“I’m sorry.” He sat in front of her. “If I’m going to stop this guy I have to know everything. Did he take you to any place familiar?”
She lowered her head. “He didn’t take me anywhere.” She knew what he needed to know. He needed to know if she recognized any buildings, landmarks, anything that might give him an idea where this guy was. “I was dreaming about our honeymoon. I was on a cruise ship, without you I guess because you weren’t there.”
“I don’t do cruises.” He had nearly snapped those words before tightening his grip on his reserve. No, he didn’t do cruises. She’d asked him to go because she had done one before and liked it, but he didn’t like the ocean.
“God,” she shook her head. She had gone on that cruise with Alex. Of course they weren’t really together because they had separate rooms and nobody was even supposed to know that they were both going, but they had gone. He had given her the trip as a present for winning her first case. Kind of the “calm before the storm” of cases he assured her would come. No wonder Warren wasn’t there…but the room didn’t look anything like the one she had stayed in before.
“You were with him,” his voice was raw with anger.
“No,” she quickly added. “I was alone. I called for you, but you weren’t there.”
“You knew which him I was talking about so obviously that’s where your mind is now. You’ve gone with him before.” The accusation wasn’t a question, and unfortunately she couldn’t deny it.
“Yes,” she looked up to find him looking at her as if he could toss her out that second. “Alex…”
“Warren, God damn it; my name is Warren!”
She knew what his name was. “I wasn’t calling you Alex,” she clarified. “I was going to say Alex was a long time ago for me. We’re friends now and that’s it I swear there’s nothing more.”
“To hell there isn’t. You’re probably doing him in and out of his chambers.”
She could tell by the look on his face that he hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but he had said it. Now she knew what the problem was. Now she understood. He didn’t trust her. They couldn’t live like that…not together anyway. “I have done nothing to dishonor our marriage bed. And how dare you accuse me!?”
“Are you sure about that? You see him a lot—”
“In the capacity of work. We’re not having dinner after court, or sex or anything else.”
“You’re in his chambers.”
“He’s a judge overseeing a lot of cases, some of which I happen to be working.”
“You sure he’s not pushing aside your little panties when you’re in his chambers. God knows we haven’t—”
“Because your dumb ass hasn’t touched me in weeks! We haven’t because of you, not because of me and I won’t own the blame for that.” She slammed her tea cup down so hard it shattered, spilling hot liquid over her hand and wrist. “Damn it,” she winced at the pain.
“Let me help you,” he jumped up and she quickly moved out of his reach.
“I don’t want your help.”
“Daya.”
“I’m leaving Warren. I can’t live like this with your accusations and your bitterness. If you find the man I married send him back to me, but right now I don’t even want to know you.”
“I’m not letting you leave. We need to work this out.”
“I’m not staying, and you can’t stop me.”
She didn’t bother to pack much, just enough clothes to get her through the weekend. She wasn’t sure where she would go after the weekend. She couldn’t go stay with Julian, he’d know right away her marriage was in shambles. She couldn’t stay with friends because she didn’t have many left in-state. A hotel seemed to be her only option.
“I’ll leave,” he said.
“It’s your house, you should stay.” She pulled her suitcase from the bed.
“Daya,” he stepped in front of her. “Please don’t…”
“Why should I stay, Warren? You’ve already painted the scarlet letter on my chest, drove the knife through my heart…what’s left? You want to burn me at the stake too?”
“I’m sorry.”
“No you’re not,” she shook her head. “Let me by, Warren.”
“He’ll come back for you. Please stay and I’ll help you.”
She shook her head.
“He’ll kill you.”
“Right now I don’t care,” she started to push past him, but he gently grabbed her arm.
“I do. Please stay?”
She couldn’t deny that in a couple hours she’d be thinking marginally straight and she too would care if she found herself at the other end of death, but staying…God, how could she stay? After what he’d said, what he’d accused her of doing…how could she stay?
“You don’t get it do you, Warren? You don’t get how much you just hurt me.” She pushed past him and wheeled her case into the hall. “I’ll move into the spare bedroom for now. After this over, and the bad guy is no longer a threat I’ll move out. I’ll wait until then to file the papers.”
“Papers?”
“Divorce, Warren. I think we should get a divorce.” She left him standing there and he didn’t follow after her. She didn’t say she wanted a divorce because a part of her couldn’t make her mouth form those words, but she said they should get one. Whether she wanted one or not they were obviously beyond hope at this point. And for some reason she took the blame for that. Their marriage was falling apart because she had failed him somehow. She had failed to show him that she loved him without reservation, without room for betrayal. That fault was hers and hers alone. She failed where it counted most. No courtroom victory could ever cover over that.
Chapter Four
Warren was flat on his back in bed, looking up at the ceiling wondering how the hell he’d messed up so fast. She wanted a divorce. She was going to file papers. Damn! He had wanted to avoid that reality; instead he pushed her toward it. He didn’t want to lose her. In his heart he knew she wouldn’t betray him. He knew it even more after the stupid words were out of his mouth. She wouldn’t hurt him, but he sure as hell had hurt her.
What was driving him, pushing him toward this insanity? Why couldn’t he stop the feelings at war within him? Why had he opened his mouth and accused her of doing something he knew she wouldn’t do? He had shot himself in the foot on this one and he didn’t see a way out, a way back to what they had. These past few weeks he had been bitter. If he were being honest, he would have to admit that he had been bitter for the past few months. That bitterness grew and inevitably exploded. He needed to fix this. He would fix this.
She already had some casual clothes packed in a bag. It wouldn’t take much work to do what he planned to do. So instead of staying flat on his back he got up, busied himself with packing a few clothes of his own, tossed a few more pieces for her in his case and quietly took his bag out to the truck. He returned for hers just as quietly. She either wasn’t awake or she was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t hear him because she didn’t stir as he left her room. He came back for her just as quietly, but the moment his hand touched her she hastily awakened.
“Don’t touch me,” she said and he could tell there was nothing but anger in her tone.
“Daya, it’s just me.”
“I know who you are. I said don’t touch me.”
Okay, so she wasn’t dreaming and the bastard hadn’t returned to finish what he started. “Sorry, love, no can do.” He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the truck. She went, kicking and screaming, but she went. He didn’t bother putting her in on the passenger side because he was sure she would bolt from the truck the moment he got around to his side. He put her in on the driver’s side and then pushed her, gently, over to the other side as he climbed in, shut the door, started the truck and took off before she could get her hand on the door handle.
“Where are you taking me, Warren?”
“It’s a surprise,” he kept his voice neutral.
<
br /> “It’s kidnapping.”
“You’re not a kid.” He stated flatly.
“Then abduction, whatever. It’s against the law.”
He shrugged. “So is divorce.”
“No it’s not,” she retorted. “Trust me, I know the law and there’s no law against divorcing your husband.”
“Biblical,” he said.
“You don’t believe in the bible.”
“I’ve read it,” he stated.
“You just make up the rules as you go. You pick and choose what applies to you or when you can use them. Well it doesn’t work this time.”
“Sure it does.” He turned down the long, dark road leading to the interstate without further discussion. He wasn’t going to lose his wife. He was going to fight as hard and as dirty as he had to just to keep her in his life. If it meant taking her away against her will then he would do it. If she hated him after the weekend…well he’d deal with whatever charges she filed against him then.
A few hours later he pulled up in front of the cabin he’d bought months before marrying Daya. Winter in Flagstaff could be a bitch, but he’d take his chance. He had hit snow while heading north. She wasn’t dressed for snow and ice. She was still in her housecoat and under that she had on a simple sleep shirt that she had obviously put on while waiting for him to get home. At least he wouldn’t have to worry about her running barefoot through the woods trying to get away from him.
“Warren,” her voice took on a grave tone. “I have places to be you know.”
He shrugged. “I have a marriage to try to save.”
She snorted. “Too late for that.”
“Not in my book.” He turned off the engine, stuffed the keys in his pocket and pulled his winter coat on. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she had realized the coat was in the truck for the first time. Had she realized it sooner she probably would have grabbed it and got out sooner. Still, she would be barefoot. Barefoot in three feet of snow wouldn’t be much fun at all. “I’ll be right back.”
“Go to hell,” she snapped as she pulled her housecoat tighter.
He laughed. “If I did that you’d be stuck out here in this cold truck all alone. I’m not planning to leave the key,” he winked. He liked seeing the fight in her. Daya cursing him out was a lot better than Daya giving him the silent treatment.
He entered the cabin, turned on the electric heat and a few lights. The place had been closed up for awhile and it smelled of mothballs the previous owner had put out to keep the place smelling better than stale. He didn’t care about the smell so long as his plan worked. He checked the bedroom, the only bedroom in the place, and was happy to notice the previous owner had done what he asked. The sheets he’d bought were still on the bed and the dream catchers he’d asked to have hung were on the wall, with a few lining the headboard of the bed. His place was ready for his woman to see. And she was his woman, whether she was in agreement with that right now or not.
He went back to the truck, which had cooled off considerably quick. “I’m going to take the bags and I’ll come back for you.”
“Leave the key so I can have some heat.”
He noticed the twinkle in her eyes. If he left that key based on her plea she’d be gone before he reached the front door. “Not a chance in hell, love.” He took the bags into the house, winced at the chill that still permeated the rooms. Even with the heat on the cabin was still cold. She’d just have to let him warm her up, he grinned as he walked back to the truck.
Scooping her up in his arms he effortlessly carried her toward the door. She drew close to him, shivering the entire way. “You’re a bastard-jerk,” she said through clattering teeth.
“The other day I was an “asshole-jerk” so I guess we’re making a little progress.” She dug her nails into his hand. “Careful, love, you wouldn’t want me to drop you on your ass in the snow.”
“I want you to take me back.”
“I can’t,” he carried her inside, kicked the door closed behind him and took her to the bedroom.
“I’m not sleeping with you.”
“There’s only one bed and I’m not sleeping on the couch,” he stated. “I’m your husband…”
“For the moment,” she snorted. “Give me a couple days and I can solve that problem.”
“Thought I had until the bad guy wasn’t an issue,” he stated with measured hostility.
“That was before you took me captive.”
He laughed, a hearty laugh that had her nearly rising from her sitting position to hit him. “You make it sound like I took you for my squaw or something.”
She exhaled sharply. “You!”
He winked. “I think we should get under the covers and warm up,” he kneeled before her and took her foot in his hand. It was ice cold and for that he was truly concerned.
“I should kick your teeth out,” she barked.
He noted from his position she probably could do it if she really wanted to. “Warming up would be better,” he ran his hand up her leg, over her calf muscle and to her thigh.
“I don’t need your help doing it,” she jerked away from him, pulled back the dark blue quilted blanket and then the sheets before pulling the covers up to her shoulders. She sat with her back against the wooden headboard. “I can’t believe you’ve done this.”
“I can’t believe you want a divorce.”
“I didn’t say I wanted one, Warren. But I don’t…I can’t live like this. You don’t trust me and you can’t have a marriage if you don’t have trust.”
“I trust you.”
“No you don’t. If you did you would have never accused me of…you just wouldn’t have. And obviously you’ve felt this way for months or you wouldn’t have…”
“I wouldn’t have what.” He sat in front of her on the bed and studied her face. Her smooth skin, dark eyes, her silky hair that framed the perfect picture…he loved her, all of her.
“You wouldn’t have stopped loving me.” She turned from him.
“I love you.”
“How can you? How can you profess love after how you’ve treated me? What you’ve said to me…”
He felt the pain in his gut deepen. “I don’t know what the hell has been wrong with me lately, Daya. I don’t know why I keep seeing you and the judge together. I don’t know why I think walking your dreams is going to show me that you’re still in love with him. I don’t know why; but I haven’t been able to shake it.”
“Why didn’t you just ask me? Why go on like this?”
“I couldn’t. Asking you meant I didn’t trust you.”
“But you don’t trust me.”
He didn’t deny her words, not directly at least. “I don’t trust him. I don’t know why. I just don’t. I’m an idiot I know, but…I keep thinking you were with him for a long time, Daya. You don’t get over that.”
She laughed, but it wasn’t sincere. “I’m with you…I love you…and I trusted you not to hurt me. I gave you all of me and you broke me. A simple question, even if I didn’t like it, would have been better than this.” She brushed a tear from her cheek. “I’m tired, Warren. I don’t want to do this anymore.”
She turned away from him and closed her eyes. He was sure the “this” she was talking about wasn’t just the conversation. He was in deep trouble now because she wasn’t going to forgive him…not in one weekend anyway.
He let her pretend to be sleep while he went and hid the keys to the truck. He wasn’t at all confident that she wouldn’t make a break for it come first light and he wasn’t going to take any chances. If he didn’t have her at least on speaking terms by Sunday he was one hundred percent sure she’d have his behind thrown in jail.
Chapter five
“Dream catchers,” he laughed. Trying to ward off evil dreams?”
“You are evil,” she tried to get out of bed, but she couldn’t move her legs and arms. He was doing it again. He was controlling her.
“Where are you? Show me.”
She closed her eyes tight, trying not to remember the road up to the cabin, trying not to let him know where she was. What difference would it make? Clearly he was able to walk her dreams even without knowing her location. He could stalk her from anywhere.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
He laughed. “Where are you? Show me.” His command this time was laced with poison, as if he knew there was only a matter of seconds before he broke her will to block his probing.
“No. Go away.” She closed her eyes tighter. “You’re not real. It’s just a dream. You’re not real.”
“It won’t help you,” he advanced toward her. “When I get you naked and I come inside you I plan to take all of you. All of you.” He promised.
She opened her eyes, afraid, trembling. “Warren, please help me?”
“He can’t save you,” he reached for her.
She saw a beam of light hit him, knock him back. “I will have her!” He yelled right before she woke in a cold sweat.
“Daya? Was it him? Did he come back?”
Warren sat up beside her, his expression mixed with fear and anger. “Daya, answer me, please?”
She couldn’t answer him, couldn’t speak. She pulled her knees up to her chest, buried her head against them and cried. She wouldn’t be able to sleep—ever. He’d stalk her until he took what he wanted, until he killed her, and she was powerless to stop him.
The Dream Stalker (Gifted Liaisons) Page 4