Something was seriously wrong. A person did not just pack up all of their shit and take off in the middle of the night, leaving behind their family and friends without telling anyone about their plans. What the hell was going on?
“Still nothing on Claire, I take it?” Katy said as she strolled into the room. Leaning up against the wall by the window, she crossed her arms over her chest waiting for him to reply.
Creed sighed, shaking his head. “Nothing,” he admitted. “I have exhausted every lead that we have. I can’t find her anywhere, Katy.”
“Well, obviously that’s the point.”
His eyes narrowing as he glared at his sister, he replied gruffly, “She’s in trouble, Katy. Do you just expect me to ignore that? Claire has worked here for years. She is a huge part of what we do here, and she is part of the family we have created at the station. I can’t just leave her out there, alone and probably frightened about God knows what.”
“No, you can’t,” Katy agreed, “but you are getting married in just two days, Creed. You have spent all of your time looking for Claire, and left everything with the wedding to fall on Sloane’s shoulders. She needs help. She needs you.”
Creed removed his Stetson, and raked a hand through his hair in agitation. It was true. While he was working, and trying to find Claire in all of his spare time, he had left Sloane to work out all of the details of their wedding. She gave him updates periodically, but he knew it wasn’t the same. He should have been there to help her pick out the dinner menu, to decide on the wedding cake, to pick songs to dance to at the reception. He should have been there for so much more. Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was after 4 p.m. She would be at the airport picking up her parents now, probably wishing he was with her. He hadn’t even thought to volunteer to drive her there, as preoccupied as he’d been lately. But Claire was family, dammit, and you didn’t let family down like he had Claire.
“What did I do wrong, Katy?” he asked, placing his hat on the desk, as he lowered his head. “Why didn’t she come to me? Why wouldn’t she let us help her?”
“I’m not sure who you are talking about, big brother,” Creed’s head snapped up at the voice, and his hands tightened into fists as Linc went on, “but what I do know is that everyone in this town knows they can come to you with anything. If someone didn’t, then she has a good reason. You may just need to sit back and wait until she is ready to talk. She will come find you when it’s time.”
Creed pushed back away from his desk and rose, his eyes never leaving his brother’s. “Linc, you’re back.” That was all he got out before Linc cleared the distance between them and clasped him tightly in a hug.
“Just for the wedding,” Linc grunted, giving him one last tight hug, before stepping back and turning toward Katy. “Hey there, sis.”
Katy grinned, “Glad you could make it.”
“You don’t seem surprised to see me,” Linc said with a laugh, patting her shoulder gently before sitting down on one of the chairs in front of Creed’s desk.
Katy’s eyebrows raised as she grinned, “Are you kidding me? I knew once Sloane found you, that you wouldn’t have a choice.”
Linc chuckled as he settled back into the chair, raising one leg to rest it on the other. “I take it you helped her find me?”
Katy shrugged, “I might have given her a small nudge in the right direction, but she took it from there.”
“Wait a minute,” Creed interrupted, “are you telling me that Sloane tracked you down and invited you to our wedding?”
A short burst of laughter left Linc before he replied, “I’m not sure I would call it an invitation. It started out that way, but then turned into more of an order.”
“Good,” Katy said, “I’m glad she gave you the kick in the ass you needed. If she hadn’t, I was going to have to do it myself.”
Taking in Linc’s appearance, the cocky quirk of his lips, the way he tried to mask his real feelings, Creed knew his brother needed to talk. He may not be able to give out specifics about what he was going through, but he could talk to them, dammit. Walking over to the door, he shut it quietly before turning to Linc. “Talk to us, little brother. How are you really?” When Linc shrugged, Creed held up a hand. “It’s just me and Katy, Linc. Tell us how you really are.”
For the first time since he walked in the room, the smile left Linc’s face. Rising, he walked over to the window, resting an arm beside it as he looked out. “You take it day by day,” he began, “because that’s all you can do. You learn to adapt, because you have no choice. You become the person that you are pretending to be, so no one else can see in to who you really are.” His shoulders slumped forward as he continued, “The friends you make, aren’t really your friends. You can’t trust them. You can’t trust anyone when you are doing what I am doing. No matter who they are, no matter what they say, or what you think you know about them, you can’t fully put your trust in them. If you do, you could easily end up dead.” Linc looked back at him, a seriousness in his gaze that Creed wasn’t used to seeing, “I believe in what I’m doing, Creed. I do, or I would not be where I’m at right now. But I miss this,” he said, waving an arm vaguely in the air. “I miss all of this. I thought working for the FBI was what I wanted. What I am learning is that I already had everything that I really needed. Now I’m in so deep, it’s too late to get out. I don’t have a choice anymore.”
“There is always a choice,” Katy interjected. “Always. You can come back home anytime, Linc.”
Linc shook his head as he glanced over at her. “There is too much at stake, sis. I can’t tell you what is going on. I can’t go into detail. But, I have to finish this job. I have to.”
Creed nodded slowly as he considered everything Linc had just said. Stepping forward, he clasped a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “I understand,” he said, looking him directly in the eyes. “You do what you have to do, Linc, and then you come home to us. There will always be a place for you here.”
Linc swallowed hard, a brief shadow crossing over his face before he lowered his eyes. “I don’t know how much longer this mission is going to be. I thought it would only last a few months, but it has been over a year, with no end in sight.”
Creed squeezed his brother’s shoulder gently. “There is an end,” he promised, “and when this is finished, your family will be here waiting for you.”
Creed was surprised when Katy walked over and slipped her arms around Linc’s waist, hugging him tightly to her.
“My family is everything to me,” Linc rasped. “I will be home, someday.”
“Promise?” Katy whispered.
Kissing her gently on the top of the head, Linc smiled, “Promise.”
Chapter 8
Cara stood by the corral fence, gazing out over the Caldwell land. Nothing had been the same for her since she shot a man who had come to her home and tried to kill her family just five months ago. It felt as if a piece of her was missing now. A piece she might never get back. She had killed a man. She’d had no choice, and thinking back, she still did not regret her decision. She loved her family and would do anything for them, even take a life if someone threatened theirs. But living with the fact that she was the reason that man was gone, was a lot harder than she originally thought it would be. No, she did not regret protecting her family. She would do it again in a heartbeat. She was just struggling with how to cope with what she had done. She’d asked God for forgiveness several times, had even had Minister Nichols pray with her, but nothing seemed to work. The joy and peace that she used to feel every day when she woke up, was just gone. She didn’t talk to her family about it. They all had enough to worry about. It was a burden she would need to bear on her own.
At the sound of a vehicle, Cara turned, shading her eyes to watch as Creed drove down the driveway, stopping his truck in front of the house. She frowned, wondering why he was there and not with Sloane at the airport. Deciding he probably had to work late, she stepped away from the fence and m
ade her way to them. Smiling when Creed and Katy got out of the vehicle, she scolded Creed gently, “What are you doing here, son? You should be at the airport with your fiancée.”
Creed’s face filled with shame, as he replied, “I know, Mama. I should have done a lot of things I haven’t lately.”
Opening her arms, she smiled, “We all should, Creed. Come here.” She heard the back door of the truck open as she wrapped her arms around her oldest son. Wondering who else was there, she pulled back and turned toward the truck. There, standing in front of her, was her baby boy, Linc. It had been so long since she’d last seen him. So long since she had heard his voice. Too long.
“Hey, Mama,” he said softly, “I’ve missed you.”
A soft cry tore from her lips as she ran to him, pulling him into her arms and holding him close. She could not hold back the tears that slid down her cheeks as she clasped him tightly to her. “I’ve missed you too, honey, so much.” She had heard her children whisper about Linc when they thought she wasn’t paying attention. She knew there was more to him following the rodeo than they all let on. She knew her baby was in danger. It was just one more thing that weighed heavily on her heart lately, but she would not let it drag her down. Her family needed her. They came first. They would always come first. “What are you doing here?” she finally asked, leaning back to look at him.
“Well, I heard there was a shindig happening this weekend. I thought maybe I would stop by and check it out,” Linc drawled. “Maybe catch a dance with a pretty lady,” he teased, as he took her hand and twirled her out away from him, then back.
Cara laughed, a small piece of that joy that she had been looking for just moments before slowly creeping into her heart. “Well, there will be plenty of those here on Saturday, I’m sure.” After one last quick hug, she stepped back. “You’ve lost weight.”
A grin covered Linc’s lips as he flexed an arm, “Maybe, but I’ve put on muscle.”
Shaking her head, Cara patted his arm. “Come inside. Dinner is almost ready, and Sloane will be here soon with her parents.”
“Where’s Dad?”
“He’s checking on the horses,” Cara replied, pointing to the barn. She refused to enter the barn since she was told the man she shot had died. The memories were just too strong in there. Pretending not to notice the way Creed and Katy looked at each other, Cara walked toward the house. “You kids go on out and see your father. I need to check on dinner.” Her children may have their suspicions on how she felt, but she was not going to discuss it with them. She was their mother. It was her job to be there for them, not the other way around.
“Mom,” Katy hollered, but Cara just kept walking.
Waving over her shoulder, she said, “Don’t be long!” After one last smile, she entered the house, shutting the door behind her. Leaning against it briefly, she took a deep breath. She could do this. She would do this.
Chapter 9
Late that night, Creed held Sloane close, her head resting on his chest as he gently ran his fingers through her hair. He’d enjoyed dinner with her parents earlier, and had finally gotten the chance to meet her father. Even though Sloane had lived in Serenity Springs for a year now, her mother was the only one who came to visit. Sloane went to see them twice, but both times Creed was unable to go with her.
Creed could tell right away that her father was a good man, one who loved his wife and children very much. He could also see the guarded look in his eyes when he looked at Creed. Because of this, Creed made it a point to talk to him, man-to-man. He quietly invited him out to the front porch of his parent’s house after dinner. The conversation they’d had ran through his mind, as he tightened his arms around Sloane.
Sitting in one of the wooden rocking chairs, Creed motioned to the other one beside him. Jack Murphy hesitated briefly, before settling into it. “Sir,” Creed began, “I want you to know what your daughter means to me.” Gazing out into the dark night, he went on gruffly, “Before Sloane, I was a man just going through the motions. I had my work, a little girl who is my world, and a family I care about very much, but something was missing.” Chuckling softly, he said, “Hell, I didn’t even realize that I wasn’t really happy until your daughter breezed into my life, wrapping me around her finger, and showing me what it means to truly love a woman.”
A slow smile crossed Jack’s face. “That’s my baby girl.” Frowning, he whispered, “Or it was how she used to be before that Jackass came into her life.”
Creed’s hands tightened on the arms of the rocking chair, as he growled, “I’ve got eyes on him, Mr. Murphy. He’s in jail now, and I don’t see him getting out anytime soon. But if he does, that bastard won’t get near her.”
Jack was quiet for a moment before saying, “Good.”
“I will never hurt Sloane the way he did,” Creed promised Sloane’s father. “And neither will anyone else. They will have to get through me first.”
Jack sighed heavily, leaning forward to look Creed in the eye. “I am trusting you with my daughter, Creed Caldwell. One of the most important people in my life.”
“I know, and I don’t take that lightly,” Creed responded. “Sloane means everything to me.”
Jack nodded, holding out his hand, “Then I welcome you to the family, son.”
He had passed the test with her father, one he knew was coming before he even met the man, and he meant every word he’d said. No one would ever hurt the woman he loved again.
Creed leaned down, kissing Sloane softly on the top of her head as he said, “I don’t know how you did it Sloane, but thank you for getting my brother to come home for the wedding.”
Sloane glanced up, her large, dark brown eyes filled with regret. “I just wish I could have gotten Justice to come home too. I’m so sorry, Creed.”
Creed gently ran his fingers down the side of her face before cupping her cheek in the palm of his hand, “You have nothing to be sorry about, my love.” He pressed his lips to hers, muttering, “I don’t deserve you, Sloane Murphy. I don’t. But I am going to spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to make you happy that you chose me to be a part of yours.”
He felt Sloane smile against his lips. “I love you,” she whispered, before deepening the kiss.
Creed groaned as one of her hands slipped down to cup his rapidly rising erection. God, he loved this woman. She was everything to him, and he meant what he told her. He would do anything for her. Tightening his fingers in her hair, he thrust his tongue between her lips, swallowing her soft gasp of surprise. Pulling her over so that she lay on top of him, Creed thrust his hips up against her. The need to feel her heat surrounding him was pushing at him, driving him crazy.
Sloane’s hands slipped beneath the waistband of his briefs, tugging them down over his hips. Her mouth left his, and she trailed kisses down his chest, stopping to pay special attention to his sensitive nipples, before skimming over his stomach, her tongue peeking out to lick here and there as she went. “Oh fuck, Sloane,” he groaned. “Sloane, I want to be inside you.”
She glanced up, a devilish grin crossing her lips, “You will be…eventually.”
He swore again as she moved down lower, her velvet tongue gently stroking over the head of his cock, before she sucked it into her mouth. Unable to stop himself, Creed pushed himself inside further, grunting her name. A thin layer of sweat covered his body as he fought to hold back, when all he wanted to do was take control, pull her up and bury himself deep inside her.
Sloane smiled around his cock, and there was no doubt in Creed’s mind that the woman knew she was driving him wild. Pulling back, she licked around the tip of his cock again and again, playing with him. When he tried to push her back down, she shook her head, resisting him until he loosened his hold on her hair. Sloane looked up at him, her eyes full of mischief, as she reached up with one hand and began to play with his balls. Creed groaned her name roughly, as he watched her mouth slide down the thick length of his cock again. A shudder ran thr
ough him, as she rolled his balls in her hand and sucked him deeper inside the warm cavern of her mouth. “Sloane,” he rasped, rolling his hips, unwilling to wait any longer while she played with him. “I need you now.”
Sloane’s soft laughter filled the room as she pulled back, licking her lips as her heated gaze met his. Another shudder of need ran through him as she slowly crawled up his body, positioning herself over his aching cock, and slowly sliding down on him. Vaguely he realized that she had already removed the light pink panties she’d worn to bed, but his attention was quickly diverted when she grasped the bottom of her nightgown, pulling it slowly up and over her head, throwing it to the floor. Her breasts hung free, and his mouth watered at the sight. Sloane flipped her long hair to one side, and then rested her hands on his chest as she started to move slowly. When she leaned down, Creed took advantage of her position and captured one of her nipples in his mouth, nipping at it, and then soothing it with his tongue. Sloane cried out, and began to move faster, her breathing becoming more ragged as she moaned his name. “That’s it, baby,” he growled, sliding his hands down to grasp her hips, moving her in sync with his own thrusts.
Turning his head slightly, he licked at Sloane’s other nipple as her breasts swung back and forth before him, sucking it deep in his mouth before letting it go. Laying his head back against the pillow, he watched his woman through hooded lids, loving the low moans that left her lips as she rode him. Finally, unable to hold back any longer. Creed took over. Holding tightly to her hips, he pushed deeply into her over and over, trying to hold off his own orgasm as Sloane raced to catch hers. Soon, she was crying out his name as she came, and he followed right behind her, not once taking his gaze from the beautiful sight before him.
A Caldwell Wedding (Serenity Springs) Page 4
