Eternal (25 page)
Authors: London Saint James
“Huh,” Cayden grunted, but let the subject drop.
Cayden sat at the bar, took a huge bite of his omelet and grinned. “This is
great, thanks.”
“Cayden, babe, slow down and try to enjoy your
food,” I said. He winked at me.
“Zander will be here soon,”
“Yeah, I figured,” Cayden replied.
Chapter Fourteen
Aftermath
I was washing up the dishes from breakfast when
Cayden walked over and kissed me. His hands shimmied down the length of my
back, pressing me forward, bowing my back, and pulling me into him. When his
hand squeezed my butt, I dropped the plate in the sink. Soapy water splashed us
both quite liberally. I stood there with my shirt splashed wet and a little
breathless from the kiss.
“Thank you, baby, but you don’t need to wait
hand and foot on me or my brother,” Cayden assured.
I smiled. “I like doing things for you. Anyway,
it was omelets. I wouldn’t call eggs waiting on you hand and foot.”
“And we do have a dishwasher,” he commented.
“But you don’t use a dishwasher for two plates,
a bowl, a pan, and some silverware. That is a waste of water and energy.” I
laughed then felt my head spin, lightheaded again. Seeing the room tilt, I
wobbled slightly. He wrapped his arms around my waist to steady me.
“Winter, you look as white as a ghost.”
I placed my hand to my head and admitted, “Head
rush.”
Cayden looked at me with questions on his face.
“Winter–” Cayden started. We heard the security buzzer. He heaved a sigh.
“Zander’s here.”
“I should go change,” I replied, popping up on
my toes, kissing him quickly then heading upstairs. I was saved by the bell or
by the buzzer. I needed to tell him about the baby, but it wasn’t the right
time.
Once I was upstairs, I headed for the bathroom
to splash my face with cold water and brush my teeth. I looked a little washed
out but I didn’t have time to put on make-up. I twisted my hair up with a clip,
put on a much more respectable shirt and, of course, my bra followed by some
capri pants. I gave one last glance in the mirror then headed back downstairs.
I was worried about what Zander had to say regarding last night’s events plus I
was a little concerned by what Cayden would say to Zander.
When I returned downstairs, Zander,
where meeting in the family room. I heard the stress in Cayden’s voice before I
even entered the room. This wasn’t going to be good.
“Hey,” Cayden greeted, smiling at me tenderly as
I entered.
“Hey,” I said then focused on Zander. “Good
morning, Zander.”
“Winter, good morning. How are you this
morning?” Zander asked.
I smiled. “Fine.”
Cayden patted the couch beside him. I walked
around the couch and took a seat. “Zander told us Dane will be detained for a
while. He couldn’t make bail.” Cayden glanced back at
attention over to Zander. “I want the police to look into the connection
between Dane and the letter we received.”
Zander leaned back in the leather chair. “I have
already requested the police look into the letter but we have received another
letter, Cayden.”
Cayden’s face was stone serious. “What does it
say?”
Zander shot Cayden a look that Cayden seemed to
understand. “About the same as the first letter,” Zander admitted. “This man is
infatuated with Winter. He believes you are some kind of demon, and he believes
he needs to take Winter away from you in order to save her soul from I believe
he put it, ‘eternal damnation in burning flames.’”
Cayden stared at me with pain crossing over his
features. He never broke his gaze from my eyes as he spoke saying, “Zander, we
need to increase security. He will never touch her.”
“We will increase security at the estate in
stay with Winter. I will have a couple more men dispatched to the estate
grounds,” Zander replied.
“No, wait,” I interjected. “Cayden must have
more security with him, too.”
“Winter, I will be fine. Please don’t worry
about me. Your safety is the priority here,” Cayden said.
“Zander?” I protested.
Zander nodded in agreement with me. “Cayden, I
think we should call Race back in.”
I asked,
“Who’s Race?”
“He is another bodyguard but with special
tactical skills,” Cayden replied, vaguely.
I needed some assurance of Cayden’s safety for
my own sanity. I really felt like I was going to lose my mind or at the very
least my breakfast. My stomach rolled, but I held it back. “And you all trust
and know him well?”
“Yes,”
“I will have Race meet us at the airport in the
morning,” Zander said. He glanced at me. “Winter, you look a little peaked.
Please do not worry about all of this. Everyone will be fine, and no one will
be harmed.” Even though he was speaking in the larger sense of everyone he was
really trying to tell me Cayden would be all right. Zander peered down at his
watch then at Cayden before he returned his attention back at me. “Cayden and I
have an interview to complete this morning. The press is running ramped with
the coverage from last night with their speculations about you and Cayden.”
I stared at Cayden with mild panic I was sure.
“Take Jayden and Langdon with you. Cayden, you need to promise me to take them
both. Promise me.” I heard the fear in my own voice.
“Shh....” Cayden hushed me softly and held onto
my hand. He kissed the inner skin of my wrist and traced the tip of his nose
gently up my inner arm. “I will, I promise,” he whispered.
“Thank you.”
I exhaled. “What are you going to tell the press about last night?” I
asked glancing over at Zander.
“That you were in danger. Cayden got to you
first and both he and
so no one should believe you would have been okay last night. It should be
expected the people who know you and care about you would comfort and protect
you.”
“And do you think they will buy that?” I didn’t
think anyone would buy that.
Zander shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“I need to go shower and change,” Cayden told me
then looked at Zander strangely again. “I’ll be a few minutes then we can go.”
“I need to make some phone calls,”
left the room behind his brother.
It was impossible to shake the feeling there was
more going on here than I was being told. If this were actually the case it was
Cayden trying to protect me. But then it hit me, the knowledge of what I feared
struck me like a lightning bolt. A current of fear shot through me. If the
threats in the letters were geared more toward Cayden than to me, he would not
want me to know that information. Cayden wouldn’t want me to worry, but it was
far too late. Worry was all I could do.
When Cayden left, I had my chance to ask some
questions. I wasn’t sure I would get my answers though.
“Zander, you know I cannot endure or even think
of someone trying to physically harm Cayden. You know I cannot live through it
if someone would hurt him.”
“Winter, please calm down,” Zander said.
“Zander, I’m not dense. I know there is more
going on than I am being told. I know if this is truly the case it’s because
the threats have been geared toward Cayden. Dane knew
enough to believe Cayden is some sort of twisted demon or evil apparition of
go after Cayden. You did not see Dane’s face, his eyes. It was like he was
possessed.”
“Winter, Cayden is well-guarded, and you are
well-guarded. You do not need to worry. If we can tie Dane to the letters, then
with his past connection with you, and his behavior last night there is a very
good chance he will be in jail for a while.”
“Zander, do you remember what I spoke to you
about, if I would have to leave?”
“Yes.”
“If Dane is threatening Cayden because of me,
maybe I should leave. If Dane knew I left he would leave Cayden alone. Why
bother Cayden if I’m not with him?” I looked down and twisted Cayden’s ring
around and around on my finger. “Zander, Cayden would never let me go. He would
not let me go to save himself. I would need to make it so Cayden had no choice.
The only way would be for Cayden to think I had to go for myself. If he
believed I could not stay, could not live this way and if I asked him to let me
go, for me….” My head pounded. My heart thumped hard, and there was a deep ache
that I knew well. I placed my hands to my face in an attempt to hide away from
my own words, my own thoughts of leaving.
“Winter, you and Cayden do love each other. I
have never seen two people so willing to protect each other, so terrified of
losing the other they would do anything to keep the other safe. I know how
scared you are, and I understand why. I know how hard this relationship is, and
I also understand why.” Zander’s voice became quiet, remorseful. “I am sorry I
asked you to come to
I was surprised by his last comment. I felt the
shock fly over my face. I looked up to see he was quite serious. “Why do you
say that? I can never be sorry. It is because of you I found Cayden.”
“I knew how much Cayden was like
you, warned you, because you said you did not want to meet him. Then you found
him, and I knew once you saw him you would be altered. But even before any of
this, I knew how Cayden felt about you. I knew how hard this was going to be
yet I did it anyway, I asked you to come to
off not knowing him.”
“No!” I protested. “No matter what happens I am
better off having loved Cayden. He is the reason for my life, Zander.”
Zander glanced down and nodded in agreement. I
took in a deep breath. My stomach wanted to stage a protest. I wasn’t going to
be able to stop the coming need to vomit. I placed my hand to my mouth, shot up
from the couch, and ran to the hallway restroom where I did indeed dispose of
my morning Captain Crunch. I splashed water over my face and rinsed out my
mouth before returning back to Zander. He looked puzzled yet never said
anything.
“Still some issues with the flu,” I commented.
“Cayden doesn’t need to know. He worries too much, and there is nothing to
worry about.” I took my seat on the couch again.
“Hum,” Zander mumbled and by the tone, I wasn’t
sure he was buying my flu story.
I heard
husky voice break in. “What does Cayden not need to worry about?”
“Nothing,” I said, irritated.
“
things settled in
Zander asked.
tomorrow and the estate is covered already. There hasn’t been any issues
there.”
I felt lips kiss the top of my head before hands
fondled my shoulders. “Zander and I will be a couple of hours then I will be
home, here with you. I am taking Jayden and Langdon so please do not worry,
baby,” Cayden said.
“Okay.”
“Wow!”
impressed.”
gave
glare. “Glad I could impress you for once!” I snapped.
Cayden laughed and squeezed my shoulders.
“There, see that Cayden, that look right there.”
credit for. I think she wants to rip my face off.”
Cayden took his fist and hit
“Hey!”
Cayden laughed wickedly. “You better be nice to
my baby, or I may just let her rip your face off.”
“Ha. Ha,” I replied sarcastically but had to
smile when Cayden skimmed his finger down my cheek, completely turning me into
mush.
“Do you know how beautiful you are when you are
mad?” Cayden said, smiling. Any irritation I may have had was gone.