Forever Freed

by Kathleen Brooks

  “That’s so wrong,” Dylan groaned.

  “Don’t talk about our parents’ sex lives. I totally walked in on my parents the last time we came home on a surprise visit. Let me just say I will never look at the kitchen counter the same again,” Abby said, making a groaning sound.

  Jackson felt the lifetime connection that the three shared kick in as they joked around for a couple of minutes.

  “So, what’s really going on?” Dylan finally asked.

  Jackson gave him the update on the spiders and the clown.

  “Kid’s lucky you didn’t shoot him,” Abby said. “I would have. I hate clowns.”

  “I saw the package you left at the Seattle FBI office. Cute touch with the bow.”

  “I thought so,” Abby said cheerfully.

  “What’s the current status? Do I need to move Evie to a safe house?” Jackson asked.

  “We’re slowly dismantling the group. Kale got us all the social media posts and the messages that members of AR thought were gone since they deleted their accounts. Don’t they know everything lives forever online? Anyway, we have a list of sixty diehards and thirty-four interested parties. They lurked online, commented on some, but didn’t seem to ever come out from behind their screens. We’re letting the local FBI agents pick the lurkers up as we work on the devoted followers,” Abby told him.

  “We are getting intel that Jonathan is in Virginia. However, we have no real evidence to say either way. Where are you now?”

  “We took over the bed-and-breakfast.”

  “Romantic,” Abby said, and Jackson could hear her smiling.

  “I think you’re okay for the meantime. I’ll let you know if I hear anything else. We’ve got a raid tonight, so by tomorrow I might have some more information,” Dylan told him.

  “Thanks. Keep me in the loop. Oh, and Aniyah loved her wedding gift. I could hear her crying from outside the house.”

  “Good,” Abby said. “We’ll make it back for the wedding, no matter what. Even if it’s just a quick in and out.”

  “See you on Saturday, if not sooner.” Jackson hung up and turned to look in the back door of the bed-and-breakfast. He saw Evie hugging each Rose sister and a feeling of warmth flowed over him. She was it. His dad had said that, while he and his mom had gotten off to a rocky start, he still knew she was the one for him. There had been no question about it. Now Jackson had no question that Evie was for him.

  He just had to capture the bad guy, protect the woman he loved, and prevent a domestic terrorist attack while convincing Evie he was worth uprooting her whole life.

  30

  It had been days since the clown showed up, but that didn’t mean there hadn’t been other incidents. Jonathan mailed threats to the Blossom Café, to the bed-and-breakfast, and to Jackson’s brother, mother, father, and sister. The threats promised death for protecting Evie. She’d been horrified. Miss Lily had posted a picture of her threat on social media with “bless his heart” written under it and a laughing face emoji. At least someone was finding it all funny.

  Evie had the same routine every day. It was strange how easily she fell into it and now couldn’t imagine doing anything different. She woke up with Jackson’s arms around her. She had breakfast with the three guys and the Rose sisters. Sometimes their husbands—John, Anton, and Charlie—joined them and other times it was just the ladies. Then Evie, Jackson, Lucas, and Talon headed off to the training center where the guys went off to train with gleeful anticipation while Evie worked with Annie and Bridget.

  Earlier that day Greer had joined her training sessions where they’d sparred and then thrown axes and knives. Evie had only had five lessons, but they’d been intense. They’d work for three to four hours each day then Evie and her guys would head home to shower. Not with all the guys, just her guy. And that’s what Jackson was—her guy. He could be kind and gentle, funny and teasing, or hard and intense in both conversation and lovemaking. Evie had learned each side of him and loved them all.

  After their long showers, they’d eat a late lunch with the group and then Evie spent the afternoons getting to know the town and everyone in it. They checked out all of the stores on Main Street, visited the farms, and hung out with Jackson’s friends and family. Then they’d have dinner at the café where she got to meet even more people—people who opened their arms, their homes, and their hearts to her.

  But one particular night was different. It was family dinner night at Jackson’s grandparents’ house. The people she’d met who had married into the Davies family all enjoyed telling her stories about how they’d been hazed at these meals.

  “We’re here,” Jackson said cheerfully. Because Evie and Jackson had spent so much time together, she could already tell when he was faking something. And that was fake cheer.

  “Can’t wait to see Grandma Marcy,” Lucas said happily as he hopped out of the SUV. The house was already full. The front door opened and out came Marcy and half the Davies family. “Grandma Marcy!” Lucas called out as he hurried up the stairs to the old farmhouse and wrapped Jackson’s grandma in a hug.

  Talon followed, just as eagerly, but more subdued than Lucas’s bouncing entry.

  “Are they going to challenge me to a shooting contest? Nash warned me about spoons or something. Do I have to kill someone with a spoon?”

  “Oh no, I’m sure it’s just dinner.”

  Before Evie could call him out for using his fake cheer voice, Grandma Marcy was smiling down at them. “What a lovely couple you make. Come in. Come in. Dinner is almost ready.”

  Evie walked into the house and found one long table that stretched from the dining room to the other end of the living room.

  “As our parents had more kids and those kids got married, we’ve added folding tables,” Jackson explained.

  “You’ll sit in here with us tonight, dear, so we can have a nice chat.” Marcy smiled and pointed to the large table in the dining room.

  Evie heard someone suck in air and turned to see Walker shaking his head. “Don’t fall for it. It’s not Grandma being nice,” Walker whispered before Layne hit him.

  “It’s not that bad,” Layne said with a roll of her eyes.

  “Hey, you had to come out and physically fight Nash for me since I had already gone through so much hazing with a bullet wound to the leg and could hardly stand any longer. I was in DEVGRU. I’m the toughest of the tough and your family dinner is scarier than anything I’ve ever experienced.”

  “Completely agree,” Deacon, Sydney’s husband, said as he joined them. “And even though you were one of my interrogators,” Deacon glared at Jackson, “I like Evie so I won’t go all scary PI on her and tell her everything I found out about her.” He kept his voice low as he rocked his baby girl back and forth. “However, I have found having a baby helps to survive dinner. It distracts them.”

  “Yes. The baby is a great buffer,” Nash whispered as he joined them. “Sophie thinks I’m being a good dad because I take care of Emersyn during family dinner so she can enjoy herself. I’m not. It’s for survival.”

  “Evie, dear,” Marcy said as she walked toward them. “Would you like to join us in the kitchen?”

  “Grandma Marcy, did you see what Brynn is doing? Smile, sweetie!” Deacon said, shoving the baby at Marcy. “I bet you’ll smile for Gigi.”

  “Gigi?” Evie asked Nash.

  “Great-grandma,” Nash whispered back.

  “Oh, you beautiful thing!” Marcy took Brynn and walked over to her daughters-in-law. “Deacon said she’s smiling.”

  “See,” Deacon said gloatingly. “I have two kids, that’s double the buffer.”

  “Dinner’s ready!” Paige called from the kitchen where she and Morgan had helped prepare dinner. Jackson placed his hand at the small of Evie’s back and began to lead her into the dining room. He didn’t want to appear nervous so he kept a smile on his lips until his grandma stopped him.

  “Oh, fiddlesticks. We don’t have enough room for you, Jackson.
I planned to have Walker and Wyatt sit up here with us tonight. It’s been a while since we had a good chat.”

  “Sorry, Grandma Marcy,” Walker said, plucking baby Ash from Sienna’s arms. “But I’m watching Ash tonight so Sienna and Ryan can enjoy their meal.”

  “Hand the child back to his mother, son,” Miles said, his voice slow and deep. Jackson knew that voice. He used that voice when he was about to lecture a rookie and wanted them to piss their pants. Walker slowly handed Ash back to Sienna and skulked to the seat Grandma Marcy had saved for him.

  “Aiden, dear. Why don’t you sit next to Evie?”

  “What did I do?” Aiden whispered as he walked by Jackson.

  Soon they were all seated. Marcy and Jake sat at the head. Evie and the guys were on the left and the parents on the right. Jackson didn’t need years of training to recognize a hostage situation when he saw it.

  Through all the shuffling Jackson got the closest seat he could. He was sitting between his father and his cousin Piper, whose husband Aiden was stuck in one of the hot seats.

  Food was served and the conversation flowed. The sweet potato casserole was passed to him and he took a scoop. Everyone was lulled into a false sense of security. Then Grandma Marcy struck. “Evie, how do you find Keeneston?”

  The questions about Keeneston sounded innocent, but Jackson knew better. “Dad, can’t you do something? I know that look Mom has. It’s not good.”

  “I learned many, many years ago at my first Davies family dinner to just roll with the punches. Evie will be fine. If she’s not, then she’s not the one for you.”

  “It’s as simple as that?” Jackson asked sarcastically.

  “Hey, I think this is great. About time more girlfriends got the second degree. Well, realistically it’s probably like the ninth degree, or the millionth. Depends on if it comes to hand-to-hand combat,” Piper smirked.

  “Aiden, I heard you had a physical yesterday,” Tammy said sweetly. Aunt Tammy, Piper’s mother, was a blonde pixie of a woman with nothing but kindness in her heart.

  “Sure did,” Aiden replied in his British accent before taking another bite of food. He’d been in the British SAS before starting his own security firm.

  “Glad to hear it,” Tammy said and then looked at Aiden as if she were leading a lamb to slaughter.

  “Uh-oh,” Piper said, suddenly sitting up.

  “So there’s no medical reason you haven’t given me a grandchild.”

  “Mom!” Piper gasped, but Tammy ignored her and kept her eyes locked on Aiden who was currently chewing a part of a biscuit.

  “I know Walker was the frogman, but my swimmers are just fine. Thanks for asking,” Aiden responded.

  “Obviously there is a problem since they’re not reaching their destination,” Tammy said, adding a cute little shoulder shrug and wrinkled nose as she said it.

  Aiden smiled just as sweetly to Tammy and then looked at Piper. “Not when there’s a wall in the way. But I’ll let Piper explain our birth control to you.”

  “Oh, he’s good,” Cole whispered as Piper looked ready to throttle both her mom and her husband. Tammy had been thwarted.

  “So, Evie,” Jackson’s mother started. Jackson mimicked Piper by sitting up straight and leaning forward to hear better. “When your stepbrother is caught and you no longer need my son to protect you, I bet you’ll be itching to get back to your life in Seattle.”

  Evie paused with her fork halfway to her mouth for a split second before taking the bite. “Mrs. Davies, your casserole is wonderful. The best I’ve ever had. You don’t get cooking made with this kind of love in Seattle.”

  “Thank you, dear. You can call me Grandma Marcy.”

  “Point for Evie,” Jackson’s dad whispered.

  Jackson then watched in horror as Evie looked back at his mother and smiled. “I actually don’t know if I’ll be heading back to Seattle after this is all over. I was only there because I took care of my mother and then Jonathan. So, when this is over, I look forward to making my own decisions.”

  Jackson saw Greer, sitting across from him, lean toward Evie’s end of the table. “Evie,” she began, even as Jackson kicked her under the table. Greer didn’t even flinch, but instead widened her smile. “Since announcing that you and my brother are dating, I have to ask, what could you possibly see in him?” Greer rolled her eyes and Evie laughed.

  “I’m so going to get you for this,” Jackson whispered threateningly but only received a kick in the shins from Greer as a response.

  “Well,” Evie started to say as she looked down the table at him. “Your brother is such a gentleman.” She turned to his mother and smiled. “And that’s obviously thanks to what a great job you did in raising him.”

  His mother preened and Jackson felt like fist-bumping Evie for the perfect answer. “Well, thank you, Evie. Anyone would be happy to have you in their family.”

  Jackson’s father leaned over to him. “You’re good to go now.”

  “Wyatt, honey,” Katelyn said, taking the attention away from Evie. “Aren’t little Van and Brynn just the cutest?”

  “Uh-oh,” Sydney said to Wyatt’s wife, Camila. “Your turn.”

  “They’re wonderful,” Wyatt agreed.

  “You are the best uncle to them,” his mother complimented before taking a sip of wine. “And how they play! Did you see the video your sister sent?”

  “Yes, Mom. I believe I replied to it.”

  “Only one thing was missing from their playtime,” Katelyn said with a sigh.

  Wyatt looked as if he were replaying the video of the two babies Sydney had sent out. “What?” he asked confused.

  “A little cousin to play with.”

  Camila choked on her wine.

  “I’ll keep that in mind. You know, just so Van and Brynn have someone to play with,” Wyatt said dryly.

  Grandma Marcy took over again talking to Evie about her family history while his end of the table breathed a sigh of relief.

  “The baby interrogation should be over,” Piper said with relief.

  “Your husband is still sitting there,” Layne reminded her.

  “Yeah, but my dad is sitting across from Walker. He’s probably going to rip into Walker because he caught us, um, kissing at the training center the other day,” Layne said with a slight blush.

  “I believe the definition of kissing has changed since my time,” Aunt Morgan said dryly.

  “Mom!” Layne shushed.

  “Or does kissing involve his hands under your shirt now?”

  “Oh my gosh, Mom. Please stop,” Layne groaned.

  “Walker,” Miles said in a tone that wasn’t even coming close to sounding innocent.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “I want to discuss your behavior with my daughter.”

  “Aw, shit,” Layne cursed as she looked upward as if a miracle might suddenly fall from the heavens.

  Walker didn’t say anything. He just continued to eat. It was like watching a master class in how to handle an interrogation. Aiden had done admirably, but Tammy wasn’t Miles. Miles was scary as hell.

  “It has come to my attention you’ve been giving my daughter a little too much attention and we have to do something about that.”

  “Dad!” Layne shouted.

  Miles didn’t even look at his daughter as Morgan shushed her.

  “Should I not keep her happy, sir?” Walker asked.

  The entire table paused with forks and glasses in various positions at the challenge Walker issued his father-in-law.

  “Oh, I know the perfect way to keep us all happy. Especially me,” Miles sat back and crossed his arms over his chest in a classic couldn’t-care-less power move. He held the trump card and he wanted Walker to know it.

  Walker leaned back and pushed his chair away from the table so that his legs were out straight in a relaxed post. He crossed his ankles and then his arms in the same classic couldn’t-care-less power move with extra casual added to show he had no
fear. Then he smiled back at Miles. “And what’s that?”

  “You’re going—,”Miles paused and gave Walker a little smirk, “—to become a father. When you’re a father, you won’t have time to be making out at work. You won’t have time to make out anywhere because you’ll be so sleep deprived. It’ll make DEVGRU training look like it was for wimps.”

  Only if you knew Walker as well as Jackson did would you have seen the surprise flash in his eyes. Layne’s mouth dropped open and Morgan looked like she was dreaming of holding her grandchild.

  “Maybe I already am.” Walker replied calmly as the two men continued to stare each other down. There was nothing but silence as everyone looked back and forth between Miles and Walker, and then finally all heads turned to look over to Layne.

  Finally, Morgan lost it. “Well, are you pregnant?”

  Layne shot her husband a glare and he winked at her because right then Miles realized that was an actual possibility. “Layne?” her father asked.

  Layne shrugged. “I don’t know yet. I haven’t taken a test,” she finally admitted.

  Miles shot up from the table sending his chair flying backwards. “Jace!”

  “Dad,” Layne groaned. “I don’t need Jace to help me pee on a stick.”

  “Does anyone have a pregnancy test?” Morgan asked frantically.

  Layne looked like she finally gave in. “It’s in the car.”

  Miles hopped up to get out. There were too many chairs in his way and he couldn’t squeeze around them, plus the door was on the opposite side of the table. That didn’t stop a man on a mission to become a grandfather. Miles launched himself over the dining room table, earning a scolding from his mother and father, but his wife was yelling at him to hurry up as he clamored over the table toward Jackson and Piper. They leaned in opposite directions, and with surprising dexterity for a man in his sixties, Miles cleared the table and sprinted out the door.

  “I can’t believe you did that,” Layne said with a smile at her husband, who held up his keys and calmly pressed the unlock button when everyone heard Miles cursing at the locked car door.