Chapter 68

Four Days Later

James

The cell phone rang insistently as James waited patiently for his daughter to pick up. It was going on to the fourth ring now, and he wondered if Aria was busy with her lessons or if she might have forgotten her cell phone while she was out playing with the dogs.

He glanced at his gold wristwatch and noted it was just after three thirty in the afternoon. It wasn’t their usual time to talk while he was away from home, but it couldn’t be helped. As of last week, he’d had no choice but to call her after her school hours instead of their usual time around eight. He’d been getting busier with work and other personal business since the incident with Andy and the Mexicans. Needless to say, there were a lot of deep, dark underground affairs he and Matt had to deal with in order to keep things under control. Of course, despite that taking up most of his days, he’d never forgotten his time with his daughter.

Fuck, he really missed her, and he’d never been away from her this long, ever. It had been well over two weeks now, and he wanted to hug her tiny body in his arms and give her little kisses.

The phone was still ringing, and James glanced at his watch again. Her piano lesson wasn’t until four, so there was still plenty of time before the session started.

James hung up when it went to voicemail. He dialed again and waited as the phone started ringing. Normally, he would’ve waited until after five when the lesson was over if Aria didn’t pick up. Tonight, however, he was going to be damn busy, as he had for the past weeks, more so during the past four days.

Fuck, he hadn’t even had a proper kiss with Mia for what felt like an eternity. And he hadn’t made love to her since that evening four days ago, when he felt as though the earth had shaken beneath his feet. That had been the day she’d found Matt confessing his love for her brother. That had been the day she’d cried in his arms on the rooftop of the hospital and made his heart ache. The day she’d made him feel he wanted more between them than just sex.

Mia Donovan was innocently snuggling her way into his heart, and fuck, James knew he couldn’t control it…couldn’t stop it from happening. He had no willpower to defend himself against her invasion. Her soft, innocent personality mixed with her wise, hard temperament, and her unexpected actions and words that easily escaped her mouth really were a breath of fresh air. She enticed him, and he knew he liked her, doted on her more than he should.

If truth be told, he felt more than a little guilty lately about his promise to his daughter where the young Mia was concerned. He’d promised Aria he’d bring her home as soon as he found her. That, of course, had been several weeks ago, and so far, he hadn’t fulfilled that obligation yet. Furthermore, he’d been keeping the young woman all to himself and had been enjoying her to his heart’s content whenever he desired.

Personally, he had no idea why Aria was so drawn to Mia in the first place. His daughter had never liked anyone that much to become such fast friends with her and even request he find her and bring her home immediately. That type of magnetism was unnatural, surely? Just look at the way they had chatted on the phone after he’d told Aria he’d found Mia and she was with him. It was as if they had known each other for ages, laughing and giggling with one another. Aria had taken in Mia as though the young woman were some sort of lost, injured little animal who needed tender care and a warm home.

No! Scratch that. Mia Donovan was definitely a lost little animal who needed a warm home and tender care, preferably in his bed. And then again, James himself couldn’t deny the fact that his own attraction to Mia was anything but unnatural. Overpoweringly so. The moment he laid eyes on her, he’d wanted her. He’d wanted to kiss her, to fuck her. And now?

Fuck! Now he felt as though his indulgence in her, kissing her and making love to her, just wasn’t enough. He was addicted; he knew that. Yep. He was so fucking screwed.

The phone went to voicemail again, and James hung up. He glanced at his watch for the third time and then decided to give it one more go. He dialed the number and waited patiently as the phone started ringing insistently. Still it wasn’t picked up. Aria was probably busy playing, he thought, and he was about to hang up when the ringing stopped abruptly and a voice came through.

“Hi, Mr. Maxwell?” It was Sophie’s voice, his daughter’s nanny, on the other end of the line.

“Sophie?” he asked. “Is Aria there?”

Sophie paused before replying, her voice soft and warm. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Maxwell. She just left. I mean, she went downstairs to play with the dogs. Do you want me to get her for you?”

“That would be great, Sophie,” James said.

“Sure, Mr. Maxwell,” she said. “Just hold on a minute.”

James waited as the phone went silent. A moment later, Sophie’s voice came through again.

“So,” she asked lightly, her tone flirtatious almost. “How’s Las Vegas?”

“It’s fine,” he said. “Nice city.” Of course he didn’t tell her he spent most of his youth here, prowling the busy streets with his comrades Matt, William, Tory, and Mark.

“It is, isn’t it?” She agreed softly. “I may go there again on my next vacation. Speaking of which, I assume Aria has never been to Las Vegas?”

James replied, “No. But I’ll be bringing her on my next business trip.” He thought it’d be a nice change for Aria, and it was a given Mia would be accompanying them. It would be just the three of them traveling. He and his two darlings. Of course, while he was busy with work during the day, Mia and Aria could spend time together doing whatever girls do.

The picture of them together in the hotel suite just spending time together, be it reading in bed or having a pillow fight, made him smile. The thought made his heart glow with delight, and fuck, he wanted to witness it for real—his daughter and his mistress cooped up in bed, laughing.

The sound of Sophie’s delight reached James’ ear. “That’s great, Mr. Maxwell. Oh my gosh! Aria would be so pleased.” She laughed merrily. “Oh, and by the way, I’ve got lots to report to you, Mr. Maxwell.” She paused for a moment to take in a breath and then continued. “Aria is doing very well with her school.” She chuckled. “Oh, she’s such a lovely little girl. Her math is great and so is her reading and writing.”

James smiled. “That’s splendid.”

“Oh.” Sophie hurried on. “And her friends came for a playdate yesterday. They had a lot of fun.” She giggled. “It’s nice to be young, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” James said, wondering how far away his daughter was. Sophie, on the other hand, was still going on about Aria and how much fun they’d had together during the past few weeks.

He appreciated the fact that Sophie liked and took care of his daughter. It was her job as the nanny, after all. And he knew Aria liked her. That was why he’d hired her in the first place. Of course, there was also the fact that the woman was very enthusiastic during her interview and had shown every sign of motherly affection toward Aria, which he desperately wanted for his daughter. He didn’t want her to grow up feeling like she was missing out. Personally, he thought it was important for the growth of a child, and no child of his was going to lack anything, especially where love and affection was concerned.

“Sophie?” He finally decided to cut her short because he was about to have a meeting with an important client he couldn’t miss.

“Yes, Mr. Maxwell?” Sophie asked innocently.

“Aria?” he asked. “You haven’t found her yet?”

Sophie paused and then sighed deeply. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Maxwell. I was sure she was in the living area or the piano room. But she’s in neither of those places. Hold on a second. I’ll just go and have a look in the kitchen.”

“Please do,” James said.

Not a moment later, Sophie went on to ask him about his business, to which James simply replied, “It is fine, as usual.”

James had no idea the woman liked to talk. Truth be told, this was the first time he’d conversed so much with her during the two years since she’d become his employee.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Maxwell,” Sophie said a moment later. “She’s not here either.”

James said, “That’s fine, Sophie. I’ll call again later.”

“Are you sure?” she asked. “If you could just hold on, I’ll find her in no time.”

“No,” he said. “That’s fine. I’ll call again later this evening.”

“Oh, okay,” Sophie said. “Bye then.”

“Hmm.” James hung up.

Dismissing the thought of his daughter and Sophie from his mind, James got ready to leave his office. He was at the door when his cell rang, attracting his attention.

He picked up and said, “Cole, what’s up?”

Cole got straight to the point. “I got some information on the whereabouts of Herbert Weston.”

“Yeah?”

“He was in Mystic Spring yesterday, but he already left when we checked the place out. He’s on the move again. I suspect he’ll be going to the West Coast. Either Los Angeles or Las Vegas.”

The moment Cole said that, James felt a little sick to his stomach. “He’s after Mia and Andy.”

“Yep. Looks that way,” Cole said. “Got a call from one of the waitresses back in Mystic Spring. She said a suspicious-looking man came in yesterday, asking about Mia. She told me the man said he’s her relative.”

“I see,” James said. “Keep tracking him, Cole. We can’t let him get away. And we can’t let him get near either Mia or Andy.”

“Sure, boss,” Cole said. “I’ll call again to keep you posted.”

“Yeah. We’ll talk soon.”

“Bye for now,” Cole said and then hung up.

James flipped the phone shut and sighed. “Fuck!” he swore under his breath.

It was a few hours later, after he had his meeting with the important client, when he met up with Matt for a drink in one of their favorite bars in the city. They were sitting in their favorite spot at the back, sipping beer, when James brought up the subject.

“Herbert’s after Mia and Andy.”

Matt nearly choked on his drink. “Fuck me!” he said. “If he lays his hands on Andy, he’s as good as dead.” He shook his head in disbelief that such a bastard of a man was so persistent in getting his claws on his prey. “He’s on his way here?”

James nodded.

“Guess the bastard doesn’t realize the siblings are under our protection.” He chuckled. “Fuck. He’s in for a big surprise.”

James nodded. “A damn big surprise.”

“Come on,” Matt said, sliding off his seat. “Time to go. Another damn dinner meeting. Shit, James, when the hell is this going to end? It’s like this every time you’re in town.” He shook his head. “From now on, you’re not welcome in Las Vegas,” he teased. “Go back to LA.”

James chuckled. “Glad to. Once the shit’s over.”

“Aria must really miss you, huh?” Matt asked.

He gave a quick glance at his friend and nodded. “Yep. Though I couldn’t get ahold of her today.”

“There’s always tomorrow,” Matt said.

James didn’t comment on that statement.

They were just at the door, leaving, when James remembered he hadn’t told Mia about the fact that he wouldn’t be able to join her tonight, again. They were walking along the busy footpath as he dialed Mia’s number.

Matt glanced over and shook his head. “Fuck, James. You act like the world is going to end if you can’t hear her voice for a day.”

“Shut up,” James snapped, a little irritated the comment hit right on the mark. Fuck! He knew he shouldn’t act like Mia meant so much to him, but hell, he couldn’t help himself.

It was on the fourth ring now, and Mia still hadn’t picked up the phone. Then it went to voicemail, and he cursed.

Matt gave a long, loud whistle and then laughed. “She’s not your wife, James.”

James gave Matt a dark frown. Dismissing his friend, he quickly sent Mia a text. Once done, he said, “I don’t want her to wait on me. Fuck, quit jumping to conclusions.”

Matt shrugged. “Sure,” he said, secretly smiling.