The Cain Casey Series

Chapter Two

“My God. What’s wrong? Is Cain okay?” Emma said when she saw the startled expression of the hospital administrator who met them and their protection in the lobby. It had never occurred to her that Cain might be in danger, since she was always the one who kept everyone safe. If someone had attacked Cain in her vulnerable state, Emma didn’t know if she would be able to endure it.

“Please, Ms. Casey, I didn’t mean to scare you. Everything’s fine. Your partner just wanted me to escort you to her new private room.” The administrator waved toward a bank of elevators.

As Emma, the children, Merrick, and Mook, Hayden’s longtime bodyguard, rode to the sixth floor, Emma felt immensely better that they had a contingent of armed guards in the lobby. She imagined an assassin around every corner and jumped every time she heard a noise.

Considering all she’d been through in the last couple of months, Cain looked amazing. Being shot two weeks earlier by Agent Barney Kyle on her enemy Giovanni Bracato’s order hadn’t been the only thing that had taken its toll. She’d been dealing with the return of her partner Emma after a four-year absence, and the discovery of their daughter Hannah. Those emotional blows had been hard, especially since she was still grieving the murder of her sister Marie.

Now, though, there was no sign of the pallor that lingered since Agent Kyle shot her. She sat up in a chair talking to Lou, freshly showered, appearing like the Cain Casey all of them were used to dealing with. She still looked a little tired and on edge, but the strength that always seemed to pour from her was returning.

“Ah, now there’s a good-looking group,” Cain said, seeming surprised to see Emma.

When Cain nodded, everyone whose last name wasn’t Casey left the room. Without any encouragement, Hannah ran to Cain and started climbing into her lap.

“Careful, honey. Cain’s got an owie and we don’t want to make it worse,” Emma said. She moved to pick the little girl up but stopped when Cain shook her head brusquely.

“It’s all right. Let her do what she wants. I feel better after a shower.”

“Was that wise? You’re still weak. And what about your sutures?”

“Don’t worry. A big guy from the ward helped me since you weren’t here. And they wrapped me up fairly tight before I got wet.” Cain waved Emma off and opened her hand to her daughter. “How are you doing after all that excitement this afternoon, sweet girl?”

“It was scary, Mom,” Hannah said, her fingers in her mouth.

“I know, sweetheart, but you’re going to be all right. Nothing bad’s going to happen to you, your mom, or your brother.” She stroked Hannah’s thick black hair and kissed her forehead. “I promise. Want something to drink?”

“Can I have a Coke?”

“What do you say, Emma, just this once?” Cain looked at her.

“Just one, Hannah, and you have to stay with Hayden the whole time.” Emma helped her off Cain’s lap and walked her and Hayden to the door. The sight of them following Mook down the hall made her heart hurt.

“Are you all right?” Cain asked as the door closed.

“Two carloads of men came and shot up the room where I was sleeping with our daughter and destroyed the room where you sit day after day working. Am I all right?” Emma’s voice grew louder with each sentence, and Cain didn’t try to stop her. “No, I’m not all right.” The controlled veneer she’d put up for the sake of the children disappeared in a second as she twirled around to face Cain.

“Can I ask you something else?” Cain put up her hand this time when Emma opened her mouth. “Just be quiet and think about what I’m asking before you answer.”

“What?”

“When you first met me, did you ask anyone who I was before you went out on our first date?” They had come a long way from that first night at the Erin Go Braugh, an Irish pub Cain owned in the French Quarter. That first date had blossomed into a relationship that had produced two children, but also the betrayal of Emma leaving.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Cain stared at her and tried to appear relaxed, though she was convinced that Emma would leave her again. And this time would be the last. “It has everything to do with everything.”

“I knew you were the owner of the pub and people had a million stories to tell about your women and what you did for a living. It was just all rumors, but I didn’t go out and ask anyone about you specifically. Why?”

“Because I want to know if you knew me before you entered the devil’s lair, Emma. No one forced you, so don’t act like you think I was some saint who deceived you into a life you didn’t want. Do you regret leaving the farm this time around?”

“Of course I don’t regret coming back, but I love my children and want them to be safe.”

“Come on, then, let’s be done with it.” With considerable effort Cain put her hands on the arms of the chair and pushed herself into a standing position. “Keep your place.” Cain swayed a little, but didn’t want any help from Emma. “I’ll be keeping my feet and dignity as you tell me what you want.”

“I want you—”

“But. It sounds like you wanted to end that statement with a ‘but,’ sweetling.”

“I can’t live like this. It’s not you. I love you more than life, but we have to consider other people. Yes, I knew who you were before I committed to you, and I thought I could handle it, but I just want to keep us all safe. Is that wrong?”

The pain was starting to come in short aching throbs again, and it wasn’t just from the wound. Cain dug deep to stay on her feet. “This time I didn’t set myself up with unrealistic expectations of you, Emma, so I’m not disappointed. If you want to go, then go.”

“Cain, please—”

“I won’t stand in your way. You want to leave, you leave, no questions asked and no tearful farewells. But—yes, I can add those to the ends of sentences too—you won’t take my children if they don’t want to leave. I won’t keep you from them, Emma, but that works both ways. You won’t keep them from me either. I’m sure, being the only parent Hannah’s ever known, she’ll choose you, but if Hayden wants to stay, I won’t send him away.”

“Even if he could get hurt? He and Hannah could be dead right now. All that shooting—”

“Take off your blinders, Emma. You’re standing here alive because my people did their jobs. You think people like Barney Kyle are going to keep you safe? Do you think I’ll just hand over my kids to someone like your mother?”

“Forget my mother, and Kyle. I learned my lesson about trusting people like him. I just want us all to go somewhere until you’re healthy and ready to take on what you need to, to make all this go away. You’re a parent, Cain. Don’t you want that for Hannah and Hayden?”

“I see it as running, and so will Bracato’s men. Do you think Giovanni and his sons will show mercy until I’m ready to fight back? What you’re asking will only put us in more danger. This is the life I’ve chosen, hard realities and all. Just because you can’t take the heat, you don’t have the right to use our children to try and guilt me into seeing things your way. Just get out.”

As much as she wanted to stay on her feet, Cain had to either sit down or fall on the floor. “I don’t have the energy to deal with all this shit and you along with it. Go back to the farm and to Mama, and tell her how she was right all along. We’ll make arrangements as soon as you’re settled.”

“Please, Cain, we need to finish this.”

“I said for you to leave. It’s what you’re good at, and I see it still comes naturally to you. Just tell Merrick where you’re going.”

“You want to know where I’ll be?” Emma took a step forward.

“Of course I want to know where you’ll be, since Hannah will be with you. I won’t keep Hayden from you, but Hannah has a right to know me.”

“Of course—”

Cain pinned Emma with a glare. “Get out. We’re done.”

Emma had hurt her for the last time.