Cowboy Outlaw Read online

  “Can I get you anything?” she asked, her tone softer now. “Some aspirin, or maybe an ice pack for your head?”

  “No, thank you,” he breathed, his eyes still closed. “I’m just... thinking.”

  No doubt he was questioning his deal with her, never imagining it would be this dangerous. But she literally couldn’t afford for him to back out of it now. Vowing to herself that she would keep him safe, Chloe grappled for a good reason to make him stay. “How about if I fix you a plate of those ribs?” she offered. “Or I could make you some soup, if that sounds better to you.”

  He cracked open one eye. “You cook?”

  “Since I was twelve.” She smiled. “Someone had to take over the meals after Mom went to prison the first time. My father had some antiquated ideas about men staying out of the kitchen, so that left it to me.”

  “Twelve years old.” Cade sighed, both of his eyes open now. “I was five when my parents were killed in a car accident.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Chloe said, seeing the flash of grief in his eyes.

  “Thanks, but my five brothers and I were lucky in a way, I guess.” He sat up in the chair. “Grandma Hattie and Grandpa Henry took us in and loved us unconditionally. Even when we messed up.” His mouth quirked up in a sheepish smile. “And believe me, I did plenty to make myself unlovable when I was younger.”

  “Then you understand why I still love my family,” she said gently, wondering if Cade would have shared such a vulnerable time in his life if he hadn’t been injured. “They’re a little on the shady side, but they’re all I’ve got.”

  “A little?”

  “All right,” she conceded. “A lot. Except Gino. He’s simply not a violent person.”

  She waited for Cade to contradict her, but he didn’t say anything. Maybe she’d convinced him. Maybe he’d already changed his mind about calling the police.

  But somebody deserved to pay for attacking Cade. Anger flared inside of her. When she found the Galetti who blindsided him with that Chihuahua, she’d string him, or her, up by their toes. On second thought, she’d do something even worse—she’d make the culprit eat her cooking. Cade had asked her if she could cook, not if she was a good cook. In her case, there was a big difference.

  Only she couldn’t do anything until she knew what Cade planned to do. Would he press charges against her brother? Or would he finally believe her assertion that Gino was innocent?

  “Chloe,” he said at last, with the tone of a man who has come to a decision.

  “Yes, Cade?” She held her breath, awaiting his verdict.

  “There’s something else you should know.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Cade knew he shouldn’t tell Chloe Galetti anything but goodbye. Especially since he’d sincerely underestimated the damage she could do in his life. His pounding head was a powerful reminder of that. He needed to concentrate on his pain, rather than the apprehension he saw in her big brown eyes.

  “Something else?” she said, nipping her lower lip between her teeth. “What is it?”

  Leave.

  The word reverberated in his woozy brain. He could get up right now and leave her behind without a word. This was Galetti family business, after all. No one had asked him to interfere. In fact, he should probably take that blow to the head as a hint to butt out.

  So why wasn’t he moving?

  She walked over to his chair and lightly brushed her fingertips over his forearm. “Tell me, Cade. What else should I know?”

  She should know that he never would have agreed to work with her if he hadn’t been so desperate to find an interior designer for the café. She should know that he didn’t like to interfere in other people’s problems. He’d had enough problems in his own past to deal with. She should know that she wasn’t responsible for the actions of her brother or her family. That he didn’t really blame her for any of this.

  She should know... the truth.

  “It’s about the staircase,” he began.

  Her brows drew together. “What does the staircase have to do with Gino?”

  Instead of replying, he stood up, his knees wobbling and almost giving out. Chloe was immediately standing by his side, lightly supporting him with her body. He closed his eyes for a moment just to enjoy the sensation.

  He knew it wouldn’t last long.

  “Cade, I really think you should lie down. You took a nasty blow, and you’re not making a lot of sense right now.”

  “You’ll understand soon enough,” he said, feeling stronger now as he walked slowly toward the staircase.

  She stayed close beside him, still partially supporting him. “Understand what?”

  He could hear the apprehension mingled with impatience in her voice. Hardly surprising. This woman had obviously endured a lifetime of unpleasant revelations—usually about her own family. And he was about to add one more to the list.

  “Lie down,” he said, when they reached the staircase. He placed one hand on the thick newel post to steady himself.

  “What did you say?” She looked at him like he was crazy.

  “Lie down on the floor.” He reached up to gingerly touch the tender wound on his head. At least it had stopped bleeding.

  Worry swam in her brown eyes. “You’re not making sense, Cade. I think you’re the one who should lie down, but not on the floor.” She wrapped one hand around his waist, trying to turn him. “Let’s go sit on the nice, cozy sofa.”

  But he stood his ground. “Just lie down on the floor,” he insisted. “Then scoot underneath the staircase and position yourself just as you found me.”

  With one last look of bewilderment, Chloe acceded to his wishes. She got down on the hardwood floor, then laid on her back and wiggled herself underneath the grand staircase.

  Cade waited, his body tensing. He didn’t know what he expected to hear. A scream? A curse? A sob? Instead, he heard the one thing he didn’t expect—silence. Her reaction, or rather the lack of one, made him wonder if he’d imagined it all in the first place.

  “Well?” he asked, bending down slightly, but still unable to read her face in the dim light. “Do you see anything under there?”

  Chloe shot out from under the staircase and jumped to her feet. “I certainly do. The dust bunnies have been breeding like rabbits.” Then she glanced at her watch. “Okay, should we head upstairs to my office now? I can’t wait to see your blueprints.”

  Her false cheeriness confirmed for Cade that he hadn’t imagined it. “It’s still there, isn’t it?”

  Chloe didn’t quite meet his gaze. “I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.”

  With a sigh of resignation, he lumbered down onto the floor himself, ignoring her protests. Then he grabbed the bottom edge of the staircase and slowly pulled himself underneath it. His head throbbed with every movement, but his eyes saw everything clearly. Taped to the underside of the stairwell was a sealed Ziploc gallon bag filled with dozens of sparkling loose diamonds, all shapes and sizes. Even in the shadows underneath the stairs, the jewels winked at him like stars in the sky.

  The next moment, Chloe slid in beside him, her back on the floor and her head right next to his. She tilted her gaze toward him. “I can explain.”

  He couldn’t wait to hear it. Would she tell him the truth or make up an elaborate lie? And would he be able to tell the difference? “I’m listening.”

  She hesitated. “All right, I can’t explain. But that doesn’t mean there’s not a perfectly logical explanation.”

  “Such as?”

  “Such as... these aren’t what they look like.”

  He motioned to the bag above them. “They look like flawless diamonds worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

  “They could just be really good fakes. Sometimes you can hardly tell the difference.”

  Cade stared at the bag, considering her argument. He supposed they could be fake, but that brought up another question. “If that’s true, then why did someone go to all the troubl
e to hide them?”

  “Well... maybe someone is fencing them as the real thing. I admit, they do look authentic.”

  “I guess there’s only one way to find out.” As soon as he said the words, he felt her stiffen beside him.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  He turned slightly to get a better view of her face. “You haven’t even heard what I have in mind yet.”

  She frowned. “I can make a wild guess. You want to take them to a jeweler so he can examine them and give us an expert’s opinion. Or did you have something else in mind?”

  “No, that about sums it up.” He rose up onto one elbow. “At least then we’d know what we’re dealing with here.”

  “We?” she echoed, her tone slightly sarcastic. “This isn’t your problem, cowboy. This is my house and my staircase.”

  “And your diamonds?”

  When she didn’t deny it, the hairs prickled on the back of his neck. Cade hadn’t even considered the possibility that Chloe could be involved in something shady. He suddenly wondered why he’d been so blind to that possibility. Was it the way she looked? Talked? Kissed?

  But he knew the reason. Grandma Hattie had given Chloe Galetti her unspoken seal of approval when she’d arranged to match Chloe up with Cade. Was it possible his wise grandmother could be so wrong about someone?

  He closed his eyes for a moment, not wanting to think about that possibility. Or that strange kiss they’d shared under the stairs. It confused him too much and made perfectly clear issues suddenly seem so cloudy.

  The distinctive sound of duct taping ripping made him open his eyes just in time to see Chloe free the bag from the bottom of the staircase.

  “They’re not my diamonds,” she said firmly, holding the bag against her chest. “But this is a Galetti family problem, so you don’t need to be involved.”

  “It’s too late. I became involved the moment your brother conked me over the head. And now we know why. He didn’t want me to find his stash.”

  “That’s pure speculation,” Chloe replied, although she didn’t sound convinced. “We don’t know who brought these diamonds into the house or how long they’ve been here. Maybe they’ve been hidden here for years. I’ve never had any reason to look under the staircase before.”

  “Well, somebody knew they were here and this bump on my head is proof of that. It’s got to be Gino, since he had the motive, means, and opportunity.”

  “Gino might have known about the diamonds,” Chloe admitted, “but that doesn’t mean he’s the one who stole them. My father was a master jewel thief. It makes more sense that he hid the diamonds here years ago as some kind of secret insurance policy. A way to make sure his family would be taken care of if anything happened to him.”

  It was nice fantasy, Cade thought to himself, but not logical. “I haven’t known your brother long, but I can’t see him keeping that secret. And how long has your father been gone?”

  “Eight years.”

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Chloe, but the simplest explanation is usually the right one.”

  Chloe set her jaw. “But then why didn’t he, or whoever hit you, just take the diamonds and run?”

  Cade shrugged. “Maybe Gino heard you coming and panicked. Or maybe he thought he’d killed me and panicked. Criminals aren’t always logical. Or smart.”

  “Believe me, I know.” She studied his face for a long moment. “So now what?”

  They were lying so close together that he could feel her soft breath on his cheek. “We call the police.”

  Chloe immediately wiggled out from beneath the staircase. Cade followed her, moving more slowly. She was pacing back and forth in front of the coffee table by the time he got to his feet. He watched her for a moment, then pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

  “Wait,” she cried, reaching out to stop him.

  He turned to face her. “Chloe, I understand why you’re upset. I know you don’t want to face the facts about your brother. But shielding Gino won’t help. He will just dig himself deeper and deeper into trouble. Believe me, I’ve been there.”

  Cade took a step closer to her, his heart softening at the stricken expression on her face. “I’m furious with Gino for knocking me out, but I could handle that with him one-on-one and leave the police out of it.”

  He steeled himself against the way her brown eyes filled with hope. “However, the diamonds are a different story. We’re talking about a serious felony. We don’t have any choice but to turn him in to the authorities.”

  “You’re right.”

  He blinked, surprised at her easy capitulation. Then Chloe moved in quickly and snatched the cell phone out of his hand before he could even react.

  “But we don’t have to turn him in yet. I still don’t believe Gino hit you with the Chihuahua, but...” Her voice trailed off and he saw a spark of anger flash in her eyes.

  “You do believe he stole the diamonds?”

  “Of course I do,” she cried out in anguish. “I’m loyal, not stupid.” She cupped her face in her hands, squeezing her eyes shut. “Why couldn’t Gino have started small? A gold bracelet here, a semiprecious stone there? Instead, he steals enough diamonds to land him in prison for a lifetime.”

  “Wait a minute,” he interjected, slightly confused. “Did Gino tell you he planned to become a jewel thief?”

  Chloe opened her eyes and looked up at him. “Not in so many words, but I could see the warning signs. Gino worshipped our father and wanted to follow in his footsteps.” Her breath caught in her throat. “Why didn’t I try harder to stop him?’

  “You can’t blame yourself.” The tears shining in her eyes made him want to reach out and comfort her, but he held himself back.

  “But I do blame myself,” she told him. “I promised my mother I’d look after Gino the first time she went to prison. And I’ve tried to keep that promise ever since.”

  His gut clenched at her words. She’d only been twelve years old when she’d taken on the heavy responsibilities of an adult. “Gino is a man now, not a little boy. You’re not responsible for his actions anymore.”

  “He’s still a little boy inside. Sensitive and impulsive.” She laid her hand on Cade’s chest. “Let me find him. Let me try to convince Gino to turn himself in. Maybe they’ll go easier on him then.”

  Cade shook his head, trying to ignore the way she was touching him. “The police could be on his trail right now. And I’ll bet they’re definitely on the trail of those diamonds. If they find them here, you could be considered an accomplice.”

  She squared her shoulders. “I can take care of myself.”

  Cade knew it wasn’t a bluff. She was a strong, independent woman. And he couldn’t resist the raw appeal in her unwavering gaze.

  “Twenty-four hours,” he clipped. “I’ll give you twenty-four hours to find your brother. Then we go to the police.”

  “Thank you!” She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him. “You won’t regret it—I promise.”

  He didn’t regret it. Not at this very moment, with Chloe warm and pliant in his arms. He lowered his head and captured her mouth with his, hearing her tiny gasp of surprise. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her closer, relishing the way her body molded so easily against his own. Seeking an answer to the question that had plagued him ever since she’d tried to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Now he knew for certain.

  It hadn’t been a fluke.

  The same strange current arced between them—making him feel almost as if their souls were connecting as well as their lips and their bodies. It exhilarated him—and terrified him.

  He finally broke the kiss, pressing his cheek momentarily against her silky hair while he regained control of his equilibrium and his breathing. “I’ve never attended a business meeting quite like this before.”

  She laughed, sounding a little breathless herself. Then she stepped out of his arms. “It was short, but memorable.”

  He
frowned. “Does that mean it’s over?”

  Chloe nodded. “If I only have twenty-four hours to find Gino, I need to begin looking for him right now.”

  “Do you even know where to start?”

  She picked up her purse from the coffee table. “Ducky’s Bar on Bale Street. That’s one of Gino’s favorite hangouts.”

  “Bale Street?” he echoed in disbelief. “You can’t go down to that part of town alone at night. It’s bad enough in the daylight.”

  She slung the purse strap over her shoulder. “I’ll be all right. And you should go home and put some ice on your head. I can drop you off if you’re not up to driving.”

  “I’m fine, and I’m going with you.” He pulled his pickup truck keys out of his pocket and headed toward the door. “I’ll drive.”

  She hurried to catch up with him. “I really think I should handle this on my own.”

  He glanced back at her. “Well, you’re wrong.”

  “I’m wrong? Just like that?”

  “It’s nothing personal,” he assured her. “I’ve heard about Ducky’s Bar and it’s no place for a lady. I think it’s best if I go along for protection.”

  She stared at him for a long moment. “And I think that’s a really bad idea.”

  “I already told you, I’m fine,” he replied without any hesitation. “A blow to the head can’t stop Cade Holden.”

  “Too bad,” she muttered behind him as he walked out the front door.

  ###

  Ducky’s Bar sat nestled between Eve’s Tattoo Emporium and Barney’s Bail Bonds at the far end of Bale Street. Peeling yellow paint adorned the cinder-block wall on the outside of the bar. Black paint concealed the windows and the plate glass door, giving the building an ominous appearance.

  The smell of rain hung heavy in the night air and swollen gray clouds stretched across the sky. Cade glanced at Chloe as they walked along the litter-strewn sidewalk. She looked grim, determined, and too damn sexy.