A Promise Of Home (A Lake Howling Novel Book 1) (32 page)

“H-he’s a nice man.”

“He is. Now, do you want a shower or just a wash before you get into bed?” Branna asked.

“Shower.”

She walked like an old woman, but when Branna asked if she was in pain, she just said that her tummy was fine and that the baby was unharmed.

“Brian will be looking for me, Br-Branna. He’ll get angry when he doesn’t find me.”

She was terrified, her fingers twisting into each other.

“Macy, he has no idea you are here with me. Furthermore, he thinks we hate each other, so why would you come here?” Turning on the taps, Branna made sure the temperature was right before she turned back to Macy. “Now, let’s get your clothes off.”

She didn’t leave, because in all honesty, Branna feared Macy may faint and she wouldn’t know. She unbuttoned the ripped cotton and then eased if from her shoulders.

“Dear God, he did this to you?” Branna said, horrified, as she looked at the bruises, old and new she realized. They covered her body.

“I deserved s-some of them.”

“No!” Macy flinched at Branna’s anger. “You did nothing to deserve these, Macy Reynolds. Nothing, do you hear me?”

“You’re sh-shouting; of course I can hear you.”

Branna cried then, hot angry tears as she pulled the skirt and torn underwear from Macy’s body.

“Don’t cry for m-me, Branna. I’m not worth it.” The sadness in the words made Branna cry harder.

“You are worth a million of that man, Macy, a million of me and everyone else I know. You’re strong and beautiful. Do you know what?”

“What?”

“He’s never getting his hands on you again.”

“D-don’t promise me that, Branna, not that, because I don’t think he’ll let me go.”

“And neither will I.” Branna sniffed loudly, and then helped her into the shower.

“We won’t talk about it anymore tonight. Tomorrow is soon enough.”

She stood there and waited for Macy to finish her shower, and what emerged was a woman she had never seen before. Without makeup, Macy was completely different, even with the bruises. She was so small. Branna had always thought of this woman as strong and larger than life, but she wasn’t. In fact, she was tiny, and her features were delicate.

She helped to pat her dry gently, and then lowered a loose T-shirt over her head.

“Come on, let’s get you into bed before you fall over and I have to pick you up.”

Branna pulled the covers back and Macy slipped beneath.

“Branna?”

“Yes.”

“W-would you stay with me for a while?”

“Of course.” Knowing the pride this woman had and how much those words had cost her, Branna climbed on the bed beside her and took one of her hands.

“Tell me about your book.”

So she did, explaining the plot and telling her about scenes she’d created. She talked and talked until finally, the fingers inside hers relaxed and Macy slept. Pulling the covers up to her chin, Branna looked down at the bruised and battered woman.

You will not touch her again, Brian Reynolds.
It was a vow, and she would do whatever needed to be done to ensure she kept it.

Branna left the room, leaving the door ajar slightly; she washed in the bathroom and cleaned her teeth, and changed into one of the old T-shirts she slept in. Then, pulling on her robe, she made her way downstairs to the couch.

“She sleeps?”

He was sitting in the chair, the cups and things now put away, blankets and pillows neatly folded on the sofa.

“Yes.”

“You called me dad tonight.”

“Did I?” Branna went to the sofa and unfolded the blankets.

“That was my shirt.”

“Was it?” Branna was too tired to deny it.

“I’ll sleep there, Branna, you take the other bed.”

“I’m all right here.” She went to lie down, but his hands stopped her.

“If you think I will leave you down here alone, with her husband out there somewhere looking for her, and with what has already happened to you, then think again, daughter.

“I don’t need you protecting me.”

“Now, that’s just too bad, because I will.”

Branna felt the anger inside her slip away to be replaced by a weariness that made her slump onto the sofa. It was all too much for a girl who, until recently, would have walked miles over hot coals to avoid any emotional entanglements. All these people dragging emotion from the block of ice that had, until recently, been her heart was getting to be more than she could handle.

“I can’t take much more of this.” Leaning back, she rested her head and closed her eyes.

“I’m sorry, love, sorry that I’m causing you this pain, but I’m not going away, neither I suspect is Jake, or for that matter, Macy. It’s my belief that she will be around for a while and need us both to hold her up.”

“The bruises, Dad, they were all over her body, some old some new. He’s been beating her for years and no one knew. She just caked on her makeup, put on her high heels, and faced the world each day, knowing that when she shut herself back inside her house at night, she was once again in the hands of that monster.”

“Do you want more tea?”

“Whisky, I think.” Branna went to rise, but he placed a hand on her head.

“I’ll get it; tell me where it is.”

“Kitchen cupboard, top left.”

Had she forgiven him? No, it would take time for that. Did she want him back in her life? Branna tested those words in her tired mind and realized she did. The door was open again, and she was letting people in. But forgiveness would take time.

“Here.”

She took the glass he handed her and watched him drag the chair across the room and place it before her.

“Here’s the thing, daughter.” He sat and cradled the glass between his long fingers. “I’m not leaving you again, so you can live your life apart from mine, and I will respect that, but I will stay here, Branna, never doubt that. I know it’s hard for you to forgive me, but if you will just try, love, please.”

She looked down into the amber liquid as he spoke; she heard the pain in his words now that she allowed herself to. “I’m just scared because I don’t want to ever hurt like that again and now it’s not just you that has that power over me, Dad; Jake does too.”

“And you think we’ll both hurt you?”

“No,” she looked up at him, daring to hope. “I know he wouldn’t, and I want to believe you won’t again.”

“Sweetheart,” he lowered his glass to the floor and she noticed his hands shook. “I can only promise you again and again that I won’t, but if you don’t believe me, then I can do no more.”

“What will we do for her, Dad? Macy is hurting and I don’t know how to go about fixing her, fixing the mess that is about to unfold around her.”

He understood that she didn’t want to talk about them anymore. Picking up his glass, he took another mouthful, sighing as the liquid burned its way down.

“We take it in small steps, love. When she wakes, we give her breakfast and then we talk to her. She will have to tell someone she’s safe, maybe her parents? But she doesn’t have to give away her location if she doesn’t want to and we can keep that a secret, and for now we will just keep her here, out of the hands of that monster.”

“Jake will know because I can’t keep this from him.” Branna wanted him so much right at the moment, needed his strength and his wisdom, but most of all, she wanted him to hold her.

“Go to sleep now, Branna, and I’ll watch over us.”

She struggled to her feet and let her father brush a kiss on her forehead before she stumbled up the stairs and fell into his bed.

Jake and Ethan arrived back in Howling as the sun rose. They covered his helicopter and made their way into the house.

“You going to Branna’s now, Jake?”

“Yeah, I’ll just wash and change, then head over.”

“Pretty early, bud,” the Texan said, as he put on the coffee.

“I need to see her.” Was all Jake added, and twenty minutes later, he was walking out the door. Ethan had already disappeared into one of the spare rooms and would be asleep.

Jumping into his pickup, he made his way out the driveway and drove along the lake. This early, the sun was coloring the water as it rose and all around him Jake could see the signs of a day about to begin. Pulling into Branna’s drive a few minutes later, he stopped the pickup behind her van, which was parked close to the house. Relieved that she appeared to be here, along with her father, his rental was parked too, Jake then headed for the front door and knocked. He heard footsteps, then the door was opened, to reveal Declan O’Donnell.

“Jake.”

“Mr. O’Donnell.” He stepped inside when the man stepped back to allow him room. “Is Branna awake?”

“She’s not, but I thought I heard her stirring. If you’ll tell her breakfast will be ready soon, I’ll put on some more for you.”

What was Jake meant to say to that? He’d come here ready to have it out with this man, get him out of the house and away from Branna if she wanted him gone and here he was telling Jake to go and get his daughter from her room, so they could all eat breakfast together.

“Ah, sure.”

“She’s in the spare room because we have a guest.”

“You do?”

“I’ll let Branna fill you in on the details.”

Jake watched Declan O’Donnell make his way back to the kitchen before heading up the stairs. Knocking on the door, he then turned the handle. She was lying on her front, hands flat under the pillow on either side of her head. The covers had ridden to her waist and her shirt was tangled around her ribs, showing him the line of her vertebra that disappeared into her blue panties. He couldn’t see her face, even though it was turned his way, as her hair was covering it. She slept deeply, her breathing even, body still. He just stood there, drinking in the sight of her. Jake felt the pain of longing in his chest, the need to hold her, press his lips to hers, trail his hands up her back and cup her neck. This woman was his future; she now controlled his happiness. With her, he wanted a family and roots of his own. The darkness that had settled over him for so long was lifting and it was due to her, his prickly, belligerent Irish woman who was kind, honest, and had a beautiful soul.

“Hey, Rosebud.” He reached out to brush aside her hair as she stirred. Bending, he then kissed her cheek as she came awake, her sleepy green eyes widening as she realized he stood beside her bed.

“Jake?”

“You been entertaining anyone else in here? Because, I have to say, that would really piss me off.”

“Why are you in my room?” She pushed herself upright, rubbing her hands over her eyes. “What time is it?”

“Early.” She didn’t fight him when he pulled back the covers and picked her up. He carried her to the chair under the window. Sitting, he slipped one hand under the hem of her shirt, skimming the warm soft curves of her body as he kissed her.

“I’m sorry, baby; I never meant to hurt you.”

“Me either and I’m sorry too.” She settled into him, her chin under his, one of her palms flat on his chest.

“I’ve been to Brook with Ethan to see a shrink. I’ve had two sessions, but I need more. He pulled stuff out of me that I didn’t even know was in there.” She listened as he spoke, her hand rubbing circles over his chest as he told her everything that needed to be said, and he felt calm for the first time since he’d left her.

“Do you feel better for talking to him?”

“Yeah, I think so, but I’m not sure I’m ready to practice medicine yet.”

She tilted her head back, resting it on his shoulder, her green eyes studying him. “It wasn’t about you being a doctor, Jake; it was about you making the decision not to be because you could, not based on what had happened to you.”

“I think that makes sense.” He kissed her again, soft and lingering.

“I wish your father wasn’t downstairs.”

“Me too,” Branna sighed.”

“How’s that working for you?”

“He’s talked at me for two days and I’ve listened and tried to understand, and then last night everything changed.”

“How?” Jake felt her tense, saw as she remembered something that she didn’t want to.

“I went to the Book Club.”

“How’d the cake go down?”

“Good,” she waved a hand in his face. “It was weird and kind of cool, but I’ll tell you about that some other time. Right now, I have to tell you something else.”

“Okay.”

“I need you to promise me you won’t tell anyone else, Jake.”

“Okay.” Jake rubbed a finger down the line that had appeared between her eyes.

She told him the events of last night, finishing with the fact that Macy was now sleeping in her bedroom.

“Brian?” Jake couldn’t get his head around that. “Brian Delray has been beating Macy for years. She’s miscarried at his hands?”

“You don’t believe me, do you?” She tried to get off him as he spoke, but Jake held her there.

“I’m not saying I don’t believe you, Rosebud, but give me a minute here, all right? It’s just going to take a bit to process something like that.”

“I shouldn’t have told you, but I thought you needed to know and that you would help us keep her safe.” He saw she was genuinely worried and that just pissed him off…that she would think he was a threat to Macy.

“You think I would betray a woman who is being beaten, to the man who’s responsible?”

“No!” Her reply was instant and made him happier. “I just don’t know where to go from here, Jake. Brian is a popular man in Howling and when it gets out what he’s done, I’m sure there will be some people who won’t believe Macy.”

“Because she’s never shown us what he’s capable of until now?”

“Yes, but, Jake, if you could see the bruises on her that I saw last night, some old some new, you’d feel as bad as I did. I just stood there and cried and do you know what she said?”

“What?” He had a really sick feeling in his stomach now, at the thought of Macy suffering and none of them realizing it.

“That she deserved some of them.”

He whistled softly. “I’m going to have a little chat with Mr. Delray when the time comes and explain how a lady should really be treated.”

“You believe me then?”

“Of course. If you say it’s true because you believe her, then it is.” And it was that simple to him.