Whisper In The Dark (The McKinnon Legends-- The American Men Book One) (21 page)

“It is, but this is the home of someone else. We will get to my house soon. I live in Benbrook. I just needed to make a quick detour.” He offered up the information making her wonder if he was being honest.

Boy, would Brice be pissed if Robert miscalculated his motives with her this time. The two men were hardly civil to each other as it stood. If Robert miscalculated Brice's intentions with her it could easily escalate to out and out physical hostility without much provocation. Brice would not come out on the better end of that venture, she was sure.

“Brice, I do not like this. What are you up to?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Relax, would you? We won’t be here long. All I need are a couple of signatures on a license.”

“Oh, well I’ll call Robert and let him know.”

She wondered if she could believe Brice. However, this was just too mundane not to be believable. Still it was better to be safe.

She started to dial when Brice angrily pulled the phone from her hand.

“You do not have to answer to him for every damn move you make, Katherine.”

Brice’s face changed as he tossed the phone into the back seat well out of her reach.

“Coming with you was a mistake.” She reached for the door handle. Lightning fast, he reached across to stop her from leaving the car.

“You just have to trust me. I care for you,” he said hoping to calm her.

“Then let me out of this car, Brice,” she demanded.

“Ten minutes, Kate. Just give me ten minutes, and then I’ll let you go wherever you want,” he softened.

She wasn’t buying. He was definitely up to something if the fine hairs standing up on the back of her neck were any indication.

If she could get him to let his guard down then maybe she could get away. Damn, she hated the fact Robert was right. She could trust no one, especially herself.

Taking a deep breath and forcing herself to relax she agreed.

“Ten minutes, then I want to go home. I’m more tired than I thought. It is too soon after the fire.” It sounded reasonable, she thought.

He let the door handle go and focused his attention back on the wheel as the iron gates began to open. If he got her behind those gates she had no idea what or who was waiting for her. This could be innocent, but maybe not. If Robert wasn’t willing to take such a chance, then neither was she.

Quickly, unsnapping her seatbelt, she jumped out of the car before he could catch her, hearing him curse as she made her getaway. He grabbed for her and managed to get a piece of her jacket. Wiggling out of it and turning it inside out, she lost her balance and hit the pavement hard before scrambling back to her feet. Running as fast as she could, she tried not to focus on the fact Brice was right behind her and gaining. The gash she received on her leg was painful and slowing her down. She sensed him as he leaped and caught her. Tackling her from behind, she again hit the ground hard knocking the breath out of her.

She kept fighting.

She would never go quietly.

Kicking out as hard as she could and managing to get a lucky shot, she caught him in the midsection sending him backwards enough to scramble back to her feet. The gray sedan was only yards ahead. Just beyond it was Robert, his gun pulled, running full tilt to close the gap between them.

Screw the car, she thought.

Robert was her goal, her security. Right beside him was a young deputy focused on Brice. Robert caught her as she barreled into his arms and swinging her around in one fluid motion he covered her body with his, hurrying to the sanctuary of the silver van with the open side panel door. He pushed her inside, slammed the door, and it sped away before she hardly knew what happened. It was all done in a matter of seconds. Robert’s words echoed inside her mind,
It only takes the blink of an eye for things to go way south.

By the time Robert had secured Kate, the deputy had Brice face down and cuffed on the side lawn of the street. He was fighting to keep Brice contained and had placed his booted foot on the back of his neck and his gun was still pointed at the back of Brice’s head as he shouted orders to stop resisting.

Robert holstered his gun. One locked and loaded gun pulled out of a holster was enough. There was a crowd beginning to gather as Dallas Langston came charging down the street with threats to sue everyone within ear-shot. So, Brice was off to daddy’s house by the looks of it, Robert thought.

“Do you realize you could face kidnapping charges for this, Brice?” Robert asked casually, covering his gun with his jacket.

“Screw you. I want my lawyer,” he mumbled face down on the asphalt.

“Brice, I hope you have a permit for that,” Robert said as the deputy pulled the .38 out of Brice’s jacket. “What the hell did you think you were doing, Brice?”

“Sir, this might answer your question.” The deputy handed Robert the gun and document he had pulled from Brice’s jacket.

Robert took only a second to look it over. He shook his head several times.

“Brice, you are a very, very naughty monkey,” Robert said feeling the pressure rise.

Chase was right. If it was not him horning in, there would be others vying for Kate’s land, body, and time.

The document was a marriage license already filled out complete with the date.

Kate was shaking as she settled into the seat of the van. Chase was behind the wheel.

“Are you all right, Katherine?” he asked looking back through the rearview mirror, his jade green eyes showing his concern.

She nodded. Her leg was pretty badly skinned with a severe case of road rash. The wound stung, but not as much as her pride. She had foolishly gone with Brice, making another bad choice with a man.

“You know something, Kate, I don’t think I have ever seen Robert as frantic as he was tonight. I think he is falling in love with you. How do you feel about that?” Ever the one to cut right through it, Chase came right out and asked.

“It would not be a good move for him, I’m sure. He just feels responsible for me right now, that’s all. He could have any woman he wants.”

“You are right, he could have any woman he wants, and personally, I think he wants you. That desire has nothing to do with responsibility and everything to do with the fact he thinks you’re hot. The fact you have a brain is a definite plus, too. For me, brains are optional, not so with Robert. He wants the whole package. And you are the whole package in his eyes, Katherine.”

She smiled. The way he put it made her feel good. It still did not change the fact she was not the woman for Robert.

“Thank you, but I’m bad juju for any man, especially a man like Robert. If he knows what’s good for him, he will look elsewhere.”

“You’re a good kid, Kate, always were. You just need a break, that’s all.”

She needed something, all right. She would agree with that much. How did she feel about the fact Robert could be thinking about her as more than his best friend’s kid sister?

Hopeful, but unlikely.

He was still hung up on Candice. She heard him say so.

“Next time you see your brother, tell him to run the other way.”

Robert sat in the cockpit accompanied by the pilot he always had on retainer. As next in line, the two men were waiting for the control tower to clear their departure, and he was completely and totally focused on getting safely off the ground. The next time he would speak to Kate would be when they got to Carson City. He would deal with her and the situation he now faced once he was back on terra firma. Until then the cockpit door would remain firmly closed.

Back in the main cabin, securely buckled in one of the six captain chairs in the fuselage of the private jet, she wondered why she had bothered to argue Robert’s logic as to why she was even on this plane.

Lord, she imagined it must be a real rush to be right all the damn time, or an awfully heavy burden, one of the two. She could safely say she would never know the truth of it. Her life was not totally cluttered with wrong decisions. She had made many good choices although those wise choices no one seemed to take note. The bad decisions simply overroad them she supposed. Those decisions she had to take ownership of were sometime daunting in their far reaching consequences.

Kate looked out the window not really seeing anything. She did not mind flying even if it was not her preferred method of travel. It was not that she was uncomfortable in the air. She just felt there was so much to see on the road that you missed at thirty-thousand feet. However, given the current state of affairs, this was the quickest means to an end, an end which she was not expecting and an end she was not sure she was totally on board with regardless of how logical it sounded on the surface.

Three hours after being shoved into that van, they touched down at a private airport just outside of Carson City, Nevada, where a nondescript SUV awaited them complete with baggage and two kayaks. Robert guided her to the passenger side, helped her in, and then closed her door before walking around to the driver’s side.

She took a moment to study him as he crossed in front of the hood. Lines of worry furrowed his usually calm brow. She could see his point.

He put the key in the ignition and turned on the motor. Satellite radio filled the interior briefly before he turned it down.

Turning to her, Robert was feeling her need for reassurances. “Kate, I hope you see this is the wisest move for now. It will help to safeguard you and your interests.”

She looked squarely at him trying to divine anything that would show her his motive was something other than sincere.

“And yours. Let’s not forget that piece,” she calmly reminded herself he was not totally being selfless here regardless of how magnanimous it sounded.

“I am irrelevant. You and your safety are the most important things to me right at this moment. I will not do this if you don't want to.”

So much for his motives being jaded, she thought.

“I do, Robert, really. I understand. It has just been so crazy since you called and let me know Kyle was gone.”

He watched her stare off in the distance through the windshield of the SUV.

He squeezed her shoulder gaining her attention again.

“You have been through a lot in a very short time. I just don’t want you to be upset about this.”

All she could do was close her eyes and shake her head. Life was just so upside down. “I’m numb at this point. So whatever you think is best, I will comply with your judgment. However, I have to say, for the record, this is taking the contract to protect me to the edge of logical.”

He smiled. “Let me be the judge of where the edge is, Kate. I do not see this as anything other than standing in the center of logical.”

“I just wish George were here," Kate said absently. "He is the only family I have left.” That was a sad, but true statement.

“I know, babe.” He reached across the console to take her hand and gave it an understanding squeeze. “I promise, as soon as it is safe to move him I will see to it you are together again.”

“Thank you.” She reached across the seat. Pulling his face to her she kissed him on the cheek. "You're a good man, Robert."

That was the last conversation they had for the remainder of the drive to the tiny, three cabin resort located on the northern shore of Lake Tahoe.

She knew money talked and this venture was no exception.

It was way past midnight by the time they made the final turn into the drive of the third cabin located on the backside of the property. Its location ensured total privacy while it also gave them a view of the lake Robert assured her was to die for. She jokingly said she would pass on the view if it were all the same to him.

The necessary parties were all now in place.

“Stay put. I’ll help you out.” He offered as he saw Kate's leg was bothering her.

"I've got this, Robert." Kate tried to protest even as she grimaced.

The look he gave her was a cross between sympathy and i mute request for indulgence. She nodded just before he hopped out and came around to assist her out of the SUV.

 Her leg was banged up from the fall onto the asphalt while escaping Brice. Robert had noted that she had rubbed it most of the way on the drive up to the cabin. The plane trip and subsequent ride from the airport had given it time to stiffen. He knew she would be bruised. When she hit the pavement with Brice just behind her, he had felt the impact, nearly coming unhinged watching through the windshield as Brice tried to attack her.

“Put your arms around my neck,” he softly commanded.

He scooped her up behind the knees, used his booted foot to close the door, and then carried her inside.

“Appropriate don’t you think,” she asked attempting a small smile. All he saw was a dimple.

Setting her down as they entered the main living area she noted the small woman seated at the dining table. The gentleman beside her was wearing a red and black lumberjack flannel shirt to thwart off the cool evening air.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice.” Robert extended his hand to shake the visitor’s. He made the introductions.

“You both are agreeable to this?” the tiny woman asked getting right to the nitty-gritty of this midnight rendezvous.

“Yes,” both she and Robert answered at the same time.

“Then I see no reason to delay unless you would like to freshen up,” the small woman offered noting Kate’s bedraggled appearance.

She hoped she really did not look as bad as she felt.

“Kate?” Robert asked taking her hand.

“No, I’m fine, really. Let’s just get this done.”

“All right, then. Let us proceed.”

Before she knew it, she was agreeing to love, honor, and obey and was looking down at a ring on her left ring finger she remembered seeing on Betty McKinnon’s hand.

It was done.

“You may kiss your bride,” the minister in the lumberjack shirt gave permission for Robert to seal their vows in the time-honored tradition of the bridal kiss. It was the only thing traditional about this whole affair.