Chapter Twelve
I’m safe.
Alexandra hugged her arms around her and turned away from the windows of her father’s study. It seemed almost impossible to believe that over two months ago, she’d been abducted by her crazy ex-boyfriend who’d wanted to hold her for ransom. He was preparing to face life behind bars but that was the least of Alexandra’s concerns.
She heard her father quickly end his call before rising from his chair and walking up to her. Alexandra tried not to think it was like déjà vu. Merely over two months ago, she’d been called to this very study to receive the announcement that her father had hired her a personal bodyguard.
It felt like a lifetime ago now.
Everything had been a blur after the van doors had opened and Cane had been standing there. She remembered being covered by a blanket, and Cane holding her tight and kissing her, whispering that she was safe. Much later there had been the paramedics and the cops and the statements. But she’d been in too much shock to be of much use to anyone. Once it was decided that she had only a few bruises and cuts, she was seen to and then allowed to go home. Cane had never been far from her side, she remembered that much as well. There’d been a kind of sling on his arm from his shoulder, which she later learnt had been grazed by a bullet. Her relief in knowing that he’d escaped any real danger almost surpassed her own happiness that she was safe. He followed her in back of the police car, his hand tightly wound around hers. She noticed they were headed for her father’s house, and when she turned to him in surprise Cane explained quietly, “Your father was notified about the attempted kidnap and he was worried sick. I assured him he didn’t have to come over, that I’ll see to it that you’re brought home to stay with him for a while.”
Alexandra had frowned in confusion, but he’d simply rubbed soothingly on her hand, and kissed the side of her head. She’d sighed, laid her head against his shoulder, and drifted into an exhausted doze.
It took a day or two after that for her to get over the trauma of what she’d experienced. Now back in her family home, she saw hardly any glimpse of Cane, as her father cancelled all his other work commitments to focus on her. There were nurses, maids and cooks to see to Alexandra’s every need as she recuperated. Malia had also been so marvelous and attentive, coming round the house and even stayed over whenever she could, keeping Alexandra company and brightening her spirits after her ordeal.
“All this time, we were thinking it was someone from your business transactions, while all the while, my getting into danger was my fault,” Alexandra told her father guiltily now, as he came up to where she stood by the window and took her by the shoulders.
Her eyes were misty as she looked up at him. “I’m sorry dad. I should have listened to you. Getting involved with Lamar in the first place was a big mistake.”
“We all make them; and I’m sure somehow, I’m more to blame than you might think,” her father said with a heavy sigh. “I pushed you away with my workaholic lifestyle. I should have been your best friend, your confidante, not someone who just paid your bills or simply wore the label of ‘father’. I was never really there, was I?”
“You’re here now,” Alexandra said softly, giving him an affectionate smile, and the older man nodded gratefully, his smile just as warm even as Alexandra’s heart ached for another person she couldn’t help wishing she could also say was right there with her, but he wasn’t.
The last time she’d seen Cane, he’d been let into her room by the hired nurse over a week ago. It had been her old bedroom when she’d still been living at home, and she couldn’t help beaming when Cane appeared. The sling was gone but she could tell that underneath his impeccable looking dark suit and tie, his shoulder was covered in bandages.
“You look great,” he’d said with a slanted smile once the door closed behind the nurse and they were alone.
“So do you,” she said softly, drinking in the sight of him and wondering how she could still look at him without melting completely to pieces. She did melt, but somewhere deeply hidden from knowing eyes.
He sat on the chair by her bed and then leaned forward, tucking her hair behind her ear. She caught his slight grimace as he used his injured hand which he drew back carefully. Alexandra’s eyes filled with concern.
“Does it hurt?”
He grinned at her worried look, shaking his head. “Only when I forget and move it too quickly. It’ll be fine.”
The air stilled as the moments ticked by in silence. She watched him, he watched her. There was a rueful look on his face that filled her with dread even before he began, “Alexandra…”