Passionate Obsession by D.M. Mortier

Chapter Nine

Katia

“No swimming until you rescue Princess Fiona!”

I took a sip of my lemonade trying not to laugh at my sons’ flabbergasted expressions at Imani’s six-year-old daughter’s demand. Imani and I pretended not to be aware of the boys’ predicament. Colt and Imani’s son, who was almost nine years old, also ignored the trio, not at all entertaining his baby sister’s antics.

I had to shake my head at the serious nine-year-old boy, whose full name was Colton James Alexander Ragnarson IV, but whom everyone called Alex to avoid confusion with his father, Colt. Alex sat outside in a shaded area with us by the pool, but that was the extent of his contribution to being out with the other children. No, that kid had been tapping away on his custom-built computer the entire hour we’d been out here. He was definitely his mother’s son, every inch a child genius. I wouldn’t be surprised if he took over running Imani’s company by fifteen.

It was not as though the other kids were getting much play time anyway with Imogen in charge. Imogen stared down at Liam and Colin sternly.

“But we don’t want to play Shrek and Donkey,” Liam complained. He and Colin never took their terrified eyes off of the Doberman sitting patiently at the other end of the pool area. Imogen had tied her doll, a.k.a Fiona, to the back of the Doberman. The boys would have to chase the dog, a.k.a Dragon, in order to rescue Fiona. While the dog barely tolerated Imogen’s touch, he was a trained guard dog, trained to incapacitate any armed or unarmed intruder. He was in no regard a pet.

Imogen sighed dramatically. “Don’t any of you have any imagination?” She stalked over to Imani, who was relaxing on a lounge chair.

As soon as Imogen’s back was turned, the twins hollered and whooped as they cannon-balled into the pool. Their rumbunctious, hyper-active playfulness always brought a smile to my face. It was extremely gratifying to see my children so uninhabitably happy. And they were happy, well-balanced, assured that they were loved. Mac and I had ensured that. I couldn’t ask for a better partner than Mac. He was an amazing man, the very best friend, and the most incredible human being I knew.

Imogen tossed her curly long hair and stomped her foot with a dramatic humph. “Mom, will you please do something?”

“What’s the matter, honey?”

I could see Imani’s shoulders shaking, even as she kept her head bent, struggling not to laugh out loud at her daughter’s agitation.

“We’re surrounded by them, Mom!” Imogen was screeching now.

“Surrounded by who, honey?”

“Boys! Boring, no-fun boys! I’m at the end of my rope, Mother. I demand that Uncle Justin bring Jayla over.”

Jayla, who was a few months older that Imogen, was Justin’s daughter, who we met our first day here with Colt and Imani on their ranch. It was a beautiful sprawling property that was an active cattle and horse ranch. The girls were inseparable at six years old. Imani and Nakia were already bracing for when the girls were teenagers.

“I’m sure Jayla misses you too.” Imani couldn’t hold back the laugh that had been bubbling on the surface.

“This isn’t funny, Mom!” Imogen shrieked. “Your son is over there turning into moss, and Liam and Colin don’t know how to rescue a princess! My life is a disaster!”

“Again?” Alex asked drolly without removing his gaze from the laptop in front of him or from tapping out whatever commands he was inputting.

“Argh!” Imogen stomped off into the house.

“Dad needs to deal with her,” Alex remarked with the seriousness of an adult. He didn’t seem to be impressed with his sister’s tantrum.

“Mrs. Ragnarson, there is a Ms. Elizabeth Graham here to see Mrs. McAllister.” Joanna, Imani’s housekeeper, came out onto the pool deck looking confused.

As far as Imani’s staff were aware, I was Imani’s sister, Katherine, who came for a long-awaited visit. No one knew who I was.

“What?” Imani looked at her with pretend irritation. “No one here is a Mrs. McAllister.”

“She’s Mac’s girlfriend and lawyer,” I whispered to Imani. I was shocked and hurt that Mac would go to her after what happened between us. Clearly, I had put too much importance on our lovemaking, when obviously he didn’t put any importance on it at all. I had spent the past week waiting on him, and he had probably been with Elizabeth this entire time.

“So, you think he sent her here?” Imani whispered back, still seeming uncertain on how to respond to her housekeeper.

“You should probably see what she wants. Mac clearly trusts her.” I was gutted. Yeah, I was fucking gutted and was fighting like hell not to show it.

“Please escort her into the drawing room, Joanna,” Imani instructed her housekeeper. “I’ll be there shortly.”

As soon as Joanna turned to leave, Imani placed a restraining hand on my thigh. “Are you sure about this? I can’t see Mac endangering your and the boys’ safety like this. He would have at least called and warned Colt.”

Now that my brain had cleared from the initial mist of hurt and jealousy, it did seem strange that Elizabeth would come here when Mac had never used her to contact me on any legal matter. “Can we call Colt and find out where Mac is?”

Imani grinned. “Now we’re talkin’.”

The phone call with Colt took mere seconds. Under no circumstance had anyone been sent to the house to meet with Katia at Mac’s request. Colt was adamant. Kat and the boys were not to be seen by anyone.

“Alex, take the boys and your sister to the playroom until we come get you,” Imani told her son.

Imani was a few minutes late to the drawing room, but Elizabeth was pacing restlessly back and forth when Imani walked into the room. I sat in the viewing room, where Imani had monitors of every room in the house except the bedrooms and bathrooms. I didn’t need the speaker from the room, as I could hear them quite clearly without it, but the speaker was on anyway as Imani and Colt had no idea of my abilities. Since they knew some of Mac’s abilities, they had no problem understanding that the boys had abilities as well. Clearly, Mac had yet to tell any of them how his abilities came about.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Ms. Graham,” Imani said breezily. “I have two amazing children, but sometimes…” She sighed heavily. “You know what I’m trying to say, right?”

I grinned. Imani was clearly enjoying her acting role.

“I’m sorry,” Elizabeth muttered impatiently. “There seems to have been a miscommunication. I came here to speak to Katia.”

“That’s just it, Ms. Graham. Why did you come here to speak to Kat? What makes you think she’s here?”

“Look, Mrs. Ragnarson, I am this family’s lawyer. Mac has spoken highly of his relationship with your husband. So, I know that Kat’s here with those boys. I just need her to sign a few papers that we went over with Mac today.”

“Mac spoke about us?” Imani giggled like a schoolgirl and even clapped her hands in fake delight.

I laughed at the annoyed look on Elizabeth’s face.

“Yes, you’re right. Mac and Colt are very good friends,” Imani said sweetly. “However, I’m afraid that your trip here has been wasted. Kat isn’t here, Ms. Graham. Perhaps you can leave the papers with me, and whenever Kat or Mac makes contact, I’ll make sure they get them.”

Elizabeth glared down her nose at Imani. “Look, these documents are confidential, and I can’t leave them with just anyone.”

“I understand, Ms. Graham.” She grabbed Elizabeth’s arm to steer her toward the door. “Thanks so much for passing by. Let me escort you out,” Imani said cheerfully as she started out of the room.

“Wait!” Elizabeth started muttering under her breath. “I know you and Kat are sistas and all, so I have a message for her that you can deliver instead.”

Imani’s gaze instantly chilled, and she drew to a standstill. From the frosty look coming from Imani, if Elizabeth had any sense, she would have not said another word and simply left. “And what message would that be?” Imani asked in chilling cool.

“Tell her that I have served and will continue to service her husband well. He likes it a bit rough sometimes, and sometimes he’s even willing to do some play acting.” Elizabeth smiled wickedly. “In fact, just last night he had me on all fours fucking me nice and slow and calling me Katia.”

I had to slap my hand over my mouth to stop myself from gasping at her vile words. What the hell? If I had any remaining doubts about this woman’s evilness, listening to her now would have confirmed it definitively. Mac gave me no reason to think he had anything but goodness in his heart. No way would he have done this.

“Let me stop you right there,” Imani gritted out.

“No, I haven’t finished. I need you to tell her that Mac especially liked that part of our game when he calls me Katia,” she continued gleefully. “He would sometimes refuse to call me anything but Kat. But can I tell you a secret?” Elizabeth giggled on seeing the disgust on Imani’s face.

“You’re clearly enjoying the telling,” Imani muttered through clenched teeth.

“Well, if Kat was here, you wouldn’t have to listen to this at all. I would’ve told her myself. I was so looking forward to seeing her face when I told her how freaky her husband is.”

What the hell? Every word out of Elizabeth’s mouth made me more confused, because I didn’t know what to feel. Anger? Disgust? Bitterness? I had had no expectation of Mac maintaining any fidelity to me before that night in that motel room. I had taken too much from him already, and I had met him in a relationship with Elizabeth. But what this woman was trying to describe was malicious and evil. I’d never wished for Mac’s super strength more in my life. I wanted to pummel this bitch into the ground for trying to tear down Mac’s integrity in this way. For damn sure, she deserved a kick in the teeth.

“Ms. Graham, I’m going to tell you what Kat would have said if she was here.” Imani closed the gap between her and Elizabeth, looking at the other woman coldly. “Get your skanky ass out of my face and out of this house before I stick my foot up in it!”

Elizabeth laughed. “I doubt very seriously Kat would have dared to kick me out. She should be used to her husband preferring my ass over hers.”

I saw red! And was about to run to the drawing room and show Elizabeth exactly what I would do when Imani’s words halted me.

“He told you to get lost, didn’t he?” Imani laughed. “That’s why you’re here. You’re hoping to hurt him and her. Tell me, Ms. Graham, are you wired? Are those people after them nearby hoping for some affirmation that Kat and her children are here?”

Elizabeth snorted, trying for nonchalance on being exposed.

“You really are a piece of shit, aren’t you? Just a low-down, stink-ass piece of shit.” Imani was livid and was poking Elizabeth in the chest with her fist. That had to hurt, because while Imani wasn’t as big as I was, Imani’s arms were toned and visibly strong.

“No!” Elizabeth yelled. “He used me! That bastard used me, and I want her to know that not one day of their marriage was he ever faithful to her,” she screamed. “And he had the gall to call her his queen. His fuckin’ queen! I have wasted six years of my life waiting. I gave him everything he wanted. I was whoever he wanted me to be, and the months of answering to her name, well that was the last straw!” she roared.

“Kat has done nothing to you.”

“She exists! That’s enough!”

“As interesting as this has been, it’s time for you to leave,” Imani told her coldly. “Leave before I forget that I’m a God-fearing woman and kick your ass.”

Elizabeth had barely exited the house before Mark Jarden, head of security, came into the house with a dark scowl. “There’s a shitload of activity on the outer walls and in the air. What’s going on?”