Landon (The Love Family Series Book 5) (2 page)

Chapter 3

Landon reclined in the SUV’s black leather seats and stared up at the familiar ornate, red front door of his parents’ home. Memories of his brothers’ disappointment, when he’d told them he was leaving, assaulted him. He could still remember the tears that his mom had shed. He’d avoided this day as long as possible. His time was up.

“Do you need me to hold your hand?” Alice asked in the quirky way that made him smile.

“I...”

The front door opened and his family emerged. Any chance of leaving evaporated right before his eyes. His brothers, brother-in-law, Sky, and Avery stepped off the porch and into the yard.

“How bad could it be?”

“Let’s get this over with.” Landon shoved his door open and stepped out, meeting Alice on the sidewalk. He let out a shaky sigh and guided her to where the others stood, waiting like a mob ready to be judge and jury.

“Alice, you know Skylar, Olivia, Reed, and Avery. These are my brothers, Declan and Flynn, and Skylar’s husband, Luke.”

“Hi. Thank you for having me.”

His brothers didn’t respond, never taking their eyes off Landon. The tension in the air was suffocating.

“Avery, do you mind taking Alice inside to meet mom?”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather I stay here…you know…in case I need to pull them off of you and kick their asses for beating up my best friend?” Avery asked.

“Honey?” Reed crossed his arms over his chest. “Whose side are you on?”

“Baby, he was my best friend for years before I was ever
your
honey.” Avery laced her arms around Reed. “It’s part of my job, as his best friend, to have his back, even if it means against his brothers.”  

Landon’s lips twitched. “I’ll be fine.”

“You’re sure?” she asked.

Landon nodded, placed the palm of his hand on Alice’s back, and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I’ll meet you inside.”

Avery led Alice toward the house. She glanced over her shoulder one last time before shutting the door behind them.

Declan clamped his jaw tight and stared.

Landon raised his brow in challenge, meeting his brother’s glare. Music blared from his parents’ backyard where the party had started. This was both the last place, and the first place, he wanted to be. He clenched and unclenched his fists, waiting to see which brother would strike first.

“What, no welcome home hug?”

His brothers and Luke created a loose circle around him, leaving no viable exit. Was this what it had come to?

“Are you afraid I’m going to run or worried I’m not?”

Declan’s brows dipped. “You’ve got some explaining to do, little brother.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t come home more. Is that what you want to hear?”

Waves of anger gushed from each of the men he called family, smacking Landon in the face as if they were unseen punches. The emotion seeped into his bones, filling the void where his heart used to be. Landon hated his ability. He’d been cursed with the worst of his parents’ unusual DNA, with no way to turn off the onslaught of emotions that bombarded him from the people nearby. There was no hiding true feelings while in his presence, and no way to turn the knowing off.

“I said I was sorry.”

“This time.” Flynn’s words stung, but they were true. “What happens when you disappear again?”

“Your actions affect more than just you,” Reed jabbed, pushing the knife in a bit deeper.

“Not you too. You’ve seen me daily for the last few months.” Landon shook his head at Reed, one of the other two people assigned to the little doctor.

This confrontation would be so much easier if they’d act on their anger, throw a few punches, wrestle, hell, Declan could even slap the handcuffs on him. He could deal with that. He’d preferred that much more over their unspoken words and hate.

“Look.” Landon lifted his hands in surrender. “I have a job, and it keeps me away. Every one of you should understand that.”

“You’ve missed weddings.” Declan crossed his arms over his chest, the first sign the scolding wasn’t over yet. Landon had to concentrate hard against rolling his eyes.

“Not everyone’s.” Landon grinned and gestured toward Reed. “I’m here for Reed’s.”

“You’ve missed birthdays, family reunions…you’ve missed things you’ll never get back.”

“I said I was sorry.” Landon’s brow rose. “I came back before my niece and nephew were born. That should count for something.”

“Your apology—” Declan started to say.

“Is accepted,” Skylar announced, brushing past her brothers; her oversized belly led the way. 

Landon pulled her in for a hug and placed his hand on her belly. The joy emanating from Skylar cut through his brothers’ anger like the brilliance from a lighthouse in the fog. “You’re bigger than you were two days ago.”

“And you haven’t changed a bit.” She grinned and ruffled his hair before linking their arms. “I’m starving, and we have a guest. You guys can continue your scowling and inquisition after we eat.”

“This isn’t over.” Declan narrowed his eyes.

“I’m sure it’s not.” Landon bumped his shoulder in passing and led Skylar into their childhood home.

Alice was seated on the edge of the patio chair with a large glass of tea on the table in front of her. She worried her bottom lip until she met Landon’s gaze with an apprehensive smile. “No black eye?”

“Not yet, but it’s still early.” He chuckled.

“Did you apologize?” Alice whispered, lifting the glass to her lips.

“I tried.”

“Good.” She smiled around her sip. Her eyes sparkled with delight, and an unfamiliar, yet sweet, feeling of pride rushed from Alice, warming his skin and thawing the ice that encased him.

“Alice,” Skylar announced as she approached. “Flynn’s wife, Mia, just arrived, and I’d love to introduce you.”

“Sure.”

Reed patted Alice’s arm in passing as he joined Landon and Avery at the table. He sat, pulled his chair up, and rested his arms on the table. His anxiety rolled off him in waves, making Landon’s teeth ache.

“You found something?” Landon asked with a quiet voice.

“I’m monitoring some internet chatter.”

“What chatter? Do I need to move her?”

“You wish.” Reed shot him a lopsided grin.

Hey, a guy could dream. Things had a way of coming full circle and biting him in the ass. The confrontation in the front yard was just the start.

“You aren’t leaving before the wedding, even if I have to call in two teams to protect Alice and the people at the ceremony,” Avery announced.

Reed leaned in and gave Avery such a heated kiss that it could have melted the polar ice caps. She was in love and so was Landon’s brother. Unfamiliar warmth spread through Landon’s chest. Envy swirled around him. Not that he wanted Avery, but the thought of a future with someone he cared about sounded nice, even if it was just a fantasy that he’d never experience. “Get a room.”

Avery broke the kiss and snuck one more in before they pulled apart. “Tell Landon what you heard. He needs to know.”

“Alice’s DNA reports were compared to her sister’s, and there is no chance that she belongs with the family that raised her.”

“Shit.” Landon dropped his gaze and clenched his hands. Just as Alice had thought. No matter how much she teased and pretended the answers weren’t going to bother her, he knew better. He knew women.

“I see time hasn’t taught you better manners.” His mother’s sweet voice was music to his ears.

“Momma.” Landon rose and pulled his mother in for a hug. He kissed the top of her head.

“I’m glad you’re home, baby,” she said as a tear welled up in her eye and broke free, slipping down her face and reminding him of the time he’d left.

“And you better stay that way,” his father said in the deep baritone voice that was reserved and used only during times Landon or his brothers were in trouble.

Landon released his mom and hugged his dad with a pat on the back. “I’ll make a better effort.”

“See that you do.” He glanced around the table. “Lunch is almost ready so finish up your shop talk. We won’t be having any of that at the table.”

“Yes, sir,” Reed answered.

They waited for their parents to retreat out of earshot. “Anything else to report?”

“There are two families that paid for the stolen babies still unaccounted for. One skipped town without a trace before a retrieval team got there, and the company is still trying to trace the other buyer.”

Landon gave a slow nod as he processed the new threat. “Are you searching for them?”

“We have facial recognition running on everyone who enters the island. Even if they have fake IDs, we’ll still find them,” Avery announced as she glanced toward the open French doors. “Have you told Alice about your family’s special DNA?”

He shook his head. “There’s currently no need.”

“And how are you holding up with all the emotions at the hospital?”

“I’m dealing.” He stood as he saw his father gesture them inside.

Lunch went off as expected. Declan grilled Alice with questions and gauged each answer for the truth. Olivia and Skylar talked baby crap, and Mia and Alice became instant friends, discussing experiments and medical mumbo jumbo. Landon sat quietly, listening to the conversations around him like an outsider looking in. The tension in the room eased as the hours passed, almost disintegrating by the time they had to leave.  

Chapter 4

Alice slid into the passenger seat and glanced up at the Loves’ house while waiting for Landon to get in on the other side. Declan, holding a beer, stood on the porch, leaning against the rail.

“Well, that wasn’t so bad.”

Landon shoved the key into the ignition and started it. “It could have been worse.”

“Yeah, your brother, Declan, looks like he still wants to clobber you. Does he always look like that?”

Landon chuckled. “He’s the sheriff. He’s paid to look like that and has been perfecting it since we were kids.”

They rode in easy silence back to the house the company had deemed their safe house. It was the only two-story brick building that included a safe room, and it sat nestled in a clearing on the other side of the island. A picturesque lake graced the landscape in the back yard, with a dense forest surrounding the lake and the house. Landon and Avery had assured Alice that no one was coming or going without an alarm being tripped. She was supposed to feel safe in this new place, and yet the big house felt overwhelming.

Landon pulled down the driveway.

“Who is that?” She gestured to the man sitting on their steps holding a manila file in his grasp.

“Miles Phillips,” Landon grumbled in a tone not the least bit happy. “Another operative who wanted your detail.”

“That can’t be good, right?” Alice asked, trying to mask the unease in her voice. Miles was a good-looking man. He was dressed in fatigues and a black T-shirt that stretched across his chest. Tattoos peeked from beneath his sleeves. He had that same commando vibe that oozed from Landon. He ran his hand through his military-cut brown hair. His dark eyes were glued to their vehicle.

Miles rose to his feet as Landon and Alice got out of the SUV and headed in his direction.

“What are you doing here?” Landon asked, bypassing the operative and slipping his key into the lock. He punched in the alarm code on the house before repeating it in his cell phone.

“Hello, I’m Alice.” Alice extended her hand.

“I’m Miles.” He shook her hand. His eyes twinkled as he held her hand a bit too long. She slipped her fingers away. An uneasiness wrapped around her body. Maybe it was just because he was yet another reminder that Alice wasn’t on the island for a vacation.

“Let’s move this inside. She’s an open target out here.” Landon gestured toward the open door and waited for her to pass before stepping in front of Miles and blocking his entrance. A whiff of arrogance hovered around Miles, as if it was a permanent part of his aura. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ll start the coffee, and you two can talk about whatever was so important that he had to drive all this way.”

“It appears I’m having coffee.” An easy smile played at the corners of his mouth.

Landon reminded himself that Miles had to have come for a reason. He’d get the intel and then tell him to get the hell out. He stepped out of the way, and they both followed her into the kitchen, where she started a pot of coffee.

“I’m sure you know two of the families are unaccounted for. We found one…sort of.”

“You got a hit on the family that ran?”

Miles took a seat at the kitchen bar and slid a manila envelope to Landon. “No, we still haven’t found that family. This is on the other family.”

Landon opened the file to a crime scene photo. An older couple lay dead, face down on the floor, in a puddle of blood. Their hands were still bound behind their backs and secured with duct tape. He flipped to another picture of a burning car and then started reading the reports. His eyes shot up to Miles.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Afraid not.” Miles winked at Alice as she handed him the coffee mug. “That is Andrew and Claudia Perriman. They purchased one of the abducted children. It seems Junior didn’t take the news of his abduction too well and took out his anger on the couple that raised him.”

“You sure he did this?”

Miles pulled out the paper in the back of the file and set it on top. “Andrew Perriman, Jr. has a history of violence that the family covered up as well.”

“Not too well if you found it,” Alice said as she placed a mug of coffee in front of Landon and went back to fixing herself a cup.

“Well, honey, that’s what we do. We find what others don’t want us to find.”

Alice lifted her brow. “Junior appears to be the obvious choice, but you do realize there is someone else who is just as angry at those two people as Junior probably is.”

“Who?” Miles asked.

“The parents he was taken from. The question you should be asking is which one would kill in cold blood.”

“Junior has a history.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” She shrugged. “But what if Junior’s psychology is linked to DNA and his real parents are just as awful?”

“And what if his tendencies are linked to his upbringing?” Miles countered and then smiled over the top of his mug.

“We can sit here and guess all day at who did this. What does the evidence tell us?” Landon asked, going straight to the root of the problem.

“The deaths happened at night. They’re still analyzing the scene, but one of the neighbors police questioned saw a male, dressed in black, running from the scene.”

“Junior,” Miles said as if he already had the kid convicted.

“Or Junior’s biological dad,” Alice mumbled and walked out of the kitchen.

Miles rolled his eyes, making Landon’s lips twitch into a grin.

“She’s a handful.”

“You only wish she was in your hands.”

“No denying that.” He wiggled his brows.

“You’re the last thing she needs. She’s been through a lot.”

“Like you’re any better, Love. I’ll keep you posted on the hunt for Junior.”

“Thanks.” Landon set down his coffee cup and walked Miles to the door. “Email Junior’s picture to Avery so they can add it to their facial recognition search.”

“Will do.”

Landon followed Miles off the porch and walked him to his car. Miles opened the door and glanced back at the second story. “Let me know if you need help with her.”

Landon glanced over his shoulder and found Alice watching them. “I’ve got her covered.”

“I’ll bet you do.” Miles winked and slipped into the car without another word.

Landon watched the taillights disappear down the drive before he moved back inside, locked up, and reset the alarm.

He grabbed a beer from the fridge and settled in the office with the file in front of him. The danger for Alice was multiplying by the minute.

“You’re worried about this one?” Alice leaned against the doorframe, a cup nestled in her hands as she masked the inner turmoil that swirled around her with a deceptive calm.

“Whoever did this might be carrying a vendetta against you for ruining their life or outing their involvement in the kidnappings, and we both know they’re capable of killing.” He held her gaze, sending out his own protective wave of emotion and letting it wrap around her. “You’re safe here.”

Alice had changed into shorts and a T-shirt. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail and out of her clouded green eyes. On days when she was happy and excited, her eyes sparkled like beautiful emeralds catching the light in a room. On days when she was determined and scared, they clouded and swirled with gray specks. Her eyes were the window to her soul. Her deep greens acted like the punctuation at the end of a sentence, confirming the emotions he could feel from her.

Alice was a strong, beautiful woman. At another time, and in another place, he might have acted on his attraction to her. That time and that place wasn’t today or on the island.

She lifted her chin and stepped through the doorway. The small gesture didn’t hide what he already knew from the energy in the room. She was apprehensive. This threat, unlike most of the others, was actually affecting her. Was it because she’d seen it first-hand in the photos?

“No one but the agency knows who you really are and where you’re hiding.”

“I know.” She sat down in the chair, perching on the edge. “I’m just having a hard time with all of this. I’ve ruined lives by coming forward.”

“You’ve brought peace to the families who didn’t have closure. Who didn’t know one way or the other if their babies were still alive or what had happened to them. That’s a good thing. You were put in an impossible situation and did the right thing.”

“I get that, but
who
put me in that situation? Who’s pulling my strings?”

“We don’t know yet,” Landon answered honestly. He could feel the disappointment wafting from her. He could feel the emotional vibration in the air battling with the safe vibe he was pushing back at her.

Landon stood and rounded the desk to sit in the chair next to her. He took her small hands in his and ran the pad of his thumb over her palms. “Alice, we will get answers. It’s just going to take some time.”

Alice lowered her gaze to their clasped hands. Her apprehension was replaced with something worse—sadness. She lifted her gaze to meet his. “I didn’t look like either of my parents, and I don’t look like my sister. I know what my DNA results are going to say.”

Damn, how could he have forgotten to tell her? “I’m sorry, but you were right. Avery and Reed told me the results before we ate. They compared your DNA to your sister. It’s not a match.”

She gave a knowing nod. Her hands momentarily trembled, and her eyes turned glassy.

“Who am I, Landon?”

Landon dropped her hand and cupped her cheek. Her skin was soft to the touch as he wiped away a tear that slid free. All he wanted was to find her answers and remove some the anguish she was trying her best to hide. “We both know who you are, even if we don’t know your parents’ names. You’re a good person who helps anyone in need. You’re caring and compassionate and have the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. You’re smart and beautiful and a damn good doctor. No one can take those things away from you.”

“You think I’m beautiful?” she asked, her voice a whisper.

His lips softened into a smile. The fact she even had to ask made her ten times more attractive in his eyes. “Any man with a half a brain would agree. Alice, I promise you; we’ll find your answers.”

She searched his gaze. The sadness surrounding her softened.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” She pressed her hand over his and gave it a gentle squeeze before removing it from her face. Alice stood and he rose with her. Their bodies a breath apart, the energy charged. He crossed the professional line and gathered her into his arms holding her against his chest, offering her what strength and comfort he had to give.

Her body eased into his hold as she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head into his throat. Seconds ticked by without words, and neither of them pulled away. His heart raced, the beat matching hers. How could anyone hurt this woman? He briefly closed his eyes, not wanting to let her go, yet he did the honorable thing and dropped his hold. Neither of them needed the complication.

“Alice.” She lifted her gaze to meet his. The gray in her eyes lightened. “I promise I’ll never give up trying to get your answers.”

Her eyes had glazed with unshed tears before she cupped his cheek. “You’re a good man, Landon Love, and I believe you.”

The air between them sizzled as he lowered his gaze to her lips. The battle with his urge to kiss her weighed heavy against his chest. He had a professional duty to keep her safe, and a kiss would complicate things. A kiss would be unprofessional. A kiss…

His thoughts drifted away as Alice rose on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his, taking the fight out of his hands. The kiss was wrong on so many levels, yet he couldn’t pull himself away. He pulled her body flush with his and deepened the kiss, taking from her what she readily offered. Just this once, he’d throw caution and reasoning into the wind and just let himself feel something other than the swirling emotions. Heat flowed through his veins, awakening parts of him he’d thought long dead. She moaned as his tongue explored the recesses of her mouth. He moved his mouth over hers, devouring her softness and leaving a burning fire running through his veins.  Her soft, subtle body melted in his arms. He splayed his hand against her back, holding her, nowhere near ready to let her go. The kiss was probably some emotional or psychological reaction. She’d come to her senses, even if he couldn’t.