Unreal Part 3 - FREE AND DISGUISED: (THRILLER ROMANCE AND MYSTERY) Read online

“Now don’t even joke about that.”

  As he kissed her again, Ethan felt his heart starting to swell. Any fears or doubts on account of the day in court might still be swirling around her brain. But the fact of the matter was that she had rested comfortably in his arms, and that she could joke with him now told him that one day she might get to place where entire spans on hours would pass her by without so much as a flicker of fright working its way towards her soul. That in and of itself was almost enough to make him want to throw all caution to the wind and simply say the hell with it, to linger at her side and keep seeing her smile.

  “So what’s it going to be?” she asked. “Pay the piper now or later?”

  When she was right, she was right, and Ethan grabbed his briefcase as she played with the flower and peered at him over the petals.

  “Guess it has to be how,” he relented. “But you better promise me one hell of a honeymoon.”

  “You can count on that, Ethan.”

  As he sauntered into Arcadia’s suite, Donna greeted him with a leap from her chair and wide eyes.

  “So he went down for it!” she cried as she forced her iPhone to his eyes.

  “Donna, what are you on about?”

  Her news feed carried the details of Greg Heller’s sudden sentence. Upon their return form the courthouse, Ethan had so desire to hear a slew of talking heads discuss the case and the verdict in the tawdriest of terms. But it was obvious that Donna had sorted through what to her mind were the juiciest bits in anticipation of his arrival.

  “They’re saying that he cried like a little bitch!” Donna squealed.

  “Language,” Ethan said as he swiped through the phone. To this particular item’s credit, there was only a passing mention to Juliet as one of the man’s victims, and Kim was talked about as a brave young woman, confident enough to face her attacker out in the open.

  “No mention of tears,” Ethan said as he tried to enter his office.

  “But, Mr. Graff!” Donna said, right on his heels as he tried to settle at his desk. “This is just one of like ten that I bookmarked. Here! I can show you.”

  Donna started to swipe another story to his eyes when Ethan waved her off and pressed his hands together.

  “Donna, I don’t need to see it. I was there. Remember?”

  She looked disappointed, as if she hoped that he would be able to fill in any blanks with a firsthand report, but she started to back off.

  “Sorry,” she murmured.

  “No worries,” Ethan said. “Can you grab me a cup of coffee, please?”

  “Sure thing, sir.”

  Once she was gone, Ethan started to unpack his briefcase. Phyllis Felcher. He had put this one off for far too long, and it was high time that he did right by the wealthy woman. Could mean a big commission if he did the job right. And Juliet had implied…

  “I wonder…”

  Clicking his computer to attention, remembering a recent document signed in the promise that company electronics would not be used for personal purposes, he told himself that everyone did it. Even Donna, despite her ever-present iPhone. He plugged romantic honeymoon getaways into the search engine. Almost instantly, he was presented with a list of destinations ranging from Vegas to Venice. Another click of the mouse told himself that the latter was the far pricier option, but he rather liked the idea of holding Juliet in the space of a gondola, far away from anyone that might know who she was or what had happened. Intrigued by the thought, he started to search for flight rates and hotels when Donna reappeared with a steaming cup in her hand.

  “As requested!”

  Ethan tried to minimize his search as Donna slipped behind his chair and got a quick gander at his screen.

  “Planning a trip, Mr. Graff?” she asked as she set the cup down.

  “Donna, you really shouldn’t---”

  “Oh come on!” she said as she playfully slapped his back and bent down to meet his eyes. “If you finally have some good news, don’t you want someone to share it with?”

  There was something to that, and even as he waved her to assume the seat before his desk and took a sip from the waiting mug, Ethan felt the curiosity wafting off of her waves. And maybe it was fitting that she knew first. After all, it was her happy day that let Juliet finally give herself to him.

  “Fine, Donna,” he started. “Now that all of the… unpleasantness is in the past---”

  “Are you really not going to tell me if her asshole stepdad squealed like a sick little pig?”

  “Donna! Do you want to hear this or not?”

  She held her tongue and waited with her legs crossed as Ethan sighed.

  “It’s like this. I asked Juliet to marry me.”

  He smiled expanded into an impossible crescent moon, the corners curling towards her eyes, and even as she seemed to suspect the answer, Donna stayed silent and tapped one toe against the floor.

  “And she… Juliet likes the idea.”

  “Likes… oh, Mr. Graff!”

  Donna was up and out of her chair in two seconds flat, and Ethan nearly fell out of his chair as Donna hugged him close and kissed his cheek.

  “I knew it!” she cried. “When I saw first saw you with her… oh I am so happy for you guys!”

  Feeling pretty happy himself, Ethan accepted her embrace, and he winded his arm around her waist.

  “Thanks, Donna,” he said. “It does feel kind of nice to tell someone.”

  Sinking to her knees, Donna looked up at the screen, her eyes twinkling at the tabs suggesting Venice still on the bottom of his screen.

  “This the honeymoon spot?” she asked.

  “Just an idea,” Ethan confessed. “Sort of just starting thinking about it.”

  “Oh but it’s perfect!” Donna said. “But you should like make it a whole European tour!”

  “Donna, I---”

  “Why stop at one city?” Donna insisted. “Take her to London. Madrid. And don’t forget Paris!”

  “City of love, right?”

  “I hear they have this bridge where you carve your names on a key or something. Then it’s like your hearts are locked in place forever!”

  “Don’t know if we need all that,” Ethan said. “Right now, we’re pretty solid.”

  “It’s symbolic, Mr. Graff! And I bet that she would just love it.”

  Rolling the idea around in his brain, he had to admit that Donna had a point. Not that Juliet was trapped with him or tied to him. If she ever wanted to escape, it would be with a heavy heart, but he would let her go.

  What the hell is wrong with me? That’s not happening. And if anyone knows about these things…

  “It’s not a bad idea, Donna,” he admitted. “If we do it, I promise you a souvenir.”

  “All I ask,” she said as she headed back to the door. “And don’t worry. I won’t let on. Let her think that this was all your idea.”

  Once Donna was gone, Ethan let his mind dance around the idea of showing her everything. He could almost feel his hand in hers, her warm breath of her neck as they went to that wall where Donna said they could lock their lives together for all time. Firing up a new search, Ethan forgot all about Phyllis Felcher when there was a new knock on his door.

  Get your head back in the game. She’s right. Have to find way to pay for all…

  “Donna? What’s---”

  “Someone’s here to see you,” she said, her voice flat as she raised her eyebrows.

  “Who the hell is---?”

  Donna stepped aside, and there was Kim in all her pale, shorn glory. Ethan couldn’t help but recall her body bound and limp, and he started to turn away when Kim took the lead and seized his hand.

  “Sorry to just barge in on you like this. But can we… can I talk to you for a few minutes?”

  Unable to deny her a second time, Ethan waved Donna off as he lead Kim into his office, and she whistled at the surroundings.

  “Nice set up you have here,” Kim said as she sat before his desk and cracked her
knuckles.

  “It’s alright,” he said. “Juliet has never seen it.”

  He somehow felt that that was wrong. Donna aside, he should have shown her where he worked and how he worked even before he pushed the ring across her finger.

  “What are you waiting for?” Kim asked. “Or is it not that serious?”

  Ethan started to shake his head, his mouth desperate to form the right answer when Kim laughed and patted his cheek.

  “It’s okay,” she said. “Saw the ring. Guess that kind of answers my question.”

  His shoulders slumped as Kim took his hands.

  “I… I think that she’s damn lucky to have you.”

  “Thank you,” he started. “And I… Kim. If I had known that you were still---”

  “Sure you would have saved me, too.”

  He sighed when she said that and sat on the edge of his desk as she kept his hand in hers.

  “And from what I’ve learned, you… you know what it is from loss.”

  “Loss?” he asked.

  “The cop Morales told me that you suffered on your own. Like even before Jules.”

  He flashed back to his parents torn away and his sister ravaged when he could make no move to save her. Kim slipped to her feet and touched his face.

  “I couldn’t save my mother either,” she said. “And I… I know how much it hurts when… when you’re right there and still too late.”

  He knew all too well, and as he flashed on his sister’s body gasping for air until her chest made no move at all, Ethan started to swerve where he stood.

  “Ethan? Are you alright?”

  His trembling grew, his body on the verge of crashing to the floor when Kim collected him into her arms and clamped her arms tight around his neck.

  “I know,” she whispered. “It hurts to feel powerless. Especially when someone you love is at stake.”

  “You… you have no idea. You…”

  As their eyes locked, Ethan stopped himself short and shook his head.

  “But of course you do,” he said. “I’m so sorry, Kim.”

  “Just for that? Or for leaving me behind?”

  Kim’s lip started to quiver, and Ethan moved fast to take her into her arms, wanting nothing more than to calm her quivering. She shouldn’t shake so. Not anymore, and Ethan held her closer when Donna burst back into the room.

  “Mr. Graff! I---”

  Ethan lifted his eyes to the sound of her voice, Kim’s body still in his arms when he saw another figure creeping into view.

  “Ethan? What are you---?”

  He leapt to his feet at the sight of her starting to pull the ring from her finger.

  15

  No. No this wasn’t what it looked like. It just couldn’t be.

  “Ethan?”

  He quickly released Kim and started to move to Julie’s side, but she backed away before his fingers could meet her face. Without wanting to, she was thrust back to the cabin, the place where he had first found her.

  And she knew him. Even on that night, he just wanted someone to protect.

  You’re safe with me. And if you want to stay safe, you’ll follow.

  Now she was; he even put a ring on her finger to keep her close. But what if he still needed more?

  “Jules,” Kim started. “This… this isn’t what it looks like. I just got scared, and your boyfriend was kind enough to lend me his shoulder.”

  That sounded like Ethan, and Julie started to nod her head when she stayed in the woods. Every man there was playing a role. Wanting to feel powerless flesh squirming beneath his. Wanting to hurt someone who could do nothing but cry and plead and wish for some magical way out. And then there was Ethan, the white knight who folded her into her arms and made her feel safe.

  But what if he suddenly needed another fix? Men like McCord and Troxel had women waiting with similar rings on their fingers. But they still needed to rape and thrash to get their rocks off. Did Ethan need a new damsel in distress? She tried to shake the thought away when Kim lunged forward and touched her hands to Julie’s arms.

  “He’s… he’s just sweet, Jules,” she said. “I can see why you like him so much.”

  Despite everything that Kim had been through and all the slices at her heart on account of just looking at her, Julie remembered other things. Kim wanting to be the desired one. Kim putting her down with a casual insult because she had yet to seal the deal. Greg Heller aside, Kim helped them into harm’s way, making Julie blush and question if she ever had anything to offer. That was an essential part of the glue of their friendship, and Julie tried to talk when Kim pressed her fingers to her lips.

  “No need to be jealous, Jules,” she said. “Ethan’s just being nice or whatever.”

  Julie felt Donna fuming behind her back, and the secretary cleared her throat as she gently seized hold of Kim’s rail thin arm.

  “I think you should go now, Miss,” Donna said. “Mr. Graff never had an appointment with you.”

  “But you still let me in,” Kim challenged.

  “Call it a momentary lapse in judgement.”

  Kim laughed lightly and narrowed her eyes at her friend before she spoke again.

  “And Julie does?” Kim asked.

  Julie started to buckle where she stood when Donna snapped her fingers before Kim’s face.

  “Every single day, Miss.”

  Maybe it was without her wanting to, but Kim raised her hands into the air and dutifully bowed her head as she started out of the office.

  “Then my apologies.”

  Kim was nearly gone when she suddenly whipped her head over her shoulder and flashed a suggestive smile.

  “I warmed him up for you, Jules,” she said. “Hope you have fun.”

  As soon as she was gone, Donna offered every kind of apology and started to back away from the room.

  “I am so sorry, Mr. Graff. Nothing like that will ever happen again.

  “Please see that it doesn’t,” he said. “If anyone else asks, I’m otherwise engaged, Donna.”

  “Literally, Mr. Graff.”

  The door closed behind her, and Julie started to fall to the floor when Ethan gathered her in his arms and pressed his lips to her eyes.

  “Juliet?”

  Focusing on his soft gaze, her doubt started to melt away as he stroked her cheek and brought his brow to hers.

  “You know that wasn’t anything, right?” he whispered. “Just like Kim said.

  He tried to kiss her when she pushed back and fixed her arms to her sides.

  “What else did she say, Ethan?”

  He started to hesitate when she stepped towards him, his ring still around her finger as she waited for his answer.

  “That is hurts to have no power when someone you love is in the mix,” he said. “I get that, Juliet.”

  She was nearly in his arms again when she pushed back from Ethan and stared hard into his eyes.

  “Like it was with your sister?”

  Julie hated the words as soon as they came out of her mouth, hated the sight of him being flung back to the worst day of his life, but she still watched him as he licked his lips and finally nodded his head.

  “You know I wanted any way to do that over,” he muttered. “But I can’t… we can’t turn back time.”

  True enough. If that was the case, Julie would have found some way to put her widowed mother off of Greg Heller’s scent before he invaded their lives, probably with the dire endgame already tucked away in the back if his mind. Ethan got something of a second chance with her, and as she started to take his hand, she pulled away again and ran her fingers through her hair.

  “So you saved me,” she said.

  “How could I not, Juliet?”

  “And now you want to marry me.”

  “More than anything.”

  He stilled the next words that she started to speak with a soft kiss, and as soon as she sank into his mouth, Julie nearly told herself that everything was alright. Ethan’s arms
were shelter enough from the storm. But when she pulled away from his mouth, Julie hung her head and sighed into his palms.

  “But I’m safe now,” she said.

  “Of course you are, Juliet.”

  His kiss came close again, and she nearly accepted his lips when she left his eyes again and turned away.

  “So… so maybe you want to get everything right the second time around.”

  His hard hand hit her shoulder.

  “Juliet, what are you talking about?”

  Meeting his gaze, Julie held her ground and barely rested her brow to his shoulder.

  “I… I know that you wanted to save Kim, too.”

  His silence spoke volumes, and Julie waited for his words when he suddenly turned away from her with a sharp groan.

  “Of course,” he muttered. “I can’t stand the thought of… of all that she had to endure.”

  On that front, they were in total agreement, and Julie carefully took his hand as she ran her free fingers up his back.

  “Because… because it’s a version of what happened to me.”

  Ethan’s eyes were pained as he looked to her, and he tried to take her face when she stepped away from him.

  “But just one summer for me,” Julie said. “Months and months that had to seem like forever for Kim.”

  “Juliet… I already told you. I… I didn’t know that she was still alive. If I had---”

  “I know, Ethan. You would have saved her, too.”

  His wide eyes put the point of her declaration, and even as a part of her wanted to rush back to his body and fling her arms around his neck, Julie hung back and peered at him carefully.

  “So… so now’s your chance,” she said.

  “My---”

  “Are you thinking of saving her now? Showing her what it is to be in your arms.”

  He seemed stunned at the sound of her words, and Julie kept her feet firmly planted to the floor when he suddenly seized her wrists and stared at her hard.

  “How can you even ask that?” he demanded. “Haven’t I already shown you what you are to me?”

  Ethan punctuated his question with a hard and fast kiss to her lips. Julie savored his mouth and started to touch his cheek when she pulled back and just looked at him.

  “Because… because everyone always like Kim best,” she said. “And I… I know it’s wrong. But now that she’s back, I have to wonder… I have to…”