Sunset Flare

by Shannyn Leah

  “That’s not the answer,” he called after her.

  “Maybe I will hide,” Izzy shouted over her shoulder before collapsing on the sofa.

  Damn, her throbbing head.

  She rubbed one temple, alternating to the next and repeating. She purposely swallowed a large mouthful of alcohol just to prove a point. No one controlled or bossed her around.

  “Maybe I should camp out in the woods and hide away from the world, drowning myself in my own self pity.”

  “Deflecting.”

  He infuriated her.

  Izzy dropped her hands to her side. “Stop saying that. It’s annoying.” She threw a pillow at him, missing and hitting the counter instead. It traitorously flopped to the floor.

  Ugh.

  Closing her eyes, she rested the back of her head on the sofa, cradling the bottle between her legs, freeing her hands to rub her temples. The images overwhelmed her. She needed to slow them down, sort them into order and try and make sense of exactly what she saw. Right now, she felt more confused than before.

  Were the images real or fake? Had they happened or been created by her imagination? Were they hallucinations or not?

  She needed answers. Answers only her parents had...or Robert. This had Robert written all over it but, at the same time, she suspected it also involved Corbin.

  What could he have to do with this? Nothing? Everything? Damn it!

  “What did you see?”

  She could hear Gunner had moved closer but she couldn’t do this. Not now and not with him.

  She opened her eyes and glared at him. He stood tall and solid opposite the coffee table with tousled hair and a couple days of scruff along his jaw. Sexy. That’s what popped into her head and all he wanted to do was talk. There would be no talking tonight. She was so damn tired of talking about depressing and miserable topics she couldn’t change.

  “Why do you care? Who are you to me?” She slammed the bottle on the coffee table. “Right now, you’re just the guy I was sleeping with and tomorrow you could be gone. Forever. Like that.” She snapped her fingers. “Why would I confess anything else to you? A man who won’t fight his own past for me? For us.”

  His jaw twitched and his eyes narrowed. For a minute, she thought—hoped—he would storm away. She could deal with desertion over presence.

  “This isn’t about us and you’ve already confided more in me than anyone else.”

  She stood up and pointed a finger at him. “And what have you confided to me in return? It’s a two-way street. Where are you from? Where do you live? What are you running from? Hiding from? What scares big bad Gunner into silence and hiding? Oh wait, I have to look all that up on the internet to get answers.”

  A vein in his neck pulsed. “This isn’t about me.”

  “It never is. You just swooped into my life and decided to save me.” Her hand made a “swooping” motion as she continued. “I have news for you, Gunner, I don’t need saving. I’m not some sad little girl who cowers in a corner, away from her fears. I walk into the damn bush and I face whatever haunts me!” She was shouting and didn’t care who heard. “Save yourself the trouble. Save us the trouble because I don’t need you only to have you walk away!”

  She turned to stalk away, but he caught her, gently but firmly pulling her wrist, moving his hand over her arm, and around her waist. He pulled her back against his front to nuzzle the side of her head.

  She considered shoving him away again, turning and slapping him across the face, or doing that little move he taught her to protect herself. But those actions were of the old Izzy, the woman who did run away from her fears. Not physically, but emotionally. She didn’t want to walk away from Gunner.

  “I’m not going anywhere.” His tone softened against her ear. “I’m here, right now and always. And I care. Dammit, Izzy, I care.” He sounded so sincere she felt her remaining reserve slip away. “And that’s not something I’ve done for a long time. Talk to me. Don’t talk to me, but don’t run away and do not use me either. If you want me to take you to your room say it because you want me, not because I distract you.”

  Izzy turned, resting her head on his chest, feeling his heart beat against her ear. She closed her eyes and allowed his arms to wrap her in a love she didn’t know she’d longed for.

  “I’ve never wanted to stay in one place as much as I do with you and I am going to fight to ensure that I won’t ever have to walk away from you.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Anton has given me his word and, with what I have over his family, I believe they will let me be.”

  “What?”

  He cupped her face. “I’m going to stay and fight for you. Not here, in your suite. That would be a little rushed, but I’m going to stay in Willow Valley and even if you’re not ready right away, I will wait until you are. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “That easy?”

  He shook his head. “No, but damned if Anton or any of those Caliendos are going to control me again. The only Caliendo I give anything to is you.” He placed her hand over his chest. “I give you my heart.”

  A small smile stole her lips. “Oh my gosh, you’re so sappy.” She half laughed and half cried. “And you’re not a distraction, you’re a part of me that I didn’t know had been missing.”

  His hands tightly gripped her face. “Now who’s sappy?” Then he bent down and kissed her hard.

  She laughed, wanting his lips back against hers. “You’re really staying?”

  He nodded.

  “I called my dad to try and get some dirt on Anton or the sons, anything to keep you here, but he hasn’t called back.”

  Gunner smiled at her. “Dad?”

  She licked her lips. “I’m moving forward. Baby steps. We’ll see when he gets here if I call him dad to his face.” Thanks to Abby, she realized she’d been running from her demons, just as Gunner had been hiding from his. It was about time they both stopped and faced them.

  He shook his head. “Damn your feisty, popsicle.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “I didn’t know love until I met you, Izzy. I haven’t loved another person the way I love you. And I know it’s too soon. I’m not looking for you to say it back, but I’ve been alone for so many years, wasting my life away, that now, I can’t see wasting it anymore.”

  She gripped his hands. “Take me to my bedroom.”

  Gunner lifted her into his arms, his hands hoisting her rear and giving her legs initiative to snake around his middle, all the while gently kissing her in a way he never had as if memorizing every area. She licked his lips, his teeth and when she stroked his tongue, she couldn’t believe he was staying.

  A lifetime with him would be too short.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  AFTER A LATE shower, Gunner’s damp, naked torso and wet hair joined Izzy in the kitchen.

  Sitting cross legged on the kitchen island, she finished chewing the blueberry she’d popped in her mouth then waved her hand over the plates of food.

  “I don’t do cooking,” she said.

  “No? What’s all this then?”

  “Order in. I wasn’t sure what you wanted, or if you were hungry, but anything we don’t eat, we can refrigerate.”

  He picked up an apple slice and bit it in half. “I have to go down to the library in the morning.”

  “It is morning,” she pointed out.

  “That means I will only get a few hours of sleep before I have to wake up again.”

  “Too bad.” She seductively pouted at him. “I had a whole day of nakedness planned for us.”

  “Nakedness? Tell me more.” He tossed the rest of the apple slice in his mouth.

  She grinned, slinging her legs over the side of the counter. “Naked in the kitchen...” She slipped her silk housecoat off her arms, letting it pool at her elbows and showing off her silky chemise underneath. “Naked in the living room.” She ran her hands down her front, parting the housecoat a
t her waist and revealing only a pair of panties. She continued smoothing her hands down her bare legs. “Naked right now...”

  Wedging his body between her thighs, he nuzzled her neck with his lips, pulling her against him. She slid her fingers into the waistband of his pants, wanting more of him.

  “I love this day of nakedness idea.” He nibbled on her ear lobe before whispering, “Can I have a rain cheque until after the files are done?”

  She shrugged against him and he bit harder on her neck, rooting a little squeal out of her. “You vixen. Tonight, I want to peacefully hold you while we sleep knowing we’re going to do this forever. I never sleep as good as when I’m with you.”

  She smiled at him. “Normally that would scare me away. Normally a man wouldn’t be close enough to even think those thoughts.”

  He grinned, leaning back. “So I’m pretty special, huh?”

  “Because you rammed yourself into my life like a wild bull.”

  He laughed. “You’re not too tame yourself.”

  She laughed before sobering. “You are special to me. You’ve helped me get past some of the hardest parts of my life without lying to me or being condescending. I feel safe and protected when I’m with you. I feel loved.”

  He cupped her face, lowering his mouth a whisper away. His fingers made circular motions against her skin. “You’ve helped me face my fears. Before you, I had planned to hide after all this was over—even with Anton’s word. Every person I’ve ever put trust in has betrayed me and, truthfully, living alone with enough money to never have to leave was comforting to me. When Anton offered me the opportunity to walk free, it scared the hell out of me. I didn’t want it, but at the same time I couldn’t say no. Then you strolled into my life and everything changed.”

  She understood his feelings of betrayal. Izzy had felt betrayed her whole life, but, in the end, her family had done it out of love. For Gunner, the people who betrayed him—his parents abandoning him, the foster system giving up on him, his wife and the family he thought he had backstabbing him—had been only for selfish reasons. Non of them had ever considered Gunner’s feelings or the outcome of their actions. Izzy felt a wave of guilt at the lies and secrets she held above her family, secretly and not-so-secretly harbouring anger with them. Especially with her father.

  Gunner leaned back, taking her eyes in fully and a dragging her back to the present. She would deal with her dad when he came home.

  “You opened the numbness inside me, making me remember what life felt like. What it felt like to smile and laugh. Then you made me feel.” He lifted her hand to his warm chest and covered her small hand with the entirety of his big hand. “You moved my heart. It went from this monotone feeling I’ve always known to beating faster when you were around, but also slowing to a stop, like tonight when you passed out. You control my heart like nobody ever has and if I walk away from you, it will crush me.”

  He kissed the palm of her hand. “I understand your fear, Izzy. I get the reasons behind why you haven’t let a man into your life. So I promise you: I will never lie to you. I will never hide a secret because I think it will protect you. Instead, we will fight together and I will always stand by your side.” He kissed her again. “And since I’m being honest with you, truthfully—” He smirked at her. “Sometimes you need to be put in your place.”

  She gasped but then smiled. “Jerk!” She slapped his chest, but he’d melted her insides. “You were being a sweet and sappy and then—

  He didn’t let her finish, but covered her mouth with a hard kiss—a seal of their love, commitment and future. The kiss was broken by a loud thudding on her suite door.

  “Let them knock,” Izzy said, but even as the words came out, she glanced at the clock to find it was almost three in the morning. Who would be knocking on her door at this hour, unless there was a family emergency?

  “Give me a second.” She slipped off the counter and opened the door to find Marc looking anything but happy.

  “Alright—” She held her hand up in surrender. “Yes, I called in a favor and tossed around large sums of money for the alarm system at Kate’s store to go wonky. I wanted to go to the beach with Gunner—”

  “You did that?”

  “Isn’t this what this is about?”

  “No.”

  “Oh...” She covered her mouth. “You saw the torture room? I’m sorry. I had to, but Marc, I remember that room.”

  “Izzy!”

  She stopped. “What?”

  “Get dressed. Family meeting. You said you wanted to be part of our decisions, so get dressed.” He glanced past her. “And leave your friend. I’ll wait here.”

  “Now?”

  “Yes!” he practically shouted at her.

  “Okay, okay.” She closed the door and found Gunner right where she had left him, eating fruit, and waiting for her. Lord, she didn’t want to leave this beautiful man, but she didn’t have a choice,

  “Listen, Marc needs me.”

  “At this hour?”

  She tip-toed over to him and kissed the sweet strawberry juice from his lips. “Yes.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  Izzy shrugged. “I don’t know.” She headed to her bedroom for clothes and Gunner followed. She grabbed coral-colored skinnies off the floor and started pulling them on. “Promise me you’ll stay,” she said. She skipped the bra and grabbed a baggy black shirt that slipped off one shoulder. Gunner kissed that shoulder when she turned around.

  “I promise.”

  She couldn’t leave quite yet. “Gunner, I won’t abandon you or leave you. I won’t turn the other way when life gets too hard. I know you’ve been through hard stuff and my difficult times likely seem tiny compared to yours, but I know what it feels like to feel alone. You never have to feel that way again. I won’t abandon you.”

  He hugged her. “I’ll be here when you get back.”

  “Okay.” She gave him a peck on the cheek. “And don’t eat all my blueberries.”

  His laughter followed her into the pool room where Marc was impatiently waiting.

  “How are you?” her brother asked unlocking the door to his office.

  “I’m good. How are you?”

  What was going on?

  He paused from opening the door. “Izzy, I think you’re the strongest sibling among us. You’re the youngest and maybe we baby you a bit, but you’re strong. When this goes down, don’t forget that.”

  “When what goes down?”

  Her question went unanswered as he pushed her inside the office and locked the door behind them. Inside, she was met by her entire family. Her parents were back. And Violet, Anya, Emma and their spouses all crowded around the room. Kate was the only in-law missing. Ryder had his arm wrapped around Violet. Quinn held Anya’s hand and Grayson stood behind Emma with her arms wrapped around her middle.

  What was this? A family intervention?

  “Mom, Carl...what are you doing here?” So calling him dad might need some easing into. Regardless, she ran into both their arms, taking turns hugging them.

  Then she saw a new face. Corbin. She couldn’t pull her stare away from her brother. He was the spitting image of a younger version of his father. Although Robert would never be caught wearing work boots, black denim pants or a red and black plaid button up. And he certainly wouldn’t sport the thick, well-groomed beard that Corbin had now. But the stunning bright blue eyes, and straight nose were identical. Corbin’s build was brawny, like Gunner’s.

  She crossed the room and threw her arms around her brother’s middle. He stepped back, perhaps shocked at first. She held on until he arms wrapped around her.

  “Welcome home,” she said, smiling up at him.

  His lips curled into a hesitant half-smile.

  “Get used to it,” she said. “I’m a hugger. The rest of them—” She glanced over her shoulder. “Don’t be a bunch of jerks. This is our brother. Take a minute to say hello.”

  Marc, Violet, Anya and Emma mov
ed straight right into action, catching Izzy completely off guard. They never listened to her. She practically had to jump out of the way as they took turns giving Corbin hugs, back slaps and welcome home whispers.

  “We don’t have a lot of time,” Carl interrupted. “Has this door been locked at all times?”

  “Yes,” Marc answered.

  “Listen closely.” They scattered themselves around the room, her parents leaning against the large mahogany desk, her siblings standing by the leather chairs and sofa. Everyone too edgy to sit down and Izzy still unsure of what was happening.

  “Anton is not a family friend, nor did he arrive to assist you. He’s here for his family’s files and I assume now he thinks he has them.”

  “Thinks?” Violet asked.

  Carl smirked, softening his ordinarily serious face. “A little bit of Robert’s cleverness runs through my blood, too.”

  Izzy wasn’t so sure that trait was one to be proud of. “Cleverness or malicious?” All eyes scolded her. “What? Everyone was thinking it? I just said it.”

  Eliza touched Carl’s arm, shaking her head but wearing a smirk herself. “Since Robert died, we’ve been working to free Corbin from what forced him into hiding. We couldn’t do it with Robert alive. Not only did he hold all the cards, but we would have had to alert him of Corbin being alive.”

  Listening to her family, she sometimes wondered if they realized how much their lives sounded like a soap opera. It would be amusing if the current situation didn’t seem so serious.

  Her mother continued. “We faked Corbin’s death and rushed him out, partially as a result of his involvement with planning to kill Carl, but the reasons ran deeper.”

  Izzy caught Carl supportively gripping his nephew’s tense shoulder, silently telling him no bad blood stood between them. Corbin didn’t even crack a smile, sending him a curt nod.

  Eliza’s eyes went to each of her remaining kids as she explained they’d been handing incriminating files, most of which implicated Anton, his family and others, over to detectives who were building a case against them.

  “We didn’t want to rush the process.” Carl took over, giving Eliza a break. “The detectives have a code to follow in order to properly build a solid case and we didn’t want to tamper with the process. However, because of Anton’s slick move into our lives, we’re being forced to move ahead and hope all ends well.”