by Vivian Arend
Junior nodded. “I’ll head home soon. I hoped I’d still be here when she woke. I need to know she’s okay.” He hesitated for a minute before lowering his voice. “You’re going to make sure she’s okay, right?”
This was about more than the injuries that caused Maxine to lie so still and pale. “You wondering about my relationship with your sister? That’s a matter between us. I thought I made that clear the last time we talked.”
Junior sighed. “I’m not asking what your intentions are or offering to meet you for pistols at dawn. I love my sister a lot and she means the world to me, but she’s got a mind of her own. I’m just curious if you’re planning on sticking around. The ass she was with before was all wrong for her, but there’s something about you I like.” Maxwell leaned back in his chair. “Even if you do cheat at cards.”
Ryan laughed quietly. It felt good to release a little of the tension wrapped around his brain. He liked Maxwell, liked how the man wasn’t pushy but quietly stuck to his guns until he got what he wanted.
Kind of like having a mosquito in the room—you had to pay attention.
“You’re jealous because you haven’t figured out how to count cards. Stick on a nineteen, it’s a very basic rule…” Ryan forced the light-hearted conversation out, but what he wanted to do was kick some ass. He’d known there was danger, and he’d screwed up somehow and let her down. She’d been hurt and it was more than he could bear. He twisted his body to be able to continue holding her hand and face her brother better. He considered for a moment.
“My first reaction is to say again it’s none of your business what’s between me and Max and tell you to fuck off, but your family is one of the tightest knit groups I’ve ever met. I can understand why you’re asking and I’m willing to share I’m planning to do my damnedest to make her happy. I’m also going to figure out what the hell is going on around the house so we never end up in this stinking hospital again.”
Junior nodded slowly in response. “That’s more than I was asking for, and about what I expected.” He rose to his feet, brushed a kiss on Maxine’s cheek and headed to the door. He turned back to stare at Ryan. “For what it’s worth, I like you. I think you’ve got a good heart. You might even have the nerves it takes to be part of this family.”
Ryan snorted. “I was in the fucking military and you wonder if I’ve got enough balls?”
“Oh, you’re physically and mentally strong, but family comes in all shapes and sizes, there’s no one size fits all. You get to pick your friends. You don’t get to pick everyone in your family, and it takes a special kind of courage to survive that reality.” Junior glanced at Maxine once more. “Call me when she wakes?”
Ryan nodded, his brain full and his heart aching, as Maxwell left the room.
How had someone gotten into the house to injure Maxine? All the safeguards had still been in place when the alarm went off. He’d made it to the house shortly after the emergency response team arrived and they’d had to break a window to get in. Seeing her white face and the bloodstains as the EMT carried her out on stretcher had wrenched something inside him, and he’d happily kill the bastard who’d hurt her when he found him.
A bigger question nagged at him. Why were all these things happening? It made no sense. Maxine’s Gramma had lived in the house for years without any disturbances and suddenly, once she moved out, the place got taken over by fucking ghosts.
Maxine shifted on the bed and drew his attention. She was going to be frightened as hell to know someone had broken in. It was his damn fault she was hurt, and it was breaking his heart to see her lying there bruised and battered. He needed to make things better. Needed to heal the hurts and stop the insanity from continuing. If he had to sit on her until the bastard was caught, he’d be willing. This was not about ordering her around, it was about potentially saving her life. And his, because if something happened to her, he’d never recover.
Her eyes opened and his heart leapt to his throat. “Sweetheart?”
Maxine turned her head toward him and grimaced. “Crap, I hurt.”
Ryan nodded, sliding forward so she didn’t have to move to see him. “You’re going to hurt for a bit, but there’s nothing permanently damaged. Thank God. You’ve got bruises and you probably feel like there’s a jackhammer going in your head but you’re going to be fine.” He lifted her good hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently. The tight knot in his belly released a tiny bit as he watched her eyes dart around the room, sharpness returning.
“I’m at the hospital?” she asked.
“Actually, I redecorated your bedroom. Like it?”
Maxine chuckled for a second before groaning. “Don’t make me laugh, it hurts. What happened?”
“I hoped you could tell me. What do you remember?” He rubbed her fingers, touching her again and again to reassure himself she was okay.
“I was in the bathroom, and when I came out I heard a noise. Something hit the back of my head and…” She frowned. “I don’t remember much else. My head hurts and my arm hurts.”
“You’ve got a concussion, and your arm is in a cast because you tore some ligaments and cracked a bone when you landed on it. Your collar bone is bruised too.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Shit. That’s not good. I must look like a mess.”
Ryan swallowed hard. “You’re beautiful. And brave. You set off the alarm, sweetheart, and I’m so proud of you. You took care of yourself and got the help you needed when my security system let you down. I’m sorry, I’m the cause of this.”
Confusion flashed across her face. “Did you hit me?”
He jerked back in surprise. “Of course not.”
Maxine smiled at him. “Then don’t be stupid, it’s not your fault.” Her eyes grew glassy again and she took a long breath in. “There’s some seriously good shit floating through my veins.”
“Maxine, I love you.” Fucking great timing, but he couldn’t wait anymore. It burst out of him like a breached dam and he needed her to know. “I love you and I want to marry you. I want us to be together and have kids and add to the insanity of your whole clan.” He leaned closer and gently touched her face.
“I love you too, Ryan.” She closed her eyes. It was quiet in the room for a minute before she cracked one eyelid open. “Did you just propose to me?”
He nodded.
“Hmm.” And she fell asleep again.
Nurses bustled in to check her and there was no more time for talking, for seeing if she’d understood what he’d said. Ryan laughed at himself. All fucking month to figure out he needed her like he needed oxygen, and he had to go and propose while she was high on painkillers and totally out of it.
Later. He’d try again later, and do it right.
Chapter Nineteen
“You want me to wait for you?”
Ryan handed the cabbie money and shook his head. “I’ll phone when I need a ride back.”
He let himself into the house and mentally reviewed the list of things he thought Maxine would like to have at the hospital. She’d have to stay overnight, possibly two nights, and he knew she’d feel better with some of her personal possessions around. It was easier to leave his car parked and grab a cab than fight rush-hour traffic and attempt to park again. Taking the stairs two at time, he headed toward their bedroom to grab her bag from the closet.
A loud clatter rang out from above his head and he ducked into the first side room, disappearing from sight. Swearing followed, and then rapid footsteps, and Ryan pressed hard against the wall. He could see the hallway through the narrow crack between the door and the doorframe. Someone with dark hair carrying a box in their arms raced past and disappeared into the master bedroom. Ryan glanced around for something to use as a weapon, anything, and ended up grabbing an antique bed warmer off the wall. He approached the doorway cautiously, but when he entered the room it was empty.
He inched his way forward, checking the bathroom, listening for any noise to explain the disappearing in
truder. Then he noticed the closet door was ajar, a faint light visible through the crack.
The closet had no interior light.
Brushing aside their clothing, he spotted a small opening in the back wall about three quarters the size of a regular door. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. There was a secret passage in the back of the fucking closet. After carefully putting aside the bed warmer, Ryan entered and followed a narrow hall to the top of a steep spiral staircase.
He tried to imagine where in the house the missing space was taken from. Ryan debated descending, but with no light other than the single bulb above his head, and no weapon, he wasn’t going to be stupid and try to surprise the trespasser in the narrow quarters.
Distant shuffling noises drew closer and Ryan retreated. With more space around him he’d be very willing to meet the prowler.
When Maximilian stepped into the room and headed for the main hallway Ryan saw red. Her own cousin was the cause of Maxine’s troubles? The fear and anger of the past months rolled together into a tight ball then burst out like an explosion. He caught the ass by the shoulder and flung him face first into the wall. Ryan yanked his arm up behind his back and the slimy bastard yelped in pain.
“What are you doing? Let me go,” Maximilian pleaded.
Ryan shoved the arm he held captive higher, pleased with the gasp of pain Maximilian released. “Let’s start this conversation over, shall we? This is not your house and I don’t remember inviting you in. So your presence means you’re here illegally and your rights have gone down to whatever I say they are—fucking nothing. Talk fast before I break your arm. What are you doing?”
Maximilian hesitated and Ryan felt a streak of pleasure rise at the asshole’s stupidity. His actions wouldn’t change the fact that Maxine lay in a hospital bed. Didn’t change the fact she’d spent months scared to death because of this asshole. But it would feel damn good. Flipping Maximilian around, Ryan punched him. The man flew backward, splaying out his hands to stay on his feet. “Shit!”
Ryan had him by the front of the shirt in an instant. Caging the man against the wall, he spoke directly into his face. First to make sure his assumptions were right. “Did you hit Maxine?” he asked, his tone quiet. Deadly.
It was clear from the cousin’s reaction he knew exactly what Ryan was talking about. He opened and shut his mouth, growing pale. “I didn’t mean to hurt her.”
Ryan punched him again. And again. White fury rode hard and removed rational thought. When Maximilian crumbled to the ground, Ryan was tempted to finish the man for good for daring to touch Maxine. Instead, he hauled him to his feet and dragged him to the nearest chair. Maximilian sat in a bleeding heap, whimpering lightly.
“You’re in so much fucking shit, you have no idea.” Ryan pulled out his cell phone and called the police, letting them know he’d interrupted an intruder and crime suspect. When he hung up, he dragged a second chair over to sit comfortably across from his captive. It was time to get to the bottom of the whole fucking mess.
“I assume the passage leads somewhere away from the house.”
Maximilian wiped at the blood trickling from his mouth and nodded slowly. “There’s a tunnel all the way across the yard to where the old caretaker’s home stood. When the house burned down a few years back, I discovered the access and decided to keep the information to myself.”
Ryan frowned at him. “Why?”
Mill leaned back in his chair, groaning in pain. “Because it was a way to get into the damn house without anyone knowing I was here.”
“But your grandmother lived here. You could get in anytime you wanted by visiting her. What the fuck were you up to?” Ryan stood, ready to beat the answers he needed out of the man if necessary. Maximilian held out his hands in defense.
“Stop, I’ll explain. Everything.” Defeat was clear in his tone and Ryan paced away a few steps. “I’ve been slipping into the house and sneaking up to the attic, removing small valuables to sell. I’ve got debts to pay. I didn’t want the family to know, and if I was constantly visiting, I knew someone would figure out I was guilty when things were finally noticed missing. Since no one knew I was here, no one would suspect me.”
Ryan froze in shock. It was the last thing he’d expected to hear. “I thought you were the family golden boy—financial king of the hill. That’s all I’ve ever heard, how you’d made a killing in stocks and threw money around. Why the hell didn’t you tell someone you had troubles?”
“Because I’d have to admit to the family I was living a lie. The investments failed, I’ve lost two of my condos and I’m barely making payments on the one left.”
“So to pay your debts you’ve been stealing the family heirlooms. Nice tight-knit relationship you’ve got with the clan. Were you responsible for the vandalism too?”
Maximilian hung his head in defeat. “If Maxine would have sold the house, I wouldn’t have had to try to scare her out.”
Ryan fought down his temper. The ass dared to blame any of this on Maxine? “She offered to sell and you insisted she stay. What kind of royal bastard are you to tell her you were fine with her moving in and yet turn around and try to drive her out?”
“You don’t understand what it’s like living with this family. They would be all sympathetic and shit, but I know they’d never look at me the same again. I tried to find other ways to get her to move. Hell, I even hoped she’d move in with Jamie and turn down the house when it came available in the first place. I didn’t count on the fact all he’s got is a pretty face.”
“Does Jamie know anything about this? Has he been helping?” Now Ryan understood how Jamie had exited the bedroom at Thanksgiving.
“Him? Hell, he’s too stupid to trust with a secret. Somehow the door locked behind me when I used it last, so I snuck in at Thanksgiving to open it up. The ass followed me, and I had to make up this story about secret passages and shit. I didn’t know he had gone in again for a lark when I slipped upstairs. He was damn surprised when he started to come out of the closet and heard you in the bathroom. I guess he hid for a bit before getting scared, which is why you saw him trying to sneak away.” Wailing sirens floated on the air in the distance and Maximilian sighed. “He was still freaking by the time I got him home. Damn idiot.”
“What about Maxine?” Ryan asked. “Why in the fuck did you hit her today? You might have seriously injured or killed her. Was it worth enough to kill your own cousin?”
“None of this was suppose to happen,” Maximilian swore. “She surprised me. I didn’t mean to hit her that hard. I had just come out of the closet when she left the bathroom, and I freaked out. The bat was sitting there, and I thought I could tap her lightly but I slipped. The bat swung heavier than I planned.”
“You should have picked her up and helped her instead of leaving her.” Ryan clenched his fists again, the urge to do permanent damage to the ass growing with every word.
“I was scared, okay?” Max shouted. “I totally lost it when she fell, and I ran. I hid in the passage for a while trying to decide what to do. I was going to come back and help her, I swear I was, but then the alarm went off and I was trapped into leaving her there. I’d already decided I’d had enough of the sneaking around, and I figured I’d take one final trip to store a few things away and then I’d leave it alone. I came back tonight and this was the last time I was going to be here.”
Ryan was silent, fury whipping through him. The need to defend his woman from her self-serving cousin made it difficult to hold back his anger. All the frustration Maxine had gone through because of this man, all the nights of fear and the physical pain she was experiencing right now were his fault. Maximilian sat all smug and contrite and obviously didn’t understand Ryan could kill him without a qualm. “Stand up. You’re a disgusting piece of crap and I’ll be glad to get your stench out of this house.” He waited until Maximilian rose before gesturing toward the front door. “Your escort will be here shortly.”
They made their way do
wn the stairs. Ryan remained a few paces behind to make sure Maximilian didn’t do anything stupid like try to make a break for it. There was one thing left to do. Just shy of the front door Ryan stopped him. Something of his intent must have shown on his face because Maximilian backed away rapidly.
“No more hitting. How are you going to explain to the police you beat the shit out of me and not expect to be arrested?”
“Home invasion. I was protecting myself. You’re fucking lucky you’re family or I would protect myself even more. Knowing Maxine, she’s going to be tender-hearted enough to want you standing when the cops get here.” He slammed a final fist into Mill’s gut and watched with grim satisfaction as the man collapsed to the floor. “I’ll be sure to hold you up while they cuff you.”
Chapter Twenty
Maxine laughed as Ryan led her up the wide steps at the front of the house. “Are you planning on telling me the surprise now?”
A gentle kiss brushed her cheek, and she turned her head to try and catch hold of his lips. He evaded her with a chuckle. “Patience. You’ll see soon enough.”
She clung to Ryan’s arm as he entered the security codes to unlock the front door. She was so thankful to be able to be coming home and know the house was finally safe.
It had shocked her immensely to learn Maximilian was the cause of all her troubles. When the news spread like wildfire, the whole clan had gone quiet, almost like they were in mourning. There was anger at her cousin, but also guilt within the family as a whole for not recognizing the danger as it had developed. Her auntie and uncle were hardest hit—they’d apologized for Maximilian’s action a dozen times before Ryan had whisked them out of the hospital room, insisting they join him for a coffee. When they returned an hour later, they’d kissed Maxine and said nothing more about their son’s choices, instead helping plan Christmas activities.