Chapter 12: Worst Case Scenario

Stuart

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The sun dipped low on the horizon as I headed across the yard to check on Bill and the colt. I’d just gotten clear when I saw Mariska standing on the fence watching them. Instead of interrupting, I took a quick turn into the barn and walked up the alley to the paddock door.

From there, I was hidden from their sight, but I could see and hear them. Bill explained the process of breaking the colt, and she watched, the wind pushing her long brown waves off her face, her strapless dress swirling in an arc behind her. The sun was in her face, and it glinted off the necklace she wore. Mariska always wore several necklaces and a few rings. I’d meant to ask her about them. Her long, slender hand moved over her face, and I leaned to the side. A slight twinge. Perhaps I needed more massage therapy...

“Spying are we?” Nikki’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

I cleared my throat and backed away from the door. “Just checking on the colt’s progress.”

She walked to the paddock door and leaned over it, looking into the yard and then waving at Bill.

“So that’s it.” She turned those blue eyes on me, and I could see the irritation in them. “You’re out here fucking that child.”

“Take it easy, Nikki, she’s not a child. She’s twenty-six.” I didn’t want to be angry with her. I didn’t want to fight. I wanted her to shut the fuck up and go home.

“Stuart.” She was quiet a moment, studying me. I was about to tip my hat and go back to the house when she spoke again. This time her voice was placating. “I’m worried about you. You haven’t been yourself since you got back.”

“You’re right.” I nodded. “I wasn’t myself when I got back. But I’m better now. You don’t have to worry.”

“I can’t help it.” She reached out and touched my arm. “I’d hoped we could pick up where we left off. I waited for you.”

Moving my arm and sliding my hand in my pocket, I took a step back. “I didn’t ask you to wait.”

Her eyes moved from my face down my torso, lingering near my belt. Another blink and her eyes were back on mine, her voice soft. “I know about the drugs. I found the empty bottle you took from my apartment at Derek’s.”

That stopped me. “I’m sorry about that night. I was wrong—”

“You don’t have to apologize.” She stepped closer again. “I didn’t tell anyone. I threw the bottle away. To protect you.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to!” Her hand was on me again. “I want to protect you now. I’m afraid you can’t see what’s happening here.”

I studied her face. “What are you talking about?”

She shook her blonde head. “You can’t see it, but it’s not your fault. She’s taking advantage of your weakness.”

“Wait. You mean Mariska—”

“She’s not friends with Elaine. She lied to you.”

My brow lined.

“She came here uninvited. I overheard Patrick and Elaine talking last night in their bedroom. He thinks it’s hilarious. Elaine thinks it’s romantic. That’s why they covered for her.”

Anger twisted in my chest. My scalp tightened, and I wanted to grab Nikki by the throat. Instead I took another step back.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Nikki’s voice cracked. “I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m trying to help you. She’s playing you. I don’t know if she’s after your money or what, but she is a gypsy, after all. They’re notorious con artists and thieves.”

My forearms ached, and I realized I was clenching my fists. “This is bullshit.” My voice was tight. “Mariska’s innocent. She was a virgin for Chrissake.”

“A twenty-six year old virgin?” Nikki laughed. “Never in a million years would I have expected you to fall for something like this.” She turned and glanced out the paddock door again. “I guess she is a sexy little thing. She knows massage therapy? What a coincidence, since that’s exactly what you needed.”

I didn’t want to hear more. Turning on my boot heel, I stormed out of the barn toward the house. Rage burned in my stomach, and Nikki’s words echoed like a witch’s cackle in my brain. What. The. Fuck.

I was halfway to the house when Patrick stopped me. “Hey, bro. You look like you’re out for blood. What’s up?”

“Got any whiskey?” The words came out in a growl.

My little brother paused for a moment to scan my expression. “I got a bottle of Jack in the back of the truck.”

I turned and headed for his rented Silverado. He was right with me. “Want to talk about it?”

“No.”

Reaching in the bed, I pushed aside a blanket thrown over a cooler. Unzipping it, I pulled out a bottle of caramel liquid. It was about three-quarters full. It would do. Heading for the house, Patrick called after me.

“Sure, you can have my Jack. You don’t even have to ask.”

“Thanks.” I snarled over my shoulder. I’d deal with him later.

“Derek called. He’s taking the red-eye. Should be here in the morning.”

A houseguest I didn’t mind visiting. The thought only glanced off the wall of anger building in my mind. Nikki’s words clicked together like pieces to a puzzle, and I had my answer.

* * *

Three hours later it was dark and I was wasted. I’d holed up in my bedroom with the bottle of Jack and proceeded to drown my anger in booze. Yes. It was anger I was drowning. Nothing else. So why the fuck did I still feel like a knife was stuck in my chest?

She saw me that day at the gym when I was at my worst and decided I was an easy mark, a well-dressed drug-addict who only needed a little coaxing to fall into her clutches—or between her thighs. Nikki was right. She’d conned the pants off me, and like a first-class sucker, I fell for it hook line and pussy.

I could still see her innocent act, all dewy eyes and trembling hands. A virgin, my ass. No virgin gave a blowjob like that. She’d rubbed those expert hands all over my body, seduced me, and now she was waiting for me to cave. She’d never have to worry about being alone or her future again. I couldn’t believe how close I’d come to pissing away all my plans for her.

Glancing at the clock, I saw it was after eleven. My uncle had gone to his room an hour ago followed shortly by my mother. I knew they were all probably asleep. Except maybe my brother and Elaine. Those two were fucking rabbits.

Staggering to my feet, I threw the bottle across the room and headed for the door. I was getting to the bottom of this bullshit, and I was doing it now.

Mariska’s room was dark. Her door wasn’t even locked when I turned the knob and walked in. Standing, I waited a moment, listening to her breathe. That fucking familiar sound twisted the knife a little harder in my chest. She stirred and made a noise, and the knife ripped from my chest to my stomach. The emotions pissed me off. I’d seriously fallen for her.

“Stuart?” She switched on the lamp beside the bed and sat up.

Her brown hair fell in a gentle wave across her face, and she wore only a thin white cami. I could see her nipples through the fabric, and my dick stirred. Dammit.

“What are you doing?” She looked at her clock. “It’s almost midnight.”

“I need to talk to you.” My voice was like sandpaper.

Her expression changed. Her brow relaxed, and her eyes warmed. I was pretty sure she wasn’t expecting what I had to say.

She stood and her fucking beautiful legs were exposed all the way to the white lace panties she wore. “You weren’t at dinner. Do you feel bad? Is it your back?”

“I’m feeling like I’m ready for the truth.”

Her thin brows clutched together. “The truth about what?”

“Why you came here.”

Silence filled the room. Her hazel eyes went round, and I saw it then. She knew that I knew. That fucking knife twisted again. Nikki had told me the truth.

“Elaine invited me—”

“Cut the bullshit.” My voice was louder. “You didn’t even know Elaine before you met her at the airport.”

Her bottom lip pulled under her teeth, and she blinked fast like she might cry. It wasn’t going to work.

“I don’t like to repeat myself.” Narrowing my eyes, I watched as she clasped her hands in front of her small body, twisting them together.

“Stuart...” Her voice trembled. “I’m sorry I lied to you about that.”

The frail little creature act nearly pushed me over the edge. I knew she was tougher than that. I’d seen it. Crossing the room, I grabbed both her arms and gave her a hard shake.

“What do you want from me?” My voice was loud.

Two tears splashed on her cheeks, but she wasn’t sobbing. She was fighting for control. That was more like it.

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “I don’t want anything from you.”

“Bullshit.” Releasing her, I pushed her back against the bed. “Try again.”

She crawled onto it, pulling her knees under her. “It’s true. I didn’t know Elane... but I came here for you.”

“Why? For my money? Are you some kind of stalker?”

“No!” She adjusted her position. “It wasn’t like that.”

Crossing my arms, I exhaled. It sounded like a growl.

“I’d never take advantage of you, Stuart. I’ve cared about you since that day in the gym when I first saw you!”

“That day in the gym you saw an easy mark. You’ve been playing me for a fool.”

Her cheeks flooded with color and tears were back in her eyes. “Oh my god! That is not true!”

“You made a joke of me in front of Patrick.” That thought had me seeing red. “Quite a coincidence you happened to know massage therapy.”

Putting both hands on her face, she shook her head. “I took classes back at the gym! Rook—my boss—he’s always pressuring us to add new services. I thought I’d like it, but it wasn’t really my thing!”

“It wasn’t your thing until me?”

“Yes!” Her hands slapped the bed. “I wanted to touch you! I’ve only ever wanted to touch you since the day you walked into my life. Don’t you remember?”

“Why were you on the pill?”

Her expression turned confused. “W-What?”

“If you were a virgin, why were you on the pill?” That angry question had waltzed into my brain on whiskey Number Fifteen.

“I-I use them to control my periods.” Her eyes blinked fast. “I’ve taken them since I was twelve. If I don’t, I bleed too much.” She shook her head, and her brow lined. “You thought I lied to you about being my first?”

Her voice cracked and more tears filled her eyes. They fucking burned my chest like a bucket of salt being poured on that stupid knife wound. My gut twisted between wanting to hold her and wanting to hit her. I couldn’t sit here and let her rip me apart anymore.

“I’ve heard enough.” I reached for the door.

“Stop!” She was across the room before I opened it. “I’ll tell you the truth. Just... wait.”

My lips tightened and I turned on her. Her head was just at my shoulder. “Now I get the truth? Which version?”

Her eyes still glistened with unshed tears, and my insides churned with anger and heartbreak. The anger was winning.

“Only Kenny knows about this.” She dropped her chin, but I caught it, snapping her head up.

“Look me in the eyes when you’re talking.” I wasn’t falling for another act.

She sniffed and blinked a few times. “It’s going to make me sound crazy, but it’s the truth.”

I released her face and put my hand on my hip. “Go.”

“After that day in the gym, I started having dreams.” She started to turn away, but I stopped her.

Pointing to my face. “Eyes here.”

She squared her shoulders and stared into my eyes. “They were nightmares. I dreamed about fires and explosions. Everything was beige and smoky, and I was paralyzed. Hands grabbed my arms and started pulling me away, against my will... away from something I’d sworn to protect.”

With every word my insides clenched and twisted. She continued speaking, but I leaned against the door. I was having trouble breathing.

She sniffed, and I realized she was crying again. “I didn’t understand why I kept seeing those things, but every time I woke up, I saw your face. All I saw was you, and I knew whatever it was, I had to come find you to make it stop.”

It was impossible. What she was saying was Not. Possible.

“Stuart?” Her voice was shaky.

“How do you know those things?”

“I don’t know.”

My eyes went from her slim body to her sunset eyes full of concern. She reached for me, but I pushed her away. There was no way in hell she could know what she just described to me. Was she spying on me? How long had this been going on?

“You’re lying.”

Her cheeks paled. “No...”

She started for me again, but I jerked the door open and left the room, heading for my side of the house. I didn’t know what the hell was going on, how she had gotten that story or from whom, but I needed to get to the cabin. The fucking whiskey clouded my brain. I needed to get away from here and figure this out. Nobody fucked with me.

* * *

Mariska

I couldn’t stop crying. I wasn’t sobbing or curled in the fetal position—outside of my mind—but the tears wouldn’t stop streaming down my cheeks. The last thing I expected was Stuart in my bedroom, but his words, everything he said, destroyed me.

I’d told him everything. I’d told him the truth, and he called me a liar. He pushed me away. Anger burned in his eyes like nothing I’d ever seen, and I knew I couldn’t go after him. My worst-case scenario, the thing I feared most when I came here, that he’d find out and run, had come true. I had to leave.

Throwing all my stuff in my bag, I grabbed my phone and called for cab service to the airport. They promised to be here in twenty minutes. All I could do was wait. Picking up my suitcase, I quietly went to the hall. I didn’t want to wake anyone. I just wanted to go home, crawl in my own bed, and cry.

Everything was silent as I crept through the dim house. Small lights were scattered about illuminating my way through the living room to the door. Finally, I was outside on the porch alone, freezing. Noises came from the barn. Someone was with the horses, but I didn’t want to see anyone or explain what I was doing. I was humiliated enough. Whoever it was didn’t come into the yard. I heard the faint noise of hoof beats headed away across the plain.

Looking after them, I saw two tiny lights far down the lonely road. The cab. I just had to hang on a little longer, get back to Bayville, then I’d break down.