Page 77 of Brazen Obsession

Finn clears his throat and his gaze settles on Tom. “You can’t run from this.” Finn looks like an indulgent king at the end of the table. “This won’t go away.”

“I’m not running anymore.” Tom looks serious. He meets my eyes. “I need to protect all of my family.”

The jingle of Peabody’s collar catches my attention. He puts his front paws on me and whines. I rub the soft hair on his head, but I know what he wants.

“I need some air and to stretch my legs. Peabody wants a walk. Who’s going with me?” I go grab his leash.

“I’ll go.” Tom’s voice startles me.

I narrow my eyes on him.

“It’s time you and I talked, Sara. Too much shit is hitting the fan.” Tom glances around at the others. “If you guys don’t mind?”

“As long as Sara is okay with it.” Wyatt looks to me for the decision.

I draw in a breath. Am I ready to talk to my brother? Things have been tense. The guys seem to be doing better after the boxing this weekend. But I can’t just hit my brother and feel better. We have to start somewhere.

“Yeah, okay.” I drop down to hook Peabody’s collar.

“Max will go with you. He’s ending his shift.” Finn walks over and kisses me softly. “We’ll wait to go into the office until you get back.”

Tom and I head out the door and Max walks about three feet behind us, giving us a hint of privacy. For a few seconds, neither of us speaks. I’m not being unreasonable with needing time, but since we’re living together, it doesn’t hurt to start working through some of this.

“I never meant for you to get hurt, Sara.” Tom glances at me as if to read how that was received.

“I know you didn’t want me to get hurt, but you also didn’t properly prepare any of us.”

Peabody pulls on the leash and stops to sniff at a tree.

“I didn’t know what to do.” Tom breathes out and puts his hands on top of his head as we wait for Peabody. He scans the road. “She was going to be forced to marry that man and she’s pregnant with my child. I couldn’t let the woman I love be forced into that.”

“Why didn’t you talk to your friends about this? Did you really think none of them would understand?”

Tom looks at the ground. “And have them tell me I’m foolish and being rash? That I don’t know what love is?” He lifts his gaze and his sincerity shines through. “That I was stupid to go this course and should have told them from the beginning? The problem was, I was in too deep before I realized what I’d done. I couldn’t risk any of you getting too involved in this. I knew if they thought you guys knew anything, they might believe you’d go to the Feds.”

Tom steps toward me. “It’s why I told the guys to look after you and told you to go to them. I know you hate me for keeping them away from you. For driving a wedge between you, but I know these guys. Maybe they were trying to make it so I wouldn’t realize they all wanted you, but as much as I love them, I wouldn’t want you to be with someone like me.”

I shake my head. “Dante, Wyatt, and Finn aren’t like you. Yes, they were trying to bury their feelings for me, but I was trying to do the same thing. That’s the only reason I refused to go with them in the beginning.”

“I didn’t know Peter would come after you.” Tom’s green eyes meet mine. “Natasha had vanished before and her dad let her. I thought there might be a slim possibility he’d come after you. That’s why I told you to go to the guys. The people I was working for are dangerous, but I never imagined they’d use you to get to me.”

“What’s important is how we go forward,” I say. Rehashing this over and over won’t change the past. Peabody decides to walk again and I follow him. “I know you have a family now and I’ve got the guys, but you’re my flesh and blood. I can’t imagine a life without you in it.”

“I know I didn’t do everything I could have. And trust me, I’m paying for it.” He rubs the healing cut above his eye. “Dante and Finn don’t even want to talk to me about it. Wyatt is still my friend even after all the shit I put him through. I’m sorry for all of it, Sara. You have to believe me. I’m not running anymore. This time, I’m staying and fighting to protect what’s mine. I’m staying to protect you.”

I turn to talk to him and something flashes against a black car. A small pop fills the air. Max collapses to his knees behind us.

“Gun! Get down!” he shouts.

“Sara.” Fear fills Tom’s voice as he turns for me.

I squat to grab Peabody, but suddenly Tom’s covering me with his body as two more pops go off.

“Fuck,” Tom mutters as a squeal of tires heads away from us. “Are you hurt?”

It was over so quickly. I barely had time to take a breath. Peabody squirms in my arms.

Tom straightens and holds me at arm’s length to look me over. “Oh god, Sara!”