He would call Templeton in the morning and have him move the money that Charles had lost gambling into Ruby’s bank account. All six-hundred-fifty-thousand dollars.
Ruby could afford to finish school and become the veterinary doctor she’d started out to be.
Lincoln trailed over to the bed with tears swimming in his eyes and laid the papers on the nightstand where she could find them upon waking.
He bent and softly brushed his lips against her cheek, grabbed his clothes and cloak, and left the room.
No sounds could be heard anywhere in the house as Lincoln dressed and made his way downstairs.
He slipped out unnoticed, strode to the boathouse, and boarded his boat. He would go to the cabin until Ruby and her brother were gone. It would be easier for the both of them.
But first, he had a stop to make.
* * * *
Lincoln knelt in front of his parents’ tombstones, his heart heavy with grief. It had been years since he’d visited their graves.
He touched his mother’s headstone, smiled, and told her everything he could think of about Ruby. “You would have liked her,” he ended, tracing his mother’s name embedded in the marble. “No, you would have loved her.”
“Father?” he whispered, shifting his attention to his father’s grave. “I forgive you.”
Jumping to his feet, Lincoln returned to the boat, a kind of closure settling deep in his gut. He’d spent most of his young life searching for his father’s approval. Approval that would never come.
Lincoln had accepted at an early age that his father could never love him. No one could, for that matter. But Ruby had shown him a kindness he would hold inside forever. She’d given him a gift he would never be worthy of. And no matter what kind of life he was doomed to live from that moment on, he would always have those memories to cherish.
He drove the boat up the river to the cabin and secured it to the dock.
Gators slipped into the water as he strode up the hill, opened the door, and disappeared inside.
Plucking up a lantern, Lincoln lit it and carried it over to the cot that sat along the opposite wall.
Removing his cloak, he crawled beneath the musty-smelling covers, thoughts of Ruby consuming him.
He could still smell her amazing scent on his skin.
Lincoln wanted to rail at the empty walls, to strip out of his clothes and dive into the murky river of the Mississippi. Anything to rid himself of the ache that had settled in his heart. But he couldn’t bring himself to enter the raging waters. The thought of washing Ruby’s scent from his body was unthinkable.
Tossing the covers back, Lincoln surged to his feet and staggered outside to the one place that normally brought him peace, the garden of roses. Yet no peace could be found.
He threw back his head and roared, shattering the silence of the night. “Ruuuuuby!”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Ruby woke to the feeling of something warm and wet swiping against her hand.
She smiled and rolled to her side, blinking against the morning sun. “Linc—”
“Oh,” she gasped, her eyes growing huge in her face. “Satan.”
The giant wolf sat next to the bed, whining and licking her palm.
“What is it, boy?” Ruby crooned, slowly reaching up to rub between his ears.
He allowed her caress, moving closer and laying his head on the side of the bed.
Ruby glanced toward the bathroom to find it empty and the light turned off.
“Where’s Lincoln? Hmmm?” She scratched Satan a minute more, then threw back the covers and got to her feet.
Noticing the tenderness between her thighs, Ruby padded naked to the bathroom and turned on the shower, listening for sounds of Lincoln.
He must be downstairs, she assumed, stepping under the heated spray.
A moan slipped past her lips as the water ran down her body.
She was no longer a virgin. Strange, she didn’t feel any different. Well, other than the slight bruising sensation between her legs and the incredible feeling of a woman well-loved.
And she had been thoroughly loved, she marveled, recalling every touch, every look Lincoln had bestowed upon her last night.
Her stomach fluttered in excitement at the thought of seeing him again. Would he love her again tonight?
She finished her shower, quickly dried off, and wrapped a towel around her body on her way to the armoire for clothes.
Papers on the nightstand caught her eye. Those weren’t there the night before.
Noticing Lincoln’s signature at the bottom, Ruby plucked up the papers and began to read.
The more she read, the faster her heart began to pound. Tears filled her eyes and nausea settled in her gut. Lincoln had signed over the deed to her house.
Ruby knew she should be happy about that, but somewhere deep inside, she felt used. Lincoln had slept with her and paid her in full.
He’d succeeded in making her his whore after all.
Returning the papers to the nightstand, Ruby took some clothes from the armoire and dressed with jerky movements.
Her cell phone rang from the vanity next to her, displaying an unknown number.
“Hello?” Ruby answered in a wooden voice.
“Miss Atwood? This is Saul Templeton. We met before.”
Ruby cleared her throat, hoping to dislodge the lump that had formed there. “Yes. I remember you.”
“The reason for my call is to inform you that all monies your father lost gambling at Barone’s Gentlemen’s Club have been moved to your account. If you have any questions, Mr. Barone has my number.”
Ruby paused to gather her voice. “Thank you, Mr. Templeton. I understand everything perfectly.”
Disconnecting the call, Ruby slipped on her shoes, tucked her phone into the pocket of her shorts, and descended the stairs.
“Good morning,” Mrs. Tuff called out from the dining room. “Are you ready for breakfast?”
Food was the last thing on Ruby’s mind at the moment. “Thank you, Mrs. Tuff. Maybe later. Do you know where I can find Linc— Mr. Barone?”
The housekeeper frowned. “I thought he was with you, miss.”
“He was gone when I woke up this morning. You haven’t seen him at all?”
Mrs. Tuff shook her head. “No, but your brother was awake earlier. He had breakfast out by the pool. Walked a few feet on his crutches.”
Excitement pushed out some of Ruby’s despondency. “Really? That’s great! He’s getting stronger by the day. Thank you, Mrs. Tuff. I really needed some good news.”
“Well, then I hate to be the one to give you some not so good news, but that hurricane is supposed to make landfall late tomorrow night, and we are definitely in its path.”
If not for the impending storm, Ruby would take Cameron home right then and there. She now had enough money to pay for his care. But she wouldn’t risk his safety for the sake of her pride.
“I appreciate the update, Mrs. Tuff. I need to make a call and check on my elderly neighbor.”
The housekeeper merely smiled and scurried back toward the kitchen.
Ruby dug out her cell and put a call in to Mrs. Fleming on her way to visit Cameron. When no answer came, Ruby left her a voicemail, telling her to be safe and to batten down the hatches.
Upon entering Cameron’s room, she noticed him sitting up in bed watching television. “Cam, you’re awake!”
“Hey, Ruby,” he greeted, accepting her hug and kiss on the cheek.
Ruby pulled up a chair. “How are you feeling?”
“Good. My leg hurts a little, but I can’t wait to be able to get up again.”
“You don’t want to overdo it,” she responded, her gaze landing on a book resting on his nightstand. “Do you remember what happened to you?”
Cameron shook his head. “I was getting Mrs. Fleming some donuts and coffee. That’s all I can remember.”
Ruby was thankful he couldn’t recall the accident. The trauma
of it might be too much for his young mind. “I know you’re tired of lying in this bed, sleeping all the time. Hopefully, that will change soon.”
“It’s not so bad. I’ve just had some weird dreams lately.”
“Dreams? Like nightmares?”
Cameron shrugged. “They’re not really scary anymore.”
“Tell me about them.”
Cameron stared straight ahead for long moments as if trying to recall something. “This monster comes into my room late at night.”
“Monster? What does this monster look like?”
“I don’t know,” Cameron admitted in a quiet voice. “I can’t see his face behind his hood.”
Ruby stilled. “What does this monster do when he visits you?”
Cameron indicated the book on the nightstand. “He sits in that chair you’re in and reads to me.”
Swallowing around the sudden lump in her throat, Ruby leaned over and picked up the book. “Does he talk to you?”
Her brother shook his head. “He only reads to me.”
“What makes you think he’s a monster, Cam?”
“Because he has claws on his giant hands.”
Ruby’s heart began to pound. “That doesn’t mean he’s a monster. Maybe he just needs a manicure?”
Cameron grinned, a hint of his mischievous self shining in his eyes. “That’s funny.”
Ruby smiled as well, thinking that Lincoln had been to see her brother without her knowledge.
Cameron suddenly grew serious. “This one time while he was reading to me, he looked up, and the light got under his hood. I couldn’t see his face, but I saw his eyes. I always thought monster’s eyes would be black.”
“What color eyes did this monster have?”
“Blue,” Cameron answered on a jaw-popping yawn.
Ruby got to her feet and kissed his cheek once more. “Get some rest, Cam. I’ll come back and visit you later this evening.”
“I love you, Ruby.”
“I love you too, Cam.”
Leaving the room, Ruby made her way to the kitchen in a daze. Lincoln had been visiting her brother to read to him while she slept. Apparently, there were more layers to the Beast than he allowed people to see. And a much bigger heart, her mind whispered, remembering the gentleness of his touch.
“Are you all right?” Mrs. Fleming questioned, pulling Ruby out of her melancholy.
Ruby wanted to cry and confess that she didn’t think she would ever be all right again after finding her payment on the nightstand that morning. Instead she mumbled, “I’m fine.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Ruby exited the cab and trailed up the courthouse steps with more than a little trepidation.
What if the judge didn’t feel she was settled enough to legally place Cameron in her care? Any number of things could go wrong this morning.
Ruby pulled the door open and stepped inside a brightly lit lobby.
Security guards stood at a checkpoint while people emptied their pockets and placed their purses on a conveyer belt.
Ruby was no exception. Setting her wallet and phone in a small box, she walked through magnetic archway and emerged on the other side. “Which way to Juvenile Court?”
The officer pointed her in the right direction.
With a nod of thanks, Ruby strode down the long hallway and nearly ran into Templeton.
“This way.” He indicated a waiting area that sat in front a door labeled Courtroom B.
Ruby followed him without delay.
Templeton glanced at her over the rim of his glasses. “You appear nervous. Don’t be.”
“How can I not be? Some judge who doesn’t know my brother or me is about to determine whether Cameron is placed with me or put in foster care. I can’t let him go into the system, Templeton. I won’t.”
The attorney smiled reassuringly. “When we go in there, do not speak unless you are asked a direct question. Understood? Let me do all the talking.”
“I understand.”
The door abruptly opened and the bailiff waved them forward. “The judge will see you now.”
Ruby’s legs felt as if they were made of rubber, so great was her anxiety.
She skirted the long table in the room and sat down next to Templeton.
The door opened again, and a well-dressed man strode in with Mrs. Goodson trailing close behind him. They took their seats directly across from Ruby and Templeton.
The proceedings took longer than Ruby would have expected, with the judge taking testimony from both sides.
After an hour of information being passed around, the judge raised his hawkish gaze and addressed Ruby. “Miss Atwood, do you feel that you are capable of taking the best care of your brother? If so, tell me why.”
Nausea rolled through Ruby, so scrambled were her nerves. She folded her hands in her lap to slow the trembling and met the judge’s all-knowing stare. “Your Honor, I’m not going to give you the flowery speech I had prepared in my mind, because that’s not who I really am.”
She took a calming breath and continued. “Cameron is my brother, my flesh and blood. I would die for him if it became necessary. I realize that I’m young and lack the experience that someone older might have, but no one else could possibly love him like I do. I have a home for him and plenty of money to see that he has everything he could possibly need.”
She paused, holding the judge’s gaze. “Please don’t take him from me.”
Compassion flickered in the judge’s eyes before he shifted his gaze in the social worker’s direction. “I’ve read your report, Mrs. Goodson. And frankly, I’m not surprised by it. Your reputation for finding problems where none should be had greatly preceded you this time.”
Looking back down at the papers in front of him, the judge picked up a pen and signed several places. “Sole custody of Cameron John Atwood is hereby awarded to his sister, Ruby Atwood.”
Tears of elation sprang to Ruby’s eyes. She spontaneously hugged Templeton before thanking the judge and sailing from the room.
“I told you there was nothing to worry about,” Templeton remarked, strolling along beside her.
Ruby laughed, so happy she could barely contain herself. “You knew he was going to give me custody?”
“Of course. He’s married to my sister.”
At Ruby’s next chuckle, Templeton sobered. “But I will tell you this. If he had truly thought you would not be the best fit for Cameron, it would have turned out differently. Congratulations, Ruby.”
“Thank you so much, Templeton. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to check on my neighbor, Mrs. Fleming, and make sure she has a plan for this hurricane that’s supposed to land tonight.”
“You be careful,” Templeton called as Ruby hurried outside and hailed a cab.
Ten minutes later, Ruby climbed from the cab in front of her house and let herself inside.
She changed into jeans, a red T-shirt, and running shoes. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, realizing she’d picked the red shirt for Lincoln. Red is his favorite color.
Packing up a few things for Cameron, Ruby locked up the house and hurried next door to her neighbor’s.
She rang the bell.
No answer.
“Ruby?”
Ruby stilled at the sound of Spencer’s voice before slowly turning to face him.
His blond hair sparkled in the sunlight, and his green eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunshades.
Ruby realized something in the moment. No matter how handsome she’d always thought Spencer, he wasn’t half the man Lincoln was.
Lincoln was strong and brave, gentle yet tough, with the bluest eyes Ruby had ever seen. So, what if he’d been born a beast. He was her beast, and if she had anything to say about it, he always would be.
She marched past him down the steps. “I have nothing to say to you, Spencer.”
“Well, I have plenty to say to you.” He gripped her arm on her way past, halting her on the bottom step.
>
Ruby yanked free of his hold. “Well, it’ll have to wait. I need to get back to Cameron.”
“Oh yes,” he sneered, following her down to the sidewalk as she hailed another cab. “Back to the Barone mansion. I never thought you’d sell yourself in such a way, Ruby. Especially to that freak. I’ve heard the stories about him. His deformed face. He eats raw animals. Did you know that?”
The crack of Ruby’s palm against the side of Spencer’s face echoed off the sides of nearby buildings. “Go to hell, Spencer! You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Ruby quickly tossed her bag into the backseat of a cab that had stopped, and climbed in after it.
Slamming the door, she gave the driver Lincoln Barone’s address.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Lincoln’s heart ached. He hadn’t seen Ruby in nearly two days. God, but he missed her.
The winds had begun picking up, indicating the storm was drawing near. But he didn’t care. Nothing mattered to him but Ruby. And she was probably long gone by now.
A howl rose in his throat, but he swallowed it back. It would do him no good to continue thinking of her. The nights would be torment enough.
One particular night haunted his mind and would no doubt haunt him for the rest of his life. The night Ruby had given herself to him.
The pain of never seeing her again nearly doubled him over with its intensity. How was he supposed to go on with her? Never to see her face or hear her laugh again?
He could have kept her with him for a longer amount of time, but she’d have grown to hate him. Of that, he had no doubt.
Ruby was like a bright star in the sky, outshining the millions of others, independent and beautiful.
Lincoln didn’t regret letting her go. He only regretted not telling her how much he loved her. It’s better this way. For both of us…
* * * *
Ruby glanced at the grandfather clock as it began to chime. It was nine o’clock at night, and Lincoln still hadn’t returned. “The wind is really picking up, Mrs. Tuff. Where could he be?”
Mrs. Tuff had been wringing her hands for the past several hours. “I don’t know, Ruby. He’s never left for this long before without telling someone.”
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