Page 25 of Brick (Chosen Few #5)

Desperate to see with her own eyes if Brick was home, she gently scooted away from her son without disturbing him. She moved from the bed and into the hall. This time she closed the bedroom door a little bit more so less noise would float toward Bray.

The soft click of the front door sounded, sending a pulse of worry through her senses. Then she reached the top of the stairs to see Brick staring up at her. She moved as if carried on air, silently padding down the steps toward him.

Emotion caught in her throat. He set his rifle against the wall and opened his arms just as she launched herself at him from a few steps up.

He caught her easily around the waist, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Her bruises ached from the brush of his arm, but she didn’t care.

He’d made it. “Oh, my god,” she whispered. “I’m so glad you’re back.”

He pulled her legs tightly around his waist, walked into the living room, and dropped to the couch with her straddling his lap.

She pressed her palm to his prickly jaw and studied his face. Strain flickered in his eyes, and maybe regret. Biting fear chilled her skin. If he’d killed Keetan, this could be one of their last moments together. A sob rushed from her mouth. “Tell me what happened.”

He stroked her cheek. “I’m sorry to tell you... Keetan’s still alive.”

She exhaled a broken breath and pressed a kiss to his bristly cheek. “It only matters that you’re alive.”

“He couldn’t have hurt me,” Brick said with a grunt.

She chuckled. “I don’t care about him. But I’m glad you didn’t do anything that could put you in jail.”

He winced. “I definitely broke his nose, and forcefully entered his house. Mighta stole some things, too. So there’s that.”

She arched an eyebrow. “I hope that’s not enough to put you away.”

“A good lawyer will help,” he said, grinning. “You waited up.” Some of the tension left the firm muscles of his shoulders.

She let her hands roam down his thick neck to his biceps. As much as she’d had faith in Brick’s capabilities, she much preferred having him back in her arms.

A sheepish smile tugged at her lips. “Not quite. Bray woke up, so I laid with him and fell asleep.”

Happiness glittered in his eyes. “Good. I’m glad you rested. Was he upset?”

She dragged her teeth over her bottom lip, hating every second of pain her son had gone through. “I think he had a nightmare. I’m not surprised.”

He nodded, thoughtful. “It’ll take some time for normalcy to return.”

She squirmed a little on his lap. “Are you going to tell me what else happened?” She couldn’t take the suspense any longer. Brick didn’t have a scratch on him, but if he’d broken Keetan’s nose, things had probably gotten ugly.

Brick gently tugged her hair then toyed with the long strands.

“He was at home. By himself. Wasn’t too happy to see me.

” He leaned forward, bringing himself within her personal space, then dug into his back pocket and produced a slim phone.

The case bore a sticker with the name of a heavy metal band.

She froze. “That’s Keetan’s.”

He handed it to her. “It’s yours now.”

Closing her fingers around the black plastic case immediately made her throat clench. Even though Keetan wasn’t here, couldn’t hurt her, his phone brought his energy closer to her.

“The recording’s on there. I would’ve deleted it already, but I figured I’d give you the honors.” His mouth twitched.

Her fingers itched to hear the audio that’d controlled so much of her life. Then her gut dropped. “Oh my god. I don’t have his code.”

“I changed it. It’s one two three four.”

She hesitated. Part of her wanted to delete the audio and everything connected to her, but she wasn’t so na?ve to think this was the only version.

“What’s wrong?” Brick’s hand slid up and down her hip.

She should have felt a little strange sitting on his lap so casually, with only her pajama pants and his denim separating them. But nothing had ever felt more right. “I’m sure he made copies.”

“We stole his laptop, too. Zain and Taschen took it back to their hotel room. Not only will they locate any copies on the drive, but they’ll also find out if it was ever sent to anyone else.”

She grimaced. “Considering there’s an APB out for my arrest, I’m sure it’s already been shared.”

He nodded. “Probably. But the next thing on our list is to clear your name.”

Dread chewed her insides. “I can’t go to the police,” she said, shaking her head wildly.

His face softened with understanding. “You can’t keep running either, babe.

That’s done now. I’ve got you. Nothing’s going to happen.

You’ve gotta understand something. Keetan was in the wrong by recording you without your knowledge.

Not only did he commit an offense by secretly recording you in the first place, but that so-called evidence can’t be used in court. So you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Sadness took hold of her tongue. No, not sadness. Grief. Despair. That’s what she felt when she thought about the years of Bray’s life Brick had missed out on. The years Bray hadn’t known his father.

“Hey, that’s a good thing.”

She sniffed back the emotion welling in her sinuses. “Just promise me you’ll take care of him. If I... if I go to jail.”

Brick wrapped his arm around her back, pulling her belly against his. “That’s not going to happen. Didn’t you hear what I just said? The audio can’t be used—”

She chortled. “It doesn’t matter. We lied to the police.

I didn’t mean to push Shelby, and I certainly didn’t want her to get hurt.

But none of that matters because Keetan and I covered up her death.

” She shook her head. She’d been so cowardly.

So scared of Keetan. “I could’ve gone to the police a long time ago, and I didn’t. ”

“You can now.” His thumb went to the bruise on her cheekbone. “And we’ll lay assault charges against him, too.”

Brick’s confidence should have reassured her, but self-preservation prevented hope from taking root inside her heart. “I’ll go to jail just for lying.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

She dipped her chin and shot him a look of skepticism. “Are you the law now?”

He let out a growl and flipped her onto her back on the couch. She squealed as he came down on top of her.

“I guess I am.”

She ran her hands over his shoulders then caught his jaw between her palms. “I know that’s not true. But I appreciate you. I don’t want to live without you and Bray.”

He lifted one of her hands and kissed it. “Have faith.”

She forced away the tears that threatened to blur her vision.

She’d waited three years to have Brick back in her arms. She wouldn’t let worry and fear get between them again.

There’d be plenty of time to face those tribulations tomorrow.

“I’ll have you instead,” she said, her voice thick and sultry.

The corners of Brick’s mouth lifted, revealing his even, white teeth. She brought her hands to the hem of his shirt and pushed up the material. Her fingers brushed the hard weight of his vest and her mouth went dry.

“Forgot to take that off.” He pushed himself up to kneel between her spread legs.

Reaching behind his neck, he grabbed a fistful of material and then tugged the shirt over his head.

Muscle rippled with the movement and all the moisture that’d disappeared from her mouth suddenly appeared in her panties.

She chewed her bottom lip as she watched him unclip the vest and haul off the bulky gear.

Tattoos and scars covered his chest and biceps, telling a story about this man that she prayed she’d learn one day.

Right now, however, she just wanted him.

She caught his belt buckle, but he chuckled and clutched her fingers.

“Not yet.”

He flicked her hand aside and caught the waistband of her leggings. Heat kindled low in her belly as he tugged them down her legs and tossed them aside. His hot, searing gaze traveled up her bare legs to the black panties covering her sex.

Desire made her extend her arms. She wanted him on top of her. But Brick had other plans. His head dipped low between her legs.