Better as a Memory (Begin Again Book 2) Read online

  Cain took a quick assessment and decided he could talk his way out of the situation. He might not realize who he was. As slow as he could he raised his hands and said, “Hello sir. I don’t think a gun is necessary.”

  “Father?” Belle walked into the room. She’d changed into a pair of comfortable black velvet lounge pants, but still wore his oversized shirt. “What are you doing here? Why do you have a gun pointed at Cain?”

  Ah hell, it was going to get worse. Cain knew it in his gut. He’d have to protect her from her own father. The look in Senator Brennan’s eyes said he’d kill anyone who managed to get in his way—his daughter included.

  Chapter 6

  Belle stared at her father as the horror of the situation settled uneasily into her gut. She didn’t want to believe her father was capable of anything bad, but the current circumstances didn’t bode well. Her hands were damp so she wiped them against the side of her leg. She glanced at Cain, and then back again at her father. What should she do? She loved them both, but one of them wasn’t as good a man as he claimed. Her father had been something to look up to as long as she could remember. He’d always seemed to be doing something good for the world. How much of that was the truth, and how much was a carefully crafted lie?

  “Father, put the gun away. I made homemade chicken noodle soup.” She secretly hoped this was a misunderstanding of epic proportions. Her father wouldn’t hurt her. Would he? “Why don’t you join us for lunch?”

  Please, please accept my offer.

  “I’m not in the mood for soup, dear.” He gestured toward Cain with his other hand. “Why don’t you explain what this man is doing in our house?”

  His gaze never left Cain’s. Her father didn’t bother to look at her before he barked out his order. What should she say? How much did he know? Belle rubbed her belly as the gravity of it all hit her. This wasn’t going to end well. Cain was already injured, and she didn’t want to see him take another bullet. He’d been lucky the last time because the bullet hadn’t hit anything vital. It was more or less a flesh wound, and he was already on the mend. He didn’t have a fever to speak of. He might not be so fortunate this time, because Belle had no doubt he’d put himself between her and any harm that might head her way. He’d sacrifice himself for her, and he didn’t even know she carried his child. What would he do if he was privy to that little bit of information? She had to find a way to save them all. No one had to die or get hurt, not if she could prevent it.

  “Cain and I are…” What were they to each other? Lovers? Certainly. Friends? Maybe. They hadn’t had time to define what they were to each other. Everything was too shiny and new. “He’s the man I love.” That was the only truth she could settle on for sure. He said he needed her and he’d missed her, but love was something she didn’t recall him saying. Perhaps he did, she believed he felt something for her. He had a lot of honor and a sense of duty flowing through him. Even if he didn’t have deep feelings for her he’d do the right thing. That was who he was, and part of why she loved him.

  “Is he the one responsible?” her father demanded.

  What was he talking about now? “I don’t understand. Responsible for what?”

  An uncomfortable feeling churned inside of her. Did he know she was pregnant? How could he know that? She hadn’t shared that information with anyone. She’d found out a few days ago before she’d decided on this impromptu vacation. No one should have been privy to that information—well except her doctor…

  “The man who knocked you up and disappeared without a word.” Her father glanced at her. “You didn’t think I knew did you? I know everything that happens to you. I came up here to check on you, and another matter. I didn’t expect to find both problems in the same place.”

  Cain remained eerily quiet. He stood still as he watched both of them. What was he thinking? Did he think her father was lying or was he pissed at her for not telling him? Why wasn’t he saying anything? She didn’t know what to do it was all so crazy.

  “You think I’m pregnant?” She had to stall. If her father thought there was a possibility it wasn’t true he might act differently. Why he monitored everything about her she didn’t know, but she didn’t like it. She’d have to find a new doctor. It didn’t matter if the doctor breached her trust, or if it had been someone close to him. The fact that her medical records were so easily breeched was enough for her to realize it was time to move on. “What fool gave you that information?”

  “Don’t mess with me, Belle. I know when you’re lying.” He sneered. “You’ve never been good at it.”

  He was right. She’d always hated lies, and tried her best to never do it. On the few occasions she’d tried it had been a dismal failure. Still she’d had to attempt it. For the sake of Cain, her, and their unborn child—her father had to see reason. She willfully ignored his remark about the other reason for him coming to the lake house. If he was responsible for Cain being shot the first time… He wasn’t the man she thought she knew. It made her question everything in her life.

  “Why do you think you know everything?” Belle asked. “You don’t know nearly as much as you think you do.”

  “Oh honey,” her father said with derision. “How could I have raised such a naïve woman? You think you can talk your way out of this. There’s nothing you can do to save your man. He’s going to be dead and buried before the day is over.”

  That didn’t sound good. Nope. Her father had lost his mind—if he’d ever had full function of his facilities to begin with; Belle was starting to doubt it. He was determined to murder Cain and leave him rotting in the ground. She refused to accept it as inevitable. She believed that there was good in everyone. Her father couldn’t be all evil. He’d done a lot of things that benefited the environment, and the world. This couldn’t be the only side of him. Nothing was ever black and white.

  “Put the gun away please,” she pleaded again. “Would you really shoot the father of your grandchild? That’s not a good way to welcome him into the family.”

  “It’s the only way.” The senator raised his gun and kept it firmly pointed toward Cain.

  “Don’t try to reason with him, sweetheart.” Cain didn’t take his eyes off of the senator. “He’s beyond it now.”

  He didn’t want to think about the bomb that had been dropped on him. Belle was pregnant—with his child. When was she going to tell him? No wonder she’d said a condom wasn’t needed. You can’t become pregnant twice. She’d have told him. He didn’t doubt she would have, and if he were being honest with himself he could see why she’d be reluctant to say anything sooner. He’d left her without a word, and hadn’t bothered to tell her his name. Why should she have trusted him? Not to mention the gunshot in his side—he’d have been weary as hell too.

  “Shut up,” Senator Brennan demanded. “We don’t need your input into this conversation. You’ve done enough already.”

  Cain had been silent until that point because he had to figure out how to best handle the situation. He couldn’t let the senator hurt his daughter. Belle still believed it was all a bad mistake. He could tell by her comments and actions she didn’t think her father was capable of anything truly bad. She didn’t know him for the criminal he was. Her father was the reason he’d been at the hotel the night he met her. He’d never intended to spend the night wrapped in her arms. He’d investigated her entire family, something he’d not told her yet. She’d seemed too innocent in the reports, and he’d been enamored by her. All he’d had was a picture of this paragon of virtue. Maybe he fell a little in love with her by staring at her portrait, and perhaps he’d hoped to find some flaw in her when they met. She’d been so much more than he could have imagined. He couldn’t resist her if he’d tried. It had been a mistake to get close to her before he’d taken her father down, but he was helpless to stop it from happening. Cain couldn’t regret that choice. Belle was the only woman he’d ever loved or would love. He hoped that she’d forgive him for what he had to do to save them al
l.

  “I can’t let you hurt her,” he said to Senator Brennan. “Let her go and we can settle this between us.”

  The senator shook his head. “Do you really think you have a chance of escaping with your life? It would be better if she witnessed your demise. She’d harbor false hope otherwise. Belle isn’t going anywhere.”

  Cain clenched his jaw tightly. How could he have hid his true nature so long? It was obvious to him how evil he was, and yet he was repeatedly voted into office. This man was responsible for so many bad things in the world, and everyone thought he was perfect. He’d appeared to do good when in reality he destroyed lives. It amazed him someone as innocent as Belle was his daughter. Perhaps whatever good the senator had in him had been channeled into his daughter.

  “Father…” Belle bit her lip. “Please, I’m begging you, don’t do this.”

  Tears were streaming from her eyes and leaving a trail down her cheeks. Cain wanted to erase her hurt, but knew it was going to worsen as the day went on. He had to end this now and prevent as much pain as he could. He hated she had to see this side of her father. Cain acted while the senator’s focus was on his daughter. He jumped forward and jabbed him in the gut and then attempted to gain control of the gun. They fought for it, a shot went off, and he could hear Belle screaming, but had to focus on disabling her father. The pain burning in his arms wasn’t going to prevent him from saving her. The senator would not win this day.

  “No,” Belle said with sobs edging her voice. “Stop. Please stop.”

  Cain jabbed the senator in the gut, and then punched him in the face. Senator Brennan fell backward and hit the floor with a loud thud. Good the bastard should feel as much pain as possible. He deserved it for what he put them all through, but especially for the pain he caused Belle.

  “This is over,” Cain said as he advanced toward the senator. “Give in before someone gets hurt.”

  “You’re going to pay for this.” The senator sneered. “I have a lot of clout and we’ll see who ends up in prison. I’ll give you a hint, it won’t be me.”

  Cain ignored him. He’d been building a case for too long, and he was aware exactly how much they had to use against the senator in court. They had more than enough information to lock him away for years. This little incident was the cherry on top of the sundae of evidence they’d use. The prosecutor was going to do a happy dance at finally being able to nail him to the wall. Senator Brennan could threaten him all he wanted because Cain wasn’t worried. The other man would find out soon enough how much he’d screwed himself.

  “Belle, sweetheart, do me a favor and grab the zip ties I have in my backpack.” They’d have to do because he didn’t have a set of handcuffs. He couldn’t let the senator roam free and give him the opportunity to harm anyone. “They should be in one of the front pockets.”

  Belle crossed the room and grabbed his pack. She rummaged through it until she located the item. Cain kept the senator secure while she searched. When she brought them to him he wrapped the ties around the senator’s wrist and tightened them. Then he shoved him onto a nearby chair to wait. It wasn’t over. They still had to arrest the men at Garcia’s house, but the senator was the big fish—the silent partner who’d bankrolled the expedition.

  “I need to make a few calls.” Cain picked up his pack and grabbed his phone. He placed the senator’s gun in a bag and slipped it inside his pack. They’d need it for evidence later. “Keep an eye on your father. Holler if he so much as sneezes wrong.”

  With those words he left the room to begin making calls. The extraction would have to change into a something different entirely, and he desperately needed backup. After that he’d have a long talk with Belle about their future, but first he had to tie up loose ends and clear the way for them to even have something to look forward to.

  Chapter 7

  Belle had a hard time even looking at her father, but she did as Cain asked. She kept her gaze glued to him to make sure he didn’t do anything funny. The revelation of her father’s activities was making her question everything she thought she knew. He was supposed to be an activist for change—to leave the world better than he found it. How often had he spouted that rhetoric to her? It was because of him that she’d decided to go into medicine. She wanted to help people and it seemed like the best way to do it. The ability to heal and save lives left her feeling exhilarated.

  “I don’t understand why.” She stared at her father. “What changed? Were you always this way and I didn’t see it?”

  He tilted his head up and glared at her. “You see what you want to. Do you think that man in the other room is any different than I am? He’d kill and not blink an eye.”

  Would he? Yes, Cain would, but not for the reason her father’s words implied. The man she’d fallen in love with had an innate desire to protect. If killing someone else protected an innocent? Hell yeah he’d do it, and he’d not apologize for it either. That didn’t mean he liked the idea of ending a life. He weighed his options and choose the best outcome with what he was dealt. Belle wouldn’t hold any of that against him. Cain was a good man who was often forced to make bad choices. She’d said they were all imperfectly human. Life was never black and white, but more a muted version of both.

  “If it’s necessary, he’d even kill you.” She tilted her head, an idea forming in her mind. She might finally be starting to understand the man she’d called father. “Is that what you’re trying to achieve? Do you want to die instead of face a judge and jury?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Her father snorted. “It isn’t even going to get that far. I’m never going to be indicted.”

  Belle couldn’t decide if her father was clueless or insane. It was probably a little bit of both. It still boggled her mind she’d not seen through his façade before. It was so obvious to her now, but he wasn’t exactly hiding it either. It didn’t matter. All she wanted was to never see him again and move on with her life. It was better she found out now before her child was born. The man before he would never have anything to do with his grandchild. He may as well be dead as far as Belle was concerned.

  “Don’t listen to him sweetheart,” Cain said as he walked in. He’d thrown on a shirt while he was in the other room. Belle was almost disappointed. She loved staring at his muscled chest, but understood the practicality of covering it. “He’s never going to see the light of day as a free man again.” Cain glared at the senator. “He’s been embezzling funds from his nonprofit organizations and funneling it into illegal weapons. Garcia has been acting as his go-between to broker the sales. I’ve got enough evidence and access to his off shore bank account to hand over to the prosecutor to ensure prison will be the last place he ever calls home.”

  “Is everything taken care of?” She didn’t bother replying to his statement, as she tended to agree. “When will your backup arrive?”

  “They should be here in the next thirty minutes.” He turned toward her and smiled reassuringly. “Maybe sooner.”

  Belle nodded at him. She hoped it was sooner rather than later. “This can’t be over soon enough for me.”

  “Me either,” he said. He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. “When it’s done we have a lot to talk about.”

  She leaned her head against his chest and breathed in his scent. Her nerves eased considerably wrapped up in his arms. They did have a lot to discuss. He’d want to verify if she was in fact pregnant. Cain wouldn’t take her father’s word for it. If she knew him like she thought she did, and Belle was positive she did, he was already making plans in his head.

  “Yes, we do.”

  They stood in silence watching her father for what seemed like forever. Her father passed out, probably from a combination of exhaustion and his injuries. Whatever it was she didn’t really care. They could do a full examination of him in the prison infirmary. They were equipped to take care of him, and she wasn’t about to become his doctor of choice. As far as she was concerned he didn’t deserve her conside
ration.

  “We didn’t come at a bad time did we?” A woman stepped into the room. She had dark black hair and eyes so blue they almost appeared purple. “It looks like we are interrupting a little soiree of some sort.”

  “What took you so long?” Cain let Belle out of his arms so he could greet his colleague. “I practically have him gift wrapped for you.”

  “He may be,” she said as she pointed at the senator. “But the rest of them had to be rounded up. Phil is outside, we came to take him off your hands and see the two of you to safety. The rest of the crew is currently raiding Garcia’s place across the lake.”

  Belle didn’t know the woman, but she liked her. Another woman might be jealous of the ease Cain found in her company, but she didn’t read anything into it. They seemed cordial and comfortable. That was it, nothing more. There may have been a lot of havoc in the last hour or so at her family’s lake house, but Belle had no desire to leave. She’d come for a vacation and she wasn’t going to allow some unpleasantness to ruin it.

  “If you don’t mind I’d rather stay here.”

  Cain turned toward her with an expression of disbelief etched into his handsome face. “That’s out of the question. I have to go with Carly to book your father. There would be no one here to make sure you’re safe.”

  She should have expected him to object. He was the protector type. His belief she’d be in danger with him had caused him to disappear from her life. Now he was doing a complete one-eighty. He instead believed she’d only be safe with him by her side. She’d have to disabuse him of that thought process and fast. Otherwise she’d be cocooned in a blanket of protection that would surely suffocate her.

  “I don’t need a baby sitter.” She placed her hands on her hips. “I’ve been taking care of myself this long I think I’m capable of continuing to do so.”