I nod pull him into a hug. He squeezes me back before looking at my cheek. “I’m going to get you some ice for that.”
“Okay, thank you.” I smile. I’m so touched over what he shared with me.
Bradley embraces him and my heart melts. I've never seen two men being affectionate. These two are so in love. It’s a beautiful moment and all the women are watching with the same tender expression as I am.
When there's a knock at the door, Connor answers it. Sheriff Cullens, Johnny, and Patrick enter and next is a beautiful, yet terrified young woman with long black hair, blue eyes and freckles across her nose and cheeks. Garrett’s sister, Raleigh. In her hand is the leash to a very big German Shepherd. Hans. She stands still not sure what to do, but when Nash comes up behind her and gently puts his hand her back, she looks back at him and relaxes. I come out my shock and walk over to her. Her eyes take me in and her lips begin to tremble.
“Raleigh?” I ask and she breaks down and starts crying.
“Bella.” She stumbles forward and falls into my arms.
“Shhh, you’re okay. You’re okay.” I try to soothe her.
“Raleigh,” Nash calls his voice full of soft concern, and raging with authority. “Come here.”
Whoa. Okay.
Raleigh sniffles as she pulls away and walks back over to Nash.
“You’re okay. I told you. Remember? You’re safe now.” Nash cups her cheek.
Raleigh nods and crushes into him, holding onto him tight. He doesn’t immediately hold her back. His jaw tenses then starts ticking before he finally holds her back. He gently shushes her while stroking her hair.
“Where’s Garrett? Where’s my dad?” I beg them to tell me.
“Please, everyone sit down for a moment.” Johnny requests.
Patrick and Nash lead Jenny and a trembling Raleigh to the table. I take her hand and pull her to sit down next to me. It’s what Garrett would want. He’s depending on me to be looking out for his little sister. Everyone sits while Nash takes Hans and pulls a cup from the table and fills it with water. He squats down and puts the cup in front of him. Hans wastes no time drinking most of the glass before sitting back on his haunches and looking up at Nash.
“Got to your momma,” he commands and Hans walks over to Raleigh. She gives him a quick head rub with shaky hands before she lifts a finger to him and he sits down at her feet. Nash begins introducing everyone.
“Raleigh, this is Allie and her mom, Tara. They’re Patrick’s mom and sister.” He points then looks over at Jenny and points. “This is Jenny, Patrick’s wife. You remember Jack? The one I told you Garrett had been staying with? This is their family, the Holloway’s. Allie is also my sister-in-law and married to Jesse.” Nash explains and she nods. He goes on and as he makes his way around the table pointing everyone out. “This is Johnny and Blue’s mom, Anna and Blue’s wife, my sister, Jaycee. This is Macie. She works at Holloway’s and is a friend of the family. Violet is my mom.” he says and Violet smiles softly. “That’s Bradley, my cousin and his husband, Connor.” When Nash announces Connor and Bradley are married Raleigh’s eyes flare in surprise but she doesn’t say anything. “Everyone, this is Raleigh Cooper. Garrett’s little sister.” he announces and everyone gives her a soft hello.
I reach over and take her hand. It’s trembling so badly that I can’t stop the shaking. Nash places his hands on her shoulders as Johnny comes forward with Patrick. The moment Nash’s hands touch Raleigh’s shoulders, her trembles begins to subside.
“So here’s what we know,” Johnny starts and we all turn our attention to him as he stands behind Macie. She leans forward separating the distance between them and Johnny’s face flashes with sadness briefly before he goes on.
“We had no problem picking up Raleigh. She rode back with Nash on a route not many know about while Patrick and I put Hans in Patrick’s truck and came back down highway ninety. We did this just in case there was a tail.”
Nash gives Raleigh a squeeze before taking over for Johnny. “Raleigh was able to tell us that her dad went back. She also told us there a rally set to start at sundown, but we knew this.”
The sun is getting lower in the sky and the clock on the wall reads five o’clock. This time of year the sun sets around six o’clock. My stomach sinks when I look back at Nash.
“The others went on. They’re going in to get him out. They’ll be in contact as soon as they can. They have their phones with them but once they move in, they'll turn them off. They can’t risk them making a sound or lighting up but they will have them in case there’s a problem. Jesse has a SAT phone and is going to call when he can with updates." Allie tenses at the mention of her husband.
“They’re going to be fine. Case knows the area. So does Garrett. In an hour they’ll make their move. Their plan is to be quick. In and out. Their objective is Bobby Cooper. Nothing else.”
Raleigh cries in a soft mewl. This poor girl.
“Raleigh, come with me.” Nash requests and Raleigh stands and follows Nash into the hallway and Hans follows her.
I’m not sure what’s going on but I trust Nash. I go stand by the window and began praying to our Lord that everything goes as planned.
“You should go talk to her. She’s scared and worried. I’m going to see if I can find anything out.” Nash suggests when he comes back into the kitchen a short while later.
Raleigh is kneeling next to Hans, petting him. Both their eyes come to me when I start over. Her face is tear-stained and her eyes are glassy and swollen. She gives me a small smile that doesn’t meet her eyes. “Let’s go into the parlor. Is that okay?” She rises and Hans follows behind her. It only takes her a moment for her to open up and share her fears.
“I only saw him for a moment. Almost twelve years I haven’t seen him. I only got to spend five minutes with him before he left again. He left the first time because of me and came back hurt. Now he’s left again because of me. I pray he doesn’t come back more hurt. And my Dad.” She wipes a few tears from her face and sits down on the edge sofa. Hans whimpers then rises up and licks her face. “I’m okay, boy. I’m fine.” She leans down and wraps her arms around his neck.
“This isn’t your fault. Please don’t think that.” I assure her as I lean over and pat Hans.
Raleigh releases Hans and he sits at her feet.
“It is. I should have been strong like him. I could have taken off. My dad, though. I stayed for him.” she tells me and my eyes brows draw together.
“Your dad?”
“Yeah. My mom, she’s pretty awful. She was always threatening him if he didn’t do what she wanted. She’d call my grandpa. He never had to do more than make his presence known and my dad would cave in. I didn’t want to leave him alone with them.”
Her words don’t make sense. I look down trying to find the right questions to understand.
“Did your mom hurt you?” She shakes her head.
“She never touched me. She never did anything to me. Didn’t love me. Didn’t acknowledge me. Didn’t see me as anything other than a nuisance.” She looks down.
“I’m sorry.” I offer.
My mom is so loving. I can’t imagine not having her and the gifts of her love and the care she gives me. Raleigh not only didn’t receive those things, she received the opposite.
“Don’t be. She not seeing me was a good thing. If she would have, it would have been worse. She hated me too much which ended up saving me.” She explains but I don’t understand. She sees my confusion and goes on. “Garrett, she saw. She saw potential in him. She thought she could breed him into the next generation of hate in that town. My dad, she always called him weak. Said he wasn’t a man and my grandpa agreed. My dad refused to follow them and do their bidding. So many times my dad and I planned to leave. Find Garrett and start over. He talked about begging Garrett for forgiveness for the things he’d done. He told me it haunts his every thought.”
When she says that I blurt out in anger, “Why did he
hurt him?”
Her eyes fly to mine and they turn watery. “I don’t know. He thought he didn’t have a choice. My grandpa, he’s bad, Bella. He’s scary. He’s old and his body is getting weak. You’d think his hate would weaken but it’s only grown.” She wipes her tears and shivers. “Daddy said he was trying to save Garrett that night. But he said it didn’t matter why, he hurt him. Garrett wouldn’t forgive him, and he didn’t deserve forgiveness. My mom and Grandpa, they have something on him. I was always too scared to try and snoop and figure out what. I just kept hope that I would be out of there soon and didn’t want to risk people finding out I was only pretending to be what they wanted.” Her voice is full of guilt and shame.
“Raleigh, it’s not your fault.” I take her hand.
“Not too long ago I walked in on my mom and dad. He had her pinned against the wall, his hands around her throat. She was turning blue. Her eyes came to mine and even then, she looked at me with hate. Pure hate. My dad saw me but he didn’t release her and I didn’t ask him to. Maybe that’s why he let go. I don’t know. She was married to the son of the devil but she loved the devil more than her husband. She did whatever my grandpa told her. It’s like the giant elephant being scared of a little mouse. So many are terrified of this weak, old man.”
I’m not sure what to say so I just sit with her silently. I think we’re both praying to God to keep everyone safe. A soft knock on the door has us both looking over.
“Raleigh, have you eaten?” My mom asks.
“No, ma’am. But I’m not really hungry either.”
She’s not the only one. My stomach is twisting and turning.
“I understand. We’re just going to put some food out on the table. How about you both come and sit down. Maybe something will look good and you’ll feel like having a nibble.”
“Sure. I can do that. I should probably let Hans out though. Do you have a bag I can use to pick up?” Raleigh gives Hans a head rub then stands. Before she walks out of the room, she looks back at me and reaches out in a caress that doesn't meet my cheek. “I don’t know what happened. I’m sorry though. I know in my heart Garrett would never…” she begins but I stop her.
“No. You’re right, Garrett would never. We all have our demons I guess. Mine was a guy I went to school with. Didn’t like the word no. He’s not over it yet.” I stand tall even though I’m truly terrified and I know my trembling admits what my words don’t. Maybe it will show her it’s okay to be strong or weak. Whichever. We still will stand together.
We both walk into the kitchen and I go to my pantry.
“I have some leftover grocery bags you can use.”
“Thanks.”
I pull a bag from my bag of bags. The same one everyone has in their pantry. I hand it to her and guide her over to the back door.
“I’m not sure if they want you outside.” I start back to the living room to ask one of the guys when Nash walks in the kitchen.
“Everything okay?” Nash asks Raleigh.
“I just need to take Hans out for a bit.” she explains.
“I’ll do it.” He takes the bag from her hand.
“Nash, I’d prefer to do it. Thank you though.” She goes to walk around Nash but he snakes his arm around her waist, halting her.
“Raleigh, I said I’d do it. You might as well go on and eat something because you’re not going out there.” He lays down the law and Raleigh’s eyes narrow on him.
“Nash…” Raleigh starts to say something but Nash stands to full height.
“Raleigh, I said I got it.” His tone leaves no room for argument.
“Okay.” Raleigh squeaks and steps back to give Nash room to open the back door. He leaves the back door ajar and the screen door slams. A few seconds later, Nash lets out a string of cuss words.
“What’s his problem?” Raleigh looks at me and asks.
I shrug my shoulders. I’m as puzzled as she is.
“I’m thinking Nash has got a little crush on you Raleigh.” Jaycee whispers from behind us and giggles.
“Ooooooo, now I get it.” I understand and let out a soft laugh.
Raleigh looks between Jaycee and me like we’re crazy. She peeks out into the yard and sighs.
“Really? Because he’s out there still cussing up a storm but he’s thrown in pulling on his hair.”
“Yes. Really. He’s flustered I’m guessing.” Jaycee reveals with a huge smile.
She looks between us and blushes.
“He’s very handsome.”
“He’s my brother and that’s gross but I guess if you say so.” Jaycee shudders and turns a little green.
“He’s super hot.” I smile and giggle.
A huge smile spreads across Raleigh’s face before a huge frown takes its place.
“I wonder what’s happening.” she whimpers.
“We’ll know something soon.” I pull her into a hug.
“Let’s go sit at the table. Bradley will give us a facial or something. It’ll distract us. Make the time go by faster.” Jaycee encourages us to go sit at the table.
Both Raleigh and I take a seat and before long we’re lost in Bradley’s pampering. Only when our phones go do we let real relief but also panic set in.
“Hello?” I rush to answer my phone on the first ring.
“Hey, baby.” Garrett replies. His voice is low and thick with emotion.
“Oh, God. Are you okay?” Relief at hearing his voice floods through me.
“I’m fine. How are you? Raleigh’s there?”
“I’m okay and yes, Raleigh is right here with me. What’s happened, Garrett? You don’t sound okay.” My hands are shaking and I look up and see my mom with her hand over her mouth, shocked. Violet and Anna share the same look. Johnny is standing next to Macie and is on his phone probably with Blue. Jaycee is standing with them wearing a terrified look. My eyes quickly take it all in and I know whatever Garrett tells me is not going to be good. Raleigh is trying to hold it together but is quickly losing the battle.
“What’s happened?” I whisper into the phone.
Bradley and Connor flank either side of Raleigh. Both putting a supportive arm around her.
“We got him.” he mutters.
“This should be good news. What’s happened?” I plead for him to tell me.
“They got to him first.” He reveals and my eyes fly to Raleigh.
“What do you mean?” I whisper.
“He’s in bad shape. We’re at the emergency room with him now. We’re waiting to hear from the doctor.”
“How bad?” I try to use my words wisely but Raleigh knows and she starts crying.
“He’ll live but he’s going to have scars. Worst than mine.” Garrett lets out a shaky sigh.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Is Garrett okay? Is my dad okay? Is he alive? Oh, God. Please tell me he’s alive.” Raleigh pleads for me to tell her.
“Fuck!” Garrett hisses. “Let me talk to her. But stay close to her, baby. She’s going to need you.”
“Of course.”
I take the phone from my ear and hand it to Raleigh.
“Garrett wants to speak with you.” Her trembling hands reach out and take the phone from me. Tears are falling from her eyes.
“Garrett?” Her voice is fragile. Her head begins shaking back and forth. She’s trying to reject what he’s telling her.
“I got her.” Connor and Bradley back up and Nash moves to her side.
I’m not sure how much Garrett is sharing but when a sob shakes her body and she drops her head I know he may have told her more than me. Whatever Garrett is saying has her silently nodding in understanding now. She tells him she loves him and then hands me the phone back. Before the phone is at my ear, Nash moves in quick and pulls Raleigh into him and holds her tight, no hesitation this time. Hans is at her feet whimpering so Connor leans down and tries to sooth him.
“Garrett?” I rush outside and close the door. “What happened? What aren’t you t
elling me?”
“Listen, I didn’t tell her everything and I don’t want her to know, ever. Bella, I don’t want you to know.”
“Garrett.” My tone holds concerned warning. He can’t go through this alone. I know he has the men, but I’m the one he’ll need most. My dad told me I need to be strong. He’d need me to lean on.
“Baby, when we got there, he was hanging.” I can’t help the cry that is torn from my body. “I know. God.” Garrett growls. “Your dad took shots. The bullets tore through the rope and he fell to the ground. When we got to him he wasn’t breathing. Jesse and I gave him CPR and got him back. We rushed him to the hospital and they stabilized him.”
I walk numbly to the back porch steps and sit down.
“What else?” I know that’s not everything.
Garrett lets out a shuddering sigh before murmuring, his voice thick with tears, “They whipped him.”
“Garrett, honey, I’m so sorry.” I can’t stop the tears falling from my eyes for my man. For him having to see that. “Did anyone get caught?”
“No. We just wanted to get Dad out of there. Doesn’t mean I didn’t recognize a few of those bastards.” he growls. Revenge is in his soul now. “And one bitch.” he seethes.
“A woman?” I ask, shocked.
“My mother.”
“Your mother?” I gasp.
What kind of woman does that to her husband? Her son? Her daughter? When Raleigh finds out, Garrett won’t be the only one with revenge in their soul.
After Garrett and I hang up, I walk back into the living room. Everyone is quiet and sitting around the table. All their eyes are on the parlor. I closer I get to it the more I can hear soft whimpering and I peek in.
Salvation At Sunset (A McGinty's Of San Antonio Series Novel Book 5) Page 16