As I stare at the kids eating their breakfast I know one thing is for sure: I can’t be here anymore, not around them.
My fingers are crossed that Tris has sorted things with Harmony because it will give me an excuse for leaving them. It’s going to hurt like hell, but I’ll do anything and everything in my power to ensure Clay and Izzie are safe and protected.
I hear footsteps on the stairs a few seconds after the door shuts, but neither of the kids notice as they continue eating, chatting away. Keeping my focus on them, I allow myself to relish in the time spent with them as it won’t be like this anymore. I won’t be mere feet away and get to talk to them whenever I want.
My eyes widen when I realize I’ll have to cut all contact. Can I do this? Can I really leave them without an explanation? The simple answer is yes; if it means they won’t get hurt, then I’d do anything to keep it from happening.
The door swings open a few minutes later and Tris walks in.
“Daddy!” Izzie squeals as soon as she spots him, jumping down from her seat and running toward him. He catches her, lifting her up in the air before cuddling her to his chest and placing a kiss on her cheek. “Where was you?”
Setting her back down in her seat, he says, “You’re so nosy,” before touching the end of her nose and walking over to Clay, kissing the top of his head.
He moves closer to me, grabbing a cup of coffee and I ask, “I take it that it went well?” Hope tinging my voice.
“We’ll see,” he replies, shrugging as he drinks his coffee.
He looks to be as consumed by his thoughts as I am, so I let the silence rain around us before he breaks it by asking, “You okay to pick them up from art class?”
Nodding, I bite my bottom lip, trying to work out the timing and deciding I’ll go to Nate’s tonight, or maybe I can ask him to come over? Yes. That’s the plan: ask Nate to come over as soon as he can and then I know we won’t be on our own while Tris is gone.
I swallow, pushing up off the counter. “Tris?” His gaze swings back to me and he raises his brow in question. “I need to talk to you.” Biting my bottom lip, I look back at the kids, feeling it deep down in my bones that this is the right thing to do. “I know now isn’t exactly the right time, but… I’m thinking about moving out.”
His head reels back and he takes a step closer to me. “Why would you do that?”
Opening my mouth, I screw up my nose, trying to think on my feet. “I—”
“Dad? What time is it?” Clay interrupts, standing up and bringing his plate over to us.
Taking it from him, I wander off toward the sink, glad for the distraction.
“A?” I turn back toward Tris but don’t meet his eyes. “We’re talking about this later.”
He walks out, both kids following behind him, the door slamming closed seconds later. Looking down at the sink and the plates on the table, I decide to leave it all and head over to the pool house to call Nate.
My skin crawls as I cross the backyard, my head swinging back and forth, trying to see if someone is watching me. I can hear the sound of Tris’s car as it goes down the driveway, but as soon as the noise disappears, I’m left in silence in the middle of the grass, searching in vain.
I can’t see anyone, but that doesn’t mean I’m not being watched. The small hairs on the back of my neck stand on end at the thought.
Rushing into the pool house, I lock the door but leave the curtains open to keep a watchful eye on everything.
Pulling my cell out of my back pocket, the USB falls out at the same time.
I forgot about the USB!
Lifting the lid of my laptop, I push it into the port as I unlock my phone. Clicking on the icon that appears to view what is on the USB, I scroll through my contacts on my cell at the same time, stopping when I get to Nate’s name.
“Let’s go and swim,” Nate’s voice rings out of the speakers of my laptop and my head whips around.
My hand slaps over my mouth as I watch a video of me and Nate. He picks up his backpack before leading me down to the pool at the edge of the waterfall.
I knew someone was there.
Nate whispers something to me but the audio doesn’t pick it up.
The camera follows us as we start to swim, but when we go behind the waterfall, I squeak because the person follows us, getting into the water too. How did neither of us notice?
The water obscures the view, but you can hear us clearly seconds later.
“I’m glad you agreed to come with me today, Lia.” There’s a pause. “I think I’m falling for you.”
My nostrils flare, tears springing in my eyes as I hear myself reply. “I think I’m falling for you, too.”
The screen turns black and I look down at my cell, my thumb hovering over Nate’s name as I hesitate. He’s involved in this too, but unlike the kids, he can protect himself but only if he knows what’s coming.
My laptop flashes, gaining my attention and my gaze flicks back up, the words on the screen making my decision for me. There’s no way I can involve Nate. Not now; not ever. I have to take the burden, it’s my problem, not anyone else’s.
If I have to break my heart to keep the people I love the most safe, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.
Locking my cell, I slowly place it next to my laptop, reading the words on the screen over and over again.
“Loving someone is the most amazing thing a human can do. But when that love is ripped from you, the pain is indescribable. It’s time for you to know what that feeling is like. Time is up, the payback I promised is coming for you.”
My eyes constantly flick between the front door and the kids where they’re playing on the floor. I wanted them where I could keep an eye on them, so I made them stay downstairs instead of going up into their rooms.
My leg bobs up and down, the side of my thumb between my lips as my heart rate spikes. I need to get this over with. Tell Tris, hand in my notice, and then just wait the week out.
Tires on the gravel sound outside and Izzie jumps up, pressing her face against the window. “Daddy’s home!” A small gasp leaves her lips as she turns back toward me. “Harmony’s with him!”
She runs for the door, flinging it open. I stand, following her and trying my best to smile at them.
Both of their lips are spread into grins and a happy vibe radiates off them. I find my own lips turning into a genuine smile at the look of them. It’s been so long since Tris has been happy, he deserves it in his life right now.
“Hey,” I say to Harmony as she follows Tris who is now holding Izzie, her arms wrapped around his neck.
“Hey, Amelia. How are you?”
“I’m… good.” I crack my smile up a notch. “I’m guessing things are great with you?”
Her gaze flicks behind me, her eyes shining bright before she answers. “They are.”
Closing the door, I see her step closer to Tris who is talking in hushed tones to both of the kids.
Walking a few steps toward them, I clear my throat. “I’ll leave you to it now you’re back.”
Hooking my thumb over my shoulder, I’m about to head out when Tris’s gray-eyed gaze meets mine, something in their depths stopping me.
“Sit down,” he commands, using the voice I’ve heard him use on the phone when he’s talking to someone at work.
“Really, Tris—”
He points to the sofa opposite him where the kids are sitting, staring at me. “Sit, we all need to talk.”
Taking a deep breath, I straighten my back and walk to the sofa, sitting next to Clay and watching as Tris and Harmony sit down, their hands clasped together.
“Some things are going to be changing around here.” My breath catches in my throat. I wanted to be the one to tell the kids I was leaving. I’m about to open my mouth to interrupt him when he continues, “Harmony and I are together now—”
“She’s going to be living here?” Izzie asks, her eyes wide as she shuffles in her seat in excitement.
“Not for a while,” Harmony tells her, moving forward. “But I’ll be around a little more for now and then…” She turns her gaze to Tris who is shaking his head at her.
“She’s moving in.”
“Tris,” she admonishes. “We need to talk about things—”
“Uh-huh,” he replies, a brow raised. “The outcome will still be the same, sunshine. I want you here with me and the kids. I want to come home to you, have you falling asleep next to me.”
I swallow at the intensity and start to wonder if that’s the same way Nate looks at me, if that’s how he feels about me. But it doesn’t matter anymore because to keep him safe I have to cut all ties. I feel the loss deep within my bones and tears spring to my eyes as I chant to myself to keep it together.
“Tris,” she whispers.
Cupping her cheek, he kisses her softly on her lips before turning back to face us. “As I was saying: things are going to change. Harmony is moving in, and I’m going to be here more. I’m sorry about the last couple of weeks, it’s my fault and I’m going to do everything in my power to make things right.” His gaze moves between Izzie and Clay. “Is that okay with you two?”
“Yes!” Izzie squeals, standing up and running at Harmony, flinging her arms around her. “You can teach me art on other days now, too.”
Harmony laughs softly, answering, “I can,” as she runs her hand over the top of Izzie’s head.
“Clay?” Tris asks after he’s silent for a couple of minutes.
“I suppose.” Clay shrugs, standing up and pushing his glasses up his nose. “Can I go up to my room now?”
“Clay—”
“Tris,” Harmony interrupts him, placing her hand on his arm. “Let him go upstairs.”
Tris hesitates before blowing out a breath. “Okay.” As soon as he says the word, Clay walks out and up the stairs, Izzie jumping down and following him, leaving the three of us in the room.
Both of their gazes swing my way, Harmony’s bright and welcoming but Tris’s is the opposite.
“A?”
“Yeah?”
“Wanna tell me what the hell is going on?”
I reel back, my eyes wide. “What do you mean?”
He leans forward, clasping his hands, his elbows on his knees. “You know exactly what I mean,” he says, his voice low. “You tell me you’re moving out all of a sudden and I have no idea where it’s come from.” I grip my hands in my lap. “If it’s the way I’ve been recently, then it’s going to change.”
“It’s not that,” I reply, my voice small.
I look down at my feet, feeling the burn of tears and willing them to stay back. I can’t break down now, I’ve kept it together for too long to let it all out right now.
“Then what the hell is it!” he thunders.
I swallow, looking back up at him where he’s now standing and pacing the floor in front of me.
“Tris, calm down,” Harmony says.
“No.” His gaze meets mine, a muscle in his jaw ticking. “I know there’s been something going on. I asked Nate to look into it, and you know what he found?” My eyes widen even more at the sound of his name coming from Tris’s lips. “Nothing, but he told me there was more to it.” He waits a beat. “I want to know.”
I’m shaking my head and not even realizing it. Is that why Nate started to come around? To find out what’s going on? For Tristan?
No. He wouldn’t do that; the things he said and has done don’t marry up with him only wanting to find out what’s going on.
Closing my eyes, I steel myself, standing up and taking a deep breath. When my eyes open, I know my wall is in place as I tell him, “It’s time for me to move on. I want to try something different; move onto bigger and better things.”
“So you want to work for another family?” he asks, his brows drawn down into a frown.
“No, I want to discover something more, maybe go down a different career path.”
“I don’t get it, A. Everything has been working just fine the last six years.”
“I know it has,” I say softly. “But it’s time now. You and Harmony are together and you don’t need me hanging around here.”
“Amelia,” Harmony announces, standing up and walking toward me. “I’d love for you to stay. You’re more than a nanny to the kids and Tris.”
I swallow down the building lump in my throat.
“You’re like a little sister to me, A.”
“And you’re the brother I never had,” I choke out. “But I have to move on now.” I step toward him, halting as I finally say, “This is my week’s notice. I’ll be moving out next Saturday.”
I block out whatever he says as I walk out of the living room and through the kitchen to the pool house where I lock myself away and close the curtains.
I know he doesn’t understand right now, and I hope he’ll never find out, because if he does it means they’ll all be in more danger. I don’t know what I’d do if any of them got hurt because of me.
“We’re getting a lot of high-profile clients lately and unfortunately that means our pro-bono cases have had to take a back seat, which we don’t want.” Marina walks to the front of the table and everyone’s attention is on her. She knows how to work a room. “We need three associates to take on the pro-bono cases and I’m leaving it up to you all to decide who those three people will be.”
She pauses and everyone looks around at each other before Jamie, one of our junior associates, rolls his eyes and puts up his hand.
“Excellent. Anyone else want to volunteer before you get voluntold?”
My pocket—or more accurately, my cell—vibrates for another ten seconds for the fifth time since we’ve been in this staff brief. I desperately want to answer it because it might be Amelia. I haven’t heard from her properly apart from a few random messages in the last three days, but I’ve just been too busy to go over and see her.
The vibrating stops and I raise my head back up to see Marina pointing out two of our interns. “Laura, Sarah. You’re on pro-bono with Jamie. Murphy has all the case files you’ll need.” They nod reluctantly before I’m distracted by another vibration, this time a short one.
As the meeting is coming to a close anyway, I pull my cell out under the table and frown down at the number of the messages and calls I’ve been getting.
It’s Tris so I signal to Marina that I’ll be back in a minute, everyone staring after me as I step outside and call him.
He picks up after the second ring, growling, “Where have you been?”
“Work, Tris. It’s Wednesday.”
“I’ve been calling you all morning. I was just about ready to skip a board meeting to come and talk to you.”
He sounds mad. Has he found out about me and Amelia?
“What about?” I ask, jumping into the deep end.
“Amelia.”
Fuck.
“What about her?” I try and sound as nonchalant as I can, but it’s hard.
I hear an audible breath before he announces, “She quit.”
The laugh that escapes me is unexpected, even to myself, because the notion of Amelia not wanting to look after Izzie and Clay anymore is ridiculous.
“Why are you laughing?” he growls.
The seriousness of his tone has me calming down and a heavy feeling settling in my stomach. “What do you mean she quit?”
“Harm and I got back together at the weekend, for real this time, but—”
“About time,” I say, interrupting him.
“Seriously?”
I sigh. “Continue.”
“Before I left to see Harm on Saturday, Amelia told me she wanted to move out.” What? None of that makes sense but I don’t get a chance to say anything because he continues. “We came back to the house to talk to the kids about us and afterward Amelia handed in her notice and told me she was leaving.”
The weight in my stomach drops as my mind turns to the messages she’s been sending me. They’ve been few and f
ar between but nothing to indicate she’s moving out and quitting her job.
“I can’t… she wouldn’t quit and move out.” Would she?
“That’s what I thought until I saw her hauling a load of packing boxes into the pool house this morning.”
His voice is heavy but it’s nothing compared to the scared feeling clawing its way up my throat. Was she just going to leave without telling me?
“Nate?”
I realize I haven’t spoken so I clear the lump out of my throat. “Okay. And why are you telling me?”
There must be an explanation to all of this or it be a simple misunderstanding between them both.
“Can you get Holland on it?”
I blanch at his name; I’ve been avoiding looking into Amelia because I didn’t want to delve into her private life. But if I say no, I’ll have to tell him why.
“Look into what?”
“Why the fuck Amelia has gone from loving working with the kids to wanting to move on to ‘bigger and better things.’”
“Tris…” I groan, warring with myself and trying to hold onto any emotion I can, but it’s not working. They’re spiraling out of control and I can’t seem to grasp what’s going on. “It’s her choice.” The words taste bitter coming out of my mouth and my anger takes ahold of me, cutting him off before he gets a chance to say another word. “But if she is moving then did you think that it’s because she finally had enough of your bullshit mood swings?”
“Nate… I—”
“I’ve gotta go.” I don’t wait for him to reply as I hang up, instantly regretting my harsh words toward him as I scrub a hand down my face.
“Everything okay?” Marina asks, making me spin around to face her.
“I… no. I’m sorry, I have somewhere I need to be.”
She shoos me with her hand. “Go. I can take care of things here.”
I shoot her an appreciative smile before running toward the elevator that’ll take me down to the underground parking lot, tapping my fingers against the wall as I impatiently wait for it to come. I growl and run toward the stairs when it doesn’t show, leaping down them two at a time not able to get control over the hurt working its way through me.
Fighting Our Way Page 23