The Ruthless Caleb Wilde

by Sandra Marton

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m trying to picture you making this trip each night, that’s why!”

  “I—I usually walk home from the subway with a friend.”

  “She works with you?”

  “No. But our work schedules are similar.”

  “Yeah, well, where would she have been tonight?”

  It was an excellent question, and a complicated one, starting with the fact that “she” was a “he” named David.

  Sage was definitely not in the mood to answer it.

  “Look,” she said, “I admit that this is—it’s not exactly a great neighborhood. And, thanks to you, I didn’t have to deal with the subway. So thank you again, here’s your jacket, and—”

  “Keep it,” he said gruffly.

  “At least give me your address so I can—”

  “You can give it back to me after I get you to your door.”

  “No. That isn’t nec—”

  Caleb got out of the limo and walked around it.

  “No arguments. I’m seeing you inside and that’s that.”

  “Do you always get your own way?”

  “I do when it matters.”

  He could almost see her weighing his words. Finally, she sighed. Some of the belligerence went out of her expression. Caleb held out his hand.

  Sage hesitated, then took it.

  His hand was warm, his grip powerful. She fought the desire to wind their fingers together.

  The truth was, she’d run out of bravado.

  His reminder that without him she’d have been walking home alone had done it, especially when she knew there’d been a recent string of assaults in the neighborhood on women who lived alone.

  Not that she lived alone.

  Not exactly.

  The bottom line was that there was nothing to gain by pretending she didn’t appreciate his help.

  “Thank you,” she said, as they climbed the steps to the stoop. “Again.”

  “There’s nothing to thank me for. I’m glad to be able to help.” When they reached the front door, he held out his hand. “Your keys.”

  She shrugged, as if it wasn’t important. “The lock’s broken.”

  He wanted to say something. She could see it. But he didn’t. Instead, he nodded, opened the door …

  And said something low and unpleasant.

  She couldn’t blame him.

  She felt the same way each time she stepped into the dark, dirty entryway, inhaled the stink of beer and pee and marijuana, saw the banged-up doors that lined the hall and the wooden stairs that rose into the gloom.

  Say something, she told herself, say anything.

  “Well,” she said brightly, “this is it.”

  He looked at her as if she were crazy.

  “My apartment is on the fourth floor.”

  Still nothing from him. Or—wait. There was … something. A tiny glint in his blue eyes.

  “What in hell are you doing in a place like this?”

  She thought of half a dozen answers. Any one of them would tell him things far more personal than he needed to know.

  “I live here,” she said with as much dignity as she could muster, and she started toward the stairs.

  She didn’t get very far before his hands closed on her shoulders and he swung her toward him.

  “Dammit,” he said gruffly, “cut the act! It’s a good routine, pretending you’re tough and street-smart, but I was there an hour ago when the price of that act got too high.” She gasped as he lifted her to her toes. “Anything could happen to you here.”

  “Nothing has.”

  “Really? Is that what you call what went on tonight?”

  “That had nothing to do with this.”

  “You work in a dangerous place. You live in a dangerous place.”

  “It’s called doing what I can to keep a roof over my head.”

  “Don’t you have anyone who can help you?”

  “I’m doing just fine on my own.”

  “Oh, yeah. Yeah, I can see—”

  One of the apartment doors swung open. Two men stepped into the hall. They were big and ugly; half of one’s face was a blur of homemade tattoos.

  Sage had seen them before. They made a habit of saying things to her, ugly things; one always made a clicking sound with his mouth when she walked by.

  They scared the hell out of her.

  “Whoops,” the one with the tattoos said. “We breakin’ up the party?”

  The other grinned, two front teeth gleaming gold.

  “Sure looks like it’s gonna be fun.”

  “Sure does. You think maybe they want company?”

  Caleb’s hands dug into her shoulders. She could almost feel the tension radiating through him.

  “Caleb,” she murmured. “Don’t.”

  “Kay-Leb,” the tattooed one said in a falsetto, “don’t!”

  Oh God!

  “Caleb,” Sage said sharply. “Are you coming or not?”

  “Yeah, man. You goin’ with her or not? ’Cause if you ain’t—”

  Sage twisted free of Caleb’s grasp, grabbed his hand and all but dragged him to the stairs.

  He tried to shake loose. She wouldn’t let him. She hung on with fierce determination and he knew that the only way he’d be able to loosen her grip would be to hurt her, and he’d sooner have slit his throat than do that.

  “Dammit,” he growled, “I’m not going to run away from those—those—”

  They reached the first landing. She moved close to him and put her finger across his lips.

  “There are two of them,” she whispered. “And one of you.”

  He laughed. It was a hard, terrible sound and she knew that the pair downstairs could never be his equal in a fight.

  Still, she couldn’t let him run that risk for her. He’d already done enough, more than enough, to keep her safe tonight.

  Sage acted on feminine instinct. “Yes, but what if you’re wrong?”

  “I’m not.”

  “What if you are?” she insisted. “What happens to me then?”

  He looked at her.

  And the downstairs door slammed shut.

  The breath whooshed out of her. She went boneless with relief.

  Caleb cursed softly, wrapped his arm around her and she slumped against him. She could feel his heart thudding; his body felt as if it had been forged out of steel.

  Then, slowly, he let out a long breath.

  “It’s okay,” he said softly.

  She nodded, turned her face into the curve of his neck. It was okay, now that he was holding her.

  What if he hadn’t been here?

  She gave a little mew of distress. He held her closer. They stood that way for long minutes. Then she drew back.

  “I—I don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t have to say anything.”

  “I mean, how many times can one person say thank you?”

  He bent his head to hers, brushed the lightest of kisses on her mouth. There was nothing sexual in the gesture; she knew he’d meant it to be reassuring, and it was.

  What would it be like if he kissed her differently, if he kissed her in a way that meant something more?

  “Sage? Are you all right?”

  “Yes,” she said, a little breathlessly. “I’m fine.”

  “Okay,” he said briskly. “Three more flights and you can get me out of your hair.”

  They climbed the remaining stairs; she stopped on the fourth-floor landing and pointed at the door ahead of them.

  “That’s me.”

  He held out his hand. “Your keys.” He raised an eyebrow. “I’m assuming,” he said dryly, “the lock on this door works.”

  She nodded. Gave him her keys. Their hands brushed; hers trembled.

  His eyes narrowed. “What is it?”

  She shook her head. What could she tell him? Not the truth, that once she stepped through that door and he left, she’d be alone—and that, des
pite the deal they’d made, the promise she’d given that she wouldn’t think about what had happened at the club, she knew the scene would play and replay in her mind.

  “You’re frightened,” he said bluntly.

  “No,” she said quickly, “I’m fine.”

  “To hell you are. And I don’t blame you.”

  “Caleb. Really. I’m okay.”

  He didn’t answer. Instead, he undid the lock, then blocked the doorway with his body.

  In his old life, he’d learned never to walk into a place that could prove dangerous without being vigilant. This was the USA, not Iraq or Pakistan, but anything was possible—and after what had happened at the club, what had almost happened downstairs just now, all his adrenaline was flowing.

  “Home sweet home,” she said with a little laugh.

  You could see all of it from where they stood but there was nothing sweet about it.

  A shoebox of a living room. A bedroom. A bathroom. A minuscule kitchen. The place held old, tired-looking furniture but everything was scrupulously tidy.

  “Stay here,” he said.

  He went through the rooms, one by one, and finally came back to her.

  “It’s clear.”

  He knew this was the time to say goodnight but he couldn’t get the words out. And when she said, “I know it’s late but—would you like some coffee?” he said yes, absolutely, coffee was just what he wanted.

  It was obviously the answer she’d wanted, too. She let out a long breath.

  “Good.” She shut the door, set the locks. “To be honest—”

  “You know what they say,” Caleb said, smiling. “Honesty’s the best policy.”

  She gave him a hesitant smile. “I don’t—I don’t think I could sleep just yet.”

  He put his hand under her chin and raised her face to his.

  “You’re safe now,” he said softly.

  “I know.” She smiled again. “That’s one of the dangers of being an actress. Having an overactive imagination, I mean.”

  “Is that what you are? An actress?”

  “Uh-huh. That’s why I work nights. At the club. It leaves me free for auditions.”

  “Would I have seen you in anything?” he said, and they both laughed, knowing it was the most clichéd of clichéd questions.

  “Lately? Well, there’s a commercial for Perrier and if you look really fast, I’m shopper number four at the checkout.”

  Caleb grinned. “Shopper number four, huh?”

  “I tried for shopper two because she gets a line, but the director thought another actress was better for the part.”

  “His mistake.”

  She grinned back at him. He wanted to cheer.

  “When I get my first Tony or my first Oscar, I’ll point that out in my acceptance speech.”

  They both laughed again. Then their laughter faded. Time seemed to stretch; the room filled with heavy silence.

  And with awareness.

  Her awareness of him.

  His, of her.

  He could hear his pulse beating in his ears.

  He took a quick step back.

  So did she.

  “Coffee coming up,” she said brightly. “Just give me a minute to change, okay?”

  He cleared his throat.

  “No problem. I’ll just—I’ll just …” What would I just? Nothing sane, if I’m not careful.

  She was gone five minutes, which was fine. It gave him time to get control of himself.

  And to wonder what she was changing into.

  Images flashed through his head. The kind he should have been ashamed of because there was nothing sexual about any of this, and she confirmed that when she reappeared wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants, her face scrubbed clean, her hair loose.

  How could she be even more lovely without any artifice?

  “… jacket.”

  He blinked. She held out his suit jacket.

  “I said, I’m afraid your jacket is creased.”

  “Oh. It’s nothing. Just—just forget about—” He took the jacket, laying it over the back of an upholstered chair that had seen better days. Dammit, why couldn’t he come up with a coherent sentence? “Uh, I’ll just wash up, if that’s okay.”

  “Oh, of course. I’ll put on the coffee. Do you think the driver would want a cup? I could take it down to—”

  “He has a thermos. Drivers from that company always—” He shook his head. Amazing. After all that had happened to her tonight, she could still think of someone else’s needs. “But I’ll tell him you thought of it,” he said. “He’ll be pleased.”

  Somehow, he made it to the closet-sized bathroom.

  Caleb turned on the cold water.

  He had to get his head together.

  Sage was a good-looking woman. Hell, she was beautiful. Bottom line. So what?

  She lived in a bad location. Worked in one, too. But he wasn’t her protector. He wasn’t her guardian.

  And he didn’t want a one-night stand with her, either.

  She wasn’t the kind of woman meant for casual sex.

  He cupped his hands under the water and splashed it over his face.

  “A cup of coffee,” he told the mirror. “And then you’re out of here, dude.”

  He opened the door. Went into the kitchen. Drank coffee. One cup. Fast, while she did the same thing, because yes, it really was time to put an end to this.

  “Excellent coffee,” he told her, with a quick smile.

  “I grind the beans myself,” she said, returning his smile.

  “Well,” he said finally.

  He stood up. She did, too. They walked to the door.

  It wasn’t much of a door.

  Hollow, not solid. No peep hole. A chain, but a chain on a door like this was like loading a gun with foam-rubber pellets.

  It looked good, but it didn’t serve any purpose.

  “You forgot something,” Sage said.

  Caleb swung toward her. She held out his jacket.

  “Thanks,” he said, and took it from her. He hesitated. “Will you be okay?”

  “I’ll be fine,” she said quickly. Too quickly.

  “Look, maybe you should call a friend. Maybe you shouldn’t be alone here tonight.”

  “Really, I’ll be all right.”

  Caleb looked at the sofa. It was ugly as sin and built for a doll house, but it had a big throw pillow at one end and a blanket folded over the back.

  “Looks comfortable.”

  She blushed. Why? Did she know what he was going to say? Because he knew, even before he got the words out.

  “I’m staying,” he said. “On that sofa. Until morning.”

  “No,” she said, “really, that isn’t—”

  He took out his cell phone. Spoke to the limo driver. Told him he’d changed his plans.

  “Tell your boss to bill me, and to add two hundred dollars for you. Yeah. Sure. You’re welcome.”

  “No,” Sage said again. “Wait—”

  “Remember what I said about getting my own way when I want to?” Caleb unbuttoned his shirt cuffs, rolled them back. “Well, this is one of those times.”

  “But I’m fine. I’m safe. I’m—

  “I know some people,” he said briskly. “I’ll make some calls in the morning, see what we can do about finding you an apartment and a job.”

  “Caleb. Really—”

  He lifted his hand, brushed a strand of golden hair back from her cheek.

  “Here’s something you need to learn about me,” he said in a low voice. “I can be as stubborn as a mule.”

  His eyes swept over her face, lingered on her lips. The desire to kiss her beat hard within him, but he wasn’t going to do it. He was staying the night to protect her, not because he wanted her.

  Liar.

  He wanted her. Badly. But he wasn’t going to take advantage. No way was he going to do that. He could kiss her, though. Just once …

  Dammit!

  “Go to be
d,” he said roughly. “Get some rest. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  She didn’t argue.

  He wondered if that meant she was having the same problem, if she was thinking similar thoughts …

  Caleb gritted his teeth.

  No way was he going to try and find out.

  Instead, he watched her walk into the bedroom and close the door. Then he sat down on the sofa, kicked off his shoes, lay back. He didn’t expect to sleep but, eventually, he dozed …

  A sound woke him.

  It was Sage, standing just outside her bedroom, watching him.

  CHAPTER THREE

  THE light from the street cast a soft illumination over her.

  She wore the sweats he’d seen her in earlier. Her pale golden hair was tousled; her feet were bare.

  She looked soft and sweet and so desirable he wanted to get to his feet, go to her and take her in his arms….

  But he didn’t.

  She was watching him with a stillness that told him she was trying to decide what to do next.

  He could only hope that decision involved him.

  He kept as still as she, though every part of him was alert to her presence. He slowed his breathing, looked at her from under the screen of his lashes.

  His pulse was racing. So were his thoughts.

  Was she coming to him? Was she going to bend over him and kiss him? Go into his arms and part her lips to his?

  Or was she simply prowling her own apartment for far less dramatic reasons? Maybe she just couldn’t sleep.

  Caleb waited for some answering sign. A couple of minutes went by before one came.

  She looked away, then walked quietly into the kitchen.

  He let out a long breath. It was a disappointment … and yet, it wasn’t.

  He hadn’t stayed the night for sex. He’d stayed to protect her … and wanting to make love to her didn’t have a damned thing to do with that.

  It was greedy. Completely selfish. Altogether male. And she deserved better, if for no other reason than that she’d put her trust in him.

  He had to honor that trust.

  Honor, not to put too fine a point on it, was the primary principle by which he lived. It was the same for all the Wilde brothers.

  Their old man had been too busy building a four-star career in the military to have been much of a father, but he’d managed to instill a basic code of ethics in his sons.