“I’ll be okay. I don’t want you to worry. Promise?”
The boys muttered their reluctant agreement, three pair of eyes clearly showing their doubts.
Trying to break the somber mood a bit Ginny asked, “So are my men making me dinner or are we ordering out?”
Zeke chuckled.
“Oh, I see how this is. You get to use this when it’s convenient for you.”
She smiled against his skin.
“Chinese sounds good.”
The house seemed unnaturally quiet. He resisted the urge to seek a more comfortable position. Spooned in the queen size bed from the guestroom, Ginny was stiff in his embrace. Rubbing a slow circle on her hip with the pads of his fingers, he searched for the right thing to say. Her voice startled him.
“I want my bedroom back.”
“Whatever you want.”
“I’ll call tomorrow and order another mattress.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Okay. Like I said, whatever you want.”
“Careful. I could get used to that.”
“I seem to remember someone telling me that she would decorate the bedroom anyway she wanted and that I should just be grateful for getting to sleep in it with her.”
“You let her get away with that?” Ginny asked with a little giggle.
“I love her. Besides, what do I care what the room looks like? I’m only looking at her.”
“Oh, that was good Mr. Brawer. Flatterer.”
“Thanks. It sounded much better than the other line.”
“Which was?”
“I’m only in here to sleep and fuck.”
“There is my blunt and honest old man,” Ginny snorted. Pressing back into his embrace, she sobered, wondering when she would be ready for that again.
The doctor had been startled when she had asked about resuming intercourse and the chances of sexually transmitted diseases. He had hedged around the details, telling her that the internal injuries needed to heal before worrying about resuming her wifely duties. Had he really called it “wifely duties?” The doc wore a wedding ring, but the choice of words really made her wonder about his marriage.
She wasn’t going to say there hadn’t been times in twenty plus years when she hadn’t been in the mood but had given Zeke some, but for the most part she enjoyed sex with her old man.
“I know women expect men to be mind readers, but if there is anything I can do.”
Ginny swallowed the lump that swelled at his unfinished offer, thankful for the millionth time for the strong man she had married. Nodding in the dark she kissed the arm around her and whispered, “You’re doing it.”
A blow glanced off his cheek, jerking Zeke from sleep. The shots kept coming as he rolled for the nightstand.
“GET OFF ME!”
Reality kicked him in the gut, wiping away the last visage of sleep. Ginny’s scream was fury laced with fear and agony. It shredded his heart. Feet hitting the floor, he stepped back from the bed. Her eyes were wild as she thrashed to free herself of the blankets. He reached for her, afraid she would hurt herself, but she jerked away so violently she fell off the far side. Circling the foot of the bed, he cursed as he stubbed his toe. He squatted down beside her, but she curled into a ball, trying to slide under the bed. Her shoulders shook with the force of her sobs.
“I’m right here, baby. You’re safe,” he soothed, his hand hovering over her, but afraid to touch. The thunder of feet in the hall heralded the boy’s arrival.
“Ma?”
“I got it. Go back to bed,” Zeke ordered.
They shuffled around in the hall uncertainly, but he didn’t have time to offer them reassurances.
“I’m so damn sorry,” she cried.
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Gin. It’s going to be okay,” he said, wincing at how lame the words sounded. What the hell did he know about what she was going through, or if everything would ever be the same? He felt so damn useless. Easing closer, he stroked hair out of her face. She flinched. His jaw tensed, tension humming through his muscled frame.
Turning her carefully, he eased her into his arms. She pressed to his chest, fingers digging into his sides like talons in her desire to get closer. He burrowed his nose in her chestnut hair.
“I wish I knew what the fuck to do here, babe,” he rumbled. “You’re my whole damn world. Tell me what to do and it’s done.”
“Love me.”
Zeke shook his head at her whispered plea.
“I couldn’t stop if I wanted to.”
Lifting her, he stood easily. She didn’t want to let go of his neck when he laid her on the bed. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her swollen lips.
“Give me a minute to calm the heathens and I’m all yours.”
She stroked the nape of his neck, staring up at him. They held like that for countless seconds and then she nodded, releasing him. As he moved to the door, she grabbed for tissues on the nightstand. Stepping into the hall he closed the door behind him and glared at the trio of sleepy teens.
“I thought I told you to go back to bed.”
“Is Ma okay?” Rhys demanded.
“She had a nightmare,” Zeke said with a sigh. “We’re going to have to expect this. I will take care of her. I don’t need all three of you beating down my door every time she whimpers.”
“We were worried about her,” Mox mumbled.
Zeke met his eyes and felt like an ass. He glanced at the other two. Of course they were worried about her. It took a lot to bring Ginny to her knees and it wasn’t a side of her the boys had seen. He rubbed his eyes, squeezing the bridge of his nose as he let his head thump back against the door.
“I know. You three are going to have to trust me that I will take care of her. I love your mom more than anything. Her and I have been through some bad shit over the years and this is no different. We’ll get through it.”
“What can we do to help?”
“Just be there for her, be it a hug or hero she needs,” Zeke told his youngest before turning his cool gaze on the older two. “Your mom carries this family on her shoulders. We need to step up and take care of her the way she does us.”
All three hung their heads, but nodded.
“Go back to bed,” Zeke muttered, palming the back of Garrett’s head and giving him a playful shove towards the stairs. The pretty boy got a squeeze to his nape before Zeke clapped Mox on the shoulder, sending them on their way. Taking a deep breath and tossing a request skyward, Zeke went back to bed.
The smell of coffee permeated the silent house, drawing Ginny to the kitchen. She stopped short in the doorway. Zeke lowered his paper.
“Good morning.”
She circled the table to drop a kiss on his upturned lips. Guilt coursed through her at the weariness marking his rugged features. She brushed her thumb over a bruise on his cheek.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’ve taken worse, Slugger,” he said with a chuckle and turned her to sit in his lap.
“Not in your sleep or from your old lady. I’m lucky you didn’t swing back.”
“We’re good, baby.”
She laid her cheek on his shoulder, cuddling close to steal his warmth.
“Why aren’t you at work?”
“I took a couple days off.”
“Part-timer.”
“Trying to get rid of me?”
“Never.”
She cuddled in his lap while he read the paper until her stomach growled. He patted her hip, urging her to get up.
“I’ll make you some breakfast.”
“I can make breakfast. Have you eaten?”
“I ate with the heathens.”
Standing, Ginny wandered into the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee. Doctoring it with a generous dollop of Irish cream, she watched her husband attack a couple eggs with a whisk. Biting her lip, she whispered,
“I think I saw Tyson.”
The whisk stopped and she held her breath. Zeke turned slowly, his pale gaze pinning her.
“When?”
“It was the day before they started work on The Lantern.”
“And you’re just now telling me?”
Ginny winced at the fury in his voice.
“I wasn’t sure. He turned down the alley by the bakery and just vanished. I drove around, but …”
“You went looking for him?” Zeke bellowed, cutting her off.
“I wasn’t going to confront him! I just wanted to confirm it was him before I started dragging skeletons out,” she protested.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?”
“I’d almost convinced myself I was wrong by the time I got home and then my uncle stopped by. It was a shit day. I forgot about it until now.”
“Jesus Christ, Gin! If I had known the son-of-a-bitch was getting bold, I could’ve taken care of it. We would’ve been more careful.”
Color flooded Ginny’s battered face.
“You mean I should’ve been more careful.”
“No. I mean that I could’ve taken steps to make sure you were safe.”
“I’m a big girl, Zeke. I can take care of myself!”
“TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROR!”
Zeke’s roared words cut through her like a knife. Her knees threatened to buckle. Reaching out a trembling hand to steady herself, she slid down the wall. The mixing-bowl shattered. Raw egg splattered the kitchen. Through her tears, Ginny focused on the whisk whirling crazily in the middle of the floor. A hysterical giggle welled up in her throat as it occurred to her it was a lot like her life of late, spinning out of control.
She struggled not to pull away as Zeke loomed over her. She had it coming. She jumped in surprise when he dropped to the floor beside her.
“Look at me.”
It took a lot of effort, but she met his eyes.
“You have to use your head and trust me to do what’s best for you. Do you think I was fucking kidding last night when I told you that you’re my whole damn world? I swear to God I wouldn’t want to fucking live without you.”
The emotion and sincerity in his voice made her tears flow harder and she pushed into his arms. He hugged her tight, but his words were sharp, piercing her heart.
“You are too damn stubborn for your own good. I’m your man. You bring your problems and fears to me, and I take care of them. That is what a man does,” he said, then pushed her back to look down at her. His fingers closed around her chin and forced her to look at him. “You promised to trust me that night you showed up behind The Lantern. Has that changed?”
She was shaking her head back and forth before she could force words past the lump in her throat.
“I trust you, completely. That wasn’t it. I didn’t want to put more on you with all the shit going on.”
“You don’t shield me,” he snapped. “I protect you. Protect, provide, and procreate. Got it?”
“Can I get you to take the garbage out now and then?” she whispered in a desperate attempt to ease the tension.
“Don’t push it woman. That’s what I gave you three strong sons for,” he grumbled, stroking her face with the softest brush of his fingertips.
Ginny searched his face.
“Do you think it was Tyson?”
“It sure as fuck fits.”
“Are we going to tell the police?”
“I am the police.”
Ginny didn’t bother to correct him as he stood and picked up the whisk. The grim lines of his face told her what she needed to know.
C
hapter Thirty-Three
Zeke’s fingers drummed on the bar as he tried to tamp down his impatience. He hated being away from Ginny, but she had practically thrown him and the older two out the door for tonight’s meeting. She was doing a little better. She hadn’t broken down in front of him or the boys since the first night home, but he wasn’t kidding himself. It had only been a week.
He glanced at his watch. Where the hell was everyone? The incessant noise from Rhys and Mox’s video game set his teeth on edge. He sighed in relief when the door opened, but then his eyes narrowed in suspicion when his brothers came through the door together. All late and en masse, did they think he was stupid? He shook his head as they scattered.
A little late, morons
.
Paranoia twisted his guts. Everyone knew his immediate family was the target of the shit storm, but it had splattered the entire club. Was there campaigning going on behind his back to replace him as president? Had he lost their confidence? He knew some questioned his decision not to eliminate Kramer. Did they think he’d lost his jizz? He rubbed at the back of his neck. He didn’t need this shit right now.
“How’re you guys doing?”
Zeke glanced at an approaching Sambo and shrugged a meaty shoulder.
“She’s holding it together and I’m imagining ways to torture the asshole that hurt her. I’d say pretty much what you would expect.”
“I’ve got something I think you’re going to want to hear.”
“Since everyone else has heard it, I’m waiting with bated breath.”
Sambo winced at the sarcastic bite in his president’s voice, but nodded in acknowledgement.
“Let’s call it to order,” Zeke said, heading for the table. When they were all seated, he turned his expectant gaze on Samuel.
“Miriam showed up at the bakery this morning with a hell of a shiner,” he offered, his voice soft as he rolled his Zippo across the back of his fingers. “I took a cruise past her place. Tyson’s bike was there.”
“In plain sight?” Zeke asked, his brow shooting up.
“From the back garage window, yeah,” Sambo shrugged, his gaze unrepentant.
Zeke’s mind raced. He hadn’t had the opportunity to tell anyone about Ginny’s suspicions. Tyson had left the charity barbeque shortly after his altercation with Rhys. At the time, it had seemed a prudent move on the bastard’s part. Had it been something far more sinister? Had Tyson made a beeline for Trinity knowing Ginny was unprotected?
“You talk to Miriam?”
Sambo’s snort lacked humor.
“Said she caught her cheek on a cabinet door, and wanted to give me a line about not seeing Tyson in years.”
“She knows the penalty if I catch him back in Trinity,” Zeke said, his voice conversational, his cold blue eyes anything but.
“One more reason she won’t say a word,” Sambo nodded. “Back stabbing, rapist son-of-a-bitch or not, Tyson is her son.”
“No offense to Miriam, but what about ma? If that sick fuck raped my mother …”
“His treatment of Miriam is just his most recent offense. Ty’s fate was sealed the moment he touched a brother’s old lady. What we need to know now is if he came back and finished the job after all these years.” Bowie interrupted flatly.