“Here,” she says placing the plate in front of me. “You need to eat something.” She comes around the island and takes her daughter from my hands so I can eat.
“Good morning, everyone,” Slade says cheerfully as he walks into the kitchen. He goes over to his wife and places a kiss on her lips before he leans down and kisses Sadey as well.
You would think that the sight of it would have me angry but it does the opposite. I’m happy for them. I’ve just come to realize that not everyone deserves happiness.
“You look a little rough,” Slade says looking over to me. “Did you get drunk last night?”
“No.” I had only had the one glass of Crown that I finished off when Missy came over.
“Well, Parker stayed and had a ton,” she says with a laugh. “He ended up passing out downstairs.”
I chuckle as I place a bite into my mouth.
“Did I hear someone say my name?”
We all turn to look in the entryway of the kitchen and laugh as Parker comes strolling in with only one eye open and wearing nothing but a pair of Superman boxers.
As much as I have been on my own, I’m really gonna miss all of them, especially Missy. My heart squeezes in my chest remembering all the horrible things I said to her last night. I take a deep breath and ignore it.
“What’s the plan for the day?” Slade asks.
“Pussy,” Parker says through a yawn. “I need some pussy to cure this hangover.”
“Parker,” Sam growls at him for his language.
“What? It helps me,” he whines.
Slade chuckles, and I look down to my plate. “I’m gonna pack,” I announce to my food. “I’m moving back to Oklahoma.” The funny thing is—is that it doesn’t hurt all that bad to know that I won’t be here. I feel more relieved than anything. I’m better on my own.
I look up to the silent room and everyone stares at me wide-eyed. Sam already has tears forming in her eyes.
“Tate…?” Her voice cracks.
“It’s time,” I say and she walks out of the room holding onto her daughter tightly to her chest as she starts to cry.
******
MISSY
I never realized how much being alone sucks! I’ve sat around in my apartment all day doing nothing but feeling sorry for myself.
I wouldn’t say I have cried my eyes out but they are pretty puffy and red. The part that really sucks is that I had taken today off to spend the day with Tate. Now I’m spending it with his mother. It’s like I enjoy torturing myself.
She called me first thing this morning and was crying. He wouldn’t answer his phone. She said it kept going straight to voicemail—guess he turned it off. Or he broke it again, either way—no answer. So I gave her directions to my place and she hopped in a taxi and came right over.
I never realized how small my apartment really was until she walked in. Everywhere I look, she is right there staring at me. Watching me intently. We haven’t said much to one another. But I can tell she wants to.
I walk out of my closet after dressing in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt when I come face to face with her as she stands in my bedroom. “Need something?” I ask.
She sits down on the end of my bed and sighs heavily. I want to run out the front door. I don’t wanna have this conversation with her. I don’t want my heart to hurt for Tate more than it already does. He dumped me but he’s the one who hurts the most. The one who’s been hurting for so long now.
“I’m sorry for what happened between you guys,” she says softly. When she called me crying, I informed her that he broke things off with me last night.
I walk to the end of the bed and sit down beside her. “It’s not your fault. I lied to him.”
“Because of me.”
I shake my head. “It was my decision,” I say truthfully.
She reaches over and grabs my hand. “I’m gonna try to help you get him back.”
I give her a small smile even though I know that it’s not going to happen.
I pat her hand and smile. “Wanna go up to the bakery?” I offer. She had mentioned earlier today that she wanted to see it.
“Isn’t it closed?” she asks, and I nod.
“But I have a key.”
******
We finish getting ready and make our way up to the bakery. “This place is really nice,” Laura says looking around as I shut the front door behind us.
“Yeah,” I say. “They have put a lot into this.” They are still working on it to get it where they want.
She smiles as she spins around. “Marie would have loved this,” she says quietly as she walks over to one of the round tables and runs her fingers over it.
I wonder how she became friends with Marie. I don’t know much about Marie except that she was only married to Jack for a few years then they got a divorce. “Can I ask you a question?” I ask quietly.
She turns around to face me. “Sure,” she says but the word comes out unsure.
“It’s about Marie,” I say and she smiles as if relieved. I won’t ask her questions about Tate or Jonathan. Some things I just don’t want to know. “Were you guys close?” I ask.
She pulls out the seat and sits down at the little round table. “We were.” She nods. “I didn’t have any friends when I moved to Oklahoma from Alaska. Jonathan had friends there so everyone that I got close with were his friends. Not really mine.” She looks around the room once again before her eyes return back to mine. “She wasn’t with Jack when we got together. She came later,” she explains. “But he fell in love with her. Who wouldn’t?” She gives a little laugh. “She looked just like Sam. She was beautiful on the inside and out.” She looks down to her hands knotted in her lap. “I wanted to hate her for what she had when she was married to Jack. She cheated on him for what?” She shakes her head. “She broke his heart and it was never the same.” She sighs. “She knew that I wasn’t happy in my marriage. I always hid the bruises and scars well but she knew.” She closes her eyes. “She took Tate in as if he was hers,” she says quietly before opening them. “I wanted to tell her so many times that he belonged to Jack. That Tate was Sam’s half-brother but I couldn’t.” She shakes her head. “I couldn’t let Jack find out.”
“That must have been so hard,” I say with a heavy heart.
“Oh, it was,” she agrees. “There were days that I felt like I had an out. All I had to do was tell one person and I could get away from the monster that Jonathan had become but he would always be there to tear that apart.”
“What did the letter say that he sent you?” I ask. “Did he threaten you?”
She shakes her head. “No. He threatened Tate. I’ve tried so hard over the years to be a different person. To find the ‘me’ that I once was but that fear I have for him is still there and he knows it. Whereas Tate—Tate will stand up to him and he wants that. He wants to teach his son a lesson. He likes the fight.”
I swallow the emotions down. Now is not the time to freak out. “Why won’t he let it go?” I ask. “Why wait this long and not just move on?”
Her brown eyes look into mine and she says, “I’m guessing Tate hasn’t told you much?” I shake my head. “He almost killed Jonathan.” She looks down to the table. “Then he was sentenced to prison for attempted murder.”
I gasp as I place my hand over my mouth. “How is he free?” I ask.
She shrugs. “That I don’t know.”
I remember Tate telling me that he almost killed Jonathan and that he couldn’t even succeed at that, but he never mentioned he was in jail. Did he? How sick and twisted could this guy be? What all would he do to Tate? “You think Jonathan wants to kill him?” I ask quietly.
“He wants Tate to suffer. In his eyes, Tate was constantly a reminder of my mistake.” She lets out a sigh. “I should be the one to suffer. I should be the one he takes it out on. Not him. It’s never the kid’s fault,” she says softly.
I watch as she wipes a single tear from her cheek, and I know it�
�s time to quit asking questions. Her crazy ex-husband is free and her son has completely cut her off. “How about I cook us something up?” I ask standing from the table trying to ignore my mind.
Call Tate! Tell him to be careful. That Jonathan is after him. That I love him. But I won’t, he knows all of that, and it won’t change him.
“That would be nice. Thank you,” she says smiling up at me.
I nod my head and walk into the back. I come to a stop and look around. What could I fix us that doesn’t have to do with a cake? I go over to the cabinets and start to pull things out when I hear the ding of the front door—signaling a customer.
Who would be here this late?
I walk back through the door and come to a stop when I see the back of a tall man standing in front of Laura.
“I’m sorry but we’re closed,” I say nicely.
He slowly turns around and my heart pounds into my chest. “I know,” he says with an evil grin.
I look over to Laura, her brown eyes are wide-eyed and her body is stiff as she stands—terrified.
He reaches out and lightly places his hand on her arm and she jumps. “Don’t hurt her,” I say taking a step toward them. What the hell are you doing, Missy?
He chuckles. “I’m not here for her,” he says taking a step toward me.
I step back. “What are you here for?” I ask and my voice shakes.
“I’m here for my son.”
I shake my head. “He’s not here.” Thank God!
“Well, let’s see what you can do about that.” He take another step toward me and I take another one back.
I spin around to run but hit a man that stops me in my tracks. He shoves me backwards and into the arms of Jonathan.
Before I can even say a word his hand wraps around my throat and he shoves me up against the wall.
I try to cry out from the force but there’s nothing there. Panic sets in as I try to breathe and can’t. I reach up and scratch his arms but he holds me back effortlessly.
“Let her go,” I hear Laura cry. The other man grabs her with a wicked smile on his face. He looks familiar but I can’t place him.
“Always were the victim,” Jonathan says to her and sighs. “He won’t come for you. Tate knows you for the pathetic bitch you truly are.” He then looks at me and smiles down at me. “But he’ll come for you.”
I try shaking my head as I dig my fingernails into his wrist. He won’t come for me. He doesn’t love me.
“He will.” He nods and lets go of me.
I fall to my knees as I grab my neck and cough. I suck in air as he grabs a handful of my hair and yanks my head up to look at him.
“Please,” I whimper and close my eyes.
“Begging for your life already?” he asks with a chuckle. He jerks on my hair again, dragging me to my feet, and I scream out.
I try to take a deep breath as my heart pounds in my chest. “No.” I choke on the word. “Please don’t hurt him,” I beg and his blue eyes darken.
“He deserves it,” he shouts in my face.
I try shaking my head to get his hand out of my hair. “Tate didn’t do anything to you,” I shout as I shove my hands into his chest. Fight Missy!
His hand releases my hair, and he slaps me across the face. He hits me so hard that I fall back down to my knees as tears spring to my eyes. “His name is Jonathan,” he shouts before he kicks me in the side.
I roll over holding myself as a cry of pain leaves my lips. I take in a deep breath and close my eyes tightly. I open them to make sure he’s not gonna kick me again and I watch him go over to the table that Laura and I were sitting at earlier and he picks up my cell.
“He won’t come,” I say trying to catch a breath.
He smirks. “Oh, he’ll come. My son is nothing like me. He’s weak.”
I don’t argue with him because I don’t wanna get kicked again but I’m afraid he’s wrong. Tate is anything but weak.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
TATE
I stand in my living room watching Parker’s stupid cat rub up against my duffle bag.
“So you’re just gonna leave without telling her goodbye?” Parker asks from the couch. Sam never came back out from her bedroom when I told them what I was gonna do. The guys didn’t even try to talk me out of it, either. I was thankful.
I nod. In a way I already told her goodbye. I couldn’t have been clearer that I didn’t want what she wants. Why call her up and say goodbye?
“This is the best way,” I say with my back still toward him.
“What about me?” he asks, and I laugh.
“What about you?” I finally turn to face him.
He spreads his arms out wide. “You’re leaving me and Puss Puss.” He frowns.
I laugh. “You can stay here for as long as you want,” I say. I had bought this house when I first moved here. I don’t plan on selling it.
He sighs. “I couldn’t care less where I live, Tate.”
I have always been a person on my own. Until Marie died—I showed up on her front porch in Tulsa to see how Sam was doing after the death of her mother.
I stand on the front porch of Marie’s house as I watch Sam walk into the entryway. It’s hard to even look at her. From her long dark hair to bright green eyes, she’s a spitting image of her mother. The woman who I wish had been my mother. Marie practically raised me. Then when she found out she had cancer she pushed Sam away. Left her to fend for herself.
“Can I help you?” she asks as she comes to stand in front of the door.
I look at her boyfriend, Slade, who comes to stand beside her. I wish the dick wasn’t here. I look back down to her and give her a small smile. “Sam.”
“Do I know you?” she questions, tilting her head to the side.
The smile drops off of my face. Of course she doesn’t remember me. I clear my throat. “I, ah, need to speak to you,” I say not taking my eyes off of her.
Slade comes to stand beside her. “She asked you a question!” His voice is hard.
“Yes.” I nod, still looking at her. Trying to ignore the prick. “You know me. You just don’t remember me.” She just stands there and looks at me but her eyes have gone from comforting to concern. “Sam,” I begin, placing my hands behind my back. I don’t want to frighten her. “I won’t keep you long. Holly said you were busy packing. I just needed to come by and see that you were okay.”
“I’m fine,” she says, unsure of me.
“Look,” I start off. My eyes shift to Slade then back to hers again. “I don’t mean to keep you guys, I just came to see you, Sam. I need to have a conversation with you. I need to tell you some things.” I understand this may not be the best time, but she needs to know the truth. She needs to know that her mother loved her.
She stiffens. “What do you need to tell me?”
“Do you really not remember me?” I frown. I really thought she would recognize me after all those times we played together. All those times I stayed over.
She shakes her head.
I take a deep breath. “It’s me, Tate.”
A small smile instantly creeps across her face, and I smile to myself. “Tate?” she whispers. I don’t know why I expected her to remember me. She was ten last time I saw her. I was thirteen. That was over thirteen years ago.
“What are you doing here? I thought you lived in Alaska,” she asks before she steps into me and gives me a hug. I gently wrap my arms around her knowing this reunion won’t last long. She’s gonna hate me once I tell her why I’m here.
“I wish Mom was here to see you,” she says with a sad smile.
If only she knew the truth. I look over at Slade for a second and then back to her. “How did you find out that my mom had passed?” she asks.
“Well….” I pause trying to find the right words. “That’s another reason why I’m here.” I inhale deeply. I’m here to rip your heart out. Forgive me.
“What is it?” she asks cautiously.
I stay
quiet for a few seconds just looking at her eyes. I wanna see how bright they shine before I take that away from her. Before another person in this world hates me. “I was helping take care of your mother.”
“What? When?”
“Sam, you have to understand, it was what she wanted,” I start, defending Marie. She’s gonna hate her as much as she will me once this conversation is over.
“What are you talking about, Tate?” she snaps.
“She wanted me to make sure you were safe.”
“Just say what you came to say, Tate,” she says stiffly.
I keep my eyes trained on her and inhale deeply. “I was the one who kept her informed on how you were doing.” I take a step toward her but she pulls back. Marie had called me when she found out she had cancer. She hadn’t spoken to Sam in years, but she wanted to know how she was doing. If she was in love or happy. And I did it. I owed that woman my life. She practically raised me, I couldn’t tell her no. No matter how much it killed me to be that close to Sam.
“How could you?” she whispers as tears start to fill her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Sam. I want to explain it all to you.” I shoot a nervous glance over at Slade and then to Holly, neither of whom have spoken. “But I think we should do it in private.” There’s so much more she needs to know. Not only about Marie but also about me—I’m your half-brother.
Slade takes a step toward me, but she places her arm out to stop him.
“That’s not necessary. I’ve heard enough.” Her voice cracks.
I expected that. And I’m not one to beg. I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out a card. “Call me. I want you to know.” Then I turn around and walk to the curb, slide my dark sunglasses over my eyes, and climb onto my motorcycle.
I never knew that one day would lead me to where I stand now. Not only do I have a sister, but I also have a brother-in-law. A beautiful niece and a handful of friends. A woman who loves me. Too bad I don’t deserve any of them.
“Maybe Puss Puss and I could come down to visit?” Parker offers. “You can show me around the town.” He rubs his chin in thought. “I bet there are some country hotties in Oklahoma.” He wiggles his eyebrows.
The UN Series Complete Box Set Page 149