Broken Road (11 page)

   A roguish smile curled over his lips and he leaned down to kiss the curve of her breast. “What a gift.” He set back to his work and soon she was tense and begging silently for something she didn’t even know she was begging for.

    The pressure was becoming too much and her body was bowed and ready for a release, but to release what she didn’t know. “Please…”

   “Soon,” he promised.

   She shook his head, he didn’t understand. “
Please…
”

    Her desperate plea feed the fire of his desire and he ordered her, “Come,” with a final twist of his fingers.

    The waves of release crashed over Devil and it left her limp with relief when it was over. She saw stars and then black. When she came back to herself she was being crushed to a broad chest coated in heavy muscle.

   “What happened?” she whispered amazed.

   “You passed out on me for a second there. Are you okay?” Winthrop asked starting down at her.

   He had been worried. It warmed her heart to know that he cared enough to be worried over her.

   She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. “I’m just fine.” She pulled back and grinned at him. “Wanna show me how a cowboy rides?”

   Winthrop grinned at the kid’s hopeful look and nodded his head. “It would be a pleasure ma’am.”

   What happened next blew Devil’s mind. Everything whipped by so fast in her mind it was a blur, but for that one moment of searing pain that pulled her had to have back a scream at the sudden trust of his hips that stretched her in ways she had never been before. She had cried out but tried to be quite about it.

   It was blinding pleasure that came to them both in the end and left Winthrop breathing hard against her neck and Devil passing out again.

   As Devil slipped into a blissful sleep she wondered if Mr. Canter had heard her call out his name at that end. She shrugged the slightest bit and snuggled into the hollow of his body.

  
Thank you for giving me Lilla and Wade. I’ll always love you Wylde, rest in peace.

…

Devil woke to the chilly air of early morning and opened her eyes to look around. She spotted Mr. Canter sitting on the edge of his bed staring out the window. Devil sighed and looked at the man who had given her so much last night. She had loved being greedy and selfish. She was still grieved about her sister and she knew that would never go away till the persons were caught, but she felt as if she could pull through it all now.

   Gazing in wonder she looked over the hardened body of a working man and knew the marks of war that were carried on his body. Scars lines his body in stark white slashes contrasting to the dark rusty tan of his skin. Devil knew he had once been something more then a rancher, perhaps a solider.

    Sliver blue eyes turned to pierce her to where she lay on the bed and the look in them chilled Devil to the bone. The frosty bite was formidable.

   “I knew something wasn’t right,” he said quietly, “Who are you?”

A chill stole over her body. “What do you mean, ‘who are you’?” Devil sat up halfway pulling the sheet to her chest. The feeling in the air was thick and darkening with every second that passed, it wasn’t a good sign. Devil had had this feeling before, right before she had been thrown in Royal’s cellar for three days. It was the feeling of being trapped in the dark.

   Winthrop slanted her a nasty glare and snickered. “What do I mean? I mean just what I said. You are who you said you are.”

   Now Devil was confused and hurt. “I’m me, I’m Devil.”

   A rough laugh sounded from his throat. “You may be Devil, but you can’t be Lilla’s mother. You were a virgin, look there’s the proof,” he accused, point at the sheets next to her legs where a blood stain marked the crisp white sheets like an enemy in the middle of camp.

   Her hands tightened on the sheet as his meaning became all to clear as if his words weren’t enough.

   “Tell me how my brother would have a baby with you when he had a fiancée before he died and the fiancée just happened to be your sister, who just died,” Winthrop demand. “What’s your plan? To use Lilla to get what you want? Well I have news for you, you won’t get a dime.” He turned his silvery glare straight to her. “I won’t have you here!” he stood up and looked down at her with fire in his eyes and a hate so deep she knew he meant his words.

   His harsh words cut at her and how could he think she would ever do something like this!

   Tears stung her eyes, but she wouldn’t be cowed. She got off the bed to stand in front of him. His eyes trailed her body and she saw his hate at his doing it.

   “Take a good long look Mr. Canter and see what no one else has seen, although I think you got a good enough look last night. See all this scars?” Devil press a gentle hand over a nasty jagged scar across her stomach and then glared at him. “These are a gift from my father. All of them. Yes, Wylde was my sister, but she left me with that man when she ran away. My mother was too weak and Lily was too young to remember. Two months ago was the first time I heard from Wylde in over ten years, she ran away when I was almost eight. She left me a letter telling me she was going to disappear forever and gave me papers to adopt Lilla. She is my daughter!” Devil stamped her foot and dared him to argue back.

   “And what in Sam hell does your brother have to do with this? Who care’s if he was my sister’s fiancé when your Lilla’s father? Wylde always did do thing differently. But I will never let you take her from me even if you are her father!” Crossing her arms she refused the shake like a leaf under her nerves. “You stupid ass, Wade Canter!”

   He was speechless. Just listening to what she had said had not only stopped him in his tracks, but cooled his heels. Winthrop had wondered at all her scars, but he never would have asked. It was her saying that Lilla was his baby that gave him that set the rest on the pieces in place for him. While he had thought she was his brother’s girlfriend that he left behind he was wrong about that and her being Lilla’s mother too. Well she was legally the baby girl’s mother, but still! She had thought he was his brother and the kid’s father!

   They were both wrong on so many things!

   He took a step forward, reaching out.

   “Don’t come any closer!”

   He stopped and took a deep breath. “Fine. You’re her mother, but there is one thing you’ve gotten so wrong.”

   Devil stuck out her chin. “I doubt that. I heard you loud and clear. If you don’t believe who I am then all you need to do is do a background check on me.”

   Winthrop looked down for a moment and wore a guilty expression.

   She was outrage. How dare he!

   “You did, didn’t you? You did!”

   “I just wanted to make sure of some stuff, however all your records were seal or had disappeared, I got nothing,” he admitted.

   “I’m not surprised, Royal always did a damn good job at making things disappear,” Devil said with a snort at the little amusement. “If you really want to know I’ll tell you-”

  
Ding-Dong! DING-DONG!

  
“Shit!” Winthrop swore. Who in the hell would be knocking on the house door this early in the morning.

   Winthrop went over to the window and looked out to the house’s drive. Three private cars sat in front of the house surrounded with black SUVs suited up for heavy-duty action. Three tall big man surround a older man easily as big as them with graying coal black hair in sunglasses, to the front door behind one already at the door.

    He was so surprised all he could manage
was to stammer,
“Who in the fuck brings that many SUVs’ that are loaded?”

   Devil watched as he walked away from her to the window. She saw him stiffen and what he said next sent her heart racing. She quickly pulled on the nearest shirt and shorts and raced for the front door. Mr. Canter was right behind her, racing in front of her just before she got to the door.

   Winthrop slipped next to her and barred the door with his arm. “Don't you even dare. Those are probably the men who want to kill you!”

   Devil glared up at him with fire lit eyes. “What would you care at this point. Get out of the way, I know these people.”

   A brow rose. “You know people who look like hitmen from the Mafia?” He hadn’t thought before he said that, but he just bet that she might.

   Devil rolled her eyes. “I said move. If you don’t move I will make you.”

  
Ding-Dong!

   “I would like to see you try.”

  
Ding-dong!

  
“My pleasure.” Devil put her balance on her good side grabbing his forearm. Using her own weight she flipped him over her should to the hard wood floor and sliding across the floor. She sneered at him and darted out the front door.

   Devil ran out the front door and darted pass the men surrounding the older man in-between them before they could catch her and she flung herself at him.

   “Papa!” she cried hugging him around his middle. He was still fit as ever but still way to tall for her to put her arms around his neck.

   Royal Crown wrapped her
u
p in his arms and squeezed. “It’s good to see you imp,” he whispered into her hair.

   Devil let go a little and stared up into those icy eyes that had always been so tender toward her and smiled a watery smile. “I’m sorry this is how you have to see me again.”

   “Let me go!” A man shouted and there was the sound of a fist hitting flesh.

   “What’s going on?” Royal asked looking toward to front porch.

   Winthrop was fighting against the four man, trying to come towards Devil and Royal.

    He had a bloody lip, but the other men who seemed bigger still couldn’t take him down.

   There was a flitting moment Devil thought to let the man have at him, but her good side won out.

   “You guys can let go of him. He’s with me. It’s nice to see ya guys again,” Devil said softly holding crossed arms loosely to her chest. They let him go and he rubbed his throat where one had been holding him.

   “Hello Miss Alto,” the men greet
ed
back.

   She looked to her adoptive father with a faint look of guilt. “This man is the one who’s been helping me.”

   Royal’s sharp eyes looked him over shrewdly not missing a thing. “Indeed. I knew you,” he said walking to Winthrop and circling him. “Served in the Marines for five years, runs the base ranch for recovering soldiers in need of a place to stay and work who have, shall we say,
special
skills?”

   Winthrop spit blood on the ground and eyed the man who could easily pass for a mob boss. He had a feeling he was staring at Royal Crown.

   “By my best guess you’re Royal Crown, am I right? I heard of you before. You’re circles are tight.”

   Royal nodded in agreement. “So I am, so they are.”

   Devil confused by their works stepped forward between them. “Papa, be nice. Mr. Canter this is my adoptive father. Since you wanted to know more about me then ask him. He knew
everything
.” She looked on him coolly for a moment and Royal didn’t miss it.

   Royal handed over a thick envelope to the young Indian man. “Read this. For the mean time we are going to be staying here.” He turned to walk away to the house with Devil, but turned a cold glance over his shoulder for a moment. “I must talk with Devil, if you don’t mind then we need to talk in private. I’m sure you understand.”

   Winthrop stared at the package in his hands and knew why Royal Crown was named the Grim Reaper. He could freeze a man with nothing more then a few words. He was dangerous.

   He went inside and locked himself in his brother’s office. Opening the packet he began to read to full report on Devil’s life.

Devil relaxed a bit after they were inside and gave in and gave her father another hug. He had come and that’s all that mattered to her, but his timing hadn’t been the best yet it had changed everything.

   “Thank you for coming, you have no idea how much you are saving me,” she whispered.

   Royal petted her head and sighed. “This is not how I would have liked to meet up with my daughter again, but I shall take what Fate gives me.” He pulled back just enough to glare down at her. “Not to mention the fact that you just ran away, I should lock you in the cellar again.”

   A watery laugh bubbled up between her lips and she smiled the smallest bit. “I would just fight my way out again.”

   “Tell how it is that you are in trouble? You said someone is trying to kill you? Does that man have anything to do with this?” Royal asked with a serious glower darkening his angled face.

   Devil nodded, slipping out of their hug and sat in an old satin chair in the open front parlor. She looked up at Royal then looked away before he could see the hurt in her eyes. “No, he doesn’t, not really anyway. You see they found Wylde a couple days ago and yesterday the Hoss came looking for me thinking I had something to do with it since she had sent me a letter.”