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“Do what?”
She gave a nervous little laugh. He wasn’t making things look any better with his evasion. “Answer a question you don’t want to answer with another question.”
Once again the corner of his mouth turned up, and Carly wondered what a full smile looked like. Mercy goodness! She hadn’t even had a good look at him when he’d helped her into the vehicle. Pauvre Dеfunte Mam?re, rest her soul, had told her time and again that she would come to a bad end if she didn’t curb her impulsivitе. She had been in such a panic to get away from the church as fast and as far as possible, she hadn’t given any thought to what kind of man he might be. Only that he had come along when she had needed someone the most. He could be anybody. A kidnapper, for instance. Although why anyone would want to do that, since she and her mother didn’t have two nickels left to rub together, was beyond her. Things had been bad enough before the wedding, but after all the expenses, she wondered what would happen if she were held for ransom. Would he kill her? Or would he merely leave her in some horrid place to fend for herself?
“Should I be afraid of you?” she asked, suddenly praying that, if nothing else, this stranger was truthful.
“Are you?”
“See? You did it again. And that makes me wonder if I shouldn’t demand that you stop this second and let me out.” She had never done anything this reckless or foolish. But there hadn’t been time to think through the situation. She’d needed a way out of the worst moment in her life, and he’d been there to save her. What would happen if she now needed rescuing from her rescuer?
Making certain he was watching the road and not her, she slowly reached for the doorhandle, grateful that her bouffant skirt hid her movement.
She froze when he leaned over to grasp the wrist of her free hand. He kept his eyes on the road and his voice low. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, sugar. Jumping from a car going ninety miles an hour isn’t healthy.”
Carly swallowed the lump of fear in her throat, acutely aware of the tingling in her fingertips from his touch.
Releasing her, he slowed the car as they entered heavier traffic. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Yeah, right,” she muttered under her breath.
His soft chuckle sent a warm shiver up her spine. “Trust me,” he said, his voice setting butterflies free low in her middle. “The last thing I want is to see you hurt.”
She ignored the flutterings and noticed that he was looking for a spot to pull off the road. If she could stall him long enough, make him think she was going along with this, maybe she’d get the chance to escape.
“Trust you?” she asked, hoping her voice wouldn’t betray her nervousness. “I don’t even know your name.”
“What’s yours?”
Frustration warred with fear and won. “Carolyn. Carolyn Albright. But my friends call me Carly.”
“Nice to meet you, Carly. Mine’s Dev Brannigan.”
Slowing almost to a stop, he pulled into the drive-through of a familiar hamburger chain. “You hungry?”
She started to tell him he couldn’t change the subject. But when he turned in the seat to look at her, the words died on her lips.
One dark eyebrow arched over a sapphire-blue eye, the other was covered with a black leather patch, giving him a rakish appearance. Like a pirate.
Or the Devil.
While his traveling companion slept, Dev thought about her reaction to what must have been her first view of his eyepatch. Surprise had been the first emotion to cross her face. But it hadn’t lasted more than a second. He hadn’t seen the next thing coming, but he should have. If she had screamed, he would have been prepared. Not Carly Albright. Nope. She’d just matter-of-factly asked him if Dev was short for Devil.
Chuckling softly so he wouldn’t wake her, he shook his head. Just like his mother, who had often told him she had named him for Lucifer, not a French ancestor. Carly certainly was straightforward. No keeping her hand close to her vest. And the questions! Right and left. He felt like a novice tennis player trying to field McEnroe’s volleys. He had wanted to ease the fear she had eventually shown of him, but the less she knew, the better. At least for now. And until he could discover what, if anything, besides J.R.’s last-minute infidelity, had caused her to run out on her wedding, he wasn’t revealing anything about himself until and unless it was absolutely necessary.
His older brother, Chace, referred to their former neighbor as a snake. Considering the story of how Chace had met his wife, Ellie, Dev agreed that the term fit. He preferred weasel. Like the predatory animal that sneaked into henhouses in the dark of night, J.R. did his damage and was gone before anyone was the wiser. Was Carly Albright his latest victim? Had she, like Ellie almost had, fallen for one of his schemes?
When he had helped her from the church, Dev’s only thought had been to question her while he took her wherever she wanted to go. He hadn’t planned anything more, until he learned she had nowhere to go. Now that she was in his care for however long, he hoped J.R. would come after her.
He had waited for the right moment to ask a few questions, but once they’d eaten and driven another thirty minutes, her eyelids had fluttered shut, hiding her blue-green eyes, and he hadn’t wanted to disturb her. Especially when he noticed the dark circles under her eyes.
This wasn’t the way he’d expected to be driving home, with an almost-bride on the run, but it sure beat the alternative. He was pretty certain J.R. hadn’t recognized him, but even that didn’t matter. No one, not even his family, had any idea what he did or where he lived. He had planned it that way. Maybe he would soon be able to tell them about his life. Then again, once they knew everything, they might not give a damn.
The miles ticked by while he considered how to let J.R. know where to find the blushing bride. By the time the sun blazed its lowering path to the horizon, and the highway led him into the heart of Shreveport, he had planned his next play.
When he pulled into the private parking area behind his building, he noticed one particular car and was glad to see it. He’d be able to play his first card without delay.
Turning off the engine, he looked at the woman next to him. He hated to wake her. Whether she exhibited outward signs of emotional exhaustion or not, he sensed she was pretty well drained. It wouldn’t be anything at all to carry her to the elevator. She couldn’t weigh that much, and he kept himself in good physical condition. People who knew him might think he had a cushy job, but he knew better. Not only did he have to be mentally alert at all times, but he sometimes needed the brawn to go with the brains. The patch over his eye was proof of that.
As he suspected, she didn’t weigh more than some of the oil equipment he’d lifted when he’d worked with the drilling company. Carrying her to the elevator and from there into his private quarters, he took her straight to his bedroom. He would be too busy most of the night to need the bed himself and could always get a few winks on the sofa in the sitting room.
She didn’t even stir when he gently placed her on top of the silk spread. Looking down at her in the soft glow of the small bedside lamp, he hoped the luck of meeting her when he did was good and not bad. His daddy had always told him he possessed the Devil’s luck, but the sight of Carly, so peaceful and beautiful, made him wonder if he wasn’t about to find out exactly what that meant.
Concerned that she might soon be uncomfortable, Dev wasn’t sure what to do. She was obviously sleeping soundly. She might look like an angel in that wedding dress, but it wasn’t something someone would want to sleep in. Should he try to get her out of it? There was no doubt she needed the sleep, and he probably could do it without waking her, but—But nothing. Hell, he wasn’t about to try to strip her out of that thing. He wasn’t crazy. The odds were against him that he could do it without giving a thought to what lay beneath the layers of lace and satin.
After finding an extra blanket, he covered her and searched for something she could wear when she’d had enough sleep. Knowing he probably wouldn’t be there when she did awaken, he left her a note.
In the elevator he mentally went over his plan again. When it came to a stop, he walked down the hall to the security office, ready to put things into action.
“Greg,” he said, after stepping into the room, “I need to get some information out as fast as possible.”
His chief of security looked up from the bank of closed-circuit televisions stationed along one wall and shoved his glasses back up on his nose. “Out to the other casinos?”
Dev nodded. “Let’s start with the ones here in Shreveport and see if that does the trick.”
Without blinking an eye, Greg Tremain picked up a phone. “What do they need to know?”
Smiling at the man’s efficiency, Dev took a seat next to him. “I expect Staton to be arriving in town within the next few days. Get word to him that the woman who left him standing at the altar is here at the Devil’s Den.”
The only indication that Greg knew things hadn’t gone as planned was a nearly imperceptible raising of one eyebrow as he punched a number on the auto-dialer.
While Greg relayed the message to twenty-some Shreveport area casinos, Dev closed his eyes, imagining J.R.’s reaction to the news. He suspected that once J.R. learned where Carly was, he’d come after her. In the meantime Dev would get the full story of their relationship from Carly. If there was more to it than money—and he doubted it was love on J.R.’s part—he would soon know.
Greg waited, the phone to his ear, and turned to him. “Things didn’t work out like you’d hoped?”
“Nope. But I have it covered,” Dev said, thinking of Carly. “One more thing. As soon as Staton steps a foot through the door of this place, I want to know it.”
“I’ll alert the staff and make sure Security keeps their eyes open.”
Standing, Dev put his hand on Greg’s shoulder. “Thanks. I’ll fill you in on everything as soon as I know myself.”
He let himself out of the room while his most trusted employee followed his orders. Rotating his shoulders to ease the kinks from the long drive, he smiled. The pot was at the highest it had ever been, and the ante would soon go up. Once he had J.R. taken care of, he could return to the Triple B Ranch to face his brothers. He had a confession to make, and he didn’t know how his brothers would react. He didn’t expect it to be good. But until he could prove his worth as a member of the family by putting a stop to J.R. and the four-generation feud, he would have to wait. He could do that. With his ace sleeping soundly upstairs in his bed, he was certain he held the winning hand.
Chapter Two
Carly scratched at her neck, not yet awake but not asleep. Her fingertips recognized an unfamiliar texture, and she drowsily wondered what it was. Her flannel gown wasn’t this itchy. As her mind slowly floated out of the dreamy state, she remembered it was April, and she didn’t wear a flannel nightie in the spring. So why was there lace at her throat?
Her hand froze. Of course. She was in her wedding gown, an expensive creation of imported lace, seed pearls and creamy satin that her mother had insisted Carly must have, even though they couldn’t afford it.
The cobwebs in her mind slowly receded, and she realized she wasn’t at her wedding and she wasn’t on her honeymoon. She scrunched her eyes tight and groaned. Had she really announced that she couldn’t marry James?
Her mind whirled with images and sounds, of Prissy’s pale face and her mother’s tear-filled eyes and anguished cry. Oh, yes, she’d done it. And now she would have to deal with it. That’s what she got for not heeding pauvre dеfunte Mam?re’s warnings.
Memories flew at her like a whirlwind, settling finally on a devilishly handsome stranger. One whose very presence had been threatening and frightening, yet protective and calming. And he had certainly made her heart race, especially when he touched her. He’d come to her rescue, and they’d driven off in his Jeep. Yes, that’s what she remembered. They’d gotten burgers and driven on, and she’d been so tired, so exhausted, that she must have fallen asleep.
But where was she now? Whose bed was she sleeping in? Like Goldilocks awakening when the three bears returned, she was afraid to open her eyes. She giggled nervously, wondering whether, if she did peek, she would see huge bears peering at her.
Feeling more than silly, she slowly opened her eyes. See? No bears, you goose. She let out a shaky sigh of relief. The room was empty. Of bears anyway and, thankfully, of people too.
Slivers of sunshine in the dusky room slipped through a slit in the drapes across from the bed. Moving carefully, Carly pushed back the blanket covering her and cautiously walked on silk-stockinged feet from the bed to the window. Her fingers trembled as she peeled the edge of the curtain aside a few inches. Bright light hit her full in the face, and she blinked, but she was determined to find out where she was. After she became accustomed to the brightness, she gazed out and then took a quick step back, the fabric slipping from her fingers. She spun around, taking in the room’s furnishings and the personal pictures on the wall. This wasn’t a motel room. This was…an apartment? And merely the bedroom.
On a large, upholstered club chair, she spotted her veil, draped across the back and trailing to the floor. She crossed the few steps to it and noticed a piece of paper atop a pile of what looked like clothing. Picking up the note, she squinted in the dim light and quickly read it.
Since you didn’t bring luggage, you can wear these until we get you something more appropriate. When you’re ready, give me a call and we’ll have some breakfast.
It was signed “Dev,” with a phone number under the name.
Carly moved the clothes aside and sank onto the chair, pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes. Mercy goodness, what had she gotten herself into? She’d bolted from the church without a thought as to what she was doing or what would happen to her. She hadn’t even grabbed a bag. But then, her luggage had been tucked away in James’s car so she wouldn’t have bothered if she had even thought of it. Her wardrobe was the last thing on her mind when she’d burst through the church doors and the stranger had taken her away. She’d spent a sleepless night before her wedding wondering what to do, planning exactly what she’d say and when she’d say it, and praying she could go through with it. She certainly hadn’t planned well. Then again, when it came to her personal life, she never did. Between being too impulsive and her poor judgment, she had really botched things.
All she could do now was make the best of the situation she’d managed to get herself into. As bad as it might be, it couldn’t be as bad as if she had gone ahead with the wedding.
Picking up the items she’d shoved aside, she held up one of the two and eyed it. A sweatshirt. The other piece of clothing was matching sweatpants, and both were several sizes too big. Since she didn’t have a choice—it was her wedding gown or the sweatsuit or nothing—she stood and began to struggle out of her dress. Cursing each tiny satin-covered button in the back, she finally gave up and tugged at the fabric until she heard a rip, and the fasteners popped like popcorn around her.
Once freed, she ignored the wave of guilt caused by the damage she had done and shoved the cumbersome dress to her feet. Stepping out of it, she removed her nylons and shivered, then grabbed the clothing Dev had left and quickly put it on. The legs of the pants were a good ten inches too long, and she was forced to roll the waistband over and the hems up, so she could take a step without tripping. Shoving the sleeves up as far as possible, she looked around for a mirror. Seeing none above the massive dresser along one wall, she tried a door and found a bathroom.
One look in the mirror was enough to know it was a wonder her savior hadn’t dumped her along the road. Mascara smudged beneath both eyes, and her hair looked as if it had been brushed with an egg beater. A drop of water on her finger removed the black marks, and a finger-combing tamed her hair to almost presentable.
Satisfied she could do nothing more with her appearance, she passed through the doorway and spied a cordless phone on the table next to the bed. She grabbed it and the note, and quickly punched in the number Dev had left her.
“Brannigan,” he drawled.
The man’s voice was absolutely lethal. The sound of it warmed the blood running through her veins, and she closed her eyes. She could listen to it forever.
“Carly?”
She opened her eyes and sighed softly. “Thanks for the loan of the clothes.”
He let out a whoosh of breath. “Sure. No problem. You okay?”
Was she? She really couldn’t tell, still feeling a little shell-shocked and confused. “I think so.”
“Good. What do you like for breakfast?”
“Breakfast?” She rarely ate in the morning and had often been chided by her mother for it. “Doesn’t matter. Look, uh, Dev—”
“Stay put,” he said, before she could finish. “I’ll have something there in fifteen minutes.”
“You don’t need to do that. What I wanted to ask you is—”
But he’d hung up.
Fifteen minutes for breakfast? Was there a fast-food place nearby? A shop with coffee cake? Whatever, she didn’t care, as long as he had the answers she needed and would be kind enough to help her. She was certain he hadn’t saved her only to refuse to help her now. Even with the eye patch he wore, he looked reasonable.
Too antsy to be still, she decided to explore, hoping to discover where she was. That’s all she needed to know, and if only he hadn’t ended the call in such a rush, she would have asked. Once she had her bearings, maybe she could start making plans.
She opened a pair of double doors near the dresser and discovered a walk-in closet filled with shirts and suits, all neatly hung in double rows. The other set of doors led into an impressive living room. A corner fireplace dominated the room, along with an enormous window that spanned one wall. Walking behind a huge white leather sofa facing an entertainment center crowded with electronic equipment, she went to the window and stared out at the same view she’d had from the bedroom. She was several floors up and could see far into the distance, but it didn’t reveal her location. All she could tell was that there was a city out there, with a slow-moving river running through it. She could be almost anywhere.
Wishing he would hurry so she could find out where she was, she took a seat on one of the matching white leather chairs that flanked the sofa. Knowing there was one thing she needed to do, she dialed the long-familiar number, hoping her host wouldn’t mind a small long-distance charge.
“Mama?” she said, when her mother answered after two rings.
“Carly! Oh, honey, where are you? Are you all right? I’m absolutely appalled at what that James did to you. That awful man. Don’t you worry, honey. He’ll never be able to show his face again to anyone of any significance in Baton Rouge.”
Carly waited until her mother took a breath, amazed at the difference between the anguished cry at the church and the comforting yet indignant concern her mother now conveyed. She smiled, knowing full well that her mother had sobbed to her closest friends, who had insisted that Carly had done the right thing, in light of what had happened. And what an enlightenment!
“I’m fine, Mama,” Carly answered, when given the chance. “I just need some…I need some time away, that’s all.”
“Oh,” her mother said, sounding a bit disappointed. “But I can understand. I don’t know how you managed to do it, thinking I would be so very disappointed and knowing people would talk. And they have, Carly, I have to tell you. But they’re talking about how utterly awful James was to do what he did to such a sweet girl like you.”
But Carly knew that all the blame couldn’t be laid at James’s door. She had been the one taken in, the one who had judged him completely wrong. And if she had done that, there was no telling just how bad her judgment was. “I don’t know when I’ll be home, Mama,” she said truthfully.
“Well,” her mother said, dragging the word out, “I hope it’s soon. We have to make new plans, now that you’ll be living at home again.”
Certain her mother had ditched the plan they’d made together, Carly hurried to answer. “You go right ahead and sell the house, Mama, and move into that new apartment. You’ll like it so very much more than rambling in that big old house.” And with the money from the sale, she knew her mother could pay off the debts and start fresh. They’d planned it down to the smallest detail.
“Don’t worry about me,” Carly said, fighting the tears that threatened. “I’m a big girl and can take care of myself.”
But could she really? She had always been at home, and while many of her friends had married and settled down, she had taken over the responsibilities of running their large estate—an estate that had become a huge money pit.
“But, Carly—”
“No buts, Mama. It’s time I strike out on my own. But I’ll be in touch. I promise. Call Cousin Edward about the sale. And do it today, Mama, please.”
“I just don’t know…”
“You’ll love that new apartment,” she said, her heart aching. “I love you, Mama, and I’ll talk to you again soon.”
After her mother professed her own love, Carly hung up. She had spoken with her mother’s cousin Edward at length about selling the house. He knew exactly what needed to be done, and he would watch over her mother until Carly returned. If she returned. But she couldn’t now. Not yet. That was something she wasn’t ready to face for a long time.
Dev didn’t have any idea what Carly might like to eat, so he’d had the chef load up a cart with just about everything. His own breakfast had been hours ago, as was his habit. He didn’t need to eat, and he slept only when exhaustion forced him to.
Unlocking the door to his private quarters, he pushed the cart into the room ahead of him. He immediately saw Carly perched on a chair, a frown marring her pretty features.
“Glad to see you made it through the night.” He stopped next to the low table in front of her. “I hope you weren’t too uncomfortable.”
She gave him a small, shy smile. “I wouldn’t know. Apparently, I slept through everything. I hope I wasn’t a bother. If you’ll just tell me—”
“Here,” he said, passing her a plate to fill. “Dig in. I hope there’s something you like.”
