"I'm going to ask some questions. You answer. Got that?"
Bryan stood his ground and fully met the other man's gaze.
"Got that?” Colin repeated.
"Why is it that when you're having a bad day you have to make everyone else's day worse?"
"It doesn't get any worse than this."
"I'm going home, and the hell I have to stay here and listen to your bullying.” Bryan started past Iceman, but the hulk had different ideas, grabbing the back of his collar and hauling him into a chair.
Bryan's back hit the chair full force, and knocked the breath from him. “You're a real bully, and restraining me against my will is an offence, if you have to know."
Colin folded his arms across his big chest and stood with his feet shoulder width apart. “You've got some explaining to do."
"Not to you, I don't.” Iceman was starting to get on Bryan's nerves with his habitual badass attitude. He raised his butt off the chair with the intention of leaving Iceman to mull over whatever shit was eating him, but Colin pushed him back down with one hand.
"Stay."
"Should I start barking now?” He knew better than to rouse Iceman's ire, but he couldn't help himself.
"What's Cathy doing at your house?” Colin frowned the way an irate bear might.
"What's it to you?"
"She and I have a bit of unfinished business to deal with. If I were you, I'd tell her to find another meal ticket."
"Now wait here one damned minute. Where do you get off talking about her like that?"
Nothing more than a muscle moved under Colin's eye. “You're coming along with me, and you're going to hand that little bitch over."
Bryan wasn't giving up anyone, especially Cathy. He glared at the bully, feeling his insides go cold, although he wouldn't have been able to explain why. “What's going on?"
"I don't answer to you. Get a move on."
"What's your beef with her?” Bryan tried again, doubting he would get any answers. Colin didn't divulge his secrets to just anyone.
"You don't understand civil, do you?"
"Neither do you, by the looks of it. You could use some lessons."
"The bitch. She barricaded herself in your house, and I'm not too keen on busting up your rental pad."
"That's not your usual style. What gives?"
Bryan couldn't say what gave him a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. How was Cathy involved with Iceman? She hadn't mentioned him, not that she'd had cause.
Colin ignored him and sneered, “She's kind of pretty when she's playing with herself, you know."
Bryan's anger notched up, as did his protectiveness towards Cathy. He leapt forward but Colin stepped behind him and took hold of his neck in a painful chokehold.
"She's pretty when she opens up her pussy lips and gyrates them curvy hips. Must have been she was waiting for you, but I got to tell you, if you know what's good for you, you'll hand her over. No questions asked. No attempts at playing the hero, ‘cause she ain't no damsel in distress."
As suddenly as Bryan had found himself with Colin's arm around his neck, he was free and rubbing at his sore throat. “Man, but you could compete with an alligator in the ferocity department if you had a mind to."
"What say you, good buddy? Give the bitch up and no trouble? Or maybe I'll go and huff and puff and blow your house down? Got insurance to cover that?"
Bryan did have insurance for his personal possessions, and sure as hell hoped the property owner had some on the house. Colin was always bad news. “What did she do to you?"
"This is personal. She got me with her claws. Now I owe her one."
Cathy didn't have a bad bone in her body. Bryan was certain of that. She was a fantastic cook, and didn't say a whole lot about herself, unlike other women, who talked a mile a minute and gave their life history in less than two minutes. “Impossible. You must have her confused with someone else, Ice."
Colin's eyes met his. “I don't think so. The bitch has it coming to her."
"Take it to the cops, why don't you?"
Colin's expression became more guarded, reminding Bryan of a Rottweiler ready to jump and rip someone's throat out. “Cops don't fix problems. ‘Sides, I had enough of them to last a lifetime."
"That have anything to do with Michael murdering your dad?"
Iceman's face paled and his lips thinned into a hostile line. “Sounds like you have a death wish today, buddy."
Bryan played devil's advocate. “But say Michael didn't murder his dad. Who did?"
"The jury and that little bitch of his proved he did."
The ugly grin Colin bestowed unsettled Bryan's stomach even further. “Why wait this long to settle a debt?"
"Some things need to rest for a while before justice is served. The Karlisis have a long memory. Now are you going to hand over that bitch or do you want to find out how good your insurance coverage is?"
"So this shit about him being in the hospital was a hoax, right?"
"No.” Colin's eyes turned into flint-hard ice.
Bryan couldn't fit the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together. He needed time to assess the situation, time Colin wasn't apparently willing to give.
"Get a move on, boy. Remember what you said the other night? That family is inflicted on you? That's my line."
This was a nightmare of the worse kind. What else could he do but play along with Iceman's game, whatever it was, until he found a way out? “Yeah."
"I'm glad you see things my way. I'd hate to put the ‘no pain, no gain’ shit to work on you."
Bryan locked up, as the wind blistered through his coveralls. He had forgotten his jacket in his office. It was too late to go back for it. Iceman watched his every action. Colin didn't fool him. He looked like a tub of lard, but he was deceptively quick on his feet. If Bryan wanted to see the next day without broken bones, there was no sense in messing with Ice.
* * * *
Nicole stepped back. Blatant fear inched down her spine. On the other hand, she felt overwhelming relief to see Michael hadn't been badly hurt. She shivered despite the warmth in the kitchen. How could she have so callously sprayed his face with Mace? She tried to convince herself she hadn't stepped over the line spraying Mace in Michael's face and dumping his car. Guilt swept over her. He was still as handsome as ever. Her heart lodged in her throat. With her foolish hope for revenge, she had just killed any chance she had of gaining his love. They were finished. Forever.
A great sense of loss descended on her. Now she knew what had been missing when she had walked down the mountain road.
"What did you do?” he demanded.
She thought to ask what he meant but he knew her too well and the question wouldn't wash well with him. He was between her and the door, making escape impossible. She felt the sudden urge to bury her forehead against his shoulder and cry, for the time they had lost and which they never would regain because of her foolish actions. Since they no longer had a chance together, the only option left was to drive him away. “I thought the message I sent was very strong.” Too late, she realised the double meaning behind her choice of words.
"I got it but that's not why I'm here."
She quelled her rising panic.
"You're in a lot of trouble,” he continued, “because of that childish prank."
"Childish prank?” Her eyes were drawn to his broad chest and his biceps. He looked good enough to ravish, she thought, swallowing hard. But that would never happen now.
"There's other ways to tell a man you don't want him in your life. You could just come out in the open and tell him that, not spray Mace in his face and take his car for a test drive up a mountainous road.” He moved forward on a collision course with her.
"Don't you dare come closer!"
"Please come, Nicole. Even if you don't find an ounce of love for me in your heart, for your safety, come with me."
"Safety? Is this some kind of joke?” She was puzzled by his words. She wasn't in any dange
r.
His eyes narrowed. He brushed the back of his hand across his forehead. “The cops are looking for you,” he said grimly. “As far as they can see, you've murdered a man."
"What are you accusing me of?” She couldn't begin to think what he might be talking about.
"I want to help you, but you have to let me. Despite our recent differences.” He came a few inches closer.
"I don't need your help.” How could she be a murderer? Why did the cops feel the need to look for her? She was innocent. She straightened her shoulders, ready to do battle.
Michael brushed the back of his hand across his forehead. “The cops wanted to investigate the burned-out car even though I protested you had done it simply as a prank. They found a body in the trunk."
"What are you talking about?” A body? How had it got there? She was horrified. Was he setting her up? Had she fallen right into his trap? She would go to prison even if she wasn't guilty. And after the realisation she was still in love with him. Life wasn't fair.
He moved forward again, looking as intent as a cat at its prey. If she hadn't known him better, she wouldn't have seen the slight hint of tension in the set of his shoulders.
"There was no one else in the car. No one but me,” she protested.
"I'll explain later. There isn't much time before they come. I know you're innocent. You wouldn't have murdered anyone."
"Murdered?” Nicole repeated like a parrot. “Before who comes?"
"The cops."
"I didn't kill anyone. I swear that's the truth."
He nodded. “Because you drove the car into the ravine that makes you a primary suspect in the murder investigation. Too many people saw you take my car and the taxi driver swears he brought you down the mountain and he had the records to prove it."
"Who was it?” she whispered, not comprehending the magnitude of the charges Michael had levelled against her.
"Brad didn't show up for work today. It might be him. The cops say the body and Brad have the same bone structure."
"No.” She recoiled. “Why are you saying this? Don't you know I would never stoop to murder, like you did? And what would I have gained by killing Brad? There was no one in there. I swear."
"You wouldn't have known a body was in the trunk."
"Oh, my God. I set the car on fire. He might still have been alive.” The floor slid out from under her. She almost crumpled to the floor but Michael caught her in mid-slide.
"We've got to go, Nicole. There's no way I'm going to allow you to go through what I did."
"I swear there was no one in your car.” Bile rose in her throat at the thought that someone had been in the trunk of Michael's car as she had stolen it, driven it up the mountainside and burned it.
"I believe you."
His simple words made her closely examine him. She couldn't help her face lifting to his. Both their lips met in a bittersweet kiss, long and passionate, as they held on to each other with all the strength they possessed.
Abruptly, he pulled away, his features set in hard lines. “We've got to go, sweetheart."
Her knees went weak again, and he seemed to sense her exhaustion. He continued to hold on to her. He was powerful, both emotionally and physically, someone she could have counted on.
"I can't let you take me anywhere. I'm innocent and will face them and tell them the same thing."
"I can't let you stay."
"Don't you hear me? I'm innocent."
"I know. But it looks like you're guilty, and right now that's all that matters."
"What are you getting at?” Dared she trust him to tell the truth? Was he making up another of his malicious lies?
"The day I was arrested, there was no evidence outside of what you said, that I was guilty. Simply because I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. I don't want the same thing to happen to you. Please. We have to go."
"I won't go,” she said stubbornly.
"Do you want to spend the rest of your life in prison? Take it from me, it's not something you want to do. Especially if you're innocent. It's the worst kind of place even for a hard-core criminal."
His words were spoken with gentle forthrightness. Nicole couldn't disbelieve him. “But won't you put your freedom at risk for me?"
"Because I'm a convicted felon running with a suspect?"
She nodded.
"I'd put everything I have, including my life, at risk to make sure you didn't go through the hell I did."
Nicole felt the uneasy loneliness again. “When can we come back?"
He looked straight into her eyes. “Maybe never."
Hopelessness invaded every pore of her being. “I'm innocent. I won't spend my life running."
"The system is biased. If you look guilty, by default you are. There's no such thing as ‘innocent until proven guilty'. I found that out the hard way."
She reached out to graze his cheek. “I thought I hated you—"
Brusquely, he cut her off. “We don't have time for that now. Do you have anything of sentimental value you want to bring?"
"My figurines,” she replied, hurt he wouldn't listen to her side of the story. The figurines had been gifts from her parents to celebrate milestones in her life. They were the only reminders she had left of her mother and father.
Hurriedly, Michael found some paper bags and together they wrapped and packed the tiny crystal pieces.
"What about my clothes? My job?” Nicole asked as she placed the last crystal in the paper bag.
"Don't worry about those. Let's go."
She had no other choice than to put her trust and faith in a man she thought she could easily live without. She walked out, without looking back at her home, fully knowing she might never see it again.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Sixteen
* * * *
"I want you to go inside as if you don't have a care in the world. Then bring her out to look at the stars or whatever."
"There are no stars,” Bryan grumbled as he scanned the outside of his darkened house. “It's snowing like a bastard."
"Tell her you want to see a special snowflake. Tell her anything, but get her out here. In five minutes or less."
"What a stupid thing to tell a woman. No wonder you don't have anyone in your life,” Bryan muttered.
"Just mind your own damned life, will you?"
Still shaking his head at Colin's lack of romantic notions, Bryan said, “And if I don't?” He couldn't see what had Colin's underwear all knotted up. How could his sweet Cathy owe him anything? She didn't even know him.
"I guess you'll have to meet with your Maker sooner than you expect."
"Going from severe bodily harm to death. You must be desperate. By the way, they're both felonies."
Colin's lips thinned to a taut line. “If I have to. It's no loss to me."
"You're making me a bloody accomplice,” Bryan said, raising his voice. He put his hand on the handle, ready to open the truck's passenger door. Too late, he realised he should have thrown himself out of the truck at one of the two stop signs, like the stuntmen did in the movies. Naw, he would have had to walk home in the snow.
"She owes me."
Bryan banged the door closed before Iceman could say more and tried to urge his mind to form a plan to get Cathy out of the house without Colin seeing her first. Colin couldn't be everywhere at once.
He marched in, tracking snow on the beige carpet and across the kitchen floor but there was no sign of her. Unbidden, his thoughts turned to her naked perfection, and her lush areolas that invited his touches and kisses. Yow, mama, but she was a hot number. And now he had Colin breathing down not only his neck, but hers.
The house was as quiet as the inside of a tomb. A tap dripped monotonously in the kitchen. Bryan dreaded finding Cathy and wondered anally if Colin was watching from one of the windows. He wasn't exactly the kind of man to whom trust came easily. In the bedroom, the bed was neatly made. There were no panties, bra or panty
hose to proclaim her presence. It was as if she had never been there. He searched for several minutes hoping he wouldn't find his little siren with the luscious, big breasts. Sadness gripped him. He had really wanted to know Cathy better, not just from a physical perspective. Maybe her motto was ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em'. He sighed heavily, crushed she had left.
Had she known Colin was looking for her and vamoosed? Happy that perhaps she had an inkling that Colin was after her, but distressed she had left so abruptly and without saying goodbye, he wondered what he would tell Colin, the madman.
"So where's the bitch?"
Startled, Bryan spun around. Colin had walked in as silently as a jaguar on the prowl.
"Why the hell can't you walk like everyone else?"
"And how would that be?” Colin frowned, which didn't do much to enhance his pitbull expression.
"Loud. So everyone can hear you."
Colin pretended to think about it. “Nope. Can't do that. So where is she?"
"I don't know."
Bryan stood in the middle of the kitchen, pondering where Cathy could have gone.
"The hell you don't. You hid her in one of the closets, thinking I'm too dumb to look in there.” Iceman stomped up the stairs, as if he was quite familiar with the place, and threw open the master bedroom's closet door with such force the hinges broke and the panel crashed to the floor.
"Listen, jerkface. I didn't put her anywhere. She's not here. Period."
"Likely story,” Colin snorted. “She's hiding in a closet somewhere. I'll find her if you won't.” He ran into the other bedroom and ripped the door off there too.
"Doggone it, Ice. I just fixed the damned thing this morning."
"It'll give you something to do over the holidays,” Colin replied callously. He stood stock still.
Bryan thought for sure the burly man was thinking. The doors being ripped off their hinges replayed in Bryan's mind. “You were in here yesterday,” he concluded. How many men did he know who could walk into another man's house and treat it with such disregard?
"Really? Then why don't I know about it?"
"Where are my photographs?"
"Photographs? Why would I trouble myself over that kind of crap?"
Imminent Conquest Page 17
