Chapter Six
Back in her flat, Hannah stood around, not exactly sure what to do or say next. The surge of anger had left her feeling faint and she was shivering. She’d always hated confrontations and couldn’t remember ever being this angry.
Don and Darryn were both on their phones, and Caitlin was making coffee. Everything looked so normal. Except it wasn’t.
She walked over to her sister, wanting to be close to her.
“Where are your bags? Surely you’ll be staying with me?” she asked Caitlin.
Caitlin looked up. “Are you sure? Because Don got us a suite in the building right next to you, so we could stay there…”
“Please don’t,” Hannah pleaded. “I have more than enough room for you. There are three bedrooms.”
There was a movement behind them, and Hannah looked over her shoulder. Darryn had finished his call and was sitting down at the kitchen counter.
“Good, because I’m also staying right here,” he said.
Hannah swallowed. The very idea of Darryn staying under her roof after he’d held her and kissed her had her all worked up and confused.
It had been so easy to be angry with him while he’d believed Stephen’s stories, but now that everything was out in the open, now that he’d apologized—well, sort of—she wasn’t sure how to behave around him.
A taciturn Darryn she could handle, but a remorseful and nice one who kept touching her was a completely different story.
Add to this the fact that after all this time, he still managed to reduce her to a puddle with a mere look from his chocolate-brown eyes, and she was in trouble.
Fortunately, Don and Caitlin would be close by.
“That’s really not necessary, I…” she began, but Darryn’s eyes darkened.
“While that bloody lunatic is still out there, I’m staying close to you, okay?”
“But why? You usually can’t stand the sight of me and…”
His stood up quickly. “I think we’ve established that isn’t the case, don’t you agree?” he asked silkily, sauntering closer. “But I’m happy to demonstrate my changed attitude again if you want,” he said bending his head.
Hannah stared, mesmerized, at Darryn’s descending mouth, but just then Don called him. With a groan, he brushed his hand against her face before he turned away.
She exhaled slowly, her eyes on his retreating body.
“Let us be there for you, please?” Caitlin asked, her eyes twinkling.
Hannah sighed and rubbed her arms. “I don’t mind you and Don staying here, but Darryn? He makes me crazy!” She groaned and hugged herself.
Caitlin cocked her head. “What exactly is going on between you and Darryn? It has always been…let’s say, interesting, for lack of a better word, to watch the two of you together.
He’s obviously smitten with you, has been since the time you spent together two years ago.
‘Fell for you’ was how he put it when he talked to us about the three days you spent together. ”
Dumbstruck, Hannah stared at her sister for a few minutes before she shook her head.
“That was two years ago. I don’t think it’s true any longer.
He feels bad about his behavior at the time and is trying to make up for it.
That’s it. Remember who we’re talking about—Darryn Cavallo.
The guy who changes women like he changes shirts. ”
Caitlin cocked her head. “That doesn’t tell you something?”
“It tells me he isn’t interested in settling down with one woman, ever.”
“I’m not so sure about that. Maybe he was trying to find another you? Why do you think—”
“Of course he wasn’t,” Hannah said curtly.
Caitlin stared at her. “How do you feel about him?” she asked softly.
Hannah didn’t want to meet her sister’s gaze.
“Hannah?” Caitlin insisted, grimacing.
Hannah looked up.
Caitlin giggled. “Hmm, thought so.” She smiled and hugged Hannah. “Why don’t you tell him? He knows now what really happened two years ago and—”
“No, thank you,” Hannah said adamantly. “What if the next insecure guy tells him stories about me?”
“Well, according to Don, Darryn had a bad experience with a model way back, just after he started his fashion photography. This woman did sleep around, so you should probably give him a break, don’t you think?”
“He didn’t give me one two years ago!”
Caitlin chuckled. “Typical male and typical Cavallo.” She touched Hannah’s hand. “When they fall in love, their strong feelings tend to freak them out. Darryn looked a bit dazed when I told him that.”
“He’s not in love with me, he—”
“Just immediately flew across a continent to get to you when he heard what happened to Sophie. He didn’t even pack. What does that tell you?”
She stared at Hannah for minutes. “He had a suitcase with him…”
“Bought everything at the airport.” Caitlin smiled.
Hannah put her hand to her head. This was all way too much.
She didn’t want to talk about Darryn anymore.
Pain was a living, breathing thing behind her eyes.
Dealing with a stalker and Darryn Cavallo simultaneously had her senses in overdrive, her emotions jumbled, her usually calm demeanor in tatters.
“Where…where is Donato?” she asked, desperately hoping to change the topic.
Caitlin grinned knowingly, but she answered her question. “Grandma Rosa is thrilled to look after him. I didn’t want to phone Mom before I saw you, but now that she knows what’s going on, she’s on her way to Rosa. Donato will have two doting grandmas around.”
“What did you tell her?”
“Just the bare facts, but you know her. She’s not stupid and will put two and two together.”
Hannah swallowed, remembering White’s threat. “I’m just glad she’s on her way to Don’s parents and that she’s not home alone.”
Caitlin rubbed her arms. “Why? You don’t think he was serious when he said he knew where we all live?”
Hannah shook her head. “I don’t know what he’s capable of, but I’ll feel better if I know Mom is not alone. That bloody creep!”
“At least we all know what’s going on now. I still don’t understand why you didn’t tell us about the whole thing right from the start.”
“The last thing I ever expected was that my all my sisters and our friend would fall for a Cavallo man!” Hannah exclaimed.
“What are the chances of that happening? I was trying my best to forget about Darryn when you met Don. And at first I thought the whole thing with Stephen would blow over. And then after what happened to Zoe, it dawned on me that nobody close to me is safe. That’s why I didn’t even attend Dana and David’s wedding.
He somehow always knows where I’ll be. But I didn’t want to bother everyone—you were all so happy! ”
“We’re family, sweetie. And we’ve all been worried about you for a while now. We want to help. And when we’re around, that idiot has to get through all of us first,” Caitlin said fiercely, giving her another hug. “Why don’t you go and take a long bath? We’ll order in.”
“Oh, hell, I haven’t even thought about food—I’m a terrible host.”
“You’re my sister, not my host. You are not to worry about a thing. Now go take a bath and think about that gorgeous hunk of a man who can’t keep his eyes off of you,” Caitlin giggled.
Hannah rolled her eyes as she skirted around the two brothers who were deep in conversation. The Cavallo men were all tall, dark, and so, so sexy. The temperature in any room they were in soared noticeably. Well, that was what she’d experienced anyway.
She caught Darryn’s gaze as she walked past them. His eyes darkened, and he stumbled over his words. For the second time that day, she fled to her room.
Don laughed. “Man, do you have it bad.”
Those were the last words she heard before she closed her door.
*
Darryn sat staring at the policeman from the Paris Prefecture of Police, who was listening to Hannah without batting an eye. Damn it, couldn’t the guy at least look interested in her problems?
Don’s attorney swore by this guy, said he was one of the best. But what the hell? He played with a pen while Hannah talked—he didn’t look in the least bit interested in her problems.
None of them were French, the stalker wasn’t French, and that seemed to be all the damn policeman was interested in. He had brought a colleague with him who at least made notes. Not that Darryn had much hope they would do anything about it.
He jumped up and moved so he could stand behind Hannah’s chair. She was buttoning and unbuttoning her shirt’s top button. She was agitated, pale, and clearly very near the end of her tether. All he wanted to do was gather her close and promise her everything would be okay.
“You have security?” the policeman asked, and Don explained about the company they were using.
“That’s a good company,” the policeman said as he stood. “You’ll let us know if anything else happens?”
Hannah nodded.
He said goodbye, turned, and walked toward the front door.
Stunned, Darryn looked after him. “Wait just a damn minute!” he called out and moved purposefully forward. “Is there nothing you can do in the meantime?” he nearly shouted.
Don grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Thank you,” Don said, holding on to Darryn’s arm.
Darryn jerked his arm away as the policemen closed the front door behind them. “They’re not going to do a thing, and you let them go?”
“Calm down,” Don said, pushing Darryn down onto the closest chair. He looked over his shoulder. “You’re upsetting the women, you idiot,” he said softly.
Darryn threw his head back and swore softly. “I’m sorry, but…”
“Give them a chance to do their job, please?” Don said. “Didn’t someone mention food?”
There was a knock on the door. Caitlin smiled as she walked toward the door. “They’re just in time, it seems.”
*
Hannah sat staring at nothing in particular as Caitlin and Don unpacked the food and opened the wine. She should get up and help—it was her apartment after all. But her throat ached, her thoughts kept jumping all over the place, and it was difficult to do simple things.
She didn’t have high hopes that the police would be able to do much. From what she’d experienced so far, Stephen White managed to stay hidden until he decided to strike next. And it seemed as if his bouts of anger had escalated. He had tried to push Sophie in front of an approaching car!
“Don’t,” Caitlin said and crouched in front of her, taking her hand. “Nothing can happen tonight. Let’s try and forget about that horrible man for a few hours and relax. You need to eat, please.”
With an effort, Hannah tried to smile, but she didn’t think she was pulling it off. Caitlin looked worried. The bloody man was not only affecting her life; what he was doing was also a burden on her family.
“It smells wonderful,” she said as she stood.
“Come and see,” Caitlin smiled and pushed her toward the dining room table.
Caitlin had set the table beautifully, and Hannah swallowed against the lump in her throat. She’d missed her family. Having Caitlin here was such a comfort.
Don looked at his watch and pointed outside. “It’s nine o’clock and the sun is only setting now. Shall we leave the curtains open to watch the sunset?”
“It’s not going to be for a while yet, so let’s leave it open. It’s a beautiful evening,” Hannah said as Darryn pulled a chair out for her.
As she sat down, his hand moved over her shoulders before he pressed down softly on her arm. She blinked furiously. She absolutely refused to cry just because Darryn was being nice to her!