Making the Cut (27 page)

Ian clutched my shoulders. “Gwen, who is that?” Concern saturated his voice.

I couldn’t reply, my eyes were locked on Cade, who was staring at me, phone to his ear.

“Listen to me you sick fuck. You will never touch a fucking hair on my woman’s head ever again. You haven’t broken her, not even fucking close. You haven’t tainted her because she is a god damn miracle. She will never know any violence at the hand of a man for the rest of her life, I’ll make sure of that. I’ll also make sure I hunt you down and feed you your own dick before I put a bullet in your fucking brain.” Cade hung up the phone and threw it against the driveway smashing it. I regarded the scene blankly, unable to process anything.

“What the fuck?” Ian spat at Cade.

Cade ignored him, striding towards me, tugging me away from Ian and into his arms. He carried me inside like a bride, I would have found that funny, maybe, if I wasn’t feeling this numb. Cade sat on the couch in the living room cradling me in his arms, Ian hot on his heels.

“That was him wasn’t it?” My brother bit out, shaking with fury.

“That FUCKER is meant to be in prison!” Ian yelled making me flinch.

“Ian, check yourself or get the fuck out of here.” Cade ordered, glaring at my brother before directing a soft gaze at me.

“You are okay Gwen, you’re here with me and I won’t let anything touch you. You are safe.” Cade told me firmly, arms tight around me. I realized I was shaking.

“Get her a shot, tequila.” Cade ordered my brother, who glared at him a moment, but disappeared to do as he asked.

“Gwen, talk to me.”

I couldn’t reply, my mind was still replying images I had buried deep, images that Jimmy’s words had thrust to the surface. Cade lifted me up and placed me on the couch, kneeling in front of me with his hands at my face.

“Look in my eyes baby, get out of your head. You are safe, always will be.” His words were a promise, eyes blazing.

Ian entered the room, shot glass in hand, which he quickly handed to Cade. Cade held it between us.

“Drink baby.” He ordered, his firm tone rousing me slightly. My shaking hand wrapped around the glass and I threw it back, feeling the burn of the alcohol warm my insides.

“Good girl.”

I stared into his steely grey eyes, finding my strength. Cade’s previous words sounded in my ears, fighting away the demons. I smiled at him weakly.

“So meeting my brother went well.” I remarked dryly.

Cade looked at me intensely, then pulled me in for a rough kiss, despite our audience.

“You sit with Ian for a bit baby, I’ve got to make some calls okay?”

I nodded slowly and Cade watched me a beat then stood.

“You want to tell me what the fuck is going on?” Ian asked Cade, face hard. “How the fuck can that prick call her? He’s in prison.”

My thoughts exactly. Shit was he out? My body started shaking again.

“Cool it and sit with Gwen while I found out what the fuck is going on.”

Ian looked seriously pissed at being ordered around but one look at me had him joining me on the sofa. He drew me into his shoulder.

“I promise you will be okay Ace, no one will hurt you.” He promised.

I didn’t say anything, I just rested my head on his shoulder, trying to listen to Cade, but only hearing a few raised curses.

“This is bullshit.” I whispered quietly to myself. How the fuck can this fucker almost kill me once, hurt not only me but everyone I love and then once I am healed come and rip me open and ruin the first time I see my brother. Fuck that. I was not going to be a weak broken woman anymore.

“THIS IS BULLSHIT.” I yelled suddenly, struggling out of Ian’s arms to stand and pace the room.

“Ace...” He started, standing to approach me.

I threw up my hands pushing him away to continue my pacing.

“Seriously what the fuck Ian? This cannot happen all over again! I won’t let it! That piece of shit is not going to ruin your visit, and he certainly isn’t getting to me anymore. I am happy. Happy!” I glared at him, my expression contradicting my words, but I didn’t care I kept ranting. “The Prick is in some jail in New York, eating filthy prison food, getting infections from homemade tattoo guns and most likely taking regular ass raping’s from a man named ‘Big Earl.’ I am here, running a successful business living in a beautiful town surrounded by friends. I have a sexy as shit man who cares about me and a brother who has my back no matter what.” I declared fiercely.

Ian directed a sad smile at me. “
Gwenevere
…” He said quietly using my full name. I held up my hand.
“I’m not finished.” I snapped before stomping up to him, clutching his shoulders to make him listen. “Don’t you see? I will not have you directing those looks full of pity at me anymore, and I sure as shit don’t want you to have to handle me like I’ll break at any moment. You don’t need to. I’m okay, it’s taken awhile and it’s taken that crazy fucks phone call to make me fully realize it, but I’m
okay.”
I smiled into my brother’s eyes hoping he got me. I sensed movement out of the corner of my eye and turned to see Cade, face unreadable leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed watching me. I moved my gaze and it landed, surprisingly on Luke, who was in his uniform, looking openly concerned but with a hint of a smile. How did he get here so fast?

“How long have you guys been standing there?” I wanted to know how embarrassed I should be.

Luke’s face broke out into an all out smirk. “Big Earl?” Amusement danced in his eyes.

A lot embarrassed as it turned out.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Hey I don’t know too many prison nicknames, my knowledge goes as far as ‘Shawshank.” I joked, trying to keep the jovial mood.

Luke’s face softened and he entered the room, engulfing me in his arms.

“I’m so sorry sweetheart.” He whispered in my ear.

I opened my mouth to reply when Luke was suddenly standing a good distance away and Cade stood in front of him, anger palpable.

“Hands off Crawford.” He ground out, barely controlling a growl. “You are here in professional context only, keep your fucking distance.”

Luke glared back at Cade and I rolled my eyes, which Ian caught giving me an amused expression.

“Not another macho man stare off, please! I can hardly breathe with the amount testosterone in here. Cade do not talk to Luke like that his is my friend.” I scolded Cade and he turned to me, death stare directed in my direction now. Whatever, I ignored this and sent a soft glance in Luke’s direction.

“Please Luke, sit down. Thank you for coming, can I get you anything?” My mother taught there was never an excuse for bad manners even if my crazy ex boyfriend had just called me from prison threatening to rape me.

Luke instead of sitting, turned to my brother and held out his hand.

“You must me Ian, it’s great to finally meet you, Gwen has been looking forward to your visit, sorry it had to start out like this.”

Ian looked surprised but took Luke’s hand giving it a firm shake. Cade also looked surprised and pissed. He obviously figured out me and Luke had been talking.

“Nice to meet you too, glad to see Gwen has a friend on the right side of the law.” Ian said, directing a pointed look at Cade. I scowled at him, obviously my brother was still not happy with my boyfriend. Great.

Cade grabbed my hand and sat me down on the couch. He didn’t join me, just stood beside the arm of the chair, hand lightly on the back of my neck.

“Now the pleasantries are over, can we please cut to how the fuck this bastard got Gwen’s number, or how the fuck he got a phone in the first place?” Cade barked in Luke’s direction.

Luke looked from Cade me, obviously deciding not to engage in any hostilities, he sighed and sat across from me, scrolling through his phone. My brother stayed standing, eyes on me or more specifically Cade’s hand on me. I poked my tongue out at him. He needed to lighten up on the whole protective brother thing.

“Okay, so I just got off the phone with New York lockup. According to the Warden, O’Fallan paid one of the guards off to smuggle him in a cellphone, which he had one of his men program your number into.” Luke tried to sound detached and all business but his jaw was hard. How did they do this so quickly?

“How did they even get my number though?” I asked. Deciding to ignore the super efficient and scarily quick response from Amber PD.

“My cellphone number isn’t anywhere, I made sure only a few people had it specifically for something like this happening.”

Luke ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated.

“I don’t know Gwen, that’s all the info I could get for now. Either one of these guys is a master hack, or someone has given up your number.” He said the last part gently, but that still didn’t mask his true meaning.

My stomach dropped as three pairs of male eyes focused on me.

“That’s not possible, only the people I love have my phone number and they sure as shit wouldn’t give me up.” I told them all firmly.

“You sure about that sis?” My brother asked quietly.

I glared at him. “Well no Ian, I guess Ryan could have given me up, you know the guy who slept beside me for two weeks after I got out of hospital so I wouldn’t be alone? Or maybe Alex, who followed me around the whole of New York whenever I went out so I would feel safe? Or fuck maybe Amy, my best friend who uprooted her whole life to move out here with me?” I paused, breathing heavily, about to list all of my new friends who I trusted just about as much, but a firm squeeze on the back of my neck stopped me. I glanced up to Cade and his expression was still unreadable.

“Give your brother a break baby, we just need to explore every option. Don’t worry we will sort this, you will never be getting a phone call like that again.”

His voice was firm, sure. I trusted him. I trusted all the men in this room, Ian looked slightly taken aback at Cade backing him up and I fought a smile.

Luke cleared his throat, standing “Okay Gwen I better be going, just wanted to come and fill you in face to face, make sure you were okay.” He slipped his phone away.

I stood, feeling Cade’s arms at my waist. “Don’t you need a statement from me or something?” I asked Luke, surprised.

He locked eyes with Cade for a split second before his gaze came back to me.

“No sweetheart, we can see the phone records as proof of the call and we have Cade’s statement. I’ll call you when we have something new.” He gave me a smile, shook my brothers hand yet again and nodded stiffly to Cade. The room was silent for a moment after he left.

“So Ian what’s new with you?” I asked with only a hint of sarcasm.

I laid a plate of food in front of my brother, along with a beer.

“Thanks sis.” He rubbed his hands together. “Looking forward to this, there ain’t exactly five star restaurants where I am stationed.”

I grabbed my own plate and sat across from him. “Well I don’t think I’m a world renowned chef either Ian.” I replied, amused.

“Pretty darned close.” He took a bite and groaned. “Come on what do you marinate this steak in?”

I tapped my finger to my nose. “I’ll never tell.” I teased, before adding, “Oh and I made peanut butter cup torte for dessert.”

My brother’s eyes lit up. “No shit?” He all but yelled, mouth full.

“Eww, yes you ape, did Mum teach you nothing? Don’t talk with your mouth full, I would rather not wear your dinner.” I gingerly picked up piece of steak that had flown from his mouth onto my shirt and threw it back at him.

Ian just chuckled and continued to devour his dinner. I focused on my plate and smiled, happy that the mood had lightened. After Luke left earlier today, Cade also split, saying he had ‘shit to do’. That was probably a good idea, after a more than rocky introduction and that phone call, Ian and me had needed some time to talk. Although we hadn’t actually talked about anything important all day, I showed him to his room, made him some lunch then showed him round Amber. He was very impressed and agreed that it reminded me of home. I showed him around my store, which he didn’t say too much about, he was an alpha male, girly clothing shops didn’t exactly excite him. Weirdly, it was only Rosie and Lily there, and they both had no idea where Amy was. Making up with Brock I hoped.

After that, we had laid by the pool drinking beers and Ian told me some funny stories about the boys from his unit. I knew a couple of them, and one of them Keltan, was my brother’s best friends from back home. He was like a second brother to me so I was always happy to hear about him too. We seemed to have let the events of this morning be temporarily forgotten so we could spend some time together, which we hadn’t done in a long while.

Which brought us to now, having my kick as steak (if I do say so myself) and joking together, like we always had. Still no word from Cade or Amy, which had me slightly concerned, but I’d hear from them both at some point, hopefully.

“So Gwen. You and this Cade guy, what the fuck?” Ian’s tone brought me out of my thoughts.

I sighed, I knew this was coming. “I knew you wouldn’t give him a chance. Please try not to judge him based on appearances, I did that when I first met him and I regret it. I really like him Ian.”