One Night Stand (13 page)

A definite male grunt sounded behind her. He released her just enough. She broke free and ran, hitting the porch before she realized she didn’t have keys or cell phone. She didn’t stop. Her feet tore up the distance between the house and the stable. She ran around the back and stopped, plastering her back against the side.
Who the hell was that?

Her mind was racing almost as fast as her heart. Could Sam’s stalker have figured out she was the one who’d helped relocate his wife? No. Sam had assured her there was no way to trace that back to her. Besides, she had a pretty good idea Caleb was keeping an eye on Vincent Matteo. If he was here, Caleb would know it.

What if he’d sent someone else?
She risked a peek around the corner. Nothing.

She flattened back against the stable again as she quickly ran through her options. She couldn’t risk running down the road where he was sure to catch her if he had a vehicle. Wait. A vehicle. She edged to the opposite corner and crouched down low. She peered around at the drive. Her car was there. She quickly scanned the area. No other vehicle in sight.
What the…?

She glanced behind her at the woods. She could definitely hide there, but it wouldn’t offer her much more than that. She couldn’t run the risk of getting lost or turned around.
Dammit!
She needed to get to her cell. She’d left it charging in the office. She had to get back in the house.

As quietly as she could, she opened one of the stall doors just enough to squeeze through. She made her way to the area that would give her the best vantage point of the house. She risked a look out the window, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Had her attacker given up and left? She sat down, drawing her knees up to her chest. She stayed silent, her mind frantically trying to grasp the situation.

Time stood still while she waited, listening hard for any signs of movement. Slowly gaining her feet, she glanced at the open area between her and the house. She breathed a sigh of relief. The coast was clear. She felt sure if whoever attacked her was still around, he would have come after her already. But she wasn’t taking any chances. She’d get to the house, barricade herself in the office, and call the police.

Amanda carefully turned the latch and eased the door open. She filled her lungs with air and prepared to run. She didn’t waste another second, bolting from the barn as fast as she could.

She’d made a wide path around her car when sudden pain shot through her scalp, hands grabbing her ponytail from behind. Amanda hit the ground hard enough to rattle her teeth. Before she could recover, she felt the sharp contact of knuckles against her temple.

Once. Twice. And then … nothing.

* * * *

“Damn stubborn woman,” Joe growled aloud to his empty office.

It’s just sex.
Who was she kidding?

He just had the most miserable night of his life, which had turned into an equally miserable day. He was furious. Over and over he’d played it out in his head. Every touch, every look, every word. Could he have misjudged her? No. He hadn’t. She felt something for him; he knew she did. But she’d push him away because … what? Because they’d just met? It wasn’t as though he was proposing to her. Although he rather liked the thought of her being his forever.

Her excuse of not being able to trust was wearing thin. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that she trusted him, cared about him. She was just too pigheaded to admit it. She’d convinced herself he’d leave even before she gave him the chance to prove otherwise. So what did he do? He’d left. Just like she’d expected. And it just pissed him the fuck off.

His cell phone went off for the third time. He dug it out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID. Caleb. Perfect. He was the last person Joe wanted to talk to at the moment. He tossed the phone on the desk and resumed pacing.

“You’re gonna wear a hole in the floor, bro,” Jake said from the doorway.

“Fuck off, Jacob. Unless you’re looking for a fight, I’d turn around and go back to the bar.”

“Like that’s gonna scare me,” Jake said as he moved farther into the office.

Joe pinched the bridge of his nose. “What do you want?”

Jake gave him a worried stare. “You okay?”

The concern in Jake’s voice quelled Joe’s anger, leaving him tired and defeated. “I don’t know, Jake. Yes. No.” He pulled at his hair before jamming his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I feel like I’ve been split in two.”

“No offense, bro, but you
look
like you’ve been split in two.”

Joe started forward before he stopped himself. What was he going to do? Beat the shit out of his brother? Not helpful. So instead, “Get out, Jake.”

“Do you love her?”

The unexpected question jolted him. He stared hard at his brother. “Yes.”

“Then tell her,” Jake said simply. “No games, no pussyfooting around. If you think you can spend your life with her, then for the love of God, don’t let your stubbornness get in the way.” He lowered his voice in warning. “Don’t let
her
stubbornness get in the way either. If you love her, she’s got a right to know. Regardless of the outcome.”

Joe didn’t know what to say. Jake was right. When did he get so smart?

Jake clapped him on the shoulder and turned to leave. “Oh, by the way,” he said, tossing Joe the cordless bar phone. “Some guy named Caleb Martin. He said it’s urgent.”

Joe snatched the phone and glared at him until he retreated from the office. He brought the phone to his ear. “Look, Caleb, I—”

“Is Amanda with you?” Caleb’s concern drifted through the phone line.

“No.” He really didn’t want to get into this with him right now.

“Well? Where the hell is she?”

Caleb’s tone brought the hackles up on the back of Joe’s neck. “I don’t fucking know where the hell she is. I assume she’s at the house where I left her. We sort of … we had a fight.” Maybe he did want to get into it after all.

“What did you do to her?” Caleb demanded.

Joe took a deep breath and counted to ten. Then to twenty.

“Well?”

Joe snarled into the phone. “I fell in love with her, you dumbass. That’s what I did.”

Silence.

Joe continued. “I love her.” His voice was filled with conviction. “Can you believe she actually had the audacity to say it’s just sex between us? We both know good and goddamn well it’s more than that.”

“Whoa. Easy on the sex talk there, Sterling. That’s my sister you’re talking about.”

“You know what? Bite me. Your delicate sensitivities aren’t my problem.”

More silence. Joe was happy to ride it out. He didn’t want to have this conversation, but even he realized Caleb could be a powerful ally when it came to Amanda.

“She’s got issues, Joe,” Caleb finally said quietly. “Abandonment issues, if you know what I mean.”

Joe snorted. “Ya think?”

“It hasn’t been easy for her,” Caleb defended. “She was young when I joined the military. She was pretty angry when I left. She definitely got the Martin family temper. You should have seen her. This little ten-year-old sprite with blonde curls. I can still see the fury in her little face as she stood on her tiptoes and faced off with me. She accused me of deserting her. Deserting the family. It was like being chastised by a cherub.” He chuckled before going on. “Jesus, Joe. I wasn’t more than a kid myself. Barely seventeen. I knew Amanda looked up to me, but I never believed my leaving would cause her any harm. She was just my pesky little sister. I figured she wouldn’t even miss me with the other two around to give her grief. I sent her letters and postcards and she still refused to talk to me. Girl has a stubborn streak a mile wide.”

Joe imagined the little girl Caleb described. His Mandy. So full of fire, so full of passion, so full of love.

“Then our parents were killed.” Caleb’s voice brought Joe back to the conversation.

“What happened?” he asked, hoping Caleb could fill in the gaps for him.

“We don’t know much. The private plane they were on went down over the Rockies. An unexpected storm blew in and, well, we can only speculate as to what happened. There were five other people on board, no survivors. Amanda changed after that. She closed herself off. Brandon and Alec tried to be there for her, but they were angry and grieving as well. No one knew what to do for her.” Caleb went silent.

“And then you came home.”

“Yes. My time was up anyway, so after our parents died I decided to get out. We were left with a hefty sum of cash and a lot of property. My dad had a knack for business and made his investments very wisely. I started Martin Tactical and Security as a way for us all to stay together, even if it was just during the workday. Protecting others was all I knew how to do. Seemed right to pass that knowledge on to others. I failed miserably where Amanda was concerned.”

“Amanda is an amazing woman, Caleb. You didn’t fail her.”

“Didn’t I?” Caleb laughed harshly. “It all started with me. I was the first to leave her. Then our parents. Then the tools she decided to date.” Caleb sounded like a man who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. “But none of that matters now. What matters is that you understand why she pushes people away. I assume that’s what happened between the two of you?”

“Your relationship with her is good now, right?”

“Nice deflection, but yeah. It took time, but she came around. I think she may even understand why I left. It was a crazy time and…” Caleb cleared his throat. “Did you tell her you love her?”

Joe sank into his chair. “No.”

“Why the hell not?” Caleb barked.

“Because I want to keep her!” Joe yelled. “I get the feeling that telling her I love her after four days is a surefire way to send her packing. I’m having a hard time dealing with it myself. For chrissake, who the fuck falls in love in four days?”

“My sister did. With you. If there’s one thing I know, it’s Amanda. I knew the minute I saw the two of you together that it wasn’t just a fling.” He blew out a breath. “Listen, Joe, I get that you had a fight, but Amanda didn’t check in with me today and she isn’t answering her cell.”

“She probably doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“Probably. But I’d still feel better if you’d check on her.”

Jake poked his head in the office. “Joe? You need to come out here.” As he started to refuse, Jake added, “Right now.”

The urgency in Jake’s voice caused a swell of dread to settle in his gut. “I’ll call you back, Caleb,” he said, disconnecting the call as he made his way down the hall and through the doorway leading to the bar. “What the hell is going on?”

Jake motioned to the man hovering by the door. “You need to hear this.”

“Ernie?” Joe recognized the man. He and his pal Clete had been regular drinkers and pains in his ass until he’d thrown them out the other night. Generally they were just loud and obnoxious. But after they’d harassed Amanda, that was it.

He glared at Jake. “He better not be asking if he can drink here again.”

Jake shook his head. “Listen.” Jake motioned Ernie over. “Go ahead. Tell him what you told me.”

Joe crossed his arms and widened his feet into a menacing stance. “Well?” he demanded. “Spill it.”

Ernie was visibly nervous. He danced from foot to foot, wringing his ball cap in his hands. “My buddy, Clete. You know, the one who was here with me the other night?”

“Yes, Ernie. I know Clete.”

“He’s not a bad guy. Really he isn’t. He just drinks too much is all. Just like a lot of folks do.” Ernie nodded, agreeing with himself.

“Is this what you brought me out here for? To listen to him spew ode to Clete?” Joe hissed at Jake.

Jake snapped, “Ernie, focus.”

“Right. As I was tellin’ Jake here, Clete got bad upset about that girl hittin’ him the other night. Started talkin’ ’bout how she needed to be taught a lesson and shit like that.”

Joe felt his face go hot with rage. Ernie rushed on. “I tried to talk him out of it. Told him she wasn’t worth the trouble.” He stumbled back as Joe growled dangerously. “He’s been drinkin’ bad since then. Talkin’ crazy talk. When I ain’t seen him around today, I got to wonderin’ ’bout that girl.”

Joe snatched Ernie up by his collar and resisted the urge to choke the living shit out of him. “What the fuck are you talking about?” he snarled. “What about Amanda?”

“Clete followed y’all the other night. Told me y’all left together and went to that big log house of hers.”

Joe felt the blood drain from his face. The bastard knew where she lived.

“That’s why I come to you when I ain’t seen him nowhere. Figured he might try to make good on those things he was sayin’.” Ernie shuffled his feet. “Ah man, I ain’t never hurt a woman. Wouldn’t want to see one hurt neither, if I could help it. So here I am.”

Joe released him and took a step back. She hadn’t checked in. “Does Clete have any weapons?” At Ernie’s blank stare he tried again, only much louder. “Does. Clete. Have. Any. Weapons?”

Ernie shook his head in confusion. “Couple a huntin’ knives maybe.”

Joe turned to Jake. “Use the caller ID. Call Caleb Martin back and tell him what’s going on. Tell him I’ll call him when I get to Amanda.” He sprinted back to his office. His hand was shaking as he turned the dial on his safe. He reached in and felt the cool metal of his .357 SIG against his palm. Within seconds he was locked and loaded. He slid the weapon into the waistband of his jeans and pulled his shirt down over it. He snatched his leather jacket off the back of his chair, shoving his arms into it as he moved back toward the bar.

Stopping only to grab Ernie and throw him into a chair, Joe snarled through clenched teeth. The small spark of violence did little to quiet the bloodlust that rampaged through his veins. “He goes nowhere, Jake,” he commanded. “Keep his ass here and call the cops. Send them to Amanda’s.”

“Got it,” he heard Jake call after him. His motorcycle roared to life and he wasted no time getting on the road. Gravel and dust sprayed, a sign of his haste to get to Amanda.

He prayed he’d be in time.

*

Amanda’s head swam while she struggled to grasp what was happening. She was on the floor. The entryway floor. How had she gotten here? Why did her head feel like it was five times its normal size? She’d been outside.
Oh shit.
He’d grabbed her. Realization came fast, clearing the fog that filled her mind, and she scurried backward. She screamed when hands wrapped around her ankles and pulled her across the floor. She kicked her legs hard, tried to twist around to her belly, clawing into the wood of the floor.