Indivisible Line (27 page)

“Yes.” Greg had more color in his face than Sarah had ever seen before.

“Well, don’t let us keep you from a delightful dinner with your wife, sir,” she said before she lost her nerve. This wasn’t right. She had no right to feel this way.

“I guess I’ll see you at work.” He gave a quick nod before striding away with confidence.
 

Sarah’s heart sank, and her body sagged.

“Are you okay?” Jeremy sat down, watching her with an intent gaze.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she lied. Out of sheer impulse, she waved at their server, who was waiting nearby. “Please, bring me another cosmo.” She lifted her empty glass.

Jeremy chuckled. “I guess I’m driving this time.”

Sarah listened with half an ear to Jeremy’s chatter while they ate dinner. Her food tasted like plastic, and the only thing that held any appeal for her was alcohol. She liked its calming effect, and despite her better judgment, she downed one more glass before their meal was finished.

Although she tried to concentrate on Jeremy’s stories of his exploits during his first year in med school, she couldn’t help but sneak glances in Greg’s direction. She noted that Cassandra did most of the talking, as well as the touching. Sarah gritted her teeth, feeling sicker by the minute.

When Jeremy announced they were ready to go, Sarah stood faster than she’d intended in her eagerness to leave and stumbled forward. Jeremy’s hand caught her waist, preventing her fall.

“Hey, are you okay?”

She laughed and nodded. “I’m fine. I just had more to drink than I’m used to.”
No kidding.

His hands stayed around her waist while he led her to the exit. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were a woman on a mission,” he whispered in her ear.

“On a mission” was right—she was on a mission to get Greg out of her mind. The sooner they got out of there, the better she’d feel. Once they had stepped out of the restaurant, she broke free from Jeremy’s touch. The blast of icy wind did very little to help her muddled thoughts. Confused at the raging emotions inside her, she let Jeremy talk her into extending their night a bit longer. He led her next door to a café.

The coffee helped. The more caffeine she ingested, the clearer things became. She needed to step away from the situation—keep Greg at arm’s length, fulfill their arrangement, and then walk away.

In the café, the nagging reality hit her. She’d agreed to dinner, coffee, and the concert tomorrow with Jeremy, all just to hide the fact she was hurting. Seeing Greg with Cassandra had made her realize her place in his life. She was nothing but a diversion; an easy lay for him. And here she was, about to make another mistake by leading Jeremy on.

“I can’t go out with you anymore, Jeremy. It isn’t right. I don’t feel the same way, and I’m afraid I’ll end up hurting you.” The words, though spoken with restless energy, were the truth. Feeling a sliver of relief, she took Jeremy’s hand. “I can only be a friend.”

Jeremy watched her with an intense expression, as if he were dissecting the root cause of her sudden declaration. He smiled, despite the sadness that crept into his eyes. “It’s him, isn’t it?”

Sarah nodded. What was the point in lying? “Am I so transparent?”

“Don’t worry about a thing—your secret’s safe with me.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I can be a friend, too.”

Cursing under his breath, Greg phoned Rudy to bring the car around. Cassandra stood beside him on the sidewalk, her arms hooked around his. Come to think of it, he’d achieved what he came here for. She was all over him again. Must be the expensive champagne’s influence, but he was happy with the outcome.

Rudy came and pulled up to the curb.
 

“After you.” He held the door for her.
 

Simon nodded to Greg from the front passenger seat and ordered the driver to proceed. The limousine moved forward, and Greg caught sight of Sarah and Jeremy inside the café. Jeremy’s lips mouthed something before he kissed Sarah’s hand.
How freakin’ cozy!
Greg seethed while the car rolled forward and joined the traffic.

He gritted his teeth in frustration. Raging jealousy consumed him, and Cassandra’s continuous flirtation was driving him mad. The woman was relentless, and each time she rubbed her hand on his arm, the more he realized what an idiot he’d been.

Greg walked her to her townhouse, wishing he could get information through normal means instead of what she had in mind. He would have preferred to ask her outright, but he knew better. Cassandra wouldn’t ever admit to being involved with Cade. Not a chance. She wasn’t the smartest tool in the shed, but the woman’s tenacity couldn’t be faulted. Greg knew she would go to any lengths to get at least half his money in the divorce. He would fight just as hard to keep it out of her greedy hands.

“You’ve been quiet,” Cassandra remarked in the elevator, her hand snaking its way up to the nape of his neck. She nibbled on his ear playfully.

“I’m just tired,” he lied, trying not to squirm under her touch.

“Was that Maria back there in the restaurant?” Cassandra asked when they stepped out the elevator and started walking through the well-lit corridor.

He nodded and bit his tongue to keep himself from lashing out at her. The intended put-down was not lost to him. “Here we are.” They stopped in front of her door.
 

Cassandra took her sweet time in retrieving her key from her purse. “Why don’t you come in?” she asked, pulling him inside without waiting for his answer. Not bothering to turn on the lights, she leaned in and seized his mouth with hers.

No bells rang and no sparks flew with their kiss, and Greg all but shoved her away. “Cassandra, I don’t think this is a good idea.” He headed for the door.

“The hell it isn’t.” A voice coming from the far end of the room froze him in his tracks.

Chapter 18

Greg pivoted on his heels at the sound of the familiar voice, one he hadn’t heard since Alaska. He took a few steps forward, feeling a burst of anger override his reasoning. An abrupt return to sanity made him hesitate.

A chilling memory of the shooting flashed in his mind. He needed to be careful—Cade had shot him once, and the bastard could do it again. Maybe this time, Greg might not be so lucky. He watched Cassandra backtrack, ready to flee.

“You.” Greg’s tone was low and dripping with antagonism.

“What are you doing here?” Cassandra asked while she inched toward the door.

Cade’s silhouette advanced a few steps, away from the shadows. In the darkened room, the only light streamed in from a lamppost outside, and Greg couldn’t see much. He had no idea if Cade was armed, so he decided it was best for him to stay where he was.

Unlike before, when Cade had caught him by surprise, Greg was on his guard and wouldn’t be blindsided. His eyes darted left to right while he planned his next step and where to take cover in case the situation got ugly. By the looks of things, it would.

“What kind of question is that, Cassie baby? Aren’t you happy to see me?” Cade drawled. He stayed where he was, concealed from what little light there was in the room.

“I . . . I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her stammered answer cemented Greg’s belief in her guilt. Those two were indeed involved.

Under different circumstances, Greg would’ve rolled his eyes and given Cassandra a standing ovation for her close-to-perfect acting.

“C’mon, baby—didn’t you miss me? It’s been a long time since we last saw each other. I’m sure you didn’t think I’d be able to stay away for very long.”

Greg measured the distance between him and Cade. He would have to cover about ten feet to get to him. If he were to lunge forward, Greg might catch the bastard by surprise, but with the array of furniture and his bad legs, there was a good chance he’d miss. He could end up getting hurt, or even dead.

He decided to settle into the role of spectator for the time being, watching Cade’s silhouette and Cassandra’s movement from the corner of his eye.

“Cade, if you’re here looking for trouble, please leave us alone. You’ve caused enough damage already,” Cassandra pleaded while she continued to inch back toward the door.

“If I were you, Cassie baby, I’d stay put, because I won’t hesitate to take you down with Greg. And don’t even act like you have no idea what’s going on. You’re in this just as deep as I am. So cut the bullshit and come to me.” Cade’s voice turned low and dangerous. “Come on now, sweetheart. Come and give me a kiss.”

Cassandra hesitated and started sobbing. Greg found himself torn between pity and fury. He felt sorry for her, and yet he wanted a chance to wring her neck before she got away.

“Cade, you don’t understand,” she wailed. “Greg and I are going to work on our relationship. This is all a mistake. Let’s talk about this.”

Her tears may have been a ploy to soften Cade, but they just seemed to aggravate him even more. He stepped out of the shadows, walking forward with guarded steps. Greg studied his movements, taking particular note of the gun tucked into Cade’s waistband. A faint glow of light touched Cade’s face, and his mouth twitched into a wicked smile. His eyes were sharp and calculating, and his shoulders were rigid with tension.

“Come here, you bitch. I’m gone for a few months, and you’re already moving back into his bed?” The accusation, despite its venom, was also laced with hurt. When Cassandra stayed glued to her spot, Cade shouted. “Come here now!”

As if she’d been struck by lightning, Cassandra jumped. She ran to Cade like an obedient—but scared—child.

“Cade, please, please, don’t hurt me,” she cried, hesitating a few feet from him. He reached over and grabbed a handful of her blond locks and yanked her to him. Her cries tore at Greg’s heart, despite the anger he felt toward her.

Greg thought the distraction provided a good opportunity to make his move, but Cade seemed to have read his mind and glanced his way. “I think your wife likes to be kissed like this,” he sneered before planting a savage kiss on Cassandra’s lips.

No matter how he hated her, Greg flinched at the punishing treatment Cade gave her. Helpless to intervene, he watched Cassandra struggle against Cade’s mouth. Damn—as long as Cade was armed, he was left without any options. Greg clenched and unclenched his fists, hating his inability to fight back.

After the long, drawn-out display, Cade lifted his head with a smirk of satisfaction and focused once more on Greg. “So you found a way to stay alive, my friend.” He laughed.

Greg had to think fast. They’d been
talking
quite long enough. He kept his voice even. “Ah yes. I refuse to die, my friend.”

“I wish you would so Cassandra can take your money and we can go on our merry way. You have a knack for taking everything I want.” Cade’s eyes flashed with pure loathing.

“If you want money, you have to work for it.”

Greg’s reply brought Cade’s fury to the surface. He pulled out the gun from his waistband and aimed it in Greg’s direction.
 

Cassandra gasped and covered her ears. “Stop it, Cade!” She tried to move away, but Cade’s arm was a steel band around her waist.

Cade wasn’t listening to her. His entire focus was on Greg. “You talk like you worked so hard for your wealth. If it weren’t for your father, you wouldn’t be so high-and-mighty. And come to think of it, that Indian whore is staying with you for the money, isn’t she?”

Greg considered himself a levelheaded man who seldom acted on impulse, but hearing such an offensive label applied to Sarah triggered something feral in him. In an instant, he lunged forward, aiming to bring Cade down. He wanted to settle this once and for all.

Greg’s action prompted an immediate response from Cade. He stepped back and pulled the trigger without hesitation. Dodging the bullet, Greg missed his mark and landed on the floor chest first. Cassandra’s scream filled the room, and Greg struggled to his feet.

His chest burned from the impact with the hardwood floor, yet his instincts made him move faster. Ignoring the pain, Greg scrambled toward the nearest sofa for cover. Not an ideal hiding place, but it would have to do.

Cade aimed the gun again before Greg could get clear, but when he fired the next shot, Cassandra pulled at his wrist. The bullet went wide, missing its target and hitting the sofa instead.