Sweet Talkin' Scoundrel (14 page)

Chapter 26

Dax

I was half
expecting a barrage of land to air missiles as I came through the dark clouds hovering over the runway. I was sure if Katherine could have arranged it, she would have. I’d heard through the radio that the transport helicopter had already left Wildthorne, so I knew the runway was clear.

Tero was great at announcing our arrival, no matter where we landed. By the time the tires hit the runway, everyone in the house would know I was on the island. But that didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was Kinley. It wouldn’t be long before Becky understood that her mother had banned me from the island and that Katherine and Marcus had once again scared off another teacher.

I jumped down from the cockpit and headed toward the house. The storm darkened sky above the island fit my grim mood perfectly. It was still dusk, but the clouds made it seem as if it was the middle of the night. A bitter, cold wind was starting to gain strength as it blew in off the choppy water. The entire scene reminded me of the day that the boat caught fire, the day when I knew my life on Wildthorne had changed forever.

I picked up my pace. I had to hurry and find Kinley so we could get back to the plane and back to King’s Beach before the storm broke. I hadn’t really thought about what I’d say to Katherine, but at this point, it just didn’t matter. I was taking Kinley, and there wasn’t a fucking thing my stepmother could do to stop me.

A light went on in the kitchen as I crossed the lawn. I saw Katherine peer out. She’d heard Tero and was waiting to pounce. I was ready for whatever she had to throw at me.

I walked inside.

“Kinley!” I called as I hurried through the entryway.

There was no answer. I headed down the hallway to the kitchen. I was going to have to face Katherine, and I decided to get it over with. Kinley was standing in the kitchen with her bags in her hands. Her eyes and nose were red from crying.

I shot a rage-filled glare at Katherine. “This is over. I’m taking Kinley now. Tell Becky I’ll see her when you let me back on the island.” I pointed at her. “You make fucking sure she knows this is on you.”

“Tell her yourself,” Katherine snapped. “She’s upstairs in her room, hysterical because you are taking Kinley away from her.”

“No, I’m leaving on my own free will. Don’t blame Dax,” Kinley said weakly. Her thin shoulders vibrated as she took a deep breath. “You weren’t honest about anything, Katherine. I can’t stay knowing you only brought me here to get access to your inheritance. I’m sure you can find another woman willing to give up her life, so you can continue living in luxury.” Kinley turned to me. “I’m ready to go.”

Katherine’s sharp, angry laugh startled her as she walked toward me.

“Are you going to tell her, James, or should I?” Katherine barked.

I stared at the woman, trying to figure out which way her devious mind was heading this time. Then it sank in. “There’s nothing to tell her. My motives are real. I love Kinley.”

Kinley hurried to my side.

“James probably forgot to mention that he was part of Jack’s wretched little joke,” Katherine spoke quickly.

“Let’s go, Kinley.” I reached for her bags, but she backed up a step.

Her lips parted in question.

“That’s right. The first one of Jack’s sons to marry,” Katherine sneered at me, “gets the bulk of the Underwood fortune. You’re being played from both sides, my dear.”

Kinley’s face paled. She looked at me with an expression that was both disbelief and heartbreak.

I stepped toward her, but she stumbled back.

“I don’t give a damn about the money, and she knows it, Kinley.”

A streak of lightning lit up the yard and pulled everyone’s attention to the window for a second. When I turned back, Kinley was running from the room. I raced after her.

“Kinley, I love you. I don’t give a damn about the money. It’s you I want.”

She dropped her bags and raced up the stairs without looking back. Her bedroom door snapped shut behind her.

I turned around. Katherine was standing behind me wearing that super villain grin she’d perfected. “Guess we both lose out this round.” With that she turned sharply on her pointed heels and walked back into the kitchen.

Another streak of light lit up the entry, and a brutal gust of wind kicked at the house. A torrent of rain followed, spraying the windows and pounding the roof. The storm had rushed in faster than I’d expected. I wasn’t going anywhere now. Not that I had any intention of leaving the island without Kinley.

The wind pushed the door open wider as I walked outside. I yanked it shut, lowered my head and ran for the guest house.

Chapter 27

Kinley

The electricity had
been turned off, and the room was bathed in darkness. I reached for the flashlight next to my bed and turned it on. My head throbbed from crying as I placed my feet on the floor. How could everything have gone this bad, this quickly? The pain I felt in my head was nothing compared to the heavy thud of despair I felt in my chest. I’d felt heartbreak before but never like this, never to the point that I couldn’t think straight or catch a decent breath.

I walked to the window and jumped back as a shower of raindrops sprayed the glass. The yard was once again being littered with debris from the storm. I peered up at the sky. It was pillowed with black clouds. They seemed to have settled over the island for good. I really was in a prison, a prison from which there was no escape. And enemies seemed to be surrounding me on all sides.

My mind went back to Dax, and immediately, my stomach clenched in on itself again. Using the flashlight, I navigated my way to the bathroom, turned on the sink and splashed cold water on my face to stop the nausea. The icy water brought me some clarity. I turned off the faucet and peered up at my reflection in the glow of the flashlight. My eyes were puffy and my nose was red enough to lead Santa’s sleigh. How could I have been so silly to have fallen for Dax’s charms? Unfortunately, that question was easy to answer. His charms were hard to resist. He’d seemed so sincere about his feelings for me. There had been those few moments when I’d considered the possibility that Dax had flirted and slept with all of Becky’s teachers, but his response had made me push aside that notion. Now it all seemed entirely possible. Dax might have been working to sabotage Katherine’s plans all along, either to anger her or to stop Marcus from getting the family fortune. Only there was nothing in Dax’s character that could lead me to think that he was greedy for money. He lived so simply that it seemed he never thought twice about material things.

No. I had to shut down my mind. I had to stop defending him. He’d played me badly, and I’d let him. I wasn’t sure if I was more angry at him or at myself.

I stepped back into the bedroom. Even though the black sky gave no indication the storm was over, there was a quiet lull outside. The resulting quiet assured me the entire household was sleeping. I stuck my head out into the hallway to be sure. I doubted that Dax had been foolish enough to take off in the storm. I could only assume he was in the guest house.

I never wanted to talk to any of them again. If I’d taken a regular job in a city, I could have just slipped out, grabbed my bags and hopped on a bus or train. But I’d gotten myself stuck in an impossible situation. Or had I?

I closed the door to my bedroom and sat down on the bed to reason out my plan. There was one small path to escape. It was a crazy and dangerous path, especially with the storm raging outside, but I’d been in some scary scenarios with my parents. They’d taught me that a good plan coupled with a heaping dose of courage could get you out of any mess.

I picked up the flashlight, hopped off the bed and grabbed my coat. I had to try.

Chapter 28

Kinley

Fortunately for me
, Katherine was compulsively organized. Every box in the cellar was labeled, making it easy to find the self inflating raft. It was neatly contained in a box that looked somewhat like a briefcase, handle and all. I grabbed several more flashlights and a flare, just in case. I carried my haul up the stairs and didn’t waste any time. The storm outside had quieted almost as if it was inviting me to take the risk. I hadn’t needed the invite. Once I’d thought of the plan, I hadn’t second guessed myself once. If I had, then I might have started listing the possible risks and lost my courage. But I had to leave. I worried that if I faced Dax again, my resolve would crumble just like my heart.

I reached the top of the basement stairs and glanced into the kitchen. The house was still quiet, with only a few candle sconces burning in the hallway. Just as I shut the door behind me, light footsteps landed in the hallway. I shot toward the back door, but the circular light of a flashlight surrounded me.

I turned slowly around. Becky’s face reminded me of my own reflection in the bathroom mirror, puffy eyes and a red nose. Her eyes rounded as she noticed the supplies in my hand.

I raced over to her and knelt in front of her. Tears ran down her cheeks as I hugged her. My heart was pounding. I was sure Katherine and her bionic ears would hear us.

“You can’t leave, Kinley. This is Marcus’s fault, isn’t it? I hate him.” Each word grew louder, and I was sure I would be discovered.

“It’s not Marcus’s fault,” I whispered. “But I need to leave. I will miss you, Becky. You have to know that. You are an amazing person, and I’ll never forget you. But I have to go. Please promise me you won’t tell your mom.”

She used the sleeve of her pajamas to wipe her eyes. “I promise. But it’s stormy out on the water. You might die. You might die like Daddy did.” Her shoulders shook with sobs, and I hugged her again.

“The raft will keep me safe. I’ll be fine. I’ve survived a mummy’s curse. I can survive anything.”

“But it wasn’t a mummy’s curse. It was just bad luck,” she argued.

I took a deep breath. “True. And it seems putting the stone back didn’t stop the run of bad luck after all.” I kissed the top of her head. “Work hard and make sure you get into college. It’s your surest way to see the rest of the world.” I picked up the handle on the raft case.

Becky’s sniffles followed me as I slipped out the back door.

Chapter 29

Dax

I’d paced the
small guest house like a caged animal, nearly wearing a hole in the wood floor. I wanted badly to just storm the house and find Kinley. I needed her to know that none of this was for money. But I needed to find her alone, without Katherine lurking between us like a dangerous snake.

I’d spent hours in the guest house, waiting for everyone to fall asleep trying to cool my head and come up with my defense. And I had one. I could have married a hundred times already if I’d wanted the money. Katherine knew it because it was the plain, honest truth. I’d never fallen in love until I met Kinley.

The storm outside had quieted some, but the clouds were still hanging overhead, as if they weren’t quite empty yet. I had no real plan except to sneak into the house and up to Kinley’s room. All I could hope for was that she answered my knock and didn’t slam the door in my face before I could get my words out.

I grabbed my coat and pulled it on. The air was brisk and heavy with moisture as I strode across the yard to the house. One of the perks of living on an island that was surrounded by rocks was never having to lock doors. But tonight was different. Katherine knew I was just a few hundred yards away in the guest house. I reached the back door. It was unlocked. The woman must have been getting sloppy in her quest to be evil.

I crept through the kitchen and down the hallway. Only a few candles had been left on for the night. They made my shadow flick back and forth across the floor. My rebellious teen years had required me to chart the perfect path up and down the stairs to avoid squeaky floorboards. I flew up the steps and made it to the top without a sound.

I headed down the hallway with my heart beating loud enough to wake the dead. Fortunately, the living slept right through it. I reached Kinley’s door and took a deep breath. I knocked lightly hoping it would be loud enough to wake Kinley but quiet enough to leave the rest of the house sleeping.

There was no answer. I tried again and again. My heart turned to stone a little more with each knock. I’d lost her. I’d lost Kinley for good. She wanted nothing more to do with me.

As I knocked one last time, a flashlight illuminated the hallway behind me. I shaded my eyes and squinted into the light. Becky scurried toward me, pushed open Kinley’s door and motioned me inside with the light. Kinley’s bed was empty.

Becky’s face was a mix of pink and white, both from crying and from what looked like grave concern.

“You have to go to the canoe clearing. She’s trying to leave the island, only she has a raft and not a canoe. You have to bring her back to me, James.” Hiccoughs and sniffles muddled her words. “Go—go get her.”

I grabbed a tissue off the dresser and handed it to Becky. “You’re not making sense. What about the canoe path? Where is Kinley?”

As Becky smeared the tissue over her face and tried to catch her breath, pieces of what she’d said were coming together to form a picture. I knelt down in front of her. “Becky, is Kinley taking a life raft off the island?”

“Yes, hurry.”

I shot out the door and my feet pounded the floor. I didn’t give a damn anymore who heard me. What the hell had made Kinley do something so dangerous? Did she hate me so much now, she’d decided to risk her life just to get away from me and my freaky family?

My feet pounded as loudly as my pulse as I raced toward the section of beach where the rocks had been cleared by early island inhabitants. They might have used the narrow stretch of sand successfully, but they had sturdy canoes and the skills needed to navigate the dangerous coastline. Not to mention, the early tribes probably never shoved off during a raging storm or in the dark of night.

The dense foliage was like a wet maze of leaves and branches. There was no moon or stars to light my way. I had to use my innate sense of direction to find the shortest path to the canoe launch. The heavy rain had left behind puddles that acted like quicksand, and my shoes got sucked under with each step. One extra deep sinkhole yanked me down to my ankle. I used all my strength to pull my foot free. As my shoe popped to the surface, I fell back against the gnarly trunk of a silk-floss tree.

“Fuck!” I pushed off the thorns and immediately felt warm blood dripping down my back. I kept moving.

I’d flown out of the house so fast, I hadn’t thought to ask Becky how long Kinley had been gone. She could’ve been well out on the water by now. If she’d made it past the rocks. That terrifying thought shot more adrenaline through me, and I charged ahead. I pushed into the clearing that lay just above the primitive canoe launch.

“Kinley!” I yelled at the top of my lungs, but the ocean was in a loud frenzy from the storm. It slapped the rocky shoreline as rough waves pounded the island. There just wasn’t any way a raft could make it safely past the rocky reef. Not with the storm surge raging below.

“Kinley!” I raced down to the water’s edge. Salt water sprayed my eyes, and I wiped them to clear my vision. That was when I saw it, the ripped remnants of a self-inflating raft. It clung to the rocks like a deflated balloon.

My heart pounded against my ribs, and I choked back the bitter taste in my throat. I waded into the water, fighting the angry tide as it forced its way onto the beach. “Kinley!” A wave picked me up and tossed me back toward the sand. I pulled my arms through it as if I was working to catch the best wave of the day. All the while I had to reassure myself that she was still alive. She fucking had to be alive.

The next wave sent me barreling toward the rocks bordering the canoe path. I stuck my feet out, hoping to keep myself from being splattered on the rocks. My feet jammed painfully against the craggy edges, but before my body could follow, I was being dragged back out by the tide.

I swam farther out and had to work to keep my head above water. Just before I got pulled under for the fifth time, a flash of light lit up the rocks. I used all my strength to tread water as I watched for another light. Three short lights. Three longer lights. Three short. She was spelling SOS with a flashlight.

I took the first wave back to shore and left the water at a run. I circled around to the place on the beach that led out over the ledge of rocks. The storm surge had begun to shrink back, and a few of the clouds had parted enough to shine some moonlight over the slick layers of slate.

I hopped up onto the first ledge and headed in the direction of the light. “Kinley!”

The light flickered on and off. I followed it. The rocks were hard enough to cross on a dry, sunny day, but on a dark, stormy night, especially when there was no time for caution, they were like sharp jaws just waiting to snap an ankle or break a leg. I fell painfully to my knees once but managed to get my feet back under me.

The light flicked on and off again. This time a soft cry followed it. The sound reached right in and grabbed my heart.

“Kinley!”

“Over here,” she replied in a thin, reedy voice.

I reached the highest point on the rocks. My gaze swept to the bottom layer. The flashlight flickered on. I could only see her silhouette as she hugged a rock to keep from being pulled into the tide.

I trotted down as fast as I could and jumped across several deep, wide crevices to land on the rock next to her.

Kinley was soaked and shivering uncontrollably as my hands wrapped around her arms. The flashlight that’d saved her clattered down the rocks and disappeared into the waves as I lifted her into my arms.

“Fucking hell, Rabbit, I thought I lost you.”

Her entire body was shaking as she lifted her head and looked at me. “Tell me this is real, Dax. Tell me you are real. Please.” Her chin vibrated as she spoke.

“I’m real, baby. I love you. I don’t want a fucking penny of Jack’s money. I just want you.”