The Wolf on the Hill (11 page)

“I’m not sure it’s even worth the hassle of telling them about Caleb.” Why face her mother’s screaming ab-dabs over something that wouldn’t last?

“Morning.” Caleb strode in, his jeans slung low around his hips, and showing off a chest that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a sexy aftershave ad.

When he went straight to the kettle instead of to her, Mia worried he’d heard her conversation with Rory

“Good to see you up and about, mate.” Rory sensibly changed the subject, but Caleb’s appearance had opened her eyes to her mistake. He was totally worth it.

“Yeah, well, I think it’s time I stopped feeling sorry for myself and got back to work.” Caleb dropped a kiss on her head as he passed, easing her fears.

“Work?” Mia’s spirits lifted. Actively seeking work surely meant he would stay.

“The cottage isn’t going to sell itself. Is it?” Caleb cruelly dashed her hopes and dreams to the ground, with a smile she couldn’t imitate.

“Do you want me to help out? Emily’s back at nursery now, so I have a few hours to spare.” Since Naomi and Emily’s departure, and Mia’s child-minding services becoming surplus to requirement, she had found herself missing the little girl.

She didn’t think of herself as particularly maternal, nor did she ever get broody. The rapport she’d developed with Emily had come as a pleasant surprise. Perhaps she should look into childcare as an actual career, instead of pulling pints and wiping tables.

“No. You need a break after the hours you’ve put in here. Besides, the last time I was there I saw a black wolf prowling around. Smaller than Rory, before you ask, and wiry. He was too far away for me to track his scent.” Caleb’s latest news brought a frown to her brother’s brow, and no wonder. They both knew this other wolf well.

“Robbie?”

“Sounds like it.” Rory confirmed her suspicions.

“But why?”

“Jealousy? If he knows we’re together it would give him motive, for sure. A spineless arsehole like that wouldn’t think twice about something as underhand as trashing an empty house.” Caleb’s impression of her ex was pretty much on the money. Whilst he hadn’t exactly swept her off her feet with passion and romance, Robbie wouldn’t take too kindly to her moving on either.

“There’s one problem with that theory. The first attack happened before you got here, Caleb. Unless he’s psychic, Robbie couldn’t have known about you two.” Rory threw the facts at them, but Mia couldn’t completely dismiss the idea of Robbie’s involvement. She knew first-hand how ruthless he could be in his pursuits.

They had been thrown together at a young age, with their parents attending the same golf club lunches and charity functions. She should have listened to her instincts telling her he was weak and devious as the years went on. Of course, the joint secret of their families’ heritage had meant that they had gravitated towards each other at these events, but even when she’d turned down his advances, he’d pursued her via her parents. The flowers, the presents and the coincidental meetings virtually every time they left the house had made him impossible to ignore. Looking back now, the stalkery tendencies had been there to see, but the continual coaxing from her mother had brainwashed her into thinking they should be a couple.

He’d always treated her like a possession—something to flaunt in front of others, and discard when he was bored. The spoilt child in him had probably seen what she had with Caleb and wanted it for himself. Rory was right, though, that didn’t explain the timing of the attacks.

“Maybe I should renew my acquaintance with Master Carson and see what he’s up to?” The thought alone turned her stomach. She didn’t want to even be in the same room as him, but she would do whatever it took to put an end to Caleb’s torment.

“You do whatever you think is necessary, babe.” Caleb left her to her own devices as he went to get dressed. The casual attitude to her suggestion pissed her off.
I’m putting myself on the line here!
Mia worried their time was already coming to an end when he didn't make a big deal about keeping her safe from harm.

Limbs too tired to make the transition to wolf, Caleb settled for his neglected Thunderbird to break free from his emotional confines. Through his fevered haze, he’d envisaged a life here. A home with someone who loved him had seemed within his grasp. All those hopes had vanished with Mia’s cutting words. He simply wasn’t worth the hassle.

Worthless. Stupid
. His father’s words resurfaced to torment him.

He sped up, trying to outrun his inadequacies. Now what? Did he go along with the pretence that she wanted him here and take advantage of Rory’s charity? Or man up, accept the inevitable and head for the hills? He could keep going, follow this road to wherever and start again. He was good at that.

The road curved and he leaned into the bend. A black shape darted in front of his wheels. He swerved, but his precarious position toppled him over and sent the bike skidding.

Lying winded in the middle of the road, he saw the dark figure weaving through the undergrowth. The black wolf. When it saw he was incapacitated, it came to circle his body, sniffing and snarling. So brave now. Through the visor of his helmet, Caleb could make out the look of superiority in the wolf’s eyes that could only be Robbie.

With arrogant grace, the wolf stepped over him to where the motorbike lay immobile. It lifted its leg and pissed over Caleb’s pride and joy. If a wolf could smirk, Caleb was sure he had witnessed it before the beast crept back into the long grass

Despite feeling like road kill, Caleb managed to remove his helmet and take deep, heaving breaths. Only the notion that he could end up under someone else’s wheels gave him enough impetus to get back on his feet. The torn patches of skin and bruised ribs would heal quickly, but for now they hurt like fuck.

He hobbled over to the bike and heaved it upright. The screaming pain in his chest and the jellied condition of his legs made it impossible for him to get back on. Using it as a crutch instead, he headed back to the cottage. Now he knew what he had to do.

* * * *

“Oh my God. Caleb! What the hell happened to you?” Mia rushed across the bar to check him over so thoroughly that he could almost believe she cared.

“I came off the bike.” The cuts and bruises must have looked as bad as they felt, judging by her horrified reaction.

“Are you okay?”

He shrugged off the small hands touching his face, suddenly irritated by the open display of affection.

“I’m fine. It’s no big deal, it happens all the time.”
Usually without the assistance of someone’s murderous ex-boyfriend.

“No big deal? Look at the state of you.” She gestured at the raw skin showing through his ripped clothes.

“Don’t worry. It won’t happen again.” He carried on over to the bar and ordered a beer from a shell-shocked Naomi.

“What do you mean? You can’t know that for sure.” Mia really didn’t have the right to play the nagging other half when she clearly only wanted him for one thing.

He took a sip of beer. “I sold my bike.”

“You did what?”

If only he’d kept his fridge stocked at home, he wouldn’t have had to endure her fake concern.

“I don’t need it for now, but I do need the cash to pay for the house repairs.” The dealer had been only too glad to get his hands on the bike. Caleb could always get a new one with the proceeds from the house sale.

“But you love that bike.”

“Love isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Is it?” Another mouthful of beer dulled the hurt he was desperately trying to manage, then he walked away to the gents’ before she could badger him for any more information.

He faced his mangled reflection in the mirror and dabbed wet tissue paper on the scrapes and scratches. Selling his T-Bird was the way forward, the only financial means of getting out of this nightmare. In the meantime he predicted his wolf would get a lot of exercise, running off his nervous energy when he’d healed. Once he’d tidied himself as much as possible, he went back to the bar and his only ally—beer.

On his return, he found Robbie draped over the counter. Caleb’s first instinct was to slam the fucker’s head repeatedly into the wood, but he settled for a beer beside the fireplace instead. The heat took the chill from his weary body, but even the smell of logs burning in the hearth couldn’t mask Robbie’s now familiar scent. That sickly sweet perfume of self-importance and wealth assaulted Caleb’s senses. The black wolf had marked the territory around the cottage and left no doubt in his mind that Robbie was responsible for the damage. If only he could figure out why.

Mia fought back the tears Caleb’s cold demeanour had called to the fore. After a week of looking after him, getting so close, she could sense him now backing away. Creating that distance between them so he found it easier to leave.

Only Robbie’s arrival had halted her outpouring of misery. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her upset. “What can I get you?”

“I’ll have a whisky, and whatever you’re having.” He held a twenty-pound note between his fingers, and she snatched it away without touching him.

“No thanks. I’m working.” Her skin crawled to think she’d ever been with this man. He couldn’t hold a candle to Caleb.

“What about after work?” His hand deliberately brushed hers as he took his change.

Mia’s gaze inadvertently travelled over to Caleb brooding in the corner, willing him to come rescue her.

“Are you two together then?” Robbie swirled the liquid around his glass, not bothering to turn around.

Her pulse skittered and her stomach knotted. She wouldn’t tell him even if she’d known the answer for sure. “He’s leaving as soon as the cottage is sold.”

“You need someone who can provide for you, who can give you the life you deserve.” He took a delicate sip of the whisky. Behind him, Caleb knocked back his beer with that masculine swagger that set them so far apart.

“And that’s you, is it?” Caleb came ‘sold as seen’, whereas Robbie was more of a showpiece, his fancy exterior hiding all manner of cracks and flaws.

“It could be.” He set his glass down and tried to make another grab for her hand. She pulled it away in time.

“No. It couldn’t. You can’t bully me into loving you, Robbie. You tried that once before, remember?” The constant phone calls and messages had nearly driven her to the brink of madness, until she’d finally agreed to let him play some small part in her life again. Instead of severing all contact first time around, that mistake had led him, and her mother, to believe they still had a chance.

As usual, what she wanted didn’t enter into Robbie’s scheme of things. “You know I bought the Henstridge Farm?” He primped his imaginary feathers and puffed out his chest.

“Yes.” She didn’t care. This peacocking never did impress her, but Robbie always insisted on playing the big man. She let him prattle on while she carried on serving around him.

“I’m thinking of putting an offer in on the Jackson place too, with it being the adjoining property.” Robbie’s words finally made an impact on her.

“You can’t buy Caleb’s house!” The ground rushed up to meet her and she clung to the bar top to stop her falling. She couldn’t imagine anyone living there except Caleb, didn’t want anyone else there. It was too soon.

Robbie’s haughty laugh rubbed more salt in the wound. “Why on earth not? He wants to sell. I want to buy. I could end up a big player around here if I secure both properties.”

His shark-like determination gave Mia the chills. With hindsight, it was entirely possible that his dogged pursuit of her had probably had more to do with her family’s sizeable estate, rather than her winning personality.

“Good luck to you.” That was all she could manage before she had to go and throw up.

* * * *

Caleb’s disappearing act from the pub meant that she had to wait until after work to pass on the information she’d gleaned from Robbie. Finally tracking him down to Rory’s, she was able to tell them both about the new development at the same time.

“Robbie’s after your land. He’s the one who bought the Henstridge place and he thinks if he gets yours too it’ll make him some sort of property mogul.” She waited for Caleb’s reaction, expecting him to come out swinging for her ex. Nothing. The passion he’d once displayed so willingly now seemed to have fizzled out.

It was Rory who got animated, pacing and gesticulating as he spoke. “That certainly gives the bastard motive. Let me chase a few things up.”

He left the room, mobile already fastened to his ear with a look of determination that Caleb didn’t share. No, the victim of Robbie’s campaign remained in his seat, emotionless, staring out of the window like she wasn’t even there. 

Well, she cared enough for both of them. The love in her heart for him was greater than her parents’ disdain, or Robbie’s tyranny. Somehow she had to find a way to make Caleb stay. Easier said than done with the void between them creating such an awkward atmosphere. She wanted to ask what had changed, or curl up in his lap and kiss him until the sun went down. But either of those actions could send him running in the other direction.

Until he gave her an opening to discuss her feelings, she wouldn’t add to his problems. Not once did he express a wish to put down roots here, so she couldn’t expect to live happily ever after with him.

Rory eventually returned to break the uncomfortable silence. “The estate agent confirmed Robbie made that first laughable offer.”

“I don’t understand where he’s getting the money to fund this venture. Unless he has some secret fortune stashed away somewhere.” Although he lived a lavish lifestyle, Mia knew Mummy and Daddy provided most of that for him.

“Someone like Robbie will have connections. I’m sure he’s a bank manager’s wet dream. Boy Wonder will have secured loans no problem.” Rory leant forward in his seat, more animated about proceedings than Caleb, who sat examining the scabs forming on his elbows.

“Caleb? Thoughts?” Desperate to see him fight for his property, for her, she very nearly gave him a slap upside the head.