Guardian Angel (28 page)

“Then you ordered one of your men to do it. Now I want to know why.”

“What men?”

“The two bastards who've been hanging around here since the day we arrived,” he answered.

He waited to hear her denial. She had given him nothing but lies since the moment they met. He realized that now.

“Oh, those two men,” she answered. She lifted her shoulders in a delicate shrug. “You must mean Matthew and Jimbo. You've met them, have you?”

His anguish was almost unbearable now. “Yes, I've met them. They were two more lies, weren't they?”

She couldn't look at him now. God help her, she was finally seeing the man she'd read about in the file. Cold. Methodical. Deadly. The descriptive words hadn't been exaggerated after all.

“Matthew and Jimbo are fine men,” she whispered.

“Then you don't deny . . .”

“I won't deny anything,” she answered. “You're putting me in an impossible position. I have given my word and I can't break it. You'll just have to trust me a while longer.”

“Trust you?” He roared the words like blasphemies. “I will never trust you again. You must think I'm a fool if you believe I would.”

She was terrified of him now. She took a deep breath, then said, “My problem is very delicate.”

“I don't give a damn how delicate your problem is,” he roared. “What in God's name is your game? Why are you here?”

He was back to shouting at her. Jade shook her head at him. “I will tell you only that I'm here because of you.”

“Answer me.”

“Very well,” she whispered. “I'm here to protect you.”

She might as well have told him she'd come from the heavens for all the attention he gave that statement of fact. “I want the real reason, damn it.”

“That is the real reason. I'm protecting you.”

Sterns appeared at the opened doorway with a silver tray in his hands. He took one look at his employer's face and immediately turned around.

“Shut the doors behind you, Sterns,” Caine ordered.

“Don't you raise your voice to Sterns,” Jade demanded in a near shout of her own. “He has nothing to do with this and you shouldn't take your anger out on him.”

“Sit down, Jade.” His voice was much softer now, far more threatening, too. It took all Jade's determination not to do as he ordered.

“You probably kick puppies when you're in a foul mood, don't you?”

“Sit down.”

She glanced over to the doorway, judging the distance to safety, but Caine's next words changed her mind. “You wouldn't make it.”

Jade turned back to Caine. “You aren't going to be at all reasonable about this, are you?”

“No,” he answered. “I'm not going to be reasonable.”

“I was hoping that we could have a quiet discussion after you've calmed down and . . .”

“Now,” he countered. “We're going to have our discussion now, Jade.” He wanted to grab hold of her, shake her into answering all his questions, but he knew if he touched her, he might kill her.

His heart felt as though it had just been torn in half. “Pagan sent you, didn't he?”

“No.”

“Yes,” he answered. “My God, the bastard sent a woman to do his work for him. Who is he, Jade? Your brother?”

She shook her head and backed away from him. “Caine, please try to listen . . .”

He started after her, then forced himself to stop. “All of it . . . lies, isn't that right, Jade? You weren't in any danger.”

“Not all of it lies,” she answered. “But you were the primary target.”

He shook his head. She knew then he wasn't going to believe anything she told him. She could see the pain, the raw agony in his eyes.

“He sent a woman,” he repeated. “Your brother's a coward. He's going to die. It will be fitting justice, won't it? An eye for an eye, or in this instance, a brother for a brother.”

“Caine, you must listen to me,” she cried out. She wanted to weep because of the torment she was causing him. “You have to understand. In the beginning, I didn't know what kind of a man you were . . . Oh, God, I'm so sorry . . .”

“Sorry?” he asked, his voice flat, devoid of all emotion.

“Yes,” she whispered. “If you'll only listen . . .”

“Do you think I'm going to believe anything you tell me now?”

Jade didn't answer him. Caine seemed to be staring through her. He didn't say anything for a long time. She could almost see the fury building inside of him.

She closed her eyes against his dark expression, his anger, his hatred.

“Did you let me make love to you because Pagan ordered you to?” he asked.

She reacted as though he'd just struck her. “That would make me a whore, Caine, and I don't whore for anyone, not even my brother.”

He didn't agree with her soon enough to placate her. Her eyes filled with tears. “I am not a whore,” she shouted.

The sudden roar that came from the French doors turned both Caine's and Jade's attention. The bone-chilling sound was like a battle cry.

Jade recognized the sound. Nathan had arrived. The deception was finally over.

“Did you just call my sister a whore?”

The walls shook from the venom in Nathan's deep voice. Jade had never seen her brother so angry.

She took a step toward her brother, but suddenly found herself hauled up against Caine's side.

“Don't get in my way,” he ordered, his voice mild, horribly calm.

“In the way of what?” she asked. “You aren't going to hurt my brother, Caine. I won't let you.”

“Get your hands off her,” Nathan roared. “Or I'll kill you.”

“Nathan,” Jade cried out. “Caine doesn't understand.” She tried to push Caine's hands away from her shoulders. It proved impossible. His grip was as tenacious as seaweed.

She didn't know who looked more furious. Nathan's scowl was just as ugly as Caine's was, just as threatening. They were equally matched, these two giant adversaries. They were bound to kill each other if given the chance.

Nathan looked like a pirate, too. His long, dark brown hair fell way past his broad shoulders. He was dressed in snug black britches and wore his white shirt opened almost to the waist. Nathan wasn't quite as tall as Caine was, but he was certainly just as muscular.

Yes, they would kill each other. Jade frantically tried to think of a way to ease the situation while the two men took each other's measure.

“I asked you a question, you bastard,” Nathan shouted again. He took a threatening step forward. “Did you call my sister a whore?”

“He didn't call me a whore,” Jade shouted when Nathan reached for the knife in his waistband. “He doesn't know about Colin. I kept my word not to tell him.”

Nathan hesitated. Jade pressed her advantage. “He thinks you killed Colin. He has it all figured out, Nathan.”

Nathan's hand moved back to his side, away from his dagger. Jade went weak with relief. “He has, has he?” Nathan drawled out.

Caine stared at the intruder, knowing now there couldn't be any doubt that the pirate was Jade's brother. They both had the same green eyes.

“Damn right I figured it out,” Caine suddenly roared. “You're Pagan and you did kill my brother.”

She pushed away from Caine and took a step toward Nathan. Caine roughly shoved Jade behind his back. “Don't try to go to him, Jade.”

“Are you trying to protect me from my own brother?” she asked.

Caine didn't answer her.

“Did he touch you?” Nathan shouted the question as though it was a blasphemy.

“Nathan, will you quit that topic?” she cried out. “Now isn't the time to discuss such a personal matter.”

“Be silent,” Caine commanded.

Jade grabbed hold of the back of his shirt when he started forward. The action didn't waylay him. Caine kicked the ornately carved tea cart out of his path and continued toward his prey. “Damn right I touched her,” he roared. “Wasn't that all part of the plan, you bastard?”

Nathan let out a roar, then rushed forward. The two men were like bulls charging at each other.

“No,” Jade screamed. “Nathan, please don't hurt Caine. Caine, you mustn't hurt Nathan either . . .”

She quit her pleas when she realized they weren't paying any attention to her.

Caine got in the first toss. He literally threw Nathan up against the wall. A lovely painting depicting the Thames in earlier, cleaner times fell to the floor with a loud thud. Nathan finished the destruction of the artwork when he put his foot through it in an attempt to slam his knee into Caine's groin.

He was determined to make a eunuch out of him. Caine easily blocked the blow, however, then threw Nathan up against the wall again. Jade's brother landed the first good punch, though it was most assuredly by foul means. Caine had Nathan by his neck and was just about to smash his fist through the back of his skull when his attention was caught by the man standing in the doorway. His hold immediately slackened. Nathan pressed his advantage. He slammed his fist into Caine's jaw.

Caine shook off the blow as insignificant, then shoved Nathan against the wall again.

“Colin?”

The name came out in a strangled whisper of disbelief. His mind couldn't accept what he was seeing. His brother was alive. Colin was leaning against the door frame, grinning that lopsided grin of his that was so familiar, so boyish . . . so Colin. He looked thin, terribly thin, but very much alive.

Caine was so stunned he didn't realize he was strangling Nathan until he heard him gasping for air. As soon as he lessened his grip, Nathan tore free and hit him again. Caine ignored the blow and finally let go.

Almost as an afterthought, Caine slammed his elbow into Nathan's ribs, then took a step toward Colin.

“Honest to God, Colin, I'm going to kill your brother,” Nathan shouted. “Do you know what he's done to my sister? He . . .”

“Nathan, you don't have to tell Colin,” Jade cried out. “Please,” she added. “For once, try to be a gentleman.”

Colin slowly pulled away from the door. He used his cane to aid him as he made his way over to his brother. Caine was shaking with emotion when he wrapped his arms around his little brother. “My God, you're really here. I cannot believe it.”

“I'm so damned happy to see you, Caine,” Colin said. “I know you're surprised. I'll explain everything. Try not to be too angry with me. I wouldn't let anyone tell you. I wanted to explain first. They're evil men. You would have gone charging in . . .”

Colin didn't seem to have the strength to go on. He sagged against Caine, giving him most of his weight. Caine continued to hold him close while he waited for his brother to regain his composure. “Take your time, Colin,” he whispered. “Just take your time.”

When Colin nodded, Caine stepped back to have another look at his brother. The dimple was back in Caine's cheek and tears had formed in his eyes. “Colin, you look like a pirate, too,” he announced. “Your hair's as long as Pagan's,” he added with a nod and a scowl in Nathan's direction.

Nathan scowled back. “I haven't told him anything, Colin,” Nathan said. “But your astute brother has it all figured out. He knows I'm Pagan and I sent my little sister to whore for me.”

Jade wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole. Her face felt like it was on fire. “Nathan, if Caine doesn't kill you, I very well might,” she threatened.

Colin was staring at her. When he started laughing, she knew exactly what he was thinking. “Didn't I tell you . . .” he began.

“Colin, do sit down,” she commanded. “You must get your weight off that leg. It's too soon for you to be walking.”

Colin wasn't about to forget Nathan's horrid comment. “I knew you and Caine would . . .” He let out a sigh. “I did warn you, didn't I?”

“Colin, I don't want to hear another word about Caine and me,” she shouted. “It's over, finished. Do you understand? Where is Winters?” she added in a rush, hoping to turn his attention. “The physician should be at our side.”

“Winters was with you?” Caine asked.

“Pagan convinced him to take care of me aboard the
Emerald,
” Colin explained. He hobbled over to the settee and sat down. “He was a little resistant at first, but Pagan can be very persuasive. And in the end, I think Winters had the time of his life.”

“Well, where is he?” Jade asked.

“We let him go home,” Colin answered. “Now quit fretting. It's just going to take time for the leg to heal.”

Jade pushed a pillow behind Colin's back, then propped his feet up on a large round footstool.

“I believe I will order some refreshments for you, Colin,” she said. “You look too pale to me. The walk from the drive tired you out, didn't it?”

She didn't give him time to answer, but picked up her skirts and started for the drawing room doors. Caine blocked her path. “You aren't going anywhere.”

She refused to look up at him as she tried to move around him. Caine took hold of her arm. The grip was stinging. “Sit down, Jade.”

“Jade?”

Colin said her name in a surprised whisper.

“I have allowed Caine to call me by my given name.”

“Allowed?” Nathan asked.

“What do you call her?” Caine asked his brother.

“She has several nicknames,” Colin answered. “I call her Red most of the time, don't I, Jade?”