25. Brian
25
brIAN
I showered in the guest bathroom so as to not wake Grace. The night had been one amazing ride that would stay with me forever. After our first round of sex, we’d fallen asleep until I woke up to her hands playing with my cock.
“I can’t get enough of you,” Grace had whispered in the dead of night.
“I created a sex goddess,” I’d teased.
“Only for you,” she’d responded before she’d wrapped her lips around my dick.
I was getting hard as I made coffee. The day was sure to be great, with daylight filtering in, Grace in my bed, and the world at our feet. I wanted to make love to her every day for the rest of our lives.
I’d actually told a woman that I loved her. Epic fucking moment. I was beginning to understand what Duke meant when he said he would die without Fallyn. That the love he had for his wife was a drug like no other. He wasn’t lying.
I called my daughter. I wanted to say hi, be sure she was settled into Janet Welby’s home at the Cape, and hear her voice.
She answered on the first ring. “Dad, you’ve got to see Janet’s house. It’s right on the beach. Best spring break ever.”
“I’m super happy for you, sweetie.”
“You don’t have to worry about me,” she said. “I know that’s why you’re calling.”
I chuckled. “Can’t a dad say hi to his daughter?”
She sighed. “Of course. Oh, don’t forget my passport. I’ll have a photo taken for it while I’m here.”
Crap. I didn’t want to think about Sabine and ruin my day.
“Sounds good. Have a great time, and call or text me toward the end of the week to check in, please.”
“Yes, Dad. Love you tons.” She hung up before I could say the same.
As I poured a cup of coffee, my mind drifted to the folder Sabine had. Of course I could fill out the paperwork for another birth certificate, which I would do, but it was the picture of Sarah I yearned for most. The image of her face wavered in my mind, and suddenly I was pulled under by a memory...
The house was eerily quiet. “Sarah,” I called out.
The TV was on, and I didn’t even have to poke my head in the living room to know that my old man was passed out drunk.
“Sarah, where are you?” My heartbeat sped up. “I brought McDonald’s for dinner. I’m sorry I’m late.” I checked the living room and growled.
My old man was in his recliner, mouth open, eyes closed, and beer bottle tipped over in his lap, his pants soaked as if he’d pissed in them.
I shook my head as I wound my way down the hall, and my heart stopped, the room spun, and I couldn’t breathe as the bag of food dropped from my hands.
“Sarah?” I rushed to her side and dropped to my knees. “Hey, little sis.” My pulse pounded in my ears as though someone were smashing a hammer over my head.
I shook her, checked for a pulse, then tried to give her mouth-to-mouth, although I had no idea what I was doing.
“Wake up,” I said over and over. “Wake up, please.”
The wall phone rang, shattering the horrific memory that I’d tried to push out of my mind for the last twenty-five years.
At ten a.m., I wasn’t expecting anyone until I remembered Knox was in the lobby. He probably wanted to make sure Grace was okay.
“Hello,” I answered.
“Mr. McCauley, this is Paul from security. You have two guests here. Dillon and Duke Hart.”
I laughed only because this should be as awkward as fuck. “Send them up.”
In no way would I disturb Grace, and luckily my bedroom was tucked around the corner and down the hall, where it was away from the noises in the living room and kitchen.
Nevertheless, I had a feeling Grace’s brothers were here not to bust my balls about Grace but to discuss Miguel Rivera. After all, Dillon had been scheduled to see him in prison yesterday, according to what he and I had discussed on my way home from Fran’s banquet.
The brothers waltzed in, taking in my apartment, although by the expression on Duke’s face, I guessed he was searching for his sister.
I grinned, shaking hands with Dillon. “Good to see you.”
Dillon Hart, who’d dabbled in illegal activities many moons ago before opening his shelter, was the level-headed brother. Denim, the youngest of the brothers, was a cross between Dillon and Duke in that Denim could be both rational and fiery.
Duke and I exchanged a bro hug, though something still felt unsettled between us, and her name was Grace.
Dillon and I made small talk as they both sat at the kitchen island. I served coffee as Dillon gushed about the apartment’s open floor plan.
“Is Grace here?” Duke’s jaw tightened, though he already knew the answer because Knox was in the lobby.
I met his gaze steadily, uneasiness stringing between us as I drummed my fingers on the counter. “You know she is.”
“He’s still a little grumpy about you and Grace.” Dillon’s eyes crinkled with amusement as he glanced between us. “First time I’ve seen you two at odds.”
“Fine, I am cranky.” Duke’s knuckles cracked as his fingers clenched. “I just want her to be happy.”
My heart went pitter-patter as Grace appeared around the corner in yesterday’s clothes, her presence filling the room with electricity that made my pulse quicken.
“I am happy.” Grace held her head high, radiating a quiet strength that made me want to pull her close, Duke be damned. Then she kissed me on the cheek. “Morning.”
I itched for more than a quick kiss, but I had plenty of time later to make love to her.
Dillon and Duke exchanged a knowing look.
“Okay, it’s odd,” Dillon confessed. “But you’re glowing, sis.”
She circled the island to give her brothers pecks on the cheeks.
Duke snagged her to his side. “You look happier than I’ve ever seen you. I can’t believe this ugly dude makes you happy,” he said in jest.
I threw him the finger. “I’m prettier than you.”
All of us laughed. Thank fuck. I understood that it would take Duke time to come to terms with my intimate relationship with Grace, but I was glad the best friend I knew was still there.
I fixed Grace a cup of coffee while she sat next to Duke.
“I take it you both are here to talk about Dillon’s visit with Miguel?” Grace asked.
If any of the siblings looked alike, they were Grace and Dillon. They had similar dark shades of brown hair whereas Duke’s was lighter.
Standing on the kitchen side of the island, I regarded Dillon. “Did Miguel talk?”
“He gave me a name,” Dillon said. “The fucker wouldn’t say shit after he was arrested. But he found Jesus, according to him.”
“John Smith’s son’s real name?” Grace stiffened.
“He doesn’t know anything about a son,” Dillon said. “But he gave me the name Drew Lopez. He was the man who shopped for young girls for his clients, and John was his client.”
“Why does that name sound familiar?” Grace mumbled.
“Do you know him?” Creases dented Duke’s forehead.
She shrugged and stared at her coffee cup.
“Lopez,” I said. “Arturo met with a Loretta Lopez in Nashville. Surely, they’re not related. Loretta was or is a potential client for Arturo.”
“Oh!” Grace was on her feet, wagging her finger in the air at nothing. “I remember.” She came to stand by me to face her brothers.
All eyes were on the love of my life.
“I met this dude at Yvonne’s… um… the night before I went to Fran’s banquet. The bartender, Paul, called me over and introduced me to a guy named Drew. He was gushing to Paul about what my name meant. ‘Goddess of charm’ or something like that.” She was talking animatedly with her hands. “Anyway, Drew was weird. He was a contrast between a preppy asshole and a grungy car mechanic.” She tapped her chest. “He wore an orange golf shirt and khakis, and his blond hair was slicked back. I got the feeling he knew me.”
Duke grunted.
“What else?” Dillon asked her as he opened his phone.
“Ice-blue eyes and in his forties.” She tugged on her ear. “He had this gold-and-diamond G-shaped earring. Claimed his mother’s name was Grace.”
“Miguel described the guy to me. I took notes.” Dillon looked at his screen. “Blond hair, blue eyes, likes to fuck with people’s minds. Mid-thirties. But that was how he looked ten years ago.”
“He has to be the one following you,” Duke bit out.
“You mean I’m not going crazy.”
I hugged her against me. “You’re not. But what did you mean by ‘car mechanic’?”
“He had dirty nails. Men who wear Rolexes and dress like they have money are clean down to the bone—in my experience, anyway. Everything about him made the hackles on my neck stand at attention.”
Duke was on his feet, pacing like a madman. “That’s him. He’s been watching you, right under your nose.”
Dillon held up a hand. “But we don’t know if this Drew at the bar is the Drew Lopez that Miguel told me about.”
Duke’s expression was as dark as fuck. “It’s him.”
From the details Grace had just given us about the man, coupled with Miguel’s description of him, I had to agree with Duke.
“You think he’s scoping me out for John’s son, Zane?” She fisted her hands at her sides.
“You can’t go anywhere alone,” Duke growled, his footsteps wearing a path in my floor. “You need two bodyguards on you at all times.”
She ran over to Duke, stopped him in his tracks, and grasped his hands. “It doesn’t matter if I have ten bodyguards surrounding me. If this Drew guy is, in fact, working for Zane, he will find a way to do whatever it is they have planned. Now, you can hire as many guards as you want—I’m not about to argue—but you can’t take on the guilt anymore.”
I abandoned my spot and joined Grace at her side. “She’s right, man. Grace is now my partner, and I’ll take the lead.”
Dillon gave me a thumbs-up. “Duke, all of us will ensure Grace’s safety.”
Duke hugged Grace tightly. “I can’t lose you again.”
“You’re not going to,” she said softly. “I’ve been training for years. That has to help.”
He released her. “But you lost your permit to carry a gun.”
I slipped my arm around her. “So what? We have guns. Fuck the law. If Grace needs to protect herself, then I’ll give her mine and take full responsibility if she’s caught.”
She was right about the assholes finding ways to kidnap her no matter how much protection she had. That notion had fear coiling in my gut.
“You will?” Duke looked at me as if I were a stranger and not his best friend.
I kissed Grace on the head. “I’ll do anything for family. And both of you should know I’m in love with your sister.”
“I love Brian.” She nuzzled into me.
A beat of silence carried with it excitement from Dillon. Duke gave a small smile.
But I didn’t give them long to absorb this news. We had to plan to get ahead of Drew, if in fact he was a threat.
“Yvonne’s has cameras inside, right?” I asked.
Grace nodded. “Of course.”
“I’m on it,” Dillon said without me having to finish my thought. “I’ll get a copy of the video then have Ted run the photo through his database.”
“In the meantime,” I said, “I’ll be with Grace at all times. You can stay here, baby girl.”
Duke created distance between himself and Grace and me. “I’ll make sure Knox is with both of you.”
Grace sat on a barstool next to Dillon. If she was terrified, she wasn’t showing it. “Did Miguel say anything else?”
“He was lying about the bounty,” Dillon said.
“I want to rip out that fucker’s throat.” Duke paced again.
“Get in line,” Dillon returned. “Let’s not forget he kidnapped Maggie.”
“In exchange for me,” Grace chimed in.
I remembered the night. I’d never before seen Duke angry and elated at the same time. Angry that Miguel was fucking with his family. Elated that Grace had suddenly shown up in Boston after four years in a sex-trafficking ring.
Dillon shoved a hand through his hair. “Miguel wanted to scare the crap out of Grace and also make her pay for tarnishing his name in the industry. However, Drew Lopez contacted him shortly after they found John’s body and that of a girl’s, which was how Miguel learned that you escaped.” Seeing her teary eyes, he placed a hand on her leg.
My chest tightened. I was learning more and more about Grace’s time in captivity, and if Drew or Zane or anyone dared to replay the past, they would have to deal with me.
“Thea.” She covered her mouth with her hand, blinking away tears. “It was my fault she died.”
“That’s who you were referring to when Ted walked into the interrogation room that morning,” Dillon said, more as a statement than a question.
She wiped a tear from her cheek. “Yes, and I wanted to die that day too.” She clasped her shaky hands in her lap, showing the first signs that she could break into a million pieces if she had to relive her past.
I wasn’t about to let that happen. She was mine to protect, and I would die before anyone took her or touched her again.