The Summer I Loved You

by J. L. Lora

  “Walter.”

  The next frame, Bron headed to the door with the dog in hand and disappeared out of it. The next person out on the restaurant floor was one of the waiters.

  Cam’s fist slammed against the glass top of her desk. “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

  •••

  The fucking iPhone screen would not unlock. He pressed his thumb into the home button to unlock the screen. It told him to try again. Again. He punched the numbers into the screen. Heat scaled its way almost violently up his chest. Rage threatened to choke him until he could barely breathe. He punched the digits on the screen as if his breathing was tethered to it. As if unlocking this screen would dislodge everything blocking the air path.

  Deep down, part of him recognized he was most likely too pissed to hit the right keys but he couldn’t stop fingering the screen like a mad man. It didn’t help that feet away from him, Adrianna sat in the chair she’d dropped herself in, not moving with her hands pressed to her face.

  And it was all his fault. He had been a fucking idiot again. He’d made the dumbest of decisions. He’d walked away from a child, leaving her alone, to make up with Adri.

  “How could he have done this? She’s his granddaughter. His blood. She’s innocent.” Lauren’s voice carried confusion and the fear they all shared.

  “I should’ve given him the money. The bistro doesn’t mean a damned thing…” Adri’s voice cracked and along with it a piece of Cam’s insides.

  “He would’ve been back, Adri. He’s always back. The man’s sick and gambling’s all that matters to him,” Chase said.

  He had the money to spare and paying Walter would have been easy and would’ve sent him away. Until he squandered that too and came back for more. But what did he care? It’s not like he didn’t have it. Cam had made a gamble of his own. He’d set out to prove a point, to beat his father, but he had never been good at gambling. His father, the more seasoned player, had bested him.

  Cam had opened the door for Walter and left Bron vulnerable. His stupid decisions where always coming back to haunt the three of them.

  Fucking Walter. Fucking Walter. Or better said, it was fucking Cam. He did this. If he hadn’t been a jealous idiot, he wouldn’t have had to chase after Adri. He wouldn’t have ruined their good moment. His bastard father shouldn’t have had the opportunity to use a little dog to lure Bron out.

  Never in his life could he have thought this was possible. Walter had always been a deadbeat father. He’d played and lost the family assets, his wife’s inheritance, his children’s trust funds. He had used his children and he’d blackmailed an abused woman and her daughter for his own motives. Yet, it never occurred to him that his father would be capable of kidnapping Bron to get his way.

  He always thought of Walter as a pathetic victim to his addiction. But this was more. He was a criminal. There was only one place for criminals.

  Chase took the phone from his hand. “We have to be smart about this, Cam.”

  “Give me the fucking phone.” He tried to snatch the device from his brother’s hand.

  Chase shook his head, moving out of reach. “We need a plan first. You can’t just go crazy on him. We need to get Bron first.”

  Bron. Jesus, how her name twisted his gut. The pain that broke throughout his chest was almost unbearable. He preferred the anger, the rage, the uncontrolled urge to kill his father.

  “I’m going to call him. I’m going to get his location. I’m going to get my daughter. And then, I’m going to make sure he lands in jail. No one’s ever going to threaten Bron and get rewarded with money.”

  Chase sucked in a gasp of air. His eyes clouded for a second and then that hardened look hooded over them. “He took Bron, so it’s only fair. That’s what we’re going to do. But I need you to be ready for this. You have to be cold and not let him get to you.”

  Cam couldn’t promise anything, not with his little girl away. God, what could Walter be telling Bron? Was she crying or scared? The thought sent his hand to press on the desk for support. He couldn’t bear if Walter hurt her.

  He listened to Chase. A breath, two breaths.

  He was ready by the time his brother unlocked his phone and dialed.

  Adri shot to her feet and came to stand next to him. He looked into her eyes but couldn’t hold her gaze. The fear in there was what he couldn’t take. He’d failed her, failed Bron. He had to fix it, quick.

  Walter Blake never could resist a ringing phone. That’s what Cameron was counting on as he waited for the call to connect. He concentrated on his breath, using his old baseball game techniques to keep himself sane and in control. His blood ran hot and unbridled.

  First ring. If he could get his hands on his father, he would choke the shit out of him. Second ring. He was definitely going to strangle him. Third ring. His gaze met Adri’s again, lingering on the way she’d stressed her lip into a bitten red mess.

  Walter answered in the fourth ring. “Cameron. I’ve been expecting your call.”

  Cameron jumped straight to the point. He wasn’t going to indulge the bullshit. “I know you have her. Bring her back.”

  “Of course, son. We are just having a good time, here. She’s telling me about her paintings. She reminds me a lot of Luciana at her age.”

  The words hit him like a boulder to the chest. Cam imagined a ball in his hand and twisted his fingers around it, timing his response like he used to do with his pitches. “Bronwyn is my daughter, your granddaughter. You actually took her to get some money out of me.”

  “I just needed you to listen. You have to help me. My life depends on that money. I wouldn’t hurt your little girl. I got her Chick-fil-A, like she wanted. But you know that loan shark will hurt me.” Walter’s voice was so soft and casual, like he was talking about borrowing Cam’s shirt without his permission.

  “Bron doesn’t have anything to do with this. Just give me my daughter back.”

  “You can come get her anytime. Just tell me you’ll give me the money to pay the loan shark.”

  The fuck-you was half hanging from his tongue but one look at Adrianna’s face and the words dried in his mouth. Her eyes were huge, her skin an unnatural shade. She rubbed her arm up and down in an absent way. He sighed.

  “I’ll give you the money.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Walter didn’t have to tell them where he had her. There was only one place in Maryland he’d feel comfortable in. Cam was heading back to the place he’d sworn never to set foot in, at eighty-five miles an hour. For once, he didn’t complain that his brother was going to get them all killed. The faster they got there the better. He just wanted to get Bron back and wipe Walter from his life.

  “If it were me driving even eight miles over the limit, I would have ten state troopers following me like I was OJ in the Bronco,” Lauren muttered.

  “Maybe they just want an excuse to give you a sobriety test?” Chase laughed when Lauren pelted him with a look. “Just call me when you want to get somewhere fast.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me, Chase? This is not the time for your fucking flirting.”

  His brother nodded. “I’m sorry.”

  A warm hand slid over Cam’s and his gaze flew to Adrianna’s, who leaned closer to him.

  “I think he’s trying to lighten the mood.” Her eyes were warm like her touch and though there was still strain in them, there was something there that eased him.

  “I just can’t do that light thing. Not when she’s…” His voice trailed off and he hated himself for the flash of emotion in her eyes. He should be making this easier on her. But he was inept in every way today.

  “We’re going to get her back. “

  The phone vibrated in his hand. It was a phone call from Elias. He contemplated answering but this wasn’t the time. He couldn’t explain things right now. He hit the send-to-voicemail icon and placed the phone back on his lap.

  “Maybe
he can help,” Adri said, looking at his phone.

  “Who?” Chase asked.

  Cam didn’t get a chance to answer.

  “Elias, can I call you back? Right now”

  Chase reached across and snatched Lauren’s phone from her hands.

  “What the hell?” She started but Chase shook his head and hung up in one swift motion and then handed it back.

  “Don’t tell him what’s happening. This is a family issue and everyone here is related. I’m Cameron’s brother. You’re Bron’s aunt. We don’t need him.”

  “I get you don’t like him, but for Bron we can all set personal taste aside. He’s a lawyer and may be able to help out,” Lauren said.

  “I agree. And you told me your father likes him. Maybe he’ll listen to Elias,” Adrianna added.

  Something in his gut churned and he found himself emulating Chase’s shake of the head. “No. Elias is a friend but he’ll also feel bound to try to jump in and do things. He’ll want to impose his way and we know what we’re going to do. Let’s keep this here for now.”

  The car veered toward the exit and Adrianna’s body bumped into his. “Chase, for God’s sake. We need to make it there alive.”

  “And you need to watch it down this road. You know the deer jump out of nowhere,” Lauren added.

  “Stop being a wuss. Don’t tell me you’ve become boring, like Cam? Besides, I dare a deer go against my Range.”

  Cam concentrated on his plan.

  “Remember, when we get there, you grab Bron and take her out of the room. I don’t want her to be there when I talk to Walter. This is already hard enough.”

  She released a shaky breath. “Okay. My mom is already talking to Bill. They know they have to wait—”

  “Bill? As in Sheriff Johnson? He’s still in the force at one hundred and fifty years old? He was always on my ass.” Chase said.

  “Because you were a terror back then,” Adrianna said. “He’s good friends with Mom so I would watch it if I were you.”

  “Don’t you worry about me, Adri. I’ll be a Boy Scout.”

  “Hmm. They’ll be at the railroad crossroads two miles from the house and they’ll follow us there.”

  As they approached the railroad crossing, Cam’s chest tightened and so did his grip on Adri’s hand.

  “I see the sheriff’s car,” Chase said but instead of slowing down, he gunned on the gas.

  Soon, for good or bad, this would be over.

  •••

  Adrianna followed Cam out of the car, and they rushed through the circular driveway. The night air had taken a brisk turn or maybe it was her insides that had frozen and made her shiver. She couldn’t wait to have her baby in her arms. Even if Walter pulled something and she ended up in prison, she didn’t care anymore.

  The thought that kept playing in her head, like an annoying malefic litany, was that her baby was alone with a man that didn’t think her mother was worth anything. The same man that had insisted vehemently that Adrianna get an abortion. She may go to jail after all because if he hurt a hair on Bron, if he traumatized her in any way, Adrianna was going to kill him.

  She palmed the taser in her pocket. She prayed to God she didn’t have to use it on him. Cam turned to her, as if he could sense what she was thinking. “It’s going to be okay. It’s almost over.”

  In front of the door, he didn’t pause, didn’t knock. He didn’t have to. He’d told her how he had saved the house so many times from his father’s gambling. How he’d had to put it in his name to maintain it. The apprehension grew in her belly. Bron was alone with a man that didn’t care enough for his family to keep it safe.

  They barged in and the foyer was a blur. They kept walking, halting so abruptly she swayed forward when they found Walter sitting in front of the TV watching the Orioles game. Adrianna’s gaze darted to all corners. Her baby is not there. “Cam, she’s—"

  “Where’s my daughter?” Cam asked. No, that wasn’t asking. He raged the words like they sprang from deep in the core of his belly.

  A fresh wave of shivers rocked Adri’s body. She’d never heard that kind of emotion in Cam. Their fights were always heated and angry. There’d never been this kind of cold, murderous feel to him then.

  But Walter wasn’t ruffled. His face remaining affable until he looked beyond them to Chase. He blanched. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Answer Cam,” Chase bellowed. “Where is Bron?”

  Walter sighed. “Cameron, there was no need for you to bring the family thug. You must know I wouldn’t harm a child. Least of all, one that carries my blood. This is all so unnecessary.”

  Chase chuckled. “Now she carries your blood? Because you must not have thought so when you asked Adrianna to abort her and then later on, when you kept her from her father all her life.”

  “Shut up, boy. You don’t know anything. I didn’t keep the child from Cam.” He pointed to Adrianna. “Daddy killer did that.”

  Oh my God. Did he tell Bron that she was a killer?

  Her stomach plummeted, diving to the floor and almost taking her whole body with it. Nausea rose up her throat and she couldn’t talk. She couldn’t do anything but press her hand to her stomach.

  “You’re a piece of shit, Walter. You knew Fausto abused her mother. You knew he intended to make Adrianna rob that store with him. They shot him in self-defense and you held that over their heads this whole time.”

  Cam’s father shrugged. “I would have never used that recording unless I needed it. You wouldn’t listen to reason. I told you it wasn’t the time for you to show up with a kid at Cam’s door.”

  He spoke directly to her. There was barely any emotion, like he was talking about the weather and not the secret that crippled most of her life. How many years had she lived in fear that he would talk and she would be torn away from Bron? She had so much to say, but nothing mattered at the moment. Only one thing.

  “Where is my daughter? And trust me, if you did anything to her, I will kill again. This time on purpose.”

  Annoyance flickered in Walter’s face. “You’re all idiots. You honestly thought I would harm a child? Shame on you. Give me the money, Cam, and then all of you can leave.”

  Cam threw the bag on top of the table and Walter reached for it.

  He rummaged through the stacks of cash, his eyes big and thirsty.

  “There’s a million in there,” Cam said with the delicacy of a glob of spit.

  Walter’s mouth turned agape. “That’s—”

  “I know,” Cam said, his eyes colder than anything Adri had ever seen. “You’ll need it.”

  “I don’t know what to say…” Walter began but Cam raised a hand to cut him off.

  “Tell me where my daughter is. That’s the only thing I want to hear out of your mouth.”

  “She’s in your old room.”

  Adrianna took off running behind Cam. Faintly, in the background, the front door swung open and Walter yelled, “What the hell is this?”

  They kept going, climbing the long stairs two steps at a time, running down the hallway. At the end, Cam pushed the door open and halted. Music blared from inside the room. Ed Sheeran again, asking a girl to give him love. Her heart an inch from her mouth, Adri pushed past him and would have sagged if he hadn’t caught her.

  Bron was in front of the window using his old easel. She turned around and smiled at them ever so briefly before her eyes clouded. “You’re mad at me, aren’t you? I told Grandpa you would be and he said you wouldn’t be because you would be so happy to see me here. And he bought me Chick-fil-A and the cheesy fries.”

  Adri was way too happy, way too relieved to be mad. He knew how desperate she and Cam would be to get to her and he’d exploited that. Fuck you, Walter.

  But he didn’t matter. Nothing else did.

  She crossed the room and pulled her daughter into her arms. She wasn’t ever going to let her out of them.


  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Cam’s eyes were still full of the intermittent blue and red lights. His ears still rang with the curses straight from his father’s mouth. He could still feel the stiffening of Adri’s body and the panic in her mother when Walter threatened to expose them.

  In the end, his father was the one locked up in a cell in Acacia Falls. Chase had left the laptop there for him, with the replaced hard drive. It had been Cam’s pleasure to tell Walter to let the cops check the device at his own risk.

  The sign for Exit fifty-four came into view and he closed his eyes in a silent prayer of thanks. They were almost home. He couldn’t wait to go to bed and fall asleep with his arms wrapped around his daughter and Adri. It was no longer enough to hold Bron’s hand while she dozed on the ride back. He couldn’t see her beautiful little face. It was buried on her mother’s chest.

  Adrianna contortioned her body to cocoon Bron’s. She dropped kisses on her head every so often. Lauren kept turning to look back at them. Even Chase was driving at the speed limit and kept meeting his eyes in the rearview mirror. His father had done a number on them.

  He couldn’t face everyone’s weariness anymore, not even his own. He looked out into the street as they navigated their way into the square. Chase let them out in front of the bistro and went to look for parking. Adrianna took her time disentangling from Bron so Cam could carry her upstairs. Lauren used her key to open the door for them.

  Her gaze lingered between Adri and Bron but she looked at him. “I’m going to make sure everything is tidy for tomorrow. I can bring you guys dinner.”

  Adrianna shook her head. “I’ll settle her and come help you.”

  “No, just stay with her. I can handle it.”

  Adrianna started to protest. “It’s not fair to you—"

  “Shut up and go be with La Princesa. I got this. Just hold her for me.” Lauren shot Cam a pointed look and tilted her head upstairs.

  If he went up with Bron, Adri would have no choice but to follow. Cam started up the steps, making his way in quick strides. Soon, Adrianna’s footsteps tapped their way up behind him.