Heartless by Janet Taylor-Perry Read Free Book Online

my partner at the time,
got a beer bottle broken over his head when we tried to break
up a bar brawl. Mia was one of the nurses in the emergency
room. She was a surgical nurse, but she picked up extra shifts
in the ER. She said she needed the money. While Baker got
stitches, we talked." She had the sexiest voice, husky, but sexy. "It wasn't very busy that night. I got her number. We went to a
movie and had dinner the next Friday and started dating for
two years."
    Ray changed lanes and took the exit that led to the parish
road toward Eau Boueuse.
"Mia was a good nurse, but in her personal life she always
needed somebody to take care of her. Maybe I wasn't very
good at taking care of people then." He glanced at his brother
who had his eyes closed. "Are you asleep?"
"No, I'm listening."
A car passed them. The cop glanced at his speedometer. Seventy. That jerk has to be doing at least eighty on a two-lane
highway. Ray grumbled, "If I was in my car, I'd give them a
ticket."
"Chill. Tell me more about Mia."
"Mia just did not handle stress well, especially in our home
life. We argued a lot. I often felt as if I had to walk on
eggshells with her. I'm pretty sure she might've abused the pain
killers she took for a back injury she received in a car accident.
I couldn't prove it, but sometimes she seemed a little strung
out. I guess I didn't really want to know. I was in denial." I
should have made sure. Damn! I didn't do my job.
"You've gotten better about that. I remember how you used
to walk out of the room when you didn't want to deal with
things."
"You've helped me learn how to deal with difficult
situations."
Another car passed them. "Damn it!" Ray muttered.
Raif opened his eyes. "Want me to drive?"
"No. I'm going over the speed limit myself. They're being
reckless."
"Ignore it. Stop changing the subject. Tell me more."
Ray sighed. "She was so moody. She could go from being
sweet and loving to throwing a tantrum in a matter of minutes.
Mia was a smoker. I lost count of how many times she threw
the ashtray at me. I thought maybe if she felt assured of my
love, she would be stronger. So, I proposed, and she accepted.
Then, I got shot. I suppose she thought Robert could take better
care of her. After all, if I got killed, I wouldn't have been
around to take care of her, and Robert made a lot more money.
"When he broke her heart and she wanted to get back
together, I just couldn't be her savior anymore." He shook his
head. "I wanted to be her lover, her partner. And I needed to be
taken care of just a little bit. I guess I might've been a selfish
prick."
Ray had to stop at the railroad crossing for a train. He
draped his wrist over the steering wheel and continued as the
short train carrying oil tankers chugged by.
"When she came to see me, she looked so tired. She had
obviously been crying. I fought the urge to hold her and
comfort her, but I had to let her go so I could live. Does that
sound ridiculous, big brother?"
"No. It was the same with Abigail. When I finally let go of
all the pain, I was able to love Chris. Chris is my rock."
"Yeah, I know. I almost lost Larkin because I held on to my
pain so long. Thank God I got wise like y'all told me."
"Ray, what happened to Mia? Where is she now?"
"I have no idea." He gave a one-shoulder shrug. "I'm not
sure I want to know. She was a lifetime ago. I do wonder how
she's taking the news about Robert. The last I heard she had
moved to the big metropolis of New Orleans. As needy as she
was, I don't know if she could've survived in the big city."
"You still care."
I wish I could say I don't . "I want only the best for her. I'm
not angry with her anymore. I pray that life has treated her
well. Maybe she found somebody to take care of her."
"Well, you know, Abbey married a Wall Street tycoon.
Maybe Mia got lucky, too."
"I hope so."
Raif sat up a bit. "Abbey has only been back home once in
all these years. She came back when her mom died. She hardly
spoke to Walter, but