Eighteen
Parker
Tora had to turn on the charm for me to even consider having dinner with her parents. And by consider, I mean I didn't have a choice. If I was going to be with her and make this work, I had to smooth things over with them first.
Dinner wasn't fun. At all. But it could have gone a lot worse. I brought my A-game and was a perfect gentleman. I apologized no less than ten times and vowed never to disrespect Tora. By the end of the meal, her dad shook my hand a little too hard and stared into my eyes with a nonverbal warning never to hurt his daughter again.
Tora had spent every night at my house since the evening she told them. During the day, she would search for a job, while I worked developing more software and trying to figure out the next big thing in information technology. I have a hell of a lot of money in the bank, but now with Tora back in my life, I want a nice cushion for both of us.
We’re lounging on opposite ends of the couch one afternoon, her on her laptop and me on mine. Cy’s in his room grumbling about a computer he’s working on—he has his own repair business—and Eve is with Blair helping her with her next novel and making travel arrangements for an upcoming book signing.
Cy runs out of his room and up the hallway, scooping his truck keys off the counter.
"Where the hell are you going?" I ask.
"Evie called. She said Brenda is sobbing uncontrollably and she doesn't know what to do.”
I tense, since it wasn’t Blair who called me. It was Eve calling Cy this time. "What are you going to do? You're not exactly the warm and fuzzy type."
"I have no fucking clue, but Evie is freaking out and all I know is I have to fix whatever is going on. I hate it when she cries." He absently rubs his fist over the center of his chest.
"Good God, Revere, I'll take care of it." I close my laptop and stand, bringing it to the counter and grabbing my keys. "Tora, feel like taking a ride?" I try to keep my voice even, not wanting to alert Cy to something more.
Her eyes are wide as she nods. She knows exactly what could have upset Blair. The question is, why didn't Blair call me?
"I'm coming with you," Cy says. "I need to see Evie."
"I know, dude. C'mon."
I set the alarm on the cabin, which I had installed after Eve moved in. I've gotten in the habit of using it and always make sure Tora and Eve arm it when they come in and out of the house. They are rarely alone here, though. Cy and I don’t leave their sides often. Some of Blair’s anxiety about Brant getting released and coming here has rubbed off on me.
We pile into the Rover and drive through town not exceeding the speed limit. Calm. I need to remain calm, even if my mind is spinning with different scenarios. Blair crying in front of Eve is a big deal. She’s never done it before. Blair told me previously when she felt like she was about to break, she'd tell Eve she could go home for the day or she'd ask her to run an errand. Then she'd use techniques she learned from her psychologist to help calm herself and push the panic attack to a manageable level. She doesn’t take her medicine on days Eve works for her. As far as Eve is concerned, Blair is perfectly fine.
We pull into the driveway and I hit the button to open the garage door.
"Why do you have Brenda's door programmed on your SUV?" Cy asks.
"She's one of my best friends. I also have a key to her house."
"I'm your best friend, too, but you never had a key to my mom's house."
I smile. "That's because the door was never locked."
As soon as we get inside, Eve rushes over, her eyes wide. "Oh, thank God you brought Parker. She's upstairs," Eve says to me. "In her office. I don't know what happened."
"It's okay," I reply. "I’ll go check on her. Why don't you and Revere go out for an early dinner?" I’m trying to get rid of them. No clue if it will work but it’s worth a shot. The last thing Blair needs is another person seeing her like this. Cy appearing might not be the best thing for her.
"Are you crazy?" Eve shouts. "I'm not leaving her. Something's wrong and I want to be here for her."
"She didn't tell you anything?" I ask.
She shakes her head. "No. She got a call, said a few words, then dropped the phone and started crying."
I turn and take the stairs two at a time to her office. Inside, I hear her cries but can't find her. I walk around her desk and find her tucked underneath it. She’s curled into a ball with her knees to her chest and tears running down her face.
Crouching down, I ask, "B, what happened?"
"He's free," she whispers. "Brant. He's out of prison. He was released this morning. This morning!" she yells and cries harder.
Fuck! "Did you call Jim?" She shakes her head. I stand and pull out my phone, dialing Jim's cell.
He answers on the first ring. "What's going on, Parker?"
"Brant's out."
"Okay. Thank you for letting me know. We’ve talked about this, though. There's not much I can do until he calls her, threatens her, etcetera. We don't even know if he’s in town."
“He'll eventually come for her."
"We don't know that. It's a guess." I hate that he's trying to be logical, while every part of my being is screaming that he's coming for Blair. I’m not sure how I know that, but I do.
He used to try and call her from prison for the first couple of years. She never took his calls. He'd be sickly sweet when he left her voice messages. We both knew it was all a façade. He didn't threaten her once, but his last message alluded to the fact that he'd see her soon. Yes, it’s been years since, but I know my brother. He’s always had an obsession with Blair. I thought he just loved her deeply until he beat the shit out of her. The messages went to Blair's attorney, who handled it. Brant hasn't called since. For a while I thought he might stay away, but now, with this sick feeling in my stomach, I’m not so sure.
"Until we have proof he's here, my hands are tied,” Jim states. “He could be still in Chicago.”
"Keep your phone on," I grate out and hang up. There's not much else I can say. He's right. Brant can't be arrested just because he's free from jail. They let him go. He served his time. But I'll be damned if I'm going to leave Blair here alone.
"What the hell's going on?" Cy asks. I didn't hear him come in. "What does Brant have to do with this?"
Eve rushes to my side, as does Tora, and both crouch down next to Blair.
"Tell them," Blair says shakily as Tora helps her up. I nod as Tora walks Blair to her bedroom.
Turning to Cy and Eve, I try not to crush my phone in my palm. The fury lighting my veins has me near combusting. If Brant were to show up, I'd pulverize him. Death would be a sweet release for what I’d like to do to him.
With Tora taking care of Blair, I focus on Cy and Eve. Sitting at Blair's desk, I motion for them to take a seat. Then I give them the details of what happened that day. I tell them from when it started at Blair's house in Chicago to her arriving in Arrow Falls. I recount everything with Tora and what happened after she left. I go through it all including Brant going to jail and now being free. Over the years, I’ve told Cy we don’t talk anymore. He assumed it was from the breakup between Brant and Blair. We didn’t talk about it much. I told him Brant stayed in Chicago while Blair came home. Cy knows me well enough that if I wanted to talk about something I would. If not, I would clam up and say nothing.
Cy's entire body is tight, and his jaw is set hard. Eve has tears running down her face and appears to barely be holding it together. They ask a few questions and I answer. I tell them about Blair and all she deals with now. How I rush over here night or day if she needs me. I even tell Eve about the medicine, and where to find it, in case Blair has another panic attack while she's here. Eve already has a key and the code to the alarm. I tell Cy about the gun I have in my Rover and where I have one stashed in the cabin. He replies with where the gun he has is hidden as well.
There isn't much we can do to be more prepared for Brant showing up than we already have. Now, it's a matter of waiting and taking care of Blair. Eve gets up to join Tora and Blair. Tora comes into the office a few minutes later to say Eve is staying with Blair for a while.
"She has to move into the cabin," Cy states. "We can keep an eye on her there."
"I've tried that. She won't leave her house. We could all move in here," I suggest. "It's certainly big enough for all of us."
"What if we do shifts?" Tora asks. "We could take turns. Since you and Cy work from home and Eve works for Blair, it should be easy. We alternate. Cy and Eve one day, me and you the next."
"In all honesty," I say. "I hate the idea of you and Eve being involved in any way whatsoever. If Brant shows up, I don’t want him near the two of you. On the other hand, I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone. You won't be safe with your parents and Eve already lives with me."
"I'm not letting Evie out of my sight," Cy states. "We have no clue if Brant is going to go after her by association. Same with Tori." He’s right. Neither Eve nor Tora are safe if Brant were to come here. He knew how much I loved Tora. He also knew Cy was my best friend.
"Agreed. I want you with me all the time, Tora."
She nods. "I am anyway."
"I know, but every time you go to your parents now, I want to be there. At least until we know where Brant is. There's also nothing Jim, or any police officer, can do until Brant breaks the law in some way. We have to protect ourselves."
Cy stands. "Evie and I will take the first watch. I'll let her sleep tonight and I'll stay awake."
"The house is armed Cy. You can sleep."
"You don't know what that fucker learned in jail. He probably knows how to disarm it without anyone knowing. You can't underestimate him. I'll stay awake with my gun in my lap. It’s in a locked box under my bed.” He tosses his keys to me. “Bring it back for me. And if you or Tora come over, I need you to call first. Not text. I want to hear your voice. If Brant gets to you and steals your phone, a text won't be good enough." He paces the room. “They should have kept him locked up longer. It’s bullshit his sentence wasn’t more than it was.”
“I know. The lawyer did all he could.”
"I feel like I'm in a movie," Tora adds.
"We'll be lucky if this ends like most movies do, with the bad guy being locked up or dead, and the rest of us living happily ever after."
Cy leaves and it's just Tora and me in the office. I stand and hug her tightly. "I'm sorry," I mutter.
"What for?"
"All this. Bringing it into your life."
She peers up into my eyes. "I told you I want to help Blair. I'll do whatever I can to keep her safe. You have two guns. I'll take one. You can have the other."
"When did you learn to shoot?"
"I dated a guy in college who liked to take me to the shooting range."
"I'm grateful you were taught, but I wish some other prick wasn't the one to teach you."
"It's sweet that you're jealous of someone who is no longer in my life."
I swat her on the ass and pause for a moment to savor this small bit of happiness before we start our rotations with Blair.