Chapter 13
Jackson
It’s late. Christmas is over. Everyone has gone home, and we have the place to ourselves. Ethan is curled up with Aurora, who’s probably asleep by now, while Reece and I clean the kitchen. He’s quiet, more moody than normal, and I wonder if he’s worried about his sister.
I dry my hands and toss the towel on the counter. “Rocco will take good care of Harper and Danny,” I reassure him.
“I know.”
He says nothing more, and I continue to pry. “Did you get a hold of Daniel?”
“Nope.” He puts a pot away and shuts the cabinet door harder than necessary. “He doesn’t give a shit about communicating. I doubt he cares about them at all. He’s just tormenting her, wanting her to be unhappy. That’s the only reason he’s threatening to take Danny.”
I don’t know the whole situation, but if my son were truly abducted or taken from me, I’d be searching for him nonstop.
I’d answer every phone call, and if I knew where he was, I’d be catching the next flight.
I’m far from a saint, but I would’ve tried my damnedest to work things out with my wife before she took off with my kid.
Shit, I’d be on my knees begging, especially if it were Aurora.
“Do you know him—Daniel? You really think he doesn’t want them?”
Reece rises, fixing me with a sharp glare. “I believe my sister. If she left, she had a good reason. And I’ve done my homework.”
I lift my hands in surrender and shake my head. “No, that’s not what I meant. I just—I can’t fathom it. I understand people separate, but giving up Danny? His own son? I can’t wrap my mind around it.”
He makes an irritated sound of acknowledgment and resumes putting away the dishes.
I grab a clean cutting board, dry it, and slide it into the rack above the wall oven. I’m not one for silence, so I keep talking. “He’s not getting custody of Danny. We’ll do whatever it takes. I love that kid.”
The Viking’s expression softens. “Daniel’s an asshole. Our families were members of the same church group. He was always eager for my father’s attention. Other than that, I don’t know much about him; he went to private school, and we went to public school.”
“One of those dickhead private-school types,” I joke, my tone dripping with sarcasm. “The fucking worst.”
“Exactly.” Reece finally smiles, but it fades almost immediately. “Anyway, Lucas pulled Daniel’s military record…” He trails off, the muscle in his jaw ticking. “Neighbors reported him for screaming, possible domestic violence.”
My stomach twists. I’ve screamed at Aurora and intimidated her.
Many times, I was drunk, but that’s no excuse.
I hate myself for it. I’m out of control at times, but I think I’ve gotten better.
I no longer carry that constant rage in my chest. I see the warning signs.
I can’t always verbalize the chaos in my head, but I know who to turn to, and I trust Ethan to help me figure it out and fix it.
The thought of screaming at my child, though—or any child—makes me sick. I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of verbal abuse. I couldn’t live with myself if I turned into my father. My chest aches for Harper and Danny, and my fists clench. Daniel had better hope I never see him.
I face Reece. “What are we gonna do? That should help her case, right?”
He shakes his head as he wipes down the counter. “It was on base. Nonjudicial. My father, even retired, has influence; they take care of their own. He got a slap on the wrist.”
“Motherfucking pieces of shit stick together.”
“Yup, and from everything I’ve researched, legally, she has to return to South Carolina until she has full custody of Danny.”
Ah, that’s what’s eating at Reece. It’s not just Daniel—he’s torn between leaving Aurora and letting his sister return to South Carolina alone. He knows we won’t want Aurora to go with him. Not at seven months pregnant and sick. Not with his unstable family.
“So, again, what are we gonna do?”
He lets out a heavy sigh and shrugs. “Hope Rocco can pull off some miracle.”
I rack my brain for a solution, blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. “We could always buy him out.”
Reece sets the sponge on the back of the sink. “I’m pretty sure buying children is illegal.”
I roll my eyes. “You know what I mean. We pay him to go away, to sign over his rights. I was gonna buy out whoever got Aurora pregnant.”
“Why didn’t you?” He smirks.
“Because I knew Coach would never give up his child, no matter how much I offered.” I flick my wrist, dismissing the idea. It feels like forever ago now. “The second option is murder—Daniel’s choice.”
“Was that your second option?” a deep voice rumbles from behind me. “Buy me or bury me?” Ethan wraps me in a bear hug and sinks his teeth into the sensitive spot just below my ear.
Goosebumps erupt along my neck and chest, and I push back against him, smiling. “How about I buy you right now? What’s your going rate for some dick?”
“Stop, you’re making me blush,” he deadpans, still not releasing me.
“Don’t pretend you’re not obsessed with me.” I try to break free, but it’s no use—he’s too fucking strong. “You know you got Aurora pregnant just to stay in my life.”
“I absolutely did not,” he says with a deep, throaty chuckle.
“Then you took the coaching position to see me naked in the locker room. You’re stalking me.”
The last statement comes out higher-pitched as he squeezes me tighter, nearly cracking a rib.
“You’re insane. Stop making up stories.” He glances over at Reece, who’s leaning on the counter, arms crossed over his chest. “Think he’ll fit in the freezer in the basement?”
There’s a freezer in the basement? I have so many questions. Why? How do they know about it? Were they discussing it? Is it a walk-in freezer? Like some Mafia butcher? What else is lurking down there? Why am I never included in the Mafia shit?
Reece gives me a chilling once-over. “Only one way to find out.”
I shudder and elbow Ethan in the ribs. “Don’t. I hate the basement. Rats are down there.”
“Oh, there are rats all right,” he says, low and menacing. “New York rats the size of your arm, ones that can eat a grown man. Why do you think Rocco scoops up these old buildings?”
The view?
“Maybe Daniel can move into the basement?” I offer.
That puts a grin on Reece’s cranky mug.