Brodie

by Lana Dash

  She tilts her head and smiles at me sadly. “Your Daddy used to look at me the way you look at her like there isn’t another person in the room.”

  I think about some of the memories I have of seeing my father and my mother together before he died. The way he'd find her in the kitchen cooking and wrap his arms around her, pulling her close. He'd do anything to make her laugh even if it meant he was the butt of the joke. Or even if they were fighting, and it was her fault, he'd always be the first to go talk to her so they could make up.

  “I love her," I admit, seeing a future with her so clearly in my mind that it feels like a real memory.

  “Have you told her?”

  “I was going to tell her tonight after the dance, but something happened at the festival, and she freaked out. She insisted we leave and wouldn’t tell me why.”

  Momma makes a face like she knows something but isn’t sure she should say anything.

  "What is it? Do you know anything?"

  “We talked a bit the other day when we were making cookies. She told me a few things.” Momma takes my hand in hers. “Lennon hasn't had it easy. She's used to only being able to depend on herself."

  “What’d she say?” I ask, needing to know everything.

  “They aren’t my secrets to tell. I think you need to talk to her. Let her open up to you.”

  “What if she doesn’t want to talk to me?”

  “When did my stubborn pride ever stop your father from getting me to talk to him?” She smiles sadly. “I think you’ll find a way to get her to talk to you. A love like that only comes once in a lifetime. You don’t want to let it slip through your fingers.”

  7

  BRODIE

  I knock on Lennon’s door. She doesn’t answer. I knock again—still nothing.

  “Len, please open up,” I call to her through the door. “I’m not sure what happened earlier, but we need to talk this through.”

  I twist the door handle, expecting it to be locked, but the latch clicks and the door opens.

  “Lennon?” I peak my head in and look around. She isn’t here. The sheer curtain flutters with the wind blowing in through the open window. I step towards it but stop when I notice a note with my name sitting on the bed.

  “Please don’t be what I think it is,” I whisper to myself.

  I’m so sorry to leave you this way, but I have to go. I can't tell you where I'm going for your protection, but I promise to let you know that I'm safe somehow. Please understand that the time I’ve spent with you has been the best in my life.

  I love you,

  Lennon

  She loves me? What does she mean by my protection? I slump down on the end of the bed. The weight of this discovery loads me down like a ton of bricks dumped on my head. She’s gone. The note crumples in my fist. She warned me this would happen. From the first day, she told me she wasn’t going to be staying in town, but somehow, I thought that my love for her would be enough to keep her here—with me.

  A blood-curdling scream from outside rips through me like a razor-sharp blade. It sounds like Lennon. I run to the window and see her get shoved into the passenger seat of a green sedan.

  “No!” I scream and slam my hand against the frame of the window.

  The man that I saw earlier at the festival looks up and smirks at me. Rage tears through me, and I bolt for the door. Like a blur, I run through the lodge ready to take out anyone that gets in my way. I make it to the front door just in time to see the sedan’s tail lights disappear into a cloud of dust.

  “What happened?” Momma hobbles towards the door.

  “Call the sheriff. Someone just took Lennon.”

  I run for my truck, patting my pockets for my keys. I’m about to run back into the lodge when I see them hanging in the lock of the door. I yank them free and nearly tear the door off its hinges opening it.

  “Hang on, Lennon!” I call to her, even though I know she can’t hear me.

  I race up the old dirt road towards the highway. I have to get there before they are too far gone, and I won’t know where he’s taken her.

  The tire marks in the dirt let me know he turned in the direction going up the mountain. With the festival, he can’t speed through town without someone noticing a screaming Lennon in the passenger seat.

  I push on the gas pedal, the engine revving louder, straining to push itself up the mountain. I turn the corner, and I see them just ahead. I pull up and honk my horn. I’m helpless watching the silhouettes of Lennon and the man struggle in the car. It swerves from one lane to another, scraping against the guardrail, barely keeping them from flying off the edge.

  I honk again, and the car swerves sharply to the right and slams into the side of the mountain. My heart stops as I slam on the breaks and jump out of the truck towards the steaming car. I run to the passenger door and yank it open.

  The airbags have deployed on both sides. A bruised and bloody Lennon looks up at me, a stunned expression on her face. The man groans behind her, but he's still face-down in the deflating airbag. I kneel beside her. I'm about to pull her out, but I don't want to hurt her in case she's injured.

  “Are you okay?”

  Lennon flings her arms around my neck and holds onto me so tight. I wrap my arms protectively around her. The sound of a siren blares in the distance.

  “I thought—” she sobs into my neck. “I didn’t want—"

  “Shh,” I hold her close.

  “I thought I’d never see you again.”

  I shake my head even though she can’t see it. “I love you too much to ever let you go that easy."

  She chokes on a half sob, half chuckle. “You love me?”

  “Yeah, but you had to go and beat me to it with that note of yours.”

  “I’m sorry.” She sobs again. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

  I pull back and look her into her red-rimmed eyes, just like that first day. But this time, I can wipe them away. "Let's make a promise today that no matter what happens to us, we will always talk to one another. Okay?"

  She presses her forehead against mine. “I promise.”

  Epilogue

  LENNON

  I step out of the bathroom, dressed and ready to head to the Halloween Bash at the lodge.

  The Greek toga dress is a little long, so I have to pick up the hem to walk. I’ve spent hours on my hair and make-up. Soft ringlets fall from my hair pulled up on top of my head with little flowers tucked in here and there. The gold bracelets I’m wearing clank with each swing of my arm.

  “You ready, babe?” I ask as I turn the corner and head into the kitchen of our new apartment.

  Brodie is already dressed in his Greek hunter costume, complete with a sword and shield currently resting on the countertop next to him as he fiddles with his phone.

  “What do you think?” I spin to give him the full effect.

  He whistles as he looks me up and down. “You get more and more beautiful every time I see you.”

  I can’t help but beam back at him. Brodie pushes off the counter and leans down and gives me a quick kiss on the lips. Wrapping his strong arms around me.

  “I got a call today.”

  "One whole call." I giggle. "Well, aren't you the popular guy."

  He doesn’t laugh. “The judge made his ruling.”

  I start to pull back, but Brodie doesn't let me go. He knows me so well, and how my flight instinct kicks in every time the topic of Stephen comes up.

  “He’s going away for a long time,” he assures me.

  I stare at him in disbelief. “Are you sure?”

  “I promise you. He’s not coming anywhere near you for a long time.”

  I press my forehead against his chest.

  “I didn’t want this to put a damper on your evening.” He lifts my chin so that I can see him. “I just knew you would want to know as soon as we got the word."

  “Yes, I’m glad you told me.” I step back, but I don’t run. I straighten out my dress an
d smile up at him. “I’m ready to celebrate.”

  Brodie uses his thumb to wipe the moisture in the corner of my eye. “You do look so beautiful."

  “Oh! I forgot the best part!” I reach for the bag on the counter and pull out the last piece of my costume. I slip it on.

  “Is it weird that you just got hotter?” Brodie asks.

  I roll my eyes. “Will you get in the car? We’re going to be late!”

  The Halloween party at the lodge is already in full swing when we pull up. Some of the townspeople and guests have already spilled out of the lodge and are talking outside as we walk up. The stares we get are mixed with laughter and confusion.

  Brodie squeezes my hand in his and pulls it up for a kiss. “Ready?”

  “Let’s do this.”

  The lobby is packed. Many of the costumes are pretty amazing. Brodie didn’t lie when he told me that dressing up for Halloween is a serious affair in Knight’s Ridge.

  I spot Daisy and Bryant talking with Amerin and Beauden near the food table. We make our way towards the group, occasionally stopping to talk to other townspeople. We get to the rest of the family as Bridger and Iris emerge from the kitchen with trays of food to put on the buffet table.

  “What are you two supposed to be?” Amerin asks, her brow furrowed in confusion.

  “Orion and The Bearded Lady,” I tell her.

  All three of the Knight brothers burst out laughing. Even Iris and Daisy laugh, clearly aware of the story. Beauden holds up his fist for Brodie to bump.

  “I don’t get it.” Amerin stares at all of us, more confused than ever.

  Beauden throws his arm over her shoulder and pulls her close. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.”

  "Or, you can just tell me now.”

  Beauden rolls his eyes. If I didn't know that those two were head over heels for one another, I'd think they hated each other the way they bicker.

  Momma Knight—a name I heard Daisy call her once, and it just stuck—clinks her glass from the top of the landing. We all turn, and the room quiets down.

  “I have a little announcement to make. In honor of Bryant's return home," the crowd claps and cheers. Bryant fidget's nervously at all the attention. His arms around Daisy. "And with so many of my friends here tonight, I'd like to announce my retirement. As of the first of January, next year, I will be handing the Knight's Lodge torch to my four boys. Bridger, Beauden, Bryant, and Brodie."

  I look at Brodie. “Did you know about this?”

  He shrugs. “She’s hinted at it for a few weeks, but I didn’t know she made the date official.”

  “I’m looking forward to devoting my time to more volunteer work in town and hopefully spoiling a brood of grandbabies real soon.”

  The cluster of us all begin to talk nervously at once, making the crowd laugh.

  Beauden raises his glass. “To Momma.”

  "To Momma!" The crowd repeats, holding up their glasses.

  "Also, if I could piggyback off your announcement," Bridger chimes in looking down at Iris and smiling. "This is a night of celebrations so—”

  “We’re pregnant!” Iris yells.

  Daisy, Amerin, and I converge on Iris, pulling her into a group hug. Momma Knight pushes her way through the crowd and joins us. I kiss Bridger on the cheek and step back to let everyone else get a turn to congratulate the soon to be parents.

  I catch Bryant and Daisy sneak out onto the back deck when they think no one is watching. Beauden and Amerin are arguing about something until Beauden smiles and pulls her into a kiss. Momma Knight can't stop hugging Bridger and Iris. Brodie comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me against him.

  “Are you sure you can handle joining my crazy family?”

  I look at him over my shoulder. The memory of Brodie proposing to me last night still fresh in my mind. “As long as I have you by my side, I can handle anything.”

  Thanks for reading BRODIE!

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  About the Author

  LANA DASH is the author of short, sexy, and funny romances. When she isn’t dreaming up her latest sexy couple’s adventure, you can find her watching true crime documentaries, drinking Bloody Marys, and eating movie theater popcorn. Not necessarily at the same time. She loves to hear from readers so find her on Facebook.