by Amelia Jade
Cowl was nodding. “If I locked Andria away in the tower forever, she wouldn’t love me. I wouldn’t be a perfect mate, I would just be her jailor. Guardian of the keys. She would hate me. We have to let them live their own lives, Caine. To make their own mistakes.” He shrugged. “We can be there to lend a hand and to make sure nobody kicks them while they’re down. But we can’t do everything for them.”
“And we never expected you to do everything for us,” Ivore told him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “We often regretted seeing you try. You have to let us live our own lives, yes. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be a part of them, Caine. Your mistakes will only affect us if we let them. And trust me, we’re pretty good at making our own.”
The trio shared a laugh. Tension flowed out of Caine. Not completely, but he felt at ease with the situation, glad he had talked to them, no matter how uncomfortable it might have been.
But it was time for a subject change. There was only so much emotional/deep talk he could handle.
“Should we just tell the colonel about the memo then?” he asked, getting back on track with their plan.
Behind them the door to the bar closed. Caine sat up. He hadn’t even noticed it open, so deep were they in talk.
“Tell the colonel what?” a female voice asked.
He glanced over to see Colonel Mara silhouetted in the door, with Annalise, and flanked by the towering figures of Kallore and Vanek.
“Well come on,” Colonel Mara said. “You may as well spill the beans. We’re going to be waiting here for a bit.”
“We are?” He looked at his brothers. “Why, what are we waiting for?”
Mara pointed at Annalise. “For her old friends to show up so we can have a talk with them.”
On either side of her, the crimson dragons grinned. It was not a pleasant sight.
Chapter Sixteen
Annalise
“I still don’t know how I feel about this,” she muttered to nobody in particular.
The group was split up around the inside of Mcguiver’s Pub, the bar essentially run by Violet’s roommate. She and Caine sat together at the bar itself, drinking water for her, and beer for him.
His brothers were hunched over a table on their left, and Colonel Mara sat with the other pair on their right.
“What’s Lincoln going to do?” Caine asked. “There are five of us in here. Against him.”
“What if he comes in with a gun?” she snapped. Things were happening out of her control as more and more people became involved with her situation. Theoretically they were all there for her well-being, recognizing that Caine cared for her, and to them that was worth their immediate and unquestioned involvement.
To Annalise it just left her feeling exposed and vulnerable. Never before had so many people known so much about her. Though she’d told Colonel Mara little more than someone powerful from her past was after her, the polite military woman hadn’t hesitated to offer her support. Nor had the two giants that accompanied her.
Why was everyone so willing to put themselves in harm’s way for her?
“If he starts with violence, he’s going to be very sorry,” Caine murmured. “Very sorry.”
“I don’t understand how you can be so confident.”
“I know. I promise everything will become clear in time.”
Annalise hated that non-answer answer. It basically told her nothing but to shut up and wait for others to be patient enough to reveal things to her. If there was one thing she hated almost as much as not being in control of her own life, it was being treated like a child when it came to the answers.
“You’re going to have to do better than that,” she countered.
Caine stared at her. She watched his jaw. It was strong, but not as prominent as say, Cowl’s. Yet she could still read a lot from the way it set when he spoke. Like right now; she could tell that what he was about to say would be serious, but he didn’t expect her to believe it. Annalise wasn’t sure how she knew that. It was like she could read him with an ease that should only come with long experience. To say she was confused was an understatement.
“I tried doing that the other night. With Lincoln’s car. You didn’t believe me then, and you won’t believe me now. But soon enough I’ll prove it to you, and then you can deal with that answer. But if you could just trust me a little more and believe me when I say we should deal with the current situation first. There will be plenty of time for explanations after.”
Maybe. She purposefully didn’t say it out loud, but he had to know that she was thinking it. There would only be time for that if, one, he could truly deal with Lincoln and his boss, and two, if Annalise stuck around. She wasn’t sure about whether or not she was going to do that just yet.
“Yeah, I’d love to hear how you managed to conjure up spikes of ice strong enough to puncture tires, all while driving a speeding car. That should be a good story.”
He chuckled. “You might say it’s unbelievable.”
She looked away, puzzled. Caine seemed so confident that he was telling the truth. Either he was delusional, or she was missing a key part of everything. Maybe she would have to stick around, just long enough to hear his crazed explanation of everything. It should make for a good story, like she’d said.
Any retort she might have had to his lame joke died as the door opened behind them. Looking in the glass mirror behind the bar, her eyes went wide. Lincoln walked in, slowly surveying the bar. Annalise hunched down lower. If she was scared of Lincoln, she was terrified of the man who came in next.
The middle-aged man was somewhere between his early forties and late fifties, depending on what angle you looked at him from. He moved like a younger man, but the streaks of silver in his thin hair—not balding, as he was quick to point out, just naturally thin—told a different story. He walked without use of a cane or any assistance, and cold terror slithered across the floor with him.
She saw his eyes pass over the table at which Colonel Mara sat, immediately dismissing her, before they landed on Annalise.
“Ah, Anna, Anna, Anna.” He clapped his hands together with each repetition of her name, walking across the wooden bar floor toward her.
Caine growled threateningly, but she put a hand on his arm, staying his outburst. The big man seethed, but for now he respected her wishes and let her handle the situation. He would come in if anything went wrong.
“Well, don’t you have anything to say for your dear old friend?”
She turned and glared at him. “You aren’t my friend.”
Twin pinpricks of fury stared back at her, practically in disbelief from the way she spoke to him. Memories of punishment for speaking out came rushing back, and she started to cave, to apologize and beg forgiveness, as she’d been taught so many years before.
“Anna. Whatever I did to wrong you, please, forgive me. I know we haven’t spoken much lately, but you were always my favorite.”
She shivered. Next to her Caine hunched lower, his shoulders bunching as he fought to remain still.
“You mean I was your favorite when you wanted me to be, you sick fuck. Why are you here? Go away.”
With Caine next to her, she felt stronger. No longer did she have to fear physical violence from Lincoln or the bamboo stick he always kept nearby.
“Anna, please. Let’s talk about this civilly. Remember, we have a commitment to each other. You can’t just run away from it like that.”
She looked away, ashamed at the curious glance Caine gave her. That was part of her past she hadn’t wanted to come to light. He didn’t need to know that. Nobody did. Her shame at the entire sequence of events made her cheeks burn bright.
“Now, be a good girl and come on home.”
She shook her head, unable to speak.
“Don’t be silly. You belong with me.”
Caine spun around at that, though he did manage to stay seated. “I don’t believe the lady wishes to go with you, mister.”
“Lee.”
>
“What?” Caine blinked rapidly.
“Mr. Lee. That is how you will address me.”
“Uh-huh.”
Lee glanced at Lincoln. “Is this the one that gave you a hard time?”
Lincoln nodded, the only sound coming from his chest a rumble almost more felt than heard. “If he gives us any more trouble, you may deal with him as you see fit. Understand?”
“Ha. Ha ha ha.” Caine slapped one hand on his knee. “Oh now that’s funny.”
Annalise glanced back and forth, trying to contain her nerves. It had been one thing when she’d been mouthing off to Lee. It was another for Caine. Whereas Lee would just beat her, he would kill Caine.
“You should leave,” she said quietly. “You aren’t welcome here.”
“Now Anna. You know I can’t do that. Not without you.”
“You can,” Caine said forcefully, standing up at last. “And you will.”
Mr. Lee sighed and stepped to the side, out of the immediate line of fire as Lincoln and Caine squared off. As he did, he became aware of the attention the rest of the room was giving him. Including the hated stares from four other men, each nearly as big as Lincoln.
“You’ve made some new friends, have you?” Lee asked, his jade eyes hardening. “How cute. You know that they won’t be able to keep me from you, don’t you?”
“Actually, Mr. Lee, or should I say Senator Lee?” Annalise watched as Colonel Mara rose from her seat and approached. “I can keep you away from her, Senator. And I will. You see, we don’t take kindly to people claiming ownership around here. Which, if I don’t miss my mark, is what you’re trying to do.”
Annalise shrank back under Lee’s baleful glare, before he turned it on the colonel. But it just slid off the diminutive brunette. She had been glared at by far worse people than some trumped-up senator from the middle of nowhere. Annalise didn’t know it, but Colonel Mara had stared down one of the Outsiders as it came to kill her, firing round after round into the hideous creature, and when she’d run out of bullets, she’d thrown the damn gun at the thing. A creepy old man wasn’t very intimidating after that.
“Ah, a military officer. How quaint.” Lee smiled. “In the army, are you?” He nodded, mostly to himself. “You should know…”
“Colonel Elin Mara. You want my service number too?”
Lee chuckled. “No, your name is more than enough for me. I have friends in the military. Powerful friends. You should keep that in mind, and perhaps rethink your involvement here.”
Mara laughed. “You don’t have the faintest idea what power is, Senator. I do. I’ve seen it, I’ve stared at it, and some of my closest friends wield more power than you could imagine. Your threats mean nothing to me. Take your dog and get out, before my friends throw you out.”
At that Cowl, Ivore, Vanek, and Kallore all stood, moving to block off everywhere but a path straight to the exit.
Senator Lee chuckled again. “Oh, I do enjoy it when amateurs try their hand at this game. It’s just so refreshing to see such misplaced idealism.” The humor vanished in an instant. “I will crush you. You have no idea who you’re dealing with. Your career is over, Colonel.”
Mara laughed, a biting, vicious sound. “You have no idea how many times I’ve heard that before, Senator. You’re probably the least intimidating person to say that.”
The senator trembled with impotent fury. Then he glanced back at Annalise. “This is your last chance to come with me. Do so now, and I’ll forgive everything. Otherwise, you won’t find me a very forgiving master.”
Annalise closed her eyes, close to vomiting at the reminder of her past life. The sway he still held over her was undeniable, a rather disgusting reminder of all the years she’d spent in his…employ? Service? Control? All of them were appropriate, to some degree or another. She just thanked her lucky stars that Lee had no sexual interest in her. Otherwise she’d be far more scarred than she already was.
“Very well,” Lee said when she didn’t respond. “But say goodbye to your friends. They’re going to spend a long, long time in prison.”
“Better than being six feet under,” Caine said into the descending silence.
Lee shot him a sharp glance, but he flicked his fingers at Lincoln, and they left.
The door closed behind Lincoln, and Annalise felt her knees buckle. Caine caught her, lifting her up into his arms. “I have you,” he rumbled, heading toward the back door where their vehicles were parked. “And I’m not letting go.”
Annalise knew she should slip from his arms. Get herself back on her feet and take care of herself. That she couldn’t allow herself to come to rely on Caine. That wasn’t the way she needed to be. It wasn’t how she had lived her life these past five years.
But his arms were so strong, and his chest so comfortable. And warm. He was very, very warm. She lay upon him as he walked, his arms not moving, despite the considerable weight within them.
Maybe just once. Just this one time, I can relax, and let him carry me…
Chapter Seventeen
Caine
He’d fallen asleep in the chair next to his bed, keeping a watchful eye on Annalise after they’d come home from the bar. She’d slept for several hours, though it didn’t seem restful. The constant tossing and turning was less than peaceful, he was sure. But eventually she’d awoken.
Caine had wanted to push. To ask her why the hell a senator, of all people, was coming after her. Why was he so interested in her, and more importantly, what had he meant when he’d said that she had a “commitment” to him?
At first Caine had thought she was just on the run from a stalker, one of those crazed men who couldn’t get it through their heads that she wasn’t interested in him anymore. The type that never gave up, always contacting someone but never quite crossing the line to the point where the police could step in. Not until things were too late, at least.
When Lincoln had first shown up, he’d thought maybe it was just some rich billionaire with too much time and money on his hands. Someone who could afford to send a thug under the guise of “security personnel.” That had all changed today when Lee himself had appeared. Caine hadn’t known he was a senator, but apparently Colonel Mara had recognized him.
He stood, raising his arms over his head and stretching. Tendons creaked and joints popped as he limbered up. Even dragons could be stiff after sleeping, and at nearly eight and a half centuries of age, he wasn’t a young wyrm anymore. Granted, six hundred of those years he’d been a stone statue, effectively untouched by age, but the point was he was stiff from sleeping in a chair.
Annalise had asked him to, however. She hadn’t wanted to be left alone. The return of Senator Lee had shaken her badly, and she didn’t seem to feel comfortable unless he was in the room with her. Not wanting to push things too far, Caine had stood his ground and said no at the suggestion he crash in the bed. Annalise had promised she was a grown woman who could say no, but he didn’t want to push it. Not after how unsteady she’d been during the day.
Maybe tonight, if she still wanted his presence.
“Caine?”
He opened one eye and relaxed, dropping his arms. “Good morning.”
“It is a good morning.” She smiled and stretched under the covers.
Caine watched as the comforter slipped down over her breasts. The sheet was still in place, but he could easily see her hard nipples through the thin fabric. Annalise noted his gaze, looked down and with what he could have sworn was a slow deliberateness, pulled them back up.
“Can I have some privacy to get dressed?” she asked sleepily, covering her mouth with her forearm as she yawned.
Caine clamped a hand over his mouth as she triggered him, his jaw popping. “Yeah, of course. Are you hungry?”
The stomach rumble was all the answer he needed. “Join me in the kitchen when you’re awake, sleepyhead.”
“I’m not the one that was snoring until five minutes ago,” she said with a snicker as he left.<
br />
“I heard that!” he called over his shoulder, closing the door behind him a split second before a pillow impacted upon it. “Hey, don’t break anything. This isn’t your place yet.”
The silenced shock that greeted his statement brought a smile to his face. Caine had come to a decision. Today was the day. He was going to go out on a limb and blindly trust Annalise. Perhaps if he told her his biggest secret, she would tell him hers. It was worth a shot. He doubted Senator Lee’s threat would amount to much, but on the off chance that it did, Caine wanted Annalise to hear the truth from his lips before she heard it from anyone else.
Thinking of lips brought a flashback to the night they’d shared their very first kiss. He’d dreamt of it every night since, hardly able to forget it. He often awoke rock hard from dreams where he’d been able to take things further, to finally claim his mate. Maybe if he opened up to her, they could work on taking things to the next level both emotionally and physically. He still wasn’t going to push, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t hoping for it.
He busied himself with making breakfast, using the comforting task of cooking and the calming smell of bacon frying to help ease the tightness of his pants. The last thing he needed was for Annalise to come in the kitchen and ask if he had a hard-on or something similar.
The shuffle of feet on the floor behind him alerted him to her presence.
“Hey, do you have a ha—”
“No!” he almost shouted, glancing down self-consciously in a panic as his brain filled in the rest of her question. “No I do not.”
Annalise looked around, eyes wide. “Um, okay. Sorry. But I need a towel. So if you don’t have any hand towels, do you have any other ones?”
Caine sighed. “Sorry. Yeah, there’s a bunch of gray and white ones in the closet in the main washroom. Take your pick.” He pointed her to the door near the elevator in the center of the floor-spanning apartment.