Knock, knock... (3 page)

Darren was flung to the floor.

Regaining her wits, Shay scrambled to her feet to look over the edge of the bed.

Darren's features had frozen, his mouth open in a horrible rictus of terror, and like a tidal wave after it has lashed a beach and receded back out to the ocean, the color had slipped from his skin – leaving a gray wasteland behind.

But he was still alive.

Her heart squeezed tighter. Pain and shock rippled through her.

His eyes dimmed.

And that's when she saw it. A second light inside. A second awareness? A second person? A different part of Darren? How? Was he manipulated? Possessed? Or was this the other 'something' that had joined the fray?

She cried out,
Stefan, look!

But it was too late to stop the process.

A deep sigh whispered from Darren's chest one last time, and his eyelids dropped closed.

He was dead.

Almost one year later...on a Saturday evening…

S
hay walked into the packed ballroom, a fixed smile on her face. Her heart beating nervously in her chest. This was their big day.

She'd been waiting a long time to meet Roman Chandler. They had become acquaintances via email years ago, initially connecting over their grandfathers' mutual friendship, and then they became friends...close friends. And now...? She didn't know what they were. But, despite her last bad experience, she hoped.

If she had doubts about whether she was ready for a relationship again, she shoved them down and out of sight. She wanted to be ready. She could be ready. She had to be ready. Roman wasn't likely to wait. Her stomach somersaulted at the thought.

I haven’t gone there since Darren
…

She dismissed that thought. She'd take it slowly this time. Make sure she knew exactly what she was getting into before diving in too deep.

Still, no matter the confused and wounded state in her heart, she was totally excited to meet Roman in person. She already knew his twin brother Ronin, a detective with the Portland Police Department, but on a more professional basis. Of course, their grandfathers were best friends so it only made sense that their families would rub up well against each other.

Only Roman hadn't lived in Portland for years. He'd just recently moved back.

She didn't think he knew she was coming to the reception tonight. Then she couldn't put it past Bernice to have told him in confidence – she'd been trying to match the two of them for a long time. This charity event was Bernice's baby.

The ballroom was stuffed with people – mostly couples.

Who said being tall was a disadvantage? At almost 5' 9" without heels, Shay appreciated the view all the time, but in her toe-crushing stilettos, she was really enjoying being able to see over the heads of the others gathered here. With subdued classical music in the background, the many crystal chandeliers and ornate draperies and exquisite paintings provided a perfect backdrop to tonight's event.

Bernice Folgrent, of Folgrent's Foundation, never did anything small.

The noise and ambiance had the urgent tempo of schmoozing, smooching and the what-the-hell, the-booze-is-free atmosphere. A typical high-powered business reception for a big name charity foundation with hush-hush conversations, secretive smiles, handshakes and private deals. Millions of dollars would cross hands tonight and she, for one, was glad of it. There were so many in need.

Still, this function was so not her choice. But as the trustee for her family's foundation, she had to attend all sorts of these events, and she was as comfortable here as in the animal shelter where she helped out. One just had to remember the animals
here
were more dangerous. Plus, she could be proud of herself – she was neither a boardroom broad nor a high roller's arm candy. Thank God for that.

But no matter her personal preferences, tonight was a necessity and a delight. She'd come at Bernice's request. At eighty plus – and the number in that plus was a well-guarded secret – Bernice was a force to be reckoned with. When she wanted two people to meet, you had to either follow along or leave the continent. And even
that
might not save you.

Besides it was Roman who Bernice wanted Shay to meet… She didn't know that the two of them had been corresponding for a long time already…

"Shay!"

Shay pivoted smoothly to see a beautifully dressed older woman bearing down on her. Shay grinned. Bernice, dressed in gold brocade and evening gloves, only needed a cigarette holder to complete the old-time elegant picture. Still, despite her glamorous packaging, she was not to be misunderstood or underestimated, particularly when, like Shay, she also controlled millions of dollars.

For most people, it was a case of be nice to Bernice or face the dragon. Thankfully, Shay had known Bernice since she was a little girl and Shay had no need of Bernice’s money because she controlled millions of her own. Besides, Shay loved the grande dame but that didn't make her blind to the old woman’s machinations.

Bernice wrapped her in a smothering hug, her thickly made-up face passing discretely close to Shay's cheek as she kissed the air. "Darling, you look simply fabulous."

Shay smiled. "Thanks, Bernice. You're looking pretty stylish yourself."

"Of course, my dear," Bernice said comfortably. "The only difference between us is that I need hours to look like this – you do it naturally." She smirked. "And of course, I know what to
do
with my looks." She winked outrageously.

Shay laughed. Bernice wasn't going to change at this stage of her life. One either accepted her or avoided her. And Shay always had a soft spot for her.

"Come along now. There is this stunning man you have to meet."

"Oh, but-"

"No buts. You have to get out on the scene again. No more hiding away. Roman is the perfect person to catch your interest. You need to balance business with pleasure…and you need to spend more time with the
right
animals." Bernice nudged Shay, nodding her head in the direction of two men conversing off to the side.

"You're incorrigible."

"And you're too reclusive. Come on. Life is for living. Men are for loving." She motioned toward the two men. "I'd take those two any day." Bernice gave her a smug smile. "In fact, I took on a pair like them not all that long ago."

"Whoa." Shay held up her hand. "I so don't need to know. No more extolling your escapades, please. I still haven't recovered from your last titillating story."

"Now if only they'd do you some good. You have to forget about that dweeb fiancé of yours that died so tragically. He was never the man for you. You changed, and not for the better, when you were with him. Such a terrible thing to watch."

Shay turned to Bernice in shock. Inside, she was still struggling with Bernice calling Darren a dweeb. Bernice prided herself on keeping up with the younger set, but it still sounded so wrong to hear that word come out of the older woman's mouth. Or maybe it just sounded wrong when used in connection with her ex-fiancé? The man had been a lot of things, but he was not inept and geeky. Too much the opposite in fact. But he
had
died tragically.

Thankfully.

"What do you mean,
I changed
?"

"Oh my Lord, you became this dishrag, ready to wipe his nose and fetch his coffee. Don't you realize how much better you are than that?"

"I did
not
act like that." She couldn't stop the outrage that whipped through her. "Bernice, that's not fair. I loved him."

"Of course you did, my dear. That's the only reason anyone tolerated him in the first place." She barreled through the crowd. A crowd that parted magically as people understood it was
Bernice
that wanted to get past. Several times Shay murmured a polite ‘thank you’ as people stepped out of the way. Bernice had no such inclination.

She walked a path, accepting the magical bowing out of the way as her due.

"The man was a user," Bernice tossed back. "You need someone to light your fires, not squash them before they get a chance to catch. You're such a firecracker in every area but your damn love life. And we're going to fix that."

Shay put on the brakes. "No way. Bernice. Stop."

Not only did Bernice not listen, she doubled back to Shay, snagged her arm and tugged her forward – nicely of course. Everything Bernice did was nice, but there was also enough steel behind her actions to make her a formidable opponent.

Damn.

Shay plastered a laughing smile on her face while catching up to Bernice. "Stop pulling me," she whispered to Bernice.

"Then stop dragging your heels!" Bernice sent her an admonishing look. "I know you're here for other reasons, but you'll have to make time for this. I won't be around forever, you know. Soon, I'll be cha-chaing my way downstairs."

"Ha, even the devil doesn't want you down there with him. You'd order him around for all eternity."

Bernice spun on her heels, her eyes suddenly desperate, frail. She lowered her voice. "Don't joke about the devil. And don't ever, ever make a deal with him. You never know who he has working for him. Some people are just evil."

Whoa!
What had gotten into Bernice?

Casting Shay a warning glance, Bernice glanced around furtively. Then she whispered, "I'm serious. You, more than anyone, should understand what I mean." Bernice turned and dragged Shay forward again.

Shay groaned. What was Bernice talking about? Had she gotten another nasty email? She'd been plagued by several lately. Typical Bernice had tossed them off as unimportant. As just expressions of discontent by those who wanted money and weren't going to be getting any. But that brushing off, itself, was unusual for Bernice. She had a tendency to bring in lawyers and scare off potential lawsuits.

Running foundations was big business, and drumming up new money was a constant challenge. These receptions were cornerstones of that process.

Shay was part of the same world. Dealt with the same driven – and sometimes desperate – people. She had her own methodology for finding the shysters and removing them from the honest applicants for her own foundation. And because they shared similar challenges and experiences, Bernice and Shay often compared notes and worked closely on joint projects. Their assistants also stepped in to help resolve problems on each other's projects. It helped to have that type of close working relationship. They watched each other’s backs.

"Roman, darling. Here is the young woman I adore as if she were my own." Bernice reached out, latching onto the arm of a tall, suited gentlemen. She tugged him around and pointed to Shay. "Isn't she gorgeous? Just like I promised."

Oh lord.
Shay groaned inside. Bernice really hadn't needed to make a public spectacle of this meeting. But why was she surprised? This was typical Bernice.

"Shay, this is Roman Chandler, the grandson of my dearest friend, Gerard Chandler."

Heads had turned at Bernice’s loud introduction and color stroked up Shay's neck as she fought back her embarrassment. She should be used to it. But wasn't.

Still, she faced Roman, kept her plastered-on smile in place and lifted her gaze to his.

And sucked in her breath.

The look in his eyes. It was so...intimate. So knowing…as if he knew her...all of her, inside and out. And as if he liked what he knew.

They'd emailed. Chatted. Though they’d corresponded for a few years, over the last year they had built a friendly almost…intimate…relationship over the Internet and phone. And they had talked – like really talked. Theirs was a relationship she hoped would grow. But she'd never
met
him before. Hadn't shared everything with him. She didn't know him – not in the way he seemed to know her.

The heated look in his eyes unnerved her...and yes...intrigued her.

And she had to admit…sparked an answering awareness.

Shay had no illusions about her looks, regardless of Bernice's constant matchmaking attempts. She was too tall for many men, was slim, with milk chocolate brown shoulder-length hair and a largish mouth, and instead of symmetry, her nose was slightly crooked and one eyebrow was slightly off line. All minor in the scheme of things but those same flaws had given her terrible, angst-ridden moments through her teenage years. Now she could brush off the negative thoughts as they came and even though she could get her nose fixed, it no longer mattered to her.

According to the look in Roman's eyes, her flaws didn't matter to him now either. Of course he'd seen pictures of her. But that wasn't the same thing as this. She secretly had high hopes about Roman, but she'd never expected this level of appreciation from him right off.

When he spoke, his voice held both promise and familiarity. "Hello, Shay. I'm delighted to finally meet you." He glanced at Bernice, standing beside them both with a smug, knowing look on her face.