Chapter 19
Tally never expected her distraction to actually work . One of the reasons she had never told her father of her troubles with Gordon Tremont was because she feared he would ascend down upon Atlanta with an army en masse. Well, that seemed pretty distracting.
The drive back to Atlanta felt longer than the car ride up had been. All she kept thinking about was Scar and what his brothers were going to do to rescue him from her father. The fact that anyone needed rescuing from her father was enough to make her question her entire childhood and relationship with him. It absolved her of all guilt as she made the phone call to tell him how she suspected Gordon Tremont had burned down her restaurant.
Simone drove Tally back to her house. When her father demanded to know where she’d been for the past three days, Tally lied—something she was able to convincingly do over the phone—and told him she’d been at Simone’s. It wasn’t her fault the bodyguards he’d left behind were so incompetent that they couldn’t guess she might have gone to her best friend’s house for a few days to recover from her loss and the scare she’d received when his people had come charging into her apartment.
Tally had to bite her tongue against asking where Scar was and what her father was doing to him.
Putting Tom in contact with Keys might have been a mistake. Despite their age difference, they hit it off like two peas in a pod and were possibly plotting world domination. Both computer experts, it was revealed that Tom also dabbled in a bit of hacking. Somehow one or both of them spoofed information to make it look like Tally’s phone had been inside Tom and Simone’s house for the three days she was in Pennsylvania.
Unfortunately, Tally did not inform Tom or Keys about her plan to distract her father until after she had already called him. Which was when she learned of Gordon Tremont’s very gruesome death.
It was safe to say Tally now knew where Scar had disappeared to for hours after dropping Grayson off at her apartment. Holy fuck. According to Tom, who got the official, unredacted report from Keys, Gordon Tremont had been burned alive and over a dozen warehouse employees were slaughtered. Atlanta Police were in an uproar and the FBI were involved.
Putting her father into the mix only added fuel to the fire. Tally knew her dad well enough to know that if he wasn’t already informed about Gordon Tremont’s death then there was something truly distracting going on in his world. Normally, the man was all over the news in Atlanta, wanting to ensure his baby girl was safe.
It occurred to Tally for the first time that her father hadn’t known about the police report she’d made the night Scar had entered her life. That was something her father would have been on top of. But he’d never asked about it. The only phone conversation Tally had had with him in the past month, prior to the current week, was the distracted one in her office where she made the assumption that he’d sent Scar down to Atlanta to discreetly protect her.
When Tom and Keys told Tally about Gordon Tremont’s death, Tally assumed her father wouldn’t come, that she’d messed up getting her father out of Washington, D.C., and would have to make up another reason.
Except Keys discovered a link between Gordon Tremont and the 3Ts. They were a gang from Miami that had worked their way north in recent years. Their time in Atlanta had been short and bloody after a tangle with a biker gang known as the Black Pythons. Except, it would seem, they hadn’t left Atlanta. They’d just gone underground .
Atlanta had a vast underground history leading all the way back to Prohibition. There were even tourist tours of the Hidden City. However, a number of the tunnels were deemed unsafe and condemned. After the 3Ts had been run out of Atlanta by the Black Pythons, they’d returned but were now using that network of tunnels to move their drugs around the city undetected.
Tunnels that ran directly under Tally’s restaurant.
A lot of these details Tally learned over the next few days as her father joined the investigation. She had no idea that there was underground access from her old building. It made sense, given the age of the area and the building itself, but it wasn’t on the information she’d been given in the sale.
Tally’s conflicting emotions about what she was calling her father’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personalities increased over the next few days. However, the more she learned and heard, the more she realized Dr. Jekyll, the man who raised her, was the mask and Mr. Hyde was who her father truly was.
It sickened her.
Tally stayed in regular contact with Sissy. She couldn’t tell Tally much, but she did tell her when their rescue plan was made and gave her a two day head’s up about the pending fallout. While her father was distracted taking down a drug ring, both in Atlanta as well as going after the source in Miami, Tally had a serious sit down conversation with Simone and Tom.
“You’re moving to Mount Grove,” Simone said without Tally even having to say a word.
“I’m heading back to be with Scar,” Tally clarified. “I don’t know what condition he’ll be in when they get him out and I don’t want to be here while he’s there. I need to be with him . But his family is there. It’s his home.”
Simone’s voice held a tinge of worry. “Tally.” She reached across her kitchen table for Tally’s hand. “I just want to make sure you’re doing this because you want to and not out of some misplaced guilt about your dad.”
Tally could not blame her for that concern. She wouldn’t be Tally’s best friend if she kept her opinions to herself and didn’t play devil’s advocate. Her worry was entirely valid too. A lot had happened in the past several days and a lot was about to happen in the coming ones.
When Tally and Simone had returned to Atlanta, they had gone to Simone’s house to set up Tally’s alibi there for when her father arrived. The next day, yesterday, they went back to Tally’s apartment for the first time.
Tally had lived in her waterfront apartment for over five years, since the day she moved to Atlanta. She loved it. Her father had even jumped through hoops so her landlord would allow her to make her necessary modifications, including removing all carpeting and thresholds while adding things like her shower and in-floor bath mat. Her apartment was her home .
The moment Tally had stepped inside her apartment she’d known: this wasn’t home for her anymore.
Because it was missing something, missing him .
In the short time that he’d been in her life, Scar had made a profound impact. He was a part of her and, she hoped, she was a part of him now too. Maybe it was premature, but that wasn’t a bad thing and it certainly wasn’t wrong. In her heart, Tally knew the truth.
Home was wherever Scar was.
And even if Scar returned to Atlanta to be with her, was it really where either of them wanted to be? Tally loved her restaurant, but it was gone. She could rebuild. It would take a lot of time and money, but it was doable. Of course, she’d have to pay a company to permanently seal off the underground tunnel access now that she knew it was there. The last she’d spoken to the fire marshal, the brick structure of the building was sound. Rebuilding was possible.
Tally had worked hard to earn her reputation as the Blind Chef of Atlanta. All her life she’d strived for the independence to make her mark on the world. She’d achieved that goal. But at a cost. Her entire life was her work. For two years, she’d built her restaurant into the success it had been. And where had it gotten her? A ninety-hour work week filled with stress, a never ending to-do list, and a pile of office work that took her away from her kitchen. Hell, she’d had a more intimate relationship with her stalker in the past month than she had with the man who’d been her boyfriend.
Did she really want to go back to that?
Tally squeezed Simone’s hand. “I am doing this for me,” she confirmed. “I am going back because whatever decisions are made from now on need to be between Scar and me. I won’t make any plans about our future without him.”
“Tal… Look, I know you have this… sense about him. There’s obviously something there on your end. You need to remember, I’ve never even seen this guy. I don’t know what the two of you are like together.”
Tally snorted. “I’ve never seen him either.”
Simone slapped the back of Tally’s hand playfully. “Stop it, you know what I mean.”
“I do,” Tally said in all seriousness. “But I was also being truthful. I haven’t seen him in my way . I’ve never even touched him, Simone.” Her fingertips tingled at the lie, but Tally could not make herself talk about that evening in her storage unit.
“From what I heard, Tally, while we were in Pennsylvania,” Simone said carefully, like she was worried she was about to hurt Tally’s feelings, “you might not ever be able to.”
Tally knew that too from her conversations with Sissy. “I know.” She swallowed hard. “I know that he might not be able to touch me and I know that I’ll never be able to see him—and I don’t care.” She lifted her other hand to wipe at her suddenly tear-filled eyes. “I’m not sure if I can explain it and I’m not sure you can understand because you have all your senses. But when you’re missing one, the others are heightened. You learn that there is more than one way to feel, to learn, to connect. Scar and I,” her voice cracked, “we connected , which I know sounds crazy because we’ve never even held hands, but it’s true. I can’t really describe it, and believe me, I know how corny it sounds to say ‘we connected with our souls’, but that’s really the best explanation I’ve got.”
“It’s more than that, Tally. I know you say he’ll never harm you, but he is dangerous. Just look at what he did to Gordon Tremont and his men.”
Tally nodded. “I know. And maybe I’m a little fucked up in the head because I don’t care. He didn’t slaughter innocents. He didn’t kill without purpose or cause. He killed to protect me .”
“But he still killed ,” Simone pressed. “He’s a killer.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. Si, humans kill . Look at our entire history as a race. Humans are killers. A spider comes into our home; what do we do? We kill it. We go into the river and someone gets attacked by an alligator. What do we do? We go kill a handful of them in hopes of getting the one who was only defending his home. Humans kill , and don’t even get me started on what we’re doing to nature. It’s senseless and it’s cruel. The world is a dangerous place. Scar is a killer, but he’s not a mindless one. And there’s something fundamentally comforting knowing that he would do anything to protect me. Just as I would for him,” Tally confessed.
Simone was silent for a long time. Tom shifted in his chair but was keeping quiet while Tally and Simone spoke.
“I can’t stop you,” Simone finally said. “Hell, I don’t even really want to. I’m worried. There’s a lot… different about him and I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. He can’t even talk, Tally.”
Tally smiled at her best friend, an indescribable, life-altering emotion in her swelling within her chest. “Then I’ll talk for him, Si. He’ll be my eyes and I’ll be his voice.”
* * *
Tally’s entire life was packed up. She shipped certain things up to Sissy’s address and the rest was in suitcases in the lobby of her apartment complex next to her as she stood waiting for her rideshare. Sissy had called her early that morning to tell Tally that “today was the day”. They were getting Scar out, come hell or high water.
She’d been a nervous wreck all morning and the fact that she was about to get on an airplane for the first time in her life was not helping. She knew that she couldn’t call anyone in the club or risk distracting them, but damn, she hated not being in the know.
Her plane was due to depart in a little over three hours. She didn’t know what the club was doing or what her father’s reaction would be when he discovered what they’d done, but she knew she did not want to be around to witness it.
It disturbed her that Tally was not sure whether her father would hurt her when he learned what she’d done.
Tally’s two large suitcases would have to be checked when she arrived at the airport. Not knowing if it would be harder to get through security with Scar’s cut on her person, it was folded up inside her small carry-on. Her ticket identified her as a blind person and her cane was a medical assistance device.
A horn sounded outside her apartment building. Tally grabbed the handles of her large suitcases and headed out. Her rideshare was early.
But Tally froze as soon as she got onto the sidewalk. “What are you doing here?”
“You really think I’m going to let my bestie move several states away without at least going with her to make sure she’s settled?” Simone demanded. Behind her, Tally heard the rumble of Tom and Simone’s minivan as well as the voices of Tom, Amelia, and Grayson.
Tally continued forward, her heart pounding. “You’re serious?”
“Tickets are bought, kids are packed. I’m as serious as I can be.”
Tally’s breath hitched as she threw her arms around her best friend. “Thank you!” Though her exclamation was whispered, it was no less powerful.
The minivan’s trunk opened and Tally sensed Tom coming around the back. “Let’s get going,” he told the women. “Airport traffic is going to be a bitch and it’ll take us a minute to get through security with the kids.”
Simone directed Tally to the front passenger seat while she got in the back with the kids and Tom put Tally’s suitcases and carry-on bag in the trunk.
Tally couldn’t get the grin off of her face. “I can’t believe you guys are coming with me! I need to cancel my rideshare.”
“Give me your phone,” Simone instructed.
Tally handed it over. “What did you mean by ‘the least’ you can do?”
Tom got into the driver’s seat. After clicking on his seatbelt, Tally felt the car start forward as he merged back into traffic.
“Tell her, Tom,” Simone encouraged as Simone canceled Tally’s rideshare.
“Keys and I have been talking. Did you know he owns a security business?”
“I didn’t,” Tally said honestly. She still had her hand stretched out behind her waiting for her phone.
“Well, he does, but it’s mostly cyber security. He wants to branch out, do more, and I’ve got the business know-how he’s looking for.”
Tally’s jaw dropped as Simone placed Tally’s phone back in her hand. “Wait, you and Keys are going into business together?”
“It’s not a done deal. Nothing’s been finalized,” Tom said in an excited rush. “Simone wanted to make sure you got settled okay in Mount Grove and I need to meet Keys in person.” Tom paused for a second, and because Tally knew him so well, assumed he shrugged. “Seemed like a good time to get the kids out of Atlanta for a few days too.”
Tally absolutely hated that she couldn’t argue that her father wasn’t a threat to his children.
“Plus Keys says he can make it so Grayson can stay with us,” Simone exclaimed. Tally heard something that made her think Simone had kissed Grayson’s hair.
Joy brought tears to her eyes. “That’s amazing, Si. Tom, I’m so happy for you. I hope it works out, if this is what you want.”
“It is. I haven’t been happy at work for a while, and Simone and I have been thinking of moving out of the city since Amelia was born, but she has always been hesitant because she didn’t want to leave you.”
Tally reached her hand behind her and Simone automatically grabbed it. Squeezing, she said, “I would have been fine, but I’m also grateful you stayed.”
Simone squeezed her fingers back. “Me too. So the kids and I are going to spend a lot of time looking around Mount Grove, checking out the school, and just getting a feel for the place. If Tom decides this is what he wants, I want to be ready.”
The rest of the ride to the airport was spent talking about Mount Grove and the real estate Simone had briefly looked at the night before after getting the kids packed. Tally was beyond ecstatic at the possibility that she didn’t have to leave Simone behind in Atlanta. She didn’t know what it was Keys was going to do, or might have already done, that would allow Grayson to stay with Simone and Tom permanently, but she was so grateful he was willing and able. During the days she’d spent in their house, she’d gotten to know Grayson better and had sensed first-hand the love Simone and Tom had for the little boy.
But maybe love was just that simple. Maybe it didn’t have to be complicated with explanations and clarifications. Maybe love, true love, just was .
Tally’s nerves over flying for the first time settled as soon as she knew her best friend and her family were coming with her. But the long walk through the crowded airport, getting through security, and then to their gate, followed by the wait to board while Tom tried to get Tally’s ticket swapped so she could sit next to them… All she could think about was Scar.
Where was he? Was he okay? What had happened to him? What would happen once he was out? Would he need medical care? What would her father do in retaliation?
And more importantly, did Scar feel the same way as she did?
Tally was packing up her entire life knowing how she felt. She knew how she thought he felt, what she hoped he felt. But there was so much that hadn’t been said between them, and she wasn’t referring to Scar’s inability to speak.
Needing to feel something of his, Tally reached into her carry-on and gripped the leather of his cut.
It wasn’t until they landed in Pittsburgh hours later and were in line with all their baggage to pick up their rental car that Tally’s phone rang.
“ Call from Sissy … Call from Sissy …”
Tally scrambled to answer the phone. “Sissy? What’s happening? Where are you? Is he okay?”
Silence greeted her. Tally waited a heartbeat, but she knew.
“Scar?” Tears flowed from her eyes down her cheeks. Tally’s grip on her phone tightened, her entire body shaking. She felt a hand on her back and knew it was Simone. “Scar, I’m coming. We’re in Pittsburgh and getting a car. I’ll be to you in a few hours.”
In the crowded, noisy airport, it was difficult to hear but Tally swore her sensitive ears picked up ragged breathing on the other end.
“It’s fine,” she assured him. “Don’t try to speak. Save your strength and just know that I’m coming.” Her voice broke as she clarified, “I’m coming home to you.”
There was a bit of rustling on the other end and then she heard Sissy’s soft voice. “I don’t know what you said to him but thank you. He’s finally relaxing. Fuck, I think he might even be asleep.”
“How is he?” Tally felt Simone’s hand leave her back and a second later the softness of a tissue was pressed into her hand. Tally worked to wipe her eyes, but only more tears seemed to fall. She was so grateful to Scar’s family for getting him out, but fear also gripped her at what condition he might be in. She was under no delusions that his time inside Primis had been equivalent to a relaxing spa day.
Sissy hesitated. “I’m not going to lie. He’s in rough shape. Aunt Tessa’s got him hooked up to an IV. She and Uncle Bear are working on him. Uncle Keys has this high tech van he outfitted. Part of it is like an ambulance, which I’ve never been more grateful for.”
Tally sniffled, trying to ground herself. Scar did not need her falling apart right now. He needed her to be strong. “How far away are you?”
“About three hours. We’re having to drive carefully and take different routes, but we have the most direct one.” No doubt they had to take multiple cars. Tally didn’t know how many of the club had gone to Washington, D.C., and she assumed a caravan of vehicles might look suspicious to authorities coming in or out of the nation’s capital.
“You’ll probably beat us there.” From the sound of it, there were still a lot of people in line ahead of them to the rental car counter. “Will you call me again if he wakes up?”
“Of course. I’ll text you if there’s any changes.”
Gratitude for her new friend filled her. “Thank you, Sissy. I owe you.”
“Make him happy, Tally. That’s all I ask.”
Tally’s lips quivered as she smiled. “That’s the goal.”
* * *