The Next Always

E&D flew open. Inside the lights flicked like a strobe.

“Maybe pissed.”

“Maybe we need Ghostbusters,” Avery whispered.

“Okay, Lizzy, cut it out!” Beckett raised his voice, put irritation in it. As he strode in, steam billowed in rolling clouds out of the bath. “Well, what the fuck? You don’t like the tile pattern, the goddamn tub? Change rooms.”

“Beckett.” Hope laid a hand on his arm, squeezed hard as her voice trembled. “Look at the bathroom mirror.”

Through the clouds he watched letters appear, as if someone wrote with a finger on the steamy glass.

“Help,” he read. “Lizzy, if you’re in trouble—” He broke off as the writing continued.

“Oh God.” Even as Avery turned to run, Beckett bulleted by her. “Call the cops. Call my brothers. Now. Tell them to get to Clare’s.”

“I’ve got the cops.” Hope punched numbers into her phone as she ran.

“I’ve got Owen. And we’re coming with you.”

Don’t scream, Clare ordered herself. The boys would hear, would come. She wouldn’t risk it. “You broke into my house.”

“What choice did you give me? It’s time you and I had a private talk, time for you to understand how things are going to be. Why don’t you sit down.”

“I don’t want to sit down.”

“I said sit down! One of the things you’re going to understand is doing what you’re told when I tell you.”

She sat, braced, on the bottom edge of the bed. “You made a mistake, Sam, breaking into my house. If you leave now we’ll let it go at that. Just a mistake.”

“No, you made the mistake when you set the cops on me.” He held up his hands. “Well, I can let that go, but you’re going to learn to show me respect. You’re going to remember who I am.”

“I know who you are.”

“And I know you lack self-confidence. I know that lack caused you to play hard-to-get, make me work for it. Didn’t I give you time, when you came back? I couldn’t have been more considerate, more patient, given the situation you’d gotten yourself into. Running off with Clint Brewster that way.”

“Clint was my husband.”

“And he’s dead, isn’t he? Left you with two brats and another in your belly so you had to come crawling back here to this hole-in-the-wall town.”

Temper wanted to war with fear, but she beat it back. If she pushed him, he might hurt her. God knew what he might do to her boys if she couldn’t stop him.

“I came home. My parents are here. I—”

“You should never have left in the first place. But that’s spilled milk. You led me on, Clare.”

“How did I lead you on?”

“You think I didn’t know what you were doing every time you smiled at me? Every time you’d tell me you couldn’t go out to dinner, or just for a drive? I saw the way you looked at me. Wasn’t I patient? Wasn’t I?”

His voice rose to nearly a shout, so she nodded. “Please, let’s not wake the children.”

“Then start paying attention. I want this game to end now. I can only be pushed so far, Clare. You used Montgomery to make me jealous, and that’s beneath you. I don’t want you to so much as speak to him again. Is that clear?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now—”

“I’ll call him right away, break it off.” She rose, started toward the door.

He grabbed her arm, shoved her back. “I said you’re not to speak to him. Sit down until I tell you different.”

“I’m sorry.” She bent down, picked up her hairbrush, took it with her back to the foot of the bed. As a weapon, she thought, staring down at her hands, it was pitiful.

“That’s better.” He let out a breath, smiled again. “Much better. Now, here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to pack a bag—you won’t need much. I’ll be replacing all your things right away. But you’ll need your essentials for tonight. We’re going on a trip, just you and me. We’re going to take a few days. I’ve already made reservations for one of the private villas in this resort I like. They know me there, so be prepared to be treated royally.”

It appalled her to see that familiar wide smile and wink.

“You’re going to see how much I can give you, Clare. All you have to do is what I tell you, learn your lessons, give me what we’ve both wanted for so long.”

“It sounds lovely. I have to arrange for someone to come take care of the children. I can call my mother. She’ll—”

“The children, the children.” Red rage stained his face. “I’m sick of hearing about the children. They’re asleep, aren’t they? Safe in bed with their drooling dogs. I’ll call my own mother when we get to the resort. She’ll arrange for someone to deal with them. There’s an excellent boarding school in upstate New York. We’ll enroll them as soon as possible. You’ll learn no one comes before me. I can be generous and pay for the education of another man’s children, but I won’t have them put ahead of me or my needs. Do you understand me?”

“Perfectly. Should I pack now?”

“Yes. I’ll show you what’s appropriate.” His tone changed, became sticky with indulgence. “Don’t be ashamed of what you’ve got to choose from now. I’ll take you shopping. You’re going to have lots of time to enjoy yourself, to be with me, to live the life I give you without those kids and that bookstore hobby of yours in the way.”

She got slowly to her feet. The fear had ebbed, and in the void fury filled her. She could only pray it didn’t show. Leave her children alone? She’d see him in hell first.

“I want to thank you.” She kept her gaze downcast, hoped it appeared subservient, as she took a tentative step toward him. “I’ve been so confused, so conflicted. But now it’s all so clear.”

She looked up then, into his eyes. Cocking back, she swung the brush with all her strength, all her fury into his smiling face. As blood erupted from his mouth, she leaped toward the door. Her only thought was to get to her boys, keep them safe.

Her hand closed around the doorknob as he wrenched her back. Fear sprang up again, bright as the blood on his face as he dragged her to the floor. She kicked, tried to claw at his eyes but he slapped her hard enough to have stars erupting.

“Bitch!” He used the back of his hand, shooting pain into her cheekbone. “Look what you did. Look what you did to me. I’m giving you everything, and you don’t learn. You’ll learn now.”

When he tore at her shirt, she raked her nails down his face. He reared up, shock and pain mixed with the blood.

Rolling, she struggled to pull herself free, and suddenly his weight lifted. She crawled for the door, breath sobbing as she tried to pull to her feet, run to her boys.

Arms came around her.

“Clare, Clare, Clare.” Avery held tight until Clare stopped fighting her. “You’re okay now.”

“My babies.”

“Shh. Hope went to see. Shh.”

“I have to—” The sounds finally broke through her shocked senses. Slumped against Avery, she turned her head.

At the foot of her bed, Sam sprawled on the floor with Beckett straddling him. With Beckett’s fist slamming, again and again, into the already bloodied face.

“Oh God. God.” Dizzy, she pushed to her feet, and Hope was there helping Avery steady her.

Seconds later, Owen and Ryder burst in, and Ryder grabbed Owen’s arm when his brother started forward.

“We’ve got to pull him off.”

Ryder shrugged. “Let’s give him another minute.”

“Jesus Christ, Ry.”