Thank goodness.
We’ve arrived at the spa place. I get out of the vehicle last, and Damien escorts me in. It’s an ultramodern place, done in chrome and bright swanky pink.
Sam is already handing off her chosen nail polish to one of the technicians. She looks so comfortable in her yoga pants and a sorority T-shirt. I wish I could go around in my yoga pants, but with the constant threat of publicity at this point, it’s not worth the rumors that it might cause about me not fitting into my clothes.
Once this is over, I’m going on a yoga pant binge!
When Sam spots us, she immediately starts heading our way. To try and head her off at the pass, Damien gives Sam a just-one-minute signal, and she halts her progress. She’s clearly agitated by the gesture. He grabs my shoulders, pulling me off to the side. I can see how nervous he is about letting me do this, but four security personnel should be plenty.
“Alli, the security team is in place, and they have been given strict instructions on how to handle everything. If they say something, please do it. Your safety is the most important thing to me.”
I need to calm him down. “Damien, you have four guys watching me, and I’m in a staffed pedicure place. Text me every second if you need to know I’m okay. Let me talk to Sam, and I will get straight back to you.”
“I’ll be back in an hour. That’s all she’s getting. Stay safe.”
It’s been forever since he’s said those words to me,
Stay safe,
and it causes me to temporarily panic internally. When he used to say it, he was always afraid of me leaving or disappearing like Rebecca. A sick feeling arises in me, but I need to stay strong. I am completely safe.
“I promise. Love you,” I say.
“Love you, too, baby.” He gives me a kiss on the lips and puts his forehead to mine. “You are the most important thing to me. You know that, right?”
I smile as he gives me one last kiss.
“I do. Ditto, hubby.”
He looks over to Sam and gives a slight jerk of his head to permit her to continue on her warpath. She comes stomping up with enough attitude that it makes me nervous more than anything about the next hour.
“Wales, how could you? You’re officially on my shit list, and it’s going to take a hell of a lot to make up for taking her out of the country.” She turns to me.
Uh-oh
.
Sam puts her hand on her hip. “Oh, girl, don’t even get me started on not giving me the heads-up first. As your sister, I should have been told before the big public announcement.”
Damien and I both go to speak at the same time. “Sam—”
She holds up her hand, and we both stop.
“Wales, I’ll deal with you later. I’ve only got an hour with my best friend, so skedaddle.”
With that, she’s ushering him out of the place, and I giggle at the expression on his face. He gives me a good-luck look because he knows I’ve got it much worse than he does, at least for the next little bit.
Sam turns to me, and I immediately recoil.
“Pick your color. They’re ready. Then, be prepared to spill, Allison.”
I solemnly march over, and I honestly don’t care what color I choose. I pick a red color polish as if I’m about to be in front of a deadly firing squad, which isn’t far from the truth at this point. I walk slowly, hand my color to the technician, and take my seat.
No sooner than my ass hits the cushion, I hear a no-nonsense tone from the spitfire girl sitting right next to me.
“Spill, Allison.”
I am not ashamed to admit that I practiced what to say in the shower this morning.
Damien was brushing his teeth while I practiced and washed my hair.
I go through my rehearsed answer.
“Damien wants to expand into the European market, and I suggested moving there. We should be gone for a couple of years, and then we’ll be back. Of course, we’ll come to visit, and you’ll come to see us. It’ll be over before we know it.”
She looks me over from head to toe with a scathing look, and then she looks to the technicians. “Hey, ladies, would you mind giving my friend and me five minutes? I have something personal to ask her, and I’m kind of embarrassed about it.”
The technicians immediately stand. “Of course, ma’am. We shall prepare some beverages and be back in five minutes.”
Sam feeling embarrassed? Not likely.
“Thanks, gals.” Sam watches them disappear and then swings her chair to face me.
The chairs swivel. How cool is that?
Right now, I’m grasping at anything in order to avoid looking at my friend, who is about to go off on me like a bomb.
“Allison, I call bullshit. You’re lying. Now, spill. You’ve been hiding something from me for a while.”
I try to communicate through my eyes. “Sam, just drop it for now, okay? I will fill you in when I can, but this protects you, too.”
She immediately simmers down at the sound of my voice. “Are you okay? Is Wales hurting you?”
“No, Sam. He’s keeping me safe. Just trust me, like I have you all these years. I know you’ve been keeping something from me, and you’ll tell me when it’s time. Just know that things aren’t as they seem.”
We sit there and stare at each other for a little bit. From my words, hurt passes over her eyes. She knows that I know something happened to her.
“When you’re ready, I’m here for you, Sam.”
She gives me a brief nod before she shakes her head and snaps out of the vulnerability that temporarily claimed her.
“Okay, now, we can actually have some girl time. Inquisition is over. I’ve got an appointment in Atlanta later this afternoon,” she says.
“I didn’t think I was going to survive. I heart you! What are you doing in Atlanta?” My mind breathes a sigh of relief. I’m so glad I didn’t have to sit there and lie to her about future fake plans.
“Just saying hello to a friend. Heart you, too, bestie.” She turns toward where the ladies disappeared and calls out, “Hey, ladies, we are good to go here. Come on back.”
I just laugh at Sam’s craziness.
Everything seems normal again between us, and I long for the day when she can know everything.
As our feet soak in the tub, Sam starts filling me in on her life. “So, because of the job, I have decided to step down from the sexual assault awareness program. I’m passing the position on to next year’s sorority president.”
“It’s amazing how successful that’s become. Congratulations.”
She smiles a contented smile as the techs start rubbing our feet.
I bring up what’s sure to be a short-lived conversation. “So, I think you should go on a date with Mark, the quarterback.”
She actually spews and chokes on her drink a little bit.
Classic.
I love getting one over on her because it happens so rarely.
“What did he say?”
Her green eyes are drilling me in my place. This is the most reaction I have ever gotten out of her regarding a guy.
My mouth drops open. “You like him. He is so sweet.”
“Damn it, Allison.”
I giggle.
“It’s not funny. His P was great, but it was just a way to relieve some tension—nothing more. I’m not seeing him again.”
Geez, of course she’s going to be reluctant to a good thing that’s right in front of her face.
“Well, I think you should give it a try.”
Sam rolls her eyes as she emphatically reiterates, “It was good, nothing more.”
That means there’s more to it. There has to be.
“Sam, I think he’s a good guy. You shouldn’t fight your feelings for him.”
I wish everyone could have what I have with Damien.
“Humph…there’s no fighting going on. I’m quite happy with how my life is.”
She’s looking everywhere but at me. Apparently, Miss Matthews does not believe in love, or she thinks she doesn’t.
I cock my head to the side and give my sweetest little smile. “If you say so, but when it happens, just know you can call me, and I’ll be there.”
She actually looks scared to death at the prospect of falling in love.
What could have happened to her?
“Allison, thanks, but don’t hold your breath because that is not happening. I prefer to keep my options open.”
I just shrug, letting her know I don’t think that’s going to be the case. It’s time for a subject change before she gets too worked up over this. “So, how are you liking the job?”
Absentmindedly, I notice that the security guard heads out back. I wonder where he is going.
“Oh, I love, love, love it. Some of these players though are total morons. I mean, did you know that kicker I just signed wants to officially change his name to Dyn-O-Mite? It’s supposedly easy to do. Who has a name like that? I should have had some kind of idiot clause added to the contract.”
Changing a name to something so ridiculous is absolutely insane. He’s either trying to hide something or is just delusional about how dynamite he really is. My scalp prickles as a thought forms. Realization starts to hit as the yearbook picture that has driven me crazy since the plane ride home flashes across my mind. That picture of David Powell.
I sit straight up. “What did you just say?”
“Dyn-O-Mite. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?” She’s shaking her head, obviously amused at herself.
I start shaking my head. “No, after that.”
“Oh, changing his name will be easy for him to do.” She gives me a shrug, like it’s no big deal.
“Sam, I have to go. I’ll call you in a bit.” I pull out my phone and press the button to call Damien as I head straight for the door.
“Allison, wait! What’s going on?”
I call over my shoulder, “Sam, I’ll call you in a bit.”
I’m sprinting to the door as Damien picks up.
“Hey, Alli, I was about to leave—”
I cut off him off immediately, “Damien, I know who it is. You know that guy, David Powell, the one you said was killed in a car accident? He’s not dead. He’s the killer. He changed his name. I know why that picture looked so familiar in the yearbook.”
“Alli, slow down. What are you talking about? Where are you?” Something shuffles in the background.
“I’m headed your way with security. David Corben Powell is Ben Powers. C.P. was Corben Powell, not those other names. If you look at the picture, he’s had some work done, and he changed his hair color, but it’s Ben in that yearbook picture, Damien. It’s Ben. I can’t believe I didn’t see the resemblance.” My voice is climbing, and I’m nearly frantic as I get into the backseat of the car.
I pull the phone from my ear momentarily to give directions to the security driver. “Please take me to Damien’s office immediately.”
The car pulls away from the curb and squeals away.
“Baby, I’ll meet you at the front of the office. I’m headed there now. Hurry.”
This is bad on so many levels.
“I’m on my way.” I say a silent prayer that I get there in record time.
“Is all your security with you?”
“I think—” I realize that the second security guard never returned from heading out the back of the spa. I turn around and notice no one is coming out of the building to get into the car that should be following me. More to myself than to anyone else, I ask, “Where are they?”
Damien, of course, is right on my observation, breaking up my thoughts as I try to sort everything out.
“Alli, what is going on?” he asks.
A familiar voice comes from the front seat, and my body goes cold as ice at the sound.
“Allison, be a dear, and hang up with that asshole. There’s no reason to continue this charade. I’ve got you now.”
Damien yells into the phone, “Alli, is Ben driving the car?”
I whisper, “Yes. Please come get me.”
Damien is talking so fast that it’s hard to process it all. “Baby, we are tracking that car. I’m on the way. Listen to me—keep your sapphire ring on you. Okay, baby? Do not take it off. I will find you. He’s more than likely going to get another car and take you somewhere.”
“Okay,” I whisper, my voice barely audible as the shock of the situation starts to set in.
Ben yells from the front seat, “Allison, I’m not going to ask again! Get off the fucking phone!”
Damien starts talking to me, “Alli, try to get out of the backseat. Lay the phone down on the seat, so I can hear what’s going on.”
I lay the phone down.
Ben gives me an acknowledging glance. “Good job, sweetheart.”
I slowly slide over, and a second before I try to open the door, the locks engage. I start pulling hysterically at the handle, letting panic completely consume me. My heart is beating wildly.
“Ben, let me out of here! Let me out!”
“Allison, he’s brainwashed you. He’s trying to get you to leave me forever.” Ben is just staring forward as if having a girl thrashing about while locked in a car is a normal thing.
I look over at the phone and long to pick it up to hear Damien’s voice. I’m trying to find the rational side of my brain, but it’s lost.
Wait—Damien’s listening to me. I need to get Ben talking.
Play along, Allison.
“Where are we going?”
“My grandparents left me a place. You’re going to love it.”
All of a sudden, the car turns off on some dirt road and comes skidding to a stop next to a small little plane parked in a field.
“Are we getting into that plane? Why are we flying? Where is your grandparents’ place?” I’m trying to give Damien as many clues as possible.
Ben turns back to me. “We need to get away from here before that bastard tracks us in this car. Once we leave, we’ll be fine, and I’ll tell you.”
The thought of leaving Damien on a plane to an unknown destination is terrifying. I could end up anywhere and be lost forever.
“Ben, I don’t think it’s necessary to fly somewhere to escape Damien.”
My breathing is quick and shallow. I’m scared shitless as Ben savagely looks me over and smiles.
“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to do this to you, but you’re still caught up in the lies of your relationship. I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I can’t have you trying to jump out of the plane.”
He looks at the seat and grabs something. He looks half-crazed as he raises his hand, and it looks like he’s holding some kind of gun. “Sleep tight, my love.”