Chapter Eighteen
Sully couldn’t fathom what Jane had gone through.
Part of him wished the bastard who’d hurt her as a teen was still alive so he could end him.
Right now, his sole focus was taking care of her.
Making sure she had what she needed to heal.
There would come a day when he confronted her stepfather and mother.
When he asked them what the fuck they’d been thinking to ignore their daughter after she told them she’d been raped.
It enraged him that they hadn’t taken her to the hospital.
Hadn’t demanded action be taken against the chief.
As far as he was concerned, they had no business being parents and didn’t deserve a hair on his woman’s head.
That she’d grown into someone so kind and compassionate, someone who cared for others, was a miracle.
He threaded his fingers through her hair, letting the smooth strands flow over his skin as she slept.
She was snuggled up against him, one leg thrown over his thighs.
Her arms circled his waist and even in sleep she held him tightly.
He loved this woman, and the prospect of spending the rest of his life with her filled him with so much wonder and excitement, it made him want to carry her up to the courthouse today.
She deserved everything, though. The white gown and bunches of flowers.
A huge reception followed by a lavish honeymoon at some tropical resort.
Whatever she wanted, he’d give it to her.
His cell phone rang on the nightstand, and he muttered under his breath. The display on the screen told him it was Jude. He wouldn’t be calling this early if it wasn’t important. Being careful not to wake Jane, he slipped from the bed, tucking the covers around her, and walked into the hall.
He accepted the call and held the phone to his ear. “Hey.”
“Your brother is a fucking idiot,” Jude barked.
He scrubbed one hand over his face and started toward the kitchen. Might as well start a pot of coffee. “I know you didn’t call me at six o’clock in the morning to tell me old news.”
“He texted his buddy yesterday, bragging about hiding the stolen drugs in Jane’s purse. Said with her out of the way, he’d finally be able to get to you. He’s done, but I wanted to let you know I called in a wellness check on your parents.”
His blood ran cold. “Why?”
“He’s unhinged. If he’s willing to kill his brother for a small portion of a life insurance policy, why not take your parents and sisters out of the equation and take all of it?”
He shook his head and stopped in the middle of the kitchen beside the center island. “The life insurance is only paid out if I die during active duty.”
“He doesn’t know that.” Jude’s words made his adrenaline spike.
“I’m hanging up to call them,” he said with renewed urgency.
“Stay vigilant.”
Sully gripped the edge of the cold granite countertop and pulled up his mother’s number. With each unanswered ring, his chest grew tighter.
“Hello?” When his mom’s voice filled the line, his muscles went weak.
He let out a huge breath and bowed his head. “Mom, do me a favor. If Bentley comes by, don’t answer the door.”
“What? But, honey, he’s already here. He never came back after you and Jane left the night before last, but yesterday he showed up and asked to stay in the spare room.”
His heartbeat began to race. “Are you in your bedroom?”
“Yes, it’s barely past six. Sullivan, you’re scaring the crap out of me. What’s going on?” He could hear his father’s voice in the background.
“Give the phone to Dad.” There was some shuffling and a few mumbled words.
“Son, what’s happening?” his father demanded.
There was a light touch on his shoulder, and he turned to find Jane behind him. He wasn’t surprised she’d woken up with the noise he was making.
“Jude has new information about Bentley. He might be dangerous. I want you to lock the bedroom door and stay put until I get there.”
“The day I lock myself in a room, hiding from my own child, is the day I want you to put me in the ground.”
“If you won’t do it for me, do it for Mom.” He gripped the counter more tightly, his knuckles going white.
“I can protect what’s mine,” his father grumbled harshly. He heard the open and close of a drawer followed by click of a number lock. His father was going for his weapon.
Knowing he wasn’t going to get through to his dad, he hung up the phone and turned to Jane. “Bentley set you up. Jude uncovered text messages that he sent to a friend. Your name’s going to be cleared.”
She leaned in and kissed him briefly then stepped back. “Go to your parents. Make sure they’re safe.” Her voice was calm and unwavering. Again, he marveled at this woman’s strength.
“You’ll be okay here?” He glanced toward the front door, then back and Jane, indecision grinding through his nerves.
“Yes, I’ll set the alarm and lock the doors. Go.”
He gripped her arms and pressed a hard kiss to her lips. “Don’t open the door for anyone.”
Jane nodded. “Be safe,” she demanded.
“Always.” He grabbed his cell phone, weapon, and keys and bolted out the door.
His feet pounded across the pavement. With his eyes trained on his truck, he didn’t see the empty water bottle on the ground and crunched over it.
Something about the sound made him freeze.
The world narrowed around him and his pulse roared in his ears.
The sounds of footsteps. An uneasy feeling spiraling through his gut.
“Look how the Golden Boy has finally fallen.” Bentley’s snicker.
“Damn, you look fucked up. You should have seen how Mom and Dad scrambled to get a flight out. How panicked they were that their perfect son was laid up in the hospital. It was pathetic, really. But do you think they made a fuss six months ago when I sprained my ankle? Nope. They called and sent me a fucking fruit basket. Not that I’m surprised.
It’s always been about you.” His brother’s voice shaking with rage.
The crackle of a plastic bottle being opened.
“You know what? You look a little thirsty there, too. Lips are all cracked and shit.” His chin being forced open.
Water dripping down his throat. Wheezing. Choking. Machines beeping. Dying.
He gasped and dropped his hands to his knees as he let the memory crystalize.
Bentley had tried to kill him. How the fuck had he forgotten that?
Human minds worked in strange ways to offer protection, but his brother had literally tried to drown him in his hospital bed.
If Jane hadn’t returned to the ICU room, he’d be dead.
He continued to race across the driveway fresh panic snaking through his chest. He had believed Bentley was dangerous before. Now though, he’d remembered what his little brother was capable of. Once he was inside the cab of the truck, he started the engine, and dialed Jude.
His friend picked up on the first ring and the call transferred instantly to the vehicle’s Bluetooth system.
“I had a flashback, and I remember everything. Bentley had a water bottle. Held my chin and poured it down my throat. I couldn’t breathe and he unplugged the machine monitoring my vitals. Everything Jane said was right.”
Boots sounded on the other line, then the jangle of keys. “Did you get ahold of your parents?” Jude’s voice boomed through the truck’s speakers.
Sully whipped the seat belt over his chest before glancing in the rearview mirror and backing out of the drive.
“I talked to my mom. Bentley stayed in their spare bedroom last night. As far as they know he’s still there.
I told them to lock their bedroom door and stay there, but my father wouldn’t listen. ”
“Can’t blame him. Would you hide or fight if there was danger at your doorstep?”
His cheek ticked. “It’s different.”
“Not for him,” Jude answered. He could tell the moment Jude started his SUV. Music blared from the speakers, then the volume quickly receded.
“I’m headed there now.” Palm trees passed in a blur of green and brown as he bared down on the accelerator.
“I’ll call emergency services and Red. I’m about twenty minutes out. We should arrive at approximately the same time. Jane safe?”
“She locked the doors behind me and set the alarm. I haven’t told her yet about what I remembered.” He turned on his directional and took a left past a gas station and shopping center.
“There’ll be time after. See you in twenty.”
Those twenty minutes felt like some of the longest of his life as he sped down the freeway to the exit that would lead to his parents’ ranch.
When he finally pulled in, clouds of dust from the driveway plumed around his truck.
He stomped on the brakes, kicking up gravel under his tires.
When Jude pulled in thirty seconds later, Sully was already out of the truck and headed up the front steps of the porch.
Without a word, Jude joined him as they walked onto the porch, his hand resting on the weapon holstered at his hip.
When the front door swung open, he nearly grabbed his own weapon.
“Mom, what the hell are you doing?”
“Your father’s upstairs trying to get Bentley to open the guest room door. He’s locked it and shoved something heavy up against it.” Her voice shook with fear.
“Come on,” Jude said, as they pushed past his mother and took the stairs two at a time.
When they reached the second floor, it was easy to see that his father had managed to splinter the door.
The crack allowed them to look inside the room and the corner of a dresser poked out from where it was against the threshold.
Bentley’s frame was visible beneath the covers of the bed, but something looked distorted.
They worked in tandem to get the dresser away from the door.
He was about to walk inside of the room when his father put a hand on his shoulder.
“Let me,” his father said, voice quiet and even.
Bentley had tried to kill him, and he wasn’t the same person as the boy he’d grown up with, but that didn’t make his stomach clench less as his father pulled down the sheets.
The only thing below the comforter was a trio of pillows.
One had been intentionally tied tightly in the middle to look like the shape of the head and shoulders.
“Call Jane,” Red shouted from behind him.
He hadn’t heard his teammate approach. Breathing hard, he dialed Jane’s number.
The phone rang repeatedly, and they all held their breath, waiting to see if she answered.
The call went to voicemail, then again when he called a second time.
His wild eyes sought Jude as he punched the redial button.
The phone rang repeatedly, but no one answered.
His heart felt like it was going to explode from his chest and his hands trembled as he tried to dial again.
“Red, you’re driving.” The three men exchanged a glance, and they raced outside.
Red was yelling something into his phone and got behind the wheel of his SUV.
He opened the passenger-side door with clammy hands as Jude got in the back.
He kept calling Jane, willing her to pick up the phone, but she didn’t.
He hoped she’d fallen back asleep, but he knew that wasn’t the case.
His skin was squirming as Red pressed through heavy morning traffic.
It was hard to sit still as his mind reeled with all the things that his brother could do to hurt the woman he loved.
Getting through traffic had taken way too long, so they opted for side streets to cut around the congestion.
As they wove through beachside neighborhoods, Sully continued to call Jane.
“Hold it together,” Red said, his tone firm.
“We’re going to get to her.” Jude leaned forward in his seat. “We’re not too far out. I called the police station. They’re on their way, too. They’ll probably get there before we do.”
“It’s possible he’s not even there,” Red said.
His teammate’s frantic driving was a direct contradiction to his words.
There was a prickling sensation at the back of his neck, and he knew for certain that Jane was in trouble.
He’d never forgive himself if something happened to her.
Why had he left her alone in the town house?
He should have insisted that she go with him.
“Whatever you’re thinking,” Jude growled, “stop.”
“You couldn’t have predicted this.” Red slammed on the brakes in front of his town house and the tires screeched.
The three men filtered out of the SUV and raced up the stairs, stopping beside a uniformed police officer.
He was about to ask the officer the status when a scream ripped from inside the house.