Brought to His Knees-Tough Guys Laid Low By Love
Page 81
Her head lazily turned to him while still resting against the back of the seat. “No, and you know what?”
He grinned at her skeptical tone. “What?” He teased.
She raised one eyebrow. “I think that little bastard of a brother of mine, and everyone else, is up to something.”
He shook his head. Hart and Wes knew Bowie would beat their asses senseless for pulling a stunt like that. “Naw, Wes and Hart would do a lot, maybe even attempt something like this, but they’d never pull it off.”
She glared. Flames could have shot from her eyes. “But with Laney’s help they could. She normally calls me back in minutes. She hasn’t texted or anything and now isn’t picking up the phone. This is bullshit, they’ve done something.”
Her voice had changed to exude pure determination. She would get to the bottom of the problem without a doubt. He truly didn’t believe his brother or hers would put her through the kind of pain she’d gone through since learning of his disappearance. Wes and Hart were jackasses who loved to meddle in others people’s business, but not to the point of hurting someone. Plus, the first thing he’d done was checked out all the information Hart had given him. Everything checked out, no one had seen or heard from Wes. His cell phone hadn’t been used, and the last place it had pinged from was near Hamilton.
Maybe Mavis was grasping, hoping her brother wasn’t really in trouble. “Babe, I know you’re upset, but I’m damn good at my job. The first thing I did was checked out his phone.” He reached over, grasping her hand and squeezing.
She squeezed back, turning to look out the window. “I know, but I can feel it. Something is off.”
He’d lived his life by instinct. So had she. He didn’t feel anything off, but he had learned to go by facts along with instinct. Mavis relied on her instincts each day, and so far they’d banked her millions. Listening to her was worth it.
“Alright, tell me. I trust your instincts, but don’t get pissed when I add the facts I know to your suspicions.”
Her chest rumbled with a small laugh. “I’d never go and get pissed.” She pressed her hand against her chest in mock hurt.
Laughter filled the cab. Both knew it was a damned lie. Mavis had a temper and never held it back. That was one reason her dad had been such a bastard to her. He’d wanted a meek, calm, obedient child. Bowie had seen her try to be that child, yet it’d never worked out.
“It just bothers me that when I first called Laney to get her to start digging, she didn’t ask her normal five thousand questions. She asked simple, almost irrelevant questions. I didn’t think much about it until now though.”
That was unlike Laney. In high school she’d been voted most likely to be placed on the FBI watch list for hacking and nosing around. He’d thought she’d make it to her forties before being on the list. She’d made it to twenty–one.
“I don’t have an explanation for that one. I did try and contact Laney to see if she’d gotten in touch with you to make sure you knew what was going on.”
Her gaze snapped to his. “She didn’t answer you?” Suspicion and rage rang in her voice.
“No. But she hates Corrine with a passion and since she’d seen me with her the weekend before I figure she’s pissed with me. She always gets mad when she sees me with someone, always mutters something about chicken shits.” He laughed.
Mavis however was not laughing. Her face had turned a shade of red he’d never really seen before. “That bitch.” She shot up in the seat, slamming her hands down onto her thighs. “I’m going to kill her. I’m going to kill all of them when we get back.”
“Killing is a crime. I’m sure you can figure something else to do to make them miserable, assuming you’re right about whatever you’re thinking.” He sent a silent prayer up that she wasn’t just holding onto a wish, that Wes really was alive and safe somewhere. It’d kill him to see her devastated by grief.
His hand tugged on hers, gaining her attention. He met her eyes, “Tell me what you’re thinking.” His voice was soft, hoping to calm her down long enough to get to the bottom of whatever was going on in her mind.
She narrowed her eyes. “Still not a shrink.” She snatched her hand away, leaving the connection he yearned for empty.
She folded her arms across her front. She reminded him of a child about to throw a tantrum. “About a month ago,” She paused, her voice low and uneasy. “I told Wes about this guy I’d been seeing on and off for a while.” She didn’t meet his eyes.
His gut clenched. He’d known there’d been other men, yet hearing her tell him sent a blazing fury of jealousy and anger through him. He fought back the anger; he had no right to be mad, yet he couldn’t stop the rage boiling inside.
She cleared her throat. “Umm, well Aaron wanted to get serious. He’d even asked me to marry him.” Her words were rushed, as if she was expecting him to explode any second. Smart girl. “I told Wes about it, he hung up on me. But right before he did, all he said was ’not going to happen’. It pissed me off. I mean it’s my freaking life; I can do whatever I want. Then the next thing I know Hart calls, to tell me my brother is missing.”
His hands tightened around the steering wheel as he fought back the urge to demand to know if she was going to marry the fucker. “Okay?”
“I think they planned something. You know our brothers are good at meddling and if they convinced Laney to help then we’ve been set up.”
Confusion clouded his mind. “Why? What would they set this up for?”
She scoffed. “Are you serious?” Her tone edged on disbelief. “Those three have tried to convince me to come home for years. And don’t tell me they haven’t tried something with you. They’ve always tried to push us back together.”
It was true. They had tried on more than one occasion to convince him to go to Houston and find Mavis. They didn’t understand the pain of finding and losing her.
“I think they’re leading us to Hamilton because they know it’s an overnight ride and that I would remember the place with my mom. I bet a million dollars when we find that cabin my brother is there with some sort of sly explanation.”
He’d better hope not. If Wes, Hart, and Laney had put Mavis through pure hell for some game he didn’t know what he’d do when he saw them. “Maybe, but why now?”
Her palm lightly stroked his leg. “Because of Aaron. They think I might actually marry him. I’m not marrying him.”
Relief swept over him. “So you’re not involved with this guy anymore?”
She bit her bottom lip. “Technically we’re still dating. I haven’t seen him in months though.”
His brain tried to convince his heart he had no right to be angry. Hell he’d been with a good deal of women since Mavis left. Only a few more than once, but still he’d dated.
He sighed. “It’s not my business. Ignore me.” He waved it off, trying to smile.
“Jeez, don’t do that again. You look like you’re constipated.”
“Funny.” His nonchalant tone attempted to hide the jealousy raging in him.
“Hey,” She squeezed his leg harder this time. Her searching eyes bore into his. “Aaron could never have been anything more than occasional sex and a little company.”
Bowie grasped her hand in his, lifting it to his mouth. “Really, it’s okay. I’m just a little on edge.”
She nodded. “I’ve been thinking. I own the old Grayson place, which I could easily put a landing strip on.”
His heart beat faster. She couldn’t be thinking of staying? “Don’t tease me Mavis. After all these years apart it’s already killing me inside to think you’re going to leave me again.” He hated the weakness in his voice.
Mavis’s heart soared. For so long she’d held onto all the hate, anger, and fear she’d had as a child. From the moment her eyes landed on Bowie in his office she’d known deep down she couldn’t walk away this time.
“The night I tried to kill myself I swore I’d get back at my dad for destroying your life and our c
hild. When I woke up back at the ranch, tied down in that damn bed like a fucking animal, I knew I’d do whatever it took to ruin him, to destroy him, even if that meant walking away from everything I loved.”
The bitter taste of pure hate soured in her mouth.
“I had to leave then. I wasn’t strong enough to stay there at the ranch, letting him think he’d won. He might have controlled everything mom did until she killed herself, but he couldn’t control me. I hated him, still do. I’d have sold my soul to get out of that house.”
She swallowed hard, hating the bitterness she still held on to. “I don’t think anyone can understand how bad I yearned to destroy him. Seeing you, seeing what he’d done to you and knowing how much you must have hated me would have destroyed any emotions I had left. I needed to make sure you weren’t caught in the crossfire again. Had I stayed, he’d have used you to punish me.”
A tear slipped down her face. She swiped at the wetness, hating herself for letting her father still get to her.
His palm cupped her chin, forcing her to look at him. Love shined bright in his eyes. Only Bowie could love someone as broken as her.
“You deserve better than what I’ve done to you, what my father did to you.” She tried to jerk her head away.
“No.” He eased the Tahoe to a stop, framing her face with both hands. “You deserved a man who fought for his child, fought to save the woman he loved. If I’d been stronger I could have saved you both.”
Tears poured down her face. It’d been so long since she’d let herself cry about the loss of their child. Even though she’d only been three months along, she’d loved the baby deeply. She trembled, trying desperately to hold back the sobs she knew were coming.
“No. You were just a kid. I knew better than to tell you at the house. Hell, I don’t even know why I asked you to meet me there anyway. I should have waited, should have told you at your house. It was all my fault. I destroyed us all.” The dam holding her tears back busted.
“No.” His deep voice was hoarse with emotion.
Her vision blurred as tear after tear flooded her eyes. Hot streams rolled down her face. “Yes. I did that. Don’t even try to deny how I destroyed your life that night. Had I just waited. I knew the chances of him hearing, I knew how he was, but I ignored all of it because I was stupid.”
“No, don’t go there.” His hands grasped her shoulders, turning her to face him. “I knew he was there. Pride made me want to show off, to show him I wasn’t scared of the bastard. I’d walked right past the house toward the barn.”
She leaned into his touch. Her heart ached with loss.
His lips pressed to her forehead. “College was overrated anyway. I love being the sheriff, protecting those who can’t protect themselves. If I’d gone off to college, had never seen evil first hand, I might not be the man I am today.”
“But we’d have stayed together. Our baby would be nine now.” Her voice cracked.
“How do you know?” His reasonable voice caressed her raw nerves. “Babe, if I’ve learned anything over the years, its things really do happen for a reason.” He met her eyes. “Yes, I’m still devastated about losing you and the baby that night, but God, you’re such a strong beautiful woman.”
She cupped his jaw in her hands, crashing her lips down on his. She didn’t want to think about the past anymore. For years she’d lived every day believing the one man she loved more than life itself hated her.
He drew back, his strong hands stroking the back of her head. “The past belongs in the past. We can’t live with one foot in the here and now and one back then.”
“Easier said than done.” She buried her head into his shoulder.
His head rested on top of hers. “I’ve loved you since we were kids, and always will. I need you to be with me here, right now, and start over.”
Could she? Letting the past stay there had never been a strong point for her. She tended to dwell. But for a chance to have Bowie she’d try her damnedest to do whatever it took. “Start over?” She wasn’t sure about starting over. Picking up where they’d left off all those years ago seemed better. “Like dating again?”
A laugh rumbled from his chest. “Yeah, we’re not kids anymore. Our dreams aren’t the same. I want to do this right, make it last.”
She wasn’t sure she wanted to start over. She yearned to be there with him, going to bed beside him and waking up to him each morning.
“Unless you wanna just go ahead and get married?”
Panic welled within her. “No.” Her answer came so fast it shocked her. Damn, he was right. They needed time and patience to get to that point.
“I’m wounded. I can’t believe you don’t want to marry me.” He mocked, laughing slightly.
She drew back, staring up into his gorgeous blue eyes. “Oh I do. I want everything and more, but you’re right. For now, we date.”
He ran a thumb across her bottom lip. “When we get back we can head over to the Grayson place and have a picnic by the creek.”
She nodded, leaning forward to graze her lips across his. Her mouth trailed to his ear where she nipped, licked and then whispered, “My heart aches and swells for you, I have always loved you and will face my last breath loving you.”
He turned his head, smiling brightly at her. He’d once written those words in a poem she wasn’t supposed to find.
He captured her mouth with his, filling her body with hope and love. For several long seconds they explored with kisses and caresses. Her heart filled with joy and happiness. No longer would she live with regret or apprehension. He loved her and she him. No one would try to ruin them again. Now it was up to Mavis and Bowie to make their love work and thrive.
He pulled back, his bright blue eyes shining with a hint of mischief. “I knew you’d read that damn poem.” She’d pretended she hadn’t, but the truth was she’d memorized each word. “You owe me.” His face tinted red.
It amazed her that the man could write such beautiful poetry yet be completely embarrassed about it. “I have given you my heart, will you give yours?” She gave a small laugh at the distraught look on his face. He absolutely hated for anyone to read his poems. She loved it. “I did a long time ago and it will always be yours. On one condition.” She attempted to bat her eyes at him, causing him to shake his head. “You let me read the rest of the poetry you’ve written.”
“Ha.” He shook his head. “Not going to happen. I can barely stand that you got your sneaky hands on that one.”
“We’ll see.” She promised. “We’ll see.”
He nodded, leaving one last kiss on her lips before pulling the Tahoe back onto the road toward Millersville. “So we shall.” He winked, making her heart soar.
Chapter Six
The Texas landscape changed from dusty open spaces to tree filled lush forests. They were getting close to Hamilton. Not many people realized how parts of Texas were fertile and green with lakes that went on forever. Hamilton had several large lakes, even one that hosted a few national fishing tournaments.
Her eyes roamed the roadway, searching desperately for any sign of familiarity. There were no other places within six hours of Tanem that had any lakes with cabins.
“Maybe it’s a private lake.” She scratched her head, trying to pull the string of the memory that was just out of reach.
“I thought about that too. While you nodded off I called a friend who has better access than I do. He told me of two properties to check out. One is titled to a white male, thirty years old named Justin Brockton. The property includes a two bedroom cabin sitting on twenty acres with a three acre lake.”
She shrugged. “Doesn’t ring a bell but it’s worth a shot anyway. Who knows if my brother even owns one?”
“The second one is a little closer to us, it’s about twenty miles from here.”
Mavis sighed, she was damn tired emotionally and physically. While she was ecstatic over starting fresh with Bowie, she wanted to find her brother. She’d kill him later
if he was just pulling a meddling stunt, but all she truly wanted to do was hug him. Even though she should be pissed beyond belief, she knew if not for coming back to Tanem, Bowie and her wouldn’t have started to work things out. No, she’d be off brooding in loneliness and bitter regrets.
“I’m going to call Laney again. If she doesn’t answer, I think leaving a voicemail letting her know we’re onto them will set her off.” Her best friend would take the bait if they were up to something. Laney had never been able to hide her curiosity.
She snatched her phone from the laptop bag she carried. No missed calls, no texts. Something was up, Laney never left her hanging, but she did have a big mouth. The phone rang twice before Laney’s sassy voice came through the line.
“Laney, no bullshit, do you know where my brother is?” She didn’t wait for Laney to say hello.
“Nice to hear from you too, chica.” Laney’s drawl grated on Mavis’s nerves. “So I take it you haven’t found your slutty brother.” Her flippant tone caused Mavis to grip the phone tighter, almost cracking it.
“Laney…” Mavis lowered her tone, warning her friend. “Stop stalling. Answer my question.”
Laney tsked into the phone. “Touchy, touchy. How’s Bowie? Any action?”
“Laney!” She screamed into the phone, completely fed up with her friend.
“Jeez, calm down. You’re being a bitch.” The rustling of paper flowed through the phone. “I think I’ve got something.”
“Tell me the address.” Mavis grabbed her pen and tablet.
“First tell me how things are going.” Mavis grimaced. She could see her friend, bright blue eyes filled with curiosity and ready for the gossip.
Mavis sighed. She knew Laney too well, if she didn’t give her a taste of gossip Laney would shut down, especially if she was in cahoots with Wes. “Things are going.”
“Going good or going had a wild night of forget every other man in this world sex?”
A small laugh escaped Mavis. Laney was one of few people who could make her laugh even when she wanted to strangle her. “The second one.”