“Nothing to be sorry for.” He lifts my chin gently, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Promise me, no matter what, wherever you move or where you’re living, we still get movie nights.”
“Absolutely,” I smile widely. “I doubt Robbie Hayes could ever appreciate the brilliance of a good chick flick.”
He nods in agreement. “So, how will this work out exactly?”
“We discussed me moving my personal stuff to storage until we find a house. I’ll take the necessities to his place. There’s really no rush.”
“Leave your room the way it is. Don’t pay for storage. We won’t need the extra bedroom.”
“Okay.”
“Now, tell me more about the cruise. Was it everything you expected?”
“I guess. It was nice. How was your weekend?” I try to change the subject.
“Nice? Sun, sand, unlimited eating and drinking, nightclubs, shopping, excursions… and you say nice?”
His eyes grow wide in understanding as my face flushes.
“Are you kidding me? Did you see any of it?”
“Of course. We spent a few hours on the beaches we ported. Then when we were at sea, we went to the pool… but we spent a lot of time indoors.”
“Indoors being the code word for screwing your way up and down the Caribbean?”
“Can we not talk about this?” My cheeks start to burn.
“Little Star, are you embarrassed? We’ve always talked about sex. Why clam up now?”
“Correction. We talked about your and Chloe’s sex lives, not mine. I wasn’t having sex. So can we drop it?” I walk to the kitchen, shaking my head as Cruz taunts me from the sofa.
“I can’t wait to tell Mom about this!”
The ringing of my cell phone shuts him up. “Hey, Dad,” I answer cheerfully.
“Ember, can you hear me?”
The connection is muffled.
“Barely. What’s going on?”
“I’m on the road, heading to Alabama. Natalie’s causing trouble, and I’m afraid Serena’s going to buckle. She called me, hysterical, wanting to find another facility because Natalie is telling her awful things. I’m going to be gone a few days.”
This is no surprise. The social worker explained to Dad that this happens with most new patients. Natalie’s been in the facility a few weeks now, which correlates with the timing we expected.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, Serena agreed for us to meet with one of the therapists and tell them our family story. She wants to be prepared when she starts her one-on-ones next week.”
“Good luck. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Want to tell me about this house you’re buying?”
“H-o-w? W-h-a-t?” I stutter.
Dad’s laughter flows through the line. “Robbie has the biggest mouth of anyone I’ve ever known. His ass has been talking about this for weeks at the office. He never really confirmed it, but I knew he was talking to you soon. When I called James today, he told me it was final. You agreed.”
“It wasn’t a hard decision.”
“I bet. Can’t wait to hear about your trip. I’ll call you soon.” The line disconnects before I can respond.
Robbie walks into the kitchen, with Cruz and Alex following. He kisses me briefly then wraps his arms around my waist.
“Babe, I’m not sure how it happened, but somehow, those fucking girls have convinced everyone it’s my fault they jumped to conclusions at the mall last week. According to Jimi, Abbi says, and I quote, ‘Robbie keeps Ember to himself, and they’ve hardly socialized outside of the few events for Raven’s wedding. I never had a chance to get to know Ember and feel awful.’”
“I’m surprised they didn’t know about me and Alex,” Cruz says.
“I’m sure they knew something about you, but not all the details. After seeing you two at the mall, they never put it together, so now it’s my job to set up a dinner, or drinks, or some shit for socializing.”
“I have to agree. Since the wedding, there haven’t been many girl’s nights out. You two mostly stick to hanging with the guys. Maybe we should do it here,” Cruz adds.
“I’d rather go to a bar, so we can leave when I’m ready,” Robbie says.
“That’s the problem. They want to spend more time with you both, and after one drink, you’ll disappear. I’m in the room with you for ten seconds, and the sexual tension makes me sweat. Can you reel it in for a few hours?”
“We’re not that bad!” I protest.
Robbie runs his lips along my neck, distracting me from arguing.
“Point Made!” Cruz yells as Robbie grins against my skin.
“You did that on purpose.” I move out of his arms.
“I did. A bar is better. We go, we drink, we leave when we’re ready.”
“Set it up.”
“And promise to stay for at least two hours.” Cruz shakes his finger at us.
“One,” Robbie counters. “And no promises after that.”
Cruz sighs dramatically and murmurs, “Ridiculous,” as he walks out.
“So how’d the conversation go?”
“Besides the fact I’ve been a cock-block for almost the past year that Cruz has wanted to move Alex in, it went well.”
“Looks like we’re all getting what we want out of this arrangement then.”
God, I hope so…
Chapter 36
You’re Taking Responsibility
Ember
I look over the latest MLS listings that Robbie emailed to me and make notes for the Real Estate agent. It’s been two months since we got back from the cruise and I started living with him. Robbie argues that I haven’t officially moved in, since some of my things are still at Cruz’s and I haven’t changed my mailing address. He stopped griping when I promised that all that would be done the moment we found a house.
The first week, Raven called and told me about her experience when she moved in with Declan. She was trying to reassure me things would get better, but when I told her nothing fazed me because I lived with Cruz for so long, she calmed down. The one good thing that came out of the conversation is when I told Robbie about Janie, her cleaning lady. He agreed we needed to hire her, too.
As expected, Cruz and Alex fit right into Robbie’s group of friends. After an awkward first meeting, where Abbi and Harper apologized about fifteen times, Cruz finally told them to ‘fucking move on.’ I was horrified, but Gabe and Jimi slapped him on the back and gave knowing looks. Since that night, we all try to get together at least every week for something. Finn actually brought a girl he was seeing a few times, but she wasn’t long-term material. We haven’t seen her in weeks. Abbi swore she was a replica of Raven, but I couldn’t tell.
Robbie agreed to a party at his house but swore never again when his friends played Xbox until four am and Finn and Tripp stayed over. I had an amazing time, but Robbie rumbled for days. Finally, he admitted it was fun, but he’s possessive of our time together.
With both of us working full-time jobs, plus me having to work every other Saturday, Sunday is dedicated to only us. For the last four weeks, we’ve been viewing houses, but nothing has been right for both of us. At first, I tried to keep my opinions to myself, until he blew his lid.
Right in front of the realtor, he threw me over his shoulder and stormed to the closest bedroom, slamming the door. He slid me down his body and held me tight, pinning my arms at my side until I confessed exactly what I would want in a home.
Since that day, we’ve only looked at open floor plans with large kitchens for entertaining. These were things we both agreed on. He specifically wanted a big yard, which I could care less about. I wanted a spacious master bathroom and walk in closet. Our realtor is certain she’s found the perfect place, which we’re scheduled to see on Sunday.
I walk to the front to wait on my next appointment, and come to a halt when I spot a large man waiting at the counter. His eyes are blank, but a slow grin spreads across his face.
“I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t know you were here.” I notice the bell on the door is slightly unattached. “Can I help you?”
“I’d like to get some pricing on renting traditional black tuxes for a week,” he answers.
“We have several kinds. Would you like to look at a few?”
“No, just a ball park figure for my boss. He’s thinking of doing something for a conference this fall, and heard you guys were the place to come.”
“That’s nice. Let me get you some information.” I reach down in the file folder to get his information and feel his eyes watching me.
“You guys did that fancy rocker wedding, right?”
Shit! Not again. Red flags go up, and I turn to him stiffly. “We did, but that’s public information. Are you really interested in renting from us, or are you fishing for gossip?”
“Calm your tits, sweetheart. I’m here to get information for my boss.”
I open my mouth to scream at him, when he throws his hands in the air. “Sorry about that. I’m not trying to piss you off. Usually, I’m in the back office for a reason. Means I don’t have to talk to people. Give me the papers and I’ll be going.”
I shove the papers at him in a huff and watch him walk out the door, chuckling. What an asshole! Times like this, I wish I still had someone with me in the store at all times.
My mind is still stewing over the asshole remark, when I notice a sealed manila envelope on the side of the counter. I pick it up, and turn it over to see if there’s an address label.
As the package rings loudly and vibrates through the thick paper, it falls from my hands. I let it lie on the floor while it goes silent and then immediately starts ringing again.
The store phone rings, then, as well. Before I even have a chance to say anything, I hear, ‘Answer the phone.’ Then the line goes dead.
My knees shake as I reach for the package and rip it open. A small, black, slider phone falls to the ground, ringing again.
“H-h-heel-l-loo,” I stammer.
“Hello, Ember. It’s hard to get you alone.”
“Who is this?” I shiver at the deep, smooth voice.
“You’ll know who I am soon. Right now, you only need to know a few things. Number one, keep this phone on you at all times. When it rings, you answer.”
“What do you want?”
“I’ll give you a hint. It’s about your sister. She thinks hiding in rehab could get her out of her debt. I waited as long as I could for her, but the bitch decided to extend her stay. According to her, you can get me my money. So you’re taking responsibility.”
“I don’t have the money. She’s crazy.” my voice cracks.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Don’t lie to me. Find a way to get it.”
I reach for my phone in my purse to text Robbie, but his next words paralyze me.
“Wouldn’t do that if I were you. You see, I know all about your boyfriend. My knowledge runs deep, so you’re not going to tell anyone about our little talk. No one. We’ll figure out how and when to meet, and you’ll get my money.”
He’s watching me. I don’t see anyone in the vicinity of the parking lot. “Are you threatening me?”
“No, sweetheart, just leveraging. You want your loved ones to stay safe, you keep your mouth shut.”
“You don’t know who you’re messing with. Leave me alone.”
“I assure you, I know who I’m dealing with. To give you good faith, we’ve left a package by your back door. I’ll be in touch.” The phone goes dead.
My body trembles as I walk to the back door and open it slowly. Another envelope lies against the wall. When I slide out the contents, my hand flies to my mouth to hold in my scream. These are photos of Robbie. As I flip through them, I realize they were all taken over the last few days- jogging, walking into the gym with Finn, parking his bike in front on Hayes Security. The last picture chills me to the bone. It is a black and white picture of a pair of dogtags, nothing else.
A small, typed note falls out.
‘$10,000 plus interest.’
The threat is implicated. Whoever this is, they’re watching Robbie.
I slam the door and lock it quickly, rushing to the front. I pull the small stepladder out, reattach the announcement bell, and then start to pace.
My mind is racing. The only solution I can come up with is to tell Robbie. He’ll know what to do. The small phone rings again, so I snatch it up.
“What?”
“I want to remind you not to be stupid. If you decide to tell your boyfriend about this, you’ll regret it.”
The line goes dead again, and my stomach drops. He’s definitely watching me. I pull up the security feed from the back parking lot and watch a guy leave the envelope. The rim of his hat shades his face, but I recognize him as the man that was here this morning. He’s changed into a delivery uniform. Suddenly, it all comes together. He didn’t need rental information; he was here to leave the envelope with the phone. He was also scoping out if I was alone.
My personal cell phone rings, and Dad’s name pops up on the screen. I answer as calmly as possible.
“Hey, Dad.”
“You busy?”
“Not really.”
“I’ve scheduled a dinner meeting at Chloe’s tonight. We need to talk about some things. Think you and Robbie can be there around seven?”
“Sure, see you then.”
My dad. He’ll know what to do. I’ll get him alone tonight and talk. It’s not the same as telling Robbie, but hopefully, he’ll understand. I’d die before anything ever happened to him because of my fucked up sister.
I give up trying to eat all together when my dad finishes his story. Robbie grips my knee and hands me the half empty glass of wine with a sympathetic look. He’s pissed, but he’s staying silent.
According to Dad, the last ten weeks have pulled a lot out of Natalie. She’s always been jealous of me. Even before I could stick up for myself, she was thinking of ways to hurt me. As her treatment progressed, she started inviting my parents to the meetings where she spoke. In these, she apologized for most everything except for her hatred of me.
Her main counselor thought she was coming to grips with her intense jealousy and the mistakes she made, but suggested she stay for several more weeks to work on her coping techniques. While drugs were her crutch, she’d never be able to stay clean without completely purging her reason for using them. Apparently, I was the reason… or so she blamed.
The room is hostile. Cruz and Alex sit with their arms crossed, glaring. Chloe’s face is red as she grips her glass until her knuckles turn white. Robbie’s body is tense. We stare at my dad, and his eyes won’t move from mine.
“Uncle Thad, please tell me you told these fucking kooks that this is bullshit and Ember’s no more responsible for her troubles than the man on the moon. Isn’t admitting responsibility one of the first things you have to do? Are these even licensed therapists?”
Shame and humiliation fill my dad’s face. “I was skeptical, as well. We conferred with another specialist and agreed to bring in someone to talk to her. We chose Brad Jones.”
The little food I did consume threatens to reappear and I choke. “What?”
Hisses fill the room and Robbie takes my glass away and moves me effortlessly to his lap, draping his arms around me protectively. “You’re shitting me.”
Dad’s eyes dart around the room but come back to me. “I had to think fast. He agreed, and when he met with her, he confirmed. If she left after ninety days, she would regress rapidly. Serena and I decided to leave her for another six weeks. We’ll re-evaluate then.”
No one says anything, but all eyes are on me. I find a small voice and sit up, gripping Robbie’s forearm. “It’s a good plan. She obviously needs the help. And it’s really no surprise she blames me. She always has. At least there’s a place for her to vent, to work through the issues.”
“Yeah, but why the hell is Uncle Thad so fucking sympathetic all of a sudden?
She’s a worthless bitch. Someone needs to tell her she’s got to take responsibility,” Cruz spews.
The word responsibility tumbles in my mind, and I realize she set me up to take hers. Another stab at me for being born.
“Cruz, I hope to God you never have your first born child hold you tight and cry her eyes out, admitting her mistakes and begging you to help her, to forgive her. I wouldn’t even have it in my heart to forgive her if it wasn’t for Ember. But she’s my daughter, too. And as much as I hate to admit it, this is partly my fault. It’s time I do right by both my daughters, even if one is completely fucked up. If she can walk out of that place sober, clean, and ready for a future, it may help heal me.”
I fight to remain calm. I can’t tell my dad about anything that happened today. He’s turned. Because I pushed him to forgive, he’s being the man I’ve always known him to be.
Now what the hell am I going to do?
Chapter 37
Don’t Be Stupid
Ember
The last week has been hell. Robbie and a few of his co-workers have been working late every night on a special project that he can’t talk about. It’s the first time he’s never given me any details at all. He always wakes me up when he gets home, just to pull me against him and fall asleep fast.
The text messages started the day after the dinner with my dad. Usually, they are shots of Robbie, but yesterday, the picture was of Cruz at school. Whoever is doing this knows how to scare me. What frightens me the most is knowing that Robbie is oblivious. He explained to me before that he’s formally trained to observe his surroundings; however, he has no idea he’s being watched.
Lying in bed last night, guilt consumed me. I decided that I wasn’t going to be a pawn in this game, and formed a plan. Hopefully, when this guy is caught, Robbie will understand why I needed to keep this a secret. It is for his own protection.
Robbie eats his oatmeal as I finish my notes on the offer on the house we chose, handing him the final agreement.
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