Blood Blade Sisters Series (20 page)

When Leo started getting drowsy, Cilla made him talk. He told her of his childhood in Boston and how he and Jake had decided to go west. He told her of his summers at his grandparents’ ranch in Maryland, about the first time he had ridden, and fallen off, a horse. Of the amazing city of San Francisco and how he’d decided to stay there and how Jake had become a bounty hunter. And he told her of how he’d felt the first time he’d seen her.

“I knew there was something special about you,” he said, tenderly kissing her cheek.

Cilla laughed. “I guess it makes a bit of an impression when a lady bashes you on the head with the butt of her gun.”

Leo chuckled and nuzzled her neck. “I think I’ve loved you almost from that first moment.”

“Leo,” Cilla whispered, not sure she wanted him to continue. If they were going to die in that mine, she didn’t want to dwell on how things might have been between them. And if they did get out…well, she didn’t want to dwell on that either.

But Leo shook his head. “No. I’ve waited too long to say this. I love you, Priscilla Richardson. And when we get out of here, I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”

Cilla held him tight, just for a moment letting his words fill her, sparking warmth and happiness in every corner of her being. “I love you, too.”

He bent to kiss her, his mouth missing hers in the dark and landing on her chin. She laughed and guided his lips to her own. She knew it couldn’t last. Knew that even if a miracle happened and they made it out of there that she needed to step aside so he could take care of Brynne and the baby. She’d have to leave. She couldn’t watch Leo married to someone else. The thought of leaving her sisters, her home, and
him
, shattered her heart into so many pieces she didn’t think it would ever heal.

But for now, he was hers.

“I wish I could see your face right now,” she murmured.

Leo smoothed her hair back, kissed her forehead before resting his own against hers.

“I don’t need light. I see you every time I close my eyes.” He ran a hand through her hair. “I see your thick, auburn hair flying wild about your face.” He drew his finger across her forehead. “I see your forehead crinkle when I’ve said something to annoy you.” He traced her scar. “I see the scar you try so hard to hide because you don’t know how beautiful it makes you. What an amazing mark of courage and strength it is.”

He leaned down and kissed the tear that rolled down her cheek. “I see your beautiful eyes, bright as leaves on the autumn trees, flashing with anger, shining with happiness, filling with tears you refuse to let fall.”

He kissed her. “And I see your mouth smiling when you see me, even though you try to hide it.”

Cilla smiled beneath his lips and reached up to caress his face.

He kissed her again. “I don’t need light to see you because you are my light. You always will be.”

“Leo,” she whispered, meeting his lips again.

This time when he deepened their kiss, Cilla didn’t pull away. She slipped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him, almost feverish in her desire to be closer to him. She could feel the minutes ticking by, counting down the time they had left together. Whether they found a way out of the tunnel or not…their moments were numbered. And she was done wasting them.

He threaded his fingers through her hair, parting her lips beneath his so he could explore her mouth. A small sigh escaped her, which only spurred him on. Cilla’s fingers worked at the buttons on Leo’s shirt. She wanted to feel all of him, needed to feel him against her. Leo’s lips moved from hers, kissing a trail down to her neck along the skin he exposed as he removed her shirt. When his fingers brushed against her bare skin, Cilla gasped.

Leo paused, pulled back for a moment, but Cilla finished yanking his shirt off and pulled him back to her, her lips meeting his with an intensity that surprised both of them. She was done running, done pretending she didn’t belong to this man, heart and soul. And if she was going to lose him, to death or to the life he had waiting, she’d belong to him at least once in body as well.

All other thoughts fled her mind as the rest of their clothing was quickly divested and Leo lay beside her on the small pile of garments. Cilla shuddered beneath his hands, every touch building a fire that burned away the last of her doubts. Each brush of his lips brought a new realization of how much she loved him, how much she needed him.

She couldn’t see him in the dark, but Cilla didn’t need the light to memorize every line of him, every angle. For as long as she lived, she knew she’d be able to feel the planes of his body beneath her fingertips, taste him on her lips. She knew she’d relive every touch, every kiss, every time she closed her eyes until her heart stopped beating. Leo’s whispered “I love you” as they finally became one would be forever seared into her memory.

They lay together, their bodies entwined, for what felt like an eternity. Leo pressed a gentle kiss to Cilla’s forehead as she wrapped herself around him and held him close, her heart full to bursting.

How was she ever going to let him go?

Chapter Twenty-three

“Priscilla! Leo!”

Cilla woke slowly, her exhausted body trying hard to remain unconscious. She had no idea how long they’d been in the mine. Hours. Days? She and Leo had made love over and over until his wound, their fatigue, and the damp coldness of the tunnel had finally forced them to get dressed. Eventually, they’d succumbed to their exhaustion and had fallen asleep, though Cilla had made sure to wake him every time she roused.

Each time seemed harder than the last. But they were so tired. Surely it was nothing more than that.

“Cilla? Leo?”

Cilla dragged herself up. Forced air into her lungs so she could shout. “Here! We’re in here!” She staggered to the wall of rock cutting them off from the rest of the world.

A faint beam of light shone through the hole at the top. “Help! We’re in here!”

She found her foothold and hauled herself up. She still couldn’t see anything, but the light was stronger. And so were the voices.

“We found them!”

“Lucy? Is that you?”

“Yes! We’re all here!”

“What do you mean? Who? How are you here?”

“Let’s get you out first and then we can talk.”

Cilla laughed. “Deal!”

She dropped back down and crawled over to Leo. “Leo!” She leaned down and kissed him. “Leo, they found us! Looks like we won’t die in here after all. Leo?”

He didn’t respond. He didn’t even move.

“Leo,” Cilla said, shaking him more forcefully. “Leo, wake up.” Dread filled her, fear leeching into her soul. “Leo. Come on. Please. Wake up.”

Nothing.

Cilla put her head on his chest and was somewhat comforted by the slow, but seemingly steady beat of his heart. He was alive. But why wouldn’t he wake up?

She yelled again. “Lucy, tell them to hurry. Leo is hurt, he needs help.”

“We’re hurrying!”

Cilla rested her hand on Leo’s chest. Only the gentle rise and fall of his ribcage kept her from having a total breakdown. Help was on the way. They just needed to wait. Help was coming.

She could hear pickaxes striking the stone. Every now and then chunks would fall away, letting more light into the chamber. Soon there was enough for her to make out the faint outline of Leo’s face. She kissed his lips, smoothed his hair away from his face.

“Hold on just a little longer. Don’t you dare leave me now,” she whispered.

More time passed. Too much time. She wished they would just pack it with dynamite and blast the damn thing apart. The logical part of her knew that setting off an explosion would more than likely result in an even worse situation. But the snail’s pace of the axes was driving her mad.

She sat and stared at the hole in the wall, watching it slowly grow bigger, the light brighter. She stared at it so long her vision grew blurry around the edges. Maybe she should try to sleep again. She was tired. So very tired. Her limbs protested every time she tried to move, her arms and legs felt as though they were made of lead.

She lay down beside Leo again, her heart beating in time to his, as she watched the light in the wall grow larger.

Finally, her heavy lids closed, shutting out the light all together.

Cilla’s eyes fluttered open. She was in her bed in the bunkhouse, wrapped in her mother’s quilt.

“Hey there,” Brynne said. She leaned over and pulled Cilla’s blanket up a little higher. “How are you feeling?”

Cilla tried to lick her lips, but her mouth was too dry. “Thirsty.”

Brynne smiled and helped her sit up to drink a cup of water.

“We’ve been pouring this down your throat for two days. It’ll make it much easier now that you can drink it yourself.”

Cilla held the water in her mouth a moment, savoring the cool wetness before she swallowed. After a few more sips, she lowered the cup.

“Did you say two
days
?”

Brynne nodded, and Cilla noticed the circles under her eyes. “How long were we in the mine? Leo!”

Cilla tried to get up but Brynne pushed her back down.

“Stay put. Leo is fine. He hasn’t woken up yet. The doctor said it’s from his head injury. But his heartbeat is strong and there isn’t anything else wrong with him so we just have to wait. You can see him in a little while.”

Cilla laid back and tried to relax. She’d feel better if she could see him, but she didn’t think she could get out of the bed just yet without assistance, and Brynne didn’t seem like she was inclined to help.

“Drink more,” Brynne said, thrusting another cup of water at her. “You’re dehydrated.”

Cilla took another sip. “Why aren’t you in Mexico?”

Brynne smiled. “Lucy came and found us and we came right back to find you. Miguel got rid of Frank’s incompetent men and the other two were so intent on hightailing it out of the mine they ran right past him. He didn’t have any light but tried to find you anyway. But he went down the wrong tunnel at first. Then he heard the cave-in and doubled back. He had to come back to the ranch to get a lantern and tools. We found him there.

“We were all for going straight back to the mine, but Miguel knew we were going to need help. He went into town to ask for volunteers.”

Cilla snorted. “I bet they were just lining up to help.”

“Actually, they were,” Brynne said with a wry smile.

“This I’ve gotta hear.”

Brynne laughed. “Apparently when we blew up Frank’s office and the jailhouse, we also exposed the safe he had hidden in the walls. Your enterprising little sister,” she said, nodding to Lucy who sat in the corner rocking the baby, “decided to pry it open and see what was inside.”

“And?”

“Gold. Bags of it. And letters Frank had been sending to some rich landowner back east, trying to sell off portions of the town. Our neighbors weren’t so ready to side with him after finding all that. Lucy also reminded them who’d been the one keeping them fed and in their homes. Most of them were more than happy to help us free you after that.”

“Even though they believe I am a murderer?”

A shadow crossed Brynne’s face.

“What?” Cilla prompted.

Brynne glanced at Lucy before she spoke again. “Frank kept…keepsakes.”

Cilla frowned, afraid to ask.

“We found a gold pocket watch in the safe. It belonged to Mr. Williams. Bobby always had it on him.”

Cilla lay back, a thread of sadness snaking through her. “Poor Bobby.”

“He also had the Hudners’ wedding rings.”

Cilla frowned, unable to speak past the sudden lump in her throat.

“Their deaths are not your fault, Cilla,” Brynne said, reading Cilla’s mind.

In some way, yes, they were. And no one would ever convince her differently. But she didn’t say anything. No need to burden anyone else with her guilt.

“At least we were able to prove that Frank was behind their deaths. Not Blood Blade.”

“It’ll be nice to be able to go into town without worrying about being strung up from the nearest tree.” She gave Brynne a faint smile. She really was glad that her name, or Blood Blade’s, rather, had been cleared. But too much else had happened for it to really make her happy. “And Frank?”

Brynne’s smile faded. “We found his body beneath the rocks. He was wearing Jake’s claddagh ring.”

Cilla closed her eyes, sending up a quick prayer for her half-brother’s soul. He was going to need it.

“At least the town is free of him.”

“As are we,” Brynne reminded her.

Carmen bustled in and rushed to her side when she saw that Cilla was awake. She brushed the hair back from her face and gave her a motherly kiss on the forehead.

“You gave us quite a scare,
mija
. In fact, I think you’ve aged me a good ten years over the last few days.”

Cilla smiled and held tight to Carmen’s hand. “
Lo siento
,” she apologized. “I’ll try to keep the near-death experiences to a minimum from now on.”

“Miguel and I would appreciate it,” she said, giving Cilla’s hand a pat. “You need to settle down with that nice man in my cabin, make babies. That’s adventure enough from now on, I think.”

Cilla felt the heat rushing to her cheeks again and stole a glance at Brynne out of the corner of her eye. Cilla couldn’t begin to imagine her life without Leo. But…he wasn’t hers.

“Don’t even think it,” Brynne scolded her. “I already had this little talk with Leo before you tried to stick your neck in a noose. You two love each other. It’s insane to stay apart because of me. Coraline and I will be fine. We have more than enough help, and the two of you can lend a hand just as well together as you could apart. I’ve already discussed the matter with Reverend Mitchum.”

Cilla was afraid to ask. It seemed rather indelicate.

The expression on her face seemed to say it all because Brynne burst out laughing. “The marriage was never consummated. Easy grounds for annulment.”

Cilla was afraid to let the happiness that was hovering over her sink in too far. She was about to gain so much. Which meant she had that much more to lose.

“Can I see him?”

Brynne pointed to her cup. “You finish that water first. Then I’ll take you to him.”

Cilla downed the liquid and was out of bed before Brynne could say another word.

Leo lay pale and motionless beneath the blankets. But he was breathing steadily and when Cilla placed her hand over his heart, it thumped against her fingers reassuringly.

She leaned down and kissed him. “Leo? Can you hear me?”

He didn’t respond. She’d known he probably wouldn’t but she’d still held out a foolish hope that her kiss would wake him like some fairytale prince.

“I’ll stay here with you until you wake up,” she said, keeping one hand on his heart and taking his hand in her other. She leaned closer so she could whisper in his ear. “Just don’t take too long. You know how impatient I get.”

Cilla imagined him laughing at that and had to choke back tears. She sat on the bed next to him and watched the steady rise and fall of his chest. And waited.

…

Leo woke to feel a pressure on his chest. He lifted his hand only to find that it was entangled with someone else’s. The weight on his chest snored softly and he smiled. He stroked her pine-scented hair with his other hand, kissing the top of her head.

She stirred and snuggled against him. He wrapped his arm about her and held her close.

Cilla jumped.

“You’re awake!”

She grabbed his face in both hands and covered him with kisses before snuggling back down on his chest and burying her face in his neck. He wasn’t sure if he should laugh or take advantage of the fact that they appeared to be cuddled in bed together. Then again, he felt as if a two-ton bull had ridden roughshod over him. And he could really use a drink of water.

“Cilla?” He brushed her hair back from her face and craned his neck to look down at her. “I’m all right. Aren’t I? Is there something I don’t know?”

She laughed.

“No. You are fine. Now.” She leaned closer and kissed him. “But you kept me waiting an awfully long time.”

He kissed her back, letting his lips linger over hers. “My apologies, ma’am. Won’t happen again.”

“It better not,” she teased, stretching out beside him.

She could fill him in on all the details later. For right now, she was going to kiss him until he begged for mercy. And if he was half as stubborn as she was, that could be a very long time.