Falling Into Place (23 page)

She was too damned chipper as she hurried
over to Liz. “Stop scowling. I can read you. I know you left with
both of them and you’re happy, horny and in love. So, what the hell
happened?”

Liz blinked at Jamie. “Can we not go there
right now?” Shit, Liz was blushing and that wasn’t normal.

“Told you that you were feeling both of
them, and from the look on your face, you’ll be feeling a whole lot
more.”

“Fuck off, I’m not going there. Just let me
sit down and order. I’m starving. I was sick last night.”

“Not this morning. You aren’t even
hungover,” Jess giggled impishly.

Liz plopped down in a seat and glared back.
“Menu, please.” She was done talking about it in the bar.

Grumbling as she walked away, Jamie grabbed
a menu from the bar. Tremaine and Robert slid into the booth across
from her.

Liz laid her head down on the table. She no
longer wanted to ditch both of them, but she wasn’t sure how to
deal with their… relationship in public. It wasn’t that she was
ashamed, she wasn’t, but she wasn’t big on PDA, and she wasn’t
trying to flaunt it.

Jamie dropped into the booth beside her.
“I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Yes, for the love of God, yes. Now drop it
before Lincoln comes over and turns purple, because he’s coming
this way.” The kid was beyond sheltered. Kid was the wrong word, he
was older than Christian by a good five or six years.

Jamie laughed out loud. “He may be a little
disappointed. He was working up the courage to ask you out.”

Liz’s gaze snapped to Jamie. “Seriously,
don’t. I’m way too old for the kid.”

“He’s twenty-seven, and it’s not about age.
It’s not like you look yours.” Jamie snickered. “Besides, there’s
nothing wrong with being a cougar when you’re as hot as you
are.”

Liz sat up and crossed her arms over her
chest. “Seriously, drop it. I can’t get over the age
difference.”

“Oh, come on, it’s not any worse than
Christian and his fantasies about you,” Tremaine teased.

Liz cringed. “Okay, seriously, that creeps
me out. He’s like family.”

Robert’s eyes went wide as he turned to
Tremaine. “My nephew fantasizes about Liz?”

“Uh, yeah.” Trem chuckled. “He’s told me all
about it.”

“Can we not go there?” Liz pleaded. “He’s
perfect with Delilah, and aren’t two pushy men enough in my
life?”

“I knew it,” Jamie squealed. “I want
details.”

Lincoln coughed, and Liz’s gaze snapped up
to find his face magenta, his pale green eyes wide, and his mouth
hanging open like a damned fool.

“You are such a prude.” Jamie shook her
head, a smirk twisting her lips. “You just need someone to ride you
into tomorrow.”

“Sorry, Lincoln.” Liz sighed. “I tried to
spare you, but they won’t shut up.”

He nodded dumbly and she ordered. The guys
did the same and Lincoln left the table, still blushing.

“Details, woman,” Jamie insisted.

“Fine,” Liz grumbled. “Nightmares woke me
up, I puked. Tremaine started the shower, and then things got
steamy. I never expected what happened. I was a crying mess,
covered in vomit, but with the three of us in the shower things got
heated.”

Jamie’s brow arched as she took another look
at Robert and Tremaine. “Yeah, I’ll admit it. I’m jealous. You’ve
got the best of both worlds. Rough and tumble with smooth and
suave.”

“Robert can be rough and tumble,” Liz
blurted out with a grin before slapping her hand over her
mouth.

“Do tell,” Jamie pleaded.

“Go get your own man.” Liz nudged Jamie’s
shoulder.

“I know. I’m waiting for someone I can’t
resist.” Jamie sighed, looking away.

“What about Preston? I thought you couldn’t
resist his cocky grin. I haven’t seen him around in what… two
months?”

Jamie sighed and looked away. “He finally
figured out he was in love with Amethyst. He couldn’t be with me
after that. Besides, it wasn’t love, just a good time while it
lasted.”

“Sorry. You two had a good thing.’

“Yeah, but it’s not the same as what you
have.” Jamie got up. “I’m fine though. I’ll know my man when I see
him.”

Liz nodded, and Jamie walked away. For what
it was worth, she wished Jamie luck.

It was time to get down to business. She
looked across the table and said, “Now, I believe we should discuss
what you know, Robert.”

* * * *

Robert stared at Liz. She never ceased to
amaze him. No matter what happened, she could put aside her own
personal turmoil to deal with her mission, or in this case
threat.

The night before was a rare exception, but
considering the circumstances, he understood. Still, she needed to
know what was coming. Knowing James was alive was one thing. What
Emily described made Robert’s blood run cold.

He pulled Emily’s journal out and slid it
across the table to her. “Here. This explains what happened.”

She ran her fingers over it. Her hazel eyes
locked onto his. “What happened to Emily, Robert? I know you said
she wasn’t doing so well, something about a curse, but that’s all
you said. What happened?”

Robert sat back and closed his eyes as he
took a deep breath. “I was having my own nightmares yesterday
morning. I knew something was wrong when I woke up.” He shuddered.
“Liz, I thought it was you. I was terrified. When I saw Emily
laying in a heap, I was relieved.”

“Hey,” she said softly. “She’s your sister.
She needs you too.”

Guilt trickled through him, but if he was
being honest, he still couldn’t understand how Emily could ever
bring that monster back. Then he remembered the one thing she did
say and his lip curled. “All I got out of her was Lizard’s Hole
before she collapsed. Gabriel and I took her to the druid compound
south of here.”

Tremaine turned to Robert. He brushed his
hand over the scruff on his face. “Do they have any idea of what’s
going on?”

“They will contact me if she comes around. I
will have to talk to her then, but I honestly don’t know if I can
forgive her for bringing James back after everything he’s
done.”

Liz softly asked, “Is she going to be
okay?”

“I don’t know, Liz. I just don’t know.”

Tremaine squeezed Robert’s shoulder. Liz
took his hand and placed a gentle kiss to his palm.

Robert tried to smile, but failed. After the
reality settled in, he was having a hard time finding sympathy for
his own sister. It could have been over, but she went and saved the
man who hurt everyone around him time and time again. And not to
mention everything James had done to Emily.

Liz pushed her hair behind her ears. “Maybe
Dakota could have a look at her. He does better work than a lot of
the mages I know. Or maybe Amethyst. I don’t know any druids who
can heal worth a damn.”

Tremaine snorted a laugh. “Fallon can’t heal
worth shit, unless it’s for her man Brody. Silver damage, and she
straight up heals it like it was a paper cut. Not even Dakota can
do that.”

“Mate bond.” Liz smirked. “That’s why. She
could heal anything for him. Unfortunately, mages don’t work the
same way as weres and druids.” Her eyes were tormented when she met
Robert’s gaze. “I was able to bring you back, but not heal you all
the way. At least I did a better job on you than I managed on
myself.”

God, how was I so blind?
How did I miss the pain she was in? Why didn’t I figure out her
fear?
She had suffered so much and he
didn’t do a damned thing to help.

Robert squeezed her hand back. “I should
have taken you to Emily. I wish I’d known what that asshole had
done to you. I would never have let you go.”

Anguish flashed across her features as she
turned away. “I was ashamed. I knew he wasn’t you, but then that
morning I was such a mess I didn’t figure out it was you. I
couldn’t explain that to Emily. She’s always hated me, and that
would have been one more reason.”

Robert’s grip tightened on the table. He
ground his teeth together with a sneer. “My sister is a damned
fool. She brought him back even after years of abuse. He was gone,
and she brought him back from the brink of death to wreak more
havoc.”

Liz flinched. “She always could heal
anything. I wasn’t kidding all those times I told her I would trade
gifts with her. It doesn’t matter though, I want her whole. Maybe
we can get to the bottom of this if she recovers.” She glanced down
at her plate and picked up her fork.

“I take it you haven’t seen James yet?”
Tremaine asked Robert.

“No. I would have killed him myself. He
can’t enter the house. Our wards are still up, Liz. He had someone
drop Emily off.”

“My bet would be Jarvis. He was always the
little weasel’s bitch.” Tremaine snorted.

“I don’t know, I wasn’t about to go hunting
him down without Liz. I was terrified he would find a way here
before I could convince Liz to listen to me.”

Liz shrugged. “He wouldn’t have been able to
breach my wards, and I was hungover yesterday morning.” She clasped
her hands together. “If I can drink enough to pass out, I don’t
have the nightmares.”

Tremaine reached over and took her free
hand. “You passed out last night, and still woke up, doll.”

“Yeah, but part of that was having Robert
there.” She looked into Rob’s eyes. “I was dreaming about the
morning you found me. It’s why I locked myself in the bathroom. I
didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

Her eyes slid shut as she dropped her head
into her hands. She looked so lost, so defeated, and she was too
strong to do that to herself. Robert moved into the booth beside
her and pulled her against him.

“Listen to me, love,” he murmured. “I’m not
going anywhere. No matter what. You’re going to have to kill me to
get me to leave. So please, don’t act like you’re going to scare me
off. You won’t, you never will.”

“Okay,” she whispered, but wouldn’t look at
him. Her eyes were glued on the journal though, and she appeared to
be speed reading.

Tremaine shook his head. “Give her a break.
She’s reading whatever your sister put in there.”

Liz took a deep breath and looked over at
Tremaine. “Apparently she came back the day after giving birth. She
had some insane idea about rehabilitating him, but he’s too fucked
up for that to work. She thought she could fix him.” She snorted.
“I know she was trying to protect her child, but I don’t understand
why she brought James back instead of letting him die and going to
her kid.”

Robert’s heart squeezed tight. There were
questions he needed to ask, but not here. It was too personal and
she didn’t look ready to tackle that topic.

Liz glanced away. “And I still don’t know
why she thought I would force Robert to give his family up for me.
I never once asked him for that. I told him a million times it
wasn’t a choice and that he needed them. James, well he didn’t
count. He was a monster, and he needed to die for too many reasons
to count.”

“Liz.” Robert cupped her cheek, pulling her
face to his to capture her gaze. “The only choice I’ll ever make is
for you. Don’t you dare question that. We won’t allow James to get
near you, you have to believe that.”

“I’m not,” she said softly. “I refuse to be
the reason you walk away from Emily.”

“If I make that choice, it will be my choice
to make. Who says I can forgive her for bringing him back? If I
make that decision, it won’t be your fault. No matter how she’s
treated you, you always come to her defense.” He brushed his lips
over hers and released her.

Liz closed her eyes and turned back to
Tremaine. “Anyway, it looks like she literally brought James back
from the brink of death and locked him in his mind while she
attempted to … give him therapy.” Liz snorted and shook her head.
“He’s been breaking loose for the last year. Apparently Jarvis has
been coming around since the beginning, but he’s been showing up
more often since then.”

Her eyes went wide as she spun toward
Robert. “That fucking prick is in on this?” She slapped her hand
down on the table. “James probably contacted him through dreams. If
he’s fucking with Emily and Jarvis, who else is involved?”

“I honestly don’t know, Liz.” Robert shook
his head. “I don’t trust most of the council. There are only a few.
Preston, and Draecyn. Other than that, I have my doubts about most
of the enforcers.”

Her face scrunched up. “Preston’s going to
be pissed when he finally sees me. I disappear every time he shows
up. I just knew he’d involve you. I didn’t want to force you to
find me, I thought you had finally let me go.”

“I never did. I couldn’t.”

“Fuck, I’m…” she started.

He covered her lips with a finger and shook
his head. “Don’t apologize. We were both wrong.”

She snorted, turning her face away. “You
sure Preston’s going to want to help me?”

Robert grinned. “Oh, he will. I know he
misses you, but he’s going to give you hell for letting him think
you were dead.”

One corner of her mouth tipped up. “I miss
him, he was always a good friend. I hope he doesn’t hate me for
hiding.”

“He gets it,” Robert told her.

Liz looked back down at the book and shook
her head. “So how long do you think we have before James gets
here?”

“Not too long. I don’t think he’s stupid
enough to take a plane, and he can’t translocate.” Robert said
thoughtfully. “A few days tops. I wouldn’t imagine too much longer
than that.”

She pushed the book toward Tremaine. “I’ve
read enough. If I can think of a way to help her, we’ll need to
visit her.”

“Oh no, that all depends on what curing her
entails,” Robert warned. “I’m not letting you risk yourself to save
my sister. This is her fault. She brought him back. It could have
all been over, but no.”

“Robert,” she snapped, her eyes flashing.
“You can’t tell me no. I will help if I can. I won’t do anything I
can’t handle.”