Amazingly, she’d found that obituary, too. Divine intervention at work. “Cancer got her in 1978.”
Toni was born in 1979. The timing was right. But Myra died in 1966 and Livie wasn’t born until ’77. That meant people didn’t always get reincarnated right after they died. If Bern had been George and he’d died in the war, then it was decades before he was reincarnated. Did the powers that be wait until they could all come back together?
“What does it tell us, Livie?” He was looking at her over the rim of his glasses again.
Livie went to him, took the folder from his hand, setting it on the side table. Then she climbed onto his lap, straddling him. It felt like the most natural thing for him to put his hands on her butt and haul her forward until they were chest-to-chest and he was solidly between her legs.
She felt him, wanted him, but she wasn’t ready to indulge. “It tells us that something happened. They became recluses after the war. And Betty never even used her married name. The article said only that she was a war widow. They didn’t go to a doctor. She just let her sister whither away and die in that house.”
“I told you it was evil,” he said softly, his gaze on something far beyond her shoulder. “It even smelled rotten.”
If she hadn’t been touching him, she never would have noticed the slight tremor along his shoulders, but she felt it beneath her fingertips. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Why wouldn’t he tell her? Something was going on, but he was shutting her out.
He laid his reading glasses aside. “What about the husband?”
“Without a last name, I couldn’t find anything. I searched on local men named George who were war casualties. I checked on locals who enlisted, but he wasn’t there either.”
Bern looked up sharply. “He didn’t enlist?”
“I don’t know. All those names were something the newspaper got out of the Red Cliff enlistment office. He could have enlisted in Sacramento or San Francisco. Or maybe George was his middle name. Who knows?”
He played with the hem of her sweater, thinking. “You got all that out of old newspapers they scanned into the computer?”
“It’s an amazing database. Who even needs print newspapers anymore when you can get it like this online, searchable and everything?”
“So, your cosmic something found all the answers except the one we really needed. About what happened to George.”
She shrugged. “Maybe your sister can regress me again. With these specifics, she could direct me right there. And you should do it, too.”
His throat worked as he swallowed. “No.”
That surprised her. “You’ve been hypnotized before. And I did it.” She decided to make a joke about it. “Are you chicken or something?”
Bern didn’t laugh. Instead he held her forearms in a tight grip. “I want you to go with me on this trip.”
“What trip?”
“When I go for the Gillespie presentation.”
She snorted at him. “You’re joking. That’s on Wednesday. I have to work.”
“I don’t want to leave you alone.”
“What is up with you? Three weeks together doesn’t suddenly make me incapable of taking care of myself. And I have that revenue recognition seminar on Wednesday.”
“I saw the flyer. You can take it in Palo Alto next week.”
“No,” she said emphatically, wriggling in his lap, trying to get off him.
“Livie.” His grip on her was too tight.
“You’re hurting me.” It was an exaggeration, but it did the trick as he eased back.
“I’m sorry. I just don’t think we should be separated right now.”
She parted her lips, thought long and hard about her words. Then she said them because they needed saying. “You’re starting to smother me. I have a job, you have a job. We have separate lives, and we can’t live in each other’s pocket. And since you refuse to tell me why you’re freaked out, I’m overruling you. You are going, I am staying. Got that?”
His jaw tensed.
“And you’re also spending the night at your brother’s house tomorrow because it’s absolutely ridiculous to get up at three in the morning just so you can beat the traffic.”
“Livie.”
She felt her nostrils flare with her agitation. “Don’t Livie me. You’ll be tired and off your game.”
He ran his hands up and down her arms where he’d held her. “I’m not trying to smother you. I admit I’m freaked out. That house, I can’t get it out of my mind. I keep feeling like something bad is going to happen.”
She cupped his cheek, leaned close, her lips almost touching his. “Nothing’s going to happen. I won’t let it.”
Then his arms were around her, holding her flush against him. “I love you. I can’t lose you.”
She hadn’t said it yet. They’d known each other less a month. Yet it was there between, had been from the moment they recognized each other. This time she said the words as solemnly as he had. “I love you. But I’m not going with you.”
He puffed out a breath. “All right. But promise you won’t see Toni for your Wednesday night dinner.”
She tried to pull back; he wouldn’t let her. “So this is all about Toni?” she asked softly.
“No. Yes. Hell, I don’t know. Just come home, lock yourself in, call me, and be here when I get back. That’s all I’m asking.”
She wanted to say that Toni would never hurt her, but after the snake in her car and all the bitter, angry words between them, she wasn’t so sure. “Okay. I promise.”
His embrace eased. She met his gaze. “She wants a break from me anyway.”
After that call on Friday, Toni hadn’t broken her silence, and Livie hadn’t planned on Wednesday’s dinner anyway.
His jaw rippled as he clenched his teeth. He weighed his words as carefully as she had hers. “I want her out of our lives.”
As uncaring as it sounded, Livie had enjoyed the sense of freedom she’d experienced with Toni gone. But out of her life forever? “She’s still my sister.”
“I know. You’ve known her all your life and me for less than a month. I’m not asking you to choose. There’s no ultimatum here. But I still have to say I don’t like her or trust her.”
Livie couldn’t blame him. She cupped his nape, stroked her fingers through the fine hairs. “Thank you for not forcing the issue. I promise not to call her or have dinner with her while you’re gone. We’ll think about the rest when we have to. Deal?”
His eyes traced her face. She was well aware he didn’t want to agree. But he did. “Deal.”
“Now”—she wriggled in his lap—“let’s do something much more exciting.”
His mouth curved. “Like what? More searching dead newspaper files?”
She laughed. “No.” She reached between her legs, palmed him. He was already hard. “This is definitely not dead.”
* * * * *
He’d taken her right there in his easy chair. She’d slipped one leg out of her sweats, pulled aside her panties, and ridden him. It was as hot, fast, and mind-blowing as what they’d done against the boulder.
For long moments, he’d forgotten everything. But now, in bed, her arms draped around him, her slow, steady breaths soft on his chest, his gut roiled. Some inner voice whispered to him. You should have told her, warned her, made her understand. But Christ, what the hell did you do when your woman accused you of smothering her? Especially when she was right.
He would drive her away if he didn’t ease up. That was how obsession worked. He didn’t have control over it. Even the tenor of their lovemaking had changed since he took her against the rock. Everything was fast and almost rough, no tenderness. It was good, hell, it was out of this world. But when would Livie decide she needed something better from him?
Maybe he should do the regression like she wanted. She hadn’t dreamed of snakes since his sister had put her under. Maybe his nightmares would end, too. They would
be normal, if anyone could when they believed they’d been reincarnated together many times over.
But he would never stop wanting Toni out of their lives.
* * * * *
“The drive was good since I left early enough to avoid the worst of the commute.”
Livie curled up at the end of the sofa. Bern’s voice on the phone always managed to do her in. She loved everything he did to her, the hot, sexy lovemaking last night in his easy chair as much as the gentle kisses he’d feathered across her cheeks before he drove off this morning. Her whole body felt deliciously needed, wanted, loved. And rested, too, now that the nightmares had miraculously ended. She would probably never lose her fear of snakes, but with the dreams over, she didn’t have to think about reptiles. She’d never felt so alive as when she was with Bern. I’m truly in love with this man. It wasn’t lust at first sight. This would last a lifetime. And beyond.
“Call me back when you go to bed.” She had something very special planned.
“Are you going to talk dirty?”
“And more,” she said.
He chuckled. “What if my brother overhears me? Or Nana?”
She laughed outright. “I have a feeling Nana would get a huge kick out of thinking you were having phone sex.”
“She doesn’t even know what it is.”
“Oh I bet she’d shock you.”
“I’ll call you. But I will be very, very quiet,” he warned.
“And I’ll scream.”
“I can’t wait.” He blew her a kiss good-bye.
She padded into her bedroom. She was like an adolescent, all gooey and starry-eyed. She’d never felt like this, not with any man.
After hanging her suit in the closet, she threw her blouse in the hamper.
She’d experienced lust at first sight a couple of times. This was different. This was bone-deep. This was lying on the couch while they watched a movie. This was two hours of comfortable silence while they each did their own paperwork. This was imagining how good he’d look when his hair turned gray.
Fishing a fresh pair of comfy leggings out of a drawer, she pulled them on, then grabbed a sweater off a closet shelf and tugged it over her head.
It slid down around her neck, and she almost screamed.
Toni stood in her bedroom doorway.
Chapter Twenty-four
“Don’t be mad, okay?”
Despite herself, Livie’s nerves jangled, and everything Bern feared now consumed her. Toni had a key to both the door and the deadbolt. Livie hadn’t even considered that. She’d thought Toni would call when her anger dissipated.
“I’m not mad at you,” Livie said. No, but she was afraid.
“Yes, you are.”
Her sister’s face was unusually gaunt, her cheeks slightly hollowed, the hint of dark circles beneath her eyes. She hadn’t been sleeping or eating well. “I’m sorry, Livie.”
A hand on the doorframe, Livie used her toe to drag a slipper out of the closet, stuck her foot in, did the same with the other. She didn’t take her eyes off her sister.
She could say she was sorry as well, get back to normal, pretend nothing had happened. But Toni had said some pretty awful things. “I know you’re sorry, but—”
Toni held up a palm. “I behaved badly. I’ve thought about it all weekend. I got carried away over a man.” Livie noticed she didn’t say Bern’s name. “I was jealous and I lashed out. I felt demoralized that he didn’t want me. But I know you didn’t steal him away.”
Toni pursed her lips, stared at the carpet. “It brought up all those old jealousies.” She puffed out a long breath. “About you. And Walter. All that stuff.”
Walter Fenneman. They’d been teenagers. It was all so long ago. She still didn’t understand how Toni could hold a grudge for that long. “I didn’t steal him. I never went out with him. I never even wanted to go out with him. That was a fantasy you created.”
Toni screwed the toe of her shoe into the carpet. “Well, I couldn’t blame myself. I couldn’t admit he didn’t want me. I was jealous that he wanted you more. Even if you didn’t encourage him.”
“So you turned me into your scapegoat.”
Toni sighed. Then she nodded. “Yeah.”
It was the first time Toni had ever admitted that she’d accused Livie falsely. Maybe, just maybe there could be a breaththrough here. But they had to completely clear the air. “And you did it again with Bern, accusing me.”
Toni’s lip trembled. “I just can’t seem to hold a man.” Her voice quavered. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“Oh, honey, there’s nothing wrong with you.” Livie didn’t resist. She went to her sister, put her arm around her shoulders. “You just need to lighten up, not get so serious so fast.”
“I know.” Toni sniffed. “I’m hungry. Will you make some scrambled eggs on toast?”
“Sure.” She turned with Toni, pushed her down the hall.
In the kitchen, Livie pulled out the eggs, milk, bread, and margarine. “You start the toast while I whip up the eggs.”
Toni stood with the bread in her hand a moment. “Do you forgive me, Livie?”
“Of course I do.” She started heating the pan, cracked an egg into a bowl, then another. Now was the time. She needed to get everything out in the open. “But you have to realize that things are going to be different.”
Toni set the bread on the counter, undid the plastic clip. “Different how?”
“I’m with Bern now. It’s serious. You have to accept that. You can’t do anything like what happened with Roger. That was terrible and we can’t go through that again.”
With her back to Livie, Toni was silent as she filled the four-slice toaster.
Livie cracked the last egg, tossed the shell in the sink, added milk, and beat the mixture. She’d said her piece. She wouldn’t take it back. She needed to stop coddling Toni. In a way, she was as much to blame for what had gone on between them. She’d never said things plainly, never held Toni accountable. It was long past time to start doing that.
Toni put her palms flat on the counter, watching the bread toast. “I promise I’ll never do anything like that again. And I know two are together.” She turned as Livie poured the eggs into the pan. “Can we be friends now?”
Should she bring up the snake again? It was probably anti-productive at this point. They both needed to let everything go. “We were always friends.”
Toni smiled and hugged her. “You’re the best, sis. And by the way, where is he? I thought you’d be with him.”
Toni still wouldn’t say his name. It was probably natural that there would be a lingering hurt. Livie didn’t press it. “He had a meeting up north, some project he’s been working on with his brother.”
“Up north. Sounds like the boonies.”
She liked the small-town atmosphere of both Freedom and Red Cliff. “It’s not so bad.” She stirred the eggs until they were just right. “I think we’re ready. Get the toast.”
The meal was delicious. Toni adored her comfort food. They ate in front of the TV, giggled together over a silly sitcom. And it was...nice. Really nice. She wasn’t an idiot. She knew Toni would backslide. But this felt like a turn for the better in their relationship. Most importantly, she was determined not to let her sister get away with bad behavior. When it happened, she’d call her on it.
Her cell phone rang at nine thirty, and her heart lurched. Toni didn’t say a word, just kept on watching TV. But Livie remembered what she’d asked Bern for. Phone sex.
She grabbed the phone from the coffee table and was halfway down the hall before she actually answered. “Hey,” she said softly, infusing sleepiness into her voice. Entering the bedroom, she closed the door.
“Did I wake you up?”
“Yeah, sorry,” she mumbled. She was lying to him. But she couldn’t tell him Toni was here. She’d explain about the breakthrough they’d had when he got home. She could make him understand better if they were face-to-face.
“Guess I’m tired.”
“I’m sorry, baby. I’ll let you go back to sleep.”
“Okay. Love you. Good luck tomorrow.”
“Thanks, love you, too. Sleep tight.”
It was so sweet and normal, but her stomach rolled over. Toni walked back into her life, and Livie turned right around and lied to Bern. What a great way to make a fresh start.
* * * * *
The day had gone well, ending at three, earlier than he’d expected. He could move forward with the plans now.
When they broke for lunch, he’d asked Gillespie about the rock house and the Taylor sisters. Though he knew of the house, Gillespie had no idea about its origins. They’d learned far more from Rowdy Reed and Livie’s search through the Red Cliff library system.
He and Wade had driven separately to the plant, and he’d parted ways with his brother half an hour ago. He hadn’t called Livie; she’d still be in her seminar. He hadn’t headed home either. He’d turned in the opposite direction, straight back to Red Cliff’s main street. Stopping at the hardware store, he’d purchased a bolt cutter.
He was all kinds of a fool. He hated that house. He hated the sense of unease with which it had infused him from the moment he’d seen it. Maybe those were all the reasons he had to go back, to confront his nightmare.
He parked the car at the gully, swapped out his dress shoes for a pair of runners and his suit for jogging pants and a hoodie from his workout bag. He zipped his cell phone, keys, wallet, and a small flashlight into various pockets. He’d have to carry the bolt cutter.
The padlock was old and rusted. It would probably break with a single twist, but he’d bought the cutter just in case.
The climb was easier this time, when he wasn’t worrying about Livie falling. At the rock, their rock, he stopped. He could feel the sexual tension in the air, as if the place had imbued itself with their coupling. As if they’d met here so many times in the very same spot.
Didn’t take a genius to figure it out. If he believed that their feelings meant something, Myra was having a hot and heavy affair with her sister’s husband. Except it had been more. He could feel how much more. Their emotion emanated from the very rock. He’d loved Myra. He’d hated Betty. He’d married the wrong sister.
Twisted By Love, Reincarnation Tales, Book 1 Page 19
