Tempting Boundaries

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  Grif gave him an odd look, and Decker lifted his chin toward the front door. His friend frowned, but Decker just mouthed “two minutes”, before walking out the door, taking his leather jacket with him. He just needed some damn air, and he wasn’t going to get it in the house, not with so many people around him going through their own shit. Austin and Sierra were getting married. The twins had their own problems at work most likely. Maya looked like she was hiding something. Meghan had her asshole husband, and Alex was drinking in a corner. Harry and Marie were dealing with Harry’s illness, and Griffin was starting to see too much.

  They all saw too much.

  Decker walked out to the big tree on the front lawn and stuck his hands in his pockets. He wasn’t going to leave before dinner. That would hurt Marie’s feelings, and she’d been dealt enough blows recently. Leaving without a word would only make it worse.

  He didn’t know why Miranda was late, but she should be there soon. She’d get there, find out part of her world had crashed, and he’d be there to pick up the pieces. He always had. When she’d found out about her dad’s illness, he’d been the one to hold her. He’d been the one she’d leaned toward. Maybe it was because of her crush or whatever the hell she had, but that couldn’t be all of it. She’d always been part of him, close to him, even when they were growing up.

  He just wasn’t sure he could handle it anymore. Not after that kiss. Not after scaring her out of his kitchen. Scaring her right into Jack’s hands. Damn, the couple had looked perfect together in the restaurant, all long lines and smooth features. The fucker had put his hands on Miranda like he knew he was welcome there. Miranda hadn’t pulled away, hadn’t looked like she’d rather have someone else. It hadn’t helped that Colleen was on his arm and hadn’t liked the look on Decker’s face when they walked in. He thought they’d both known the score, and considering they hadn’t slept together in months, she shouldn’t have been surprised when he ended it. In fact, he wasn’t sure there was anything to end other than a few dinners here and there. She’d been fucking pissed, but now it was over, and he was free.

  At least free of her.

  The virtual shackles and confused thoughts were due to another long-legged brunette.

  The one who was just pulling up to the Montgomerys’ street. He stayed where he was, his hands still in his pockets. He wasn’t a nice man, and she needed to see that. He wouldn’t open her door and help her out or lead her into the house with his hand on the small of her back. She’d be fine on her own, and so would he.

  She had on big sunglasses, but those didn’t hide it all.

  What. The. Fuck.

  Ignoring his earlier thoughts, he took his hands out of his pockets and stormed toward her. She made it to the sidewalk and squeaked when she saw him. Her hand came up to her throat, and he cursed. He hadn’t meant to scare her, not this time, but shit.

  This was why she was late?

  “What the hell happened?”

  “Decker…” She put a hand out, but he didn’t touch her. Couldn’t right then. He was so fucking pissed he was afraid he’d hurt her more. He was his father’s son, and he couldn’t trust himself.

  “Who do I have to kill? Who the fuck put their hands on you? Was it that fucker, Jack?” He dug his keys out of his pocket, and she put her hand on his wrist.

  He stilled at her touch, so soft, so small.

  “Mir, tell me.”

  With a shaky hand, she took off her sunglasses. She hadn’t bothered with makeup, as it wouldn’t have hidden the swelling and bruises on her face anyway. He could see every single inch where someone had hurt her. He took in each bruise, each cut, each mark on her perfect face. He’d beat the bastard bloody, making sure to replicate the bruises and add a few more.

  After all, he wasn’t a nice man.

  “I took care of it.” She spoke softly, but she was clearly unbowed. Holy hell, this woman was strong.

  He took her by the shoulders gently and brought her to his chest. Fuck whatever was going on in his head. He needed to touch her and feel that she was still there, still okay. She stiffened for a moment then melted into him, gripping the front of his shirt.

  “Of course you took care of it,” he murmured. He wouldn’t expect any less of Miranda—and Maya and Meghan, if their earlier looks were any evidence. He ran his hand through her hair and over her back to soothe her. “Tell me what happened so I can take care of it, too.”

  “If you go in and beat someone up, you’ll only make it worse. I just want it to go away.”

  He growled softly, squeezing her tight until she protested. He loosened his arms and rested his cheek on the top of her head. They stood out in the middle of the sidewalk where anyone could see, but right then, he didn’t give a flying fuck. People could think what they wanted for the time being. He needed to make sure she was okay, and then he’d deal with the others.

  “Jack did this, didn’t he?”

  She nodded against him, and he struggled not to curse or growl.

  “What happened?”

  She shivered, and he took off his beat-up leather jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. She sighed and nuzzled closer.

  She told him about the date and how she hadn’t truly wanted to be with Jack in the first place. He would process the fact that she hadn’t wanted to be with the man and yet had pushed herself to do so later. When she got to the part where she’d called a cab, he stopped her.

  He pulled back and lifted her chin with his knuckle. “I was right there in the restaurant, Mir. You could have come to me, and I’d have given you a ride.”

  She shook her head. “Could I? After what happened in your kitchen, could I really?”

  He closed his eyes and cursed inwardly. He’d done a great fucking job there. “Yeah, Mir. No matter what happened in that fucking kitchen, I’d have taken you home. But let’s move on from that.”

  She looked at his face and saw something she must have understood in his eyes because she nodded. “I got as far as my front door. I had my keys out and everything because I was scared, you know?”

  His grip tightened, but he nodded. “Go on,” he bit out.

  She sighed. “He knocked me into wall.” She pointed to her face. “I think that’s where most of this comes from. Then he scared me a lot. Turned me around, hit me once.”

  He growled, straight up growled. “I’m going to kill him.”

  She shook her head. “He didn’t hit me again, because I kneed him in the nuts and somehow got inside my place and behind a locked door.”

  He grinned then. Yeah, it wasn’t a pleasant grin, but Miranda sure knew how to surprise him. “Good for you. Hope you kneed him hard.”

  She grinned with him, just as menacing. “I think so. He screamed a bit, and I used all my force to do it.” Then she shrugged, and he knew that, although that bit had made her feel better, there was still a long while to go until she would feel like herself again. Fuck if he knew how to help her with that. “I called the cops then Maya. Actually I sort of did it at the same time. Thank God Dad made my keep my landline.”

  “True.” For some reason, he wished she’d have called him, since, out of all of the Montgomerys and friends, he lived the closest. But he hadn’t been home, and they weren’t speaking.

  Well, fuck him.

  “So, Maya, Jake, and Meghan showed up and took care of me since I had a minor breakdown when the cops left.”

  He raised a brow. “You’re allowed to have a breakdown, minor or not. That little fucker had to have scared the shit out of you, so if you want to cry again or punch something, you let me know.”

  “You’re going to let me punch you?”

  He snorted. “Smartass. If that’s what you want, you can try. I meant the punching bag I have at the house.” He frowned. “In fact, you might want to try it out anyway so I can make sure you can protect yourself. I know the brothers taught you some moves, but I want to see them.”

  She sighed. “I thought I knew them too, but it’
s different when you actually have to use them. You know?”

  Sadly, he did know, but he didn’t tell her that.

  “What did the cops say?”

  She narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

  “What the hell? What did they say, Mir?”

  “Well, other than the older one pretty much blaming me because I’m a woman, not much.”

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. You get his badge number? Fuck that idiot.”

  “You’ve said fuck like ten times in the past two minutes. Calm down, Decker.”

  “Fuck that.” Despite his best effort, his mouth twitched. “Mir.”

  “Deck,” she said in his deep tone. “Jake got the badge number and took a photo of the guy. Made the idiot even angrier, but whatever. As for Jack, well, they said so far since there isn’t much evidence and no witnesses, it’s a case of he said/she said. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but Jack has a lot more money than me if he fights it or whatever.”

  Considering he’d lived a life where, no matter the evidence, his dad always got his way because his mom had been too scared to say anything, sadly, this didn’t surprise him. There were good cops out there, great ones, but they never found Decker most days.

  Something occurred to him. “I’m a witness. Well, not to what happened, but I saw him with you at the restaurant. I can tell them that.”

  She shook her head. “You’re welcome to try, but even the valet couldn’t help, and he saw us arguing.”

  Decker ground his teeth. “Anything I can do, Mir, name it. If it takes me beating the shit out of that little fucker so he understands exactly who he messed with, then I’ll do it.” And enjoy it, but he didn’t mention that part.

  “You can’t do anything, Decker. Besides, I took care of it,” she repeated.

  “I’m damn proud of you for doing what you did, but it doesn’t matter that you took care of it. I want to take care of it, and you sure as hell know your brothers are going to want to take care of it too.”

  She winced then. “I know. Damn. I didn’t want to come today since, well…” She pointed to her face, and he nodded. Yeah, there was no hiding that. “I don’t want to tell the whole story again and again, and that’s what I’m going to have to do if I don’t go in. This way everyone is there, and I can get it over with. Then I can go home or something.”

  Decker knew it was a mistake, but he’d help. He couldn’t help himself. “How about this...I go in with you. You tell your story, and then I get you out of there. Come home with me, and I’ll make sure your face is okay, and you can meet Gunner.”

  “Gunner?”

  “Hell, I forgot you didn’t know. I got a dog. Gunner. He’s in the back now hanging with the kids. So, you in?”

  She searched his face. “A dog? This I’ve got to see. I’m in.”

  Yep, he was a glutton for punishment.

  He took a step back, and she put her hand in his. He swallowed hard then pushed that feeling away. He’d help her because he couldn’t help himself, and then he’d find a way to get over her. If he didn’t, he wasn’t sure how he’d make it through the next few years.

  They walked step by step toward the door. When he put his hand on the doorknob, she squeezed his hand.

  “You ready?” he asked.

  “No, but I need to be.”

  “I’ll go in first,” he said, knowing it would only delay the inevitable.

  The family saw him first, curiosity on their faces. Then one by one, he saw them focus on Miranda.

  The room exploded.

  “Oh my God, baby.” Marie ran to Miranda’s side and took her daughter’s face—the unmarred side—in her hands. “What happened?”

  Miranda hissed out a breath, and since his hand was still holding hers, he pulled her away.

  “Everyone calm down,” Decker said, his booming voice over the fray. “She’ll explain everything, but you need to step back.”

  “Really?” Austin bit out. “I need to fucking step back?” His gaze traveled down to Miranda’s and Decker’s clasped hands. “Mind telling me what the fuck is going on?”

  For a moment, Decker thought the man he’d called a friend, a brother, thought that he had been the one to put the bruises on Miranda’s white-as-milk face. He shook it away, though, because that couldn’t be it. They wouldn’t think that…though they had all the right in the world to. After all, he’d come from that type of man, that blood. It wouldn’t be a stretch to think he’d been the one responsible, although he’d never hit a woman in his life.

  “Mind telling all of us?” Storm asked. The man glared while his twin at his side didn’t say anything. The murderous expression on his face said it all.

  Alex stood against the wall, not saying anything. At first, Decker thought the man was too drunk to care, but the anger in the man’s eyes was the first real emotion he’d seen in a long while.

  That was something.

  Griffin, too, didn’t say anything. He just stood next to his father with a look on his face that Decker couldn’t quite decipher.

  “Stop it. Stop it, all of you!” Maya yelled, and the room quieted.

  “If you’re done yelling like a bunch of Neanderthals, I’m going to take Cliff and Sasha home,” Meghan put in. “It’s been a long day already, and I think it’s time for everyone to sit and talk.” She came to Miranda’s side and kissed her sister’s temple. “Be well, and call me when you get him.”

  Cliff and Sasha quietly hugged Miranda, sensing the mood in the room.

  Sierra and Austin shared a look, and with Austin’s nod, she took Leif back outside with Gunner. Decker was sure she’d hear it all from her fiancé later, but this was not the time for the kids to be about.

  “It seems to me that the girls knew what was going on before all of us,” Griffin said smoothly. “Now Decker does. I don’t like being left out of the loop. I especially don’t like it when it looks like someone used my baby sister as a punching bag.”

  “Quiet,” Harry said softly. He walked carefully up to his daughter. Decker didn’t release her hand. He wasn’t sure he could in the first place.

  “Is the person who did this to you dead?” Harry asked.

  Miranda shook her head, tears filling her eyes. Damn it. “No, but I took care of it.” She told them the story just as she’d told Decker minutes before. She was right in thinking she wouldn’t want to tell it over and over again. This way she got it out in one fell swoop and she could move on. As much as anyone could anyway.

  Harry traced the bruised side of her face with his finger, barely brushing it so Miranda didn’t even wince.

  “I don’t want my sons in jail, nor my daughters and wife, because they took the law in their own hands,” Harry said smoothly. “You say you have this under control, I believe you. But know this, baby girl, if you need us, we’re here.” He kissed her forehead then looked over at Decker. Decker tilted his chin up, and Harry nodded.

  Yeah, the man knew some of the score. Decker would help and wouldn’t back down. Sometimes it took another person outside the den of a family by blood to find a way through another’s shields and help.

  If only they all knew exactly what was going on between him and Miranda.

  Which was precisely nothing, he reminded himself.

  Miranda wasn’t his.

  He’d help her out, make sure she could take care of herself, and then let her be on her way.

  She met his eyes, and he saw the plea in them. He gave her a nod. “I’m going home,” she said softly. “I know I just got here, but I only came to… well…” She pointed to her face. “You saw, you know as much as I do, and now I want to rest.”

  “I’ll make sure she gets home.” Griffin’s eyes met his, a question in his gaze. A question Decker wasn’t ready to answer—if he even knew the answer to begin with.

  “Stay here and say your goodbyes. I’ll get Gunner,” he whispered in her ear. She smelled of roses today.

  She nodded then started
the long goodbyes that came with any Montgomery family event. There were just too many people to make it easy to leave. He went out to the back yard and took a frolicking Gunner away from Leif. Sierra put her hand on Decker’s arm, but he shook his head. It wasn’t his story to tell, and from the looks of it, Austin would need to vent and get everything off his chest.

  “You’re a good man, Decker,” she said softly then kissed him over his beard.

  He didn’t agree, but he let her think that. It was what he was good at.

  He put Gunner’s leash on then made his way back into the house. Marie had loved the dog at first sight and let him roam around her clean house. Gunner was another Montgomery-by-claim just like him. It would do well for Decker to remember that.

  Miranda saw him coming then looked down, her face breaking out into a smile.

  “Oh, he’s adorable.” She got down to her knees and let Gunner come up to her. The dog sniffed around her then nuzzled her neck softly. Gunner seemed to know that Miranda was the kind of fragile that made hearts ache and took care not to push her down—unlike when Maya had met him.

  “Adorable?” Storm gaffed. “Miranda, honey, how hard did you hit your head? Ouch!” Storm rubbed his own head where Wes smacked it.

  Miranda just laughed and shook her head before standing. “I will see all of you soon. Thank you for understanding.”

  They said their goodbyes, and he walked her to her car. “I’ll follow you,” he said.

  “It’s your place. Why don’t I follow you?” she asked, tugging his jacket closer.

  “I want to make sure I see you at all times,” he said. “Bear with me. Just for today.”

  He cupped her face and felt her suck in a breath. He brushed her lip with his thumb, and she opened for him, her tongue darting out to lick the tip. He swallowed hard, meeting her gaze. This was stupid, oh, so fucking stupid. But he was going to do it, let go and live.