Spirit [New Crescent 2] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) (19 page)

“Well that’s a vivid image. I’d like to believe you’re right,” she said hesitantly.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m reluctant to get too cocky about our successes. It was pretty devious, what he did tonight. He played upon the distance you put between us.”

With regret, Chase nodded. “It looks like. That thing is an opportunist. I was just being stupid, Reggie. I let my past seep in. You were at college. You weren’t here much in the years after my mother’s death.” Absently, he stroked her short hair. “Did you know she died right in front of me?”

She shook her head, but didn’t say anything. She let him talk.

“It was like she was hanging on just long enough to get it all off her chest. She and my father had a wonderful marriage, but when he died so young she grew lonely and let herself fall in love with the wrong man. My stepfather was a monster. I never liked him much, but I’d had no idea just how abusive he was. I was oblivious…wrapped up in my own life. My mother and Jade hid it from me. They were afraid of what I might do if I’d known and rightly so I guess. I’d have killed him.” Reggie could see the truth of it in his eyes as he went on in a low but steady voice. “He never struck my mother anywhere I could see. He used Jade to help control her as well. My mom knew that as long as he was hurting her, he’d lay off Jade.” Chase ground his teeth. The whole sordid mess was obviously difficult to relive.

“On her death bed, my mother actually apologized to
me
if you can imagine. She was in so much pain. The morphine they gave her made her sick, so she refused all but the smallest of doses. She wouldn’t let go until I promised not to take action against Adams. Finally, I agreed, just to ease her suffering.”

“I’m so sorry, Chase, I had no idea. No one told me.” Reggie had tears in her eyes.

“I didn’t tell you. The fewer people who knew, the better. Adams had so many shady deals and debts when he left that it was all I could do to make amends. The people of this town are miraculous. No one blamed me. They were all prepared to forget it all, but I couldn’t let them. I had to make good.”

“And you did. That’s admirable Chase. It wasn’t your job to pay for what your step father did.”

“Strictly speaking no, I guess, but I had to do something. For so long, I’d been blind to what was happening around me. I also did it for Jade’s sake.”

“I know you tried to get custody of her.”

He nodded. “Yes, but legally I didn’t have a leg to stand on, so I did the only thing I could think of to help her. I cleaned up her father’s mess. Jade is not my blood sister. She’s more than that to me. She’s the sister of my soul.”

Tears fell freely from Reggie’s eyes as she treated him to a watery smile. “She’s lucky.”

“No, I’m the one who’s lucky. She’s an angel.” He nuzzled Reggie’s neck, and she shivered in reaction. Was it possible to want him again?

He interrupted her musings, saying, “Tonight, I was stupid and filled with self-pity. You see, in the past, I haven’t been much of a regular at Luigi’s. I couldn’t afford it before.”

It dawned on her, and she blushed, feeling horrible. “And I made that stupid crack about money. I’m so sorry.”

With a crooked finger, he tilted her head up. “You have nothing to apologize for. It was just a joke, and I reacted like an idiot. I think the whole thing with Vincent in the library affected me more than I’d realized. Please don’t apologize.”

She could tell he was serious. “Okay, I won’t. I’ll just do this instead.” She dipped under the covers. When her mouth took over, he groaned.

* * * *

Outside in the garden, Constance smiled. They were where they needed to be. It was so difficult to talk to them without giving orders. She’d always been a little autocratic and more than a little impatient. She needed their help as much as they needed hers, but they had to exercise free will. If they were to succeed, her interference was forbidden. That didn’t stop Constance from giving them a nudge in the right direction here and there. If they had genuinely resisted, she’d never have been able to push them. No, she’d just sped things up a little. If she hadn’t, Chase would still be tongue tied and Reggie frustrated. What was going on up there in that big bedroom was much better. They gained strength in each other.

Chase had proved formidable tonight. She was proud of her descendant. He was a good man who deserved happiness. She understood his pain. He’d lost the women in his life who had meant the most. He still blamed himself. Not unlike the guilt Constance carried with her beyond the grave.

With raw hatred, she looked in the direction of the library. He was in there licking his wounds. Constance hoped defeat tasted bitter, and she willed him to choke on it.

* * * *

He raged. He knew his anger would dissipate his strength so he struggled to make it submit to his will. It wasn’t easy. His fury was like a wild thing fighting for its very existence. He’d almost tricked the man, almost fed at the rich trough of his impressive strength. A potent stronghold resided within the man, Vincent could smell it. If only he could tap it. The woman too had power within her. The source of her power was the one thing that he truly feared. He had to recover from the day’s debacle. He called to the child.

Her three-inch heels made a satisfying
clack, clack, clack
as she walked down the hospital hallway. She loved that sound. It made her feel sexy and feminine, and that was always good. She was dressed in cashmere, her favorite fabric. Enjoying its softness, Reggie ran a hand up and down her arm. She’d dressed with care in a pink sweater and skirt. Sam had always liked her in pink, so today she wore it for him. It was a tremendous relief to get the call this morning from the nurse. He’d regained consciousness and was decidedly ill tempered. He’d begun to balk at his forced inactivity less than an hour after he’d come to. Reggie smiled. Sam was a man of action. He just wasn’t built for confinement.

She smiled when she heard Travis Sinclair’s voice. She should have known he’d be here. Chase was going to visit in the afternoon.

Reggie peeked her head around the door and said, “Are you decent?” She looked at Travis. “I don’t mean you. You’re never decent.” She approached the bed. Bending at the waist, she kissed Sam’s cheek. He smiled at her. His crooked grin was the only thing asymmetrical about Sam. Otherwise, he was so handsome that he didn’t look real. Reggie could remember that smile when it had two missing front teeth, and still Sam Daniels had been the best-looking boy in town. It was hard to see him hurting.

“Ah, the sisterly kiss on the cheek. Is that what they mean by the kiss of death?” Sam said. He was sitting up, but he looked so pale it reminded Reggie of what might have happened. He could have been killed. Before she lost it and started to bawl, she called on her ever-reliable sense of humor.

In an exaggerated Southern drawl, she said, “Well, honey child, I do declare you are a sight for sore eyes.” She struck a pose and smiled brightly.

“So are you, Reg. Thanks for coming, and in pink too. You certainly know the way to a man’s heart.”

Reggie started to tear up. Before she had the chance to blubber, Sam opened his arms, and she moved into them hugging him fiercely. Sam and Travis let her cry until she was done. Travis ran a hand through his hair as Sam patiently soothed her. He was a big man, and she was a whole lot of woman. There wasn’t much room on that narrow bed, but somehow, they managed it.

As soon as she straightened, she turned to Travis and hugged him too. She sniffed, took a very deep breath, and started speaking as if she’d never shed a tear.

“What the hell happened?” Her voice was sharp. Tears were forgotten.

Travis smiled. “I was just asking the same thing when you breezed in all pink and particular.”

“Well?” She pinned Sam with a steady look.

Sam shook his head. “Damn it, I wish I knew. I wanted to check out the house, find out what all the fuss was about. Neither of you were there, so I poked around on my own. I had no idea I’d wandered so close to the Big Bad until it was too late.” He closed his eyes and leaned back. “I don’t remember much else until I woke up here.”

“Are you in a lot of pain?” Reggie asked.

He grimaced and admitted that he was experiencing some pain.

Reggie slapped his chest with the back of her hand. “Good. You deserve it, scaring us all like you did. If you had died, I would have killed you.”

“She would have had to stand in line, Trust Fund,” Travis said. “What did the doctors say about your leg?”

“Apparently, I should heal nicely. The surgery went well. I’m going to need physiotherapy once the cast comes off.” Sam shrugged.

“Have your parents contacted you?” Reggie asked tentatively.

“Yes, Satan and Cruella called me,” Sam said rolling his eyes.

She smiled. Now she knew he’d be okay. He was insulting his father and mother again. Sam loved his parents, but he didn’t like them.

“I told them I was fine. You know their genuine concern has the life expectancy of a Spinal Tap drummer.” He shifted in the bed.

Travis said. “Hmm, hospital sheets. They must chafe like sand paper after your fine linens.”

Sam said, “Now that you mention it…”

“You’re soft, Trust Fund.”

“That may be so, and for the record, only where it doesn’t count, but I think I should inform you that Gillian told me that you like honeysuckle in your bubble bath.”

Travis looked sheepish. “I think it smells pretty.”

“You’re such a girl,” Sam said.

“I guess this really puts a crimp in your share of the work on our haunted house for Halloween. Figures you’d find some way to get out of the real work. This was pretty drastic though, even for you,” Travis said.

Reggie sighed deeply, enjoying their usual banter. The only thing missing was Chase. She loved these two men like brothers. When she was with them she felt invincible. They could handle anything as long as they did it together. Her romantic feelings for Chase weren’t going to change that. She wouldn’t let it. Knowing that gave Reggie comfort, and she joined the conversation with enthusiasm.

* * * *

After leaving the hospital, Reggie drove to the schoolyard. She’d called John Marks and asked him if she could stop by and talk to Todd again. She hoped to get a beat on his friend Aidan, the ringleader. Was he an innocent victim or a willing accomplice? She had to know.

She parked her car and made her way to a picnic table. She sat on the bench backwards and leaned her back on the edge of the table. She rested her forearms on the table and stretched her legs out, crossing them at the ankle. All modesty aside, Reggie knew she’d command attention from the other students. She waited for Todd.

“Hi, Reggie,” Todd said shyly.

Reggie smiled at him and invited him to sit beside her. He took a seat. She could see a group of boys watching them with curiosity.

“So, how’s it going?” Reggie asked.

“Fine, thank you.”

“Are you completely recovered from that flu you had?” She turned her face up to the warm autumn sun.

Todd did the same. “Yeah. I’m fine, but I still feel really bad about what I did.”

Turning her head and opening one eye she looked at the young boy and said, “I know you do, but like I said before, no one was hurt. Can you point out to me the boys who were involved? Which one is Aidan?”

Savvy enough to know that he shouldn’t actually point anyone out, Todd said, “Aidan is the tallest…in that group over there.” He nodded in the direction of six boys gathered around the bicycle rack. They all looked about twelve years old. Reggie didn’t move as she continued to observe them. Aidan was the uncontested leader. The other boys obviously deferred to him. The center of attention, he was dressed in the latest cool gear, and was trying so hard to appear aloof. Reggie could tell his height was the result of a fairly recent growth spurt because his movements were so painfully awkward. He had the kind of looks that peaked in high school when foolish young girls thought that sneering dispassion was cool. As a man, Reggie thought, that same expression had the potential to make him look petulant and spoiled. Reggie was reluctant to admit it because after all, he was still just a child, but she didn’t like him on sight. He reminded her of all those cocky young men in her past who had made her ashamed and embarrassed of her developing body.

“So what have you told the others about Bennett House?”

“I told them that I wasn’t going near that place, and I didn’t care if they didn’t want to be my friends anymore.”

“How did they react to that?” Reggie asked.

“Most of them already caught hell…er…trouble from their mom or dad.” When Reggie stayed quiet, he continued. “Jeremy was the coolest. He was gonna have to go next, so he was real relieved. Aidan was pissed.” Todd looked apologetic and said, “Pardon my language.” Reggie gave him an understanding nod and urged him to go on. “His dad’s a lawyer. He told him that the cops have no evidence, and they can’t prove nothin’. He said that was as good as being innocent.”

“You know that’s not true, don’t you?”

“Yeah. It turned out okay because none of the other guys were ever gonna go back to that house, so we kinda out-numbered Aidan. He pretended that he didn’t care, but he hasn’t been mean to me since.”