older woman nibbled on her lower lip. Her daughter chuckled. “What did he say?”

Sighing, she replied, “Why do I get the feeling you already know?”

Allyson merely smiled.

A few hours later, she couldn’t seem to keep her eyes in focus. Maybe she really did need to see her doctor, like Allyson suggested. First thing in the morning, Hannah told herself as her eyes scanned the nearly empty dining room. Everyone would have moved to the ballroom.

Why hadn’t she seen the procession of people as they left?

How had she missed the entire auction?

One of the waiters carried in a display case holding informational brochures and deposited it on a table. “Jarrod. That needs to…uh…near the door…people will take…something…they…” She tried to get a proper sentence out and failed. It was as if her brain just stopped functioning.

“You okay, Ms. Magnus?” The young waiter knelt beside her chair, holding his hand to her forehead. “Jeez, you’re burning up. Wait here, I’ll go get Mrs. Fournier.”

It felt like the room started spinning. The chair was suddenly too small. Nearly drenched in sweat, she tried to push herself up and get to a door but her hands kept missing the table.

What the hell is going on?

Then she saw it.

The beautiful mirage, walking towards her from the front entry. Tall, dressed in a tuxedo and looking just as gorgeous as she remembered. Ice-grey eyes full of concern swept over her body, as if searching for an explanation for her current condition.

Hell, if she knew, she wouldn’t be sitting here feeling like her body might burst into flames at any second.

“Hannah, sweetheart, are you alright?” His warm hand touched her cheek and she sighed, loosing herself in the hallucination.

“Mac… I wisssh you wwwere reallly hhhere.”

What’s wrong with my voice?

Tears rolled down her face as her vision blurred.

“Baby, I
am
here. What’s wrong?” To someone behind him, Mac asked, “What’s happened? Why is she slurring?”

“I-I don’t know, she hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol today,” a familiar female voice replied. “Hannah, should I call…”