Kade: Santanas Cuervo MC (24 page)

“Do we have to go back out?” Winter murmured as she pulled him into a hug. “I just want to go to bed and sleep forever.”

He chuckled, understanding how she felt. “That sounds like a terrific idea, but unfortunately…”

She sighed. “Yeah, I know. Work, work, work, work, work.”

“Go start your shower. I’ll pull the tags off these clothes, then join you,” he as he pulled out of her arms.

After making a his and hers pile on the bed, he stepped into the bathroom and stripped, joining her in the marble and glass shower as she stood with her head down, eyes closed, the water pouring over her head.

“You might want to try some soap,” he teased as he picked up the bar and began to lather her up.

“I feel like I could sleep for a year.”

“I know, babe. But it’s almost over now.”

He finished with the soap and began on her hair as she rinsed. “Did you mean what you said? Last night?”

“That I was falling for you?”

“Yes.”

He smiled. The euphoria of last night had faded, but he could still feel her pull. Did he love, love her? No, maybe not yet, but he was certainly falling for her, and getting that out there, telling her how he felt, made him feel free and giddy in a way he’d never felt before. Saying he loved her wasn’t a total lie, and he knew better things were coming. It was only a matter of time before his feelings caught up with his words.

“Every word,” he said. “Did you?”

He steered her back under the shower, and as the shampoo cascaded over her face she thought about it. His confession of love had been such a shock she was still trying to sort out how she felt. She knew she didn’t love him in the way that would last a lifetime, and the words had popped out without thought. She smiled. Did she love him? Her smiled widened as a deep, rich, warmth spread through her. “Yes, I believe I did,” she said as she looked up, the water washing her face clean as his lips found hers.

They kissed, slow and deep, a kiss of lovers, a kiss of more than physical need, a kiss that spoke of the intertwining of their souls as they began the journey of becoming one.

“We need to go,” he breathed after many long moments.

“I know,” she whispered in return, wanting nothing more to stand there with his arms around her, his embracing warming her in ways the water couldn’t.

They stood there for a long time more until he gently pushed her away and turned off the water. He hadn’t bathed yet, but they would never get out of there if one of them didn’t break the cycle. He patted her dry, then as she stepped out, he turned the water on and quickly scrubbed himself clean.

Dressed and presentable, they returned to the parking lot. “What’s the plan?” she asked.

“I follow you to your house. Park your Jeep a few streets away. I’ll pick you up and we ride to your house. I leave the bike in the garage, and later we slip out and stake out the house in your Jeep.”

She groaned. “I can’t stay awake again all night.”

“You can sleep while I keep watch. Then you can spell me for a while. If nobody shows up, we’ll park the Jeep somewhere, get the bike, then find us a motel room somewhere and grab some shut eye.”

She smiled. “Among other things.”

He grinned and gave her a quick kiss. “Among other things.”

They rode to her house and as he waited, she opened the garage door so he could pull the bike in. They spent a few hours getting the house put back right. The shower door was a total loss and would have to be replaced, along with the glass on the back door.

The need to keep the Jeep hidden caused a few headaches, but after taking some measurements, they returned with a shower door, a piece of replacement glass, and the tools and supplies needed to install them in a rented store truck.

Winter watched as he removed the cardboard he’d taped over the broken window when he’d returned for Gabbro and, with sure hands, removed the broken glass and replaced it with new. In less than an hour the door was repaired and the house was once again secure.

“You certainly are good with your hands,” she grinned as she helped him clean up the mess. “But then, I already knew that.”

“Oh yeah?” he leered. “If you like that, wait until you see what I do next.”

They tackled the shower door next. That took a little longer, but with her help, were done in short order. As he cleaned up, she rehung the clothes in her closet and tidied the bed.

“Now what?” she yawned.

“Now, we return the truck, come back, then sneak out.”

***

They repeated the process for two days. They would sit slumped in her Jeep all night, talking about this or that until she fell asleep. The next morning, as the sun rose, they would drive to the motel where they would sleep for a few hours. About nine they would drive back to her house where they would park her Jeep, then walk along hand in hand as if out for a stroll before entering the house.

They would leave on his motorcycle, check on their room at the Houstonian, then return to their motel where they would make love, sleep, make love again, then start the process all over, leaving and locking up and walking away as if they intended to return after a stroll.

“What happens if they never show up again?” Winter mumbled. It was almost two and she was fading fast.

“I don’t know,” Kade replied. “I have to believe eventually they’ll show up here or the Houstonian.”

“This is the third night.”

“I know.”

“We can’t do this forever.”

“I know.” He reached over, took her hand, and gave it squeeze. “You don’t have to do this. You could stay at the motel.”

“No. I want to be here with you.”

He squeezed her hand again. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Why? So you can listen to me snore?”

He chuckled. “And lovely snoring it is, too. Besides, I hear drool is actually good for leather.”

“Then this seat should…Kade, look!”

He snapped his head around to watch as a man furtively tried the front door, then moved around and squeezed between Winter’s home and the one next door. They watched for ten minutes before the man appeared again and walked away and around the corner.

“Let’s go,” Kade said, opening his door.”

“Go? Go where?” she asked, sleep now the farthest thing from her mind.

“To see if he left a calling card.”

They walked up to Winter’s house and moved silently between the houses before opening the gate to her backyard. The landscape lighting gave them plenty of light to see. He pointed at the back door.

“Damnit! You just replaced that glass!” she whispered harshly. “Should we go in?”

“Is there any reason to?” She thought about it a moment, then shook her head. “Good. Let’s get the fuck out of here. I’ll come back and fix the window again tomorrow.”

“What are we going to do? I still can’t believe it’s Aunt Gail!”

“I think the evidence speaks for itself.”

“Yeah, but why?”

“I don’t know. We can ask her in the morning.”

***

“Greta, I need to see Dad. Is he in?” Winter asked the woman behind the desk outside Hayden’s office.

“He’s in, but he’s on the phone with Congressman—Winter! You can’t go in there!” Greta called as Winter turned and marched into her father’s office.

Hayden was leaned back in his chair, staring out of the office window as Kade followed Winter into her dad’s office. She stopped inside the door as he spun to see who had come in, frowning at her as he continued to listen to the phone.

“Okay, that sounds good, but I want my lawyers to look it over before I endorse your bill, John. Yes, send it over and we’ll get back to you. Thank you.” He hung up the phone. “This had better be important, bursting in here like this.”

“It’s Gail.”

Hayden stared at his daughter. “Are you sure?”

“Someone broke into the house last night. I watched them do it.”

Hayden continued to watch her before he pulled a small amulet from around his neck, opened it, and shook a tiny pill into his hand and popped it under his tongue.

“Daddy! Are you okay?” she asked as she hurried around the desk.

Hayden leaned back in his chair, saying nothing, but nodded. After several minutes he sat forward again. “Fucking angina. I could feel it coming on.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t mean to upset you.”

He rose out of his chair, wobbled a bit, then stood straight and tall. “I’m upset, but not nearly as upset as Gail is about to be,” he said as he marched toward the door.

They followed him as he strode across the hall, entering Gail’s office suite. He stomped past Mellissa without a word and into Gail’s office. She was there with four men and a woman as they huddled over the small conference table.

“All of you, get out. Now.” The men and woman looked at Hayden, then each other. “Are you fucking
deaf
!
I said get out!
Now
!” he roared, and the five scrambled to be the first out the door.

“Hayden! What the hell’s wrong with you?”

“How dare you! How fucking dare you!” he bellowed as Kade shut the door to the office.

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t act innocent with me, Gail. You know exactly what I’m talking about. I’ll fucking break you. I’ll have your ass so far under the jail it will take a fucking mining crew to find you.”

“Hayden! Calm down! What are you talking about?”

“Winter, goddamnit! Someone broke into her house last night!”

She looked at the three of them in confusion then her eyes went wide as she paled. “You think I had something to do with that?”

“Only you knew she was staying at her house! Except she wasn’t, she was staying at the Houstonian. She only told you that because we suspected it was you who was trying to have her killed.”

“What! I’m not trying to have her killed! How can you say such a thing? She’s like my own daughter!” Her eyes went narrow. “How do I know it wasn’t you? They told me they thought it was you who was trying to have her killed.”

“Because I knew they weren’t staying at her house. I knew they were staying at the Houstonian. The attack didn’t come at the Houstonian; it came at her house.”

Gail went even paler. “But I didn’t do it.” She looked at Winter. “Winter! I didn’t do it! I swear! I would never hurt you!”

“Did you tell anybody?” Winter asked.

“No! Nobody!”

“Then how’d they know?” she asked.

Tears began to roll down Gail’s cheeks. “I swear! I didn’t do it! I would never hurt you!”

“Tell me why, Gail. Your own niece!” Hayden snarled.

“I didn’t!” she cried. “Winter, Hayden, you have to believe me! I didn’t do it!”

“Save it. You can tell it to the police,” Hayden said as he turned toward her desk.

“Wait a moment,” Kade said softly. “Gail, look at me. Did you tell anyone? Anyone at all, where Winter and I were staying?”