Promise Her

by Johnston, Andrea

  Why not ask or bully like the old days? Instead, scaring a pregnant woman was the path they chose. Joke’s on them. All they’ve managed to do is enrage me and unleash the beast I locked down deep inside me.

  “Hey,” she says as I stare at her. She’s beautiful and perfect. Her makeup is gone, and she’s swept her hair on top of her head. Nicholas is nestled to her, having what amounts to his own dinner. Gone is the pain and hurt in her eyes from earlier, and is replaced with concern. For me. How ironic, since all I feel inside is concern for her. For them. My family.

  The anger that so easily consumed me slowly lessens as I walk toward her. Leaning down, I kiss her gently on the lips. A soft sigh escaping as I pull back.

  “I’m sorry I was a dick in the truck. I’m going to change, then we need to talk. Is he almost done?” I ask, motioning to the baby. Nodding her head, her brows furrow, but I don’t give in and head to our bedroom to change.

  Ours. That’s what it’s become. I’ve called it our bed a few times over the last few weeks, but neither of us has addressed that little elephant in the room. Now that I know who has been bothering her, and will be putting a stop to it, what does that mean for us? Will she move back to Fayhill? To her life. Or, will she want to stay here with me? To really make a go of this thing between us and build a life.

  Unbuttoning my shirt, I toss it to the laundry as I take in the room. The bed is made haphazardly following her short nap earlier. A few tops and a pair of jeans are tossed on the chair in the corner of the room. A package of diapers sits on the floor next to her side of the bed, and a pacifier on my nightstand. The scent is a mixture of my cologne and her body wash with a hint of baby powder. This is the room of a new family.

  Quickly, I change into a pair of pajama pants and a T-shirt before returning to the living room. Nicholas is sleeping in his favorite seat with a smile on his face. Looking around, I don’t see Scarlett immediately, but then she appears from the kitchen, a beer in one hand and very small glass of wine in her other.

  “Wine?”

  “I have a feeling I’m going to need it. It’s barely two sips; I’m not worried.”

  Taking the offered beer, I turn to the couch and sit, patting the spot next to me. Sitting down so her back is to the side of the couch, her feet are pulled up onto the cushions, chin resting on her knees. The protectiveness of her stance does not go unnoticed. Gripping her calf with my hand, I squeeze it and shake her leg a little, hoping to relax her. It must work because she shifts so her feet rest on my thighs.

  “When was the last time you spoke to Henry’s parents?” I ask.

  “His parents? I don’t know, I’ve tried calling a few times but there’s no answer. They sent me that card with the newspaper clipping months ago but other than that, not since the funeral.”

  Taking a pull from the beer, I contemplate how to word my next question. “And what about the payouts? From insurance and benefits. What did you do with those?”

  “They’re in the bank. Why? What’s going on, Taylor?”

  “Do you have the financial information for the bank accounts in your house?” I can tell my questions are confusing and irritating her. Hell, they’re irritating me. It’s none of my business. The money she received from Henry’s passing is hers and not my business. We’ve never actually talked about money or if she’s doing okay with her bills. I assumed if she was struggling, she would have said something.

  “They’re in a safety deposit box. Why are you asking me this? Did something else happen at the house? Oh my goodness. Was there another break-in?”

  “There was, but I think I know why. You know we’ve had cameras up for a few weeks?” She nods in confirmation. “Grant and Connor have had to move them around to get the right angles. There have been some indicators that people were on the property, but nothing showed on the cameras. Until last night.”

  She lifts the wine glass to her lips and finishes the contents in just one swallow. She wasn’t kidding it was only two sips. Taking the glass from her, I lean toward the table and set the empty glass and my bottle on the table. Shifting, I pull her onto my lap and kiss her temple as she rests her head on my shoulder, one arm behind my back and the other resting on my stomach.

  “Grant went through the photos earlier tonight and found quite a few with pretty clear pictures. Did you know there is a family of squirrels living in your backyard?”

  Her head bobs on my shoulder as she laughs. “Yeah I did.”

  “Well, in addition to the squirrel family, there are a few of a man. He’s wearing a cap low on his head so you can’t see his face. There are a few shots of him lurking around the house, peeking in windows. From what we can tell, he got inside again but didn’t stay for long.”

  Sitting up, she looks at me, eyes wide and fearful, waiting for me to continue.

  “It took me a few minutes to recognize him. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the tattoo on his neck, I don’t think I would have. It’s been years, and they haven’t been kind to him.”

  “I . . . I don’t understand. You know the person?”

  Her hand grips my T-shirt, and I tighten my hold on her. Her breathing increases, fearful eyes staring back at me. Cupping her cheek, I kiss her softly.

  “You said it was a man. Why were you asking about Henry’s parents?”

  “Do you trust me?”

  Lifting her hands to my cheeks, she holds my gaze and smiles. “With my life.”

  “I need you to trust me when I say I don’t want to tell you until I have all the answers. This isn’t like in the truck. I’m not keeping you in the dark for any reason other than I want to protect you. Will you give me a little time to work this out?”

  She holds my gaze for seconds that feel like minutes before nodding.

  “Thank you, baby. You trust me with your life?” I ask as she offers me a small smile and nods. “What about your heart?”

  “Oh Taylor, I gave that to you months ago.”

  I follow her lead and cup her cheek as I pull her lips to mine. I pour every ounce of my love for this woman into this kiss. Expressing how much she means to me with each swipe of my tongue. Pulling out of the kiss, I peck her lips once then twice. I will put an end to the fear these people have instilled in her.

  She may not know it, but while she was giving me her heart, she already owned mine. I may not be worthy of her or her son, but for the first time in my life I want to live my life with love and no regret.

  “I love you, Scarlett.”

  Tears fill her eyes and she smiles. “I love you too.”

  “I know it’s fast and you may not be ready, but I need you to know. This isn’t just some casual friends with benefits thing for me. I am so fucking in love with you, it scares me. I never knew this was something I could feel, let alone have. You’re my best friend, and I want you here with me. Both of you. I love that little boy like he’s my own.”

  “Taylor, you are more than I deserve, but dammit if I don’t want to have it all with you. I’ve never felt as safe and loved as I do with you. I’m sure that makes me a horrible person, and I’m going straight to hell, but it’s true. I have to believe all of this, the pain and hurt, the loss and devastation of the last year has been for a reason. To bring us here, to each other. Fate.”

  “To love freely,” I offer. Her tears are flowing fast and furiously now. A huge smile on her face as I kiss her.

  “As much as I love this moment of declarations,” she says between kisses. “I have a strong suspicion you’re saying this now for a reason.”

  Sighing, I exhale long and look over to where Nicholas has fallen asleep. Knowing if the break-in had happened a few weeks earlier, there’s a chance his birth wouldn’t have gone smoothly makes my blood boil. Anger seeps into the spaces between the declarations we’ve just shared.

  “Will you call Henry’s parents? If my suspicions are correct, they won’t answer, but I want to make sure.”

  Shrugging her shoulders, she walks toward the kitchen
and retrieves her phone. With a few taps, she brings it to her ear and after a few seconds ends the call and tosses it on the table.

  “It’s no longer in service.”

  “That’s what I was afraid of. The man in the photos is Lyle.”

  When she doesn’t respond to the name, I realize Henry never spoke of our childhood friend. Tapping my lap, she climbs back into her spot, and I continue, “Lyle grew up with Henry and me. He was our friend, but it was different with him. He was different. We all enlisted together but he didn’t take to military life like we did. And he was bitter about it.”

  “Wolf was a hothead, but he didn’t compare to Lyle. He was a straight-up bully with a chip on his shoulder. I lost track of him after a few years in, but rumors were rampant. Fighting, drugs, and a few other things I hate to even think of. Bottom line, he was a bad guy. He was dishonorably discharged and served a few years in the pen for possession. Rumors from high school classmates are he’s back in the neighborhood and into some pretty heavy shit.”

  “Wow. He sounds lovely. Why would he break into our house? Did he not know about Henry?”

  “Lyle is bad news, but he’s not going to travel all this way just to break into a house of a former buddy. No, I’m going to guess he’s working with someone. Honey, I think it’s the money.”

  “Well first, I wouldn’t have stacks of money laying around my house. Besides, I didn’t keep it.”

  Confused I turn my head as if looking at her in a different direction will help me understand. Nick stirs in his seat and whimpers. Climbing off my lap, she moves to him and picks him up. Lifting him to her nose, she sniffs his bottom before settling in on the floor to change his diaper.

  “What do you mean you didn’t keep it?” I know for a fact she would have received quite the payout, and on top of any military benefits, Henry would have secured a life insurance policy for her and the baby.

  “It wasn’t my money. We were getting a divorce, so it wasn’t mine to keep. He would have made Nicholas the primary beneficiary, and by all accounts that’s his money, not mine. Don’t get me wrong, I took enough money to pay off the debt we had and enough that I don’t have to work for a few months. The rest went into a trust for this guy.” She lifts the baby to her face and peppers him with kisses. His little legs are tucked up to his chest, so he’s curled almost into a ball. She places him in the portable crib before gathering the dirty diaper and walking to the kitchen. I follow her and stand on the other side of the island while she washes her hands.

  “Wait. You put it all in a trust for the baby and didn’t keep any of it?”

  Shrugging, she dries her hands and smiles. “It’s not mine, Taylor. It was meant for Henry’s family and we weren’t going to be married any longer. I set up a trust and while I have access for major expenses for him, Nicholas will receive a portion for college, if that’s the path he chooses, or full access at twenty-five.”

  “You’re amazing. You know that, right?”

  “Nah, I’m just not an asshole. So, why do you think this Lyle person broke into the house?”

  Moving around the island, I wrap my hands around her waist and say, “I don’t know, baby, but I’m going to find out. I’m heading to Austin in the morning.”

  Chapter 31

  Taylor

  Crawling out of a warm bed before dawn is the last thing, I want to do this morning but I’m driven by the need to kill Lyle. And the Gilberts. I knew they were up to something when they showed up at the funeral. They weren’t there for bootcamp graduation, Henry and Scarlett’s wedding, or a single other milestone in Henry’s life. But, when he wasn’t there to see them, they showed up. I don’t buy it for a second.

  What I can’t figure out is how Lyle fits into this scam. Manipulation and guilt was their go-to when we were kids. Convincing people the next time would be different. They didn’t mean to drive drunk. The bar fight was someone else’s fault. If only Henry hadn’t angered them, they wouldn’t have to drink so much. One excuse and manipulation after another. It’s who they were then, and I don’t doubt it is who they are now. As much as she wants to believe it, they weren’t there to share in Scarlett’s loss; they are too selfish for that to be true.

  Nicholas and I had a little man-to-man bonding this morning as I made promises to come home and figure out our life with his mama. I confessed a lot to that little boy as the night turned to day. He’s the ideal confidant since he can’t respond and tell me I’m acting like a teenager with his first love.

  When we left for dinner last night, I had no intention of laying it all out on the line for her. Declaring my feelings and making promises to her wasn’t in my date night plan. I thought we’d come home from dinner, settle in for a movie, and crawl into bed together. The moment I saw that picture on my phone, I lost my mind. I thought of all the things that could have happened that night. What if she had come home earlier while Lyle was there? What if he was high? Would he have hurt her? So many questions and no answers.

  Grant and Connor wanted to call the sheriff. Tell him who the man was and have him arrested. I wouldn’t hear it. We argued but when they realized I wasn’t going to back down, they conceded. With a little help of social media, Connor was able to track Lyle to a dive bar in Austin. The dangers of social media and its ability to stalk and find another person anywhere in the world normally anger me. I’m constantly harping on my nephew to limit tags and keep his location private. In this instance, I’m grateful for Lyle’s refusal to do the same.

  Austin is a large city, but since we know where he’s been hanging out the last few nights, I have at least one place to start looking for him. I can’t believe he’s been only a few hours from Fayhill this entire time. I wouldn’t be surprised to find Henry’s parents holed up with him somewhere. The three of them plotting more ways to scare Scarlett. Just the thought of it sends my blood boiling.

  The drive isn’t too long, yet Scarlett has called a few times to check on me. Truthfully, I think she wants to make sure I’m not actually going to kill anyone. I suppose I could if I wanted, but I have too much to live for, too many promises to keep to her. But, to play it safe, Grant and Connor are meeting me in Austin. If anyone is going to keep me on this side of the law, it’s those two.

  Traffic is a bitch, but I make it to the hotel we booked with plenty of time for a shower and a beer at the bar before they’re expected to arrive. As the front desk finalizes my check-in, I look over my shoulder hoping I don’t accidently bump into the three people I’m hoping to surprise. I know they would never be in a place like this unless they had money and, if they had any, they wouldn’t be harassing Scarlett.

  Thanking the clerk, I take my key cards and head for the elevator. The ride to my floor is quick and, like she has some sort of ESP, my phone begins to ring with Scarlett’s face appearing on my screen.

  “Hey,” I answer as I push the door open and toss my bag on the bed.

  “Are you still driving?”

  “Nope, I just walked into my room. What are you up to?”

  Nicholas cries in the background, and I hear her telling me to hold on. Her voice is in the distance, so I assume she’s put the phone down. I move around the room, opening the curtains and adjusting the air conditioner while I wait. She comes back to the phone, a little out of breath.

  “Sorry about that.”

  “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, he’s a little fussy so I just put him in the sling. I think I’ll go sit in the back and get some fresh air. He always likes being outside, and we didn’t get our walk in this morning.”

  “I know you think I’m being overly cautious but I’d rather you skip one walk and let me do this than take any chances. We don’t know if they’re high or what. If they’ve figured out you’re in Lexington, there’s no telling if they’d go there.”

  Kicking off my shoes, I pull my belt from the loops and toss it next to my bag as I settle onto the top of the opposite bed. I hear the tell-tale sound of the French
doors opening at home and wait for her to say something.

  “I understand the why, but I hate feeling like a prisoner. I also don’t want you to do anything stupid. I want you to hurry home.”

  “I’m not going to lie. I get a little caveman thinking of you in our home waiting for me to come back.”

  “Dear lord,” she scoffs and I can imagine her eyes rolling dramatically as she smiles. “You’re ridiculous. Just don’t get yourself hurt or arrested. We have a life to start.”

  “Deal. I’m going to shower off the drive before the guys get here. Remember if you need anything, call Addy and Landon.”

  Laughing she says, “Uh, they’re coming over for dinner. Your sister tried to pretend it was casual, but she did mention that Landon is equipped to kick anyone’s ass that may bother us, so I kind of figured she knew what was going on.”

  Thank goodness for my sister. “I’m not bummed you won’t be alone. Have fun and kiss that little guy for me.”

  “Will do.”

  “I love you, Scarlett.”

  “I know and I you. Be safe. And smart.”

  We end the call and I head for the shower. As the steam fills the room, I strip off my clothes and step under the hot spray. The water thumps on my shoulders and I let it beat away some of the tension I’ve been holding. The rage I have for Lyle and what he’s done is still there, but hearing Scarlett’s voice and knowing I have a family waiting for me at home puts things in a little different perspective. Of course, it doesn’t mean I won’t still lay my hands on that motherfucker for what he’s done.

  Sitting at the hotel bar with a warm bottle of beer between my hands, I check my phone for the third time in twenty minutes. I’m about to call Grant and Connor when a big paw slaps me on the shoulder. My arm instinctively rises, but Connor’s laugh pauses me before I can turn to swing.

  “Save that for the bastard in the picture, man.” I take Connor’s extended hand and shake it while simultaneously glaring at Grant.