Lucky Streak (18 page)

“Not in time to compete next year, I don't think,” Jason said, his voice hollow.

“Then in four more.”

“No.” Jason shook his head definitively.

Mike caught the look in his eyes, a look Mike had seen many times growing up. When Jason made a decision, he stuck to it. He'd had to have that stubborn personality in order to be successful in his sport.

“Why the hell not? This is your dream. It's everything you've worked for.” Thomas sounded as devastated as Jason had to feel.

Amber eased herself around the two men to sneak out of the room. Mike caught her hand and joined her.

“Why did you follow me? Don't you want to be in there?” she asked, gesturing to the bedroom.

He shook his head. “They need some privacy.” And he appreciated that she'd picked up on that fact, too.

She nodded. “Are you okay?”

He leaned one shoulder against the wall and met her gaze. “Why wouldn't I be?”

“Well, to start with, it's crazy around here. And now, you've learned your cousin's lifelong dream has gone up in smoke. I imagine you're hurting for him,” she said softly.

“It'll be fine. Jason will figure something out.”

She tipped her head to one side. “He seems like
a strong man. I'm sure he'll pull through this. It will just take some time.”

“I wonder what he'll do once this blows over.”

“Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll be there to help him decide. That's what family is for.” Amber nodded in certainty. “Speaking of family, I really need to call the nursing home and check on my father.”

At the mention of
Amber's
life, Mike's brain, which had been solely focused on himself and his family, kicked back into working mode. “And I have a voice mail that came in while I was out back, dealing with my father's outburst. It was a P.I. in Texas. With all the commotion, I forgot to tell you I'd hired him.” He pulled out his cell phone and dialed his voice mail.

Amber stood beside him, waiting, her eyes wide and hopeful. “Maybe you'll have something on King Bobby and we can settle this misunderstanding once and for all.”

Mike frowned at her. “You stole from him. I wouldn't call it a misunderstanding,” he said, his voice suddenly harsh, thanks to the reminder of who she was and what she'd done.

For a while, he'd allowed himself to forget. He had to admit she handled his nutty father and the family chaos like a trooper. He could probably attribute it to the people skills she'd acquired in her former job, but he sensed there was more to it than that.

When Mike was in high school, he'd never brought girlfriends—or friends, for that matter—to his father's home, for obvious reasons. And as an adult, it hadn't been an issue. He'd never been serious enough about any female to subject them or himself to
this.
He hadn't trusted that any woman, after meeting with his father, would want to stay with him afterward, Mike realized for the first time.

As he stood in the hallway and looked at the woman he'd married, a stranger at first, one he was coming to know better, he realized that she was the one woman he
could
entrust with his family…and his heart.

Pushing aside the unsettling thought, he dialed 1 and his voice mail began to play the lone message. “Hey, there, pardner, it's your P.I. pal in Texas. Got that info on King Bobby, but I seem to keep missin' you. I'll give you a hint in one word.
Mistress.
Call me back for details.”

Mike glanced at Amber, his mind still on his earlier thoughts. Yeah, she was the one woman he could trust…if only she were different.

Reality was a bitch, Mike thought.

“What did he say?” Amber asked eagerly, unaware of his inner turmoil.

Mike shook his head. No good would come of re-hashing her past here and now. Or ever, since nothing could change it.

“The P.I.'s got something I can use to convince King Bobby to leave you alone.”

Her beautiful blue eyes lit up with excitement. “What is it?”

“He said something about the man having a mistress, but I don't know anything definite right now. I'll let you know once I do.”

She nodded her understanding. “I can't tell you how much I appreciate you doing this. For Marshall to go so far underground that I can't get any information from the people we both know, he has to be running scared. And that makes me scared.” Her voice cracked and she rubbed her hands up and down over her forearms.

Her vulnerability got to him and he reached out, pulling her close. “It'll be okay,” he said gruffly. “I'm not going to let him hurt you.”

Protective instincts, as well as baser ones, kicked in as he held her against him. Her soft hair, warm body and fragrant scent tempted and aroused him. Unable to help himself, he bent to kiss her forehead, but she tilted her head and his lips caught hers.

She tasted warm and sweet, but her kiss was anything but innocent, and filled with much more than gratitude. He needed this, needed her, and soon her back was pressed against the wall, his hands braced on her shoulders. All the while, his mouth devoured hers and she returned the kiss with equal fervor.

Until Edward's shouting penetrated the fog of desire between them. As Mike's mind cleared, he heard his father's words more clearly. “I recognize
my brother's car. That woman-stealing rat bastard better not be inside my house!”

Mike stepped back, Amber pulled in a deep breath and the bedroom door opened, as Jason and Uncle Thomas came to see what the commotion was all about. Although it was pretty obvious.

“Why don't you let me deal with my father,” Mike said to his uncle. Mike could take him into the kitchen to calm him while his uncles slipped out the front door.

“I think it's time your father and I talked.” Thomas barreled straight past Jason, Mike and Amber, heading directly for the family room. “Edward? Are you looking for me?”

Mike groaned.

“Let's go make sure they don't kill each other,” Jason said needlessly, since they were already following Thomas.

“How could any of you let him into my house?” Edward yelled, the skunk in his hand. “Doesn't anybody have respect for my authority round here?”

Mike's stomach churned, not wanting his father to go completely off the deep end. A psychiatrist was no longer optional, it was mandatory, he thought.

Uncle Thomas met his brother in the center of the room. “It's time we end this ridiculous feud, once and for all.”

“You stole my woman,” Edward yelled, his face beet red.

“She chose me,”
Thomas said. “And in case
you've been too caught up in your own insanity to notice, my life was no bed of roses—” He turned to Jason. “No insult, son. You know what I mean.”

“And he knows why your life sucked eggs. It's the damn curse at work,” Edward yelled.

Jason nodded, humoring him. The cousins all knew the Corwin-curse saga. They could repeat it in their sleep. Whether they believed it or not was another matter entirely.

Amber suddenly, quietly stepped up beside Edward. “If you think the curse caused it all, then why are you blaming your brother?”

“He could have controlled himself!” Edward still yelled loudly.

“It was over thirty years ago,” Thomas countered. “
Get over it already!”

“Over my dead body,” Edward said. “Or better yet, over yours.”

“Edward Corwin, there is no need for invoking evil, and against your own family, no less.” Clara Deveaux burst in from the kitchen.

Gabrielle rushed out after her along with Derek and Mike's uncle Hank.

Clara strode through to the center of the room, her brightly colored, flowing dress almost a bigger distraction than the woman herself.

“God, this is really going to set my father off,” Mike muttered, intending to pull Edward away from the confrontations.

Amber's hand on his arm stopped him. “Wait. Let her try to get through to him first.”

“Why not just end this now?” Mike asked, speaking so only she could hear.

“Because I trust her.” Amber met his gaze, her eyes pleading. “And because I think they have something special.”

Mike wasn't so sure, but he couldn't say no.

“Who is this woman?” Uncle Thomas asked.

Nobody answered. Everyone was too busy watching Clara as she walked up to Edward, whisper something in his ear, take his hand and lead him out of the room, away from the chaos.

“Well, I'll be damned,” Mike muttered, staring at Amber in disbelief. He couldn't help but be startled by Clara's hypnotic effect on his father.

“What the hell was that all about?” Jason asked.

“Simple. He trusts her.” Amber smiled, obviously pleased with herself and the outcome.

Uncle Thomas cleared his throat. “Would one of you please tell me who that glorious woman was?” The older man stared after Clara, obviously entranced.

“Just an old friend of Edward's,” Amber said in a clipped tone. One Mike had never heard from her before.

“I've never seen anyone like her,” Thomas said in an odd tone.

It was almost…love struck?

That's when Mike realized what had Amber's guard up. A feeling of déjà vu swept through him, even though he hadn't lived through the brothers' rivalry over a woman the first time.

“I must formally meet her.” Thomas took one step toward the front door Edward and Clara had left through seconds before.

“Two morons about to repeat the past,” Hank said more to himself than anyone in particular.

“Shut up, Dad,” Derek said to his father.

Mike glanced at Jason, shooting his cousin a stern glare. A silent push to intercept his father. But before Jason could act, Amber jumped in front of Thomas.

“Oh, no. You will
not
go near that woman. Don't look at her, don't introduce yourself, steer clear,” she ordered, hands on her hips in clear defense of Edward.

Mike stared at her, warmth in his chest, appreciation filling him.

“Young lady, you can't possibly mean to tell me what to do,” Thomas said, sounding appalled.

“Oh, yes, she can, Uncle Thomas,” Mike said, backing up Amber.

Jason stepped forward. “Dad, you heard the family.”

“Family? She's not—”

Mike groaned. “You didn't tell him?” he asked his cousin.

Derek shook his head. “I didn't tell either of them.
Figured it was simpler to keep Amber here and out of trouble that way.”

“Tell us what?” Hank asked.

“Amber's my wife,” Mike said. “And before either of you say one word about her, the curse, or anything else, remember, we're discussing
your
stupidity,” he said, glaring at his uncle Thomas. “Not mine.”

“Gee, thanks!” Amber said.

Mike glanced her way, surprised to find her laughing.

“Enough is enough!” Jason stepped forward to confront his dad. “Either you want peace with your brother or you don't. But if you go after that woman or any other that Uncle Edward is interested in, I won't be around to see the mess you make of your life,” Jason said, obviously meaning every word.

Uncle Thomas blinked. “Of course, you're right.” He ran a hand through his neat hair, his face turning red.

“Come on. The whole family is in one place for the first time in years. Let's try to salvage what we can,” Derek suggested. He wrapped his arm around Gabrielle.

Mike paused in thought. The family
was
all together. That in itself was a miracle.

“You're right. I don't know what came over me, acting like that.” Suddenly unsteady, Thomas lowered himself into the nearest chair, looking older and shaken.

“Maybe it was the curse,” Mike joked to diffuse the situation and ease the tension.

Nobody named Corwin laughed.

 

K
ING
B
OBBY WAS HALFWAY
through a bottle of whiskey when the private investigator he kept on retainer called him with a report. King Bobby had asked the man to dig up some dirt on Detective Michael Corwin.

“Give me something I can use, Clint, or else I'm gonna serve
you
at my next barbecue,” King Bobby barked into the phone. He couldn't take Boston a day longer. He
had
to get back to the ranch.

But he wasn't leavin' without his money.

His high-priced P.I. rambled on about how the detective Amber Rose married had a clean record, on and off the job, and King Bobby's frustration grew. “That's useless to me. I don't pay you for shit I can't use.”