There was too much anger and animosity in this house as it was. Caleb had never given thought to whether Tori would object so strenuously to Ramie’s presence. It wasn’t until Ramie’s explanation that he understood.
He hated feeling so goddamn helpless. If he gave in to his sister then Ramie suffered. She could die. She would die. If he dug in his heels, as he’d already done, he’d cause a rift between him and Tori that might never be mended.
“I want you to fight for your right to be here,” he murmured.
She stiffened and pulled away, glancing up at him with those troubled gray eyes that seemed too enormous for her face. Eyes that had several lifetimes of violence and pain behind them.
“I know what I’m asking isn’t easy,” he continued. “You don’t deserve Tori’s hostility and you don’t deserve for my brothers to look at you without welcome in their eyes. But I’m asking you to stay. For me. And you owe me nothing. God only knows how much I owe you. I’m still asking, though.”
“What exactly are you asking me to be?” she asked hoarsely. “Friend? Lover?”
“Yes and yes,” he responded quietly. “More. A lot more. But we’ll get to that in time. For now, yes. Friends. Eventually lovers. After that? It’s whatever you want. What you need. I hope to God I’m able to give you what you need.”
“And what about what you need?”
He stared back at her, momentarily off balance by her question. Need? He needed a lot of things. Things he had no control over. For a man used to being in control of every aspect of his life, suddenly not being in control was daunting. It made him feel weak at a time when his family needed his strength more than ever.
“I need?. . .??you,” he finally said. “I need for Tori to be able to sleep at night. For my brothers to quit blaming themselves for what happened to her. I need for the animals who have terrorized both you and Tori to be captured and punished. I need a lot of things, but the only thing I have any control over whatsoever is you and your presence in my life. So give me that, at least. If nothing else, give me that.”
“Okay,” she said in a near whisper. “I’ll stay. I’ll try. I’ve been running for so long that I don’t know any other way, Caleb. I don’t know how to be normal. Don’t let me run this time. I need you to believe in me even if I don’t believe in myself.”
He squeezed her hand and then slid his other hand up her arm to clasp her shoulder, balancing her, infusing her with his will and determination. Then he leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead, inhaling her scent.
“I won’t let you run, Ramie. Never again. I want you here with me and if you try to run, I’ll just come after you. Always.”
He watched the slow realization of his words sink in and the shocked look in her eyes but also unfettered hope. Maybe he was finally getting to her. God, he hoped so.
“Now, let’s get you something to eat,” he said. “After you’ve had a decent meal, we’ll sit down with my team of investigators so we can get an idea of what we’re dealing with here.”
FIFTEEN
IT was a frightening concept for the hunted to become the hunter. Ramie had spent all her time running, trying to avoid being captured, and yet now she was suddenly on offense. Going after the man who wanted nothing more than her death. Was she insane for agreeing to stay in one place for any length of time? Shouldn’t she be constantly on the move, remaining one step ahead of her stalker?
She rubbed her hands repeatedly over the tops of her thighs, the denim of her jeans worn and faded. Holes had formed, a look people paid good money for on perfectly new pants. For Ramie it was just the result of having no way to buy new clothing.
“Ramie?”
Caleb’s voice drifted through her consciousness and she guiltily turned her head in his direction. She could feel the tightening pressure of an impending panic attack, but she was determined not to give in and not to freak out in front of the people Caleb had hired to bring down the man hunting her.
“I’m sorry. Can you repeat the question?”
Caleb sighed but at least he didn’t look angry. He wore a look of understanding. And then, as if realizing how perilously close to the edge she was, he sat down beside her on the couch and slid his fingers through hers. Perhaps it was so she could share in his resolve and determination. She could certainly use a transfusion of those qualities.
“Can you describe the man who attacked you?” Caleb asked.
She drew a complete blank. Her forehead wrinkled and her skin tightened around her eyes as she focused her absolute attention on trying to grab an image of her stalker from the fragments of her mind.
“It will be helpful if we can get a sketch of him,” the woman who’d introduced herself as Eliza said gently. “If we plaster his face in enough places, sooner or later we’ll ferret him out.”