STEPBROTHERS (3 Book Stepbrother Romance Collection) (38 page)

“Well, I had a little girl.”

“You have a daughter?” I asked, surprised.

“Had.”

This was the first time I was hearing any of this, and it made so much sense now. When my father and Lacy had first got married, Lacy had made every effort with me—tried to get me to talk, took me clothes shopping, tried with all her might to get close to me. But I wouldn’t let her. I was still so raw from my own mother’s absence that I couldn’t let anyone, let alone my new stepmother, beneath the walls I’d put up.

She sighed again. “Yes, her name was Alice. My little girl from Wonderland. My miracle baby… there had been so many times during my pregnancy with her that I thought that I was going to miscarry.”

I frowned, trying to understand.

Her lips twisted. “Too many times I
accidentally
fell down or ran into a door,” she said.

“Oh.” The implication of her words felt heavy in the room. “Your ex?”

She nodded, sniffed and steeled herself again.

“I’m so sorry, Lacy.”

Lacy waved away my sentiment like a buzzing fly. I thought she wasn’t going to continue, but before I could prompt her she cleared her throat and began again.

“She was the light in my world,” she said as her face brightened, remembering a time long ago, lost in an untouchable memory. But then as if a darkening cloud drifted across her features, her skin turned a hard, stony grey. “Then she was gone.”

“What happened?” I asked softly.

“Vincent was supposed to be looking after her. I was working as usual. Bringing in whatever I could, because Ed wouldn’t lift a finger, well, that’s not true. He certainly raised his fists. But anyway, Vincent knew he had to keep an eye on him, keep him away from her. You see she’d always been the type of child to want to know what you were doing, wanting to help, following you around like a doe-eyed puppy. But Ed didn’t have the patience for her questions; he wanted nothing more than a quiet life, without burdens, without childish interruptions.

“And, well, one day he just snapped, and Vincent wasn’t there like he should’ve been.”

“Why not?” I dared to ask, wanting to understand the reason.

“What possible reason could a seventeen year-old boy have, I wonder?” She said mockingly. “He was pissed at me for taking an extra shift, when he’d promised his then girlfriend he’d take her out that Friday night. But I told him he had to stay… and well, the rest is history. He found my Alice at the bottom of the stairs, her neck broken.”

“Oh, god.” I covered my mouth with a hand. That must’ve been awful for him, I thought. The guilt, the regret. I shook my head. No wonder he killed Donte. It had been a trigger, seeing me hurt, wanting to fix it. Wanting to fix what he couldn’t all those years ago. I felt a hot tear escape and make its way down my cheek and quickly wiped it away before Lacy could see.

“So yeah, that’s it. Now you understand why I don’t want to hear about him. He’s out of my life, and good riddance.”

I thought about this for a moment.

“So, you not only lost one child that day but two?” I said bravely.

Lacy stopped, her tea cup halfway to her mouth and glared at me.

I was angry on his behalf; couldn’t she understand he was just a kid himself? The responsibility she’d laid upon his shoulders was too much for someone of his age. And to blame him for his father’s actions made me sick.

“Didn’t you think about how he was feeling?”

“Oh, don’t you start with that. He knew what he’d done. If he’d only stayed in that night, Alice would still be here with me today.”

“What about your ex? Shouldn’t he take the blame for what he’d done? Why is it Vincent's fault? Why was it his responsibility? You were her mother, not Vincent!” I said with an edge.

Lacy gasped as if I’d slapped her, and I wished I had.

“What on earth is all this shouting for?” My father appeared suddenly. His suit was still crisp as if he’d only just put it on, and his face was full of thunder.

“Oh, nothing,
your
daughter was just leaving!”

“The hell I am! Not till you help me find him.”

“Help with what, Dorothy?” My father asked, his temper and patience wearing thin.

“She wants to know where Vincent could be,” Lacy said with exasperation, before I could answer him.

“Whatever for? You know we don’t speak of him in this house.”

“Daddy, it’s a long story, but trust me. I thought Lacy might know anywhere he’d go if he was in trouble.”

“He’s in trouble? Why is he in trouble?”

My own patience was whittling down to a nub. Why couldn’t they just help me for once? “Daddy! For fuck’s sake, I just need to know!”

I knew right then I’d made a grave mistake. He didn’t shout, he didn’t get angry. He just dug his heels in, glanced at Lacy who was sniffling and then looked back at me with disappointment. “Get out.”

Two words I’d been dreading to hear from his mouth. He’d said the same to my mother when she’d stood up for her dreams, and he’d never let her back in the door. I knew it was pointless to argue with him. I should’ve appealed to his sense of justice, got him on my side, but if I was going to find Vincent, it wasn’t going to be through these two.

“You really want me to go?”

He nodded, gravely.

“If I leave, you won’t see me ever again.”

Lacy’s hand slipped into my father’s, and I knew I’d lost. “You’re going to choose her over me? Fine, so be it,” I said, turned on my heels and left what remained of my family behind. I didn’t need them anyway; I’d managed without their help before. I could do it again.

All I needed was Vincent.

“
S
o this is
where you are hiding. Not very original, is it?”

I creaked an eye open. My head pounded with the beam of light that hit me directly in the face from the open door.

“Fuck off, Travis. Actually no,” I said thinking better of it and wobbled to my feet. An empty bottle I’d magically drained in a few hours scuttled away. “Did you change the code on the safe?”

“Nah, man. Why would I do that? You never let me near the thing anyway.”

I squinted at him, trying to see through the fog of bullshit. It had to have been him, I knew it. There was no one else.

“Maybe it reset itself, you know? Went back to factory settings. We did have a power cut a few nights ago.”

Though I didn’t really believe him I said, “Fair enough.” I staggered towards the office, wanting to test out his little theory.

Crashing down onto my knees in front of the cabinet I jabbed four zeros into the console and waited to see if he was right. Travis hovered nearby, he seemed anxious.

CLICK.

I raised my eyebrows at him.

“See! Told ya!” he said, with a hint of relief.

Grabbing the handle I yanked it open.

The safe was empty. The gun was gone, the money that I’d been stashing away for a rainy day—and shit, today it was pouring—was nowhere to be seen.

I sighed. I should’ve known this was going to be the case. It was my luck that my only way out, my lifeline to get out of Dodge, would be gone.

All of a sudden I jumped to my feet and lunged for Travis.

“What the fuck, man?”

“You took it, didn’t you?”

“You’re crazy. Why would I steal from you? You’re my family!” His eyes darted away in guilt, and I knew I had him dead to rights.

“Family? Family doesn’t mean shit to me. Just tell me what you wanted it for.”

“How many times do I have to say it? I didn’t take it.”

“You’re lying, Travis. I just have to look at you to know it. If you’re in trouble, tell me.”

“Oh right, like you told me?”

I let go of his shirt, pushing him back against the wall at the same time and went to slump into the chair behind the desk.

“What?”

“Your girl told me, the one with the funny name.”

“Thea?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. Bawling her eyes out after you left. You fucked up man. Never thought you’d actually shoot someone. Thought it was for show…”

“What the hell are you on about? I didn’t shoot anyone.”

Travis shrugged. “Well that’s what she thinks, what the police probably think. You probably shouldn’t be here either.”

I kneaded my temples. Why would Thea say that? I hadn’t had the gun with me; I’d needed only my fists as weapons to teach her attacker a lesson. The result had been the same… but why did she mention a gun? Unless Travis was lying, but what reason could he have?

My brain pulsed in anger; the combination of the information with a raging hangover wasn’t making me too happy.

“I mean shouldn’t you be lying low? If you stay here it’s only a matter of time before they arrest you,” Travis continued. “You know you can count on me to look after everything…” I thought I was imagining it, but his voice had a hint of hope lingering on the edges of his words. He wanted me to leave.

“You’re right. I should go. But I need money if I’m going to get anywhere.”

“There’s the money I picked up the other night. Gary Lindell finally paid up—he’s square now.”

Surprised he’d actually done his job for a change, I nodded as Travis dug into his pocket and pulled out a wad of notes then handed them over willingly.

“So what else did Thea say after I left?” I asked him, curious.

Thankful for a change in subject Travis smiled and sat in the creaky chair opposite the desk.

“Oh, man, she was really upset. Gave her a shoulder to cry on—hope you don’t mind. You seem to have been done with her so I thought why not.”

I gritted my teeth. Was he trying to piss me off? It felt like my whole body was tense; my fists were clenched beneath the desk, hidden from his view, and my toes were scrunched up within the confines of my trainers.

I glared at him from across the desk. He was full of shit. “Stay away from her, and get the fuck out of my office. It ain’t yours yet.”

He held up his hands, and a huge smile spread across his face. “Fair enough, man. Whatever.” He got to his feet and closed the door behind him as he left.

If I was going to be leaving, I had to take care of one last thing before I went and reached for my phone. I wouldn’t be able to stomach Travis trying to go after Thea.

“Hey Jimmy, it’s Vin,” I said into the receiver. “I need you to do me a huge favour.”

A
fter I ended
the call a knock at the office door and Travis popped his head in.

“I thought I told you to get out?” I said bitterly.

“I know, mate, but there’s someone here to see you.”

Fuck. “Police?”

“Nah, I would’ve told you to leg it by now if it were the pigs.”

“Then who is it.”

“Dunno. Some old guy in a suit. Looks minted.”

“Didn’t you ask his name? Ah, forget it,” I replied. He never did think shit through.

The man lingered by the entrance just over the threshold of the open shutters. Silhouetted by the bright light from inside and the dim inside the gym, it was hard to make out his features as I approached. But as I got closer realisation dawned. A face I hadn’t seen for years, and our last meeting hadn’t gone too well, either.

He was the last person I wanted to deal with right now. But why on earth was he here?

“You come to join the gym, Theo?” I said mockingly.

My stepfather looked up from the spot he’d been staring at. He’d grown withered since the last time I’d seen him, greyer and softer; but even though his face looked like it’d lost it’s fierceness, his eyes were still as harsh-looking as ever.

“You know why I’ve come, Vincent.”

“Haven’t got the fucking foggiest.”

“Do you really need to use that language?”

I sighed. “If you only came to give me a lecture you can leave right
fucking
now,” I said and pointed to the way he’d come.

Surprising me, he stepped forward. He might have been old, late 50s perhaps, but he managed to make his actions and words seep intensity and menace.

“I came to say only one thing. Stay away from my daughter.”

The man had lost his marbles.

“What the hell are you on about, Theo?”

“Everything OK?” Travis said from my side, as helpful as ever I thought.

“Oh, don’t play the innocent with me, Vincent. I deal with your kind every day. She told me. Came around and made a right mess; she had your mother in tears.”

I shook my head, he wasn’t making any sense.

“I don’t know what you’ve gotten her involved in, but leave her alone. I don’t want you going anywhere near my Dottie.”

“Dottie?” I didn’t know anyone by that name. Or did I?

Travis barked a laugh, figuring it out a moment before I did.

“He means Dorothy!” Travis said and nudged me. He was loving this.

“Thea?” I whispered.

“Oh this is fucking hilarious.”

“Yes, Thea! You only have one step-sibling that I know of!” Theo interrupted.

“She’s your stepsister! Dude!”

“Shut up, Travis! I don’t understand…” I said even though the implication was dawning on me.

“It’s quite simple, Vincent. Stay away from her. Keep the promise you made all those years ago; don’t contact any of us, and we won’t bother you.”

For a moment I closed my eyes and breathed. Counting the beats of my heart… the heart that now belonged to another, as I came to terms with what he was saying.

“Vincent, do you hear me? Stay away from her!”

I opened my eyes and glared at him. “Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t take orders from you!” I took a step toward him. “If I want to see Thea, or if she wants to see me, not you, not my bloody so-called mother, not anyone, will stop us! Do you hear me?” I yelled, feeling the muscles in my arm twitch.

The din, regular noises that could be heard inside the gym, stopped. Men stopped what they were doing, put their weights down, and approached. A thick wall of sweaty muscle stood behind me, silently threatening the man who dared come into their gym and lay down demands.

“You come into my gym and think you can tell me what to do? Maybe if you and she hadn’t cast me aside for all these years, maybe then your words would have some impact. But you did, and so you don’t. You thought I was scum, not worth being a part of your precious family. You don’t get a fucking say in my life.”

Theo’s cheeks turned an embarrassing shade of red as he observed the men behind me. His throat bobbed at his wrinkled neck. He seemed glued to the spot, unable to move.

“You’d better go now. Before I really lose my temper. Or before this lot decides to escort you out.”

He nodded and backed away, but whether it was pride or foolishness, he couldn’t not have the last word. “Vincent, you should know better than to threaten a member of the judiciary. You’ve just signed your own arrest warrant.”

I turned, knowing partially that he was right. He was a man true to his word. The police would be here in no time, if they weren’t already. I filtered through the line of men who were still lingering, nodded my thanks, grateful and a little bit touched at their show of support.

“Well these weights aren’t gonna lift themselves,” I bellowed, and after a few chuckles the men were back at it, picking up their workouts right where they’d left off.

I grabbed a duffel from an equipment closet, emptied out its contents, and started to fill it with the spare clothes I kept at the gym. I placed the wad of money Travis had given me on top, then zipped it up.

Wandering back out to the main area, I tossed my keys to Travis. He caught them and raised an eyebrow.

“Need the keys to your car. The truck’s yours.” If the police weren’t already on their way here, Theo would make damned sure that they would be soon, and the truck would be too hot. I’d be caught in no time.

Wordlessly, afraid to change my mind perhaps, Travis fished into his pocket then handed me his car keys.

“Needs filling up mind,” he said, regretfully.

“Thanks.”

“Take care of yourself, Vin.”

“You know I will,” I said over my shoulder as I left the gym for the final time.

I
sat
in the car for as long as I could bear it. I’d driven halfway out of town, but couldn’t bring myself to go any farther. It felt like I was leaving something behind.

Jesus Christ, she's your stepsister, I thought. Forget about her. There was no way it was going to work, even if she hadn’t been related. I was too messed up, a fucking liability.

Theo had been right about that. His words had stung, the truth pinpricking me with its sharp edges. She deserved better, didn’t deserve the crap that would rain down on her if I turned back now.

But could I just leave without saying goodbye? Without seeing her face for one last time? Would one kiss be enough?
No, it would never be enough.

The ringing of my phone startled me, and my thoughts scattered as I saw the name on the screen.

“What’s up, Jimmy?”

“Well, I got that information you wanted. Thought you’d want to know.”

“Ah, good.” I’d asked him to do me a favour and find out, if he could, Thea’s address, based on the information I knew.

“It was tough, but I managed to figure out which company she used to, well, you know organise her
business…”
He trailed off, Thea’s profession was a delicate subject; I’d figured it out the moment she came running out the Regal Hotel that first night we met. But I didn’t care about that stuff. So what? She was messed up and so was I… in a way, we were the perfect match.

“Yeah, so?”

“Anyway, after that it was a piece of cake. What do you want me to do with the info?”

I gritted my teeth. I had a decision to make. Her address was at my fingertips, and I could use it, go back for her… confront her. But I knew it was going to be the wrong thing to do.

“I’m going away for a while.”

“Trouble?”

“You could say that. I need you to do me another favour…”

“Name it.”

“I need you to keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn’t come to harm.”

“Sure. Just tell me what I’m up against.”

“Oh, I don’t think it’s serious. More an insurance policy… Keep my idiot of a cousin away from her if you can.”

“Right you are then. Consider it done.”

We said our goodbyes, and he clicked off. My head found its way to the steering wheel, the warm leather pressed hard against my forehead. Had I made the right decision? Could I just let her go like that?

It was for her own good, wasn’t it? She truly didn’t need me in her life, but fuck, I think I needed her in mine.

BING.

My phone beeped with a text message. And had I’d know what it was I would’ve thrown it out the window and not looked back. But as soon as her address popped up on the screen, courtesy of Jimmy, I knew I was teetering on the edge, the temptation to just have one more look at her, to say goodbye was too bloody strong.

I stared at the address for a long time, the windows of the car started to fog up. As if thinking I could get rid of the information, I slung the phone onto the passenger seat, far away from reach.

Glancing at the petrol gauge, its white stick pointing accusingly in the red, I was forced to turn back the way I’d come. I should’ve filled up earlier, but in my haste had completely forgotten the warning Travis had given me.

It would be ok; I would just drive to the nearest petrol station, fill the thirsty car up, and get back on the road. Far away from this place.

The strong smell of petrol fumes clung to my clothes as I climbed back into the car, the seat creaking beneath me; Travis’ car wasn’t anything special, an old rust bucket if I was being honest. But murderers couldn’t be choosers when they were on the run.

And yet I couldn’t bring myself to turn the engine on and start down that journey. I glanced from the silent phone on the seat beside me and then back out the windshield.