Hopefully, Hansen wants to meet super early. The earlier the better. I want out of here, I want gone, I want to go back home.
Home.
It is my home, too. Landry has made sure that I have had a hand in every aspect of that house, even picking out the actual house. I don’t know that he had envisioned me moving in immediately, but I honestly think that it was at least all subconscious.
I almost squeal when I see that Designing Women is on television. This seems like a perfect time to watch the Sugarbaker sisters and their antics. The show continues to play and as the next episode begins, my eyelids grow heavier and heavier, until finally everything goes dark.
It happens again.
There’s a noise. Then the sound of something sliding. My eyes pop open immediately. I inhale through my nose and hold my breath as I wait to hear something else. Nothing happens, I’m going crazy, I think to myself.
I hear the sliding sound again. It’s from somewhere behind me. I pinch my eyes closed and shake my head, wishing that whatever it is, that it would just go away, but that doesn’t work.
Then it happens. I hear heavy breathing. Opening one eye, I let out a scream, but my mouth is covered immediately and my scream just comes out muffled. My eyes shift to the bedroom door where Holden is sleeping just a few feet away.
Tears immediately fill my eyes at the man sitting across from me on the edge of the coffee table.
“I take my hand off, you scream, the kid is dead,” he grunts. “Nod if you get me.”
Nodding my head frantically, I let out a whimper when he finally releases my mouth.
“Didn’t think you’d be such a pretty little thing,” he snorts. “Though I should have guessed, your mama was a beauty queen in her day, after all.”
I see it immediately. I recognize him. My biological father is sitting across from me, green eyes that match mine to the T stare back at me. The only difference in his gaze is that his is cold and dead, while thankfully, mine still has life—for now at least.
“Where is my mother?” I rasp.
He smirks, his lips turning up into a snarl at the question. “Alive.”
His answer isn’t very comforting, and yet, at the same time, it is. She’s alive. I tell myself that’s all that matters right now. As I stare into his green eyes, I wonder what my fate is about to become, because I know without a doubt that something is about to happen, something that is going to change my entire life.
He reaches out, extending his finger and my entire body trembles as he touches my temple, then slides his finger down the side of my face, stopping at my chin.
“Grab your brat, we’re going for a little ride,” he barks.
I open my mouth to ask a question, but he shakes his head once, his hand wrapping around the front of my throat before he squeezes. He leans in, his lip curled in disgust, then he speaks. His voice is low and harsh, and if I had any thoughts about talking him out of this, they’re completely gone now.
“If you think that your blood keeps you safe, you’re wrong. I killed my own parents, I don’t give a fuck about anyone but myself. I care about money and that’s about it. The only reason I ever paid your mother was because the government finally caught up with me. That shit’s done now. This is all government-free cash, so I don’t give a fuck what happens to you or that bitch that shot you out of her cunt. Get your fucking brat and let’s go.”
I attempt to nod and he releases me. Running to the bedroom, I grab a pair of pants and quickly throw on a bra and T-shirt before I reach for the cell phone and shove it in my front pocket. Hopefully, it won’t be noticeable. Hopefully, he’s too stupid to even look for it.
“Hurry the fuck up,” he growls from the doorway.
I pick up my diaper bag and the little backpack that has Holden’s clothes and a few of his toys and strap it over my shoulders. Reaching for him, I make sure that he has his blanket and his stuffy before I scoop him up in my arms.
Danny Bradley watches me, pure disdain in his eyes, and I know without a doubt that only one person on this earth would pay him cash under the table to hurt me and my mother.
Susan fucking Astor.
I walk in front of him, he growls the entire time we ride down the elevator. I hope that Hansen will see that this isn’t a professional job, hopefully there’s something in the room that he can use to help find me, maybe he can track my phone. I don’t know how that stuff works, but I really, really hope Hansen can do it.
Because I’m not about to lose the only man who has ever loved me, who has ever made me feel because of this piece of shit at my back.
No way in hell.
LANDRY
Lifting my fist, I knock on the door. It swings open just a few seconds later and I’m met with Laurent’s square puffed up chest. Lifting my gaze, I smirk up at him. Immediately, his shoulders relax and he chuckles.
He steps to the side to let me pass. “I thought you were in Tulsa?” he asks.
I hum, turning to him as soon as I walk into the foyer. “I was, rented a car to come back. I just couldn’t not make sure Lucinda was okay.”
“Where’s Tennessee?” he asks, his lips turning down in a frown.
My guilt eats at me immediately. I haven’t been able to get her off of my mind the entire drive here. I know something isn’t right. Leaving her in the situation that she’s in, with her mother missing, possibly worse. It feels so fucking wrong.
When I left, I called Hansen on the road and he promised to go to the hotel first thing in the morning to be there, to check on her for me. I feel marginally better, but there is just something that feels so off.
“At the hotel in Tulsa with Holden,” I murmur.
Laurent frowns, then I hear Lawrence clear his throat. Lifting my head, I look past Laurent to see Lawrence standing at the mouth of the hallway.
“You made it,” he says. “She’s in the bedroom. She’s not asleep, I bet she’d like to see you.”
He lifts his lips in a ghost of a smile, and it’s all I need to know to realize that she has indeed been hurt. This wasn’t an overdramatic moment, she’s injured and I hate it.
“The police?” I ask.
Laurent nods. “They have been here, along with Bash. The report has been filed and hopefully with Bash being who Bash is, there will be an emergency restraining order sooner rather than later,” he explains.
Lifting my hand, I wrap my fingers around his shoulder and squeeze, giving him a shake. “Thank you, Laurent, you’re a good son and a better brother,” I offer.
Walking past him, I make my way to Lawrence and catch his gaze with my own. “Thank you, Lawry. I don’t know what she would have done without your calm demeanor. You’re a good brother too.”
“We got this, Dad. You didn’t have to come back,” he mutters.
Grinning, I nod my head. “I didn’t come here because I didn’t think you had it. I have full faith in you, I came back for myself.”
Lawrence grins. “Well in that case, then.” He chuckles.
Shifting past him, I head toward Lucinda’s room. The room is bathed in darkness. I slip inside, thankful that it’s quiet and dark. Closing the door behind me, I make my way over to her bed. Sinking down on the edge, I reach for the small lamp on her bedside table.
Flicking it on, I look back over my shoulder and grunt at the sight of her face. Her neck has bruises, her face has a bruise forming beneath her eye, and there is a knot on the side of her head.
“I’ll kill him,” I growl.
Lucinda’s eyes flutter open, her lips turn up into a grin and she looks over at me. “Daddy,” she cries.
“Lucy,” I rasp.
Reaching out, I wrap my hand loosely around the side of her neck, trying to hold back tears. I’ve never seen my baby hurt this way before, the most I’ve ever seen is a bruise on her knee from playing outside. She’s never even broken a bone.
“I’m okay,” she whispers. “I’m okay.”
“Are you?”
&nbs
p; Her lips turn up into a small smile. “I am. I’m okay.”
I stay right next to her. I talk to her for another fifteen minutes, just to see where her head is at. I want to make sure that she really is okay. Once I believe her, once I’m satisfied, I leave her to rest.
Once I’m away from her and in the living room with Laurent and Lawrence, I look at each of them. Sinking down on the chair, I rest my forearms on my knees and bow my head for a moment, lifting it slowly, I flick my gaze from Laurent to Lawrence.
“We’ll be going after him every single fucking way that we can,” I announce.
Lawrence frowns, but Laurent grins. “Fuck yeah.” He chuckles. “Fuck, yeah.”
Chapter Forty-Five
LANDRY
My entire body jerks up and I let out a grunt as I reach for my phone in my pocket. I’m too blurry-eyed to actually read the name on the screen. Sliding my thumb across, I clear my throat before I answer.
“Landry,” Hansen barks.
I blink a couple of times, then look over at the clock on the wall. It’s almost eight in the morning. My stomach sinks immediately.
“Where is Tennessee?” I demand in a rush.
“I was going to ask you the same thing. I’m standing in the living room, the door was left ajar and nobody is here.”
“What do you mean?” I shout. “What the fuck do you mean nobody is there?”
Standing to my feet, my heart starts to race. “She’s gone, Landry. There is a bag in the master still, an empty bottle of water on the coffee table, but nothing else. They’re gone.”
Shaking my head, I lift my hand and run my fingers through my hair. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I chant. “Fuck.”
“She didn’t come to you? Maybe rent a car?” he asks, suddenly starting to sound a little nervous.
Inhaling a deep breath, I hear a noise and lift my head. Lucinda is standing in the living room, her eyes on me. She has her phone gripped in her hand.
“Do you want me to call her?” she asks, her voice raspy from what that fuck did to her.
Nodding my head, I start to pace. “Lucinda is calling her phone,” I say.
Hansen doesn’t say anything, but I don’t know what that means. I don’t know what he’s thinking. But I know without a doubt that it is nothing good. Lucinda calls out for me, and I look over at her.
“No answer,” she mouths.
“Can you track her phone?” I bark.
Hansen doesn’t say anything right away, I hear him shuffling around and I assume he’s taking a seat. He clears his throat. “I don’t think I can find her, you have access to her phone, right? It’s your account?”
“Fuck, that’s right. I’m calling Julie right now.”
“Wait,” Hansen calls out.
I pause, wanting nothing more than to hurry the fuck up and get Julie on this. As far as I know, she would at least be able to contact IT and get on the Find My Phone app to find the cell phone. I made sure that all of that was installed on the devices, in case of an emergency. But never did I think that I would be using it for something like this—not ever anything like this.
“Do you think, that property?”
“That Susan took her too? How would she know that Tennessee was alone?” I ask.
Then something ugly slithers throughout my entire body. Slowly, I lift my gaze to Lucy. She wouldn’t. Not to her own daughter. Would she? I tell Hansen to get out there and look at the property with the detectives while I get working on tracking the phone down.
Ending the call, I look over to Lucinda. She is watching me, but as the seconds tick by, her concern grows.
“Dad?”
“Has your mother ever met that man that hurt you, your boss?” I ask.
Lucinda’s frown deepens and she tilts her head to the side before her legs carry her over to me. Slowly, she sinks down in the chair next to the sofa, bringing her feet to the seat while she wraps her arms around her shins.
“You don’t think… that Mom would? Do you?”
“This was all out of the ordinary? He’s never acted like this before?” I ask.
Lucinda shakes her head. “I thought he was on drugs,” she whispers.
I clear my throat, then I tell her about Helen and now about Tennessee. I explain to her in detail about the paternity stuff with Anderson, most of it she already knows. Then, I tell her about the company, all of it, everything that’s just happened. And there is only one common denominator in all of the shit that’s been piling up, and that’s Susan.
“Oh my god,” she breathes. “Dad, I can’t believe it. Mom… I just can’t.”
I debate telling her about her mother’s extracurricular activities, but decide against it. At least for now. I have a feeling that the truth will come out sooner rather than later, but right now all I can truly think about is Tennessee. I need to find her. I need to find them, all three of them.
“You need to go back to Tulsa,” she breathes.
“Call your mother, see where she is. I want a pulse, can you do that for me?”
It’s sneaky, I know that it is. I just don’t really care right now. Sneaky or not, I’ll do anything to find my woman. Finding Julie’s name, I touch the call button and walk out of the room, slipping into Lucinda’s home gym.
“Landry?” she asks, sounding half asleep.
“I’m sorry, Julie, I know it’s your day off, but I have a huge favor.”
“Anything.”
Clearing my throat, I close my eyes and I say it aloud. “Tennessee is missing. I had an emergency and drove back to Dallas last night. She and Holden were in the hotel and Hansen came by this morning to pick them up, but they’re gone. Can you get a trace on her phone through that Find My Phone app?”
There is a moment of silence, then I hear Julie’s voice crack before she clears her throat. “Let me see what I can do, I’ll call you back in a few.”
She ends the call abruptly, and I look down at the blank screen with a frown. Lucinda opens the door and her eyes frantically find mine.
“Mom said she is out of town for the day when I asked her to meet with me tomorrow to go shopping. My mother has never turned down a day of shopping my entire life, Dad. Not once. Not ever.”
“Fuck,” I hiss. “I don’t want you alone. Pack a bag, you’re going to stay with your brother.”
“Laurent, please, he’s scarier than Lawrence,” she says with a grin. “Plus, he has better streaming on his TV. Lawrence is so cheap, he doesn’t even pay for Netflix.”
Chuckling, I tell her to go and pack, then I call Lawrence and Laurent. They’re all staying together because to be frank, I’m scared fucking shitless of what this woman will do. She is downright unhinged. She’s pissed off, and she is hypocritical in her misguided anger toward Tennessee.
But I’m not resting until I get some goddamn answers, and I’m not going to stop until Tennessee and Holden are back where they belong—at my side.
Chapter Forty-Six
TENNESSEE
My knees give out as soon as I’m taken into the small house. I see her. She’s chained to a wall with a dirty mattress pushed up against it. I hear the chains rattle as I fall to the carpeted floor. Tears immediately fill my eyes and fall before I can even attempt to compose myself. Holden’s arms wrap around my neck as he grips me.
Shaking my head, I can’t believe my mom is alive, and she’s right in front of me. “Get the fuck in there, and if you even make a goddamn peep, I’m chaining you up too, bitch,” he snarls before he slams the door behind me.
It doesn’t matter what he says or how he says it. All that matters right now is that my mom is alive. “Come here,” she whimpers.
I inhale a deep, shaky breath, and slowly stand to my trembling legs before I force my body forward. Normally, I would wrinkle my nose at the dirty mattress, but right now, I don’t care. Extending one arm, I reach for my mom. Wrapping my arm around her shoulder. She holds on to me, wrapping both me and Holden in one of her perfect hugs.
Clearing my throat, I sink down on the dirty mattress, keeping Holden in my arms. I can’t control the way my body is shaking and trembling. I don’t know what to say, what to think. I don’t want to know the answers to all of the questions I want to ask.
“I was here, looking for you. He broke into my hotel room,” I whisper.
“Where is Landry?” she asks, gritting her teeth as she says his name.
Blinking, I give her a watery smile. “Lucinda was attacked by her boss, he left before I went to bed and rented a car. He drove back to Dallas.”
There is a moment of silence. One where my mom watches me, lifting a brow and my lips part in awe. “Who took you, I don’t mean Danny, I mean who is really behind this?” I ask on a whisper.
She doesn’t say anything immediately, instead her eyes shift to the side, then come back to meet my own. She inhales a deep breath, then lets it out with a heavy sigh.
“You know who did all of this, Tenny. A woman scorned…”
“No,” I grind out as I jump to my feet. I keep Holden close against me as I start to pace the room. “It is not a woman scorned, Mom,” I snap. “That woman has secretly been a prostitute for years. She’s cheated on her husband, she’s neglected her children. She is not scorned. She’s throwin’ a hissy fit because she isn’t going to have access to Landry’s social circle or what she sees as his endless supply of cash.”
“But you will. She hates you because of that. Forty years younger than her, slipping into her spot.”
Dipping my chin, I level my mother with a gaze. “They haven’t had sex for years, Mom. Years. Let that sink in. She doesn’t give a shit about him, she just wants to make him miserable because she had it nice and easy for far too long.”
Hypocritically Yours: A Standalone Age-Gap Romance Page 31