Hear No Evil (Brotherhood Trilogy Book 3)

by Jordan Ford

  Trey’s nostrils flare, anger pushing to the forefront. His lips bunch tight and before I can stop him, he snatches the keys from my hand.

  “Hey!” I chase him around the side of the truck. “What are you doing?”

  “Going to look for them.” He pushes me back and gets into the truck.

  “You can’t be seen in town. It’s too dangerous!” Jules yells from the porch.

  “I’ll be careful,” he argues, starting up the truck.

  Kade jumps in the passenger side.

  “You don’t have to come with me, man,” Trey barks.

  “Oh yeah, I definitely do.” He reaches for his seat belt while Trey revs the engine.

  Shit. My dad is going to freaking kill me.

  “They’re not in town!” I quickly shout before Trey takes off.

  The truck jerks as he punches the brake and leans his head out the window. “Then where are they?”

  “Just wait for them to get back,” I plead—my final attempt.

  “Not happening.”

  I fire him a pained frown.

  He doesn’t budge.

  With a short huff, I kick the dirt at my feet and admit, “I don’t know for sure where they are, but if I was looking, I’d start at the pond. It’s about five miles out of town. You’ll see the turn-off on your left. Park the truck between the pine trees and hike west for about ten minutes.”

  Trey doesn’t wait for more. The tires spit up gravel as he reverses in a big arc and then screams away from the cabin.

  As the engine roars into the distance, Ellie starts crying. It’s a sad, feeble sound that epitomizes everything going on inside of me. Glancing up at the deck, I catch Julienne’s gaze. Her eyes are shiny with tears, her chin starting to tremble as she cradles her baby and turns into the cabin.

  #24:

  Filling the Black Hole

  Riley

  At first it’s stunned silence.

  The word ‘dead’ is still circling around in my head like an earworm I can’t escape.

  The information that’s suddenly come to light is slowly sinking in, a thick liquid oozing into the pores of my brain.

  Ana’s father killed my parents.

  Ana’s mother watched and stayed silent.

  Ana’s hand is still on my knee. I glance at her. She’s staring at my face but not really seeing me. Her skin is pale, her eyes wide and unfocused.

  My cousin.

  Ana’s my cousin.

  This is too weird.

  Trey would call it fate.

  The idea makes me snicker for some reason and it breaks the spell.

  We all flinch and look at each other.

  Ana starts blinking and shaking her head. “But…where was Riley in all of this?”

  Ana’s mother swallows, guilt making her already white skin a translucent gray.

  “I was there,” I manage. “Uncle Rafe hid me under the bed. But then Mom started screaming and there was gunfire and he yelled, ‘You bastard!’ I can’t remember what happened after that.” My eyes start burning. This is the first time I’ve admitted that my dreams are real.

  The only other one who knows is Caity, and she’s not here to comfort me with her gentle lips and soft hold.

  I need her.

  But I shouldn’t.

  I sniff and fight the tears. I’m not going to cry. I used up my quota when I was a confused eight-year-old kid.

  “You rushed out from under the bed, screaming for your mother.” Mrs. Sorrentino talks in monotone, gazing across the lake like she’s watching it all again. “It gave Lucca a fright and he shoved you away. You fell back and hit your head on the bedframe.” Her nostrils flare. “Raphael went ballistic. He was like a wild beast and came after Lucca with a roar.” She closes her eyes, more tears flowing. “Lucca shot him,” she clips. “He fell back but wasn’t dead, and Lucca aimed the gun again. Raphael moved so fast. He grabbed you and just ran. Lucca aimed the gun but I screamed that he might hit the boy. I stood in front of him and yelled and cursed until he lowered the gun.”

  I can’t speak. Dizziness is swamping me as the black hole is filled to the top with this soul-crushing information.

  “What did Dad do after that?” Ana whispers.

  “It started to dawn on him what he’d done. His rage. His bitterness over your brother’s death made him kill his sister. He stumbled back into that little shack and knelt beside her body. He gathered her into his arms and sobbed and sobbed.”

  I squeeze my eyes against the imagery. I don’t want to make him human. He’s a dark-hearted asshole who killed the people I love in a blind, thoughtless rage.

  “His guilt can’t have been that bad if he wasn’t willing to turn himself in.” I grate out the words and fire a black glare at Mrs. Sorrentino.

  She looks down at her hands. “Marco wanted to hunt you down, tie up all the loose ends, but Lucca wouldn’t let him. He figured you’d die in the forest anyway. He wanted to forget it ever happened.” She shrugs. “That’s Lucca’s way.”

  I clench my jaw and shake my head. “He should pay. He needs to pay.”

  “If you think he hasn’t, you’re wrong.” Mrs. Sorrentino sits up straight. “He’s lost his son, his sister, his daughter, his wife. He will die a lonely, miserable man.”

  “He should be rotting in jail!” I shout. Standing to my feet, I brush off my pants and glare down at her. “Your time’s done. You need to say your goodbyes and leave.”

  I spin away from them and start marching back to the car, only to be stopped in my tracks by the appearance of a guy who looks ready to pummel me.

  Trey’s face is hard and unrelenting as he powers forward. “You better tell me what the fuck is going on!”

  It’s impossible to hide my guilt, and before I can even explain myself Trey fires a fist at my face. I’m knocked off my feet and land on the ground with a hard thud.

  “Trey!” Ana comes running around the corner as Trey winds up again. “Stop!” She grabs his arm before he can hurt me.

  I was ready to block his next attack, although I should probably let him have the hit.

  I crossed a big fat line and Trey has every right to be mad.

  My jaw is aching and I work it to the side as Kade hauls me back to my feet. Ana’s hands are on Trey’s face now and she’s forcing him to look at her.

  “What are you doing? He’s your brother.”

  “What are you doing?” His voice is suddenly broken. “Sneaking around behind my back? I thought you loved me.”

  “I do! More than anyone.” She blinks in surprise, and suddenly I get it.

  Trey’s insecurities are right there on the surface.

  I close my eyes with a heavy sigh.

  “Trey, man. It’s not what you think.” I point between Ana and myself. “We’re not together.”

  “What?” Ana squeaks and gapes at me before the light bulb goes on. Then her face scrunches into a frown. “You thought I was… Trey Calloway!” She slaps his arm. “As if!”

  “Well, what the hell are you doing sneaking off and lying to me? That note is total bullshit and you know it. Smell the pine scent, my ass!”

  “I…” She falters. “I needed to do something…that I knew you wouldn’t like.”

  “What!”

  And right on cue, Mrs. Sorrentino appears behind her daughter.

  Trey gasps and yanks Ana behind him. “What are you doing here?”

  The woman holds up her palms and Ana answers for her.

  “I called her. I wanted her to know I was safe and um…I unwittingly told her something that…” She looks to me, but I just shake my head.

  I can’t explain it all right now. I don’t even know where to begin.

  “I know the cabin,” Mrs. Sorrentino answers for us. “It’s a long drawn-out story, but I recognized Ana’s description.” Her eyes skim over my face, a sorrowful smile cresting her lips. “Life has a way of...”

  I swallow and look to the ground when she can’t finish h
er sentence. It is bizarre that the world could be so small. That Ana could be brought into my life the way she was, like somehow the fates had been leading us here.

  Trey’s face bunches with confusion while Kade hisses and shakes his head. “Shit,” he whispers, brushing his hand through his hair.

  I swallow and bite my lips together. He’s going to freaking kill me when he finds out Jules used the phone too. At least we don’t have to worry about her mom coming up to the cabin. She doesn’t have a history with it.

  My mind’s still reeling over that one. I’ll tell the guys at some point. But not today.

  “Ana.” Trey’s shaking his head, completely shell-shocked. “How could you…?”

  “I’m sorry.” She steps in front of him, wrapping her arms around his neck and whispering something I can’t hear. It must be working because soon his arms wrap around her waist and he’s holding her again.

  She brushes her fingers through his hair. It makes me think of Caitlin.

  I suddenly have this overpowering urge to see her. To tell her everything.

  Clearing my throat, I glance up at Kade. “How’d you get here, anyway?”

  “We borrowed Mr. Powell’s truck.”

  “What! How’d you even get it?”

  “Caitlin turned up and Trey…snatched the keys off her and basically yelled in her face until she told us where you were.”

  Anger spikes through me. I’m tempted to stomp over there and rip Trey and his girlfriend apart. Screw their magical little moment. He yelled at Caity and I want to smash him for it.

  I make a move towards them, but Kade grabs my jacket and hauls me back. “Let’s leave them to it. Trey can bring Ana back in the car. You and I can take the truck to Caitlin, and I’ll see Jules before she goes out of her mind with worry.”

  I sigh. Kade’s right. I’m not used to such calm wisdom from the guy, but I’m happy to pass on the mantle for a little while. Right now I’m a screwed-up, weak-minded mess.

  Kade steps up to Trey and taps his shoulders. “We’re gonna take off back to the cabin. Jules will be worried.”

  Trey keeps his arm around Ana, digging out the keys and passing them over. “I’ll stick around so Ana can say goodbye. We’ll be back soon.” His quiet words are loud and clear.

  Ana rests her forehead against his shoulder and sniffs.

  Trey looks pained but unflinching as he rubs his girlfriend’s back and kisses her hair.

  “Be safe. We’ll see you two soon.” Kade pats his shoulder before casting a look at Mrs. Sorrentino.

  The woman is watching Trey and her daughter. The smile on her face is kind of beautiful. It’s the smile only a loving mother can give.

  Raising my hand, I wave to catch her attention. I don’t know why.

  Maybe, deep down, I’m grateful for the answers.

  She glances my way and lifts her hand in farewell. Her expression puckers with guilt and she presses her finger into her tear duct to stop from crying again. For a woman who’s obviously so together, she looks like a strung-out mess.

  I hold her gaze, silently reminding her of her promise to leave, but I’m sure Trey will as well.

  With a final nod, I turn and head for the truck.

  All I want to do right now is see Caity. I need her arms around me.

  #25:

  Confusion in the Cabin

  Caitlin

  “I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know what’s going on,” Jules murmurs against Ellie’s head. Her baby is strapped against her in one of those arms-free carriers. Bobbing up and down while patting Ellie’s padded butt, Jules paces the living room.

  I slide the door shut behind me, and gingerly step further into the cabin.

  “I’m sorry.” Wringing my hands, I swallow against my swelling throat. “I should never have gotten you that phone.”

  Jules jerks to a stop, then slowly spins to face me. “What do you mean?”

  Ellie grizzles in her arms. Jules brushes her lips over Ellie’s fine hair, then keeps bobbing.

  I let out a slow breath and inch a little further into the room. “Ana used the phone too. She called her mom and now…her mom’s here.”

  “What!” Julienne’s dark eyebrows pop high. “I… When?”

  “I’m not sure. When I dropped off the phone, you weren’t around. Maybe she used it before she gave it to you.”

  “Oh my gosh.” Jules plops onto the couch. Ellie does her little talking thing and wraps her fingers into Julienne’s hair. “This is… Is this bad? I mean, is it just her mom?”

  “I think so. Riley was going to find out.”

  “Oh, man. I hope he’s okay.”

  “Me too.” I frown and walk into the kitchen. I can’t sit when I’m jittery like this. I need to do something.

  Snatching a glass from the counter, I pour some water from the bottle in the fridge and carry it into the living room.

  “No, thanks.” Jules shakes her head when I offer it to her.

  We share a sad, pained smile before I place the glass down on the edge of the dining room table and continue wringing my hands.

  “I’m sure the guys will be back with her soon.” Jules is saying it to herself more than me. “We can put this all behind us and hey, maybe her mom can let us know if it’s safe to emerge, you know?” She winces and kind of stutters, “N-not that her mom has anything to do with us needing to hide or anything. I mean…”

  “It’s okay, Jules. I know who she really is. I know the story.”

  “Oh. Did Riley tell you?”

  “I found out most of it for myself. I know they’re from Eton Prep and that they’re doing this to protect Ana from her father.”

  “Yeah,” Jules whispers, then carefully studies my expression.

  “That’s all I really know about you guys.” I throw up my arms with a huff. “Other than the fact you’re really nice people. Amazing people who have made this year interesting, exciting, livable.”

  Her smile is sweet and genuine as I mumble away to myself.

  I trail off with a hopeless sigh and slump onto one of the hard dining chairs. “I’m sorry for causing you guys so much trouble.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Jules murmurs. “We could have said no. We could have resisted temptation.” Stroking Ellie’s hair, she cradles her daughter against her. She looks like she’s fighting tears.

  “I’m sure you’re right, you know. Everything’s going to be fine.” I try to encourage her but my voice sounds flat and nervous. “Did you…did you manage to talk to your mom?”

  “Yeah.” Julienne’s smile is instant. “She… I told her everything I could. She was so relieved to hear that I’m okay. We talked for about forty minutes. I can’t even remember what I said. I just… It was so nice to talk to her again. It was like no time had passed.”

  “Do you think she’ll tell anyone about the call?”

  “She promised she wouldn’t.” Her lips twitch with a nervous smile.

  “Can you trust her?”

  Jules sighs. “I hope so. Mom can be kind of weak when she’s questioned, but I made sure I called her at work. So as long as Dad doesn’t ask her about her day, which he never does, then we should be fine. I—”

  Jules’s voice cuts off, her eyes rounding as she stares at the ranch slider. She looks like she’s gaping at a ghost.

  I spin to see what’s scaring her and lurch from the table.

  It’s Creepy Guy. He’s glaring into the house with this manic kind of smirk on his lips.

  What the hell is he doing here?

  I spring forward to lock the ranch slider but he opens it before I can.

  Jules yelps and stands from the couch, clutching Ellie to her chest. “Get out.” Her voice is weak.

  The creepy guy from the store gives her a slow, evil smile. “Not a chance, Julienne.”

  “You know this guy?” I scowl at him, bunching my fists and wondering if I could take him.

  Not likely. But Jules looks so scared
right now I may have to try.

  My heart starts thumping wildly in my chest as I move to block Jules and the baby.

  Ellie, sensing her mother’s tension, starts to fuss and cry.

  The sound makes Creepy Guy’s eyes narrow into thin slits. He rubs his head like it hurts, his glare growing with intensity.

  “Antonio, please. Just walk away.” Julienne’s voice catches on the last two words.

  “You and that asshole left me to die in a gutter.”

  “No.” She shakes her head. “We called an ambulance.”

  “I spent weeks in a coma!” He shuffles a little closer.

  We inch back.

  “When I finally woke up, alive and well, I had to endure hours of questioning from the police. I’ve been working like a fucking dog for this pain-in-the-ass agent who is convinced your boy knows shit about some Christiana chick. We’ve been hunting you down. I had to become friendly with your mom, act like some goody-goody to win her over. Had to listen to all her bullshit stories about the daughter who broke her heart. Had to mop up all her tears while she cried about how she could never leave her husband. It was pathetic.”

  “Shut up!” Jules snaps. “Don’t you dare talk about my mother.”

  “Why not?” Antonio smirks. “That bitch is the reason I’m here.”

  Jules and I gasp in unison.

  “She’d never become friends with an asshole like you! She wouldn’t tell you anything!” Julienne’s face bunches with disgust while Antonio snickers.

  “You sure about that? If I remember right, it only took a touch of Antonio charm to get you dropping those pink panties of yours.”

  Her eyes bulge, her face flushing with shame as Antonio licks his bottom lip like a hungry lion.

  That’s so gross.

  “Your mom trusts me now, Jules. When I picked her up from work the other day, she was blubbering. Didn’t take long to extract the truth about how her little girl was safe and happy, living up in Legacy.”

  “Legacy?” I whisper out the side of my mouth. “You actually said Legacy?”

  “I don’t remember,” she whimpers.

  Ellie’s still crying and Jules is doing that bobbing thing, but it’s not working.