Page 44 of Heartless (Scathing Hearts #1)

Chapter Thirty-Nine—He’s gone

Jake

I drove my hands in my pockets, unable to look anywhere but at her.

Stopping close, her small hand lifted to my chest, and the light touch cleaved through me.

“I’m so sorry about your dad,” she whispered.

“He died.”

Her soft eyes filled with tears, and she nodded.

My throat got tight. “He’s gone.”

Her hand slid to my jaw with a soothing softness only she possessed. “I know.”

I yanked her to me and buried my face in her neck until she was all I could feel. When her arm wrapped tight around me and her hand gripped the back of my neck, I inhaled her scent, absorbing her inside of me.

Someone touched my arm. “We should be going soon,” Cam said.

When I moved back, Sienna’s beautiful gaze studied me. “Are you ready?”

“Let’s go.”

Keeping her close, I tucked her to my side, and we headed to the door. I jerked my chin to Sile who responded in kind. Bianc and Cam were smiling through their tears, and I pecked both their heads.

While I led Sienna to my car, Cam and Bianc went to Sile’s truck. When I reached for the passenger door, she said, “Are you going to be okay to drive?”

“Yes, baby.”

I grabbed her waist to sit her in and closed the door. Five minutes in the twenty-minute drive, I glanced at her. “Thank you for coming.”

Her lopsided smile stayed on her lips. “Thank you for not kicking me out.”

I took her hand and placed it on my thigh while she quietly continued. “Which reminds me—”

She pulled her hand from mine and reached into her purse at her feet to get her cell. After a few taps on the screen, she dropped it back in the leather bag.

I claimed her hand back. “Work?”

“No, I’ve cancelled the Uber ride back to your condo.”

Fuck.

“Baby, last Sunday—”

“Jake, we’ll talk about it, but can we not do this now? Today, I’m here for the Jake who’d just lost his dad.”

“They’re one and the same.”

What flitted over her expression got my neck tight. It was gone when she asked, “What happened?”

“His vitals started to spike. They called his neurologist in case he was waking up, but...” I cleared my throat. “He died.”

Her fingers stiffened under my hand, and I kissed her wrist. “What kind of memorial service will he have?”

“He was cremated on Wednesday. Cam, Sile, and I called some of his friends. Not sure how many will show.”

“He’ll be with your mother and your sister.”

“Fucking hope so, baby.”

I veered into the parking spot, and Sile’s truck slid beside mine while Sienna turned off her cell.

****

Sienna

We were seated on the first-row bench, on the right side of the aisle in the high ceilinged, cream-walled funeral home. I was settled between Camila, who’d scooted closer to me and over the space Jake had occupied before he’d walked to the stage, and Bianca.

Lenny was there too. He was across from us on the other side of the aisle, and on our way in, I spotted Dr. Nuys seated on the edge of the second-row bench beside Willie Devereaux’s wheelchair.

Jake was standing on the narrow stage. On his left side, the silver urn containing his father’s ashes was displayed on top of a pillar and set in front of a standing wreath made of a mix of white flowers. It was a sizable crowd of mourners. James Rhodes seemed to have been liked by a lot of people.

Jake’s first words filled the room. “Fathers are someone to look up to. Someone to be proud of.” His eyes closed and his chest rose slowly. “In the hope they’d return that pride...”

My first tear dropped. Bianca sniffled, and Silas’s big arm curled around her shoulders to draw her to his side. She burrowed her face in the sheltering nook of his shoulder.

After the heart-wrenchingly beautiful eulogy, Jake descended the three steps of the stage while people started lining up to offer their condolences.

Bianca was curled against Silas, who now had both his arms around her and was murmuring in her hair while Jodie was swiping gentle fingers on Camila’s cheek. I was thirsty, so I stood up and, as discreetly as possible, started to move through the small assembly.

I pivoted toward the buffet table as someone said, “Sorry for your loss, Jake. Your father was never the same after losing Joan and the baby—”

Oh no. I wound my way through bodies with an apologetic smile and a few ‘excuse me’s.’ When I reached Jake’s side, I twined my fingers through his. Our eyes locked for a long moment, then he returned his attention to the mourners.

I stayed beside him and nodded at strangers until people had dispersed into small groups getting reacquainted. When Jake, Silas, and Bianca started talking to a couple, I paced toward the buffet table.

As I reached for a bottle of water, someone spoke behind me. “Good morning, pretty girl.”

Twisting toward a dapper-looking Willie, dressed in his dark grey suit and olive tie, I grinned. “Hello, handsome.” I pointed at the table. “Can I get you something?”

His white brows wiggled. “Some food with cholesterol and salt with a whisky sour sure would hit the spot, but I’ll settle for a beer and the frilly food.”

After pulling a beer from the metal vat filled with ice, I piled a plate with hors d’oeuvres. “Can we sit? Those heels are killing me.”

He winked at me. “But they do wonders for those shapely gams of yours.”

I followed him to the side of the room where four plush upholstered chairs had been set against the wall. I sat on the chair at the end of the row, and Willie locked his wheelchair beside me. I handed him his beer he placed in a cupholder of his chair before he took his plate from me.

Scooting to the edge of my chair, I clamped my fingers around my water bottle. “Did you know James?”

“Yes and no. His room had the best view. When I wanted to escape the old people, I used to sneak into his room and share my war stories.” He grinned. “He was a good listener, and he never complained about me imposing.”

His lighthearted tone didn’t quite hide the loneliness of his words, and I touched his arm. “I would love to listen to your stories.”

****

Jake

Zook clapped my back. “Edo sends his regards. How are you?”

“I’m good.”

His chin jerked. “Whatever you need, son.”

I shook his hand. “Thanks, Zook.”

After kissing Bianc’s head and Cam’s cheek, he turned to Sile. “Silas, walk with me.”

While Sile fell in step beside him, Bianc touched my arm. “That was a beautiful eulogy. I don’t think there was a single dry eye in the room.”

Jo and Cam came from the side, each holding a drink.

Where was Sienna?

When Pa’s old friend had mentioned my mother and unborn sister, pain had hit. Then, she’d been there, and her presence had carried me through.

I clocked her on the other side of the room, in deep conversation with Leslie Nuys and Willie Devereaux.

Sile came back alone. “Why is Sienna talking to James’s doctor?”

Spreading her goodness, no doubt. I kept my voice low. “Everything good with Zook?”

His eyes tracked Bianc who was talking with Jo. “Yup.” He slapped my shoulder. “Could murder a steak.”

After tagging the urn and the framed picture of my father, I made my way to Sienna.

****

Back at the house, Cam kissed my cheek. “I prepared a charcuterie tray earlier. We can have that while I make lunch.”

“Sounds good, Cam. Thanks.”

She squeezed my arm before striding toward the kitchen, followed by Jo.

Bianc groaned. “Thank God.” She winked at Sienna. “I’ve brought pistachio gelato.”

“I could eat a whole tub, right now,” she whispered with a smile.

While Bianc strutted down the hallway, Sienna toed out of her shoes. “Silas, where did you put my bag?”

He jerked his chin toward the front living room. “In there.”

“Thank you,” she replied before picking up her heels.

I was two steps behind her. I set the urn and the picture frame on the coffee table while she twirled slowly in the living room with her eyes down.

“I must be tired. I can’t see my bag.”

“Have you checked the bedroom?”

“Ah. No.”

She went into the bedroom and came back, rolling her case behind her with her shoes dangling from her fingers. “Which room should I use?”

Nearing her, I tucked her hair behind her ear. “Mine.”

“I’d rather use one of the guest rooms,” she said quietly with her eyes on me.

I deserved that. “You’re angry.”

She shook her head. “It’s kind of a curse but I can’t stay angry for that long. But I didn’t come here to... rekindle whatever I had with you.”

Fucking deserved that too. But she was here now. There would be time to talk.

“Go get something to eat. I’ll put your bag in the guest room.”

****

Sienna

Lunch had been somewhat subdued, both because of the lingering sadness of the memorial, and because we were hungry. When I’d entered the kitchen earlier, Jake had walked past the archway with my suitcase in hand before sitting at the table. No one had said anything, but Camila had winked at me.

The house was quiet. Bianca and I had retreated to our rooms. Camila and Jodie had gone back to Camila’s because Jodie had only taken the morning off and had to go back to work. Jake had gone to run some errands with Silas, who was going to pick Camila up and bring her back here.

Now, sitting on the bed, I yawned, and the thick white comforter was siren-singing my name. The room itself was gorgeous and simply decorated. The clean lines of the light wood furniture made for a perfect canvas to the huge mirror on the wall facing the bed.

As my back melted into the plush comforter, Bianca’s muffled voice rose from behind the door. “Cara, are you asleep?”

Jumping on my feet, I opened the door. She too had gotten changed in one of her super awesome loungewear. This one, a pale blue.

Since this morning, she hadn’t been her usual self, and I’d attributed her somberness to her friend losing his father, but there was something else.

So, I pulled her in my arms in a tight hug.

When she sniffled, I did what Mom used to do, I led her to the bed where we laid on our sides, and I curled myself around her.

Her fingers linked to mine around her waist, and I snuggled closer.

“It’s not just the funeral, is it?”

Her whole body sighed. “I don’t want to marry him.”

Getting over the shock of her unexpected announcement, I kept my voice hushed. “Marry who?”

“Angelo Casta.”

“I didn’t know you were seeing someone.”

She rolled to her side, so we were facing each other. “I’m quite fond of him. He’s smart, handsome, and he loves me. Now, he wants to get married.”

I had no idea what to make of the dichotomy between her words and the sadness of her inflection. “He sounds wonderful. When did he propose?”

“He hasn’t. I found a ring in his jacket pocket the day Cami called me to tell me about James’s passing.”

“And you don’t want to marry him... because you’re not in love with him?”

Her lips pinched. “That and because I’m stupid.”

I leaned closer, and our heads were nearly touching. “No, you’re not.”

On a big exhale, she flopped onto her back, as much as someone as graceful as her could flop. I planted my elbow in the pillow and held my head in my hand.

“Yes, I am, cara. I’ve been pining for years for a man who sees me as his baby sister.”

“Is this someone I know?”

Bianca’s hair brushed the pillow in a nod while her face flushed.

“Are you talking about Jake?”

Her lips stretched in a wince. “Dio. No. Jake is like my brother.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “If you’re talking about Silas, I know for a fact he likes you. And not like a sister.”

She jolted and sat up against the bedhead. “How do you know?”

Sitting up cross-legged by her hip, I related my conversation with Silas.

Her eyes widened, and she gripped my hand. “That’s what he said?”

I’d never experienced Bianca vulnerable, and it made her even more beautiful.

I nodded. “Word for word. Do you know why he’d think he’s not good enough for you?”

“I have a pretty good idea,” she whispered. Then a smile lit up her face. “But nothing is insurmountable, cara.”

Not for her. So, Silas had better watch out for hurricane Bianca.

Without preamble, she changed the subject. “Matt texted me to thank me for introducing you.”

After I’d told her about our first date of sort—I’d left the disastrous kiss part out—she tilted her head to the side. “I’m glad you found a friend who nurtures your creativity, cara.”

“Me too.”

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stretched out her open palm. “The others will be back soon. I’m going to freshen up. Come. We have some catching up to do.”

Hand in hand, we went out of my room and straight to her quarters.