January (Calendar Girl #1) Anthology Anthology (167 page)

While Mason comforted me, I heard Rachel speaking. “Yes, she’s okay. Had a rough night. Who is this? Oh yeah, she was with you in Hawaii. Yeah, some Senator roughed her up, but she’s okay now. Excuse me? You’re going to what? Hello?”

“Oh no. Who was that on the phone?” I called out to Rachel.

She held the phone and looked at the screen. “It says Sexy Samoan.”

I closed my eyes and groaned. “Did you just tell Tai that I was in the hospital because a Senator hurt me?” I asked, my voice tight as a pair of size six jeans on my more than size eight booty.

“Was that a bad thing?” she smiled in that kind way that was purely Rachel. She had no idea the shit storm she’d just unleashed. I held out my hand for the phone. Once she placed it into my palm, contemplating how to call off my big Samoan bad ass when the buzzing increased, making me feel dizzy and on the edge of vomiting. Figuring I could call Tai later, I turned it off.

“No more answering my phone. No good will come of it.”

Her eyebrows narrowed. “Why?”

“Doesn’t matter, I’ll take care of it.” I closed my eyes, not able to keep them open any longer.

I was forced awake four more times through the night to keep watch on the concussion I’d suffered. I finally awoke on my own to a much larger hand holding mine. One was wrapped around my neck, the thumb firmly planted on my pulse point, and the other engulfed my smaller one. I smelled him before I saw him. The intermingling of fire, wood, and the ocean gave me an incredible sense of peace. I didn’t even have to open my eyes because I knew what I’d see.

“I can feel you, girlie.” His thumb moved along the pulse point on my neck. “Open those pretty eyes for me,” Tai’s rumbling voice soothed every racked nerve I had. Tears accompanied my first look in three weeks at my sexy Samoan. His black eyes were fierce and blazing with barely controlled rage. “No one would tell me his name. Who put his hands on you uninvited?” He spoke in a sadistically quiet voice. It wasn’t something I wasn’t used to with Tai Niko. When he spoke, everyone heard him. He was a big guy and that timbre carried.

I inhaled slowly and winced as the pain rippled along my back and head. If possible, his gaze turned even blacker. Squeezing his hand, I tried to express what I couldn’t through words. He closed his eyes leaned forward and kissed me softly. “No one hurts my
‘aiga
. My family.” He hit his chest like a mighty ape. There was that word again. “Family.”

“Tai, what time is it? Did you get on a plane right after our call?”

He nodded curtly and I tilted my head down in shame. All these wonderful men, caring for me taking care of me. It was a lot to take in. On top of the hell I’d experienced last night.

“I want you to come to Hawaii with me. Amy and I will take care of you.
Tina
will be thrilled to mother you.”
Tina
was the Samoan word for mother.

“You know I can’t do that, Tai. I have to work.” I held my temples and squeezed. “This is going to be a shitstorm for the press. Fuck, what am I going to do? The Shipleys are huge, and Warren…oh, my god, his son.” Tears poured down my face, and I covered my eyes.

“Warren is going to make sure his son is properly punished for his actions,” came the booming voice of Warren Shipley himself. “Sweet girl…” he said, his voice filled with emotion as he walked to the side of my bed, Kathleen hot on his heels, though her hand covered her own mouth as she cried silently. “I’m sorry for what Aaron did. We’d have been here sooner but were detained by the police and the media frenzy. It’s all my fault.”

I attempted to clear my voice of the emotions clogging them but it didn’t work. “No, Warren, that was all him.”

“I knew he was unstable when he drank. That’s why he rarely did. In the past, he had a drinking problem and became violent when he was under the influence, but I thought that was behind him. Until, of course, the moment after I told him that Kathleen and I were an item. Then it was like something snapped in him.”

“Something’s definitely about to snap in him,” Tai growled from his spot next to me.

Warren’s eyes flicked to Tai and then roamed his form up and up as he stood. An astonished expression stole across Warren’s face. That happened a lot around Tai. He was as unusually large and imposing, as he was fine as fuck. “Friend of yours, I gather?”

Tai tapped his chest in a highly alpha move. “Family.”

I smiled and patted Tai’s hand, tugging his forearm, forcing him to sit once more. He sat quietly, focused solely on me as if the other people in the room were insignificant gnats, annoying by their mere existence. God, I loved Tai.

“Well, as apologetic as I am, we’re prepared to pay for all your medical bills, provide you with the best possible aftercare and any dollar amount you deem appropriate for your time and suffering. As much as I hate that this happened, and I do, Mia, more than you could ever know,” he croaked, frowning deeply, the wrinkles in his face never having been more prevalent than they were now. “I have to think of the lives of all the people that I’m working to save. If this gets out about what happened, not only is it political suicide for my son, my project, but also the lives we planned to save…” He shook his head and lowered it in shame, unable to continue.

“Jesus Christ. They want you to sweep this under the rug. Because of a politician?” Tai’s voice trembled as he spoke. “Girlie, that is
not
okay. Justice must be served—” he started, but I cut him off.

“Tai, there’s more at stake than you know. And I’ll explain it to you. Later. When we’re alone, I promise.” My gaze caught his and I was silently begging him to listen and cool his jets. His mouth tightened and an eyebrow rose, but he stayed silent and held my hand a little tighter. Then on a deep inhalation and a slow exhalation, I said the words I would never in a million years picture me saying.

I was giving a prospective rapist a get-out-of-jail-free card. It took everything I had in me to think of all the men, women, and children in countries all over the world who would never have the modern medicine that we had in the States. Without the help from Warren’s project, they would never receive that help. He’d lose every single investor, especially Mr. Benoit, if the truth was made public. On the other end of the spectrum, the press wouldn’t have to dig too deep to find out who hired me and why. It would negatively affect more lives than just the Shipleys or my own but also the lives of Aunt Millie, Wes, Alec, Tony, Hector, Mason, the D’Amico’s who hired me last month for the swimsuit campaign, Tai and anyone else related to them.

Mind made up, I laid it out for Warren in the only way I could find some semblance of sanity and still look myself in the face tomorrow. “Warren, I won’t say anything and I won’t press charges, but I do have some demands.” Warren held my other hand and nodded. Kathleen continued to cry.

Slowly, I dished out the things I felt were fair. “He will go into rehab for his drinking. I don’t care if it’s a private, no-name place and he takes a leave of absence due to a family emergency. Make some shit up. Whatever it is, he needs help. He’ll also need anger management sessions with a qualified professional.”

“Done,” he answered without hesitation.

“And I want a hand-written letter saying that he will get that help, signed by him, with the original given to me. The letter will state he will do these things or I will take this to the press regardless of whether or not any statute of limitation may be in play on pressing charges passes. I will share that letter with the press detailing his commitment to get help. Do you understand?”

Warren tipped his head and kissed the top of my hand. “Mia…I’m sorry. Sweet girl, I’m so sorry. Thank you, thank you for being kind.”

“One last thing…the money.”

“Anything you want it’s yours. Millions, whatever.”

I choked on that. He was willing to give me millions of dollars to keep his son out of trouble and save his project. Then again, when a person had the kind of money Warren Shipley had, millions were probably a drop in the bucket. It made me sick to think he’d try to buy me off, but I knew his heart. His only goal was to help me, ease the pain in any way he could. Money was the normal way for someone who was raised with a silver spoon in his mouth.

“Not a dime. I will not take a cent. There will be no settlement or hush money exchanged. I’m not a whore; I’m a woman that he defiled. He should be going to jail for what he did to me, Warren, but because of you, and what you’re trying to do to help the world, the less fortunate, I’m backing down. I’m going against everything I believe in to make sure that nothing happens to stop this program moving forward. Don’t make me regret it.”

A couple of tears rolled down his face, and he rubbed them away hastily. I patted his cheek, and his eyes said he understood. That he knew exactly where I was coming from, what I was sacrificing, and that he’d respect the severity of it. He moved to take his leave. Kathleen folded me in her arms in that motherly way I adored and cried all over my shirt, while clutching me tightly. My back burned at the raw spots. Stoically, like a warrior fresh from battle, I gritted my teeth and hugged her through the pain. She needed it as much as I did.

***

For the few days after my release, I stayed in New York being pampered by Mason, Tai, Rachel, and Kathleen. Warren kept his distance though he sent me flowers twice a day. It took all of those days for Mason and Tai to get over their anger. Interestingly enough, the two of them hit it off famously, joking like old buddies, ribbing one another about sports teams, and the differences between the mainland and the islands.

Eventually, I talked Tai into going back home to his family and his girlfriend. Amy was incredibly supportive, sending me texts and funny messages to lift my spirits. She was a kind soul and I loved that Tai had her waiting at home.

On the last day with Tai, we sat on the balcony of the Four Seasons enjoying the view.

“Pretty amazing, huh?” I gestured with my foot to the view of the New York skyline.

Tai shrugged. “I prefer the expansive ocean and palm trees to massive structures and lights, but I can appreciate the appeal for some. Too busy, too crazy, too much of everything for me.” I took in what he said. Too much of everything. Boy, was he right about that.

I adjusted my foot, crossing one ankle over the other. Tai’s gaze zeroed in on my completely healed tattoo. He smiled so wide this time, and it wasn’t his normal sexy grin, it was a full blown all teeth and gums smile. His giant hand covered my ankle and pulled it into his lap. I swiveled on my chair so he could inspect it.

“Trust the journey, eh?” his eyes went from studying the words to mine.

“Yep.”

His finger traced the lettering and then the dandelion, and each petal with the small letter inscribed. His thumb stopped over the small T in one of the petals. The heat from that one digit burned into my skin and traveled up my leg to land in the place that was very familiar with Tai. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure my pussy has written “Ode to Tai” poems and love letters wishing he’d come back since I’d left him. Tai, on the other hand, did not have that same passion in his gaze he’d once had. I figured that look was now owned by a pixie of a blonde waiting for him back in Hawaii.

“What do these letters mean?” He asked.

I thought about playing it cool and saying ‘what letters’ but Tai had never lied or given me anything but the truth, and I’d treat him with the same respect.

Bringing my foot up closer, I pointed at each letter. “These correspond to a man that affected my life in a manner I want to remember. It reminds me that each experience was meant to be, and that for a time, I felt truly loved.” Tears pricked at my eyes, but I sucked in a breath, held them back, and swallowed noisily.

Tai traced the single T. “For me?”

Unable to speak, the moment filling me with such emotion I simply nodded. Tai leaned down and kissed the letter. “I like that, girlie; a piece of me is with you always.”

With that, I leaned to my left and kissed the single tattoo on the ball of his right shoulder, the one that meant friendship in Samoan. The one he got to represent me and our time together. He patted my head as I leaned against him. “You have to go home,” I reminded him.

“Much is there for me,” he said soundly.

“I know. I love you, Tai. Thank you for coming.”

“Never doubt that you’re loved, girlie. Family is what you make it, and I’ll always be there for you.”

Tai left that night. Took the first flight he could back to Oahu. With it, he took another piece of my heart and solidified the belief that he really would be there if I needed him.

***

I spent the next few days in Boston with Mason and Rachel. Mason acted like I’d just survived the plague and needed to be doted on as if I was completely broken. I wasn’t, but I totally took advantage anyway. Being with Mason and seeing his brothers and baseball buds again was great. And once again, it proved the reach of these men in my life. I had people. Many people I could count on in a situation. Ones that would lift me up, protect me, fight for me, and most of all, love me.

As I packed my bag, I found my stationery and notepad. I wasn’t with Warren and Kathleen but decided they deserved something to commemorate our time. I found an envelope in the desk drawer and scrawled the address to the McMansion on the front. I didn’t really have a return address because I wasn’t at the studio apartment in California so I simply wrote Mia Saunders on the back fold.

Warren & Kathleen,

I’m sorry for how things ended. I know that you’d never wish what happened to me onto anyone, and I do not blame you. Thank you for sending me the details about Aaron’s rehabilitation. Hearing he’s getting help makes what happened somehow a bit easier to deal with. My fondest wish is that he finds the peace he needs.

Christine Benoit told me that the first shipment of goods to the UK was planned for next month. Thrilled does not begin to express my happiness over hearing the news. Knowing that so many deserving people are going to get the help they need to live long and happy lives makes it all worth it.