“Remember my game in the hospital?” I nod. “Sometimes a song can say all you can’t.”
She walks in and shuts the door behind her. I think I may have found my biggest ally in this family. And from what I hear she is a tough nut to crack, so maybe there is hope for me after all.
I am still extremely pissed off when I walk into the house and find Mitch and Kayleigh there. I was so not in the mood for this, but couldn’t help smiling when I saw Kayleigh. She was a beauty, almost seven months pregnant and all. I couldn’t even begrudge Mitch his happiness; how he managed to find it in this house of lies we entwined ourselves in, I will never know. I am just damn happy he found it, and held on to it.
Kayleigh spoke first, “How is Cambree?”
“Spitting mad. I seem to bring out the best in her.”
Kayleigh smiles at me, and Mitch says, “Max, she doesn’t need this right now. Can you not give the girl a day of rest before you try and bring the issues front and center.”
Yet again, he jumps to conclusions about me, and I have had enough of that shit today. “Fuck you, Mitch. You have no idea what happened. I didn’t start the fight with her, and I left when she asked me to. I am trying to respect her boundaries, but I was trying to clear up the fact she didn’t think I wanted to be there for her. I get it, I handled our relationship wrong, we could sky-write that shit and it won’t make it any clearer to me. I get it. What you don’t get is if you could have just left this shit alone, maybe the backlash wouldn’t be tearing my life apart at the moment. You couldn’t just meet your siblings like a normal person. No, you had to engrain yourself in their life, based on a lie, drag me into it, and pretty much ruin any chance I had with her. Keeping your secret, your lies, which somehow all landed back on me. So while you got your happily ever after and a family, I got dick. Nothing. I didn’t even have the chance to come clean to her like you did with your wife. Because the girl I was trying to build a life with is so smack dab in the middle of this shit-storm we couldn’t risk it. So forgive me for having a bad day.” Damn, that felt good. I had been holding back that resentment for a long time. I didn’t blame my brother for everything, but sometimes his holier than thou attitude pissed me off. He didn’t have the same obstacles I had.
Kayleigh, always the mediator, “Hey, I know you are hurting. I know this isn’t fair for any of us, but let’s all take a step back take a deep breath and not take it out on each other. Right now, this is what has to happen, and I am sorry Max. I see how this is hurting you and Cambree. I wish I could fix it.” I know she is caught in the middle and hurting herself. She has to make excuses to Addy, her best friend, so she doesn’t let something slip. She isn’t a deceptive person, Mitch and I are used to it with our jobs, but when you involve personal relationships, things always get murky.
“Sorry,” I tell her.
“There is no reason for you to be sorry. I am the one who needs to be sorry. I never stopped to think what this was doing to you or how it affected your life. I was looking for a way to make Hope’s death not be in vain and dragged you along for the ride. I know I told you not to get involved with Cambree, but sometimes you can’t control that. Truthfully, if she ended up with a man like you, I would be happy. So again, the fault is mine.” Mitch looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders after letting that out. Kayleigh reaches over and rubs his back while she rests her head on his chest. As much as it stings to see the comfort he gets from his wife, I am happy he has that. It is like aloe for a sunburn, a soothing balm. I can’t wish any more for him.
“It is what it is, Mitch. Hopefully, we will end this case soon, and we can all move on.”
“Can you tell me how they are doing? All of them?” Sweet Kayleigh, I know she wants to reach out and can only do it from afar. “I called Addy and talked for a few minutes, but I can’t get a read on where her head is.”
“They seem to be holding it together, and surprisingly, Brielle more than any of them. I figured she would be in a strait jacket by now. But, that seems to be a normal assumption for that family.” I start laughing remembering some of the days with them.
“Yeah, it’s great isn’t it?” she says with a sad smile.
“Great is one way you could describe it. I am not sure that is the word I would use. They are one of a kind, and I am not sure the English vocabulary has a word for them. They will be a lot better when we get that bastard behind bars. We still haven’t told them Dustin is staying where he is, and that will be hard. You may have to suck it up and be there for Addison then, because Brielle will be a basket case.” Kayleigh nods at me; she knows that situation may send them over the edge. “I feel bad because Camy thinks Dustin is ignoring her calls and doesn’t care what happened. If she knew her brother was about to lose his shit and commit a felony, it may make her feel better. But, good news, Brielle is so on my side. I think I am king of the world.” I actually smile thinking about how I somehow have Brielle on my side.
“What? That is not fair. That girl still holds me at arm’s length, and I have done everything but break a cell phone with her in some bonding ritual.” Mitch isn’t taking the news well that his golden boy status may be tarnished.
“Umm . . . babe, you did pretend to be her sister’s fake baby daddy and Brielle doesn’t like being out of the loop. And when she finds out she has an older brother, let’s just say I want to be on vacation with our child, thousands of oceans away. That scares me.”
All of us totally agree with that assessment. They finally take off to go home, and the alone time is nice. I need to look over some files and talk to the chief to see how we are moving ahead on this. Most importantly, I need to make sure Cambree is going to be protected. I let her get hurt on my watch once, never again.
I am exhausted after looking over everything. There are some audio recordings I need to listen to tomorrow according to the chief. This last stunt of Brent’s brought us closer to taking him down. I would have preferred it happen without Cambree being caught in the crossfire, but at least it wasn’t for nothing.
Running Brielle’s words from earlier through my mind and trying to figure out what she meant, it dawns on me. I pick up my phone, download what I need, and send Cambree a text:
Never an obligation. A desire, a need, a want … yes!
I attach Luke Bryan’s “Crash My Party” and send.
Chapter 14
Brielle
Have they all lost their minds? It has been three days since we got Cambree home, and still I haven’t heard from Dustin. Now, Mitch, Max, Tyler, and my fucking husband are sitting here telling me it is safer for Dustin to stay near that psychopath? I have vivid scenes running through my mind of how I can reenact parts of Sons of Anarchy and take them all out, slowly and painfully. When words fail me, Addison asks, “Make me understand how any of you are sane?”
Thank you, sister. I was beginning to think I was the only one with any sense left. My husband speaks up. “After talking with Mitch and Max, we think not giving Brent a heads-up we know it was him who initiated the attack on Cambree keeps him from doing something stupid right away. Sending for Dustin gives him that warning, and then what if he does something to hurt Dustin before we get him out of there?”
“After speaking to Mitch and Max? How about after speaking to your wife? That would have been the correct answer. Last I checked these two yahoos didn’t give you children and keep your bed warm, but most importantly, they aren’t family. That is my brother, not theirs. They don’t get to dictate what happens to him.”
“Brielle, calm down.” Now that was an oxymoron. And from Max, I used to like him. “Think it through. Dustin is safe, he knows what is going on, and he agrees. It is killing him to stand idly by while his family is dealing with this, but he is safe where he is, and in staying there, you are safe for now.”
“Did you just say my brother knows? My underage, minor brother made this choice? And he knows what is going on? How does he know that? I haven’t talked to him.”
Mitch, this time, decides to jump in the hot seat. “Brielle, the thing is, Dustin didn’t go by choice to begin with. Brent threatened him, and he did it to protect you and Cambree. He is losing his mind with what happened to Cambree. He thought y’all would be safe if he did what was asked of him.”
I must be in an alternate universe, because no way in hell could any of this be truth. I need to Google to see if capital punishment is allowed in Tennessee, and if I would get that for killing all these men in front of me. Fuck it. I have two officers of the law in my living room, I will ask them. Better they know what they are in for.
“Does Tennessee still have capital punishment?” I will be damned, Colby is slightly amused at this, and Mitch and Max are openly smirking at me. I never thought I would think this, but Tyler has the most sense out of all of them, he looks terrified, as he should. “You think this is funny? I suggest all you assholes sleep with one eye open, and Colby you will be doing this from the couch.”
Addison speaks up, and my girl better not let me down. “I don’t agree with this, and we are his guardians, so he comes home.” Hell yes, that is what I am talking about. Try going against both of us. I turn to Cambree knowing she won’t agree with them and know they won’t take all of us on.
“Sorry, I agree with the guys. I trust their judgment. It is apparent we aren’t dealing with a sane person or an amateur. They know what is best.” Seriously, did she hit her head harder than we know of? This has to be a side-effect from the concussion, because the girl who protected her little brother, and would walk through hell on earth to keep him safe . . . this isn’t her talking. “With that said, know if one hair on his head is harmed I will hunt you down and make you pay. There will be no place you can hide. And I want to talk to him.”
I can’t agree to this, but it looks like I am out of my element. Sure, I could demand they bring him home, but what happens if they are right? I can’t risk being the cause of him getting hurt. This bastard has caused me enough grief for twenty lifetimes, and I am so ready for him to be a bad memory.
“I want to talk to him, too,” I add, and Addison agrees.
“We think his cell may be monitored, so no mentioning anything about this. As far as you know, it was a random mugging that Cambree was involved in and no mention of Brent and what is going on here. Short and sweet.” Max has truly lost his mind. Addison and Cambree agree, so once again I am the odd man out.
Colby comes over to my side, and he is brave. I know he isn’t the cause of this, but meeting and discussing my brother’s well-being behind my back irritates me. Right when I am about to tell him that, he says, “My family too, Belle. They talked to us first, well, because let’s face it, you aren’t the most rational person. They knew this would be hard, and they needed us to know everything. They are certain this will be over soon. Just keep holding on to that.”
Yeah, he is going to be holding on to a pillow at night, not my body. Rational? How does he figure I am not rational? I wonder about these people. They are like the people my grandmother would say “Bless their heart,” about because she didn’t like to call people idiots. Well, I happen to like the word idiot, especially to describe the four men in my living room.
I look at my husband and smile sweetly, the kind of smile you fear. When he mumbles, “Shit,” I know my point has been made.
When it is decided what time we will call Dustin later that evening, I walk out. I need the peace of my spot right now. I always come here for answers and lately the questions get harder and harder. Is it because we have made such a mess of things, or is it because we have fucktwats as parents, and they aren’t through torturing us? For what, I haven’t figured out.
Sitting out there, in the quiet, I start to reflect on the choices we have been forced to make lately. I hold so much resentment and bitterness. I don’t want that to bleed over into my kid’s life. I protected Cambree and Dustin, and until this past year, neither of them knew. I wonder if that was a mistake, or if we let them enjoy their childhood as kids without the burdens we carried around. We carried all their problems for them, and now I see how Dustin is handling things. He wants to do it on his own, make his own decisions, and protect his family. Cambree is dealing internally and not sharing, and I wonder if by not letting them deal with stuff on their own, they are rebelling now. I pull out my trusty iPod and play “I’m Moving On” by Rascal Flatts and know it is all time we start to heal.
Chapter 15
Mitch
Having to tell them Dustin would be staying in Florida with his parents tore me apart. When Dustin came to me a few months ago, in private, and told me what had happened with Brent’s ultimatum, I tried to warn him off. His mind was made up.He just wanted my advice because I was a cop. I gave him pointers and told him to keep his head down and not draw attention to himself. We had it handled. He doesn’t have the skills for this, and I pray every time I talk to him and remind him to be careful that he will listen.
Right now, I need those prayers. When I had to call him and tell him about Cambree and her attack, I don’t think I got through to him. His first instinct was to confront Brent, and luckily I talked him down from that. Now, I am afraid he is going to start digging on his own, trying to find anything that will nail him, but there is no reasoning with him.
He had so much to work through, and he went about it the wrong way, but then again he didn’t have all the information. Once he did, he stepped up and became the person I am proud to call my brother. I just hope one day, we can all sort this out, and I still have so much to teach him. I have so much to learn about all of them. Sitting back and observing them when they don’t realize I am watching has been helpful, but what you see is what you get with most of them, except Brielle. She is deep, but tries to hide that.
I don’t have a favorite sibling, but they all have such unique characteristics. Cambree reminds me the most of Hope. It is her eyes; not only are they the exact same color, but you can read every thought and emotion in them. She could never lie to me, and I used to tell her never to bet. She didn’t have it in her. I knew I was losing her in the end. I saw the light fade away from her eyes, I just didn’t know why until it was too late. I promise that will not happen with Cambree.
I text Dustin from the burner phone I bought with the time to call home. I warned him earlier when he called me from a café, that I would tell his sisters what was up, and they would demand to talk to him. I called it before they did. I also warned them over and over that they need to keep it neutral in case the call was being listened to. I hope they get it. Brielle is the only wild card, but I actually worry less about her than Cambree. Brielle will know what is at stake better than any of them where Brent is concerned. While she has always coveted her relationship with Dustin, Cambree adores him. She has been his protector his whole life. That instinct isn’t easily shut off, and right now she is vulnerable.
I am going to ask Max if he can talk to her before they talk. Their relationship is not defined, but it is there. I have a load of guilt because while I am living my life, he is carrying around my secrets. We need to wrap this case up so we can all heal, whatever that may entail. I need my wife to have her best friend back, and I need all my siblings to move on from this nightmare and enjoy the life we have in front of us.
I can’t help but lie in bed at night and think about future birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmases, and backyard barbecues with us all together with our children. That is the life I am working towards building. That has to be the end result. I won’t settle for anything less.
Chapter 16
Addison
Brielle came in looking more at peace than when she left. I know where she went, everyone does. Whatever works for her, we all understand what she gets there. That was the first safe place she had when she moved here. Mitch told us Dustin would be calling, and told us again about how important it was not to mention what is going on here, other than random mugging. I have this knot in my stomach that won’t go away.
I don’t have a good feeling about any of the chaos in our life right now. There has to be an end in sight, right?
I have been watching Cambree the last few days, and I honestly thought what was bothering her besides being attacked was Dustin not calling her, or dropping everything and coming home. When we found out the reason today, I thought it would ease the pain I saw in her eyes. It did slightly, but there is something in her mind she is working through. She basically told us she is working it out and will let us know if she needs us.
Her bruises are already fading, and Max has been a fixture around the farmhouse and basically wherever she is. Things are still tense between them, but no more explosions. I heard him ask her earlier if she wanted to go four-wheeling tomorrow and about choked when she said yes. That girl hasn’t been on a four-wheeler in ages. She went to the doctor, and he said everything was progressing fine, and she is dying to get back to the gym. He reminded her she has a few more weeks of idle time. I will make sure I pass that information on to Max, and he will see she obeys the orders.
I always wondered what I would feel like when I saw her falling in love for the first time. I may have missed the fall, but seeing her fighting and denying it makes me feel guilty. Brielle and I didn’t always choose the smoothest path in our relationships, and at times they were very rocky. I hope we didn’t teach her to avoid love. I am hoping we taught her what is worth it isn’t always easy. More than anything, I wish both she and Dustin had more time with our grandparents. Cambree wasn’t even twelve, and Dustin only ten; they just didn’t have enough time with them.
Max comes into the kitchen, and I see him zero right in on her. He walks over towards her, and I see her start to lean into him, and she catches herself and pulls back and stiffens. He doesn’t let that deter him, he reaches down and grabs her hand and tugs her towards him. She pulls away as quickly as she can, and I bite back a smile. I can’t believe I am laughing about my sister being manipulated, but if I didn’t think it was the right thing, I would end it.
Parker Sibling Series Box Set Page 40
