End Game (Games Thriller Series) (10 page)

“But that doesn’t wipe out the fact that he killed a lot of people too.”

“Dad, he and Mom belong together. They need each other. And he loves her more than you or Tom ever did.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes I do. I know more than you give me credit for,” Eric replied.

“Why did you ever save his life?” he snapped at Eric.

“Because he saved Mom and let her go. He wasn’t supposed to die down there
, Dad. And he didn’t have to come back five years ago either, but he did to save Emily.”

LeAnn’s jaw dropped and her gaze bounced between her husband and her stepson. “Are you telling me that Daniel is right?”

“Yes,” all three of them replied at once.

Chris pulled up alongside them and rolled the passenger side window down. “You coming
, Jess?” he called out to her.

Eric turned to Chris. “Stay for dinner,” he said, prompting both Chris and Daniel to laugh. “Please
, Chris.”

Chris looked down and then over at his soon
-to-be stepson. “I don’t think your father would appreciate that, besides, we’ve already ruined the festive mood. You should celebrate with your family.”

“You are family,” Eric replied and glanced over at his parents.

Jessica turned back to Daniel. “I’ll see you Thursday.” She stepped toward the car.

“God
damnit,” Eric cursed and everyone looked at him. “I want to go to dinner with all of you.”

“You don’t always get what you want
, Eric,” Chris replied as Jessica opened the door.

“I want to go to dinner with Eric,” CJ said and the car stalled.

Eric smiled at CJ. “Thanks.”

Chris threw the car into park and tried to restart
it. An empty click filled the garage and he turned in the driver’s seat. “CJ, stop that.”

“No
, Daddy. Not until you and Uncle Danny make up.”

Chris started to laugh and glanced out at Eric and Daniel. “I don’t think Uncle Danny wants to make up with me.”

Daniel moved toward the side of the car, but his expression announced he wasn’t moving of his own accord.

“Uncle Danny, you and Daddy need to make up,” CJ said from the back seat.

“CJ, let Uncle Danny go,” Chris yelled, anger lacing his voice as he turned, staring down his son.

“Uh-uh,” CJ disobeyed.

Chris stared him down, recognizing the defiance in his son’s open gaze. He pressed his lips together and turned toward the side window. “Sorry Dan. I guess we’re all going to dinner together.” he conceded to his son’s will.

“Daddy’s mad at you,” Tommy whispered to his brother.

CJ smiled a little. “Uncle Danny?”

“I guess it
’s dinner,” he said through clenched teeth, glaring at Chris.

“Cool!” Eric said and hopped into the car with Chris and Jessica.

“Eric, you are coming with us,” Daniel insisted.

Eric smiled. “Uh-uh, this way we’ll all end up at the restaurant together.”

LeAnn put her hand on her husband’s shoulder. “There’s a great steak place up the road, we could go there.”

“I’ll let you lead the way.” Chris started the truck and pulled over to the side waiting for Daniel to get his vehicle.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Jessica hit Chris’s arm. “You shouldn’t have told him who you were.”

“Dad already had the idea in his head
, Mom. There were just too many things that didn’t add up.” Eric looked at Chris. “Your story really sucked, dude.”

Chris glanced in the rearview mirror at Eric and took a deep breath. “How else was I supposed to explain my sudden appearance? It would have been easier if your
mom had stayed married to Tom,” he said and immediately regretted it.

“Excuse me?” Jessica said.

Daniel pulled up next to the car and glared over at Chris. He peeled away and Chris followed behind him.

“Then we wouldn’t have had to come up with a story.” He glanced over at her. “It was either that or the truth, and as you can see, the truth went over so well today
,” his voice laced with sarcasm.

“Daddy?” CJ said, the concern in his voice made
him glance in the rearview mirror.

“Yes?”

“You killed somebody?”

Chris
stared his son in the rearview mirror and took a deep breath. “Yes.”

“Oh,” CJ said and he and Tommy exchanged a look.

“What I did wasn’t right,” Chris said.

“Were you protecting someone?” Tommy asked.

Chris took another deep breath and glanced at Jessica. The pain in his eyes broke her heart.

“No. I had no good reason to do what I did.”

“You protected me, Chris,” Jessica said after a moment.

Chris just nodded, he glanced at her and then back at Eric.

“It’s all right,” Eric replied. “We all still love you.”

“Yeah, Daddy, I still love you,” CJ replied.

“Me too.”

Chris shook his head. “I can’t do this,” he said to himself.

Jessica reached over and took his hand.
You don’t have to do it alone, babe.

He glanced over at her. “I’m the one who has to live with it
, Jess, so yes, I have to do this one alone.” He followed Daniel off the highway and pulled into the restaurant, parking next to them. He turned to his boys. “Daddy did some very bad things before I met your mother and that is why Uncle Danny is angry.” He turned off the ignition and looked at Eric. “Let your father be angry, Eric.”

“No,” Eric replied in defiance.

“Yes, he has that right.” Chris got out of the car and opened the back door without looking at Daniel and LeAnn, who were now standing at the front of their car waiting for the rest of the family to join them. He unhooked CJ and picked him up and moved aside so Eric could get out. Eric already had Tommy in his arms.

“Are you all right?” Jessica asked coming up beside Chris and CJ.

“Not particularly, but we can talk about it later.” He smiled sadly over at Jessica.

Chris walked into the restaurant first and cornered the hostess
, asking for a private room or a very secluded table for the seven of them. He flashed cash and was rewarded with a private room. When they were seated, he looked at Daniel. “I regret most of the things I did, but I don’t for one moment regret kidnapping your wife,” he said. “Or letting you live,” he added after a moment’s pause. “Both of those things were my choice and believe me, letting you live was a pretty hard sell for my brother. He didn’t like anyone left behind, but because you had kids, I wasn’t going to leave them orphaned, and hurting children was not a line that I was ever willing to cross.” Chris kept eye contact with Daniel. “And yes, at first Jessica was just another toy to be played with, but there was something about her that got me and that’s why we are sitting here today.”

Daniel went to say something and LeAnn put her hand on his leg, shaking her head. He glanced over at her and took a deep breath. “What really happened with Emily?” He looked back at Chris and Jessica.

“Frank hurt her,” Eric interrupted, “and he hurt Mom too.” He took a sip of the ice water. “He tried to kill them,” he said pointing to Jessica and Chris as he set his glass on the table. “And almost succeeded.”

“He tried to kill Tom and Emily too,” Jessica said softly. “He got to us through the mirrors when Chris showed up.”

Daniel shot a glance at Chris.

“Yeah, I guess the bastard waited until I went to her. He knew I couldn’t stay away forever.” Chris took a deep breath. “Your son was the one to save Emily’s life though.” He looked at Eric. “I just broke the mirrors.”

“But Chris, if you hadn’t come when you did, we would have lost Emily to cancer,” Jessica reminded him.

LeAnn’s jaw dropped. She looked at Daniel and then back at Jessica. She was lost. “Can someone please explain this to me?”

“Jessica has the power to heal,” Daniel replied. “And I think Eric does too.”

Eric shook his head. “I don’t anymore, only Mom does. I used all that magic on Chris.” He glanced at Chris. “I can only read minds now.”

“Not exactly,” Chris countered. “You seem to be able to put yourself in between a knife and those you love. I’ve seen you do it twice now.”

Daniel blinked
. “Holy...” He looked at Chris as memories of Eric with blood all over him flooded his mind.

Chris nodded. “And his hand five years ago, but better his hand than her throat.” He shrugged.

LeAnn went completely pale.

“Better catch your wife,” Chris said and LeAnn tilted limply to the side.

Daniel did as Chris suggested and caught LeAnn. He splashed a little water on her face and wiped it with a napkin when she came to.

“Imagine how I felt when I somehow ended up with this.” Chris smiled at her. He held his hand up and they all watched his glass levitate into it. “Cheers,” he said and wrapped his fingers around his glass and put it to his lips.

Daniel and LeAnn looked stunned.

“My sentiments exactly.” He smiled at them. “All courtesy of Jessie here.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “It seems we make a powerful combination when we’re together.” He started to laugh as he looked over at CJ and then back at the rest of the table.

“They were meant to be together, Dad,” Eric said again. “And I am going to the wedding.”

Daniel didn’t say a word.

Chris turned and summoned the waitress. “She and I will have the petite filet mignon with béarnaise sauce and roasted vegetables. Medium rare on both.” He glanced at the menu and then ordered chicken strips and French fries for the boys. He looked up at Daniel, LeAnn and Eric.

“I’ll have the same as him.” Eric pointed at Chris.

“Us too,” Daniel said.

“Can I have a couple
of bottles of Chateau Bordeaux Red as well?” Chris smiled at the waitress and handed her the menu. He looked back at Daniel and LeAnn as the waitress left the room and took a deep breath. “What else do you want to know?”

“Why?” Daniel asked. “Why did you do it?”

Chris looked at his children and then back at Daniel and shrugged. “Power,” he finally said. “It was intoxicating, especially for someone who was powerless most of their life.”

“Why her?” Daniel pointed at his ex-wife.

Chris exchanged a look with Jessica and he shrugged. He wasn’t about to tell Daniel about his ex-wife’s indiscretion. “I saw her and had to have her. Little did I know what I was in for.”

The boys watched the exchange with curiosity.

“I’m the only one in my family left,” Chris began. “My father was a cop who died in the line of duty. There were four of us including my mother and three of us died at the hands of the Aris family.”

“You’re not the only one left. We’re here,” CJ said.

“Yes you are.” Chris smiled and messed up his hair, glancing at Jessica and then back at Daniel. “I watched my brother die and there was nothing I could do to stop it.” His eyes glossed over with tears as the memory of Chris being blown to bits crossed his mind. “So I’ve gotten some of what I dished out slammed back in my face already.”

“Jesus,” Daniel whispered.

“He had nothing to do with it.” Chris smiled.

Daniel started to laugh. “You really are a piece of work.”

Chris shrugged and grinned. “I try.”

“That wasn’t a compliment,” Daniel snapped. “I’m surprised Tom didn’t kill you.”

“Believe me, he wanted to,” Chris replied. He glanced over at Jessica. “I couldn’t exactly stay away from Jess.” He blushed and looked at the boys and then sideways over at Daniel and LeAnn with a small grin. “The rest is history.”

Their meals arrived with the bottles of wine and everyone ate in silence.

Chris poured a glass of wine for himself and offered the bottle to Daniel. Daniel nodded and held up his glass. LeAnn and Jessica both declined and exchanged the same look. They were now the designated drivers as Daniel and Chris finished the two bottles themselves.

Chris got the check and they got up to leave the restaurant.

“I still don’t like you,” Daniel said as they walked outside.

“I’m so hurt.” Chris put his hand over his heart dramatically. He was a little tipsy and he pulled the keys out of his pocket and handed them to Jessica.

Daniel laughed at the gesture and even more at him handing Jessica the keys. “Do you have a death wish?”

Chris laughed. “Better to have her drive right now, besides it’ll sober me up quick.”

Eric picked up CJ and gave him a big hug, then handed him over to Chris to hook him in his carseat. He did the same with Tommy and turned to Chris. “I’ll see you Thursday.” He smiled and gave Chris a hug. He turned to Jessica. “Bye, Mom, I love you.”

“I love you too
, honey.” Jessica hugged her oldest son and watched him slide into the back seat of Daniel’s car. “Congratulations on getting into the finals.” She smiled, remembering why they were all there.