Born to Be Wilde

with a stark fear he couldn't conceal no matter how hard he tried.

Her brother's denial was so painful to watch that Lora felt her chest tighten to the point that it became difficult to breathe. She wanted to yell at him for being so stubborn and stupid and too proud to accept help, but Joel had everything under control and didn't need her falling apart on him, too.

'What it is, is your reality,' Joel told Zach. 'I'm offering you a clear-cut way out. You've already lost everything. You have absolutely nothing to lose by accepting my proposition, and so much to gain.'

'Forget it.' Zach backed away from the table, scrambling to put distance between himself and Joel and the truth threatening to strangle him. 'I'm out of here.' He spun around and strode out of the kitchen to the front room.

'Oh, God,' Lora said on a sob, and started after her brother, ready to do or say whatever it took to make him see reason. She was terrified that if he walked out that door she'd never, ever see him again.

Joel caught her arm before she could chase after him. 'Let him go, Lora,' he said gently. 'He has to want to change, or else we'll all be wasting our time.'

The front door slammed shut behind Zach, and Lora felt her heart pound just as hard. Tears stung the backs of her eyes and her throat grew raw. 'What is it going to take to make him want to change?'

Joel didn't bother to disguise his own pain over the situation. 'Hitting rock bottom.'

A harsh, humorless laugh escaped her, and she cringed as she heard Zach's vehicle skid on the gravel drive as he left. 'I thought he already had.'

'Not quite.' Joel pulled her into his arms, and she went willingly, needing his comfort and strength to get her through this agonizing experience. 'I just hope he comes to his senses before it's too late.'

So did Lora, because she knew that despite her brother's obstinance, she'd never be able to live with herself if anything bad happened to Zach.

AFTER Zach's abrupt departure, sleep was impossible. Lora tossed and turned in her bed and listened to the rain outside until six in the morning. She could hear Joel moving around in the living room, and she decided that there was nothing left for them to do at the cabin. It was time to get up and get dressed, pack their small bags, and head back to the city.

Within an hour, they were ready to go.

While Joel did one last check of the cabin and made sure that the fire in the hearth was completely extinguished, Lora stepped outside and came to an immediate stop when she saw a large figure huddled on the front porch. Instantly, she recognized the straggly, damp brown hair and dirty and stained coat covering the slumped form as Zach's.

'Oh, no,' she breathed, her mind already thinking the absolute worst. She fell to her knees beside her brother and shook him, hard, and experienced a flood of relief when he lifted his head and opened his bloodshot eyes. 'Zach, are you okay?'

'Yeah… just dandy.' He tried to smile, but his expression was heartbreakingly bleak and desolate. He shifted on the cold wooden planks, and an empty pint of vodka rolled out from beneath his coat. He glanced from the bottle to Lora and murmured, 'There's absolutely nothing left.'

It was a bizarre statement, and she couldn't help but think that he was referring to more than just the empty bottle of booze that he'd undoubtedly consumed. She wondered if this is what Joel had meant when he'd said that Zach had to hit rock bottom, because her brother certainly appeared lost and bereft and she couldn't imagine him falling any further into his own personal hell.

Joel came out of the cabin and the screen door slammed shut behind him, the sound making Lora jump.

She glanced behind her, unsure what to do. 'He came back,' she said, praying that was a positive sign and a step toward Zach aiding in his own recovery.

Joel crouched down beside her so he could be on eye level with her brother. 'What's going on, buddy?'

Zach met his gaze without the cocky, brash attitude he'd displayed toward Joel only hours before. 'Is your offer still on the table?'

'That all depends on what changed your mind,' Joel replied mildly.

Zach dragged both his hands down his face and released a rough exhale of breath, and it was clear to Lora that this wasn't easy for her brother. 'I got as far as the main road when my car ran out of gas and I realized I didn't even have enough money to fill even a quarter of the tank.' He shook his head pathetically. 'So, I walked back here in the rain while drinking my last bottle of booze, and now I have nothing left. No money. No place to live. No job. And pretty soon, no life.'

Emotion clogged Lora's throat, and she swallowed back the pressure so she could reassure her brother of the one thing that mattered the most. 'You have us, Zach.'

He looked at her, the pain and hopelessness in his gaze more honest and real than anything he'd shown them so far. 'I can't do this anymore, Lora,' he said in a choked voice. 'I'm just so damn tired of running and looking over my shoulder and not knowing if every day is going to be my last. I want out, and I want my life back,' he whispered.

'Well, we can definitely help you with that,' Joel said, and straightened to his full height once again. 'It's not going to be a quick, easy process, but I do need a verbal commitment from you that you're willing to do whatever it takes to get the help you need for your addictions, and your life is yours again.'

Zach nodded in understanding. 'I'll do it.' He pushed to his feet and stood.

'Good,' Joel said, pleased with Zach's acquiescence. 'Let's get you back inside the cabin. There's enough food here for at least another week, and I'm going to call and see which one of the guys can stay out here with you until we settle your debt and make sure your life, and Lora's, are no longer in danger.'

At the mention of her name, Zach glanced at her. 'I know I royally screwed things up, and I'm sorry, Lora,' he said gruffly, putting aside his own pride to extend the apology she deserved. 'I swear, I'll make this up to you.'

She offered him a tremulous smile. 'As of right now, you are.' As grateful as Lora was for Zach's turnaround, she knew her brother had a long road ahead of him, most of which would be an uphill struggle before things smoothed out for him.

Zach turned back to Joel. 'Thank you.' He extended his hand to the other man. 'Semper fi, Wilde Man.'

The beginnings of a smile curved the corner of Joel's mouth. 'Semper fi, Marshall,' he replied, then shook the hand Zach offered, in friendship, camaraderie, and the kind of brotherhood that could have only been formed by their time in the military together.

Semper fi. Always faithful.

Lora could see and feel the integrity between the two men, and it made her believe that everything, in time, might just be okay for her brother.

Chapter Seventeen

DANIEL parked his Volvo in front of The Electric Blue and cut the engine. Other than Sydney's car, the lot was completely empty, which was strange to see since he'd only been there in the evenings, when the area was crammed with vehicles and there was usually a long line of customers waiting outside in hopes of getting into the bar for a guaranteed good time. Having his own intimate connections with the bar owner, he was always lucky enough to bypass that queue of people no matter when he arrived.

But his visit this afternoon had more to do with business than the kind of pleasure The Electric Blue had to offer. After watching Cassie over the past two weeks, throughout normal class time and again during after school tutoring, he'd finally figured out what was going on with the teen and the reason she was exhibiting inconsistent grades in her homework and math tests.

As soon as his students left his classroom after tutoring that afternoon, he'd called Sydney and told her that they needed to talk. Since she was trying to finish up payroll and inventory before her crew showed up in a few hours, he'd offered to stop by The Electric Blue on his way home.

He exited his car, hit the lock and alarm switch, and headed toward the establishment's front doors. Judging by Sydney's reaction over the phone, he knew she was anxious to discover why her daughter was having a difficult