by Claire Adams
I'd never been the type of guy to let anyone push me around, yet my hands were tied and my head was in a fucking noose. David Scott had far more power than any man I'd ever met.
"Figures." I started the bike and headed home, driving fast in hopes of bleeding out some of my angst before I made it there. My mother didn't need any of my attitude, and I sure as hell didn't want to unload any of my mess onto her. She had plenty of her own problems.
The ride home didn't last nearly long enough, and I was still a little antsy by the time I got there.
My mother's beat-up car was sitting on the side of the house when I drove up, which at least offered a little bit of comfort. Maybe I had the wrong idea in keeping everything from her. She was reasonable and had more sense than I could ever hope to. Talking everything through might help me find a way to get out from under Val's dad and yet still get to keep her in my life.
I chained the bike up and walked into the darkness of the house, feeling my way around for a light, but the lamp wasn't where it should have been.
"What the fuck?" I kicked something and moved down to find the lamp on the ground in pieces. My heart leapt into my throat, and I jumped up, running down the hall blindly. "Mom? Mom? Where are you?"
I flipped on the hall light and went room to room, screaming for my mother. My heart was beating a million miles an hour as I jogged back into the living room with no answers, and not finding her anywhere.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and called her number, but the damn thing was in the kitchen. Something had happened. I was sure of it.
"Ms. Crumms." I opened the back door and jogged down the stairs as I headed over to our next door neighbor’s house. The little old lady never missed a thing. If something happened to my mother, she'd know it.
I banged on the door, trying to calm myself a little so I didn't scare her.
She opened the door and lifted her eyebrow. "Well, dang, Tate. You trying to raise the dead, boy?"
"No, ma'am. I'm looking for my mother. I was out last night and her car is here, but it-"
"That crazy bastard she was dating came back." Ms. Crumms shook her head in disgust.
Sickness washed over me. Not again. Not while I was out.
"And, the cops showed up, too. I guess they had a tracker on him, and he didn't understand what that meant. He beat your poor momma up pretty good, but she's going to be okay now, I think." She reached out and touched my arm. "Come inside and warm up. You're trembling."
"No, thank you, though." Rage pumped through me at not only over my own indiscretions to spend the night away from home, but more so because of Val's father staying true to his word. I turned as Ms. Crumms said something, but I didn't catch it. I lifted my hand and waved as I jogged back toward the house, mumbling my thank you.
David Scott knew that I was with Val, and he wanted to make his point. And, he had.
"This is all my goddamn fault." I jogged up to the house and locked all the doors. I assumed my mother was back at St. Mark's hospital. There was no reason to call when I could be there in fifteen minutes.
The torrent of emotions that raced through me was numbing by the time I reached the hospital. I felt murderous toward Mr. Scott, and yet he had warned me. I had made the decision to disobey him and in that one selfish moment thought that I could dance with the devil and win. That I was something special.
I needed to let Val go. It was the only choice I really had. Time to own up to it.
*
The nurse that showed me to my mother's room was nicer than she had to be, but I was grateful. I was close to losing it, and it wasn't just about all the shit that had happened with Val and her dad, but my worrying over my mother's mental state. I'd finally gotten her past being afraid of her own shadow and now this...three times in the last few weeks.
"Mom?" I walked into the room to find her in a reclined position in the bed, watching the snow fall outside of her window.
"Tate. Hey." She looked over at me and extended her hand. Her lips were busted up pretty bad, as was her eye. She had a few stitches, which was nothing new, and yet my stomach sickened over it. Tears burned my eyes as I moved toward her and pulled her into a careful hug.
"I'm so sorry," I mumbled against her shoulder. "Please forgive me."
"Baby, you're being silly. This was Daniel's fault. He's a bastard, and it's my fault for loving him as much as I did. I shouldn't have ever let him in the house. Not back then, and not today." She tightened her frail arms around me. "The cops said that there will be no more bail for him. He's not getting out again, no matter what."
I nodded, unsure that I trusted myself to speak without bursting into tears, which wouldn't help anyone. I held her against me for a second longer before moving back and wiping at my eyes.
"This is my fault. I should have been there." I glanced behind me and grabbed a chair to pull up beside her bed.
"No it's not. You need to live your life." She gave me a crooked smile and winced. "Damn stitches."
"It is my fault, Mom. If I was there-"
"Then, the idiot would have probably killed you. It's all good. He's gone, and I'm done being anyone's punching bag. When I get out of here, we're going to start looking for a new place to live." She reached up and touched the side of her eye.
I dropped down into my seat and gave her a look. "With what money, Mom?"
"My raise." She tried to smile, but didn't pull it off too well. "I got a raise at the hospital, and Dr. Barnes said that if I fill out a few forms, he'll look into putting me into a sponsorship program for battered women. They do all sorts of stuff for you, including help pay for your degree."
"Really?" This was the best news I'd heard in forever.
"Yep. I'll be in college right beside you." She laid her hand beside her, palm up.
I reached up and took it, clasping my fingers around hers softly. "So, there's no way for you to lose your job?"
"What? Heavens, no. Dr. Barnes thinks I'm the one who tugs the moon into the sky every night. There's no way anything can happen to my position. I work too hard, and there is already too much stacked against me, which they're aware of." She patted my hand with her free hand. "Now...tell me where you were last night. With that pretty girl? Val?"
"Yes, ma'am, but we're not going to see each other anymore." Sadness like I'd never experienced filled up the cavity of my chest, and I took a shaky breath.
"Well, I think that's the dumbest thing you could do. It's a mistake. She's the one. I just know it." She laid back and narrowed her eyes at me. "What's really going on? Tell me."
"Nothing. I'm just a little butt-hurt over her not wanting anything to do with me." I pulled my hand back and slumped down in my chair. "She's a Scott, Mom. Those people are takers and abusers. She's no different. I'm not interested in being her puppet."
"You a puppet?" She snorted. "I think you're full of it, but you'll talk to me about it when you want to. Until then, suffer in stony silence like you always do."
"I don't suffer in silence." I rolled my eyes and leaned back farther, letting my eyes close. "I'm glad you're okay. I almost had a heart attack when I got home and you weren't there."
"I know. I'm sorry for all I've put you through." Her voice was soft, but I had a hard time hearing what else she was mumbling. Now that I knew she was okay and the rest of our lives were relatively intact, sleep was taking me under.
"I love you, Mom," I grumbled and clasped my hands over my stomach as the darkness took me far away from my concerns. I had lots of them, but the top concern followed me deep into my dreams and plagued me without reprieve.
How am I going to let go of Val without hurting her?
You're not.
Chapter 22
Two Days Later
Val
"Maybe something came up, Val." Amy reached over and rubbed my shoulders as she tried to comfort me.
"It's been two fucking days." I growled under my breath and tried to keep from letting my voice get to loud in the m
iddle of the restaurant. "We slept together and then the fucker won't call me or text me or anything? Come on...really?"
"That is pretty shitty." Amy shrugged and tried to give me an apologetic look. "Is he worth all this drama? You'll find someone else, you know you will."
"I don't want someone else." My voice was far louder than I wanted, but I couldn't get a hold of myself. "I want him!"
"Okay. Shit. Then, let's go get him. Something happened. There's no way that he's not into you. After the sex you guys had? Any guy would be falling over himself to get to you. Three times in one night is super ho-"
"Thank you," I snapped at her, sounding more like my mother than I cared to admit. "I'm going by the shop today, I guess. He's not showed up for swim practice for two days either, from what Martin said. Where is he?"
"Probably working or dealing with something at home." She got up and gathered her trash. "Go figure out where he is, and if he's just being a stupid dick, then drop him. You don't need this drama in your life. You have enough of it already. Between your mom, dad, and Carolyn, it's a wonder you're sane at all."
"Thank you. Right?" I got up and gathered my stuff, too. I'd spend the last two days sick or crying over this sorry bastard, and he didn't even have the common courtesy to call or text me that we were over. "Over before we even started."
I had to work hard at not diving into the pity party that I wanted to throw for myself in high fashion. I'd learn to blow those things up thanks to my mother giving me plenty of chances to feel sorry for myself.
"You want me to go with you?" Amy opened the door for me and gave me a sad smile.
"No. Thank you, though." I turned to hug her before walking to my car and letting the anger that bubbled up inside of me coat my need to cry again. I wasn't going to let Tate know that I was hurting. He didn't deserve to know how much I'd come to like him in the short amount of time that we'd been together.
"Asshole." I got into my car and drove to the shop, noticing that his bike wasn't out front, which was odd. It was late in the day, so there was no way he had classes.
The bells rang above my head as I made my way into the small office beside the garage. The pretty redhead that had been so nice to me before glanced up. The way her eyes widened told me that something had for sure happened. Tate must have told everyone in the shop that he was over me, or sick of me, or never really interested. They had something on me – all of them – or so I let myself believe.
"Hi, there." She stood and gave me a sympathetic smile. "You looking for Tate?"
"Yes, ma'am. Just a concerned friend." I slipped my hands into my pockets and moved up to stand in front of her. "Is he here? I won't bother him for more than a few minutes."
"He's actually at the hospital. His mother was admitted a few days ago."
"Oh, no. Is she okay?" Worry raced over me, and I pulled out my phone and checked for the millionth time for a text from him.
"She is now. He's not here, though. You want me to tell him that you came by?" Her expression tightened a little, and even though I shouldn't have, I had to dig.
"No, please don't." I pulled my hands from my pockets and pressed them to the counter. "Do you have any idea why Tate isn't returning my calls? I'm not sure what I did wrong other than fall for him."
Dammit if tears didn't fill my eyes. I wasn't trying to work the poor woman in front of me, but the hard emotions ripping through my insides weren't going to stay hidden too much longer.
"Oh, honey." She reached up and placed her hands over mine. "He's just trying to do what's best for both of you."
I sniffled and reached for a tissue from the box on her desk. "I don't understand. Everything seemed to be going good for a little while there, and then all of a sudden.., I don't hear anything. I understand him needing to take care of his mom, but I want to help out, too."
She tilted her head to the side and studied me. "He didn't tell you about his visitor the other day?"
"What? What visitor?" I blew my nose and apologized as I tried to think through who in the world could have stopped by that would have Tate pushing me away again. My father. "Oh, no. My dad didn't come in here, did he?"
She pursed her lips and nodded her head slowly. "Don't say anything to Tate. It was bad. Really bad."
Anger burned through me like a forest fire. "Bad how? What did he say to Tate?"
"He just warned him away, but his promises were pretty strong. He doesn't agree with you dating someone like Tate." She shrugged and let out a long sigh. "You gotta do what's best for you, honey, but I promise you something...if your dad has the power to do some of the things he promised to do to Tate and his family, I'd not be with you, either."
"What did he promise to do?" I felt like I might throw up.
"I'll let Tate tell you that. I've already said far too much." She dropped down in her chair. "If you're hell bent on making him yours, then show him the kind of love that that boy needs right now – the kind that leaves him believing that you have his back and would take on the world for him."
"I would do that without question." My vision started to blur again. Was my dad really such a monster that he would show up at Tate's shop and give him an ultimatum that included leaving me or meeting some horrible fate?
"Good, then you need to talk with your dad, too. He's a far bigger threat than I think you know, sweetie." She reached out and patted my arm. "Take care, and good luck. I hope you figure things out. Tate’s a good boy and a great man. I wish we had a million more like him."
I gave her a weak smile, thanked her and walked out into the snowy afternoon. I wasn't sure what I was going to do about my father, but Tate wasn't getting away so easily. He was the first man I'd wanted to be with enough to fight against everything I knew to make it happen.
He was worth it. No, I was.
*
I'd just finished baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies and scrubbing the kitchen when the sound of Tate and his mother caught my attention. I wasn't sure how pissed he was going to be with me for being there uninvited and having basically broken in.
"You smell that?" Tate's voice had a hint of fear to it.
"It's me. Sorry. I got tired of waiting for the boy of my dreams to call me." I wiped my hands on a towel as I walked into the living room.
Tate stopped in his tracks, but his mother headed over and pulled me into a tight hug.
"Oh, Val. I'm so glad you're here. This boy hasn't shut up about you for two days." She moved back and touched my cheek. "You look wonderful, except for those dark circles under your eyes. Are you not sleeping?"
"Nope. Courtesy of being dumped by a frog who I thought was my prince." I smiled as she laughed.
We both turned and looked at Tate, and my heart broke in my chest. The look on his face was a mixture of pain and disappointment. He didn't say anything, and I got tired of standing there hoping that he would welcome me into his arms and explain everything.
"You want some cookies? I just got through making them for your homecoming." I looped my arm into hers and walked into the kitchen.
She sat down and started talking about what happened with Daniel and the hospital as I worked to get her a small plate of cookies and a glass of milk. I was too comfortable being in their house, but I guess some part of me just felt like I'd finally found a place where I fit in.
"Val." Tate stood at the door. "Can we talk?"
"Yeah, sure." I patted his mom on the arm as I followed him out the front door and into the yard.
"You didn't have to do all of this." He turned to face me, and I could see that he hadn't been sleeping, either.
"Oh, I know I didn't. Kindness is free, remember? Or did you forget? Because the man that helped me out of a shitty situation not too many days ago just threw me headfirst into one after making love to me all fucking night." Anger burned deep inside of me as tears filled my eyes. I pushed at his chest hard, as my voice lifted. "I finally found someone that I felt good around, right with, and he doesn't want me any
more. I gave him access to my time, my body...my fucking heart."
"Valentine." He grabbed my hands, but I yanked them away.
"No. You lied to me." I was full on crying at this point. Ugly crying. "You left that shitty note that said you would call, but guess what? You didn't."
"My mother was in the hospital. What was I-"
I pushed my finger into his chest and got in his face. "No, you don't get to use that as an excuse. Tell me what really happened. Tell me why you decided to spend the night in my arms and make me believe that there was something better around the corner for me than the life I have. Tell me why you would walk away from us because of some pathetic old man's threats."
He moved back as shock registered on his handsome face. "You knew?"
"Not from you. That's for damn sure." I pulled my keys out of my pocket. "I wanted us so badly, but it wasn't meant to be. Coming over here that first night, meeting your mom, and standing in your tiny living room with you beside me just felt right. I'm supposed to be here. I belong here."
"Baby." He reached for me, but I swatted him away.
"No. You discarded me over some idle threat."
"They weren't idle, Val. Your father knew all about my shit. He threatened to take my mother's job and our house. He said that he would bail Daniel out of jail, and the fucker did it." He moved toward me, but I'd already started to walk to my car.
"He's a mining guy, Tate. He doesn't have the power to do any of those things." I stopped and glanced over my shoulder. "Why didn't you just tell me? I could have helped figure it out. I wasn't enough for you to fight for? You just throw in the towel and that's it, huh?"