CHAPTER TWENTY #3
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dad,” I sneer. “I’ve always had my head on straight, even when you abandoned me for months, leaving my grandparents to raise me and not you,” I spit.
“No, you weren’t in the right frame of mind, and after watching my daughter be publicly humiliated for all the world to see, I knew I had to fix the problem sooner than planned.”
“Sooner?”
“Yes.”
“Are you crazy? I could’ve been in that car with him!”
“I knew where you were the entire time. I’ve had eyes on you ever since the news announced you being married to that asshole.”
Now I do feel my knees weaken. My own Dad has had me followed for months before he tried to kill my husband. How did my security not notice someone else watching me?
“Wait, they thought Kevin Jenkins was behind the car bomb.”
Dad crosses his arms over his chest and rests back on his heels.
“I told you that the Thornes had a past. Kevin just happened to be part of it. It was like two birds one stone kinda thing.”
“Kevin was a Senior Associate at Levi’s law firm that was fired for falsifying documents at work against Linc. He made sure he lost his job and we didn’t hear anything else from him after that. Levi would’ve said if he had a connection to him.”
“Would he?” Dad questions.
I know what he is trying to do; make me question Levi and our bond but I won’t play into his hands. Levi and I have worked extremely hard to build our trust back and leaving something like this out would be devastating.
“Levi’s dad, Daniel, and Kevin’s dad used to be in the same law firm when they started out of law school.
They both were rising to the top when Daniel did some underhanded shit and blamed it on Kevin’s dad.
His dad got disbarred after the firm turned him over.
Let’s just say the family feud didn’t end there.
Kevin thought he could pull the same on Linc and have him lose everything, just like his old man. ”
“How do you know all of this?”
“Because, unlike you, I don’t walk around with my head in the clouds. I did my homework, then started to tail Kevin and get close to him. He turned out to be the biggest scapegoat of all. I think he might hate the Thornes more than me, especially after the beat down his security gave him.”
“Did you kill him too?” I can’t even believe I have to ask this question to my father, but now I’m not sure what he’s capable of. “The building blew up before they were able to get to him.”
“Now that was all him. He was a lunatic, genius, but one crazy motherfucker.” He almost sounds proud.
“I can’t believe you’re just standing there like we’re talking about the fucking weather. When did you become so callous?”
“The moment I learned that the world didn’t care about doing what was right, but only what money could buy you.
I had to sit and watch as my child felt like she didn’t matter, and was humiliated for the entire world to see.
I promised to never have her experience that again,” he defends.
“So I decided to enact something that had been festering in my soul, and should’ve been taken care of a long time ago. ”
“I don’t understand where all this is coming from. Why are you so against the Thornes? What did they ever do to you?”
“Because that bastard let my sister’s murderer walk free and didn’t bat an eye to the destruction he caused!” Dad yells. I’ve never seen him lose his cool before and fear starts to climb up my spine.
“Your twin, Amanda? Is that who you are referring to?” I ask. “Levi wasn’t even around at the time all that happened.”
“No, but Daniel was. He was on the legal defense that got him off. He was the one who found the piece of evidence that got the bastard set free.” Dad zones out, looking off to the other side of the room.
“He let that man walk free and my sister was rotting in the ground. She was the best person in the entire world. She was kind and loving and would never even think to hurt a single soul. She didn’t deserve what happened to her and it’s all because of that money-hungry scumbag. ”
My heart drops and a wave of sadness forms over me. My dad has been holding a grudge all this time, and biding his time to strike out at those who hurt his twin. I understand his frustration and anger, but I can’t believe he’d go to all these lengths. This isn’t normal.
“I’m so sorry that Amanda was killed but—”
“I wasn’t going to let you be part of that family’s collateral damage. Then I find out that Everly was involved with the other brother, so I decided to take action. There was no way I was going to let their claws get into you girls. I stayed away for your own good, and look at the path you chose.”
“Oh, Dad, how could you do this?” I palm my forehead in despair. So many lives have been destroyed.
His phone goes off and he quickly answers it, keeping an eye on me. But just as fast as the call came through, it ends.
“Our ride is almost here.”
“Ride?” Now he’s thrown me for a loop.
“We’re leaving. I need to get you safely away, now that Levi and his goons have found you.
I really thought Brody would’ve done a better job of keeping you hidden, but beggars can’t be choosers.
I thought the asshole would’ve found you before two years, especially being so close to his grandparent’s place, though. ”
“Was Brody in on this with you?” I can’t believe this.
“No, but I had been watching for some time, making sure you and Halo were fine.”
“You knew where we were but didn’t say anything, or come by to see me?” I can’t stop the hurt in my voice, even though I’m mad as hell at him.
“I couldn’t risk Levi finding you so I kept a low profile.”
A ping from his phone goes off.
“It’s time, go get Halo. Leave everything here, I’ll make sure you two have the things you’ll need at our next stop.”
“I’m not leaving with you and neither is my daughter.”
“See. This is why I couldn’t sit you down and have a discussion about Levi Thorne. He has you brainwashed and you’re not thinking clearly.”
“No one has brainwashed me!” I yell. “I love that man and he’s everything to me and Halo. He’d walk through fire for me and Halo.”
Dad looks even more bored. The door down the hall creaks open, and my heart stops.
Halo. She must’ve heard us yelling and woke up.
I hate that she has started crawling over the railing now that she’s a little older.
Ginger helps her over the side a lot of the times too.
So she doesn’t hurt herself. Dad is between me and the hall, making it difficult to make it to her first.
“There she is!” Dad gushes as Halo comes into view, holding her teddy bear and pink blanket with Ginger on her heels. She is thankfully oblivious to the storm brewing in here.
Before I can move, he’s got her scooped up in his arms and put on his hip. This is a nightmare of epic proportions. There is no way I’m leaving here with him to some unknown place, but now that he has Halo, I can’t help but to comply for her sake.
“The dog stays,” Dad says as he rocks her back and forth, as her tired form lays her head on his shoulder.
There is nothing more I want than to snag her from him.
Never in my life did I ever not want to be around him.
All those years of wishing he was more in my life is coming back to bite me in the ass.
“Dad, we can’t go with you. Levi is not what you think.
He’d never hurt me or Halo. Ever.” I take a step towards him slowly, making my way to reach Halo.
If someone would’ve asked me yesterday if I trusted my life with Dad, the immediate answer would’ve been a hell yes, but now I’m not sure what this man is capable of.
“It’s not up to you anymore. I thought you’d gotten your head on straight in Montana, but clearly Levi still has his hooks in you.” Lights from a car flash through the living room window. “My guy is here and we leave now.”
Just as I’m about to reach him and rip Halo out of his grasp, the front door opens and Levi and Mitch barge in. Dad stumbles back from the shock, and I lose my chance to grab Halo.
“Put our daughter down or hand her over to Saylor, Adam,” Levi demands, as he comes to stand by me. Mitch is evaluating the situation in the room by standing off to the side, as if to box him in.
“Not a chance Levi. I wish you’d just died in the bombing, then we wouldn’t have to go through all this,” Dad states, and pulls something out of his back.
A gun.
“Oh god, Dad! Don’t do this in front of her!” I’m panicking and try to lunge at him, but Levi holds me back.
Halo is fully awake now and starting to cry, while reaching for her daddy.
I’m a nervous wreck, shaking. Ginger seems to be taking in the room, and starting to crouch down in a defensive position, not liking her cries.
Halo is wiggling, trying to be released from Dad, because he’s holding her too tight.
“Adam, let Halo down and we can talk all you want,” Levi says in the calmest voice ever. How is he not as panicked as I am? But then I see his hands trembling, and know that he is anything but calm.
“I’ve heard and seen enough to know that no amount of talking will change my mind.
My daughter and grandbaby may be caught under your spell, but I’m not.
Your charms don’t work here. I know all about your past and what your family puts people through first hand.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it?
I refuse to sit back and watch my daughter be the next one in line to being a victim of the choices you’ve made. ”
“Please don’t do this Dad,” I beg, as I sob along with Halo. Ginger is getting more irritated, but then Dad raises the gun up to point it at Levi. “NO!” I scream and try to move my body in front of him.