by Sarah Hegger
“Can you sweep?” Ben handed him a broom.
“That I can do.”
He helped clear away some of the site debris, and then managed not to screw up putting in some pot lights. Mostly because Ben had already meticulously marked their placement. He stepped back and surveyed the large open-plan kitchen and living area. “The place looks great. Did you do it all yourself?”
“As much as I could, and with a lot of secret help that I’m not supposed to know about.” Ben stood beside him and looked at his work. “Raising four kids is not cheap.”
The way Ben had shouldered his new family impressed the hell out of Gabe. “Did you ever doubt? I mean about taking on some other guy’s kids and raising them?”
Ben gave it some thought.
One of the things he liked about Ben, that he didn’t answer flippantly. Of course, it could also drive Gabe batshit crazy on occasion.
“I suppose so,” Ben said. “In as much as I didn’t feel I was up to the task. But I don’t see them as some other guy’s kids. They’re Poppy’s, and because of that, they’re mine.”
Gabe got that. “That’s what Dad would have said.”
“Yeah.” Ben gave a fond smile and shook his head. “Dad was rock solid.”
Opportunity hovered, and okay, he and Ben got into it sometimes, but they were brothers, and nobody knew him and Dad like Ben. Other than Ma, and Gabe didn’t want to take his guilt to her. “I’ve been thinking about him a lot lately.”
“Dad?” Ben looked at him. “What got you thinking about Dad?”
“Yesterday.” Gabe tried to keep it light, but after that clumsy beginning, it might be a lost cause. “I always think of him on that day.”
Nodding, Ben clapped him on the shoulder. “Same. I spent the day with the kids. I like to think Dad would have liked that.”
“I’m not sure what he would have made of Ryan.” Gabe laughed. Dad had been a great guy but more disciplinarian than buddy.
Ben smiled. “Yeah. He probably would have left him to Mom.”
“True that.”
Ben slapped his hands together. “Feel like helping me install electrical plates?”
“I live for it.”
He followed a chuckling Ben into the kitchen. “Listen, I wanted to talk to you about something.”
Ben grunted, which meant he was listening, and Gabe had his permission to proceed.
“I brought up Dad for a reason.”
Looking up, Ben waited for him to continue.
“I got to thinking about him yesterday and how he died.” He was dancing around the issue, and that was a waste of both their times. “Actually, that’s not it. There’s something that’s been bugging me since he died.”
“Seriously?” Ben looked up from where he was crouched in front of Gabe and put his screwdriver aside. “That’s a long time for something to bug you.”
“It more like eats at me.” Fuck! Now he wanted to bawl, and he refused to do that in front of Ben. The wound felt fresh, as if Dad had died yesterday.
Ben waited.
Gabe looked away from the compassion on Ben’s face. It would shatter his control for sure. “That day Dad died, do you think you could have done anything differently?”
Ben cocked his head. “Like something to prevent his death?”
“Maybe.” He cleared his throat and stopped wimping out. “Yes.”
“No. Gabe, I don’t.” Ben stood and came to a stop in front of him. He cupped the back of Gabe’s neck, and it was a touch that comforted, forged a bond between them and not a challenge. “There was nothing anyone could do.” Ben gave him another long moment. “Gabe?”
“That day. He didn’t want to hike with me.” Jesus, he couldn’t cry. Would not. Man, the fuck up! “I made him, and then, like the little fucker I was, I pushed him.”
“You been carrying this shit all this time?”
All he could manage was a nod. He couldn’t make eye contact with Ben. That would strip him raw.
Ben brought his other hand up and held him still. It was a thing Dad used to do as well. Ben took care of those he loved. Simple. “Listen to me, Gabe. Dad was sick for a long time, and he chose not to tell anyone. Not even Ma. He made Doc Cooper swear never to tell her a damn thing.”
He knew all this, but something about Ben telling him it in that no-nonsense way he had made it feel more real.
“That’s screwed up, Gabe, and Ma was mad at him for that for a long time after he died.” Ben tightened his grip. “After I found that out, I was mad at him as well. If he’d told us, maybe we could have done something. Maybe he wouldn’t have had to die. But that’s on him, brother.”
Gabe nodded and stepped away. He needed space to think. “Why do you think he never told anyone?”
“Dad was a stubborn bastard.” Ben shook his head and gave a wry laugh. “Maybe he thought it couldn’t beat him. Or maybe he didn’t want to worry Ma and have her fussing over him. He hated that.”
“Yeah.” Dad had hated that. All of them had made a point to leave the house when Dad had contracted a cold. He could be worse than a grizzly coming out of hibernation. “I always wondered, if I hadn’t taken him hiking that day, if he might have lived longer.”
“Honestly?” Ben shrugged. “I can’t say for sure the hike didn’t impact him. But would you have acted the same if you had known about his heart condition?”
“No.”
“There you go,” Ben said. “It wasn’t your fault, Gabe.”
“Maybe.”
“Definitely. You loved him, and he loved you. He would hate you carrying this shit.” Ben watched Gabe for a long moment, and then dragged him into a rough, back-slapping hug.
Gabe slapped back and then separated.
They both looked anywhere but at each other. Enough.
“So.” Ben crouched down again. “You and Kelly?”
Shit! He should have remembered how the town gossiped. “Me and Kelly nothing. Kelly likes Vince.” Then as they were in a sharing mood, he opened up further. “I’ve got this nasty feeling that Vince is getting a thing for India.”
“Damn, that’s the last thing either Kelly or India need right now.”
Gabe nodded his agreement and joined Ben on the floor. He tried to pick up what Ben was doing and stay out of the way. “Should I say something to Kelly?”
Ben looked at him in stark horror.
Gabe had to laugh. “I’ll take that as a no.”
“How is India doing?” Ben lined up a plate and screwed it in place.
“She’s okay. I take it you haven’t found Piers yet?”
Ben looked grim as he reached for another tile. “Nope. That son of a bitch sure is slippery.”
“Listen, I’m sure Kelly won’t mind that I tell you she got the feeling India was talking to Piers on the phone last night.”
Ben scowled. “Dammit! If she’s talking to him, she might be thinking of going back to him.”
“Why would she do that?” Gabe handed Ben another plate. “Why would anyone go back to some asshole who smacked her around?”
Ben lined the plate up. “It’s not that simple. These fuckers get these women to thinking they’re not worth anything more. The women keep thinking if they did something different, they could change him.”
“Kelly is not sure. Just a feeling.”
“One thing I’ve learned as a cop is not to discount people’s feelings about shit. Kelly knows India best.” He sat back on his heels. “But Gabe, there is nothing anyone can do.”
Kelly was going to hate that. Gabe wasn’t all that fond of the idea either. “I’ll keep an eye out.”
“Call if you need me.”
“Will do.”
“Now.” Ben raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to sit there looking useless, or are you going to actual
ly help?”
“I was thinking useless worked.”
Ben chuckled. “Get to work.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Kelly had no idea why, but Mondays always felt busier than any other day of the week and seemed to drag on later into the evening. She was bone tired and looking forward to a hot soak and a glass of wine as she finally reached home and climbed out of her car.
A dark form loomed in the darkness. “Kelly.”
“Shit.” Her heart hammered loudly in her ears. “What are you doing here, Piers? You scared the crap out of me.”
“Didn’t mean to startle you.” Piers pushed his hands into the pockets of his pressed chinos. “I thought you’d be home earlier.”
“Mondays are busier.” Piers had no business being there, and no way was she going to stand there and chat with him. Ben needed to be told he was in town, and she needed to let Gabe know at Dot’s house. “I have nothing to say to you.”
Piers stepped in front of her. “You’re angry with me.”
“No shit.” She stepped around him, but Piers was there again. “Get out of my way.”
“If I do, you’ll go into your condo.” Piers looked regretful. “And as soon as you get there, you’ll tell everyone you can that I’m in town.”
Piers didn’t look nearly so harmless anymore. The feverish gleam in his eyes bothered her, and she was hyperaware that Piers was bigger than her. “You shouldn’t have come here.”
Kelly tried to get around him.
“Where else would I go?” Once more he cut off her escape. “You know where my wife is, and you’re going to tell me.”
The whole bullying her in the parking lot thing got old, right then, and Kelly lost her temper. “Get out of my way. I’m not telling you where India is.”
“Don’t raise your voice to me.” Piers grabbed her by both shoulders. His fingers bit into muscle. “Where is my wife?”
“Screw you.” Kelly tried to wriggle free, but he really was strong.
“Now, Kelly.” He shook her, hard enough for her head to snap back on her neck. “You’re going to tell me.”
“Fuck you.” Kelly kicked him. Her toes crunched against his shins.
Piers backhanded her. “Bitch!” He fastened a hand around her neck. “Nothing would make me happier than to break your bitch neck.” His fingers tightened. “I’ve wanted to do this since I first met you.”
She couldn’t break his hold. She scratched at his hand, trying to hit him or kick him but he kept her out of reach.
“Somebody needs to teach you a lesson. Someone needs to teach you to mind your place, Kelly.”
Her lungs screamed for breath. His face loomed large, wavering around the edges.
“Where is India?”
Lightheaded as she was, she managed two words. “Fuck you.” She would never give him India.
Car headlights arced over the building and caught them, burning into her eyes. Brakes squealed and tires screeched on the asphalt.
Piers released her so fast she stumbled.
Footsteps pounded behind her.
Piers was getting away.
No.
Kelly lunged for him. She caught the preppy jersey around his throat and almost brought him to a stop.
Piers ducked out of the sweater and ran. He bolted into the ally and vanished over the wall.
A dark form flew past her and chased after Piers.
Her legs were shaking so badly they couldn’t hold her anymore. Kelly dropped to her knees, not caring about the stones digging into her knees. Piers had tried to choke her, and as her brain processed the information, shock set in. Her entire body shook, and her teeth chattered. She was so cold.
“Kelly.” Vince knelt in front of her. “Shit, Kelly. Are you okay?”
“Did he get away?”
Vince nodded. His face a grim mask. “What did he want?”
“India.” Her throat hurt, and her chattering teeth made it hard to talk.
“Jesus!” Vince surged to his feet. “He can’t get her. I have to—” He whirled back to her, conflict creasing his face. “Do you need a doctor?”
His expression made her laugh. It was all so oddly funny, and she couldn’t stop the laughter. “Go.” She waved him away and staggered to her feet. “I’m fine. Go and make sure India’s safe.”
“You aren’t fine, Kelly.” Vince steadied her.
Kelly stumbled around him and picked up her purse. She had to grip her purse tightly to hide how hard her hands were trembling. “If he finds India, he’ll kill her. Go.”
And Vince vanished.
There you had it. Nothing like near death to bring clarity. Sobbing, she stood there while Vince roared off to save her sister. And not one of those tears was for Vince.
*
Gabe finished putting the last of the dinner dishes away and wiped the counters. Ma had been tired and gone to bed early.
India had offered to help him, but he liked the alone time. Ma would say he was brooding, but he wasn’t. He was the opposite of brooding, whatever that was. For once, his mind was not twisting itself around something and was just hanging out.
A minivan screeched to a halt outside the house, the front wheel ramping the sidewalk. Vince jumped out and ran toward the house.
Adrenalin surging, Gabe met him at the back door. “What is it?”
“Is India here?” Vince looked strung out.
“Yes. Why?” Gabe didn’t like how freaked out the man looked. “What’s going on, Vince?”
“Piers is here.” Vince lowered his voice.
“Shit.” India would freak out if she heard, so Gabe closed the door to the house. “Tell me.”
“Piers arrived at Kelly’s and demanded she tell him where India was.”
Everything in Gabe stilled. “What do you mean demanded?”
“I got there before he could do any real damage.” Vince ran a shaking hand through his hair. “He ran off when he saw me.”
It took everything in Gabe not to shake the details out of Vince. “Real damage? As in some damage was done to Kelly?”
Vince nodded. “He roughed her up, but he let go of her as soon as he saw me.” He glanced toward the door. “We have to make sure India is kept safe.”
“Where. The fuck. Is Kelly?” His skin felt too tight to contain him. He wanted to rip something apart with his bare hands. Vince would do for a start. “Tell me you didn’t leave her there.”
“India’s in danger.” Vince must have read the murder in his expression. “I checked, and she said she was fine. She said I should get to India before Piers did.”
Gabe had never wanted to hit a man more. “You left her.”
“She was fine.” Vince speared his fingers through his hair. “I checked, and you know Kelly. She’s tough.”
Before he broke the man, Gabe left.
Kelly had been left alone after having been attacked. Any lingering guilt he had felt about Vince and her evaporated. Yes, Kelly was tough, but nobody was that tough. The entire drive to Kelly’s place his heart stuck in his throat. He had no idea what he’d find when he got there.
Outside her condo, he parked next to her car. Lying on the ground a few feet away from the car was a tube of lip balm he’d seen Kelly apply a hundred times, a hair tie and some loose change. Gabe pocketed them and took the stairs to her unit two at a time.
“Kelly,” he called out as he knocked. “Kelly, sweetheart, it’s Gabe. Can you let me in?”
Movement sounded from the other side of the door. “Gabe?”
“Yeah, sweetheart. Vince told me what happened. Open the door, sweetheart, please?”
The chain latch scraped and then the lock tumblers rolled. She opened the door with her chin thrust out and defiance in her gaze. “I’m fine.”
“You
going to let me in?” It took him a moment to get himself under control. A red mark stained the pale peach of her cheek. He got to her neck and he had to breathe deep to fight back the primal beast in him that surged to the surface. Piers had put his fucking hands around her neck and squeezed hard enough to bruise.
“I’m fine,” she said, but her voice shook, and tears gleamed in her eyes. “I’m fine.”
Gabe needed to touch her, forge that connection with her. “Kelly.” He moved slowly so as not to frighten her and wrapped his arms around her. Drawing her gently against him, he enfolded her. “You’re not all right.”
“I am.” She was so tense in his arms she almost vibrated. “I am.”
“No.” He drew her as close as he could.
She collapsed against him. “No, I’m not.” Her hands fisted in the back of his shirt and she clung to him. “I’m not all right.” A sob shuddered through her. “I was so scared, Gabe. He had his hands around my neck, and I thought he would kill me.”
She broke like water over a dam. Sobs wracked her body so hard he had to support her. Scooping her up, he kicked the door shut then carried her to the big sofa.
There he sat with her in his arms while she wept. Every sob ripped right through him, and he added it to the growing tally of what he owed Piers. The man would pay for every mark on her, and every fearful moment she had. From Piers’s hide, Gabe would exact any bad dreams she suffered or any moments of uncertainty.
All he could do now, though, was hold her and rock her until the storm passed. He lost track of time as he handed her tissues and held her against him. Eventually the sobs grew further apart, and the tears lessened to a trickle.
She blew her nose noisily and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I don’t usually cry.”
And Vince had left her in this state and gone running for India. Gabe had some payback for him as well. “Wanna tell me what happened?”
She shook her head. “But I will anyway.”
Gabe let her take her time, pick her words.
“Piers must have been waiting for me,” she said. “When I parked, he was already there. He wanted to know where India was and when I wouldn’t tell him, he…he hit me. I mouthed off at him and that’s when he shook me, then he put his hands around my neck.” She shuddered. “I don’t know what would have happened if Vince hadn’t shown up.”