| |
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, the truck rumbled down a dirt road with no signs of life no houses, no barns, no other cars. Duke parked at what looked to be an abandoned stone house smaller than her condo. The flower beds were overgrown and weeds peeked between the rock walkway to a front door with red peeling paint.
Sage straightened in her seat. “What is this?”
Duke cut the engine. “Where we’ll be staying until further notice.”
“You’re joking.”
He unbuckled. “Your mom and dad came from a trailer smaller than this before their rise to fame.”
“I know my family background,” she snapped. So did the rest of the world. “It still doesn’t explain why you’ve brought me to an abandoned house.”
“Be nice.” Duke climbed out of the truck and when Sage didn’t move, he opened her door. He offered her a hand. When would he grasp the reality that she didn’t need him? She slid out on her own, her aching feet objecting as her heels dug into the dirt. She didn’t bother straightening her blouse or skirt. What was the point when she looked like a stray dog being caged in a barn? Besides, she was likely stuck in this outfit for the next few days since she hadn’t had a chance to grab anything and Duke was opposed to her even entering a gas station. He’d never let her go shopping for clothes.
“Who would you like me to be nice to? You?”
“No.”
A wave of hesitance inwardly clipped her sarcasm. Who lived in this house? Had he rented it or was someone in there? His mother, his father...or worse yet, a wife or girlfriend? She had to battle in inner emotions from letting more tears slide down her face. It would be easy enough to blame them on not knowing her mother’s condition, but she’d refused to cry at the thought he’d moved on. Because, of course he’d moved on. She’d only been an easy fling. He’d made that crystal clear.
She retained her bitter resentment toward him. “Do you have a wife or girlfriend in there? Maybe a handful of wild Duke babies running around?”
“None of those options are insulting.” Duke shut the door, nearly clipping her. “After you.”
“After you,” she mocked, not wanting to know who was behind the big red door. Her heart couldn’t handle another blow. It was silly really. How could she be mad at him for having a life, a family, possibly even kids, when she’d known they hadn’t been more than bed buddies which she’d originally initiated?
She remembered the night she’d purposely sauntered around the hotel wearing only her short T-shirt after everyone else had crashed for the night. She knew Duke was awake in the living room where he usually slept. She’d climbed on his lap that night, kissed him first, lifted his hand under her shirt and started their affair right there before inviting him to her room for a second and third round. It hadn’t started like a fairy tale and ended like a horror story.
Duke stood as rooted as the old trees towering around them as if maybe not wanting to go inside either. She couldn’t tell if this excited or scared her.
“The rules.”
Sage rolled her eyes.
“You are staying here until I give you further instructions. There will be no future escape plans, no running away, no phone calls, and no social media. We are back to the basics.”
“As delightful as that sounds—”
“This isn’t a game.”
“I know! Don’t you think I don’t know? Dean is dead and my mom could be dying for all I know and you have this warped up idea that you’re in charge of me.”
“I am.”
“But I don’t want you to be. We have a past together that didn’t end in sunshine and rainbows. I don’t want you in my life again.”
“I’m not in your life again. Don’t forget that. I’m here for your safety only. On a professional level.”
“You sound like a broken record. Any more rules, Mr. Jailer?”
“You will listen to me.”
“Or what?” Sage tilted her head and placed a hand on her hip. “What happens if I don’t listen to you? Are you going to lock me in the basement or tie me to the bed?”
Duke’s jaw tightened, and she watched the vein in his neck pulse faster. “Try it and find out.”
“I’m pretty sure my mother wouldn’t approve of such outlandish behavior.”
“It’s your word against mine and my track record with your mother is golden.” He leaned closer to her. “How’s yours?”
Now her jaw tightened and her hands fisted at her side. He knew nothing more about her than what the papers wrote.
“Go screw yourself.” She stalked past him to the front door and without waiting, turned the knob. Hopefully there was a landline phone inside to call a ride away from this man before he used the phone cords to tie her up.
She froze as the smell of a home cooked meal greeted her and reminded her of long nights spent at the shop, coming home to her mom cooking up a storm in her condo. She forgot her mission to find a phone and wiped away the few tears that had slipped down her cheek. She knew her mother wasn’t going to walk into the living room and greet her, but for just that second, she let herself imagine she would. She could also see her mother loving the quaintness of the little living room, the braided area rug, and the crocheted blanket thrown over the couch. She’d happily cook alone in the kitchen tucked away in a little nook to the side, Sage could envision herself sitting at the small table discussing their next business move. She clung to those brief seconds before a voice too feminine to be Duke’s slashed her thoughts.
“Sage Ellis, you’re looking as beautiful as ever. Where’s your mom?”
Sage drew her eyes to the familiar voice but it took her a minute to recognize Susan Keller. Her smile remained as full and cheerful, but she’d lost weight and looked almost physically drained. More than likely it was Sage who was drained, physically and emotionally. If her mother’s current condition wasn’t weighing on her, she was sure she could lie down and sleep for a week.
Duke rubbed up against her back and when she tried to spin around to face him, she landed against his chest. She paused against him, staring at his dark eyes and hating herself for being so happy to find no little Duke babies running around.
She shoved off his chest and took a large step back hitting an old crock on the ground with a handful of umbrella handles sticking out the top.
“You brought me to Bowie Blake’s housemaid’s house?!”
“Yes.”
If she had something in her hand she’d throw it at him for his one word answer.
“Why don’t you just put the target on my back?”
“That stunt at the gas station could’ve put a target on your back.”
“If I were lucky it would’ve gotten me away from you.”
“Killed. It could’ve gotten you killed.”
“I can take care of myself.”
His lips thinned and he arched a questioning eyebrow. Gah! This side of him was getting old fast.
Susan broke the heated battle between Sage and Duke. “Where’s Celeste?” She pulled the curtain back and glanced out the front of the house.
“She was shot.”
If it were possible, the color drained even more from Susan’s face. “Oh no. What happened? Is she all right?”
“I don’t know. She’s in Oakston and I’m in—God only knows where—with no phone and no contact with the outside world.”
“She’s in surgery and we’re waiting for an update.” Now he talks, when Susan wants an answer.
“Oh sweetheart.” Susan reached for Sage in what looked like a hug, but she stepped to the side and bumped into the coat tree that tipped over. Duke caught and straightened it, forcing her back close to Susan.
“Don’t. What do you think is going to happen here? Are we going to take up quilting and knitting? Why don’t we add darning a couple socks to the list?”
Susan squeezed her cheek giving it a light sting. “The fact you know what darning is makes you the perfect little homemaker.”
“I’m not a homemaker.” Her eyes darted to Duke who was watching her with his intense stare.
“Oh, sweetheart, I’ve tamed a queen, so I can surely domesticate you.”
“I’m not Bowie. I’m not paying you a pretty buck to pretend to care about me, so don’t waste your breath.”
“Caring isn’t something you pay to receive. It’s given when earned.”
Sage held her hand up, unable to even handle anymore today. “Not a charity case. Didn’t earn it, don’t want it. Where’s my room?”
Susan tucked her hands behind her back and stepped away from the hallway. “I’ll give you a free pass tonight seeing your momma’s in the hospital, but I’m not a woman you can walk all over. Your room is down the hall, the only door on the right. Did you bring a bag?”
“Between the gunshots and kidnapping, there really wasn’t any time.”
“That’s all right, you can take anything from Emerie’s drawers. You look about the same size, and there’s a bathroom at the end of the hall if you’d like a hot bath.”
“You have hot water?”
Susan smiled at the sarcasm and added, “And hydro. A warm supper will be served in an hour.”
Food was the last thing on Sage’s mind. She glanced at Duke, whose eyes remained unmoved from her. “Tell me when you get an update on my mom.”
The wooden floorboards creaked beneath her heels. She opened the door to find a bedroom smaller than her walk-in closet. A three-drawer dresser sat beside the wall and twin bunk beds were built into a nook across from her. There was hardly a walkway between the single bunk beds and the doorway and she cringed at the tiny closet at the end that wouldn’t even house her suitcase—if she had one.
“Are you kidding me?” Her rattled and shocked voice trailed down the hallway.
“I’ll take the bottom,” Duke yelled back. She answered him by slamming the door.