Obsession (Endurance) (13 page)

“And
look at you now.  You’re healed and so very lovely; the proud mama of a
darling daughter.  I love you, Ellie.  You are my greatest
accomplishment." 

“I
love you, Dad.  You know you can do everything right and something can
still go wrong.  It wasn’t your fault or the team’s – it was the fault of
those animals intent on hurting me.”  I cupped his cheek with my
palm.  “Thank you for always trying to so hard to make me happy and keep
me safe.  I may chafe at the restrictions but it doesn’t make me any less
grateful.” 

He
kissed my knuckles and wrapped his arm around me as we continued on to the
stables.

Watching
the proud profile I’d memorized as a toddler, I said, “I was so lucky to get
you as my father.  Thank you for loving me, Daddy.  I love you more
than you know.”  He squeezed my shoulder and touched his eyes again as the
golf cart entered the stable yard.

Cameron
jumped before the cart fully stopped and ran full out to my side.  “I’ve
been waiting, Ellie.  Gosh, I was afraid you wouldn’t
ever
ride
with me again.  Mom and Dad ride too slow.”  We waited for our
saddled horses, Sarafina nudging me with her nose in happiness. 

Her
colt wasn’t as wild but still prone to a good run.  Cameron scrambled up
on Lilith’s back with a huge grin.  “You’ll be so proud of me, Ellie. 
I’ve been practicing.”

I
pulled myself into the saddle and was startled when Jonas and Jordan led horses
from the stables and mounted to either side of Cameron and me.  They
appeared comfortable on horseback but they’d never ridden with me before. 
Bianca and Fiaaz were always my riding companions. 

They
each wore a shoulder holster with a matte black 9mm prominently
displayed.  I smiled and guided Sarafina out of the stable yard with a
wave to Cameron’s parents and my father. 

As
soon as we hit the open field, I turned my girl loose.  The feel of her
pounding rhythm was like a memory I’d forgotten.  I let her have her head
and trusted her as I always had.  Cameron was laughing beside me and I
could see Jonas and Jordan on either side of us. 

Half
an hour later we topped the ridge to the pond near the rear boundary wall,
dismounted and let the horses drink.  I was going to be sore as hell but
it would be worth it.  I’d missed riding so much.

Cameron
was so excited he could barely stand still.  We talked horses and he
caught me up on what was going on at school while I fixed my ponytail.  He
was a happy and intelligent child that I truly enjoyed spending time
with.  I wondered what Katie would be like at his age and looked forward
to outings like this with her. 

As
we laughingly mounted to head back, Jordan went still beside me.  “Jonas,
movement along the wall.  Ellie, Cameron, we’re moving
now
.” 

Without
further instruction, I leaned toward Cameron, “Stay low on your horse,
Cam.  We’re going back at top speed. 
Low
, do you
understand?” 

He
nodded, “Someone’s after you.  Happens to me, too.  Let’s go.” 
The boy came about and nudged Lilith’s sides sharply with his knees, letting
her speed build fast, I was right behind him angling my horse to block as much
of his small body as I could. 

Jordan
was beside me, a phone in his hand and barking orders.  I didn’t see
Jonas. 

We
entered the stable yard and the grooms guided us all the way into the covered stalls
before pulling us off our saddles and Jordan pushed us gently into the panic
room every building on the estate had.  This one was big enough for our
horses.  Neither of us would be allowed to leave the building until we
received an all-clear from the basement command center at the main house. 

I
tried to distract Cameron by having him brush down Lilith while I brushed
Sarafina.  We gave them apples and sugar cubes then filled their feed
bags. 

Jordan
never left my side.  His weapon was in his hand and pointed at the ground,
he was listening to updates in a small transmitter in his ear. 

From
the other stall, Cameron said, “It sucks to be worth so much money, doesn’t it,
Ellie?  People without a lot don’t realize we always have a target on our
backs.  Last year, when Dad took over that pharmaceutical company, Mom and
I got all kinds of threats.  All he ever wanted to do was publish good
books.  He can’t seem to help that he’s really good at making money. 
Our folks can’t stay off the damn Fortune 500 list.”  He paused and Ellie
watched him swallow hard.  “I hope you’ll still want to ride with me, play
video games, and stuff.”

She
put her hand on his shoulder.  “Cameron, I’ve been going through this for
as long as I can remember. 
Nothing
would make me not be your
friend.  Believe me, having a friend who understands the paranoia that is
part of every minute of my life is
very
comforting.”

“Do
they taste your food if you go out?” he asked quietly and the sad truth was he
was serious.

“Yeah…they
do and it doesn’t ever get easier to have your wings clipped, Cameron. 
But I’ll tell you a secret.  A lot of the frustration at having to be
protected all the time is lessened by the good you can do for a lot of people
who don’t have what we have.  Helping other people in need is what having
money is all about.  I take it seriously and I hope you will, too.”

Cameron
got really quiet.  He walked around Lilith to stand beside me. 
Clearing his throat he said, “Ellie, I know I’m young but I’m also really
smart.”  He asked, “When you were…hu…hurt so bad last year…Katie…she came
from that, didn’t she?”  I nodded with my heart in my throat. 

“I
thought so.  I think you’re amazing to have her.  She’s a good baby
and it wasn’t her fault.  I want you to know how much I think of you as a
role model.  You never quit, Ellie.  I’ll never tell anyone about
Katie but I respect you so much more for loving her like you do.”

“Th…thanks,
Cameron.”    

“And
I’m just saying, if she grows up like you, I call dibs on an arranged marriage. 
I’ll be ten years older and that isn’t so bad, do you think?  When she’s
in her twenties, I’ll probably still look good.  I’d take really great
care of her always.”

I
was so shocked I started to laugh.  “Cameron, the thought of you being my
son-in-law in twenty years makes me very happy.  I think of you as family
anyway.  And no, ten years age difference is nothing, men need the extra
time to grow up, so their brains match their bodies.”   

“Har,
har.  You are so
funny
, OMG.  Being an only child sucks ass,
Ellie.  The Hydes are lucky.  I wish to god I had a brother. 
Mom can’t, you know.  She tried but I think she lost a couple of babies
after me.  They ask me sometimes about adopting and I’d love it but they
worry I’ll miss having all their attention.”

“I’d
have
loved
sharing my parents’ attention.  I know exactly what you
mean.”  We leaned against the wall and sipped bottled water Jordan handed
us with a smile.  “Cameron, you’re
always
welcome here.  You
have to be the most well-grounded person I know with exception of my inner
circle.”

“Thanks,
Ellie.  If I was twenty years older, I’d sweep you off your feet.” 
Jordan valiantly stifled a sharp bark of laughter by pretending to sneeze,
unable to look directly at me.  Cameron grinned and gave a dramatic sigh.
 “As it is, I’ll wait for Katie.  She’ll be twenty soon enough. 
I have to sow my oats first, do all my manly growing up and whatnot.”

I
glanced at Jordan’s face and he was struggling with his laughter.  I had
no doubt teasing would result from all the others when they heard about this.

We
relaxed and chatted, trying not to think about why we were sitting in a panic
room.  A few minutes later we received the all-clear and my bodyguards as
well as Cameron’s escorted us to the main house.  Bianca’s first sentence
was, “I brought Katie and Robyn.  No worries, little mama.”  I let
out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. 

Robyn
brought me Katie and Cameron settled beside me.  “She’s going to be a
stunner.  Totally my future wife.”  At his parent’s shocked faces, he
promptly informed him of our deal and had all our folks smiling. 

“Katie,
you’ll find me annoying in your teens.  I’m going to hate all your friends
and likely harp if you don’t listen to your mom.  But one day, when you’re
about twenty, you’re going to take one look at me and swoon dramatically into
love with
yours truly
.”  Katie laughed at her future fiancé loudly
and Cameron grinned.  “Already you have the tools to wound me. 
Diabolical.” 

Jonas
came in a short while later and searched until his eyes landed on me.  He
visibly relaxed and gave me a smile.  “There was evidence of a car sitting
for a long time on the other side of the boundary wall.  Someone had a
ladder against the side, sat with a pair of binoculars.  A couple of gum
wrappers but no used gum.  Cigarette ash on top of the wall but no
butts.  We traced the tracks to the paved road a mile over.  Could of
gone any of three directions from there and we have cars fanning out.” 

Turning
to my dad, he added, “I’ve increased the patrols to every fifteen minutes and
we’re going to use the horses to cover more ground than we can on foot.” 
With a final nod to my parents, Jonas moved to stand behind me. 

Looking
down at Cameron, he said quietly, “Thank you for keeping a clear head. 
You helped us protect you and Ellie.”

“Thanks
for doing the protecting.”  The boy held out his hand like the young man
he was fast becoming and Jonas shook it with a sincere smile.

I
could tell my security team wanted me back within a perimeter they’d checked
and re-checked a hundred times.  Saying my goodbyes, I allowed myself to
be lead to the armored SUV out front and driven to my home.  The net
around me would be tighter for a few days until the threat was either
neutralized or dismissed. 

After
we’d all showered and changed, we met for dinner.  I said with a sigh, “It
could be a reporter.”

Jordan
and Jonas said together firmly, “No.  It wasn’t a reporter.”

I
tilted my head at them with a small frown, “How do you know?”  Neither man
looked happy about being asked and it could not have been more obvious that
they didn’t want to answer. 

Noting
my intensity, Jordan’s jaw was tight as he said, “We found the corner of a
condom wrapper and spermicide on the wall about where a man’s hips would be if
standing on a ladder.”

I
stared blankly at him for a long moment.  “What?  I…I don’t get it.”

Bianca
explained quietly, “The pervert climbed the ladder, leaning over the top with
binoculars, wrapped his tiny pecker in a condom to keep from leaving DNA, then
wanked off while watching you, Ellie.”  With a low hiss she added, “And
took all the evidence of said wanking with him.  The creepy son of a
bitch.”

“Wait…some…someone
was watching me and
masturbating
?”  Bianca nodded slowly. 
Everything in me recoiled in revulsion.  “So their goal isn’t
money
. 
Their goal isn’t anything but to
get
me, right?  That’s what we’re
dealing with.  Looking to…get me…to…” 

I
stood up from my chair so fast I knocked it over and I couldn’t breathe. 
It was the same motive as the men from last year.  We were dealing with a
man who just wanted to use my body; someone who wouldn’t care about taking
money to go away. 

I
saw the Hydes standing beside me and suddenly my memory was there.  Not
clear because I’d been dealt a major blow to the head.  Flashes, still
pictures, bits and pieces. 

And
oh my god
it was far more than I needed or wanted. 

While
I was semi-conscious they’d used my body brutally…in every way possible…laughing
at Jonas as he tore open his own flesh trying to get loose from the ropes and
chains that bound him in a position to watch what they did to me while he was
unable to protect me. 

Tears
streaming down his face behind the dirty rag they’d shoved in his mouth. 
His body had already been beaten bloody but he was no less desperate to get to
me. 

His
eyes locked with mine and I saw the rage he still had from that awful
day.  I was never so grateful for darkness in my life.   

There
was a soft light glowing on a table across the room.  The rest of my room
was dim and the house was silent.  I blinked several times to clear my
thoughts. 

Jonas’s
voice came from the side of the bed and I turned my face.  He was
kneeling, his hands clasped on the bed beside me as if he’d been praying. 
“I didn’t want you to remember, Ellie.  I hoped you
never
would.  I’m sorry I didn’t protect you.  So sorry I didn’t stop…stop
them.  Please forgive me, Ellie.”  His forehead dropped to the bed
and wracking sobs shook his large frame. 

I
turned to my side and cupped his hands in mine.  “Jonas.  Oh,
Jonas
,
there’s nothing to forgive you for.”  I stroked my hand through hair that
was so much softer than I thought it would be and I whispered, “Did you kill them
for me, Jonas?”  He lifted his damp face and met my eyes with a brutal
hardness that should have scared me but didn’t.  “Did you make them suffer
for me, Jonas?”