Beautifully Decadent (Beautifully Damaged Book 3) (15 page)

“Why didn’t your lawyer appeal? There were eyewitness accounts that you weren’t the shooter, accounts that you were even surrendering. I just don’t understand how you lost so much time for what amounts to a stupid mistake.” Lately, I’d been thinking a lot about Dad’s case. He’d made a mistake, absolutely, but to get the sentence he had seemed like the DA had been out for blood.

“Had the two I did the job with lived, I may have been able to cut a deal. But with them dead, they needed a fall guy because a man died.”

“It’s bullshit.”

“Consequences, Rafe. I made the decision to cut corners, to attempt to solve my problems the easy way. That’s on me. So yeah, I lost twenty-five years, lost that time with you, but the man who was killed, Jared Lincoln, he lost his life.”

“You know his name.”

“I’ll never forget it. His wife lost her husband; his kids lost their father. That’s something I have to live with. And even though I didn’t pull the trigger, I’m still guilty.”

That seemed harsh, but then in his shoes it was likely I’d feel the same.

“Anyway, I’ve been hearing some rumblings in regards to the job.”

“What kind of rumblings?”

“Interest in what Lucas was after in that vault.”

“Why would anyone care twenty-five years later?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re thinking he went into that vault for something specific.”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense. And he didn’t get it. Whatever it is, it’s still out there.”

“That kind of sheds a different light on Lucas and the other one showing up dead.”

“Exactly my thinking. Lucas and Jackson didn’t have whatever it was they were supposed to. Whoever hired them didn’t like that.”

“Which means whoever wants to talk to you could be a killer.”

“It’s possible, but it could be nothing, it most likely is since the statute of limitations on most crimes has long passed.”

“Not murder.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t make much sense. Covering a murder with murder. I think the person who took out Lucas and Jackson panicked. And having that hanging over their heads for twenty-five years, they aren’t going to be so eager to add to their body count by offing me: a recently released ex-con with a link to their original crime. I’m not worried. I don’t want you to be.”

I wasn’t so much worried as I was curious, but now was about Dad so I let the subject drop. Watching him as he looked around the restaurant, his expression one I couldn’t appreciate without having been in his shoes. It was a bit jarring when it finally settled that he was home. My dad was home and we’d lost enough time. “Stop by my house. Anytime. I’d like to show you what I’ve created.”

“I’d like that.”

Our lunches arrived; my dad’s eyes grew wide, as he visibly inhaled the incredible scents. “This looks amazing.”

I watched him, the joy over something most take for granted. As soon as he took his first bite, his eyes closed on a moan. “Fucking unreal.”

“Welcome home, Dad.”

His attention shifted to me, the smile fueled by another emotion when he said, “Happy to be home, Rafe.”

It was late, I needed sleep, but for some reason I couldn’t find it. Climbing from bed, I grabbed my robe and headed outside. I settled in one of my new Adirondack chairs and stared up at the stars. Mom had taught me that, to take a break sometimes and look up.

I was thankful to have this time to get settled before work started, to take a breather before jumping in. At the time, I thought the three weeks Trace had offered me was too much, but I was finding I needed it. I didn’t realize how stressed out I’d been until I started to decompress.

I had had a bit to drink last night, happily tipsy my mom would call it, but I remembered the ride home. It would be hard to forget since I had been in a simmering state of lust, enough that I blurted out how sexy I thought Rafe was…to Rafe. I should be embarrassed and a part of me was, but unavoidable since my IQ took a hit every time the man was near. And even lusting after my landlord, I couldn’t deny the flirty banter between us was fun, even comfortable. I’d never had that before with a guy, liking him as much as I ached for him. Rafe was so much more than a pretty face and I was beginning to discover that ‘the more’ was equally appealing.

The sound of the gates opening turned my attention to the drive as Rafe pulled up and parked next to my car. Climbing out, he noticed me immediately.

“Avery? You okay?”

“Yeah. I couldn’t sleep.”

“I’ve got to get Loki. I’ll be right back.”

It was dark so he wouldn’t see me staring and I did stare because I had a pulse. Melody was a fool. She wouldn’t keep Rafe, not acting the way she did. And how nearsighted of her, trying so hard to hold him close and yet behaving in a manner that would push him away. Loki came from the house, right to me and in a gait that could almost be called a run.

“He likes you.” Rafe said as he followed behind him.

“I like him too. You know if you’re going to be out, he can stay with me. Melody was wrong to offer for me, but I’d enjoy having Loki for company.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it doesn’t make sense for him to be in there alone and me to be here alone.”

“He’d like that.” Rafe settled on the chair next to me and stretched his long legs out in front of him. We sat in comfortable silence for a while and then he said, “My dad got out of jail today.”

I didn’t immediately appreciate the significance of his statement since it was said in such a matter-of-fact tone. When it did click, I almost snapped my neck with how fast my head jerked in his direction. “You say that like you’re sharing what you had for lunch. That had to be weird for both of you. How did it go?”

Meeting my gaze, he didn’t answer right away and I’d have given Nat’s life to know what he was thinking because the expression on his face could definitely be described as tender. “It was good, strange. All day I tried to put myself in his shoes, free after twenty-five years, no longer looking through bars. He was a little uncomfortable I think, but there’s so much he wants to do. Overwhelmed too, all the possibilities and now being free to pursue them. And being around him again, it felt good.” He lowered his chin a bit so our eyes were nearly level. “Are you sure you’re okay about him coming for visits?”

“He’s your dad.”

“He’s also an ex-con.”

“I’ll admit, when you first mentioned that your dad was in jail, I was a bit nervous. I don’t know you. You don’t know me and we’re in pretty close quarters here. Not to mention I’ve never met anyone who’s been a guest of the state, but I get a good vibe from you and you clearly love your dad, so I’m following your lead on this.”

It was because I was staring at him that I saw his reaction, even as slight as it was, to my observation regarding his affection for his dad. “I don’t think it’s fair to leave you with that impression. I barely know my dad.”

“I won’t argue that, you may even feel resentful and bitter since twenty-five years is a lot of time to lose, but there’s love there too or you wouldn’t have picked him up today. And I know this because my sister hates my father, she’d step over his body before offering him aid.”

“Why?”

“My father is very selfish. You probably know your dad better than I know mine and my dad doesn’t have the excuse of being incarcerated for the past twenty-five years.”

He seemed to have a thought on that, one I was curious to hear since he looked annoyed, but I didn’t want to think about my dad, let alone talk about him. “What does a man do as his first act as a free man?”

“I took him to a little Italian place that has the most amazing food.”

“Yeah, food. I think that’d be my first move too.”

Rafe shifted a bit, his green eyes flashing in the most mischievous way. “Really, food first?”

A tingle started at my head and went clear down to my toes. If Rafe were an option, food would definitely be a distant second but to him I said, “That would be a close second.”

He laughed, the sound so fabulous, the tingle was replaced with a heat that damn near burned me. “If he ever gets a craving for something sweet, let me know.”

“Yeah?” But it was the way he said it, a familiarity that I really wished we had.

He was involved with someone and sitting out here like this, sharing like we were, it’d be easy to forget that. Standing, I rubbed Loki’s head. “Absolutely, anytime. I think I’ll try for sleep. Night, Rafe.”

“Night, Avery.”

Sitting at the bar in Allegro, I waited for Lucien to finish his conversation with his bartender Tara, so we could discuss what Josh had learned about the two who had done the robbery with Dad. Learning there was still interest in the case, I grew more curious about how they died. Dad didn’t think there was anything to worry about, I was of a similar mindset since twenty-five years was a long time—the dust had settled—but it couldn’t hurt to have the full story. My thoughts drifted to Avery. Coming home last night after such an intense day and having her to talk to, felt good. I hadn’t been completely sold on the idea of someone invading my personal space, and Avery, despite her words that I wouldn’t even know she was there, was a bright presence you couldn’t ignore and yet I liked that she was what she appeared—sweet, thoughtful, a bit of a nut, but she listened and she cared. And her penchant for getting herself into trouble, it didn’t annoy me; I actually looked forward to discovering what crazy scheme she came up with next. Uninhibited and free, she lived life with abandon and I’d admired her for that. The fact that I was also in a constant state of arousal around her didn’t hurt. Just visualizing peeling her clothes from her body to the prize underneath was keeping me up at night, but Avery was also my tenant and she worked for a friend, which could be tricky if things didn’t go well. I couldn’t lie though; the sexual tension combined with genuinely liking her was a heady fucking combination.

I was pulled from those thoughts when someone settled next to me. Darcy. She’d been married to Lucien for three years. Even with the passing of time, and the birth of their daughter, sparks still flew when they were in a room together. I was happy for Lucien and Darcy, happy that they had found their way back to each other.

“Hey, Rafe. What brings you here?”

“I was hoping to have a few words with Lucien.”

She studied me, her blue eyes assessing. “I like Avery.”

“I like her too.”

“How often does she bake for you?”

I couldn’t help but grin; Darcy was practically drooling at the idea. “She isn’t baking for me, she’s practicing and I get to eat it. And she practices a lot.”

Darcy’s head cocked, but what she was thinking she kept to herself. Then she said, “I was surprised to see Melody joining us the other night.”

Here we go.

“Seems coincidental, Melody’s sudden interest in hanging with us and Avery’s arrival.”

“What’s on your mind, Darcy?”

“Me?”

Turning to her, I held her feigned bewildered stare. “Spill.”

“I’m going to be brutally honest.”

“When aren’t you?”

The woman had the nerve to smile. “You, Trace and Lucien are friends because you’re a lot alike. Lucien is private, but he has his circle of friends who mean something to him. As his wife, those friends mean something to me because they’re important to him. I know you’ve only been with Melody a short while, but she’s not made any attempt to get to know us. You’d think she’d show some interest in what’s important to you. Hell, I know more about Avery than I do Melody and I’ve seen Avery exactly twice.”