Present:

I unloaded the last of the crates of vodka that had been ordered last week. Dusting my palms on my pants, I let out a breath. Who knew opening up an entertainment bar would be this much work. Stretching my back, I looked around the finished room. We'd done a really good job of making this place lively again. It used to be a fake saloon. No one ever came so it went out of business.

During the day, the dark navy blue velvet drapes could be pulled up to show the light blue paint underneath. The metal tables could be used for either night or day. The bar doubled as a deli. We were a jack of all trades. Karaoke on Mondays and Tuesdays. Comedy night was Wednesday. Thursday was open for reservations. And Friday through Sunday was a regular dance bar. It was quite entertaining to hear drunk people sing though.

It's been two years since I ran away with Gavin. I couldn't be happier. We had a gorgeous two story house. It was small but it was ours. Staying hidden wasn't easy. Thomas told me he was an FBI agent the week after I'd run away and he'd shown up on my doorstep. Gavin talked to him, and so did my therapist. Thomas agreed to keep my whereabouts a secret.

From the back room, I could hear Gavin out front. He tried to keep his voice low. Anger laced his every word. "She doesn't want to see you."

"Gavin, if you don't tell me where she is, I'll rip your dick off," Trenton's voice replied. He sounded just the same. An angry Maddox was hard to miss.

"There a problem here, Gav?" Jude asked.

"Someone is going to tell me where the hell my little sister is," Trent said, very threateningly. He hit his fist the table and I jumped, feeling my chest tighten. Oh no. I hadn't one of these attacks in a long time.

"Oh. You're one of Tess's dickhead brothers. Get lost," Jude growled. The sound of barstools scraping the floor and falling over followed by a loud thud rang out, forcing me out of my hiding spot.

Camille was with him. She covered her mouth, probably more shocked that Jude had actually hit him than anything else. Jude barely stood taller than 5'7. Definitely not a match for Trenton. I heard him curse from the floor and then he stood up, cracking his neck.

"You're dead—"

"Trent, stop," I breathed out. Gavin held onto my arm, steadying me. I pointed to my bag. "Jude, can you get my pills?"

"Sure thing, babe," Jude said as Gavin guided me around the bar and to the nearest table.

Jude brought the bottle and a glass of water. Trent sank down into the chair next to me, like he was afraid to touch me. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?" I asked, trying to twist the lid off the bottle. My hands shook too much and I couldn't get it.

Seeing my frustration, Gavin put his hands around mine and helped me to pop the lid off. "Thanks, Gav." I smiled softly before popping the pill into my mouth and taking a drink of water.

"Are you sick?" Trent asked, turning paler by the second. Sick like mom is what he meant.

"They're anti-anxiety medication. That's all." I replied and fidgeted with my bracelet. Gavin had given it to me at the end of our first three months. It had three charms: a heart with red rubies, a brass key, and a silver R.

"Why would you need that?" He asked. The pure pain on his face told me that he already knew the answer to that question. He just wanted to hear me say it.

"She was bullied by the ones who were supposed to protect her. Not to mention Ethan." Gavin rolled his eyes.

"Gav, that's enough. Can you give us a minute? I'm alright, I promise." I smiled again. He and Camille went to the bar, out of earshot. I finally looked back up at Trenton. "You can't tell the others you know where I am."

"Tess… they think you're dead. Or worse. You have to come home," Trent said. He sat up and when I recoiled into my seat, he frowned. "You're afraid of us."

"I'm afraid of a lot of things. Fighting, thunderstorms, loud noises in general." I half smiled.

"We did that. That's why you left."

"I left for a lot of reasons, Trent. I was in a pretty dark place. I almost committed suicide on my eighteenth birthday."

"God, Tess…"

"But I didn't. Gavin talked me into running away instead. Six months and he said he'd make me happy again. Now, I'm probably happier than I've ever been in my whole life. I'm sorry that it hurts you. I love you, and all the others, but I had to leave.

I waited for him to get angry but he simply nodded his head. "I should be the one apologizing. I knew you were hurting and depressed, but I had no idea that it had to do with us. Shit…" He ran his hand through what little hair that he had.

"You just… you can't tell them," I said.

"I won't, if you'll let me come see you." Trenton's eyes lit up with hope, but I could see he was scared that I would say no.

I nodded. "Only if you call me first okay? I'll give you my new number."

As I typed in my number, the front door opened and in came Ezra and Molly with Reid running ahead of them as fast as his little almost two-year-old legs would carry him. He had dark black hair and shimmering blue eyes. "Mommy! I got a sucker!"

He latched onto my legs and smiled at me. Trent's mouth dropped open. "I didn't find out I was pregnant until two months after we left." I knew he would assume.

"You and Gavin?" His glare turned deadly.

"No! Someone… else." I regretted saying that. I watched the wheels turning in his head as he pieced it together. He stared at Reid for a few moments.

"You… had… Ethan fucking Coats' baby?" Trenton asked through clenched teeth.

"Reid, why don't you go show Gavin your new toy in the backroom." I said and that sent him running off. The medicine had really calmed my nerves. "Yeah, I did."

"How? When did you let that sleaze ball touch you? How could you let him do that?" Trenton asked, completely lost.

I stared down at my lap. No one ever told my family. The people I did tell either said I asked for it or that I was lying all together. It wasn't a surprise that Ethan had covered up letting my family find out. Even the rumor probably would have gotten his ass beat. "I… Trent… Ethan raped me."