Bound by Steel (21 page)

“Lyra, I want you to call Dr. Banks immediately. She’ll fit you in as soon as possible and I can be there in a few hours since I’m in Hartford on an assignment. Okay?”

Oh God, here we go again. I don’t want her picking apart my brain again. I’m better off without her. “I’m fine, Mom. I just wanted you to know. That’s all. Nothing’s wrong. I…”

“Lyra. I need you to listen to me very carefully. You’ve been through a traumatic experience and you never took it seriously enough. I should have insisted you go see a therapist after you were held captive in that cabin. Please promise me you’ll call, or I’ll make an appointment for you.”

I’ll never learn to shut my mouth. Dammit! Now she’s coming and I need to see a damn therapist. I need to put a stop to this. “Forget I said anything, Mom. It’s just a bunch of jumbled thoughts. Nothing to worry about. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can about you and Dad coming in August. Love you, Mom. Bye.”

I feel horrible when I end the call while she’s still talking. God, what have I done? I’ve opened up a can of worms and I know she won’t let it rest. My hands begin to tremble and my knees feel weak as I push off the couch. I need to let Cody in before I faint. When my phone rings, I panic. I know she’s trying to call me back and I can’t do this right now. I need to breathe, take one step at a time. You can do this, Lyra.

One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi, four….

When I finally reach the door and pull it open, Cody’s nowhere to be found. No, not today. Please, please, please come when I call. “Cody, come.” My voice is weak and my limbs feel numb. There’s something definitely wrong with me. I’m standing in the middle of my yard when I hear her barking. Great! She’s down by the water, I’m never going to make it. When I turn around and spot a car parked in the Murphys’ driveway, hope blooms inside of me. Oh, thank god they’re home. I know they’ll help me.

Slowly, I put one foot in front of the other. And once I reach the railing, I hold on for dear life. Steadying myself. I stop to take a few deep breaths before continuing. Once I get my bearings, I climb onto the porch. I’m almost there. The sudden dizziness sends my mind through a kaleidoscope of colors... pinks, blues, blacks and reds. I guess where the doorbell is and press. Once. Twice. And continue until the door suddenly opens. Thank God! I’m confused when powerful arms suddenly wrap around me and hold me close. I might be sick, but I know for a fact that Mr. Murphy wouldn’t be strong enough to carry me. And he sure doesn’t smell this yummy. It’s a blend of citrus, spice and something very masculine. Wood. Yeah, a subtle woodsy scent. When I’m finally able to focus, a sense of peace washes over me. Soothes me. Because the eyes I am looking into are the same blue eyes I’ve been dreaming about. My hand trembles when I reach out to feel his cheek. I need to touch him to see if he’s real. His five o’clock shadow is rough against my fingertips. Prickly but soft. I know him. I know I do. His name’s just on the tip of my tongue, but no matter how hard I try I can’t think of it. Dammit! When he sits down on the couch with me tucked in his lap, Cody tries to wiggles her way in between us.

“Cody. Sit!”

Oh. My. God.

I know that deep, commanding voice and feel the isolation that those eyes have put me in so many times in the past. His scent, so familiar, surrounds me in a warm embrace. Slowly, the fog begins to lift and I can see clearly for the first time. In a long time. “Ry. Is it really you?” I ask.

Ryker

I desperately want to believe she truly knows who I am but I’m afraid to use her name. What if I’m wrong? I wouldn’t want to be the one to push her over the edge in her fragile state. I knew the second I opened the door that something was wrong. She looked lost. I can’t begin to imagine what would have happened if I hadn’t been here. Right now, I just want to hold her in my arms and pray she comes back to me. For now I’ll play it safe. “It’s me, precious. How are you feeling?”

“Confused.” I can feel her trembling as she nuzzles my neck. So I hold her close and hope she finds her strength in me. ‘Cause I sure as hell don’t feel too strong at the moment.

“How so, precious?”

“When we were at the cabin, your eyes were black but now they’re blue. So why do they look so familiar to me?”

Fuck! How much do I divulge? “I wore contacts so no one would recognize me. Subconsciously, you must have known and assumed I had blue eyes.” God, that sounded so fucking lame. Even to me.

“I mourned you, Ryker. For so long. I thought you had died in that explosion and I blamed myself. Why would you let me go on believing you were dead?”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t prepare you. But it was the only way I could think of to keep you safe.”

She sighs and in one concise move she’s straddling me. Her small hands frame my face while she scrutinizes me. I’m on full display when her gaze rakes over my lips, my hair, and my face before her eyes land back on mine. Drinking me all in. Lyra leans in and brushes her lips softly against mine, causing my heart to crash inside of me. I’ve waited so long for this. I’m never letting her go. Ever again. “What you didn’t understand was how safe I felt when I was with you, Ryker. God, you’re so beautiful. This is exactly how I imagined you without all of that hair. So handsome. I missed you so much, Ry.”

God, that nickname. The same one that brings me to my knees. The one I asked her never to call me. Could it be? No. She remembers the cabin for fuck’s sake! I’m the one going out of my mind. Not her. “I missed you, precious. More than you’ll ever know.” I can’t wait a minute longer. I need to taste her. Own her. And make her mine once and for all. Forever.

My hands tangle in her hair as our mouths collide in a heated frenzy. We’re both insatiable for one another. Exploring and reacquainting our tongues in perfect harmony. She tastes like lemons and mint and I’m getting drunk on her. Little whimpers and moans cling to my lips as I devour every lascivious mewl she surrenders to me. My dick is throbbing for release but I won’t give in to temptation. Not yet. Just when I think I’m about to die in her sweet embrace, Cody begins barking and scratching at the front door. We quickly break apart with our chests heaving as we come up for air. “What’s wrong with her, Ryker?” When I glance over and see her hackles standing straight up, I assume someone is about to interrupt our little reunion.

“Damned if I know, but I’m going to find out.” Lyra slides off of my lap so I can go see what all the fuss is about. And the moment I open the door Cody leaps in the air, greeting the person who’s coming down the walk. “Cody. Stop!” The last thing I want is for her to hurt the woman who’s glaring at me. Mrs. Harper. Well, I suppose there’s no time like the present to get this whole charade over and done with.

“Mr. Steel. Where’s my daughter?” I don’t have time to answer as Lyra brushes by me.

“Mom, you shouldn’t have come. I’m fine, really. Mr. Steel was kind enough to help me when I couldn’t find Cody.” Oh, my girl is spinning a wicked web and I’m loving it.

“Well, that’s very nice of him but I’m here now. Why don’t you make me a cup of coffee and we’ll talk about our phone call. Go ahead, sweetie. I’d like to thank Mr. Steel for taking care of you today.” My girl is hesitant to leave but I don’t want her to witness my wrath.

“I promise she won’t be long, Lyra. Then the two of you can enjoy your visit.” With her mother’s back turned, she blows me a kiss and saunters off to her house with Cody tagging close behind. Whew, I didn’t know if Cody would follow her or insist on coming inside with me. Good girl. Now it’s time to get down to business.

As soon as I close the door behind me, I grab Mrs. Harper by the throat and pin her up against the wall. Her eyes go wide as she claws to free my hand. I expertly grab her wrists with my other and hold them still. “I promised myself a long time ago that if I ever found the person who was responsible for Bella’s death, I’d kill them with my bare hands. So are you prepared to die today, Mrs. Harper?” She tries to speak but I squeeze just a little bit tighter. I know how long I can keep this up without leaving a mark. I learned from the best. She stumbles when I just about drag her to the couch and force her to sit. Reluctantly, it’s time for me to let go of her throat so she can breathe.

I compel myself to sit on the coffee table directly across from her and wait while she composes herself. I think I’m being quite gentlemanly considering the circumstances. But I can be patient for just so long. “I asked you a question, Mrs. Harper. The least you can do is answer me.”

She slinks deeper into the couch, rubs her throat and glares at me. Like I’m the one who’s done something wrong. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Mr. Steel. I had nothing to do with your wife’s death. In fact, I was devastated when I realized it happened after our interview. So if you blame me because I was the last one to see her alive, then you need to reconsider.”

Well, I guess it’s true what they say. Nice guys finish last. I’m not playing a fucking game and she’s going to find that out. Now! “Tell me how you pulled it off, Vega, or I will kill you with my bare hands!” I’m in her face and it ain’t pretty. She’s kicking, biting and scratching to break free and I don’t care! I lost three fucking years with the woman I love because of this bitch. And I’ll be damned if I lose another second.

“I swear, Ryker, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t kill Bella.”

“Let me paint you a picture, Vega. I am Ryker Steel aka Jonathan Day. And the woman who shared my bed at the cabin was not Lyra Harper but Bella Steel. Don’t shake your head, Vega. It’s the truth. I know my wife, inside and out. Would you like to know why I’m one-hundred percent positive? No? Well, I’m going to tell you anyway. Bella has a birthmark shaped like a tiny heart in one of her most intimate places. So imagine my surprise when I found out my wife was still ALIVE!”

Part Three

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ryker

“That’s preposterous. Jonathan Day died in an explosion after Lyra was rescued.”

“Believe me when I tell you we are one and the same, Mrs. Harper. Jonathan Day was my alias after I went into hiding. I’d never planned on being Ryker Steel. Ever again. And then lo and behold, my wife suddenly appears at my cabin. Claiming to be Lyra Rose Harper. I want answers. Now! Tell me why my wife doesn’t know I exist.”

The moment the truth hits her, I can see a veil of grief pass before her very eyes. If Bella’s alive, then it’s possible her daughter Lyra is the one who died all those years ago. That’s the same conclusion I came to back at the cabin. I’ve even contemplated whether it could have been intentional. I’m still working on that theory because I don’t have any solid proof yet. The woman I buried was not my wife but obviously someone who looked exactly like her. Now I know it was Lyra. But I’ve yet to figure out the connection between the two or why Bella took on her identity. I’m hoping today’s the day I can find out why the love of my life doesn’t remember I exist.

“Don’t you dare lie to me, Vega! And don’t use your journalistic skills to spin a tale. I want the fucking truth!”

I know this woman is a shark and won’t relent until she has all the facts. It’s in her blood to find out the truth. So perhaps that’s why I think she knew all along about Bella and Lyra. Today, I’ll be challenging her to see if what I believed is fact or fiction.

“Excuse me if I need a minute to process the fact that my daughter could be dead, Mr. Steel. If what you say is true, then I’ll have to accept it. But before we jump to any conclusions, I’d like a dental exam to be conducted on Lyra, just to be certain.” I know I should feel sympathetic towards her. Especially when I see her wipe at a tear that penetrated her stony façade. But I don’t. Her pain is my joy and if that makes me a cold prick, then so be it. Bella’s alive! And no one will ever stand in our way again.

“In case you haven’t noticed, Bella’s not in the right frame of mind. So you tell me what happened. She has no clue who the fuck I am and she’s obviously assumed the role of your daughter. Why?”

I scrutinize her as she runs her fingertips through her hair. I can tell she’s contemplating what to say next and that pisses me off. “Vega, I’m warning you…”

She holds up her hands to silence me. “Please give me a minute, Mr. Steel.” Once she’s composed herself she continues. “Lyra and I always went out to dinner on Thursday nights. So when I told her I couldn’t make it because I had an interview, she decided to go out with one of her friends. Lyra never came home that night. We called everyone we could think of and no one had seen her. Grant and I were frantic. Thirty-six agonizing hours later, a police officer found her in an alleyway. I’ve never been afraid, Mr. Steel. Until I walked into her room and she was so disorientated she didn’t even recognize her own parents.”

“Didn’t you think that was a bit odd, Mrs. Harper?  She’d been missing for so long and no one asked where she’d been?”

“It’s hard to have a conversation with someone who doesn’t know who the hell you are! Fine! Lyra was diagnosed with dissociative amnesia. It happens when a patient goes through something stressful or traumatic and is unable to remember personal information. It could last for months, years, or indefinitely. Or her memory could easily resurface due to her surroundings. Look, I can’t have this conversation with you right now, Mr. Steel. Please, give me some space. For the love of god I need time…”

“No! The clock’s been ticking long enough, Mrs. Harper. Your time is up! I want answers and I want them now.” I can’t stop the growl that rises up from deep inside of me. I suddenly feel violent and feral. Like I could hit her and never stop until she tells me what I want to hear. My military instincts are kicking in and I need to distance myself from her.

Her eyes snap shut as I stand up. She’s waiting for me to hit her. Good god! What is wrong with me? With my hands clenched at my sides, I begin pacing back and forth. The echo of my bare feet smacking the hardwood floor is the only sound in the room. I inhale slowly through my nose, then blow out in short bursts. Once my heart rate has slowed, I focus on the woman in question. She appears poised when I stop pacing and cross my arms over my chest.