by J. A. Dennam
Her fingers lightly touched the bandage on his chest. His eyes came open. They were glassy, bloodshot... and they were the most beautiful pair of eyes she’d ever seen.
“Wow,” she whispered. “I’m just beginning to believe all this is real.”
The bed creaked as he rolled, groaned in pain, brought his arms up and carefully stretched. He peeked at the toddler who’d just uncoiled to gaze up at him in wide-eyed wonderment.
“How long has he been here?” Derek asked groggily, bestowing his son with a small smile.
“A few minutes. You slept like the de--” Melanie felt the blush creep into her cheeks. And then she grinned. “You slept like you were free.”
“Wow.” His attention remained on his son. DJ crawled toward him until they were nose-to-nose, giving him a close inspection. Derek took the little hand that felt his whiskers and planted a kiss on it. “I never sleep that soundly.”
“He’s been talking since he woke up,” she explained.
DJ grasped his father’s finger and promptly drew it to his mouth. Derek didn’t seem to mind the slobber, but winced when the boy’s teeth sank into his skin. “Ow, you little mouth breather.”
Melanie laughed. “You learn not to let things get that far,” she said happily, rising to sit cross-legged in case DJ needed reeling in.
Derek wiped his hand on the quilt, inspected the new wound. It was by far the least threatening he’d acquired since the day before, but he babied it as if it were an amputation. “I know,” he said. “I’ve been through the gamut a few times with the nieces and nephews, but it’s like I’ve forgotten everything.”
The spoken thought came with a look of frustration. But when he looked at his son, there was definitely love there. It was unmistakable. DJ felt it, resisted Melanie’s attempts to cage him in and continued to inspect his father with unbridled curiosity. He pointed a pudgy finger at Derek’s wounds.
“Boo-boo?”
It was a universal word learned early in life. And yet another connection was made as DJ showed off the little cut beside his diaper. “Boo-boo. Ouch.”
Melanie frowned while Derek struggled not to smile. It still hurt that her child’s body had been messed with that way.
Derek recognized her look and sobered. “I shouldn’t laugh,” he said in his defense, “but his words are so... juicy.”
Then, Melanie did laugh. “He’s teething. Slobber comes with the territory.”
As DJ continued to acquaint himself with the new man in his life, Derek gazed at her over the boy’s head. “I guess making love is out of the question.”
She gave a helpless shrug. “Welcome to parenthood.”
Derek lifted DJ’s chin with a finger. “We’re gonna have to have ourselves a talk, Junior.”
Melanie’s answering snort shook the bed.
When the humor died down, he nodded toward something behind her. “Hey. See that wooden box on the dresser?”
Though she looked over her shoulder, she knew the box he meant. She knew everything about this room. “Mm-hmm.”
“Can you bring it to me, please?”
“Hmmm, so polite.” She leaned over and gave him a light peck on the mouth before getting up.
When she came back with the box, he was propped up and waiting with a hand out. He set it down, lifted the lid and poked through the selection of coins and jewelry while DJ helped. “Yep. Still here.”
Melanie peered over the lid. “What?”
Between his fingers was a quaint diamond ring; Victorian style with three stones set in a delicate band of white gold. Her heart lodged in her throat.
“This was my Grandma Bennett’s,” he explained, holding it up as DJ made a grab for it. “She died when I was the only bachelor left.” He grinned impishly. “Out of the nine of us, she favored me anyway.”
When she gave a watery laugh, he continued. “She wanted me to give it to my future bride. You know what I said to that?”
Melanie shook her head no. “But I can guess.”
“And you’d probably be right. I actually planned to give it to one of my nephews.” Derek held her gaze. “They’ll just have to get their own. That is... if you’ll accept it. Be my wife.”
The jewels projected tiny beacons of light against the room’s blue walls. She brought trembling hands up to her mouth and nodded. When she was able, she said, “There’s nothing I want more. I love you, Derek.”
Their lips came together in an emotional kiss. But DJ was having none of that and made a failed attempt to break them apart.
“He’s gonna have to learn to share you,” Derek murmured against her mouth.
She nodded in agreement as he slipped the ring on her finger. They kissed again, but this time welcomed their son into their circle of affection. It was a moment Melanie wouldn’t soon forget... one she thought would never come.
Once she was able to get her emotions under control, she rose up, regarded her men with love in her eyes. “Hungry?”
The mention of food steered the mood in an entirely different direction. Derek closed his eyes with apparent relief. “Starving.”
As soon as DJ was locked safely in his highchair, Derek gingerly sat beside him at the small table in the kitchen. “I want to feed him,” he said bravely.
Melanie raised a brow over her shoulder as she contemplated the contents of the open refrigerator. “Pace yourself, there, pilgrim. Breakfast or lunch?”
“What time is it?”
“Past lunchtime, but I’m good with eggs any time of day.” In fact, the clock showed it was past one. They’d slept the whole morning away.
DJ tackled his bowl of scrambled eggs with vigor. Derek attempted to use the plastic fork the way it was intended. Every time he tried, eggs would fly and she once caught him trying to implement the five-second rule. Her look scolded and the dirty egg was cleverly tossed into a napkin as if he’d intended it to go there.
Melanie enjoyed the show, forgetting all of their troubles as she made her way around the Bennett kitchen with familiarity. Music played from the radio on the window ledge. Bacon sizzled. The toaster popped. Juice was poured into tall glasses. Derek was finally showered and dressed in his normal old clothes. While his fresh bandages were hidden beneath a Lenny Kravitz concert t-shirt, she could almost believe they were a normal family, leading a normal life. Just the three of them.
That is, until the look seeped into his countenance. It started subtly with just a light sheen of moisture on his brow as he re-familiarized himself with the hundreds of photographs in the family room. Then he began to fidget a bit, not enough to raise alarm bells, but enough for Melanie to notice. She looked at the clock. It was nearing twenty-four and a half hours since his last dose. How long would he go before caving this time?
Without a word, Melanie dug through the black duffel bag in the laundry room and produced a bottle. She shook a pill into her palm, replaced the cap. When she turned to head back to the kitchen, he was there, blocking her path.
“Holy shhhh...” With a fist to her heart, Melanie scowled. “Can you please not do that?”
His look was apologetic. “I just didn’t want to take it in front of my son.”
Her heart instantly melted. She firmed her mouth and held out her hand. He took the pill, looked past her at the bottle jutting from the duffle bag and she knew exactly what passed through his mind.
Yes, you are finally in control.
With the pill under his tongue, Derek filled a glass from the tap and downed the contents. He stood at the sink, staring out the window for so long, Melanie joined him with DJ in her arms.
“Some day, Mel,” he said, setting the empty glass carefully on the counter. “We’ll have our own.”
Her brow furrowed and she followed his determined gaze. There in the back yard was a white birdhouse perched on a tall pole. Purple Martins flitted in and out of the sectioned rooms, chatting noisily, playing, squabbling, engaging in mid-flight dogfights that only ended when the weakest sur
rendered.
DJ pointed out the window. “Budees!” he said loudly.
Melanie rested her cheek against Derek’s shoulder and found a new appreciation for something she’d always taken for granted. “And in the mornings, you’ll walk out on the porch with your coffee...” she remembered.
His arm came around her shoulders. “I had more than enough saved up to build a house.”
She nodded. “It’s still there. It’s in a trust for DJ, but you can regain control of it any time.”
His mouth opened to respond, then snapped shut again. He straightened, closed his eyes. “Someone’s coming,” he murmured.
And with those words, tension was restored.
Chapter 32
Derek gingerly lowered himself to a shop stool. As his body healed - the process made quicker by the drug in his system - the pain was much worse than it had been the day before. But he was so happy to be alive, he accepted it with a positive attitude... something that had almost become foreign to him.
Austin entered the garage and made a face. “I’m trying to figure out if that grimace is for the hole in your chest or for the car.”
Derek pushed out a laugh. “Both,” he admitted. “I still can’t believe you found her.”
The Challenger was a wreck; pulled freshly from the creek bed he’d inadvertently backed it into. The rear end was crushed from multiple impacts, same as the front passenger side. All the glass was cracked or blown out. Headlights were busted, the paint trashed, not a straight panel left, and the full-length taillight was no more.
Derek reached out, pulled a soybean sprig from the emblem on the grill. At least that still remained.
Luckily, Austin and Danny were able to smuggle it off of IGP grounds before someone else discovered it. They’d winched it onto a flatbed trailer and brought it back to the Bennett homestead. He still wasn’t sure this was the best place for it, but he still wasn’t convinced he should tell his parents he was alive. Yet.
Austin completed a full circle around the car, pulled up his own rolling stool and settled down beside him with a strong look of doubt. “I think we can fix that.”
We. The prospect sounded good to Derek. He stared at his hands. “You saved my life, Cahill,” he muttered. It was something he’d thought a lot about since the explosion that took out IGP’s basement.
“You saved mine under less friendly circumstances,” Austin reminded with a shrug.
And, two years ago, when Derek had heard Austin’s life was at stake, there was no thought as to whether or not he’d aid in the rescue efforts. It was a given. They’d come of age as best friends and spent twice the amount of years as enemies... because of what? The feud between their families? A girl? Hormones? The reasons had become a blur.
Derek shifted on his stool. “What were we doing, man?”
After a short silence... “Following the pattern of the feud, I guess.”
DJ pounded on the Challenger’s driver’s side door until Melanie opened it for him. Derek watched as she slid behind the wheel and balanced the toddler on her lap. Danny joined them in the passenger seat.
“I’ve thought a lot over the last two years,” Derek lamented as he watched his son lord over the steering wheel. “About how my old problems paled in comparison to the new ones. Had time to sort out my priorities.” He held out his hand and Austin clasped it. “Something I wanted to do in the hospital a long time ago but couldn’t. Big priority.”
Austin’s eyes crinkled with humor. “I do recall you managed to flip me off.”
Jeez, he’d almost forgotten about that. “You and Nurse Man Hands.”
When the handshake ended, Austin stretched out his long legs. “Oh yeah, Nurse Man Hands. She was pretty broken up when you died.”
Derek barked out a laugh. “Only because she missed her chance to stick that thermometer up my ass.”
Austin’s mouth twitched. “There was that.” Then he sobered a little as he gazed at his wife through the windshield. “It’s funny, isn’t it? For generations, the Bennetts and Cahills have lived as enemies. Now, with this new one coming, they’ll be cousins. Family.”
“What are you talking about?” Derek asked, frowning when a burst of excitement erupted from inside the car.
“I knew you weren’t a fainter!” Melanie squealed, throwing her arms around Danny.
When Derek put two-and-two together, he straightened with a look of utter shock. “No way...” but the proof was all over Austin’s face. “Did you knock up my sister, Cahill?”
Austin’s grin was big. “I did. Little white stick showed a plus sign this morning.”
* * *
And then it was the boys’ turn. Melanie and Danny watched from the Challenger’s front seat as their men laughed together. Derek delivered a good-natured whack to Austin’s chest, which he apparently suffered for.
“It’s gonna take a few reminders like that before he realizes he needs to take it easy,” Danny commented with a tsk.
“Really,” Melanie retorted cheekily. “And you’ll be the picture of restraint.” They giggled, knowing full well how impossible it was for any Bennett to put their feet up for long. “You’ll give your husband cramps chasing after you.”
They settled into a warm silence as Melanie processed the fact she was about to become an aunt. Danny gazed at Austin, her face glowing with intense love.
“He helped Derek find this car,” she said, her eyes glassing over. “But he missed out on the restoration. They were enemies by then. It’s something he always regretted.”
Melanie cupped DJ’s diapered butt to keep him balanced on her lap. “Looks like he gets a second chance.” Then she looked at her new engagement ring. “Guess we all do.”
Danny noticed the ring for the first time. With a gasp, she clutched the dashboard. “No way! He asked you?”
“I guess hell finally froze over,” Melanie answered with a cockeyed smile.
Instead of engaging in another round of excitement, Danny’s face softened. She reached up, moved Melanie’s bangs with an air of adoration. “IGP was his hell. You saved him, Melanie.”
As she processed the thought, Melanie leaned back against the headrest. “I don’t know about that.”
“You’re the reason he defected. His motivation, whether it came from the memories or Rafferty’s threats.”
And the threats were still very real. Melanie chewed her bottom lip. “He’s afraid they’ll come after us.”
“Me, too,” Danny agreed without hesitation. “We have to get who’s left before IGP regroups.”
“And we still have to figure out Lesico.”
A heavy sigh. “Crystal’s laptop is broken. Austin dropped it when that ghost ambushed them on their way out of the basement last night, but I think we can still gather information from it. It’ll just take a little time.”
“If Ty is right about Crystal,” Melanie speculated, “maybe she’ll tell us what’s on it.”
Danny frowned, stretched her arm over the seat. “Mac says she’s experiencing some pretty heavy withdrawals. He doesn’t like where it’s going.” When Melanie rolled her eyes, Danny gave a sympathetic shrug. “You know him. He’s too much of a nurturer. He can’t watch a woman suffer even if she is the enemy. I should know. I was Crystal at one point and he was the reason I survived those first few days at Cahill Salvage.”
Melanie knew all about it. Knew Mac’s nurturing side better than anyone. “We need Crystal to suffer,” she said. “Mac knows that. Derek thinks it will help bring her around.”
But the thought of their captive’s torment brought on a whole new possibility. Her face brightened a notch. “Our three prisoners are withdrawing in your basement. We have most of IGP’s supply of Nexifen... Can we hope all the ghosts will go into withdrawal and die?”
After some thought, Danny said, “Only if their drug supply is dried up at the source. Quickly. Before the cure is developed.”
____________
“I want to go.”
Melanie pulled up her shorts and buttoned them beneath the mini skirt she wore before discarding it with haste. Now that she’d gotten the information they needed from their two male prisoners, the sweet little confection from her party days was something destined for the trashcan. “You can’t. You were shot yesterday.”
Derek scowled “I know who she is. I can identify her.”
But everyone ignored him as they sat in the commons room of Cahill Salvage and discussed their plans to infiltrate Lesico’s main facility. Derek knew that’s where IGP would relocate until their building was repaired, but, thanks to River and his bout with Hard Ball, they were armed with a little more useful information.
Danny took a bite of apple and winked from her place at the table. “I told you the skirt would work.”
Melanie simpered, shook the heebie-jeebies from her limbs. “Just being near him and Rafferty makes me want to shower again, but show a little leg and he sings like a canary. The kid has no stamina.”
“I’m sure the cleavage helped, too,” Danny added with a shrug.
Austin elbowed his wife and effectively shut her up. Their group of six, including DJ, occupied a small section of tables that normally bore the weight of Austin’s many employees during morning toolbox meetings. It was a large room-slash-cafeteria, but Derek’s angry presence made it much smaller.
“Oh, come on, Derek,” Danny laughed. “Mac was with her the whole time, she wasn’t in any danger.”
For some reason, that didn’t seem to help. Melanie watched as Derek’s scowl darkened and turned on her roommate, who bounced little DJ on his knee at that very moment.
She took a seat on the bench beside him. “You have to admit, it worked.”
Derek swiped his face with his hands. “Doesn’t mean I like it any better.”
“We know that the drug courier who delivers Nexifen to IGP has the hots for Lana. Isn’t she the one who helped you with that injection yesterday?” At Derek’s nod, she said, “Then she’ll help us identify him so we can follow him to this basement chemist who makes it.”