Free To Deceive Is To Love (Romantic suspense) by Lynne King Page B
Authors: Lynne King
other end of the car park.
“I tried to warn her about you. You used her, didn’t you; to get back at me? And now you can’t even look her in the face.”
“Grow up, Danny,” David hissed, looking away to find Abdul still standing by his car.
A smug smile appeared as he looked back at David. Then he climbed into the rear of the car, all the doors slammed shut, and the terrorists drove away.
“Who were they, friends of yours?”
David didn’t reply.
“Word gets around, you know. An old buddy of yours, Jim -- you trained together apparently -- sought me out yesterday. He was at an air display in Germany. I suppose he recognized the name from the days when you acknowledged you had a brother.”
David was only half listening, his thoughts elsewhere as Danny continued.
“Said he saw you a year back in a bar in Germany with some local scum and you brushed past him as if he didn’t exist, acting and looking like shit. Wanted to know where he could reach you, see if you’ve recovered your senses. I told him not to bother.”
David turned back to Danny and removed his glasses, his eyes narrowing sharply. Abdul’s smile worried him. It was as if he already knew who Danny was and what the accusation was about. He didn’t like it and the uneasiness made him lash out at Danny. "You said right. I’ve no need for reunions of any kind and that includes making small chat with you. As for Chantelle and me, that has nothing to do with you -- unless of course you wanted to get there first.”
David caught Danny’s fist before it made contact. His hand encased his brother’s smaller hand and twisted it back, causing Danny to nearly go to his knees.
Chantelle’s voice screaming out for them both to stop caused David to release his grip. Danny staggered back and then went to charge at David again, only by this time, Chantelle had rushed over and was trying to hold Danny back. Gripping her arms around Danny’s shoulders, she positioned her body between the two brothers.
“What’s gotten into you two?” she shouted, still holding on tightly to Danny, who had managed to calm down slightly. She stared accusingly at David.
For a moment, he remained silent, his arms now down by his sides. The anger had faded, leaving him feeling ashamed. Danny didn’t deserve this from him and neither did Chantelle. He should have handled the situation far better. Instead, he had resorted to childish innuendos, knowing full well how hot-tempered Danny was and exactly how he would retaliate. David couldn’t get his brother to hate him any more than he did now.
Raising his hands up in a submissive gesture, he moved forward. “Look, what I said was uncalled for, Danny. You just came at me in a bad moment. Can we forget it?”
Chantelle had released Danny, but she still stood between them and the small frown that creased her brow made it clear she felt David had given a pitiful apology. Still, she glanced back over her shoulder at Danny and attempted a small smile.
“I don’t know what it was about, but can you two at least part amicably? I’m not much good at refereeing and I can’t stand the sight of blood.” She smiled encouragingly, but was met with a stony response from Danny.
“Come on, Chantelle; let’s get the hell out of here.” Without looking at David, he marched off.
Chantelle looked at David as if waiting for him to say something. When he didn’t, she turned and followed Danny.
David remained standing there even after the red Fiesta they had both gotten into drove away. His thoughts were going in every direction, first to Danny and how far he had come from the doting brother who was so excited when David was home on leave that he wouldn’t give him a moment alone the whole time. David had loved telling him about the planes he was flying and the places he had been. There had been so much admiration in Danny’s young face and now all he saw was contempt.
He so desperately wanted to put it right between them,
“I tried to warn her about you. You used her, didn’t you; to get back at me? And now you can’t even look her in the face.”
“Grow up, Danny,” David hissed, looking away to find Abdul still standing by his car.
A smug smile appeared as he looked back at David. Then he climbed into the rear of the car, all the doors slammed shut, and the terrorists drove away.
“Who were they, friends of yours?”
David didn’t reply.
“Word gets around, you know. An old buddy of yours, Jim -- you trained together apparently -- sought me out yesterday. He was at an air display in Germany. I suppose he recognized the name from the days when you acknowledged you had a brother.”
David was only half listening, his thoughts elsewhere as Danny continued.
“Said he saw you a year back in a bar in Germany with some local scum and you brushed past him as if he didn’t exist, acting and looking like shit. Wanted to know where he could reach you, see if you’ve recovered your senses. I told him not to bother.”
David turned back to Danny and removed his glasses, his eyes narrowing sharply. Abdul’s smile worried him. It was as if he already knew who Danny was and what the accusation was about. He didn’t like it and the uneasiness made him lash out at Danny. "You said right. I’ve no need for reunions of any kind and that includes making small chat with you. As for Chantelle and me, that has nothing to do with you -- unless of course you wanted to get there first.”
David caught Danny’s fist before it made contact. His hand encased his brother’s smaller hand and twisted it back, causing Danny to nearly go to his knees.
Chantelle’s voice screaming out for them both to stop caused David to release his grip. Danny staggered back and then went to charge at David again, only by this time, Chantelle had rushed over and was trying to hold Danny back. Gripping her arms around Danny’s shoulders, she positioned her body between the two brothers.
“What’s gotten into you two?” she shouted, still holding on tightly to Danny, who had managed to calm down slightly. She stared accusingly at David.
For a moment, he remained silent, his arms now down by his sides. The anger had faded, leaving him feeling ashamed. Danny didn’t deserve this from him and neither did Chantelle. He should have handled the situation far better. Instead, he had resorted to childish innuendos, knowing full well how hot-tempered Danny was and exactly how he would retaliate. David couldn’t get his brother to hate him any more than he did now.
Raising his hands up in a submissive gesture, he moved forward. “Look, what I said was uncalled for, Danny. You just came at me in a bad moment. Can we forget it?”
Chantelle had released Danny, but she still stood between them and the small frown that creased her brow made it clear she felt David had given a pitiful apology. Still, she glanced back over her shoulder at Danny and attempted a small smile.
“I don’t know what it was about, but can you two at least part amicably? I’m not much good at refereeing and I can’t stand the sight of blood.” She smiled encouragingly, but was met with a stony response from Danny.
“Come on, Chantelle; let’s get the hell out of here.” Without looking at David, he marched off.
Chantelle looked at David as if waiting for him to say something. When he didn’t, she turned and followed Danny.
David remained standing there even after the red Fiesta they had both gotten into drove away. His thoughts were going in every direction, first to Danny and how far he had come from the doting brother who was so excited when David was home on leave that he wouldn’t give him a moment alone the whole time. David had loved telling him about the planes he was flying and the places he had been. There had been so much admiration in Danny’s young face and now all he saw was contempt.
He so desperately wanted to put it right between them,