“Since they’re here, you no longer have to be, right?” Lewis snapped.
“Dad,” Bethany and Allyson said together.
Lewis grunted and made his way back inside the house. Bethany looked embarrassed at her father’s behavior, but Allyson looked confused.
“What is wrong with him?” Allyson shook her head. “I’m sorry about that, A.J.”
“It’s fine. I’m just going to talk to the guys, and I’ll be on my way.” Aaron started down the steps.
“You’re leaving?” Bethany touched his arm but pulled back her hand so fast that he almost didn’t see it.
“They’re your security, and I trust them completely. I’ll keep in touch with updates on the case.” Aaron forced himself to turn and put some distance between her and him.
It was harder to walk away from her house this time than it had been thirteen years ago. He still had a dozen questions and a million emotions swirling around him. He wasn’t used to feeling so out of control. Aaron didn’t like it one bit.
Chapter 7
Bethany watched him pull out of the driveway, and it was like someone plunged a knife into her stomach. Her father’s reaction to Aaron didn’t surprise her. He’d been the only one she’d told why she ended the relationship. Her father had wanted to kick the shit out of him, but Bethany had begged him to let it go.
“Dad was pretty rude to A.J.,” Allyson said later that evening as they sat on the back deck of the house.
“Yeah.” Bethany sipped the glass of wine her sister had given her.
“I wonder why.” Allyson sighed.
“I never realized how much I missed this view.” Bethany changed the subject, but it was the truth.
“Me too. I’m so glad you came home. You are staying, right?” Allyson curled her feet under her in the large deck chair.
“I’m pretty sure. Craig wants me to take over this region. If he still has a company after all this.” Bethany rested her head back on the chair and watched the waves crash against the beach.
The house was on the corner of Sandcastle Road and Beach Street. From the edge of the deck, they had a partial view of the beach. She’d spent many a day and evening and some nights walking across the rocks by herself and with Aaron. There was a jut of land that separated part of the beach from a small cove behind Aaron’s parents’ house. She and Aaron would go there to be alone.
“Those security guys are so damn hot.” Allyson sighed.
“Yeah, they are.” Bethany snickered
“Not that I’m ready for dating again, but they are nice to look at.” Bethany glanced at her sister and saw Allyson playing with the wedding ring she still wore.
Corporal Trent Sullivan died while he was on peacekeeping duty overseas six months earlier. Her sister was devastated by the loss of her husband, and it was probably the main reason Allyson decided to move back home. It had been hard on Cameron as well, but thankfully he was doing well.
“It will take some time, Ally.” Bethany took her sister’s hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.
“I know. I still miss him so much.” Allyson’s voice cracked.
“I know you do, but if you ever need to talk, I’m here.” Bethany pulled her chair closer to Allyson.
“So, A.J.? Any old feelings come back?” Allyson raised an eyebrow and Bethany knew her sister was trying to keep from bursting into tears at the thought of her late husband.
“No,” Bethany lied.
“You are such a liar.” Allyson pushed Bethany’s arm and laughed.
“Your sister doesn’t need that louse back in her life.” Bethany turned around at the sound of her father’s voice.
“Dad, what is your problem with A.J.?” Allyson sat up in the chair.
“I never liked him.” Her father lied because he thought Aaron was a great guy until she’d told him what happened.
“That is such bull.” Allyson glanced at Bethany and then back to their dad.
“Drop it, Ally,” Bethany warned.
“No, I want to know,” Allyson pushed.
“I’m going to bed.” Bethany stood up and made her way inside.
The last thing she wanted was to rehash the most painful time of her life next to losing her mother. It had taken her years to start dating again and seeing him again was like opening an old wound.
“Goodnight, Beth.” Her father kissed her cheek as she passed him and made her way to her bedroom.
Her old room didn’t look anything like it had when she was younger. The room now had an en-suite and was painted a completely different color. The windows changed as well, and her window seat where she would do her homework was no longer there.
It didn’t matter because the cool late April breeze brought the familiar scent of the ocean air into the room. If she closed her eyes, it was like going back in time. Except she wasn’t a naïve teenager in love anymore.
Bethany opened her eyes and grabbed her large suitcase. She struggled to lift it on the bed and practically fell over by the time she got it on top of the mattress. She wasn’t going to sleep so she might as well put away her clothes.
An hour later, she shoved her two suitcases into the back of the closet. As she stepped back, she glanced up at the entrance to the attic. The memory of hiding the last thing Aaron gave her up there had her frantically scanning her room for something to climb on. She pulled the armchair over and proceeded to pull herself up until she could manage to push up the square piece of wood.
She wasn’t able to reach up into the opening, and she cursed as she hopped down off the chair. She tried to remember how she got up there in the first place. She shoved the chair back and flopped down on the bed. She could ask her nephew to climb up and check to see if the box was still there but that would only provoke a ton of questions she didn’t want to answer.
“It probably isn’t there anymore anyway,” Bethany mumbled to herself as she pushed up to her feet.
If only she’d opened it to see what it was, but Bethany was so angry, she didn’t want to see anything from him. It was probably something telling her what a fool she’d been.
Bethany pulled back the curtain and stared out her window. Crunch sat in his car parked in her driveway, and she felt guilty that he had to be outside all night. April wasn’t exactly the best time to spend the night in a car. She was about to go down and bring him some coffee, but her sister appeared heading to the car.
It seemed her sister had the same idea, but she also had a plate with what looked like a sandwich. That was Ally, always taking care of everyone but herself. It was how she dealt with grief. Allyson did the same thing when their mother died. She would take care of others to avoid giving into the sadness.
Bethany turned away from the window when there was a light knock on her bedroom door. She moved to the door and opened it. Her father stood on the other side holding a cup in his hand and a smile on his face.
“Warm milk always helped you sleep.” He held the cup out to her.
“Thanks, Dad, but I haven’t had warm milk since I was eighteen.” Bethany stepped back as her father stepped into the room.
“Beth, I needed an excuse to come and see how you were.” He placed the cup on her nightstand and turned to face her.
“I’m fine, Dad.” Bethany wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. “It was scary to hear someone take another person’s life, but I’ll be okay.”
“I’m not talking about that.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m talking about A.J.”
Bethany sighed and tipped her head back to look up at her dad. Her father was over six feet tall and the years of hard work made him strong and lean. He’d gained a few pounds since he’d retired ten years earlier, but he was still the most reliable man she knew.
“Dad, that was a long time ago. He was only here because he’s doing his job.” His hazel eyes met hers at her statement.
“Beth, since you were able to talk, I’ve known every time you’ve lied to me.
You never got over that boy even if he did break your heart.” Her father narrowed his eyes.
She couldn’t deny it to her father because he’d been the one to hold her all night as she cried over being used by Aaron.
“Dad, I’ll be fine.” She stepped back and picked up the cup he’d placed next to her bed.
“You need to confront him and tell him the real reason you left. Let everyone know what a son of a bitch he was to you, and I don’t have anything nice to say about that girl,” he grumbled.
“I love you, Dad, but I don’t think dragging up old heartbreak is going to make things easier, but there is something you can do for me.” She stepped next to her closet door.
“What’s that?” He glanced into the closet.
“Can you check and see if there is a box just inside the edge of the attic opening? I put it there before we moved and forgot it when we left. I’d like to see if it’s still there.” She pointed up to where she’d opened the attic entry.
“I see you tried to reach it, short stuff,” her father teased.
“Not my fault I didn’t inherit your giant gene.” She poked him in the side.
Her father reached up and felt around the attic opening. She was prepared to be disappointed until he pulled down a square box about the size of a book. The purpled paper had faded over the years, and something chewed on the corners but seeing it made her heartache.
“What is this?” He held it out to her.
“Something I should have returned a long time ago.” She took it and went to the bathroom to wipe off the years of dust and insulation. “Dad, can you make sure that the attic is closed up? I don’t want whatever chewed on the corners to come visit.”
“Already done. I’m heading to bed, but if you need to talk, you know I’m here.” He kissed the top of her head and left her room.
Bethany placed the tattered gift on the nightstand next to her bed. Her dad was right. She needed to let Aaron know why she left and that she’d never opened his little gift. Sure, she was curious over what was inside, but she couldn’t open that wound.
After she prepared for bed, she lay on her side and stared at the box. The paper had been so pretty back then, but she couldn’t look at it, which was why she tossed it into the attic. Tomorrow, she would give Aaron back the unopened box and let him know she hadn’t fallen for his trick back then.
“You and Raquel will never hurt me again.” Bethany sighed and turned onto her other side. “I’m no longer Butterball Bethany.”
Chapter 8
Aaron sat in the booth at Jack’s Place sipping coffee and staring out at the fishing boats unloading their catch. He smiled at the memory of watching his grandfather on the docks when they would go visit him and Nanny Betty.
How could so many great memories be clouded by so many painful ones?
“Are ya tryin’ ta scare away all da customers?” Nanny Betty appeared as if out of thin air and eased into the booth across from him.
“I’m too cute to scare away anyone.” Aaron grinned at Nanny Betty.
“Doncha try and charm me, lad.” Nanny Betty pointed her tiny finger at him as the waitress placed a cup in front of her.
“That’s right, A.J. Only I can charm your grandmother now.” Aaron chuckled when his grandmother's companion Tom Roberts slid in next to Nanny Betty.
“Oh, stop it.” Nanny Betty playfully tapped Tom’s hand, but Aaron didn’t miss the blush in her cheeks.
“When are you gonna put a ring on that?” Aaron winked at Tom.
“Now doncha go changin’ da subject because Tom’s here,” Nanny Betty warned.
“What subject is that, Nan?” Aaron rested his elbows on the table and wrapped his hands around the coffee cup.
“How ya feel about young Bethany being back in town.” Nanny Betty took a small sip of her tea.
“Doesn’t affect me in the least except now she’s a witness to a murder,” Aaron lied.
“I swear if ya lie to me once more I’m going to clout ya.” Nanny Betty glared at him with what his father and uncle called the devil’s glare.
“Nan, Bethany and I were over a long time ago.” Aaron couldn’t meet her eyes.
“Over or not, ya always pined fer her.” Nanny Betty wasn’t wrong, but he wasn’t in the mood to discuss it.
Before he could respond, he glanced through the window and cursed under his breath. Bethany was walking down Harbour Street toward the beach. He scanned up and down the street, looking for Crash or Crunch, but he didn’t see either of them.
“What the fu… hell?” He corrected his near curse because Nanny Betty probably would have slapped him.
“What’s wrong?” Tom followed Aaron’s line of vision.
“Keith’s security is about to get fired.” Aaron jumped to his feet and tossed a five-dollar bill on the table.
Aaron stepped out of the diner and jogged to the end of the parking lot. Bethany walked down the beach and Aaron didn’t even have to ask where she was going because he knew. It was their place. The place they first kissed, the place where he told her he loved her, and the place he still went when he needed time to clear his head.
“A.J., she’s a sneaky little thing.” Crash ran to catch up with Aaron.
“How the hell did she get down this far without you seeing her?” Aaron kept heading toward where she’d now disappeared behind the jut of land that separated the main beach from the private cove.
“Her sister brought me a plate of food and distracted me,” Crash said sheepishly. “I never let people distract me. What the fuck is wrong with me?”
“Taken in by a pretty face, maybe?” Aaron chuckled. “I got this; you can go back to the house.”
Crash nodded and jogged back up the road toward Bethany’s house. He couldn’t blame Crash for being distracted by Allyson. She was a beautiful woman, but in Aaron’s opinion, nobody compared to Bethany.
Aaron checked the waves as they crashed on the shore. The tide was rolling in, and if Bethany didn’t get back on the main beach, she was going to have to walk through the cold ocean to get back. He was almost at the jut of land when he saw her running around, but she didn’t time the wave correctly, and it caught her around the legs, soaking her from the thigh down.
“Holy shit, that’s cold.” She squealed and ran out of the water.
She slipped as she made it around the rock and caught herself before she fell onto the rocky beach. As she looked down at her wet jeans and soaked feet, it was hard not to laugh at her.
“Forget how to time the waves?” Aaron knew he startled her and as she spun around.
She lost her balance falling on her ass just as another wave rolled in and splashed over her. Bethany tried to jump to her feet and gasped as the cold water rolled in. The rocks were slippery, and she couldn’t get to her feet before another wave hit her again.
“Need a hand?” Aaron stepped up to her and his lips quirked as he held out his hand.
“I need a dryer and a hot cup of tea,” Bethany grumbled but took his hand, and he helped her to her feet.
Aaron pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. It was as if they stepped back in time except, the last time he did it, she wasn’t soaking wet.
“Well, that didn’t go well.” Bethany groaned.
“Maybe you shouldn’t be sneaking off without your security.” Aaron raised an eyebrow and bit his tongue to keep from laughing as she rolled her eyes.
“I wanted to take a walk.” Bethany stomped ahead of him.
“See where that got you.” Aaron snickered.
“I forgot how the tides work. So, sue me,” Bethany shouted over her shoulder.
“Let me drive you back to your house before you catch a cold.” Aaron jogged to catch up with her.
“I’m like five minutes from my house. I can walk.” Bethany walked a little faster as he caught up to her.
“Okay, then I’ll make sure you get home.” Aaron shook his head.
“I got here mysel
f. I can get home the same way,” Bethany grumbled.
“Sorry, you’re supposed to be under security detail, and since you slipped out of their sight, I’m it until you get back home.” Aaron followed behind her and cursed himself as his eyes fell to her round ass.
The wet jeans clung to it, and his dick instantly hardened. He wasn’t going to take a chance and look at what was under his jacket because he was sure that her wet shirt clung to her full breasts.
“Fuck,” Aaron mumbled through clenched teeth.
Bethany didn’t say another word as they made their way to her house. She stomped up the front steps and practically threw his jacket at him as she walked through her front door. Crash sat on the front step, staring at Aaron in confusion.
“She didn’t time the waves, and that’s the result,” Aaron explained.
“That water got to be fucking freezing. Why didn’t you drive her back?” Crash stood up.
“Because that woman is way more stubborn than I ever remember.” Aaron shook his head. “Listen, John has Melinda Fox coming to the station tomorrow. We need Bethany to come and give a description of the guy so Melinda can do a composite sketch.”
“What time?” Crash pulled out his phone.
“I’ll text you or Crunch. I don’t know what time she’d be in town. She’s coming from Gander.” Aaron turned and made his way back to the diner where he’d left his car.
Melinda Fox was a sketch artist they used all the time. She was a police officer as well, but a fantastic artist and her drawings were always near perfect.
Aaron was about to leave when he heard his name shouted from the diner. He waved at Jess and joined her at the entrance of Jack’s Place. It was almost lunchtime, and he’d wasted the morning drinking coffee at the diner so what was another hour.
“Hey, you coming to get lunch too?” Jess asked.
“Sure, I could eat.” Aaron followed his cousin inside the now crowded restaurant.
Luckily, two of his brothers were eating at the booth where his family usually congregated. Ian and John were deep in conversation as Aaron and Jess joined them.
Dangerous Witness (O'Connor Brothers Book 7) Page 6