Chapter 9
Kal stared, stunned. “What?” The shock of the revelation slammed home. “What do you mean? Ryan? Our Ryan?”
Aidan nodded. “Ryan was my brother-in-law. Chloe’s soul mate. That’s why Hades bound Will and me to him as soul brothers. He was badly injured by the guy who killed her, and had just lost his soul mate. He would have died. Or at the very least succeeded in killing himself if he’d tried. Will was my cousin by blood, and he was really young, younger than me and Chloe, and way younger than Ryan. We used Will’s power to heal Ryan and keep both of us alive.”
Kal almost confessed Ryan’s secret. The pieces fit, finally.
She understood.
“What’s the matter, sugar?” Aidan asked.
Stunned, she shook her head. “I’m sorry. I guess I missed that connection somehow.”
“I didn’t realize you didn’t know. I figured with everything that had happened you knew that.” He sighed. “That’s why it was so hard for me and Will when Ryan walked away from us.”
Kal felt numb. It made perfect sense. At first she thought Ryan’s self-imposed exile was simply Ryan trying to protect himself from seeing Abby with Will. If Abby had been Chloe, Aidan’s baby sister, it really complicated things. Because Ryan didn’t have to keep his secret only from Will, but from Aidan as well.
She desperately wanted to confess and knew she couldn’t. She wouldn’t betray Ryan’s confidence.
* * * *
At some point, Kal dozed. She awoke the next morning curled in bed next to Will in her parents’ house.
He was lying on his side, propped on one elbow, watching her. Kal fought the urge to be mad at him and at Aidan for bringing her back like this.
Will laced his fingers through hers and kissed her hand. “I’m sorry,” he softly said. “I wanted you to enjoy your time with him as long as you could. If there had been any other chance, you damn well know Ryan would have acted.”
“When did he tell you?”
“That night at the shoot when your dad showed up with Jeff.”
Kal contemplated her answer. Was she really mad at Will? Honestly? Or at Ryan? At her father for refusing treatment?
At God?
Well that last option was pretty stupid, since there wasn’t “a” god, apparently. At least, not one like she’d been raised to worship.
Although that would have made laying blame a lot easier.
Unbidden, an image of Bobby Martinez came to mind, his sad, soulful eyes. How he’d missed his mom.
Kal pulled her hand free without comment and climbed out of bed. Will didn’t try to stop her. She dressed, used the bathroom and walked downstairs to make coffee. She needed time to deal with this. She felt guilty for all the times she wished her father would just shut the heck up and behave. Kal never dreamed her time with him would be so short.
She nearly dropped the coffee can when she realized he wouldn’t be around to meet any grandchildren.
Her tears and grief hit again. She slid down the cabinet and cried. That’s where she was when Will raced downstairs and found her. He sat next to her and pulled her into his arms as she sobbed.
Laura Martin came downstairs a few minutes later and watched for a moment from the kitchen doorway before walking over to them. She sat on Kal’s other side and they both held Kal while she cried.
* * * *
Kal pulled herself together by the time her father walked into the kitchen. The doctors had put him on medicine to help with pain. That’s all the treatment he would accept from them.
The Reverend noted Kal’s puffy eyes. He sat at the table and tapped the chair next to him. “Come here.”
She sat.
He gathered her hands in his. “Honey, I love you. I know I’ve been hard on you, and on Will.” He glanced at his future son-in-law. “I want you to be happy. I promise you I will walk you down the aisle on your wedding day. Do you hear me, little girl?”
She forced a smile. “Yes, Daddy.”
He squeezed her hands. “Maybe it was a divine revelation for me. I don’t claim to understand the Lord’s plan for our lives. I do want you to know how proud I am of you.”
Kal nodded but Will spotted her barely restrained tears.
While her mom cooked breakfast, Kal excused herself and went upstairs.
Will followed her a few minutes later and found her gone again.
He sighed, waited a moment, then returned to the kitchen to keep her parents occupied until she returned.
* * * *
Kal softly shut the bedroom door behind her and closed her eyes. “Ryan, vado tu appareo.”
She appeared in his Columbus office. He was sitting behind his desk and playfully held up his arms in front of him, as if warding off an attack.
Kal smiled. “I’m sorry.”
He stood and walked over to her. “I understand, love.” He gently touched her chin and tipped her face to his. “You realize you’re the only person I would ever tolerate that kind of behavior from, don’t you?”
“How’d I get so lucky?”
“Because I’m very fond of you. It’s no secret that I feel guilty for how things played out to bring you together with Will, regardless of the happy outcome.”
“I’m the teacher’s pet?”
Ryan laughed. “Something like that.”
She tightly hugged him. “Why didn’t you tell me Chloe was your soul mate?”
His body tensed against hers. “Do we need to discuss this now?” Even his voice sounded strained.
“No, but if you had told me I would have understood what was going on a lot sooner.”
He pulled away from her and walked to the windows. “It’s in the past,” he quietly said. “It cannot be changed.”
“I won’t tell them,” she promised. “Will and Aidan. I won’t tell them.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m still going to get the three of you back together as friends.”
He turned. “Very determined, are we?”
“Yes. I’m not going to let you martyr yourself anymore, Ry.”
A little late for that love, he thought.
* * * *
Will didn’t say anything to Kal when she returned, even though he smelled Ryan on her. Kal’s mom kept her busy with wedding preparations. By late afternoon, Kal seemed to be holding it together on the outside, at least. It was difficult for him to read her true emotions because it felt like she’d constructed a shell around her soul. Will took a few minutes to visit Ryan while everyone else was downstairs.
Ryan looked up at Will’s arrival. “How is she?”
Will sat in one of the chairs in front of Ryan’s desk. “I don’t honestly know.” He chewed on his lip for a minute. “Please keep me posted.”
Ryan sat back and frowned. “What do you mean?”
“She talks to you. It’s like Abby all over again. Don’t try to bullshit me and tell me you don’t feel it, too. Maybe it’s because she was Abby, I don’t know. Please, promise me you’ll give me a heads-up if there’s stuff I need to know to help her.”
Ryan eventually nodded. “I won’t betray her confidence if she asks me to hold it.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to.”
“All right then.” His voice softened. “Did she tell you about yesterday?”
Will shook his head.
Ryan smiled. “She came after me again. When she showed up this morning, I did manage to get a smile out of her, though.” He looked thoughtful. “She’s not Abby, Will. Not anymore. She’s not the same person. I do think she sees me as a safe outlet, good and bad.”
“She chewed me out for not telling her about her dad.”
“At least she didn’t take a swing at you over it like she did me.”
Will laughed. “Did it hurt?”
“Arsehole.” But Ryan smiled.
Will grinned. “Good. Glad she nailed you.” He extended his hand across Ryan’s desk. Ryan shook with him. “Seriously. I trust you.”
“Thank you.”
Will sat back. “I get the impression she’s bound and determined to have the three of us kiss and make up.”
Ryan hoped his face remained neutral. “Do you?”
“Oh, stop that. I know that look. It hasn’t been so long I don’t recognize that.” He imitated Ryan’s accent. “‘Do you? Is that right? You don’t say?’ Please. It’s bullshit.”
“She might have mentioned something along those lines.”
“I told you, I’ll get along with you for her sake. Don’t expect me to become drinking buddies with you or anything. And don’t think it makes up for what you did to me and Aidan.”
“Understood.”
Will returned to Kal’s parents’ home, leaving Ryan alone with his thoughts and memories.
Chapter 10
Jeff helped Purson pack all the gear they’d need for that night’s investigation. Cabrio would come in early to help with loading and rigging. Gery was taking care of a few last minute things.
Aidan walked into the back room and surveyed the cases of equipment, then turned to Jeff. “You okay?”
Jeff nodded. “Just nervous. I’ve never run the base by myself.”
“You’ll be fine. Trust me, it’s no big deal.”
“Easy for you to say.”
Aidan clapped Jeff on the back and gently squeezed his shoulder before letting go.
Purson finished packing one of the FLIRs. “How is Kal?”
“She’s in shock, I think. I don’t envy her. Will’s got his hands full. He volunteered to come in tonight and help out, but I told him it was okay. She needs him more than we do right now.”
“We could use the help. It’s a big freaking building.”
“I made other arrangements.”
Purson immediately picked up Aidan’s nervous tone. “What other arrangements?”
Aidan mumbled something.
“Oh, fuck no. Do not tell me you did that!”
“What? He volunteered to help. We cut tonight’s shoot as the second act of an episode with an investigation with Will in it, it’s no big deal.”
Purs crossed his arms. “I don’t want to put up with the shit weasel tonight.”
“What do you have against Ryan?”
“Nothing, except that he’s a total asshole. My loyalties lie with you and Will. I don’t give a shit that Ryan’s my boss. He can take a flying fuck as far as I’m concerned.”
“And how far are you concerned in that regard, Purson?” Ryan asked from the doorway.
“Oh, see, and that’s another fucking thing,” Purs said. “You pop in and out like that. It’s bullshit. How about a little fucking warning?”
Ryan held a Starbucks cup. “I’ll remember that sentiment next time I need someone to run over to Tavares, Purson.”
Jeff nervously laughed. He knew Will and Aidan had reached some sort of detente with Ryan, and he didn’t have anything personal against the guy. If anything, Kal was now on pretty good terms with Ryan, even if she walked on eggshells regarding the topic around the other men.
Aidan looked decidedly uncomfortable though. “Hey, he’s going to help Jeff, okay? You and me and Gery and Cabrio will run the investigation.”
Purson angrily jabbed a finger at Ryan. “You aren’t the one who had to sit there and listen to poor Kal when that fucking wraith had her, you goddamned asshole!”
Ryan’s face darkened. “If you wish to have a private conversation about this, I will be more than happy to oblige you, Purs. Until then, keep your fucking opinions to yourself.”
Aidan stepped between them. “It’s okay, Purs. Seriously.”
Purson glared at Ryan before storming out.
Aidan breathed a sigh of relief, then turned on Ryan. “You know, sometimes you’re a real dick when you don’t need to be.”
Ryan was wide-eyed innocence. “What?”
“You could have given me a chance to break the news you were coming tonight.”
“Considering it’s my network, I didn’t think that was necessary.” He sipped his coffee.
Aidan rolled his eyes and dropped the topic.
Cabrio arrived even earlier than expected. Aidan kept Gery and Purs away from Ryan. When he had a private moment with Ryan, Aidan glared at him. “And keep your fucking hands off Jeff.”
“Since when have you ever known me to swing that way, Faust?”
“You know damn well what I mean. Don’t go pulling a Kal with him.”
Ryan’s face darkened. “I had my reasons, Aidan. I promise I will not interfere in your love life.”
“Better fucking not.”
* * * *
They were investigating an old hotel in downtown St. Pete, so at least the drive wasn’t too bad. It took them a couple of hours to set up. Once the network crew arrived to film them, Ryan settled in with Jeff behind the bank of monitors in the room they were using for their base.
Jeff admitted he was a little nervous. While he’d had some contact with Ryan in the office, he barely knew the guy.
More to make conversation than anything, Jeff asked, “Why a ghost hunting show?”
“Ratings. Pure and simple.”
Jeff knew a little about what happened to Kal and felt he shouldn’t pry too deeply. Still, he couldn’t contain his curiosity. “Kal seems to enjoy working on the show.”
Ryan nodded as he adjusted one of the monitors. “She’s very talented.”
Jeff had a sudden flash of insight. “What if she hadn’t picked film as her major?”
Ryan shrugged. “Her major truly didn’t matter.”
“Because you would have done whatever you needed to do to make sure she was with Will.”
Ryan nodded without taking his eyes from the monitor. “Yes. You’re very perceptive.”
“How long have you known Aidan and Will?”
An unreadable expression flitted across Ryan’s face. “A very long time.”
That was all he was getting from Ryan on that topic apparently.
At the break, Aidan nervously rushed into the base area. “Hey, how’s it going?”
“He’s still wraith-free,” Ryan snarked.
Jeff burst out laughing. Aidan rolled his eyes. “You are a fucking ballbuster.”
When they started filming again, Jeff asked Ryan, “How much else is out there? Besides entities or ghosts or whatever you call them?”
Ryan shrugged. “Do not ask that which you are not prepared to know.”
Jeff wasn’t sure he was prepared to know much more than he already did. He was still coming to terms—in a good way—with his knowledge about what Aidan, Will, and the others were.
There was one more question he was curious about. “Can I ask you about the soul mate stuff?”
Ryan smiled. “I think you should ask Aidan about that. It’s quite a commitment.”
“Yeah, I sort of get that.”
“I’ll let you in on something about Aidan. He’s lived a long life. Just because he’s lived a long life doesn’t necessarily mean he’s very experienced in some matters. Matters of the heart. He had to live a certain way for countless ages. When someone does that, it makes them very set in their ways and scared to step out of that self-constructed box.” He returned his attention to the monitor. “I think you are quite possibly the person to help him overcome his fear.”
* * * *
Cabrio and Aidan managed to catch something on the FLIR and digital voice recorders. The other volunteer investigators had enough false scares that it would make a good show. Kal’s talented editing skills guaranteed a segment the audience would love. Paired with a first act of an investigation involving Will, no one would question his absence from this shoot.
By the time the shoot wrapped, Jeff was comfortable talking with Ryan, although they didn’t make any further mention of Jeff’s fledgling relationship with Aidan. Jeff rode with Aidan back to the office. He was preparing to leave when he turned to Aidan.
“Want me to drive
you home?”
Aidan looked pleasantly surprised, then hesitant. “You need to get to sleep. I could just pop home.”
“I know. But I have to go right by your place and I thought maybe I could take you home and then come get you later. We could go out for breakfast and ride in to work together.”
Aidan briefly considered it, then nodded. “That sounds good.”
On the way to his house, Aidan asked, “So what else did you and Ryan talk about?”
Jeff shrugged. “The show. Things like that.”
Aidan let the quiet lie for a moment. “What other things like that?”
“Paranoid?”
“Duh.”
“I like Ryan. I’d like to hear the full story about you three guys one day.”
Aidan’s face darkened as he stared out the passenger window. “It’s a long story, and not one I like talking about.”
Jeff left him alone for the rest of the ride, sorry he’d mentioned it. Once they arrived he caught Aidan’s hand before he could get out. He kissed him. “Want any company?”
Aidan’s eyes burned into his. “Want isn’t the problem. I told you, I’m trying to do things the right way.”
“Okay. When should I come get you?”
“How about one?”
Jeff nodded, but didn’t release Aidan’s hand. He waited until Aidan leaned in for one more kiss, which left them both out of breath.
“See you at one, sugar.” Aidan reluctantly got out of the car and stood at his front door, watching as Jeff drove away.
He turned to go inside and let out a startled scream as he nearly ran into Ryan.
“Fuck! Would you please not do that!”
Ryan smiled. “I shall only take a moment of your time. I’m not overstepping my bounds, I think, to tell you that Jeff seems rather fond of you. Also, you should, as they say, get off the pot where he’s concerned.”
“Stay the fuck out of my love life!”
“I’m not in your love life. I’m simply imparting a little information I thought you’d find helpful. You’re welcome.”
“Thank you,” Aidan grumbled, shouldering Ryan aside so he could unlock his door and walk inside. Ryan followed, uninvited.
“Jesus, Ryan, I’m not in the mood to deal with you this morning.”
Hell's Bells Page 10