Free A Madam into a Mistress by Nadia Aidan Page A

her. Again, he’d rushed to accuse her of something that she wasn’t guilty of. He followed after her. He didn’t deserve her forgiveness, but he was determined to beg for it until he somehow restored her faith in him.
    He caught up to her and spun her around.
    “I’m sorry—”
    “You keep having to apologise, but if you would just trust me, the way I trust you.” She pulled away from him. “If you would just stop hurting me, you wouldn’t have to.”
    The shame and remorse he felt were so great that when he opened his mouth to speak, he couldn’t seem to find the words. He tried again but stopped at the sound of a firm knock against his door.
    He cursed when Cherie stepped around him and walked towards the bedroom. This was the worst time to have a visitor. He could feel her slipping away from him, and all he wanted was to spend the rest of the day trying to mend their frayed and broken relationship.
    He flung open the door, ready to tell whoever it was to get lost.
    “Deputy Marshal Duckett?”
    Shane narrowed his eyes at the three men in neat grey tweed suits and matching caps. Pinkerton. They were from the detective agency based out of the East that was known to handle difficult cases in the territories.
    “How can I help you?”
    “Months back we received your telegraph that you’d apprehended the fugitive Cherie Parkins, but then there was no word from you.”
    Shane stilled as he inwardly cursed. That damned telegraph. He’d sent it off the morning he’d hauled Cherie to jail—before he’d spoken with Wayne. He fought the urge to sneak a glance to his right, towards his bedroom. He just hoped Cherie didn’t decide to come out all of a sudden.
    “There was no word because I made an error.”
    The detective at the door narrowed his bushy grey brows over sharp eyes.
    “An error? What kind of error?”
    “I jailed the wrong girl.” Shane didn’t even flinch under the man’s scrutiny nor did he bat an eye at the lie he told. “Her name was Cherie, and she looked like Cherie Parkins, even worked at the brothel, but after further investigation I discovered she was not the Cherie Parkins from San Antonio.”
    “And you’re sure?” The detective’s expression was speculative.
    “Positive and my boss, Marshal Wayne Kincaid, can confirm this.”
    “We already spoke with him, and that’s what he said about you.” The detective frowned as he scribbled something on the pad in his hand before he looked up again. He pinned Shane with a probing stare, but after several charged seconds he relaxed, seemingly accepting Shane’s statement when he tipped the brim of his hat with his hand. “Well, sorry for interrupting you then. If you come across Cherie Parkins, send another wire.”
    Shane nodded. “I will.” He was amazed he didn’t choke on that lie. “Have a nice day.” He closed the door as the three men moved off his front porch towards their horses. As he stared out of his window, he didn’t let out a full breath until they disappeared from sight.
    “You could have turned me in.”
    His gaze snapped to Cherie, who stood in the doorway to his bedroom, her eyes full of questions. He made his way over to her.
    “Why didn’t you?”
    As soon as he stood before her, he swept her into his arms, ignoring her shocked gasp just before he crushed his lips to hers. A storm of emotions flooded him, but none were stronger than the relief he felt and the love he had for her in his heart.
    That had been a close call. He had no idea what he would have done had they insisted on searching the place. He could have lost her today, and if he couldn’t set things right with her now, he wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t lose her after all. His scars from the past made it hard to trust, to love, but the fact that he’d lied to a government agent, put his career and very freedom on the line for her, told him that as unbelievable as the thought was that he could love and trust this woman after everything that had