Fangs But No Fangs

CHAPTER 26

"I'm sorry, Jolee." Jed shook his head, looking around the ransacked bar just two hours later. "I didn't even hear a thing. Damned ears. Playing out on me."

Jolee shook her head. "Don't apologize. I'm glad you didn't hear anything. Knowing you, you would have come up here and gotten hurt— or killed."

She stepped gingerly into the center of the barroom. Glasses and bottles of liquor were broken everywhere. The ancient jukebox had been hit with something, likely one of the overturned chairs scattering the floor. The glass was cracked, but the old machine still remained lit up. She couldn't say the same for her karaoke sound system. It was destroyed.

She wandered over to the booth and stared at the smashed CD players and CDs. Then she simply turned away, going outside to wait for the police to arrive. She collapsed onto the low concrete step, staring blankly at the road. The sun was starting to sink down in the sky, brushing the tops of the trees in a warm yellow glow. It had to be long past five. Time to open the bar. But she wouldn't open tonight.

Jed's scuffed boots appeared beside her as he leaned against the post that supported the overhang. She smelled the acrid scent of smoke as he lit a cigarette.

"We'll get it cleaned up," he said, his voice gruff and determined.

She nodded. Rage choked her and she couldn't speak. Tears choked her, too, but again, she didn't allow herself to succumb to them. She wouldn't cry. Tears never, never did any good.

She gritted her teeth, determination starting to replace her anger and grief. She hated to think it, but she had no doubt who did this. Vance. He'd ruined her bar, stolen her money, she knew it.

She didn't have any proof, but she didn't doubt it was him. The timing was a little too convenient and the look in his eyes… She should have guessed he'd do something. It hurt her. Hurt her that her own brother would do such a thing. But she had no doubt. And she would tell the police to investigate him. She was done trying to give him a chance. He'd messed with her future. With her chance at success. And she wasn't going to be dragged back down by her family.

She'd get Leo's cleaned up and opened again. This wouldn't destroy her dream.

As Christian pulled up to the bar, his first indication that things were not right was the lack of cars in the parking lot. He pulled his car to a stop near the back door, but walked around to the front entrance. A hand-written paper sign taped to the door read, "Closed temporarily for renovations."

He frowned. Renovations?

He reached for the doorknob, but the door was locked. He could hear the strains of music through the open window, and a clinking like someone was picking up glass. He peeked in the window but didn't see anyone. He thought to simply turn to shadow and enter. But he couldn't if he wanted to. The hospital showed him that power was iffy at best. If it wasn't totally gone now.

"Jolee?" he called, suddenly more worried about her than his disappearing abilities. What was going on?

The clinking stopped, and she appeared from behind the bar. She looked around until she located him in the window, then she walked carefully over to the door, unlocking it.

"What's going on," he asked as he stepped inside. His concern didn't lessen as he took in her drawn features and her disheveled hair. He could feel her despair swirling around them. Then he smelled the intense scent of alcohol.

"What happened?"

She sighed, looking down at her hands, damp with liquor. She wiped them on her apron. "The bar was broken into last night."

He glanced at the bar, realizing that most of the bottles were gone from the back shelves. Broken, obviously, from the smell of liquor and the clinks he'd heard.

"Are you all right?" he asked, knowing she couldn't be. Jolee had worked too hard to have a devastating setback like this.

But she nodded. "The police just left a little while ago, and I was beginning to clean up." She glanced down at her hands again. Her shoulders sagged. This was the first time he'd seen her look like everything, her hard work, her struggles, were just too much for her.

He pulled her into his arms, hugging her tight.

"It was Vance."

Her words took a second to penetrate. Then he realized she was referring to who'd done this. And she was right. He could smell his scent, smarminess in the air.

He moved away from her. "Did you tell the police?"

She nodded. "They said they'd question him. But they probably won't find him. I'm sure he went back to Sawyersville or wherever."

"He did it." Of course, he couldn't help her with the police. He doubted an officer would accept his verification that it was Vance just because he could smell him.

Just then Jed came out of the bathroom, carrying his mop and bucket. Christian left Jolee's side to take the cleaning paraphernalia from the old man.

"I'll help her."

Jed started to argue like he had the night before, when he'd stepped in to help him with the mopping.

"Just have a seat."

But instead of following Christian's order, Jed began to pick up the overturned chairs, muttering about Christian thinking he could tell him what to do just because he was dating the boss lady.

"Damned right," Christian informed him. Then he turned back to Jolee. "Okay, boss lady, let's get this place renovated."

Jolee glanced over at Christian as he mopped the floor. She'd felt a thousand times better after he arrived. He was a steady strength beside her, just as he'd been that night Vance had broken into her trailer. He worked efficiently, helping her clean up all the glass and debris. Then he swept up all the tiny shards of glass and now he mopped. She stood at the karaoke booth, sorting through the CDs, trying to salvage what she could. The rest she tossed in the trash can.

All of this was going to cost her a ton of money. Replacing the liquor and the barware. But the karaoke was going to be impossible to replace for a while. That made her heartsick. Not to mention all the money from her great night was gone. The safe had been cracked open, the ancient hinges proving too little for Vance's purpose.

She sighed. She wouldn't give up. Then she glanced at Christian. She wasn't alone anymore. Christian was here to stand by her. Then she looked at Jed, frowning at another cracked ashtray, which he then tossed in the trash. She wasn't alone.

The front door opened and Jolee started toward it.

"Sorry," she called. "The bar is closed."

A petite woman with short-cropped, messily styled hair stepped into the room. She glanced around, her gaze stopping on Christian. Jolee frowned, her own eyes going to him. Did this woman know him?

Christian stood stock-still, the mop stopped in midswish. His usually golden skin was as pale as paste, his eyes wide as if he were staring at a ghost.

Jolee frowned back at the woman. Was this Lilah? But she immediately disregarded the idea. While this woman was petite as Christian had described, he'd also said Lilah was beautiful, with long blond hair and pale eyes. This woman was more adorable than beautiful. She looked like a pixie with wide eyes and a pert nose. There was an almost otherworldly look to her elfin features.

"Holy shit! I never thought I'd see the day when Christian Young was pushing a mop. This is brilliant."

Jolee's eyes moved from the small woman to the two men now standing behind her. The one who'd spoken grinned widely in Christian's direction. The other man didn't smile. Instead he watched Christian with a concerned, almost grim expression on his handsome face.

For a moment, no one spoke. Then the grinning man broke the silence. He came forward to extend his hand toward her.

"Hi. I'm Chris's baby brother, Sebastian."

Shocked, she accepted his handshake. She didn't know why she was so shocked; he looked like Christian with the same full, sculpted lips and tousled dark blond hair, although there was an openness to this man that Christian didn't show as readily.

"I'm Jolee."

Sebastian nodded as though he'd already deduced that. He left her to go over to Christian. He pulled him into an embrace, clapping a hand on the middle of Christian's back. Christian remained stiff, mop still in one hand, his gaze still on the tiny brunette and the other man who Jolee assumed was Rhys.

Sebastian released him, then stepped back to follow his gaze. Christian absently handed the mop to Sebastian and then took a step toward the woman.

"Jane?" Christian shook his head as though he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.

A swell of jealousy pooled in Jolee's stomach. Who was she? Why was Christian so stunned to see her?

The brunette nodded. "Yes, Christian. I'm fine." She then grinned up at the tall man behind her.

For the first time, Jolee realized the man had his hands on Jane's shoulders. They both wore wedding bands. A measure of relief filled her, although she was still confused by Christian's strange reaction.

"You were dead," he murmured, coming to stand in front of her.

"Dying," the man behind her corrected. "But she returned to me. She's fine now. We're fine."

Christian looked at the other man, still obviously dazed. "Rhys."

The man then smiled, a curve of his sculpted mouth, the gesture so similar to Christian's little grins. "It's good to see you, Chris. You look good doing a little honest labor."

He released Jane and stepped forward to also clasp Christian in a brotherly embrace. Jolee smiled, even though she didn't fully understand what she was witnessing.

"How did you find me?" Christian asked, glancing back and forth between his brothers.

Jolee's stomach sank. Things seemed to be going well, but she was still worried that Christian would think she'd stepped in where she shouldn't have.

But instead of letting his brothers reveal her involvement, she stepped toward him and admitted, "I called them."

Christian turned to her. "You?"

She nodded. "I knew you were miserable without your family, so I called." She winced slightly. She couldn't tell if he was upset or not. Then he strode over to her, pulling her against him. He hugged her tightly to his chest.

"Thank you," he murmured against her hair.

Her heart soared. "You're welcome."

"Well, shit," Jed suddenly announced from behind the bar. "A reunion like this calls for a drink."

He lifted a full plastic beer pitcher into the air, then took a large gulp directly from the pitcher. He exhaled in satisfaction when he was done, using his shirtsleeve to wipe foam from his moustache. Then he held out the pitcher. No one moved.

"What? You pretty boys don't know how to celebrate?" Jed rasped.

"Oh, I like this guy," Sebastian stated, walking over to take the offered beer. He took a long swallow. He turned and handed it to Christian. "You heard the man, pretty boy. Celebrate!"

Christian smiled, and Jolee was thrilled to see a full-fledged smile on his lips as he raised the pitcher to his lips. He looked directly at her as he took his drink, and she could see the happiness and the love in his eyes. Suddenly the break-in, the mess, the karaoke system, none of it seemed so bad. Not bad at all.

Jolee rested her chin in her hand as she leaned on the bar, watching the three brothers and Jed, seated around a table, talking animatedly. Several more times, Christian had smiled. And several more times those amazing smiles had been directed at her. She sighed.

"It's a remarkable sight, isn't it?" Jane said, shifting on her bar stool to glance from the men to Jolee.

Jolee knew exactly what she meant. "Yes. It's almost scary that brothers can be that beautiful."

Jane smiled. "I'm shocked on a daily basis." She turned fully on her stool. "So how did you meet Christian?"

Jolee raised an eyebrow at that. How to tell that story without scaring this woman to death?

"He rescued me from my drugged out, knife-toting brother. Then he nearly ran me down with his car. Somehow things progressed from there."

Jane nodded as if she totally understood. "I think meeting the Young brothers is always an odd experience. Rhys saved my life, then very shortly after that started insisting we marry."

"Fast mover."

Jane laughed. "You have no idea." But she looked down fondly at the plain gold band on her finger.

Jolee studied the simple ring on Jane's finger. Would she and Christian ever marry? The idea thrilled her beyond words. She glanced over at him; another real smile curved his lips at something Sebastian said. She had been right, he was even more staggeringly beautiful with a real smile on his lips.

"Thank you for calling," Jane said, drawing Jolee's attention back to her. She gazed at the table, too, although Jolee was certain her attention was on Rhys. He looked very happy, too.

"I knew I had to. Christian was suffering."

"Rhys and Sebastian were, too."

Jolee nodded; she could tell. The brothers all seemed very happy to be together again. But as far as she could tell, no mention of Lilah had been made. Christian's most stunned reaction had been to Jane.

"Christian was really shocked to see you."

"Yes. I guess he truly believed I died. Poor guy. I kept telling Rhys that we should try to find him, although I don't think we ever would have looked here."

Jane's eyes widened, then she added, "Not here, here, but— well, I meant…»

Jolee laughed at the woman's agitation. "You don't need to apologize. Believe me, I know that Christian is as out of his element here as I'd be in some hoity-toity mansion."

She continued to smile, but her admission caused her joy to dissipate just a little. She didn't fit with Christian, not really. She glanced over at his brothers with their expensive clothes and perfect looks. Jane also looked perfect with smooth, creamy skin, funky hair, and a cute flippy little skirt and silky top. Then Jolee looked down at herself in her liquor-stained apron. Her heavy hair was falling from its knot at the back of her head. Strands clung to her neck, which was sticky from the humid night air. She knew her cheeks must be flushed from all the cleaning she'd done tonight.

She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling like the ugly duckling of the group. Even Jed appeared less mussed.

"You'd fit in anywhere," Jane said with a reassuring smile as if she knew exactly what Jolee was thinking. "I grew up in a ramshackle Victorian house in a small town in Maine. Half of the house was a funeral parlor my father owned. What did I know about living in a big city like New York? Nothing, but I figured it out. It's amazing where you can feel comfortable if you are with the people you love."

She shot another adoring glance toward Rhys, then she added, "It's also amazing who you can become."

Jolee followed her gaze, except she watched Christian. He talked with Jed. The old man reached over and clapped him on his back with almost fatherly affection.

"What was Christian like?" she asked suddenly. "I mean, when you knew him?"

Jane gave a little laugh that didn't quite sound like amusement. But then she sobered. "The Christian I knew was pretty scary. He was angry and bitter."

Jolee wasn't surprised by her description. That was the Christian she'd first met, too.

"But that was the Christian that Lilah created." Jane winced slightly as if she thought maybe she said too much.

"I know about Lilah," Jolee assured her.

"You do?" Jane seemed surprised.

"Well, I know a little."

Jane nodded.

"Did you know her?"

Jane shook her head. "No, thank God. All I know about her is she was a very bad, very selfish vam— " Her big eyes widened again, then she added quickly, "Vain. Very vain."

Jolee frowned slightly, wondering what Jane was about to say, but Jane's next admission pushed that question right out of her mind.

"I think it's a good thing for all of us that she is dead."

"Lilah is dead?"

Jane nodded, another pained look creasing her elfin features. "Christian didn't tell you?"

Jolee shook her head. "No. How did she die?"

Jane glanced over her shoulder almost guiltily, then she leaned forward on the bar. "She killed herself."

Killed herself? "Why?"

Jane shook her head. "I don't know. Rhys said she was crazy. Maybe she did just go mad and kill herself."

Jolee looked over to Christian. Did he blame himself for Lilah's death in some way? Was that why he'd been so strange in the beginning? And was he truly over the woman? If she hadn't killed herself, would he still be with her? Taking her insane abuse?

Jolee couldn't think about that. It didn't matter anyway. Lilah was dead, and she loved Christian now.

"I've upset you," Jane said.

"No. I wanted to know about her."

Jane nodded.

"Jane, how did she kill herself?"

"She walked out— she walked into a fire."

Jolee stared at her. Walked into a fire? Who killed themselves that way? Someone who was crazy, obviously. And as cruel as it was of her, all Jolee could feel was relief over Lilah's demise. She had destroyed, or nearly destroyed, a family and Christian. She couldn't have any sympathy for the cruel woman.

Then Christian stood, grabbed the handles of the four beer pitchers that they were using as mugs. The plastic had mostly survived Vance's pillaging. Christian came to the bar, but rather than hand the pitchers to Jolee, he walked to the tap and began filling them. He grinned at Jolee, and she noticed that he was still a little uncomfortable looking at Jane.

Once the pitchers were filled again, he leaned over and pressed a kiss to Jolee's lips.

"Thank you," he said against her lips. She smiled and kissed him again.

Then he scooped up the pitchers and went back to the table to serve them. Jolee sighed as she watched him go. God, she loved him.

"Well, I don't think you have to worry about fitting into Christian's world," Jane said with a small knowing smile. "I think he's doing fine fitting in right here."

Jolee smiled, and then laughed as his brothers began to razz him about his bartending abilities. Christian didn't look offended by the teasing; in fact, he looked quite happy with himself. And he did know how to serve a drink with flare.

Suddenly she didn't worry about fitting in. It was true. If Christian had managed to be comfortable here, she could manage to fit in with him.