Watch What Burns

by Kirsty-Anne Still

  “Now I’ve seen it I can go off happy,” Sienna joked and got up. “I’ll be back in a minute or two.”

  “Okay,” Austin replied back, her tone full of mirth at the sight before her, and it was obvious that no one wanted to leave her be today. It was what she loved, when she needed space she was granted it, but at dire times like these, there was always someone to keep her standing.

  Tyler ran back to his wife and literally threw himself down next to her, not caring that he was little wet. “You seem a lot less stressed right now, Sunny. If all I needed to do was disappear for three minutes, wrestle around and drunk Tom, I would have tried that sooner!”

  “I am less stressed, and yeah, you should’ve,” she responded with optimism, her tone mirthful over what she had just witnessed. “I’m not worried anymore, Ty,” she murmured, looking at him with a small smile. “This is ours. No one but us dictate that. I know that’s the God’s honest truth, and it’s all I’ll ever believe in.”

  Tyler’s eyebrows shot up in surprise as he heard the sudden change in his wife. “Oh, and why’s that?”

  “I would fight with all I had to keep this life,” Austin said, resting her chin to Tyler’s shoulder. “This is mine for keeps.”

  Nodding slightly in satisfaction, Tyler relented to that comment. “Right back atcha,” Tyler whispered at his wife, leaning into the seal the promise with a kiss.

  Chapter Eight

  “YOU cold, baby?” Tyler asked as he felt Austin give in to a shudder. He looked to her, and didn’t need her verbal answer. “I’m going to run to the SUV and grab a jacket or something.”

  As he went to push himself up from the sandy bank, Austin put her hand out to prevent him leaving. “No,” Austin stopped him, pulling him back down. “I’ll go,” she told him, leaning against him once more to steal some of his body heat. “I’ll go in a moment,” she whispered as his arm came around her body, pulling her in tighter. “You know, I really like the idea of upping our numbers.”

  Tyler huffed mirthfully at that declaration. “Why’s that exactly? We just decided to wait.”

  “I know, but I love how Tom is with Gracie, and how Sienna and Cassie are the perfect aunts. I just wish we had more children in the family. Gracie’s missing out right now on everything I had. I mean, I had Sienna and the guys when I was born. I grew up in that huge family and then I gained you.” She turned and looked up at him. “I had my best friend from well before I knew what a best friend was. I want Gracie to have that.”

  “I say we practice when we’re home later,” he grinned at her, the sparkle in her eyes giving him her agreement. He gained a little giggle from her and she only stopped when she lifted up to kiss his jaw line. “What was that for?”

  “No reason,” she smiled at him brightly. “I’m just really happy.”

  “Me too,” Tyler agreed, his tone weakened under his emotions how life was just fitting together. Regardless of anything else going on in the world, his family was still here, healthy and happy. “I can’t imagine this life without you.”

  “I know,” she told him, remembering how he hated living once without her. “Never again will I put you through that.”

  “I know,” he whispered back to her, in the same tone she had just used. The one that had his sincerity laced upon every syllable, his heart singing out with each word and thrust into her mind as dead certainty settled with the final word of the sentence.

  Austin just smiled lightly under the weight of his kiss to her forehead. When he pulled away, she felt the coldness hit her and she shivered. “Right, I’m going to grab a jacket or something!” Austin suddenly exclaimed, the cold finally getting the better of her. “I feel like I’m turning into an ice cube.”

  “Bring down Gracie’s too. I think she’s going to feel it soon,” Tyler stated firmly and finally released her, allowing her to walk up to the row of parked cars. He watched until she was near the top of the dunes before he pushed up and ran after his giggling daughter.

  Walking back to the car, Austin turned to look back down the rocks and onto the sandy beach at her family. She smiled wistfully again at the sight. It didn’t matter how many times, or how many situations she got to see this view, it always took her breath away. Keeping her gaze set on her family, she saw Tyler now engaging his daughter in a new game, one involving him tickling her. These moments made everything worth it and they were the moments that made her strengthen her own self belief.

  Deciding to stop dwelling, Austin was going to rush back and join in the fun. She never usually just sat on the sidelines, today wouldn’t be the start of that. However, turning around her plans faltered at the seams, shattering around her. After practically being thrown against the car, Austin found herself face to face with Robert Truman, his eyes burning into her the same way his daughter’s always had. Trying to fight him off, she felt no need to fear him just yet. She wasn’t about to lose the feistiness she had gained back over the years.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” she sneered at him, pushing at him. “I will scream.”

  “No, you won’t,” Robert replied, a sly smirk grazing his lips. “You know our little agreement. Tyler knows nothing of our meetings, and today isn’t going to change that.”

  Austin didn’t let the defiance within her die. “I won’t hide it forever,” Austin spat at him. “He will know about this, and he won’t hate me for lying, he’ll hate you. Mark my words.”

  “But he doesn’t know now,” Robert laughed at her mockingly. “I see the most honest pair in town have secrets after all.”

  “Only because of your threats,” Austin spat back at him. A part of her knew she couldn’t keep this going for much longer. After his last attack on her outside the gym days earlier, she had become a lot jumpier, a lot more unsettled. Her mind cast her back to his multiple threats against her family, against her life. She remembered how he promised to make her pay if Tyler ever found out about how he taunted her as payment for getting his only daughter locked up for life.

  Robert released her, remaining cocky and sure of his actions.

  “He might not know now, but he will, and you better watch your every step,” Austin toyed with him, praying that Tyler wouldn’t take this out on her. She had been scared when Robert had first surprised her, threatening her, as she walked out of the grocery store in town. Back then she had obliged, but with the letters Natasha was sending, her nerves were fraying and Robert was the not so unfortunate victim of it. “You think you own me, but you don’t. You can’t hold me responsible for how your life turned out. That isn’t down to me. Don’t make me the excuse for you being an irresponsible husband to Diane and allowing Natasha to have freedom to turn into the spoiled brat she did. Everything you’ve had dealt your way, you deserved!”

  “How dare you disrespect me,” Robert said, forcing Austin against the side of the SUV. “You and that husband of yours have been laughing at me for years. Ever since you came back, you have literally run this town.” His anger got the better of him then and he wrapped his oversized hands around her delicate neck, squeezing upon it, inch by inch. He watched her eyes go wide, her mouth open and close as her throat fought to swallow some air so her lungs could work efficiently.

  Austin dug her nails into Robert’s arms, digging deeper into his skin until he finally let her go. “You’re crazy,” she sneered at him, her breathing hitching. She bent forward, coughing against the tenderness to her throat. “No wonder where your daughter gets it.” Her tone was cold and malicious, but she had no worry about his feelings any longer.

  “You’ve got so much anger built up in you it’s unreal,” Robert mocked her passionately. “For someone who pulls off the happy wife, loving mother, perfect daughter and sister act you’re extremely bitter and angry.”

  “Of course I have a lot of anger in me,” Austin sniped at him, her tone calm and scarily low. “You think just seeing Natasha locked up helps me sleep at night? Knowing it’s my fault she’s there. It was me tha
t brought her to that point in her life? I don’t sleep because of that, nor am I happy with myself. I can’t change a damn thing, and that’s on me, but life goes on. I can’t change the things she did, I can’t be her get out of jail free card, and I won’t. As much as I hate it, she deserves punishment for going to the lengths she did, but I am the one that has to live knowing how much me being around played a part in all of our lives ending up like this. So for that I am angry. I shouldn’t feel fucking guilty for the likes of your daughter!”

  Robert didn’t reply to that. He just couldn’t. He never understood how much Austin held onto what had happened, or how much she felt she was to blame. He hadn’t expected that from her, and he suddenly felt guilty for all of his actions. He had already set this motion, but he no longer wanted a part in it. He thought he wanted to see Austin suffer, but her admittance had shown her suffering. Finding his voice, Robert’s face softened. “I shouldn’t have come here.”

  Watching him back away before leaving her alone entirely, Austin opened the trunk of the car and sat down. She put her head in her hands and tried to calm herself. She wasn’t going to allow herself a moment of fear over Robert and his empty threats. She wasn’t going to start living in fear. She already allowed Natasha that; she wasn’t going to allow Robert the opportunity as well.

  ***

  Rushing back to the group, Austin sat down on the same spot she had originally left. She didn’t speak, nor did she call out to anyone. She just sat alone, staring off into oblivion, trying to think of a way to solve this problem, but she was losing the battle. She wasn’t able to do this alone. She wanted her husband and the safety he made her feel.

  “I thought you went to get a jacket?” Tyler asked as he ran back to her, Grace not far behind him. “Baby, you’re shaking,” he stated as he watched her sitting before him, her arms wrapped around her knees. “Austin, what the hell, baby?” He was literally begging her to talk to him, striving for a reaction. “Please, Aus, talk to me.”

  Austin couldn’t keep it a secret anymore; she looked to her husband, her eyes watering heavily. “Robert’s been threatening me.” She dipped her head, unable to watch the horror that was sure to cover Tyler’s face. “I’m sorry, Ty. I wasn’t going to say anything, but it just got too much.” Austin couldn’t prevent the tears from falling from her eyes. She felt ashamed and worthless that she hadn’t gone to him sooner.

  “Is this why you’ve been acting so weird from time to time,” Tyler asked, his voice showing how he had stated the obvious. He watched her nod at him, and he felt his blood begin to boil throughout his veins. “How often?”

  “Not often.” Austin snapped her head up at him. “It’s only been three or four times before,” Austin told her husband, her voice becoming fraught, her eyes straining to keep the newer tears at bay. “He scared me yesterday.”

  “When exactly?” Tyler asked, trying to mentally construct a timeline in his mind. There was only one time he wasn’t with Austin and that was when he headed to the gym and she went to drop Grace off with his parents.

  “He threatened me outside the gym,” she admitted lowly, finally looking at him. “He told me it was time I started giving back to his family considering I’m the reason they broke up. I guess that’s why I was so jumpy that day when looking down at this. He told me he’s getting me ready for payback.”

  “I’m going to kill him,” Tyler ground out, his vision reddening as he felt himself getting angrier by the second. “I’ll give him tonight, but tomorrow he had better watch himself. He’s a dead man walking.”

  “Don’t do anything stupid,” she stated softly at him, falling against his strong build and allowing him to just wrap his arms around her.

  “I won’t, but I will be letting your brothers know,” he stated firmly, his tone not taking a disagreement to this. “If Robert wants to play up, he’ll have to take on myself and your three brothers.” He felt her nod against him and exacted the next part of his plan. “Gracie!” he cried out suddenly, just as his daughter caught the ball her uncle had thrown her.

  “What, Daddy?” she called back, turning to face him.

  “Can I borrow you a moment, Princess?” he asked her and she nodded and ran towards her parents. “I need you to look after mommy a moment. Can you do that?” he continued to ask, as he stood up, ready to let their family know.

  “Course!” she nodded her head vigorously, looking between her parents, sensing immediately something wasn’t right. “Why is mommy sad?”

  “I’m not sad, sweetie,” Austin quickly answered, sitting up straight. “I’m just missing my baby girl.” She teased lightly. “Do I get a hug?” she asked her daughter who just nodded and made a beeline for her mother. The moment she knew Grace was close enough, she pulled her into her arms and just held onto her for dear life. The moment her daughter curled into her body and snuggled closer, Austin realized that no one would hurt her or her family the entire time she was breathing. Looking up she saw her brothers now coming to her after Tyler had quickly told them what had happened, and from the look in their eyes she knew what it meant.

  They weren’t a family to be reckoned with, and Robert had just made himself public enemy number one.

  Chapter Nine

  AUSTIN stood in the doorway to her daughter’s room, listening to Tyler read her a story. It had been hours since getting back from Point Arena Cove and Grace was still very much awake. As she listened, her heart blossomed more and more. She loved the way Tyler read to Grace, how he applied so much attention to her, how he devoted himself to her.

  After confessing to Robert’s behavior, Tyler had vowed to play it cool until he saw him. Then he promised that Robert would not see it coming. At first, Austin was panicky over what that meant for their family, but Dean had stepped up, along with Tom and Danny, to make sure that not only were her and Grace well protected, but that Tyler did nothing stupid.

  She said nothing, she was a silent watcher to this private moment between father and daughter, but as always, it didn’t last long. Tyler was so in tune with her that she knew he noticed her practically the moment she reached the top of the stairs. He had just given her a moment to watch and enjoy.

  “I think mommy’s come for a bedtime story,” Tyler joked, looking at Austin, while he leaned in towards his daughter.

  Grace’s head shot up, the smile on her face electrifying at the sight of her mother at the door. “Mommy! Come and read with us! Daddy does the voices!”

  “I know, and he does the voices right,” Austin spoke mirthfully. “Who do you think taught him?” she asked and gave her daughter a wink, listening to her giggle in response.

  “Hey now, Baby, no underestimating me in front of my princess,” Tyler defended himself. “I knew how to do voices just right.”

  Austin giggled. “Course you did.” She smiled as she watched Tyler pout a little, but she let him have his fun. She remembered when they first read Grace books and how she prompted him the play to parts, and how to get into character. She loved him back in those days, when fatherhood both terrified him and thrilled him in one easy shot. Now he was a natural. The training wheels were off, and he was a perfect father. “I’m just coming to say goodnight to you, Sweetheart,” Austin said, kissing her daughter’s head. “I need a shower and you need to go to sleep.”

  “I’m not sleepy,” Grace defied her mother in a manner that reminded her strongly of Tyler. “I wanna make cookies!”

  “Cookies do sound good,” Tyler added in, awarding himself with a death glare from his wife. “What? Cookies do!”

  Rolling her eyes, Austin stood her ground, “I promise millions of cookies tomorrow. For you both. For tonight, it’s bedtime, Gracie.” She watched as Grace began to pout at her and she shook her head, “It’s tomorrow or never, Sweetie.”

  “Okay, mommy,” Grace relented easily, giving an impromptu yawn.

  “Good girl,” Austin applauded her daughter. “Now let daddy finish the book and get some sleep so you
can dream of all those cookies.” She leaned in, kissed her daughter’s forehead once more then stood up and leaned in to kiss her husband. “I’ll see you in the morning, baby,” Austin murmured softly to Grace as she tucked her in a little.

  “Love you, mama,” Grace told her back, snuggling in a little more against her father.

  “Love you to the stars and back,” Austin whispered, and left the two of them. It was moments like this that made her heart skip a beat and made her grateful for the world she had found after the devastation she was left with.

  “Hey, babe,” Tyler said, following her, grabbing her arm to prevent her leaving entirely. “Are you okay? I know I asked earlier, but I know you’re not quite right. All of this stuff with Robert, I hate that you couldn’t talk to me.”

  “I was stupid,” Austin admitted solemnly, but looked at her husband. “You know now, and I’m just thankful you didn’t make me sleep on the couch or something,” she joked, trying to loosen the tension. “All I ever do is try to keep the peace.”

  “I know, but no more secrets between us now, okay?” he asked her and watched her nod her head to him. “We will sort this. I refuse to let him, or his daughter, have any dictatorship in our life. They are not a part of our lives and I won’t cow tail and let him. I’ll make sure his life’s a living hell.”

  “Hey now,” Austin whispered back at him, placing her hand to his chest as she stepped forward. “Don’t talk like that. We aren’t out for revenge. We just want the quiet life and I know we’ll get it.”

  “We worked too hard for it,” Tyler told her, calming at just the feel of her touch and the sound of her words.

  She smiled at him. “Go back to our baby.” She reached up to kiss him, her feet lifting to give her the added height and then she dropped down, his arms circling around her as she did so. She lavished the feel and began to pull away from him.