Queen of Hearts: (Family Stone #6 Shelley) (Family Stone Romantic Suspense) (13 page)

Before Shelley could say anything else, a bleach blonde woman dressed in black skinny jeans, stiletto heels and a blue sequined tube top, burst into the room.

“Connor, baby. Is that you?” She squealed in a baby doll voice that was more suited to a teenager and threw her arms wide open. Shelley wasn’t sure how old the woman was, her face had been slightly distorted by plastic surgery so she could be anywhere from thirty to sixty.

Her body had likely been altered too. She was thin with large breasts. Something about her was familiar, but Shelley couldn’t figure out why she thought that.

Beside Connor, Ava froze. Connor discreetly laced his fingers with Ava’s.

Connor cleared his throat. “Do I know you?”

Shelley studied the shape of the woman’s chin and her eyes as they filled with false tears. Finally she figured out how she knew the woman. She’d only met her once, a long time ago, but she was pretty sure it was Kandi.

“Do you
know
me?” She scooted around the table and flung herself at Connor. “I’m your mama.”

Everyone in the room stuttered to a halt. Con had gone stock still. Not moving. Not breathing. Bliss and Colin’s mouths were both hanging open. Jack looked ready to murder her. Ava was trying unsuccessfully to tug her fingers from Connor’s but he was holding on too tightly. Ric just sat silently, observing.

So it looked like was up to Shelley to salvage the situation.

She stood smoothly trying desperately to control the urge to bitch slap the woman. Con so did not need this right now. “Kandi, I don’t think this is the proper time—”

“I was talking to my son.” Kandi tilted her head down as if she were looking over a pair of glasses frames, her unnaturally blue eyes stared at Connor with an unholy light.

Shelley tried, patiently to shove down her rage. This woman was not going to ruin Con’s vacation. And calling him her son was a bit of a stretch, since she’d only been back once in the last twenty years and that was to ask for more money. She’d timed that visit for when the kids were at school so Con hadn’t seen his mother while she’d been trying to extort more cash from an absent Jackson Sr.

However, Shelley wasn’t going to stop Con from visiting with his mother if he wished. But she knew her adopted son well enough to know he would hate being the center of this kind of attention.

Always trying to be the peacemaker, Shelley tried to fix this. She pasted on her accommodating, lady of the manor, ‘you won’t hurt me with your superior attitude and misplaced jealousy’ smile that she’d perfected all those years ago when she’d first moved into the Stone mansion and used it to try to put Kandi at ease. “Why not make arrangements to meet sometime later?”

Con shoved his chair away from the table and stood. “What are you doing here?”

Kandi threaded her arm through Con’s and leaned into her biological son. Her cobalt blue sequined top showcased her purchased cleavage prominently, as she stared at Con and blinked her false black lashes. “Baby, I live in Vegas.”

Jack started toward Kandi, which was not going to end well. But before he could take more than one step, Con held his palm up to stop his brother. “I’ve got this.”

Her acrylic nails were the same unnatural blue as her eyes and obscenely gaudy next to Con’s understated navy blazer. He carefully peeled her fingers from his forearm. “I meant, Kandi,” his voice was a low growl, “what are you doing in this room?”

“I saw the family name on the waitress podium out front.” Kandi was definitely not comprehending the angry vibe rolling off Connor. He was pissed.

When Shelley looked at him, she didn’t see a grown man, rather the bewildered child he’d been when Shelley had shown up on Jackson Stone’s doorstep all those years ago. Because she knew how sensitive he was and how much it would pain him if he yelled at his mother, Shelley intervened. Her only thought was to protect Connor.

“I think it would be best if you exchanged numbers,” Shelley started.

Kandi ignored her. Didn’t even look at Shelley.

“Shel, stop.” Con gently brushed his palm over her shoulder then turned to Kandi. “What do you want?”

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw your name,” Kandi simpered. “I had to see you.”

Shelley opened her mouth but nothing came out. She quivered with the urge to get in Kandi’s face and give her a piece of her mind. How dare she mess with Connor like this?

She jolted when Ric tugged her back into her chair and draped his arm casually over her shoulders. She was probably the only one who knew there was nothing simple or casual about his hold. She wouldn’t be able to break free.

“I’ll make this as clear as possible,” Connor said softly. “Leave.”

Finally Kandi got that Connor wasn’t happy. “We can exchange numbers.”

“I don’t think you understand.” Connor folded his arms over his chest, his shoulders bulked. “Don’t call. Don’t come back. Ever.”

“But,” Kandi sputtered. “Connor, baby. You can’t mean that. I’m your mama.”

“You are nothing but an egg donor,” Connor replied calmly.

“But—”

“Shelley,” he placed his palm on Shelley’s shoulder and squeezed, “is my mother. The only mother I want or need.”

Shelley’s heart swelled. She tilted her head so her cheek brushed his hand.

“You can’t possibly mean that.” Kandi stomped her stiletto booted foot, her enhanced breasts jiggled and her face twisted into an ugly mask.

“I absolutely mean it. She’s an angel.” Connor smiled.

But Kandi wasn’t done. “
I’m
your mother.”

Shelley thought Kandi might actually launch herself at Connor.

Ric jumped in front of Kandi and subdued her with one quick action. Shelley hadn’t seen him move. He held Kandi’s arm in an iron grip. “You need to leave.”

“But—”

Ric said calmly, “Call security.”

Kandi tried to wrench her arm away but his hold didn’t budge. “Forget it. I’ll leave.”

Ric and Jack exchanged a pointed look. “You okay with that, Connor?”

Con sighed wearily. “Just let her go.”

Ric escorted her to the door. Just as he was about to get her out of the room, their waitress rolled in a cart with the first course and stopped just inside the doorway. She looked confused at the group of people clustered around the entrance. In that moment of distraction, Kandi tugged her arm from Ric’s hold and almost ran in to Shane Washington.

Behind Shane, hovering on the other side of the doorway, stood a bulky man in an Armani suit, hair military short, and craggy blunt features. The man hadn’t been visible until the waitress opened the door.

Once the waitress and Shane were between Kandi and the rest of the room, Kandi shot Shelley a venomous glare. Shelley recoiled at the visible hatred in Kandi’s gaze.

“Let’s go, Kandi,” her male friend spoke. He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the exit.

That had certainly been weird. Her trip to Las Vegas was just one bizarre happening after another. She hated to imagine what could happen next.

But in typical fashion, Shelley tried to put everyone back at ease.

Her stomach was a mess, between the remnants of her drugged salad, and the sickly acid from this last confrontation, she’d be happy not eating for a week.

“Who’s hungry?”

Ric stared after Kandi and her companion and then made a dash for the entrance. Jack shot out of his chair too. But the cart and Shane blocked their exit, and by the time they got around the obstacle and ran through the restaurant, it was too late.

Twelve

What a clusterfuck.

As soon as Ric saw Kandi’s companion, he put it all together. They might be Shelley’s stalkers. After all, what were the odds that Con’s mother would show up at the same time that Shelley started having all her problems?

He and Jack had come to the realization at the same time and taken off after the pair but it had been too late. After searching the casino floor, they finally returned to the restaurant, frustrated and subdued. He and Jack had both made calls and notified security, but no one had been able to find either Kandi or the guy. Ric had called his computer guy to run a check on Kandi but he didn’t have her companion’s name. So far, his guy hadn’t turned up much beyond a crap ton of credit card bills and an apartment in Vegas.

Connor had been quiet through the rest of dinner. Of Jack’s siblings, Connor was the brother Ric knew least. Army vs. Navy. But Jack had never spoken of his brother with anything but admiration and maybe a little exasperation.

If only Ric had put it together sooner. But Kandi hadn’t acknowledged Shelley at any time during her interaction with Connor until that very last vitriolic look.

Which led Ric right back to his current problem. This wasn’t going to be a fun convo.

While Shelley was in the bathroom, he quietly dialed Jack. “Tell me you got a picture of Kandi’s friend.”

“Yep,” Jack said. “I’m running it through the facial comparison program now.”

“There was something about the way he moved.” Ric mused. “Did you see it?”

“I thought so too,” Jack said. “Good call. It is him.”

So Kandi’s friend was the one who trashed Shelley’s hotel room.

Although Shelley’s protection duty had only started this morning, he was ready to have this particular job over with. Sitting next to Shelley tonight at dinner had been torture. Every time she moved in that dress, he remembered the night before.

She was unbelievably sensual.

He wanted to eat her up. But first they had to catch the people harassing her.

“So it’s likely Kandi was working with him to try to scare Shelley away.”

“What the hell is her end game?” Jack snarled.

“Hopefully the cops can round them up quickly and we can find out.” Ric let relief swell over him. This would be over with soon. Ric hesitated which pissed him off. He wasn’t the hesitating type. “What about Connor?”

Jack barked out a laugh. “What?”

“It has to be asked.” Ric paced to the bed and back as he ran his fingers through his hair.

That shut Jack up. “You can’t really think—”

“Doing the job you asked me to do, Jack.”

“Shit. You’re right. Even though you’re wrong. There’s absolutely no way my brother had anything to do with whatever is going on with his biological egg donor.” Jack blew out a frustrated breath. “Fuck.”

“I need to have a chat with him.” Logically Ric didn’t believe that Connor Stone had anything to do with the threats to Shelley. But he wouldn’t be doing the job Jack asked him to do, the job he’d vowed to do, if he didn’t pursue the lead.

“I’ll call him,” Jack said. “I need to prep him.”

Ric didn’t like the idea of giving Connor a heads up but he understood Jack’s reasoning.

“I’ll send him down.” Jack said, “You keep watch on Shelley while I work with the police.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Ric said fiercely.

“Thanks, BP.”

Ric heard the strain in Jack’s voice. He had been aware of the distance between Bliss Lee and Jack tonight at dinner. “You make any headway on that other project?”

“I thought I did but it was a dead end and I’m running out of time,” Jack said wearily.

“You may want to come clean with your fiancée.”

Of course, what did he know about fiancées? His failed marriage had been over years ago.

“Giving it a few more days.” Jack was unable to let go of his hope. “Later, BP.”

Ric hung up and waited for Con to arrive.

Shelley emerged from the bathroom. She had changed from her dress into a pair of running shorts and a t-shirt. There was nothing overtly sexy about the outfit and still every nerve in his body came to attention. Like a pointer dog on the trail of prey, his cock rose toward her.

Sweet mercy, it was going to be a long night.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts and Ric’s cock deflated faster than a popped balloon. This was going to be ugly.

Shelley’s head lifted from the magazine she was pretending to read on the sofa. “Who do you think it is?” Her eyes were wide and startled.

“Connor.”

She shifted getting ready to answer the door but Ric held out his palm. “I’ll get it.”

He let Jack’s younger half-brother into the room. Connor nodded tensely at Ric. He knew exactly why he was here.

Connor Stone was a wickedly smart man.

“Hi Con.” Her smiled faded at the serious expression darkening the younger man’s eyes.

Connor knelt next Shelley. “I’m sorry.”

Right away Ric’s hackles rose. What the fuck? Could Jack have been wrong?

“You have
nothing
to be sorry for.” Shelley grabbed Con’s hands and Ric immediately went for his weapon. “Put that away,” she demanded.

Shelley ran her hand through Connor’s hair.

“Shelley.” Connor bowed his head. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Con, you are not responsible for her actions.”

He hugged her tightly for a moment. Then, because he understood that Shelley’s blind faith wasn’t enough, he stood and addressed Ric, “What do you need?”

Ric nodded. “Just a few questions.”

Shelley jumped up. Her heart was pounding so hard he could see her chest shake. “What are you talking about?”

Ric was pretty sure this conversation was going to deep six any chance of sex in the future but if it kept Shelley safe then he’d forgo the extra hot hook up in a heartbeat. “I need to verify that Connor didn’t have anything to do with your attacks.”

Connor’s mouth tightened but he nodded. Shelley on the other hand jumped in front of her adopted son as if to shield him from Ric’s evil interrogation.

“Shelley.” Ric’s heart sunk.

“He had nothing to do with what happened.”

Connor curled his palm around Shelley’s wrist. “He’s right to ask.”

“No, he isn’t,” she said fiercely, a mama bear protecting her cub. She glared at Ric. Fantastic. He
definitely
wasn’t getting laid any time soon.

“Have you had any contact with Kandi Kane recently?” And didn’t that sound like something straight out of a porn flick? She must have legally changed her name.

Shelley fumed beside Connor.

He shook his head. “She came by the house once when I was around four. I vaguely remember it being…unpleasant.”