“Good. Now tell me what you want to eat.”
“Steak. There were several times when Rob took me to dinner meetings with associates he was cultivating. They had steak, but all I got was a salad because he expected me to watch my weight.”
“I’m going to get you the biggest steak I can buy and everything you want to go with it. We’ll have pie for dessert or cake if you’d prefer.”
“Chocolate cake is my favorite.” It shouldn’t be that hard for me to say that. I knew it was all right to have preferences, but I’d gotten so use to not being able to ask for what I wanted when I was with Rob, and afterward I couldn’t. I just felt lucky to be alive. There’d been a few other men after Rob. They weren’t as evil, but they were pieces of shit. Finally, I realized I just needed to be on my own. I thought that would be the rest of my life. I didn’t think I could trust a man again, but this was Dax. He’d been trustworthy since I was a kid
“What are you thinking?” Dax asked glancing at me before focusing on the road again.
“I can’t believe this is happening. That you really want me.”
“I swear to you, this is real. I would never lie about my feelings for you.”
We didn’t talk much for the rest of the drive. Once we turned off the main road, Dax had to concentrate as he drove down paths I didn’t think were wide enough for a vehicle and made turns where I saw no road at all. I would never be able to get out of there on my own. I’d felt the same way when I’d gone in looking for Beau. I’d assumed if I didn’t find him, I’d end up as dinner for a gator, and I wasn’t sure I cared.
Now I sure as hell did. I had Dax, and things were right with my brother again. I had a good job, and for the first time, a real chance at a decent life.
Dax made one more turn, then reached over and unhooked my seatbelt. “Get down to the floorboard.”
“What?”
“Now.”
My heart thundered as I did what he said. A few seconds later, I heard the crack of a rifle, then a man shouted. “You son of a bitch.”
“That’s your own mother you’re talking about,” Dax yelled out the window.”
“Fuck off.”
“I’ve got somebody with me,” Dax said. There was silence for a moment. I could almost feel the chill of it, and that was impressive considering the thick muggy air of the bayou that was leaking in through the open window.
“Who?” The anger in Ambrose’s voice made me shiver. Dax glanced over at me, and I shook my head, trying to communicate that I’d stay right here the whole time he talked to his brother.
“It’s Travis.”
“Beau’s brother?”
“Yeah. What other Travis do we both know?”
“You’re sneaky. You could be bringing anyone.”
“Would I do that to you?”
“Something’s up with you. You don’t sound like yourself,” Ambrose said.
Damn. How could Ambrose tell a difference from their short conversation?
“It’s a good something. Can we come in and talk about it? I’ve got other questions too.”
“Yeah, I got your message.”
“Then why did you shoot at me?”
“Keeps you on your toes. I don’t want you going soft living in the city in your fancy house.”
“I’ve always lived in the city, except in the summer when you would drag me out to Uncle Etienne’s.”
“Things weren’t quite as good for us Theriots in those days.”
“You could live as well as I do now.”
He snorted. “I like it here. I like it simple.”
Dax motioned for me to come up onto the seat. I didn’t want to, which was silly. I’d never been afraid of Ambrose. I trusted him like I trusted Dax. I’d also known he would help me because he was Beau’s friend.
When I’d seen Ambrose in the bayou the day I’d saved Beau, he seemed so withdrawn, so separate from everyone else. He hadn’t been like that as a kid. He’d been tough, but he’d been a leader, and he’d interacted with all of us. He’d smiled and laughed. I could imagine some of the horrors he must have seen in the desert, but I wanted to know what had brought him back like this.
Slowly, I eased myself up. Ambrose glanced my way and nodded. I waved at him, then felt stupid for doing it.
“Come on in.” Ambrose turned and walked into his house.
18
Dax
“That was… exciting,” Travis said.
I laughed. “Yeah. That’s about the welcome I expected.”
“Maybe I should wait out here.”
“No, he wants to see you. He would’ve made it very clear if he didn’t. He doesn’t worry about social niceties. You might’ve guessed that from him stepping out with the rifle.”
“I guess he doesn’t have a lot of visitors way out here.”