Chapter 19
Callum
I nearly dropped the case of beer at Rune’s words and narrowed my gaze at him.
“Are you serious right now?”
Rune just grinned. “No. Maybe. You guys look good. Settled. And the fact that I know that she’s never truly alone and will be safe with you around helps me sleep better at night.
” He blinked at me before sighing. “She was an oops baby. If you ask Mom and Dad, that’s what they say because it makes Felicity laugh.
None of us were planned. We just showed up, surprised the hell out of our parents, and stayed. ”
I snorted. “You know that’s the same with my folks.”
Rune frowned. “You never talk about your mom. You know that, right?”
“I do with Felicity.” I paused. “Maybe because it’s Felicity and the fact that she has the same job my mom did.
But I talk about her with Felicity. She’s been gone for over two decades.
And I still don’t believe that she just fell.
Nor do I believe that my stepmom just left town and never turned back. ”
“I hate your dad. More than anything. And that’s saying something because a lot of people piss me off in this town.”
“Well, I hope I’m not the one pissing you off anymore.” I paused and set the case down. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for lying and not telling you about me and Felicity.”
“You didn’t lie. You just didn’t tell me. Which, I guess, is something different.”
“Still, I should have at least told you. I don’t want to say I should’ve asked for permission because I won’t ask permission when it comes to her. I’m sorry.”
“I think if you tried to ask permission, Felicity would kick us both in the balls.”
“We’d deserve it.”
My lips twitched even as I let out a breath.
“I love her.”
Rune shook his head, even as I realized I hadn’t truly said the words out loud before.
“I didn’t mean to. Didn’t mean to fall. But I’m there now. And I don’t want to go back.”
“Don’t. I know we say things and warn each other about things like, if you hurt her, I’ll kill you, but I don’t think you will.
You deserve happiness, Callum. After everything that happened with Georgia and with your dad and your family.
With Malcolm…” He let his voice trail off as we each took a deep breath.
“It’s hard for me to focus sometimes, knowing that I don’t have a good answer for why I feel the way that I do. Or how I’m supposed to fix this shit.”
“You don’t have to fix everything. You know that, right?”
“Don’t I? I’m the eldest. It’s my job.”
“Well, I can tell you that the more pressure you put on yourself as the eldest, the more likely you’re going to fuck it up.”
“That brings me so much joy,” I said wryly.
“It’s the truth. The fact that you talk to Felicity about your mom? That’s huge. You only mention her to me when you’re drunk or when you don’t realize that you’re saying it.”
“I seriously miss my mom. I miss the way that she took care of us, even when I would hate her a little bit for not leaving. Which just makes me feel like an asshole.”
“Your dad wasn’t always bad. You know that.”
I ran a hand over my chest, holding back a growl. “No. He wasn’t. We had some good times when we were younger. That’s why we ended up with so many siblings. But then he started drinking, and he didn’t stop.”
“I’ll hate him forever for what he did to your family. But he doesn’t matter. He can’t matter. If you want to move on and try to find happiness here, albeit with my baby sister, you’re going to have to push him from your mind.”
“Easier said than done when he lurks around like a fucking weirdo.”
“His liver has to give out sometime.”
“I hear we’re talking about Dad?” Bodhi said as he came forward, rubbing his shoulder where I knew the burn scars were the worst.
“Is it sad that you’re right?” Teagan asked, barking a laugh. “What a family we make.”
“I don’t know. You let me be an asshole in the woods, and you only sometimes force me into family events like these. We’re not all bad.”
“I guess you’re right.” I ran my hand over my chest. “You ever miss Mom?” I blurted while Rune froze at my side.
Bodhi tilted his head, studying me. “Every damn day. I miss the way that she would take care of us and teach us to take care of ourselves. But it’s been a long damn time, Callum. And we’ve gone through way worse hell since. Which is saying something.”
“I didn’t mean to bring her up. Damn it.” I ran my hand over my face. “Sorry. It’s just with that asshole coming at Felicity, it’s just making me think about everything. You know?”
“Have you told that girl that you love her yet?” Bodhi asked.
“He hasn’t. He’s going to soon, though, because he just blurted it at me. So it’ll come out eventually.”
“I don’t know if I should really be listening to romantic advice from either of you.”
I realized I shouldn’t have said that to Bodhi, but then my brother just smiled.
“You really shouldn’t have. I have no idea what to do with women. I just got lucky the first time.”
“And I’m not lucky at all. Though, why do I need to settle down, right? Are you ready to call it quits and settle down fully?” Rune asked, glaring at me.
“Can you give me a minute to just figure out what the hell Felicity and I want? We’re still dealing with the glares of this small town.”
“You’re going to be dealing with those glares forever,” Bodhi put in. “Trust me.”
“It’s a small town, and your name is Ashford. It comes with the territory.” Rune shook his head. “Okay, I’ve got to get back to the bar and grill. You have everything taken care of here, though?”
I nodded. “Thanks for coming. Seriously. I don’t think I could handle these big events without you or the rest of the family.”
“Well, I am the linchpin for this friend group. Oh, Gray and Atlas should be back in town soon. You good with hosting something here? We always have it at Summit Grill, but it’s time for you to take over the reins.”
I let out a rough chuckle. “Sure. I’ll throw them a welcome party. Or maybe I’ll make Felicity do it. She’s better at that shit than me.”
“I’m sure Teagan will like not having to plan something since you always make her do it. Though it kind of feels kind of sexist, doesn’t it?” Bodhi asked.
I flipped them both off. “It’s not sexist when they’re the ones that actually know what they’re doing. I mean, I’ll get it done. But I’ll earn a few favors out of Felicity along the way.”
Rune threw his hand up in the air. “And on that note, I’m done.”
“Hey, before you go, did Felicity come back with the boxes yet? That’s what I was looking for when I came back here, and I didn’t mean to get into this serious talk.”
I stared at Bodhi, an uneasy feeling settling over me.
“She isn’t with you?”
“What boxes?”
I was moving past them before they even finished speaking, my pace picking up with them on my tail.
Teagan sat at the front bar, helping with final orders, and she smiled at me.
“Hey.” Her face drained of color as she stared at us. “What’s wrong?”
“Where’s Felicity?” I asked, my hands damp.
“She was just getting boxes. She hasn’t come back yet?”
“Fuck.”
“What’s going on?” Thatcher asked as he came through the front doors in uniform. “The sheriff wanted me to stop by. He had some news and wanted to tell us all. Why are you stressing?”
I couldn’t think about that right now. Things were finally starting to click.
The fact that somebody had broken in once before. Damaged my truck. They knew my brewery despite me keeping them out. Somebody who had helped Bradley distract me, knowing exactly what to do.
“Fuck.”
I ran to the back hall closet, threw open the door, and nearly fell to my knees at the sight of broken glass and blood on the floor.
“Call the cops. The sheriff. Everybody. I think Dad has her.”
“What?” Rune asked, shoving me to the side. “Why the fuck would your dad have her?”
“Because he loves tormenting my family. And he doesn’t like the fact that I keep trying to figure out what the hell he did with our moms.”
“I’m calling now,” Thatcher snapped as he started to give out orders.
But I ignored them. Instead, I followed the blood trail, everyone going in different directions, searching for Felicity.
All I could do was move towards the back, past the emergency exit door that was propped open, bile coating my tongue.
My father kept popping up around town, haunting me, and annoying the hell out of the rest of our siblings.
He kept talking trash about Felicity, his focus on her, and I had left her alone. Again. It didn’t matter that she should have been safe. My dad had been a fucking locksmith. Of course, he had found a way in.
Yes, it could have been someone else. She could have fallen and been dizzy trying to find her way for help, but no, in the bottom of my gut, I knew it had to be someone else.
Footsteps sounded behind me, and Bodhi was at my side.
“Come on, you don’t know tracking for shit.”
“Where the hell would he take her?”
“This way.”
My brother ducked his head, following the trail, and I let him lead, knowing that Bodhi could find anyone.
After all, he’d done things I wouldn’t even dream of before the world had changed.
I swallowed hard, trying not to imagine exactly what was happening right now. Felicity had to be okay. I would kill the old man. I wouldn’t even flinch at using the hands he had given me to strangle the life out of him.
“There. I think she’s at the creek.”
We ran, not caring about the sound we made, as the first scream echoed through the air.
I kept running, my pace increasing as I ignored each tree and limb slamming into me, the vines catching my shirt, leaving gouges on my arms.
And then I burst through the clearing as my dad stood there at the creek side, knife in hand, and the blade pressing against Felicity’s throat.
“Took you long enough.”
“I’m fine, Callum. Don’t do what he says.” Felicity screamed as he dug the knife ever so deeper, and a thin line of blood welled.
“Get your fucking hands off her. You want to deal with me? You deal with me. You don’t touch her.”