by René, Dani
We reach a door I’m guessing is Herbert Oakridge’s office. Logan doesn’t knock; he pushes it open and steps inside with me following a step behind. He doesn’t allow me to come into view, so I don’t know why he stops short.
Silence hangs heavily with something I can’t quite pinpoint.
“What the fuck is this?” Logan questions as he moves farther into the room. I finally take everything in, and I notice it’s not only Herbert in the room. There’s a woman with her back to us. Slowly, she turns on her high, spiked heel, and I can’t help but notice how perfectly poised she is. Dark hair spills from the clip holding her hair up.
She’s dressed in a dark pantsuit with bright-red Jimmy Choos. She’s elegant. But when my gaze lifts to her face, my heart leaps into my throat, threatening to choke me. My lungs struggle for breath when she’s fully facing me.
“Mom?” My shock is clear in the way I mutter the word. I believed my mother was dead. All my life, I recall the pain my father lived with. I remember how he would tell me I looked just like her, that he could look at me and see her beauty. The heartbreak of him losing her was so evident in his demeanor; I promised myself never to love someone so much. But as my hand tightens in Logan’s, I know I’ve broken that vow ten times over.
“For a long time, I thought you’d be the good girl your father told me you were,” she says, her voice cold, pure ice. “But the moment you ran after learning you’d have to live in the Oakridge household, I knew I’d failed you. Perhaps I shouldn’t have left.” Her shrug is nonchalant as if she’s talking about running to the store to grab some bread and milk.
“How are you . . .? I mean . . .”
She meets my gaze, and I see it. I’m the younger version of her. I wonder how my father even looked at me knowing his wife was a fucking liar.
“The only thing I wanted since I was old enough to understand how this world we live in works was the Oakridge name. But Herbert had already found his wife, the love of his life,” she sneers, anger dripping from the words. “And I had to marry your father because that was what was expected of me.”
“Why? Could you not have refused?”
“Darling,” she laughs coldly, shaking her head as if I were a child who needed to be spoken to like I’m not fully functioning. “When you grow up with a family who respects tradition more than anything, with a father who hungers for goddamned power and money, you learn to respect it too.”
“So, you married Dad because you felt you had to?” I ask her. “Because you couldn’t stand up for yourself as I did?”
“You stood up for nothing,” she spits as rage burns in her gaze like an inferno tearing down everything in its path. “You ran away when things got hard. Dad told you a lie, but I ensured that even though you run, you’ll still bear an Oakridge.”
“Yes, I will, not you,” I grit out, stepping closer to her. “I will marry Logan, and I will have his baby. If that’s a boy or girl, it will be mine,” I sneer in her face, getting so close she can feel my hot breath.
“Vera,” Logan’s tone is a warning. I’m taking a chance being so close to her, but I don’t care. There’s no way she will kill me if she wants my child. The only thing is, she doesn’t realize she’s never getting anything from me.
“You’re not my mother,” I tell her. “You’re dead to me. You died when I was a child, and you always will be nothing to me. Nothing you do will ever break me.”
“There was no lie. I was going to rule both companies. Your father’s, along with the Oakridge name, because Herbert over here couldn’t keep his mitts clean. Could you?” she questions, looking over my shoulder at the man whose face has turned ashen with shock.
“Listen to me. I’ll fix this,” Logan’s dad mutters with a hint of worry in his tone. He doesn’t look like a man whose life is about to fall to pieces. He looks like he’s about to kill my mother and laugh while doing it. There’s a burning in his gaze. Rage. Pure, unadulterated fury.
“You’ve had time to fix things for a while now, Herbert,” my mother says. “But since you’ve decided to ignore my demands and burn the contract which took years to get in place . . .” My mother’s evil smile lights up her face, and I know nothing good can come of this. “I’ve called up a few friends,” she tells him before stepping back. My gaze locks on the phone in her hand as she presses buttons, but not before Herbert pulls out a gun, pointing it at her.
“If I’m going down,” he sneers, “so are you.”
Everything happens in slow motion. I scream, feeling the ache in my throat as the sound leaves my mouth. Logan races to the desk in an attempt to grab the weapon from his father, but a shot rings out loudly, deafening me.
I’m forced to the floor by strong hands, a heavy body covers me. My mother’s body falls to the floor as she grips her stomach. The door shudders against the wall somewhere behind us as loud voices boom in the background. Clicks, of what I can only assume, are guns, ring out, and men fill the space. The body covering me is soon gone, and I’m tugged to my feet.
Men move toward my mother. They work on her, pressing something to her stomach where blood is gushing from the bullet wound. Logan’s arms are around me as he moves me backward, and soon enough, we’re out of the office with a man in a suit talking, but I don’t hear him.
Everything is muffled, mumbled, as if I’m in a bubble, and everyone else is outside it. My blurry gaze locks on the scene unfolding inside the large, darkened room where I realize paramedics are now working on my mother’s body, and I wonder if she’ll survive the gunshot.
Not long after, Logan’s father is taken out in handcuffs. Before they can escort him down the steps, he stops, looking his son in the eye, and speaks. “I did this for you. To keep you and Vera safe. I didn’t have a choice, son.” There’s an earnest tone to his voice, and I wonder just how long my mother held him hostage.
How is it he didn’t kill her long ago?
Was she just that good? I doubt it.
35
Logan
People pass in a blur. Blue, black, and red. All I see are colors, and soon enough, we’re taken downstairs. The loud wailing of sirens echoes in the air. The scent of blood hangs heavily around us, invading my nostrils with a metallic scent. The voices of cops and medics echo around us as they do their job.
Questions.
Answers.
More questions.
Frustration burns in my veins. All I want is to take Vera away from here. She doesn’t need to go through all this, but I can’t move because we need to be here to give our story to the police. When one walks off, another appears. Two detectives are now questioning Vera about her mother. The woman who left her as a child and never looked back. The same woman who wanted our child because she craved the Oakridge name for herself.
What I don’t understand though is why.
I watch my father ride away in the back of a police vehicle, his gaze locked on mine, but I have no way of helping him. Not that I want to. He’s finally getting what’s coming to him, and he needs to pay his penance. The price of wealth comes at a high cost when you break the rules. And my father’s broken far too many in his years.
“Mr. Oakridge,” the cop calls, and I realize he’s talking to me. I haven’t gone by that name for so long it feels foreign to be called it now. “We’d prefer you to stick around for a while. There are a lot of documents in your father’s office we’d like to talk through with you.”
“I had nothing to do with the company, so I’m not sure—”
“Please.” It’s not a question. It’s his way of telling me not to leave the city. I nod. “Thank you. We’ll be in touch. You and your wife can leave now.”
I don’t correct him. Slipping my hand into Vera’s, I tug her along behind me. We make our way to the truck in silence, but the moment we’ve shut the doors, Vera turns to regard me.
“I don’t know how to feel,” she whispers, the pain evident in her voice. “She left me, planned to take my future child from
me.” Her gaze is watery with emotion. “She looked at me like I’m something to barter with rather than her daughter.” Her voice cracks and I glance over to see her shoulders shaking. Instinctively, I wrap an arm around her, pulling her into the crook of my body. “She was supposed to be dead.”
“Do you want to go to the hospital?” My voice is croaky, but there’s no sadness in my tone. The emotion has left me. Our lives have been orchestrated by two people who were meant to keep us safe.
“No.” Her response is clear. “We’ll hear from the police once they’ve confirmed what’s happened to her.” She snuggles closer to me. “Take me home.”
I want nothing more than to drive to the cabin. It’s far from here, and I’m not sure if the cops would allow it. It’s worth a try.
“Wait here,” I tell her before opening the door and exiting the truck once more. I find the detective in question and wait for him to finish giving his orders to the men before he turns to me. “Would it be okay to head out to my cabin? It’s up in Silver Woods.”
He glances at his phone, tapping a few times before he nods. “I don’t see that being a problem, as long as you’d be willing to drive back when we need you.”
“Not a problem, officer,” I tell him before heading back to the vehicle. I need to spend some time alone with Vera. To learn more about her, for her to know more about me. And the only way we’re going to do that is by spending time alone.
* * *
Being back at the cabin feels different. This time, Vera isn’t my prisoner. She’s here because she loves me. I still don’t know how I got so lucky, but I guess there comes a time in everyone’s life where they get a second chance. They don’t come around often, but when they do, you make the most of them.
“Are you sure it’s okay we’re here?” she asks for the millionth time since we left my father’s house. I’ve assured her they’d be in contact if they wanted us back, but we haven’t heard anything yet. I’ve asked Dax to keep his ear to the ground.
We move through the cabin, and I take notice of how much more at home Vera seems as she settles on the sofa. Her legs pulled up against her, she hugs them, but she doesn’t cry. I half expected her to bawl her eyes out when we arrived, but she’s been strong, and I wonder just how long it will last.
“I loved her, even when I didn’t know her,” she speaks after a few moments. She doesn’t look at me; instead, she stares straight ahead. “All this time, I thought I was the one who was responsible for her being away, even though my father said she died.”
“Why would you be responsible?”
“I don’t know. Time and again, I wondered, asked, but he never once told me more than I needed to know. It was an accident. She was gone.” Her voice lowers to a whisper as I settle in beside her, pulling her into my body. “Strangely, I don’t feel sad. I don’t feel heartbreak,” she tells me. “How can I be so cold?”
“You’re not cold at all. She’s someone you never knew.” It’s true. If her mother were around, it would be different, but she never knew the woman. And she’s certainly nothing like her. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out to find Dax’s name flashing at me. I answer, “What’s up?”
“Your father’s been booked, and they’re moving him to the prison to wait for his trial date. Not sure what all they found, but I had my men anonymously send in everything they had as well.”
“What about Vera’s mother?”
Silence.
“Dax?”
“She didn’t make it.” My heart jolts. Shit. “I’m sorry. Just heard. But they’ll want you back for questioning. Apparently, Herbert did right by you and Vera. He claims he was the one who shot her, that you were bystanders visiting while you were in the city.”
“So, my father really did want a life for us.”
It’s not a question, but Dax responds, “Yeah. Looks like the old bastard did actually want what’s best for you. They’re letting Vera’s dad out. Not sure how Herbert managed it, but he got the man released.” More silence, and then he says, “Listen, the city is here if you ever want to come back. But I get if you don’t. Just have a good life.”
“Thank you, man,” I tell him honestly. “I appreciate everything you’ve done.”
“Don’t mention it.” Dax hangs up without another word. And I know I must tell Vera about her mother. And I know I’ll have to hold her. I’ll have to be there for her. And I also know she’s going to have to be strong, which I know she can be.
“What happened?”
“Your mom didn’t make it,” I admit and pull her closer as her body shakes. “And your dad is coming home.” This causes her to shift, her gaze peeking up at me.
“What?”
“My dad said something or did something, but your father will be home,” I tell her, and a smile that seems to light the darkest fucking night appears on her face. And I know we’ll be okay.
“Thank you, Logan. Thank you for being here.” That’s all she says before she slides onto my lap, her arms around my neck, and she holds me as if I’m her anchor in a stormy sea.
“I love you so much,” I tell her. “Marry me.”
The two words slip out before I have time to rethink them. It’s not romantic. It’s not even me on bended fucking knee. But I always believed I’m no fucking fairytale prince. I’m an asshole, and I’ll live it until I die.
Vera pushes away from me, but she doesn’t shift off my lap. Her gaze locks on mine. Her full lips are tilted upward, and she sucks the bottom one between her teeth.
“I’m serious. Marry me,” I say once more, hoping she’s not considering refusing me. If she is, I’ll just stalk her ass again. She’s not getting rid of me that easily.
“I guess if I have to.” Her sass makes my dick hard, and I scoop her into my arms, causing her to squeal. “Where are we going?”
“To christen the bed.”
36
Vera
It’s been a week, and we still haven’t gotten answers. The police have called us back to the city, which is why we find ourselves in the station waiting for someone to tell us what the hell is going on.
“Mr. Oakridge.” The detective walks in, looking directly at Logan. He glances my way. “Miss Conried. I’m Detective Moritz.” He settles in the chair opposite us. “I wanted to talk to you directly. We found a lot of information about Mr. Herbert Oakridge where Leigh Conried had blackmailed him for several years. However, we noticed that they had been in communication about your relationship since . . .” He glances down, opening the folder he carried into the office.
Silence hangs between us as he flips through the pages, and tension twists my gut painfully. My mother didn’t only want my child. She was planning shit for longer than we anticipated.
“Here it is,” the detective says as he pushes the pages over toward us. Logan picks it up, his eyes scanning the page. He hands it to me, and I sit back to take in the information.
Vera Rose Conreid will be wed to Logan Phillip Oakridge at the age of eighteen. Should anything come between their union, we will call reinforcements to ensure they will marry before Vera Rose turns twenty-one. With Leigh Conried’s contract signed and dated, Herbert Oakridge agrees to all further points within this document.
If he breaks the agreement in any way, by warning either Logan or Vera, he will forfeit his name, company, and any possessions to Leigh Conried. Once the union takes place, Leigh will be gifted the firstborn of Logan and Vera, to eventually run both Oakridge Incorporated as well as Conried and Associates.
“My mother wanted our child to claim the companies. But why would Herbert give all that up because he got arrested?” I ask, setting the page down. I’m sure there is more where that came from, but I’m sickened by what I’ve read, and I can’t imagine the rest is any better.
“It seems that in your father’s confession, Mr. Oakridge,” the detective says to Logan, “he wanted to ensure you’re never to find each other again. When we questioned him about the co
ntract, he told us he tried to ensure you don’t find each other again.”
“But he hurt Vera by putting her into a fucking coma,” Logan spits in anger. Rage causing his hand to vibrate, and I squeeze it in an attempt to calm him down.
“We asked about that after you mentioned it. He explained that he was trying to force you both to break up mutually. He was convinced that if that happened, you wouldn’t want to get back together.”
“I don’t believe he did anything to keep either of us safe,” Logan says, and deep down, I agree with him, but it makes sense. If Logan hurt me in any way when I was unconscious, I would’ve left him. I would’ve walked away, but what Herbert didn’t think about was that Logan was stronger than he anticipated.
“We don’t know all the details,” Moritz says as he hands Logan a few more pages. “These are his signed confessions. He’s also told us about setting up Mr. Conried, which means, Vera, your father, will be released from prison soon.”
Tears fill my eyes, but they’re not coming from a place of sadness. Instead, I’m happy, I’m relieved, and I can’t wait to hold my dad again. He always gave the best hugs, and that’s what I need. There’s a lot he needs to clear up, but now I know we have time. “Thank you for everything.”
“We need to finalize the paperwork. Herbert wants to turn over a new leaf,” he tells us. “At least, that’s what he’s telling us. I don’t know all the details because he’s been talking to my partner and his lawyer, but I needed to meet with you and give you all the news before you see it in the papers.”
“Thank you,” Logan says as we all three rise from our seats. “Will I be able to see my father before his court date?”
