Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
JASON
I wrapped a towel around my waist and shuffled back into my bedroom to dress. Dust particles danced in the moonlight that streamed through the windows. This not sleeping or barely sleeping routine was getting old.
Neither therapy nor pills managed to kick the nightmares.
There were three that seemed to play in rotation.
The worst was watching my father kill my sister, and the woman who was…
more than a secretary. Or he sold them to Marco, and they made me watch him do horrible things to them.
The one where he killed me first was the least problematic, but it was usually followed up by one of the others.
It usually meant I was up most of the night. I honestly didn’t even know what was fueling me until Cora stepped into my office the other day. At least now I had something to fight for, even if I was exhausted.
Once I’d thrown on some pajamas, I checked my messages.
I had a feeling about Beau Stanton that I just couldn’t shake, so I’d asked Thomas to find the best family lawyer in Texas. Rex Hatfield was expensive, but he’d had prior experience with Esquire Stanton.
According to the last text he’d sent, he’d be driving in tomorrow morning and waiting in the wings should Cora need him. If she didn’t, I’d pay him for his time, and he’d be on his merry way. Otherwise, he’d take the case.
Would Cora be angry that I did it? Maybe, but I meant it when I said I would do what it took to make sure she received custody of her sister’s baby.
Elias wasn’t mine. I’d never call myself his father, but he’d have the best education I could buy.
My father didn’t teach me to catch a ball or throw a football, but I could golf and play tennis.
If Elias wanted, I could teach him those.
I’d be there for him if and when he ever needed me, which was saying more than my father.
I slipped my phone into my pocket, headed down the stairs, and paused on the first-floor landing.
Cora twisted on the couch and smiled. “Sorry. I didn’t think I had the TV that loud.”
“You didn’t,” I said through a yawn and ran a hand over my hair. It was probably sticking up everywhere because I kept putting off getting it cut. I was constantly trying to keep it off the tips of my ears.
A laugh jerked my gaze to her. “What?” I asked.
“You’re just making it worse.”
“Figures,” I chuckled, crossing the room.
I reached the couch and collapsed onto it with an exhale. My mind and body were desperate for a good night’s sleep.
Paper rustled, and Cora plopped down next to me. “I have a variety of midnight sugary delights ranging from chocolate to licorice.”
“I’m surprised you don’t need an insulin drip.”
She waved me off. “Don’t be a party pooper.”
My head dropped back against the couch. “I’m good.” I rolled my head and looked at her. “Are you up because you’re worried about tomorrow?”
“What will I do if the judge hands over my baby to that man?”
When I didn’t respond, she sat facing me with her legs crossed. “Are you going to tell me that’s not possible?”
“I don’t want to be the guy who tells you lies.” I took a breath. “If something happens, though, we’ll fight. We’ll never stop fighting. Elias needs a mother, a stable environment, and security.”
“You keep saying we.” She looked down at her fingers and began tugging at a snag in the blanket she was using. “I can’t ask you…”
“You didn’t ask, Cora. I offered. I want to do this. A man like Colter has no business raising a baby.” I chuckled. “Neither do I, but at least I’m self-aware.”
She jerked her gaze to mine. “What are you talking about?”
“I work too much. My hands are dirty.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “And I couldn’t even keep you—”
Her hand landed on my mouth. “No. Don’t ever say that again.
You did all you could do. There are only so many background checks you can run.
Your dad was planning that from the moment he was exiled.
He’d created his own little sleeper cell.
You had no way of knowing. Do you really think Thomas would have allowed that to happen if he could have prevented it? ”
My hand covered hers and pulled it away from my mouth. “I hear the words, but I can’t stop the thoughts.” The words came out barely above a whisper. I just didn’t know how to let it go.
“I know you aren’t sleeping well because of it. Those dark circles are getting worse.”
“I’ll be fine. I just need a little more time.”
She held my gaze for a moment. “You fell asleep almost instantly earlier when I put on TMNT. Wanna see if you can get through it this time?”
“Sure.”
“Why don’t I move to the end of the couch? You can stretch out, and if you fall asleep, your neck won’t be at a weird angle.” As she said it, she scooted to the end and patted the space next to her.
I shook my head. “I’ll be fine.”
The next thing I knew, she was grabbing me by my good arm and pulling me. “Come on. I don’t need my own personal zombie apocalypse.”
A bark of laughter erupted. “Fine.”
Admittedly, once I was stretched out, it was as if my bones had turned to mush. “Either this couch is the most comfortable thing I’ve ever been on, or I’m so tired that a slab of concrete would work.”
Cora palmed the spot over my heart, her finger lazily making a circle. “Get some sleep. I probably won’t be far behind.”
I rested my hand atop hers. I didn’t believe in fairytales. I didn’t believe in love at first sight. I didn’t believe in any of it. I was a concrete thinker, but the peace that I suddenly felt was indescribable.
It was like I’d found my rock.
A rock I couldn’t keep.
Because I deserved to drown, and I didn’t know if there would ever be enough time to stop feeling that way.
Sunlight filtering through the living room blinds pulled me from the deepest sleep I’d had in months.
For a moment, I couldn’t remember why I was on the couch instead of upstairs in bed.
Then it all came back in a flood. The nightmare, wandering downstairs, and Cora insisting I stretch out to watch cartoons.
This time I don’t even think I’d made it past the first note of the TMNT intro.
I was still tired, but there was something different about this sleep.
It was restful. Peaceful. The weight against my chest and the soft breathing against my neck explained why.
Cora had laid down next to me sometime during the night, her arm draped across my waist, fitting against my side like she belonged there.
I fished my phone out of my pajama pocket and quickly checked the time. Nearly seven a.m. Court was in two hours. Man, I hated to wake her up, but we couldn’t afford to be tardy.
“Hey,” I said softly as I brushed her hair back from her face. “Cora.”
Her eyes fluttered open. She gave a soft moan, and her eyes promptly shut.
“We have to be at the courthouse in two hours.”
“I’m a quick shower taker. Fifteen more minutes.” Her eyes remained closed.
There was a short pause, and her eyes flew open and widened. “Uh.” She clamped a hand over her mouth. “Morning breath.”
“I’ll live.”
She squeezed her eyes shut and partially buried her face in my arm. “I’m guessing you were having a nightmare. I thought about waking you up, but you were already so tired. I thought…” She sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? I feel better than I have in a while.”
Her eyes opened again and they raked over my face. “Based on the way you were thrashing, it was a pretty bad dream.” She leaned up on her elbow. “Does that happen a lot?”
She had enough on her plate. Her sister’s death. A baby. A custody battle. I wasn’t going to put anything else on her. “It was just being in a new place.” I smiled. “We should probably start getting ready, though.”
Cora gave me a pointed look with an eyebrow arching as she stared at me. I could see in her eyes that she wanted to argue, but she also knew I was right. “This isn’t over. We are going to talk about this. You can’t keep going like that.”
She rolled to her feet and stood, extending her hand to me. I took it, letting her pull me up from the couch.
“Go shower,” I said. “I’ll make coffee and see if Thomas is up. We should leave by eight thirty to be safe.”
She started toward the stairs, then turned back. “Jason?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for being stubborn and coming with me.”
Before I could respond, she was heading upstairs, leaving me standing there, wondering how I was supposed to let her go after this was all over.