Cherry lane, p.26
Cherry Lane, page 26
“You’re already popping out of it, darling. Your breasts are magnificent.” The heat that began in the pit of her stomach spread upward to her face. “And you’re even more magnificent when you blush.” Devon lowered her eyes, the demure gesture not lost on several men staring at her.
“I think I’m going to need something to drink. Could you please bring me a glass of bubbly water?”
David smiled. “Of course.”
She watched him wend his way through the throng, admiring his ramrod straight physique in the tailored tuxedo. “Miss, may I take your wrap?” Devon turned to see a young woman with several shawls and shrugs draped over her arm.
“Yes, of course.” She gave her the shawl in exchange for a numbered ticket stub.
She glanced around the ballroom, searching for David’s parents. Recognizing them wasn’t easy because of the masks. A waiter holding a tray with tiny meatballs approached her. “Miss?”
“No thank you.”
Another came over with a tray. “I have toasted flatbread topped with baked prosciutto, blue cheese, mushrooms, figs, and fried onions.” He handed her a cocktail napkin. “Try one. They’re delicious.”
She picked up one of the triangles and bit into it. The sweet and salty textures exploded in her mouth. “It is delicious.” David returned with her water and another glass filled with a dark liquid. “Taste this.” She fed him the flatbread, watching for his reaction.
“Excellent. I’m going to make some the next time we entertain.”
“Do you recognize the ingredients?” she asked. He repeated what the waiter said. “You really know food, don’t you?”
David handed her the glass of water. “I’m a foodie.”
“What are you drinking?”
“A black dog.”
“Say what?” she questioned.
“It’s made with bourbon, dry vermouth, and blackberry brandy.”
Devon touched her glass to his. “It looks dangerous.”
“What looks dangerous?”
A smile spread across the lower part of her face that was not concealed by the mask. “Mother, you look gorgeous.” Edna wore a white silk surplice blouse with a long black silk skirt. A black-and-white cummerbund accented her trim waistline. The diamond studs in her lobes matched the graduated strand draped around her neck. “David’s drink looks dangerous.”
Edna pressed a kiss to Devon’s cheek, then her son’s. “Devon, you look incredible. I can’t believe you’re carrying my grandchild.”
“It’s the dress. It conceals a lot.”
“Hold on to her tonight, son, because the wolves see her as new prey.”
David looped an arm around Devon’s waist. “You worry too much, Mother. Where’s Dad?”
“I left him talking to Judge Phillips.”
David took a sip of his drink. “It looks like a nice turnout.”
Edna rested a hand over her necklace. “The committee managed to sell every ticket.” She blew them a kiss. “I’ll see you later. We’ll be seated together for dinner.”
With wide eyes, Devon watched as a buxom woman came up behind David and wrapped her arms around his waist. Everything about her was lush. The seams of her black beaded gown were challenged because it definitely was a size too small. “Where have you been hiding yourself, love? You know you still owe me a dance from prom, handsome.”
“Savannah, please let me go.”
Savannah dropped her arms; then, as if a lightbulb had been switched on, she noticed Devon for the first time. She stared at her left hand. “So, what I heard is true. You are getting married.”
“Yes, I am,” he confirmed. “Devon, this is Savannah. Savannah, Devon.”
Savannah pushed out her lips. “Did you know David was the senior class president and I was homecoming queen when we were in high school?”
Devon affected a saccharine grin. “No, I didn’t.” She wondered how many more times she would have to watch women come on to her man. Edna had warned David about men hitting on his fiancée, while Savannah hadn’t attempted to be subtle when she came on to him. The morals of Charleston’s elite were very questionable.
A short man with a comb-over sidled up to her. He stank of alcohol. “Did anyone tell you that you’re gorgeous?” he asked. Swaying slightly, he reached over and touched her breast.
David caught the man by his throat, shaking him like a pit bull would shake a Chihuahua. “Don’t touch her!” he said between clenched teeth.
Savannah grabbed David’s wrist as the man’s face turned red, then blue. “Let him go, David. I’ll take Mr. Overland to his wife.”
Devon watched, stunned, as the man she’d promised to marry finally released the man’s throat. It was as though he’d turned into a different person. She took a step backward when he held out the same hand he’d used to choke his defenseless victim. David was at least twenty years younger and a full head taller than the obviously intoxicated man.
“Don’t,” she pleaded. “Please don’t touch me.”
A sneer twisted his mouth. “You prefer him touching you?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Then what the hell is it, Devon? Either I touch you or you let other men touch you.”
Rage washed over Devon like a powerful ocean wave when she replayed his words. Had he just accused her of preferring another man’s touch to his? Is that what he’d been thinking all along? She was so enraged she couldn’t form the words to defend herself.
Placing her drink on the tray of a passing waiter, she turned and headed for the exit. She hadn’t taken more than three steps when David caught her arm. “Where are you going?”
She stopped and he bumped into her, causing her to lose her balance. Devon saw the floor coming up at her and she instinctually cradled her belly, but a strong grip stopped her fall. David had caught her in time.
“Take me home.”
Devon consciously blotted out what happened from the instant he retrieved her shawl to his helping her into the car and her climbing the staircase to the second floor. What she did recall was walking down the hallway to the bedroom she’d occupied when she spent her first night at his house.
She calmly closed the bedroom door, walked into the bathroom, and undressed in slow motion. The mask she’d worn, along with her gown, evening purse, shawl, shoes, and underwear lay on the bathroom floor. She’d broken her own strict rule of never leaving clothes on the floor.
However, she did remember removing the earrings and ring and washing her face, scrubbing it until it felt raw. She’d managed to find a new toothbrush in one of the vanity drawers and brushed her teeth. Walking on shaky legs, she returned to the bedroom, slipped into bed, and fell asleep.
David hadn’t bothered to change out of the tuxedo before getting into his car and starting the engine. He’d called himself the king of fools and a few other coarse words as he drove aimlessly through Charleston. It was a warm spring Saturday night and college students crowded street corners, while many waited on long lines to get into bars and restaurants.
He didn’t know why he’d said what he said to Devon, because he knew nothing was further from the truth. Francine’s vision had turned him into a crazy man—someone who’d become paranoid because he feared every man Devon came into contact with might want to harm her—if a madman was stalking her. And now he’d turned into a madman, choking a man who was obviously drunk and harmless. And he wouldn’t blame Anthony Overland if he went to the police and charged him with assault.
Forty minutes later David maneuvered into a space behind the Cavanaugh Island Sheriff’s Department. He knew Jeff was on duty tonight because he’d arranged to take off the following Saturday for the wedding. Every time he thought about Devon calling off the wedding he felt a fist of fear squeeze his heart. He didn’t want to lose her. He couldn’t lose her. Tapping the Bluetooth feature, he pulled up Jeff’s number.
“What’s up, cuz?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“When?”
“Now, Jeff.”
“I thought you and Devon were going to that fancy masquerade ball tonight.”
“We did. Look, I’m parked behind the jail. Unlock the back door and let me in.”
“Hang up. I’m coming.”
Jeff gave him an incredulous look when he opened the door. “For a man in formal dress, you look like crap.”
“That’s because I feel like crap,” David admitted as he walked into the one-story brick building. He walked past two cells, both empty, and into a room where Jeff and his deputies usually bedded down after they’d made their rounds.
“I would offer you something to drink, but I’ve made it a practice not to keep alcohol in the station house.” Jeff pointed to a chair. “Sit down before you fall down.” David flopped down on a worn leather chair, stretching out his legs and crossing his feet at the ankles. A frown furrowed Jeff’s forehead when he noticed the slight bulge on David’s right ankle under the tuxedo trousers. “Are you packin’?”
David pulled up the leg of the trousers to reveal a small holstered automatic. “It’s a long story.”
Jeff sat opposite him and ran a hand over his head. “Well, I’m going to be here all night, so please tell me why you’re carrying a gun.”
David had to confide in someone, and he knew that someone had to be Jeff because he was never judgmental or condescending. He told him everything, leaving out the name of the person who’d warned him that Devon’s life was in danger. Francine had told him in confidence that only her family and Morgan knew she was able to discern the future and he wasn’t about to expose her secret—not even to Jeff.
Jeff sat straight, staring at David as if he’d suddenly taken leave of his senses. “You believe this person, David?”
He nodded. “Yes, because I trust this person. They have no reason to lie or make something like this up.” David didn’t have to try to convince Jeff that people were born with psychic abilities because he, too, had grown up listening to people, women in particular, talk about voodoo and root workers. He told his cousin about the incident Devon had with her client and his friends who’d moved into the athlete’s mansion and were eventually evicted.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Jeff stared at the newly tiled floor. “It is a possibility it could be related to one of her clients. Maybe someone out for revenge on her for making them give up their cushy lifestyle. But I don’t think your choking that man has anything to do with him posing a threat to Devon. You’ve got to slow down and think rationally. Otherwise you’ll end up in jail for doing something dumb and stupid.”
“You think I don’t know that?” David spat out.
“Look, David, don’t come at me like some rabid dog. I’m not your enemy. I’m going to give you some advice,” he said in a softer tone. “First of all, stop carrying the gun. Then I want you to go home and apologize to the woman you hope will marry your crazy ass next week. And third, I’m going to suggest you postpone your honeymoon until after she has the baby. It will be the perfect opportunity for the two of you to spend some quality time together, because right now your lives are over the speed limit. You’re looking to move into a new house, so I’m certain she’s going to have her hands full decorating it. You’re planning to open a new office, and that, too, is going to take up a lot of your time while planning for a new baby. That’s a lot of stress under normal circumstances, without your having to worry if someone is trying to take out the woman you love. I’m going to do something on my end that will take the pressure off you to protect Devon.”
David knew Jeff was right about all the changes going on in his and Devon’s life. He’d looked forward to the honeymoon cruise, but it was something they could take in the future. “What are you going to do?”
“I have a buddy who retired from the Corps a few months after I did. He operates a private security firm employing former military personnel. Most of his men were in Special Forces, so they’re highly trained when it comes to surveillance and protection. I’ll call and ask him if he would send one of his guys to look after Devon. She’ll never suspect she’s being followed, and once he’s acquainted with her daily routine everything will go smoothly. He’ll contact you with his private number and you can update him if she has a doctor’s appointment or if she plans to come to the Cove to eat with the girls.”
David smiled for the first time in more than an hour. Jeff was former military police. “Let me know how much he charges and I’ll send the money electronically.”
Jeff waved a hand. “I’m not going to get into the middle of negotiating a price. I’ll give him the number to your cell and he’ll contact you directly.”
Sandwiching his hands between his knees, David leaned forward, giving his cousin a long, penetrating look. “There’s something else you should know about Devon.”
Jeff massaged the back of his neck. “The baby she’s carrying is not yours.”
David slumped in the chair. “How did you know?”
“If you’d been dating someone like Devon there was no way in hell you wouldn’t have told me. I saw something in you at Red’s birthday party that told me this girl was special, so I wasn’t surprised when the two of you hooked up.”
“I’m not marrying her because of the baby.”
“Come on, cuz. Don’t you think I know that? And she’s not marrying you because she doesn’t want to be a baby mama either.” Jeff paused, seemingly deep in thought. “We’ve been talking about possible retribution from one of her client’s former associates who was affected when the ballplayer had to downsize his opulent lifestyle, but have you thought about her ex? Maybe he found out that she’s carrying his baby and, depending upon who he is and what he does, he can’t afford to have a secret baby so he hired someone to eliminate her and the baby.”
“That sounds crazy.”
“Crazy but plausible,” Jeff stated. “Has she ever mentioned her ex’s name?” David shook his head. “That alone should tell you she’s hiding something. You need her to open up to you about him.”
David told his cousin what Devon had revealed about her attempts to contact her ex-lover. “We promised each other we wouldn’t talk about our exes, and I’ve done enough tonight to upset her and—”
“She’ll get over it once she realizes you were looking out for her. She’s pissed off because someone witnessed you acting a fool, but trust me when I say she’ll appreciate the fact that her man stepped up to protect her. I did the same for Kara even before we were married and it goes double now that she’s my wife. Go home, leave your stiff-neck pride outside the door, and beg. Once you learn to beg it gets easier every time you have to do it.”
David’s eyebrow lifted a fraction. “You beg?”
“Oh hell yeah. And I’ve become pretty good at it since realizing it’s not all about oorah and once a Marine always a Marine. It’s about trying to be a good husband and father and making certain I have a happy home.” He stood up, David rising with him. “Now go home and get your life in order, because I’m still planning to be your best man.”
David hugged his cousin, thumping his back. “Thanks for the pep talk.”
“No problem. You’ve talked me off the ledge a few times, so I’m just returning the favor.”
David left the station house, got into his car, and headed in the direction of the mainland. Jeff had recommended he beg—something he’d never done with a woman. But he was amenable to begging and groveling if needed.
The house was as silent as a tomb when he climbed the staircase to his bedroom after locking his gun in a wall safe behind a painting in the home office. The light in the hallway between the bedroom and bathroom provided enough illumination to see the outline of Devon’s body under the blanket she’d pulled over her head. He went into the bedroom across the hall to undress and brush his teeth so he wouldn’t wake her. When he returned to the bedroom he discovered she hadn’t moved.
Easing back the blanket, David slipped into bed next to her, luxuriating in the warmth and silken feel of her naked body. “Please forgive me, baby,” he whispered in her mussed hair.
“You’re forgiven.” She sighed.
“I thought you were asleep.”
Shifting, she turned to face him. “You thought it would make it easier to apologize if I was asleep?”
He touched his mouth to hers. “No. I was prepared to beg, grovel, plead, and kowtow to get you to forgive me for what I said and for embarrassing you. I’m sorry.”
She covered his mouth with her fingertips. “You forgot bowing and scraping.”
“That too,” he mumbled against her hand.
“I’d planned to spend the night in the other bedroom but changed my mind. If we’re going to share our lives then I want us to be able to talk things out until we can at least come to an agreement or be willing to compromise.”
David didn’t want to think of them sleeping under the same roof and not sharing a bed. “I want you to tell me if I’m acting like a horse’s ass. And I’m sorry about that remark about you and other men.”
She laughed softly. “You were definitely a horse’s ass tonight, but it felt good to know I have a superhero willing to protect me.”
David couldn’t tell her he planned to hire a professional bodyguard to shadow her with the hope he would be able to subvert the danger Francine had seen in her vision. “I think it’s time I hang up my magic cape.”
“Cape or no cape, even dressed as Bruce Wayne, you were still a superhero.”
He gathered her close, burying his face in her hair, and whispered a prayer of thanks. The fact that Devon wouldn’t hold a grudge meant they could have the happy home Jeff spoke of. “Would you be upset if we postponed our honeymoon until after you have the baby?”
A beat passed before Devon said, “No. We’ll have plenty of time to honeymoon. I wouldn’t mind us occasionally taking a three-day weekend to go somewhere for a change of scenery once the baby is old enough to be left with your mother or to have a playdate with Kara’s and Morgan’s kids.”
