You are Mine (2 page)

“Didn’t your mother introduce you to the spa
as well?”

“Yes, but that’s only because she loves her
daughter,” she said with a sniff and smiled when he chuckled.
“Whatever. I had my first appointment at twelve after a
particularly grueling track meet. Ever since then I’ve tried to
keep a monthly appointment.” Brian’s silence was so pregnant with
meaning that she had to stop and think about what she’d just said.
While she hadn’t exactly been spoiled growing up, she
had
had a good life where she’d wanted for almost nothing. “I was well
taken care of; not pampered, and I admit to liking and being
accustomed to a certain lifestyle…” she paused, recognizing the
trap she’d set for herself. When he laughed, she sighed
philosophically and said a little sulkily, “Okay, so maybe I am
pampered.” She lifted herself up again to look into his laughing
eyes, and raising her hand up with her thumb and forefinger held
about a centimeter apart, said sheepishly with a teasing smile,
“but only a teeny-tiny, infinitesimal bit -- so negligible, in
fact,” she continued as she lay back down, “ it’s barely worth
mentioning. And besides, whenever you change the linen you always
seem to manage to find the Porthault.”

Brian was silent for a moment and then in a
low, embarrassed voice, “Well, they are pretty amazing.” Caroline
burst out laughing before planting a kiss in the dip in his neck.
As their laughter wound down and she settled against him again, she
felt happiness course through her for at least the tenth time that
day. It happened every time she thought about him and her life with
him. She loved him more than she’d ever loved anyone or anything
before, and couldn’t imagine her life without him.

And because she couldn’t, rapidly on the
heels of that thought, another one intruded, causing a sudden
shiver. Alexander Brickman, a man obsessed with her, was determined
to change that, and it frightened her that despite all their
efforts, he could still ruin their lives. She tried to expel the
feeling, knowing that when she worried, Brian worried, and she
didn’t want him to get caught up in her fears once again. She
willed her muscles to stay relaxed and not give away her sudden
anxiety.

“Hey, you’re tensing up,” Brian said in a
husky, concerned voice as he rubbed her back. “What’s the matter,
baby? The usual?”

“No, it’s nothing. I’m fine,” she tried to
assure him and hastily changed the subject, “Ready for our trip?”
There was nothing but silence for a moment, and she knew that she
hadn’t fooled him. A moment later she knew he’d decided to go along
with her because he sighed as he began to rub her back again.

“Of course I’m ready. I’m not the one who
takes five days to pack for a week-long trip.”

“Lies, all lies,” she said in relief as she
traced circles on his skin with the tip of her finger. “The
honeymoon doesn’t count. I mean really, Brian, it was our
honeymoon
. Besides, we were gone for two weeks, not
one.”

“True enough. Hard to believe it’s already
been seven months since our time in Napa.”

“Yeah,” Caroline said contemplatively. So
much had happened in such a short span of time that when she
thought about everything, she sometimes imagined that she was still
spinning in the whirlwind. In nearly two years, she’d met and
married Brian, finally found success as an artist; been stalked by
a maniac, and narrowly avoided being kidnapped by same. Well, can’t
say I’ve been bored, she thought now as Brian tunneled his fingers
through her hair. “I really loved Napa. Didn’t you?”

“Yeah, it was awesome. I hear Mackinac
Island is just as beautiful,” he said, pronouncing the vacation
spot “Mackinaw”.

“I’ve heard of the island and the wonderful
Grand Hotel before, of course, but I’m so glad you heard about that
cottage. It sounds heavenly. What’s the name of it again?”

“Masco Cottage, though I don’t know how
anyone could call a four bedroom home a mere cottage.”

Caroline squeezed him. “Ooh, I’m so excited
to go,” she said with a huge smile. “Tell me all about it
again.”

“The cottage is owned by the Grand Hotel,
and it’s on hotel property. The hotel sits on a bluff overlooking
Lake Huron, and from what I’ve seen -- what we’ve both seen -- it’s
gorgeous. We can look at the brochure again later. Anyway, the food
is supposed to be superb, full breakfasts, five-course dinners.
Apparently, we have to dress for dinner if we eat in the hotel. As
part of our rental, though, we can have a personal chef from the
hotel come to the cottage, or we can cook ourselves. I figured we
might want to do both and sometimes even eat at the hotel if we’d
like.”

She nodded. “I’ll have to think about that
last one. It will be nice not to be around people for a while. I
can’t wait. In another week, we’ll be away from everything -- your
crazy job; the manic city; loving, but interfering, family and
friends; impossible deadlines, and just everything! I’ll have you
all to myself.”

Brian continued to take his fingers through
her hair. “Not quite,” he reminded her. “Don’t forget that Jae will
be coming along, too.”

Caroline felt her tension return in full
measure.

“You’re the one insisting that he comes,”
Brian said after she’d been silent for a while. “I think we’d be
fine with just the two of us.”

She sighed. “It’s not the fact that he’s
coming; it’s the idea that he’s needed at all. And I know his
coming was my idea. He’s a bodyguard -- he should be guarding
bodies.” After they’d returned from their honeymoon, Brian had
insisted that they hire a bodyguard, and considering how close her
stalker had gotten, she hadn’t tried to dissuade him from his
decision. She’d known she wouldn’t have been able to change his
mind so she didn’t waste time and energy trying.

“He’s your bodyguard, not mine. I hired him
to protect you when I’m not around.”

“Yes,” Caroline agreed, “but I want you
protected as well, and there’s no sense in telling me that you can
guard the both of us just fine on your own because it won’t make me
feel any better. I love you just as much as you love me and
Alexander Brickman is a very dangerous man. Now I’m sorry if it
hurts your ego, but I think we can use all the help we can get.
Brickman has an advantage: he’s willing to kill to get what he
wants. He’s already proven that.”

“And I’m willing to kill to keep you
safe.”

His voice held no emotion in its
resoluteness and Caroline frowned. What he didn’t say was that he’d
die to save her, but she knew he’d deliberately put himself in
harm’s way if it meant saving her life. “I know that,” she replied
softly. “But you need protection too.”

“Well, there’s no point in discussing it
anymore; the decision has already been made to bring Jae
along.”

“My point exactly,” Caroline said and felt
an automatic spurt of triumph go through her. It was short-lived,
however, as the reason for Jae’s presence reasserted itself. “At
any rate --” she was rudely interrupted by a jaw-crackling yawn.
Her own. She scowled because exhaustion had hit her with a sudden
punch. “Oh, excuse me…darn it,” she muttered sleepily. Abruptly it
felt as if her body were carrying at least an extra fifty pounds.
Slumping against Brian, she slurred, “You ha-haveta pro -- (another
huge yawn) “Shoot -- pardon. I’m so sorry.”

She pressed a soft kiss against his neck in
amends and he began to smooth his hand over her hair soothingly.
“Don’t fight it, baby. Just go to sleep.”

Caroline burrowed into him some more. “I
will, but you have to promise me that you’ll be careful, Bri…I mean
it would be ridic’lous to take…take…”

Brian grinned when he felt her go completely
limp against him and when the sound of soft snores reached his
ears; he smiled some more and shook his head. The pregnancy brought
exhaustion quickly and completely, making her fall asleep at the
oddest times and in the oddest places. He’d even found her asleep
on the commode the week before. He kissed her forehead and
chuckled. “Pleasant dreams, sweetheart.” He reached over and turned
off the bedside lamp.

His amusement was cut short when thoughts of
Alexander Brickman intruded once again. The man had turned out to
be their own personal menace. An amateur photographer, Caroline had
been on one of her Saturday morning jaunts just after they’d
started dating. She had inadvertently taken Brickman’s picture,
and, unbeknownst to them, drawn the man’s obsessive attention.
Brian sighed. Almost since Caroline and he had met, the threat of
Brickman had been hovering over them like an ominous cloud. Wanted
by several law enforcement agencies, the other man had been on the
run for at least a decade.

Brian supposed that was something they could
be grateful for. If Brickman didn’t have to keep moving so often or
stay in hiding, he might have been successful in kidnapping
Caroline by now. He stared at nothing in the darkness as thoughts
of Brickman continued to fill his head. He hated to admit it, but
he was afraid; afraid he wouldn’t be able to protect his wife. Drug
lord, arms merchant, murderer, international fugitive -- this was
the man who was after her. He shook his head in impotent anger,
wishing there was something more he could do. Caroline shifted and
mumbled, and Brian tightened his hold protectively as he absently
planted a kiss on her forehead. “I’m not going to let him anywhere
near you,” he promised softly in the darkness.

Chapter Two

Procida Island, Italy

Jonathan Brickman rolled off his lover; a
gorgeous Italian beauty he never would have believed would give
someone like him the time of day. Often described as lumbering and
dense, he was oversized, with thinning hair and a meek personality.
No, Jonathan had no delusions about himself, and knew he was not
the kind of man who attracted women, beautiful or otherwise. But
Brunetta had proved to be different. She told him that she loved
his bigness, that it made her feel protected and dainty. And she
didn’t think he was thick-headed. In her words, he was just a man
who took his time processing life’s happenings.

He smiled softly to himself. Whatever
Brunetta’s reason for doing it, she’d latched onto him almost
immediately after he’d arrived at the gorgeous private villa his
brother Alex had brought them to six months before. Jonathan knew
she was using him, and he didn’t care. The sex was incredible and
plentiful, and that was enough for him. He’d never had a girlfriend
before, and the only reason he’d ever had intercourse was because
there were prostitutes who would take even his money. Brunetta
moved to lie on his chest and he absentmindedly kissed the top of
her head as he continued to think about their relationship.

He believed her to be perfect for him, and
was in the process of arranging a special night so he could propose
to her. He wanted to take care of her and her fatherless twin boys
who had just turned four the week before. She was a widow, and only
a few years older than his own thirty-seven, but no one who looked
at her would ever guess that she was past forty. A tall, athletic
looking woman, her olive skin was wrinkle-free, a fact he found
amazing in such a sunny clime. She had luxurious black hair and
dark eyes that always seemed to be sparkling with excitement. He
sighed in contentment as he thought about moving her and her
family, which also included her mother and a younger sister, back
to the States.

Yes, life was good. It would be even better
if Brunetta would stop suggesting that he could take over his
brother’s business. She only did this in the privacy of his
bedroom, of course, but it made him uncomfortable. He felt disloyal
to Alex just discussing it; even though it was more him telling
Brunetta to stop suggesting such a thing than it was a discussion.
He didn’t want Alex’s empire, and he was happy just where he was in
the hierarchy. Somehow, he knew, he had to make Brunetta
understand.

And he would; there was no way such a small
misunderstanding would get in the way of his happiness. He’d
finally found his woman, and he would not so easily let her go.

“
Si sono magnifici
,” Brunetta purred
as she moved sensually against him. “
Sei proprio un amante
virile! Un tale uomo virile deve prendere quello che vuole,
no?
”

Jonathan flushed with pleasure even as he
frowned. Calling him virile and feeding his ego about how he was
strong enough to take what he wanted was usually how she began her
not-so-subtle persuasion. “No, Brunie,” he said firmly. “I told you
that I don’t want my brother’s empire or his money. It would be
impossible for me to have either.”

“Well, baby brother. I’m glad we agree.” The
soft, menacing voice came from the direction of the room’s
entryway.

Suddenly chilled to the bone, Jonathan
slowly and with dread turned his head to see his older brother
standing not twenty feet from his bed. He met his brother’s eyes
and flinched.
Oh, shit. I never heard the door open
. He
stared in horror into Alex’s pale blue eyes. Dressed in a crisp,
gray, tailored suit, his brother was small, pale, blond and
unassuming-looking -- someone who would normally escape notice.
Except he’s a spooky, little motherfucker, Jonathan thought and
tried again unsuccessfully to hold Alex’s stare. As his gaze darted
away, his brain tried to process what he was seeing. Alex’s
normally cold eyes held a glittery anticipation. Not good, Jonathan
thought, so fucking not good.

He looked back at his brother.
He’s
alone, so maybe things aren’t so bad
. Unless his victim was his
lover, Ida, Alex let his men handle his physical dirty work.
“Brunetta didn’t mean anything by what she just said, Alex,”
Jonathan began desperately.

“Of course she did, baby brother,” Alexander
Brickman said in a pleasant voice that was completely at odds with
his brutal expression. If it were possible, both Jonathan and
Brunetta stiffened even more at the sight of his smile. “She meant
the harm to come to me.”