“Amy.” She cleared her throat. “I-I would be a surrogate for you, if you needed someone.” As Amy recoiled from her mother, Augusta held out her palm. “Don’t feel like I’m pressuring you. I-I was just thinking that we’re the same blood type and all. I’m only in my forties so...I wanted to offer but I understand if that disgusts you.”
Groping blindly behind her for Leo’s hand, Amy gripped it tight. “Not now. I can’t think about any of that…”
“Of course. I understand.” Augusta looked at Steven. “Do you want to go over the rest?”
Clearing his throat, Gil’s best friend told her, “When your dad divorced Augusta, he only took ten percent of the lottery winnings. He used some of Augusta’s share to buy the condo but insisted that she take the majority since she was the one who played the lottery every week for years.”
“I-I didn’t know that.”
“To be fair,” Steven clarified, “Augusta tried to get him to reconsider. She was willing to split the money equally. Both of them contributed to the trust created for you.” Sitting back, he folded his hands over his abdomen. “Gil aggressively invested Augusta’s share so it continued to grow while she was in prison. She’s now transferred ninety-percent of her assets into your name.”
Blinking several times, Amelia whispered, “What?” She turned to look at her mother. “Why w-would you do that? You don’t have to…”
“I’m not trying to buy forgiveness.” Augusta shook her head slowly. “The money poisoned my life but you’re not like me. You’re like Gil. The money didn’t change him at all.”
She wiped her nose and took a few deep breaths. “The truth is...I have no skills, no real passion, and I wouldn’t know how to hold a normal job now. I kept enough for retirement and to donate to several charities I’ve gotten involved in. The rest…” She closed her eyes. “I don’t want it. It rotted me from the outside in.” Tears slipped from beneath her lids. “It would mean a lot to me for you to have it. Leo does pro-bono legal work for women and children all over the country...”
“I-I didn’t know that.”
She nodded. “Maybe you can help the people he’s helping. You’ve always had a gift for making those around you calm.”
Amelia looked up at Leo and he held her gaze. “You did what you always wanted to do.”
He smiled gently. “I found that with the right team, I can run my family’s trust and do what I love. There’s usually a workaround to any problem.”
Turning back to Augusta, Amelia cleared her throat. “You’re sure about this? You’ve given it enough thought?”
Steven answered for her. “Augusta has had the money in an escrow account for almost five years.”
“That’s when you first tried to contact me,” Amelia said softly.
“You weren’t ready. I understood.” Considering her words, she added, “I knew you had enough money and-and I knew you were fighting to get your sanity back. I didn’t mind waiting, Amy. I would have kept waiting. I ruined your life.”
After a long pause, Amelia murmured, “I felt that at the time and hated you. You definitely changed it.” Sitting up straighter, she added, “Now I realize you can’t ruin something that hasn’t happened yet. So...you ruined part of my life but I have the power to decide what comes next.”
Augusta stared at Amelia for a moment and then smiled. “Yes. You really do, Amy.” To Steven, she asked, “You have all the papers?”
He removed a stack and slid them in front of Amelia. “Leo has read every line but take all the time you need to review these.”
She picked up the pen and hesitated, looking at her mother.
Reaching out, Augusta put her hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Amelia, sign the papers and take what belongs to you. You’ll do far more with it than I ever did.”
Nodding shakily, she signed page after page and sat back with a hard exhale.
Steven went over some basic information and then Augusta stood. “I’m going to give you and Leo time to get your feet under you. Maybe...before you leave, I can take you both to dinner.” She rushed on, “You let me know in a couple of days. No rush.”
Amelia stood up and stared at her mother in silence. “I can see how hard you’re trying. I’ll try...”
“No, Amy. I never thought you’d look at me again. Having you speak to me is far more progress than I ever imagined and more than I deserve. I mean that.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll call in a day or two.”
“I need to go back to Washington.” Leo looked at Amelia in shock. “I have business to wrap up there. I can’t focus here knowing it’s in limbo.” Twisting her hands, she added, “Maybe we can...have dinner when I get back.”
“I would like that, Amy.” Looking past them, she said, “Thank you, Steven.”
“I’ll walk you out, Augusta.” The lawyer gathered his papers and snapped them into a heavy leather case. He walked around the desk and shook Leo’s hand. “I’ve read a few of your cases. You keep kicking the asses of abusers and predators with style like the courts have never seen.”
“I appreciate that, sir.”
“Amelia.” Steven wrapped her in a one-armed hug and leaned back with a smile. “You’ve always been a beautiful person on the outside. It’s so good to know your insides match. You make your dad proud and live a crazy happy life. There’s been enough sadness, I think.”
“Thank you for everything.”
He nodded. “You’ll call me if you need anything?”
“Of course.”
Then he escorted Augusta from the room. When the door closed behind them, Leo moved to stand in front of Amelia.
“You’re leaving.”
“No. I’m going to Washington to wrap up the life I built there over the last couple of years.” She tugged her lower lip between her teeth. “I’ll be back, Leo.”
“I’ll go with you and help…”
“No,” she said firmly. “I need to handle this piece by myself.”
Blinking, Leo whispered, “There’s...someone in your life.”
“There was a woman I met after rehab. I ended things more than a year ago.” His eyes widened. Inhaling deeply, she explained, “She’s still my business partner. We own a photography studio together and I owe her an explanation face to face.”
They stared at each other in silence for almost a minute. Then he asked, “You’ll come back?” She nodded. “How long, Amelia?”
“A month.” He couldn’t hold back a small sound of pain. She reached up to cup his cheek. “I’ll come back, Leo.”
“When are you leaving?” he asked softly.
“Tomorrow. The sooner I go, the sooner I’ll be back.”
“Fine.” He pulled her roughly into his arms and kissed her possessively for a long time. Then he lifted his face and said through gritted teeth, “I’ll spend the time reminding you why you need to come back, Amelia.”
Leo had no choice but to let Amelia go. She’d created a life separate from him just as he had. Still, it was all so new. He didn’t like the way he felt inside.
Hiding it as much as he could, he took Amelia’s hand and led her through the house to his room. He might have to let her go tomorrow...but that was tomorrow.
Tonight, he planned to imprint on her like an animal with its mate.
Chapter Twenty
Four months later…
“I am begging you, Amelia…”
She interrupted him. “A man like you never begs, Leo. We’re looking for a photographer to replace me but...we just finished prom season and now we’re in the height of wedding season. These next two months are the busiest time of the year and I can’t leave Ricky to handle all this alone.”
With a low growl, he shot back, “Then I’ll come…”
“You will not. I need you to respect my wishes in this, Leo. I already packed up my place, sold it, and hired movers to transport it to Chicago. I’m living out of a hotel and working. It won’t be much longer.” She
sighed. “You know where I am. I give you my word that I’ll come back to you just...let me do this.”
He rubbed his temple hard. “None of this makes any damn sense, Amelia. You said a month…”
“I underestimated how long it took to close out my life.”
Before he could stop the words, he retorted, “It took you two hours the last...fuck. I’m sorry.”
“When I was eighteen, I left with a couple of bags and my wallet. I’m an adult now, very different from that confused girl I was.”
“I didn’t mean it, Amelia.”
“Part of you did and I get it. My god, I dragged you through it while I handled my shit. I know you’re frustrated and worried. I swear that I’m safe, Leo. I’m working and taking care of things. Let me get to the end of the next two months and then I’ll come back to you. We were apart for eight years...we can handle six months.”
“Why don’t you want me to come, Amelia?”
“I didn’t love Ricky, Leo. I meant that.”
“She loved you…”
“I broke her. Drove her to the edge and then had second thoughts when the loneliness started to eat me alive.” She put her hand over the phone. “I need the big battery for the stationary camera, Marjory. Uh huh. Two extra cables for lights. No, the gray bag. Thanks!” She came back on the line. “I have a wedding in three hours. This is crunch time. Can we talk tonight? I’ll answer any questions you ask.”
“Alright.”
“I love you, Leo. Love you with all of me. Ricky knows all about you and it would cause her unnecessary pain to have you here. I’m giving her the entire business. She bought my house at a great price and I’m selling her the SUV I use to haul equipment.” He could hear the smile in her voice. “Will that be enough until we talk tonight?”
Laughing at himself, he told her, “Yeah. I’m an idiot. I love you, Amelia. Be careful out there...I’ve heard brides are horrors.”
“Oh, the stories I can tell you. Later, okay? Gotta run!”
They disconnected and Leo stared through the living room window at Chicago. He tapped the phone against his thigh.
He was slammed with cases that had him in court for nine hours a day and working weekends. It seemed the world went mad and innocent people were paying the price.
It was the only reason he hadn’t gotten on a plane to see what the hell was happening with Amelia in Washington.
She was right about one thing: he’d survived eight years without her. He could handle a couple more months if it meant getting her in his life for good.
With a heavy sigh, he went back to his office and dove into the case file that would be heading to trial in four days.
His client shot her husband six times when she came home early from her shift as a nurse and caught him molesting their daughter. Leo planned to make sure the mother never spent another day in jail.
Doing what he could to put Amelia - and how much he missed her - out of his mind, he got to work.
* * *
Six weeks later, Leo left the courthouse and was surprised to see Augusta standing beside Baylor at his car.
A chill crawled up his spine.
“Something happened…”
“No. Not exactly. Amelia is fine. Can we talk in the car, Leo? It’s important or I would never disturb you at work.” He gestured and she slid in the backseat. He followed and Baylor closed them inside. With a smile, she told him, “I specifically waited until I knew the trial would be over. I know how much has to be done during. You won, I heard.”
Eyes wide, he stared at her. “How…? Yeah, I won. The jury just came back an hour ago. It was a closed court.” He tilted his head. “You know someone inside?”
“I don’t influence anything if that’s what you’re worried about. I told you, uh, that I contribute to some charities. Things that are important to me?” He nodded. “One of them is the organization that contacted you about Marta’s case.” She cleared her throat. “I don’t talk to anyone in my family but do you know why?”
“Amelia never really explained.”
“She doesn’t know the story. My father killed my mother by strangling her with his belt when I was seven. He was friends with the cop who arrested him, the prosecutor who landed his case, and the judge who decided he’d suffered enough spending a few nights in jail. My entire family pretended it never happened. As time passed, she was portrayed as a nagging bitch who got what she deserved.” She inhaled slowly. “Nothing could have been further from the truth.”
“I’m sorry, Augusta.”
“It was a long time ago. Anyway, the people who found Marta’s case try to make sure that kind of justice - and reverse justice - doesn’t happen as much as they can. As you know, there are so many victims.”
“Yes. It’s like pushing a boulder up a mountain.”
“And yet...you keep pushing.” He smiled. “Leo, I know you have absolutely no reason to trust me but...I’m wondering if you would give me a chance to prove I’m worthy.”
Swallowing hard, he felt almost sick with nerves. “What happened? You said Amelia’s fine but that doesn’t mean something hasn’t gone sideways.”
“You talk to her on the phone?”
“Every day.”
“Understand that my talking to you will likely make Amy hate me again. I’ve weighed that risk and determined that the woman I am now can’t keep you in the dark.”
“Is she...did she get back with Ricky?”
“Lord, no. Amy has loved you since she was fourteen. The men and women she dated were merely her efforts to miss you less.” She shook her head. “No, it’s nothing like that. I imagine you have time off now that this trial is over?”
“I-I do,” he answered shakily.
“I’d like you to come with me to Washington. You need to see Amy face to face. She made me promise not to talk to you and I’ve kept that promise for three months.”
Leo frowned. “She made you promise?”
“It’s why I foresee being cast out of her life once she knows I broke that promise.”
For almost a minute, he considered the information Augusta was telling him...and what she wasn’t saying.
“Amy is in danger.” She started to reply and he held up his hand. “Not from a person. Is it a relapse into addiction…?” Augusta shook her head. “Something else. It’s a risk she’s willing to take but you’re worried about the outcome.”
“Leo, I’m going to ask that you come with me on faith. I can’t tell you too much. Mostly because you’d think I was lying but also because I’m trying so hard to keep my promise to my daughter.” She twined her fingers together tightly in her lap. “If something were to happen to her and you didn’t even know there was a problem...I’d feel responsible.”
“Think you were lying? Why would I think you were lying?”
“Because truth is often stranger than fiction and I don’t have the best track record with honesty.”
He started to panic.
“Augusta…”
“Will you pack a bag and come with me?” After a slight hesitation, he nodded. “Bring Baylor so no one thinks I plan to kidnap you or something.”
Despite his intense stress, he laughed.
This time, it was Augusta who appeared surprised. “I mean, you’ve had a price on your head for more than a decade. You do know that, don’t you, Leo?”
Jerking his head to the side, he met Baylor’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “Dude…”
“Mrs. Whitehall, I wish you hadn’t mentioned that to Leo. Chaos interrupts the flow in his big brain. We like to keep him limber as much as possible.”
“Oh, dear.”
The bodyguard laughed. “It’s alright. Let’s focus on Amy and then Leo can grill his parents about the going price for what amounts to a Spanish prince. Should be exciting.”
Rubbing his temples, Leo struggled to compartmentalize the various information flooding into his brain.
“I’m going to make sure the woman I love
is okay and then I’m going to kick your ass, Baylor.”
“There’s a first time for everything, you big nerd.”
Augusta burst out laughing and clapped her hand over her mouth. Leo shook his head as he leaned his head against the seat.
“Disrespect, Baylor.”
“Truth telling and a distinct lack of ass kissing, you mean. Sit back and breathe, Leo. I’ll run you by your place for a bag and get us on a flight.”
“I booked them already, Baylor.” Augusta removed several pieces of paper from her bag. “When we stop you can take a look.” Shrugging at Leo, she said, “I knew you’d come. There’s never been a time you didn’t go to Amy when you suspected she needed you.”
The words moved him.
* * *
They landed in Seattle several hours later and Baylor nodded at the driver who waited for them. To Leo’s surprise, his bodyguard got in the backseat with them.
As he drew ever closer to Amelia, he’d begun to run through various scenarios that would explain Augusta’s worry.
Each was worse than the last.
Augusta reached over and patted his hand where it rested on his thigh. “Amy loves you more than her own life. I mean that, Leo. She didn’t want you to come but you’ll understand why when you see her. It isn’t because she doesn’t want you with her. Don’t be afraid.”
“A little late for that.”
The vehicle traveled through Seattle and pulled to a curb in a gorgeous retail district. The driver came around and stood beside the door but didn’t open it.
“Leo, you cannot freak out. I need your word.”
“I’m not really the freak out type. I mean…really.”
Giving a small snort of laughter, Augusta murmured, “Oh honey...sometimes one really can’t help it. This is one of those situations.” Reaching out, she tapped on the window and the door was opened. She pointed at a modern storefront. “That’s Amy’s studio.”
“Wow.”
“Yes. She’s done well.” She smiled up at him. “And now for something that’s going to blow the top of your head off.”
Feel My Love: The Damaged Series - Book Two Page 14
