passing through the doorway, Christina threw her arms around her and hugged her tight. 'God speed,'
she whispered.
Caine tied the satchel to his mount, then tossed Jade on top of the other horse. She waved farewell as
she followed Caine through the back gate.
Jade glanced back again to look at Lyon and Christina. She tried to memorize Christina's smile, Lyon's frown, too, for she was certain she wouldn't ever see them again.
Christina had mentioned destiny more than once to her. She believed Caine was going to become Jade's lifelong mate. But Christina didn't understand the full situation. And when Christina learned the truth,
Jade feared her new friend would never acknowledge her again.
It was too painful to think about. Jade forced herself to think only of the one reason she was there. Her duty was to protect Caine until Nathan came home.
And that was that. Her destiny had been determined years ago.
'Stay closer to me, Jade,' Caine ordered from over his shoulder.
Jade immediately nudged her mount closer.
Caine certainly took a roundabout way out of London. He circled the outskirts of the city, then backtracked to make certain they weren't being followed.
He refused to take the north road until they were an hour away from the city.
The ride should have taken them approximately three hours. Yet because of his cautious nature, they were only halfway to their destination before he took to the main road.
Jade recognized the area. 'If they haven't moved it, Nathan's carriage is just a little ahead of us,' she told Caine.
It was further away then she remembered. Jade decided the vehicle had been dragged off when they'd ridden another half hour or so and still not spotted it.
Then they turned yet another crooked bend in the road and saw it on the side of the narrow ravine.
Caine never said a word. His expression was grim, however, when they rode past the carriage.
'Well?' she asked.
'It was gutted, all right,' he answered.
She heard the anger in his voice and began to worry that he was blaming her for the destruction. 'Is that all you have to say?' she asked. She nudged her mount to his side so she could see his expression. 'You didn't believe me, did you? That's why you're angry.'
'I believe you now,' he countered.
She waited a long minute before she realized he wasn't going to say any more.
'And?' she asked, thinking to gain his apology.
'And what?'
'And haven't you anything else to say?' she demanded.
'I could say that as soon as I find the bastards who did this I'm going to kill them,' he replied in a mild, thoroughly chilling voice. 'And after they are dead, I'll probably want to set their bodies on fire just for the hell of it. Yes, I could say that, but it would only upset you, wouldn't it, Jade?'
Her eyes had widened during his recitation. There wasn't any doubt in her mind that he meant to do
what he said. A shiver passed through her.
'Yes, Caine, it would upset me to hear such plans. You can't go around killing people, no matter how angry you are with them.'
He pulled his mount to an abrupt stop next to hers. Then he reached out and grabbed the back of her neck. She was so startled, she didn't try to move away.
'I protect what is mine.'
She wasn't about to give him argument. He looked as if he might throttle her if she did. Jade simply
stared at him and waited for him to let go of her.
'Do you understand what I'm telling you?' he demanded.
'Yes,' she answered. 'You will protect what belongs to you. I understand.'
Caine shook his head. The little innocent was actually trying to placate him. He suddenly jerked her to
the side of her saddle, leaned down, and kissed her. Hard. Possessively.
She was more bewildered than ever. Caine pulled back and stared into her eyes. 'It's time you
understood that you're going to belong to me, Jade.'
She shook her head. 'I'll belong to no man, Caine, and it's time you understood that.'
He looked furious with her. Then, in the flash of a moment, his expression softened. Her sweet
protector was back in evidence. Jade almost sighed with relief.
'It's time we left the main road again,' he said, deliberately changing the topic.
'Caine, I want you to realize…'
'Don't argue,' he interrupted.
She nodded and was about to nudge her horse down the slope when Caine took the reins from her
hands and lifted her into his lap.
