Free Redeemed (The Dark Redemption Series Book 2) by Lane Hart Page B

what’s going on. Pulling out my phone from my jean pocket, I hit the contact with their name.
    “Hey, Brede,” Jim answers, sounding tired.
    “Hey, did I catch you at a bad time?” I ask.
    “Oh, no, just haven’t been sleeping much,” he says. Of course, he has insomnia. He’s worried about his wife dying so I can see how it would be hard to sleep.
    “Well, sorry to bother you, and I know you and Paula don’t need any more stress right now, but, um, I’m in some heat and it may be heading your way,” I warn him.
    “Damn, Brede. What’s going on?” he asks, and I hate the sound of disappointment in his voice.
    “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m on my way home.”
    “Finally,” he says. “That’s good news.”
    “I’m gonna have two people with me. We won’t stay there at the house, but we’ll get a hotel close by.”
    “So who are you bringing?” he asks. “Paula’s gonna be so excited. It’ll be good for her to have something to take her mind off everything for a little while.”
    “Yeah, well, I’ve found my brother.”
    “Seriously? Holy shit, that’s great, Brede! I know you’ve missed Aden. How did you finally find him?”
    “Our paths sort of…crossed,” I tell him. “And he had changed his name, which is why I couldn’t ever find Aden Rawls.”
    “Oh, that’s awful. And that’s exactly why we never gave you the Willard name. In case your brother ever tried to find you, he wouldn’t have had that problem. It wasn’t because we didn’t want you to be one of us.”
    “Yeah, thanks,” I say, my chest filling with warmth at his genuine words. They never treated me as anything less than their own son, which I’m thankful for now, even if I was a little shit to them those first few years. There was so much anger in me throughout my teenage years that it was hard for me to see past it to the effort they constantly made. While I was overseas in the army, I had a lot of quiet time to think back on the comforts of home, and how Paula and Jim went out of their way to show how much they cared about me. Once I was discharged, I tried to do better about expressing my gratitude for everything they’ve done for me.
    “So, who’s the other person you’re bringing? Does your brother have a girlfriend?” Jim asks, and my eyes instantly go to Blair.
    “No, she’s mine,” I say into the phone.
    “Oh. You have a girlfriend?” he asks in surprise since that’s a word I’ve never used to describe a woman before. In high school I dated and fucked girls, but nothing more than that.
    “Yeah, she’s my girlfriend,” I say, causing Blair’s hazel eyes to widen. “I can’t wait for you and Paula to meet them both.”
    “We can’t either,” he says followed by a chuckle. “Glad to see you finally starting to settle down. So, when do you expect to get to town?”
    “Maybe tonight or in the morning,” I tell him, depending on how shit goes down. “Oh, and back to the reason I’m calling. Don’t answer the door for anyone, and try not to go out if you don’t have to, not until we get there, okay?”
    “Shit, Brede. Do I need to load my rifle too?” he asks.
    “That probably wouldn’t be a bad idea,” I advise him. “And I’ll call before we stop by so you don’t accidentally shoot one of us.”
    Blowing out a breath I hear through the phone line, he says, “Now I’m seriously worried.”
    “I could be overreacting,” I tell him with a cringe. “I just don’t want to leave you two in the dark in case I’m right.”
    “Then I guess we’ll be prepared and see you soon.”
    “Yeah.”
    “We love you, Brede. Be safe.”
    “Me too and will do,” I say before ending the call.
    I’ve never told them I love them. Hell, I’ve never told anyone I love them because I didn’t think I was capable of such an emotion. Now, with Blair, I’m starting to think I just might be feeling it for the very first time.

Chapter Eight
     
    Blair
    “Girlfriend?” I ask with a