by Carina Adams
“Nothin’ you need to worry about.”
In other words, they’d hurt him, any way they could. I hated the Bean Nighe more than I’d ever hated anything. I despised the fact that my brother and Rob were caught up in the club and its bullshit. Most of all, I detested the fact that neither of us had any other option.
This was my fault. I’d caused this because I’d gotten nervous and hadn’t waited in the parking lot for Tank. Rob shouldn’t be held accountable for my mistake, yet they were going to make sure he was.
“I can’t go this weekend.” I told him. “I need more time. I have classes I can’t miss.”
He twisted his lips. “How much longer?”
“Three more weeks.”
“Someone will bring you up and then drive you back so you can finish school,” he answered automatically, as if he’d already planned on me arguing that point.
“I’m not commuting back and forth to Boston!” I snapped. “You can wait three weeks.”
“You have until Saturday,” he bit back.
“You have most of your finals finished already,” Katie interjected softly.
“Not all of them,” I grumbled. She knew damn well that my essays and projects were done. Just like hers were. All I had left was the presentation of my final project in econ.
“Okay, most of them.” Katie offered me a half-smile. “I’m sure if you talked to your professors and—,”
“And tell them what?” I interrupted. “Look at my face, Katie! It’s bad enough that I have to walk into class looking like I went ten rounds with Mike Tyson. So now I’m supposed to tell our teachers that I’m moving with only a few classes left, without any real explanation, and just hope I don’t fail their classes and destroy my GPA?”
Katie nodded. “Yes. You go to each of them, tell them that you’re dealing with something horrible right now and that you need to get away. Ask what they need from you. They love you. Once they see that shiner, not one of them will refuse to work with you.”
I hated using my humiliating experience as an excuse. Katie was right, though. I was a star student. They’d make exceptions for me.
“If they say no, we’ll go to plan B.” Rob leaned forward, bracing his forearms on the table’s edge. “And someone will drive you up for classes each day.”
“You need to go,” Katie urged, not realizing I’d already made up my mind. “If you two are right, and he is coming for you, then you shouldn’t stay here. It’s better to have Rob and the boys around. No one in their right mind would mess with those guys.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that wasn’t true. Our brothers may have been larger than life in our eyes, but there was always a bigger fish in the pond. I had a feeling they’d met their match with the Bean Nighe.
“I’m worried about you. I don’t want to leave you.”
“I’ll be okay. Just think, you’ll get to be with Matty. And, by the sounds of it, you’ll be keeping my brother out of trouble. So, it’s really a win-win.”
“Fine” I acquiesced. The fear in the pit of my stomach was too much to ignore. “But only if you move with me.”
Kate smiled sadly. “Someone needs to stay here. I’m all signed up for the tutoring program. I promised Ms. Beal that I’d help her. The summer will be over before you know it, and then you’ll be back. I promise it’ll go fast.”
She was kicking me out. I couldn’t believe it. I’d made the bed, but I was hoping that she wouldn’t let me lie in it alone.
“Plus,” she added softly, as if trying to soften the blow, “there’s no room for me to live there with you all.”
I’d never even thought about it. I’d been so caught up in the idea that the details had never crossed my mind. I jerked my attention back to Rob.
“Where in the hell am I going to sleep? You can’t expect me to crash with my brother.”
For a brief moment, he looked nervous, a deer caught in the headlights, completely out of character for him. I wondered what could’ve caused that kind of reaction. Then it clicked; he didn’t have a clue where he was going to put me. Obviously, he’d thought the plan through really well. Jackass.
Rob cleared his throat. “We’re actually going to have our own place.”
“You, me, and Matty?” I clarified.
A slight shake of his head made my heart sink. “You and me.”
“Oh, hell, no.” The words slipped out before I could gauge my response. “Not happening.”
It had been bad enough when I’d assumed he’d wanted me to move into the house he shared with his friends. Living alone with him? We’d kill each other.
“I’ll move. God knows why he wants me there, but I agreed to do it. I’ll even try to get out of my classes to make it easier for everyone. But there is a line. I am not staying with you alone.”
Rob’s eyes narrowed. “Did I say you had a choice, brat?”
“I’m sorry,” I snarled. “I missed the part where you became my boss and had ultimate control over everything I do.”
“You didn’t miss anything,” he barked back. “You were right there. I claimed you.”
“There’s that word again. Claimed!” I spit it at him. “You throw it around like it’s supposed to signify something. It doesn’t mean shit to me!”
He ground his teeth. “It means you’re mine. And when I tell you to fucking do something, you do it.”
I let out an absurd laugh, shaking my head. “This is America, asshole. The nineteenth amendment was passed in 1920. I have all the same rights you do. I don’t belong to anyone! You can waste your breath all you want, but I’m not going to do a damn thing you tell me to do. So, shove your bullshit delusions up your ass, you dick.”
“Tell yourself whatever you need to.” He stood, towering over me. “But on Saturday morning, your shit better be packed because you’re moving to Boston whether you’re ready or not.”
He slid around the table and pressed a kiss to his sister’s temple before he stomped across the kitchen like a child who hadn’t gotten his own way, slamming the door behind him.
“At least send your guard dog in for coffee! Or are you too selfish to do that?” I screamed, knowing he could hear me in the stairwell. There was something about him that made me need the last word.
Katie started to laugh before I’d even had a chance to process what had been said. “Oh, God.” She shook her head, as she grabbed both our mugs and strode for the coffee pot. “You two are going to torment each other.”
“This isn’t funny. Your brother is a self-entitled jerk. I hate him.”
“No, you don’t.” She laughed harder, her shoulders shaking. “Here, drink.” She slid a full cup into my hands and dropped a pad of paper and pen onto the table in front of her. “You’re going to need it.”
I eyed the paper. “What are you doing?”
“Making a list.”
Unease filled me. I almost didn’t want to ask. “A list?”
“You’re right.” She pursed her lips and nodded. “We need two. One for things we have to do, one for things you need to pack.”
“I’m not going with him.”
“Yes, you are.” She clicked her pen twice before she looked at me. “We both know you’re not going to let him down. You can hate him all you want, but he’s the one who put his ass on the line to rescue yours. You’d never forget that.”
She was right. Dammit. I’d do whatever I had to for him, even though I’d abhor it—and him—every single moment.
“I really don’t want to leave you here alone.”
“I’m not the one who might have a stalker right now. My life is simple. And I like it that way. I don’t want the chaos and noise.”
A quiet knock on our door distracted me from my reply, and for a fleeting moment, I hoped that Rob had come back. I didn’t like arguing with him, even if he was an insufferable bastard, and didn’t want him driving all the way home pissed off at me.
I hurried to the door and glanced through th
e peephole, but found Mr. McDavitt instead. I ignored the disappointment I felt and greeted the older man with a smile that felt entirely forced.
“Good morning.”
Again, he tugged the ball cap from his head and offered a nod. “Mornin’.”
I motioned him toward the table. “Coffee?”
His lips turned in a small smile before he settled into a chair across from Kate. “Please. Black.”
I quickly filled him a cup and delivered it to the table as Katie asked him about his night. He’d barely stayed after Rob had left the day before, briefly explaining that he had the night shift and would be in his car if we needed him. After sliding a business card with his cell phone number across the counter, he’d hurried out. And even though we’d glanced out the window numerous times, we hadn’t seen him again all night.
“Thank you,” he offered after taking a long sip of the java. “You must be exhausted.”
He shook his head. “I’ve been working the night shift for thirty years. I have a hard time sleeping unless the sun is out.”
“You’re not stuck here with us all day, too, are you?” Katie’s concern was clear.
“I’m not stuck here at all, young lady. A friend asked me to help him, and I’m happy to do it. However, I’m going to get you both to class, and then my replacement will keep an eye on things until I come back later.”
“You’re going to the campus?” Worry tinged my friend’s voice. “I thought you were just keeping an eye on things here.”
Mr. McDavitt slid his eyes toward the door as if he was hoping to leave. “Rob didn’t tell you while he was here?”
I shook my head even though it was a rhetorical question.
“I’ll do overnights and mornings. I’ll arrive before you go to bed, do a quick sweep, and then be outside until morning. I’ll come check on you around this time, then take you to class. Joe, who you will meet today, will bring you home and be here throughout the afternoon and evening.”
I glanced at my best friend. “Katie and I aren’t in the same classes. They aren’t even at the same time.”
He didn’t blink. “Ms. Murphy, you will have eyes on you at all times. Ms. Doyle, while important and under protection, is not the priority.”
“That’s not overkill?” It sounded like too much to me. “It seems like a lot.”
“It’s not,” he assured me.
“I don’t know how much Rob told you,” I began slowly, ready to fill in the blanks. We didn’t even know where Dale was, or how big of a threat he posed, if one at all.
“I know the pertinent information. Details make my job easier. If there is something you think I should know about the threat, even if it’s small and seems insignificant, you should tell me.”
“That’s the thing.” I lifted a shoulder feeling like an idiot. He was probably used to dealing with deadly and dangerous situations. “There hasn’t been an actual threat. This is all because I got a notice that he’d been released from prison and freaked out.”
“I disagree. That letter is the threat.”
“I may be emotional and overreacting,” I argued.
“Intuition helps people stay alive. If your gut is telling you something, you should listen.” He scratched his cheek. “We can only do so much. If you see him, call me immediately.”
“It’s been years. I don’t know what he looks like anymore.” That was a lie. I’d never forget his face.
“The suspect’s most recent picture was forwarded to everyone I work with, along with all the information we might need. I can provide you with a copy if you would like.”
A chill ran over my spine. “No.” I didn’t want to see his picture. I’d just stopped seeing him in every crowd, only recently started sleeping through the night.
Katie pushed herself out of her chair, rescuing me from explaining why. “I’d better get ready. You, too, Cris. We’ll need to leave soon so the poor man can get some rest. We have a lot to do today.”
I’d planned on skipping the day because I hadn’t wanted anyone to see my bruises. I’d hoped to let the swelling go down a bit before I tried to apply cover-up. Yet, if it was my last week of classes, I didn’t want to miss a single second.
“You don’t remember me, do you?” Mr. McDavitt asked after Katie was out of earshot.
I searched his face, trying to figure out where the pang of familiarity came from. I couldn’t. I shook my head.
“It was a long time ago,” he mused. “My wife and I were at the baby shower.” He paused. “I also testified at your brother’s trial. Not that it helped him much.”
Matt’s trial had been a shit show. My brother’s lawyer had tried to focus on the fact that Matty only hurt Dale because Dale had been hurting me, while the prosecutor portrayed me as a Lolita and Matt as an explosive and violent danger to society. The specifics that my parents, and everyone in the courtroom, had been forced to hear would haunt me forever.
The memory crashed into me. “You’re the therapist.”
“Correctional therapist. I started as a guard when I was young but spent most of my time trying to steer my inmates toward a better path. I got a degree and made it official.”
“You claimed that sending Matty to jail would create a career criminal and ruin his life because unlike the others in Longcreek, there was nothing about him to rehabilitate.” I’d been so angry when he’d said that. Matt had so much to offer, so much to give. I’d assumed he’d do his time and get out, never to look back.
Instead, he’d joined a motorcycle club. I wondered how the old man felt about that, but I didn’t ask. He might not even know.
“Being locked away wasn’t what he needed,” the older man agreed. “Especially with other, more dangerous criminals. He was a good kid who made one mistake.”
“You testified that you would’ve done the same thing.”
“I would’ve.” He nodded again. “I still would. Probably worse. Some men don’t deserve the air they breathe.” He paused. “I’ll let you get ready. Thank you for the coffee.” He stood up and placed his cup in the sink.
As Mr. McDavitt reached for the door, I saw a flash of metal, a gun tucked into the waistband of his jeans. Surprise was replaced by annoyance. Of course he had a gun.
Rob had said that he was there to keep an eye on things, so it only made sense. I hated guns, though. They made me nervous.
Struggling to remember what I was going to say, I shook my head. “Wait!”
He paused and glanced over his shoulder.
“Thank you. For being here.” I cleared my throat.
“I’m a firm believer that most people deserve a second chance. Some don’t.” He pulled his hat over his head. “Your brother and Rob got straight. They made me proud. I know those boys, though. They would throw it all away if they had to. For you. For Ms. Doyle. I’m here for them, to make sure that doesn’t happen. I’m also here for you. This time, people will stop him before he can hurt you again.” He opened the door. “Come on down when you two are ready.”
I grabbed the door before it could close, halting his retreat once again. “Rob wants me to move to Boston for the summer. He thinks that it will keep Dale from finding me.” I didn’t know why I was telling him, but I felt like I could trust him, like his opinion mattered. “What do you think?”
His lips twisted as he thought. “It’s a good idea. I want you to get a restraining order before you go—I’ll take you. Some say it’s just a useless piece of paper, but it gives peace of mind.” He tipped his head back and looked down at me. “Don’t forward your mail. Don’t tell anyone, not even your friends, where you’re going. As long as you keep it quiet, he’ll think you’re still here. And when he shows, we’ll take care of it.”
“What about Katie?” My heart twisted at the thought of my friend being here alone. “She’ll be here alone. A sitting duck.”
Mr. McDavitt watched me, his face blank. My stomach cramped in worry.
“One of the things that always
impressed me the most about Rob was his love and dedication to his family. At fifteen, he cared more about them than himself. That hasn’t changed in the last seven years. If he thought his sister was in danger, he would’ve carried her out of here, kicking and screaming.”
I mumbled something about getting ready and retreated back into my apartment. He was right. Rob had made it clear that I was moving, whether I wanted to or not. He would do the same with Katie.
As I looked through my closet, searching for a shirt that I was sure would cover the bruises on my arms, I thought about the conversation I’d just had. I was leaving, but Mr. McDavitt wasn’t. He would be right here, watching and waiting.
That meant that Katie would be okay. I was still worried about her being alone, but knowing she had the guard right outside eased it a bit. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to her because of me.
Knowing my friend would be safe was one less thing for me to obsess over. I focused on the upcoming conversations I had to have with my professors. And everything I had to do to get ready to move.
Anything to keep from thinking about living with Rob. I’d survived worse—I could handle three months with Mr. Moody.
At least, I hoped I could.
17
Rocker
“Sit your ass down,” I demanded as soon as my best friend walked through our door. “We gotta talk.”
Matt’s eyes narrowed as he dropped his bag and fell into the chair across from me. “That’s the understatement of the fucking century, yeah?”
I held out a bottle of beer. A conversation like this called for Jameson—not a shot, the whole fucking bottle—but I couldn’t risk one, or both, of us getting shitfaced. It was going to be messy and painful enough when we could think straight.
He grabbed it and popped the top but didn’t take a drink. “How much trouble is she in?”
Gut reaction was to tell him the truth, to say she had sunk up to her eyeballs and was about to get even deeper. I didn’t want him to panic, though. I took a long draw off my Bud Light and tried not to grimace at the taste while I struggled to remember the words I’d rehearsed.