Letting Go (16 page)

Casey stood up and went to the mirror and ripped off her gloves. She ran a cotton towel under the cold water and pressed it carefully to her face. Devlin Prescott was turning her inside out. Every time she thought she had him figured out, he did something to shatter her illusions. The cold-hearted father had now become a doting parent. The evil businessman had turned into someone who, instead of allowing her to endure a humiliating, physically painful dance with a complete stranger, had managed to gently provoke and cajole her in a way that she would forget her discomfort and just enjoy his company for a few brief moments.

Casey lowered the cloth and stared in the mirror. Her makeup was still flawless and the hairdo that Julia had so artfully arranged was still intact. Casey stared at the reflection for a long time but couldn’t find any part of the image that stared back that was hers. The woman across from her was a stranger. She didn’t even have a scar on her face. Her heart constricted painfully. The woman across from her was someone who appeared to belong with Devlin Prescott and his charming son and beautiful daughter to be. She was a woman who could control any situation thrown at her with grace and poise. Other women were envious of her beauty while men gave her admiring glances but were mindful of the powerful man whose arm she held. And it was all a lie.

But when Casey looked closer, she did finally see something familiar. The eyes. The skillfully applied makeup couldn’t hide what was there…or actually, what wasn’t there. Yes, the woman in the mirror was everything the dress and makeup implied she should be but it was the eyes that would ultimately tell the truth if someone looked closely enough.

***

After Casey’s swift departure, Devlin returned to the table. Within moments, a woman appeared at his side. Assuming it was Casey, he swung around at the soft touch on his shoulder but was disappointed to see a striking woman in her early thirties.

“Ingrid, what a nice surprise,” he managed to get out as he stood to take her hand in his.

“However did Madelyn manage it?” she asked, her green eyes dancing mischievously. Devlin released her hand and motioned to the chair.

“Would you like to sit?”

Ingrid shook her mane of platinum blonde hair. “I prefer to dance.” Before he had a chance to decline, she was leading him to the dance floor. She pressed herself into his arms with familiarity. “How long has it been now Devlin? Five years? Six?”

Irritation went through him in waves but the casual smile remained plastered on his face. “How’s Richard?”

“Fine. He’s in London till the end of next week,” she offered, a hint of suggestion in her voice.

Devlin ignored it and shook his head, “Ingrid Wells attending a social function by herself? I don’t believe it.” Devlin glanced around the room. His eyes settled on a young man in his early twenties who was staring daggers at them. “And there he is. Pool boy? Gardner?”

Ingrid glanced at her date and then back at Devlin. She stretched her thin arms around Devlin’s neck and pressed her body closer to him. “He’s anything I want him to be.”

Devlin felt her fingers stroke his neck just above the collar. Ignoring the annoying contact, Devlin glanced back at the table to see if Casey had returned but her chair was still empty. Ingrid followed his gaze.

“Maybe it was past her bedtime,” she mused but there was no humor in her voice. “Who is she?”

“A friend.”

“I’m sure. I recall what being friends with you meant.”

Devlin kept his body relaxed even though he wanted to get as far away from this woman as he could. “Your friendship had a steep price Ingrid. I just couldn’t afford you anymore.”

The barb hit its mark. He felt her tense and saw fury darken her beautiful eyes for just a moment. “You always were a son of a bitch Devlin.”

Devlin laughed at the defeat in her voice. Casey would have lit into him ten times over by now. He glanced again at the table but she still hadn’t returned. Worry started to gnaw at him.

***

Casey left the bathroom and halfheartedly returned to the ballroom. She stopped at the entrance to the grand room and took a deep breath. Her eyes went to the table but Devlin wasn’t there. Several seconds of searching found him in the arms of a woman on the dance floor. Refined and elegant, the woman was magnificent. Her pale blond hair danced under the bright lights of the room and the slinky black dress she wore clung to every curve. Casey watched as the woman twined her arms around Devlin’s neck as he pulled her closer to him. A sick feeling rolled in the pit of her stomach at the sight. Not ten minutes earlier, she had been struggling with the profound effect the dance with him had had on her. And now, he stood before her in the arms of a woman of incomparable beauty and grace and the look on his face hinted that there was more going on than a mere dance.

Feeling like a fool, Casey turned and left the ballroom. Cursing herself for her stupidity, she wandered down the length of the lobby and then followed a set of rich, red-carpeted stairs up one flight. She found herself at the entrance of a room considerably smaller than the ballroom. A gold, foil engraved sign above the room indicated that it was called The Gold Salon. Peeking past the open door, she sucked in her breath at the sight of the room. A huge chandelier hung from the ceiling and several richly embroidered settees and armchairs were placed strategically around the room. But it was the paintings on the wall that drew her attention. The room was like a tiny art museum. Entering the empty room, Casey walked slowly around the edge of it, her eyes absorbing all the rich colors and images of each magnificent piece of art. Various marble statues were placed along the wall’s edge and numerous flower arrangements were on each available tabletop. Jonas would be in heaven here she thought.

Completely distracted, she didn’t realize that she was no longer alone until she heard a man’s voice softly say, “Lovely.” She went still at the familiar tone and slowly turned around. Blocking the only way out of the room was her stepfather. “Absolutely lovely,” he remarked again as his eyes slowly traveled the length of her body. Dressed in a tux with a red rose pinned to his lapel, he looked more intimidating now then he had five years before. “It’s been too long,” Elliot said softly as he moved closer towards her. She didn’t move as he slowly walked around her, his eyes taking in every detail of her body.

Casey saw the now empty doorway but couldn’t force her body to react. He’d always had that effect on her. Her mind screamed at her to run but her body was no longer responding to any of the commands her brain was sending out. Elliot came up behind her and inhaled the scent of her hair. Casey closed her eyes and struggled for control. She wasn’t a helpless child anymore. He couldn’t control her with his threats of retribution. With that thought in mind, Casey took a step away from him and towards the door. His hand closed around her upper arm instantly.

“My little Casey,” he said as his free arm snaked around her waist from behind and dragged her back against his chest.

Fear mingled with fury as she forced her voice to remain calm. “Let me go.”

As if he hadn’t heard her, Elliot ran the hand he’d been holding her arm with down the upper part of her thigh. The hand across her stomach drifted up towards her breast. Allowing him to believe she was giving in to him, Casey waited for several long seconds until she felt him relax his grip on her waist. The second he did, she slammed her elbow into his stomach. His rush of breath blew across her neck as he dropped his arms. This time, Casey didn’t hesitate. She’d nearly reached the door before he was on her again. The pretense was over.

Elliot snared her wrist in a brutal hold and pulled her away from the door. Caught off balance, she was unable to get out of the room before he slammed the door closed and locked it. He shoved her back against the wooden door but was again caught off guard when she spit in his face. Backhanding her twice, he smiled as the fight momentarily left her.

“That’s what I always missed about you Casey. You were always the fighter. Let’s hope Isabel takes more after you than her mother.”

Disoriented and with one eye already swelling shut, Casey swallowed the small amount of blood in her mouth and managed to utter, “You’ll never get her.”

“What makes you think I haven’t had her already?” His fingers drifted over her throat.

Casey shook her head and gave him a knowing smile. “You may be a coward Elliot, but you aren’t stupid enough to touch Isabel while she’s under Devlin Prescott’s roof. She’d run straight to him and we both know what he’d do to you.”

The rage that poured through him was undeniable. He slammed his fist into her face and then closed his hand tightly around her throat. Casey was on the verge of blacking out when she felt the pressure on her throat ease. She sucked in a few wisps of air.

“Now you listen to me. You have a choice to make. If I lose Isabel to Prescott then you lose too. Do you understand me?” When she didn’t respond, he slammed her head back against the doorframe. “Do you understand me?” he repeated in a near shout. When she only stared at him with cold, dry eyes, he pushed her away and left the room.

Casey sank to the floor and put her hand to her throat as she tried to drag in long breaths. Her head was reeling and she couldn’t see clearly out of her right eye. She looked down and saw blood on the beautiful silver gown. Stifling a sob, Casey struggled to get to her feet. Several minutes passed before she managed to stand up. She leaned back against the wall and tried to locate her purse. Although it was only a few feet from her, it took all of her energy to reach it. She managed to pick it up but fought a wave of dizziness that nearly overcame her when she stood again. She reached into the small bag to pull out the silk handkerchief that Julia had put into the purse. Pressing it to her lip, Casey looked around the room. She spotted a small bar in the corner and slowly made her way to it.

She found the small sink that she had hoped would be there and ran the handkerchief under the cold water and then searched the bag again for the compact mirror Julia had insisted upon. She glanced at her reflection but the tiny mirror only gave her glimpses of her damaged face. But it was enough to know that getting out of the hotel unnoticed would be a challenge. She dabbed at the remaining blood on her face and then released her hair from the pins that had been holding it up. The long tresses fell in waves around her face. She ran her fingers through the curls and hung her head to see the effect. If she kept her head down, the mass of hair would hide the marks on her face and the redness around her throat.

Casey made her way out of the room and down the stairs. A bellboy passed her in the lobby but he didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary about her. Returning to the ballroom in her condition was out of the question. Besides, she had no idea if Elliot was still there or not. And where he was, her mother was sure to be as well. Forgoing the task of collecting her wrap, Casey rushed out of the hotel. She stopped on the sidewalk momentarily and glanced at the cabs that raced back and forth on the dark street. Without any money, they were of little use to her. As a crowd of people emerged behind her from the hotel, Casey went into action and started walking. She had no idea which way she was going; she just had to get as far away as possible.

***

As Devlin was completing his remarks, his eyes scanned the ballroom. The men and women who watched him with interest were completely unaware that he wasn’t looking at them at all. From the moment he had been called to the front of the room, he’d been searching for Casey. She had been gone for nearly fifteen minutes and instinct told him that her absence went beyond the reaction she had had to their dance. Rushing the last of his comments, Devlin ignored the applause and left Howard Cragen standing awkwardly next to the podium, a heavy glass plaque in his hand.

Devlin made his excuses to the patrons at his table and then hurried from the ballroom. All eyes watched his quick departure and then turned back to Howard who had been ushered up to the microphone. “Well folks,” he began nervously as he ran a finger under his constrictive collar. “What can I say, the man’s a workaholic.”

Fear twisting in his gut, Devlin went to the ladies bathroom. He knocked on the door and then pushed it open. He called Casey’s name and then made a quick search of the room. She was nowhere in sight. Devlin scanned the lobby and then rushed over to the concierge.

“I’m looking for a woman.”

Startled by Devlin’s abruptness, the concierge replied, “I’m sorry sir, we’re not that kind of hotel.”

“She was here a few minutes ago. She might have been in the ladies room. Blonde hair, silver dress…”

“Oh yeah, her.”

“Where is she?”

The attendant glanced around the lobby as if looking for her. Devlin fought the urge to jump over the counter and pound the little man. “Well, she started to go back in the ballroom but then she changed her mind and went upstairs towards the Gold Salon. She came back down a few minutes ago; I guess she may have left.”

“Which way did she go?” he asked frantically.

“I’m not sure…” Devlin ignored the rest of the man’s answer and ran out of the hotel. He glanced up and down the street but didn’t see anyone. He let off a string of curses as he reached for his cell phone.

***

The cold had quickly seeped into her bones but the numbness helped to dull the physical and emotional pain that Elliot’s rage had caused. Common sense told her to find a phone and call Devlin but another part of her just needed to get further away. The brutality of Elliot’s attack hadn’t surprised her. His intent had probably only been to scare her into silence but her provocation had shattered his self-control. She knew it was a stupid thing to have done but it had given her the strength she needed. Elliot had never understood that words could cause her ten times more pain than any of his beatings ever would. Her mother, on the other hand, knew exactly how to wield the powerful weapon. If it had been Caroline who had confronted her tonight instead of Elliot, Casey was sure she would have already been on the next flight out of the city.