The Rancher's Return. Karen Whiddon

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ flashed across his rugged features, but he didn’t comment.

      Briefly, she closed her eyes. Even after all this time, the horrible scene still had the power to paralyze her. “I walked in on him and Alex arguing. Of course, I didn’t know who Alex was then.” Her throat felt raw. This might be past history, but the memory of it still hurt.

      “Go on,” he urged.

      She tried to speak and couldn’t.

      “Alex Ramirez and Tim were arguing? And then what?”

      “Yes. The instant Tim saw me, he looked afraid. He ordered me to leave, but Alex grabbed me. I knew from the expression on Tim’s face that it wasn’t good, but I didn’t know how bad. Not yet.”

      She took a deep, shaky breath, aware what she had to tell him next would be painful. Miserable, she tried to find the right words, then decided just to say it.

      “Alex killed him.” The words came out in a hoarse whisper. “He turned around, pulled out a pistol and shot Tim dead. Right there, right in front of me. And when I freaked out, he told me to calm down or he’d kill me, too.”

      Reed swore. The dark shadow in his gaze spoke of his contempt for her, of the fact that he disbelieved her story. She told herself that didn’t matter, that it was justified. Just like she’d actually come to believe she deserved to be treated the way Alex had abused her.

      “And then Alex tied me up, put me in the trunk of his car, and took me back to his mansion.” Such a simple sentence could not possibly convey the horror of what had happened. That night and for many days and nights after. Years, actually.

      “And no one noticed you were gone?” He couldn’t quite hide his disbelief.

      “With everything that happened, I think they assumed I fled out of cowardice.”

      Silence, while he considered this.

      “How’d you escape?” Reed asked. “And when?”

      Heaven help her, her lower lip started quivering. She coughed, using her hand to try and cover it up. “Just now. Today. Despite knowing Anniversary is the first place Alex will look, I needed to come to you and try to make things right before I go on the run.”

      The skepticism in his eyes made her feel sick. “I shouldn’t have come here. I see that now.”

      “Then why did you?” he asked quietly. “Really, why did you?”

      She shrugged to mask her pain. “You were the only other person I could think of who would care. The only person beside myself who would give a damn about what Alex had done. Not only to Tim, but to you. And me. With all my heart, I believe he should pay.”

      Clearly not believing her, he didn’t speak again, so she collected her purse and turned to go. Head up, shoulders back, hoping like hell she projected an attitude that was different from how broken and defeated she felt inside.

      She got half the distance to the door before he stopped her. “Wait.”

      Though she knew she should have kept moving, she froze. “Yes?”

      “All right. I’m still listening. Tell me more, make me believe you. Why would a man as rich and powerful as Alex Ramirez do such a thing? What was he even doing with my brother?”

      Exhaustion made her sag, though the instant she realized this she straightened her shoulders. “Politics isn’t the only thing Alex is involved with. He runs a huge drug operation in central Texas. Apparently Tim was working for him.”

      He knew, she saw. The emotion passing over his face might have been fleeting, but she realized he understood that this at least was the truth.

      “You’re telling me that you witnessed a politician kill my brother and he let you live.”

      “Yes. As his prisoner.”

      “Why? Tell me why he’d do that?”

      She looked him in the eye and gave him the truth. “Because he’s a sociopath.”

      Silence while he digested this. Then he asked, “Do you have proof? Something besides your word that this man killed my brother and kept you prisoner?”

      “No.” She swallowed. “Only my word against his. And I had no idea that he’d framed you and had you sent to prison. You’ve got to believe me. I just found out the other night when he got drunk and started bragging.”

      “I’m having trouble with the entire story. If you were his prisoner, how’d you escape now?”

      Cheeks burning, she told him her shame. “After three years, he’d loosened his hold on me. I wasn’t always kept locked up. I really think he believed I wouldn’t go.”

      “Did he treat you well, then?” He asked the question with deceptive calmness.

      “Well? I wouldn’t call it that.”

      Hazel eyes burning, he tilted his head. “Then what would you call it?”

      “Reed, he beat and raped me. I was a possession to him, a toy to do with as he wanted.” She tried to sound matter-of-fact, even though saying the truth out loud felt both mortifying and painful. “He enjoyed hurting and humiliating me. In the early months, I tried to escape and he blackened my eyes and broke my ribs. If I hadn’t figured out a way to get away now, I have no doubt once he got tired of me, he would have eventually killed me.”

      “Forgive me, but I can’t bring myself to feel sorry for you. Your story is far-fetched and bizarre.”

      “I know.” She resisted the urge to hang her head. “Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.”

      His features hardened. “I see. Let me ask you something, and I need you to tell me the truth, for once. Even though you claim Alex Ramirez did it, I have to ask. Was it you, all along? Did you kill my brother?”

      Stunned, at first she couldn’t speak, couldn’t respond. She should have expected this. In fact, she probably would have wondered the same thing had their places been reversed.

      Finally, she found her voice. “No. I did not.”

      “Excuse me if I don’t take your word for it.”

      Finally defeated, she straightened her spine and nodded. “I understand. Believe me. I’ll leave and let you go back to your life.”

      “Wait.” This time, he stopped her before she turned. “Give me something to help me believe, to make me understand. You’ve come here with this story, which you have to admit is way out there. You claim you not only witnessed my brother’s murder, but you’ve been kept a prisoner by the killer, who just happens to be the lieutenant governor of Texas, a guy who’s considered a front-runner for governor next election. Does that about cover it?”

      “Yes.”

      “Kaitlyn, I want to believe you....”

      “But you just can’t. I understand.”

      “Then СКАЧАТЬ