His Heart's Desire Read online

  “Well, he played head games with your girl, Becca, all along. The way I see it, we're playing a different game to help her out and then giving the creep what he deserves.”

  “Works for me,” Ethan said with a lopsided grin.

  The two friends drove the rest of the way in silence until Ethan turned into an apartment complex near the college campus. He pulled over to the directory, looking for the location of Apartment #160. After spotting it, he wound around the parking lot and came to a stop in front of a two-story cream stucco building that was identical to all the others around it.

  The pair got out and walked to the door. Ethan carried the folder, nervously tapping it against his leg as he knocked. While they waited for a response, Ethan looked at Todd. An unspoken agreement passed between them. Ethan nodded almost imperceptibly to acknowledge that he was still on board with Todd's plan.

  Just then, the door opened and the man they were looking for appeared in the portal. “Hey, Montgomery.” Jay's slightly slurred speech, and an open bottle of beer in his hand, evidenced the fact that he was already drunk in the middle of the afternoon. “What do you want?” he asked, his lip curling with disdain.

  “I think you have a pretty good idea why I'm here.” Ethan looked over his shoulder with a meaningful glance. “But I'd rather not air our grievance in public. Can we come in?”

  Jay motioned toward Todd with his beer bottle as he lazily leaned against the doorway with his free hand. “Who's he?”

  Ethan's jaw began to tighten. “Todd Davis. He's a friend of mine.”

  Jay looked at Todd with a sneer and then took a swallow from the bottle in his hand. “Lemme guess. Little Miss Sunshine came crying to her bestie about how the Big Bad Wolf popped her cherry, and now you're bringing your bestie to help beat the shit out of me for it.” Jay laughed like he'd made some great joke. “I didn't think you had it in you, Montgomery.”

  Obviously, Jay was no longer interested in playing the devastating charmer who could get anything he wanted. The real guy behind the facade had come out to play hardball.

  Ethan was already losing patience and was about ready to throttle the idiot when Todd spoke up. “Look Cavanaugh, we're not here to beat you up.” Todd sighed and then continued in his best professional tone. “Ms. Anderson left some of her things here last night, and we've come to collect them. That's all. We don't want any trouble. Now could we please come in and discuss this like civilized adults?”

  “Ms. Anderson?” Jay snickered. “What are you, a lawyer or something?”

  Todd rolled his eyes heavenward. “No, I'm not a lawyer.”

  But you're going to need one when we're done with you, Ethan added silently.

  Todd's eyes opened wide in question as he motioned a hand toward the apartment. “So can we talk about this?”

  Jay looked them over again and, apparently deciding they weren't a threat after all, finally stepped aside. “Whatever,” he muttered, taking another swig of beer and backing into the apartment.

  Ethan and Todd entered the living room, closing the door behind them. Ethan took a quick look around to see if he could spot Becca's sweater or bracelet, but all he saw was a worn brown sofa and a scarred coffee table strewn with empty beer bottles and pizza boxes. The muted television in front of them was tuned to a football game.

  Jay interrupted Ethan's perusal of the room. “So what exactly are you two lookin' for?” he slurred.

  “Becca left her favorite sweater and her charm bracelet here last night.” Ethan tried to keep his voice civil, even though his body tensed. “All we want to do is get them back.”

  Jay seemed to consider Ethan's request for a moment, then replied, “Give me one good reason why I should help you guys. I never liked you, Montgomery.”

  At that remark, Ethan's temper snapped. “Trust me, pal, the feeling is mutual. The only reason you never liked me is because I was a threat to your little scheme. I always knew there was something off about you.” He gestured toward Jay with the folder that was still in his hand. “Becca was supposed to be to your girlfriend, but you treated her like shit. How can you even live with yourself after taking advantage of a woman in such a vulnerable state?”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Ethan saw Todd edging past Jay toward the bedroom. He knew he had to keep Jay distracted. He also knew that if the idiot kept saying moronic things, in Ethan's current state, he would have no trouble at all distracting the guy.

  “If Little Miss Perfect hadn't been so wrapped up in saving herself for Mr. Right, I would have fucked her a long time ago,” Jay said.

  Yup, looked like he was going to continue his boneheaded streak.

  “What is up with you, man?” Ethan asked. “Do you have some virgin fetish that compels you to go around having sex with every innocent woman you meet?” His lip twisted in disgust, not sure he really wanted an answer to that question.

  “Yeah, well,” Jay drawled, “I gotta admit there is something about being the first to stake a claim. Kinda makes me feel powerful, you know.” Jay flexed his biceps for emphasis before continuing, “Not to mention they never forget their first. Believe it or not, Montgomery, some virgins can be real sex kittens. But then there're the ones who are too scared and uptight to be a really fun lay. The only reason I do them is for the dough. No one ever seems to believe that I can charm any girl into spreadin' her legs for me even if she's never done it for anyone else before, and I love taking my friends' money. I've won thousands off them because I always win the bet,” Jay finished with an evil chuckle.

  Ethan's stomach was beginning to roil, and he felt a headache coming on. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself, then glanced down at the folder. Based on the evidence Todd had found, he was sure he already knew the answer, but he was going to ask the question anyway. “How the hell do you prove that you actually did it, that it's not just talk? Surely your friends wouldn't pay up on your word alone.”

  “How do you think?” Jay asked, then added in an almost conspiratorial whisper, “I videotape it.”

  “Becca would never have consented to being recorded,” Ethan ground out vehemently through clenched teeth.

  “Who said I asked?” Jay replied with a wicked smile.

  This brief exchange confirmed Ethan's worst suspicions, leaving his control rapidly slipping away. His free hand balled into a tight fist as he struggled against a burning need to beat the crap out of this guy. When he was about to lose it, Ethan spotted Todd over Jay's left shoulder, making subtle hand motions while mouthing the words, “Calm down. I'm on it. Keep him talking.”

  Jay looked around. “By the way, what happened to your friend?”

  “Just lookin' for the bathroom,” Todd piped up with a bright smile. “Oh, it's right there.” He let out a self-deprecating laugh as though he'd just now noticed it. “Do you mind?”

  “Whatever.”

  Ethan watched Todd pretend to head for the bathroom, but as Jay turned back around, Todd darted across the hallway into what Ethan assumed was the bedroom instead.

  Having been momentarily distracted, Ethan's anger had calmed a little, but it still bubbled just beneath the surface. He was pretty sure that what Jay had confessed to was illegal, which certainly added an interesting new dimension to the whole situation. Ethan desperately wanted to call Jay on the mat for what he'd done, but now his first priority had to be getting the recording back to prevent Becca any further embarrassment.

  Ethan swallowed the lump that was rising in his throat before asking, “So, uh, what do you do with these tapes after your buddies pay up?”

  Jay's evil grin returned. With his tongue apparently loosened by the large amount of alcohol he'd consumed, he appeared eager to boast some more. “See now, that's the beauty of it all. I get paid twice.”

  “You're peddling amateur porn,” Ethan stated in a hard tone. He didn't have to ask, because Todd had already discovered the website registered in Jay's name.

 
“Maybe,” Jay said, drawing out the word. “You know, I'm starting to sense an opportunity here. See, you wouldn't be here if you didn't care about the little bitch, so my guess is you don't want her sex tape going up on my website. I hear you're loaded. Soooo, how about you fork over–oh, say a hundred grand–and maybe I'll consider keeping your girlfriend's indiscretion under wraps.”

  Ethan really thought he was going to be sick now. He had more than enough money to cover what Jay was asking for, and a part of him would have paid any amount to ensure Becca's protection. The other more rational part knew it would be like letting Jay get away with murder.

  As Ethan considered his options, Jay continued to goad him. “Yeah, that Becky of yours is a wild one. If I were you, I wouldn't want this to get out to the whole world. Everyone and their dog would come sniffing around that little firecracker. I had her screaming inside of two minutes.”

  Ethan dropped the folder and closed the distance between them in two long strides. He grabbed a fistful of Jay's shirt, slamming him into the wall and pinning him there with his left forearm. His right fist pulled back poised to strike. He bared his teeth in a feral snarl as he ground out through clenched teeth, “She was screaming in pain, you son of a bitch.”

  Before Ethan could take his first punch, Todd's voice penetrated his anger. “Ethan! Let him go, man! That piece of trash isn't worth an assault charge.”

  “You sure about that?” Ethan asked. His fierce gaze bored into Jay, and every muscle in his body was still tensed for a fight.

  Todd appeared in his peripheral vision. “Yeah, I'm sure. I got everything we came here for, and then some.”

  Without letting Jay go, Ethan glanced toward his friend. A white ladies' sweater was draped over his shoulder. A charm bracelet dangled from the fingertips of his left hand, while he held up a video camera in his right.

  “Even the video?”

  Todd opened a small compartment in the camera and removed the tiny memory card, holding it up with two fingers. “Got it right here, man. Let's get out of here.” Leaving the camera on the end table, Todd headed for the door.

  Ethan finally released a shocked Jay with a final shove for emphasis. He picked up the manila folder from the floor where it had fallen during the fray.

  “Hey, you can't take my video card!” Jay had the audacity to shout at Todd's back. “That's stealing!”

  Todd spun around with his hands flung out to his sides, a look of utter disbelief on his face. “Are you a complete idiot, man? Who do you think you are, talking about unlawful acts?” Todd grabbed the folder from Ethan and waved it in Jay's face. “You asked me earlier what I am. Well, I'm a private investigator, and it didn't take but a couple hours of work for me to find out you're wanted in Alabama for having sex with an underage girl two years ago.”

  “She said she was eighteen.”

  “Tell it to the cops, man. Although I doubt they'll listen, seeing that we uncovered an illegal porn ring on top of it, and you just tried to blackmail my friend here. I called a friend of mine in the DA's office and informed him of your activities, so you are in some deep shit. If I were you, I'd be thanking me for taking your memory card, because that might be one less charge against you. Not that it'll matter much,” Todd added with a shake of his head as he turned toward the door.

  With a growl, Jay lunged at Todd's back. Ethan stepped between them just in time to block the empty beer bottle Jay was swinging at Todd's head. Then he landed a right to Jay's stomach, followed by a left to his face.

  Still half drunk, Jay toppled backwards into the bar, rubbing his jaw while eyeing Ethan with a menacing look. “You've ruined my life, you bastard,” he snarled before launching himself at Ethan again.

  Ethan ducked Jay's punch and drove him back into the wall with a shoulder to the chest before landing a couple more well-placed blows.

  Grabbing Jay by the collar of his shirt, Ethan got within inches of his face before grinding out his reply. “You've done a good job of that all on your own, and it's exactly what you deserve for messing with Becca's life and the lives of all those other girls.”

  With that, Ethan released Jay, who promptly slumped to the floor. Still breathing hard from anger and exertion, Ethan turned on his heel and followed Todd to his vehicle.

  Once outside, Ethan leaned against the car. What he'd told Todd about never having been in a real fight was true, but now his body was buzzing like a live wire. He could almost sense the adrenaline coursing through his veins from both the physical altercation and having to listen to Jay spout off about Becca the way he had. He also felt some measure of relief at the thought of having been able to get a little justice for Becca, though he knew it would be a while before he was able to calm down.

  A couple of unmarked police cars pulled into the apartment complex. Undoubtedly, they had been sent by Todd's friend. Todd patted Ethan on the shoulder as he handed over the sweater, bracelet and memory card. “I better go talk to these guys. You wait here.”

  Ethan pocketed the bracelet and memory card. He opened the car door and tossed the sweater in the back before sitting down in the driver's seat. It seemed like an eternity passed while Todd conversed with the officers and then spent some time on his cell phone. The entire time, Ethan prayed that he wouldn't have to turn over the memory card. He knew it would kill Becca to be exposed like that.

  Finally, Todd returned.

  Ethan rose and pulled his keys out of his pocket. As he handed them to Todd, they jangled in a pretty good imitation of his frayed nerves. “I think you'd better drive.”

  “No problem, man.” As Ethan circled the car to the other side, Todd spoke over the top of the vehicle. “I talked with Blake, my assistant DA friend. I had no choice but to tell him about what went down here. He thinks he has more than enough to put the son of a bitch away without involving Becca, but no guarantees. He might still need to take a look at the memory card we snagged.”

  Ethan nodded morosely as he climbed into the passenger seat.

  After Todd was seated behind the wheel, he turned to Ethan with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I thought I told you to stay out of trouble.”

  “As I recall, you told me not to do anything stupid. I acted in self-defense, so I didn't break my promise.”

  Todd turned the key in the ignition, revving the engine of the sports car to life. “Yeah, well, you have a point. Blake assured me you won't have any trouble from the cops.” Todd paused for a moment before his mouth widened into a grin that showed his white teeth. “But I bet you can't say you didn't enjoy it.”

  Ethan glanced at Todd from the corner of his eye and gave him a weak smile. “Nope. Because that would be lying, which is something I don't do.”

  The teasing over, Ethan once again felt the gravity of the situation weighing on his shoulders. He allowed his head to fall back onto the headrest and stared out the windshield with unseeing eyes. He thought of the tiny chip in his pocket. He knew he had to break the news to Becca in case the DA needed her testimony to prosecute Jay for filming her without consent, but it was not something he was looking forward to. He could hardly bear the thought of bringing her more pain.

  “You're positive the memory card is the one with Becca on it?” he asked Todd.

  Todd's deep sigh spoke volumes. “Yeah...and before you ask, I didn't watch the whole thing, just enough to be certain it was the right one.”

  Ethan glanced over at Todd with a mirthless smile. “I didn't think you would, buddy.”

  “So what are you going to do?”

  Ethan shook his head uncertainly. “I'll have to tell Becca the truth. She's bound to hear it from someone, and I'd rather it be me.” He swallowed hard and blinked back the sting in his eyes caused by the thought of having to hurt her more. Fortunately, for the moment at least, he possessed the only evidence of what had happened. “I hope she doesn't have to testify. I hate to think of what it might do to her.”

  “I think that girl is stronger than you're giving her cr
edit for,” Todd replied.

  “I hope you're right, but you didn't see her last night.”

  As Todd backed out of the parking space, Ethan watched as a handcuffed Jay was led to a police cruiser. At least the bastard was going to get what he deserved.

  * * * * *

  Ethan stood at the door of Becca's apartment, desperately wishing he was somewhere else.

  No. That wasn't entirely true. He loved being with Becca. He just didn't like being the bearer of bad news. He knew that it would be far better coming from him than from a total stranger though, so he'd been psyching himself up for the revelation all the way over.

  Still, he'd been there for nearly ten minutes and had raised his hand to knock more than once, only to allow it to drop to his side again.

  “So are you going to stand on Rebecca's doorstep all night, or are you going to knock?”

  Ethan jumped at the sound of the voice and turned around to find Becca's little white-haired neighbor standing in the doorway of her own apartment across the sidewalk.

  “Sorry, dear. I didn't mean to startle you,” she said.

  “That's all right, Mrs. Moffat.”

  “Oh, please, call me Edna.”

  “All right. How are you this evening?” he politely inquired.

  “I'm perfectly fine, but you don't look so good. It seems to me you're having a really difficult time making up your mind about something.”

  Ethan sighed with resignation. “Yeah, well, I guess I am.”

  “Care to talk about it? Sometimes sharing your problems can help you find the right answer.”

  “No!”

  Edna raised her brow at his terse answer.

  He crossed the sidewalk to Edna's porch to keep their conversation more private. “I'm sorry. It's something really personal, and I'm not at liberty to talk about it. Let's just say I have some bad news to deliver, and I'm not looking forward to it.”

  “Oh dear!” Edna exclaimed. “I do hope it's not too terrible. Rebecca certainly has had more than her share of that this week.”

  “More than you know, I think. That's what makes this so hard.”