Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
GRIFFIN
In an effort to take our minds off Jules, Theo and I stayed up late that night battling it out in League of Legends. So, the next morning, when someone pounded on the door at the butt crack of dawn, it jolted both of us from our sleep.
I nearly fell out of the trundle bed. In just my boxers, I pulled on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. As I stumbled across the kitchen, whoever it was pounded again.
Theo tripped out of his room, hands covering his ears like he had a hangover, hair poking up in all directions. “Ugh. Make it stop.”
I threw the door open, ready to yell if it was a solicitor.
But it was James.
He had Willow tucked in the crook of his arm, Dad’s largest suitcase perched upright next to him.
Huh?
“Morning,” he said.
When Willow saw me, she squealed and kicked her chubby little legs.
“Morning. How’s my favorite niece today?” She leaned toward me—something she’d just started doing—and I gladly took her. I pressed a kiss to her soft cheek, and she giggled.
James looked past me. “Theo, I want to move back in, if that’s okay with you.”
I stepped out of James’s way and grabbed his suitcase, lugging it inside.
“Uh…” Theo’s gaze volleyed between us. The house was a two-bedroom. If James moved back in, especially with Willow, there would be no room for me.
“Actually, that’s perfect.” I set the suitcase down. “If he’s here, there’s plenty of space for me back home.”
Even if James hadn’t shown up this morning, I was planning to head home today. Mom had offered me Anna’s old room the day I got here, but as masochistic as it was, I’d gotten used to sleeping where Jules had slept every night.
Not anymore.
As insane as it sounded, her wanting Liam instead of me hurt worse than her dark and sordid past. And in her bed was the last place I wanted to be.
“Okay,” Theo said to James. “Sure. But what happened? Did you get into a fight with your parents?”
“No.” James gave me a guilty look. “Last night made me realize I was acting like a selfish tool.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” I said.
“You’re just going through the stages of grief,” Theo said.
“I am,” James admitted. “But it’s time to move from anger to… I dunno… there’s nothing to bargain. God’s not going to resurrect Sage anytime soon.”
Theo tapped his temple. “If I remember correctly, after anger and bargaining comes guilt.”
James swallowed visibly. “Sounds about right. But I think that’s part of why I’ve been angry.
I already feel incredibly guilty.” His eyes softened as he gazed at his adorable baby girl.
“All Sage ever wanted was to be a mom. So why do I get to be here with Willow when she doesn’t?
” His voice broke. “Why didn’t God take me instead? ”
“James,” I said in a hush.
He flexed his jaw once, twice, trying to get his emotions in check.
He turned to me. “And I feel guilty that your heart has been massacred, when I got to be married to the best woman who ever lived. I’m so sorry, man,” he said, like it was his fault.
“You don’t deserve this. I’ll miss Sage until the day I die, but I can rest easy knowing she never would’ve done to me what Jules has done to you.
” He nodded once. “And she deserves my respect and for me to teach Willow how amazing she was.”
“Amen,” I whispered.
Theo echoed the word.
“And Bowen’s right.” James almost smiled. “But don’t you dare tell him I said so. I have to start living again. It’s time for Willow and me to start our life together.”
“Glad to have you back,” Theo said. “And no worries. I got you and Willow.”
“I know you do.” James smiled. He grabbed the handle of the suitcase, wheeled it across the room, and pushed open the bedroom door. Then he swore. “Theeee-oooo?” he bellowed in the same tone Dave Seville uses when he yells Alvin’s name. “Why does my room look like a teenage girl’s Pinterest board?”
“Bro,” I groaned, balanced on a ladder, rubbing my back. “You said we were going fishing tonight.”
James had managed to exist in this room for the past two weeks without issue. No clue why tonight was the night he decided to go into full renovation mode.
On an identical ladder six feet over, he rolled his eyes. “Quit yer bellyachin’. The Pepto Bismol pink was making me cranky. Felt like I needed to hand in my mancard. We’ll go fishing just as soon as we’re done.”
Theo sniffed. “It’s Cotton Candy Blush, thank you thankyouverymuch.”
“Thank you for proving my point.” James climbed down to dip his roller again.
“Have you been taking edibles?” Bowen asked. “You think we’re finishing before the sun goes down?”
“Sure,” James said. “I believe in us.”
“Not happening.” I sighed. I was past ready to get out on Lake A and catch a smallmouth.
“What’s this paint color?” Cash asked, on the tallest ladder of all, edging freehand.
Liam chuckled. “Absolutely Not Pink.”
Everyone laughed but Theo, who looked annoyed that James hadn’t appreciated his decorating efforts.
James scrunched his face, trying to remember. “Plain Gray?”
“Nah, too boring,” Bowen said. “Respectable Mud.”
“Dignified Dirt,” Cash said in a snooty voice.
Theo pursed his lips. “Zero Frills.”
“I’m a guy.” James scowled. “I don’t want frills.”
“A guy raising a daughter.” Theo gestured dramatically at Willow, happily gnawing on her teether in the Pack N Play. “Are you trying to turn her into a villain? She’ll be fifteen and painting everything neon just to undo this trauma. Sheesh.”
Bowen, who was closest to the bedroom door, held up a hand, quieting us. “Did you guys hear that? I think someone’s at the front door.”
“I’ll get it.” I was glad for a reason to stop for a minute. I hopped onto the floor and jogged from the room. Through the window, I saw a generic black Tesla parked on the street. “Huh.” I opened the door.
And blinked.
I almost didn’t recognize the woman standing in front of me—brown hair, no makeup, buried in an oversized hoodie and jeans, a folded sheet of notebook paper clenched in her hand. The look on her face said I was about five seconds from being verbally demolished.
“Nessa?” I asked, shocked. “What’re you—”
“Where is she?” She pushed inside, knocking me out of the way. “Juliette Serrant!” she hollered. “Get your skinny behind out here, right now!”
I closed the door. “She’s not here.”
My brothers and cousins goosenecked from James’s room.
Nessa whirled on me. “Don’t lie to me. I have a bone to pick with her, and I’m not leaving until I do.”
“Seriously,” I said. “She’s not here.”
“Well, where is she?” she said impatiently as she pulled out her phone. “Drop me her pin.”
“She’s. Not. Here. As in not in Seddledowne.”
Nessa rolled her eyes. “You can stop covering for her. I know she’s here. Fallon told me so.”
I threw up my hands. “Juliette is not here anymore, and she never will be, okay? Not after learning about her little side gig as a prostitute.”
Nessa stared at me long enough to make it uncomfortable. “For real?” She folded in half, smacked her thigh, and cackled like she’d just heard the funniest joke of her life. “You are—” a gasp and another knee slap “—so stupid.”
“Excuse me?” I raised my voice. “It’s not funny. It’s the opposite of funny!”
She stood, tears rolling down her cheeks, tiny laughs bubbling out. Then her shoulders shook, and something in my chest tightened. She might be laughing, but she was crying too. And not the happy kind.
“You’re right.” Her lips pressed together and she shook with a sob. “It’s not funny. None of it’s funny.”
I gripped her arm. “Hey,” I said, calmer. “What is going on?”
“You’re stupid—” she whispered, this time painfully serious, “—if you actually believe Juliette was a prostitute.”
I stared at her.
Her expression turned down, as if she were disappointed in me. “I thought you were a good guy. Thought you were better than that.”
“Better than what, Nessa?” I threw my hands out. “What did I do?”
“Don’t call me that.” She shook her head. “I never want to be called that again.”
What?
She wiped her eyes on the cuff of her sleeve. “Do you mind if I sit?” She didn’t wait for permission—just walked over and dropped onto the couch, one foot tucked under her, head in her hands.
I followed, sitting on the opposite end.
“Sorry.” She sniffed. “I cried the entire flight here and gave myself a headache. I think I might be dehydrated.”
At that, the resident hospitality specialist made himself known. “I gotchu.” Theo jogged across the room, grabbed his favorite electrolyte drink from the fridge, and jogged over to her. He cracked the top and held it between his hands like an offering.
She looked up at him, surprised, a groove forming between her brows. “Thank you.” She took it from him and tossed it back. “Oh, that’s good.” She gulped some more.
Theo stood frozen, staring down at her, because as we’ve already established, Theo likes shiny, pretty things. And vulnerable and makeup-less was the prettiest version of Nessa I’d ever seen.
I cleared my throat.
Theo blinked. “Oh. Yeah. You’re welcome.” He made his way back to the others.
Nessa turned to face me. “My real name isn’t Nessa. Or Vanessa. Or any version of that. It’s Laney.”
My head jerked back. “Juliette’s Laney?”
She nodded, shame in her eyes.
My hands flew up, gripping the sides of my head.
It all made sense now.
“That’s why I’m so angry at her right now.” Her hands twisted in her lap. “I know we’re not close anymore, but I thought Julie cared about me at least a little bit.”
“What’re you talking about?” I asked. “What happened to make you say that?”
“Only… everything.” She forced out an exhale and began. “Apparently, DayGlow was sex trafficking her, and—”
A curse leaked from my throat, like someone had stabbed me in the trachea.
My cousins and brothers echoed, hissing swear words of their own.
Except for Theo, who punched at the sky and hooted, “Told you!” as if this were fabulous news.
I fell back onto the couch, trying to wrap my head around it.
Jules had been trafficked?