by Kennedy Fox
“Wow, that’s cool,” I say as he hands it over to me.
“People.” He points his little finger at the window, then shoves it in my face so I can see them inside.
“Oh wow. There are!”
Tyler giggles, and I can tell he’ll be just as outgoing as Maddie when he’s older. “I have more.” He runs off, and I can hear his feet pounding against the carpet.
“You’ve opened a can of worms now,” Liam warns me, sitting down next to me. “So how long are you here for?”
“Only a day. My flight leaves tomorrow afternoon.”
“Not long enough, but I’m so glad you’re here, man. I’ve missed you,” he admits.
“Yeah, me too. Missed kicking your ass in the gym, too,” I taunt, which causes him to snort.
“You wish! But I’m glad I re-joined. Just going before work three times a week has helped me gain some muscle. Need to lose this baby weight.” He chuckles, patting his six-pack.
“Proud of you,” I say, just as Maddie walks in holding Tobias.
“You wanna hold him?” she asks, stepping closer.
I can’t remember the last time I held a baby. Maddie doesn’t really give me a choice before she’s putting him in my arms. I cradle him as he stirs lightly and can’t help smiling at the little guy. He has his entire life ahead of him, and I put a little wish up in the universe that the world is kinder to him than it was to me. With parents like his, though, I have no doubt he’ll get the love and support he needs to thrive in life.
I watch Tobias with a grin, and when I look up, Maddie and Liam are smiling at us.
“Yep, now it’s your turn to have a few mini-yous,” she declares. “Make me an auntie.”
“Don’t get any ideas, Mads. It takes two people to make babies,” I softly say. “Not to mention, it helps if you’re dating or married to someone.”
“Don’t tell her that. She’ll be setting you up on blind dates in Lawton Ridge. The power of the internet,” Liam says.
“Now that’s an idea!” Maddie beams. “Need to get you on a dating app, STAT.”
I roll my eyes, trying to ignore her, but it’s so damn hard when she’s steadily talking shit.
Tyler comes back with a bag full of trucks and smacks them down on my leg.
“Gotta be careful around your brother, sweetie. Don’t get too close,” Maddie walks over and places his toys on the couch next to me instead.
After a few more minutes, Maddie takes Tobias, and Tyler zeros in on me. He climbs on the sofa and takes out each truck, stacking them on my legs until I’m covered. It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, and it makes me wish we lived closer so I could be in his life more. I plan to visit more, though, especially since Maddie and Liam are determined to pop out kids every couple of years.
I’m so damn thankful Serena suggested I surprise them with a visit. For the rest of the afternoon, we hang out and catch up. I play with Tyler and keep him occupied so Maddie and Liam can tend to the baby.
When dinnertime comes around, I volunteer to cook. Maddie demands I make Cajun chicken pasta, so I do. Once we’re done eating and Tyler’s tucked into bed, Liam grabs a couple of beers, and we sit out on the patio until after the sun goes down. We talk about old times, and I realize even more how much I’ve missed his company. I go to bed with a smile on my face, which is a stark difference from only twenty-four hours ago.
The next morning, I wake up and make breakfast—biscuits, country gravy, sausage, and eggs. Maddie’s in love with it all and demands I stay, which sounds just like my sister.
After Liam and I clean the kitchen, I realize it’s almost time for me to go to the airport. Just mentioning I need to go has Maddie emotional. Once I’m packed, I give her a hug goodbye, and she squeezes me tight.
“You better come back and visit us!”
“I will,” I promise.
“And bring Gemma with you,” she adds when we break apart.
“Sure. I’ll make sure her fiancé comes too. It’ll be a big ole threesome,” I mock.
“We better get on the road,” Liam interrupts.
I give Tyler a high five, then Liam and I leave. There’s no traffic, so we arrive at the airport earlier than expected.
As I grab my bag from the back seat, Liam speaks up, “Our house is always open to you, Tyler. Don’t be a stranger.”
“I won’t. But hey, when Tobias is a little older, y’all come visit me so I can show you around. Wouldn’t suggest coming in the summer, though, unless you wanna have a heatstroke.” I chuckle at the memories of Liam telling me stories of Maddie being pregnant all summer and how miserable she was.
“Yeah, maybe someday. I’ll miss you, bro,” Liam tells me as I step out of his SUV.
“You too. We’ll keep in touch,” I vow, then walk inside.
Goodbyes are always the hardest, especially when I’m leaving people I love. It’s probably why I try to avoid saying them. Before I board, I text Everleigh and remind her when my flight lands. While I hate to leave my friends in Sacramento, I’m happy to be going back to Lawton Ridge—a sentiment I never thought I’d feel.
Chapter Two
GEMMA
When I climb into Robert’s car, my skin feels like it’s melting off my body. I’m ready to internally combust after Victoria dropped the bomb that our wedding has been moved up. Robert thinks he’s so cunning, but I see through this act, and I’m disgusted I fell for it. It should’ve clicked that something was going on when Winnie messaged me more than usual this weekend. I went from talking to her every other week to getting questions every ten minutes. It all makes perfect sense now.
During the drive to his house, Robert goes on and on about how excited he is that Victoria’s interested in his company. I don’t respond to anything he says and stare out the window. Instead, I get lost in my thoughts, wishing I were anywhere but here. When we pull into his driveway, he notices I’m not playing the part of the ecstatic fiancée. After client dinners, he loves to have his ego stroked, but I’m not in the mood tonight. Too many revelations have come to light, and I’m questioning our relationship in a way I never have before.
Over the past few months, I’ve seen glimpses of this side of him, but I always made excuses for his behavior. I’d blame it on his drinking or jealousy, but there’s an underlying issue that’s bigger than I ever imagined. It’s frightening not to truly know who he is, and I hope I haven’t been scammed into marrying a man who doesn’t exist. Though a part of me should’ve seen this coming, considering how pushy he’s been. I’m so stupid for falling for his manipulative ways.
“What’s wrong, darling?” he asks as he yanks my weekend bag from the back seat. Not waiting for my response, because it’s not as if he cares anyway, he gets out of the car. I grab my purse, then follow him to the front door. I need to figure out how to bring up the receipt I found for the private investigator and list my grievances, but it won’t be easy. The last time I complained, he listened, but then nothing changed.
Once we’re inside the house and the door closes behind me, my emotions nearly boil over.
“How could you move the date of the wedding without consulting me first?” I finally blurt out. “That completely blindsided me tonight. It was disrespectful for me to have to find out from a stranger instead of my fiancé.”
Robert sits on the couch and slips off his shoes. “For weeks, I’ve asked you about it, and you’ve been indecisive. I understand you’ve been under a lot of pressure, which I assume is because you work with a criminal, so I’ll give you some slack. I can’t imagine how stressful that is for you, not knowing if it’s safe or if you’re being robbed blind. But I digress. Instead of adding more to your plate, I made the decision for us, something I’ll be doing a lot of when we’re married.”
My mouth falls open at his pitiful attempt to throw jabs at me, but he doesn’t seem to notice or care. I refuse to entertain him or argue about any of this because there are much bigger issues at hand. I’m well aware that Robert will con
tinue to throw this in my face until I bend to his will, but quitting the garage isn’t up for negotiation, and I’ve made that crystal clear.
“I didn’t want the happiest day of your entire life—our wedding—to cause any anguish, Gemma. I thought if I moved the date and took care of the major things, you wouldn’t have to worry about it. And you said it yourself, you’ll be ready, so I took care of your dress and veil as well. Everything’s in place. Winnie’s paid and so is the venue. Invitations are going out soon.”
“My wedding dress?” My blood is pumping so hard, I think I can hear my heartbeat echoing in my head. I’m tempted to pinch myself to make sure I’m not living in some weird nightmare because this can’t be real. He’s officially crossed the line and is delusional if he thinks I’m going along with this.
I want to slap the smug look off his face. Robert tilts his head and smiles, but it’s not kind or inviting. Instead, it’s menacing, and his eyes are cold. It’s like the curtain has been pulled back, and the man behind it all is evil.
“Of course, Gemma. I’m sure you haven’t planned anything with Everleigh and Katie like you said.”
“Well, not yet but—”
“I knew you hadn’t, so I did it for you. I’m sure they’re both too busy trying to support themselves since they don’t have men to provide for them. So, I felt this was a better alternative, considering your mother is no longer here, and you have no one else of importance in your life.” He stares at me, and I feel as if I’m suffocating. Mentioning my mother is just so goddamn cruel. I’ve voiced my dread of not having her with me on such a monumental day. Bastard.
“It wasn’t your decision to make,” I seethe.
“Well, I figured it was best for you. I even found a tailor to adjust my mother’s wedding dress to fit you based on some clothes you left here. Only the absolute best for my bride!” he proudly boasts.
My expression doesn’t change, which causes his helpful husband persona to quickly fade.
“You can thank me now,” he snaps.
I finally catch my breath from the whiplash he’s just given me. “You want me to thank you for what you’ve done? Have you lost your mind?” I walk toward my bag, and Robert rushes to stand. He stalks toward me with annoyance on his face. Wrapping his fingers around my wrist, he jerks me toward the couch and forces me to sit. I can’t believe I agreed to marry such a controlling, manipulative man.
“Take me home,” I demand, wishing I would’ve driven myself.
He throws his head back and lets out a boom of a laugh as he sits next to me, but instead of it being welcoming, it forces a chill up my spine. “Not fucking happening.”
I try to wiggle from his grasp, but he doesn’t let go. Instead, he only holds me tighter. Anger rises, and I grit down, holding my tongue as I try to figure out how I’m going to get the hell out of here. My phone is in my purse across the room.
My thoughts are a jumbled mess, but I need to calm down to think clearly.
“The plan was for you to sleep over and stay with me, so you will. I won’t be taking you anywhere but to my bedroom. Would you like a drink?”
He gets up, but I don’t dare move, too scared to make any sudden movements. Robert goes to the kitchen, then comes back with a scotch on the rocks and lounges in the chair in front of me.
Sitting straighter, I plead, “Please take me home. We can discuss this tomorrow after you’ve had some time to calm down.”
He chuckles darkly, then drinks half the glass. “Don’t you fucking listen? The answer is no. Quit trying to defy me, Gemma. It’s an ugly look for you.”
“I can’t do this,” I tell him, breathlessly. “I can’t do this anymore.”
“This, as in what? The wedding is set for November. You will not fucking embarrass me.”
“There will be no wedding, Robert. Call it off, immediately.” The words tumble out of my mouth, and I can’t stop from saying what I want.
Robert charges toward me. Quickly, I run to my purse and manage to pull out my phone. He chases after me and grabs my hair, pulling me back. My scalp burns from the tug, and I scream out in pain before pushing him away. Angry tears stream down my cheeks as I hurry to the kitchen. I pull a knife from the block and point the blade at him. When I cooked last, it was sharp enough to slice through meat with no issue, so I hope he doesn’t make me use it.
“Don’t you take another step toward me.” I hold it tightly in my grasp, my hand shaking from the adrenaline.
He’s in a blind rage, so my threats don’t faze him. He takes a step, holding out his hands as if he’s surrendering, but I’m not fooled. I try to unlock my phone but fumble. If I can text Everleigh with one hand, maybe she can come get me. Seconds later, Robert rushes after me. The sudden movement startles me, and I drop my phone and the blade.
He grabs me, squeezing my shoulders so hard that I screech. “You need to stop being a selfish bitch, Gemma.”
My phone rings, the high pitch tone nearly pierces my ears. Everleigh’s photo flashes on the screen, and I whisper a little prayer, hoping she won’t give up on getting in touch with me. “I need to answer that.”
Another dark chuckle escapes him.
I try to push away, and he grabs my dress, ripping the thin material of the sleeve from the hem. I look down, then back at him. “If you think we’re getting married, you’re crazier than I thought. The wedding is off, Robert. So do what you have to do to cancel everything.”
My phone rings again. “Over your dead body,” he hisses.
“I told Everleigh that I’m staying at your house tonight, so she knows I’m with you. She won’t stop calling until I pick up,” I force out, needing to place some fear in him. His image means too much, and if Everleigh catches wind of this, the entire town will know what he did to me by the end of the week. My phone buzzes again, and Robert finally lets me go. I eagerly grab it, but he watches my every move as if he’s waiting to pounce if I say the wrong thing.
“You better watch what you fucking tell her,” he seethes, crossing his arms over his broad chest. His shirt is still tucked into his slacks, and the sneer hasn’t vanished from his lips.
“Babe! Everything okay? You sent me a bunch of gibberish in a text,” Everleigh asks as soon as I answer.
Robert picks up the knife, and I’m actually afraid of what he’s capable of doing. The light reflects off the blade as he looks at it, then glances at me. The man I agreed to marry isn’t who’s standing in front of me, trying to force my hand at marriage and threaten me. I try to steady my tone, but I hope to God Everleigh reads between the lines.
“I’m perfectly fine,” I say calmly, and Robert nods, giving me his tacit approval. Robert places the knife in the sink and stalks past me, grabbing his scotch and finishing it before pouring another.
Adrenaline rushes through me like a strong wind in a narrow canyon.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
“Everything’s great. Dinner was amazing,” I say, forcing myself to smile when I speak so at least he thinks I’m trying.
“No, it’s not. I can tell by the shakiness in your voice. Where are you? Robert’s house?”
I laugh, pretending we’re having a much different conversation. “Of course. We’ll do dinner there one night soon after you get off work. The bisque was incredible. The best I’ve ever had.”
“Now I know something is wrong when you’re holding a one-sided conversation,” she says seriously, and I’m relieved she understands what I’m doing.
“Right, I must’ve texted by accident when I threw it in my purse.” I keep up the act, which pleases the monster who hasn’t taken his eyes from me.
“Alright, I’m coming to get you,” she reassures. “Something’s wrong. I’m bringing my pepper spray.” I hear her walking, accompanied by the dangling of her keys. I’m thankful she’s so observant even when I don’t want her to be. Otherwise, I might not have escaped him tonight.
“Thank you,” I say. “Yeah, brunch tomorrow so
unds great. Thanks for checking on me.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can. Hang tight, okay?” she adds at the end, then lingers for a few seconds. I don’t say anything, and my silence speaks louder than my words ever could.
“Great, talk to you later.” I end the call.
“Good girl,” Robert coos. “Now we’ve got some things to discuss, don’t we?”
I check the clock on my phone and hope Everleigh hurries. When she shows up unexpectedly, Robert won’t be able to force me to stay. I want to get the hell out of here as quickly as possible before he hurts me again. The way he’s acting makes me think he will, if needed.
“Alright.” I sit on the edge of the couch, counting down the minutes.
“The wedding will happen, Gemma. You’ve already committed. You know how I feel about people who back out of contracts, and when you accepted my proposal, you verbally agreed to be my wife. So, it’s happening, and things will happen as discussed.”
“Why did you have me followed?” I snap, ignoring his words.
He grins, not at all concerned that I found out. He’s practiced the doting husband act so much that he can switch it on and off so easily. That’s more terrifying than his words could ever be. “Followed? I’m not sure what you’re talking about, sweetheart.” He tilts his head back and takes a large gulp of his scotch.
“I saw the receipt in your desk for the private investigator you hired. When I called you all panicked about someone following me, you didn’t seem to care, and it’s because you were behind it all along. What’s wrong with you? What kind of man hires someone to stalk the woman he supposedly loves and trusts?”
Robert charges toward me. I want to get up and run away, but it’s no use. I try to act as if I’m not threatened by his sudden movement and keep a straight face. He doesn’t seem to like that reaction either and pushes me down until my back is against the couch. With his strength, he forces my arms over my head and straddles me. His face is inches from mine, and the scotch on his breath smells rotten.
