By the time Zane made it back to the garage to check on everyone else, James had come back out of the office. Judging by the look on his face, he was relieved to see no one was hurt.
“Took you long enough. You said you were at the station. Couldn’t you just run across the highway?” It was obvious James was upset and needed a target.
“I did run across. That’s why I didn’t catch her just then. I’ve got to go and see what I can find out.” Zane just slapped the big guy on the shoulder and walked back outside. It was starting to dawn on everyone just how right Luke was about how unstable Tracy was.
Mindi had started shaking once everything was over, and she couldn’t seem to stop. She, most of all, was starting to realize how right Luke was about her being careful, and not giving Tracy an opportunity to come after her again.
“Come on, baby. I’ll take you home.” Luke wrapped his arm around her, and started to turn her toward the tow truck.
“No. I want to stay with you.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his neck. She couldn’t think of leaving his side right now. She was too terrified Tracy would come back while she was gone. When she looked back up at him, she knew she was going to get her way. She just didn’t know if he was giving her what she wanted, or if he just didn’t want to be away from her either.
Chapter 17 - Friday July 13
Luke had come to dinner and had stayed to watch an old movie with Mindi. Every time he started to leave she would come up with some excuse to keep him there just a little longer. She wanted him to stay. She had asked him several times in the last two hours. It was already eleven thirty and she was trying to get him to watch another movie.
“Mindi, what’s wrong?” He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into his arms. “Talk to me. Please.”
“It scares me thinking of you over there in that apartment by yourself. What if she breaks in again?” She wrapped her arms around him trying to hold on as tight as she could, knowing the only way she could hold him there, is if he let her. “I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you.”
“Baby, I’ll be fine. She’s not likely to break into my apartment again. I think she knows enough to know the police would know where to look.”
“That’s not helping. Please stay,” she begged, squeezing him tighter, causing him to grunt.
“I can’t Mindi. Knowing you’re up there in your bed naked, I’ll end up sneaking up there after everyone else is asleep,” Luke said, passion instantly flaring to life in his eyes.
“I have the power to say no,” she said, biting her lip because even as she said it, she knew better.
“No, you don’t,” he looked down at her and smirked. “Give me five minutes, and I could have you trying to take my clothes off standing right here.” He brushed his fingertips across her cheek and along her jaw. He listened to her gasp, and then cupped her chin in his hand and planted a kiss on her parted lips. “You’re way too eager. It’s too big a risk. I have to go home.” God, I really want to stay here. I don’t want to be that far away from her.
“I’ll sleep with something on. A t-shirt and a pair of shorts.”
“No, Baby. I have got to go home. I’m not sure even knowing you had clothes on would stop me. I know I could get them off you.”
“Please, Luke. It would be so much safer for you here. She wouldn’t be likely to try and break in here,” she said, starting to plead with him.
He knew she was right, but ended up asking, “Why do you think that?”
“She knows we’re a hunting family. She knows there are hunting rifles in this house. And the whole town knows the only two who haven’t shot at least a twenty-two at this point is Zoe and Emily. Mom’s almost as good a crack shot as Dad and Zane. I just don’t think she would risk it. But we know she’ll break into your apartment.” And that scares me to no end.
“Baby, she’s crazy. I’m not sure she won’t try to break in here if she finds out I’m not at home. She’ll know where I’m at. I don’t want to put all of you at risk.”
“God, Luke. That’s making it worse. Now it sounds like you think she will try to break in at your place. Please, stay. The sheer number of us would probably stop her from breaking in here.”
“Mindi, it’s too risky,” he said, cupping her face in his hands. “If she were to break in here, and something happened to one of you, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”
“If something happens to you, it’ll kill me,” she said, starting to cry, finally breaking his will.
“Okay,” he sighed. “Let me talk to your dad first.” This is a bad idea.
When Luke finally walked back in the game room, he had one of her dad’s shot gun with him.
When Mindi’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head, he said, “I’m just preparing myself for the possibility. I want to be armed if she does break in. Your dad is sleeping with a hunting rifle by the bed as well.”
Mindi just nodded her head at him. She knew he knew how to shoot. She just had never saw him with a gun. He wasn’t as big on hunting as her dad and brothers, and when he did go, he tended to use a bow and arrow. He got teased for it because of his Sioux heritage, but he really just liked the challenge the bow and arrow presented.
“It’s kind of sexy. You, carrying a gun around,” Mindi said, raising her eyebrow at him, giving him a crooked grin.
“Ha-ha. Very funny,” he said, swatting her on the rear end as she passed him. “Go to bed. And you better sleep with something on, too. Even if I’m not sure it’s going to matter,” he mumbled under his breath just low enough she couldn’t hear him.
She just turned around and grinned at him. Then said, “Yes, Sir,” as she backed out the door. “See you in the morning.”
Chapter 18 - Saturday July 14
It had been over a week since the barbecue, where Tracy had shown up uninvited and made a complete fool of herself. No one had seen hide-nor-hair of her since Thursday when she had tried to kill everyone at the garage.
They had been lucky. The worst of the damage had been the flat tire on one of the cars sitting in the garage. She really doubted Tracy would risk being seen. Not even Tracy was fool enough to think she could get away with what she did this time.
In some ways Mindi felt sorry for Tracy. She knew what it was like to be in love with Luke. It made her feel desperate at times, too. She just hoped she never went completely nuts, and tried to kill anyone.
She had managed to get out of the house, and had come to the grocery store. She figured that was a harmless enough activity. She was still standing in the cereal aisle staring at boxes of the sweet stuff when she heard a very familiar voice. One that had been giving her nightmares of late.
“Why don’t you just go back to where you came from, you little whore?” Tracy snared with venom. “Before I decide to send you there. In pieces.”
It was so bad, Mindi almost felt sure she had spit at her.
“I’m sorry. I know how it feels to love Luke. But I don’t understand why you think you can blame me for Luke turning you down. I wasn’t even here when Luke broke up with you. I had already left for college.” Mindi was still very puzzled by Tracy’s behavior, but maybe she shouldn’t be. It was obvious the other woman was unstable.
“You’re trying to steal Luke from me. Everybody knows you’re in love with him. I mean, of course you are. How can you help yourself?”
“I’m not trying to steal Luke from you. Luke isn’t yours to be stolen,” Mindi said, feeling a need to reach over and shake the other woman. Does she have any grasp of reality at all?
“How dare you talk to me that way. I know you think you have some kind of relationship with Luke, but you’re wrong. He’s mine.”
“Tracy, now you’re just being obtuse. We’re getting married. Even you should understand what that means.” Mindi knew she needed to watch what she was saying, but Tracy needed to see the truth before she managed to kill someone. “Luke’s not in love with
you. You need to let it go, and move on already. You need to get help.”
“It’s lies. All lies. Luke does love me. There’s no way he could want you instead of me,” she said, looking down her nose at Mindi. “Look at you. You’re too skinny.”
“Tracy, Luke is a lot of things, but he’s not a liar. He’s a good, honest man. He wouldn’t play with your emotions that way.” At some point Mindi started listening to what she was saying, and she realized he wouldn’t play with her emotions either.
All of a sudden, Tracy took off like someone had started a fire under her. Mindi glanced over and noticed Joe standing there with a phone held to his ear. He had probably called the cops. That was obviously what Tracy had thought.
By the time Zane got there, Tracy was long gone. “What are you doing out on your own?” He looked really angry. Luke is likely to beat her this time. Even he’s got to be coming to the end of his rope by now.
“We need food at the house. I just came to get a few things. Besides, what does it hurt for me to come out and try to lure her into coming out of hiding. You can’t seem to catch her any other way.” She was starting to sound a little irritated herself. “You guys tested her to see if she would actually try and shoot me. Well, she did, and now she’ll stay in hiding until I come out for her to take another shot at.”
“That may be true, Sis, but you can’t come out all alone. If we’re going to catch her, we need to know when you’re coming out.” Zane sounding serious was a little unsettling.
“Does Dad know you came out by yourself?”
“No, but promise me you’ll tell him instead of Luke.” Now she was pleading with him for mercy. She knew Luke would be more upset than her dad.
“Luke already knows. Joe Harris called him after he called me. He called when he seen Tracy come in. Not five minutes after you. After her old-west performance the other day, he was afraid she might follow you when you left the store. Luke’s right behind me.”
Just then she saw Luke step around the end of the aisle. He did not look happy. But if she knew Luke at all, and she did, he wouldn’t make a scene in the store. He would wait until he had here alone to let her have it.
She made her way to the register and paid for her stuff. Zane picked up the bag and followed her out with Luke just a few steps behind him. When she started to turn toward her dad’s old pick-up, Zane turned her back the other way.
“You’re going back with Luke. And don’t try to argue. No one in this entire town would pay any attention if one of us had to pick you up and put you in the truck,” Zane said, almost daring her to be difficult. “Go ahead. I’ll let Luke do it,” he leaned in and whispered in her ear.
Two seconds later, her mouth got her in trouble.
“I really ought to be stubborn, just to be make things more difficult for you,” she said with an air of indifference.
She soon regretted that statement. Luke didn’t wait to see if she was really going to test them. Without a word, he just walked up and picked her up.
Now she was having trouble breathing. She had never really realized how strong he was. He was just standing there holding her like she weighed that of a small child. He was staring into her eyes. She could still see how angry he was, but there was something else there too. The passion that was always just under the surface waiting had flared up once he had her in his arms. She had gotten trapped in his gaze, and he seemed content just to stand there and look at her.
Zane broke the silence by clearing his throat.
“Okay, let’s go.” He reached around them and opened the door. Luke sat her in the passenger seat and closed the door, then went around to the driver’s side without saying a word.
“Oh, dang. I forgot the cereal. With all the commotion, I never got it picked out. I have to go back in.”
“No.” Luke didn’t even look at her. For some reason, this just seemed to make her angry all over again.
“Why? It’s not like she’s likely to come back,” she asked, letting her frustration show.
“Right now, it would be in your best interest not to argue with me.” That’s when she realized, until his first low uttered ‘No’ he hadn’t said a word. He was speaking so softly she barely heard him across the truck. It was starting to dawn on her how truly angry he was. She decided the cereal could wait after all.
“Keys, Sis. I’ll take care of getting the truck back to the house,” Zane said, giving her a smirk and sticking his hand out.
Mindi knew she was beaten, so she just handed the keys over. She didn’t say another word.
They drove off in silence. Luke didn’t even look at her, much less speak to her.
*******
They didn’t know Tracy was still there watching them. She was across the street in someone else’s car with a baseball cap pulled down over her eyes.
People don't lock their vehicles around here. This town is full of stupid idiots.
What a disgusting display. How revolting. What did Mindi think she was doing? Playing the damsel in distress? Why would she make him pick her up and put her in the truck? It doesn't matter what game she plays. It will never work. He doesn't really love her. She is nothing. Just a distraction.
She had been all ready to grab her and take her back to her dad’s old hunting cabin. She had lots of stuff planned for the little whore. She was really getting angry. The stupid grocery store owner, Joe Harris, had to have called Zane. How else would he have known to come and get his stupid little sister?
Then he had obviously called Luke. And Luke would never say no to one of his friends when he asked for help. So, he had to come and rescue the ugly duckling as well. She was going to pay for that. She was going to pay big. She was starting to really rack up the points.
There is no way I’m going to stand back and let Mindi marry my man. He doesn’t love her. He just can’t.
Tracy knew that Luke really did love her. She just had to catch Mindi alone, so she could get rid of her. She needed to break the spell she had cast on him. He didn’t belong with Mindi. He belonged with her. She would prove it.
*******
The drive back to the garage had been the longest five minutes of her life. Luke still hadn’t said anything about her trip to the grocery store by herself. And he had barely looked at her.
When they got out of the truck, James came around the corner of a car. He looked like he was getting ready to say something to Luke, but changed his mind. Instead, he turned and looked at Mindi. “What did you do? I haven’t seen him this angry except for one other time. That was when Tracy tried to kill him that first time.”
That didn’t make her feel any better. “I went to the store by myself.”
“After the shoot out the other day? You were asking for trouble,” James said, throwing his hands up and backing away. “I don’t want in the middle of this one.”
“You’ve gone over to the enemy,” she said, trying to joke it off. She had to work to keep up with Luke. He was going up the steps to the apartment, almost dragging her behind him.
As soon as they were in the apartment, she expected him to start in on her about how unsafe it was for her to be out by herself. She was caught completely off guard when he spun around and pushed her up against the door, and ran his fingers of one hand through the back of her hair to grip her head. She could feel his hand shaking where it was touching her, and his body was vibrating.
Once he ripped her sunglasses off her face, she had just a split second to look in his eyes. The anger was still there, but so much more. His eyes were on fire. When their mouths touched, her mind went blank.
She wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself against him. His kisses were so hot he felt like he was on fire. At some point, they had come away from the door, and she could fell him moving them across the room. His hands slid up under her shirt, just below the curve of her breasts. She was wondering what it would take to get him to slid them the rest of the way up. It didn’t seem to matter how much she got, it j
ust left her wanting more.
He was nibbling down her neck, working his way to the first button of her shirt. When his mouth brushed the swell of her breast and she gasped for air. It made her knees so weak, she almost fell. She would have ended up in a heap in the floor if he hadn’t been holding her so tightly. She was starting to realize he didn’t intend to stop. She wasn’t sure she wanted to either.
She had to wage an internal battle with herself. She felt like she had the proverbial little angel sitting on her right shoulder and a little devil sitting on her left shoulder. That little devil was really persuasive, and he was saying things that sounded like they’d be a lot of fun. The little angel finally won, and she managed to pull away a fraction of an inch. It was just enough that he seemed to come to his senses. When he realized how far they had gotten, he let go of her like he had been burned.
He stepped back from her, and turned his back to her. He stood there for a few minutes, not talking to her. When he finally spoke, he had walked across the room, and turned only when he had put some space between them.
He leaned against the wall and stuck his hands in his pockets. “What did you think you were doing? She has tried to kill us both. She will kill you if she gets a chance. You can’t give her that chance.” By the time he had come to the end of his rant, she had noticed he was shaking. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack? When I got that call, I was afraid when we got there, it was going to be too late. Please, don’t do that again.”
“Fine. Then let’s bait her again. I can’t live like this.”
“No. It’s too dangerous. We shouldn’t have done it the first time.” He sounded so matter-of-fact, she decided to drop the subject for now.
She had something else she needed to talk to him about anyway. She wasn’t sure how to approach the subject, but she really needed to know where they were going with this. She couldn’t just keep kissing him. If they kept going like they were, one of these times they wouldn’t stop. Look how close they had just come this time.
Summer Obsession (The Townsends Book 1) Page 17