The house was a long, one-storey brick home with lush green lawns and even a pool. Not far from the house was a large stable and barn, a a small cluster of large buildings Kelley assumed housed the equipment and other items needed to run a place like this.
“You left this place to join the Navy?” She asked as she looked around, taking in everything that she could see.
Daniels only response was a quick, “Yeah.”
He grabbed their bags out of the back of the GT and she followed him into the house, where they were met by a woman with grey hair wearing a yellow shirt and white capris.
“Well, well, well.” She said, placing her hands on her hips. “If it ain't the sailor boy himself.” Then she grinned and held out her arms. “Get your butt over here, Daniel Coleman.”
Daniel dropped their bags and went to her, a grin on his handsome face as he greeted, “Hey, Mum. How are you?”
“Now that you're here, I'm good.”
“Come, I want you to meet someone.” He said. He pulled Kelley to his side with an arm around her shoulders and made the introduction. “This is Kelley. Kel, this is my mother, Yvette.”
Surprise, a bit of sadness and some regret came over the woman's face as she looked at Kelley and asked her son, “This is the woman Ronald attacked?”
Daniel nodded. “Yeah, Mum.”
“Oh, honey.” Yvette moved closer and pulled Kelley from Daniels side and into a tight hug as she said, “My son had no right to do what he did to you, and I'm sorry that he did.”
It amazed Kelley that Ronald became the man he is, despite having come from a family that is obviously loving and caring for each other. But she didn't say that to Yvette. Instead, she smiled and said, “Thank you.”
“You're welcome, but enough about Ronald.” Yvette said. She took Kelley's hand in her own and started down the hall as she said, “You look exhausted. How about you get some sleep before lunch.”
Kelley smiled and agreed, “That would be great. Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it, dear.” As she led Kelley down the hall, Yvette turned to look at her son and said, “Go say hi to your father, Daniel. He's out by the shed, working on that damn tractor.”
Daniel grinned and said, “Aye, ma'am.”
Yvette took Kelley to one of two guest rooms and opened the door, gesturing her into a room that was furnished with dark wood pieces with nature-themed pictures on the walls and a stone fireplace in the corner. In the middle of the room was a large wood-framed bed that looked soft and inviting and, after Yvette left her, Kelley removed her shoes, crawled into the middle of the bed and was asleep almost instantly.
It was seven at night when Kelley woke up.
After washing up in the bathroom attached to the room, she headed out to the front of the house, where she found Daniel, his mother and a man she guessed to be his Dad seated around the table, eating a roast dinner with all the trimmings.
She was about to announce herself when part of the conversation reached her and she paused, listening.
“I think it's only fair to warn you.” Daniel was saying to his parents.
“Warn us about what, son?” The man asked.
“If Ronald shows his face here, I'm going to shoot him.”
Neither parent looked surprised by the declaration, but Kelley was. She'd never known Daniel to be a violent man and it shocked her to hear the raw anger and genuine conviction in his voice.
Yvette nodded her head and stated, “Given what he's done, I can't say I'd blame you if you did.”
Daniels dad nodded his head in silent agreement and silence fell as they continued on with their meal. Kelley decided it was a good time to make her presence known.
“There you are.” Daniel greeted as she walked in and took the seat next to him. He kissed her cheek and asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Better now that I've rested.”
“Do you want something to eat, dear?” Yvette asked.
“Sure, but I can get it.”
“Don't be silly.” Yvette said, waving her back into her chair. She looked at her husband and said, “Hank?”
“Right.” Hank Coleman stood and fetched a plate from the cupboard before filling it with a hunk of roasted lamb, roasted potatoes, vegetables and thick gravy before returning to the table and placing the filled plate in front of Kelley with a warm smile. “There you go, lovely.” He held out his hand and added, “Name's Hank. I'm the father.”
“Hi.” Kelley said, shaking his hand.
Everyone ate in silence for a few minutes before Daniel looked at her and said, “I think it's time to tell them, Kel.”
She looked at him with a frown, asking, “Are you sure?”
“Hold on.” Hank said. “Tell us what?”
“Uh ...” Kelley wasn't entirely sure how to tell Hank and Yvette that she was pregnant with a baby their son helped conceive while he was raping her.
Daniel nodded when she looked at him, telling her, “It's okay. They can handle it.”
Here goes, She thought. Taking a deep breath, she told them, “I'm pregnant.”
There was a tense silence for a few seconds before Yvette asked, “How far along are you?”
“Just under three months.”
When Yvette shared a concerned look with her husband, Daniel jumped in and said, “Yes. It's Ronald's baby.”
“Oh, my God.” Yvette breathed. “You fell pregnant when he raped you?”
Both Yvette and Hank knew what had happened that night, so Kelley just nodded.
“Are you planning on keeping it?” Hank asked.
Both Kelley and Daniel frowned and Kelley asked, “What kind of question is that?”
“I'm sorry. With the way you fell pregnant, I thought you might have been wanting to get rid of the baby.” Hank said.
“You thought wrong, Mr Coleman.” Kelley told him, her voice firm. “My baby may have been conceived when I was attacked by a maniac, but she's mine. She has the blood and the heart of a Harmon and I'm keeping her.” Standing, she looked at both Hank and Yvette and added, “Thank you for dinner. But I've lost my appetite.”
She headed back to her room before anyone could say anything.
In the dinning room, Daniel glared at his Dad and demanded, “What is the matter with you? Why did you ask her that?”
“I don't know, but I am sorry that I did.” Hank admitted.
Yvette reached over and patted her sons hand, telling him, “I don't think you need to worry, Daniel. She's got spirit.”
Daniel knew that, but it pained him to see Kelley so angry when she was usually so gentle and caring. But, at least now he knew she was fully on board with having the baby and that the mild panic attack she'd had when she'd learnt she was pregnant wouldn't be making a come-back.
Seven
He gave her some time to cool off before going in search of her, at which time he found her in her room, looking out over the pastures from her view point at the window seat.
She wore a simple outfit of jeans and a red t-shirt, but it still made her look beautiful and Daniel felt a punch of lust low in his gut.
“Kel.”
She turned to look at him and offered an apologetic smile. “I'm sorry. Your Dad just … I wasn't prepared for that question.”
“It's okay. No harm was done.” He told her as he joined her on the window seat.
Kelley continued to look at him as she said, “I meant what I said out there. I'm keeping this baby.”
“I knew you would, Kel.” Daniel said, smiling at her.
She returned the smile and he almost groaned when she shifted so she was lying in his arms, her back to his chest with her head on his shoulder and his arms around her waist as they both continued to look out the window at the dark land and the star-studded sky.
“I love it up here.” Kelley commented. “I always thought Weipa was this small town in the middle of nowhere with not much to offer, but now I know different. This place is amazing.”
Then Kelley surprised him when she turned her head and kissed his jaw before saying, “Thank you for taking such good care of us, Danny.”
The close proximity and his growing feelings for her made him lose his mind right then and he kissed her. He lowered his head and claimed her mouth, his arms tightening around her as he fulfilled the fantasy he'd had for weeks.
Kelley's head was still on his shoulder, and when she didn't pull away, that told Daniel she was okay with this.
But he needed to know she was as ready for him as he was for her, because his arousal was making him impatient, and he didn't want to hurt either Kelley or her unborn baby. By force of will, he broke the kiss and looked down into her eyes as he asked, “Kelley?”
If she was being honest with herself, Kelley had been anticipating this moment from the very first time she'd laid eyes on Daniel.
And now that is was happening, she didn't want it to stop.
Ronald's attack had happened only a short month ago, and some of the bruises where still present, but when she looked into Daniels eyes, she knew she'd be able to trust him to give her what she wanted.
He wasn't like his brother and he'd stop if she asked him to.
“It's okay.” She whispered, threading her fingers into his hair. “I want this.”
Daniel kissed her again, and as his tongue plundered her mouth, he swept her up into his arms and carried her over to the waiting bed. Setting her on her feet by it, he removed all her clothes and Kelley heard him curse softly when he saw the bruises still marking her skin. He placed a large hand over one that was just below her right breast and looked into her eyes as he asked, “Are you sure?”
Kelley nodded. “Yes. I want this. I need you.”
Daniel groaned and kissed her before placing her on the bed. He stripped off all his clothes before joining her, bracing himself above her. She could feel the restrained power in him, and it warmed her to know he didn't want to hurt her or her baby.
But her baby was well protected, and Kelley didn't want gentle.
She wanted fast, wild and unrestrained.
She wanted to forget what Ronald had done to her and erase those bad memories, to replace them with memories of Daniel loving her.
And as Daniel helped her forget, Kelley knew she'd never forget that night or the way he gently kissed every bruise and scar still on her body as he made love to her.
Because that was the night she admitted that she was in love with him.
At the Roma Street Transit Centre in Brisbane, former AFP agent Ronald Coleman, now a wanted fugitive, bought a one-way ticket to Cairns.
He'd managed to … persuade … a member of the WPP into giving up the details of Kelley's relocation, and now all the details about her new life were in his hands. As he waited on his bus, Ronald went over it all again.
She worked at a cafe in Cairns called Hugh's By the Sea.
She lived in an apartment under her father's name of Collins.
Her new life appeared to be boring and uninteresting.
Except for one minor detail.
The WPP agent had informed Ronald that Kelley was in contact with Daniel, his baby brother and the hero of the family for joining the Navy.
So he wasn't just going to Cairns to seek revenge on Kelley.
He was after his brother, too, because Daniel had had a hand in relocating Kelley from Melbourne to the tourist hotspot of Northern Queensland.
He didn't know how long he had before the AFP caught onto his scent, but Ronald planned on using all of his time in Cairns to make both of them pay. Then, he would leave Australia and start a new life for himself in America.
Eight
“We need to talk.”
Kelley had been expecting that.
Daniel wasn't the kind of man who had sex on a whim, and she'd never known him to have a one-night-stand or engage in casual sex.
So making love to his brothers pregnant ex-girlfriend must have been a little strange to him.
“Kelley?”
Steeling her nerves to take his apology and to listen to him regret what they'd just done, Kelley rolled over to face him and asked, “What's on your mind?”
Daniel was lying on his side, his head propped on his hand and his other placed on her hip as he regarded her with intense seriousness. His tone matched his face as he asked, “How do we go from here?”
She was a little surprised by the question because she'd been expecting him to say this was a mistake … She swallowed and asked, “What do you mean?”
Daniel frowned and asked, “Didn't you feel that?”
She had.
During the beautiful time they'd been joined, she'd felt something wash over her. Something that had made her want to cry and had made her scream when she'd reached her climax.
She nodded and stated, “You felt it, too.”
Daniel lifted his hand from her hip and ran his fingers through her hair as he smiled and admitted, “I felt it. I don't think I've ever come so hard.” Kelley blushed and he grinned, leaning down to kiss the tip of her nose before he asked, “Don't you find it a little strange to feel something so powerful so soon?”
“A little.” Kelley admitted. “Not the feeling. I don't find that strange. I just find it strange that it happened so fast.”
Daniel was silent for a few minutes before he asked, “Are you okay with seeing where it might lead?”
Kelley couldn't stop the smile that split her face.
She'd been expecting the this was a mistake line, and here he was, the man she'd fallen in love with, was asking if she wanted to make a go of a relationship.
She was very eager to see where it went.
Daniel grinned at the goofy smile on her face and stated, “I'll take that smile as a yes.”
She nodded and pulled him down for a kiss, her body warming for more of his touch.
At midnight, Kelley gets a craving for something meaty, so she and Daniel head out to the kitchen to eat some left overs from the roasted dinner. The house is dark and quiet, with Yvette and Hank already in bed.
Which made it the perfect time for Kelley to tell Daniel the exact details of what happened the night Ronald attacked her and changed her life forever.
“You don't have to tell me.” Daniel told her, not sure if he could handle hearing what his brother had done to the woman he was falling in love with.
“I want to.” She replied. “If we're going to make a go of this relationship, I don't want that night hanging between us.”
Daniel handed her a slice of roast lamb he'd cut and said, “Okay, babe. I'm listening.”
Kelley began, starting with how she'd been in the middle of preparing dinner when Ronald came home.
“He mumbled something about women being sluts and went straight for his liquor cabinet. I continued to fix dinner, knowing that he sometimes needed space after working a hard case. But then he suddenly pinned me to the counter, took the knife I was using and placed it against my throat.”
As she spoke, her hand went to her throat, as though she was back there, reliving what he'd done to her.
Daniels hand that was resting on the counter tightened into a white-knuckled fist as he said, “Kel … Baby, stop talking.”
But she didn't. She kept going. “He told me I wanted to live through the night, I had to be silent and do everything he wanted.”
By now, tears were running down her cheeks and the sight of them tore at Daniels heart. He wanted her to stop. He didn't need to know the details; he was already more then willing to kill Ronald.
“He raped me in the kitchen first. Then he beat me before dragging me by my hair to the bedroom, where he raped me again, over and over.” Kelley said, her voice a whisper and laced with fear and regret as she continued to speak about that night. “I didn't think it was ever going to end. I did nothing to stop him. I just lay there, taking it all.”
Daniel was shocked to hear
the guilt in her voice and he could hold back no longer. He went to her and cupped her face in his hands, telling her, “Kelley, look at me.”
She lifted tear-filled eyes to his.
He wiped them away and told her, “It wasn't your fault.”
A Hero In Uniform - The Complete Series Page 3
