Trey

📖 Excerpt

Saturday, March 19, 2022

Trey Walker

I stood outside the hospital room door, waiting patiently in the corridor for my brother to arrive. I'd just learned the devastating news from Charlie, but before I dragged Magnus out of the room to hear it for himself, I wanted to see my brother’s face to confirm that what she said was true.

God knows, if it was, it was going to be devastating.

Perhaps not so much for Magnus as it would be for Ava. Her life had been irrevocably changed in a matter of days. The effect this news would have on her was going to add insult to injury, with a bucketful of pain, heartache, and mourning to follow. Perhaps, times two. At least for Ava. She had a long, tough road ahead of her, according to her doctors.

She’s alive. That’s all that matters.

The little voice in my head had been repeating that every time I looked at the beaten and battered woman. It was true. She was alive. That was all that mattered, and since the prognosis was good, some of the tension had eased out of my shoulders. Mostly. Okay, that was a lie. Yeah, I was relieved that Ava was all right. Honest to God relieved, even if it meant my entire life was about to go into a tailspin.

I did my best not to eavesdrop on a couple of nurses talking quietly two doors down while I stared toward the end of the hall, waiting for my brother to appear. It could’ve been ten minutes or ten hours—time had long since stood still since we’d found Ava March beaten and broken, hovering dangerously close to death. I finally heard Brantley’s voice echoing down the hallway, bouncing off the tiled floors and the false ceiling above.

I steeled myself, and the moment Brantley came into view, I met my younger brother’s gaze, exhaling for the first time in what felt like forever. What Charlie had told me was true. Of that, I was certain.

“You have a chance to talk to Magnus yet?” Brantley asked when he was close enough to keep his voice at a normal level.

I shook my head. Rather than admit I'd been too chickenshit to relay the news myself, I said, “I didn’t want to pull him away from her until I had to.”

Brantley’s expression held a wealth of sympathy. “I think it’d be best if we told him first, let him decide how he wants to relay the information to Ava.”

I appreciated that Brantley thought I had a choice in the matter. What my brother didn’t realize was that Magnus was acting like a bristly grizzly keeping his cub safe as he sat watch over Ava, ensuring no one did anything that might cause her any more pain. I understood the protective instinct because I felt the same overwhelming need to wrap her in cotton and tuck her away so nothing could get to her. I wasn’t sure where the instinct came from, but it was there all the same.

“It won’t go over well, regardless,” I mumbled. “Bad news never does.”

“You wanna grab him?” Brantley prompted, nodding toward the door.

Not really, no. I forced myself to turn toward the door, slowly opening it. My gaze shot to Ava lying in the hospital bed, looking so young, so pale and fragile after her horrific ordeal. She was hooked up to wires and tubes, stark white bandages prominent against her sallow skin, covering the damage done by the bastard Ava was married to. I had to admit seeing her like that pained me in a way I didn’t understand. Hell, there was so much about this situation that pained me, I was surprised I could breathe without choking on my confusion and anger.

“Magnus,” I said softly, not wanting to wake Ava, although the pain meds kept her sedated.

“Hmm?” His gaze lifted, those hazel eyes wary as he stared at me.

“Brantley and Reese are outside. They need to talk to you.”

He looked over at Ava, then back at me. “Do I have to?”

“Yeah. You need to hear what they have to say.”

Reluctantly, Magnus nodded as he slowly rose to his feet. He reached over, lightly tugged Ava’s blanket higher to keep her warm, before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her temple. “I’ll be right back.”

She didn’t move, and the monitor tracking her heart rate remained steady at the side of the bed.

Taking a deep breath, I waited for Magnus to join me, then opened the door and let him precede me into the hall.

“We’ll make this quick,” Reese said as soon as I closed the door behind me. “But we figured you needed to know before someone leaked the information.”

“What information?” Magnus glanced between the three of us. “Did they arrest that bastard?”

I squared my shoulders, preparing to let Magnus lean on me if he needed to.

“Harrison Rivers is dead, Magnus,” Brantley said.

I appreciated the fact that my brother didn’t mince words.

Magnus frowned, his dark eyebrows slashing downward over tired eyes. “Dead? How?”

I noticed that Reese’s gaze had dropped to the floor, and I fought the urge to look away, too.

“Ava’s mother shot and killed him,” Brantley relayed.

Magnus’s eyes widened.

That’s not the worst part, I thought. Brace for it.

Brantley plowed forward. “Then she took her own life.”

When Magnus staggered back, I reached for him, putting an arm around his shoulders and drawing him in close.

“She’s gonna be devastated,” Magnus whispered, turning into my arms. “She’s been through enough.”

That was an understatement. The only good thing about any of this was the fact that Ava had survived her husband’s brutal attack and his blatant disregard when he dumped her lifeless body in a field, wrapped in a rug. The bastard had left her for dead, not even bothering to realize he hadn’t stolen the life from her body completely. I couldn’t fathom what that had been like for Ava. Regaining consciousness, finding herself alone. No doubt she’d been terrified, left to die in a field, having to get to safety with numerous bones shattered inside her body.

I held on to Magnus, letting him know without words that I was there as the anger churned in my veins. I was grateful Harrison Rivers was dead. Otherwise, there was a good chance we’d have another tragedy on our hands. One that would result in someone spending a lifetime in prison. There was no doubt in my mind that Magnus was capable of killing the bastard as payback for what he’d done to Ava.

“She has,” Brantley agreed, his tone somber. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if it makes it easier for you, I can be the one to tell her.”

Magnus shook his head, pulled himself together, and extricated himself from my arms. “No. I’ll do it. She needs to hear it from me.”

Yes, Magnus was a better man than me. If it were up to me, I'd let someone else tell Ava. Then again, I had never been much for confrontation.

I looked at my brother.

Brantley nodded. “As of right now, you’ve officially contracted the services of Sniper 1 Security. I’m gonna talk to the hospital, let them know that we’ll be stationing agents in the building to ensure no one gets up here. Give the media some time to die down.”

“I can’t afford it, but I’ll do whatever it takes,” Magnus said, his voice only slightly steadier than before.

Brantley smiled, although there wasn’t any amusement in it. “We’re doin’ this free of charge, man.”

“You don’t have—”

“You’re family,” Brantley said firmly, his gaze briefly darting to my face. “There’s no other way to do it.”

I appreciated everything my brother had done for Magnus over the past few days. All the work that had gone into finding Ava, rescuing her from her rescuer. I wanted to thank the woman who had safely stowed Ava away, ensuring her husband couldn’t find her, but I also wanted to throttle her for putting Magnus through hell as we combed every inch of the area she’d been dumped, searching for her. It hadn’t been easy, and I knew the hard part was yet to come despite the fact that Ava was now safely recovering from her horrific injuries.

Brantley put a hand on Magnus’s shoulder, squeezed. “We’ll get goin’, but if you need anything at all, just holler.”

Something flashed on Brantley’s hand, catching my attention.

I reached for his arm, pulled it back. “What’s this?” I asked, tapping the ring on Brantley’s finger.

Brantley pulled his hand away, but not before I noticed the blush on my brother’s face. Had the man ever blushed before?

I looked at Reese. “Did you…?” My gaze shot to Brantley. “Are y’all…?”

“He did, and we are,” Brantley said firmly, clearly closing the door on the conversation by adding, “And that’s all we’re gonna say about it.” Brantley narrowed his gaze. “And don’t you dare tell Mom and Dad.”

My brother was getting married. Despite the somber moment, I was thrilled for him but decided to refrain from celebrating. That would have to wait until later.

With a quick wave, Brantley turned and strolled back the way he came, Reese right next to him.

“How do I tell her about her mom?” Magnus asked, looking up at me.

I honestly didn’t know. I knew so very little about Ava March as it was, having only met the woman once.

“I’ll be right there with you,” I assured him, wanting the man to know that regardless of what the future brought, I had no intention of drifting too far away.

I had a feeling my life was about to take a very different turn than anything I could’ve anticipated, but I knew what I felt for Magnus was real. Real enough that I had already committed—at least to myself—for the long haul.

Little did I know, but that different turn was going to alter everything I'd once thought about myself.

* * *

Thursday, March 31, 2022

Magnus Storme

I sat at Ava’s bedside, watching over her as she slept. She’d been awake more today than yesterday, which was significant progress considering she’d been kept sedated for nearly the entire first week she was in this bed. The doctors were easing up on the pain medication now that her surgeries were completed. With time, she would be as good as new, they had assured me.

What exactly did that mean? As good as new? What constituted new? The woman had been beaten and left for dead by a man who had vowed to love, honor, and cherish her for the rest of her life. How the hell did someone get past that? Much less reach a place in their mind when they were as good as new. Sure, maybe the scars would fade over time, but would the memories ever fade? Doubtful. I knew from experience what tragedy felt like.

As it did any time I thought about my parents and my sister, my chest tightened, and my sinuses heated. Thirteen years was a long time, and during that period, my heart had mended some, but there were still cracks that would always remain, ones that I'd stopped trying to heal because it was useless. At times, the memories would make those cracks grow, then I'd face life as I knew it now, and the pain would slowly dissipate until the next time I thought about it.

Try as I might, I couldn’t bring myself back to the present, my thoughts drifting to that fateful day thirteen years ago.

“Magnus, there’s someone on the phone for you.”

I looked up from my spot on Mrs. Teton’s couch, where I'd been playing video games with my best friend, Brian, since I got to their house last night. We’d dozed here and there, alternating between that and playing the video game we’d been waiting a million years for. At least it felt like it had been that long.

“Did your girlfriend find you?” Brian chided, punching me in the leg when I stood up.

“Quit it, asshole.” I laughed, shoving his shoulder as I hopped over him to get to the phone sitting on the highboy in the Tetons’ game room. “Yeah? Hello?”

“Magnus, you need to come home, son.”

“Edgar?” I chuckled. “Tell my dad I’m not workin’ today. I said I—”

“Magnus, come home,” Edgar reiterated, his voice strained. “There’s been an accident.”

A cold chill washed over me, the phone clutched tightly in my hand. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ll tell you when you get here, son.”

I wanted to tell him not to call me son because I damn sure wasn’t. The old man worked for my dad, but he wasn’t family. I didn’t speak the words aloud because my throat felt tight. Edgar would only call if it were important.

“Fine,” I said. “I’ll be home in a minute.”

I hung up the phone and marched over to the couch. I dropped down so I could pull on my shoes.

“You gotta go, dude?” Brian asked, sparing me the briefest of glances as he continued to play the game.

“Edgar said somethin’ happened,” I admitted.

“Prob’ly just one of those dogs got sick or somethin’,” Brian muttered.

I knew it wasn’t that. My dad wouldn’t have Edgar call me because one of the dogs at the kennel was sick. He would’ve just called the vet like he did every other time.

With a huff, I got to my feet, grabbed my coat off the back of the couch. “I’ll call ya later, dude.”

“Cool,” Brian muttered absently.

I heard Mrs. Teton calling out a goodbye as I headed for the front door. I stepped out onto the porch and stared up at the sky. It was gloomy today, and the wind was colder than it had been yesterday. There was a hint of smoke in the air. Probably someone had their fireplace going. Winter had finally arrived after dragging out summer for far too long.

I grabbed my bike and walked it to the gravel driveway that would take me to the main road leading back to my house. We lived in the sticks, so there weren’t a lot of houses, only fields and cows, because that’s what you got in a small town. And our town was so small we didn’t even have a stoplight in downtown.

Frustrated that Edgar had made me leave, I let my temper warm me as I left my best friend’s house and rode the two miles to mine. I passed the worn and weathered sign that signaled Storme Kennels was up ahead. I didn’t understand how my dad could be so proud of that sign and then let it get all run-down and shit. If I owned the kennel, I would make sure the sign was shiny all the time. Let people know I cared about what I did. Instead, my dad put all the money into taking care of the dogs he had, running himself ragged just to keep up, instead of trying to bring in more business.

It wasn’t all bad, though. I made money working for my dad, helping out. At first, I'd hated it. But I'd been six when my dad first told me to go scoop dog poop. Worst job ever. But after a while, it was just something I did, and now my dad let me do more. I kinda liked it, but I wouldn’t tell my dad that. No way was I gonna let him think I'd one day take over the kennels. I had bigger plans. Ones that involved going to college and getting a degree. In what, I didn’t know yet, but by God, I wouldn’t be scooping crap for the rest of my life.

I reached the end of my driveway and stopped for a minute. I pulled the collar of my coat up around my ears to block out the wind. I should’ve grabbed my gloves and hat before I left yesterday.

The smoke smell was thicker here. I looked around, trying to find the plumes drifting up into the sky, but there weren’t any. The ranch down the road probably burned brush last night. They did it all the time, and it stunk up the air for days.

I hopped off my bike and walked it up the driveway. I ran through a dozen conversations I intended to have with my dad about what it meant to be a teenager. They’d told me I could stay at Brian’s. Nobody said nothing about having to come home early. Didn’t he know that defeated the purpose of hanging out?

God, why couldn’t they just accept that I didn’t want to work at the kennels every day? I had better things to do. No, I didn’t mind the work, but only because there was money, but still. I preferred to hang out with my friends on the weekends. Brian and I were gonna go to Chelsea Upling’s house today. Her mom was working, and her dad didn’t live there anymore, so she said we could come over and hang out for a while. I wouldn’t get to make out with her on the couch if I had to stay home and work at the stupid kennels.

I reached the bend in the driveway, the last point before the house would come into view. If I knew my dad, he was waiting on the front porch for me to appear. He always did that. Shouting at me to get a move on and get my butt to the kennels to help out. I stopped walking. What would they do if I didn’t come home right now? It’s not like my mom or dad were gonna go to Brian’s and drag me outta there. I could just go back, pretend Edgar never called. No one would even know.

I sighed. I'd come all this way already, and my hands were so cold they were numb. I might as well face the music, get the chores done, and then I could go back and—

I turned the corner, and my house came into view. I stopped walking, my heart leaping into my throat. Fire trucks and police cars dotted the landscape, blocking the view of the house. I dropped my bike and took off running, choking on the fear and anxiety that flooded my bloodstream.

I reached the house, my vision blurred by tears as the worst-case scenario hit me. We’d lost the house and everything in it. Did my parents even think to grab my model car collection?

“Magnus! Stop!”

I heard Edgar’s voice, but it barely registered as I ran full out toward the house. I was almost there when strong arms banded around me, effectively stopping me by swinging me around.

“I gotta get my cars!” I shouted.

“Magnus. Son! Stop!”

“I’m not your son! Let me go!”

“You can’t go in there. They won’t let you.”

“My dad’ll make them,” I countered hotly, struggling to release his grip.

I stared blankly at the foot of Ava’s bed. That had been the day my entire world had shattered. Edgar hadn’t held me back so I couldn’t get to my stupid cars. He’d held me back so he could break the devastating news that my parents and my sister had died in the fire that destroyed half of our house.

My gaze strayed to Ava, and for a brief moment, I saw the little girl who’d lived next door. The cute little blond girl who was always doing cartwheels in the front yard, a huge smile on her face. The one who had been there for me every day after that for as long as she could. She’d suffered a loss that day, too. My sister had been Ava’s best friend. They were thick as thieves, inseparable. Until that one fateful night when the cold temperatures forced my father to break out one of the old space heaters.

I wanted to think that if Ava could make it through that, she could make it through this. I had lost all the family I had that day, so I understood what Ava was going through. Her mother had been her only family, and now she was gone.

I recalled the devastating look on Edgar’s face when the old man had relayed that information. It had nearly broken him because we’d all been like family to Edgar. How in the hell was I going to break the news to Ava that her mother was gone forever?

* * *

Two weeks later…

Ava March

“You’re goin’ home today,” Magnus announced when he strolled through the hospital room door.

I wasn’t sure why he sounded happy. Didn’t he realize I couldn’t go home?

I glanced over at him, grateful for his presence even if I couldn’t spare a smile. My mind was muddled. I couldn’t recall much of the conversations that had taken place over the past few weeks. I remembered the police coming to talk to me, but I wasn’t sure what they’d asked, much less what I'd told them. I recalled Magnus mentioning something about my mom when I insisted they bring Renee to the hospital. I probably should’ve paid more attention, but the truth was, I'd let the drugs lull me, giving me an excuse not to care about anyone or anything for a little while.

Now I was right back where I started, only with more scars and very little hair. And it was time to go home.

Even the thought caused tears to fill behind my eyes.

I did not want to get within a hundred miles of my bastard husband. I knew if I did, I would end up in the same situation. Only next time, he wasn’t going to be so careless. He wouldn’t just leave me for dead; he’d bury me in the ground to ensure I stayed dead.

If only I'd followed my heart all those years ago. Maybe if I had, I'd be married to Magnus, helping him run Camp K-9. We might even have a kid or two by now. But no, I'd gone and done something stupid, desperate for love from anyone who would graciously offer it. Then that bastard had come along and snowed me with his sweet talk and kind smile. A monster in human form, that was what Harrison Rivers was.

“What’s wrong, little one?” Magnus asked, his tone both soothing and teasing.

Magnus had called me that for as long as I could remember. Since we were kids and Tabby and I were pelting him with questions about everything. I knew he’d been picking on me at first because that’s what boys did, and since I'd always been the smallest kid around, everyone had picked on me. Despite Magnus’s teasing back then, he’d been the brightest light in my young heart. I'd been so in love with him that I'd even vowed to one day be Mrs. Magnus Storme.

Of course, those had been the musings of a little girl. I hadn’t been old enough to know what love really was when his mere presence made my heart flutter for the first time. Despite my crush and the events that had changed both our lives, Magnus had always been there for me. Always remained my friend, a strong shoulder to lean on when I had no one else.

I was so eternally thankful he’d been with me these past weeks as I started the long road to recovery that the doctors had laid out for me, but I knew that time was coming to an end.

“Nothing,” I lied easily, forcing a smile. “I’m just ready to get outta here.”

“I’m sure you are.” He stepped around to the side of the bed, his muscular body filling the space and making me feel safer than I had in longer than I could remember.

His expression sobered as he placed his hand over mine. My gaze snapped down, staring at his sun-kissed skin as his hand covered my much paler one. Oh, how I'd wanted this man to touch me for so long. Back before I'd made the biggest mistake of my life and married a monster. Now it was too late. I'd made my bed, which meant I had to lie in it.

I let my gaze skim over him briefly as I exhaled. His beautiful hazel eyes churned with emotion, something I'd seen quite often over the years. Magnus wasn’t one of those men who shielded everyone from what he was thinking. He was the guy who told you how it was and didn’t feel bad about it. The longer I stared, the more I saw, and I knew he was going to break the bad news that I had to go back to Harrison. I was still so tired, something the doctors assured me would pass. The more I healed, the better I would feel, but I had to be patient.

“I don’t wanna go home,” I whispered, hating that tears were forming in my eyes. Not that I wanted to stay here either, but I didn’t know where else to go. I needed to figure out where my mom was. If I knew Harrison, he’d put her in a hospital somewhere, locked her away to rot. That was what he always threatened to do. When he wasn’t threatening to slit her throat, that was.

Magnus didn’t remove his hand from mine even as he reached for the chair he’d sat in for days on end, dragging it closer to the bed.

When he took a seat, I met his gaze again and saw something familiar in it. They held the same remorse and grief I'd seen once before. Back when his parents and sister had died in the fire.

My heart pinched in my chest as realization dawned. Bits and pieces of those forgotten conversations came back to me. Tears formed on my lashes. I tried to hold them back because I'd cried far too many this past month. “He killed her, didn’t he?”

It was the only explanation for why my mother hadn’t come to see me. I'd figured Harrison hadn’t let her, but I knew that was wishful thinking.

Magnus’s fingers curled tightly around my hand. “No, little one.”

“But she’s dead.” I knew that like I knew my own name. I could see it in his eyes.

He nodded, his head barely tilting with the movement.

“When? How?”

I watched as his jaw clenched and his throat worked on a swallow.

“Tell me,” I insisted, my head too heavy to lift off the pillow.

“The night we found you,” he said, his voice rougher than usual. “Your mom … she killed Harrison and then…”

“Took her own life,” I whispered, my chest squeezing.

Magnus nodded.

I stared at him as the news sank in. I wouldn’t lie and say I wasn’t grateful Harrison was dead. I felt nothing for him anymore. After what he’d done to me, the bastard deserved to be rotting in the ground. I only hoped he’d suffered beforehand.

“Ava? Talk to me.”

I wanted to be angry that Magnus hadn’t told me, but I was too numb to do that. It wasn’t his fault anyway. My mother had been trying to end her life for so long that it was inevitable that it happened.

“How’d she kill him?” I rasped, tears clogging my throat.

“Ava,” he crooned, his thumb brushing over the top of my hand.

“Tell me, Magnus.”

His gaze briefly shifted toward the door. He looked like he was trying to compose himself. When he met my gaze again, I saw the same conviction I'd seen in the young boy who’d lost his mom, dad, and sister in one devastating night.

“She killed him with his own gun.”

“How?” I wanted to know the details. I wanted to know how that monster’s life had ended. It was only fair since he’d attempted to take mine.

Magnus took a deep breath. “She shot him in the back of the head while he was sleepin’.”

I sucked in a heavy breath and turned my gaze away. “How did she get the gun?”

“They don’t know. It was a revolver. They found three bullets in her bedroom, and there was one left in the gun.”

Which meant she had intended to do what she did—one bullet in Harrison, one in herself. If I knew my mother, she’d have kept the other three hidden away so that if Harrison found the gun, she could steal it back and be able to do what she’d intended to do all along. Only I knew that killing Harrison hadn’t been part of Renee’s plan. She’d only intended to end her own suffering.

A sob escaped. I closed my eyes and let the tears fall.

“Ava … we’ll get through this together. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

I knew he meant that. Magnus didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep. Certainly not to me.

I managed a nod, more tears falling.

“God, baby, I’m so sorry.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I didn’t bother to tell him they weren’t so much tears of sadness or loss. They were from relief.

For the first time since I'd met Harrison Rivers seven long, painful years ago, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

No more abuse.

No more lying to people about the bruises and scars I carried.

No more having to lie next to the devil every night.

And my mother, despite all the pain and misery we’d suffered together because of her illness, had given that to me. She’d ultimately saved me.

Accepting that, I let the tears fall.