by Whitley Cox
A horn beep-beeped behind him as he put the brakes on the stroller and wandered around the sidewalk to catch his breath.
He wasn’t on the road, wasn’t in anybody’s way. What the fuck?
“Hey! Quite the climb.”
Lifting his head and using the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his eyes, Aaron blinked until he saw that it was Mark. He’d pulled over, rolled down his window and was smiling.
Aaron gave him a nod.
“You’re not too far from my place. Run over for a beer.”
Aaron wrinkled his nose. “Is it even noon?”
Mark shrugged. “It’s Sunday. Who the fuck cares what time it is?”
Fair enough.
“Go through the next two sets of lights. Turn right on Meadowlark, then left on Quail. 1356 Oriole Drive, at the end of the road. Can’t miss it. Big tire swing in the front hanging from the spruce.” He glanced back into his car and smiled, then nodded. “Gabe asked if that’s a baby in there. He loves babies.”
The windows of Mark’s car were tinted, so Aaron hadn’t seen Gabe in the back. From what he knew, Mark’s son Gabe was on the autism spectrum. That’s how Mark and Tori had met. He’d hired her to run therapy programs with Gabe.
Hmm. Maybe Mark might be able to offer him some insight into his Isobel dilemma.
Or he’d kick the living shit out of Aaron for defiling his girlfriend’s little sister.
Ah, fuck.
Up shit creek without a paddle in sight. And it appeared there was also a hole in his canoe and no bailing bucket.
He was sinking.
Mark nodded. “See you in a bit. I’ll have a cold one waiting for you.” Then before Aaron could turn down the invitation, Mark merged back into traffic and was gone.
Sophie’s eyes popped open, and she made a face that said she was thinking about shitting her pants. Isobel kept diapers, wipes, extra clothes, formula, water and bottles in the bottom of the stroller—a better prepared SEAL he’d never met. So he wasn’t worried about being ill-equipped to handle a morning out with his niece. That wasn’t it at all. Sophie made another face, and the sound of a small rocket ship taking off filled the quiet street.
He debated undoing her straps and turning her around to survey the damage. Was it up her back? She didn’t seem put out. Perhaps he’d finally managed to secure a diaper properly and keep the explosion contained.
“Shall we go?” he asked, glancing up the street in the direction Mark had gone.
Sophie blinked back at him.
He nodded. “Okay then. Let’s get this over with.”
He took off on a jog again, his feet heavy because, well—his canoe was at the bottom of the creek and his socks and shoes and pockets were now full, full of shit.
Mark was going to kick his ass.
Or Tori would.
Yeah, his money was on Tori.
18
“This is a nice surprise,” Tori said, opening the door for Isobel and welcoming her into Mark’s home. “What brings you by?”
Isobel pursed her lips together and followed her sister into the kitchen of Mark’s beautiful Seattle home. “Men fucking suck, that’s what.”
Tori had grabbed the kettle and was filling it up with water but stopped, turned off the tap and set the kettle back on the stove. Without saying a word, she wandered over to the far wall and slid a panel open to reveal Mark’s impressive wine collection.
Humming, she tapped her chin for a moment before grabbing a bottle of red close to the top, closing the panel and wandering back toward Isobel. “I was going to put on a cup of tea, but I’m guessing we need something stronger.”
Isobel simply lifted her eyebrows. “I’ll be leaving my car here then and cabbing home because I might just need the whole bottle to myself.”
Tori grabbed two glasses from the kitchen cabinet, popped the cork and poured them each a glass. She slid one across the quartz countertop to Isobel. “Let’s go sit out on the patio in the backyard. It’s sunny out, and with blankets on our laps, it’s the perfect temperature.”
Nodding, Isobel took her wine and immediately tossed a good portion of it back before following Tori out to Mark’s gorgeous backyard.
“So,” Tori started, curling her legs up under her and draping the plush cashmere throw over her lap, “dish. What did Aaron do? I’m assuming it was Aaron.”
Isobel blew out a long breath and swirled her wine around her glass before starting. “Partially, yes. But it’s just men in general, really. I swear you found the only good one left.”
Tori snorted. “After weeding through a sea of duds. You do remember my soon-to-be ex-husband, right? King of the Douches. Captain of the Twat Squad. President of the Fucknuggets.”
Isobel’s lip twitched. One night while drinking, Tori, Isobel and Mercedes had come up with increasingly hilarious and offensive names for Ken. It’d been therapeutic and fun.
“Governor of the Cuntasauruses,” Isobel added.
Tori clinked her wineglass with hers. “I like that one.” Her face grew serious. “What happened?”
“I went out with Mercedes last night to celebrate her promotion.”
Tori nodded and sipped her wine. “Yeah, she messaged me too, but I just can’t do the club scene anymore. I’m done with that shit.”
So was Isobel.
“Anyway, eventually it was just Mercedes and me. She wasn’t ready to go home, and I didn’t want to abandon her, so I stayed around.”
Tori’s eyes narrowed. “What happened, Iz?”
Isobel swallowed. “We met a couple of guys. I got a bad vibe from them right away, which is saying a lot considering that generally I try not to let those vibes cloud my judgment.”
Scoffing, Tori rolled her eyes. “I keep telling you to go with your gut and stop giving people the benefit of the doubt. People suck. Chances are that man with the lost puppy doesn’t really have a lost puppy.”
Isobel sniffed and nodded. “I know. I know. And these guys definitely didn’t have a lost puppy. They drugged us.”
Tori’s hand flew to her mouth, and she planted her feet on the ground, her wine sloshing around in her glass. “No.”
“I woke up in a strange house on their couch.”
Tears welled up in Tori’s eyes, and at the same time, she grabbed Isobel’s hand and pulled her over to the same couch as Tori, holding her baby sister. “Did they?”
Isobel snuggled into the warmth of her big sister. “No. Score one for jumpsuits and rompers.” She forced out a laugh. “Tough to take off to pee, but also tough to take off to rape.”
“Fuck,” Tori breathed. “And Mercedes?”
Isobel shook her head. “No. Aaron and Colton showed up before they could. I was in the closet in the room where Mercedes was still unconscious. If the guys hadn’t shown up … I had a baseball bat in my hand.” Her entire body trembled at the memory of last night, the fear, the fury, the need to fight for her friend. She’d never been so terrified in her life.
“Oh fuck, honey.” Tori wrapped her arms tighter around Isobel and began to rock them back and forth. “You called Aaron?”
“Yeah. I didn’t know what else to do. I probably should have called 911 first, but … ”
But she felt safe with Aaron. Cared for. She knew he’d never let anything bad happen to her. And he hadn’t.
Well, at least not physically. Emotionally was another story. He’d shown him another side of himself last night, a softer, gentler side, and then this morning, she didn’t even recognize him.
What happened between when she said goodnight to him, he kissed her and they fell asleep and when she walked into the kitchen to find him making breakfast with Sophie?
“Then what happened?” Tori asked.
Isobel shook her body, hoping some of the tension slipped off her shoulders. “Cops came. They got our statements, and then we had to go to the hospital to check to see what kind drug they’d given us, in case it was toxic or had some messed-up side effe
cts or something and for evidence.”
“And?”
She shook her head. “I got a call earlier this morning, and it was just your run-of-the-mill date-rape drug.” She laughed again. Just your run-of-the-mill date rape drug. As if it were aspirin or something. No biggie. “I only sipped my drinks, so there wasn’t as much in my system. Mercedes was downing the drinks like they were water, so she was pretty messed up.”
“And Aaron?”
“We … ”
“He slept with you after you were nearly raped?” Tori pushed Isobel away for a moment, held on to her arms and shook her. “What the fuck? I’ll fucking kill him.”
“It wasn’t like that. I initiated it. I needed it. I needed to forget. I needed a distraction.”
Tori’s eyebrow drifted toward her hairline. “I can feel a but coming on.”
You’d think they were twins, the way Isobel and her sister were connected. “But I think it meant more to me than it did him. I really like him. And perhaps deep down I hoped that last night was the beginning of something.” She shook her head, pulling at a stray thread on the seam of the blanket. “He couldn’t even look at me this morning. Hardly even spoke to me. Never asked how I was doing. Nothing. I wasn’t expecting a proposal or flowers, but some freaking eye contact would have been nice. Is that too much to ask?”
Tori’s blue eyes, the same shade as Isobel’s, turned dark and stormy. “No, it’s not. That motherfucker.”
“I don’t know what to do. Do I just pretend like nothing happened? That it was just a one-off, go back to the way things were? Can we go back to the way things were? Do I want to?”
Tori grabbed the wine bottle off the glass and wicker patio coffee table and topped up both their glasses. “You drink until you find a solution,” she said with a forced laugh. “And if you don’t find a solution, you don’t go back there until you do. It’s your day off, right?”
Isobel took a sip of her wine. “Yeah, today and tomorrow.”
Tori nodded. “All right then.” She clinked her glass with Isobel’s again. “How’s Mercedes?”
Isobel shook her head. “I have no idea. I’ve been texting her all morning and haven’t heard back. Tried calling her too but no answer. I swung by her place on the way over, and her car was gone.”
“Is it safe that she’s alone, after what she’s been through? Should one of us go over and sit with her?”
Isobel shrugged. “I would if I could find her. Aaron’s friend Colton is with her, I know that. Or at least he was. He’s some kind of military or whatnot like Aaron. He was their medic. I’m sure she’s safe with him.”
Commotion at the gate from the front yard had them pausing their conversation and glancing behind them. Gabe came tearing through the gate, followed by Mark, and then finally a very sweaty Aaron and the stroller with Sophie.
Isobel’s heart stopped, and her eyes grew wide.
Aaron’s went even wider when he finally saw her sitting there with Tori, their wineglasses extra full.
Mark retreated into the basement, coming out moments later with two beer bottles. He handed one to Aaron before sitting back in the empty wicker patio chair. “Ah, nothing like a cold brew after a run, am I right?”
Aaron’s eyes hadn’t left Isobel since he arrived.
She took a deep and grounding breath before speaking. “Hello.”
His already flushed face grew even more ruddy. “Hi.”
“Do you need a change pad or something for Soph?” Mark asked, tipping back his beer.
Aaron shook his head, setting his beer down on the coffee table. “No, thanks. I’ve got everything.” Without saying another word, he unclipped Sophie from her stroller, grabbed the go-bag from underneath and headed into the bottom floor of Mark’s house.
Gabe, who had been busy playing in his sandbox, went to follow them, but Mark reached out and grabbed his son by the waist, hauling him into his lap and making Gabe erupt into giggles.
Mark was all smiles until he noticed that neither Isobel nor Tori was smiling. His face grew very serious, and he stopped tickling and bouncing Gabe. “What’s wrong? You guys look like somebody just died.”
Tori’s eyes lasered in on her boyfriend. “Iz and Mercedes were drugged and abducted last night. Narrowly escaped an assault.”
Mark’s green eyes went wide. “Holy fuck!”
Tori grunted. “Aaron and Colton saved them.”
“And where are the fuckers now?”
“In custody,” Isobel replied, her eyes drifting to the open basement door. She had no idea how far in Aaron had wandered and whether he was still within earshot. Chances are he was.
Tori leaned forward and put her lips next to Mark’s ear. Isobel didn’t have to hear her sister to know what she was telling him. His wide eyes grew fierce, flew to Isobel, softened, flew to the open door and then filled with rage once again.
“Need me to kick the shit out of him?” Mark whispered, directing his question to Isobel.
Hmm. Interesting thought.
She still had no idea what kind of military organization Aaron belonged to, but based on his physique and size, he’d probably mutilate Mark with a couple of well-placed punches. And Mark was no slouch, so that was saying a lot.
Tori leaned forward again and whispered something else to Mark.
Isobel could stare into the man’s green eyes all day long, they were so expressive and bright. He nodded, then turned and kissed Tori’s cheek. “I love how big your heart is,” he murmured.
Tori’s smile was small, and the softness in her eyes as she looked at Mark spoke of just how deep their love was.
Isobel wanted a love like that.
Can’t eat, can’t sleep, can’t think love.
Aaron appeared at the door a moment later, Sophie in the crux of his arm wearing a new outfit. His eyes fell back to hers. “Have you checked your phone?” he asked, passing Sophie off to a grabby-hands Tori before stowing the go-bag in the bottom of the stroller.
Isobel shook her head. “No, why?”
“Just do it.”
Hating his tone and how distant he was being, she glared at him as she grabbed her phone.
There was a text message from Mercedes.
Oh thank God.
She opened it up, and her jaw nearly hit the floor.
“What?” Tori asked, grabbing the phone and turning the screen toward her. “What happ—holy fuck!”
“What?” Mark asked.
Tori grabbed the phone from Isobel and held it toward Mark. “Mercedes and Colton just flew to Vegas and got married.”
19
Aaron watched Isobel’s reaction to Mercedes and Colton’s message. She was hard to read. Normally she wasn’t. Normally she was an open book, a glass house. She wore her emotions right out in the open on her face.
It was one of the things he liked most about her. No head games. No drama. No lies.
But at this moment, he had no idea what she was thinking or how she was feeling. He also had no idea how much of last night she’d told her sister.
He glanced at Tori.
Laser beams practically flew out of her eyes at him.
Shit. Isobel had told her everything.
“Well, that’s a surprise and a half,” Mark said, handing Isobel back her phone. “Colton didn’t strike me as the settling down type, and Mercedes—” He whistled. “The man’s got his work cut out for him, that’s for sure.”
“Understatement of the century,” Tori said blandly.
Aaron shifted back and forth on his feet. It was only a matter of time until Tori told Mark everything she knew, then he’d have no allies left.
“Okay.” Mark stood up. “You two need to get a move on.” He fixed his green-eyed gaze on Isobel and then Aaron.
They both looked at him quizzically.
He rolled his eyes. “We’re taking Soph for the afternoon while you two go figure some shit out. We’ll bring her home in a bit.”
The pit in Aaron�
��s stomach dropped.
Fuck. Mark knew everything too.
Aaron scratched the back of his sweaty neck. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
Tori propped Sophie up on her shoulder. “Nonsense. It’s a great idea. You have formula in the go-bag, right? Diapers? Clothes?”
Slowly, Aaron nodded.
“Great. We both know what we’re doing with children, babies too. She’ll be in good hands. This will give you guys a chance to talk without distractions.” She reached down and took the wineglass away from Isobel. “I suggest you do it sober, though.”
Isobel glared at her.
Tori was all smiles.
“Best get a move on,” Mark encouraged. “This is her car seat on the stroller, right?” He shook the handle of Sophie’s bucket car seat. I can just secure it into my car, no problem?”
Aaron grunted. He didn’t like being told what to do and when to do it. Not by anyone.
“All right then. We’ll bring her back around four or so. Should give you two lots of time. After all, if you’re going to play like adults, you need to act like adults and talk this shit out.”
Tori snorted. “Pot, kettle.”
He gave her the side-eye. “I’m better now, right?”
The look she gave him was all love. “You are, dear. Very much so.”
Mark’s grin was wily and triumphant before both he and Tori turned serious once again and pinned a very parental, very stern look on Aaron that said a million things, all of them threatening.
He needed to get out of there before one of them lost their cool and tore a strip off him for defiling their little Isobel.
If only they knew how dirty their little Isobel could be.
Mark cleared his throat. “Go.”
Blowing out a breath and grumbling something at her sister, Isobel stood up and headed in the direction of the yard gate. “I’ll drive,” she muttered, not bothering to wait for him or even to hold open the gate.
Aaron could hear Mark’s chuckle as he followed her up the stone path on the side of the house. “Good luck, buddy,” Mark called. “You’re going to need it.”