Releasing Raven [Braden Security 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Read online

  “No, the cops didn’t buy it and both were searched. Cindy had a bag full of campaign grab bags with small bags of coke mixed in with the button pens and whatnots. There’re all still down at the station being questioned. Chase is in the clear, but it doesn’t seem to be going so good for Cindy. They found out her connection to Les and some of the other volunteers swore that she was the coke provider. The police also went and picked up Jim from the gym. They found out about him when they went through Cindy’s cell phone and found the calls between the two of them. Grant said everything is unraveling for them and it’s just a matter of time until all the pieces are put together and Brad will be cleared.”

  “God, I could hug you for that news,” James said with a wide smile.

  “Well I wouldn’t be averse to a hug,” Madge said with a sly grin.

  James just laughed and scooped up the little gray-haired woman in her arms and squeezed her tightly, with her feet lifted off the ground. Putting her down, he held her shoulder and gave her a brief peck on the nose, and stepped back. Madge backed up, blushing and touching her nose.

  “I knew there was something I’d like about this job,” Madge said, giving a nervous giggle. Clay pushed James out of the way and also hugged Madge.

  “You have brought a light into our dismal day with that news,” Clay told her as he wrapped his arms around her.

  “Oh, get away with you,” Madge swatted at him as he let her go.

  “I’m going back to the office in case something else happens.” Madge’s face was now red as she hurried away from the group and down the hall.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The next two weeks were spent in a flurry of activity. Brad bitched at anyone who would listen, wanting out of the hospital. The doctors wouldn’t budge, so everyone took turns sitting with him and trying to keep him amused. Raven, when not visiting with Brad, spent her time in physiotherapy strengthening up her leg muscles. The girls spent countless hours with her at night with Mary’s help, helping her to relearn how to walk again. Brad tried pouting at her to get her to spend more time with him, but she put him off with a story about one of her novels nearing the end and she had a deadline to meet. She hated seeing the dejected look come over his face every time she left, but she was determined not to tell him about starting to walk again.

  Jackson and the guys spent most of their time down at the police station and finally the charges were dropped and Brad’s name cleared. It turned out that Cindy, with her Uncle Carlos’s help, had hatched a scheme to bring down Braden Security. Carlos thought it would be poetic justice if they were taken down by the same methods that they had got him on.

  By having the men of Braden Security watched, Carlos had found out about Brad’s relationship with Raven and saw a way in through her power-hungry brother. It didn’t take much to convince Les to accept the large contribution to his campaign. Cindy was able to get close to him with the money and the coke was introduced when the parties started as they got closer to Election Day. The stress that Les was under to impress and squeeze every last cent out of his constituents started to wear him down. Cindy just offered him a way to deal with the stress and even make extra money supplying the drugs to a chosen few. Jim was brought into the plan when they needed someone to actually slip the drugs in Raven’s wheelchair. Jim was in need of money from gambling in one of the casinos that Carlos was still a silent partner in. With a little pressure, they got him to plant the coke and help Cindy with Les.

  If Les hadn’t gotten greedy when he discovered the benefits of the coke, everything would have probably worked out. But Les, being the addictive person that he was, always had the theory that more was always better. The day he had come to visit Raven, the drugs had taken over. He was on top of the world, nothing could touch him. In his mind, his life could be perfect, all he had to do was get rid of the people pulling him down, and Raven was the main hindrance to his life and campaign.

  James and Clay told Brad the good news when everything was a done deal. He was a bit pissed that they hadn’t kept him informed along the way, but was glad that everything was finally over. Now he could concentrate on Raven. She had been acting a little allusive and hadn’t visited him as much as he would have liked. Brad hadn’t heard her mention her brother once. He had tried to bring the subject up every now and then, but she always changed the topic. Brad didn’t know if she blamed him for her brother’s demise and was just taking pity on him until he was out of the hospital. He had spoken to James about it, but James told him he was imagining it.

  Brad was determined to have it out with her before he was released tomorrow. He wanted her with him all the time, and had already made plans in his mind for them to live together. He was dying to tell her that he loved her and the ring that James and Clay had picked out for her with his help was burning a hole under his pillow. Tonight would be the deal breaker, he wouldn’t allow her to put off his questions, and he had to know if he had hope or if he was just setting himself up for heartbreak.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Brad was disappointed when the whole gang showed up that night. He loved every one of them, but wanted Raven to himself. Raven stayed close to the door with the girls, talking. The men gathered around his bed and razzed him about talking another vacation so soon after his first one. They told him of all the jobs that they had lined up that they would need his expertise on. Brad listening with only one ear as his eyes kept darting to Raven, who seemed to be happy, but would not hold his gaze for any length of time. Finally Brad couldn’t stand it anymore, gesturing to James to move closer. James bent down and Brad told him quietly to take the gang and get out.

  “Impatient, are we?” James said with a grin.

  “You’re damn right I am, and you know why,” Brad said to him

  “You’re right, we’ll get out of your hair.” James looked around the room.

  “I guess it’s time to go. Brad needs his sleep.”

  “I’m not sleepy, James,” Brad said longingly, looking directly at Raven.

  Taking in his look, they all said good-bye, gave him hugs, and left the room. Brad didn’t notice with all the flurry of the good-byes, that Raven had also left the room with the girls. Just as James was starting to close the door, Brad noticed and yelled.

  “Stop, James. Where’s Raven? I don’t want her to leave.”

  “Don’t worry, she’s just out here saying good-bye to the girls. She’ll be back in in a minute I’m sure.” James gave Brad a knowing smile.

  Brad sat straighter up in his bed and reached under his pillow to reassure him the ring was there. He hated having to do this in the hospital, but he wanted her bound to him as soon as possible. She had nobody now and he wanted her to know she wasn’t alone, he was here for her if she wanted him. He had even discussed with James the possibility of bringing a judge there, but James told him that he could wait at least two weeks, Feeling nervous, he watched as the door opened again and Avery wheeled Raven back in the room beside the end of his bed. Avery patted Raven on her shoulder and stood in the open door, smiling at both of them. Brad watched and waited for Avery to leave, when she didn’t, just stood smiling at both of them, Brad asked, “Is there anything else, Avery?”

  James popped his head in the door beside Avery.

  “Sorry, buddy,” he told Brad and took Avery by her arm and gently pulled her out the door. Brad could hear Avery protest that she might be needed. James laughed and told her she was just being nosy, then the door closed on both of them.

  Brad turned his attention back to Raven, who was now standing in front of her chair, both of her hands gripping the chair as she stood.

  “Wait, don’t fall. Let me help you. Avery should have brought the chair closer.” Brad started to pull the blanket off of him to get out of bed.

  “You stay right there, Brad. This is my show,” Avery told him with a nervous grin.

  “Okay,” Brad said, pulling the covers back up and setting there quietly

  Raven lick
ed her lips and started slowly walking toward the bed and Brad. Brad reached his hand out as far as he could and minutes later Raven grabbed it, coming the rest of the way with his support, and sat on the side of the bed.

  “Well?” Raven asked Brad, her face beaming with her accomplishment.

  Brad was stunned for a minute, then reached both of his arms around her and hugged her tight, making her squeal.

  “Baby, I’m so happy for you. Are you okay? When did this happen?” He fired the questions at her.

  “I’m fine, Brad, better then fine. This is what I have been working on while you were recovering. With Mary and the girls’ help, plus a doctor that wasn’t under my brother’s thumb. I am well on my way to not needing the wheelchair. I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help.”

  “So that’s why the guys kept me company so much. I would have much rather it be you,” Brad told her, running a hand down her face.

  “I know, and I wanted to be here more than anything, but I wanted to surprise you with this. Now we can do everything you want to in time.

  “You understand why I wanted to do it this way. Don’t you?”

  “Yes, I do now, but I was starting to think that you were avoiding me because you blamed me for your brother’s death.”

  Raven looked at Brad puzzled. “Why would I do that? I was the one that shot him.”

  “What do you mean, baby? James and Angel told me they shot him.” Brad now held both of her shoulder and looked at her seriously.

  “They might have told you that, but it was all me.”

  “Oh, baby, I didn’t know. I thought it was hard for you to lose your brother, but it must be even harder, knowing that you were the one that shot him. Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Not really, I’ve come to terms with it. It came down to my life or his. He was crazy that day, after he shot you he turned the gun my way. I didn’t know if he had killed you, all I could see was the blood pooling on the floor beside you. He had an evil smile and was pulling at his hair with one hand and waving the gun at me with the other. I just reached into the drawer and grabbed the gun that Mary had bought me. I didn’t think. I just reacted.”

  “God baby, I wish I could have saved you from going through that.” Brad hugged her tightly again.

  Raven pulled back from his arms. “I know that it should bother me more than it does, and I cry for the boy that I grew up with. But that boy died the same day that my parents did. Someone took his place. He became a driven man that I didn’t know anymore. Someone out only for himself and what he could achieve. He didn’t think of me as his sister anymore, just a hindrance to his life. That’s the man that I shot, not my brother,” Raven said as tears came to her eyes and she laid her head on Brad’s chest, allowing the tears to fall. Brad held her to his chest and ran his hand through her hair, trying to comfort her. She had lost so much in her life.

  Finally the tear dried up and Raven hiccupped a few time. Pulling herself away from Brad’s chest, she smiled down at him.

  “Thanks for that, but I’m the one being selfish right now. How are you? I heard that you can escape this place tomorrow, and now I can walk, I can help you with that.”

  Brad smiled at her. “You know I love you. I don’t want anyone else helping me when I break out of this place.”

  Raven turned startled eyes up to his. “You love me?”

  “You must have known. I monopolize all of your time. I want to be with you always. What do you say, after I escape, that you move in with me?”

  “That’s a big step, Brad.”

  “Don’t you feel the same way?”

  “Yes, I love you, but it’s a big step living with a woman in a wheelchair.”

  “But you not going to be in the chair much longer. You’ll want to be walking soon, and free of it. I think I have something that might help as an incentive.”

  Brad reached under his pillow and took out the small box. Sitting Raven up fully, he opened it and smiled with his heart in his eyes.

  “Will you marry me, Raven?”

  Raven felt the tears return to her eyes as she looked at the ring and Brad.

  “You sure?”

  “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.”

  Raven burrowed back into his arms and hugged him as tightly as she could

  “Of course.”

  Brad hugged her back and made her sit up so he could take the ring and slip it on her finger.

  “Can we seal the deal?” Brad asked as his lip captured hers, whispering the words.

  Raven taste exploded within him at the first touch of her lips. Brad had everything he had ever dreamed of having. Brad deepened the kiss and let his tongue scoop out all that was Raven.

  Brad broke the kiss as the door opened and in spilled all of the guys and their wives. Avery, Cyn, and Laura went straight to Raven and hugged her and admired her ring.

  “I though you guys had left?” Brad asked them.

  “What can I say? We all listened,” James told him with a wicked grin as he walked up and shook his hand and patted him on the back.

  Clay, Angel, and Grant also wished him well and took turns shaking his hand and patting him on the back.

  “Did you really think we would leave and not know the conclusion?” James smiled as he took Avery in his arms and hugged her as she neared him. Clay and Angel followed suit with their woman and they all stood with their arms wrapped around their wives, happily looking down at Brad and Raven, who was now securely held within the circle of Brad’s arms.

  Grant stood there looking happy, but a little lost.

  James noticed and remarked to Grant. “Your turn is next. These are Braden Security’s best ops. Finding our soul mates.”

  THE END

  WWW.DALECADEAU.COM

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Dale was brought up in Port Severn, Ontario, in the Georgian Bay area. The area was, and still is, barely a dot on the map and did not have the conveniences like a big city. One thing lacking was television stations. With only one station you had to learn to read early in life to ward off boredom. Her mother, an avid reader of a good romance, passed on to her the love of good books. Many years later and now living close to the city of Toronto, with all kinds of TV stations that still have nothing on, she spends her time reading (when not working at her other day job) and has accumulated a huge collection of paperback books. The best thing for her was when e-books came on the market. Now her Kindle stores the numerous books she reads each week. Married with one daughter who also writes in this genre under the pen name Jade Belfrey, she lives with her husband and two very spoiled Chihuahuas.

  For all titles by Dale Cadeau, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/dale-cadeau

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