Rundown (Curveball Book 2) (37 page)

“
Well,
you got what you wanted,” I say.  Looking over my
shoulder, our eyes lock.

“
Wait,”
he says, grabbing my elbow.  “Take this.”

He
places a cell phone in my hand and closes my fingers around it. 
“I have a phone.”

“
This
one can’t be traced.  If you need me, for anything, call. 
My number’s the only one programmed.”

“
I
made it through the last two years without you.  I doubt I’ll
be calling.”

Mark
momentarily looks like I just punched him in the gut but he quickly
recovers.  “You sound rather sure of yourself.”

“
I
am.”

“
What
if I asked you now?” Mark asks, his gaze never leaving where our
hands are joined.

“
Asked
me what?”

“
To
come with me.  What if I said I’d quit tomorrow and that I
wanted my family back?  Would you say no without hesitation?”

The
fresh air I sought earlier is now suffocating and way too intimate.  

“
Mark…”
 

After
everything he’s put me through, how can he ask me this?  I
close my eyes and take a deep breath.  I’m so engrained in my
own thoughts about our conversation that when soft lips that taste of
cigar press against mine, I’m completely unprepared.  His kiss
is familiar and at the same time completely foreign.

I
press my palms against Mark’s chest and pull my head back, shaking
it for him to stop because words aren’t surfacing.  

I
ignore his disappointment and back away, wanting nothing more than to
retreat into the warmth of the house.  When enough distance
separates us, I turn to make my getaway only to slam directly into
Drew’s heaving chest.

Clearing
the Air

Dropping
my suitcase on the frozen ground, I sidestep Breanne and slowly
approach Mark.  While clenching and unclenching my fists I move
closer to him so that I’m purposely invading his space. 

“
This
is twice now that you’ve shown up unannounced and upset her.”

“
I
don’t need an invitation to my own house,” Mark replies.

I
laugh irreverently.  “You sure about that?  Considering
most of your things are gone, I wouldn’t plan on getting
comfortable.” 

Mark’s
gaze drops to my suitcase.  “Have you forgotten whose wife she
is?”

I
try to take deep breaths, count to ten and do all that other nonsense
people experiencing rage should do.  None of it works.  In
fact, it’s hyping me up more.  One last stride puts me within
striking distance.  Footsteps close in on me.  I could care
less.  Instead of taking the high road, I go for the primitive
approach to conflict resolution and lay him out with one blow.   

“
Just
so we’re clear,” I say through clenched teeth, pointing to
Breanne.  “Those lips, and every other part of her body, are
off limits.”

Everett
yanks me backward as Spencer swoops in to check on Mark. 
Spencer takes one look at Mark’s split lip and charges at me like a
mad man.  Thankfully, Everett intervenes putting him in the same
hold the asshole had me in the other night.  Wanting nothing
more than to release the rest of my aggression on him, I crouch
slightly and adopt a boxing stance.  He may know hundreds of
ways to kill me with his bare hands but he’ll have to catch me
first.  Judging by his bloated midsection alone I’m confident
that my reflexes are far superior to his. 

Fingers
crossed he won’t go for his gun when Everett lets him go.

In
my periphery, muffled voices warn me to stand down and I knowingly
ignore them.  These two idiots are supposed to be protecting the
country, and from what I can see all they’ve done is fuck us over. 
They’ve lied to us, sat back and watched when Breanne’s life was
in jeopardy and potentially killed O’Conner.  For all I know
they could be responsible for my sister’s death. 

My
arm’s still healing and this punch could very well end my career,
but for the satisfaction of it all, it’s a risk I’m willing to
take.  I bring my dominant fist back just enough to give me the
momentum I need, when the warmth of Breanne’s body wrapping around
mine gives me pause.  Knowing I’d never put her in harm’s
way, she flings her arms around my neck, making it so I have no
option other than to lower my arms and calm down.  She presses
her face into the crook of my neck and kisses her way up to my ear
where she whispers, “All yours.” 

Surprisingly,
it’s enough. 

I
envelop her in my arms and bury my face in her neck, getting the
comfort I need to act human again.

“
I’m
sorry,” I apologize, rocking her slightly side to side.

Her
stress levels are astronomical as it is.  She’s exhausted,
emotional and barely eats.  I’m starting to worry that she has
an ulcer.  I can’t add more to her plate, so I promise myself
to keep cool.

“
I
need you.  Please…just—”

“
Shhh. 
I’m done.  I lost control but I’m good now…thank you.”

When
I’ve calmed down enough to use words, I turn to address Mark
with Breanne still in my arms.

“
Why
did you come here?” I demand.

“
Breanne
and I had things to discuss,” he replies, holding a cloth to his
mouth.  “She can fill you in.”

Tipping
my head to the side, I weigh what he’s said with the knowledge that
we can’t have this conversation inside the house.  “You’re
expecting her to stand outside in the freezing cold so she can relay
your
message?”  Mark takes a step back and holds his
hands up in a placating gesture.  “Since you’ve come all the
way back from the dead, why don’t
you
tell me?”

“
Fine,”
Mark says, throwing his arms out to the side.  “Let’s talk.”

I
can’t simply talk to him or I’ll lose my temper again.  I
need something to occupy my hands or this time I might actually chock
the dickhead.  “You golf?  There’s a driving range we
can crash not too far from here.”

“
It’s
pitch dark.”

I
roll my eyes and huff.  “There’s overhead lights.”

“
Drew. 
Just let him leave and I’ll update you on what he told me.”

“
I
promise, it’ll be fine.  I won’t touch him again,” I tell
Breanne, kissing her full on the mouth and then her forehead. “Go
inside before you get sick.”

She’s
biting her lip and fidgeting with her necklace. 

“
Here,
I’ll walk you inside,” I offer, not wanting to drag this out.

Picking
up my suitcase, I lead her through the backyard, and call to Mark
over my shoulder.  “Meet you out front in five.”

We
drive separately which is good because I need to get my temper under
control and figure out what I’m going to say to him.  Yeah, he
has things he can update me on, but I have questions that probably
aren’t on his agenda. I’m half expecting him and Spencer to take
off in the other direction.  To their credit, they don’t. 

Shifting
the car into park, I grip the steering wheel and I gaze out the
windshield, watching as Spencer and Mark walk through the gravel
parking lot to the entrance of the driving range. 

Turning
to Everett I ask, “Is double jeopardy a real thing?”

He
tips his head back and laughs, which has become rare for him these
days.  “Don’t get me started.  I’m tempted myself…be
smart about this, alright?”

I
nod once, acknowledging that I’m probably lucky I wasn’t arrested
earlier…though, I’m not too sure a supposed dead man can press
charges.  As we get out of the car and walk in the same
direction as Mark, I start wondering if I should get a lawyer. 
Someone’s going to have to draw up divorce papers for Breanne when
all of this is behind us.  Dismissing the thought for now, I
unlock a door to a storage area that holds the clubs.

“
You
own a driving range?” Mark asks.

“
Nope. 
It’s my buddy’s.”  I grab what we need and lock the door
behind me.  Handing him his club, I show him to the green.

“
What’s
the point of this?” Mark questions.

“
That’s
what I want to know.  You show up out of nowhere, telling
Breanne not to talk about the investigation and to avoid Vivian. 
What now?  You still haven’t given us any useful information
about what’s happening or why.  So tell me.  Why are you
back?” 

Leaning
down, I set the ball on the tee, align my hips and imagine that I’m
about to deliver a line drive to Mark’s head.  The club makes
contact with the ball and it’s gratifying enough.  When Mark
doesn’t respond, I answer for him.

“
I
think you’re back for Breanne.”  I hit another ball. 
“You know what? You missed your chance with her.  You’re too
late.  There’s no ‘what if’s’ or any scenario that will
result in the two of you being back together.  You’ve hurt her
enough and she’s finally happy.  So why don’t you go back to
wherever you’ve been and get the hell out of our lives.”

“
This
is what you wanted to talk about?” he chuckles.  “Let me
explain something, Drew.  You’re playing house with my
family.  That’s all this is.  Once the excitement fades,
you’ll move on to another woman and forget all about Breanne. 
You don’t have it in you to stay.”

Whack
.

The
ball hits the target at 250 yards.  

“
Not
that I need to justify myself to you of all people, but you’re
wrong.  I love Breanne and I love those kids.  It’s
unfortunate that they share your DNA, but hey, according to them
you’re dead.”

I
take my time setting another ball on the tee.

“
I
don’t want to make all this bullshit harder on Breanne.  I’ll
play nice and be respectful.  And if you officially rejoin the
living and the kids want to have a relationship with you, I’ll
support them.  But don’t think for one minute that just
because of your job that I’ll allow you to intimidate me into
leaving.  I’m not going anywhere.”