His for Now (His #2) (13 page)

“No!”  Steve shook his head emphatically.  “If you don’t believe anything else I say, please, believe this:  I didn’t make those threats.
  I don’t know who did but it wasn’t me.”

I stepped forward then, my mouth dry. 
I could tell by Hayden’s demeanor that he trusted Steve – and I trusted Hayden.  If he believed that Steve hadn’t been threatening to kill him, then so did I.  And that only meant one thing.  My heart sunk as I began to say the words aloud.  “If you didn’t make the death threats…”

“…then that means someone else out there wants me dead,” Hayden finished.
 

Our eyes locked.
  I could see the horror I felt mirrored on Hayden’s face.  Only moments earlier, he’d been celebrating the fact that he could finally lead a normal life and love me without putting my life in jeopardy.  Now, cruelly, that future had been pulled right out from under him.  It hurt to know how close we’d been to getting what we wanted.

“Get in the car,” Hayden told Steve, his eyes never leaving mine. 

“What are we going to do?” I asked Hayden once it was just us standing out there with the painting between us.  I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him everything would be okay but of course, I didn’t know that.  I wasn’t about to lie to him.

“I’ll return the painting to its rightful owner,” he said
stoically.  “Then I’m going to let whoever’s after me come and get me.”

“What?” I demanded, thinking I hadn’t heard right.  “That’s insane, Hayden. 
You don’t know who or what you’re dealing with.  You’ve been getting death threats for ages.  What makes you think they won’t hurt you?  Or kill you?  You can’t take that chance!”

“I have to,” he said simply.  “I’ve
had enough of this nonsense and knowing that you’re in danger now too is the last straw.  I’ll do my best to get to them before they get to me, but there are no guarantees.  Either I put an end to this madness or I’ll die trying.  Whatever happens, you’ll be safe.  That’s all that matters.”

“No!” I hissed with such conviction that Hayden looked startled.

“No?” he repeated.  “Daniella, maybe you don’t realize just how serious this whole thing is…”

“I do,” I assured him.  “Believe me, I do.  That’s exactly why I won’t agree to you making yourself a target.  You’re not going to play some stupid cat and mouse game and hope that you get to be the cat.  It’s too dangerous.  Now that I have you I’m not going to lose you.”

“What are you saying?”

“Take me with you,” I told him even though it
stung to say the words and to think about what they really meant:  sacrifice and bittersweet goodbyes.  But the thought of
not
asking for exactly that stung worse.  “We’ll run away just like you talked about, assume new identities in some foreign country…let’s start over, Hayden.  Let’s start over together
.
”

“Are you sure
?” he asked, his eyes searching mine.  “There’s no going back.”

My mind raced, thinking about the career I’d be walking away from.  I love Burlington and the campus where I’d spent the past decade of my life.  It was where I’d grown up.  It was where I’d established my career, my reputation and my identity.  It was home to me. 

I thought about all I’d be giving up…but then I looked in Hayden’s eyes and thought of everything I’d be gaining.  There was no question about it.  I didn’t need to give it any more thought.  My mind was made up – my heart had made the decision easy.

“I’m sure,” I told him.  “I’ve never been
more certain of anything in my life.”

___

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His Forever by Octavia Wildwood

PREVIEW

The ocean breeze was hot and salty on my bare skin.  My eyes shut, I savored the way the gentle wind rocked my hammock back and forth, soothing me.  The sound of waves crashing rhythmically against the shore was like a lullaby from Mother Earth herself.  Plain and simple, I was living in paradise.

I was no longer Daniella James.  My fake passport had given me a new identity and a new lease on life.  It had allowed me to leave my old life behind, fleeing unseen dangers with Hayden Slate at my side.

And Hayden Slate was still at my side – quite literally.  His hammock was next to mine, so close that I could reach out and touch him
, which I often did.  In fact, only thirty minutes earlier we’d both been in his hammock, rolling around naked as the hot sun beamed down on us.  The chemistry between us was undeniable and no matter how many times we were intimate, I just wanted more.  I couldn’t imagine ever growing tired of being in that man’s arms.

But the heat was exhausting and after we’d both found our pleasure, I’d climbed off him and back into my own hammock.  I needed to catch my breath. 
Palm trees towered over us, casting shadows over the small Jamaican oceanfront villa we’d rented.  Beside me, I could hear Hayden snoring faintly.  It was the sound of a satisfied man recouping from an enthusiastic romp in the hay, so to speak.

Between my legs, I was sore in the way I adored…the way that reminded me of the naughty things we’d done.  I loved when Hayden’s dominant streak made an appearance.  There was nothing quite like being pinned beneath him while he had his way with me.  That carnal gleam in his eye and the urgency of his movements made me weak in the knees every time.

I loved when Hayden claimed me.

Our life
together wasn’t glamorous.  We hadn’t had time to make any plans.  There had been no opportunity for me to list my tiny one bedroom house back in Burlington for sale, so my meager assets were still tied up back home.  Hayden only had access to his father’s vast fortune when he did exactly what was expected of him. 

Of course, our fleeing to Jamaica wasn’t part of Henrik Slate’s plan for his son.  In fact, Hayden hadn’t even told his father where we were, opting instead to pawn anything of value before we hopped on a plane.
  The cash he’d been able to come up with was just enough for us to get by.

Seeing Hayden in swim trunks and sandals instead of designer suits was different, but it was certainly a welcome sight.  He was
fit
!  And he was mine.  The man who I’d initially thought would just be a one night stand had made it very clear that he wasn’t going anywhere. 

It was a simple life we had in the rural coastal town we’d decided to call home, but that was
fine by me.  Being wined and dined and showered with lavish gifts was certainly nice, but it wasn’t necessary for me to be happy. 

All that mattered was that Hayden and I were together.

That was the mantra I repeated to myself anytime homesickness set in.  I felt ungrateful every time a twinge of nostalgia hit me.  There I was living in a gorgeous tropical paradise.  My days were spent dangling my toes in the sand while I read books and basked in the sun.  It was most people’s dream, and yet sometimes a sense of restlessness I just couldn’t shake came over me.

At my core, I was a teacher.  It was what I felt I’d been born to do. 
I thought about the college I’d taught at often, wondering if they’d hired anyone to take my place after I’d so abruptly resigned.  I thought about my students daily, wishing I could be there to help guide them on their journey through academia and life.  I pined for my half-finished research projects.  Abandoning all that didn’t feel right.

My life in Burlington had been quiet, but I nonetheless missed it.

Hayden had vowed to find out who was behind the threats, but his efforts so far had led to nothing but frustration.  Without divulging our location, he’d reached out to the person or persons who so desperately wanted the painting, dangling it like bait.  But he’d gotten no bite.  In fact, communication had stopped entirely, just like that. 

It was clear Hayden was frustrated, so I tried not to push the matter much.  I knew he was trying his best.  But it made me anxious sometimes to think there was a very real possibility that we’d never be able to stop looking behind us for the dangers that lurked in the shadows.

“I’m going in to make us some drinks,” Hayden announced, jarring me back to the present.  “What would you like?”

“Surprise me,” I told him, my eyes still shut.

He leaned down and kissed me.  “I hate to tell you to put clothes on because I love when you walk around naked,” he murmured, “But there are surfers out there.”

My eyes snapped open.  “Shit!” I cursed as I noticed a couple of surfers out in the water just beyond the perimeter of our yard.  They seemed oblivious to our presence but even so I grabbed my bikini and frantically wiggled back into it while Hay
den chuckled before retreating into the house.

Stretching and stifling a yawn, I contemplated my plans for the day.  Maybe I’d start in on another book or go for a swim.  Or maybe I’d wait until
my boyfriend got in the shower and then sneak in there to join him…  I loved being able to think of him as my boyfriend!

My mind wandered, mostly to dirty, filthy places as I waited for Hayden to return.  I lost track of time as I thought about the things I’d like to do to Hayden and what I’d like him to do to me. 

The back door of the house banged shut.  “It’s about time!” I called out to Hayden good-naturedly as I realized just how thirsty I was.  “What did you bring me?”  When I didn’t get an answer, I cracked open an eye – and saw Hayden’s father standing right in front of me.

“Mr. Slate!” I gasped, sitting up and reaching for my towel. 

Hayden came storming out of the house then, looking like man on a mission.  “I told you to leave her out of this!” he snapped at his father angrily.  “I’m done taking orders from you and I’ll be damned if you’re going to tell Daniella what to do!  How did you even find us?”

“You certainly didn’t make it easy,” Henrik retorted, equally as enraged.  “Now go inside and get dressed.  We’ve got a plane to catch.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Hayden insisted as I stared at the two Slate men with confusion and mounting anxiety.  It was easy to see where Hayden got his dominant streak because his father seemed unwilling to take no for an answer.  Whatever was going on between the two of them clearly wasn’t good news.  You could practically cut the tension with a knife.

“You will come with me and you’ll do it
now
,” Henrik spat.  “I’ve had enough of your irresponsibility.  Your whole life you’ve acted like everything is a big joke.  You think you can just skip out on your duties and run away to Jamaica?  Well I’ve got news for you.”

“No,” Hayden interrupted.  “
I’ve
got news for
you
!  The world doesn’t revolve around you.  You’re so obsessed with your stupid business’s legacy that you’ve never even stopped to think about what I want, have you?”

“You don’t know what you want!” Henrik roared.  Then, regaining his semblance of control, he smirked.  “It would be a real shame if your mother found herself unable to pay her bills thanks to your disobedience, wouldn’t it?”

Hayden’s jaw dropped.  “What?  You…know where Mom is?” 

I leaned forward, waiting on pins and needles for the answer.  Hayden rarely spoke of his mother.  All I knew was that his parents had divorced about two decades earlier and it had been ugly.  His mother had walked away penniless while his father had retained everything, including custody of their young son.  Now, Hayden believed she was living abroad, possibly in South America, but had lost contact with her long ago.

“I’ve always known where she is,” Henrik said simply with no trace of remorse. 

Hayden was pacing now, looking as agitated as I’d ever seen him. 
When he turned toward me, I saw a vulnerability there that was telling.  He’d just been a child when his vindictive father had ripped the family apart with his controlling ways.  Hayden had lost his childhood, his mother, his innocence…everything. 

“I’m going to kill him,” Hayden growled so quietly that only I could hear.  “I’m going to do the world a favor and fucking
destroy
that soulless bastard.”

Did he mean it?  Who was to say?  Hayden wasn’t the violent type but the rift between him and his father was deep.  All I knew for sure was that in this moment, Hayden was out of control and in over his head.  I needed to intervene.  Placing my hand on his muscular chest, I stared deeply into his tormented eyes and shook my head.  “No,” I told him in a voice that was both gentle and firm.  “No.”

Then I turned to Hayden’s father.  I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was staring into the eyes of evil itself, but I didn’t let his empty gaze shake me.  Instead, I did my best to stay calm.  “What do you want?”

Henrik gave me a wide smile in response but it was devoid of any pleasantries.  “I’m glad you asked that,” he told me with a wink that made my skin crawl. 
He reminded me of a snake.  “The family business needs you.  I want to make a deal with you, son,” he told Hayden. 

Hayden scoffed, unapologetically
making his opinion on the matter known.