Sweet Seduction Sacrifice (20 page)

"I'm OK," I said, beginning to think I might make that my mantra.

"The hell you are," he shot back. "What the fuck, Genny? What were you thinking taking him back?"

I bristled, arms crossed over my chest, hip cocked and foot out ready to tap.

"You don't know jack shit, Jason. So can it already."

"You think I don't know what's been going on in my little sister's life? You think I don't keep tabs on you?" WTF? "I know all about the many times you've taken that arsehole back. I've been giving you time to sort it out, Genny, but you fucked it up now."

Great, I knew he'd let me have it, but I'd had enough of having my mistakes pointed out to me. I was needing some support and if my own brother couldn't give it to me, then hell. What's with that?

"Right. Fine. You've said your piece, now give me a hug and tell me it's gonna be all right," I demanded. He crossed his own arms over his chest.

"Oh, it's gonna be all right, Genny. It's gonna be so fuckin' all right, you're not gonna believe it. For starters, you're confined to this house until we're done." I don't think so, I've got a business to run. "'Cause I know you," he went on, "and you'd put yourself out there if you thought Brett was in trouble and needed a hand." Oh, he was wrong there. Clearly he hadn't been keeping close enough
tabs
on me. "I'm gonna teach that SOB a lesson and then I'm gonna have his arse locked up for good. And
you
," he leaned forward and glared at me threateningly, "are not gonna get within an inch of him ever again."

There were so many places to start with everything he had just said, delivered in a bad-boy threatening way, that for a moment I truly didn't know where to begin. But then, I found myself again, and let him have it.

"You don't get to turn up here and order me around, Jason Cain." My hands had made it to my hips. "I've got things sorted and you know jack shit, all right. Just because your some big hot shot military trained SAS dude, does not mean you have the right to barge in here and throw your weight around. I screwed up, OK, I know it, but I don't need you rubbing it in." Oh God, and here come the tears. "He is an arsehole. He broke my heart. He stole gran's money. He's blackmailed me. He had me kidnapped. I get it, OK. He's a jerk. But you turning up here is only going to escalate things. You're like a bull in a china shop, wherever you go nuclear fallout ensues. Just go back to Trentham, go do your job for the nation and get off my friggin' case."

He'd stood up and now towered over me, how he got Dad's height and I didn't I'll never know.

"You done, sis?" He didn't wait for a reply. "Good. Because lets get one thing straight. No one messes with my sister. No one. I warned him." Oh hell, I didn't know that and just when did he warn him? "He didn't pay attention, now I follow through with the threat. But I don't need to be worrying about you gallivanting all over town while I'm doing it. Stay home, stay safe. I'll put things right."

All my life my brother has looked out for me. School yard bullies. Nasty opinionated teenage girls. Bossy employers. He's always stepped in and made it clear that if anyone tries to hurt me, be it emotionally, psychologically, physically or just plain job wise, they would answer to him.

I'd made a mistake, letting that happen. I'm not an overly strong person, I've known this all my life. I let my brother be my saviour, my personal bodyguard. I backed myself into this corner, I had no one else to blame but me.

"This is not your battle to fight," I said, my voice remarkably even and steady. I knew what I had to do now and I could only do that alone.

"All your battles are mine, Genny. That's what big brothers are for." His voice had softened, the arms were no longer crossed over his chest. He reached out and snagged my shoulder, engulfing me in his familiar hug. "Leave it to the ones who know what their doing, sis. We'll sort this out for you and then you can go back to your life."

And there it was again. Someone else picking up after my mistakes, someone else stronger than me, more capable than me. This was my life. But I didn't have to like it.

I knew though, that to do this I needed to be smart.

"OK," I said into his chest. We stayed like that for several moments and then I felt Jason lift his head from mine, to look at something over my shoulder.

"Shall I make breakfast?" Dominic asked, as though he hadn't just heard that entire conversation. I pretended, just like him, that was the case.

"I'll grab a shower while you get it ready," I announced, pulling away from Jason and making sure I looked as demure as the situation demanded I be.

"OK, sweetheart," Dominic answered, catching me as I passed, to lay a kiss on my temple which threatened my resolve in less than two seconds flat. I stalled where I was, then took a deep breath and walked out of the kitchen.

I swiped Jason's car key's off the side table in the lounge where he had probably sat when he first arrived last night, nabbed my handbag from the hall stand and slipped out the front door. I didn't bother with shoes, I'd grab them when I got there. I ran down the front steps, ignoring the beautifully manicured front garden and beeped the locks on Jason's SUV.

Before I thought better of my plan, I started it up and quietly pulled away from the curb.

I was done with being the damsel in distress. I was done with someone else calling the shots. I was a grown woman, it was time I acted like one.

I bit my bottom lip the entire way into town.

It took twenty minutes to get to the CBD, but an unbelievable twenty minutes longer to find a suitable carpark near either Emily Place or High Street. Sundays in Auckland city were chronic. Finally I found one around the corner on Shortland, beeping the doors closed on Jason's car, I high-tailed it to my loft first. Walking city streets in bare feet is just plain gross.

Wayne was struggling with grocery bags as I snuck onto our hallway landing, his head swivelling as though he could hear my silent feet. Another perceptive listener. He smiled as soon as he recognised me and then quickly frowned when I stepped into a shaft of sunlight, which emphasised my bruising and swollen nose.

"Holy hell, sweetie. What on earth happened to you? Was it that ex of yours?" His eyes glinted a steely resolve I had never seen in my neighbour before. Wayne was a gentle giant. He hardly ever raised his voice, let alone looked like he could throw a punch or two, like he did right now.

"Um..." I said, because to be truthful, Wayne looked a little scary right now and I wasn't sure what admitting Brett's complicity in my injuries would provoke in him.

He sighed and put the shopping bags down and then walked the few feet to me at my door.

"Gen, I do hope you're getting some help with this. The police?" he asked, concern evident in his tone.

"I have a lawyer, as you know, and the police are involved. I also have an investigations and security firm looking out for me." Which reminded me, I better get a move on, I was sure ASI was watching the loft and the chances of Brett finding me here were going to be slim after the last disastrous attempt by Lofty and Greeny. I wasn't sure that lightning, even Brett's kind of lightning, would strike twice in the same spot.

Wayne seemed to relax a little at my words, but there was still an undercurrent of intense emotion on the air around him. I was picking it was a mixture of anger and concern.

"I'm OK," I added, because yes, it was now officially my mantra. He scoffed slightly, but didn't argue the point outright with me.

"What are your plans today then?" he asked, leaning his body against the wall of my apartment.

"Checking in on Sweet Seduction," I announced, slipping my key in my door.

"You don't normally go in on a Sunday," he commented.

"Didn't get the accounts finished on Friday, have to do some catch up." It wasn't really a lie, I did need to do some catch up, but that wasn't why I was going there.

"Do you want an escort?" I felt immediately full of unconditional love for my neighbour. Wayne was not military elite like my brother, he wasn't a trained bodyguard like those of ASI, and not even remotely a killer lawyer, but in his own way he was offering what he could to make me feel safe. I couldn't swallow past the lump in my throat for a second. He had no idea what he was offering to get involved in.

"You don't need to do that," I said softly. "It's just round the corner, I'll be fine."

"Give me five minutes to pack away my groceries and then we'll go, OK?" he insisted, and I could tell there would be no arguing with him. He may not have been a bad-ass hottie of the hot rush bunch, but he was most definitely a hottie in my books.

"Thanks, sweetie," I said, not able to voice anything else right then.

I didn't wait to watch him go back to his apartment door, just slipped inside the loft to get myself sorted. Five minutes later, after washing my feet - I could
not
see my way to slipping dirty feet into clean shoes - there was a rap on the door. I'd grabbed a lightweight jacket as well as some killer slip-on sandals, with two inch heels. I may where flats during the week, but on the weekends I splurge. I checked the peep-hole to make sure it was Wayne and then spotting his signature checked shirt, unlocked the door.

"Ready?" he asked.

"As I'll ever be," I replied and got a frown for my efforts. "Come on," I said quickly to cover, grabbing my handbag and shutting the door behind me, "lets get going. There's work to be done." And an ex-boyfriend to confront.

I had no idea where to find Brett, if I did then ASI would have found him by now. But I did know that my apartment would be off limits after the Lofty incident. That left Sweet Seduction. Brett would be watching the place, I was sure, and as there had not been any problems there so far, I was hoping to fly under everyone else's radar. It was a risk, but I had nowhere else to go to get Brett's attention. If I was going to sort this out once and for all, I needed to speak to Brett and doing that on my turf made me feel stronger than if I confronted him elsewhere. Sweet Seduction was mine. He'd be entering my domain.

Wayne chatted away breezily about his and Edward's upcoming holiday plans and the fact he was considering writing a mystery novel. Up until now his books were all firmly in the horror genre, but he said it was time he branched out a little. I gave him the obligatory encouragement where necessary and nods of agreement on cue, but really my mind was elsewhere. Every shadowy recess on the sidewalk caught my attention. Every tree in the park across the street that rustled almost made me jump. Car horns and loud shouts were terrifying and it occurred to me that Brett had successfully taken something else that was mine.

He'd taken my acceptance and comfort in the city. All of a sudden every nook and cranny seemed to harbour a ghost or a threat. I didn't walk the street relishing the city sights and sounds, I cringed the entire way and prayed for the short walk to be over. I was thankful for Wayne's presence, but I had never needed anyone to walk me to work before. Hell it was a couple of hundred metres up the road and around the corner. I couldn't have lived closer to Sweet Seduction unless I tried. But that short trip was a nightmare and without Wayne chattering away, obscuring some of the scary noises, I'm not entirely sure I would have made it.

I hated Brett for that.

Sweet Seduction had always been my dream, I never failed to feel complete when I walked through those swing doors. But today it was also my haven. I couldn't cross that threshold quickly enough, waiting only as long as it took Wayne to step inside before I shut the doors. And then I had to force myself not to flick the locks shut behind us. That would defeat the purpose of having customers come in and purchase goods and Brett arrive to confront.

Wayne watched me silently, well aware I was not myself. Even the 80's music playing didn't lift my spirits like it usually did. Weekends was always "eighties" at Sweet Seduction. Guns and Roses'
Welcome to the Jungle
blaring out of the speakers, but not making me feel welcome at all. I flicked my gaze around the seated area, taking in the large crowd, and the busy chocolate and espresso counters. Everyone enjoying themselves, Jane and our weekend barista Karla in full swing. Normally I'd feel uplifted seeing the business pouring through the shop. I'd step in and give the girls a break for a few minutes. I'd allow myself to immerse in the beauty of Sunday rush at Sweet Seduction. Everyone being seduced by the music, the chocolate and the exceptionally good coffee.

But not today. Today I was on edge. Every bang of the portafilter against the dump bin making my body jump slightly. The elevated conversation grating on my nerves. And for once in my life, the first time since I discovered music at twelve, I wanted to turn the volume down. I began biting my bottom lip, standing just inside the door, unable to take another step inside.

"Sweetie," Wayne said in the softest of soft voices at my side. "This is ridiculous. I've never seen you like this, Gen. Why don't I take you home. You can come over to our place and lounge out on the couch. I'll make us Tortillas for lunch. Edward's got a hankering for Mexican. I've been teasing him, that he's got all he can handle in a Pakeha boy, but I'm treating him to Tortillas anyway."

I stared at him, thinking his offer sounded pretty good, that it would be so easy to turn my back on my responsibilities and bury my head in the sand. But that would only lead Jason to storm in and
handle
things for me. If I had any hope of growing up and fighting my own battles, I needed to do it here. At least at Sweet Seduction I was safe, I was home, it was familiar territory. I had to do this, and there was simply no better place and no other time than now.