A Promise Of Home (A Lake Howling Novel Book 1) (33 page)

“Oh…oh dear.” She pressed a hand to her mouth and tried to get off his lap again.

“You going to cry?” He wrapped his arms around her tight.

“No…maybe. It’s all the emotion; I’m not used to it.”

“Here’s some more for you,” he said to the top of her head. “I love you.”

“What?”

“I’m sure you heard me.”

“I love you too.”

“You don’t sound too happy about that, sweetheart.”

She chewed her lip. “I am; it’s just that I’m not used to it anymore.”

“It, being love?”

“Love, friendship, emotion, they’re very tiring. People always smiling at me or asking after me. Last night I made more friends, more relationships to juggle. Even Mr. Heath told me that I could go to him if the Book Club ladies gave me any angst.”

He smiled into her hair. His town was folding her into their ranks slowly, molding her into one of them.

“Millie Lawrence doesn’t like me, though.”

“Millie Lawrence doesn’t even like her own kids, Rosebud; don’t take it to heart.”

She sat upright and looked at him. “Okay, you all win; I give up. I’m now a Howler.”

“That’s the spirit.”

“And if you ever just fly off in that helicopter without telling me where you are going or when you will return again, I will not be accountable for my actions, Jake McBride. You got that?”

“Got it.”

She braced her hands on his chest and kissed him, soft and sweet and way too brief; he felt it to the edges of his heart.

“I never wanted to love someone so much that just seeing them walk into room makes something ache inside me. I didn’t want to have my happiness reliant on another person ever again, but you’ve done that to me, McBride, and I’m sure I should be really pissed with you, but all I can think is that you’re mine and I’m yours and I always want it to be that way.”

“You must be a writer to have those words at your disposal.” Jake slipped his hand under her hair. “And if I say ditto, will that be an okay response? Because there’s no way in hell I can compete with you.”

“Yes.”

He held her and kissed her until he had to lift her off his body or take her back to bed.

“We need to go downstairs now, Rosebud, before your father comes looking for us.”

“Okay.”

Jake was happy that she sounded as frustrated as him. He watched as she pulled on a shirt of her father’s that reached her knees, then rolled the sleeves five times.

“You’re one sexy woman, Branna O’Donnell.”

“Okay, sure, now let’s get out of here before I jump you.”

Jake’s eyes crossed at the thought of her sitting on him. “Give me a minute here.” Adjusting his jeans, he thought about his grandmother, who was at present sailing the med, and felt himself begin to calm.

“Right, get moving,” patting her backside, he followed her out and down the stairs.

Declan, Branna, and Jake sat around the table drinking coffee and discussing Macy in hushed voices. They decided it was best to take things slow and work out what to do with her, instead of for her.

“She’ll want to go back to him at first. He will have brainwashed her into making her believe that she’s to blame and that combined with the fear of both him and exposure to the town, will make her want to go back,” Jake said.

“We can’t let her go back.”

“I know that, baby, but I’m telling you what she’s going to say.”

“It will be hard in a small town,” Declan added.

Jake looked at him and nodded. “And she’s going to need strength that she probably doesn’t even know she has right now.”

“Morning.”

Jake stood as Macy appeared in the doorway. He hadn’t seen her without makeup, six-inch heels and expensive clothes for years and he’d forgotten how small she was…fine boned. She looked like a child standing there in Branna’s robe. He took in the bruises on her face and the wounded expression in her eyes, and wondered why he hadn’t looked closer over the years.

“Morning, Miss Macy,” Jake said, forcing himself to smile at her, when inside he was angry as hell.

“Come sit down beside me, Macy, and I’ll get you some coffee and toast.” Branna pulled out a chair and motioned her into it. She hesitated and then did as Branna asked.

“Would you be able to take me home soon, Branna? Brian will worry about me if I’m not there to make his breakfast.”

“No, Macy, you’re not going home.”

“Why, Jake?” She looked genuinely confused at his words.

“Because Brian has been abusing you, and you’re pregnant, and it’s my understanding that you don’t want to lose this child like you have the others.”

Her face broke, she lowered it to Branna’s shoulder and began to cry, silent tears that made her shoulders shake. Branna held her, speaking softly, and Jake and Declan stayed where they were, very aware that the last thing she wanted at the moment was support from a man.

They talked to Macy gently, asked questions until the story of her life at the hands of Brian Delray began to unfold. Declan was gentle; Jake was insistent, but gentle, and Branna was the rock Macy had tethered herself to.

He asked her questions about her pregnancy and the state her body was in. Was she experiencing pain anywhere? Did she have nausea, any bleeding? Jake’s training came back as he questioned her, trying to work out what she would need from a medical standpoint. His mother needed to check her out, as he was sure she wouldn’t want a man touching her, but that would come, just not today. He would get her something to help her sleep, because at the moment that was the best he could do for her and the baby.

It was Branna who told Macy that Cubby would need to be involved and when she finally agreed, the sheriff arrived twenty minutes after Jake phoned him.

“You got a full house now, Branna?” Cubby wandered in, dressed in an old pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Jake had told him to come out of uniform and that they had Macy here and that Brian had been abusing her. He’d heard the hiss of his friend’s breath down the line, but nothing more was added, only. “Be there soon.”

“I’m a social sort of person, Cubby, you know that.”

Branna was sitting with Macy at the table still and Jake could see the stress in his girl. She was torn between rage and pity. Like him, she wanted retribution for the broken woman who had lived the horror she had for so long. Her smile was strained and Jake wanted to wrap her in his arms and tell her how proud he was of her for handling everything the way she was. First her father, now Macy, and then the small matter of someone threatening her.

“Sure you are, never met anyone who likes people as much as you, all that soft mushy stuff you’re always spouting tears me up.”

Macy was watching the sheriff as he moved to take the seat across from her. Declan took one end of the table and Jake the other, closest to Branna. Taking her hand, he rested it on his thigh and threaded their fingers.

“Hey there, Macy, hear you’re having a few problems?”

“This was a mistake, Cubby. I-I need to go home now.”

“Here’s the thing, Macy,” the sheriff said in his calm voice. “I heard that Brian has been abusing you and that you’re carrying a baby. Now, it seems to me that as there’s another life besides yours involved, that you shouldn’t think about going back to a man who has no respect for either of you.”

“Y-you don’t understand what he’s capable of, Cubby!” Macy cried.

“Macy, you need to calm down now,” Branna said, placing her hands over the ones Macy had clenched on top of the table. “You know you can’t go back to him, you know it inside you. Yes, you’re scared and from what you’ve told me, you have every right to be, but it has to stop now, right here.”

“Macy,” Jake drew her eyes. “There are four people here in this room who will now watch over you. Four people who will do everything we can to keep you safe and you know as well as me that there are plenty more like us in this town. This has to be stopped now, Macy, before Brian kills you and the baby.”

Jake had no idea if Brian would get to that point, but from what Branna had told him, the beatings must have been bad.

“Wh-what should I do?” she whispered a few minutes later, to the relief of everyone.

Cubby had gone to arrest Brian Delray after he’d left Macy at Branna’s, but he’d gone, apparently fleeing Howling sometime during the night. That he’d left in a hurry was obvious by the mess the sheriff found. Clothes were scattered around the bedroom, and papers in the office. After a thorough search, they found an envelope tucked down the back of a cabinet that Cubby reckoned Brian must have forgotten about, or lost. Inside it was a document that incriminated Delray and gave Cubby more than enough, along with his treatment of his wife, to put the man away for many years.

“Seems he wanted Branna’s land to build some kind of housing development on. Had people lined up and plans drawn up. He wanted to put Howling on the map, from what I gather.” Cubby scratched his head as he looked at Jake.

Jake had called in to see Cubby and hear the news firsthand after the sheriff had called him. He’d left Declan at home with Macy and Branna and he’d be home before it got dark. Because, even though the sheriff had assured him Delray had left Howling, Jake was taking no chances until the man was caught. Branna and Macy would be safe; he’d ensure it.

“I’ve put an APB out for the authorities to pick Brian up and I’m hoping that won’t take too long, because he’s not exactly a man to hide out in the woods, if you know what I mean.”

“I’d like a crack at him,” Jake said.

Cubby nodded. “Wouldn’t mind putting a pair of cuffs on him myself and then watch him trip over and bang his head on something.”

“We’ll keep Macy with us until he’s found,” Jake added, as he climbed to his feet and headed for the door. “Mom’s just left after checking her over. Both she and the baby are doing okay.”

“Still can’t believe it, Jake.”

“Yeah, it messes with your head if you think about it too much.”

“Hard not to.”

Lifting his hand, he headed for The Hoot. It was getting late, but Buster was still there preparing stuff for tomorrow and Jake had the idea of taking home a few muffins for his girl and Macy.

***

“You’re cheating.”

Macy laughed. “No, you’re just really bad at cards.”

Branna rolled her eyes and began to shuffle again. Her father was outside in the shed doing something and she and Macy were playing cards in the lounge. Branna was on the floor, Macy sitting on the couch.

Jake had gone to town after taking a phone call from Cubby and Branna was sure he was getting all the latest information on Brian Delray. He’d promised to return before it got dark and even though they had her father here, she’d feel better with Jake in the house too.

Jake had told her that Macy’s husband had left Howling, but she was still nervous that he might try to come for his wife.

“Thank you, Branna.”

What did she say to that, when she knew that what Macy was thanking her for was not the hand of cards Branna had just dealt her?

“Just look after you and the baby and that will be all the thanks I need, Macy.”

“I will, I promise.”

Macy looked worn out and bruised, but Branna thought her eyes looked clearer and she wondered if it was hope that she could see in them, and maybe relief.

“As soon as Dad and Jake get back, I’ll make us some hot chocolate, it’s better for you and the baby,” Branna said, dealing the cards again.

“Brian hated hot chocolate,” Macy said, picking up her cards.

“All the more reason to drink lots of it now,” Branna added, picking up her hand.

“Doctor McBride said I will be tired for a while and that rest and eating good healthy food is really important.”

“Did she say how far along you were?” Branna asked.

“About thirteen weeks.”

“What a shame you won’t be going full term, wife.”

Both women froze at Brian Reynolds’ words. He stood in the hallway, and Branna realized he must have come in through the back door. In his hands was a gun and it was pointed at Macy.

“You bitch,” he said, pointing to Branna, “Get over here so I can tie you up before I teach my wife a lesson.”

“Brian, no,” the anguish in Macy’s voice made Branna move to stand before her.

“You can’t honestly believe you can get away with this, Brian? People know what you are now; you can’t live in this town anymore,” Branna reached behind her and grabbed a handful of Macy’s robe to stop her from moving.

“People know what a whore she is; me, they like. I’m the gentle one they love and she’s the one people hate.”

He wore a dark sweater and trousers and the face that Branna had thought belonged to a nice man was now twisted in rage. He really believed what he was saying, Branna could see that. He thought people would turn on Macy and accept him. He was crazy, just like Macy had said he was…crazy and unlikely to see reason.

Branna looked to the front door that was closed, and wondered how she could get her and Macy out without one of them being shot. What if her father arrived? Would Brian shoot him?

“I won’t let you take her.” Branna took a breath to steady herself; panic would not help them get out of this unhurt.

“Then, I’ll shoot you,” Brian Delray said.

“Branna!”

Macy tried to get around Branna again, but she tripped and fell to the floor, and that was when he fired, the bullet hitting Branna in the arm. Her mind went completely blank and it was Macy’s cry that made her look down. Blood was soaking into the sleeve of her shirt, and then she felt the pain. It was sharp and vicious, and literally took her breath away, and Branna was on her knees seconds later. She couldn’t focus; her vision seemed to have narrowed and her head felt strange.

“No, dear God, no!”

Branna turned to face Macy as she cried out, but she couldn't move and then suddenly she was falling.

Jake heard the gunshot as he climbed out of the car. To his right, he saw Declan sprint out of the shed, and they arrived on the porch seconds later.

“Branna!” Bursting through the door, Jake saw her on the floor, her body still, and then the blood; he was on his knees beside her two heartbeats later.