Dreaming With A Broken Heart (Hollywood Legends Book 1) (10 page)

“
I’m
ready,” Jade breathed. Her hands
gripped his arms, her head thrown back, leaving her neck vulnerable to his
mouth. At the first touch of his lips, she cried out his name.

“That’s right, Jade. I want you to remember who you’re
with. This is
my
touch.”

Holding his breath, Garrett edged the hem of her shirt up,
and then slid his hand underneath. When he felt Jade begin to stiffen, he bit
the side of her neck and shifted his knee, hitting just the right spot between
her legs. Jade was too far gone to protest when he pushed up her bra and cupped
her bare breast for the first time.

“Let me take your top off,” Garrett whispered in
her ear.

While Garrett waited for her answer, the pad of his thumb
teased her nipple. It hardened quickly, making his mouth water in anticipation.
He wanted to taste that lovely little bud. Hell, he wanted to taste every inch
of her.

“Stop.”

The second Jade said the word Garrett felt his stomach drop.
With any other woman, he would coax, cajole — find a way to turn that
stop
into a
go
. Jade wasn’t any other woman. His hands dropped away. His leg
straightened, leaving her hot, wet core. They no longer touched and not even
the heat of the room could stop the cold that settled over him.

“Did I frighten you?” Damn it, Garrett wished he
could see her face.

“Yes.” Jade pulled in a deep breath. “I’m
scared, Garrett. Not of you.”

“Then what?”

“I’m… I have scars. On my stomach, below my
breasts.”

Garrett heard the tears in Jade’s voice. Following his
instincts, he reached for her.

“No,” Jade pulled back. “If you hold me, I
know I’ll fall to pieces. I should have told you everything before we got this
far. It was stupid to think we could have sex without any intimacy.”

“Not stupid,” Garrett said. “Intimacy isn’t a
prerequisite for sex.” Taking a chance, he reached for her hand. Relief
surged through him when her fingers curled around his. “It makes it
better, though.”

For once Garrett was grateful the room was dark. Sometimes
it was easier to share difficult things when you couldn’t see the other
person’s reactions.
The anonymity of the confessional,
so to speak
.

“Is this something you want to hear?” Jade asked.
“You didn’t sign up for the heavy stuff, Garrett. I asked you for sex, not
a shoulder to cry on.”

“I want to be your friend, Jade. With or without sex, I
will always be here for you.” Garrett squeezed her hand. “
Always
.”

“I want you.”

“Thank God. That whole, with or without
sex
crap? I meant it, honestly. Let’s just say I will be much happier
with
than
without
.”

“I know you’re joking.”

“Maybe,” Garrett admitted. “A little. I
do
want you, Jade. That hasn’t changed.”

“It might. After you hear what I have to say.”

Garrett wanted to assure Jade. He knew the basics of her
story. The whole world knew. Having the details filled in would not change his
desire for her. A part of him wished she would keep it to herself. Not because
he feared losing interest. Because he didn’t want to have those images in his
brain. Taking a deep breath, he chastised himself.
Jade
needed to do
this.
He
needed to listen.

“We were married two months the first time Stephen hit
me.”

Garrett didn’t respond. He sensed the less he said, the
easier it would be for Jade to continue.

“I don’t remember him having a temper before that.
Maybe I wasn’t paying attention. My father has always been volatile. I suppose
I was used to being around a man who expressed his dissatisfaction
loudly.”

Garrett couldn’t help it. He had to ask.

“Did your father ever hit you?”

“No,” Jade said emphatically. “He likes to
use words to break a person down, not fists. Stephen didn’t have the patience
for verbal abuse. Physically knocking me down was faster, and for him, much
more satisfying.”

Garrett’s gut clenched. He wished he could go back and stop
what happened. It was impossible and unproductive thinking. He was here; he
would listen. He hoped that would help her heal.

“At first, Stephen wasn’t careless enough to leave
marks that couldn’t easily be covered up. My face was off limits. My stomach
was his favorite target. He would punch me, and then kick me when I was on the
ground. I think I had a miscarriage one of those times. I suspected I was
pregnant, but I hadn’t seen a doctor. The blood, after Stephen hit me, was too
heavy. I knew the baby was gone.”

Garrett couldn’t stand it a moment longer. If she didn’t
want to be held, too bad. He needed Jade in his arms. Pulling her close, he
breathed a sigh of relief when she didn’t object. Instead, she held him back,
relaxing in his embrace.

“I’m sorry about the baby.”

“Me too.” Jade turned her face into the crook of
his neck. “I would have loved my child, Garrett. But…”

“What?”

“I’m glad I didn’t have Stephen’s baby.” Garrett
felt a shudder run through her body. “Am I a horrible person for feeling
that way?”

“For not wanting to bring another human being into an
unthinkable situation? Hardly.”

“I was weak. I know that. The second I thought I was
pregnant I should have walked away.
Run
away. Instead, I stayed behind
the wall I’d built up.”

“There was no one you could talk to?” Garrett
asked.
Like your father
? The question burned in his throat. Where the
hell was Anson Marlow?
Why did
he let his daughter go through hell
when he was living in the same house?

“You mean my father.”

“Yes, Jade. I’m sorry, but what the hell? He had to
know.”

“Yes,” Jade admitted. “Nothing happens in
that house without my father finding out. The servants report everything. There
was no way to hide the blood on the floor. I was in no condition to clean it up
and Stephen didn’t even try. He left me there. Left the house. I assume he went
drinking with his cronies or to one of the women he slept with instead of me.
Believe me. I was more than happy to let someone else take care of that.”

“What did you father do?”

“Besides have a maid dispose of the ruined rug?
Nothing.”

“Fuck.”

“Does it help? Cursing, I mean.” Jade snuggled
closer. “I think I’d like to learn.”

“Jade, honey, if there is anyone who had the right to
let the swear words loose, it’s you.”
And then some
.

“I spoke with my father the next day. Enough was
enough. I lost his grandchild. He always spoke about his legacy, how important
it was to leave something behind. He didn’t care if Stephen hit me. I knew
that. Surely my losing his future heir would tip the scales in my favor.”

“I don’t think I’m going to like the answer.”

“
I
didn’t.” Jade sighed. She sounded tired.
Garrett pulled her closer, willing her to take some of his strength. “He
finally acknowledged there was a problem
.
Correction. A
minor
problem with my marriage. Not with Stephen. My father handpicked my husband.
Fundamentally, he was fine.
I,
on the other hand, was a mess before and
still. Now, instead of being a constant thorn in his side, that thorn was
irritating Stephen.”

“Your father blamed you?” Garrett knew Jade told
the truth. Still, it seemed unbelievable that a man would side with the monster
who was abusing his daughter.

“He regretted the loss of the child. He suggested the
next time I found out I was pregnant, I keep my head down and my mouth
shut.”

“I’m sorry, Jade.”

“I wasn’t. It was the proverbial straw, Garrett. The
camel’s back hadn’t snapped. It was lying in a million little pieces. For the
first time in my life, I looked at my father with clear eyes. He would never
change. The love I always wanted wasn’t going to magically wash over him.
Without another word, I went to my room and packed my bags.”

“Good for you.”

“I should have left it all behind,” Jade
whispered. “I should have called a cab, gone to a hotel. Stopping to pack
almost got me killed.”

“Stephen caught you?” Garrett steeled himself for
what she was about to say.

“I don’t know why he came home early. Bad luck on my part,
I guess. He was more hungover than drunk. I remember thinking how handsome he
used to be. Maybe I was the problem. During the few years we were married he
put on weight, stopped working out.”

“It isn’t your fault he became a fat, lazy
bastard.”

“No. I told myself that. I didn’t have time to tell
Stephen. He took one look at the suitcase and he did something he had never
done before. He punched me in the face. The next thing I know Sally, one of the
maids, was standing over me screaming. I wanted to ask her what was wrong, but
I couldn’t form the words. I looked down at my body. There was nothing but red.
Blood, everywhere. I wasn’t scared. I couldn’t feel a thing. The next thing I
knew, I woke up in the hospital. Three days later.”

The only sound in the room was the air conditioner fan
clanking its own odd rhythm. Garrett didn’t want to push Jade. He held her
close, offering his silent support.

“The doctor told me I almost died,” Jade said. The
words were so matter-of-fact. The words chilled Garrett to the bone. “I
don’t know why that didn’t frighten me. Maybe I was in shock. I certainly
wasn’t in any pain. Whatever they pumped into my veins gave me this floaty, I
don’t give a shit, feeling. Suddenly I understood why people became addicts.
For the first time in my life, I was carefree. Why wouldn’t I want to keep that
feeling?”

“Jade…”

“Don’t worry,” she assured him. “The doctor
gave me a prescription when I left the hospital. I threw it away before I gave
into the impulse to have it filled. I knew drugs weren’t the answer.”

“Going back to your father’s house must have been
difficult.”

“You mean, how could I go back?” Jade shook her
head. “I was in no shape to strike out on my own, Garrett. Do you want to
know what he did to me? There was so much speculation. Most of it wrong.”

“Do you want to tell me?” Garrett asked quietly.

“I think I do. My therapist thinks I need to talk about
it. With someone other than her. So far, you’ve been great. Amazing.” Jade
kissed the side of his neck. It was a lovely, intimate gesture that Garrett
found surprisingly moving.

“Have you remembered what happened?”

“No,” Jade said. “It’s all secondhand.
Sometimes it freaks me out, sometimes I feel completely detached. I can’t
guarantee what version you’ll get.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

“Stephen always carried a knife. One of those with a
million and one uses. According to the police, after he knocked me out, he took
out the longest blade and started carving. More like hacking, really.”

Garrett couldn’t control his gasp of shock. It wasn’t her
description that got to him; it was the calm way Jade told it.

“I guess you’re getting detached, Jade.”

“Whatever works for you.” As soon as he said the
words, Garrett realized he meant them. There was no right or wrong way to
survive something like what Jade went through. All that mattered was her
survival.

“Most of the cuts were shallow. A lot of blood — not
much damage. It was the last cut that did the damage,” Jade took a deep
breath. “A fraction of an inch to the left, he would have hit my liver.
Turns out it wasn’t the cuts, but the loss of blood that almost killed me. No
one is entirely sure how long I lay there before Sally found me.”

“She found you in time, thank God.”

“Yes. Unfortunately, Stephen got away. He’s still out
there.”

“Do the police have any idea what happened?”

“I’m sure they have their theories. None that they’ve
shared with me.”

“What do you think?”

Garrett knew the answer before Jade spoke.

“I think my father either had him killed or helped him
get away.” She tipped her head, peering at Garrett. “Does that shock
you?”

“I wish it did, Jade. But no. After what you’ve told
me, neither of those things would surprise me.”

“My life is so fucked up.”

“Well, done,” Garrett chuckled. “Who said you
needed to learn to cuss? You, honey, are a natural.”

“I have some ugly scars.”

“I don’t care.”

“I do.” Jade’s voice lowered. “I don’t want
you to see them, Garrett. I’m too thin and my stomach is covered with red,
puckered lines. I don’t care if most of them will eventually fade. I don’t
care.”

“Shh,” Garrett said in a soothing voice. He
smoothed back the hair from Jade’s face, stroking repeatedly. “I promise,
until you decide it’s time, I won’t ask to look.”

“We can keep the lights out?”

“Until you’re ready.”

As Garrett lay holding Jade, he wasn’t thinking about her
scars. The lights being on or off didn’t matter. His worries were centered on
Jade’s husband. He hoped Anson Marlow
did
have the bastard killed. If
not, he hoped the bastard slipped up and the police captured him. Soon. If not,
Jade was still in danger.

GARRETT THOUGHT LONG and hard about Jade’s situation. Last
night, after he left the motel and was in his own bed, he spent a sleepless night
running everything through his head. Over and over again. He couldn’t fix her
situation at home. As much as he wanted to storm in, punch her father’s lights
out, then insist she come with him immediately, that wasn’t going to happen —
for so many reasons.

First, what would he do with her? Put her up in a hotel?
Move her in with him? Neither of them was ready for that; Garrett didn’t know
if they ever would be. Their relationship was undefined. Lovers? Not yet.
Friends? They were making progress in that direction. Getting to know each
other bit by bit. It was new. Like Jade. Fragile, yet getting stronger every
day.

Garrett
did
know he cared. He couldn’t wait around
wondering if Jade’s husband would someday show up and hurt her again. The next
time she might not be lucky enough to get away with a scarred body. Next time,
she might die.

“Hey, are you coming down with something?”

Garrett tried to shake off his morbid thoughts, and then
turned to Hamish.

“I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

“It’s ninety-five in the shade and you just shivered.
That can’t be normal.”

No, Garrett thought. There was nothing normal about
imagining a woman dead. If he could do anything to keep Jade safe, he would.

“I’m fine,” Garrett assured his friend. “My
mind wandered. Let’s get back to the task at hand. We have most of our film
crew assembled. Who’s missing?”

Garrett could tell Hamish wasn’t completely convinced
something wasn’t wrong, but he didn’t push the matter.

“The main parts are in place. It’s a good group. We’ve
worked with most of them before. Bill Wyman has a new assistant.”

Garrett frowned. This was news to him.

“What happened to Felicity?”

“She’s moved on,” Hamish said.

“In Bill speak, that means he screwed around on her.
How many times has that happened since we’ve known him?”

“This is the third.” Hamish shrugged.
“Felicity was good. She won’t have a problem finding another job. She’s
ready to take the lead on a film.”

“Bill can’t be faulted as a teacher and mentor.
Professionally, he’s exactly who you want to work with. Personally, he’s a
train wreck. A damn charming train wreck, by all accounts.”

“Luckily, we aren’t his type,” Hamish chuckled.

Bill Wyman was one of the best cinematographers in the
business. Or so he told Garrett the first time they worked together. It was
Garrett’s first time flying solo. Bill’s second. Neither of them lacked
self-confidence. The potential for a clash of egos was strong. For whatever
reason, they worked together like a couple of well-oiled cogs. No friction. No
temperamental blow-ups.

This was their fourth movie together. Bill was on his third
assistant. The personal drama never affected his work. If anything, a new woman
energized him. Garrett couldn’t imagine living his life that way. However, it
wasn’t
his
life. It was Bill’s. As long as the work didn’t suffer, as
far as Garrett was concerned, his cameraman’s private life was nobody else’s
business.

Garrett listened while Hamish updated him on the best
candidates to round out the crew. The choices were relatively simple. They
liked giving newcomers a break. Whenever possible, they hired at least one
person with little or no experience.
Giving a hand up
, was how his
father put it. It was a Landis tradition. One Garrett believed in perpetuating.
Unfortunately, this time his movie was under a tighter than usual schedule.
There would be no time for
teaching
moments
. He needed every
member of his crew to be fast, efficient, and experienced. Bill’s new assistant
had him a little worried.

“We start shooting in five days,” Garrett said.
“Two weeks here in L.A., two in Oregon. I refuse to go over budget,
Hamish.”

“Hey, Wyatt isn’t producing this one,” Hamish
countered.

“Meaning, unlike my brother, this producer will cut us
a little slack?”

“Wyatt does hold the purse strings tight.”

“Which is why all of his movies make money,”
Garrett reminded his friend. “Wyatt is the best.”

“Hey, I didn’t mean to sound critical,” Hamish
rushed to reassure Garrett. “I was joking — mostly.”

“I’m not offended.” Garrett gave Hamish a friendly
slap on the back. “Hell, Wyatt would take it as a compliment.”

“Too right.” Hamish grinned.

“It’s important I prove myself when I’m away from my
family, Hamish. This one is all me. I’m getting it done on time and under
budget. I want to prove I’m not a flash in the pan backed by the Landis
name.”

“You’re too sensitive, Garrett.” Hamish shook his
head. “You’ve made your own name.”

“I’m getting there,” Garrett agreed. “In a
few months, when we start
Exile
, no one will question my ability to make
any kind of movie I want. Drama, comedy, adventure. I won’t be pigeonholed,
Hamish. What we do today, every day, is one more step in that direction.”

“I’m with you, brother. I plan on riding your coattails
to the top of the heap.”

“Heap?”

Garrett grinned at the image of him and Hamish crawling over
other directors, smashing fingers, bloodying mouths, breaking bones. Whatever
it took to get to the top. Considering this was Hollywood, it was damn
accurate.

“Heaps of adulation. Heaps of money.” Hamish
closed his eyes as though he were picturing it all. “Let’s not forget the
women. I trail behind you and your brothers, consoling the ones not lucky
enough to catch your fancies.”

“You do fine on your own,” Garrett said wryly.
“More than fine. Women love that brogue. What did your last girlfriend
call you? A Scottish leprechaun?”

“She left off the Scottish part.” Hamish gave
Garrett a disgruntled look. “She didn’t know the difference. Can you
believe that? I don’t care how great her ass was. When she called me Irish, it
was over.”

“We all have our lines in the sand.”

An hour later, alone in his office, Garrett wondered if,
where Jade was concerned, there was something that would make him walk away? As
with everything else involving Jade, it was too soon to tell.

Garrett knew one thing. Steps had to be taken to find out
what happened to Stephen Marsh. Picking up his phone, he searched his contacts.
There it was. He hit the name, hoping the call didn’t go to voicemail.

“Garrett,” the familiar voice answered after only
two rings. “What the hell does my least favorite Landis brother
want?”

Garrett knew two things about Jack Winston. He was as
easygoing as they came, and when push came to shove, he was one tough son of a
bitch. He and his best friend owned a billion-dollar cyber-security empire.
Before they hit it big, Jack and Drew Harper
were
the security. They
spent several years in Hollywood protecting some of the industry’s biggest
names.

Garrett’s mother and father used the duo on occasion, during
movie premieres, or personal appearances. Bodyguards to the stars. They were
tough, discreet, and looked good in a tux. More James Bond than Hulk Hogan.
Suave — but deadly. One of the few times they had to show their muscle was when
an overzealous fan lunged at Garrett’s mother when she was promoting a movie.
Jack moved so fast, most people were never aware anything happened.

Caleb Landis knew. Jack tried to brush off the incident,
saying he was doing his job — nothing more. As far as Caleb and the rest of the
Landis men were concerned, Jack was a hero. If he needed a favor. Big or small.
Night or day. All he needed to do was ask.

That favor had never been claimed. Now, ironically it was
Garrett who needed something from Jack.

“Are you still going on about something that happened
five years ago?”

“There is no statute of limitations when it comes to a
man’s wife.”

Garrett rolled his eyes.

“Rose wasn’t your wife five years ago,” he
reminded the other man. “In fact, you didn’t know her. How can I be in
your dog house for flirting with a completely unattached woman?”

“Flirting?” Jack asked. “According to Rose,
you invited her to spend a week in Jamaica. In a villa on a private beach.
Clothing discouraged.”

He didn’t give it away with his voice, yet Garrett knew Jack
was grinning. He could easily picture the big man, in his office, feet up on
his desk, enjoying every second of the grief he was handing out. Jack didn’t
give a damn how many men propositioned his wife. As long as it was in the past.
Rose O’Brian was a beautiful woman with a personality to match. Garrett met
Rose at a party in New York given by a mutual friend. He was attracted, made
his pitch. She shot him down with such good humor and charm he ended up with
only a minor dent in his ego.

“You know I’m not the only Landis to make a play for
Rose.”

“The hell you say?” Garrett heard Jack’s feet hit
the ground. “Which one?” There was an ominous silence. “And
when?”

“Relax,” Garrett chuckled. “Nate was at the
same party where Rose and I met. We’re twins, Jack. Sometimes we have the same
taste in women. What am I saying?
Rose
appeals to every man’s
taste.”

“That’s true,” Jack said. “I suppose I can
overlook it. Besides, I trust Rose implicitly.”

“Of course you do.” Garrett couldn’t resist one
more jab. “By the way, Colt will be on location near Harper Falls next
month. Maybe he should stop by.”

“How near?”

Well, over four hundred miles, actually. Harper Falls,
Washington was located in the upper eastern part of the state on the Columbia
River. Colt’s movie was filming in Calgary, Alberta. Hardly
dropping in
distance. However, Jack didn’t need to know that.

“Just say the word, Jack. Colt is a
very
social
person.”

“Okay.” Jack gave a friendly laugh. “Enough
about your pretty boy brother. You called for a reason. What’s up?”

Losing the light banter, Garrett gave a brief but detailed
outline of the situation. It wasn’t necessary to share the most intimate
details. Jack got the picture.

“I don’t know what to say, Garrett.” Jack’s voice
was filled with compassion. “I’m sorry your friend had to go through that.
The bastard husband is gone? Without a trace?”

“I’ve called a few friends. Done some asking. Not that
I’ve gotten very far. My police connections are more of the fictional
variety,” Garrett said.

“Alex Fleming runs the physical part of H&W now.
He’s ex-Army Intelligence. Finding things out is his specialty.”

“I appreciate it, Jack. It makes no sense that he could
vanish.” Garrett paused. “Unless he had help.”

“Who do you suspect?”

This was the tricky part. Anson Marlow was a powerful man.
His connections ran, not just from coast to coast, but worldwide. Garrett
didn’t want word of this getting back to Jade’s father. That was why he called
Jack. The man and his friends were discretion personified.

“Start with Anson Marlow.”

“I DON’T THINK this is going to work, Garrett.”

The room was as pitch black as possible. The candles from
dinner were extinguished, no crack of light slipped through the drawn curtains.
Tonight Garrett wanted Jade to feel safe in her cocoon of darkness.

“It is all about touch, Jade.”

They stood, side by side, near the bed. Nothing was
different from the last few nights they met. Garrett kissed Jade. First with
tenderness, his tongue asking for admittance into her mouth, not demanding it.
Unlike the first few times, Jade’s response was instantaneous. She didn’t
hesitate to open to him. Her response was no longer shy. She was a full, eager
participant.

Jade’s arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer. She
angled her head, her mouth welcoming. Her confidence grew to the point where
she was now the aggressor. She no longer waited for Garrett to initiate every
move. Her tongue met his with enthusiasm, not trepidation.

Jade liked to touch — to
be
touched. The pleasure she
received from running her hands over his arms, his back, up his legs, was
obvious. Garrett loved when her breath quickened from simply exploring the
ridges of his stomach muscles.

All this was done fully clothed.

They were making progress. As long as he didn’t touch her
stomach, Jade let him put his hand under her shirt, cup her breast. That was
good, very good — for both of them. Feeling her nipple harden sent a shot of
desire through Garrett’s body. The catch in her breathing as he teased the
hardened tip. The way she whispered his name.

They were making progress. Slow and steady. Tonight he
wanted to take it all the way. That meant convincing Jade to remove her
clothing.

“I’ll take off my jeans and my panties,” Jade
said, her voice tightening. “Let me leave my shirt on.”

“Think about the feel of your bare breasts against my
chest,” Garrett cajoled gently. “Don’t you want to rub against me?
Picture it, Jade. Anticipate the sensation of our bare bodies, free of any
constraint, touching. The thought makes me so hard.”

Garrett felt Jade’s hand tracing the skin just above the
snap on his jeans. She never touched any lower. She flirted with the area,
driving him crazy. However, this time felt different. He held his breath,
hoping Jade would take her exploration lower. The breath rushed from Garrett’s
lungs when, with no preamble, she cupped his erection.

The denim between Jade’s hand and Garrett was a minor
barrier. The pressure, the light squeeze she gave, felt like a little slice of
heaven.

“You
are
hard.”

“Does that surprise you?” Garrett asked.
“Everything about you is a turn on, Jade.”