A Natural Act (Contradictions) (36 page)

“That was way worse,” Craig shakes his head with a chuckle.

Rick grins and his twin, Danny, joins us. “Seriously though, Craig. You alright?”

Craig shrugs. “Couple of bruised ribs, one split knuckle and some superficial bruising and cuts,” he gestures to his face.

“What sort of amateur splits a knuckle?” Danny scoffs.

Craig ignores him and goes back to checking my arms for any injuries. I’m not sure what he’s expecting to find, none of them so much as touched me.

“You have to rescue him?” Rick asks Danny.

“He was crying like a little girl,” Danny nods. “Nearly shat himself.”

“Fuck off,” Craig smacks Danny.

Danny pretends to rub his sore head and grins at Craig. “Honestly? He had it under control. Boys just had to zip tie the three of them.”

“Police on their way?” Rick nods.

“Yeah,” Craig answers. “Ian was on his way anyway. He called them.”

“Might not seem like it, lady,” Craig tells me. “But this is a good thing.”

“It’s a good thing that you got beaten up?” I scowl at him because he can’t put a positive spin on this.

I may be a little bit sulky because I want to kiss him and can’t.

“One of those three will testify against Nigel to save his own skin. If not one of them then one of the two that left,” Craig explains. “And I didn’t get beaten up. This is nothing.”

“Testify,” I mumble, dropping my haunches at letting my mind work. My emotions have been running too high to really consider the long game until now.

However, now I know that Craig is alive and well – if a little battered – the cogs are turning.

Until now, Nigel has avoided all charges. It’s my word against his until they can link him with the fraudulent editing of my medical records. He’s told all manner of tall tales to the police to explain away my accusations, not least of which my aspirations to get my hands on his family money.

If these men do testify against Nigel, he’ll be imprisoned until the trial and it will be brought forward.

This is good news but it also doesn’t make se
nse. Nigel doesn’t play chess by sacrificing the King. He uses the pawns as cannon fodder and never leaves his key pieces exposed.

“He’s abandoned his game plane,” I murmur, looking up at Craig
.

He nods. “Man without a plan can be far more dangerous than a man
without one because he hasn’t considered the consequences. Especially when he hasn’t got anything left to lose.”

“Bella,” Craig swats me away. “Not an invalid, woman. Stop fussing.”

“I like fussing over you,” I tease him, moving his hand out the way so I can clean the cut above his eyebrow.
“You’re a doctor, you know I need to clean it.”

He sulks like a five year old but stops protesting and lets me clean up the mess that is his face.

We’re at the Carter household for somewhat of a family meeting. Jelly and Jason hopped on the first train over when they found out what had happened. The whole family has pulled together for me and I’m not even technically one of theirs. It’s a wonderful feeling and one which I will always treasure.

“My hero,” I grin as I finish my work.

“And that’s the fucking problem,” he grumbles, his expression turning cold and unpleasant. From hot to cold in an instant.

“Excuse me?” I grab his face in both hands and force him to look at me. “How
exactly is that a problem?”

He shakes his head and
pulls away from me.

“Is this the same bullshit as before?” I shout at him, not caring if his brothers
hear.

He does a
double take before staring at the door to what used to be his bedroom at the family home. He’s not used to hearing me swear. I honestly only do it when I’m at the end of my straw.

“You need to wake up, Craig,” I snap at him. “Of course you’re my hero. You saved my life, twice now. I also think Madonna is a hero but it doesn’t mean I’m incapable of loving her.”

I pause for effect and then think about what I’ve just said. “Except for the fact that she’s a woman and you know… getting on a bit.”

I swear he cracks a small smile
but he instantly shakes his head turning and slamming the palms of his hands against the wall.

“It’s all you see when you look at me,” he shouts. It booms around the room,
ricocheting against the walls.

“You want to know what I see when I look at you?” I scream back.
“I see a man who struggles to be himself with anyone, even his own family. I see a man with so many layers to hide behind that he sometimes forgets how to show the real him.” My voice is getting louder so I reel it in a little because my intention isn’t to scream it him. I just want him to see the truth.

“I see the man who likes words, who impressed me with
Latin when we first met. I see the man who comes home after an eighteen hour shift and still insists on making me a cup of tea. I see the man who makes my heart beat a little faster. The man who I love.”

“Bella,” he growls, placing his hands over his ears before kneading his eyes.

It’s like he can’t handle what I’m telling him but I’ve already started, it’s too late to stop now.

“Why can’t you accept my love, Craig? I know you love me,” I plead.

“Of course I love you, lady. That’s not the issue here,” he groans, resting his forehead against the wall.

“Talk to me!” I
urge, a trembling lip threatening to take over.

He just shakes his head, still against the wall, and bangs his fists against the

“Talk to me!” I scream louder.

“What the fuck is going on in here?” Karl bursts in.

“Get out!” Craig groans.

“Excuse me?” Karl grabs his brother by the scruff of the neck. “Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?”

Craig forces himself to relax but I can see that his brain is working overtime and he’s stressed. Extremely stressed.

“I’m sorry,” he grumbles
, the apology is for both of us but I don’t want an apology. I want an explanation.

“Hey,” Karl pats him on the cheek. “You okay?”

Craig nods curtly and I don’t buy it, I doubt Karl does either.

“Have your tiff later,” Karl tells us, frowning at me as he talks as if it’s my fault his brother has the communicative abilities of a daffodil. “Ian wants us downstairs.”

"Not now," Craig groans but he starts moving towards the stair case regardless.

"You okay?" Karl asks me as I move to follow.

"Not really," I sigh. "You brother's an idiot."

He grins. "Been sayin' that for years. I'd offer to kick his ass for you but somebody beat me to it."

I wish I could muster a chuckle but I'm too irked by Craig's lack of communication and willingness to accept what's right in front of him.

I sulk petulantly all the way to the lounge, refusing to make eye contact with Craig. Not that he notices; he’s too busy trying to avoid looking in my direction.

When we take seats on the sofas, it’s at polar opposites. We couldn’t be sat further away from one another if we tried.

Jamie cringes as she takes a seat next to me. “What did he do or say?”

I shake my head and sigh in frustration. “It’s more what he didn’t.”

“Sorry,” she winces in sympathy. “Anything I can do?”

“No,” I smile in appreciation. “Thanks though. I think I just need to tie him to a chair and force him to have a conversation.”

“Kinky!” Danny has clearly been eavesdropping.

Jamie glares at him before she turns to me, speaking in hushed tones. “They’re not great at communicating sometimes.”

“Don’t lump us all together with him!” Danny tugs his sister’s hair playfully.

“Quiet,” Ian glares at them as if they were toddlers screeching and shouting.

“Sorry, sir,” Jamie mumbles contritely.

The room falls quiet as Ian commands their full attention in his usual authoritative fashion.

“The police have issued a warrant for Callaghan’s arrest,” he nods.

I want to whoop but there’s still an atmosphere of severity so I refrain. I must be missing something.

“He hasn’t been apprehended. Seems to have gone into hiding,” Ian tells us but his eyes are mostly on mine because he knows this affects me most.

“I doubt it,” I scoff. “He’ll be at his father’s house.”

“Pretty sure the police will have checked there,” Ian’s brows furrow. “Think he’d cover for him?”

“Without a shadow of a doubt,” I nod glumly. Nigel’s father is wealthy enough to hide him for a lifetime if he wanted to. He has friends in high places and having a son charged and convicted would lose him many of them.

“Excellent,” Ian grins. “Then this will work.”

I lean forwards because I can see that he’s just put the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle together. “His father is away on business for the next three days. Isabella, we need to talk to him.”

He turns to instruct Craig and I whisper to Jamie. “How does he know Nigel’s father is away for three days?”

“We find it’s best not to ask,” she cringes. “He just knows.”

“Are you okay to face him?” Ian turns back to me.

I nod. “Rather him than Nigel.” He’s not a pleasant man, he’s a bigot and a sexist but he’s not violent. I’m not sure where Nigel got that from.

“Okay,” Ian affirms. “Doubt Nigel will show his face for a few days, if I’ve understood their dynamic correctly, his father will want him to lay low. My only concern is that he might disobey and come looking for you so I want you to be extra cautious until we can get this sorted.”

“You make it sound like it will all be over soon,” I murmur hopefully.

“It will,” Ian assures me. “Just need to you to hold it together and compile any and all information you have from
Callaghan and Sons.”

I nod. I can do that, my mind has been mentally compiling events which I’d pushed to the back of my mind, away from my conscience, and forming a damning case against them.

“Right,” Ian instantly softens as he rubs his hands together. “Since you’re here, Jellybean.”

“What?” Jelly
feigns a sigh but I can tell she’s overjoyed to be at home with her family.

“He wants you to bake, little squirrel,” Jason chuckles, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“Really?” She beams.

Ian nods, pulling her up from her perch on Jason’s lap and giving her a playful shove towards the kitchen.

“Ask nicely?” She taunts him.

“Jelly,” Ian growls in warning. “I’m hungry.”

“Then make a sandwich,” Elise tells him, siding with Jamie.

“Cookies, please, Jelly,” Ian relents, winking at his sister. “Quick like a bunny.”

She shakes her head and giggles as she obliges him and heads towards the kitchen.

I follow her because I’m too furious with Craig to stay in the same room as him. He hasn’t so much as looked my way since he refused to tell me why I couldn’t possibly love him.

“Keep at him. He’ll talk to you eventually. He’s stubborn but I’ve never seen him like this with a girl, Isabella,” Jelly squeezes my hand as we enter the kitchen. “He loves you.”

“I know,” I sigh. “But he’s so infuriating.”

She smiles sympathetically. “Part of the gene pool.”

I help her beat together the butter and sugar and the repetitive labour helps me focus my thoughts. He’ll never be open with me about this by choice. Karl told me not to give up on him; I need to keep at him until he cracks.

“I should go talk to him,” I sigh, accepting the monumental task ahead of me.

“I’m here if you need me,” she smiles, mixing peanut butter into her cookies.

“Thanks,” I give her a small hug before heading back to the lounge to find my stubborn, infuriating, but loveable doctor.

When I find the lounge empty, I head up to his room. I’m halfway up the stairs when we meet in the middle.

He’s dressed in some running shorts and trainers, his chest bare. This better not be what it looks like.

I move my body to block his path, knowing he’ll stop rather than brush past me.

“Going for a run,” he grunts, eyes on the landing behind me.

“No,” I leave no room to doubt my response. “We need to talk, Craig.”

“Bella, I need to run,” he growls, trying to move me aside by placing his hands on my shoulders.

I’m too small
and he’s too strong for me to form any physical barrier but I can at least try to form a mental one. “Craig, if you run away now, I’m leaving.”

“
Impossible woman,” he groans shrugging his shoulders restlessly. “You stay put for half an hour.” He jogs past me and down the hall.

“I’m serious, Craig!” I shout after him right before the front door slams.

He’s gone. I can’t believe he did that. He must be aching pretty badly from the fight earlier yet he’d still rather run than actually talk about our non-relationship.

I storm into the kitchen because I need to vent to somebody and Jamie is a wonderful listener.

“I swear I’m going to kill him,” I fume.

She cringes. “He went for a run?”

I nod furiously grabbing dough from her mixing bowl to form little balls of calorific deliciousness. The therapeutic part is slamming the little dough balls onto the baking tray.

“It’s how he processes things,” she sighs sadly. “I tend to do the same. It’s just the way we are.”

“He needs to talk to me. I don’t know how much more I can take,” I complain as another ball becomes a battered pancake of cookie-potential.

“He will,” she promises. “He needs time.”

“He’s had months,” I groan.

“I’m sorry, Isabella,” Jamie frowns.

“Me too,” my shoulders sag. “I need to go home.”

“You’re leaving?” She pouts.

“I think I need to be alone and think about my options,” I nod.

“You can’t leave, Isabella,” Ian’s voice carries from the hall.

Eavesdropping seems to be a Carter habit as well and I can’t help but scowl at him as he enters the kitchen.

“You’re not going to keep me here are you?” I raise an eyebrow at him. I’ll admit that my voice sounds more aggressive than intended because of my current feelings towards his brother.

He cocks his head, like he’s amused by the prospect. Stepping in front of me, he dips his fingers into the remaining dough, earning a frustrated sigh from his sister.

“Wait until he gets back,” Ian insists.

“No,” I narrow my eyes.

“Not asking,” he shrugs.

“Not staying,” I retort somewhat childishly.

“Ian,” Jamie interjects softly, placing her hand on his arm. “If she wants to go, you have to let her go. It’s not our place to interfere in their relationship.”

Her voice of reason seems to reach him on some level. He grits his teeth and raises his hands, taking a step back.

“Isabella, will you at least let one of them take you home, please?” She uses her puppy dog eyes on me. “I couldn’t bare knowing you were going home alone
with all that’s happening.”

“Fine,” I sigh, too tired to argue and too relieved that they’re not causing a fuss about this. I honestly expected them to make me stay until Craig got back.

“Let me get my keys,” Ian glares at me and Jamie.