Page 37 of Reaching His Heart (The Sartoris 3)

Solette squeaked in alarm. “Cason!”

His grin broadened, and he nodded to one of the men. The man took the keys from Cason and instructed Joseph to hop in. Without even a question to Solette if any of this craziness was okay, Joseph and the bodyguard were off and down the street almost as fast as Joe Sr. had left the area.

“Cason—”

He reached her steps, and every nerve in her body tingled with awareness. “Relax, Solette. He’ll be safe. My men are highly-trained, and he won’t try to show off and do something stupid to impress Joseph.”

“They were speeding down the street. How is that not showing off?”

He was still smiling, ticking her off all the more. One of his hands came up, and he traced a finger along her cheek. She turned her head, but that only served to amuse him more.

“They weren’t moving as fast as your fear made them seem to.” His voice dropped to hardly above a whisper. “Trust me, Solette.”

She shivered.

“Shall we go inside?” he offered.

“I want to know what all those men are doing outside my place and why you’re here.”

“I don’t remember you being so angry.” He pushed past her into the house, and she had no choice but to follow. Thank goodness the men in black stayed outside. She didn’t think they could all fit in the living room. Neil, who had arrived with Cason, of course came in with him.

Cason looked around the disaster that was the living room. “This is a house?”

“It’s a duplex. Why are you here? And while I’m on the subject, your men had no right to run Joe Sr. off.”

For the first time, the smile left his face. “You’re not still foolishly thinking about marrying him?”

She refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing she wouldn’t give Joe Sr. the time of day when it came to getting with her. “What I do or don’t do doesn’t concern you. I’m glad to see you’re able to get around without the canes. You’re doing well otherwise?”

He stepped closer. “Forget the canes.”

She retreated a little, but he followed. “Cason, about those men outside…”

“They stay.”

“You have no right! And six of them, really? Contrary to what you think, Joe Sr. isn’t a problem. Since the party, he hasn’t pushed to try to get with me at all. He visits just to see Joseph, and they always go off to hang out together.”

Where had her resolve gone to not tell him anything?

Cason’s eyebrows rose, and she noticed once again the brilliant blue of his eyes. They were so beautiful they took her breath away. She tried not to stare, but she couldn’t look away. Even the swelling had gone down on the side of his face. Money had gotten him great surgery. He looked like he’d never been in a car accident. At least his face did. The man was too sexy for her own good. Funny, she kind of missed the scar, but if he was no longer in pain, that was the important thing.

“What was that outside then?” he said, and she had to think a minute what they were talking about.

“What?”

“He called you his girl.”

“How did you even find that out so quickly?”

He waited for her to answer his question, and she sighed.

“A bunch of strange men were in his face. What else was he going to say?”

Cason straightened and towered above her. Her breath rattled in her chest. His hand came up again, but before she could turn her head, he captured her chin in a gentle but firm hold.

“Let me make myself plain, Solette, so there are no misunderstandings. You’re mine.”

She gasped. “You’re no better than Joe Sr.!”

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