Dance With Me (16 page)

They sat through the testimony of Dr. Kimberlynn Talbott next. The doctor's diagnosis of delusional disorder with erotomanic delusions centering on Mason making perfect sense. Dr. Talbott explained that Priscilla was high functioning outside of her delusions, yet within the them, she felt she was protecting her children and insuring their lives. Priscilla believed that Mason was her mate, and was threatened when he chose someone else. It was Dr. Talbott's opinion that Priscilla be remanded to psychiatric care and placed on psychotropic drugs, and was incompetent to stand trial at this time.

Dylan leaned over to ask, “Why didn't the doctor go first?”

“
Peters wanted to show how far she'd taken the delusion,” she answered. “He also wanted to show how entrenched within it she was, convincing you to believe her.”

“
She was convincin',” he admitted. He was quiet for a moment before turning back to Cassidy. “Psychiatric care until she's competent for trial?”

She nodded. “Typically, there are drugs or therapies, resulting in the perp showing deep regret for whatever they've done, then a trial where they're often found not guilty by reason of insanity but committed just the same.”

“
Either way, she's nowhere near your brother.” He studied her face. “You don't think she's crazy.”

She shook her head. “She knew what she was doing was wrong.” She focused on the psychiatrist for a moment before directing her attention back to Dylan. “I believe the doctor is right—Priscilla is no doubt obsessed with Mason to the point of delusions—but she planned everything. I just can't see anything but premeditation there.”

He grimaced. This sitting business was getting old. “How much longer 'til we can blow this pop-stand?”

~*~

“
Daddy, get me out of here!” Priscilla demanded.

Donald McClaren eyed his daughter, his face a grim mask. This was his little girl? This was the woman with whom he'd entrusted a thirty-million dollar company? “I can't,” he answered around the lump in his throat. “The courts have found you incompetent to stand trial. You have to stay.”

She stomped her foot, the rubber sole making no noise. “I don't want to stay, I have work to do!”

He looked down at the worn vinyl floor for a moment. “You broke a number of laws, Priscilla. Almost killed a man.”

“
I was just taking what was mine, but they ruined everything! Mason is mine. Mine!” she screamed.

Donald pressed his fingers to his temples. While he had been traveling the world, his only child had been losing her mind. He watched the delusions contort his daughter's beautiful face into a caricature of her former self. “Mason is a grown man, not a bauble.”

“
I will have him,” she vowed.

“
You will have drugs and therapy.” He turned then and walked quietly from the psychiatric ward of Aylesford Memorial Hospital. If only money could solve this problem. His daughter endangering and nearly killing others was not good for business.

~*~

“
It's over,” Kat repeated Carter's words, loving the sound of them. Priscilla may not be behind bars, but she was secured just the same. She chose not to think about what could happen after Priscilla was deemed fit for trial, instead focusing on the pure joy that came from knowing Mason was safe.

Mason breathed freely for the first time in what seemed like years. Priscilla's incompetence meant he wouldn't have to testify for a long while, wouldn't have to go over his kidnapping again and again. He ran a hand through his hair before taking the few steps necessary to wrap Kat in his arms from behind. “Thankfully over.” He dropped a kiss on her head. “At least for now.”

She sighed. “Now life can get back to normal.”

“
Better than normal.” He tightened his arms around her. “You're moving in, we're getting married, and my family loves you.”

She turned in his arms to cup his jaw and bring his mouth down to hers. She kissed him deeply, losing herself in the feel of his mouth, his lips, his tongue against hers. When she finally broke the kiss, it was to say, “Much better than normal.”

~*~

Kat buckled her heel and made her way to the dance floor, the music pumping loudly through the empty studio. Monday she would reopen, the horror of just two weeks ago over. The last time she danced alone on this floor she had been desperate, thinking Mason was hiding her from his family. Today, she was headed to Charles and Carolyn Everett's home for their weekly family dinner. She marveled in the changes, especially in the increase in enrollments. It seemed being framed for drug trafficking had the benefit of making her famous, and everyone wanted to learn to dance from a celebrity.

She threw herself into a jump, her landing precise. Last week she had moved her things into Mason's house, and today she hired a wedding planner. After his... ordeal... they were wasting no time getting to the altar. She grinned as she pushed herself into a spin. She couldn't wait to shed her mother's name and replace it with Mason's. Mila Nemecek had not been a bad mother, exactly, but she valued money and power above all else, including her daughter. If Kat hadn't shown a talent in dance from an early age—a talent that her mother could exploit, and perhaps profit from—she was sure she would have been pushed to the wayside far earlier than she had been. When the music ended, so ended her musings and it was then she realized she was no longer alone.

“
You awe me sometimes, babe,” Mason said, his smile wide.

She chugged half her bottle of water. “Training. It's all about training.”

He shook his head. “Nah. Talent. Raw, natural talent.” At her raised eyebrow, he chuckled and agreed, “Training, too. Of course.”

“
I can't believe I'm this happy.” Her smile dimmed, turning into a frown. “Last time I was this happy it was right before...” she trailed off. He was well aware of what came next.

“
This time we won't have that problem.” He captured her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. “This time will be better.”

“
Better?”

He kissed her shoulder, her cheek, the corner of her mouth. “Would I lie?” He moved the fraction of an inch necessary to claim her mouth fully, losing himself in the kiss.

“
Never.”

TWELVE

When Mason came home the following Friday evening, he found Kat staring into the walk-in closet, a determined look on her face. “What's wrong, babe?”

She turned, her arms outstretched in defeat. “I have no idea what to wear. I have gowns, dresses, costumes, but what should I wear to a black tie party at your parents'?” She heaved a sigh. “I am so out of my element here.”

He laughed at her predicament. There were dresses of every color in the closet, yet she had nothing to wear. He kept his smile to himself. She'd find out soon enough he had planned it that way. “I have a suggestion,” he said as he made his way across the room. Reaching into his side of the closet, he plucked a floor length cream silk dress off the rack. “You should wear this.”

She goggled at him. When had that incredible gown shown up in their closet? Almost completely backless, the dress hung from one lacy shoulder. “Wow.”

“
It will be perfect for tonight,” he promised before pulling his tuxedo from its place and laying it on the bed. He grinned at the memory of the last time he'd worn it and what was to come. “Put it on, babe, I want to see it.”

She stared at the dress for long minutes before tearing herself away from it to curl her hair. When she was finally ready, she held her breath. What if it didn't fit?

Mason held back his grin as he pulled up the side zip of Kat's dress. He knew it would fit—he'd employed her costumer to make the gown, and now he just hoped everything else he'd planned for tonight went as well as the zipper.

They arrived at his parent's home a scant twenty minutes later, walking arm and arm up the circular drive. They were almost to the front door when Camryn intercepted them. “Kat!” she called. “Come back here with Cass and Mom and me.”

She flashed a smile at Mason. How things had changed in the last month. “What's going on?” she asked as she followed Mason's youngest sibling. She loved the celery color of Cam's dress, the cut similar to her own. “How is it we're both in one-shouldered dresses tonight?” she asked.

Cam stumbled over a crack in the walkway. “One-shouldered dresses are big this season,” she answered. “Cass's dress is one-shouldered, too, actually.”

“
Really?” She followed to the backyard where a tent was set up. She stopped dead in her tracks. Mason had dressed her in a cream silk confection of a dress, his entire family was decked out in finery, and there was a tent in the back yard? She squeezed her eyes shut, opening them to find nothing unchanged. Mason wouldn't have... She broke off the thought, choosing instead to say, “If I didn't know better, I'd think this was a wedding.”

“
Would ya now?” Cam replied through a giggle.

“
Wait...” Kat held up a hand. “Just wait.”

Cassidy appeared at Kat's other side just then, her dress a perfect match to Cam's. “Nope, no time for waiting. You don't want to be late for your own wedding, do you?”

“
I hate being late,” Kat automatically replied before what Cassidy had said registered. A second later, she whipped her head around to face the attorney, beautiful in her pale green dress. “What?”

“
Oh, there's still a party tonight, but first there's a wedding!” Camryn jumped in, a wide grin splitting her face.

Her heart sped up as her knees turned to jelly. “Oh my God.”

~*~

“
I see how you planned some of this without her knowing, but how the hell did you get the license without tipping her off?” Caleb asked his older brother.

“
Licenses are good for two months. She knew we were wasting no time, but she didn't know what I had planned.”

Caleb slapped Mason on the shoulder. “You are the only man in history with balls big enough to plan a surprise wedding, bro.”

Mason laughed. “It seemed like such a good idea when I had it.” There was no turning back now. He straightened his tie. “She'll be happy, right?”

“
Eventually,” Caleb decided with a nod. “I just hope you live to see the honeymoon.” He shook his head at his brother. Most men endured the planning of a wedding over a long period of time, but not his overachieving brother. No, Mason had to not only look forward to getting married, he had to plan a wedding in less than a month and pull the damn thing off, too. Katerina, Cassidy and Camryn looked great in their dresses, the guests had all kept the invitations secret, and though he knew little about flowers, even he had to admit the place looked beautiful. He had no doubt the bride would happily marry his brother whether or not she had planned the wedding herself, but he had to give Mason hell. He snickered. He would be remiss in his duties as younger brother if he didn't seize this opportunity.

Dylan walked through the door just then, one arm still immobilized in a sling. “I'm here,” he announced, his expression pained.

“
Don't look so happy, Black,” Mason said with a chuckle. “Seeing as I owe my life to you and all, I wanted you to stand up there with me.”

He understood that, and he was happy to do it, but he'd rather face down another crazy woman than spend the next six hours in a monkey suit. “A tux, Everett? I could've handled a suit, or, hell, a uniform...” he trailed off. What good was complaining? He was already wearing the damn thing, anyway.

“
You'll never have to wear it again,” Mason promised.

“
This is supposed to make me feel better?” Dylan muttered, causing Caleb to sputter with laughter. Noticing the muscle ticcing in Dylan's jaw, Caleb narrowed his eyes, his chocolate gaze assessing the taller man. “How's physical therapy coming?”

“
Bullets tear muscle,” Dylan answered. “Muscles heal.”

The strong, silent type. Perfect for his perpetually talking sister. “How's Cass treating you?”

Like a damn china doll. “I'm wearing out my welcome.”

He doubted that, but nodded anyway. “I'm sure things are getting easier. Before long you'll be driving, and chasing bad guys.”

“
I don't think I'll be chasing any perps for a while,” Dylan responded. He wouldn't be doing much of anything until he had control of his body. He'd been shot once before, that bullet blowing through the muscle in his left calf two years ago. The pain then had been excruciating, but the two bullets this time made that one feel like child's play. While his major organs had been spared, he not only had muscle damage, but nerve damage affecting his entire right side. He grimaced. Too bad he was right handed—or had been. He would do everything the same if he could go back, but now he had to rethink his life plan. Not that he'd had much a life plan after Iraq. He shook his head as if to shake the dark thoughts free. “Let's go stand up for your brother,” he said to end the conversation.

Caleb took the hint with no complaints. It was almost time to make their way to the ceremony, and pushing Dylan wouldn't help. He tugged on the lapels of his own tuxedo. “After you, Superman.”