by Aria Grace
She holds up her hand to slow me down. “I’ll tell you everything, but you have to promise to remain calm. Sometimes these things are just meant to be, and we have to be strong. I’ve come to terms with what fate has in store for me. I don’t want you to be upset by anything I say. I just want to spend the rest of my time with my boys before it’s too late.”
“Mom…” My voice cracks, so I clear my throat. “You’re scaring me. Just please tell me what’s wrong.”
“I have cancer.” Her tone is soft but clear. She doesn’t sound afraid at all, which makes me even more afraid. “A couple years ago, it was just in my breasts. I had them removed, and I was close to remission. But I got sick again. This time, it’s spread. It’s in my bones, and there isn’t much we can do to stop it.”
I gasp and squeeze my eyes shut, trying not to let any tears fall. I’m so conflicted right now. For years, I’ve resented this woman for not believing me when I told her my brother was hurting me. I don’t know if she thought I was looking for attention or that her angel Joseph could never do such a thing. Either way, she ignored what was happening and basically gave Joseph permission to continue. But she is my mother. I don’t like seeing her weak, and I definitely don’t want to watch her die. “Is there anything that can be done?”
“The doctors are trying to slow it down. They might be able to buy me another year or two.” She blows out a slow breath and leans heavily against the sofa cushion. “But I’m so tired, Nathan. And it hurts so much.” Finally, a tear slips from her eye, and I can’t hold back my emotions any longer.
I pull her into my arms and hold her, crying against her shoulder. “I’m so sorry I left. I should’ve been here. I should’ve helped you when you needed it.”
She pats my back then pulls away. “You’re here now. Truthfully, I think that’s what I’ve been holding on for. I just wanted to see you one more time, so we could have some closure. I still don’t understand why you left, but you’re here now. That’s all that matters.”
* * *
For the first hour, we chitchat about where I’ve been living and how her business has done. I’m impressed to hear that her small housecleaning business grew to a team of twenty-five independent cleaners, and she gets a cut from each of them on every job they do. It’s comforting to know she’s had the financial means to take care of herself these past few years.
But that doesn’t change the fact that she’s probably going to die soon.
It takes a while for me to find the courage to bring up the elephant in the room. I’d love to avoid it, but time is precious, and I have to do it. I take a deep breath and look her straight in the eye as I finally say what I need to say. “You didn’t believe me when I told you Joseph was hurting me. That’s why I left.”
Mom’s eyes grow wide as saucers, and she shakes her head. “No, you had bad dreams. They weren’t real. It was those video games and horror movies you liked to watch that confused you. Your brother wasn’t actually hurting you.”
My hands ball into fists, and I pound on my thighs before standing up and walking across the room, trying very hard to control my temper. “No, Mom. He really was. He came at me every damn day. He raped me, over and over again. And when I told you about it, you didn’t believe me. Just like you don’t believe me now.”
A new batch of tears flows down her cheeks. “Are you sure? It wasn’t just in your head?”
My jaw drops. “No, actually, it was usually in my ass. Do you really want to know why I left? Because I got pregnant, and I had to leave this fucking town so I could get an abortion. There was no way in hell I was going to carry that monster’s baby, and I couldn’t stay in this house with him any longer. That’s why I left.”
“No, baby. Please tell me that didn’t really happen.” Mom leans forward, curling in on herself as she sobs until she’s coughing.
I sit beside her, unable to hold on to my anger when she’s in such a vulnerable state. “I told you what was happening, and you didn’t believe me.”
She shakes her head then leans into my lap, lying across me. “Please forgive us, Nathan. We made mistakes. Your brother was troubled back then, but he’s better now. You’ll see. He’s a new man. He’ll apologize, and we can be the family we should have been before I got sick.”
I don’t even have the words to explain to her that he’ll never be my family. Joseph will only be the monster that hurt me, chased me from home, and forced me to miss the last few years with my mother. So, I hold her and wait for her guilty emotions to pass enough that she can regain her composure.
She sits up and looks half asleep, barely able to stay awake. “Don’t leave me again, Nathan. I need you here.”
A loud engine rumbles down the street, and my gut clenches when it pulls to a stop in front of the house.
Mom’s eyes pop open as I go look out the window. “What are you going to do?” she whispers through the quiver in her voice.
“What I came here to do.”
73
Dodge
I can tell by the way he’s stumbling up the front steps that Joseph Greenly is drunk. And since his brother has seemingly shown up out of the blue, things could get tense. So, despite my better judgment, I grab a T-shirt and walk barefoot across the street. There’s a nice breeze but it’s not exactly cold, so I don’t waste time getting fully dressed. If Joseph had pulled up twenty minutes later, I might have already been asleep. But now that I know he’s around, I won’t be able to relax until I’m sure Mrs. Greenly and Nathan are okay.
Joseph is already inside when I get close to the house. I can’t hear any shouting, so maybe things aren’t as bad as I suspected. Maybe Joseph called his brother and told him to visit their mother before it’s too late. As much as I’d like to believe that scenario could happen in an average family, I don’t believe for one second that’s what happened here.
Just to be sure, I glance inside the front window and take a peek. Mrs. Greenly is sobbing into her hands while Nathan holds her. Joseph isn’t in the living room at first, but then he appears.
With a glass of liquor in his hand.
The way he leers at his brother sends a shiver through me because his eyes aren’t filled with hate or malice. They’re filled with desire. It’s disgusting. I can tell by the way Nathan is shifting his body weight to keep his brother in his line of sight at all times that he feels the threat too. The men are talking to each other, but I can’t hear what they’re saying through the double-paned glass.
All I can see is that Joseph and Nathan are getting more and more agitated with each passing second. When Joseph grabs his brother by the arm and yanks him away from their mother, I know I have to step in. I turn the knob on the front door, and it gives, opening into the entryway.
“Mrs. Greenly, it’s Dodge Trimble. I heard some noise and just wanted to make sure you were okay over here.” The looks of terror and relief I see on the three faces in front of me confirm that nobody is buying my story. But that’s not the point. The point is to make sure no one gets hurt.
“Get the fuck out.” Joseph lets go of his brother and steps toward me. “Everything’s fine.”
Not the least bit intimidated by this asshole, I walk straight into his personal space, crowding him until he sways from his drunken equilibrium. I turn toward Nathan and hold out my hand. “Nathan, right? I haven’t seen you around in a few years. I’m Dodge Trimble. I live across the street.”
“Uh, yeah. I remember.” Nathan’s hand is soft, not covered in calluses from drawing like mine are. “Hi.”
“I just wanted to check in on your mom.” I turn to Mrs. Greenly. “How are you feeling, Mrs. Greenly?”
She sighs heavily and looks worse than normal. “I think the excitement of the day is starting to take its toll.” She turns to me. “Would you help me get upstairs? I’m afraid I’ll fall down if I try on my own.”
Horrified by the image, I jump to her side, eager to get her out of here so I can deal with her son…both of them.
“Yeah, of course. Um, should I carry you?”
She pats my hand with an amused smile. “That’s not necessary. Just hold under my arm for stability. I try not to maneuver the stairs very often these days.”
I gently guide her up the first few steps, but she really is moving slow. I’m normally a patient guy, but I don’t feel comfortable leaving Nathan and Joseph alone for more than a minute or two, so I hold out my other arm and look down at her. “May I?”
She dips her chin as if embarrassed, but I can feel her relief when I lift her into my arms and quickly carry her up the remaining steps. I take her straight to her bedroom and gently place her at the head of her bed. “Do you need anything else right now?”
She sighs as her eyes drift shut. “No, thank you, Dodge. But please make sure my boys don’t get into any more trouble down there.”
That’s exactly what I intend to do. “Of course. Good night.”
She seems to already be asleep as I slip out the door and take the stairs three at a time. When I get back to the living room, Nathan is standing by the fireplace with his arms folded over his chest, and Joseph is just staring at him.
Leering might be the better word to describe his predatory gaze. As soon as he sees me, Joseph opens the front door and holds it for me. “Have a nice evening.”
I don’t think so, bud. “Actually, I figured I’d hang out for a little while to catch up with you guys. You know, see if there’s anything else your mom needs.”
Joseph finally tears his attention away from his brother to glare at me. “That won’t be necessary, Dodge. You can go now.”
“Your mom asked me to stay. This is still her house, right?” I shouldn’t be egging him on, but he needs to know I’m not going to be intimidated by him. He might like to prey on the weak and defenseless, but I don’t fall into either of those categories. I’ve wanted to kick his ass since we were kids, and I would love to finally get my chance to show him what happens when he picks on somebody his own size… at least in weight. We probably both weigh in around 215, but I’m mostly muscle, whereas Joseph has gotten soft over the years.
“Why the fuck are you here, man? This is none of your business.” Obviously, his patience is wearing thin.
That’s fine because mine is too. “I just stopped by to check on your mom.”
“Why? This is a family matter, and just because your old man was always trying to get a piece of her, it does not make you family.” He pulls the door open wider and gives me a pointed look as if that’s supposed to make me rush through it.
I don’t even bother responding to his jab as I turn to Nathan and approach him with my hand out. “It’s been a while, Nathan. I don’t think I’ve seen you since you moved.”
74
Nathan
What the fuck just happened?
One second, I’m laying into Joseph about how shitty he’s been treating our mom, and the next, I’ve got some hot shirtless man coming to my rescue. I remember Dodge Trimble from across the street, but he didn’t look anything like this when I last saw him. Not only has he added several inches of thick muscle to his chest and shoulders, but his soft baby face features have matured into a sharp jawline and full lips that look completely kissable.
And he asked me a question, didn’t he? “Um, yeah. I just got back into town.”
Joseph clears his throat and slams the door shut. “I hate to break up this little reunion, but it’s getting late.”
Dodge rolls his eyes as he turns to look at my asshole brother. “We don’t mind at all. You can head out. We’ll check in on your mom in a little while.” He stares at my brother, silently daring him to try a more forcible removal.
Joseph looks between us for several beats, his fists clenching and unclenching before he laughs out loud. “Okay, fine. You want to play nurse tonight? Be my guest. I’ll come by tomorrow. And you both better be gone by then.”
Dodge and I stand there for a full minute after Joseph storms out of the house and drives away.
Finally, Dodge turns to me and realizes how close he’s standing. “Sorry,” he mumbles, taking a step back.
I nod and lick my lips, trying to find some moisture in my mouth so I can speak.
“I saw him pull up and thought he might try to start trouble. I didn’t mean to barge in like that.”
“I-i-it’s okay,” I stammer. “I’m glad you got here when you did.”
His eyes immediately move to my arms. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
I shake my head. “Not yet.”
Dodge cocks his head as he looks down at me from several inches above my five-foot-nine frame.
“He won’t. He’s a fucking pussy when it comes down to it. But don’t let yourself be alone in a room with him.”
My eyes immediately drop to the floor in shame, and I bite my lower lip. “Yeah, I know.”
Dodge’s hand moves toward me, but then he pulls it back, as if thinking better of the gesture. “He probably won’t be back tonight. Are you staying long?”
How does he know exactly the worst question to ask me right now? “I have no idea.” I sigh then walk to the couch and take a seat. “I didn’t have a plan when I got here, but now that I can see how bad my mom is, I can’t leave her here with him.”
Dodge just nods and then crosses his arms over his chest as he walks to the window.
With his back to me, I can get a good look at his thick muscles and smooth skin without fear of getting caught. He really is a beautiful man. I just want to touch—
“I can stay here tonight, if you want.”
“What?” I shake my head to catch up to what he means, half sorry and half relieved he interrupted my train of thought. “Oh, I’ll be fine. Like you said, he probably won’t be back tonight.”
Dodge looks around the room before grabbing a pen off the end table. He scribbles his number on a notepad then hands it to me. “Here’s my number. I can be here in thirty seconds if you need anything. I’ll come by in the morning, but if you or your mom need anything before then, call me.”
I’m still in a daze as I tuck the phone number into my back pocket and watch him walk out of the house. A chill races down my spine when I think about what might have happened if he hadn’t shown up when he did. I still don’t understand how he knew to be here, but that doesn’t really matter.
Dodge was in the right place at the right time, and I’ll always be grateful for that.
Exhaustion is starting to set in, but there’s no way I can go to sleep with the house as disgusting as it is. There are probably roaches or mice getting fat off Joseph’s crumbs. So, for the next thirty minutes, I walk through the entire downstairs with a trash bag and a broom, cleaning up all the shit he left strewn about and then wiping down every surface with Lysol until I’m confident it’s clean. I really need to vacuum, but I don’t want to wake up Mom, so I throw a clean sheet over the sofa cushions and make a bed on the couch.
It’s tempting to go upstairs and peek in my childhood bedroom to see if my stuff is still there. But I know it won’t be. It’s been four years. There’s no way Mom would’ve kept my stuff all this time. Besides, I don’t ever want to step foot in that room again. All my worst nightmares occur in that room, and if I never look inside it again, that’s okay.
I still haven’t said what I need to say to Joseph, but I will. Truthfully, I haven’t had it out with Mom yet either.
But there’s enough going on right now that it can wait. This visit is no longer about me getting closure on my past but about being here for my mom and making sure she has a future.
That’s what I need to focus on right now. If she pulls through this, maybe we can be a family someday. And if not, at least I’ll know I tried.
Besides, if that means a little more time to admire the gorgeous alpha neighbor with the kind of muscles I want to climb up and get lost in, then I guess that’s just how it’ll be.
75
Dodge
I try to fall asleep, but I spen
d more time looking out the window to make sure everything is okay across the street than I do lying down. At three thirty in the morning, I finally give up and drag an upholstered chair to my bedroom window and set up camp right there. Even though I open my eyes every time I hear a noise, I’m actually able to sneak in a few hours of sleep. My neck and back hurt like a mother when I finally stand up and stretch at six in the morning when my alarm goes off, but it’s a small price to pay. If anything had happened to Mrs. Greenly or her son while I was laid out on my bed, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.
Everything looks quiet across the street, so I hop in the shower before quickly getting dressed and heading over to check on things. When I get to the front door, I hesitate before knocking. I don’t want to wake them up if they’re still asleep, so I peek inside the front window to see if anyone is moving.
Nathan is curled up on the sofa, sound asleep.
He looks younger when he’s sleeping, but I wouldn’t exactly call his expression peaceful. Even fully relaxed, his forehead looks tense and troubled. My calendar notification dings, and I remember my review with Victor in an hour to prep for our proposal at ten. If there were any way I could reschedule this meeting, I would. But the university requires so many hoops and processes to schedule any kind of meeting, and we’ve been chasing this bid for months. I have to be there.
Turning on my heel without waking up Nathan, I head back toward my house, calling Oliver as I walk.
“You better be dead,” he mumbles over the line.
“Shit, sorry. I forgot how early it is.”
“I’ve been doing surveillance for the past few nights. Just got home a few hours ago.”
“Well, then you’re really not gonna want to hear what I’m calling to ask.”
“Mmm, prolly not,” he says incoherently, falling asleep again.
“Dude, wake up. I need you to sit on someone for me.”
He groans and clears his throat. “Who and why?”