She took a shuddering breath and let it out. Her hold on his hand was crushing.
“I don’t know why I went home early that day. I was supposed to stay late for an introduction to drama club, but I knew my parents would be at marital counseling and Aiden was home alone. The way he’d been acting…” She shook her head. “Anyway, I skipped drama club and took the bus home. I had just opened the front door when I heard the shot.”
It took her a moment to continue. A tear rolled over her bruised cheek. He felt like he was in the middle of a horror movie, reliving this tragedy with her.
“I don’t really remember much after that. Images, really. Nightmares. Doctors said that my mind is protecting me from the trauma. Whatever. I remember enough to know that Aiden missed his heart with the shot. He was still alive when I reached his bedroom.”
Cole’s throat tightened. “God. I’m so sorry, Everly.”
She just nodded as tears continued to fall. After a moment, she reached into her purse and pulled out a laminated slip of paper. Handing it to him, she said, “I lost the person I loved most that day. After that, everything changed.”
The paper had something that looked distressingly like blood around the edges. Handwritten on it was the message, I love you, Everly. I’m sorry.
His gaze lifted to hers. He didn’t know what to say.
“You’re the only person other than me or Aiden who has seen that,” she said. “I hid it before the emergency crews arrived, though I don’t remember it. A couple of months after his funeral, I spotted some blood on the edge of one of my jewelry boxes. I’d stuck the note in there.”
Handing it back to her, he squeezed her hand again. “Thank you for sharing that with me. You don’t have to tell me more if you don’t want to.”
“Thanks. But we’ve come this far. Might as well bring it home.”
Seeing that she wanted to go on, he nodded.
“I’ll bottom line it for you. My father blamed me for Aiden’s death. He insisted that I forced Aiden into going to college…that Aiden would have started in the majors out of high school if I hadn’t interfered.”
Cole’s temper simmered. “That’s ridiculous,” he said.
She shrugged. “Sure it is. I told him that. So he shoved me down a flight of stairs.”
Fury all but choked him. “Son of a bitch. That’s why you have those remodeled injuries.”
For a moment, she looked blank. Then she seemed to realize he must have heard about the injuries when she was hospitalized.
“Yes. By then, I was used to explaining my injuries away as accidents or klutziness. Since my father left while I was still in the hospital, there didn’t seem to be any reason to bring the authorities into it. So I lied again.”
His jaw worked as he bit back a comment. Her bastard father should be rotting in a prison cell. But Cole hadn’t been the one enduring the abuse. He knew she’d done what she had to.
She saw his expression. “I was protecting my mom, not him. Please understand that. Mom and I were suddenly on our own. My father left his steady job here and took an umpiring gig out of the country. Mom hadn’t worked a day in her life. Although a friend of hers got her a part-time job in a women’s clothing store, it barely kept the power on and gas in the car, never mind paying for a mortgage or health insurance. By the time I was fifteen, we had to sell the house and most of the furnishings and move in with my grandpa.
“He was a godsend. He knew his son had failed his family by abandoning us, so he took us in and made us feel welcome. I was in a tough stage…acting out, full of hate and anger, keeping everyone at arm’s length. My mom was too busy drinking or taking pills to deal with me, so he did. He was there after Mom died, too. He’s everything to me.”
When she got teary again, he said, “That’s why you worked so hard from the time you turned sixteen, isn’t it?”
She nodded and wiped her wet cheeks. “My father came home for my mother’s funeral. He cashed in her life insurance policy and headed right back out of the country with the money. Since my grandpa was retired and only receiving small pension checks, I got a job flipping burgers and worked my ass off at school. Ironically, my father is the one who motivated me to become a physical therapist. I vowed that I would do whatever I could to avoid anyone else ever going through what Aiden’s death did to us.”
He held her stare for a long moment before he realized that she had finished her story. She wiped another tear away. Her expression wavered between worry and relief.
Did she wonder how he’d take all of this? How could she not know?
“Everly Wallace,” he said. “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. I understand why you don’t talk about your past with just anyone, and I can’t tell you how much it means that you shared it with me. I’m awed by the courage you’ve shown in overcoming such tragedy. I’m saddened by all that you’ve lost. And I’m proud of all that you’ve accomplished.
“But you should know that if I ever see your father again, I’m going to rip out his goddamn throat.”
Chapter 46
Everly’s eyebrows shot up after Cole’s declaration. She hadn’t ever seen this particular look in his eyes before. She believed that he meant what he said.
Outside of her grandpa, no one had ever stood as her champion. It made her want to weep.
Since she’d done enough of that already, she smiled and said, “Thanks.”
He reached over and brushed the backs of his fingers against her bruised cheek. “Why did your father do this?”
Her eyes drifted down to the table. “He wanted me to do something I wasn’t willing to.”
When he didn’t reply, she looked up. He just sat there staring at her. She realized he was waiting for more of an explanation. She supposed he deserved that much after all of this.
“He wanted me to ask you to get him an umpiring job here in the States,” she said in a flat tone. “He figured you’d do it since we’re sleeping together. According to him, I’m fulfilling my role as his female child by whoring for favors.”
Cole sat back in the booth, his gaze disbelieving. He looked out the window at the lightening sky. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes. Everly finished her coffee and used a napkin to wipe the residue of her tears off her face. She was sure she looked wrecked. The lack of sleep and emotional purging were taking their toll.
A ring sounded from Cole’s pocket. “Shit,” he said as he reached for his cell. “I called your grandpa, but I forgot to call Wyatt and let him know I found you.”
Guilt struck her again when she realized she’d affected even more people than she thought with her behavior the night before. “May I?” she asked, reaching out before he answered it.
He shrugged and handed it to her. She tapped the accept button.
“Hi, Wyatt,” she said. “Yes, I’m fine, thanks. I’m sorry I caused you—oh, he didn’t do anything. No, I swear—well, if you want to kick his ass, that’s between the two of you. Wait until after dinner, though. I’m sure your mom’s spending a lot of time prepping it and—what? Oh, yes, he invited me and Pee Paw, but—Wyatt, we can’t just—okay, I’ll see you later.”
When she ended the call, she stared at the phone in confusion. Cole took it from her with a laugh.
“That’s Wyatt for you,” he said. “If you’d let him go on long enough, he’d have had you bringing the neighborhood kids, too.”
She blinked. “I’m not sure what just happened.”
“Sounds to me like he convinced you to come to Christmas dinner with the family.” He reached over and took her hand. She caught his gaze. “I’m glad you said yes. It saves me from a sad episode of shameless, unmanly begging.”
Her lips twitched. “Hmm. Maybe I spoke too soon.”
“If you want, I can engage in shameless begging to get you to come back with me to my place.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’d like that.”
He smiled. “That wasn’t so hard. Tell you what. Wh
y don’t you go get in the car and get the heat going? I’ll pay the check and then we’ll go pick up your car. Did you run out of gas?”
“No, the battery died. I’ve got jumper cables.”
“Easy fix, then.”
Soon, she was sitting in Cole’s car with the windshield wipers going, watching him through the Waffle House windows as he shook hands with Franklin and Manny, signed autographs, and gave them each enough cash to have their eyes going wide. She knew he’d sent her out before he did those things because he didn’t want to seem as though he was showing off.
He was so generous, she thought with a soft smile. So kind and considerate. She knew what it had cost him to listen to her talk, but he’d done it without hesitation. All that mattered to him was that he knew everything he could about her.
She’d picked well, she thought, trusting him with her heart.
When he stepped outside, he paused as he approached the vehicle. Then he tilted his head as if to say, Really? She just shrugged and grinned. Shaking his head, he walked to the passenger door and got in.
“I’ve never let anyone drive the Maserati before,” he said as he buckled his seat belt.
“That’s not true.” She shifted into drive and pulled out of the lot. “You always valet park.”
There was a moment of silence. Her grin widened since she knew he couldn’t argue.
“Can I call my grandpa on the Bluetooth doohickey?” she asked.
“I’d rather you focused on driving.”
She gave him a sideways glance. “There’s sex in it for you.”
“Let me dial.”
* * *
It was almost seven in the morning when they pulled up at his house. He parked the Maserati in the garage and waited for Everly to park in the driveway. He really needed to think about making a space in the garage for her car, he thought as she hurried in after him. Hell, he’d give her one of his cars if he thought she’d take it, but he knew better.
When she was inside, he hit the garage door opener. She took his hand and pulled him toward the door leading to the house. He disarmed the alarm when they entered, then continued to follow her as she led him to his bedroom.
She let go of his hand and headed to the bathroom, where she proceeded to turn on the shower. Understanding, he took off his coat.
They undressed each other without speaking. The look in her eyes touched every part of him.
He washed her hair to keep her stitches dry, but she refused to allow him to offer her any further assistance. In fact she insisted on washing him.
Still, they didn’t speak. This was about expressing themselves without words. Everly did a very thorough job of washing him, giving him more of the looks that had his heart feeling like it was going to burst out of his chest. The combination of tenderness, sensuality, and love she showed him was something he’d never realized he’d craved until now.
Finally, they headed to the bed. And he took over.
He knew he couldn’t make up for the years she’d lived in Aiden’s shadow…for the years of childhood that she’d lost in the wake of his death. He couldn’t make up for the fact that she came second in her parents’ love, even when she was the only child they had left.
What he could do, though, was let her know that she was first in his love. So he set about showing her.
He kissed her injured forehead. He kissed her bruised cheek. Then he kissed her lips, gently at first. Just tenderness.
Just love.
When she moved impatiently against him, he deepened the kiss, enjoying the satisfied sound she made as his tongue rubbed against hers. He stayed just where he was for several minutes, glorying in the taste of her. Only when his body raged against him did he finally part from her delicious mouth.
There was plenty of soft, scented skin for him to attend to, though. He worshipped her body, responding to her sounds and movements as he went. He kept every caress of his lips, tongue, and hands gentle, even when it nearly killed him. Knowing just when to stop, he brought her to the brink, then eased back. He knew it drove her crazy, which just escalated his own pleasure.
Finally, he sent her over. She cried out his name, her body bowing beneath him. Her response nearly pushed him over the edge, too.
He took the time to put on a condom, though it cost him dearly. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he once again positioned himself over her. She held his gaze as he slowly joined his body with hers. Then she pulled him down to kiss him.
She made him pay for prolonging her pleasure, wrapping her long legs around his waist and using them to control his pace. He had no choice but to submit.
As he’d done with her, she coaxed him to the edge time and again before forcing him to stop. He’d never experienced such an exquisite balance between pain and ecstasy. He might have even begged her to cease her sweet torture. If he did, she didn’t listen.
When she crested again, her nails dug into his back as she trembled under him. He couldn’t wait any longer. With something between a growl and a shout, he allowed bliss to consume him.
It was a while before his senses returned to him. He fell beside Everly on the mattress, pulling her up against him as he waited for his heart to stop slamming against his breastbone. When his eyes started to close, he forced himself to stay awake long enough to ask her to stay with him.
She was already asleep.
Smiling, he reached down and grabbed the sheet and blanket from the foot of the bed and yanked them up to cover them both. Then he pulled her back against him and kissed the top of her head before falling into a dead sleep.
Chapter 47
“You’ve done well for yourself, son.”
Cole followed his father’s gaze from his position on the family room sofa and saw that he was looking at Everly as he spoke. She stood near a table of snacks talking to Wyatt and Rowan. Their six hours of sleep had helped bring back her color and energy. She made her simple outfit of a forest green sweater and jeans look like designer threads. When she laughed at something Rowan said, the sound made him smile.
“Yeah,” he said, lifting his bottle of beer and taking a drink.
“I have to admit, I worried what kind of girl you’d end up with,” his father said.
“You did?”
“Sure. You’re famous. Wealthy. Got my fantastic looks.”
“I thought I was butt-ugly?”
“Not today. It’s Christmas.” His father sipped his beer. Then he used the bottle to gesture in Everly’s direction. “Anyway, your Everly seems down-to-earth. Not a whacko nut-job out for your money.”
“Whacko nut-job?”
“What can I say? I watch too many TV dramas. It’s always the rich folks who end up married to whacko nut-jobs.”
Cole snorted out a laugh. He looked over as Sam broke away from his conversation with Jake. Everly’s grandfather had been entertaining the five-year-old for most of the afternoon. Now, Cole watched his nephew stroll over. He jumped a foot into the air to land on the sofa beside Cole. Fortunately, Cole anticipated the move and held his beer aloft.
“Sam, no jumping on the furniture,” Avery said from somewhere in the house.
“How the hell does she do that?” Cole asked, looking at his father.
“Cole, don’t say that word around Sam,” Avery called out.
“Oops. Sorry, kid.”
“No problem, Uncle Cole. I’ve heard worse. One time, grandpa—”
“Whoa, there, little man,” Cole’s father interrupted. “Let’s not break the Man Code here.”
“Oh. Right, Grandpa.”
Cole smiled. “Are you having a nice Christmas, pal?”
“Sure,” he said, looking at the model train set Cole had given him. “Mr. Wallace knows all kinds of things about trains. He worked with trains for a long, long time. He’s the best at putting the tracks together.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying your present. Everly helped pick it out.”
Sam’s gaze moved to her. “She
has red hair.”
Cole’s eyebrow went up. “Um, yeah. I guess she does.”
“Really red. She could play Mary Jane in the next Spiderman movie.”
Hiding a laugh by taking a swig of his beer, Cole made a noncommittal sound. His father, however, chortled and slapped his knee. Cole’s eyes lifted to the ceiling.
“Are you going to marry her?” Sam asked.
Why was it that when kids asked questions like that, the television always happened to go quiet and all other sound ceased? Cole battled a wave of discomfort as Sam’s question carried across the house. Multiple pairs of eyes turned to him…including Everly’s.
“Well, we’ve only been dating for a month,” he told Sam. “We’ll have to see if she can handle dealing with me for much longer first.”
Sam nodded sagely. “Girls are funny like that.”
“They sure are.”
Fortunately, outside of Sam’s question, his family behaved themselves the rest of the evening. As they all gathered around the table to eat his mom’s roast and potatoes, it really hit Cole that it was the first time he’d ever had someone there with him. It felt nice, he realized, to not be the only single person there. To not be plagued with questions about when he’d finally get serious about someone.
To not envy the love his siblings shared with their significant others.
His mom seemed as enamored with Everly as his father was. He spotted her looking between him and Everly a couple of times. Once—though he tried to convince himself otherwise—she actually got a little misty-eyed.
In the end, although he dearly loved spending time with his family, he was ready to head home and decompress from the past couple of days. He walked Everly and Jake out to Everly’s car, since they’d driven separately. When Jake was safely in the passenger seat, he turned to Everly.
“You’re getting your stitches out at what time tomorrow?” he asked.
“Nine in the morning. I’ll come by afterwards.” Though she didn’t say it out loud, they both knew she was planning on working with him on PT and cardio. “My shift at Prix Fixe doesn’t start until four.”