Healing His Soul's Mate (9 page)

“Her appetite changes on a dime,” Shade supplied. “I understand it’s normal pregnant mama stuff. Most just don’t have the luxury of an entire staff to cater to them.”

“If only she would let us do that,” Myron said. “Stubborn woman can’t seem to sit back and let us pamper her.”

“My sister’s not really the pampered type.” Of course she had never been given the opportunity to be.

“Oh,” Myron exclaimed, dropping a card on the pile. “Oh my…have you told her?”

“Told her what?” Shade asked, but then glanced down at the three of clubs and nodded. They had both lost their marbles. “Yes, we discussed it this morning. But I don’t think it’s been made public knowledge yet.”

“Mum’s the word.” The woman chuckled. “I’m so funny.”

Shade shook his head at the bad pun but laughed, indicating the open double doors allowing the fresh breeze in. “Shall we?”

Ashlynn nodded and took a stabilizing breath. She hadn’t walked out into the sun yet with her glasses and was unsure of how they would work and if they would help. He waited as if sensing her hesitation. “Do you want to ride or walk?”

“Let’s walk.” The view, though strange and not very pretty, offered no pain. The urge to stretch and get a bit of exercise overrode any other hesitation. He offered her his arm for support and, relieved, she took it. “Is the lagoon far?”

“About fifteen minutes, depending on how fast we walk. Her cabin is right on the beach, so should you need some darkness you can find it there.”

She stumbled on the uneven path, and Shade pulled her tighter against him. For the first few minutes, they walked in peace, him allowing her the time she needed to focus and get her bearings. Cyrus had been right—once she got used to it, the shapes had begun to form images. “I get the impression you aren’t a guest here yet aren’t staff either.”

“I am an outside…consultant. A friend of the Rowan family and of Rekkus.”

“How can this place help me when everything else has failed?” She hadn’t realized she’d voiced the question until Shade stopped and faced her. He pulled her into his arms as if it were his right, and even knowing all she did about him, she let him. Perhaps her defenses were down since Sage so motherly held her last night, or perhaps she craved human touch. But it felt so right to be there within the circle of his arms. He might be crazy, but he wasn’t dangerous, she recognized he would never hurt her. Sage would never allow her to wonder off with anyone who would harm her. But perhaps she overthought. He had a strange if not sexy accent, and, perhaps, like Cyrus insisted, he could read people. Didn’t everyone read people one way or another, some more adept than others? Police read suspects all the time, as did modeling agents.

The longer they stayed there locked in one another’s arms, the more she wanted to stay. His earthy scent filled her senses, making her knees weak, and didn’t want to contemplate the unsettling tingle between her legs. When Shade pulled back enough to lower his head and brush his lips against hers, she didn’t stop him. It had been inevitable, and she welcomed the soft touch as she would an old friend.

She melted into him, loving the feel of his arms around her. She felt safe and protected. Desire, she had from others before, but protection was new. When his tongue passed her teeth, she moaned and embraced the sweet gentleness in the kiss.

He pulled back, rubbing his thumb over her bottom lip. “Come on, let’s walk. You stop when you need to.”

They walked in companionable silence. She loved how he didn’t seem interested in her modeling career. How long had it been since someone hadn’t harped on her about what it must be like to be a model, or, since her accident, how it must suck to have lost it all. But she didn’t feel like she lost anything, and, by the time they came over the hill and she could see the lagoon, she had almost forgotten about the scar on her face, the funky glasses she wore, or the almost-constant pain in her skull. Her thoughts stayed on the gentle touch of their fingers.

“Back again, Shade.” Two tall, bulky, and, yes, sexy-as-hell men, dressed in the security uniform of black jeans, a black skintight T-shirt, and black combat boots approached them.

“Juneau, we are here to see Dana.”

“You have clearance. I need to check about Miss Stone,” Juneau said matter of fact.

“I’m her sister, why the hell would I need clearance?” What the fuck?

“Give me one second please.” The man tapped on the earpiece. “Rekkus, this is Juneau, come in.”

“Are you kidding me?” she demanded.

Shade lifted a single digit to her lips.

“Hi, Cyrus…. No, she’s fine. Still in the lagoon…. No Rekkus doesn’t need to come back, Miss Stone is here to see her sister…. You don’t want to check with the big guy? Your skin, not mine.” The man smiled at them both. “Go on down.”

She took two steps past them before turning on Shade. “Did I really have to get permission to see my sister?”

“Rekkus has his reasons.”

“Is this an all-the-time thing or a way of keeping my mother away from her?” Somehow, though creepy and controlling, she could understand that reasoning.

“Though it would be a great thing to keep your mother away from all human beings at any given time, no, this is a regular thing on the island.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? How much more possessive can the man get?”

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to.”

Shade making light of the situations made Ashlynn angrier. Couldn’t any of them see what was going on? Dana had become a virtual prisoner. Though she doubted anyone on the island would put up with physical abuse, would they stop her from leaving if Rekkus said she had to stay? They all clearly kowtowed to the man as if he were some king, or worse, some god.

“You’re getting yourself worked up. Talking with your sister might put whatever fears you have at rest.” He indicated her sister swimming with Serena. “I’ll leave you to enjoy your visit. Perhaps I will see you at dinner.”

He knew damned well he would see her at dinner, and she almost said so, but because he couldn’t see what went on with Rekkus and Dana didn’t mean she had the right to be rude to someone who had been nothing but kind to her. So, she thanked him and waved when her sister noticed her presence.

Dana waved back and ambled out of the water, grabbing a towel from one of the many lounge chairs scattered on the white sandy beach. “What a lovely treat.”

Ashlynn smiled at the genuine joy she heard in her sister’s voice. She didn’t know how her sister could be happy to see her when she hadn’t stood up for her after Dana’s botched marriage attempt to Frank Green. When her sister had needed her most, she hid behind her mother like a coward, unable to stand against her. “I didn’t interrupt you, did I?”

“Not at all. Serena helped me to relax and she has other work to do, though she is too nice to say so.” Dana pulled a sundress over her head before indicating they go inside. They walked to the open-air cabin, a perfect fit for her down-to-earth sister. “Can I get you something to drink? All I have is cucumber water, but I can make a call, and believe me, they will be down with whatever I want. I look forward to the day when they tell me to get it my damned self.”

Somehow, Ashlynn didn’t think that day would ever come. “Water would be great.”

They both remained silent, the awkward silence that sits when things need to be said but you don’t know where to start. Taking a deep breath and steadying herself, Ashlynn bit the proverbial bullet. “I’ve been a lousy sister.”

Dana paused in the act of putting the water glass on the table and took a deep breath, too. She sat as gracefully as a woman carrying twins can beside her. “No, we have an awful mother. There is a difference.”

“I should have stood by you, supported you, done something.”

“What? Ever since you were a baby, she punished you for anything that might make our relationship strong. She did everything she could to keep us on separate sides of the field. We weren’t even allowed in each other’s rooms.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“You were young. By the time you were old enough to remember, it was second nature for us to stay apart. I never blamed you, might have been jealous of your perfect body, hair, and complexion from time to time, but I always loved you.” Dana reached out and grabbed her sister’s hand. “I always hoped somewhere deep inside you would love me, too.”

Ashlynn grimaced. She had, and somehow it took being hit on the head with a fourteen-pound lamp to find the part of her hiding her emotion and humanity. “Why didn’t Dad ever stand up for us?”

“He worked so much I don’t think he saw the problems until it was too late. He had his residency when you were little. Rarely home, no life to speak of, and she never showed how hateful she could be around him.” Dana leaned back, rubbing her belly. “Enough about the past. How are you feeling?”

“Better. Sage is a miracle worker. She could make a fortune on the mainland.”

“She is amazing. They all are here.”

“You seem content and happy here. Are you? Are you really?” Ashlynn asked, hoping it would nudge Dana into opening up about her marriage.

“I am.” She smiled on a sigh. “For the most part.”

“What is it, please tell me. I know we haven’t been close, but I hope we can be,” Ashlynn pleaded and prayed her sister could find the strength to speak up if she needed to.

Dana hesitated. “Please don’t get me wrong. I’m happy. I’m getting a little nervous, though.”

“The babies?”

“I should have three weeks according to everyone else, but something inside tells me they are coming next week.” Dana stood and started to pace. “I can’t articulate how I know, I just know. And I’m not sure I can do this. Labor, motherhood…. What if I turn out like our mother? What if…?”

“Now you’re being crazy. You are nothing like her at all. But of course you are nervous. I mean, two babies….”

“Three!” her sister shrieked. “Shade found the third this morning.”

Not touching that one, not yet. Instead, she remained calm, even if, inside, she screamed to get her to a safe hospital. “Do multiples run in Rekkus’ family?”

“Twins, yes, not triplets.”

“Dana, come back to the city with us on Saturday. I’m sure Dad can get you set up with an associate even this late in your pregnancy. You should be in a hospital, not on this island so far from medical help.”

“It’s not so easy.”

“If it’s the money….”

“It’s not the money at all. Mother dearest could find nothing wrong with Rekkus’ bank statement, if I showed it to her, no matter how hard she tried. Even if I could go, he won’t leave the island.”

“So, because he won’t leave, you have to stay and endanger your and the babies’ lives.”

“There is so much more to it.”

“What excuses are you going to come up with next? He’s a bully and I am worried.”

“Worried how?” Dana stopped in her tracks, a shocked bewilderment crossing her face.

“How long had you known him when you got married? What, a week, two at most? A courier brought our parents cash to repay their expenses for your cancelled wedding. Were you aware he had the amount down to the penny? Including items you didn’t have any clue about. How did he know, Dana? He has a team of, albeit handsome, scary goons who follow his every command.”

“He is head of security. It’s their job.”

“Security here is tighter than at the White House. I know. I attended a White House Christmas party. This is not normal.” She threw her hands up.

“The island isn’t exactly normal.”

“If I brought out a checklist of early signs of controlling and abusive husbands, I could check off every item on the list for you.”

“What?”

“Overprotective, possessive to the extreme, quick trigger temper, and—”

“Stop right there.” Dana pointed at Ashlynn, her voice cracking. “He loves me. Yes, he is worried. What father isn’t when his children are this close to birth?”

“Then he would make sure you had the best possible care.”

“I do, and I’m pregnant, not sick.”

“But surely with more than one—”

“And how have the hospitals been helping you?”

Ashlynn opened her mouth to respond then shrugged. “I hate it when you do that.”

“Stop pouting. I promise you there is no way any man would be allowed to abuse me. Do you believe the Rowans would put up with him harming me? Let’s change the subject and talk about you. What are your plans? Have you thought about extending your stay here?”

“I think they want me, Mom, and Dad off the island as soon as the boat gets here.”

Calm again, Dana took a sip of her water as she eased down into the chair. “You and Dad are welcome to stay, all you have to do is say the word and I’ll make it happen.”

Some of the tension within her eased. “Another week might be nice.”

“Good, I’ll talk with Myron. How is your head?”

She took a second to assess. “Surprisingly better today.”

“I heard last night was bad.”

She nodded. “Shade got me the help I needed before it was out of control.”

“Rekkus has a lot of respect for the man, and respect isn’t something easy to come by with my hubby.”

Ashlynn bit her lip, wondering how to broach her biggest concern about Shade. “He told me he could read souls.”

“He can.”

Ashlynn snorted. “Oh, please.”

“You need to open your mind a bit, oh sister mine. Tell me about these glasses.”

Ashlynn had forgotten about them. “They are hideous and mother hates them, which makes me love them even more.”

Through the open window drifted the voices of approaching men. Dana stood, a spark of excitement entering her dark eyes. Something almost magical in the way she couldn’t wait to see her husband even after a few hours put Ashlynn’s mind at ease at least a little.

“Give me a minute or two, Kaleb, and then we can go over your plans. Why don’t you call Cyrus down to join us?” Rekkus walked by the open window, stopping to smile when his sight landed on Dana. Every ounce of his being screamed the love he had for her. He walked in, kissed his wife on the forehead, and reached for her almost-empty water glass. “How are you feeling, luv?”