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Authors: Desiree Holt
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sugarcoating his own behavior. Not a conversation guaranteed to make either of them feel at ease. Especially the part about Linda, which he'd glossed over. But with no other good options available, he was determined to make the best of the situation to keep Anya safe. And hope after ten years he and Rafe could figure out how to be brothers again. 56
Escape the Night
Anya tightened her fingers around his as he led her to the porch. He waited for Rafe to make the first move but surprisingly it was Linda who took the lead. Leaving her husband's side, she hurried down the steps to Gus, gave him a brief hug, then turned to Anya.
"I am so happy to meet you," she said in her soft voice. "I just wish it could have been under different circumstance. Welcome to our home."
"Thank you." Anya's voice was equally soft and more subdued. "I'm sorry we're barging in like this."
Linda smiled, the smile that had once warmed Gus' heart and then ripped it apart. Now it was just...a smile. She linked her arm through Anya's and tugged her away from Gus.
"Come into the house. You must be a wreck. I have coffee and tea so just tell me which one you prefer." She guided Anya up the porch steps and into the house, keeping up her soft chatter. Making Anya feel not so out of place. Gus and Rafe stood in the parking area looking at each other. Taking their measure. Letting the past wash over them...and hopefully away.
Gus cleared his throat. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate you letting us come here."
For a moment Rafe didn't say anything. Then he stepped forward and clasped his brother in a bear hug.
"Welcome home, Gus. It's about damn time."
Gus couldn't say anything. His throat was too clogged with emotion. He just stood there hanging onto his brother.
"I wasn't sure," he began, then stopped. "I didn't know if you..."
Rafe clasped his shoulders. "Family is family, Gus. We've let this thing go on for too long. I guess because you and I are both very stubborn assholes. Too bad it took something like this to break it all down."
57
Desiree Holt
"My bad," Gus said roughly. "All on my head."
"It doesn't matter. You're here now and we're going to do whatever we can to help."
"I thought you said Linda was going to her folks' with the kids? And by the way, how many kids do you have? I'm ashamed to say I don't even know."
Rafe laughed. "Let me tell you, that is one stubborn woman. Said she wasn't about to be shuttled off. Besides, she thought it might help having another female here."
Gus' throat tightened up again. "Thanks," was all he could manage. He'd had no right to expect anything from these two people yet they opened their home as if the past had never happened.
"And we've got two--Jared who's eight and Elissa who's six. Hope you get to meet them when this is all over."
"Count on it."
"Why don't you come inside," Rafe said at last. "You can tell me about the trouble dogging your heels. I assume it has something to do with the beautiful woman who's put that She's mine forever look in your eyes."
Anya and Linda were already seated at the kitchen table when the men entered the house. Gus looked quickly at Anya to make sure she was okay, and was relieved to see her in conversation with Linda. The blonde woman looked up as they walked in, smiled at Rafe with a look of great love in her eyes and winked at Gus. When they all had full mugs of coffee, Gus explained the situation to Rafe and Linda in great detail. He left out nothing, especially the episode at the safe house that had sent them running.
"They won't be able to get at you here," Rafe promised. "But what are you going to do about the scumbag, Virgil Branson? If I know you, you won't be happy just to sit around and wait for someone else to make things happen. Especially if you can't trust your own people."
58
Escape the Night
"The last thing I can afford to do is sit on my hands," Gus said. "As soon as we get our things inside and Anya's settled, I'm going to make some
Escape the Night
Anya tightened her fingers around his as he led her to the porch. He waited for Rafe to make the first move but surprisingly it was Linda who took the lead. Leaving her husband's side, she hurried down the steps to Gus, gave him a brief hug, then turned to Anya.
"I am so happy to meet you," she said in her soft voice. "I just wish it could have been under different circumstance. Welcome to our home."
"Thank you." Anya's voice was equally soft and more subdued. "I'm sorry we're barging in like this."
Linda smiled, the smile that had once warmed Gus' heart and then ripped it apart. Now it was just...a smile. She linked her arm through Anya's and tugged her away from Gus.
"Come into the house. You must be a wreck. I have coffee and tea so just tell me which one you prefer." She guided Anya up the porch steps and into the house, keeping up her soft chatter. Making Anya feel not so out of place. Gus and Rafe stood in the parking area looking at each other. Taking their measure. Letting the past wash over them...and hopefully away.
Gus cleared his throat. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate you letting us come here."
For a moment Rafe didn't say anything. Then he stepped forward and clasped his brother in a bear hug.
"Welcome home, Gus. It's about damn time."
Gus couldn't say anything. His throat was too clogged with emotion. He just stood there hanging onto his brother.
"I wasn't sure," he began, then stopped. "I didn't know if you..."
Rafe clasped his shoulders. "Family is family, Gus. We've let this thing go on for too long. I guess because you and I are both very stubborn assholes. Too bad it took something like this to break it all down."
57
Desiree Holt
"My bad," Gus said roughly. "All on my head."
"It doesn't matter. You're here now and we're going to do whatever we can to help."
"I thought you said Linda was going to her folks' with the kids? And by the way, how many kids do you have? I'm ashamed to say I don't even know."
Rafe laughed. "Let me tell you, that is one stubborn woman. Said she wasn't about to be shuttled off. Besides, she thought it might help having another female here."
Gus' throat tightened up again. "Thanks," was all he could manage. He'd had no right to expect anything from these two people yet they opened their home as if the past had never happened.
"And we've got two--Jared who's eight and Elissa who's six. Hope you get to meet them when this is all over."
"Count on it."
"Why don't you come inside," Rafe said at last. "You can tell me about the trouble dogging your heels. I assume it has something to do with the beautiful woman who's put that She's mine forever look in your eyes."
Anya and Linda were already seated at the kitchen table when the men entered the house. Gus looked quickly at Anya to make sure she was okay, and was relieved to see her in conversation with Linda. The blonde woman looked up as they walked in, smiled at Rafe with a look of great love in her eyes and winked at Gus. When they all had full mugs of coffee, Gus explained the situation to Rafe and Linda in great detail. He left out nothing, especially the episode at the safe house that had sent them running.
"They won't be able to get at you here," Rafe promised. "But what are you going to do about the scumbag, Virgil Branson? If I know you, you won't be happy just to sit around and wait for someone else to make things happen. Especially if you can't trust your own people."
58
Escape the Night
"The last thing I can afford to do is sit on my hands," Gus said. "As soon as we get our things inside and Anya's settled, I'm going to make some
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