Their Own Time Page 8

  “Took you long enough, McKinley. I was beginning to wonder whether you cared for this whore,” Carrick spoke from the corner of the room, where he held a large knife.

  “Are you alright?” He ignored Carrick and moved toward Carissa.

  She nodded, and he diverted his attention back to Carrick.

  “Let her go, and I might be inclined to let you live.” He lied. He wasn’t going to let that man leave this room unless it was to be buried.

  “You are a fool.” Carrick laughed. Four men revealed themselves from a door that had been hidden with a large tapestry.

  Garrett continued, letting Carrick believe he had come alone. He wanted to make sure he was close enough to protect Carissa from the fight that would happen once his men came in the room.

  “You have me then, you can have anything you want, just let her go,” Garrett pleaded and set his sword on the ground slowly.

  “I want your land.”

  “Why? So you can let my people starve as yours have?” Garrett took a step toward Carissa.

  “It won’t matter much to you since you will be dead.”

  “I do believe it will matter very much to me, whether I am dead or alive.” Garrett took another step toward the bed.

  “You would do well to keep away from my future wife, Garrett.”

  Garrett’s nostrils flared. “I think you may have something mixed up, McLaughlin.”

  “After I kill you and your mother, of course, I will be taking her as my wife. In body and mind.” He grinned and licked his lips toward Carissa.

  “You will never touch her,” Garrett growled and lunged for Carissa. “Now!” he yelled as his men poured into the room.

  The sound of grunts and metal clashing filled his ears as he worked to remove Carissa’s hands from their bindings.

  “Easy love, all will be well.” He smiled softly at her and removed the fabric that had been tied around her mouth.

  “You came for me.” Carissa’s body shook, and Garrett helped her to her feet.

  “Of course I came for you.” He brushed a strand of hair from her face.

  She smiled softly, and then her eyes widened, and the color drained from her face. “Garrett!” she screamed and shoved him.

  Garrett watched in horror as Carrick’s dagger buried itself in her side. A single tear slipped from her eye, and she fell to the ground.

  Garrett roared and slammed his body into Carrick. He grabbed the dagger from Carrick’s hand and drove it down into the man’s chest.

  “Carissa!” Garrett cried as he gathered her into his arms.

  “We must get her to Chloe. She will be able to help.” One of his men knelt to his face, and Garrett saw that all of the McLaughlin soldiers who had been in the room now lay dead on the floor.

  He nodded and stood slowly, cradling Carissa.

  “It hurts, Garrett,” she cried, and he cradled her closer.

  “You will be fine, love. We know a healer. We are taking you to her now.”

  Carissa nodded and leaned against his chest. “Is Gabby okay?”

  “Our daughter is fine, my love. My mother is with her now.”

  Carissa smiled when he called Gabby theirs. If she died today, she would at least know that her Gabby was cared for and loved beyond words. The pain in her side was beginning to fade, the numbness taking over. The wound itself would have missed her vital organs, she knew, but the loss of blood was great, and if they didn’t get it stopped soon then she wouldn’t last long.

  She kept her eyes closed and listened to Garrett’s steady heartbeat.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Lay her down,” the woman’s voice was stern, and Carissa felt Garrett set her down.

  “Bring me my kit,” she instructed, and Carissa opened her eyes. The kind, pale eyes that stared into her own steadied her nerves. “Hi, Carissa, ‘tis wonderful to meet you, I am going to make sure you are okay, alright?”

  Carissa nodded.

  A man handed the woman a small bag, and Carissa closed her eyes as the woman worked on her wound.

  Carissa opened her eyes and squinted as the light poured into a window.

  “How do you feel?” She heard Garrett’s voice and turned to see him sitting next to the bed she was laying in.

  “I feel pretty good, considering.” She smiled and saw the pain on his face.

  “How are you?” She wondered as she reached for him.

  “Not well, you took a blade that was meant for me. You should have saved yourself, and instead, you almost died.”

  “I love you, Garrett, I would do it again if I had to.”

  “It is not for you to decide that,” he said through gritted teeth.

  “It was my choice, and I would make the same one again,” she e repeated and then closed her eyes.

  “I’m sorry, lass. You just scared me.”

  “Leon?” she asked cautiously.

  “He is recovering.”

  Carissa smiled. “Can we go home?”

  “I think that would be fine.” The woman who had cared for her came into the room. “You’ve been asleep for near a day. Your wound wasn’t deep, it was the blood loss that worried me, but your color appears to be fine. You need to keep the area clean, though, infection is going to be the biggest threat.”

  “Thank you.” Carissa smiled, unsure of the woman’s name.

  “This is Chloe, she was Eleanora’s handmaiden.” Garrett introduced them.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Carissa said.

  “You as well.” Chloe smiled and then turned to Garrett. “You will need to carry her and make sure that she does not strain or she could pull the wound open once more.”

  Garrett nodded. “You and your son need to pack your belongings.”

  “What? Why? We cannot go back with you, we are needed here.” Chloe’s features changed, and Carissa could see the worry on her face. She was afraid Garrett would force them to leave.

  “Aye, but you are needed in the McLaughlin castle.”

  “I do not understand, you said that Carrick McLaughlin is dead.”

  “He is, your son is his only surviving child. Therefore, the McLaughlin land belongs to him.”

  Chloe’s mouth opened, and then she closed it again. “I do not understand, how?”

  “Once Carissa was sleeping soundly, I met with the heads of the families here in town. I told them of your son’s parentage, and they agreed he resembled Carrick McLaughlin. I informed them that you and your son would be taking over the land. It now belongs to you. All men who were loyal to Carrick have been dispatched of.” He grit his teeth, speaking of the men who were willing to attack innocent people to support their laird. “Any issues and you send word to me. I will assist you any way I can.” He squeezed Carissa’s hand slightly. “I owe you a great debt.”

  Chloe’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Garrett.” She wiped her face and then turned for the door. “I must go and tell Fergus!”

  “That was a wonderful thing you did for her and her son.”

  “They deserve it. Carrick McLaughlin was a terrible man. I am grateful something good will come from his horrible acts.” Garrett stood and lifted Carissa carefully into his arms.

  “Shall we go home then?”

  “Yes.” She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “Let’s go home.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Carissa stood arm in arm with her husband and stared out at the beautiful Ireland sky. Wow, she couldn’t believe he was her husband! She squeezed her eyes shut and smiled. Life was amazing.

  “Garrett!” Carissa opened her eyes to see Kettie running toward them, a huge grin spread across her face.

  “What is it?”

  “She’s alive!”

  “Who’s alive?” he asked curiously.

  “Iona.”

  When Garrett’s grin matched his mothers, Carissa found herself confused.

  “Who’s Iona?” she asked.

  “My aunt. She has been missing for near
ly six years. We thought her husband had killed her. Why do you say she’s alive?”

  “When I was out last, I found myself asking around, and I just got word that someone had seen her only four months ago!”

  “Are you sure it was her?”

  “I feel it, Garrett, it has to be her!”

  “Why did you not tell me you were asking around before now?”

  “I wanted to be sure. I know how close you were to your aunt, and I didn’t want to let you down.”

  “What are you going to do now?”

  “I am leaving in the morning to find her and bring her home.”

  “I will go with you.”

  “You will do no such thing.” Kettie straightened. “I will take a few of the guards with me, but that is all. You stay here with your family.” Kettie pulled Carissa in for a hug. “I am so grateful my son has you.”

  “Thank you. I am so grateful I have him as well.”

  Kettie’s eyes lit up, and she grinned again. “I must be off, I have sleep and packing to get to!”

  Carissa watched, amused, as Kettie practically skipped down the hall.

  “I hope she finds her,” she said softly.

  “I do as well.” Garrett turned to face her. “I find I would very much like to take my wife to bed.”

  “Your wife would like that as well,” Carissa said softly and then laughed when Garrett scooped her into his arms.

  Wade & Chloe

  Time does not heal all wounds, but love certainly can…

  Chapter One

  Chloe took a look around the large room she called her own. If you had told her any day before now that she was going to be living in and running Castle McLaughlin, she would have laughed at you and thought you were mad. Yet, here she was, determining where she wished to put her trunk.

  She was more than grateful to Garrett McKinley for setting everything up, but it still seemed so surreal.

  “Momma!” Her son, and Carrick’s only heir who he hadn’t even known existed, came running into the room.

  “My room is so big!” He giggled when Chloe knelt to tickle him.

  “Are you happy here?”

  “YES!” He grinned from ear to ear and continued running around the room.

  All of the normal staff had left when Carrick began forcing himself on the maids and brutally beating the men. They had simply disappeared, herself included, and no one had known where they went. But once word got out that Carrick McLaughlin had been slain and she was running Castle McLaughlin, they came running back.

  There had been feasts, and many of the women had come forth to embrace her, and let her know that they, too, had been victimized by the monstrous man.

  Chloe watched her son running around the room. She’d be damned if her boy turned out to be anything like Carrick McLaughlin. Her son was going to be a kind and fair leader.

  “Fergus, stop your running. You will trip and fall and crack your head.”

  “Yes, Mother.” Her son stopped, his grin still splitting his face.

  “Go on with you, I have things to tend to.” She laughed lightly as he sped from the room, anxious to uncover whatever secrets their new home held, and as she watched him run, she promised herself that he wouldn’t turn out to be anything like Carrick had been.

  Chapter Two

  Wade Cahill searched through the small rental house that Carissa Stephenson and her daughter Gabby had once inhabited. It had been empty for at least a month, he guessed. The lady who owned the place had let him in, even though he didn’t have jurisdiction here. She had informed him that she hadn’t seen or heard anything and that Carissa had paid the rent through the end of the year up front.

  He had been working so hard to get her to turn in that bastard ex-boyfriend of hers. She had gotten the short end of the stick when she had reported it the first time, and the crooked detective who took her statement ended up telling the boyfriend about it rather than processing a report.

  He shook his head as he looked around at the clean house. Not a single thing out of place, and all of their clothes were still neatly folded into drawers. Whatever had caused them to disappear had been quick, and Carissa must not have seen it coming. Her best friend, Ashleigh Hutchinson, had been the one to make the call to him. Said that Carissa didn’t show up to their once a month play date and that she had not missed one before.

  Carissa had looked so small when he had seen her last. Her blonde hair was pulled back tightly, her eyes wide with fear. He could only imagine why she ran. He had tried to track down her ex, Parker, but he hadn’t been seen or heard from either.

  Wade clenched his fists. If that asshole got ahold of them, he was going to put him away for good, that was if he even made it to jail. Wade had no tolerance for men who hurt women.

  Wade pulled the door closed behind him and headed back to the landlord’s house.

  “Hi, again, Mrs. Kinley,” he offered with a smile. “Here’s my card, if you hear or see anything or if she shows back up, will you call me?”

  “Of course. I’m sure she’s alright, she’s a smart girl, and she loves that baby more than anything. She wouldn’t have let anything happen to Gabby or herself,” she said softly and patted his shoulder.

  Wade just nodded and headed for his car. He needed a drink.

  “Cahill,” Wade muttered into his phone as he looked at his alarm clock. Four a.m., this had better be good.

  “They found a body.”

  Wade's entire body went rigid, and the haze of sleep that had been hovering over him disappeared. “Who is it?” he asked, saying a silent prayer it wasn’t Carissa or Gabby.

  “Looks to be that dude you’ve been looking for. Parker Dobbson.”

  “Thank you, God,” Wade said silently. “Where?”

  “In an abandoned house in Dallas.”

  “Text me the address, I’m on my way.”

  When Wade had first caught wind of what Parker Dobbson had put Carissa through, he had been more than angry. He had forced himself to stay away from the man because he was worried as to what he might do, but it would have been nothing compared to what appeared to have happened to him. Parker Dobbson was barely recognizable through the bruising that covered his face. His eyes were both swollen and his nose no longer its normal straight shape. It now looked as if it had been folded in half. And that wasn’t even the worst part.

  Dobbson’s body looked as if it had been put through a massive amount of pain. His clothes were shredded, and his body was covered in lacerations. Honestly, it looked as if the man had repeatedly been whipped. It made Wade sick. He never wished this kind of pain on anyone, regardless of the type of person they were. And it was clear that Dobbson had suffered greatly before he died.

  “What do you think happened here?” Jack Keesler, Wade’s partner, walked over and handed him a cup of coffee.

  Wade gratefully drank and then shook his head. “I have no idea. The body was moved, he wasn’t killed here.” There was no blood splatter anywhere, and after looking at the body, Wade knew there would have been. Shit, it probably would have been everywhere.

  “I almost feel sorry for the bastard, almost,” Jack said cautiously, and Wade nodded in agreement.

  “Unfortunately, it’s our job to find the person who did this, and while I would love to shake their hand, they need to be put away.”

  Jake patted Wade on the back.

  “Maybe we can give him one handshake. This bastard did terrorize his girlfriend and daughter for over a year,” Jake offered.

  Wade knew that all too well. He had approached Carissa on a friendlier note at first, wanting to introduce himself and get to know her a little bit before offering to help with her boyfriend. She had been frightened, and he had tried so hard to get her to let him help. She had been worried it wouldn’t stick and then Parker would find her and Gabby. He could have protected them, even if it meant letting them live with him so he could personally ensure their safety.

  But there inlaid the proble
m, he supposed. He had developed feelings for her, become emotionally involved, and when he had finally gotten the nerve to tell her that he cared for her, and to beg for her to come with him, she had already been gone.

  Wade watched as the coroner bagged up the body and had it loaded into his van. Now that they had found Parker, Wade was beginning to lose hope that they would ever find Carissa and Gabby.

  “I want to broadcast this everywhere,” he told his captain later that afternoon.

  “Why?” he asked, half listening.

  “If there’s even a chance that Carissa is alive and not mixed up in whatever Dobbson was doing, the fact that he is dead might draw her back.”

  “We cannot let the information out until we’ve found whomever did this. We don’t want to spook anyone.”

  “We don’t have to put any other information out other than the fact that his body was found. How would that compromise anything?” Wade was beginning to get angry. This was a chance to find her, and his captain was sitting on it.

  “You are too emotionally involved with this to see things clearly. Once we have more information, we will put it out there, but not until we have all the facts. Dobbson’s next of kin has been notified, and that’s all we can do at the moment.”

  “This is bullshit,” Wade growled and stood abruptly. “We could draw Carissa back here, what if she has information for us?”

  “What if she is being held captive by whoever killed Dobbson? What if they see his face plastered all over the news and decide to kill her, knowing that we are going to be looking for her next? Is that a chance you are willing to take?” His captain stood with him and narrowed his eyes. “I have worn this badge longer than you have been alive. You would do well to remember that.” His expression softened, and he sat back down. “I understand you developed feelings for Carissa, Wade. We are on the same side, and I want to find her just as much as you do. It pains me to think about what she and her daughter might be going through right now. But we have to go about this the right way.”