Freed

by Phillips, Carly

  Juliette arrived, her hair in a ponytail, her face freshly washed with no makeup, as if she’d rushed to get back to him, and he appreciated her more than words could express.

  They ate a quiet dinner, Juliette putting a portion aside in case his father woke up and was hungry. They cleaned up and made their way to his bedroom.

  While she waited, he showered, washing away the grime and worries of the day, which were replaced by more pragmatic concerns tonight. Like making phone calls to his list of Alzheimer’s nursing homes first thing in the morning. The only thing getting him through was knowing Juliette waited for him in his bedroom. The money her father had and would pay him would go a long way toward helping him financially, but the guilt wrapped around his throat and wouldn’t let go.

  He couldn’t be sleeping with her and care about her the way he did and still take her father’s cash. Not if he wanted to live with himself. Which meant he had to pay back the money and deal with the financial consequences. He’d managed when things were tight before and he could do it again. At least he’d have a clear conscience and could look both himself and Juliette in the eye.

  He towel-dried his hair and pulled on a pair of sweats before walking back into his room.

  Juliette lay on the mattress, propped up on a set of pillows, waiting for him. Nothing about her position, dress, or mannerism was sexual, but seeing her in his bed enticed him anyway. She looked like she belonged there, his to come home to after a long day.

  He slid onto the comforter beside her, hooking one leg around hers. “Hey.”

  “Hi. Tough day.”

  He nodded. “You can say that again.”

  He reached out and pulled her into his arms, her head resting against his chest. The scent of coconut in her hair was as arousing as she was tempting, but right now, he sought and found comfort in having her near.

  “What are you going to do?” she asked.

  He didn’t need to ask what she meant. “Take that next hard step. Put him somewhere where there are safeguards in place to keep people with his condition protected from themselves.”

  She nodded against his chest. “I know you’ve delayed doing it as long as possible.”

  “I have. But I’m also pragmatic and I have his name at places with waiting lists. I’m going to make the phone calls tomorrow. See what kind of time frame I’m looking at.” He stroked her hair, calming himself with the soft feel of the silky strands.

  “Smart,” she said on a yawn, the stress of the day catching up to her as well. “It must be an expensive proposition, paying for that kind of care.”

  “It is. Though I’ve been preparing for it since I found out, it hasn’t been long enough,” he admitted. “Things will be tight but I’ll manage.”

  He’d do anything to take care of his father the way his dad had always taken care of him.

  * * *

  Juliette fell asleep in Braden’s arms and she woke up alone, but she heard the sounds of men’s voices in the other room. Braden and his dad. Her heart went out to both men, his father for losing memories and the life he had, and Braden for watching his father’s disintegration while dealing with his own personal loss.

  She sat up in bed and sighed. Yesterday she’d done all she could do for Braden. Today she’d let him deal with the painful calls he needed to make and give him time to decide what he was going to do about the father he loved.

  She paused in the bathroom to wash her face and run her fingers through her hair before walking out to say good-bye to the men.

  She stepped into the kitchen. Jonathan was eating a bowl of cereal and Braden was staring into his coffee mug.

  “Good morning,” she said, trying to be bright and chipper.

  His father didn’t look up from his food.

  “Morning,” Braden said, treating her to a warm smile. “Sleep well?”

  She nodded. “Very.” Because she’d been wrapped in his arms.

  “Coffee? Tea? Breakfast?” Braden asked.

  She shook her head. “No thanks. I’ll get something at home. I need to shower and clean up, then call Phoebe and see what she needs from me next.” She walked over and kissed his cheek. “Take care,” she said.

  She stepped away but he grasped her hand and spun her back to face him.

  He pulled her against him. Freshly showered, he smelled manly and delicious.

  “I…” he began.

  She held her breath, waiting for him to continue.

  He didn’t.

  “Yes?” she asked in the wake of his silence.

  “I just… wanted to say thank you. For everything you did for me and my father.”

  She nodded. “Of course I was there for you.” He’d become an integral part of her life in a very short time.

  She’d come to care for him deeply. She wanted to help him with his fractured family and know he was there for her when things in her own life got complicated.

  They could be a good team, she thought, not in the least bit frightened off by the strong feelings she was developing for this special man.

  * * *

  After Juliette left and Lucy came over, Braden showered, dressed, and sat down on the bed in his room, door locked, to begin calling nursing homes. His first choice didn’t have any openings and he wasn’t high enough on the waiting list if something changed, but his second option was more optimistic. They felt there would potentially be an open bed and room for his father in a week or so.

  The reality of the situation made Braden feel sick. Because the spot for his dad would come at the expense of someone else’s life. The whole process was depressing, he thought, and he was actually looking forward to going into work.

  He and Lucy talked this morning and agreed to locking the doors with the deadbolt for the few times she’d have to go to the bathroom. Prior to yesterday, it had never dawned on him that his father would wander away. Lucy would be more vigilant now.

  For now, Braden decided it was okay to head into work for a few hours to get his mind onto something else for a while. He drove to the office and had just walked inside when Mike called out his name. “Braden, get in here.”

  He strode back to his partner’s desk, responding to the urgency in Mike’s voice. “What’s going on?”

  Mike stood as Braden walked in. “I had the police scanner on. You know, my favorite pastime, and Juliette’s name came over the air. Burglary at her apartment.”

  Braden blinked in surprise. “Son of a bitch. First her car was broken into and now this? Did the cops get the guy?” he asked.

  “Didn’t sound like it,” Mike said with a shake of his head. “They arrived at the scene and he was gone. It wasn’t a robbery in progress.”

  Braden ran a hand through his hair in frustration and worry. “Is she okay?” he asked.

  “From what I understand, yes.”

  He jerked his head. “I’m going over there. Sorry to leave you to hold down the fort again.”

  Mike waved away his concern. “I’ve got it. Besides, I’ll be out this afternoon on a job anyway.”

  With a nod, Braden headed out. The drive there seemed endless, his thoughts on Juliette. Was she scared? Worried? Freaked out by a second intrusion? He wanted to be there to comfort her, to stand between her and anyone who wanted to hurt her. With Juliette, he felt a protectiveness unlike anything he’d experienced before. Not even with Emily, who he’d once asked to marry him, had he felt the depths of what he felt for Juliette.

  Because he loved her.

  He loved her in a way that surpassed concerns about her not accepting the fact that life came with issues and complications, because he knew in his soul she’d understand. She’d proven that to him already.

  Now he had to do right by her and be there when she needed him.

  He pulled into the back parking lot, rushed across the pavement and up the stairs. Stepping through the open door, he saw the apartment had been trashed, couch pillows on the floor, broken items strewn around.

  Juli
ette was dressed in the same outfit she’d been wearing in his kitchen this morning, talking to one of the officers who’d helped out looking for his father yesterday.

  She glanced up and her eyes leveled on his. “Braden!” She jumped up and ran straight for him.

  He caught her in his arms. “What happened?” he asked, keeping her hugged tight to him while turning to face the cop in the room.

  “I came home and my door was wide open. The place was a mess. I have no idea what’s missing, if anything.” She looked more angry than afraid, for which he was glad. He didn’t want her spooked.

  “Officer Chase, on top of the car break-in, are you thinking this is targeted in any way?” Braden asked.

  “We’re considering all angles. We dusted point of entry and exit, but as you know, that only helps if the perp’s prints are in the system. And we have to send it out to a bigger city to check.”

  So it could take forever to get information back, Braden thought.

  Officer Chase rose to his feet. “I’ll be in touch.”

  “Thank you,” Juliette said.

  He walked out, shutting the door behind him.

  “I can’t believe this. You think it’s connected to whoever broke into my car?” Juliette paced back and forth in the small apartment.

  “I think we have to consider the possibility.”

  She sighed. “Fine. But that doesn’t help me now.” She gestured around the messy apartment. I have to clean it up. Make a list of what, if anything, is missing.”

  He didn’t miss the catch in her voice and he wanted to protect her from things that could hurt her. “I’ll help you get this place in order.”

  “What about your father?” she asked. “Don’t you need to be with him?”

  “He’s with Lucy. As for work, Mike’s the one who heard about your break-in on the police scanner. He knows I’m with you. Give me a broom?”

  She nodded and headed for the small closet and handed it to him. As he swept up glass, she righted pillows and framed photographs.

  “We have to consider people in your life who might want something from you. Or at least scare you.”

  She bit down on her lower lip, the sight doing something intense to his cock. But he had more pressing things to worry about than having sex with her, as much as he wanted to be buried balls deep and forget her problems, as well as his.

  “The only ones looking for anything from me are my parents. My father wants me to come home and my mother wants cash. My father wouldn’t deliberately scare me and my mother’s a wild card.”

  He settled onto a chair while she finished straightening the last of the tossed knickknacks. Her father was an asshole, but would he scare the child he claimed to love? He just might. But he wasn’t about to bring that up now and upset her even more.

  “Your mother is a possibility,” he said instead. “Did you give her name to the police?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “I didn’t think of her until you asked who wanted something from me. And even if I had, I wouldn’t have named her.” She looked down at him with wide, vulnerable eyes. “She’s still my mother.”

  He grasped her hand and pulled her into his lap. “I get that. Respect it, even.”

  “Thank you for coming today. I was handling it, but I have to admit it helped to see you standing in the doorway. I knew I wasn’t alone.” She wriggled her ass into his groin and he swallowed a groan.

  He pulled her tight against him, acknowledging that she tangled him up inside. From the need to protect her to the desire to fuck her to the deep-seated yearning to make love to her – she was everything he needed in one beautiful, vulnerable yet strong package.

  Still, he didn’t delude himself. This entire situation was a time bomb waiting to explode. Unless he took steps to make things better. And in the back of his mind, he was already formulating a plan. By the time she learned the truth, he planned to have smoothed over the worst of his transgressions and then he could tell her how he truly felt about her.

  That he loved her and would never intentionally hurt her.

  When she wasn’t under the pressure of having had her life violated, he’d tell her about the job for her father and hope she understood that although they’d met under false pretenses, everything else between them was incredibly real.

  Chapter Ten

  The next day, Braden settled behind his desk at his office with one job in mind. Step one in freeing himself to talk to Juliette and come clean.

  He picked up his phone and dialed Juliette’s father, the other man answering on the first ring. “Mr. Collins, this is Braden Clark,” he said, certain he was doing the right thing.

  “It’s about time. I hope you have something more current for me about my daughter other than she’s fine,” the other man said, clearly pissed off.

  And from his perspective, rightfully so. Braden hadn’t been forthcoming with information as was his job.

  “Actually I’m calling to let you know I’m going to be returning your money. Now that I’ve gotten to know and like your daughter, I don’t feel right about this assignment.”

  Braden opted for a vague explanation, knowing her father would only explode if he knew any more details about Braden’s relationship with Juliette.

  “Excuse me?” Andrew said, voice rising. “You’re a private investigator. It’s your job to tail people and report back to the person paying. Now you’re telling me you’ve developed a conscience?” he asked, mocking Braden’s reasoning. “What is your relationship with my daughter, anyway?”

  Braden didn’t reply. He understood the man’s anger and questions. It didn’t make sense for Braden to refuse to do his job – but for the fact that he’d fallen in love with Juliette, something he wasn’t going to tell Andrew Collins before he told the woman herself.

  Once he’d explained all, if she forgave him, they could figure out together how to tell her father they were involved in a relationship. One step at a time, he thought.

  In the meantime, he hoped that being able to come to Juliette and tell her he’d given back the money would go a long way toward softening the blow that she’d been a job to him when they first met.

  “This is ridiculous. I never should have let her go to that Godforsaken town alone. I’m going to get her back myself. Thank you for nothing, Mr. Clark, and I’d better see my money refunded as soon as possible.” Andrew Collins disconnected the call without saying good-bye.

  Braden stared at his phone, stomach sinking because with her father coming to town, his window for telling Juliette about him working for her father, in his own way and his own time, had just shrunk way down.

  She had an appointment with her sister scheduled this afternoon, so he’d have to see her later tonight – in person – and talk to her, hoping he still had a relationship left after he admitted the truth.

  * * *

  Juliette accompanied Phoebe to a new house that her sister planned to list for sale. She didn’t mention the break-in, not wanting to worry her sister. She could handle things on her own.

  They walked into a mansion with gorgeous marble flooring and a circular staircase on either side of the house, coming together in a bridge on the second floor.

  “This place is incredible,” Juliette said, looking up at the mural on the wall above the bridge.

  Phoebe nodded. “It is.” She smoothed a hand over her bone-colored skirt. “It just needs some warmth added to it. The place needs to look like a family can live here as opposed to a picture-perfect museum showpiece.”

  With a nod, Juliette made some notes on her phone. “I can do that.”

  “Great. Want to get lunch before I have to go back to the office?” Phoebe asked.

  “I’d love to. Let’s just go through of all the rooms so I can make some more notes of what I need in order to stage the house and then we can go.”

  “Lead the way.” Phoebe gestured with one hand for Juliette to begin.

  They walked through the bedrooms and were
heading to the kitchen when Phoebe’s cell rang. She dug it out of her purse and answered. “Hello?”

  Juliette paused, waiting for her sister to take the call.

  “Hey, Halley. Juliette and I are just finishing up some work. Want to meet us for lunch after?” Phoebe paused, then said, “What? She’s where?” Another pause while Juliette listened to whatever Halley was saying. “No, you are not going alone. We’ll be right there. We’re going to handle this together. All three of us.” Phoebe disconnected the call and met Juliette’s gaze.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, worried by her sister’s tone of voice and the concern etching her features.

  “Our mother was arrested and called Halley.” A muscle ticked in Phoebe’s jaw as she spoke.

  “I don’t know which part of that sentence to be more surprised by.” That their mother had gotten into trouble once more or that she thought any of her children would help her out.

  The wry look that crossed Phoebe’s face would have been priceless if it weren’t for the fact that the situation was so very sad. “We’re going to Halley’s to pick her up and then we’re going to deal with our mother once and for all,” Phoebe said. “She can’t think that we are going to clean up her messes or bail her out.”

  “United we stand and all that?” Juliette quipped, although her stomach was churning at the thought of seeing the woman who’d given birth to her, defeated in a jail cell.

  For all her faults, this was the mother she’d built up in her mind as a little girl as one who’d loved her until she’d tragically died. The reality was wholly different and it hurt.

  “Are you okay?” Phoebe put a hand on her arm.

  With a sigh, Juliette forced herself to shake off the melancholy. Her mother had made her choices and those choices hadn’t been her children.

  “I’m fine.” Juliette straightened her shoulders, strengthening herself from the inside out. “And I’m ready to go deal with our mom.”

  A short while later, they’d picked up Halley and headed to the jail where Meg was being held in the next town over from Rosewood Bay. A dank facility with dim lighting and peeling paint on the walls, it matched Juliette’s mood as they waited for Meg to be brought out to them.