The Spellbinder (17 page)

“You’re right.” Gino’s deep laugh boomed out. “I want to
feel
you die.” He began to come toward her.

She lifted the gun in her hand and pointed it at him, trying desperately to stop it from wobbling.

The next few moments were a jumble of wild impressions: Gino’s arm drawing back to hurl the knife. Levine’s shout as he and his men rushed into the room. Brody’s cry of rage and panic. A shot tearing through the room. Gino’s look of surprise as he fell to his knees and slumped over. Had she shot him?

Then she was falling, the shining beige tile of the floor rising up to meet her. “Brody!” Was Brody all right? She couldn’t see him in the darkness. “Brody, where are you?”

She heard a low sob as strong arms closed around her. Then she heard nothing at all as the darkness deepened into unconsciousness.

Cass Radison was sitting in the chair beside the bed and smiling down at her.

Cass? Something was wrong. Cass wasn’t supposed to be here in Malibu. He had returned to his own apartment in Los Angeles. Sacha shook her head to clear it of the fuzziness clouding her thinking.

“It’s all right.” Cass leaned forward and spoke quickly. “Everything’s fine. Just relax, Sacha.”

Relax. That was what Brody had told her after she had found out he had put the sedative in her coffee. Brody! She sat bolt upright in bed. “Gino! Is Brody all right?”

“Brody’s fine,” Cass said soothingly. “And you weren’t hurt either. Brody stopped Gino before he could throw the knife.”

She lifted a shaking hand to push back her
hair. “I was going to shoot him but the gun was too heavy.”

“Brody shot him.”

Her gaze met Cass’s. “Is Gino dead?”

Cass shook his head. “No. But he won’t be out of the hospital for quite a while, and after that he’ll face a damn long prison sentence. Randal uncovered a rather nasty murder Gino Amanti was connected with about fifteen years ago.”

“I see.” Gino was out of her life. How strange it felt. Free, but strange. She couldn’t quite comprehend it. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Almost twelve hours. Brody asked me to stay with you to explain everything and go over the arrangements.”

“Arrangements?”

He nodded as he took out a small notebook and flicked it open. “He wants you to stay here as long as you like, and I’m to invite Benoit to be his guest here too. In case you wish to return to Paris, he owns a villa just outside the city, and the same arrangement could exist there. There will be a generous monthly allowance, of course, but he has a good deal of influence in this city, and he thinks he could pull certain strings to help your career. Harris will stay with you as long as you need him and—”

“Stop!” She held up her hand. Her head was whirling with confusion. “What are you talking about? I can’t take any of these things.”

“He was very specific,” Cass said gently. “He wants to make sure you’re safe—and happy. He
said to tell you that he wants you
happy
, not content, whatever that means to the two of you. Something about rockets going off and a ‘shining.’ ”

“Why are you telling me all this?” she whispered. “Why doesn’t Brody tell me himself?”

Cass hesitated. “He’s not here, Sacha.”

Pain. White-hot agonizing pain. “Where is he?”

“He just left in a taxi for the airport. He’s on the four o’clock flight on TWA to New York.”

“He’s going so he can do the play,” she said numbly.

“I’m not sure,” Cass said. “He just told me he was going to New York, and that I should make sure you were well taken care of.”

“Just like that? Without waiting to say good-bye or letting me thank him for all he’s done for me?”

“You can’t say he didn’t think about you. These are very generous arrangements.”

“Oh, yes, very generous.” Her hands clenched on the coverlet. “Did he actually think I’d accept his fine ‘arrangements’?”

He pulled a face. “It’s my job to make sure you do.”

“Then you’re not going to succeed at your job,” she said shakily. “He can take his arrangements and—” Her voice broke, and she took a deep quivering breath. “Why? Why would he leave without seeing me?”

“I don’t know, Sacha. He’s a complicated man, and he can be pretty inscrutable when he wants to be.” He paused. “But don’t think it was easy for
him. I know Brody well enough to realize he was hurting.”

“Hurting!” Her eyes were suddenly blazing. “Well, I’m sorry he’s hurting, but I’m hurting too.” She threw the coverlet aside and swung her feet to the floor. “And I deserve better than this. At least he should have let me say good-bye. He shot a man for my sake, he set me free, and now he just walks away without even giving me a chance to thank him.” She glanced at the clock on the bedside table. One fifteen. There was still time. She jumped to her feet and walked quickly toward the bathroom. “Tell Harris I’ll want the car in fifteen minutes.”

“Where are you going?”

“The airport. How can I find him there?”

“He’ll probably be in the VIP Lounge, but—”

The bathroom door slammed shut behind her.

Sacha threw open the paneled teak door of the VIP Lounge and strode into the deep carpeted luxury of the room.

A pretty uniformed woman sitting at an elegant desk by the door gave Sacha’s shabby, jean-clad figure one swift glance and rose hastily to her feet. “I’m sorry, but these are private rooms, and I’m afraid—”

“Hush,” Sacha said impatiently, her gaze traveling swiftly around the tastefully decorated lounge. “I will not be here long.”

“But this is a—”

Sacha stopped listening as she caught sight of Brody across the room standing looking out of a large picture window. His back was turned to her but there was no mistaking that lithe muscular grace of his. She started toward him, swiftly covering the distance separating them.

The receptionist raised her voice. “You have to have special permission. You can’t—”

“Watch me.” Sacha didn’t spare the woman another glance. “Brody!”

She saw Brody stiffen as her voice carried to him. He turned slowly to confront her. His face was pale, shuttered, as his brilliant blue gaze flicked over her. “Hello, Sacha. I hoped to avoid this.”

She stopped before him. “I know you did, but I’m not going to let you do it.” She tilted back her head to look him in the eyes. “I’m angry with you. You hurt me very much.”

He flinched. “I did more than hurt you. I almost got you killed. I guess I’m better at pretense than real life. I thought you’d want to see the back of me.”

“Nonsense. You thought no such thing. You were afraid I’d treat you to a tearful scene and embarrass you. You should have known I wouldn’t do that.” Her lips were trembling. “But I had to say good-bye.” She held out her hand. “Thank you for freeing me from Gino and being so patient with my foolishness when I thought you were my—” Her voice was becoming shaky, and she had to stop for a moment before she could go on. “Good-bye, Brody.”

Brody’s eyes were glittering as he took her hand. “Dear God, how I wish you hadn’t come here.”

“I will go away soon.”

His hand tightened on hers. “Sacha …”

“You’ll be magnificent in the play.”

“I’m not sure I’m going to do it. I just wanted to—”

“Get away from me?” Her lips tightened with pain. “You know I wouldn’t bother you.”

“Bother me?” He laughed huskily. “When have you ever done anything else? You’ve turned my life upside down. I don’t even know who I am anymore.”

“You are a fine man and a great actor.” She pulled her hand away. She had to get away from here before she exploded with pain. “Have a good life, Brody.” She turned and started to walk away from him.

“Take care of yourself, Sacha,” Brody called softly after her. Then, in a tone scarcely above a whisper. “I love you.”

She stopped, frozen in place. “What did you say?”

Brody didn’t answer.

She whirled to face him. No words were necessary; it was there in his face. “You love me,” she said clearly. “And you’re doing something as stupid as
leaving
me?” She strode back toward him. “I cannot believe you’d be so idiotic. Perhaps I don’t understand you. Perhaps you love me as a friend. Like I love Louis.”

“Yes, I love you as a friend.”

Her gaze searched his face. “Bah, you lie, Brody. You love me as I love you.” Her face was suddenly illuminated with joy as she swept into his arms and hugged him with all her strength. “You love my body and my soul and what we are together and apart. You love
me.
”

Brody’s arms closed around her, and he buried his face in her hair. “Sacha, don’t do this to me. I’m trying to do the right thing. Do you know how hard it was to leave you? You know how selfish I am. I wanted to reach out and hold on forever. But you don’t need me. You’re young and bright, and every day is the start of a new adventure for you. You can find someone else who can share those adventures.”

She stepped back. “But I want to share those adventures with you.”

“I’m selfish and self-centered and insecure. I’m probably even a little neurotic; most actors are. You don’t want to spend your life with someone like me.”

“Yes, I do. Even neurotic actors need love.” She laughed. “And I need you, Brody.”

He frowned. “I’ve made sure you’re secure. You don’t need anyone.”

“Then why did I feel as if you’d stabbed me to the heart when Cass told me you had gone? Why am I so happy now I want to dance on tables and hug that silly girl at the reception desk? I love you and you love me, and we’re going to have a wonderful life together. Trust me.”

He shook his head. “I’m not right for you.” His
expression turned somber. “And someday you’ll find that out and leave me. I don’t think that I could take that, Sacha.”

She gazed at him, an expression of loving exasperation on her face. Why couldn’t he believe in himself as much as she did in him? “Brody Devlin, you—” She framed his face in her two hands. “Listen to me. I’m not ever going to leave you. Why should I? You’re loving, gentle, sexy. You’re my brother and friend, King Arthur and Lancelot. I know all your faults and I accept them, just as you must accept mine. We’ll try to correct our faults, but even if we don’t, the love will still be there.”

He bent his head to kiss her lingeringly. “I do love you, Sacha,” he whispered. “I shouldn’t let you do this, but I don’t think I can ever let you go. I’d die if you left me now. You’ve made me come alive. You called me a spellbinder, but you’re the one who has the magic.”

“Then why do you doubt that I can perform this paltry little trick?” Her eyes twinkled up at him. “It should be very simple. Poof. Abracadabra. Henceforth Brody and Sacha will be joined together for the rest of their lives. There. It is done.”

Brody chuckled, his face alight with joy and tenderness as he looked down into her eyes. “And they lived happily ever after.”

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