Heartless Rebel by Lynn Raye Harris Read Free Book Online Page A

She
shook her head as she went back to the bed and climbed onto it. Twenty seconds
later, Mama’s voice came on the other end of the line. A flood of wistfulness
washed over Cara. Oddly enough, tears pricked her. She pressed her eyelids to
keep them from falling.
                 “Hey,
Mama.”
                 The
conversation didn’t last long, but it helped her feel better in the end. Remy
was doing well. The money Cara had sent recently would pay for his therapy
through the end of next month. Evie had just gotten a job as a secretary in a
law firm downtown, and the insurance was paid up for the next two months. The
ground beneath her family’s feet was firm, if not quite solid yet.
                 When
the call ended, she laid the phone on the table and closed her eyes. They were
doing well. Not great, but well. She could have used the money that Bobby had
been about to pay her, but it wasn’t the end of the world. Besides, that had
been dirty money, and Mama wouldn’t have approved of dirty money. Cara would
just have to find a new job, work harder and make damn sure her family stayed
on firmer ground.
                 She
roused herself and went to check on Jack. He looked up when she came in. The
skin under his eye looked worse, but there was no swelling.
                 “How
do you feel?” she asked.
                 “Stiff.
I’m ready to get out of here.”
                 He
pushed himself upright until she could get an arm around him and help him to
stand. Grabbing a towel, she wrapped it around him, then handed him another one
to dry his torso with. The towel she wore kept slipping as they walked toward
the bed. She prayed it would hold until she got him into bed when she could
tighten it again.
                 “Why
are you still here?” Jack asked.
                 The
question startled her. “Because you’re too stubborn to go to a doctor.”
                 “If
I did, would you leave?”
                 She
hesitated only a moment. “Yes,” she said, though the word wanted to stick in
her throat.
                 “A
good reason not to go, then.”
                 “Jack—”
                 “But
where would you go?” he interrupted. “Where is home?”
                 He
lay on the bed and she pulled the covers up. “New Orleans,” she told him.
                 “A
grand city.”
                 “You’ve
been to the casino there, no doubt,” she said a bit crisply.
                 “I
have. But why aren’t you working there? It’s far safer than working for a man
like Bobby Gold.”
                 Cara
shrugged. She didn’t want him to know the truth. That she felt like she’d never
make anything of herself if she stayed in Louisiana, that she wanted adventure
and romance, and that she wanted to travel to far-flung places. It sounded
childish when she said it. And yet those were the longings of her heart. She
wanted to escape. She’d always wanted to escape.
                 Guilt
stabbed into her. She had no right to feel that way.
                 “I
thought there was more money to be made in
                 Vegas.”
She picked up a pillow and clutched it to her chest. “Why don’t you go to sleep
now? It’ll do you good.”
                 He
tipped his head at the pillow. “Planning to suffocate me in my sleep?”
                 “It’s
a thought,” she said. “But no. I’m going to sleep on the floor.”
                 He
caught her wrist in a broad hand before she could turn away. “There’s no need
for that, Cara. It’ll be uncomfortable.”
                 “I’ll
be fine.”
                 “This
bed is big enough for two.”
                 She
wasn’t sure this room was big enough
for two when he