Five

Johnny

I spun from the window at the soft knock at my door. “Yeah?”

Joanna popped her head inside. “You forgot your band so you can keep up your stretches.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

She walked in and handed it to me and I tossed it on the bed. “I’ll work on it again tonight.”

She nodded and headed back to the door, but paused and faced me again. “You okay, Johnny?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

“Really? Because something seemed off the minute Scarlett and the boys came in today.” She bit her lip and studied me closely. “Is something going on between the two of you?”

“What? No! Why would you ask that?”

Her grin was pure evil. “Well . . . two good-looking, young, single people . . . out here.” She made a gesture to encompass the ranch. “I just thought maybe . . .?”

“Well, think again. That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?”

“Yes!”

She leaned her hip against the doorframe, clearly not going anywhere soon. “Why? Is it because of Todd?”

“Yes, it’s because of Todd!” I spouted off a little too quickly, showing my hand and making her smile grow. I groaned and turned to the window. “It doesn’t matter. We’re friends. It’s not like that.”

“Don’t you find her attractive at all?”

I dropped my head and cupped the back of my neck. “Joanna,” I groaned.

“What? It’s a simple question. Do you think Scarlett is pretty? Yes or no?”

I glanced at her over my shoulder. “Drop it.”

Her face morphed from curious to serious in a heartbeat as she stepped into my room and closed the door with a quiet click. “This isn’t about what Todd did to her, is it? You don’t have some hang-up about her being damaged goods or something, do you? Because if you do, that’s total bullshit, Johnny.”

“What Todd . . .? Hold up.” I spun around and folded my arms across my chest, thankful I could after therapy. “I have no idea what you’re even talking about. Damaged goods?”

Her face paled like she’d just dropped a state secret.

I lifted a brow. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Never mind.”

“It’s obviously not nothing if you were prepared to ream my ass about it. Spill it, Joanna.”

“God.” Her eyes dropped to the floor. “I was just trying to do a good deed here and play matchmaker, not air my friend’s dirty laundry. She’s gonna be so pissed.” Her gaze lifted to mine. “Can we just pretend I never said anything?”

I shook my head once. “Nope.”

“Fuck.”

“So . . . Todd?”

The boys tromped around below us on the bottom floor like a herd of elephants, making Joanna’s expression grow guiltier by the second, but I could see the moment she decided to talk. “So, look, she never told me anything specific, but I’m a smart girl. I could piece it together well enough.”

“Piece what together?” Though I was beginning to get the picture myself and I didn’t like it one fucking bit.

“He abused her, okay? Hit her. I saw the bruises. Heard all the excuses. Saw every which way she tried to protect those boys from him. Lord knows what else she never told anyone because she was too proud.” Her gaze grew hard and angry. “I know he was your friend or whatever, but he was a piece of shit, and the day he died was the day she was finally free.”

I just stood there, staring, my fists clenched beneath my crossed arms, my jaw tight enough to break stone.

I’d had no idea.

None.

I couldn’t speak, but what was there to say? If I had known, what could I have done? What would I have done? I have no idea, but I’d like to think I would’ve intervened somehow, though it was insanely hard to compute the friend I knew with the monster of this tale.

Joanna’s gaze softened. “I’m sorry to lay this on you like that. I guess I thought maybe you knew or something.”

“No. I didn’t know. Believe me, if I had known . . .”

“What would you have done?”

I clenched my fists harder. “Something. I would have fucking done something.”

~ ~

Joanna had thrown me for an absolute loop. I had no idea what to do with this information. I could understand pride probably better than anyone, but why had Scarlett never said anything, even after Todd died?

I watched from my window as the two women said their goodbyes in the yard and loaded up to leave.

Scarlett got the two boys into her car and they drove across the ranch to the little house my parents rented to her. They’d taken her under their wing just after Todd had been killed, giving her a cheap place to live and a job because she’d been a friend of mine since high school and so had Todd. I’m sure they had no idea about the abuse either, or surely, they would’ve said something to me. How strong she must’ve been to endure that by herself for all those years.

My phone chirped with a text, bringing me from my thoughts.

It was from our SEAL friend, Tex.

Hey, man. Tito asked me to update you. Tracked Esteban and our white wolf friend from AZ to CA. Dumbasses thought they could waltz into our home turf right under our noses and not get caught. Both teams are loading up and heading out bright-eyed and bushytailed at 0600. Will update you ASAP. Take it easy and heal up fast, brother.

I shot him off a thank you, trying to stuff back my resentment that I couldn’t join them, Tito’s words ringing loudly in my brain. He was right. I was here with my family for the time being and I had to heal to be the most use to my team. I might as well make the most of it.

Still, I couldn’t shake the things that Joanna had said. Had Todd really hurt Scarlett? How could he have laid hands on such a sweet girl? Anger curled through my chest, making me want to kill an already dead man, friend or not. How dare he?

How.

Fucking.

Dare.

He.

He’d been entrusted with something as precious as Scarlett’s heart and he’d trampled it. The idea made me sick. She didn’t deserve that. Those boys definitely didn’t deserve that.

Jesus.

I raked a hand through my hair and glanced out the window toward their little house, remembering the way Daniel had stared up at me like I was Superman. It was uncomfortable as hell to be worshipped like I’d done something heroic, when I’d simply done the right thing, but hell, had all he’d seen of a man was one who hit his mother?

I thought of my own father and the example he set for me and my brothers. Those boys deserved better.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I yanked on my boots, jacket, and beanie, and tromped down the stairs. “I’m going out for a while,” I hollered to my mom, then I loped down to the four-wheeler and headed out to Scarlett’s place.

She answered the door with sleepy eyes, in a robe and pajama pants, her feet bare with red toenails, her hair loose and in disarray like I’d woken her up. “Johnny?”

“Hey.” My breath puffed white in front of my face. “Can I come in?”

“Oh. Uh . . .” She glanced back then swung open the door. “Sure.”

I walked in and found the boys watching cartoons on the living room floor. “Hey, guys.”

“Mr. Johnny!” Daniel popped up and hugged my legs in a running tackle with Nathan not far behind.

“Hey.” I leaned down to their eye level. “Can you give me a few minutes to talk to your mom?”

“Okay.” They didn’t look happy about it, but they moved back to the living room.

Scarlett tugged her robe tighter around her chest and studied me with a strange expression. It suddenly dawned on me how exhausted she looked. “You want some coffee or something?” she asked.

“Yeah, sure.”

We moved to the kitchen and she poured me a cup, but none for herself as she waited expectantly for me to explain my presence in her home. I sipped and glanced around at her cute little decorations and the way she’d made the place homey for herself and the boys with her little knickknacks and candles and their artwork on the fridge.

“So . . .” she started.

“So . . .” I sipped my coffee then placed it down. “I’ve been thinking. If it’s okay with you, while I’m here on the ranch, I’d like to spend some time with the boys.”

Her brows curled down in confusion. “Time with the boys?”

“Yeah. You know, since Todd’s not around, I figured they might like to have a man to do guy stuff with.”

Her expression softened considerably. “You’d do that?”

“Well, sure. Why not? They’re good kids.”

“But they’re not yours.” She swallowed and glanced away.

“I know that.”

She met my eyes again. “What about when you go back to the Marines?”

I bit the inside of my cheek. I’d only given that a cursory thought. “Well . . . then I guess we’ll have to settle for occasional visits when I can get leave and come home. If that’s still okay with you.”

Her eyes glossed over with held back tears and she nibbled her lip. “You’re sure you want to do this?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Why not?”

“Does this have something to do with what happened at the pond?”

“Maybe a little. But I just got to thinking about it, and I want to do it. For them. For you. You guys deserve it. Besides, it’ll be fun for me, too.” Anything to get my mind off my injury.

Her gaze lifted to mine and my heart caught in my chest, making my breath stall. God, she was beautiful. How anyone could call her damaged goods was utterly beyond me. “Well . . .”

“Say yes, Scarlett.”

“If you’re sure . . .”

“Say yes, Scarlett.” I repeated with a grin.

She smiled back. “Okay. Yes. I’d appreciate it.”

“Good.” I stood. “How about I start now?”

“Now?”

“Yeah. You look tired. How about I take them off your hands for a while so you can get some rest?”

She reached up and brushed her hair back self-consciously, making me laugh.

“Don’t worry, Scarlett. You’re still beautiful.” I spun from the room. “Nathan! Daniel! Get dressed, guys. We’re going on a man trip!”