“Oh, I don’t know,” she smirked. “Maybe it’s that little dip you get between your brows every time I hit on the truth. I never noticed it when we first met, but since we became friends, I notice every time.”
“So you’re basing this off my facial expressions?”
“I could.” She rubbed her finger down the torch, tracing over a knot in the wood. Then she flashed her eyes back to him. “But your energy is all the proof I need. Can you honestly tell me that the dreams are different?”
He wanted to lie, to hide the fact that their dreams were the same. The way his jaw flinched said as much, but he dropped his eyes to the boards below his feet.
“I’ll take that as a no. Now, let’s discuss what we’re going to do about it. We need answers, and we need to leave this island.”
“No!” Layne made it to his feet in a split second. He took two steps before his eyes darted to Dylan.
She followed suit, not the least surprised to see her husband was heading their way, glaring at Layne with each step.
So much for silence and civility.
“Heaven’s right,” he growled, slowing his pace as he neared her. “We need to get out of here.”
“I disagree.” Layne continued his advancement with slower steps, but his face showed all the anger pounding within him. “It’s my duty to protect her. Wouldn’t I sense the danger?”
“You haven’t sensed it before.” Dylan wrapped his arm around her waist, chasing the chill from her body. Yet Layne remained his focus. “For Christ’s sake, they kidnapped her in Aruba, under your protection.”
Layne stopped just a foot away from the torch. The hardness in his eyes faded as he met hers, and then her husband’s. Disbelief showed on his face, but it was guilt and regret that tore at his heart.
“You think that doesn’t bother me? I live with the guilt every day. I didn’t know what I was to her then, but I do now, and I take it seriously. I think I’d know if we were meant to leave.”
“You also thought you’d have more abilities by now, but I guess you were wrong on that account too.”
“Don’t underestimate me.”
Heaven pressed her hand to Dylan’s chest before he reacted to Layne’s comment. She shook her head, hoping he would let it go, but irritation throbbed in his energy.
“Look, you may be new to the dreams, but I can tell you this much.” He brushed his fingers over her hand and met her eyes. “She and I have dreamed of the future before. I have no doubt we did again, tonight.”
A flash of remorse swept over his face. It coupled with the self-loathing beating in his soul. She knew he didn’t want to fight in front of her, but a man could only take so much before he snapped. Dylan had taken his share and more.
Layne stopped on the other side of the torch and gripped the rail. He gazed at the flame, just as he had in the dream, but it didn’t gain the same strength.
“I didn’t want to be in that dream. Trust me. I know how horrible it was, but it’s not enough reason to pack and run.”
“So you’d rather take a chance on her life? I thought your job was to protect her?”
Layne hit his fist against the rail. “I am trying to protect her. Why don’t you let me do my job?”
“Stop it,” she shouted, unable to listen to another word. She ignored the twinge in her stomach, even shrugged off Dylan when he tried to touch her belly. “This is why we didn’t escape in the dream. We have to work together.”
Both men scowled at the other. Then Dylan looked away, but not before he sent her a remorseful pulse. She hoped he would sense that she wasn’t angry. That all she wanted was for them to get along and make the best of their situation with Layne.
When he didn’t return his attention, she turned her eyes back to Layne. “Can’t you see that the dream was a warning? We have to leave. Tonight.”
The crease between his brows deepened. He opened his mouth for what she assumed was an objection, but his rebuttal clung to his tongue. “Seriously?” He stepped closer to Dylan, scanning him from head to toe. Then he cast his eyes on her. “`Why does it have to be tonight? We can’t leave the island until morning. Don’t you need to call your parents and tell them we’re returning?”
“They already know,” Dylan snorted. “You know my mom has impeccable intuition.”
“Is that really it, or are you afraid that if you call, she’ll tell you the same thing I am. That it won’t be any safer in Brightsville.”
Heaven braced for Dylan’s comeback, but he was still wallowing in the hurt of her refusing his touch. “Maybe it won’t be,” he said, his eyes moving to the stars, “but at least we’ll have something we don’t have here—the support of experienced psychics.”
Layne scoffed at the remark as he shook his head. “You’re making a mistake. You’re going to put her in danger.”
“Well then, I guess it’s a good thing you’ll be with us.”
Dylan’s eyes dropped back to Layne’s as both men began another stare down. What irritation didn’t show on their face vibrated in their energy. She sensed every anger-filled thump.
Wedging herself between them, she glared at Layne, and then Dylan, before shaking her head. “At least when the baby is born, I’ll have plenty of experience baby-sitting.” Regret rolled through her connection with both, but she was too pissed to appreciate it. “Do you think you two can avoid killing each other while I go pack?”
“We’re fine,” Dylan assured her. “I’ll be in to help you in a moment.”
She hesitated taking another step, only because she didn’t know if they would draw blood the second she entered the house. She narrowed her eyes on Layne again, and then her husband. “You promise you won’t bash each other in the face?”
A chuckle rumbled from both. One even snorted, but both nodded. What a miracle it would be if they kept their promise.
She released a breath, moving toward the door with quick steps. The sooner she could pack their bags, the better. Even if they couldn’t leave the island until morning, at least they’d be away from the cottage and out of harm’s way.
Because Dylan was right. They had dreamed of the future before. Everything in those dreams came true. She couldn’t take a chance on this one being different. Not without putting Dylan and Layne in danger, and her dau—
She stopped in the threshold, tossing Dylan another glance. More flashes of the dream flitted through her mind, like the way his lips curled upward, the way he pressed them to her belly, and said words that moved her soul.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, taking a few steps in her direction.
“Nothing’s wrong, I just… I have to know something.” She watched as he cocked his head to the side, drawing his brows down. “In the dream, you told me something about the baby. Do you remember what you said?”
A few more steps brought him within a foot of the door. Humor played in his eyes as he nodded again. “Yes.”
“So is it true? Are we having a girl?”
He gave Layne another look-over, but the moon held his friend’s attention. Then he turned his eyes back to her. The smile stretching across his face took even longer to spread, and when it finally did, her heart pinched.
“Guess we’ll know for sure in a few months.”
* * *
Dylan stared at the sliding glass door as Heaven’s footsteps faded toward the back of the cottage. The only sound that remained was the waves crashing in with the high tide. He savored the thought of his wife’s smile, how her curiosity swirled around him when she asked about their baby’s gender.
He couldn’t tell her the truth. She wanted to be surprised when the baby was born, as had he, but he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the connection with his child. Enjoyed how much love radiated in that tiny soul every time Heaven caressed her stomach.
He’d give his life to save them both, because he couldn’t face what happened in the dream. There were no words to describe his gratitude when he’d awakened. Nor were there an
y to describe the amount of pain he would inflict on the person who tried to take her away.
Though he didn’t know how to prevent the dream from happening, he knew one thing for sure. Layne needed to quit being a jackass. Had he not been so stubborn in the dream, they would have escaped.
He held on to that very thought as he spun on his heel, facing his friend. Layne hadn’t moved from his position. He stood with his back to Dylan, hands resting on the rail. One leg continued to shake, a telltale sign that he wanted to get something off his chest.
Perfect. Dylan had a few things to get off of his, too.
Clearing his throat, he took a step forward, searching for the right words to say. He could think of plenty of wrong ones, ones that would send Layne off the edge and ready to fight. Not that it would do either of them any good. Heaven would sense their anger and be back to berate them.
Before he could come up with something suitable, Layne’s eyes fixed on the torch near his arm. “Are we going to get this over with? I’m a little pressed for time, seeing as how I need to pack for a trip I don’t want to make.”
Dylan clamped his jaws together until they burned like the skin on his newly formed fist. He’d love nothing more than to knock the arrogant attitude out of Layne’s system, fought real hard not to give into the urge. But he’d made a promise to his wife—to always put her first. Layne needed to do the same.
“Get used to doing things you don’t want to do. This isn’t about your wants. It’s about her needs and what it takes to keep her safe.”
“I’m well aware of how important her safety is.”
“Then get on board with this decision. She doesn’t need the stress, Layne. Her contractions are getting worse.”
Layne stilled his leg. He turned his head, though he didn’t fully look in Dylan’s direction. “Did she have one tonight?”
“Yeah.”
The flame above shadowed Layne’s face, but it didn’t hide his grimace. His eye twitched before he refaced the ocean. “I’m not surprised she had one,” he grumbled. “That dream would stress anyone. Be grateful it wasn’t real.”
Freaking idiot. He still couldn’t see the whole picture. That his actions caused a chain reaction that resulted in his death as much as—
“Why do you think it got to that point? We would have been safe if you had done as she asked and left with us. She stayed because of you. She died for the same reason.”
“Stop it.” The words left Layne’s mouth in a hiss, but Dylan ignored him.
“That dream was more than a warning to leave the island. It showed that we’re not ready to protect her at the level she needs. You have to start listening to what she says.”
Layne pushed off the rail, taking hasty steps in Dylan’s direction. “I do listen to her.”
“Really? Then why are you arguing about leaving? You did the same thing in the dream. All because you wanted to prove a point.”
Layne narrowed his eyes as he stopped a foot away. “I was trying to protect her.”
“Well guess what, hero. You failed. We both did.”
Pressing his lips together, Layne brushed past Dylan, knocking his shoulder when he did. He had a lot more that he wanted to say. Dylan didn’t need to sense his energy to know that. The way his gut knotted was a good implication.
He waited for the onslaught of sarcasm his friend was dying to spew. Even turned to face him so he could return the favor, but Layne’s focus had moved to his hand. He twisted it back and forth, as though he were expecting to see something. Perhaps a flame…
“Are your dreams always that intense?”
It wasn’t the response Dylan expected. He repeated the question in his head, watching a flash of heat lightning spread across the sky. “Yes, they are, but it’s positive intensity when it’s just the two of us.”
“What do you mean?”
He met his friend’s gaze, surprised to see that the anger within them had switched to curiosity. “There are no restrictions in the dreams. We do and say things from the heart, from the soul. It’s the purest form of honesty.”
“Kinda like baring your soul?”
Dylan nodded, wondering if Layne had a general interest in how the dreams worked, or if he developed a deeper connection with Heaven in the last one. The thought made his shoulders tense.
“She and I have been sharing dreams off and on since childhood. So you’ll have to forgive me for not wanting to share that with you. I share enough as it is.”
The moment of serenity faded. Layne’s brows reformed the scowl he’d worn earlier. “What happened to us working through things? I told you that I’m not interested in your wife. I’m here because of my duty.”
“That’s only part of the reason.” A few strides brought Dylan to the steps where Layne stood facing him. “I’ve known you all of my life. I’ve seen the way you are with women. I knew the ones that grabbed your attention and the ones that didn’t.”
“What does that have to do with Heaven? I’ve never treated her like any of those girls.”
“I know. That’s how I know you…care about her. You’re different when you’re around her.”
They stood in silence as Layne twisted the drawstring on his sweats. Each passing second built the tension in the air, tension that had Dylan’s skin crawling. Things hadn’t been this awkward since the day Layne found him and Heaven in Jerry’s guest house. He never understood what threw Layne off-kilter that day. Now it all made sense.
Shifting his weight to the other foot, Layne dropped the strings back to his waist. His eyes darted to Dylan as he jabbed his finger in his chest. “I know I made a mistake, one that almost split up you and Heaven. I’m sorry, Dylan. I can’t change what I did any more than you can change the fact that I’m her Keeper. She will always be yours, but I will always care about her. It’s my job.”
It wasn’t the look on his face that had Dylan’s gut twisting, or his taunting words. It was the crackle from the torch behind them. The way the flames began to rise. He studied it a moment before looking back at his friend. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
Layne’s eyes rose to the torch, lingering for a second. Then they fell slowly back to the deck. His chest jiggled with a muffled laugh. “I told you not to underestimate me.”
CHAPTER 5
A silvery glow spread from the moon, brightening the sky for miles. It revealed what Dylan assumed were storm clouds gathering in the distance. Another flicker of lightning lit the northwest portion of the horizon with each branching bolt. But just as anything else in nature, the spectacular show was brief. It disappeared a second later, giving way to a rumble of thunder.
He moved his eyes back to Layne, waiting to see if his friend would acknowledge him, but Layne’s eyes were on the torch. The flame had returned to normal, yet the hardness on his face remained.
If it weren’t for the curiosity plucking his mind, Dylan would criticize him for keeping secrets, again. Layne should have learned his lesson on honesty after hiding his involvement in Heaven’s acceptance into the art program, and more importantly, kissing her. Unlike those instances, this secret did more than involve her. It would determine her safety, as well as their child’s. Yet Layne kept it a secret.
The thought alone had Dylan’s blood boiling. He needed answers from his friend because another betrayal by Layne would be more than a strike against him. It would be perfect grounds for an ass kicking, one he was dying to give him.
“There’s a storm coming in, so we don’t have time to discuss this in depth. Be sure we will some other time. Right now, I need to know when this started?”
The tension between them doubled as Layne avoided his gaze. His profile revealed a smirk on his face, one Dylan fought hard not to remove. “Have you forgotten what happened to the curtains?”
No. He hadn’t forgotten, nor had he witnessed anything like that day. Layne hadn’t mentioned any other incidents, which meant one thing. He had been keeping secrets.
; “I can’t believe you’re doing this.”
Layne teetered on the top step as he raised his hands to his sides. “Doing what?”
“All the damn secrets. You’re full of them. How can you expect me to believe anything you say?”
“You want to criticize me about keeping secrets, but what about the ones I’ve kept for you? I guess those are okay, unless you finally got the balls to tell Heaven about the newspaper clipping?”
Dylan stepped forward, pointing his finger at his friend. “I’m at my breaking point with you. So you better think long and hard about what you say to my wife. I wouldn’t advise hurting her, because she is the only thing stopping me from hurting you.”
“It’s eating you alive that she cares about me, isn’t it? Having her isn’t enough for you, but it would be for someone else.”
“Who? You?”
Layne shook his head, but he couldn’t hide the smugness on his face. Distance formed between them as he lowered a foot to the next step. “I’m trying to prove a point is all. Paranoia is going to destroy you, Dylan.”
Another flash of lightning spread across the sky, warning of the approaching storm. Dylan focused on that thought as he pinched the bridge of his nose and continued. “This is an argument for another time. Right now, I need to know what’s going on with you. Do you have control?”
The question wiped the smile from Layne’s face, along with the chip on his shoulder. “No more than what you just saw. I feel it smoldering inside me, but I can’t get it out.”
“I take it Heaven doesn’t know about any of this.”
Layne shook his head as his eyes moved past Dylan toward the cottage. “No, she doesn’t, and I’d rather she didn’t ‘til I have more to tell. Tonight was close enough.”
“You mean with the drumsticks?”
The question hung in the air as Layne took another step lower. His widening eyes warned of an impending comeback. Yet the look on his face changed like the snap of a finger. His eyes returned to normal as he shook his head.
“Just forget it.”