This was un-Trey behavior. If his hand was on my bottom, he left it there, then he commenced the good stuff.
But not this morning, the morning after I’d had a nervous breakdown and told him my secret.
Damn, that hurt.
“Trey?”
“Morning, baby.”
His hand settled on my hip and at the same time, he pressed his lips on my forehead.
Well, at least that was something.
“I need to tell you something.”
He went still.
No, not still, steel. The muscle under my cheek jumped, then it turned solid.
I shoved away how that made me feel and took a deep breath.
“Yeah?” he prompted but did not relax.
He’d asked me to trust him. So I was going to do that.
“I need you to know, I fully understand the difference.”
“Difference?”
Crap. I hadn’t thought about how I was going to explain this, but it needed to be said. Everything had to be out in the open. It would kill me if he treated me like I was broken. If he stopped touching me.
“The difference between us making love and what he did to me.”
So maybe he hadn’t turned into steel, because now he was steel and not breathing.
“I never got that part mixed up in my head. Even as it was happening I knew what he was doing was wrong and it was not my fault but his. I knew it was an act of violence.”
“Baby—”
“Trey, I need you to hear this.” He nodded and kissed my head. Just that small gesture gave me the courage to go on. “Yesterday was not about that, what he did, so much as it was about my fear if my secret got out what my dad would do, and what my family would think of me. And the shame I’d been harboring for not leaving him sooner. The part about that day, that I didn’t want to remember, was him demanding I tell him I wanted it. Because in the end, I said what he wanted to hear. Not out of fear, but because I was helpless and I knew there was nothing I could say or do to make him stop and I just wanted it to be over. So I said it but I didn’t twist that either; I knew I wasn’t really asking to be violated. I just wanted it done. I don’t feel shame in that but I still didn’t want to remember it.”
I drew in a deep breath and plucked up all the courage I had to explain what I really needed to say.
“So please don’t pull away from me. I understand if you need some time before you can make love to me again. But it would—”
I didn’t get out the rest of my sentence because suddenly I was on my back. Before I could figure out how that came to be—due to the fact it was done at a speed which would be considered superhuman—I was also breathless.
“Time?”
“Huh?”
“You said you’d understand if I needed some time before I made love to you. So, time?”
“Um. Yeah. Time. Last night was intense. I told you—”
“Yeah, baby, you could say last night was intense. But I still don’t understand why you think I’d need time.”
“Um, did you get flashed with one of those Men in Black thingamabobs that erases your memory?”
“Addy,” he growled. “Don’t be cute.”
“I’m not. You’re the one that pulled your hand out of my undies, yet you’re asking why I’d say that I understand if you need time. What I’m trying to communicate is, I get that you might after finding out what happened to me, but I don’t. I don’t need any time.”
I watched as Trey’s eyes narrowed before they relaxed and he smiled.
“Adalynn. I pulled my hand out of your panties and off your sweet ass because it’s nine-oh-five and you have a patient at ten. But it’s good to know you don’t need time, baby, because I wasn’t planning on there being any.”
“We slept in.”
“We did. Lucky for me, I don’t think my boss is gonna be too pissed I’m two hours late to work, but I know you don’t like to keep your patients waiting.”
I wasn’t late. I was seriously late. And even if we rushed, we wouldn’t be to Triple Canopy by ten.
“Trey, you have to move.”
“Not yet.”
“Really, you have to get up. We’re really late.”
“Right, and seeing as we’re already really late, another two minutes won’t kill us.”
“Trey—”
“Addy, kiss me, baby, then I’ll let you up.”
Oh.
That I could do.
“Okay.”
In the end, I didn’t kiss him, Trey kissed me. And it was the sweetest kiss he ever gave me.
“Thanks, Addy, you’re the best,” Chelsea said and smiled.
“Again, I’m so sorry I was late.”
“Girl, I saw your man. I’m lucky you were ten minutes late and not ten hours.”
Heat hit my cheeks and I didn’t know what to say. But Chelsea did.
“He’s hot, no doubt. But in my book, there is nothing sexier than a man who flaunts he’s in love.”
“What?”
“Addy,” she drawled. “Please tell me you’re not living on the banks of de Nile. That man is gone for you. And the way he looks at you—hot. Like he wants to gobble you up. No, like he wants to make you wear a crown and build you a castle, then gobble you up in your queen bed.”
One could say Chelsea had a flair for drama. But she was kind of right. Trey did look at me like that and I loved it.
“Do you think I look at him the same?”
“Shoo. Are you kidding? It was a miracle you could walk across the gym with those stars sparkling in your eyes. You must’ve made your way on muscle memory alone because, girl, you are blinded with love and it shows.”
I didn’t care if she was being overdramatic; I hoped I did look like that because that’s how I felt.
“Good,” I muttered.
“Good,” she repeated. “Next week, are we still here?”
“Yeah. If you don’t mind.”
“Not only don’t I mind, I prefer coming here.”
“Really?”
“I know your family owns this place so I don’t feel bad saying it—this place is swank. The locker room alone is enough to beg you to keep all my appointments here. Top that with everything else, the brand new machines, the mats are so much better, the TVs, the sauna. And let’s just say there’s no shortage of hot guys walking around. So, um, yeah, really. Please keep all of my appointments here.”
That was good to know. My contract was up at the center I worked at and I was going to talk to my dad, uncles, Nick, Jason, Carter, and Brady about taking over the gym. I already knew what they’d say. In part, it was built for me. The guys did work out in here but no way they needed all the room, and most of the equipment they didn’t touch.
“You only have two more appointments,” I reminded her.
“Well…” She trailed off then gave me a huge broad smile and asked, “I was hoping when I’m done with PT you’d still work with me. You know, so I don’t get injured again. Like a personal trainer. Call it preventative measures. I’m too old for another surgery.”
Chelsea was not old, she was twenty-six. She was also only one step down from Liberty in the coolest-job-ever category.
“That sounds like a good plan. We’ll set something up.”
“Awesome.” She pumped her fist into the air. “And please tell me you’ll finally come see me ride.”
“I don’t know if I can handle watching you get thrown off a bull, Chels.”
“Come on, please,” she pleaded and smiled.
It was hard to believe Chelsea was a real life cowboy, or maybe she was a cowgirl, or maybe rodeo queen would be more apt.
“When’s your next…I don’t know what to call it. Your next rodeo?”
“Not for a few months. Once I’m cleared to train, it should only take me a few weeks before I’m ready for the circuit, but nothing will be in the area for a few months. If I get you and your man tickets, will you please come?”
/> I found I couldn’t deny Chelsea’s sweet smile so I agreed.
“Absolutely.”
“And just to say, if tall hottie is free, I’ll leave three tickets at the gate.”
It was hard to imagine after the night I’d had that I was joking and smiling. The truth had come out and Trey had made sure I was still standing. My heart swelled until it was a miracle the organ didn’t burst from my chest.
“Which hottie are you referring to?”
“The one that was wearing the baseball cap on backward, with the amazing ass.”
No shame in her game.
“That’s Matt. As far as I know, he’s unattached.”
“Well, bring him along.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” I laughed.
“Awesome. I’ll see you later this week.” Chelsea waved and headed for the door.
She’d barely left the building when I saw my brother stomping across the gym.
Crap.
“Jason,” I warned.
He didn’t stop prowling, not even when he got close. He just pulled me into a bear hug and squeezed the breath out of me until I muttered, “Can’t…breathe.”
He loosened his arms a fraction, then in a deep guttural voice that knifed me through the heart he said, “I’m so fucking sorry I’m such a dumbass.”
“Jay—”
“Please forgive me.”
“Already forgiven, big brother.”
“I fucking love you so much.”
“I know you do.”
“You’re the best baby sister in the whole world. And before you give me shit, you’ll always be my baby sister. I rocked you to sleep. I fed you bottles. I even changed your diapers.”
“God. Can we not talk about diaper-changing?”
“Girl, you could drop a load—”
“If you don’t shut up, I’m gonna knee you in the balls. Mercy might be pissed because I heard through the Walker Family Gossip Tree that she wants another after this but I’ll take my chances.”
“I fucking love you,” he repeated, this time shaking me with every word.
“I fucking love you, too. Sheesh.”
“Language,” he snapped and I rolled my eyes.
Then I prayed to the Almighty for patience.
“Whatever.”
Jason let me go but didn’t move far when he said, “Mercy wants a word when you have time.”
“Jay.”
“Not about that. She wants to plan a baby shower for Delaney.”
“Laney doesn’t want one. She said you only have a shower for your first kid.”
“Right. I’ll let you break my wife’s heart and tell her Laney doesn’t want one. Plus, she figures you women should get a jump start planning Hadley’s.”
So it seemed Laney was having a second shower because I was not breaking my pregnant sister-in-law’s heart. No way, no how. I loved Mercy to bits. She brought my beloved brother back to life and I would be forever grateful, therefore, I’d give her anything she wanted.
“Hadley’s not pregnant.”
“Not yet. But you missed it the other day when she happily announced to Brady she stopped taking the pill. Dad was right behind her when she spilled the beans. Brady busted a gut. Hadley went white. And Dad looked like he was gonna puke, punch Brady, or throw Hadley over his shoulder and lock her in her bedroom.”
“Seriously?” I laughed.
“Oh, yeah. It was fucking hilarious.”
“There’s my big brother.”
“Come again?”
“My big brother. Smiling, happy, giving me the latest gossip. My Jason.”
“Addy—”
“I fucking love you, Jason. Don’t ever doubt that. Not for a single second. I remember. Every minute growing up with you. Everything you taught me. All the love you gave. I’ve never forgotten. I never will.”
“Right.” Jason’s eyes darted around the gym before they found the floor. I waited for him to stop inspecting every particle of dust that collected on the very clean, gleaming wood floor. In other words, I waited for him to regain his composure. “Better get back to work.”
“Okay.”
“Oh, just a by the by, I’ll be waiting for my invite to your new pad. I hear there’s a sweet pool and a wine cellar. And make that soon, wouldya?”
“It’s not my pad.”
Jason’s head actually tipped back as he roared with laughter. And when it didn’t look like he was going to stop anytime soon, I snapped, “What’s funny?”
“You are.”
“I don’t see how.”
My brother shook his head and started walking across the gym, this time he wasn’t prowling but he was walking quickly so I shouted at his back.
“What’s funny?”
“I want an invite.”
The door closed behind him and I was thinking that my brother had a screw loose when my phone chimed with a text. I glanced at the clock and noticed it was lunchtime, and since Trey and I missed breakfast, I was starved.
I grabbed my purse out of my desk drawer even though I wouldn’t need it. Trey had yet to allow me to pay, but I’d still offer, and swiped my cell.
I was halfway across the gym when I engaged my phone and pulled up the text.
The number wasn’t programmed in, so I tapped the nameless text and a picture popped up.
Oh my God.
Oh, no.
I willed my legs to work but they were rooted in place.
So I did the only thing I could do.
I screamed as loud as I could.
He’d come.
He always did.
30
“What the hell?”
I looked up from the report Nick handed me five minutes before and found he was scowling, obviously not liking the intel Dylan had dug up either.
“Cover-up. All the way to the top,” Nick unnecessarily told me since I could damn well read and Dylan was good at his job. The dots were not hard to connect.
“And Belview’s gone.”
“Supposed to be in Wyoming with his team on a training exercise.”
That information was also in the report. Belview was at the VA for a routine psych eval after a deployment. He’d passed his evaluation—his whole team had—and they were sent out on a work-up.
“Supposed? Dylan’s got the flight log.” I tapped the document. “His name’s on it.”
“Gut tells me he’s not on that flight.”
When Nick Clark, former FBI profiler with the Behavior Analysis Unit, says he has a gut feeling, it really means he’s studied the subject well and good. Further, it means you listen to him because he’s damn smart and never wrong.
“I watched the footage from the café. We got lucky and Belview’s facing the camera. I was able to write a transcript of the conversation. The tone changes when Jasper’s brought up.”
“Yeah, Addy said Belview got pissed, said something about Jasper being a hard man to follow or some bullshit.”
“Right. What he said after that was, ‘Especially if he blocks the way.’ Then he went on to say, ‘No man will ever be as perfect as him. No man will live up to Jasper Walker. In your eyes, no man will ever love you like he does.’ And in his, ‘he thinks he knows what’s best for everybody.’ Addy said something else and Belview finished with, ‘You compared me to him every day. And when you weren’t, everyone else was. The great Jasper fucking Walker.’ That’s when you come into the frame and stop the argument. I’ve watched that footage a hundred times. Belview was hiding, keeping his shit together until Addy mentions her dad. Then he can’t hide it. His disdain is for Jasper. Not Addy. Not you. When you entered, you cut him off from Addy—that was a hit to his ego, but he’d actually calmed himself.”
Not that I would disagree with Nick, but I thought back to that day in the café. I had Belview in profile, but I hadn’t missed the tightness in his frame. They looked like two people arguing. But it wasn’t until I got there and saw his face did I realize how bad
it was. The guy looked unhinged, and if that was calm, we had problems.
“Jasper told me Wick asked his opinion about being brought into the program and Jasper told Wick that would be a mistake.”
Nick nodded. “So, Jasper blocked a significant career advancement. Belview must have found out it was Jasper. His rage goes beyond simple jealousy. I had a buddy at the BAU enhance it and slow it down. Belview’s got a tell. A tic in his right eye. It’s slight but there. And both his hands are relaxed on the table even though they were arguing. Once Jasper’s brought up, his fists ball up and his knuckles turn white.”
I missed all of that. I’d been focused on the dude’s face.
“You think he’s gonna fuck with Jasper?”
“Actually, after studying him, I thought he’d fuck with Emily. Belview would want the game. Fuck with Emily to get to Jasper. But now, Jasper’s been poking around and going in hard, not hiding the fact he’s unhappy Belview got into it with Addy. The game’s changed and I think he’ll go straight to Jasper.”
“Fuck. We gotta warn him.”
“I’ve called him twice this morning. When he calls me back—”
Nick’s statement was cut off by the most horrific blood-curdling scream. Nick was out the door and I was around my desk following. By the time I made it to the hall, Jason was in the mix, running toward the gym as well.
Nick made it to her first, but she shoved away from him and beelined it to me.
“He has Dad.”
My blood ran cold, then it ran hot.
“Here!” She shoved her phone at me but her hand was shaking so badly I had to grab her wrist to steady her so I could take the phone.
I looked down at the screen and froze. Jasper tied to a chair, head bowed, eyes closed, face fucked up, his thigh bleeding from a gunshot wound.
Tied, beat to fuck, and shot.
Belview was done.
Then I stopped looking at Jasper and read the text: come to the cabin to pick up dear ol’ dad and come alone.
“Where’s the cabin?”
“Madray Springs on Cherokee Lakes. I don’t know the address.”
Flawed (Triple Canopy Book 2) Page 25