On his way back to Christian’s place, Bella called.
“Just wanted to check on you. How did it go?”
He rubbed his burning eyes. “As well as expected.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“It’s not me you should feel sorry for. It’s Mrs. Theron.”
“Mrs. Theron’s estate attorney is having the factory cleared out. Christian has been called in to help. He’s getting good overtime. Why don’t you come over? I don’t want you to be alone.”
Right now, the lumber factory was the last place he’d be welcome. Mrs. Theron wouldn’t want him anywhere near Clive’s estate. “Where are you?”
“At a hotel in George.” There was a small hesitation. “You should call Sara. Go see her at the hospital.”
“Don’t, Bella.”
“Oh, West. Come over. Please. You really shouldn’t be alone, right now.”
He had nowhere else to go, and he couldn’t face Christian’s dark house. “Text me the address.”
She gave him the name of her hotel and hung up. A short while later, he pulled into the parking lot. Bella had rented the penthouse suite.
“You got away with this much cash?” he said, looking around the luxurious suite with the Jacuzzi on the balcony.
“Nope. One of my ex-clients offered. No strings attached.”
“Are you really giving up the business for Christian?”
Her lips pulled into a wide grin. “He wants me to.”
“Do you?”
“Of course I do. Oh, West, I’m so happy.”
“That was fast.”
“We went back to his place after the fire and, well, things happened.”
“I’m happy for both of you.”
Her step had a new lightness. “Drink?”
“Black coffee, please.”
She poured herself a glass of wine and made him an espresso. Leaving the cup and glass on the edge of the Jacuzzi, she pulled off her dress and underwear, and got into the water.
“Come on, West. The water will soothe you.”
He stripped down to his boxers and got in, sitting down beside her.
“What will you do?” she asked.
“No clue. Carry on, I guess.”
“You should go after her. She wants you.”
“I think she’s got that sorted.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s with a guy who’ll be good to her. Much better than me.”
She sighed. “I’d give anything to fix this for you.”
He touched her cheek. “I’m tired, Bella. So damn tired. I don’t know if I can do this, anymore.”
She moved closer and touched his shoulder. “Do what?”
“Fight. Struggle.”
“You’ve come this far. You can’t throw in the towel, now. So, all of your land is gone, but you still have your hands. You can work. You can build a new future.” She offered him a smile. “One day at a time.”
“Mariana… It was Thinus,” he said, needing to get that off his chest.
“I know. It’s all over the news, already. I’m sorry.”
“Nelis said he didn’t plan on going through with it. He tried to warn me, but I couldn’t…” He swallowed. “I couldn’t hear him. She was pregnant with our child, Bella.” His chest tightened painfully.
“I know, babes. I know.” She rubbed his arm. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“My drink was spiked. I don’t know what Thinus put into it, but I shouldn’t have driven.”
“Stop it. If you were drugged, you weren’t yourself. You have your answers, West. You know who’s responsible, and those who did her wrong have paid. You have to let go, now.” She got up and held out her hand. “Come on. Let’s go catch some sleep. It’ll do both of us the world of good.”
He took her hand and followed her out of the water. After toweling himself dry, he dropped down next to her on the mattress, wet boxers and all, shattered to the bone. He was letting go. He was letting Sara go. It was the hardest damn thing he’d ever done.
Chapter Fifteen
Night had fallen. The house where Odier brought her was eccentric in design, an architectural feature that distinguished the coastal area of Noetzie next to Knysna. The building resembled a small gothic castle. Cain and his team were waiting when they got there. After a quick introduction, Odier excused himself and Sara, saying she needed to rest, and led her upstairs.
“You’ll be safe here,” he said. “I’ll get you some clothes tomorrow when the shops open.”
She was still only wearing the blanket, but too strung out to care.
“Do you want to eat something?” he asked.
“I just want to sleep.” She still didn’t feel herself. It had to be the drugs.
“I’ll take you to a room.”
She looked around at the stained glass windows and arched ceiling beams. “How did you find this place?”
“It belongs to a friend. It’s his holiday home.”
“Strange place,” she said, glancing at the naked men painted on the walls.
“He kindly offered. It’s big enough to house us and Cain’s team.”
They walked through a great hall with medieval looking armor on the walls. “Who is this friend of yours?”
“Someone I fucked a few times.”
Odier often had lovers staying over in Pretoria. Sara had met a few of them. “Do I know him?”
Odier smiled. “Not this one.”
“It must be serious if he’s willing to let you stay in his house.”
“Let’s just say he was smitten.”
She slapped his arm. “You’re full of yourself.”
He stopped in front of a door. “If you need anything, just call. I’ll be next door.”
He pecked her on the forehead and left. Thankful for the privacy, she slipped into the dark room and closed the door with a firm click. The only thing she wanted to do more than sleep, was cry.
* * * *
When Sara opened her eyes, the sun was up. She got up, her whole body aching. A shopping bag at the foot of the bed caught her attention. She peered inside. Clothes. Bless Odier’s soul. The events of the day before wouldn’t let her go, not in her sleep where it played over in her dreams and not in the broad daylight. She had a shower and pulled on the new underwear, jeans, T-shirt, and sandals. Her backpack was still at Wayne’s cabin. Her phone, wallet, and identity document were inside.
Downstairs, she found the whole team, Odier included, on the veranda overlooking the sea, having breakfast.
Odier got to his feet and pulled out a chair. “How are you?”
“Fine, thank you.” She sat down, trying to ignore the smell of the food that made her queasy. “I have to go back to Wayne’s place. My bag with my wallet and ID is still there.”
“We’ll get it after breakfast.”
“What happened to Nelis?”
“He’s been arrested as an accomplice to murder,” Cain said. “He confessed everything. We’ll make sure that he spends the rest of his life behind bars.”
That was a relief. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about Nelis as a threat any longer.
“How’s Emily coping?” she said, shooting Cain a grim look.
“As well as can be expected.”
“Any signs of the man the shifter was going to sell me to?”
“Nothing,” Joss said. “His name is Godfrey. We think he’s in Europe. Our guess is that the shifter would’ve taken you there to seal the deal.”
She shivered. “Will I ever be safe?”
Clelia’s gaze was compassionate. “We’re never safe, but we watch each other’s backs.”
“I’d like to talk to you about that.” Cain poured a cup of tea and pushed it her way. “I’d like you to join our team.”
She glanced at Odier. “To do what?”
“To prevent the man who was going to buy you from buying anyone else.”
“What would he have
done with me?” she asked, cupping the warm brew.
“Steal your art by killing you,” Maya said.
She shook her head. “I’m not a soldier or a fighter.”
Clelia’s laugh was soft. “Neither am I.”
“You haven’t told me what you all do,” Sara said, looking around the table.
“Clelia is a firestarter,” Cain said. “Joss is our team leader. Maya’s element is water, Sean’s is earth, Lann’s is air, and Ivan’s is the human spirit, as yours is the animal spirit.”
“How can my art help you?” Sara asked.
“In any way necessary.”
She looked at Odier again. “My place is here, where I can ensure the wild life’s survival.”
“Understood,” Cain said. “I’ll fly you in for selected missions, like we do with Ivan.”
“I don’t know.” She looked at her hands. “I appreciate your protection, but it’s all happening too fast.”
“You have a lot to deal with,” Ivan said emphatically.
“Can I think about it?”
“Of course,” Cain said. “Even if your answer is no, you can always count on our protection. I’m not going to lie to you by telling you the threat is over. It’s only the beginning. Godfrey won’t stop until he either has all the power of the people around this table or until he’s dead.”
After processing his words, she said, “I’m going to get my bag from Wayne’s cabin.” Before she made any decisions about her future, she needed to see Wayne. His behavior yesterday didn’t make sense. It was as if he couldn’t wait to be rid of her. It couldn’t be over. Unless he couldn’t live with what she was. If so, he needed to say it to her in her face.
“I’ll take you,” Odier said, already getting to his feet.
“Sean and Maya will go with you,” Cain said, an unspoken message that the threat wasn’t over in his words.
They bundled into a van with Maya and Sean. The familiar road up the mountain was almost too much to bear. The memory of yesterday was too vivid. She turned her eyes away from the serene surroundings.
“Dumile denounced the land,” she said to Odier. “What will happen to the Xhosas, now?”
“They’ll be relocated to a settlement in Cape Town.”
“Then Clive got what he wanted all along, to get rid of the indigenous tribe and to own all of the land.”
“Won’t do him much good now, will it?” Odier said.
And Wayne was left with nothing. “What about the fences? When are they going up?”
“Next week, as planned.”
“What fences?” Maya said.
“We need to fence in the forest,” Sara explained, “to keep the elephants safe.”
Sean turned in his seat. “Are there really still elephants left in that forest?”
“Yes,” Sara said, “the last of their kind. Just like us…” Her voice trailed off.
Odier patted her leg. “You did a good job, gorgeous. I’m so proud of you.”
“The smugglers?” she asked.
“A truck with a delivery was intercepted on the highway today.” Odier smiled at Sean and Maya. “Thanks to Cain’s connections, Clive’s cronies have been arrested.”
“Fences just don’t seem right,” Sean said, his brow pleated.
“There’s no other option,” Sara said. “There will always be more smugglers and more poachers.”
“Maybe we can come up with something better,” Sean said with a wink in Maya’s direction.
She wanted to ask what he meant, but they’d arrived at the cabin. No smoke trailed from the chimney, and Wayne’s truck wasn’t there. Had he already moved? She tried the door, but it was locked. Christian would know where he was.
“May I use your phone, please?” she asked Odier.
When he handed it to her, she dialed Christian’s number and sighed with relief when he answered. She couldn’t help but worry about Wayne.
“Hi, it’s Sara.”
“How are you?” he asked with genuine interest in his tone.
“Good. I need to see Wayne.”
“He’s with Bella. She’s staying at a hotel in George. I’ll text you the address.”
“Thanks, Christian, and thank you for yesterday.”
“No problem. Sara?”
“Yes?”
“West is a good guy.”
“I know.”
She gave the phone back to Odier. “I need a lift to George, please.”
* * * *
For safety reasons, Odier wouldn’t let Sara go to the penthouse suite alone. He agreed to wait on the landing of Bella’s floor while Sean and Maya kept watch outside. She was happy for the small measure of privacy. There was a lot to discuss with Wayne. Did he feel more than a physical attraction? Would he forgive her for not being open with him? Would he give them a chance, now that he knew what she was?
She took a steadying breath and knocked.
It took a moment before Bella’s voice called through the door. “Who is it?”
“It’s Sara.”
The chain rattled and the door opened. “Sara!” Bella folded the ends of a hotel robe over her naked body and tied the belt. “Come inside.”
Sara stepped into the spacious room and stopped dead. Wayne was in bed. There was only one bed. She looked at the sofa. No pillows or blankets.
“I’ll make coffee,” Bella said. “Sorry you caught us in bed. I know it’s late, but we didn’t sleep much last night.”
Wayne pushed up onto one elbow and blinked, rubbing his eyes. “Sara?”
“Hey.” She looked away from his naked torso.
Bella and Wayne? They looked so … comfortable … with each other.
“Don’t worry about the coffee,” Sara said. “I just came because I need to get my bag from the cabin. My phone and purse are in there.”
Wide awake now, Wayne’s eyes hardened. “Of course.” He got from the bed, clad only in boxer shorts.
“I mean, not now,” Sara said quickly. “Whenever it’s convenient.”
“Now is as good a time as any. Anyway, I’m supposed to move my stuff out.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Bella touched her hand. “Maybe we need something stronger than coffee, this morning.”
“I know I can’t repay you for your house…” Sara started.
Maybe she could, if she took the job with Cain. How much did he pay? It would be more than the measly salary she earned at the parks board. She’d pay back Bella and Wayne and get Wayne out of her system. It was obvious he’d slept with Bella last night, and that hurt, not that she had any stake to claim. Not any longer. That had ended the minute he’d let her go, yesterday. She now understood what he was trying to tell her with his dismissive behavior. At least she had her answer. He couldn’t live with someone like her, after all.
“It’s not your fault,” Bella said. “Anyway, I’m thinking of a career change.” She smiled in Wayne’s direction.
“You are?” Sara asked.
“I’m thinking of settling down with a man.”
There was a soft, warm light in Wayne’s eyes when Bella said that, and suddenly Sara found she couldn’t stomach it. As much as she liked Bella and loved Wayne, their happiness was too painful for her to offer them her blessing. Someday, maybe. Not right now.
“That’s good, Bella,” she said, trying hard to smile and not to cry.
“Let me know when I can swing by for my things,” she said. “I’ve got to go. Odier’s waiting.”
She hugged Bella briefly and left the room.
“What’s wrong?” Odier said when she closed the door behind her.
Uncontrollable sobs shook her shoulders. She couldn’t hold it in any longer.
He put his arm around her. “Shh.”
Good, practical, kind, gentle Odier took her down to the back of the kitchen where nobody could see her break down and cry. He just held her until there were no more tears left.
“What happened?”
he said, pushing the hair from her face.
“Wayne is with Bella,” she said through her sobs.
“Ah, babes.” He hugged her tight. “Damn. First love and you have your heart broken.” He smoothed a hand over her back. “It’ll be tough, but you’ll get over him. You know what they say about falling from a horse. You’ve got to get straight back into the saddle. I’m going to get you home and out on a date.”
“I slept with him,” she sobbed.
“I know, and you’re going to fuck him right out of your system.” He wiped her cheeks with his thumbs. “Dry your eyes and put a smile on your face. We have to go back to the van, and I don’t want them to see you like this.”
“Thank you,” she muttered, wiping her face on her sleeve.
“You can lean on me. I’ll be strong for you.”
Odier was her best friend. He was her only friend. Taking a shaky breath, she did what he’d asked. She dried her eyes and plastered a smile on her face.
“Ready?” he asked.
She was about as ready as she could be with her heart in the gutter.
“Let’s go home,” Odier said, “and wipe the dust from this town from our feet. Forever.”
* * * *
Wayne’s heart was heavy when he started loading his belongings from the cabin into the truck. There wasn’t much to pack. By late afternoon, he’d cleared out his home, leaving nothing but the big furniture. He’d have to come back for that with Christian.
Walking out onto the porch, he drank in the view and locked it away in his memory. There was a bite in the air. A few early cosmos flowers blossomed along the fence next to the dirt road. Summer was changing into autumn. In the far distance, smoke trailed from the cooking fires at Dumile’s cluster of huts. Farther back, somewhere in the dense forest, the elephants roamed wild and free. His gaze was pulled to a movement near the dam. From behind the hill, Zandi and Khwezi’s profiles came into view. He walked down the steps to meet them.
“Molo,” he said in greeting, ruffling the boy’s hair.
Zandi’s tone was stern. “Go play, Khwezi.”
Scapulimancist (Seven Forbidden Arts Book 7) Page 26
