“They want me to kill you.”
Topaz appeared faint, but instead of fainting, she raced to her bedroom door. Alex got there first, simply pressing his shoulder next to the door to prevent her from leaving.
“Alex, stop,” she hissed, scratching at the doorknob, desperate to open the door. “Get out of here!” she ordered, when he pulled her close. “Get away from me,” she cried, her voice losing volume as the tears returned.
“Baby, shh ...” he urged, rocking her until her breathing began to calm. He could still feel her trembling and knew the anger she tried to display was simply a front for her fear. “Baby, listen,” he said, turning her around to face him, “I never had any intentions of doing it. I told ’em I couldn’t take the job.”
Topaz sniffed, blinking the moisture from her lashes. “You did?”
“Yes, of course I did. I could never do that to you. I could never do that to anyone again,” he said, smirking as he looked down at her hands. “It was a lesson learned late, but a lesson learned.”
Topaz smoothed both hands across her forehead and groaned. “I’m so scared,” she admitted.
“I know,” he said, favoring her temple with soft kisses while he massaged her back. “I’ll never let anything happen to you. I’d die before I let anyone touch you. Do you believe me?” he asked, pulling back to look into her eyes.
Slowly, Topaz nodded. Unfortunately, the uneasiness was far from gone. “I’m still scared. What am I going to do?”
Alex’s expression hardened. “I don’t want you to worry about that. I’ll take care of everything,” he swore, cupping her face as he spoke. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” she whispered, melting into his arms when he pulled her into a hug.
Topaz savored the powerful embrace; still, her eyes relayed mixed emotions. Burying her face into his chest, she forced the unsettling thoughts from her mind. The soothing massage Alex applied to her back began to deepen and she shivered. His hands smoothed away her worries for a time and she focused on his touch.
Alex pulled her back to the bed. He took a seat on the edge and had Topaz sit between his knees on the floor. He continued the massage, his fingers stroking the nape of her neck and shoulders. Topaz smiled when she felt him unraveling her braids. She let her head rest on his thigh, her lashes fluttering as he rubbed her scalp. She turned then and looked up into his eyes. Alex’s fingers slowed, then stopped moving as his head lowered. The kiss was slow in coming, but just as sweet. At first, their lips met in soft, brief pecks, which lengthened as the kiss deepened.
Topaz moaned helplessly and turned to face him, bracing on her knees as she kissed him passionately. Alex was reluctant to break the kiss, but realized she needed her rest after such a dramatic evening. His hands tightened around her arms and he pulled her to her feet. Topaz watched him turn down the bed; then she took the hand he extended toward her. They settled beneath the heavy covers enclosed in a romantic spoon embrace as sleep arrived.
Topaz woke with a jerk, bolting upright in bed the next morning. A split second later, the memories came flooding back and she buried her face in her palms. She heard movement and looked over at Alex, who had moved to sleep in one of the armchairs, sometime during the night. She smiled, her eyes tracing his magnificent features relaxed in his unconscious state. The horrible aspects of his past, she thought with a shudder. He was such a wonderful man that hearing him tell her what he had been shocked her to her soul.
A knock sounded on the bedroom door and Topaz rushed from her bed to answer.
Patra Emerson stood on the other side of the door. The stunning fifty-seven-year-old appeared full of energy as she snapped her fingers and shuffled back and forth.
“There are bagels and coffee downstairs, baby,” she announced. “What’s wrong?” she asked in the next breath, instantly sensing her daughter’s mood.
Topaz managed a laugh. “Nothing, Mommy, I’ll be down shortly, all right?”
Patra nodded, her hazel eyes narrowing when they shifted toward the door. “Bring your friend when you come down.”
Topaz smothered her gasp, but kept her gaze focused on the floor. When the door closed behind Patra, Topaz turned to find Alex leaning against the wardrobe.
“Ouch,” he said.
Topaz grinned, but shook her head. “My parents aren’t like that, but they have been a lot more concerned about me lately. Especially since the fire and now ... I don’t know how I can pretend everything’s fine when I know someone’s out to kill me.”
“Shh ...” he ordered, reaching for her hand and pulling her close.
The soothing rocking and soft raspy words of assurance were Topaz’s undoing, and soon she was weeping again.
“Is there anywhere else you can go besides here or Charlotte?” he asked.
Topaz pulled back, her eyes searching his face with heightened urgency. “Are they safe?”
“They are. I’m certain of that,” he confirmed, patting her hip as he spoke. “I know how these people operate, but I don’t want you here,” he said, deciding not to frighten her more by revealing that the Fines Group operated out of New York.
“After I left here, I’d planned to go see my aunt and uncle in Louisiana. If I back out now, I’m afraid there’ll be too many questions,” she reasoned.
“Your aunt and uncle,” Alex said, smiling as he remembered, “the ones responsible for your fierce cooking and love of cars.”
Topaz giggled. “You have a fantastic memory.”
Alex closed his eyes, bowing his head in acknowledgment. “Give ’em a call, tell ’em you’re on your way.”
“On one condition.”
“Which is?”
“You come with me.”
“Topaz? Are you sure?” Alex whispered, watching her closely.
“I’m positive. I can’t be alone with this hanging over me.”
“I figured you’d want me as far away from you as possible after what I told you last night,” he said, appearing surprised and uneasy.
Topaz nodded. “The things you said to me last night ... they were frightening. You were frightening,” she admitted, watching him take a deep breath as he winced. “Alex,” she called, stepping closer when he would have moved away, “these ghosts of yours are scary, but I’m not ready to let them win yet.”
