Oak, Sophie - Siren in Waiting [Texas Sirens 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (38 page)

Trev needed to talk to a few people, but he had a horrible suspicion. It still didn’t explain why Bryce would suddenly want Beth’s house, unless he just needed the money. But any money he would have gotten from the house would be months away. Bryce had talked about turning the whole place into a small shopping center. He would need to first buy the place and turn around and sell it, after getting through all the red tape of rezoning the property for business.

Shelley’s voice trembled as she spoke. “He hates you, Trev. You need to stay away from him. I don’t think he’s stable anymore. It’s why I had to send Leo away. I’m worried about both of you. Bryce was so angry when you came back into town. He thinks it makes him look bad. He’s obsessed with his perfect image.”

“Enough to kill someone over it?” If he discovered that Bryce was the one who sent Austin Hall into Beth’s house, nothing would stop Trev from hurting his brother-in-law.

“I hope not, but then, I don’t really know him at all. You know, I haven’t even slept with him in over a year. I’m just the doll he takes out and shows off. I hate him.”

He pulled his sister back into his arms. Trev hated Bryce, too. And he was going to figure this out. His sister was in danger. “You’re not going back home.”

“Have you listened to anything I’ve said?”

“Listened to and made a decision. You’re divorcing that asshole. You can stay with me and Beth and Bo for a while. I have some questions to ask. If I don’t like the answers, I’m sending you and Beth to The Club, and you’ll stay there until I deal with Bryce. Is that understood?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I know I haven’t earned the right to protect you. I know I left you high and dry for the majority of our adult lives, and it’s not fair that I’m coming in and dictating to you now. You did what you had to do to help our mother, but that’s over now. The medical bills are paid off. I’m going to get you out of this situation with your husband. I’m back now, and I’m taking care of things.”

Her face turned up to look at him. “The medical bills?”

“Bo’s paying them off, and I’ll pay him back in a year.”

“Trev…”

He wasn’t going to listen to arguments about this. “No. I won’t accept anything less. If I have to tie you up and force you to Dallas, I will. If I tell Leo everything you just told me, I assure you, he’ll help me.”

“I don’t think Leo Meyer will have anything to do with me again.” There was a sad longing in Shelley’s voice.

Trev wasn’t sure if there was anything he could do on that front. In the two years he’d known Leo, he’d come to realize that the former Navy SEAL was an unbelievably tolerant man, but once he was done, he was through. He felt for his sister.

“I’m going to sit down and have supper, watch the game with Bo, and deal with Beth. After that, I’m going into town for a few hours. I have some questions to ask. I expect you to stay with Bo. I expect you to mind him.”

She frowned. “I don’t know that I like the sound of that.”

“You’re my sister, but I’ll tie you up, too. Oh, I won’t treat you like Beth. I’ll leave your clothes on, but you won’t find the experience pleasant.”

“I don’t know that I like the new you.” But he caught a hint of a smile through her tears.

“Get used to it, sister.” He looked at her, his sister. No one else in the world knew what it had been like to grow up in their house. No one else knew how it felt to be loved by their parents. Each family’s existence was strangely individual, no matter how many events or emotions were universal. Only Shelley knew how their father had tickled them and called them “little bugs.” Only Shelley knew how their mother’s banana bread tasted on a cold morning. Only Shelley knew what it meant to mourn them. “I love you, sister. I failed our parents. I won’t fail you.”

The tears were back. “Oh, Trev, she knew. She knew you were in rehab. Let me tell you about the day I fell in love with Leo Meyer. It was a week after you accepted the deal from Curt Goff. You were still in the hospital under observation. Leo explained how hard detox could be on a body. He came to see our mom in the hospital. He sat down beside her, and he promised her that you would be okay. He swore to her that you were ready to change. When our mother died, she was so proud of you.”

Now Trev felt tears prick his eyes. “I had given her nothing to be proud of. I had fucked up every opportunity given to me.”

“And yet you chose to fight. You chose to fight for your life and your sobriety. God, Trev, you make it sound like you’ve had it easy. I can’t imagine the pressure you were under. Not many men would have the strength to walk away. You could have been one more cautionary tale, but you did it. You got through it. You get through it every day. She’s proud of you. She’s proud of how strong you’ve become. She’s proud of how you take care of the people around you. She’s proud of the man you’ve become.”

“How can you say that?”

“Because I’m proud.” She wrapped her arms around him, her love surrounding him.

Trev looked over her shoulder and saw Bo standing there. He’d heard everything. Trev felt himself flush with shame. Bo was one of the people he’d let down.

“I’m proud, too,” Bo said, his voice choking for a moment. “And I can speak for Beth when I say we wouldn’t be where we are without you. I need you to know that I forgive you.”

Trev’s gut tightened. “Will you please tell me what happened?”

Bo’s face turned down. “My dad got drunk one night in my junior year. Aidan had left town. Aidan was his golden boy, but he was angry that Aidan was pursuing music as a career. He didn’t think that was a masculine profession, if you know what I mean. Well, he got snockered, and he beat the shit out of me. I thought he was going to kill me. He pulled out his old Colt and shoved a bullet in it. He put it to my head and pulled the trigger.”

Trev’s blood ran cold. How could someone do that to his own child? “Bo, I had no idea.”

Bo simply shook his head. “I think Dad was shocked that he’d done it, too. He dropped the gun after it didn’t go off that first time. I ran. I ran to Austin, but I realized that if told my brother, Aidan would have killed our father.”

Trev sighed. He couldn’t imagine it. He couldn’t imagine how helpless Bo must have felt. “Bo, why didn’t you call the cops?”

Bo shrugged. “Because they would have put him in jail and then Aidan would have had to leave college to keep the ranch afloat. Because I didn’t want to go into foster care.”

“I turned you away, didn’t I?” Trev wished he could remember the night. Wished he had been a different person.

“You weren’t mean about it. I’ll give that to you. You were never a mean drunk. You just told me to get cleaned up and find some black-and-white clothes so I could join the party.”

The annual Black and White Ball at his frat. Of course. Trev had always been plastered for that. “Bo, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know what I was doing. Well, I did. I knew what I risked every time I took a drink. Where did you go?”

Bo smiled. “Beth came and got me. I think that was the night that really solidified our relationship as friends. I started spending more and more real time with her. I started to love her.”

Shelley walked up and gave Bo a hug. “I’m so sorry to hear that. How could you have ever come back here?”

Bo patted her back, accepting the affection. “The strange thing was after that night, my father actually calmed down. He never hit me again. We got along for a little while. He was still a mean bastard, but he kept his distance. I stayed on because I didn’t have anywhere else to go, and I moved into the guest house. It was better after that. I loved this ranch even when I hated my dad.”

Guilt threatened to overwhelm Trev. “But I could have helped you.”

Bo shook his head. “Trev, everything happens for a reason. I believe that now. We’re here today because we did stupid shit and got our asses kicked. We made mistakes and we learned from them. That’s what brought us here. I wouldn’t take a single one back. I wouldn’t be anywhere but right here, right now.” He cleared his throat as though banishing the deep emotion he felt. “Now, dinner’s ready. You two need to come inside. Apparently we’re going to need our strength. Lexi already made a plate for Beth and headed out. She’s got five different plotlines to read to her. I think I saw Beth crying just a little.”

Trev laughed, the feeling of shame leaving him in an instant. He felt lighter. “Well, I don’t want to keep your stomach waiting.”

Shelley stepped away from Bo. “I agree with Bo. I’ve made mistakes, too. Now’s the time to start fixing them. I’m going to wash my face. I’m sure I look a mess. Does Bo have to follow me to the bathroom?”

Trev was fine with his sister’s sarcasm as long as she didn’t fight him on Bo’s bodyguard duty. “I think Aidan’s bathroom is safe enough.”

Bo frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t know. I hear sometimes women get assaulted in there.”

Trev snorted. “Damn, you heard about that, huh? Well, how about after the game, we go out and visit our little sub? You know, we promised we would give her a little something.”

“Eww!” Shelley put her hands over her ears. “Too much info, brother.”

Bo and Trev were laughing as they entered the house together.

Chapter Eighteen

Beth looked up as Trev walked into the barn, Bo hard on his heels.

“So, what do you think? I mean, I had the beta hero save the day in my last book. I think it’s time the heroine kicked some ass.” Lexi had a corkboard with about a hundred notes plastered to it.

Beth was sure they were an incongruous sight. The serious writer, going over plot and storyline, with her personal assistant, who Lexi’d had to prop up with pillows so she could comfortably sit up because her assistant was naked and tied up. “And when was the last time you had the Dom save the day?”

Lexi bit into her lower lip. “I guess it’s been a while.”

Beth shook her head. Since Lexi had started writing, she’d made a name for herself in erotic romance for her kick-ass heroines and quirky small towns. “It’s time. Throw Aidan a bone. The town of Joy, Wyoming, has been through a lot. Let your hero save the day.”

Lexi shrugged. “Fine. I guess the guy has to save the day every now and then. Hey, Trev and Bo! How did the game go? I’m glad you’re here. I was just telling Beth that I should get a masculine opinion.”

Bo’s eyes flared in panic. “Uh, I don’t really read much.”

“The Dom should definitely save the day, Lexi. Now, your Master requests your presence.” Trev’s deep voice didn’t leave a lot of room for disobedience.

But Lexi was a brat to the end. Beth admired that about her boss. “Fine, but I’m not doing the dishes.”

She grinned at Beth as she gathered her things. “I’m so glad you’re in the lifestyle now. We can have fun. I’ll show you all the best ways to top from the bottom.”

Trev growled Lexi’s direction.

Lexi took a little step back. “Fine. Maybe not.” But the minute Trev’s back was turned, she mouthed the words, “I totally will,” and slipped out the door.

“I love my sister-in-law, but I don’t think Lexi is a good influence on Beth.” Bo frowned at the door Lexi had closed.

Trev shook it off. “Lexi is a brat of the highest order. She’ll be good for Beth. And besides, I don’t think Beth is about to let us choose her friends.”

“Not for a second.” Beth was ready to obey Trev in the bedroom and in things that made sense, but she wouldn’t mindlessly follow him.

“Mind me now,” he said as if he could hear her thoughts. “Let Bo turn you over. I want to play.”

She could see that he did. His cock strained against his jeans. There was a slightly desperate look to his eyes. “What happened?”

“Nothing to worry yourself about. Let’s just say I’ve had an emotional day. And I just spent two hours watching Lucas and Aidan enjoy a six-pack of beer between the two of them. Now I don’t begrudge them, but it has me on edge.”