by Anna Lewis
***
The sun was setting gently over the horizon when the last of Lara’s things were packed into the small moving truck she had rented for the month. It was just big enough to fit the things Spencer had brought from her home, with room enough for her to attempt to salvage what she could from the ruins of her house. From there, she would figure out her next move, but she had more than a few houses to look at, which she had found online while they were loading up the heavy stuff.
Someone had already contacted her about her reward, cutting her a check and sending it over via courier for her to take with her. Spencer drove her to the local branch of her bank to deposit the check, providing the necessary documentation to prove it was authentic, then driving Lara to the local rental place to rent a moving truck. When they’d returned, Trevor had packed all her things, bringing them into the foyer so that they were easier to load.
They were standing at the van now, both looking upset but hiding it behind stoic expressions. But she could see the pain in their eyes, and she ached for them. In a perfect world, she would live the rest of her days just being theirs, the three of them together, and she would love every minute of it. But being trapped and constantly being on guard was nerve-wracking and she didn’t want that life. They would never let their guard down, because they knew how dangerous that could be. But Lara just wanted to live a happy life, and she wasn’t going to spend it being overly paranoid. The danger was gone, and it was time to leave the fairy tale behind and go back to reality.
She smiled weakly at them, pretending to be braver than she felt. Despite her bravado and the fact that she knew logically that she should leave, she didn’t want to. Part of her was screaming to stay. A huge part of her. But as much as she wanted to, she had to accept reality.
“I’ll miss you both,” she said, her eyes welling up. “Maybe once I get settled, we can give us another chance and see where it goes.”
She stepped forward and into Trevor’s arms first, inhaling the scent of him as his strong arms wrapped around her. She was reminded of that night, riding through the air on Spencer’s back, and she shuddered. Even in those moments, she had felt attracted to them both, never imagining where that attraction would lead. Yet here she was, walking away from the best thing that had ever happened to her.
When Trevor finally released her with a gentle kiss, she went to Spencer. He held her tighter than he ever had, and she could feel him trembling ever so slightly. He was upset, though he was hiding it well for her benefit. She loved him for that.
Her decision was hard enough without them sharing their feelings about her leaving. They did not speak.
She pulled away from Spencer, getting into the moving truck quickly and waving as she started the engine. She watched them fade away in the rear view mirror as she drove down the dirt road, then she made her way to the highway and back toward home.
With each passing mile, she grew more distraught, but she pushed on until she was almost to the highway. The sign pointing her toward home was within sight when she turned around, heading back the way she had come.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she said out loud in the cab of the moving truck. “I can’t spend the rest of my life living in a fairy tale, even if it’s a good one.”
Why not? Lara thought angrily. Why can’t I live happily ever after?
“No reason,” she said out loud again. “There is absolutely no reason that I can’t spend the rest of my life with the men that I love.”
She smiled, feeling almost giddy as she found the dirt road that was hidden in the tree line that led from the two-lane highway to their home. The home that she had shared with them for more than a month.
When the house appeared at the end of the long drive, she knew that she was doing the right thing. Trevor and Spencer were already coming out of the front door when she got out of the truck, hitting the ground running straight to them. Tears flowed down her face as she flung herself into their arms, closing her eyes as she felt two sets of strong arms wrap around her and hold her tight.
“What are you doing here?” Spencer asked.
“Oh Spencer,” she said, laughing. “Why did I think I could live without you and Trevor? I couldn’t do it. I got to the interstate and I realized I couldn’t leave.”
“You want to stay here?” Spencer asked, incredulous while Trevor just watched her in silent awe.
“I do. I don’t want to live in fear, and I want to leave the house when I want to. But, I can’t imagine living my life anywhere but with you. Both of you. I want to stay, if you’ll have me.”
She stood there as a look passed between the two of them. When they finally smiled at her, she knew that she had made the right choice and that she was where she belonged.
She followed them into the house, leaving unpacking the truck for another day. They had all the time in the world, and Lara wasn’t going anywhere.
***
Six Months Later
Spencer carried his suitcase and Lara’s to the rental lot, counting off the spaces until he found the truck in space G-5. He tossed the suitcases into the truck and Trevor followed suit.
Opening the door for Lara, he helped her scoot across the seat to sit in the middle while Trevor got in on the other side.
“I’m so excited,” she said. “I’ve never been to a dude ranch.”
“You’re going to love Montana,” Trevor gushed as Spencer typed the address into the GPS and carefully guided the truck out of the parking lot and onto the highway. “And the owners are friends of ours. It’s going to be great two weeks, even if it’s a working vacation.”
Trevor and Lara talked the entire way, with Spencer interjecting now and then like he always did. Lara enjoyed the easy way the three of them connected, and how each twin was distinctly different than the other. She could count on Spencer to provide quiet comfort when she needed to relax, and Trevor was always up for a laugh and a long talk into the night. Identical or not, they were completely different and Lara loved so much about both of them.
When they finally pulled off the highway and she saw the huge farmhouse in the distance, she sat up a little taller.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, almost whispering in awe of the vast land stretching out behind the farmhouse and the beautiful, two-story building with an inviting wraparound porch.
There were enough chairs to lounge a small army, and Lara was glad that she had brought a few projects to work on. Even though she knew she would be busy moving cattle and taking care of whatever horse she was assigned for the vacation, she was looking forward to quiet time spent in one of those rocking chairs, sewing away and sharing good conversation with the friends that they made.
A pair of blond haired children flew out of the house an instant after Spencer parked, their heavily pregnant mother hot on their trail, laughing and trying to catch them as they yelled in unison that they didn’t need a bath. Lara could see from where she sat that they most-definitely needed a bath as they were both covered from head to toe in mud and leaves, and giant toddler grins.
Trevor helped Lara out of the passenger side. Spencer got out, walking up to the man who had appeared to welcome them and shaking his hand. Trevor held Lara’s hand as she walked around the truck, smile on her face, eager to greet the owner of the dude ranch.
When they made it to the driver’s side of the truck, the smile slipped off Lara’s face and her stomach dropped. She stared at the man, her face blank.
He smiled at her, holding his hand out, but she didn’t take it.
“Hi Lara,” he said, still smiling despite her blank stare. “I’m happy you’re here.”
“I thought you were dead,” she said, then closed her mouth, looking around to make sure the children weren’t in earshot. “I thought you were killed in the shootout.”
She looked to Spencer for reassurance and was rewarded with a rare smile.
“It was part of the plan,” he said. “When I gave up all the information I had to the Feds, I had to
die in order to go into witness protection. New life, new name, and new home.”
“You snitched?” she said, shocked.
“I did. I didn’t get into the mob life because I wanted to, and I made a promise to my wife.”
“How did-” she stopped and shook her head. “I saw them take you out in a body bag.”
He laughed.
“You should have felt the dye packs that the agent shot me with. He was the only one who knew, so I was still wearing a thin vest, just in case someone else shot me, but they still stung.”
“What about the coroners?” Lara asked.
“They were US Marshalls,” Spencer said.
“Wow,” she said. “I can’t believe this. And your wife?”
“She’s due in a month or so.” He stepped forward, taking her hand in his and smiling. “I’m so sorry that I almost blew you up in your car.”
She laughed, shaking her head and amused.
“I can’t even believe that I’m saying this, but don’t worry about it.”
“Thank you,” he said. “Your forgiveness means more to me than you will ever know.”
He led them inside, showing them to their room, one king-sized bed in the large room upstairs. Lara opened the window, staring out into the vast, open space, her smile a mile wide.
“What?” Trevor asked, standing behind her and wrapping his arms around her.
Spencer stood beside them, looking out the window, and reaching out for Lara’s hand.
“Nothing,” she said dreamily. “Everything is just so perfect. I can’t believe how lucky I am.”
“Trust us,” Spencer said, squeezing her hand and leaning in to steal a quick kiss. “We’re the ones who are lucky.”
THE END
= Bonus Book 6 of 11 =
Brother Blues -
MC Biker
Time seemed to pass so very slowly. Kathy sighed and tapped her fingers on the wooden table. The room was quiet, save for the dull whirl of the fan overhead. She could hear her mother in the kitchen, the soft murmur of voices and the clashing of pans. It was normal, it was ordinary and it was comfortable.
Well, it would be, if they were not waiting for someone to arrive. The waiting made Kathy anxious. She shifted in her seat, glanced at the clock and bit her lip. She was tired of waiting, but she still had over half an hour to go. Too long, far too long. She glanced at the door to the kitchen. Reassured that no one was about to pop in, she leaned on the table, a habit her mother had always hated.
The room was just as she remembered it being when she was a child. Cozy, warm and suburban, about twenty years out of fashion and very homey. It was the table that she had sat at for most of her life. Eating dinner and talking with her parents. It was the table that she had sat at for hours on end as she frantically tried to complete huge projects that just didn’t seem to want to be finished.
It brought back a slew of memories and it made Kathy smile, even now. She had had a good childhood, there was no doubt about it. Sedate and comfortable and safe. She had a similar life now, comfortable and ordinary, working a nine to five job, renting a little apartment and going through the motions. It was safe, it was comfortable, but now, there was an unknown factor coming into her world.
The last year or so had been a little bit of a whirlwind for Kathy in terms of her parents’ situation. She had never expected the happy couple to divorce, but the fact that the split was so amicable had made things a little easier. It was easy to see that they had been drifting apart for a while, and both just thought it best to go their separate ways now that Kathy was all grown up. She could not find it in her heart to hold it against them. It was their happiness, their lives, at stake. She had no right to complain.
When her mother, June, had decided to marry again, Kathy had been happy for her. She was a lovely woman and the man who she had met, Joe, seemed nice enough. He was a sedate man from the suburbs, just like her dad was. He worked a nice office job, was modest and kind and very ordinary. He had his pension all set up, had sensible goals for the future, like one holiday per year and a smaller home for his retired years. He was all the things that her mom seemed to want out of a man, and Kathy was left wondering why her mother hadn’t just stayed with her Dad, if she wasn’t looking for anything different.
The wedding had been a sweet affair, pretty and simple and intimate and Kathy had been thrilled to be a part of her mother’s special, special day. It made her heart soar to see her happy, even though she could not hope to math her mother’s joy.
The day was marred only by the fact that Joe’s son had not bothered to show up. Joe only had one son, a man around Kathy’s age. Alex. Joe did not talk about Alex much, but when he did, he spoke fondly of his childhood years. They seemed to get along well, at least, from the way Joe spoke about him. Yet he had not shown up to his own father’s wedding and that had left a bad taste in Kathy’s mouth.
Alex. She knew that he used to love machinery and cars when he was little. She knew that he was brilliant in math. She knew that he was about her age, and that he had taken things a little hard when his mother had passed away. But that was all. Any other details had been lost. And now, almost a year after the wedding, Kathy was going to meet him.
Alex apparently lived in the same town as Kathy, which was a bit of a drive from her parents’ home. Her mother had picked her up, and planned to drop her off again after dinner, seeing as Kathy didn’t see much of a point keeping a car in a city, where the public transport was pretty great. Alex didn’t seem to visit them much, but he happened to be in town today.
Kathy had a sneaky suspicion that Joe had really pushed for this, whether for Kathy’s sake, or for June’s, she wasn’t sure. There was a determined set to his jaw, even when he greeted her with a big smile. Joe was a nice guy, but all parents could get firm, Kathy supposed. So now, she was sitting at the kitchen table, while June and Joe were busy in the kitchen, preparing the meal and setting things up.
Kathy was left feeling nervous and unsure of what the rest of the day would bring. She had never met Alex, and she wasn’t all that fond of him, seeing as though he had missed such an important day, and not shown up since then.
She imagined him walking in, a big shot with a great job and no time for his family. Her blood boiled at the thought that his parents might have worked hard to put him through school and this was the thanks that his father was getting.
Still, Kathy took a deep breath and calmed herself as best she could. This was really important to her mom, and she was in no mood to spoil it for her. Her mother deserved happiness and Joe was a nice guy. She resolved to put aside her differences and be friendly.
Her mother bustled in only moments later, a smile on her face as she put down a few dishes and a roast chicken. It was Sunday, which was the day for having a roast, in June’s opinion.
“Want some help, mom?” Kathy smiled.
“No, no, no…you sit.” June smiled and went back to gathering more plates. Joe came out of the kitchen, hands full of glasses, balancing a pitcher of water and setting it all down. When June came out of the kitchen with the last plate, he smiled and rested a hand on her shoulder, “Thanks, June.”
She smiled, shaking her head, “You did just as much as me!”
Kathy smiled. The way they looked at each other warmed her heart. They were good for each other and it was nice to see Joe helping her mother out. She liked knowing that her mother was being looked after, especially since she lived the next town over.
Kathy was so lost in thought that when the doorbell rang, she almost jumped out of her skin. She gasped and rested a hand against her chest, blushing at her own shock.
Thankfully, no one seemed to notice. June jumped almost as much as Kathy did and Joe turned to the sound. There was a moment where no one moved. The air crackled with nervous energy and there was another moment of silence before June moved towards the door, “That must be Alex!” Her voice was chirpy and bright, but there was a worry beneath it that Kat
hy didn’t understand.
Her mother moved out of sight and so did Joe. Kathy pushed herself to her feet, not wanting to seem lazy, but not wanting to come across as too eager. She wanted to be friendly, not creepy.
“Alex, so good of you to make it!” Her mother’s voice was the picture of suburban hospitality, warm and polite.
“Yeah. Thanks.” A voice rumbled through into the kitchen, deep and low. Kathy’s eyes widened in surprise as the sound sent a shiver through her. She cursed herself and straightened up, hoping no one would notice.
“Kitchen’s just through here, son.” Joe was talking now, “You’ll want to meet Kathy.”
“Sure.”
When Alex walked through the door, Kathy thought that her heart was going to stop. Alex was absolutely nothing like she had expected. She had expected a slick man with an office job, sedate and safe, if a little bit arrogant. She expected a dispassionate man who didn’t care much about his family. She expected a younger version of her father or a man like all of the others she knew.
She had not expected this. He was tall, easily towering over his father. He had broad shoulders, wide set and strong and Kathy could tell that he worked out. Really worked out, not ran on the treadmill for ten minutes before calling it a day. He wore a black shirt and a leather jacket clung to his skin.
Dark eyes flashed as they met hers and his hair was dark and terribly cool. It wasn’t cut for an office job, it wasn’t ordinary. Nothing about him was ordinary. His boots his the floor with a thud as he walked into the kitchen.
Kathy was struck by how out of place he looked in her mother’s kitchen. This cozy, average little house where children had been raised just did not fit with Alex, wild and tall and crackling with a dangerous type of electricity that seemed to emanate from his skin and curl around everything in its path.
Kathy felt a flash of heat cross her cheeks and burn down her body until it found its place between her thighs. He was gorgeous. He was nothing like anyone she had ever met. He was her stepbrother and this was ridiculous.
