Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Mateo
I leap from the couch as the front door opens with a bang.
“Mateo,” I hear my father’s stern voice call.
Tossing a reassuring glance down at Cat, who’s looking like her whole world is caving in on her, I make my way to the foyer.
My whole family is piling in, peeling off their jackets and looking a bit haggard.
I guess a night at a hotel in a tropical storm will do that to you.
I can only imagine how harrowing the journey home was on still choppy waters.
“What on earth happened to the house?”
It takes me a moment to answer, the collapsed east wing having fully slipped my mind in all the excitement of having Cat back. “A tree fell in the wind last night, took out a few windows. The hallway and a few of the rooms flooded, but the water’s gone now. We’ve been safe and relatively dry.”
“Why didn’t you call?” he demands.
“The power’s been out for hours. The storm must have taken out a cell tower because my phone hasn’t worked either. Do yours work?”
My sister Samantha steps forward and nods, holding her phone up. “We’ve been trying to call you since yesterday. And did I hear you say we?”
My heart sinks. I hoped that little slip of the tongue would go unnoticed. No sooner has my father’s glare returned to me than he’s looking over my shoulder toward the living room. I don’t need to turn around to know who appeared there.
“Sylvia,” he says, tone flat. Her beautiful name on his lips enrages me. “What are you doing here?”
“I…got caught in the storm—”
I step protectively in front of her. “She’s with me.
And she’s going to be with me forever.” I hold up her left hand as I pull her into my side.
“I learned the truth about what you did, father.” I’m brimming with anger, but I keep my cool.
There’s no point in allowing this to come to blows.
The only thing on my mind is getting this woman, and her mother, out of this house safely.
“But that’s a discussion for another time.
If you all made it home, that means the waters are calm enough to cross. ”
“We found a boat willing to make the crossing. Dad paid them a fortune to take us on Christmas,” my sister offers from over my father’s shoulder.
He glares back at her before turning that harsh gaze on me and my brand new fiancé. “Your girlfriend and I made a deal, or didn’t she tell you?”
Divide and conquer. His signature move.
Too bad it’s not going to work this time.
“She told me everything. Honestly, I can’t believe I didn’t guess that’s what happened all those years ago. You convinced me that she just left, and you let me think that this whole time. You’re unbelievable.”
“I did what I had to do for this family. It’s bad enough that your older brother ran off to be a damn musician, I couldn’t have you throwing your future away as well.
There’s power in marrying someone from the right family, son.
You have to understand that I did what I did with your best interests in mind. ”
“Like I said, this is a conversation for another time. Right now, Cat and I are leaving, and we’re taking her mother with us.”
“You’re making a mistake,” he says defiantly, but I can hear the resignation in his voice. Other than manipulation and blackmail, he doesn’t hold any real power over us.
Thank goodness my grandfather knew the man well enough not to put the future of his legacy in my father’s hands.
“The only mistake I made was believing that I could trust you. I can’t even imagine what else you’ve been lying about over the years.
” I turn to face my sister, who’s cowering in the corner.
“Are you paying attention, Samantha? This is what he’s capable of.
Lying, deceit, anything he has to do to get his way. ”
She’s not going to speak against the man with him glowering down at her, and I can’t blame her for that. “If you need anything, Sam, you call me, okay?”
She gives the faintest nod before freezing once more into a statue under our father’s icy glare.
Benjamin, the house manager and driver, steps into the foyer loaded with shopping bags. He must feel the tension of the moment because he stops short and looks around.
I seize the moment. “Ben, where’s Ms. McAll?”
“I’m right here.” Cat’s mom steps over the threshold, clutching her raincoat around her body. Her face is troubled, and I wonder how much of that she heard.
“Perfect,” I say, turning back to Cat. “You ready?”
She glances at her mother momentarily before nodding. I nod in return, reaching for her hand. We’re going to be leaving a few things behind. It’s the price we have to pay to get out of here safely. I won’t risk one more minute in this house, not for things that we can easily replace.
Her mother’s room, containing all of the woman’s worldly possessions, is another story. It was hard to tell how much will be salvageable after the storm damage, but I know for certain we’re going to need to come back for whatever we can get.
“I’m going to have one of my high school buddies drive out tomorrow to pick up Ms. Mcall’s things. He’ll box them up himself if they aren’t already.”
My father says nothing, just glares at me with his arms crossed.
“Go wait in the car, okay?” I say to Cat, passing her my keys. She takes them and leaves the house without another word, her mother’s hand clasped tightly in hers.
I cross the foyer to my sister and pull her into an embrace.
“You’re ruining Christmas, you know?” she teases into my chest as I give her a squeeze.
I laugh softly. “I know. Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine. I’m used to it. We haven't had a proper celebration since you stopped coming home.”
I hold her at arm’s length and give her a warm smile. “You okay?”
She nods and I believe her. Samantha is strong and independent. She’s going to be just fine.
I dare one last glance at my father, but he’s still waiting for me to leave, unwavering disapproval painted across his features.
“Bye, Dad.”
I don’t wait for an answer.