Trent (Redemption Romance Book 4) (13 page)

“Hey, Gillian, how are you?” Aurora called as she walked through to the front of the store. Reed seemed frustrated, but I watched as a determined gleam entered his eyes. He kept his gaze firmly on Gillian. I knew that look, it had been the look Trent had given me many, many times. I almost felt sorry for the girl – almost.

When I finally left for the day, it was well after six, later than I’d planned to stay. It had gotten really busy, so I'd needed to help Aurora out. I honestly didn’t know how she was planning to work so long. I had no idea what time she came in that morning, but she was going to close later.

With the guys going out, I planned for a quiet night with Snowball. He had laid on my stomach most of the previous day, showing his great dissatisfaction when I got up to change over the laundry. I knew he could go for more cuddle time. He was a possessive cat and didn't like all the time I ignored him for Trent.

Yoga pants on, a DVD of my favorite movie in the player and my dinner almost done, I was ready for the perfect night – as perfect as it could get without Trent. He called after I got home, telling me that he wasn’t coming by until after I was asleep, which I already knew. He was sweet, as always, but we'd only spoken for a few minutes.

A knock at the front door surprised me, it wasn’t late, not all the way dark yet but I wasn’t expecting anyone, and it was too late for solicitors. Looking through the peephole, I saw a man looking away from the door. I hadn't ever seen him before, but he seemed to be looking out over the street.

Opening the door until it caught on the chain, I asked, “Can I help you?”

With a quick glance at me, the man donned an insincere smile that he probably thought looked charming and greeted me.

“Amber, darling. How are you?”

I was taken off guard with his odd greeting since I had no idea who the man was. With one hand hidden behind the door, I slid the locking cap on the can of pepper spray I was holding, to the open position. Narrowing my eyes at the older man, I surveyed him. He had blonde hair, which seemed to be turning white around his ears and face and dull, lifeless blue eyes. He was tall, over six feet for sure and looked fit for a man his age. He was in his mid to late fifties if I had to guess, though I wasn’t sure. He looked like maybe life had been a bit rough on him, that maybe he’d aged more rapidly than normal.

“I’m sorry, have we met?” My tone was polite but cold.

“Oh dear, I’m sorry. Of course not. I’m Trent’s dad, Joseph. Is he here?”

I didn’t know much about Joseph, but I did know that Trent wasn’t close to him. Something had happened when Trent was a teenager, and his father had gone to prison. A chill ran down my spine, and I knew that something was off here. This man wasn’t here for a nice visit with his only son.

“No, he isn’t. Do you want me to ask him to get in touch with you?” I cursed myself for letting him know that I was home alone. I didn't know this man but something told me to be wary of him.

His lips tightened infinitesimally, but I noticed. “Why don’t you give me his cell number, sweetheart? I’ve just gotten a new phone and for some reason, I’ve lost his contact information.”

That damn fake smile was effortless for him. That man was such a snake, I could almost see his scales.

“Oh, that’s got to be annoying. Leave me your number and I’ll give it to him.”

There was no way in hell I would give out Trent’s number. I didn’t give two shits who this guy was, it was obvious to me that he was up to something. After he recited the number, and I dutifully wrote it down, I nodded and began to shut the door, but paused and looked at him one more time when he warned, "You need to be sure he calls me, understand?"

There wasn't any obvious threat, but it was still delivered as one. I was concerned. Nodding, with furrowed brows, I closed the door and locked it securely.

Grabbing my cell phone, I hit Trent's number. I hated to call and disturb him. He had probably only been at the bar an hour or so, and these nights out were important for the guys to get together and bond. I knew, though that he needed to know what was going on.

"Hey sweets, you okay?" A strange prickle had run up my neck just seconds before my phone rang. Looking at the screen, dread spread through my chest as I answered Amber's call. I didn't know how I knew, but I knew that something wasn't right.

Beginning to stand and pull out my wallet, Gavin looked at me quizzically and began to stand as well.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just thought you should know that your father was just here."

"What?" The roar that left my chest quieted the otherwise noisy bar and unbeknownst to me, the other patrons turned to stare. I was on the move, and all the guys were hot on my heels, all but Jake. He was home hovering over Hope, making sure she didn't do anything strenuous.

"It wasn't a big deal. He asked if you were here, I told him you weren't, and he left a number. I just wanted you to know, that's all." I knew she was trying to settle me down, but it wasn't working. All I could see was my sister huddled in the chair, blood leaking out, broken and bruised. My mother's black eyes, my fucking father lording over them, hatred and menace in his eyes.

I had to get to her, the need had me rushing to my truck as I told her I would be right there and jumped in. The sound of multiple trucks starting and following behind was comforting, though I didn't pay it much attention. I needed to see her, needed to know that she was all right. I had to know that he wasn't hurting her, not like he'd done to my mom and Nat all those years.

Memories of that fateful night swamped me, flooding my mind with horrid images, so many I'd forgotten. Nat's terrified and beaten face was different now, in my mind, I kept seeing Amber's face, Amber's tears, Amber hurt and at the mercy of that sadistic asshole.

I never hated anyone in my life, aside from my father, and amazingly, the hatred I held for him all these years grew exponentially on the ten-minute drive to her house.

Pulling up in the driveway, I barely put it in park before jumping down and racing toward the front door. By the time I made it to the front steps, I had heard Gavin, Reed and Luke pull up and park.

Thankfully, Amber swung the front door open. A look of surprise clear on her face as she looked at me, then out at the street.

"What's wrong?" She asked, baffled, just before I reached out and grabbed her, pulling her up, off her feet into a tight embrace. My face was buried in her hair, but I felt it when her hands encircled me, holding on to me.

"Trent, what is it, did something happen?"

Shaking my head, I knew that I was acting crazy. She must have been thinking I was nuts.

"No, sorry, my mind just kept flashing back to the past. He was a horrible man, Amber - horrible. I tried my best to protect them, but when I got older, he hid it. I thought he quit hitting them, I didn't know." My rambling words seemed to make some amount of sense to her, she smiled, placed a small hand on each of my cheeks and kissed me. Her soft, warm eyes stayed on me as she assured me that all was fine.

By the time I put her down, everyone had walked up, and Gavin handed me my keys. We spoke for a moment and decided to do a quick perimeter search, just to make sure he wasn't still close by.

I was the one with the best instincts on the team, though Gavin was a close second. That was a good thing because right then, I was a mess and I had no way of knowing if my emotions would get in the way.

Luke examined all the doors and windows, taking a few fingerprints. Since my father's were in the system, it would be easy to figure out if he touched anything more than the doorbell. Gavin and I circled the house, in opposite directions and Reed walked the surrounding sidewalks, looking for anything that stood out.

Amber and Reed talked for a few minutes from the front yard, when her neighbor from across the street came out to see what was going on. Tom Clemmons was a guy I remembered meeting before. I knew that he and Amber had never dated, but I had a feeling that he would jump right in if she ever gave him the nod.

With Tom talking to Amber, I had to work hard to maintain my focus. I knew that she loved me, but with my emotions, so raw, all I wanted was to keep her safe, tucked to my side.

Be it good or bad, no one found anything out of place, nothing odd, nothing indicating that my father had been anywhere near Amber's house.

"We need to get a system up, let me see if Jake can help tomorrow morning," Reed suggested as he pulled his phone from his pocket.

Gavin eyed me, worry creasing the skin around his eyes, and I knew why. He was the only one here who knew the entire story about my father. He was the only one I'd ever confessed my greatest regrets to, and I was sure that he could read me well enough now to see how truly worried I was.

Reed had walked away and was in deep conversation with Jake since he was the best one of us with the electronic surveillance equipment. Any one of us could have installed a good alarm system, but Jake's ability to put up almost imperceptible cameras that would capture every angle was just what I needed here.

I didn't know why my father was coming around. I'd be sure to call him later if just to tell him to stay the fuck away from my girl. I wouldn't trust him enough to head my warning. I'd never underestimate him again.

"Nat's place?" Gavin asked, nodding, I confirmed that her place was secure, as was Mom's. After the break-in last week, I'd beefed up both systems with Jake's help, and felt confident that they would both be okay.

If dear-old-dad were coming around for the reasons I thought he was, he would come looking for me, not for either of them anyway. I considered that Amber would be safer at my condo, the security there was impeccable. The only downside was that her drive into work would be doubled, and her crazy-as-hell cat wouldn't be happy there without a yard.

Once all was cleared, the guys said their goodbyes and each gave Amber a hug on their way out. She was - as always - gracious and appreciative. Even in yoga pants and a tank, which hugged her ripe tits in ways that made me fight my dick constantly, she behaved as if she were dressed beautifully and ready to entertain.

Amber had been so well trained by her mother, that she could have easily been some stuffy politician's wife. Thank god that shit wouldn't be happening. I would just be sure to buy a house with a big-ass yard, and we could throw drunken bar-b-ques all summer, and she could be sweet to everyone there.

I knew my darling girl loved to let her hair down, and no matter how she'd been trained, she liked to let loose and have fun. That was the life I wanted to give her - fun, not uptight with a bunch of pompous pricks like some of her parent's friends.

The funny thing was, due to my upbringing, I knew some of the people her parents socialized with. I had met them before the nightmare of our faux-perfect life came crashing down. They were nothing like the sweet, soft hearted, beautiful woman I loved.

I couldn't believe that now, in the face of everything, Amber was so giving, so welcoming, so kind and friendly with everyone around her. The light that shone from her eyes, the gracious love that poured from her with every movement made me fall deeper in love with her, all over again.

I explained the plan for the morning, and after some minimal protests, she agreed. She did tell me three times that she thought I was over-reacting. I hadn't ever shared the full picture of what had happened that night. Not what my father had done, what he was capable of, nor of all the previous times where he showed his true colors, his true person. I hadn't shared with her about Dylan's death and the guilt I still carried, Nolan's death, the men we'd lost at work a few years ago, or all the men I served with and the responsibility I felt for them all.

So many times after the fact, I could see things more clearly. I would discern the moment, the tell, the key, the exact thing that should have stood out. That one thing I should have noticed that may have saved them.

I felt the same way about Amber's pregnancy. Why hadn't I picked up on the signs that she was pregnant? Why hadn't I realized, if I had gotten her to the doctor sooner, if we had realized, if I paid attention, maybe I'd be holding my little girl or boy right now. Maybe his mother and I would be married, we could be happy. Maybe we would have never gone through the pain of separation, the grief, the heartbreak. Maybe Amber wouldn't have fallen into such a bleak despair. There were so many things I should have done that I didn't. In my life, I failed so many people, and there was no way I would miss another sign of trouble. I would protect Amber this time. I was never going to let anything hurt her again.

"I love you more than anything, you know that, right?"

Amber's puzzled eyes met mine, and I could see that she was trying to understand where my mind was. She was trying to figure out what the hell was going on with me. Her smile was small, but when she reached around and squeezed me, it was all she needed to say.

"Fuck," I screeched as something small and white bit into my calf. Jumping back, away from Amber, I looked behind me to find Snowball glaring up at me from his position beside the couch.

Amber giggled, then picked up the cat and scolded him - sort of - then locked him in the guest room. "Don't worry, honey, he's on a time-out. You're safe for a little while." She assured, like that would help my pride.

"Why does he bite me?" I never understood why he bit me or pounce on me. I was the one to rescue him after all. The strange thing was, he didn't do it all the time. He was protective of her, and most often if she was upset, he'd attack.

Shrugging her shoulders, a soft smile on her contented face, she moved back into my arms and allowed me to wrap myself around her. Holding onto her was about the only thing I had to keep me grounded at that moment. I loved her, absolutely, needed her and having her safe in my arms gave me the reassurance I was so desperate for.

After a while, I called my mom and my sister, giving them both the warning that Dad had been by Amber's house and to stay on the lookout. It had only taken about three minutes for my mother to become irritated with me for not bringing Amber around to meet her already. The entire thing with my father had been swept under the rug, as Mom had a habit of doing. She focused in on what she really wanted. After promising that we would meet up with her the following weekend, I was able to get off the phone, only to enjoy hearing Amber's laughter at my predicament.

The melodic sound of her amusement had to be one of the most beautiful things I had ever heard in my life. The smile that spread over me was wide, true and unexpected on such a crazy night.

As we fell into bed a few hours later, I thought about everything we had been through together already. I tried to focus on where we were now. As I felt the weight of this amazing woman cradled in my arms, soft, loving and relaxed, I reveled in the simplicity of loving her. We were naked, completely open and vulnerable to each other, languid and just where I wanted to be - forever.

"Will you tell me about him sometime?" Amber asked sleepily.

Opening my eyes, having been on the brink of sleep, I kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer into me. "Of course, sweetness, but not tonight, okay?"

"Not tonight, I want to sleep, but soon."

"Soon," I promised and held her safe as we drifted.

~~~

"Trent, I fucked up the code again," Amber yelled into the phone, the alarm blaring in the background. She hated the new system and complained that I made the codes too complicated. She was one of the brightest people I had ever met, but this alarm system was not her thing. I had already called Jake and asked him to give her a key fob that would work for it. My concern was that she wouldn't use it all the time if she found it too much of a pain in the ass, which would leave her vulnerable to the machinations of sick old men.

After talking to Natalie again on Thursday, she let it slip that there might have been even more that my father had done to her than she admitted to me previously. She quickly covered it up and changed the subject, but with my training and background, I caught the hints of what she wasn't telling me and it honestly scared the living shit out of me.

Nat sounded concerned for Amber, worried that if my father didn't get whatever it was that he was looking for, that he would take his anger out on her. I asked her what she meant, but in classic Natalie fashion, she deflected.

"Settle down baby, just take a breath." I did my best to calm her, knowing that if she were rattled, she'd never get the combination correct. I also whispered to Gavin to call local dispatch and let them know not to send anyone out. I reminded her of the code to clear the system, then the code to disarm it. She had the code correct all along, she was just pushing enter, instead of the A button first.

"Oh, thank God." Blessedly, the horrid noise ceased.

"You want to grab dinner with everyone later?"

"Yeah, sounds good, what time?"

I gave her the particulars and disconnected the call. It was the first time we would be going out as a couple with our entire group. Honestly, I was a little nervous, and I had a feeling that Amber would be too. I knew that she and Dawn had talked a lot the week Aurora and Luke were on their honeymoon and that she and Aurora had talked since. As far as I knew, no one else had asked any questions. Everyone knew, of course, because there were no secrets in this group, but they hadn't seen us as a couple, not truly and I didn't want any of my idiot friends to say something that would hurt her.