Blown Away (Next Generation 8)

by Cheryl Douglas

  The same man who stole his woman once was trying to do it again. Hell no! Brent didn’t even think about the repercussions. He grabbed Eli from behind and swung him around, giving him a second to process what was happening before he landed the first blow. Since Brent was a trained martial artist, Eli didn’t stand a chance.

  Brent heard Ava scream before the crowd moved in to try to break it up, but he couldn’t stop. The only thing he could think about was that man trying to take Ava away the same way he’d taken Jamie. He couldn’t let that happen. Life without Ava wasn’t an option.

  Brent continued to deliver well-placed blows long after his opponent was down and defenseless. Like a man possessed, he couldn’t stop. He’d taken a vow to use his hands only to defend himself or others, but that fight wasn’t about self-defence. It was about self-preservation. He was trying to save the thing that mattered to him above all else: his relationship with Ava.

  “Stop it!” Ava screamed. “Are you crazy? You’re going to kill him!”

  Brent felt the unmistakable sensation of a gun prodding his ribs, finally breaking his fierce trance.

  “Get the hell up.” Two men hauled Brent to his feet and one of them flashed a badge. “Derek McCall, police chief. You wanna tell me what the hell you were thinkin’ goin’ after him like that?”

  Brent caught a glimpse of Ava’s tear-streaked face. She sat on the floor beside Eli, carefully wiping blood away from the contusion on his head so she could assess the damage.

  “Someone call 911,” she said, sounding desperate. “He needs an ambulance.”

  Fury lanced Brent when he saw her concern for another man. If he could, he’d go after him again. If he messed with Ava again, he wouldn’t be walking away next time.

  “Get over here,” Derek said, leading Brent to the hallway to the restrooms. Brent watched the chaos as people tried to tend to the injured man. He didn’t feel an ounce of remorse for what he’d done, not even with the police chief staring him in the face. He’d let Eli get away with it once because he hadn’t cared enough to fight for Jamie, but he would die before he let Eli take Ava. “You wanna tell me what the hell that was about? Why’d you come at him like that?” Derek asked.

  “He was coming on to my girlfriend,” Brent said.

  Derek frowned. “Ava’s your girlfriend?”

  “Yeah.”

  Brent watched the woman he loved crying over another man, and he realized he’d been had. Just when he thought he was too smart, too experienced to get taken in again, someone proved him wrong. He’d never expected that someone to be Ava. He’d trusted her, and she’d betrayed him. With Eli, of all people. They were only dancing, but Brent saw that look in Eli’s eye one too many times when he looked at Jamie. He’d ignored it then, assuming his jealousy and insecurity made him see things that weren’t really there. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

  Derek put his revolver away and sighed as he led Brent to a table apart from the crowd. Sirens sounded in the distance and someone ran outside to meet the paramedics. “Okay, let me get this straight,” Derek said. “You beat the hell out of some guy because he was dancing with your girlfriend? I hate to tell you this, buddy, but that doesn’t sound all that rational.”

  Brent knew he was totally irrational when it came to Ava. He was in control of every other area of his life, but with her, and the thought of losing her, he couldn’t think straight. He became a savage, an animal, fixated on protecting what was his.

  When Brent failed to responded, Derek said, “You’re Brent Armstrong, aren’t you?”

  Brent nodded as he watched the paramedics load Eli’s limp body onto a stretcher. He still hadn’t regained consciousness, and with that knowledge came Brent’s first twinge of regret. He hated Eli with the same ferocity he despised his stepfather, but he’d never been a violent man. He’d mastered martial arts because he thrived on being in control. He loved living with the knowledge that no one could hurt him, but he’d studied for years and never once thought he would use those skills to seriously harm someone.

  “We can have this conversation here or down at the station,” Derek said, his frustration apparent. “I’m trying to give you the benefit of the doubt here because frankly, Ava’s like family to me. Her granddad and me go way back, but I can’t look the other way when I see someone breakin’ the law, son.”

  “I understand, sir,” Brent said, tearing his attention away from Ava, who was accompanying the stretcher. She hadn’t looked at him, not even once, and that scared him more than the prospect of spending the night in jail. He was furious with her, but he still loved her, and he wanted to give her a chance to explain how and why she’d gotten mixed up with Rea.

  “Just tell me why you did it.”

  Brent propped his elbows on the table and lowered his face to his hands. “I wish I could. I saw them together and I just snapped.” He rubbed the heels of his hands into his eyes as the possible outcome of his actions finally hit him. He could lose everything, including Ava.

  “Why?”

  “Eli Rea was involved with my ex-fiancée years ago. They slept together while she was engaged to me.”

  Derek swore softly. “Okay, it’s starting to make a little more sense. And you thought he was having an affair with Ava too, so you went ballistic?”

  Just thinking of Ava making love to that man turned his stomach. “I don’t know what I thought.” He sighed. “I don’t think I was thinking. I just reacted.”

  “Assuming he wakes up, he may press charges.”

  Brent wasn’t even willing to consider the possibility Eli wouldn’t wake up. He hated the man, but he didn’t want him dead. “I understand that.”

  “In the meantime--”

  Brent’s cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw his father’s name flash across the screen. “I’m sorry, I have to answer this. My father’s been sick--”

  Derek waved off his explanation. “Go ahead, answer it.”

  “Dad, what’s up? Are you all right?” Brent covered one ear with his hand when the frenzied voices in the background made it difficult to hear.

  “Honey, it’s not your dad,” Elsie said. “It’s me.”

  Brent felt his chest tightening with fear. “What is it, Els? Is something wrong? Is he okay?”

  “The ambulance just took him to the hospital, Brent. He couldn’t breathe.”

  ***

  Ava sat by Eli’s bedside feeling like the lowest form of life. If she hadn’t invited him to the party, Brent wouldn’t have beaten him up. It was all her fault. No, it was Brent’s fault for being an out-of-control basket case convinced that her dancing with another man meant she was cheating on him. What was wrong with him?

  Her father poked his head in the door. “Can we come in?”

  “Sure.”

  Ava’s parents moved quietly into the room and stood at the foot of Eli’s bed. “How is he?” Victoria asked.

  “He woke up briefly. The doctor thinks he’ll make a full recovery, thank God. It might take some time though.”

  “Honey, the press are all over the place,” Jay said, standing behind her. He put his hand on her shoulder. “Given Eli and Brent’s public profiles, they’re going to hound you about what happened.”

  “Brent lost his mind,” Ava said. “What else is there to say?”

  Jay squeezed her shoulder. “What the hell possessed him to go off like that? I don’t remember him being violent when y’all were in college. Why would he start wailin’ on Eli for no reason?”

  “He’s got issues.” She sighed as exhaustion seeped into her body. “I thought we were in a good place. I thought he was finally starting to believe he could trust me. Then he pulls something like this.” Ava rubbed her eyes, not caring that she was probably smearing what was left of her eye makeup. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”

  Jay and Victoria shared a concerned look. “Honey, he doesn’t seem very stable,” Victoria said. “Maybe you need to re-think your decis
ion to have a relationship with this man.”

  “Clearly.” Ava knew their relationship was doomed if he reacted that way every time he felt threatened. She had a lot of male friends, and that wouldn’t change just because Brent was uncomfortable with it. After what he’d done, she couldn’t imagine how they could move forward. “Don’t worry, guys. I see Brent for what he is.”

  Just then, Brent opened the door. He stood in the doorway, staring at her, before he said, “Do y’all mind if I come in?”

  “What the hell were you thinking?” Jay turned on him. “You’re clearly a skilled martial artist. You took the same vow I did, hell, the same vow we all did. Using your hands as weapons the way you did tonight…” Jay shook his head. “That was low.”

  Brent hung his head. “I know that. Look, I’m sorry, okay? I made a mistake.”

  “Your mistake could have cost a man his life.” Ava tried to find a hint of the man she thought she loved in him.

  “I know that.” He stepped into the room, letting the door close. “I’m ashamed. I didn’t think. When I saw you with him, I just reacted.”

  Victoria moved to her husband’s side. “Jay, we’ve said our piece. I think we need to leave them alone to talk.”

  Jay glared at Brent. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that.”

  Brent shoved his hands into his pockets. “I know you’re not too happy with me, and I don’t blame you, but you have to believe I would never do anything to hurt your daughter. I love her, sir.”

  Ava knew her father well enough to read the doubt in his eyes. Jay had every reason to question Brent’s motives. He didn’t know Brent the way she did. No matter what Brent had done, she knew he loved her. That didn’t erase the fact he’d lashed out at an innocent man and destroyed their relationship in the process though.

  “Please, Dad,” she said, reaching for his hand. “Just give us a few minutes.”

  His gaze lingered on Brent before he said, “Fine, we’ll be in the cafeteria. Call us if you need anything.”

  She waited for them to leave before she looked at Brent. “How could you do this?” Touching Eli’s arm, she said, “He didn’t deserve this.”

  A muscle in Brent’s jaw jumped as he said, “I made a mistake. I admit that.”

  “What were you thinking?” She knew he couldn’t justify it or erase the damage he’d done, but she needed to know why he felt justified striking out at Eli because of one harmless dance.

  “I saw the two of you together, and I just…” His voice drifted off as he squeezed his eyes shut. “I got scared, Ava. I thought he was trying to take you away from me.”

  “He’s a friend,” she said, unwilling to share the fact that he may also be a client. “A friend and teammate of my uncle Aiden’s. I thought he and Tara may be perfect for each other, so I was dancing with him to try to get to know him better.”

  Brent gripped the end of the bed. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what else to say.” He ran a hand over his head. “What does this mean for us?”

  “How can you even ask me that? Do you honestly think I could be with you after what you did tonight?”

  “Ava, please, don’t let this ruin us.” His eyes were glossy when he said, “I’ll talk to Eli when he wakes up. I’ll apologize, anything, just don’t--”

  “You need to leave,” Ava said quietly. “I can’t talk about this right now.”

  ***

  Brent returned to his father’s hospital room feeling gutted. Ava didn’t want anything more to do with him, and he couldn’t blame her. Instead of confronting what happened with Eli years ago, he’d let his rage fester until things exploded.

  He wouldn’t have reacted that way had Ava been dancing with any other man. He may have asked to cut in, so he could take his rightful place in her arms, but he wouldn’t have raged on anyone else. But Eli wasn’t just any man. He was the man who’d once taken the woman Brent thought he loved, and through the lens of jealousy, rage, and confusion, he’d believed history was repeating itself.

  When Brent opened the door, he was shocked to see his mother sitting by his father’s bed, holding his hand. “What the hell are you doing here?” he asked.

  She looked up and her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “Elsie called me.”

  “Why would she call you?” Brent stood at the foot of the bed, hands on his hips, wondering if the night could possibly get any worse. His saving grace was Derek. At least he had allowed Brent to go to the hospital to see his father instead of hauling his butt down to the station.

  “She knew I would want to be here.”

  “Why?” Brent asked, raising his voice. “You didn’t give a goddamn about him when you were together. Why would you care about what happens to him now?”

  She shook her head. “You don’t have all the answers, son. There’s so much you don’t know.”

  Crossing his arms, Brent said, “This should be good. Why don’t you fill me in?”

  “Your father and I have remained friends over the years.”

  “That’s a lie.” Why would his father remain close with the woman who broke his heart? It didn’t make any sense.

  “No, it’s not.” She stroked a rose tattoo on Jerry’s lower arm that bore her name . “You can ask Elsie if you don’t believe me. I’ve stopped by or called your father at least once or twice a month.”

  Brent had to sit down. She couldn’t be telling the truth. “Why didn’t he tell me?”

  “He didn’t think you’d understand.” She smiled at the man she’d once called her husband. “You’d already decided I was to blame for breaking up our family. He said that no matter what he said to try to convince you otherwise, you wouldn’t listen.” She looked up at him as a tear slid down her cheek. “At first, I stayed close to your father because it was the only way I could stay close to you boys.”

  Brent’s head was spinning. Everything he thought he knew about his family was being challenged, and he didn’t know how to process it.

  “Eventually, we became friends again. All of the resentment and anger that plagued the last few years of our marriage faded away, and I remembered why I loved him.”

  “What are you saying?”

  She brought Jerry’s hand to her lips and kissed it. He didn’t even stir. “If you’re lucky, you have one great love in your life, Brent. Your father was mine.”

  “If that’s true, why the hell did you leave him? Was money more important to you than him, than us?”

  “It was never about money. I know you don’t believe that, but it’s the truth.”

  “Then what was it about? Why did you leave?”

  “Your father was never home. He was gone for weeks at a time, and I was lonely.” She reached for a tissue on the bedside table and dabbed at her cheeks. “I was miserable all the time without him, and you boys were a handful.”

  “Are you saying that’s why you left?” Brent could barely breathe when he asked, “Because we drove you away?”

  “No!” She got up and came around the bed. Facing Brent, she said, “I loved you boys so much. You were my whole world.” Her bottom lip trembled when she said, “But I couldn’t do it all by myself.”

  “Do what?”

  “I felt like I was suffocating.” She started crying in earnest, her shoulders trembling. “There was never enough money to pay the bills. The debt collectors called every day, and your father was never there. I felt trapped. I knew if I didn’t get out, I’d go crazy.” She looked up. “That’s when I met Martin. We were just friends at first. He said he cared about me, that he could give me and you boys a better life. I wanted you to come and live with us… I thought you would enjoy having your own room and a big backyard.” She got to her feet and paced the small room. “By the time I realized those things didn’t matter, I was trapped again. Only this time I was living in a mansion with access to credit cards and a bank account to ease my suffering.”

  Brent didn’t know what to think or how to feel.

  “You h
ave to understand, son, I barely graduated high school. I didn’t have any skills. I didn’t think I had any options. I realized too late that we always have options. I took the coward’s way out. If I wasn’t happy with your father, I could have just moved out and gotten a job waiting tables or something. I could have gone back to school at night.” She threw her hands up. “I don’t know how I would have made it work, but at least I would have had my children.” She looked him in the eye and her pain was etched in the lines he’d never noticed before. “My biggest regret is that I lost out on so much of your life. I’m so sorry for that.”

  Brent knew what living with regrets was like, but he was a stranger to forgiveness. He didn’t even know where to begin. He looked at his father. Jerry had developed that skill early on and always tried to impart it to his sons. Keith seemed to have gotten the message, but Brent always had too much rage to forgive the woman he’d blamed for ruining his life.

  “I need time,” he said quietly. “I don’t know what to make of this. I need to talk to my father…” He prayed he would have that chance. The doctor had given Jerry a stronger antibiotic and said they needed to give it time to work. Brent only hoped his father had more time.

  “I understand.” Claudia rested her hand on her son’s shoulder. “Will you call me if his condition changes?”

  “Sure.” It was a start. Twenty-four hours ago, he wouldn’t have been able to stand the sight of his mother, much less agree to keep her apprised of his father’s condition.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ava was falling asleep in the chair beside Eli’s bed. He’d had visitors all night, and he’d been struggling to stay awake to assure his friends and teammates he would be fine. Eli had told her to go home, but she wanted to stay a little longer in case he needed anything.