“You weren’t the father?” Elizabeth had hope rebuilding in her that he didn’t create another child with another woman, and this miracle would be theirs to share together.
“No, but she then claimed my brother was,” he admitted as he felt the anger squeeze his heart again. Betrayal by a woman was bad enough but by his own flesh and blood was ten times worse. This is why he didn’t want to come back to this part of the world. The pain still lived in him. The woman didn’t matter, but the brother meant everything and still did.
“Oh, Ethan, I’m so sorry.”
“I packed my bags that night, and I left. I worked three jobs, went to college, finished in half the time, and then applied to the FBI. I was accepted and I never came back, because I never wanted to face the life I left behind or the people.”
Elizabeth kissed him softly.
“I made the FBI my home, my life, and my soul. I didn’t want to trust people, or ever trust a woman again especially not with my heart. I slept with plenty of women, using them and getting them out of my system. I just kept a cool distance,” he paused and continued, “until I found you, and I realized that Kaya Cheek and the rest weren’t the right paths. I was meant to find you and that’s why they didn’t work.”
She curled against him and pulled all of him against her body, as if trying to absorb away some of the pain and make him feel lighter.
“Do you believe all things happen for a reason, Lyzee?” he asked, softly.
“Absolutely, I completely believe it.”
“If my brother didn’t sleep with her and ruin our relationship, I may not have gone into the FBI and landed in Salem on that assignment. I can’t help but want to forgive him. Not for ruining my life, but giving me one. Had I stayed the Rez it had nothing worthwhile for me. Would I have married her and wasted my life? I don’t know, but Callen screwing my girlfriend was the push to do something bigger and better.”
“I think at some point in our lives, when we know it’s time to heal we just figure it out. You can’t rush it.”
Blackhawk knew she was right. “I have a big house, nice cars, and a gorgeous wife that wouldn’t ever betray me. Now I get to be part of a baby we created, and I have to believe that I owe it to him for the push out into the world. Callen’s betrayal was my catalyst in life.”
“Maybe it’s time to forgive him and move on from the pain.”
Blackhawk looked into his wife’s eyes, and suddenly felt lighter. “I think you’re right, baby. I’m ready to let it go. We need to start living the future together. I’m ready to forgive and heal.”
It gave her joy to have him feel at peace. “Is Kaya Cheek still on the reservation?”
“I have no idea, why?”
“Because if I was going to kick your ex’s ass just for calling you names, IMAGINE what I plan on doing to Kaya Cheek, Cowboy,” she drawled and giggled.
Finally, Blackhawk laughed and then decided he felt like making love to his wife again. Kissing her throat and collarbone he worked his way back up her neck until he found his way to her ear.
“Again, Mr. Blackhawk?” she giggled more, as he bit her neck and whispered in her ear what he planned on doing with his sexy wife.
“Yes Mrs. Blackhawk, again.”
~ Chapter Five ~
Thursday Morning
Callen Whitefox had the worst night of sleep in his entire life. The restful sleep changed quickly into dream filled visions of women screaming and begging for their lives. Helplessly he stood in the midst of it unable to assist them, but forced to hear and see their ongoing torture. It was almost as if he was their tormentor, just watching them die one by one and doing nothing, but studying them like lab rats. Each woman was tied to a tree, bleeding from wounds inflicted to their pregnancy swollen bodies, and begging for the life of their unborn children. Frankly, it scared the shit out of him. Never had a dream seemed so real, so violent, and so frightening to him.
Looking in the mirror at his face, it was hard to miss the hollow look his eyes had taken on since the previous night. There were vicious black half-moons under them, as proof that sleep and peace had eluded him for the full eight hours. Now it was almost eight a.m. Soon he had to meet with his brother and his sister-in-law at FBI West. It was time to go from dream filled nightmares to reality filled ones. Standing over the remains of the medicine wheel seemed just as daunting, considering the dream he just had reminded him of the faces of the women who once held those bones inside them protectively.
Whitefox wasn’t quite sure how he felt about his brother or his sister-in-law being on the Rez. They both seemed honorable, but just having them there reminded him of his past and stupidity. His brother wasn’t the only one still raw from the entire incident. His first impression of his sister-in-law had been the obvious one, she’s a gorgeous woman, but being near her was unsettling. He was sexually attracted to her and in love with the woman. He feared basic contact with Elizabeth Blackhawk. There was this wariness and fear of crossing some invisible line and making his brother snap and hate him even more. He deserved his brother’s wrath for Kaya Cheek, but he just didn’t want his anger for Elizabeth Blackhawk. It just all made him edgy, and he couldn’t find his rhythm for the day. His body and heart might tell him to chase down Elizabeth, but his mind was in control now that he wasn’t a stupid boy any longer. He hoped.
Normally he’d head into his office and grab some coffee, read the paper, maybe watch the news. A tiny piece of the outside world to remind him of what he had once. It was funny; when he was part of that world he wanted to return home to the peacefulness of his roots. Now after seeing his brother and his life, something about it called to him again like there was a part of him longing for it. Looking around the reservation it seemed empty, and he couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to go home, and have it be somewhere other than reservation land. All of this was compounding, weighing him down and giving him more things to dwell on and make him edgy. There just wasn’t going to be peace today, not for him anyway.
Dressing, he took his time and wished that he could go back to bed. Let the FBI handle the bones and the craziness of the entire situation. Really, it had nothing to do with him and in the grand scheme it wouldn’t.
Whitefox rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration, knowing that was just the tiredness talking. This reservation was his home, and he had to care. Isn’t that what he always said growing up? That it was his responsibility to heal his family and fix the wound? Good freaking luck with that. The wounds seemed like they have grown over time into gaping holes and closure wasn’t an option.
As he poured coffee into a travel mug there was a knock at his door, and it pissed him off. Yeah, he was in bad shape if a knock frayed his mood and control this much.
“Aw hell,” he muttered, when he saw who was standing there. Whitefox wanted to throw him off his porch. This wasn’t what he needed this early in the morning or any morning for that matter.
“Son,” said the man, waiting as he opened the door. There was no surprise that Callen Whitefox wasn’t happy to see him. Over time he’d gotten used to that response from him.
“What do you want, Wyler?” He never called his father anything other than his proper name. In his mind, the man never earned the title. Just because he made a donation and created him in a night of sweaty sex with his mother, it didn’t make him his father. He reserved those feelings for his grandfather and him alone.
“I hear Ethan’s back,” he said softly. Word travelled fast on the reservation. When he was told that his oldest son was home, there was a little bud of hope. Maybe, he could fix the mess he created thirty seven years ago.
Whitefox eyed the man up, as he leaned against the door. Word was he was off the alcohol, or so he said again. It pissed him off that he even resembled his old man. They had the same chin and nose. Fortunately, the rest of his features were gifts from his mother’s side of the family. Wyler had black hair and black colorless eyes. One could say soulless, and tha
t he found very apropos. Every time he looked at Wyler in the last ten years, it was a constant reminder of his brother, and the sins he’d committed against him. It wasn’t lost on him that in twenty years, his brother would resemble their father, but be nothing like him personally. Maybe genetics only made you so much like your parents. That was his secret hope, since both parents weren’t exactly quality material.
“You heard correctly. Ethan’s definitely back.”
“I heard he got married to an outsider.” Wyler knew both of his boys hated him. The mistakes he made drew the wedge between them. First by cheating on Ethan’s mother, and then by not making Callen’s mother marry him. He always thought he would have time to make it right, and he turned around and his boys were almost twenty and gone.
“He did.” Callen wasn’t going to give the man any more details than he had to about Ethan Blackhawk’s life and wife. He betrayed him once, and he wasn’t crossing that line again.
Certainly not for Wyler Blackhawk.
If there was one thing neither son had, it was a love lost for their creator.
“I hear she’s gorgeous. All the women are stirred up over it, especially the ones that Ethan dated. She was the talk of the bar last night.”
“I thought you gave up drinking?” he said, maybe a little too harshly. Then he reined it in, trying to be patient with the man as much as he possibly could. “His wife is beautiful, and they’re very happy together.”
“I hear he’s in charge at that big FBI building, too.”
“Yeah, he and his wife are the directors there.”
“He made something of his life, I see.”
Whitefox was filled with anger. “Yeah, despite it all, Ethan did.” He wasn’t sure if his father was eluding that Callen had wasted his. Wyler just had the ability to rub him the wrong way whenever he was around him, and today was a bad day to grace his presence. Callen wasn’t fit for human companionship, thanks to a really bad night.
“Do you think he would see me?”
Whitefox laughed at the mere idea. “Let’s put it this way, Wyler. I screwed up his life minimally, and he nearly tried to take my head off yesterday. If you go near him he may kill you. You abandoned him, ditched his mother to die alone, and ruined his life. I’d steer clear of Ethan. He might just shoot you, or his very protective wife will do it for him.”
Wyler Blackhawk nodded and looked at the ground. “I just wanted to tell him I am sorry. I don’t want anything from him,” he said turning away completely dejected.
Whitefox sighed and felt horrible. The man was an asshole, but it didn’t make it right to kick him when he was down. “Christ Wyler, wait. I’ll tell him you came to see me, and I’ll let you know, okay?” he paused. “Just don’t hold your breath on this one. That bridge burned down a long time ago. Ethan is just tolerating me; give him time to adjust to being back.”
Wyler felt a little better. “Thanks son,” he started down the steps. “Hey, there’s something on your porch,” he picked up the laminated paper, flipping it over in his hand, studying the picture.
“What?”
“It looks like a card of some sort, and there’s a fox on it.”
“Wait, just hold onto it a second.” Whitefox went back in for a clear plastic bag. This just felt all wrong and he was hit with a wave of uneasiness. “Drop it in here, Wyler.” As the man did, he could see the picture covering the front. Painted on the card was a brown and white fox. It was creepy that it was almost the exact same one that he had picked as his tattoo. On the back were three simple words;
Son number two.
“What’s it mean, Callen?” Wyler looked at his son and was confused by the words.
“No idea, but I’ll take it to the FBI West building and they’ll figure it out.”
Wyler nodded, stepping off the porch and walking to his truck. “Just tell your brother I want to see him, if you can.”
“Sure Wyler,” he answered, waiting until his old man pulled out of his driveway, and he grabbed his keys. There was this sick feeling, growing steadily in his gut. There was no doubt that the note they found was a message. It was one that his brother needed to see as soon as possible.
Callen Whitefox knew why it was all happening. This was his own fault. Here he had just thought that the day couldn’t have gotten any worse. It was the kiss of death, and he couldn’t help but think he shouldn’t have even thought the words silently in his head. It was a proven fact that the universe had a way of screwing with you when you let your guard down.
Elizabeth was excited as she sat in her office and dialed her friend’s phone number. Livy Rothschild, Gabe’s wife, was her best friend in the entire world. They had met in FBI training, and at first didn’t really like each other, but they ended up partnered and became as close as sisters. When you had to trust your partner with your life it was going to happen.
Deep down, she didn’t want to tell her on the phone that she too was having a baby. She wanted to tell her in person that they were expecting, but she didn’t know when she would get out there to see them. Chances were she’d have the baby before she made it back to the east coast. It made her smile that she and her best friend were pregnant together and didn’t plan it. Although, Livy and Gabe already had a head start with their five other children. Just this little thing made her life seem almost normal, and it gave her so much peace.
“Hello?”
“Livy, my bestest girl do you miss me?”
“Lyzee, you shrew! You haven’t called me in weeks,” her friend laughed. “I’ve missed you, a lot!”
“How are you feeling?” asked Elizabeth, dropping her boots onto the corner of her desk and absently rubbing her hand over her belly, wondering what it would be like to get bigger and feel her child move.
Livy made some noncommittal sound. “I always say how much pregnancy sucks, and yet I keep doing it. I think this is it, Lyzee. I’m getting too old to be having kids every two years. I may have to draw the line on this one. If we’re having another girl, Gabe is going to just have to suck it up and realize after six kids that we aren’t meant to have a son.”
“Why don’t you find out the sex?”
“You think my husband would let it be that easy? He control freaks everything to death, but he likes to be surprised the day the baby is born. Go figure!”
Elizabeth laughed. “Are you getting fat?” she snorted, unable to stop herself from tormenting her friend. Soon it would be happening to her, and she knew that she’d get even with her. Livy always did get in retaliatory shots.
“Yeah you know I am, and we have to talk. Someone sent me a basket full of donuts and cookies and on the card it said ‘eat up darlin’. You wouldn’t happen to know who did that now would you? Before you try that southern charm on me, remember I know you best in the whole world. ”
Elizabeth laughed and just couldn’t hold it back. At the time it seemed like the perfect prank to pull on her. It wasn’t her fault they were competitive just like sisters. The only one thing that they never competed for was men.
“For your information, Gabe and the girls ate them, but if you ever have kids I’m am going to screw with you daily. That I’m already promising now my friend.”
“Start screwing with me then.” She didn’t know if her friend would get it, or not.
Livy paused. “Are you saying that you’re pregnant?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” she answered. “We’re going to be fat together. Well, for a couple months anyway.”
Livy started crying. She couldn’t be happier for her friend. “Oh Lyzee, I’m so happy for you and Ethan! Is he absolutely thrilled?”
“Stop crying or you’ll make me start! He’s beyond thrilled. In fact, I’ve never seen him happier,” she said. “Now, I’ll email you later. I have a meeting in a few, but I had to tell you on the phone. Definitely not email worthy information.”
“I love you, Lyzee,” she sniffled.
Elizabeth laughed and wiped
her eyes. “I love you too.” Elizabeth didn’t know what she would do if she didn’t have Livy in her life.
Ethan Blackhawk sat in his office working on some personnel files and doing double duty. It was a colossal pain. Now he completely understood why Gabe didn’t work the field and office duty. There just wasn’t enough time in a day.
Not that it was bothering him today; he was still riding pretty high on the knowledge that he was going to be a father. Before a wife and pregnancy, he would have been working a sixteen hour day and still been thinking about work, but not now. Blackhawk couldn’t help it, he was grinning and sure he looked like an idiot. Nothing was going to ruin his day.
When he heard a knock on his door, he looked up still smiling and there stood his brother. Immediately the smile disappeared. The lines etched on his brother’s face reminded him of his own when he was stressed.
“Hey, you busy?” asked Whitefox.
“No, come on in,” he answered, looking at his watch. “You’re early and look like hell. What’s going on, Callen?”
“I needed to talk to you, privately about something that’s come up.”
Blackhawk nodded and already didn’t like the way it sounded. “Come in and lock the door.”
Whitefox crossed the room and handed him the sealed bag. “This was found on my porch this morning,” his brother read it, flipping it over to examine the words and the muscle in his cheek twitched. It didn’t make him happy that he had to dump more of this on the man. “Yeah, I think that something bad is coming.”
“We’ll run it for fingerprints and trace and see what we can dig up. If the creator of the medicine wheel left this, maybe he left us a trail.”
“Yeah, well that’s the other bad news I have for you, Ethan.”
Blackhawk didn’t know where this was going, but he sat behind his desk and motioned for is brother to take a seat. “Go on,” he waited.
Sacred Burial Grounds (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 2)) Page 12