Chapter Seventeen
Brian came and went back to Los Angeles after he helped with the move. He wanted to stay longer but he had to get back for a case and there wasn’t much he could do anyway.
There’d been no conclusive evidence that the person in the SUV had been Terry. No witnesses to the accident or the theft to begin with and it remained quiet with no contact.
Spring came and heated up the landscape. Cassie realized she didn’t miss much about LA except for the ocean and they could drive down to the Gulf for that if they wanted to.
Cassie’s life became Cassie and Shane’s life and it wasn’t scary anymore. She loved him and loved waking up to his body next to hers each morning. Loved coming home to their big house every evening. They’d sit out on the back deck and look at the water or have friends and family over for barbecues.
As May approached, Cassie began to believe that the accident in February was just that, an accident. Nothing more than a stupid coincidence. Still, she set the house alarm every time she came and left, went shooting at the range twice a week with Shane and took judo classes with him. She was moving forward and arming herself for the eventuality where Terry did find her. It gave her a measure of control in some sense.
Walking into Penny’s backyard on June first, Cassie halted at the unexpected sight of thirty people clapping and cheering. Brian stood next to Shane, and Penny beamed as she stood in Ryan’s arms.
“Happy birthday, Cassie.” Shane approached her and pulled her into his arms.
“Oh my goodness. A surprise party? Where did everyone park? I can’t believe you did this and I didn’t know it.”
Brian pushed Shane out of the way and hugged his sister, kissing her cheek. “Shane’s been planning this since the end of February. We all parked at the Chases’ and came over in just a few cars that are tucked all around the neighborhood. Now come on in, there’s cobbler and cake and food galore.”
“And presents?”
Brian laughed. “Yes, doofus, lots of presents.”
Shane watched, a wide smile on his face, as Cassie accepted hugs from everyone with ease. Gone was the woman who winced or trembled if someone she didn’t know well hugged her. She still got spooked from time to time but she’d grown into an effusive person who loved to touch as much as be touched. It gladdened his heart to know he had a part in that.
Once seated at the head of a large table, she dug into the pile of presents. He’d noticed that she loved presents. Big or small, cheap or expensive, it didn’t matter. It was the ripping of paper and ribbons, the surprise that she loved.
The day was a good one. The kind of day that memories were made of. Cassie wouldn’t forget the smell of the cobbler and the sound of the salt and ice crunching in the old-fashioned ice cream maker or the taste of fresh, homemade vanilla ice cream. She wouldn’t forget the way it felt when she’d seen all her friends and the people who’d become her family stood there, smiles on their faces as they shouted Happy Birthday!
The sun shone on the water, the day was warm and clear and absolutely perfect. Shane had given her something wonderful yet again, a memory to replace the bad ones.
They all cleaned up as the sun went down and Cassie looked up when Brian called out to her.
“What?”
“Your phone is ringing.”
She trotted over to her bag and dug through it, wondering who the heck it could be since everyone she knew had been at the party.
“Hello?”
“Happy birthday, Carly.”
Nausea bolted through her as she lost her legs, her knees hitting the ground as she heard Terry’s voice.
Brian’s eyes widened. “Cassie? What is it?”
“Are you having a good day? I hope so. This is the last birthday you’ll ever see.” With that same laugh he used as he’d berated her, the line went dead.
She looked up at her brother as he went to his knees. Dimly she heard someone call for Shane and then his feet pounding the earth as he came to where she was.
“Cassie? What is it?” He looked confused at Brian and then her.
“It was him.” The phone dropped from her nerveless fingers.
“Him? Terry? Terry just called you? What did he say?” Brian demanded.
Shane grabbed up the phone and flipped it open. “Caller ID? There’s a number here.”
Cassie watched numbly as Shane went into cop mode and called the number on the phone and then hung up shortly. He then called into the state police and spoke to some people who told him within moments that the number was one from a disposable cell phone that could be purchased anywhere.
“Cassie, darlin’, what did he say?” Matt helped Brian get her into a chair and Shane knelt before her, touching her face.
She told them.
“How did he get the number? It’s...”
“What?” Shane looked up sharply at Brian.
“It’s in my name. I didn’t want to chance putting it in hers when I bought it for her last year. I’m an idiot. I’ve put her in danger.”
Shane squeezed his shoulder as Cassie shook her head vehemently. “Brian, you didn’t. Don’t you see? He doesn’t have to know her new name if you had this phone in yours. All he had to do was find out your phone information. He doesn’t necessarily know she’s here. You kept her safe by doing that.”
“He called me Carly.”
Shane looked back to her. “Okay, that’s a good sign. He probably doesn’t know your new name.”
“He would have used it if he did, just to fuck with me. He doesn’t know my new name and I’m betting he doesn’t know I’m here. Don’t you see, that means it probably wasn’t him on the road in February.”
“Oh honey, one step at a time. Could you tell where he was? Think carefully, any details at all could be important.”
She shook her head. “No. It was loud here, people talking and laughing. All I heard on his end was his voice and that laugh.”
“Okay, sweetie, let’s get you home, all right? I bet you’d like a stiff drink and a shower.” Penny put her arm around Cassie’s shoulders and looked worriedly at Shane.
Once home Cassie stood on the top step and looked down at Shane and Brian and Shane’s brothers. “Do not talk about me when I’m gone. We’ll plan together. I won’t let this happen to me. I will have a hand in this or I’ll go crazy. Please.”
“Of course we’re going to talk about you when you’re in the shower. But I promise to have you in on the plans when you come back down here,” Shane negotiated back.
She exhaled and narrowed her eyes at him. “I will not be handled, Sheriff.”
He rolled his eyes. “Go and shower, woman. I need to talk about you while you’re gone.”
“Honestly!” Throwing up her hands she walked toward their bedroom, mumbling.
“She’s going to be okay if she can still get pissy about being managed,” Shane murmured to Brian who chuckled.
“You two know each other pretty well. Now, what the hell are we going to do to protect her?”
“We don’t know that he knows where she is. She seems to think he doesn’t and she knows him better than I do. Only that he’s tracked down this number.” Shane held up the phone. “I need to call the California authorities to get a warrant so we can set up a trace on this phone. That’ll be complicated, we’ll have to get a warrant for her own company and then one for whatever company that handles the phone he calls from next. That means it may be a matter of days or even weeks once we find out who he’s used on his next call and he’ll have time to jump to a new location. But it’s something. I also want to get someone to keep a watch on the house here.”
“I’ll hire someone to bodyguard her.”
“Don’t you think you should ask her?” Maggie walked in with Liv and Penny, and an agitated-looking Cassie brought up the rear.
“Yeah, I hear she gets really pissed off when people try to manage her life the minute she steps out of the damned room.” Cassie put her hands on her hips and glared at the men in her life.
“Of course I was going to ask you. It doesn’t have to be invasive, I know you’d hate that. But I can hire someone to drive by the house here a few times a night. Nothing major.” Brian’s tone was calm but firm.
“And you know as well as I do that a trace on the phone is a good idea.” Shane’s jaw was set in a hard line.
“Look, I’m not arguing. But I am not a piece of furniture either. You can’t just make plans about my life and my safety without including me.”
“You’re not arguing?” Brian looked surprised and Cassie sat on the couch beside him.
“I’m not an idiot, Brian. I just don’t want other people making my decisions and choices.”
And so they planned. Shane worked with the California authorities to get a warrant in place for a tap on her cell phone and they’d be ready to move on a warrant for the records from that company when and if Terry called again. That done, Brian arranged with Shane to have a local security company drive by the house every hour each evening after Cassie got home from work.
It wasn’t foolproof, there was a lot left up to chance and it made Shane uncomfortable but it was all he could do short of keeping her with him every moment of the day and neither one of them would survive that.
* * *
Later that night in bed after everyone had left or gone to sleep, Shane turned to Cassie. “Are you all right?”
“At first I lost it. I couldn’t deal with hearing him, with him being a reality in my life again. But I have a plan to focus on and I feel better. I feel safe with the precautions you and Brian have set up.”
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Cassie. I love you.”
“I know. But you should show me. You know, just in case I forgot.”
“Are you sure? I’m...well, I’m not sure I can be gentle right now. I’m so damned angry and worried for you. I hate seeing him do this to you. I hate not being able to stop it.”
“I don’t need you to be gentle right now. I need you to make me feel alive, Shane. And you can do something for me, you can touch me.”
With a deep groan, Shane moved his lips to hers, crushing them in a kiss filled with desperate need to make everything all right.
Feverishly, his hands roamed her body and pushed her tank top up and out of the way, work-roughened palms finding her nipples hard and begging for his touch. His mouth swallowed her gasp as he pinched the nipples between thumb and forefinger.
Her fingers sifted through his hair, holding him to her, drinking in his kisses, the passionate need in him. She was his refuge more than he could ever tell her. She often said he gave her so much but in truth, she gave him more. Gave of herself and made him whole.
He would not lose her. Would not lose this battle with her psycho ex.
She writhed restlessly beneath him as he rolled onto her body after getting rid of her panties one handed. Her thighs slid up his rib cage, keeping his torso nestled there against her. His hands moved to bracket her body as he rolled his cock, the heat of her pussy nearly scalding him even through his boxers. Her hands were cool as she reached around their legs and bodies to pull his cock out and stroke him.
He loved the way her thumb slid through the slick of pre-come on the head. She knew him, knew how to touch him in small ways that totally devastated him.
With a gasp of his own, he broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. “I love you, Cassie. So much.”
She nodded. “I love you too.”
“Are you wet for me?”
He noted the catch in her breath, loved it. Loved it even more when she nodded, wordless.
Putting his weight on one elbow, he reached down and slid a fingertip through her pussy, finding her ready. Superheated, slick and desire swollen. For him. He pressed two fingers up into her and she moaned, her grip tightening slightly around his cock.
“Let’s get this party started, shall we?” he murmured. “First the appetizers and then the main course.”
Latching on to a nipple with his mouth, he slowly thrust his cock into her fist while he moved his thumb up and over her clit in time with his fingers sliding in and out of her body. Her clit bloomed beneath the pad of his thumb and he knew it wouldn’t be long before she came. And oh how he loved to make her come! It was like her body was tuned to his own, her responsiveness made him crazy with need.
Her back arched, pressing her nipple deeper into his mouth as she gasped. The muscles inside her clenched around his fingers and he felt her climax.
Without pause, he extracted himself from her grip and pressed deep into her pussy in one thrust. Back straight, he looked down at her, spread out below him, her hair a spill of midnight around her head, gaze locked with his. “So beautiful. You’re so amazingly beautiful.”
A smile curved the corner of her lips as her palms slid up his abdomen and the wall of his chest.
“You’re one to talk. Look at you, all big and bad and masculine. So damned tall and broad-chested. I’ve never seen a more handsome man. That first night when I looked up from the steering wheel and deflated airbag and I saw you walking up my heart stopped for a moment. Part of me was screaming, cop! But the rest of me was like, hello there!”
His chuckle vibrated through them both. “Okay, the talking portion of the show that doesn’t include, oh fuck me harder is now over.” With that, he dragged out and pressed back into her, delighting in the flutter of those inner muscles around his cock.
“Oh fuck me harder!”
Laughing together, he set a rhythm as he thrust into her body, her hips rolling to meet him, take him back inside her as deeply as possible. The smooth skin on the inside of her thighs stroked against the hard muscle of his hips as she wrapped her legs around his waist, locking her feet at the small of his back. Each time he was inside her like this, the hot flesh of her pussy pulling at him as if she couldn’t bear to let him go, her body there laid out before him as she gave of herself, he knew he was home.
Cassie still had trouble believing this man was hers but he proved it to her every day. She hadn’t exaggerated, he was the most handsome man she’d ever clapped eyes on. His size had been daunting at first, Terry was very tall as well. The similarities were scary in the beginning until she realized Shane would never use his size against her, not physically and not mentally to threaten her. They’d been in some heated arguments and he’d never made a move that scared her even when he was clearly losing his temper.
But this? His size dominating her as he sliced into her body with his cock? It was delicious and touched parts of her she was sure were long dead. She loved it when he took her hard and all she could do was hold on. Loved it that he desired her so much his eyes glazed over and his muscles bunched as he wrestled for control. It made her feel beautiful and special.
She’d never loved sex so much in her life. Simply put, she could not get enough of Shane. Except for those rare times when one didn’t feel well, they made love at least once a day in some way. All he had to do was look at her and her body responded.
He’d chased away the demons and helped her slay them. Yes, the threat was still there but her response was different. When she’d first heard Terry’s voice she’d lost it but by just a few minutes later she’d recovered and had a plan. The old Cassie—no, Carly—would have hidden and fallen apart because she didn’t know what else to do or experience, Terry had taken all emotion and response from her but fear. But Shane had pushed that away and helped her remember love and hope and courage and she’d be damned if Carly would come back now.
“You’re thinking. Is that good or bad?”
His voice was low, nearly a growl and it caressed her skin. “Good. But it wasn’t a fuck me harder thought so I’ll save it for later.” She grinned.
He rolled his eyes and lifted her ass, changing his angle and she gasped as the wide head of his cock stroked over her sweet spot. “Ah, I found it.”
“Yes, ohgodyes you did. More. More, please.”
“My hands are full of your luscious ass, darlin’. I think I need you to make yourself come.”
Months ago it would have embarrassed her but now he’d freed her, made her feel so sexy that it didn’t bother her. She did it not only because it felt wonderful but because she knew he loved to see it.
Eyes locked with his, her hand slid down her stomach to her clit. Still sensitive from the climax he’d given her just minutes before, she kept an easy touch while watching his face. His gaze broke from hers and moved to watch her hand on herself.
“I’ve never seen anything sexier than you making yourself come. The way you feel around me, when you start to get close, it’s heaven. So hot and wet, your sweet pussy hugs me. Even right now I can feel it coming. I love that.”
Her teeth caught her lip at the carnality of his words even as her body began to move toward orgasm. Each thrust brought a stroke over her sweet spot, lit up the nerve endings as he filled her and withdrew.
A low moan broke from her lips as a rolling, deep orgasm spread through her. Her head moved back and her eyes closed as she heard his muttered curse, felt his rhythm speed and deepen. As her body calmed from climax she opened her eyes to find him watching her with such an intensity that she wanted to sob with it. That look said so much, how much he loved and desired her, what she meant to him. It was utterly unguarded and a gift like none she’d ever received before.
Unable to find words she put her fingers over his lips and smiled, tears in her eyes.
“I almost hate to come, you feel so good. I want to feel this forever, right here on the edge...” he murmured against her fingers as he pressed deep one last time and came.
After a shower, they snuggled back in bed as they waited for sleep to come. “You want to tell me what the non oh fuck me harder thought was?” He nuzzled her neck.
“I was just thinking about how much I love and trust you. How you’ve helped me be a person I was pretty sure would never exist again.”
She felt his smile against her skin. “That’s a good one. You know, you’ve done that for me as well. For the last years I haven’t trusted anyone, least of all myself. I kept my heart walled off and only allowed myself to love my family. I had this missing piece of myself, turns out that piece was you.”
“You know I saw her. Sandra.”
He stiffened and moved so he could look into her face. “When?”
“Last week. Penny and I were in Riverton, shoe shopping, and she walked past. Penny pointed her out.”
“She’s nothing to me. You know that right?”
Cassie laughed. “Shane, you were going to marry her at one point in time. You two lived together. She hurt and betrayed you with your best friend. Of course she’s something to you. But I’m not threatened by that. I know it’s in your past but I don’t expect that not to have made a dent in your heart. It’s okay to have feelings about her.”
“I used to hate her. I don’t even have that anymore. I just feel bad. We weren’t right for each other, I should have seen it sooner. Hell, I miss Ron, my old best friend, more than I do her. Anyway, I hope it didn’t upset you and I don’t know why you didn’t tell me.”
“It upset me because she hurt you.”
“She’s married now, to Ron. It’s all in the past.” Shane shrugged. “If it had worked out with her and me, there’d be no you and I. So I can’t be sad about it. Everything happens for a reason.”
“She’s sorry you know.”
He raised a brow. “And you know that how?”
“She told me.”
He sat up and pushed a hand through his hair in that way he did when he was agitated. It made her smile.
“You talked to her?”
“Of course I did.” She snorted. “She fucked you over. I walked right out of that shoe store, Penny ran behind me trying to stop me. I called out Sandra’s name and she turned and when she saw Penny she paled but waited. That took guts. Anyway, I told her who I was and she looked me up and down and nodded her head. Congratulated me, told me what a bitch she’d been and how sorry she was for breaking up two best friends and for hurting you so much. She’s happy now with your old friend but he misses you too, talks about you all the time according to Sandra. He apparently stood in the back at the last two swearing in ceremonies when you were re-elected. By the way, even with saggy boobs and stab scars, I am way hotter.”
He burst into laughter and pulled her against him, kissing the top of her head. “You are indeed way hotter, darlin’. I can’t believe you confronted my ex on the street.” He snorted. “Thanks for defending my honor.”
“I was ready to smack the spit out of that woman but I have to say, after talking to her, I believe that she is sorry and while she hurt you and that can’t be taken back, she did me a favor. But I’ll tell you if I ever see Maggie’s mother or sister on the street? Oh it’s going down!”
“Look at you, like a gorgeous badger. If I weren’t a man, I’d have smacked the crap out of Maggie’s mother and sister too. Two more callous women I’ve yet to meet. But you’d have to stand in line behind my momma.”
“Oh I know. I talked to her about the Sandra thing. She was hopping mad at me for a bit. It’s okay now, she still hates Sandra and I can’t blame her but she knows why I did it and I hope you do too. I want you to have closure on this. I want you to let it go because she’s not worth it.”
“A smart badger too.” He kissed her upturned lips. “I have to admit that it does feel good to know she’s sorry and also that Ron came to my swearing in. I can’t say that I’d ever share a beer with him again but it hurts a little bit less now. No more going all Terminator on my ex-girlfriends though.”
“Worried about your fan club president? Man does she hate me.”
“Kendra? She does? Honestly, Cassie, I dated her a few times. I haven’t in several years now.”
“Shane, if I were threatened by every woman in this town with a torch burning for you, I’d be miserable. I trust you. That’s all I can do.” She shrugged.
“Well, if I get face-to-face with your ex things won’t be so nice.”
“Good.”
* * *
Summer broke with ridiculous fury. Cassie was pretty sure that she’d never been so damned hot in her life. It was only late June and she felt like melting candle wax every time she walked out onto the street.
But things were going well otherwise. No more contact from Terry, her job at the bookstore made her happy and she’d expanded her jewelry business to include several local stores as well as her booming market stall.
Shane’s house was hers now. She no longer felt like a guest but comfortable enough to change around furniture and hang pictures on the walls.
“I’m out of here, Penny,” Cassie called back to her friend as she got ready to leave for the day.
“Okay, see you later tonight at The Pumphouse.” Penny was seeing Ryan every weekend now and he’d looked at houses in a town that was halfway between Atlanta and Petal so he could see her more often. He drove out every Friday night after work or she would stay with him while Cassie handled the store.
Just as she rounded the corner to the courthouse where Shane’s office was, her phone rang. Moving fast now, she saw that the number wasn’t one she recognized.
Picking up, she waved to Shane and pointed to her phone when he saw her. He ran to her as she said, “Hello?”
“And how are you, Carly?”
She took a deep breath and Shane moved the phone so he could hear as well. “I was fine until you called, Terry. Don’t you have somewhere to hide?”
“Oh ho! I see my little mouse has found her roar. Talking tough when you think I don’t know where you are, aren’t you? I can find you. I did before, remember that night?”
Shane’s arm tightened around her and she focused on the people milling around and tried to keep from losing it. She would not let him win.
“Which night, Terry? The one where you were convicted of attempted murder but then you scurried off like a coward? That night?”
“You fucking bitch! I told you you were mine, don’t you forget it. I made you, you whore! I’ll tell you when you can walk away, I’m not ready yet. When I kill you at last I’ll be ready.”
The line went dead and Cassie let Shane take her phone and lead her into the alcove outside his office. His secretary took one look and helped her sit down, pressing a glass of water into her hand. Shane grabbed the phone and went to work.
An hour later, the office had filled with Chases and Penny as well. Polly held one of Cassie’s hands and Edward was on the phone with Brian. Shane came back and shook his head when she looked up.
“Disposable again. Your cell phone company told us who his cell phone company was. I’ve forwarded the info to your California guy and he’s working on the warrant now. Because we don’t know how long these companies keep records on what cell towers were accessed when a call is made, I’m hoping the warrant will go through quickly. I hate this waiting, damn it!” He pounded the wall with his fist and Cassie jumped.
Seeing it he closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, darlin’. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You didn’t scare me. It startled me. I’m not worried you’d do that to me. But here’s the deal, we know we’re not going to find him with the phone tracing thing. So even if you get a warrant tonight and they get it to the cell phone company and they give the records quickly and trace it to Topanga Canyon or Boston or wherever, he’ll be gone. He’s been on the run for over a year, he’s not a stupid man. So why not get rid of the damned phone? I don’t want to take calls from him again and if he can’t find me and can’t call me, I don’t have to hear it.”
“She’s right, son. Why put her through it?” Edward shrugged. “You need a phone. It’s a basic safety issue.”
“Fine, but Cassie can get a phone. I don’t need this one in Brian’s name.” Cassie’s voice was tired but steady.
They agreed that she’d get a new cell phone but also keep the other phone. Shane felt it was a way to keep track of Terry and in the end, Cassie agreed.
The warrant took a day and a half to go through and they locked the call location to Daytona Beach, Florida. He wasn’t in Petal and that was at least one happy thing.
They sent out police to the area but found nothing. Terry was on the run again.
* * *
In July, another call came as they celebrated at the Chases’ house. Celebrated the one year anniversary of her arrival in Petal and at the same time, the one year anniversary of her crush on Shane Chase which was now a full-out jones.
She danced with him under the stars in the backyard, surrounded by the people who’d become fixtures in her life. Happiness soared through her until she heard the ring of the phone, the old one.
“That’s him.”
Shane stood next to her as she flipped it open and answered it. “Hello, Terry. Don’t you have anything better to do than ruin my Saturday evening?”
“You think you’re so clever, don’t you? I hear music in the background. You’re whoring it up with some man? You’re mine, Carly. I made you! Don’t ever forget that. You’d be nothing without me.”
“I was nothing with you, Terry. Move on. You have your freedom, why don’t you get the hell out of my life and make your own better?”
“You and I have unfinished business, Carly.”
The talking and laughing in the background began to die down bit by bit as people began to realize what was going on.
“We have nothing, Terry. You’re nothing to me but a horrible period in my life. You tried to kill me and you sucked in bed so you had to rape me. Fuck off.” She clicked the phone shut and Shane looked at her, surprise on his face.
“Bet that felt good.”
She appreciated his simple response. “Yeah.” He pulled her into his arms.
This time the warrant came more quickly because he bought the disposable cell phone from the same company. He was in St. Louis. Again police went out to the general location, the area around Washington University. They found nothing.