“Like attracts like,” Noah said. “She was disturbed, and maybe she recognized the same thing in him.”
“He told me she intended to die all along, that her end game was to die and”—she swallowed and couldn’t prevent a shiver—“then he could have me to do what he wanted.”
Brennan’s arms tightened around her as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Then, as if to reassure himself she was really there with him, he softly caressed her face. She smiled up at him to reassure him that she was not only there with him, but was perfectly fine. The hollow look in his eyes said he wasn’t convinced.
How could Kacie act so strong, so indomitable, when he felt as though he was breaking apart inside? She kept giving him smiles of reassurance, wanting to make sure he knew she didn’t blame him. How could he not blame himself? It was his job to protect her, and he’d done a damn lousy job.
She talked about her ordeal as calmly as if it’d happened to someone else. The shock hadn’t worn off yet, but at some point, it would. She would remember what the perverted creep had done to her, said to her, how and where he’d touched her. The thought of his slimy hands on her body made Brennan wish he’d been able to beat the shit of Vincent before he’d killed him. The psycho had gotten off way too easy.
“So how did you guys find me?”
“Angela,” Noah said.
“But of course,” Kacie said, and then she laughed.
She laughed. How the hell did she get so strong? The musical sound seeped inside Brennan, healing something he hadn’t even been aware was broken. Kacie had overcome trauma after trauma. That unconquerable spirit was as much a part of her as the purity of her smile. It was in her DNA, in her bones. She had backbone to spare, and she made him feel strong just by existing.
Truth swept through him, settled into knowledge. They had things to talk about. He had amends to make. And then he needed to do something he swore he never would. But for Kacie? God, he would do anything for her. Cut open old wounds, bleed himself dry. She was worth it.
Chapter Forty-four
Kacie eased down onto her sofa, pleased that her body didn’t protest nearly as much as it had a few days ago. Even though the EMTs had assured her she was just bruised, she had thought for sure she had broken at least a rib or two. But after she returned home, a doctor had visited and had agreed that, while she was bruised almost everywhere, nothing was broken.
Her body wasn’t her biggest worry. Her mind wouldn’t stop whirling. With fears and nightmares, yes. In an odd way, that felt incredibly normal. At least she knew how to deal with them. After years of nightmares, these weren’t anything new. At least she wasn’t starting from scratch.
No, her worries focused on another area. One she wasn’t sure she could face, though she wasn’t sure she had a choice. Her mind wasn’t going to let this go.
“What are you doing out of bed?”
She turned to smile at Skylar, who was standing on the stairs with a motherly expression that seemed totally incongruent with her incredible elegance.
“You look beautiful. Has Gabe seen you in that gown?”
Her cheeks flushed a becoming pink. “He’s already tried to take it off of me…twice. The man will do anything to keep from going to my father’s birthday party.”
She came all the way down the stairs, her long gown swaying around her ankles. “And don’t think I didn’t notice that you changed the subject. Why aren’t you in bed? Your body needs rest to heal.”
“It can heal on the sofa just as well as in bed. Besides, I think better down here.” She didn’t add that her bedroom had too many memories, both good and bad. At least down here, all of her memories were of happier times.
“Are you sure you’re okay with us going? There are going to be hundreds of people attending the party. I doubt my dad will even notice I’m not there.”
“Jeremiah James’s only daughter not showing up for his birthday bash? It’d lead tomorrow morning’s news.
“Besides, I won’t be alone for long. Brennan will be back in a couple of hours. He’s got some sort of meeting going on.” Her mind clouded at the thought. He hadn’t told her where he was going, what he was doing, just that he was going out to meet someone. Apparently, it was none of her business.
“What’s wrong?” Skylar sat beside her, wrapped her arm around her, and whispered, “You know you can tell me anything, don’t you?”
A lump developed in her throat. They may not be related by blood, but no one could have a better sister or friend than Skylar had been to her.
Laying her head on Skylar’s shoulder, Kacie gave her the reason for part of her worries. “I don’t think he’s going to stay.”
Brennan had slept by her side each night, held her gently in his arms, whispered reassurances to her when nightmares attacked, but not once had he made any promises.
“Have you asked him to stay?”
“I did when he left before. It broke my heart when he said no. I just don’t think I can handle it again.”
“Men are incredibly stubborn creatures, and LCR operatives seem to have an extra dose of pigheadedness.”
“I wouldn’t have him any other way, just like you wouldn’t have Gabe any other way.”
“No, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to knock some sense into him occasionally.”
“I think Brennan loves me. I just don’t know what else I can do to make him love me enough to stay.”
“When you were missing, we were frantic, but there was a lot of downtime where we could do nothing but wait for intel from Angela. I talked to him a bit, got to know him.”
She trusted Skylar’s judgment as much as she trusted anyone’s. “And?”
“I can see why you love him. He was sick with worry, not that he’d say so. You know those LCR types. Tough on the outside but with gooey centers.”
Kacie giggled. “Are we talking about LCR guys or candy bars?”
Skylar laughed. “Both.” Then she sobered. “It sickens me the way he was vilified about his son. Anyone who spends more than five minutes with him can see the man he is inside.”
“Brennan didn’t care enough about public opinion to set the record straight. And I’m not sure anyone cared to dig deeper. The things they made up were so much more titillating than the truth.”
“That might be the reason he feels he can’t stay with you. He loves you enough to leave.”
“What do you mean?”
“Kacie…sweetie. The press has bludgeoned the man for years. They made him into this wicked, greedy, soulless man who sacrificed his child’s life for his career. Now he’s fallen in love with the famous Kacie Dane, the face of innocence, wholesomeness. The woman parents want their daughters to be like. A role model for all the vulnerable young people who are searching for their identity.”
Kacie raised her head, stared in horror at Skylar. “You think he believes he’s tainting me by being around me?”
“I think he worries that the press will see you differently and your career will suffer.”
“My career isn’t my life. If he wanted me to walk away from it tomorrow, I would.”
“Do you know how wonderful it is to see what a strong, courageous woman you’ve become? I am so proud of you, Kacie Dane.”
“That’s only because I had the best role model in the world.”
Skylar gave a small, elegant sniff. “Stop it, or I’ll have to redo my eye makeup.” She pressed a quick kiss to Kacie’s forehead. “Talk to him, tell him what’s in your heart, on your mind. Make him talk to you. Remember those stubborn types also have sharing issues, too.”
Kacie set her chin to firm. Skylar was right. She would talk with him, and if he was choosing not to be with her because he thought it might hurt her career? Well, then she would hit him over the head with her love. Nothing in her life mattered more.
“So I heard you had a confrontation with my mom.”
Temper flaring in her eyes, Skylar shot a furious look up the stairw
ay. “I told him not to say anything to you.”
“It was right that he did. I needed to know. Besides, I have no illusions about my mom. I haven’t in a long time.”
“I know, I just didn’t want you to add one more thing to the list of reasons why she’s not worthy to be called your mother.”
“What happened? Gabe didn’t give details. Just said it was a heated exchange.”
“An exchange that lasted all of three minutes. I called her after you disappeared, thinking she had a right to know, that she would want to be informed.”
“Let me guess, she had a manicure or facial appointment and couldn’t be bothered.”
Skylar huffed a soft, frustrated breath. “We never got that far. In a nutshell, she said that whatever was happening was only what you deserved and she didn’t want any details.”
The hurt didn’t come. It would have years ago. Even months ago, her mother’s absolute disdain for her might have crushed her. But experience had developed wisdom. Sonia didn’t have the capacity to love anyone but herself. It was her failing, not Kacie’s.
“And I assume you told her what you thought of her?”
“I simply told her that you didn’t deserve to have a shallow, cold-hearted bitch for a mother and that if she tried to get any more money from you, I would make sure she was brought up on charges of extortion.”
Kacie grinned. “You really have that kind of influence?”
Skylar laughed, sounding much more like a teenager than a wife and a mom. “No, but I talk a good game. She knows I still have influence here.”
“Thank you for defending me.”
“I just told the truth. She’s not worth another moment of your time.”
“I know.” She glanced down at her hands, surprised to see she’d been twisting them nervously.
Skylar’s hand covered hers. “There’s something else bothering you. What’s wrong? Is it Vincent?”
“No, even though I still have nightmares, he didn’t have near the impact on me that he and Molly wanted him to have. I just…” She shrugged. “There’s something that’s been on my mind the last couple of weeks. I needed to work out details, logistics, need to get it right. I’ve talked to Noah about it, wanted to make sure he had no problems with it, that nothing would blow back on LCR.”
Skylar frowned. “Sounds really mysterious. What is it? Can I help?”
Stumbling a little, Kacie explained her ideas and the reasons behind them. Skylar was the one person who understood her better than anyone else. She would recognize not only the chance Kacie was taking but also the scrutiny she was inviting.
When she finished, tears filled Skylar eyes. “Oh, to hell with my makeup.” She hugged Kacie tight. “I am so incredibly proud of you and support your decision a thousand percent.”
Kacie took a bracing breath. Okay, two of the people she respected most in the world wholly supported her decision. That not only set her mind at ease, it also confirmed she was doing the right thing. When Brennan came home, she would tell him, too.
Then, she just had to find the courage of her conviction to carry out her plan.
If anyone had told him that at some point in this lifetime he’d willingly be sitting across from a reporter again, Brennan figured he would’ve punched them in the nose and walked away. After his experience, the press had become his number one enemy. It had always amazed him that a person could be considered an icon one day and a pariah the next, but it had happened numerous times. He had just never figured he’d be one of them.
He was doing this for one reason only. He just hoped to hell it didn’t backfire. Hurting Kacie was the very last thing in the world he wanted.
Sheldon Mooney glanced around the room as if looking for hidden cameras or perhaps a trick. Brennan had chosen this venue with care. He hadn’t gone extravagant like the Plaza or humble like a budget hotel. Instead, he’d chosen a small conference room in a midprice hotel. The décor was understated, not especially elegant, but not chintzy either.
Brennan had also chosen the reporter carefully. The man was a respected freelance journalist and had no affiliation or known preference of news outlets. He would sell this story to the highest bidder. And without a bit of ego, Brennan knew the man would be paid handsomely for the story.
“I have specific requests,” Brennan said.
Mooney shrugged. “It’s your show. I’m just along for the ride.” He threw a glance over his shoulder. “My photographer is outside. You said no video, but—”
“I’ll agree to one photo. That’s it.”
“Fair enough.”
“First, I’d like to make a statement. Then you’re welcome to ask me anything. However, if you ask me a question that I don’t believe is pertinent, I won’t answer.”
The reporter nodded, but doubt clouded his eyes. He was most likely wondering if he would get the entire truth or if the interview was Brennan’s feeble attempt at whitewashing a tarnished reputation with only carefully selected information. It wasn’t, but Brennan would give him no assurances. The man would know soon enough that this was no setup.
Mooney placed a small voice recorder on the table. “Ready when you are.”
With a nod, Brennan began. “There are several reasons I never spoke publicly about my son’s death and my wife’s suicide. For one, it was simply too painful. Public scrutiny never bothered me before, simply because I enjoyed the limelight, the fame. I was a shallow, vain man with talent I didn’t appreciate and a family I didn’t deserve.
“After my injury, reality hit me. I was stupid enough to think my only responsibility was recovering so I could play again. I told myself that my wife and my son depended on me, and recovering should be my only focus so I could earn the money to take care of them.
“By example, my father taught me to be a hard worker. He worked two jobs to support his family, and I believed that that was what it took to be a good husband and father. But my dad did it because he put my mom and me first, not himself. I didn’t realize until too late that a good parent or spouse puts their loved ones’ needs before their own. You have to love them more than you love yourself. Not doing that was my greatest mistake.
“While I was working my ass off to recover...” Brennan shook his head. “No, even before my injury, my career came before my family. I was a bad husband and an even worse father.
“My wife never meant for our son to die. She wanted a divorce—very rightly, I might add—but because she couldn’t talk to me or trust me, she chose an avenue that had devastating consequences. At the beginning, I blamed her for everything. And though it was poor judgment on her part, I was the catalyst. My lack of maturity and utter selfishness drove her to do what she did.”
Brennan tried to swallow, but the gigantic lump in his throat prevented the action. His voice, thick with emotion, rasped out, “And our beautiful son paid the price.”
Feeling as though he’d run a marathon at warp speed, Brennan worked hard not to collapse in his chair. Not that he minded showing his vulnerability. Hell, he’d just bled himself dry; pride was the last thing on his mind. However, he knew Mooney would have follow-up questions, and he needed to be able to answer coherently.
“That was a…surprisingly candid statement, Brennan. Few people, especially men, would have the courage to confess their sins, much less take full responsibility for their weaknesses. Is there a specific reason you’re doing this now?”
He had known that would be asked but had hoped it would come later. Still, his answer would not change. Damned if he would tell a reporter that he was hopelessly in love with Kacie Dane before he told her himself.
“That’s a question I won’t answer. Do you have more?”
A small smile played around Mooney’s mouth, as if he had guessed what Brennan’s answer would be. However, all he said was, “Oh yes, I most certainly do.”
The questions went on for almost an hour. Why had he walked out in the middle of an important game? Did he not appreciate the thous
ands of fans who believed in him? Why should anyone believe what he said now after all these years of silence? If he could say one thing to those people who still doubted him, what would it be?
Other than that first one, Brennan gave open, honest, and sincere answers to all of Mooney’s questions.
He knew this interview wouldn’t be a cure-all. He’d pissed off too many people, burned too many bridges. A hero had fallen, and some people would never forget their disappointment or forgive Brennan’s disgrace. However, this had been his best hope. He loved Kacie with every ounce of his being. He also knew she loved him. And because of her love and incredible selflessness, he knew if it came down to it, she would willingly sacrifice her career to be with him. He didn’t want her to do that. Spilling his guts and laying open his soul on the altar of public opinion was a small price to pay to be with the woman he loved.
Chapter Forty-five
When the doorbell rang, Kacie knew a small moment of concern. It couldn’t be Brennan—he had a key.
Skylar and Gabe were staying at Mr. James’s estate tonight. Noah and his LCR team, with the exception of Brennan and Gabe, had already left the city. Any other person visiting would need to be approved by her before being allowed up. So who was at the door?
She brushed off the paranoia. Not only had building security been overhauled, but she knew that Brennan, Noah, and Gabe had personally met with the building owner. From now on, security would be a helluva lot tighter.
Still, she was no fool to just answer the door without checking the peephole. Seeing Brennan on the other side of the door gave her a start. He still had a key to her apartment, didn’t he?
Opening the door, she was about to ask that very question when a giant bouquet of red roses appeared from behind his back.
“Oh my, what’s this?”
“It’s occurred to me that I have never wooed you.”
Something that felt like optimism made her heart leap. Laughing her delight, she took the flowers and sniffed them appreciatively. “I don’t believe I’ve ever been wooed by anyone before.”
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