Fate and Destiny (14 page)

“
Easy. The big dumb guy
probably wasn’t carrying, but the sleazy guy was. He kept his hand
right near the zipper to his coat, thinking he could unzip it and
whip out his gun before I could draw on him. On second thought, the
big guy may have been the smarter of the two.”

Nodding, Andrew took
Destiny’s hand in his, gently stroking his thumb over the back of
her wrist.

“
Honey, you asked me not
to contact the sheriff and I didn’t, and I wasn’t going to either.
I promised you, and I wouldn’t have told Matt what was going on
because you didn’t want me to. He won’t let anything happen to you
either.”

Restoring her faith in him,
while hoping she wasn’t being naïve and misled, Destiny nodded,
squeezing Andrew’s hand.

“
It was them, wasn’t it?
The big dumb guy was Doug and the other guy was probably Lenny.
Scrawny, crack head looking guy right?”

Andrew nodded.

“
Yep, that’s them. The big
guy, Doug, was very nervous. The sleazy guy did all the talking. He
said they were looking for a runaway daughter of a
friend.”

A sudden thought occurred
to Andrew. Tearing his gaze from Destiny’s trusting face, he looked
to Matt.

“
Damn, he was about to
give me a number to call if I found anything out. Then you showed
up. He didn’t give me any contact information. I thought it would
be useful to track back and get these guys.”

“
That would have been
nice, but we can still get them. You want to let me in on why we
want to get them? I know there’s a good story here. When you
arrived, I was positive you were alone except for your black shadow
there.”

Matt gestured towards the
oversize fur pile in the middle of the floor.

“
And while you’re at it,
what happened to your leg and his shoulder? She’s limping too. Did
all three of you walk into the same table or what?”

Eyes downcast, Destiny
decided the best way to get through this was the ugly
truth.

“
Um, I shot them.” For a
moment, there was silence. Destiny glanced from under her eyelids
to gauge Matt’s reaction. He appeared surprised, and at the same
time, amused.

“
You shot both of them?”
Matt scratched the smooth skin above his eyebrow. “I can understand
you shooting Andrew. I’m sure he deserved it. But why did you shoot
this big lovable mutt?”

Matt reached down to pet
the mutt in question.

“
I didn’t deserve to be
shot! It was an accident. She hit us both in one shot. Thank God
she has bad aim. She kicked Shadow too.”

Realizing too late that
Matt had gotten under his skin, Andrew came off sounding like a
spoiled child fighting over who hit who first.

“
She got both of you in
one shot and didn’t kill either of you? Sounds to me like she has a
pretty good aim.”

It was Destiny’s turn to be
annoyed.

“
I didn’t know what he
was! I wouldn’t have kicked him if I’d known where I was or what he
was. And I didn’t know who was coming in the door. I just blindly
fired. I didn’t take time to actually aim at a figure in the
dark!”

The police training in Matt
rose to the surface and he took control of the
situation.

“
Okay, just calm down,
both of you. Let’s start at the beginning. Andrew, you were alone
when you came here. Where did you find Destiny?”

“
Shadow found her lying
against a rock at the edge of the property by the road. I thought
she was dead until I saw her breathing.”

“
Good. Now we’re getting
somewhere. Destiny, how did you end up next to the
rock?”

“
Those men who were here
when you arrived kidnapped me. Doug, the big guy, drove me up here
from a private airport and I think he pushed me out of the
truck.”

“
Kidnapping,
huh?”

Destiny
expected to see suspicion when she looked at Matt’s face, into his
eyes. Her heart sinking, she squeezed Andrew's hand tighter,
imagining what life in prison for murder would be like. Instead
of 
 
doubts, Matt’s clear brown eyes seemed sympathetic. The corner
of his mouth quirked into a slight smile.

“
Destiny. Why is that
ringing a bell? Ahh, I remember now. I recall an APB out of Vegas.
Not to mention I’ve seen your face splashed on newscasts and in the
paper.”

He grinned at Andrew and
Destiny.

“
Well, first things first,
I’m going to step out to my car and have one of the boys do a nice
little traffic stop on our friends in the snow truck. I have the
feeling they don’t have a Colorado state permit to carry a
concealed weapon.”

Setting his coffee cup on
the mantel over the fireplace, Matt stopped in front of Destiny on
his way out. His fingers curled under her chin, lifting her face to
meet his gaze.

Resigned to her fate,
Destiny wanted to let tears fall, but none welled to the surface.
Her face was rubbery and unfeeling. She wanted to close down the
shutters over her eyes, mind, and heart so she wouldn’t feel or
hurt anymore. Matt’s voice came out softly as his eyes locked on
hers. She had no doubts the trust genes in this family ran
deep.

“
Destiny, if you are
innocent, then you have nothing to worry about. From what I’ve
already heard this morning, I know we can get you out of this. We
just have to figure out how.”

All she could do was nod.
Matt left the cabin, taking Shadow with him. The dog ambling after
him on three legs. Destiny and Andrew remained on the bed, his hand
holding hers, his arm around her shoulders. Giving her another hug
and stroking her hand, Andrew rose to refresh the black brew in
their cups.

 
So, a sheriff in the
middle of nowhere believed her. Big deal. Judge, jury, and
executioner in Vegas would fry her unless Charles and his cronies
got to her first. They didn’t just want to pin the murder on her.
They wanted her dead, and they were too close to finding
her.

“
Thanks for not shooting
me this time Destiny.” Andrew broke through her thoughts, trying to
lighten her mood although his tone had an edge of
irritation.

“
I told you to stay in the
cellar. I guess that’s why Shadow sat at your side when I came back
in. He was out of the line of fire over there.”

Glancing her way, Andrew
was surprised to see her cock her head at him, her brows furrowing
together with anger. Her face a mask of sheer
determination.

Speechless, his hand paused
in midair with the scoop of powder that passed for creamer hanging
over Destiny’s cup.

“
When my parents died, I
hid and didn’t do a damn thing except cry. I did the same thing
when Marcus died. I couldn’t sit down there in the dark, hiding,
and scared while something happened to you because you were only
trying to protect me. I heard Shadow up here making such a
commotion and I knew you didn’t even have him with you. I wasn’t
about to sit down there and cower.”

Rising from the bed,
Destiny pulled herself up to her full height, shoulders back, head
held high. Crossing her arms over her chest, brows still knitted
together, anger seethed through her.

“
I won’t hide and cower
anymore. I’ve lost too many times in my life. I’ve lost too many
people. I can’t replace any of them and I can’t bring them back.
But I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit by and watch while you are
massacred when I could have done something about it!”

Realizing his mouth gaped
open and his eyebrows pointed to the ceiling, Andrew forced his
face to regain its normal composure. Releasing the cream from the
spoon and into the cup, stirring it together, he returned to the
living room. Standing before her, his calm face gazing into her
determined one. She uncrossed her arms to accept the cup he offered
but her stance didn’t ease.

“
Destiny, I wasn’t
completely unprotected out there. I have a Smith & Wesson in my
pocket every time I leave, and I know how to use it. My grandfather
was the sheriff here his whole life. He taught all five of his kids
and fifteen grandkids how to shoot and hit the target. I know how
to take care of myself. And you.”

Easing himself to the bed,
Andrew absentmindedly rubbed his fingers along his thigh over the
gash.

“
On the other hand, if I
have to worry about where you are and what you’re doing because you
aren’t doing what I told you to do, then I can’t protect myself as
well. From now on, I need you to do what I tell you to do. Not
because I don’t think you are capable, but because I need to know
where we stand so I know how to react to what’s
happening.”

Destiny’s posture eased,
although the determination only grew stronger as she sat on the bed
next to him, placing the cup on the floor.

“
I’m sorry. I’ll do what
you tell me to do as much as I can, as long as you don’t try to
lock me up anymore in dark holes in the ground. I need to be able
to defend myself and help you at the same time.”

Grinning at the spitfire he
knew had been within her the whole time, Andrew stuck out his hand
to shake hers.

“
It’s a deal. How about
sealing it with a kiss?”

Bending towards her,
pulling her to him by her hand, he meant to casually brush his lips
over hers. Instead, her free hand wrapped around the back of his
head, her fingers stroking through the hair at his nape. Her mouth
met his with fire, her tongue searing along the edges of his mouth
before dipping in for a deeper taste. He met her claim with his
own, wrapping his arms around her and drawing her in even closer.
Heat simmered through his gut. The flame of passion competed within
him against the fear of loss.

Not once since hearing the
truck idling up the road had he been concerned with his own safety.
All thoughts strictly centered on protecting Destiny. Other than
his family, Andrew had never even thought of willingly putting his
life on the line to keep someone else from harm. He could picture
her in his living room, snuggled on the couch next to him watching
TV, in the kitchen sitting at the breakfast bar having coffee, in
his bed sleeping soundly next to him. He could envision her in his
house, filling every room with the light from her smile and the
sound of her laughter. The images melded until it was no longer
just her, him, and Shadow occupying the space, but children,
several of them with brilliant green eyes and childish laughter and
squeals of delight.

15.

Neither of them heard the
door open and close. Matt finally cleared his throat to alert them
to his presence.

“
Am I
interrupting?”

Amusement twinkled in the
golden depths of his sharp brown eyes.

“
Should I go back out and
knock?”

Separating themselves from
each other, sharing a lingering look, Andrew finally diverted his
attention to Matt.

“
Could you? But it may
take us awhile to answer the door since we are both injured. It may
actually take us a couple of hours to get there, so be
patient.”

Ignoring Andrew’s request,
Matt resumed his position in the chair.

“
Yeah, buddy, you are the
funny one aren’t you? I guess this is why you weren’t trying too
hard to get out of here. Although, I can’t say I blame you. Knowing
my luck, if I found a woman in a snowstorm in a secluded cabin,
she’d be five hundred pounds, a face like Medusa, and the
personality of a pit bull. No offense Shadow.”

The dog thumped his tail,
rolled his eyes at Matt, and then stretched out for his morning
nap.

“
Anyway,” Matt continued,
“if you two can control yourselves for a few minutes. I’d like to
know what we can do here. I made another call into the station
while I was out there. Doreen pulled up the criminal warrant for
Destiny. Seems they are trying to stick you with homicide,
embezzlement, and forgery. Bunch of minor offenses like
trespassing. Sounds like someone turned over a ton of evidence to
make the case against you pretty strong.”

 
Worry flooded over
Destiny.

“
Did you tell Doreen I was
here?”

Smiling, Matt shook his
head.

“
Nah, she didn’t ask and I
didn’t tell. She only knows what she needs to know. I’m going to do
some checking when I get back down to town and I will probably have
her help me, but don’t worry. Doreen can be trusted. She would do
anything for Andrew.”

Destiny glanced from Matt
to Andrew, one eyebrow raised. “An old girlfriend?”

Both men erupted into
laughter. Andrew took a moment to contain himself.

“
Forgot all about the mess
you’re in for a little jealousy? What if she was an old girlfriend?
You going to hike into town to kick her ass or something? I’m
flattered to know you care so much for me.”

The look on her face
stopped his teasing.

“
Okay, honey, calm down.
Doreen is Matt’s little sister. The baby of the group. She followed
us around as soon as she learned to crawl. Her first word was
Andrew, although it sounded more like Dew. Matt and I spent our
entire years in high school keeping her out of trouble. She owes me
big and she adores me anyway. If she let any of this out, I’d hike
down there myself and kick her ass.”