Runaway Heiress (6 page)

              Max was the first to cave. He couldn’t stand seeing his sister hurting. He got up from the table and pulled her from the chair so he could hug her.

              “You know we just love you too much to ever let anything bad happen to you, right?”

              “I know,” she conceded.

              “Since you’ve agreed to let Chad stick around, we’ll back off. But, we would all feel much better if you’d just come home. I promise to even back off if you do.”

              “I know you’d try, but it would be impossible for you. Just give me a little while to see what it’s like to make it on my own. I promise if the situation takes a change for the worse, or if I really do feel threatened, I’ll come home. I barely got here, though. I need more time.” Bree didn’t want to upset her family so she was willing to make some concessions, especially when they were being reasonable instead of threatening or trying to exert their will on her.

              “I don’t like it, but I’ll agree. We all love you, and you know there isn’t anything we won’t do for you,” Trenton spoke up. “We’ll take off for now, but remember, we’re only a phone call away. You know, barefoot and serving me drinks is good enough. There’s no need to get pregnant,” he finished in an attempt to make her smile. It worked, as he knew it would. Her brother was one of the good guys, he just had to learn she was grown-up, not the little five year old sister in pigtails, anymore.

              “I thought the plan was to drag her back, even if she was kicking and screaming,” Charlie protested. Chad shot him a glare.

              “Bree’s an adult. I think she made a valid point,” Chad said.

              “We’ll let Dad know you’re all right,” Max said.

              “I’ll try to keep him from camping on your doorstep,” Trenton added.

              “Jessica said you can stay at our place anytime. She also told me to tell you that she’d keep all of us ridiculously over-zealous guys away from you. Her words, not mine,” Alex stated with a sheepish smile.

              “Tell Jessica I’ll think about that. Now, get out of here. I love you all,” she said, relaxing since she knew she’d won a small victory. She also knew it wouldn’t last. They’d go home and immediately begin worrying over the break-in, then they’d be back again, trying to get her home. She should get at least a week or two of peace, though.

Chapter Four

              Chad paced the small house from one side to the other but felt like punching out a window instead. He only made it about six steps before he reached one end and had to turn around again.

              Bree’s family had left a couple hours ago and she was still hiding in her room, where she’d rushed as soon as the front door had closed.

              He didn’t want to pressure her but he knew she needed to talk. They hadn’t had a chance to discuss the kiss that had almost gotten out of hand. They also needed to discuss the living situation. He didn’t like the poor security of her house and felt he could do a much better job of protecting her in a more secure location. She was too easily ambushed where she lived but convincing her to leave wasn’t going to be an easy task.

              He approached her door and listened, feeling like a peeping-tom. Finally, he knocked but there wasn’t an answer. He started to worry so he opened the door and peeked his head in, knowing she’d be furious with him, but willing to take the risk. Seeing her sitting on the bed with her head in her hands, looking defeated wasn’t what he wanted. The creaking of the door hinges quickly brought her head up and she composed her face, but it was too late, he’d seen the grief, and he wanted to make it right.

              “I told you I need to be alone for a while,” she snapped.

              He took a relaxing breath before stepping inside her tiny space. He tried to avoid the fact that they were alone in her small room. She looked so enticing sitting on top of her purple bedspread.

              She tried to keep her glare centered on him but he could see the fear behind her bravado. She was frustrated and didn’t want to run home, but her family had brought more worry to the forefront of her mind. He sat down to comfort her. She flinched when he reached his hand out.

              “I don’t need anyone else coddling me.”

              “I know you don’t but you’ve been given a lot to handle the last couple of weeks and even the strongest of us can use a friend to vent to sometimes,” he calmly replied.

              “I know my family wants to keep me safe and I know you have a job to do but I’m sick of feeling smothered. They treat me like a child, instead of an adult. I came here to gain independence, but it seems I’m not even allowed that,” she pouted. Chad had to carefully compose his features to make sure a smile didn’t come through. She’d probably haul off and hit him if she saw even the hint of a grin.

              She said she was an adult and didn’t want to be treated as a juvenile, but at the moment she was throwing a bit of a tantrum. The situation was amusing and helped ease the anger inside him that had been building since he saw her tossed house.

              “I’m going to share something with you that I don’t talk about to anyone – ever,” he quietly whispered. “I had a sister – she was the cutest little girl in the universe. I was ten years older than her and I worshipped the ground she walked on.” The tone of his voice instantly put Bree on alert. She didn’t think his story would have a happy ending, especially when he used the word,
had
.

              “My mother wasn’t a great person, not even the tiniest bit, and my sister wasn’t planned. My mom was so messed up she didn’t even realize she was pregnant until she was five months along. She tried to abort her, but it was too late at that point and the doctors refused to do it. Mother was working at a little diner when all this came to pass and the manager was a real decent guy. Apparently, he’d had a crush on my mom for a long time so he jumped at the opportunity to date her. She was down and out and searching for a sugar daddy, and he was the only guy offering, so she accepted. We moved in with him and his place was heaven compared to the trashy apartment we’d been living in,” Chad spoke in a monotone voice. Bree grabbed his hand without either of them realizing it.

              “My mother was a user – she took all she could from Ray. He was real nice to me. She stopped doing drugs long enough to get through the rest of her pregnancy, but she only did that because she liked living at Ray’s place. She didn’t have to worry about the bills, or food. She had my sister and wanted to give her away, but she knew the gravy train would end if she did, so she brought her home.” Chad paused and Bree was shocked to see moisture in the corner of his eye. He turned away and took a moment to compose himself before continuing.

              “Mother had nothing to do with Jackie from the day they came home from the hospital. Ray and I named her. We were the ones who fed and changed her. She was amazing. I don’t know how something so perfect could come out of someone so horrible, but she was an angel. She hardly ever cried and she had this smile that would light up the room. The first time she laughed, I couldn’t help but join her. It seemed like only days, but all of a sudden three years had gone by. My mother was gone more and more and I could see how upset it made Ray. He offered to marry her but she always managed to delay it. We both knew she was out with other men – sometimes she’d be gone for a few days, then walk in as if nothing was wrong. Jackie didn’t even call her mom.”

              Bree was horrified as she listened to Chad speak of his past. She certainly got upset with her family but she knew how much they loved her, and she loved them without question. They had grown distant after their mother passed, but she’d never doubted their love. They had all just needed time to heal from the tragic loss of losing their mom.

              “I was watching Jackie – which was nothing new. I loved spending time with her. I know that sounds weird, because at that point I was thirteen, and most kids that age would feel put out by having to watch a baby sibling, but I loved her so it was never a burden. Besides, I knew she needed me.” His voice grew more hoarse the longer he spoke. Bree knew she couldn’t interrupt him, though she wanted to stop what was coming.

              “We were at the park watching a few kids playing touch football. I took my eyes off her for just a moment, not even half a minute. She was playing on the large fort and laughing, having a great time. I looked at the game, for the first time feeling a little envious that I couldn’t play with them. I heard someone scream and jerked my head back to where I’d last spotted her. She was grasping the rail at the top. I jumped up, but before I even reached my feet, she slipped and fell to the ground. It was like the entire event happened in slow motion. One minute she was laughing, the next she was falling. It wasn’t even that far, but she was so tiny, and she landed wrong. Her neck broke – she died instantly.”

              The pain in his voice ripped Bree apart. He was fighting to keep it inside, but even decades later, the wound was only a scratch away, just underneath his skin that she had thought was so thick. She couldn’t even comprehend going through what he had.

              Tears streamed down her cheeks as she listened to him talk about his sister’s last moments. What an imaginable thing for him to witness. Why was he telling her about it? What could she do to make the pain end?

              “Apparently there was a pole that came loose. She leaned on it, and fell through. She grabbed another bar, but before anyone could help, she slipped. If I’d been next to her, she’d still be alive today. My mom showed up at her funeral, even managed to force a few tears. She ate up the sympathy from strangers. There was a huge article in the paper and crowds of people flooded the service. I hated them, every single one of them. What right did they have to be there! I was supposed to watch her. The guilt tore me in two. My mom got a huge settlement from the city and took off in the middle of the night. She never looked back and I’ve never tried to seek her out. After she left, Ray couldn’t handle me. I was angry and holding onto so much guilt that I was striking out at him – on everyone.”

              Bree scooted closer and wrapped her arm around Chad’s trembling form. He was in another place at that moment, but he seemed to draw comfort from what she was doing so she stayed pressed against him.

              “Ray finally dropped me off at a human services office and I went into foster care. I was tossed from home to home. Nobody wanted to deal with a messed up kid like me. Finally, I ended up in the juvenile courts. That’s where I met Mark and Joseph. They saved my life. I was on a path to destroy myself, but they wouldn’t let me. They were doing volunteer work and took me under their wing. Mark and I became best friends, and Joseph helped me realize Jackie’s death wasn’t my fault. I still, to this day, feel responsible, but I know I didn’t cause her death. I just never ever want to lose someone again who I’m supposed to watch. Your family feels the same way, Bree. They love you, and if something were to happen to you, it would destroy them,” he finished.

              His words made Bree feel about two inches tall. She was so blessed, with a family who loved her enough to go out of their way for her, and she was being stubborn. She still needed to prove her independence but she’d accept having her own personal bodyguard without complaining about it.

              “I’m sorry,” she finally said, feeling the words were inadequate. She knew they couldn’t take away the pain, but she felt helpless to do anything more. What did you say to someone when they opened up to you the way he had?

              “It was a long time ago. I just wanted you to understand how much your family loves you – and also understand why I can’t let anything happen to you. They’d never forgive themselves if those threats against you were real and they did nothing to stop the man. I can’t sit back and not give this my all – I’ve committed to guarding you, and isn’t it better to be over-protective than not protective enough. It’s all done for the right reasons.”

              Both of them were silent for a few minutes and Chad finally realized that Bree was practically wrapped around him. The heat of her body was more effective in healing his wounded soul than any amount of therapy he’d gone to, insisted upon by Joseph.

              As he closed his eyes and felt the tender touch of her hand caressing his arm, and the press of her rounded breast pushing against his chest, he felt the sorrow always present, ease and instead his body came to life.

              He suddenly needed her with a vengeance. He knew she could take away the pain. The touch of her small hands, the feel of her silky skin, the sway of her body. Without thinking it through, he leaned down and his mouth connected with hers.

              The kiss wasn’t gentle. It was filled with despair and need. He was trying to push away his demons and quench his thirst. Bree paused for only a moment before she was kissing him back with her own hungry need.

              Chad’s body instantly hardened. He pulled her onto his lap and his hands explored her back, moving along the slender slope of her spine. She moaned into his kiss, igniting fire inside him. He moved his hands below the hem of her shirt and broke the kiss only long enough to pull her shirt off. Then, before either of them could come to their senses, his mouth connected with hers again.

              His tongue pushed against the barrier of her lips and slid inside the warm recesses of her mouth. He greedily took all he could from her, but she wasn’t a victim. She clawed at his head, tugging him closer to her, groaning into his mouth. He unclasped her bra and tossed it aside, needing to feel her untethered breasts pressed against him.