Everything She Wanted (13 page)

“The ­people who come here are beaten down in body and mind. Their bodies heal, but
it takes a long time to build back the mind and a person’s sense of worth. Little achievements—­”

“Like shoving you into a wall.”

Kate smirked. “Yes. Those small victories change the way you think about yourself. You’re not stupid, or worthless, or unlovable.”

“I’m sorry if you ever felt that way, Kate. It kills me that anyone could ever make you think those terrible things.” Ben cupped
her face and kissed her again with a tenderness that brought tears to her eyes. “You are smart.” He kissed her forehead. “You are kind.” He kissed her cheek. “You have a beautiful heart.” He kissed her other cheek. “You are lovable.” He kissed her on the lips, taking the kiss deep, sliding his tongue along hers. “I missed you today.” He kissed her again to show her how much.

She tried not
to read too much into the comment about her being lovable. She got that he liked her and wanted more than friendship between them. She wanted the same. She loved the dinners they shared these last two days, the easy way they talked about their day, their past, and hints about what they wanted in the future.

Her hands fisted in his suit jacket and pulled him close. She rose up on her toes and
pressed her body to the length of his. Each day, every kiss brought her closer to him, until she dreaded his absence and anxiously awaited his return.

Someone cleared their throat behind them. Ben placed his lips on hers in one last searing kiss, then hugged her close with his head pressed to the side of hers. He dipped his lips to her ear and whispered, “You make it so damn hard to remember
why I’m here.”

“This little one is hungry,” Jill said to get their attention.

Kate reluctantly released her grip on Ben’s suit jacket and smoothed her hands over the wrinkled material. “Sorry.”

“I’m not.” His smile and the heat in his eyes fanned the flames of desire licking across her nerves.

She stared at his chest, resisting the urge to pull him back in for another sultry kiss.
“This is so not like me.”

Ben touched his finger to her chin and made her raise her gaze to meet his. “This is who you are with me.” Ben eyed her for a long moment, making her take that simple statement into her heart.

Is this who she wanted to be?
Someone who can’t take a breath without thinking of a man. Well, not just any man. Him. It had never been like this for her. The thought of
pulling away, taking more time to think about what being with him meant to her life, left her cold. She liked spending time with him. He made her laugh. He made her think. She glanced down at Margo’s engagement ring. He made her believe in dreams.

Ben walked over to Jill and scooped Alex up with his hands under Alex’s arms. He raised Alex up into the air over his head. “Hey, buddy, how was
your day?”

Alex smiled and squealed with delight. Ben brought him down and held him close to his chest. Jill silently left them alone. Kate stared at Ben with Alex safe and secure in his strong arms. He leaned down and planted a kiss on Alex’s head, took his hand, and held it with his big one.

Kate’s heart swelled and filled with so much warmth it spread to every dark corner and lit it
up with joy. A voice inside her called her a fool for ever thinking about giving Ben up and not at least trying to build something with him. Good guys like him didn’t come along often.

Ben caught her staring. “Are you okay?”

Unable to put her intense feelings into words, she closed the distance between them and walked right into his open arm. He held her close with Alex in his other arm.
She buried her face in his chest and inhaled his spicy, woodsy scent. She held Ben and Alex close, feeling something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Lucky. Blessed to have both of them in her life. Now all she had to do was hold on to them.

Ben kissed the top of her head. She looked up at him, but he stared down into Alex’s smiling face. “Should we tell your mommy our good news?”

“What
good news?” After everything that happened these last days that had her hiding out at Haven House, she needed some good news.

“I got a call this afternoon from the clinic. This”—­Ben hugged Alex close—­“is Alex Faraday.”

“Donald is his father.” The relief that washed through her made her sigh.

“One hundred percent. The clinic didn’t make a mistake.”

“But the lab report Donald had
in his papers. They never put through the adoption with the courts.”

“You said Margo saw you struggling to let Alex go. Maybe they wanted to wait and give you time to really decide. As much as Margo wanted Alex, she loved you and wouldn’t want to make you miserable the rest of your life.”

The words rang true, but she had a hard time believing that after everything they’d been through to
have Alex, Margo would give him back.

“Is it so hard to believe that after you did this amazing thing for Margo that she wouldn’t do something that selfless and amazing for you?”

Kate had to admit the truth. “No. I hate that she died thinking I’d take him away from her.”

“I don’t think she thought that at all. I think you two would have come to an arrangement. Shared custody. When
she married Donald, Margo would have been Alex’s stepmother. If she couldn’t have a child of her own, maybe that was enough for her. Alex is a piece of the two ­people she loved the most.”

That sweet sentiment hit her right in the heart. “You always know the right thing to say.”

“It’s simple when it’s the truth. Stop beating yourself up over this.”

“So, this is why you came so early.”

“In addition to wanting to see the two of you, yes.”

She liked that he included Alex. In fact, he never seemed to mind that it was always the three of them. Of course, it had only been a ­couple of days. That might change over time.

“I also came to pick you up. Detective Raynott has some information. He asked us to come down to the police station so he can fill us in.”

“Did they
arrest Evan?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

Alex began to cry. Ben touched her back to move her toward the door. “Where are we going?”

“To get this one a bottle before we go.”

She followed Ben into the kitchen. He didn’t hesitate to go to the counter, pour some water into the mug, and set it in the microwave to heat the water. He grabbed the can and dumped three scoops of formula into the
bottle. The microwave dinged. Ben grabbed the mug and poured the water into the bottle. He twisted on the nipple and stirred the bottle around and around to mix the milk, but not add a bunch of air bubbles. Alex fussed, sucking on his fingers, fat tears trailing down his chubby cheeks. Ben used his pinky to move Alex’s hand and stuffed the bottle into his mouth. Alex settled comfortably into Ben’s
arm and sucked away, staring up at him with nothing but love and gratitude, like, “Hey man, thanks for helping a guy out.”

The silly thought made her grin.

Ben glanced at her on the other side of the counter, his eyes narrowing when he caught her staring at him in fascination. “What?”

“You.”

“What about me?”

“How do you know how to do that?”

“I read the instructions Margo
left at your place. It’s no big deal.”

She held his gaze. “Yes, it is to me.”

One side of Ben’s mouth tilted down. “I really need to step up my game if you think my feeding Alex is impressive.”

“I don’t know, you seem to be scoring a lot of points just for being you.”

He swayed side-­to-­side with Alex in his arm. “I’m not trying to score points, Kate.”

“Which makes the sweet
things you do all the more appealing.”

“How about after we see the detective, you and I go out for dinner?”

“I can’t leave Alex.”

“Who said anything about leaving him? You met Elizabeth a ­couple days ago. We’ll go to Decadence. She’d love to see this one again and you.”

“She works at Decadence. It’s one of the best restaurants in the city. The desserts are legendary.”

“She
owns the place. She’ll stuff you full of treats, I promise.”

“You don’t have to do this.”

“I want to take you to dinner and spend more time with you. I hate leaving you here each night.”

“Ben, this is all so . . .”

“New. Different. Exactly what I want. It’s a date, Kate. We’ll set aside everything that’s going on, eat a meal together, and get to know each other better. There will
be chocolate.”

“How do you know I’m a sucker for chocolate?”

“Never met a woman who wasn’t. I don’t want to meet the one who isn’t. That’s just not natural.”

“You’re teasing me.”

“Bribing is more accurate.”

She laughed. She couldn’t help herself. It made it all seem so easy. Maybe it should be. At least with the right person.

“Okay, dinner.”

Ben’s smile made her insides
flutter. She felt like a silly schoolgirl, unable to control her reaction to the popular boy paying attention to her. But Ben was no boy. The way he looked at her, all that intensity and smoldering heat in his dark eyes, drew her in and made her want to leap into the flames of desire licking at her insides.

“The promise of chocolate took it over the top, right?”

“No, it’s just you. The
chocolate is a bonus.”

Yep, that smile might make her do anything he asked . . . and enjoy every second of it.

“Come on, let’s go. I want to hear what Detective Raynott has to say about the case.”

Ben grabbed a dish towel from a drawer, draped it over his shoulder, and put Alex up against him and patted his back. Alex cooed and patted Ben’s shoulder with his hands, then let out a huge
burp.

“That’s my man,” Ben said, rubbing his hand over Alex’s back in gentle circles.

Kate used the towel to wipe the spit-­up from Alex’s mouth. When had the numbness inside disappeared? That warm, comfortable feeling that came over her every time she was with Ben washed over her. Impulse and need made her wrap her arms around Ben. She pressed her face to Alex’s side and Ben’s shoulder
and hugged them close. She glanced up at Ben, hoping he saw all the things she had no words for in her eyes. “Thanks.”

He reached over, threaded his fingers through her hair, and held her head. “Anything for you, Kate.”

“Evan on a platter,” she suggested.

“I’m working on it.”

He’d keep working on it. He’d never stop. For her.

She squeezed him tighter, holding on, thanking him
for all he’d done and was trying to do, loving him for sticking by her side and taking care of her. Love? Wait. When did she ever use that word? With her sister and Alex, yes, but never a man. Was that the warm glow pulsing in her chest? Maybe.

Chapter Fourteen

B
EN PARKED THE
car in the police station parking lot, but didn’t make a move to get out. He held Kate’s hand in his, their fingers linked. She stared out the window, lost in her own thoughts. Quiet. He wondered what she was thinking and how she really felt about him.

She responded to his touch and the kisses they shared with a warmth and openness he’d rarely
felt from a woman. When they lost themselves in a kiss, it was all he could do not to drag her to the floor and make love to her. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted a woman and the waiting was killing him. As much as he felt he knew her, from past encounters and especially these last few days, this was all new. He needed to take his time. She needed time to grieve, figure out the next steps
in her life, and decide if what she felt for him now went beyond the need for compassion and companionship during this difficult time. It went deeper. For him. But did she feel the same way?

She smoothed her free hand down her leg and over the black slacks for the fifth time in ten minutes.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I didn’t pack very many clothes when you moved me to Haven House. I
. . . Do you think this is okay to go to dinner at Decadence?”

“It’s perfect.”

“It’s just, I’d have liked to wear a dress, something pretty. For you,” she whispered, her words filled with a shyness he’d never heard from her.

“Kate, while I’d love to strip you out of those tight black pants you wore to work out in, and see those stunning legs in a dress, that’s all for my selfish enjoyment.
I really don’t care what you wear. You’re always the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

Her lips pressed together. She didn’t look at him, but stared at her lap. “I don’t think anyone has ever said I’m beautiful.”

“Maybe they never said it, but it’s what they thought. Anyone with eyes can see how pretty you are. Anyone who’s ever spoken to you knows that beauty goes deep. You hide it
well, but I see how deep you feel things every time you look at me.”

Her head snapped around, her eyes went wide, and she stared at him. “You can’t know that.”

“I think you feel things so deeply you try to hide it so you don’t have to feel it, but it’s there. It’s always there, isn’t it, Kate? Whether it’s your work, your sister’s death, Alex—­you take it all in and want to make it right
and perfect. You work really hard to be everything to everyone. With me, you want something for yourself. It’s okay to take it. Accept it. It doesn’t mean you aren’t still working to make things right for Margo and Donald and providing for Alex.”

“I want this to be over. I want to bury them with a clear conscience that the person responsible paid for what he’s done. I want to love and raise
Alex and know he’ll have a happy life. I want . . .”

“What?”

She met his gaze. “To have dinner with you. And more.”

He brought their joined hands to his mouth and kissed the back of hers. “Let’s go take care of this so we can enjoy the rest of our evening together.”

Kate released him and got out of the car. He got out and went to the backseat to retrieve Alex, who smiled up at
him. The little guy was really growing on him. He actually liked spending time holding and feeding him. His initial nervousness and awkward moves with the kid dissipated. The way the kid looked at him, so trusting and open, touched something deep inside of Ben. He’d never really thought of himself as a father. Not when he’d had the father-­fuck-­up-­of-­the-­year for a dad. He needed to stop looking
at his life through that lens and picture himself as the man he’d become and how he’d be as a husband and father. The picture didn’t seem complete or worthwhile without picturing Kate and Alex with him. Maybe that’s the picture Morgan saw. He didn’t know, but he liked the one in his head. He liked the way taking care of them made him feel.

“Ben.”

God, that sultry voice did something to
him.

He turned to face her with Alex in his arms. “Hey.”

“Are you okay?”

“Fine. Just getting my buddy out. Let’s go.”

“I’ll take him.” She held out her hands for him to hand over Alex.

Ben kept Alex in one arm and wrapped the other around Kate’s waist as he turned her to the door. “I’ve got him.”
I hope I’ve got you too.

Detective Raynott spotted them when they entered
the building. He waved them over to his desk. “Figures you’d get the girl. Why did I even call you?”

Ben smiled, ignoring the detective’s remarks for Kate’s sake. “What do you have to tell us?”

“Is the woman with Evan in that office Christina Faraday?” Kate asked, her gaze locked on the two ­people sitting behind the glass windows past all the cubicles.

“They arrived about fifteen
minutes ago. They’re talking to my boss with their lawyer,” Detective Raynott explained.

“Did you get the warrant for a DNA sample from Evan?” Ben asked.

“No. Thanks to the lab results from the knife and kitchen floor, I won’t get a warrant for him at all.”

“What do you mean?” Kate asked.

“The blood is not a familial match to Donald Faraday. It can’t be Evan’s blood.”

“Are
you saying that Evan didn’t kill my sister and Donald?” Kate asked, shaking her head in denial.

“That’s what it looks like.”

“He may not have done it, but he was there,” Ben said. “I saw the guilt and remorse same as you when we went to the Faraday house.”

“I don’t know what to say. I really thought we had him,” the detective admitted.

“If it’s not a familial match, then maybe
Christina Faraday is the one who got stabbed,” Kate suggested. “They were in on it together. Both of them were at the house. Evan shot them, but Christina confronted Margo and her blood is on the knife and floor.”

“If that’s what happened, it’s going to be an uphill battle to prove it. We have nothing that links her to the scene. I can’t get a warrant for her DNA without something to tie her
to the murders. Yes, she’s got motive, but that’s not enough to compel a judge to sign a warrant.”

“They’re still covering for each other, is that it?” Ben asked.

“Lawyered up and sticking to their lame story. They’ve got too much to lose to slip up.”

“Someone’s been trying to break into Haven House to get to Kate,” Ben pointed out. “That’s anything but smart.”

“No, it’s not, but
Evan has a temper. Let’s hope it lands him in more trouble, but not too much.” Detective Raynott eyed Kate, knowing Evan probably wanted her dead and out of the way, so the Faradays controlled Donald’s estate and Alex’s inheritance.

“There’s something you need to know. Once Evan and Christina find out about it, it will make them even more dangerous.”

“Here they come,” Kate warned, touching
Ben’s arm to get his attention.

“It’s Kate Morrison, right?” Christina said, stepping close. Too close to Kate for Ben’s liking.

“That’s right.”

“It’s terrible what happened to my husband and your sister.”

“Yes, it is.” Kate bit out the words like each one tasted bitter.

“Donald’s funeral is tomorrow at noon. Family and close friends. Although the circumstances of Donald’s
death are unseemly, I’d like his son Alex there.”

“Murder is unseemly?”

“Their affair, dear. I mean, I want Alex there, but I don’t want to flaunt my husband’s indiscretion.”

“Really? Which of your boy toys will be by your side? You never minded flaunting your affairs right under your husband’s nose. I’d think Donald’s friends would want to know that Donald died happy with the woman
he loved in the home he shared with her and their son. I think they’d all like to know he asked you for a divorce the very day he died. I bet they all come to the same conclusion I did when I found them lying dead on the floor.”

“You don’t know anything about my marriage and the terrible way he treated me.”

And the Oscar goes to Christina Faraday.
Ben didn’t believe the sheen of tears
in her eyes. From the scoff Kate huffed out, neither did she. Evan stood beside his mother looking bored, though his gaze never left Kate’s beautiful face, pissing Ben off.

“Donald and I were friends. He loved my sister. He was happy with her. Happier than he’d ever been he told me too many times to count. You stole that from him. From my sister. I won’t let you steal everything he left behind
too.”

“I’m his wife. I have rights.” Christina shot her lawyer a look.

“Miss Morrison, I’m the Faradays’ attorney, Daniel Cagney.”

“I know who you are, Mr. Cagney,” Ben interrupted. “Donald Faraday fired you two months ago. I believe the termination letter stated he was tired of you sleeping with his wife while representing him.”

Kate shot him a sideways glance. “Really? Wow, you
do get around.”

“Shut up, bitch,” Christina fired back.

Kate opened her mouth to shout back, but Ben interrupted again. “What does your client want?” he asked Mr. Cagney.

The man pulled a large envelope from his briefcase and handed it to Kate. She pulled out the papers. He read over her shoulder.

“You want custody of Alex,” she scoffed, then let out a fake laugh. “Never going
to happen.”

“Mrs. Faraday feels that Mr. Faraday’s son should be raised with his brother.”

“His brother is twenty-­five and not about to spend his time playing with a baby when he’d much rather be out drinking himself stupid and getting into fights.” Kate smiled insincerely at Evan with nothing short of revulsion filling her eyes.

“Alex should be with his immediate family. That includes
his brother, Evan,” Christina chimed in.

“No, Alex should be with his mother,” Ben shot back.

“His mother is dead,” Christina spat out.

“No, she’s not. Kate is Alex’s mother.”

“She’s his aunt,” Mr. Cagney pointed out. “Just because her sister died, doesn’t make her custodian over Alex.”

“No, but the fact Kate gave birth to him does.” Ben smiled when Christina, Evan, and Mr.
Cagney exchanged confused looks. “You really should get your facts straight before you start filing papers with the courts about custody. Kate and Donald are the biological parents of Alex Faraday. Alex was conceived by artificial insemination because Margo was unable to conceive and carry a child. Kate loved her sister very much and had Alex for them.”

“Then she gave up her rights to the
child when she turned the child over to Donald and Margo to raise,” Mr. Cagney pointed out.

“No, she didn’t. She never signed her rights away. Donald had the papers drawn up, but they were never filed with the courts. Margo never officially adopted Alex.”

“This can’t be,” Christina said. “She can’t gain control of Alex’s inheritance.”

“She can and she will,” Ben said, handing Alex
over to Kate. Alex fussed and cried, feeling everyone’s upset.

Kate bounced Alex and he settled against her shoulder, his face pressed against her neck.

“No judge will side with you and take Alex from his mother.” Ben hoped this would be the end of it. Should have known better.

“Alex isn’t even named in the will,” Christina said in a desperate attempt to hold on to the upper hand.

“You mean the will your lover Mr. Cagney drew up years ago?” Ben asked. “No, Alex isn’t named in that will, but he is in the will Donald set up nearly a year ago after Alex was conceived and updated weeks before his death. Your prenup is in place. Donald filed for divorce and served you the papers. We will go to a judge and ask him to uphold both the prenup and Donald’s will.”

“I want to
see this new will. You can’t do this. I’m still his wife.”

“He made his wishes perfectly clear the day he died. He didn’t want to be married to you anymore. He invoked his right to execute the prenup. His new will has been in place long before he asked you for a divorce. His estate goes to Alex.”

“No way. He may have left my mother out of it, but Alex and I will share it, right?” Evan
asked, speaking up for the first time.

“He set up a trust fund for you with a set amount of money.”

Evan’s hands fisted at his sides. “How much?”

“One million. You are unable to touch the principle. You’ll receive a monthly income from the investments on a quarterly basis. Upon your death, the money goes to Alex in full.”

“That little brat gets my money.” Evan took a menacing step
forward.

Ben stepped in front of Kate and Alex and planted his hand on Evan’s chest. Evan didn’t step back, but glared down at Ben’s hand, then back at him.

“Get your hand off me.”

“Back off.”

Ben waited the ten seconds it took Evan to decide that throwing a punch in the middle of a police station might not be a good idea. Detective Raynott stood close, eyes trained on Evan, waiting
for him to be that stupid.

“Those were your father’s wishes. I will work with Donald’s new lawyer to see that the will is upheld.”

“We’ll fight it,” Christina vowed.

“Try it and Evan gets nothing.”

“What about the business?”

“That will depend on what a judge decides about the prenup and the divorce Donald asked for but didn’t live to see through. Alex is his sole heir for the
bulk of his estate. Kate is Alex’s mother and guardian, so she will be in charge.”

“No fucking way.” Evan shook his head, his eyes filled with hate and disgust.

“Did you really think you’d get away with this?” Ben asked, meaning the murders and trying to take everything Donald left behind. He shook his head. “You did all of this for nothing. Had Donald lived, he might have softened his
stance and paid you off to keep you away from the family he really wanted to be with and protect. Now he’s gone and Kate and I will do everything possible to see that Donald’s last wishes are carried out and Alex gets everything his father left him.”

“I will see that you pay for killing my sister,” Kate vowed, staring down both Evan and Christina.

“I’m sure you’ve heard. We had nothing
to do with their murders,” Christina said. “The blood on the knife isn’t a match to Evan. You’ll stop accusing him of this heinous crime.” Christina turned to Detective Raynott. “Maybe now you’ll start looking for the real killer.”