Episode 6:
MIDNIGHT GAMBLE
Glory looked at her sister Hope Faraday and cringed. "Go on. Do it!"
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Hope shook her head. Her blond hair contrasted sharply against the black of her leather bomber jacket.
"I don't know how you talked me into this?"
Hope fiddled with the lock using two slim instruments that weren't found in your local hardware store.
It took more than thirty seconds to jimmy the lock but it seemed like hours to Glory. When the tumblers fell into place with a resounding click, Glory nearly jumped for joy. "See! I knew you could do it!" She beamed a bright smile at her sister.
"I don't know what you're so happy about. It's called breaking and entering, Glory. And it's, as far as I know, illegal." Hope pocketed the slim files and placed them in a case then jammed it into the back pocket of her jeans.
"She's our sister," Glory explained. "If Honor was here, she would have let us in herself. So, it's okay."
Hope shook her head and her long, straight bangs fell into her eyes. "What kind of bubble brained logic is that?"
Glory ignored the barb and ducked into the house. "We have to be quick. They could be home at any time."
Hope didn't know what Glory had in mind but breaking and entering was going a bit above and beyond. But after the length they'd just gone to in order to retrieve this so called ‘information', she knew the reason had to be a good one.
"Did you know Austin was married twice before?" Glory asked as she flipped through a stack of papers on Austin's desk.
Hope nodded. Honor had already explained about Austin's previous marriages and how unlucky in love he had been until he met her.
"Tell me there is a point to this? So far, I'm going on faith that you know what you're talking about -- because we're sisters. Any other person who tried to talk me into this would get my stern ‘no' and my even sterner ‘get lost'."
"I know, and I'm grateful, sis. I'm glad you believed me about my vision. I was meditating and it came to me out of the blue. Like a blinding flash. Austin is out to harm our sister. I know it." Glory's voice got more animated as she paused to gulp a breath of air. "I think he wants to kill her. The energy is all over his aura."
There it was again. Glory and her psychic flashes. Hope couldn't believe her sister was believing in them again and had dragged her into the stupid game of ‘find the dirt on Austin'. Last week, she had discovered her amazing past life as a harem girl to some sheik. Now she had moved onto reading minds and auras. When would the tarot-induced madness end?
"I know you think I've gone off the deep end." When Hope didn't respond to the comment, Glory continued. "You know how Honor always falls for the wrong guys? Well, I think Austin is one of those mistakes. That's why I did a little research into Austin's past before I got you involved."
"His past life?"
"No!" Glory rolled her eyes. "Not his past life. His past, past. As in his life before he met our sister." Glory seemed genuine about her protests.
"Sock it to me. What has ole McRae been up to now?"
"No good. He's been up to no good. Like I said before, he's been married twice before. Both women are dead and died under mysterious circumstances. Plus," Glory exaggerated the word plus. "Plus, their life insurance company had pay offs totaling over a million dollars &endash; for both woman. Don't you find that the slightest bit odd?"
"You have really gone bonkers this time. I can't believe you think Austin is going to kill Honor. Give our brother a little credit. Austin has been his best friend forever. He's a federal agent. If anyone could see through Austin's disguise as a happy husband, it would be Lucky."
Glory knew she deserved that. They all had known Austin forever. But he'd been gone from the bi-state for many years. Maybe he'd changed in that time. But they didn't know something she did. They didn't know the real Austin McRae. Glory had witnessed that first hand.
"I know. I know," she protested. "But Lucky doesn't *want* to think anything bad about Austin. Austin is his friend, so he's lowered his cop radar."
She had been freaked about Austin ever sense Honor had married him. Out of all the siblings, she and Honor looked the most alike. Glory wondered if Austin went for the same type of woman for a reason. As she tried to put her horrid past with Austin out of her mind, Glory continued to look for evidence.
A car pulled into the driveway. They could hear Austin's voice shouting his thanks as the vehicle pulled away. When a key was fitted into the front door lock, Glory and Hope knew they were sitting ducks.
Honor McRae was having the most wonderful dream. Someone was making love to her. She could feel his hands on her body teasing her skin with warm caresses and drawing her into a heightened state of responsiveness. She'd never felt like this before. So totally connected to another person. Almost as if their souls were two halfs of one whole.
Slowly, she came into awareness that she wasn't dreaming. But instead of pulling back, she stayed in his embrace.
Peter was lying with her, holding her close, his arm wrapped around her waist. Even though he was asleep, she could feel his arousal. He must have been dreaming too.
She was shocked to realize that he wanted her. Not as just someone to take home at his father's request but as a full and complete woman.
She turned in bed so she could look at him. Dark lashes fanned his cheek. In sleep he looked younger, more vulnerable. Honor trailed a finger down his cheek feeling the roughness of his five o'clock shadow. She sighed and breathed in the scent of him. Soap and musk.
His eyes darted beneath closed eye lids and she knew he was dreaming. She wondered if she played an integral role in his dreams as he had played in hers. She began to drift back into sleep when Peter hoarsely called her name. When she dared to look up at him, this time his eyes were open and the depths of his desire mesmerized her.
The lower half of their bodies were touching, their legs entangled. Her heart began to beat faster and she wondered if he could feel it or hear it. The roar of it pounded in her own ears. His eyes held her captive and she dared not look away for fear he'd stop gazing at her with such need. They drew together her hand resting on his chest, and she discovered his heart was beating just as rapidly.
Peter Forsythe knew his resistance was down. He had wanted this woman nearly from the moment he saw her, and that need was playing tricks with his mind. He bargained with himself. One kiss. One kiss and then he's would get up and walk out of the room. But deep down, Peter knew he couldn't stop at one kiss. He wanted everything including her heart. And that was what scared him the most.
She instinctively pressed closer flattening her breasts against his chest. Peter groaned. It felt like heaven.
"I don't know how much of this I can take," he said with husky undertones.
She felt his sex harden pressing into her thigh. Her heart skipped a beat. No one had ever made her feel like this. And she had never made anyone else respond like Peter was.
She couldn't think anymore and wound her hands around his neck.
"I need you to kiss me," she whispered in a voice she hardly recognized.
Peter groaned. "I can't, honey. If I kiss you now, I'm never going to stop. It's taken all the strength I have to keep myself under control this long."
"Do you want me?" Honor knew she was pushing things, but she had to know.
"God, yes. My whole body is throbbing with want of you."
Honor tentatively brought her head closer and Peter closed the remaining distance. The first kiss feathered across her lips sending a jolt of awareness tingling through her body. Peter's mouth seared her skin, branding her with his desire. Her lips parted and he deepened the kiss. He pressed open mouthed kisses across her cheek and down her neck causing a dizzying sensation. When his mouth captured her again, his tongue traced a line around her lips causing them to part. He thrust his tongue inside and the kiss deepened even more.
Simultaneously, they both groaned pressing their bodies together. Somehow all manner of clothing had been stripped from their bodies. She ran her hands down his back squeezing his taught butt.
His eyes opened in surprise. "I never thought you'd be like this."
"I didn't either." She knew he had awakened something inside of her that had been struggling to get out.
His hands roamed freely teasing her breasts. He tore his mouth away from hers and suckled on one, then the other. He couldn't get enough. When his hand traveled farther down, he knew she was as ready as he was for release.
"Now!" she said through ragged breaths. "I want you inside me now!"
Peter rolled away and opened a drawer. She winced at the loss of heat but she knew he was only trying to protect her. He came back with a foil package. Before he could open it, she grabbed the condom and tossed it aside.
"No, just you. Only you. Please."
Peter positioned himself over her. The first thrust almost sent him over the edge in ecstacy. His body shuttered as he tried to hold onto sanity. He tried to pleasure her but she was torturing him. She wrapped her legs around his waist squeezing with her pelvic muscles. A spasm ripped through his body.
He brought his mouth back to hers and thrust harder and faster until they both climaxed falling over the edge together.
"Oh, my God," Peter whispered. His body was sprawled across hers spent from loving making. "Am I still alive?"
He was still inside her and she could feel the throbbing pulsate between her legs. She already wanted him again.
She sneaked a glance at him and nearly blushed. "Is it supposed to be that ... that..."
"Good?"
"Yeah."
"Honey," Peter whispered agasint her mouth. "I have never experienced anything like that before in my life. In fact, I think I've died and gone to heaven."
It was still dark outside the bedroom window and Honor felt her inhibitions vanish. "Take me to heaven again."
And Peter obliged, all night long.
Lucky dropped Austin off at his house first. And he did it for purely selfish reasons. He wanted to spend more time alone with the captivating woman who had saved his life.
As they approached the sprawling mansion, a large black truck ambled up beside them.
"Is that Caine?" Diana asked, in a somewhat Southern accent. She had spent much of the last few years working in Georgia and their native tongue had rubbed off on her. Michela still couldn't get used to it.
"Yup," Michela said. "Looks just like the brother we forget we have."
Diana jumped out of the SUV and raced over to Caine's truck. Michela stayed to talk to Lucky.
"Thanks for driving me home."
"No problem. You save my life. I give you a lift home. I think that's a written federal law somewhere."
Michela laughed. She didn't want to leave Lucky's company just yet, but they didn't have anything else to talk about.
Lucky glanced over at Diana who was deep in conversation with Caine. "I didn't mean to run your sister off," he said, feeling more awkward by the minute.
"That's okay. I'm sure she's tired anyway. It's been a long and trying night." She eyed him curiously. "Thanks for catching me at Antony's. I don't faint often, but when I do, it isn't pretty. The last time I almost fell off the bridge out back. It crosses the stream leading to the other side of the property near Dom Martinez's place.
"Were you hurt?" Michela heard the concern in his voice and liked it.
"Only my pride. Good thing Dom was tending his cattle near the property line."
Lucky suddenly hated Dom Martinez, whoever the hell Dom Martinez was.
"But I'm told, I do a mean swan dive." She demonstrated the dive dynamics with her hand then made an explosion sound with her mouth. "Sophie nearly had a heart attack when she saw me fall over the edge."
Lucky glanced slyly over at Diana again who was still in deep conversation with her brother. "Why don't you show me this bridge where swan dives are preformed."
She gestured toward the back of the house and Lucky followed. Hopefully, now they could have some quality time alone.
"Caine!" Diana protested loudly. "Where have you been. Daddy and I have been worried about you."
"I don't have time for small talk now, sis." He was angry that Diana hadn't been there when he needed her. But thank God she was home now. "Why don't you answer your damned phone?"
"I'm sorry. After what happened tonight, I left it in my car which by the way is still at Antony's."
"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. I just need you right now." Caine reached over to the passenger seat and grabbed something, something large. It only took a second to realize it was a woman.
"The ER was too busy. You have to help her."
Diana noticed the bloody rag plastered against the woman's stomach.
"Good Lord, what happened to her?"
"It was a car jacking. The bastard drove right into her shoving her into the garbage. Something in there punctured her stomach. I can't get it to stop bleeding."
Diana gasped. She knew how complicated this would be for her brother considering Cindy died from wounds sustained at a car jacking as well. She gazed up into Caine's face and saw his pale complection in a mask of subdued anger.
"She isn't Cindy. She's not going to die. Bring her inside. I'll tell Sophie to bring me some towels, bandages and hot water."
Caine hefted Piper into his arms and scrambled to the foyer of the mansion using long strides to span the distance quickly. He left her on the living room couch while Diana tended to her.
"I'm really sorry about what Rayna said, Mila." Stone Jacobs found his coat and draped it across the young woman's shoulders. "She can be such a bitch sometimes."
Mila tried to laugh but it came out as a sob. "I loved my life here. I don't want to lose it."
"Maybe it's time for a change of scenery. What about St. Louis? You could live with your mother and the Forsythe's. Quentin is always asking about you when I see him. I think he misses your smiling face."
Stone smiled down at Mila.
"Really?"
"Really. And then, believe it or not, after we talk about you, he asks me why I'm not married. I think that man wants to match-make everyone he knows into couples. Singles of the world beware." Stone laughed.
"Prudence is a lot like him then."
Stone regarded her quizzically. "What makes you think that?"
"She wants to match-make you and Rayna. That's why she asked you to come. She doesn't know about Janette. She just used that as an excuse."
"That old bird!" Stone whispered. "There is no way in hell I'd ever marry Rayna Ambrose. She was the reason Janette and I broke up in the first place. She told Janette that she and I were having an affair."
"Oh, Stone, no."
"Oh, Stone, yes. If it hadn't been for Roanna, I don't think Janette would have ever forgiven me. But by that time it was too late. We were divorced and she'd found Julian." Stone sighed. "I haven't seen Roanna in years. Whatever happened to her?"
"I don't know," Mila said, honestly. She was feeling much better now. She liked that Stone was on her side. "After you left years ago, Roanna disappeared."
"What do you want to bet she went to Venice and lived out that dream of hers to be a famous painter? I can see her doing that. Paint all over her face, the sun shining in the window. She'd be good at it."
"Yeah, she was the best."
"Think about what I said, Mila. You might want to think about going back to America. Your mother's there, your brother."
Out of the corner of his eye, Stone saw a slight movement. He didn't turn his head but focused in on the action near the barn. It was the hooded figure.
"Go back to your cabin." Stone shouted. When Mila didn't move, he yelled. "Go now!"
She hustled away and Stone made for the red double doors hoping to cut off the hooded figure. He dashed through the barn coming out the other side. The figure was only feet away. He grabbed for the upper arm and spun the figure around. Hastily, he thrust off the hood.
"No!" a feminine voice shouted. "Don't look at me."
Stone grabbed the hands that covered the woman's face and clutched them at her waist. The face that looked up at him was a distorted mask. The woman's features had been altered, scarred, probably from a fire. But underneath he could still see her beauty. He could still tell who she was underneath it all.
"Roanna?"
Michela started to tell Lucky about the adjacent ranch which belonged to the local sherif, but she could tell he wasn't interested in local history.
"Sugar, if you keep talking about this Martinez fellow, I'm going to start to get jealous."
Michela tried to stifle her grin. "Yeah?"
"Yeah! I don't want some local cop to come flying to your rescue when I could be the one doing it."
She let a snicker escape. "You want to come flying to my rescue?" The smile on her face grew wider.
"Hell, yeah. Then maybe I'd have a reason to kiss you."
The moonlight spilled down. All around them was darkness except for the lonely moon. Lucky looked into her eyes and smiled. "I do, you know. Want to kiss you."
"Are you asking for permission?" Michela's eyes were twinkling with mischief.
"Maybe." Lucky leaned down letting his mouth mold into hers. The kiss wasn't long but it was heated.
"Whoa, momma." Lucky whispered, against her mouth. "I think I might want to try that again."
And he did. This time the kiss deepened until neither of them could think clearly.
Michela gave as good as she got. She ran her hands up his torso feeling his muscled back, kneading his neck and drawing him in as close as she could get him.
Lucky let loose a ragged breath. "I should probably go now."
"Yeah, you should." But neither of them moved.
"Okay, just one more." Lucky pressed his lips to her throat and sneaked his hands under her shirt feeling the silky skin of her back.
Michela's hands suddenly stilled and she locked eyes with him. "Come with me." She grabbed Lucky's hand and drew him toward the back of the mansion.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
Caine wandered off upstairs to fix up a room for Piper while Diana tended to her wounds.
"Where am I?" Piper asked when she finally opened her eyes?
"Hon, you're at our house. I'm fixing you up and pretty soon you'll be as good as new. But I don't know about my brother though. His face looked white as a sheet when he brought you in here."
"Do I know him? Your brother?"
"Probably not. He said you were car jacked in the parking lot of his club. And what with all the 911 services down right now, he thought it best to bring you here. He's a sensitive soul. But don't tell him I told you that."
Piper smiled.
Then the smile turned to awe when a handsome man came ambling down a long marble staircase. He was every woman's dream man and then some. His dark hair just called for a woman to run her hands through it. Add to that his very broad chest and muscled thighs, Piper thought she was either in the midst of a very good dream or she was in heaven.
"So you're finally awake? Thank God." Caine came over to her and grabbed her hand. When her faced suddenly flushed, Caine became worried. "Are you okay?" He turned to Diana. "Her pulse suddenly skyrocketed."
Diana tried not to smile at that. She doubted Caine knew the effect he had on women.
"She's fine. Don't be such a worrywart." Diana affixed the last dressing on the wound and rubbed her hands together. "There. Done. Now take her upstairs like a good Good Samaritan. She'll be good as new in a few days."
"Nice to have you back with us, Piper. I'm going to tell Sophie you're here."
When Diana walked out of the room, Caine glanced at Piper with curiosity. "What was that all about?"
"I'm not surprised you don't remember me. I used to come here when I was little and visit my mother."
"You're *that* Piper? The Piper Ferguson whose name is bigger than Santa Claus?"
Caine was in no mood for conversation. He could hardly believe what he'd discovered tonight. Would Piper have ever told him the truth, he wondered if Diana hadn't recognized her?
Piper was Sophie's daughter! He thought he knew all of Sophie's children. He'd met Gage and Mila, if only briefly one day last spring while he was in Europe, but this was astounding. Why hadn't he known about this? Why hadn't he known about her? Or met her at some point in the past? Sophie was like a second mother to him!
He raked a hand through his coarse, dark hair and sighed. Why was he angry? He'd only met the woman tonight. So what if it was under unusual circumstances? It was less than 24 hours ago. Maybe that was what scared him most. She cut to the heart of him in less than a day and made him feel things he never thought he would allow himself to feel again. That she could pull emotion from him, any emotion, was damned amazing. He'd hidden himself away in his blues club for so long he didn't know anything else.
He didn't have to feel to run the club. He didn't need emotions to do it. And suddenly he knew that was what had been missing in his life - emotions. A feeling of anything other than emptiness. But what did he have to offer her except a shell of a man? She was glitz, glamour and pizzazz ripped from the headlines. He was dark, lonely spaces, a wailing saxophone and hollowness.
In less than a day he could see how vibrant she was. She talked animatedly about everything. Loved everything. Hell, even Diana was already treating her like one of the family. Why couldn't he do that? What was wrong with him?
It had been a long day for Piper Ferguson. It was even more tiring knowing that what had happened to her tonight might be headline news tomorrow. So far no one had recognized her. She wanted to keep it that way.
When she was young she had longed for the spotlight and international recognition. But what was fame without someone to share it with? She'd tried to make it work with Edward Harrison. But he was even more popular with the public than she was now that his third action movie was doing so well. He was an overnight success seventeen years in the making. But that didn't make him any less cocky and cock-sure of himself.
And that was eventually what drove her away from him. He assumed that she would marry him and together they'd create a multinational empire, his movie career and her magazines, cooking & homemaking show and craft segments. She had only recently become bigger than Martha Stewart and it was all a little hard to take in.
She'd made her mark in the world. Now she was beginning to wonder if it was the right mark. There was a time she thought she wanted family and children. Did she still want that?
Before she'd left for the airport, Edward had told her succinctly that they were getting married. He didn't discuss it with her, he told her straight out. That was it. Discussion over. She was surprised she hadn't heard about the engagement on Entertainment Tonight.
That was why she had to get away. The Intimate Dinners catering company was only a reason to leave. And she'd jumped on it. She could imagine Edward was wondering where she was and what she was doing. Hopefully tomorrow she wouldn't see herself on the 10 o'clock news with a grieving Edward asking if anyone had seen her. She wouldn't put it past him to milk her disappearance for everything it was worth. Publicity above anything was his motto.
The Forsythe mansion was huge. Bigger than any house she'd ever worked on or decorated. Someone could get lost in the endless halls and wings that composed the sprawling structure. She stared out the window toward the moon and sighed. How long could she hide away here? How long would they let her stay?
Michela led Lucky into a darkened room, threw him down on the bed, and placed both hands aside his face.
Lucky could only stare at her. "God, you're beautiful."
Her lips found his neck and her fingers worked on the buttons of his shirt. When she parted the material, her mouth trailed kisses down his torso. Lucky's mind told him to go slow but her insistence wasn't helping matters any. Then when he claimed her mouth again, he ignored his mind and pulled her dress downward exposing her breasts. He groaned at the sight of them.
She wasn't embarrassed, and that fact turned him on even more. She wrenched her arms free of the fabric and it pooled at her waist.
"Make love to me," Michela rasped.
She had barely released the zipper of his pants when someone burst through the door.
"What's going on in here?" The male voice was unsettled and loud.
Lucky positioned himself to cover Michela so the intruder wouldn't see her nude body.
The man came forward and yanked Lucky off of the bed and balled a fist threatening to bash his face in.
"Dom, what are you doing? Let him go!"
"No, he was hurting you. You were moaning in pain."
She hastily donned her clothing again and came between Lucky's face and Dom's fist. "Not that you deserve an explanation, but those were moans of pleasure. Now, get out of here!"
Dom glared at the man who had caused those moans of pleasure, then walked out. He offered no apology.
"Jealous boyfriend?" Lucky raked a hand through his sandy colored hair and sighed.
"He wishes. Dom and I are just friends, period."
"Well, someone better tell Dom that. Because the next time he finds me with you, I just might find myself dead."
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