"You ready?" Brady asked softly.
"No." I started walking forward anyway.
While Brady rang the doorbell I felt my heartbeat through my toes. The silent wait was long and tense. I was going to explode in one second and completely calm the next instant. Then I was back to being numb until the door opened. I braced myself, but some stranger in another dark blue suit stood there.
"Is Leann Janke here?" Brady asked as he held my hand and rubbed his thumb over mine.
"Ms. Janke?" The guy gestured inside. "Please come in while I fetch her."
My heartbeat exploded. Sweat poured down my back. This was it. This was going to be it. He showed us to a waiting room that had two beige couches, a desk, and a fireplace in the center. Everything about it was formal, cold. Even the drapes seemed to tell us not to get comfortable; we were only there for a short while.
"You okay?"
I shook my head. "Before…" I wet my lips. "Before she comes in here, you need to know something."
Brady looked at me strangely, almost amused as he held both of my hands in between us. "Yes?"
"I…" He was so beautiful.
He spoke, "Look, Rayna. I did some thinking this afternoon and I want you to know…"
This was my moment. I was supposed to be able to stare at how beautiful and wondrous he was. How he could never be mine…
"I know you said before that you didn't want me, but I think it's a load of crap. I mean, obviously you do. You had sex with me. You don't do that unless there are feelings and I know you have them. I don't think you should freak about your mom knowing. It's not like she has a say about who you're with."
My mouth fell open. "What?"
"You're all nervous. Usually I can handle it, but I hate that it's because of me."
"What in the world are you talking about?"
He gestured between us. "You and me. It's why your mom's here, right? Viola got all pressed. I don't get her freak out, but she must've called your mom and told her. Why else would she be here?"
"My mother is not here about us. She has no say whatsoever in my life. She doesn't know about us and if she did, she wouldn't be here. She'd be at my house with my family, not at Frank Stephens' house."
"I didn't think about that." Brady slid his hands into his front pockets, leaned against the wall, and transitioned back into the confident bad boy. At least, he looked like it. Whatever had been troubling him was gone.
"Stop it. I don't need my badass best friend. I need my actual best friend. Stop the charade."
Brady straightened abruptly. A second later, he asked, "Your best friend?"
"You gave me a ride here to see my mom. I need my best friend beside me right now."
Brady hesitated.
I felt my heart stop once more. "You brought me here because you're my best friend, right?"
He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
"Or did I lose my best friend the second we had sex?" It was the million dollar question. Maybe he didn't love me how I had thought. He'd never told me…
Brady answered, "I think that things are very confusing right now."
"Did you do this to be my best friend or because you want something more with me?" Why did this matter now anyway? Everything depended on what she was going to say.
He gauged my expression. "I did it because I care for you." A myriad of emotions flashed over his face. "Deep down, beneath everything, I am here because I am your best friend. I love you in that best friend way. I saw that you were upset about your mom and I wanted to help you. This is where you need to be."
My heart melted, all the way down past my knees. "Thanks."
Brady narrowed his eyes. "Thanks?"
"Thanks." I couldn't tell him how I really felt.
"Have I done something wrong?" He frowned and then his eyes shifted to look out the window.
On the contrary, he did everything right. "No, no. You say the right words when I shouldn't hear them."
Brady cursed underneath his breath. "Kid and Clarissa just pulled up outside. I don't want them interfering with this."
Nothing made sense, but my heart was breaking in that moment. I wanted to spill everything. He should know, but I nodded my head. "You should stop them."
As soon as he left, I collapsed on a couch and caught my face with my hands. I bent over my knees and dry heaved. I knew I was being dramatic, but it was so hard, so seriously hard. I didn't know how much more I could take, but I knew more was coming. We were just stepping into the storm.
"You have some nerve coming here."
When I expected my mother, I looked up in surprise to see Frank Stephens instead. He wore a custom tailored black suit. His hands were clenched into fists and he jerked forward two steps, but stopped abruptly. As his jaw tightened, I saw the rage in his eyes and jumped to my feet, then wavered a second. The room spun around me, but I remembered Brady's voice. ‘I’m your best friend.’
Everything calmed in me. I opened my eyes then. "She's not here, is she?"
I was ready for the storm to come.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Frank Stephens looked like he could commit murder as he stared me down, but I wasn't a coward. I would not run away. But as his rage seemed to grow, I was tempted to tuck tail and scram.
"You are every bit the whore that your mother is. You spread 'em for any guy that comes along."
I reeled from his words, but he continued, "I loved your mother so goddamn much. I would've done anything for her, just like my son would do for you, but you're like her. She destroyed me, just like you're going to destroy Brady."
Did he just say…?
Frank jerked forward and crossed the room to a bar hidden behind a counter. As he filled a glass, he grunted. "When I first met your mother, I thought she was special. I thought she was a goddamn angel sent to save me. Can you believe it? I couldn't." He laughed harshly and finished the drink to pour another. "I loved my wife, or I thought I loved Teresa, and then I met Leann. I realized what love really was. Everything was upside down, and I thought I could do right. I thought I could be the guy that I knew she'd need for her. All she'd do is look at me and smile and I wanted to be a better man. I tried. I really tried, but it wasn't enough. Your mother humiliated me. She tortured me. When that wasn't enough…you know what she did? She screwed the one guy that I respected in this world. That's what she did. She did everything to hurt me. She succeeded. My marriage fell apart. I fathered another bastard child. I could've lost everything. My business could've gone done the drain and it's your mother's fault. She stomped on me. And you're just like her."
I should've left, but I wanted information. I wanted whatever he was giving out. I didn't care if it was hateful words. It was something.
He finished another drink. "I should toss you out. I should call the cops, but I already know they're on their way. It doesn't matter. Domitri was snowed by her, just like I was. I never knew how bad it was, how much she got under his skin. I never knew about you. Never even considered it, to be honest. If I had, trust me, I would've destroyed you and your mother. I would've taken Domitri down and sent him to hell myself. And Theona. She would've known everything. She would've died knowing how her life was just as much a lie as mine. The business would've burned and I would've set the match myself. I'm not going to see my life's work in your mother's hands."
I heard a car door slam outside the window. Voices were heard a second later and then dulled. After Frank finished a third drink, he moved to fill a fourth. I looked down at my hands. They were sturdy. I thought they'd be sweating or trembling. Nothing. For some reason, his demented hatred didn't touch me.
"All of it's gone. All of it. I have the majority share holder, but she's got the rest besides the board. It doesn't matter. I can't get around her. She's a damn woman. I hate women. They belong in the bedroom and that's it. I thought I loved her, I did love her. And now, goddamn…I knew she was smart, but I didn't realize. She's a goddamn witch. All those should be s
trung up and killed. I can't stand the lot of them. That's how she got Domitri in bed. She got her hooks in him. Theona wouldn't have allowed it if she wasn't dying." He swallowed painfully and slammed his glass on the counter. As it shattered, he didn't blink. He didn't notice blood was starting to pool underneath his hand. He stared at me, beyond me. He might've been seeing me, but it was her that he wanted to murder.
Something kindled in my spine and I stood slowly. "I don't know my mother…" When he jerked, I jumped. "I don't know...k-k-k-now about anything what you're telling me. I don't know my mom. I really don't. I came here because I wanted to ask her questions, but I can see that she's not here—"
"Your mother took off two hours ago. She's probably already on the plane. The car was going to the airport," he coldly delivered. "She's smart, so smart that she might walk away with twenty million for you. Little does she know you're here in my living room, within my reach. I could do anything to you and she couldn't stop it. She couldn't save you, much as she might think she did. She hasn't saved you at all. You walked into the lion's den. You're mine for all intents and purposes. You're mine."
I heard the threat and stared back. Something told me he was looking for weakness and I couldn't give him that. "I am anything but yours. I am Brady's and you've already told me you know he's your son. You know what he can do, so I wouldn't push it. Because you're right. Brady does love me and I love him. What do you think he'd do if he knew you were speaking to me like this?"
Frank looked at me with contempt. "I own this town. The only reason your boyfriend isn't in prison is because a part of him is from me. He's my son and his mother was one of the sweetest pieces of ass I've ever had. Call me weak, but I couldn't bring myself to charge my own flesh and blood. He's a part of my legacy. Hell, for all I know he might be my only legacy. Kidrick's a disgrace. He can't even bag the town's whore."
Cold tears fell down my cheeks. "You are less than me. You are less than Brady. You are less than Kid and you know it. You loved my mother because she made you want to be a better man. You loved her because—"
Frank wiped a hand over his mouth and interrupted, "You have no idea what you're talking about. You're just a kid. You're a girl, that's worse. And, sweetheart, my boy is not in love with you. He's just obsessed with you, but obsession ain't love. He wants your ass, probably has since growing up. Oh, yes. I've watched. I know everything about Brady. You think I'd really let my own flesh and blood go? He's an asset of mine. He belongs to me. It's a good thing that Viola took him in. She wanted him to be hers because she was disappointed with you. I can't blame her. I let her have him. Far be it from me to take an old woman's only saving grace in her life. She's got nothing else. Her own daughter abandoned her and stuck her with her kid. I've always wondered who your father was, if he was drifter or some poor schmuck who wouldn't pay child support."
I'd grown numb again as he said all the words that I'd held inside, too scared to say out loud. I'd always felt like a burden. I always wondered if my mother had sent me away because she didn't want me. Maybe my father had been so awful that the very sight of me revolted her. Did Viola wish Brady had been her grandchild instead of me? It would've made more sense.
I would've believed everything except one part.
Brady wasn't just obsessed with me. It was more. He'd never told me, but I knew it as sure as I breathed. He cared about me and if Frank Stephens lied about that one thing, I knew all the others were lies.
He couldn't hurt me.
As he spewed more abuse, I glanced out the window and saw Deputy Doug's car parked outside. When the door opened, voices filled the hall.
Idly, I crossed the room to grab a poker by the fireplace and held it tight. As I moved back, I placed myself where Frank Stephens would have his back to the hallway. As he continued to spew those hurtful words to me, I knew he wouldn't stop. He was drunk. He was angry. He was evil—he was just that kind of guy. I also knew that Brady would hear him and Brady would react how he always did.
Looking back over the years, Brady always had a hot temper. He was an "all in" type of guy and that meant protecting the ones he loved. He protected them all the way. Brady had worked on his temper. He was a lot better than a few years ago, but he still fought over one factor. Me.
I heard their footsteps grow closer.
"Mr. Stephens, I feel it's my duty to forewarn you about certain events." When he stopped, I continued, "That son of yours doesn't take kindly to people saying hurtful words to me. I might not stop him from hurting you, but since the law is present right now, I figure Brady shouldn't chance another arrest. He's going to want to hurt you and I figure the only way to stop him is if you're already hurt. So…."
I tightened my hold on the poker and looked beyond Frank Stephens' shoulder to see Brady turn into the room with Deputy Doug beside him. They stopped and Frank Stephens cursed out, "You think I'm afraid of your threats. You're nothing, but a little whore that was born a mistake and you'll die—"
Brady jerked forward with his hands already in fists. That's when I swung the poker with all my weight behind it. The poker slammed into Frank Stevens' face and he fell to the ground. It was so quick and it was done just as quick. Silence filled the room as Frank Stephens lay there, shocked, until he started to get back up with more threats.
Brady started forward, but I turned again and hit Frank Stephens over his back once, twice, and then again. He wouldn't shut up. I was surprised he didn't back, but the liquor might've helped me.
Then I was jerked from behind and pulled backwards. As my arms were pulled behind, I looked up and met Brady's eyes. His were shocked when mine were calm. "I didn't want you to hurt him. I didn't want you to go to jail again."
Deputy Doug spoke from behind me, "I need to arrest you, Rayna….I'm sorry."
I started to cry, but I nodded. "Brady has to come with us. He can't stay here."
"I'll make sure of it."
As I was led outside and placed in the back seat of the squad car, I watched what was happening. Brady followed and lingered on the front steps of the house. Kid's car pulled back into the driveway. An instant later, he and Clarissa both got out with shocked looks on their faces when they saw where I was. When they went to Brady, an ambulance arrived, and paramedics went inside. After that, I closed my eyes. I didn't care what else happened because Brady wasn't alone. The front door of the police car opened.
Brady crawled inside. "What happened in there?"
My voice was hoarse. "He was angry and saying a bunch of bad stuff to me. He wouldn't stop, Brady. I knew you were coming in. I didn't want you to hurt him because you'd get hurt worse."
"He can't hurt me, Rayna."
But, he could. And I knew it. Frank Stephens had kept quiet for so many years about Brady being his son, but he'd done it because he was scared of losing his business. He didn't have much to lose now. I might not be all-knowing and worldly about men like Clarissa, but I saw a quality in Frank Stephens that I knew very well. It was in Brady too. He felt his world crumbling and he was going to take as many down with him as possible. If Brady had physically attacked Frank Stephens, all bets were off. Everything would be told and I wasn't sure if I wanted Brady to learn about his parentage that way. It didn't matter now because I was the one who'd hurt Frank, not Brady. Brady would be okay. I was sure of it now.
"You really did him one. I'm surprised he didn't swing back at you. Viola is going to be so proud."
I laughed and then whimpered as pain shot down my arms.
"What's wrong?"
"My arms hurt." I tried to lift them, but they were too weak.
Brady nodded. "You really walloped him. I'm sure you pulled a muscle doing that. You're nothing but a hundred plus? A pint-size girl took down Frank Stephens. Even Kid's impressed. I think Clarissa has a newfound lesbian crush on you."
I laughed weakly as I felt tears slide down my cheeks. "I'm a mess, Brady."
He slipped two fingers through the bars and caught my hand. "I'l
l clean you up."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
My heart skipped a beat when I looked in his eyes.
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
"Why did you assault Frank Stephens?" Deputy Doug interrogated me with one leg propped by his phone and his chair tipped backwards.
Deputy Doug should've handcuffed me. As I rubbed where they could've been, I was thankful he hadn't. "Because I didn't want Brady to get into any more trouble."
He slammed a hand on his desk. "You can't say that, Rayna. Any second now, Frank Stephens' hotshot lawyer is going to sweep