Page 54 of Free to Run
“Melody started in your bedroom. After she stripped off her clothes, she crawled onto your bed and proceeded to…” Caleb’s voice trails off. His throat convulses. “Take care of things on your bed. Multiple times. Then she went into your closet and got one of your shirts before she walked around your place and proceeded to destroy anything that had the appearance of a woman in it.” He’s silent as I absorb the implications. “We have it all on camera, Keene. We’ve already gone to the judge to order a warrant for the breaking, entering, and destruction of property. We’ll review the tapes to see what else we can tag her with. We’ve also obtained a restraining order against her for you. Because of the nature of what she did, and the visibility of the pictures, I obtained one for Cassidy too.” Caleb’s voice is filled with barely suppressed fury. “Unfortunately, the rest of the family is vulnerable.”
“Did you contact judges here in Connecticut as well?” I’m a lawyer, but I’m not certain about reciprocity in this area of the law.
Caleb nods. “The order is good anywhere in the country, but there’s a glitch.”
There always is. "What?” I’m weary already, and this has barely begun.
Caleb moves over to the porch railing and braces his back against it, facing me. “She’s not around to serve the order to, Keene. Right now, what the processors have is an empty piece of paper. We’ve got someone camped out at your place. The analysts are trying to use facial rec to find her, but for fuck’s sake, she knows how to find the wind and stay there. When she’s not fucking crazy, she does know how to do her job. It’s why she was recruited in the first place.” His frustration is palpable. “Which means, not only are you in danger but so are my wife and kids. So is this family.”
Rapidly running through possible scenarios in my head, I ask, “Do you want me to leave?” I don’t want to. I want to stop this crazy bitch with my bare hands. I have to fix what’s left of my home and take a good look at my life. I want—no, I need, to fix what’s between Alison and me.
Caleb shakes his head. “No way. First, we’re stronger together. Second, I think she’ll end up coming to us.” His dark eyes meet mine. “And this bitch gets no mercy.”
“None whatsoever,” I agree.
Caleb nods toward the mansion that houses Amaryllis Events. “How much do we tell them? We can’t keep them in the dark completely, Keene. Right now, Cass assumes I’m here because of what happened with Ali.” Throwing me a hard look, he continues. “I assume that situation isn’t going to last forever.”
Even though I know Caleb has good intentions, the last thing I want to do is add fuel to the Freeman rumor mill. “I’m working on it.”
He snorts. “Obviously, it’s going well. Red is your color.” He grins, referring to the whipped cream Corinna threw at me.
I give him the finger. “Like I said, I’m working on it. I fucked up.” Caleb’s lack of response is all I need to know that he agrees with me. We sit quietly for a few minutes before he says something completely asinine.
“Personally, I’m all for honesty in this situation. The more eyes, the better,” he announces.
“Are you crazy? Telling my sister’s family we brought a stalker to their doorstep? When she’s waddling around pregnant with your kids? They’ll stake me out in the front yard,” I say cynically.
“Not everyone,” Caleb disagrees.
I raise an eyebrow in challenge.
“Cassidy wouldn’t,” he argues.
“And she would be the only one who wouldn’t,” I say amenably.
“If you’d just fix what went wrong with Ali,” Caleb starts.
I finally lose it. “Don’t you think I’m trying? I fucked things up so badly, I don’t even know where to start.”
“The question is why?” Cassidy says from behind me.
“Hi, baby,” Caleb greets her. He holds out his arm to his wife, and she moves beneath it, wrapping hers around his waist.
“Why did you fuck things up so badly, Keene?” My sister’s eyes are troubled.
“Look at what I did to her before. I felt more with her than any other woman…hell, more than any other person in my life, and I snuck out the damn door while she was in the shower. I’ve acted like a spoiled two-year-old whose favorite toy has been taken away when she doesn’t do exactly what I want her to. I’ve never been the guy looking for forever.” I’m suddenly ashamed. “What if I’m just like him, Cass?”
Saying it out loud lifts this burden from my shoulders. I’ve been living under this cloak of pain, shame, and fear from what my father did to my mother, and by extension, me. And the hell of it is, if I was honest with myself, those are the same reasons I keep myself from truly connecting with any woman.
I’m stiff as a board, waiting for the condemnation when I witness it.
My sister’s laughter. Cassidy is practically falling over from it. If it wasn’t for Caleb’s arm around her waist, I think she might be on the porch floor.
I’m about to blast her, when she holds up a hand and wheezes out, “Hold on, Keene. Let me get my breath.”
Figuring my future nieces, nephews, or combination thereof need oxygen, I hold my tongue. Barely. No one ever said patience was my strong suit.
Once Cassidy regains her breath, she balls her fist and sucker punches me in the stomach.
