“In all due respect, ma’am?” Kyle’s tone was a clear fuck you. “You chose to not see your daughter the night you chose to not believe her. And you? If you ever go on TV and do any sort of interview about your girlfriend Bethany again? That sealed juvi file is going to mysteriously become unsealed. Understand? Back up.”
Juvi file?
Bethany would have to ask later.
Right now all she wanted was to get out of here.
“Come on,” Felix said with a smile.
Kyle turned and placed a hand on Bethany’s back, guiding her forward along with Faith. They marched past the ambulance and cop cars. The officers were all still doing their very best to appear busy, but there was nothing to do.
Felix led them to the fence.
The same red haired man with the tattoos from a few days ago stood on the other side.
“Your chariot awaits, ladies.” He used a pair of bolt cutters to slice through a chain holding the gate closed and swung it open.
Two big SUVs sat parked on the curb.
“Come on. This is over,” Kyle whispered.
MONDAY. KYLE MARTIN’S Home, Seattle, Washington.
Kyle pulled his Jeep into the driveway.
The job was over.
Usually that signaled the release of Kyle’s nerves. Another job well done without anyone coming home injured or dead was a success. Instead his teeth were still on edge and his hands ached from gripping the steering wheel like his life depended on it.
He killed the engine and glanced at the three stoic faces who hadn’t said a word since they’d left the Aegis Group offices.
“I’ll grab the bags,” he said.
When a job ended, usually the assets had a home they wanted to return to, or they stayed with family. In this instance, home and family were the last things they desired. Kyle had offered his house in a selfish attempt to get a few minutes with Bethany. Besides, he understood them. Ages ago, he too had left home to forge a better path for himself.
He got out and opened the rear door for Faith.
“Thanks,” she muttered.
Of the three, Faith was the one most shook by the day.
Tomorrow Kyle would have to find out what Zain had learned about Faith’s husband and see if they couldn’t advise her on a way out of her situation. At the very least they could give her the ammunition to get free. Build a case. Whatever she needed.
Kyle grabbed the girl’s bags from the back of the Jeep. By the time he had everything in hand the three stood together, arms around each other’s waists. There was something about almost dying with people that helped to make a bond stronger.
“This way.” Kyle nodded at the side entrance to the house and led the way in through the kitchen door. “Ryan is going to come by and sleep on the sofa tonight. If you’d like him to pick up some dinner, we can look over the menus in that end drawer by the dishwasher.”
“I think we’re too...stunned to make decisions.” Bethany glanced over her shoulder at him, her haunted gaze hurting him.
“Okay. I’ll make a decision for us then.” Kyle set the bags on the dining table then wiped his hands on his jeans.
“Is there a bathroom?” Faith asked.
“Sure. There’s a powder room to the left, then a full bath upstairs.” He pointed the way for each.
“Thanks.” Faith stared at the front of the house.
“I’ll go with you,” Megan said.
The two girls shuffled forward and up the stairs.
Bethany watched them go, but made no move to follow.
“Megan’s never been this...touchy feely,” she whispered.
“Experiences like these change people.” Kyle leaned against the table. “Beth? Bethany?”
“Hm?” She turned toward him.
“I’m sorry. About last night. All of it.” He blew out a breath. Those two words had weighed heavily on him for hours. If he’d have handled last night differently, none of this would have happened.
“You don’t have to be sorry. I panicked. I’m not proud of myself.” She hung her head.
“And I should have realized that. I just... I don’t know how to be both people. Team Leader and...”
Kyle stared at Bethany.
What were they to each other?
She didn’t want a relationship right now, and yet he felt things for her. Things he couldn’t ignore.
“I failed you and I’m sorry,” he said, finally settling on something.
“You saved us, even after we were all stupid enough to get caught.” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the table beside him.
“Don’t blame yourself.” The amount of preparation and planning left them all yards behind.
“What do you think is going to happen? With our families?”
“Well, I bet Megan already knows what she’s going to say to her parents.” Hell, Kyle wouldn’t be surprised if Elijah left his daughter alone now that the appropriate images had been captured. “Faith... It depends what she wants to do. I know Zain did some digging and if she wants help getting a divorce or whatever, we know people she can go to.”
He swallowed, unsure what to say about Bethany’s family.
Her parents had seemed distraught. He’d caught a few minutes of an interview with her parents where they made it sound like Bethany had been missing for years instead of just overnight.
“I think what hurts me most is that Anthony still lives with them,” Bethany said quietly.
He reached over and wrapped his arm around her waist.
“I wish I could talk to them away from him, but...I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s brainwashed them just like he did to me.” She leaned her head against his shoulder.
“Do you want me to...help?” Kyle wouldn’t have any issue with running off a leech like Anthony.
“I don’t know. Part of me wants to say yes, then part of me feels like they have to want him there for him to still be there. What if they’ve replaced me with him?”
“No one could take your place.” He turned his head and kissed her hair.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and he gathered her in closer.
The truth was, neither of them were going to be fixed from the marks of their past in a few days. In time he hoped she got past this and could have a relationship with her family. Kyle would put the memory of his father to rest when he decided what to do with the last of his father’s ashes, but it wouldn’t change who he was.
The tightness in Kyle’s chest unraveled a bit as Bethany held him tight.
She was safe. She was here. And he’d protect her from anything she asked of him.
“God, I was so scared when we got into the grand stands.” He closed his eyes, the picture of her sitting there, apart from the others, the focus of attention.
“You get scared? Really?”
He chuckled, that bit of levity soothing all the rawness inside of him.
Bethany lifted her chin and looked up at him.
“Thank you. Really,” she said.
“Any time.” He lifted his hand and cupped her cheek.
The bruises would fade. These memories would keep her up for a while, but eventually that, too would heal.
Bethany was a woman like no other. Her tender, soft spoken personality gave and gave. He wanted to give back for all she’d done for him. Even this wasn’t enough.
“Look, now isn’t the time to really talk about this, but...I want to keep seeing you.”
“I just...” Her eyes lowered to his chest.
“We’ve both got baggage. I’m not asking you for anything. Just hang out now and then. Or if you have some creep bothering you, call me first.” He’d take what he could get.
“I feel out of control right now and scared of my own shadow. I don’t know what to say or feel...”
“Let me take care of the shadows, okay? You matter to me, Beth. A lot. I don’t want to lose you.”
A knock at the door broke the moment.
Shit.
And Kyle hadn’t made decisions about food.
“Coming.” He gave Bethany a squeeze then let her go, hoping that wasn’t the last time.
BETHANY STARED AT THE bruises on her cheek. They didn’t look that bad right now, but tomorrow and later this week they’d be pretty gruesome. And then there were the cuts on her wrist and hands. She’d have these reminders for a few weeks while it all healed. Reminders that she’d survived.
“Did you decide what you’re going to do?” Megan leaned against the bathroom door.
Faith sat on the edge of the bath, brushing her hair out.
They were attached at the hip. All night, no one went to the bathroom, bedroom or in the yard alone. It was like this experience had bound them together even tighter than their secrets.
“Not really,” Bethany replied finally.
“He’s into you and you know it,” Faith said as though that were the answer to everything.
Bethany bit her lip.
She might not have Faith’s experience with men, but when she looked at Kyle, she saw an intensity of feeling behind his eyes—aimed at her. She wanted that, but she wasn’t ready either.
“I like him, but I’m not ready for him,” she said slowly.
“Tell him that. Go.” Megan opened the bathroom door and nodded. “Something good should come out of this.”
“We’ll be on the other side of the house if you change your mind,” Faith said.
Bethany’s cheeks warmed. The easiest thing to do would be to hide with the girls, ignore her feelings and burrow down deep into a bed. But then she’d lose Kyle. She knew she would, and she couldn’t bring herself to let that happen either.
She stepped out into the hall and stared at Kyle’s closed bedroom door.
What if she was seeing the opportunity she wanted to see?
What if it was all in her head?
What if he wanted something right now?
What if she made an idiot out of herself?
Kyle had dropped everything to help them. He’d been there at every turn to guide and support them when he should have been grieving and dealing with his own wounds. This experience didn’t magically change them. Neither of them were healed from their pasts, but they could go forward differently.
She padded down the hall to his door and grasped the knob. One deep breath in and she twisted the handle, and stepped in, closing the door behind her.
The only lights on were those in the bathroom.
The sink turned off, and she held her breath.
Kyle braced his hands on either side of the bathroom door and leaned out as though he were caged into that tiny room away from her. Droplets of water chased each other down his bare chest. He’d showered recently and hadn’t yet gotten fully dressed beyond boxers.
For several moments they looked at each other.
No one had ever looked at her the way he did. Not Anthony or anyone else. It was a hungry look that caused a cascade of warmth to go off inside her.
Bethany swallowed and wiped her hands off on her pajama pants. She’d told him in this very room she had a crush on him. She could tell him her feelings were different now, too.
She crossed to the bathroom and reached up, grasping him by the wrist.
Kyle let go and allowed her to take him by the hand. She led him to the bench between the dormers and planted a hand against his chest. He sat down, their hands still clasped.
“I need to talk to you, and I need to get this all out so you’ll understand. I hope you’ll understand.” He squeezed her hand, a silent plea to go on. “The other day I admitted to having this crush on you, and now... You went and saved me and my friends. Everything I learn about you makes me like you more. I feel like...like I should want more. Right now. But I’m also twisted up inside. I’m scared. Seeing my family today, it got to me. And...I’m not ready for more, even if part of me wants it. That part of me is scared that if I don’t tell you, right now, that I want to be with you you’ll go away. It’s just...I’m not ready and saying I am would be a lie. I don’t want to lie to you, Kyle.”
“Am I allowed to speak?” He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb and leaned forward.
“Yeah...”
“Okay. Come here.” He tugged on her hand.
She took a step closer and prayed for the best.
Kyle pulled her sideways, sitting her on his lap. She sucked in a breath, inhaling the scent of soap and him. He stroked his hand down her leg and sighed.
“Here’s the deal....” He stared at her, a familiar uncertainty looking back. “I love you..”
Bethany stared at him. Of all the things she’d imagined he might say that was not on her list.
How was she supposed to respond to, I love you?
Did she say it back?
Feelings bubbled up in her, but she couldn’t say them. She wasn’t entirely ready to express those feelings. She needed time to worry and fret about them.
“I’m not in a hurry, Beth. Hell, I think we should pump the brakes.” He stroked her leg again. “We’re both works in progress. Any more rushing would be bad for either of us. I don’t expect you to say anything right now. Maybe the best thing to do is leave it at that?”
“That’s the kind of statement that deserves a reply.” Even if she didn’t know what to say back.
“You should only say what you want to say. I know me, and I know...I know when I know.”
“I wish I had that kind of certainty.” She laid her head on his shoulder. “Is this okay?”
“This right now? Or this—us?” He gave her a little squeeze.
“This, us, this.”
“I think so. I’ll admit, being friends is going to be hard, but I’d take that over nothing. You’re a special kind of woman, Bethany Rossi.”
“Beth. You call me, Beth.”
Kyle kissed her forehead, and she closed her eyes.
“I suppose I can’t do that for a while?” he said against her skin.
“Some friends sleep together.” She lifted her chin, finding his lips with hers.
“I’m not sure I like where that sentence is going.” His hold on her tightened.
Bethany kissed his frown.
Given time, this would be perfect.
Epilogue.
SIX MONTHS LATER. KYLE Martin’s Former Home, Seattle, Washington.
Bethany was standing at the door when the doorbell rang. She’d never entirely understand why Kyle insisted on this sort of pretense when they all knew he still owned this house. Renting it to them was merely a kindness.
“Open the damn door,” Megan said from her lounging position on the sofa.
“I am.” Bethany glared over her shoulder.
Faith merely laughed as she crossed to the sofa with their takeout.
Six months to the day Bethany had vowed to remain dateless, and she was celebrating it with the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.
She took a deep breath and pulled the door open.
Kyle stood on the other side, a pair of work boots in hand and a pink tool box sitting on the floor.
“What the...?” She blinked at him and wondered if he’d forgotten.
They hadn’t expressly stated anything would happen tonight. It was more a vibe. She’d dropped hints and mentioned the important date a few times, but they’d never settled on anything.
“Beth, I was wondering if you’d like to go on a date tonight?” Kyle grinned at her.
Howls of laughter from the peanut gallery only left Bethany feeling a bit flustered.
“Uh, what kind of date includes boots and a tool box?” She frowned at him.
“You’ll have to say yes to find out.” His grin somehow widened to the point it seemed like it would split his face.
There was a catch in all this. Kyle was up to something but she didn’t know what.
Bethany glanced over her shoulder at her roommates wat
ching them with unveiled joy.
They knew.
And of course they knew.
Kyle and those two were thick as thieves.
After they’d more or less taken over his house, Kyle had moved to the garage. He’d said that move was necessary for his sake to stay true to their only friends promise. About the only time she could convince him to stay past ten was if they were doing an HGTV marathon.
If this was how she got to spend a whole night with Kyle, then so be it.
“Fine. Okay. I’ll go get socks.” And change out of her cute dress.
“I’ve got socks right here.” Kyle pulled a pair of pink socks out of his pocket.
Bethany took the socks and sat down on the bottom most stair.
She’d had visions of their first date being a lavish, romantic affair.
Maybe they should have chatted about this beforehand.
She did up the boots, and he helped her up.
“And this is for you, but don’t open it yet, okay?” Kyle handed her the toolbox then waved at the other two. “Night.”
“Get out of here,” Megan yelled.
Kyle took Bethany’s hand and led her out the front doors to the driveway.
“Are you going to tell me what you’re up to now?” she asked.
“Not yet.” He opened the passenger side of the Jeep for her and helped her in.
Kyle got behind the wheel of the vehicle and in a few moments they were on the road headed toward their favorite bike trails. In the last six months they’d begun sharing several activities, like bicycling and cooking. He’d also let her pitch in and learn to help fixing up the garage to make it livable yet again.
Miles before they got to the trailhead, Kyle slowed and turned into the driveway of an old Victorian house. They’d passed the place dozens of times and remarked about how it was perfect for any number of shows they liked to watch. It was the kind of place that needed a lot of work from someone who knew what they were doing.
“What are we doing here?” Bethany went very still staring at the ornate railing on the porch.
“I’ll show you. Don’t forget your toolbox.” Kyle grinned at her and reached into the back, pulling out his tool belt.
Bethany scrambled out of the Jeep, hauling her tool box with her.
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