If You Only Knew

by Dixie Lee Brown

  Bree nodded, obviously reading the answer in Rayna’s eyes. “It’s too late for your brother, but not for Madison. Help us.” Her gaze locked on Rayna, eyes pleading.

  Rayna’s heart broke for the despair painted on Bree’s face. The woman was hurting and scared. If only there was something Rayna could do to help her . . . but she truly believed their best bet was to let Ty and Joe handle things.

  “Ty thinks the world of Madison. He’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she’s safe. You need to level with him.” Rayna sat on the edge of the bed across from Bree.

  For a moment, it looked as though she’d lose her battle against the tears that threatened, but then Bree smiled. “He’s always loved Madison. I think he packed her around more than I did during the time we spent together. I’m sure that’s the real reason he asked me to marry him after he quit the force.”

  Ty asked Bree to marry him? The revelation slammed into Rayna, sending all the air from her lungs in a whoosh. He’d told her his relationship with Bree wasn’t like that. What the hell was it like, then? Resentment stirred. He’d looked her in the face and lied.

  “Uh-oh. I guess he didn’t tell you. You have nothing to worry about, Rayna. He wasn’t in love with me. It would have been strictly a marriage of convenience on his part. He just wanted to keep Madison and me safe and saw that as the best way to make it happen. I said no. Who knows? We might have actually made it work, but I wasn’t willing to settle. That came much later. I should have said no then too.”

  Rayna’s heart ached with the sudden emptiness created by Ty’s dishonesty. As much as she wanted Bree’s revelation to roll off her back, leaving her unaffected, it devastated her. Except for a one-word refusal, Ty would be married to this woman now, raising a little girl and possibly other children. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, determined not to lose it in front of Bree.

  What reason would he have for lying unless Bree still meant something to him?

  She’d always trusted Ty, and he’d never given her cause to be suspicious of him. On the other hand, Bree was a stranger with an obvious agenda of her own. Rayna owed it to Ty to give him the benefit of the doubt. She drew herself up straight and forced a cheerful smile. “That’s Ty. Always looking for a way to help people. I’m sure he cared about you, but now you have Sean. It must be a relief to have someone to lean on.”

  Anger sparked for a fraction of a second in Bree’s expression before the shutter closed. A smile appeared but didn’t extend to her eyes. “Sean is very protective of us, but he’s never been a father to Madison. She needs a father. Anyway, he’s not here now.” Bree waved her hand as though dismissing the idea. “I just need to convince Ty there’s only one way to deal with Andre. Will you help me?”

  “I’ll do what I can, but Ty, Joe, and Walker are my family. I’m not going to push them to commit murder if there’s another way to stop the man.”

  “That’s just it. If you’d been through what I have, you’d know there’s no other way.” Bree popped to her feet and stepped to the door, her jaw set determinedly as she reached for the doorknob. “I found out what I needed to know. I’ll think of another way to keep my daughter alive.” Bree glared at Rayna, and her scowl was intimidating . . . almost threatening. “I thought you might understand, but then, you don’t have children, do you?” The next instant she flagged her hand in dismissal and a shallow smile replaced the scowl. “I’m sure everything will work out just fine. Sorry to bother you.” She opened the door and stepped from the room.

  Rayna closed the door, relieved to have the Jekyll-and-Hyde personality out of her room. She was left with tightness in her diaphragm that hurt when she breathed. Gone was her joyful anticipation, replaced by suspicion and questions she wasn’t sure she wanted the answers to. If she confronted Ty, could she trust his answers this time?

  She wouldn’t hide in her room. That wasn’t her style. Nate was probably preparing dinner. If she got him alone, maybe she’d find a way to work some of her questions into the conversation.

  A moment’s guilt made her pause. Was it fair to bypass Ty and go to Nate? Did she really care about being fair right now? Hurt and disappointed, she still reeled from the bomb Bree had dropped. If she went straight to Ty, she’d likely end up saying something she couldn’t take back. Anyway, all she wanted Nate to do was confirm what Bree told her. She wouldn’t ask him to rat out his friend. He’d been there when Ty and Bree met six years ago. It was obvious he didn’t like or trust Bree. Rayna thought it had to do with Ty leaving the force, but maybe there was more to it than that.

  She flung open her door and went in search of Ty’s partner.

  Chapter Nineteen

  * * *

  TY NURSED AN ice-cold beer, leaning back against the kitchen counter. Nate was husking corn and had summarily dismissed his offer of help. Steam escaped from under the lid of a large pot on the stove, and when Nate shoved the yellow ears in, water sloshed over the rim, ran down the side of the pan, and sizzled on the hot surface. He jerked his fingers back from the boiling water and shook them, uttering a low profanity. Ty chuckled, amazed a man of Nate’s size and temperament could exhibit any kind of efficiency in the kitchen.

  Rayna flew through the door to his left, so intent on the big man by the stove it was evident she hadn’t noticed Ty. Nate grinned when he saw her.

  She strode up to him, clearly on a mission. “Need a hand?”

  “I never turn down help.” He jerked open a drawer and handed her an apron.

  “Wait a minute. You turned down my help.” Ty’s hand stopped with the beer halfway to his mouth.

  Rayna spun around, surprise flashing in her blue eyes.

  He’d been right. She had no clue he was anywhere around, but along with surprise, the look on her face was . . . disappointment . . . and something way too close to distrust.

  “Hey, buddy. I’ve seen you cook before. You’re no help.” Nate wagged his head.

  “Just remember you said that.” Ty turned his attention back to Rayna, who still regarded him with narrowed eyes. “Enjoy your shower?”

  Rayna ignored him, shook out the apron, and slipped it over her head, tying it behind her back before she turned to Nate. “Tell me what to do.”

  Ty frowned. Something had obviously upset her.

  “Wrap those bakers in foil.” Nate indicated a pile of potatoes in the sink. “We’ll grill ’em.”

  Rayna’s gaze settled on the sink, and she didn’t glance up from her chore as she scrubbed the potatoes and folded the foil around them tightly. Then she helped Nate carry them to the deck, where he placed them on the top rack of a large gas barbeque grill. Ty set his beer bottle down on the counter and followed them out.

  “What’s next?” Rayna closed the lid on the grill and stepped around Ty as he blocked her path.

  Oblivious, Nate started back to the kitchen. “Follow me. I’ve got steaks marinating and a salad to put together. How are you with green stuff?”

  “I know my way around a Brussels sprout.”

  Nate’s pained expression wrung a laugh from her as she fell in beside him.

  Puzzled and trying not to let their easy banter ignite his simmering jealousy, Ty shoved his hands in his pockets and trailed along behind. Again, she refused to make eye contact, until he caught up, stepped in front of her, and grasped her wrist.

  “Hey, don’t be messing with my help.” Nate cast a curious glance in Ty’s direction.

  Rayna stiffened and tried to pull away, but Ty wasn’t about to let her go until he got some answers. “She’ll be with you in a minute.” He kept his gaze locked on hers.

  After Nate disappeared into the house, Ty tugged her down the steps of the deck and onto the lawn. Clearly angry now, she braced her feet and took a step only when he forced her to. What the hell was going on? Weren’t they just making plans to spend the night together? It looked suspiciously like she didn’t even want him on the same planet with her at the moment. Dragging her across the lawn wasn
’t helping, either, but he refused to let her retreat from him again—not without knowing why.

  Just inside the wrought-iron fence, he stopped and faced her. She jerked her arm from his grasp and stared at him coldly, her chin set in a resolute line.

  “I don’t get it. Did I miss something? What the heck’s got you all riled up?” He stuck his hands deeper in his pockets, resisting the urge to reach out and touch her.

  She crossed her arms in front of her. “We can talk about this later. I should be helping Nate . . . and anyway, I need some time to think this through so I don’t end up saying something I’ll be sorry for.”

  “Think what through? Talk to me. You’re obviously pissed about something. Let’s get it out in the open. We were good—damn good—the last time I saw you. What happened? If I knew, maybe I could defend myself. It’s not really fair you won’t even tell me what I’ve done wrong. How am I supposed to put that sexy smile back on your face?” He tried a teasing grin, forcing himself to stand still even though he ached to run his fingers through her hair and to pull her to him.

  The wisp of a smile appeared for a breath of time, and she almost said something, but then she scowled and turned her back.

  He stepped up behind her, close enough the heat of her body reached him. “Don’t let something come between us without giving me a chance to fix it, Rayna. Let’s talk about it. That’s what people do who care about each other.” He wanted to turn her around so he could see her eyes, but he managed to keep his hands to himself.

  She whirled around so quickly he took a step back. “Do those same people tell each other lies?”

  His gaze swept her stricken face. “What do you think I lied about?”

  She was silent for so long he was afraid she wouldn’t answer. Her chin quivered as she breathed deeply and set her jaw.

  “Bree.” The one word came with an exhale that seemed to exhaust her. Her shoulders slumped, and she looked away from him.

  The name slammed into his chest, instantly confirming not only what Rayna had heard, but also who had told her. He’d dreaded this moment ever since Bree arrived, but he’d considered the options and made the decision not to forewarn Rayna. In his mind, giving voice to his moment of insanity all those years ago would place way more importance on his impulsive action than it deserved. Besides, Bree had always been a private person, not sharing her personal life with anyone. Why would she bring it up?

  Recognizing the betrayal in Rayna’s stony expression, he wanted to kick himself. He should have told her. It would have been so much better if she’d heard it from him.

  He couldn’t stand it any longer. He guided her chin around so he could look in her eyes. The absolute truth was his only chance to repair the damage. “I didn’t lie to you, sweetheart. There was nothing between Bree and me. We worked together—that’s all.”

  “And I’m supposed to believe you, just like I did the first time. Right?”

  “I’d like to think you believe me, but maybe you’ve heard something you simply can’t forgive. What exactly did Bree tell you?” He held her gaze and waited for her to say the damning words.

  She shook her head and backed away a step. “Apparently, when you were telling me how she meant nothing to you, you left out the part about asking her to marry you.”

  Anger flared with the old sense of helplessness and the need to do something, even if it was wrong, catapulting him back to the night Bree and her baby girl left. With a carefully worked out plan, they were going into hiding. They’d be safe, but the fear on Bree’s face that night would haunt him forever. “She told you . . . I just might kill her.”

  “Not sure that’s the right move. Not if you care about her.” She took another step back.

  Ty grasped her hand and kept her from backing away any farther. “Bree means nothing to me, except unfinished business . . . and not the kind you think, either. It’s you I care about, Rayna. Don’t you know that? Nobody else comes close. I didn’t lie to you, and I have nothing to hide from you.”

  Her eyes narrowed as she regarded him with suspicion. “Except one thing, apparently.” She pulled her hand from his.

  He studied her face as the memories assailed him. “Okay. Yes, I asked her to marry me. She was giving up her job with the FBI and disappearing with her daughter. Except for Madison, she was leaving everyone and everything she cared about behind. She was tough, but that scared even her. So, I offered her the only thing I had left. My protection. I was just a stupid kid, barely twenty-three, and like most kids, I thought I was bulletproof. She turned me down flat.”

  “I’m sorry.” Doubt and sarcasm tinged her words.

  “I’m not. Please believe me. There was nothing between us.” His hand slipped out of its own accord and pushed a wayward curl back from her lips.

  “Did you sleep with her?”

  “No.” He stepped toward her. “It wasn’t like that.”

  A pent-up breath escaped, and she allowed him to tug her a step closer. He held both of her hands as she stood stiffly, her eyes filled with sadness.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” She leaned back, and her confused gaze searched his.

  How long would the doubt linger there in her eyes? He should have told her, rather than banking on Bree’s need for privacy. Bree always had her own reasons for doing what she did, and this wasn’t the first time he’d bet wrong. Rayna had been blindsided by both of them. He didn’t blame her for being wary.

  His fingers stroked Rayna’s neck tentatively; the light contact sent heat coursing through him. He shrugged and frowned. “It’s a little hard on the ego, you know, when you put yourself out there like that and get shot down. It’s not my favorite topic of conversation, especially with women I’m trying to impress. Obviously, I was hoping she wouldn’t bring it up, either.”

  She rolled her eyes and some of her tension seemed to ebb away. “Sorry about your wounded male pride, but you still should have told me. What would you have done if she’d said yes?”

  He pulled her to him, snuggling her close, and kissed her forehead. “Honestly? I felt sorry for her and Madison. I didn’t think any further than that. If she’d said yes, I would’ve stood by them, but somehow I’d have known I missed out on something better. I would never have met you.”

  “Hey. Where’d my helper go?” Nate’s voice came from the edge of the deck.

  Rayna jumped back, and Ty let her go. “Keep your shirt on.” She raised her voice so Nate would hear. Then she gave Ty a tentative smile as a rare blush reddened her cheeks.

  “Are we good?” Ty waited while she considered the question.

  The smile slowly spread until it shone from her eyes. “Later.” She whispered the word as she brushed past him and ran up the steps.

  Later, they’d talk until she knew everything there was to know about him. He’d make sure this never happened again. Then . . . he’d show her how much he loved her.

  Ty started to reenter the kitchen to retrieve his beer but heard the Jeep pull up beside the garage and strode toward the sound. Joe and Walker climbed out of the vehicle as he approached, each carrying hammers, buckets of fencing wire, and connectors. Ty caught up with them at the shed.

  “What kind of shape is the fence in?”

  “It’s as good as new now, but the fact that Sean and Bree got in once proves it’s not as secure as Nate thought.” Walker dropped his tools on a shelf inside the shed.

  “The alarm system is top of the line. We’ll know if there’s another breach.” Joe placed his hammer on the shelf and stepped out of the shed. “Steve and Sanchez are bringing a couple of extra hands. They’ll land first thing in the morning. Walker will pick them up. Nate said there’s a private strip about thirty minutes from here.”

  Extra men? That had to be Joe’s idea, and he was obviously ramping up for a reason.

  As though he read Ty’s thoughts, Joe met his gaze. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

  Chapter Twenty

  * * *
>
  RAYNA TOOK THE stairs at a jog. She considered going right on by her room to Ty’s, then chickened out. He’d been distant during dinner, speaking quietly when spoken to and not meeting her gaze. In fact, everyone seemed tense and on edge—except for Maria and Madison.

  Maria kept up a steady conversation with the little girl and her mother, and she even got Rayna involved on some of their topics. Madison was in the second grade and apparently it was Maria who helped her with schoolwork, for it was she who knew everything about the girl’s progress. Rayna wondered again why the woman’s son wasn’t with her. How difficult that must be . . . but it didn’t seem to bother her tonight. Maria was happier than Rayna had seen her since they arrived.

  She thrust her door open and stepped across the threshold into the darkened room. The door fell shut behind her. A sound near the bed sent fear racing down her spine. She froze. Did someone wait there in the dark, or was it her imagination?

  Andre’s dead-serious threat against her life rushed into her mind. Should she run or go for the forty-five she’d left on the stand beside the door?

  Never one to run from trouble, she sidled toward the stand and felt for the cold metal of her handgun. It wasn’t there. She sucked in her breath and whirled in a half crouch as the bedside lamp flicked on, shedding a dim glow in a semicircle around the bed and revealing Ty stretched leisurely in the center of it, one arm behind his head.

  “Ty?” She straightened and jammed her hands on her hips, her gaze boring into his. “What the hell are you doing?”

  He grinned unapologetically. “Surprising you?” Propped comfortably against her pillows and the headboard, his hand rested on her Sig, next to him on the bed.

  “You know I hate surprises. I might have shot you.”

  “I had that possibility covered.” He gripped the weapon and placed it on her nightstand, an I’ve-thought-of-everything grin taking shape on his face. “Come here.” He patted the bed beside him, a smoldering invitation in his eyes.