Wicked Need (The Wicked Horse Series Book 3)(31)

“What happened?” I ask bluntly. I can tell something happened in the last two hours that has her a bit rattled.

“What do you mean?” she asks, those large, brown eyes blinking at me in faux innocence. I don’t buy it for a second.

“Come on, Cat,” I say softly as I step into her. She looks up at me with her lower lip tucked in between her teeth, and Christ… that’s sexy, but I move past that thought. “You’ve already told me enough of your dirty laundry that you obviously trust me to some extent. Tell me what’s got that beautiful face filled with trouble.”

That lip pops free as she gives a resigned sigh, her eyes lowering briefly as she takes in a breath and then looks back up at me. “I ran into Kevin on the street.”

For a moment, I don’t comprehend who that is, but then it hits me hard and my protective instincts arise. Reaching out, I take her by the upper arm and pull her a little closer. “Did he hurt you? Are you okay?”

She nods quickly. “Yeah… I mean, he was a creep as always, and he threatened me, but I think—”

“He f*cking threatened you?” I snarl, and she jerks in surprise over the deadly tone in my voice.

“Not to f*ck with him,” she says timidly. “To forget about the will.”

“You two discussed the will?”

“Among other things,” she says as she steps backward and pulls her arm slightly to get me to release it. I’m not sure if she’s seeking distance because I just scared her or she doesn’t appreciate the caveman mentality, but I let it go for now. Instead, I cross my arms over my chest.

“Okay, how about tell me everything start to finish?” I command.

“It was short… we literally bumped into each other on the street. Well, actually, I think he ran into me on purpose to get my attention, but no matter. Anyway, I told him wanted a copy of the signed will and he wasn’t happy about that. But then he propositioned me—”

I curse under my breath and that stops Cat’s dialogue. She looks at me in question, and I wave an impatient hand at her. “Sorry… go on.”

“He said I could move back into the Jackson house, but I told him I wouldn’t let his needle dick anywhere near me. Then he told me not to f*ck with him, reiterated the Jackson house offer, which was essentially to be his side piece, or I could take five thousand in cash and go away.”

“Did he touch you?” I ask through a locked jaw and gritted teeth.

She knows by the tone of my voice that her answer could be perilous, so she stiffens her spine and simply says, “Yes. He grabbed me and pulled me into an embrace just before he threatened me. But we were on a public sidewalk and he wasn’t about to make a scene. When I pulled away, he let me go.”

Blazing fury fills me as I think about that * taking advantage of Cat’s body because he believed his dad owned her, and now trying to do so again. The thought he could think to take what I was fast starting to think of as mine pissed me off. That he would even think about trying to touch her again makes me furious, especially when he essentially forced himself on her before. She may not have fought him, but he damn well knew she didn’t want her husband gifting her to his son whenever he felt the need arise.

“Something good came of that meeting though,” she says quickly.

My eyes focus in on her, leaving my other thoughts about murdering Kevin behind. “What’s that?”

“I know damn well that will leaving me nothing wasn’t executed. Otherwise, he would have never threatened me or tried to pay me off. He was wigged out when I told him I wanted to see the signed copy.”

“So what… you think the original will is still in Vegas?” I ask.

“I do,” she confirms. “And I’m leaving tomorrow to find out if I’m right.”

“What?” I ask in stunned disbelief.

She’s leaving?

Maybe not coming back?

“I’m going to drive back to Vegas,” she says with a gleam in her eye. She gives a pat to her purse. “I was able to pawn all my jewelry, so I have some money to help me get by. I’m getting into that house and Samuel’s office, and I’m not leaving until I know the truth.”

“You pawned your jewelry?” I ask in disbelief. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I need the money, Rand,” she says with a little irritation in her voice. “I can’t just live off you, you know. And I can’t sit back and let that dickhead take advantage of me anymore.”

I hate she has to make these tough choices, and I can’t stand the thought of her being so desperate she pawned her jewelry, but I can understand her reasoning to do just that. Cat’s done with taking a backseat to her life. She let Samuel dictate everything and now that he’s gone, her backbone is starting to shore up.

“You should have at least tried to sell the jewelry to some reputable jewelry stores,” I grumble.

“I did try,” she says. “No one was interested, so I had no choice.”

“Well, at least if you’re owed some of Samuel’s estate, you can get it all back,” I concede.

Cat gives an unladylike snort and shakes her head. “I don’t want that jewelry. It means nothing to me. I don’t want anything reminding me of that man and what he did to me.”