Then I realize Juliana’s right. Daisy needs to live here. I need her here. So I head outside to join Jules and Isa. As I walk down the steps, Daisy pulls into the driveway.
“I’ll buckle Isa in the car. You go back inside before you catch a cold.” I take Isa’s hand in mine and watch Juliana’s shit-eating grin take over her face.
“Yeah. That’s why you’re out here. Who do you think you’re fooling?” She shakes her head and walks back to the house. This conversation will happen in front of the kids, but at least Jules is sparing me a little humiliation by giving me some privacy.
“Mommy said you’d be out here in a minute. She was right, wasn’t she, Uncle Rod?” Isa has the same grin as her mother. I’m doomed.
“Yeah, your mom is very smart, baby girl.”
Daisy stops and I open the back door for Isa to get in. Once I have her buckled in, I climb in the front seat and meet Daisy’s questioning gaze. “I haven’t slept all night in weeks now. My bed is cold. My house doesn’t feel warm and cozy anymore. It’s just big and empty. All this is your fault. If you don’t bring your shit over and move in with me tonight, I will kidnap you and chain you in my dungeon until you see reason. So, what’s it going to be?”
“You don’t have a dungeon, Uncle Rod.” Isa helps me convince Daisy from the back seat.
“Thanks, Isa.” Everyone in the car breaks into laughter.
“You’re sure that’s what you want?” Daisy asks with raised eyebrows.
“Positive. I’ll hire a moving company today. You shouldn’t be lifting anything, anyway. My house is your home to decorate however you want. Just get your ass over here tonight.”
“What do you say, Landen?” she asks him over her shoulder but keeps her eyes on me.
“Heck, yeah!”
“All right, then. Sounds like you’ll have a full house soon, Rod.”
“Good, because the silence is killing me.”
“If you’d get me those drums I asked for, it wouldn’t be so quiet.” Isa to the rescue again.
“I told you they’re sold out of drums. Everywhere. Every store. Sorry, Isa. See, Daisy—we need you here. Now, drive safely and hurry home today.”
She drives off after a kiss goodbye, and I already feel as if a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. When I walk back inside the house, Juliana meets me at the door with my phone in her hand.
“Mr. Stone? This is Justin McGrath. I have all the information you need on that person of interest you hired me to find. This man is shady as fuck and needs to be taken off the streets as soon as possible. When can we meet to discuss next steps and get warrants issued for his arrest?” He proceeds to share some of the more disturbing details of what he’s discovered with me.
This call is the last one I expected to receive today, of all days.
How do I tell Daisy about this today when we should be celebrating our new relationship status?
What do I tell her? Everything? Do I risk the stress it’ll put on her?
“Can you come by the house later this morning to give me the full rundown on everything you’ve found? Once I have all the information, I’ll talk to my… fiancée about pursuing charges on him.”
“I can be there by eleven. See you then.” We disconnect and I fill Juliana in on the details.
“All I can say is, this guy better be glad it was Justin who found him instead of me. I’d make sure he paid for his crime in all sorts of imaginative ways.”
“I know that look, Rod. Let Daisy decide what’s best for her and Landen. Support her regardless of which way she leans. I think she’s ready, but you never know how this will affect her when she learns it’s all very real now.”
“That’s the easy part, little sis. Sharing the details of what he’s been doing since then won’t be easy for her to hear. I just worry about her and the babies.”
“That bastard doesn’t have that much influence over her, Rod. She’ll be angry over what he’s gotten away with all these years, but that won’t be enough to put the pregnancy in danger. Besides, she’s a strong woman who’s already survived a lot. If you don’t tell her, that’ll piss her off more than anything.”
“Yeah, no kidding. I’ll tell her this evening after I finish moving her in here. She knows I hired Justin to find him, so that part is old news. But she’s been hesitant to face this guy, and she’s not sure what to tell Landen.”
“If it were me, I wouldn’t tell Landen anything about him. That piece of shit wouldn’t even exist in my world. Landen’s better off without knowing anything about what happened. That sperm donor hasn’t earned a place in their story.”
Juliana’s not wrong.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Daisy
When I arrive at my house after work, I find Rod, an enormous moving truck, and four burly men waiting for me. He wasn’t kidding about how soon he wants me to call his house my home.
“I know what you’re thinking.” He starts explaining before even saying hello. “But these guys are strong. They can do all the heavy lifting and moving your belongings to our place. While they’re getting the furniture moved out of here and set up over there, you and I can pack the boxes. Then they’ll come back to get them. How’s that for organized?” He flashes that damn sexy smirk again.
“You’re lucky I haven’t been in this house for too long, so I’d already gotten rid of everything I don’t use anymore before I moved in. Fine, let’s get busy packing the boxes so they’re not here all night. This explains why Juliana and Louise insisted I hurry home, but wanted Landen to stay with them. Sneaky, employing them against me.”
“Not against you, babe. Only to help. Never against you.” He pulls me into his arms and presses his lips to mine. “I don’t want to wait one more day to start our life together. You’re all I need, and I need you with me.”
My house is small, so the professional movers make quick work of emptying every room. When they return, two pitch in with packing the last of the kitchen boxes while the other two load the full ones on the truck.
“Look at that. We’re done just in time for dinner. Landen is well taken care of for the next few hours. Let me take you out to eat.” He wraps his arms around my ever-expanding belly from behind, splaying his hands protectively across our babies.
“As long as we’re talking Mexican food, I’m in.”
“All you have to do is say the word. Mexican, it is.”
The movers take the remaining boxes and head to Rod’s. I glance back at my house and think about how much has changed in the short time since I first moved in. I turn to say this to Rod, but his worried expression stops me.
“What’s wrong?”
He hesitates.
“All right, out with it. You’re being much too quiet to be my Hot Rod. So tell me what’s on your mind. Whatever it is, I can handle it.” I fold my arms across my chest and wait for him to confess whatever it is he doesn’t want to tell me.
“I don’t want to ruin our dinner plans, but I don’t want to keep it from you either.” He scrubs his hand over his face. “The private investigator called today. He found the guy who raped you. Apparently, he’s still terrorizing women. He’s been fired from several jobs and accused of sexual harassment by quite a few ladies. He’s also been banned from a couple of area bars, but no charges have been filed against him. Somehow, he keeps getting away with just a slap on the wrist.
“Justin was a detective for several years before he went out on his own. He’s gathered a lot of information for the police, and several other victims are willing to testify against this guy regarding his character and tendencies if we need them. That is, if you want to file a police report and press charges against him.”
I briefly consider the possibility of having to face him in court, but I decide to push my fear aside. After a thorough search, I found out most cases aren’t tried in front of a jury, anyway. With the bevvy of prior victims willing to speak out, he’d be a fool to push for a jury trial. One thing is for certain.
He’s not a complete fool or he would’ve been prosecuted before now.
“Yes, I want to go to the police and have him brought up on charges. Karen was also a witness that night and said she’d gladly give a witness statement. There’s no way Tracy will be allowed anywhere near this case since she’s my best friend, but she can help guide us through the process. Since this crime occurred in Athens and that’s a different district, she couldn’t influence my case anyway.”
“Tracy? How can she help when she’s in public relations?” His confusion is so cute.
“Well, that’s a term she uses to describe her job when she doesn’t want to talk about it. She’s actually a prosecutor with the Fulton County District Attorney’s office. She worked so hard to put herself through law school, and she always gives me free legal advice.”
“She’s been an assistant district attorney this entire time, and I never knew? How did I not hear of this before now?”
“She doesn’t advertise it. In fact, she rarely tells anyone what she does for a living. She won’t admit it, but I think it’s because her parents don’t approve.”
“They don’t approve of her being a successful lawyer?” His brows furrow. “How does that make sense?”
“They don’t approve of her prosecuting people. They see the flaws in the justice system every day, so they don’t support her being part of the organization that sends people to prison. That’s a long, sordid story that’s best left for another day. For now, let’s set up a good time for the PI to go with us and share what he dug up on my attacker so we only have to make one trip to Athens.”
We agree to meet at my favorite Mexican restaurant and leave my darkened house behind us. Once I’m in my car, I make a mental note to talk to Rod about keeping it for our foundation rather than selling it. Another place to live for those in need would come in handy.
“I just heard back from Justin, our PI. He wants to move on this as fast as possible. He asked if we could meet him at the police station tomorrow afternoon. He has a friend there who will be in his office and can take down all the information. Are you up for that?”
“Absolutely.” I’m unpacking the boxes I’ll need tonight and tomorrow for work and leaving the rest for the weekend. I’ve never been so ready for a Friday afternoon in my entire life. “If Louise can pick up Isa and Landen, we can leave a little earlier than usual. My class will be at a pep rally in the gym at the end of the day.”
“Perfect. I’ll pick you up and we’ll head to Athens to start the process. You know, you’ve avoided mentioning anything about this, so I’m forced to bring it up. I’ve made more than enough money to support you, Landen, the babies, and me. You don’t have to keep working if you’d rather not. I’m more than happy to have you home with me all the time.” Rod takes items out of the box and puts them away. “And I want you to feel comfortable in our home. If you want to change anything, you don’t have to ask. Just do it.”
“How about I start with Landen’s room and the nursery? Then we’ll go from there. God knows you have enough bedrooms in this mansion.” I grin at him while making room for my clothes in the enormous walk-in closet.
“We have enough bedrooms in our home. Get used to saying that.” He playfully smacks me on the ass before taking more items out of the box. “In fact, one is right next to the master suite. We could knock this wall down and make the whole thing one big closet.”
“Slow down. We have enough on our plate as it is. Let’s get through what we’ve already committed to finishing first.”
The next day comes all too soon, and Rod and I are on our way back to the scene of the crime. The drive is only slightly more than an hour, but today it feels as if it’s taking forever. I’m so ready to get this over and behind me for good. Justin is already meeting with the detective when we arrive, giving the information he’s found to help speed up the process.
“Have a seat.” The detective is an older man, in his late fifties by the looks of his gray hair and the lines on his face. His no-nonsense tone conveys he’s been there, done that, and doesn’t want to waste time with any of the niceties. Straight to the point and all business. “Tell me why you’re interested in pursuing charges when this assault happened basically eight years ago. Why now?”
“I’ve never known my attacker’s name, much less how to find him, until recently. He drugged and raped me when I was still in college. He deserves to pay for what he did. When my son is old enough to understand all that happened, he will see his mother did the right thing, regardless of the personal cost to her. I’m a survivor—not a victim.”
He nods his head and makes notes on his legal pad. “Your son. Is he a product of the rape?”
“Yes.”
Another stone-faced nod. “So, you’ve had no recent contact with the alleged perpetrator? Nothing happened recently that upset you, hurt you, made you mad at him? You didn’t try to reconnect on social media only to be spurned? No coming across photos of him and his new girlfriend, making you feel like the jilted party?”
“No, nothing like that. Like I said, I don’t even know his name to this day. Rod and Justin know, but I’ve purposely chosen not to know who he is. That was the worst day of my life, and all I want is to have justice served at last. Why are you asking me these questions? Do you think I’m here to file a false report against an old boyfriend or something?”
“Are you?”
“No.” My emphatic one-word statement borders on yelling.
“I have to make sure of your intentions before committing resource hours and presenting evidence to the judge to get warrants issued. Not that I don’t trust Justin, I’ve known him for years. But neither of us knows you. Now, please start from the beginning and tell me everything you remember. Walk me through that day and night, and don’t leave out any detail no matter how insignificant you think it is.”
Before I begin, the detective asks Rod to step out of the room. As a witness to the assault, he wants to hear Rod’s story separately. In other words, he wants to compare our recollections of that night for any discrepancies and pick apart anything that sounds too similar or too inconsistent. I’m grateful he’s taking this seriously, but this process makes me feel as if I’m the culprit.
With Rod waiting outside, I recount everything I remember from earlier in the day until when I woke in the emergency room, disoriented and scared. He stops me frequently to ask clarifying questions, then waits for me to pick back up where I left off. By the time he’s finished interrogating me, my mind feels like mush and I’m ready for a nap, despite the adrenaline flowing through my veins like river rapids.
Then he asks me to sit outside his office while he repeats the process with Rod. When they’ve finished, he asks me to rejoin them.
“I’m sorry for putting you through the wringer. This person has been on my radar before, but I was never able to get enough evidence to make the charges stick. Before pursuing him again, I had to make sure your case would be different. Justin brought me a lot of beneficial information and solid leads, but some of what he shared is potentially circumstantial evidence. I’ll take every piece apart and put it back together again. I’ll interview every person and turn over every stone. It’s up to the district attorney if charges ultimately are filed, but you have my word I’ll do everything I can to put this guy away.
“Once I’ve investigated and can present enough probable cause to obtain a warrant, I’ll let you know we’re ready to proceed. One of those warrants will be for DNA samples. Are you willing to provide a sample from your son to prove paternity?”
“Yes, absolutely. Whatever you need—cheek swab or hair sample. I’d rather avoid needles if possible. I don’t want to traumatize him during this process if you don’t absolutely need his blood.”
“A cheek swab shows exactly the same result as DNA collected from the blood. We shouldn’t need more than that simple procedure to prove a match. Do you have any other questions for me before I get started?”
“Do yo
u have an idea of how long this process will take?” I hold my breath, afraid of his answer either way.
“I’ll move on this as quickly as possible, aggressively investigating every lead and interviewing everyone with any firsthand knowledge. But I can’t say how long that process will take. Every case is different and presents its own challenges. When I know more, I’ll give you a call.”
We leave the police department weary and wondering, but also with a renewed sense of purpose. The first step is often the hardest. If the detective can piece together enough of the puzzle to get a DNA warrant, that should be enough to corroborate my story.
I hope.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Rod
“It’s been four weeks since we met with your detective friend and we haven’t heard a single word on this case yet. What is he doing? Is he even taking this seriously?” I bellow into the phone at Justin. I’m beyond frustrated.
Every day, I’ve watched the love of my life repeatedly check her phone for missed calls. We’ve been back to the doctor for another prenatal visit. I’ve marveled over how much the twins have grown and how well Daisy takes it all in stride. But I cannot take knowing that fucker is still running loose and wreaking havoc on innocent women.
“He’s doing his job, Mr. Stone. He’s investigating every potential lead and talking to everyone the guy knows. He’s thorough and has a great arrest record. He won’t let your boy walk on a technicality. When he slaps the cuffs on him and reads him his rights, it’ll be because he knows he has an airtight case to present to the DA’s office.” Justin patiently explains the process to me again. I may have called him with the same complaint a couple of weeks ago. “Give him time to do his job right.”
We disconnect just before Daisy walks into my office and sits down across from me. The grimace on her face and the hand on her side give me immediate cause for concern.
All of Me: Rod & Daisy Duet Box Set Page 45