Rachel quietly opened the front door. It was still dark outside, and she didn’t want to wake Mag. She was terrified, if she did, she wouldn’t have the strength to leave. She turned, closing the door behind her, and gave a startled scream when Cash spoke behind her.
“Going somewhere?” He was sitting on Mag’s swing, his boot moving the swing back and forth.
“What are you doing here?”
“Keeping you from running off again.”
Rachel knew it was useless denying it since she was holding her suitcase in her hand.
“I need to go to the university to finish up the work on my dissertation; it’s due this week.”
“Lily told me. Funny that you didn’t plan on going there until yesterday.”
“A lot happened yesterday. I almost got killed.”
“The whole state almost died,” Cash corrected her.
“Yes. He planned it that way, didn’t he?”
“Yep. It would have drawn the attention to the organization he was involved with, to prove how incapable the government was... I don’t know… for whatever crazy ass reason they came up with to take innocent lives.”
Rachel nodded, moving nearer the steps.
“I prayed today, Rachel.” The swing stopped moving. “I honestly don’t remember the last time I had. Maybe the day I saw you crying over your parents’ grave, or the day I found my grandfather. I didn’t pray the whole time I was overseas fighting. I didn’t when my parents died. When Mag lay dying in front of me and you tried to save her, I didn’t pray. But when Lily told us you were at Molly’s Valley, I prayed the whole way there. I made a bunch of promises the good Lord knows I’ll never keep, but I made one I will. I love you, Rachel. I told you I was slow, and I’ve proved that by you. I’ve made several mistakes I wish never happened.”
His foot started the swing moving again. “I didn’t touch that woman Killyama saw me with. I was paying her for information, and I took off as fast as I could because I wanted to get back to you, to see how you were, to make sure you were safe. We both know that you’re a good enough shot that you’re not going to miss what you’re aiming at, so I left to give you some time to cool down.” His soft laughter filled her heart.
“You see, Rachel. I’m finally figuring you out. You don’t sleep in my bed because you’re saving that. You don’t pull my dirty clothes out of the clothes hamper when you wash clothes because you’re saving that. You won’t fix dinner for me because you’re saving that, too. You might have given me your virginity, but you’re saving all your other firsts for another man. It tore out a piece of my heart, when I realized, why you won’t tell me you love me out loud. Like ripping off a band aid.”
A tear slid down her cheek as his words hit home.
“I knew, sure as shit, you were going to run, just like your mama did when my father screwed up with my mother. I’m asking you to stay and give us a chance.”
“Cash, I want a home and children.” Her voice broke. “I don’t want to wake up in a MC club every morning.”
“I can give you what you need, Rachel. I swear I can. Vixen, trust me one more time. I won’t let you down. I promise.”
She heard the truth in his husky voice.
“You still want to leave?”
Rachel nodded, this time unable to hold back her tears.
Cash’s face filled with agony as the sun rose over the mountains.
“I’ll drive you, then. Your car won’t make it out of town, much less the four hour drive to Lexington.” He walked toward her, taking the suitcase.
Rachel climbed into the truck while he placed her suitcase in the back. Climbing in, he started the motor and then backed out with a hard face. At the bottom of the driveway, he flipped on the blinker.
“You’re going the wrong way.”
When his startled face turned toward her, Rachel reached across the seat, taking his hand in hers. “Let’s go home, Cash.”
Chapter 38
Cash set the sandwich and cup of tea down in front of the computer. “Eat.”
“Let me finish this sentence; I’m almost done,” Rachel said wearily.
The university had given her another advisor, since Homeland Security found out Dr. Alden had been a member of Scorpion’s anti-government group. He had fed them the information that Rachel would be able to get them into the restricted facility, setting her up to be killed. Rachel wanted a front row seat when he went to court.
“You said that over four hours ago. Taking ten minutes to eat isn’t going to set you back. Your paper isn’t due until tomorrow at twelve.”
“I know, but I want to go to church and—”
“Eat, Rachel, or I’ll take the computer away.”
Rachel stopped typing long enough to pick up her sandwich while glaring at him. He sat down on the chair next to the desk in his room at The Last Riders’ clubhouse.