Fueled by Lust: Cato (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 19

  He couldn’t stop replaying that day over and over in his mind. He wished he’d never mentioned Insedivertus or that he was keeping a secret from her when he’d spoken with Kallon. He should’ve been more careful. When he’d found the discarded suitcase and her clothes missing, he’d realized how quickly he’d fucked up his chances. He’d scoured every inch of the woods around his house in case she’d injured herself while fleeing. Ludo was monitoring Bryan and so far, it looked like the guy was still hunting for her. She’d made a clean getaway and Cato had no idea which direction she’d headed. The pounding on the door pulled him from the spiraling guilt and regret he’d been wallowing in for days.

  “Hey! You okay?”

  Cato opened the door and cocked an eyebrow at Maxim. “No worries. Not slicing the jugular. I’m good.”

  Maxim nodded his head in approval. “Now you look like the guy I remember. And you definitely smell better.”

  Cato chuckled and pushed past him. “I should’ve left some stink just to piss you off.” He took another step into the room and froze. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  * * * *

  Grunting, Luna shoved the cart harder and her only compensation was a painful gouge to her thumb. “Shit!” She slipped the injured digit into her mouth and squinted at the cause of her injury. Sure enough, a piece of the aged handle had split and peeled back like busted grape. A little bouquet of tiny rusted wires peeked out of the mess and made her immediately thankful she’d updated her tetanus shot.

  Huffing in frustration, she leaned back against the faded, green paint of the motel and looked up at the flashing neon sign spelling out “Desert Oasis” against the night sky. It wasn’t flashing pretty, twirling colors or moving in any particular sequence. Nope. It was so damn old, two letters were about to blow and she’d soon be working for “Desert sis.” Just as well, she thought. There wasn’t a damn desert or anything remotely resembling an oasis anywhere within the vicinity.

  She could see the skyline of Dallas, but she certainly wasn’t anywhere near the expensive buildings. Hell, she wasn’t even close to the reasonably well-kept area. She was firmly entrenched in moderately dilapidated. It was the only thing she could find that fit in her meager budget and even that was dwindling quickly. She’d considered herself lucky that the motel’s maid had gotten busted for selling crack over by the vending machine. The owner hadn’t batted an eye when she’d offered to be their new maid for cash under the table and a free room.

  Frenetic moths swirling around the exterior light hanging over her head brought her attention back to the rickety cart filled with thin towels and cheap toilet paper. Grimacing, she pulled on the yellow rubber gloves she’d had to purchase herself and stooped down in front of the cart. “Son of a bitch. So you’re the culprit.”

  Luna reached down and reluctantly pulled away a used condom and a black zip tie twisted around the front wheel of the cart. She quickly tossed them in the trash and shuddered. After a brief hesitation, she peeled off the gloves and let them follow her disgusting find.

  Sighing, she went to the back of the cart and pushed it forward. It squeaked and shimmied, but at least it was moving. Two more hours and she could hit the shower and crawl in bed. She had an early appointment with a diner down the block. If she could get that gig, she’d be able to save enough money to rent a decent apartment closer to the city. She patted the pocket of her apron to ensure the pepper spray was ready for any surprises and knocked on the next room door. She mumbled under her breath, “One day a time, Luna. One day at a time.”

  * * * *

  Cato glared at Maxim and pointed at the man standing across from him. “Was this your idea?” He was surprised when Kallon stepped in front of him and raised a palm.

  “No. It was mine. He was Plan B.”

  “What the hell does that mean?” Cato yelled. “Someone explain this.”

  Kallon lowered his arm. “Easy. If we couldn’t shake you out of your spiraling freefall into madness with humor or cajoling, I figured anger was the next best bet. Anything seemed better than that blank look you’ve been throwing.” Glancing over to Maxim, Kallon gestured to the door. “Come on. Let’s step out while they work their way through this.”

  Maxim nodded and followed the doctor out of the door and into the darkness.

  Cato swung his gaze back to the last person he’d ever expected to see standing in the middle of this room. He tried to keep his voice steady, but failed.

  “Labrax. What made you think it would be any different from our last encounter? Is it your plan to continuously remind me that you never loved my mother? If so, you’re succeeding brilliantly.” Cato was somewhat surprised at the calm demeanor and the steady gaze as Labrax moved to the couch and sat. He gestured to Cato’s chair.”

  “Please. Sit. This won’t take long.”

  Cato growled to the ceiling and plopped down in his chair. He gripped the armrests and willed himself to stay in place. He couldn’t bear to look at the male. “Go on then.”

  “You were right—the last time we spoke. I have been wrapped up in the arms of alcohol for so long that I let it fool me into believing everything would be okay. I could get up every day and go about my business and it would be gone.”

  Cato frowned. “What? What would be gone?” He was shocked when he finally locked onto Labrax’s face and saw the elusive emotion that’d flickered briefly within those familiar gray eyes the last time they’d met. He saw the pain etched in the tightness around his mouth and the clenched fists resting on his lap. Labrax didn’t look away this time. His lips trembled slightly and his words came hushed and reverent.

  “My love for her.” He closed his eyes briefly. When they reopened, the gray shimmered with moisture. “I did not know where to put it any longer. It was too big to keep to myself. I felt like my body would disintegrate into a million pieces and I would never return. When we lost your sister to the depths of the Trancis, your mother kept me sane. We poured the love of our daughter into each other and we survived. When I saw your mother’s eyes close and her chest rise no more, I felt something break inside me. I don’t remember walking away and I haven’t remembered much since. I craved the numbness and I made it so.” Cato watched as his father’s hands relaxed in his lap and his shoulders drifted lower as if a heavy weight had fallen away.

  “Cato. My son. Look at me.”

  Looking up, Cato frowned when he felt moisture traveling down his cheeks.

  “I failed you. When I found you outside the Senate chambers and looked into your eyes, I saw your mother. The disappointment that bled from the very eyes that I loved for centuries almost killed me. She was speaking to me through you. I should have turned to you the moment of her death. I should have grabbed you to my chest and poured every ounce of my love for her into every molecule of the child we had created together. I failed her. I have not lifted a bottle of wine to my lips since you rightfully walked away from me.”

  His father struggled with his next words and a tear slipped down his proud face. “I would rather feel a thousand years of excruciating agony than to never look into my son’s eyes again.”

  Cato didn’t remember jumping up from his chair, nor did he remember how he ended up kneeling before his father. All he would remember from that day forward was the feel of familiar strong arms wrapping around him and the thundering of a broken heart against his damp cheek. All the love his father had for his mother poured into his body and united them.

  Chapter 23

  Glancing at her watch, Luna groaned and wondered why the bus couldn’t be on time for a change. Cupping her hand over her eyes to block the morning sun, she peered expectantly down the street and wished she had a car. She had exactly three hours before her shift started and would be cutting it close. She also wondered why good news always paired up with bad and put a damper on any elation she felt.

  She’d waited an hour this morning before the manager of the diner had a chance to speak with her about a job. It only to
ok five minutes for him to give her the nod to start immediately. That’s when he revealed the stipulation that effectively popped the happy balloon swelling in her chest. She needed a valid ID. When she’d told him her purse had been stolen, he was sympathetic, but it didn’t sway his request. However, he did say if she provided paperwork showing she’d applied for one, it would satisfy the company requirements.

  So, here she stood—waiting for the consistently late bus and dreading the inevitably long wait at the DMV. Eventually, she plopped down on the bench and gave up. She hated sitting idle. It gave her time to remember a set of brilliant blue eyes and a voice that sent shivers across her skin every time she recalled it.

  It certainly hadn’t helped her forget when she’d found one of his T-shirts at the bottom of the duffel. Despite her reluctance, she couldn’t help pulling it to her nose and basking in his wonderful scent. She’d stuffed it under the mattress and refused to touch it ever since. It was much easier to forget when she was scrubbing toilets and ripping soiled sheets from beds. She’d actually convinced the motel owner to let her work the front desk when she wasn’t cleaning just so she didn’t have to sit in her room and cry. She missed the asshole, and it pissed her off.

  She’d started second-guessing her decision. Not because of where she’d ended up, but whether she’d jumped to the wrong conclusions. She was so used to Bryan’s privacy invasions that her first instinct had developed into self-preservation. He’d found her journal once and that was enough for her. Every dream or fantasy she’d written about had become a source of ridicule and leverage. She couldn’t bring herself to get rid of it, so it’d found a new home in the garage behind a board she’d pried loose from the wall.

  Perhaps she’d misunderstood the conversation he was having with his friend. She’d walked up in the middle of it and probably fled before it was finished. Had she made a dreadful mistake? Had her assumptions destroyed something that might have been special? She should’ve just walked in the room and asked him outright. Or, she could have been dead on and he was a prick of the highest order.

  Luna glanced up when she heard the rumble of the transit bus pulling to the curb. She shook her head and stood. “What does it matter anyway, Luna? He’s probably glad the damn drama finally came to an end.”

  * * * *

  Groaning, Cato rolled out of the bed and immediately grabbed the back of his thigh. “Fuck!” He sat back down and rubbed the knotted muscle until it finally relaxed. He chuckled and stood back up. “Now I remember why I haven’t bowled in a long time.” Walking around the room in no particular pattern, he worked the kinks out of his legs until he got a whiff of something that made his stomach growl.

  Throwing on a pair of jeans and a faded, black T-shirt, he followed the tantalizing smell of bacon and coffee drifting down the hallway. Rounding into the kitchen, he froze when he saw his father standing at the stove, spatula in one hand and a platter full of bacon in the other. Maxim was sitting at the bar with a fork gripped in his fist and a glazed look in his eye. A plate of eggs and toast sat before him, yet his gaze never wavered from the fried meat. Cato shook his head. He was still trying to comprehend his father in blue jeans and a “Dead Earth Politics” T-shirt Severus had loaned him, and now this. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

  Labrax approached Maxim, scooped a pile of strips onto his plate, and did the same to the other two on the bar. Chuckling, he turned to Cato. “It was that or starve to death. I have been cooking for years.” He sat the platter on the cabinet, poured a cup of coffee for them both, and then sat on the other side of the warrior, oblivious to their presence. He gestured to the seat next to Maxim. “Sit. I hope you like it. I ruined a few eggs before I figured out how to work your stove.”

  Cato grinned and dug into the meal. Ten minutes later, he was on his third cup of coffee and battling Maxim for the last two bacon strips. Glancing up, he caught his father smiling and staring at him with such love that his own chest warmed from the intensity of the emotion. The moment was lost when he felt a hard shove against his shoulder.

  Lying flat on his back and staring up at the ceiling, Cato started laughing and couldn’t seem to stop. It was like the pressure valve of all his angst, heartache, and fear had popped and he was slowly deflating.

  Maxim stood over him and waggled the two strips at him before stuffing them in his mouth. Licking his fingers, he grinned and held his hand out.

  “Don’t get between me and my bacon.”

  Grunting as Maxim pulled him up, Cato muttered, “Point taken.” He’d barely gotten the words out of his mouth when Petrus entered his thoughts.

  Amici, I need you to come back to the shop. Your tracking program is flashing red at the top, and your handheld is beeping on the cabinet.

  Cato’s eyes widened, and he held up his index finger when Maxim and his father approached with concern etched on their brows.

  What text is showing in the red bar at the top?

  Loc 5. Dallas DMV. Does this mean what I think it does?

  Cato felt weak from a full body adrenaline dump rushing through his bloodstream. Yes, my brother. We’ve found her. Click on the red bar, and read what you find on the screen.

  Petrus confirmed her name. He rattled off an address to a motel and a work address of a diner. Cato grinned, which immediately brought smiles to the two Insedi staring at him expectantly.

  Leave the screen on and you can press the button on the side of the handheld to turn it off. Give me twenty minutes.

  I’m happy for you, brother.

  Thank you, Petrus. I’m glad you were there.

  Cato placed his palms on the countertop and his chin hit his chest as he tried to compose himself. “I’ve located her. She’s in Dallas.” He lifted his head up and stared at his father. “I have to go.”

  Accepting the strong embrace, Cato hugged his father and was comforted by his words.

  “Of course. Go to your female and never let her loose. I love you, son. Never forget that.”

  Cato stepped back and nodded. “I love you, too. I’m glad that you came despite knowing I’d treat you like shit. Will you be here when I return?”

  Labrax shook his head. “No. I am scheduled to return today. I had not planned to stay longer. I have started attending meetings to help me handle my struggles. The idea was Kallon’s. He learned how this helps those here on Earth and tasked me to find others at home that battle as I do. I was shocked to learn the number of Insedi that are in need. I am not alone and we will help each other.”

  Gripping the top of his father’s shoulder, Cato squeezed and leaned forward. “I’m proud to be your son. I’ll come home to see you very soon.”

  Labrax blinked rapidly a few times and nodded. “Go, now. Be safe.” He turned away and started gathering dishes from the counter. Maxim clapped him on the back and winked at Cato.

  “I’ll help you clean up, uncle. It’s the least I can do since you fed me. See you, cuz.”

  Grinning, Cato ran for his boots.

  * * * *

  As far as diners went, this one wasn’t half-bad, Luna thought. Thankfully, the waitresses were allowed to wear blue jeans and she already had a dark blue T-shirt, so she wasn’t out any money for a uniform. The other two girls were sweet and didn’t mind showing her where everything was located. Even when she dropped a full plate of food on the floor, no one yelled or gave her the hairy eyeball. Instead, she got a round of enthusiastic clapping and whistles from the customers. Mike, the manager, even patted her on the back and said, “At least you got that out of the way. Everyone does it once, so you’re good to go.”

  She’d hated lying to Mike about her “extensive” background as a waitress, but the lure of quick cash made fibbing a little easier. She had absolutely no idea what the hell she was doing and was completely surprised by the wad of dollars in her apron pocket. It appeared her long braid was an interesting topic of conversation and kept the customer’s focus off her horrendous skills. That, or they felt sorry f
or her and were paying her off in the hope that she’d bolt for the door.

  Luna passed by the back office and tossed the filthy apron in the basket the girls had indicated earlier. The diner supplied fresh aprons every shift. At least she didn’t have to spend all night cleaning it after she finished her stint at the motel. She barely got any sleep as it was.

  Luna walked back through the kitchen, smiled at the busboy, grabbed a Styrofoam carton, and headed to the front. The girls said she could take any food home that was left over at the end of a shift. She’d had her eye on two blueberry muffins for the last hour. With close to forty minutes before her shift started at the motel, there was plenty of time to nuke them in the microwave and watch some mindless TV.

  Luna glanced up at the sound of the bell chiming over the front door and almost swallowed her tongue. Quickly, she backed up into the kitchen and flattened herself against the wall. What the hell? How in the world did he find me? Shit! Did he see me?

  Peeking around the lip of the swinging door, she saw his back was to her and she took the opportunity to haul ass out the rear door and into the darkness. The motel was two blocks away and Luna ran until her lungs felt like they’d explode from her chest. As she rounded the corner of the vending machine, she looked up and a shrill cry ripped from her throat. “Cato!”

  The most beautiful man she’d ever seen in her life was walking across the motel parking lot and looking at her as if she was an apparition. The moment their eyes locked, she didn’t give a shit if he’d read her journal a thousand times or thought she was a complete loon. All she knew in this moment was that he wasn’t close enough yet. She had to get him closer.

  Luna used the last of her energy to leap up into his embrace and practically climbed him like a tree. She locked her arms around his thick neck and buried her face against his warm skin. Leather, vanilla, and musky man assaulted her senses and she burst into tears. When his strong arms clamped around her, she knew she was safe. His husky, sexily accented voice wrapped around her senses like a warm blanket pulled fresh from a dryer.