Hiding Out At The Circle C Read online

He rolled her onto her back, holding her down possessively with his body, and closed his lips on hers. "Well, then," he murmured, sliding his hot, open mouth over her jaw, down her throat, "Let me oblige you, darlin'."

  * * *

  Amazingly, Cam slept. He dreamed the light, weightless dreams of a very contented man. But even before he came fully awake, before he reached for her, he knew.

  Haley was gone.

  * * *

  Chapter 11

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  Cam stood in the center of the guesthouse, frantic. Haley had cleared out, damn her, without a word. She'd taken nothing, not a stitch of Nellie's clothes that he could see, nor any of the things she'd bought in town that first week.

  But she was undoubtedly gone.

  Storming into her bedroom, he stared at the neatly made bed. Dread and welling fury mixed now. On the small chair, neatly folded, lay his denim jacket—the same jacket she'd worn since the beginning. He scooped it up and the scent that was so uniquely, gloriously her wafted up.

  He shook his head, as angry at himself as with her. He'd known it, had prepared for it, but it still hurt more than he could possibly have thought.

  She'd run.

  Max rubbed against his legs, whining, worrying. Cam scooped up the puppy and got a sloppy kiss that failed to bring a smile to his face.

  Why, dammit? Why now?

  "Cam," Zach said from the doorway.

  "Go away." Cam didn't turn to face him, wasn't ready to see the I-told-you-so his brother would never utter, but that would be there so plainly in his eyes. "Just go away."

  "Can't do that, I'm sorry. Cam…"

  His brother's voice came low, controlled … and very shaky. Nothing rattled Zach—nothing—and Cam whipped around to look at him. "What?" he asked, fear lacing his voice. God, what else? "Nellie?"

  "No." Zach took a deep breath and looked at Cam with things in his eyes that hadn't been there since—since Lorraine had died. The horror, compassion and gut-wrenching loyally had Cam bracing himself for the worst. "It's not Jas, either," Zach added quickly. "It's Haley. There's something on the answering machine you're going to want to hear right away."

  * * *

  The day was cold, nearly frigid, and all Cam could think as he walked to the big house was that Haley had left wearing only her light blouse and trousers.

  They strode in grating silence inside, to where both Jason and Nellie stood by the answering machine, ominously quiet. Nellie had tears streaming down her face and Jason held her tight. Cam looked at them, swallowed hard and hit the message button.

  He listened to a harried Haley picking up the line just as the machine clicked on, recording her every word. Listened to the dark, threatening voice demand that she do as she was told and no one would be killed. Listened as Haley realized she'd been betrayed by someone she'd trusted. Listened as Haley pleaded for their lives, willingly giving up her own. For them.

  For the love of them.

  Sickness rose in him, and a dark rage such as he'd never known.

  When the raspy voice laughed at Haley's fears, it sent chills down Cam's spine, but the sheer terror in Haley's voice shook him to the core. She believed every word the man said. Every word.

  And she'd gone to him, back to South America. Back to the hell she'd run from in the first place. To protect him and his family. She'd gone, knowing she'd end up dead.

  Damn her for not trusting him enough to help her.

  The machine clicked off and everyone looked at Cam, but he could only stand still, replaying every last tortuous moment of the day; how she'd come into his bar with that wild look she'd immediately replaced with hunger and passion; then the magical time in his bathroom where they'd made love by candlelight.

  He'd known something was wrong, hadn't he? He'd seen the nervousness and terror shimmering in her eyes and he'd let her seduce him regardless, telling himself it was just first-time jitters, because he'd wanted her so badly.

  Now she'd gone back to that place that had taken everything away from her, her pride in her work, her self-confidence, her simple joy in living. She hadn't had much of that, and he'd wanted nothing more than to give her everything she'd missed out on. Warmth, affection, fun. Life.

  "Oh, Cam," Nellie sobbed. "He'll kill her. She left because she was afraid for us, and he'll kill her anyway."

  "No," he promised her grimly. "He won't." He hit star sixty-nine on the phone, which redialed the last number used. As he expected, a taxi service answered.

  Haley had called a cab.

  Tersely he asked for information on a recent pickup and was told their computer system was temporarily down. "Dammit!" He slammed down the phone and moved to the door.

  "Cam," Zach said sharply.

  He didn't want to stop, not until Haley was back in his arms. He yanked open the door. Zach was there in an instant, pulling him back. Cam whipped around him, ready to fight. Needing to fight.

  "Wait." Zach held his arms down with a surprising strength. "Just stop a minute."

  "I can't. Dammit, Zach, back off!" Couldn't they see? It could already be too late.

  Jason moved up behind Zach, obviously willing to be backup if needed. "We have to have a plan here."

  Cam stared at them, and at Nellie quietly crying by the phone. His brothers, though worried sick, were together going to force him to listen. He didn't have time for it. "I want you guys to get out of here until this is over. Take Nellie to town and stay there. Call the police. I'm going to the airport."

  "Jason'll take Nellie," Zach said. "I'm coming with you."

  "No." Cam stepped over the threshold, daring them to stop him. "Call into town. Do what you can to round up help before you follow. Call the airport and warn them. Call the FBI if you have to. You know everything I do about this."

  Zach nodded. "We'll catch up with you, or meet you back with Haley."

  Cam moved toward his truck. "Cam?" Nellie called out from the door. "Bring her home safe and sound."

  "I plan to," he said grimly. "I plan to."

  * * *

  The taxi ride was blessedly long, and it was dark, quiet. Haley shut off her brain, afraid to think. Leaving as she'd come, she had only the clothes on her back and a few dollars in her purse.

  She caught her reflection in the rearview mirror of the cab. Yes, she looked like the same woman who'd come to Colorado. The fear was still there, the wariness. But something had changed on the inside. She no longer lived for the sole purpose of work. She'd experienced love, which made the hopelessness of this situation all the more unbearable and terrifying.

  This time, she'd die. And this time she cared, because she had so much to lose.

  The taxi came into Colorado Springs and she knew she'd be at the airport in a matter of minutes, then with Branson in no time at all. Every passing second brought a new and overwhelming sense of nostalgia. She'd never again see the deep blue skies of Colorado, never again see the sharp mountain peaks and lush pine foothills she'd grown to love.

  Her heart started pounding the minute the airport came into view and by the time they'd turned into the loop of terminals, she was near a full-fledged panic.

  She couldn't go through with it.

  Images of Cam came to mind: the way he'd looked at her that first night at the airport, accepting her without question, how he'd made her laugh, live … love.

  He was her life.

  But Haley knew she had to go inside. Knew, too, she had to hurry. If she didn't and Branson got tired of waiting, who knew what he'd do.

  She couldn't risk it.

  "Are you getting out or what?" The cabdriver tipped back his hat and gave her an impatient look.

  He couldn't have been more than twenty, she thought dully. So many years left. Again, that impossible lump stuck in her throat. She felt like screaming at him, You're so young, so free. Go live!

  Instead she paid him, her nervous hands fumbling for change. He sped off without a backward glance, leaving her to her private hell.