Scarlet heat flamed through Elizabeth’s body, flushing her cheeks in aroused embarrassment as she turned quickly away from him, remembering just how big he could get. Definitely too big for his britches. She swallowed tightly then breathed in with slow even breaths to fight the sudden hard thump of her heart. Damn him. Did he have a countermove for everything?
The rest of the drive was completed in silence. Elizabeth steeled herself for the coming arrival. Death or safety. With each move she had made over the past two years it came down to this. And though she was beginning to trust Dash to a point, finding it in her to trust someone on his say-so alone was harder. The Hummer pulled through the snow easily, though Dash didn’t push for speed. Still, all too soon they rounded the last small hill and the two-story ranch house came into view. It was well lit. The front door opened as the wide entrance to a garage slowly began to rise. A tall man moved easily from the porch along a shoveled walkway, timing his steps to coincide with Dash maneuvering the Hummer into the wide garage. As they cleared the door, it began to lower once again, enclosing them in the brightly lit area as Dash cut the ignition.
“Momma.” Cassie’s voice was faint. “The fairy says it’s okay. She really does.” But Elizabeth heard her daughter’s fear as the strange male began to come alongside the vehicle.
“Come here, baby.” Elizabeth unbuckled her seat belt as Dash did, grabbed the service revolver in one hand and motioned her daughter to her with the other.
In an instant Cassie was over the console. Her thin arms wrapped around Elizabeth’s neck, her head burying against it as she trembled.
“Elizabeth?” Dash turned to her, watching Cassie in alarm.
Elizabeth shook her head. “She’s frightened.” She ran her hand down Cassie’s back soothingly. “Big men scare her, Dash. Except you. She thinks she knows you…” She let it trail off. She and Cassie didn’t know the man now standing patiently on the other side of Dash’s door, his expression concerned as he waited on Dash to open the door.
Dash breathed out deeply as she watched him somberly. “She’s just a baby…” She tried to explain, afraid Dash would now expect more from Cassie than she could give. Cassie had her moments of terror. Her moments of happiness. Elizabeth had learned to accept each as they came.
“I know that, Elizabeth.” His voice was soft, though his eyes flashed dark fire at her reprisal. “I was worried for Cassie. Not Mike. We can sit here as long as you need.”
Elizabeth shook her head. Better to find out now what awaited them here in this new atmosphere.
“If she finds safety, she’ll calm down.” She left the rest unsaid. Dash pushed his fingers wearily through his hair as he pulled the keys from the ignition and opened the door. Cassie tensed, a small, mewling whimper escaping her lips. Dash stopped. His jaw tightened before he closed the door back once again.
“Cassie.” His voice was so incredibly gentle as he turned that Elizabeth wanted to cry at the sound. Had she ever heard a man speak to her or her daughter with such warmth? “Cassie. The door’s closed, honey. Won’t you look at me?”
Elizabeth rocked her baby slowly, knowing the fear could lead to deep, shuddering tremors that came so close to convulsions they terrified her.
Surprisingly enough, Cassie peeked up at him, though her hands gripped Elizabeth’s neck so tightly they felt like bands of quivering steel.
“I’ll be okay.” Cassie was fighting to be brave, but her voice trembled with her fear. “The fairy said it’s okay. The fairy is always right. She’s always right.” Elizabeth could hear the tears filling Cassie’s voice now.
“You know, Mike has a little girl, too,” Dash suddenly said softly. “Just a few years older than you are. Her name’s Mica. And I bet, living out here without any little girls to play with, that she’ll be very happy when you come in the house.”
Cassie’s head lifted further. She glanced outside the Hummer. “Is she here now?” she asked him suspiciously.
“She’s in the house, Cassie,” Dash said. “I heard her playing when I talked to Mike on the phone earlier. Would you like to meet her?”
Cassie didn’t loosen her grip on Elizabeth, but the shudders eased perceptively.
“You’re sure she’s here, Dash?”
“Tell you what, I’ll step out here and talk to Mike and have him get Mica to come to the inside garage door.” He indicated the closed door at the side of the wide room. “How does that sound?”
Elizabeth lowered her head, kissing her daughter’s curls as she fought to hide her tears. Dash was being gentle, understanding. His voice wasn’t patronizing as Dane’s would have been, but kept its usual inflection without being demanding.
“He’s a good daddy?” Cassie’s voice was still rough. “He doesn’t hit his little girl, does he?”
Elizabeth glanced at Dash. She prayed only she saw the spark of violence that shot through his eyes for a second.
“No, Cassie.” He swallowed tightly. “Mike would never hit his little girl. You can even ask her if you want to. Mike loves his little girl very much. He would never hit her.”“She’ll come to the door?” Cassie worried. “I can see her before I get out?”
“Yes, you can. And I’ll close my door when I get out. That way, you won’t get cold waiting.” Or frightened that there was access to her by the big man standing outside, Elizabeth guessed. Cassie nodded cautiously.
“Good girl.” Dash smiled tenderly as he eased his door open once again and stepped out of the Hummer.
Chapter Eight
Dash wanted to kill. Again. He wanted Grange in his hands, struggling, blood flowing as he pleaded for mercy. A mercy Dash knew he would never be able to give. He was shocked to realize how terrified Cassie had become when she saw Mike. It had been driven home to him then, just how much that little girl trusted him. How much she depended on him to keep her safe and how hard that battle was being fought.
He cursed silently, breathing out roughly as emotion swamped him. The fear he had smelled in that vehicle had nearly strangled him, ripping through his defenses, if he had any against her, and searing his soul with fury. Grange would pay for the damage he had done to that child and Dash would make certain of it.
“Hey, buddy.” Mike’s voice was questioning, and Dash knew the other man could sense his fury. They had fought together too many times, had covered each other’s backs in too many ways. Men who fought together learned the basics of each other’s personalities, strengths and weaknesses in a way that otherwise took a lifetime during peace. War was an alien ground of kill or be killed, and the men you fought with were as necessary to living as breathing. You had to know the mettle of the man whose back you covered, who covered your back.
“Please tell me Mica’s still up,” Dash said wearily as he rubbed his hand over his face. “Cassie’s edging into hysteria seeing only you. She’s terrified to come out of the Hummer.”
The other man stiffened imperceptibly. The implications of the reasons for such terror washed through his gray eyes. His jaw tightened, teeth gritting for a long second as Dash watched him fight his anger. Mike finally glanced at the darkened windows of the Hummer. “Hang on. I’ll get her.”
Moments later, Mike’s wife, Serena, a tall willowy blonde, and his petite blonde-haired daughter stepped out. Mica wrapped her arms around her daddy’s waist and leaned against him as she smiled back over at Dash.
“You remember Dash, don’t you, Mica?” Mike asked his daughter softly. “The little girl he brought to visit is scared to get out of the Hummer. Why don’t you go with Mommy and introduce yourself? Make her feel more at home.”
Dash watched as the family came down the landing. Mike separated from them and returned to where Dash stood, watching quietly as the Hummer’s door slowly opened. Soft female voices murmured through the garage. Dash had met the little girl and Mike’s wife several times over the years during brief furloughs stateside. Both were kind and soft spoken, and just what Cassie and Elizabeth needed right now, he thought.
“How bad is it, Dash?” Mike asked him then, referring, Dash knew, to Cassie’s mental state. Dash sighed deeply. “She’s held up well until now. Men frighten her, though she came to me easily enough. Big men especially, from what I gather. I haven’t had time yet to talk to Elizabeth in depth about what happened. I was hoping to do that while we’re here.”
Now, Dash wondered if he would be able to contain his own rage if his fears held out. Had Grange touched Cassie before locking her in that bedroom and giving Elizabeth the chance to rescue her? If he had, Dash swore silently that he would make certain the man suffered a hell few would know before he died.
Mike breathed out deeply, his body vibrating with a need for revenge. Mike was a damned good father, and his wife and child were his life. He knew Mike would understand the rage threatening to engulf him. The other man was almost as tall as Dash himself, with short, light brown hair and gray eyes. He was less broad than Dash, not as strong in some areas, but definitely a man who could carry himself, and others, in battle. He was a hell of a fighter, and more than trustworthy. But the bottom line was, Mike was a decent man and he would kill for a stranger’s child. For a friend’s, he would inflict a damage few enemies would ever want to face. In that, he was a lot like Dash. Loyalty and the bonds that came with it weren’t easily severed.
“I appreciate you taking us in,” Dash said quietly as Elizabeth and Cassie finally moved slowly from the Hummer. “Cassie and Elizabeth desperately need this chance to rest. I hope we aren’t inconveniencing you.”
“Not at all.” Mike shook his head as he watched the movement on the other side of the vehicle. “You’ll be safe here until we can figure out exactly what’s going on and how to deal with it. But from what I’ve learned so far, there’s a whole lot of pieces missing, Dash. Nothing’s adding up here.”
Dash was aware of that.
“Come on, let’s go inside,” Mike invited him as they moved cautiously toward the women. Cassie had a strangle hold on Elizabeth’s hand, but she seemed to be acting more naturally now that Mica stood talking to her. Mike’s daughter had just turned ten. She was a sweet-natured girl whose lively gray eyes sparkled with happiness.
“Hey, Dad. Cassie’s heard about the Cat people, too,” Mica suddenly piped up. “They had another
interview on the news tonight,” she told Dash. The little girl followed the stories of the Breeds almost religiously. “I think they are so cool. And Tanner is really good-looking.”
“He’s a Bengal Breed.” Cassie looked up at Mike, then Dash. “He’s only twenty-five but he’s becoming known as one of their greatest spokesmen. I bet he’s really nice…” she trailed off faintly.
“Tanner’s quite nice, actually.” Mike smiled down at the little girl. “I met him this past summer with Kane Tyler. Both men are very good spokesmen.”
Cassie looked impressed now, staring up at Mike thoughtfully.
“Kane Tyler doesn’t like speaking in public much.” Cassie frowned as she watched Mike, gauging his response. “He acts like Dash. Tanner is sneakier about what he says. So he’s better.”
Four adults stared down at Cassie in surprise. Mike chuckled. “She’s about right there.” He slapped Dash on the shoulder. “I wonder how much Kane will like knowing an eight-year-old has him pegged so easily?”
Cassie moved closer to her mother, gripping her hips tightly as she stared up at Mike with a suddenly fierce expression. “Just cause I’m short doesn’t mean I’m a baby.”
“Cassie.” Elizabeth’s voice firmed as she glanced down at her daughter. “Mr. Toler is our host. And I’m sure he doesn’t think you’re a baby.”