Cain laughed again, but this time she stood up so she could inspect more closely. “I remember a bit of my leering and what happened after it sent you into labor with Hayden.”
She traced a path from the presently flat stomach up to cup Emma’s breast. “You’re in my blood, lass, so I’ll always desire you, no matter what.”
“Are you planning to finish what you’re starting now?” The starch of Cain’s shirt felt good against Emma’s back as she leaned farther into the strong body.
“We have a flight to catch,” Cain said, but didn’t let go.
“Then stop making me crazy or we’ll be late.” She pressed her hand into Cain’s crotch. “Very late.”
“Cruel, sweetling.” Cain didn’t want to, but she stepped back and unbuttoned her shirt. They
“Did the men sweep tonight?” Emma stepped into an old pair of jeans and zipped them up before changing the bra and putting on a sweater.
“Thoroughly, why?” Cain settled for a pair of chinos, a fresh white shirt, and a dark sweater. The couple looked more like models for a Gap ad than a part of an organized crime family.
“Just curious as to what’s going to happen next.”
In the interest of time Cain gave her the quick version before escorting her to the elevator. When they reached the first floor of the club, their bodyguards were waiting, dressed very much like Emma.
“How did our fishing expedition go?” Cain asked.
“I believe the term is ‘they fell for it hook, line, and sinker,’ so I hope they dressed appropriately,” Lou joked. He blushed when Emma walked up and pressed her hand to the side of his face that wasn’t burned. “I’m all right, Mrs. Casey, really.”
“Then take a stroll outside and see if we still have company,” Cain said with a wink.
The back alley appeared empty except for the vehicle parked close to the door.
Though Vincent’s plane was in the air heading south, Remi Jatibon’s was sitting in the family hangar waiting for a trip north. Ten minutes after the Coast Guard jet had hit twenty thousand feet, the fuel truck pulled up at Jatibon’s hangar.
The Caseys drove straight in and took their time boarding, since the hangar doors were closed and the building was windowless. Ramon had never cared for prying eyes, even when what he was doing was innocent.
“Welcome aboard, folks,” the pilot said. “Ms. Casey, according to Mr. Jatibon and Remi, the extra cargo is in the small private office waiting for you.” He pointed in the appropriate direction. “And the other cargo you sent ahead is in the bedroom.”
Cain nodded and took a seat on the sofa.
“Cargo?” Emma asked, sitting next to her. They had to kill about thirty minutes before takeoff.
“Tonight is about repaying favors and settling debts. To accomplish that, you always need a little baggage, so to speak.”
“Then I look forward to the morning.”
Everything Emma had prayed for in the past four years was just beyond her reach, and that was what worried her the most—wanting too much always resulted in huge disappointment when it didn’t pan out.
Chapter Forty-Nine
The deserted airstrip was lit only by the headlights of the vehicles below, but the pilot still made a smooth landing. Once on the ground, as Emma kissed Cain one last time before following Merrick to one of the waiting vehicles, Lou carried a large bag from the plane and threw it into the back of another vehicle.
As they rode over the rough Wisconsin terrain, Cain closed her eyes and rested her head on the neck support. The bundle she held against her chest was still, oblivious to the rocking. Aside from Mook, who was driving, she’d brought along only Lou and Katlin. Emma and Merrick were already well on their way to Maddie’s.
For once, she wished Hayden were a little older so she could’ve included him. Someday she’d tell him the whole story as part of his lessons for his future responsibilities, which included keeping the Casey secrets as well as their legacy.
They stopped next to a pitch-dark wooded area. After they entered the old stand of trees and walked about half a mile in, Cain noticed that the stars were barely visible, even though the trees were still bare. She had to give Mook credit for accomplishing what she’d asked. From the thickness of the roots, it couldn’t have been easy.
“I owe you a bonus, man,” Cain said. She now sat in the portable chair Katlin had carried for her, a lantern at her feet, and clutched her still-achy side. She could forget about it for long stretches now, but in the cold night air after a long walk she knew she still wasn’t a hundred percent.
“It took me two weeks because I only worked at night, so I’m thinking fifty-yard-line tickets for a couple of games next year for Hayden and me.” The hole they were staring at was deep and more than worth what Mook was requesting.
Carelessly, Lou dropped his load onto the mud near the hole, and in the stillness of the night Cain heard a moan. Giovanni Bracato’s eyes didn’t open after Lou slit the bag apart, and they stayed closed until Katlin slapped him hard across the face, which woke him up from the sedative Vincent’s men had given him.
Blinking rapidly, he tried to focus on where he was. He was sure he would wake from this nightmare and find himself in bed next to the young woman he’d hired for the night. The process by which he’d gone from her bed to a cold night on his knees had to be a dream.
