“I think you would look beautiful in a paper bag.” His mouth goes dry when her hand goes for the belt of her robe, and she unties it revealing a surprise beneath. A black and blue lace camisole.
“Thank you. I love that look in your eyes, Dalton.” she teases walking towards him and dropping the robe on the ground.
“What look?” his hands are on her waist, pulling her slowly towards him. He leans in and his day’s growth of his beard tickles her face and chills erupt all over her body.
“The look that says you are about to devour me.” She teases, leaning back to give him access to her neck and cupping his head in her hand as his hot breath taunts her.
“I guess you must be gifted because that is exactly what I am going to do to you, Cassie. I want to taste every inch of your body and then when you think you can't take it anymore, I'm going to start all over again!”
Two hours later, after keeping his promise, Dalton slips from the bed and gets dressed. Gazing at her sleeping form he can't catch the image of the Williams brothers with their hands on her out of his head. He'd never been so scared or angry in all his life. If Harry hadn't been there, he would have killed him.
Dalton orders room service, sandwiches, and tea and then arrange for all their bags to be delivered to the train. His packing is completed quickly, and he stacks his bags by the front door. They are taking the train out of San Francisco tonight. It's time to go home.
Chapter 19
Jeb waited for the sound of retreating steps and forces his swollen eyes open. He comes face to face with the dull and lifeless eyes of his dead brother.
“Boomer,” he moans and pushes to his feet. “I’m gonna make them pay, brother!” He promises before searching his pockets for anything valuable. He finds a few dollars and staggers up the alley and into the throng of people before they return with the police. He knows where they are going, The Palace Hotel, and what needs to be done.
Time to recruit some help. He knows the crew he will need, and they aren't cheap. Lucky for him that he got a job unloading and loading ships at the docks. They pay well for anyone willing to work long, hard hours. First, he will lay low and heal up.
Back in his seedy boarding room, he stumbles into the shared washroom. When he looks into the mirror, he finds both of his eyes swollen almost shut, and his nose is crooked and bleeding.
With a quick, snap his nose cracks back into position, and his scream of rage is overhead as he punches the glass and shatters the mirror. He spits the blood filling his mouth into the sink and rinses it with water, then washes his hands off before returning to his room.
Desperate for something to dull the pain he rips through the room and finds the bottle of whiskey his brother liked to keep by his bed. Sitting heavily on the side of the bed, he shoots it back and takes another deep pull and waits for the throbbing to stop.
“Boomer,” he slurs to the silent room, “I will get them all!”
Cassie wakes up alone again, but before she can panic, she hears the deep timbre of his voice. She quickly goes to the bathroom and cleans up, then gets dressed. Dalton returns and kisses her softly on the mouth. “Lunch is ready, my lady. Then we need to get your bags packed they will come for them soon.”
“Our train, I almost forgot,” she says, turning away, so he doesn't see the fear in her eyes.
“How are you feeling?” he asks, stepping behind her and pulling her back against him.
She sighs and holds on enjoying the feel of him. “Much better, thank you. I shall let you doctor me from now on. I like your cure much more than medicine.” She spins and takes his mouth, ignoring the pain of her swollen lip. He returns her kiss and clutches her to him.
“We should keep our hands off each other, or we will miss our train,” he tells her with a chuckle. Dalton carries her trunk to the front door, and she grabs two more bags and follows him.
“Our train is leaving at three, sit down and eat. Mr. Wells is going to be here soon with papers for us to sign. I was able to sign mine, but you need to sign yours.” He eats with gusto and watches as she picks at the sandwich before her.
“Are you okay, Cassie?” he pushes his plate away and reaches for her hand.
The warmth of his touch fills her heart, and she reaches for his mind as her eyes connect with his. “I thought I was going to watch you die today, Dalton.” She shows him her vision and whispers, “Look and see.”
When she releases him from the vision, he is trembling. “It's not every day a man gets to watch himself die,” he says hoarsely.
“I won't survive it again. Dalton, I'm not going with you tonight. I am going to stay and face Aiden here. It's time for us to separate.” She pushes away from the table and starts to walk away.
“That is not happening.” He snarls jumping up from the table.
“You do not own me, Dalton Rivers. You have no say in the matters of my life!” she snaps and starts to walk past him only to be blocked by his large body.
“You aren't thinking, Cassandra. You are running in fear, and that is exactly what they want
