Unquenchable Desire (25 page)

“Don’t sound so pleased. You tortured the hell out of
me.”

She swallowed a laugh, fearing that until they heard
some good news about Rick’s and
Deeto’s
conditions,
laughter might seem callous and upset her sister. Valerie sighed. She was as
worried as everyone else, but talking silliness relieved some of the tension.

Brian leaned close to her ear and scolded in low rumble.
“Distracting me on the job is risky. How much do you think a man can take?”

She gave a small smile, but before she could let loose
her saucy quip, the doctor entered the room.

“I’d like to keep the men overnight,” he said, sounding
tired, “but they’re going to be fine. Luckily, both are in excellent shape.”

Victoria
sprang to her feet and
hugged the doctor. “Bikers usually are,” she said, sounding proud. Tears
glistened in her eyes. “Thank you, doctor. You’ve made me a happy woman.”

Hearing the deep tenderness and adoration in her twin’s
voice, Valerie squeezed Brian’s hand and prayed that, like her sister, she’d live
long enough to have the man she loved in her life in a permanent way. She
wondered why her sister’s love hadn’t driven the wolf out of her, and why
Brian’s love hadn’t driven his wolf out of him. He was such a cool-headed dude.
What if he never learned to unleash his deeper emotions?

****

When they returned to the mansion, Valerie spied Kyle’s
bags by the front door. She didn’t blame him for wanting to leave. They had
treated him badly, showing no trust, no affection. It would be even worse if Kyle
knew they’d planned to kill him.

She watched her dad glance down at the bags. He blew out
a gust of air. “Thank you for waiting for our return before leaving.” He
paused, looking regretful. “What can I say to smooth things over and encourage
you to stay?”

“Nothing, Sir.
I can’t work where my
integrity and loyalty is doubted.”

“I understand,” Dad said, “but let me make it crystal clear,
this was just a tragic mistake. Valerie was in danger from an unknown
assailant. And then you dashed onto the scene and tried to grab her. If you
hadn’t reached for her, none of this would’ve happened.”

“Are you saying I’m to blame for Brian jumping me,
jabbing a fist into my jaw, and knocking me unconscious?” He paused and glared
at Brian. Then he glowered at Uncle Hugh. “I came to being yanked out of a
cage, by that one, for God’s sake.”

“What were you doing out in the wilds during your work
hours?” Brian demanded. “It wasn’t your day off, was it?”

“I usually jog after the dinner meal once the kitchen
is back in order, but I saw the dark clouds moving in over the hills, and I
didn’t think anyone would mind if I jogged on my lunch break instead.”

Unable to stand their game of looking for someone to
blame a second longer, Valerie stepped forward and gently touched Kyle’s arm.
“We all regret doubting you.
 
But none of
this was Dad’s fault. It was my doing. I pushed him and Brian into suspecting
you and then when you rushed up the path… Can’t you understand? I was on edge,
skittish, and when you reached for me—”

Dad piped up. “We won’t try to keep you if you must go.
But we love you here. So if you’re intent upon leaving, please accompany me to
my office. I’d like to write you a severance check.”

Kyle frowned, looking uncertain. Then his eyes glinted.
“You guys sure have a rough way of showing love.”

Thunder rolled across the sky and echoed through the mansion.
Valerie glanced at Kyle and said, “It’d be unkind and irresponsible to let you
leave on a devilish, storming night like this.”

Kyle went to the bay window and looked out.
 
Lightning flashed across the sky and lit up
the living room with a blinding brightness. “You’re right,” he said. His tone
carried no lingering anger.
 
He paused a
moment then sent her a boyish grin. “Tonight’s a good occasion for hot
chocolate topped with lots of whipped cream and some grilled cheese sandwiches
on homemade rye. Let me stow my bags in my quarters, and I’ll whip it up for
you in a jiffy.”

Valerie smiled. It was storming outside but, thank God,
the storm inside had passed and all was right in their world. She shuddered,
fearing the horror tomorrow might bring.
 
 

****

Valerie glanced through the window of the passenger
side of the foundation station wagon at the lingering cloak of black clouds
overhead. The day carried the depressing darkness of yesterday’s storm, but at
least it wasn’t raining.

She swayed against the seatbelt as Brian turned right
into the foundation’s wide, commercial driveway. In spite of the cheery reggae music
blaring from the radio, she cringed at the sight of the empty New Beginnings
parking lot.

She stiffened as Brian swung into the CEO parking space
next to the building and killed the engine. Silence wrapped around her like the
tentacles of some dark, unidentified creature from the depths of hell. She felt
no guilt at her drama. Probably anyone returning for the first time to the site
of a brutal murder would feel a similar unease.

Dad had already selected a replacement from a list of security
people he kept on staff at his
L.A.
offices. She shivered when she saw no sign of the new guy, Ret, or his car.

Brian touched her thigh and made little circles with
his thumb. “It’ll be okay, Val. I’m here,” he said in a husky voice.

While reveling in his tone, she realized he’d only
called her Val once before. Somehow the intimate use of her name combined with
touch was even more moving than the word alone. The snugly nickname calmed her
while his touch and vibrating tone sent little tingles spiraling up her leg to
her core.

She blew out a gust of air. “I know. But I still see a
vivid image of poor Gordon lying sprawled on the floor with his throat ripped
out.”

In spite of their rule of no physical contact at work, when
Brian reached over and drew her into his arms, she felt only relief. She rested
her head against his firm, strong shoulder. Before she got too settled in, he
lifted her chin and wouldn’t let her lower it again. She felt the warmth when
his lips touched hers and the taste of coffee on his breath.

She allow him to delve into her mouth with his hot
tongue and caress her curves with skilled hands for an instantaneous-eternity,
then she forced herself to wriggle out of his arms. “The others will arrive any
minute. I need to make sure the police, forensic experts, and the cleanup crew
erased all signs of the bloody mayhem.”

She slipped from the car before he could stop her and
rushed to unlock the double wrought-iron gates. He joined her immediately and
helped her push them wide.

She took a deep breath and stepped into the building, Brian
following close behind. The glass picture-windows allowed in the gloomy grey of
the cloudy morning. She yearned for even a trace of sunlight.

She flipped on the main switch and florescent lights
blinked on. She lifted her chin and headed toward the hallway where Gordon had
been brutally slaughtered. Brian grabbed her arm firmly as though he thought
she needed supporting on her edgy journey along walls that still carried the
scent of death. She glanced up at his strong, invincible-looking features.
“Thanks for being here, Brian.”

He nodded. His eyes narrowed in intensity as he looked
about, seemingly listening for any sound, watching for any movement in the
shadows. They rounded the corner and she sighed, seeing only gleaming floors
and newly painted walls.
 
She smiled. Her
dad was behind getting everything done so quickly. It was amazing what a
powerful man and money could do.

She looked up at Brain. “Well, we can’t just stand here
all day admiring the cleanup. Let’s finish inspecting the building, including
the basement.”

Finding everything secure brought another wave of
relief surging through her. Then her bones chilled. “You, know, we still haven’t
seen hide-nor-hair of a security guy. The day time man was supposed to relieve
the night time guy at six a.m. One of them should be here.”

She lightly stroked her lower lip. Until late yesterday
morning the foundation building literally crawled with the authorities, then in
the afternoon the cleanup and painting crew arrived and stayed until after
midnight. Then, according to Dad, the new security guy, Ret Simmons, secured
the building and would remain on site until replaced at six a.m. by Mike Burns.
She glanced at her watch. “It’s almost eight so the replacement, Mike, should
be here. In any event, one of them should be here.”

“Let’s check the time clock and determine which one. While
on duty, each man should have recorded their rounds.”

“Right and if there’s a break—” Valerie gasped as an
image of Gordon lying in a pool of blood flitted through her mind.

Brian touched her arm and she gave him a grateful
smile. Buoyed by his support, they checked the time clock and it verified that
Ret had checked-out after his shift and that Mike had checked-in. She called
Mike’s home. His wife said her husband was at work.

Valerie thanked her, and promised to call her back when
they found him.

Brian shook his head when she hung up. “But we covered
every inch of the building—”

“But not the grounds.
What if he’s outside the
building somewhere, maybe hidden in the bushes?” She closed her eyes briefly. “We’d
better look.”

They secured the building and then slowly and
painstakingly searched the outside perimeter. After combing every inch of the
site, checking under every bush and finding nothing, she hugged Brian briefly
and said, “Okay, let’s go to my office and start the day. I have lots of calls
to make and you can help. You can start by checking the security tapes. Maybe
something on them will give us a clue as to what happed to the missing guard.” Not
finding him dead gave her hope. “I’ll call the wife back and alert the police
that he’s definitely missing.”

“All righty, Boss Lady.
But you’re still a bloody
slave-driver.”

She pushed down the worry and laughed. “What happened
to the nickname Val?”

He flashed his blinding smile and winked. “I’m saving
it for the vulnerable Valerie. It doesn’t fit Ms. CEO.”

Like soldiers going to battle, they re-entered the
building and headed for her spacious wood-paneled office with the picture
window. She glanced out. The day didn’t seem quite as dark. Soon, the building
would hum with activity and clients would be checking in.

When she arrived at her desk, she froze and a chill ran
down her back. Right on top in the center laid an application for Rory.
 
How did it get there? Had he been in the
building?
But how?
When?

She waved it at Brian. “Look what I found on my desk. Did
you put it there?”

He glanced at it and frowned. “Are you kidding me? You
realize what that could mean, don’t you?”

She rubbed her arms. “Following that scenario of
opportunity with all the police around for the last few days, he could only
have left it when he planted the bomb.”
Or
when he kidnapped the security guard,
she thought, fearing it was possible.

“I’m calling a locksmith. I’ll get all the locks
changed and bring in more security.”

Brian went to the picture window and stared out. “Since
your dad hired the security, you’d better inform him what’s going on.”

“I will as soon as I call the police and report Mike
missing.”
Dear God, what will the
authorities think about more trouble at the foundation and the fact that the
Lamont family is somehow involved again?

He frowned. “I’d call your dad before you bring the
police in.” He turned and headed out of the office, lightly touching her
shoulder as he passed by, his hand strong and comforting. Although feathery, his
touch was like a brace to a broken chair.
God,
maybe this job is too much for me
, she thought, feeling overwhelmed by fear
and need to take action—the right action. Then another thought hit her—didn’t
Brian think she was up to the job? Was that why he said to call Dad? Her gut
made her want to show them all that she could handle this without his help, but
her brain told her this wasn’t the time to get her back up. She had to keep a
cool head.

Chapter Twenty-One

Valerie jumped when the grandfather clock out in the
hallway struck midnight. The open drapes at her bedroom window batted in the
breeze. She slid out of bed and went to the sill and stared up at the full
moon. She’d tried to sleep, but the question about the missing security guard
echoed in her skull, harsh and bruising. They hadn’t found him. Was he lying
dead somewhere with his throat ripped out?

Since Reeves, alias Lazar and now probably Rory, had
tainted their property with mutilated bodies in the past, perhaps—

She rushed down the dimly-lit hallway to Brian’s room,
her wispy lace nightgown trailing behind. She tapped on the door. The empty
sound echoed back at her. She placed her ear to the wood and heard nothing. Then
it hit her—there was a full moon—he was still a werewolf.