Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Zachariah
I had my jet meet me in Miami and we took off to Dallas by morning. Lucinda lived in Austin, but my gut told me she would go home to her father to find some answers.
My assistant had a black SUV waiting for me on the tarmac when I landed.
I weaved through the familiar streets of my hometown.
I hadn’t returned since things went down four years ago.
Officially, I had resigned as Co-CEO of our company and had left town.
The specifics of why were never released, to protect Lucinda and her future.
I stopped outside of the new home Jack had purchased a couple of years ago. A modest house in the neighborhood a few streets over from the mansions he had built ten years ago.
It was funny how I took the fall, but while my business flourished, his went in the opposite direction.
While I’d like to take credit for it, my exile exposed the truth.
Jack was never good with business, that was my expertise.
He had a creative side and people liked him.
On the other hand, I wasn’t winning any boss of the year awards any time soon, but the bottom line was, I built things and made them grow.
Jack was more of a maintain the status quo kind guy.
When he’d brought the idea up of gaining some cashflow by manufacturing in Columbia, I’d admired his initiative. I had no clue how one idea could derail the trajectory of my life and my future with Lucinda.
I sat down the block and waited. Like clockwork, Jack left for his Saturday morning golf game. The man was regimented. I waited a few more minutes and spotted Ms. Mason, his long-time housekeeper pulling away from the house in a new green Honda.
I stepped out of the car and walked up to the front door.
My knock echoed in the enclosed porch. The house likely lacked adequate security to keep my Lucinda safe.
He had no regard for his own safety. How else to explain a seemingly intelligent man getting involved with a Columbian cartel?
Thankfully, Jack had a lot fewer enemies in the world because of me.
After another unanswered knock, my feet carried me around the side of the property through an unlocked gate.
I peeked around the side of the brick building and spotted her sitting on a covered patio in a lounge chair, staring at the shimmering pool.
Her face was scrunched in serious contemplation. She gripped the coffee cup with white knuckles and took a sip. Her lips pursed, then she stood up and moved toward the house.
I stepped out into the light.
“Lucinda.”
She gasped and dropped the mug. It smashed on the cement, splashing coffee up her bare legs.
“Shit.” She jumped back and flattened her back to the door.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” I held my hands out. She stared at them and then up at me. “I need to talk to you.”
“I don’t want to talk to you.” She reached behind her, but her hand couldn’t quite find the doorknob.
I stepped forward and she turned and frantically pushed the door open. I blocked the door before she could slam it behind her.
“Lucinda.” I used my Dom voice. She groaned softly, her submissive side fighting its instinct to obey. Her stubborn side won as she shoved at the door, trying to keep me out.
“Give me a few minutes to explain and then I will leave you alone forever.” I stepped back. She slammed the door in my face but didn’t move away.
She stared at me through the glass door, her expression blank like she didn’t recognize me.
We stared for a full minute.
I placed my hand on the glass. “My Lulu, all grown up.”
She blinked and pushed a frizzy curl behind her ear.
“Open the door. I promise not to move from this spot.” I pointed down.
She looked down at our feet and opened the door without looking up. I resisted the urge to touch her. My fingers tingled with a need to lift her chin to see those beautiful brown eyes.
“Tell me what you’re feeling?”
This got her to raise her head. The scowl spoke for itself. “How I feel?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel.” She gripped the door frame. “Betrayed, violated, angry, sad, scared.”
“Of me.” I stepped forward but stopped myself. “You’re scared of me?”
“Yes, of you. Of what you’re capable of doing to me.” She turned and walked into the kitchen. I took the open door as an invitation to follow her.
“I spoke with my dad this morning and I understand why you left.” She hugged herself. Her chin dropped to her chest. “But I don’t understand what the boat trip was about. That scares me the most.”
She lowered herself into the nearest chair.
I leaned against the counter that separated the kitchen from the dining room. Lucinda looked so small sitting alone at the table meant for six. She pulled her knees up into the chair and hugged them to her chest.
“How did you get me there?” She still hadn’t looked me in the eye. “What was your plan?”
“I didn’t.” I sat down in the chair next to her. “You showing up on my boat was a shock to me too.” She glared. “I swear, Lucinda. I planned to stay away from you forever. Seems fate had other plans.”
“Fate.” She rolled her eyes.
My hand itched to adjust her sassy attitude.
“What you did to me took some planning.” She fidgeted. “The vanilla candles, the food. The scenes. All of it took research and planning.”
“Some. I found your name on my guest manifest two weeks before we set sail. I spent most of those two weeks going back and forth about letting you come or cancelling the trip for everyone. Hell, up until I saw you at the marina, I still contemplated denying you permission to board.”
“Why didn’t you?” Her lips trembled.
“Oh, Lucinda. You know exactly why I didn’t send you away.”
“No, I don’t.”
“I wasn’t about to break your heart twice.”