by Jamie Begley
“Thanks, Moses.”
“We brought Ginny’s suitcases. I’ll get them for you.”
Gavin reached out to shake Silas’s hand as Moses went back to his truck.
“You look like you need a solid week of recuperation.”
Silas returned his hand shake. “I plan to take more than a week.” Her brother gave Gavin a wry smile. “She’s a handful. Be careful, or she’ll wear you out before your time.”
Ginny patted Suki’s head as she pushed herself between the dog and Gavin. “She’s just excited with Gavin being back,” she said, excusing the high-spirited dog.
Both men looked at her soberly. Silas was the one who broke the news to her.
“Ginny, we weren’t talking about the dog. We were talking about you.”
“I still don’t think it was funny,” Ginny said huffily while bopping her head to the song that she was listening to on the radio as they drove to Trudy and Dalton’s house.
“I didn’t laugh.”
“You might not have, but I could tell you wanted to.” She gave him another bop of her head.
“But I didn’t. Didn’t is the key word here.” Putting on the blinker, Gavin turned down the tree-lined street.
“I don’t understand why you and Silas think I’m some sort of Calamity Jane. I live a very boring life.”
Parking in the driveway, Gavin waited until he put the car in Park, waiting for her to quit dramatically singing I see “I See Red” by Everybody Loves an Outlaw.
“You know that’s funny as fuck you saying that, right?” Taking the key out of the ignition, Gavin rest his arm along the back of the seat. “There’s nothing boring about you. You couldn’t sit still if your life depended on it; you’ve had several people stalking you—”
“Slate wasn’t my fault, may I remind you?” Ginny bopped her head at him.
Gavin turned the radio off. “Aggravated one man so bad that he nearly beat you to death.”
“That’s an exaggeration. Allerton didn’t even break a bone.”
“Greer and Silas look like they are both at death’s door. Ginny, you’re more than a handful. You’re a booby trap, ready to cause an explosion anytime you’re near.”
“How hurtful.”
“You don’t act like your feelings are hurt.”
“They are … deep down.”
Gavin gave her a sarcastic snort.
“Okay, not really,” she admitted. “Because I know none of it is my fault.”
“Then whose fault is it?”
“Men.”
“Men?”
“Men,” Ginny repeated. “Do you know, statistically speaking, men are responsible for everything wrong in world? I’m serious.” Ginny raised her voice to make sure he heard her when he pretended to clean his ears out with his finger. “Men are the ones who commit 98 percent of rapes, 87 percent of robberies, 83 percent of arsons, and almost 80 percent of crimes against their partners and children. If it weren’t for men, women around the world could sleep with their windows open.”
Gavin just stared at her.
“You don’t have anything to say about that?” She bopped her head self-righteously. “Huh? I’m right, aren’t I?”
“How’d you know those statistics off the top of your head?”
“The more you know the more empowered you are.”
“You’re a nut. I want to see the results of your DNA test. Somewhere you have a blood connection to Greer.”
Taking off his sunglasses, he hung them on the visor. As he did, the long-sleeved shirt accented the muscular abs underneath. With the grey knit he wore on his head, his long hair falling down to his shoulders, Gavin was the epitome of a woman’s wet fantasy, not that she ever had one, but he would be the star if she did.
He gave her a dark look as she closed the car door. “I was coming to open the door for you.”
Ginny reached out to touch his cheek. “Are you running a fever?”
Taking her hand, Gavin began striding to the door.
“What’s the hurry?” Ginny asked with interest, waving to Trudy’s neighbor, who was nosily watching them as she got her mail.
“After I talk to Dalton, I’m going to run out to the store. Will you be all right if I leave you for about an hour?”
“Yes,” she said patiently. “You’re acting ridiculous.”
“The last time I left you alone in Treepoint for an hour, I had to take a helicopter to find you, and I ended up on an island.”
Ginny stabbed the doorbell. “Okay, you might have a small point,” she admitted, holding out her pinky. “If I promise to stay out of trouble for the next month, will you promise to quit acting as if I’m Calamity Jane?”
“Hell, I’d quit if you’d just give me a break for two days. A month would be a dream.”
“The James men’s sense of humor sucks, just so you know.”
The door opening saved Ginny from the sarcastic response that Gavin was sure to make. Dalton opened the door wider when he saw them outside.
“Hello, Dalton, may I see Trudy?”
The movie star and producer flicked his eyes over both of them, then stepped aside. Ginny entered nervously, aware Dalton wouldn’t be happy with her for upsetting Trudy when she was carrying his child.
“T.A.’s in the living room. It’s been everything I could do to keep her here after she woke. She wanted to see you last night, but when Reaper texted, he said you were exhausted from your trip.” Dalton’s eyes were on her face as he talked, making her anxious that he could see the bruises under the makeup she put on.
“I feel much better today.” Walking forward, Ginny made a left to see Trudy standing there, waiting to be noticed.
“Ginny ….”
Ginny ran into her sister’s arm, and both of them burst into tears trying to talk at the same time.
“I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you would have talked me out of going to Sherguevil,” Ginny blurted out.
“Don’t you ever scare me like that again! If you scare me like that again, I’m going to lock you in my spare bedroom.” Trudy fussed at her like a mother hen, giving her a small shake, then enfolding her back in her arms to start crying louder.
“Trudy, stop. You’re going to give the baby hiccups.”
Trudy stopped crying. “Is that true?” she asked, riveted at the thought, moving her hand to her baby bump.
“I don’t know, but it got you to stop crying, didn’t it?”
Trudy made a face at her. “I had another few minutes in me. I’ve been trying to talk Dalton into ordering Chinese for us for lunch. He won’t let me have it,” she complained as her husband wound an arm around Trudy’s waist.
“Chinese makes her blood pressure too high,” Dalton revealed. “I’ve made us some avocado, grilled chicken wraps.”
Trudy mouthed, “Help me.”
Ginny burst out laughing. “That sounds amazing to me.”
“Good, then you can have mine.”
As Dalton, Trudy, and she were about to go into the living room, Gavin interrupted them. “I have a few things I need to take care of.”
Ginny wanted to sink to the floor when Gavin gave Dalton a steely-eyed look.
“I’m going to leave Ginny in your care.” The way Gavin looked at Dalton left no doubt who he was talking to. “Turn the alarm on once I leave and don’t let them go outside. Allerton will do everything possible to get out of the charges brought against him. Anything happens to Ginny, it’s his get-out-of-jail-free card until the FBI can gather more evidence.”
“What about the beating he gave Agent Collins, or him ordering his men to kill you?” Ginny disputed, not wanting to frighten Trudy when she’d just settled down.
“He can say his men acted on their own,” Gavin hypothesized. “I don’t want any chances taken with your safety.”
“I’ll keep the alarm engaged,” Dalton assured him. “Go take care of what you need to. I have no plans to go out today.”
> Ginny wiggled her pinky at Gavin when he hesitated leaving just to give her a threatening glare, reminding her of the promise she had made to him.
“Take your time,” she encouraged, waving him off.
Ginny grinned when Dalton and Trudy looked confused at the byplay. Exasperated at Gavin’s behavior, she explained, “For some crazy reason, Gavin thinks I have a knack for getting into trouble.”
Trudy lifted her eyes to the ceiling. “I wonder why he thinks that?”
“I know, right?” Ginny shrugged lightly. “Gavin can be so uptight sometimes. I think it comes from him being in the military.” Ginny gave her a polite version of what she really thought, since she didn’t want Trudy to find out Gavin was a big jerk.
Ginny cleared her expression when she felt Dalton studying her a little too closely, afraid he read her thoughts.
“You two go sit down. I’ll get lunch ready, then come get you,” Dalton told them as he went to the alarm box by the door.
Arm in arm, they went to the living room. Smiling at her sister, Ginny ran her hand over Trudy’s baby bump.
“You’re lucky I’m too far along to kick your ass.”
“Do you really think I would have been able to stay away when you went in labor? Or not being here to babysit? We’ve missed out on so much, Trudy. I couldn’t take losing another minute.”
“Something is better than nothing. You could have been killed, Ginny! What if Reaper is right, and Allerton does try to kill you?”
“No one is getting by Gavin,” Ginny reassured her.
Trudy reached out to touch her cheek. “Someone already did.”
Ginny pressed her hand over Trudy’s. “He was busy saving his own life. We don’t have to be afraid of Allerton anymore.”
“That isn’t exactly what Reaper was saying.”
“He’s just being overprotective.”
“Are you really sure?”
“I’m positive.”
Trudy searched her face. “What happened while you were there?”
Lowering their hands, Ginny kept Trudy’s hand in hers as they sank down onto the couch.
“First things first, what’s wrong with your blood pressure?”
“Nothing, my readings are slightly higher than normal. I’m watching it carefully.” Trudy made a comical face, but it didn’t eliminate Ginny’s concern.
“Unfortunately, so are Dalton and Dr. Price. I don’t want to talk about me anymore. I want to know why you didn’t tell me what you were going to do?” Trudy pressed. “Don’t say you were afraid I’d talk you out of doing it. Once you make up your mind, you never go back.”
“I would have for you.” Ginny brought her hand to Trudy’s bump again. “It would have broken me if I couldn’t get you to see it was the right thing to do—and I knew you wouldn’t. My safety has been your highest priority since I was three. It was time to unlock the chain that bound us together with all the lies we’ve had to tell to deceive everyone. You wouldn’t even tell Dalton that I was your sister, even when he found out your sister hadn’t died in the plane crash. You don’t have to lie to him anymore, and I don’t have to hide who I am either.”
“Sex Piston is furious with you.”
Sex Piston wasn’t the only one. Trudy was just as angry, but she was containing herself.
“I had a small preview from Killyama this morning. I’m dreading seeing her again.”
“She’s on her way.”
“Darn.” Ginny wondered how long Gavin would be gone. She wanted to escape before Sex Piston arrived.
“Nuh-uh, you’re not going to get out of it that easy. Besides”—Trudy gently touched the bruises on her face—“she might take it easy on you since you’re already covered in bruises.”
Ginny snorted. “I’m not going to hold out hope for that.”
“I wouldn’t either.” Trudy gave her a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I want to know how you got those bruises.”
Ginny started from the beginning, telling Trudy about the DNA test and the agreement with the FBI. Trudy didn’t interrupt as she talked, even when Dalton came into the living room to tell them lunch was ready. They moved into the dining room where Dalton joined them, and she continued to recount what had taken place.
“I was terrified when I called Soleil, but I just couldn’t take it any longer without knowing you were safe. I just did basic pleasantries with her. I didn’t tell her anything of substance. I used the excuse to tell her about the baby. The only reaction from her was how nice and keep me updated.” Trudy sat back in the dining room chair taking a deep breath before continuing. “I’ve only called her twice after the plane crash; once when Granny died and the other was when Dalton and I were on our honeymoon. I don’t know what I was expecting by telling her and I’d gotten married, though I guess I’d hoped there would be some sort of motherly response. I never heard from Jasper, which I guess isn’t a surprise, considering he was never home when we lived there,” she said on a sigh. “You know, I’ve had that number since our last Christmas with Granny, but since never hearing from them I couldn’t bring myself to maintain a relationship they clearly never wanted.”
Ginny recognized the emotional turmoil Trudy was feeling. Trudy’s reaction was compounded by her pregnancy and wanting a maternal bond as this new phase of her life began. Trudy was Thirteen years old when they left Clindale, so her memories of their mother were greater and the cut deeper by Soleil’s disregard of them.
“She was nothing like what I remember her being. There was no connection between us emotionally or physically. When I was around her, I could see she didn’t want me there and wanted me gone.”
“Do you think it was because Soleil was afraid you would tell Allerton that Dad was the one who planned our escape?”
Trudy was as puzzled as she was by their mother’s behavior.
“I’ve always assumed Soleil was aware that Dad organized my disappearance. What if she doesn’t know it was him?”
“When they came in for our grandmother’s funeral,” Trudy added, “she was just as cold and standoffish as you are describing, and Allerton wasn’t there.”
“How did Jasper act?” Ginny delicately probed. She needed to let her sister know that the FBI and Gavin believed Allerton had their father killed. Taking into account Dalton’s concern for Trudy’s blood pressure, she decided to wait until after the baby was born to share that information. They didn’t have definite proof, so there was no need to upset Trudy until they found out the truth.
“Sad,” Trudy said, and then her eyes widened. “Angry, now that I think about it. Looking back, I assumed his anger was directed toward me. I’ve never understood why they cut off all ties with me after the plane crash, especially since Dad made the arrangements to save us. During Granny’s funeral, I assumed they were angry with me. What if it wasn’t that? What if they were angry at each other?” T.A. pressed her fingertips to her forehead, as if she had a headache. “What if she still doesn’t know Dad was the mastermind behind our escape and she’d blamed me for your death? That could certainly be why she’d be angry with me, and maybe Jasper was acting in order to keep protecting the secret?”
Seeing Dalton’s body tensing, Ginny abruptly switched the conversation to a happier topic. “Are you going to keep me in suspense, or do I have to ask Dalton?” Ginny teased.
Trudy dropped her hand back to the table. “About what?”
“You told Gavin I would be the first one to find out if you’re having a boy or a girl?”
Smiling, Trudy got up from the table to take her hand. “You coming?” she asked Dalton.
Dalton rose and gave her a kiss. “You two go ahead. I’ll do the dishes and load the dishwasher.”
Ginny wanted to reach out and hug Dalton for being so kind to her sister. In the past, Trudy’s boyfriends wouldn’t spring for a box of popcorn, much less make her lunch or do the dishes for her.
“You’ve got a winner this time,” Ginny told her sister.
Trudy wiped them away. “Ignore them. My hormones are all over the place. I can cry at the drop of a hat, then threaten to burn the house down if Dalton doesn’t go out to get me my favorite ice cream or order me a pizza. I quit asking for the pizza when he wouldn’t order me one and had come up with a better idea.”
“What did he do?”
Trudy went to open a door next to the master suite, which was wide open. “Dalton fucking made me a pizza with vegetarian cheese and cauliflower crust instead.”
“He didn’t!” Ginny giggled. “What did you do?”
“I ate it. I couldn’t hurt his feeling. Last time I asked for pizza, though.”
They were laughing when Trudy opened the door and let her go in first.
Misty-eyed, Ginny turned back to her sister. “You’re having a boy.”
Trudy walked farther into the room to open the closet and show her the tiny outfits. Ginny was admiring the crib when the sound of a horn blared from outside. Both women went to the window to see Sex Piston and Killyama getting out of the car and Fat Louise getting out from the driver’s side. Ginny could hear Sex Piston and Crazy Bitch’s loud yells at Fat Louise for sounding the horn.
Her sweet friend was giving her a head start so she could hide.
Ginny didn’t use the opportunity, seeing what Sex Piston was carrying. She put her hands on her hips as she gave Trudy a censoring stare. “You asked Sex Piston to bring you a pizza?”
“Mind ya business, bitch.” Trudy gave her an unrepentant stare back. Clearly, pizza deprivation had made her sister a tad cranky. “Dalton’s going to be so busy protecting you from Sex Piston that he won’t even notice I’m eating a slice … or two.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Reaper parallel parked in front of the jewelry store. He worried he would have to make the thirty minute drive to Jamestown, but when he texted Knox to ask if the West’s jewelry store was still open, Knox had texted back that it was.
