His Every Need (23 page)

She sat next to him and patted his knee. “Tell her you were wrong to want your ex
at the wedding. Let Mags know she matters to you.”

He gazed at the carpet and back up at Allie. “Do you really think she’d take me back?
You don’t know how long it took to win her affections for the second time. I could
be well into the grave before she gives me another go.”

“It might help if you didn’t marry the first woman who flashes her boobs.”

“Well, quite.”

“Okay,” she said, slapping her knees and popping to her feet. “I’m going to see about
Brynn.”

Nigel grabbed the sandwich with one hand and turned the TV back on with the other.

Allie took the tray to the girls’ room. With her hands full, she kicked the door gently
with her foot. “Brynn, open up.”

Brynn opened the door and preceded Allie to the bed, tumbled onto it, and pulled a
pillow over her face. “I hate my life.”

Allie set the tray on the bedside table and pulled the pillow off Brynn. “We all hate
our lives at one point or another. But you’ll get through this, Brynnie.”

“What’s to hate about your life? It seems pretty perfect from where I’m sitting.”

The man Allie loved not only didn’t love her back, but he didn’t believe in the emotion,
had been permanently scarred by his parents and ex-girlfriend. She hadn’t heard from
Monica in weeks, and she wasn’t talking to her dad. Yeah, things were great.

“Nobody’s life is perfect. And you will get through this. What I want to know is”—she
hopped on the bed next to Brynn, making the mattress bounce—“why you got in a fight
in the first place.”

“Stupid Layla. She said that the only reason I got an A on my paper was because my
dad was fuc…er, boinking Ms. Castor. I said my command of the English language probably
helped, and that if she would come up for air, instead of blowing half the football
team, maybe she would pass the class.”

Allie sat in shock, her eyes wide. “Brynn, you don’t talk like that.”

“Well, I won’t anymore. One time I mouth off, I get in trouble. Dad is going to kill
me.”

“No, he’s not. He might ground you, but kill you? No, it’s too hard to hide a body.”

Brynn fell back on the bed and gave an almost laugh.

“So, you threw the first punch?” Allie asked.

“No, someone pushed me into Layla, and she thought I hit her, and well, you know the
rest. The algebra teacher, Mrs. McCrady, saw me get physical first, so it was my fault.
I tried to tell them what happened, but it didn’t do any good.”

Brynn picked up the pillow and held it over her face again. Allie closed her eyes
and lay quietly next to her sister for a while. Finally, she rallied.

“Try and eat something, hon.” She climbed off the bed and made her way to the living
room.

Trevor sat in the big easy chair, glaring at his father. Nigel untwisted an Oreo and
licked the creamy center.

“These biscuits are delicious, Allison. We should get some of these at home, Son.”

Trevor’s face became a frozen mask. “I assume you mean your own home? Because you
are not coming back to mine.”

“Trevor, can I talk to you in the kitchen, please?” Allie asked.

His cold, gray eyes shifted to her. “Oh, yes. You and I are going to talk, make no
mistake about that.” He stood and swept past her to the kitchen.

Nigel winked at her. “Good luck, love. It’s best to nod and look earnest when he’s
like this.”

Heart beating double time, Allie followed Trevor to the kitchen. He strode toward
the sink, his back to her.

“I don’t like people fucking with my life, Allison.” His voice was completely calm
and polite, but his back was tense.

She said nothing.

“I won’t tolerate it.” Slowly, he turned and gave her a cold smile. “Do we understand
one another?”

Allie felt herself nodding.

“Good.” He started walking away, but Allie held up a hand.

“Wait, no I don’t understand. How am I fucking with your life?”

He stopped. “I finally got rid of the old man, and Mags was on her way out too, but
you interfered. You stopped her from leaving. Don’t bother to deny it.” His voice
was dripping with icy displeasure.

“I wasn’t going to. Yes, I talked Mags into staying. She thinks you hate her, Trevor.
Is that how you want to leave things with your mom? I know she wasn’t perfect, but
she loves you and she wants to make it up to you.”

He glared at her, like she was something disgusting. “I know you don’t understand,
because you had a different set of circumstances with your parents, but stay out of
it. I don’t care how she feels, and there is no making up for the past.”

“Nigel told me about Anna. I’m so sorry.”

“Why should you be sorry? It’s that wanker out there who should be sorry.”

She craned her head to gaze up at him. “He is, Trevor. He’s been trying to apologize,
but he doesn’t know how.”

He stepped closer. “Mind your business, Miss Campbell. You have enough trouble with
your own fucking family. Some things are better left in the past.”

She planted her palm on her forehead. “But can’t you see the past still affects you?
You’re angry and you have a right to be, but maybe, if you give them a chance—”

“I’m done with this conversation.” He stalked to the back door but spun around to
glare at her. “I suppose you think I’m damaged. You tell me you love me, and voilà,
I’m a changed man.” He said something low and vicious under his breath and stepped
toward her, clasped the back of her neck and pulled her close, until her breasts were
pressed against his chest. “Well, I’m fine. I don’t need to change. And I don’t want
your love. Keep it. Look at what it’s got you. You loved your family so goddamned
much, you sold your body to me.”

“I think you’d better get the hell out of my house,” Brian Campbell said.

Allie wrenched out of Trevor’s grasp and glanced at her father, watched his face harden.
Horror and shame filled her.

“Gladly.” Trevor exited the kitchen, brushing his arm against Brian’s shoulder.

Allie flinched when the front door slammed.

Allie staggered to the kitchen table and collapsed into a chair. Burying her head
in her hands, she fought back tears. She didn’t want to see the disappointment in
her father’s eyes.

She heard him approach, heard the bottom of the chair scrape against the outdated
linoleum. “Al, look at me, honey.”

She shook her head and kept her hands over her eyes. He firmly, but gently, pried
them away.

“Is what he said true? Did you sacrifice yourself for us?”

Allie didn’t know what to say. Her heart felt like it had been smashed into a million
pieces.

“I’m so sorry, Allison. I should have seen it. I should have known his offer was too
good to be true.” He let go of her hands. “I’m going to kill that son of a bitch.”

“Unless I’m very much mistaken, your daughter loves my son-of-a-bitch son. So I don’t
think killing him is a good option right now.” Nigel stood in the doorway, his gaze
scanning the kitchen and landing on Allie.

“How much did you hear?” Allie asked, her stomach a tangle of knots.

“All of it.” He stepped into the room. “Do you love him?”

She took a deep, ragged breath and nodded. “So much.”

“He loves you too. He’s just too bullheaded to know it. I’m going to call Mags. She’ll
know what to do.” He walked back to the living room.

“I’m sorry, Dad.” She felt drained and empty.

He kissed the top of her head. “You have nothing to be sorry for, darlin’.”

“Brynn was suspended from school today.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I better go talk to her. I really let you kids down. Your mom would
be so ashamed.” His chin trembled slightly.

“No she wouldn’t. She would never be ashamed of you. But she’d be so disappointed
in me.”

He leaned away, a pained look on his face. “That’s not true. She’s proud of you, Al,
and so am I. Everything you’ve done was for this family. You took over when I was
too weak to do what was right.” Turning, he sniffed and cleared his throat as he hustled
out of the room.

Allie didn’t know how long she sat in the kitchen, but she blinked when the overhead
light turned on and Mags walked into the room in a swath of yellow silk.

She pulled Allie up and swept her into a hug. “My son is a beast, darling. Go on now,
let it all out. There’s a good girl.” Mags patted Allie’s back as the tears that had
threatened since Trevor left finally fell.

When Allie was all cried out, she rubbed her nose on the back of her wrist. “He doesn’t
love me.”

“Oh, my precious girl, of course he does. And how could he not? When you’re not caterwauling,
you’re very attractive.”

“But he doesn’t. He told me so the night of the hen party.”

Mags smiled and rubbed Allie’s shoulder. “He told you specifically he didn’t love
you?”

“Those exact words.”

She cupped Allie’s cheek. “It will all be well. I promise.”

Allie swallowed back a denial. Mags would only argue with her. “If you don’t mind,
I’m going to lie down for a while.”

***

Five days later, Allie was still in bed. Brynn tried to tempt her into getting up
but had no success. Brian came in every morning to check on her, but by the third
day, he sounded worried.

“Al, you can’t stay in bed all day. You didn’t even do this when your mom died. Come
on, sweetheart. I’ll make you some breakfast.”

Allie’s response was to roll over and face the wall until he left. She didn’t want
to get out of bed ever again. What was the point? Life sucked, no two ways about it.
She had kept her spirits up, chugged along, took care of everyone. And look what happened—one
sister gone, one suspended for fighting. For five long years Allie had struggled to
hold her family together and take care of her mother. Well, her mom was gone and Allie
had failed miserably. Losing Trevor, having her declaration of love thrown back in
her face—that was the final straw. What was the point of it all?

Time had no meaning. The days bled one into another. Brynn made sure she had a glass
of water next to the bed and brought in sandwiches, which Allie didn’t eat.

On day five she was awakened by someone shaking her arm so hard she dreamed she was
in an earthquake. When she pried open her eyes, she found Frances and Mags peering
at her with furrowed brows and thinned lips. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

“You smell, Miss Allie.”

“The whole room reeks, darling. Brynn called and said you hadn’t been out of bed since
I left.”

Mags’s black-and-white-striped retro dress had Allie crossing her eyes, so she closed
them. “Please go away.”

“You need to get up.” Frances jerked the covers back.

Allie felt like a vampire exposed to sunlight. With a scowl, she pulled the covers
out of Frances’s hand and covered herself back up. “Go away. I don’t want to see you
and I don’t want to get out of bed.”

“Oh, darling, he’s just as bad, you know.” The mattress dipped as Mags sank down next
to Allie and rubbed her arm. “I’ve never seen him so depressed. Come back with me.
And you really are quite ripe, dearest.”

Allie opened one eye and glared at them both. “I’m not going back. And if you don’t
like how I smell, get the hell out.”

“Please, Al.” Brynn hovered by the door. “You’re scaring me.” She twisted her hands
together and stood on her toes.

Groaning, Allie covered her face with both hands. She might be a complete loser, but
her sister still needed her—although she wasn’t much use to anyone.

Allie sat up and tried to smile. “I didn’t mean to scare you, sweetheart. I’m just
sad.”

Brynn nodded. “I know.”

“All right then, let’s get you cleaned up. I’ll run a shower.” Frances bustled out
of the room.

Mags stood. “I think we’ll need to burn these sheets and your bedclothes, Allison.
I’m not sure the smell will ever come out.”

Allie sighed. Time to get back to her life. Her very sucky life.

She stood and was a bit lightheaded, so she grabbed hold of Mags’s arm until the dizziness
passed. She patted Brynn’s face as she walked by. “Make me some coffee, would you,
sweetie? Really strong coffee.”

Frances stood next to the bathroom door, where steam flowed out in gusts. “Thanks,
Frances.”

Allie peeled off her smelly clothes and opened the door to the old fiberglass shower.
The hot spray pelting her sensitive skin was almost painful. With heavy arms, she
scrubbed herself and washed her hair. It was too much effort to condition it, and
really, her split ends could just bite it.

It took every bit of energy she had to dry herself and step into the jeans, bra, and
T-shirt that Frances had laid on the countertop. She reached up and swiped the foggy
mirror, glancing at herself for the first time in days. She winced at her reflection.
No wonder Brynn had been scared. Her cheeks were hollow and she sported huge purple
circles under her eyes.

She twisted her hair up, secured it with a clip, and brushed her teeth. That was all
she was going to do, but still she lingered in the damp, steamy room. She didn’t want
to face Mags and Frances and especially Brynn. All she really wanted to do was curl
up in bed and shut out the rest of the world.

Finally, she took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. All three ladies stood
in the hallway, Brynn with a mug in her hands. The prison guards eyed her as if she
might make a run for it.

Allie looked at them in turn. “I’m not going back to bed.” She took the coffee and
gave Brynn a little smile. “Thanks.” She blew at the surface and took a sip.

Allie walked to the living room and sat down. She leaned her head back and was almost
swept away by a tide of sadness so overwhelming she put a hand over her eyes to block
out everything else.

“Al?”

She cleared her throat. “Just give me a minute, Brynn.”

“Let’s go make her something to eat, shall we?” Frances asked. “What do you think
will tempt her?”

Allie removed her hand and watched Frances lead Brynn to the kitchen. She glanced
at Mags and almost lost her composure at the sympathy in the older woman’s eyes.

“My darling Allison—”

“How’s Nigel? Have the two of you kissed and made up?”

“We’re working on it. I do love that man to distraction, even though sometimes I want
to take a croquet mallet to his skull.”

Allie nodded and sipped her coffee.

“He’s been miserable since you left.” Mags tilted her head to the side.

“Nigel? Well, tell him to go golfing. That seems to cheer him up.”

“Allie, please.”

“I’m not going to talk about him. I can’t.” Tears clogged her throat. God, she was
so stupid, falling in love with Trevor Blake, the man who never cared about anyone.

They sat in silence for some minutes. Allie took comfort in it. She sipped on her
coffee and felt more alert than she had in days.

Soon, Frances walked into the room, bearing a tray and a big smile. Brynn trailed
after her, a look of worry still etched on her face.

“French toast. Brynn said it’s your favorite.” She set the tray of the coffee table.

Allie lowered herself to the floor, and for the first time in days, her stomach grumbled.
“Thank you, Frances.” Then she glanced around the room. “Does anyone want some?”

“You go ahead, darling.”

Allie tucked into her meal, but after a few bites, she dropped her fork. “I can’t
taste it,” she said with a frown.

“What do you mean, Al? Are you getting a cold or something?” Brynn sat next to Mags
on the saggy sofa.

“It’s the grief, Miss Allie.”

“Grief?”

“For Mr. Blake.”

She couldn’t bear to hear his name. Allie pushed the plate away. “Brynn, are you getting
your homework done? Did you get all your assignments from you teachers?” She didn’t
want to talk about Trevor. It was too painful.

Brynn rolled her eyes. “Yes, Al. But I’m missing two tests and can’t make them up,
so I have to take a zero.”

“How’s that going to affect your GPA?”

“I think I’ll be all right.” Brynn stared at her nails and Allie could tell she had
something else to say.

“What is it? What don’t you want to tell me?”

“Ms. Castor…Karen…broke up with Dad. He’s been really bummed about it.” She nibbled
at her thumbnail.

“Brynn…”

She flung her hand down. “I just feel like it’s my fault, okay? If I hadn’t gotten
in a fight, she wouldn’t have done it. And now he’s all sad, and you’re all sad, and
Monica’s left Brad…” She covered her mouth with one hand.

Allie narrowed her eyes. “Monica’s left Brad? Where is she?”

“I’m not supposed to tell.” She bit her lip and rubbed her hands over her knees.

“It’s all right, love,” Mags said. “You need to tell us.”

“She’s going to be so pissed,” Brynn whispered.

“Brynn,” Allie said through gritted teeth.

“Fine. The douche kicked her out. I think he was mad because Trevor wouldn’t give
her any money. She’s staying at this motel off Fremont Street.”

“Oh my God,” Allie muttered. “How long has she been there?”

Brynn shrugged. “A couple weeks.”

Allie hopped up from the floor and stalked toward her room. She came back wearing
her rattiest tennis shoes and slung her purse over her shoulder.

“What are you doing, dearest?”

“Monica can’t stay there, it’s dangerous. I’m going to get her. Brynn, write down
the name and room number.” She waited while Brynn scribbled it down.

Allie snatched the piece of notebook paper from Brynn’s hand and quickly scanned it.

Mags and Frances stood up. “You can’t go alone, darling. We’re coming with you.”

If anyone would be a target for mugging in that neighborhood, it was Mags, with her
designer dress, expensive shoes, and Prada handbag. She’d attract more attention than
Allie needed.

“I appreciate it, ladies. But I’ll be fine. You guys stay here. Brynn, do your homework.
I’ll be back soon.” She rushed out the door before they could follow her. Mags would
never be able to catch up in those stilettos.

Allie got in the car and started the ignition. She wanted to throttle her middle sister.
She held tightly to the anger and annoyance. It was much better than the sad, hopeless
feeling she’d been carrying around for the past five days.

She flipped on the radio as she sat in traffic and slowly made her way downtown. When
she reached The Royal Flush motel, she climbed out of the car and looked over the
two-story, rundown motor lodge with disgust. The Royal Flush was one of the few motels
not attached to a casino. Allie glanced at the algae-coated pool and gave a little
shudder. She couldn’t imagine what the rooms looked like.

She trotted to the second floor and tapped on the door. Monica answered, wearing a
pair of white shorts and a pink tank top. “Not you too?”

Allie frowned. “What do you mean?”

Monica opened the door wider and Allie peeked inside. Trevor stared back at her.

***

“Allison.” God, how he had missed her. She looked as if she had lost some weight.
She was thinner now than when she first came to live with him, and she had been too
skinny then.

She looked at him with wide eyes and didn’t say a word.

“Well, are you coming in or what?” Monica asked.

Allie jerked her gaze from his. “Um, yeah.” She stepped inside the room. “Trevor,
what are you doing here?”

He glanced at the white-knuckled death grip she had on her purse strap. She was as
nervous as he was.

He thrust his hands into the pockets of his trousers. “I received a call from Brynn.
I have a feeling my mother put her up to it.” And of course, he had jumped at the
chance to see Allie. He missed her like he’d miss a severed limb. God, he hated her
for that.

Allie’s eyes swept the room as she nibbled that full bottom lip. “I’d like to speak
to my sister alone, please.”

He bristled at her cold tone. “I’m sorry, darling, were you talking to me or the floating
nightstand?”

She glanced up at him then, anger flashing from her blue eyes. Good, anger he could
deal with, but he hated it when she ignored him. “You, Trevor. I’m talking to you.
I’d like you to leave so that I can speak to my sister. Is that clear enough for you?”