by Kathryn Shay
“Yes.”
His blue eyes widened. “Is it serious?”
Mama nodded.
Gideon growled, “Give us his details.”
Mama sent her son a glare. “You are not going to do a background check on him, Gideon. I mean it.”
“You haven’t known him long. How do you know he’s a good guy?”
Obviously angered now—with good reason—she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve been seeing him for years.”
“What?
“What?”
“What?”
Mama raised her chin. “He’s the friend I visit in Rockford every summer.”
Alessia’s mouth dropped but she made a quick decision to support her mother. Her brothers had various expressions of shock, which quickly turned dark.
“You lied to us?” Rafe asked.
“No, I said I was staying with friends.”
“Staying at his house?” Gideon asked. “As in…”
“Oh, for God’s sake.” Kate raised her voice to silence them. “She’s a grown woman. She can do anything she wants without your knowledge or approval.”
“I agree.” Julianne shook her head. “Sometimes you guys are such Neanderthals.”
Alessia grasped her mother’s hand. “How much do you care about him, Mama?”
“We’re in love with each other.”
Expletives from the guys with God’s name in them.
Mama let it go on. When they quieted, she said, “This is why I didn’t tell you.” Stunned silence. “I was faithful to your father our entire relationship. But he’s been dead for two decades.”
“And you never dated before.” Rafe sounded like a little boy.
“I had a family to raise. Tomaso and I knew Judd and Ellen Lewis socially when we went upstate to visit friends. His wife died seven years ago, and we’ve been spending time together for five summers. Only last year did we admit how much we cared about each other.” She looked to Alessia. “Honey, get them to stop this now. I’m uncomfortable with their reactions. The rest of you, if you need to discuss this more, we’ll do it individually and privately. That way, none of you can gang up on me.”
“Mama, I’m sorry—”
“Not now.” She stood. “You all can decide anything else that needs to be done for Thanksgiving. I’m going to go call Judd.” She left the room.
Alessia scanned them. “I hope you realize what you just did to the woman who gave her whole life to raising us.” She made a disgusted sound. “I love you guys, but you can be jerks sometimes and this is one of them.”
Rafe hung his head. “I didn’t mean to come off that way.”
Gideon’s blue gaze was still hot. “Mama’s been screwing some guy we never even met? How did you expect us to react?”
“No need to use vulgarity. I’m glad she’s had someone all this time.” Now Alessia stood. “And the physical part of their relationship is none of our damn business.”
Julianne and Kate stood, too. “Let’s go down to the den. I don’t want to be with these guys right now.”
Alessia gave a little smile as she glanced back at them. They looked like little boys who’d just gotten in hot water.
* * *
Stuart shook all over as he felt the cravings. They’d planned it this way. Not only had he endured brutalities for days, but he was pretty much hooked on chemicals.
What did they want with him? All they said is they were preparing him for his future.
He was startled when a woman entered instead of the big guy. “Hello, Stuart.”
He sat up as well as he could but it was mostly a slouch. “Who are you?”
“My name doesn’t matter. You don’t need to know it when you leave here and come to me.”
“To where?”
“You’ll figure it out soon enough. Now, here are the ground rules. You will have a room in my house. You will be provided for, including this…” She took out a syringe. “In exchange for supporting you, you will be nice to the people who visit you. You’ll work in shifts, alternating one day and one night. A rule written in stone is that you will not complain about what these people want from you. You’ll silently cooperate or allow it. If you do object, this…” she waved the syringe at him “will stop. I assure you withdrawal will be worse than the proclivities of our clientele.”
It dawned on him. “You own a whore house, don’t you?”
“That’s a crude term. We see it more as an entertainment facility. Now, stick out your arm.”
Against his will, he stuck out his arm. He needed the fix. And apparently, he’d need it when these “people” came to rape him.
Chapter 5
* * *
On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Derek arrived at his Interpersonal Communications class anxious to see Alessia. As he leaned against the wall of the room, ostensibly looking out the window, Karen Nguyen came up to him and bestowed a more than friendly smile on him. She’d been good friends with Zahra Duong, as they were both Vietnamese. Zahra had disappeared a few weeks ago.
Derek had dated Karen twice; she seemed to think Zahra had gone back to Vietnam. And she didn’t say goodbye. “Hello, Derek.”
“Karen.” Her long lank hair fell to her waist and around her high-cheeked face.
“Do you have plans for Thanksgiving? I thought you might want to join me and my family.”
He had to be smart. He touched her arm. “I’m sorry, I can’t. My in-laws are taking my daughters to Disneyworld and I’m going with them for part of the time.”
“Oh, well. Have a lovely dinner.” As she walked away, she glanced over her shoulder. “Call me sometime.”
He sighed, took his seat and glanced around. He hadn’t noticed that Alessia had come inside the room. Shit, what did she see? Hear? Right now, she was staring down at her open notebook.
The lesson on strategies of persuasion was interesting and almost made him forget about Alessia. But he was relieved when the class ended. He waited for Alessia outside the door. “Hey,” he said. “How are you?”
“I’m okay.” She rolled her eyes. “Sometimes my family drives me nuts.”
He pulled her away from the doorway, down the corridor a bit. “What happened?”
“We had a big fight planning our Thanksgiving dinner.”
“Over what?”
“My mom’s boyfriend.”
He burst out laughing.
She socked him in the arm. “It’s not funny. My cavemen brothers hurt her with their remarks.”
“Oh, sorry. Did it get resolved?”
“Yeah, they groveled, like men do when they’ve been asses.”
God, everything she said and did appealed to him. “So, what are your…”
“I was wondering if…”
“You go first.”
“Derek, do you have plans for Thursday?”
“As a matter of fact, I don’t. My daughters are going to Disneyworld with their grandparents. The kids are taking some time off school. I was invited, but I said no because Linda’s parents love having the girls to themselves.”
“Would you like to come to Thanksgiving at my house?”
He chuckled. “Will I be a target for your brothers, like at the wedding?”
“No way. They’re docile now. Everybody will be nice to you.”
“Would I be the only outsider?”
“You’d have Judd, my mother’s beau, to hang out with. And me, of course.”
“Your kids will be there.”
“I know. If you agree, I’ll tell them you’re a classmate with nowhere to go over the holiday.”
He thought of Grant, and his stern warnings. He thought of the dangers of human trafficking. Then she touched his arm, and smiled up at him with shining onyx eyes. “I’d really like you to come.”
“Then the answer is yes.”
* * *
Alessia stared out the sliding glass doors in Rafe’s kitchen. Thanksgiving dawned a balmy sixty-degree day. Somet
imes, New York weather was erratic. She’d arrived early to help with the preparations.
Her sister-in-law Kate came up to her. “That’s something, isn’t it?”
The sun shone down on the house and yard, bathing everything in its glow. Even the pool, covered for the winter, gleamed. “A good omen, I hope.”
“Me, too.”
A pause. Then she asked, “Petey, oops, I mean Pete, didn’t come over with you and the boys?”
“No, he’s grounded and he prefers I not share why, at least today. He’s coming down for dinner. I hope he isn’t sullen about his circumstances.”
“He’ll probably be glad to get out of the house.”
“Is Rafe still playing with the boys’ downstairs?”
Because their family was expanding, Rafe had finished off the basement with the help of other firefighters. It was a kids’ delight.
“Yeah, I swear, he’s obsessed with that nerf basketball setup.” She nudged Alessia’s shoulder. “Want to talk about your date to the wedding and now him coming to dinner?”
Alessia glanced over at Kate, who grew lovelier with each phase of her pregnancy. “Not much to say. Like I told you after the reception at the Inn, he’s a friend I made at City College. I like him, but he’s a recent widower so we’re friends…with a few benefits.”
“You slept with him?”
“No. But he did kiss the daylights out of me before he left the wedding.”
“Was it delicious?”
“That’s exactly the way I’d describe it. We talked a bit about a relationship and he needs to take things slow because he lost his wife so recently. Taking it slow is fine by me.”
“He can commiserate with Judd.”
“Will my brothers behave, do you think?”
“I can guarantee Seth and Rafe will. They felt pretty bad after the day we discussed Judd, and they went off the rails. Who knows what Gideon will do.”
“Maybe he’ll be on his best behavior since his kids are coming with him.”
Just then, the kitchen door opened and Gideon’s little one, Cassie came bounding inside. “Hi, Aunt Ali, Aunt Kate.” At five she had boundless energy. “Where are the boys?”
“Downstairs in the—” She didn’t wait for Kate’s answer. She flew to the basement door and the sound of pounding feet was all that was left of her.
Carrying bags, Carina came in with their father. “Hi, Aunt Kate. Aunt Ali.”
“Hey, there.” Alessia liked the shy teen.
“Hi, all,” Gideon said.
Alessia went over to him and kissed him on the cheek. “Hey, Gid.”
He set down his packages, hugged her and took her bags, too.
Kate smiled. “Hi, honey. There’s pop in a cooler. We put it on the patio since it’s so nice out.”
Carina shook her head, waist-length hair swaying with the movement. “I hate winter.”
“Aw.”
“Can I help here?” she asked.
“Sure. Why don’t you, me, and Ali set the table.” In actuality, Alessia knew Kate had left that chore so they could give the task to her.
When Kate left with Carina, Alessia said to Gideon, “Where’s Cory?”
“Outside in the car. On his phone. I told him ten minutes. Pete?”
“Grounded.”
He grasped her arm. “Can I help?”
“No, not yet. We’re dealing with it. Don’t mention anything to him when he gets here.”
“All right.”
“I want to tell you something else. I’ve invited a guest, Gideon.”
“That guy from the wedding?” His light-blue gaze laser focused on her. “You were pretty chummy.”
“Yep, him. Promise you’ll be nice.”
“Are you kidding? After that dust up over Judd, the three of us pledged to be all sweetness and light today.”
“I’ll believe that when I see it.”
The doorbell rang.
Alessia went to the foyer and opened the front door to find both Judd and Derek standing on the porch. “Well, hello.”
Judd smiled. “Hi, Ali. I met your friend in the driveway.”
She grinned at Derek, who carried flowers and wine. “Hi, Alessia.”
They moved inside. Derek said, “These are for the host.”
Kate entered the foyer. “Hello, you two.” She accepted the gifts. “Thank you, Derek, and welcome.” To Judd, she commented, “Thank you for the centerpiece and case of wine.”
“You’re very welcome.”
Once inside, Kate took Judd’s coat just as Mama came up from the basement. “Oh, you’re here.”
“Just.” He kissed Mama’s cheek. “Happy Thanksgiving, Carm.”
Mama said hello to Derek and she and Judd headed into the kitchen. As soon as Derek and Alessia were alone, he leaned over and kissed her on the mouth.
Ali’s pulse escalated before he broke the embrace.
He grinned. “I’m glad to be here.”
“I feel the same. Let me hang that up.” He gave her his light leather jacket. Beneath it he wore a dark brown shirt with window pane beige lines that matched the color of his khakis. “Will you miss the girls today?”
For a brief moment, his face darkened. Then he nodded. “Yeah, but they’re having a ball in Florida.”
“Good.”
“So,” he asked, taking her hand. “How do we do this?”
“As casually as possible. At least you’ve met them all.”
“Not your kids. Did you tell them I’d be here?”
“Of course. Mattie and Mikey shrugged it off.” She gave a smile. “Pete just stared at me blankly and said nothing. He’ll walk over later.”
“Well then, let’s mingle.”
They walked into the dining area of the kitchen. “Wow, this is a beautiful place,” he said to Kate. “Nice backyard.”
“Yeah, we put on an addition to lengthen the kitchen and family room space. Then added the pool on last summer.”
Alessia knew Kate and Rafe wanted to be able to entertain their large family, so over the last year, they’d done some construction.
He asked, “Can I help out somewhere?”
“Everybody pitched in to bring the meal. So, no, not much left. Go on into the family room.”
Derek said to Alessia, “I guess it’s time.”
The family, except the kids, were present. Seth sat on the floor, where he played with his new dog, Judge, and Julianne lounged back in the chair he leaned against. Mama and Judd took one of the sofas, Rafe and Gideon sat at a small table in the corner, putting together a puzzle. “Hi, everyone.”
Heads turned. Mama smiled from the couch, and the three guys got up and approached them. Rafe’s expression was pleasant, Gideon clapped Derek on the back, and Seth, always the baby, asked if Derek wanted to pet his puppy.
Gideon held up the beer bottle. “Want one, Derek?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Ali?”
“Yep.”
The small talk went well. Derek joined the brothers at the jigsaw table, and eventually, Mama and Judd went out to the patio overlooking the pool.
At one, Pete came into the house with his head hanging. She slid her arm around him, and he let her. “I didn’t tell them what happened. I may still. But all they know now is you’re grounded. They won’t ask you about it.”
He said hello to those left in the kitchen and family room, then went to find Cory.
Two bullets dodged, Alessia thought. Derek and Pete. She hoped to enjoy the rest of the day.
* * *
Right before dinner, the doorbell rang again. Julianne left the family room, saying, “I’ll get it.”
Gideon asked, “Are we expecting somebody else?”
Kate said simply, “Yes, Jules asked a friend to come.”
Uh-oh. He stood immediately and followed Julianne to the foyer. He arrived at the door just in time to see his sister-in-law hug Anabelle Sanders. When they drew back, Gideon crossed his arms o
ver his chest. “Jules, is it okay if I have a minute with Anabelle before you bring her in?”
Julianne said, “Anabelle?”
“Sure.” When she left, Anabelle faced him. Today she wore a skirt. He’d seen her in that dress at the wedding a week ago, had taken it off her, but never in a skirt. Made of beige, knit material, the hem hit her calves, where it swirled a bit. Brown boots peeked out from beneath. On top she wore a black tight shirt, of the material of Carina’s dance leotards, and over it, a fringed vest. “Do I pass?” she asked saucily.
“I haven’t seen you since the wedding, well, after the wedding.” He couldn’t help the small smile he gave her.
“You could have texted.”
“I could say the same to you.”
“Are you happy or angry I’m here?”
“I don’t know,” he said frowning. “You?”
“I wouldn’t have come if I wasn’t glad for the invite.”
“Then I’ll be glad, too. Come back out.”
She tugged his arm as he started away. “Wait a sec.”
He turned.
“I don’t regret our time together.”
“Neither do I. But we both agreed it was a one-shot deal.”
Her head cocked, she quipped, “Actually, it was more than one…um, shot.”
His eyes burned. “I remember.” He cleared his throat. “We also said we wouldn’t talk about it.”
“My bad. But I just wanted you to know.”
“Okay. And, I don’t regret it either.”
* * *
Dinner was in full swing and everybody was in a good mood. But it was interrupted by a loud screech of tires, then a horrific crunch that shook the house. Everybody popped up and strode to various windows to see what happened.
Rafe said, “A car just crashed into our tree in the front yard right by the curb.”
“Holy hell,” Gid said.
Without more comments, Rafe, Gideon, Anabelle and Derek raced to the door. When Kate started to follow them, Rafe turned to her. “What are you doing, honey? You can’t come out here. Call 911.”
The four of them jogged over the hard ground to the accident. Smoke billowed out of the engine, and Derek saw gas dripping out of the tank. The smell of burnt tires and smoking metal surrounded them.
