Willow Smoke (28 page)

Quickly,
he
narrowed
the
space
between
them
and
pulled
her
roughly
against
his
body.
His
lips
crushed
against
hers;
stale
alcohol
nearly
overpowered
her
senses.
Instinctively,
she
bit
down
hard.

He
recoiled
and
swung
a
fist.
She
ducked
and
Reggie
fell
to
his
knees.
Fortunately,
he
was
too
drunk
to
do
much
damage.

“Don’t
ever
touch
me
again,”
she
said
coldly,
“or
you
won’t
ever
be
able
to
have
children, not that that wouldn’t make for
a better world.”

Reggie
scrambled
to
his
feet,
wiping
blood
from
his
lips
with
the
back
of
his
hand.
“Don’t
be
so
cocksure
of
yourself,
bitch.
When
the
chips are down, I’ve got something you want real
bad.”

“You
don’t have a thing I want.”

“I
have your sister.”

Daisy’s
jaw dropped. She couldn’t form a comeback.

“I
could tell her how you seduced me,” Reggie said, rubbing his crotch. “She’s
jealous of you already, you know. She knows you’re prettier.
All
I’d
have
to
do
is
call
out
your
name
when
I’m
banging
her.”

Reggie’s
eyes
glazed
over.
Daisy’s
skin
crawled.

“Or
I
could
give
her
a
little
more
drug
candy.
Bye,
bye
Maxine.
It
would
be
so
easy.
I
can
see
I’ve
given
you
plenty
to
think
about,
bitch.”
Reggie
lifted
Daisy’s
chin,
ignoring
her
glare.
“I’ve
always
wondered
what
your
buck
teeth
would
feel
like
scraping
against
my
Roger
down
there.”

“Given
the
chance,
I’d
bite
it
off,”
Daisy
spat. “You’ve said more than
enough. Get
out
of
here.
The
tips
for
Saturday
and
Sunday
will
be
on
your
machine
by
Friday
night. And you’d better not hurt my
sister.”

“Right. Or what? I’m
leaving. But
remember,
bitch,
I
always
know
where
you
live.
Bye-bye!”

The door to her
apartment slammed shut.
Riveted
in
space,
Daisy
trembled
and
shook
before
pulling
herself
together
enough
to
go
into
the
kitchen
and
brew
a
cup
of tea.

She
had
a
complicated
problem.
Reggie
wasn’t
about
to
go
away.
He’d
never
get
enough money from her sister or from
her.
Why
had
Maxine
ever
married
the
guy,
and
why
did
she
continue
to
stay
with
him?
Drugs
was
the
obvious
answer.
The
man
was
a
walking
drugstore.

Nick!
Good
grief,
she
couldn’t
let
him
know
about
Reggie
and
Maxine.
It
was
bad
enough
that
he
knew
she’d
been
raised
in
a
group
home.
What
would
he
think
if he
knew
her
sister
was
a
druggie
and
part-time
whore?
And
that
her
brother-in-law
sold
drugs
as
well
as
his
wife
to
anyone
with
the
right
amount
of
cash?

Daisy
gagged.
If
he
ever
found
out
about
Maxine
and
Reggie,
she’d
be
totally
humiliated.
He
wouldn’t
want
to
be
involved
with
her
at
all.

Memories
of
Nick’s
family
gathered
around the
dining
room
table
in
Saint
Paul
flooded
her.
She
cried.
Was
it
envy,
or
loss?

“Hi
Daisy,
congratulations
on
RainbowBlaze’s
stakes
win.”
Cassie
Travers
poked
her
head
into
Sam
Gallagher’s
stable
office.
“I’d
have
been
by
sooner,
but
the
baby’s
been
sick.”

Daisy’s
smile
faded.
“Nothing
serious?”

“No, just a cold. It
happens.”

Daisy
shoved
her
chair
away
from
the
old
desk
where
she’d
been
scribbling
down
the
weekly
training
schedules.
Cassie
settled
down
on
a
chair
across
from
her.
“It
was great, Cass. Any victory is great, but a stakes race, no matter how
small, that’s something. It was worth the trip.
Nick’s
family
joined
us
in
the
winner’s
circle.”

Daisy
paused
and
cocked
her
head
to
the
side.
“I
know
I’m
rattling
on.
I’m
sure
you
know
what
it’s
like
to
own
part
of
a
horse
that’s
won
a
stakes
race.”

“Uh,
huh.
I
also
know
what
it
feels
like
to
be
a
well
loved
woman.”

Rolling
her
eyes,
Daisy
groaned.
“Do
I
have
a
neon
sign
that’s
blinking?
That’s
exactly
what
Angie
said.
That’s
Nick’s
sister.”
She
sighed
and
closed
her
eyes.
Looking
back
at
Cassie,
she
said,
“You’re
right,
it is fantastic. I never knew it would
be
this
great.
He’s
so
kind
and
gentle
and
understanding.
I’m
learning
a
lot.”

“Bullshit.
You’re
falling
in
love.”

“No
way.”
Daisy
leaped
to
her
feet,
towering
over
her
friend.
“That
won’t
happen.
I
won’t let
it. He doesn’t want that. Neither of us does.”

“I
think
you’re
babbling
again.”

Daisy
plopped
back
down
in
the
swivel
chair.
“You’re often right, Cassie
Travers,
but
this
time
you’re
wrong.
Nick
and
I
have
a
deal.
And
it’s
got
nothing
to
do
with
love.”

“It’s
okay,
girl.”
Cassie
crossed
her
feet
at
the
ankles
and
leaned
back.
“You
believe
whatever
you
want.
We’ll
see.
So
he’s
treating
you
right?”