House of Fire (Unraveled Series) (14 page)

“No problem. I’m just
glad you’ll let me do this,” James whispered in her ear.

“I hate PDA.”

“I know.”

“I’m too tired to
fight.” Delaney watched as the geese from earlier in the evening stepped on the
rocks, coming dangerously close to the river’s rushing water. The water
splashed on their feet as they crept closer.

“Good, right where I
like you,” James joked as he pulled her tighter into him. “But I thought for a
second it was your undying, burning love for me that let you, just for a
moment, succumb to my manliness.”

“That, too, I guess,”
she sighed through a smile. She did love James and this moment did feel right.
The past three months had felt right. The nights they spent together were
filled with passion and the weekdays treacherously slow, longing to be with
each other. And her first thought of them sustaining a life together, an actual
loving and fitting life, hadn’t been all that disturbing. The pieces seemed to
be fitting together with James; it was Holston Parker that was tearing her life
and family apart. Ann Jones had secrets, and Delaney needed to find out what
they were if she ever wanted to get rid of Holston Parker. If she ever wanted
to feel free.

“You know what I’m
going to do to you when we get back to Mark’s house?” James asked as he
squeezed her tighter.

“Nothing because my
mom and dad are going to be in the room next to us,” Delaney replied.

“That won’t stop me.
I’ll be quiet. I promise.” James traced his lips on the back of her neck.
Delaney felt a surge of excitement run through her thighs before she pulled her
head slightly forward.

“Okay, okay. I’ll
stop.” James laughed as he stood upright.

“Always pushing it, aren’t
you?” Delaney accused as she watched a goose squawk at another. Their wings
flapped ferociously in the air until black and grey fuzz floated above them.
The defending goose hissed at the other.

“What’s going on
tonight?” James asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. I just
feel this tension in the air. You seem a little preoccupied, almost
anticipating that something is going to happen, and your mom, good God, she
can’t stop messing with her earrings. I remember watching her do that back in
high school when your dad came home with the news that he might lose his job.
Her hand shot right to the back of her ear. She rubbed that damn earring for
weeks. She would be terrible in a poker game.” James paused, waiting for her to
respond.

Delaney stood silent,
thinking of the note Evie had left in her garage to begin the chase of hunting
down Theron. Evie had warned her, threatened to put everyone she loved at risk.
James had no idea what he had gotten into, and she couldn’t tell him, although
she had wanted to on several different occasions. She had started to back in
May after a long night of sex, but he had fallen asleep, his heavy breathing
signaling her to stop. She wanted to now, yet she couldn’t, not with Evie back
in the picture. Evie’s return could mean the end of Holston’s wrath. However,
she feared what Evie would do; Delaney was scared of the trap that Evie would
weave just as she had done six months ago with Delaney stuck in the dead
center.
Dead.
The word rolled in her mind.

“Do you have
something you want to tell me? You look like a psychic dreaming into the near
future. Tell me Ms. Jones, is our future bright?” James asked as he turned
Delaney toward him. She looked into his toffee eyes, his handsome tanned face.
Keeping James far from Holston was a priority.

“I don’t know. I can
only hope,” Delaney whispered.

“Well, whatever it
is. Whenever you are ready, you know I’ll be here.” James leaned down and
pecked her on the cheek. “You know I would go for more, but I don’t feel like
being slapped in front of all those people.”

“Thank you.” Delaney
laughed as they both turned to see the suits and dresses still chatting on the
other side of the glass of Parker Tower. The crowd had thinned a bit as the
night wore on, the buzz around President Givens slightly lowering as he
reinforced he was ready for a change of pace. “Where was he going? Did he have
another offer? Was it his health?”
Delaney had heard the comments swirl
in the pockets of conversation. The women had nodded their heads in agreement,
consoling Helen and her long life of serving her husband. “Behind a great man
stands an even greater woman,” Delaney had heard over and over. After she had
heard it for the third time, she decided she needed a breath of fresh air.
James had happily agreed.

“Do you ever think
about your mom?” Delaney asked.

“Once in a while,”
James replied. “What made you think of her?”

“I was just thinking
about it. I was wondering why your dad never married or even dated anyone else.
It’s a long life to live, raising a toddler on his own while he slaved away at
the office.”

“Because he loved her
and knew he couldn’t love anyone else as much as he loved her. I think he knew
that he would be cheating the new woman, even though my mom would never come
back. After her death, he didn’t seem interested in anyone else,” James said.
His eyes wandered down the river. Delaney followed his gaze as it settled in on
the old paper mills across the banks.

“Death is the only
way that someone doesn’t come back,” Delaney whispered as she wrapped the
jacket tighter around her shoulders.

“That’s a morbid
thought,” James said.

“I’m sorry,” Delaney
murmured. James had lost his mother to a sudden brain aneurism when he had been
only four-years-old. She had just finished putting dinner on the table when she
had taken her seat and abruptly slumped forward. She was dead in a matter of
seconds, her life whisked away in front of his young eyes. James hadn’t talked
about her much, only retelling Delaney the story after he had refused Ann
Jones’s first invitation to dinner. He had bolted out the door and never
stopped running until he made it the five miles to his dad’s law office. Ann
had fretted over it for hours until she finally connected with James’s father
at their house around nine o’clock. A somber Ann Jones had handed the phone to
Delaney so James could explain himself.

“She was beautiful
from what I remember. Loving. I can see why he didn’t date anyone else, now. I
didn’t get it growing up, obviously. I wanted a mom around, even though I knew
she wouldn’t replace
my
mom. I wanted a family where my dad would come
home for dinner, but the great Ann Jones took me in, so I can’t complain,”
James said. “Plus, I got to spend more time with you. Do you think she knew my
ulterior motive at the time?”

“I’m sure,” Delaney
said. “Nothing gets past her, you know that.”

“She is a force. Your
dad’s a lucky man.”

“I’m beginning to
think that she’s the lucky one.”

“Why’s that?”

“I think my father is
a forgiving and patient man. Much more than anyone could anticipate,” Delaney
said as she scanned the crowd inside, looking for her father. He was lost
inside the sea of suits, though she knew he would smile and politely nod his
head, talking with anyone that came into range. Michael Jones had a friendly
face and a heart of gold; there wasn’t much of anything not to like about him.
Everyone else saw the same Michael as Delaney did.

“How do you think
they're doing in there?” James asked.

“Fine. I’m sure Dad
is smiling and shaking hands, telling everyone that his son was the one who
finished the project.” Delaney sighed as she turned back to James.

“Where is Mark,
anyway? I’m ready for this dog and pony show to wrap up pretty quick,” James
said.

“You should be used
to this with all your lawyer friends,” Delaney said.

“Sadly, I am used to
it, but that doesn’t mean that I like it,” James replied.

“I don’t like it,
either,” Mark’s voice chimed in. He walked down the freshly cemented path from
the back side of the building. His jacket was swung over his shoulder, the
other hand shoved in his pocket.

“Speak of the devil,”
Delaney said. “Where are you coming from? Isn’t the student garden back there?”

“It is. The rhubarb
is growing like hot cakes,” Mark replied as he jaunted down the path.

“You should snag
some. Your mom could make us a mean rhubarb pie in the morning,” James joked as
he held out his hand to Mark. “I never congratulated you on the work. It looks
amazing.”

“Thanks,” Mark said
as he turned toward Delaney. “Holston mentioned that he wanted some of your
work in the building. He said something about a barn. I guess I didn’t realize
he was such a fan of yours.”

“Oh,” Delaney said,
feeling her gut wrench from the sudden twist that Holston had on her; he had a
way of sucking all the joy and pleasure from her life.

“I didn’t realize
that you were into painting barns, either,” Mark added. “Appleton sure has changed
you.”

“It has, for better
or worse,” Delaney replied as she looked at Mark’s face. “You seem a little
happy. Things going well tonight?”

“You could say that.”

“Who is she?” James
asked, nudging Mark with his elbow.

“What are you talking
about?” Delaney asked.

“I can tell,” James
said. “It’s a guy thing.”

“She asked me not to
tell Holston or anyone else at work that she’s back, which means that I can
technically tell you. Evie is back. Remember the security ninja?” Mark started.
His eyes burned bright as his voice raised in adolescent excitement. Delaney
groaned inwardly. Mark didn’t exactly have a strong track record with women.

“Oh, yeah, she was
one tight, little, rocking bitch,” James said. “Atlas Pub, remember Delaney?”

“Yeah, I remember.
You talked to her?” Delaney pressed. Despite the dread that Evie was here for
revenge, Delaney needed to know she was okay. That sinking a hatchet into a
man’s skull to save Evie’s life had been justifiable. She also wanted to know
if Ethan was with her. The bartender had disappeared right along with Evie, but
she hadn’t heard any buzz about him. Then again, she tried to stay away from
Atlas Pub as much as she could. “How is she doing?” Delaney added.

“Good, I guess. She
was in China for a bit and just got back. She isn’t ready to go back to work
quite yet so she told me to keep the news on the down low. She said she was
going to give a ring tomorrow,” Mark said. “She told me not to stay out late
and lose my phone like the last time she saw me. She wants me to catch her up
to speed on everything.”

“Don’t answer the
call.” The words spouted from Delaney’s lips before she could stop them.
You
were drugged. She stole your phone. Ethan smashed it just before taking off
.
She couldn’t let Evie do this again, not to Mark. Holston was too dangerous.
Whatever she was planning, Mark couldn’t be involved. Theron had almost died.

“Why not?” Mark
asked, studying Delaney’s contorted face.

“Because,” she
started, unable to formulate anything that would make sense.
Because her
father is a murderer and she is seeking revenge
wouldn’t exactly sound
right coming from her mouth.
Because I almost died,
or
because you
almost died
didn’t seem right either.

“Because why?” Mark
pressed again, moving the jacket from his shoulder. He slipped his arms inside
the sleeves, still waiting for her response.

“I don’t know. It
just doesn’t feel right to me. I don’t want her to hurt your feelings. She just
up and left for China without a word. Who knows if she’ll do it again. She
seems kind of volatile,” she said, feeling the burn in the back of her throat.
It was a lame excuse, she knew that.

“I’m pretty sure I
can handle myself against a four foot, ten inch girl,” Mark laughed as he
pulled a small, folded piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. “Maybe
you could help me out with this note. She said you would know, Delaney. Seems
like a weird, cryptic kind of message, if you ask me.”

“Angel’s Pub is House
of Steel. Amberg. Start from the beginning then call me,” James read the note
aloud, reciting the number Evie left. The words seared red in Delaney’s eyes.
House
of Steel
. Evie was engaging her, demanding she play along. Evie knew that
Delaney would, the bait too tempting to stop her.

“What was the number
again?” Delaney asked.

18

June 16 - 10:30 p.m

Evie watched as the
last few workers filed out of Parker Tower, the lights dimming down to a low
glow. She ducked behind an evergreen, the same trees she had weaved through in
pursuit of Theron and Gunnar. The steel beams were now covered; the building a
radiant beacon on the Leighton campus. The entire community had dismissed the
crime scene, Theron found safe and sound. Holston threw money around to ease
the tensions of the residents. The thug was in jail, and everyone had praised
the Appleton Police Department. No better officers to protect our loved ones
than the shining men in black. The hometown heroes. Holston Parker’s reputation
remained untainted.

Delaney had left more
than two hours ago with James and the rest of the family.
Her family
.
Evie’s flesh rose as she thought of what it would have been like to be raised
like a normal child. To have a normal family with a mother and father. A
sister. Two brothers. But he had stripped her of that childhood, taken it from
her before she could even foster those relationships, and somehow, Ann had left
a child behind.

President Givens had
departed just shortly after Delaney with his tight wad of a wife, Helen. Her
pursed lips had remained unrelenting all night long. Helen was an unsuspecting
wife, the truth hidden from her. She was veiled just like Evie had been. She
felt sorry for the woman really. Poor Helen lived in an alternate reality, a
world where her husband was a renowned president of a historical university. A
good father, only involved to the necessary degree, and a stable man. Evie knew
now that any friend of her father’s was vile - a vicious specimen - and
President Givens had wronged Holston in some way. Holston was making him pay.