Chapter Seven
Brian blinkedand halted his car at the bottom of the stoop leading to his house in San Francisco. Lights were bright inside, and Christmas music blared from the partially open front door. Raucous laughter and loud talking made the atmosphere seem like a frat party.
Was he seeing straight? Two shadowy figures were curled around each other at the top of the stoop, kissing or more like, devouring each other. Unbelievable. He’d left town for a weekend and Cait was busy partying.
He narrowed his eyes at the couple grappling each other by the lips. It was hard to tell in the dark, but could it be possible Cait was cheating on him?
He couldn’t get into his garage due to the cars parked in front of it, and his jaw tightened as he circled the block for a parking spot. All the while, the image of the couple necking on his stoop, leaning against his wrought iron railing, in front of his door had steam hissing from under his collar.
How could Cait’s parents allow her to act out? Or were they also gone for the weekend? What about Connor? Wouldn’t he put a stop to it? But the way Connor was these days, he and Nadine were probably sleeping in their cute little artist’s loft. Jenna and Melisa would be back at the apartment they shared. Rob might be working, and Larry could be at the firehouse.
Pain stabbed his gut at the thought of Cait having fun with another man. She was supposed to be his friend, a loyal one who’d always stuck by him. True, they had an arranged marriage, one that benefited both of them. Cait said she was being pressured by her parents to get married, being the eldest of her family, and he needed a wife to fulfil the terms of his parents’ will.
They’d settled into a comfortable and friendly relationship, and were thankfully good in bed together, but lately, she seemed restless, jumping from one thing to another. Perhaps Connor was warning him to come home, because he knew what she was up to.
Unable to find a parking spot, Brian roared down the street and double-parked his car, blocking his own driveway.
He slammed the door and barged up the brick stairs.
Cait’s back was toward him, and she was so into the heavy kissing, she didn’t respond to his heavy footsteps.
“Cait. I’m back,” Brian shouted as he clamped his hand on her shoulder and yanked her from the arms of the man in question.
“What the—?” Her voice sounded strangely slurred, but he shoved her behind his back.
“Get off my property.” Brian cocked his fist at the cheeky guy who dared to make out with his wife.
He threw a punch, but the guy ducked and blocked it martial arts style. Cait screamed for help and banged on the door, distracting Brian for a split second.
Why would she bang on her own door instead of opening it and running inside?
A fist socked his gut and Brian was knocked down. Someone restrained him from the back, and the guy proceeded to pummel Brian.
“Hold it.” Connor’s voice prevailed over all of the shouts. “Everyone, break it up.”
“This guy was all over my wife.” Brian struggled against the hands holding him back. “On my own porch.”
His accusations were met with loud gusts of laughter from all the guys around.
“Hey, dude, you might need glasses.” Larry appeared out of nowhere and clasped his shoulder. “Cait’s not here.”
Brian gaped and turned toward the woman he thought was Cait. In the dim light of the porch, she did resemble her, down to her flowing auburn hair. Of course, now that he looked at her face, it was plain she wasn’t Cait.
“Where’s Cait?” Brian spun around gawking at his in-laws. His stomach fell when he recognized the man who punched him was Grady, Cait’s brother.
The cocky young man grinned. “Sorry about the gut punch, but you had it coming.”
“I thought my wife was, never mind,” Brian said, lamely. “What’s everyone doing here, and where’s Cait?”
“She went to go look for you,” Connor said. “I tried calling you to tell you to turn around, but you weren’t answering your phone.”
Brian patted his pockets as a sinking feeling turned his stomach. “I might have left my phone at the diner or the battery’s dead. Are you saying Cait’s out there at the cabin? By herself?”
“That’s what her note says,” Larry said, as they walked into the house.
“Let’s call her and see if she made it,” Connor said. He called her, but shook his head when the call went to voicemail. “She’s either out of range or she turned off her phone.”
“She’s probably at the cabin then, since there’s no cell service there,” Brian conceded.
