Page 8 of Brick (Chosen Few #5)

She winced. Lowering herself into the dinette chair, she knotted her hands in her lap.

He’d never understand the situation with Keetan.

Why she’d stayed. Humiliation sent a chill over her skin at the thought of the danger she’d kept Bray in since he was born.

“My ex,” she said, her voice wobbling. “I left him two weeks ago. Rented an apartment and planned to find work online.”

She dropped her gaze to her fingers. “He found me last night. Needless to say, he was pissed.”

“Did you call the police?”

She gave a derisive laugh. “You don’t know who Keetan is,” she whispered.

“So tell me.”

“He is a cop. A ruthless one.” She met his stare.

Suspicion creased his eyes, and his jaw was tight with an unknown emotion. His muscles seemed to be vibrating. “What happened when he found you?”

She bit down on her bottom lip. He took our son. She couldn’t utter the words. Not yet. She’d crumble if she did, and she had to keep it together to answer the rest of his questions. “He exploded. Got aggressive. Then I came here.”

“Where’s the kid?” The demand cracked like a whip.

She rested her elbow on the table and closed her eyes as sadness split her in two. Propping her chin on her fist, she willed the ground to swallow her up. Willed him to disappear because there was nothing he could do. Nothing.

“Natalie,” he barked. “Where’s my son?”

A shuddering sigh left her belly. “Keetan took him.”

“ What? ” he bellowed.

She jumped, and her gaze flew to his.

Wild rage filled his brown eyes. His nostrils flared and he balled his hands at his sides. “Where’s Keetan now?”

She bolted to her feet. “You can’t go to him. He’ll—”

“Watch me,” he snapped. “Tell me where he is. Either way I’ll find him, just like I found you.”

Her mind reeled. She shook her head. “Wait, what do you mean?”

“Did you think this was an accident? That fate just decided to fuck up your sinister little plan?” He motioned to the dingy motel room. “I saw you on the news and had my agency track you.”

She opened and closed her mouth, stunned.

He dropped his arm and shook his head sadly. “I guess I should’ve done it sooner.” Silence fell over the room.

“I have to get Bray,” she said, physically unable to acknowledge anything else he threw at her right now.

He was gearing to fight. His body language and booming voice told her he wanted to scream and smash things. She didn’t care. He had every right to be angry, but to keep Bray safe, there was only one way out of this situation, and that solution didn’t include Brick.

“I will get him.” Brick jammed his thumb into his chest. She flinched, but he didn’t wince.

“Look,” she said, finding her voice. “You can’t. If Keetan sees you, he’ll know Bray’s yours. He’ll think I called you.” Panic filled her again. The aching bruise on her face was a cold reminder of how cruel Keetan could be.

“I don’t give a fuck what he thinks about me or you. He’s got no right to that child.”

She chuckled and tangled her fingers in her hair. “Keetan doesn’t want Bray. He barely even tolerates him. He took him to freak me out and ensure I go back to him—with the guarantee I’ll never leave him again.” And dammit, Keetan had her right where he wanted.

Watching her abusive ex storm into her apartment with his friends and tear away her screaming son was a hell she’d never willingly endure again.

“If you want to go back to him, that’s fucking dandy. But I’m here now, and believe it when I say I will fight for custody.”

Her jaw dropped. A new terror escalated her blood pressure. “No,” she cried. “Don’t you dare try to take him from me.”

“And protect him?”

Her lip trembled. Guilt washed over her. He was right. She hadn’t protected Bray. Hadn’t done enough to change her life and had brought their innocent child into a mess.

Brick’s expression softened, but his shoulders stayed rigid.

“I’m not going to take a child away from his mother.

But I don’t know what the hell I’m walking into.

How did this happen? Why?” His last question dropped with the force of a bomb.

Agony ravaged his words, and she was struck once again by the gravity of her choices.

“I’m sorry—”

“No. I appreciate you have regrets, but I want to know why . Why did you hide him from me? Are you using drugs?”

Her eyes bulged. His words cut straight to her heart. “No. Of course not. I’ve never touched drugs.” She couldn’t say the same for Keetan—nothing would surprise her at this point.

She lowered herself back into the chair because her legs couldn’t hold her up any longer.

“You have every right to hate me.” She kept her gaze focused on his face, even though it killed her to do so.

He deserved to know the truth, and to have her not cower away.

“Every choice I made was fueled by fear and... and desperation. Please understand that before you think I deliberately wanted to hide Bray from you.”

His expressions stayed firm and unreadable.

She rolled in her lips and rubbed her hands on her bare thighs. “When I met you in Fargo, that was the first time I’d left Keetan. I had to keep moving because I knew he’d come after me.”

“Why? You broke up with him and he continued to pursue you?”

“Yes,” she said. “He’s very possessive and controlling. Years ago, when we were first together, I wasn’t even allowed to see my sister. He always accused me of cheating. Now I realize that he was afraid I’d tell people what I knew about him.”

“And what’s that?”

She squirmed. She had no desire to protect Keetan, but his past was tied with hers.

Brick was angry and had already threatened to take Bray, so as a mother trying her best to protect her son, she wasn’t going to take any chances.

Brick could turn her in the first chance he got, get full custody of Bray, and cut her out of the picture once she was in jail.

“Natalie, I need answers here.”

“And I don’t even know you,” she said, throwing her arms up. “You could hand me over to the police in a heartbeat.”

“I didn’t, though. Could have. But didn’t.”

“Only because you wanted to confront me.”

His jaw rocked, and stillness fell over his face. After a long minute, he sighed, pulled out the chair across from her, and sat. He leaned forward on his elbows, meeting her at her level and tethering his gaze to hers.

“Natalie, I realize you don’t know me. From what I can tell, you’ve been through hell. I want to help. I can protect you and our son, but we need to trust each other. Please.”

She hadn’t anticipated the relief that filled her. Wasn’t prepared for the utter gratitude of having someone on her side. Someone who wanted to listen. Yes, she had Ellie, but she wasn’t capable of going up against Keetan.

Part of her wanted to refuse his help. He didn’t need to get involved in this mess. But she’d pushed him away three years ago and had regretted that decision every day of her life since.

She wouldn’t make the same mistake.

She nodded eagerly. “Okay, Brick. I trust you.”