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“Wow, quite a little speech,” she said softly. “And here I thought all that ‘you’re mine’
crap you were spouting the other night actually meant something. ” Her smile was filled with mocking bitterness. “Oh well, my bad for believing in it, huh?” She gripped the door handle and opened the door slowly. “Go to hell, Sheriff Mayes. ”
She jumped out of the truck before he could reach out and grab her. The door slammed closed, and she crossed the short distance to the back door, unlocked it, and disappeared. Zeke sat staring at it as he rubbed at his chest, wondering at the deep, painful ache he could feel there.
He inhaled, clenched his teeth, then started the truck and backed out.
He’d taken her without a condom. He’d claimed her, despite his own best intentions.
He’d so fucked this up he didn’t know which way to turn at the moment. He knew he had to get her out of town. He had to get her away from the danger that could be stalking her, even now. He couldn’t risk a repeat of the past. His soul couldn’t handle it again.
Shaking his head, he drew his cell phone from his hip, flipped it open, and punched in the speed dial he had set earlier that day.
He waited and when a deep male voice answered the call he said, “Cal, it’s time to do something. You need to get your daughter home. ”
Calvin Walker was silent for long moments. “Why?” he finally asked.
“Because, if you don’t, she could end up dead. ”
FIFTEEN
The ringing of the telephone brought Rogue out of arestless sleep. Her eyes cracked open as she glared at the shades on the window. It had to be too early for her to be awake. There was barely any light between the cracks of the shades.
She reached for the phone, fumbled, dropped it on the floor, and cursed before scrambling for it and rolling back in the bed as she flipped it open.
“You could die for waking me up this early. ”
She knew who it was. Only one person dared to call her so early and to have the temerity to laugh in her ear about it.
“Now, baby sister, getting grumpy with me wouldn’t be nice when I just finished doing you a favor of major proportions. ”
Amusement filled John Calvin Walker Jr. ’s voice.
She almost grinned at the sound of it. But she knew better. If he was calling, then she was in trouble.
“What is Daddy mad over this time?” She yawned. “Tell him he can’t cut off my allowance simply because I never use it anyway. ”
John laughed again. “I believe he may have canceled a delivery Mother had arranged for you. Something about silk, lace, and feel-good girly stuff?”
She sat up in the bed. “The French collection? Mom was supposed to have sent that a week ago. ”
“Well, it appears she may have been a bit late sending it. ” She could almost see John’s violet eyes gleaming with amusement as a smile curled at the corners of his lips.
“Why would Daddy cancel my delivery?” she asked, frowning. “He sent the stuff he bought in Saudi last month. ”
John chuckled. “Well, sweet sister, it could be due to a very important phone call he received last night from the son of an enemy he used to have in Somerset. Seems this certain gentleman called Father and confirmed his suspicions that Walkers are being killed. ” John’s voice hardened. “The family jet is prepping to leave this morning. ETA at Louisville is for noon. Have your ass there and be waiting for it. ”
Rogue breathed in slowly. Patience, she reminded herself. Without it, her father and John would win before the battle began. They were overprotective, forceful, and though her father loved her and tried to allow her to live her life as she pleased, he was still her father.
There was nothing Rogue hated more than being tattled on. When she was a little girl her older brother and sister had always tattled on her. Her teachers tattled, her babysitter had tattled. Rogue had always found a way to get into trouble. And her father had always given the pretense to her mother that he was disciplining her.
Calvin Walker had been born to be a father. He had taken the time to get to know his children from infancy. He knew the best way to deal with their weaknesses and how to draw out their strengths.
But he was, at the very soul of the man, a protective father.
“Tell Daddy he can ignore the sheriff. Whatever Joe and Jaime were involved in, I’m not a part of it. ”
“And you know how well Father is going to listen,” John pointed out with chilling logic.
