by L A Cotton
“I had some spare time. Actually, I wanted to ask you some things, if you didn’t mind,” I said winding my way around the desks to her.
“Of course. To be honest, I’ve kind of been waiting for this.”
She has?
Sarah left her desk and came to join me. “How about I close up for the night and we go somewhere a little more private?”
I nodded.
“Great. Give me five minutes and we’ll go for coffee?”
Too taken aback to reply, I nodded again while Sarah tucked the chairs underneath the tables and collected up some books that were left out.
True to her word, five minutes later, we were outside of the building and Sarah was locking the door.
“Okay, all done. It’s not entirely appropriate but, given the time, would you like to come back to my house for coffee? I live on the edge of town. I could drive us?”
“Hmm, okay I guess.”
Sarah smiled, putting me at ease, and we walked the short distance to her car. The campus was eerily quiet for a Wednesday evening, only one or two students walking to and from their dorms. The air was turning cooler now, and I hunched my shoulders up to keep my neck warm.
Noticing, Sarah said, “The weather’s changing, huh?”
“Yeah, you’d think after two years, I’d be used to it.”
“You moved from Florida, right?”
“Fort Pierce.”
Sarah let out a quiet laugh and I smiled.
“Sorry, I bet you get that a lot.”
I didn’t. Not many people knew where I came from so they had no knowledge that my hometown shared a name with Jackson.
“How are things with the two of you?” Sarah motioned to her car and unlocked it remotely.
“Okay, I guess.”
I climbed inside and waited for Sarah. Seconds later, she opened the driver’s side door and ducked inside, wasting no time in firing up the engine and turning up the heat.
“It should only take us ten minutes.”
And it did.
Ten minutes later, we were pulling up outside a small house on the outskirts of Chastity Falls.
“It’s pretty.”
Sarah cut the engine and turned to me. “Thanks. It was my parents’ house. Mom died three years ago. I couldn’t bear to sell, so I stayed.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. My parents had me in their early forties. They’d lived a good life and then I came along. Dad was almost seventy when he died a few years back, and Mom was seventy-two.”
Sarah spoke with such honesty that it made me a little uncomfortable. Not to mention, the ache in my chest right where my heart lay.
I took Sarah’s lead, exiting the car, and followed her up a small pathway to a screened porch.
“This is home.” She pushed open the screen and stepped inside. The wind blew it shut behind us and I jumped, startled at the crashing noise.
“It needs some fixing up. Guess it needs a man’s touch.”
I didn’t want to pry, but Sarah seemed quite happy talking about her life, so I asked, “You’re not dating anyone?”
“Not right now, no. It’s just me and Oreo.”
Oreo turned out to be a black cat with a white patch covering one eye. He strolled up to us as we entered the hallway, rubbing himself around Sarah’s legs.
“Hi, buddy. This is my friend, Ana. Play nice.” She chuckled as she moved further into the house.
It was nice. Warm tones on the walls, covered with family portraits and paintings. My eyes moved from frame to frame, landing on a particular photo of a young Sarah, no older than ten, standing with an older man and woman outside of a shop. Two elderly men stood to their right. One was obviously related to the younger man in the photo. They had the same rounded eyes and a strong jaw. Even the same thinning hairline. Sarah shared a likeness to them, and I figured this was her father and grandpa. The other man looked familiar, but not for his likeness to Sarah and her family. His ice blue eyes were tired and wrinkled, but the same eyes that had haunted my dreams two years ago.
The old man in the photo was related to Braiden—to Marcus—without a doubt.
Sarah had continued moving through the house, but now she paused just ahead of me. “You found it.”
“Found what?” I asked already knowing the answer.
I was aware of Sarah moving closer, stopping beside me, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the photo.
“The photo of Grandpa and Patrick Donohue.”
“Patrick Donohue?”
“Braiden’s grandpa.”
My hands ran around the hot mug over and over. It gave me something to focus on while Sarah explained.
“My grandpa, the charismatic Donald Caster, owned the general store in the town. Opened it when he was just a young man. Back then, there was just Caster’s. It was the only place to get groceries, but in the seventies, times fell hard and money didn’t come easy. My grandpa was going to lose his livelihood, and Chastity Falls was going to lose its only general store. Patrick Donohue stepped in and made my grandpa an offer he couldn’t refuse…”
Sarah left the table briefly, returning with another plate of cookies.
“He offered to go into business with my grandpa as long as Grandpa didn’t snoop and didn’t report anything he saw.”
“Anything he saw?”
Sarah tucked her hair behind her ear and opened her mouth before closing it again. She was obviously figuring out exactly how much to tell me.
“Sarah…”
“Patrick used the store as a front for his other less legal activities. You have to understand, Ana, the Donohues have been in this town for a long time. Whenever times fell hard, they would step in and help out, but it always came with a price. Patrick and Marcus have probably helped out most families and businesses in the town at one time or another.”
“So they really did buy the town?”
“Their silence? Yes. The people of Chastity Falls turn a blind eye and Marcus Donohue keeps the town prosperous and protected. It’s not right, but it works. It’s worked for a long time.”
I stared at Sarah with a slack mouth. I’d only been in the town a few weeks before I started to learn just how much hold the Donohues had in Chastity Falls, but sitting here, listening to Sarah, I was beginning to realize it went much deeper than that.
“What happened to Patrick?”
“He died when I was a twelve, two years after that photo was taken. Marcus took over the family business, although he and Michael Pierce had been running things for a while by then. Patrick was very sick.”
My mind was working overtime, trying to assimilate everything Sarah was telling me with everything I’d already learned about the Donohue’s history. If Sarah was right about the year of Patrick’s death, then it meant that Michael Pierce had died a year after him. Did that mean something? Or was it just a coincidence? Jackson had never mentioned Patrick Donohue before.
“Why are you only just telling me all of this, Sarah?” I sighed, exhausted from the new information. It seemed like every time I got closer to unveiling the truth, something else was thrown into the fold.
Sarah’s eyes softened, and she looked almost sad. “I didn’t plan on keeping this from you, but you have to understand. I don’t like Marcus Donohue and his hold on this town, but from what my parents told me growing up, Patrick Donohue was a good man. He cared about his town and the people in it. He and my grandpa became good friends. Marcus is different. He’s ruthless and, quite frankly, terrifying. Braiden is even worse. People respected Patrick, but they fear Marcus and Braiden. The drugs and violence. It wasn’t like that in Patrick’s day. He wouldn’t allow any of that on Chastity Falls’ soil.”
A hollow pit started to carve its way through my stomach.
“What happened to your grandpa and his business?”
“When Patrick got sick, my grandpa sold. He didn’t want to deal with Marcus. He died a couple of years later.”
�
��Michael Pierce died a year after Patrick. Do you know what happened, Sarah?”
Her eyes dropped to the floor and I noticed her hands were starting to shake.
“Sarah…”
“I, I don’t know much, but I heard my dad talking once to my grandpa before he died. They were worried about the town since Patrick was gone and Marcus had taken over. My grandpa kept saying that Michael would keep him in line. Back then, I didn’t think much of it, but when I found out you were involved with Jackson, I did a little bit of digging.” Her eyes flickered to mine, regret masking her face.
“What did you find, Sarah?”
“I think Marcus killed Michael.”
“Do we have to do this?” I sank back into the passenger seat and soaked in the sight of the Donohue house.
I hadn’t been here since the day Marcus revealed his plans for Jackson. The same day he threatened me if Jackson didn’t comply.
“You know we do. It’s just dinner; we’ll eat, talk, and go home,” Jackson said with little conviction.
“How lovely. It’s been a while since Briony threatened me; I can hardly wait.”
“Ana, ignore her. Don’t rise to her and she’ll back off.”
I made a huffing sound under my breath as the car rolled to a stop. Jackson could try to appease my nerves all he wanted, but we both knew there was more to Marcus’ invitation than a straightforward dinner. Nothing about Marcus Donohue was straightforward. Since talking to Sarah, I’d been trying to find a way to broach the subject with Jackson, but I still hadn’t had a chance to ask him about Patrick.
Jackson came around to open the passenger door and help me out of the car. Just feeling his hand encasing mine calmed some of the storm raging in me. Last year, I might have felt fear walking into this house, but now I just felt anger.
Janice, the housemaid and cook, greeted us at the door and informed us that Briony and Marcus were already in the dining room waiting for us. Jackson linked his fingers through mine and drew our hands to his mouth, pressing a kiss to my knuckles. “Okay?”
I nodded. I was okay as I could be, given the circumstances.
“Jackson, Ana, please sit,” Marcus said as we entered the room.
He sat at the head of the long table, with Briony to his right. Two places were laid out opposite her and to Marcus’ left. Jackson took the seat nearest him. Briony’s eyes burned into me, but I refused to meet her glare. I needed time to steel myself.
“Janice, please bring out the appetizers.”
Janice nodded and scurried away all too eager to please her boss, and Marcus turned his attention to us. He smiled, revealing a set of pearly white teeth. “Thank you both for joining us. I trust you are both well?”
“We’re fine,” Jackson answered for us, but Marcus seemed dissatisfied with this. Looking directly at me, he said, “Miss Parry, how are you following your incident?”
“Ana, please call me Ana.” I rolled back my shoulders and folded my arms across my body resting them gently on the table’s edge.
“Ana, I apologize.”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
Briony snorted underneath her breath, and I shot her a glare. Her lips curled up in a sickly sweet smile and she crooned, “Yes, Ana, how are you after your little incident? I heard you and Lewis were looking quite cozy.”
Jackson’s fingers dug into my knee where his hand had been resting, but she didn’t intimidate me. She just riled me even more.
“You must have been mistaken, Briony.” I drawled out her name. “You really should check out your facts first, don’t you think.”
“Briony Marie, don’t be so rude to our guests,” Marcus interjected, clearly amused by our little standoff.
“Daddy, Jackson is hardly a guest.” She tilted her head to one side and smiled again. “He’s family. Right, Jax?”
My blood hit boiling point and I started to stand, but Jackson’s hand clenched my knee again. He dipped his head to my ear and whispered, “Don’t let her do this to us.”
I sank back down and tried to calm my uneven breathing. It was the worst possible thing she could say to me. Jax. Like she was laying ownership over him. But Jackson was right, I needed to stay in control. I needed to show her that nothing she could say or do would come between us.
“I guess that makes me family as well then, doesn’t it?” I cocked my eyebrow at her and narrowed my eyes.
Take that, bitch.
“It does indeed, Ana. And I, for one, am glad Jackson has you on his side. Now, let’s eat.”
On cue, Janice appeared in the double doorway with a trolley loaded full with plates.
I ate robotically, tasting nothing. It could have been cardboard I was chewing for how every mouthful lodged in my throat. Marcus made light conversation; how were classes, how was Jackson doing as team captain, what were our plans for the holidays? Answers rolled off my tongue, and I smiled and nodded where required. I played the role to perfection. Briony attempted to get a rise out of me a couple of more times, but I didn’t take the bait. We were all there to play our parts, and I would.
After what seemed like an eternity, Marcus announced dinner over and requested we move to the living room for after-dinner drinks. Jackson took my hand as we followed Marcus and Briony out of the room and down the long hallway. I spotted one or two photographs hanging on the wall of Patrick and the one Jackson had told me about. There was no time to stop and look properly, but I just made out the three men standing together. Marcus, Michael, and Frankie O’Connor.
“Would you like a drink, Ana? I have bourbon, whiskey, or I can have Janice bring out a bottle of wine?”
“Water is fine, thank you.”
Briony scoffed at my request from her position in the chair, but I ignored her, taking my seat next to Jackson on the huge leather couch.
Once Marcus settled at the window, preferring to stand than sit, he cleared his throat. “I thought it was important that I explain a few things to the three of you.”
I glanced sideways at Jackson, but he remained focused on Marcus.
“We’re listening,” Jackson said a little too abruptly, and it was my turn to squeeze his hand in an attempt to ground him.
“What happened with Braiden-”
“Are you kidding me?” Briony shrieked shifting forward in her chair. “I’ve been asking you for weeks to explain things to me and you chose now to do it. With her here?”
“Briony Marie, do not interrupt me. If you cannot act like an adult and put your feelings for Ana aside, then you can leave.”
Briony slouched back, defeated, still shooting me daggers.
“I have been in touch with Braiden. He is fine. He understands why it was necessary for him to serve a prison sentence. He takes responsibility for his actions and realizes some things cannot go unpunished.”
“You’ve spoken to him? But I’m not allowed?” Briony leaped up from her chair and started pacing. “This is a joke. He’s my brother. You can’t keep him from me; I will find a way to ta-”
“BRIONY MARIE, you will listen to me and listen to me good. It is important that you fall in line with me on this. When the time is right, you will be able to see him. Until then, I am telling you to drop this.”
Briony’s hard glare softened and then cracked. Tears streamed from her eyes and she opened her mouth but didn’t say anything. Instead, she spun on her heels and stormed out of the room.
“What did I do to deserve such a feisty daughter? She’s harder to deal with than you or Braiden ever were,” Marcus muttered to himself.
“How is he?” Jackson asked, surprising me. We hadn’t talked much about Braiden, but I had always wanted to know how he really felt about what had happened. I was certain Jackson still felt responsible for some of it, especially since Cole Calder would never walk again.
“Braiden?” Marcus turned to face us leaning against the window seat. “He’s okay. Oregon State has a good education program. He can finish up his degree.”
&
nbsp; “And he’s okay with what you did?”
Marcus tilted his head to one side and his eyes hardened. “I did what was necessary. He almost killed Cole. It drew too much attention to us, all of us. You know Braiden, Jackson. He’s impulsive, hot-headed, and doesn’t follow the rules.”
Jackson gave a slight nod, but I could tell he wasn’t satisfied with Marcus’ cryptic answers.
“So, what now? What happens to him?”
“He serves out his time. It will give him time to reflect on his behavior. Time to decide what kind of man he wants to become. There will always be a place for him in this family, and he knows that. It just might not be the place he thought.”
No, I thought to myself. Braiden would never take his rightful place in the family because Jackson had it.
Chapter Eighteen
Jackson
Marcus finally dismissed us, and Ana and I left the house. I was relieved to get outside, taking a deep breath to let the sting of the cold air fill my lungs and lift the some of the tension. Dinner had been surreal. Marcus' attempt to play happy family, Briony trying to hook her claws into Ana, the news about Braiden. I still didn’t know what to make of it all.
My relationship with Braiden was over. It had been for a long time, but I couldn’t help that small part of me that still cared. For all of his sick and twisted ways, Braiden had still turned up at Reibeckitt that night, when Landon took Ana. He might not have come for her, or even for me, but he came, and part of me still wanted to believe he had some good in him. That the need for revenge wasn’t what purely drove his actions that night.
The house disappeared in the mirror as we drove down the winding road to the main road. Ana was quiet. Contemplative. Something had been on her mind for the last couple of days, but we’d barely managed ten minutes together between classes, practice, and my usual runs for Marcus.
“Want to tell me what’s going on in that head of yours?”
She sighed, before twisting her body around to me. I couldn’t take my eyes off the road, not with how poorly lit they were, but I still risked a sideways glance at her. Ana looked weary.
