Beyond the Past (13 page)

Chapter 32

Lucas spent the day chopping wood, preparing a lunch Gabby didn’t eat, and thinking about dinner. Finally, in the afternoon, he lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling.

Gabby had been pregnant. The thought excited him, and the loss upset him.

He’d always been hesitant to have children because of his occupation, but he did want them. However, when Gabby said she was ready to try, he hadn’t argued. Hell, he’d enjoyed the hell out of trying to make babies, and man, they had really given it a lot of effort.

Gabby would always be disappointed when her cycle started, but he’d cheer her up and tell her that they’d nail it the next month. Then, with his deployments, they’d go six to eight months without seeing each other. There may have been a little Internet sex, but definitely no baby-making going on. After about a year and a half, he’d wondered if he was shooting blanks, and Gabby spoke of fertility clinics. That wasn’t a path he’d wanted to travel as he felt you didn’t mess around with Mother Nature. If it wasn’t their time to have a child, then so be it.  They’d just keep trying and hope for the best.

If the roles were reversed, he would be thinking the exact way Gabby was. It did all sound so crazy, even though he was the one living it. She said she wanted proof. He had no way to show her proof of his visions besides his notebook, but really, what did that show? It looked like page after page of a crazy man writing down death scenarios.

She’d mentioned seeing Garrett’s hairy bear ass. Maybe he should call Garrett and have him pay her a visit in his bear form. She’d have to believe him, then, wouldn’t she?

He rolled off the bed and crunched out fifty sit-ups, before heading to the kitchen, his stomach muscles screaming with each one. The Marines always said,
Pain is weakness leaving the body
, and based on the agony rippling his muscles, he would resemble the Incredible Hulk
before long.

On his way to the kitchen, he stopped at Gabby’s door and knocked lightly. He hadn’t seen her for hours, and he wanted to make sure she was okay.

No answer.

“Gabby?”

“Go away, Lucas.”

“I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine. Go away.”

Sighing, he wished he knew what to say to make things better between them, but he found himself at a loss for words.

He walked into the kitchen and picked up the satellite phone they’d left for him along with Thomas’s number.

It rang four times, and he recognized Garrett’s voice on the other end.

“What’s up, Lucas? Is Gabby okay?”

“She’s fine. I told her everything.”

“And?”

“She thinks I’m bat-shit crazy.”

Garrett chuckled. “Can you blame her?”

He leaned against the counter and ran his hand through his hair. “Not really. I would think the same thing. The stuff I’ve told has a first class ticket on the crazy train.”

“Exactly.”

“She did say one thing that might convince her, but I don’t know if she was kidding or not when she mentioned it.”

“What was that?”

“Well, I told her that you change into a bear.”

“And?”

“And she said she would like to see your big, furry bear ass.”

Garrett laughed for a long time. “I can do that. I think we’re heading up there in about an hour, so we’ll be there right before dinner.”

“Okay, sounds good. I’ll make up some grub.”

“You know she’s going to see my junk, right?” Garrett asked. “I just want to make sure you don’t get jealous when she sees that God not only gave me incredible good looks, but a big dick, as well.”

Lucas closed his eyes and chuckled. “That, my friend, is the least of my worries at this point.”

“Well, it may be your biggest worry in a few hours, but we’ll see you later.”

He went to the refrigerator and pulled out some lettuce and vegetables for a salad, and then surveyed the spices in the cabinet. He grabbed a few of the bottles, deciding to make his own flavor rub for the chicken breasts.

As he mixed the ingredients and chopped the lettuce, the strain in his shoulders lessened. Cooking had always relaxed him; good thing he enjoyed it. Gabby had no interest in cooking, and when she did make an effort, it turned out really bad. He’d never tell her that, though, and he always ate what she served with a smile on his face.

An hour later, he heard a knock on the door. As he went to answer it, he glanced down the hallway to see Gabby opening her door, obviously curious about who had arrived.

He greeted Joe and Thomas, and Gabby walked down the hall, brushing her hair back away from her face and smoothing the sweatshirt.

“Mrs. Tate,” Joe said with a smile. “It’s so nice to see you. I must say, you look much better than you did last night.”

“Hi,” she said, giving him a hesitant grin.

“Where are my manners? Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Joe Smith. This over here is my assistant, Thomas.”

“Hello,” she said.

“I’m so sorry for all you’ve been through, Mrs. Tate,” he said as Thomas nodded hello.

“Gabby. Please, call me Gabby.”

“Of course, Gabby. How are you doing?”

Lucas noted the sincere concern on Joe’s face. Gabby glanced over at him, and then back at Joe.

“I’m okay. I’m sore, but the pills the doctor gave me really help a lot.”

“I’m so happy to hear that!” Joe said. “We’ve also brought you some new clothes. It’s not much—a few pairs of jeans, some turtlenecks, and a couple of sweaters. I gauged you at a size ten. How did I do?”

“It’s fine. Thank you. Where’s Garrett?”

“Thomas will get the bags from the car for you,” Joe said as Thomas walked out the front door, “and Garrett will be along soon.”

A beat of silence followed, and Lucas moved into the kitchen. “We’re having a salad and some chicken breasts,” he announced. As he glanced out the kitchen window, movement caught his eye among in the trees, and he smiled as a big, black bear came strolling down the hill.

“Gabby, could you give me a hand with the chicken outside on the barbeque?” he called.

She came into the kitchen but didn’t meet his gaze. “Of course,” she murmured.

He handed her one platter while he took the other. “I don’t think we’ll need coats as we’ll just run out, put the chicken on, then come back in. You can slip on those boots right over there.”

“Okay.” She did as he suggested.

He opened the door for her and she stepped out, watching her footing on the deck. They reached the barbeque, and he set down his platter before taking hers. She turned to head back into the house when a deep roar reverberated around the valley. Her head jerked up as her breath caught in her throat. The bear was now charging them, baring its large fangs as it bellowed. If Lucas hadn’t known better, he would have been scared to death.

Gabby screamed and turned to him. “Lucas!”

He grabbed her and held her in his arms.

“Lucas, we need to get inside!”

“It’s okay, Gabby. Don’t run or you’ll slip and hurt yourself further.”

The bear stopped about six feet away from them and reared up on its hind legs. Lucas smiled as the honey-colored gaze met his. Garrett really did cut an impressive figure in his bear form.

Gabby turned her head into his shoulder, her whole body trembling.

“Gabby, it’s okay. Just watch him.”

Slowly, her head turned and the bear pawed the air in front of him as he growled, small puffs of white condensation billowing out in front of him.

Suddenly, his coat began to shimmer a tawny color. The color brightened as waves of golden light emanated from him. Lucas turned his head, the glare almost too bright to look at.

“Oh, my God,” Gabby whispered. “Is that … is this …”

Lucas glanced back at Garrett, and instead of a bear, a man stood before them, the golden glow surrounding his body. After a moment, it disappeared.

Gabby stared at the very naked Garrett, apparently speechless.

“Hey, Gabby!” Garrett said, walking toward them. Lucas noted the lack of modesty as Garrett didn’t bother to even try to cover up. “That snow is so damn cold on my delicate feet.”

“Oh, my God,” she whispered, staring at him.

“Cover that monster up! My wife doesn’t need to see anyone’s junk but mine!”

Garrett laughed as he palmed his package. “I told you that you’d be worried, Lucas. Looks like you’re feeling better, Gabby,” he said with a wink as he passed them by and went into the house.

The door shut, and Lucas heard laughter from inside.

“You were telling me the truth,” Gabby whispered, stepping away from him.

He gently laid his hands on the side of her face and tilted her head up. “Yes, baby. I’m not crazy.”

“So, you really see people dying?”

He nodded, a surge of pain radiating through him as he thought of all the death he’d witnessed. “I do. I wish to God I didn’t, but I do. I can’t make it stop.”

She stared at him a long while, the snap of the chicken cooking on the grill the only sounds besides the low hum of voices inside.

“I’m sorry, Lucas,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I doubted you. I’m sorry I—“

He cut her off, placing his mouth over hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body into his as their tongues slowly danced. He pulled her close, feeling her heavy breasts against his chest, his cock coming to life. God, he missed her, and they had a lot of time in the sack to make up for.

“Hey,” Garrett said, sticking his head out the door. Lucas grinned, happy to see him clothed. “Don’t burn that chicken getting all up on each other. I’m starving. Changing into a bear and back into a human takes a lot of energy, man!”

Lucas laughed and moved Gabby in front of him so Garrett couldn’t see his erection. “I’ll make sure you’re fed, Garrett. Don’t worry.”

“You’re a good man, Lucas Tate.” Garrett grinned. “Don’t forget that, Gabby,” he said with a wink and shut the door.

Gabby gazed up at him. “You were telling me the truth,” she whispered.

“I was. Everything I said was the truth, Gabby. I love you, I want to disappear with you, if you’ll have me, with my strange ability.”

“How will that work, Lucas? Where do we live? How do we disappear?”

He gently kissed her again. “We leave that up to Joe.”

“Do you trust him?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I do. If Garrett and Brody do, then I can as well.”

She sighed as she peeked at the space where Garrett had stood. “I just can’t believe it.”

“I know. I’ve had a hard time wrapping my mind around it, too.”

She shook her head. “This is a lot to process.”

He pulled her close and held on to her.

“Don’t forget about the chicken,” she said. “Is there any wine here?”

“You shouldn’t be drinking wine with the meds, Gabby,” he said, meeting her gaze.

“Lucas, I just watched a bear turn into a man, a man I’ve known for many years. My husband sees people dying. I think I’ll be fine with a glass of wine.”

He smiled. “It’s a lot to take in.”

She turned and made her way to the door. “You have no idea.”

He smiled at her, opened the barbeque, and flipped the chicken. He didn’t want to keep the big, hairy assed bear waiting.

Chapter 33

Gabby sat around the table with the men and listened to Garrett and Lucas tell stories she’d heard many times back in North Carolina when they used to get together with the rest of their unit. She’d missed those times, and found herself laughing as Garrett reminded Lucas of the time Brody got so drunk, he decided to ride a keg in the pool.

“What happened to Brody?” she asked. “Where is he?”

“Brody works for me, Gabby,” Joe said, dabbing his mouth with a napkin. “He’s captain of a yacht in the Virgin Islands and doing quite well.”

“Wow, that a cushy job,” she commented, sipping her wine. “What exactly do you do, Joe?”

“I provide protection for wealthy people.”

“Protection from what?” she asked.

Joe looked over at Lucas, who shrugged. “I told her about this, but, apparently, she needs to hear it from you.”

“Very well,” Joe continued. “It’s not protection from what, but most of the time, from whom. People get in trouble, Gabby, and they need to disappear for a while under guard while their issues are sorted out.”

“Like what issues?”

“Well, for instance, one of Brody’s assignments was to watch over Margarita Gomez,” Joe said. “She had a crazy fan after her, but we later found out it was inter-family matters.”

“
The
Margarita Gomez?” she asked, shocked.

“Yes. Pop stars, members of Congress, wealthy people … those are my clients, Gabby.”

She glanced over at Lucas, who stared at her, obviously gauging her for a reaction.

“And that’s what you want Lucas to do?” she asked.

Joe nodded. “Your husband will be perfect for my company. He needs to disappear from under the thumb of the government, and I can make that happen. I need someone to help me with my clientele, and he can do that for me. It’s a win-win situation for both of us.”

Taking a sip of her wine, Gabby thought about Joe’s words. Now that she knew Lucas had told her the truth, she understood his need to vanish. People wanted him, and as she moved and her side hurt, she knew they’d go to any extreme to find his whereabouts.

Lucas said he wanted her in his life, but what did that look like for her? Would she be imprisoned at some undisclosed location? Would she be able to go to the grocery store, a mall, or enjoy the outdoors? Would her existence, as she knew it, end?

“I don’t know how much you and Lucas have talked, Gabby, or what your plans are for the future, but I want you to know my full resources are at your disposal,” Joe said.

She tilted her head and studied him. He stared at her with a small smile on his lips, taking in every nuance and making her feel as though he could read her thoughts. If he had told her he possessed the ability, she wouldn’t have been surprised.

“What exactly does that mean?” she asked.

“Your old life as you knew it over, Gabby,” he said softly. “You’re a very strong and brave woman, and it is apparent to me that Lucas loves you. I like my employees happy, and whatever is going to make Lucas happy, he shall have. Whatever happens between you two, I promise you that I will see to your future safety, because that’s what Lucas wants.”

“Thank you, Joe,” Lucas murmured. “That means everything to me.”

Yes, but what did that mean for her?

“Excuse me, please,” she said, standing up. She made her way down to her bedroom and shut the door.

She needed to think and sort everything out.

First, Lucas had left her a second time, even though he’d promised he wouldn’t twelve years ago. Although he said he did so to protect her, it still angered her to no end. When was that man going to learn that he couldn’t make decisions for her?

Because of the stress he’d caused, she’d lost their baby, which hurt worse than anything she could ever imagine. She blamed Lucas for this, but she wasn’t angry with him over it, just sad. She’d lost the baby three months ago, and although the following weeks had been lonely and difficult, she’d been able to get past it.

Her husband had a supernatural ability showing him visions of people dying, while his friend could turn into a bear. It seemed his whole unit had been affected by what happened in Guatemala, and Lucas didn’t know where the rest of them were.

She couldn’t go back to her regular life as Gabby Tate.

Lifting the hem of her shirt, she looked at her bruised ribs. Yes, those people would do anything to find Lucas, as she had discovered first-hand.

So, she had to disappear, but first, she had to make a decision—would it be with or without Lucas?

She loved him; she held no doubt about that. But this time around, his actions had hurt her so badly and caused her so much loss, she didn’t know if she could forgive him.