The Wells Brothers: Blue

by Angela Verdenius

  Dread went through her. “He’s baiting you.”

  “No, I’m telling you, Blue,” Gary said. “You see, I want Charley back in my life. She either comes back to me or-”

  “I beg your pardon?” Blue’s piercing blue eyes narrowed coldly.

  “Oh, you do have manners. I’m impressed. Tell me, Wells, how much do you like your military life? Your soldier-boy ways?”

  “Perhaps you’d like to tell me what this is about before I answer that.”

  “Please,” she whispered.

  “It’s okay.” Blue’s gaze didn’t shift from the other man.

  She could feel the coiled tension in him even though he spoke so calmly.

  “You were saying, Gary?” Blue waited.

  With arrogant confidence, Gary leaned against the closest armchair. “Charley comes back to me, or I’ll see that you’re dishonourably discharged from the Army.”

  No hint of his thoughts on his face, Blue regarded him steadily.

  Charley gulped.

  Gary waited.

  Deep voice cool and controlled, Blue broke the silence. “Firstly, Charley isn’t chattel to be passed around. Secondly, you aren’t good enough to even wipe her shoes on.”

  She gasped. “Blue, no-”

  “Listen to her,” Gary advised.

  “Thirdly, what kind of a piece of shit are you to blackmail anyone like that, least of all Charley? What kind of low-life are you?”

  “I’m warning you-”

  “No,” Blue said with deadly quietness, “I’m telling you. You will leave her alone and stop harassing her. You will respect her wishes. You will not come near her again.”

  Straightening, Gary’s nostrils flared, his hand coming out of his pocket to fist angrily. “Think you’re a real tough man, don’t you? Think being a soldier makes you a real hero? You’re just a hack who couldn’t get a job and ended up boot-shuffling, good for nothing more than bullet meat.”

  “Hey!” Charley snapped furiously. “Blue’s worth more than you will ever even hope to dream of becoming!”

  “It’s okay.” Blue rubbed her arm while keeping his gaze on Gary.

  “It’s not.” A lump formed in her throat. “Blue, he’s threatening your career. Gary, I beg of you-”

  “No.” Blue stopped her. “No begging. Not for this, and not from him.”

  “So you’re going to give her up?” Gary sneered. “Keep your job? Keep your hero status?”

  Blue shifted slightly, and Charley fearfully grabbed his waist. “Blue…”

  “Come to me, Charley, and your boyfriend - or should I say ex-boyfriend - can keep his job, keep his honour. Wells, you refuse this offer and I will see your name dragged through the mud.”

  Blue silently watched Gary with an intensity that was almost frightening.

  Feeling so damned helpless, tears filled Charley’s eyes. “Don’t throw everything away, Blue. Don’t.”

  “I won’t. I’m not.” He looked down at her, his eyes gentling. “I know what I have and I’m not giving it away.”

  She knew exactly what he meant. He wasn’t giving her up. It was ludicrous what Gary was trying to do, but any hint of scandal would destroy Blue’s career, everything he’d worked for and believed in taken from him. “I meant your career.”

  “I meant you. Don’t worry, Sunflower. Trust me. I know exactly what to do.”

  “Make the right choice, I hope.” Gary smiled unpleasantly. ““Don’t worry, Charley, he might be screwing you in the bedroom, but I can do the same.”

  At that Blue’s head jerked up, the tension coiling in him unfurling. His arm vanished from Charlie’s back.

  Holy shit, he was going to fly at Gary and beat him to a bloody pulp!

  Charlie reacted instinctively, her only thought protecting Blue from committing career suicide because of some dumb arse comment meant to push him past his self control.

  Leaping ahead of Blue, Charlie punched Gary right in the eye followed by a kick to the nuts.

  He went down like a ton of bricks, mouth gaping, hands clutching his abused privates.

  Blue gaped at Charlie.

  “Oh shit!” She wrung her hands. “I can explain!”

  The library door opened and Aaron calmly strolled in followed by an indignant Elspeth and a furious Willard Lackey.

  Oh no, Gary’s boss was in the library. Willard was a lawyer with a shark mentality. He’d shred Blue’s career. Charley groaned, covered her face with her hands, dropped them just as quickly and yelled, “I did it! I hit Gary! It was me!”

  “Jesus, Charley,” Blue said. “Come here.” Grabbing her arm, he pulled her into his embrace. “Elspeth, I’m so sorry but-”

  “It was me,” Charley broke in breathlessly. “Me, not Blue. I’m to blame and-”

  “I know exactly who is to blame,” Willard growled.

  Arms folded, Elspeth ran an angry gaze over them all. “So do I.”

  “Me,” Charley insisted desperately. “It was-” Her words were cut off by Blue’s hand.

  “Hush, baby,” he ordered quietly into her ear. “Just settle down.”

  Walking across the room, Aaron’s expression was unfathomable as he surveyed Gary gasping like a stranded fish on the carpet.

  Moving to stand beside him, Elspeth glared down at Gary. “I want this ingrate out of my house. Now.”

  “I’ll see to it.”

  “You-you don’t understand,” Gary gasped. “This man attacked me.”

  Charley made a muffled sound, which was all she could do with Blue’s hand still over her mouth.

  “She’ll back him up when he says no because she’s foolishly in love with him. But this is the proof.” Gary pointed with a shaky hand at his rapidly swelling eye.

  “You idiot.” Willard snarled. “Wells Security have this placed monitored, there’s a camera in every room that is monitored whenever there’s a party here. Everything that was said here is taped.”

  Taped? Charley stared at Aaron.

  He just smiled slightly at her.

  Relieved, she sagged back against Blue, who removed his hand. “Oh, thank God,” she whispered.

  “How’s that for evidence of attempted blackmail and lying?” Elspeth scowled. “I’m sure it would also cover threatened defamation of character and being a first-class dickhead!”

  Gary went white.

  “We’ll be discussing your status at our firm,” Willard said grimly.

  Gary went whiter. Painfully, he struggled to his knees. “Mr Lackey, I-”

  “You’re a disgrace to my firm.” Willard’s nostrils flared. “If you even try to bring charges against any of these people, if you even dare to approach Charley, if you even think of trying to blacken Blue’s name-”

  “Or the names of any of the Wells family or their friends or family,” Elspeth put in.

  “Any of them,” Willard added furiously, “I will personally see to it that your name is dragged through the mud. You will never work in any law firm in the country ever again. One word, one whisper, one slight, one tiny hint, and you will be history, Gary. Not only will the taping of this disgraceful, contemptuous episode be seen on every TV channel in the country, but I have powerful friends in high places, and I will ensure that I use them against you. Do you understand?”

  “Sir, I-”

  “Do you understand?”

  “Yes! Yes. I’m sorry-”

  “Just shut up.” Willard looked at Charley and Blue. “Do you wish to press charges?”

  If Gary got any whiter, she was sure he’d faint. As it was, he was staring up at her with desperation, begging her with his eyes for mercy.

  What an utter arsehole.

  Blue shook his head. “For my part, he’s not worth it. Charley fixed him better than any law court could. You want to press charges, Charley?”

  “No.” She glared at Gary. “As long as he leaves us alone and causes no problems, then no, I don’t.”

  “I won’t,” he promised desperate
ly “I swear.”

  “That’s a no from both of us.” Blue looked at Willard.

  “Lucky for you.” Willard scowled at Gary. “Get off the damned floor and get out of my sight. I’ll be in contact.”

  Gary got up with difficulty, no one making an effort to help him. Aaron followed him from the room, the door clicking shut behind him.

  “Sweetie, are you all right?” Holding out her arms, Elspeth hurried to Charlie.

  “I’m fine.” Charley hugged her, her voice wobbly with stupid tears. “Sorry, I’m a little weepy. Dumb.”

  “Not at all,” Elspeth crooned. “Poor girl. Would you like to lie down for awhile? There’s plenty of guest rooms.”

  “No, really, I’ll be fine.” Charley stepped back, wiped a hand under her eyes. “How did you all know? To come in here while this was happening?”

  “As soon as Aaron’s security saw what was happening between you and Gary on the camera, they notified Aaron. He alerted us to come and listen at the door. Dreadful man,” Elspeth added. “Gary, I mean.”

  “Thank goodness,” Charley said. “It could have gone so badly.”

  “But it didn’t.” Elspeth looked at Willard. “How about we go and rejoin the party before it’s noticed we’re missing? One must keep up appearances at these things, or it’ll be whispers and scandal before you know it.”

  Willard trailed her out with profuse apologies for his employee. The door shut behind them.

  Charley turned to Blue.

  He held out his arms and she rushed into them.

  He dropped a kiss on top of her head. “You’re trembling, Sunflower.”

  “I’m all right. Adrenaline and crap. You’re not shaking.”

  “I am on the inside.”

  “Pfft. Right. Sure you are.” Closing her eyes, she rested her cheek on his chest.

  “With rage, Charley.” His arms tightened around her. “I wanted to punch his lights out. I was going in for the kill but you beat me to the punch. Literally.” Placing his hands on her upper arms, he pushed her back enough to observe her sternly. “What the hell, Charley? What was that?”

  “I panicked,” she confessed. “I knew you were going to hit him, I knew he’d hold that over you, I couldn’t let it happen.”

  “So you hit him instead.”

  “Yes.”

  “You could have been hurt,” he scolded.

  “You might have lost your career.”

  “No matter what happens to me, you are never to put yourself in danger again. Understand?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Charley.”

  She nodded.

  His eyes narrowed.

  She met his gaze innocently.

  “Charley,” he said quietly, “never are you to come in-between me and another man again. Ever.

  “Wow, that sounds so….kinky.”

  “Huh?”

  “You and another man. Coming between you. Are you trying to tell me something? Do I have competition?”

  Confused, Blue frowned before realisation dawned. With a groan, he dropped his forehead to hers. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

  “I know.” She looked into his eyes so close to hers, noting the worry deep in the bright depths. “I can’t promise not to come between you and harm, Blue, but I can promise to think first.”

  “Jesus. You’re killing me.”

  “But you admire my fighting prowess, huh?”

  “It’s your need to yell your confession that impressed me.”

  “I made his bells ring,” she stated proudly.

  Blue winced then grinned ruefully. “Yeah, you did.”

  “So it’s all good.” She sighed in satisfaction. “The evil villain has his comeuppance, the princess has her prince, the prince knows the princess will protect him. I’m so happy.”

  “Little correction to your story, Sunflower.”

  “Hmm?”

  “The evil villain has his comeuppance, the princess has her prince, the prince will rip her a new one if she ever gets into danger when he can take care of her. She won't be so happy but the prince will be grimly satisfied.”

  “What if the princess punches the prince and kicks him in the nuts?”

  “She won’t sit for a week.”

  “So maybe the princess just kisses the prince instead.”

  “That’s a good story.” He kissed her softly. “But seriously, Charley, trust me. I’ll always take care of you.”

  “That goes two ways, Blue.” She met his gaze steadily. “I’ll always take care of you.”

  He studied her soberly. “I can’t hep being protective of you. I take care of every person who means something to me. It’s the way I am.”

  “I know. I respect that. I promise to let you handle it first.”

  “Charley,” he growled.

  “I’ll only handle it if you can’t.” She dimpled up at him. “And you can handle anything, right? So we’ll never have to face that.”

  “We are going to have a long talk when we get home.”

  “Okay.” She kissed him again.

  He took her kiss, meeting her soft lips, gathering her close as his tongue flicked across her lips before dipping inside, his taste filling her mouth as his warmth seeped into her body, the reassurance of his strong yet gentle hold surrounding her protectively.

  When the kiss broke, he tucked her head under his chin.

  She couldn’t help it. “But doesn’t it put your mind at rest that I can handle myself?”

  “I’m not going to live this down, am I?”

  “Hell no,” said a familiar voice.

  Blue groaned. “Don’t tell me…”

  “Yep,” Charley said. “It’s -”

  “Jesus.” Luke dropped into the nearest armchair. “You let Charley kick some drongo’s arse while you just stood there? You’re embarrassing me.”

  “Don’t you have somewhere to be?’ Blue asked. “In the kitchen pilfering Iced Coffee or something?”

  “Nope. And shouldn’t you be kissing your girlfriend where you’re not being monitored by cameras? What’s wrong with you, man?”

  “Oh!” Horrified at the realisation that Wells Security was watching everything that happened in the room, Charley dropped her forehead onto Blue’s chest, her cheeks flaming. “Bugger.”

  Blue just laughed, Luke right along with him.

  Chapter 10

  Tomorrow he was catching the plane back to base and from there, well, wherever he was being sent next.

  Sitting in the kitchen listening to his brothers and father chat, Blue ate Aunt Lora’s delicious chocolate cake she’d made especially for him. It was decadent, the rich chocolate melting in his mouth.

  Mikki, Izzy, Shea and Aunt Lora had gone over to visit Charley, while Blue stayed at his dad’s house spending a few hours with Aaron, Luke, Jason and Dad before saying his final goodbyes. Charley and his Dad would take him to the airport tomorrow.

  For now, though, he shared laughter and reminisced while the hours flew by far too quickly. Finally Jason had to go, then Luke, both of them reluctantly saying goodbye, giving him manly hugs.

  Luke added a gruff, “Love ya. Don’t be an idiot and get your head shot off over there. It’ll just embarrass me.”

  “Duly noted.” Blue hugged him back.

  It was nearing five o’clock when Blue finally stood up. “I better go. There’s a few things I need to do.”

  Aaron hugged him. “Take care, little brother.”

  “I will.”

  “You know where I am if you need me.”

  “I know.” He hated goodbyes.

  Aaron looked at him knowingly. “Here. This might cheer you up.” Pulling the mobile from his pocket, he brought up a photo and showed it to Blue.

  Blue choked. “Holy crap! Raymond’s revenge?”

  “Raymond’s revenge.”

  The photo showed Marietta’s car in the employee garage. It was completely wrapped around with plastic cling wrap. Ever
ything. Wheels, body, everything.

  “Check this out.” Aaron enlarged the photo.

  “Oh geez. Is that…? He’s wrapped up the windscreen wipers separately? And the tyres? Every tyre?”

  “Even better.” Amusement sparkled in Aaron’s eyes. “He broke into the car and wrapped the seats separately, the gearstick, the brake, the rear-view mirror, even the things she had in the glove box. Including every single coin she had in a little pocket for the parking meters.”

  “Oh man.” Blue laughed. “Individually?”

  “Yes.”

  “It’ll take hours to undo all that. She’ll kill him. What I wouldn’t give to see her reaction.”

  “I can arrange that.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. Raymond angled some hidden cameras around the parking area in the garage to capture every reaction and expression on her face from the second she first sees the car to when she gets the last bit of plastic cling wrap off.”

  “Let me guess. This will then feature as a little movie emailed to every employee on your payroll?”

  “They’ve been waiting for his revenge to surface.”

  “Oh man. Please, send me the recording.”

  A deep chuckle rumbled in Mr Wells’s chest when Aaron showed him the photo. “Those crazy kids. You sure you don’t keep them around just for the entertainment value?”

  “They provide some much-needed lightness to my people.” Aaron pocketed the mobile. “They’re both valued employees, though. Excellent at their jobs.” Switching topics, he clapped Blue on the back. “We’ll watch your house, Blue, and we’ll take care of Charley while you’re gone.”

  “And Kitty. She’ll come looking for you personally if anything happens to that cat. You’ve seen her in action, she has a deadly right hook and her knee-to-nuts move is tear-inducing.”

  “I take the warning to heart and will ensure the monitoring guards are well aware.”

  “Thanks, mate. Really.”

  “Your family is my family is our family.”

  “That’s the way it should be,” Mr Wells agreed.

  He followed them out onto the veranda. Aaron stood to one side, waiting quietly while Blue had a few minutes with Mr Wells.

  Blue looked at the motorcycle parked in the driveway, weighed the helmet in his hand. “Dad…” He hesitated.