25. Katherine/Kingston
KATHERINE/KINGSTON
Katherine
The front door of my father’s Hamptons estate opens, sending a shard of pale light over the drive. Ford races across the porch and down the steps as I take Alex’s hand and get out of the Land Rover.
Turns out, when he said “That’s gonna be a problem,” he meant that the media was camped out in front of the townhome, waiting for us. Apparently, news of my kidnapping spread through the city like a fire on a breezy day.
So here we are. Back in the Hamptons. At my dad’s place, where a very worried Ford is barreling toward me.
“You’re okay!”
He sweeps me into a very uncharacteristic hug. A long, tight, rocking hug that soothes me.
Did I really worry that I wouldn’t be missed? I suppose we all suffer those doubts sometimes.
Footsteps crunch along the pea gravel, and I glance over Ford’s shoulder to see my father closing the distance. He’s wearing a light, pale blue sweater that makes his eyes glow in the soft exterior lighting.
“Honey.”
My dad opens his arms, welcoming me like no time has passed. I can’t remember the last time I hugged my father. Heat scorches my cheeks, and shame fills me as Ford lets go and steps aside.
I don’t know how to explain the switch that flipped inside me.
One day, I was towing the family line, doing my duty. The next, everything cartwheeled on its head, and I withdrew so fiercely from the life I knew. Now I question every conversation I ever had.
And it all brought me to this moment where I crave the comfort of my father’s embrace. Strong arms and the familiar scent of his aftershave engulf me. Of course, he’s clean-shaven, and of course he’s still using the same products he did a decade ago. It’s nice that some things don’t change.
“I’m sorry,” I say, needing to get the words out there. But my throat feels tight, my tongue thick and dry.
“What could you possibly be sorry for?”
Tears well in my eyes. I thought I was done with the tears for the day on the helicopter ride out here, but apparently not. “Because I believed her lies.”
“Oh, Katie. We all did.”
“You didn’t.”
“I did at first.” He pulls back, looking down at me with so much concern. “Come on, let’s get you settled.”
A car door slams, and a wave of tension moves through the men around me as they brace and turn toward the sound.
“Where is she?” LaShonda’s voice cuts through the night like a boom of thunder.
My whole body sags with relief, and my careful grip on my emotions loosens. “Shon?”
Melting away from my dad, I meet my best friend in front of the midnight SUV and throw my arms around her.
“I got you. I got you, babe.” Her hug is so fierce my bones protest, and fresh tears tumble down my cheeks.
I don’t care.
I’d take a thousand hugs just like this one and never complain.
“Come on.” She turns me, arm around my waist, holding my free hand in a tight grip. The scent of her vanilla body butter soothes my jangled nerves. “Mr. Montgomery, good to see you again. Ford. You three, I’ll talk to later.”
She sounds very mother hen right now, and I wish I could see their faces, but she’s positioned herself between us. We pass Sutton on the way inside. He’s grim-faced and silent, watchful as always. I’m glad he remained a part of our family even after his mother passed away.
We’re barely in the foyer when Shon asks, “What do you need first? Food? Shower? Sleep?”
“Miss Katherine!” Marissa rushes forward, no sign of her trademark apron. “We were so worried.”
“I’m sorry to keep you up so late.”
She waves off my apology. “I’m not on the clock. Just trying to keep Mr. Pierce and Mr. Ford from climbing the walls.”
“Well, in that case, I hope they weren’t too much trouble.”
“You’re too polite,” Shon grumbles.
“What can I get you?” Marissa asks, sizing me up.
I put a hand to my stomach. I’m starving but don’t trust my nerves yet. “Tea? Maybe some crackers and a bit of fruit.”
“How about you, dear?” she asks Shon. “I made snickerdoodles today.”
Shon moans. “I thought I smelled cinnamon.”
Marissa looks back at me, clearly wanting guidance. Unfortunately, my decisiveness is out of stock at the moment. And I feel a little lightheaded.
“I’m gonna take her up to her room,” Shon says.
Saint Shon.
I’m so thankful for her arrival. I don’t know if I could stand having the guys hover and fuss right now.
And I know they’ll want to. King will need to find me a new kind of cereal and probably bring home a plant that he says “needs me.” Alex will want to hold me, if not to know that I’m okay, to make himself feel better.
I don’t know what’s going on with Gabe. He looks wounded.
And I just don’t have the spoons to deal with any of that at the moment.
“I’ll bring a tray,” Marissa calls as Shon guides me up the stairs.
King
Katherine and LaShonda disappear through the front door, and Sutton follows. She’s safe. I know that, and at the same time, I don’t want to let her out of my sight. Which means I need to give her some breathing room.
“Dad, this is Gabe Rothburn,” Ford says, interrupting the quiet. He extends a hand toward Gabe. “You know King. And Alex Hunt.”
“I’d say it’s nice to meet you—” Pierce says, leaving words unspoken.
“Understood,” Alex says. “I wish it were under better circumstances.”
Pierce’s gaze rakes over us one by one before settling back on Alex. I feel faintly like a bug under a glass, and I’m not at all used to the sensation.
The rumor mill has been working overtime. I haven’t looked at my phone since we left Alex’s office, but I have no doubt the tabloids are making up all sorts of insidious stories by now. Gabe’s phone has buzzed no less than a hundred times in the last hour. Alex’s is even worse.
“Tell us everything,” Pierce Montgomery says, waving a hand toward the porch.
I glance up at Alex. Our fearless leader has handled everything like the pro he is. No wonder his company is so well respected. I don’t know how he does it, though. I’ve been a ball of nerves for far too many hours now. I’m going to crash hard the moment my head hits a pillow.
Ford squeezes my shoulder as we head for the massive house.
“Let’s go through to the den,” Pierce says, gesturing to the hallway off the right.
Alex and Gabe follow him, but I glance around for Wildfire.
Ford reads my mind. “She’s in good hands.”
“I know.” But knowing doesn’t make me less anxious.
“Come on. Dad’s bar is fully stocked.”
“This feels like a nightmare.”
Ford huffs a laugh. “Gee, thanks.”
“You know what I mean.”
He leads the way into the cozy den. Unlike the rest of the main floor, the ceilings are a little lower in here.
“She’s under arrest,” Alex says as I enter the room. I guess we’re wasting no time talking about Cruella. “As are the men she hired. The crew was in their cabins and is currently being questioned.”
Pierce settles in an armchair by the fireplace. Alex perches on the edge of the sofa across from him, Gabe by his side, looking like he’d rather be back on that boat than here.
“Beer?” Ford asks, crossing the room to the wet bar along the far wall. He bends and opens a small refrigerator, pulling out two bottles, and raises a brow at me.
I shouldn’t. Right? I already feel woozy enough from the stress of the day. We probably shouldn’t add alcohol to the mix.
Ford must read the indecision on my face, because he twists the top off both bottles, thrusts one into my hands, and then steers me toward the other sofa with a gentle shove.
All the while, Alex and Pierce are discussing the situation.
My god, the situation. I take a hearty swig of beer, hoping Pierce won’t judge me too harshly.
“So this is all about the inheritance Henry left Katherine?” Ford asks.
Interesting that Ford calls his grandfather by his given name.
“The plan apparently was to force her into marriage with Tyler Pembroke. My reports say Lucinda’s been very cozy with him the last few months. Yesterday, he warned me and said Lucinda would do whatever it takes to win her father’s approval?—”
“Henry’s dead,” Pierce says, reminding us of what we all know.
Alex nods. “Doesn’t mean she’s not fighting a ghost.”
“I don’t care what she’s fighting,” I say.
“Neither do I. The point is. She wants control of the money, and to do that, she has to have control of Katherine.”
“She’s always wanted control,” Ford says.
“Why now?” Pierce asks.
Alex glances at Gabe, then me. “Cort wants to sell their half of the company.”
“Ahh.” He sits back, thinking. “The fallout from this will be…”
Pierce doesn’t finish the sentence.
He doesn’t need to.
We all understand how fickle the finance world is. James Winthrop will probably divorce her before the year is over. Katherine will always be known as the woman whose mother had her kidnapped.
The wood paneling on the walls glows in the lamp light. I glance from Pierce to Alex, then to Gabe and finally at Ford. They all look just as stunned as I feel.
“Catastrophic,” Alex fills in. “The company’s going to take a hit.”
“I couldn’t care less about the company,” Pierce bites out. “And forgive me, son, but your mother can rot in prison.”
“No complaints there,” Ford quips, taking his father’s comments in stride.
How did we not see it? How could something like this happen right beneath our noses? It’s no secret I never liked Lucinda. I had my reasons, of course. And they only strengthened over the years.
But she’d been absolutely unhinged.
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” I admit softly. The words are just out there before I can think better of it, and now I can’t snatch them back.
“I never should have let Katherine stay with her. I knew Henry was poisonous. I just never imagined…”
“None of us did,” I agree.
There’s a long, silent moment that stretches and expands.
Alex meets my gaze. A muscle clenches in his jaw. Then he looks away. “I had my suspicions.”