Chapter 29
Violet
“Mom. Can I take the blindfold off now?”
Balloons were flying, streamers everywhere. Several tables had been set up and I could even make out a big birthday cake.
People from the town had swarmed on the park, eager to celebrate my son’s birthday in style. I noticed several of the smokejumpers, including the captain waiting patiently for our arrival.
Josie had come, still concerned I hated her when there was no way I could. She’d reacted instantly, wasting no time, which had likely saved Damon’s life.
Shannon had called me twice in coordinating my son’s likes, but other than that, the entire party had been kept top secret.
Was I still a nervous wreck from the terror? You bet, but I was so grateful and so relieved that I’d managed to get a decent night’s sleep.
Of course, only with having Steel’s arms wrapped around me all night long.
I couldn’t ask for a better hero.
“Almost, kiddo.” I was shocked to see just how many people were in the park waiting for our arrival. They were doing everything they could to remain quiet.
Steel was grinning from ear to ear, more excited than my son.
A kid at heart.
I kept my firm grip on Damon’s shoulders while we walked, so happy the day was bright and sunny. He’d awakened in a good mood, which was awesome considering everything he’d been through.
Fortunately, the fire had been put out quickly after only burning a couple of acres. From what we’d been able to decipher from his story, he’d followed the river, hoping to find a road on his great escape attempt. When he’d heard voices, he’d been a typical kid curious as to who they were.
Whatever they’d been doing, when they’d noticed Damon watching them, they’d panicked, which had started the fire.
With the gasoline spilling, it hadn’t taken long for the fire to spread.
With the items found in the box along with the notepad Damon had found, the police were hopeful they’d lift a few fingerprints.
The house had been dusted, which Damon had thought great fun. With people in and out of the cabin in the last day and a half, it had kept his mind off losing Zorro. But the dog toy I’d found in the woods had been snuggled under the covers both nights.
The entire two weeks had been a whirlwind and, in some ways, I wished I could start them all over again. However, with changes. With the project so far ahead of schedule, the inevitable push to return to LA was undoubtedly right around the corner. I wasn’t certain I was ready to face that yet.
If ever.
When we were close, Steel stopped us from going any farther, hunkering down beside Damon. “Hey, my man. It’s your special day.”
“It’s my birthday.”
“I know. And there are a lot of people who care about you and were very worried when you ran away.”
“I know.” Damon’s voice was singsong, his heavy sigh almost causing me to laugh.
“Just remember that your mom needs you. Okay?” Steel squeezed his shoulders. “You’re a special kid. You really are.” As he untied the blindfold, the handsome jumper looked up at me. The grin lingered, his jaw just as chiseled as always, but he’d shaved the scruff off his face.
Perhaps he was even more handsome.
“Okay.” Damon was fidgeting, already eager.
“Promise me?” Steel pushed.
Seeing the way he was with my son was everything I’d envisioned with Damon having a father. Knots remained in my stomach and while I knew why, I wasn’t going to think about that today.
Steel removed the blindfold. “Happy birthday, Damon.”
He gasped, his entire face lighting up from seeing the number of people. Of all the times he’d wanted a huge birthday party, this was one for the memory books.
“Mom. Look. Look!” Damon pointed.
“I know, kiddo. All for you. Why don’t you go say thank you and have some fun.”
He looked me directly in the eyes, his smile so huge. So bright. So eager. When he ran away, I finally took a deep sigh.
“This is… amazing,” I managed, unable to fathom why people who didn’t know me would go to all this trouble. I’d never been so touched in my life.
“I had nothing to do with it. All Shannon and her team. And trust me. She can get anybody in this town to do anything she wants.”
As he wrapped his arms around me, I folded mine over his. Just watching Damon’s excitement in running from table to table, being greeted by people he didn’t know and perfectly content in jabbering away was amazing.
“You had everything to do with making me a part of this amazing community.”
“You fit right in. My guess is your mother would love that you’re here.”
“You’re right. She would.”
“What happened? Unless sharing is too painful.”
I felt comfortable in sharing my pain with him, although being here was cathartic. “No, I can tell you. They were in an accident. A chain reaction on the highway in a snowstorm. I wasn’t with them. Since there was nobody else, I went into foster care. Which I wouldn’t recommend.”
He pulled me around to face him. “I’m so sorry, baby. Having family is important and what you’ve given to Damon is just amazing.”
“I used to feel sorry for myself, blaming the world for taking my family away from me. But I learned something very important by being here. Family isn’t just blood related.
It’s people who will go out of their way to make your day better with a smile or a kind word.
It’s a group of people determined to break into a burning vehicle and another providing the happiest of birthdays to a little boy who felt as if no one loved him.
And it’s feeling something from a man who… Who is truly a remarkable human being.”
“A man? Better not be Rock,” he teased.
“What if it was?”
“You don’t want to know.”
Around Steel, I could laugh easily. “Maybe I do. I guess I should make sure my son isn’t eating too many sweets.” As I started to pull away, he stopped me.
“So, I found out something about Kenneth that you need to know.”
“You did?”
Steel nodded. “I hope you’re not angry, but I had a buddy of mine who’s an attorney see if he’d filed any custody papers. I just wanted you to be prepared.”
“And?” My heart was in my throat.
“He’s not. But I think I know the reason why he’s hell-bent on talking to you. Do you want to know?”
How strange that a huge part of me just didn’t give a damn any longer. Whatever I had to face with the man, I’d do so knowing that I would never allow him to hurt my son.
“Yes, I do. He’s not going to let this go and I want every scrap of information on him that I can use as ammunition if necessary.”
Steel tilted his head, that evil grin returning. When he smiled that way, he was like a mischievous child himself.
“Mom. Mom!”
I knew when my son was distressed. The sound immediately captured my attention. My head snapped in the direction of the sound. “Oh, no. No way.”
Kenneth was standing right behind my son.
“Easy, babe,” Steel said under his breath as soon as I bristled.
“You know what? I’m done taking it easy.
” When I was first a mother, everything had worried me.
When Damon was sleeping constantly. When he wasn’t sleeping at all.
When he’d cried then suddenly stopped. When he wouldn’t eat.
Even when he’d burped too many times. I’d been on pins and needles, calling my son’s pediatrician so many times I was certain the woman hated me.
I’d sent her a Christmas basket after the first tumultuous year. I’d learned my kid was a little warrior, so the calls slowed down. But I’d never stopped worrying. Not really. Only the worry had shifted, becoming about hoping he’d find friends or enjoyed school.
I’d been the mom warding off evil under Damon’s bed and even developing a little curse for monsters so they wouldn’t enter his room. And forget about it when anyone said anything that wasn’t nice. I was a mother hen pecking them to death.
The truth was that I’d been my son’s only savior. With no family of any kind to help, I’d been the ship cruising in the night. Until I’d felt as if we were both on the Titanic.
Which was why I was locked, loaded, and ready for bear as the saying went.
That was also why I was flabbergasted when Steel gripped my shoulder, swung his head toward me, and exclaimed, “I’ll take care of this. No one is going to fuck with the people I care about.”
Steel took long strides toward Kenneth, which left me scrambling to move quickly behind him.
“You’re not on the invitation list, so I suggest you leave,” Steel told him.
“And who are you?”
“Let’s just say I’m with the lady.”
“This is between me and Violet. You don’t matter,” Kenneth insisted.
Which prompted Steel to get in his face.
“Mom? What is going on?”
“I don’t know, baby, but like Steel said, this man isn’t welcome.” I glared at Kenneth while pulling Damon close to me.
“Violet. It’s good to see you,” Kenneth pressed.
The guests were watching closely but not in a voyeuristic way; more in a sense of being there if I needed reinforcement. I could tell by their expressions.
“Well, you’ll understand if I don’t say the same. Josie. Do you mind taking my son away? Maybe get him a drink.”
She huffed and moved closer. “I would be happy to.”
I did adore her attitude and her ability to read the room. She was very much a Beckett.
“Mom. I don’t want to leave you. I’ll protect you.” There went my kid again.
“Don’t worry, little man,” Steel piped in. “I won’t leave her side and she’ll have protection.”
Kenneth was none too happy. Oh, well. What a shame.
“It’s alright, babe,” I told Damon. “I’ll be right there. Nothing is going to interrupt your birthday party.” You bet I could tell by the briefest of reactions Kenneth dared to make that he’d forgotten all about this being his own son’s birthday. Fuck the man.
I walked farther away from the crowd, using the few steps to calm my anger. If that was possible.
“You aren’t welcome here,” I repeated after knowing he’d follow me.
“And you ignored my requests, so I did what I needed to do.” Kenneth was right on my heel. “It’s important that we speak.”