Pirate's Gold (25 page)

“Why didn't you go to the police?” Maren gasped.

“I started to…after one of our fights, but he caught up with me and I ended up with bruised ribs. I…I almost lost the baby.” Jan wept bitterly at the memory. “I didn't want to lose my child and I was stupid. It was wrong and I should never have done it and I don't expect you to forgive me. I just want to make a full confession and implicate Jake. It doesn't matter if he tries to hurt me now…there's no baby to protect.”

Maren fought the sobs threatening to erupt from her throat. Her fingers wrapped over Jan's thin hand. “There's nothing to forgive, Jan.” The secretary's eyes blurred and she turned her head aside. “I'll call Elise Conrad in the morning, Jan. Maybe she can help you out of this.”

“I really don't care, Maren. I just want to see Jake get his,” Jan sighed as her lids became heavy.

“Do you know where we can get hold of him?” Kyle asked, against Maren's better judgment.

“I think you can find him at our old apartment. I moved out yesterday and he's already got another girlfriend. I guess he's been seeing her for the past couple of months. Maybe it was because I was pregnant…who knows? I'm…I'm very tired.”

“Are you all right?” Kyle asked Maren, who was visibly pale.

“Fine,” Maren lied. “I just had no idea…poor Jan.”

Kyle called the police while Maren had a cup of coffee in the lounge. When she was certain that Jan would be all right, Maren let Kyle take her home.

Within a few hours the police called Kyle's apartment and informed him that they had arrested Jacob Green, who, upon hearing the evidence against him, confessed to stealing the tapes. He also admitted that he had coerced Jan into helping him by threatening her with physical and mental abuse.

After resting fitfully in Kyle's embrace, Maren finally fell asleep in his arms just before dawn. She didn't wake when he left the apartment, and it was not until several hours later that his loud reentry finally roused her.

“What time is it?” she asked groggily, noticing the sun streaming in the windows of Kyle's apartment.

“Late.” He watched her as she stretched on the bed. There was still a trace of sleep in her eyes, and it made her seem incredibly soft and vulnerable.

“Where have you been?” she asked, pulling herself to a sitting position against the pillows. The sheet draped away from her body, showing off the lacy slip she had used as a nightgown. The sculpted ivory lace only partially hid the seductive curve of her breasts.

“I've been busy, dear lady, and I've accomplished a lot,” he said with a smile as he eased himself onto the bed next to her.

“Tell me all about it.”

“Gladly,” he said, gently nuzzling her neck.

“First of all, I think your friend Jan is off the hook. Green's confession to coercion, coupled with the fact that Jan implicated him, should be enough to save her—or at the very least put her on probation. I'll see to it that she gets a good lawyer,” Kyle said thoughtfully.

“That's wonderful.”

“Also, Green admitted to trying to sabotage the Mirage video. He was the one who engineered the explosion. He stole the costumes.”

“And the lighting problem?” Maren asked.

“He didn't admit to that. It was probably just coincidence.”

“It doesn't matter,” Maren said. “The important thing is Jan.” Maren looked up at him with eyes filled with love. “You're incredible,” she whispered. “What about Mirage?”

“Ryan Woods managed to calm down J. D. Price. We offered Mirage a more lucrative contract and it seems that J.D. has reconsidered. He's not going to sue after all.”

“You
have
been busy, haven't you?”

“Well, we're going to have to see how it all turns out. There's going to be a lot of adverse publicity.”

“Until Jacob Green is exposed to the press.”

“That might take a few days,” Kyle observed. “Oh, there is something else I wanted to discuss.”

“What more?” Maren inquired.

“It's good news,” he said silkily as his lips brushed against the top of her shoulder and pushed the strap of her slip down her arm.

“Sounds interesting,” she responded, imitating his seductive tone.

“Lydia has promised to watch Holly for the entire week—while you and I spend our time honeymooning on the yacht…”

A provocative grin spread over Maren's lips, and a wicked twinkle lit her indigo eyes. “Honeymoon?”

“That's right. You and I are going to be married as soon as possible—you've been putting me off too long.”

“You won't hear any arguments from me.”

His lips gently touched hers. “Then we'll be married this afternoon.”

“I can't wait.”

The pressure on her mouth increased, and she tasted the sweet promise of his words. Surrendering to the happiness welling within her, Maren wrapped her arms possessively around Kyle's neck. “I love you, Maren,” he groaned, holding her close. “And I'm going to make sure that I never lose you.”

“Promise?” she asked, looking into his clear gray eyes.

“Forever.”