Off the Grid (13 page)

“You could step up? Do the right thing. Be the kind of dad your father never was.”

“In return, I lose my wife, not to mention all her lovely money, my reputation, and the chance to lead this city into a very promising future. It’s not the way I see things playing out. So you can tell her to keep her kid away from me and to call off her pit bull.”

Pit bull? Caleb focused in on Jason, on his white knuckled handling of his glass, his tight jaw. To keep his own hands from betraying his confusion he shoved them in his pants pocket. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about extortion.” His lip curled. “She came to my house, Caleb. My house.”

Caleb gritted his teeth. “Explain.”

Jason lifted his glass in triumph. His anger melted away, like the ice in his glass, warmed by the elixir of having the upper hand. “Ah, I see she left that part out. How convenient. Well, here’s a message from me: Tell the little mother if she wants money she’s going to have to deal with me directly. I won’t tolerate being blackmailed. Once I’m sure without a shadow of doubt the child is mine I’m more than willing to pay a reasonable amount of child support. On the condition I never have to see or hear from her or her son again. Ever. Do we understand each other?”

Caleb gave a short nod, his eyes preferring the view from the vast expanse of windows to his left than the sight of the man standing in front of him.

“Make this go away.” It was a demand spoken and delivered by a man expecting nothing less than subservience. “And it’ll be over.”

Anger, futile and counterproductive, seduced him. Heated his skin. It stroked and suggested. It taunted him to lash out. He kept it to himself, to serve up later. “I’ll be sure to relay your generous offer.”

“And Caleb? If the news of my…indiscretion leaks to the public, I’ll have no choice but to have her declared unfit and have her child taken away. Then I’m coming after you and the good doctor and when I’m done with you there won’t be anything left.”

Caleb pulled another envelope out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket and tossed it on the desk. “You require paternity testing be done? Here’s where you need to go. The sooner you make an appointment, the sooner we can get this over with.”

The door to his office opened, and one of men who’d accompanied Jason to the Empress stepped in and crossed his arms. Rage curled into a ball in his belly. He refused to let it take over. Fought to stay calm so his next words would have the maximum effect. “Know this, if anything happens to Dr. Monroe or Kellie Andrews, no amount of money or powerful family connections will save you from me.”

“An inflated sense of power is a dangerous thing. Warning, forget about my personal business and stop prying into things that are none of your concern. You’re standing on quicksand, Caleb. Sooner or later it’s going to pull you under.”

Caleb let him have the last word. He walked out without looking back. It didn’t matter. Nothing was going to protect any of them from a wildcard like Marnie, because it sure as hell hadn’t been Kellie making blackmail demands.

****

Sophie opened the door to Caleb. There was no stopping the rush at seeing him. Or the relief. Marnie was back and ready to climb the walls. It had taken all Sophie had to keep her halfway calm. He loosened his tie and stalked past her into the living room.

Okay.

Now what?

Sophie dogged after him knowing she didn’t want to hear it. His anger a wave sweeping across the whole room until his gaze crashed with her sister’s.

“What the hell were you thinking?” he demanded.

Sophie stepped in front of him. “What’s wrong?”

He shot his answer over her shoulder at Marnie. “You went to see him. At his house.”

“So what?”

He pushed past her ready to do battle. “You’re blackmailing him.”

Marnie rounded on Caleb, a fight in her eyes. “He deserves to pay.”

Sophie closed her eyes. No. She wouldn’t be so careless. Except Marnie wouldn’t see it as reckless, worse dangerous. She was trying to help a friend.

Caleb turned his attention to a cringing Kellie. “Did you know about this?”

Sophie caught the glare Marnie shot at Kellie. Kellie’s arms tightened around Quinn and he squirmed in protest. Still looking, her eyes wide and disbelieving, at Marnie, she shook her head.

“And what did you think it was going to accomplish except make him furious?” he ground out.

Marnie advanced. “He deserves to pay.”

Sophie put a hand on her sister’s arm to stop her from going any further. Marnie yanked out of her grasp eyes still on Caleb. Inside she seethed, on the surface she tried for zen. “I know you were trying to help. But we have to stick to the plan. For everyone’s sake.”

“And how much of the money made it into Kellie’s hands and how much of it did you shoot into your arm?”

“Caleb, calm down.” It was a legitimate question, but this wasn’t the way to get answers from Marnie. Demands and accusations always backfired and the consolation rush of getting angry didn’t last long enough to make it worthwhile. “There’s a better way to do this.”

But he wasn’t done. He was past listening. “You’re the doctor, how can you
not
tell she’s using?”

It hurt. The truth and his tone. And the fact she was stuck as the monkey in the middle trying to catch the blame ball. “There’s this little thing called doctor-patient privilege. You might have heard of it in your line of work?”

He ignored her and gestured at Marnie. “Push up your sleeves.”

Okay, not so much a discussion as a full-on fight.

“Go to hell.” She tried to push past, but Caleb blocked her way. Marnie was vibrating with a kitchen sink’s worth of emotions. It was impossible to get a read and deflect the most pressing ones.

He spread his arms out wide in invitation. “After you.”

“I’m out of here.”

“You’re not going anywhere until you hear what I have to stay.” He stepped in front of her again as Marnie made another charge for the door. It left them nose to nose. Marnie stepped back first. “Stay away from Jason Drummond. You’re backing him into a corner. He’s not done making threats. Ones he can make good on. If you keep at him, he’s going to take his son away from her.”

Kellie gasped. “What?”

“Yeah, right.” But Marnie raised a shaking hand to her forehead and rubbed at her hairline.

“Who do you think the judge is going to award custody to, huh? A pillar of the community looking out for his son’s best interest no matter the personal cost to himself? Or a young woman with no job, no prospects, who’s current address is an SRO at the Balmoral? Oh wait, her junkie of a best friend can vouch for her. Because that’s how he’s going to spin it. And Jason’s not going to stop there, he’ll go after Sophie. Is that what you want? IS IT?”

“I take care of my own.”

“Bullshit.” He stabbed a finger in Marnie’s direction. “You need help and the sooner you get it the better. Because right now you can’t even take care of yourself.”

“I’m getting damn sick and tired of hearing people say that.” Marnie slammed past him and grabbed her coat on her way out the door.

The crash and echoing silence was suffocating.

Sophie pushed back her hair. Her head ached. Her body too. “I take it you went to see Drummond?”

Kellie stood up clutching Quinn to her, eyes wide and terrorized. “Is that what he’s going to do? Sue for custody? Am I going to lose Quinn?”

“Of course not.” Sophie hugged her tight. She put a shitload of warning into her next words. “Right, Caleb?”

Caleb’s laugh lacked any amusement. He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Don’t worry. The last thing he wants is to harm his reputation. But no one wants to be vulnerable to a blackmailer and someone with Jason’s massive ego is going to push back. The good news is he’s agreed to talk about child support. But, Kellie, you need to be aware any money paid to you is for you and Quinn. Understood?”

She nodded, but Sophie noticed she avoided eye contact. Seconds later she escaped with Quinn into her temporary bedroom.

“You certainly know how to clear a room.” Sophie dropped down onto the couch and grabbed a pillow to hug.

“You’re still here.” It fell somewhere between a question and a statement.

“Yeah, well, it is my house.”

“Do you want me to leave?”

She knew he’d walk back out her door if she wanted him to, but she didn’t. She didn’t want to be a lone with this mess. “I want you to explain what happened in your meeting.”

“She went to his house demanding money.” He chose the stuffed chair across from her. His elbows landed on his thighs, his hands coming together to support his chin. He shook his head like he still couldn’t believe she’d done it.

“I wish I could predict what she’s going to do next.” She left out any mention of the knife incident for now. “One minute she wants him involved, the next not at all. It’s not an excuse, it’s an insight to how her mind works. With us involved she has less control over things and the harder she’s going to work to get it back.”

“Do you think it was the drugs talking?”

“Partly, but it’s also a symptom of her mental illness. We worked so hard on her recovery.” She closed her eyes in defeat, let her body sag back against the cushions. “I knew. I didn’t want to believe it.”

The couch dipped and strong hands came to rest on either side of her face. “Hey, she makes her own choices.”

“I know. I just want her to be different. To be all right.”

He gathered her up. She rested her head against his chest, let his heartbeat lull her. “I know. Maybe treatment?”

“I’ve tried, but she won’t go.” She glanced up at him. “But you’re thinking treatment would solve more than one problem, aren’t you?”

He ran a hand over her hair. “I’m not going to lie. Marnie safely out of our way would solve a lot of problems. Jason might even sink to being reasonable.”

“I’m not going to push her in a direction because it’s convenient to our cause. Right now, she’s completely resistant to the idea. She won’t abandon Kellie.”

“She’s not helping her. She’s making things worse.”

“It’s twisted I know. Are you going to tell me the rest of what happened with Jason?”

“There was nothing else.”

“Caleb. Don’t start lying now. Did he threaten you?”

“I’m not worried about me.”

“Meaning he threatened me.” She swallowed the overwhelming urge to sigh.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” His knuckles were gentle against her cheek.

“That makes two of us, because I’m not going to let anything happen to me either.”

“There’s nothing more we can do tonight.” His whisper brushed against her ear. A second later his lips touched the sensitive spot below it. “Unless you’re willing to come home with me? We could take a few hours. Forget this whole mess existed.”

A great prescription for a little stress relief. And just what the doctor needed.

****

Sophie stood up and held out her hand. His exaggerated sigh made her smile. When he was on his feet, she stepped in closer and slipped the knot free on his tie. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears. His tie drifted to the floor. She undid the first button of his shirt. Trailed a finger over the pulse beating at the base of his neck.

He put a hand over hers. “Just so we’re clear, one more button and I’m here for the night.”

“Just so we’re clear?” She looked up at him through her lashes. “That’s my goal.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I think I can work within the parameters of your goal.”

She put a finger against his lips. “How about a little less talk.”

His hand clutched at the back of her head. He bent down and stopped a couple of heartbeats short of her mouth. Her finger was still pressed against his lips. He drew it into his mouth and held it between his teeth. She saw it in his eyes before she felt it on her skin. His bite. His tongue lapped away the sting. Suction. Every ounce of want went nuclear. She dislodged her finger so she could twist her fingers into his hair, her other hand went for his belt.

With his mouth engaged, his hands went every direction. He invaded her space, backed her up, herded her in the direction of her bedroom. His tongue dominated her mouth, tasting and taking. She gave up trying to undo his pants and held on. Her fingers digging into muscles she forgot the names of as she kissed him back. When the back of her knees hit the end of her bed she breathed a sigh of relief.

Yes.

They landed on the bed in a puff of covers. He shifted in the dark and turned on her bedside lamp. In the soft glow he pulled a condom out of his wallet and set it down on her nightstand. Then he came for her. He ran his hands through the short strands of her hair while his mouth learned the shape of hers. Over her, pressing her into the plump duvet. The heat was incredible. It burned away the chaos of the last few days, the worry and uncertainty. She let them go. He was right. Their troubles could wait a few hours.

She needed this. More, she needed him. The thought didn’t scare her. It put her back on track with his belt and getting his pants down. Her shirt came off followed by her bra. Under the heat of his mouth and the scrape of his tongue, her body tightened even as it stretched. This was a good decision. Because of the man she’d chosen.

“You are so beautiful.” His words drifted over her skin on puffs of breath. He backed them up with actions. As her panties slipped down her legs and her thighs opened he said them again. His tongue mapped a route to the place she ached for him to find. She didn’t need to hold him there, his hands clamped onto her thighs. He concentrated his attentions between her legs until she died trying to hold it all inside.

She let go on a skydive of feeling so intense she rode it all the way to absolution. Only to have it build again as he made his way back up her body. Her eyes drifted closed.

“Oh, no, you don’t. Eyes open.”

With his mouth on hers he shifted his weight to the side. She lifted her head to watch him reach for the package he’d placed next to her alarm clock. When their eyes met she reached between their bodies and stroked. He lowered his forehead to hers. His rasps of breath warm against her cheek.