Secure Desire Read online

  Cassie Modine, born 7/7/87, age twenty-eight, single. Born Cassiopeia Maia Ellis. Daughter of William Ensworth Ellis and Sarah Bethany Modine, deceased 2003.

  Why did she take her mother’s maiden name? Ian opened an e-mail to Tiki for his questions.

  Sister of Thomas, deceased 2003. Causes of deaths, helicopter crash in the Hudson River 7/7/2003. Her sixteenth birthday. Accident investigation: mechanical malfunction (preliminary report).

  Ward of retired Lieutenant Commander USN, now Deputy Assistant Director Luke Paulsen and his wife, Rachel.

  That explains, “niece.”

  She attended Georgetown Day School through 6/2003. Homeschooled until high school graduation in 2004.

  Ian drank his black coffee and sorted through the attached medical records. He grimaced at the reports of the traumatic injuries and the psychiatric report. PTSD.

  George Washington University, undergraduate degree with a 4.0 GPA. Double majors in economics and fine arts and art history in 2008. Masters: Finance. 2009 Joint degree program at the University of Maryland, Ph.D. art history and archeology. 2012 Dissertation: The Depiction of Women in Renaissance Art: Madonna or Whore.

  Fellowship at the National Art Gallery, 2012.

  Engagement announcement to Garett Whitman, 2008.

  Ian’s lips tightened into a taut line. The irrational thought of Cassie near any man was unacceptable to him.

  Tiki’s handwritten notes stated: The day after Ms. Ellis defended her dissertation, she was admitted to the Franklin Clinic on 5/14/2012 for unnamed injuries. No information. No medical records. Not encrypted, blank. Sanitized?

  Ian read through a society page article about the wedding—canceled. There was a copy of her legal name change to Modine.

  Another scrawl from Tiki: All references to Cassiopeia Ellis disappeared.

  Post-it notes attached to a notation on a tax document: Five million contribution to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence in Cassiopeia Ellis’s name. (Drawn from a Whitman Trust). Address change to Coronado, CA. 7/1/12 Lease agreement for Coronado address signed by Lt. Commander Christian Paulsen. Corporation documents: Founder and benefactor of Tommy’s House in Coronado, CA, and Norfolk, VA.

  Another note stated, The corporation is funded by investment accounts set up from her parents’ life insurance payout and accident settlement. Address change: Georgetown, DC. Property is a townhouse, two bedrooms — value: 1.2 million dollars. No mortgage. Liquid net worth: eight million dollars (see attached portfolio).

  Ian ran a finger down the list. She is well invested.

  Enrollment in the FBI Academy, 8/1/13. Performance review: top five percent of her class. Currently rated Special Agent. Assigned, Art and Cultural Crimes Division. Trust fund: $32 million. (Interest and investment income donated. No other activity. See attached list.)

  Ian smiled as he read the list of charities. “You are sweet, Cassie.”

  CEO of Ellis Art Finds. Fifty-one percent stock share. (Silent) COO Mark Devereaux. Company value $180 million.

  Ian typed: “Follow the admission trail from Franklin Clinic. Search explanation of engagement cancellation. Obtain the final NTSB report on the helicopter crash. Copy of accident settlement. Copy of parents’ will. Request full FBI evaluation of Cassie Modine.”

  Chapter Three

  Cassie shuffled clothes hangers across the rail of the closet. "It’s just dinner." He’ll never want a woman like me anyway. In spite of her coping techniques, she could not stop the negative thoughts floating through her mind. Maybe it was because this was the first time she wanted to have dinner with a man.

  She settled on a pale peach silk tunic and a pair of black jeggings that fit snugly around every inch of her bottom. Her feet slipped happily into her favorite pair of black Jimmy Choo heels. A spritz of honeysuckle body spray followed by mascara, a hint of blush, and peach lip gloss complimented her hair, which she left down to spill in soft waves over her shoulders.

  You’re saving him, she reminded herself.

  At precisely seven o’clock, Ian pulled up, his protection detail in tow, in front of Cassie’s home. “You’re right on time.” Her lips lifted into a sweet smile.

  Ian presented her with a bag of Halloween candy and a single pink rose. Its fragrance floated in the air. Cassie suppressed her deep-seated reaction to the floral scent.

  “Please come in. Can I offer you something to drink?” Her heart rate increased when he brushed past her. “You weren’t kidding?” She sniffed the chocolate, which blocked out the smell of the rose.

  “Tomorrow, two hundred bags will be donated to the VA.” He laughed.

  Ian wore a green striped short-sleeved button-down shirt that did nothing to hide his built upper body and form-fitting black jeans. She welcomed him into her open-plan living room, decorated with a combination of pastel and primary-colored accents against white furniture. Four large watercolors of single tulips covered one wall.

  “You look beautiful tonight.”

  “No Knight slobber.” Cassie laughed.

  Ian moved toward a white brick fireplace; its mantel filled with framed photographs. He picked up a picture taken in front of Sardis Restaurant in Manhattan. A Mylar happy birthday balloon floated above her head. It had to be the last time her family was together.

  “It was taken on my sixteenth birthday.” Her hands shook while she stuck the rose in a crystal vase and placed it on an end table. “Thank you for the rose, Ian. It’s lovely.” She gave her rehearsed smile. Oh god, this is a mistake.

  Her dad’s voice countered her fear: If you don’t take the risk, you might miss the adventure.

  She bit her inner cheek to shut down the panicked feelings. Look at him. She cataloged his features.

  Ian replaced the photo. “Shall we go?” He presented his hand.

  Avoiding it, she moved to set her alarm, then stepped onto the stoop with her keys in her still unsteady hand. Wordlessly, Ian placed his hands around hers. With a delicate touch, he took her keys and locked her door. Before he could hand them back to her, she yanked them from his grasp and dropped them in her bag.

  Cassie, cool it. You have nothing to be afraid of. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

  “It’s fine.” He held the car door open for her.

  Cassie looked around. “I see they’re a little more discreet tonight.”

  “Our board of directors demands it, part for my safety and part for a tabloid alibi.” Ian gave a two-finger salute in the direction of the two sedans, and headlights flashed back.

  Cassie slid into the passenger seat of the vintage Jaguar XKE. “Wow, you certainly do a meal in style.”

  Before she could react, Ian pulled the seat belt across her hips and buckled it. The smell of leather and his sandalwood, verbena, and iris cologne excited her senses. “I bought it after my second tour. Life is too short.”

  Powerful hands turned the key and shifted the car into drive. He took sideways glances at her as they weaved through the evening traffic. “How is your favorite evil supervisor today?”

  Cassie giggled. “Your call surprised him today. He was not too pleased. How do you know him?”

  “We met in California. I was stationed at Naval Base Coronado, and he was at Marine Camp Pendleton. And bless the powers that be, they decided the two branches should combine for a mission.” Ian stopped at a traffic light. “Well, as you can imagine, there was a lot of ego on both sides. I’ll be honest: neither side was too considerate of the other’s skills. I showed up late to the party, got delayed somewhere.”

  Cassie’s face was luminous in the streetlight. “I know, if you tell me, you’ll have to kill me.”

  “I like you, Cassie Modine. Greg Wilds and I were in line for the leadership position. He was a Marine major. I was a Naval lieutenant commander. Equal rank. Someone had to be in charge.” The tone of his voice gave nothing away.

  “Hmm, I don’t have to ask who won.”

  “There was never any
competition as far as I was concerned. Greg may tell another story.”

  After Wilds' reaction that morning and his insolent behavior the rest of the day, she knew where her boss stood. Wednesday couldn’t come soon enough.

  “You need a tabloid alibi? I mean, you don’t have to answer.”

  “Hmm, let’s see. I am the Bachelor, Beltway Billionaire, or is it the Beltway Bachelor Billionaire? Kieran got married last year, so the title is mine alone. I am linked to every DC socialite, Kieran’s wife—we share her. Multiple A-list actresses. I can’t comment because most are under Chase Security protection. Then there are articles about the company, my vacations—some real and some fiction. I do intend to go to Antarctica one day.”

  Cassie’s sides hurt from laughing.

  After pulling into a small lot adjoining the American Café, he hurried to the passenger side and opened her door, extending his hand to help her to her feet. Unlike earlier, Cassie placed her hand in his.

  The American Café was decorated in Americana themes with kitschy decorations and expensive pieces of fine art. “I wonder if they know what they have here.” A small sculpture of an American eagle by an up-and-coming artist sat on a pedestal, and a large painting of three horses with coloring based on variations of the stars and stripes running along a pristine beach at sunrise caught Cassie’s eye.

  “It’s stunning.” He lifted his chin in the direction of the spectacular painting titled Truth, Justice, and the American Way. “Do you know the artist?”

  Cassie shook her head. “No!” The initials CME were entwined in the crest of one of the waves.

  A young, perky, pink-haired hostess escorted them to a quiet corner table. Ian placed some crisp bills in the palm of her hand, and the girl gave Ian a goofy girly-crush smile before she walked back to her station.

  Cassie wrinkled her nose, her eyes full of delight. “You must get that often.”

  “What? I didn’t notice.” When he placed his warm hand on the small of her back while he pulled out her chair, the muscles beneath his fingertips quivered. “What can I get you to drink?” He sat across from her.

  “Iced tea with lemon, please. This place looks like fun. Thank you in advance.” The words were on target, but her body language defied the sentiment.

  “Thank you for joining me for dinner.”

  “You’re welcome, Ian. Tell me your story. Christian and Caleb treat the family to anecdotes, but I don’t know anything about you. Well, except the magazines.”

  “Ha, I knew it. So, which is it?”

  “Billionaire Beltway Bachelor.” Cassie folded her lower lip beneath the top one.

  The sweet smell of her fragrance made his body tighten with primitive, protective desire. He smiled at her, reading her continued fear. “You want my whole story?” Ian surveyed the surroundings for the exits and potential dangers.

  “Please.”

  Ian leaned forward, placing his palms face up on the table. “Well, let’s see. I was born thirty-eight years ago in Queen’s Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. My mom was a Navy nurse in a clinic on Pearl. My dad was an intelligence officer. While he did that by day, he went to law school part-time at night. I lived with sand between my toes until my brother, Kieran, was born five years later.”

  The waitress served their drinks along with a basket of warm rolls, flatbreads, and breadsticks. Soft, fragrant herbal butter filled a red, white, and blue china cup. They decided to share an order of corn fritters with a spicy aioli sauce as an appetizer.

  “After Kieran was born, Dad asked to be transferred to Norfolk to make it easier on us as a family.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He never shared this with anyone outside his family before. “The time away. One partner has to face being alone and out of communication quite a lot. You need a unique disposition. When I was almost twenty-four, I was living with a woman, Olivia. I thought she was it. I was due to report for SEAL training in Coronado. Before I left, I proposed.

  “Christian, I, and twenty-six other poor souls out of one hundred twenty-five just made it through hell week. We dragged our battered bodies to our bunks. Long story short, my ring and a letter were waiting for me. She couldn’t handle life with an active-duty soldier. The floor fell out from under me. I was exhausted; I couldn’t think straight.

  “I called my dad, ready to ring out. Before he hung up, he told me to get some rest before I did anything. He also told me a story about my mom and him. I learned two things from that call. One was how much my parents love each other and Kieran and me. And two, I didn’t love Olivia.”

  At the mention of his parents’ love, Cassie got misty-eyed. He didn’t miss her attempt to hide the tears by dropping her napkin to the floor. “Are they still active duty?”

  “My mom retired from the Navy soon after we left Hawaii and took a civilian nursing job at Holy Cross. She still works in the intensive care unit as a nurse manager. My dad had an interesting career path. After he got to Norfolk, he was able to win a coveted placement to finish law school. He’s a one star in JAG out of the Navy Yard with two more years until mandatory retirement. Kieran and I maintain our reserve status.” A piece of the artisan bread and butter melted in his mouth, and an impure thought about the woman in front of him crossed his mind. “Lil and Declan live in the same house we grew up in… in Bethesda. My parents’ choices gave us a normal childhood.”

  Cassie squeezed her lemon into her tea. “Sounds so nice. You didn’t grow up in the Beltway fishbowl.”

  Ian watched her rub her lemon juice-covered finger against her lips. “Our father’s parents were both blue collar from Long Island in New York, and our mom’s parents were white collar from California. Our mom’s dad was involved in the infancy of computer technology. Both sides insisted education was essential.”

  “My parents raised us that way too.” Cassie’s voice caught.

  Ian paused. When Cassie didn’t say anything else, he continued, “Grandpa’s will divided his estate three ways. Our parents received one-sixth. Kieran and I received the remainder. And that was the beginning of my current incarnation.”

  “How old were you when he passed?” Cassie made eye contact.

  Ian lost himself in her emerald green eyes. “I was eighteen… attending Stanford and trying to figure out a major.”

  “What did you choose?”

  When he smiled, dimples highlighted his square jaw. “I never decided. I jumped in with both feet. Double major, economics and international policy studies, combined with a master’s in international security studies. I also minored in history with a focus on military science.”

  Cassie shook her head. “Did you sleep?”

  “Not much, but I promise, it wasn’t all work.” When Ian winked, Cassie blushed.

  The waitress served their appetizer, and they paused for a moment to enjoy the dish. The silence was comfortable as they nibbled their fritters.

  “You grew up with a lot of support.” Her body language was more relaxed, and she was engaging in the conversation. “What called you to the Navy? Your parents?”

  Ian placed a hand on top of hers. Cassie tensed but did not pull away. “Growing up was easy. Loving parents who instilled a strong moral compass in me. A baby brother who is my best friend. No teenage angst. Great education. Athletic, I played football and lacrosse. A heavy dose of patriotism. No economic struggles.

  “Some of my friends didn’t have it so well. I learned early on money didn’t buy happiness. My best friend, Ross, grew up in a magnificent house with money for anything he could want, but it was tainted with alcohol and abuse. His dad spoke with his fists.”

  Cassie frowned. “That’s terrible.”

  “Ross spent his early life dodging his dad’s rage and protecting his mom and baby sisters.”

  “I will never understand how a partner, male or female, could hurt their family like that.” Her words were a whisper.

  Ian studied her. Her body language changed: she was keeping secret
s.

  “One afternoon, my dad walked in the kitchen door to find my mom putting ice on Ross’s bruised knuckles.” Ian rubbed Cassie’s with his thumb. “My dad thought Ross and I got into a fight and was about to throttle us. Mom raised her brow. Kieran and I still cave to that eyebrow.”

  Cassie giggled again, and Ian’s heart skipped a beat.

  “When he found out the truth, my dad stormed over to Ross’s house. He found Ross’s sisters in a closet and his mom unconscious. My dad called an ambulance, and as it pulled away, Mom took Ross and his sisters to our house—then Dad proceeded to beat the daylights out of Ross’s dad.” Cassie’s eyebrows rose. “Yeah, I know, not the greatest example.”

  “But I bet it felt good,” Cassie said.

  Ian was surprised by her comment. Who hurt you?

  “My mom and dad arranged help for the family. Later on, my dad reminded Kieran and me, his job was to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. He punished me for not speaking up sooner about what was going on. My dad made it clear saying nothing was as bad as standing by and letting it happen again.”

  Cassie took a hard pull on her straw.

  “Ross joined the Navy because of my dad’s influence.” Ian stared into space. “He died in a training accident the summer after I graduated. A bunch of us were celebrating his life on Venice Beach. It was two o’clock in the afternoon, and we were all loaded. The water was incredibly rough. Terrible riptides. The lifeguards were in the water more than not. While they were dealing with another emergency, a woman started screaming, her little boy disappeared in the waves. I grabbed Kieran and held him back. We were too boxed to help.” Ian’s eyes fogged. “I heard my father’s disappointed voice in my head. I’d blown it again.

  “Out of nowhere, two guys flew past us into the water, cutting through the waves as if they were calm. They pulled out the little guy and started CPR on him. By the time the lifeguards got there, the boy was breathing.” Ian took a full swallow. “The two men were active duty US Navy SEALs on leave.

  “I realized I’d had all the opportunities in the world, yet I was pissing them away.” He looked at Cassie with a warm twinkle in his eyes. “I joined the Navy a short time after. Kieran did the same after he graduated.”