Chapter 12
Mei
I’ve gone too deep with this man.
My heart is tangled with his in ways that don’t make sense. I’m sure with Owen being my first sexual partner, that adds to the obsession.
But what’s his excuse?
He watches me like he can’t look away. Like I’m the most interesting thing in the world. Heat flares in his gaze and I don’t miss the physical reaction I have to him. The man isn’t discreet in hiding his erection.
I want to scream from the rooftops that I am having sex with this complicated, beautiful man, and that we’re being reckless together, gambling with the consequences.
Yet, when I tear my gaze from his, I’m in a kitchen with his family and mine. The sexual tension between us gets swept away by the reality around us.
Owen is my mom’s husband.
Addison’s and Cason’s and Rhett’s dad.
My stepfather.
I shift in my seat, noting how sore I am. We only had sex the two times last night. I’d wanted to shower with him, but his kids showed up which had him bolting from the bathroom in a hurry. It stung a little, but I knew it was necessary.
What we’re doing is our little secret.
It has to be.
He’d then left with Rhett to go get my car and bring it back. I wonder if he told his son about us or if he kept quiet about it. Maybe he’s mentally battling this whole thing just as much as I am.
Intense eyes burn into me and I can’t help but glance my mother’s way. She’s not distracted by her phone this morning. Her eyes are laser-focused on me, peeling me apart layer by layer. All the dopey lovesickness evaporates as cold dread washes over me.
For someone who craves her mother’s attention, I sure do chicken out when it’s on me.
You’re fucking her husband.
My cheeks burn hot and I’m forced to look away from my mother. I don’t want her to see the truth behind my eyes. I’m an adult, but I still don’t want to set a bomb off on this arrangement. Nothing good will come of that.
“You look different today,” Addison says as she plops down beside me, grinning my way. “Got a crush on someone from school?”
I make the mistake of darting my eyes over to Owen. He smirks and tosses a wink my way. A blast of heat burns its way to my core.
“Oh my God,” Addison shrieks. “You do! Who is it? Maybe Rhett knows him. Or her. Tell me everything.”
Mom watches me like a hawk. It makes the bacon I’d consumed twist violently in my stomach.
“It’s new,” I blurt out. “I’ll tell you if something comes of it.”
Not a lie. She’ll know if I start publicly dating her father.
Guilt threatens to swallow me whole. Addison opens her mouth like she might demand more details, but Owen curses at his phone screen. Then, he tears out of the kitchen.
“That motherfucker is outside taking pictures!”
It takes a second for my mind to catch up to his words.
The silver sedan guy knows where we live?
With panic clawing at my insides, I scramble out of my chair and rush after Owen.
Mom and Rhett are by my side. By the time we reach the front door that’s been left open, Owen is halfway across the yard, bellowing at the stalker guy.
“Stay inside,” Rhett commands to us as he bolts after his dad.
Mom’s fingers fly over her phone as she calls someone. As soon as they answer, she starts hissing things to them. I’m too focused, frozen in fear, on the man parked at the curb out front, who I now know owns a gun.
“Cops are on the way,” Mom barks out to me before disappearing to finish her discussion.
The silver sedan slowly drives off, leaving a pissed-off Owen pacing the snow-covered sidewalk. Rhett says something to him and then grabs hold of his arm, urging him to go back inside so they don’t freeze their asses off with no coats.
“Christopher is sending someone,” Mom says as she reenters the living room, no longer on the phone. “I’ve gotta run, though.” Then, she walks over to my sister. “Let’s go, Penny.”
Owen and Rhett disappear down the hall, likely to his office. Mom already has Penny out and heading upstairs to grab her things. I follow after them. Once in her room, I lean against the doorframe as I watch Mom pack Penny’s backpack.
“Where are you going?”
Mom closes her eyes and her nostrils flare as if my question agitates her. “Must you question everything I do, Mei?”
Hurt prickles at my chest but I swallow down the emotion. “We’re a family. Normal families communicate.”
She snaps her head my way and scowls. “No need to throw a tantrum. I swear, sometimes it’s as if I have two toddlers instead of one.”
I cross my arms over my chest and huff. “Just because you don’t like or want to answer the questions doesn’t mean I’m childish for asking them.”
Penny whines at our raised voices, hugging her stuffed elephant to her chest.
“You have no idea of how hard I work to keep your life as unaffected as possible,” Mom hisses, flinging her hand up in frustration. “It’s called protecting the both of you and it requires sacrificing so much on my part.”
I gape at her, shaking my head. “What are you sacrificing? So far, it’s just me.”
Mom storms over to me and pops my cheek with her palm. Not hard enough to leave a mark, but like she used to when I was being a brat when younger and she needed to get my attention. This upsets Penny and she starts to cry.
“Do not ever doubt my love for you. It may not look cutesy and flamboyant like other families, but it’s there.” She then brings her palm to my face, gently stroking her thumb over my cheek. The unusual action hurts worse than the smack. “Let me be the mother, Mei.”
Penny cries out for me. I use the excuse to escape my mom’s closeness. After I scoop up my sister, and hug her to me, I notice Mom’s phone sitting on the bed. There’s a text notification from Christopher.
Christopher: We need to tell the truth before someone else does. It’s going to get messy and you know it.
Tell the truth about what?
Does he know why the silver sedan is following me?
This may not be the time, but I will find out what’s going on with Mom. She’s harboring secrets and I’m tired of being left in the dark. My safety is at risk. If she won’t protect me with her truth, I’ll uncover it and protect myself.
Now who’s the stalker?
I creep behind my mother’s vehicle, a few car-lengths back, curious as to where she’s going. I’m a little surprised, though, when she takes the route to Carol’s. It’s a Saturday, so Penny doesn’t need to be babysat. The only reason Mom could be wanting to go there is to see Christopher.
We need to tell the truth before someone else does. It’s going to get messy and you know it.
Are they secretly dating? Why would it need to be a secret?
Mom pulls into the driveway, but I park a few houses down. She gets out with Penny. Christopher comes out, exchanges some heated words with Mom, and then takes Penny. My little sister clings to him as he kisses her head.
I stare for another beat longer, processing what I’m seeing.
Is Christopher Penny’s father?
The more he cuddles her, I realize it’s exactly who he is to her. The man loves her. In that case, it would mean Carol is her grandmother. Bile creeps up my throat and I fight off the urge to puke. Not that Carol and Christopher aren’t nice people, because they are.
It’s the lies and secrets from my mother.
Why keep this from me?
Why allow me to go there every day thinking they were regular people rather than Penny’s blood family?
Betrayal cuts deep because if I’m right about this, that means Carol knows Penny is her granddaughter, and she’s been lying right along with Mom.
Oh my God. I feel so stupid.
With shaky hands, I text Owen.
I need to see you. My mom’s a liar. Christopher is Penny’s dad.
Owen: Meet me at the coffee shop by our house, angel. We’ll talk there.
Fifteen minutes later, I pull up to the quaint coffeehouse near our neighborhood.
It’s my favorite because it’s not a chain.
The place is dark and small, but it smells delightful.
There are sofas and lounge chairs all over, so no matter where you sit, you’re comfortable.
My favorite spot is by the fireplace near the front window.
When I see Owen’s handsome face grinning from it, flutters of happiness chase away all my stress.
Inside the shop, it’s busy, so I’m glad he snagged us a good spot to sit. When I reach him, he stands from the broken-in loveseat and pulls me to him for a hug. It’s a desperately needed hug. I cling to him, inhaling his masculine, warm, comforting scent.
“What do you want, angel? I’ll go grab us something.”
I pull away, reluctantly, and tell him my order. As he saunters off, I stare at his cute butt in his jeans. Then, I settle on the loveseat, toward the middle. The fireplace crackles across the coffee table from me, warming me despite the cold window.
When Owen returns, he sits close enough to me that I sort of fall against his side. We play it cool, but I’m dying to crawl into his lap. He slips an arm behind me and his thumb finds a sliver of skin between my jeans and sweatshirt. I shiver and it has nothing to do with the temperature.
“I knew something was going on there,” Owen says after the barista drops off our coffees. “He was too friendly with Penny. Now it makes sense if he’s her father.”
I sip the hot, caramel goodness and sigh in frustration. “All I ever wanted was to have a mom who loved me like you love your kids. Was that so much to ask?”
This has nothing to do with Penny’s father and everything to do with our mother.
Owen pulls me to him and kisses my hair. “No child should ever have to ask for their parent’s love. It should come as easily as breathing.”
“She loves me,” I admit tearfully, “but she has an awful way of showing it.”
“I know. I’m so sorry.”
After a beat, I suck in a deep, calming breath and then exhale it out. “So how does the stalker connect with all this?”
“I thought it was Leah,” Owen says with a grunt, “but now I wonder if I’m way off base. He’s been following you and showing up at Carol’s place. It might not have anything to do with me at all.”
“What could Mom be doing that requires a private investigator to follow her family? Christopher being Penny’s dad isn’t enough to warrant such sketchy behavior from her, right?”
His fingers tickle higher under my shirt, and I bark out a soft laugh. We both grin stupidly at each other for a moment before he answers my questions.
“She needed me to save the house Carol is in. That’s why we got married in the first place. I understand now why she wanted to save it from being foreclosed on.”
I nod, scrunching my eyebrows together. “Is that illegal? Is someone following her to try and get her in trouble?”
“It’s not exactly ethical, but it’s not worth someone going through all this. That’s why I thought it was Leah.”
“I wish Mom would just come clean,” I say in exasperation. “That would make all this a lot easier to deal with.”
He pecks my cheek. “Sorry. Couldn’t resist.”
I lean into him. “Wish we could do this all the time without worry.”
“One day. I won’t be married to her forever.”
With a smile tugging at my lips, I peer up at him. “Really? You think we can be an actual couple?”
He smirks and his eyes twinkle. “Yeah, angel…” His words trail off as his gaze darts to the window. Then, he snarls out a, “Fuuuuck.”
I turn in time to see the silver sedan speed off.
When will this ever end?