“No, he didn’t!” Melanie yelled, grabbing for her arm and holding her as she and Gracie dragged her from the room. “You skanky whore! You tried to rape him so you could get pregnant and get money from him.”
There was a thunder of footsteps as John and Marc ran up the stairs to see what all the commotion was about. They both stopped in shock as they saw Gracie and Melanie dragging a naked Elise down the hallway. Elise was swinging her arms and trying to hit them both, but the women easily avoided her attempts at hurting them. Between the two of them, they pushed her down the hallway and dragged her down the stairs. Gracie never let go of Elise’s hair as she shook her repeatedly to stop her in her attempts to free herself.
When they got to the bottom of the stairs, the front door opened and Claire, Madison, Jamie, Becca, and Lainey stood there with stunned expressions on their faces. Madison quickly grabbed for Cooper and Robbie and led them back outside so they wouldn’t see what was happening.
Claire stepped inside, walking over to her sister with a deadly calm. She stared at her sister’s naked form and couldn’t help but cringe. Her sister’s body was tall, toned, and perfectly tanned.
“Up to your old tricks, sister dear?” she asked quietly, ignoring the screeching that was escaping Elise. She had heard her sister’s shrill voice countless times whenever she didn’t get her way. She hated it then, and she hated it now.
She looked up at Gracie and Melanie and saw the anger in both of their faces. Seeing the red mark on Gracie’s cheek, she reached out and touched it gently.
“Did she hurt you, Gracie?”
“I’m fine,” Gracie said at once. “Your sister is a bitch.”
“She was trying to seduce Jake,” Melanie said angrily.
“She what?” Claire asked, shrinking back as if she had been slapped.
“Jake was out of it from the pain pill, Claire,” Melanie explained quickly. “He had no idea what was going on. He thought it was you. He was afraid you were sick.”
“But he allowed her to seduce him?” Claire said, her voice soft with the pain that she was feeling.
“Seduce, my ass!” Gracie said, furious. “She was trying to rape him.”
“Claire!” Jake’s voice called to her from the top of the stairs.
Claire looked up and saw that John and Marc were holding him up between them. Jake looked confused.
“Claire, are you okay? Are you sick, angel?” he called down to her. “Let go of me, Marc! John, let go! I need to get to Claire.”
Claire rushed toward the stairway, dropping her bag that contained the purchases that she had made at the craft store. Running up the stairs, she stood beside Marc then slid between him and Jake as she carefully wrapped her arms around her mate’s waist.
“I’m not sick, Jake,” she told him gently. She kissed his neck lightly and nuzzled into her mate’s body. “We need to get you back into bed so you can rest.”
“I need you with me, Claire,” Jake said, his words slurred from the pain pill.
“I need to be with you,” she whispered back.
“He doesn’t want you, Claire,” Elise yelled from the living room, still fighting to get out of Gracie’s and Melanie’s grips. “Why would he want you when he can have me? You’re ugly and worthless.”
“Enough, bitch,” Gracie hissed, pulling Elise toward the couch and grabbing her coat. She threw it at her, glad when the bulk of it slapped her in the face. “Put this on and cover your nasty ass!”
Claire ignored the commotion in the living room, concentrating instead on getting Jake back to their room. Once Marc and John helped her to get Jake back into bed and settled comfortably, she turned to face them both.
“Get that out of here,” she said quietly, pointing to the pile of clothes next to the doorway that belonged to her sister.
Marc went over to the messy heap and snatched up the clothes angrily. He left the room muttering about the evilness of the woman. John was close on his heels, closing the bedroom door behind them.
“Claire, are you okay, angel?” Jake asked softly, reaching out and searching for her.
Claire went to him without hesitation and took his hand in hers, bringing it to her mouth to kiss it tenderly. “I’m fine, Jake. How are you feeling?”
“I have a headache,” he admitted. “I’m sore.”
“I know, sweetheart. I’m here now. Just relax.”
“I need you to sleep next to me, Claire,” he said tiredly. “I need to hold you.”
Claire nodded, standing up and removing her coat and shoes before climbing into bed to lie beside her mate. She cuddled against him and sighed as he wrapped his arm around her and held her close.
“That’s better,” Jake whispered.
“Yes. It is.”
Claire closed her eyes and willed herself to remain in control. She couldn’t cry. She wouldn’t cry. It would just upset Jake, and he had been through enough.
“I dreamed that you were sick, angel. I was worried about you.”
“I’m fine. Just rest, Jake. I’ll stay with you for a while.”
“Where are you going, Claire?”
“I just have to help with dinner,” Claire said calmly.
“Are you mad at me, angel?” Jake asked, confused. “I think you should be angry with me, but I don’t know why.”
“No, Jake. I’m not angry with you. I love you.”
“I love you, angel.”
“Sleep, Jake. Don’t worry about anything. Just get better.”
“Okay.”
Jake held her tightly, determined to keep her close. After a while, his hold on her relaxed and his breathing slowed as he gave in to the healing sleep that he so desperately needed.
As Claire rested against him, her heart broke. Elise had said she was worthless and ugly. Hadn’t that been exactly what her mother had said to her over and over again as she was growing up?
Elise was beautiful. She was tall and thin. She had beautiful blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. She was perfect.
A single tear slid down Claire’s cheek as she admitted to herself that she was not perfect.
Jake deserved to have perfect.
Chapter 37
Dinner at the McKade Ranch was very subdued. Everyone was quiet as they watched Claire sitting, lost in thought, at her place at the dining room table. Claire was a quiet woman, but what they saw before them was not normal. Claire had emotionally withdrawn and had isolated herself from them. Her pain was almost palpable. They could see that she was upset, and they didn’t know what to do for her.
“Do you want to talk about it, Claire?” Melanie asked, reaching out and touching Claire’s hand to offer support and comfort.
“There’s not much to say,” Claire said, shrugging. “My sister thought she could convince Jake to…” She stopped, looking at Robbie and Cooper. Those innocent kids shouldn’t be subjected to this discussion.
“No. She didn’t.” Melanie’s voice was firm as she spoke up.
“Absolutely not,” Gracie agreed. “There was no discussion on the subject, Claire. Don’t even think that Jake had any say in what happened.”
Claire nodded. She knew that Jake had been confused and disoriented because of the pain medicine. It didn’t help her with the pain that she was feeling because her naked, perfect sister had straddled her mate and was intent on getting pregnant by him.
“That woman is havese,” Marc spoke up. “I sensed it in her.”
“Evil,” John said, translating for the rest of the family.
“Perfect word to describe her,” Melanie said immediately. “I saw the evilness in her heart. She had a plan that was going to get her money. She didn’t want Jake for anything other than that.”
Lainey touched her belly, looking at Spence and Tim with worry in her eyes. They immediately reached out and drew her into their combined embrace, holding her tenderly between them.
“What’s wrong, kitten?” Spence whispered against her ear.
“Y
ou both know that I love you and I want our babies very much, right?” Lainey asked them, looking first at Spence and then at Tim.
“Our babies were conceived in love, little one,” Tim told her, slipping his hand beneath her red sweater to caress her belly. “Don’t even think about second-guessing what we have.”
“We know you love us,” Spence said, kissing her ear. “You don’t have a deceitful or evil bone in your body. We’ve tried to give you things, but you’ve always refused us, kitten. We know you don’t want us for our money.”
Lainey nodded, leaning against Spence and pulling Tim closer. “No. I don’t,” she told them sincerely.
“We know, baby,” Tim whispered against her neck. “You want us for our bodies.”
Lainey couldn’t help but blush as she laughed. “That’s true,” she admitted.
Tim looked over the top of their mate’s head to face Spence and smiled with relief. Spence smiled and nodded at him. They were both relieved that their Lainey had laughed because of Tim’s teasing. They never wanted her to feel anything but proud of their lives together and the babies that they had made. Lainey Markham had no ulterior motive in being with them. She only wanted their love—which they were more than happy to give her.
John reached out and pulled Jamie into his embrace, kissing her temple lightly. “I know you’re not worried about me thinking that you got pregnant to get my money, cara,” he whispered against his wife’s forehead.
Jaime smiled as she leaned into her mate. “Our miracle was more of a surprise to me that it was to you, John Blackstone,” she said firmly. “I should be asking you if you had ulterior motives. I didn’t even think I could get pregnant. What is it that you wanted from me?”
“I only wanted your love, cara mia,” John told her honestly. “The Great Spirit gave us this beautiful miracle. I want our baby, and I want you.”
“We all want the love of our women and the babies that they’ll give us,” Rafe spoke up, looking at Becca and seeing the woman who belonged to him. “There’s nothing more important than that.”
Becca looked at him, her unique brown eyes softening with the love that she had for him. “Do you really believe that, Rafe?” she asked, careful to keep the hope out of her voice.
“Yes, I do.” He reached out with his right hand and placed it behind Becca’s head, burying his fingers in the softness of her long brown hair.
He pulled her close and kissed her lips lightly. Becca ached at the beauty of the tenderness of his gentle kiss. She gripped his shirt with her right hand and held him close so he couldn’t pull away. For the first time ever, he didn’t try. He stayed close and ghosted small kisses across her lips, her jaw, her cheek, and her neck, settling against her neck and licking at her ear. She shivered at his seductive touch.
“Careful, cowboy,” she whispered.
“Don’t want to be careful anymore,” he whispered against her neck.
Fire raced through Becca as her entire body ignited with need. Was Rafe finally giving in? Was he going to take the chance and make their relationship one that was filled with love, friendship, and downright dirty sex? Hell! She hoped so!
“It is the true state of a woman’s mind when she plots to use a child to control a man,” Marc said quietly. “A man cannot trust.”
Madison reached out and took Marc’s hand as it rested on the table. She surrounded it with both of her hands and tugged lightly until Marc turned to face her. She looked up into his beautiful eyes and saw the swirl of the gold within the brown and knew that he was sensing something that she would never be able to help him with until he learned to trust her.
“Marc, not every woman uses a man,” she told him gently.
He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. Memories that haunted him had clouded his mind and had once again filled his heart with pain. He saw a small woman with blonde hair and green eyes who smiled at him and told him how much she loved him. He had been arrogant enough to believe her. He had dared to hope. He had dared to love. But it had been a lie.
“Marc,” Madison called to him, tugging on his hand to draw him out of his journey into the past. “I’m here. Cooper is here. We care about you. We want nothing from you except your kindness.”
Marc shook his head, pulling his hand free. He couldn’t touch Madison and not want her. He had been weak and had given in to his desires with her too many times. He had opened his heart to both Madison and Cooper. He wanted them as his.
He didn’t know how to love. He didn’t know how to be a husband and a father. He was a strong man, but he was afraid. Afraid to take a chance. Afraid that Madison would fool him like he had been fooled before.
The family gathered in the living room in front of the fire after dinner, but Claire left them to go upstairs to be with Jake. She had left with a plate of food to give her mate, but when she entered their bedroom, she saw that Jake was asleep. He was restless and let out soft grunts of pain every time he tried to turn over.
Claire placed the plate of food on her bureau, covering it with the kitchen towel that she had brought with her. Walking over to the bed, she sat at Jake’s hip, touching his hand gently as she scooted closer to him. Jake’s eyes opened immediately. His blue eyes bored into her as he struggled to focus.
“Claire,” he said, calming immediately. “Are you okay, angel?”
Claire laughed softly. “Jake McKade, that’s the second time you’ve asked me if I’m okay,” she told him, sighing for his benefit.
Jake smiled, relaxing as he saw her smile and heard her teasing voice. “I missed you,” he said softly. “Did you find the candles that you wanted to get for Robbie and Cooper?”
“Yes. The kids liked the lavender candles we found. We also found some crafts for them to create. Robbie liked the puzzle that he had to color the pieces for. Cooper wanted to make some bracelets. We found a small kit so she could practice. Madison promised to go back for the bigger kit if Cooper liked it. It was fun shopping with them.”
She reached out and brushed the lock of black hair that had fallen across Jake’s forehead. Running her fingers through his hair, she laughed softly at the sigh of satisfaction that escaped him as he closed his eyes with pleasure as he enjoyed her touch. Goodness. She loved him so much.
“Are you feeling okay, Jake?” she asked gently.
“I’m good.”
“Don’t lie to me, cowboy.”
Jake laughed softly, opening his eyes as he grabbed for her hand and pulled her toward him so that she rested against his chest. “Are you getting wise with me, angel?” he asked her, his deep voice taking on the timbre that he always used when he was ready to take charge.
“No, sir,” she whispered, kissing his chin lightly as she rested against his neck. “Tell me the truth, Jake. How are you feeling?”
Jake sighed tiredly, tightening his arms around her and holding her against him firmly. “My head feels like it’s full of cotton. My back hurts a little but not like it did yesterday. My side is just tender.” He looked down at Claire as she eased back to look up at him. “Satisfied now?”
“Yes, sir,” she told him, laughing. She started to move out of his arms to get off the bed when he stopped her.
“You’re not going anywhere, Claire,” he told her firmly. “I’ve been without you all afternoon.”
“I just need to get you another pain pill.”
“No.”
“Jake, you need it.”
“No, I don’t. I need you. Right here. With me. Don’t you dare move out of my arms.” When Claire rested carefully within his arms once again, he was able to relax. “I’m not taking another pill. I don’t like the way they make me feel. I have weird dreams.”
“What kind of dreams?”
“Never mind. I don’t like them.”
Claire nodded, wondering just how much of Elise’s visit Jake remembered. It was obvious that he thought of it as a dream. That made her feel a little better, even if she still felt like a shadow of
a woman. She would never be anything but what she was. She couldn’t help but wonder if that was enough.
Deuce looked at Gracie as she sat beside him on the recliner in front of the fireplace. He was proud that his wife and her sister had taken care of Elise. He just wished he had been there to see them dragging the naked woman from Jake and Claire’s room. John and Marc had told him that it was definitely the highlight of their day.
Deuce reached out and touched the slight discoloration of Gracie’s cheek, caressing it lightly with the pad of his thumb. “Does it hurt, honey?” he asked her gently.
Gracie turned into Deuce’s touch and laughed softly. Her pretty blue eyes were sparkling with happiness as she looked up at her husband. Deuce was calmed by her delight.
“James, I’m fine,” she whispered. “I’ll admit that it hurt when Elise hit me, but it was worth it. I have never been so happy to grab a woman by the hair and haul her ugly ass out of our home.”
Deuce chuckled softly, leaning forward and kissing her lips lightly. “I wish I could have seen it,” he said against her lips.
“It definitely was a sight to see,” John admitted.
“Hey, I don’t think I like that you saw another woman naked, John Blackstone,” Jamie said, poking her husband in the side and laughing when he grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap.
“Cara, believe me. If I could burn the memory of it from my brain, I would,” John told her, kissing her temple lightly as he hugged her gently. “What about you, Marc?”
He turned to face his cousin and laughed at the snort of disgust that left Marc. He didn’t miss the small smile that lit Madison’s face at Marc’s reaction. John had hope that his cousin would finally realize how much Madison obviously loved him.
John turned to look at Deuce and saw his best friend smiling. Deuce saw the love between Madison and Marc, too. It didn’t matter that Marc was hesitant to make the move to commit himself to Madison. When you found your mate, it was destined. There was no denying it.
Seeing Marc have an obvious reaction to Elise and her disgusting plan, made John know that Elise had done more than injure Jake and Claire. She had pushed Marc back into a place of pain that he had tried to distance himself from.
Jake's Angel [Cowboy Mates, Psychic Connections 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 39
