Embattled Home (22 page)

“Hm, a few months. About six. I was on the verge of bolting, just going somewhere and getting lost. Then Duncan threw me that lifeline. I’ve been there ever since. But,” he continued, “sometimes when I come home I have this to contend with.” Again, he waved his hand toward the main ranch.

“Everybody is concerned about you.”

“I know,” he sighed. “And I really do appreciate it. But I feel like I can’t breathe here.”

“You need to set some limits.” Lora laughed. “Although it’s hard to tell if they’ll abide by those limits.”

Chad knew she referred to Derek.

“I’m sorry I’m bitching about my life. It’s not that bad, really.”

She shook her head. “Don’t, please. I enjoy listening to you talk. I’ve learned a lot about you in the past ten minutes.”

He snorted. “Good and bad, huh?”

“Nah. All good.”

“Well, hopefully John and Duncan will figure something out to tie up this situation.”

Not even three minutes later, Chad’s cell phone rang. Glancing at the screen, he swiped his thumb to answer. “Hey, Palmer. How the fuck are you?”

Chad cringed and glanced guiltily at the living room, but Mercy was absorbed in her cartoons.

“I’m fine. Lora and the girl have problems coming their way, though.”

Lora’s gaze sharpened on him. She’d obviously heard.

“Why? What’s up?”

“I have a feeling Mr. Malone is going to be out for blood. We sent Roger in as a flower delivery man and he chatted up one of the maids. Apparently things have been in a tizzy over the past couple of weeks. Lots of fighting.”

“Since we’ve been gone?”

“Yeah, I think that’s part of it. But there’s a shake-up with the business too. The maid said it sounded like Derek’s mother was changing her will to leave everything to the little girl because Derek’s been such a fuck-up.”

“Oh, hell,” he breathed.

Lora had paled and was shaking her head. “We don’t want it.”

“Wait,” Chad focused on the phone. “Has this actually been done legally, or is this just chatter right now?”

“It has not been confirmed,” John told him. “But, if she were about to switch beneficiaries, that’s a heck of a reason to off somebody before they actually do it.”

“Yeah, it really is,” Chad sighed. “Do you know where he is right now?”

“Nope. Haven’t seen hide or hair of him for a week. I think you guys are secure, but stay tight. Duncan called in a favor and the FBI is checking things out. We found some interesting exchanges in their financial histories, so we’re trying to run those down too. I think it’s only a matter of time before reality catches up to Derek Malone.”

“Okay. Thanks, Gunny. Keep us updated.”

“Will do.”

Lora looked shell-shocked. “Do you seriously think Derek would hurt his own mother?”

Chad frowned. “I don’t know. Probably not. I have a feeling he wouldn’t dirty his hands that way. He’d hire somebody to do it. That way he’d have a convenient alibi.”

She gulped the rest of her coffee, blinking and suddenly pale. “So, if she has appointed Mercy her beneficiary, Derek is going to be after us even more. If he has custody of Mercy he has control of the money.”

Chad reached out to rest his hand on hers. “Let’s not borrow trouble. We just need to sit tight for a while till we have more details.”

Tears filled Lora’s eyes. Chad wanted to pull her into his arms, but didn’t think she would accept that. But then she looked at him, and that need was there that he had seen in the gazebo. Opening his arms, Lora leaned into him and he cradled her gently. Lora sighed into his neck and relaxed, her arms creeping around his neck. He held her like that for several long moments.

“Do you like my mom?” Mercy’s little voice chirped at his shoulder.

Chad forced himself to ease back slowly as he looked at the little girl. Her eyes were bright with curiosity. “I like your mother very much. Is that okay?”

She nodded her head up and down like a little bobble-head. “I told ‘ansom you liked her.”

Grinning, he tugged on a chunk of her hair. “You think you’re a smarty-pants, huh?”

She took off at a run, giggling. Lora watched her with a smile, her cheeks a little pink, before she turned back to Chad. He felt the drag of her eyes over his face, coming to rest on his lips. Lifting his eyebrows expectantly, he waited to see what she would do.

Lora didn’t disappoint him. Lifting her chin, she pressed her lush mouth to his, moving softly. At one point she pulled away, her lips a hairsbreadth from his, just breathing the same air. Chad felt his blood head south, unable to help himself. She was using her proximity against him. “Are you trying to get me excited?” he drawled.

Lora smiled against his mouth, nibbling. “Maybe.”

“You don’t have to. I’ve needed you for a long time.”

She drew back and looked up into his eyes, frowning. “Really?”

“Of course. A very long time. I told you that.”

“I know, but it just seems so strange to me.”

“You need to get used to it,” he told her softly.

C
had updated the
other guards. Harper gave no reaction, but Flynn cursed roundly. Rachel shook her head.

“This sounds like trouble,” she murmured softly.

“We’ll stick to our shifts, but be ready to be flexible. Harper, I like you up on that plateau. You can see more than anyone up there. Just watch your back. Flynn, I want you to stick around the house. Rachel, you are on Mercy. I want you to modify your shift so that you’re up when she’s up.”

The former pilot gave him a salute, though they’d never been in service together.

“Stay sharp, people, and I want your side arms on.”

So their schedule modified. Lora sat Mercy down to explain about her grandmother and she cried a little bit, but not a great deal. Mercy’s bright little personality dimmed a bit afterwards. Lora tried to keep things as upbeat as possible, but when that kind of worry moved in it was bound to affect everything.

They went out for Mercy’s morning ride on Taco, but even he seemed tense and uncooperative. Chad explained that was because of Mercy’s emotions. They cut the ride short and headed back to the house.

Lora distracted herself by baking a cake. She’d left her bandage off today and her wrist was holding up well. The bruising was mostly gone from around her eye and cheek and Rachel had snipped out the stitches on her hairline the day before. Overall, she’d recovered. Just in time for the asshole to come back and harass them some more.

Chad did his best to keep them upbeat. They played board games, and at one point he attacked Mercy with tickles. Giggles rang through the house, making Lora smile at the sound, and she was struck with the perfection of the moment. She wanted this to last, more than just a few days or weeks, but forever. When she’d married the first time, this is what she’d expected, this contentment and satisfaction with life.

Chad had created this, she realized, just by being the man he was. He’d made her aware that she was more than a protector, that she was still a vibrant woman who needed to be recognized as such.

The thought of the kiss she had started warmed her from the inside out. Almost immediately, she had known she was in trouble. It didn’t ease her need though. It had only made it worse.

And she felt like time was running out. Derek always managed to come out ahead of her. She wasn’t sure that he wouldn’t win this situation either.

No! I won’t let him win. I won’t let him have Mercy.

And I won’t let him dictate my life anymore.

That night after she’d put Mercy to bed, Lora drew herself a hot bath. As she sank down into the water, she gasped, then moaned in delight. The sensual feel of the sloshing water against her skin tightened her nipples. Running her hands over them critically, she wondered if Chad would mind that she wasn’t perfect. Or that she had stretch marks from pregnancy. Lora lathered her hair and tried to shove the worry aside.

As she walked down the hallway a half an hour later the nerves in her belly were almost enough to make her call everything off. Chad didn’t know anything about her plans, so she could turn right around and he would be none the wiser. But in the end she felt like that was the coward’s way out.

Forcing one foot in front of the other, she stopped in front of his bedroom door. Inhaling into her nose and out of her mouth, she tried to prop her flailing courage. Chad was an honorable man. He wouldn’t turn her away. Even if she couldn’t follow through with what she wanted to do.

Raising her fist, she knocked softly.

“Yeah.”

Turning the knob, she leaned her head around the edge of the door. “May I come in?”

His eyes narrowed, but he nodded.

Lora stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind her. She pressed her back to the wood and crossed her arms beneath her breasts.

Chad had just gotten out of the shower. Dark curls stood out from his head where he’d run the towel over them. The expanse of his chest looked so warm and welcoming.

“What do you need, Lora?”

She choked out a laugh. “Well, since you ask…”

Brows lifted, he waited.

“I want to see what my limit is. I can’t…guarantee we’ll go all the way, but I want to explore and see. I know this is terribly unfair to you.”

Chad shook his head and took a couple of steps toward her. “It’s not unfair to me, but I think we better talk about this before we jump into bed and expect everything to be hunky-dory. I don’t think I’d be able to live with myself if you looked at me like you did him. I was there, remember? Are you sure this is the right time?”

Lora cringed, just a bit. “I know it’s not ideal, but I’m tired of living with him on my shoulder. I can’t do anything without worrying. I’m ready to take back my life.”

“Okay,” he said softly, stroking her hair back behind her ears. “But let’s start with baby steps.” He took a step closer. “Will you let me give you a hug?”

Just the thought of his arms around her set off a war inside her stomach. Yes, she wanted to feel the security of not being alone. She wanted to burrow into his spicy scent and block out the world. But the absolute spike of terror the thought of being restrained set off was almost debilitating. Oxygen became sparse in her lungs and she gulped in air.

But wait. This is Chad, she told herself again. Sexy Chad that wanted her more than anyone else she’d ever seen.

Straightening her spine, she nodded.

Chad lifted his arms around her and pulled her in against his chest. Lora fought not to struggle and focused on his collarbone. Inhaling the scent of his skin, she tried to count down from one hundred. But as the weight of his arms settled around her neck, she tensed. Chad immediately eased the pressure and she was able to hold herself together.

Lora felt like she was dancing on the edge of a cliff, daring the wind to push her over, but she knew she needed to do this. She wanted to do this.

Chad pulled back and cupped her face, pressing a kiss to her lips. Lora frowned as he stepped away.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Chad winked at her and crossed to the bed. He nodded his head to the other side. “I want you to lay down on the bed. I am going to lay down beside you and we’re going to talk.”

After the initial spike of fear, Lora could actually breathe, and just talking sounded like a good idea. She padded to the other side of the mattress as he removed his prosthetic, setting it to the side. Chad sat back and arranged the bedding so that they slid under the sheet. They were both still completely dressed as they laid down shoulder to shoulder, her left side to his right.

“I will never judge you,” he whispered into the darkness, his words hitting her heart like a cannonball. “What was done to you should never happen to any woman. I know you feel like you need to make a stand against him, but I don’t want you to rush this. I plan on being here for the long haul, no matter what. Okay?”

She nodded against the pillow, wiping the tears from her temples. She laced her fingers in his and turned on her side to reach her other arm across his chest. There was no fear as she squeezed him.

They lay there for a good while, and the steady thump of Chad’s heart was almost enough to put her to sleep, but she wanted to relish the feel of his arms around her for as long as she could. “I miss this,” she whispered.

“Hm?”

“This closeness. My parents were close like this, from what I remember. After Dad died it was just the two of us and we did good. Mom made sure we had a stable home. She was an accountant and she worked hard to keep a roof over our heads. I moved away to college, but I was close enough that I went home every weekend. Then one day, my mom didn’t call like she normally did. So I called her. The phone rang and rang before the neighbor lady picked up and told me that my mother had had a heart attack.”

His fingers tightened on hers and he rubbed her arm. “I’m so sorry.”

“I think it was why I fell for Derek’s line so hard. I just missed being close to people. And we had that for a while, but he ruined it.”

“If he wasn’t raised that way, maybe he didn’t know how to deal with it.”