Intuition (7 page)

Guests started to arrive right before Jake. Claire had been busy entertaining while Emma hid out in the kitchen drinking a glass of champagne in an attempt to calm her nerves. Tonight she was taking her fate into her own hands. She’d planned her move, running it through her mind all day. She’d purchased lingerie that made her feel beautiful to wear under her black silk dress. Yes, tonight was going to be the night she’d find out all of Jake’s other talents.

“Hi, beautiful,” Jake whispered in her ear, almost making her spill her champagne. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Jake took her glass and put it on the counter before his strong hands circled her waist and pulled her body to press flush against his.

His hands caressed her lower back, his eyes searching her upturned face before leaning down and placing a chaste kiss on her cheek. The proximity of his body against hers did nothing more than fuel the fire he had started in her body. More determined than ever before, Emma lifted her hands, placing them around Jake’s neck and tugged, pulling his lips flush with hers in a sensual dance, determined to have the bone-melting kiss she knew he was capable of. Her hands ran through his brown curls. Jake slanted his mouth, covering hers, and devoured her.

Emma didn’t know how she was still standing. His hands caressed her body through the sheer fabric while he tortured her mouth. He tasted like mint, and his hands left a trail of fire everywhere he touched. She could easily get lost in this man. Hell, she’d already had thoughts of skipping the party and finding an empty room.

Someone clearing his throat interrupted her bliss. Jake pulled back and smiled down at her before acknowledging Mike, who stood in the doorway with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

“Emma, Claire wants you to meet one of the big sponsors tonight.” Mike jerked his head toward the other room in a gesture meant to get her to leave.

Emma looked at Jake, but worry for him had her rooted to the spot. Her brother was downright protective when it came to one of them. Jake nodded in an attempt to tell her it was okay. Emma stopped in front of Mike and jabbed her finger into his hard chest. “I did this, I wanted it, and I’m not done yet, so back off.”

Emma turned to wink at Jake before stomping from the room. She’d handle Mike if he screwed this up for her. Emma had almost made it across the mansion when she remembered she’d left her clutch.
Not again
. Her gun and her keys were in there. Emma had sworn to herself to keep it on her at all times until the maniac was caught.

Emma sauntered back toward the kitchen, her mind reliving their shared kiss. Loud voices inside the kitchen had her stopping just outside the door. Mike’s familiar tough tone almost drowned out Jake’s.

“Mike, I didn’t plan it. I was watching her like you asked when the asshole made a move. She found me outside the café, and I was going to ask her to the benefit anyway. I slept at her house to make sure she was safe. Nothing happened.”

Angry tears clouded Emma’s eyes. He’d only spent time with her because of Mike. He’d led her on, just to be close to her. A lone tear slid down her face. “How could he? I'm so stupid.” Emma was left breathless with rage as the humiliation behind it sunk in. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks when she thought of how easily she’d accepted his lie, and the worst part was her brother was in on it. Emma clenched her fist as she stormed into the room and right up to her brother, landing a right hook on his cheek. Mike stumbled back, and Jake lifted a hand to reach for her.

“Don’t you dare fucking touch me. Just stay the hell away from me.” Emma grabbed her forgotten purse and ran from the room. Her heels clicked on the tile as she ran through the foyer.

Emma ran from the house in a teary haze, her mind racing with everything he’d told her. Even with blurry eyes, she made it to her car and peeled out of the drive, leaving nothing but painful memories behind.

****

Ben stood in the shadows outside the mansion, contemplating his next move when Emma came flying out the door in tears. He couldn’t believe his luck. The night was looking up after all. Not only had he been there when Jake had written a two million dollar check for the charity, but he’d also watched Emma leave crying, and without her bodyguard. This night couldn’t get any better. Ben pulled out his phone and punched in the numbers.

“If you didn’t already see her, she just peeled out of here. She’s upset and, more importantly, alone. I need you to take care of this tonight. Do you understand me?” Ben tried to keep his voice low, afraid of being overheard by his colleagues outside smoke their cigars. He’d stay at the party for his alibi, but his worries would soon be over. Oh yes, she was going to pay.

****

Emma glanced again in the rearview mirror and missed her road. Her emotions rolled through her like the lightning flashing through the night’s sky. More tears spilled from her eyes as she tried to maneuver the darkened roads. The torrential downpour came on quick, making the roads difficult to see. Horns blared as they passed, barely swerving out of her way. At first, she hadn’t noticed the tail behind her, the SUV that was getting closer as she passed every mile marker until he was just about touching her bumper. Emma lifted her hands to her eyes and swiped at the damn tears. She’d known better than to get involved. She’d known better than to trust him. Emma’s heart conflicted with her head. Now that Jake was off babysitting duty, he’d be leaving soon. The car following her wasn’t even trying to be discreet. The pouring rain made it difficult to see the driver. Emma gripped the steering wheel so hard her knuckles had turned white before she beat it with her palm. “Damn him for not being honest.”

The air in the car turned chilly, and Emma didn’t need to look to know who’d just appeared. All she wanted to do was be left alone. Momma Mae’s soothing voice broke the silence between her sniffles. “Baby girl, you need to go back.”

“Like hell I do. He was pretending, don’t you get it?”

“Emma, give the man more credit than that. If you had stuck around, you would have seen him stick up to Mike. He’s crazy about you. Couldn’t you see it in his eyes?”

Emma took her eyes off the road for a brief second and glanced over at the apparition.
Can she be right?

“Baby girl, I wouldn’t lie to you. I might not always be able to tell you what’s going to happen, but I won’t lie to you.”

Emma pondered that, releasing some tension on the gas pedal. She noticed the black SUV swerve like a drunk driver before barely missing her car.

Her head was pounding again, and her stomach churned.
Crap, here we go…Again
.

Momma Mae’s voice of reason filled the car. “Baby girl, you need to go back, but first get the hell away from that car.”

Emma grabbed her stomach from the pain taking hold. Emma slowed to pull over on the side of the road, and the SUV slowed down behind her. She strained to see through the rain and the SUV’s tinted windows but still couldn’t make out who the driver was.

“Don’t stop, Emma. Get away from that man.”

Emma pushed the gas pedal to the floor and clutched the wheel. “This isn’t happening again.” Emma yanked on her seatbelt to ensure it had clicked in place before she reached down between the seats, grabbed her purse, and pulled out her gun.

“Who the hell is he?” Emma spoke through clenched lips.

The words had no sooner left Emma’s mouth than the first impact from the black SUV sent her careening forward. Her head smacked the steering column with a blunt force.
Shit, I’m going to die.

The seatbelt straining against her body was sure to leave more bruises, though there was no time to worry about that now. The little horses under the hood were kicking into overdrive. Emma’s plan was to outrun him. Emma tightened her grip, her palms sweating under the stress. Her knuckles turned white from the intense grip she had on the steering wheel. Emma headed toward Lexington, but she wasn’t sure she would make it. The black SUV struck again, this time sending her VW toward the median.

The slick roads made the car hard to control. All she knew was she needed to get the hell out of dodge. Emma glanced in the rearview mirror to see if she was getting away, but there was only black and she heard the noise of another engine, not her own, revving nearby. The driver had turned off his lights, making him nearly impossible to see in the rain, and she only caught glimpses when the lightning flashed. Emma spun the wheel to turn onto Lexington, sending gravel in the air as she hit the shoulder. These highways weren’t normally deserted at this time of the night, but it seemed just her luck. She was sure two wheels left the ground at some point. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it would come out of her chest.

Emma said a silent prayer when she hit the potholes littering the pavement, jostling her and making her seatbelt strain. The paving company fixing the bumpy road had left behind their orange barrier cones filled with water stacked along the side of the road. The orange cones practically glowed in the dark, giving her a little relief from the blackness around.

I’m going to die.

“Not yet, baby girl, but it’s gonna hurt. Hold on tight,” Momma Mae calmly chimed.

“Are you kidding me?” Emma shrieked out of frustration. Her eyebrows creased.

This time the SUV hit hard. Emma’s scream filled the car and was drowned out by the back quarter panel crunching under the pressure. The move flipped her car, sending her rolling toward the ditch.

“Oh god!”

“Hang on, Emma,” Momma Mae’s voice whispered in her ear. “Jake’s coming for you.”

The reinforced roll bar and her seatbelt held firm as the car rolled toward the shoulder. The smoke in the air from the torn exhaust entered the car through the shattered windows. The rolling would make her sick if the gas fumes didn’t do it first. The car skidded, sliding through the rain on the roof into the orange barrels. Water exploded, adding to the rain coming in through the broke window, drenching her, but they had served their purpose. The car skidded to a stop. She hung upside down in her seatbelt, all the blood in her body rushing down to her head, making her thoughts foggy.

Stunned into disbelief, Emma’s vision blurred as she tried to keep her eyes open to see if the man was still coming to kill her. The sound of a honking horn and squealing tires passing her told her that he’d taken off. She unbuckled her seatbelt and lowered herself down onto the roof of her overturned car. If she lived through this, it was going to be a miracle. Emma’s last thought was that her mind was playing tricks on her, giving her a glimpse of what she desired most. Jake’s face was the last thing she saw before her world slowly faded to black.

CHAPTER 9

Emma struggled in the darkness, unable to open her eyes, her mouth too dry to talk and her throat on fire. The familiar beeping of monitors invaded the quiet, and the pungent smell of antiseptic assaulted her nose. The same scent she remembered from her mom’s hospital room so many years ago. It gave little relief to know she must be in a hospital. The creaking of a door sounded close by. She thought she recognized the feel of Jake’s calloused fingers from the gentle grip on her hand but wouldn’t be sure until she heard his deep voice. Frustrated, Emma wanted to scream she was okay, but the words wouldn’t leave her lips. She was trapped inside the dark recesses of her mind. The muscles in her throat were dry and protested her actions. Something soft and wet pressed against her palm.
Did he just kiss me?

His soft voice echoed in her ears. “I’m so sorry, Emma.”

Yep, it was Jake holding her hand. Someone needed to oil the damn door because it creaked again. Her brother’s demanding voice was unmistakable. “How is she?”

“Still out. They’ve bandaged her up and run some tests.”

The door creaked again as her brother yelled, “Where the hell is the doctor!”

An unfamiliar female voice replied, “Calm down, sir. What seems to be the problem?”

“My sister is lying unconscious in a fucking bed, and you’re asking me what the problem is?” She could just imagine his hands flying in the air while he yelled at the poor nurse and paced the room.

“We’re waiting on test results, sir.” The nurse’s voice trembled. “Let me get the doctor for you.” The irritating screech of the door filled her ears again.

Another familiar hand took hold of hers. The smooth aftershave Emma had given her brother for Christmas the year before filled the air. She knew his light touch would play the events in his mind. Emma prayed he didn’t blame Jake. He was the only reason she was still alive. Mike’s hand released hers, and his aftershave dissipated. He’d walked away again and was probably pacing while he sorted out the scenes he had pulled from her.

More determined than she’d ever been before, Emma struggled to open her eyes. She pushed her limits. A sliver of bright light made her squeeze them closed again. A moan escaped her throat. Again, she eased her eyes open and was blinded by the bright white light overhead. She quickly turned her head. Her stomach rolled from the quick movement. Adjusting to the light, Emma slowly turned her head again, relieved her senses hadn’t failed her.

Her suspicions were confirmed. She lay in a hospital bed, and Jake and Mike were with her in the room. Emma inventoried her body, lifting the sheets to see the damage. Relief swamped her. Although she’d suffered some substantial bruising, she was thankful all the essential limbs were still attached.

Mike was busy pacing in her small room and hadn’t noticed she was awake. Jake noticed immediately. He perched beside her on the bed, leaned over, and planted a chaste kiss on her lips.

“How do you feel?” he whispered. Taking a deep, pained breath, he closed his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Emma.”

She placed her hand on his cheek and gave him a sincere smile. “It wasn’t your fault,” she choked out in a raspy voice. Pain shot through her vocal cords, from her dry throat, but she hid the grimace.