More Than Scars (3 page)

             
My Mom smiled. “Going to take some time getting use to…isn’t it?”

             
“A lot of getting use to,” I laughed nervously. We stepped in the elevator, and pulled out my phone that started buzzing. My brother! “Hey big brother,” I greeted.

             
“I got off early. Coming over to help.”

             
“No need. Our works done,” I teased.

             
“Bull,” he growled.

             
“We’re heading for coffee, and maybe a donut. You’re a cop…you like donuts right?” I couldn’t help it! It had always been that way with Alonso…or Al, as I called him. “Come join us! We’re going to the little shop on the corner of my street.”

             
“You can’t be done.”

             
“My employer sent movers.”

             
“And you are leaving them in your apartment? Unattended? Rissa…”

             
“It’s fine Al, just come join us. I promise you. I trust Stewart, and he’s overseeing it all!”

             
“You just meet him!”

             
“And he’s been truly kind! Now trust a girl, and come join mama and I!”

             
He snorted on his end of the line. “You’re awful bossy for a pint sized woman…and my little sister at that!”

             
“Deal with it,” I laughed. The elevator doors opened. Mom and I exited the lobby, and stepped out on the bustling busy sidewalk. I hit end, and knew he’d meet us there… if only to give me heck for hanging up on him.

             
We hurriedly made it down the street and into the warm coffee shop. The fall day held a nip, and soon we’d be seeing fall dissipate and winter bring on the snow. I ushered my Mom to a corner booth, near a little fireplace.

             
“Soup,” I sighed. “I need warmth!”

             
We had just put in our orders, when I saw Al enter. He did look peeved, but not peeved enough to not give both Mom and I a kiss on the cheek. He scooted me over, shrugging out of his coat and into the booth. He flipped off his hat, tossing it in the empty space beside Mom.

             
“You hung up on me,” he growled.

             
I smiled. “Oops.”

             
He grinned menacingly. “Don’t do it again little sis.” He shoved a folder toward my Mom. A folder I had not noticed on his arrival.

             
Our waitress came over to take his order, blushing and sneaking peeks at the handsome officer. Al had never had a lack of fans ...especially the feminine kind.

             
“What is that?” I asked my Mom, as she rifled through the folder contents.

             
Mom blushed. “You know how I wanted to know more about…”

             
I groaned and covered my face. “Al, you didn’t.”

             
“Do a check on the strange man who hired my sister? Hell yeah I did.” He looked at me with green eyes, a family trait. “After what happened to Dad you would think you would be a little more cynical too. We just want you safe Rissa!”

             
“So you do a background check?”

             
He shrugged. “Perks of my job. I didn’t just use the data base. I did internet searches…some old fashioned snooping.“ He saw my cheeks flush in anger. “Aw Rissa, don’t get mad at me. I only want you safe!”

             
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t suppose you have a photo?”

             
“That was tough. It’s like he paid to have everything cleared. Believe me; he has the money to do so. I did manage to dig up one from a few years back…before he, well before the incident.”

             
“The scars…” I nodded. “You know how he got them?”

             
Al hesitated. “He may want to tell you that. It…hits a little close to home. I purposely omitted it from my folder of facts. The matter is a closed case, so don’t even try researching it.”

             
“And you get to know?”

             
“Rissa, you and Mom don’t need….Its…well, it’s similar to what happened to Dad. Except Dad got mercy. Liam Byrne did not. Whoever did this….it was personal.”

             
I bit my lip at the mention of Dad. Nearly sixteen years back, he’d been attacked, slashed several times, then stabbed through the heart. The killer took his wallet and wedding ring. Things my Dad would have readily given if it had meant his life. He hadn’t been given that choice. Instead, he had given his life to save…me. I can still remember every detail to that night. And each time those memories come, I shove them aside.

At least Good had become of it. It was the reason Al had joined the Force.

              I glanced over at my Mom, who still rifled through the papers. I think she was purposely ignoring us. She still did not like to talk about losing Dad. She still loved him…still pined for him. She’d never dated after…wasn’t even looking.

             
“What are you looking at Mom?” I asked when her mouth fell open.

             
“Oh Rissa,” she sighed. She handed me a piece of paper, a picture. My breath caught a little in my throat.

Warm chocolate brown eyes and the killer smile of Liam Byrne looked up at me. He was gorgeous! The kind of face that made any girl
melt. His jaw was straight and defined a slight dimpling of the cheeks; laugh lines creased the corner of his eyes, dark hair with a slight curl, looking very touchable. I smiled, and traced the line of his straight perfect smile.

“Would you like to be alone with the picture?”

Al’s teasing voice had my head snapping up. A flush warmed my cheeks. “No,” I snapped. I just wasn’t expecting such a becoming face. It took me by surprise.”

“Hmm
hmm,” my Mom agreed.

“Mom,” I admonished. “He’s Al’s age, for shame!”

My Mom just laughed and gave a smile. “Bedroom eyes like Rock Hudson and a girl can’t appreciate?”

I lifted my brow. He did have a likeness to the famously handsome movie star. Still, I gave her a look and a slight shake of my head. “Don’t lust after my boss!”

My Mom just smirked.

Al scowled too. “Well, I’m thinking he looks less like that now a day. Not after what he went through.” He shuddered.

“All that money…can’t he do plastic surgery?” I stared down on the picture again. It was such a shame that someone would harm this beauty.

“He went through a lot
Riss. I’m betting extensive surgeries are not high on his ta do list.”

”I saw his hands,” I whispered softly. I felt my stomach drop at the memory. Maybe I didn’t need to know the details of all that went down.

“From the reports, his arms, torso, shoulders got the brunt. He was…” Al stopped, and shook his head, not wanting to give more away. “It was bad. He did take a slash to the face. More than likely his issue with stares comes from that.”

“You’ve seen the pictures?”

Al shook his head.” Those were not in the file. Money can buy a man a lot of privacy. But what I dug up…well, he’s an okay guy legally. He has a clean slate. I just know nothing personally about the guy, and that bothers me. Someone goes through something like that can be pretty messed up mentally.”

I shrugged. “If it goes insane, I have the bravest policeman out there on speed dial. Oh, speaking of which, I have a new number.”  I dug through my purse for the new phone. The old one would be shut off the end of the month. I wasn’t paying for a phone contract when the boss was insisting on having me use this.

Al sighed, taking it from my hand. “Fancy phone! Wow, Rissa do you know how much one of these cost? It has all the bells and whistles.” He started searching through it, looking through the features. “Let me guess…on this plan, Mr. Byrne will be able to track you?”

“And his daughters! “
I cried, taking it back. “You just said he went through a lot. He’s going to want to see his little ones are safe!”

“I’ll give him that,” my brother sighed.

“So you start tomorrow?” My mother was studying another paper.

“I’m excited and nervous! You both will have to meet them.”

“When we make appointment though?” My mom lifted her brow.

“Hell, if he tells me I can’t see my sister, someone better hit the deck,” Al growled.

I rolled my eyes. “He runs his business from his home. He can’t just have anyone traipsing through. I think it’s just a matter of checking to see how the traffic is that day.”

“And what is his business?” Mom asked.

My brother pulled out a sheet and handed it to her.  “Here’s his tax and earnings report from last year.”

“Al seriously?
Financial reports?”

“I am nothing if not through
lil sister.”

My Mom’s mouth dropped open. “That’s a lot of zeros.
Real estate huh? What’s he selling? Houses made of gold?”

Al chuckled. “He sells businesses mom, buildings…skyscrapers. He buys cheap, sells higher. It’s very lucrative if you have the name. He definitely has a stellar reputation with both buyers and sellers. His brother Ian helps in the business as well.”

I looked up in surprise. “He has family?”

“Oh, so now you’re okay with my snooping abilities?”

I gave him a glare.

“Just his brother, and father Logan Byrne. He is retired now.”

I shook my head at him. “You have been a busy body, haven’t you?”

He shrugged. “I only have one sister. I’d like you around for quite a bit longer.”

I sighed, punching him in the shoulder.

He grinned, and took the cup the waitress sat before him, sipping carefully at the hot beverage. “You just keep me in the know. That’s all I ask. This guy could be completely legit, and decent. If he’s not…he’ll have me to deal with.” My brother’s voice was teasing, but I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was not kidding.

“Fair enough,” I agreed. “Now enough of the heavy! Can we appreciate that at this moment we are eating on Liam Byrnes dime, while several able body men do all my packing for me?”

A laugh was shared, before digging in to the soup and sandwiches set before us.

By the end of the meal, my new phone was buzzing. It was Stewart, and they were done. Something that would have taken my mother and me all day.

“I’m coming to meet this Stewart,” Al announced, as we shoved into our coats for the walk back. He set his police man’s hat on his head, looking all too intimidating.

“Fine,” I sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to allow this to go any other way. “No interrogating! No alpha male stuff Al. Stewart is a very nice man, and he is only following his Boss’ orders. He’s doing his job and does not need to be accosted!”

“Yes, sister dear,” he mocked, nudging my mom and myself to the door.

We made our way through the chilling wind to my apartment. There was a moving van setting right outside now, nothing big. I didn’t have much to take. None of my appliances or furniture would be going. I wouldn’t need those now. Al was going to sell them. I wanted all the money donated to the soup kitchen I volunteered at now and then.

We stepped into the lobby of my apartment building. Well, my soon to be ex-apartment building. A sinking feeling hit me at that moment. This had been my home for ten years now. I had been comfortable here…was able to honestly call it home! Now I would be leaving, starting over completely fresh! And I was suddenly scared to death.

Swallowing, I stepped into the elevator with my family.

Stewart looked surprised when I arrived with a third member to our party.

“My brother, Alonso,” I explained. “He joined us for lunch.”

“Al,” my brother corrected. He hated his given name.

Stewart gave his hand a shake and a nod before turning to me. “Miss your things will be waiting for you at home.”

My tummy hurdled at the word home.

“I left your overnight bag you had packed. I assume that is all you need?”

I nodded.

“Very well then, I will see you tomorrow!” He pulled on his coat. “You are expected at seven thirty. That is when the girls get up.”

I smiled. “Thank you so much Stewart. I look forward to it!”

His honest face beamed. “As do I Miss!  I believe you will make a nice fit!” He started for the door.

“I’ll see you down,” Al spoke up.

I opened my mouth to protest, and then shut it just as quickly. I only mouthed the word behave to him, and hoped that it was enough!

I slumped down in my recliner, and tossed my coat over the back.

My Mom sat on the couch just across from me. “Are you okay Riss?”