Harlequin Romantic Suspense March 2016 Box Set

by Carla Cassidy

  Darcy’s expectant expression melted off her face. “You used to love these. Do you not like them anymore?”

  He shook his head, not trusting his voice. After all these years, she still remembered his favorite candy bar. It shouldn’t have surprised him—he still remembered her favorite foods and the way she was so particular about the amount of ice in her drinks. But he hadn’t expected the recall to be mutual. Especially not after so much time had passed.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, sounding contrite. “I shouldn’t have assumed you would still like the same things after ten years.” She dropped the candy bar back into the bag and set it aside.

  “No,” he said, the word coming out a little hoarse. He cleared his throat and spoke again. “No, I mean I do still love them. I’m just surprised you remembered, that’s all.”

  “Oh.” Her cheeks went a little pink and she fumbled in the bag for the candy bar, passing it to him with a shy smile. “Here you go then.”

  “Thank you.”

  She turned away and busied herself with folding the bag into a small square. “I figured you could use a little treat.”

  Ridge used his teeth to unwrap the gift, then took a large bite. The combination of sweet caramel and salty peanuts hit his tongue, and he nearly moaned in pleasure. In all the ruckus of the early evening he’d skipped dinner, a fact that his stomach did not appreciate. And while a candy bar was not the most nutritionally sound choice, he could think of no finer meal at the moment. “Man, that’s good.”

  Darcy grinned. “Glad you’re enjoying it. Would you like me to hold the baby so you can sit down?”

  He started nodding before she could finish asking the question. “Yes, please.” His earlier resolve to stand strong and do this on his own crumbled at the thought of being able to sit still for a moment and refuel. Although he thought of himself as an independent man, he wasn’t stupid. He’d come to realize taking care of Sara was a marathon, not a sprint, and he’d be wise to take help when and where it was offered.

  Darcy walked over to him, stopping when she was mere inches away. Moving carefully, Ridge transferred the little bundle into her arms, trying to ignore the little zings of sensation that arced through him every time they accidentally touched. He told himself to step back once she had a secure hold on Sara, but his feet wouldn’t obey his brain’s command. This was the closest they’d been to each other in years, and his body wanted to know if she would still feel the same against him.

  Warmth radiated off her skin and he took a deep breath, trying to clear his head. It was a mistake. She smelled like the rain, and she’d brought the scent of the woods in with her. It was a comforting, familiar smell that made him want to get closer and he had to force himself to move away before he did something he’d regret.

  Darcy looked up at him, her skin damp and shining in the light of the lamp. “She’s a beautiful baby,” she whispered with a smile.

  “Yes, she is.”

  “And she’s very lucky she found you.”

  His chest warmed at the compliment, and the sensation climbed up his neck and into his earlobes, making them burn. Ridge cleared his throat and took a step back. “I think it was actually the other way around,” he said, needing to inject some levity into the moment. “Penny deserves all the credit.”

  They both turned to look at the dog, who had fallen back asleep and was snoring softly, her paws twitching as she dreamed. A swell of affection filled Ridge’s heart, and not for the first time, he wondered what he would do without her.

  “Why don’t you sit down?” Darcy suggested. “I can walk with her for a while.”

  “Thanks,” Ridge said. He sank into the couch with a sigh, surrendering to the comforting support of the overstuffed cushions. Darcy started humming softly as she walked, a sweet melody that made him want to close his eyes and sleep for the next month. Shaking off the fatigue, he took another bite of dinner and focused on chewing.

  “I think it’s finally easing up out there,” she observed.

  She was right. Now that he was paying attention, he noticed the rain did seem to be slowing down. I should check the barn, he thought, stuffing the rest of the candy bar into his mouth.

  Darcy glanced up when he stood. “Do you mind holding her for a few more minutes? I’m building a barn out back and I want to make sure it’s still standing after those storms.”

  “No problem,” she said. “Take your time.”

  He grabbed a flashlight and paused in the doorway, taking in the sight of Darcy holding Sara close. She was the very picture of maternal comfort and the pair of them seemed to give off a golden glow in the lamplight, lending the scene a dreamlike quality. It would be so easy to stand there and watch them forever, but he couldn’t let himself get trapped in this moment. Neither Darcy nor the baby were his, and he’d do well to remember it.

  * * *

  The rain was cold, and Ridge welcomed the splash of the fat drops against the skin of his face and neck. The shock of it helped to clear his head and refocus his mind. He’d come dangerously close to kissing Darcy, which was a mistake he couldn’t afford to make. We had our chance, he reminded himself firmly. And things hadn’t worked out between them. It was silly to think now would be any different.

  He eyed the ground in front of him, trying to pick out the least treacherous path to the barn. His formerly green yard was now a lake of mud interspersed with large puddles of standing water, making the once familiar place look like an alien landscape. There was no help for it—he was just going to have to get dirty.

  Resigned to his fate Ridge trudged forward, his boots squelching in the mud. They would be hell to clean, but he had to see if there was any damage that needed to be repaired. The barn was more than halfway complete, so he wasn’t worried about the walls falling in. But it would be good to see how the roof had held up under the onslaught.

  He ducked inside and passed the beam of the light along the walls, pleased to find there were no damp spots that would indicate a leak between the boards. Then he checked the floor. Not so lucky here. There were several small puddles, which meant he was going to have a lot of patching to do on that roof once the sun came back out.

  He glanced around the space one final time, imagining it as a completed barn. The mower would go in the left corner, along with his other yard equipment. There was space for his tools in the far right corner. And then there was some room left over, space he now thought could be used for a bicycle or two. He closed his eyes, picturing it—two large bikes and one small one parked and ready to be used on those lazy summer nights when the fireflies rose up from the grass like living sparks.

  The yearning for a family hit him hard, and he leaned against the doorjamb for a moment, his hand to his chest. Where had that come from? Was it being around the baby that made him think this way? Or perhaps seeing Darcy again? Maybe both, he admitted to himself. Truth be told, Darcy was the only woman he’d dreamed of having a family with, and after she had dumped him he had given up on the dream ever becoming a reality.

  But maybe it was time he took a second look. Holding Sara had rekindled the desire to have his own children. Over the years he had forgotten just how much he wanted a family of his own, one where his children would grow up with both parents and wouldn’t be subjected to the whims of the foster care system the way he and his siblings had. He pictured his youngest sister, Josie, and a fresh pang hit him as he recalled the last time he’d seen her, when she’d told him not to visit her again. She’d gone from a sweet girl to a distant, hardened young woman, all thanks to the system. He shook his head. Their lives would have been so much better if they had had someone—anyone—else as their father.

  But life didn’t work that way.

  The patter of raindrops began to change, the cadence becoming faster and louder as the rain picked up again. Time to go back inside and check on
the girls and get himself dried off. His wet boots were starting to feel tight, and he knew from experience it was only going to get worse if he didn’t take them off soon. He cast one last look around the barn before closing things up, then put his head down and took off for the house, trying to dodge the worst of the puddles as he went.

  He’d made it about halfway across the yard when a woman’s scream pierced the air and froze his blood.

  CHAPTER 5

  “No!”

  Darcy took a step back, her heart in her throat as she faced down the masked intruder who had forced his way into Ridge’s home.

  He lunged for her but she sidestepped, narrowly avoiding his grasp. He grunted in frustration and pressed forward, leaving her no choice but to back away.

  “Give me the baby,” he demanded. His hands were everywhere, grabbing and grasping for any kind of hold. Darcy kicked out but he dodged the blow and kept coming.

  Penny barked and growled, darting in to snap at the man and then pulling away again. She was doing a nice job distracting him, but it wasn’t in the dog’s nature to be vicious and she seemed reluctant to commit to a bite that might actually hurt him. The intruder seemed to sense her hesitation and lashed out, landing a solid punch to Penny’s shoulder. She yelped and skittered away but then darted back in to snap at his hands, trying her best to protect her master’s home.

  Darcy took advantage of Penny’s antics to move farther away from the threat. The man was blocking her access to the door, so she darted to the other side of the room and set the baby on the recliner, freeing up her hands so she could better defend herself and the baby. Then she turned back to face the man, her eyes scanning the room for something, anything she could use as a weapon.

  A baseball bat was propped up next to the front door, mocking her. It was too far away to be of any use, but maybe there was something else? She took a step forward, intending to draw the intruder away from the baby. Her foot landed on something hard, and she glanced down to find a large rawhide bone lying next to Penny’s bed. Darcy scooped it up and held it high, ready to strike. It wasn’t much, but it was solid and the edges had been gnawed down to a fine blade that she might be able to use as a type of knife. He’d have to get close for her to use it, but it was better than nothing.

  Penny was trying her best to keep the man occupied, but he had made his way over to the other side of the room, closer to the baby. Darcy had to get him away from the little one, but how? A frontal attack wouldn’t work—he was too big for her to stand a chance. She would have to come in from the side and gain the upper hand by attacking from his blind spot. But that meant leaving the baby undefended.

  Where is Ridge? She screamed out again, hoping he would hear her this time. She couldn’t hold him off forever, and unless Ridge got here soon, the intruder was going to overpower her and take the baby.

  It was now or never. Moving as stealthily as she could Darcy crept up alongside the intruder, trying to stay out of his line of sight as she approached. One step, two, and then she was there, within striking distance.

  She lifted her makeshift weapon above her head and started to swing, but before she could make contact, the man turned. She saw the glint of satisfaction in his eyes and realized her mistake—he’d known what she was doing all along!

  He kicked out, his foot smashing into her left shin bone. Pain exploded at the site, a viscous, black thing composed of tendrils of agony that wrapped around her leg and threatened to take over her whole consciousness. She sucked in a deep breath and pushed back against the darkness. If she fell down, it was all over.

  She swung wildly with the dog bone but missed him. To make matters worse, the gesture put her off balance and she listed dangerously to the side. Gravity took hold and she felt herself going down. Desperate to stay on her feet, she scrabbled for some kind of support. Her hand made contact with the back of a chair and she pulled herself up, but her leg wasn’t going to hold her weight much longer.

  Sensing his advantage, the intruder pushed in close and shoved her down. She hit the floor hard and tried to scramble back to put distance between them, but her body hit the chair and she had nowhere to go.

  The man towered over her and raised his arm. Darcy barely had time to flinch before his hand made contact with the side of her head, setting off a cascade of fireworks behind her eyes. She blinked to clear her vision, just in time to see him lift his arm again.

  Her muscles tensed, bracing for the blow. But it never came. There was a meaty thud, and she opened her eyes to find Ridge had tackled the intruder. The two men rolled on the floor and crashed into a table, tipping it over and sending picture frames and other knickknacks flying across the floor. They were evenly matched opponents—Ridge was taller, but the other man appeared to be heavier. Darcy didn’t wait to see who was going to win the wrestling match. She pulled herself to her feet and limped over to the door, then grabbed the baseball bat. Using it as a cane, she hobbled back to the men and waited for her chance.

  It didn’t take long. Ridge let out a muffled shout and flipped the intruder over, then pressed his knee into the other man’s back, effectively trapping him. Penny stood by her master’s side, a low, throaty growl rumbling out of her chest as she stared down at the man who had invaded her home.

  “Darcy,” Ridge said, his voice strained.

  “Yes?”

  “Please hold the baby.”

  She blinked, trying to process his request. Then she heard the crying and realized the little one was screaming her head off, and likely had been for a while. Moving as fast as she could, she made her way over to the chair and picked up the red-faced bundle, crooning softly to her as she pressed the baby to her chest.

  The baby stopped crying almost immediately, and the relative quiet made the room feel so much bigger.

  “Do you want the bat?” she asked, her eyes never leaving the man on the floor.

  “That won’t be necessary,” Ridge replied. He took a firm grip on the man. “Now, let’s see who you are.”

  The man put up no resistance as Ridge rolled him over onto his back. But just as Ridge reached for the ski mask that covered his face, the intruder let out a window-rattling yell and swung his arm up. Too late, Darcy noticed the ceramic bowl in his hand.

  “Watch out!” she screamed, trying to warn Ridge.

  She watched in horror as events seemed to unfold in slow motion. Ridge turned back to look at the man, his eyes widening as he registered what was happening. He tried to ward off the blow, but the intruder had the element of surprise on his side. The bowl slammed into the side of Ridge’s head with a sickening crack, and Ridge’s body went limp. He toppled off the other man and hit the floor, his features twisting in pain.

  The intruder got to his feet and eyed Darcy. She glared at him and lifted the bat in one hand, ready to do battle. He stared at her for a moment, as if he was considering the pros and cons of attacking her again. He leaned forward, but before he could commit to the act Ridge let out a moan and rolled onto his hands and knees.

  Apparently deciding it wasn’t worth it, the man shook his head and headed for the door. Darcy maintained her grip on the bat until he was well and truly gone. Then, her heart pounding in her throat, she crossed the room and locked the door behind him. It was a little thing, but flipping the deadbolt gave her a small measure of comfort.

  “Ridge.” She turned back to him and limped over to the couch, sinking down with a grimace. “Talk to me, Ridge.” The blow to his head had sounded painful, and she needed to know if he was injured.

  He let out a groan that was part pain, part frustration. “I’m here. How’s the baby?”

  “She’s fine.” Darcy couldn’t help but smile at his concern for the little one. Whether he realized it or not, Ridge was already starting to act like a father.

  He slowly climbed to his feet, his hand pre
ssed to the side of his head. “Come sit by me,” she said. “I need to look at your head.”

  “It’s fine,” he mumbled, rubbing the affected area gingerly.

  “Humor me,” she replied.

  He plopped down next to her with a sigh. “I should go after that guy,” he said.

  “No,” she replied, her heart tightening at the thought of a groggy Ridge chasing a masked man through the dark woods. “It’s not worth it. Call your brother and let the police handle it.”

  “I will.”

  She passed him the baby while he dialed, then turned his head to the side so she could get a better view of his head.

  An angry red welt marked the spot where the bowl had hit him. She probed the area with her fingertips, causing him to wince and suck in a hissing breath. “Sorry,” she said softly.

  “It’s okay,” he mumbled, wrapping up his conversation with Sam.

  “The good news is, nothing seems broken.” She moved him through a basic neurological exam to confirm he was indeed fine, then leaned back against the sofa cushion. “Take some ibuprofen and put an ice pack on it. It’ll be sore for a few days, but you’re basically okay.”

  “How are you?”

  The question made her aware of her body again, and her shin let out a fresh protest as she shifted positions. “I’m okay,” she said, trying to keep the pain out of her voice.

  Ridge narrowed his eyes as he watched her move. “I don’t think so,” he said. He placed his fingers on her chin and gently tilted her head, frowning at what he saw.

  “He hit you.” It wasn’t a question.

  “It’s nothing,” she assured him.

  “It is to me.” His voice was low and lethal, promising retribution for her pain. She shivered at the implied threat. Ridge was normally so calm and even-tempered, and seeing him this way made her realize he was a physically powerful man who could be dangerous if he wanted.

  “Where else are you hurt?”