Chapter 12

Ana was waiting on the porch when Chase pulled up in the yard. One look at her and he knew something was wrong. “What’s eating at you, Sassy?” he asked as he stepped up on the porch.

“Your father hired Gio— Giovanni.”

“Giovanni?” he asked with a frown then almost immediately his eyebrows shot up. “Your husband, Giovanni?”

She nodded, wringing her hands in front of her. That worried Chase. He might not have known her long, but he knew her well enough to know that she was not the handwringing, worrying type.

“Are you sure about that? Why would Charlie hire him? From what you’ve told me he doesn’t know anything about ranching.”

“Well, it wasn’t really your father who hired him. According to Fergi, Caleb hired him. But that was only because Giovanni charmed him.”

Chase chuckled. “Honey, I don’t think Caleb’s his type. That boy’s to-the-core a woman’s man.”

“Not that kind of charmed.”

“You mean— Shit! Are you telling me he’s a witch?”

She nodded. “His power has never been very strong. At least it wasn’t. According to Fergi it is now. He charmed Caleb into hiring him, and he’s not really doing ranch work. He’s working on some of the machinery or trucks or something.”

Chase took her hand and led her to the porch swing. “Are you— I mean, is Fergi sure?”

“Positive.”

Chase pulled her close to him as they sat. “Don’t fret about it, Sassy. I’ll take a ride over there in the morning and make sure he’s given the boot good and proper.”

“That won’t help.” She looked up at him. “If he’s here, he plans on getting even and you firing him won’t change anything except to make him mad, and when he’s mad, he’s irrational, and when he’s irrational he’s mean and when—”

“He is not going to hurt you, Ana.” Chase angled to face her. “You hear me? I give you my word on that.”

“And I believe you. I do,” she insisted. “But that might not matter. Chase, for him to have charmed Caleb like that means that his powers have significantly increased. A touch charm isn’t easy. And if his powers have increased enough for him to do that, then he could use them to hurt you—or any of your family. I think…I think the best thing for everyone is if I just leave. With me gone, he won’t have a reason to stay, and no one will get hurt.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” Chase’s voice was low but filled with a resolve as solid as the mountains. “We’ll figure this out, Sassy. But you leaving isn’t an option.”

“You may change your mind.” She looked down, trying not to cry.

“Not going to happen.” He put his fingers under her chin to tilt her head up. “Sassy, listen to me. I’m thirty-seven years old and I’ve had more than my share of women. They’ve come and gone in my life and never once have I regretted seeing them go. I got to thinking that there was just something missing inside me, that the ability to love just wasn’t part of me.

“And then you showed up. And everything changed. I’d never let a woman spend a night in my house, much less live here. Sure, I brought you here not knowing what would happen, but still I brought you here. And now the idea of you not being here scares me more than anything I’ve ever imagined. I need you, Sassy, and I’m asking you to stay with me.”

Chase’s words were not spoken lightly. Ana knew that. She’d come to know him and had no doubt of his truthfulness. But the idea of bringing trouble, possibly danger, to him and his family tore at her heart.

“Chase, I want to stay. But if I go—”

Chase could not listen to talk of her leaving. And he knew no more words to convince her. “If you go then where will you find this?” he asked and gathered her into his lap and claimed her lips in a kiss that held more than just heat and lust. It was a kiss that spoke of love and emotion that transcended physical need.

Ana had no power to fight it. She wound her arms around his neck and gave in. Chase lifted her up and carried her inside, laying her gently on his bed. She reached for his shirt to undo the buttons, but he stilled her hands.

With infinite slowness he removed her clothes, taking time to caress and kiss every inch of her body, his hands and lips leaving brands behind that filled her with longing. He paused and removed his clothes.

Ana’s eyes moved over his body, the long lean lines and defined muscles, seeing and feeling the strength and power that radiated from him. He returned to her on the bed, lying beside her, capturing her eyes, and letting her see inside him, clear to his soul.

That look contained more power than anything she’d ever known. She felt it to the core of her soul. Chase might claim to have no power other than physical, but that moment told her differently. His was a magic as primal and strong as the savage land he inhabited. His power stemmed from the beginning of time, when his people roamed the earth, connected to its ebbs and flows, in touch with its spirit.

The love shining in Chase’s eyes was one not given lightly. It spoke of trust and respect, a love that would endure beyond time. In his eyes, he showed her all that she would forsake if she walked away, all that it would cost both of them.

Chase was the answer to a wish she’d never dared to hope would come true. His touch could thrill, his taste and feel could satisfy her in a way no other man would ever do. But it was more than the physical way he excited and satisfied her that drew her to him. He completed her. Male to female, spirit to spirit.

No matter how far she ran, she would never be free of him. He’d claimed her and no matter how much distance she put between them, she would be his for all time.

She reached up to place her hand on the side of his face and he moved to kiss her palm. In that moment they both knew that she could not leave.

“I love you, Ana, and nothing and no one is going to take you away from me.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered. “But I don’t want to bring trouble down on you or your family.”

“You’re not the first woman to run from an abusive husband, or the first to have a restraining warrant issued on one,” he said. “I’ll stop by and talk to Jas in the morning about that, too. But there’s one thing. You said he was here for revenge. That doesn’t make sense. He beat you up and now he wants revenge? For what?”

Ana’s eyes looked up, then sideways as she gnawed her bottom lip. “Well, when I left, I kind of dropped the house on him.”

“You what?”

“I made the house cave in.”

Chase burst out laughing. “Now that’s what I call bringing down the house.”

“He probably didn’t think it was too funny.”

“No, I don’t imagine,” he agreed and hugged her. “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of Giovanni— Uh, what’s his last name?”

“Sardo.”

Chase drew back from her. “Your name’s Ana Sardo?”

“Oh no, I never took his name.”

“And you’re not gonna take any shit from him either.” Chase knew that the danger of her leaving had passed, and he felt as if he had been filled with light. Happiness bubbled inside him, bringing out a playfulness that he’d shared only with Ana.

“Now, what say you and I talk about dessert?” he teased. “I’ve worked up a powerful hunger.”

“There’s still some of the cake Clara brought over the other day.”

“Honey, I was thinking of something a little spicier.”

Ana grinned and rolled over against him. “Well, then, how about honey-covered Chase?”

“I like the sound of honey-covered Ana much better.”

“What about dinner?”

“Like you said, a man can live without meat.”

“But not honey?” She chuckled.

“You got it, Sassy. Definitely not without honey.”

* * * * *

“You promise to call me as soon as you talk to your police friend?” Ana asked as Chase opened his truck door the next morning.

“Promise. Now listen, if you’re scared to be here alone I can—”

“I’m not scared,” she interrupted, and then continued. “Besides, Clara is coming over this morning, remember?”

“Oh, yeah. You sure it’s a good idea for you to teach her that yoga stuff? She isn’t all bendy and twisty like you.”

“Well, who knows, maybe one day she will be. Besides, it will be nice to have a woman to talk to for a little while. Maybe she can even give me some cooking tips.”

Chase laughed. “Honey, the chances of you becoming a great cook are about the same as Clara being able to do some of those body-contorting yoga things you do.”

Ana punched him lightly in the arm. “Hey, I’m not that bad a cook.”

Chase raised his eyebrows and she laughed. “Okay, so I am.”

“That’s okay, Sassy. What you lack in culinary skills you more than make up for everywhere else.”

“You’re such a smooth talker, Hawks. But keep it up. It’ll get you lucky.”

Chase grinned. “Now that’s incentive to get home early. You have a good day.”

“You, too.” She gave him a soft lingering kiss and grinned when he grabbed her for a scorcher of a kiss that left her wishing they could just go back to bed.

“Okay, I’m outta here.” He climbed in the truck, and she stepped back, watching as he left.

Cody came up to her and whined. “Yes, I feel kind of guilty too. But it’s for a good cause, Cody. All we’re going to do is pretend that Clara hurts herself doing yoga. That way Charlie and Chase will rush to her hospital bed and when they do, maybe they’ll let the love they have for Clara be the bridge that spans the gap between them.”

He barked and she knelt down to rub him. “Let’s hope their hard heads don’t get in the way. Hey, there’s some bacon left from breakfast. You want it?”

Cody took off for the back door, leaving Ana to follow. After giving him the overcooked bacon that Chase had declined, she cleaned the kitchen and put in a load of laundry before heading out to the pasture to visit with the horses.

She was just climbing over the fence to return to the house when she heard the car. She hurried inside to clean up and was just soaping up her hands when she heard the knock on the door. “Come on in. It’s open,” she called out. She had just started to rinse the soap from her hands when Clara walked into the kitchen.

“Hey!” Ana turned with a smile that immediately faded. Behind Clara stood Giovanni, holding a handgun.

He shoved Clara into the kitchen. She stumbled against the table but righted herself. Ana left the water running and rushed over to Clara. “Are you all right?”

“Fine,” Clara replied with a hateful look at Giovanni. “You know this no-account?”

“I’m afraid so,” Ana replied and grabbed a towel off the counter to dry her hands.

“You better be afraid, bitch!” Giovanni swaggered into the room.

“Or what, you’ll shoot me?” She tossed the towel in the direction of the countertop but missed.

“This is just insurance,” he said.

“Against what?”

“Just in case you decide not to cooperate.”

“Let Clara go home,” Ana said. “Then you and I will leave here and go somewhere to settle this. But she has no part in it so let her go.”

“I don’t think so. Seeing as how you’re so attached to the old biddy, I think I’ll keep her. Now, both of you get outside. We’re going to take a little ride.”

“To where?”

“You’ll find out where we get there. Now move!”

Ana took Clara’s hand. “It will be fine.”

Clara nodded and they walked hand in hand outside. Cody ran up, growling and barking. “Unless you want that mutt dead, you’ll tell him to back off!” Giovanni threatened.

“Cody, no,” Ana said and knelt down beside the dog. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “Fergi’s watching from the roof. She’ll follow us. All you have to do is get Chase to listen to her when she returns. Can you do that? Please, it will be fine.”

Cody growled once more then sat back on his haunches. Giovanni made Ana get behind the wheel and Clara in the front passenger seat. He climbed into the backseat. “You try anything funny, and I’ll blow the old bat’s brains out.”

“Where to?” Ana asked, trying to keep the fear and hate from her voice and sending a silent plea to Fergi to follow them.

“Just head for the main road. I’ll tell you where to go after that.”

Ana did as he said, and before long they arrived at narrow dirt road that seemed to wind off into nowhere.

“Why do you want to take us to the ghost town?” Clara asked.

“Shut up!” Giovanni snapped at her.

Ana cut a look at Clara then into the rearview mirror at Giovanni. Cole had told her about the ghost town bordering Chase’s land. He said no one had been out there for years and no one really wanted to because everyone was convinced it really was haunted.

Ana hoped he was right. Maybe if there were spirits present, they could be enlisted to help. Because she was pretty sure that Giovanni intended for her and Clara to become part of the town’s ghostly inhabitants.