“Chase’s wife is about to have a baby, so Rayne is gonna stay with her and help out.”
“What about the rest of the guys, are they willing to join up?” We had four other members of this team, each serving an important purpose. The mission would be damn near impossible without the whole team.
“Havoc is still on active duty, stationed down in Florida until his time is up, but he wants in the second he removes the uniform. Ghost is giving us intel, he’s trying to get a job with the Secret Service. Chief is willing to do whatever we need him to while he waits for his girl to get back to the States. Doc is still in Afghanistan, while he waits for his time to be up. He’s been working hard on the girl who sent him that package for Christmas, hell of a story there.”
I wanted to know more of the stories my guys had going on, but I needed to work on my own relationship first. “Let me see if I can win Kennedy over, smooth this shit out before I give you an answer.”
***
I tried Kennedy’s phone a few more times, each call resulting in a trip to her voicemail. Matt would be leaving the day after tomorrow and I wanted to have an answer for him. As I lay in my bed, the one I’d fantasized about having her in, I tried to come up with a way to get her to listen to me, to see the truth of what happened. As the dawn of a new morning greeted me, I tossed back the covers, determined to get my girl back. Grabbing my cell off the dresser, I scrolled through my contacts until I found his number. “Hello, Mr. Forrester. I’m sorry for the early hour, but I need to speak with you urgently.” Kennedy may not want to listen to me, but I knew she damn well would listen to her father.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Kennedy
"Kennedy, you have to choose." This was the hundredth time my mother had presented this exact same statement to me. In the last few days, I'd become bombarded with my mother's incessant complaints, ever since the not so pleasant conversation she had with my father's attorney.
"He humiliated me, Kennedy. You can't possibly take the side of the man who caused me such public humiliation."
In recent weeks, my father had begun to change; reverting back to the man he was when he first became an attorney. Morals intact, with the drive to be the best he could be and take on the world, making it a better place. His first mission was to set my mother straight and make her see the world by the light he was currently shining.
Dad knew she had a monthly chair meeting at their country club. He chose that particular meeting to send in a deputy, serving her with divorce papers. Reliable sources stated she had tried to hand them back to the man, demanding he admit he made a mistake. A tiny piece of me felt bad when I heard she was left crying and alone in the room she once commanded.
"As I have told you a number of times, I'm not taking anyone's side. This is a matter between you and Daddy.” She began to scream at me about how he had taken me away from her, turning me against her. I hoped one day she could come to grips with the truth, though I doubted it would be anytime soon. Especially since Dad had placed the castle he built for her on the market. All of her credit cards had been revoked and she was now living on a stipend set up by the court system. It was a reasonable amount in my opinion, unless you're used to spending money the way she was. Dad assured me she would never be homeless and would have the necessities she required, as long as he was alive.
Dad and I had been spending more time together. His living a few miles from me helped tremendously. He told me after his divorce was final he would be moving in with Leeann. Marriage was not something either of them wanted at the moment, but she made him happy, that much was crystal clear; from the color of his face, to the way he now let a little scruff form on his jaw. He smiled more and he most definitely laughed more. He was the daddy I remembered from my childhood. Leeann didn't try to push a relationship on me, but she gave me an open invitation to come by her home anytime. I told her, and my father, out of respect for my mother I would hold off, at least until the ink dried on the final paperwork. My mother may be an evil woman, with many hidden agendas and venom running through her veins, but she was still the woman who had given birth to me. Without her I wouldn't be here, for that I would show respect.
This morning, my dad called and requested I stop over for dinner. When I arrived, Dad stood in his kitchen, a dishtowel slung over his left shoulder, dressed in a button down shirt and blue jeans—unlike the suit wearing man I grew up with. His hair was a little longer and the smell of his time honored cologne was gone. Another change in my father, he had gone out for the first time ever and chosen cologne for himself. The new smell reminded me of the stuff Zach and Jason wore, which made me miss Zach so much more. I’d avoided him for days, not ready to admit there may be more to his story. Embarrassment and pride kept me from returning his calls.
I expected to see empty takeout containers, but when I walked into the kitchen, the room was alive with boiling pots and vegetables waiting to be chopped. Without waiting for an invitation, I took my place, tending to the steaming pot of cooking pasta. Dad had set the stage with the music from long ago. With the Italian menu, Dean Martin sang of love being a kick in the head, it was simple and perfect.
Zach caught my eye across the room, time had not erased the hurt I found last time I saw him. We plated the food and took places around the small kitchen bar. There was no formal dining room table and no dishes so expensive they needed insurance just to make an appearance. Dad was telling Zach about tickets his firm had for an upcoming sports event. He invited him to join him at one of the arenas in the area. Zach thanked him, telling him he would be happy to attend with him.
"Kennedy, it’s time to talk about what happened the other night. No more hiding like you did when you were a little girl.”
Leaning over, I kiss my dad's cheek. "You're right, I’ve been acting like a child and it’s time we clear the air." Dad took a drink from his beer, a beverage my mother forbade being in her house, stating only commoners drank bottled beer.
“I’d like to go first, if you don't mind?” Zach’s deep voice still does strange things to me, turning any rational thought into a puddle of goo.
“I suppose it’s only right, since I’ve shut you out for days.”
Zach shot a look at dad and leaned over the island on his forearms, his bottle of beer grasped between his closed hands. “When we went to the courthouse for your restraining order, it didn’t sit well with me when Ethan threatened you. With my training, a pot shot like his would have gotten him bent over a table and my fist in his face. But in the society we live in, violence is frowned upon and criminals seem to have more rights than the victims. I couldn't sit back and let another criminal walk out of a hearing with a smile of victory on his face.”
My father slid his arm around me, as Zach continued. “Kennedy, when we were corresponding back and forth after I returned your letter, I tried to make you understand how important my team is to me. How they’re more like family than a bunch of guys I was stationed with. I told you about Reaper, or Matt his given name, remember? How he was hurt by a guy with a knife, and then by the girl who agreed to marry him. After Ethan's threat, I called my team and asked for help. Matt came running, but he brought a friend.”
My breath caught in my throat, a shiver starting up my spine. “Her name is Rayne Winters, and she has single handedly turned a jaded man like Matt into a someone who believes in love again, giving him his smile back.”
I’m off my chair and around the island, wrapping my arms around his massive neck. “I’m so, so sorry.” I cry into his chest as his arms wrap around me, bringing back the warmth I've lacked the past few days. The smell of his cologne fills my senses, and I can feel my body relax. “She’s a beautiful girl.” I admit, as it is the truth.
“She isn’t you.” He assures me. “Babe, there’s more.” Zach whispers, but I don’t care what he has to say. Nothing can change the elation of knowing he didn’t cheat on me.
His grip on me lessons as he pulls me back to look into my eyes. “
I need you to understand, I had to protect you.” Everything about him tells me he is warring with himself as to what to say. “Matt and I went to Ethan’s hotel room. What we found, was so much more than a man with a crush on you.”
I listened as he told me of the photos they found and what the news would announce the investigators found. He explained how he and Matt gave Ethan a small dose of what the girls must have felt as they took their last breaths.
“Your father and I agree the system is broken.” Looking over to my father, I see his head nodding in agreement. “And there are more people in need of help out there.”
Looking back and forth between them, I know in my gut what Zach is about to say. “But I won’t even consider it, unless I have you by my side.” His eyes searching mine, looking for any hint of doubt I may have.
“You’ll be with the guys? The ones you served with?”
With his thumb wiping the tears from my face, his smile making an appearance. “We can set up a time for you to meet them. You can ask any question roaming around in your beautiful mind.”
I nod my acceptance of his choice, agreeing to meet the men who know a part of him I never will.
“Not to put a damper on things, but Kennedy, what Zach and his men are doing is illegal. If they were to get caught, they could face jail time.” My dad and his voice of reason. How Zach managed to get him on his side and look the other way while he took care of Ethan, I’ll never know.
“Your father is right, what we will do is illegal, and some would consider immoral. But I can't sit back and let the evil of the world win, time and again.” His eyes plead with me to understand his need to make the world better; safer. I cannot find it in me to argue against what he wants to do, or his need to protecting those who need his help, when other resources fail them. I may not be in a position to jump into a mission with him, but I can love him, and be there when he needs me.
"I do have something I want to speak with you about." Setting his beer down and clasping his hands together, Dad turns to face me fully. "The divorce is scheduled to be finalized at the end of the month, so Leeann and I have been talking more about what we want to do. We believe we’ve come to a final decision." Shifting in his chair, he clears his throat and takes a pull of his beer. "I'm going to be moving into Leeann's condo, but I want you to know this house has always been in your name." I was shocked, I had no idea he had done that.
"You know, with the end of my marriage to your mother comes a new start for me, and my relationship with you." I reached across the granite to take his warm hand in mine. Just like when I was a little girl, his assurance and protection radiates from his touch. I had once believed nothing could ever hurt me, as long as my father was near. "I want to continue to be a presence in your daily life. To be there for you when you need me, even when you don't." His eyes shifted between mine as he motioned for my other hand. "I want you to know, everything I do for you is out of love and the need to always protect you." Something told me his words were more of a confession than anything else. The odds were against me to ever know the truth. Just like Zach, and his involvement with Ethan’s decision to end his life, the truth would be buried with the body.
"The house on the lake is Jason's and I've already had this same conversation with him." Dad glanced at Zach, who was preoccupied with shoving spaghetti into his mouth, and then reached into his pants pocket, removing a single key and placing it on the table beside me. "This key opens the front and back doors, you can move in after the fifth. I'll leave all the furniture if you want or you can do whatever you want to the place. It's yours after all."
I looked at the shiny, metal key, the light from the ceiling reflecting its brilliance. I loved this house; the way the entry doors all arched at the top and how the ceiling seemed to touch the sky. There was a tiny courtyard shared between the neighbors on each side. I loved the colors and the smell, I loved it all. "Thank you, Daddy!"
In this house, I was free to act like a ten year old, hugging my father until his face turned blue. Free to cover his cheeks with kisses and no one would chastise or belittle me. I hugged him so tight he began complaining of being choked.
I felt a new level of excitement and also a new level of independence. I could change things about this house, make it more personal. The thoughts kept coming. I looked at Zach, expecting his face to reflect the same joy as mine, only to find a look of disbelief and confusion. I wasn’t sure why, this house was so much safer than the apartment over the shop, something he should be happy about. Not to mention the amount of room it has in comparison, so it didn't matter what Zach thought, not really. He owned his own home, a decision I supported fully. This was mine. Zach and I weren't married, nor had we housed the idea of that happening anytime in the immediate future. Not to say I hadn't thought about it or had a vision or two of the day I would wear white for the first and last time.
Zach jumped up and took charge of cleanup. I took him at his word he had it all under control and ventured upstairs to look around. Inspiration ran through my mind like tiny creatures scurrying around the forest floor. The carpet in the bedrooms would have to be removed and replaced, the hardwood floors could use a good sanding and refinishing. A new coat of paint would do wonders, but the bones of the house would stay. Wandering from room to room, I took in places I hadn't been in years; touching doorframes and smiling at the positive memories they held.
"Kennedy?" Zach's silky voice filled my ear, as my eyes were still taking in the small library my father's books currently called home. "You ready to head home?"
"Yes, I'm ready when you are." Leaving my father's house, now that things have changed so dramatically, was difficult. I was free to hug him and tell him over and over how much I loved him. We made plans to have lunch during the week and then the strangest thing happened...my dad hugged Zach. A backslapping, holding back emotions, hug.
As we neared the end of my father's street, it was a left turn to go to my apartment or a right to go to Zach's home. I watched as he turned the wheel in the direction of his house, checking several times to make certain traffic was clear. The streetlights briefly illuminated how his left foot was propped up along the inside of the door rim. His left elbow resting on his erect knee, while his body leaned to his right side, my side. It was the side of him I slept on when I shared a bed with him, the side I tended to walk on as we made our way to wherever we were going.
The soft hum of Zach's car combined with the beat from the radio was a complete contradiction to the angry rock Zach often had playing overhead in his shop. I didn't know the band or understand any of the lyrics, but it wasn't a long drive and it was Zach's vehicle. I did love this particular truck, though. The smell of the leather and whatever cleaning product he used to keep it in good condition. Still the best part of being with Zach was the way he holds my hand. His fingers were rough with calluses, yet he unconsciously left gentle touches on my hand. Sometimes his fingers were still, the connection sufficient, while other times he was fidgety and played with the tips of my fingers. Almost like he was playing whatever song on the radio or inside his head. Tonight, he stroked my fingers, long, soft touches that had goose bumps forming on the skin covering my arm. I wouldn't dream of asking him to stop.
Zach held my hand as he pushed open the door. Standing in the kitchen was the same dark haired beauty, although this time she was dressed and the shocked look was absent from her face.
“You must be Kennedy.” She came around the island, her hand extended and a toothy smile giving a hint to her kindness. “I am so terribly sorry about the first time we met. There I was in my borrowed shirt and unmentionables, and you with a look which would make preacher man nervous.”
Sitting at the bar was one of the largest men I had ever seen. His dark hair and broad shoulders caused me to slip behind Zach a little further. His face was illuminated by the open laptop in front of him, so as he stood from his seat at the bar, I caught sight of the large scar on the side of his jaw. While it wasn't gr
uesome, it was large enough to call attention, and perhaps give him an edge of danger.
“I’m Rayne, like the wet stuff which falls from the sky. My momma was sick of all the common names and wanted her daughter to be different. Too bad it became a famous stripper name a few years back.”
I wasn't certain if she was kidding or not, but a giggle left my throat and found a room full of friends as everyone else joined me. Getting myself together, I extended my hand out to meet hers. “Forgive me, Rayne. It's a pleasure to meet you. Your name is lovely and certainly original.”
Zach stepped around to the side of the island, his hand extended in the large man's direction. “Kennedy, this is Matt, or as I’ve known him for years, Reaper.”
Swallowing the intimidation he created in me, I extended out my hand in his direction. “Matt, or do you prefer Reaper?” Hoping the smile on my face masked the trepidation in my voice and the shaking in my hand.
His hand swallowed mine, even more than Zach’s did, with a firm, but not crushing grip. “Matt will work. It’s nice to finally meet you, I wasn't certain I would get the chance.”
Matt and Zach exchange a look, one filled with tension, leaving me to question how much of our argument he shared.
“Rayne, you managed to grow out of your shyness fairly quickly.” Zach startles me with his abrupt subject change and ability to switch direction and attitude. Or maybe it's just the dynamics of their relationship.
“I had help,” Rayne stood with her hands on her curvy hips. “Thanks to a conversation with a few new friends today.” She shoots a side-glance to Matt.
“Zach, are we...?” Matt pointed between myself and Zach, eyebrows raised and voice curious.
“Yeah, man, she knows.”
Matt nods his head in understanding, circling back around the island to his computer, his movements fluid, despite his massive size.
“Okay, give me a few minutes to get everyone linked up.” Rayne pulls my hand, leading me to one of the empty barstools. Zach moves to stand beside Matt, his eyes fixed on the screen.
Signed, SEALed, Delivered (Trident Brotherhood Book 1) Page 20
