Penmort Castle (Ghosts and Reincarnation #1)(135)

“Cash,” he started, “son, you don’t believe –”

Cash’s eyes had gone to his arm when Alistair touched him but they cut to his uncle as Cash pulled his arm away.

“Don’t ever,” Cash’s voice was lethal, “call me ‘son’.”

Cash saw red started creeping up his uncle’s neck as Alistair took a step back and Cash continued moving, guiding Abby to their room.

Once they arrived, he shut the door and Abby stormed deep into the room.

Then she started pacing.

Then she started ranting, however she did this quietly.

“I do not believe,” she hissed, “that Alistair tried to kill you.”

“Abby –” Cash started but she talked over him.

“On the day of his anniversary! Valentine’s Day!” she snapped. “Nicola has been planning this for nine months! Nine!” she clipped, lifting both hands up to Cash to show him nine fingers. “And he attempts the murder of my boyfriend,” she thumped her chest for emphasis, “on Nicola’s special day!”

Cash bit back a smile at her words and tried again, “Darling, calm –” but she kept going.

“He tried to kill you on Valentine’s Day,” she repeated, “and nearly killed his stepdaughter!”

Cash leaned his shoulders against the door and crossed his arms on his chest deciding to let her get it out. She needed to vent so they could move on with the weekend and she could keep her wits about her. She was going to need them.

He watched her pace and rant, her arms waving around. He thought, regardless of their murderous circumstances (now both Cash and Abby were on different firing lines), she looked quite adorable in her muted fury.

And while he watched her something suddenly occurred to him. Something he hadn’t considered before. Something vital that freed a lock deep inside him that he didn’t know was secured.

Throughout their short relationship, she reminded him of his mother, not in good ways, but in bad. Her mood swings, erratic behaviour and the depth of her pain which he could not fathom, nor did he think he could do anything about.

He thought about Abby manically packing her bag, taking too many pills to kill unknown pain, raving about a ghost.

He was used to this bizarre and alarming behaviour from his mother. He was used to a life of hour-to-hour, even sometimes minute-to-minute, not knowing where her crazed mind would take her, dragging Cash along with her.

And he’d accepted it from Abby but held himself aloof, protecting himself with an exit plan.

But Abby wasn’t mentally ill.

Abby was simply spirited. She also had been in the final throes of escaping a deep grief that had her imprisoned in its grip for four years.

She was now over that grief. She had let her guard down and given herself to him.

Not only that, she was putting herself in danger for no other reason but to make his legacy safe. It had nothing to do with her but she was doing it anyway.

Risking her life.

For Cash.

When his thoughts came back to the room, the edge he’d carried all his life had faded away. The peace he felt with Abby settled around him like a warm, nurturing shroud.

And at that moment, Cash Fraser vowed he was going to keep that peace and the only person in his life who’d ever given it to him.

Not for awhile.

Forever.

Abby completely missed his life-altering resolution and was still seething. “It took everything I had not to walk right across the room and kick him in the shin.”

He grinned at the visual she created, uncrossed his arms and walked to her as she stood, no longer pacing but planted and solid and glaring at him.

He stopped close and slid his arms around her. “Are you done?”

“No,” she snapped.

He waited. She was silent.

Then she took in a deep breath and said, “Okay, maybe I’m done.”

Cash burst out laughing and while doing so he felt her body relax. She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around him.

He looked down at her to see she’d tipped her head back to watch him laugh. The anger had gone out of her face. The awe he’d seen only once had replaced it.

Then she whispered, “I love it when you laugh.”

That shroud drew closer, grew warmer and his arms tightened around her.

He didn’t comment on her words, instead he asked, “Are you okay?”

“You mean after crashing your fabulously expensive sports car into a wall?” she queried in return.

He felt his mouth twitch. “Yes, after that.”

“Pretty much,” she replied. “Though now, if we have to make a quick getaway, we have no wheels.”

“A rental will be delivered within the hour,” Cash told her.

She looked surprised for a minute then she smiled and relaxed further into him.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“No, but I will be,” he answered.

Her arms gave him a squeeze and her head tipped to the side. “What do you think Suzanne is up to?”

“No idea,” Cash replied.

Though he did have an idea, however he was willing to ride it out and see where it took them.

“Surprising ally,” Abby whispered.

Cash bent his head and put his mouth to the skin below her ear, not wanting to talk about Suzanne, not wanting to talk at all, and murmured, “Indeed.”