Whispered Promises (24 page)

“But still, believing that you didn't want her didn't stop Caitlin from keeping your child, naming it after you and telling her about you. From the way I see it, there was never a question that Caitlin loved you. Everybody makes mistakes. She's made hers and you've made yours.”

Dex had to swallow to find his own voice. “Yeah, I have, and these past couple of weeks have made me realize just how many mistakes I've made with Caitlin. I love her, Clay.”

“I know that, Dex. But you're telling that to the wrong person. The reason I wanted to talk to you is because I couldn't help noticing how Caitlin's been watching Justin and Lorren with wistful eyes. It's plain to see Justin proudly wears his heart on his sleeve for Lorren. Maybe it's time you let your woman know that you love her just as much.”

A grin appeared on Dex's face. “I can't believe I'm getting advice on how to handle my wife from you, of all people, Houston's number-one womanizer.”

“Well? Are you going to take my advice?”

Dex stood when he heard the sound of Justin and Rod returning. “Yep. So do me a favor and make sure this place is vacated when I get back. There's a special young lady I want to bring here.”

Clayton laughed. “Sure thing.” He then watched as Dex mounted his horse and rode off.

“Where's he going?”

Clayton turned to Justin. “He's doing something he should have done four years ago.”

Justin raised an inquiring brow. “What?”

“He's going after his wife.”

Walker couldn't believe his luck when he saw Caitlin walking away from the house alone. He figured her destination was the corral. He'd checked it out earlier. A group of men had been there a while ago, but had left on horseback a few minutes earlier. He knew this would be his only opportunity. He wanted revenge, and he would get it.

Careful to avoid being seen, he made his way back toward the fenced yard where a stallion was being kept. Just from looking at the huge animal he could tell he was a mean one. After sliding the latch from the gate, he got out of the way.

It didn't take the horse long to sense freedom. He tossed his head back, snorted angrily and headed toward the open gate.

From a distance, Dex saw a man running away after opening the corral gate. Then he saw the black flank of the horse as it charged through the opening and took off in the direction of a lone figure who was unaware of the pending danger.

Caitlin!

Dex's breath caught in his throat and a chill of fear and dread swept up his spine. Gathering speed with his mount, he sprinted forward, hoping he would reach Caitlin in time. The fierce rattle of hooves sounding not far behind him indicated Clayton, Justin and Rob weren't far behind and were aware of the situation.

Dex was pushing his horse forward at such a fast rate of speed that it seemed the animal's hooves were barely touching the grassy ground. He called out Caitlin's name, hoping she would hear him and get out of the stallion's way.

A cluster of oak trees and thicket lined the path leading to the corral. Caitlin was enjoying her walk. She stopped occasionally to breathe in the clean fresh air and to give a concentrated look of admiration at her surroundings. She was so involved in the beautiful scenery, she did not hear the deep, stampering sound of horse hooves imprinting the hard earth. Nor did she notice the trail of billowy dust following in the animal's wake.

But she did look up in time to see the black, fierce looking steed heading directly in her path at breakneck speed, his deep nostrils flaring in anger, his dark eyes enraged. Fear crawled up Caitlin's spine. She screamed seconds before jumping out of the animal's way. Stumbling, she fell to the hard ground. She could hear the faint sound of Dex screaming her name mere seconds before her mind and senses succumbed to total blackness.

Dex launched himself from the horse's back the moment he reached Caitlin. She lay flat on her stomach, unmoving. It was only after he'd gathered her in his arms that he'd realized he had been holding his breath.

“Give her to me, Dex. Let me check her over.”

Dex turned to see that Justin was kneeling beside him. Clayton and Rod had ridden on ahead in an attempt to apprehend the runaway horse before it did any more damage.

“Give her to me, Dex. I need to check her,” Justin said with more force.

Dex shook himself to clear his mind and released Caitlin into his brother's care.

“Who in the devil opened that gate?” Justin grumbled as he checked Caitlin to see if anything was broken. Her groan indicated she was slowly coming around.

“One of your men.”

Justin glanced up sharply from his task. “None of my men are working today.”

Dex stared long and hard at his brother. His face became a glowering mask of rage. He stood and quickly remounted his horse.

“Dex! Where are you going?”

Walker Malone thought he was home free as he made his way toward the cluster of trees where his car was parked. He smiled, thinking to himself that the woman had gotten just what she deserved.

He had nearly made it to his car when suddenly the sound of a horse and rider made him turn around. Before he knew what was happening, the rider propelled himself from the horse's back and right at him, knocking him to the ground.

Although it appeared that the man equaled him in both height and weight, Walker knew he didn't stand a chance.

This man was ready to fight. The look in his eyes was chilling, and Walker knew without a doubt that he had met his match. He tried whirling away in an attempt to reach his car but failed. The man proved to be too quick.

Walker felt his first taste of pain when the man sent a fist smashing into his face, knocking him backward and again to the ground.

“Get up!”

He never had the opportunity to stand completely. The man hurled himself down at him, slamming him back to the ground and hitting him with hard, punishing, and relentless blows. Walker tried fighting back but it was useless. The man's rage was too great.

“Stop it, Dex! Get off him! Let him up!”

Dex struggled against the fury that raged through him. Clayton's sharp words penetrated his wrath.

“Dex, for Pete's sake, let him up. Rod's here. Let the law handle this. Caitlin needs you, man.”

The mention of his wife broke through Dex's raging haze. He had to get to Caitlin.

“Are you absolutely sure she's all right?”

Justin gave his brother a reassuring smile. “I'm positive, Dex. Caitlin will be just fine. There are no broken bones. The only injury she received was to her side, and that was slight. She jumped out of the way before the horse touched her.”

Dex released a deep sigh of relief. “I thought that blasted animal had trampled her, Justin. I've never been so scared in my life. I thought I had lost her again.”

“She'll be fine. I've given her something to make her sleep through the night. Try to persuade her to stay in bed an hour or so longer in the morning and fill her with fluids to counteract the dosage of the medicine I've given her. By midmorning, she'll be ready to party like the rest of us.”

Dex nodded.

“It's a good thing Rod and Clayton got to you when they did. You almost beat that poor guy to a pulp. I've never seen you that angry before. Who is he?”

Anger crossed Dex's eyes and hardened his features. His face was a glowing mask of rage. “According to his driver's license, he's Walker Malone of Malone Land Developers. He's the man who harassed Caitlin's father, and who had started in on Caitlin,” Dex answered, rubbing his bruised knuckles. “I can't believe he would go so far to try to hurt her.”

“Greed makes some people do strange things, Dex. The law will make him pay for what he did.” Justin placed an assuring hand on his brother's shoulder. “I'll go let the family know Caitlin's all right. By the way, where's Jordan?”

“She's with Mom and Dad. They're keeping her busy with all her new presents. She asked me about her mommy a little while ago, and I told her she hurt her side and you were making it better.” A slight smile touched Dex's lips. “She asked if you were kissing it better.”

Justin grinned. “What did you tell her?”

“I told her absolutely not. I'm the only one who can do that to her mommy.” Dex sighed deeply. “Thanks, Justin, for everything.”

Justin smiled warmly. “Don't mention it. That's what brothers are for.”

A while later Dex entered the room where Caitlin lay sleeping. She didn't hear Dex when he entered the room. Nor was she aware of the chair scraping the floor as it was dragged closer to the bed; nor the sounds of his boots hitting the oak floor as he removed them from his feet. She didn't feel the tender kiss placed on her lips; nor hear the whispered promises that flowed from her husband's lips.

When Caitlin awoke the following morning, she felt groggy and her side ached slightly. She closed her eyes before cautiously shifting her body. She squinted against the sun's brightness that flowed into the room through the window. Turning her head slightly, she saw her husband asleep in the chair next to the bed. Had he slept there all night? “Dex…?”

Her call got Dex's immediate attention and he dropped to his knees beside the bed. “Good morning, sweetheart,” he said in a deep, husky voice.

Caitlin reached up and touched the stubble on his chin. “Where's Jordan?”

Dex took her hand and kissed it. “She's with my parents. They're spoiling her rotten.”

Caitlin smiled then frowned. “And the horse…?”

“They caught that blasted animal before he could do any more harm.” He decided to wait before telling her about Walker Malone's part in it. “I thought that horse had trampled you.”

“I got out of his way in time, but fell on my side.”

“How do you feel now?”

“A little groggy but other than that, I feel fine.”

Dex lay down beside Caitlin and gently gathered her against him. “I thought I had lost you,” he said in a whispered voice.

He lifted her head with trembling fingers and touched her cheek so their gazes could meet. What Caitlin saw in his eyes took her breath away. They reflected his pain, his agony and his fear. And unless she was mistaken, mistiness was welling within his eyes. She fought to control her emotions, deeply touched that he cared so much. She swallowed against the tightness in her throat, then whispered huskily, “Thanks for your concern, Dex, but I'm fine now. Really I am.”

Dex covered her mouth with his fingers, stopping any further words. He looked down at her. His voice was a forced whisper when he spoke. “I've been a fool, Caitlin. I've been such a fool. The pain of our breakup was so great, I was totally consumed by it. It was so overpowering, I denied myself the one thing I wanted more than anything, and that was you.”

Caitlin looked up at Dex. Her dark eyes widened with uncertainty. “What are you saying?”

He reached down and tenderly touched her bruised temple. “What I'm trying to say is that I love you, Caitlin. I truly love you. And for as long as you live, you'll never have reason to doubt my love ever again. My life would be nothing without you in it. I love you so very much.”

A sob escaped Caitlin's lips. She covered her face with her hands trying to control the sobs that racked her body.

Dex pulled her closer to him. This wasn't exactly the response he'd expected or had hoped for. “Caitlin, darling, what's the matter? What's wrong?”

Caitlin removed trembling hands from her face. Tear-glazed eyes met Dex's inquiring ones. “I thought I'd never hear you say those words to me again, Dex. I didn't think I'd ever hear you say them again. I wanted to believe that one day you would love me again, but I wasn't sure it would happen.”

There was so much anguish in her voice it tore Dex in two hearing it. He gave her a reassuring smile. “Come on now, Caitlin, you've known from the jump you've owned my heart ever since I first laid eyes on you. I never realized how much I loved you until you told me about your decision to sell Shadowland. It hit me in the face just how much you were willing to sacrifice for me. Your love and trust in me was unwavering. I knew then that I loved you beyond anything else. I can't imagine my life without you. You are my life, and you are an essential part of my existence.”

Dex's fingers moved tenderly along Caitlin's tear-stained cheeks. “I want to spend the rest of my life loving you, sharing all the joys of watching Jordan grow up. I want to be there with you when our other children are born, and go to sleep each night with you in my arms. I want to wake up every morning with you beside me. I need you in every way that a man can possibly need a woman.”

Dex took a deep breath. “There's something else I need to tell you about Shadowland. I looked over the proposal you and Clayton drew up for Remington Oil. You don't know how much it meant to me for you to work out a deal stipulating that Madaris Explorations be used exclusively for a number of their major projects. I was deeply touched with the extent of your loyalty and faith. But I can't let you sell Shadowland. Not even for me.”