Chapter 41
CHAPTER
FORTY-ONE
Brew
I stare at the scene in front of me, trying to piece it together. “Who?”
“Jude,” Erica mutters. “Steven’s other wife. She… she must have followed us from work.”
I take the gun she’s still holding in her hand, turn the safety on, and shove it into the back of my jeans. I hold her face in my hands. “You’re okay, everythin’ is gonna be okay.”
“Is she….”
“She’s breathin’,” I mutter. “Nice shot.”
“I-I didn’t want to do it.”
“I know, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. You did good.”
“She’s crazy,” Erica whispers. “She’s out of her mind, she held Olive at gunpoint. I need to see Olive.”
“I’m here, Mom,” Olive says from behind her mom. She folds into Erica’s arms, both of them unable to hold back the tears.
I hate that I wasn’t here for this. That they could’ve been dead by the time I got back.
“Brew,” Bronco starts, but I wave him off.
“Later.”
“I’m sorry, man, she got the jump on Olive,” he continues.
“Don’t be mad at him,” Erica says to me. “Everything happened so fast. A gunshot went off, it woke me up… is… is Chains okay? Rodeo?”
“Rodeo went to get food, he’s fine. Chains will live, but he’s got a nice big hole in his stomach,” Haze says behind me. “The boys are seein’ to him now.”
“Fuck,” I mutter.
“Ambulance is on its way. So are the cops, had to call this one in,” Logan says from the doorway; my brothers were right behind me when Chains rang, bullet and all, to tell me what had happened.
That stupid fucking bitch. Here I was thinking that fuckface Steven was the one to look out for, but it was one of Erica’s ex-sister wives instead. The woman is clearly a lunatic.
Olive insists she’s okay, then folds herself into my arms as my eyes widen. “Thanks, Brew, for always being there for us.”
“Your mom just shot someone, savin’ your lives, and you’re thankin’ me?”
“The distraction worked, and Mom’s a pretty good shot.” Olive shrugs.
She pulls back, and I look her in the eye. “You did good, you’re a good kid.”
“Sometimes,” she says. “But if I hadn’t gotten up to get a glass of water—”
“Don’t blame yourself,” I say. “This woman is gonna be goin’ away for a very long time. She was crazy.” If she actually lives. But I don’t want to say that part.
“Will Mom… will she get in trouble?” Olive stammers.
“It was self defense, nothin’s bad is gonna happen, I promise.”
“D-do you know that for sure?”
I pinch her chin. “Yes.”
She nods. “Okay.”
I look up, meeting Erica’s gaze. She has tears in her eyes, and I frown as she brushes them away.
“Let’s go upstairs,” I say. “Until the police and ambulance arrive, you don’t need to see this.”
Erica glances over at Jude, still on the floor, breathing but not conscious. She nods.
“Maybe we should go back to the apartment?” I suggest.
Erica takes a breath. “I-I wanted to make this nice for when you got back,” she says softly. “And now all we’re going to have is this memory.”
“The memory of your bravery and resilience.” I pique a brow. “That’s what I’ll think of, and you should, too. I should’ve been here. I had no idea that this lunatic was the one watchin’ you.”
“Is Ch-Chains gonna be okay?” Olive asks, her voice wobbly.
I glance at her. “He’s gonna be okay. He’s tough.”
“I never meant for any of this to happen,” Erica starts, but I wave her off.
“None of this is your fault. You couldn’t have predicted it.”
“I know, but Jude was obsessed with Steven, and resented me for it.”
“Which you weren’t to know.”
“Brew’s right,” Olive agrees. “Mom, you need to let go sometimes. People are responsible for their own actions.”
Ain’t that the truth.
“The good news is, she won’t be hurtin’ anyone else in a while,” I mutter.
“I know,” Erica says. “But it’s still a tragedy.”
“Don’t need to think about that now,” I say. “Cops are gonna have to question you. I’ll try to get Willow, but can’t be certain it’ll be her doin’ the questionin’.”
She cups my face with one hand. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”
“When you say you’re fine, my ass begins to twitch.”
“I’ll take Olive upstairs,” Amber interrupts as Olive stands. “It’s been a big night.”
Erica smiles up at Amber gratefully. “I’ll be up in a second,” she whispers.
“You okay?” I ask Erica when they’re gone. “And don’t say you’re fine.”
She shrugs. “I’m not great, but she shot someone, she came here to kill me, what am I supposed to say to that?”
My eyes soften as my heart races at her touch. “You’re supposed to say you lived through it, and you’re one tough cookie. Oh, and that I’m the one who taught you to shoot.”
She rolls her eyes. “We didn’t do much shooting that day.”
“Really? I recall shootin’ a mighty load inside you if I’m not mistaken?”
Her eyes go wide. “Brew!”
I rub my nose against hers. “You liked it.”
“That isn’t the point.”
“I’m gonna keep shockin’ you with filthy words for the rest of your life, better get used to it.”
This woman is my world. My entirety of being. To think I came so close to losing her tonight makes my anger boil. I didn’t see it coming.
As if reading my mind, she says. “Brew. Don’t do this.”
“Don’t do what?”
“You’re thinking about how you should have been here.”
“You know me too well.”
“I can see it in your eyes.” Her lips find mine. It’s a quick peck, but it has all the warmth that fills me to my very core.
“I’m givin’ too much away, not used to that.”
Her smile softens. “It’s only because I’ve studied your face for longer than I care to admit. I know every inch of it.”
He gruffs a laugh. “Just like I’m gonna know every inch of your body when I get you alone again.”
She wraps her arms around my neck. “I’m gonna hold you to that.”
“I never renege on my promises, Sparky.”
“Did you…” she trails off, and I brush the hair back off her face.
“Did I?”
“Finish what had to be done?”
“Yes. We won’t have to worry about any of that.”
She strengthens her arms around me. “You don’t have to stop doing what you need to do for me,” she says.
“I know this part is over, but you have helped so many people over the years. Stopping completely? That isn’t you, Brew.
I know there will be times when you’re needed, and I’m okay with that. It’s a good cause.”
I stare at her for a long moment. “I appreciate that. As my ol’ lady, I’m obliged to tell you everythin’ now, even the things I may not want you to know.”
“I’m here for all of it. You can’t shock me anymore. I promise.”
I clear my throat, this woman always gets me like this. “I haven’t called Valencia’s family yet, but I will.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“They will have some peace knowin’ that piece of shit won’t hurt anyone else.”
“This is why I love you.”
“I love you more.”
“Let’s do this together,” she whispers. “As one.”
I pull her even closer. “Those are the sweetest words I’ve ever heard.”