Mythe: A Fairy Tale (72 page)

Dropping her hands, he leaned forward and pulled her face close. His lips pressed against hers in a tender kiss. After an eternity he pulled away from her with a contented sigh. She was breathless for a different reason now.

“I love you, Amanda Jensen. You and only you. Please try to remember that,” he chided her. Then he grew more serious and continued warily.

“Chelsea is dead...”

“Oh, Richard! I’m...,” Manda started to interrupt, but Richard continued without pause.

“...and not a minute too soon,” he declared coldly. “She
and
her daughter. I just wish we’d been able to catch her before they ever had a chance to hurt you.” Anguish twisted his features.

Manda’s head was spinning in earnest now. “Richard, what are you talking about? Please.”

He clasped her hands in his again, stroking her wrists with his thumbs.

“Chelsea was sick and dangerous and so was her daughter. They were the ones who tried to kill you at the baseball game.” He watched her face carefully, waiting for her reaction.

Manda shuddered, the memory of the attack still terrifying even after so many months. Richard, noticing her agitation, lifted her hands to his lips and pressed a kiss into each palm.

“How did you find out?” she whispered hoarsely, imagining his shock and hurt when he discovered such a horrible truth about someone he cared about and trusted.

“It wasn’t like that, sweetie,” he corrected her, understanding the tenor of her thoughts. “I knew who she was from the beginning, but we didn’t know who was helping her and I had to keep her close until we could find out.”

Horror filled Manda as she thought of Richard being near someone so malevolent and capable of unthinkable violence. The pictures she’d seen of him beside Chelsea suddenly transformed into the scene from her nightmares—Richard being stolen from her by an invisible threat, Richard in mortal danger. The terror of the endless nightmares had been all too real. She felt sick. Richard squeezed her hands reassuringly.

“It’s over now, sweetie. It’s okay now. They can never hurt us again.”

“How did...?,” Manda swallowed. “What happened?”

Richard’s response was reluctant. “Chelsea led us right to her accomplice, her daughter Tina, yesterday morning at the airport. When they realized we had them, they tried to fight. Mikey and his Secret Service friends were prepared though and Chelsea and Tina never had a chance. It was over before anyone else could be hurt.”

Manda had the clear impression that Richard was glossing over the whole incident for her sake, but didn’t challenge him. He didn’t want to dwell on it, and she couldn’t blame him. She held his hands a little tighter.

“You weren’t hurt?” she verified.

“Not a bit,” he assured her.

“Was Josh there too? Is he okay?” she asked, still anxious.

“Yes. Neither he nor Mikey were hurt,” he answered quickly, but Manda thought she saw a fleeting shadow of doubt cross his face.

Suddenly Richard straightened with a startled look. Then he growled, “When will I stop being so selfish and thoughtless? Josh probably doesn’t even know you’re alive! And he was expecting me back at the hotel last night. I should have called him. He’s missed you almost as much as I have, though I think he handled it better.”

Guilt and regret seared through Manda and her eyes burned with tears again. “I’m so sorry,” she said in a small voice. “I caused everyone so much grief.” The tears spilled down her cheeks.

Richard was instantly by her side, gathering her up in his arms.

“Don’t you dare blame yourself for that. It’s not your fault. Besides, anyone who cares about you would gladly suffer much more than that if it kept you safe,” Richard scolded. “I consider it all well worth the price,” he assured her fiercely, wiping away her tears with his fingers. He took a deep breath then and exhaled slowly. “We still have a lot of things to talk about...” Manda sighed apprehensively and Richard gave her a gentle shake. “Nothing awful. We just have a lot to figure out about getting you your life back, about us, about the future...lots of things. But I think we have the basics out of the way for now. I love you and only you. You’ve got that, right?” He looked pointedly at her until she nodded confirmation and then went on. “You don’t look ready for any more serious discussion right now, and I admit I could use a little time to absorb the last twenty-four hours.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Some of it is too good to believe. Like the fact that you’re alive and I’m holding you in my arms on a bed in a hotel room!”

Manda elbowed him playfully, wiping her face dry with the corner of a blanket. “I don’t usually put myself in such compromising situations,” she protested, her still tremulous voice laced with mock horror.

“I know,” Richard chuckled, “and that’s one of the many things I love about you. So, since I am only human and you are too delightful to be true, I suggest a change of venue. As much as I’d love to stay here and hold you in my arms all day, we should go see Josh.”

For the second time Manda detected a shadow of apprehension darken Richard’s face when he mentioned his brother.

“Why are you so worried about Josh?” she asked with growing concern. “What’s the matter with him?”

“Josh is fine. He’s just...well...he’s had a lot to deal with lately,” Richard answered too lightly.

Manda wasn’t fooled. “Richard, you asked me to trust you. Now tell me the truth.” She held his gaze. “What is Josh dealing with that has you so worried about him?”

“I thought we decided no more heavy talk for now?” Richard argued.

“No, you decided that. If something is upsetting you I want to know what it is, especially if it’s about Josh. He’s not just your brother; he’s my friend, too.”

“Fair enough,” Richard conceded grudgingly. He no longer tried to hide his worry from Manda. “It’s just that yesterday at the airport...well...Josh is the one who killed Tina,” he explained slowly, then rushed on as if to get it over with quickly. “She went after Mikey and Josh was closest to her. He had no choice. She could have killed Mikey in a second. I think he understands that, but I’m still worried about how he’s handling it. He seemed okay yesterday but I don’t think it had time to catch up to him. I don’t know. I’m probably making too much out of the whole thing.” Richard grimaced. “And now he’s probably worrying about me on top of everything else.”

The thought of what Tina could have done to Mikey horrified Manda. She knew firsthand the damage the girl was capable of. Josh knew too, having seen Manda immediately following Tina’s attack.

“Those two women have left a lot of scars behind them, haven’t they?” she said sadly.

Richard stroked one fingertip in a line along Manda’s cheekbone. She realized that he was imagining the scar that might have disfigured her face if Kastl hadn’t intervened. She wondered then, for the first time, where Kastl was. Richard leaned down and kissed the line he’d traced with his finger.

“Scars, yes,” he agreed, “but nothing more.”

“I think it’s time we went to see Josh,” Manda declared breathlessly.

Richard laughed.

Chapter 55

D
uring the short trip from Manda’s hotel to Richard’s, the contact between the two was seldom broken. It was as if he needed to feel the tangible proof of her presence after she’d been lost to him for so long. Manda craved the constant reassurance of his touch as well, leaning into the solidity of his body or clinging to his strong hand
almost continuously.

He’d relinquished his hold on her at the hotel only long enough for her to shower and change. When Manda emerged from the bedroom with her hair still wet, Richard was sitting on the sofa, drumming his fingers impatiently on the padded arm.

“I didn’t take that long,” Manda protested, smiling at the sight of him waiting for her like some misplaced Greek god. It was wholly unfair that anyone should look so heart-stoppingly sexy in a pair of khaki pants and a plain white collared shirt. She would never be able to take him in stride if she lived a thousand years.

He was on his feet immediately, pulling her into his encircling arms.

“
Five minutes
without you is too long,” he growled playfully. “I would have come in for you after 15, but I was pretty sure Sarah would have disapproved, so I’ve tried to be patient. I decided to give you at least 45 minutes before coming to retrieve you.”

“Such a gentleman! It’s one of the many things I love about you,” Manda retorted. Her skin heated when she thought of Richard invading her shower. He laughed softly and loosened his arms, stepping back slightly to better see her face.

“I checked my phone messages while I was waiting,” he told her, gesturing toward the phone on the side table with his chin, unwilling to release her. “I had several messages from Mikey and Josh, one from about half an hour ago. From what they said I don’t think they’ve heard from Kastl.” He smiled wickedly. “That means we can surprise them.”

“Did they sound worried?” Manda asked timidly. It was her fault that Richard was missing-in-action, after all.

“Apparently Josh found my clothes where I stashed them last night. His imagination has been in overdrive ever since. He may well throw me out a window, judging by the sound of his messages,” Richard admitted with a rueful grin. “Lucky for me I can fly. But I suppose we should get going if you’re ready.” He reluctantly released her from the circle of his arms, claiming her hand instead.

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” Manda answered, not sounding at all sure, even to herself. Returning from the dead was more nerve-wracking than she’d anticipated. Richard squeezed her hand encouragingly and led her from the room.

Richard caused quite a stir when they stepped off the elevator downstairs. He dashed through the lobby quickly, wrapping his arm protectively around Manda to shield her from the camera phones of hotel guests and staff. He delivered her into the first available cab in the line waiting at the curb outside, climbing in quickly behind her. Richard laughed at the startled look on Manda’s face after the cab had pulled safely away.

“I didn’t have any cash to tip the room service waitress earlier, so I gave her an autograph instead...and a kiss on the cheek,” Richard admitted sheepishly. “I guess word got around.”

“An autograph and a kiss?” Manda laughed. “Not a lock of your hair?”

“She wanted my shirt, but since I didn’t have another one with me, I had to bargain her down,” he said with a grin. Manda collapsed against him in a fit of giddy laughter.

“That reminds me, you’ll have to pay the cab driver. I don’t have my wallet with me. At least Josh got that when he found my...,” Richard glanced at the driver, “...my things.”

Manda gave him her most put-upon sigh. “Returned from the dead for one day and already being used for my money!”

Richard pulled her close, chuckling. The remainder of the drive was accomplished with Manda held tightly in Richard’s embrace, her head resting on his shoulder, his cheek against her hair. Richard instructed the driver to pull into a service bay so they could enter the hotel unnoticed. Manda made a face at Richard as she paid the fare. He grinned, but noticing the slight tremor of her hands as she handled the money, he wrapped his arm comfortingly around her waist.

“It’s just Josh,” he reassured her. “Why are you so nervous about this?”

“Too much drama,” she admitted in a slightly unsteady voice, but she managed a weak smile.

“Come on, coward!” he commanded, tapping the tip of her nose lightly with his index finger and leading her into the hotel.

They navigated the hotel without incident, much to Manda’s relief. It wasn’t until they were standing outside the door to Richard and Josh’s suite that Richard remembered that he didn’t have his keycard.

“It was in my clothes,” he sighed, and lifted his hand to knock. He paused with his hand raised and shot Manda a thoughtful look. “Maybe you should wait out here for a few minutes.” With his hands on her shoulders, he pushed her against the wall beside the door, out of the line of sight of anyone standing inside. “When I said Josh might throw me out the window, I wasn’t exaggerating all that much. He’s pretty...unhappy with me right now and I think I should talk to him first. I’ve given him too many reasons to worry about me lately, and after last night he’s going to need to vent a little. It’s only fair that I apologize before I try to distract him with the likes of you.”

Manda stood against the wall, frowning slightly. “Try to stay away from the windows, okay?”

Richard smiled reassuringly, then straightened his shoulders resolutely and knocked.

When the door opened Manda couldn’t see who had answered, but judging by the grimace that appeared on Richard’s face, whoever it was wasn’t welcoming him with open arms and a forgiving heart. Mikey’s angry expletive echoing down the hallway confirmed her guess. She squeezed herself tighter against the wall.

“Where have you been? Josh was just about to go out looking for you again!”

“Is that him?” she heard Josh call from beyond the door. There was a frantic edge to his voice. Richard shot her one last surreptitious wink of encouragement before pushing Mikey into the room in front of him.

Manda’s body was hot with shame and guilt. This was all her fault. She edged quickly to the closing door and halted its swing just before it could click shut and lock her out. She held her ear close to the hairline opening that remained between the door and the frame, listening intently. She was against eavesdropping as a rule, but was willing to make an exception in this case.