by Ali Vali
She kept moving dirt until Giovanni could no longer be heard and she’d worked up a sweat despite the weather. Lou took over so Cain could get back to her loved ones.
At the car she took the baby back from Mook and kissed his forehead. “I didn’t know your mama, little man, but from what I learned about her, I think she’d be happy for you. Because no matter what, you’re going to be loved, and that starts now. I just buried your past, so you should have a good head start.”
*
“Cain told us the news.”
Emma wasn’t listening to Maddie, hadn’t listened to her for the past hour. As much as she’d wanted to wake the kids earlier, Emma had told her to wait. She’d said she missed them but wanted Cain with her when she saw them again.
Emma tapped her nail against the front windowpane and tried to break through her fog of concern for Cain. “What news?”
“Cain bought the old Jones place, and she’s going to let Jerry and your dad share it. We’re planning on doubling our herd by the summer.”
When the headlights of a vehicle appeared in the distance, Emma almost ripped the curtain off its rod. She didn’t know why, but she’d been a nervous wreck since Cain had left her side. Things were probably fine, but now that everything she wanted was in her grasp, the thought of losing it was unbearable.
“Hi, darlin’.” Cain’s deep voice vibrated though Emma’s chest as Emma practically jumped off the porch into her lover’s arms. “Come on and let’s get our present inside.”
Mook handed her the baby and waved good night as he started for the stairs.
Maddie was the first to come up out of her seat when Cain walked in. She smiled when the little guy put his head down on Cain’s shoulder and blinked big brown eyes her way.
“First, I want to thank you for taking our children in and keeping them safe.” Cain couldn’t stand Maddie’s longing anymore, so she handed her the baby. “And if it’s not too late, I want to talk to you two about something.”
“We’re set to take the day off tomorrow, so sure,” Jerry answered. When he touched the baby, his hand covered the back of the child’s head.
Cain winked in Emma’s direction before sitting back and watching the bonding begin. “You two have been so kind to us, especially to Emma and Hannah while we were apart. Emma has told me how well you both treated our little girl, and I believe that kind of friendship should be rewarded.”
“You don’t owe us anything, Cain. Maddie and I were happy to help.” The tough farmer held his finger up and laughed when the tiny fingers grasped it.
“I’ll be honest, guys, if God has blessed me with anything despite the things I’ve done in my life, it’s the love of my wife.”
Emma linked their fingers together and smiled.
“No word can describe what came because of that blessing. When you hold your child for the first time, you believe your life has infinite possibilities and your heart fills with infinite love. The responsibility is sometimes daunting, but very worth it.”
“We can’t…” Jerry stopped. “I appreciate what you’re saying, but Maddie and I can’t have children.”
Cain dropped a kiss on Emma’s forehead before approaching the couple. “May I?” She held out her arms for the baby.
“My father always told me that your children are yours, but only for a short time. It’s what you do with and for them in that time that will make them good people. Your time with him starts now.”
Jerry’s hands were shaking so much he almost dropped the baby when Cain handed him over. “Use it wisely, but only if you want.”
“Do you mean it?” Jerry asked, as Maddie jumped to her feet.
“I mean it, and I can’t think of two better people to care for him.” Cain pulled adoption papers out of her coat pocket.
“Oh, my God.” Maddie flung her hands to her mouth as tears rolled down her cheeks. “We can’t thank you enough.”
“There’s only one thing I want you to remember.” Cain took the papers and pressed them into Maddie’s hand. “On here it says Baby Rath came from a Russian orphanage. He should never hear any other story about his origin.”
“Why would we think differently?”
The baby sighed as Jerry kissed his forehead again. “We’re going to love him and tell him this is his home. The way I see it, the rest isn’t important.”
“Then congratulations.” Cain gently slapped his back and accepted a long hug from Maddie, who was still crying as she clung to Cain, watching Jerry cradle their new son.
“No one deserves this more than you do, Maddie. My cousin prepared the initial papers, the ones you’re holding, in conjunction with one of her law-school pals who’s currently practicing in Wisconsin. Once you and Jerry pick a name, give her a call. It’s better all around, though, if you pick one before we leave.”
“We won’t ever have to give him back, right? I don’t think I could bear that…the disappointment would kill me.”
“It would take breaking me, darlin’.”
Before Cain could finish, Emma walked up and placed her hand on Maddie’s back. “Cain will often bend on some things, but breaking isn’t in her makeup. Her word is her oath, and nothing will ever change it.”
“Oh, Emma, you of all people know what this means to me.” Maddie laid her head on Cain’s chest like she would never let go. “Thank you, Cain. Tonight you’ve given me the only other thing aside from Jerry I’ve always wanted.”
Merrick walked in carrying a few bags and put them down in the doorway. “Sorry, boss, I thought you were done.” Outside a few doors closed quietly, but in the stillness the group still heard them. “The guys are back and turning in for the night, unless you need something else.”
“I think we’ve accomplished enough for one night, don’t you? Let’s leave the Rath family to get acquainted.”
Cain carried the bags in and gave them to Jerry, since he’d relinquished their new son to his mother. They contained enough diapers and supplies to last them a couple of weeks, which was more than enough time to lay the groundwork to make their story work.
“Enjoy, and we’ll see you in the morning.”
*
“All set?” Katlin asked as soon as Merrick quietly clicked the door shut.
“Seems like it.” Merrick gazed out at the yard and the men heading into the bunkhouse close to the fence line. “When was the last time you took a girl parking?”
“Does it entail driving? Because I have to warn you about getting lost out here in the middle of flat hell,” Katlin said as she pushed Merrick up against the front of the house and pressed her lips against the side of Merrick’s neck.
“The car you were in should still be warm. If not, you have the key, don’t you?”
“Don’t you worry, darling girl.” Katlin offered her hand readily. “I’ll keep you warm.”
When the back door of the vehicle closed, Merrick climbed willingly onto Katlin’s lap. They’d been doing so much for Cain that their time together had been severely limited. It had been so long since Merrick had wanted to be intimate with someone that now she wanted to rush and feel Katlin’s skin pressed to hers and study more closely the tattoos that were seared into her memory.
“Make sure you tell me if I do something you don’t like,” Katlin said as she tugged Merrick’s sweater over her head.
She bit down softly on a dark nipple, and Merrick hissed. “I don’t do this often with a woman who’s got a gun and knows how to use it.”
“Shut up and get going before I shoot you just for incentive.” Merrick pulled on Katlin’s hair when she bit down a little harder on her other nipple.
“Oh, fuck.”
“Now you’re getting it, darlin’.”
Merrick ignored the laughter as Katlin unbuttoned her jeans.
“Only this is going to mean so much more than just a roll in the back of a car. I hope you’ve come to realize that too.”
Merrick kissed her and unbuttoned Katlin’s shirt,
wanting to feel the warmth of her skin. “I realize lots of things, but right now I want you to touch me.” She sat up enough to take her pants off, then went right back to Katlin’s lap. As she wove her fingers into Katlin’s dark hair again, intending to entice her lips back to her breasts, she saw something at the fence line that didn’t belong there. “What the hell?”
Chapter Fifty
“The course is set for Cozumel,” the pilot reported. They were about twenty minutes into the flight and had been monitoring the target’s radio transmissions. “With this headwind, it’ll be another hour or so before we’re on the ground. I called ahead and arranged for some local law enforcement, as well as some of our guys, to meet us when we land.”
“Thanks a lot,” Shelby replied. She’d been looking out the window all night, and when there was a break in the clouds she could see Carlotti’s plane. The sight made her think of the night she’d met Cain and how truly afraid she’d been staring down death. “What business could she have in Mexico?”
“Maybe Anthony had something with those photos of Casey with Rodolfo Luis.” Joe sipped on a Coke. “Wouldn’t that just chap my ass?”
“From the time we started watching Cain, we haven’t seen any hint of drugs,” Shelby said.
“It’s where the money is these days.” Lionel was also looking out the window as he tapped his fist on the armrest. “Most of the big guys dealing that crap on the streets make more in a month than the three of us will in our lifetime. The temptation of all that cash might’ve been too much for her.”
A strand of hair fell into Shelby’s face when she shook her head. “I don’t buy it. Casey’s worth that now from just her legitimate businesses. Trust me, the IRS goes over every penny every year, and it’s all accounted for.”
“What you don’t get, though, is that her type never gets enough. There’s no magic number.”
Shelby let Joe have the last word and stared out the window again. For once she felt as if they held the upper hand, and when Cain and Emma committed to their final destination, the surveillance would be in place. This time Cain wouldn’t have any clandestine meetings in the middle of nowhere with no one watching, like the night she’d met Vincent Carlotti in a deserted field just over the border into Illinois. Shelby still carried the guilt of not telling anyone about that first night she’d met Cain, but she’d struck a deal for her life that she intended to keep.
They flew over the dark Gulf for another hour and twenty minutes, the pilot in the lead plane clearly in no hurry to land. When they started their descent, they were assured Cozumel was indeed the plane’s destination. Quickly scanning their databases, Lionel discovered that Rodolfo Luis had a large vacation home in the area. The confirmation reminded Shelby again that no matter how much she liked Cain, Cain was in the business of breaking the laws she fought so hard to uphold.
As they stepped off the Coast Guard plane, the team caught only a glimpse of the couple as they entered the customs building and were out of the airport fast, presumably because it was so late.
The team wasn’t in a hurry, since the DEA had agents outside in case they weren’t quick enough.
As soon as the Mexican authorities verified their credentials, they hopped into a waiting car. “Relax and enjoy the weather, guys,” the DEA agent who met them said. “Your targets are headed for the Hilton.”
“How can you predict no detours?” Joe asked.
“I can’t, but I thought it was a safe enough bet since the Hilton’s car picked them up. My men will call if there’s a change.”
As the DEA guy relaxed into the driver’s seat and turned onto the main drag, his radio came to life, and his partner reported that the two women in question had arrived at the resort and been escorted to one of the waterfront suites.
“You heard him. Now it’s hurry up and wait.”
Chapter Fifty-One
Emma lay with her eyes open, amazed at the silence. The house settled every so often, but that was the only sound. When she’d moved back home, she’d hated nights like this. With her head pillowed on Cain’s shoulder, though, Emma wouldn’t have minded if it went on forever.
“What wheels are turning in that pretty head?” The burr of Cain’s voice sent a pleasant chill through Emma’s body, and Cain pulled her closer.
“Thinking of how blessed I am.”
They’d looked in on the sleeping children and then retired to the room Maddie had given them on their previous visit and locked the door behind them. After the kiss they’d shared at the top of the stairs, Emma needed to feel Cain’s skin. She scratched along Cain’s chest and smiled when her fingernails caused a shiver. “I’m thinking about what our next baby will be like.” She shifted so she could see Cain’s face in the moonlight. “I’m thinking about you roaming the aisles at the toy store.”
“I’ve been visualizing that myself. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do when it comes to our little girl.”
Even though Cain’s comment was light, Emma teared up. “I’m sorry.”
“What’s wrong?” Cain rolled over and cupped Emma’s cheek.
“Hannah’s not going to know what hit her when we settle into a normal routine.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No, love, it’s just that for all her short life, presents have been of a practical nature. Just one more thing I caved in to my mother about. Toys aren’t practical.” Emma imitated Carol Verde’s pinched voice. “I not only stole time from you, but I stole all those Christmas mornings and birthdays from Hannah.”
“Listen to me.” Cain placed her fingers over Emma’s mouth. “I want you to forgive yourself. We can’t change the past, just improve upon it. Hannah will know true happiness for the rest of her days not because of the things she’s missed out on, but because we’ll both love her. That alone will make even the heartaches that come along bearable.”
“See, I told you I was blessed.” Emma pulled Cain down, wanting to feel the weight of her. The sensation always made her feel safe.
“Let our love for each other see you through when you doubt your decisions, lass. None of us, no matter how much we’d like to think so, is perfect. In my eyes, though, you’re about as close as they come.”
“Flatterer.” The sad feelings drained away as Emma nipped along Cain’s neck.
“I’m more of a lover, really, but if it’s flattery you’re after, I can lie here and think of some.”
“Honey, as much as I love the sound of your voice, talking is the last thing I want you to be doing right about now.”
Cain worked her hand slowly between them and continued down until she found what she was hoping would be at the end of her journey. Emma was wet, and her hips jerked when Cain ran her fingers ran along the length of her sex. “What can I interest you in, then?”
“Shut up and make love to me.” Emma pinched Cain’s butt, but just as quickly she caressed it.
Their lovemaking was faster than either of them wanted, but it was satisfying. After they finished, Cain stayed awake enjoying the flush of Emma’s skin and the way her breathing returned to a normal rate after all the exertion. The passion between them had left Emma lethargic, and she went immediately to sleep.
Running her hand slowly down Emma’s back, Cain imagined their new life now that Giovanni and his pack of goons were gone.
Before she could get too far into her train of thought, the phone on the nightstand buzzed, and she grabbed it before it could wake Emma. As she listened to Merrick, she heard Emma moan softly when she tensed at the guard’s words. “Don’t make a move.” Pulling Emma closer, she whispered, “Shh, lass, it’s all right.”
“She’s making her way to the house from the field, Cain, and you don’t want me to do anything? Believe me, I’d love to use my gun.”
“If you stop her, then we’ll never know what exactly she had in mind, will we?” Slowly Cain pulled away from Emma and picked her boxers off the floor. Emma seemed content for now, hugging Cain’s pillow to her che
st as Cain put her shirt back on and padded barefoot out of the room.
She leaned against the wall at the end of the hall and waited. Soon the front door creaked open and closed just as softly. The wood of the stairs barely made a sound as the intruder made her way up and headed to the room across from where Cain was standing in the shadows. Cain doubted that the woman would notice her at all unless she was looking directly at her, and she seemed focused on the closed door leading into Hannah’s room.
With her hand on the knob, Carol Verde felt her heart run cold when she heard the floorboard groan ever so slightly behind her. Standing perfectly still as if that would make her invisible, she waited to see if it was just the house shuddering from the breeze outside.
“What do you suppose would happen if I were to kill you now and claim I thought you were a burglar? Not only that, but a burglar poised to harm or, better yet, take my daughter?”
“Your daughter? What a laugh that is.” Carol was shocked at how close Cain had gotten without her hearing her. The floorboard evidently wasn’t an accident; it was the one noise Cain had meant for her to hear. “Hannah is still pure, not like that abomination you call a son.”
Cain whipped her hand up, wanting to choke the life out of the bitter old woman, but stopped at the last second and grabbed Carol’s hand instead. Perhaps Carol’s hearing wasn’t all that great, but Cain’s was keen.
“Please, don’t stop on my account.”
Wearing only the sweater Cain had discarded when they’d gone to bed, Emma stood in the doorway with her arms folded over her chest.
“Why, you ungrateful little…” Carol’s anger made her shake as she glared at her daughter. “After all I’ve done for you, trying to save you from yourself.”
The fact that Cain hadn’t dropped Carol’s hand hadn’t escaped Emma’s notice as she moved closer, not wanting to wake Hannah or Hayden. “It’s not ungrateful of me to long for a life that makes me happy. As for saving me from myself, you obviously felt I needed it, but you never bothered to ask me.”
