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Before he growled and really freaked out Kylie, he grabbed the door knocker and rapped. No answer. He tried it several more times with the same results.
“Maybe they’re out,” she ventured.
“Car’s here.”
“The property’s pretty big. Do they do outside stuff? They could be out back.”
He rapped again. “In all that snow? Doubtful. They don’t snowmobile.”
“Perhaps—”
“Kylie, enough.” He fished around on his key ring for the spare key he’d had made years ago. They hadn’t given it to him voluntarily, but he’d be damned if he didn’t have a way into their place just in case. With his free hand, he rapped again, well aware that Kylie was stewing at his side. “If they don’t answer in another minute, I’m going in.” He shook his key. “I’m not taking a fucking chance that she could be hurt or dead—”
His hand fell away from the door as it was yanked inward, and his stepfather filled it with his broad frame. “Justin? Whatsa matter?”
Justin’s blood chilled with just one look into the man’s wild black eyes. He was breathing hard, and his clothes looked askew. Dammit. “What the hell’s going on here? Where’s Mom?”
Before his stepfather could reply, Justin grabbed his shoulder and pushed him out of the way. He stormed into the foyer and cast a glance around, expecting to see upended furniture—or worse. So much worse.
Instead he glimpsed his mom hurrying down the hall. Her messy brown hair fell into her eyes while she yanked at her still partially undone blouse. She fumbled the bottom two buttons into place and glanced up at her son, revealing her smeared lipstick. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
All at once, he understood. His stepfather hadn’t been beating his mom into unconsciousness. Oh no.
They’d been having sex. Sex, for God’s sake. He’d walked out on Kylie during a volatile moment and hauled her over to his mother’s house with him for no reason except he was a paranoid maniac and clearly didn’t have a clue how to mind his own damn business.
He raked a hand through his hair and tossed a look at Kylie. She still stood on the front stoop, and she was gazing anywhere but at him.
Right then he didn’t blame her.
“I called, and no one answered.” He shut his eyes and willed the tremor out of his voice. “And I assumed the worst.”
“Everything’s fine.” His stepfather sounded annoyed, understandably so.
Except it wasn’t understandable. He’d been the fucker who’d beat his own wife years ago. If that jerk touched her again, he’d kill him.
“Isn’t it, Tracy?” his stepfather boomed into the silence. He waved Kylie inside and shut the door. “Tell your son it’s fine.”
“It’s fine, Justin.” She sounded infinitely tired as she hustled over to place her cool hands on Justin’s forearms. He’d shoved up his jacket sleeves while he waited on the porch, and her soft touch felt like a balm on his overheated skin. “We were just taking a…break while dinner finished up.” A ding from the kitchen made her smile. “See, that’s dinner now. You should stay, since you’re here and all.”
He was already backing away. “No, thanks. Kylie and I will just—”
“Kylie?” His mother stepped around him and brightened instantly. “Well, hello, dear. I didn’t see you behind these big, strapping men.”
“Hello.” Kylie smiled weakly and rubbed her palm on her hip before extending it to his mom. “I’m Kylie Fisher. I’d know you were Justin’s mom anywhere. You look just like him.”
“Oh, do I?” Apparently surprised by this news, Tracy patted her hair and slanted a look at her son. “He got a few more inches than I had to give him though.”
When Kylie blushed and didn’t say anything, he couldn’t believe the smile that almost curved his lips. He so rarely smiled while in this house that the mere possibility surprised him.
“So what do you say?” His mother twisted her fingers together as if she were nervous. And not because of the gruff man who lurked silently by the door.
These nerves were due to her son’s unexpected visit on the day of a family holiday, Justin was willing to bet. Oh, the horrors.
More than anything, he wanted to get the hell out of there. But Kylie’s big blue eyes reflected interest, and he wasn’t going to disappoint her again today. Not if he could help it.
He hooked an arm around Kylie’s shoulders and tugged her against his side. She went as rigid as a board the moment he touched her, and just like that, his lingering hopes that perhaps they could work out what had happened between them at the cabin faded. She might be interested in a hot turkey dinner, but that was all.
He’d well and truly fucked-up.
