Page 22 of More Than I Can Bear

“Thanks, Jim,” I said, giving the man a squeeze on his shoulder as I marched out of the site office. I leapt off the top step and then strode towards where my ute was parked.

“Son, you’ve heard?”

Gary, one of my fathers, loomed over me now.

“I have and I’m going to her workplace now.”

“Is that wise?” he said. “After what Adam did?”

I searched his face, staring hard at him, wanting, needing to believe that my dad was actually critical of my baby brother for once.

“Who else is gonna protect her?” I asked. “You know what’s coming; what kind of scrutiny she’s going to face. She might not want to have a bar of us, but I need her to be safe at least.”

“Good lad,” Dad said finally, with a nod.

I carried that with me as I made a beeline for the ute. All of my fathers were sparing with the compliments, so when I got them, I held them close to my chest.

But that wouldn’t help me now.

I arrived out the front of the cafe, pulling on the park brake and then jumping out of the car to get to the front door, to her.

She looked so small, clutching her broom as everyone in the cafe was talking at her all at once. Didn’t they see how pale she looked, how hard she was gripping the broom? I moved forward, stepping into the fray.

“Freya?” She looked up then, but there was no relief in her expression, only more fear. “Hey, lemme get you out of here. Can I do that for you?”

She nodded sharply, just the once, and that was all I needed. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and then steered her towards the front door.

“Don’t come back.” We both turned to see the cafe owner flush. “I don’t mean, ot like, forever or anything but…” Her lips pursed. “You’re gonna want to lie low for a while, love. Whatever’s going on—”

“I’ve got this,” I told her firmly but not unkindly. “I’ll make sure she’s OK.” Then I looked down at my mate. “My car’s here. I can take you wherever you like. Let’s just get inside and then we’ll work out where.”

She came with me, so damn malleable, all the spirit of before beaten back. tRight as I got her close to the car, her phone started to buzz.

Her hands shook, and that hurt me to see, as she went to try and undo her apron. I stepped in with a silent request to help in my eyes and she just nodded. I undid the double knot, then tossed the stained piece of fabric over my shoulder as she grabbed her phone out of her pocket. Her fingers had a life of their own, fumbling the phone, forcing me to snatch it out of the air before it went smashing down to the ground and that’s when I saw who was video calling her.

Jack.

I knew and liked the team PR person. Jack had a no-nonsense attitude towards everything football that I appreciated. I wasn’t sure how she had Freya’s number so I looked at my mate. She took the phone from me and then answered the call.

“Frey! What the fuck! I mean… fuck. I’m sorry, girl. I knew Adam… I’m gonna kill him.” The viciousness in her voice had an answer in my own heart and I felt a moment of kinship with her. “I’m gonna fucking kill him.”

“Jack…”

Freya’s reply was croaked out and that had me step closer, as if I could protect her from whatever the hell was hurting her.

“Do you want me to talk to her?” I asked and Freya handed me the phone so that Jack could see me.

“Kaine?” Jack said in surprise. “You’re there?”

“I was on the work site when I heard about the shit Adam pulled and I came down to see if Freya is OK.”

“Thank fuck for that. Did you have any idea this was coming? Because I would’ve really appreciated a head’s up.”

“No idea.” Freya stared at me. I could’ve tried to keep it from her, what Adam was to me. I could’ve lied to try and placate her, but I didn’t. “When I saw my brother in the morning, he was going to go out for a run, then go and see our grandmother.”

“Right, well, I need you to get Freya out of there, stat. She needs to lie low.”

“I can do that,” I said.

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