Peacekeeper (Montgomery Brothers Series ~ Book 2)

by Laura Pavlov

  We all followed him out and I called my driver to bring the car around.

  I couldn’t get him out of here fast enough. My brothers and Big Joe were pissed, my mother was appalled, and this had been an absolute bust. He’d come for money. It wasn’t my first rodeo with people like this. I just hadn’t seen it coming, but why would I? I hardly knew the guy.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Laney

  “Girl, your family is so sweet. It’s so refreshing,” Harley said, rubbing her little belly as we walked back to the winery.

  “What do you mean?” I laughed, and a smile spread clear across my face. But I got it. My parents were pretty amazing.

  “They’re so nice. The perfect parents. I hope Ford and I are like that with our kids. They just love you so much. It’s so nice to see. It explains a lot, Laney.”

  “It does?”

  “Yep. You’re good peeps. Your parents are good peeps. The apple never falls far.” She laughed.

  I knew Harley had it rough growing up, and I hated that she went through so much. “Yeah. But sometimes the apple does fall far. You’re pretty amazing yourself there, missy. And you and Ford are going to be incredible parents.”

  “Well, I hope so. It won’t be for lack of effort. But let me tell you—I’m so freaking hungry these days. I’m ready for a whole lot of pasta.” She chuckled as we walked up the path toward the winery.

  “I’m hungry too, and I’m not carrying a human in here.” I patted my belly and she barked out a laugh.

  Our gazes moved to the entrance as we heard shouting in the distance.

  “Get the fuck out of here,” Ford shouted, and Harley and I started to run in that direction. Something was wrong. I saw Harrison dragging someone down the walkway toward us. I couldn’t make them out.

  “What the hell is going on?” Harley asked, as we got closer.

  The guys paused under the overhead light, and I froze. Big Joe? He was a good friend of Harrison’s and mine back in college. My gaze moved to where Harrison held someone by the collar. Coop. My legs were stuck. My breaths came short and fast. I bent forward and tried to catch my breath.

  “Laney?” Harley stopped and turned back to place a hand on my back. “Are you okay?”

  I dropped to the ground, as I couldn’t stand any longer.

  “Harrison,” she shouted, but everything went still around me.

  Every secret.

  Every lie.

  Every fear.

  It was right here in front of me. I thought I could escape it. I thought I could make it less complicated. Protect Harrison.

  “Baby, what is it?” He hurried over and bent down in front of me, trying to pull me to my feet. Jack and Ford called out to ask if I was okay.

  Harrison held me up and tipped my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. “What is it? Are you hurt?”

  “Should we call 911?” Harley shouted, but everything blurred together as I stared into his dark gaze.

  “Har. I’m sorry. I never thought we’d see him again,” I croaked through my sobs.

  Jack was yelling something in the distance and arguing with Coop to get in the car. Big Joe moved beside my boyfriend and asked what was going on.

  “What are you talking about, Laney?” Harrison studied me, and then it was like a lightbulb switched on, and his gaze hardened. “Coop?”

  “Yes.”

  That’s all I had to say. He called out to Ford, “Take her and call the police.”

  And just like that, Harrison lunged at Coop, startling everyone. He took him down to the ground and pummeled him, blow after blow. The sound of bones cracking and fists flying filled the air. Jack tried to tear his brother off of Coop and shouted for Ford to help him.

  Harley reached for me and held me against her as we watched the scene play out like something out of a movie. Ford and Jack held Harrison back as Big Joe stared with disbelief.

  “Fuck you, Montgomery. Shit happens.” Coop struggled to get to his feet and glared my way. “She’s hardly worth it. She was a boring fucking lay, anyway.”

  Jack and Ford let go of their brother, allowing Harrison to charge Coop again. “You sick fucking rapist. You’re a fucking piece of shit.”

  People came running out of the winery and sirens blared in the distance. “Good fucking luck proving anything. She didn’t say no. That’s all that matters.”

  Jack and Ford intervened, pulling their brother to his feet when the police cars pulled up. “You fucking drugged her. You sick fuck.”

  “Oh, come on. It’s something people did back then. And good fucking luck proving anything all these years later. I did her a fucking favor. She was an uptight mopey bitch. I sat there listening to her sad ass all night. It’s the least she could do. Come on, man. Don’t let some chick come between brothers.”

  Harrison lunged at him again, as several police officers intervened. The lights from the squad car flashed red and white blurred patterns around the crowd gathering outside.

  Ford and Jack asked their staff to escort the guests back inside before turning the attention to the police. Harrison was on his knees, Big Joe holding his shoulders as he stood behind him. Tears streaming down Harrison’s face as he tried to process what was happening. My heart split in two. His gaze landed on mine and he just stared, before turning his attention back to the officer pulling him to his feet.

  “Laney, let’s go inside,” Harley whispered.

  “I need to make sure he’s okay.”

  The police officers did their best to get through the information being offered. Coop was slurring and insisting Harrison attacked him. Big Joe moved over to stand beside Harley and me, asking repeatedly if I was okay.

  This was no longer a secret I could keep to myself.

  It was out there.

  Coop was handcuffed. Obviously, the cops were biased. They knew the Montgomerys as longtime locals, and everyone that knew Harrison knew he never lost his cool. But right here, right now, in front of my eyes—he’d unraveled.

  Monica came running outside, and tears sprang from her eyes as she took in the scene.

  I found my footing and rushed over to Harrison, trying to speak through my sobs. “Har, are you okay?”

  He nodded. “I’m so sorry, Laney. I’m so fucking sorry.”

  The officer said he’d need to take him in for questioning. Ford and Jack were shouting and arguing with the police, and Harrison put a hand up. Silencing everyone. “It’s okay. Let me take care of this. Keep Laney with you.”

  Ford was already on his phone calling their attorney. “Nelson will meet you at the station. We’ll be there soon.”

  “I’m coming with you.” I fought to break free of Jack’s grip.

  “Let me do this, Laney,” Harrison said.

  “What? No. You didn’t do anything,” I shouted.

  He paused and looked over at the officer waiting for him. The older man nodded and turned to give him a minute. “Baby. I’m going to have to tell them everything and they may need to question you.”

  I nodded. “Okay. I don’t care. Let me come now. I’ll tell them everything.”

  “I don’t want you around him. They understand that. I’m going to tell them what I know. I don’t know that anything will come of it because there is a statute of limitations. But he can’t get away with this, Laney. No fucking way.”

  I covered my face with my hands. This was what I’d feared. That my dark, ugly secret would infect everyone I loved, most especially Harrison. That it would come back to haunt me. And that’s exactly what was happening right now. I broke out in sobs as the officer led Harrison toward the car. Jack wrapped me in his arms and whispered in my ear.

  “Don’t you worry, Laney Mae. That fucker won’t get away with what he did to you. Not on my watch, and certainly not on Harrison’s.”

  �
�It’s going to be fine,” Harley said, reaching for my hand and clasping it with her own. “Let’s go get a nice cup of tea and the boys can head down to the station to wait for Harrison.”

  I nodded, but this was not something a cup of tea could fix. My heart shattered as I watched the police car drive away. Harrison and Coop were both gone.

  We settled in Monica’s office, and Ford, Jack, and Big Joe left to go help Harrison. Harley and I sat on the sofa in Monica’s office and she entered with a tray of tea. The tears wouldn’t stop coming. I’d opened the floodgates, and now there was no turning back. I didn’t feel the panic to cover the secret I’d been keeping for so long the way I’d expected. I just wanted Harrison to be okay. I wanted to start our life together. I didn’t want this dark cloud to force us to lose more time. More years.

  “I’ve already heard from Nelson. Harrison is just there to answer questions. He’s not being charged with anything, sweetheart. It’s going to be okay.”

  I nodded. She and Harley didn’t know the whole story. They were probably confused and unsure about what was going on. But neither pushed. Neither forced me to explain anything.

  “I was drugged the night after I returned to school without Harrison. I’d gone out, and Coop had stayed with me the whole time listening to me cry about my broken heart. He’d been a friend of Harrison’s, and I trusted him.”

  They each sat on one side of me and held my hands. Monica spoke first, as tears streamed down her face. “You don’t need to tell us anything if you don’t want to.”

  “It’s okay. I’ve held it in for so long, and I’ve lost so much time running from it. I woke up the next day and had no recollection of the night before. But I was naked, and there was a used condom on the floor. I went to the hospital and found out I’d been drugged. But I was too ashamed to tell them what happened. I lied and said I just got sick and went home. But I changed that day. I was so ashamed that I’d allowed it to happen. That I’d put myself in that situation.” The sobs racked my body as I relived the events of that night again.

  Monica wrapped me in a hug. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, my sweet girl. You’re so brave. I’m proud of you for telling Harrison what happened. For coming to terms with it. This is not your fault. Do you understand me, Laney?”

  “No. But I will.”

  “Yes, you will, girl. You will not allow that piece of shit to take anything else from you,” Harley said, swiping at the tears running down her face.

  We sat there for an hour, while I talked, and they listened. I finally insisted Harley get something to eat. The poor girl was starving, and this had been a traumatic evening.

  And we waited.

  Waited to see what would happen to Harrison.

  “Laney,” Harrison’s voice whispered in my ear and I pushed to sit up. I was still on the sofa in Monica’s office. I must have dozed off.

  “Hey. You’re here.” I reached up to hug him. “Where’s your mom and Harley?”

  “Relax, baby. Everything’s okay. Ford just took Harley home, and Mom is out in the lobby talking to Jack.”

  “What happened?” I asked, as he dropped down to sit on the couch beside me and pulled me onto his lap.

  “It’s going to be difficult to prove because it happened over five years ago, and you have very little memory about the actual assault. Either way—rape by definition, is having sex with someone against their will. Without consent. And everyone is in agreement about that. But after doing some digging, it turns out the reason Coop went into business for himself is because he served six months in a New York jail. He’s a convicted sex offender. Your anonymous tip did come up in his record, as the date matched the timeline, so you reporting him did get recorded, Laney.”

  “Oh my god. He did it again?”

  “Not sure about that. The six months he served was for something different, but still alarming. He dated a sixteen-year-old when he first graduated from college.”

  “So, he was twenty-two? That’s disgusting. She’s a child.”

  “Well, the girl’s father and the state of New York agree with you. Apparently, they’re still together now. The girl’s parents reported him, and he served his time. But she’s now old enough to legally date the sick fucker. It’s so fucking twisted. He has a slew of accusations against him, but he wasn’t accused of drugging anyone again. I clearly didn’t know this guy at all. He’s a piece of shit. And he comes here asking for money? After what he did to you.” He shook his head and I studied him. There was dried blood splattered across his white dress shirt. His knuckles were bloody, and he had a small bruise under his eye. I traced my finger gently over the purplish-black mark there.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who it was. I knew you’d do something, and I didn’t want you to get in trouble.”

  He pulled me close. “I get why you didn’t tell me. I want to kill him, Laney. I hate him so fucking much. But I’m going to let that demon take himself down. He can’t get a fucking job. He’s dating a teenager. You reap what you sow.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “He’s down at the station waiting for his attorney to get him out.”

  “What about Big Joe?”

  “Jack took him to the helicopter to get him back to the city. He hadn’t seen Coop in years either, so he was stunned by everything that happened. He apologized profusely for bringing him here. He’d just run into him at the convention. He sends his best and said he’d like to come back and see you under better circumstances.”

  I swiped at the tears streaming down my face. “Of course. I always liked him.” I shook my head with disbelief. “Your mom and Harley know about what happened.”

  “How do you feel about that?”

  “Surprisingly fine.”

  He feathered his fingers across my cheek. “Good. I’m proud of you.”

  “I’m going to tell my parents. I know it will hurt them, but I think they should know why I stayed away so long. What I was haunted by.”

  “I agree. And I’ll be right there beside you the whole way.”

  “I’m sorry about tonight. I love you.”

  “The only thing I’m sorry about is that I can’t hurt him more.”

  “Don’t be. He’s made his bed, Har. And we have so much to look forward to. I don’t want to waste any more time on him. He’s taken too much already.”

  He nodded. “Let me take you home, baby.”

  “Nowhere else I’d rather go. Home. With you.”

  He leaned down and kissed me, before pulling me to my feet and leading me out the door.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Laney

  Weeks turned into months, and Christmas was right around the corner. I’d found my footing back home, and Harrison and I had flown to Chicago for a business trip that he had there. He’d been very understanding about my need to see Charlie while I was there.

  Telling my parents about what happened to me all those years ago turned out to be a good decision. They hadn’t been judgmental or disappointed in me, as I’d feared. They’d been empathetic and compassionate. Angry and upset, of course. But thankfully, they finally understood why I’d pulled away for so long. Why the light had left me.

  But I was getting it back.

  One day at a time.

  And I felt a deep need to tell Charlie about my past as well. Maybe I wanted to help him understand why I’d never been able to emotionally connect. Why I’d held back so much. Why I’d hurt him the way I had. Because I was in love with someone else but too afraid to admit it. Because it would mean admitting everything. And getting it off my chest gave me a peace I hadn’t felt in a long time.

  Of course, Charlie had been beyond understanding and thankful that I’d told him. He cried with me as I shared what happened. He listened as I walked him through all the years of denial. Shame. And how it all came to a head. He t
old me that he was happy I’d finally told Harrison. That I finally felt loved enough. Safe enough.

  And he was right.

  Charlie told me about the woman he was dating, and we actually talked about it and laughed about old times. He was happy for me that I was finally engaged to a man that I wanted to spend my life with.

  Were we going to be best friends? Probably not.

  But had some of the pain subsided? Definitely.

  I hoped that someday we would get to a place where we could be in one another’s lives, but I was thankful that we’d had this closure.

  In the meantime—I was busy planning a wedding of my own. And I was actually excited about it, because I was marrying the man I loved. I loved him in a way I’d never loved anyone but him. With my entire being. We just fit. Always had. Harrison and I were getting married in the barn at his family winery on Valentine’s Day. It symbolized so many firsts for us. And it was where I wanted to seal the deal.

  The Montgomerys had built a new barn out on the property as they needed a larger space, and they were going to get rid of the old one. I’d convinced Harrison to renovate it and use it as the venue for our special day. So, we’d turned it into a darling reception hall, and we’d have the actual ceremony outdoors at the winery. It was more than I could have hoped for.

  “How do you feel?” Harrison asked, as we pulled away from the post office. We’d just sent out our wedding invitations. We were having a small intimate celebration, but every detail was thought out. Each invitation would be delivered in a wine crate with a bottle of wine made just for our celebration.

  The Harrison & Laney Montgomery Cabernet, with our wedding date written in script on the label.

  Inside the box was a photo of us on our first day of kindergarten.

  The invitation was tucked inside the box with details for those close to us to come and share in our special day.