I tore the end off the envelope, pulled the papers, and hissed between my teeth.
“What is it?” Katie asked.
Grady took the one-page document from me and his whole body stilled. “It’s a custody hearing for Nicholas. Kelsey’s mother is suing for visitation rights.”
“No judge in his right mind would grant that,” Alex said. “She’s on crack.”
“It’s Judge Wynhart. He’s been in her pockets for years,” I whispered. “He signed the emancipation documents. It was too easy. We never even had to speak to him. We filed the documents, and they were returned to us signed.”
“Your mother’s pocket or the sheriff’s?” Grady asked.
“I don’t know. I never bothered to look into it. I just steered clear as much as possible.”
“We need to get the venue changed,” Katie said, taking the summons from Grady. “I’ll call Cameron Brackins and have him get started on this.” Cameron was the attorney we’d hired to get Grady out of prison in Miami, and later to get me cleared of charges as well.
“Can he practice law in Michigan?” Anne asked.
“Probably not. But he can find out who the best attorney around here is for custody cases and get in touch with them,” Katie said.
My brain was spinning. Grady wrapped an arm around my shoulders and tugged me into his chest. “It’s time to finish this, Kelsey. She won’t get visitation of Nicholas, but she’s got you on her radar now and will keep coming at you until you stop her.”
“I know. I’m just not ready to deal with it.”
“Want her dead?” Lisa asked, cocking her head to one side and placing her hands on her hips. “I know a guy.”
We all looked up at Lisa. She was perfectly serious and seemed so much the mafia princess that we all smiled.
“Let’s hold off on whacking anyone,” Katie said, laughing at Lisa.
“I agree with Katie. I have other options,” I said.
“By the look on your face, those other options don’t seem all that pleasant,” Alex said, rubbing a hand up and down my arm.
“Kelsey has only walked away from the bad guys once in her life,” Grady said. “And the bad guys were her mother, aunt, uncle, and the local sheriff. She doesn’t like to talk about what happened, but Charlie recently found out and that’s why she went back there to go after them.”
“We don’t need the details,” Anne said. “But you’re not a little girl anymore. You’re stronger now. It’s time you showed them that.”
I nodded, giving her a brief hug, before I walked back inside and down the hall to my bedroom. I entered the atrium and curled up on one of the sofas. Grady came in a few minutes later, stretching out on the sofa behind me and tucking me into his strong frame. I drifted off to sleep in his arms.
Chapter Twenty
I woke early, well before the sun broke through the night sky. I slid away from Grady and made my way to the bathroom, closing the door before turning on the light. My reflection in the mirror somehow seemed unfamiliar. My skin paler than normal. Dark circles shadowed my eyes.
I shook my head, disappointed with the person I saw. Over the years, I had faced down the cream of the crop of the criminal world, so why did I feel the need to hide from my childhood?
I moved away from the mirror, not wanting to see the person staring back. I started the shower, undressing quickly before stepping inside. I had set the temperature higher than normal, but it felt good as it scalded my skin. I turned to let it burn against my back.
I heard the door open, and the fan turned on. “I have a job out of town. It should only take a few days,” Grady said from within the bathroom. “Are you going to stick around to keep an eye on the kids until I get back?”
I could hear tension in his voice, and I knew what he was really asking. He wanted to know whether I was getting ready to bolt again.
“Anne wants me here this weekend to help with the kids and Lisa. So yes, I’ll be here until at least Sunday night.”
“That’ll work. I’m heading over to Headquarters to square up a few things, but I’ll check in with you before I leave.”
I heard the bathroom door close, but I didn’t call out to stop him. I couldn’t. After all the times I’d run away, I couldn’t tell him that I needed him to stay. I couldn’t share with him that something inside felt like it was going to break, that I wanted him by my side. I couldn’t say any of it, because telling him would force me to face my biggest fears.
I sat down in the tub, feeling hollow, letting the scalding water pound against my skin.
~*~*~
When I was sufficiently waterlogged I reached behind me and turned the water off. The bathroom, despite the fan, was thick with steam. I dragged myself up and stepped out, wrapping my hair in one towel before wrapping another around me.
I entered the bedroom, pulling clothes out to wear. Even the simple task of getting dressed seemed to zap what little energy I had. I decided to wear slip on pumps so I wouldn’t have to hassle with socks or laces.
On the way down the hall, I opened Nicholas’ door and peeked inside. He was stretched out with an arm thrown over his head, and one leg tangled in the blankets. I closed the door and went to the kitchen, finding Bridget there. She was dressed to the nines in a slinky black dress and to-die-for heels.
“Damn, girl,” I said as I appreciated her outfit. “You just getting in?”
“The security guards Bones assigned made us come back here last night after we closed down the club. They wouldn’t let us go home, and I couldn’t fall asleep on the couch, so I borrowed one of the computers and started working on your war room. Are you looking for more of an oasis vibe? Or urban street?”
“I have no idea what urban street looks like, but definitely not an oasis. The war room is boring, plain and simple. I’m bored just walking through the door.”
“Good. We’re on the same page.” She giggled as she poured me a cup of coffee. “I already placed an order. Most of the décor should arrive by tomorrow. Can I get a couple guys to help me on Saturday?”
“Steal some guys from the club, and the trainees can take their place for security at the store. It’ll be good crowd-control experience.”
“That’ll work.” She bit her lip and looked toward the garage door. “Is Grady okay? He didn’t seem like himself this morning.”
I got the eggs and bread out and pulled a pan from the rack to start breakfast. “I’m not sure. He’s upset with me, but I didn’t ask why.”
“Why didn’t you ask?”
“I don’t know. Why haven’t you asked Bones how he feels about you?”
Bridget sighed and nodded. “Because I’m afraid of what his answer will be.”
“Does it bother you? That he and I used to… yah-know.”
“Screw like monkeys?” Bridget giggled. “No. I was around back then, remember? You both cared for each other, but you never looked at him the way you look at Grady.”
“Bones never looked at me the way he looks at you, either.” I smiled. “That man would notice a tick landed on you from a half mile away.”
“And yet in all the years I’ve known him, he’s never made a move to have sex with me.”
“You used to sleep with the other club guys,” I said, shrugging. “If he had a thing for you, I’m sure that wasn’t easy for him.”
“I only slept with Tyler and Sam. When I first arrived at the club, it was obvious I’d been through some shit. Most of the guys were there for me as a friend, but they didn’t seek out sex with me. By the time Tyler, then Sam, prospected, I felt safe enough to explore sex. I almost hooked up with Goat once, but he stopped it.” Bridget laughed. “I think he stopped because of Bones, even though Bones was seeing you at the time.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me. Last year when Sleazy Tony groped you, Bones’ reaction gave me chills. I could feel the rage rolling off him. He doesn’t hide his emotions well.”
“Not like Grady?” Bridget asked with a raised e
yebrow.
“Are you going to help cook, or what?” I asked, changing the subject and handing her packets of bacon.
“Sure,” she said but put away the bacon. “But I bought crescent rolls and sausage to go with the eggs this morning.” She pulled pre-made crescent roll dough out and rolled the sausage up in the dough, placing them in neat rows on cookie sheets. I started a big batch of scrambled eggs, and despite it being early still, everyone started to drift from various corners of the house toward the kitchen.
~*~*~
I was out of practice preparing the kids for school. It took an hour to push them through showers, dress, eat, brush their teeth, and gather their bags. Sara had decided it was a special occasion, wearing one of her party dresses. Nicholas had the opposite inclination, wearing a T-shirt and grass stained jeans. I made him at least lace his running shoes.
“All right, you monsters, let’s go!” Bridget called from the door to the garage. “Hurry up! You don’t want to keep your new teacher waiting.”
The kids ran squealing out of the house. I looked back at Anne as she thumped her forehead on the table. I gathered my shoulder bag and the breakfast leftovers, and walked into the garage, closing the door behind me. Bridget slid into the driver’s seat, and I handed her the keys as I settled into the passenger seat.
“Everyone buckled in?” Bridget asked. We listened for both seatbelts to click before Bridget reversed from the garage.
Two security guards met as at the entrance of Headquarters, escorting the kids into the building as Bridget and I gathered everything before following. Everyone had stopped near the entrance of the gym, and I could hear Grady and Bones yelling. I walked around the group and stood next to Beth. Donovan, Wayne, and a couple other guys were on the opposite side of the gym, trying to separate Bones and Grady who looked ready to tear each other’s heads off.
“Get to your classroom,” I told the kids before I walked toward them.
Crossing the gym, I stepped in front of Grady, shoving the casserole dish into his chest, forcing him to take it. “Breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry,” he said, glaring down at me.
“I didn’t ask if you were. But you can take it to the break room.”
He glared at Bones again before stomping toward the break room. I looked back and noticed that Bridget was gone.
“I know that whatever is going on, it has nothing to do with you and I, but Bridget might’ve misinterpreted the situation. You should track her down before she gets too far.”
Bones was still being held back by Wayne and Donovan, but he nodded for them to release him. When they did, he turned toward the gym exit and strode out.
“Can either of you tell me anything?”
“Sorry,” Donovan said, shaking his head.
Wayne looked at the floor, unable to face me.
“Fine.” I looked around the room. “Are the kids safe here today?”
“We had shifts running all night. The property is secure,” Wayne said.
I started toward the stairs. “Until one of you is ready to fess up, I’ll be in the war room. Make sure Grady eats something.”
“Yes, Mom,” Wayne said.
I held my middle finger up over my shoulder, without bothering to look back at Wayne.
“Beth says giving someone the bird counts as a swear word!” Nicholas called down from the upper walkway.
“Put it on my tab,” I said, giving him my serious face. “Shouldn’t you be in class?”
He scurried into the classroom, laughing as he ran.
~*~*~
Tech was already in the war room when I arrived. I threw my bag in the corner chair, pulling out my laptop. “Do you know why Grady’s so wound up?”
“Yup.”
“You going to tell me?”
“Nope.”
“Fine. Get out.”
Tech turned away from his computer monitor and looked at me.
“Not kidding.” I slammed my laptop on the table and turned my back toward him.
He sighed as he gathered his stuff and left. I sent Maggie a text to video call me in the war room when she had a second. While I waited, I looked out the glass wall and saw Bones below, carrying totes into the gym. Bridget must have called the trainees over, because they all joined her. A few minutes later, Alex walked in carrying an arm full of suits. I heard the computer chime and turned back to the table to answer the call. Maggie’s face appeared on the center TV screen mounted to the wall.
“What’s up?” she asked, watching me pace in the war room.
“Are you officially back on Kierson’s team?”
“Not until Monday. Until then, I’m bouncing between the hotel bar and pool.”
I looked out the glass wall again and watched Grady stomp past the trainees toward Donovan’s office.
“Hey!” Maggie called to me. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know.” I sighed, throwing myself into a swivel chair. “Something has Grady walking the edge of a cliff. Everybody at Aces seems to know what it is, but they won’t tell me.”
“Loyal bastards,” Maggie said, sarcastically. “What do you think is bothering him?”
“I think he’s going to leave me,” I admitted, looking up at Maggie. “I think he’s had enough of my shit, and he’s planning on setting himself free.”
“What the hell are you talking about? Grady loves you.”
“I know! I think that’s why he’s so angry.”
Maggie shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Why now? Why would he leave now, after everything the two of you have been through?”
“I don’t know. He seemed fine yesterday when we learned Chaves was set free. He was pissed when we found the explosives, but he shook it off. And after we took care of the snipers, he was in a great mood. But when he saw the summons, something changed.”
“I’m going to skip the sniper and explosive comments for the moment and ask—what summons?”
I grit my teeth as I answered. “My mother.” I dragged a hand through my hair. “Charlie stirred up some shit from the past, and I challenged my mother in the process of getting Charlie released from jail. Now my mother is messing with me, filing for visitation rights for Nicholas.”
“And a judge signed the summons?”
“A dirty judge, yeah,” I answered. “Katie’s working with Cameron to hire a lawyer. Then they’ll file for a change in venue to have the hearing in Kalamazoo. The case should be thrown out at that point. But Grady warned me last night that if I don’t deal with my mother, she’ll continue to come after me.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“I’d have to tell them.” I nodded toward the gym. “I’d have to tell all of them the things I did. How I freed Charlie and myself. How we lived.”
“And what? Are you worried they’ll think less of you?”
“No.”
“Then what?” Maggie leaned closer to her laptop. “Kelsey, this isn’t making any sense.”
“I’m worried they’ll realize I’ve always been broken. That I can’t be fixed.” I swiveled my chair away from Maggie, facing the windows. “They’ll see that I’ve been running for so long, I don’t know how to stop. That I’ve never been able to depend on anyone else, and probably never will. They’ll give up on me.”
“You’re wrong,” Charlie said from behind me, just inside the war room.
I stared at her, surprised to see her. The tears I was holding back slipped past my eyelids.
She walked over, pulled me up from my chair and wrapped her arms around me. “You are the strongest person I know, but even if you weren’t, you’re not alone. I’m sorry you had to fight the battles by yourself when we were kids, but I’m here—right here. We’re in this together.”
“This is my mess. It’s the choices I made that started it all.”
“You didn’t have a choice. You had to cross a lot of lines when you were barely a teenager to save me. That’s on me, not you.”
I turned away from Charlie toward the windows overlooking the field.
“Maggie, we’ll call you back,” Charlie said before I heard the beep that ended the call.
The room was silent as I stared out the window. I took a moment to gather my thoughts and inhaled a deep breath. Charlie waited for me to collect myself, always the patient one. When I finally turned around, I found her sitting at the table, studying me.
“I didn’t have to make the choices I made, Kid. I had other options. I could’ve called the state police. I could’ve called Nana. I didn’t have to seduce the sheriff and blackmail everyone.”
“You were young and scared. You probably weren’t thinking that clearly.”
“I knew all those options,” I said, shaking my head. “I chose to do what I did.”
Her eyes narrowed as she studied my face. “Then why? Why did you do it?” I didn’t sense accusation in her voice, only curiosity.
“Because all the other options would’ve taken you away from me,” I admitted, walking over to kneel in front of her. “If I’d let someone else step in to help, they would’ve taken you far away. And my fourteen-year-old self couldn’t bear the thought of not having you around to lean on. You were all I had. I didn’t have any friends. My mother was hateful. My father was indifferent. My brothers were in college or married. But I had you. And you loved me. I didn’t want to lose that connection.” I leaned my head on her knee. “But it was selfish. You could’ve had an easier life if I would’ve made a different choice.”
Charlie chuckled, placing a hand on my head and tousling my hair. “You think growing up without you in my life would’ve been better for me? You, idiot.” She pulled my face up with her hands. “Without you, I’m not sure I’d have recovered from the shit my father put me through. You dragged me through the muck, hosed me off, and pushed me into making something of my life. Nana would’ve coddled me. Children’s Services would’ve stuck me in a group home and labeled me with a troubled past. You gave me a life—a future. And I needed you just as much, if not more, than you needed me.”
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