Chapter Ten
John's gut clenched as if he'd been sucker-punched. Alice Collins had almost died today and it was because of him. He shouldn't have spent the evening with her the night before his father's funeral.
Alice stared out the window and refused to look at him.
Mitch Morgan ruined everything and even from his grave, he'd ensure that his children did as they were told. John's mind flashed back to his father's opinion of Alice he'd shared one night to Vicki at the dinner table.
Alice isn't good enough for you.
Dad, she's my friend and nice to me. No one is nice to me.
People shouldn't be nice to you. People should fear you and the House of Morgan.
John had stayed quiet, but the message was always the same. Fear was the weapon of choice for the Morgans. Unlike his sister, John snuck out of the house and did what he wanted. His father never knew how he played high school and college football as it didn't bring anything substantial to his business. It had been better to simply not bother him, as he was the spare son. It had been easy to disappear. Peter and Victoria had had it different.
"Where are you taking me?" Alice turned toward him. His heartbeat quickened as he stared into her pretty eyes that now seemed almost green and not her usual deep blue.
He tugged his ear and turned south. "I own a house in Pinecrest."
Her gaze narrowed. "I thought you didn't have any property here."
"My dad bought it for me."
"Must be nice."
His shoulders tensed. "I never wanted it."
"Houses in rich areas are tough to give up as a present." The harshness in her tone disappeared and she reached over and caressed his arm. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day. Whatdidyou want?"
He turned off Biscayne and down a side street. "From my father, absolutely nothing."
"Then why are we going to the house?"
He made another turn. Soon enough he'd have her at his place. "It's safe. The House of Morgan has better security than the Secret Service, and neither of us wanted to go to Castle Morgan."
"True." She crossed her arms. "Now that your dad is dead, you'll take your place in the House of Morgan, and everything will go back to normal, fast."
"I don't have my own place here yet or a final decision on my career." His body still burned. He licked his lips to cool down. "I don't know anything other than you need to be safe."
She shook her brown hair and a piece of shattered glass glinted from the strands. He reached behind her ear and removed it as she said, "Don't pin your inheritance on saving my life."
He clutched the wheel and drove into the driveway with huge trees that blocked the view of the black gate that he clicked open. "You know way too much, Alice."
She gazed at the modern home where he parked the car in the garages to the right, and her eyes widened. He followed her gaze toward the Spanish-style open air courtyard. Then she unlocked her own door. "I paid attention."
He clicked the garage open and drove the last few feet so no one would see his car from the street. Behind him the garage door closed, and the lights came on automatically. He turned off the engine. "I should have paid more attention a long time ago."
She crossed her arms beneath her breasts. "Why don't you just take me to the farm? We'll know if anyone steps foot on our dirt."
The garage was fully closed now. He unlocked his door and stepped out. "Alice, you know I can't."
She unbuckled her seatbelt, and then jumped to follow him. "I don't know anything."
He walked toward her even though it was the wrong side of the house. She took a step back. Her eyes were so big. He opened his hands, palms showing, and nodded. "I was in the FBI and investigated bad people."
Her gaze narrowed again. He'd have to remember Alice was really sharp. "Was? Are you or are you not?"
With her, he was honest and not holding back. "I am making new plans for my life. There's no point staying in the FBI."
