What if I tell him and he doesn’t believe me? I have no evidence. Peter was careful to not leave bruises where they’d be seen, or he had a ready explanation of how the accident happened. Maybe he’ll go away now that he knows I’m involved with Nick. I’ll wait and see. This might all work out for the best yet.
Cassie undressed and got under the covers. The night had a cool nip to it. She huddled under the blanket and hoped it would all go away. Magical thinking, but it was all the comfort she had for now.
* * * *
Lang raised his head from the small wooden box he was working on to look at Nick. “You’re back early.”
“Yeah, the evening didn’t go as planned.”
“She didn’t like the fancy restaurant or you,” he teased, and then stopped and looked closer at Nick. “What is it?”
“I have an uneasy feeling. I’m not sure why. We went to Peter’s restaurant. He was there. I had heard he’d flown in. Anyway I introduced him to Cassie. They already knew each other.”
“Really, how?”
“Introduced by a mutual friend. She’s been to his house on the bay.”
A flash of jealousy streaked through Lang. It shouldn’t matter. They’d known she had to have had relationships in ten years.
“Did they have an affair?”
“She says no. They dated and she broke it off. But she was unsettled after meeting him, and she tried to hide it. Finally, she said she wasn’t feeling well and asked me to take her home.”
“I didn’t like that Illingsworth guy the one time I met him,” Lang said. He picked up his sandpaper and went back to work on his box.
“You said so at the time, but he’s never been anything but pleasant and cordial when I’ve been around. Still, her demeanor changed after he came up to speak to us. Are you going to work out here in your shop for a while?”
“Yes.”
“See you in the morning. I’m going to turn in early.” Nick started out and stopped. “I think I’ll do a little searching on the Internet to see if I can find any mention of Peter and Cassie. Peter gets attention from the press because of his connections and wealthy family.”
“Good idea,” Lang said as Nick waved and walked off.
* * * *
The knock on Cassie’s door made her smile. It must be Nick coming to check on her. She was getting ready to go downstairs and open her shop. She swung the door open, and then tried to push it back shut, but Peter had his shoulder and foot in the doorway.
She stepped back. “What are you doing here?”
“That’s not a very polite way to greet me, Cassandra.” His hard, dark-brown eyes looked menacing. He shut the door behind him. “You didn’t really think you could disappear, and I wouldn’t find you.” He took a step forward. She backed up. He chuckled.
“You broke my heart running away and right after I asked you to marry me.”
“You know why I left. I would never marry you. Not if you were the last man on Earth. You’re a monster and need to be locked up.”
“Such harsh words. Such brave words knowing what I can do to you with one hand.” He lunged and grabbed her throat in his right hand. With his other arm, he pulled her body tight against him. “Feel how aroused I am. You never let me in that pussy of yours. You kept me at arm’s length. That must have been why you were so intriguing, and I felt the need to propose.”
Cassie pushed against his chest. “Is this the only way you can get a woman, by force?”
Peter’s face got red, and his eyes darkened. “Just a simple twist, my darling, and you’ll be dead. But that’s too easy a punishment for leaving me, for making me look like a fool.” He put his face right up to hers. “I have something much more diabolical planned. The best part is you won’t know what to expect, until it’s too late.”
He let her go so suddenly, and she almost fell. Laughing, he walked to her door. “See you soon, darling.” He started to walk out.
“Don’t come back. I have a gun for protection.”
“It didn’t do you much good this time.” He ran down the stairs.
She went to the window and watched until his car was out of sight. He was crazy, but if he wanted to hurt her, he’d have done it today. As she suspected, he wanted her to be afraid.
She refused to let him control her. She’d be more careful and keep her gun handy.
She made herself take a moment and sit on a pillow on her floor. She went through the meditation session she’d learned from Caedmon. Gradually, her control returned and the shaking stopped. Cindy was off today. It was past time to open her shop.
When she got to the back door and started to unlock it, she smelled the smoke. No, damn him. She rushed in and took the fire extinguisher from the wall. Grabbing her phone, she dialed the fire department and put it on speakerphone. Then she lifted the fire extinguisher and pointed it at the flames just beginning to lick at the treated wood walls.
Yelling toward the phone she gave her address and told the operator she had a fire. She moved around trying to stop the flames and debating whether to grab her most valuable pieces and run. But she heard the fire truck siren close by.
The firemen rushed in with hoses and told her to get out. She thanked them as one of the men led her to the door. Nick found her standing in front of her shop staring inside.
He put his arms around her. “Thank goodness you’re safe. I saw the smoke when I came around the corner and was terrified you might still be upstairs, or worse, caught in the shop.”
“They’re getting control of it. I caught it early and started trying to put it out while I called for help.”
“You should have run out immediately.” His arms tightened around her. “Come and live with Lang and me. We’ll build you a work room. You can sell your work online. We want to keep you safe.”
Cassie turned in his arms. “You can’t wrap me in cotton wool and hide me from life. I’ve managed for ten years alone.”
“But you don’t have to anymore.”
“I know, but you two want to smother me. I can’t handle it.” She pulled out of his arms. “Go. I can take care of myself.” The minute she said the words, she regretted them. Peter made her crazy and distrustful of all men. But she was independent. She didn’t want to lose that. All the men at the ranch were very protective and possessive of their wives. She didn’t understand why the women didn’t rebel.
Nick had clenched his jaw. She saw a nerve beating under the skin at his temple. His light-blue eyes narrowed as he looked down at her.
“I thought you’d grown up. I was wrong.” He spun on his heel and stomped to his truck.
Cassie had never felt so alone as she did watching the dust settle as he drove out of sight. Two men had left today. One she hoped never to see again, and the other she feared might not ever come back.
Chapter Seven
In all the confusion from the fire, no one noticed Peter slip around the back, up the stairs, and into her apartment. He made it before the firemen arrived. He saw Cassie glance toward her bedroom when she mentioned a gun. Carefully, taking his handkerchief, he pulled out the drawer by the bedside table. She’d left it in an obvious place. Lifting the barrel with his large handkerchief, he dropped it into a plastic bag.
Hurrying, he got back downstairs and into his car before the firemen came around to check the back stairs. He drove off toward the interstate. She’d given him the perfect idea for revenge. He grinned thinking about the pleasure he’d get when he saw her arrested.
But he’d be patient. He’d leave and go home today as he told Nick he would. I’ll let her sweat for a few weeks. He had all the time in the world.
* * * *
The fire chief came to see Cassie later that day. She was cleaning up the inside of her shop. Some of her paintings and other Native American items had to be thrown out, but her jewelry had not been touched in the other room, behind glass cases. Her favorite rug she’d had hanging from the wall would need to be cleaned. Overall, she’d been
lucky, but the shop needed some extensive repair in the main showroom.
Cindy, having heard of the fire, came to help her.
They worked steadily through the afternoon. Cassie went upstairs once to open the windows and get rid of the smoke smell. She threw some of her clothes into the washer.
When Cindy left late in the afternoon, Cassie sat on the floor and looked around her. All the emotions she’d held back all day swamped her. Tears ran down her face, and she rocked back and forth.
The door behind her opened. She looked around as a tall shadow darkened the doorway. Too tall for Peter, thank goodness.
Lang stepped into the gloomy room. He stared into her tear-filled eyes and shook his head. “Doesn’t seem like you’d have time to cry. Tears can’t get the work done.” He wandered around the room checking the wood walls and floors. Then he took out a small pad and made some notations.
Cassie stood and waited for him to finish. When he did, he turned to face her.
“Nick said you tossed him out.”
“I guess I did. I was a little upset.”
“Hmmm. I’m busy during the day, but I can come at night and work on these repairs. Probably finish it better than it was before.” He glanced at the notes he’d made. “It’ll take longer if I do it. You can hire a team to do the work, but it won’t be as good.”
“No one in the area has your gift,” Cassie confirmed.
“I talked to the fire chief. He thinks some kids squatted here last night, outside against the back wall. They left some smoldering cigarettes and by morning the old wood caught fire.”
Lang glanced around then back at her. “You figure that’s how it got started?”
The question unnerved her. “Maybe.”
Lang stepped closer. His scent wrapped around her, and heat poured from his body. She’d felt cold earlier. She wanted to walk into his arms and suck up his heat, taste that firm, unrelenting mouth, be wrapped in his strong arms. But she stood her ground. Until she was sure Peter had gone out of her life for good, she couldn’t involve him and Nick with her monster.
“You want me to do the work?”
“Nick told you what I said?”
“Yep.”
“Then yes, please repair my shop for me. I have insurance. It should pay me, and I’ll pay you.” He didn’t respond. She watched as he went out to his truck and returned with his tools. He removed his jacket and went to work.
Cassie went into the other room and cleaned the glass cases and her jewelry. She heard Lang’s movements as he worked and his low hum. She smiled. His presence gave her a sense of peace. Strange, he’d always had that effect on her. Except when he makes love to me. Then I’m caught in a whirlwind of emotions.
* * * *
Two weeks later, Ellen contacted Cassie and asked her to come by the lab. Cassie had never been downstairs under the main ranch house. She followed Ellen down several corridors until they stepped into a small lab room.
“This is where I do most of my work,” Ellen said. She sat in a chair by a counter holding several microscopes and motioned for Cassie to sit beside her. “I’ve been working with your mother’s and your blood. I got a surprise.”
“What?”
“Your blood works with our medicine better than your mother’s.”
“What does that mean?” Cassie was confused by Ellen’s words and the big smile Ellen gave her.
“It means we’re going to mix our medicine with your plasma. Let me see if I can give you a simple explanation.” Ellen stopped and thought for a minute. “Say you had a medicine in a powder form and you were instructed to mix it with water before taking. Our medicine, or treatment, whichever you choose to call it, is mixed in an ingredient that works best for the natural inhabitants of the ranch. The descendents from the first settlers.
“It might react strongly inside a person like your Mom. But combined with your blood plasma, which is compatible with your mother, we believe the treatments will be more effective and less dangerous.” Ellen had been leaning toward Cassie. She sat back.
“How did you discover this?”
“I had a hunch, and did a bit of testing between your blood and your mom’s with the main ingredient we hope will stop the cancer,” Ellen said. “Look in this microscope.” Ellen directed Cassie to the one on her right.
Cassie stared at the weird figures she saw through the scope.
“Every series of rods are in a particular design and moving. Now look at the next microscope further down the counter.”
She did as Ellen said. “I can’t see any difference.”
“Exactly. There is a slight one if you’re professionally trained. But very minute. The first is our original formula. The second is the ingredients mixed with your blood.”
“How can that be possible?”
“This is going to shock you. Do you remember anything about your father?”
“A little. I was six when he died. He’d gone on a trip. Mother said he had an accident. He was killed in a plane crash.
“I loved him. He was tall, broad, and jolly. He used to throw me into the air and catch me. I knew he’d never drop me. He and Mom were happy together. She only worried when he left on business trips.”
“I’ve talked with Rae. We believe he was a descendent of the third tribe. He probably never knew, or if he did, he chose not to reveal his secret, not even to your mother.” Ellen was watching Cassie’s response closely.
“You’ve talked with her?”
“I did.”
Cassie looked back into the microscope. She studied the tiny particles circulating around. “It’s a lot to absorb.”
“Go home and talk with your mother. Then I’d like you to have a healthy meal later today and return within four hours of eating. Your mother and you are AB positive. I want to take the same amount of blood that you’d donate to a blood bank, and then I’ll separate the plasma from it.
“If the first batch works as well as the small amount of whole blood we tested, then you can donate more frequently because I’ll return your red cells to you.”
“How often will Mom need the treatments, if the ones she’s taking now fail?”
“I’d say every two weeks, but in her weakened state and not knowing the reaction, we’re going to start every four weeks.”
“Great. I’ll talk to Mom and tell her that I’m starting the donations today. That way we’ll be ahead of when she needs it. How long can you keep the plasma?
“We can freeze it for up to a year.”
Her head spinning, Cassie walked out of the ranch house and straight into Nick.
“Hi.” Cassie wasn’t sure what else to say.
“I’d ask how you’re doing, but I heard from Lang about the work he’s doing on the building.”
“Yes, as usual he’s doing a great job. The landlord should be happy. The place will be in better shape than when I rented it.”
“Yeah, well, good to see you.”
Cassie saw the flash of hurt in his eyes before he walked around her and into the house. As she drove to her mom’s, it dawned on her what she’d done. After saying she could take care of herself and sending Nick away, she accepted Lang’s help. She had hurt him. He probably thought she cared for Lang and not him. Which wasn’t true. She loved them both in different ways.
Loved? She’d never really let herself acknowledge how deep her feelings went for them. Now what could she do? Had she lost Nick with her foolishness? She drove into the drive at her mom’s home. Later, she had to find a way to make things right with Nick.
The day went quickly. Her mother’s spirits were up since she’d talked with Ellen. Her treatments in the city were still not doing as well as the doctor wanted. Ralph had been driving her to the appointments since the fire, and had talked with the doctor. If there was no significant improvement after she finished this course of treatments in two weeks, then they’d stop them.
Cassie went back to the shop and asked Cindy to cover for her for t
he rest of the day. Just as she was leaving to go down the street to a small restaurant she liked, Lang came in the door.
“You’re early,” Cassie said.
“I thought I’d take you out to eat.”
“You heard about the possible new treatment for Mom?”
He nodded. “Mitch keeps me abreast of everything going on around the ranch. I happened to go by the ranch house, not long after you’d left. I ran into him and Ellen talking.”
“I was going to Sally’s to eat the healthy meal Ellen said I had to have before donating.”
“Sally’s has good food.” He held the door open for her. “Shall we?”
“Thanks. I get tired of eating alone. And there is something I wanted to talk about with you.”
They strolled along the sidewalk past the drugstore, a jewelry shop, and a small clothing store before getting to Sally’s. Lang didn’t talk. He was just a comforting presence at her side.
“Hello, Cassie and Lang.” Sally, a tall, thin blonde greeted them at the door. “Not often I see you in town, Lang.” She gave him a quick glance up and down. He’d drawn those looks ten years ago and obviously still did.
Sally led them to a booth. “Here are your menus. Coffee for you, Lang?”
“Yes, and iced tea for Cassie.” He glanced her way, and she nodded yes.
“Be right back for your order.”
He sat back and looked across at Cassie. “How do you feel about the work Ellen has done?”
“Great, especially since Mom is probably going to need the new medication. Did Mitch tell you about my real dad?”
“Yes, we talked privately. You don’t need to worry that everyone will be told.”
“I wasn’t. It was a shock. I haven’t had time to really think about the possibility that Ellen suggested.”
Sally interrupted with the coffee and tea. She took their orders and hurried off.
“Does the thought that you might have a kinship to us bother you?” Lang stirred the sugar into his coffee while he waited for her answer.
Cameron, Paige - Commando Cowboys Reclaim Their Love [Wyoming Warriors 4] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Polyromance) Page 7
