Читать книгу Deadly Fall - Elle James - Страница 12

Chapter 3

Andrew wasn’t sure what made him tackle the female. Not only had he pinned her to the ground, he’d insisted she take the job. He told himself it was her stubborn determination to prove herself that had pushed him past his concerns. The heat of her thighs straddling his hips and the way she’d pressed her breasts against his back had nothing whatsoever to do with his decision. Though his skin still tingled and the warmth of her breath on the side of his neck lingered in the cool night air.

The plain facts were that he needed someone to keep track of Leigha and keep her safe from whoever was trying to hurt him. What worried him more was the secret friend Leigha went on and on about. Should the person actually exist, he had no business hanging around a six-year-old without her father’s permission. Until Andrew had a permanent fix for the situation, Dix Reeves would have to do.

And even if she were as attractive as she was tough, he wouldn’t hold that against her. He rose to his feet and extended his hand to the woman on the ground.

She shoved it aside, easily rolled to her feet and brushed the dust from her jeans. She moved like an athlete, with a spring in her step. Fast and strong, the woman could be an asset. At the very least, she’d be a good temporary solution to his needs. Tomorrow he’d log on to the internet and search for reputable bodyguard services. “If you’re ready to leave, I need to get home. As I mentioned, Leigha isn’t feeling well and I don’t like leaving her for very long with only Mrs. Purdy to protect her.”

Dix crossed her arms over her chest. “What part of ‘no thanks’ did you not understand?”

Ignoring her refusal, he walked to his SUV and climbed in. “Follow me. The road can be hard to find in the dark. And by the looks of it, the Devil’s Shroud is moving in.”

Dix shot a glance from Andrew to Tazer. “What’s he talking about?”

Tazer nodded. “He’s right. By the time you get back to his place, the Devil’s Shroud will make it very difficult to find your way.” Her lips twisted. “The folks around here have a flair for the dramatic. The Devil’s Shroud is what they call a thicker-than-pea-soup fog that blinds anyone trying to find their way through it. If you live here long enough, you will undoubtedly experience it firsthand. Probably tonight.”

Molly stepped forward. “They say that when the Devil’s Shroud rolls in, you can count on evil coming along with it.”

Dix snorted. “Well, I should be able to find my way to town and a hotel before it gets that thick.”

With a shrug, Molly glanced toward Andrew. “You might try saying ‘please.’”

Andrew pressed his lips together. As one of the most powerful traders on Wall Street, he’d been used to giving orders and having people follow them without question. Since the accident, he’d left that world behind. But that world hadn’t completely left him. He swallowed the desire to tell everyone to go to hell and forced out, “Please.”

Dix’s brows puckered and a smile curled the corners of her mouth. “Wow. That’s the best you can do?”

He growled before he could stop himself. “Take it or leave it.”

She hesitated, her gaze sweeping him from head to toe. As he expected, her perusal slowed on the scars he’d acquired in the accident.

Andrew fought the urge to turn his face away as well as to hide his hand from her all-seeing eyes. But he stood fast, refusing to back down. She’d see the scars on a daily basis; she might as well get used to them now.

When her gaze reached his toes, she looked up and nodded curtly. “I’ll take it. But only on a temporary basis.” She pointed a finger at him. “And not for you, but for your daughter. Hopefully she doesn’t have her father’s bad temper.”

Andrew slipped into the SUV without saying another word. He didn’t wait to see if she would follow, but pulled out of the gravel driveway and onto the paved highway.

Lights shone into his rearview mirror.

He let go of the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and focused on driving through the increasingly thick fog along the curvy coastal highway leading toward his estate.

When she got too far behind, he slowed and waited. By the time he reached the turnoff to his driveway, the fog had completely taken over. Andrew waited for Dix to turn in behind him before he hit the button to activate the automatic gate opener. The gate remained open long enough for both cars to pass through. Then he was leading the way along the twisting drive to Stratford House, the mansion his grandfather had left to him.

Not until he was right in front of the structure could he see the lights glowing a hazy yellow from the main living room and one of the upstairs bedrooms. The rest of the house lay in shrouded darkness.

In the fog, the house resembled one of those Gothic buildings in a horror movie. Andrew wondered what Dix was thinking. Would she turn around and leave? Or would she accept the challenge, creepy house and all?

He got out and waited for her rental car to pull to a stop next to his SUV.

Dix climbed out of the vehicle and stared up at the three-story mansion. “This is where you live?” she asked. Her gaze shot to him.

“It’s my home,” he said.

“It’s big enough to be a hotel. No wonder you need help keeping track of your daughter. Someone could easily get lost in that house.”

“It was my grandfather’s,” he said, surprised at the defensiveness in his tone.

“Did he have a large, extended family, aunts, uncles and cousins who moved in with him?”

A smile pulled at the corners of Andrew’s lips. “No. He built it for his wife, whom he loved dearly.”

Dix shook her head. “Why?”

“Some say they had hoped to fill each room with children. Others think my grandfather and my grandmother liked making love in a different room every night. It gave them a multitude of options.”

Dix’s cheeks blossomed into a pretty shade of pink and she turned toward her rental car. “I’ll have a look around the house. As big as it is, it has to have multiple entry and exit points.”

“It does.”

She lifted a gym bag from the backseat of the car and straightened. “Do you check each one of them every night?”

“I do. It takes approximately fifteen minutes to check and secure all of them.” He held out his hand. “I can take that for you.”

She shook her head. “I can manage.”

“Where are the rest of your things?”

She lifted the bag. “This is it. I travel light.”

Andrew stared at her. She didn’t wear makeup and her blond hair was straight and neatly brushed. Jeans, a powder blue T-shirt and a slightly worn pair of running shoes made up Dix’s outfit. She looked like the girl next door. No. More like the tomboy next door. So completely different from his ex-lovers. Some of them had to have a new pair of shoes for every outfit. Several families could be supported for a year on the amount they’d spent on footwear alone.

He strode to the front door, inserted a key and threw open one side of the massive double-door entrance. Andrew waved his hand. “Ladies first.”

Dix’s eyes narrowed but she stepped past him into the three-story foyer.

“Wow, it’s as massive on the inside as it is on the outside.” Even though Dix spoke softly, her words echoed against the walls and marble floors.

Andrew closed the door behind him and twisted the dead bolt. “My grandfather and grandmother had a flair for the dramatic.”

“No kidding.” Dix spun in a circle. “Yeah, I can see where you could lose a kid in this.”

Andrew had been coming to his grandfather’s house since he was a small child. He was used to the grandeur. Seeing it through Dix’s eyes, he could understand how overwhelming it could be. Especially if you were tasked with protecting the occupants of such a large building.

“Oh, good. You’re home.” Mrs. Purdy, his housekeeper, hurried down the sweeping staircase. “Leigha was asking for you.”

“Any improvement?”

Mrs. Purdy’s lips pressed together. “None. She’s still running a temperature despite the anti-inflammatories and cool compresses. I think she’s a bit delirious, as well. When you didn’t come after she called, she asked for her imaginary friend.”

In the months Andrew had taken over the care of his daughter, he’d only had to contend with a case of the sniffles and an odd nightmare or two. Never a fever and delirium. “Should I call the doctor or take her to the emergency room?”

Mrs. Purdy shook her head. “Her fever has only been up to 102 degrees. If it goes higher, you should take her to the hospital. For now, she needs to sweat it out.” The older woman glanced back up the stairs. “I’d stay, but Mr. Purdy wasn’t feeling on top of the weather himself.” For the first time, the woman noticed Dix. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you back there.” She held out her hand. “I’m Dottie Purdy. And you are?”

Dix held out her hand and opened her mouth to reply.

Before she could, Andrew cut in. “Mrs. Purdy, this is Dix Reeves. She’s an old friend who will be staying with us for the next couple of weeks.”

Mrs. Purdy smiled and shook Dix’s hand. “Oh, that’s just lovely. This big old place needs more people to fill it up. I’ll be sure to add a plate to the dinner table tomorrow. Anything in particular you prefer to eat, or allergies to anything?”

“I’m pretty open to anything,” Dix said. “No allergies.”

“Great.” Mrs. Purdy beamed. “Then I’ll see you two tomorrow. Call if you have any questions about Leigha. My children all went through fevers and upset stomachs a number of times. They all came through just fine.” She waved her hand. “Cool compress. Her next dose of Tylenol should be in four hours. Rub a little mentholated cream on her chest if she gets stuffy. Other than that, stay with her. She seemed a little sad and frightened tonight.”

Andrew almost stepped in front of Mrs. Purdy to block her from leaving. “Are you sure I’m qualified for this? Should I call a nurse, anyone with more experience?”

Mrs. Purdy patted his scarred cheek. “You have as much experience as most new parents. You’ll do fine. And I’m sure Miss Reeves will help.”

“Me?” Dix touched a hand to her chest. “I don’t know anything about sick children.”

“All you have to do is stay with her. Check her temp and keep her calm.” Mrs. Purdy glanced at her watch. “I really must go. It will take me quite a while to get home in the fog.”

Panic threatened to overwhelm Andrew. He’d had a nanny for Leigha in New York City. And Mrs. Purdy did most everything for him since he’d arrived in Cape Churn and secured her services. He was completely unqualified to deal with a sick little girl.

Mrs. Purdy didn’t stay to argue. She was through the door and gone before Andrew could order her to stay. Not that she would. Mrs. Purdy wasn’t one of the Wall Street interns he could order around. She did things when she was good and ready, on her own schedule, in her own way. And she kept his house in order.

Dix crossed to the door and twisted the lock behind Mrs. Purdy. “If you’ll tell me where I can drop my things, I’ll start my inspection of the house.”

“I’d like you to start your inspection in Leigha’s room,” Andrew said.

“Oh, no, you don’t. You just want me to take care of your kid.” Dix held up her hands. “Just because I’m female doesn’t mean I know what to do with a sick child. She’s your little girl. You fix her.”

A weak cry came from above. “Mrs. Purdy? Mr. Stratford? I don’t feel good.” Sobs followed.

Andrew’s gut knotted. So, he didn’t know how to take care of a sick little girl. He’d wing it. Leaving Dix standing in the entryway, he took the steps upward, two at a time, and entered the third doorway on the right. The room closest to the master suite.

Leigha lay in the queen-size bed, a small figure swallowed by puffy, cotton-candy-pink blankets. Her long blond hair fanned across the pillow and her face was even paler than normal. Brewer lay at her feet, his chin between his paws, his tail thumping against the comforter.

“Hey, Leigha. Mrs. Purdy had to go home.”

She stared up at him, her eyes wide. “Who’s going to take care of me?”

Andrew sat on the edge of the bed and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. His hands felt so big and clumsy next to her delicate features. God, he wished Mrs. Purdy hadn’t left. “I guess you’re stuck with me.”

Footsteps sounded outside the bedroom door.

Andrew shot a glance over his shoulder.

Dix peeked in and added, “And me.”

Leigha’s eyes widened. She reached for Andrew’s hand and whispered, “Who’s she?”

Andrew waved his hand behind him, urging Dix forward. “Leigha, this is Dix. Dix, this is Leigha.”

Leigha’s brows lowered. “What is she doing here?”

Andrew hated lying to the child, but he needed her to trust Dix. “Dix is my friend, and she’s come to stay with us for a little while. I’m counting on you to show her around. This place is so big, she might get lost.”

“I don’t feel like showing her around. My tummy hurts.”

“You don’t have to show me around today, sweetie.” Dix entered the room and came to stand beside Andrew. “Maybe when you get better?” She reached out her hand to the dog. “Is this your dog?”

Leigha nodded.

“What’s his name?” Dix asked.

“Brewer.”

Dix scratched behind Brewer’s ears. “Does Brewer like to listen to stories?”

Leigha frowned up at Dix. “Brewer’s a dog. He doesn’t always understand people.”

Andrew hid a grin. His daughter wasn’t going to give Dix an inch. She’d have to work for a connection.

His new bodyguard walked over to a shelf and thumbed through the colorful books. “I bet he likes it when you talk to him, doesn’t he?” Dix lifted a book off of a shelf. “Do you think he would like it if I read to him?”

The little girl closed her eyes. “He might.” She reached for Andrew’s hand and squeezed it, uncaring that it had burn scars and didn’t feel like a normal hand. She didn’t mind that he wasn’t perfect. She always seemed glad that he was just himself. His heart swelled. This little girl he hadn’t known he had until a year ago was his.

“What would he like to listen to?” Dix asked.

“He likes the book about the island and the blue dolphins.”

Andrew almost laughed out loud. From claiming Brewer was just a dog to admitting the animal would like to listen to the book Island of the Blue Dolphins, Leigha had come full circle.

Score one for Dix. Despite her claim that she didn’t know anything about children, she’d gotten Leigha to come around to her way of thinking without having to order her to do so.

Andrew nodded. “I’ll let you three get to it.” He started to rise but was stopped by the little hand holding his.

“Please stay, Mr. Stratford.” Leigha stared up at him with glassy blue eyes, her face flushed and her body hot.

“Tell you what...” Dix handed the book to Andrew. “Let your father start the story, while I get a fresh cloth to cool your face.”

“But Brewer wants to hear you read,” Leigha said.

“And I will. After I get something to cool you down.” Dix drew an X across her chest. “Cross my heart.”

“Okay.” Leigha turned to her father.

Outmaneuvered by the woman, Andrew opened the book. “Where should I start?”

“At the beginning.” Leigha closed her eyes and lay back against the pillow.

Andrew started reading.

Dix disappeared into the room’s adjoining bathroom and returned with a damp cloth. She folded it several times and laid it across Leigha’s forehead.

Andrew couldn’t help noting how gentle Dix was with his little girl. The woman was a natural with kids. While he read, Andrew studied Dix out of the corner of his eye.

Without makeup and her hair hanging loose around her shoulders, she wasn’t a classic beauty. Her shoulders and arm muscles were well-defined and taut. She didn’t have an ounce of fat on her body. Whatever she’d done before going to work for Fontaine, she’d kept physically fit. No, she wasn’t like Tazer, a woman who could pose for a fashion magazine. Nor was she bone-thin, like so many runway models who looked like they could use a big hamburger or treatment for an eating disorder.

No, Dix was what Andrew would call a healthy, granola girl, adept at hiking up hills without breaking into a sweat. She might even be capable of scaling cliffs with her bare hands.

But at that moment she was showing a side of herself she probably didn’t know she had. A side that made Andrew look at her in a whole new way.

The tenderness with which she applied the cool cloth to Leigha’s brow and cheeks was nothing short of maternal. She moved slowly, carefully patting Leigha’s face as she smiled down at the child.

So engrossed in watching Dix’s movements, at one point, Andrew forgot to read.

“I’m not asleep yet.” Leigha opened her eyes. “Please keep reading.”

“Sorry,” Andrew said, shaking aside his obsessive desire to watch Dix’s every move.

Dix chuckled low in her chest.

The sound made Andrew warm all over and he wanted her to do it again. He jerked his attention back to the book and read each word, without really seeing them or absorbing the story.

As he ended the first chapter, Andrew realized two things.

Leigha had fallen asleep and Dix had chinked away a piece of the wall he’d erected around himself.

That would not do. The woman was a hired hand. A temporary one at that.

The sooner he found a replacement bodyguard, the better.