Waiting for Wednesday (6 page)

“You know, kitten, you might like getting caught in my web.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and she laughed.

“Why do you assume it’s a web of seduction?”

He frowned. “Do I make you feel trapped?”

“Oh no.” She wanted to dispel that misunderstanding. “It feels more like a web of protection.”

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Mari Carr

He considered her words and nodded. “That’s probably accurate. I’ll always keep you safe, Lane. Even from me.”

“I can take care of myself, Tris. I don’t need protection.” His eyes lowered and she sensed she’d upset him with her words. “Don’t run away again.”

She was confused by his abrupt change of topic. “What?”

“If I say or do something that scares you, don’t run away. Stay and we’ll talk it out.”

“You don’t scare me.” She sensed he was trying to tell her something and she was missing it.

He smiled, but it wasn’t a happy look. “I terrify you and you know it. You like being independent, self-reliant. I get that, Lane. I’m not trying to steal that from you.

I’m not like your fucking ex.”

Truer words were never spoken. Tristan and James were night and day—

physically, emotionally, mentally. Her ex-husband hadn’t been much taller than her and his build could only be described as slight, while Tris towered over her. After their marriage, James became a cold, distant man while Tristan tended to wear his emotions like some folks wore clothes. She could always tell how he was feeling and she liked that.

“I’ve never confused you for James. I never would.”

“He hurt you, Lane, and I’m not just talking about the beating. For two years he put you down, tried to make you feel small, stupid and insignificant. I can only assume that was his way of feeling like a big man. But he failed.” She considered his words. James had been an ass, constantly berating her until most days she’d dreaded going home.

“You forget I was there. I saw you once a week, every week as you were going through all of that, and you know what I saw?” he asked.

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Waiting for Wednesday

She shook her head.

“I saw a pretty, intelligent woman who, despite her miserable home life, still came in every week with a smile on her face and brimming with self-confidence.” She snorted and tried to refute his comment, but he continued. “You didn’t tuck yourself away in the corner booth. You sat down at the end of the bar and you struck up a conversation. Regardless of the fact your marriage was shitty, you didn’t let James strip away your personality and you didn’t give up this freedom you seem so hell-bent on flaunting in front of me. If James had won, you never would have stepped a foot in the pub.”

She’d blown thousands in therapy the past year to figure out exactly what Tris had said in three minutes. The thought made her want to laugh and cry at the same time.

“You missed your calling,” she said, trying to lighten the mood. “You were born to be a psychiatrist.”

He shrugged. “Figure the only difference between that and a bartender is a diploma. And since I wasn’t going to spend eight more years in school…” She rose on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek. “Why did you tell me all of that?”

“You ran away the last time I said I wanted to protect you. You left for a whole year, Lane.”

She was taken aback by the sadness in his voice and for a moment she wanted to disprove his words, deny the true reason she’d left, but she wouldn’t tell him a lie. “I needed to know I could survive on my own. You don’t know what it was like for me growing up. Always at the mercy of whoever agreed to let me live in their house. And then with James, no matter how hard I tried, I was never good enough. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to make people want me, Tris. And for what?”

“Lane—” he started, but she kept talking, a lifetime’s worth of pain pouring from her.

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Mari Carr

“I woke up one morning and realized there was only one person whose approval I needed and that was mine.” She turned quickly, unwilling to let Tris see the tears forming in her eyes.

Footsteps on the stairs saved her from having to see the pity in Tristan’s eyes over what she’d just revealed. Jesus, where had all that come from? Staying here was going to be harder than she’d thought if she kept baring her soul at every turn.

Sean entered the room, grinning when he spotted her.

“Hey, Lane.” He came across the room and gathered her up in a big bear hug.

Though only nineteen years old, Sean was as massive as his older brother but lacked the physical restraints that age and experience had taught Tristan. Sean was in the height of his youth and his exuberance was contagious, as he barreled through places like a bull in a china closet. She laughed as he picked her up and spun her around, and she silently rejoiced at his very timely interruption.

“I’m glad you agreed to take care of Pop. The old guy is crazy about you. Besides, with you here, maybe Tris will stop being such a prick all the time.” Lane looked toward Tris then back at Sean, shaking her head. “I’ve never seen your brother act like a—” She paused, uncomfortable repeating Sean’s word.

“A prick,” Tris finished for her while Sean laughed at her modesty.

“You’ve never seen it,” Sean continued, “because he’s only a prick when you aren’t around.” As he said the word
prick
, he tapped her on the nose to punctuate it and she swatted away his hand playfully.

“You might want to watch your mouth there, brat,” Tris said.

“Oh yeah?” Sean dared Tris to come closer, wiggling his fingers in invitation, and for a moment Lane was afraid they were going to get into a fight. “I don’t see anybody around here who’s man enough to make me watch what I say.” Tris grinned and took two steps closer to his brother. Lane struggled to decide if his intimidating stance was real or pretend.

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Waiting for Wednesday

“Is that right?’ Tris goaded.

“Um, guys?” she said, but they ignored her as Sean shoved Tris away.

“Back off, bro. You
do not
want a piece of this,” Sean taunted.

Tris moved in so quickly, Lane had to jump back as the two enormous men fell into a heap and started wrestling on the floor. She circled them, frightened they would seriously hurt each other. Tristan’s leg knocked against a table and the vase of flowers on top would have fallen if she hadn’t managed to catch it.

Sean cursed as Tris got him in a headlock.

“And you need to keep your hands off my girl,” Tris said, his face red with the exertion of trying to hold Sean down.

His girl?
Oh shit. That was
not
supposed to make her feel so good.

Neither man seemed inclined to give up and Lane almost cried with relief when Keira entered the room.

“Jesus Christ. Aren’t you guys a bit old for this shit?” She stepped over the two men flailing on the floor and headed toward the kitchen. “Hey, Lane. All settled in?” Lane nodded, wondering at Keira’s calm countenance in the face of two of her brothers trying to pummel each other to death.

“Want a sandwich?” Keira asked. Lane looked back at Tris and Sean, sweating and panting, still wrestling on the floor.

Keira followed her gaze and yelled at her brothers. “Either one of you dumbasses want a sandwich?”

Tris had Sean trapped beneath him, but the younger man was still giving him a pretty hard fight. “I’m waiting to hear Sean cry uncle.”

“Hell will freeze over,” Sean said.

Keira walked over to the men and gave each a kick. “I’m gonna uncle both your asses if you don’t stop that and get up. You’re scaring Lane. She’s not used to the way you two carry on.”

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Mari Carr

Her words seemed to take the wind out of their sails as Tris stood quickly, reaching to offer Sean a hand up. Both men turned to Lane with guilty expressions.

“Sorry, kitten. I thought you knew we were wrestling, just messing around.”

“We do it all the time,” Sean added.

She laughed lightly, trying to pretend she hadn’t been worried they’d seriously hurt each other. “Oh, I knew that.” She hoped they’d buy the lie.

Tris frowned. He walked over and placed his large palm against her cheek. “I think we’re going to have to keep in mind you aren’t used to big families.”

“Big, insane families,” Keira added. “Come on, Sean. Help me make some lunch.” Sean started to follow Keira to the kitchen but stopped as he passed Lane. “Sorry if we scared you.” He bent to give her a brotherly peck on the cheek.

“No worries,” she said, “but I think you and I are going to have to talk later about your hip position. You went down
way
too fast.” Sean laughed. “I’ll look forward to your coaching.”

* * * * *

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly as Keira, Sean, Tris and Lane mapped out a plan for their pop’s return to the apartment. The siblings were determined to make sure the transition was easy and Lane was touched to see how much they all loved their father.

She didn’t even know who her father was. Her mother, a drug addict, hadn’t known who’d gotten her pregnant. Lane could only vaguely recall the grandmother who’d kept her when she was a baby while her mother lived her life strung out on heroin. Her mother had disappeared a few months before her grandmother died and when she was seven, Lane had become a ward of the state.

“Lane?” Tris said. She looked up and realized they were all staring at her.

“Sorry. Drifted off there for a minute. Did you ask something?” 48

Waiting for Wednesday

“We wanted to know if you needed anything else. Is your room okay?” Keira asked.

Lane had unpacked her belongings earlier. Most of her things were in storage for now. “It’s fine.” Sharing the room with Riley, however, was going to be problematic for reasons she wasn’t about to admit to anyone, least of all Tris.

“Well, sounds like we have everything in hand. Just remember, Lane, no one expects you to do it all. There are five of us around and we intend to help out as much as possible. If you ever need a break, just give a shout and one of us will relieve you.” Keira rose from the table.

“Hey, Kiki,” Sean said, standing too. “Can you give me a ride back to my apartment? I let a friend borrow my car.”

“Sure. Come on. See you tomorrow at the hospital,” Keira said to Tris. They were bringing their pop home first thing in the morning.

Keira and Sean disappeared down the stairs and Tris leaned toward her, placing his arm across the back of her chair. “I need to talk to Ewan about tax stuff for a little while.

Do you mind if I leave you alone for an hour or so?”

“I’ll be fine. I borrowed a couple of books about caring for stroke victims. I’ve been reading them the last few days, but I’d like to take another peek, make some more notes.”

He nodded and rose, taking her hand to help her up as well. “Okay. I’ll see you later then.” He bent down and kissed her. She expected his kiss to be a quick one, but as always happened with the man, he threw her for a loop. His arms engulfed her as he used his tongue to push her lips open. She clung to his shirt as he took complete ownership of her lips. When he finally moved away, he grinned at her. “I guess that will tide me over ’til I see you again.”

“You’re only going to be gone an hour. That felt like a farewell kiss to cover months of separation.”

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Mari Carr

He shrugged and her heart gave a painful lurch as she realized he truly was afraid of her leaving again.

“I’ll see you later,” she whispered, offering him another quick kiss. “Promise.”

* * * * *

Tris walked upstairs with a distinct spring in his step. Then he realized he was grinning. Shit, he had it bad. The fact that Lane was now living in his family’s apartment thrilled him. The last year had dragged by relentlessly from one nothing day to another.

While he didn’t pretend it was going to be easy to break through the barriers she’d built to protect herself, he sure as hell intended to give it the old college try. Her words earlier had broken his heart as he considered how much she’d suffered in her young life. Despite her assertions about being a strong, independent woman, Tris could see the scared, lonely little girl still cowering inside—desperate for love and acceptance.

Somehow he had to prove to her she could have it all—freedom, love, companionship.

He was determined to win her heart and, to achieve his goal, he’d decided to proceed with his plan to seduce Lane into falling in love with him. She seemed much more comfortable with the idea of a physical relationship. While he’d prefer to win her heart first, he knew—with Lane’s inability to get close to people—he’d have to start at the end.

He looked around the living room, surprised to find it empty. Walking down the hallway, he saw the door to Riley’s room ajar. He stepped inside and found Lane curled up on her side on Teagan’s old bed, fast asleep.

No time like the present to advance his plan.

He closed the door, then tiptoed over and took the book she’d been reading out of her hand. She stirred, her eyes opening slowly.

“Hey.” She looked around the room and he watched her become aware of her surroundings.

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Waiting for Wednesday

“Must have been some stimulating reading,” he teased.

She grinned. “Not really. Medical texts. Better than counting sheep on restless nights. The journals never fail to put me out in seconds. How are the taxes going, Everest?”

He laughed at her use of his nickname and realized, with her lying down and him standing over her, he probably
did
resemble a mountain. He sat on the edge of the bed, pleased when she didn’t stiffen up or try to move away. He was making progress.

“I don’t want to talk about taxes.” He studied her lips, his arousal growing when her tongue darted out to lick them nervously.

“You don’t?”

He shook his head. “I don’t want to talk at all.” He bent over to kiss her, giving her time to balk, to refuse him if that was her intent.