Chapter Twenty-Seven
Sitting at her office desk, Ella traced the signatures on the copy of the signed house contract. Fifteen days. Fifteen days and it won’t be mine anymore.
The doorbell chimed.
Tired of waiting at the restaurant for me, Troy?
“I’ll be right out,” she shouted. She closed her laptop and shoved the document into her purse. A quick discussion about increasing production with Troy, and she’d be off to Cade’s for the Jackson family dinner she’d avoided while Sammy and Garrett were out of town on a work assignment. Eight weeks of postponements—the family dinner Pappy insisted on having, the wedding Colleen cried daily about not having, the decision to choose between Garrett and Derek or Cade she hadn’t made. I love and need all of them.
She walked to the door and pulled up the top of the pink bustier Cade bought her for the main family event. The thing kept slipping down. Her breasts had gotten bigger, her belly had gotten bigger, and her hips had expanded too. Eating revolved around everything her men did—sex, exercise, movies, cars. Damn, they ate all the time, and I am eating bite for bite with them. I’ve got to slow down and lose some weight.
She opened the door, ready to talk business.
“Troy, I…” Shit. “Felicity.” Her cheeks twitched. Her jaw clenched as she curled the corners of her lips into a tense smile. Calm the crazy woman down.
The woman’s eyes darted from the untouched display to the office to the massage rooms to the laundry room. The two part-time massage therapists she’d hired were already gone for the day.
With her hands open and her purse tucked to her side, Ella walked forward. “Can I help you with something?”
Wearing a black, business pantsuit and running shoes, the pretty brunette in her late forties stood in place near the display closest to the massage room on the right.
“No.” Felicity’s fingers traced the side of the six-foot level Jason had used to add another shelf to the top of the display. But Jason put it in the closet after he finished.
“Okay.” Ella inhaled. “Um. Let’s walk out together.”
Gazing through the glass front door she saw Troy’s car in the parking lot at the restaurant across the street. A police car was parked next to Troy’s convertible. If a problem erupted with her crazy ex-client, she’d ditch her heels and run to the restaurant.
“Where are you going?” Felicity tilted her head. She stepped forward away from the display. The woman held the level in her right hand and swung it like a walking cane as she leisurely strode toward Ella.
“Just meeting a business partner. He’s expecting me.” Ella hugged the wall on the opposite side of the room as she quickly hurried toward the door. The clicking of her heels on the tile echoed like thunder in the small space.
“Why are you running?” Felicity hissed.
She pushed the door open. “I’m late.”
With one foot outside the door, Ella pushed off her back foot, ready to sprint. But Felicity grabbed her upper arm and yanked her back inside.
“Shit.”
“You’re fucking all your clients, aren’t you?” Felicity asked.
“No. I don’t do that.” You’re out of your mind. “What do you want?”
“You’re fucking my husband. You took him from me.”
“I’m not involved with anyone who is married. You’ve got the wrong massage therapist.” Ella slammed her forearm down on Felicity’s wrist. The woman’s grip released. Ella ran out of the spa.
“I know it’s you,” Felicity screamed. “You’ve taken Cade from me. He loves me. He doesn’t love you.”
Ella stopped on a dime and glanced back at the woman. “You’re married to Cade?” Cade wasn’t married. She’d met his entire family. Garrett and Derek checked him out. Cade wasn’t dating anyone besides her. “Cade Jackson?”
The woman looked down for an instant.
Cade has a stalker. Cade has a real life, dangerous stalker. And she’s after me.
“He’s mine, and you’re not…”
Ella turned her head back to the lights of the restaurant across the street. She lifted her foot and…
Whack.
She opened her eyes. The ground seemed to spin under her. Her head pounded. Her face. Her arms. Her…
Whack.
Whoosh. All the air left her lungs. She bounced on the concrete.
I’ve got to get out of here, away from her.
Pounding. Pounding. Her head. Feet.
I have to get out of here. She pushed up onto her hands and knees, and vomited.
“You are never touching my husband…”
“Holy shit,” Troy shouted. “Get the fuck away from her.”
Whack.
“No,” Ella screamed. She fell to her side. Her head, her ribs, her leg.
Multiple moving sets of brown eyes stared into hers.
“I’ve got you.” Troy whispered. “Fuck. Do not close your eyes again. Do not fall asleep.”
She closed her eyes. “Cade.”
“Open your eyes.”
“I’m fine. Oh, God, I’m going to…” She retched.
“I’m taking her to the hospital. I’m not waiting for an ambulance,” Troy said.
He lifted her up. The earth spun so fast it turned to gray.
Then black.