Bayou Betrayal by Robin Caroll

Author:Robin Caroll
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2009-09-25T04:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

The world tilted backward on its axis, and she swayed.

This couldn’t be happening.

Gary grabbed and steadied her in his strong arms. “Are you okay?”

“A-are you sure this was his house?”

“Positive. He tried to kill Luc in the backyard near the bayou.”

Oh, just great. She was going to be sick any minute now.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have just blurted that out.” He tightened his embrace, pulling her closer to him.

She could hear—no, feel—his heartbeat. The clean scent of aftershave and deodorant wrapped around her as tangible as his arms. She relaxed, drawing on his strength.

He smoothed her hair and slowly rocked with her back and forth.

Laying her head against his chest, she sighed, letting go of her concerns. Her worries. Her fears.

His lips grazed the top of her head.

She jerked out of his hold. What had she been thinking? Allowing herself to get too comfortable. Too dependent on his security. She had to handle things on her own. She ran a hand over her hair. “I can’t believe I bought his house. He wasn’t listed as the seller.”

“No, he wouldn’t be.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her toward the vehicles. “Luc and Felicia sold his house to a young family as soon as he was convicted and imprisoned. Everything he owned returned to the Trahan estate, which as the only legal heirs, they manage.” He leaned against the hood of the vehicle. “Well, I imagine you’re an heir now, too.”

“How ironic, huh? That I bought his house when, had I known he was my father a couple of years ago, I could have inherited it.”

“Yeah.”

“What am I going to do?” Dismay shrouded her heart like the overgrown grapevines covering the gazebo. “I can’t live here.”

“Why not?”

Was he crazy? Hadn’t he just told her about her father trying to kill Luc in the backyard? “I don’t know. It’s creepy.”

“You told me today it felt like home.”

She shuddered. Had this been yet another sign she’d missed? “But now, knowing the truth…”

“The house doesn’t look like it did when Justin lived here. The two families that lived here since did a lot of renovating.”

“That’s what Parker said.” But still…

“And you could do what you want with the place. Make it really yours. Put your mark on it.”

“What will Felicia and Luc think, though?” She cared what her family thought. Even if she’d just met them.

“That you bought a house you liked.”

“Even though Luc was almost killed here?”

“He knows you had nothing to do with that.”

“But it might still bother him. Be a reminder and all that.” And she’d hoped to connect with Luc and his wife as she had with Felicia and Spence. She’d had visions of cookouts in the backyard, visiting around the flower gardens—what would Hattie think?

“I know them. If anything, they’ll both be upset you actually had to pay for the property.”

She glanced at the house. She did love it. Had felt a kinship to it as soon as she’d laid eyes on it. Now she knew why.

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