Finding You (Finding You Series Book 1) (11 page)

“Thank you. Nice to meet you, too.” Becca seemed nice.

Kyle pulled me away, shaking his head. “Okay, I think that’s enough introductions for one day. Everyone else can wait. Why don’t we go sit over there and wait for my cue. I’ll be called shortly.”

We moved away from everyone else to have some privacy. I was grateful to be segregated from the crew.

We sat down on the sand in front of some grassy clumps. Kyle pulled my face towards his and gave me the softest lingering kiss I’d ever had. My lips literally stuck to his as we pulled apart.

“So…I was thinking we could go into town and eat at one of the cafes. Keep it casual.”

I was so grateful for that, considering my informal clothing. “That would be perfect.”

His soft hand cupped my cheek as his thumb moved backwards and forwards. “Sleep well last night after your bath?” His smirk didn’t go unnoticed.

“Mmm. I actually did. That foot massage was amazing. It really did relax me. How about you? Did you sleep well?”

Kyle chuckled. “Eventually. Took me a while to fall asleep but once I did, I was out.”

I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been thinking of me and that’s why he hadn’t fallen asleep straight away. A girl could hope.

“Kyle, you’re on!” the call came. Loud and booming. I was a little disappointed but knew he had work to do.

“Don’t you go anywhere, okay? This shouldn’t take too long.” He kissed my head as he stood.

I wasn’t going anywhere. God, he had a nice butt!

***

It was another hour and a half before we were sitting comfortably in a small, intimate café in town. The scene I had watched had to be redone a few times and had taken longer than planned. Not that I’d minded. I’d sat in awe of Kyle as he’d transformed from the man I knew into a ruthless, sword-wielding pirate. He really was a brilliant actor.

I must have been sitting with a silly expression on my face as Kyle spoke. “Penny for your thoughts.”

I found his gaze and snickered. “I was just thinking of the dramatic difference between you and your movie character. You’re really good at what you do.”

“It wasn’t easy with a pretty woman sitting on the sidelines.” His eyes glimmered, pupils darkening.

I squirmed, still not used to compliments. I didn’t know how to respond, so I took a sip of my soda that I’d received moments earlier, suddenly wanting the focus off me. I felt the shutters come across, closing myself off to the conversation. Kyle must have sensed it too. I felt him grab my hand.

“I’ll never stop telling you how beautiful you are. If I say it often enough maybe you’ll eventually start to believe it.”

“I want to believe you. It’s just hard…”

“You don’t have to worry about not being good enough when you’re with me. I see who you are. I like what I see. If you’ll give me the chance, I’d like to prove it to you.”

I wanted that more than anything. I wanted to believe. I just had to fight the demons inside that kept trying to pull me back into the darkness.

“Okay. I’d like that.” I smiled at him just as the waiter brought out our meals.

I’d ordered a Caesar salad and Kyle had ordered a fish burger with salad and fries.

The food looked delicious and it wasn’t long before we were enjoying our meals and chatting idly. The focus was now off me so I was relaxing more and starting to think that I could really get used to this man’s company. Maybe too much. I tried not to think of my holiday ending.

Chapter Eight

Dakota

The next two weeks flew by at lightning speed. Kyle and I spent most nights together and moments during the day in between filming. His schedule had been increased to fourteen-hour days in order to get the movie finished on time. It was very hectic and I could see how tired he was getting, what with working such long days and spending the remaining hours with me. I’d offered to give him a few nights on his own to catch up on sleep but he wouldn’t hear of it.

“I don’t need extra sleep. I’d miss out on spending time with you.” The subject was closed so I didn’t push it. I was fast becoming the center of his world.

Nights weren’t just spent cuddled up in bed. They were spent dancing at a club in town, sipping champagne on the beach, and sitting out on my balcony talking for way too long. We had so much to talk about. One conversation would always lead to something else. I’d never talked so much in all of my life.

We still hadn’t slept together and Kyle hadn’t pushed, although I knew he wanted to and I was fast realizing that I wanted it, too. He’d proven himself over and over again that he wouldn’t push me and he’d stuck to his word.

Even entwined in bed at nights we’d make out like crazy, inching closer each time, and each time Kyle would pull himself away in a show of respect and just hold me like I needed to be held.

“I’ve got a great idea,” said Kyle, one fine afternoon when he had some rare time off. “I can’t tell you what it is though, it’s a surprise.” He made two quick phone calls and then grabbed my arm.

“Where are we going?” I badgered him as we walked towards the reception area.

“I can’t tell you. You’ll soon find out though, so don’t worry about it. Just trust me.”

I did trust him but wanted to know anyway. I hated secrets and wanted to know now. Kyle wouldn’t give in however, making me sulk.

Ramah greeted us at reception with a huge picnic hamper and blanket. She winked at us and wished us a wonderful time.

“Even Ramah knows where we’re going,” I brooded, not really in a bad mood but teasing Kyle.

His mouth upturned at the corners as he pulled me even harder towards the car that was parked outside. It was borrowed from one of the film crew and was loaded with equipment. We managed to find a small hole in the back for the basket and blanket. My legs were bunched up on a box on the floor of the passenger side and a large tripod speared its way through from the backseat to the front, pushing me up against the door.

Looking over, Kyle smirked. “Sorry about the mode of transport but it was all I could manage on short notice.”

“Humph.”

If my hand had reached over I would have punched him. Instead, I ignored his apology and locked the door in case it came flying open as we were hurtling down the road to God knows where.

The trip up the hill was a pleasant one visually. Everything seemed as fresh as a daisy. The sky was clear, its blueness resembling Kyle’s eyes.

Kyle switched on the radio and a local station rang out. It wasn’t exactly my type of music but it was up-beat and helped add to our carefree mood.

We didn’t speak for the rest of the way as Kyle tapped his fingers on the wheel in time to the music, looking over at me every once in a while and giving me that jaw-dropping smile.

I decided I was becoming addicted to his perfection as I sat gazing at his profile while he drove.

Our hair flapped wildly in the breeze coming in from the open windows. No air conditioning in this luxury sedan.

Soon the car came to a rolling stop near a high cliff.

A sea eagle hovered over the choppy water below, intent on finding food, happy to wait until it found an adequate-sized fish. The waves crashed in on the gnarly, jagged rocks, making me wonder if we were still on the same island and hadn’t been sucked into a time machine and transported back to the beginning of time.

The breeze intensified as we got out of the car and walked over towards the edge to look at the angry ocean below. The white spume thrashed high and mighty over the rugged coastline.

I sniffed in the salty air and stretched my arms above my head, letting go of any tension and relaxing fully. The afternoon was ours.

We spread the blanket out and sat holding each other, staring out to sea, captured by the beauty of the vista.

“Kyle, it’s so beautiful up here. How did you know about this?”

“One of the film crew took a wrong turn on the first day of filming and we ended up here. I thought it was so breathtaking that I wanted to make it a special place where I could come and gather my thoughts. Now that I’ve met you, I want it to be our special place.”

Taken aback, I pulled back from his embrace to stare in bewilderment. Never had anyone wanted a special place with me. Here was this man I’d only known a couple of weeks and I felt more connected and at home with him than I ever had with another human being. His lip tweaked ever so slightly as his right eyebrow rose, waiting for my response.

I kissed the tip of his nose and then found his mouth. “Mmmm, I’d like that. I’ve never had a special place.” My fingers tickled the hollow at the base of his neck, giving him goose-bumps. Our cheeks and temples rested comfortably together.

Kyle opened the bottle of red wine and poured it into two glasses and I knew in that moment what I had to do.

“Kyle, there’s something I need to tell you. It’s about my past.”

Chapter Nine

John

The time had come for me to claim what was rightfully mine. After mentally preparing for tonight, I felt I was ready. The hour was nigh. Taking a last long, glorious drag from my cigarette and flicking it out the window, I flexed my muscle and gave the car some gas. Destiny was mine.
She
was mine.

I smiled at the thought of taking them unaware. The element of surprise was definitely to my advantage. There would be no time for her to escape. The plan was perfect.

Screeching towards the middle class suburb, my 2007 model Saab Turbo fishtailed as I accelerated around the corner, adrenalin coursing through my veins. I turned up the volume on the CD player until the speakers throbbed and the words started to distort. The classic Rolling Stones song “Satisfaction” blared out. It seemed appropriate for tonight. Ever since she left, I hadn’t had any satisfaction and I damn well needed some. She was my release.

Pulling into the well-kept avenue, I killed the lights and parked far enough away so as not to arouse suspicion. The less people who saw, the better. Hopefully everyone would cooperate. Enough time had passed for them to think I’d turned over a new leaf. Tonight I was going to be on my best behavior in order to win over the parents. The new jeans and checked shirt I wore still had the tags on. Tomorrow I’d take them back for a refund and no one would be any wiser.

The double story house in earthy browns had been built back from the street somewhat. Newly pruned roses bordered the freshly cut lawn. Lights were on and a Toyota Prado 4WD sat in the driveway.

Good, they were home.

Checking my reflection in the mirror to make sure I’d remembered to brush my hair, a laugh escaped me. Victory would be sweet. When she agreed to come willingly into the car to talk and try and work things out, we’d vanish without a trace.

With a growing hard-on at the thought of seeing her again, I slowly walked to the front door and knocked, making sure no one else saw me.

Knock, knock!

Come on, answer! My breath billowed out on each exhale, with the cool, winter evening air stinging my nostrils.

Stupid old fools were probably half-deaf. I could feel the adrenalin rising higher and higher but needed to remain stoic for my plan to work. It was hard to rein in the savage beast inside that was fighting with me to break free. If they didn’t hurry the fuck up and answer the God damn door, I would let the monster out to wreak havoc.

Folding my arms across my chest to fight the chill, I moved from one foot to the other in an attempt to warm up.

The television set’s volume was turned down as I heard footsteps and saw a silhouette appear in the frosted glass of the front door. Finally!

Mr. Livingston’s surprised stance and dismayed expression as he opened the door thrilled me. I had the upper hand.

“What are you doing here? Haven’t you done enough to our family?”

“Before you send me on my way, please just listen. I’m so sorry for what I’ve put your family through,” I lied. “I’m here to make amends and try to sort things out.”

“The hell you are!”

“I’ve been going to counseling for my anger and would like to talk to Dakota to apologize. My therapist has suggested it as part of the anger management program I’m on. A bit like AA. You know, the twelve steps and all that?” I tried to stop the muscle in my jaw from twitching from my restrained fury.

Mr. Livingston laughed. “Yeah, right! It’s a bit late for that, isn’t it? Our daughter nearly died because of you.”

Smugness washed over me but I tried hard not to let it show. Things were progressing nicely. A couple more apologies and the old man would be a pushover. So far the door hadn’t been slammed in my face.

“Mr. Livingston, I understand how you feel. I need to make amends so we can all move forward in a positive manner. I realize that the past can’t be changed, but the future can, starting with tonight. Here and now. It’s taken a lot of courage for me to come here and face you after all the pain I’ve caused, but you have to believe me when I say how deeply sorry I am.”

We both glared at each other and I wondered what the old prick was thinking. I continued on, “So, I was wondering if I could speak with Dakota to try and rectify my mistakes.” God, I was good! I was truly proud of my performance thus far. It was worthy of an Academy Award.

“No, you can’t speak to Dakota. She’s not here, and even if she was, there’s no way in hell you would get within ten feet of her. She doesn’t ever want to see you again, you lying bastard. Nice try, you son of a bitch! What a nerve you have, even showing your face around here.”

Mr. Livingston stepped out into the porch light, standing with fists balled at his sides. Engorged veins popped out on his neck.

As if flicking a switch, my calm façade crumbled as the beast broke free. “Where is she?”

“She’s long gone. Met someone else who treats her like gold. You’re too late.”

No. It can’t be! Everything was going according to plan. A little bit longer and I would have convinced him. He’s lying. She’s probably upstairs, listening to the whole charade. I’m not leaving until I get to see her. No more mister nice guy crap.

“I don’t believe you. I know she’s here. I think you’re lying to try and protect her, so I’m not leaving until you go get her.” I growled out the words through clenched teeth.

“I told you, she’s not here! What part of that don’t you understand? Now get the hell off my property or I’ll call the police.” Mr. Livingston was not backing down.

Enough talking. I tried to push through the front door but was stopped.

Seizing me by the shirt, Pops pulled me across the porch and out onto the cobbled path that cut through the middle of the lawn and ended up at the letterbox.

“I said, get off my property!”

By now I had crossed to the dark side. Smoke was billowing out my ears. The old man would be a piece of cake to take down. Having prepared for this during the course of the last few months, plan B would now have to be put into action. Use force if the parents were not willing to comply with my wishes. The beast within punched his fist with victory.

Stumbling on the grass and almost losing my balance, I recovered well and turned to face my opponent.

“You stupid fool. We could have done this the easy way. I asked nicely, did I not? Now, you’re going to have to pay the price for denying me the right to see my wife. That’s right! My wife! We’re still legally married, you know!” I lunged towards Mr. Livingston, taking him off guard. We both fell to the ground with a cracking thud. The thick buffalo grass did little to cushion our fall but I was beyond feeling any pain.

I threw the first punch, straight into Mr. Livingston’s left eye, thrusting the man’s head back onto the lawn. Blood oozed out from the eye socket and the swelling was almost immediate.

Mr. Livingston swung and pounded an uppercut into my jaw, which if I was in a normal frame of mind, probably would have hurt like a bitch, but I was numb to all sensation. I felt a couple of teeth get knocked out of place as my head was thrust sideways. The only reaction I offered my opponent was to lose my balance somewhat as the old fool seemed to regain some of his composure. The fucking prick had some spunk, I’d give him that. Nice jab. The beast liked a good fight. A little competition. It only served to make him stronger.

A woman’s scream echoed into the otherwise, quiet night. “Jack! Oh my God! Jack, are you all right?”

Expletives tore from my mouth at her high-pitched whining that nearly burst my ear-drums. “Fuck off! Get back and mind your own business. This is between me and Pops here.” I hadn’t taken my eyes off Jack, keeping my guard firmly locked in place.

The hysterical woman continued. I promised myself that if she didn’t shut the fuck up, I would make her.

This needed to end so I could get Dakota and disappear.

I punched my foe in the stomach, winding him, knowing it would buy me some time. I looked up to the open front door. She retreated inside so I rose and ran, rubbing my jaw, stumbling through the entrance.

I was going to turn the house upside down looking for my wife and no one was going to stand in my way.

Tearing into the living room I was met with my mother-in-law, who was placing the receiver of the phone down.

Fuck! I could almost guarantee that she’d called the cops. I didn’t have long.

“Stay away from me! The police will be here any minute.” She had backed herself into the far corner against the curtain-clad wall, a look of terror on her face.

I could have offered her the same hospitality I’d offered her husband but with the cops on my tail, it would have to wait.

I turned and made my way through the house from room to room, looking behind doors, under beds, and inside wardrobes.

Empty!

Jesus Christ, her old man had been telling the truth. She wasn’t here.

Running back down the stairs, I shot out the door to find Jack walking half-bent up the path towards the house.

“Where is she? I won’t ask again!”

“I told you. She’s far away from you. She doesn’t want to see you. Don’t go near her again!”

“Or what, old man? You gonna have another go at me? Huh? Come on!” I was punching my chest like a huge gorilla in a show of enraged dominance.

I was startled to find Jack actually walk forward, fists raised. The stupid old bastard had some fight in him after all but was clearly at a disadvantage given that he couldn’t even stand up straight.

I took advantage of his weakness, plunging forward, driving myself into the man until we were both lying on the path near the front porch. I didn’t have to throw another punch as I heard a second crack and it hadn’t come from me. Looking down I noticed Jack’s eyes shut and a stillness possess his body.

My job here was done.

I shoved myself off Jack as I heard sirens wailing in the distance. It was time to go. Needing to get back to my car, I dug my keys out of my pocket and fled, leaving Mr. Livingston unconscious and splayed like a snow angel on the ground.