Chapter Fifteen
Lauren
A shower and more than one cup of coffee are not enough to counter how little sleep I was able to get the night before. I’m seated at one end of a long kitchen table, pretending I’m not the focus of so much male attention.
The five men seated across from me bonded with me last night when I held each utensil then laid them out on the floor and called them to me. They’ve had time to change into normal clothing and be fully updated on their situation.
Unfortunately, they are all devoted to me. I can hear their voices in my head and my senses are overloading from being as turned on as I am for as long as I have been.
Pete is leaning against the island with Elliot and Franklin by his side. They all look painfully amused by the situation. I clear my throat and put a ring of authority in my voice. “This morning, I’ll be taking blood samples from everyone and comparing them. We’ll isolate whatever it is that is causing the bond; then I’ll work on neutralizing it.” No one says a word; they all keep looking adoringly at me. “We’ll get through this.”
A cacophony of voices assaults my thoughts, too many to unjumble. I raise my hand. “Moving forward, it would be best if we close our minds to each other. I need to be able to concentrate and this is... it’s too much.”
Ray enters the kitchen and surveys the group. “Oh, man. I’d laugh, but this is tough to watch.”
I stand. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ll need a fresh blood sample from you, Hugh, and Jack. I’ll compare them against the ones I’ve already collected from you and the others. Hopefully, something will stand out.”
“Anything you need,” Ray says without hesitation. “Is now a bad time to tell you a truck just pulled up the driveway? Looks like your friend is here.”
Oh, shit. Shit. To the men around the table, I say, “I’m going to need a few minutes. I know this will be confusing for you. It’s confusing for me, too. But could we all try to be civil? No matter how we feel. Remind yourself I am too old for you, and there are so many amazing women out there who you’ll soon be free to meet.”
Good luck , Pete says in my head.
The intense look he gives me makes my heart ache, but the attachment we feel won’t remain. He’s a wonderful man who’ll find love with another woman someday. And I’ll be there, happy for them. Thank you.
As I rush out of the room, Ray falls into step beside me. “ He’s not alone.”
I trip as I absorb that, but Ray catches my arm and rights me. “Who’s with him?”
“They look like him and they’re all packing.”
Oh, no. “He has two brothers.” I groan. “I shouldn’t have told him we might be in danger. I didn’t think he’d involve them.” We stop at the door and I scan Ray’s face. Of all the men, he’s the one I least want Braxton to clash with. “He’s here to help.”
Ray nods. “I don’t hate that he brought reinforcements. I would have.”
“He’s a good man, Ray.”
“He’d better be.”
After taking a fortifying breath, I open the door. I wouldn’t have imagined Braxton owning one gun, but he and the two men with him each have one. Ray takes a protective stance at my side.
I force a bright smile. “Braxton. Welcome.”
He assesses Ray briefly before addressing me. “I planned to come alone, but my family tends to roll together. Lauren, this is Teddy, the brother you’ve met, and this is Cole.”
I swallow hard and clasp my hands nervously in front of me. “Hello. Thank you for coming.” I glance at Ray then say, “This is Ashley’s... partner, Ray.”
Braxton offers a hand to shake, and I hold my breath. Ray could crush every bone in Braxton if he wants to. Ray leans forward and shakes Braxton’s hand with restraint. I breathe out my relief.
“Nice to meet you, Ray.” Braxton watches him intently. Does he sense what the rest of us know about Ray? “Without knowing what we’d be walking into, we thought it was best to come prepared for anything.”
Ray smirks. “No way you’re prepared for this.”
“Ray,” I say his name in reprimand then soften my tone. “Please let me do the talking.”
Ray folds his arms across his chest. “Talk away.”
Nothing I say will get him to stand down, so I give up trying. “Why don’t we all move to the living room where we can sit? What I need to tell you will take a bit.”
As Braxton moves, his holstered gun jostles at his side. “Lead the way.”
Ray’s eyes narrow. We both know the weapons wouldn’t be enough to stop him. I silently plead for him to control himself.
Moments later, I sit on a couch and encourage Braxton and his brothers to as well. Teddy does. Cole remains standing.
Ray chooses to stand right behind Braxton. He and Cole exchange a look. “You serve?” Ray asks.
“Army. Two tours of Afghanistan. You?”
Ray slowly blinks. “Special Ops. No branch affiliation.”
Cole nods. “You out?”
“That’s the goal.”
I turn my attention back to Braxton. He doesn’t know what he’s walked into, but he’s cool and composed. This is a man who has faced death and won. He just might be able to handle what I’m about to tell him.
I take a deep breath and plunge right in. “In World WarII there was an organization called Inkwell. They were a classified program that conducted experiments on men who had been medically disqualified from enlisting. The goal was to not only heal these men, but to turn them into super soldiers who could round up Germany’s top scientists and acquire the means to make an atomic bomb.”
So far so good. Both Braxton and his brothers are listening intently. I pause to choose how to explain the next parts. “After achieving this goal, Inkwell gathered these men together in one location and attempted to eliminate them. Thankfully, one of the soldiers was able to modify the weapon meant to kill them and by doing so...” This is where I’ll lose them. “Somehow trapped them within silverware.”
“Trapped them?” Braxton asks, his expression giving nothing away.
“Yes. Blending the soldiers and the metal on a molecular level, essentially inducing stasis. Ray is one of those men.”
Braxton looks from me to Ray and back. I recognize the careful expression on his face as the same one I would give a patient I decided to humor while trying to get to the truth in their story. “Okay.”
“Ashley’s friend Mercedes accidently brought one back. ”
Braxton keeps his eyes glued to Ray as he asks, “What does that mean?”
I answer, “Changed him from a fork into a man again.”
One of Braxton’s eyebrows rises, and he waits as if I’m about to say I’m joking. When I don’t, he turns to look at Cole and Teddy. I don’t blame them for thinking I’ve lost my mind. I thought something similar when Ashley tried to explain this to me. “Ray, show them.”
“No,” Ray says forcefully. “I’m not a dog. I don’t perform tricks.”
He doesn’t trust them yet. That’s understandable as well.
Braxton takes one of my hands in his. “I know work has been stressful lately. Everything will be okay.”
Oh, God, he thinks I’ve had a breakdown.
I stand. “I didn’t believe Ashley until I saw proof. Come with me. I’ll give you all the evidence you need, then I’ll tell you the rest.”
Braxton stands. I understand the sympathy in his gaze as he joins me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to shake him and tell him to just trust me. “I’m not crazy,” I say.
“I never said you were,” he says softly.
I raise a hand in a plea for him to stop talking. Having him near me is straining my overloaded senses. The men in the other room are calling to me. I want to go to them so badly I ache, but I don’t want to leave Braxton. It’s tearing me apart emotionally, and my body’s response is to begin to shake .
“Hey,” Braxton whispers. “Whatever is going on here, you don’t have to face it alone.” He pulls me to him, enveloping me in his strength. The noise in my head quiets. Slowly, my body stops shaking. I lay my head on his chest and close my eyes.
This is how love is supposed to be.
Loyal.
Unwavering.
Kind even when tested.
Is it selfish of me to reap the benefit of a love I’ve done nothing to earn? I’ve chosen to put my life at risk, but I never meant to endanger Braxton and his family. I could recant my story, tell him it was an elaborate prank that I realize now isn’t funny.
I don’t want to lie to him.
And I don’t want him to leave.
For once, I don’t want to go into battle alone.
I lift my head and note that we are being closely watched by all in the room. “Do you mind if we step into the hall? Talk alone for a moment?”
“Of course.” There’s nothing beyond concern and support in his tone. “We’ll be right back,” he announces, then, with a hand on my lower back, ushers me out of the room.
“It means so much to me that you came.”
“But?”
As I look up into his eyes, I don’t know what the right thing to do is. “Are you in love with me?” I blurt out .
His easy smile takes me by surprise. “Was naming the burn unit after your favorite flower what gave me away?”
My mouth drops open. “Sunflower Burn Center. I thought you chose the theme to be bright and non-threatening to the pediatric patients.”
“That too.”
What does that mean? “Did you donate the center to the hospital so you could spend time with me?”
He traces my jaw with his thumb before sliding his fingers into my hair and tucking a loose curl behind my ear. “Two things can be true at once. Providence needed a pediatric burn center, and I wanted to spend time with you.”
I chew my bottom lip as I realize how obtuse I’d been. “Why do you think sunflowers are my favorite?”
His eyebrows rise. “They’re not?”
“I’m not really a flower person. I did wonder why you sent me the same bouquet every year for my birthday. I thought perhaps you had your assistant order it, and she wasn’t very creative.” My heart begins to thud wildly in my chest. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize—”
He rubs a hand over his forehead. “The first time I brought you a bouquet, there was a sunflower in it, and you said it was lovely.”
“The first time?” I strain to remember.
“Twenty years ago. I’d healed enough to seek you out again. I came to the hospital. You were a nurse by then. I charmed my way into the ER to see you. I was so nervous, all I did was thank you for caring for my brother. You were busy, but you did seem to like the sunflower.”
Oh, yes. “Ryan and Ashley had just started kindergarten. I was working a forced double shift and worried that the sitter would quit if I didn’t find a way to make it up to her. I used that bouquet as part of my apology when I returned home.”
He doesn’t look certain what to think of that. “Oh.”
I lay my hand over his. “She loved it and forgave me.” I smile even as I fight off a wave of guilt. “Thank you.”
He removes my hand from his face but continues to hold it. “I can’t believe I thought you loved sunflowers.”
“I do— now .”
We both freeze.
His hand tightens around mine and the hope in his eyes shakes me to my core. This man has been at my side, cheering me on, supporting me for decades. Quietly. Asking for nothing in return. If that’s not something worth risking getting hurt again for, I don’t know what is. I’ll never be able to look at a sunflower again without thinking about Braxton and how good he has been to me. “Braxton?”
“Yes?”
It’s time to stop letting the weakness of a man who no longer matters stop me from trusting a man who does. “I know you don’t yet believe what I said about the super soldiers and that’s okay. I didn’t believe it myself at first. But I can show you something that will convince you.”
“Okay.”
“Follow me.”