David had understood her fears and never suggested anything remotely involving sea crafts, until now. She wondered if perhaps this was his way of punishing her. He had insisted she needed to face her fears—she was a grown woman after all, and it was time to put the past to rest—as he must now do with Abby. David had told her he didn't blame her anymore for Abby's death.
Casey hung her head in dismay. David had spent so much time screaming at her, telling her that what happened had been her fault. She had wept, telling him it had been a horrible accident. She had begged his forgiveness. But David had been enraged. She knew the hurtful words he slammed at her were stemming from his terrible anguish.
Then, when David had screamed into her ashen, horrified face it should have been her who had died and not his beautiful baby girl, Casey had turned stiffly, headed for the stairs and their room, and started packing. Even though the house was hers, she felt she would leave and stay at her cottage in the Mediterranean, her private getaway she had always used when things had been hard. She was already in such pain she couldn't bear anymore of David's hurtful, hateful words. Her devastation was impaling.
Casey's tears had dripped steadily from her eyes as she had thrown items blindly into a suitcase. Once it was full, she sat herself on the bed and covered her face with her trembling hands. Her heart was broken. Abby was dead and now she was losing her husband. He was the only family she had left. The pain in her breast was unbearable.
It had been a surprise when David had sat down beside her; she felt the bed dip and her shoulders tightened apprehensively, preparing for his anguished accusations to assault her again. He was sobbing, his head remained bowed. Instead of expressing his anger, he had gathered her shaking form to his chest, pulling her close, almost desperately, holding onto her so tightly she could scarcely draw a breath.
“I'm sorry, Casey. Please, sweetheart, I am so sorry. I don't want to lose you, too,” David had wept, and his tremors shook the both of them with their fierce pain of emotional release.
He cried into her shoulder, his tears wetting her flesh through the fabric of her blouse. He seemed so broken; she couldn't stand his agony.
Lovingly, she had wrapped her arms around him, and they had cried together over their staggering loss, rocking together while expressing their anguish.
Though it had seemed a lifetime ago, it had only been two months since Abby had passed. Casey had promised him she would stay, her hands stroking his shuddering back, trying to calm him, wanting to ease his unbearable hurt. She would have promised him anything if she could just remove the agony from his tortured eyes.
Afterwards David had been distant, but not unkind to her over the last few weeks. They had stopped sleeping together—David had insisted he needed more time. Casey knew it would take time for him to heal; hopefully he would. Hopefully she would. Whenever she found him glaring at her she would dismiss it, telling herself he was still just upset. Things would get better. Casey had told him they could have a child of their own, yet the outraged, seething anger he had exhibited told her now was not the time, and she refrained from again bringing the subject up.
“You should be careful.”
Casey jumped, startled out of her deep thoughts at the cold, hard voice that invaded her distraught feelings. She turned, and with dismay noted it was the tall, dark-haired man again. Quickly, she wiped the tears from her grief-stricken eyes.
“Careful of what?” Casey demanded, leaning back and gazing up into his tanned face. She took a deep breath and decided she was not going to let this man intimidate her. He had no right to invade her thoughts; she wasn't bothering anyone.
“Drinking too much and then leaning over the rail. You might fall in,” the man said casually.
“How do you know what I've been drinking?” Casey inquired a bit heatedly.
“I was watching you.”
Her eyes narrowed on him. “So what are you, some kind of guardian angel?” Casey demanded, annoyed. This cruise was getting worse by the minute. She wished David were here; he would make this disturbing man go away and leave her alone.
“Oh, I'm no guardian angel.”
Casey felt her spine tingle when he grinned down at her. She crept backwards slowly as the man moved forwards. She tried to shrug off an eerie feeling she was being stalked by a predator as he approached. The man moved silently, like a ghost through a thick, hazy fog. The grin did not reach his devious eyes, eyes that were now looking at her in a sinister, merciless fashion.
“Who are you?” Casey whispered up at him. Her back pressed into the railing and Casey's apprehension mounted as he placed a hand on either side of her, barring her escape.
"Wolf," the man replied on a softly expelled puff of air.
Casey swallowed hard as her breath quickened. She placed her hands onto his shirt, clutching tightly to him as he pressed her slowly backwards, leaning her over the cold metal rail. The wind whipped her hair about her slender form, reminding her of the carefree seagull and its haphazard destination. Only Casey couldn't fly, and she didn't want to die at sea all alone.
Whimpering, she looked into the dark churning water far below and her body shook with great spasms. Her eyes rose frantically to his as she tightened her grip onto his clothing. Her chest pressed against him firmly, clinging to him for her very life. Her fear began to overwhelm her and from their close proximity, she was certain he could feel her heart pounding within her breast.
“Please,” she wept softly up at him, “what do you want?”
"You!"
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Chapter Two
* * * *
Casey stared, horrified, into the man's cruel expression. She realized he was about to kill her. If she fell overboard no one would notice until the ship docked. Until David inquired about her. She had been drinking; the waitress would confirm that, everyone would assume she had gotten careless. No one would be the wiser; she was on board all alone. David would then have another tragic loss to cope with. What if he somehow thought this to be his fault?
This would push her grieving husband over the edge. Especially since it was his idea she was to take a cruise and have time for herself, time for her to face her fears and resolve her issues. David would be absolutely devastated; his emotions were too fragile. Her poor husband had suffered enough. She could not, would not allow that to happen, she loved him too much.
With sudden determination, Casey brought up a hard, vicious knee between the man Wolf's legs. He groaned in agony and surprise. He slumped forwards, his hands falling from the deck railing, releasing her to grasp at his aching appendage. Casey gave him a good shove. Her action barely moved the huge man a step back. He made a lame effort to stop her retreat, but she elbowed him in the belly, hard, drawing a severe intake of breath from him, and then stomped fiercely on his foot. She ducked beneath his arms and ran for safety.
Casey flew on terrified feet, pounding down the corridors until she came to her cabin. She fumbled momentarily with the lock, her wrist and hand shaking; finally with success she threw open the door then slammed it behind her. After snapping the lock into place, she shoved a chair up under the door handle. Casey then stood shaking. She was petrified!
What was she to do? Call the captain, a steward? Perching warily on the edge of her bed, Casey tried to calm her erratic breathing. What would she tell them...a man had told her he wanted her? Lots of men had told her that. He hadn't actually said he meant her any harm. She began rocking her body back and forth slowly, her arms pressed protectively to her chest. A fast tear fell and she swiped at it, refusing to give in to hysterics. Perhaps she could call David. Casey realized, distressed, he was not at home. He had gone on his own retreat to a secluded place with a bunch of his buddies, claiming his own need for solitude. She would not be able to contact him until she docked at home.
Hearing a small sound, Casey listened keenly and rose . She thought she heard movement outside her door. Was it him?
Creeping forward, her heart thumping within her breast, ever so gently she put her ear to the door, trying to still her own erratic heartbeat. She heard nothing.
Still shaking, Casey raced from the door to turn on every light in her cabin and curled up on a corner of the bed, her back pressed solidly against the headboard, terrified her door might slam open at any moment. Vacating the bed once more, she struggled with a piece of heavy furniture to pull in front of the doorway, and then placed the chair on top, hoping the extra weight would offer a deterrence.
Her breath coming in gasps, she backed away and once more crept upon her bed. Her arms curled round her drawn legs, hugging herself. That man had wanted her dead! She was certain, feeling dumbfounded by the idea. The entire concept was utterly ludicrous. She hadn't been imagining it, she was positive. But why? She knew she had never met him. She would have remembered meeting someone like him before, his was not a face or physique to go unnoticed. Perhaps he was simply insane. Perhaps he had just boarded, and seeing her alone he decided to play out a sick fantasy. That must be it; it was the only logical explanation.
“David,” she whispered softly, her pathetic plea sounding forlorn to her ears. Once more her eyes began to tear, but she refused to let them fall. She wanted to go home. This cruise had been a horrendous mistake. They would be docking in the morning at a small island. Perhaps she could charter a flight and head for home. Thinking this would be the best recourse, Casey pulled a blanket up to her chin, still rocked to the core from the encounter. Emotionally and mentally exhausted, it was a long time before she slept.
Wolf was furious with himself. He had never let an opportunity slip through his fingers. Why had he hesitated? He had the girl within his grasp, no one had been about. It was a perfect opportunity; she had been completely at his mercy.
Damn!
Wolf had been watching Casey throughout dinner; she had been oblivious to him and everyone else. He had seen her pick at her meal and down three drinks. Hours had passed as she stared despondently into space. Curiously, he had watched her tears fall. They were not for show. No one else had been near her, the stress she was feeling about something was apparent.
Wolf was very in tune to his inner feelings. Something about this deal was amiss. He knew for certain the child was dead. He was no novice, he had confirmed this fact for himself, and as the father said, it had been declared an accident, and though a suspicion had been raised, the woman had gotten away with it. The father's grief had been very real; his devastation was not an act. David's hatred and anger towards the woman were also real.
Wolf had caught the woman twice unaware. She had not seen his approach. Smiling a bit smugly, Wolf reasoned not many did. If she really was a cold-blooded killer she should have been on her guard. Not acting like a seeming innocent. Perhaps it had been all just an act...a very good one. David had gone into elaborate detail about her astute ability to lie. She had certainly surprised him with her cunning and perhaps fortuitous luck at turning the tables on him.
Wolf preferred to stalk his victims and then move in and out without any preamble. He was quick and precise when he killed, never giving in to elapsed time. He preferred they never saw it coming, he preferred they never saw him coming. But he could not get the picture of the smiling young cherub out of his mind. The child had been so innocent and defenseless. What a tragedy to lose such a beautiful little girl.
The enraged look of the woman in the picture who had killed her flashed into his mind. He had wanted the woman to experience fear as the child had. He had seen the woman's fear. He could smell it. Surprisingly her terror had suddenly turned to determination. His groin still throbbed; a small red mark adorned his upper mid-section.
Angrily, Wolf paced his cabin. The woman would be wary now. She would run; she would try to hide from him when they next docked. She would know he was no helpless cherub who would succumb to an assault by her. Once they stopped she would bolt as fast and as far away as she could. He couldn't allow that. He was under contract. No one had ever escaped him, none could.
Wolf sat down in an overstuffed easy chair to ponder the situation with half a glass of wine, all that he ever allowed himself during the day or night. He preferred to stay sharp. He determined he would get the woman and fulfill his contract. He would once more have her helpless within his grasp and make her pay for her heinous crime. He would then make her pay for his own pain.
Casey boarded the large yacht with relief. The men were busy with the sails and she observed a young, dark, pretty woman flirting with a man who asked her if she wanted to help him. The young woman smiled as he took the taut rope and her slender hands between his own. It was a tourist vessel that would take fifty or so passengers sightseeing for dolphins. It would also be docking in a few hours at another larger island where she could charter a plane for home.
Casey had arrived early and watched as the other passengers boarded. She was on guard for one man in particular. She had been watching for the man, Wolf, as she had left the cruise ship, not wanting to be followed. She was positive she hadn't been. It was with great relief the vessel had set sail and they were off, drifting slowly, then picking up speed as they engaged open waters.
The waves were choppy and the boat was not as steady as the ocean liner had been. The water sometimes crashed into the bow or stern, knocking the boat, making the people around her titter nervously. Casey made certain to keep other people within her sight at all times. A tiny woman came forward with a full tray and offered her a small hors d'oeuvre, though she declined with a slight grimace. Her tummy rolled with the waves. She also found her hands to be gripping the railing tightly. She was battling other fears from a childhood long ago. Her desolate gaze roamed the empty water before her. She wanted to be home.
“I think your boyfriend is confused,” a cold voice whispered into Casey's ear. She jumped and turned. Wolf was only inches from her. She began shaking. The man moved so stealthily—she had never seen him board the boat. She had not detected him trailing her; no wonder he was named Wolf. Undeniably this Wolf also had razor sharp fangs as well, intending on making a meal of her.
Wolf looked at her with a smirk and motioned with a slight nod of his head off to the side. Casey looked to her left and saw the blond-haired man she had sought aid from locked in a passionate kiss with a voluptuous, tall redhead.
“Go away,” Casey said firmly, though to her embarrassment she could not stop the blush that crept over her face at having been caught in a lie.
“But we were just getting to know one another.”
Once again his large, hard body pressed her to the railing; she could see his great satisfaction when he heard her breath quicken in fear. Her small body shook beneath him, her breasts crushed to his chest. Once again she grasped at his shirt to steady herself.
“I will scream,” Casey threatened through clenched teeth.
Wolf chuckled softly. Her hands then balled into fists, pressing against him. She glared up at him angrily.
“Go ahead. What will you say? Some mean man wants to talk to me,” he said in a simpering, derogatory voice. Wolf laughed at her outraged. “You're trapped this time, completely at my mercy with nowhere to go. I will take an even greater delight in tormenting you for the next few hours until we dock. I can tease your emotions mercilessly, until any resolve shatters. Oh what fun we're going to have together...”
Casey threw back her head and screamed as though one possessed. She felt certain satisfaction at the stunned look of surprise on his face. Wolf was so startled she had made good on her threat he stepped back, moving a pace away from her. She belted out another howl that would have frightened both a banshee and a rabid grizzly bear.
The blond man who had been lip-locked with the redhead suddenly appeared at her side, followed by a great many more men and onlookers. Casey raced past Wolf, throwing herself into another's arms. She clutched the blond man to her desperately, pulling him close.
“Please make him stop, he threatened me.
He grabbed my breasts, tried to kiss me, and told me when we docked he would do all sorts of mean things to me, he hurt me,” Casey cried up at him. Her tears began to fall. She offered the man a heartfelt, pleading expression while gazing up into his blue, concerned eyes. “Please, I'm so frightened, please help me. Don't let him hurt me anymore.”
“Oh, you poor little thing,” the tall buxom redhead said in a motherly fashion.
She took Casey into her arms and glared heated daggers at Wolf while turning her in another direction, insisting the men would deal with the situation.
Wolf stood openmouthed as he watched Casey being led away, and lunged for her when she tossed him a smug look over her shoulder, her tears suddenly vanished while her eyes flashed victory. She turned with a devious grin and didn't give him a second glance as she strolled away beyond his sight.
Wolf found himself grabbed by many hands and being led away, below deck.
“You cannot do that on my yacht,” an angry man informed Wolf as he was muscled and pushed, then thrown into a small room. “I will release you when we dock. I cannot have you manhandling the women here, it's bad for business. Do it elsewhere.”
Wolf snarled and resisted the urge to batter the door down as it slammed behind him. He heard a decided click and he knew he was now locked in.
Damn!
She did it to him again. That conniving little... He laughed suddenly. She certainly was unpredictable. Wolf sat in the one hard, lone chair in the room, pondering. Perhaps he was being too hasty when he killed quickly. This was certainly more entertaining and definitely more of a challenge. He had no doubt he would eventually get the girl. Once they docked he would grab her. Her crime could not permit a merciful end; however, he found she amused him. It had been a long time since someone had amused him. Perhaps he would toy with her for awhile.
My Assassin Lover Page 2