by Lori Foster
Flowers grew up a trellis on one side of the house. Lush green grass grew in and around a profusion of enormous trees. Birds sang and squirrels played. In the background, the surface of a large lake rippled with the gentle breeze. The house was big and stately and looked like Shay’s idea of home. It exuded warmth, unlike her mansion—a.k.a. mausoleum—back in Ohio.
A bit envious, she said, “It’s a Kodak moment.”
“Yeah.” Bryan grinned. “That’s Joe and Luna, and Austin and Willow on the porch. They make a nice family, huh?”
Shay nodded, more emotional by the moment. She wanted what they had. She wanted to smile with that type of satisfaction. She wanted to be that content. “They all look happy.”
“Joe wouldn’t have it any other way.” Bryan turned off the car and walked around to her door. “Come on. You’ll love Luna.”
She barely had time to step out before they were descended upon.
“You’re finally here!” Luna held out her arms, and Bryan obligingly gave her a quick hug. Shay noticed that Joe watched him with narrow-eyed menace the whole time.
Not the least worried about her husband’s imposing audience, Bryan asked, “Is that shades of blue I see in your hair, Luna?”
She swatted at him. “It’s called plum.” And then to Shay, “I like changing my hair sometimes, and every guy around thinks that’s a reason to poke fun.”
Shay stared at Luna with awe. She did have blue streaks in her hair, but it wasn’t unattractive. In fact, it was kind of nice the way her hair matched the polish on her fingernails and toenails. “It looks beautiful.”
“Thank you. I thought so, too. This is my husband Joe.” Luna hugged herself around his massive biceps and pulled him forward. “Say hello, Joe.”
“Hello, Joe.” The dark hulk reached out and caught Shay’s hand. “Well.” He looked Shay up and down. “I can see why the mighty has fallen.” Then to Bryan: “You didn’t say she was beautiful.”
A little stunned by that outrageous compliment, Shay glanced at Luna, who nodded enthusiastically. “You really are stunning.”
Wearing a frown, Bryan tucked Shay into his side. “She doesn’t like for you to mention that.”
Shay felt her face go hot. “I don’t?”
He glared at her. “You didn’t want me to mention it.”
Joe and Luna listened with avid curiosity.
“Bryan,” Shay complained under her breath, more than a little embarrassed. “That’s because I wanted you to like me, not just be attracted to me.”
Bryan scowled. “Of course I like you.”
Laughing, Joe slapped Bryan on the shoulder, and since Shay was plastered to his side, it nearly knocked her off balance. “Was all this in doubt?” Joe asked. “Amazing. You must not be nearly as accomplished as I figured, Bryan. We’ll talk later and I’ll give you some pointers.”
Another car pulled into the drive. Slowly. Quietly. Joe suddenly sharpened.
Now he looked like a convict.
Both Willow and Austin joined the adults.
Luna put her arm around the girl and said, “This is our daughter, Willow.”
The little boy puffed out his chest. “I’m Austin.”
“Nice to meet you both,” Shay said.
Austin turned to Bryan. “You shoot anybody lately?”
“Sorry, no.”
Shay started to laugh at the crestfallen look on Austin’s face, but she managed to hold it back.
A car door closed.
“Here comes Clay,” Austin explained. “He’s Willow’s boyfriend.”
“Willow’s only fifteen,” Joe corrected. “Too young to have a boyfriend.”
Willow just rolled her eyes, but Luna rounded on Joe. “Do. Not. Start. I mean it, Joe. If you embarrass her—”
Willow hooked her arm through Joe’s. “He won’t.”
Clay stepped up in front of them. “Hello Joe, Luna.” He cleared his throat. “Thanks for letting Willow go to the school dance with me.”
Luna beamed. “She’ll have a wonderful time.”
“She better,” Joe warned.
Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Joe.”
Clay just grinned. Apparently he was used to Joe’s gruff protectiveness. “I’ll see to it, and I’ll have her home by nine.”
Willow turned and gave Joe a loud kiss on the cheek. She hugged Luna next, then said to Shay, “It was nice to meet you. Bye, Bryan.” And off she went, hand in hand with Clay.
Shay didn’t think she’d ever been that young and carefree. For as long as she could remember, she’d been driven to do, to make a difference.
To justify her own good fortune.
Maybe it was past time to hand the reins over to Dawn. Maybe it was time for her to get her own life in order. After all, how could she help make others happy if she wasn’t happy herself? And she had to admit, without Bryan, she wouldn’t be happy. She hadn’t realized that until she met him, hadn’t even known that anything was missing in her life until he helped fill it up. But now she did know, and not being a dummy, she had to do something about it.
She’d still keep an eye on things, but she trusted Dawn to disperse the money charitably, to make wise decisions.
Then she’d be free to concentrate on getting Bryan out of “in the moment” and into the “forever and always.”
“When we gonna eat?” Austin demanded. “I’m starving.”
Luna ruffled his fair hair. “You’re a bottomless pit. Go on in and wash up and I’ll get dinner on the table.”
Austin ran off with more energy than a young jackrabbit. The adults followed at a more leisurely pace.
Shay could see why Bryan wanted to stay in Visitation—because now she wanted to stay, too.
Back in his old hobo disguise, Bruce lingered in the shadows outside the safe house. He’d been at it for hours now, waiting, watching. Amy was the only one home now, since Patti and Morganna had headed off to work and Barb had left to go shopping.
He felt like a failure—a washout as a preacher and a miserable excuse for a protector. He’d made horrendous mistakes. By harboring a dangerous woman, he’d put the other women at risk. Dear God, Shay could have been killed.
He’d known that Amy was more troubled than the others, but like an arrogant, conceited jerk, he thought he could make everything right just by befriending her. He thought…His face warmed and disgust washed through him, but…he’d thought that he could be in her life, and it’d somehow be better. Somehow be good enough that she’d be able to turn things around.
What a jackass.
In a very short time, Shay had done more good than he managed in a year.
Maybe he should just talk to Amy—no. He’d promised Bryan to go along with the game, but now it just didn’t sit right. He couldn’t bear the thought of Amy being so deceitful. What if she had done things because she’d felt threatened? Maybe she had been threatened. Bryan didn’t think she was working alone, but with Freddie locked up, who else was there?
The house was awfully quiet. It had been quiet for hours. What if Amy had somehow managed to slip out without his noticing?
Once he thought it, he couldn’t stop worrying about it. If only Barb would get back—she’d been gone for hours already—then he could confide in her, ask her for help. With Barb on the inside and him on the outside, they could make sure that Amy went nowhere unnoticed.
He was so lost in thought that when the cell phone rang, he jumped a foot. Every awful scenario imaginable ran through his mind. Somehow, Bryan had been hurt. Or one of the women. He pulled it from his pocket and answered it on the second ring. “Hello?”
“Preacher? This is Eve Martin.”
“Dr. Martin?” A new fear exploded and he said, “Leigh! Is she all right?”
“Leigh’s fine. She’s right here, with me.” Eve stopped to draw a deep breath. “I don’t want to alarm you, but remember you asked Leigh if she was one of Freddie’s girls? That is, if she worked for him?”
Ne
ver had he heard Eve speak so fast. She sounded frazzled, when usually she was too controlling to be frazzled.
“I remember.” It had actually been Bryan who asked, but they’d kept each other apprised of things as they went along. What difference did it make now, though?
“This is surprising, to say the least, but I thought you should know. Freddie had a damn harem going, apparently. There’s another woman he had working for him.”
Another woman working for Freddie? The man spread himself pretty thin. Bryan started to ask, “Who?” but before he could get the word out, the front door of the safe house opened and Amy came running out.
She looked startled.
She looked afraid.
Another woman…Everything clicked into place. Bruce said, “Oh, hell,” and didn’t even care that he’d cursed.
Chapter Fourteen
Whenever Bryan stayed at the trailer, he felt at peace, like the weight of the world and all its responsibilities had just melted away. He could relax. He could enjoy life. It was a feeling he hadn’t gotten anywhere else.
Except when he was with Shay.
Now, having her at the trailer, peace was the farthest thing from his mind. While they’d visited with Joe and Luna, the sky had darkened to black velvet, glistening with a million bright stars. The stream out back gurgled as melodically as ever. Owls whispered from the trees. Crickets chirped.
And Bryan couldn’t appreciate any of it. Shay stood there, her fair hair lit by the moon, her skin opalescent, her scent carried to him on a gentle breeze. He wanted to rush her inside, strip her naked, and continue their conversation from the car. Or better yet, not talk, just do.
But at the same time, he saw the trailer as she might see it—older, small and shabby. Shay had probably never stayed in a trailer in her entire life. Hell, his house back in Ohio would probably fit in her foyer, but at least it wasn’t metal.
Shay held up her arms as if embracing the night. “Bryan, this is…incredible. I feel so small standing here.” She dropped her arms to hug herself. “And the air smells so good. Like water and trees and rich dirt.”
“Yeah.” His cock throbbed and his muscles twitched. He needed her. Bad. They’d lingered too long after dinner. Joe had wanted to go over every detail of the plans, and Shay seemed to be enjoying herself with Luna, so he’d hated to drag her away.
But now he felt like he’d suffered four hours of foreplay.
Bruce hadn’t called yet, so he knew everything was okay back in Ohio. He had Shay to himself for once.
She turned to face him. “Let’s go down to the creek.”
He nearly groaned aloud. He didn’t want to sightsee tonight. “Don’t you want to check out the trailer?”
“I do.” He could see her eyes shining, knew she was smiling at him. “Later. Maybe you could run in and grab a blanket.”
He caught her waist and pulled her closer. “Why?”
“I’ve never made love outside. Have you?”
He had, but he shook his head, more than willing to indulge her. “The bugs will eat you alive.”
“Wimp. What’s a few bug bites?”
Bryan grinned. Damn, he…No. He shook his head again, afraid even to think about his emotions when he was so primed. He cared about her. He wanted her. It was enough for the moment.
Liar. Nothing with Shay would ever be enough.
But that realization disturbed him, too, so he yanked her close and kissed her. When she softened against him, he lifted his head. “If I’m a wimp, then you’re a hussy. What if someone sees us?”
“Who? A fish? An owl?” And then, with her eyes wider, “Your friend Jamie won’t show up, will he?”
Bryan tasted the soft, fragrant skin where her throat met her shoulder. “He’s not my friend, Shay, and no, he won’t show up. Not if he knows what’s good for him.”
“Well, then…” She walked her fingers down his chest to his crotch. “I have some experimenting to do, remember?”
As if he could ever forget. “Anywhere, anytime, honey.”
“The stream, and right now, please.”
He had to be the luckiest bastard alive. “If that’s what you really want, I’m game.”
“I really do.” She gave him two encouraging strokes to get him hustling.
Bryan grabbed her hand, turned and headed for the trailer. It was one of those old bullet-shaped, silver jobs—ugly, but functional enough to meet his needs. Large trees towered over it, keeping it cool in the summer heat.
He’d made a wooden, two-step platform that sat in front of the door, and he bounded up to it with a lot of haste. He held Shay with one hand and was reaching for the knob with the other, when every instinct he owned went on alert.
Something was wrong. Bad wrong. He could feel it.
Shay patted his butt. “Hurry up.”
“Shhh.” Slowly, silently, Bryan started to step back, urging Shay to the ground. He’d put her in the car and then investigate…. The door swung open.
The trailer was dark, with only the glow of the moon and the stars providing illumination. But it was enough for Bryan to make out the features of the man in the doorframe.
Chili’s eyes gleamed in fanatical delight. He shifted, and Bryan’s attention was drawn to his right hand and the Beretta nine-millimeter. Aimed at Shay.
“Not so fast, Preacher.”
Without conscious thought, Bryan put himself in front of Shay. A hundred and one possibilities ran through his mind even as he said, “You son of a bitch.”
“My mother was a saint,” Chili yelled, and he lifted the gun toward Bryan’s face.
Smirking, Bryan said, “It wasn’t a personal comment on your lineage, you idiot, just a reference to your character.”
That stymied Chili. His eyes narrowed. “Step away from the bitch.”
“I don’t think so.” Bryan felt Shay’s hands clutch at his back, and he knew, knew, damn it, that she’d try to protect him. His gun was at the small of his back. With the way she pressed against him, there was no way for her to be unaware of it. But Shay had never been in his world. She didn’t handle guns, had probably never fired one in her life.
If she attempted to draw it out of his holster, Chili would shoot her.
Bryan reached back and grabbed her arm. His knuckles brushed the butt of the Smith and Wesson. “Not a single damn step, Shay, you got me?”
Her forehead pressed against his back. She nodded.
But he still didn’t trust her. “What do you want, Chili? What the hell are you doing here?”
Chili slouched onto one hip in a negligent pose. “You don’t talk like a preacher. All those whores, claiming you’re good as God, so righteous and all. Hell, you’re no better than most other men.”
“No,” Bryan agreed, “but I’m a helluva sight better than you.”
Chili straightened again. “Shut up.”
“You use women, Chili, don’t you? What’d Freddie do, give you a finder’s fee? Is that why you were checking out Shay that first night? Hoped to tell Freddie about her and get yourself a little on the side for free?”
“Shut up.”
“No woman would touch you otherwise, huh? Not even the two-bit hookers. Why take money from a slime-ball like you when another man—a real man—is right around the corner?”
He released Shay so that he could move when the time came. Chili got more rattled by the second, which meant emotion was clouding his judgment, and his aim would be sloppy. Bryan knew how to manipulate spineless cretins like Chili. He’d lose control, act hastily, and then Bryan would have him.
If he caught a bullet in the process, well, he’d get Chili first. Shay would be safe.
Bryan doubted he’d have time to get his gun out of his holster and fire a clean shot, but he was all set to throw himself at Chili when suddenly a light came on in the trailer. Momentarily blinded, Bryan shielded his eyes, and there she stood.
Barb.
He blinked twice to make sure he wasn’t j
ust seeing things, but no, there was no mistaking that sour expression.
Barb had her arms crossed under her large boobs, her hip jutting out to one side, a mean sneer on her lips. She stared at Bryan over Chili’s shoulder—and then she winked.
Bryan’s jaw loosened. What the hell?
“Chili, calm down.” Barb acted bored with all the drama. “You were going to bring them inside, remember?”
Shay stepped to the side of Bryan. “Barb?”
Bryan used the distraction to open the holster. If he could just get his gun…
“Yeah, it’s me. Not that simpleton Amy.” Barb made a rude sound. “Amy can barely talk without stammering. Why the hell would you think she could plan anything?”
Shay breathed hard. Bryan knew she was hurt at the betrayal, and that made him furious. But…Shay hadn’t seen that wink. What did it mean?
He hadn’t been all that sharp since meeting Shay. Damn, but she kept him off balance, otherwise he would have considered Barb. Not because Barb seemed a likely suspect, but hell, he’d gone through a similar situation with Joe Winston not that long ago. Joe had been just as arrogant in his presumptions, never guessing that a woman, especially a woman he thought liked him, could pull such a stunt.
Men could be such dumbasses sometimes.
Then he thought of Jamie’s prediction, that the woman involved would help them when they needed it. He hoped like hell that Jamie was right. Maybe Barb would pull through in the end. But just in case, he needed his gun.
His hand closed around it…
Suddenly Chili said, “Ah, ah, ah. No guns, Preacher, at least not for you. Get your hands where I can see them. Barb, get that from him, will ya?”
Barb made a face, part apology, part annoyance. “Turn around, Preacher.”
With Chili’s gun aimed at Shay, Bryan had no choice. He turned.
Barb slipped the gun free, hesitated, but Chili grabbed it away from her and shoved it into his pants pocket. “Now get out of my way.”
Barb faded back into the trailer. “Bring them in.”