Chapter 5 #2
While Edward had always been pretty nice to her that didn’t mean he was a good dad to Slade. The two of them butted heads a lot.
“They are my family,” Slade snarled at him.
She slid her free hand into his, backing him up all the way, but also hoping it might calm him down.
He and Edward stared at each other for so long that she really thought they were going to have to leave. But then Edward waved his hand at the table which was set for six.
“Sit, then.”
He must have been expecting all of them; he’d just felt the need to push Slade .
She would never get that. Indie would much rather live a peaceful life. Why did people like to push and push until they got a reaction out of someone?
Slade drew out her chair, seating her next to him. Quaid sat on the other side of the table, next to Edward who glared at him. Spencer sat next to Quaid, while Rock took her other side.
Edward looked a bit worse for wear. He had puffy eyes and his hair needed a trim. His clothes were hanging off him.
A bit like yours.
She grimaced. Billy bought all of her clothes; she wasn’t given access to their bank account. He’d claimed that he knew what looked good on her.
She hated most of it. It was all so formal and businesslike. She didn’t even have a job. Where was she going to wear blazers and pencil skirts?
So she’d worn some of her old clothes today. Jeans and a long sweater. Only trouble was that they were now at least one size too big.
Her mum wouldn’t be happy with her informal look.
Speaking of . . .
“Where’s Mum?” she asked. “Is she coming for lunch?” Why wasn’t there a setting for her?
A weird feeling developed in her stomach as Edward stiffened, then he pierced her with a look. As he stared at her, that look softened slightly.
“Your mother is gone. That’s why I wanted us to all meet.”
“Gone?” she asked. That made her sound like she was dead. But she’d know if she was, right?
When was the last time she’d spoken to her mum? It must have been months.
She was a terrible daughter.
Rock grasped hold of her hand under the table, squeezing it gently.
Letting her know that he was here for her .
Edward rubbed his hand over his face. “I knew better than to trust her. Stupid faithless bitch.”
Indie jumped at those words. She didn’t think she’d ever heard Edward swear before.
“Dad,” Slade said sharply. “That’s your wife and Indie’s mum.”
“Not anymore,” Edward said darkly as he rose from the table. “Sylvia and I are getting a divorce. She’s been cheating on me with Franklin Lyle for months.”
“Franklin? Your business associate?” Quaid asked.
“Yes,” Edward shot out. “Betrayed by two people I trusted.”
“Well, it’s not like you haven’t been cheating on her for years,” Slade said to him, taking hold of Indie’s other hand.
If it wasn’t for them, she’d have taken off already.
God, she hated confrontations like this.
Edward shot his son a scorching look.
“But I guess it’s different when you’re the one being cheated on, huh?” Slade added.
“They’re currently in Ibiza together!” Edward snapped. “They didn’t even tell me. A mutual acquaintance sent me some photos of the two of them together. She is embarrassing me!”
Which was the real issue here.
Because Edward didn’t really care that her mum was sleeping with someone else, just that other people knew about it.
“I’ve had my lawyer contact her. Her stuff has already been removed and put into storage. Indie, I would appreciate it if you could grab anything that you’ve left here. It has been nice knowing you, but I don’t expect we’ll ever meet again.”
The blow hurt more because it was so unexpected.
Yes, she wasn’t related to him. But she’d been in his life for nine years and while she’d always expected them to split up at some stage, she hadn’t anticipated this.
“Dad!” Slade snarled, standing. “You can’t just kick Indie out like that.”
Edward blinked. “I’m not kicking her out. She doesn’t live here. ”
Indie could feel her heart starting to race. Sweat coated her body as she attempted to breathe steadily.
This was it.
Now she really didn’t have a home. It was strange, she’d never thought of this place as home, as her safety net.
But now that it was gone, she felt like she was in freefall.
“I thought this lunch would be a courtesy to let her know what was going on and so she could check to see if she has anything here that she wants. I’m unsure how that makes me a bad person.” Edward actually appeared confused.
“It’s even worse that you don’t realize how this makes you an asshole,” Slade told him.
“Slade,” she said in a quiet voice, reaching out to put her hand on his arm. “Leave it.”
This had happened to her a lot over the years. Where her mum would move in with a guy then cheat on him or show her true colors.
And then they’d be kicked out, never to see him again.
This time it was more of a shock because Edward had been in her life for so long.
But it wasn’t losing him that made her feel like she was on the edge of a panic attack.
It was the idea that she might lose them.
That they might walk out of her life as easily as he had.
Rock leaned down, his lips brushing her ear and making her shiver.
She was acting ridiculous.
“Calm.” His voice was low. That was one of the few words he’d ever spoken to her so she knew he could tell that she was freaking out. “Breathe.”
Then he stood and glared at Edward before tugging her from the room. She could hear Edward and Slade arguing as Rock headed upstairs with her behind him.
“There’s nothing of mine up there,” she told him. “Mum told me she got rid of everything I’d left here. ”
“Fucking bitch.”
She startled, turning to find Spencer behind her. She just shrugged at his words.
That was her mum.
God. She couldn’t believe that she’d been so blatant about having an affair. Was she insane?
“I can’t believe she’s done this.” Indie ran her shaking hand over her face. “And she didn’t even tell me.”
“Like I said, she’s a bitch, Princess.” Spencer moved up the stairs until he stood close to her. “Don’t even think about her. She’s not worth it.”
She glanced up at Rock, who nodded.
“Edward never wants to see me again,” she said, feeling numb and out of it. “I mean, we’re not close. I guess I just never thought . . .”
“That he’d cut you out completely,” Slade said angrily as he stormed toward them, Quaid following. “That’s because he’s a fucking wanker.”
Great.
Now she was getting between Slade and his father. Something she never wanted to do. They didn’t have the best relationship and this would only make things worse.
“Don’t be angry with him over me,” she said quietly.
Slade shot her a look like she was being an idiot.
“He’d go to war over you,” Spencer told her quietly as Slade headed outside. “We all would.”
Quaid stared up at her solemnly. “Is there anything you need from this place?”
She shook her head.
“Then let’s go.”