More Than Scars (15 page)

Chapter 8
The Outting

            
 
I ran up to my brother and threw my arms around his neck, laughing! “Hello there brother! It worked!”

             
Al grinned at me and then down on the two little one who were peering about them as if they were in an alien land. “Hey sis! This must me Brianne and Amelia!” He roughed Brianne’s hair and knelt down in front of Amelia. “You sure look like this princess I once met!”

             
Amelia laughed and reached for his hat. He was in full policeman’s gear. He beat her to it and set it on her head. “Rissa he looks like you but he’s a boy!”

             
I smiled. “He is my brother,” I explained.

             
“He is handsome,” Amelia laughed.

             
Al grinned.

             
Brianne covered her sister’s mouth. “Amie you don’t say that to strangers!”

             
“But he’s a peaceman Bri!”

             
Al nodded to Brianne. “She is right! You should not trust anyone unless Nerissa Your Uncle or Your Daddy say you should!”

             
Amelia looked up at me under the brim of my brother’s hat. “Can I trust him Rissa?”

             
I smiled. “You most certainly can sweetheart.”

             
Amelia wrapped her arms around his neck and Al easily stood to his feet with her in his arms. Brianne took his free hand.

             
Al glanced at me. “How is Mr Byrne with this?”

             
I shook my head and tilted it toward the restaurant. “The girls are hungry and this is a late lunch. Everyone thinks we went for a long walk.”

             
“Rissa! He will have everyone looking for you! The police will…”

             
“I am their Nanny. I am taking them to lunch,” I argued. “I am with my policeman brother. They are so safe it is not even funny! I can’t see how I could be in trouble! Nothing in my contract says I cannot take them to lunch! You read it yourself! Now…it will probably be amended…if I actually get to keep my job! For now…I just want the girls to enjoy their meal! We are going to the park after! Are you staying with me or not?”

             
He must have seen my determination because he gave a wordless nod.

             
We all started toward the doors.

             
“Your phone?”

             
“It’s on my dresser,” I sighed. “I remembered what you said about the tracker.” I reached into my purse. “But I did bring this.” I held up my camera. “If this is my last memories with them…I am going to keep them.”

             
After that, Al didn’t ask any more questions. I did fill him in on the situation while the girls played in the play land. I assured him I was still safe and still loved my job, but I had to make the stand.

             
We started toward the park but ran into a street fair on the way and ended up walking through that way and playing games. The girls got cotton candy and more junk food. They always ate healthy. One day was not going to hurt them! I may pay tonight as they were up late on a sugar high…but it was a price I would pay happily! The looks on their faces would be worth it! I made sure to snap pictures as we went.

             
Al won them each a stuff animal and they each got an animal balloon. I held their gifts as they rode on the rides with my brother. I continued to push away what I would be facing when I got home!

             
I thought about our escape in my little car. The girls had giggled in the backseat under a blanket as I went out the employee exit. I was so shocked it had been as easy as it had been to get out. I was trusted though. That would change. This made me sad. I was doing it for the girls though. They deserved this!

             
Years from now they would not remember the hours in their room playing with their expensive toys or watching television on their plasma T.V….playing games on state of the art equipment! They would remember their nanny sneaking them out to a fast food restaurant and a street carnival! This made me happy.

             
The sad thought was that I might not be able to be with them anymore. I wouldn’t watch them grow. But I would have made a point to Liam! Liam. I wouldn’t be around Liam either! I didn’t like that thought either. Why did that bother me so much?

             
I liked him too much! He affected me too much! Maybe being away would be best! Tears stung my eyes.

             
I had to get control of myself before the girls returned. Dusk was coming and we would soon have to return.

             
“I will go home with you,” Al insisted, as we headed for the car.

“No,” I shook my head. “I don’t want you in trouble!”

He tugged his hat back on his head and helped the girls back into the car.

“Yes! Come home with us!” Amelia laughed.

Brianne smiled at him. “Will you come visit us Al?”

He leaned in and gave the girls each a kiss on the cheek. “As long as
Nerissa is looking after you I will be around,” he promised.

“
Rissa will be with us always,” Brianne said with confidence. She gave him a nod. “So you come see us!”

He chuckled, not arguing with the girl and pulled back to help me into the driver’s seat. His eyes searched mine with concern.

“I will be all right Al. I will. I may be out of a job after tonight…but I will be okay.” I said the last sentence in a lower voice.

“I will be home tonight. Come over if you need. If things work out…call me…text me…just contact me!”

I swallowed, drew in a breath, and gave him a nod. “I will! Thank you for today!”

He smiled. “You are my
lil sis and you were right. I am damn proud of you!”

“
Rissa, Al said damn…”

“Amie,” I chided, frowned at my brother and then started down the road.

The sun had dipped beyond sight by the time I pulled up to the gate. It was opening before I even reached it. I knew they had been watching for my vehicle. I felt my heart rate speed up. God only knew what was waiting for me beyond the gate.

I drove up the drive and to the front of the house.

“Wait for me,” I said hoarsely to the girls. My fingers were trembling as I unfastened my belt. I opened my door…trying to search the shadows before me. Even the front porch light was out. Weren’t they expecting us? My stomach dropped. Or…someone who didn’t want to be seen was waiting for us!

I opened the door for the girls, who spilled out giggling and clinging to their balloon strings with care. I began leading them to the stairs to the front. The light came on now and Mary appeared at the door.

I looked to her for an instant, but my eyes had capture another figure, standing beneath the trees just in front of the house.

My heart began pounding harder with fear and I wasn’t sure where I was going to find my next breath. He stood beneath a tall tree in the shadows and he was drawing in audible breaths. I could see the plume of frosty air leaving his lungs on the exhale. Oh crap, I was in for it!

“Hi Daddy!” the girls chorused.

“Come on in girls,” Mary called from the stair.

I looked to the girls and smiled with more confidence than I felt. “Say goodnight to your Daddy…”

“Inside Brianne…Amie…now.
I will be in shortly.” His voice was like iron.

The girls did not seem to notice the steel in his voice. I certainly noticed. They happily skipped up the stairs to Mary chattering all the way about their latest experience.

“Miss Meadows…we need to talk.”

I shivered. I could tell he was trying to control his tone but the last word came out a little shaky. I blew out a gust of air from my lungs. I don’t know when or how I had drawn it in…but I had been holding it. It made a small cloud about me and I meekly nodded to him.

He was all in shadows but he turned and walked further beneath the cover of the tree and I followed. I watched the strong line of his shoulders and sensed his tension. He was simmering just beneath the surface.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered to his back. I didn’t know what else to say and I wanted to soften the blow that was to come. I said the wrong words.

He spun around and my eyes dropped out of submission, respect, and habit.

“No, No, that’s just it! You are not sorry! You aren’t sorry you took them out of my safety! You just wanted to play the hero! Show them a good time! You wanted to show…me!” He stabbed a finger at his chest.

“They can’t be coddled!” I cried back.

“They are being protected!”

“They are being confined,” I sobbed. “If you could have seen their faces today!” Tears sprung to my eyes. I felt my shoulders pressed into the bark of the tree and I gasped.

“They have anything and everything they need and want in this house,” he growled. His breath was warm on my face and I could smell the hint of whiskey there. It was not strong but it was there. My actions had driven him to take a drink.

“I’m sorry I upset you,” I changed my plea.

He groaned. “Do you know what I have been through? The other day when you had your break down? Do you know that out of control feeling? That sense of loss? I…I couldn’t hold my children and know no one was harming them!” He sighed out a breath and pulled in another. His body was trembling.

My heart sank. I hadn’t realized he suffered the separation anxiety.

“Did you enjoy teaching me a lesson?” he growled.

“I just wanted to give them a day,” I said softly. I didn’t know it would do this to you. Yes, I was mad at you! But you have hidden so much! If you had told me how this would affect you…it wouldn’t have been so easy to do this. I wanted to teach you a lesson…not hurt you. I promise you this. I never want to hurt you.” My heart raced behind the truth of those words. Now all I wanted to do was comfort him!

His fingers contracted around my arms as if he was struggling. “You have no idea what I have been going through. And what’s worse…it goes beyond just those girls. Now that I know what you went through…” He cleared his throat and his chest contracted in a deep breath. “All these hours…I had no control of what was happening to any of you…to you. You could have been hurt…I wouldn’t have known! Even if I had…my own fear keeps me in my…my hiding place!”

My own words passed his lips again. I really had hurt him…even before I had taken the girls off of the property!

My arms, which had been flat at my sides, came to life, and without thinking, I hugged Liam Byrne. I wrapped my arms around him, pressed my face into his chest, and offered my comfort. I felt him tense.

“You are a strong brave beautiful protector,” I whispered. “Your children love you and I was wrong to do what I did. I promise I will not do it again without consulting you. I just wanted to give them a taste…just a taste.”

He sighed and his body relaxed and sagged into my hug. I was now caught between the tree and Liam Byrne’s big body…and it was not a bad spot at all. If I was to be fired, at least I would have this to remember. He smelled so fine! The weight of his muscled form was as comforting as it was arousing. I drew in a deep breath and just let myself be in the moment. It really did feel pretty perfect here. His arms had worked their way around my body and were cushioning me from the bite of the bark. His cheek was resting on top of my head and my form was pretty much swallowed up in him. I could feel him pull in each breath and I tried to match my own breathing with his. The cold night air couldn’t even touch me now. I was warm everywhere.

“What happened today, can’t happen again,” he murmured into my hair.

I nodded against his chest. “I will pack tonight.”