Brody (10 page)

“I
know. I attended the wedding and Sam scowled the entire day,” Madilyn told
them.

Brody
shrugged. “Sam has great instincts about people.”

“Well,
he was certainly right about Parker,” Jake said. “I wonder what she’ll do now.”

Madilyn’s
eyes met Brody’s. He shook his head. “Who knows? She still has her job at the
shop but I don’t think she makes enough to make the house payments.” Brody
shrugged. “I wonder if Parker had life insurance.”

 
Jake grunted. “If he did, who was the
beneficiary?”

 
Brody saw Madilyn frown. “Katie never mentioned
it so I doubt it.”

Everyone
fell silent with their own thoughts. Brody glanced over to see Katie still
standing beside Sam as people started leaving and giving their condolences.
Jake and Gabe strolled away to gather up their wives and hug Kaitlyn before
they left. Eventually, the only guests left were Madilyn and Brody.

“I’d
better go. I don’t want Sam knowing I know anything about this. He’d be pissed
I know before he does,” Brody whispered to Madilyn.

“All
right.
I’ll
walk you out.”

 
Brody hugged Kaitlyn, shook Sam’s hand,
and then hugged their parents. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Sam. Katie, if you need
anything, please
don’t
hesitate to ask.”

Kaitlyn
smiled at him. “Thank you, Brody.”

“I’ll
be right back,” Madilyn told her. “I’m going to walk Brody out.”

They
walked out to Brody’s truck. He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips
to hers. His lips moved across her cheek to her neck. “Come to the house after
you leave here.”

“All
right.
I’ll
be there as soon as I can. I’ll have to go home and pick up some clothes to
change into.”

He
kissed her quickly. “Good luck in there.” He gave her a grin, hopped into his
truck and pulled out.

Chapter Seven

Madilyn
headed back inside and started cleaning up. Kaitlyn began to help her when Sam
stopped her.

 
“I’ll help, Madilyn. You go sit down,
Katie.”

“I’m
not an invalid, Sam. I can help. Then I want to talk to you all about
something.”

Madilyn
saw Sam and their parents frown but Sam nodded.
“All right.”
They left the room.

Kaitlyn’s
hands were shaking. Madilyn took them in hers. “Are you all right?”

“I’m
scared to death to tell them,” Kaitlyn whispered.

Madilyn
sighed. “I know, but you have to tell them. Maybe you don’t need to tell them
about the rape.”

Kaitlyn
laughed. “I’d rather tell them the truth and get it out there and Sam’s going
to know I wouldn’t sleep with a man I knew was screwing around on me.” She
sighed. “Let’s get this over with.”

They
entered the living room to find Sam lying on the sofa with his eyes closed.
Their parents sat in the recliners. Kaitlyn moved toward Sam. His eyes flew
open.

“Were
you sleeping?” Kaitlyn asked softly.

“Just
resting my eyes,” Sam said as he sat up. “What did you want to talk about?”

Kaitlyn
sat in a wingback chair and Madilyn sat in a rocking chair. Her stomach was in
knots. She couldn’t imagine how Kaitlyn’s was. Madilyn watched her take a deep
breath and Sam narrowed his eyes. Kaitlyn cleared her throat.

“I’m
pregnant,” she said softly.

“What?”
Sam asked between clenched teeth.

Kaitlyn
nodded. “I’m two months pregnant.”

“You
slept with that cheating son of a bitch, when you knew he was fucking around on
you?”

“Sam!”
their mother chastised him.

“Not
intentionally,” Kaitlyn whispered.

“Not
intentionally? What the hell do you mean by that, Kaitlyn?” Sam asked quietly.

Madilyn
reached over, grabbed Kaitlyn’s hand, and gave it a squeeze. She gave her a
small nod when Kaitlyn glanced at her.

“Kevin…raped
me.”

Madilyn
watched as Sam tried to get his emotions under control, his hands clenched and
unclenched.
“He what?”

“Sam—”
Madilyn stopped when he glared at her. Kaitlyn’s parents hadn’t said a word or
reacted in any way.

“He was
drunk one night, and I was accusing him of sleeping with Beth. He said if I was
more of a wife, he wouldn’t have to screw around.” Kaitlyn’s voice caught. “I
said it didn’t matter anymore since I would never sleep with him again. It set
him off. He took me to the bedroom and raped me.”

“Why
didn’t you tell me? Rape is rape.” Sam stood and moved to squat down in front
of her.

“Because
you’d have killed him.”

“I
wouldn’t have killed him. I would have
beat
the shit
out of him then arrested him.”

 
“I don’t know what I’m going to do, Sam.
I want this baby, even though it wasn’t made in love, but I don’t know how I
can afford it.”

 
“You can come here and live. I’ll take
care of you. Isn’t that what big brothers do? Take care of their baby sisters?”

“You
can always come home with us, Katie.” These were the first words Kaitlyn’s
father had uttered.

 
Madilyn stood. “I’m going to go and let
you all talk. I’ll see you whenever you get back to work, Katie. Take your
time. I can run the shop.”

“I’ll
be in tomorrow.”

“Katie,
you just buried your husband,” Madilyn said.

“A
husband who cheated on me and raped me.
I’m glad he’s gone. I’ll be in tomorrow.”

Madilyn
glanced at Sam. He shrugged. Madilyn smiled.
“All right.
I’ll see you tomorrow, but if you change your mind, it’s no problem.”

“I
won’t change my mind. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Kaitlyn said with conviction.

Madilyn
nodded and left. She knew once Kaitlyn made up her mind there wasn’t anything
that she could do to change it. Maybe it was better she did return to work,
rather than sit around and think. Madilyn couldn’t imagine what she was going
through. Pregnant by a man who’d raped her and obviously didn’t love her, a job
that barely paid enough to support her, and now she would have a child to care
for.
 
Madilyn would do anything she
could to help but she had her own bills to take care of. She shook her head as she
drove home to change and then go to Brody’s place. She wanted to be with him,
and spend the rest of her life with him, if he wanted her. After getting what
she needed from her apartment, she drove to Brody’s ranch. He came out on the
porch to meet her. She watched as he leaned against a post, folded his arms,
and crossed his booted feet. He grinned at her and her heart hit her stomach.
He was so gorgeous. Stepping from the car, she leaned back against it, folded
her arms, and smiled up at him.

“Hi,”
she said softly.

“How
did it go with Sam? I’m sure their parents were supportive, but Sam…”

“He was
livid but supportive. He told Katie she could stay there with him, but I know
she doesn’t want to invade his space. I think Sam would kill Kevin if he wasn’t
dead already. Her parents said she could live with them, but I can’t see that
happening. Katie isn’t going to want to live with her parents in San Diego. I
really can’t see her leaving Clifton.”

“I
agree, and you’re right, Sam would kill him. He adores Katie and he’d do
anything for her.” Brody walked down the steps then stopped in front of her.
“Hi.” Then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Madilyn moaned against
his lips. His tongue moved slowly into her mouth as he pulled her tighter
against him. Brody groaned as he deepened the kiss. He pulled back slowly and
stared into her eyes. “I love you, Maddie. I always have and I always will.”

“Oh,
Brody.
I
love you too.
So much.”
Madilyn wrapped her arms
around his neck.

“Marry
me,” Brody whispered against her neck.

“Are
you serious?”

“Yes,
of course.”

“Are
you staying here in Clifton?” Madilyn stared into his eyes.

Brody
glanced away from her and sighed. “Yes. I want to start the ranch back up. Mom
and Dad are all for it. I’ll still be a deputy, Maddie. You’ll have to accept
it.”

“I do,
Brody. I don’t care where you go, I’m going with you.”

“Move
in here until we can get a date set.”

“I’d
like to keep my apartment. It’s close to work.”

“All
right but on Saturday nights you’d better be here.”

Madilyn
squealed and kissed him. Brody laughed and picked her up and carried her inside
the house and to the bedroom. He laid her on the bed and came down beside her.
Madilyn took his glasses off and placed them on the nightstand then reached for
him. She pushed him to his back, straddled him, and ran her hands up under his
t-shirt, over his six
pack
and up to his
pecs
. His skin quivered under her fingers. She leaned down
to kiss him, took his bottom lip between her teeth, and sucked it into her
mouth. Brody growled low in his throat. His hands ran up her back and into her
hair. Madilyn sat up and removed her shirt then her bra. She scooched down his
legs, unsnapped his jeans, and slowly lowered the zipper. Her hand snaked
inside and wrapped around him. His hips lifted and he pushed his jeans off.

Madilyn
grinned and crawled to the end of the bed and pulled his boots off, then his
jeans. She slowly moved up his body, kissing his calves, then to his thighs. He
hissed in a breath when she lowered his boxer briefs and ran her tongue along
the length of him. His hands clenched in her hair. She moved her mouth down
over him, taking him deep into her mouth, and sucked. Brody groaned deep in his
throat. Madilyn ran her tongue around the tip and down the length. His hips
jerked.

“Maddie,
stop please,” he moaned.

“Nope.”
She continued to drive him wild
until he jack-knifed up and grabbed her. Brody tossed her to her back, rolled
on a condom and moved between her legs. He took her lips in a deep kiss and
slowly inched into her. Madilyn gasped as he filled her. She wrapped her arms
around his neck and her legs around his waist and held on while he moved harder
and faster against her.

“Maddie,
come with me,” he whispered against her lips.

“Yes…”
she moaned and cried out his name.

Brody
growled her name out as he joined her tumbling over the edge. After catching
their breaths, he rolled to his back and pulled her tight against him. They
fell asleep in each other’s arms.

* * *
*

 
A few hours later, Madilyn silently crept
around the room looking for her clothes when the lamp beside the bed came on.
She jumped and glanced at Brody.

“Sneaking
out on me? I feel so cheap,” Brody said as he sat up against the headboard.

“I
didn’t mean to wake you. I have to get going.” She put her knee on the bed,
leaned down, and kissed him. “Call me tomorrow.”

“I
will. I’m starting back on my regular shift tomorrow night but I’m off from
Saturday to Monday night.” Brody tried to pull her into the bed.

Madilyn
laughed.
“Stop.
I have to go.” She quickly kissed him.
“I love you.”

“I love
you, too. Be careful driving Copper Ridge.”

Madilyn
blew him a kiss and ran out the door. She hated driving in the dark but she
couldn’t stay. Not tonight. In two nights, she’d go stay with him for the
weekend. She grinned. Being back with him was amazing. It was as if no time had
passed and they’d never been apart. Madilyn frowned as it started to rain.
Driving in the dark was bad enough, but
add
in rain
and it was almost impossible. The headlights reflected off the wet road. She
slowly drove the curve of Copper Ridge. A car came up behind her and was too
close for her liking, staying close to her bumper. There was no place to pull
over and let them pass so she lightly tapped her brakes. The car fell back from
her. She breathed a sigh of relief and finally made it to her apartment
complex. When she pulled in, the car slowed and for a minute she thought it was
going to pull in behind her but it picked up speed and drove on past.

 
She blew out a relieved breath. She
certainly wasn’t in the mood for any confrontation. Pulling into her parking
spot, Madilyn locked her car and ran for the overhang to get out of the rain. A
scream tore from her when a dark figure stepped in front of her. A hand covered
her mouth.

“Shut
up.”
Zach!

Madilyn
kicked his shin and scratched at his face. “Get away from me,” she shouted.

Zach
pulled her up the stairs to her apartment and shoved her to her door. “Open
it,” he growled.

“Go to
hell,” Madilyn screamed.

Zach
wrestled her keys from her hand and unlocked her door. Once opened, he pushed
her inside. Madilyn ran for the phone but Zach tackled her and rolled her to
her back. She fought back and started to scream again but he put his hand over
her mouth.

“Shut
up, Madilyn. I’m not going to hurt you.”

She
stopped struggling and nodded. He removed his hand and stood. Madilyn kicked
her foot up into his groin and watched as he fell to his knees. She scrambled
up, grabbed the phone, and called the sheriff’s department. Then she ran behind
the sofa and kept an eye on Zach. He
laid
on the floor
groaning. Since the sheriff’s department was just down the street, they were
there in minutes.

Madilyn
opened the door to Deputy Mark Shaw. “Come in, Mark.”

“Madilyn?
Did you call us?”

She
moved aside to show him Zach lying on the floor. “Yes. He attacked me.”

“Are
you hurt?” Mark glanced at her as he strolled over to Zach and squatted down.

“I’m
fine. He scared me. I kicked him in his family jewels.” She folded her arms across
her chest and sniffed.

“Get
up, Johnson,” Mark told Zach.

“I
can’t yet,” Zach groaned.

Madilyn
watched as Mark grabbed Zach by the back of his collar and lifted him from the
floor. “I don’t care if you can or not. You’re going in.” He glanced at Madilyn.
“You are pressing charges, right?”

“This
time, I am.”

“This
time?”
Mark’s eyebrow rose.

Madilyn
waved her hand.
“Never mind.
It’s a long story, but
yes, I’m pressing charges.”

Mark
handcuffed Zach and had him sit on the couch. He took a pad out of his shirt
pocket. “Tell me what happened tonight.”