Taken by You (18 page)

Mac and Natalie entered the dining room. “I’m going to take Natalie home. She’s not feeling well,” he said.

“Let me make a plate for each of you. Give me two minutes,” said Sophia.

“I don’t want you to go to any trouble,” Natalie said.

“It’s no trouble and I insist. I’ll be right back with some containers so you can have something to eat even if you save it for later.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it,” Natalie said, nodding slightly.

“Nat, let’s get your coat and purse while Sophia gets the containers,” Kate suggested.

They walked into living room, where they found their purses on the sofa console table and their coats on the rack. “If you prefer that Neil and I take you home, we will,” Kate said, putting her hand on Natalie’s arm.

“No, it’s okay. I feel comfortable with Mac. He understands what I
’m going through. This might sound strange but I think I need him right now.”

“I’m glad he c
an be a comfort to you. I’m sorry. I didn’t think when I invited you how hard it would be. I just didn’t want you to be alone,” Kate said, her eyes filling with tears.

“I know. I appreciate you asking me to join in. It means a lot to me to have you and Charlie in my life.”

Mac walked up with a bag of food. “Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes. Please say goodbye to everyone for me. I really ju
st need to go,” Natalie virtually whispered, and she gave Kate a hug.

“No problem. I’ll call you later,” Kate
said.

With that, Mac escorted Natalie out the front door.

***

Kate returned to the dining room. She explained to Neil’s family what was happening with Natalie
and they all felt dreadful for what she had endured.

“I didn’t realize that being here would be so difficult for Natalie, but I should have. I just love her so much and the thought of her being alone on Thanksgiving was more than I could bare. She has always been there for me,” Kate said shaking her head slightly.

“It’s difficult to know what to do when someone is grieving. I’m sure Natalie was grateful to be invited. Mac will take good care of her. He is a very kind man,” Sophia said.

Everyone continued enjoying their food and the conversation was light-hearted with Neil’s parents taking the lead. Kate was relieved that Magnus and Sophia were so gregarious; they kept the conversation lively. It took the pressure off her.

After eating
dinner, dessert was served in the living room. Sophia had made pumpkin pie and brewed a pot of decaf. Kate had a chance to visit with Jessica and get to know her and her husband a bit better. Overall, it had been a wonderful day, even though Kate was worried about Natalie.

Neil leaned over and whispered in Kate’s ear
, asking her if she was ready to go. She nodded.

“Well,
we’re going to go ahead and make our goodbyes,” he said to his parents.

“We’re going to go as well,” Jessica chimed in.

As Neil drove them home, Kate rested her head against the car door, gazing out the window the entire time.

“Are you okay?” he
asked as they were turning onto the street where they lived.

“Not really. Today was a tough day.
It was really hard to see Natalie in so much pain and I thought about my mom quite a bit too.”

“
When we get upstairs, why don’t you draw yourself a bath and give Natalie a call?”

“
That’s a good idea. I really want to check on her. She has been through so much. I’m glad Mac took her home early.”

“
Yeah, it seemed like Mac could really empathize with what she was going through.”

Neil parked the car and they made their way to the elevator. “I really enjoyed meeting your family today. They were so wel
coming to me,” Kate said, putting her hand to her chest. “Your mom went out of her way to make today great. I can see why you are so special. You have an amazing mother.”

“Well, I could tell that my family loved you. You made a great impression
on them,” Neil said, kissing Kate.

Once i
nside, Neil followed Kate upstairs. Before she could say anything, he pulled the tie on her dress, causing it to open up, revealing her body. “I’ve been waiting to do that since you got dressed,” he said his eyes blazing. Neil swept Kate into his arms and began kissing her, his tongue stroking hers in sweeping motions. His hands glided over her waist and Kate was lost in her sexy man. The feel of his touch made her weak in the knees. Her phone calls could wait as she had the man she loved embracing her, loving her, intoxicating her. She felt like the luckiest woman alive.

***

Kate turned on the water to fill the bathtub. She was more than ready for a long soak. She had her cell phone and had two calls in mind. One to Natalie to check on her, the other to Charlie to hear all about Mitch’s proposal.

“Hi
, Nat. I was calling to see how you are doing.”

“I’m okay. Mac stayed for a while. We ate the food that Sophia sent with us and talked. He’s a really good guy. We watched a movie and then he left.”

“Oh, that’s good. Did talking to him help?”

“It did. He can relate to what I
’m going through.”

“Nat, have you thought about getting some grief counseling? I could ask Dr. Cox for a recommendation.”

“Mac brought that up, too. Maybe I should see Dr. Cox myself. He has really helped you. I think he might be able to help me. Give me his number.”

Kate rattled off
the doctor’s number. Natalie said she was tired and had to work tomorrow with it being Black Friday, so their call was on the shorter side.

Next,
Kate called Charlie. “Happy Thanksgiving, Charlie! How was your day?”

“It was the best day
ever, Kate! Mitch proposed!”

“That’s so exciting
,” Kate squealed. How did he do it?” Kate asked, not wanting to expose that Mitch had told her ahead of time. She didn’t want Charlie to think that she had put Mitch up to proposing.

“It was so sweet. We had just finished having our first Thanksgiving meal with my family and it was time for dessert. Actually, I decided to pass on dessert because I knew that we had another big meal to eat with his family. But Mitch presented me with a dessert plate covered by a silver lid. I had no idea what he was doing and I told him that I was too full for dessert.”

“What did he do?” Kate questioned.

“He smiled at me and said
, ‘I think you are going to want this dessert. Trust me.’ So I opened it and inside was a ring box. I sat there frozen for a minute.”

“Then what happened
?”

“Mitch got down on one knee. He picked up the box from the plate and opened it, showing me the ring. Then he told me how much he loved me and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.”

“Oh, Charlie! I am so thrilled for you. You and Mitch make an amazing couple.”

“Thanks
, Kate. I am so happy. Having my family there made it so special to me and my dad secretly videotaped the whole thing. I’ll bring it over so you can see it for yourself. I also want you to hear what Mitch said. His proposal was so heartfelt. We were all crying by the time he was done. I couldn’t think of a better way for him to propose.”

“It sounds wonderful.
Have you discussed a date yet?”

“I would like to get married during the summer. We talked about this June or July. There’s so much to plan. Would you be my
maid of honor?”

“Of course
, I will. I can’t wait to go shopping for everything. It’s going to be so much fun. What are you doing on Saturday? We can go to David’s Bridal and look at gowns.”

“I’d love to do that. We can invite Natalie too, if she’s not working.
Maybe a change of scenery will do her some good. I want her to know she is included in our lives.”

“Today was really tough on her. She left early with Neil’s friend Mac.”

“Oh no. Well, she’ll probably say no, but at least she’ll know she is wanted. Not inviting her could hurt her feelings.”

“That’s a good point,” Kate said.

“I need to get started on making decisions right away. I only have about seven months.”

“I think we can get it all done by then. We just need to make a list to stay organized.”

“I’m way ahead of you. I already started a list. I’m going to pick up a wedding planner so I don’t miss anything.”

“Do you think you are going to have a big wedding or a small one?”

“I really want something on the smaller side. I’ve been to both types, but I enjoyed the smaller one more and the bride seemed to have more fun at the smaller wedding. I want Mitch and I to enjoy ourselves, not be overwhelmed by hundreds of guests.”

“Yeah, I think I would want the same thing,” Kate responded.

“Well, you’re next,” Charlie chided.

“I would marry Neil tomorrow if he asked me, but it’s probably too soon. We’ve only known each other a few months. Plus this whole Roger thing has made our relationship move faster. I doubt that we would be living together if it wasn’t for me being in danger.”

“I think that Neil is head over heels for you and definitely wants to marry you. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have flown out to your dad’s funeral to clarify your relationship. He would have just waited for you to return home. He’s willing to fight for you and that tells me he is serious.”

“I know you
’re right. I just don’t want to get my hopes up. He may take a year or two to ask. It’s fun to imagine being his wife. But I can live vicariously through you right now. It’s a good distraction from all that’s been going on.”

“I don’t know how you are getting through all of this with Roger after you.”

“I feel safer now that I have security with me every time I leave the house. At least he doesn’t know where I am. It would be pretty hard for him to find Neil. They never met and he doesn’t know anything about him.”

“Well, thank God for that. Listen, I better go. I am going shopping with my mom tomorrow. It’s
our tradition, as you know, for us to shop on Black Friday.”

“Okay, well
, have fun. I’ll see you on Saturday.”

“See you then.”

They ended their call and Kate was still soaking in the tub when Neil came in.

“So, how was Charlie’s proposal?” he asked.

“It was wonderful. She is so happy. We’re going shopping on Saturday. She wants to have a summer wedding. I’m going to be her maid of honor,” Kate responded.

“That’s great
, baby. Is the water still hot?”

“Why
? Are you planning on joining me?”

“Absolutely,” he said with a sly grin
and began removing his clothes.

“
If it’s not hot enough for you, let me know,” she said. “I can always heat things up for you,” she said with a sly grin of her own.

Chapter 19

Paulina washed her hands for the hundredth time. Her obsessive-compulsive disorder had kicked into high gear after her conversation with Darcy yesterday. She was exhausted after tossing and turning most of the night. Her brain was trying to come up with a plan to evade Roger long enough to go back to Germany with their son. She had managed to stay in the kitchen most of the afternoon, slaving away while Roger was in the living room entertaining Rose. She had shown up with a store-bought pumpkin pie and all Paulina could imagine doing was spitting it in her face. Even though Paulina did her best to be civil, everything she said came out with a bite to it. She just couldn’t be gracious and engaging with Rose even after she had told Roger it was okay to invite her for Thanksgiving dinner.

If that wasn’t enough
that she felt goose bumps rise on her arms and neck every time she and Roger made eye contact. She kept telling herself to relax, but she was certain that a permanent furrowed brow had remained no matter how hard she willed herself to smile. All she had to do was get through today.

She had booked a motel room under a phony name and paid cash for two nights. Knowing that Roger would stake out the airport, she decided to buy bus tickets to Los Angeles and then book a flight to Germany from there. At least she would be one step ahead of
him. He’d never dream that she would be that clever. All she had to do now was keep her cool and let time drift away. The only problem was that time seemed to be moving excruciatingly slow and listening to Rose drone on about the DMV made her want to put a bullet in her head. Why did she have to talk so much? How could Roger stand it?

“Everything was delicious,” Rose commented
, looking at Paulina. “You are a terrific cook. Maybe you should think about becoming a caterer. I think you have a natural talent for it.”

Paulina gave a curt smile and said, “Thank you.” She could care less if Rose liked her food. She had made this meal for her beautiful son
, whom she now had to protect from the monster at the other end of the table.

“Have you had any nibbles on finding a job?” Rose dared to ask.

“No,” Paulina said, not making eye contact.

“I could put in a good word for you at the DMV if you like. We might be hiring.”

“That sounds great,” Roger interjected.

Paulina didn’t look up from her plate. She knew that her face had formed a scowl and she didn’t want Roger to see it.

“Excuse me,” she uttered and got up from the table.

Staring into the
bathroom mirror a minute later, she realized that she was the odd man out in this scenario. Roger could get rid of her and have Rose step in to help raise her son, making a nice little family for himself. The thought made her squat down on the floor and hug the toilet bowl. She couldn’t fathom Jacob being reared by that woman. Hopefully, Roger would invite Rose to spend the night so that she could sneak out with Jacob at about two in the morning. She had already prepared a bag with the bare necessities for their getaway.

She splashed some water on her face and told herself that she had to go out and put on a better front. The last thing she needed was for Roger to confront her about her attitude toward Rose. He was smitt
en with her and would be on Rose’s side no matter what she said. Her best bet was to play nice and pretend everything was great. She took a deep breath, left the bathroom, and returned to the table.

“Is everything okay?” Roger asked.

“Oh, yes,” Paulina said sweetly. She put her hand on her stomach and said, “I think that I ate too much. The downside of Thanksgiving, right?”

“It’s happened to all of us,” Rose said cheerily.

“You mentioned that the DMV might have an opening?” she asked with raised eyebrows.

“I think so. Are you interested if we do?”

“Definitely. Thank you for thinking of me.”

Rose nodded and smiled.

“Why don’t you all go relax in the living room and I’ll put on some coffee. Do you both want a cup?”

Rose and Roger nodded. “I’d be happy to help you Paulina,” Rose stated.

“I won’t hear of it. You are our guest. Please go sit in the living room with Roger.”

Paulina took some dishes and placed them in the sink. She prepared the coffee maker with Roger’s favorite hazelnut coffee. She continued to clear dishes off of the table, gl
ad to have something to do. Roger, Rose, and Jacob were watching TV in the living room, oblivious that Paulina had practically cleaned up the entire Thanksgiving meal. She took out four dessert plates and began cutting the pumpkin pie. She took the pie out on a tray and placed it on the coffee table. She then went back for the coffee, filling three mugs and brought that out along with sugar and creamer. Playing the role of the perfect hostess had given her an excuse to lessen her interaction with Roger and Rose. It was a perfect cover.

They ate their pie and drank their coffee in silence for a few moments.

Jacob had finished his pie and wanted to do something other than watch TV. “Mom, can I go play Nintendo in my room?” he asked.

“Of course you can.”

He hurried out of the room, leaving the adults alone. The next show coming on was
The Big Bang Theory.
When the sit-com ended, Paulina got up and cleared the trays from the coffee table. She put the dishes in the dishwasher and stored the leftovers in the fridge.

“Well, I’m beat. I’m going to bed. Good night.”

“Good night,” Roger and Rose said almost simultaneously.

Paul
ina set her alarm clock for two. She was sure that Roger would be fast asleep, especially after the big meal they just had. Spending one second longer than she had to with a possible killer was out of the question.

***

Paulina woke up before the alarm went off. She had gone to bed in her clothes, so all she had to do was put on her shoes and get her son out of bed. She had strapped her duffle bag around her body so that the weight of it was on her back. She pulled the covers off Jacob and placed shoes on his feet. He was in a deep sleep and had no idea that she was moving him.

The hard part was
getting him out of the apartment. She was going to have to carry him and he wasn’t exactly light. She opened the bedroom door to prepare her path. She picked him up, feeling her back strain but she had no choice. Waking him up was not an option. First, it was nearly impossible to wake him up in the middle of the night. Second, he would start asking her questions and possibly wake up Roger.

She walked carefully into the living room, heading toward the door. Freedom was in her
grasp, until Roger turned on the lamp. He was sitting on the sofa, apparently waiting for her. She gasped at the sight of him and froze in the spot where she was standing. Her heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest. She knew being caught was going to have disastrous consequences for her. All she could do was hold onto her child, believing that it was the last time she would be able to.

“What are you doing?” Roger said with a coldness she had never heard before.

She went to open her mouth, but nothing came out. She couldn’t speak.

“I asked you a question,” he said getting up. “Why are you taking Jacob somewhere in the middle of the night?”

“I … I … I have become a … afraid of you Roger. Everything is so, so intense with you. I thought that it would be good to have some space.”

She watched as he approached her.

“Is it because of Rose? Are you jealous of her?”

Why didn’t she think to blame it on Rose? That was much more plausible than the lame answer she just gave him. She nodded. “You being with Rose is driving me crazy. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I decided to get away to clear my head.”

This could work if she was believable. Perhaps her life wasn’t over yet.

“What are you saying? That you want to give us another try?”

Absolutely not. No way in hell. I loathe the thought of being with you.

“I have to admit I have been wishing that we could be a family. Have you thought about it too?”

“Of course. Why don’t you put Jacob back to bed and we can talk. I’ll cut us each a piece of pie and we can get things out in the open.”

“Okay.”

She walked back to the bedroom and placed Jacob onto the bed. She removed his shoes, covered him up, and kissed him on the forehead. “Sleep well, my wonderful boy,” she whispered to him. Perhaps all wasn’t lost. She might have to go to bed with Roger to convince him that she wanted him, but she could do that if it meant saving her life. She could try again when Roger was working next week. She would take Jacob out of school and head straight for L.A.

As she walked out of the bedroom, she felt Roger grab her from behind.
“I suspected you were up to something bitch. I had to send home Rose so she wouldn’t be here to see this. I missed out on sex because of you, but I won’t be missing out on that again.” He stuck her neck with something and her body went limp in a matter of seconds. He pulled her into his bedroom and into his bathroom. She couldn’t quite make out what was wrong with the bathroom walls. Then she realized by looking at the floor that he had covered his bathroom in plastic. She wanted to scream, but she couldn’t utter a sound. All she could do was take in the scene with her eyes and accept that Darcy’s warning had come too late. He was going to kill her and Jacob would be motherless.

Roger placed her in the tub. “You think you are so smart, don’t you? I knew the minute you started being nice to Rose that you were up to something. What clenched it for me was you accepting help from her
finding a job at the DMV. That was over the top. I knew then that you had either figured things out or someone had said something to you. But don’t worry, Paulina. I’m going to take good care of our son. I’ll make sure he wants for nothing. It’s really too bad it has to end this way. You were a good mother.”

Tears streamed down Paulina’s face. Her precious boy was going to grow up with this monster. How would he not turn into a monster himself? The fear of what was about to happen caused her
to hear the blood rushing through her body. As he came toward her with a knife, she screamed in her head, no, please don’t kill me. She managed to scream it twice and then he slit her throat. She could feel the life draining out of her body.
Please, God, save my son.

***

Roger was pissed that it had come to this, but he wasn’t going to lose his son, not again. Paulina had given him no choice. She was planning on leaving and taking his son. The only mistake he had made was not finding out how she found out. All he could do now was speculate. He could only assume that she had found the fake drawer where he kept his knives and saws.
Damn it.

He knew that he was going to h
ave to move quickly. It was four in the morning when he was done wrapping Paulina up in trash bags. The only place he could think to put her without leaving Jacob alone, was in the trunk of his car. Doing it now was the safest since everyone was sleeping and he could slip in and out of the apartment undetected. He’d have to come up with a place to discard her later. Fortunately, Jacob slept through anything, so he would do it in the middle of the night.

Now, on to more pleasant deliberations—finding Kate. He had the tools that he needed to take out her security guard. He just needed to have access to her and the guard. Friday would be a big shopping day. Perhaps Kate would venture out shopping and he could make his move then.