Exposing the Heiress (14 page)

“That you’re helping me see myself as more than a killer.” He held his hands out in front of her. “My hands can create beauty again.”

Lyssie linked her fingers with his.

“I don’t know if it’s enough. Last night when those motorcycles got too close to you, I tossed you behind me and my first instinct was to reach for my gun. I was pissed, enraged, not cold like I normally am when I go into sniper mode, but hot.” With her in his arms, this was easier to talk about.

She squeezed his hands.

“When this is over and things settle down—”

She craned her head up. “Hunt, this is my life. That stuff last night? It’s not usually so dramatic, but this is who I am. You keep worrying that I can’t handle your secret. The thing that tortures you with some kind of guilt.” Unlinking their hands, she turned and faced him. Her eyes blazed with a heart-stopping combination of strength and vulnerability. “What I worry is that you can’t handle this. My real life.”

Hell. He opened his mouth when the doorbell rang.

“Speaking of my real life, that’s Maxine. I promised I’d tell her about Eli.”

…

Dragon Wing Productions’ office was quiet and empty on Sunday morning. Alyssa felt strange being there after walking out nearly a month ago. So much had changed, and now she was back, heading through the parking garage to the private elevator on her slightly stiff knee with Hunt, Detective Ryan Zahn and a couple young uniforms, one of whom had a video camera.
Surreal.
Once inside the elevator, she blurted out, “The media followed us. Nate’s going to know we’re here.”

The detective shrugged. “You’re half owner of the company, you’ve given us permission to search. If Mr. Madden shows up, he’s welcome to cooperate and answer questions.”

Alyssa would think the man was callous and bored, except for the glint of determination in his light brown eyes. The same detective that investigated Nate’s mother’s fall had always believed Nate had something to do with it. Tami Nash had gone to him, formally recanting her alibi for Nate. She turned over all the pictures and evidence she had that showed Nate used her younger sister to blackmail her into silence. Detective Zahn was determined to build a case. Alyssa had also told him everything that had happened with her and Nate. They just needed some evidence linking Nate.

Hunt took her hand in his. “Cooper is watching Madden too.”

Right. Okay. They had no way of knowing if Nate knew Tami had gone to the police so Hunt’s boss, Adam, was protecting her and her sister. If they found some evidence today, then this could end soon.

The doors opened with a soft swish to the round reception area with the Dragon Wing logo on soft gray-lavender walls, and elegant couches and chairs around a sleek coffee table on a carpet.

The detective stopped at another wall with a life-sized framed screen shot of a scene from her mother’s movie
Cry for Melissa
. “She was beautiful and talented.”

Alyssa paused as the familiar wave of grief and nostalgia washed over her. “And a great mom,” she added softly. Just like Alyssa was determined to be. She hadn’t told Hunt yet. The thought of it caused her stomach to cramp with anxiety, but she would tell him once she confirmed it with her doctor this week and things calmed down. Staring up into her mom’s eyes, she knew she was ready and strong enough this time to be this child’s mom.

Hunt squeezed her hand.

The detective turned to face her. “She died too young in a tragic accident, but what happened to Madden’s mother wasn’t an accident. That case has dogged me for four years. I knew that cocky SOB had come into the house the night before.” He grimaced. “The neighbor told us Lorelei always bought this fancy water that came in four-packs for him. She’d just gone shopping that day. We found the grocery receipt and sure enough, she’d bought it that day, but one of the waters was missing from the four-pack in her fridge. The empty wasn’t in any of her trash cans or anywhere in the house. That drove me out of my mind. I knew Madden had been there, that he’d pushed his mother down the stairs, grabbed a water and left her to die. I didn’t have enough evidence, and his girlfriend at the time, Miss Nash, wouldn’t crack on the alibi.” The man’s jaw flexed. “Then Madden collected the life insurance money and lived the high life. The next thing I know, he’s dating you. Thought he was smart and untouchable.”

“Tami didn’t know what Nate was going to do before he left, right?”

He shook his head. “Madden told her he was going out to grab some food for breakfast. When he returned, he told her if the police ever asked, he was there all night, that they’d watched a movie until eleven thirty and went to sleep. The next morning when the police came, she began to put it together. Later she asked him where he’d really been.”

She almost didn’t want to ask. Hunt stood quietly by her, holding her hand, the other two officers standing back a few feet. “What did he say?”

“That he took care of a problem. Then he warned Miss Nash not to become a problem.”

A shudder wracked her shoulders. “That’s what he said to me, right there in that elevator. ‘I eliminate problems. Don’t be a problem, Alyssa.’”

Hunt put his arm around her shoulders, his solid warmth calming her. She thought of that sculpture of her that Hunt was working on, the one where he called her fierce. Time to be fierce. “Let’s see what we can do about eliminating Nate’s freedom. This way.” She led the men down the hallway, passing her stepfather’s office and coming to Nate’s. She used her master keycard to lead them inside.

One of the officers began videotaping as the detective said, “Miss Brooks, do you give us permission to search the office of Mr. Nate Madden, vice president of business and legal affairs at Dragon Wing Productions?”

“Yes.”

After quickly showing them around, Hunt took her arm. “Lyssie, come sit down.” He led her to the leather couch in the reception area of Nate’s office.

“I’m fine.”

Tugging her down next to him, he said, “The doctor told you to take it easy on your knee for a week or so.”

Okay, she had to admit it didn’t suck that he was concerned. “It’s not bad, just a little tight, only sore when I bump or twist it. It’s weird to be back here. So much has changed.”

He threaded their fingers together. “Yeah?”

“I left that day so angry, betrayed and lost.” Would this last between her and Hunt? They’d only been together less than a month, and her pregnancy was going to throw a huge curveball into their budding relationship. Part of her wanted to tell him now, to just blurt it out.

Yeah, good plan. Shock the hell out of him right here where her ex-fiancé’s office is being searched by a detective and an officer, while being filmed by another cop.
Not the time
. Instead, she kept it simple. “I don’t feel lost anymore. I’m more sure of who I am and what I want.” She wanted Hunt and their baby, but if Hunt decided that’s not what he wanted, Alyssa and their child would be okay. Oh, a part of her heart would break, the part that Hunt had always owned, but she’d survive, be the best mom she could and she’d never stop Hunt from seeing his child. “I hope they find something today and—”

“Alyssa. What the hell is going on?”

Jerking her head around, she saw her stepfather in the doorway, his eyes scanning the room. Parker’s golf shirt and slacks suggested he’d been at the club.

Hunt rose, easing Alyssa to her feet.

Parker’s eyes narrowed on Hunt then swiveled back to her. “What have you done now? I don’t even know you anymore. You quit, ran away, took up with some random man from your past, and I find out in the media about a baby you had that I knew nothing about? A baby?” He blinked rapidly as if it was incomprehensible. “Now you were filmed coming in the offices with cops.”

“I told you what was going on when I called you weeks ago after overhearing that you paid Nate to get me to marry him. I told you then Nate threatened me and you insisted I was over-reacting. What I didn’t tell you that day, because I no longer trusted you, was that Nate also threatened my son. He’s the one that put those pictures out in the media, not me. In the last three weeks, Nate’s tried to terrorize me by having someone threaten my son, sending some thug to nearly run me over with a car, and having my assistant falsely arrested.”

Strain dug in around Parker’s eyes, aging him in seconds. Silence hung between them, then Parker pressed a hand to his forehead. “Nate was so confident he’d get you back until that last set of pictures of you and him”—he waved his hand at Hunt—“came out. Then he was furious. He knew about your baby? I mean, I didn’t know, how could I have not known?”

“Because you wouldn’t even look at me after Mom died.”

“Miss Brooks.” Detective Zahn walked out.

Parker strode past him. “I’m Parker Dean, I own—”

“I know who you are, Mr. Dean. My officer at the door called to get my approval to allow you up here. From where I’m standing, it appears you’ve been at the very least aiding Mr. Madden in stalking and blackmailing your stepdaughter.”

Parker froze. “No, that’s not—”

“Come with me please. Miss Brooks, you and Hunt as well.”

The group went into Nate’s office with the glass windows, white floors, and huge mahogany desk. There were dual monitors hooked up to Nate’s laptop. Alyssa looked at the screens and felt the blood drain from her face.

Both monitors were filled with pictures. The left one had various shots of Eli playing soccer, riding his bike, getting off his school bus… Nausea boiled up in her stomach.

“Easy, Alyssa.” Hunt wrapped his hand around her hip. “Slow breaths.”

“Is that the boy?” Parker asked. “My God, he looks like Jenna, lighter colored hair, but his eyes and that mouth…” He turned, facing the detective. “Nate had all these pictures? There must be a dozen.”

“More. That’s just one set.” The detective gestured to the other monitor. “Those are his other victims. His ex-girlfriend Tami Nash, and her younger sister, Kelly.” Hard eyes landed on Parker. “Did you know about this?”

“No! I didn’t even know Alyssa had a child. I don’t know these other women, well, that one looks like a kid.” He rubbed his temples. “What’s Nate done? This was all a business deal, just strategy. After Jenna died, the company was sinking. People said I was destroying her legacy. I—”

“Enough.” Detective Zahn cut him off. “Here’s the deal, Mr. Dean. I need a few hours to get my ducks in a row then Mr. Madden will be arrested. You do not want to warn him and talk to him at all. Not even a text. He reaches out to you, don’t respond. Are we clear?”

Turning from the detective, he stared at Alyssa. “It’s true? All this? Nate really blackmailed you? Tried to hurt you?”

As angry and hurt as she was, one thing she knew for sure was that her mother had loved him and he’d loved her mom. Jenna’s death had changed him. Changed them both, really. For the first time ever, she saw the truth. Parker had crumpled, while Alyssa had found a way to grow and get stronger.

Chapter Fifteen

Hunt was in a hell of a good mood by the time he got home Monday afternoon. He had Madden’s arrest on video for Lyssie, but before he could get home to show her, he’d had to go into the office for the paperwork. Sienna was a bear about everything being documented, with good reason, of course. If they were called to court, or their actions questioned by police, they needed detailed records. So Hunt did the reports and now he was home.

In just a few days, he felt nearly as comfortable here in Lyssie’s place as at the vineyard. He parked his Jeep in the huge garage, bypassed Lyssie’s and Maxine’s cars, and headed into the kitchen. After punching in the alarm code, he headed down the stairs. “Lyssie?”

“Down here,” she called out.

The sound of her voice tugged at his chest. Definitely home. He found her and Maxine on the couch, both looking exhausted. Bending over, he kissed his girl, then raised his eyebrows. “Tough day being famous?”

She smacked him. “You have no idea, Marine.”

Maxine laughed. “We’ve been inundated with calls, emails, and messages since we released Alyssa’s video statement about Eli. Alyssa refuses to discuss Eli beyond what she said in her video, but people are interested in her site.”

Hunt sat on the arm. “Yeah?” After some arm-twisting by Maxine, Alyssa had agreed to launch her Streets of Valor website with that video. When he saw it, it’d taken his breath away at the utter power and love she expressed in her decision to give up her son, then her plea for the world to leave him and his family alone.

“We uploaded a few pictures today,” Alyssa said. “The response—”

“Crashed the website,” Maxine said. Then she turned to Lyssie. “Told you. You were wasting your talent at Dragon Wing. This is what you should be doing.”

Lyssie took her assistant’s hand. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I know.” Maxine grinned. “You should give me a raise, or at least hazard pay.” She got up and said, “I’m beat. I’m going home and will be back in the morning to keep working.”

“Not too early,” Lyssie said. “I have an appointment at nine.”

Hunt cut his gaze to her. “What appointment?”

She didn’t quite look at him. “Um, my gynecologist.”

Maxine looked as confused as he felt as she pulled out her phone. “It’s not on your calendar.”

Lyssie stared at her hands. “I made it today and they got me in tomorrow.”

Worry gripped his muscles. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I need to get that shot, and Nate’s in jail now so I figured it’s safe enough for me to take care of it.”

Shot? That’s right, she’d told him she’d been on a birth control shot when they’d forgotten the condom, but she needed it again, so yeah, that shot. “I’ll take you.”

“You don’t have to now. Nate’s not a threat and—”

“I’m taking you. The media follows every move you make, especially now with Madden’s arrest. It’s only going to get more insane. You need protection. Me.” He wasn’t budging on that.

“And this is where I leave,” Maxine said.

Hunt looked up. “Be careful. Are you going home or back to your brother’s?”

“Home. Love Jeff but I’m ready to go home.”

He understood that. “Text me or Lyssie once you’re inside and the security system is on.”

Maxine tilted her head. “You know, you’re not a bad guy.” She left.

Hunt laughed, then dragged Lyssie into his lap and kissed her the right way, deep and thorough. Tasting her, feeling her soften into him, her sweet ass rubbing his cock. Finally breaking apart, he rubbed her swollen bottom lip. “Missed you today.”

“I missed you too, but today felt like my first day doing what I love. We put up the pictures of Treva and her dog Sabrina, and they got huge hits. A TV station wants to interview Treva and Sabrina. She Skyped me and is stoked. She’s such an amazing young woman.”

Her joy infected him with a wave of contentment and desire. This was what he wanted—to come home and talk over his day like a normal person. Hold a woman—this woman—in his arms. “You’re happy.”

“Very. I couldn’t wait for you to get back to tell you.”

Shyness crept into her voice. Or was that doubt? He didn’t want that between them. “I love hearing about your day, and I couldn’t wait to get home and share this with you.” Shifting her to get out his cell phone, he cued up the video of Madden being arrested as he left his condo this morning to go to work.

“You can’t arrest me!” Madden shouted, his face turning red then purple. The idiot actually shoved the cop after that, which earned him a face plant on the ground, arms wrenched behind his back and cuffed, then he was jerked up to his feet. A thin line of blood dripped from a cut on his lip, and Madden was still bellowing about lawyers and lawsuits.

Detective Zahn calmly told him he was under arrest, read him his rights, and the cops shoved him in the back of a patrol car and drove off.

She craned her head to look up into his eyes. “Unbelievable. He was going to fight that cop.” Alyssa shook her head. “That barely looked like the smooth, always-in-control man I knew. He’s losing it.”

“He knows it’s over, and the best part is he knows you refused to let him blackmail or terrorize you. You fought back.”

She settled back against him. “You’re enjoying this.”

Hunt buried his nose in her neck, taking a second to absorb the scent of her skin. “You have no idea. The only thing better would have been shoving my fist into his face, but this worked too.” That man never deserved Lyssie, and now that she was his, he’d kill to protect her. No question. Hunt had killed to protect his country and his fellow Marines, but Lyssie evoked a fierce possession and need to protect that was nearly animalistic.

She turned to straddle him. “It’s going to be over soon, isn’t it?”

Damn, she was so hot like this, but her words sent up caution flags, making his guts tense. “The case, yes, but
we’re
not over, Lyssie.” He couldn’t lose her.

“I meant the threat from Nate, but since you brought it up, do you want to stay for a while, Hunt?”

He wasn’t ready to let her go. “Yes. I want this, Lyssie. Once we’re sure you’re safe—”

“And Eli and his family.”

There it was, his fierce girl with that ability to love even from a distance. He stroked his hand down her belly, touching that ruby dragon tear in the stylized heart peeking out over her pants. “And Eli.” That child would always be in her heart. One day he hoped the boy’s parents would tell him how special his birth mother is.

Lifting his gaze to hers, he said, “I’ll go back to my job, you’ll work on your site and charities, and I’ll figure out how to take my famous girlfriend out. I want to take you on more dates, then bring you home and make love to you. I want this, Lyssie. For as long as it lasts.” He couldn’t make her promises beyond that.

“Can we do that last part now?”

Oh, hell yeah. His day got even better.

…

You’re pregnant.

Having her regular gynecologist confirm the hospital doctor’s findings earlier today made it real. She really was going to have a baby.

Hunt’s baby.

Her stomach flipped in agitation. She wanted him to be excited, but what if he wasn’t? What if he was angry and felt trapped like Scott had? Well, he’d be home soon, she’d tell him and find out. She finished the salads just as she heard the garage door open. A minute later, the alarm beeped as Hunt came through the door. Damn, he looked fine wearing those oh-so-sexy jeans and a black pullover with the sleeves pushed up. Still wearing his shades, he gave off that slightly dangerous vibe that made her hormones rage.

Tossing his sunglasses on the counter, he wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her. Raising his head, he said, “Something smells damned good.”

“Beef tenderloin with balsamic tomatoes. Hungry? It’s in the warming tray.”

“Starved.” Helping her get dinner on the table, he said, “Madden was arraigned but his bond is a million plus. He’s not going to raise that very easily. Parker has sworn not to help him, and he’s upside down on his condo, doesn’t really have assets. No family. He’s screwed.”

Alyssa grabbed the salads and some sparkling water then sat next to Hunt. “Most of me is relieved, but there’s a small part that’s sad. There was a time when I thought we were friends. I cared about the man I thought he was.”

Hunt touched her hand. “It’s okay to have mixed feelings.”

That eased her worries. “No more talk about him tonight. Let’s eat before dinner gets cold.”

They dug in while the cool ocean breeze flowed in from the open sliding glass door behind her. Hunt ignored his salad and went right for the meat. Amused, she watched as he attacked his dinner. He hadn’t been kidding about being hungry.

After a few bites, he said, “This is good, Lyssie.”

Warmth flooded her. “Thanks.” Recalling something else, she added, “Oh, next week Maxine and I are doing the monthly Superhero Day at the children’s hospital.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a lot of fun. Sometimes I have actors dressed as superheroes, and then we always bring costumes and makeup for the kids with a team to help them dress if they are up to it. We take pics and videos. We stage little scenes, as much as the kids can handle with their illnesses or limitations. They get the pictures and videos.” Realizing she was rambling a bit, she tried to focus. “Anyway, I wanted you to know if we’re still concerned about security then.”

“All right, I’ll work it out to provide protection.”

Since they agreed to keep seeing each other, they needed to begin figuring it out. For weeks they’d been focused on her, but Hunt had a life too and she wanted to support him as much as he had her. “You can’t go with me everywhere indefinitely. Once this thing with Nate settles down, I won’t need a bodyguard as often.”

He set his fork down. “Once A Marine is growing, you can use them for your bodyguards when I’m not available. I trust them. Good for you and the business.”

That worked and she wanted to hear more about his job. “You love what you do, don’t you?” She was getting to see another side of him here in L.A.

He buttered another freshly made roll. “In some of my missions as a sniper, I really didn’t see the payoff. I might be going after a known terrorist who had killed hundreds and eliminate him. It was cold, removed. I like making a difference on a more personal level.”

She forgot her dinner. He so rarely talked about his actual work as a Marine that she was surprised he did now. “Did you ever have other kinds of missions where you saw the payoff?”

He set down his butter knife. “Yes. I cleared buildings and got trapped in gunfire a few times. I was called into hostage situations and people with bombs strapped around them in busy marketplaces. It was…intense.”

“You shot into crowds?”

“I’ve had to do it, yes.”

“Were you scared?” Her heart pounded thinking about it.

“Not at the time. Adrenaline usually jacked me up to that state of high functioning awareness. My focus was 100 percent on the job. Emotions can cause mistakes and the wrong people die.”

What had he told her at the cabin?
Only in my nightmares, I wasn’t cold and in absolute control like I had been in real life. Instead, I felt it all: fear, remorse, hatred and sickness at seeing a man die from my bullet.
Even after I woke in a cold sweat, I couldn’t stop it unless I sculpted.
All those emotions he’d repressed had surged up. What he’d done was brave, but did he realize how courageous it was to survive the aftermath? To find a way to cope and live with his scars and not lash out at others? To continue to help people with the skills he’d learned?

Alyssa put her hand on his arm. “You’re the best man I know, Hunt.” However this turned out once she told him she was pregnant, she was going to make sure their child knew that about their father. Whatever role Hunt wanted in the kid’s life, she’d support it, no matter how much it hurt if he rejected her. She swallowed.
Tell him.
It was time and she knew it. She tried to gather the words in her mind.

Covering her hand with his, his eyes churned. “You make it easy to talk.”

Hunt’s phone rang.

He frowned, taking his hand away. “That’s Sienna’s ringtone. I’d better take it.” Getting out his cell, he answered, “What’s up?”

The second his eyes hit hers she knew it was bad.