1. River
Chapter One
RIVER
See you in a bit, Warrior.
Why did he insist on calling me that?
His words had my already frayed nerves kicking into overdrive and my pulse skyrocketing. I’d made an excuse about checking on the kids—something I should really do since the events of the day were as perplexing for them as they were me—and abruptly rushed away from the ladies as quickly as my small feet would take me.
I wasn’t sure who’d invited him to our housewarming get-together or why he’d shown up with a ton of gifts.
But… he couldn’t be here.
I was already dealing with so much, there was no way I could top it off with an overprotective, demanding, know-it-all who couldn’t take no for an answer and would…
The sound of Lake’s voice stopped my rambling thoughts. “Let me just check on my sister before we start getting the food ready.”
Panic rising and not ready to see anyone quite yet, I ducked into the first place I could find to get out of sight. Shutting the door behind me, I stood in the dark pantry— having not bothered to flip on the light—quiet as a church mouse.
“Do you know where she went?” I heard one of the other ladies ask.
“Nope, but I shall find her,” my sister said in a playful tone, sounding too darn close and way too chipper. “Since we’re right here though, I’m gonna grab some of the stuff I stashed away when I got here.”
Suddenly, the door opened and there stood Lake, along with Capri and Gemma. Next time, I’d have to find a much better hiding spot.
My sister had a silly smile on her face and pointed at me. “Ha, I found you.”
“I didn’t realize we were playing hide-and-seek,” I replied dryly.
I hadn’t played games growing up and certainly wasn’t then. Plus, I was counting on nobody finding me. I shook my head at her playfulness, something I didn’t always know what to do with.
She laughed. “Me neither, but you’re the one hiding in the pantry.” Giving me a curious look, she asked, “Whatcha doin’ in here anyway?”
That was the million-dollar question. Short answer, I was running from?—
Before I could answer her or finish my thought, a deep voice floated to my ears. “This is a great place.”
Huntley.
I took a step back, sinking further into the small, dark space.
Lake gave me a knowing grin. When I glanced at the other two women, their smiles were as all-knowing as my sister’s. But they didn’t know crap.
The man was infuriating.
I hated the way he made words spring to my mind that had never crossed it before or the funny feelings that skittered through me when he was around.
Maybe I should’ve felt bad for thinking that after he saved me and our sweet dog, Roxie, from the flames the night some asshole burned down my home, and for also going with me to the hospital to make sure I was okay.
On top of that, he called my kids and talked to them when they arrived at the hospital. While that went a long way in my book, I wasn’t ready to cave to any charm he might possess.
Shit, I knew I seemed ungrateful, but his presence just made me nervous and he refused to leave my hospital room even after I told him he could go.
Men were not to be trusted.
I’d learned that lesson long ago.
“I got your number, girlfriend. You think he’s dreamy,” Lake sing-songed like a crazy cuckoo bird.
I huffed out an exaggerated breath. How could my sister and I be such opposites? She was fun, loving, and playful. I was reserved, boring, and cynical. Add in distrusting, and it was obvious why people steered clear of me.
Unless I was working.
At my job I wasn’t the same person as I was when away from the office. I was doing what I loved. Something I wholeheartedly believed was a place where I could help others. Or would try my damnedest, that was for sure.
I knew firsthand that sometimes it only took one person to care about you to make all the difference in the world.
I’d also seen it where my kids were concerned. The day they’d come to live with me flashed in my mind and I was hit with a pang of sorrow over what Lennon and Breland had been through. But I gave them a safe place to land and while it wasn’t easy, I’d earned their trust .
That in itself was one of my greatest and most cherished achievements.
Coming back to the moment, I looked at my sister. “There is nothing dreamy about that man.” That was a lie I told myself and obviously others too, because nobody had flustered me the way he had. “He’s too, too...”
Lake raised her brows waiting for the rest of my answer as I struggled to spit it out, the other ladies hanging on my every word, but I didn’t get to finish because there was the man himself.
“I’m too what, sweetheart?”
Shit, he heard us.
Not only did he hear everything, but Bronson, who was right behind him, did as well. For the time being, I just had to make it through the day. Stepping forward, shoulders squared, I looked him straight in the eyes, holding his gaze with more confidence than I possessed.
“Too nosy for one thing. Didn’t anyone tell you it’s not nice to eavesdrop?”
The smirk on his face and laughter that danced in his deep green eyes had me faltering a bit, my fake bravado losing steam faster than a locomotive on a crash course stopping dead in its tracks.
Which is exactly what I did. I came to a halt mere inches from him.
I dropped my gaze to the floor and took a long breath in through my nose, trying to get my shit together. When I looked back up, preparing to put my big girl panties on and act like a gracious host, a lock of hair fell into my face.
Nothing could have prepared me for what came next.
Huntley’s hand slowly moved toward my face and I flinched back, eyes wide in fear like a feral animal cornered and ready for attack.
Old habits die hard .
So many things happened at once after that. And everything went to hell in a handbasket.
“Fuck,” I heard Bronson whisper as my sister took a swift intake of air from beside me, adding to the pounding in my ears. Huntley quickly dropped his palm to his side, but his gaze bored into mine and it was as if he could see straight into my soul.
I obviously wasn’t hiding anything from the group. Especially him .
His eyes were no longer filled with laughter, but in its place was anger, pity, and concern. I couldn’t handle any of it.
My breathing picked up speed, my heart hammered in my chest, and tears swam in my eyes, threatening to fall. The past bombarded me and my face flushed with embarrassment. This was exactly why I didn’t get close to other people. I may have made a load of progress when it came to what I’d been through, but there were only a few others than me that knew about it.
The woman, my angel , who saved me that night from ending it all, and my kids.
And those who had hurt me, but they didn’t give a damn.
About to run for the second time that day, I’d just taken a step when a menacing voice filled the room.
“Don’t you dare ever try and touch her again or… I. Will. End. You.”
My eyes darted to my son who stood behind Huntley, his body vibrating with rage as his chest heaved. Then they swept to Breland who stood quietly, clutching her dog Roxie in her arms as her eyes misted with tears like my own. Her body trembled, which I knew only fueled her brother’s fire.
Huntley, Bronson, and the ladies all swung around in shock.
They didn’t understand. How could they ?
Lennon was a good boy, but I knew what the group must be thinking as they took in his anger and words.
Motherly instinct kicking in, I managed to get my feet moving and raced around the hulking man now looking at Lennon. Resting my hand on my son’s arm, I forced myself to look more relaxed, and spoke softly to him, grabbing his attention.
“Look at me. I’m okay, he didn’t touch me.”
Lennon’s gaze drifted to mine and I ran my hand up and down his arm soothingly, visibly watching him start to relax. He could be a hot head when he was protecting his sister or me, but it came from the best place in the world.
His heart.
“Everything’s okay. Nobody here is harming anyone,” I whispered.
Breland moved closer to her brother’s side and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. That went a long way to calming the storm I knew had started brewing inside her.
“I’m sorry if anyone was startled,” came Huntley’s deep voice, causing me to look over my shoulder at him. But his eyes were not on me, they were focused on Lennon. “I would never hurt your mother or any woman for that matter.”
My breathing hitched.
Lennon didn’t respond but when I turned back to see his reaction, he scanned the group—his eyes assessing the situation—before bringing his gaze back to Huntley. Then he nodded. “I’m going to take Breland and Roxie for a walk. You coming?” he asked me.
The kid was wise, far beyond his sixteen years. He was giving me an out because he knew I was struggling even if I was trying to push my emotions under the carpet. But I also knew that while he seemed to have decided the group was okay, he still wanted to keep watch over me too.
It was endearing and also filled me with sorrow. I just wanted him to enjoy being a kid, something he’d never gotten to be. He’d been playing the protector for way too long.
“You guys go, I’ll be okay. We have to get food ready and I want to start unpacking stuff.”
He leaned in and hugged me. As he pulled back, he said, “I have my cell if you need me.”
God, the boy was something else. Something special.
“Thank you,” I replied softly.
Before they could leave, I glanced at Breland, my eyes asking for silent permission. When she gave me a small smile, I moved in to give her a hug. “Everything’s okay. I promise.”
Once I released her, they moved together toward the front door. The situation had spun out of control and I wasn’t sure how to reel it in. As I turned toward the group, I heard more voices coming into the house. My body tensed at the thought of having a bigger audience.
Not able to meet Huntley’s gaze, I sent a pleading look to my sister. Her lashes were wet and her face was streaked from her own tears which sent a pang of distress straight to my chest. I didn’t like seeing her upset.
Lake caught on quickly, rushing toward me as she began handing out orders.
“Can you girls help me get all the food ready now?” she asked Capri and Gemma. “Babe, you and Huntley fire up the grill, okay? Tell the other guys to start moving the boxes to the room they are marked for instead of everything being piled up in the living room.”
When everyone agreed, she looked at me. “Take whatever time you need, we’ll be here.” Then she nodded toward the bedroom.
I knew there was going to come a time when she would want answers. Lake had let me take our new sisterly relationship slowly, but after what just happened, I had a feeling that just pushed the get-to-know-you timeline up quicker than I may have intended.
“Thank you,” I whispered as I began to walk away. Lake and the group wandered off to do what she’d asked of them.
All but one.
I could feel his eyes on me and succumbing to the pull it had on me, I glanced over my shoulder.
Huntley looked like I felt at that moment.
Wrecked.