“But what do I tell them?”
“Hmm...let’s see.” She stopped and thought for a moment. “I know, tell them that he’s trespassing.”
“Consider it done.”
Luckily she lived on the first floor, saving her the task of going up and down more steps. They stopped at Cleo’s door and it was then that she realized she didn’t have her purse or her keys. Everything was back at the casino in her locker.
She turned to her friend. “I’m afraid I forgot my key. Would you mind letting me in?”
“Oh, sure. Let me grab the spare one. It’s a good thing you gave it to me. I’ll be right back.”
Cleo hobbled around until she could lean against the wall. She wondered if Jax was awake yet. She’d considered telling him what she was up to, but when she’d gone to his room, the door was open and he was out cold. He was sprawled across the bed on his stomach while wearing nothing more than a pair of boxers.
He’d looked good—real good. She also remembered how he didn’t want her—how he’d withdrawn from her. The memory dug at her heart.
Before turning away from his sleeping form, she’d noticed how the sheet had been pulled loose and kicked about. The pillows had been tossed off the bed as though he’d had a rough night. At least she had the satisfaction of knowing that he hadn’t had a good sleep, either.
In no time, Robyn returned with the key in one hand and a baby monitor in the other. “If you lost your key during your accident, I can call the manager and have them change the lock. Of course, you know they’re going to charge you for it. Like we don’t already pay enough in rent.”
“Thanks. But I know where it is. I just didn’t have time to grab my things before they took me to the hospital.” She wasn’t about to add that she’d blacked out.
“Okay. But if you need anything, just phone me. By the way, Charlie wouldn’t eat last night. I don’t know if he’s not feeling well or if he just missed you.”
“I was worried about that. After his surgery, I want to keep a close eye on him. He didn’t react well to the anesthesia.” Cleo made her way over to the couch, where Charlie was curled up. He eyed her up but didn’t make any movement. “Hey, buddy, it’s okay. I’m here.” She ran a hand down over his striped fur before scratching beneath his ear. Finally a faint purr started. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here last night.”
Instead of taking him with her, she was actually thinking of just staying home. According to Robyn there hadn’t been any strangers lurking about. Apparently ape man had other people to push around.
The sound of the baby stirring came across the monitor. “I better go check on her,” Robyn said, stepping out onto the walkway. “If you need anything else just let me know.”
With her neighbor gone, Cleo turned to Charlie. “You do know that I’m going to be in trouble when Jax finds out I’m here with you.”
Charlie blinked and licked his paw.
“I see you aren’t the least bit worried. That makes one of us.” She ruffled the fur on his head before locking the front door.
It was nice that Marylou had picked her out some new clothes, but they weren’t really her taste and right now, she needed soft, stretchy shorts to get over her cast. And a comfy T-shirt. She may enjoy dressing up on most occasions, but this was different. Her body ached in places she didn’t even think had been injured. Some loose-fitting clothes were definitely in order for today.
She hobbled toward the bedroom with Charlie leading the way. His tail hung low and he wasn’t chatty like normal. The poor fellow. She felt really bad for him having surgery. At this point, she could kind of relate to not feeling so chipper. She’d have to remember to grab a bag of his favorite treats to take with them.
When her gaze landed on her bed, she thought that it never looked so inviting. So soft and snug. Maybe if she just lay down for a moment, she’d get her wind back. And she could give Charlie some much-needed attention as his love meter seemed to be low.
When Charlie eyed the bed hesitantly as though he wasn’t so sure he could jump that high after his surgery, she scooped him up and deposited him in the middle of the bed. She could tell he was going to get as much babying out of this recovery as possible. And she didn’t mind it a bit. She smiled as he circled once, then twice and finally sank down on the blue comforter.
After struggling to get changed into some comfy clothes, she lay down next to him, anxious to discard the crutches, which were as much a hindrance as a help. Her hand smoothed down over Charlie’s back and his purr machine kicked into full gear.
“Sorry I wasn’t here to take care of you last night. Some meanie sent me to the hospital.”
Charlie yawned and then she yawned.
“I don’t think he’ll be back. Maybe we can both stay home.”
She adjusted her pillow and closed her eyes for just a moment. After all, this guy was after Jax, not her. And Jax would be a lot safer if he didn’t have to worry about caring for an injured woman. Especially after he made it perfectly clear that he wanted nothing to do with her. He felt an obligation toward her—nothing more.
Staying home was sounding ever-so-tempting. And with Robyn watching her back, she didn’t have to worry.
“We’ll be fine. Right, Charlie?”
CHAPTER NINE
JAX KNOCKED ON the apartment door.
When there was no sound, he thought of trying the doorknob. But considering he might have mixed up Cleo’s unit number, he wasn’t going to risk it.
He rapped his knuckles again. Louder this time.
An adjacent door swung open and a young woman with straight brown hair, no makeup and stains on her blue shirt stuck her head out. She eyed him up suspiciously.
Maybe she’d know Cleo’s whereabouts. He stepped toward her when she held up a cell phone. “Don’t come any closer or I’ll call the police.”
“Hey, I don’t want any trouble. I’m just here to see Cleo. This is her apartment, isn’t it?”
“Don’t play innocent with me. Cleo told me you’d be showing up and causing trouble. She’s not interested in you. Time to move on, buddy.”
Cleo told her neighbor about him? And what exactly had she been saying? It sure sounded bad.
Turning away from her kiss had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done. And if given another chance, he didn’t know if he was strong enough to resist her.
Just then the door to Cleo’s apartment opened. “Jax, how’d you get here?”
For the first time since he found her missing, he breathed easy. His initial instinct was to pull her into his arms, but one glimpse of the wounded look in her eyes had him frozen in place. It was for the best, even if it didn’t feel like it at the moment.
Giving in to his desires was what kept getting them into trouble. First they kissed and she took off only to run into ape man. And then there was last night’s kiss, where she got upset and left without a word. This time he wasn’t giving her another reason to walk away.
“Do you want me to get the police?” The young woman looked far too eager to place the call.
Jax rolled his eyes. “Please tell her that I’m not here to hurt you.”
Cleo smiled as though she was enjoying this. He didn’t find it the least bit amusing. He hadn’t thought about anything besides her safety on the ride here. A tension headache spanned his forehead. He didn’t know what he’d have done if she hadn’t been here.
“It’s okay, Robyn.” Cleo smiled at her neighbor. “Jax is an old friend of mine. He’s been looking after me since my accident.”
The woman’s whole demeanor changed and a smile pulled at her lips. “No wonder you didn’t come home last night. I wouldn’t have, either.”
Cleo sighed. “Robyn, it’s not what you’re thinking.”
“Then you must be blind, girl.
Otherwise how could you pass him up?” Robyn flashed Jax a bright smile before backing into her apartment and closing the door.
Color flooded Cleo’s cheeks, giving them a rosy glow. “I’m sorry about her. Robyn means well but is a bit misguided at times.”
He nodded, understanding why Cleo wasn’t eager to hook up with him the way her neighbor thought she should be. And that reason was named Charlie. Jax’s jaw tightened. He at least wanted to get a look at this guy.
Cleo adjusted her crutches. “How did you get here?”
“I didn’t have much choice. I took a taxi.”
“Oh. Sorry. I was only borrowing the SUV. I would have brought it back.”
From the looks of her in a rumpled T-shirt and mussed-up hair, he’d just awoken her from a nap. “I take it you weren’t in any hurry to come back.” He pressed his hands to his waist and frowned at Cleo. “Mind telling me what’s so urgent that you had to go and run off without saying anything to me?”
“Charlie needed me. And...and you were sleeping. I didn’t want to bother you since I figured you’d try to stop me.”
“You’re right. I would have.” Jax’s body tensed. “This Charlie, is he that important to you?”
She nodded. Just then there was a meow and Jax looked down to find a tabby cat rubbing against Cleo’s ankles before stepping outside.
“Charlie, come back.”
That was Charlie? Her cat? The knot in his gut eased. Then in spite of himself, he laughed. He’d been jealous over a cat.
“Don’t just stand there laughing,” she said. “Grab him.”
Charlie appeared to be enjoying himself, exploring the great outdoors. When Jax set off in pursuit, the cat picked up speed.
“Here kitty, kitty.”
“His name is Charlie.”
Of course it was. He felt like such an idiot for getting bent out of shape over a cat. Not that he had any right to be jealous of anyone. On second thought, it would have been better if Charlie had turned out to be her boyfriend. He could put her safety in another man’s hands and walk away. At least he wanted to believe he could have turned his back and forgotten her.
The cat stopped to investigate a potted plant and Jax made his move, wrapping his hands around the cat’s rib cage.
“Be careful,” Cleo called out. “Support his back feet.”
Jax adjusted his hold and the cat seemed to relax. That was good because he didn’t know one thing about felines. His family didn’t have cats or dogs. Not even goldfish. His father thought that they were a waste of money. That was what he’d loved about the Sinclair’s ranch. They had lots of animals, from cats to steers. He’d always dreamed of living on a spread like theirs. So when the senior Sinclair took him under his wing and showed him how to work on a ranch, he was thrilled. He’d done something he enjoyed while making some pocket money.
“What are you smiling about?” Cleo eyed him. “Did Charlie find your ticklish spot?”
“Not hardly.” He wasn’t ticklish.
Cleo sighed. “Well, bring him inside and be gentle. He just had surgery.”
Jax stared down at the furball. It didn’t look as if anything was wrong with him. But Jax would take Cleo’s word for it and as carefully as possible placed the cat on the couch.
“Enough about the cat. What I want to know is why you took off. Don’t you realize that the thug who hurt you is still out there?”
“I was careful.”
“I talked to the police on my way here.” He waited to see if the reminder of their situation would gain her attention.
She didn’t raise her head to look at him. Instead she fussed over the cat. “What did they say? Has he been arrested?”
“No. And he was spotted in this area last night, but he eluded the police in the darkness.”
She glanced up. The light in her eyes dimmed. “Oh. I didn’t think—”
“Exactly. Now let’s get you out of here.”
He strode over and reached for the door.
“Wait. I’m not ready. I want to grab a few things. And you’ll need to load the litter box in the car while I put Charlie in his carrier.”
“I don’t think so. I’m not hauling some howling cat around in the car.”
Cleo frowned at him. “Charlie doesn’t howl. He’s not a dog.”
“Howl. Meow. It’s all the same.” He wasn’t a cat person.
“And don’t forget to scoop the litter before loading it.”
“No way. I’m not hauling around a litter box and a cat.”
* * *
A few minutes later, Cleo settled on the passenger seat of the SUV. “Did you remember to grab extra kitty litter?”
“Yes.” Jax’s grumpy tone made her smile. “I don’t know how something so small can require so much stuff.”
He’d grow to like Charlie. She was sure of it because beneath all of that gruff, Jax had a big heart, even if he refused to acknowledge it.
“It’s okay, Charlie. He’s not normally this grouchy. He just woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”
“I did not,” Jax grumbled from the hatch as he stowed away her crutches.
In no time at all, they were on the road. She noticed how Jax kept checking the mirrors. She supposed she hadn’t made the wisest choice this morning. Her gaze moved back to Charlie—but he needed her.
She glanced at Jax as he focused on traffic. “How long are you planning to keep us hidden away?”
Jax’s fingers tightened on the wheel. “As long as it takes to make sure you’re safe.”
“I’m not your responsibility. I moved to Las Vegas to get away from my family and their overbearing expectations and overprotectiveness. Now you’re trying to do the same thing.”
“Well, if you don’t like staying with me, I can get you an airline ticket. I’m sure your mother would enjoy the visit—”
“No!”
Jax glanced her way. She pressed her lips together, feeling stupid for reacting so strongly. If she wasn’t careful Jax would start asking questions—questions she didn’t want to answer. Once he knew what she’d done—the irreparable damage she was responsible for—it’d only confirm his decision that she was not worthy of his attention. She couldn’t bear to have him look at her the way her mother had done.
“I can’t go back there. Hope Springs is in my past.”
“And does that include your family?”
She shrugged. A mix of feelings churned in her stomach, making her nauseous.
“What’s going on, Cleo? Your family used to mean everything to you. Now you’ll do anything to send them money, but you balk at the mention of visiting them.”
His voice was soft and soothing, inviting her confidence. Still, she worried about what he’d think of her once he knew.
“Cleo, I’m concerned about you. Something serious is going on. And if you won’t give me the answers then I’ll have to go to Kurt for the truth—”
“No!” Her fingers twisted together. “Don’t do that. I—I’ll tell you.”
He had her between a rock and a hard place and she hated it. Dredging up these painful memories would be torture. And for the first time to speak them out loud would just make what happened so fresh in her mind.
While living in Las Vegas, she’d been able to pretend that things were okay. To colleagues, she’d act as though she had a loving family missing her back in Wyoming. She was able to bluff her way through most days, but not today.
Maybe it would do her some good. Getting it off her chest might help. For so long now she’d been choking down the anger and hurt. She drew in a deep breath to steady her nerves.
“Things haven’t been the same since my father died.”
Jax cleared his throat. “Your brother mentioned that there’d been som
e drama at your father’s funeral, but he didn’t go into details and I didn’t push. I figured he’d tell me if he wanted me to know.”
“It was all about me.” The weight of guilt settled on her chest. “The funeral was...was my fault...”
“What?” Jax pulled off the side of the deserted roadway and put the vehicle in Park. “Cleo, you aren’t making any sense.”
His face started to blur behind a wall of unshed tears. She blinked repeatedly. “It’s my fault that my father died.”
“How? Weren’t you living here in Las Vegas at the time?”
“I’d just moved here.” She inhaled a steadying breath. “I was on the phone with him and we were arguing. I didn’t know at the time that he was in the pickup, transporting a mare he’d bought in hopes of luring me home. I might not like working around the ranch, but I still have a big soft spot for horses and he knew it.”
Jax didn’t say anything. He just reached out and squeezed her hand, allowing her to proceed at her own pace. This was something she’d never shared with anyone...ever.
Somehow it seemed fitting that she turned to Jax. He wasn’t as close to the situation as her family and yet he wasn’t so distant, either.
Cleo inhaled a steadying breath. “He kept telling me to come home. He was always going on about how much my mother missed me, but I didn’t want to hear it. I was so stubborn. So determined that everything had to be my way. I was finally away from that suppressive atmosphere and making decisions for myself. I didn’t want to go back and marry one of the locals. It might be the right life for some people...but not me.”
The backs of her eyes smarted as a tear spilled onto her cheek. She dashed it away. This wasn’t the time to fall apart. She needed to get through this. After all, Jax deserved to know what sort of woman he was putting his neck on the line to protect.
“No one can blame you—”
“But they do. And they should. If only I hadn’t fought with him...he wouldn’t have died.”
“You don’t know that.” He placed a finger beneath her chin and lifted her face to meet his gaze. “And you can’t live your life according to someone else’s wishes. At some point you have to stand your ground.”
The Return of the Rebel Page 9
