To Save His Child Read online

  Would she ever forgive him? Caine wondered as he watched her sleep.

  Letter to Reader

  Title Page

  Also by

  About the Author

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Copyright

  Would she ever forgive him? Caine wondered as he watched her sleep.

  He wasn’t sure, but he knew he couldn’t let it matter. He’d walked around Limores for a couple of hours, trying to decide what to do, but in the end he’d had no choice. Her life and her baby’s were the pawns in a deadly game, and he didn’t even know the rules. He had to protect them. Even if Lexie never forgave him.

  Finally she opened her eyes. “Is everything set for tonight?”

  He saw the sudden tenseness in her hands, and for a moment he thought she knew. He hated himself for forcing her to do this. But he shut his mind to everything except what would happen if El Cuchillo caught them.

  If he thought about what he was going to make her do, he wouldn’t be able to go through with it.

  Dear Reader,

  Our lead title this month hardly needs an introduction, nor does the author. Nora Roberts is a multiple New York Times bestseller, and Megan’s Mate follows her extremely popular cross-line miniseries THE CALHOUN WOMEN. Megan O’Riley isn’t a Calhoun by birth, but they consider her and her young son family just the same. And who better to teach her how to love again than longtime family friend Nate Fury?

  Our newest cross-line miniseries is DADDY KNOWS LAST, and this month it reaches its irresistible climax right here in Intimate Moments. In Discovered: Daddy, bestselling author Marilyn Pappano finally lets everyone know who’s the father of Faith Harper’s baby. Everyone, that is, except dad-to-be Nick Russo. Seems there’s something Nick doesn’t remember about that night nine months ago!

  The rest of the month is terrific, too, with new books by Marion Smith Collins, Elane Osborn, Vella Munn and Margaret Watson. You’ll want to read them all, then come back next month for more of the best books in the business—right here at Silhouette Intimate Moments.

  Enjoy!

  Leslie Wainger

  Senior Editor and Editorial Coordinator

  * * *

  Please address questions and book requests to:

  Silhouette Reader Service

  U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

  Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

  * * *

  TO SAVE HIS CHILD

  MARGARET WATSON

  Books by Margaret Watson

  Silhouette Intimate Moments

  An Innocent Man #636

  An Honorable Man #708

  To Save His Child #750

  MARGARET WATSON

  From the time she learned to read, Margaret could usually be found with her nose in a book. Her lifelong passion for reading led to her interest in writing, and now she’s happily writing exactly the kind of stories she likes to read. Margaret is a veterinarian who lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and their three daughters. In her spare time she enjoys roller blading, birding and spending time with her family. Readers can write to Margaret at P.O. Box 2333, Naperville, IL 60567-2333.

  For all my friends in Chicago North.

  Thanks for your help, your support and,

  most of all, your friendship.

  Chapter 1

  “You’re the only one I trust to get her out of that godforsaken country, O’Roarke. Dammit, I’d go there myself if I could.”

  Caine O’Roarke watched as James Hollister pushed himself away from the desk and stood slowly and painfully, turning to look out the window.

  “She’s all I have left,” the older man muttered. “I don’t want to lose her in some senseless revolution.”

  “You should have thought of that before you let her go down there in the first place.” Caine leaned back in his chair and tested his boots on the polished walnut surface of Hollister’s desk.

  James turned around and scowled at him. “You should know as well as anyone that you don’t ‘let’ Lexie do anything. She’s done what she damn well pleased since she was fifteen years old.”

  Caine raised his eyebrows. “And whose fault is that? You’re going to have to learn to control your daughter, James.”

  Instead of blowing up at him, the older man smiled wearily. “Wait until you have a daughter, O’Roarke. Then you can lecture me on child rearing. Until then, keep your opinions to yourself.”

  Caine shifted in his chair, restless and edgy. “Those weren’t opinions—just pointing out the facts.” Sliding down farther into the soft leather, he continued, “You still haven’t told me why I should risk my butt yanking your daughter out of San Rafael.”

  James eased himself down into his chair again and fixed Caine with a piercing look. “Before you left on that assignment eleven months ago, you were dating her. I would think that would be reason enough.”

  Caine sat up slowly, his heart suddenly pounding. His feet hit the expensive Oriental carpet with a muffled thud. “Did Lexie tell you that things were serious between us?”

  “Of course not.” James sighed. “Lexie’s never been serious about anything in her life. I just thought you might have a vested interest in getting her safely back to Washington.”

  “Why? We never had any future. Lexie and I came from two different worlds. We had about as much in common as a poodle and a pit bull.” Caine heard the hint of pain and longing in his voice and struggled to control it. It had taken a long time, but he’d thought he’d finally managed to banish his useless fantasies about Lexie Hollister. He didn’t want to examine his reaction to her father’s request.

  James ignored his outburst. “You’ve been a lone wolf for too long, Caine. You and Lexie could be good for each other,” he said quietly. “I thought so a year ago, and I still do.”

  “You’re dreaming, old man.” Caine’s voice was brutal. “The only thing Lexie and I were good at was fighting.” There was one other thing, he acknowledged silently, struggling to control his body’s response to the sudden memories. It just wasn’t the kind of thing you mentioned to a woman’s father.

  “Maybe she’s grown up down there in San Rafael.” Her father sounded wistful.

  “Yeah, and maybe cows will start climbing trees, too.” Caine propped his feet on the desk again, ignoring James’s withering look. “She’s probably down there visiting all the nightclubs in Limores and hanging out with the rich planters’ kids.”

  “What did she do to you, Caine?” Hollister’s voice was quiet.

  “Not a thing. We only ‘dated’ for a month, remember?”

  No, Lexie hadn’t done anything to him. And that was the problem. In one short month he’d come to hate her world—the world of parties every night and shopping and lunches every day. He’d raged at her for her useless life, and she’d coolly told him that no one was forcing him to participate.

  But he couldn’t stay away from her. In spite of his determination not to get involved with anyone, in spite of the way he felt about her friends and her life-style, he’d become damn near obsessive about Lexie Hollister. Underneath the social butterfly he’d sensed an intelligent, caring woman, and it had infuriated him that she wouldn’t grow up. He’d told James the truth. In the short month that he’d known her, they’d spent most of the time fi
ghting.

  Except for the two times they’d made love. There had been no hostility between them then. Even now, almost a year later, the memories of those two nights could get him harder faster than any other woman in the flesh.

  “Maybe it was a mistake, encouraging you to take Lexie out.” James Hollister suddenly looked old and defeated.

  Caine shook his head and stood. “No, James, it wasn’t a mistake. Lexie taught me a lot. She taught me how the other half lives, and made me damn glad I’m not one of them. I’ll always be grateful to her for that.”

  As he started for the door, the other man spoke behind him. He sounded utterly weary. “I shouldn’t have asked, Caine. I’m sorry.”

  Caine slowly turned around, knowing he couldn’t refuse his mentor’s request. “I’ll go get her for you, old man. I owe you.” He smiled without humor. “If I recall, that’s how I got involved with her last time. It’s a good thing I’m getting out of this business. I can’t afford to owe you anything else.”

  Lexie Hollister tucked a strand of damp, limp hair behind her ear and took a deep breath. Squatting down onto the dirt floor, she took one of the boy’s trembling hands into her own and spoke soothingly to him.

  “Now, Luis, I know you’re scared. Seeing a big needle like that is frightening. Why, it’s almost as big as one of the mosquitoes that come out at night, isn’t it?”

  Luis gave her a watery chuckle, and she felt him relax a bit. At five years of age, he was old enough to realize that getting a vaccination was going to hurt. And he was stubborn enough to refuse to lift his shirtsleeve, in spite of the pleas and threats from his mother. The other woman rolled her eyes when Lexie glanced up at her.

  It was time to try another tack.

  “Maybe you think that a man such as yourself should receive his vaccination by himself. Should I ask your mother to leave?”

  Lexie could see the boy was torn. The idea that he was a man was enormously appealing, but he was still afraid of that needle. She would have to help him make up his mind.

  “Consuela, why don’t you wait outside while I give Luis his shot? A man likes to be alone at times like these.” Lexie could see that the boy’s mother was going to protest, so she hurried her out the door. Turning to Luis, she rolled up his sleeve and swabbed his arm with alcohol.

  “It will only hurt for a moment, Luis,” she said gently. “Then you can go and tell the other boys how brave you were.” While the child was contemplating his coming glory, she quickly and efficiently injected the vaccine. By the time he yelped, it was all over.

  Lexie leaned back against the wooden table and watched as the dark-haired boy and his mother walked away from her tiny house. One more child vaccinated, she thought wearily, and only about a million more to go. But as long as the government of San Rafael was able to get vaccine to her, the children of the village of Santa Ysabel would be protected.

  Glancing at her watch, she calculated that she would have time to see at least one more patient, maybe two, before she had to take a break. Picking up the cup of lukewarm coffee that stood on a small table, she drank it down and willed the caffeine to kick in. Weariness had been her constant companion lately, and she got through most days with a combination of coffee and stubbornness.

  Stepping to the door, she opened it and called out, “Whoever’s next can come on in.” Without waiting to see who followed her back into the house, she walked over to her most important possession—the small refrigerator—and squatted down to remove another dose of the precious vaccine.

  “Your Spanish has improved since the last time I saw you, Lexie.”

  The tiny vial of vaccine fell from her hand and rolled across the dirt floor, disappearing under the refrigerator. Shock held her frozen in place. It couldn’t be.

  Gripping the edge of the refrigerator door with one hand, she slowly got up and turned around. It was.

  Caine O’Roarke stood in her house, not more than three feet away from her. If possible, his face looked even harder than it had eleven months ago. It could have been carved from granite, and his blue eyes were devoid of expression as he stared down at her.

  “Caine. What are you doing here?” Her tongue felt thick and clumsy as she stumbled over the words.

  “I’m staying at the resort right up the road,” he retorted. “Hell, Lexie, what do you think I’m doing here? Your father sent me to bring you home.”

  “So you’re still doing what my father tells you to do, Caine?” Just saying the words made her tremble inside. She told herself it was rage and not pain that caused it.

  “This time he’s right.” He ignored the reference to their past history. “The political situation in San Rafael is critically unstable, and he doesn’t want you caught in the middle of it. Whoever’s in charge of these rebels seems to be virulently anti-American. It’s not a good time for you to be hanging around in a South American village at the back of nowhere. Especially with a name like Hollister. Your father is well-known in this country.”

  “My father is several thousand miles away. He has nothing to do with this. And I’m not simply ‘hanging around,’ as you so quaintly put it,” she said coldly. She fed the anger, hoping to keep other, more dangerous emotions at bay. “I have a job to do here. So while I appreciate your concern, I’m afraid I’ll have to decline your generous offer.”

  “What’s your job that’s so important, Lexie?” he asked scornfully. “Organizing the weekly luncheon for the ladies of Santa Ysabel?”

  In spite of the fact that it had been almost a year since she’d last seen him, his barbed comments about her life-style still hurt. Even though they were no longer valid. Turning away from him, she searched under the refrigerator until her hand closed around the smooth glass vial she’d dropped. She carefully placed it back in the refrigerator.

  “I’m the only nurse in this village,” she said quietly. “If I leave, there won’t be any medical care for the people here. And if a civil war is coming, it’s even more important that I stay.”

  He didn’t answer, and she turned around slowly to find him watching her with stunned astonishment. Finally his eyes narrowed. “Since when are you a nurse, Lexie?”

  “Since I graduated from nursing school five years ago.” Congratulating herself on her even voice, she began methodically straightening the contents of the tiny table that sat next to the refrigerator.

  “I never heard anything about your being a nurse.”

  His voice was tinged with disbelief, and Lexie let her anger bubble to the surface, willing it to bury the pain of his scornful words. Spinning around to face him, she said, “There were a lot of things you never heard about, Caine. You didn’t stick around long enough to ask. But then I guess when James Hollister says ‘Jump,’ you only ask how high.”

  A tiny voice told her to stop. But she couldn’t. “Since we’re on the subject, there’s something I’ve always wondered about. Did you sleep with me on my father’s orders, too? Was that another way he thought he could control me?”

  She’d finally managed to remove that remote, unreadable expression from his face. Something blazed to life in his eyes for a moment, quickly replaced by a look that was half fury, half pain. “Nobody tells me to do anything, Lexie,” he said softly. “I thought you’d figured that out by now.”

  “I never figured out anything about you, Caine,” she whispered. “Nothing at all.”

  “You’ll have plenty of time to learn on our way out of here,” he said, ignoring her words and looking around. “Take as much as you can carry on your back, and we’ll leave in the morning.”

  “Didn’t you hear me? I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Don’t be a fool. If half of the stories I’ve heard about this guy are true, you don’t want to be within five hundred miles of this country. What is it that they call him?”

  “El Cuchillo,” she answered reluctantly.

  “And they don’t call him The Knife for nothing, I’m damn sure of that. So what’s the problem,
Lexie?” he asked, his voice impatient. “Believe me, it’ll be easier to get out of here now, with me, than in a couple of months when all hell’s broken loose.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Caine, not with you or anyone else. Haven’t you heard me? This is where I belong. I’ve made a life for myself here, and I’m happy. I don’t need rescuing.”

  “You need your head examined, that’s what you need.”

  His deep voice began to rise, the sound echoing off the mud-brick walls. Lexie looked anxiously toward the next room, her ears straining to hear and her palms beginning to sweat. She had to get him out of here.

  “Look, I have patients waiting to see me,” she said, speaking too quickly. “Could we continue this conversation later?”

  “I don’t care when we discuss it as long as you’re ready to go tomorrow morning.” He looked around the small room one more time, then back at her. His gaze was hard and determined. “I’m staying in the inn at the other end of the village. I’ll be back at daybreak.”

  He turned and walked out her door, and she watched him through the window as he strode down the narrow street. His dark blond hair was too long, as it had been a year earlier, and he’d tied it back with a rolled-up bandanna. His smooth, fluid walk hadn’t changed, either, and she couldn’t tear her gaze away from him. Sensual memories stirred as she watched the way his faded jeans hugged his taut rear end.

  This is the man who walked away from you eleven months ago, she reminded herself as she moved back from the window. A fragment of remembered pain stirred in her heart, but she pushed it ruthlessly away. She couldn’t afford to wallow in self-pity. She had to figure out what to do. If she knew Caine O’Roarke, and she was afraid she did, he wasn’t going to disappear just because she’d told him no.