Chapter 23 #2
“Yeah, and she’s done her best. More than anyone would be expected to do. Do you know how many days he was sober before his buddies came into town?” Sebastian’s question caught Casper off guard. Casper frowned, looking at Caitlyn.
“One hundred and twelve,” she said, meeting his gaze.
“It’s not my problem.”
“No,” Caitlyn said, “He’s mine because I chose to stay. You only come here because you need to blame someone. You’re like him. Like father like son.”
“Don’t say that.” Casper’s nostrils flared, his hands turning into fists. Sebastian moved, putting himself between Casper and Caitlyn. Pops watched, his hands trembling, most likely from needing a drink. Sebastian would deal with him next.
“Why?” Sebastian knew he shouldn’t taunt him. Caitlyn deserved better.
“I am nothing like him,” Casper spat.
“Maybe. Maybe not,” Sebastian said, trying to maintain his cool.
“You said you take care of family. Where were you when the lawn was turning into a jungle? Are you going to wait until the porch falls off to help fix anything around here? Or do you just come to tell them what to do and delegate to a woman who’s working two jobs, raising a kid, and taking care of her father? ”
“You don’t know what he has done,” Casper nearly shouted.
“Does it matter?” Sebastian asked. “Since when do the sins of the father get held against the daughter? Or the son?” He thought of Owen. Where was the boy? Still keeping his gaze on Casper, he asked, “Where’s Owen?”
“Sam’s,” she said.
Pops paced and glared at him. He shouted something in Spanish, and Casper shouted back. Caitlyn added a few words, and Sebastian held up his hand to stop the bickering. He dealt with enough domestic disputes before going undercover. He wanted to placate this and move on.
“Don’t think you can come here and have a say in what we do because you got a thing for my sister.”
“The only permission I need to date a woman is hers,” Sebastian clarified.
Casper’s eyes narrowed. His nostrils flared.
Sebastian turned to Caitlyn. “Are you okay?”
“Antonio is right. You should leave. I don’t know why you came.” Her eyes failed to meet his.
Yeats had warned him to give her more time. “We still have things we need to talk about.”
“Maybe she doesn’t want to talk to you,” Casper said.
“And maybe this chica can talk for herself,” Caitlyn retorted.
“Listen, I have a friend. If I ask, they might pull some strings to get Pops in a rehab in Philly.”
Caitlyn’s eyes narrowed. “Why would you do this?”
“Because if it’s alright with you, I want us to be a family. You. Me. And Owen.” Sebastian ignored the sound coming from Pops. Casper crossed his arms, his chin tilted down and his eyes boring into Sebastian’s back.
“It’s your decision. Tell me, and I’ll make the call. Your father needs help. Let me help you help him.”
“You’re going to send him away to one of those rehab centers?” Casper grunted.
Pops ranted in Spanish as he headed down the hall away from them.
“Pops, wait!” Caitlyn went to go after him.
“Don’t waste your breath,” Casper told her. “It’s a lost cause.”
“You are a lost cause.” Caitlyn jabbed her finger into her brother’s chest. “You disowned us because you blamed Pops. Like Sebastian said, Silas would have killed Pops. And where were you to help us?”
Casper gritted his teeth, locking his jaw together. Sebastian waited as Casper lifted his fist, about to say something, then turned on his heel and strode away. Down the hall. Toward where their father went.
Caitlyn’s eyes widened. She pressed a hand to his chest, just below his bandage.
Instinctively, Sebastian’s hand covered hers.
He flinched, afraid her touch might aggravate the wound.
The dark swirls of amber in her eyes seemed to deepen as her features etched in worry.
The nurse, Daralyn, tried to talk him into staying longer at the clinic, recovering, but he needed to see Caitlyn.
More shouts came from down the hall. None of which Sebastian could understand. “I’m sorry. I’ll do whatever you want to make it up to you. I never meant to hurt you.”
His hand hovered hesitantly in the space between them, then landed softly atop hers on his chest. It was his eyes, however, that implored her. Caitlyn’s shoulders slumped. “You will call your friend?”
“Done.” He pulled out his phone, kept his eyes locked on hers, and waited for the person on the other end to pick up. It took less than ten minutes to make the arrangements, but her gaze kept locked with his the entire time. “They’ve got a bed. Can we get him there today?”
“Then we go. This is good. We can talk on the ride back.”
“What about work? Owen?” he asked, waiting for the catch.
“Family first,” she whispered, and the adamant look in her eyes made him reach for her. “Owen is staying the night with Sam, and I’m off work for another two days.”
Sebastian wrapped his good arm around Caitlyn. “I’m not leaving you.” He breathed in her scent to ease the anxiety building in him since he got in Yeats’ truck to make the drive over here.
“I know.” She gave him a tender squeeze, leaning into his chest, but not enough to press against his healing wound.
Sebastian’s phone vibrated. “Do you think Casper will help?”
His phone went off again. Sebastian pulled it out of his pocket.
“I don’t know. You saw how upset my brother was.
Give me the address and the information.
I don’t think he’ll help you here. You need to go and rest. Tomorrow, we’ll figure things out.
” She wrapped her arms around him. Sebastian inhaled her warm and inviting scent, like walking into a kitchen after baking bread.
He tightened his hold on her. Kissed her on the side of her head.
Caitlyn turned her head, met his lips, briefly.
“Go. I can handle it from here. You’ve already done enough. ”
Sebastian’s phone vibrated again, a continuous buzzing that seemed to carry through his bones. He touched his phone, the security camera app opened, and any arguments he died upon his lips.
“I need to go,” he said, his voice gruff.
Caitlyn pulled back, alarm flashing in her eyes. “Sebastian. What is it?”
“Something has triggered the alarms at Grace Meadows.”
“Then I’m coming with you,” Caitlyn said, her voice urgent.
“Let me handle this. It might not be safe.”
“Owen is at Grace Meadows. If something was happening there, he could be in danger.” She shouted in Spanish, and Antonio gave a muffled response from the other room. Sebastian headed for Yeats’ truck and held open the door for Caitlyn. Lord, don’t let me fail.