“Okay,” he said, his eyes moving over to his favorite bowl filled with his favorite cereal. “Sounds good. And thank you for breakfast.”
“Of course.” She gave him a kiss, then left the room.
He ate his food slowly, dreading hearing about those two psycho women and what they were up to.
When he was done eating, he rinsed his bowl in the bathroom, set it aside and got dressed.
He brought the bowl out with him, but stopped at the edge of the hallway right where it opened into the living room. His jaw dropped open, and his body felt on fire when he saw two intruders sitting on his brown couches.
“What the fuck is going on?” he all but yelled. He wanted to throw his cereal bowl at their heads, but instead, he placed it on the ground and marched over to them.
“Good morning,” London said, smiling. Mari sat next to her.
“I asked a question.” He looked at Mari.
“I know you did, and I told you it would all be explained. Take a seat, honey, and I can fill you in.” She patted the space next to her, which would sandwich him between his wife and Ryan Fahey.
Not a chance.
He moved over to the opposite couch.
The second his eyes landed on Mrs. Fahey, his breath caught, his spine went stiff and his hands fisted. “Why do they have to be here to do this?” His gaze moved over to his wife. “They’re not welcome here.”
“They are if I say they are,” Mari replied, her voice firm.
“Why would you say that?” A shiver rippled down his back. His wife never spoke to him like that before.
“Because Tori is like family to me—you know that, and when she needs help from me, I’ll always give it.” He started to protest, ready to bring up London’s old drug habit, but Mari kept rolling right over him. “With anything within reason and that’s good for her, that is.”
He swallowed. Okay, yeah—that made sense, but . . .
“I wasn’t ever coming on to you,” Mrs. Fahey said, sitting stiffer than him. “I’m sorry if it came off that way.”
He sniffed, and his nostrils flared. “It didn’t seem anything. It was that way. You were constantly trying to get me to be close to you and touch you and you were flirting.”
Mrs. Fahey rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine. Yes—at first, it was that way. But I only did that because it seemed the best way to get what I wanted, but I didn’t want you like that. Not really. I did all that for another reason.”
“I still don’t understand why you’re here,” he told Mrs. Fahey. “Mari, you remember what I told you she said and did?” His eyes narrowed at his wife. They never did that.
“Yes, I do.” She huffed for a second, then replied, “She called you beautiful and later said you were cute. She flirted with you and tried to get you to touch her hip when it was supposedly bruised. You thought she wanted sex, and you thought she stole your lab coat. She wore spicy perfume you didn’t like, and you freaked out because she told you her baby was not her husband’s, but that it would have blue eyes and red hair, insinuating it was yours.”
“Exactly.” He nodded. “Only that baby could have blue eyes anyway, because that recessive gene might run in her family.” He flipped his wrist at Mrs. Fahey. “That doesn’t have anything to do with me. I don’t know about the red hair. Maybe the real father has reddish hair.” He shrugged and kind of pouted. It seemed sad she ever did and said all of that. Mrs. Fahey had a tragic life.
“My husband is Italian, and he and all his family have dark hair and eyes.” Mrs. Fahey’s long lashes fluttered when she blinked in rapid succession. She stared down at her brightly painted toes peeping out through her sandals. “He beats me. He’s been doing it the entire time we’ve been together.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t help you with that. You should seek the proper authorities for battered women.” Adam clasped his hands together, because he really needed to hold someone’s hand right about now and his wife was too far away.
Choppy must’ve sensed it, because she hopped up on the couch next to him and then landed on his lap. He stroked her, and right away it eased the tightness in his shoulders and the constricting of his throat.
His teeth were still grinding, though.
“Adam, I tried to tell you that day I came back to the office to apologize that—”
“You were there to seek out sex again. I knew that’s what you wanted,” he said, his voice loud.
“I did not!” Her hand flew to her belly that was barely showing. “I was trying to fix what I’d done. I even left the lab coat behind in the hallway before I ran out of there, embarrassed and ashamed that you thought I was such a whore. You were obviously completely repulsed by me.”
Mari gave him a look like he should apologize.
“I’m sorry, but I . . . I was at work! What was I supposed to do?” Choppy barked at the woman, while staying on Adam’s lap. He calmed her down, but his own heart still raced like mad. “Women there are always flirting with me, and you seemed even more aggressive than most. I had to steer clear. I love my wife and kids, and I won’t ever disappoint them by straying.”
“I know that. And I told you that then.” Mrs. Fahey’s eyes oozed tears. “I came back because aside from trying to make amends, I was also trying to ask you something about your condition.”
He swallowed. “My . . . con-condition?” he stammered. He swallowed, and his throat was bone dry, making the act almost painful.
“Yes.” She rubbed her tiny belly in a protective way, then looked up at him. “I was on drugs when I first got pregnant four months ago. For the entire first semester actually, and my sister here”—she pointed at London—“she told me that was how her little boy turned out the way you did. I was too afraid to see Dr. Harkham myself, so I stole your lab coat and had some DNA tests run on it. I don’t know what I was looking for, really—but I thought it would maybe give me clues as to what it is you and J. J. have.”
His mind raced. “Sister? She’s related to you?” His heart almost stopped. Why hadn’t he noticed the similarities before? Same noses, eye shape, jawline. Their eyes were both green, only Ryan’s were lighter. Same height, but different shape. While London was tall and lean, Mrs. Fahey was very curvy with a very rounded rear end. Her hair was blonde, and London’s was almost scarlet.
“Half-sisters, actually,” London told him. “But we don’t think of each other as anything other than siblings, even if I ran away from home when I was fifteen, and she was only thirteen. We’ve always been close. Always.” She smiled at her sister. “I tried to watch out for her, since our father abused us and beat the shit out of me regularly. That’s why I left.”
“It’s why I left, too. Only I got involved with a boyfriend who I married and then he became physically violent with me as well.” Ryan sniffed. “I can’t seem to escape it. Men only want to hurt me, try to kill me. And it doesn’t seem to matter if I’m pregnant or not.” She lifted her left pant leg, revealing a large slightly swollen bruise above her ankle, very similar to that of the shape of a handprint.
“My God!” Adam gasped. “You need to get help!”
“I already left him two nights ago. I’m starting to show, no matter how little I eat. I can’t escape the fact I’m pregnant, and he probably already knew. He was beating me more and more, so London took me in.” Ryan swallowed and she almost went limp as she cried softly. “I can’t ever thank her. He’s come looking for me twice already, but she hid me well.”
“Who’s the father? Why isn’t he helping you?” Adam’s knees slammed together. It’s not me, it’s not me, it’s not me.
“You know who it is.” She wiped her tears away with her fingertips.
His face scrunched up, and he shook his head. “I don’t know why you would think I would know.”
“Because it’s your brother.” She sort of chuckled.
“No, it’s not. Zach would never . . .” Adam’s hands stilled on Choppy’s tail. Would he? Zach was talking to some other
woman not that long ago.
“I’m that lady friend he was meeting who had similar marital issues. His wife verbally abused him, and mine physically hurt me. We slept together months ago.” Ryan cleared her voice. “It sounds like he kind of downplayed our relationship and how long we were together, but I don’t blame him. He had to lie since he’s married and doesn’t want to hurt anyone.”
“But Lorraine only left him . . .” His mind went into overdrive, numbers blasting behind his eyes. “Oh shit!” It was actually the right timing. Lorraine did leave him a little over four months ago. “But he said he wasn’t sleeping with that woman friend of his.”
Ryan gave him a look like he was being obtuse on purpose.
“Oh my God!” Adam bolted to standing. “Zach lied to me about you, and Lorraine is moving back in today! She can’t do that! Not when you’re—”
“It’s okay, Adam. I know.” Ryan used the flat of her palm in the air, pushing it down, to tell him to sit.
“Does he know you’re . . . I mean, that he got you . . .” His words simply wouldn’t come out.
“Yes, he knows. Why do you think he’s been such a nut lately, crying and freaking out about whether or not to take his wife back. He’s scared to death,” Mari said.
“But he can’t just not help you!” Adam’s throat shook as he spoke to Ryan. “If it’s his baby, then he has to . . .”
“He is helping me. He’s actually been using all the money you’ve given him off your music sales to give to me. It’s helped a ton.” Ryan sniffed back a few more impending tears. “But I . . .”
“Then why did you say the baby would have red hair like me? Zach has dark hair.” Adam shook in place. His entire body seemed to be vibrating. It was so bad, Choppy hopped off him and went over to Mari, taking a seat on her feet.
“Traitor,” he whispered under his breath to his dog.
Mari snickered.
“I was trying to get you to realize I’m London’s sister. I was there to ask you about how your disabilities happened, or how you think they happened. And I was also trying to hint this baby would be your nephew.” Both of Ryan’s hands rested on her belly this time. Almost protectively. “I was scared to death. This baby has some of your genetics through your mom, coming from your brother, and it has my sister’s as well. It seemed almost certain I’d be giving birth to Harkham’s case number seven, and I wanted to see if I could prevent that if it wasn’t too late. I already fucked things up by being on meth at the beginning of my pregnancy and I was being battered, so it seemed to reason that this baby would—”
“Be like me,” he said, finishing her sentence. A shocking wave of cold tripped down his spine, making him quiver for a moment like he was fighting off chills. “Zach can’t do this. I won’t allow it.”
“What? You can’t—” Mari started to speak, but he broke in.
“Yes, I can! Lorraine doesn’t love him. She’s just using him, and she’s hurt him a lot already. He has Jill, and he loves her. I know he’ll love this baby boy even if it’s exactly like me. He’s the only one that could father this baby appropriately. And he’s a good man.” He looked directly into Ryan’s eyes. “He would never touch you in a bruising way. He’s stopped me from hurting myself and others millions of times. He knows how to protect people. He would keep you safe.” He tipped his head at her. “He needs you.”
She stared at him wide-eyed, her lips parted, but she was barely breathing.
“Breathe, hon,” Mari told her, gripping Ryan’s knee.
“Do you love him?” he asked Ryan.
“Yes. More than anything, and I adore this baby, too. That’s why I hate that I’ve probably hurt my precious little baby boy.”
Adam got up, went straight to her, picked her up into a hug and whispered. “We’re going over there right now.”
“But I can’t! Lorraine will be there!” Ryan pulled away.
London was at her side and slung an arm around her waist.
“I don’t care. I’ll take care of Lorraine. You need to tell him what you want.” Adam blinked hard, clearing his mind of all doubt. “I can tell you haven’t told him you love him, have you?”
“No. I couldn’t. I’m married. So is he.” Ryan’s face went pale.
“Feed her first, Adam. Jesus, she looks about ready to faint.” Mari went straight to the kitchen, and she returned with some milk and two waffles on a plate with a little syrup on them.
“Thanks, but I can’t eat now. Not when I know I’m gonna see him,” Ryan said, her color returning a little.
“He’ll be glad to see you. It’ll be a relief. He knows he’s making a mistake taking Lorraine back.” Adam took her hand. “He probably thinks you don’t want him, so he gave up and gave in to Lorraine’s demands. He’s letting her walk all over him again. And we can’t allow that. If you love him, then you can’t stand by and let him be hurt emotionally. You know what that’s like. Let’s make this all right for both of you.”
“But what about Jill?” Ryan’s voice caught.
“She’ll love you like I do. She just needs to meet you first so that can happen.” He smiled at her and then yanked her toward the door.
Without thinking, he tucked her hand up by his ribs, like he used to do forever ago with Mari.
He could tell Ryan needed it. She was shaky and lost. She needed guidance and security. He would be that for her.
Within a few moments, he had all three women in their van, and he was driving over to his brother’s house.
There was a moving truck in the driveway, and Zach was lifting a dresser all by himself.
The moment Adam parked in the driveway and Zach looked inside the van, he dropped it, smashing in the side of the dresser.
Lorraine was immediately at his side, screeching in his face.
The piece of furniture he dropped looked expensive.
Zach’s face was completely alarmed, but it wasn’t because of Lorraine. His eyes were riveted on the van.
Adam turned off the car, got out and took Ryan’s hand, helping her out of the passenger’s side.
Mari rode in the back with her good friend, London. They stepped out of the vehicle a moment later.
Zach was frozen in place with his wife still screaming in his ear. She was oblivious to Adam holding the blonde Mrs. Fahey’s hand up against his side.
“Do you love this woman?” Adam asked him point blank when he was a few feet away.
Zach gulped. “Yes, she’s my wife. Of course I love her.” His eyes said the opposite. He clearly did not love Lorraine at all. He looked more beaten down by her than anything. All the light was out of his eyes when he looked over at Lorraine. But when he turned back toward Adam, and Zach’s eyes went to Ryan’s, they lit up like a storm just cleared out of the sky and the sun was nothing short of brilliant, plastering everything with its light.
“No, I meant this woman.” Adam jerked his head at Ryan.
“Why would he love some stranger?” Lorraine barked at Adam. “Are you having one of your psychotic break downs again? We don’t have time for your insanity today. Go see your stupid Dr. Harkham and let her fill your head with nonsense as usual.” Lorraine pushed past Adam and clomped her way up the moving truck ramp, grabbing a box and taking it inside the house.
“Do you love her? Answer me,” Adam repeated, stepping closer to his brother, dragging Ryan right along.
“More than ever,” Zach squeaked quietly. His eyes filled with tears. They drifted down to her slightly swollen abdomen. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this right now.” He tried to move past Adam like Lorraine had done to get inside the moving truck, but Adam let go of the woman in a flash, and he pushed Zach up against the back of the truck and pinned him there at the shoulders.
“I never told you before how I always wished I could be like you. Nothing ever seemed to get you down. You were always so charismatic, happy and fun to be around. You helped everyone around you without a second thought. It was just who you are, but today
. . .” Adam wrinkled his nose. “You’re a coward, and I’m ashamed of you.”
He pushed off his brother, leaving Zach slumped against the truck.
“What can I do? I’m stuck,” Zach said, barely over a whisper. He covered his face with his big hands and cried, his entire body shaking with sobs.
“You’re allowing yourself to be stuck!” Adam wanted to kick some sense into his brother. “You have a responsibility here. Lorraine left you, and you found a soul like yours. You found love right away. This woman needs you, and you can’t turn your back on her. Lorraine will be just fine without you. She already was. Take care of your pregnant woman, or I will!”
“His pregnant what?” Lorraine hissed from behind them, her body hanging halfway out the kitchen door leading out into the driveway.
Adam was about to storm a path right over to Lorraine to tell her what was going on, but the second he took a step, Zach tackled him and held him back like he used to do when Adam flew into a number rage.
Mari, however, was free to move as she wished.
She walked over to Lorraine and smaaaaack! Smaaaack!
She bitched slapped her.
“You don’t deserve him! He’s bent over backward to please you, and all you ever did was complain and then you left him behind like he was trash, when he treated you like a queen!” Mari spat on the ground next to Lorraine’s expensive shoes. “He doesn’t love you. Not anymore. He loves this woman, and she’s carrying his baby.” She pointed at Ryan. “They love each other, so take your truck and go back to the shitty expensive place you crawled out of. I’m sure your old lover with his balls tucked behind his vagina—since you own his sorry ass—will take you back.”
Lorraine rubbed her cheek where Mari struck her. “Zach’s my husband, and he wants me back. He can’t live without me.”
Ryan snorted a laugh. She hung back, but her eyes were on fire as she glared at Lorraine and smirked. “Oh, yes, because he wants to deal with someone only willing to have sex with him when she wants something in return. You use sex as a weapon and then you verbally humiliate him. Not just at home, but in public, too!”
Harkham's Corner (Harkham's Series Book 3) Page 23