Hold Me (30 page)

On the Saturday afternoon following her father’s confrontation with her mother, Katie was alone in her apartment. Brenna, Darren, Brandon and Michael had all gone to their parents’ house to pick up her mom’s things. Katie would have gone with them, but she wasn’t sure she’d be able to hold her temper around her dad, so Brenna had insisted she stay home.

Her mother was out looking for a place to live. She had some money of her own, and they’d arranged for her to take over Katie’s apartment until she got on her feet, but she’d wanted to see what else was available. Fiona hadn’t gone back to school yet, but she’d been conspicuously absent, content to stay out of the family drama. Since her younger sister never liked drama unless she was the center of it, Katie was just as glad she wasn’t around.

She didn’t know where Melanie was.

Katie’s own packing was finished. This was actually supposed to have been her moving day, but Brenna and the boys had thought it more important to get her mother’s stuff out of the house, and she agreed with them. Her apartment was paid through the end of month anyway.

The big problem was that now she didn’t have anything to do. And it was easier, so much easier, to keep busy.

She was idly clicking through channels on the TV when she was interrupted by a knock on the door. Glad for the interruption, she jumped to answer it. She found Melanie standing in the hallway, smiling, even though Katie hadn’t heard a word from her in days.

“Mel?” Katie was a little confused, but happy. “Come in. Come in. I’m so glad to see you.” She stepped back from the door.

“Hi, there.” Melanie gave her a quick hug, then walked into the living room. She gave it an assessing glance. “You’re all packed.”

“And if everything comes together, Mom is probably going to move in.”

“Yeah.” Melanie’s smile faded and her face grew troubled. “I can’t believe she’s leaving him after all this time. I just can’t believe it.”

“Neither can I. What’s up, Mel? Do you need something?”

“I came to get you.”

“Get me?” Katie blinked.

“Yeah. David wants me to take you to pick up Kato.”

“He does?” Katie was surprised. “Well, why can’t he just bring him here?”

“Please. Do you think he has time to deliver cars? He’s an important guy. Besides, Liza Anderson escaped.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry,” Melanie assured her hastily. “David found out she jumped a plane for Rio. He’s tracking her, but he’s sure she’s out of the country.”

“Oh. That’s good, I guess.” Melanie had a lot of information. Had any of it come from Luc? Did Melanie talk to him? Of course she talked to him. Katie shook off her thoughts. “Okay, well, let’s go.”

“Go? You can’t go looking like that.”

Katie glanced down at herself. “What’s wrong with how I look?”

“Katie, those sweats are older than God and your hair. I mean, I love you and all, but come on. Take a shower at least. Phew!”

“I’m not that bad.”

“Shows what you know. I’m the one who’s going to be stuck in a car with you for hours.”

“Jeez. Okay, okay, I’m going,” Katie grumbled and headed for her tiny bathroom. She sniffed herself delicately. Come to think of it, Melanie might have a point. She did seem to be a little…ripe. There just hadn’t been much of a need to clean up on a weekend when nobody else was around.

“Wear something pretty,” Melanie called after her.

Katie stopped at the bathroom door and turned around to stare at her. “For God’s sake, why?”

Melanie picked up the remote for the TV and settled down on the sofa. “Hello! Because we might run into Luc. Do I have to tell you everything?”

“What?” Katie’s heart gave one hard thump, then pounded a little faster than normal.

“He’s out on medical leave for another couple of weeks, but you never know if he’ll be checking in at the office. I know it’s Saturday, but David will be there, and we’ll probably have to get him to sign something or other, so we might see Luc. Now get moving.”

Katie frowned and went into the bathroom. She wasn’t sure how she felt at the prospect of seeing Luc again, however slim that chance might be.

Thoughtfully, she stripped off her clothes and climbed into the shower, letting the warm water pound her.

Part of her wanted to tell Mel to forget the whole thing, but that was just stupid. She needed her car, after all. Maybe she could ask Mel to spring Kato while she waited outside, except that would just be avoiding the issue. Now that the relationship between Luc and Melanie had come to light, chances were good she’d run into him sooner or later. It might as well be sooner.

Besides, he probably wouldn’t even be there. She didn’t know why she was worrying about it.

Still, she took a little extra time with her appearance and, after some debate, put on a new skirt and blouse set her mother had talked her into buying.

When she finally made her way back into the living room, she met Melanie’s grin with a defiant tilt of her head. “I’m ready.”

“Nice,” Melanie laughed, stood, and turned off the television.

“Shut up.”

“Sure, sure. Let’s get going. I don’t have all day.”

Melanie dragged her out to her little Honda, and soon they were on the highway.

Katie looked around with some surprise. She knew she didn’t have a great sense of direction, but she just thought they weren’t going the right way. “Isn’t Kato in Philadelphia?” she asked Mel.

“I’m just taking a back way. I hate traffic.”

“Okay.” Katie was dubious, but Melanie seemed certain, so she let it go.

Sometime later they passed a big sign that said “Welcome to New Jersey.”

Katie’s entire body went rigid. She spun in the seat to face her sister. “What the hell is going on? Where are you taking me?”

But she knew. She knew where they were going.

Melanie bit her lip. “Don’t be angry.”

“Don’t be angry? You’re taking me to the Museum, aren’t you?”

“Yes, but—”

“Melanie, what are you doing?” Katie wanted to cry, wanted to scream. Wanted to jump out of the car and run away.

“No, no, wait! It was Luc’s idea,” Melanie said quickly. “All of this was Luc’s idea. Everyone else knew about it. That’s why you were alone today.”

Katie drew in a deep breath, not sure she’d heard correctly. There was an incredible pressure in her chest. Like hope struggling to grow when it had been chopped down to the roots.

“What? What did you say?”

“Luc. He planned this. He wants you to come to the Museum. It’s like a date. But he didn’t want to come himself to get you because he wasn’t sure how you’d react. And he said he wanted to give you the chance to stand him up.” She glanced at Katie and grinned. “Although I’ll admit I was supposed to get you as far as I could before you figured out where you were going.”

Katie stared at her sister. “He wants me to come to him?” she whispered. “After all of this time?”

Melanie glanced at her again, then away. “He wants you.” Katie thought there might have been some pain in that quick look. But when Melanie smiled, the smile was real. “He wants you, Katie. I know he’s a pea-brained, terrified idiot, but are you going to hold his mistakes against him? Or are you going to let him tell you how he feels?”

Katie thought about it for a moment. Did Luc even know how he felt? Did he really know what he wanted? Would she be able to believe anything he said to her? Would she ever forgive herself if she didn’t at least listen?

She swallowed, hard, and took a deep, shuddering breath.

He’d sent Melanie to get her. She had to find out why.

“He’s such a jerk. I’m going to kick his sorry ass and then feed it to Spot.”

Melanie laughed. “There you go.”

Katie looked at her. “Melanie—”

“Don’t.” The word was sharp. Melanie clenched the steering wheel. “Just don’t go there now. You and Luc are the two people I love most in this world. He was worried about asking me for help, but I insisted. I want you both to be happy.” She looked away from the road to meet Katie’s eyes. “I want that.”

“I love you, Mel. If this—”

“No.” Melanie smiled, bright and sad and calm. “No. This is right. This is good.”

Before Katie knew it, they were driving down the long and familiar driveway leading to the Museum. The building stood among its guardian trees, looking regal and solid and out of place in the twenty-first century. A dream.

Then she saw boards nailed over windows where stained glass had once been, and she knew it was also reality.

The tall and handsome man dressed in a crisp black tuxedo stepped out of the front door as soon as Melanie pulled her Honda to a stop in the parking area. He walked toward them. A dream. A reality.

Luc.

Katie’s stomach clenched almost painfully. She didn’t think she’d be able to stand it if he was just playing with her, if this didn’t mean what she thought it meant.

Luc bent down and opened the passenger door. He looked so good. He looked so damn good. God, her hands were shaking.

If he broke her heart again, she would never survive it.

Melanie gave her a little shove. “Go on.”

Luc held out his hand. She put hers into it, felt his warm skin, let him draw her out of the car. He shut the door behind her and then they stood, just staring at each other.

Katie dimly heard the rattle of gravel as her sister’s little car sped back up the driveway.

“Hi.” She sounded breathy even to her own ears.

“Hi,” Luc answered. His dark eyes were fixed on her face, as if he couldn’t quite believe she was there.

“Um, where’s Spot?” Katie asked, realizing the dog wasn’t around.

“In her kennel. This is my date, not Spot’s.” Luc tugged at her hand. “Come on. We have to talk.”

His face was so serious that it made her pulse spike with anxiety. But surely he wouldn’t have gone to all of this trouble, wouldn’t have had Melanie lure her out here, wouldn’t have gotten dressed up in a tuxedo for God’s sake, if he was just going to tell her goodbye again.

No. No, he wouldn’t have.

She gripped his hand tighter. “Okay.”

He relaxed, just the slightest bit, and she realized he was as tense as she was. Somehow the knowledge gave her more confidence. She smiled at him.

He pulled her to the house.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“Shh. Surprise.” His stark, beautiful face split into a grin that brought out the dents beside his mouth. She stared at them, at him. His smile faded, his gaze intent on her own mouth. “But first…” he murmured, then he dipped his head and kissed her.

And just like that, she was alive again. Just like that she was ravenous for him again. For his taste, his touch, and even though they hadn’t talked, hadn’t resolved a single damn thing yet, she grabbed him, held on to him. Loved him.

“Hello, Luc.”

The voice that rang out behind them was shrill and close and female and familiar.

It was Liza.

Luc jerked away from Katie and whirled, instinctively putting himself between her and danger.

Liza looked terrible. Her skin stretched tightly over her cheekbones and was so pale it was almost translucent. Her exotic dark eyes were sunken and held a wild, crazy glint. But the Browning 9 in her hand was steady.

He took another step forward.

“Stop!” Liza aimed her weapon at his forehead.

Luc froze. The woman might have gone completely batshit insane, but she was more than capable of pulling that trigger.

“Liza.” He tried to keep his voice soothing while sweat trickled between his shoulder blades. “What are you doing here?”

“I know you’re carrying,” she snapped. “Put it on the ground.”

He hesitated. They were too far away from the buildings to make a run for it, and if he tried to jump Liza, she’d shoot him. Still, he had to do something…

Liza smiled, lips curled back from even, white teeth.

“Don’t piss me off, Lucas. Put your gun on the ground like a nice boy, or little bits of your head are going to be missing.”

Jesus.

“Okay, okay. Take it easy.” His weapon was under his jacket at the small of his back. Moving carefully, he pulled it out, and in the process palmed a small knife he kept in his belt. It probably wouldn’t kill her, but maybe it would distract her. Assuming he ever got close enough to use it.

Hiding the knife behind his hand, he placed his gun carefully on the ground and straightened, arms out to the side.

Liza licked her full, red lips, eyes glittering as she watched him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked again.

Katie stood silent behind him and he willed her to stay that way, to let him handle this.

Liza smiled, a horrible little smile, and drifted closer. That’s right, babe. Keep on coming.

“I’ve been watching you.”

That made him pause. “What? What are you talking about?”

“I knew I should come today. I knew she’d be here. I heard in town that you’d bought a lot of flowers and champagne and arranged for caterers. You even hired a jazz trio.”

Luc felt Katie jerk with surprise. He thought about the three guys he’d left warming up in the ballroom, jamming softly amidst the flowers and the perfectly prepared meal and the iced champagne. They wouldn’t come looking for him for a while because they knew this was a special deal. They’d probably figure he and Katie were talking or, more likely, rolling around in the sheets upstairs.

“David thinks you’re in Rio,” he said to Liza, just to keep her talking.

“David’s an idiot. It wasn’t hard to leave a false trail.” She took another step closer, then another. “I escaped. I came here. And I’ve been watching you, waiting. I knew sooner or later your little whore would pay you a visit. I wanted the two of you to be together.”

“Why?”

“You were mine. I love you, but you want her. I got into so much trouble because of you.” She shook her head. “Daddy didn’t like it when he found out you were at the estate and I hadn’t told him. He didn’t like it at all. So much trouble…” She trailed off.

Luc was silent, watching for any opportunity to act. Katie stirred behind him, but he kept his attention on Liza.

Liza stared into his face, her brown eyes large and haunted. “She killed Frankie. She has to pay for killing him, don’t you see? Then Daddy will like me and you’ll come back to me again. It will all work out.”