Caroline's Seduction (Montgomery Family and Friends) (20 page)

“Damn you Wakefield!  This is your fault anyway,” Caroline heard a near hysterical male voice snarl.  “My life has only gotten worse since you took over my company and ousted me.”

Caroline was surprised and then worried when she heard the familiar deep tones of Kyle’s voice answer back.  “You did this to yourself Murphy.  You ran your family business into the ground long before I came along.  If I hadn’t taken it over, someone else would have.  You’re a weak man.  Why else would you target an innocent and defenseless woman and teenager instead of facing me head on?” 

“Like you’re any better?  You hide behind your cooperate lawyers and faceless nameless corporations whose sole purpose is to make a greedy grab for stock shares so you can raid smaller businesses.”

“I wouldn’t be able to make a greedy grab as you so eloquently put it if the company was well run,” Kyle taunted. 

Caroline jammed her fist into her mouth to keep from crying out.  What was he trying to accomplish by making the intruder even angrier?  Obviously the man was unstable.  Why was Kyle feeding his insanity?

“Caroline has nothing to do with my business or the takeover of your former company.  Let’s leave her out of this and settle it between ourselves like men,” Kyle offered.  “We can go somewhere else and discuss the situation.”

“The situation,” the man sneered, “is that you stole my family business, my birthright, right out from under me.”  He banged his large body into Caroline’s bedroom door one more time. “And I’m not going to stop until I get it back!” 

She let out a startled cry when the dresser skidded across the floor another couple of inches.  Now there was a good-sized gap in the doorway.  She could just make out the profile of Kyle standing by the front door and the red mottled angry face of the intruder trying to get to her.  He was madly waving a handgun in one hand as he slammed his body against her door.

Her frightened blue eyes collided with the confident whiskey colored eyes of Kyle.  This man had to be insane and this was the scariest situation she’d ever faced.  It was worse than the attempted kidnapping.  She hadn’t seen a gun then.   She felt the warmth of Kyle’s eyes seep into her and lend her strength.  She knew help was on the way.  Maybe if they stalled him long enough, Cole could sneak up on him and catch him in the act of breaking the law.  He had broken down her front door and he was armed surely that was a major crime.  She recognized the man now and she knew this was definitely the driver of the van during her and Sarah’s attempted kidnapping.  Even if they couldn’t link him in any other way to that incident there should be enough charges from tonight to put him away for a long time, if Cole hurried. 

The intruder flashed the gun Caroline’s way and Kyle instinctively acted.               He threw up his hands in a mock salute of defeat.  “I would be willing to open up negotiations,” Kyle offered, “but not here and not in Caroline’s presence.”  He was desperate to get that man and his gun away from Caroline.

That’s when Caroline realized that Kyle was trying to draw the crazed man’s attention away from her and totally onto him.  She heard footsteps as the man moved away from her bedroom door presumably toward Kyle.

She couldn’t believe he was sacrificing himself for her.  He had no way of knowing she’d called the police and Cole and that help was on its way. She ran back to her phone extension.  The operator was still on the line.  “Please tell the police that the intruder has a gun and that Kyle Wakefield is also in my apartment.”  She dropped the phone and ran back to the crack in the door.  She had to know what was going on.

Both men had their back to her.  Kyle walked out of the apartment first.  She saw that he was carrying her school bag in one hand.  Before she could even question what he was doing with it pandemonium broke out.  Everything happened so fast it was over in a blink of the eye. 

Kyle waited until Steve Murphy was far enough away from Caroline not to put her in any danger.  He tightened his hold on the heavy tote containing several stacks of papers and a couple of thick textbooks.  The tote bag that had been conveniently sitting in the foyer of the apartment and swung!  The heavy bag came crashing down on Murphy’s arm. 

The gunman cried out in pain and the gun clattered to the floor.  They both scrambled for it and Caroline watched in horrified silence as the gun inched its way across the floor as each man made a grab for it.

Suddenly Cole Duncan and two of his deputies appeared in the doorway with their guns drawn.   “Everyone freeze,” Cole ordered. 

Kyle immediately stopped moving and held up his hands in a non-threatening manner and hoped like hell that the sheriff recognized him.  Steve Murphy who had nothing to lose scrambled the last few inches to the gun.

Caroline felt all the blood leave her face and the edges of her peripheral vision were turning black.  She screamed when Murphy turned the gun toward Kyle.  That forced the gunman’s attention to her.

Kyle saw red!  At that moment the thought of letting Cole and the other lawmen do their job didn’t even cross his mind.  He just wanted Caroline safe.  Before his former business rival could aim that deadly gun at Caroline, Kyle charged him.  He’d been a linebacker in college after all.  It may have been a few years, but he still knew how to take a man out of the game. 

Caroline stood by helplessly while Kyle charged and then tackled the armed intruder.  They both hit the floor with a loud thud.  She was relieved to see that Cole and his men moved in immediately to take control of the situation.  Caroline forgot all about the anger and resentment she’d been harboring for Kyle over the years.    Her one instinct was to be by his side and in his arms.  She shoved aside the partially dislodged dresser with a strength she didn’t even know existed.  She rushed to Kyle and without a second thought threw herself into his arms.  She hugged him as close to her as she was able.  “I can’t believe you did that!  I was so scared you were gong to be shot.”  She pulled away from him far enough so she could poke him in the chest with her finger.  Then she used her best teacher voice to scold Kyle.  “You better not ever scare me like that again!  I almost fainted from the fear.  I lived without you for four years and I don’t want to ever have to live without you again.”

Kyle swung her up in his arms and kissed her for all he was worth.  She wasn’t the only one that had been scared.  He hadn’t been scared for himself however, just Caroline.  He hadn’t given any thought to his own life or the danger in taking down a man with a gun.  His only instinct had been to keep Caroline safe.  He most definitely loved her and he was going to make sure she knew it, starting now. 

Cole had the gunman in handcuffs and was leading him out the door.  “You might want to hang up with the 911 dispatcher now,” he smiled fondly at Caroline.  I have enough evidence to hold this piece of work in county lockup, but I would appreciate it if you and Mr. Wakefield came by the station first thing tomorrow morning to give your statements.  I’ll also send over a deputy right away to board up the front door.”

Kyle shook hands with Cole.  “Thank you sheriff and I appreciate your consideration.  Caroline and I do need some time together.  If you need us for any reason we’ll be at my house.”

Caroline watched Cole look Kyle over as if sizing him up.  He must have approved of what he saw because he nodded and walked out with his prisoner without another word.

“Oh my gosh,” Caroline struggled to get out of Kyle’s hold.  “Put me down!  I need to let the lady on the phone know everything is all right.  When she felt her feet touch the floor, Caroline ran back into the bedroom and snatched up the phone.  “Sorry I didn’t stay on the extension with you.  The sheriff and his men just left.  They arrested the intruder and are headed to county lockup I believe I heard him say.” 

“Thank goodness for that,” the dispatcher stated.  “I’ve been on this job for twelve years and this is the most excitement I’ve ever had.  Not too much happens in this county you know.”

Caroline said goodbye and disconnected the call.  Kyle was standing next to her.  Now that the danger had passed and she was returning to normal she was strained and nervous in his presence.   “Maybe you should just go home and check on Sarah.  Now that the mastermind behind the kidnapping attempt is in custody I should be safe.  I’ll stay with Abigail and Mason until my apartment door can be fixed.” 

She was giving him an out and he knew it.  The trouble was he didn’t want that out.  He wanted Caroline.  “No you won’t,” he insisted as he slowly closed the distance between them and took her in his arms.  “You’re going back to the rental house with me.  It’s not just Sarah’s home and mine.  It’s your home too.”  He tenderly covered her lips with his and kissed her until he was able to coax a response from Caroline.  When she freely opened her mouth to welcome his possession he deepened the kiss and staked his claim.  He poured every ounce of passion, need, and love he possessed into that kiss.  When he was finished and they both badly needed to draw in a breath he reluctantly lifted his mouth from hers. 

Caroline trembled in his embrace.  “I love you Kyle, but….”

He gently placed a finger over her lips which were swollen from his kiss.  “No buts, we love each other.  This time it will work Caroline.  We are both different people now.  I have finally worked through and gotten over the bitterness I held inside from my divorce.”  He placed one hand over his heart and another over hers.  “I trust what we have Caroline, and I trust you.  I hope that you can do the same for me.”

The front door was still hanging on its hinges and the cold night air was beginning to seep into the room.  He rubbed both her arms with his hands as if trying to warm her.  In reality he just had to touch her, but he was scared right now that she would reject another embrace.  He waited a second and then tilted her chin so that they were looking into each other’s eyes.  “I know about the miscarriage, Caroline.”

She gasped and twisted to get out of his arms.  “After all this time, how did you find out?”  Then she remembered the box.  She had been so upset that in her haste to leave his house she’d left the box and all its contents behind.  She couldn’t look at Kyle.  She focused instead on a spot over his shoulder.

“I’m sorry I wouldn’t listen to you, and I’m really sorry you lost the baby.  It must have been hell for you and you were all alone.  For that I will always be sorry.  I just hope that you still love me as much as I love you and we can build on our future together as a family.”

Caroline felt her heart lighten at the words Kyle was speaking.  She let out a tiny startled gasp when she suddenly found herself floating.  Kyle had lifted her into his arms again.  She barely managed to grab her purse as he quickly strode toward the front door and out of the apartment.

The ride to his house was accomplished in silence.  Both of them had a lot on their minds and they needed time to process and work through their thoughts and feelings.  He drove with his left hand because the fingers of his right hand were firmly entwined with the fingers on Caroline’s left hand and he refused to let go, not this time.

“We’re home,” Kyle announced when they were parked in the garage.  He sealed the promise with a kiss, a soft touch of the lips meant to reassure not necessarily evoke passion.  “Sarah was worried sick about you. Let’s go in and fill her in on what happened and let her know that you both are finally safe.”

Even though it was his suggestion to go inside, he was reluctant to break contact.  He kissed her lightly on the forehead.  Then he rushed around to the passenger side of the car and opened the door for her.  As soon as she stepped out of the car he lifted her into his arms once again.  This time she didn’t gasp.  She was getting used to being picked up and carried by Kyle.  If she were truthful, she’d admit she liked it.  She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and snuggled into his body.  “I am capable of walking you know,” she informed him.

“I know,” he replied, “but I need the practice.”  He opened the door and walked into the laundry room then the family room.  His daughter jumped off the couch and ran toward them as soon as they entered her line of vision.

“Caroline, I was so worried about you.”

She twisted to get out of Kyle’s arms, but Kyle only tightened his grip.  She gave up and relaxed into his solid warmth.  “I’m fine honey,” she promised the girl.  “I have my memory back and Sheriff Duncan arrested the man behind our attempted kidnapping too.  Everything should be back to normal, soon.”

Kyle cleared his throat.  “I have a feeling nothing is ever going to be normal around here again.”  He looked down at Caroline.  “Valentines Day is in two weeks and I want you to be my Valentine Bride!  Caroline Johnson, will you marry me?”

Caroline felt all the pain and mistrust she’d been storing for four years splinter apart and then melt away into nothing.  She tightened the arms she had wrapped around his neck and pulled him to her for a scorching kiss.  When she pulled away he slowly lowered her down his body.

“I take that as a definite yes,” he teased. 

“Yes,” Caroline shouted before throwing her arms around his sculpted middle and hugging him close.  “I love you Kyle Wakefield and I can’t wait for us to finally be a family!”  They separated long enough to bring Sarah into their embrace.

Epilogue

Caroline took a deep breath and let it out in the form of a contented sigh.   The past few months had been a wild rollercoaster ride for her emotions.  First there was the sudden and unexpected appearance of Kyle.  Then there was her fight to maintain a physical and emotional distance from the man who had once crushed her heart, the attempted kidnapping, her amnesia, Kyle’s relentless seduction, the return of her memory, and now finally after everything else her happy ending. 

She watched Kyle walk toward her with a glass of champagne.  She took the offered glance and took a small sip.  “Thank you Mr. Wakefield.”

“You’re welcome Mrs. Wakefield.”

Caroline felt the thrill of those words all the way down to her toes.  She knew she’d never get tired of that name, and she’d never get tired of being married to Kyle.  Careful of the glass of champagne she was still holding she wrapped her arms around his neck and offered her lips for a kiss.   She closed her eyes and gloried in the feel of his lips brushing across hers.