His to Know (His to Own Book 3)

by Autumn Winchester

  “Who? Travis?” she laughed. “He won’t do anything to me.”

  “Do not test me, Lynn,” I seethed, my impatience shining through.

  “Fine,” she bit out. “I need a place to stay. The guy I was staying with wants money, and I don’t have any.”

  “Then get a job,” I huffed. “I’m not bailing you out. Go to a homeless shelter. From the looks of things, he was taking good care of you.”

  “He…” she began before spotting the man she was staying with as he rounded the corner.

  “Gotcha,” I laughed, looking between the Dom and this woman.

  “There you are, Katty,” Master Bruce spoke. “I thought we were meeting at your place to discuss this.”

  “I thought here would be better,” Lynn shrugged, putting on a false smile.

  “You want into my club,” I guessed. That made sense. She was probably hoping to be taken in by someone that could possibly have a sway in my choices.

  “She does,” Bruce spoke up. “I’ll pay, of course.”

  “I think we need to talk, first,” I stated.

  “Oh? About what? I didn’t break any rules?” Bruce asked, horrified. I could see that he actually liked this woman for once.

  “No, you haven’t. I can understand not wanting to use real names inside my place, but if you two met somewhere else you should know. She’s not who she says she is,” I said, knowing that Lynn would insist to be there as I told this man the truth.

  “Katty?” Bruce asked, confused.

  “She’s the woman who raised my wife. I’ll let you two talk. She is never allowed into this club. Personal reasons,” I shrugged before unlocking and entering into my building. I left the two grown up people outside, knowing that they would be able to handle it on their own.

  “That was interesting,” Travis said, popping out of the control room.

  That was one thing I didn’t skimp out on. I had the most top notch security here. Cameras were in every room, except for the bathrooms and personal rooms. Those, I had speakers in case something happened and I needed to find out for sure the truth of what went on. Cameras were posted on all four corners of my building, too.

  “That it was,” I said, shaking my head. “She will never learn.”

  “I think she’ll learn now,” Travis barked out a laugh. “Maybe she needs a daddy to take care of her.”

  “I never understand how woman like that, but whatever floats their boat,” I said as I headed to my office.

  “You let them in,” Travis yelled after me.

  “Doesn’t mean I like it,” I hollered back.

  Life was never boring, that was for sure

  Every time I came here, I loved the place more and more. It had a much better layout than the last place I had. It just seemed to be more open, and definitely less cramped when we had parties.

  Comparing the two places, this one was twice as big. Had more tables and equipment than I ever thought I would use at first.

  I still refused to play here, and likely would never even consider doing so. Then again, maybe one day, I’d bring Avidya here, when she was ready.

  One day. One day I’ll give her the world if she’ll let me.

  Chapter 40

  Avidya

  A few years later

  Looking around the house, I couldn’t help but be happy with how life turned out to be. It has been six years since I fell in love with Zachariah. Six years of trial and error, but ones I would never want to change.

  The house was filled with people, kids, and cowboy decorations as my son had the best fifth birthday he could possibly have. I had to stop his father from renting farm animals and RVs.

  Joshua was one determined boy, just like his father. With only being five years old, I could see Zachariah in him more each day. He was his spitting image, except his eye color. He was a handful, too. Thank goodness for family to help keep him busy on the days he needed out of the house. It wasn’t that he was a trouble maker, he just got bored so quickly with his toys. He wasn’t a fan of TV, mostly because I wouldn’t let him sit in front of it for more than a couple of hours a day.

  He was the second love of my life, and everyone knew that. It also didn’t change the fact that everyone spoiled him rotten every chance they got. I have no idea how he could even want more toys with the room full he had acquired through the years.

  “How’s my girl doing?” Zachariah asked as he wrapped his arms around me from behind and placed his chin atop my head.

  “I’m tired of people,” I grumbled, even though the party just started. Josh invited his entire kindergarten class.

  “Now, how about my other girl?” he asked, laying a hand across my rounded stomach.

  “She wants that strawberry cake your mother brought,” I said, turning my head slightly.

  “She certainly has a sweet tooth,” Zach laughed.

  I was seven months pregnant. With a little baby girl. Zach was determined to have one more kid, because he didn’t think it was fair to only have one child. I didn’t mind, although I was surprised he turned into such a kid magnet.

  Now that my husband was a father, or maybe it was just because of Toby, he was trying to be more child friendly. He certainly was not as grumpy as he had once been.

  When it came to Toby, though, he was still a little out of his element. Toby was now in in high school, and doing extremely well for how his life had been. He swore off dating anyone, although I secretly thought he had his eyes set on Kenna’s niece that had moved in last year with her and Travis.

  He had many years of counseling after I returned, because he feared what any man he didn’t know would do to him. For his elementary and middle school years, he was home schooled because of his fear. It was understandable, and I couldn’t give my sister-in-law enough credit.

  Violet and Melio ended up opening their home to a couple more troubled kids, who they loved as their own. None of them were as close as Toby and I were, but I think that had to do with their ages. They were already in their teenage years and wanted nothing to do with anyone.

  Kenna and Travis were not trying for any children, instead giving to the community when they could in any way that they could. They got married three years ago, giving each other everything they ever needed.

  It really was a happily ever after for everyone. I never thought I’d be this happy. Ever.

  Zachariah still ran many businesses and his club while I helped run a daycare not all that far away. I only worked part time while being pregnant, per Zachariah’s requests. Joshua thought it was awesome that he got to see some of his friends so much. Toby even helped once in a while.

  Toby was going to college to be a child psychologist, and I couldn’t be any prouder of him. It was the perfect thing to do. He wanted to help children that were going through what he had.

  Toby didn’t talk much of his past, preferring to live day to day instead. Surprisingly, he had come along so far after everything.

  “How do you think she’ll get along in this family?” he asked me as he watched the kids run around the yard.

  “She’ll be just as spoiled as our son,” I laughed, feeling her kick against his hand. “She agrees.”

  He laughed, too, knowing how right I was.

  I knew Zachariah was thrilled that he got to be here every step of the way for this pregnancy, and so was I. It made it all so much more enjoyable this time around.

  “Oh my god! Avidya!” Krissy’s voice reached me before I saw her. Red hair quickly engulfed me as she pulled me into a bone crushing hug. “I leave for a few months to sell my house, and come back to this?”

  “Hi,” I breathed out as she released me. But a moment later, Catrina had her arms wrapped around me.

  “Another baby? Amazing!” she gushed.

  Catrina also had grown up way too fast for my liking. She was now eleven, and turning into an amazing woman.

  Krissy and Catrina were moving here to Las Vegas to help run the daycare center. It was Kris
sy’s idea to move because she had nothing tying her back home. Her parents had passed away just two years ago, and nothing was holding her back.

  “Kitty!” Josh shouted as he spotted Catrina. He had taken to calling her Kitty because he couldn’t say her name when he first started to talk. She didn’t care one bit. I thought it was adorable.

  “Hey Joshy,” she smiled, letting his little arms pull her into a hug.

  “She couldn’t wait to see him again,” Krissy laughed. “So, why did you blow up when I was gone?”

  “I didn’t,” I laughed. “I’m still tiny. You are the one that got bad eyes while gone.”

  “Oh, shush you,” Krissy laughed.

  Things never changed between anyone. Not between my friends, and not between my family.

  I had once thought that all of this would be so far out of reach, I’d live a crappy life with some nameless man that I would be forced to live with. I never thought I’d have family and friends, and everything else I had I ever wanted right at my fingertips.

  I was so happy here; more than I ever thought would be able to.

  It was all so much more than I could have asked for.

  Chapter 41

  Toby

  I never knew what life could be like. I had never known that there was a family filled with love and peace. I never knew that a family wasn’t supposed to turn its back on a child just because of drugs and booze.

  I was five years old when I figured out that parents shouldn’t be passed out day and night on the couch, leaving a child without food for days.

  At the tender of five, social services were called because I was outside filthy from head to toe. Little good that did for me.

  My parents, crappy parents at that, put on a great little show to prove that they cared for me. They cleaned the house and made it look ‘normal.’ How could a house filled with drugs ever look normal?

  When I was six years old, I gave up any hope. I gave up on the hope that God would come and save me.

  My father, when he was home, would hit me, yell at me, and use me in ways that no little boy should ever be used.

  Who would I have told? No one would believe a little boy who just wanted attention. I learned that the first and only time I ever said anything.

  For years, I suffered abuse at the hands of monsters. It was all I knew.

  I wasn’t surprised when my father got tired of me. He killed my mother, who had for one single second, tried to get him to leave me alone. That was one single moment that she actually tried to get out, get me out, alive.

  I watched through my nine-year-old eyes as my mother bled to death right there in front of me. I watched as her eyes dulled. I watched as she took her last breath as my father kicked her over and over.

  I was nine years old, and I never should have had to see that. No child ever should.

  I gave up crying. I gave up hope. I gave up trying to live.

  What had been the point?

  Everyone saw right through me. They didn’t even see the real me. No one saw how much pain, inside and out, I held on to.

  No ten-year-old should ever think about suicide.

  But I wasn’t a normal child. I thought about it. And I wanted to end my life just to make the pain stop.

  I had no care about what it would do to me. Who cared if I got sent to Hell because I took my life? It had to be better than the Hell I was already living him. Anything had to be better. It had to be.

  My father gave me to a man, who in turn gave me to another man. I had no idea where I was, or even why for the most part.

  I didn’t ask, either.

  Why? I knew I wouldn’t get an answer.

  No one wanted me.

  I was so sure that when I came into the hands of yet another man with a hard set jaw and face, I would finally find my peace in death. I was sure that he would kill me.

  I had been used already in so many ways, I didn’t know what was right and wrong anymore.

  The only thing I wanted then, was death. Peaceful death.

  And I was going to find a way to get just that.

  What I hadn’t counted on, never even thought about, was coming across a family that actually did care for me.

  My hope was entirely gone, crushed into dust and blown away by the strong wind.

  But this family, this really odd family, took me in. They saved me. They gave me a reason to live and keep on trying to breathe day in and day out.

  I didn’t like men. I couldn’t stand to be in the same room as any of them.

  Between Avidya and Violet, so much different than any of the men, I never knew what I was missing out on all the years I wanted to die. They showed me a side of life that I never would have known about.

  It was because of these two women that I learned that I could have things. I could ask for what I wanted, and speak freely.

  I never had to fear being hurt because of something I did. They cared for me like family.

  I was part of their family, even if it took me a year to figure that out.

  That day, the day I turned twelve, would forever be my favorite day ever. Besides it being my birthday, it was the day I officially became the son of Violet and Melio Melendez. I was their son in just about every way possible.

  Now, twenty years old, one would never be able to tell what kind of hell I had gone through in my life. I never expected to live this long. I never would have thought I’d have a family of my own.

  Heck, I never thought I would even be doing something I wanted to do.

  After years of trying to figure out how to see the world other than black and white, I finally found myself. So many people helped me along the way, of course. But I would miss and mourn the childhood that I never got to have.

  And I was okay with that. I still had a life to live and other lives to change.

  When I first started school, I was so far behind. I could just barely read a few things here and there that I had taught myself. I had to read a little bit just so I could try to not be hit and taken advantage of so much.

  Little good that did anyhow.

  So when Violet sat me down to see where I was with school, I expected her to hate how far behind I was. I expected her to scream, and maybe even kick me out.

  None of that happened.

  Instead, she bought everything she possibly could and taught me herself. She showed me how much fun learning really was, and not to fear what I had no control over.

  Because of the care and time my new adopted mother took, I went far and wide with learning. I was like a sponge after knowing I could learn all sorts of information.

  I had a great memory, which helped. I don’t make a huge deal out of it, because it’s just who I am.

  Once I turned sixteen, I was determined to try high school. I was so nervous. I was scared no one would be my friend. Or worse, I worried that my past would become my present.

  I made a number of great friends who didn’t care about my past. The teachers did everything they could to make me feel comfortable and safe. It took a few weeks before all that happened, but it did.

  Since everyone was so helpful, so encouraging, I was able to test out of high school a year yearly.

  It’s not often I can surprise myself, but I did it!

  I have no idea what life will have in store for me next, but I’m ready for whatever it may be. Maybe someday I’ll find the love of my life. Maybe I’ll become a foster parent, just like my own parents.

  As long as I can help just one person.

  I’m going to college to become a therapist. One of which that will stand up for abused children. I don’t care if I have to stand in front of a hundred people to prove that a child had been abused. I would do anything to make sure that children knew there is a way out besides death. I will show them that the world is filled with both good people.

  I know I have my work cut out for me, but after everything I’ve been through, I can do this.

  I can take on the entire world and live.
/>
  I am Toby Melendez, and I will make a difference.

  One person at a time.