Inked Persuasion: A Montgomery Ink: Fort Collins Novel

by Carrie Ann Ryan

“It’s not only your brothers,” Eliza said, and I looked up at her. “Your father’s out there, too.”

  I closed my eyes and cursed. “Well, should we let them in so we can give Jacob his last rites?”

  “You don’t need to tell them anything,” Paige said. “In fact, don’t. Let yourself do what you need to do. Grieve if you need to. And then later, we can kick Jacob in the shins. Because that’s what I need to do.”

  I laughed a watery laugh. “Maybe that would help. But he has so much on his plate right now…”

  “I know he does,” Eliza said. “But he didn’t have to hurt you.”

  “I wasn’t supposed to develop feelings for him. It’s my fault that I’m hurt. My fault that I fell in love with him. And my fault that he couldn’t see.”

  “I might agree with you on the first two,” Eliza said sharply. “But that’s on him for being blind to your feelings. Or perhaps lying about his own.”

  I glared at her. “Jacob doesn’t love me. He’s been married before. He just got out of that relationship. He told me this was too soon, and we did our thing anyway. And now I’m going to have to see him and his family every Sunday for dinner. I just… I don’t know what I’m going to do. I can’t walk away from them. Yet Jacob’s walking away from me.”

  The door opened then, and I couldn’t say anything else. Still, I knew our conversation wasn’t over. My father strode in, the brothers behind him. Clay stood near the doorway, and I waved.

  “Hi, family member who’s not an actual family member,” I said to Clay.

  “I’m just making sure you’re not bleeding, and I don’t need to call 911. Are you okay?” he asked, and all of the brothers and my father looked over at Clay, narrowing their eyes. They’d wanted to come in and try to save the day, but here was Clay, attempting to help.

  “I’m fine. I needed a moment to cry about something that is none of anyone’s business, but now I’m ready to continue my day without the drama. It’s good to see everybody. Now, let’s get back to work.” I clapped my hands twice and stood up. Eliza and Paige cleared away the tissues, each kissed me on the cheek, and then strode out, pulling my brothers with them.

  Beckett glared at Eliza, but he let her drag him by the arm, along with Benjamin when she got to him. Paige wrapped her arms around my twin and tugged. Archer just looked at her, rolled his eyes dramatically, and let her drag him out of the room.

  That left me with my father.

  “I’m not going to ask you if you’re okay because I learned long ago with your mother that you’ll tell me what you need to when you’re ready,” he said. It was an order.

  “Maybe. I don’t know when I’ll be ready. But I’m fine. Just working on a few more projects.”

  I hadn’t meant to say that last part since work was a touchy subject, but my father didn’t wince. He didn’t glower. Instead, he sucked in a sharp breath, nodded, and then stuck his hands into his jeans’ pockets.

  Jeans, as if he weren’t coming to work in the office. I hadn’t seen my father since the blowup, and I wasn’t sure what to say now. Or if I should say anything.

  “I wanted to say that I was proud of you and that I know I’m done. I’m officially retired. I came into the office to tell all of you that. And then we heard you crying, and now I want to know if I have to beat someone up.”

  I just blinked at him, trying to keep up. “I’m fine, Dad. Really. But are you?” I asked as I moved towards him. I stood in front of him, a bit hesitant, but he held out his arms. I wrapped my arms around his waist and sank into his hold, feeling like this was my father again, even if I wasn’t sure what had changed exactly.

  “I’m okay. I was stuck on an idea that I needed to be the one in charge, and I screwed up. I have a lot of atonement to do—a lot of things to work through, especially with Beckett…and Archer. And I will. But I wanted to let you know that I love you. I’m proud of you. And I trust you. And I’m sorry I was an asshole.”

  That made me laugh, and I looked up at him. “Well, I wasn’t going to say anything,” I said, and he narrowed his eyes at me.

  “I can call myself an asshole, young lady. You watch your mouth.”

  “Whatever you say, Dad.”

  “Now, does this have something to do with that Jacob Queen? Do we have to teach him a lesson?”

  I groaned. “No, everything’s fine. Now don’t ruin this special moment.”

  “I don’t know. He may have to realize what happens when he messes with the Montgomerys.” He paused. “Any Montgomery.”

  Tears pricked the backs of my eyes again, and I hugged him close, trying to pretend that everything was fine. That I wasn’t still shattered inside. But this…this was one moment. One breath that was a little better. Maybe everything would be okay.

  * * *

  By the end of the day, I was exhausted but a little happier. Maybe I was broken inside and felt like I had lost a chance at something promising, but things were looking up. Work was good, family was good, life could be good.

  I just needed to find a way to make that work without Jacob.

  I was the last one out, as everyone else was either at project sites or done for the day. I had a couple of more hours left on a project, but I wanted to do it at home where I could be comfortable and put my feet up. That was the joy of working for my own business.

  I was just about to get into my car when I heard the sound of screeching tires. I looked up to see a small sedan coming straight at me. My eyes widened as I saw a woman with a manic expression on her face, her hands on the steering wheel. At least that’s what I thought I saw. I was too busy trying to get out of the way. I couldn’t move forward, so I had to jump to the side. I fell to the ground, the car smashing into mine with the loud sound of twisting metal and the smell of smoking rubber. My head hit the pavement, and I bit my lip, blood pouring. I groaned, clutching my head as I tried to crawl away. Had the woman’s brakes gone out? Had she missed the lane?

  It couldn’t have been on purpose.

  “Damn it,” a very familiar deep voice said from beside me. I looked up and frowned, seeing double, wondering if I was imagining things.

  “Hotch?”

  My neighbor sighed and bent down in front of me. “She wasn’t supposed to hit you. She was only supposed to pick you up and bring you to me. But it seems I was right in coming to make sure she did it right. It looks like I should’ve done it myself. But she seemed a little dramatic. What can I say?”

  I knew I had to be imagining things. It had to be a concussion. I couldn’t understand it.

  And then Hotch put something over my mouth, and I tried to scream. Only nothing came out, and my brain went fuzzy. The last thought I had was about the odd smell.

  And then there was nothing.

  Chapter 20

  Jacob

  * * *

  I needed to get to the office before Annabelle left for the day. I knew she probably had a couple of hours yet at the drawing board unless she was onsite. I should have called her, should have waited until she came home so we could talk at her place. Only I couldn’t wait.

  And I couldn’t even say that it had been a night’s sleep that had finally cleared the cobwebs.

  No, I had known that I had made a mistake as soon as she left my home, leaving me standing there as if I had just lost everything. And the problem was, I had.

  I was such a fucking idiot when it came to Annabelle. I deserved anything that came to me. I shouldn’t have lashed out. Shouldn’t have pushed her away because I was scared.

  I didn’t know how I felt about Annabelle but watching her walk away like that, so good at hiding her pain, I knew I would never forgive myself.

  I had said some cruel things to her in the past, had allowed my fear and grief of losing my brother, of losing that time and control had twisted together inside me. I ended up hurting her. I knew I was still trying to earn forgiveness for that. And now I’d added more to it by being the asshole I was.

  I did not deserve
her forgiveness. Did not deserve Annabelle, period. But I was damn well going to try. I didn’t know what I would ultimately do when it came to her, nor did I know what should be done. But hurting her like that had been cruel, and she deserved better. So, I would try to figure out how to accomplish that.

  Even if it meant going into a place where her brothers and family were and prostrating myself at her feet. She deserved that. And more. Did I love her? I wasn’t sure. Everything felt so different than it had when I was with Susan. And yet, had I loved Susan the way I should have? That was the problem, wasn’t it? If I had to question it, maybe I hadn’t.

  I wasn’t good at tasting the emotions that I was supposed to have—putting names to everything I was feeling. I was good at making plans and following through. And putting one foot in front of the other to fight for what I believed in.

  That didn’t mean I knew what I felt.

  I let out a breath and turned down the street to where the Montgomery Builders offices were located. I didn’t know if she would forgive me, but I at least needed to apologize. I had to try. There didn’t seem to be anybody in the parking lot as I pulled in, and then my heart burst as I noticed the two cars left.

  Annabelle’s car, and another one, a very familiar sedan, crashed into the side of Annabelle’s.

  “Fuck,” I muttered, and turned sharply, the sound of burning rubber loud as I nearly went on two wheels to get into the parking lot. I left the car running, barely remembered to put it into park and jumped out of my vehicle.

  “Annabelle! Annabelle!”

  I tried my best not to think about whose car was right in front of me. The one that had smashed into the driver’s side of Annabelle’s. The door was closed, and I couldn’t see Annabelle anywhere.

  “Annabelle!”

  “Jacob?” a soft voice said from behind me, the voice filled with fear.

  I clenched my fists and turned to face my ex-wife, who sat in her car, blood pouring out of a cut on her forehead, the airbag now deflated. There was glass all over the ground, and she looked to be in pain, but I wasn’t sure where else she might be hurt.

  But why the fuck was my ex-wife in this parking lot? Why had she hit Annabelle’s car?

  And where was Annabelle?

  “What did you do?” I growled before I went to my knees beside her. She had another gash on her leg, and her knee was swelling. I cursed. “What happened?” I rasped.

  “I got caught up in it. I didn’t mean to. I was just supposed to scare her. Or get her to him. I don’t remember.”

  My blood chilled. “Explain to me what the fuck you’re talking about.”

  Another car pulled in beside me, its tires screeching, and then Beckett was shouting, another voice joining his.

  “Annabelle!” Beckett yelled.

  “I’m calling 911,” the other voice said, and I finally recognized it as Clay’s.

  “What the hell?” Beckett asked as he came to my side.

  “That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” I growled.

  Susan met my gaze, her eyes a little unfocused. Shit. She had a concussion. I once thought I loved this woman. But if she had something to do with Annabelle being hurt, if Annabelle was being hurt, I didn’t know what I’d do.

  “Talk to me,” I ordered.

  Susan swallowed hard. “I missed you. I just wanted to see you.”

  “Who the hell is this?” Beckett asked, the anger in his tone palpable.

  “My ex-wife,” I gritted out.

  “Where the fuck is Annabelle?” Beckett asked, nearly pushing me out of the doorway. I wasn’t quite sure what Annabelle’s brother would do to Susan, and I didn’t need Beckett to end up with an assault charge or worse. So I stood my ground. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t potentially throttle this woman to get answers. I let out a breath and glared.

  “Answer,” I ordered.

  She met my gaze, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I was only supposed to surprise her so he could come and get her. I think. But then I saw her, and I just got so angry. I didn’t even realize what I was doing.” She let out a shaky breath. “My head hurts. But I didn’t mean to. I don’t think she’s hurt. I didn’t hit her with the car. She got hurt when she fell. She moved out of the way when I came at her. But then he took her. Jacob, everything hurts. Help me.”

  My hands were shaking, and I stood up, pushing Beckett slightly back. “Who took her?” I asked, my words clipped.

  “What the hell is going on?” Beckett asked, his voice lower than even mine.

  “Your neighbor. Hotch. We met when I came to visit you one day, and you weren’t there. He was such a nice man. Said he was upset that you were dating his girlfriend, that you just took her. I didn’t think that was right, but then I wanted you back, too, and it seemed like we had a common goal. I didn’t know he planned to hurt her. And I don’t know why I did what I did. I just got caught up in it all. It was a stupid mistake. Please don’t call the cops.”

  “You’re going to want to stop asking for things right now,” Beckett ground out.

  “Where is she?” I asked, trying to keep up.

  Hotch? Annabelle’s neighbor? The guy who kept trying to ask her out?

  Dear God, it made no fucking sense. There was no way Hotch would do this. Would he?

  I didn’t know the other man, though, so maybe he would. And the other guy always seemed to show up at weird moments, was constantly watching, wanting to know more about Annabelle and me. But I’d always chalked it up to random curiosity, maybe a little jealousy. Not this.

  “Where is Annabelle?” I asked, sirens sounding in the distance.

  “The ambulance should be here soon,” Clay said. “What are we doing?” the other man asked.

  “I don’t know where he took her.” Susan started crying harder. I didn’t move her in case she’d hurt her back, but I didn’t know what else to do other than seething in front of her.

  “Where did you two meet? Other than in front of my house,” I asked, trying to connect the dots but failing.

  “I don’t know. It was just two places near here. He might’ve taken her there. I don’t know. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. You were supposed to come back to me. You weren’t supposed to leave me.”

  “I don’t really give a fuck about you right now,” I said. “Tell me the places you met.”

  Tears streamed down her cheeks, and I just glared at her, not sparing a single look of sympathy for her. This wasn’t the woman I had married. Something had twisted her, and I hadn’t recognized it. I would mourn that loss later, but first, I needed to find the woman I loved.

  Because, Jesus Christ, I loved Annabelle. And nobody was going to stand in my way.

  “I don’t know. They were just small places we used to visit. In the woods.” She rambled off two addresses, and Beckett tugged at me.

  “You go to one. I’ll go to the other.”

  “You need the cops,” Clay said as if Beckett and I weren’t making sense. Maybe we weren’t.

  “You tell them what’s going on,” I said to the other man.

  “Beckett and I will go see what we can do. We’ll meet the police there.”

  “Y’all are insane,” Clay said but cursed. “But I agree with you. Because I’d do the same for my kids. Go. I’ll keep an eye on her,” Clay said, jerking his chin in Susan’s direction, derision in his tone.

  I met Beckett’s gaze. I took one address and he took the other, and we left.

  I knew the cops and the ambulance would arrive soon, and they’d probably want to question us. Hopefully, one of us would find Annabelle sitting and drinking tea with Hotch, waiting for us, and we could set the record straight with everyone.

  Because if he harmed a hair on Annabelle’s head, I’d kill him.

  I couldn’t lose her, not after I had just found her.

  Chapter 21

  Annabelle

  * * *

  My eyes blurred as I opened them, my body sore. I tried to get up, but
I couldn’t, my hands were secured behind my back. I pulled at my wrists, trying to lever myself up, but I was tied.

  Why was I bound? And why did my head hurt so badly?

  Bile filled my mouth, and I blinked away some of the blurriness, trying to process what was happening.

  I was down on the floor, my legs tied, and my arms pulled tight behind me. I didn’t know where I was. I didn’t have a gag over my mouth, but everything felt like I was two steps behind, everything moving too slowly for me to fully catch up with what was happening.

  Where was I? What had happened?

  Flashes of the car coming at me came back, and I resisted the urge to scream. Someone had tried to hit me with a car, and as I’d dodged out of the way, I’d hit my head. And then Hotch was there.

  Hotch with a funny smelling cloth, saying weird things I didn’t understand.

  Oh my God, Hotch had kidnapped me.

  No, that had to be a dream, right?

  And yet, here I was, lying on the ground, in pain. Tied up.

  Hotch had done this? No, it couldn’t be. Or could it?

  “You’re awake,” Hotch said as he walked into the small room. He wiped his hands on a towel and tossed it over his shoulder as if he were a waiter in a restaurant. I didn’t know why that was funny to me. Maybe I had a concussion.

  Or maybe this is what hysterical felt like.

  “What’s going on?” I tried to say, and yet nothing came out. My mouth was too dry. I looked to the left of me and realized I must have thrown up before. Now, my hair was in it, and everything was gross. I didn’t know what was happening.

  “Well, shit, you got sick again. Don’t know why Susan had to try and hit you with that car. She was only supposed to scare you. But then you had to go and jump and hit your head. You always were clumsy, Annabelle. It was why I was always there to help you around the house. Because you needed me. You always need me. And now we can be together. I’m sure you might need help, but that’s what I’m here for. I’m always here for you, Annabelle. I just wish you would’ve realized it sooner. I had to move up plans, and I know you hate when things don’t work out the way they should. But it’s okay. I’ll help you. Just like always. I will always be here for you.” He emphasized the word always, and it scared me. Everything about this frightened me. I didn’t understand what was happening.