Chapter Twenty Six

R achel stared at the date on her phone. July 27 th .

The air thickened, making the silence press in on her. She'd put the date out of her mind with everything happening between her and Ruger.

Turning her phone over, she tried to ignore the memories of the men threatening her. They couldn't kill her brother now. They were all dead.

While her brother had done bad things, he'd gone to prison. He'd paid for his crimes. Well, some of his crimes.

She picked up her cell and tried to call her brother's last phone number she had memorized but of course, the call wouldn't go through. Groaning in frustration, she had no way to contact him.

Checking the time, she stood from the couch. Ruger would be away for hours. She opened the Uber app. If she hurried, she could go home, talk to Shady, and return before Ruger returned.

Blowing her hair out of her eyes, she instantly shot down that idea. Ruger wouldn't want her going anywhere without him knowing.

She hated to call him when he was riding with the club. But if she wanted to check on her brother, she'd need to interrupt Ruger.

The call went to voicemail. She hesitated, hearing the digital voice. A message was better than nothing.

"Hey, it's me." She shoved her feet into her sneakers. "I'm going to take an Uber and go see my brother. I'll be quick. I should be home before you." She hesitated before saying goodbye. "I'll talk to you when I get home."

Home was the cottage. Home was with Ruger.

She disconnected the call, got money out of the bedroom, put fresh water out for Knight, and left the kitty with a kiss. Then, she walked outside to wait for her ride.

Less than ten minutes later, a small sedan pulled up. She double-checked the information on the phone, and the driver matched the photo.

She got in the back seat and confirmed the address. Rubbing her thighs, she tried to shake the nerves. She should've told her brother more about the kidnapping when he got out of prison. Instead, she was angry at him. All she could focus on was finding a way to Ruger.

The danger toward Shady was probably no longer valid, considering Ruger killed the men who'd kidnapped her, but she wouldn't be able to rest if her brother was in danger and she hadn't warned him.

She might not agree with Shady's actions or treatment of her, but he was the only family she had left.

A small part of her also wanted him to know precisely what her kidnapping had done to her. She would no longer feel completely safe anywhere. No matter if there was nobody after her. The thought of having to repeat the beatings left scars on her body and in her mind.

Shady was responsible for what happened to her and Ruger. He'd suffered, and he'd have to live the rest of his life with the fact that he killed four men because of her. She never received an apology or concern from Shady since he returned because he was too busy hanging with his boys, partying, and celebrating his release from prison.

Shady needed to know how his life could go from good to bad in a split second if he screwed over the wrong people. It might not be her they hurt next time. It could be him.

She looked at her phone again. Ruger still hadn't called her back. He must be riding. The vibrations from the Harley alone were enough to mute the vibration from the phone call.

The man in the driver's seat never spoke a word during the entire trip, which was fine with Rachel. She had time to sort out her thoughts and how to approach her brother. She wanted to keep the visit short and sweet—as sweet as she could get in when she talked about people threatening to murder her brother.

A mile from her childhood home, she called Ruger again. The voicemail came on. Not wanting to talk in front of the driver, she hung up. She'd already left a message. Ruger would hear it when he had time.

After being dropped off at the curb, she walked up to the house. Her brother's car was parked on the street in front of the house, but that often meant Corbin or someone else picked him up.

She walked up to the door and turned the doorknob. It was unlocked.

A shiver rolled over her spine. She looked behind her. Shady always locked the door when he was at home. If he wasn't already in hiding, he would be paranoid about people trying to find him.

She peeked inside. Steven sat at the table. She stepped inside, not even gaining his attention. She scanned the room. Corbin was asleep in her dad's old recliner, but there was no sign of Shady.

"Where's my brother?" she asked.

Steven flinched, grabbed all the sandwich bags in front of him, and shoved them into his coat pockets. Her upper lip twitched. There was no reason to wear a coat in July, except if you're trying to hide something.

"He ran to, uh, to the store." Steven stood up and walked over to the recliner, kicking Corbin's foot. "Get up, brah."

Corbin kicked out, missing Steven. "I'm not going anywhere until Shady's back, man."

"Where is my brother?" she asked again.

"Rachel?" Corbin lifted his head, squinting at her. "What are you doing here?"

She was going to get no answers out of Corbin. Her brother's friend had probably sampled whatever pills or drugs were in Steven's coat.

She walked into the kitchen, ignoring the two in the house. Looking around, she tried to find any sign that Shady would return soon. He hadn't taken his car. There was a bowl of soggy cereal on the counter, dirty dishes in the sink, and a fly buzzing around a half-eaten sandwich.

Turning away, she had to keep reminding herself that the house wasn't her problem any longer.

"Yo, Rach." Corbin lowered the recliner with a thunk . "Are you moving back?"

"No." She returned to the living room and looked through the pile of junk mail stacked on the arm of the couch. At least Shady was picking up the mail.

"Aw, that's too bad." Corbin stretched his arms out and yawned. "You always kept Shady walking the path."

She snorted. "He just got out of prison."

"You know what I mean." Corbin reached inside his jeans and scratched his balls. "He needs you."

Suspicious about Corbin talking to her about her brother when normally, he wouldn't give her any information about Shady, she crossed her arms. "Where is he? The truth?"

Corbin walked over to the window and peered out. "He was supposed to meet us here this morning. He never showed up."

"Did you call him?" she asked.

"Yeah but he never answered."

"Give me his number." She pulled her phone out of her back pocket. When Corbin hesitated, she raised her brows. "Now."

Corbin pulled out his cell. "Five-five-five-zero-one-three-zero."

She entered the number and connected the call. After the third ring, the recording came on that he still needed to set up his voicemail. It figured. Shady always bought pre-paid cell phones and got rid of them if his paranoia hit.

"Damn him." She put her cell back in her pocket. "I really need to talk to him."

"Do you want me to have him call you when he gets back?"

She shook her head. What she wanted to tell him needed to be done face to face.

"I gotta go." Steven zipped up his coat. "Once I have the money, I'll come back." He glanced at Rachel and then back to Corbin. "Tell Shady."

Corbin scratched his balls again. "If you don't come back. He'll be out for blood."

"Yeah-yeah-yeah." Steven walked out the door.

Rachel tucked her hair behind her ears. She hadn't planned on staying at the house, waiting for her brother. But she couldn't leave without talking to him.

Corbin walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. "Want a sandwich?"

"No."

How quickly she became a visitor to a place that used to be her home. Though, even when she lived here, Shady's friends came and went, acting as if they lived there.

"When do you think he'll come?" she asked.

Corbin shrugged, keeping his back to her. "Don't know. He's already late."

"Where did he go?"

"Around."

She rolled her eyes. He wasn't going to give her a straight answer.

Going down the hallway, she opened her bedroom door. There were still clothes in the closet and knickknacks she had accumulated throughout the years, but none of it meant anything to her. The bed was old and lumpy. The mattress and boxspring sat on the floor because, years ago, the frame had busted.

Sirens invaded her memories. She left the room and found Corbin peering behind the curtain out the window.

It wasn't unusual to have cops in the neighborhood. They lived in the poorer section of Offshore.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Corbin let the curtain fall in place. "I think they're coming here."

"Why?" She walked over to the window.

Corbin stepped in front of her, keeping her from looking out. "We need to get out of here."

"I haven't done anything." She pushed him, trying to get him out of her way. "They're probably going to the neighbors. The kid that lives there is always going to juvie."

"Nah." Corbin raced around the room, looking under the couch cushions and the drawer in the stand holding the television. "Come on. Come on."

"What are you looking for?" She stepped toward the window and looked out.

The police were getting out of the patrol cars. Her adrenaline spiked. They were parked behind Shady's car.

"God damnit, where would he put it?" Corbin raced down the hallway.

She had no idea what Corbin was looking for but assumed it was the rest of the drugs that Steven had smuggled in his coat.

She looked back outside. Shit.

The police were coming up the walkway. She went to the entrance of the hallway. "Corbin?"

Going to her brother's bedroom, she opened the door. His bedroom window was open. Corbin had run, leaving her alone to deal with the cops.

Bang. Bang. Bang. "Open the door. This is the Offshore police."

She had no idea what was in the house. Shady and his friends could have anything that could earn them a dollar, and she could guarantee it either wasn't legal or it was hot.

Going to the front door, she inhaled deeply. She knew the rules. The police needed a search warrant to come inside.

Bang. Bang.

She flipped the lock and opened the door, squeezing through the small opening she'd made and closing it behind her. "What happened?"

She needed to put them on the defense. Regular, law-abiding citizens would first panic that a loved one was killed in an accident.

The closest officer kept his hand on the butt of the pistol in his holster. "We're looking for Jeremy Silverstone. Is he here?"

"Jeremy?" She cupped the front of her neck. "He's my brother. He's working on one of the fishing ships. He's not supposed to be back until the end of Aug—oh, my God. Did something happen to him?"

The lies spilled out of her. How many had she told the police over the years in an attempt to protect her father and now her brother? She sniffed, pretending to cry. She was fuming. She'd give him a piece of her mind the next time she saw him.

"Miss, we need to find your brother." He took out a small notepad. "What's the name of the ship?"

"Oh, God." She shook her head. "I don't know."

"When did he leave?"

"I-I don't know." She inhaled deeply. "Are you sure he's okay? He didn't get hurt? I told him fishing boats are dangerous, and he wouldn't listen. He's not the strongest swimmer."

She was going to shake him. He was stupid for getting into trouble soon after just getting out of prison.

The officer took out a business card and held it out to her. "When Jeremy comes home, please call that number and for Officer Ricker."

She nodded, staying outside until the two cop cars were headed away from the house, and then she slipped inside. She breathed a sigh of relief as a deep vibration filled the house. Rushing to the window, she looked out.

Ruger pulled into the driveway. Relief swept through her, and she opened the door and ran out.

He caught her halfway down the driveway. "You need your ass spanked."

She held him tighter. There was no use arguing. She was stupid to come here, but even Ruger couldn't stop her from wanting to protect her brother despite how much Shady deserved what was coming to him.

"I had to come."

"Not without me. Never without me." He pulled her head back and looked her in the eyes. "Do you know what went through my head when I pulled onto the street and found two cop cars in front of the house, knowing you were here?"

She cringed. "I'm sorry."

"You have no fucking clue." He palmed the back of her head.

His hand shook. The truth hit her hard. She'd scared him.

He hadn't tried to call her back when he got her message. He'd come riding to her as fast as he could, and then, with the cops here, he thought he'd lost her.

She threw her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly, wishing she was as big as him to give a proper hug. The kind of hug he gave her when it felt like he held her together and wouldn't let her fall apart.