Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Calder
M y night is spent seeking out information on Briar’s family. I need to know how the Manzos are connected to the bookie who Arden and his team are interested in. I never would have guessed Arden, Lincoln, and Kase would fall head over dick in love with a pregnant omega, but she is pretty.
Her name is Chelsea, and I follow the trail back from her, to her ex, to his brother. By the time I’m done, I actually feel kinda bad for that lady. She’s pregnant, and her ex-boyfriend died without telling her he was sick. That’s messed up, but with this job comes a need for an excellent ability to compartmentalize.
I shoot East an email with all the highlights and proof that what I’m saying is accurate.
Once I’m done, my stomach rumbles.
I ate a few hours ago, but I’m peckish.
Dinner was a shit show, so I’m guessing there will be plenty of leftovers. I make my way downstairs, but I stop dead in my tracks when I spot Briar and Easton.
He showed her to her room after the disaster of a meal. I know because I watched her on the cameras while I worked.
Easton has her pinned to the wall near the front door, with his hand wrapped around her throat. Her bags are haphazardly thrown in front of the door.
Damn.
Someone should have warned her.
He has this place locked down.
It’s impossible to escape from, especially at night. During the day, the guards are stationed at the front and back gates, but once it gets dark, they roam the property.
I hope he had the good sense to warn them she would likely try to escape; that way, they wouldn’t have executed her on sight.
I’ll do that once I get upstairs just in case he forgot.
Briar glares at Easton, hissing, “Let me go.”
They’re actually kind of a sexy image with his knee shoved between her thighs.
He taps his finger against her temple, keeping pressure on her neck with the other hand. “Not until you get the facts through that thick skull of yours. You need me. I want you. There’s a mutually beneficial situation to be had here.”
“Men, you all think you get what you want just because you want it. Does it matter what I want?” she snaps back.
“Indeed, it does.” Easton chuckles darkly. “As long as you don’t want free of me, I’ll give you whatever your persnickety little heart desires. Hear me when I say this—you will be my wife. I’ll even let you keep Keir, since you seem so fond of him.”
Briar snorts. “How generous.”
I stay hidden, leaning back against the wall on the bottom step. I’m a little hurt no one thought to mention me. I’ve only brought her a mid-morning muffin and coffee from the little shop on the corner every damn day since I realized she hated the office coffee.
I even bought a whole new brand and disposed of the old one. I brought it up a few times, but she never gave the new one a try.
My arms cross over my chest as I frown.
She has to know I’m into her, right?
I might not be the most adept at flirting, but I’ve done my best.
I’ve given it a valiant effort.
“You’re going to drive me certifiably insane,” Easton growls, his lips ghosting over hers. “I’m making an effort.”
I cringe when Easton’s words echo my thoughts a little too closely.
That’s not a good look for me.
Briar’s chest rises and falls in rapid pants. “I’m sure you think you are. You get everything you want, and I’m just along for the ride.”
Easton scoffs. “Along for the ride? Darling, I’ll make you my queen. Anything and everything you need, I will provide. Do you want to know the real benefit of being mine, Briar?”
She visibly trembles, but her head gives a quick nod of agreement.
“You’ll never live in fear again. Your enemies become my problems to solve, and I’m ruthlessly efficient.” He nuzzles his cheek to hers, and my eyes bug. That’s an affectionate gesture meant for bonded mates or those who are seriously dating or even courting. “I won’t play coy. You’ll never have to wonder what I’m thinking or how I feel about you. I will protect you with my life and treat you as my equal.”
Well, that’s a little over the top .
She was sleeping next to Jameson last night. Easton needs to find some chill, or the second his back is turned, she’s going to try to stab him just so she can make a clean getaway.
“Give me a chance.” Easton’s tone almost sounds…pleading.
That can’t be right.
“If nothing else, stay long enough for me to ensure your safety once you leave. Give me the opportunity to eliminate your brother. If I can’t win you over by then, I won’t stop you if you still want to go.” Easton rests his forehead against hers, staring down at her as his free hand caresses her cheek.
I pat around for my phone, because this shit needs to be documented. Only, I must have left it upstairs.
Dammit.
Keir will never believe me.
Easton was practically begging Briar for a chance? I wouldn’t buy it unless I saw it firsthand. Maybe he is on the verge of a breakdown or something? This is in no way his normal style.
In fact, I’ve seen him go entire days saying fewer words than he just spewed at Briar.
Shit, he will try to kill me if he realizes I saw this go down. Very slowly and quietly, I begin backing up the stairs.
“How about I put it this way? If you don’t accept my offer, I’ll have to handcuff you to my bed every night to ensure I get adequate sleep,” Easton says calmly, like his words aren’t complete insanity. “If I’m up half the night worrying you’re going to bolt, I will be even less pleasant than normal to interact with.”
“Fine, I’ll stay,” Briar says, nodding. “But I’m sleeping with Calder tonight.”
I freeze and change my momentum to go down instead of back up the stairs. Hopefully, they’ll assume I’m just joining this little party.
Briar’s head tilts in my direction, and I’m pretty sure she noticed me a while ago, even if Easton didn’t.
Once I hit the floor in the entryway, I raise my palms. “Please don’t take offense to this, but I don’t want to die tonight.”
Easton gives her throat a final squeeze and steps back.
Damn, the veins on his hands are even poking out.
He’s about to try to murder me .
Briar grins mischievously. “Don’t worry, Calder. Easton assured me I can have anything I want, as long as I behave.”
Easton gives Briar a tight smile. “I believe I said you could keep Keir. I don’t remember uttering Calder’s name.”
“He is going to hurt me if you keep that up,” I mutter under my breath.
It’ll likely be worth it, though.
The smile on Briar’s face only widens. “I’ll keep him too, if he’s open to it. You can carry my bags up. I’ll be sleeping in Calder’s room tonight. I’m used to having someone to snuggle with.”
My head tilts.
Pain and suffering will be coming my way when Easton seeks his revenge for this little stunt, but tonight I’ll soak up Briar’s sweet honey and coconut scent.
My palms are still out, like I’m being detained by the police. I drop one and extend the other arm, wiggling my fingers for the little omega.
Briar walks right into my chest.
Only, my stomach growls like it’s trying to eat itself. “Sorry. I came down for a snack.”
She laughs. “No problem. I could eat too.”
I bring her with me as I turn to head to the kitchen.
The back of my head burns, almost as if I can physically feel Easton glaring, but I ignore it.
Tonight might just be the best night of my life.
A blood-curdling scream rips through the air, waking me out of a dead sleep. I sit straight up and twist toward the side of the bed where Briar is softly sobbing. She thrashes under the blanket, whimpering and begging for her life.
The smell of her fear is everywhere, and it turns her normally sweet honey and coconut scent tart.
Falling asleep went nothing like the plan I delusionally made up in my head. She crawled onto one side of the bed, I got settled under the other, and we said goodnight.
“Please, no! Don’t. I won’t say anything. I don’t know anything to say.” I think that’s what she says, anyway. It’s hard to make out her words. “P-Please don’t kill me.”
My stomach twists.
Holy fuck.
She has to be dreaming about her wedding day to Avan Barrett.
I scoot over, brushing my fingers over her cheek. Her hand flies up, and her nails rip into the skin of my forearm as her eyes pop open.
She shrieks.
“Briar, it’s me,” I say as soothingly as possible. “It’s Calder. You’re safe.”
Her bluish-gray eyes sport unshed tears as she studies me. An eternity passes before recognition seems to click in her gaze.
“Oh, God,” she whispers as her shoulders shake. Her nails finally retract from my skin. “I’m so sorry. Why can I smell the blood? Every time, I wake up and it’s like the scent is burned into my nose.”
Well, she did draw blood on my forearm, but that’s not what she means.
I scoot a little closer, wrapping my arm around the top of her head. “Come here.” Now that she’s released my other wrist, I use it to pat my chest. “Maybe if you focus on my scent, it’ll help?” She turns toward me a little but doesn’t make a move. “No pressure.”
Tears leak from her eyes as she shimmies until her cheek rests against my pec. “The therapist said they should get better with time.” Her head shakes. “And they were. I hadn’t had a nightmare since shortly after I moved in with Jameson.”
I frown. It could be any multitude of things, from the altercation with Jameson to having to recall the events of what happened in New York. Hell, it could have been Easton and what I saw shortly before we went to bed.
There’s really no telling.
The human mind is complicated, and mental health issues can be difficult to predict. Sure, some stressors for things like PTSD might be evident, but others can pop up with no warning.
Truthfully, I imagine it’s a combination of the chaos she’s had to endure in the last twenty-four hours.
I run my hand through her hair as she huffs hits of my scent. “You’ve been through a lot, but you’re safe now. Just relax and let me watch over you.”
My pec ends up wet with her tears.
She’s silently crying .
Her hand dances over my chest, running over my tattoos, but I’m guessing it’s too dark for her to see the scar she’s practically tracing.
Yeah, I’ve lived through some shit of my own, but I’m not sure telling her about that ugliness would help anything. So, instead, I tease my fingers through her hair, massaging her scalp and promising her that she’s safe.