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Chase’s eyes narrowed in confusion. Like he didn’t know what the fuck I was talking about. “I don’t want you gone, Hunter. This isn’t an attempt to run you out. It’s an attempt to get you help. Whether you stay or go is up to you.”
“What could it hurt to talk to the lady?” Ash asked.
“It’s a waste of my time,” I scoffed.
“It will cut into your finding your next nightly fuck buddy,” Kade chided.
I really wanted to punch him, but I didn’t. See, I had some control.
“Perhaps you could let me talk to Mr. Raven alone,” the woman said.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Ash said.
I stared at him. “You really think I’d hurt a woman?” The image of Sara, black and blue flashed in my head. I hadn’t hurt her, but she’d been hurt because of me.
“Frankly, Hunter, I don’t know anymore,” Ash said. “That’s why we’re here.”
“I could give you tips on managing your relationships with your brothers,” she said.
“Can you make them shut up?” I said turning to her.
“No. But I can help you deal with your frustration and perhaps not get sucked into a pissing match with them.”
My lips quirked up slightly. The librarian-looking therapist had some spirit.
“To be honest, it seems like all of you could use a little talk therapy,” she said.
“I like you,” I said. I was tired of being the identified problem child in the family. My brothers all had their own issues. Yeah, Chase had mellowed out some, but he was still an egomaniac.
“Good, then you’ll talk with her?” Chase asked.
“Just one time,” she said. “We’ll see how it goes. If you decide you don’t like it, that will be it.”
“You’ll just walk away?” I asked.
“I don’t see people who don’t want help. Why bother, right?”
“Right.” I studied her again, wondering what she’d look like with her hair down, and her top button unbuttoned. There were worse ways to spend an hour of my day than talking to a beautiful woman. I couldn’t bring her home since she was somehow connected to Raven industries, but a chat, perhaps a little innuendo, couldn’t hurt.
4
Grace
Friday
I had worked with some children who were brought in and forced into therapy, but never had I been in a situation to watch an adult be coerced to get help. I felt bad for Hunter even as I could see that he indeed needed help. He was coiled tight with tension. He had self-control because I was sure he wanted to take a swing at the brother named Kade. But from what the brothers were saying, it sounded like Hunter’s angry outbursts were escalating, suggesting his control was wavering.
Hunter wasn’t alone in his feelings. I wondered if I could convince him to join a veteran’s group so he could see how many others like him felt isolated and alone, even when they were with a supportive family. That they also felt like a slave to their emotions and constant state of fight or flight. He’d clearly been coping, but his coping mechanisms were starting to fail.
He turned to Chase. “So, you think that setting me up with sexy therapy lady to have my head shrunk will help me?”
Sexy therapy lady? That wasn’t me.
“I asked her here because she has experience helping people with PTSD.”
Oh hell. I worked to keep my emotions neutral, but inside I was chastising Chase. Hunter knew what was going on with him, but announcing it like that was like waving a red flag in front of a bull.
“Keep out of my fucking head,” Hunter roared. Yep, like waving a red flag. “You know what, never mind. I’m outta here.” He started for the door.
“Hunter.” Chase said it loud, but not with anger or a threat. “You need to do this, or you’ll be forced to take a leave of absence.”
Hunter turned to his brother. “You’re not the boss of me. You don’t have the authority—”
“Dad agrees with me, with us,” he said with a look to his brothers. “You get your head on straight, or we’ll find someone else to take care of security.”
There was a flash of something in Hunter’s eyes. I couldn’t say it was anger. Was it guilt? Pain?
“You fucking brown noser,” he said. “Now that you knocked up your teenage intern, you’re Dad’s favorite and can do whatever you want.”
“Knock it off, Hunter. Sara is family and good for Chase regardless of Dad’s ridiculous plan,” Ash said.
What plan, I wondered.
“He married her to beat Dad’s system; he didn’t love her,” Hunter said with a look to Chase that asked him to dare him to deny it.
Kade started laughing, which was odd considering the tension in the room.
“Even a blind man can see Chase is head over heels for Sara. Just because you fuck a new woman every night, doesn’t mean love doesn’t exist.”
