by Lea Hart
***
“What made you come by yesterday?” Lilly asked as she stretched out her legs.
“I wanted to tell you that Ruth was released from the hospital.”
As she sat up, Brock’s hand slipped away from her skin. “Oh, sweet Lord, that is not what I wanted to hear.”
“I know, honey. I’ve been in contact with the person handing her transition, and we’re going to make sure she gets nowhere near you. I received confirmation last night that she’s under twenty-four-hour supervision and is wearing an ankle monitor.”
“How in the world did she get out of the forensic unit?” Lilly asked, hating the fear in her voice. How was she not over the incident? She was safe. There was no reason to believe otherwise. She slid a shaking hand down her face and admitted to herself that she felt anything but safe. Maybe all the confidence she’d gained over the years was a result of Ruth being locked safely and securely away. Brock’s hands gripped her hips, and she faced him. “I’m okay,” she said.
“I know that. And you have a big mean spec ops boyfriend to run backup. I have no doubt you can handle whatever comes your way. Just know I’ve got your six. I’ll take care of whoever evades your very capable hands.”
Framing his face, she smooched him long and hard. It was one thing to have a strong, fearless man in her life. It was quite another when that man recognized that she was strong and capable too. “I might’ve just fallen a little bit in love with you.”
“Well, I’ll take your little bit and see if I can make it grow.”
He slid his tongue along her lips, and when she laughed, he gave her a kiss that would make any little bit turn into something almighty. The boy she’d known disappeared completely and the man he’d become was all she could see. And what a man he was.
Just as his hand wandered over her panties, the doorbell rang. Ignoring it, she shifted her hips so he could get to the place that drove her wild. Then the damn bell went off again. “It’s my parents or my one of my sisters,” she mumbled against his lips.
“Rain check,” he responded as he lifted his mouth away.
Kissing him one more time, she hopped off his lap. “I’m going to put some clothes on while you answer the door.” When she saw his pained expression, she let her eyes wander down to his jeans. “Just walk really slow and think about Drew. That should take care of it by the time you hit the landing.” Not giving him a moment to respond, she ran out of the room.
“Payback is gonna be real interesting,” he said to her back.
“Always is,” she responded. As she walked into the bedroom, she saw the quilt on the floor and remembered how sweet Brock had been last night. He’d taken her tenderly and somehow reminded her that good men existed in the world. It was the perfect antidote for an afternoon filled with violence. The fact that he was capable of fierce, untamed sex as well as tender lovemaking let her know that she didn’t stand a chance. He had her heart.
As she walked down the hall, she heard her sister Loren’s voice. “Good morning,” she called out as she entered the kitchen. The fact that she was met by somber expressions by both Loren and Brock made her stomach flip over. “Rip the Band-Aid off and tell me what’s going on.”
Loren stood, walked over, and lifted her sister’s chin. “I’m gonna kill that son of a bitch after I bury him in a painful and expensive lawsuit.”
“Sweet sister, you’re going to have to stand in line.” When her big sister gave her a hug, she almost lost it. “I’m okay. We’re going to file charges and make a lot of noise and hurt him where it counts.”
“More than once,” Loren responded.
“Yeah.” Taking her sister’s hand, she led her back to the table. When she saw a box from the bakery, she laughed. “I hope to God there’s a big old bear claw in there.”
“Of course,” Loren responded. “I came over for two reasons. The first is to update you on the lawsuit, and the second is to confer with my client. We have another set of interviews this afternoon, and I want us on the same page.”
Sitting up, Brock shook his head. “The only page is the truth. I’m not going to concoct some excuse.”
Patting his hand, Loren snorted. “I know.”
“I’m not going to lie,” he said hotly.
“Nor would I suggest that,” Loren said. “But there’s a difference between being honest and making yourself a scapegoat for the city. As your lawyer, I’m here to elucidate the difference.”
“That sounds like a lot of double-talk,” he responded harshly.
Lilly pushed the bakery box in his direction and grinned. “Have a cinnamon roll and let Loren work her magic.” She watched a dissatisfied look cross his face, so she ran her foot up his leg and winked. “Go on.” When he opened the box and took one, she gave him a smile. “Loren, tell me what happened to the lawsuit with Drew and Tina.”
“His daddy made him drop it. Apparently, his mama was starting to feel the blowback in her social circle and told him to get their son in line. I heard from a little birdie that they don’t think much of Tina and blame her for starting this nonsense. I got a call from the family attorney yesterday, and he wanted to know what it would take to make it go away quietly.”
“That’s it?” Lilly shouted. “A year of nonsense and then poof, it goes away?” Shaking her head, she frowned. “Nope. I want them to cover your legal fees.”
“And we’re going to pursue what happened yesterday,” Loren said vehemently. “He’s not going to get away with it.”
“Agreed,” Lilly said. She shared a look with her sister and knew they wouldn’t ever let this go until they made sure he would never raise his hand to another woman. Everyone in town would understand what he was capable of. The boy she’d known in college no longer existed and the man he’d become was a monster. If he was willing to hit one woman, he was willing to hit ten. There would be no silent complicity on her part. That was for damn sure.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Friday
Standing against the rail of the round pen, Lilly watched Poppy lunge one of her horses. “Saber looks good,” she called out as her friend lengthened the lead rope.
“He’s had a couple days’ rest since he came up sore. Look at that stride. This boy has some natural talent. If I get his attitude in check, then he has the makings of a winner.”
“That can be said about a lot of men,” Lilly replied. Watching her friend give her a sympathetic smile made her head hurt. The last thing she wanted was for people to feel sorry for her. Not that Poppy did, but she couldn’t stand being thought of as a victim. “I’m going to sit for a while and work on my chapter. Come get me when you’re done.”
“Give me ten minutes,” Poppy called out as she snapped the crop against the ground, urging Saber to a faster gait.
Waving, Lilly turned and strolled over to the tables that sat under a group of trees next to the arena. She dumped her bag on the seat and pulled out a bottle of water. The incessant throbbing in the back of her head had diminished, and for that she was grateful. Seemed getting shaken up and having her coconut bounced against concrete took more than a day to get over.
The ball of anger that had started to form yesterday was getting bigger by the moment. Closing her eyes, she lifted her face toward the sun that filtered through the trees and began counting down from fifty. By the time she hit thirty-five, she felt the anger recede.
It had started this morning when she woke up alone. Brock had spent yesterday down at the station and then the evening with his union representative and Loren. It had taken hours for her to fall asleep, and she had fully expected to wake up in his arms. The only thing in her bed this morning was Popcorn. He hadn’t slept with her in years. He usually slept on the rug in front of the fireplace downstairs.
Speaking of her dog, where in the heck had he gotten off to? The moment she had opened the door and let him out of the car, he’d run after Poppy’s dog and they took off. Probably chasing something over by the pond.
&nbs
p; Opening her bag again, she looked at her laptop and sighed. The muse had left her, and she didn’t have a speck of motivation to find her. Maybe they both needed a rest before they were going to be any good to one another. Her body hurt, and her mind and psyche did as well.
Her phone buzzed and she took it out of her pocket. Brock’s face appeared on the display, and she read the text he’d sent. Brady’s in town, so I won’t be by tonight. Take care. Three little bubbles floated on her screen, indicating he was typing something else. When they disappeared, she wondered what the heck was going on.
That text wasn’t like the usual ones he sent. It was so unemotional. Like they were acquaintances and not…What the hell were they? She had no idea. Somehow she’d gotten the impression they were together. Like boyfriend and girlfriend.
Rubbing her head, she felt the pain spread from the back of her head to the front. Maybe this thing with Drew had thrown Brock for a loop. Then she remembered she was thinking about Brock here. He was the most steadfast, brave, and protective person on the planet. Nothing would throw him anywhere unless he meant to go.
Clearly what was happening with his career was worse than she imagined. She hadn’t spoken with him since he left yesterday, and for all she knew, he was in the middle of a cluster fuck. The last thing he needed was a clingy woman to take care of. He had his own things to deal with, and so did she. As nice as it had been having him around, it wasn’t anything to take for granted. Squaring her shoulders, she looked across the pasture and swallowed the tears that threatened to erupt. Why was she so emotional?
She was fine. She had survived. She would handle it. Then a tear tracked down her face. Quickly wiping it off, she cleared her throat. No one was going to take anything away from her ever again. Not Ruth, and certainly not Drew.
***
Poppy approached the table with two beers in her hand and the dogs following her. “You’re spending the night, and we’re going to have a much-needed pajama party,” she announced as she plunked the cold bottles on the table.
“Okay.”
Settling herself on the bench, Poppy lifted a bottle and took a sip. “That was way too easy.”
“I may be about to have a mini-breakdown, and I would prefer to do it at your house as opposed to my mama’s. Seems that things are catching up with me.” She took a gulp of the cold beer and tried to plaster a confident smile on her face. When it started twitching, she gave up and leaned her face into her hands. “Turns out that having a man hit you takes more than a day to get over.”
Poppy stood, came around the table and took Lilly’s hands in hers. “If I could figure out a way to kill the son of a bitch and get away with it, I would.”
“Brock almost did, and he’s in a ton of hot water. Career-ending hot water. Loren has been working with him since Wednesday and I haven’t heard from her, which means it’s bad.”
“What has Brock told you about what’s going on?”
“Nothing. I haven’t heard from him since he left the house yesterday. He just texted me letting me know that he’s hanging out with Brady tonight. Seems he’s coming into town and the brothers Landry are reuniting.”
“Good for them,” Poppy replied lightly. “Then I guess that means that I get to go down and watch the filming with you tomorrow. Maybe we can drool over that hunky lead actor.”
“I would like that. Thank you. Brock had made some noise about going with me, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.” Leaning her head against her hand, she watched Poppy peel the label off her bottle. “You have any interest in seeing Brady?”
“Not really. He’s old news. I haven’t thought about him in a million years.”
“Repeat that as often as you need to, now that he’s inside the state lines. I’m figuring it wasn’t that hard to do when he was up in Virginia. Might be a bit harder when he’s within driving distance.”
“Not that hard. It was years ago, and I’ve moved on.” Poppy lifted her hand and shaded her eyes. “Maybe I’ll give that scoundrel Rowan a chance, after all.”
Lilly turned and saw a tall man with shoulders as wide as Brock’s walk toward them with an easy, confident gait. His limbs were loose, and his long legs moved across the pasture with ease. His dark blond hair flopped over his forehead, and he had a mischievous grin pointed in Poppy’s direction. That man was all kinds of trouble. The kind her best friend needed. “I vote for him.”
“For what?” Poppy asked.
“Anything.”
“Unfortunately, he thinks a great deal of himself…and his horses.” Cocking her head, she sat back and crossed her legs. “He’s very opinionated.”
Lilly turned, glanced at her friend, and noticed how her fingers tapped against the seat. That was Poppy’s tell. Maybe this man was more interesting that she was letting on. As he got closer, she noticed his square jaw, sharp cheekbones, and dark green eyes. He was looking at Poppy like she was the prize mare and he wanted to breed her. It was almost indecent the way he was eating her up with his eyes. Which is exactly what Poppy needed.
“Hey, ladies.”
Lilly watched him collapse next to Poppy and grin at the two of them. “You must be Rowan,” Lilly said. “You’re better looking than the pictures I’ve seen.”
Leaning forward, he put out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. You must be Lilly. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“What are you doing here?” Poppy asked as she tried to move away.
“Came to see my favorite girl. Can I take you ladies out for some supper?”
“No, thanks. We have plans.”
Looping his arm around her shoulder, he laughed. “Someday you’re going to run out of no’s, and all that will be left is a yes.”
“Don’t hold your breath.”
Lilly noticed that Poppy smiled when she responded. It might be just a matter of time before she gave into him. Leaning back, she rested her back against the table and listened as they talked about one of his horses. Turned out listening to them was what just what she needed. It was the perfect distraction.
The last thing she wanted to do was contemplate Ruth’s recent release, Drew’s actions, and Brock’s troubles at work. A couple of weeks ago, her life was smooth sailing, and now she was sitting on the shore, watching a storm head her way.
The best thing she could hope for was that Brock wanted to navigate it with her. His text gave her a bad feeling and told her he might not have any interest in rough weather. But that could just be her paranoia. Brock had always proven to be a man of his word, and she hoped like hell that he would continue to be. No matter what that sick feeling in her stomach was telling her.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Friday Evening
Brock walked into his house and dropped his bag next to the door. Flipping on the lights, he looked around and shuddered. He was deep into the remodel, and the great room and kitchen had arrived at the point where everything was torn out and little had been redone. At least he had kitchen appliances and cabinets installed. No counters, though.
He hadn’t accomplished much in the last couple of weeks because he’d been spending all his free time with Lilly. Running his hand through his hair, he let out a huff of air. How could he ask her to take him on if he was suspended and under investigation? The last day and a half spent in interviews and meetings had wrung him out. Seeing the tapes of his actions left little room for doubt about what he was capable of. Being deployed and taking part in direct action missions in a war was one thing, but being a civilian and using lethal force was quite another.
How well he could manage the warrior that lived within him was a question he couldn’t answer with certainty. Which made him want to stay away from Lilly, as much as that ripped him apart inside. The last couple of weeks had shown him a world of happiness that he wanted to hold on to. To fight for. To deserve. If that was even possible.
The rumble of a truck pulling into the driveway caught his attention. It was probably Brady. It had been far too l
ong since the Landry brothers had spent any real time around one another. Being together might be just what he needed. Getting his head screwed on right about what was about to happen with his career and Lilly was critical.
The door opened and Brady walked through with a bag slung over his shoulder. “Big brother, you look like shit!”
Shaking his head, Brock ambled over and embraced his middle brother. “Back at you,” he said as he thumped his shoulder.
“Been on the road for seventeen hours. What’s your excuse?” Brady laughed as he stepped back.
“I’ve had a couple of rough days at work,” Brock replied. “I’ll order pizza and we can catch up. Brody should be by later.”
“Had a long conversation with him, and he filled me in. You should’ve just killed the son of a bitch when you had the chance.”
“That kind of talk isn’t gonna help.” Leaning against the wall, Brock shook his head. “I have a bed set up for you in the extra bedroom. Go on up and get settled, and then we can catch up.”
“You’ve been working on this place for a year. It doesn’t look like you’ve gotten much done.”
“The bedrooms are done and so’s the garage. This area is taking a little longer because I’ve changed some of the materials.”
“Why isn’t Brody helping you knock this thing out? He’s the contractor in the family.”
“Been a hell of a year for him. He’s had several big projects and hasn’t had any time. Looks like that little company of his isn’t so little anymore.”
“God damn, that’s good news.”
“What about you?” Looking down at the brace covering his brother’s knee, he wondered if the injury he’d sustained last month was career-ending. Life on the Hostage Rescue Team wore on a man’s body. Brady’d had several close calls over the last five years, and Brock hoped like hell this wasn’t the end for him. Leaving a career you loved wasn’t easy, and transitioning was more difficult than anyone let on. He knew that better than most, and the last couple of days had shown him he wasn’t even close to where he needed to be.