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“I’m okay,” he said. “Are you?”
“Fine. Not a scratch. Except my knuckles might swell from punching her.”
He smiled briefly, then looked to Clint. “Report?”
“You got four of them. We took out two more. The other two were wounded and surrendered as soon as Catherine was neutralized.” Clint swallowed. His gaze focused on Jacey. “Catherine ran screaming out of the barn as her men tried to get in. She may have been hit in the crossfire. I think one of her men shot her in the back. None of us took a shot at anything but the mercenaries.”
Jacey’s eyes widened. Her mother was … “She’s dead?”
Clint nodded shortly.
Jacey couldn’t feel any sorrow or sympathy. Her mother had murdered many people and terrorized and controlled even more, including her. She’d abused Quaid and Elizabeth physically and emotionally.
Maybe she should cry—Catherine had been her mother—but she only felt relief. It was over.
Strong arms wrapped around her. Cade held her close. Despite her mean words and her telling him she didn’t choose him, he held her. “Are you all right, sweetheart?” he murmured against her forehead.
“I am now, cowboy,” she responded, cuddling into him.
It was over. Her mother was finally dead. Her reign of terror had ended.
Could Jacey stay right in these arms?
Cade had broken away from their kissing session. She knew he cared for her, but now that he didn’t have to protect her, he’d probably want his peace and quiet back.
Jacey clung to him. She had no idea if he’d choose her, but she wanted to choose him.
How could she take back her words from the loft?
Chapter
Twenty
Cade let Jacey go to give statements to Clint and his deputies. He tried to keep her in his sight. With her memory back, she didn’t choose him. She didn’t want him or need him.
He recognized that she’d known only those words would get him to release her at that crucial moment. Had she meant them? It sure felt like she had. She could never stay with a simple cowboy. He’d known that was true from the start. His heart felt hard and cold in his chest. Her voice had been snooty and of course she’d spewed all his deepest fears in the heat of the moment.
She didn’t choose him. She’d never choose him.
He pushed the pain to the side.
Clint kept apologizing for not answering his phone. He’d stayed up all night, monitoring the cameras and stewing about Sheryl. He’d used the bathroom and taken a quick shower to wake himself up. He noticed the phone lit up on the desk and realized the ringer had been turned off.
They assumed the leak came from Sheryl. Clint got her on the phone and she admitted that she was ranting to a friend about Cade’s new woman. She’d told the friend the woman was as gorgeous and composed as Jacqueline Oliver. That was when she’d realized it was her. She googled the best paparazzi magazines, planning to expose Jacqueline when she saw the huge reward from Jacqueline’s family and figured she might as well make some cash for her heartbreak. What a nightmare. The experience and Sheryl. Clint had better be over her after all of this. Cade definitely was.
Sadly, Jacey was over him.
The medics had tended to the two surviving bodyguards and transported them to the hospital where the FBI would meet them. Clint’s deputies bagged all the bodies and transported them.
Jared and Millie came with breakfast and drinks for everyone and lots of hugs. It was great to hug Millie and know with the rift between him and Clint healing, he could go visit often. Millie asked him what was happening with him and Jacey. He had no idea how to respond.
Quaid arrived not long after. Apparently Aiden Porter had a private jet and Quaid had flown from California as soon as he got the message. Cade watched the siblings reunite. He was grateful that Quaid was here for Jacey. He liked watching them together, and it dug at his tender heart.
Jacey glanced over at him. He looked away quickly, embarrassed to be caught staring. Especially as her words rang in his ears.
I would never choose you.
She was safe. That was what mattered.
