Chapter 49
FORTY-NINE
“ M r. Bryant, if you don’t need me for anything else, I’ll be leaving for lunch.”
“That’s fine.” Creed looked up from the mound of paperwork he was filling out for Glory to file against the Ashwood estate and said, “Take your time.”
“Would you like me to bring you lunch?”
“No, thanks.”
“Mr. Bryant?” Mrs. Boward looked at him worriedly. “Are you sure? I don’t mind.”
“I’m sure. Thank you, anyway.”
Completing the paperwork, he placed them in his briefcase to take home.
For the last four evenings, he had managed to make excuses for his late nights as well as the early morning meetings to dodge Sage. He didn’t know how much longer he could keep making excuses for staying away from her.
Having caught up on his paperwork, he had nothing left to occupy his mind from the thoughts racing through his mind.
After lunch, he would have Mrs. Boward check if any of the other attorneys needed any help with their cases.
Anything was better than going home to have Sage tell him what he had been expecting to hear after the Ashwoods’ deaths made the news five days ago.
The ping on his cell phone made him check his messages … and there it was.
We’re leaving the house. I’ll be home after 8. We need to talk.
Sage’s message sent his heart diving.
Leaving Mrs. Boward a message that he would be taking the rest of the day off, with his briefcase in hand, he left, taking the elevator to the parking garage. There was no need hiding out at his office if Sage wasn’t going to be home.
For the last three months, he had known this day was coming. He had held out hope he would have more time but, realistically, he’d been on borrowed time from the moment he had married Sage.
When he arrived home, the silence struck him at once.
Placing his briefcase on the kitchen counter, he went to sit down on the couch, not bothering to turn the television on.
He took out his cell phone to dial the only person whom he thought could understand what he was going through.
He held the phone to his ear, only for it to go immediately to voicemail.
“Call me when you get this message. I need to talk with you.”
Disconnecting the call, he laid the cell phone on the couch cushion, only to have to pick it back up.
“I had to check the caller ID to make sure it was you who was calling. What’s up?”
“Dad, Sage is going to leave me …” The words came out thick with the emotions he was no longer capable of holding back.
“It’s been a long time since you called me Dad.” Creed heard the thickening of emotions in Twister’s own voice. “Why do you think she is going to leave you?”
“She doesn’t need me for protection now that the Ashwoods are dead.”
Creed bent over, resting his elbow on his thigh. Placing his face in his hand as he held the phone in the other one, he dejectedly closed his eyes, picturing Sage the last time they had made love. How was he going to survive without her?
“The only reason I was able to convince her to marry me was because Victoria Ashwood put a hit out on her. With her and her husband gone, she doesn’t need me anymore.
I fucked up so bad with another woman, and she can’t forgive me …
I thought I had more time to convince her I love her, that I regret screwing up.
I just wanted to pay Garrett back for you losing your home. ”
“You’re why Garrett sent me the deed to the condo? The letter he sent me said that after looking over my file, his accountant found I had been overbilled.”
Creed gave a bitter laugh. “You should have seen the motherfucker’s face when I made him sign the condo over to you.”
“You should have seen mine when I read the letter.”
“You moved in yet?”
“Yeah. You should stop by and see the place. We can have a beer. It’s been a long time since we shared one.”
“I’m going to have plenty of free time after Sage leaves me.
She doesn’t have to worry I’ll fuck around with another woman.
She’s all I want, Dad.” His voice broke, and he didn’t even care.
“I can’t live without her. She’ll take the girls, too.
I’ll lose them, too. And I’ll miss Glory.
I never even knew I wanted a sister until I met her.
They’re my family … I’m losing my family, Dad. ”
“Creed, even if Sage does leave you, that doesn’t mean you have to stop convincing her you love her. Eventually, she’ll come back. She might just need more time to get over her anger. It isn’t easy for a woman to love men like us.”
“Do you really think I can convince her to come back after she leaves?”
“Son, when you love someone, no matter how angry they are, eventually, they come back. You can’t break the tie that binds you together.
If you love her as much as you say you do, and she loves you, that love will bind you.
My bond with your mother was cut with her death.
I survived because I wanted justice for losing her and what the Phantoms had done to you boys.
Sage might leave, but as long she’s breathing, that’s the only reason you need to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Besides, Creed, since when do you accept defeat?
If you can get Garrett Hollingsworth to deed a two-million-dollar condo over to me, I think you can handle getting Sage to stay. ”
His dad’s confidence in him didn’t boost his own.
“I’ll let you go, Dad. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Call me if you need me, son. I’ll always be here for you.”
Tossing the phone aside, he sat hunched over, his hands hanging loosely in front of him. Picturing how beautiful Sage had looked this morning, lying sleeping in his bed, made his composure break without anyone there to witness.
He was thinking of getting up to get flowers when he heard piano music playing.
Frowning, he reached for his phone, thinking that was where the music was coming from.
Had he not disconnected from the call with his dad?
Confused when he saw the music wasn’t coming from his phone, as the ethereal notes filled the air, he dropped the phone back down and rose from the couch.
Striding past the kitchen, Creed followed the haunting notes. He approached the music room but was almost afraid to look inside. Unable to resist the pull of the music, however, he took the final step to cross the threshold.
Feeling the burning sting of tears behind his eyes, he walked further into the room, mesmerized by the woman playing the piano.
Sage hadn’t touched it since it had come through the door.
At first, he’d thought he’d been mistaken about her wanting the piano when she had looked at it longingly at the Hollingsworths, but it hadn’t taken him long to figure why.
She hadn’t played the piano because she was still hurt by his betrayal, nor was she sure she would stay, or if she loved him enough to do so.
He moved around the piano so he could get a better view of the alluring picture she made as Sage played the exquisite music, and their eyes met over the piano.
“Who composed the song you’re playing?” he asked softly, not wanting to break the spell of the music.
“Yiruma,” she told him just as softly.
“What’s the name?”
“‘Kiss the Rain.’”
“It’s beautiful.”
“Yes, it is.” Her hair to fell forward as she lowered her face to look back down at the keys. “I heard you talking to Twister.”
“I didn’t think you were home.”
“Why did you think I was going to leave you?”
“The Ashwoods are gone; you don’t need me anymore.
I’ve been waiting for you to tell me you’re leaving since their deaths hit the news.
I saw the girls’ suitcases packed in their rooms last night when I went in to make sure they were all right before I went to bed.
I saw you had one packed in your closet.
I checked while you were sleeping. When you texted me this morning, I thought that was what you wanted to tell me tonight. ”
“I packed the suitcases because I wanted to be prepared if Glory gets a match. She had a doctor’s appointment this morning. He sent her to the hospital. She’ll have to stay there until she receives a match … if she does.”
Sage lifted her eyes, and when they met his again, tears were sliding down her cheeks. “I wanted to talk to you tonight to tell you’d I’d be staying at the hospital during the evenings and ask if it was okay for you to watch the girls while I’m there.”
“Of course,” he answered. “I’ll do anything I can to help. Where are they now?”
“April moved back to Kansas City. She got homesick. The girls are staying with her tonight. I wanted to enjoy a romantic evening with you, since I don’t know how long Glory will be in the hospital.”
Creed nodded at the unopened bottle of champagne and flute glass sitting on the piano.
“Only one glass?”
“I thought we could share.” She gave him a misty smile as he came around the piano to smooth her tears away with his fingers.
“I love you.”
Sage rubbed her cheek against his hand. “I love you, too. And I’ll always need your protection, Creed. I could never leave you. I need my heart to survive.” Her hands dropped from the keys to her lap.
Bending down, Creed swept Sage up with one arm, her arms coming up to circle his neck tightly.
He moved around the bench then stopped. Using his free hand, he picked up the flute and the bottle of champagne before carrying her out of the room, through the downstairs, and up the winding staircase to their bedroom.
He set her on the bed, then the champagne and glass on the nightstand, and cupped her face, letting all the love he felt for her show in his expression. “Is this romantic enough for you?” he asked, teasing her lips with his.
Showing all the love she felt for him in her expression like he did her, she gave him a misty smile.
“I’ve always thought of tears as a weakness.
My parents taught us crying never solved anything.
That’s why I wouldn’t let myself cry. I couldn’t be weak.
Glory, Colby, and Tinsley needed me to be strong for them.
“Tears aren’t a weakness; they are a reflection of emotions filled with happiness or sorrow. You can’t experience the true joy of happiness, until you feel the pain of sorrow.”
Sage reached out to slowly untie Creed’s tie.
“I found out what the pain of sorrow felt like when I had to sign turning off Denny’s life support, then watch the agony Glory had to endure as she healed.”
Sliding his tie off, she started unbuttoning his shirt. As the last button came undone, she looked up into Creed’s somber eyes, seeing her reflection staring back her. Tears were still running from her eyes.
Sage lifted her fingertips to her cheek, then pulled her hand back and showed it to Creed.
“These are tears of joy, Creed. I’m crying because I found out tonight how much you love me.” She took a steadying breath, afraid she wouldn’t be able to finish what she wanted to say.
“I just want you to remember wherever our life together takes us, you made me cry first.”