Diablo by Patricia Potter

Author:Patricia Potter [Potter, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Medieval
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Reality did not return to Kane until they started to dress. His departure was hanging between them like a curtain, creating a certain awkwardness. Kane knew that Nicky had no idea how thick the curtain was, but awareness keep picking at his mind like a steady current of water eating away banks of a river bed.

“It won’t be long,” she said, touching his face with such gentleness that he wanted to take her up on his horse and ride away, away from Sanctuary, away from obligations and lies and death.

“You look so sad,” she said.

Damn that slice of moon. He swallowed. Whatever he said would be a lie. His life was a lie. He’d even lied to himself. It had been easy with her in his arms. He’d sought justification for loving her, and it had come easily when his blood was hot. He’d told himself everything would be all right, that Masters would give him time; but now that the wind was cooling him, and common sense was returning, he knew it had been nothing more than wishful thinking.

Masters wasn’t going to let him off the hook, and Nicky would discover his perfidy. He had used her as Masters was using him. His breath caught in his throat. What in the hell was he doing? To her? To himself?

“Kane?”

He looked down at her. Her face was turned upward toward his. He took her in his arms and held her, one hand soothing that short, curly hair. “Always know I cared,” he said.

Her body stiffened, and he knew he’d made a mistake. Cared. Not care. His words sounded like a good-bye—and most likely were exactly that.

“You are coming back?” she asked, her voice uncertain.

“I’m going to try,” he said. A long silence passed. He had said that before, but there was a warning now that hadn’t been there before.

He knew she heard it as he watched her bite her lip, her body sliding closer to his. “Promise you’ll be back.”

“I can’t,” he replied.

“Why?”

“There’s a price on my head, remember?”

“Then don’t go. And don’t go with Sam Hildebrand.”

“I won’t leave him here with you.”

“My uncle will take care of him.”

He shook his head. “The other men here, your ‘guests,’ didn’t like Yancy being ejected. Hildebrand’s respected. Your uncle would be asking for trouble if he killed Hildebrand now.”

“Mitch …?”

“Nicky, you have a powder keg here,” he said. “Your uncle has been able to control it through sheer will, but that will isn’t so strong anymore, and the others suspect it.”

“What’s so important that you have to leave?”

“A friend,” he said simply. “The best friend I ever had. I owe him everything, including my life. Remember that, Nicole, if I can’t return. Nothing else could make me leave you.”

She was shivering. He needed to let her go before he said more, before he forgot his other obligation, the one pledge he’d made in his life, and meant to keep.

He laid his cheek on her head for a moment. “If for some reason I don’t return in three weeks,” he finally said, “get yourself out of here.

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