He took the quicker servants’ entrance and eased to a stop in front of the poolhouse. “You get out here. I’ll go find your kitten.”
“But I want to help.”
“The housekeeper has supper ready,” he said. “And she’ll help you search around the orchard. That way a larger area is covered, in case the kitten wandered away from the barn.”
Grace nibbled at her lip. Then she nodded agreement, eased from the car and trudged toward the house. Earlier she’d been laughing and smiling, calling this the best day ever. But her special day had just come to a screeching halt.
Now there was no need to hide his fury. He whipped the convertible in a circle and sped to the barn. Stepped out and slammed the door with a crack.
Rachel’s car was there but the paddocks were empty. All the horses were settled in their stalls for the night which meant the grooms had returned to their quarters. There’d be no one else around to witness his anger. He didn’t give a damn about appearances anyway, only so much as it affected Grace.
He stalked into the barn, so taut he could feel a muscle pulsing in his jaw.
Rachel sat in a chair in front of the office, awaiting his arrival. The aisle lights spotlighted her sleek golden hair. Her legs were crossed in an elegant pose, outlining the curves of her shapely legs. The first time he’d seen her sashaying into class, every male in the class had drooled. Now he knew the warped mind beneath her beautiful veneer and he couldn’t keep his mouth from twisting with revulsion.
“Where’s Grace’s kitten?” he snapped.
“Oh, my,” she said mockingly. “Don’t look so affronted. Do you really think you can hang out with your old girlfriend with no retaliation?”
“We’re divorced, Rachel. And your malicious games aren’t hurting me. They’re hurting Grace.”
“Who we both know is the only way I can hurt you.” Her smile was triumphant, and chilling. “We can live in harmony and I’ll be good to Grace. But only if you promise not to see that slut again.”
He folded his arms, fighting the urge to pick her up from the chair and shake some sense into her.
She rose and stepped forward, standing so close he could smell her spitefulness. “You want to kill me, don’t you?”
“Sometimes,” he said.
“You should know I’m recording this conversation.”
“Which will be carefully edited, I’m sure.”
“Of course it will. You’re not the only one with good lawyers.”
“I’ve never edited anything,” he said. “I don’t have to. And I have enough ammo to end up with custody.”
“Maybe. But that will take time. In the meantime Grace needs and wants her mother. Do you really want to be responsible when she becomes anorexic again? Because you know I can make that happen, just like I did before. Or even worse. How would you feel if she started cutting her arms—?”
His vision blurred, spotted by black dots of anger. He jerked forward and wrapped his hands around her arms, hating to touch her. Unable not to.
Rachel shot him a victorious smile. Then she let out an anguished scream. “You’re hurting me,” she whimpered. “Please don’t hit me. Not again.”
“Oh, for God’s sake.” He loosened his hands and stepped back, shaking his head in disgust, as annoyed by his lack of control as he was at her calculated staging. He’d lived with her stunts for years. He shouldn’t be surprised.
“This is how it’s going to work,” Rachel said, her voice hardening. “I’ll be the dutiful mother you want for your daughter, but don’t ever flaunt your women in my face. The only way you’ll get rid of me is with a hit man. And we both know I’d leave enough evidence to convict you…and Grace would have to live the rest of her life as an orphan.”
He gave his head a weary shake. “You honestly don’t give a damn, do you?” Deep down he hoped she harbored some affection for Grace, some sort of warmth for the child she’d carried.
“I love you,” Rachel said. “And you’re Grace’s father. So of course I love her.”
He backed up, not wanting to even breathe the same air. He’d deluded himself into thinking Rachel was just selfish like his parents. That he could help keep her psychosis in check. But it was apparent she had no real affection for Grace.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Rachel said. “We’re in this together. For life.”
For life. Bile rose in his throat. “Return Grace’s kitten,” he said tiredly. “Unharmed.”
“Of course,” Rachel said mockingly. “The puny little kitten with the white feet. I wanted to toss her in the pool but Santiago is surprisingly soft. Turns out he likes cats. You’re lucky he was here.” She waved a dismissive hand then pressed a number on her phone.
“Grace, darling,” she purred. “I found your kitten. It took me hours but she’s safe and sound. I’ll be in later to kiss you good night.”
He could hear Grace’s whoop of joy but Rachel cut the connection while Grace was still talking.
“See,” Rachel said, palming her diamond encrusted phone. “I know how to make little Grace happy. And I can do the same for you. Just like I did before.” She sidled closer, trailing suggestive fingers down his forearm. “Remember the things I did to you. How I took you in my mouth and made you moan…”
After Cassie’s wholesome sweetness, her touch felt like insects running over his skin, and he flinched.
Her eyes glittered and she dropped her hand. “So you’re already screwing her again. How convenient. Just like your horn dog father. Dropping off your kid so you can indulge in some private riding of your own.”
He didn’t answer. What he shared with Cassie was infinitely precious. Just the thought of her left him feeling cleaner, happier, more alive. And it only underscored that he had to free himself from Rachel, no matter the cost.
“What do you want, Rachel?” he asked.
“Everything,” she said. “And I will never let any woman share this estate with you. It’s mine, all of it. I wish you’d understand that.”
“I do.” He inclined his head. “So my lawyers will be contacting you with a new proposal.”
And with that he turned and walked away.
“Wait,” she called. “Remember I’ll never leave the estate. So you can’t win. Not if you want your daughter safe, happy…”
She was still yelling, making the wide-eyed horses flinch in their stalls, when he stepped outside into the blessedly fresh air.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
“You heard correctly,” Alex said, calmly eyeing the senior partner of the Dyer Law Firm, a company that had ably represented generations of Sutherlands in both their personal and business affairs. “In addition to half the assets, Rachel can have the estate and all the contents, including the horses. But I want the cats.”
His lawyer blanched. “A million dollars worth of horseflesh and you’re fighting for some barn cats?”
“She can have everything. But start with the estate and forty percent of the Sutherland holdings. Bottom line is she has to give up parental rights, immediately.”
“I advise against relinquishing the property. Let me move some assets and then we can dangle more money. And you should think a little longer about this.”
Alex shook his head. He didn’t want to think about his home: the mansion with three curving staircases that Cassie had used as her personal slides, the poolhouse where Grace had learned to walk, and the pristine fields he and Cassie had raced across. He’d never offered Rachel free and clear title before. Never thought he could bear to give up the family estate. But yesterday she’d done the unthinkable—she’d threatened Grace—and his belief about what was best for his daughter had dramatically shifted.
“I want this done now.” Alex leaned back in the chair and adopted a languid pose. “She’s always wanted the estate. Give it to her.”
“But your parents would be horrified. The Sutherland family—
“It’s okay,” he said quietly, almost gently. “Jus
t do it.”
The lawyer gave a ponderous sigh, picked up a gold fountain pen and scrawled a notation. “We’ll talk to her legal representation and draw up the papers. I’ll request that she sign within twenty-four hours.” He adjusted his glasses, eyeing Alex hopefully. “Sure you don’t want to reconsider?”
Alex shook his head. For nine years he’d struggled to make this work, considering it his duty to do what was right for Grace, and Rachel. He’d accepted that he could never trust her to look after Grace, but he hadn’t thought it ethical to completely sever a mother from her child. Now he had no choice.
*
Cassie rushed down the barn aisle and grabbed the bale of hay before her grandfather could bend down and pick it up. “Let me get the hay,” she said.
He scowled and for a moment it seemed he would argue. Then he gave a resigned shrug and stepped back. “Sometimes I forget I’m not supposed to lift,” he said. “Thanks for coming home to help. Putting your life on hold.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” she said. “I love you.”
“Even though I wasn’t the best guardian for a little girl? A little girl who’s all grown up now.” His voice thickened and there was an odd sheen to his eyes.
“Oh, Gramps.” She forgot about the hay and gave him an impulsive hug, rather surprised when he awkwardly squeezed her back. He’d never been big on showing affection and his physical demonstrations had been brief and memorable.
But she remembered how he used to feel, and beneath the faded shirt his shoulders seemed smaller. In fact they felt narrow, frail and surprisingly bony. She had to get him eating more, make some higher-calorie meals. Maybe the type of casseroles that Alex had brought.
“You gave me a home,” she said. “And the best childhood a kid could ever have.” And now it was her voice that sounded thick.
“But you had too many chores,” he said. “And I wanted you to ride too many problem horses. You were always working.”
“I loved my life here. All I ever wanted was to work with horses. You know that.”
“I took your courage for granted though. You climbed on any animal, never complaining. Seeing Grace here, I realize how young you were. I didn’t give you time to play.”
“But Alex and I played all the time.”
Gramps edged back and she dropped her arms.
“Thank God he was around,” her grandfather muttered. “He looked out for you in a way I didn’t. Threatened to take his lessons elsewhere if I didn’t ease up. He may have been young but he always knew what was right.”
She hooked her fingers around the twine of the hay bale. Yes, Alex did what was right and those fiercely protective instincts were in full force with Grace. But it hurt that he wanted to set Cassie up as a pseudo mistress. If Rachel found out, she’d be furious.
She gulped, remembered Alex’s scar. He’d asked for more time to deal with Rachel but Cassie didn’t want her presence to endanger anyone. And she had no idea how he would negotiate with such a woman.
She positioned the bale in front of Freckles’ stall. Grace was coming over for a lesson this morning, and she liked to feed the horses plenty of hay. No doubt, a new horse would warrant extra.
“It’s nice having Alex around again,” Gramps said. “I lost my temper before. Told him to leave us alone. But I didn’t expect him to stay away so long. When that man makes a decision, he sticks to it.”
Cassie shifted the bale another inch, moving it to the left of the stall door. She didn’t like this line of talk, didn’t want to be reminded about Alex and his tough decisions. And she didn’t want to agonize about what might happen between him and Rachel.
“I should have relented and called him,” Gramps went on. “But I missed you.” He gave a little chuckle. “And it wasn’t because you were such a good worker.”
“I had to leave,” she said. “The equine center made me a great offer. I never would have found that kind of horse job here.” And it would have been torture watching Alex with Rachel. And his new baby.
“It was good of Alex to recommend you. But it pissed me off. I guessed that he had hurt you but I didn’t want you to move. Didn’t think you’d be happy anywhere else.”
She froze, her mind sluggish. What was Gramps saying?
“But it was a friend of your vet who knew about the job,” she said.
“Alex was the friend,” her grandfather admitted. “He was the one who knew the owner. But then you moved further away with the movie work. I didn’t expect that. I don’t think he did either.”
Her grandfather’s mouth was still moving but a drumming noise filled her ears. She dropped onto the hay bale, her knees weak. So it had been Alex all along. He was the one who didn’t want her living here. Didn’t want her around his pregnant fiancée. So he’d shipped her out like an unwanted horse.
She’d been so relieved to land a job at the prestigious Center. So proud when she proved she could handle their wildest horses. It had led to her job in California. But she’d thought she had earned it on her own. While Alex had really been the one pulling strings.
She slumped back against the wall, mortified at how she’d guided him around the Center, showing him the technologies, introducing him to her friends, to Wally. And that explained why Wally knew Grace’s age. Because Alex already knew those people.
When he’d first told her about Rachel’s pregnancy, she’d been shattered. Vowed she never wanted to see him again, even though they both knew that would be impossible. They both rode at the polo club. She worked for the Sutherlands, a job that obviously was in jeopardy. But of course he’d handled it just like he dealt with everything else—quickly, efficiently and with a certain degree of ruthlessness.
She really shouldn’t be annoyed. If she had stayed, she might have turned to her high school boyfriend for solace. She could have six kids and live a stone’s throw from Gramps, forever in the shadow of the Sutherland Estate.
But I’d be teaching lessons to my own children now, instead of Grace. I’d be happy… Maybe.
She clasped her hands together, struggling with her ambivalence. Alex had only made the job available. He hadn’t forced her to accept. And if she hadn’t taken it, she never would have met Dan Barrett. Never would have been offered a position in the movie industry.
But why couldn’t Alex be tough like that with Rachel? Why didn’t he just offer his ex-wife a ranch and polo team in Argentina…or even further, Australia?
She gripped her fingers more tightly. Because then Grace would move too, or at least be gone for visits. Alex didn’t trust Rachel with Grace, even for short periods. And rightly so.
“Tired?” her grandfather asked, sitting down on the bale beside her. “You rode three horses and mucked out all the stalls. And it’s not even nine o’clock yet.”
“I wanted them cleaned before Grace arrived for her lesson,” Cassie said, still numb. “She wants to swing a mallet today. From Freckles’ back.”
She thought Gramps would protest that Grace wasn’t a good enough rider, but he only nodded. Naturally he wanted to keep the Sutherlands happy. Grace’s lesson money was their sole income. And if the girl wanted to swing a mallet, who were they to tell her she wasn’t ready?
“I’ll make sure she rides Freckles in a halter,” Cassie said. “So she doesn’t hurt his mouth by accident. But she’s in a hurry to learn polo. She’s looks up to her mother and wants to impress her.”
Gramps snorted. “Rachel doesn’t worry about hurting anything. Look what she did to Ginger. But we’re lucky it wasn’t worse.”
“What do you mean?”
Gramps shrugged. “After Alex and Rachel divorced, a few women were rumored to be interested in him. Something unlucky always seemed to happen.”
Cassie leaned forward on the hay bale. Gramps was not a man to gossip, or exaggerate, and ‘something unlucky’ seemed a euphemistic statement, even for him. Maybe there was more than the knife incident with Alex.
“You’re saying Rache
l…does stuff?” Her voice lowered even though the barn was empty. And while the idea was repugnant, it was no longer shocking. Not after Alex’s admission yesterday. And she’d already guessed Ginger had been deliberately cut.
“I’m just saying some people follow a scorched earth policy,” her grandfather said. “She’s one of them. And I don’t believe Grace looks up to her mother. I think the kid is terrified.”
Cassie blinked. Gramps had spent a lifetime studying body language. He always knew when a horse was stubborn, scared or just confused. And his assessment of Rachel wasn’t surprising. But he must be wrong about Grace.
She did speak rather carefully for a nine-year-old, and her enunciation was painfully deliberate. However, Cassie had assumed that was her upbringing. Alex had been careful with his words too, almost guarded. Except around her.
But if Grace were really afraid of her mother, she hid it well. As if she wanted to conceal it from everyone. Most especially her father. Who was bending over backwards to keep the family unit together.
“Have you mentioned that to Alex?” Cassie asked.
“Of course not,” Gramps said. “I can criticize his riding or his horses but he’s never tolerated any comments about his family. You might be able to say something though. He’s always been open with you—”
“No, I can’t. Not now.” She jerked to her feet. Rachel was already a hot topic. And Cassie was hurting too much, feeling way too fragile. It was like they were poised over a precipice with both her and Alex desperately trying to find a workable solution.
“Besides,” she said, “Grace adores her mother. Everything she does is for her. She always wants to impress her. To please.”
Her grandfather just gave a stubborn shake of his head. “Because she’s scared,” he said.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
MILLIONAIRE'S SHOT: Second Chance Romance Page 17
