Relentless (14 page)

“The feeling is mutual,” Nev said.

“She's already planning her wedding, I bet.”

“Oh yeah,” she said with a roll of her eyes. Sam was such a detail freak. “She's got colored folders and her labels for every topic. They're all alphabetized, referenced and cross-referenced too.”

Bryn shook her head. “God, it makes me wonder how she wound up with Ben because it sounds so much like something Rhys would do.” She took a sip of wine and let her head rest against the edge of the easy chair. “I still can't believe Ben's getting married.”

“Believe it. If he did anything to mess up Sam's plans, she'd kill him.”

“Yeah, that's why I like her so much. She doesn't put up with any bullshit.”

Oh, Bryn
so
knew her cousin. “It's a family trait.”

Bryn snickered. “So how's it going with Rhys?”

Going? It wasn't. She shifted in her seat. “He's been really nice.”

Bryn opened her mouth to say something else but was interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the stairs. Jake leapt up and raced to them, his tail swishing madly.

Neveah swiveled around as a young, pretty, dark-haired woman came into view. An attractive middle-aged woman followed, with medium brown hair cut into a layered bob that ended at her chin.

“Hi,” the young one said, absently stroking Jake's head before rushing over to shake her hand. “I'm Christa, and this is Emily, Rayne's mom.”

“Neveah,” she answered, shaking Emily's hand. “Thank you for having me.”

Christa waved her hand, the diamond ring on her finger catching the light. “You're welcome anytime. I'm sorry we didn't come down right away, but I wanted to hide the dress in case Rayne came home early. I don't want him to see it.”

“Understandable.”

Christa's friendly aquamarine eyes sparkled. “Are you hungry?”

“I— ”

“Let's just get the food together and call them in,” Emily said, heading to the kitchen. Christa and Jake followed, and within moments the air filled with the clatter of dishes and silverware above the feminine chatter.

Nev cast Bryn a questioning glance, feeling guilty for sitting there doing nothing. Shouldn't they offer to help?

“Leave them be,” Bryn advised. “It's what they do. Trust me.”

With a smile, Nev picked up her wine and nodded at Bryn's engagement ring. “A lot of Luke's employees seem to be popping the question lately.”

The other woman's dark eyes laughed. “That they are.”

“You planning your wedding, too?”

“What's to plan? I'm getting married on a beach, someplace hot. SEALs love the water, you know.”

“I bet,” Nev said with a chuckle.

“Have you met Dec yet?”

“No. I've only seen the twins since I arrived, in between functions at the conference. Just saw Ben this morning. They're keeping a very close eye on me.”

“That must make you feel good.”

“Well, truthfully I'd rather it wasn't necessary, but if someone has to look after me I'm glad it's them.”

“Yes. You couldn't ask for a better security team than the one Luke's brought in.”

“Ah, so that
is
the real reason they're here. I thought so.” She didn't blame Luke for not taking chances with his family. In fact, she respected him for it.

Bryn gave a tight smile, telling Neveah she wasn't completely at ease with the situation. “Don't say anything in front of Christa or Emily. Dec would kill me.”

“I won't.” Neveah cocked her head, sensing an opportunity to learn more about Rhys. “So tell me, how do you fit in with everyone here?”

“I started out as Rayne's best friend, but got really tight with his mom, and now with Christa.”

“And of course you know Luke now, too.” Nev had heard bits and pieces of Bryn's ordeal in Iraq from Sam.

“Yes.” Her eyes darted toward the kitchen before adding, “Though I already knew a lot about him from Emily. They've been divorced for forever, not that you'd know it from the way she pines over him.”

How sad.

“I'm worried about her,” Bryn admitted with a frown. “She doesn't look well to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don't know, she's... exhausted. It's something more than being here for the wedding and having to see Luke again, but she just says I'm imagining things. She's been sleeping a lot since she got here, and that's not like her. Dark circles, low energy, fatigues fast.”

Nev frowned. “Has she seen a doctor? Could be menopause or something hormonal.”

“Yeah, I guess you're right,” Bryn said, but her eyes were still filled with worry.

Nev resolved to take a look at Emily when she came back into the room and make note of anything that might be cause for concern. “I think it's neat that you have a connection with all of them.”

“Actually, I'm even more connected with their family. My father knew Luke once upon a time during the civil war in Lebanon. That's where they met Nate. Have you met him?”

“Yes, at the airport. He and Rhys picked me up.”

“Rhys picked you up, huh?”

She nodded. “Then he took me up Grouse Mountain. He even took me for dinner last night at a really nice Italian place.”

Bryn set down her glass so suddenly the wine almost spilled over the side. “He took you on a date? I mean— two dates?”

Bryn stared at her like she'd just revealed the secret of life. “No, just for a breather on the mountain, and last night for dinner to... catch up.” Nev carefully left out the kiss of course. Man, she wished there had been much, much more to it than that.

Bryn craned her neck to see into the kitchen, as if checking to ensure the coast was clear before facing her. “Tell me
everything
.”

It startled a laugh out of her. “Nothing to tell, really.”

“Are you kidding?” Her eyes widened. “Rhys, on an honest-to-God date? I must know more.”

“It wasn't a date.” Well, it hadn't started off with that intent. At least not on his part, she didn't think.

“Oh. You think he just took up to enjoy the view the night you arrived and then for a romantic Italian restaurant for kicks?”

She couldn't help the blush rising in her cheeks. “I think he needed the break.”

Bryn gave her an “oh, come on” look. “Rhys doesn't take breaks. Trust me on this.”

She sighed. “I don't really know him all that well.”
But I'd love to know him better.

“You met in Paris, right?”

“With Sam. Then our paths crossed again in... Afghanistan.”

Bryn laid a hand on her knee. “I heard. And if it makes you feel any better, I went through something similar.”

Strangely, it did help. “Sam told me about it.”

“All of us,” she said with a nod, indicating Christa and Emily in the kitchen, “have been through our own versions of hell. You're in good company.”

“Thanks. I know a great therapist back east if you're interested. We could get a group rate.”

Bryn snickered into her wine glass. “Dec's better than any amount of therapy could ever be.”

Yeah, she knew the feeling. Having Rhys's arms around her had made the memories go away.

Bryn was great. She was so glad she'd come here. “You know the twins pretty well, right?”

“Oh yeah. I'm close with both of them— well, I am with Ben at least. Rhys... I guess I'm as close to him as anyone can be. Besides Ben.”

“And Sam,” Nev added. “He loves Sam.”

Bryn smiled. “That's good. It's hard for him to get close to people.”

“Why?” She was dying to hear Bryn's take on it.

“They had a really tough upbringing. Worse than most of the foster kids I see as a social worker.”

“In Boston?”

“South Boston. In the roughest part. You know they're adopted?”

Nev shook her head. “Sam never told me and Rhys didn't say anything last night except that he doesn't drink because his mom was an alcoholic and drug addict.”

“Well, she was way worse than that.” Bryn folded her legs beneath her and picked up her wine, a frown marring her brow. “She was a prostitute and an addict, and when she was on a binge she forgot to feed them most of the time.”

Oh, poor Rhys... Nev wanted to go back in time and hit his mother. She couldn't imagine growing up that way. And to think that Rhys had become such an honorable man. More pressure filled her chest.

“The only reliable meals they got were at school, and even then only two meals per day during the week. On the weekends they either knocked on their neighbor's door, stole money to buy food, or went through dumpsters behind restaurants to find something to eat.”

Nev put a hand to her stomach, trying to imagine two young boys having to scrounge through the garbage to feed themselves.

“By the time they were ten she had them living out of a beat-to-shit car, and the authorities finally came in to take them away.”

“Thank God.”

“Yes, but it wasn't easy. They bounced around from one home to the other, got in trouble with the police until their adopted parents stepped in when they were fourteen.”

“Rhys got arrested?” She had trouble believing that.

“Let's just say he learned a few tricks of the trade he uses now, plus he had to clean up his brother's... messes. That's why he's so controlled all the time. I don't think he was ever allowed to have fun, and I know for sure he never had anyone to love him or trust in other than Ben.”

Neveah closed her eyes. “Oh God, I just want to hug him.”

“Yeah, I know how you feel. If he lets you? That should tell you how important you are to him.”

She gazed into Bryn's knowing black eyes. “Really?” She wanted to believe that.

“Really.” Her perfect white teeth flashed when she smiled. “Pardon the pun, but you're just what the doctor ordered.”

A sappy grin took over her face. “We saved each other, you know. In Afghanistan.”

“I heard that. Pretty amazing start, I'd say.”

Yes. That bond was as powerful as blood to her mind. Like their souls were connected now because of it.

“Hope you're hungry,” Christa said as she floated out of the kitchen bearing trays of food with Jake prancing around her. Nev couldn't believe how relaxed she seemed, and that she'd go to so much trouble looking after everyone else when her wedding was less than a day away.

Christa ordered Jake to lie down, then set the food out. She loaded the coffee table with lasagna and a spinach salad with all kinds of fresh fruit and nuts in it. A plate full of cheese scones hot from the oven followed, plus a platter with roasted red peppers, Bocconcini and sliced beefsteak tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and fragrant shredded basil.

“You grew this yourself, didn't you,” Bryn accused as she popped a piece of basil into her mouth.

“Tastes better that way,” Christa answered with a smile.

“Wow,” said Nev, eyeing the spread. In Christa's situation, she'd have ordered in Chinese or something.

“Just wait ‘til dessert,” Bryn remarked, already helping herself.

“Emily made a coconut cake,” said Christa, handing Nev a plate.

“It's a family tradition,” Emily said as she emerged from the kitchen with a white cake on a cobalt glass pedestal.

Neveah scrutinized her with physician's eyes as she approached. Beneath very tasteful and carefully applied cosmetics, there were indeed puffy and dark circles beneath her lovely green eyes. Her skin was a bit pale, but maybe that was normal for her. Short of taking her pulse or blood pressure, that's all Nev could tell for now.

Emily set the pedestal down with a flourish. Lying next to the couch, Jake lifted his head and gave a hopeful wag of his tail, but still wasn't invited to partake of the feast. “My great-grandmother's recipe. Every bride in my family has to have a coconut cake when she gets married.”

When everyone was settled they dug in, and Nev listened to the banter passing back and forth, enjoying the cozy camaraderie between the women. All survivors, and all vibrant, interesting people.

“I was just telling Neveah that she's a kindred spirit,” Bryn told the others. “We're all lugging baggage around too, and yet we're shockingly normal.”

“I'll drink to that,” Christa said with a smile, then winked at Neveah and refilled everyone's glasses. Nev noticed she was drinking Perrier instead of wine. “Cheers.”

“Cheers,” they chorused.

Their sincere warmth wrapped around her throughout the meal. They peppered her with questions and then tried to pry information out of her about Rhys. She gave them a mysterious smile. “I don't kiss and tell.”

Bryn gasped and swatted her arm. “You kissed? You never told me that! Oh man, I can't wait to see the two of you together tomorrow night.”

“Oh please, like you'll be able to look away from your hunk of a fiance.” Emily snorted. “If there's any spying to do, I'll do it.”

Christa laughed at her. “You'll be too preoccupied by your gorgeous son and Luke in their tuxes to notice anyone else.”

Emily sighed, not even bothering to deny her attraction to her ex-husband as she smothered a yawn. “I'd argue, but you're right. Damn, it's going to be a long day tomorrow.”

Neveah glanced at Bryn in question, and the other woman waggled her brows as she lifted her glass. “But an interesting one.”

Rhys showed up at Christa's front door at just after ten and rang the bell. The security personnel down the street had reported everything was tight when he'd checked with them partway through the meeting, and he was glad Luke had taken the precaution of making sure the women were safe while alone in the house.

He heard them laughing from out on the front porch and hoped Neveah was having a good time. He'd wanted her to relax and unwind, but he hadn't intended to be gone so long. Luke was clearly worried as hell about the wedding tomorrow, and they'd gone over all the contingency plans they could come up with several times to make sure they'd covered everything.

The door swung open and Bryn stood there with an almost empty glass of red wine in her hand. From the way her cheeks were flushed, he was willing to bet it wasn't her first. Or second.

“Hi handsome,” she said cheerily, sweeping an arm out in invitation. “Come on in.”

His eyes shot toward the sound of feminine chatter and laughter. He'd sooner take down a nest of armed Taliban fighters than be put in the middle of that. “Is Nev ready?”