“How do I know those goons won’t track me down, and follow me, and kill me for the stock?”
“Oh, Jesus, Annabelle.”
“And how do we know who those goons really work for, Mr. Davis?” The detective narrows his eyes at Kalin.
“Don’t you think I would have waited to launch that surprise, instead of tipping her off too soon with a tacky break-in?” Kalin stands up and straightens his jacket. “As I said, Detective, why don’t you do your job, and go arrest the goons who broke into their apartment, and ask them who they work for? Then you can tell me,” Kalin snaps with a cold stare. “In the meantime, I have some business matters to settle.”
“Kalin, wait.” I surprise myself by calling out to him. I am not sure who I should believe anymore, but I know Kalin is not like that in his heart. But part of me remains unsure.
“I’ll call you, Annabelle.” Kalin shifts his eyes toward Lia. “Lia, again, I’m so sorry. I want these fuckers in jail. Maybe then we can all get to the bottom of this, like you both deserve. Detective.” Kalin gives the detective a harsh nod, and heads out the door.
Chapter Twelve
Kalin is waiting for us at our apartment drive when we arrive. “I’m sorry about all of this, Annabelle. But when I started thinking about what the detective said, at first it made my blood boil. There is no way I would ever hurt you. But I thought about what he said. And he’s right. There is no telling what these thugs will do if they know twenty percent of the stock will be irrevocably transferred to you.”
Kalin pauses and grimaces. “Look, they could be trying to send you a more serious warning. This is, after all, four hundred million dollars. I don’t know what they’re capable of, but we can only assume that they will stop at nothing to prevent this from happening. You should be aware that they will try to hurt you. Or worse.”
Lia clutches her arms to her chest and frowns at us, and my heart sinks. I can’t bear to see anything happen to her.
“Tell me the truth, Kalin. Tell me what’s going on,” I say, swallowing the tension between words.
“Come with me.”
“Another Hampton hideaway, Kalin?”
“No. The truth. About everything.”
“Don’t worry about me,” I say to Lia. “I’ll be fine.” Lia turns away from us and steps inside.
“Lia, I’ve arranged for security to keep an eye on this place. No one is going near you without us knowing about it,” Kalin barks.
Lia steps back out. “No,” she protests.
“Lia, please. You heard what I just told Annabelle.”
“Yes, and I don’t care. I don’t want to be surrounded by security. It’s too creepy.”
“Lia, please,” I plead.
“No!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I don’t want a bunch of security around me. What am I, Lady Gaga? It’s ridiculous.”
Kalin sighs. “Okay, as you wish.”
“It is.”
Kalin turns to me. “She is a stubborn one,” he says in a hoarse whisper.
“You have no idea,” I say with a lopsided smile. “At least keep your phone on for me, Lia.”
“Sure.” Lia peers at us from the doorway with her arms folded. “Where are you guys going?”
I look up at Kalin. “It’s a surprise,” I say. I shrug.
“Be careful,” she says with her face between the door and frame.
“Okay, mom.”
Lia smirks, rolls her eyes, and closes the door.
Kalin puts his strong arm around my hip and nudges me into the SUV.
He whisks me down the familiar road on his way to Southampton. “We never got to enjoy our private beach, Annabelle,” he says.
When we arrive at the house, he punches in a new security code to open the gates. He takes my hand and walks me through the house to the back. I slide open the double glass doors, and the smell of salty ocean air slams into my face and fills my lungs. The beach grass visible from the deck sways to the gentle ocean breeze. Kalin walks into a large closet and gives me a devilish smile. He pulls out a lavender bikini and places it inches from my cheek.
“This color will look wonderful on you. Your skin tans beautifully. So sexy.”
“Kalin, you said we were going to get to the bottom of this.”
“We are. But it’s no crime to have a little bit of fun on the way, is it?”
I sigh and cross my arms.
“Annabelle, the truth is I can’t stand being this close to you without wanting to touch you.” He steps around me and places his arms around my waist and stomach. Pulling me close to him, I feel his hot breath in my hair and on my ear, and his long body presses against mine as he shifts against me, causing me to slip out a sigh of pleasure. I breathe in his clean, spicy scent, and lightness and longing rush through my body. He kisses the back of my neck and the hot moisture of his lips causes me to moan and drift into another plane. The words I want to speak are replaced with hot desire, and my body takes control and demands more of him.