The light brush against his shoulders told Damien that his brother was alive. He turned toward Galen and the bruised eyes and bloody nose. Dead? Damien said, "I'm going to kill him."

  Galen shook his head no and tugged at his ear. "Hold it Damien. The police are right here."

  Now that he mentioned it, sirens rang in the air. It must be the police with that sound, and the sirens probably meant the police meant to intimidate. Damien turned toward the smaller man. "With what I already have on you as well as my wife's murder, you'll never see the light of day again, Fineroy."

  Gilbert's tongue went to the side of his cheek while he studied the two of them. "You bore me. Why you married a peaceful yogi when you could have had the firecracker of her sister shows me you're a dull man, despite the Morgan name."

  Galen opened the blinds and the police boats were on direct course. Galen studied them closer and pointed a second later, "Damien, Liz's husband, Rafe, is with the police. Don't ruin his case by killing Gilbert."

  "Did you call him?" Damien asked. His sister's husband technically worked Morgan Security now but he'd been Miami PD for years.

  “The captain called Morgan Security as well as the police.” Galen nodded. "You hadn’t called anyone, and we have family behind us now. I had the captain keep Rafe updated." The police boarded the ship and raced into the room. Rafe stared at both of them while he had men arrest Gilbert. Galen guided Damien out of the way and said, "We'll find Serenity."

  His mind raced and guilt wracked his body. He’d failed her and it was only twenty-four hours later. He could barely breathe. "He said she was dead. I failed her."

  Galen flicked his nose. "I knocked out his companion because he seemed shocked at what Gilbert said and that second gave me the advantage."

  His shoulders tightened but a lightness grew in his heart. "You think Gilbert is lying?"

  Galen stood next to him while the police took the bigger guy off the floor and handcuffed him. "I don't want to get your hopes up, but let's find her body. Rafe has them arrested. Let's backtrack and see what we missed."

  If Serenity was alive, he'd find her. He had to. He used his phone and followed the beep to the back of the yacht and found her phone near the rails. He picked it up and looked at the water behind them. He didn't want to believe the worst, and he swallowed his pride. "Galen, thank God you're my brother."

  They returned to his yacht and went to the captain's room. Damien said, "Pull out the map."

  A long minute later, the map was clear. Damien pointed to the small island chains that weren't connected to the mainland. "We're here and we started from there. There are three small islands mostly used for either making legal porn or drinking parties."

  Galen handed the map to the captain while he said, "So we'll stop at all three and search. Let's get going."

  His hands clenched as remembered how Serenity's blonde hair gently blew behind her from a light breeze the night he saw her at his brother's wedding. She deserved far more than he had, but he'd try his best.

  Galen joined him as they docked. "We're at the first one."

  This was the closest to the open sea. He walked off the dock and called out, "Serenity!"

  "Damien?" Her voice lightly called back. Then like she was an angel, she left the palm trees and walked onto the dock.

  Galen left his side, returning to the ship to give them privacy, while Damien ran toward her and picked her up into a hug. "Thank God."

  She didn't hold him tight. She shook her head, let him go and kept her head down. "How did you find me? I lost my phone."

  He reached out to hold her, but she moved her shoulder away too. "Gilbert Fineroy said you were dead. Galen was rational and said to check the islands. I'm so glad you're alive."

  She hugged her waist and finally met his gaze. "Me too. I'm cold, sandy, but I'm fine."

  The distance between them seemed like a ridge that grew wider and separated them on different sides. He ran his hand through his hair, unsure what to do. Finally, he focused on now and pointed toward his ship. "Let's get you some dry clothes. My sister's stuff isn't on the yacht so it's only my sweats as an option."

  She walked beside him. "I just want to get home and change."

  His heart doubled its beat for that second. Something was wrong. He gestured for Galen to stay up top with the captain and helped her down the stairs. "What's wrong?"

  For the first time since he found her, she placed her hand on his shoulder and gazed up at him. "Damien, I've been thinking. I don't think you and I are a good idea. Getting married was a mistake. I should just go home and we can figure out a schedule for both of us."

  Schedule? The only good thing in his life that helped him feel steady was that they were married. He reached for her hands. "I don't want that, Serenity."

  She squeezed and then let go. "You don't get a say. I'm leaving. I can't do this again."

  Somehow, he had to change her mind. It felt like she shot him in the heart. He lowered his head and asked, "Why?"

  She released a long sigh, hugged her waist and widened her stance. "I want to believe you are different from our fathers, but today showed me the truth." She didn't blink when she stared at him. "You put us all in danger because you were only thinking about yourself and your revenge aimed at your dead father."

  He kept his voice low. His father was dead, yes, but people like him shouldn't be allowed to hurt others either. "I thought you understood."

  She lowered her lashes, hiding her eyes. "I thought I did too, but I was blinded with desire."

  Desire was a good thing, to his mind. It was how their son or daughter was created. He swallowed and told her something he'd never said to another woman, "I want you in my life, Serenity."

  Her hands went to her heart. "Before “us” all I wanted was to marry a man who loved me as I loved him." She stepped backwards. "I tried to compromise on that and almost got myself killed…or worse." She met his stare and tilted her head slightly. "I want my baby to grow up in a house full of love, which is something I never had."

  He stepped toward her. "I didn't either-"

  "Now that's a lie." She interjected and shook her head. "Your mother and your brothers gave you a home that was full of love. Now I want to ensure my baby and I get that same option."

  Letting her go wasn't an option for him, not now, not ever. "I'm going to prove to you that this is a mistake."

  "It's not." She went into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

  He went up on deck, took a deep breath, and hoped to figure out a way to keep her with him. Living without her now felt wrong. Despite their differences, Serenity had become his world and he wanted her and their family.

  21

  Serenity dropped her single suitcase on the floor and went to her kitchen to make coffee. She was in her condo again, and not with Damien. The palm trees fluttered outside in a light breeze, but she ignored the tranquil setting.

  She felt empty being here again, but she couldn't depend on Damien.

  Her mom was on her way over, strong enough now to walk. She ordered food on her favorite app to be delivered in the next two hours so she'd have something to eat. She let her shoulders sag while she prepared a second cup for her guest. No one saw her if she slouched and it didn't matter. The bell rang telling her that her guest had arrived.

  She brought the coffees to the coffee table, centered them on coasters, fixed her sky-blue t-shirt that clung over her yoga pants and opened the door. The elevator dinged and her mother walked out wearing a blue cardigan sweater and white pants. She waved and said, "Thanks for coming over, Mom."

  Her mother handed her a new Kate Spade bag and entered the all-white condo. She turned toward her as she closed the door. "Serenity, I'm surprised you're in your condo. Where is Damien?"

  Right. Her mother was a Damien fan. She brought her into the living room and lowered her head, not wanting to play any more games. "He's at his house. I’m going to divorce him."

  Her mother’s lips parted in surprise and she stopped walking. Mom gripped her arm, like she was weak and needed her strength. "The wedding was yesterday. This is awfully soon, my dear."

  Serenity guided her to the couch and helped her sit before taking a seat beside her. Gilbert’s slap to her face still stung her cheek from this morning. She fluffed her hair, collected her thoughts about why this was best and then explained, "Mom, I like working. It gives me purpose and when I have this baby, I'm going to ensure he or she always feels loved and cared for."

  Her mother's face paled. “You’re pregnant?”

  Oh. Serenity lowered her head. She hadn’t told her mother yet, but she nodded. “It’s why I said yes.”

  Her mother reached out and lifted her chin. “Sweetheart that’s wonderful. You’ll be a wonderful mother.”

  “I hope so. I am trying.” Serenity remembered how those men came into the bedroom and dragged her like she was a mule. No one would ever do that to her baby.

  Her mother sipped her coffee and studied her. When she put her cup down, she reached out and asked, “Damien said you can’t work anymore?”

  Her implication was wrong. This was about protecting her baby from danger. She held her flat belly. “No. But I didn’t think we were safe.”

  Marie’s blue-eyed gaze was laser sharp. “Why?”

  Once again she felt heat rush to her cheeks and the thought she was making a mistake rushed through her. But she focused on her safety again and said, “This morning I was kidnapped, but I jumped to safety until Damien found me.”

  “So he saved you?” Marie picked up her coffee.

  The second Damien stepped on the island, a huge part of her wanted to run into his arms. She lowered her head again. “Yeah.”

  Serenity prayed her mother didn't end up back in the hospital because of this news. Mom leaned closer. "Don't throw away what you and Damien have because of me."

  She and Damien had a budding friendship and she wanted more. It was a stupid thought, to want love. She interlaced her fingers over her kneecap. "It's not because of you."

  Her mother shook her head and patted Serenity's arm. "When I married your father, he didn't have a penny to his name. I thought he was the most handsome man I’d ever met. He loved being a dad."

  She rejected the thought immediately. Her father had been cold and distant to all of them. The last thing she needed was to hear how he loved her which was the oldest lie she'd ever been told. Serenity ground out, "We grew up with every luxury most people never have. Weekends in Aspen to ski isn't on most people's to-do list."

  Her mother held out her hand. Serenity took it and felt her mother's slight tremble. She held tighter and her mother met her gaze. "We went there because Luca made me feel good about myself. When I realized your father didn't love me, my world was ripped apart. But I had you and Serena and your father loved you and you loved him, so I was stuck."

  Luca? Serenity dragged up a memory of a nice ski instructor who made really yummy hot chocolate and wore a red coat when skiing. Serenity blinked. The man had been in their hotel suite, multiple times, and her mother had quietly spoken to him after the girls had gone to bed. Serenity stared at her mother in confusion. "You could have divorced-"

  "No, that wasn't done." Her mother interrupted Serenity and looked down while dropping her hand. "Your father put me on an allowance and I could do what I wanted as long as we pretended to be happy.”

  She winced. No one would ever put her on an allowance. Ever. She’d grown up as a show piece and didn’t need to be someone’s property.

  “I'm sorry I pulled away from you and Serena like I did. It made me sick that Serena believed your father was the only one who cared. And you always had your nose in a book? I tried harder with you, to be a success. Serena was just like her dad and I didn’t know how to handle her. When you told me you were marrying Damien, I hoped I hadn't ruined you too, and that you could have what I never did."

  Damien was too single-minded, like her father. Serenity looked down at her mother's wrinkled hands, surprised after this story that Mom still wore her wedding ring. "Mom, I thought you wanted me to marry him because he's rich and powerful like Dad."

  Her mother placed her hand on hers and Serenity glanced up. "Money was all I had. At my age, I can't imagine getting a job when I never even cooked a meal for any of you."

  Through the years they'd had a variety of cooks, maids and other servants around the house. Serenity let the hurt little girl that lived in her heart speak. She needed a second to give her a voice. "Mom, I don't care about who cooked. You were always so far away and Dad never cared about me."

  Her mother squeezed her hand. "He was a horrible choice. I should have left him for Luca and taken my girls to Switzerland. Then none of us would have faced that humiliation brought on by your father’s criminal actions."

  Clearly her mother regretted giving up the ski instructor. "I don't remember much about Luca other than he was kind to me. Did you fall in love, Mom?"

  A smile Serenity had never seen before graced her mother's face. "When you were eight and Serena nine, Luca begged me to live with him. I said no, because at Christmas that year both of you seemed closer to your father. I’d ruined my life already; I didn't want to ruin yours too."

  Perhaps her and Serena would be very different if their mother had taken them away. Serenity leaned forward. "Mom, our father pretended to be close to us. Serena might have believed him, but I never did. Even before he was arrested, I wondered what it would be like to have parents that cared about me."

  Her mother opened her arms and hugged her. "I loved you, my girl. I'm sorry I hurt you."

  Serenity felt tears well in her eyes. Reliving the past caused so many people anxiety, which her instructors often reminded customers. But her mother’s words today relieved the little girl. Mom had loved her. She squeezed her arm gently. “It’s okay, Mom.”

  She wiped her face with the napkin she’d brought to the table with the coffees. Her mother took her hands. "Now, tell me about what happened with Damien."

  Without thinking about her words, she said, "I married him to make your life easier."

  After saying that, she felt heat rise in her cheeks. Part of her attraction to Damien had nothing to do with her family. “In a way,” she admitted. “I was going to tell you I was pregnant when you were well. I feel guilty that I ran away so fast.”

  “Go home to Damien then.” Her mother tilted her head, let one hand go, and looked at her with pity. "I saw the way you two looked at each other."

  The whisper in her soul was dead wrong. Serenity lifted her chin. "Mom, we're having a baby. It doesn't mean we love each other."

  Her mother shook her head as if suddenly an expert. "Don't throw away your chance at love because you're afraid."

  Fear could be attributed to her running away, if she actually wanted Damien. This was the opposite—she was choosing herself, and the child they’d created, first. "That's not it, Mom. He doesn't love me. And I don't know how I feel about Damien either."

  Her mother stilled but kept her head down. "I wish you saw what I see between you two. I threw away my chance. Don't make my mistakes. You deserve love."

  If love existed anymore, but that was a dark thought. Love had to exist but she didn’t know what it looked like. Serenity would find out what happened to Luca for her mother. It was the least she could do, but she'd not tell her, not yet. Luca might be dead, married with three children or bitter. It was better to find out and surprise her mother. Serenity tried to smile. "Mom, we both deserve love. Just don't get sick on me again."

  Her mother picked up her coffee, certainly cold by now. "You're my shot at being a grandmother. I'm not throwing away that chance to be part of your life."

  "Thanks for this talk. I ordered groceries." Serenity stood, straightening her stretchy yoga pants. The food delivery would be here soon so she could make them dinner.

  Her mother rose, put the cup down and followed Serenity to the kitchen counter. "Maybe you can show me how to help."

  "Let's go." Serenity laughed softly at the idea of showing her mother how to cook. In traditional families, it went the other way around, but then the Hansom family had never been normal.

  And her mother was wrong. Damien Morgan didn’t love her. He never claimed anything beyond admitting he wanted her in his life. It was easier to think of him as a jerk and her enemy. The small churning in her heart was silly and better to ignore the feeling until it went away.

  22

  Serenity tossed and turned in her empty, cold bed. The night was the worst. Every time she moved under her sheets, she missed the feeling of Damien beside her, though she'd never tell him. She opened her eyes and sat up, still tired.

  In her dreams, she’d tasted his kiss on her lips. She stretched to relieve the ache in her chest and got out of bed to look out the window, searching for calm. The swaying palm trees rustled with wind from a small tropical storm.

  She shut the blinds and walked away. Work always helped. She quickly got ready in silence, choosing an ice blue skirt with a darker blue t-shirt, and deciding to have tea in her office because right now her condo felt cold and dead.

  Outside the warm breeze didn't help the frozen feeling in her heart. She hailed a car to take her to Calm Serenity and realized that she had three voice mails from last night.

  Damien had called.

  The warmth that raced through her heart pumped adrenaline as she hopped in the backseat of the car. She told herself that this reaction had nothing to do with seeing his name on her phone.

  She tucked it in her pocket and stared out the window as the driver took her to the entrance. She nodded, typed a tip on her phone, and got out.

  Her spa was still dark when she let herself in, but she didn't mind. She didn't bother with the lights in the lobby, but as she made her way to her office, she noticed that Kiwi's light was already on. At the last minute, she knocked on her door and let herself in.

  Kiwi, dressed in her black spa uniform for the day, stood from her desk and opened her arms to hug her. “How’s married life?”