“Robert Evans, destroying lives since before I was born,” I mumbled as I put all the photo albums away.
At the last minute, I decided to leave the one with Cooper’s baby photos out. I wanted to take it home to him tonight. He deserved to have as much of his mother as he could.
The next box was full of photo albums as well. I didn’t take the time to look through all of them though. Instead, I randomly flipped through pages to make sure nothing was stuck in between them. I didn’t even glance at the pictures. I didn’t want to see any more family history.
I pushed the first two boxes aside and opened the third. It was filled with old receipts. I looked through them, but nothing caught my attention. I carefully stacked all three boxes on top of each other, exactly as they had been, before moving to the next group of boxes. I thoroughly searched each one but found nothing.
I grabbed the black garbage bag. I was surprised to see that it was full of baby clothes and a few stuffed animals.
Cooper.
Marie must have kept some of his things and stored them away. I grinned as I held up a tiny blue onesie. I couldn’t imagine big, strong Cooper fitting into something like this. To me, he was larger than life, not someone who had once been an infant. That was silly, of course, but it was what it was. Once I made sure the bag was completely empty, I started shoving the clothes and stuffed animals back inside. Just as I’d suspected, there was nothing hidden inside.
I moved on to the filing cabinets and started pulling drawers open. Almost every drawer was filled with tax documents, dating much further back than I’d expected. I flipped through the last few years out of curiosity. My mouth dropped open when I saw how much Robert had made each year. I’d known that Robert was rich, but I hadn’t realized just how rich he was.
I hastily shoved the documents back into the drawers, trying not to think about how rich I was just from marrying Robert. But in reality, I wasn’t. All of that money was Robert’s. When I left him, I wouldn’t ask for anything, in hopes of a clean break. That would leave me with absolutely nothing—again. Still, that didn’t scare me the way it had before. It was better to have nothing and be free rather than have everything and feel scared and trapped.
I searched through the rest of the drawers. They were filled with family documents, and I thoroughly checked each paper, but there was nothing of use. Most of the documents were birth certificates, death certificates for Robert’s parents and Marie, and other similar documents. I did find a copy of Robert’s will. It was dated only a year ago. I was surprised to see that he’d planned to leave everything to Cooper. I knew that would surprise Cooper as well. I debated on whether or not to tell Cooper what I’d found. I wasn’t sure how he would feel, knowing that the man he despised had planned to leave all worldly possessions to him. In the end, I decided that I would tell him. He deserved to know.
It was good to know where all this information was, but none of it was what I was looking for. Cooper was going to be pissed when he realized there was nothing here either. Robert was too smart for either of us. He wasn’t going to just leave any trace of wrongdoings lying around for us to eventually stumble upon.
I closed the last drawer and looked around the unit. The only thing I hadn’t searched was the set of luggage. I walked over to it and crouched down. There were three pieces total, and I started with the biggest. I unzipped the main compartment and looked inside.
Empty.
I checked the front pocket as well and found the same. I zipped it back up before moving on to the next one. I searched it as well, sneezing from all the dust I was stirring up. Again, there was nothing inside.
I grabbed the laptop bag, the third and final piece, and opened it. It had a few gum wrappers inside, but that was it. A small compartment in the front was closed with Velcro, and I’d almost missed it. When I pulled it apart, I saw an envelope inside. I suddenly felt nervous as I carefully pulled it out. Unlike the luggage, the envelope wasn’t coated in dust. It was dirty, but it clearly hadn’t been there as long as the luggage. Hope surged within me. Maybe I had finally found something. I opened the envelope and pulled out several sheets of paper. The paper was thick, something that a lawyer’s office used. I knew that simply from all the filing I’d done at the firm.
Before I could open the papers, my phone beeped in my pocket, shattering the quiet around me. I squealed involuntarily as my pulse pounded in my ears. Once my heart stopped racing, I laughed at myself for being so jumpy. I pulled my phone from my pocket and unlocked it. There was a text from Cooper.
I need to talk to you. I need to show you something.
I typed out a quick response.
I’ll be home within the hour.
When he didn’t respond after a couple of minutes, I shoved my phone back in my pocket and turned my attention back to the papers in my hand. I unfolded them and started reading. My brow creased in confusion when I realized what I was holding—divorce papers, the ones Marie had drawn up with her lawyer.
“But why would they be shoved in here?” I wondered aloud.
I had no idea. Maybe Cooper would be able to shed some light on why these had been hidden away. I put them back into the envelope without reading any further. I would take them back to the house, so he could see them. I stood and walked back to the filing cabinets. I pulled out Robert’s will. Cooper would want to see it, too.
I made one final stop to grab the photo album before turning off the lights and walking outside. I locked the door and walked back to my car. I knew it wasn’t smart to take the will and divorce papers. Robert could decide to randomly stop by the unit to check on things and discover them missing, but it was a chance I was willing to take. My gut told me that those divorce papers mattered. I just wasn’t sure why.
On the drive back to the house, I wondered what on earth Cooper wanted to show me. We had agreed not to text each other just to be safe, so whatever it was, it must be important. By the time I made it home, I was almost afraid to even know.
Cooper’s car was parked in the garage, but when I walked into his room, he wasn’t there. I checked the first floor again, but he was nowhere to be seen. Confused, I headed back upstairs. When I reached the top of the stairs, I saw Robert’s bedroom door open. I froze as Cooper slipped out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him. When he looked up and saw me, he stopped. For a moment, we just stared at each other. He looked away first and started walking again.
“What were you doing in there?” I asked when he walked past me.
I quickly started moving again, following him, as he walked to his room. He threw the door open and continued inside. I scrambled to keep up with his fast pace. As soon as I walked in, I closed his door and turned back to him.
“Cooper?” I asked.
“Since he’s away, I searched his office again. I thought I’d actually find something this time.”
“And did you?”
He glared at me. “No. There’s nothing. I searched the whole place again. Fuck. I even moved the pictures hanging on the walls to see if maybe there was some kind of hiding spot.” He kicked his computer desk in frustration. “He’s too damn good at hiding every fucking thing.”
I winced for his poor toes. “We’ll find something, Cooper. You can’t give up hope.”
“I’ve searched this house over and over. There’s nothing. He’s too damn smart.”
“He’ll slip up. He has to. Just give it time, Coop. We just have to wait.”
He glared at me. “I’ve waited long enough. I’m tired of standing by and letting him live his life while my mother is buried six feet under.”
I cautiously approached him. Cooper was in the mood to throw things. I didn’t want to end up with a black eye because of his temper. I’d had enough of the Evans men and their tempers.
I decided then and there that I wouldn’t say anything about what I’d found in the storage unit just yet. Cooper was a bomb waiting to explode. If I gave him false hope, only to rip it away, he
would do something he’d later regret.
“You have no proof. You can’t go against him with absolutely nothing. You know that.” I rested my hand on his arm. “There’s nothing you can do.”
“I want to kill him.” His voice quieted.
It scared me just how calmly he’d spoken those words.
“Then, where would you be? In jail. He’d steal the rest of your life from you, Coop. Please just calm down and wait. You’ll have your chance.”
“And what happens between now and when I finally have my chance? He beats you to a pulp again? I don’t think so. It’s time I stopped trying to prove that it was him. It’s time I took action.”
“Cooper, no. Whatever it is you have on your mind…no. You can’t.”
“I can,” he said without an ounce of emotion.
“You can’t,” I said as I stepped even closer. Our bodies pressed together in the most delicious way. “I won’t lose you because of this. I can’t.”
“Why not? Do you really care that much about me?”
“You know I do,” I said.
“I’m your stepson. You’d think that we would hate each other.”
I shrugged. “I never said it made any sense, but it is what it is. I care about you, Coop. I won’t ever let you go.”
The moment I’d spoken those words, I knew that they were the truth. No matter what happened, I wouldn’t let him go. Even if I left Morgantown forever, I would never be able to forget about him.
He stared at me for a moment. “I care about you, too.”
“Then, you won’t leave me on my own. You’ll be smart and stay with me.”
“It’s not that simple anymore, Claire.”
“But it is! You’re all that’s holding me together anymore. If I lose you, I’ll lose myself!” I shouted angrily.
I didn’t even care about what I’d just admitted to him. He knew I wasn’t strong enough to handle all this on my own. He’d always known that. I wasn’t as strong as him. I never would be. I didn’t feel ashamed from admitting that.
Some women were strong naturally. They took control of their lives and would steamroll right over anyone who disagreed with them. I wasn’t one of those women. I needed guidance and support. Granted, I’d come a long way since I married Robert. I was no longer innocent and naive, and for that, I was thankful.
Having my eyes opened in the cruelest way had given me an edge Robert never expected. Yes, I was weak, but I wasn’t as weak as Robert thought I was.
“What do you expect from me?” Cooper demanded.
“I expect love!”
My eyes widened, and I clamped my hand over my mouth as I jerked away from him. I couldn’t believe I’d just said that out loud to Cooper.
He watched me for a moment. “Is that what you want? Love? Because I’m not the right man for that, Claire. I never have been, even before my father destroyed my life. When we spoke before, I didn’t mean…” He trailed off.
“I don’t know what I want anymore. All I know is that when I’m with you, one-on-one, my chest doesn’t hurt as much. I don’t feel quite so terrified when I know you’re next to me.”
He shook his head. “You put too much faith in me.”
“Or maybe you don’t put enough faith in yourself. You’re strong, Coop. You always have been. You just have to wait this thing out. Robert will get his in the end. It’s not worth sacrificing your life over. You’re so much better than he is. You have so much potential. Don’t let him destroy that, too.”
“There isn’t a part of me that he hasn’t destroyed or at least tainted over the years,” Cooper said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Then, start taking parts back. You’re so much stronger than this. You can’t let your hate destroy you. Save yourself before there’s nothing left,” I said.
“I don’t care anymore, Claire. I haven’t cared for a long time.”
I forced myself to take a deep breath before raising my hand and cupping his cheek. “Yeah, well, I care. I want the Cooper that I met—perverted, sarcastic, funny, and caring. That’s the man I care about. You need to find him and bring him back to me.”
He rested his head against my hand for a moment. It was the sweetest moment I could ever remember.
“What is this to you, Claire?” he finally asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You and me—what is this? You act as if you care, but I can’t help but wonder if you’re just looking for someone to protect you from my father.”
My mouth popped open in shock. Of course he would think the worst of me. “I don’t want you just because you promised to protect me, Coop. I’ve always wanted you, even when I told myself it was wrong. You pull me in and make me want things that terrify me.”
“And what happens after I finally catch my father? Will you still want me then? Or will you run away because you know he won’t come after you then? I told you that you are mine when it’s finished. But will you really hang around long enough for that to happen?”
I felt my face heat in anger. “How dare you think that of me, Cooper!”
“You can’t really blame me, can you? After all we’ve been through, obviously, I’m going to wonder when you will push me away again.”
“I only pushed you away because what I felt for you was wrong, and we both knew it. I didn’t want to hurt you or Robert. I wanted to be a good person. If I didn’t push you away, I knew that I’d do something I’d regret.”
“Something you’d regret? Like what? Would you have slept with me and then curled up in a ball in the corner, hating yourself?”
“Like fall in love with you!” I blurted out. “You’re so easy to love, Cooper. You have no idea.”
It was his turn to act shocked. “You think you could love me?”
“I know I can. I think I already do. I’d like to say that I knew from the moment I met you, but that would be a lie. At that point, I thought you were a pompous asshole, but after I got to know you, I realized what a good man you were. You’re one of the best.”
I stepped closer to him, suddenly determined to prove to him just how loveable he really was. He warily watched me as I leaned forward and softly kissed him. The moment our lips met, I sighed.
Kissing Cooper was as easy as breathing. It wasn’t because of his looks but because of who he was. He was strong, determined, and kind, and he made me feel safe. I couldn’t think of a time when I’d felt safe around someone, anyone really. From the moment I’d entered foster care, I’d never felt truly safe. When I’d met Robert, he’d made me feel something similar, but his controlling personality had made me wary. After he’d beaten me, any safety I’d felt in his presence was gone. The only emotion I felt around him was hate. He was a dirty, despicable man.
Cooper’s body was tense as I gently kissed him. I pressed myself against him, and he slowly relaxed. He even leaned in closer to me. I fought not to sigh again as he wrapped his arms around me and held me tight.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” he mumbled against my lips.
“I certainly hope not,” I replied in between kisses.
“It wouldn’t surprise me,” he whispered.
We continued to kiss.
I had long forgotten where my loyalties were supposed to be. Because of Robert, I’d forced myself away from Cooper for so long. After everything Robert had done to me, I no longer cared. I was done being his ignorant little princess. He’d hurt me both mentally and physically. If this were a normal relationship with normal circumstances, I would have left him already, but it wasn’t. I couldn’t let him go just yet. Cooper needed me to help him find the answers he was so desperately seeking. It might make me the most wretched person alive, but I didn’t care. Robert needed to pay for all his sins, past and present.
Cooper pulled away. “I want you, Claire, but I’m sure you already know that. I’m pretty sure I made that clear several times in the past.”
“I know,” I said, suddenly shy.
&n
bsp; “Will there ever be a day when you won’t turn me away?” he asked softly.
For the first time ever, Cooper looked unsure of himself. My heart melted as I stared into his eyes. This man was always so strong when I was around. The fact that he had let his walls down around me, even for a moment, meant more to me than he realized.
I reached up and traced his jaw with my fingers. “Yes.”
“When, Claire? When all this is over?”
I shook my head as I continued to run my fingers up and down his jaw. “No. Today is the day that I stop telling you no.”
He froze for a moment. “What?”
I stepped back and smiled up at him. “I care for you, Coop, and you care for me. I’m tired of doing what everyone else thinks is right. I want you, and I’m finished fighting with myself.”
He watched with rapt attention as I slowly started unbuttoning my shirt. I let it fall off my shoulders and to the floor. His eyes widened for a split second before he stepped forward and grabbed my arms. He slammed his mouth down on mine and kissed me deeply. I tried to reach up to wrap my arms around his neck, but he firmly held me in place. I clenched my hands into fists as I kissed him back, suddenly desperate for more.
He broke the kiss. His chest rose and fell quickly as he stared down at me. “You’re sure? There’s no going back from this, Claire. Once it happens, you can’t run away from me anymore.”
“I stopped running away from you a long time ago. I thought you would have noticed that.”
He smiled as he stepped backward, pulling me with him as he went. When he reached his bed, he sat down and pulled me in between his spread legs.
“Once I start, I won’t be able to stop.” He leaned forward and softly kissed my belly.
“I know.”
He released my arms, and my hands instantly found his hair. I leaned down and tugged him closer to me. I kissed him softly at first, trying to take my time. I didn’t want this to be fast. I wanted to savor every single moment of it. I’d secretly wanted Cooper for so long, and I wanted him to remember this day, to remember me, always. Yes, I was definitely going to show Cooper just how lovable he really was—right here, right now. It was time to stop hiding.
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