by Dakota Black
Was this a watcher, someone who was contemplating blackmail or something else? He had his suspicions, but he certainly wouldn’t be able to confirm unless confronted. And he would be. There was no doubt. Just a matter of time.
The water was hot, steam filtering into the small space. He stood under the showerhead, watching the way the water flowed into the drain. Contemplating the future had limitations. Contemplating his life with Cassandra was a beautiful dream, but after she heard what he had to say, there was no way she’d stay with him. How could she?
He grabbed the soap, allowing his mind to shift to the damning life before, and shivered the entire time.
“What are you doing here?” Zach demanded as he glared at the intruder.
“I came to take what’s mine.” The answer was calculated, said with a lurid tone.
“Get out or I’ll kick you out!”
“I don’t think so. You forget who you are. You forget your place.”
“My place is right here, protecting my family from assholes like you.” Zach held his ground, clenching his fists, ready to take a swing.
The laugh was laced with evil. “I don’t think so. You know what I can do. What I will do. Now, get out of the way or things are going to become difficult.”
Zach swam his way up from the nightmare, his chest heaving as he tried to breathe. Difficult. Everything had been ruined on that very cold, winter day. Everything in his life, ruined. From that day forward, he was forever changed. He scrubbed his skin as if to wash away the ugliness, the dirt and damnation he’d created. He would never be clean again.
He shook away the memory as he dried off and threw on a pair of fresh jeans and a shirt. At least the monster from his past would never come back again. Of that, he’d made certain. He grabbed his socks and boots, taking them into the kitchen.
Cassandra was nowhere to be seen.
Panic rushed into every cell, giving him an intense wall of fear. “Cassandra?” There was no answer, no sound. He could see the coffee cup on the counter, half the liquid still inside. Panting, he raced back to grab his gun, shoving it under his waistband then stalked toward the front door, throwing it open. Her car was still outside. Think. The fucker knew where he lived. What a fool to allow her to be here.
Had someone seen Cassandra’s arrival, abducting her while he was in the shower? Anger furrowed into his muscles until his chest was tight. He struggled into his boots and raced outside, searching the grounds. There was no sight of her. “Cassandra!” The call seemed to echo, bouncing off the tree line. He listened as the wind whistled, creating an eerie sound. Still, nothing.
Where could she have gone? He turned in a full circle then checked the front of the house. Nothing. No sign of her. Dear God. Not again. I can’t…
Whhhaaa…
The single noise drew his attention. One of his horses was whinnying, the sound filled with joy. He headed toward the corral and couldn’t help but smile. If only things could be different. As he walked into the barn, petting his prized Thoroughbred, he stood watching her, a brush in her hand, a look of utter awe on her face. The beautiful Andalusian seemed to be basking in her attention, his head bobbing up and down as she continued brushing his coat, using her other hand to touch and caress. He could tell she was whispering to him, no doubt her words soothing.
Zach walked closer, but remained quiet. The joy in watching her savor the moment, the lilt of her voice, her soft words almost in a song, was priceless. He swelled with pride and something else, an unexpected emotion. Love. He couldn’t imagine life without her.
“His name is Luther,” Zach said quietly as he leaned against the wall, folding his arms. He’d worked so hard to create the perfect world, filled with his beloved horses. His money had afforded him anything he’d ever dreamed of owning and today, at this very moment, very little mattered.
“Luther. A name fit for a king, eh, baby?” she cooed as she pressed her face against his neck.
Whhhaaa!
Luther snorted and kicked one hoof, scratching the dirt floor.
She kissed his nose and sighed before swiveling in his direction. “They are magnificent creatures. So beautiful.”
“Yes, you are.”
Blushing, she turned her attention back to the horse, brushing with gentle strokes. “I’ve only been on a horse twice and both times were… Let’s just say I didn’t win any points with either horse. They were both ready to toss me to kingdom come.”
He inched closer until he could see the way her skin was glistening, her mouth pursing as she continued making cooing sounds. “Luther finds you particularly amazing, just like his owner does.”
She darted a smile. “He’s just trying to win me over. Aren’t you, big fella?”
Luther eased his head in her direction.
“Well, he knows you’re very special to me. I kinda told him I’d take away his supply of apples if he wasn’t nice to you.”
The comment made her laugh, her eyes twinkling. “I have a feeling Luther can fend for himself. Can’t you, baby?”
Luther snorted his answer.
“See?” she whispered as Zach placed his hand on her back. She shivered and licked her lips.
“Luther has very good tastes. Then again, I think I do too.” Taking her into his arms, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into the heat of his body. She fell against him, molding her body into his. He allowed the kiss to remain gentle, a sweet reminder that there was so much desire between them, but there was also adoration.
Cassandra eased her arms around his neck, her fingers intertwining with his hair. She moaned into the kiss until he filled her mouth with his tongue.
Arching her back, he wanted the intimacy, the intense longing to last forever. Their tongues moved back and forth, moving together as he eased his hand down, cupping and squeezing her ass. The taste of her was sinful, sweet as well as scintillating and he contemplated taking her right here.
When she broke the kiss, she exhaled and placed her hand on his chest, kneading him through his shirt. “I like being here.”
“I like you being here. I’ve never wanted another woman in my space, my house. This is special to me, the only place I can truly be myself.” The words came easily, whispered as if she was always meant to be here.
“I’m glad and thank you for sharing.”
Whinnying, Luther moved his head, dropping his nose in between them.
Zach groaned and gave Luther a look before caressing him on the nose. “I think my boy wants to take you out on a ride. Are you game?”
She bit her lip. “I’ll give it a try. Just don’t make fun of me.”
Smack!
Swatting her on the ass, he wagged his finger. “I’ll never make fun of you and you don’t have to worry. He’s a very good teacher. Let me saddle up the horses. Then I’ll grab some refreshments for the journey.”
“Journey. That sounds amazing.”
“You’ll understand.” He kissed her lips then squeezed her arm. “Never forget how much you mean to me.”
“I know,” she whispered.
He inched away, angst grabbing at his heart.
“Wait.” Cassandra grabbed his arm, pulling him back. “I found a picture on your counter. I wasn’t trying to pry. Who are those men?”
Did he hear a catch in her voice? He froze, half expecting her to launch into a heated conversation. “You weren’t prying. Mitchell handed me the picture last night. Long story but at least two of the men were involved with New Horizons from the early days. Mitchell couldn’t provide much information, but he believes there is a back story to the reason the development company wants to sell to Rush.”
“And you think he’s right.”
“The timing is too coincidental, but without any additional details, I’m just guessing at what and why.”
She nodded, her eyes darting back and forth. “I’ve seen another picture of one of the men from somewhere. I can’t remember when, but it was recent, and I swear to
God, whoever this man is, he’s important. I feel it.”
“They’re all criminals and very bad men.” Unprepared to give her any additional details, he grabbed a saddle. Very bad men indeed.
Cassandra couldn’t help but watch as he saddled up the horses. She continued to try and figure out where she’d seen the gruff looking man, but at this point, her mind remained muddled. He wasn’t from a painting. She was certain of that. Rubbing her eyes, her head was aching, as if another vision was right around the corner. They’d left her exhausted, her mind unable to comprehend what she was seeing. Even the conversation with the Chief had left her shaken, uncertain of who he was warning her against. She’d decided that she’d allow the day to play out, and try and enjoy her time with Zach. Whatever was going to occur, she had a terrible feeling there was no way of stopping the inevitable.
Very bad men.
If what Chief Whitehorse said was true, both she and Zach would soon face horrific danger.
“I think we’re ready. Going to take you on some beautiful land.” Grinning, he held out Luther’s reins. “Mitchell helped me find this place. The man has a knack of locating the most pristine land in all of Texas. Pretty good nose for oil too.”
“You guys are good friends.”
“He’s seen me through a hell of a lot in my life, but he has had a difficult life himself. I would die for him.”
“For what it’s worth, I can tell Mitchell cares about you.” She could see such confusion in Zach’s eyes, soul searching as well as fear.
Zach nodded. “He’s a great man, an honest friend, but he’s pushy.”
“Pushy can also mean caring.”
“I suppose.”
She took the reins and looked into Luther’s eyes. “Be good to me, boy.” Leaning against his nose, she rubbed between his eyes, brushing the tips of her fingers up and down as she hummed.
“You have that boy’s heart. I doubt I’m going to be able to ride him again. Let me help you up.”
His strong arms lifted her, helping her over the massive horse and she swallowed hard. “This is… terrifying.”
“The key is to stay loose. Ride with the horse, moving with him. He’ll be easy going for you.”
She heard his mischievous laughter as he climbed onto his horse, another beautiful specimen.
“This is my baby. Jackson has been with me from the beginning of my adventure in Texas.” Zach patted his horse.
“Jackson. Interesting name.”
He winked. “One day I might just tell you how he got his name. Let’s go.”
She followed his lead, allowing Luther to guide her out of the corral and onto a trail, heading for a patch of woods. The morning was beautiful, the sun a perfect gold, fluffy clouds and a clear view of the area surrounding them. “I could do this every day.”
“Then, why don’t you?” He grinned as he stayed by her side, walking as they headed for the trees.
Shrugging, she realized her knuckles were almost white. “The owner of this fine establishment is a total prick. Or so I hear.” When she saw the look on his face, she burst into laughter. “Teasing. Don’t spank me.”
“I just might have to,” he growled then gave her an admonishing look. “You’re one feisty troublemaker. That’s for certain. You need someone to discipline you every day.”
“That’s what you keep telling me.” When he winked, she offered a mischievous smile.
“And I mean it!” Zach grinned as he pressed his heel into Jackson’s side. “Let’s go a little faster. There’s somewhere I’d like to take you.”
“Okay. If you trust in my abilities.” She held her breath as he took off at a gallop. Leaning over, she patted Luther’s mane and whispered, “You and me, baby.”
Luther took off, galloping as he followed his master, his head held high.
She breathed in the air, more than enjoying the ride and after a few minutes, was no longer tense. The patch of trees was beautiful, almost unexpected given the flat terrain. As they entered the forest, the path became winding and Zach slowed his horse to a walk. She rode closer, until they were side by side. “This is gorgeous.”
“The land actually connects to Mitchell’s,” Zach stated as he pointed to the left. “His house is about five miles that way.” He grinned as he looked in her direction. “But he’s not a nosy neighbor by any stretch of the imagination.”
“Boys club. That’s what it reminds me of,” she said without inflection and looked up at the trees. “This is very similar to where I lived for most of my life.”
“Where is that? If you don’t mind me asking.”
She hesitated and wasn’t certain why. “Colorado. I moved here a year ago to start a new life, create a world of my own.”
“Did you find the world you anticipated?”
The question had been in her mind for some time. “Maybe. I realized something important after moving here. I don’t need things and never wanted to be rich, but I do want to be happy. That is, if I can.”
He nodded as they rode for a few seconds. “What does happy mean to you?”
“Finding a soul mate, a man I can truly be myself with. I’ve worked so hard to get where I am in business, but what do I have to come home to at the end of every day? An empty house and my paintings.”
“Your paintings are beautiful.”
She gave him a half smile. “But I’m not painting them for recreation. I can only paint when I’m guided into doing them and I never know what to expect when I’m finished. They mean nothing to me but fuel for nightmares.”
“How long have you experienced these visions?” Zach asked, a lilt in his voice.
“As long as I can remember, but I pushed away my gift for years, doing everything I could to shut down my abilities. I haven’t been able to do that lately.” She shivered at the thought. “You have them. Don’t you?”
Zach shrugged. “On and off since I was a little boy, but I was like you and pushed them away. Mine are usually seconds of images that fade until I no longer remember.”
“I wish I could remember them. Perhaps I could help solve some mysteries,” she whispered, accepting the truth. If only she could remember.
“And the discipline?” He shot her a look.
She exhaled and leaned forward, rubbing Luther’s neck. If she wanted him to open up, she was going to have to lead the way. “I think I’ve always appreciated a strong man, but I had no idea what I was looking for.”
Zach remained quiet.
“I was involved with a man for almost three years. He was wonderful and so attentive. We met by accident and hit it off. He was an engineer, a quiet and very reserved man. I was so young, very inexperienced in almost every aspect of a relationship, let alone anything having to do with kinky sex. Michael was older and taught me so much about how to become a woman, indulging in my fantasies. We were only friends at first, talking about desires and he helped me understand aspects of Domination and submission, punishment. I was fascinated, and our discussions became so open. He shared everything about his experiences. Then one night, he took me to his home for dinner.”
Zach looked in her direction. “And?”
“We’d been intimate, but very vanilla up to that point. He had a feeling I was a submissive and explained what his true desires were, which at the time, I thought insane and very kinky. Still, he was so kind and loving, allowing me to understand what his needs had become that I was more than interested in learning, sharing with him.”
“He was a dominant?”
“Yes, but I honestly think he was a sadist. I didn’t know this at first because he never acted that way around me. He was doting, adoring and showered me with gifts. He introduced me to discipline after a few months and I was enthralled.” Cassandra laughed as she kept her gaze pointed ahead. “He was a very good punisher.”
“Interesting choice of words.”
“Well, meaning once I knew what he wanted from me, he expected, no he demanded that I succumb and obey every com
mand. Or the punishment would be much worse. I’d work a long day but was expected to come to his house or his office for my almost daily round of discipline. I began to think this was normal, but as I was advancing in my career, I couldn’t make every day happen. When I became disobedient, he’d get so angry with me. I used to think his bouts of anger were more about jealousy than anything else. Then he changed, becoming even more demanding and I gave in to keep the peace. I sacrificed friendships and even a promotion to be with him, to follow his rules.”
“That’s not a sadist. That’s a monster,” Zach whispered as he pointed toward the clearing. “Being a sadist is about enjoying the infliction of pain, but not in the manner you describe.”
“Are you a sadist?” she asked, unsure of hearing the answer.
Zach’s face pinched and he hesitated before answering. “I’ve always been dominant. Always, and yet, I enjoy the concept of being in total control, inflicting pain and pleasure as methods of my desire for domination, but I’ve never wanted to harm anyone I’ve spent time with. I enjoy the act.”
“But you need more.”
“Yeah. We both do,” he whispered. “Come. We can relax and talk.”
She nodded as her thoughts drifted to Michael. She hadn’t wanted to think about him during her time with Zach, but memories of the relationship and the horrid ending rushed into her mind. As he guided the horses through the line of trees and onto a grassy knoll, she opened her mouth and whistled. “This is gorgeous.”
“Respite away from the rest of the world. The day Mitchell showed the property to me, I put a down payment on the house. I knew this was a place I could call home. I haven’t been to this particular spot in at least two months. Work has been so busy and I just…”
“Never found the right reason?”
“Exactly,” he said as he nodded and slipped off the horse, allowing the reins to remain free. “They’ll be fine here.” His eyes never leaving her, he walked around Jackson and eased her off Luther, holding her waist as he gave her a single smile. “I also never wanted to share this with anyone else, including aspects of my past. You’ve changed me, Cassandra. I can’t imagine not having you in my life, which is why I’m scared to death. I can’t risk having you hurt because of me.”