No Holding Back

by Lori Foster

  Very slowly, Sterling turned her head to stare in amazement at this particularly chatty sibling. “Maybe I should shoot him instead?”

  “Well, as to that...” Grinning, Madison caught her hair in a fist to keep it from blowing in her face. “We’re all pretty good at anticipating that sort of thing, too. Which makes it really curious that Cade allowed himself to be shot. Did you see how it happened?”

  Sterling snapped her mouth shut and looked away. If Cade wanted to explain to his sister, then he could. Right now, she wanted to concentrate on ignoring the girl so she’d go away.

  Turning to lean her back on the rail, Madison wrapped her arms around herself. “It’s chilly out here.”

  “Feels good.” Damn it, she hadn’t meant to reply.

  “Cade will be fine, you know. He’s probably busy trying to order Dad around, and that never goes well. Neither of them seems to realize it, but they’re just too much alike to always get along. Dad isn’t a dummy, though. He’ll see the situation for what it is and then it’ll be fine.”

  Sterling wondered if her eyes had crossed yet. Had she really thought this sibling wasn’t provoking? Unable to ignore everything Madison had just said, she gave up. “What, exactly, is that supposed to mean?”

  “Dad knows when to cut his losses. He won’t like it, but Cade brought you home, so he’s obviously going to get his way.”

  “He didn’t bring me home.” Did Madison consider her a stray mutt, too? “He needed me to drive him here because he had a bullet in his chest.”

  “Oh, please. Cade could have driven—or even removed the bullet himself. He defines tough guy, you know.”

  Yeah, she did kind of know it.

  Madison leaned closer, as if in confidence. “Personally, I think he saw it as a good excuse to push his own agenda.”

  “His agenda?”

  Madison nudged her again. “You.”

  Bernard tapped at the doors, then stuck his head out. “I have food prepared, if you’d like to return to the kitchen now.”

  Before Sterling could decide what she wanted to do, Madison linked her arm through hers and pulled her along. “Thank you, Bernard. I’m suddenly famished.”

  Indulging her own whisper, Sterling asked, “Is he a butler?”

  “Bernard? Oh, he’s pretty much everything.” Then louder, Madison added, “You take excellent care of us, don’t you, Bernard?”

  “I try.”

  And...that told Sterling nothing.

  The only upside was finding Cade in the kitchen when she got there. His hair was wet and finger-combed back, he wore a clean dark T-shirt and fresh jeans, socks but no shoes, and in no way did he look like an injured man.

  His gaze searched hers as she strode in, then moved to his sister with silent question.

  Madison released her, saying, “We were just enjoying the view.”

  “Can’t see much at night,” Reyes pointed out.

  Sterling shot back, “A black void is still more pleasant than you.”

  His mouth twitched. Then he said to Cade, “I like her.”

  Throwing up her hands, Sterling decided to stop wasting her time on that particular annoying brother so she could concentrate on Cade. Stopping before him, she took in the visible edges of a square white bandage at the base of his throat.

  Maybe that’s why her voice emerged all soft and feminine when she asked, “Are you okay?”

  Enfolding her in his arms, Cade drew her close and asked, “Were you worrying about me? I told you I was fine.”

  Carefully, Sterling rested her cheek against his shoulder. Knowing for a fact that he was okay, seeing him hale and hearty, left her legs weak with relief. “I’ve never had to worry about anyone before.”

  “Baloney,” he replied. “You worry about everyone.”

  Interrupting their moment, Reyes said, “You can stop worrying about Adela. That conniver is not a victim. In fact, from what I saw, she might be helping to run the show.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CADE WANTED TO hear all about Adela and his brother’s impressions, but a few other things took priority. Giving Star one last hug, he urged her to a chair.

  Bernard had “thrown together” one of his incredible pasta dishes, and Cade wanted her to eat before she got more distracted.

  Taking the seat next to her, he asked, “What do you want to drink?”

  She stared at the angel-hair pasta smothered in a cream sauce that Bernard had pulled from his private stash for just such an occasion.

  Bernard said, “I suggest sauvignon blanc—”

  “Got a cola?” she asked instead, interrupting him. “Anything from a can is fine.”

  Smiling, Cade glanced at his family, daring them to say anything derogatory. “I’ll have the same.”

  “I, as well,” Madison said.

  God bless his sister. Cade gave her a grateful smile.

  Parrish said, “Pour me a glass, please,” and took his seat at the head of the table.

  Grinning, Reyes looked from one to the other. “Damn, this is fun. Guess as long as we’re going with variety, I’ll take a beer.”

  Appalled, Bernard stared at him. “With my pasta?”

  “Yeah, but you’re not the one driving me to drink, so don’t sweat it.”

  Cade gave him a warning look, but Star smiled sweetly.

  Once everyone was served, Bernard fixed his own plate and sat to Parrish’s right. It was unusual for him to do so, but being unaware of the family dynamics, Star didn’t seem to think anything of it.

  No doubt about it, Bernard was curious about Star, and with good reason. Cade had never brought a woman home before. There were rules against such things, and he’d just crashed through them all.

  Taking a bite of the pasta, Star gave a low groan that had each man staring at her. “Oh, Bernard.” Another groan. “This is amazing.”

  Bernard actually flushed. “Thank you.”

  Pointing her fork at Reyes, she said, “So spill it. What do you know about Adela?”

  That sounded so much like an order that Reyes took his time replying, and not with an answer but another question. “You’re not surprised that she might be in cahoots with Mattox?”

  “Nope, but I’d like details.”

  “We already suspected her,” Cade explained.

  “But naturally you rushed ahead anyway.” Parrish made no bones about his disapproval.

  “Hey, that was my fault.” While twirling more pasta around her fork, Star said, “She contacted me, so I felt I had to be certain. Even tonight, it wasn’t one hundred percent clear if she was a victim or helping to set a trap. And it was a trap, big-time. Dudes swarmed out of everywhere. I lost count. Six, maybe seven.”

  “Eight total,” Reyes said, and Cade could see he was starting to relax. How could he not with Star being so casual?

  “Night-vision goggles?” she asked. “Awesome. I need some of those.”

  “They come in handy,” Reyes agreed. “I take it you couldn’t see much?”

  “Not in that darkness. Anything away from the headlight beam was more shadow than anything else.”

  “Yet you seemed to know when someone was moving in.”

  She shrugged. “Just sensed the movement, you know? Or heard a small sound.”

  “So astute,” Madison enthused. “Dad, isn’t she amazing?”

  “Don’t answer that,” Star dared to order Parrish, then said to Madison, “I’m as far from amazing as a person can get, so don’t fool yourself. I completely dicked up tonight. If it weren’t for Cade—and actually, you, too, Reyes—I’d have been toast.”

  “You’d have been in Mattox’s capture,” Parrish stated with blunt insistence.

  “Yup.” She gave an exaggerated shudder. “Not a place I want to be, so gratitude all around, guys. Thanks
for saving my bacon. And, Cade, seriously, I am so damn sorry you got hurt.”

  Everyone fell silent again. Cade knew she wasn’t what any of them had expected.

  She was better. More refreshing.

  Pride, that’s what he felt. Star handled his family with more ease than he’d expected, mostly by just being her usual candid self.

  Reyes raised a brow at Cade. “She must have been hangry before. She’s much more agreeable now that she’s fed her face.”

  “Food is always good,” Star agreed with a wink at Bernard. “Especially when it’s this delicious.”

  Heat crawled up Bernard’s neck. “Again, thank you.”

  “And you,” she said, playfully growling at Reyes. “You do like to push those buttons, don’t you? I considered punching you in your face, but your sister warned me against it.” She smirked. “Considered just shooting you, too, but Cade might not like that. For some reason I can’t figure out, he seems fond of you.”

  Reyes burst out laughing, earning a look of censure from Parrish, which he pretended not to see. “You want to spar sometime, lady, just let me know. You’re welcome to my gym any day.”

  “I might take you up on that.” Plate empty, Star pushed it back. “But I’ll wait until my leg and finger have completely healed. Now, enough of the pleasantries. Tell me what you saw with Adela before she decides to call me again. I need to know how to handle things.”

  Slumping comfortably into his seat, Reyes held his beer loosely in one hand. “Adela and some other guy got out at an empty lot. Mattox was there. I assumed they were going to meet up with anyone else who’d been able to crawl away.”

  “I left them bound,” Cade said. “Unless someone releases them, they’ll be there awhile.”

  Parrish looked up from his plate. “You didn’t kill them?”

  Deadpan, Cade said, “You tend to frown over random murders that you haven’t sanctioned. And at that point, I didn’t know I’d be bringing Star back here.”

  “He was trying to tiptoe around the rules,” Reyes offered. “Not all in, but not out, either.”

  Eyes wide, Star looked from father to son and back again. “Wish someone had told me the options. I wouldn’t have had a problem sending a few of them to hell.”

  Realizing that he’d said so much, Parrish scowled. “This conversation didn’t happen.”

  Star pretended to lock her lips and toss away a key.

  Her antics had Reyes chuckling again. “No worries about anyone left behind. Mattox used the phone, so I assume he sent a lackey or two back for his men. If someone else finds them, it’s not a worry. They won’t say anything about us being there because that’d just expose their own agenda.” He turned his attention to Star. “Your little victim gave Mattox hell.”

  “Seriously?” Star leaned forward, her arms crossed on the table. “You couldn’t have misunderstood?”

  “I know a female temper when I see it,” he assured her. “Adela jabbed him in the chest, her mouth going the whole time. Mattox argued back, but she didn’t look afraid. Mostly it looked like a lovers’ quarrel.”

  “Euewww.” Revulsion twisted Star’s mouth. “Knowing what a disgusting ape Mattox is, I don’t want to imagine that. It’s too gross, but I suppose anything is possible. She did seem determined to hang back at Misfits, even though I could have gotten her out of there. And after that, when she claimed to want help escaping, she insisted that I come alone. You’d think she’d welcome an army, right? More rescuers would up her chances of getting away.”

  “If you knew all that,” Parrish said, “then why did you go?”

  “Because Mattox could have been forcing her.” She shrugged. “You know he controls women, and most would do whatever he said to avoid the consequences.”

  “True enough.” Reyes turned to Cade. “I followed them to another house. We can fetch her easily enough if that’s what you want to do.”

  “Just like that?” Star asked.

  “When we formulate an actual plan together, we’re more successful than not,” Reyes said.

  Cade stroked her arm. “One of us could grab her while the other gives cover.”

  “And I can figure out the best time for it,” Madison offered. “If Adela isn’t under lock and key, it could be even easier. I’ll sort that out.”

  “Not saying it’d be a piece of cake,” Cade clarified, “but we can do it.”

  “With proper surveillance followed by careful planning,” Parrish insisted. “Not this...” He flagged a hand at her. “Running off half-cocked business, like what happened tonight.”

  “Got it, but I don’t think we should do that,” Star said, thinking out loud. “With the extra info Reyes got, this could be a good opportunity to get all the players. Adela still thinks I consider her a victim, so it should be easy enough to set her up.”

  Overruling that idea, Cade shook his head. “Once we have her, we can question her.”

  “And she may or may not confide in us, right?” Star argued. “But if we use me as bait—”

  Every muscle on his body clenched. “No.”

  Reyes, Parrish, Madison and Bernard all went still at his uncompromising tone.

  Undaunted, Star continued as if he hadn’t refused. “I can pretend to let her capture me, with you guys all keeping track.”

  The hairs on Cade’s nape stood on end. “No.”

  “You were all just boasting about your skill. Well, just think, we could uncover Mattox’s whole operation.”

  Shoving back his chair, Cade rose to his feet to tower over her. “I said no.”

  Parrish sent him a look of disapproval for the outburst. “It’s actually a sound plan.”

  “The hell it is,” Cade shot back. “You know what could happen to her.”

  Slowly, Star stood to face him. “I’m aware of the risks. I’m also aware of the rewards.”

  “We’ll come up with a different plan,” Cade said with finality.

  Trying to break the tension, Madison smiled. “And this time, we’ll all work on it together.”

  * * *

  STERLING LOOKED AROUND the suite of rooms with dread. Even this, Cade’s private section of the mansion, was nicer than anything she’d ever known. Way more upscale than her cheap apartment—an apartment she actually liked and, until now, had thought was pretty spiffy. She should have headed home after dinner instead of letting them all bulldoze her into staying over.

  Madison had acted like it was a done deal.

  Reyes had told her not to be dumb.

  Parrish had insisted, with a stiff smile, that she was welcome.

  Even Bernard had promised an amazing breakfast in the morning.

  But Cade was the deciding factor, saying it was her decision—and if she left, he’d go with her.

  Tough as he might be, getting jostled along mountain roads wouldn’t be good for him. How could she put him through that with her stubbornness? So here she was, looking around in amazement at his sitting room, kitchenette and bedroom.

  The ceilings were high, tall windows everywhere, and it all looked like a designer’s dream, like something she’d see in a magazine of the rich and famous.

  “Bathroom is right through here,” Cade prompted, opening a door to an opulently decorated retreat.

  Smooth stone covered the floor and the walls of the shower, a vessel sink topped a carved but masculine cabinet, and a lit mirror and heated towel shelves polished off the decor.

  “Wow.”

  He came to her, looping his arms around her waist. “Why don’t you shower? I’ll give those bloody clothes to Bernard to wash.”

  Appalled with that idea, she pushed him back. “Not happening.”

  “Bernard wouldn’t mind.”

  “I mind.” She looked around again. “I’ll wash my shirt in the sink and hang it in the shower
to dry.”

  A quiet knock on the entry door had them both looking that way. Madison stuck her head in and searched the couch and kitchenette before spotting them in the bedroom, then smiled. “Oh, good, I was afraid I might be...interrupting.”

  “And you opened the door anyway?” Cade teased. He released Sterling from his embrace but kept his arm around her waist as he led her into the sitting room. “We were just discussing Star’s clothes.”

  “Then I have perfect timing.” Madison held out a stack of shirts, a pair of loose cotton pants, a blow-dryer, a round brush and a bottle of lotion. “I noticed when she got rid of the vest that she could use a change of clothes.”

  Looking down at her shirt, Sterling groaned. “I’d forgotten about that jerk bleeding all over me or I’d have...figured out something before dinner.” No idea what she could have done, but she scowled up at Cade anyway. “You let me sit at that table with your family looking like this. Why didn’t you remind me?”

  “Because no one cared.”

  “But...at dinner?” She wasn’t stupid. She knew his family understood decorum better than she did, but even she knew you didn’t share a meal with polite company while wearing some cretin’s nose blood on your shirt. Her cheeks actually went hot with embarrassment.

  Cade ran a hand over her head. “Bloody shirt or not, I wanted you to eat, relax and get to know everyone.”

  “And that’s what we did,” Madison said happily. “So mission accomplished.”

  Yeah, she’d tried. For the most part, she’d managed to get along, too. That is, until Cade blew up about her excellent plan—a plan she hadn’t yet given up on. It would work; she believed that.

  And the important thing was to stop Mattox once and for all.

  “The shirts are stretchy,” Madison was saying, “so they should fit okay. We’re both tall, but I’m skinnier than you, so I grabbed cotton drawstring pants instead of jeans.”

  There was nothing skinny about Madison McKenzie. Cade’s sister had a tall, willowy body with gentle curves that Sterling thought was far more appealing than her own sturdy figure.

  “I figured you could sleep in one of Cade’s shirts.” Grinning at him, Madison added, “Didn’t think you would mind.”