Shane knew this, but he wasn’t thinking clearly. The only thing on his mind was Lacie, getting her back safe and sound. If anyone should be able to relate to that, it was Ian; he’d been through his own personal hell.
“May I?” Ian asked. He held out his hand and Corinne placed her cell phone into it. Ian’s fingers moved faster than he could follow. After mere seconds he blew out a breath. “The call source was blocked. My guess is it was sent from a throw-away. But I might be able to trace it back through the towers based on the time frame. Probably not to a specific location, but enough to narrow down the area.”
Corinne’s eyes widened in desperate hope.
“Do it,” Shane commanded, but Ian was already on his way to their private quarters.
Shane ran his hand through his hair, a signature gesture he’d seen each of his brothers make time and time again whenever one of their women had them so riled up they couldn’t think straight.
“I’m sorry, Corinne,” he apologized. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that.”
* * *
“It’s okay,” she said, rubbing at her eyes. “You can’t make me feel any worse than I already do.”
She’d been beating herself up seven ways to Sunday. Why hadn’t she called Shane earlier? Why hadn’t she driven out to the school herself? She was Lacie’s sister. She should have known something was wrong when Lacie didn’t show up when she was supposed to.
Lacie had fallen fast and hard for Shane, that was true, but she had retained her wits about her. She would have known Corinne would worry when she didn’t show up, and she would never have let her do so without calling to tell her where she was and why she hadn’t come home when she’d said she would. Lacie was nothing if not acutely considerate of others, often at her own expense.
Instincts, instincts, instincts. She should have listened to them then. She should be listening to them now. That text message wasn’t right. Lacie would have called, not texted, knowing Corinne would need to hear her voice to be satisfied. And, if Lacie really did need to sort a few things out – which Corinne didn’t believe for a moment – she would have done so in the traditional, tried-and-true method of the McCain sisters: with Chinese takeout and a half-gallon of Turkey Hill’s finest Rocky Road.
“You don’t think Lacie sent that message,” Shane said as if reading her mind.
Corinne let out a breath. Why was it so hard to admit it? Maybe because if she did, then she would also have to admit that if Lacie didn’t send that message, someone else did. And if she admitted that, then Corinne might lose the very fragile hold she had on her sanity. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“But you don’t think so, do you?” he pressed. “It doesn’t feel right, does it?” It was eerie how he could read her so easily. She opted for honesty. If anyone could help Lacie, Shane and his brothers could.
“No,” she admitted. “It just doesn’t make sense. I’ve never seen Lacie more certain of anything than she was of you. What would she have to think about?” She shook her head, knowing the truth of it with each word she spoke. “And even if she was by some chance confused about her feelings, she would never walk away from her kids like that. Never. She might shut out every one else while she tried to work things out, but not her kids.”
* * *
Corinne’s thoughts confirmed what Shane already believed. Lacie wouldn’t do this. There was only one person he could think of who would. “Have you heard anything from Davidson?”
Corinne looked at him, her face somber. The lack of surprise proved she had been thinking along the same lines. “No. His truck’s not in the lot. I tried texting him again this morning, but no response. My calls are going right to voicemail, too.” Corinne’s blue eyes, so like Lacie’s, met his. “He’s got her, doesn’t he?”
Shane nodded. “I believe so.”
“Oh, God. I knew he obsessed over her, but I never thought he’d go this far.” Tears started rolling down her cheeks. “Brian was right...”
Beside her, Shane stilled. “What did you say?”
“Brian, our brother. He was right. He said Craig had some issues...”
“I thought he and Davidson were best friends.” Shane thought back to what Ian had alluded to earlier, that there had been a falling out between Brian McCain and Davidson over Davidson’s feelings for Lacie, but that was just speculation. He wanted to hear what Corinne had to say, guessing that her perception would be pretty accurate.
“They were, at one time,” Corinne said, wiping hastily at her eyes. “But something happened the last time they were in on leave. He wouldn’t tell me what it was about, but I think it had something to do with Lacie. All I remember is, Brian wouldn’t let Lacie out of his sight.”
“When was this?”
“About five years ago,” Corinne told him. “I was still in high school, Lacie was attending the University. They were here for three months between tours. Craig ended up getting Mikaela pregnant. They were married right before he and Brian had to ship off again.”
Shane felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickling. “Tell me about Mikaela.”
Corinne took a deep breath and accepted the drink Shane placed in front of her. “She transferred into Pine Ridge High when her dad retired from the Army and decided to get into local politics. She kept to herself, mostly. Well, you know Lacie. She couldn’t stand to see someone moping around the sidelines. Lacie kind of adopted her, brought her into the fold, made sure she was included in everything. Pretty soon Mikaela was around all the time. I think she had a thing for Craig, but he didn’t seem to notice her much. It was a huge surprise when word got out about the baby.”
“How’d that go over?”
“Oh, Mikaela couldn’t have been happier. Craig, not so much. He didn’t want to get married. Mikaela’s daddy didn’t give him much of a choice, though. I don’t think Craig was even going to re-up until that happened.”
Ian re-entered the bar. “I’ve kicked off a couple of things. We should have the results in a few hours.”
Corinne nodded, rising. “I’d better get home. Mom and Dad are due to arrive any time now. Lacie is so going to kick my ass for calling them home early.” She blew out a breath. “And she’ll kill me if I tank finals on her account. She’ll probably make me take a full course load over the summer or something.” She attempted a smile. “You will text me if you hear anything?”
“Of course. You, too. You’ve got my private number, yeah?”
She nodded and turned toward the door.
“Corinne?”
“Yes?”
“We’ll find her, bring her home.”
She nodded. “I know you will. I’m really glad she has you, Shane.”
* * *
Craig ran the warm, damp cloth over her gently, reverently. He felt bad about having to give her so much, but it was for her own good.
It had been a battle to get her to drink some more juice. He smiled as he remembered how she tried to defy him. He liked her spirit, but in the end, she listened to him and did what he said. It would always be like that. She would challenge him, get his blood pumping, make him feel alive, and then she would give him what he needed. She was perfect that way.
His words had been a revelation to her. His sweet, kind Lacie. Of course she would believe that he’d loved Mikaela. Love, marriage, children – they all went hand in hand in her world. Maybe that’s why she had refused to see what was between them. Mikaela had been her friend. It was entirely possible that she felt that to acknowledge what was meant to be between them would be betraying Mikaela’s memory somehow.
Mikaela. That stupid bitch had ruined everything! If she hadn’t made herself up to look like Lacie and seduced him when he was three sheets to the wind... She’d planned it all, down to the very last detail, too, leaving nothing to chance. It had been Mikaela that set Lacie up with Gabe, ensuring that Craig would be there when Gabe came to pick her up. It had been Mikaela who worked him into a jealous fury with a few ca
refully orchestrated insinuations. It had been her suggestion that he say something to Brian about Lacie’s clear lack of judgment in choosing a date. And she had been the one to play dress-up, to come to him when she was fertile and make sure they hadn’t used protection. She’d wanted to get pregnant.
Oh, she’d denied it at first. Told him it was meant to be, that she would make him happy. That Lacie didn’t love him and never would.
Hateful, spiteful bitch.
But as time progressed and she realized that he could barely stand the sight of her conniving ass she grew nasty, threatening to tell Lacie everything. How she found his secret stash he’d never know, but she said she was going to take all those photos of Lacie and show her, her brother, her parents, the police. He’d had to do something; she’d left him no choice. A few well-placed nicks here and there beneath her car, and ... problem solved.
Poor Lacie. She’d been so distraught over her friend’s death. But Mikaela had never been her friend, not really. He’d done Lacie a favor. She’d never know how Mikaela had betrayed her.
But in the end, it had all worked out for the best. Mikaela was no match for Fate. She was out of their lives forever. Lacie was especially nice to him, and lavished attention on Shelly. Shelly adored Lacie. And Lacie would be a better mother than Mikaela had ever been. Soon she would realize that they were meant to be together, and they would finally be a real family.
Lacie would be a better wife than Mikaela, too. She would never have to stoop to tricks to have him in her bed. Already she was pleasing him beyond his wildest dreams, providing him the haven he so desperately needed. And soon she would willingly welcome him into her body and scream his name in orgasmic pleasure.
He just needed to be patient for a little while longer, capturing these stolen, intimate moments when he could until they could enjoy them together.
* * *
“The Endless Mountains,” Ian said, pulling up a map and pointing near the Pennsylvania-New York border. “Sullivan County, to be more specific.” It had taken a lot longer to narrow down the source of the text sent to Corinne’s number than he had hoped, but he had done it.
“Shit. Are you sure?”
“Positive. Can’t get an exact location, but that’s where the signal originated from.”
“That’s right in Kane’s backyard.” Unlike the others, Kane and his wife Rebecca chose to spend most of their time at the family compound high up in the mountains, and only ventured down into the valley of Pine Ridge for special occasions and brief family visits.
“Yeah, he’s on it. He’s got the whole area mapped out, knows every hunting cabin within a hundred square miles. He’s going to do some checking, see if there’s been any unusual activity.”
Shane nodded. They were closing in, he could feel it. The familiar hum resounded through his gut, preparing him for action. Soon he would have Lacie back where she belonged, and Craig Davidson would learn what it meant to beg for death.
“Something else came up, too,” Jake said, his face looking especially somber. “I got a call back on the bat phone today from Commissioner Gordon.” Shane raised his eyebrows at the reference to the direct, secure line used only for official – or “unofficial” - business. “The Commissioner was very careful about what he said, but he hinted at a couple of things.”
“What kind of things?” Kieran asked, curious. He was always up for a mission, anytime, anyplace.
“Things that might be well suited to our particular area of expertise,” Jake said slowly.
“Extraction? Recovery?”
Jake nodded. “A very specific recovery, as a matter of fact. One that involves a local boy who went missing about three years back.”
They all looked toward Jake. “Brian McCain?”
Jake’s eyes glistened.
“Jesus. Lacie was right, wasn’t she?”
“Maybe,” Jake said carefully. “Apparently there’ve been a few new developments – thanks to what Ian was able to find - but not enough to sanction official action.”
“What’s your gut telling you, Jake?” They always deferred to Jake’s instincts when considering which missions to accept. They all had them, but Jake’s were flawless. He hadn’t been wrong yet.
Jake paused for a moment, then blew out a breath. “It’s legit. God knows what we’re going to find, though. Three years is a fuck of a long time to be in hostile territory.” He looked pointedly at Shane. “Your call, man. How do you want to play this?”
Shane considered carefully before answering. Until he had Lacie safely back in his arms, he wouldn’t be worth a shit, and he needed his brothers in on this. But if he could give her her brother back, he’d do it in a heartbeat.
“Lacie’s my first priority,” he said. “Once I know she’s safe, I’m going for her brother.”
Jake nodded knowingly. “Thought you’d say that. Go on, then. Take Kier and get your ass up to Kane’s tonight. Pick up Mick on the way. The rest of us will handle the prep on this end and have everything ready to go when you get back.”
“Something you’re not telling me, Jake?” Shane said. Jake had slipped in the suggestion to pick up Michael casually enough, but Shane sensed it hadn’t been an off-handed thought. Jake met his younger brother’s eyes. Kane might have been the alpha among them, but Jake was a close second. It was an effort to hold his gaze, but this was Shane’s woman they were talking about.
Jake reached out, placing one hand on Shane’s shoulder. “Just a precaution, little brother. We don’t know exactly what we’re dealing with here, but we already know she sustained some injuries the night of the storm. I’d feel better knowing Mick was there with you.”
Shane nodded, appreciating Jake’s candor, even if he did sense there was more to it than that. This couldn’t be easy for him. The situation was too reminiscent of one Jake’s wife had been in a few years ago. Shane remembered what it had been like when they went after Taryn, the shape she’d been in by the time they got to her. She lost the son she’d been carrying, but if Michael hadn’t been there, they would have lost her, too.
Everything in Shane stilled at that moment as he felt the blood drain away in a rush, leaving him weak. What if Lacie was pregnant? They hadn’t used protection. He’d released in her several times. It was possible. Hell, it was more than possible. Jake got Taryn pregnant in one night. Ian, Mick, and Kane got their wives with child right off the bat as well, in no more than a week. The only reason Sean and Nicki didn’t have a kid right away was because Nicki had been on birth control when they’d first hooked up.
His eyes met Jake’s head on. He didn’t need his psychic sensors to tell him Jake was thinking the same thing.
Fuck.
Chapter Eighteen
“You need to eat, Lacie.” Craig held the spoon up to her lips, trying to coax a bit of soup into her. It had been days since she’d had anything solid, surviving on little more than juice and broth. Even that had been an effort; in those few hours when she was awake, she said she felt weak and dizzy; her appetite was non-existent.
“I can’t.”
Maybe he would need to start cutting back on the meds. But every time he did, she started talking about wanting to go home. She wasn’t ready yet. She was still recovering. And he wasn’t willing to let her go.
“You want to get better, don’t you?”
“I’m trying,” she whispered. “I want to go home.”
Damn it. He hated seeing her like this. Each day she seemed a little weaker than the day before. She was supposed to be getting better under his care, not worse. How else was she going to see how good he was for her?
“Come on, Lace. Just a few more.” Dutifully she opened her mouth and allowed him to feed her. She had barely any fight left in her. The fever, while low-grade, was still tenaciously hanging on, sapping her strength. Combined with her injuries and the potent pain killers he was pumping into her, and her inability to eat, it was taking everything out of her.
He’d wanted he
r compliant, but not like this.
“No more,” she murmured after he’d gotten a few more spoonfuls in. “Please.” She pushed feebly at his arm, and he was alarmed at how weak she was.
“You did good,” he lied encouragingly, wiping gently around her mouth. “Want to go out on the porch for a bit?”
Her eyes brightened a little. “Yes, please. Maybe the fresh air will help.”
“I’m sure it will,” he said. “It’s raining lightly, though. That okay with you?”
She nodded, her eyes half-closed. She liked the rain, said she liked the way it made everything smell so fresh and clean.
“Alright, baby. Wait there till I take this stuff out to the kitchen, then we’ll go outside.”
When she didn’t answer, he turned to look at her and saw that her eyes were closed. He exhaled heavily. This was turning out to be much more difficult than he’d thought. He wasn’t giving up, though. He had waited too long for this chance to prove his love.
* * *
Lacie let herself relax into the pillows while she waited for Craig to return, trying to keep from going under again, but she was just so damn tired. She hated this feeling of helplessness. Surely she should be showing some signs of improvement by now. How long had she been here? Three days? Five? Longer? Days and nights ran into one another; she spent so much time sleeping that everything became a blur.
Her aches and pains had lessened considerably, but she suspected that had a lot to do with the pain killers Craig was giving her. That, in addition to whatever bug she’d happened to pick up, was keeping her down and out. She was as weak as a newborn kitten and shaky, with frequent bouts of dizziness and general wool-headedness. Even when she was awake, it was hard to focus. The days, dreams, nightmares, and reality were melding together, overlapping and interweaving, and it was becoming harder and harder to distinguish what was real and what was not.
She liked the dreams the best. In them, she was with Shane, making love for hours on end in some remote location, just the two of them. He would hold her in his arms, whisper words of love and endearment against her skin, tell her how they were meant for each other and that they would always be together.
Beyond Affection: Callaghan Brothers, Book 6 Page 16