Catch Me in Castile (20 page)

“No. Why don’t you walk me out? There are some things we need to discuss.”

“What’s up?” Maria asked, her hands on her hips.

“Do I need to be worried?”

“You? Not worry? That’s a cold day in hell.”

“Maria.”

“What’s got you going this time?”

He scrubbed his face with his hands. The women in this house were going to be the death of him. “I got an urgent message to call Martin. Have you spoken to him?”

“Of course. The man is a parasite. I can’t shake him.”

“You’re not supposed to shake him. What does he say?”

“The sand is hot, the palm trees are swaying and the stars are all loaded. What else would he say?”

“I want the truth.”

“I thought we weren’t going to discuss this anymore.”

He grabbed her shoulder. “Damn it, Maria. This is serious.”

“Everything is always serious with you. Stop worrying, or your black hair is going to end up as white as Mama’s.”

He combed his fingers through it. She was right, of course, but what in the hell could he do? It was his job to protect his family—and now Erin too. But how?

Mierda, I don’t even know if there
is
a danger.

He had to find the truth, but he dared not act rashly, or the people he loved would be destroyed. Then again, if he acted too slowly, someone could die. His choices were far worse than serious. They were life and death.

“I’m going to be gone for a few days to…take care of business. Call Martin immediately if there are problems.”

“Business, huh? Why don’t you take a sweet thing with you? I’d take two. No, make it three.”

He made a face. “I’m telling you, brothers don’t like to hear those things.”

She laughed. “How about Helena, the volunteer with benefits?”

“Helena is more than a volunteer. She’s a very special friend.”

“Good, the rumors are true. I’m happy to hear you are having fun.”

“What rumors?”

“Oh, you know, people like to talk, I like to listen. Don’t frown at me. You haven’t had a love interest in a while. People are bound to be happy for you.”

His heart missed a beat. A love interest? He had no business falling in love with any woman. His love for Erin had put them all in danger. Now he had to end it.

“Yep, it’s all over town Dr. Botello has a—here come the air-quotes—‘special friend’. I guess the cat is out of the bag. So why don’t you take her with you on this trip, have a little mind-blowing sweaty adventure? Call it fun.”

He shook his head.

“I just want you to be happy,” she said softly.

“That’s why I have to go. To clear up my past mistakes so we all can have a shot at happiness.”

“You sound like a man in love.”

In the mountains Erin had asked him to step off the edge with her. Oh God, he’d fly to the moon with her if he could and love her every sweet day. “I’m ready to step off the edge.”
If I can fix the mess we’re in.

She smiled. “And Helena?”

“Is staying behind.”

He would’ve taken Erin with him in a heartbeat, if she were well enough to travel. She shouldn’t suffer any more stress. And this was no pleasure trip. Every minute away from her would be torture. How would he sleep wondering how she was?

“What do I say to Erin?” Maria went on. “I’ve tried to dissuade her, but she’s kind of sweet on you.”

He snapped out of his reverie. “You have?”

“I love her, I do, but she’s toting far too much baggage. Trust me on this, a smokin’ redhead who has the hots for you is the better choice.”

Smokin’ hot? Had she seen Erin in her holey USC T-shirt and panties? Erin was the one he wanted. Now. Tomorrow. Forever. “Just take care of Erin while I’m gone, okay? She needs to get better so she can fly home.”

She cocked her head. “She’s going back to LA?”

“Yes.” His heart was ripping to shreds. “The sooner the better.”

After Maria had gone in, he sat on his bike a moment longer staring at the front door. He wanted to race back inside, snatch up the woman he loved, and run like hell. He didn’t.
Not yet
. First, he had to know the truth. Besides, she was in no shape to travel.

Holy hell, she should be in the hospital, or as far from Spain as possible.

Despair swamped him. He knew deep down in his gut he wouldn’t be able to get rid of the troubles plaguing his family. And if he couldn’t put an end to the darkness, he’d have to give Erin up for good. He loved her too much to let her stay.

If I were a better man I’d have ended this already.
Slamming his fist against his thigh, he cursed.
Why does everything have to be so hard?

He was still sitting on his Harley when the front door opened and the love of his life stepped out. His heart plummeted. She was beauty and light, so frail, yet so brave. He knew what he had to do to save her.

The look on his face, so full of longing and despair, pierced my heart. I almost dropped to my knees right there on the front steps. I knew. Oh Lord, I knew.

“Erin.” It was more a breath than a word.

“I’m never going to see you again, am I?”

His face twisted with pain. My knees swayed and I grabbed the railing beside me.

“Put me out of your mind,
querida
,” he whispered. “Get on with your life.”

He kicked the bike over and took off, spraying the drive with gravel.

“Erin, what are you doing out of bed?” Maria said.

“I had to…ask Santiago something.”

“Well, come on. You look like you’re about to keel over.”

She was right. The air had been knocked out of my lungs. It was an effort to move my feet down the hall.

“There, now stay in bed. You were really sick. Delirium. Fever, chills, thrashing about. Really something to see. I only wish I caught it on tape,” she joked, trying to make me smile.

I couldn’t even muster the strength to roll my eyes.

“Seriously, Santiago wanted to take you to the hospital. I knew you wouldn’t want to go, unless it was absolutely necessary. Besides, we had a Plan B.”

It was hard to hang onto the thread of the conversation. I was weak. My heart ached.

“He thought you picked up a bad germ on the plane or something,” she went on. “By law he couldn’t draw your blood without consent. At the hospital, yes. Here at home, not so much.” She lifted her arm to show me the band-aid. “Plan B—draw mine. You and I have been eating the same foods, doing the same things. If you’re sick, it’s quite possible I’m carrying the germ too, right?”

The corners of my lips rose. It was the best I could do.

“Besides, it always takes the lab too damn long to culture samples. This way, we should know quicker and get you the proper medication, if you are sick. Santiago did give you an IV drip to keep you hydrated. He never left your side.”

There was a chair next to the bed. “He stayed the whole time?”

“Yep. He’s quite a doctor.”

“Yes, he is,” I said softly.

“I, uh, didn’t know if I should bring this up, but you said some things while you were unconscious.” She scrunched up her face.

“What did I say?”

“Mostly gibberish. You did, uh, call out a name a few times.” She frowned as if imparting bad news. “Andrés?”

“I don’t know anyone by that name.”

“Hmm.” She shrugged.

“Unless… Oh. Santiago heard me?”

“Of course.”

Now I understood why Santiago thought I had a lover in the States and why he’d been in an all-fire hurry to leave.

“You just rest. Santiago will kill me if I let you out of here too soon. I’m supposed to look after you for the next few days while he’s…away.”

Electricity shot through my veins. She knew something. “Is he going to a medical convention?”

“He called it business.”

“You don’t believe him.”

“Come on Erin, I don’t think I should be the one to tell you.”

I gulped. “Is he in danger?”

She looked at me oddly. “Why on earth would you think that?”

“I feel it. Tell me.”

“You have an active imagination. No. He’s not in any danger. And I don’t think I should say more.”

“Spill it, or I’ll put that New Year’s Eve picture on Facebook.”

“You said you tore it up.”

“Maybe I did, maybe I kept copies, who knows?”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“I’m tired, Maria. Please just tell me about the evil threatening your brother.”

“Evil? Are you still delusional?”

I shot her a dirty look.

“I can see you won’t let it go. I don’t think you’re going to like this.”

Clenching the sheets in my fists, I steeled myself for the worst.

“Well, look, he admitted Helena is his special friend and he’s stepping off the edge for love. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out, does it? My brother’s going to ask Helena to marry him. And you, my friend, are going home.”

My heart refused to beat properly.
Santiago
and Helena.

“How…? This is not…”
happening. I’m dreaming. Wake up. Wake up!

“I’m sorry, Erin. I really am. Truly this is the best for everyone. I know there was an attraction there, but you two aren’t right for each other. Just let it go. Santiago said he’d buy your return airline ticket home and you can cash in the one you purchased. He feels bad, I guess.”

I fell back on the pillow, completely, utterly weak.

She fanned herself with her hand. “It’s so damn hot. Can I get you something to drink?”

I gaped at her.
He doesn’t love me?

“Erin?” She rubbed my shoulder. “You okay?”

I blinked, unable to focus.

“Oh, no. Do
not
lapse into a coma on me. Breathe, Erin. I’ll be right back with some nice cold water, okay? Maybe some crackers? Don’t move.”

I was hopelessly alone. Reality crept in. The plans we were making—correct that, the plans
I
was making were never going to happen. His choice was clear. He wanted the woman close at hand, who was not career-obsessed, not crazy, not possessed. He chose
her
, not me.

My heart exploded like a live grenade inside my chest. The panic attack was avalanching.

I’ve got to get out of here.

I laced up my running shoes.

What happened? He said he loved me, he said… But no, he wants to marry her. He wants her. She is safe.

My footfall was fast and furious down the lane. My shoes pounded the concrete, tears flew out of my eyes, my arms pumped violently. I would outrun the pain or drop dead from exertion. My piston legs were going faster than ever before when I hit the bump in the road. Like love, I never saw it coming.

I fell head over appetite into the street. Landing hard on my shoulder, I tumbled over and over, my skin scraping over rocks and black asphalt. My head bumped once or twice against the unforgiving road.

“
Señorita
?” A man in a dark car pulled up beside me. “Are you all right?”

Ignoring him, I pulled myself up and examined the damage. I was going to live. Goody for me.

“Can I take you back?” he said.

“Hey, you’re that guy. The security guard at the airport and the guy who’s been parked in front of the house.”

He cast a nervous eye at the pedestrians who were beginning to stare. “Keep it down.”

“Stop following me. Tell whoever hired you I’ll go back to the States when I’m ready. And if I see you again? I’ll call the cops.” That, of course, was a bluff. For all I knew, this guy was a cop.

He opened his car door and reached out to grab me. “Get in the car.”

I jumped back. “Stay away from me, or I’ll scream.”

“Sweet Madre! Do as you want. You are not part of the job.” He slammed the door and drove away.

Ignoring the honking cars, and the blood on my hands and knees, I walked aimlessly. I had nowhere to go. No one to run to.

“Get out of the way!” a female driver hollered at me. “Use the sidewalk.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I waved over my shoulder, not altering my path. I had landed in the street, the street was where I was going to stay. More cars honked, obscenities were yelled. I ignored them all. Pressure was building in my head like a headband squeezing too tight. Sanity was slipping from my grasp. Again.

Finally I came to a stoplight. I had fleeting thoughts about walking into the middle of oncoming traffic.
That would show him. The bastard.

Strength came to me like a lightning bolt out of nowhere.

“Stop this madness,”
she said.

I whipped around. I was standing alone in a gutter. “Serena?”

“
Sí
.
”

I tipped my head sideways and pounded as if to get water out of my ear. “Get out.”

“I am not leaving you.”

“Why not? What is it, torture Erin day?”

“I want to save you.”

“Too late for that, ghostie. I’m past saving. Just leave me alone.”

“Do not be idiotic. I tried to stop his feelings for you, but they were too strong. He loves you. You two are meant to be together, just as Andrés and I are. It is fate.”

“What in the hell are you talking about?” I yelled.

An old woman passing on the street gave me a wide berth.

“He loves you, Erin. There is no escaping now. You must fight.”

“Fight for what? He wants to put me on the next plane home.”

“For love. For him. It is the only way to stop the evil.”

“The only evil I know is named Helena. And how can I stop her? She’s already won.”

“Hush,”
Serena ordered.
“She shall not win unless you let her.”

“Oh, please. Why should I listen to a ghost with memory disorder? You forgot you were dead.”

“As I witness your pain, I taste the bitterness of my own. Come, I shall show you why you have to put an end to this once and for all.”

In a flash I saw a vision of another red-haired beauty at the end of a long hallway. She was petite with the air of a queen and an ugly red mouth. I hated her the moment I laid eyes on her.

“Do you see her?”
Serena whispered in my head.

“Who is she?”

“She is Andrés’ intended as I met her for the first time.”

“Intended? I thought he loved you.”

“He did, but his mother and King Fernando wanted him to marry Lady Mara, the governor’s daughter. Andrés had no choice in the matter.”

I couldn’t fathom how awful it was for her to stand by and witness her beloved’s engagement to such a horrid woman.

As Serena would have it, I was soon to find out.