Defending Serenty (15 page)

“I’ll talk to you later.”

She sounds cold. Detached. I snort. So, it
comes down to this. It’s okay for her to fuck me, but she doesn’t
want anyone else to know about our relationship. Now that my fear
for her has subsided, anger moves in to take its place. The hell
with that. I grab her hand and yank her flat against my chest. Then
I whisper in her ear.

“I’ll go home this time, but I’m not leaving
you. You’d better find a way to start explaining me.”

Her buddy Andrew comes up behind her. I drop
a light kiss on her lips, stand back, and meet the cop’s gaze.

“She’s got a big knot on the back of head,” I
say. “Make her get it looked at, will you?”

Then I turn on my heel, walk into the room
designated for statements, and sit down. It brings back unpleasant
memories. The last time I’d made a statement to law enforcement,
I’d tried to calmly explain to the Chief of Police that the knife
that had killed Billy Thompson wasn’t mine. That I didn’t intend to
stab anyone with it. That if the moron hadn’t tried to grab my
girl, there would have never been a fight. But none of those
explanations had made any difference. The town knew I was bad, that
it was just a matter of time before I killed someone, and the judge
would be damned if his little girl would end up with the likes of
Trace Graham.

My jaw clenches again. I’d grind my molars to
nothing at this rate. The state agent sits down and watches me for
several long moments. Lost in my own thoughts and watching Serenity
through the plate glass window, I ignore him. A medic bends over
her injury and then moves around to shine a light in her eyes.

“I’m Tony Banks. I’ve known Lynn a long time.
She has a reputation for being frigid and too fair,” the agent
says. I turn my gaze to meet the man’s curious look. “There are
very few people she calls friend. I’m guessing you’re why we’re
here, instead of the county.”

So, the agent considers this a fishing
expedition. Banks isn’t sure why Serenity called in the state team
instead of the locals. I’m pretty sure it is because the locals
won’t give me a fair shake. They know me and my story too well. I
sprawl in the chair and cross my arms over my chest. Two can play
this game.

“How did she justify bringing the state boys
in?” I’m pretty sure he knows why.

“Not hard to swing that.” Banks shrugs. The
action is nonchalant, but I don’t miss the sharp intelligence in
the other man’s eyes. “She has inside info. She knows we’ve been
hearing rumors about a new drug pipeline coming through here. We’ve
also heard Monroe owns a few cops.”

That surprises me. I’d kept my ears open and
hadn’t heard anything like that, but I’ve been gone a long time. I
wonder if Hunter knows about this? Monroe doesn’t trust anyone, so
I doubt it. The rumors are probably true. Monroe’s operation is
pretty big to be running under everyone’s radar but Serenity’s.

“So she trusts you. Why are you different
from everyone else?”

“Because Andrew’s gay.” Banks glowers. “And
if you repeat that, I’ll deny it. And me.” He shrugs.
“I’m...difficult to work with.”

“Mmm hmm,” I murmur, not wanting to comment
and wondering how the fuck that is relevant to the here and
now.

“The three of us work well together. Andrew
has secrets, I’m an asshole, and Lynn has been known to look the
other way if she thinks the law isn’t serving justice,” he says,
serious now, no longer smiling. “We all got drunk together a few
years ago and spilled our guts.”

I look sharply at the agent. “What’s that
supposed to mean?”

“Just that I have a good idea who you are,”
Banks says with a shrug, and he wants me to confirm it. “She did
tell me you were getting out of prison last time we spoke, but she
seemed pretty conflicted about it.”

He glances out the window into the foyer, and
I follow his gaze. Andrew stands looking in at us, with his hands
on his hips. “Guess she’s made up her mind, though. She wouldn’t be
handing us such a big case if she hadn’t decided
you
were
the one worth defending this time.”

Now it all starts to sink in. The guy isn’t
passing judgment on me. He’s just scoping me out. And Serenity has
made her choice. I grin at Tony.

“Well, let’s get this over with. Tomorrow’s
Christmas, and I still have things to do.” I look back out the
window and add softly, “Christmas is for miracles, isn’t it?”

Chapter Eleven

Serenity

The full moon is low in the sky when I
finally pull into the driveway. Fatigue beats at me and I rest my
head on the steering wheel for a minute before reaching for my bag
and the door handle. I hear music when I walk into the house, and I
follow it to the bedroom. Empty. That means Trace is up. I’m dying
to know what he’d said to Tony that had him smirking at me all
night. I find him in the bathroom with a razor, shaving his
face.

He cants his eyes to the side and smiles at
me in the mirror. Walking in behind him, I eye the tattoo on the
nape of his neck and lightly skim its outline with my finger. It is
a simple black design, like two check marks joined in the middle
and placed so one was on bottom and one was reversed on top. It is
the only tattoo he got in prison. The others, he’d had long
ago.

“When did you get this?” I ask.

I lean around him and met his gaze in the
glass. He lowers the razor and swishes it in the water. Lifting it
again, he answers, “About eight years ago.”

He drags the razor over his chin.

“What is it?” I ask, exasperated when he
doesn’t continue.

“It’s a Celtic Rune. It means defense.”

“Ahh,” I say, tracing it again. “What put you
behind bars in the first place.”

“Yes.”

He says it so calmly, so matter-of-factly it
makes my heart hurt. He cleans the razor and lets the water out of
the sink. I step back while he puts everything away, and lean
against the doorframe.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” he asks.

“For letting you push me away. For not
fighting for us,” I whisper.

It’s so clear to me now. I should have
refused when he told me to stay away. I sure as fuck should have
been at his trial and I should have seen him while he was prison. I
loved him then and I love him now. He was right the other night. We
do belong together. I just hope it’s not too late.

“Why didn’t you?”

“Guess I was afraid you really meant it. I
was just young and stupid and scared, Trace.”

I can’t read his expression so I have no idea
what he’s thinking. My heart sinks a little. Is it too late? Should
I lay it all on the line now? I want him in my life. I want him to
love me.

“I won’t lie. It pissed me off you didn’t
come, but I’m guilty too. I never reached out. Never tried to get
you back in my life.” He barks a laugh. “Not that it would have
been much of a life.”

It wouldn’t have, he’s right. But he would
have been in it. I can’t help but regret those lost years.

“I missed you so fucking much, Serenity. It
made me weak and the last thing you can be inside is weak.”

Now I really feel like shit. He’s watching me
and I have no idea what to say. Sorry won’t cut it, will it? I say
it anyway.

“I’m sorry.”

He shakes his head, smiles a little. Then he
cups my face and strokes my cheekbones with his thumbs.

“I was wrong, baby. You make me stronger. I
think a part of me has always known that. The bad ass thug part
that can’t stand to be dependent on anyone else, ya know?” he
teases.

Relief crashes through me and I sigh. My eyes
drift shut. Soon, gentle arms come around my waist.

“Hey,” he whispers. “You need to get some
sleep.”

He leads me to the bed and helps me out of my
clothes. The alarm clock has been returned and I glance at it. The
time surprises me. It’s five o’clock in the morning. Where has the
night gone? I crawl into bed and snuggle into Trace’s warm
arms.

“What are we doing? What
is
this?” I
ask.

“I don’t know,” he says softly and I hear the
honesty in his voice. “But it’s real. It means something, and baby,
it sure as hell ain’t temporary.”

No it’s not. Even if he leaves me tomorrow
I’m still in this. Still his. Then his hands are moving over me and
I forget all those worries.

Trace

I’m pouring water in the coffee maker when a
soft knock comes from the door behind me. Pulling it open, I stand
back and watch as Walker and Jimmy, the delinquent he’s trying to
reign in, troop through it loaded down with boxes and bags.

“Moving in?” I joke.

Walker snorts and nods at the coffee maker.
“You gonna finish making that?”

I walk over and flip the “on” switch while my
brother unloads bags of food and presents. Jimmy sets a ham on the
counter. A ham? Oh, right, Christmas dinner
.
I frown.

“I thought Joanne was cooking.”

“She is, but it only seems fair that we do
the buying.”

“Guess so.”

When everything has been either laid out or
put away, Jimmy turns to Walker. “You’re all set, man. I’m going to
take off.”

Walker gives him a hard look and nods. “You
stay out of trouble, hear?”

Jimmy tries to look injured but ruins it with
a grin. I shake my head. The kid is probably a lost cause.

“I will,” he promises, crossing a finger over
his chest.

Walker just rolls his eyes. “Go on. Don’t
call me if you get arrested,” he calls after the boy before the
door bangs shut.

I get two mugs from the drain board and fill
them with coffee. I add sugar to mine and sit down at the table
while Walker sits across from me. It’s surreal to be here in this
kitchen on Christmas Day, with the woman who means more to me than
anyone in the world asleep in the next room and my brother across
from me at the table. The room is silent except for the radio
softly playing carols, and I relax with a sigh. Of course, Walker
has to blow the mood.

“Get Lynn anything for Christmas?” he asks
casually.

Damn. After the near miss at Monroe’s
warehouse, I’d blown what little shopping time I’d had left. “No. I
was going to yesterday, but...”

Walker reaches for a small box he’s set
aside, opens it, and pushes it across the table to me. I stare in
surprise at the ring.

“Remember that?”

How could I forget? Our grandmother’s ring
was out mother’s only prized possession. Before our dad took off,
she kept it hidden so it wouldn’t get hocked. It’s only cheap
costume jewelry, but it had meant the world to her. And Walker had
kept it? Bemused, I look up and meet my brother’s eyes.

“I got curious about it a couple of years ago
and took it to a jeweler. It’s real.”

I choke on my coffee. Where did it come from,
then? Maybe Mom was right to keep it hidden.

“What is it?” I ask.

“A quarter carat ruby. The band is pure
gold.” He grins at my expression. “Yeah. I was surprised
too--especially after thinking it was junk all those years.”

I take one long last look at the ring, close
the box and push it back across the table to Walker. He’s building
up to something--he might need it as a prop.

“You seem serious about Lynn. And pretty much
over the whole revenge thing.”

“Man, I’m toast.” I bite back a laugh. “Yeah,
it’s serious.”

“Maybe you want the ring, then.” Walker lifts
an eyebrow in question. “Course, it was Grandma’s wedding ring, so
maybe not.”

I freeze. Marriage? Do I have the right to
ask Serenity to tie herself to an ex-con? I reach for the box. She
sees beyond that. I see beyond the cop. And in the end we will be
together, married or not, so let the ring symbolize whatever it
will. Walker whips out some Christmas paper and tape and wraps it
up while I laugh. Am I that predictable?

We joke through the morning, and Joanne shows
up a couple hours before noon. After being filled in on the day
before, she peeks in on Serenity, then puts us to work and starts
cooking. I can’t remember the last time I spent a day laughing and
cooking in a kitchen. It feels like family, and after the third
time Joanne calls one of us son, it starts to sink in that it is
family. My family.

A car stops out front and a door slams.

“That’ll be my sister’s girl, Grace. Honor’s
twin,” Joanne says. “She lives in Atlanta, and she’s all alone. I
insisted she come down. Be a dear, and go help her with her things,
will you Walker?”

“Sure, Joanne,” he says, and goes out the
back door.

“I don’t remember your sister,” I say when
we’re alone, but I’m remembering what Walker had said about her.
I’m looking forward to checking her out.

She smiles sadly. “Well, my sister had better
sense than me. She and the judge hated each other on sight. I
rarely saw her before he died, and then she died a couple years
after him. Lynn and those girls are the only kin I have left. Till
someone gives me grandkids, at least,” she tacks on with an arch
look. I avoid that statement.

“The judge was a real winner, wasn’t he?” I
ask darkly.

Her laugh tinkles through the room and she
winks. “We’re all much better off without him, that’s for
sure.”

I already knew the judge was poison, not just
for me, but his family too. How much more do I really need to know?
The answer comes to me immediately. I want to know everything that
has shaped Serenity, everything that has made her the woman she is
now, good and bad. Before I can begin the conversation however, the
back door suddenly bangs open and a tiny blonde steps through.
Walker trails her, bags in hand, looking like he’s just been hit
with a two by four. He puts her bags on the floor and shuts the
door, and she drops her purse on the table and walks into Joanne’s
arms for a long, tight hug.

They separate and Joanne turns to me with her
arm around the newcomer’s waist. No wonder Walker is shocked into
speechlessness. She is classically beautiful, with long hair that
frames a heart-shaped face with high cheekbones and crystal blue
eyes. She smiles up at me and extends her hand.