Broken Road

by Char Marie Adles

  Devil knew she should have cared who the lady was but at the moment she couldn’t care more.

  Taking a deep breath for courage, she slipped her slender hands over Mr. Canter’s eyes and leaned over his shoulder to kiss his lips lightly with her’s as he stiffened.

  “We have much to talk about, yet I find it can wait till later. I think there is something we have to get over with first,” Devil breathed into his ear, “don’t you agree?”

  Winthrop’s heart kicked into gear the moment her lips touched his and he had to stop himself from pulling the kid on his lap right then and there to teach her a lesson. When her words registered in his brain his palm began to itch in anticipation of what she would do next. But instead of waiting or answering he swung out of the chair and swung her up in his arms.

  Unceremoniously he dropped her onto the bed and followed her down.

  Finding Lisa’s picture had put his in a foul mood and his anger had been swift and deep in return to the woman who had left him for his only cousin. He was calm and he needed this kid in his arms so bad it hurt.

  “You better get ready then, kid. I’m not going to play around anymore. This isn’t going to be anything like last night I can promise you,” he growled and then attacked her mouth with a hard kiss that hurt.

  Devil saw the furious look in his eyes and hoped she knew what she was going herself into.

  I hope I know what the hell I was thinking, she prayed and then grinned at the man.

  “Do your worst,” she challenged.

  His answering grin left her quivering. “You can bet on your sweet little backside.”

  The things the man could do with in only a few seconds! Devil found herself without a shirt on and her chest pressed against Mr. Canter’s very bare and very sexy chest. His smoldering eyes glared down into her’s for a long second before he set himself to working her body into a quivering pile of mush with his mouth and hands.

  Devil’s mind clouded over with passion and she dug her nails into his heavily muscled shoulders as he kissed his way down her stomach roughly, leaving behind little fires that threat to engulf her in flames.

  “…Canter…” she sobbed hoarsely.

  “Ssshhh…” he whispered with a chuckle, “all in good time, kid. I’ll have to teach you a few new things before we do anything else. You game?” He went back to work.

  “Yes!” Devil hissed as she felt her inner muscles flutter and coiled with tense. Just before she could feel the freeing tense disappear he stopped and sudden rolled them so she was on top of him.

  Devil blinked down at him.

  “I want you to take charge,” Winthrop said huskily. He had never before asked that of a woman. Not only did it surprise the hell out of him, but it turned him on liking nothing else.

  There was just something about this woman being in charge. His mind went blink as she started to move on his lap trying to find a comfortable place to sit up on.

  He bit his lip and held back his groan.

  “I’m not hurting you,” she whispered.

  “No,” he groaned, “If anything you are doing everything perfectly, but you might not want to move so much. It’ll end before it even begins.”

  “Oh, sorry,” Devil said softly, embarrassed.

  His deep rich laugh made her beat quicken.

  “Not at all.”

  A smile curved her lips and she gave her bottom an experimental wiggle and grinned at his loud groan. She attacked his mouth with all the skill that she had, sad little bit it was, and moved in a way that had both on them panting in minutes.

  “Why don’t we get out of some of these clothes?” she suggested. “It feels to hot.”

  Just as Winthrop opened his mouth to answer his little Devil the door bell rang. No one ever rang the door bell.

  “Shit,” he ground out harshly. It had to be an emergency from town or one of his army boys.

  Devil stared at him in confusion.

  Why had he stopped?

  Winthrop tried to calm his harsh breath and looked to Devil. She was staring at him with growing parts confusing and hurt.

  Damn it! He had been so close!

  He put his hands on her shoulders. “I have to go answer that. I’m sorry. I swear if I knew this would have happening I would have told you before. I didn’t mean to start this like this-”

  Ding-dong! Ding-dong!

  “Fuck,” he ground under his breath. “Hold on a second. I’ll take care of this and be back in a second. Don’t you dare leave me now.”

  Winthrop stomped out of the room and down the stairs not having a care how he looked or to put on a shirt. Damn any man who would stop him from-

  He swung to door out to see his uncle’s best friend, the sheriff. And he didn’t look to be in the mood for from some light talk either. In fact he looked down right ready to lay six feet under.

  “Hoss,” Winthrop said slowly, “what the hell happened?”

  The older man looked up at him with sharp grey eyes that had seen any and everything and felt the pain of it all. “There’s been a murder connected to your brother and I believe you can give me some of the answers I need.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  So much for the short talk he had planned the moment he saw the man to get his uncle’s old friend off his porch and on his way so he could go back up stairs and explain.

  The remembered pain and grief over his brother came to the surface along with the hatred for Wade’s unknown killer.

  “What happened,” Winthrop asked with a growl.

  The old man rubbed the back of his neck and sighed as if he were waiting for the world to end soon.

  “The murder was done in the city near here, a place Wade did a lot of business in before he died. The young woman who was just murdered was his fiancée by the name of Wylde.”

  Why did the woman’s name seem familiar?

  “She was found three days ago in an apartment kept by your brother, by a few of my men. A neighbor had called in and said she had heard what sounded like the girl being beaten nonstop for a few weeks till she screamed and then it went quite.” Hoss’s voice became quieter and harsher as he spoke.

  “What happen to the girl?” Winthrop found himself asking.

  “She was found much in the same manner a butchered cow would be seen in. When we got there we weren’t sure it was even a human body. She had been slashed to pieces, bones broken and cracked open and blood everywhere. We now for a fact that she had been locked in there for about two weeks with three men.” Hoss reached out and put a hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “They had tortured her for weeks before they killed her in the worse way possible.”

  “Believe me I know my way around torture,” Winthrop choked out. When he had been younger and a free-lance mercenary working for the USA military in the war he had been taken and tortured for a year before he was freed. He knew it only to well. “She must have been brave.”

  Hoss cleared his eyes and gave a mighty sniff. “I can only say that myself. But now back to the point we found letters written to and from the girl to your brother. It would appear that anyone that killed your brother killed her too. In one of her letters we found the hint of the girl’s only living relative, a younger sister. That younger sister is the key to finding the murder or murders of your brother and his fiancée.”

  Winthrop gave the man a hard look. “Well what are you doing here? Go and find the girl!”

  Hoss cleared his throat. “We tracked the girl. It’s not as easy as it looked. She kept a clean and hidden trail behind her. Both her parents died when she was eleven and she ran away, just like her sister had. She didn’t have any history till about four years later. Since then she’s been well known, but hidden. We tracked her from all the way from New York to Colorado to here. I believe you know the girl. We think she may have come looking for her sister since Wylde sent her letter from here-”

  The stairs creaked over so slightly under the light pressure of small feet behind him and he
knew.

  “Mr. Canter?”

  “-her name is Devil,” Hoss finished then looked behind Winthrop to see who on earth had called him Mr. Canter.

  When Hoss’s eyes landed on Devil he paled. Winthrop took a deep breath to calm both his mind and heart he turned to look at her.

  She was so beautiful wearing on his button up shirt that ended at her knees, but her eyes still showed the hurt and confusion he had left her with. God how young she looked in that moment. How small! She looked as if she need to hide in a strong part of arms and her whole world was about to come crashing down again.

  There was no doubt in his mind she was the sister of the murdered woman and the sister of his brother’s fiancée.

  Devil eyed the sheriff and Mr. Canter a moment before she played nervously with a lock of her hair. She wasn’t dressed to be seen by other people and why did both of the men look so grim?

  She took a step toward Mr. Canter and placed a hand on his warm chest. “What’s wrong,” she asked looking up into his eyes.

  He looked at her for a long moment in stressed silence and then he looked away as grief crossed into his beautiful eyes. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

  It was that moment that she knew something was wrong. Very wrong.

  Devil looked the cop. “What happened?”

  He looked her over for a moment and then Winthrop. He heaved a great sigh and took a step forward. “Miss Devil?”

  “Yes…?”

  Hoss lowered his eyes for a moment and then took of his hat and wrung it in both of his hands. “We have found your sister.”

  Devil felt a trill of relief and squeezed Mr. Canter’s hand. “Where is she? Is she outside?” Devil tried to peer around him and out to the curser. When she saw no one she looked back at him confused.

  “She was mangled and tortured to death three days ago in Billings. I’m so sorry.”

  Devil’s legs gave out under her. Surly she had heard wrong right? “What?”

  “She was found dead a few days ago in the city fifty miles from here,” Hoss said quietly.

  “…no…No…NO!” Devil wailed, big fat tears rolling down her cheeks. “No! She wasn’t supposed to die! She was supposed to come back to me!”

  She fell to the floor sobbing and felt Mr. Canter sit on the ground next to her and gather her to his chest. He rocked her softly and hushed her crying, but it did no good.

  Snot ran free from her nose and she sniffed, sobbing harder. Her body was racked with shivers and she wailed out her grief over losing her sister. Wylde had ever only been the one who had truly cared about her and now that she knew that she was gone a hole opened in her heart and it seemed endless.

  Soon though her tears ran out and she hugged herself tightly to the man who held her so tenderly in his arms. Her grief slowly turned into something a lot darker and a lot more dangerous, just like it had when her father had beaten Devil’s mother and baby sister to death.

  Black fury and hate.

  Devil whispered her thanks in his ear and began to stand. Her icy blue eyes frosted with fury.

  “Tell me who did this. They will not live another day to breathe for taking Wylde from me,” she seethed to Hoss.

  At the look on her face he took a good step back and swallowed a few times.

  “Ah…we aren’t sure who it is or why they were doing this, but don’t do anything you will regret Miss Devil,” Hoss said in a rush.

  A cruel smile titled her lips and chilled even Winthrop sending chills down his spine.

  “You think I would care? I suggest you go back to working on your case and forget that you saw me here. Wouldn’t want you to get in trouble,” Devil suggested.

  “Do you know anything about this?” Hoss asked suddenly.

  “My father was a very bad man till he met his end. There were many things he dipped his hands in that followed even me after I ran away; it must be one of those many things.” Devil tilted her head to the side. “Pity he couldn’t face them himself.”

  Hoss had to ask. “Who was your father?”

  Devil laughed without humor. “You should know. He made national headlines a few years back before he died. His name was Tall Tree Runner and he was named the worst women beater in Colorado’s history of crime, it ended with the death of my mother, baby sister and almost me too on more then one account.”

  Hoss blinked. He couldn’t believe it. “You’re the daughter of the Scalped Indian?”

  Devil nodded. “Now I want you to leave here. I have a call to make to an old friend and take care of some business.”

  Hoss left quickly, but said he would stop by later to check in. He told Winthrop to keep a close watch on her.

  …

  The small silver phone snapped open and she dialed a number she hadn’t used in four years.

  “Hello,” a deep voice on the other side of the line rumbled out.

  “Hello Royal,” Devil said taking a deep breath, “been awhile.”

  “Oh god, is that you Devil?!” asked a surprised deep voice.

  “Yes,” she said grimly.

  “Why are you calling only now after four years?”

  “I waned to protect you guys. Listen Father,” Devil’s voice cracked and a tear fell, “something’s happened. This time it’s bad.”

  There was a long pause of angry silence then, “What happened?”

  “I need you. Someone might be trying to kill me. They already killed my sister. Please help me…” Devil clutched the phone and pleaded for his help.

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can, kid. Hold tight and wait for the army to show,” Royal Crown growled into the phone and hung up.

  No on was going to hurt his only daughter, never mind she was adopted or not. Family was family and the mob was ready for anything.

  “Get me a flight to America!” he snarled at his man and sat back in his giant chair. A chunk of black hair fell over into his eyes and he glared out the window and into the rain.

  …

  Devil sank onto the bed beside Mr. Canter and was grateful for his silence. She didn’t want to speak, didn’t want to cry. She only wanted him, to fell his strong body protect and hold her’s. To give her to comfort she need, she craved.

  She ran a hand up his arm and to his face to cup his cheek. She ran her fingers lightly over his lower lip and leaned in to kiss him softly.

  “Please.”

  It was such a simple softly spoken plea with a million different meanings, yet Winthrop understood what she was asking. He said not a word, but used his body to give her what she wanted and his soul to sooth her’s though he didn’t know it at the time.

  Winthrop kissed her sweetly with the long he feel deep down in his bones and wished for the first time in his life he could always have her in his arms like this.

  “Take away the painful memory,” she whispered in his ear, “give me everything you can and don’t hold back. Take me somewhere safe.”

  Softly Devil bit his earlobe.

  Winthrop growled. “As you wish.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Are you sure,” Mr. Canter breathed in Devil’s ear.

  A strong lean hand cupped her cheek gently and the other slid up her side pulling her closer to the warmth of his body. Her body was shivering, but oddly enough it wasn’t from being scared at him being so close. She was excited and sad deep in her heart, but it wasn’t wrong.

  There was the voice in her head asking her how she could do this to her sister who she had just found out who died only a few days ago, but she knew her sister had to have planned it in the slightest way.

  Devil squeezed her eyes closed against the tears that finally wanted to come and nodded.

  “Do you really?” Winthrop asked her. He needed to hear it from her lips; he needed to know that it was okay. He felt even though he held her in his arms that she was so far away, her pain eating away at her.

  He wanted to take away that pain that was so plainly written on her face, but he kne
w he should stop what he was doing. Winthrop start to pull away but she sank her nails into his back and wrapped her body around his, stopping him from leaving.

  “Don’t you dare leave me now. You said ‘as I wish’ and I wish. You said you’ll make me forget, so make me forget,” Devil whispered in his ear.

  Winthrop shivered and wrapped his arms around her. “I don’t know if I can keep myself in check and not hurt you. You’re so small.”

  She glared into his eyes and slowly her expression melted into a soft smile. “It doesn’t matter. I want you.”

  That was all it took.

  Mr. Canter pressed his lips to hers in a demand that she give him everything and for the first time in her life she gave it to a man. Gave him control over her heart and her body. She was ready to be selfish and take everything she wanted.

  When everything separating them was gone Devil started to feel the need for him. She rubbed up against him and he stilled her with a rough chuckle.

  “Not so fast, little lady. I want to take my time.” His voice was rough and ragged as her breath and she trembled.

  She was hot all over and felt as if she was going to melt as every touch. When his hand went from her waist to a much lower spot she sucked in a breath at the feelings of his hot fingers.

  “What are you doing?” she gasped.

  His hands stilled, he looked her in the eyes. “No one has ever done this to you before?”

  There’s no way, Winthrop thought.

  Devil bit her lip and shook her head, cheeks painted red with embarrassment.

  Oh brother, what you lost. How beautiful she is.

  A roguish smile curled over his lips and he leaned down to kiss the curve of her breast. “What a gift.” He set back to his work and soon she was tense and begging silently for something she didn’t even know she was begging for.

  The pressure was becoming too much and her body was bowed and ready for a release, but to release what she didn’t know. “Please…”