Sound of Silence(11)

"Yeah. Thanks for the chat."

"Don't move," I say, grabbing the door handle. I'm out and around the truck bed to her side in a second, letting the wriggling Gus down before I get to Piper. If God has any compassion, the pup's face will soften my sister and make the sting of seeing me in Lilyfalls a bit less painful for her and me. "Come on, sunshine. Time to face the music."

"Why's she so mad?" Piper whispers as I help her down.

"The last time she saw me was in Germany, when the doc threatened to amputate my leg. I was not exactly pleasant then, and I refused her offer to visit when I was in D.C. at rehab."

"But why?"

"Because I didn't want her to see me weak." I take Piper's hand, maybe as another resource to soften Cara's anger, or maybe I just need the extra strength now.

My sister is not subtle as she glances at our tangled fingers, her eyes narrowing into missiles as they rise to glare at me. "Can you hear what I'm thinking, Lawless?"

"We shared a womb, Cara, not a brain. I'm a lot of things, but telepathic isn't one of them."

"Not Piper. Just don't. She's too sweet for you to stick your dick in and walk away."

"Cara, no . . ."

I cut off Piper with my hand on her lower back and then reciprocate the frustration painted on my sister's face. "Boundaries are established. Friends, best friends forever if you must know, but there will be no fucking. None."

Cara juts her hip out, her hand landing there at the same time as she huffs a breath. "When in the hell have you ever been just friends with a gorgeous woman?"

"I had an epiphany when I almost met Jesus. My cock can't establish every relationship in my life."

Cara's face crumbles, but she forgets her tears in the next second and takes a running leap, strangling me with her arms. Piper pulls free, and I catch her bending down to pick up Gus who circles her feet as I wrap my sister in a hug, squeezing through her admonishment.

"You goddamn beast. If you ever get shot again I will kill you myself."

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?"

"For bullet holes, yes. But what the hell?" Cara wrestles out of my grip and then boxes my ear. "No call? No email? Have you forgotten how to use modern technology? We would have come to D.C. to get you and bring you home. You big jerk. Mom's been out of her mind."

"I needed some time to think, get my shit together is all. I'll make it up to you and Mom. And my little bean burrito. Where is she, anyway?"

"Willow's four, Caden. She's at home with Dax, sleeping. I'll call in a couple of hours to let them know you're here. Mom is all you, though. I'd recommend getting to her before half the town knows you're home. She'll kill you twice if she's waiting in line for a 'welcome home' hug."



       
         
       
        

I wince. "I'll stop over after I unload the thousand pounds of baked goods from the truck."

"Oh." She claps and does a little dance. "You're going to be good for business. I'll wrap you up in red, white and blue, and stick you out front like the Statue of Liberty, except with an éclair in one hand and a pie in the other."

"Glad I can be of service." I wink at Piper as I turn to do my duty.

Twenty minutes later, I'm relaxing at a table. Gus gnaws on a puppy treat the bakery sells next to my crossed feet, kicked out in front of me. I'm drinking the best coffee I've had in years. The counters and clear glass-domed stands brim full of every kind of baked good known to man. It's a hell of a store, with chalkboards and subway tiles, and reclaimed wood that smoothes out the modern edges.

Piper laughs at a crack from Cara. It catches me off-guard, drawing my eyes to her as she wraps an apron around her neck that when cinched, accentuates the breadth of her stomach and the swell of her tits. I want so badly to look away, to concentrate on anything but her, yet even if I try, I'm drawn back in. She's a goddamn projectile burning through my atmosphere with enough force to leave me winded. Gus pops up, ears spiking through his strangled whine. I study him and rub the ache from my thigh, wishing like hell I could eliminate the sudden bout of restlessness kicking around in my chest. But it's all forgotten when Piper groans and pitches forward, grabbing the baby.

"Sunshine?" I'm up and bent over her back, my hand finding hers. "What's going on?"

Gus yips his anxiety, weaving in and out of our legs. I'm so close, Piper's body heat meets mine, and my breath moves the fallen strands of hair next to her ear. She turns her head. The smile that sat so naturally on her lips falters as she latches on to my concern. Muscles in her stomach contract so hard I feel them under our fingers. We hold on together, me watching her as the little guy wrestles into a new position.