by Wendy Vella
“Thought I'd diversify.”
“Carrying your revenge a bit far don't you think, EG?”
His father's eyes switched from him to Ethan.
“I blame you for what he's become.”
The smile had fallen away and in its place was the true head of the Gelderman family. An evil, narcissistic bastard.
“A strong, intelligent, caring human, with friends and a future? Well hell, I'll take the credit for that any day, even if I didn't have a hand in the man Brad has become. He's fifteen of you now, Father, and more than likely twenty of me.”
Brad didn't blink. He kept his eyes focused on his father as Ethan talked. Inside, however, now that was another matter. He could feel something hot and fierce spreading through him at his brother's words. A realization that his brother had his back.
“You tried to mold him, but he was stronger than you and got away, and I thank fuck every day that he did.”
“You're both a disgrace to the Gelderman name!” Anger had flushed his father's face red. “I disown you!”
“Ouch,” Brad drawled. “I'm sure that will hurt later, maybe in say a hundred years or so when I give a shit, but right about now it only makes me happy.”
“I'll do this, and fight you both every step. You’ll be sorry!”
Ethan and Brad folded their arms at the same time.
“Game on, then,” Brad said.
“Who are these men, EG?”
Another suit stepped forward to ask the question.
“My sons. However, unlike me they have no loyalty.”
Brad never so much as twitched at the insult. He'd long since developed armor plating where his father was concerned, and figured his brother had too.
“You pathetic little bitch!”
Nadine Buchanan, sick of not being the focus of attention, hissed these words at Macy.
“You shut your mouth,” Brad said, pointing at her.
“She's worthless, and couldn't even keep her husband. Poor Brian, we all know she set him up.” The woman’s face was contorted and ugly in rage.
“Oh hell no, you did not just say that, Nadine Buchanan!”
Before he could stop her, Macy charged forward and slapped the woman’s cheek.
“Never speak to me like that again. You should be ashamed of who you've become, your parents raised you better than this!”
Brad grabbed Macy and hauled her away as Nadine prepared to launch herself at her.
“Enough!”
The suit moved to Nadine, who was clasping her sore cheek and sobbing. “We'll get what we want, and there's nothing these idiots can do about it. Now let’s leave.”
“What, no good-bye hug?” Ethan taunted his father.
“I’ll make you both pay. Your precious Lake Howling will be destroyed by the time I’m done with it.”
Brad felt something cold slither down his spine at his father’s words. He had enough money to do some serious damage to Lake Howling if he wanted to follow through with that threat.
He watched the men and Nadine leave, disappearing down a trail, and then minutes later the helicopters rose and flew away. Brad's hand was still attached to Macy's arm, and he thought that was a good thing as his head felt all over the place.
“Nice move, Mace, remind me not to piss you off,” Ethan said.
“I can't believe I did that.”
Brad saw she was genuinely shocked by her actions.
“She deserved it. I hate that man.”
“Same,” Brad answered his brother. “Seeing him just reinforced for me how much.”
“We need to move on this fast, now he's on to us. I'll go and collect the others.”
“Ethan.” Brad made himself speak.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
“Anytime.”
They watched his bird rise, both silent, still attached.
“Are you okay, Brad?”
He made himself release her, made himself move a few feet away, because what he wanted to do was haul her close and lose himself in her lovely body. She'd chase the memory of his father away. Help him with the adrenaline that still coursed through him.
“Sure. You?”
“Nadine and I were friends in school. I changed, she didn't, and I'm not proud of some of the things we got up to.”
She looked pissed off, and Brad found himself closing the distance between them again.
“Well, I think you won that round.”
She smiled up at him. “I did, didn't I?” She rotated her wrist. “Not sure how men can throw a punch and not break something. My wrist is stinging.”
He took her hand, rubbing the tender skin.
“Tell me to step away, Macy.” The urgency in his voice made her eyes widen.
“I can't.”
He lowered his head slowly, giving her plenty of time to pull back, and then she was his. Her soft lips opened and he kissed her. The emotions that had ridden him when his father was there made him take her deeper. Cupping her head, he devoured her.
Her hands crept to his neck, his to her back, and then he was running one under the leg of her shorts. Her skin was warm and sleek as his fingers moved to the edge of her panties. He swallowed her moan as he slid around to the front and touched her through the satin.
He heard the crack behind him, and instinct had him throwing Macy to the ground beneath him.
“What?”
“Someone's shooting, and I think at us.” He whispered the words into her ear.
“My God, are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“C-could it be hunters?”
“It's possible, but I'm not willing to take the risk that hunters didn’t realize we were people and not prey.”
Her hair brushed his cheek as she nodded.
“We need to get out of this clearing now.”
Lifting his head, Brad looked around them, but couldn't see any movement.
“I'm going to roll off you, then I want you to get to your feet and run in a crouch to the closest trees, then keep moving, but not in a straight line.
“But—”
“Do as I say.”
He looked down into her frightened eyes. “Now.” Brad rolled off her, and as she rose, he crouched behind her, hiding her as they ran. The next bullet hit the tree as they reached it. Brad cursed, but kept following Macy as she ran. She did as he asked and moved from side to side, ducking behind trees as she went.
Her breathing started to rasp the further they ran, but she kept moving.
“Y-you're protecting me by making me go first.”
“Yes,” Brad said. “Keep going.”
She huffed out a breath and then did as he asked. He saw a fallen tree with a fat trunk, and grabbing her arm, he took the lead and dragged her behind it. Pushing her down, he took the space beside her.
“It's okay.” He touched her shoulder. “We're going to be okay.”
Her eyes were wide with fear as she looked at him, and it was instinctive that he open his arms, and that she would dive into them.
“I w-want to see B-Billy grow up.”
“You will, baby, I promise.” He held her close for a few seconds, and then released her. “My guess is that someone was left behind out of that group and this is a scare tactic on the part of my father.”
“He’d do that?”
“Honey, he’d do just about anything to win.”
“I hate him.”
“Me too. Now, I need to check cell phone coverage.”
“There won't be any out here, Brad.”
“Okay, that makes sense now I think about it. We need to warn Ethan somehow. I don't want him to fly in with some asshole shooting at him.”
“We need to get to the lake. He followed that in, remember?”
Brad nodded. “Okay, let's go.”
He took her hand this time and led as they ran on. He had no way of knowing if the shooter was in front now or behind. The going was hard, and they both stumbled, b
ut she didn't complain and soon he could see the light through the trees.
“You stay here and I'll go out and wait for Ethan.”
“Two people are easier to see than one.”
“Macy, let me do this please.”
She moved to stand in front of him, and before he could resist, she'd tugged his head down until their lips met. It was a hard, fierce kiss that Brad felt to his toes.
“No. Now let's go.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Macy clutched his hand, her heart thumping hard in her chest. Fear was choking her, and had been riding her since she'd realized someone was shooting at them. Focusing on Brad's broad shoulders, she hoped they got out of this in one piece. Her thoughts returned to Billy briefly and then she pushed them aside.
“Breathe, baby, I can hear your panic from here.”
She did as he told her, and then she let him lead her out into the open. She found no comfort in the beauty that nature displayed before them. Someone had shot at them and she was terrified, but alongside that was anger. How dare someone do this to them!
She let Brad push her to the side near the lake, where he could hide her from whoever was in those trees.
“Thank you.”
“For what?” He pulled his eyes briefly from the trees to look at her.
“Protecting me.”
He forced a smile onto his lovely mouth. “Honey, I'm Texan. That's what we do.”
“No, it's what gentlemen do, whether they are Texan or not.”
He didn't answer, his eyes fixed on the trees as they walked and then shooting skyward every few seconds.
“He's coming.”
They saw Ethan's helicopter appear, and she felt the tension inside Brad ratchet up several more notches.
“When he gets close, wave and leap about, do anything you can to alert him that we're here.”
“Okay.”
“It'll be over soon, Macy.”
“I hope so, but I'm worried that whoever shot at us will target the helicopter.”
“We can't get in there, you know that right? He won't have the room, and will have to drop the others back and return.”
She hadn't thought about that, and now that she did, she felt ill.
“You okay?” Brad took her hand, pulling her to him.
“I think so.”
“You think so?” He stroked a finger down her cheek.
“The last time I was this scared, Brian shot Branna. I don't want to witness anyone I care for being shot again, Brad.”
“I promise you that won't happen.”
“I'll hold you to that promise.”
“You do that.”
They leapt about as Ethan drew near, and he saw them. The helicopter hovered beside them, the rotor blades causing the water to roll.
“Come back for us!” Brad roared as Jake leaned out. “Someone is shooting at us!” Macy watched as he mimicked the action a gun would make, and then pointed to the trees.
Jake talked to the others, and then the helicopter rose and hovered over them. The first thing that came down was a gun, which Macy stayed away from as it landed with a thud some distance away. Brad picked it up. A blanket followed, and then a small sack.
“Follow lake! Trees! Hide!”
Macy heard Jake's roar, and then the bird was rising and leaving them once more.
“I feel sick.”
“I said I'd keep you safe, Macy. Trust me, okay. I was a Boy Scout.”
“I can't believe you're making a joke right now.”
She clutched the sack while he wrapped the blanket around his neck and tucked the gun in his waistband.
“Think of it as an adventure.”
He held out his hand and she put hers in it, and then he led her back to the trees.
“I don't want an adventure, I want to go home,” she said, and knew she sounded pathetic.
“And there was me thinking I had you pegged as a strong girl.”
“No one thinks I'm a strong girl.”
“Only because you don’t show them that side of you. Now be quiet and walk, woman.”
They walked, keeping hidden as best they could. Brad kept hold of her hand, but neither of them spoke. The trees seemed to be getting denser, and he searched for any trails that would lead them to a clearing.
“I don't think anyone's following us now, Brad. After those initial shots, I think whoever was behind that gun thought they’d done their job.”
“Which was scaring the shit out of us.”
“That’s my take,” Macy said.
“Yeah, I think you're right there, so now we just need to find a clearing.”
They walked until they came to a stream, he urged her down beside him and cupped his hands for her to drink. Macy then did the same for him.
“You okay? Not too tired?”
She washed her face in the water.
“No. You?”
“No.”
“I’m not into exercise, but I do a bit of walking so now we’re not running, I’m good.”
“Not one of those gym bunnies?”
He didn’t give big smiles like his brother, just small gentle ones. Smiles that made Macy’s toes curl in their sneakers, and her heart thud a bit harder.
“We just need to find a clearing then try and direct Ethan to us.”
“He must be in hell knowing he left you here.”
She watched his shoulders rise and fall, but he didn’t speak.
“We'll get out okay, Brad. Those guys, Ethan, Jake, and Buster, they're part of the search and rescue around here. They'll find us.”
“And there's the strong girl I know.”
He was close enough so that if she wanted to touch him, reach out and stroke the angles and planes that made up his face, she could.
“Why do you believe I'm strong?”
“Any woman who raises a child on her own is strong, and add to that what you've been through and the challenges you've faced. From where I'm standing, that would add up to strong.”
Macy had always believed herself weak. People did stuff for her, cared for her, made sure she wasn't pressured or frightened, and she accepted it. But all the time she had wanted to be like Annabelle Smith and Branna O'Donnell. Not little Macy Reynolds, the broken one.
“I'm not strong like some.”
“Yes, you are, but you just don't stand up and show people. You've taken the roll-over approach. You let your friends like Jake and Ethan do things for you when you’re capable of doing them yourself.”
She felt her anger rise. “Don't talk about them like that. They're the best people I know. Without them I'd be alone.”
“I'm not insulting them, Macy, I'm telling you that you've let them protect you and take the lead, but you don't have to. You're strong enough to do it for yourself. You just have to believe that.”
She looked down at the sack that Jake had thrown from the helicopter. Opening it, she took out a muffin and handed it to Brad, then began to nibble on one herself. Was he right?
“I think after so long believing one thing, it’s hard to believe another, especially when it relates to yourself. Maybe I’ve just never really taken the time to see myself differently.”
“My dad made me dependent, and it took leaving to realize I was strong enough to make my own decisions. I enjoy being in control now, and won’t ever let anyone take that from me again.”
Macy watched him bite into the muffin and swallow.
“You're stronger than me.”
He looked at her suddenly, those piercing Gelderman eyes focused on her.
“You've just been shot at, watched your rescue helicopter fly away, and not fallen apart. I think even the tough Annabelle Gelderman would struggle with that. So cut yourself a break, Macy. You're tough, you just need to believe it in there.” He brushed a large finger along her forehead. “Now, finish that muffin and let's get moving.”
“I've never tasted muffins like his anywhere else.” Macy sighed as she swallowed
the last mouthful of cinnamon and apple. “It's like he's magic and every mouthful is pure sin.”
“Agree, but you'd have to go some to convince me they're better than the chicken pie with cheesy crust.”
“You should start a club, Jake loves those pies too.”
He took her hand and they were moving again. Macy had to take two strides to his one, but she kept up. They searched for a clearing, anywhere that Ethan could land. She knew her friends would be scared for them, knew it and felt warm that they loved her as much as she did them.
“You and your brother are the same people.” Macy whispered the words even though he'd told her to be quiet. He didn't answer. Shoulders hunched, he just kept walking, clearing a path for her to follow.
Ethan was a protector, and Brad was the same. It was in his bones. He was a good man, and another day and time maybe there could be more to them, more that they could explore together. But not now. Right now she was still trying to fix what was broken inside her, and from what she could tell, he was trying to do the same.
“Your father's an asshole.”
“No complaints from me. Now, you think you could shut up?”
Macy huffed out a breath. They hadn't been shot at for ages, surely they were safe now?
“We'll stop here and wait.”
“Is that clearing big enough?” Macy looked through the trees.
“Let’s hope so.”
He led her to a hollow in a fallen tree that they could squeeze inside and not be seen, unless someone was directly in front of them. They would hear the helicopter as it drew close.
“It's a tight fit.” Macy wiggled in, and Brad followed. His large body took up most of the room. “I'm suffocating now.”
His hands lifted her, then relocated her between his thighs.
“Better?”
Not really, she thought, trying to calm her breathing. The hard planes of his chest felt warm against her back, and she inhaled and exhaled a few times and then let herself lean in to him.
“So, about this pie club. Who else is in it?”
“Just Jake,” Macy said, resting her head under his chin.
“You want in?”
His arms settled around her, enclosing her in all that solid warmth.
“No, I'm a steak pie girl. Chicken is for losers.”
His rumble of laughter made her smile.