Shelter from the Storm (Finley Creek Book 2)

by Calle J. Brookes

  Everyone was all excited by Carrie’s big news.

  It was loud and chaotic and more than Brynna could handle right then.

  She waited until dinner was over then crept out of the main family room and found a quiet corner in the library. There was an old rocking chair there that she’d sat in before. It overlooked the back of the property. She could see a part of the St. Louis arch in the distance, and it was a painful reminder that she was not at home.

  She knew what the problem was. What she was missing.

  Carrie had Sebastian. Paige had her husband Mick. Al had Seth. Couples.

  They laughed together, touched each other. Even kissed each other sometimes when they had quiet moments when they thought no one was looking.

  Gabby spent most of her free time on the phone with Elliot. Even Mel had spoken with Houghton once or twice.

  She’d never been jealous of her best friend and sister before and she wasn’t about to start now.

  But Gabby had Elliot. Somehow, Elliot had overcome his past—the same exact past as Chance, damn it—and made room in his life for Gabby.

  But other than the Cheerio’s Incident, complete with that scorching kiss, he had said and done nothing to her.

  As far as he was concerned, whatever had been between them was over. Brynna was ok with that. She’d told herself that over and over again. She did not need Chance Marshall.

  But she sure did miss him. Why else did she suddenly feel like crying?

  It was one thing when they were in the same state and she would have the possibility of seeing him. Of snipping at him.

  Of being stupid and pitiful and pathetic. That’s what she was being.

  He did not want strings with her.

  And that was all there was to it.

  She had to just find a way to deal with the fact that all she wanted in the world was the kind of strings her sister Carrie had.

  “Bryn?”

  She recognized her slightly younger sister’s voice and turned. Jilly stood just in the door of the library. “Hey.”

  “I wondered where you’d gotten to.”

  “It was just...loud in there. And the smell of the food was getting to me. I’ve had an upset stomach all day.”

  “Carrie mentioned it.” Jilly took the chair opposite Brynna’s. “Are you ok? I know something is bothering you.”

  “I want to go home. I like it here, but I want home.”

  “Let’s be honest. You want him.”

  She thought about lying, but Brynna made a point of trying to tell the truth to her family. As much as humanly possible anyway. “We agreed that whatever happened between us in that stupid cellar was just sex. Something to pass the time. To celebrate that we were still alive. I never wanted something more than that, Jilly. And he doesn’t either. Doesn’t either. But…but…but...”

  “But it hurts that you’re not with him?”

  “When I was in that stupid explosion all I could think about was seeing him again. Seeing him. Well...and telling you all that I love you. Because I love you all very, very much. But he was in my head, too. And now? It’s been weeks and I can’t get him out!”

  * * *

  JILLY coaxed her back to the rest of the party. There were kids and babies everywhere.

  Brynna scooped up her niece and snuggled her close. There was no kid on earth more special to her than the little dark-haired girl whose eyes were the exact same shape and shade as her own.

  Talk turned to the FBI as it inevitably did with her sister and her friends. Brynna was used to it. A lot of her and Mel’s and Gabby’s conversations centered on the TSP.

  Brynna still needed to decide if she was ever going to return to the TSP.

  Gabby wasn’t. She’d decided it would be best for Elliot’s career if she didn’t return. And her friend had been honest. The TSP was just a place to hide from life. Gabby wasn’t going to do that anymore. She was going to work with Brynna on the coding and work on getting Anne Marshall’s cookbooks republished. Everything had fallen in place for Gabby, and Brynna was thrilled for her friend.

  But she still had to decide what she wanted to do with her life.

  Someone leaned over her chair and Brynna shifted her niece to the left so she could see him better. He was tall—at least as tall as Houghton Barratt—and dark-eyed. He looked like his sisters, Ari and Paige, though they were considerably paler. “Have a few minutes to talk computers?”

  “Of course.” She passed Maddie to Syd, then stood. She followed Luc into his home office.

  She liked this man, a lot. And his wife was one of the nicest people Brynna had ever met. The conversation went about the way she suspected it would. But the figure he named was twenty-five percent higher than she’d even begun to hope for.

  And he had the paperwork all nice and prepared, courtesy of his assistant. It was just a matter of agreeing to his terms and signing on the dotted line.

  He arranged the payment and contracts and suggested she forward everything to an attorney of her choosing. She’d have to meet with him one more time within the next six weeks and then it was over.

  Her first goal was met.

  And she’d have the money to buy the house she’d always wanted within two months.

  It was finished.

  So why did she feel so empty?

  CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN.

  * * *

  AFTER the fifth day of losing every bit of food she tried, Brynna gave in to Mel’s badgering. She let Carrie make her a doctor’s appointment with her family physician the next day.

  Mel took care of everything, including borrowing a car to drive her. Gabby stayed with Jillian and the others—she and Carrie were working on some of Carrie’s own software to increase audio manipulation ability. Gabby was stronger with audio than Brynna, and they both knew it.

  And Brynna was too tired to even think about working, on anything.

  The doctor’s office was the same as any other Brynna had ever been in, except there was a nice fish tank in one corner. They took seats near the tank and she kept herself calm by counting the number of fish. Eight.

  It didn’t take long. Still, the movement of the fish was enough to help her forget for a little bit that she was once again at the doctor’s office.

  “Bryn? You ok?” Mel asked. She had a magazine in her hand and was flipping through the articles. Brynna read the headlines quickly. It was pregnancy related, wasn’t it?

  “Yes. Why here? Is this a gynecologist’s office?” The one thing worse than a doctor was a gynecologist. Brynna tried to hide the revulsion.

  “I think so. But it’s who Carrie uses for general practice. I think there’s multiple partners in here.” Mel smiled. “You’ll be ok. Look the walls are blue. Not yellow.”

  Brynna maturely kept her eyes from crossing and her tongue from sticking out at her older sister. Mel hadn’t had to bring her today. She could have found her own way.

  But she hadn’t had to. Her sister had been there when she needed her—like always.

  Sudden tears hit her eyes. “I love you, Mel. Thank you for bringing me today.”

  Mel’s eyes widened and she leaned closer. “Uh…you ok?”

  “Fine. Fine. Just love you.”

  “I love you, too.” Mel looked up when Brynna’s name was called. “You want me to go in with you?”

  Brynna considered it; she did. But…she was a full-grown woman. Time she acted like it. “No. I’m ok. I’m ok. I’ll do this by myself.”

  * * *

  THIRTY minutes later she wished she had told her sister to come with her. Having Mel there would make this seem less confusing.

  “Pregnant.”

  “Yes. At least six weeks, from what your hormone levels are. Everything looks healthy, although from what you’ve told me you’ve been through recently, we’ll need to keep a close eye on everything for quite a while. You’re underweight and I suspect vitamin deficient. Do you have someone at home who can help you through this?”
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br />   Brynna just stared at the doctor for a long time. “Yes. My sister is almost a nurse practitioner. Almost. She has another semester or so. She works as a registered nurse.”

  “You live together?”

  “Yes. All my sisters but one. We live together. In Texas. We are staying here for a little while. Until they catch the men trying to kill us.”

  The doctor’s eyes widened and she leaned forward. “Are you in some sort of trouble, Brynna? Do you need me to call someone for you? The Missouri State Police?”

  “No. It’s not like that. My…the men who hurt me before. They haven’t all been caught yet. But…but…but…the father of my baby…” She swallowed. “The father of my baby and the baby’s uncle are with the Texas State Police. They are searching now. While my family stays safe here.”

  The doctor didn’t understand, and Brynna was far too upset to make her. There was a baby. She and Chance had made a baby. “How is this possible? It was only eight times. And we used condoms every time. Every time. Every time. We were careful. I have goals for my life. I’m not old enough for children yet. I…I…I…”

  The doctor leaned forward. “I can give you information about all of your options. Termination is still possible. And there is adoption. Or assistance programs if you decide to keep the baby. My receptionist can give you all of that.”

  “No! I am keeping my baby.” Brynna looked at the doctor like the woman was crazy. “My baby. Mine and Chance’s.”

  She was keeping her baby. Of that, she was absolutely certain.

  “Is there someone with you today? Someone who can see you get back to where you’re staying safely?”

  “Yes. Mel. My older sister. She always drives me places. She’s in the waiting room.”

  “Good. Do you have any other questions today?”

  No. Any questions she had, she’d have Jillian or Lacy to answer them, wouldn’t she? They would understand what she meant far easier than this doctor that was looking at her like that. Like she was crazy or incapable of doing this or something. “No. I’m ok. I need to go though. I have a lot of thinking to do now.”

  She needed to get out of there. Needed Mel. Needed to be alone where she could sit down and think, decide exactly what it was that she needed to do.

  She and Chance had made a baby. The biggest string of all.

  How was she going to tell him?

  CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT.

  * * *

  MEL knew whatever Brynna had learned had rattled her sister to the core. Brynna hadn’t said a word when she’d stepped back into the waiting room. Her sister was pale and…looked broken and confused. Hurting.

  She walked at Brynna’s side, not speaking.

  Mel took a quick look at the pamphlets Brynna clutched like a lifeline.

  The glossy papers were crumpled, but one headline jumped out at her. Nutrition during Pregnancy.

  Holy shit. Mel’s eyes widened and she nearly fell over. No. No way. The fates wouldn’t be that cruel to Brynna. Not now. A baby would be the last thing Brynna needed right now, wouldn’t it?

  Their borrowed SUV was half a block away. Should she ask? Before they reached the car a man crossed the sidewalk right in front of them.

  His foot caught on Mel’s crutch, sending her stumbling slightly. His hand wrapped around her free arm.

  “Sorry. Didn’t mean to trip you up.”

  “It’s ok. Happens to me all the time. Should see me when I roller skate…” Mel said, almost automatically. She barely looked at him, so focused on her little sister as she was.

  He turned, slightly blocking Mel’s path to the driver’s side. She murmured a low “Excuse me,” but he didn’t move right away. Not until she looked right into his face.

  “I’m sorry.” He stepped aside, and Mel slipped around him carefully.

  Brynna still hadn’t said a word.

  CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE.

  * * *

  IT was far too easy to do. He’d walked right up to the bitches and the crippled one had looked right at him. Hadn’t recognized him at all. Her orange-haired sister hadn’t even bothered looking at him. If she had, would she have even known who he was?

  What was her deal? He stared at her as she stood by her sister’s car. He recognized the expression on her face—it was one he loved making his girls have. Shock. Confusion. Pain. It was all right there for him to see. Interesting. What was wrong with the bitch?

  They’d come out of a doctor’s office and he looked over his shoulder at the sign. Obstetrics and gynecology. Was the girl pregnant?

  If she was, it had to be Marshall’s baby, didn’t it?

  Marshall, who hadn’t been near her in weeks. Had the bastard screwed her and abandoned her, then? Oh, he’d thought better of the Marshall brothers, hadn’t he?

  Weren’t they supposed to be good and honorable and all that other shit, like the news reports had said whenever the Marshall Murders were brought up? Both had chosen law enforcement, were supposed to be damned heroes, weren’t they?

  Not the type to knock up his girlfriend and take off.

  He laughed.

  When the sister pulled the car out into the traffic, he followed.

  He wasn’t supposed to hurt the damned bitches now. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t have a bit of fun, did it?

  Hitting the gas, he sped up until his front bumper was close enough to do what he wanted to do.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY.

  * * *

  BRYNNA covered her stomach with both hands as the half-ton truck bumped into the back bumper of the SUV Mel had borrowed from Luc for the duration of their stay in the city.

  “Bryn, I want you to tighten your seatbelt. And reach back, grab that sweatshirt. Put it over your stomach, under the lap belt, ok? Right over where you were just hurt. And I want you to hold on.”

  Brynna hurriedly complied.

  The truck came closer. Brynna murmured a small prayer.

  Mel muttered a curse instead. She jerked the wheel, sending the SUV onto the shoulder. The truck missed their rear bumper by millimeters. Mel didn’t hesitate—she threw the SUV into reverse and turned it back onto the highway. She gunned it in the opposite direction. Brynna looked over her shoulder.

  She could see the truck flying up on their tail again. “Mel! He’s coming back.”

  “And he’s got a bigger engine. Well, we’re Becks—that means we are smarter, doesn’t it? Grab my phone. Call 911.”

  Brynna reached for the phone. She dropped it when they were bumped again. “The phone!”

  “No! Don’t reach for it. Tighten your belt over your baby, Bryn. Do it now. I’ll get us all out of this.” She sped up. Brynna closed her eyes, her hands tight over her stomach.

  The baby. Her baby. She didn’t want anything to happen to her baby. “Mel, I’m scared.”

  “Me, too.”

  The truck was getting closer. Closer.

  “Someone’s coming up behind us.”

  Brynna looked over her shoulder. A black sports car was speeding up the highway. Where were all the other cars? It was the middle of the afternoon, there should have been other cars, right?

  But then again, the attack had lasted only seconds. Maybe two minutes, at most, right?

  It just seemed like forever.

  Mel waited until the sports car had almost caught up to them, then she jerked the SUV toward the side of the road again.

  The truck caught them and sent them spinning into the guardrail.

  Brynna screamed.

  The sports car squealed to a halt beside them. Two men got out—with guns they aimed toward the now fleeing truck.

  A second SUV was there within moments.

  Two men ran toward their SUV. Brynna tried not to freak—it was too much like the first time with Chance.

  “Mrs. Barratt, Mrs. Barratt! Are you or your sister hurt?” one of the men called.

  Mel had a gun in her hand. Brynna pulled in her breath. Why did that surprise her?

  “W
ho are you?” Mel asked the men as they got closer.

  “Charlie Ortega, ma’am. Mr. Barratt assigned the four of us to protect you. We were cut off at the last traffic light. Are either of you hurt?”

  “My sister needs to go to the ER. Do you have ID?”

  “Of course.”

  Mel took it and studied it. It had the Barratt-Handley logo on the corner of the ID. “You were there, in Mexico, when I was, weren’t you?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ve been working for your husband for eight years now. I…uh…bought your wedding dress. And your new crutch.”

  When Mel was satisfied, she put her gun away. “I’m going to take my sister to the ER now.”

  “Ma’am, if you would allow Brighton to handle your vehicle? I would feel more secure if you’d ride with Jimmy in the Denali.”

  Mel looked at the second man. “You were in Mexico, too, weren’t you? The driver?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I drive Mr. Barratt everywhere.”

  “So why are you here and not with Houghton?”

  The man seemed surprised, didn’t he? “Because Mr. Barratt wants only the best watching over you.”

  Mel’s shoulders slumped. “We’d be glad to accept a ride. I’m…I’m not really in the mood to drive for the moment. And I want Brynna to get looked at.”

  One of the men helped Mel from the car. Brynna had to climb over the gear shift and console to follow her sister out. Her door was bent too badly and was jammed against the guardrail.

  Just how close it had been sank in and she fought off a full blown Gabby-worthy panic attack.

  It had been too close.

  Her hand covered her baby.

  For all of them.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE.

  * * *