Jermy, Marie - Together Forever [The Andersons 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Marie Jermy

  “You bastard!” Matt yelled. And with a flying leap, he tackled Raven to the ground, and they started fighting.

  Ross immediately went to Samantha, who collapsed in his arms, shuddering and crying inconsolably. He swore and had removed his cell phone to call the town’s police station when he saw Matt quite literally beating the crap out of Raven. Chief Peter Connors answered on the first ring. “Sir, it’s Ross Anderson Junior,” he said, for once using his full name so Connors wouldn’t mistake him for his father. “You’d better come to the clearing at the lake. Mark Raven’s just tried to rape Samantha. And Matt is kicking the life out of him.”

  “On my way.”

  The dial tone sounded in Ross’s ear, and he returned the phone to his pocket. Matt was now kicking Raven in the stomach. Knowing he had to stop his brother from going too far, he went to stand up, but Samantha clung on to him and wouldn’t let go. “Sammy, listen. I’ve got to go to Matt.”

  “No!” she wailed. “Don’t leave me.”

  “I’m not leaving you. I’ll just be over there.” He nodded toward where Matt and Raven were.

  “No!” she again wailed, clinging tighter to him.

  Ross looked over his shoulder when he heard running footsteps. It was his parents. He again swore when he saw the intense rage on his father’s face. “Mom, take her!” he advised when his mother wrenched Samantha out of his arms. He stood up and grabbed hold of his father’s arm. “Dad, don’t be an idiot! Stay here. I’ll deal with it.” He then paced over to Matt and dragged him away. “Stop it, Matt! You’re killing him!”

  “It’s nothing the prick doesn’t deserve.”

  “I know, but you’re a police officer, for Christ’s sake! Let justice give the prick what he deserves.” Ross glanced over at his parents, who were comforting Samantha. This time, his mother looked as if she was about to erupt. “Go and calm Mom down before she starts spitting lava. I’ll arrest Raven.”

  Ross walked over to Raven, who was sitting on a bench, clutching his stomach and bleeding heavily from his nose and mouth. “Mark Raven, you are under arrest for the attempted rape of Samantha Anderson. You have the right to remain silent. You—”

  “Fuck, wait!” Raven interrupted. “You’re arresting me for what!”

  “The attempted rape of Samantha Anderson,” Ross repeated matter-of-factly.

  “She damn well wanted to have sex with me! Practically begged for it. But as soon as I started kissing her, the little bitch kneed me in the balls.”

  “Then you should have backed off.” Ross growled, his anger mounting at what Raven had called his sister.

  “Sam’s nothing but a cock-tease.”

  That did it. His usual evenhandedness momentarily abandoning him, Ross curled his right hand into a fist and smacked Raven straight in the mouth, knocking him backwards off the bench.

  Once Raven had collected his senses, he spat out a loose tooth and blood on the ground and glared up at Ross. “I’ll have you and that bastard brother of yours for assault!”

  “Try it, prick!” Ross raised his fist again and took another step toward Raven, but somebody pulled him back. It was Chief Connors.

  “That’s enough, Ross. I’ll take it from here.”

  “I haven’t finished his rights yet.”

  “I said, I’ll take it from here,” Connors reiterated curtly.

  “Sir.” For one moment, Ross thought Connors was about to say something else, but he then turned back to Raven. He went over to his family. Matt had managed to calm their mother down. His father looked tense as he held a still-crying Samantha. “Let’s go home.”

  Easing Samantha out of his father’s arms, Ross picked her up and carried her back to their house, whispering comforting words the whole way. By the time he’d laid her on the sofa, her crying had subsided into low, teary whimpers. He ran his eyes over her, noting the emergence of purplish-black bruises on her upper arms and around her neck. “We need to photograph these injuries.”

  “I’ll get the camera,” his mother said, going over to a sideboard.

  Just then, Ramona came rushing in. She looked just as upset as Samantha, which wasn’t surprising since, as twins, each felt everything the other was feeling. “I’ll kill him!” she cried, knocking Ross out of the way and putting her arms around her sister and hugging her fiercely.

  “Get in line,” Matt muttered. “I thought you were delivering a foal.”

  “I was. But halfway through, I felt something was wrong with Sammy. I phoned Rex to come and take over.”

  “I bet he didn’t like that,” Matt said.

  “Like I care.”

  “Who’s Rex?” Ross asked, taking the camera from his mother.

  “My new partner at the practice,” Ramona explained. “Smug SOB, too.”

  Ross couldn’t help but laugh. “A vet called Rex? What’s his surname? Rover?”

  Ramona grinned. “Yeah, it should be, but no, it’s Latimer. Hey, you’re not taking the photos, are you?”

  Ross nodded. “Yep. It’s for evidence.”

  “All very well and good, but you’re a man. Mom and I will do it. Upstairs,” Ramona added meaningfully.

  Without hesitation and without argument, Ross handed Ramona the camera, and she, Samantha, and his mother disappeared upstairs.

  “I need a drink,” Matt decided. He glanced at his watch. “Rustlers is still open. Dad, Ross, you coming with me?”

  “Sure thing,” Ross Senior replied.

  Ross gave his brother and father a stern look. “Any drinks you two will be having will be here at home. And don’t look so innocent. With Rustlers being within spitting distance of the station, I know exactly what you two are thinking of doing. Raven’s not worth it. And I’ve had my fill of him tonight.”

  “Gee, you have got it bad,” Matt muttered as he entered the kitchen.

  Ross followed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “One blow job from Jessica Ferris and you forget you’ve got balls.”

  “You leave her out of this.”

  “Why?”

  “’Cause I said so.”

  Matt snorted. “Oh, I’m shaking.” Taking a bottle of whiskey from the wine rack, he poured an ample quantity into a glass and downed it. He poured another good measure for his father when he joined them. “No doubt who’s gonna wear the pants in your marriage. That’s if you ever get that far.”

  “Didn’t I just tell you to leave Jess out of this?”

  “Give it a rest,” Ross Senior told them. “Samantha’s upset enough without hearing you two arguing.” He went and answered a knock at the front door.

  It was Chief Peter Connors.

  “I thought I’d come and inform you that I’ve assigned this case to Detective Dave Tyrell from Butte. He’ll be round in the morning to take all your statements. However, when I was processing Mark at the station, I had a little chat with him about the incident.”

  “And what did he have to say for himself?” Ross Senior asked, taking a sip of his whiskey.

  “He says it was consensual,” Connors replied.

  “Consensual, my ass!” Matt snapped. “She’s got bruises. The bastard was holding Sammy down and ripping her panties off.”

  “You know that’s not true. When I arrived she was still fully clothed,” Connors said to Matt. Then to Ross, “He says he told you it was consensual.”

  “Did he?” Ross shrugged his shoulders. “He might have done. I don’t remember. What I do remember, though, is he called Sammy a bitch and a cock-tease. But I don’t suppose for one minute he told you that.”

  “I know she’s your sister,” Connors said. “And I know you care about her and want to protect her, but don’t let that cloud your judgment. If the defense catches the slightest whiff that you two have concocted evidence, then you can kiss a conviction good-bye.”

  “I only said I don’t remember if he said it was consensual.” Ross smiled a tight-lipped smile. “But if he says it again, I’ll make a point
of listening.”

  Connors drew an exasperated breath. “Look, Mark’s told me he’s not going to press charges of assault against you two. I don’t think the same will be said for Jack. He’s going to be baying for your blood and your jobs. I’d hate to see that happen, so don’t give him that ammunition and stay well clear. The same goes for you,” he added, turning to Ross Senior.

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “For your daughter’s sake, make sure you do. I’ll see myself out.”

  “Man’s on his fourth marriage, and he still comes on to my wife,” Ross Senior grumbled when he heard Connors openly flirting with Jess by the front door.

  Matt glanced meaningfully at Ross. “Some men just think with their dicks.”

  “I’m gonna feed you yours in a minute!” Ross warned him.

  Both then jumped when Ross Senior slammed his glass down on the table and gave them both a clip around the ear. They stared at him, stunned. Their father had never once raised a hand to any of his children.

  “I said, give it a rest! Now, apologize to each other.”

  “Sorry, big bro,” Matt mumbled.

  “Sorry, little bro,” Ross mumbled.

  “That’s better.” Ross Senior picked his glass up again and gave Ross a long look. “Raven told you it was consensual, didn’t he?”

  “Of course he did.”

  “Be careful, son. I want him sent down for what he’s done, and I don’t want anything stopping that from happening.”

  “Don’t worry. Being a hot-shot detective, I’m a bit more subtle when it comes to investigative talents. Raven won’t know what’s hit him.” Ross grinned at his father and playfully punched Matt on the shoulder. “No, seriously, Raven’s gonna pay in the right way. In the good ol’-fashioned truth-and-justice way.”

  * * * *

  Later, on his way to bed, Ross looked in on Samantha and Ramona. They were curled up asleep together in the same bed. Quietly, he went over to them, flicked the bedside lamp off, and just as quietly left the room. He paused outside his parents’ bedroom when he heard the sound of soft crying. It was his mother. He went to enter but stopped at his father’s voice.

  “Oh, Jess, honey, it breaks my heart when you cry.”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t even know why I’m crying.”

  “I do. You’re thinking about Sam.”

  Ross frowned. Sam? Samantha Anderson? Or Sam Carrick?

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I know you inside out. I also know you’re thinking that if Matt and Ross hadn’t been at the lake, then we might have lost our Sam.”

  Ross’s frown deepened. Yep, his mother was thinking about Sam Carrick. He understood how much his mother had loved Carrick, but surely thirty years after his death and twenty-nine years of marriage to his father, he shouldn’t be playing such an important part in his mother’s life or thoughts.

  “Let him go, Jess.”

  “I have.”

  “No, you haven’t. And don’t even think about arguing with me. If you’ve let him go, then why is his photo on our mantel? Even Ray has told you to put it away. He’s hurting, too.”

  “I know, but—”

  “No, buts. I can’t compete with a ghost, Jess.”

  “You think you compete with a ghost? Is that how you really feel? Ross, why didn’t you tell me you felt like that?”

  Yeah, Dad, why didn’t you? Ross thought. And why was Ray Ferris hurting over Sam Carrick? As far as he was concerned, they’d never met, never known each other. He frowned and tuned back in to his parents’ conversation.

  “…We both give and take. You’ve never stopped me from having moments of quiet reflection about Mary. Never showed anything other than support when it was the anniversary of her death or her birthday. I stopped laying flowers on her grave years ago, but I know you still do. And it’s because of that that I’ve never told you how I felt. I’ve never told you this, either, but in some ways I’m glad Sam died.”

  Ross raised an eyebrow at that one. He waited for the loud thump that would indicate his mother had kicked his father out of bed. It never happened, and his brow notched higher at what his mother said next.

  “Me, too, if I’m honest. If he hadn’t died, we wouldn’t have met and we wouldn’t have four fantastic kids. It’s a pity you had a vasectomy. I wanted at least one more.”

  “I know. I did, too. But when you nearly died giving birth to Matt, there was no way that was going to happen. I died a thousand times that night and I wasn’t about to put you, or myself, through that nightmare again.”

  “Can we drop this depressing subject and make silly and sweaty love?”

  On hearing his father’s chuckle and his mother’s subsequent blissful moans, Ross left them to it and headed back to his bedroom, making sure he avoided all the creaking floorboards. Stripping down to his boxers, he glanced over at Matt, who was stretched out on his front, his head in the pillow.

  “Are you awake?”

  “Nope,” came the muffled response.

  Ross grinned and lay on his own bed. “I’ve just been listening to Mom and Dad.”

  “I know. You forgot about the floorboard by the attic door.” Matt rolled over onto his back and looked in Ross’s direction. “Spill.”

  “I think Sam Carrick’s finally been laid to rest.” He paused for a moment, debating why Ray Ferris was hurting over Carrick, then decided it was probably due to being concerned that his best friend’s wife still thought about a former love some thirty years after his death. “I didn’t know this until now, but Mom nearly died giving birth to you. Did you know about that?”

  “Oh, aren’t you a barrel of laughs? If that’s what falling in love does, then you can keep it. The sex I can do. Definitely do. But there’s no way you’ll catch me going all starry-eyed over a woman.”

  “Never say never, little bro. I guarantee you’ll feel the same way I do when the right woman comes your way.”

  Matt snorted as he plumped his pillow. “So not gonna happen. Just like you’ll never make it down the aisle. I mean, we are talking about the same Jessica Ferris who threw your Star Wars figures into the lake in revenge for you cutting the hair off her Barbie dolls.”

  “Um, I think we’ve both grown up since then. Older and wiser.”

  Again, Matt snorted. “All right, what about the fact that since she became a private eye, she’s never really been totally honest with you, even when she’s asked for your help. You know she’s always holding things back. A little white lie here, a little white lie there. I’m telling you, Jessica’s using you. She’ll screw you, then dump you as soon as she gets bored.”

  Okay, so Ross couldn’t argue the fact that Jessica did tell the odd lie. But it wasn’t just him she extended that courtesy to. She lied to other detectives, as well. She seemed to have quite a talent for rubbing officers of any rank up the wrong way. Probably down to some of those officers being on the other end of her hard-nosed reporter skills. He liked that trait, though. Her sassiness had stood her in good stead as a PI.

  He also couldn’t argue that Jessica held things back. She still hadn’t told him the real reason why they’d been tailing Harknett. Or told him anything about the BlackBerry he’d seen her lift from Harknett’s dead body.

  However, the one thing he would argue about was that Jessica would use him. “You’re such a cynic, Matt. She loves me. And I love her. Jess and I are…” He paused for emphasis on the declaration he was about to make. “Together forever.” The pillow sailed in his direction. He deftly caught it and slung it back at Matt.

  “Together forever.” Yeah, he definitely liked the sound of that. Growing old and gray together. Spending a lifetime getting to know each other inside out, back to front, side to side, up and down…Basically in every conceivable way. Sharing life’s ups and downs. Turning hopes and dreams into reality. Discovering every little habit, good or bad or secret. He smiled as he touched the kink in his nose. She didn’t even know how he came to break
it. He was going to have to put that right. Along with a few other things.

  Like my marriage proposal for starters. As Ross drifted off to sleep, he made his mind up. He definitely wanted to marry Jessica. But when he asked again, he was going to do it with a ring and on one bended knee.

  Chapter 6

  Two days later, Ross returned to New York.

  Walking through the arrivals gate at JFK, backpack slung over his shoulder, he spotted Jessica waiting by a side kiosk. Not that she was hard to miss. Her long, dark hair hung in shimmering waves down her back, and the electric-blue shirtdress she wore had the tongues of every man, young and old, practically lolling to the floor.

  He waved, and she ran over and jumped on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, peppering his face with kisses before planting a lip-smacking kiss on his lips.

  For a moment, he was stunned, but then his backpack hit the floor and his arms were around her, and he was twirling them around as he deepened the kiss.

  People stared. People sniggered. But Ross didn’t give a damn and continued to kiss Jessica like there was no tomorrow. Finally, they both drew back when the need to breathe became paramount.

  He dropped her back on her feet, her stiletto heels kissing the floor with a gentle, yet audible, click-clack. “I take it you missed me?”

  “Whatever gave you that impression?”

  “Your tongue down my throat.”

  “Figment of your imagination.”

  “Oh, right. Is your hand on my cock a figment of my imagination, too?”

  Her laugh was strained. “How’s Sam?”

  “Buried. Finally. Yeah, she’s shaken up,” he hastily amended at the weird look Jessica gave him. “But she’ll be all right. She’s moved back in with Mom and Dad for the time being. Even Matt’s moved back home. He’s gonna be her…” He raised and crooked the middle and forefingers of each hand as quotation marks, “‘bodyguard.’ Something that Sammy doesn’t know about yet.”