THE TEXAS RENEGADE REURNS

by Charlene Sands

  “I plan to. I will not be caught off my guard again. Thank you for the call.”

  Alex pushed End and stared at the blank screen. It was done. Paul Windsor’s crimes were exposed. He would be put away for a long time.

  Alex strode into the house, his nerves on edge as he made his way into the great room. He found his father seated in the leather recliner, his cell phone to his ear, rattling off a list of commands in Spanish.

  Rodrigo looked up and finished his call abruptly. He stood and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Alejandro, I have news.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I am needed at home. I will be leaving tonight. I have only stayed this long to make sure my children are safe. But I have neglected my duties at home long enough. I wish you to come home. Join me in Mexico.”

  “No, Papa. We have been through this before, and you know I cannot return to Mexico. My place is here now.”

  “The woman?”

  “Cara, yes. I have to work things out with her.”

  Rodrigo frowned. He didn’t try to hide his disappointment. “My children have abandoned me.”

  “We are happy here.”

  “Your sister, yes. She is married now. But you, Alejandro, what do you have here?”

  “I have friends and a business of my own. I have the woman I want to marry. I cannot leave her now. I have news, too. Her father has been arrested. Just tonight. He was taken to jail.”

  Rodrigo’s face brightened and he squeezed Alex’s shoulder. “May he rot in there for what he’s done to you.”

  “He may very well.”

  A satisfied gleam entered his father’s eyes. “Sí. But is it enough for what you have lost?”

  “It has to be, Papa. I am greatly relieved and satisfied. I will work out the rest in time. You can go home to Las Cruces knowing justice will be served.”

  His father’s mouth twisted and frown lines appeared. Rodrigo did not let go of things easily. Unsettled by his expression, Alex gave him a direct look. “It is done. We must move on with our lives.”

  “Humph.”

  Alex was sorry about the whole damn mess. If he hadn’t agreed to his father’s scheme to begin with then none of this would have happened. “Papa, give up your idea to buy out Windsor Energy.”

  His father’s eyes flickered with a dark glint. “We shall see, Alejandro. We shall see.”

  “You have caused enough trouble. Go home and enjoy your life. Forget about the takeover.”

  His father set his jaw. “I cannot make you that promise right now. But I must go. I have other business that has been neglected.”

  Alex shook his head. Damn the old man. He was stubborn. If Alex challenged him tonight, pride would make Rodrigo take further action. It was best to let him go now without pressuring him. He’d deal with him later. With his father gone, he stood a better chance of winning Cara back.

  He sighed. “I will drive you to the airport.”

  “It is not necessary. I have a driver ready to take me to see Gabriella. From there, I will leave. And you,” his father said in a softer voice as he placed his palm to Alex’s face, “you must do what compels you, my son.”

  “Sí. It is what I intend to do.”

  * * *

  Cara had to do some serious pulling of strings to get in to see her father after his arrest. Paul Windsor had powerful friends and one of them had come through for her. Now, she sat in an old overstuffed leather chair and faced her father across a metal table. A jailhouse guard was posted outside the small sterile room and she was granted ten minutes to visit him. As she peered into his weary blue eyes, the truth of his guilt apparent in his sheepish expression, her body slipped farther down into the lumpy seat cushion. “Is it true, Dad? Did you have Alex run off the road and almost killed?”

  He glanced around the empty room as if the walls had ears and lowered his voice. “It wasn’t like that, Cara.”

  She trembled as hope for his denial was dashed. “You hired thugs to do your dirty work. One of them confessed.”

  “I’m not a murderer, Cara.”

  “But you did have Alex run off the road in his car. You had your men b-beat him,” Cara choked out. The words were hard to say. To associate her father with the awful crimes was unbearable. “They took him across the border, tied him up and left him there. He didn’t know if he was going to be executed. He didn’t know where he was.”

  “Cara, calm down.” Again, he glanced around the room. “I only wanted him away from you for a while so you would come to your senses.”

  “I loved him.”

  “He was a fraud. He was out to snatch my company away.”

  Cara rose from her seat, stunned. Now it made perfect sense. “You knew?” She wished to God it wasn’t true. But her father’s motives became shockingly clear. “You knew who Alex was before anyone else did and decided to have him beaten and dragged away instead of trusting me to do the right thing?”

  “Not so loud, Cara.” He hung his head and rubbed his hand down his face. “I’m in big trouble. I need you by my side on this.”

  “H-how can you ask that of me?” Cara’s legs wouldn’t hold her another second. She lowered into the seat again. “You could’ve told me what you knew about Alex. I would’ve confronted him. I would’ve gotten to the truth.”

  Her father shook his head. “You were besotted.”

  “You give me no credit.”

  “He was using you, and you were too blind to see it.”

  Her father’s perception of her was almost a bigger injury than his betrayal. “How did you find out about him?”

  He shrugged. “I have my sources.”

  Leaning forward, she met his direct gaze. “How, Dad?”

  He sighed. “I suspected something was up when you started dating a man who’d shown up in Royal out of the blue, making investment deals with club members who’ve been around a long time, nudging his way into relationships. I keep my enemies close. I knew Rodrigo del Toro was sniffing around Windsor Energy and I’d heard about his son, a handsome young man who worked for him. He’d fallen off the map in Mexico two years ago and he was the same age and had the same appearance as Alex Santiago. I trusted my instincts, Cara. It’s something you need to learn.”

  Tears swelled in Cara’s eyes. “This is horribly unbelievable. I don’t...” She caught a sob in her throat. “I don’t know what to say...”

  He reached for her hand, but she was warned from any physical contact in the room. Which was a good thing—she didn’t want to comfort her dad. She didn’t know him. She sat staring at the man who’d raised her and couldn’t comprehend his ruthlessness.

  Alex had suffered at his hands. But so had she. She’d been betrayed by both men she’d loved, and took part of the blame for being such a fool to believe in the two of them. “You’re right about one thing, Dad. You are in big trouble. Kidnapping across the border is a serious federal offense.”

  “I’ve hired the best attorney money can buy. He comes highly recommended.”

  “I think you’re going to need it.”

  A fleeting thought came to mind. She’d been too busy thinking about the crimes her father had committed to think about his company. The scandal could be devastating. The shame and bad press brought to Windsor Energy could bring the company crashing down. The whole thing would be fodder for the media. The company her father tried so hard to protect might fall to ruin. It was on her shoulders now to pick up the pieces. Cara couldn’t deal with that at the moment. It was too much. “I have to go.”

  “Cara...button, I need you.”

  Her heart ached so badly. It wouldn’t be long before her father’s friends turned their backs on him. If convicted, he’d be a known felon. Bad press would follow anyone associated with him. Now he wa
s reaching out to her. Too little, too late. She wouldn’t abandon her father but she wouldn’t defend him, either. He’d done a terrible thing. “It’s going to take me some time to deal with all of this. Take care of yourself. I’ll be back soon to visit. I love you, Dad.”

  Cara exited the room, choking back sobs. Her stomach churned bitter acid and she dashed out of the premises without saying a word to anyone. Her cell phone had started ringing just an hour after her father’s arrest. She’d shut it off. She couldn’t speak with anyone tonight. She headed straight home, ignoring her voice-mail messages, and prayed like hell the gates to Windsor Farms wouldn’t be swarming with reporters.

  Her prayers were answered as she pulled undisturbed into the stately gates of her home and they automatically closed behind her. A pent-up breath released from her throat—she was in the clear. Official news of her father’s arrest hadn’t yet been made public, though it had spread like wildfire through the Cattleman’s Club. The news would hit front and center tomorrow morning. She had tonight to shut herself off from the world and protect herself from scrutiny and the questions she didn’t know how to answer.

  As soon as she entered the cottage, her shoulders slumped and she sighed with relief. Familiar surroundings comforted her. At least she could hide out behind the Windsor walls for a time. But she was a realist and understood the gravity of the situation was a heavy weight for her to carry all alone.

  She tossed her purse and tan blazer onto the parlor sofa and then lowered onto it. As she leaned forward, her hands came to rest on her cheeks and she swallowed a heavy gulp of air. “Oh, Dad,” she whispered, “why did you do it?”

  She gave her head a shake. She’d never understand what possessed him to take such drastic measures. Now that he’d been arrested, he’d most likely go to prison for a long time and would never know his grandchild. Cara squeezed her eyes closed. Her baby would never have the love of his or her grandfather. They would never bond or spend time together.

  How would she ever explain her father’s absence to her child? What could she say? Your grandfather hated your father so much he had him beaten then dumped over the border and is now serving out a prison term for his crimes?

  A black cloud of uncertainty loomed overhead. The baby came first and then she’d have to deal with the fallout at Windsor Energy.

  “But not tonight,” she said quietly.

  Cara wanted a shred of peace.

  She wanted to forget and she knew there was only one thing that would help her do that.

  She fished into her purse and lifted out her cell.

  Alex had left her two voice mails and three texts. She dialed his number and he answered on the first ring.

  “You changed the code to your gate.” His smooth baritone voice didn’t hide his irritation. After the first time he’d shown up here, making his way through the gates without any problem, she’d had the code changed to prevent it from happening again. Now only the people she trusted, a handful of them, could visit her unannounced.

  “I... Yes, I did.”

  He sighed wearily and she pictured him running a hand down his face. “I couldn’t get in to see you.”

  “You tried?”

  “I tried, yes. I’ve been calling you and leaving messages. I know about your father, Cara. I’m sorry it turned—”

  “I don’t want to talk about my father,” she said, biting her lower lip.

  He met her comment with silence. She heard his breathing, rapid pulls of breath carrying over the phone line.

  “I need to see you, Alex.”

  He lowered his voice. “I am close by.”

  “Come over.”

  “I will be right there.”

  Seven

  The distant howling of a coyote didn’t distract Cara as she opened the door to Alex’s gorgeous dark-lashed brown eyes. The affection and concern she found in them penetrated through her. His appearance on her doorstep just minutes after her phone call touched something profound and wondrous in her heart. He hadn’t lied to her. He was close by and he’d come to her.

  He wore dark tailored dress pants, trendy Italian shoes and a shirt made of white silk pushed up to the elbows. Thick, shiny, black hair spoke of his Latino roots and his brown skin was smooth and bronzed by the Texas sun.

  “Cara.”

  She trembled at the low, amazingly sympathetic timbre of his voice. “A-Alex, I’m glad you came.”

  “I will always come for you, sweetheart.”

  If only she could trust in that. If only her heart wasn’t still profoundly broken. If only her father’s crimes hadn’t multiplied her pain. “Come in,” she said, stepping aside.

  As he brushed past her, the scent of his expensive cologne wafted by, bringing safely harbored memories of happier times to her mind. Coming face-to-face with Alex had its drawbacks. He was eye-catching and beautiful.

  “I know you didn’t want to speak about your father on the phone,” he said softly, “but this has got to really hurt you. When I found out the truth, my first thoughts were of you.”

  Cara hardened her heart to his apologies for betraying her, but tonight she did appreciate the effort he made to consider her feelings. “Alex, I don’t want to speak of my father tonight. Except to say I’ll be eternally sorry for his alleged crimes against you. He hasn’t confessed, but he’s been caught.” She moved toward him and touched his cheek. His skin was warm and inviting. He turned his head and kissed her hand tenderly, his lips silky smooth. “You suffered because of me. My father must’ve thought he was protecting me and his company, but what he did to you was...was the worst kind of terrible.”

  “I cannot disagree.”

  “I don’t know what else to say...it’s all too much for me.”

  “He is not the man you thought he was,” he said soberly.

  Or maybe he was. Cara had always known her father had flaws to his character, she’d just never realized the scope of his obsession with his company or his calculated brutality. What daughter could possibly think it of the man who’d raised her? “Let’s leave it at that.”

  “Cara,” Alex said, inching closer. His presence encircled her, and she knew she hadn’t made a bad decision in asking him to come over. As he cupped her elbows in his hands and drew her nearer, her skin sizzled with unbridled heat. “I am sorry for everything that has happened.”

  “Please...don’t, Alex. I am not ready to forgive you.”

  He began nodding. “All right. I will not press you. But if you didn’t ask me over here to speak about your father’s deeds and you will not accept my apologies, why did you ask me here?”

  “Remember when you said you were available to me day or night?”

  His brows furrowed. Puzzlement crossed his features. “Yes. I do. And I am.”

  Clearly, he didn’t get it. She was going to have to spell it out for him. She’d pictured this going more smoothly when she’d played it out in her mind. She needed his strength, his comfort to help her forget about this whole mess, if only for a short while.

  “Well, th-that’s what I want. What I need is for you to hold me and m-make love to me. I need tonight to be on my terms. With no expectation of the future, no redemption of the past.” She sighed. She wouldn’t lose her nerve now. “I’m asking for a, a booty call.”

  Alex’s eyes opened wider and his mouth twitched, but he didn’t dare smile. He wanted to. She saw his lips tighten against a grin. Had she amused him? Suddenly, it seemed like a very bad idea. She spun around and took a step away.

  Instantly, his arm snaked around her waist. He pulled her up tight against him so her back brushed his chest. His voice was velvet, his lips soft on her throat. His other arm came around her waist and now she was enclosed by his powerful male heat. “You run because you think I do not want you?”

  “I
don’t know, Alex. I can’t promise you anything in return.”

  He stroked the sides of her torso with both hands, gliding them up and down the material of her simple A-line black dress. Her eyes closed to the pleasure.

  “I do not want anything in return,” he whispered, warm breath fanning over her. “I am glad you called me when you sought comfort.”

  She turned in his arms. Unable to meet his eyes, she stared at the golden-brown skin peeking through his open collar. “As long as you know this is only about...sex. And only for tonight.”

  He tipped her chin and brought his mouth down to hers in a brief kiss. Still, her lips tingled when it was over. “If you called any other man, I would have to hunt him down.”

  Her breath rushed out in a whoosh. “I wouldn’t do that.”

  “I know. You need only me and I am here...for sex.” He smiled.

  He was impossibly charming.

  “I need to forget. I need to go to a place that will stop my mind from spinning. I need to—”

  “You need...me.”

  Her throat tightened.

  “I will be what you need tonight, sweetheart.”

  He turned from her and walked away. Was he leaving? She tried not to panic as he moved toward the door. The overhead light flicked off and he returned to her in a room lit only by moonlight. He reached for her hand, entwined their fingers and led her to the parlor. “Come, we will start in here.”

  Her icy fear instantly melted. His words layered over her, giving her relief. He wouldn’t leave her tonight, despite what her father had done to him. Alex lowered onto the sofa and then guided her onto his lap. She faced him at an angle, staring at his strongly sculpted profile. He adjusted her legs to rest on his and her upper body was supported by his strong arms.

  “Cara, you are so beautiful,” he said on a rasp.

  Her fingers grazed the smooth skin of his face, giving him her silent thanks. She was grateful for his tenderness. “Already I feel so much calmer.”

  A wicked glint entered his eyes. “We shall see how calm you are in a few minutes.”