N. Walters - Past Promises

“He’s nothing more than a hired killer, sanctioned by the government. He wasn’t a regular soldier.” Her father aimed his derision at Levi. “He was in a special unit. The one they call when they want certain people dead but don’t want to be held publicly accountable for it. I have friends at the Pentagon.”

“Oh, give it up, father.” Linda felt suddenly tired and beaten down. It was time to finish this. “I’m never coming home. After today, I’m severing all contact with all of you. I’m seeing my lawyer after this and if you don’t stop harassing me, I’ll file charges or get a restraining order. That becomes public record and wouldn’t the gossip mongers have a field day with that.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” her father yelled. “What would that do to your mother?”

Linda snorted. “As long as mother can throw her parties, I doubt she’d even notice.”

“You ungrateful bitch.” Her brother was staring at her with such venom she was suddenly glad that Levi was beside her.

“This is done.” She picked up her purse and tucked it under her arm. “I’ll fight as long as it takes, but I will get grandmother’s money, just as she wanted me to. And I will have my own life.” She glanced at Levi and then back at her father. “I’ll also sleep with whoever I damn well choose. As of this moment, you’re no longer my family. I’m officially disowning all of you.”

“You’ll regret this.”

Ignoring her father, she looked at Levi. “Are you coming?” Her stomach was one giant knot. If she didn’t get out of here soon, she was afraid she was going to keel over in pain.

“I need another minute.”

“Fine.” She needed to get away from her family and Simon. They left her feeling slightly nauseous and vaguely unclean.

Levi waited until the door closed behind Linda. “As of this moment, you’re out of Linda’s life.”

“You can’t tell me what to do, you guttersnipe.” The elder Fletcher’s face was an interesting shade of red. “I’ll ruin you.”

“You can try.” Levi nodded at the papers spread on the table. “Those are copies. Feel free to keep them. They outline all your activities, both illegal and questionable. If you persist in harassing Linda, those details will be made public.”

Levi shut his briefcase and continued, “If you think to take more drastic measures, please be assured that if anything happens to me, these papers will be made public immediately. Plus,” he paused for effect, “I have several associates who would make it their life’s work to take revenge on my behalf. There would be nowhere in the world where you would be safe.”

“Who are you?” Linda’s brother asked in a strained voice.

“Not someone you want to make an enemy of.” Picking up his briefcase, he headed for the door. “Oh, and you can forget getting your friend at the bank to call in Linda’s promissory note. I paid it off this morning. The building belongs to her now.”

“You paid off the building?” Dyson seemed shocked by Levi’s pronouncement.

Levi shrugged. “It was no problem.”

Dead silence surrounded him as he left the room. These men understood money and power, and they now understood they were minnows and he was a shark in the larger scheme of things. They’d back off because there was nothing to be gained and way too much to be lost.

To be certain, he’d leaked certain documents to the IRS. All three of them would soon be too busy scrambling to save their own asses to worry about him and Linda. Her inheritance was lost to them. They’d have to find other ways to get out of their financial troubles.

Cynically, Levi expected both Dyson and Linda’s brother to announce engagements. They were both seeing very young, very rich young ladies at the moment.

The flirtatious Ms. Blakely was at her desk when Levi emerged from the inner sanctum of Fletcher, Fletcher and Dyson. He glanced around. “Where is Ms. Fletcher?”

She shrugged. “Someone was leaving when I came back from delivering today’s mail. It was a woman in a burgundy suit.”

“Thank you.” He left the office, swearing under his breath. Linda hadn’t waited for him. He was certain she hadn’t believed her father when he’d said that he was after her money. But had she truly believed him?

Or maybe it was his past that had made her run.

Levi ignored the pain in the vicinity of his heart. No matter what happened, Linda was safe from her family. Even though she didn’t know it yet, the building was now hers. There was no way anyone could ever take it from her.

Why did she leave?

Was she hurt? Angry? He had no idea.

Tonight would map his future. He and Linda had to talk. He might not know where she was now, but he knew where she’d be later today. He hailed a cab and headed for the airport. The quicker he got home, the better.

Home . Somewhere along the line, Jamesville had become home. It wasn’t so much the place as the people who lived there. Linda was home to him. Being with her had given him a sense of place he’d never had in his entire life. He’d fought in hellholes around the world for lesser causes. He wasn’t willing to lose Linda without giving it everything he had. He only hoped that after they talked tonight, he still had a place to call home.

Linda was exhausted by the time she climbed the stairs to her apartment later that evening. The appointment with her lawyer had taken longer than she’d anticipated and she’d missed her original flight.

She’d called Amanda, who promised to cover for the rest of the day and close the store. It was just after seven now and Linda had been on the go for about fourteen emotional, gut-wrenching hours straight.

Her thoughts were still reeling from the events of the day. She couldn’t believe Levi had gone to her family without even discussing it with her. She vacillated between being angry with him and amazed that he’d even bother.

It had been cowardly of her not to wait for him earlier today, but she’d needed time to think. And she couldn’t think clearly with Levi beside her. Her feelings and thoughts got all muddled whenever he was around, and logic went straight out the window.

She was looking forward to a hot bath. Although she was bone-tired, she was strangely elated too. She’d severed all ties with her family. That should make her sad, but it didn’t. Linda felt free for the first time in her life.

Harvey Spokes had assured her that her grandmother’s estate would proceed through the probate courts with little or no problem in spite of her father’s objections. Antoinette Lafayette had been of sound mind and had an ironclad will. Once the will was through probate, all her belongings would be disposed of and distributed as her grandmother had stipulated. When that was done, everything else would belong to Linda.

She hadn’t mentioned the possible restraining orders against her family. She was hoping it wouldn’t come to that. But she’d do it if pushed. Maybe she’d talk to Cyndi’s lawyer, Alicia Flint. She would need a local lawyer to handle her business affairs. Perhaps Alicia could also handle the restraining orders against her family if they became necessary.

Linda unlocked the front door and pushed it open. The wonderful aroma of baked chicken tickled her nose. Soft classical music played in the background. Levi stood just beyond the doorway, his eyes hooded, his expression blank.

She didn’t ask him how he’d gotten into her apartment without a key. She wasn’t even surprised to find him there. She’d known that Levi would want to talk about what had happened today. She also suspected the man had more skills than she could even imagine. Getting into her apartment would be child’s play for him.