“I said I needed time. Just bear with me, please. I promise it isn’t anything bad, just some personal stuff I can’t share yet.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“Because we’ve just started seeing one another. Because I need my privacy.”
He widened his eyes at her. “We said no secrets.”
“This isn’t a secret. I need to go. I’ll talk to you later.” She kissed him again, and when she went to walk to her car door, he held her hand tight, and she turned to look at him.
“I want answers, not suspicious behavior.”
Oh yeah, she felt really guilty now. Well, after tomorrow maybe she would explain about her sister and hope they wouldn’t forbid her to go see Evilly because of Pylo and his abusive attitude toward Evilly.
“Don’t be suspicious. Just give me space.” She pulled away, and he let her go. She got into her car, started it, and pulled out of the parking spot. She watched him in her rearview mirror and could tell Mateo was upset. She was embarrassed, though. Her sister was living in an abusive home and putting her daughter and the baby growing inside her at risk. These men were good, loyal men who did right by women. They were going to be pissed off. After tomorrow she would need to explain everything to them and trust them to keep her secret.
* * * *
“I’m so glad you came to visit and we got to spend some time together,” Cali said as they sat on her back porch. Smith and Wesson were lying there watching over Cali as usual. Warren and Culhane were working in the yard, and Shimmy and Dominick were heading into work.
They kissed Cali good-bye.
“We’ll see you tomorrow at the Station. You’re working, right?” Shimmy asked Lori.
“Yes, and it’s supposed to rain. Could be a slow night.”
“Well, then you can get off early and hang out with your new guardians,” Dominick said and gave her a serious expression.
“You hanging with them today on your day off?” Shimmy asked.
“No, she’s heading to visit a friend out of town. That’s why she came for breakfast,” Cali said to them.
“A friend?” Dominick asked Lori.
“Hey, she isn’t seeing another guy. That was just a rumor. She accepted the Lawson men as her guardians. Isn’t that right, Lori?” she asked, and Lori nodded.
“Be sure to let them know where you are,” Shimmy told her and pointed at Lori.
“I will,” Lori said and watched them go.
“So, how are things really going, and who are you really going to see?”
Lori sighed. “It’s personal, and I’m not quite ready to talk about it yet.”
Cali squinted at her. “Is it dangerous?” she asked, and Lori looked out toward the yard.
“No.”
“You’re lying. What is it? Come on now, no secrets between friends. What’s the deal?”
“I just can’t talk about it, Cali. I will let you know soon, but things are a bit sticky right now, and I’m seeing the Lawson men and it’s crazy.”
Cali smiled. “It is crazy how it just happens. You care about them, though? You’re committed?” Cali asked.
“I don’t think life would be the same without them.”
“I know exactly what you mean.”
An hour later Lori gave Cali a hug good-bye and then headed out of town. She knew that one, if not all, of the men would try to call her once they found out she wasn’t spending the day with Cali or running errands but in fact nowhere near Repose. She would explain things to them soon. She just didn’t quite know how to do that. By the time she got to her sister’s place an hour later, she had a heavy heart. She put on her smile and headed inside and knew things were gonna go wrong.
The baby was crying, and Evilly was sitting at the table with an ice pack against her cheek.
“Are you kidding me? You’re pregnant,” she stated firmly and then walked over to Cara to comfort the baby. “Has she eaten yet?” Evilly shook her head and then looked at the floor. Lori saw the food all over the place and an empty bottle of beer.
“Where is he?”
“Out for a while. He was angry.”
“What else is new? You need to get ready for the doctor’s appointment. He’s going to ask about that cheek.”
Evilly put the ice down. “Then we can’t go.”
“You need to go. You need to get checked. You haven’t gone again, and you’re nearly three months along. You need vitamins, some information, and bloodwork. Now come on and get ready. I’ll pack a bag for Cara and snacks, and we’ll head out now.”
* * * *
Lori held baby Cara in her arms as she slept. She refused to go into the examining room with her sister. She was mad at her, furious at Pylo, and pissed off because she really hoped this doctor would question her sister’s bruises and put it together that she was abused, but the man didn’t seem to blink an eye.
She looked down at the precious two-year-old in her arms. Sometimes she just wanted to take Cara away from all this and raise her. It wasn’t right for her to hear the yelling all the time and to see her father beat her mother. In fact, if her sister wasn’t careful and Pylo hurt Cara, then Child Protective Services would come and take Cara away. Then what? The thought sickened her.
Once Evilly came out of the examination room, she expressed the need to leave quickly. A glance at the receptionist who looked disgusted made Lori want to tell the woman off. Why was the woman looking at Evilly like she was so terrible when she was the victim? Evilly didn’t ask to be beaten or to be in this type of relationship, but she was, and until she stood up for herself nothing was going to change.
When they finally got back to the house it was past three, and then thunder was beginning to roll in the distance. Lori really didn’t like driving in the pouring rain, and an hour trip back to Repose was not going to be fun. When they pulled up to the top of the driveway there were a few cars there.
“He’s here with friends. They’re going to want to eat,” Evilly said.
“Well, then he should have picked something up.”
“I took out stuff to make for them in case,” she said.
Her sister was exhausted, and the doctor had told her she needed to take it easy.
They got everything out of the car, and Cara was now awake and hungry.
Before they even got inside, Pyro was yelling from the doorway.
“I thought I told you to have food ready,” he yelled.
“I’ll make something now. We got caught in town.”
“Shopping?” he scolded.
“Seeing the doctor.”
He pulled Evilly into his arms and ran his hand over her belly as he kept his head on her shoulder. In one hand he held a beer, and he looked pretty drunk already. Lori brought Cara and the groceries inside.
“You see my woman is pregnant again,” he said to his friends, and the three guys smiled and said congratulations, but then they looked at Lori, and she felt completely uneasy.
Pylo gave Evilly a smack on her ass and told her to get cooking, and then he looked at Lori.
“I’ll set Cara down in the high chair and make her something to eat,” she said.
“What, no hello to me, Lori?” Pylo asked and opened his arms as if she would hug him. She gave him the once-over.
“Hello, Pylo,” she said and then went about making up the plate of food for Cara.
“You’re looking mighty fine, Lori. Looks like you’re back to working out. You doing that shit Bragan still does?” he asked, and the fact that he mentioned Bragan’s name pissed her off and frightened her at the same time. She ignored him and walked over to the high chair and started feeding the baby. “You guys ever meet Lori?” he asked his friends.
“No way. I would remember her, definitely,” one guy said.
“Definitely would remember a piece of fine ass like that,” another guy added. The third guy stood by the door and then walked out onto the porch to smoke a cigarette. She saw him light it up.
Pylo chuckled. “She
used to be Bragan’s. Must be real good in the sack because he still isn’t over her. Ain’t that right, Lori?” he said, and she felt his hand slide along her waist and then he gave her ass a tap.
She slapped at his hand. “Keep away from me, Pylo,” she stated firmly.
He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest. “What are you going to do?” he asked, and she tried shoving out of his arms.
“Pylo, please let her go,” Evilly said, and he pushed Lori back. Her hip and lower back hit the corner of the counter, and she felt instant pain as tears stung her eyes. She was going to be bruised. She went back to feeding Cara and then lifted her out of the high chair and walked her into the living room to put her in the playpen.
She heard Evilly cry out, and Lori headed back into the kitchen.
“We’re out of here and heading to meet the guys. You coming?” the one friend asked Pylo as the second guy headed out the front door.
“I’ll meet up with you,” he said and then snarled at Evilly, who was holding her cheek and crying.
Pylo pulled another beer out of the refrigerator and drank it down.
“You don’t answer me back in my house. You don’t give me orders. You got that?” he yelled at Evilly and shoved at the back of her head. It was demeaning and upsetting to see.
“Leave her alone, Pylo. She’s pregnant. You keep giving her bruises, then the doctor is going to call the police, and CPS will take Cara away from you,” Lori said.
“She’s my woman and there are rules.”
Lori rubbed her hip and back and felt the ache getting worse.
Evilly was cooking up chicken. Her lip was bleeding, and she was crying.
“That would be your fault anyway. I asked for Louie’s number, and she said you said no.”
“I did say no. We don’t involve ourselves with Cousin Louie and his connections, and he wouldn’t want anything to do with you.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I’m not giving you his number.”
“Really? How about now?” he asked and pulled Evilly by her hair and bent her face close to the frying pan, where the oil was splattering.
“Don’t do it, Pylo. She’s your woman, and you wouldn’t want her scarred for life.”
He pulled Evilly up and smacked her face. Lori reacted and grabbed for him to stop him from striking her again, and he swung his arm and struck Lori across the jaw and cheek.
“Shit. Fuck, Lori. I didn’t mean that,” he said, and she was shocked as she held her jaw and Cara started crying. He didn’t give a shit about hurting his own wife, but he cared about hurting Lori.
“You’re a jerk, Pylo. I won’t stand here and watch you beat my pregnant sister. You want to keep this up? You want to hurt Cara and the baby? Maybe Louie does need to get called, and maybe Mom and Dad, too.”
His eyes widened, and then he stomped toward the refrigerator and grabbed another beer. He popped it open and drank it down.
“I’m out of here. You make sure there’s food for me when I get home,” he yelled at Evilly and then left the house.
Lori went to rub her jaw, and of course it hurt terribly.
“Oh shit, Lori. I’m sorry. I can’t believe he struck you,” Evilly said and then went to get ice.
“I can’t believe he apologized. Why the hell for? He doesn’t give a shit about any woman, and not even the mother of his child. I don’t get it. I don’t understand why you stay here. Just leave him, Evilly. Leave him and come home with me now. I’ll protect you. My friends will, too.”
Evilly shook her head. “You can’t protect me. Nor can your town or your friends. You think you’re no longer part of this? Can’t you tell by Pylo’s words that you’re not out of danger?”
“What are you talking about? I’ve been done for years.”
“Not in Bragan’s eyes, Lori. Pylo was talking to him the other day. Saying how you come by here once a week.”
Lori felt her chest tighten, and her eyes widened.
“Pylo called him to get Louie’s number when you wouldn’t give it to me. When he called Bragan he told him about you, too, Bragan asked a bunch of questions. These are the ties that bind us, and they can’t be broken. Don’t you see that? We can never be free. Never,” her sister said with tears streaming down her cheeks.
* * * *
Lori gripped the steering wheel and placed the call to work. She wasn’t going to make it in time, and she couldn’t go there with a bruised jaw and cheek. She needed to think, to figure things out.
“What’s wrong? Tell me right now,” Brooklyn demanded.
“I can’t explain it all. I’m safe now. I just can’t get there in this weather. I’m so sorry, but this was out of my control.”
“Damn it, Lori, you’re in some kind of trouble and you’re not confiding in your guardians. Cesar is here. Do you need to talk to him? Do you want to meet him somewhere before you tell your men?” Brooklyn asked.
Her men? They were her men. They’d made her promise to have no secrets. Marco was going to be so angry with her. What if he hit her, or worse? She couldn’t stop the thoughts. It was what happened in her family when men got angry. She felt the tears roll down her cheeks.
“Lori. They adore you and would never hurt you. You are their responsibility. They’re going to be upset if you’re hurt and concerned, maybe a bit angry because you obviously have been hiding something from all of us. We’re your friends, your family. You need to remember that. Marco, Kyran, Mateo, and Leif love you.”
“Do they really love me? You think so?”
“There isn’t a doubt in my mind. Do you love them?”
She didn’t have to think about that at all.
“Yes.”
“I can put any of them on the phone right now. They’re all here, I think hoping to spend time with you while you worked. It’s slow, and the rain is keeping everyone inside.”
Lori wiped her eyes. They were going to sit there with her for hours, bored out of their minds?
“Put Marco on, please.”
“Of course. Hold on.”
The rain was getting harder, the lightning striking and thunder rolling. She was in the midst of it all and had an hour to drive.
“Lori, what’s wrong? Where are you?”
The sound of Marco’s voice did something to her as it filled the speakers in the car. She gripped the wheel tighter.
“I called Brooklyn to tell her I can’t make it back in time for work.”
“Back in time? Where the hell are you?”
She swallowed hard.
“An hour out of Repose. I had to visit someone.”
He was silent a moment, and she just knew he was questioning her commitment to them. She had been stupid to keep this a secret. If she could trust anyone, it would be the four men she loved and had given her body, her heart, and soul to. She started crying.
“Are you hurt?” he asked.
“Nothing that won’t heal. I’m more heartbroken, I guess. There’s just so much to explain.”
“So much you kept a secret from us. You didn’t even tell us you were going out of town. We asked you about this, about where you go every week, and you refused to tell us. Now it sounds like you’re hurt.”
“Please, Marco, I’ll explain it all when I get back. The storm is bad, and I can’t go too fast.”
“You take your time driving. If it gets too bad, you pull over, and we’ll come get you.”
“You don’t need to come get me. I’ll get to your place. I’ve been taking care of myself for quite some time.”
“Not anymore. Don’t you get that? Don’t you realize how important you are to us and how strong this bond is?”
The phone cut out and she damned the thing. She had to stop crying. She needed to get to the guys. They would make everything better, and she would figure out what to do next. She thought about her sister and her words. These are the ties that bind us. Evilly was stuck, and s
he didn’t want to leave Pylo. She loved him. Lori had been supportive of her, had cared for her, helped clean her house, make meals so Pylo wouldn’t beat her to broken bones, and still she stayed and chose him. Now she’d placed Lori in a bad situation because the son of a bitch was involved with Bragan. There was no doubt in Lori’s mind that her ex would try to contact her. What did she do now?
Those ties from the past, from her family who still were connected with Bragan, made their choices, and she made hers. She was done years ago being a punching bag, a prize on Bragan’s arm to show off, and if need be, she would break those ties completely with her family and with Evilly.
Her eyes blurred up with tears, and her heart ached. She loved her sister so much, and she thought about Cara and about the unborn baby. If she didn’t come around to help her, then those babies would suffer and her sister would, too.
This was such a frigged-up situation, and it just kept getting worse. She was exhausted, but all she wanted to do was get home to Repose. Home? That’s exactly what it had become, and now being with the Lawson men made it feel like where she was meant to be no matter what.
She took an unsteady breath as the tears continued to fall, and she focused on driving while the vicious storm stood in her pathway to safety. The turmoil in her life had a grip on her she didn’t know if she could ever truly escape from.
* * * *
“It’s been an hour and a half. Where the fuck is she?” Mateo demanded as he paced by the front window.
“The weather is terrible. She’s smart and is taking her time,” Leif said to them.
Marco rubbed his jaw and stared out the window waiting to see headlights.
“She sounded hurt and so upset. I can’t help but to think she lied to us about being involved with someone. That maybe he hurt her because she broke things off or he found out about us.”
“If anyone laid a hand on her they’re going to regret it,” Kyran stated.
Marco saw the headlights and the car coming up the driveway from the main road.
“She’s here,” he said.
They all hurried toward the door as the rain continued to fall. Marco was at her door opening it, and before he could see her face in the light in the cab of the vehicle, she threw herself into his arms and hugged him.
The Battlefield Series 6: The Ties That Bind Us (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 8