Broken Road

by Char Marie Adles

  “Just maybe your right. Draw him out, it might work, but,” he said tapping the girl on the nose, “we have to find out more about him.”

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Winthrop’s fingers were tracing lazy circles over the small of her back, sending shivers of delight down her spine. His breath was steady drawing in deep and slow, melting all of Devil’s tenseness away.

  Devil flexed her hand which was spread palm down on Winthrop’s chest, over his heart.

  “I was thinking,” she said starting to make circles of her own, “that with everything happening so fast that we need to take a break.”

  Like a cold splash of cool spring water in winter his dreamy haze parted to the cold breath of reality breathing down the back of his neck. Winthrop jerked into a sitting position.

  “What?” he gaped at Devil.

  Disgruntled about being moved Devil sat up not even bothering to cover herself.

  “We need a break, Winthrop. Or else we’ll drive ourselves into a hole in the ground,” Devil explained. “I already feel stir crazy being trapped here.”

  Something settled into the pit of his stomach. Not this again, anything but this…!

  Winthrop braced himself against the words that were going to shatter his new found happiness. Devil was going to tell him that she was leaving with Lilla and she never wanted to see him again, it was Lisa all over again, but somehow this was going to be different from when Lisa had left with his cousin. When Lisa had walked away she had walked away with his trust in women, but if Devil left he would lose much, much more then that.

  Then it hit him, he really cared for her. Cared to the point he would tie her up to keep her from leaving. Well he had cared somewhat with Lisa, but he more then cared for Devil. The little hellion and her niece had turned his world inside out and him too for that matter.

  Oh yes, he did more then care, but he was too scared at the thought to even put words to the feeling. Hadn’t he been mistrusting of women and hated them for their cold and cruel thinking?

  Yes he had, but Devil wasn’t like any other women he had met in his life.

  He had nothing however, that he could use to make her stay. She was the famous Devil Runner after all, she was richer then he could ever dream of, and she was beautiful, by god was she beautiful, and so not within his reach.

  Winthrop came back from his black thoughts as she snapped her fingers in front of his face.

  “Helloooo? Earth to Winthrop. Do you even hear a single word I said?” Devil asked him, searching his face.

  “Yes,” Winthrop muttered darkly.

  “Good,” she smiled then, “we need a break. Go somewhere where no one knows who we are or cares for that matter. And where no one will try and kill us or put us in danger.”

  “What?” he asked in surprise for the second time no less. He had been waiting for her to say she was leaving and this is what she tells him? A plan to get away for a few days?

  She frowned at him. “What? You want to be stuck in this- this,” she chewed her bottom lip thinking of the right words. “This mafia/military warzone fort,” she decided with a nod of her head, “forever?”

  Winthrop laid back on the bed pulling Devil on top of his chest with a howl of laughter.

  “Not really,” he admitted a few moments later.

  “Good. In that case we can leave for a little while and go out to play,” Devil said cheerfully.

  He felt himself grin crookedly down at her youthful happiness. “Sorry, Kid, but I don’t play at my age.”

  “Oh really?” she lifted a brow, “And don’t do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Call me a kid. I’ll be nineteen in a few days and with my past I never got the chance to be a kid. Plus I don’t think you would be jumping my bones if I were one,” Devil said giving him a punch in the shoulder.

  Surprise flashed in his silver blue eyes. “You didn’t tell me your birthday was coming up,” he said gruffly and he nearly winced at the roughness in his words.

  Devil was surprised herself. “You care about my birthday?”

  Winthrop grabbed her by the arms and pulled her close until they were face to face, when they were he leaned in and kissed her forehead.

  “Of course I care, why wouldn’t I? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Touched by his gentleness she shrugged. “I didn’t find it important. I’ve never celebrated a birthday before. It’s just another day in another year.”

  He shook her by the shoulders. “No, it is not. It was the day you were born, a special day.” Winthrop brushed the hair that had fallen in her face behind her ear. “You are special, never doubt that and value the life you were given.”

  This was like nothing that she had ever been told before, never has someone, anyone told her to value her birth in the world. Not even Royal, no, he had cared a lot, but didn’t like personal matters of a serious nature. So now she didn’t know what to say or do.

  “Thank you?” She hadn’t meant it to come out as a question with her shaking voice, but it had, and tears stung her eyes. She now knew just how much he cared.

  Winthrop looked down at her and into her face and saw tears swimming in her eyes. He pulled her fully against his body in a tight embrace, laying his head on top of her hair and closing his eyes. Rocking slowly back and forth he willed the pain to leave her, for the memories to leave her as well.

  How could any parent be so cruel to a child, but he knew. His mother hadn’t meant to be cruel when she left him and his little brother, but she had been.

  Devil squeaked when his arms tightened to a point where he could have snapped her in half.

  Quickly he loosened his grip and relaxed with her in his arms.

  She was special indeed. She was the key to everything he had been trying to lock up, and she gave him the gift of understanding when she had so much pain in her past.

  She wasn’t special he decided then she was a miracle.

  “Where do you want to go?” was all he asked.

  Devil grinned up at him and wiped away her annoying tears. “I was hoping you would ask me that. I want you to show me what you did growing up.”

  Chapter Twenty Five

  Half an hour after they left the ranch after Royal had wanted to skin them both for the idea; they found themselves in the town Devil had first come to find the ranch and Lilla. They had gone horse back riding most of the day and there had been a place in town Winthrop had wanted to share with her.

  Devil eyed him with surprise when he parked in front the oldest brick building downtown. “What are we doing here?”

  Winthrop sat back in the driver’s seat and smiled down at her. Her small, beautiful face showed confusion and he curved the urge to take her right there on the front seat as her tongue darted out to wet her lips.

  What a soft groan he pulled her onto his lap. “I just can’t keep my hands off you.”

  Devil giggled when he pressed a kiss to first her forehead and then her neck. She smacked him as he gave her a gentle bite. “Not here, you dork. Wait until we get to the hotel! Isn’t there a place you wanted to show me?”

  Winthrop laughed at her smack. “Was there? I don’t seem to remember.”

  Devil frowned at him as he smiled a wicked little smile.

  “If you don’t stop this then you won’t be getting anything tonight and you sleep on the sofa.”

  “Now there’s no need for that.” He grinned. “I’ll get it anyway and you know it, but the point is that this place is special to me. I started coming here when I was thirteen. After Mom left us.”

  No even saying a single word Devil pressed herself against him in a tight hug. She hated the woman who left him and couldn’t imagine why she would leave behind two beautiful children.

  Winthrop settled his cheek against her soft hair. “Why don’t we go in? It’s sure to be full tonight; that friend of yours made a call for me.”

  “She didn’t!” Devil gasped.

  Getting out of th
e truck and pulling he along he murmured, “Oh yes, she did.”

  Upon entering an old unremarkable door Devil was momentarily blinded then her eyes popped out of her head. Inside the old brick building was a country club with two upper layer balconies that gave the perfect view to watch from the huge stage. But inside people were stuffed from wall to wall and all the way around.

  When someone spotted them they started cheering, and then it was all dominos after that.

  “I am going to kill you! I said somewhere no one would know us!” Devil hissed back at him from behind her smile.

  “They aren’t cheering for you this time, sweetheart. Follow me,” Winthrop said taking her hand and pulling her to the front of the crowd. “Stay,” he ordered as he left her and got on stage.

  Her chin dropped.

  He chuckled and went up the microphone. “How ya’ll doin’ tonight?” he asked the crowd.

  The crowd screamed again.

  He looked down and winked at her, then looked back out to the people. “This is my first time back in about five years so be kind to me. This first song is going to a special little song bird that has come recently into my life. I hope you enjoy it.”

  He deep voice vibrating in the room and over Devil’s skin sent shivers done her spine. Oh lord, even just his voice made her want to do things.

  Stage lights faded, the room went dark, and then the hum of a familiar drum beat started.

  Devil smiled when she realized the song was ‘Come Back to Me” one of her very own and the one he had sung to Lilla that first night in the house.

  Devil listened, swaying to the music as his deep timber lulled her, enchanting her. When he got to the part of the duet he stretched out his hand to her and Devil bit her lip, shaking her head. But before she could back away he grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the stage. The crowd got louder.

  A woman came on stage a handed her a microphone with a wink and Devil looked to Winthrop. He winked when her part started.

  Falling back into the swing of old ways that had been her life for the last four years, she started to sing. The words fell from her lips with a ease she hadn’t felt when she sang before.

  She felt light, happy singing this kind of song. It didn’t feel like another pay check, it felt like a way of life, like it had when she had first started and enjoyed her singing.

  Winthrop took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. She was so beautiful with the lights shining down on her and her eyes glowing with joy. He felt something tighten in his chest and knew that he was done for as he watched her sing.

  …

  “Thank you,” Devil said after they had started walking down the sidewalk of main street and she looked up at him. “I needed that. I hadn’t felt that way singing for a long time.”

  He laughed. “I didn’t think you had a voice like that. Better then the cds or the radio, I promise you.”

  Devil slugged him in the shoulder.

  “You didn’t tell me you sang either! And now you’ll have to come with me on my tour. It’ll end soon, just three more places to go, but I want you to sing with me.”

  He looked down at her a up to the stars. “I’m sad to say that I won’t be able to. Its all I can do to keep the ranch floating with all the people there and we’ve been in a hole for a few years now. Everything in Wade’s office on that desk is a bill and more bills.”

  Devil stopped walking; forcing him to as well since he was holding her hand. “What do you mean you’re in the hole?”

  Winthrop sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Wade was trying to take care of the bills before he died, said he had a way to help out and get it all gone, but then he kicked the dust.”

  “How much do you owe?” Devil asked, worried.

  “To much for you to worry about,” he said and started walking again.

  “Don’t pull a red herring on me. I asked ‘how much?’” She tugged on his hand.

  He murmured something and Devil squeezed his hand in warning.

  “Close to 3 million if I remembered right,” he said with a cough.

  Devil’s eyes cracked open and she gasped, “How can you get that bad in debt?”

  “Our father,” Winthrop said, disgusted.

  “Oh,” Devil said in a small voice, “I see.”

  They talked a while longer about the things that had happened in their lives and on the way back to the truck Devil bumped into someone and they slipped off the curb. As she dove after the person to save them she saw it was none other then Celia Buch, her best friend and manager. A man who had been walking beside her picked both of the women up.

  Devil looked into the face of her band’s drummer. His handsome face flushed when he looked into his eyes and he quickly let go of her when Winthrop stepped forward to collect her.

  “I’m sorry Miss Runner, I had no idea,” he mumbled awkwardly.

  Devil wanted to wince at the formality in his stiffly mumbled words. She hadn’t been the type to chat up a storm and hang with her band members over the last four years. She had truthfully been a rater cold bitch to them.

  Devil smiled warmly hoping it would make up for it and said, “No big, man. I hope ya’ll are having fun.” Devil swung her gaze to her friend. “Can we talk for a moment?” She had been itching to ask Celia something for the last few days with all the danger and death stuff hanging around her.

  Celia frowned slightly and nodded. “You two wait a moment, we’ll go get some coffee for all of us,” she said to the man and walked off pulling Devil behind her, without waiting for their answer.

  “What’s this about?” Celia asked when we stepped into the small coffee shop. At ten o’clock there weren’t many people in the place.

  “I had a favor I wanted to ask of you,” Devil said biting her lip.

  “Oh no, don’t give me that look,” Celia groaned, “You said a month! A month! You have two days left till they expect you back.”

  “Shhh,” Devil hissed pulling her into the bathroom and locking the door after she checked all the stalls. “I need more time. Maybe another month or so. I don’t think Royal filled you in or not, but someone is trying to kill me.”

  Celia’s eyes bugged. “What!”

  “They have been after my family and until they’re taken care of I can’t really be anywhere they could find me. Winthrop has only taken me out for my birthday for a few days, but we can’t go far.” Devil squeezed her friend’s hands. “I need more time, please Cee.”

  Cee eyed her for a long moment then gave in with a sigh. “Only because he seems to make you happy and you have a creep trying to kill you,” Cee said with an angry sigh. “But it’s only going to make things harder when you have to leave.” She pressed a hand to her forehead. “What a PR nightmare you have given me. A daughter, two month MIA and a murder story!”

  Devil took in a deep breath to stabilize her racing heart and gave her friend the widest smile she could. And then she squeezed the life out of her until she screamed mercy. “You have no idea how much you are helping me out.” Suddenly a dreadful thought crossed her mind and she sobered. “If it really does happen then I leave Lilla to you, Winthrop wouldn’t know how to raise a girl, but you could help him. I just wish you all the best.”

  Her friend stood there so long, searching Devil’s face and whether she found it or not she nodded and smiled slightly. “You always were so serious. Now let’s get that coffee and go back to the hotties.”

  And so the coffee was ordered and they went back outside.

  Feeling shaking on her feet talking about the possible death threat she hadn’t really thought about before she wrapped herself around Winthrop, pressing her face against his warm chest.

  “What?” he asked, looking down at her and wrapping his arms around her small body.

  Pulling herself together she gave him a small smile. “Nothing, let’s just get outta here.” She looked over her should at her friend. “Thanks again, I’ll see ya later then.”

  Cee smile
d and nodded. “Sure.”

  When Devil and Winthrop got to their room at the inn they wasted no time hitting the sheets. The last thing Devil had time to think about was how many times this man could make her feel this way.

  Chapter Twenty Six

  After the best birthday of her life she found out when they got back to the ranch that something had happened.

  “What do you mean the evidence from my sister’s murder case went missing?” Devil screeched at Hoss. Currently Winthrop and Grange were holding her back away from the older sheriff.

  Hoss cast a look at Winthrop, nervous about the young wild woman.

  Winthrop nodded.

  Hoss cleared his throat. “It would appear as if someone had stolen it, Ms. Runner. I have men looking everywhere for it, but it will take time before we get anything back.” He shifted his booted feet. “I didn’t come to tell ya’ll that though. I came to give you this.”

  Devil watched the man pull a folded envelope out of his back pocket, paused and then handed it to her. Her name was on this one to in the same bold hand writing of her sister. She pulled away from the men and reached out for the letter with a shaking hand to take it. When she did the sheriff nodded, put on his hat and left the house.

  “I think,” Winthrop said clearing his throat pointedly, “that there are horses that need to be shipped out today.”

  Everyone who had gathered in the house made a beeline for outside. Winthrop gave her shoulder a firm squeeze and walked out tipping his hat over his eyes so she couldn’t see the pain reflected in them over her sorrow. That leaving just her and a sleeping baby Lilla up stairs.

  Wading barefoot on the cold wood floor over to the big chair before the fireplace Devil sat down heavily and looked at the letter in her hand. Tears stung her eyes and she swatted them away. Her chest felt tight and tense with an aching pain she knew only to well.