Claiming the Enemy: Dustin (Porter Brothers Trilogy 3)

Tate sat down next to him when Greer went into the bathroom. “That ever happen before?”

“Never. I don’t understand.”

Tate shook his head at him. “We’ve never been able to understand our gifts. Why would this be any different? You still hear screaming?”

“She’s crying now.”

“You sure it’s a woman? Maybe you hear a woman who you’re close to. Who are you dating? We could call and check; make sure she’s okay.”

“I haven’t been dating anyone. I’ve been too busy working. The last woman I went out with was Carly when she won the auction, and I only went out with her one time.”

“Dustin, it wasn’t your fault that Lindy became involved with Brett.”

“If she hadn’t been so mad at me and Greer, she wouldn’t have let Brett sneak into the wedding.”

“She was a jealous bitch who didn’t care who was hurt.” Tate laid his arm around Dustin’s shoulders. “Killing has never been easy for you—”

“You think I feel sorry that I killed her?” Dustin looked at his brother as if he was crazy, then closed his eyes and shook his head. “She shot Holly when she was holding Logan. That bitch deserves to rot in Hell, and I’m glad I put her and Brett there. Do I regret getting drunk and telling Lindy that I was going to put her in an apartment? To my dying day, because it nearly cost Logan and Holly their lives. I learned two things: never drink enough that I don’t know what the hell I’m saying and that I have bad taste in women. I should have learnt that lesson from Sam, but at least I didn’t knock Lindy up before I killed her.”

“Samantha was an accident,” Holly said, coming from behind the couch to wrap her arms around his neck.

“Where’s Logan?” Anguished that his son could have heard him and Tate talking had him looking toward the hallway where only Sutton and Greer had been listening.

“I put him back to bed.”

“Thank God. He’s going to find out sooner or later, but I want to wait until he’s older.”

“Dustin, you should tell him before he finds out. It’s only a matter of time before someone tells him.”

“I will … When he asks me how his mother died, I’m going to tell him the truth.”

Holly and he had discussed how Sam had died numerous times. Dustin didn’t think he could handle it if Logan started hating him.

“When you’re ready, we’ll do it together. You don’t have to do it alone.” Holly gave him a quick kiss on his cheek before removing her arms. Then she gave him an encouraging smile. “Rosie’s awake and hungry. Good night, everyone.”

“You ready, Tate?”

“You need me to stay?” Tate asked at Sutton’s question.

“I’m good. I’m sorry I kept everyone from going to bed,” Dustin apologized.

Sutton took Holly’s place, giving him a hard hug. “We weren’t ready for bed anyway. We were sharing a carton of ice cream. And I agree with Holly, you should tell him. Logan is a very loving, bright child who will understand better than you give him credit for. He takes after his father.” Giving him a sisterly kiss, she then took Tate’s hand as he came around the couch.

Greer locked the door after they left, then gave him a hard glare when he caught Dustin staring at him. “What?”

“Why are you wearing Holly’s robe?”

“Because I have a feminine side.”

Seeing the cunning look as Greer walked toward him, Dustin braced himself.

“You need a kiss from me, too?”

“Bro, kidding around or not, you try to kiss me, I’m going to hurt you.”

Laughing like a loon, Greer retreated. “It was all there was in the bathroom. I didn’t think Tate or Sutton would have appreciated me going to the bedroom for my clothes.”

“I’m dreading going to bed so bad.”

Greer’s expression became somber. “You think you’re going to have another nightmare?”

“I know I am. How could I not? I don’t know which is worse: seeing you naked or wearing the robe.”

“Could be worse.”

Dustin tore his eyes away from Greer’s hairy legs that Holly’s robe only covered to mid-thigh.

“The robe could be black and cover me from head to toe.”

Dustin had described his nightmares too many times to both his brothers not to know that Greer was trying to plant a seed of doubt in his mind that he was the shadowy figure of his nightmares.

Greer was a pure nut when he was in the mood to joke around. Ninety percent of the time, Greer was trying to lessen the tension of his dreams. The other ten percent was him being an ass.

6

Monday

“Do I have to go to school?”

“Um … yes. Let’s be positive. You could have a great day.” Dustin tried to cheer his son up as he rolled his car forward to let Logan out at the school entrance.

“That’s not going to happen,” he said sullenly while unbuckling his seatbelt.