Cara’s stomach swirled. She had to wait until he threatened her? “She carries mace. Our cars are behind a gate at work, so she doesn’t have to worry about that. Except, now that you’ve pointed out how lax our security guard is, I’m not particularly confident about that anymore. She has a roommate,” Cara quickly added. “So, she has company when she’s home.”
Luke sighed. “She should get a good, monitored alarm system and cameras around her house. Other than that, there isn’t a lot she can do. Maybe the next time he leaves flowers, it’ll catch him on tape. Also, be sure one of the cameras points at the cars. Stalkers love to disable vehicles so they can establish contact by being a good Samaritan passerby. What?” Luke snapped at his brother.
“You seem to know a lot about what stalkers like. Client?”
Luke’s gray eyes flashed, and a red flush crept up his throat. "I successfully defended a woman who shot her stalker, an ex-boyfriend.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have implied—”
“Save it.” Luke glared at his twin. “I have the luxury of picking and choosing my clients now. That doesn’t mean when I got started I didn’t defend guilty people, but our Constitution sayseveryonedeserves equal due process. My job is to make sure my clients get a fair trial.”
Cara breathed deeply through her nose. She’d lost them. They could argue about this for hours. Cara rose from her seat. “I think I’m going to head back. Thanks for your help.”
“Tell her to keep her head on a swivel and take a self-defense class ASAP. Also, document everything,” James grimaced. “In case something happens to her, it will help law enforcement identify him later. It will help prove the case. Hey, are you okay? You’re really pale.”
In case something happens to her.
“I’m just afraid for her.” Cara’s voice was barely a whisper.
“Is there somewhere she could go? Some place she could stay away from home for a while? If he knows where she lives…”
Two words were all it would take. “It’s me.” If Cara admitted to her brothers that she was the one being stalked, they would have her packed and moved into Luke’s high-rise apartment, complete with a doorman, before the sun rose. As a defense attorney, Luke took protection seriously.
The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she stayed silent. She was embarrassed. Embarrassed that once again, she’d gotten involved in something sordid. She knew her brothers wouldn’t blame her, but Cara craved the look she’d seen on her family’s faces earlier. They were proud and maybe even a little impressed that she had made such a change in her life. If she told them, it would be Cara in trouble again. And like they said, he hadn’t threatened her yet. Maybe her lashing out at him this morning had put a stop to it.
There was also the piece of her that didn’t want to think about moving away from Wes, which was stupid. Cara knew it was time to start looking, but she wasn’t ready yet. She felt a sharp pang in her chest when she imagined not seeing him over coffee in the morning and knowing she wouldn’t see him at the end of the day.
“Are you sure you are okay?” Luke peered at her. “You’ve got a weird look on your face.”
Bruce stuck his head out the door, and said quietly, “I sent Anne up to bed, and I’m going to head up, too. Lock up when you leave, okay?”
“We’ll be going. I’ve got an appointment early in the morning,” Luke said.
“I’ve got an early meeting downtown, but I’ll be back to see Mom tomorrow night if that’s okay?” James added.
“She will love it. Don’t feel you have to rush out because of us old people.”
They assured him they weren’t, and when they got to their cars, her brothers both gave her tight hugs.
“Thanks for coming tonight. It means a lot to Mom.” Luke ruffled her hair, laughing when she scowled.
“It means a lot to me, too. It’s nice to be around people who know me,” Cara replied.
Luke’s car beeped when he unlocked it, and James walked to the passenger-side door.
“They really love each other, don’t they?” Cara stared back at the house.
James frowned. “They’ve been together for a long time.”
“I know. I think it’s really amazing how Bruce takes care of her.” Cara cleared her throat to cover the tears that sprang to her eyes. “I mean, this can’t be what he signed up for, but he never stopped loving her.”
Luke and James exchanged a worried look.
“Car-Bear? Are you sure you’re okay?”
She tried to smile. “Yeah. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before.” The tears refused to be banished, and her voice cracked. “I think because of my mom and dad and how they lived…”
Luke stepped away from the car to wrap his arms around her. “I don’t like to say things about your mom, but you know the way she lives isn’t normal. It’s not a coincidence your mom started getting married once every few years after she got sober. She is trying to fill something inside of her.” Cara sniffled against his chest. “And our dad used women. Those weren’t love stories.”
