Secret Love - Brenda Jackson [96]
“Jonathan, look—” Jake started to say.
“No,” Jonathan interrupted. “We have to know. We have to be assured.”
Jake was deeply touched with his brothers’ stand, but he couldn’t help but smile. Although he knew that Jonathan, being the closest to him in age, was still pretty physically fit to kick a few butts if he had to, Jake couldn’t see his other four brothers being of much help. Although from the stories he had heard, in their younger days they were a rough and tough group. That was then. This was now. They were in their late fifties and early sixties, for heaven’s sake! He shrugged. It was the thought that really counted.
“Although appreciated, your assistance is not needed,” Alex decided it was best to say. “Just like Jake has said, I have everything under control. I’ll be the one who’ll be watching Jake’s back. Besides, if all of you suddenly began following him around, your mother is going to get suspicious, and the last thing we need is for Gramma Madaris to know what’s going on. The best thing all of you can do is to go back to your homes and discuss this with no one, not even your wives. It has to be a secret.”
“Just like the tea recipe?” Lee Madaris asked.
Alex smiled. “Yes, sir, Mr. Lee—just like the tea recipe.”
Diamond stared at Sterling. “Pardon me? What do you mean, I can’t leave?”
Sterling inhaled deeply. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach that Diamond would not be a cooperative hostage. He leaned against his desk. “I mean just what I’ve said, Diamond. I was hoping this mess would have been taken care of before I had to detain you, but it hasn’t been. Therefore you’re here until Jake gives me the word that it’s okay to take you home.”
Diamond shook her head. “Just what is going on, Sterling? I want answers, and I want them now!”
Sterling rubbed a hand over the top of his head. “All right, Diamond, please sit down and I’ll explain things to you,” he said, knowing he had no other choice now.
Seeing she would not get anywhere with Sterling until she did what he asked, she angrily took a seat on the sofa.
Hesitating before he spoke, Sterling took a quick glance around the room to make sure there was nothing within Diamond’s reach that she could throw at him. He had a feeling she was just that angry right now.
“Jake’s been receiving threatening calls and letters, Diamond. They started the morning after word got out that the two of you were married. This person threatened his life unless he got out of yours.”
Diamond stared at Sterling, speechless. Her hands balled into fists in her lap. “Why wasn’t I told about this?” she asked, not even trying to hide the anger in her voice.
Sterling’s heart twisted at the hurt he also heard in her voice. “I think at first Jake thought it was a joke. But when other warnings began coming, it soon became apparent it wasn’t a joke.”
Sterling came across the room and sat down next to her on the sofa. “He wanted to keep you safe and protected as much as possible. He also wanted to keep things from the media as long as he could.”
He then provided all the facts to her that Jake had given him.
“Conrad Ammons?” she asked quietly, unbelievingly. “The reporter?”
“Yes, Conrad Ammons. The authorities are looking for him now, and as soon as he is picked up this nightmare will be over.”
Pain welled up inside Diamond at the thought of what Jacob had been going through for the past three weeks. His life had been in danger, and she hadn’t known anything about it. She had spoken to him on the phone earlier that day and he hadn’t given any kind of hint that anything was wrong. “But when will another nightmare begin, Sterling? This should not have happened. It’s all my fault.”
“It’s not your fault, Diamond. It’s not your fault that Ammons is someone who wanted to protect you because you resembled his sister.”
“But placing Jacob in danger is my fault. I’ve only