Lie to Me (31 page)

“You all right?” Sam asked, sounding almost bored.

Damian caught Sam’s eyes before his brother could jerk them away. His voice didn’t match his concern. “I’m fine. Is Mom the reason you washed your hands of me when I started drinking too much?”

He met his gaze, dead-on. “Yeah. I distanced myself in case you died like she had. I saw you heading that way.”

“Dad felt the same? That why he disowned me?”

He shrugged. “I imagine. Wouldn’t talk about you, like he wouldn’t talk about Mom.”

Damian raked his hand through his hair. He’d certainly caused a lot of anguish. With Sam, though, it hadn’t just been his drinking.

“Even before the drinking escalated, you didn’t like me,” Damian said. “Why?”

“I liked you, but I wanted to be Dad’s favorite. Childish, I know.” Sam hid his smirk. “You had everything I wanted. Still do.”

“Is that why you put me on your enemies list?” It seemed as good a time as any to clear this up. “What the hell is that list all about and why am I on it?”
May as well get it all out in the open.
He didn’t often have frank talks with Sam and it may never happen again.

Sam didn’t miss a beat. “I planned to fire the people on that list.”

“I don’t work for you. What did you plan for me?” He felt his stomach twist.

To Damian’s irritation, Sam laughed. “Other than kicking your ass, nothing. I’m amazed you thought I’d pay people to beat or kill you. I put your name on that list when you first came to town because I thought you’d hurt Casey and Miles again. That pissed me off big time.”

And I will.
“That’s the only reason?” Hearing Sam’s silly explanation made him feel better. Then he remembered. “Why did you make the list look so ominous? ‘Red is the color of blood’?”

Sam made a face. “Look, I was pissed. Pissed at everyone. The laid-off workers are threatening violence. The ones still there are threatening a big strike. Dad wants to retire and I’m supposed to take over the mill, which I want to do, but I know it won’t be easy.” He shook his head. “When you showed up, I’m not only worried about whether you’ll stay sober or devastate Miles again, I’m worried about Casey. And you know I can be selfish. I see Dad making nice to you and I worry that he’ll hand half the mill to you, if not more, and it drives me nuts. I’m the one who’s busted my ass for the old man.” He took in a breath. “And I never got over how you didn’t let me see you after your accident. So I was ready to go for your jugular even before you came back.”

Damian nodded again. He actually understood, and felt a little guilty.

“I was letting off steam. That idiotic ‘red is the color of blood’ was a bad way of expressing my impotent rage. I don’t know if you believe me, but that’s all there was to it. I’d never hurt you. I can’t.” He laughed. “You fight better than me.”

Damian appraised him with new eyes. “You could have finished me off that first day just by going for my leg.”

“Yes, I could have.” Sam’s gaze fixed on his. “I didn’t want to do permanent damage. You and I’ve been fighting a long time. We never take dirty shots.”

“True.”

“I may hate you sometimes, but, when it comes right down to it, I can’t hurt you badly. Sure, a bloody nose, but I couldn’t fracture your leg. Even if the idea crossed my mind.”

Damian did believe him. Reese, not Sam, had done the violence and Sam seemed sincere and remorseful, even about the e-mail. “So that’s it?” he asked.

“Yeah.” He laughed again, but not with humor. “I had no idea you’d go to the mill and check my computer. Hell, I didn’t even plan to hurt the damn workers that I hate, and I don’t hate you. Much.”

Damian smiled.

Sam returned a rare, genuine one, then sobered. “Reading my e-mail—seeing that enemies list—it played right into Reese’s plan. You thought I was the guilty party.”

“But it was Reese.” Damian had to swallow hard. For the first time since childhood, he appreciated Sam. His brother really did care about him. Casey had been right about that. He felt an uncomfortable rush of affection toward him, and wasn’t sure how to express it without embarrassing himself. “I’ll try not to piss you off from now on.”

“Impossible, you live to piss me off.”

Damian’s lips twitched upwards.

“You’ll make me damn mad if you leave Casey and Miles.”

Damian let out an exasperated breath and felt a rising irritation inside of him. “I have to. You know how much I want to drink?”

Sam watched him, thoughtfully. “So I guess you’ll be going back to Alabama.”

“Yes.” It seemed like a good idea—his AA friends were still there, even if Reese had turned out to be deranged…

Sam half-shrugged. “I guess asking you to be my partner at the mill is a waste of time, since you’ll be going back to Alabama.”

Damian flinched, his heart racing. “You want
me
to work at the mill with you? Are you kidding?”

“No.” Sam grabbed some fries and stuffed them into his mouth. After he swallowed, he said, “I’m not good with the workers, bro. I need somebody to deal with the union. As much as it kills me to ask, I need your help.”

Damian had never dreamed that Sam would ask for his help, especially with the mill. It made him feel good, in spite of all the crap going on. “What caused this change of heart?”

“The past few days.” Sam suddenly looked his age, wrinkles gathering at the corners of his eyes. “Alex could’ve been killed by the people who attacked him. I also thought somebody was threatening you, and who next? Casey? Miles?” He locked an intense dark blue gaze on him. “This time Reese did it for reasons unrelated to the mill. If I keep ticking off the mill workers, maybe a few will take it out on our family. I don’t ever want this to happen again. It isn’t worth it.”

Damian shook his head. “I’ll be blunt, Sam. I never thought you’d give in to the union to spare our family grief. You must like us more than you let on.” He could feel a smart-ass smile pulling at his lips.

Sam reciprocated with a grim smile of his own. “I play the bastard well.”

Damian felt a streak of mischief. “Underneath, you’re just a marshmallow.”

Sam grimaced. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

They looked at each other and Damian caught the twinkle in his eyes.

Damian sobered. “Why stress yourself, Sam? Why not sell?”

“Hell, no!” Sam sat up straight, his features hard. “That place is my baby. I love running it—except for the union.”

“The union is a big part of it.”

“I’m a good paper cruncher, Damian. You’re much more charming than I am. In fact, I have no charm at all.”

Damian had to admit he’d be good with the workers. Sam wouldn’t like his methods though.

“I’m sympathetic to the union.”

“I know.” Sam shrugged it off. “You can do what you want with no interference from me—if you stay here and help me.”

Damian felt overwhelmed by the request. Still not completely normal in mind or body, he calmed his racing adrenalin. “I do appreciate the offer. I’ll have to think about it. Now’s not a good time.”

“Just thought I’d throw it out there, bro.”

“Am I invited to this party?” The familiar, deep voice came from the doorway.

Both men looked over at a towering Alex who stood with his arms crossed and, to Damian’s delight, his injured eye completely opened.

“Come in,” Damian said, unable to look somber while locking gazes with his twin.

Alex strolled in and pulled up a hardback chair, plopping down with one booted foot over his knee.

Sam held out a hamburger to Alex, who made a face. Sam placed it back on the tray and said, “I’m trying to talk asswipe into working at the mill with me, and staying with Casey.”

“Well, I don’t care about the mill. I do think you should stay with Casey, dude; she still wants you.” Alex tilted the chair, balancing it on its two back legs.

Damian felt a twisting in his gut again as he pictured Casey’s devastation at his decision to break up with her. Again. She didn’t understand the power of alcohol. Or how guilty he felt that she’d been shot. “How
is
Casey?”

“Her shoulder is healing great, but mentally she’s kind of down.” Alex’s eyes smoldered on his. “You’re keeping her away from you again, just like you did the last time.”

Damian’s conscience smote him. He swung his gaze away from Alex. “But if I see her—”

“Casey said you promised you’d never shut her out during bad times again.”

Damian felt the conflict inside of him.
That was true. Shit.

“Going to break your word, like a coward?” Alex asked.

Damian bridled, yet Alex was right. “If I was willing to see Reese one last time, I suppose I owe the same to Casey,” he said. Then, looking at his twin and best friend, with the desperation that he felt from deep within his soul, words seemed to bubble from his lips, against his will. “What if this mess with Reese starts me drinking again?”

Alex dropped his chair to all fours and his forearms fell to his knees. But he kept his gaze on Damian’s. “You have two brothers who will help you through it. Your dad is on your side too. He’ll be here for another few months before he gets married. And if you think Casey won’t be the rock you need, you aren’t as bright as I’ve always given you credit for. For a while, until the strong urge to drink passes, just stick by one of us all the time. Then you’ll have Casey for the rest of your life.”

What a thought. Casey for the rest of my life. If only.

After an eternal pause, he felt a friendly squeeze of his shoulder. “I didn’t mean to beat you up, Damian. I know you’ve had a hard time of it and I trust you’ll do the right thing.”

Damian felt his anger waning as he glanced up at Alex. “Got a deck of cards?” He needed to distract them and himself.

Alex straightened up and reached into the back pocket of his ripped jeans. “This won’t make me forget about you and Casey.”

Damian didn’t answer. He appreciated Alex’s concern, but had finished discussing the topic for now. Maybe forever. At least with Alex.

As the brothers sat on the edge of his bed while Alex dealt the cards, Damian felt grateful for this short reprieve from his mental torment. He knew, however, that the torment would come again and slap him in a brutal way. He couldn’t escape it.

A few days later, Casey stood in the back of her store, bathed in dim light. Wooden shelves, counters, and general dreariness surrounded her. Claire and Jason, one of her clerks, were in front taking care of business. It was lucky for her they were willing. Since Damian was barring her from visiting him in the hospital, she was too restless, angry, concerned, and frustrated, all at the same time, to keep her mind on her store. After Damian had promised not to shut her out again, that’s exactly what he was doing, but this time he’d never get away with it. She’d refuse to just disappear…

A jingling bell signaled a new arrival and Casey stepped out from the dusty, dark room into the light. When she saw Alex, she broke into a run, ignoring the startled young cashier, and a few customers browsing the CDs. Alex scooped her up and she grabbed him with her one good arm. After he set her down, clasping her free hand, Casey stared up at his comforting, kind face. The gash by his ear had scabbed over and shrunk. Even better, his eye was completely healed. He wore a rock band t-shirt and khakis.

“What’s up? Why did you drop by?” She knew it was something.

Alex’s smile melted. “Damian’s been discharged. I took him over to my place to keep an eye on him.”

Her heart lurched. “I want to see him, and I really don’t care if he doesn’t think it’s a good idea.”

Alex grinned. “I agree with you, and I have a plan to force him to see that he’s changed enough to handle this setback.”

She sucked in a breath and stared at him warily.

“Look.” Alex pulled his billfold out of his back pocket. “I know you’ve been missing time at the store, but I need you to come with me. Now.” He slapped open his billfold and pulled out several hundred dollar bills while she watched in awe. “Give this to Claire for helping you so much. Tell her it’s a gift from me.”

Minutes later, as Casey and Alex headed down the sidewalk, a few raindrops hit her face. Casey spotted Alex’s ten-year-old gold Tempo parked down the block next to the curb.

“If I’m going to be a part of this plan, you need to tell me my role.” She strode alongside him, keeping pace.

“I know.”

“Well?”

He glanced at her, shot her a grim smile, then told her, and, as he did, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

“It’s risky,” she finally said, her mouth dry and her stomach knotting.

Alex didn’t look at her now as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Nobody will let anything bad happen. If it works, it will be a huge breakthrough. I can’t let Damian ruin his life.”

Casey felt her gut further tighten. “No, and if he ruins his life, he’ll ruin mine and Miles’ too. Count me in,” she said and steeled herself for battle, hoping Alex’s gamble would pay off. If it didn’t, she’d lose Damian for good. No doubt about that. She hugged herself and prayed for a favorable outcome.

As the rain came down harder, Alex grabbed her hand and they ran to his car.

Chapter Nineteen