Page 23 of Cade

CHAPTER ELEVEN

While the tech team back home searched for the two men on Charmaine’s list, the others went back to their hotel rooms. All three had suites overlooking the water, and the views were something that needed to be painted.

Cade watched as Cassidy set up her easel, carefully laying out her brushes and paints. She looked out at the scenery and then at the blank canvas. Standing, she went to the small fridge and took out a bottle of water, then went back to her stool.

Lifting one of the brushes, she touched it to the palette, stopping just an inch from the actual canvas. Cade frowned as her face contorted, nibbling on her lip.

“Cass,” he whispered, walking toward her.

“He came to the gallery,” she said softly. “He found me at the gallery and threatened to hurt the people who worked there. He said he wanted me to paint a nude, and then he described Carrie. I didn’t know it until I asked his name.”

“Cass, baby, you couldn’t have known it was him. We should have sent you a photo of him. We should have put you in lockdown,” he said, taking her hand in his. “If you want to be angry, be angry at me. I should have been there to protect you.”

Her head jerked up, and she shook it left to right again, and again, backing away from the easel.

“No. No, you don’t get to do that, Cade. It wasn’t your fault. You rescued me. You were there. You p-pulled him off m-me.” Her breath hitched, and she swallowed, big tears filling her eyes.

“He was the one at fault, Cass. You did nothing wrong. You are alive, a survivor. You’re strong, beautiful, and you’re all mine, baby.”

Cassidy nodded, wiping her tears. She looked down at her blouse and began unbuttoning the buttons. Cade sucked in a breath and took a step back.

“Cass,” he said.

“I need to show you,” she said.

“Cass, baby, I was there.”

“You saw some of it, Cade. Not all.” She let her blouse fall open, revealing a nude-colored cotton bra. It was practical and not terribly pretty, but it held her large breasts perfectly. Cade swallowed, seeing the long white scar stretching from her collarbone down her chest and then abdomen, disappearing behind the bra and then going toward her navel.

There were four stab wounds scattered elsewhere on her chest and one on her neck.

“It’s ugly, isn’t it?” she asked in a breathy voice. Cade shook his head, tossing his sweatshirt over his shoulders and onto the floor. His broad chest was littered with scars, and Cassidy seemed mesmerized by them.

“Gun, gun, gun,” he said, pointing to three ugly starbursts. “I wish I’d had Doc to mend me on this one. It still aches sometimes. Knife, knife, machete, knife. Some kind of metal pipe. Broken ulna. Broken fingers. Broken toes. Two concussions that I can remember.”

She let a small grin slip from her lips and took a step toward him. In only her bra, she reached out to touch his torso.

“You’re so beautiful,” she said with a sad expression. “Why are you so beautiful?”

“Uh, baby, you need to look in the mirror because you’re fucking stunning. And in case you didn’t know it, a girl is usually happy when her man is good-looking.”

“Cade, you know what I mean.” He took her hand, leading her to the full-length mirror in the bedroom.

“Nope, I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean. Look at this image,” he said, standing in front of the mirror with her standing in front of him. He wrapped one arm just below her breasts, her breath catching in her throat. Pulling her arm up, curving her hand at his neck, she was stretched in front of him. He lowered his head to her ear, kissing her neck.

“You’re fucking beautiful, and you’re mine, Cass.”

“You have a way of making me feel beautiful,” she said breathlessly. “Touch me, Cade. Kiss me, touch me, take me to bed.”

“Baby, I don’t want to push you.”

“Cade, please. Give me a good memory to replace the bad,” she begged. Cade’s mouth covered hers, his tongue forcing her lips open. If she were going to freak, it might be any time, considering that he was so much bigger than her.

Instead, his little Cass surprised him. She wound her arms around his neck, pulling on him. One leg wrapped around his thigh, and Cade reached for that luscious ass, pulling her upward and wrapping her completely around him.

“Fuck, baby,” he muttered against her mouth.

“You feel wonderful, Cade. You feel strong and safe and perfect,” she panted.

---