Deborah Camp by My Wild Rose Read Free Book Online Page A

trying to get me away from that staircase. She’s up there, isn’t she?”
    “Jack, please.” Regina steeled herself against showing him any panic. “Come into the kitchen and tell me all about it. Tell me why your wife left you.”
    “You know why!” He wrenched his arm from her grasp, and renewed fury painted red spots on his face. His breath hit her full in the face and she turned her cheek to the stench of soured whiskey. “Look at me!” He squeezed her chin between his thumb and the knuckle of his forefinger and brought her gaze around to his again. “You can’t keep what’s mine. She belongs to me. Now where is she?”
    Glaring at him, Regina battled the cold anger that ballooned in her and lost. She knew how to hurt him. She knew all the soft places and she aimed for the most tender. “You’re just like Mama. Weak. She couldn’t do without her gin and youcan’t do without your whiskey and beer. It owns you, body and soul. Just like Mama.”
    “Shut your mouth!” Jack bellowed. He pushed her away and slapped her across the face. “I’m not a coward and I’m not like her. I don’t need to drink. I
want
to. You got that, little sister?”
    The salty taste of blood stained her tongue and Regina stepped out of his range. Her heaving gasps burned her throat and tears blurred her vision, but she held on to her senses and blocked the staircase.
    “Get out of here, Jack, and don’t come back. She’s not here.”
    “Liar. Stand away from the stairs. I’m going up.”
    “No!”
    He lunged at her and Regina tumbled backward, falling onto the stairs. One edge hit her in the small of the back and she cried out from the sharp pain. Jack’s face swam close to hers and then it was magically whisked away. Regina blinked hard and realized that another man had entered the foyer and had Jack pinned against the wall.
    “Jack!” she shouted, scrambling to her feet, then her breath whooshed down her throat when she recognized the other man. “Mr. Dane! Don’t hurt him. He’s … he’s …” She hated to admit it. “He’s my brother,” she said in a rush.
    “Your brother?” Theo repeated.
    “Half brother,” Jack said with a snarl. “Let go before I pound you into dust.”
    Theo smirked. “You and what army?” He stepped back, slowly removing his hand from Jack’s throat. “You’re a tough customer, all right. It surely takes a big man to beat up on his little sister.”
    “You bastard!” Jack lurched away from the wall,but his face suddenly lost all color and he veered from Theo and stumbled onto the front porch. He dropped to his knees at the edge of it and emptied the contents of his stomach.
    Theo touched the dot of blood at the corner of Regina’s mouth. “Are you okay?”
    She nodded, embarrassed to have him see her in such a state, but glad for his intervention. “Fine. I’m just a trifle dazed. He showed up out of the blue and I … well, he’s very drunk.”
    “So I can see.” Theo glanced at Jack, who curled into a puddled heap and moaned. He tapped the toe of his boot against Jack’s shoulder. “You going to be okay, partner?”
    Jack groaned and then began to snore.
    “Looks like he’s passed out,” Theo observed. “You want me to carry him inside for you?”
    “Inside? Oh, no.” She stared at Jack, then at Theodore. “I can’t let him stay here. I—you see … well, I just can’t.”
    He patted the air to calm her. “Okay, okay. Want me to take him to a hotel?”
    “Would you? I don’t know if he has any money. Let me see if I can find enough for—”
    “Don’t worry. I’ll go through his pockets. I’m sure he’s got a dollar on him.”
    Calmed by his even, authoritative voice, Regina smiled at him. He was dressed in a suit again—this one a dark brown—and it looked as if he had just shaved. He’s probably on his way to meet a young lady, she thought. Interest sparkled in his blue eyes, startling her. She averted her gaze, shy of the sexual pull of