Impossible Odds: Rescue Team Nine

Chapter 3

Cloey

I'm angry. At everything. The world. My parents. My grandfather. My dead brother. The bastard who tried to kill me. For once, I'm tired of fighting the demons my family seems to scrounge together. All I want to do is sweep them under the rug and start life anew. But first, I'm going to have to deal with the idiot intent on causing me harm, and the mess I'm guessing my brother has left behind. It's the only explanation I've been able to come up with. If I could, I'd strangle his neck in the grave and take my life back. That's not creepy at all, but that's what happens when someone tries to kill you and you have a child to protect. A protective mother can be a dangerous foe. The tears I've been battling the last week finally fall. How is it possible to cry so much, I don't know. I'm starting to hate money. I'm guessing someone out there has been burnt by Brad, and now the guy wants to be reimbursed. I miss my little girl, but right now she's better where she's at until I can piece this together.

Wiping at my face, I continue to unpack my clothing from the small duffel I brought with me. It's not much. Most of our belongings are now burnt to a crisp, but at least I was smart enough to make a getaway bag when the police wouldn't help me with the threats. Later today, I'll lay them out and investigate them myself. Thankfully, I also still have a full wardrobe at the ranch which will help save me time from having to shop. I'm lucky the hospital is working with me as I figure all this out. Asking for leave as a resident isn't smart, but this is the one time I didn't hesitate to use my name.

When my tears finally subside, I decide it's time to get some air before I decide my plan of action. Throwing the empty bag into the corner of my room, I make my way down the stairs and walk out the door toward the rental car waiting outside. My parents are on vacation in Europe and have no idea about what's happening. I'm hoping I can figure it out before they return home. I expect to be greeted by Adam, our ranch hand, who seemed eager to take on the role of bodyguard when I returned home. Instead, leaning against the hood with his arms crossed is the last man I thought I'd see. In fact, I wish I could forget him, but it's impossible when I have a tiny reminder of him. Feeling proud of myself for keeping my face blank, I walk past him and open the trunk. Reaching inside for my purse, I lower the back in hopes I was hallucinating somehow and he'll be gone. Regrettably, it's at this moment, he finds his voice.

"Miss me?"

Arrogant bastard my brain tells me but my heart speeds up, nonetheless. His tone matches his dark chocolate eyes and dark skin. Wearing a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, he looks like a wet dream come true, but I'm not fooled. That voice and those looks are a hook for Dice. It's what makes him so magical to the opposite sex. He always knows what to say, how to act, and how to appear. But I alone know the other side of him. It's that side I'm scared of the most. It's that side that caused me to fall in love with him in the first place. I will not allow that to happen again. Guilt pierces my heart. I should tell him. I should.

"What are you doing here?" I don't care if my words are clipped. I don't have time for happy chatter or confessionals. Not today.

"You were almost killed. Is there any more reason to be here than that?"

He straightens and scoots over just enough to get the driver side door open. His voice has lost its humor. This is the side of Dice many people rarely see. I almost feel pleased that I'm the cause of it. Almost.

"I'm not your responsibility."

Throwing my purse inside, I climb in. Dice sticks his foot in the door to prevent me from closing it.

"Cloey, if your brother was involved in as much shit as I suspect he was, this person isn't going to stop at arson. His aim was to kill you and he missed. He'll try again."

I glance up and meet his gaze. I'm angry he thinks so little of me.

"I'm not stupid, Dice. I know the kind of things my brother was involved with. But it's still not your problem."

If only he knew how much of a problem I was dealing with.

"It could be."

I've almost closed the door to the car when he says this. His gaze never wavers when I look up. If possible, his eyes darken past their already dark color. Desire. I've seen that look many times on too many occasions. It's enough to make a woman weak in the knees. Is this some type of mind game? I'm not the girl I was two years ago when I literally fawned over the man. Back then I'd been naïve and vulnerable. All I wanted was to have fun and piss off my family, and I was an expert at both. All Dice wanted was another mark on his score sheet. It was the perfect recipe for disaster. It was the perfect solution to a companionship with no strings attached ... until I fell in love with him.

"I'm not that girl anymore."

"I'm not that man anymore."

His words come out as quickly as mine leave. My eyes narrow.

"I don't believe you."

I don't wait for him to say anything else before I stomp hard enough on his foot to cause it to move. I know the childish reaction hasn't even made a dent in the pain department, but movement is all I need to slam my door and quickly start the vehicle. Besides, it feels good to at least try to commit some type of bodily harm. By the way he smirks, he's amused by my tantrum which makes me livid. That self-righteous, know it all Casanova. Repeating all the words I never want my daughter to learn, I reverse and back out of the driveway. Never once do I look back. I don't have to. I know he's not going anywhere. He's made that perfectly clear without even saying a word. Damn it. Why did I think returning to Henderson Ranch was a good idea?