The Steve Williams Series Boxed Set

by J. E. Taylor

  “Looks like it’s just you and me. Feel like going out to dinner tonight?”

  He raised an eyebrow and pointed at the ankle bracelet.

  “Shit,” she muttered and leaned back into the couch.

  “Are you okay?” he signed.

  She laughed and shook her head, her chuckles turning into sobs and she buried her face in her hands. He took a seat on the couch and pulled her to his shoulder, just saying, “shh,” over and over while she cried.

  When she finally settled down, she wiped her face and her bloodshot gaze met his.

  “I’m sorry, Tom. I’m sure me falling apart was the last thing you needed.”

  He offered a smile. “I’ oay,” he said. “How did your audition go?” he signed.

  “I didn’t make it. Sarah called me to give me a heads up about CJ’s subpoena and I turned around and came home,” she said.

  “I’m sorry,” he signed.

  “Don’t be, it’s not your fault,” she said and took a deep cleansing breath before turning toward him. “So, how was your day?”

  Tom leaned back into the cushions. “As crappy as yours,” he signed.

  “Why?”

  “I had a confrontation with Bear and Raven confided something in me that has me real worried,” he said and pulled the cast off his arm, tossing it onto the table. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “Always,” she said.

  “How did you know Steve was the one?”

  Jennifer sighed, thinking back to the moment he walked into her college apartment. That was the moment she knew, but she wanted to give Tom some background. “He was my neighbor for years and his sister was my best friend.”

  Tom’s eyebrows arched. He thought they met in college.

  “After she died, we got really close, but at that time, the age difference was huge. Five years is an ocean when you’re talking eleven and sixteen. For years I had the biggest crush on him and after they moved away, I used to wait by the mailbox to see if he sent a letter. It was kind of pathetic,” she laughed and traded a glance. “The letters dropped off after a while and I stopped waiting for them.” Jennifer paused and stood, crossing to the sliders.

  “When he walked back into my life my senior year in college, I knew. I can’t tell you exactly how I knew, just that I did. Being around him is better than any adrenaline rush out there, even now. I still feel the electricity between us whenever he’s around. And he knows how to make me laugh.”

  She turned and shrugged. “I know, you haven’t heard me laugh in a while, but he can make me giggle like a school girl.”

  Tom grinned. He couldn’t see her giggling.

  “Life hasn’t been kind to us and we’ve had to struggle through some horrific times, just like you and CJ have, but there’s no one I’d rather have at my side.” Tears filled her eyes again and she looked away. “I just can’t see how I’m going to get through this if he’s locked up for the next thirty years.”

  Chapter 44

  Tom stepped into the principal’s office and handed the note Jennifer gave him to the secretary. Without waiting, he headed back into the hall and leaned against the bricks, watching for Raven. When she didn’t show up, his chest tightened another notch.

  All the Skype calls last night went to a busy signal and he barely got any sleep.

  The warning bell rang and he went into the classroom, sitting in his seat, concentrating on not allowing the panic attack to take hold. Raven stepped into the classroom just as the late bell rang and Tom’s lungs clamped closed.

  Raven wore the bland clothing she had always worn and her hair fell in front of her face, blocking his view of her. But he did catch a glimpse of sunglasses, and his heart tumbled onto the floor.

  She never even looked his way and when the bell rang, she headed for the door like a racehorse out of the starting gate. Tom sprinted, catching up to her in the hallway and spinning her around so he could see her face.

  “Leave me alone,” she whispered.

  Tom didn’t respond, he reached his hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. The glasses didn’t hide all the bruises and he stepped back, meeting her gaze as the coiled fury took over, he spun, heading toward the front of the school with one thought on his mind. His hands ached from how hard he clenched them and it wasn’t until he pushed open the doors that she grabbed his wrist, pulling him back inside.

  “Don’t. Please don’t do this,” she whispered.

  “I’m going to kill him,” he signed and tore his hand from her grip.

  She maneuvered in front of Tom, placing both her hands on his chest and stopping him halfway across the sidewalk. The beeping of his ankle bracelet cut through his fury.

  “You can’t help me if you’re in jail,” she said.

  Tom pressed his lips together and his vision blurred under the fresh set of tears filling his eyes. “What did he do to you?” he signed and when her gaze dropped to the ground, he turned and walked slowly back to the school. The beeping stopped as soon as he entered the hallway and he leaned against the brick, grappling with his shredded heart.

  She stepped inside next to him and he turned his pained gaze her way.

  “You are coming home with me today,” he signed. “And God help him if he comes near you again.”

  Tears sprouted from her eyes like a slow faucet leak and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead.

  “Auditorium or class?” he signed and she signed auditorium back.

  He took her hand and led her down the quiet halls, and into the empty auditorium. This time he led her to the back corner where there was a little light seeping in from the doors. He took a seat, dropping his head in his hands as black despair took hold. His thoughts whirled with all sorts of degrading images and he closed his eyes, letting the tears come.

  When his tears dried up, he leaned back, wiping his nose on his sleeve before turning toward her. He removed her glasses and inspected her black eye, clenching his teeth against the renewed flare of anger.

  “I’m owwy,” he whispered. “I’m o owwy.” His breath hitched in his chest, and he stood, pulling her into his arms. She flinched, drawing in her breath audibly, killing another piece of his humanity.

  “There is no way in hell I’m letting you go home,” he signed.

  “You have to.”

  “No, I don’t. We have extra rooms at the house. You’ll be safe there.”

  “He threatened to kill you,” she met his gaze.

  Tom narrowed his eyes and smiled. “I’d really like to see him try,” he signed and she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. “I’d kick his ass from here to Ireland and back,” he signed, drawing a small laugh.

  With a deep breath, Tom took her hand and led her into the media room, but this time he switched on the dark light and closed the door, sitting her down in the chair and pulling the other one close so they faced each other.

  “What did your stepfather do?” he signed, preparing himself for the answer, but it still wasn’t enough.

  “He tied me to the bed and beat me,” she said.

  “Is that all?” he asked. He had to know, because the visions in his head were as ugly as it gets.

  She shook her head, staring at the ground at first before bringing her tear stained gaze to his.

  Shredded. That’s exactly what his insides felt like when her gaze locked with his. Every nerve exposed and throbbing with pain, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. He pressed his lips together, getting a hold on the storm brewing inside him and he reached out, cupping her cheek.

  “Never again,” he whispered, forcing the enunciation.

  Her chin quivered and a torrent of tears flowed from her beautiful eyes. Soon her entire form shook and he pulled her from the chair onto his lap, holding her tight so she wouldn’t fly to pieces.

  The overhead lights blinked on, but neither of them moved. Raven still sobbed silently against his shoulder. When a throat cleared, Tom swiveled the seat
, meeting Principal Novak’s sharp glare.

  “You two shouldn’t be in here,” he said.

  Raven stiffened in Tom’s arms.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Novak. It’s just today is the anniversary of my mother’s death and I needed a friend,” she sniffled from under her thick hair.

  Tom gave a slight shrug, keeping eye contact.

  “Fine, I’ll give you a free pass this time, but I don’t want to see you miss another class. Is that clear, Mr. Ryan?”

  Tom nodded and Raven climbed off his lap, keeping her head down as she passed the Principal.

  Mr. Novak grabbed Tom’s arm. “I’m watching you,” he glared.

  Tom just nodded and headed out into the brightly lit hallway where Raven waited for him with her sunglasses back in place.

  The rest of the day went by without so much as a sideways look from anyone and when the last bell rang, Tom met Raven at the door and walked out with her hand in his. He opened the back door of Jennifer’s car, and helped her in before climbing into the passenger seat.

  Jennifer gave him a questioning glance.

  “Just drive,” he signed.

  Chapter 45

  He stood on the sidewalk across from the school watching Raven slip into the car with that boy. A cold fury shook his form and he turned, walking back to the house and his shop out back.

  He never should have believed that little whore. She was supposed to cut things off with that kid.

  He crossed the lawn, digging the keys out of his pocket and unlocked his studio. When he stepped through, his gaze landed on his latest collection, the last mold empty and waiting for the right inspiration.

  He dropped his eyes to the filthy mattress in the corner, and the droplets of blood dried on the wall from where he carved his incantation into her skin, branding her in ink like so many tramp stamps you see these days.

  The lesson he’d teach her today would last for the rest of her life and he changed into his wet suit, followed by fatigues, clipped his knife to his belt and headed to the truck with the sports kayak in back. He drove to one of his usual launch sites and slipped the boat into the water.

  He glared at the sky, cursing under his breath, but he couldn’t wait until dark, not with her in that house. He kept close to the rocky shore, in the shadows as much as he could, and when he approached the bluff, he headed directly toward the ladder, keeping his black kayak as close to the rocks as possible.

  The light left him uncomfortable and exposed and he swore her lesson would include watching him die. When he cleared the big rock, his eyebrows rose at the small dock and the secluded tide pool. Envy snaked its way under his skin and he tied the kayak off, climbing silently onto the pier.

  * * * *

  Tom opened the garage door, letting both Raven and Jennifer into the house before he stepped inside.

  “Raven needs a place to stay,” he signed once he threw his book bag on the table.

  “Really,” she said and turned toward Raven. “Is that true?”

  Raven removed her glasses and Jennifer gasped. “Oh, my God. Who did this to you?” She crossed the room and inspected the bruise before meeting her gaze.

  Tom crossed. “Her stepfather did this,” he signed. “She’s not going home.”

  Jennifer inhaled, meeting his gaze and nodded. “Did you want to press charges?” she asked, returning her questioning stare to Raven.

  Raven shook her head. “No. All I want is a shower right now,” she said and tears formed.

  “Why don’t you show her where everything is,” she said to Tom and gave Raven’s hand a squeeze. “You can stay as long as you’d like.”

  “Thank you,” Tom signed and Jennifer nodded, her expression mixed with understanding and an underlying anger at the injustice. He knew under her calm waters raged a wild mother bear, and this type of thing always brought it to the surface.

  Jennifer glanced at Raven. “What are you, a size three?”

  Raven nodded.

  “I’ll get you a change of clothes,” she said and followed them upstairs.

  Tom opened the guest room door for Raven and she stepped inside. When Jennifer came in with a pair of underwear, sweats and a t-shirt, Raven took them with tears in her eyes.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “The bathroom is over there and Tom will get you some towels,” she said and gave him a nod before leaving the room. Something about her demeanor struck Tom and he followed her into the hall, stopping her.

  “What is it?” he signed.

  Jennifer turned and a tear escaped from her lashes. “She needs some TLC right now. That doesn’t mean sex, it means letting her see your heart. Understand?” She wiped the tears away.

  “You saw,” he said and stepped away.

  She nodded and pressed her lips together, the pain painted in her eyes cut him to the core. “Yes, I saw and that’s the only reason I’m going to let you stay up here with her while I go call the police. That bastard belongs behind bars.”

  He watched her climb down the stairs and turned back, pulling a couple of towels from the linen closet before stepping into her room. Raven sat on the bed, staring at the floor and he set the towels down, slipping her glasses out of her fingers and setting them on the table.

  No words were spoken and he ran the back of his knuckles down her cheek, studying her for a moment before he reached for the hem of her shirt. She reacted, her eyes widening and her hands grasping and holding it in place.

  “I’ oay,” he whispered and took a step back so she could see his hands. He pointed toward the bathroom and signed, “Bath or shower?”

  Her gaze jumped to the bathroom and back. “Shower,” she whispered.

  He put his finger up and headed into the bathroom, turning on the shower for her so the water would be warm when she was ready and then he stepped into the bedroom. “Do you want me to stay or go?” he signed.

  She looked like a deer in the headlights under the question posed by his hands and he took that as a go and stepped toward the door.

  “No,” she said, meeting his gaze. Her hands cradled her elbows and she whispered, “Stay.”

  He nodded and came to her side, leaning against the bed with her.

  Her hands shook as she reached for the hem of her shirt and she bit down on her lip, not in the sexy way she had the day before, but in the way desperate people do when cornered.

  “Do you want me to help?”

  She tried to smile and he took the initiative, stepping in front of her and taking her arms, raising them so he could strip the shirt. She hesitated halfway, her eyes filled with pain and doubt and then she closed them, allowing him to strip the fabric off her.

  He stared at her torso and dropped the shirt. Shock brought on a wave of dizziness and his legs wobbled underneath him. Her creamy unblemished skin had been carved into a crude pentagram. He bent to touch the raw carving and pulled his hand away dropping to his knees in front of her.

  He brought his gaze to hers knowing every bit of the horror he felt was painted in his features.

  Raven turned to grab the towels and his eyes widened at the two words carved into her back and he stumbled to his feet, taking a step away, his hand flying to cover the gasp.

  Her gaze locked on the mirror across the room at the scrawling letters on her back.

  Windwalker’s Whore.

  Her head whipped around toward Tom, and her face paled. “Oh, my God,” she whispered.

  A crash downstairs rocked the house and Raven’s horror slammed into his mind.

  “Where is she?” The growl from the family room seeped through the floorboards and Tom’s eyes widened. Her stepfather wasn’t mocking him, he was laying claim to what he believed was his property.

  Raven’s stepfather was the Windwalker and Jennifer was downstairs.

  “Stay,” he signed and spun on his heels, sprinting downstairs in time to see the blade cut through Jennifer’s arm as she parried, blocking what should have been a kill str
ike.

  “Run,” she screamed at him and blocked another swing.

  Raven’s stepfather was a hulk of a man, bigger than he expected, and his face was lined with scars, ruining what once could have been handsome, he caught Tom’s gaze and sent a feral smile in his direction. “You’re next,” he said and refocused on Jennifer.

  “Get out of here, Tom!” Jennifer ordered meeting his gaze for a second and her eyes widened, her gaze dropping to the knife embedded in her chest before they rolled back in her head.

  “Oo!” Tom bellowed, caught between the need to defend Jennifer and her order to get Raven to safety. The look on her stepfather’s face clinched it and Tom turned, bolting up the stairs.

  Footfalls fell in step behind him and instead of leading him into the guest room; he turned into his bedroom, sending out an SOS that he prayed would traverse the miles between York and Washington D.C.

  The exodus of wings followed and if his SOS didn’t make it there, his father would. Tom spun, facing the door as the Windwalker appeared in the doorway, leading with the dripping knife, and a pang of guilt bit at his stomach. He had left Jennifer in the hands of this madman.

  “Where is my whore?” he growled.

  A flash of red appeared behind him and Raven jumped on his back, digging her nails into his flesh with a scream that shattered the heavy silence. Her stepfather jerked backward, smashing her head against the doorjamb and she crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

  “Bastard,” Tom said his voice clear and concise and he knew they were no longer alone. He reached for the snow globe and pitched it at her stepfather.

  He ducked and the globe shattered on the wall opposite his door.

  “I’m going to preserve that pretty face of yours just for her, so she has a reminder of what happens when she decides to rebel.”

  Tom’s gaze flicked to Tanya’s ghost and he winced at the banshee scream as she launched herself at the Windwalker. She passed right through him, falling to the ground.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the flash of metal and parried. The knife bit into his flesh and instead of dancing away, he stepped in and sent his fist crashing into the middle of the bastard’s chest.