Chapter 13

*****

Michael

Charlotte is shaking. I don't think it's upset, but outrage. James, the tendons in his neck corded tight, is beyond fury. He looks set to breathe fire. In the years we’ve known each other, I have never seen him so angry…

“Just leave us,” he says, his voice is flat and emotionless as he jerks his head to the door. I take the hint. As I leave, James is embracing Charlotte. I'm not sure if he's comforting her or calming her.

Best make myself scarce….

…. At least ‘til they cool down….

Would James turn violent?

That fierce protection he has for her...

If he thought Charlotte was threatened, he wouldn’t hesitate.

Not that Charlotte isn’t perfectly capable of violence herself if it’s needed….

Who’d ever have thought I'd have to protect my wife from my own brother?

Ben’s car has gone but I go to the main gate to make sure. Tyre-burn traces curved lines onto the road.

Should I call him?

If I let this go cold, we’ll end up never speaking again….

I tap into my phone. It rings and rings, but with no reply. Ben’s voice-mail cuts in and I ring off, then ring again….

And again….

Probably driving still.

I don’t want to go indoors. Trapped between ‘Not my fault’ and ‘Should have known’, I vacillate over what to do.

What a crap birthday for Charlotte….

I could get her cake from the car….

Perhaps that would cheer her up.

Buoyed by the thought that there is something I can do, I head back to my own car to collect the surprise I had planned for my lovely wife’s birthday.

And there, sitting there on a tree stump is Kirstie. Even from a distance, the shaking of her body is obvious and as I draw closer, I hear wracking sobs.

What the hell…?

“Kirstie? Why are you still here?”

She launches herself upright, wiping at her face with the back of her hand as she turns. She’s in a real state, her nose running, face blotchy and eyes swollen.

Another fallout victim?

A quick expedition to my pocket produces a tissue….

Is it clean?

Can’t remember….

But she’s reaching for it almost before I offer it.

There are worse things in life….

Blowing a trumpet into the hanky, she rolls apologetic eyes.

I repeat, “What are you doing here?”

She snuffles into the tissue. It’s actually rather endearing or would be if I weren’t so het up just now.

“Ben brought me,” she says. “He’s driven off without me, and my bag and everything else is in his car….”

Ah, Christ….

…. What the fuck are you playing at, Ben?

“…. I’ve no money on me, or credit cards, or even my phone.” Her voice trails away and her eyes gloss again.

I can only cope with so much just now, especially in the area of weeping women. “Why the hell were you even here in the first place, Kirstie?”

“I didn’t want….” She gulps, swallows hard and starts again. “I didn’t want to come, but Ben was so angry when he thought he’d seen Charlotte and James…. When he thought he’d seen them….” Red-eyed, she looks up in appeal, like a little girl ‘fessing up to stealing cookies. “I was trying to stop him, or at least calm him down.”

What a fucking mess….

“Didn’t help much, did it?”

What to do with her….

James….

Can’t risk him knowing she’s still here…

“Look, it’s getting late,” I say. “I’d put you up in the hotel overnight, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to risk running into James right now. I’ll call a taxi to get you home. Have you got keys to get back in?”

She wipes snot from her nose. “There’s a spare set with my neighbour, thanks.” Her voice chokes. “I don’t think it’s going to help much with James though. I’ll have to see him at the office tomorrow, assuming I still work there.”

A vision of Kirstie having to face James at his worst stalks across my brain.

She’s a sub….

Would that save her? Appeal to his Dom instincts?

Not likely….

Not in this case….

She’s been involved in a threat to Charlotte.

I drop an arm across her shoulder and give her a squeeze. “I’ll try to cool him off a bit before tomorrow. Come on, let’s get you home. Go and wait in the hotel lobby. I’ll make the call for you.”