Ringmaster

I drink in the happiness on his face, unable to tear my eyes away. My Cale, looking at me like this because he’s elated at the thought of me having his baby. After the terror of the past hour, I never thought I could ever be this happy again.

He passes a hand over his mouth, still grinning. “I have to go back to the police and they’re going to think I’m a maniac if I can’t stop smiling.”

I take his hand, twist my fingers through his and whisper softly, “I love you, Cale.”

He presses his forehead against mine, smiling the most beautiful, perfectly at peace smile. The blood and chaos of the night retreats until there’s just the two of us, lost in each other’s eyes.

“I love you, too,” he says. “I can’t tell you how good it feels to finally say it.”

“Just come back to me, okay?”

He slants a kiss over my mouth that takes my breath away. “Wild fucking horses, sparkle.”

Chapter Thirty

Cale

The night is a long one, and I finally return to the campfire just past two in the morning. Most people are still awake and are gazing into the flickering flames. Ryah is slumped against Elke’s shoulder, her face pale and exhausted and her eyes closed.

I crouch down in front of Ryah and cup her cheek. “Hey.”

Her eyes flutter open, and she blinks several times. Then she sits up with a gasp.

“It’s all over,” I reassure her. “No one’s being charged.”

Convincing the police that I didn’t directly or indirectly cause Vern’s death wasn’t as straightforward as I made out when I left her earlier in the night. I just didn’t want to frighten her.

I admitted to them that I was chasing him down when Jareth threw him to his death. I explained that Jareth was my horse and Vern had repeatedly threatened and harmed one of my circus members, who was also his daughter. He’d taken her into the woods, and I had to hurt him to get her back. They were suspicious about the knives I was carrying, and Vern’s cuts. Thankfully, no one saw me about to throw a knife into Vern’s back.

It turned out that Vern has been previously charged with stealing horses and disturbing the peace. One of the officers interviewing me even knew Ve

rn personally, and could well believe that he’d hit and terrorize his daughter and try to steal my horse. He didn’t seem to think it was much of a loss that Vern was dead.

A couple who live in the town reported that they’d seen Vern dragging a woman into the woods, and they’d called the police. Two officers were out looking for Ryah when Vern broke his neck. Several other people gave the circus a good character and identified Jareth as my horse. They’d seen me riding him into town.

When the police came and inspected Jareth and found an enormous black Friesian staring down at them, one of them said, “Blimey. What a mad idea, riding this bastard when he’s not yours.”

I had to smile at that. And then they let me go.

“They’re going to want a statement from you in the morning,” I tell Ryah. “I said I’d bring you down to the police station then. Is that all right?”

“Anything,” she says at once. “Of course I’ll talk to them. Just as long as you’re okay and they’re not going to arrest you.”

They very nearly did, but as long as we’re cooperative and truthful, I think it’s going to be all right.

I help her to her feet and wrap my arms around her. She’s been through a terrible ordeal tonight, and all I could think about while the police were questioning me was getting back to her. “Are you sure you’re all right? You don’t feel unwell, do you? Should I take you to hospital?”

She shakes her head. “I’m fine, Cale.”

I can’t bear the thought of letting her out of my sight again tonight. Or any night from now on. “I’ll take her,” I tell Elke and Anouk, leading my sleepy girl over to my wagon. “Thank you for looking after her while I was gone.”

They say goodnight and I wait until they’re safely inside their wagons, along with everyone else, Ryah held tightly against my chest. The doors close. Everyone’s safe.

I take Ryah into my wagon and help her out of her clothes, and then give her one of my softest T-shirts to wear to bed. She’s swimming in it and it comes down nearly to her knees. We get into bed and she burrows against my chest.

Ryah’s in my arms. I can breathe again.

She falls asleep almost immediately but I lie awake for a long time. Tonight has been a chaotic, terrifying mess, but I don’t think I could have asked for a better outcome. I’m lucky that this happened on Vern’s home turf where the police knew him, otherwise I think I’d be spending tonight in a cell.