Causing Havoc (42 page)

Everything would have been so much simpler."

Eve gasped, and that smal sound almost stopped Dean's heart.

Think, Dean.
He had to calm himself. He'd seen more than his share of blood—but always on big,

muscular men who paid no attention to it. Blood caused from sport, not from a deliberate attempt to

cause pain.

Not on Eve.

Roger wouldn't be too far behind him, and surely, Gregor had already cal ed the police. They were

liable to blaze up with lights flashing, sirens ful blast.

Would the commotion push Lorna over the edge?

Careful y Dean stepped away from the wal . "Lorna, I think Eve's hurt."

"It's just a little slice." In her own defense, Lorna explained, "She tried to take my knife from me."

Eve whispered, "I'm sorry, Dean. She took me by surprise."

He shook his head at her. Maybe if Eve stayed quiet, Lorna wouldn't think too much about her or the

passing of time. "The money doesn't matter, Lorna."

Her gaze shot up to his. "Ah, so you know about that?"

"Roger told me."

"That ingrate." Ful of affront, she shook her head. "He's been a vast disappointment."

"It doesn't matter, Lorna. You deserved the money."

"I real y did," she agreed.

"And I have enough of my own. More than Roger, in fact." That was a lie, but Lorna wouldn't know it.

"I can take care of everyone, including you."

"You'd do that for me?"

"I owe you for taking care of Cam and Jacki al these years. Al you need to do is put the knife

away."

"I can't." She paced again, as far as the length of Eve's hair would al ow. "This girl is wrong—you'l never care about me. Your parents didn't. They liked Grover, but they thought I was a bore. I heard

them say so. A bore and a prude and unwanted."

Jesus. She was stil hurt over something twenty years old? That thought gave Dean pause. He

hadn't wanted to admit it, but until his sisters and Eve had made everything right, he'd been hurt, too.

But not like this.

Not the way he'd be hurt if he lost Eve.

"They designated you to care for their children, Lorna. That means they respected you an awful lot."

"Ha." Lorna actual y laughed. It was a dry, crackling sound tainted with madness. "They burdened me with them because they didn't have anyone else who'd take them in."

Dean prayed that neither Cam nor Jacki would ever know of those particular words leaving Lorna's

mouth.

He took a careful step forward. "Lorna—"

The knife flashed high into the air. Al laughter gone, Lorna said, "If you move again, I'l have to stab her."

Eve's lashes fluttered with fear. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the seat of the chair,

sending crimson blood trickling down her arm to drip onto the floor. She licked dry lips and tried to be

brave, but she hadn't led the same type life as he had, and this was too hard for her.

What the hel should he do?

"You're only here because of her," Lorna reasoned. "If she's gone, you'l go away, and everything wil be the same."

"I'l take her away," Dean promised. "She and I wil both leave."

Lorna curled her lip. "You take me for a fool?"

"No." Suddenly behind and to the side of Lorna, Dean saw a slight movement.

Simon.

How Simon had entered the house so silently, how he'd even known where to find them, Dean didn't

know. But his heart pumped hard and fast with exhilaration. Eve would be okay now.

To keep from giving away Simon's position. Dean looked at Lorna and only Lorna. "You're okay.

Eve." Simon was almost within reach of her. For a big man, he moved without making a sound.

"I know." Eve stared at Dean, taking or giving comfort, he wasn't sure.

Lorna laughed, a little less certainly this time. ' She's cut. Dean. She's . .. bleeding." Her nose

wrinkled and she struggled to swal ow. "I can smel the blood. I didn't realize that. How you do this barbaric stuff al the time is a mystery to me."

"I don't cut people, Lorna."

"Not with a knife, no. But I watched a few of your fights. You make people bleed. You use your

elbows, your fists, your—"

"Cutting someone isn't as effective at stopping them as other means, Lorna. For instance a blow to

the liver wil make even a grown man drop. It's the most crippling pain imaginable." He looked at Eve.

"You remember me tel ing you that just last night, don't you, honey?"

"Yes." As if choreographed, Eve's elbow flashed back against Lorna in a solid strike—right into the liver.

Eyes gaping, mouth open, Lorna released Eve with a gasp—and Simon knocked the knife from her

hand, probably breaking her wrist in the process.

Soundless in her pain, Lorna col apsed to the floor.

In a heartbeat, Dean scooped Eve up and away from the chair, close to his heart. She cradled her

injured arm and squeezed closer. "Dean?"

"Shhh. I've got you now." He went to the sink for a dish towel and managed, one-handed, to wrap her arm.

Eve swal owed and nodded. "Thank you." With her head tucked under his chin, she said, "I love you, Dean."

Jesus, he wanted to howl. She was upset so he couldn't,
wouldn't
, put too much stock in those

words. But stil it felt damn good to hear them. "I love you, too."

She drew a shuddering breath, wiped her cheeks on his shirt, and straightened. Looking back at

Lorna, she whispered, "God, that was awful."

"She's not just mean," Dean said, "she's insane."

Simon picked up the knife, then knelt over Lorna to check on her. "It's al right, old girl. Slow, shal ow breaths. That's it. Hang in there. Help's on the way."

Curled on her side, wheezing in pain, Lorna made a sad, pathetic sight. Having suffered a few liver

blows of his own, Dean almost sympathized with her. Almost. "Is she hurt bad?"

"Nah. She'l be al right. Your lady's elbow didn't do any real damage, just took the fight out of her. But I broke her arm." Simon glanced up at Eve and said, "Good for you."

"Dean taught me a few moves."

Simon lifted one dark eyebrow. "Did he?"

"What are you doing here?" Dean asked him.

"The short story is that I got the info you wanted on your future brother-in-law. I tried to find you at the hotel to fil you in, and instead I ran into Gregor and your sisters. They told me what had

happened, and that Roger had already clued you in to his background."

"Gregor stayed with my sisters?"

Simon nodded. "He's being real heroic and protective."

That thought both rankled and relieved Dean at the same time. "I'm glad to know she's safe."

"If you say so." Simon grinned. "Roger's out front, by the way. I told him that if the cops showed up, make them come in quietlike. I didn't know what might be happening in here, if anyone had a gun or

not."

"That's why you didn't wait for the cops?"

Simon eyed Dean. "I couldn't have you getting yourself kil ed. I've got too many big-money deals

lined up, and they al include you."

Knowing Simon as wel as he did. Dean discarded al mercenary motives and kissed Eve's

forehead. "Let me see your arm, honey."

"It's okay." But Eve lifted it for his inspection. Dean loosened the towel. The bleeding had already stopped. "I don't think you'l need stitches."

"Good." She rol ed in her lips and struggled to regain her composure. "She came in here, saying she had to talk to me about you. I told her fine, but that I wouldn't let her insult you. We came into the

kitchen for coffee, and she ... attacked me."

Dean smoothed back Eve's hair. "Thank God you'd gotten dressed."

"Yeah." She put her forehead to his. "There is that." Simon helped Lorna to sit up. She looked dazed, blank, and much older than her fifty-seven years.

Stil holding the big knife, Simon rubbed his forehead with the back of his wrist. "I'd say you owe me.

Havoc."

"More than you realize."

"Wrong. I'm not blind. That's why I'm sure you'l do the project I mentioned." Simon smiled with satisfaction. "Afterward you can return to your lady."

Dean looked at Eve, hugged her again, and said, "Yeah, I'l return to her."

Seconds later, backup rol ed in. As a precaution, Roger had not only cal ed the police, but he'd also

asked for an ambulance. He came to stand by Dean as authorities tended to Lorna and then, under

police supervision, took her out of the house to a waiting ambulance. Not at any time did Lorna look

lucid.

Simon strol ed out to answer what questions he could.

"Cam is going to be devastated." Roger closed his eyes and put his head back against the wal .

"Despite everything, she cares for her aunt."

With Eve in his arms, Dean now had a better understanding of Roger's fear over losing Cam. And

realizing that his parents' irresponsible actions had also affected Roger put a different slant on

everything.

Final y he could understand some of Roger's actions.

"I should go to Cam," Eve said.

"No." Tightening his hold on Eve to keep her in place, Dean stationed himself beside Roger. "She has Roger. He can handle it for now."

Roger didn't reply.

Dean moved around in front of him. "I've got my hands ful here, Rog, and I'l be more than a little

pissed if you force me to knock some sense into you."

Roger opened his eyes and scowled. "This changes everything, damn it. I never told Cam about her

aunt. If I had, none of this would have happened. It's my fault—"

"Don't be a martyred idiot, okay? We don't have time for that shit right now.
No one
realized Lorna was real y nuts, not even my sisters. If those closest to her didn't know, how could you?"

The epitome of a beaten man, Roger looked at Eve's arm and winced. "I'm so sorry, Eve. Damn

sorry."

"Go to Cam," Eve told him, and it was clear that she'd also softened toward Roger. "She loves you.

And Dean's right, she needs you now."

"I don't know." He moved away from the wal , hopeful. "You real y think she'l be able to forgive me?"

Without hesitation, Eve said, "Yes. She loves you."

As a precaution, Dean added, "If you disappoint her, I wil have something to say about it."

A tired smile lifted Roger's expression. "I suppose you want me to marry her?"

"The sooner the better."

After a fleeting grin, Roger clapped Dean on the shoulder and headed off. Dean felt confident that

he'd go to Cam, and that eventual y, his sister would be okay. She was resilient and strong and he

had great faith in her.

Dean touched his forehead to Eve's. "Things have happened awful fast."

"Light-speed fast," Eve agreed.

"My whole life has changed."

Blue eyes soft with worry, Eve watched him. "And?"

Dean smoothed back her hair. "I have to leave, honey. I need to settle some things, make some

decisions—"

Eve put a finger to his mouth. "I don't know what wil happen with Lorna, but even with Roger in the

picture, Cam wil need me here."

"Yes."

"Summer is a busy time with my business. I have a lot of events lined up."

"Your work is a priority."

"And speaking of priorities, my family . . . my family is
here
."

"My family, too."

Eve put her head back on Dean's shoulder. After a heavy moment of silence, she said, "You take

care of whatever you need to, Dean. But know that when you come back, I'l be here waiting."

* * *

shirt, especial y with new bruises on his face and a bouquet of mixed wild-flowers in hand. The time

he'd been gone had dragged out with one complication after another. Instead of eight weeks, it felt

like a year since he'd seen her and touched her. His whole body ached with the need to make love to

her, but he wouldn't. Not right away. He had a lot to say, a lot to explain.

A lot that he wanted to share.

While away from Eve, he'd forced himself to give her some space. He'd only cal ed a few times.

Mostly they talked about Cam and how she was dealing with Lorna. Strangely enough, it made Dean

feel better to know that Cam had Roger at her side.

Jacki had stuck by her sister until after Dean finished his stint with the reality series. Then, the night of the fight in Atlanta, she surprised Dean by showing up in the audience. When he won, he could

have sworn he heard her cheering.

Impatience growing, Dean rapped on Eve's door again.

Eve cal ed out, "Hold your horses," and seconds later, the door opened and there she was.

At her first sight of him, her face lit up, then went cautiously blank. "Dean. I didn't know you were back in town."

He pressed the flowers into her hand. "I think I owe you these ten times over."

"Flowers?"

"You said you like them mixed, right? Wildflowers?"

"They're beautiful."

Determined to get it al said before his control broke and he ravished her, Dean said, "I also owe

you some dates, as I recal . But they'l come later."

"They wil ?"

Hearing whispers behind Eve, Dean girded himself for disappointment. "Your family is here?"

"Yes." Eve absorbed the sight of him, head to toes and back again. "Al of them."

Voices approached, and then they were al there in front of Dean, drawing him inside with

enthusiasm.

Eve stepped back helplessly, the flowers clutched to her chest.

Recaps of his fight, of how fascinating the special promo had been, rang out. As Ted pumped his

hand in congratulations, Dean's tension eased.

It wasn't so bad seeing Eve's family. If al went wel , they'd soon become his family, too.