The Henson Brothers: Two Complete Novels (40 page)

"What you deserve isn't legal anymore."

He let his hand glide down her arm. "Sounds interesting."

She drew away in disgust. "You won't get away with this."

"Oh, yes, I will."

"Are you going to spout poetry to get me in the mood?"

He pulled out a knife from under the pillow. It winked cruelly in the glow of the moon. "I think you'd better rephrase that."

Cassie bit her lip.

"That's better. I prefer silence. Women are just too full of opinions nowadays. See how complacent I can be even when annoyed? Much more civilized than the other men you choose. There's no need to tremble, darling. I'll make sure that it's good for both of us."

She licked her lips, her mind leaping back and forth to find a new strategy. She shut her eyes as he lowered his head to kiss her—she felt as if a fish were sucking her face; his long, cold fingers felt more like a squid than a hand. She opened her eyes and saw the knife. She grabbed it.

"Oh, God!" she screeched, hysterical. "I've cut myself!"

"Relax, Cassie."

"I can't stand the sight of blood. I wanted to take your hand, but grabbed the knife instead. Oh, I think I'm going to pass out."

"It's just a little cut, dear. You women can be so irrational." He chuckled, pleased by her demonstration. "Don't worry, I'll take care of things."

He left the room. When she heard him running the water in the sink, she raced to the front door. She grasped the handle, but Glen seized her from behind and pulled her back.

"I knew I couldn't trust you." He yanked her head back and trailed his finger across her neck. "You like getting cut? I'll make sure I indulge you." He squeezed her wounded hand, dragged her back into the bedroom, and pushed her on the bed. He covered her like a tsunami. "Go ahead and cry. I'd like to hear you cry."

"Not for long," a voice said from the shadows.

For a moment Cassie wasn't sure what to fear. Glen or the anger that crept into the room from the familiar figure standing in the doorway. Unfortunately, Glen did not sense the danger she did.

"This is not about you, Henson. I've already had her. The woman is a damn whore. Do you think you're the only man in her life? Do you think you're somehow special? You're not. None of us are. She toys with us. But men rule the world, not women, and this one needs to learn her place. You can have her when I'm finished."

"You're finished now."

Glen lifted the knife and held it close. "Take one more step and I'll finish her completely."

With Glen focused on Drake, Cassie knew this was her last chance. She jabbed him in his Adam's apple. He grabbed his throat and dropped to the floor. She rolled away, but felt his fingers clutch the hem of her nightgown. They loosened when Drake leaped on top of him and squeezed Glen's neck until the other man's eyes rolled to the back of his head. Cassie's sense of relief was shattered when she realized Drake didn't plan to let go. She grabbed his arm, feeling the rage that strengthened him.

"Let go, you'll kill him!"

"He raped you." His voice cracked in anguish. "I saw the blood."

"He lied. I'm all right." She waved her hand in front of him. "It's from the knife." She shook him, trying to slacken his grasp. "Please. He's not worth it.
Please
."

"She said let go," a deep, threatening voice said behind them.

Drake released his grip and Glen's limp body collapsed to the bed. They both stared at the shadowy figure in the doorway. He stepped into the light. Cassie gasped, then ran to him.

"Clarence! What are you doing here?"

Clay held her tight. "Looking after my little sister as always." He pulled away and looked down at her. "I suggest you call the police."

She nodded, then turned to Drake, who was swinging Glen's limp body over his shoulder. "What are you going to do with him?" she demanded.

"Hand him over to the police with a few souvenirs. Don't worry, I'll wake him up to make sure he enjoys them."

"But—"

"Call the police." He disappeared out the door into the darkness of the hall.

Clay let her go and turned to follow. "Don't worry. I'll make sure he doesn't kill him. I have a few parting words myself."

* * *

Once the cops and medics had left, Clay explained his presence. "I was hired to check up on Glen by a family member of one of his girlfriends whose death was considered a suicide."

Cassie looked at her brother, curious. "Hired? What do you do?"

He smiled blandly, a hint of his Manchester accent coming through. "Let's not worry about the details, love. Basically, I was hired to watch him and learned he's a nasty piece of work. Been transferred from school to school because of his views of women, and his track record with wives and girlfriends haven't been great either."

"Wives?"

He nodded. "When I discovered he was in your building I nearly went mad. He had a pattern with the ladies and you seemed to fit his type. Unfortunately, I was right."

"But why didn't you come to me?"

"I wasn't sure how I'd be received." He rubbed his knuckles against his chin. "I'm not exactly a family man and you know I don't get on well with Melody and Lewis."

She wasn't close to her brother and sister either. "Join the club."

"Besides, with Drake in the picture I didn't let myself get too worried. Although I wasn't quite sure of him either."

She studied her brother for a moment. It had been years since she'd seen him, yet he still looked the same—remote, distant, unsure. "I used to be angry at you. I thought you'd abandoned us, abandoned me," she clarified. "But now I understand. You had to escape."

His voice tightened. "I couldn't tolerate that woman one more day. You weren't the only one she..." He shook his head as if to rid himself of the thoughts. "When you were old enough I left. But I couldn't stay away. After Simone's husband knocked her off I kept thinking about you and worrying about you, hoping that you wouldn't be the same. I wasn't too keen with your first husband and let him know it. I've kept a steady eye on you, wanting to be close, but not knowing how."

Cassie squeezed his hand. "I'm glad you're here now."

He glanced at Drake, who was pacing the balcony and smoking. "I think you chose yourself a decent bloke this time. I don't have to look after you anymore."

"No, but I'd like to keep you around. Mom doesn't like him either."

"Then we'll definitely get on." He kissed her on the forehead and left a number where she could reach him, then left.

Cassie immediately took a shower. When she was through, she found Drake sitting on the couch still smoking.

"What is so wrong that you need to puff away like a ganja man?" she asked.

He flashed her a glare so fierce she coiled away.

"I know. Stupid question, but you can't be blaming me for this."

"I'm not. How do you feel?"

"I'm fine. Considering." She stood behind him and leaned against the couch. "You know, for such a romantic guy, Glen is a terrible kisser."

"Cassie," he warned.

"Please, Drake, don't make me take this seriously," she pleaded softly. "Not tonight. It's too awful."

It was the tears brimming in her eyes that stopped him. He took her injured hand and kissed the bandage. "Okay, not tonight, but tomorrow."

She nodded.

He glanced around as if the very sight of the place offended him. "Don't you have an ashtray?"

"No, I don't smoke."

"Of course you don't." He grabbed a saucer from the cabinet and tapped his ashes into it. "If there were no law, I would have snapped his body in two. Unfortunately, your brother is very persuasive."

"You once said the world was full of rogues, but you forgot about heroes."

He abruptly laid the saucer down. "Gather some of your stuff, you're staying with me permanently."

"Well, I—"

"Don't argue, just do it."

"I wasn't going to arg—"

"Why aren't you packing?"

Cassie quickly gathered her things, no longer feeling indulgent. "You know, you can be such a bully sometimes—stubborn, unyielding. I'm afraid I may have to revoke your hero status."

He took her bags. "That's okay. I'm not a hero, or a gentleman, or a rogue."

She grabbed his umbrella from the corner and opened the door. "Then what are you?"

He began to smile. "A man who loves you."

"Drake!" She threw her arms around him, her heart overflowing with joy.

Door 712 opened. "Is everything all right?" Mr. Gianolo asked.

Cassie sighed, her eyes fixed on the man she loved. "Yes. Everything's perfect."

* * *

They walked to his car with the fresh scent of cold in the air and the promise of holiday festivities engaging the city. Miniature white lights draped trees; menorahs, wreaths, and candy canes vied for space in shop windows, and people loaded with packages rushed past. Cassie remembered another night similar to this when wizardry seemed to course through the air and she'd kissed a man with abandon during a warm summer rain. She thought of how she had tried to push him away in an effort to remain free, but in time he'd taught her how to be free of her thoughts and her fears. She felt something cold and wet drop on her nose. She glanced up and saw that it was snowing.

Drake held out his hand and let a snowflake melt in his palm. "Do you love snow as much as rain?"

She grabbed his face and kissed him among a few shouts and whistles of a passing Gothic crowd and odd stares of others trying to figure out the odd pair. She didn't care. "No. I only love you. And the answer is yes."

Drake frowned. "Yes?"

"Yes, I will marry you."

He abruptly dropped her bags and spun her around until she pleaded for him to stop. "You'll hurt your back," she scolded.

He didn't hear her. The happiness he felt was almost terrifying. At last, she would belong to him and he to her. He had succeeded. "My middle name is Marcus," he confessed, lifting her bags.

She stared at him. "What? You told me you didn't have a middle name."

He grinned wickedly. "I know."

She narrowed her eyes. "How many more secrets do you have?"

Her beloved sorcerer just laughed and together they walked toward a bright and exciting future.

Epilogue

"I can't believe my mother is paying for the entire wedding," Cassie said as she, Drake, Clay, Jackie, and Adriana ate lunch at the Golden Diner.

"She's trying to make up for a lot of years," Adriana said, picking through her chicken salad, too excited to eat.

"And she can afford it," Clay grumbled.

Drake stole a grilled shrimp from Cassie's plate and popped it in his mouth.

"Stop eating my food," she warned.

"Then stop worrying and eat it yourself," he argued.

Cassie made a face and took a bite.

He patted her on the head. "Good girl, and don't forget your vegetables."

She swatted his hand away. "I can't believe how eager she is for me to marry you after what you said."

Clay and Drake shared a quick glance. Neither would mention the little chat they had at the Graham house that resulted in Angela's Graham sudden enthusiasm.

"I told you that your parents love you."

"I know that, but clothes shopping is a different matter. I don't want to end up looking like a walking marshmallow. "

"But I like marshmallows." Drake took another shrimp before she could slap his hand away. "Whatever you wear, you're going to look beautiful."

Cassie moved the dish out of his reach. "Thank you."

Adriana watched the exchange and sighed happily. "I'm so glad you two worked everything out." She rested her chin in her hand. "If I didn't love you, Cassie, I'd be jealous." She looked at Drake. "You don't happen to have any brothers, do you?"

Jackie and Clay turned away to hide their smiles. While behind her, Drake and Cassie watched Eric enter the diner, flash a wicked grin at a harried waitress, and point in their direction. They shared a look, then turned to Adriana.

"Well, as a matter of fact..."

The End

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