Love Gone Wild: A Contemporary Romantic Comedy (12 page)

M
ARISSA BUCKLED HER
seatbelt and looked at Dane. "Is your brother usually so..."

"Pissed off?" Dane pulled out of the parking lot of the Paradise Club and drove toward the freeway. "No. But I left him short-handed. I usually work the weekends to help him out."

"You said he bought the club a few years ago?"

"Yeah. I moved here about five years ago to take the TeenCenter job at the Center. Charlie moved his family out here a couple of years later and he bought the club. He owned a couple of bars in California."

"So you're from California?"

"Yeah."

Dane seemed disinclined to talk so Marissa settled into her seat and stared out the window. After a day of looking at luxury apartments and condominiums, she was exhausted. She sensed Dane's frustration as she turned down eligible after eligible property. Well, not so eligible if she wanted to keep all her new furry friends. She couldn't confine eight animals in a small space and looking at houses seemed strange, especially since everyone had assumed she and Dane were married.

To look at houses, the dream of many newly married couples, would be surreal. Besides, contemplating an abode of her very own scared her. She'd lived as Fiona and Alan's daughter in their home her entire life. What would she do alone in a condo with only pets for company?

Dane had spent the day pulling away from her emotionally and physically. After making love last night...if one could call it that...he'd been more distracted than usual. He was always emotionally distant, but now, oh, her heart knew he wanted nothing more to do with her. It hurt, too. If he'd shoved a hot poker into her chest, it would've been kinder.

She wondered why he continued to sacrifice time and effort for her until it struck her that the end of the week was tomorrow and he'd finally earn his ten thousand dollars. Not that they had completed too many items on her list, but she had accomplished many wonderful things...like falling in love with Dane.

Oh! In love with Dane?
She stole a glance at his profile and her heart stuttered. Yes. Diagnosis: Love. For her, it was a terminal case. For Dane—the 24-hour flu.

Tomorrow, she would go to the zoo and honor Gillie's memory. Tomorrow, she would tear up the list and let go of a fourteen-year-old's dreams. Tomorrow, Dane would leave her and she'd start a new life...alone.

M
ICHAEL SHUT
THE door and leaned against it. Goddamned animals. That three-legged Dane was a monster. He'd considered shooting them all, but he didn't have time to play. He had to set up for a new game, one with Marissa as the prize. He knew Lillian would find her sister soon, but as usual, she'd be too late. When would she learn that he was master and she the pawn?

He laughed. Oh, he loved that she kept trying. He even let her catch him once just so she could feel confident in her skills. But he couldn't indulge her little whims anymore. He wanted her where she belonged—with him. Wasn't the role of a wife to minister to her husband? Oh, yes. He'd indulged her
quite
enough.

Whistling, he headed downstairs to begin preparations. Once Marissa was out of the way, Lillian would be his and their lives would be beautiful, perfect, and free.

"
A
RE YOU HUNGRY
?" asked Brent. He slanted a look at Lillian. She gazed out the truck's window, her thoughts elsewhere.

They just left Dane's apartment on their way to Brent's house. He prayed his furniture, carpet, and, please God, his big-screen TV were intact.

"Gillian?"

"It's Lillie. I haven't been Gillian in a long time."

Brent sighed. She hadn't told him much more than that she and her high school boyfriend had been put into the Witness Protection Program after they'd witnessed the murder of his mother. He knew there was a lot more to the story, including why she had returned to her hometown and why she believed Marissa was in danger. He still hadn't figured out Kade's role in the whole mess, but he was sure he wouldn't like the guy no matter how he fit.

Up ahead, he saw the familiar sign of a family restaurant he knew made great hamburgers. He whipped into the parking lot and killed the engine. "We might as well eat. I'm starving and I don't think I can face the state of my house on an empty stomach."

Lillie looked at him and grinned. "I guess I could eat something. But now that you know I'm not really a housekeeper, don't expect me to clean it up." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "And thanks."

"For what?"

"For giving me the time I need to figure out what I'm going to say to Marissa."

Brent turned away from her knowing gaze and opened his door. "I'm just hungry, that's all."

"Yeah, right."

T
UESDAY PACED
THE hospital's lobby, the can of soda in his hand unopened. Z sat on a couch, a magazine on her lap, covertly watching his restless progress.

"What's taking so long?" he asked. "She's been in there two hours."

"Let's go to the cafeteria. I'll buy you some dinner."

"I'm not hungry."

Z tossed the magazine aside and rose. "You gonna wear a hole in the carpet, Tuesday. Walk to the cafeteria with me."
Not knowing where Slane was, what the doctors were doing to her, whether or not they'd gotten her to the emergency room in time...he rolled the Coke can between his hands wishing it was Jeremy's neck. Why hadn't he protected Slane better? Why hadn't he taken Marissa's money when she offered it and paid off Jeremy? Why hadn't he done something to get his sister off the crack pipe?

Z crossed the room, plucked the Coke from his grasp, and grabbed chin with her free hand. "You're a good man, Tuesday Jones. You done all you could for your sister. Now it's between her and God."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, taking in the comfort she offered, the comfort he needed. He closed his eyes and prayed God would give his sister a second chance to live the life she deserved.

The doors slished open and determined footsteps crossed the foyer. Tuesday released his grip on Z, but held her hand as he lifted his head and faced his Momma's steady gaze.

"Good evening, Tuesday."

"Momma."

"How's Slane?"

His mother's gaze assessed Z. He nearly smiled when he saw her not only stand up to Momma's frank stare, but return it with equal vigor.

"I thought you washed your hands of her, Momma." Tuesday felt weary to his bones. Z slid her arms around his waist as if her strength could hold him upright. "She was half-dead when I found her."

"Child made her choices, just like you." Momma marched to the couch Z had vacated and sat. "I was at choir practice. Leela called the church and gave me your message."

"I didn't think you'd come." He looked at his mother, really looked at her. She'd lost weight, her face was pale, her eyes red. She'd been crying, probably wiped away those tears right before she entered the building. Then he realized she'd been grieving for Slane a long time.

He thought about his siblings still at home and the ones who'd made it into the world without doing drugs or turning to violence. Leela was just a year older than him, still living at home and working two jobs to save for college. He'd lost track of his family, his brothers and sisters, during the last couple of years. He'd been too busy trying to make it on his own, to prove to his momma he didn't need her or anyone else.

What a damned fool he'd been.

Releasing Z, he went to the couch and wrapped his arms around his mother. She'd spent the last thirteen years a widow, raising seven children on her own. All she ever had to give was her love and her strength and, until this moment, he'd never understood that loving someone meant letting them go.

It was a difficult lesson. As his mother turned her face into his shoulder and sobbed, he released his guilt for Slane and his hatred for Jeremy.

F
IONA AND ALAN
sat in the main living room with Police Chief Henderson and tried to convince the chief to call in the FBI. Geoffrey had been surprised at the ferocity of Fiona's reaction when she realized her daughter had been gallivanting around the city for the last week, well beyond the protection of the mansion.

"I don't know where she'd go. I don't know why she'd go." Fiona blew her nose on the wad of tissues in her hand and sniffled.

Chief Henderson leaned forward. "Fiona. Alan. Marissa is almost twenty-three-years old. She's a legal adult and can go where she pleases, when she pleases."

"What does age matter?" asked Alan. "She's a little girl. She's our only little girl!"

Geoffrey placed the tea tray on the marble table and poured Chief Henderson's coffee. "Cream, no sugar, sir." He handed the cup to the chief, pleased to see the man trying not to roll his eyes at his friends.

"She's missing. I want the FBI. I want the CIA. I want...NASA. I want everyone looking for her." Fiona accepted the tea laced with bourbon from Geoffrey, but her glare was enough to tell him she blamed him for allowing Marissa to leave. "She's never really been outside this house, not unless we were with her. I don't understand why she'd leave here. It's the only safe place. After what happened with Zachary and with Gillian..." Fiona downed the tea and gestured for more.

"Maybe she needed to grow up," said the chief. "It's time you let her make up her mind about life...and it's time let her go."

K
ADE PASSED
THE car as it made the turn onto a gravel road. He counted to thirty, looped around, then made the same turn. He'd followed Marissa and her male friend to the outskirts of the city. The full moon outlined the skeletons of large homes being built in this area, but he saw the taillights of the car as it passed the new housing development. He kept those lights in his sight, but stayed as far back as possible. It was obvious no one else should be on this road.

Where the hell were they going?

Finally, the car pulled onto a dirt road that cut through a forest. Kade followed, but slowed the car down to a crawl and doused the headlights.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted the car parked near the two-story house. The only illumination was the full moon; everything was dark, including the porch light. The hair rose on the back of his neck. He parked, got out of the car, and jogged around the perimeter of the forest until he was a few feet from the house. He unholstered his gun, flicked off the safety, and crept closer.

Before he got within a foot of the porch, a woman's scream and the blast of rifle had him on the ground, rolling toward the cover of the parked car.

He peered over the top of the hood. The front door opened, the body of man flopped out, then the door slammed. Kade waited a few seconds then crawled on his belly toward the pouch.

The man lay on his side, blood seeping from a wound in his shoulder.

Shit.

Kade dragged him off the porch and around the side of the house. He staunched the blood flow with his jacket, grateful to see it was a superficial wound. Michael was an excellent shot. Why had he allowed this guy to live?

It took forgoddamnedever to pull the vic to the rental car. The bleeding had slowed, but he needed a doctor to see to the wound. Kade pulled out his cell phone and dialed for backup, all the while watching the house. Just as he was filling in Pete on the situation, a truck ambled from the road and stopped near the house.

Kade's heart nearly beat out of his chest. Lillian, that blonde goddess bitch, exited the truck, and flirting with the bastard getting out of the driver's side, headed toward the house.
Holy God.
She was walking right into Michael's trap.

M
ARISSA SAT IN the chair
, staring at the rifle pointed at her head. If she hadn't flipped on the lights and temporarily blinded the killer, the shot would've killed Dane. As it was, he might be bleeding to death on the porch.
Dane, please be okay. Please be okay.

"I want to see if he's all right."

"I don't give a shit."

Marissa gritted her teeth. "What do you want?"

Her questions were met with silence. Cold fear wound through her, squeezing out the heat of her anger. She wrapped her arms around herself and thought about what to do. If Dane gained consciousness, what would he do? What if he never regained consciousness? What if he was dying?

Please be okay. Please be okay.
    

"Where are my animals?"

"Killed 'em."

"What!" Shock numbed her. DJ, Shadow, Pumpkinface...all of them...dead? Dead!?

"You son-of-a-bitch." She stood, bile rising in her throat at the thought of her pets being shot, one by one, by this maniac. Everyone who loved her, everyone she loved, killed by a man who had no value for life.

"That's the truth, all right." He gestured with the rifle for her to stay seated. "My mother was the queen of bitches and I am her son. You're not a therapist, are you? I wouldn't want to waste time telling you my problems. You don't have any solutions. You're just a spoiled little rich girl who's going to die the way you lived. Alone. Alone. Alone."

Marissa curled into the chair. Who was he waiting for? He'd shot Dane. Her life was forfeit, too. Why wait to kill her? Was he an enemy of Brent's? Of Tuesday's? Where was her young friend? Was he dead, too?

"Oooooooh. I can see your wittle thoughts clicking along, Marissa. Who am I? What do I want? Who am I waiting for?" He leaned forward, the rifle never wavering, and whispered, "My name is Michael Feeney."

You want the zoo. I want Michael Feeney.

"Gillian?" Her thoughts whirled, dove, twisted, banging around in her skull until she wanted to scream. "You were killed. Both of you. In a motorcycle accident."

He's amazing, Rissa. He has the body of a Greek god and the soul of a poet.

"Nope. Alive and well. All these years, too. Guess she didn't care that much about you, did she?"

I'll be back before dawn. Don't worry about me, Rissa. I'll be fine.

"Gillian is alive." The words sounded as though she'd shouted them through a tunnel—long and loud and angry and echoing.

Just as she leapt from the chair, she heard the chattering of two voices, then the creak of the front door opening. All she saw was the gun, the rifle swinging away from her and toward the people entering the house. She jumped on that man, that awful, terrible man who'd taken away her sister, and struggled for the gun.

"Marissa! No!"

Shouts. Grunts. Screams. Marissa found herself wrested from Michael and tossed on the floor. Brent and a blonde-haired woman fought for the rifle, but the killer held on to it all the while chanting, "Lillie is my flower, my lady, my love. Lillie is my flower, my lady, my love. Lillie is my flower, my lady, my love."

"Shut up, asshole."

Dazed, blood trickling from her mouth, Marissa turned toward the front door and saw a man enter the house. He had the authority of a police offer and he held a gun.

"Shoot him!" Marissa shouted. "Shoot him!"

"I wish I could, lady." He neared the melee on the couch and kept the gun trained on the struggling people. "Lillian, get your ass out of the way."

"Fuck off, Kade."

"Lillian, goddamn it!"

Michael giggled as the rifle popped free of his grip. Brent and Lillian jumped away in opposite directions, leaving Michael open to Kade's gun.

"One twitch, dickhead, and I'll shoot you right between the eyes."

Michael's gaze sought Lillie's. She aimed the rifle at his chest, her blue eyes as hard as sapphires.

"We're finally going to be together, my flower."

"You got backup coming, Kade?"

"Hell, yes."

"That simpering ass, Pete, still your partner?"

"Yes."

"Has he been fucking up my filing system?"

Kade laughed, a sound as rusty as an old metal hinge. "I've missed you, Lillie."

Marissa couldn't deal with everything that had unfolded in the last few minutes. The only thought in her head was to get to Dane. She scrambled from the floor and stared at the man named Kade. "Where's Dane?"

"By my car."

"Is he—"

"No. An ambulance is on the way."

Brent stood by the door, waiting, as she hurried out. Together, they ran across the field and found Dane leaning against the car.

"Marissa? Thank God! Are you okay?"

"Yes, Dane, I'm fine." She kissed him on the lips then rained kisses on his face. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live." His gaze found Brent's. "Do you know what the hell is going on?"

"Nope."

"Where's Tuesday? And the animals?"

"I don't know where Tuesday is, but the animals... The man that shot you...he killed them."

"What?" Dane grimaced. "Marissa, honey..."

The wail of sirens interrupted their worries and fears for Tuesday and the pets. Brent hurried to the road to direct the ambulance to Dane.

Marissa wanted to hug Dane, but knew his shoulder was a painful mess. She kissed him again. "Promise you'll be all right. Promise you'll—" She paused, her gaze swinging to the house. "Did you hear that? It's DJ!"

Dane had enough strength to roll his eyes. "Baby, I don’t—." A faint bark interrupted. He cocked his head. "You're right."
Paramedics arrived and Marissa stepped away to give them room. "I'm going to find Tuesday and DJ. I'll be back."

"No! Let the police go through the house. Wait here. With me."

She looked at him, torn between rescuing her animal friends, and staying with the man she loved. As the paramedics peeled away the jacket covering Dane's shoulder and worked on the gaping wound, she made her decision. "I'll be right back. I have to know everyone's okay."

"Marissa!"

She jogged to the house, slipped inside, and headed upstairs. She paused on the third step. Something smelled like gasoline and the carpet was gooshy under her Keds. Had Tuesday spilled something on the stairs? Distracted by the unfolding drama in the living room, she watched the police wrestle Michael to the floor and attempt to secure his arms and legs with plastic ties.

"We'll be together, my flower," he moaned. "But these bastards can go to hell!"

He roared, rising from the floor like an angry god, and flicked open a gold lighter. He tossed it toward the stairs at the same time realization struck Marissa.

Gasoline.

Carpet.

Fire!

Marissa flew up the stairs, catching the horrified expression on her sister's face before the whoosh and heat of the flames followed on her heels.

F
ROM THE AMBULANCE'S
open door, Dane watched people run from the house, shouting and screaming. Three police offers dragged out a dark-haired man and one tall guy had a blonde female tossed over his shoulder. She pounded his backside and screamed obscenities.

Brent sat beside him, a flabbergasted expression on his face, and shook his head. "What the hell?"

Then they heard it.

The crackle of flames. The quiet, insidious roar of fire. The silence of those who watched.

"No! Oh, shit. No!" Brent jumped out of the ambulance, but was stalled by a police officer.

"Where's Marissa?" yelled Dane.

"I'm sure she's out here, buddy. I'll find her."

He got off the gurney, pain streaking through his mangled shoulder.
Damn.
He jumped out of the ambulance, gritting his teeth against the jolt reverberating up his spine, and ran toward the house.

Brent caught his arm and wheeled him around. "You can't go in there. You'll both get killed."

Dane searched the small crowd for Marissa, but found only one woman, the blonde still in the fierce grip of the tall man. Her gaze was riveted on the house, tears in her eyes.

He followed her line of sight to the upper story, but saw nothing but smoke and flame.

"
T
UESDAY
!" YELLED MARISSA. She'd checked three of the bedrooms and found nothing. The smoke was already thick and choking. She prayed he wasn't in the house as she pushed open the door of the master bedroom. The minute she opened it, eight joyous animals ran out. One look at the fire climbing the stairs, and eight scared animals ran right back inside.

She followed, slammed the door, and got on the floor. Her lungs burned, her eyes watered, and she felt like she'd gotten a sunburn. The animals whimpered, hissed, and barked, all of them cowering near the sliding glass door. She crawled to it, unlocked it, and slid it open.

Fresh air rushed in as the animals rushed out. Marissa crawled through the door onto the balcony and lay there, breathing blessed oxygen and listening to the pounding of her own heart.

A wet swipe on her cheek and the hot smell of old gym socks made her look up. DJ sat next her, wagging his tail, looking from her to the stairs that led to the backyard. His eyes seemed to say, "Get moving."

Marissa sat up, scooted to the staircase, and bumped all the way down it, landing face-first in the grass. God, it smelled so good. So clean and earthy. DJ offered another wet, stinky kiss before taking off. She wondered why she felt so tired and figured, what the hell, she'd just take a tiny nap. Her eyes drifted shut.

D
ANE HEARD THE
dog before he saw him. DJ bounded around the burning house just as fire trucks and another ambulance arrived. Dane wasted no time. Marissa had let out those animals and that meant she was somewhere near. He ran as fast as he could. He heard Brent's shouts then heard the slapping of grass against his jeans.

Marissa lay near the balcony's staircase, a limp, pale, but alive woman who was going to get her ass kicked the minute she woke up. He struggled to pick her up, but his lousy shoulder wouldn't allow it.

"Let me." The tall guy and the blonde stood next to him on the left, and Brent stood on the right.

The blonde smiled. "Hi. I'm Lillie. The big take-charge oaf is Kade." Her worried gaze assessed Marissa. "She's my sister."
Dane wasn't sure how to process that information. Marissa had never mentioned her family. Was Lillie the person she'd been running from? Or was it the asshole who'd tried to kill him?

"Dane, you're looking worse for wear." Brent slipped an arm around his shoulder and helped him walk. "Let's get you lovebirds to the hospital."

"Your house. Brent..."

"Don't worry. It's insured."

T
UESDAY STEPPED
INTO the emergency room lobby and grinned at Z. He'd just seen his sister, comfortably sleeping and on the road to recovery. Momma planned to stay the night and had been reading Bible passages when he left.

"She's gonna be okay." Relief swept through him. "I can't thank you enough. You didn't have to stay, you didn't have to help."

"I wanted to." Her arms slipped around him and she lifted her head. "But you owe me dinner. I'm starving."
Tuesday laughed then bent his head and kissed her. She tasted like chocolate mint and her lips melted against his so sweetly, he didn't think he could ever kiss another woman.
Sirens wailed and emergency room personnel rushed through the entrance. He lifted his head, wondering what poor soul had been injured, and nearly swallowed his tongue when he saw Marissa and Dane being rushed through the doors. Brent, a tall blonde, and huge guy he'd hate to meet in a fight, followed through the doors then found themselves in the lobby.

Brent grinned and pounded Tuesday on the back. "Good to see you, man. We didn't know what happened to you. How did you know to get to the hospital?" Brent leaned down and brushed a kiss on Z's cheek. "Hey, girl."

"What's going on?" asked Tuesday.

"It's a long story," said Brent, his gaze catching the blonde's. "But it has a happy ending."

G
ILLIAN BRUSHED
THE lock of hair from Marissa's cheek and smiled. Her sister was alive and well—no thanks to that asshole Michael. She brushed a kiss on her forehead. When she rose, her sister’s eyes fluttered open.

"Gillian."

"Aye, luv. What'd I tell you 'bout washing yer face?"

"Twice a day without fail." Marissa grinned. "Millie?"

"I had to see you again, sis." She held out her pinkie. "No more secrets or lies, promise."

Rissa extended her pinkie and grasped Gillian's.

S
OMETIME LATER
, AFTER Marissa's parents had arrived and found not one daughter alive, but two, and a reunion of epic proportions ensued, Brent walked outside and stood next to Kade.

"She's special," he said.

Kade blew a thin stream of smoke into the air then took another long puff of his cigarette. "I know."

"She loves you."

"I know that, too."

Kade flicked the stub to the sidewalk and crushed it under his heel. He looked at Brent long and hard and after a while, Brent felt like squirming away or confessing crimes he'd never committed. Instead, he stood still as a stone and returned Kade's cop stare.

"She belongs with me. I'm not going to lose her again."
Brent nodded, the jagged hole in his heart tearing a little more. "Fine. But if you fuck up...I'll be there, waiting."

"That a threat?"

"Yes." Brent turned away then looked over his shoulder. "I'll only let her go once. If there's a next time, Kade, I'll fight for her."

He walked into the hospital and left Kade leaning against the brick wall, contemplating the night sky.