Lucky Break (23 page)

Frightened she'd go off the deep end and leave Lauren alone with a gun-wielding Brody, Lauren started for the nightstand. All the while, she hoped enough time had passed that Jason would begin to wonder where she was and come inside to look.

“She'd better not be wasting our time,” Brody said, pacing on the other side of the room.

“I'm not. There's a fake drawer in here.” Somehow Lauren maintained her composure. “What's so important about the diary?” she asked her sister while she struggled to release the compartment with unsteady hands. Maybe if she kept asking questions, she'd kill more time.

“Diamonds. There are diamonds buried somewhere in this house and I think the diary holds the key to where they're located,” Beth said. “Hurry.”

“That's why you sent Brody to vandalize this place and knock holes in the walls?” The pieces of the puzzle finally made sense, Lauren thought.

“Exactly.”

Lauren rose, diary in hand. “I've read it from cover to cover. Most of it's not legible, and what is won't reveal anything.”

“That's for me to judge. I'm Mary. I'm one of the chosen,” her sister explained to Lauren as if she were talking to a child. “Now hand it over.”

Brody waved the gun in a silent threat.

Knowing she had no choice, Lauren extended her hand, intending to give the book to her sister….

 

J
ASON HAD GIVEN HER
enough time. He'd even dialed her cell, hoping the ring—if she had it on loud and not silent or vibrate—would help her find the lost phone. She hadn't answered.

He yawned just as Trouble appeared, leaping onto the warm hood of the car and staring at Jason intently. Damn cat unnerved him sometimes.

The cat. Jason clearly remembered he and Lauren had left the cat
inside
the house when they'd left the first time. He'd watched Lauren go in for her keys and Trouble had not run out the front door.

Yet here he was now.

Watching.

Staring.

Yawning.

His gut churned uncomfortably, and he didn't know why. So he was going inside.

 

L
AUREN KNEW
Jason would show up soon. All she had to do was bide her time. And hope that Brody didn't turn the gun on Jason when he arrived.

She shuddered at the thought and kept her focus shifting between Brody, who stood near the
bedroom door, and Beth, who was immersed in reading the diary.

“Well?” Brody voiced the question on Lauren's mind. “Anything in there that'll lead us to the diamonds? We have to get the hell out of here fast.”

Beth shook her head in frustration. “So much of it is ruined, but on the same page it mentions the curse it mentions an offering—in the
heart
of the house.”

Lauren knew better than to remind her sister she'd already told her as much.

Beth glanced up, a dazed look in her eyes. “Think,
think,
” she said, pounding her hand against her head.

“I say we take whatever money she's got on her and get away while the getting's good.” Brody leveled his gun at Lauren's heart.

Panic washed over Lauren. She looked beyond Brody toward the door and caught sight of Jason standing there. His eyes locked with hers, conveying all his strength in that one look before he backed out of view once more.

“Well? She's no good to us anyway,” Brody muttered.

Suddenly, Beth shrieked at Brody. “You won't threaten my sister again!” She dropped the diary and grabbed the poker beside the fireplace, stunning both Lauren and Brody.

Before either could react, Beth brought the metal down on Brody's head, the poker connecting with his skull. A sickening crack reverberated through the room and Brody fell to the floor.

Nauseated and stunned, Lauren stared at her sister. A stranger she didn't know and probably never had.

“I warned him to leave you alone,” Beth said in a monotone voice.

Lauren swallowed hard. If this was how Beth looked after her, Lauren wanted none of it. She spotted the gun lying next to Brody and started for the weapon.

“No!”

Beth barked out her command and Lauren froze.

Slowly, Lauren straightened, her hands spread out in front of her. “Relax,” she said to her sister. “See? I'm not moving.”

“But I am.” Taking advantage of the chaos, Jason chose that moment to silently make his entrance. He couldn't get near the gun, but he bolted across the room and grabbed the diary, the one thing Beth desperately wanted.

With a shriek, Beth raised the poker over her head, her gaze narrowed on Jason, who visibly braced himself.

For the blow?

Or to take Beth down?

Lauren knew he could probably handle Beth. He outweighed and outmuscled her, but Lauren didn't want either one of them hurt.

“Beth, don't!”

At the sound of Lauren's voice, Beth paused. “Why not?” she asked, as if it were a reasonable question. “He's standing in the way of everything. And besides, he's a
Corwin.”

“Because I love him!” Lauren yelled without thinking, her sole focus on stopping her sister.

Her words had the opposite effect. Beth screamed as if she'd been attacked and ran for Jason, poker in hand.

Acting on instinct, Lauren dove for her sister's legs, knocking her down. The poker fell to the floor at the same time Jason took the diary and tossed it into the barely burning embers in the fireplace.

“No!” Beth scrambled to her knees, grabbed the poker and managed to drag the book out, but it was too late.

The journal had caught fire and Beth had jerked her arm back too hard. The book went flying at the old draperies.

Lauren watched in horror as the entire valance and hanging drapes went up in flames.

“The diary!” Beth wailed, and started crawling toward the fire.

“Don't move!” Jason said, approaching Beth, gun in hand.

Lauren had been so consumed by the scene in front of her, she hadn't seen him go for the weapon. Neither had Beth, apparently, and even now, her focus was on the diary, which had already burned.

“Let's get out of here,” Jason said, warily watching the flames and Beth. “Lauren, go!”

She hesitated, not wanting to leave them, then ran for the doorway. At the same time sirens sounded. She paused and glanced back.

“I called the police,” Jason said. “Get going!” He wrapped his hand around Beth's arm and began to drag her out of the room, kicking and screaming about losing the diary and the diamonds.

She was so hysterical, he needed all his strength to remove her from the burning room.

The one thing he didn't need was the gun.

D
ÉJÀ VU
,
Jason thought as the fire department worked to put out the quickly spreading fire inside the house. Outside, the police had taken over. Lauren and Jason were led to the ambulance to be checked by paramedics, for which Jason was grateful. He didn't want Lauren to have to watch her sister's ravings any longer than necessary.

They cleared him first and asked him to leave while they checked Lauren. He started to argue, but she waved him away. “I'll be fine.”

From the pained look in her eyes, he doubted
fine
would happen anytime soon, but he gave her the space she needed because he could use some, too.

When he'd seen Lauren with a gun held to her chest, he thought he'd pass out right there. Fury had ripped through him along with frustrating impotence because there was nothing he could do. Any impulsive move could have cost her life. Since he'd already called the police, he'd waited for his opportunity.

Lauren had obviously waited for hers, as well. He couldn't be more proud of her. She'd stunned him on many levels, not the least of which was her strength—of character, of body and of heart.

It was her heart that scared him most of all. A classic case of be careful what you wish for—the woman he loved also loved him back. And she'd gone on to prove it, tackling her sister in an effort to save him.

Love.

At one time he'd thought it was enough. The Perkins-Corwin differences hadn't bothered him. His family's negative feelings about Lauren and her sister had never mattered to him. Not even the Corwin Curse had been an issue. Lauren wasn't her sister or her grandmother. They might share the same genes but she was her own unique person—giving, warm and special.

And therein lay the problem. She deserved a man who was her equal. Once upon a time he would have believed he was that man. Now when he looked in the mirror, he saw a man adrift and without goals. After the highs of competitive snowboarding, merely earning a living in his contracting business wasn't enough. Neither was living off Lauren's money and future successes.

He needed to redefine his own goals and dreams. Only then could he give Lauren what she deserved.

 

L
AUREN PUSHED DOWN
her sleeve and reached for her coat. Her blood pressure was fine considering the ordeal she'd just been through. She didn't need oxygen. They'd escaped the fire in time. And though her cheek was sore from where Brody had slapped her, she had no other physical scars.

The emotional ones were another story.

Her sister was certifiably insane. Crazy. Why hadn't Lauren seen it before? Why had she insisted on believing the best of a woman who had already demonstrated violent tendencies? At least she knew the answer. Because they were related by blood and someone had to believe in Beth if she were going to get better.

But what had Lauren's Pollyanna attitude gotten her? She had no money left in her bank account, her beloved car belonged to a beautiful model in New York, and she had been finally and irrevocably disillusioned by the remaining family member she'd tried to have faith in.

She took little consolation in the notion that in Beth's twisted mind, she'd believed she was protecting Lauren. They were family. But when she
looked at the devastating consequences, it didn't seem enough anymore.

“You're good to go, Ms. Perkins,” the paramedic said.

Lauren nodded. “Thanks.”

She stepped to the edge of the ambulance. Outside, reality awaited her. The burning house, police interrogation and prying eyes.

She drew a deep breath and stepped into the cold night air. It had been too much to hope she wouldn't have to face anyone. The entire Corwin clan had gathered around Jason.

With her house surrounded by police and firemen, she had nowhere to go in order to escape.

“Lauren, there you are!” Clara's voice sounded first as she broke through the crowd and headed Lauren's way.

Her red wool coat stood out from the rest of the group in dark jackets and she ran to Lauren, pulling her into a warm embrace.

At the motherly hug, tears Lauren hadn't known she was holding back began to flow.

“There, there,” Clara said, sensing the extent of her turmoil. Clara patted Lauren on the back, comforting her in a way she'd never experienced.

She couldn't even remember her own parents hugging her when she was upset. They subscribed
to the
pick yourself up and get back on the horse
theory. At the memory, Lauren's tears fell harder as the events of the night came back to her all over again.

“Honey, do you want to come back to my house?” Clara asked.

Lauren stepped back, dabbing her damp eyes on her sleeve and probably smearing what was left of her makeup. “Thanks for the offer but I don't think Edward would appreciate my company.” She forced a smile.

“You might have a point, but he's getting there,” Clara said, reassuring her.

Lauren glanced around. “Is he here with the rest of the family?”

Clara shook her head. To the other woman's credit, she didn't try to explain away or excuse his absence.

Lauren didn't want Clara to feel badly so she pulled herself together, standing up straighter.

Amber and Gabrielle swarmed her next, greeting Lauren with warm hugs.

“I'm so glad you're okay,” Gabrielle said, looking her over.

“Why aren't you at your book signing?” Lauren asked.

Gabrielle shook her head. “We heard about
the fire and turned right around! Family's more important.”

“She's right,” Amber said. “We came to make sure you and Jason were okay.” She peered at Lauren. “You
are
okay, right?”

“Other than the smeared makeup, I'm fine. Just a little shaky.” Lauren forced another smile, comforted by the outpouring of support offered by these women.

The men joined their wives, checking on Lauren's welfare and expressing their sympathy about the house before stepping away, leaving her with breathing room and time to think.

“Did you happen to hear what happened to…the accomplice?” Lauren asked them.

She hadn't had a chance to find out if Brody Pittman had survived the fire.

“I heard the firemen rescued a man who was unconscious but breathing—they took him to the hospital,” Amber said.

“And they think he'll survive,” Derek added.

“Don't stress yourself out about it, okay?” This from Mike, the cop cousin.

Lauren nodded. “Thanks.”

To her relief, they'd let her avoid the subject of her sister and her role in the fire, and for that Lauren was grateful. She'd never accept or under
stand her sister's actions. Nothing was worth hurting other people, especially not money or power. Or diamonds. All she could see in her sister's eyes was greed. And that made Lauren sad.

She glanced at Jason's family, grateful they'd let the topic go. She lacked the will to defend Beth, and she definitely didn't have any reserve energy to cope with Perkins bashing.

Which was too bad, since Thomas started to walk toward them. Lauren looked around for Jason. He stood at the end of the driveway talking to the police who'd remained after her sister had been taken away.

She steeled herself to face the older Corwin man alone.

“Lauren, I'm so glad you're okay,” Thomas said.

“Thank you,” she said to Jason's father.

“I heard it was quite an ordeal,” he said diplomatically.

She nodded. “At least no one was badly hurt.”

Reaching out, he pulled her into a brief hug and released her just as quickly, leaving her speechless.

Pleased, but speechless.

“Thomas!” Hank Corwin rushed up to them. “I heard the cops say that they'll push for maximum security for the Perkins broad this time!” There was glee in his voice.

Nausea rose in Lauren's throat. Before she could stand up for herself and inform Hank of how inappropriate and thoughtless his comments were, the rest of his family surrounded him.

Gabrielle and Derek, Amber and Mike, and Thomas faced him. “Shut up!” they all said at the same time.

Hank looked confused. “I was just telling you what I heard.”

“Just think before you speak,” Thomas said. “She may be simply a Perkins to you, but she's Lauren's sister and you're hurting her every time you open that big mouth!”

Lauren's own mouth opened but she couldn't manage a word. She wanted to thank Jason's father, but she was stunned and suddenly too exhausted to even stand.

Almost miraculously Jason appeared. He came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist, supporting her at a time when she needed it most.

 

J
ASON TUCKED
Lauren into his bed back home, in the barn behind his uncle's house. She'd managed to shrug off her coat, kick off her shoes, and shed her pants and top before crawling into bed and passing out.

He undressed and climbed in beside her, pulling
her warm body close to his. Cocooned like this, he could almost forget the rest of the world existed. And for the remainder of the night, that's exactly what he did. Attuned to her every movement, he slept when Lauren slept, awoke when she tossed and turned, and basically kept an eye on her all night long.

The next morning arrived too soon. To Jason, sunrise brought with it the beginning of the end.

As the sun peeked between the blinds, Lauren rolled over, propped on one arm. “Hi.”

“Hi, yourself.” He reached over and brushed a few strands of hair from her cheek, revealing a crease mark in her skin. “Sleep well?” he asked.

“All things considered, I guess so.” She seemed to pause in thought and he waited, letting her take the lead. She'd talk about whatever subject she was ready to tackle. He wouldn't push.

“It's over,” she said at last.

His stomach plummeted. Even knowing what was to come didn't make the blow any easier.

“I don't have anything left to put into the house,” she said, elaborating further.

Obviously his mind had been elsewhere and he scrambled to catch up with her conversation and ignore his rapidly beating heart.

“Before you jump to any big decisions, we
don't know the extent of last night's damage or whether insurance would cover another incident. You might get lucky.”

Lauren drew a deep breath and shook her head. “You don't understand. I'm finished. Done. I can't deal with the house anymore and frankly I don't want to. Besides, at this point the chances of me completing the project to buyer's specifications on time are slim to none.”

He wanted to argue, if for no other reason than to lift her mood and give her hope, but in his heart he knew she was right. “What will you do?”

“I haven't had time to think, but my gut tells me to just cut my losses and sell it as is. Hopefully someone will want a fixer-upper,” she said.

“Smart.”

She'd come to the only conclusion she could. From a business and monetary standpoint, the damage from the first fire had been extensive enough to put her deadline in jeopardy. Last night's fire had merely compounded the cost and time involved, bringing her to the breaking point. And most importantly, from an emotional perspective, Lauren was obviously drained.

“Despite everything, I meant what I said last night.” Lauren's voice softened as she changed the subject. Her beautiful eyes focused on him.

There was no mistaking what she meant.

“I love you, Jason.” She said the words anyway.

His heart swelled and broke at the same time.

They were the words he'd wanted to hear and she deserved to know he felt the same. “I love you, too.”

She reached for him and he came over her, his lips settling on hers, kissing her deeply, knowing in his heart they'd never have this moment again.

He paused only to grab a condom in the nightstand. Then they connected and he savored every moment, holding her, joining his body with hers.

They loved each other. And for this brief time, it was enough.

 

A
N HOUR LATER
, Lauren had showered and met Jason in his kitchen for breakfast. He'd run out for coffee and doughnuts. Since they'd never eaten dinner last night, she was starving.

Although she was emotionally drained, her body still tingled from making love with Jason. And that's what they'd done. For the first time they'd made love with no emotional barriers between them. She'd felt it in every fiber of her being. Felt
him
.

Just as she felt his regard on her now. “What?” she asked, focusing on his steady stare.

“I was just wondering what's got you so distracted?”