Beauty and the Beast (30 page)

“How’s this look?” Bruce displayed the watercolor painting of a big brown blob with red spotted gray triangles in its center.

Nathan examined the picture closely. “Interesting. What is it?”

“Stop joking, Uncle Nathan. It’s a ferocious bear. See his filthy, bloody teeth.”

“Oh yeah.” Nathan chuckled. “How did I miss those?”

Bruce was grateful they had the recreation room to themselves. “You want to play a little ping pong?”

“Nah, I’ll stick with my paints.”

At first, Bruce being there had agitated Nathan, but after an hour of their painting and talking about nothing of importance, Nathan had calmed.

“We need to discuss Nefertiti.”

Nathan jerked his head up from his artwork to look at Bruce. “Is something wrong with my baby girl? You have to protect her while I’m in here.”

“That’s just the problem. She needs to see you.”

“No.” He pushed away from the table. “She can’t see me like this. I need time to gather myself.”

“Uncle Nathan, it’s been over a month.”

“What?” He ran his hands over the waves of his salt and pepper hair. “It’s only been a few days. She knows I love her. I just need a little time is all.” He knelt at the table beside Bruce. “Don’t tell her I’m in here. All I need is a few more days, and I’ll be right again. I can be the daddy she needs again.” He returned to his metal fold-up chair. “A few more days, and I’ll be better than new.”

No wonder Aunt May is so torn.
He watched the giant of a man organize his watercolors and cream construction paper. At least Nathan was allowed to wear his own clothes—jeans and a T-shirt—on this day.

“I need your help.”

“I don’t know how much help I can be to you while I’m in this place, but you know I’m here for you.”

“I’m in love with Nefertiti.”

A devilish smile tipped Nathan’s lips, but his eyes remained lifeless. “It’s about damn time you figured that out. Hell, I thought you were about to let her marry that idiot Dennis.” He picked up a small paintbrush from the table. “As soon as she gets out of the hospital, you need to marry her.”

“Uncle Nathan… She’s been out of the hospital for almost a month.”

He dropped the brush. “Bruce, I just saw her the other day. That bastard…” A tear dropped from his eye. “He sliced my baby’s eyes.” He fumbled with the thinnest paintbrush. “I couldn’t protect my baby girl. That’s what I was put on this here earth to do, and I failed her.”

“No. She survived because of the strength you instilled in her, but she’s lost without you.” He stacked his awful renditions of wildlife. “Do you remember being admitted to this facility?”

“Only parts.” He ran his large mocha hands over his clean-shaven face. “I was so enraged, and May was crying. I can’t stand to hear her cry. Then Nefertiti came to me, but it couldn’t have been her. That part was a dream. I don’t know. They’ve been drugging me up. My mind is so confused.”

Bruce glanced at his watch. There were only two hours of visitation time left. At a total loss, he allowed his head to fall to the table.
I could use another miracle here, God. Please.
 

“Has it really been a month since I saw my baby?”

“I’m afraid it’s been a little over a month. And she’s lost without you.”

“Yes, Daddy, I’m lost without you.”

Bruce and Nathan both jumped at the sound of Nefertiti’s voice.

Nathan whirled around. As soon as he saw Nefertiti, the life that had been missing in his eyes raged with new vigor. He rushed to his baby and drew her into his arms. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see my daddy. You were here, so here I am.”

“Yes, here you are.” He traced the scars on her face with the tip of his finger. “I’ll never fail you again.”

“You’ve never failed me.”

He held her in his arms until the nurse came in and announced visiting hours would be over in twenty minutes. Bruce couldn’t believe the time had flown by so quickly. At first Bruce had though Nefertiti appearing in the room had been the miracle, but after watching the healing embrace the two shared, he knew where the real miracle was.

“Guess what, Daddy?”

“Chicken butt.”

She laughed. “You are way too corny.” She rested her head on his chest. “I love you so much. Please don’t ever leave me again.”

“I won’t baby. I won’t.”

Bruce tried to creep out of the room to get May, but his leather-soled shoes squeaked on the linoleum floor and gave him away.

“Did you bring my baby here?” Nathan asked.

“Well,” Bruce hunched his shoulders, “she kind of brought me here, but yes, we came together.”

“Did you tell her what you told me about… Well, you know.”

“I asked her to marry me, and she refused to without you.”

Nathan squeezed her tightly. “That’s my girl.”

“I want to stay with Daddy. Do you mind going to Dixon without me?”

“We’ve already settled this. Janis will go in my stead.”

She released her father and latched onto Bruce. “Will you marry me?”

“Umm, I’m not sure,” he grumbled. “It depends.”

“Lord knows I don’t want to hear this.” Nathan returned to his paints. “When you finish seducing my daughter, send her my way. We have a lot of catching up to do and only about fifteen minutes.”

Brow raised, she asked, “Depends on what?”

Bruce cupped his hand to her ear and whispered, “If you’ll make love with me in the barn.”

“Extortion? Hmmm, sounds like fun.”

Bruce reached over Nefertiti to pull his cell phone out of the pile of clothes they had discarded. They’d just sealed the deal on their marriage and were resting up before heading into the house. They had decided to stay in Champaign until the trial, then return afterwards if Nathan was still being treated.

 
“What’s up, Ken?” The bed of hay they lay on looked a heck of a lot more comfortable than it actually was. The Townes had rid the farm of livestock years ago, so the barn and hay were more for show than actual use.
I’ve got to stop getting my fantasies out of movies.
He picked small pieces of hay out of Nefertiti’s hair.

“I’m in some serious stuff up here,” Ken said shakily. “Remember the Marco guy I told you about?” The alarm in his voice made Bruce sit up at attention.

“What happened?”

“Is something wrong?” Nefertiti whispered. Bruce nodded in the affirmative. She began to sort through their clothes and shake off the hay.

“Suffice it to say that we aren’t the only ones looking for Jay. Marco’s men are holding me and threatening me, but I’m not telling them squat without your say-so.”

“Shit! Have they harmed you?”

“No. For now they’re in the talking mood, but I can’t say how long that will last.”

“Is Marco there? Tell them to have Marco call me.”

A few minutes later, Bruce and Nefertiti were fully dressed, and Bruce was on his cell phone with Marco.

“Why the hell are you holding my man?” Bruce demanded as he leaned his back against the lantern lit stall.

“Do you know who I am?” Marco snapped, his voice full of indignation.

“The question isn’t if I know who you are, but if I give a damn who you are. Which I don’t. No one touches what’s mine or those who work for me.”

Nefertiti bit her bottom lip and curled in close to Bruce’s side.

“Then we have a bit of a situation here, don’t we?”

“No. We both have information the other could use. I suggest we meet. You and I.”

“When and where?”

“I can be there tomorrow. You can pick the time and place. Somewhere public. And I want Ken released first.”

“I don’t think you’re in a position to be making demands.”

“And I don’t know the type of people you are used to dealing with, but I’m not cowering or begging you for a damn thing. We’re both businessmen. Neither of us has time for games. Are we doing this or not?”

“What if I say not?”

“Then I use all of my resources to ensure you and your men do not live to see another day.” He disconnected.

“Bruce, what have you done?”

He smiled. “You think he’ll call my bluff?”

“You’re out of your mind. And you hung up so quickly he couldn’t have told you where to meet.”

“Don’t worry, water ninja, he’ll call with the time and place.”

She rested her head on his arm. “What if he hurts Ken? I don’t want you meeting this guy. Call in the cops.”

“We’ll be in a public place.” His cell phone sounded. The caller ID indicated the call was from Ken’s phone. “Yes.”

“I’m not releasing Ken until after we speak.”

“I don’t have time for this. I’m making love with my lady.” He winked at Nefertiti. “If you can’t agree to my terms, then as soon as I hang up, I’ll make other arrangements.”

After a few tense seconds passed, Marco said, “This had better not be a setup.”

“We aren’t doing anything illegal.”

“Washington Park, tomorrow, noon, near 51st and Cottage Grove.”

“Fine.”

 
Ken gave Bruce a brotha shake. “Thanks for getting me out of that.”