Finding Me (26 page)

“Ever been to the outer boroughs?” I asked Owen as we strolled up the short blocks from the train station to my house.

“Once. I went to the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn to see an Islanders game.” He reached for my hand and laced our fingers together. “This doesn’t look much different than Savannah, except we have more green around our neighborhoods and it doesn’t get this cold. Although, coming from upstate it feels like a damn heat wave. I should have packed my flip-flops.”

I let out a nervous chuckle as I climbed the outside steps leading to my stoop.

“Hey,” Owen whispered in my ear as he snaked his arm around my waist. “It will be okay.” He kissed the back of my head and I gave him a small nod.

The two most important men in my life had both promised that to me today, but I didn’t believe either of them.

I dug my keys out of my bag and glanced in the front storm window. All the lights were on inside, most likely all night. I was going to be jumped on the second the lock clicked.

“Bella?” Mom beat Dad to the door once I made it inside. “Do you know we haven’t slept all night? This isn’t like you to be so cryptic and leave school in the wee hours of the morning. Put your stuff down and get in the living room.” It wasn’t easy to get Mom mad, but once you did she was much scarier than her husband.

My eyes darted from my mother’s agitated gaze as Owen shut the door behind us.

Mom gazed over my shoulder at Owen. “Hi, Owen. I wish our first meeting wasn’t like this. I’m Samantha. Come in.”

“Hi, Mrs. Hunter. Nice to finally meet you.” Owen gave Mom a warm smile and gazed back at me.

“I could go in the kitchen if you want—”

“No, Owen. Besides, you’re involved now, too,” I whispered as I led him by the hand into our living room. Dad sat on the couch with his elbows resting on his knees. He exhaled as soon as he saw me.

“I wish you had at least let me pick you up from Grand Central.” Dad shot up from the couch and made his way over to me. “Are you all right?”

I shrugged. “The seven train is a short ride and I had Owen with me.”

Owen extended his hand. “Hi, Mr. Hunter. Nice to meet you, sir.”

Dad nodded at Owen and took his hand.

“Okay, Bella. Time to start talking.” Mom pointed to the couch. I grabbed Owen by the hand and pulled him to sit down next to me. Dad stayed on his end of the couch and Mom settled into the leather recliner across the room.

I took a deep breath and gazed at the floor. Where did I begin? Did I ask the question that’s bothered me for weeks or go right into what happened with Marc?

“Around Christmas time, I got an email from Marc. Janice gave him my email address. He asked if he could see me. It sat in my inbox for a couple of weeks before I replied.”

Dad’s expression was blank as he fixed his gaze on me. My mother furrowed her brow and leaned forward.

“Why didn’t you say anything to us about it?”

“Because.” I tried in vain to wet my lips but my mouth was dry as a bone. “I wasn’t sure I’d reply, but then curiosity got the best of me and I agreed. We exchanged a few emails and he got my cell phone number from Janice, too. He called me, and told me things about the both of you.”

“Like what?” Dad narrowed his eyes at me as he folded his hands.

“That mom cheated on him with you while he was in Chicago working to send money home.”

Mom’s eyes grew wide as Dad laughed and shook his head. “Nice to know he hasn’t changed in all these years, right, Sam?”

Mom rubbed her temples as she gazed at the floor. “Bella, I’m not going to tell you what I did was right. My marriage to Marc was over for many years when I became friends with Lucas again. I should have left long before that, but I won’t lie to you.”

My stomach sank as she leaned forward. “There was an overlap between my marriage to Marc and when Lucas and I became a little more than friends. I’m not proud of it, but I don’t regret it either. I looked the other way with Marc’s indiscretions for a long time, but after I met a good man, I refused to waste any more of my time on a bad one.” She gazed at Dad with a wistful but sad smile.

“And regarding the other thing he told you, he moved to Chicago and never sent us a cent, never returned a phone call, wouldn’t respond to me whatsoever any time I tried to contact him. What he did was try to put doubt in your head and make an excuse for himself.”

I grew up thinking cheating was never okay, especially after my personal experience on the receiving end. But I was recently acquainted with the bad man Mom referenced, and knew the wonderful man Lucas was. She may not have been right, but I would never think she was wrong.

My eyes darted to Owen’s and he gave me a nod. If he didn’t run for the hills after this little weekend trip it was safe to assume he was in it for the long haul. I swallowed hard before I kept going.

“He asked me to meet him at the diner near school. He didn’t seem interested in getting to know me, or making amends for not being around. I pressed him for what he wanted from me, and he admitted he needed my help. He found out about the money from Grandma and Grandpa and he wanted me to give him at least half.”

“I told you, Samantha. He’d crawl out of his hole eventually for that money.” Dad shook his head and muttered a curse under his breath.

Mom nodded. “I had a feeling, too. That’s why we had it invested so fast so he couldn’t touch it.”

“I told him that.” I felt for Owen’s hand next to me and he squeezed it back. I braced myself to relate the ugly part of the story. “He told me to figure out a way to get it, maybe tell you guys I was pregnant or had trouble with drugs.”

Dad raked his hand through his hair and put his head down. “This was why he bothered you at school?” He sneered as he shook his head. “I would set that money on fire before I let him have a cent.”

“I said no, and he lost it. He said I’m his family, you didn’t care about me because you had your own kid, and I had no choice but to help him. I refused and ran out of the diner.” My face heated with unshed tears. “He . . . came after me.”

“Came after you
how
?” Dad shot to his feet, his nostrils flared. He prowled the room with his fists clenched at his sides.

“He grabbed my arm and screamed at me.” I left out the part about Marc almost twisting it off. “It would have gotten worse if Owen hadn’t followed me to the diner. He pushed him away but Marc wouldn’t stop, just kept grabbing my arm and twisting harder, so Owen punched him in the stomach so he would let me go.” I wiped my tears away with the back of my hand as I gazed at my mom’s watery eyes and the ticking in Dad’s jaw.

“Her arm is covered in bruises.” Owen rubbed my back as I tried to get the waterworks under control.

Dad stopped his pacing to kneel in front of me. “Show me.”

I stretched out my left arm and pulled up my sweatshirt sleeve. Mom rushed over and gasped with Dad at the now black bruises from last night. The soreness and swelling were getting worse instead of better.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” A sob ran through me as Dad dragged his hands down his face.

Mom slid on the couch next to me and wrapped her arms around me. Her cheeks were wet as she kissed the top of my head. “I’m sorry, baby.”

“Marc told us he would get a lawyer and say Owen assaulted him and have him arrested. Owen can’t go to jail because of this. Dad, Marc won’t stop until he gets what he wants.” I dropped my head to my hands and sobbed.

Dad moved closer and pulled my hands down. “The only one you have to worry about going to jail is me. Because if I see him, I’m going to fucking kill him.” Dad wrapped his arms around me and I cried into his neck. “I’m sorry, Butterfly.” He kissed the top of my head and rocked me back and forth. Hearing him call me ‘Butterfly’ made me sob so hard I gasped for air.

“We’re going to beat him to the punch and go to the police station and file a report. Maybe we can get a restraining order going.” Dad cradled my head in his hands and wiped my tears away with his thumbs. “You’ll have to go through the whole story again, but we’ll all go with you.”

I nodded and tried to catch my breath. “I’m sorry, Dad. I’m so, so sorry. You’re my father. I never should have spoken to Marc in the first—”

“Stop.” Dad rubbed my back as a small smile spread on his face. “If Marc somehow became a decent human being and you wanted to see him sometimes, I would never be mad at that. I’m upset now because he hurt you—and I’m jealous Owen got the first punch.” I laughed and nodded.

“And I know you like Janice, but we’re changing your cell number and she can’t have it. Talk to her via email so no one can trace you. Marc is an asshole, but he used to be an IT manager and last thing we need is him tracking you through your phone.” He cupped my cheek and shook his head. “Marc won’t hurt you, or Owen, trying to get his hands on that money. That all stops right now. Do you trust me?”

I smiled. Dad would work overtime to fix everything. It was what he did, for as long as I could remember. “Yes. I always trust you.”

Dad kissed my cheek and turned to drop a hand on Owen’s shoulder. “Thank you. I’m glad you were there.”

“Me, too.” Owen answered Dad but held his gaze on me.

“I think we all need a great big breakfast. Pancakes
and
French Toast!” Mom smiled at me and laid her hand on Owen’s forearm. “Thank you,” she whispered before going into the kitchen with Dad. Owen nodded and smiled.

“See?” Owen put his arm around my shoulder and kissed my cheek. “It’s all okay. You’ll file the report and everything will be fine. Marc won’t bother you again, and no one is going to try to play with my hockey stick in a jail cell.”

I giggled and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Okay. I trust you, too.”

“I know.” He pulled me closer and gave me a soft kiss. “It’s about time.”

Joey loved Owen on sight. He didn’t offer me a single LEGO block all afternoon. I was so drained after spending hours at the police station. I couldn’t be the usual master builder with my brother. But he had Owen, so he didn’t seem to mind. Owen stacked blocks all afternoon without a peep of complaint.

It still wasn’t over, though. The next day I’d still have to go over everything—again—with the local police station upstate. I was mentally and emotionally exhausted at the thought.

“I’ll get it!” Joey popped up at the sound of the doorbell. “See Bella, I can answer the door like a grown-up!” I laughed as he scurried over to the door.

“Joey,” Dad huffed following him to the front hallway. “Didn’t we tell you about opening the door yourself? You call one of us over.”

“You said that with strangers, not someone I know. It’s just Christian.” I met Christian’s gaze as he trailed Joey inside.

I winced as my head pounded. I wasn’t up for this now. Whatever crap reason Christian had for making a visit, my body was too drained to deal with it.

Owen raised his eyebrows at me from where he sat on the floor. I nodded yes. A standoff with my current boyfriend and my ex sounded splendid right about now. Just when I thought the drama was over.

“Well, Joe. Christian shouldn’t be here because he knows he’s not welcome in this house. He needs to go back across the street before I take him. If he walks himself it would be less painful.” Dad glared at Christian.

Christian staggered back and swallowed. He was always scared shitless of Dad. I had many an argument with him to loosen up where Christian was concerned, but I chuckled now watching him almost piss himself in Dad’s presence.

“I . . . just thought it was weird when my mom said Bella was home. I . . . wanted to make sure she was okay.” Christian’s eyes darted around the room until he met my gaze in a silent plea. I glowered at him and shook my head. If for argument’s sake he was here as a concerned friend, I still didn’t want any part of him. Too much had happened between us for me to ever accept his good intentions.

“Christian, is it?” Owen stood from the floor and strutted over to Christian, offering his hand. “Owen. Bella’s boyfriend.”

Christian narrowed his eyes at Owen as he returned his hand shake. “Hi. You’re her . . .”

“Boyfriend, yep. She had some family stuff to do this weekend and I couldn’t let my girl travel alone. I should thank you.”

“Thank me? For what?” Christian crinkled his nose as Owen gave me a side smirk.

“Well, I heard you were such a jackass to her, she made sure to get as far away from home as she could. So I guess in a way you led her straight to me, where she belongs. So, like I said, thanks.” Owen slapped his arm.

Mom gazed over to me and bit her lip. She was fighting a laugh the same as I was. Even Dad’s lip curved up in a smile as Christian stood speechless in front of Owen.

“I guess I’ll go. As long as she’s okay—”

“She’s fine.” Owen grinned as he leaned closer. “Not your concern anymore, dude, so no worries there.”

“I . . . can I talk to her?” Was Christian always this small? He looked like a middle school boy next to Owen.

“I’m fine, Christian.” I glared at him, hoping that would get him to leave.

“Hear that? All good. I’d hate to have to take you back across the street myself. I may not be as nice as Mr. Hunter over here.”