Say You Need Me (9 page)

“Change?” she asked, though the coy expression on her
face and the sexy tone of her voice said she expected him to say no.

The tip would work out to about four hundred percent, way more than necessary, but Darrell said, “No, that’s okay. You keep it.”

“Thanks, Cecil.”

Mimi stuffed the money in her apron, sticking her chest out as she did. Serena was certain the move was deliberate, and her heart filled with joy when Darrell didn’t seem to notice.

“I’ll see you another time,” Darrell told her. Stepping toward Serena, he placed a hand between her shoulder blades. Serena felt a moment of power. She might never be invited to the playboy mansion, but she had Darrell’s attention, and that made her feel like a million bucks.

His hand still on her back, Darrell started toward the doors that led to the restaurant’s interior.

“Uh, sweetie.” Mimi quickly blocked their path.

Suddenly feeling proprietary, Serena gaped at Mimi, showing her displeasure. The woman was way too bold for her liking.

“What?” Darrell asked.

“I’d take the back way out if I were you.” She gestured to a set of stairs beyond the pool.

Darrell flashed Mimi a puzzled look. “Why?”

Mimi replied, “Tamara, honey. Didn’t you see her?”

“No.”

“Well, lucky for you, I did. She’s sitting at the inside bar, honey, shooting daggers at you with her eyes.”

Darrell’s gaze went in the direction Mimi pointed.
A voluptuous brunette who looked to be of Hispanic heritage sat at the inside bar, one long leg crossed over the other, her fingers wrapped tightly around a tall glass.

If looks could kill…

Darrell gulped. The last thing he needed was another slap in the face. Or a bullet in the back.

“Thanks for the heads up, Mimi.”

“No problem. Don’t be a stranger, now.”

When Mimi was out of earshot, Darrell said, “Let’s get out of here.”

“Maybe you should talk to her,” Serena suggested.

If Tamara had gripped the glass any harder, it would probably have shattered. “I don’t think so,” Darrell replied.

“Isn’t that what you want?” Serena protested as Darrell
guided her in the opposite direction. “To find people who know your brother and ask them questions?”

“What exactly do you think she’ll be able to tell me?”

Glancing over her shoulder at the woman, Serena shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Exactly. She’s no doubt another one of my brother’s casualties, and right now, I don’t want a matching welt on my other cheek.”

That shut Serena up. She let Darrell lead her past the pool to the set of stairs at the back of the restaurant. Darrell took a quick look around as they began to descend.

“Is she following us?” Serena asked.

“I don’t see her,” Darrell replied. “Thank God.”

Mimi. Tamara. Where on earth did his brother find the time to date all these women, anyway? And how had he not gotten into more serious trouble before now?

Once again, Darrell thought of just how different he and his brother were. Darrell liked a beautiful woman just like any other guy, but he preferred one at a time. But mostly, he preferred what his own parents never had: true love. However, he’d met and dated enough women to know that that ideal was fictional.

And when he’d learned that Jessica, his last girlfriend, had actually loved his bank account more than him, he’d been turned off the idea of relationships altogether.

It was never a smart idea to play with people’s emotions, to lead them on instead of being straight with them. These days, people were more prone to get violent than turn the other cheek. Which made Darrell wonder if trying to find his brother was a smart idea. Serena and Tamara were only two of the angry women Cecil had left
behind. How many more would Darrell encounter—and how would he survive their wrath when he did? And trying to pass himself off as Cecil…He felt like an idiot. Cecil had always been good at playing games. Darrell hadn’t.

Darrell and Serena walked through the back end of the parking lot and found the Viper. Seconds later, they were settled in the car.

“How do we get to the interstate?” Darrell asked.

“Turn left out of the parking lot.”

Darrell did, merging into traffic. “All right. Left at this light?”

“Yep.”

Serena’s tone sounded clipped. Or maybe Darrell was simply paranoid. But he suddenly felt responsible for everything Cecil had done wrong. At least when they were younger, Darrell had been able to make things right for the most part. When Cecil had broken Mrs. Fletcher’s window with a rock, Darrell had paid to replace it. When Cecil had shoplifted from the local variety store, Darrell had returned the items to the owner and had convinced him not to call the police. Back then, Darrell had known what Cecil had been up to, even if he didn’t agree with it. Now, even if he’d wanted to right all Cecil’s wrongs, Darrell wouldn’t know where to start.

“Something wrong?” Darrell finally asked, when he glanced at Serena and saw a sour expression on her face.

“No.”

“Tell me.” He knew that look. It was a look he’d received from his father on more occasions than he cared to count, one that said, “Why can’t you keep your no-good brother out of trouble?”

“I’m just thinking.”

“Thinking what?”

Serena shrugged. “I guess I’m wondering how many times you and your brother have tricked women.” She looked at him. “You know, you pretend to be Cecil, he pretends to be you.”

“Oh, for crying out loud,” Darrell exclaimed. “I told you once and I’m not going to tell you again. I am
not
Cecil.”

“You got right into the role of playing him…”

“Because I’m trying to find him! Not that it worked, by the way. Hell, games are Cecil’s forte, not mine.” Darrell paused, then said, “We can forget this whole arrangement. Us working together. Yeah, I think that’s the best thing.”

“As if I’d trust you to contact me when you find Cecil,” Serena retorted.

Darrell’s eyes flew to hers. “Is that what this is about? You wanting to tag along with me?”

“I’m certainly not here for your charm! And keep your eyes on the road.”

“Okay. Let me turn around and head back to the condo. You can get your car and be on your merry way.”

“And kiss my property good-bye? I don’t think so.”

“I don’t even know if my brother took anything from you. All I have is your word.”

Serena gaped at Darrell, but he didn’t look at her. “Now I’m a liar?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“But you meant it. Hell, you can’t even look at me.”

“I’m looking at the road,” Darrell said sarcastically.

“Why would I slap you, thinking you were Cecil, if he didn’t take a dime from me?”

“Because you’re crazy.”

Serena let out a startled gasp. “Why are you doing this?”

“How do I get back to the condo?”

“Once we’re off the causeway, you can go south, then turn around.”

“Good.”

Silence fell between them, heavy and stifling. Why the hell were they fighting, Serena wondered. And if they were fighting, she couldn’t help wondering if Darrell was right. They’d barely been with each other half a day and already they were getting on each other’s nerves.

Yet she said, “I’m sorry.”

Darrell didn’t respond.

“I didn’t mean that remark about not trusting you.” For whatever reason, she knew in her heart that she could trust him. “I’m stressed, wondering if I’ll get the necklace back or if Cecil has already hawked it to pay the mortgage at his luxurious condo.”

“All my life, I’ve had to deal with people who thought I was Cecil, or expected me to be as bad as him because I’m his twin. It’s like they judge me without taking the time to get to know me.”

“I didn’t mean to do that.”

“Maybe that’s why I always wanted to right all his wrongs. To prove to everyone that I
was
better than Cecil. But how long can I do this? This is nuts.”

Serena was aware that Darrell had stopped talking to her and was talking to himself. She really didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing.

“Darrell, watch out!” Serena suddenly shouted when a van veered into their lane.

Darrell hit the brakes. “Damn, I didn’t even see him.”

Serena glared at the driver as he passed them. “God, I hate the drivers down here. Are they this bad in Orlando?”

“I think they’re bad everywhere.”

“The problem here is that everyone is from somewhere else, so we get the whole country’s bad drivers.” Serena groaned. “Anyway, hug the left. You’ll be taking I-95 south.”

“This is the way to Coconut Grove, right?”

A faint smile touched her lips with the realization that Darrell still wanted her to go with him. “Yeah. Yeah, it is.”

Darrell hit his turn signal and entered the left lane. But after a moment, he veered back to the right.

Serena’s gaze flew to him. “What are you doing? You have to stay left.”

“There’s someone on my tail.” Darrell stared in the rearview mirror. “What’s this idiot doing? I just moved over, buddy.”

“What?” Serena glanced over her shoulder.

“This guy’s right on my tail.”

Serena stared at the gold-colored Ford Explorer behind them. If the driver had wanted to pass them, surely he or she could have done that already. Instead, the driver continued to ride their tail.

The Explorer had tinted windows, making it impossible for them to view the driver. She looked ahead in time to see that they were about to miss the ramp to the I-95 south. “Darrell, our exit.”

Darrell tried to swing left, but he couldn’t do so without cutting off another car. “Why the hell is this guy on my bumper?”

“I’ll try and get the plate.”

“Hold on.”

Darrell put the car into fifth gear and accelerated. The Viper picked up speed instantly. Deftly, Darrell zipped in and out of traffic, hoping to lose the guy.

Serena gripped the edges of the seat for dear life. After what seemed like hours, though it was less than a minute, Serena glanced over her shoulder again. “I don’t see it.”

“Did I cut that guy off or something?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Then what was his problem?”

“I’m telling you, the drivers down here are psycho.”

Darrell blew out a ragged breath and continued to drive. “What should I do now?”

“Well, we can continue along this expressway and then go south to the Grove.”

“All right. Tell me where and when.”

Darrell continued to drive, more cautious now of other drivers. He kept looking in the rearview mirror for the Explorer, but didn’t see it. After a few minutes, he relaxed.

“The store I was going to open,” Serena began, “it was in the Grove. It was a great little store. Perfect location.”

“I’m sorry.”

Darrell sounded weary, and Serena turned to him. “I’m not telling you that for you to feel bad. I guess I was thinking out loud.”

Darrell glanced in the rearview mirror and felt a moment of panic. Was that the same Ford Explorer gaining on them to their left?

No, it couldn’t be.

“What?” Serena asked, sensing something was wrong.

His gaze flickered between the road ahead and the rearview mirror. “It kinda looks like that SUV.”

Serena whipped around. “God, I think you may be right.”

Darrell glanced backward to see that the Explorer was now only a car’s length behind their vehicle. With each second, it got closer and closer.

Darrell hit his turn signal and moved to the far right lane.

The Explorer did a sudden jerky move to the right across three lanes of traffic.

“Oh, shit,” Darrell mumbled.

“What?” Serena cried.

“This asshole’s still on my tail.”

Serena’s body lunged forward, and she screamed. It took only a second to realize that their car had been hit.

“Son of a bitch!” The Viper veered to the right, and Darrell spun the steering wheel to the left before the car plowed into the guardrail.

“What is going on?” Serena asked.

“I don’t—”

Serena’s scream pierced the air as the Explorer rammed them from behind.

Again, Darrell sped up. Again, the Explorer gave chase. Darrell shoved the car into fifth gear and slipped to the left. When the Explorer did the same, Darrell cursed. “This car’s got a lot of power…If there wasn’t all this traffic…”

“Why not pull over?” Serena’s voice was shaky.

“I would if—
hold on!
”

The Explorer pulled up to their right. Darrell saw it coming and stepped on the gas, but he wasn’t quick enough to avoid the hit.

Serena gripped the edge of the door while shifting her body to the left. “Oh, God. Darrell…”

Darrell spun the steering wheel to avoid ramming the car to his left, but he spun it too far around to the right, and the Viper did a three hundred and sixty-degree turn to the right across two lanes of traffic. Darrell slammed on the brakes, and the car skidded onto the shoulder, then onto the grass. The wheels kicked up grass and dirt as the car did a final turn, then came to a stop just feet before plunging into the bordering canal.

Serena’s scream reverberated in the small car. Darrell watched as the sports utility vehicle disappeared along the expressway.

“Oh my God, oh my God,” Serena repeated, her chest heaving as she sucked in air.

Darrell turned to her. “Are you okay?”

Whimpering, she managed a nod.

Darrell reached for her face and palmed it, offering the only comfort he knew how. Then he glanced ahead at the water, the realization of how close they’d come to possible death hitting him like a kick in the gut. A long breath oozed out of him, and he dropped his head forward to the steering wheel. What the hell had just happened?

A second later, a car pulled up alongside them.

“Darrell…” Serena’s voice held fear.

Once again, Darrell reached for Serena’s face, cupping her chin. She met and held his gaze. “It’s okay, Serena. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

She managed a jerky nod, then turned to the left and hit the button to lower the window.

“You guys all right?” the older black man asked.

“A little shaken up,” Darrell replied, “but we’re okay.”

The man said, “I tried to get that guy’s plate, but he drove by so fast. I can call the police for you if you like. I have one of those cell phones.”

“Yeah, please,” Darrell told the man.

As the older man made the call, Darrell turned to Serena once again. She was trembling.

“Come here.” He removed his seatbelt and leaned across the seat. Serena gave a soft cry and went into his arms.

For a long while, Darrell held her. Her soft body quivered against his, and he tightened his arms around her.

“You sure you’re okay?” Darrell asked, pulling back. He ran his hands over her hair, then framed her face.

Serena nodded jerkily. Then, sucking in a sharp breath, she closed her eyes and threw her arms around Darrell’s neck. “Oh God, Darrell. Just hold me.”

He folded her into his arms again and held her tight. He didn’t let her go even when the good Samaritan returned and announced that the police were on the way.

Darrell angled his head and thanked the man, then watched him head back to his car. All the while, he continued to hold Serena. He felt a measure of comfort when the pace of her breathing slowed from its erratic pattern. Even then, he didn’t release her, enjoying the feel of her cheek pressed against his chest, the feel of her soft body in his arms.

God, it had been so long since he’d held a woman in such an embrace. And it felt good to be needed, to know that his touch gave her comfort.