Now it was a matter of picking up the pieces.
~ Chapter Eight ~
Tori pulled up to the address and sat there for a few moments, wondering if she should just call Mark and tell him to cancel the check, and she’d changed her mind. If Tori did that, it could take months to resell the house if she had to again.
Sucking it up, she walked to the door and knocked. Once it opened, Elizabeth stood here in shorts and a tank top.
“Come on, Tori. The men are cooking dinner for us,” she held out her hand. “We can go sit down and talk about it.” On the way past the kitchen, Callen opened a beer for their guest and handed it to her.
“Thank you,” she said, numbly. Unsure if she could even get through this without bawling.
Elizabeth pulled her down to sit beside her on the couch and continued to hold her hand. “What happened? Spill it all and we’ll get you through this.”
Slowly, Tori began telling her about selling her house, and wanting to buy into Julian’s business. “He wouldn’t let me just give him the money, so I figured if I offered to buy out half of his company, we could be equal partners. He’s always asking me if I’m going back to the FBI, and I…” then she realized who she was talking to and she hoped it wasn’t going to be misconstrued. Now she’d need her job, since her life with Julian was pretty much over.
Elizabeth laughed. “Tori, The day we worked on getting you in a VA hospital close to Julian, there was always this possibility you weren’t coming back. I’d rather you be happy and have you as a friend than be your boss and have you broken hearted. Your job’s here if you need it. No worries, Darlin’.”
She swallowed more beer. “He told me I used him,” Tori said it so softly, it was barely audible. “Out of all he said to me, Elizabeth, that’s what hurt the worst. I can see him assuming I cheated, or hid things from him, because I was keeping a secret. I did get messages from a man, but not sexually explicit ones. While I can forgive that, I don’t know if I can swallow that the last two months were relegated to him believing I used him.”
Then the tears came and Elizabeth was ready for them. Sometimes you had to purge it all and hope to get it out.
Elizabeth took the beer from her hand and placed it on the coffee table. “Come here,” she said, pulling her into her arms. “Shhhhh… it’ll be okay, Tori. He was mad and said things he didn’t believe were true. If anything, Julian Littlemoon is levelheaded. He obviously was pushed into this by something that set him off.”
She nodded in agreement. “His last girlfriend had an affair,” Tori offered, keeping the details to herself.
“Okay, then there you go. He was burned before and this is just his immediate reaction. Deep down he knows you love him, and that’s why he reacted that way. Sane men do stupid shit when they fear losing the women they love.”
Callen nodded in agreement. When he was worried about Elizabeth getting pregnant, he’d nearly tossed away his future because of stubbornness.
Tori took the tissue that Callen held out for her. “Dinner’s ready, are you hungry?” he asked, feeling bad for the woman.
“Not really.”
Elizabeth tucked a piece of Tori’s red hair behind her ear. “Did you bring your things with you?”
Tori nodded and began crying again. “Yes, they’re outside. I couldn’t stay there tonight.”
Callen grabbed her keys from the coffee table. “I’ll run out and get them for you,” he offered, heading for the front door.
“It’s okay, I can head to the hotel with the tech team,” Tori didn’t want to make her bosses rearrange their lives to accommodate her.
“Darlin’ we have two spare rooms. We sleep together and don’t need three beds. You aren’t putting us out or causing a problem.”
Blackhawk strolled in with a cup of tea for each woman. “You can stay with us, Tori. If you see Callen sleep walking naked, just ignore it. We do.”
The woman laughed through the tears, appreciative that they were trying to cheer her up.
Whitefox dropped the bag and grinned. “One time you wander the neighborhood in your birthday suit asleep, and they never let you forget it.”
Tori laughed some more. “Thank you for not thinking I’m a complete wreck.”
“I have two men. You want to see complete and total wreck? Come hang out at our house. There are days that I doubt my sanity,” she admitted, squeezing her hand.
“I have no idea how the three of you make it work. I can’t seem to manage one man, let alone two.”
“Crazy mad skills, medication, and wine,” she offered, squeezing her hand in hers.
Tori snorted, almost asking if she had any Xanax she could borrow. If there was a day she needed medication, it was today.
Elizabeth patted her cheek. “Tori, friends are always welcome with us, and we told you before we never let our friends do the hard things alone.”
Tori leaned against Elizabeth and closed her eyes, completely grateful that she wasn’t by herself. Even in her anger, she worried about Julian and hoped he’d reach out to one of his siblings to get himself through it.
Justin pulled up in front of his brother’s cabin, heading inside. What he found wasn’t surprising. Julian was lying on the couch staring at the ceiling. It was much like the way he found him three months ago when he left Tori behind. Already, he was starting to slip into the melancholy.
“Okay, spill it,” he said, taking a seat.
“You were right. I was wrong. I accused her of every horrible thing Tina ever did. Using me, betraying me and cheating on me, and then to make it ten times worse, I lost my temper.”
Justin was generally the one with the temper out of the two. “What did you do?”
“I scared her and threw a beer bottle at the fireplace,” he answered, pointing at the shattered remains. He sat up and handed his brother the envelope. “Here’s what she gave me.”
Justin opened it and looked inside. “Wow, you were given a quarter of a million dollars by a woman that adores you. Today is like your best and worst day of your life all happening at once.”
“Yeah, and I’d give up the money to have her back.” Julian took another chug of beer. “I crossed so many lines tonight. If you could have seen her face, you would have slapped the shit out of me.”
Justin knew that was a distinct possibility. “Wait until mom finds out what you pulled. She loves Tori,” Justin added. “You better fix this and fast. If Clarissa Littlemoon discovers you treated her favorite FBI agent like this, she’s going to kick your sorry ass out of the family.”
“Yeah, I’m well aware. So keep your damn mouth shut and help me fix this.”
“Where’d she go?” he asked, shaking his head.
Julian drank more beer. “Well not home, since she sold it to buy into my business. I’m going to guess either to stay at the hotel with the tech team in Red River or with the Blackhawks.”
“Who are they?”
“My bosses,” he started, “Or at least they were until I told Elizabeth that I probably was backing off this assignment and didn’t want the money.”
Justin started laughing. “I’m sorry but you turned down money to only be handed more money. You have the weirdest luck. Your karma is one hot mess.”
Julian looked miserable. “If I get her back, I’m marrying her. I’ll drag her kicking and screaming to the altar. I’m not taking no for an answer. I just need some huge over the top offering to convince her to take me back.”
“I have a huge gesture, but you’re not going to like it, and it hurts like a bitch.”
Julian put down the beer. “If it’ll get her back, I’ll do anything.”
“First thing, you aren’t backing away from the assignment. You know she won’t either. It’ll keep her in your sights and if she has to look at you all day, she’ll eventually forgive you. Second, we’re heading out so get your shoes on and chug that beer.”
“Where are we going?”
Justin laughed. “The l
ess you know the better. You’ll just over think it and jack it up, Bro. You screwed up; you let the level headed half of us fix this.”
Julian stood. “You realize I’m the level headed twin.”
His brother laughed. “And yet I’m not the one who screwed up the best thing in his life. Go figure.”
* * *
Desdemona Adare was lying in bed, timing the pains. They were coming five minutes apart now. Thinking back to her rotation in obstetrics, she knew it was about time to be heading to the hospital. It was hard to believe she was going to be delivering her child soon. Over the last few weeks Desdemona had nearly broken down, calling Callen and telling him he was about to have a child and each time she chickened out.
There was no love lost for the man that broke her heart, but she was beginning to feel guilty about keeping this from him. This baby was half his, and he probably had every right to know. Then Desdemona would picture him with Elizabeth and the fury would return, swallowing the guilt in greedy gulps, until it was nothing more than a memory.
No, he didn’t deserve to know, but in the same respect her child would one day have the option. It was her intention to put Callen’s name on the birth certificate. On the baby’s eighteenth birthday, he or she could search for their dad. By then, she wouldn’t care or be bitter.
Desdemona laughed. Who was she kidding? The bitterness had taken root in her heart and flourished, filling her. Forever would her heart be tainted with the anger and hate of what had happened.
Love died and animosity grew.
With the next pain, she pulled out her phone, planning to call her grand’mere to share the news. The entire pregnancy, the woman had been less than enthusiastic about the prospect of having a half-breed grandchild. She’d been downright hostile to the notion. Hopefully after she was able to hold the baby, her mind would change.
After everything that happened in Cypress Grove, her new found brother and sisters had tried to talk her into just putting the baby up for adoption, and she still was contemplating it. If there was no attachment at birth, the baby would have a chance at a new life. Everything in her screamed it would probably be for the best. If Desdemona couldn’t love the baby completely, why make herself and the child suffer. There was also the final option; giving Callen his child.
More sardonic laughter bubbled up, as Desdemona knew that would be happening over her dead body. That would make Callen happy and he was already living a jubilant life. She wouldn’t be giving him more joy at the cost of her blood, sweat and tears.
When another pain hit, she dialed. “Grand’mere, it’s time. I’m going to be having the baby soon.”
There was silence.
“Grand’mere?”
Finally there was a response. “As I told you before, I don’t like Indians, and I don’t want anything to do with this child. You go have the baby, and then I’ll see you when you get home. Leave it at the hospital and then call me.”
So much for having the family back her up on this one. Why was she surprised?
“Okay, Grand’mere.” Desdemona hung up the phone and called the cab company. It looked like she was on her own with this birth.
“Okay kiddo. We’re going to go in, get you out, and go from there. Try and take it easy on me,” she muttered, struggling to roll off the couch.
“God, already this motherhood thing is tough work!”
* * *
Elizabeth relaxed on the couch reading over the tech reports that were coming in. She really would prefer to be asleep, but the little bundle of energy doing aerobics in her gut had other plans. She’d tried soothing by rubbing and massaging, but to no avail. Little man number two wasn’t having it.
She’d been forced to creep carefully out of the bed and maneuver her way downstairs to the couch. Sitting in the silence, Elizabeth enjoyed a cup of tea and the ease of working through the information in the peace of the night. At the creak of the stairs, she glanced up from the tox report to find Ethan moving towards her.
“Hey Cowboy,” she whispered, placing her tea down on the table. “Couldn’t sleep?” Elizabeth asked.
“I woke up and you were gone. It’s disturbing to roll over alone in bed with my brother. I need you as the buffer between us or it creeps me out,” he replied, laughing. “Couldn’t you sleep?”
Elizabeth pointed to her belly. “I could. He wouldn’t.”
Blackhawk hopped the couch, landing beside her. “Want some company?” he whispered, leaning over to kiss her softly.
“Mmmmm. Okay,” she said, placing her tablet onto the table. “What did you have in mind?” When he whispered in her ear, she shivered. “Right here, Mr. Blackhawk? We have company upstairs sleeping.”
Ethan wiggled his eyebrows lecherously. “Oh yeah, most definitely here and now. That makes it more exciting. If you’re quiet no one will ever know I was accosting you.” Taking her face in his hands, he slowly began kissing her. Mouth to mouth, everything was always right in the world when she was alone with him.
Elizabeth moved into his lap, allowing Ethan to control the tempo of the kiss. Obviously, he was in the mood for one on one time. For a change, she didn’t have to free his hair. It looked like he was planning on getting lucky before he came to find her.
Blackhawk pulled her tank top from her body, only breaking the kiss to remove it. Running his hands across her skin, he memorized every curve and line. “I love you, Lyzee.” Rolling with her, he placed her beneath him on the couch, as he worked his way down from her throat and to the vee between her breasts.
She moaned when he took a nipple into his mouth and teased it. “Ethan,” Elizabeth whispered, her body bowing under the use of teeth and lips.
“You taste so damn good, Baby,” he mumbled, continuing his trail down her body. At the baby bump, he left a trail of kisses. Sliding lower, he pushed her shorts down her body and dove into his wife. When her hands went into his hair and held him in place, he teased more and reveled in the taste and response from her.
“Ethan!” She arched further into the wickedly, amazing oral skills the man was showing off. When she shattered apart, he continued until her entire body quivered for him again.
Moving up her frame, he yanked down his boxers and slid into the delicious warmth. It called to him, gripped him and invited him home. It would only be this way with the woman that owned his heart. He brought his lips to hers, and took his time devouring her. Long deep strokes brought them both so much pleasure.
Elizabeth met him for each one, tipping her hips and welcoming him over and over again. The gentle lovemaking wasn’t hurried, and it made his heart ache for the woman beneath him.
Pulling back from the kiss, he stared down into her eyes and continued enjoying her body.
When her eyes filled with tears at the sweetness of the moment, he kissed them away and offered her his soul. “I love you, Elizabeth. You own my heart completely.”
A tear slid down her cheek. “I love you so damn much.” Again she met his mouth as they both tightened and broke apart. It wasn’t cataclysmic, but there was so much love between Ethan and Elizabeth that it swept them away.
It was a bearing of feelings, sharing the deepest secrets in their hearts. Reconfirming what both knew to be true; souls were perfectly aligned.
As he caught his breath, he enjoyed all the sweet words she whispered in his ear. The woman beneath him completed him in so many ways.
“I think I might be able to sleep now,” she mumbled.
Ethan slipped off her body and helped her dress. “I’ll carry you up, Baby,” he offered, pulling on his boxers, assisting her back into her shorts.
“Okay,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and nuzzling him.
Climbing back into bed, Ethan placed her in her spot. Instead of rolling to her side, she laid her head on his shoulder, cuddling with him. It reminded him of when they first slept together.
“I love you, Mr. Blackhawk,” she said, yawning.
Ethan kiss
ed her on the top of the head and enjoyed the scent of wife. “I love you forever, Lyzee my love.”
And there was no doubt that he always would.
* * *
Julian stumbled into the house and felt like shit. He was tired, sore and missed Tori. He pulled out his phone and checked the messages for what felt like the millionth time.
Nothing.
It was like she’d erased him from her life. Again he sent another message apologizing for what he did, praying he’d get a reply.
Still nothing.
It wasn’t boding well in his favor. This could be the end.
Stripping out of his clothes, he set his alarm and lay on his back, pulling her pillow over his face, just to breath in nothing but her scent. When the tears threatened to overwhelm him, he simply let himself sink into the multiple beers he’d chugged to swallow the mental and physical pain.
If this didn’t work, he was screwed.
“I love you, Tori. Wherever you are, I love you so damn much it hurts.”
Closing his eyes, Julian prayed for another chance with the only woman in the world he knew he’d love.
Even when he was well aware he didn't deserve it.
Friday Morning
It was a horrible night’s sleep and Tori was sure her face showed it. Tossing and turning all night, she refused to look at her phone every time a message came in from Julian. As she lay there, her heart missed him and already the anger was beginning to ebb away as the sun came up. Tori found that at that moment, what she really wanted to do was call him.
Picking up her phone, she scrolled through the messages from him. The ranged from apologies, to begging and finally simple desperation. Her heart ached at the pain in the words. The man screwed up, and he needed to realize that what he did wasn’t going to happen ever again. Love forgave, and if anything she still was madly in love with him.
Darkness Of Truth (An FBI/Romance Thriller~ Book 6) Page 21