“You’ll live the rest of your life not knowing what a wonderful young woman she became. Despite your attempts to take her to hell with you, she’s still the shining star.”
“There’s nothing you can do to keep me away from my daughter,” she says snidely, challenging him.
“That’s where you’re wrong.” He pulls a thumb drive out of his pocket, flashing it. “This drive contains sworn statements, medical records, and verification from Ember that she suffered years of physical and emotional abuse. We also spoke to a child psychologist who agreed the emotional manipulation endured is indeed a form of not only child endangerment but also neglect.
“You get near Ember again, this goes directly to every law enforcement agency in Alabama.”
“You’re lying. She wasn’t abused, just weak.” Her face pales when she realizes her mistake.
Finn and I rumble at the same time, leaning onto our elbows, glaring at her with hatred. Thad’s shoulders straighten, and he leans back, giving Serena a few seconds of silence. The vein in his forehead ticks as he swallows several times.
“That’s a pretty nasty insult from a lady who’s about to be investigated on a number of child abuse charges. Hell, I’ll even tell my friends in the prosecutor’s office about your habit of having sex openly in front of your underage daughter. Pretty sure that could be interpreted as child pornography if given the right spin on the story. How’s it going to feel, defending yourself against those charges?”
“She’s twenty four years old!”
“Maybe so, but the statute of limitations varies. Sure we could make something stick. Even if we can’t, your reputation will take a hit. Your employer will question your morals. Your friends will question the type of mother you are, with one child estranged and one in rehab. People will talk about you everywhere you go. Any lovers you have won’t want to be associated with a possible monster. So you’re fucked.
“You stay away from Ember and your life stays the way it is.”
Horror and understanding wash over her face as she goes pale. Finn and I chuckle at the same time.
She lowers her head and then looks back at us with unshed tears. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. When Ember left, I realized the consequences of my actions through the years. You loved her so much more than us, and I resented her.”
“That’s bullshit, but if it lets you sleep at night, fine. You should know, she’s the reason I’m here today. She’s convinced me that we need to forgive you both.”
“You forgive me?”
“Fuck no, but I can say I tried.”
At this statement, Finn and I both roar with laughter as Serena’s face grows red with embarrassment. Highlight of the fucking day.
My mind races with possibilities as I ring the doorbell. Thad and Finn stand behind me with angry scowls that match my own.
The door opens, and it takes all my control not to swing at the man who caused Ember so much pain.
“Can I help you?” he questions.
“My name’s Robbie Hayes. This is Finn Black and Thad Walker.” I point over my shoulder. “Are you Brad Jones?”
As soon as I give Thad’s name, his face falls and turns a sickly shade of white. He looks between us and steps back, motioning to enter. We follow him to the living room, and shock registers. Almost every space is covered with infant items. Pink blankets and plush toys litter the floor, a small cradle is set up in the corner, and in the middle of the room is a baby sleeping in a swing. Soft music plays as she sways evenly.
My eyes meet Thad’s to see he’s equally as surprised. Finn starts shaking his head.
“Thad Walker, as in Natalie and Ember Walker’s father, right?” Brad asks.
“Yeah.” Thad’s voice is laced with disgust.
“I’ve been waiting for this day to come for a long time. Give me a minute to get my daughter into her crib. Have a seat.” He gently picks up the sleeping infant and nestles her in his arms when she starts to cry. He shushes her back to sleep and disappears down a hallway.
While he’s gone, we all take in the surroundings. The house is nothing like I was expecting. There are pictures on every surface, mostly of Brad, a beautiful blonde woman, and the baby. The furnishings are nice and upscale, giving off a comfortable presence. This house reminds me of my parents’ first home.
Brad walks back in, and I take the time to get a good look at him. His khaki shorts, pink polo, and loafers scream country club. Fucking pink. You’d never guess this guy was a drug dealing shithead.
“Like I said, I’ve been waiting for this day. How’s Ember?” He looks at Thad nervously.
“You don’t get to ask about her. You’re lucky you’re even standing,” I snarl and watch his eyes widen.
“Why am I standing? I deserve whatever you’re thinking.”
“You have a fucking kid?” It comes out as a question.
“She and my wife are the best thing that ever happened to me after Ember left. I don’t deserve any of the blessings I have in my life, but for some reason, God gave me another chance.”
“God? Did you bring God into this conversation after the shit you did?” Finn growls.
Brad sinks to the sofa and runs his hands over his face. When he looks back up, his expression is filled with misery. For a second, I question if he’s about to cry.
“I can only imagine what you think or what you’ve been told, but yes. I thank God each and every day. Believe it or not, Ember Walker saved me. Because of her, I took a step back and re-evaluated my life. Two weeks after she disappeared, I got clean. Getting the drugs out of my system was easy compared to removing them from my life all together.
“There were a lot of people that wanted to pull me back into the fold. My family helped as much as they could, but there was a lot to prove. Then I met my wife. She taught me to move on and forgive myself. The only way for her to truly love me and understand my mistakes was to tell her everything. It was the hardest part.”
“That’s a really great fucking story about your path to redemption, but excuse me if I still think you’re a sick pedophile. My daughter has lived thinking she’s filthy for five years.” Thad’s tone is low as he glares at Brad.
“She’s not filthy. She’s the purest person I know. She’s kind, caring, and compassionate. Her vibrancy made me want to stay sober. The weekend with her, I lived in a world of beauty. She made me laugh. Everyone knew how badly Natalie treated her. She bragged about it openly, but it made me sick.”
“So sick you bartered with her mother to protect Natalie?”
“I was so messed up. They convinced me that Ember had a crush on me. Natalie knew my weaknesses and offered her sister in exchange for the debt she racked up. It was completely not my style, but Ember was intriguing. I know you all hate me, and I hurt her deeply. My own self-loathing infects me daily, but, truthfully, if it wasn’t for her, I’d be dead.”
“How the hell can you say that after what you did?”
“It wasn’t supposed to happen like it did. No one told me she was a virgin. I thought she was into the whole thing. To me, it was a regular hook up. The minute she walked through my door, I knew she was special. The differences between her and her sister were tremendous. She didn’t have a cold and manipulating bone in her body. She was genuine. We spent the weekend together, and my mind was made up that I was going to tell Natalie and Serena to keep their mouths shut. Ember never needed to know.
“The morning Natalie showed up at my house, she knew instantly something was different. I forced her to the backyard to keep from waking Ember. The only way I could keep her from going into the house and causing a scene was to keep her happy. We did some lines of coke. One thing led to another, and I woke up naked next to Natalie.
“It’s one of my biggest regrets. Believe it or not, I went to see Ember to apologize, but discovered she moved. Natalie was pissed beyond belief. She refused to tell me where Ember went.
“I did a four month program and then went
back to Natalie, asking about Ember. She laughed in my face. In my therapy sessions, we discussed a lot about people we hurt. The one person I talked about the most was Ember. My counselor finally had me admit that I wanted to be a man worthy of her. I’d never felt that way before. Drugs and alcohol were the only constants in my life. Finally, my eyes were open to the disgusting thing I’d done. Many nights, I sat and remembered the sound of her laugh, or the way she blushed when she was embarrassed. She was so innocent.”
It’s my turn to growl, listening to him. He locks eyes with mine and then looks to the ground.
“My wife and I volunteer with at risk youth to try to veer them from the path that owned my life. Our church does a spotlight every year on regrets and redemption. Each time, I tell my story, trying to cleanse the remorse for so many things. When we found out we were having a girl, I spent a week in NA meetings, petrified I’d slip as the pain and memories flooded me. Not only for Ember, but also for all my sins along the way.”
“This fucker’s not going to pay, is he?” Finn says and then blows a loud breath, looking at me.
I reluctantly shake my head and listen to Thad curse under his breath.
“You’re wrong. I pay everyday.” Brad gets up and goes to the side table. His keys jingle as he removes a small gold rope chain. “Ember left this in her rush to leave. I’ve kept it with me as a reminder, but I’d like to return it. It won’t mean much, but please tell her that I’m sorry. Thank her for saving me.”
I reach out and take the chain, wishing like hell I could punch the hell out of him. “Like you’ve said, you’ve had years. Why didn’t you find her and apologize? Even if Natalie wouldn’t tell you, it’s easy to locate people nowadays.”
“Oh, I’ve known where she is. Out of respect, I stayed away. But can I ask you a favor?”
“My favor is refraining from beating your ass for hurting the woman I love.”
“I wrote her several letters. It started as therapeutic, but then I relied on it. Can you give them to her? Maybe she’ll understand how screwed up I was.”
“No. As one last show of mercy, I want you to keep them, and if you’re ever faced with temptation, hopefully they’ll help. I’ll explain you’re a changed man. Knowing her, she’ll forgive you.”
As we move toward the door, Thad’s voice cracks slightly with his parting words. “Brad, you’re a dad now. I can only hope you never experience the kind of anguish that burns deep inside of me. Glad my daughter set you on a path of straight and narrow, but here’s a reminder, Karma’s a bitch.”
We walk away, and I watch Finn’s lips twitching. Without laying a hand on Brad, we sliced him open.
Chapter 33
It’s Done
Ember
Chloe sits at the table looking over the sketch of the dress for Abbi, while Cruz cooks dinner. I nibble on my fingernails, watching the clock nervously. Dad and Robbie should have been here a while ago.
“You’re driving me crazy. Stop.” Alex slaps his hand on my bouncing knees, placing a glass of wine in front of me.
The front door opens, and both men walk in, looking tired. Robbie’s eyes pin mine with a flash of heat. In less than a second, he’s lifting me out of my chair and sealing his mouth to mine in a quick, hard kiss.
“I missed you,” he murmurs against my lips.
“Missed you, too.”
“Two nights. We were gone two nights,” my dad rumbles, kissing the top of my head and walking around us.
Cruz hands them both a beer and leans against the counter. “How’d it go?”
“Serena held up her end of the deal. Natalie listened to her. At first, she was livid, refusing any type of treatment, until Serena said she was done watching her spiral out of control. Robbie’s contact worked quickly, and within twelve hours, Natalie realized she was blackballed.
“They both have no idea the connections we have, so the word on the street is that Natalie is being watched heavily by local police. I talked to the social worker, and there’s a room for her tomorrow morning. Natalie is not classified as a junkie, but a recreational user. They’re going to tailor a plan to help her overcome the desire to use drugs. According to Serena, she’s mostly a coke user with the occasional Meth. She’ll be exposed to heavy addicts, so our hope is that it’ll help get her clean. “
“Dad, that’s great.”
“It gets better. For once, Serena’s focus isn’t solely on herself. She’s going to start looking for a place to move. Get them both out of Alabama and a fresh start.”
I go still at his words, and Robbie tucks me under his shoulder. “She’s not going to bother you, Ember. Your dad made sure of it.”
Robbie tells us all about Dad’s threat and Serena’s reaction. I’d never once in my time living without my dad in the house thought about reporting her, but hearing it back, he was smart to use threats. This move has James Hayes written all over it.
The story I hear next shakes me to the core. When Robbie tells me about his meeting with Brad, I hold my breath. The hurt and shame I’ve felt the last five years start to heal, knowing he changed his life around.
“Babe, he’s a fucking idiot, and his actions can’t be erased. But I saw the pain in his eyes. You need to know, you’re the reason he believes he’s alive,” Robbie says affectionately.
“I’ve hated him for so long, felt so badly about myself.”
“No more. He’s fine. And now it’s done.”
“It’s done,” I repeat.
“Well, shit. My dinner doesn’t seem nearly enough for this type of celebration!” Cruz huffs. “Let’s go out.”
“No!” Going to a bag hidden in the corner, I bring out the Cosmopolitan mixes. “We’re celebrating. Robbie, invite Finn. We’re starting a new chapter in our lives. My dad has a new job, my sister is finally going to rehab, and the lingering threat of my mom is gone.”
“Babe, I’m not really —”
“Robbie Hayes! If you say you’re not a Cosmo type of guy, I’ll strangle you. Tonight, you are. One martini and then back to your boring beer.”
His eyes dance with humor as he chuckles, getting his phone out of his pocket. Chloe helps make the drinks, while Cruz starts some music. I steal a look at my dad and see him secretly wiping his eyes. When he catches me, his smile brightens. He gives me a chin lift and sips his beer, knowing we’re finally on the right track.
“More,” I whimper, clutching Robbie’s shoulder blades as he pummels into me.
He moves in and out with precision as I dig my heels into his mattress, pushing my hips against him. His tongue circles my nipple, then he sucks hard as he pounds faster, grunting against the tender flesh.
“Fuck me, I missed you.” He squeezes my ass cheeks firmly. “Latch onto me.”
I wrap my legs around his waist and clasp my ankles. He slows his movements long enough to kiss me deeply, then pulls back and speeds up. With each thrust, my body cries for release. He hits my g-spot, and I clench my muscles around him.
“Come for me, baby.”
I shake my head, trying to hold out.
“Your pussy’s so tight, so perfect. It’s made for me.”
“Ummhmm,” I whimper, not able to find my voice.
“Say it. Say it’s mine.”
I can’t speak, using every ounce of willpower to wait for him.
“Look at me, Ember.”
When I do, his eyes are stormy and deep with pure hunger. A tremor surges through me, anticipation boiling to the surface.
“Tell me it’s mine.”
I bite my lip, trying to block out the sexy rumble of his voice. His muscular shoulders tense against my palms, signaling he’s close.
Pulling myself up, my muscles loosen a bit, and I can’t hold back anymore. The delicious burning sensation starts in my chest and races down. I shatter, screaming incoherently.
“OHMYGODITSYOURSONLYYOURS!”
He drops his head to my shoulder, groaning loudly. His cock twitches inside me and se
ts off another powerful orgasm that leaves me immobile. My vision goes spotty and then completely dark for several seconds as pleasure rolls through my body.
His lips find mine, and he kisses me until we’re both gasping for breath.
“Needless to say, I missed you.”
His eyes sparkle with happiness as he resumes kissing my face and running his lips along my neckline. Our heartbeats return to normal as his damp body presses against mine. “I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
We’re both silent, and instead of relaxing, he goes still against me. “You know how precious you are, right? How loved you are?”
“Yes.”
“If you ever doubt it, even for a second, you come to me. You helped me fight the guilt and anger that followed me every day. I want to do the same for you.”
“Tonight, I let the situation with Brad go. It’s unbelievable that a few days with me changed his life, but if he’s a good man now, and sincerely remorseful, then it’s okay.”
“Right.” He leans over the bed to his shorts and digs in the pocket.
When he pulls out the familiar gold chain, my eyes fill with tears.
“He looped it around his keychain for five years, reminding him of you. He wants you to have it back.”
I finger the anklet quietly. “It was my present to myself on my eighteenth birthday.”
“Do you want me to put it on?”
“No, I’ll never wear it again, but thank you for bringing it back to me.”
“I’d do anything for you.”
“Did you see the baby?” I force out.
“Yep.” He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth.
“Was she cute?”
Nothing.
“Was his wife pretty?”
Silence.
“Robbie?!?!”
“Seriously, you want to talk about him?”
“I’m just curious.”
He sighs loudly and leans his forehead against mine. “The baby was little, covered mostly in a blanket, so I couldn’t see much. Her pictures were cute. The wife was also cute. He looked happy, but I noticed a haunting gaze in his eyes.
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