Claimed by Her Web Master (Web Master #3) (9 page)

T
he night
before I promised Sophie she could leave I asked her to join me in the tropical garden that was behind the house. The air was filled with the sweet smell of plumeria, and I placed a lei of yellow flowers around Sophie’s neck.

“Thank you, Quentin. These are lovely.” She smiled at me, and for a minute I forgot that there was anything but love and affection between us.

Sophie wandered the garden while I brought out some refreshments for us. Sparkling grape juice for her, and even though I knew I should have just drank that crap with her, I didn’t. Instead I popped a bottle of the real stuff for myself. If I was going to get through this I was going to need a little liquid courage.

I poured us each a glass. Then I gulped mine down and filled my glass again.

“Sophie, from the moment I discovered you were pregnant I have known that I had to get you back. My life was empty and I was miserable without you. But now that there are three of us to consider, I hope that you will reconsider our situation.”

She just stared at me.

I swallowed and continued. “I want our child to have both a mother and a father. Parents who love each other. I grew up without a dad and it sucked. I don’t want the same for my kid. I want him to know his father cares about him. And I hope this weekend has been a reminder to you of how good we can be together—how happy I can make you. Sophie, I want you to be a permanent part of my life.”

Sophie sipped from her glass. “What are you proposing?”

“Marriage, my pet. You. Me. Our child.” I laid my hand on her belly and was grateful when she didn’t push it away.

“But Quentin, what would that look like? You and I live halfway across the country from each other.”

“Whatever you want it to look like. I’ll move to Fort Worth. Or you can move to Seattle. Hell, we can both move wherever we want to. If you want to teach … there are kindergartners everywhere. As for me, as long as I have access to a studio I can compose music anywhere. I’ll need to travel occasionally, but I have to do that now and my schedule is usually flexible.”

Her brow furrowed. She was either considering it, or she was trying to find a way to say no and still escape. After the way I’d behaved, practically kidnapping her and bringing her to this remote location, she probably feared what I would do if she said no.

To ease her mind, I added, “I don’t want to force you, Sophie. I love you. I want you to be my wife, and of your own free will.” Before she could say anything else, I dropped to one knee and took her left hand in mine.

“You’re serious?” Her eyes rounded.

Pulling a small velvet box out of my pocket, I nodded. “I’ve never been more serious, Sophie my love.” Then I opened the box to show her the four-and-a-half carat practically flawless diamond ring.

Her right hand covered her mouth, as if she could somehow contain her admiration of the ring. “Quentin, it’s gorgeous!”

Inwardly I heaved a sigh of relief. I’d done good.

Knowing Sophie had been raised with money and had wealthy friends, I was determined to choose a ring that she’d never have reason to scoff at. She wasn’t superficial, but I hadn’t wanted to give her a single reason to find my proposal lacking. Thank goodness I’d secured a big advance on my next project.

Besides, what the hell else was I going to spend it on? Nothing was more important to me than Sophie and returning her to her rightful place by my side.

“Try it on,” I encouraged.

Quickly, she snatched her hand back, as if I’d suggested she stick it into a campfire.

My gut lurched. “Please.”

Her lips were pursed, and I was afraid she was going to say no right then and destroy every dream I ever had.

“You don’t have to say yes right now. Just let me see if it fits,” I cajoled. It never occurred to me that I might have to actually force that fucking ring on her finger.

Her expression softened slightly. “As long as you realize I can’t say yes right now …”

“Of course. Just let’s see if it fits.” I slipped the ring onto her finger before she had a chance to protest again. It slid on easily, the perfect fit. That didn’t surprise me. I knew every inch of my girl from head to toe. One look at the different size rings in the jeweler’s shop and I knew Sophie’s size. I’d memorized everything about her.

She held her hand out, admiring the ring, letting it catch the light, and I wasn’t certain which sparkled more—my pregnant bride-to-be or the diamond.

I got to my feet and she reached out to embrace me. Taking her in my arms I held her close, pressing her tightly to me. God, I’d missed her so bad. Missed holding her like this. I needed this every day for the rest of my life.

She had to say yes. If she didn’t I wasn’t sure I’d be able to bear it.

T
he last morning
Sophie was with me I woke up with the feeling of dread inside me so strong it threatened to choke me.

Forty-eight hours. I’d given her my word.

When the time was up I had to let her go or risk further compromising the trust between us. I wasn’t sure how I was going to let her go, but I knew I didn’t have a choice.

She looked so beautiful sleeping next to me, and as I watched her, my heart was so full of love for her and my son that it threatened to burst in my chest. As I got up to make some breakfast I noticed the slight curve to her abdomen, and it was all I could do not to place my hand on it, but I didn’t want to wake her. I superstitiously believed the longer she slept the longer I could keep her here.

Downstairs, I scrambled some eggs and I was cooking bacon when she came out of the bedroom wearing a shy look on her face. “Good morning.”

“Morning. I made us some eggs, and I have some pineapple for you.”

“I feel like I might turn into a pineapple.” She giggled. And for a moment it didn’t seem like captor and captive, monster and victim. We seemed like a perfectly normal couple, and that was what I wanted more than anything.

“It’s good for you and the baby. Plus it’s delicious, homegrown.”

We ate without speaking. Just being together was so precious I didn’t want to spoil it with words.

When she got up from the table, I told her I’d call a car for her once she got dressed.

She reached out and covered my hand with hers. “I will stay until after lunch if that’s okay.”

“I’d like that.” It amazed me how happy she could make me just by staying for a few more hours.

After breakfast we played cards. A simple game that had us laughing and playing with each other, and while I’d already known I missed the sex, spending time with Sophie like this made me realize I missed her companionship as well. So we played hand after hand without discussing anything serious. I think we both wanted to ignore the realities of our situation, and simply wanted to enjoy being together.

I longed to talk about the baby—ask her what she wanted to name him, who she hoped he would look like. Tell her what I’d been learning about natural childbirth, home births, and epidurals in addition to the other nuggets of wisdom I had picked up from the pregnancy books I’d been reading nonstop ever since I found out I was to be a father again. But I knew that would only put undue pressure upon her and hurt my case rather than help it. So instead I told her how pretty she looked and willed her not to take off the ring I’d given her.

For lunch I made her a sandwich and watched her eat it with little appetite of my own. I could eat later. Right now the world seemed to revolve around Sophie and the baby she was carrying.

When the car pulled into the driveway I could feel the happiness drain from my body. It felt like when a cloud covers the sun and all of a sudden everything is dark and cold.

I gave her a final hug, holding her tight before I let her go. “Take care of yourself. Take care of the baby.”

“I will. Of course I will. You don’t even need to say.”

“Think about what I’ve said,” I said, my voice trembling.

She nodded. “I won’t be able to think of anything else.”

I glanced around at the house. “And this … I’m sorry about this.” That was all I needed to say.

She gave me a wry smile and got into the waiting car.

I blew her a kiss before going back into the house. I couldn’t watch her drive away. I couldn’t let her see the tears that stung my eyes. Couldn’t let her know how much my life depended on her.

Digging my hands in the pockets of my trousers, I gulped back a wave of emotion as I watched the car leave through the window. My fingers closed around the ring in my pocket. I’d tried to send her away wearing it. I’d hoped she’d get used to it, view it as a symbol of our love and not be able to take it off. Instead, she’d refused, telling me to hold on to it for now.

I’d wanted to argue, to try to persuade her, but I’d already been too aggressive with her so I agreed.

After the car drove out of sight, I poured myself a couple of drinks and downed them before going for a swim in the pool. The environment was truly gorgeous, lush with its deep-green vegetation, orchids, and air plants hanging from the tops of trees. There was even a built-in waterfall that whooshed its refreshing cooling spray above my head.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t enjoy it. All I could think was how much I needed Sophie. Not only here with me now, but cleaved to me as my wife. Forming a family with her was essential. Without that, how could I go on, knowing that somewhere, the most beautiful woman in the world, both inside and out, was raising my child without me? And all because of some misguided manipulation on my part.

Damn, I was an asshole. But I prayed to God that she could forgive me.

I
ducked
down behind the wheel of the rental car. I told myself I’d part ways with Sophie, but that only lasted a few hours. I’d installed a tracking app on her phone so I knew when she was moving or changing locations. The car was parked on one end of the parking lot of Sophie’s hotel. I’d actually been reading a book, not expecting to see her when I noticed from her phone that she was on the move.

Judging from her attire it looked like she was heading out for a hike. There were many natural paths not far from the hotel, and I considered getting out and following her. I was dressed well enough for it, but part of me was beginning to feel desperate and foolish chasing her around like this.

Sophie was a grown woman, and I wasn’t going to be able to
force
her to love me or give me a second chance. As much as I’d like to control her, I realized that was not possible and I didn’t want a wife who didn’t want me even if it did mean that I can be with my son all the time.

I was going to have to accept whatever Sophie decided, and I was probably going to need a lot of therapy to get over her. What the fuck was I doing staking her out? If she found out it would only cement her decision to stay broken up with me.

As I watched the back of her disappear down the lush path, I decided to let her go.

It was time for me to move forward with my life, regardless of what she decided. Either way I would have a son and that would be a blessing. Having Sophie as the mother of my child would be a bonus. And if she allowed me back into her life I would be thrilled, but if she chose not to I would have to come to terms with that.

I turned the car around and drove back to the rented house where I’d held Sophie for two days.

Before I went to bed I poured myself a drink and called Kate, who was still staying at the hotel where the wedding had been held.

“Hi, Kate, it’s Quentin. Hey, I’ve decided to quit monitoring Sophie tonight. She went on a hike earlier, and I opted not to follow her. Can you take over just making sure she’s okay?”

“Sure thing, boss. I’m on it.”

“Thanks, I think we should head back tomorrow.”

“If you say so.” I could hear the disappointment in her voice, but we couldn’t stay in paradise forever. It was time for me to get started on my new music project in earnest. It
was
why they were paying me the big bucks.

Kate and I hung up, and after another drink I fell into a restless sleep.

The next morning I was awakened by my cell phone.

“Hello,” I answered groggily, wondering who the hell would call me at this hour.

“Quentin, I think something is wrong.”

It was Kate. At first I had no idea what she was talking about. “What do you mean?”

“It’s Sophie. I don’t think she’s in the hotel. I don’t think she came back from her walk.”

“What makes you think that? Where do you think she is?”

“I’m not sure, but she doesn’t answer her cell phone or the phone in her room. When I looked for her yesterday I couldn’t find any sign of her, and her cell phone is not tracking.”

A cold feeling of dread washed over me. “I’ll be right there.”

I dressed in record time and practically flew over to the hotel, even though my rental car was probably not built to go over sixty-five miles per hour.

When Kate met me in the lobby, she seemed quite distraught. Her hair was in disarray, and the bags under her eyes told me she hadn’t slept.

“When were you going to tell me this?”

Kate ran her hand through her tousled hair. “I just—I didn’t want to worry you if there was no need, and in the dark I’m not sure what you could have done anyway. I guess I wanted you to get some sleep in case you needed to deal with … In case something was wrong.”

“Are you sure she’s not in her room?”

“Yes.”

“What about the other girls’ rooms?”

“I don’t know, maybe you should ask.”

I went to Sophie’s room and knocked. No answer.

I called Shelby, who was at the hotel. She told me that Bryan left a few hours ago to return to the States for a race, but that she wasn’t going back until tomorrow.

“I haven’t seen her. Bryan and I have been in Maui until this morning. I flew back here to spend another couple of days with the girls. I’ll ask them, but I think the last time I heard she was going on a hike yesterday afternoon. Hey, I didn’t know you were in Hawaii, Quentin. I didn’t see you at the wedding.”

I didn’t have time to explain myself to Shelby, so I asked her to let me know if she found out anything and gave her my number as well as Kate’s.

I grabbed a bottle of water and my fully charged phone before heading out on the trail where I’d seen Sophie the night before. The pit in my stomach ached, and I prayed to God that Sophie was okay.