Chapter 13
Easton was sitting across from Theo and me at the four-seater dinette table, happily shoveling the eggs I’d cooked into his scheming mouth.
“So, Easton, how are the eggs?” I asked.
“Really good,” he said around a mouthful.
“But not great?”
He lifted his eyes from his plate and understandably gave me a weird look.
“I hear you’re an excellent cook,” I went on.
“Caught me.”
Yeah, I’d caught him and he looked completely unrepentant.
“Right. So, tomorrow you cook the eggs and I’ll fry the bacon.”
“No can do,” he mumbled before he scooped up more egg. “Tomorrow I’m making French toast with peanut butter glaze.”
I had no idea what peanut butter glaze was, but I was there for it.
“So, what, tomorrow you were just suddenly going to whip up a gourmet breakfast and somehow convince me you learned how to cook overnight by watching YouTube?”
“No, I was going to wow you with my culinary brilliance and beg for your forgiveness for lying to you.”
I glanced over at Theo and asked, “I thought you said he wasn’t lying; he was just fucking with me.”
Theo lamely pointed to his mouth and started chewing very slowly.
“Come on, Birdie, I was just fucking with you. Don’t be mad.”
I hated that nickname. It had started in junior high with the boys making it into a joke, calling me Birdie then whistling. The mean girl then picked up on the stupid name and used it as a way to make fun of me.
“She told you she doesn’t like that nickname.” Theo found his voice and he did it with a mouthful of food and didn’t try to hide the half-chewed toast.
It was kind of gross. Yet, not.
“She knows I’m just teasin’ her,” Easton shot back.
“ She is sitting right here,” I rejoined the conversation. “And I don’t like the name because it was used to make fun of me when I was in school.”
“Kids are dicks,” Easton said. “Didn’t get it when I was in school, don’t get it now.
If it really bothers you I won’t say it again.
But I’m not making fun of you. I think you get we all have nicknames and sometimes those nicknames change daily if someone does something stupid.
It’s not us being dicks, it’s us showing love. ”
I thought about what Easton said, and since I’d witnessed the banter firsthand, I got it.
Friends teased. They laughed at each other, not to be mean but to show love and friendship.
How many times had Brit laughed at something stupid I’d done—a trip on the sidewalk, or when I mispronounced a word, or when I had a typo in a text? Loads of times.
Easton was right, that was what friends did.
And if Easton considered me a friend I welcomed the teasing.
“I don’t mind if you call me that.”
I felt Theo’s gaze and looked over at him. He was studying me carefully then without a word or reason he leaned over and kissed my temple. Thankfully, he’d swallowed his food.
“Need to call Troy this morning. I meant to do it last night.”
What Theo left out was he couldn’t do it last night because someone had found us and we had to move houses.
Which was more than a little concerning and something I was trying my best not to freak out about.
I’d been under witness protection for months before the trial.
I’d been taken to and from different office buildings for meetings and switched houses after each of those meetings and no one had ever found me.
Why now?
How?
Troy .
I would concentrate on Troy.
“I hope he’s okay.”
“He strikes me as a man who can take care of himself.”
I wanted to sigh, but I didn’t. I understood why Theo sounded so distrusting. But he didn’t know Troy the way I did.
“He saved me,” I whispered. “I was at that truck stop scared to death. I had no safe options. I needed to get as far away from New York as I could and I needed to do it quickly. I was terrified when I got into his truck that my body was going to be found in a shallow grave on the side of the road and I was going to end up on one of those whodunnit shows. I stopped being scared when Troy asked me if the man who hit me got his . What he was really asking was if the man who hurt me got the shit knocked out of him. Then he stopped and got me ice for my black eye.”
Theo’s eyes darkened and I wondered if I was doing the right thing by telling him all of this.
But he was always straight up with me. As he said, I could hack it.
For him to understand why I trusted Troy I needed to give it to him straight, not sugarcoat it or leave something out because it was uncomfortable to say or for him to hear.
“Go on,” he growled.
“He drove me all the way to Annapolis because he didn’t want me hitchhiking.
He wouldn’t let me stay in the rundown motel I chose because it was cheap and I had limited cash on me.
And when I say he wouldn’t let me I mean like you wouldn’t let me—not in a creepy way.
He offered to stay in his truck if I wasn’t comfortable with him staying in a room next to me.
He just wanted to watch over me. So, I get it.
I understand why you’re leery and I’m not trying to convince you not to be.
I love that you are, because that says you’re protecting me.
I just want you to understand why I trust him.
I was at his mercy. If he was so inclined, he could’ve hurt me.
But instead he went out of his way to make me as comfortable as he could and did everything he could to get me to you.
Which he did. He knew I needed to get to you, he knew I believed you were the only person who’d get me safe, so he made that happen. ”
I had all of Theo’s attention. This was one of those times when he made me feel seen. When I knew he was fully engrossed in every word I said. I could tell by the way his eyes went sharp and the way his brow furrowed in concentration.
“I’m glad you understand why I’m leery. I can’t say I trust him, but I can say I’m glad he made you feel comfortable. He also has my gratitude for getting you safely to me.”
Theo stalled out for a few seconds and I knew that pause.
He did it before he was going to give me honesty.
I found I was correct when he went on, “But I’ve seen good men flip.
I’ve seen otherwise decent men be forced to do things they didn’t want to do.
I’m not saying that’s happened with Troy.
What I’m saying is there are a handful of people I would trust your life to and Troy is not on that list. I’m going to call him like I promised out of respect for what he did for you.
I’m going to assure him you’re safe because I know you’re grateful to him and want to ease his mind.
I also need to know if he was the lead Johnson was talking about and if he was, what he told Johnson. ”
I nodded. “Please, just be…”
Be what? Gentle? Nice?
“Bridget, I’m gonna be the only way I can be. And I need you to trust I’ll take care of you and the situation.”
“Of course, I trust you,” I quickly told him.
“Good.”
I got another temple kiss before he pushed back from the table, taking his plate with him.
“Are you done?”
I glanced up to see he was talking to me.
“Yes, thank you.”
Theo grabbed my plate and looked over at Easton with a raised eyebrow.
“Look at you all house-trained.” Easton pushed his plate to the middle of the table.
“Says the man who wears an apron when he cooks.”
“You wear an apron?” I giggled.
“I am secure in my manhood,” Easton said by way of his answer.
“Will you be wearing this apron when you serve me my French toast and peanut butter glaze?”
“Hey, no one said anything about serving.”
I heard the water go on in the kitchen. When I turned and looked, Theo was doing the dishes.
I wouldn’t dare call him house-trained but it was a huge plus knowing he did dishes.
He said he’d never wear animal skin but he did say he’d be up for role-play.
I wondered if I could talk him into a little Maid and Mistress of the house.
I could sit on the couch with a glass of wine and watch him vacuum.
He’d be shirtless of course. That was, until he got to the mopping—then he’d be naked.
Yes, a naked Theo mopping would be sexy as fuck.
“Earth to Birdie,” Easton called.
“Huh?”
“I’m not gonna ask because your red cheeks give you away.”
What was he talking about?
“Who has red cheeks?”
Easton smiled. Which wasn’t unusual, but I’d never seen his face go soft while he was smiling or any other time.
“You do, Bridget, and they tell me you’re into him as much as he’s into you.
Well, they actually say you were thinking about his Long John Silver but I’m still traumatized to learn my brother’s packing some serious heat so we’re gonna go with the G-rated version of why you’re sitting across from me spacing out with a pretty blush on your face.
And all I have to say about that is I’m happy for him. ”
I appreciated Easton going with the G-rated version.
And I really needed to work on my cheeks turning red.
“Happy for him but not for me?” I teased.
Easton leaned in closer and was not teasing when he said, “Happy for you, too. I know my friend, I know the man he is, I know he’ll bust his ass to make you happy.
No offense but I’m happier for him. After what he’s been through, what he gave up, he deserves a woman like you.
He needs a woman who can match his strength.
A woman who is strong enough to stand by his side and ease a decade’s worth of burden.
Yes, I’m happy for you. But I’m pleased as fuck my brother found his one. ”
I’m not sure how Easton thought I’d find offense that he was happier for Theo when that came with the compliment he thought I was strong and the right woman for the man he called brother.
I didn’t tell Easton this but I knew he read me when he tipped his chin and smiled.
* * *
“It’s about time you called,” Troy complained as soon as Theo greeted him.