by Stone, Ciana
“Nothing happened, Mik.”
“Sure looked like it was about to.”
“It was nothing.”
“Oh? You call accepting an invitation to get a quick fuck nothing?”
“I didn’t accept anything.”
“Like hell! Now just what would I be dropping by for, darlin’?” She gave a fairly good imitation of him
“That’s not what I said.”
“Whatever!” She screamed and shoved at him. “Just get the hell away from me. You were right. Nash men can’t be trusted.”
Jed went still as a statue, his eyes boring into her. For a moment, she wondered if she’d gone too far. Would he strike her?
Mik’s words rang in his head like an old record with a skip, repeating over and over. “Nash men can’t be trusted.”
What the hell had he done? He loved Mik and the idea of losing her twisted his gut into knots. So why had he responded the way he did to those women? Habits of a lifetime?
Yeah, he supposed he could claim that’s what it was. And maybe there was a kernel of truth in it. But the larger truth was that at the moment, he just hadn’t thought. Hadn’t considered Mik and how she would feel, or that his actions reflected the attitude of a man who wasn’t committed.
Which begged the question. Was he?
“Mik, I—“
“Don’t.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Don’t tell me what I want to hear knowing it’s a lie. Just walk away, Jed. Walk away and leave me be.”
He let his hands fall and stepped back. Maybe she was right. Maybe he was right all along. Nash men weren’t good at forever. The curse just wouldn’t allow it.
Her eyes stayed on him a good long while, tears tracking her face. Finally, she raised one hand, swiped at her eyes and pushed away from the truck. “I think I’ll go see if Jesse will take me home.”
Jed watched her walk away. He wanted to run after her, to tell her he was sorry and that he’d made a mistake – one that wouldn’t happen again. But how could he do that unless he fully believed it?
Lost in his own misery, he wasn’t aware how much time had passed. Suddenly Jesse was beside him, clapping one hand on Jed’s shoulder. “I’m gonna run Mik back to the ranch. I’ll be back for you and Jake later—wherever he is. Couldn’t find him a minute ago.”
“He left about an hour ago to head up to Coyote Joe’s with Mitch Broom.”
Jesse nodded. “So, I’ll be back for you.”
“I think I’ll just head on home.”
Jesse cut his eyes across the truck at Mik who was climbing in the passenger door. “You sure?”
“Yeah.”
Jesse climbed in behind the wheel, leaving Jed to slide in beside Mik. She never looked at him. No one spoke a word on the drive home. Jesse stopped at the main house and Jed looked at him, confused.
“Thought I’d have a beer with Mik at the lake house.” Jesse asked. “Figured you’d want to head on in.”
Jed started to open the door, paused, and looked at Mik. Her eyes were still focused straight ahead. She wouldn’t even look his way. Jed got out of the truck and watched it pull away. When the taillights disappeared, he went inside.
The house was dark and quiet. Jed went upstairs to his room, kicked off his boots and peeled off his shirt. He lay down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
The longer he lay there the more unwelcome images flooded his mind. Like Jesse in the lake house with Mik. Drinking, sitting on the sofa by the fire, talking and laughing, discussing their mutual love of the rodeo.
He shook his head to clear the images but instead of abating, they intensified. Jesse with his arms around Mik. Her looking at Jesse with that expression that made a man willing to tear through steel to get a taste of her. Jesse’s lips on hers, his hands on her body.
Before he knew it, he was off the bed, slamming his feet into his boots and headed down the stairs.
The walk to the lake house did nothing to cool the jealous fire that burned in his gut. If anything, it intensified the flame to a roaring inferno. By the time he stomped up on the back porch and through the door, he was fit to be tied.
Mik was his. Okay, he’d screwed up, but didn’t he at least deserve a chance to explain?
The kitchen was empty. Jed marched into the small den. And there they were. On the couch. She was in Jesse’s arms.
And she was crying.
Christ on a crutch. Seeing her naked with his brother would have been easier. All his anger faded.
“Mik.”
She looked up at him. “Go away.”
“No.”
Mik jumped up. “Go away!”
Jesse stood beside her. “Jed, maybe it’d be best if you—“
“This is between me and Mik. Go home, Jesse.”
Jesse looked from Jed to Mik. Her eyes were locked on Jed. Finally, she turned to look at him and nodded. “Thanks, Jesse.”
Jed’s guts twisted when she wrapped her arms around Jesse’s neck and pulled him into a tight hug. Jesse returned the embrace then pulled back and kissed her on the forehead. “You know where I am if you need me.”
She nodded and Jesse left. At the sound of the back door closing, Mik spoke up. “There’s nothing to talk about, Jed. I was wrong to believe in you. Shame on me. End of story.”
“You weren’t wrong.”
“Tonight would indicate otherwise.”
“Tonight indicates only that I wasn’t thinking. Mik, I know it sounds like a truck load of shit, but I had no intention, no desire to take that gal up on her offer. I was just flirting.”
“Flirting?” She threw her hands on her hips, fire coming back in her eyes. “That went way past flirting!”
“Depends on your definition of flirting.”
“Oh, don’t play that shit with me! If I hadn’t stepped in you’d have been in a lip lock with that woman in two seconds flat and that definitely leaps way past flirting.”
“I would not.”
“Like hell. I saw you, Jed.”
“Oh yeah? You saw me kiss that gal?”
“No, I stopped you. But you would have.”
“How do you know?”
“Because—because I do. And don’t try to turn this back on me. I didn’t do anything but get the shit stomped outta me by a lying, cheat who—“
“I don’t lie!” Jed would take a lot of crap and would admit to being wrong, but one thing he wouldn’t do was stand there and be accused of being a liar.
“Oh no?”
He didn’t realize he was in motion until his hands wrapped around her upper arms and squeezed. “I don’t lie.”
“You lied to me!” She tore away and swung at him.
Jed caught her fist before it could make contact with his face. “I did not lie.”
She tried to yank away but he held on and she lashed out with her free hand. Suddenly they were wrestling around, him trying to keep from hurting her and her doing everything she could to hurt him.
One boot made contact with his left shin and he cursed. “Damn it all, Mik, stop!”
“Screw you!” She kicked him again, in the same spot.
This was getting out of hand. Jed swept one foot against her legs, unbalancing her and then lifted her up, pivoted and slammed her down on the sofa. Before she could counter, he climbed on top of her, straddling her body and stretching her arms up to pin them over her head.
“Get off me!” She bucked and squirmed like a bronco, trying to unseat him.
He wanted to be mad, wanted her anger to disgust him. Only it was having the opposite effect. He was getting turned on.
“Stop!” He shouted.
Mik went still, looking up at him with wide eyes. “I don’t lie,” he said as calmly as possible.
“I don’t believe you.”
“I can prove it.”
“Yeah, how?”
“You know how.”
He saw realization flare in her eyes, followed immediately by fear. “Let me in, Mik, and you
’ll know.”
She shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.”
“No.”
He searched her eyes. He couldn’t force himself on her. He needed a way to convince her.
“Why?”
“Because.”
“Because you’ve got something to hide?”
“No!”
“Then what do you have to be afraid of?”
“I’m not afraid.”
“Then let me in.”
She hesitated, her eyes boring into his then nodded. Jed loosened his hold on her and gently cupped her face. “Here I come.”
The emotion that hit him was almost staggering. He knew Mik’s emotions ran high, but wasn’t quite prepared for the onslaught. Fear and anger warred with love and need. Hope battled with despair and dreams clashed with dread.
The jumble was almost overwhelming but overshadowing all the conflicting emotions was one that loomed stronger and sharper. Love. She loved him. As unwise as she felt that was, she couldn’t change it. He’d hurt her, made her feel betrayed and foolish but still, she loved him.
Jed sucked in his breath and loosened his own controls. He’d asked for this. Now he just had to be man enough to bare his soul to her and hope it was enough.
Mik gasped as the first wave of emotion blasted into her mind. There was so much hurt that had been hidden for so long. Loneliness and hopelessness loomed large and powerful in Jed’s past. He never expected to find love. Was afraid of what would happen if he did so he ran from it, burying his emotions.
Until her. She’d broken through where no one else had been able to. She’d given him hope, accepted him for who he was and made him believe they had a future. He so wanted to be able to believe it, too.
He loved her. So much, it scared him. What if the curse was stronger and he hurt her. How would he ever live knowing that he’d turned her love to something dark? To one day look in her eyes and not see the light of love burning there? To see disappointment, or worse, hate.
“I could never hate, you,” she whispered.
“You almost did tonight.”
“No, I hate what you did to me. I felt like a fool, a woman so desperate that she’d allowed herself to believe something that wasn’t real.”
“It is real, Mik.”
“I know. Now.”
“And?”
She pushed at him so that he rocked back and let her sit. She wiggled from beneath, getting on her knees between his legs. “And,” she said, putting both hands on his chest and leaning close.
He grunted as she shoved him back on the couch and climbed on top of him. “If you ever pull as stunt like that I’m going to kick your sorry ass.”
“Is that so?”
“You better believe it, Nash. You’re mine.”
“I am that.”
Mik tried not to smile. “I’m still mad at you.”
“No, you’re not.”
“I am, too!”
“You gonna beat me up like you did those gals in the bar?”
Mik bit her lip as his lips stretched into a smile. “You were something, Mik. A real spitfire.”
“You just like the idea of women fighting over you,” she teased.
“Well, there is that.”
Mik chuckled. “Well don’t get used to it. Next time I’m belting you first.”
“There’s not going to be a next time.”
Mik didn’t need to ask if he meant it. She could feel it.
“I do love you, Jed.”
“I love you, Mikayla.”
“Then show me.”
Jed pulled her down to him and did just that.
Chapter Eleven
Dalton’s face was flushed and his eyes wild as he bounded out of his chair and leaned forward with his hands on the desk, hissing at the older, elegant woman seated across from him.
“What the hell? Are you in league with that bitch?”
Henrietta Manning-Mills hissed in disapproval. “Dalton Manning, I can’t believe those words came out of your mouth. I’m your aunt. You’ve known me your entire life. I was your father’s closest confidant and I’ve tried to protect you and help steer you toward what we both know your father would want – namely you gaining control of his empire from that…that vampire Deidre. Considering all that, I’m insulted that you would even suggest that I’m culpable.”
Dalton sagged back into his chair. “Why wasn’t I informed prior to this special meeting of the board?”
“Why else? Deidre is putting you in your place.”
Dalton considered it. Deidre had called an emergency meeting of the board last night and at that meeting it was decided that a new division would be formed, Manning Ltd. This new division would oversee the real estate and development companies. Manning Enterprises’ interests in pharmaceuticals, media, manufacturing and banking would be excluded and remain under its present management.
“So in essence she’s cutting me out of the drugs, the press, banking, and the government contracts.”
“In a nutshell, yes.”
“Why?”
“My dear boy, I’m the wrong person to ask why Deidre does anything. However, were I to speculate, my guess would be that she no longer trusts you.”
That statement lit a fire of fear that swept through Dalton like flames on dry leaves. Could she have discovered that he was plotting against her? No. He’d been too careful and left no paper trail, no evidence.
“And the board backed her?”
“How could they not? She’s still the majority stockholder.”
If a gun suddenly materialized in his hand along with Deidre in front of him, Dalton would have shot the bitch through her black heart. Rage threatened to erupt, strong enough that his body shook as if in seizure.
Henrietta bolted to her feet in alarm. “Dalton! Dear god, shall I summon help? You look like you’re about to have a stroke.”
It took every ounce of will he possessed to beat the rage back. An image of his father’s face appeared in his mind. She’d killed his father. The bitch. Killed him and stolen Dalton’s rightful inheritance from him. He couldn’t let himself lose control. The only way to beat her was to outsmart her.
That thought simmered him right down. If there was one thing in life he was confident of, it was that he was infinitely smarter than his conniving step-mother.
“I’m not going to let her get away with this, Aunt Henrietta. Mark my words, I’ll destroy her.”
“That would be a fine day for all of us, my boy. And if there’s any way I can assist in that effort, you have only to say the word.”
Sudden inspiration had a smile appearing on Dalton’s face. “Actually, there is something you can do. I need a complete and detailed dossier on Deidre. Everything about her, her parents, her relationships before and after my father. And I need a genealogy done on her family.”
Henrietta frowned. “I have people who can most certainly accomplish that, but I fail to see the point. What exactly are you looking for?”
Dalton wasn’t in the habit of trusting, but Henrietta Manning-Mills was the one person in the world he felt he could put his faith in because Henrietta hated Deidre every bit as much as he did. Deidre had gotten Henrietta voted off the Board of Directors the same day she killed Dalton’s father. It hadn’t destroyed Henrietta as she’d anticipated. Henrietta was too smart and had too many contacts. Not to mention a tidy fortune. All she’d succeeded in doing was creating an enemy who needed to be put into play.
“I want to know about an alleged ancestor… Sara Whitestone.”
“Do you have any idea where this search should start? It’s a big world, Dalton.”
“Tell your people to begin the search in Nevada. The early 1800’s I believe.”
Henrietta regarded him thoughtfully. “I’m a bit mystified by the request. If you believe there’s something that can destroy Deidre in this search, then why haven’t you undertaken it yourself?”
“Have yo
u any idea how difficult it is to maneuver within a spider’s web?”
“Ah, yes,” Henrietta nodded in understanding then smiled. “You know, Deidre might have just handed you the one thing you’ve lacked in the battle.”
“And that is?” Dalton asked, not sure where the old woman’s mind was heading.
“Freedom, my boy, freedom. While she’s making sure you have no access to certain aspects of the company, she’s not going to have time to pay attention to your activities as closely as she once did. She thinks she’s hobbled you with this move.”
“Financially she may have,” Dalton pointed out.
“Hardly,” Henrietta said with a smile. “Did I ever tell you about the little company your father and I invested heavily in before your mother died?”
Dalton’s ears perked up. “No, what company is that?”
When he heard the name of the company, his mouth fell open. Then laughter bubbled up. Laughter that soon had him howling and Henrietta chuckling right along with him.
Oh yes, he was going to destroy Deidre. And he was going to enjoy every moment of it.
*****
Mik took her plate and coffee cup to the sink as everyone headed out the door, breakfast done and work waiting.
“Thanks, Ellen.”
The housekeeper turned and cut Mik a sharp look. “I’d like a word with you, Ms. Morgan.”
Mik cut her eyes at Jed who was taking his hat from the rack beside the door. He shrugged, clapped his hat on his head, and walked out. Mik turned her attention back to the housekeeper. “Yes, ma’am?”
Ellen plopped a stack of dishes in the sink, snatched up a dish towel and dried her hands then turned to face Mik. “I know what’s going on.”
“Excuse me?”
“With you and Jed.”
Mik bristled at the woman’s tone. Ellen had been cool to her since the day she arrived and that coolness had intensified daily. “I don’t think that’s any of your concern.”
“Maybe not, but I’ve been with this family for twenty years and love those boys like they were my own. And despite that, I can’t hold my tongue any more. Jed’s a fine man, but not a wagon you want to hitch your horse to.”
Mik hadn’t expected that. She’d thought Ellen was going to tell her she wasn’t good enough for Jed, try to run her off. “What?”
