Forget Me Not (4 page)

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Rubbing the tense muscles at the back of his neck, Dominic looked up at the clock on the wall.
Well, hell.
He had been working at his desk for nearly five hours. It was almost two o’clock in the morning. Where the hell was Keely?

Putting his papers back into his briefcase, Dominic stood up and walked out of his study, heading for the kitchen. He needed to get something in his stomach. He hadn’t eaten in nearly eighteen hours, and he was starving.

Dominic walked to the fridge and started pulling it open when he spotted an envelope sitting on the counter with his name on it in big bold letters. It was in Keely’s handwriting. Grabbing the envelope, he tore it open and began reading, his heart clenching with each word.

Dear Dominic,

By the time you get this letter I am sure I will be gone. I’m not even sure when you will get this. I have tried to reach you by phone, both at your office and on your cell phone, so many times my fingers are starting to go numb. But I guess that it has told me what I need to know.

I love you, Dominic, and I always will, but I can see that what we had together is no longer working. I’ve tried to talk to you about this, but, again, you don’t seem to have the time. Now, my life has changed in a major way and I understand that, no matter how I may feel, it’s time to move on.

I realize now that I could never fully fit into your life. I can’t hide who I am anymore, even for you. I want things in life that you don’t. I guess that’s okay, though. We’re different people with different wants and needs. All I ever wanted was you. But I guess I just wasn’t enough for you. You needed more. And that’s okay, too.

I have seen a lawyer and signed the necessary documents to have my name removed from the deed to your house. I don’t want it. I never did. This is your house. You always loved it more than I did, and I hope that one day you will find the happiness here that you couldn’t find with me.

That’s all I ever wanted for you, Dominic, for you to be happy.

Please remember that I did love you. The time we had together will always have a special place in my heart. Be well, Dominic.

Love always, Keely

Dominic’s hands shook as he looked at the second piece of paper, the documents Keely had written up that took his name off of the deed to the house. He had done it. He had really done it.

Keely had left him.

Walking over to one of the kitchen chairs, he sat down. His eyes blurred with tears as he read the letter again—then again. He just couldn’t believe it. He thought Keely loved him, wanted to spend the rest of his life with him.

How could he leave without even discussing it with him first? Keely said that he had called, but Karen always knew where he was. If it had been a real emergency, she would have contacted him. Maybe Keely hadn’t tried hard enough. Or maybe he had lied.

Dominic couldn’t see any reason why Keely would have lied, but Karen would have contacted him if it had been an emergency. Unless Keely didn’t think leaving him was that important.

He didn’t know what to think. Jumping to his feet, he raced upstairs to his bedroom. He quickly opened Keely’s closet and dresser. They were empty. Everything was gone. Looking around the bedroom, he began to notice little things here and there that were missing but not much.

Walking back downstairs, he could see the same thing in the rest of the house. All of Keely’s personal items were missing but nothing else. He hadn’t taken a damn thing that didn’t directly belong to him.

Dominic suddenly felt all alone in the house. It wasn’t a good feeling. Was this how Keely felt every time he was gone? All alone in a big, fancy, empty tomb of a house? And how long had it been like this? How long had Keely been thinking about leaving him?

How long had he felt so alone?

Hearing the doorbell ring, Dominic jumped to his feet and raced for the door. Maybe it was Keely and he had changed his mind. Maybe he was coming back. Dominic just knew if they talked he could convince his lover to stay and work things out.

Quickly opening the front door, the welcoming smile on his lips fell when he saw Sophia standing there. “What are you doing here, Sophia?”

Sophia stepped up close to Dominic, her hands playing with the buttons on his shirt, her lips in a seductive little pout. “I missed you, darling. Didn’t you miss me?”

Dominic clenched his jaw. He didn’t need this shit right now. “Sophia, how did you even know where I live? I never gave you my address.”

“Oh, darling, don’t be like that. I came to comfort you in your time of need.”

Dominic was just about to slam the door on her when Sophia’s words sank in.
Comfort him in his time of need?
How did she know that Keely had left him? He had just found out himself.

“Why don’t you come in and we can discuss…things.” He smiled as he held the door open for Sophia, barely containing himself from rolling his eyes at her quick surprise then eager look.

God, what a bitch!

“Oh, I knew you’d see things my way eventually.”

Dominic watched Sophia saunter past him and into his house, noting the way she devoured the splendor of his fancy house. He was beginning to see why she was chasing him the way she was.

Sophia was money hungry.

“Can I get you something to drink?”

“That would be nice, darling. Do you have champagne?”

“Champagne? I’m not really sure. I haven’t been home in nearly a month, Sophia. Surely you know that. I have no idea what I have.”

Sophia pursed her lips as she dropped her shoulder cover on the couch, revealing a very small dress. Dominic’s eyebrows shot up at how little there actually was to the dress. It barely covered her ass on the bottom and was cut nearly to her belly button on the top. If she breathed wrong everything would be on display.

“Interesting dress you have there, Sophia.”

“Do you like it? I bought it just for you, darling,” she purred as she twirled around in a circle. She ended the twirl with one hip thrown out, a hand on said hip. She tossed her head, her long blonde hair flowing back behind her head.

Did she actually think that was sexy?

Dominic didn’t want to laugh because he wanted information, but it was all he could do to contain himself. Sophia really had no clue. She thought he was actually falling for this…crap. The only thing that would turn him on about her at this point was if she suddenly transformed into Keely.

He walked over to the bar and started making her a drink, a stiff drink. He wanted her tongue loosened up a bit. Turning around, he was surprised to find her standing right behind him. He quickly handed her the drink and put some distance between them. He suddenly realized he would need proof when he went to the police to get a restraining order, and he would. He had just about had it with Sophia and her crap.

“I’ll be right back. I left the lights on in my study.”

Quickly walking down the hallway, Dominic grabbed the tape recorder out of his briefcase and put in a new tape. He wanted everything she said recorded because he wanted to be able to play it for the judge.

Putting the recorder in his pocket, he walked toward the door, turning off the lights as he went. He walked back into the living room, finding Sophia lounging full length on his black leather couch.

He sat down across from her, inching the recorder out of his pocket and hiding it behind a ceramic vase sitting on the side table. He turned it on, all while keeping his eyes on Sophia. When he was sure that it would record her voice and his, he smiled at her.

“So, how did you know I was home?”

“Oh, a little birdie told me.”

“A little birdie?”
Really?
“Come on, Sophia. You can do better than that. I’ll admit, you have been persistent. Wherever I am you seem to show up. At parties, business dinners, even vacations. You’re always there. Why is that?” That was what Dominic couldn’t figure out. No matter how hard he tried to avoid the woman, she was always around. He felt like he had a GPS in his ass or something.

“Because we were meant to be together, darling. I’m the woman for you, and I know it.”

Not in this universe
.

“I’m confused though, Sophia. Who is this little birdie that has brought us together? Who has been telling you my every move? A crystal ball?”

Sophia’s giggle was nauseating. “I’ll never tell.”

Dominic stood up and poured Sophia another drink. He could tell by the way that her words were already starting to slur that she couldn’t hold her alcohol. He felt a little guilty giving her liquor to make her talk, but not enough to stop.

Keely didn’t drink because he got drunk fast and his tongue loosened up—a lot. They had had more than one interesting evening that way. It was how Dominic discovered Keely loved him. The man had been drunk out of his mind and started blabbing. Dominic made sure the man’s words were still true when he was sober, just to be on the safe side.

Dominic was hoping the same thing would happen with Sophia.

He handed her the second drink and sat back down. “Sophia, how did you find me? I never gave you my address. I never invited you to any of those parties or business meetings. I never even gave you my phone number. How do you know so much about me?”

“Research, darling.” Sophia batted her eyelashes. “Don’t you think research is good? If you want something, you should always do your research before you try to get it. I know everything about you.”

“And what do you know about me, Sophia?”

“I know that you own your own company and that you’re worth millions. I know that you’re not married, but that’s where I come in. We should get married, darling. We would be good together. Everyone says so. I’m a model. I’m pretty enough to be your wife.”

“Yes, Sophia, you are very pretty.”

That much was true. She just wasn’t as pretty as Keely.

“See? I knew that you would love me once Keely was gone.”

What?

“What do you know about Keely, Sophia?” Dominic knew he was speaking louder than he should have, but he was shocked that Sophia even knew about Keely, let alone that the man was gone. How had she known? Dominic went out of his way to keep his private life private. “You know about Keely? That he has left me? How do you know any of this, Sophia?”

“Made the little brat leave,” Sophia mumbled as she rolled to stare at the ceiling. “You don’t need him. You need me. I’ll make you a good wife, Dominic. Don’t you think I would make a good wife, Dominic?”

“I’m sure you would make a very good wife, Sophia, but you still haven’t answered my question, and you must know that I don’t like it when people hide things from me.”

“I can’t tell. It’s a secret,” Sophia whispered as she held a finger to her lips.

“Then maybe you should go, Sophia,” Dominic said as he started to stand up.

“No…no, I can’t go. I’m supposed to be here. I’m supposed to comfort you so that you will fall in love with me and marry me. Then everyone will be happy.”

“Who is everyone, Sophia? Are you seeing someone else?” Like he would care. If he thought it would get Sophia off his back, he’d hire a dating service for the woman.

“Only you, Domi. I’m only supposed to be with you.”

Domi?
God, that was revolting.

“And why are you only supposed to be with me?” Dominic rolled his eyes as Sophia flopped over onto her side to stare at him. She wasn’t looking quite as spiffy as she had when she first got here. Her makeup was starting to smear, and her eyes looked glassy. Her hair was turning into a tangled mess from her constantly fingering it.

“Sophia?”

“I’m only supposed to be with you so that when the doctor checks me before the wedding I’m still a virgin.”

Dominic’s eyebrows shot up. “Why would a doctor be checking to see if you were a virgin?” This conversation was getting weirder by the moment.

“So you’ll know that our child is yours. I can’t have a child that isn’t yours. You know that. I have to be a virgin until we get married. After the doctor sees me, of course.” Sophia giggled as she looked up at the ceiling again.

“Of course.” Dominic nodded. She actually thought he was going to marry her and have children with her? Was she out of her ever-loving mind?

“Sophia, I really want to know who told you all about me. Who gave you my address and phone number? Who told you where I am all the time? Please, I really want to know. It’s important to me.”

Sophia bit her lip as she turned her head to look at Dominic. “Really important?”

“Yes, Sophia. It is really important to me. In fact, I just don’t think I feel okay about anything unless I know. Can’t you tell me? We’re not supposed to have secrets between us, are we, Sophia?”

Sophia stared at Dominic for so long he wondered if she had gone into a coma. Finally she sniffled. “I’ll only tell you if you promise not to get mad at me.”

“I promise not to get mad at you, Sophia.”

“Karen told me. She’s my sister, you know.”

Karen? His assistant Karen?

“No, I didn’t know that, Sophia. Karen, my assistant, told you where I was? Where I lived? Gave you my address?” Dominic forced himself to smile.

Sophia nodded eagerly, seeing the smile on Dominic’s face. “Oh yes, Karen loves me and wants to make sure that I am taken care of. After she figured out that Keely was after you for your money, she called me. She told me how much you needed a wife, someone to take care of you. I know I’ll make you a good wife, Domi.”

Dominic gripped the edge of his chair as rage rolled through him like a tidal wave. “What else did Karen do, Sophia?”

Sophia shrugged. “Not much, really. I was actually surprised at how easy it all was. She just kept you and Keely from talking and seeing each other. You were right to get away from that man. He’s obsessed with you. He calls all the time. If he isn’t calling, he’s coming by your office. You might want to think about having some sort of stalker thing filed against him. He’s gay, you know?”