Chapter 14 #2
Mom had kept the bruises hidden, just like I had. I was a match for him now, which meant Andrew would be his preferred target. Dad’s threat to Taryn was unusual, but I’d never let him know I cared enough about something for him to use it against me.
I winced as I remembered my outburst. If there’d been any doubt about my feelings before, he had evidence now she was a weakness as he’d claimed. As I’d always feared.
But was she?
Her and Carrie were giving me time to deal with the problem. Cole and Reece were ready and willing to throw down backing me up. They’d done it before. They did it every time they covered for me.
Those relationships didn’t feel like weak points—they helped me keep moving forward. I wasn’t going to abandon them now.
As casually as I could, in case Dad was watching from somewhere, I exited the truck and retrieved my gear. Cole opened his mouth when I walked into the house, probably to scold me for not taking the outside path to the backyard with my stinky bag, but he closed it again after I met his eyes.
When I came back into the living room after dumping my stuff on the back porch, Reece had joined Cole on the couch. Sunny curled up between them fast asleep on what looked like black, lacy lingerie.
I raised a brow at the scene. “Why is my duck feeling sexy tonight?”
Cole laughed, and Reece crossed his arms. “We figured you could use a little encouragement when you go over to the hot neighbor’s house.”
My second brow rose. “I don’t think I’ll fit into that.”
Reece waggled his eyebrows. “We got a double XL.”
Cole cleared his throat. “As funny as this is, I had nothing to do with it. Don’t lump me in with him. Sunny’s bag is ready, and her carrier is by the door in case you need it.”
They shared a look of surprise when I sat down on the coffee table instead of leaving. The moment made me pause and realize I was maybe not a great friend.
“I need to tell you guys something, and I need you to not interrupt.” I pointed a finger at Reece as he opened his mouth. “Especially you.”
He nodded and made a zipping motion over his lips.
“Right. So, first off, I’m sorry I’m a shitty friend.”
“You aren’t—” Cole started, but he cut himself off when I glared at him. “Sorry.”
“I know you guys, and Gavin when he was here, were constantly changing around your lives to make mine easier. I hated the idea that I needed the help, so I ignored it.”
Unease crawled up the back of my throat, but I forced myself to continue while they’d let me talk.
“I’m trying to be better, but that’s not the important part.”
Cole snorted, but he didn’t say anything.
“My dad is in town. He’s dangerous. I’ll tell you the whole stupid backstory later, but Taryn is waiting on me. Just trust me when I say to ignore him if he comes by, and under no circumstances should you let him anywhere near Andrew.”
I pulled up a news article from a few weeks ago with Dad front and center shaking hands with the owner of the Sound. “He’s the guy on the left.”
“No shit,” Reece muttered. “You definitely came from the same genetics.”
“Why?” Cole asked as he studied the image.
“He wants me to give him custody of Andrew, and I can’t let that happen.”
My roommates went silent, not simply listening, but intense and predatory. These were the guys I trusted to keep rival hockey assholes away from me in the net. The ones I knew would come out swinging if I needed backup.
Cole nodded. “Okay.” Nothing else. No explanation necessary.
Reece eyed the picture again. “Want me to call my grandma?”
He wasn’t joking this time. His eyes were dead serious, and I knew he’d put the full force of his family name behind me despite having to cross the rift with his grandmother to do so.
The offer was tempting, but I couldn’t accept.
Reece had worked hard to get away from his family’s control, and I wouldn’t ask him to go back for me.
“No. I can handle this, but I didn’t want you guys blindsided.” I stood up to collect my duck and dropped the lingerie in Reece’s lap. “Thanks for not asking questions, but I’ve recently realized it’s not fair to keep pretending everything is fine.”
“Is this the hot neighbor’s doing? Because I approve.”
Cole elbowed Reece as I tucked Sunny into her carrier. “You shouldn’t call her that.”
Sunny looked up at me, made a little whistling noise, then went back to sleep.
Reece rubbed his side. “You’re very pointy.”
Cole stood as I gathered Sunny’s things. “You don’t have to explain anything to us, but if you want to talk, we’re happy to listen.”
I paused, trying to push past my discomfort. “The short version is my dad was an abusive asshole, and I have it on good authority he still is.”
They didn’t look surprised, and I should have known I couldn’t hide my trauma from the people I spent the most time with.
“If he comes by, should we call the cops?” asked Cole, ever the good guy.
He probably didn’t realize how easy it was for Dad to convince authority figures I was the problem.
“Don’t bother. He won’t do anything illegal out in the open. Just ignore him until he goes away.”
“No problem,” Reece assured me. “I won’t even answer the door. Kenzie’s staying at her mom’s tonight, and Avery is doing something remodeling related with Coach. Cole is heading over there to kiss ass with his tools in a minute.”
Cole rolled his eyes. “I like being helpful.”
Reece snorted. “Sure.” He turned to me. “Try not to traumatize the kid any more than usual. If he’s anything like you, he’ll sleep until afternoon then emerge from his lair to scavenge for food. Might want to make sure your ass is dressed and out of Taryn’s room by that point.”
“So you do know her name,” Cole accused him.
Reece shrugged. “Calling her the hot neighbor keeps everyone’s attention away from Mase and his massive baggage, but sure, I can be respectful.”
A smile threatened to break free, but I didn’t want to encourage his twisted logic. Cole, for his part, tossed a throw pillow at Reece’s head. When Reece tried to defend himself with the other throw pillow, he got tangled up in the lingerie and faceplanted on the floor.
I’d never appreciated my roommates more. They continued to bicker as I ran downstairs for a change of clothes before gathering Sunny and her bag on the way out the door.
No sign of the car I’d seen before, and Mrs. Lipnicki’s curtain remained closed for once.
Staying the night at Taryn’s might be a mistake, but I was going all in with this one.
Tomorrow, I’d hopefully talk to the lawyer and get a better idea of what Andrew needed from me. Then I’d do my best to deliver.
For the first time, I felt a little lighter as I walked across the yard in the cold night.