Chapter 19
Valentina
Doing nothing wasn’t like me at all.
My energy level was too high to just sit around. Plus, I was a nervous wreck, wringing my hands constantly.
The thought of losing Bella hadn’t been far from my mind.
Neither had Hudson’s possessiveness.
That had kept my nerves frayed and my hands shaking while I’d flitted around the house like a crack addict.
My love of keeping busy only had some to do with working two jobs and being a single mom.
My parents had taught me the value of things as a young girl, which meant I’d worked very hard for every accomplishment.
I’d had my first job as a babysitter when I was nine years old.
At seventeen, I’d lied about my age to work at a bar to make ends meet.
While getting straight A’s in school and being on the track team. I’d also always had a love of books so when I had free time, I was usually curled up under a tree finishing a book every few days. Thank God for libraries as there would have been no way to afford my voracious appetite.
That’s why being inside Hudson’s house with only my sweet daughter as company kept me on edge. I didn’t belong here. As amazing as being with the generous man had been so far, our lives had collided for the wrong reason.
I’d managed to clean the kitchen so much you could eat off the floor and I’d vacuumed every inch of the house. That had taken me all of two hours, shockingly short and surprising. Hudson was extremely neat and organized. Just like he’d been in court.
While I hated to admit it, I’d spent time in his bedroom. Not snooping. Not exactly. Just being near him. I hadn’t wanted to admit it to the powerful man before he’d left early that morning, but after what had occurred the night before, I was frightened.
Accepting the reality of how I felt was also infuriating. I’d been through a hell of a lot, but I couldn’t lose sight that I’d done the right thing. At least with Tim remaining dutifully outside, I’d be able to breathe a little easier.
However, the longer Hudson was gone, the more my stomach churned from apprehension.
And my heart fluttered with need.
Even with the horror of facing a new nightmare, he’d managed to awaken the woman deep inside. She’d been searching for a hero. She’d found one.
The bedroom was filled with his rich, musky scent and as silly as it seemed, especially now, the smell comforted me.
He’d left me explicit instructions, reminding me not to go outside, including to the gorgeous beach.
Of course, that had been the first thing my baby girl had asked to do, fulfilling that need all by herself. She was just like her mother. Stubborn.
Her tiny wish had reminded me that she’d been to the beach for fun only once in her life.
Once.
What kind of mother did that?
The kind who worked all the time to pay the bills and put food on the table. But the same mother was very proud that she’d managed to dig herself out of the ugly hole her deadbeat fucking son of a bitch loser ex-boyfriend had shoved her into when he’d stolen thousands of dollars from her.
The only good thing other than disappearing the man had done in his wretched life was to donate sperm.
That’s all I’d call it since the sexual experiences with him had been less than stellar.
I’d believed I was in love. Bruno had believed he deserved to fuck me and leave, spending the night with another chick while using money I earned for both to get high.
What a fucking fool I’d been. After he’d almost killed me, I’d curled up and died a little bit inside. But I’d refused to allow the bastard to win, leaving my heart locked away while my body had functioned to protect my baby.
The horrific few years had all but faded away the very first time Hudson had touched me.
I’d come alive, excited for the future. Wasn’t that silly?
And when he’d kissed me, the sky had exploded in vibrant colors.
I pressed my fingers against my lips, taking a few seconds to envision his face and gorgeous body.
After the passion we’d shared the night before, filthy thoughts had flickered on and off in my mind like a nervous light switch. We’d fucked on the washing machine, for God’s sake, in mid cycle.
I stifled a giggle. Maybe I should cook dinner as a thank you. Not for the sex, but for all he was doing for me.
Saving my life. My sanity. Fulfilling my sexual needs. There was little the man couldn’t do.
“Mommy. When can we go home?” Bella’s little voice pulled me out of a beautiful fantasy.
Thankfully, up to this point she’d been coloring happily.
I was grateful I’d brought the crayons and coloring books with me when dropping her off at the babysitter’s house.
But she would soon be getting bored if she hadn’t already.
“Ah, baby girl. Think of this as an adventure. We’ll go home soon. I promise you.”
I hated promising her something that could turn out to be a lie.
At least she was very young, but that didn’t mean the tug at my heart was any less anxious. “Would you like some milk?”
She nodded. I poured her a glass and while I was doing so, I chewed on my bottom lip.
No matter what Hudson believed, it wasn’t feasible for me to stay away from my two jobs for long.
The folks at the marketing firm had been lovely in granting me some time off.
But their generosity wouldn’t extend past a few days.
“Be careful. Hold the glass with both hands.” While the house was utter perfection, with none of her usual things around her, including her sippy cups, her patience would soon grow thin.
That’s why I’d insisted that I be allowed to head back to my apartment.
Everything precious I owned was in that tiny little nine hundred square foot box.
I leaned against the counter. If I continued biting on my lip any longer, I’d consider myself a vampire. My thoughts drifted to knowing he’d injured four men last night. At this point, I had to stop thinking about the night before. Whatever happened, I didn’t want to learn the details.
“Mommy. Can I play outside? That was fun.”
There was that question again. “I tell you what. When my friend comes home, we’ll take a walk on the beach together. Maybe we can build a sandcastle. Would you like that?”
She clapped her little hands. That would keep her happy for a little while longer.
“How about a little television?” If I could figure out his fancy remote. At least he had a television in the kitchen so I could keep her under my watchful eye.
“Okay, Mommy.”
I checked my watch. It was a little after four.
As soon as I flicked on the television, the local news popped on.
My guess was the man never watched anything but the news.
While he had a phenomenal book collection, there wasn’t a movie to be found.
I knew very little about him, my snooping efforts failing miserably.
With my mind still on the insanely handsome judge, a news bulletin caught my attention. Without turning up the volume, I stood staring at the screen.
“Oh, my God.” A juror from the Jones trial. He was dead. He’d been murdered. Shrinking back, it suddenly felt as if I’d been dropped into a vacuum that was sucking the life out of me. Close to hyperventilating, I had to blink several times to try to stay focused.
Everything Hudson had warned me of was true. Jacob Jones was actively killing anyone who’d sought his incarceration.
The sudden noise behind me blasted in my ears and I jerked around facing the other direction. What the hell was that? My heart thumping, I tried to figure out what I’d just heard. When the sound echoed throughout the house, I was able to take a deep breath. Someone was at the door.
Maybe Tim was telling me he was taking off for the day. Or maybe…
Stop. Just fucking stop.
“Stay right here, Bella. Mommy will be back.”
“Okay.” Thank God, she usually listened to me.
I tried to keep my steps slow and easy until I left the kitchen. I realized I’d left my phone in the living room. That wasn’t like me. Then again, I hadn’t been myself for days. It was as if a permanent haze had formed over my eyes. This was getting ridiculous. Tim was right outside.
Still, the drill of what Hudson had told me early that morning played out in my mind.
I moved into his office, heading for the monitor attached to the security system.
Not only could I see who was at the front door, I could talk with them if desired.
And if there was an issue, I could press a single button and the police would be called.
Since he’d assured me no one just stopped by and he hadn’t ordered anything, by the time I flicked on the camera above the door, my stomach was churning, full of knots. Please let it be Tim.
Gone were the grainy videos taken in black and white of the old systems. The camera was in full color, allowing me to see the beautiful woman standing with her arms full of bags.
Okay, now I was confused. Her expression was one of impatience.
Dressed impeccably in a tailored pantsuit and beautiful violet blouse, she was certainly stunning and completely out of place.
What unnerved me was that Tim hadn’t accompanied her to the door. That either meant he knew her or… That he was dead. The ugly thoughts refused to fade. There were female killers, maybe even someone working with the Undertaker.
“Yes?”
My single word question brought her immediate attention. She was none too happy when she peered directly at the camera. “Valentina Sciascia?”
What? She knew my name. Another set of red flags raised.
“Who are you?” My voice held the same irritation hers did.
She pulled something from her jacket, holding it up to the camera’s lens. A detective from the Miami Dade Police Department. While her credentials should provide me with comfort, Mama hadn’t raised a stupid girl. I was well aware of the lengths cartels would go to.
“I don’t know you.”