James followed him, watching as Jake slipped the key in the door. When Jake pushed, the door only opened a few inches and then held steady. The security chain was in place.
“I’m going to guess she knows,” Jake said, his expression grave.
James knocked on the door. “Ally?”
“Go away!”
“Ally, let us in,” James said. “We want to talk to you.”
“You mean you want to lie to me some more,” Ally shot back.
“Ally, I’m really sorry,” Jake said. “Can you please open the door so we can talk?”
“I want to be alone,” Ally replied.
“You have Mandy in there with you,” James pointed out.
“Only because she won’t leave,” Ally said. “I’m not talking to her either.”
“She’s not dead, is she?” James asked, exchanging a noncommittal shrug with Jake.
“She’s dead to me.”
“Ally … ?”
James and Jake watched as the door pushed closed, the sound of the security chain being disengaged obvious. When the door opened back up, Mandy was standing there, and she’d been crying.
Jake shot Mandy a sympathetic look before moving into the house, pulling up short when he saw Ally sitting on the floor by the couch. Her arms were locked around her ankles, and her head was resting on the top of her knees. His heart flopped when he saw how red and puffy her eyes were. “Angel … .”
“Go away,” Ally said, turning her head so he couldn’t see her face. “I don’t want to see you right now.”
James looked Mandy up and down, his expression unreadable. “You just couldn’t keep your mouth shut, could you?”
Mandy ignored him.
Jake sat down on the floor next to Ally, and he cautiously ran his hand up and down her back. “I’m really sorry we lied to you.”
“You’re sorry you got caught,” Ally countered.
“That’s not fair, Ally,” James said, stepping into the room. “We were in a spot. Jake was our only option. We thought we were doing the right thing. We went about it the wrong way. We didn’t want you to worry.”
“Oh, well, good job.”
“You can’t be mad at Jake,” James said. “It was my idea. Blame me.”
“Oh, I do.”
“I understand you’re mad,” James said. “You have a right to be.”
“I’m beyond mad.”
“I understand you’re hurt,” James said, trying a different tactic. “Just … blame me.”
Ally swiveled, her tear-streaked face landing on James. “I do blame you. I’m not in a relationship with you, though, am I?”
“Ally,” Jake leaned forward and brushed her tangled hair out of her face. “I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you. I just knew you would be sitting here obsessing about what I was doing if I did. We thought it would only be a few days. It looks like it’s going to be longer than that. I just didn’t want to upset you.”
Ally stuck her bottom lip out. “I know why you did it,” Ally said. “Mandy told me all about it.”
“I’ll just bet she did,” James said, shooting his wife a hard look.
“Don’t look at her that way,” Ally grumbled. “She didn’t want to tell me. She had no choice.”
“Oh, did you wrestle her down and beat it out of her?” James challenged.
“No. I told her I thought Jake found someone else,” Ally said. “I told her that he wouldn’t touch me anymore, and that he’d lost interest in me. That’s when she told me.”
“Oh.” James stilled, his gaze softening as he took another look at Mandy. “Well … .”
“That’s a stupid thing to think, Ally,” Jake said. “I could never lose interest in you. I … I wish you had told me what you were thinking.”
“When?”
“What?”
“When should I have told you? When you were sneaking in the house after I was asleep and immediately jumping in the shower to clean yourself off before climbing in bed with me?” Ally pressed. “Or, should I have asked you via text message and waited for you to blow me off like you did tonight?”
Jake rubbed the back of his neck. “I can see how that looked bad from your perspective,” he said. “I wasn’t taking a shower to wash some … woman off me. I was taking a shower because I’d been sweating all day, and the guys I’ve been hanging around with smoke, and that whole area is just a cesspool, and I didn’t want it to touch you.”
“You didn’t want to touch me period,” Ally said.
“I … I always want to touch you,” Jake said. “I am not the type of man who is going to walk in here late and wake you up for sex, though.”
James cleared his throat.
“Dude, you’re going to have to let it go,” Jake said. “She’s upset. I told you she would think I was cheating, and I told you that I couldn’t bear the thought of it.”
“I know you weren’t cheating on me,” Ally said. “Mandy told me.”
“So, are you upset because you thought I was cheating on you or because I was lying?” Jake asked. “I need to know which one so I can try and make it better.”
Ally refused to answer, causing Jake to shift his gaze to James and Mandy. “Why don’t you two go? I think Ally and I need some time alone.”
James sighed, nodding. “Ally, I’m really sorry for all of this. We’ll talk tomorrow. Come on, Mandy.”
Mandy grabbed her purse from the couch. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Ally.”
“Don’t bother,” Ally said. “I don’t want to speak to you ever again.”
Mandy’s face was ashen. “Ally, you don’t mean that.”
“I do,” Ally said. “I expect these two to lie to protect me. I never expected you to lie to me.”
“But … .” Mandy broke off, her voice thick with tears.
“Get out,” Ally said. “Don’t come back.”
James reached for Mandy as she moved through the door, but she slapped his hands away. He could hear her sobbing as she rushed down the driveway to her car.
“I’m going to go,” James said. “Ally, I know you’re upset, but you shouldn’t be taking this out on Mandy. She wanted to tell you right away. I convinced her it was a bad idea because it would hurt you. Blame me.”
“Go away, James,” Ally said. “I can’t look at you or your wife right now.”
James shut the door behind him, focusing his attention on Mandy’s car as she drove across Ally’s yard to maneuver past his truck and escape from the driveway. He wanted to call out to her, but she was already gone. He had no idea what horrors would be waiting for him at home, but he wasn’t looking forward to facing them.
“HAVE you eaten anything?” Jake asked, helping Ally up from the floor.
“I’m not hungry.”
“You need to eat,” Jake said, moving into the kitchen. He frowned when he saw the uneaten bowl of pasta and breadsticks on the counter. “Did you make this?”
“It’s ruined now,” Ally said, rubbing her eye with the heel of her hand.
“I’m sorry,” Jake said.
“It doesn’t matter,” Ally replied, slinking into the kitchen. “I found the recipe on the Internet. It’s not a big deal.”
“It is a big deal,” Jake said. “I promised I would be here for dinner, and I didn’t make it. I am so sorry.”
“I know you are,” Ally said.
“Do you want me to order some food?” Jake asked. “It won’t be as good as what you made, I’m sure, but you need something to bolster you.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Come here, angel,” Jake said, holding his arms open.
Ally looked him up and down, unsure.
“I want to hold you,” Jake said. “Come here. Please.”
Ally gave in. Jake pulled her tight, kissing the side of her face as he wrapped himself around her. She was heavy in his arms, and Jake let her drag him down to the floor so he could pull her on his lap.
“I’m sorry, Ally,” J
ake said, kissing her between words. “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
Ally’s chest heaved as the tears started again.
Jake squeezed her against his chest. “I’m sorry, angel. You have to know, I would never cheat on you. I don’t want to. There’s no one better than you. It’s you and me. There’s no one else. I promise.
“I know I shouldn’t have lied,” Jake continued. “I know it was wrong. I’m so sorry.”
Even though she was still in emotional turmoil, Ally let the anger go. She wanted to forgive Jake, so she did. “Let’s go to bed.”
Jake lifted her, scooping her in his arms and shuffling toward the bedroom. “It’s going to be okay, angel. Everything is going to be okay.”
JAMES stood at the sliding glass doors in the dining room and stared out at the guesthouse, unsure of what to do. Mandy had already been out there by the time he returned to the house. While he had been the one with righteous anger on his side when he arrived at Ally’s house, he knew he was in the wrong now.
He never should have asked her to lie.
James sighed, pushing open the glass door and stepping outside. He hadn’t spent a night away from the woman since she’d officially become his wife, and he had no intention of starting now. She’d just have to forgive him. He wasn’t going to give her a choice.
He found her in her studio. She was sitting on the floor, cross-legged, a myriad of paint tubes spread out around her.
“What are you doing?”
“Organizing.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine,” James said, kneeling down next to her.
“Thanks.”
“You know what I mean,” James said.
“I do.”
James made an exasperated sound in the back of his throat. “How long are you going to be mad at me?”
“Two days.”
James arched an eyebrow. “Two days? You’ve sentenced me?”
“You’re grounded,” Mandy said.
James pursed his lips, fighting the urge to laugh. He knew she was upset. Her face was cloudy, and she was fighting eye contact. He had a feeling that was because she was worried about bursting into tears, something that made her feel weak.
“Okay,” James said. “How about we go to bed? You look like you could use some sleep.”
“I’m not having sex with you when you’re grounded,” Mandy said.
“I figured,” James said. “That doesn’t mean we can’t go to bed.”
“I’ll sleep out here,” Mandy said. “You can have the bedroom.”
“We’re not sleeping apart,” James countered.
“Why not?”
“Because we have spent exactly one night apart since we got together,” James said. “It was one of the worst nights of my life – and I’ve been to war. I’m not doing it now.”
“Even if I’m angry?”
“Even if you’re angry,” James confirmed.
Mandy sighed, getting to her feet. “Fine. I’m still sleeping out here.”
“I can live with that,” James said, following her into the small bedroom next to the studio. He watched as she stripped out of her pants and climbed under the covers. He followed suit, rolling up behind her and wrapping his arm around her waist after killing the light by the bed.
With nothing but darkness and silence surrounding him, James detected faint shaking in his wife’s shoulders. “I’m sorry Ally is mad.”
“I don’t want to talk about it right now,” Mandy said.
“Okay,” James said, kissing her neck and pulling her body to the center of the bed where he could hold her properly. “I love you, baby.”
Mandy didn’t respond.
“I’ll be here in the morning when you want to talk.”
“I love you,” Mandy finally huffed out. “I’m still mad at you.”
“It’s going to be okay, baby,” James said. “Ally will forgive you.”
“Go to sleep, James.”
Seventeen
“You look like hell,” Grady said, pulling up short when he caught his first glimpse of James Wednesday morning.
“I feel like hell,” James said, rubbing the stubble on his chin.
“What’s wrong?”
“Women.”
Grady pursed his lips, his eyes lighting with amusement. “They are odd creatures. What’s wrong with yours?”
“She’s not speaking to me.”
“Why?”
“I … I screwed up,” James said.
“What else is new?”
“I shouldn’t have asked her to lie to Ally,” James said. “It was unfair.”
“I take it Ally found out what Jake has been up to?” Grady settled in the chair across from James’ desk. “How did she find out?”
“Mandy told her.”
“Well, you had to know that was coming,” Grady said. “Mandy held on a heck of a lot longer than I thought she would.”
“Ally called Mandy all hysterical last night because she thought Jake had lost interest in her and was cheating on her,” James supplied.
“It’s been four days,” Grady said. “How is that even possible?”
“You know our sister,” James said. “She can convince herself of almost anything.”
“So, Mandy told her the truth? Well, at least it’s out now. I don’t understand why Mandy isn’t speaking to you, though.”
“Ally didn’t take things well,” James said. “She’d been crying. It looked like she’d gone all out and made dinner for Jake, and then when he didn’t show up she just … melted down.”
“She has to understand why we did it,” Grady said.
“I think she does,” James said. “She wasn’t screaming and yelling when we got there. She was pouting, and she’d been crying, but she was calm.”
“That doesn’t sound like Ally.”
“No,” James agreed. “She didn’t even try to pull my hair.”
“I still don’t understand why Mandy is so upset.”
“Ally called off their friendship,” James said. “She says that Mandy betrayed her by not telling her right away. She said she expected Jake and me to lie while trying to protect her, but she can’t forgive Mandy for doing the same. I left Jake with her to work things out. I’m hoping she calms down.”
“So, Mandy is upset because Ally is upset,” Grady said.
“Yup.”
“And you’re upset because Mandy is upset.”
“I’m … frustrated,” James said. “I don’t understand why everything has to be so dramatic with them. It’s ridiculous. They’re adults, for crying out loud.”
“They’re adults who were close as kids,” Grady corrected.
“So?”
“So, that means that they regress when they fight,” Grady said. “Ally will get over it. She always does.”
“Well, until she does, I’m on punishment,” James said.
Grady arched an eyebrow. “Punishment?”
“Mandy says I’m grounded.”
Grady barked out a laugh. “You’re grounded? So, that’s why you look like you do. You’ve been cut off from the loving.”
“Oh, it’s not so funny when it’s you, is it?” Finn asked, wandering into the office.
James scowled. “Were you eavesdropping?”
“You guys were talking out in the open,” Finn shot back. “That’s hardly eavesdropping.”
“Whatever,” James said, running his hand through his hair. “Please tell me we have something new.”
“Nope,” Finn said. “We’re exactly where we were a week ago. Where’s Jake?”
“He went back to the warehouse,” James said. “He sent me a text this morning.”
“I thought Ally would have put the kibosh on that,” Grady mused.
“Maybe she’s more reasonable than we give her credit for,” Finn suggested.
“I doubt that,” James said. “Maybe I should go and try t
o talk to her?”
“That sounds like a really bad idea,” Grady said. “Give her some time to cool down. She’ll forgive Mandy, and then everything will be fine.”
“I don’t like it when my wife won’t talk to me,” James said. “She was talking to me last night. It was pouty, but she was still talking. This morning, though? Nothing.”
“You were hoping she would just wake up and be happy?” Grady asked.
“Not happy,” James conceded. “I was hoping that she would be calmer, willing to listen to reason.”
“That’s not going to happen until they make up,” Finn said.
James massaged the back of his neck, considering. “So, what you’re saying is, we have to get them together so they hash things out.”
“I don’t think that’s what I was saying,” Finn hedged.
“No, that’s what you were saying.”
“What are you thinking?” Grady asked.
“I’m thinking that Sophie is going to take Mandy out for drinks tonight,” James said.
“She is?”
“Yup,” James said, nodding. “And then Emma is going to take Ally out for drinks, and they’re just going to happen to show up at the same place.”
“When did you become a teenage girl?” Finn asked. “All this plotting is very Gossip Girl.”
“I’m not sure Sophie is going to agree to this,” Grady said. “She’s … obsessed right now. She spends every waking moment searching through files and doing research on the Internet. I don’t think a girls’ night is on the agenda.”
“You’re worried about her, aren’t you?” James asked.
“I’ve seen her go crazy for a story before,” Grady said. “There’s something different about this. She’s only sleeping like four hours a night. She’s going to kill herself.”
“Have you tried talking to her?”
“Of course I have,” Grady replied. “She says nothing is wrong and to stop worrying. I’m in a bad spot. She doesn’t like to be crowded, but the more she overworks herself, the more I start to crowd her. I feel like a needy chick.”
Finn smirked. “Oh, poor Grady,” he said. “Such a sad lad.”
“You’re a pain,” Grady said, cuffing his brother on the back of his head. “You have no idea how frustrating it is to live in the same house with Sophie right now.”
Deadly Questions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 8) Page 12
