Into a Dangerous Mind (44 page)

She wore simple black slacks and a clingy top of forest green which he knew would bring out the flecks in her eyes.
 
Her cello, cradled between her legs and in her arms like a lover, seemed to vibrate with every movement.
 
She held the bow tenderly, but commanded such volume and feeling he knew she employed significant strength to achieve it.
 
The waterfall of auburn curls flowed around her face making her look like a fairy come to life.

Her eyes opened and suddenly her gaze captured his.
 
No flicker of recognition or even surprise marred the deep hazel depths.
 
But the music continued to swell around them.

Zach broke himself away from the unnerving gaze and continued to his seat to listen to the rest of the concert.
 
Several times he promised himself he would leave and never bother her again.
 
But then her music would catch him, and he’d be rooted to his chair.

He felt the love, the loss, and the regret within each ripe note she played.
 
They were emotions he’d struggled with for an entire year, and here she let them flow out of her like water.

Was she as lost as he?
 
And would he ever forgive himself if he didn’t at least find out?

Zach sat riveted until the final note rang through the auditorium.
 
He could tell by the breathless pause before the ear-splitting applause that the rest of the audience was as emotionally exhausted as he.

Cassidy’s music would never let someone sit idly by and listen.
 
It grabbed you by the throat and demanded you experience each nuance.
 
Very much like its maker.

Before Zach realized it, he navigated through the crowds to the stage door.
 
He stood in a long line consisting mostly of politicians and celebrities.
 
Several times he was asked for credentials, and he flashed his badge.
 
After coming this far, he would see this through to the end.

Zach laughed at himself.
 
“Talking to deities, well, I guess it’s better than talking to yourself…”
 
The line moved forward, and he found himself looking up into the amused eyes of a man who looked like he’d stepped off a GQ magazine cover.
 
Zach usually had the advantage of height, but this man had a good five inches on him.

“Can I tell Miss James who wishes to meet her?”

Zach cleared his throat.
 
“An old friend from Arizona.”

“And would this old friend have a name?” persisted GQ man.

“Special Agent Zachary Hatcher, FBI.”
 
Zach flashed the badge as he spoke and held his breath while GQ examined it thoroughly.

GQ man finally finished examining the badge and looked skeptically down at Zach.
 
“You’re the one who asked her to walk away, aren’t you?”

“And who are you?” Zach asked suddenly defensive.

“I’m Bob.”

Zach’s veins turned to ice and he studied the man through jealous eyes.
 
But he slammed his shields into place before he picked up pictures of Cassidy and Bob together from Bob’s mind.

Zach fought back a wave of rage and tried to feel grateful that someone had been there for Cassidy when he hadn’t, but the haze of jealousy tinged his focus.

“Yes, I was the idiot who let her go,” he ground out through gritted teeth.
 
“Are you going to let me see her, or not?”

Even through his shields, protective vibes for Cassidy radiated from the man.
 
But only out of respect for her did he resist delving into Bob’s mind to find all the gory details of their relationship.

Bob leaned down so he was nose to nose with Zach.
 
“I’ll leave it up to her.
 
But if you hurt her in any way, I’ll take you apart piece by piece.
 
And I don’t care what kind of badge you’re flashing.”
 
Bob cocked his eyebrow at Zach.
 
“Understood?”

Zach bit back a sarcastic and very territorial comment.
 
He had no right to any kind of territorial display with Cassidy.
 
It had been his decision to let her go, and he would respect it.
 
But thoughts of Bob intimately touching Cassidy rose up before him and made his blood boil.

A few minutes later, Bob opened the door and motioned him inside.
 
“Remember what I told you.”

Cassidy turned as she sensed Zach step inside the small dressing room.
 
She’d been fighting conflicting emotions of elation and confusion since her long ago déjà vu assaulted her when she saw Zach step into the auditorium.
 
Zach told her a significant event triggered these psychic déjà vu’s.
 
A significantly good event, she hoped.

Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him standing before her.
 
His dark, chiseled features brought back memories of what it was like to touch him…and be touched by him.
 
Being this close to him felt like a physical blow.
 
Added to the psychic energy buzzing around the room, and she was almost claustrophobic.

His deep golden gaze met hers.
 
She instantly reined in her power which struggled to touch his mind.
 
From the look on Zach’s face, he’d just won a similar struggle.

A small sliver of triumph flowed through her, immediately followed by guilt.
 
So…maybe he suffered for his poor choices as well.

Zach stood rooted to the spot, staring at her as if he was a dying man in need of a drink…and she was the water.
 
Her skin began to prickle under his unwavering gaze.

After a long, uncomfortable pause, Cassidy stepped forward.
 
“Zach.”
 
She nodded, but refrained from holding out her hand.
 
If she touched him now, she might never let go.
 
“How have you been?”

Zach opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
 
He cleared his throat and tried again.
 
“Good.
 
You?”

“Good.”
 
Miserable.
 
Horrible.
 
Lonely.

He cleared his throat again and finally lowered his gaze to scan the room.
 
This was the Zach she remembered—always alert.

His gaze inched up to capture hers again.
 
“I can see you’re doing well.
 
I’m happy for you, and the concert was amazing.”

Cassidy pierced him with a sharp look, trying to see what lay behind the façade of his shields and serene expression.
 
“The tour is going very well, thanks to my agent.
 
I couldn’t have done all this without him.”

Zach gritted his teeth.
 
“Yes.
 
Bob and I met.”
 
He said the name distastefully, like he’d bitten into something rotten.

Cassidy’s brow furrowed.
 
Why all the open animosity against Bob?
 
“I take it you and Bob didn’t get along too well?”
 
She could see the intense emotions spilling off Zach even through his fully erect shields.

“No, not at all.
 
I hope he took good care of all your…needs.”
 
Zach’s eyes smoldered with barely suppressed anger.

Cassidy’s brow furrowed again.
 
Why would Zach be so jealous over Bob?
 
Did Bob say something to him outside?
 
“Yes…” she answered carefully.
 
“Bob seems to know whatever I need before I do.
 
He’s a God-send.”

At Zach’s scowl, the psychic tension in the room ratcheted up to an uncomfortable level.
 
“I’m sorry if Bob came off as a little over-protective, he…”

Zach held up a hand to stop her.
 
“I don’t want to hear anymore about Bob.”
 
Zach closed his eyes and seemed to be struggling to maintain control.
 
Then all at once, anger seemed to drain out of his face to be replaced by a weariness that wrenched her heart.

“I’m sorry, Cass.
 
I don’t know why I came here.”
 
He ran his hands through his hair in a gesture she remembered well.
 
“I know you’ve gone on with your life, and I have no right to come in here and stir things up.”

Cassidy wasn’t sure what to think.

Zach, suddenly clearly agitated again, paced around the small room with long strides and large arm gestures.
 
He turned back to her.
 
“I’m trying very hard to be happy for you and Bob, because I truly want you to be happy.
 
But it’s ripping me apart.”

Cassidy’s mouth dropped open, and she made a conscious effort to close it.
 
“Me and Bob?” she asked incredulously.
 
“Why would you think there’s anything between Bob and I?”

Her comment seemed only to enrage Zach further.
 
“So he’s just your boy-toy?
 
You aren’t even in love with him?
 
My God, Cass, I don’t even know you any more.”

Cassidy’s temper sparked in return.
 
“Who the hell do you think you are?
 
Coming in here accusing me of stabling boy-toys when you’ve wanted no part of my life since you threw me out of your hospital room!”

The door burst open and Bob and Jerry stormed into the room looking ready to murder Zach.

“I told you not to upset her, FBI boy.”
 
Bob growled at Zach and plowed an index finger into his chest.

“Stop!” Cassidy shouted.
 
Everyone froze and she took a deep breath before continuing.
 
“I think we are all acting under some very deep misconceptions here.
 
Let’s take a step back and start over.”

, Bob.”

Conflicting emotions flowed across Zach’s face, and she almost laughed when she saw understanding dawn.

Bob?”

Cassidy sighed.
 
Zach hadn’t been kidding when he said people with psychic powers had just as many misunderstandings as non-psychic people.
 
“No, I’m not exactly his type.
 
Now where did you get the idea that I was?”