Exhausted, we sat in front of the fire watching the flames twist and turn until I fell asleep against his chest. He offered the comfort I, for so long, had craved. When I woke, I was tucked in a blanket on the couch, a pillow under my head. But no Lucas.
Wrapping the blanket tight around my body I went in search. I didn’t have to look for long. In the dark, I spotted Lucas sitting on the porch steps overlooking the grounds, something metallic glinting in his hands.
“Luc?” I called, and he turned his head slightly in acknowledgment.
“You should get some rest, Gem.”
I approached his side and sat next to him. It was quiet in the woods, only the sound of crickets sporadically chirping breaking the stillness.
The fog had cleared revealing the spectacularly beautiful lake which practically glowed silver. Yet, not even that could distract me from what was in Lucas’s hand. The Glock rested on his knee, his free hand tapping a frustrated beat.
“What are you doing out here, Luc?” I asked, cautiously.
“Not taking any chances.”
“B is by the road, he’ll see anyone approaching.”
“He thinks he can stop Mason?” Lucas scoffed. “Nothing stops my brother when he has his mind set on something.”
I knew that all too well.
We sat in silence for a moment before I built up the courage to talk.
“In the last ten years, how many times have you seen Mason?”
“When I left home I started a new life away from him and Mom. He had become hostile toward everyone. Always had to be in control of the situation. I saw him at Mom’s funeral and he tried to reconnect. We’ve always been civil to each other, and he’s always tried to protect me from everything. I think that’s why I was always blind to his behavior because all I saw was him throwing himself in harm’s way to protect me.”
Lucas turned to meet my gaze, an intensity in his eyes that made my heart pound. “But what he did to you back home, and now these last couple of weeks is inexcusable. I’ve realized that he was never protecting me. He was simply always trying to get at you. You can’t protect someone if you’re always hurting the one they love most in the world.”
He took my hand in his as I silently cried. We’d lost so much.
“I’ve always loved you, Gem. You have and always will be the only one who has my heart. None of my relationships have worked because they were simply a Band-Aid for what I couldn’t have.”
“Then tell me, Luc…” I squeezed his hand demanding he explain himself. “Tell me what happened that night, why you had to leave town. Tell me why in ten years you never found me! What happened?”
Lucas stood, releasing my hand, and scanned the darkness as if somehow it would give him the answers.
And it did. Just not the sort we were wanting.
“Tell her, Lucas.”
We both recoiled, me in fright and Lucas because he was about to face his nemesis. I was on my feet in a heartbeat, Lucas standing protectively in front.
“Go ahead,” Mason stepped forward until we saw his blackened figure edge closer, the whites of his eyes glistening. I gripped Lucas’s arms which were already flexing with adrenalin.
“Tell Gemma everything that happened that night and see then if she’s so understanding.”
“Gemma,” Lucas said carrying a stern warning. “Get in your car and leave.”
“No,” I hissed quietly. “I’m not leaving you.”
“I’ll find you. Go!”
“What’s the matter, little brother?” Mason mocked, taking another step closer, his trademark malevolent smile etched on his face. “Worried I’ll hurt your precious girlfriend?”
“It’s not like you haven’t in the past. How could you do those things to her, Mason?” Lucas couldn’t disguise his disgust and hurt. “How could you do that to a sixteen-year-old girl? Our friend.”
This time he gave a small laugh, head lowering as he kicked at the loose stones at his feet. “It’s not like she put up much of a fight, brother. Besides… you weren’t giving her anything.”
Lucas advanced on his brother, unleashing his rage. “You think fucking molesting her was okay?” he bellowed, pushing hard against Mason’s chest. Mason took a few steps back with every push but made no attempt to thwart his brother’s aggression. “You think she fucking asked for that?”
Push.
“You think she fucking wanted you to carve into her skin?”
Push.
“You think by doing that you fucking own her?”
“Lucas,” I pleaded, reaching desperately for his arm. We didn’t know what Mason was capable of and the last thing I wanted was for them to disappear into the darkness.
“You’re my fucking brother, Mason,” Lucas growled.
“And I fucking did everything to protect you,” Mason finally snapped from his apathy to raging within a second. He pushed back against Lucas’s chest sending him colliding into me. “I fucking did everything to protect you when dad left, and you’re just gonna let this bitch bring down our family?”
“Gemma has kept her mouth shut this whole time, and yet you have it in your fucked-up head that you would terrorize her anyway? You think she didn’t have enough of that shit back home?”
“She…” Mason spat, pointing an accusatory finger at me. “She is about to put us all behind bars, and you just fucking welcome her into your home all because you want some pussy.”
“They’re already investigating, brother. It’s over! It was always only a matter of time before they pieced it all together. You think they’ll just dust their hands off and move on? Guess what? They’re not going anywhere, and it’s all because of you harassing Gemma that brought it all to the front.”
“All because of me?” Mason snarled. “You think this mess is all because of me?”
“Yeah,” Lucas’s voice sounded resigned, croaky. “Yeah, I do. And now Gemma is leaving.” Lucas grabbed my arm and marched me through the darkness toward the house.
“Lucas, come with me,” I begged.
“I can’t.”
“Please. Let’s just get in my car and—” A strong arm hooked around my neck violently yanking me away. Lucas spun around, gun pointed at Mason who held the blade of his carving knife against my throat. It started to tear through the skin the further he dragged me away from Lucas.
“Give me the gun, brother,” Mason demanded.
“You don’t need to be here. Just leave us alone.”
“Not gonna happen. I can’t let this go on. We’ve come this far, Lucas. We’ve come this far without being caught.”
“Let her go.”
The knife pressed harder, blood beginning to trickle down my neck.
“Give me the gun, and you can have her.”
There was silence as Lucas weighed the risk of giving Mason the Glock.
Could he be trusted enough to let us go?
“Fine.” Lucas reasoned. “But this war… it’s between us.”
“I’ll tell you what…” Mason chimed happily, “… I’ll give her a head start. Now…” He jerked me to the side, and I cried out against the pain of the knife tearing the skin. Lucas stepped forward wanting to help me but stopped when Mason raged. “Now, hand over the fucking gun and let’s sort this out, shall we?”
“Fine!” Lucas placated. “Here.” The Glock dangled from his finger awaiting collection.
“Good decision,” Mason said coldly, accepting his new weapon. He withdrew the knife from my neck. “She’s free.” With a firm hand on my back, he shoved me forward into Lucas’s arms.
For a moment he held me tight in an attempt to calm my trembling body.
“Go, Gemma,” Lucas urged, whispering into my ear. “Go. I’ll come for you.
“No… I’m… I’m not leaving you with him.”
He held me tighter. “You don’t have a choice. I need you as far away as possible.”
“Yeah, Gemma. Run,” Mason snickered as I turned to meet the evil in his eye. “You know I’ll find you. I always do. It’s always been part of the fun.”
“Go!” Lucas urged.