THAT MYSTERIOUS TEXAS BRAND MAN Read online

  "Hey, unless the guy's got the place under surveillance, Casey, he can't possibly know you're home yet. Give him a few minutes, will you?"

  Casey dropped the curtain and turned. "You're making a lot more out of this than there is, you know."

  "Am I really?" Laura shrugged. "Somehow I doubt it." She tugged at her blouse. "But I'll tease you later. Right now I need a shower."

  "Go ahead. I'll put the groceries away."

  Laura didn't argue. She just smiled and hurried upstairs. Before she'd been gone five minutes, there was a tap at the back door, and Casey glanced up to see Marcus standing on the other side. He looked … dark. She shivered and opened the door.

  "We need to talk." He said it without preamble, stepping into the kitchen, closing the door behind him.

  She took a step back when he came closer. The reaction was automatic, an instinctive response to the anger emanating from him. "What—what's wrong? You're upset about something."

  "No kidding." He took another step toward her.

  She took another step back. "Well, are you going to tell me what?"

  "Why don't you tell me, Casey? What could I have found out about you that would make me this angry? That you'd lied to me, maybe?"

  She swallowed hard. "About … what?"

  "Have there been so many lies you can't be sure?"

  Blinking fast, she lowered her gaze, feeling ashamed, though she shouldn't. She had no reason to. She'd done nothing wrong. "No. No, Marcus, there's only been one lie. And I knew you'd find out eventually. I just…"

  "Just thought you'd get all you could on me before I did. You going for the front page, Casey? Big byline? Syndication?"

  Lifting her chin a notch, she met his eyes again. "I'm not writing any article about you, Marcus."

  "Aren't you?"

  She held his gaze, willing him to believe her while battling the disappointment that rinsed through her. She supposed she'd let her expectations get too high. She'd been so looking forward to seeing him again—only to have him arrive angry and spouting accusations. She felt like crying.

  "Listen to me—"

  "No, you listen to me. I don't work with reporters."

  "That's why I didn't tell you I was one. And that's the only reason. Marcus, I knew you'd refuse to protect Laura if you knew—"

  "And I don't work with liars."

  She flinched. His words stung. Then the anger came. She felt its heat suffuse her face, but her voice remained level and low, only trembling slightly. "You do now."

  His eyes went narrow. "Be careful, Casey. That sounds like a threat."

  Casey lowered her head. "I hate this. You don't know me well enough to know that about me, I suppose, but I do. I hate deception of any kind, and I never lie. But there's nothing I wouldn't do for my sister, Marcus. Nothing. That's why I went to all that trouble to get in touch with you, why I kept the truth about my career from you and why I'm going to resort to the most despicable tactics I can think of right now. For her, Marcus. Because I love her, and I'm afraid her life is in danger."

  Marcus, when she dared to meet his gaze again, was probing her with his eyes, scanning her face as if trying to see inside her brain. "What despicable tactics are you referring to, Casey? Blackmail?"

  "If that's what it takes. I know what you look like. I can see that face of yours every time I close my eyes, even if I don't particularly want to." She bit her lip and heard him catch his breath as he turned away. "I could have a composite artist draw a sketch of you so lifelike it would fool your own mother. And I know your first name. I could make a lot of money, earn myself a pile of recognition with the article I could write about you, Marcus. But I never planned to. And I won't … unless you force me."

  She chanced a peek at him, but his face was so frightening in its fury that she couldn't look for long.

  "I believe you will," he said. "The problem is, Casey, I believe it's what you planned all along. In fact I'm beginning to doubt any of what you told me about your sister is even true. You probably staged the whole—"

  He broke off then as Laura came skipping down the stairs in an oversize pink terry robe with a towel wrapped turban-style around her head. She smiled her hello at Marcus. Marcus nodded back. "Glad you finally got here," Laura said. "Casey was burning holes through the window glass watching for you."

  She traipsed straight through to the kitchen. "Hey, I thought you were going to put this stuff away," she called. "Never mind. Maybe I'll find a snack in one of these…"

  Casey kept her voice to a strangled whisper. "You're very wrong about me, Marcus. I never intended any of this. All I wanted was some help protecting my sister."

  "Why don't I believe that?"

  "Because you're a bitter, skeptical man who paints every journalist with the same brush. And because … I think you're more comfortable not believing me. I think you're scared to death of the alternative."

  He rolled his eyes but looked away. "You don't know as much about me as you think you do. There is no alternative, as you so quaintly put it. There never was. For you it was part of the act. For me, a pleasant diversion. Period."

  "Now who's the liar?"

  He shot her a killing glance.

  "Will you protect my sister, Marcus? Or will I write that article?"

  "Your sister never needed protecting. When are you going to drop the act and admit that?"

  He took a step forward, reaching out to grip her wrists as he spoke. And then, from the kitchen, Laura screamed.

  Marcus was looking at Casey when that sound ripped through him. There was no mistaking the panic in her face. The skin went white, instantly white. Her eyes widened and her body went rigid. He had an instant to realize his own reaction was different. He felt sick inside. He'd turned off the sensor when he'd come in, and he'd been so immersed in his own misery, he'd forgotten to turn it back on. Laura's scream brought an old memory to life. The distant echo of that other scream, the one that still haunted him at night. The final scream of his mother. The name she had shrieked—the one that still eluded him.

  All of that rushed through his mind in the space of a heartbeat. And then he was moving, letting instinct take over. Part of him knew Casey was right behind him. But most of him was focused on what he saw in the kitchen when he burst into the room. Laura's legs and feet, twisting and kicking as she was pulled out the back door and into the darkness. The way she tried to grip the door frame with one foot as the man dragged her through. The way her slipper fell to the floor.

  Marcus assessed it all very quickly. He could see the man outside, in the darkness. A big man, totally bald so the top of his head gleamed with the light's reflection. Dressed in black. No weapons visible. Both hands busy restraining his struggling victim. One hand over her mouth, so the only sounds she could make were muffled grunts and moans. His gaze on her instead of on what was happening in the house. Sloppy. Very sloppy.

  Silently, Marcus backed into the living room, reaching behind him to press a finger to Casey's lips when she drew a breath to protest. Out of the attacker's sight, he turned to face her. "Lock the doors, turn out the lights and get yourself out of sight. Then call 911."

  "I already tried. The phone lines are out."

  He nodded, having expected as much. "Go on, get out of sight."

  She bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes as she nodded. Marcus had to trust her to do as he said. There was no time not to. He whirled and headed out the front door, then forced himself to slow his pace. Back against the side of the house, keeping to the shadows—it came so naturally he barely had to think about what he was doing. He slipped into the narrow grassy alley between house and garage, moving swiftly without a sound, his feet rolling over the lush lawn in smooth steps that barely disturbed the greenery.

  He emerged into the back lawn only a few seconds from the time the thug had dragged Laura outside. A guy the size of Laura's attacker wouldn't move very fast. Marcus peered around the corner of the house.

  The large man wa
s still struggling with Laura, only a few yards from the door, and his back was to Marcus. Perfect. Marcus moved forward, soundlessly, and then he struck. The kidney punch was enough to get the jerk's attention. He whirled defensively, swinging those beefy fists as he did, but by then Marcus was moving again. He hit the ground, somersaulted and sprung to his feet in a new position, then punched the attacker in the face.

  Blood spattered, seemingly propelled by the loud grunt the man emitted. He swung at Marcus again, but Marcus caught his arm this time, turning, bending slightly, then straightening fast. The man flew over Marcus's back to land several feet away on the ground.

  Marcus heard Casey's voice behind him as she raced out the back door. "Come on, Laura. Get up, get inside. God, are you all right?"

  He turned toward the sound of that voice, distracted when he knew better than to let himself be. Laura huddled on the ground, shaking like a wet leaf, while her sister urged her to her feet, tugging, talking, pulling.

  Damn the woman, he'd told her to stay inside.

  Running footsteps alerted him to his mistake, and he spun again, only to see his mark making a fast break across the back lawn.

  "Go!" Casey shouted. "Go after him, dammit!"

  But Marcus stood where he was, every sense heightened. "And leave you two here for his partner?"

  The man vanished from sight, and then there was the slam of a car door, the sound of an engine roaring to life and tires spitting gravel.

  "You … you think there's another one?"

  Marcus scanned the darkness as far as he could see, probed the shadows with his sharp eyes, listened, felt for a second presence. Then he sighed and went back to the two women. Laura, standing now, was wrapped in Casey's arms, her entire body shaking violently, her dark hair sticking to her tearstained face. Eyes as wide as the moon. He moved closer, pushed some of her hair out of her eyes. Laura stepped out of her sister's arms, but her stance didn't look too solid. She'd fall if she didn't sit down soon.

  "No. I don't think so. But there could have been, and I couldn't take the risk. Besides, he had a car waiting nearby. I'd never have caught him."

  Laura closed her eyes. "Th-thank you, Marcus. He—he would have…" A sob choked her, and the next thing Marcus knew, she was in his arms. Her small head on his shoulder, tears wetting his shirt. Something welled up in his heart. A memory. Sara, crying in his arms just like this. He was nine and she was just three, and her kitten had disappeared. It was as if her world had ended. And though he'd secretly thought it incredibly stupid and childish to sob like that over a cat, he'd held her. He'd told her he would make it okay, and she'd believed him. The next day he'd drafted an army of his school chums and they'd turned the neighborhood upside down despite the pouring rain. And they'd found the dumb kitten, lost in a vacant lot nearby. He'd never forget Sara's eyes when he'd brought that mongrel home to her. It looked like a drowned rat, but you'd have thought he'd given her a diamond. She glowed. Her eyes just sparkled and her smile…

  That was the first time he'd felt like anybody's hero.

  Marcus had to squeeze his eyes tight against the burning moisture gathering there. It was one of the many memories that had been lost to him for the past twenty-odd years. But now it was back. And he wasn't sure whether to be grateful or sorry, because it hurt so damn much.

  He closed his arms around Laura when he felt her weakening, and he met Casey's tear-filled eyes. "Let's get you inside," he said, fully aware his voice was gruff. He scooped Laura up and nodded at Casey, who went ahead to open the door for them. As he carried Laura inside, Casey remained close beside him, stroking her sister's face, speaking softly to her, trying to keep her own terror in check.

  She led the way upstairs to Laura's bedroom, and Marcus laid the young woman on her bed and took a step back. It was disturbing to hold her. It brought back things—things he'd rather leave buried in his forgotten past.

  Casey sat on the bed's edge, fussing, tucking the covers around her sister, telling her it was going to be okay.

  "I'll go downstairs," Marcus said, needing to distance himself from the closeness the two women shared. It was something he'd had once, lost, then forgotten, and would rather not remember. "I'll make sure the house is secure for the night." He checked the lock on the window, took a look at the ground below. "For what it's worth, I don't think he'll try again tonight. Finding me here was a big surprise. He'll need to factor that into his plans now. He won't try again until he's had time to do that."

  Blinking slowly, as if she were coming out of a slumber, Laura stared at him. Gradually a frown appeared between her brows. "You're not just my sister's new boyfriend, are you, Marcus?"

  When Marcus didn't answer, Laura looked at her sister instead. "Casey?"

  Casey sighed. "No. He's not. He's here to protect you, Laura, until I can fix this thing. Whatever it is."

  "No! Casey, I asked you to stay out of this. God, I couldn't bear it if you got hurt or—or worse, because of me! I don't want you involved. Or you, either, Marcus. Please, just—"

  "I'm already involved, sis, so you're too late. I'm going to get you through this, and there's nothing more to say about it. As for Marcus, well, this sort of thing is … is…"

  "It's what I do," Marcus supplied. He moved back to the bedside and met Laura's eyes. "And I'm very good at it, Laura. You're going to be okay, and so is your sister—providing she learns to do what she's told."

  He searched Casey's eyes from the opposite side of the bed but could see no emotion in them aside from concern for her sister.

  Laura sighed. "I should just leave. It would be better for everyone if I—"

  "No, Laura," Casey said. "What would be better for everyone would be if you'd just tell us what's going on. Honey, for God's sake, you've been keeping your secrets for far too long. They're dangerous. You know that."

  "They're not dangerous to you unless you know them, Casey." Laura clamped her jaw tight and closed her eyes. "I'll sleep better knowing you're here, though, Marcus. Thank you for that."

  "You're welcome," he told her. Then he looked at Casey.

  "I'll stay with her until she falls asleep," she said.

  He nodded. "I'll be downstairs." He backed out of the room, but when he got into the hallway, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. Dammit, what was happening to him? He'd made up his mind to get away from Casey and her sister as fast as he could, and now he was neck-deep in whatever trouble they were facing. Worse than that, he cared about them.

  Both of them.

  * * *

  Chapter 9

  « ^ »

  "Here," Casey said as she handed Laura a mild sleeping pill and a glass of water. "You'll never get any rest otherwise."

  "I'm almost afraid to go to sleep."

  "You don't have to be. Not with Marcus here."

  Laura nodded, popped the pill into her mouth and took a sip of water to wash it down. Then she lay back on the pillows. "He's something, isn't he? That guy had to be twice his size, but he tossed him around like nothing."

  "It was pretty impressive."

  "It was amazing," Laura said. She sighed, searched her sister's face. "So, what about you two?"

  "What about us?"

  Laura managed to smile despite the fear she must still be feeling. "You know what I mean. Was it all for my benefit, or is there really something going on between you?"

  Casey sighed, lowering her head. "He just found out I was a reporter today," she said.

  Frowning, Laura whispered, "So?"

  "So, I deliberately kept that from him. He hates reporters, and I knew he'd never agree to help us if I told him the truth." She shook her head slowly.

  "Now he thinks I set this whole thing up just so I could do a story on him."

  "But why would he think … oh my God. Casey! He's the Guardian, isn't he!"

  Casey closed her eyes, bit her lip. Dammit, she'd done it again. She'd promised Marcus she wouldn't tell Laura, and now Laura knew and he'd be furiou
s all over again.

  "I wasn't supposed to know, was I."

  Casey shook her head.

  "It's okay, sis. I'll pretend I'm clueless. Oh Lord, you didn't even know what he looked like until I snapped the light on the other night! Did you? It all makes sense now. The way he reacted, looking so shocked and everything. And—and then he kissed the daylights out of you—or maybe it was you kissing the daylights out of him."

  Casey nodded. "I—I don't know what came over me."

  "I do. You like this guy, Casey. Admit it."

  Closing her eyes slowly, she lowered her head. "I do. I don't know what it is about him, but it was happening even before I'd seen him in the light. I just … I don't know."

  "You've got it bad for him, Casey."

  Casey shook her head in denial, but in her heart she knew it was a lie. She wanted Marcus, but it was more than that.

  It scared her.

  "It's not like that," she said.

  "Then what is it like?"

  Shrugging, Casey tried to put her thoughts into words. "He's keeping all kinds of secrets. He's like a mystery waiting to be solved, you know? I just … I'm just curious. That's all."

  "You never could resist a mystery." Laura's eyes fell closed, then slowly opened again. "But there's more. Isn't there, Casey?"

  Casey nodded. "There's more. He's hurting, too. It's all wrapped up in the secrets he's keeping. But it's a deep pain, and it's eating him up inside."

  "You always want to make things better. Fix everything. Even this mess I'm in. So you think you can take care of his hurt?"

  "I know I can."

  "But does he?"

  Casey shook her head. "He's got himself all locked up in a cage. Lives in self-imposed solitude. Doesn't want or need anyone's help. So I guess that's that."

  "Yeah, right. And you're a pacifist." Her eyes fell closed again. "The guy doesn't stand a chance, sis. And if you ask me, he doesn't know how lucky he is."

  Casey shook her head even as her sister drifted off to sleep. "No, I can't be thinking that way. I have to pull back. Take care of myself, you know?" Laura didn't answer, but it didn't matter. She was speaking more to herself now than to Laura, anyway. "I can't let this thing go any further. I mean, it would be just like me to go and do something stupid—like fall in love with him." Closing her eyes, she sighed deeply. "God, I could fall in love with him so easily. But I can't let that happen. I can't, because he's made it pretty clear how he feels. He likes his life the way it is. He doesn't want a relationship, doesn't even believe in love. I'd be stupid to set myself up for a heartbreak like that."