Beginnings (Brady Trilogy) (27 page)

Once she was gone, Luke picked up the nearest phone and placed a necessary call. Some arrangements were needed to be made.

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Jake sat across from Luke. He took a long swig from his beer and watched Luke’s brooding face. His best friend had called him and told him the meeting with Reed and Isabel hadn’t gone well. Jake had greeted Andrew at the airport and informed him of his older brother’s current situation, leaving some details out. Now all three sat in Luke’s living room, with cards passed out on the table, open beers and a bottle of tequila with shot glasses in the middle, as they engaged in a silent, moody poker.

“I told her I love her.” Luke broke the murky silence with his eyes cast low on his cards.

Jake and Drew exchanged a quick glance but remained quiet.

“I told her I’m in love with her and she thinks it’s out of pity.” Luke continued. He took a quick, frustrated drink from his beer then placed it roughly back on the table. “She all but threw Reed out of my office. Then, she said it gave my ego some kind of sick fucking boost to find her helpless and in need. That I somehow must get a rise out of all this shit. I’ve never seen her that cold.” Luke shook his head still in utter shock.

Jake’s lips twitched, realizing Brady had met his match. Shy Isabel had a temperamental side so it seemed, and this somewhat pleased him. They remained silent for a while allowing Luke to gather his thoughts. Jake had informed Andrew about the situation Isabel was presently in.

“She’s just afraid Luke.” Drew hoped he could somehow help his brother. He’d never seen him so torn, especially over a woman. It was a foreign situation for all three of them to be in. None of them were experts on relationship. Have a question about casual, no-strings-attached sex? Sure. Andrew Brady was your guy.
But damn, not when it comes to relationships.

“She witnessed a brutal rape scene. Dean raped some college intern that used to work at their firm. Isabel walked in on the whole thing while it was happening. Shit she saw was disgustingly vicious. Dean caught her and threatened her. The young girl got that raped became too freaked out to confess. Isabel’s mom Vivian and her attorneys did everything they could but nothing helped. Dean disappeared, but now he’s back. And Isabel has no fucking clue.” Luke told Andrew and watched his face transform into awareness. He assumed Jake hadn’t given Drew full detail and his guess had been right. Luke swallowed the lump in his throat. Luke couldn’t inform them about Isabel’s health condition. About how she suffered a seizure all alone curled up on her apartment floor. If Luke repeated that scene, if he allowed his brain for one minute to picture her in that situation, he’d be sick, throw up and pass out. The woman he loved had been through so much and she still continued to suffer.

Jake pushed out of his chair and walked over to the window. He scrubbed his hands over his face and then crossed his arms over his chest. He was trying to stay composed. He could feel Luke’s and Andrew’s eyes burning holes in his back. They both knew how violent and irrational he became when an innocent person was harmed. His natural, yet very bizarre, instinct to want to protect, constantly consumed him. Jake had felt helpless his entire youth. When he became a man, he vowed to never become the victim and vowed to serve and protect others as far as his capabilities allowed him to. He felt a cold sweat threatening his body. Something needed to be done. He’d go crazy thinking of an innocent, beautiful woman like Isabel being at the mercy of some sick bastard like Dean. 

“Jake I can hear the wheels in your head turning buddy.” Luke called out to him.

Jake just shook his head. “We’ve got to do something. Luke you have to tell her about us seeing Dean in the surveillance cameras. She needs to be aware that her safety is in jeopardy.” 

“Yeah you need to tell her.” Andrew agreed finally realizing how deep the significance of the situation was.

Luke sighed heavily. “I’m afraid if I tell her she’ll start running again. And this time it won’t be two hours away to the next city. I’m scared she’ll run so far I won’t find her. Something tells me that’s exactly what Isabel would do. I didn’t want to cause her any more anxiety. She already doesn’t sleep well. I was hoping once she knew we found the college intern Dean raped and that she is willing to partake in the trial, Isabel would be more willing. But she’s not. And the distance between my house to hers is the most I’m willing to suffer. I’m afraid to picture what I would do if she completely disappeared.”

              Andrew watched his brother confess the depths of his feelings for a woman. He understood his need to protect Isabel. He’d been obsessed with protecting Amanda since the minute she walked into his life. But to be that madly in love with a woman where all rationality left you bare? It frightened the hell out of Drew.

“So I guess that’s it?” Jake shouted gaining the attention of both brothers. “You’re just going to let some sick fuck like Dean Scotts get away with this shit? When he’s out there sniffing outside your woman’s kitchen window?”

Luke’s eyes turned cold. “I’ll go to hell a thousand times and come back before I let that scum anywhere near her. I’ve already got security posted outside of her house watching out for her.” Luke confessed.

“Yeah I know about them.” Jake relaxed a little and sat back down.

Luke watched him knowingly and a small grin spread on his face. “Who do you have out there Jake?”

              Andrew laughed, “Let me guess. Just a few of L.A’s finest right?”

              “You have P.D watching her?” Luke asked.

Jake tossed back a tequila shot not bothering to chase it with beer. “No.” his voice spoke firmly. “A few agents.” He met Luke’s gaze dead on.

“Secret service?” Andrew called out. “As in CIA? Fuck, Jake, when are you going to explain the reason behind all these connections?” 

Jake tried a casual shrug. It was ineffective because there was nothing casual about him. “Trust me Drew. You don’t want to know. You’ll sleep better at night.”

Luke studied him through a narrowed glance but did no further questioning. After high school Jake joined the Army. He was gone for a few years and returned a different man. Something about him had become lethal. His entire family had their suspicions Jake was involved with more than just the army and lately, he was proving these suspicions to be on target. Luke didn’t question it though. He nodded to his friend in an unspoken bond of trust and gratitude. He felt better knowing more eyes were watching Isabel. She could be as stubborn as she wanted to be but she still had a very active threat, too damn close to her. Especially since Dean was closer to her than Luke was since he was staying at a nearby hotel. The thought made Luke sickeningly uneasy.

“So what about the witness? The college girl. What happens to her?” Drew asks.

Luke picks up his beer and looks away contemplating his thoughts.

Jake shakes his head as he laughs. “I knew it.”

Andrew raises his brows catching on. “You’re still going through with the trial aren’t you? Against Isabel’s wishes. But how are you going to use Isabel’s surveillance cameras as evidence in court without her consent?”

“I still have another witness don’t I? Reed is a smart man. We’ll figure something out.” Luke nodded attempting to reassure himself more than his brother.
Like hell he was giving up that easily.

Jake nodded in agreement. “This is going to be an open and shut case, real quick. Alright Andrew, let’s play some fucking poker. Your brother’s lovesick face is going to make me hurl soon.” Jake chuckled.

Andrew threw his head back and howled in laughter, “Hope that shit isn’t contagious.”

“Both of you can go fuck yourselves.” Luke barked, but his lips twitched with amusement as he dealt the cards.

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Isabel was nervous about going back to work the following Monday. She hadn’t spoken to Luke since their altercation Friday night. He’d tried to contact her a few times both Friday night and all day Saturday but she wouldn’t budge. Finally on Sunday he hadn’t bothered reaching out to her. She debated about calling in sick, but couldn’t convince herself to do so. That would be another form of running and she would not run any more. Just like she refused to let her past further haunt her. Luke didn’t understand what he was doing. He was digging up buried bones without seeing the effect it had on her. She refused to live through that again and Luke would just have to let this go.

 
             The office was beginning to fill. She saw Linda walk in and give her a sympathetic smile. God she hated when people pitied her and it was all Luke’s fault. Soon the entire office would know she’d had an affair with the boss and it hadn’t ended well. Isabel wanted to tell herself she was wrong for putting her guards down with Luke but she just couldn’t. She still believed Luke was the best thing that had happened to her and she was still desperately in love with him. She’d never felt more loved and cherished the way Luke had treated her. Now that fine line of love and empathy were beginning to blur.

Her heart broke to think Luke was only into her because he had a good heart and wanted to help her. She recalled the past few months with him and realized the only times Luke had been there for her was to help her, console her and protect her. Had she been an average woman walking past his way with a casual smile on her face, he would not have been drawn to her. But Luke had placed himself in this obligatory stance to save her.
And damn him, she didn’t need him for that
. She could deal with her demons on her own. She wanted a man to love her and want to spend time with her. Not a man who thought he was in love with her because he somehow felt responsible to protect her.

              Isabel’s eyes began to sting with tears. She quickly wiped them away and got her powder compact out to fix her makeup. There were dark circles underneath her eyes that even makeup couldn’t cover. That’s what happens when you lose sleep and don’t eat well for a couple of days. When she heard the elevator ding on the top floor she took a deep breath. Instinct told her she’d see Luke walk through those doors. And just as she had assumed, he walked in with his usual confident, domineering stride. Part of her half-expected and half-hoped to see him as torn as her, but Luke looked the exact opposite. He looked determined and she couldn’t help notice the angry sulk on his face. This Luke was much more intimidating and scary. He walked straight towards his office without acknowledging his staff. Something he rarely ever does. He stopped at Isabel’s desk and placed a file on her desk.

He gave her a curt nod, “This needs to be completed by the end of the day.” He pointed to the file. No greeting, no warm smile. He looked like a typical, tyrant boss. Isabel noticed a new gleam in his eyes she had never recognized before. Luke had never been this angry with her.

She was about to speak when he interrupted her, “Hold all my calls. Cancel any meetings I have today. Anyone that needs to see me, have it scheduled for tomorrow. I wish to not be disturbed for the rest of the day.” With no more words he walked through his double doors and closed them shut.

              This flared Isabel’s anger. Who the hell did he think he was? He could just sleep with her and pretend like nothing happened? Well she had words of her own and he would hear her out. Without rethinking her actions, she pushed away from her desk, opened his office door and closed it shut once she was inside.

              Luke was already behind his desk with his coat hanging by the door leaving him in his nicely fitted white dress shirt. He looked up with raised eyebrows. “Is there a problem Isabel? Were my instructions not clear enough for you?”

“Is that how you speak to a woman you claim to love?” The words were out of Isabel’s mouth before she could stop them. She saw a mixed emotion of hurt and anger flicker across Luke’s face. His green gaze turned wild as he took in a deep breath no doubt trying to obtain control.

“According to you, I am not in love with that woman, I just pity her.” Luke folded his hands on his desk and continued to watch her with a haunting gaze.

She bluntly stared back, unable to speak. Isabel knew there was no point in arguing. The office was completely full by now and if things ended like Friday night, she and Luke would be yelling at each other and it would further tangle her in the gossip vine. So she took a deep breath and changed her tactic.