Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 77857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Tom Simpson, Uncle Bryce’s father, killed himself in front of your father.”
“Yes. He told me.”
“And Larry Wade died in prison, so either he was killed, or he killed himself.”
“And what about the other one? Aunt Ruby’s father?”
“Wendy Madigan killed him, and we were all witness to it.”
“I know. I get it. But my father said he was witness to our grandfather’s death as well. Twice.”
“Brock,” Donny says. “These people would be really old by now.”
“I know that. But damn… Who else would have something against us?”
“It could be any number of people,” Uncle Talon says. “My father had his share of enemies.”
“But why?”
Uncle Talon shakes his head. “We don’t know all the answers, Brock. I wish we did. I know for sure that Tom Simpson is dead. His brains were splattered all over his own kitchen. Just ask your father.”
Just ask your father…
But that also means trusting that my father is telling me the truth.
And I hate to say it, but…I no longer trust any of these people to tell me the truth.
“Who would want you dead, Uncle Talon?”
“I don’t know, Brock.”
“Who would want my father dead?”
“Again…I don’t know.”
“Uncle Talon…damn it. What aren’t you telling us?”
“Hey,” Dale says. “Watch it.”
“I get it, Dale. You’re totally protective of your father, and I don’t blame you, but we have all these pieces to a puzzle, and none of them fit together.”
“It’s okay, son,” Uncle Talon says to Dale. “Brock has valid questions, and I wish I had valid answers.”
“We’re going to find the motherfucker who tried to kill you, Dad,” Dale says. “I will take that to the grave.”
“Don’t you take anything to the grave, son. That would kill your mother. Besides, you have a new wife. You’ll have a family soon. You will not give your life for any of this. Do you understand me? That goes for the two of you, as well.” He nods to Donny and me, and then he rises. “You know what? I think we could all use a drink.”
I rise as well. “I’m going to pass. But thank you.”
“Brock, I love you. I love you like you’re my own child. I feel that same way about all my nieces and nephews. We all do.”
I nod. “I know that.”
“Trust me when I say we only kept this information from you because we thought we could protect you.”
“That’s what you get for thinking, I guess.” I walk out of Uncle Talon’s office, down the hallway, through the foyer, and out the door.
On my way I text Rory.
Meet me at my place. Please.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
RORY
It doesn’t even occur to me to say no. I’m tired, and my nerves are on edge from the dinner with my parents and then Dale’s phone call to Donny.
But Brock needs me.
So I go.
I’m waiting in my car when he drives up.
“Hey,” he says. “I’m sorry. I figured I’d get here before you did.”
“No problem.”
“Easy enough. I’ll get you a key, and all the security codes. That way you don’t have to wait out here.”
“That’s not necessary, Brock.”
“It is. I love you, Rory, and I don’t want to keep any secrets from you. I’ve seen what secrets do to relationships.”
“Giving me a key to your place isn’t like telling me a secret,” I say.
“But it is. Don’t you see? I want you in every part of my life.”
I warm all over. “You do?”
“Yeah, I do. And yeah, it scares the shit out of me, but it is what it is.”
I smile, and he leads me into the house. Sammy rushes around us, pimping herself out for scratches behind her ears, and we oblige. Then Brock lets her out the back door to do her business.
He touches my cheek. “Thank you for coming.”
“You said please.” I smile.
“I did. Is that why you came?”
I shake my head. “I would have come anyway. I love you. But you don’t strike me as the kind of man who says please a lot.”
“I seem to say it a lot now. With you.”
“I like that. I like that you want me with you that much. That you’re willing to say please.”
“Oh, sweetheart…you have no idea how much I want you. But I honestly didn’t call you over here for sex.”
“It doesn’t matter if you did.”
“I won’t turn you down”—he gives me a rakish smile—“but I just wanted to be with you. You’re like my safe place, Rory.”
“And you’re mine.”
“I never thought I’d need a safe place.”
“There’s no shame in needing a safe place.” I trace his lips with my finger.
“I know. It’s just… I never thought…”
“It’s okay. Families aren’t perfect.” I sigh. “I should know.”
“I never thought they were. But I did at least think that my family—the Steels—were upright citizens. The best of the best.”
“Maybe they still are.”
“I don’t know, sweetheart. I just don’t know.”
“Let me take you to bed,” I say. “You can forget about it, at least for tonight.”