by Lorenz Font
“On a mission” was right—she was on a mission to get Greg out of her mind. The sooner they got out of there, the better she’d feel. Once they had stepped out of the restaurant, she broke free from Jeremy’s touch. The blast of icy wind did very little to help her muddled thoughts. Confused at the raging emotions inside her, she let Jeremy talk her into extending their night a bit longer. He led her next door to a café.
The coffee helped. The more caffeine she ingested, the clearer things became. She needed to step away from the situation—keep Greg at arm’s length, fulfill their arrangement, and then walk away.
In the café, the nagging reality hit her. She’d agreed to dinner, coffee, and the concert tomorrow with Jeremy, all just to hide the fact she was hurting. Seeing Greg with Cassandra had made her realize her place in his life. She was nothing but a diversion; an easy lay for him. And here she was, about to make another mistake by leading Jeremy on.
“I can’t go out with you anymore, Jeremy. It isn’t right. I don’t feel the same way, and I’m afraid I’ll end up hurting you.” The words, though spoken with restless energy, were the truth. Feeling a sliver of relief, she took Jeremy’s hand. “I can only be a friend.”
Jeremy watched her with an intense expression, as if he were dissecting the root cause of her sudden declaration. He smiled, despite the sadness that crept into his eyes. “It’s him, isn’t it?”
Sarah nodded. What was the point in lying? “Am I so transparent?”
“Don’t worry about a thing—your secret’s safe with me.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I can be a friend, too.”
Cursing under his breath, Greg phoned Rudy to bring the car around. Cassandra stood beside him on the sidewalk, her arms hooked around his. Come to think of it, he’d achieved what he came here for. She was all over him again. Must be the expensive champagne’s influence, but he was happy with the outcome.
Rudy came and pulled up to the curb.
“After you.” He held the door for her.
Simon nodded to Greg from the front passenger seat and ordered the driver to proceed. The limousine moved forward, and Greg caught sight of Sarah and Jeremy inside the café. Jeremy’s lips mouthed something before he kissed Sarah’s hand. How freakin’ cozy! Greg seethed while the car rolled forward and joined the traffic.
He gritted his teeth in frustration. Raging jealousy consumed him, and Cassandra’s continuous flirtation was driving him mad. The woman was relentless, and each time she rubbed her hand on his arm, the more he realized what an idiot he’d been.
Greg walked her to her townhouse, wishing he could get information through normal means instead of what she had in mind. He would have preferred to ask her outright, but he knew better. Cassandra wouldn’t ever admit to being involved with Cade. Not a chance. She wasn’t the smartest tool in the shed, but the woman’s tenacity couldn’t be faulted. Greg knew she would go to any lengths to get at least half his money in the divorce. He would fight just as hard to keep it out of her greedy hands.
“You’ve been quiet,” Cassandra remarked in the elevator, her hand snaking its way up to the nape of his neck. She nibbled on his ear playfully.
“I’m just tired,” he lied, trying not to squirm under her touch.
“Was that Maria back there in the restaurant?” Cassandra asked when they stepped out the elevator and started walking through the well-lit corridor.
He nodded and bit his tongue to keep himself from lashing out at her. The intended put-down was not lost to him. “Here we are.” They stopped in front of her door.
Cassandra took her sweet time in retrieving her key from her purse. “Why don’t you come in?” she asked, pulling him inside without waiting for his answer. Not bothering to turn on the lights, she leaned in and seized his mouth with hers.
No bells rang and no sparks flew with their kiss, and Greg all but shoved her away. “Cassandra, I don’t think this is a good idea.” He headed for the door.
“The hell it isn’t.” A voice coming from the far end of the room froze him in his tracks.
Chapter 18
Greg pivoted on his heels at the sound of the familiar voice, one he hadn’t heard since Alaska. He took a few steps forward, feeling a burst of anger override his reasoning. An abrupt return to sanity made him hesitate.
A chilling memory of the shooting flashed in his mind. He needed to be careful—Cade had shot him once, and the bastard could do it again. Maybe this time, Greg might not be so lucky. He watched Cassandra backtrack, ready to flee.
“You.” Greg’s tone was low and dripping with antagonism.
“What are you doing here?” Cassandra asked while she inched toward the door.
Cade’s silhouette advanced a few steps, away from the shadows. In the darkened room, the only light streamed in from a lamppost outside, and Greg couldn’t see much. He had no idea if Cade was armed, so he decided it was best for him to stay where he was.
Unlike before, when Cade had caught him by surprise, Greg was on his guard and wouldn’t be blindsided. His eyes darted left to right while he planned his next step and where to take cover in case the situation got ugly. By the looks of things, it would.
“What kind of question is that, Cassie baby? Aren’t you happy to see me?” Cade drawled. He stayed where he was, concealed from what little light there was in the room.
“I … I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her stammered answer cemented Greg’s belief in her guilt. Those two were indeed involved.
Under different circumstances, Greg would’ve rolled his eyes and given Cassandra a standing ovation for her close-to-perfect acting.
“C’mon, baby—didn’t you miss me? It’s been a long time since we last saw each other. I’m sure you didn’t think I’d be able to stay away for very long.”
Greg measured the distance between him and Cade. He would have to cover about ten feet to get to him. If he were to lunge forward, Greg might catch the bastard by surprise, but with the array of furniture and his bad legs, there was a good chance he’d miss. He could end up getting hurt, or even dead.
He decided to settle into the role of spectator for the time being, watching Cade’s silhouette and Cassandra’s movement from the corner of his eye.
“Cade, if you’re here looking for trouble, please leave us alone. You’ve caused enough damage already,” Cassandra pleaded while she continued to inch back toward the door.
“If I were you, Cassie baby, I’d stay put, because I won’t hesitate to take you down with Greg. And don’t even act like you have no idea what’s going on. You’re in this just as deep as I am. So cut the bullshit and come to me.” Cade’s voice turned low and dangerous. “Come on now, sweetheart. Come and give me a kiss.”
Cassandra hesitated and started sobbing. Greg found himself torn between pity and fury. He felt sorry for her, and yet he wanted a chance to wring her neck before she got away.
“Cade, you don’t understand,” she wailed. “Greg and I are going to work on our relationship. This is all a mistake. Let’s talk about this.”
Her tears may have been a ploy to soften Cade, but they just seemed to aggravate him even more. He stepped out of the shadows, walking forward with guarded steps. Greg studied his movements, taking particular note of the gun tucked into Cade’s waistband. A faint glow of light touched Cade’s face, and his mouth twitched into a wicked smile. His eyes were sharp and calculating, and his shoulders were rigid with tension.
“Come here, you bitch. I’m gone for a few months, and you’re already moving back into his bed?” The accusation, despite its venom, was also laced with hurt. When Cassandra stayed glued to her spot, Cade shouted. “Come here now!”
As if she’d been struck by lightning, Cassandra jumped. She ran to Cade like an obedient—but scared—child.
“Cade, please, please, don’t hurt me,” she cried, hesitating a few feet from him. He reached over and grabbed a handful of her blond locks and yanked her to him. Her cries tore at
Greg’s heart, despite the anger he felt toward her.
Greg thought the distraction provided a good opportunity to make his move, but Cade seemed to have read his mind and glanced his way. “I think your wife likes to be kissed like this,” he sneered before planting a savage kiss on Cassandra’s lips.
No matter how he hated her, Greg flinched at the punishing treatment Cade gave her. Helpless to intervene, he watched Cassandra struggle against Cade’s mouth. Damn—as long as Cade was armed, he was left without any options. Greg clenched and unclenched his fists, hating his inability to fight back.
After the long, drawn-out display, Cade lifted his head with a smirk of satisfaction and focused once more on Greg. “So you found a way to stay alive, my friend.” He laughed.
Greg had to think fast. They’d been talking quite long enough. He kept his voice even. “Ah yes. I refuse to die, my friend.”
“I wish you would so Cassandra can take your money and we can go on our merry way. You have a knack for taking everything I want.” Cade’s eyes flashed with pure loathing.
“If you want money, you have to work for it.”
Greg’s reply brought Cade’s fury to the surface. He pulled out the gun from his waistband and aimed it in Greg’s direction.
Cassandra gasped and covered her ears. “Stop it, Cade!” She tried to move away, but Cade’s arm was a steel band around her waist.
Cade wasn’t listening to her. His entire focus was on Greg. “You talk like you worked so hard for your wealth. If it weren’t for your father, you wouldn’t be so high-and-mighty. And come to think of it, that Indian whore is staying with you for the money, isn’t she?”
Greg considered himself a levelheaded man who seldom acted on impulse, but hearing such an offensive label applied to Sarah triggered something feral in him. In an instant, he lunged forward, aiming to bring Cade down. He wanted to settle this once and for all.
Greg’s action prompted an immediate response from Cade. He stepped back and pulled the trigger without hesitation. Dodging the bullet, Greg missed his mark and landed on the floor chest first. Cassandra’s scream filled the room, and Greg struggled to his feet.
His chest burned from the impact with the hardwood floor, yet his instincts made him move faster. Ignoring the pain, Greg scrambled toward the nearest sofa for cover. Not an ideal hiding place, but it would have to do.
Cade aimed the gun again before Greg could get clear, but when he fired the next shot, Cassandra pulled at his wrist. The bullet went wide, missing its target and hitting the sofa instead.
Muttering an oath, Cade struck her in the head with the butt of the gun and added a hard slap across her face. “You made me miss, you stupid bitch.” His tone was one of a man possessed by inner demons, one hundred percent focused on completing his mission.
Cassandra ended up unconscious in a heap of limbs on the floor, and Greg realized his chances of getting out alive were growing slimmer by the second. His mind raced while he tried to move away from Cade—the sofa wasn’t going to protect him from gunfire.
Footsteps advanced, and another shot rang out. Greg only had a brief moment to register Cade’s wild eyes looking down at him before he felt pain radiating in his lower limb. He’d been hit. His eyes traveled down to his injured leg and tried to assess his situation. The darkness made it difficult to discern the damage, but he knew he’d been struck in his right thigh. Greg cried out, feeling the same pain and experiencing the same fear he’d endured in Alaska.
With nothing he could use to fight back, he clutched at his thigh and tried to crawl away on what was now his “good” leg. Greg felt blood gushing from the wound, and more strength seeped out of him with every passing moment. He refused to die now, no matter how loud Death knocked on his door. If the Reaper did manage to claim him right here and now, his one regret would be not telling Sarah how he felt about her.
“I think this time I’ll make sure you’re dead.” Cade’s maniacal laugh rang out, and he walked closer, his footsteps pounding against the hardwood floor with every step.
Despite the pain every movement elicited, Greg turned his body around to meet Cade’s gaze with determined resolve. If he were to die, it wouldn’t be running away like a coward. The other man’s expression held no remorse, no pity, and no awareness—just pure hatred.
“Why do you hate me so much?” Greg asked through gritted teeth. The question had been nagging at him since Cade’s first attack.
His former best friend smirked and pointed the gun at his head. “I don’t hate you. I just don’t like people who get have everything just handed to them. Money, women—”
Without warning, the door blasted open, and a shot rang out. Cade fell face-first onto the floor, blood oozing from his head. Silence fell around them before Greg could even comprehend what had just happened. His vision blurred, and the next thing he knew, Simon was kneeling next to him, his expression grim.
The sound of sirens blared all around him, and everything moved in slow motion.
“Greg, buddy, how are you doing?” Simon searched his face before turning his attention to Greg’s injured leg. “Damn it! I knew something was wrong when you didn’t return right away. I shouldn’t have listened to you and come sooner.”
“Simon, I’m fine. Check on Cassandra.” Unbearable pain shot through his Greg’s leg, and he bit his lip hard to keep from crying out. Distant sounds of footsteps echoed, and he became aware of voices from people gathering outside the apartment.
“No.” Simon had already started moving, cursing under his breath all the while. He removed his belt and cinched the leather on Greg’s thigh with deft motions.
When the binding tightened around his leg, Greg cried in agony. He closed his eyes while the excruciating pain shot through his system like adrenaline. Nausea gripped him, but he opened his eyes and tried to lift his head to look at Cade’s motionless body. His head started to spin, and blackness soon swallowed him with an overwhelming, sick familiarity.
Sarah let herself into the darkened penthouse a little before midnight. There was no telling if Greg had made it home yet, but she doubted it. From the look of things, Greg had been enjoying himself with his wife. They must have gone somewhere and—.
She reined her mind and pushed the vision away. She couldn’t go there. Even so, nothing could stop the little voice from asking, You think they’re not doing what you’re afraid they are, Sarah? You want Greg for yourself, don’t you? She wanted to shout her denial, but who was she kidding? The answer had been staring her in the face all along. As much as she’d tried to curb her feelings for Greg, her heart had refused to listen. She’d fallen in love with him.
Sarah tiptoed to her bedroom, making as little noise as possible so as not to wake the whole household. The thing she needed was Matilda’s maternal questioning or another lecture on what a proper lady should do and why she shouldn’t stay out late with a man she didn’t know well.
Had Matilda meant to refer to Greg, too? Because sure as the sky was blue, Sarah didn’t know the guy at all. No matter how much she made herself believe she did, she had no idea what the man was capable of. This evening had left her with so many unanswered questions. Why go out with the woman he’d sworn had broken his heart? Why had he made that large contribution to her tribe? She was certain it had been him—she just hadn’t found the chance to confront him about it yet. Why had he gone to such extremes to pull her out of her life in Los Angeles?
As much as she wanted to believe Greg’s assurances, Sarah had a nagging feeling that he was keeping something from her. She’d been living at his house, eating his food, using his provisions, and attending a prestigious medical school with his generous funding. Her acceptance of his proposal had been based solely on the information he had given her. It was her understanding that she would repay him by helping to find answers for his recurrent medical problems that stemmed from her radical blood transfusion and the surgery she’d performed on him.
It had been close to four m
onths, and not once had she been summoned to answer questions from his doctor. She wasn’t as stupid as Greg appeared to think. There was a hidden agenda behind their arrangement, and she’d be damned if she didn’t get to the bottom of things soon.
Removing her clothes, Sarah tossed them into the hamper, grabbed her robe from the closet, and proceeded into the bathroom. She adjusted the water temperature before pulling her hair from its tie. Working her fingers through the tangled strands, she looked at herself long and hard in the mirror.
What had she become? Was she just a rebellious daughter trying to prove herself to the world, as her father had said? Thinking back, if it hadn’t been for Greg, she wouldn’t have been able to stand on her own two feet. Shame crept in when the realization hit her.
Greg’s father had called her a gold digger. The words stung because they held some truth. She had been using him all along. She’d used his generosity to advance in a society that seemed to find her odd and different.
Maybe her father had been right. She should’ve just stayed in Beaver.
Sarah glanced over her shoulder and found the water in the tub had reached a good level. She dipped her toe in, testing the temperature. The water’s warmth invited her in, and she lowered her body into the tub, hoping a long soak would relax her aching muscles. She let her head rest at the edge of the claw foot tub and closed her eyes.
For the next hour, Sarah soaked in the water and let her mind wander. Jeremy had been gracious enough to accept her poor excuse for her selfish behavior. Before they’d parted, she had made it clear to him that they could only ever be friends.
Her heart already belonged to someone else, and she was just not capable of reciprocating Jeremy’s feelings. It was a good thing that he’d taken her explanation like the gentleman he was, accepting her apology with grace.
At least she had taken care of the issue before it could become a full-fledged problem. Leading Jeremy on would have been a big mistake, which could have blown up in her face. Sarah felt a bit better with that matter resolved, but she still had issues she needed to discuss with Greg. Once and for all, she’d find out the truth, and she would do it tonight.