This is all I need in my life right now; to get tangled up in some woman I'm not ever going to see ever again.
I walk away from the sliding glass doors. I'm going to let her sleep a bit longer while I shower, then I'm waking her so that she can slip out with some dignity intact. I have no other choice anyway. I can't give her my name because she could tell my father. I cannot give her a fake name because that's just wrong. It's best that last night is left at a no strings attached kind of night.
I come out of the bathroom to find I don't have to wake Eliza after all. I like that she's awake, but what I don't like is what she is doing. I shouldn't have left my diary out in plain sight for prying eyes to see it, to read it because curiosity got the best of them. I'm disappointed she is reading something personal without permission, but oddly, I'm not angry with her. I should be pissed. Why am I not pissed off?
I clear my throat and she jumps, closing my diary. “What the hell are you doing?” I ask, sounding more pissed than I really am.
“Umm, umm.” She combs her hair with her fingers. She can't look at me. “Reading something that doesn't belong to me. I am so sorry. I didn't realize it was a diary.”
“But yet, it says so right in the first sentence. You didn't think to ask yourself if you should close it and put it back where you found it.”
“Abbott, I'm really sorry. When I read your name… I just wanted to know more about you.”
“How much did you read, Eliza?”
She looks to my face, her eyes travel downward, stopping at my hands on my hips. She looks back at the closed diary. “I read it all.”
She gets up from the bed, she gets her dress from the floor and holds it close to her front. She walks around to the foot of the bed, looking for her bra and panties. I find myself more angry that she is hiding her body from me than reading about my personal life.
“Eliza,” I say firmly.
She stands up straight and stares right at me. “You can't tell my father or anyone about what you read.”
“Sheldon Silverwood is the man you saw? The one who is your father?”
“Don't play dumb with me. I stated that I saw him at the restaurant on the last page. Maybe he put you up to befriending me.”
“Right because he's the one that put me up to giving you water on the beach. He has telepathic senses that knew you were there and needed a drink. I was so relieved he texted me to let me know you were there.”
Eliza gets her dress on, not even bothering with her bra and panties. She bends to get her shoes by the glass doors. She slides the door open. “Wait.”
“Thanks for the one night stand.”
She takes off, running out of my bedroom.
Fuck; real smooth Abbott. I grab a pair of shorts, slipping them on, and run after her. She hasn't gotten very far. I call out her name, but she doesn't stop running. When I finally catch up to her, I realize just how close we are staying to each other. It seemed a lot further last night.
“Eliza, stop.”
“No, leave me alone. Last night was clearly a mistake.”
“It was not and you know it.”
“Braden Coleman is that really you.”
I look over my shoulder, and there stands my father with the little girl. He holds her hand like a good fucking parent would. “I'm not Braden Coleman.” I look back at Eliza. “Can we talk?”
“Eliza, please take Aurora inside.”
The little girl runs to Eliza and they go inside their rental home. I blew it with her with my stupid comment. I turn around and shove my hands in my pockets. I face the man that I no longer know. He holds his hands out in the air. “I know you’re my son. You may not go by Braden Coleman anymore, but it's your given name. I see it in your face that you know who I am. It's why you ran from me twice.”
“You are mistaken. You are not my father. Father's raise their children. I do know who you are, Sheldon, right?”
“You can pretend all you want that I didn't give you life, but it won't change the fact you’re my blood.”
I shake my head. I find I don't want to know anything about him. I held on to something and let it haunt me for no reason. He stopped being my dad the day SWAT team took me away. I begin to walk back to the rental house. I hear him call out to me. I ignore him, until he says something that stops me in my tracks.
I twist around and he's coming toward me. “What did you say?”
“I said if you would let me explain.”
“No, the part after that.”
“You were never supposed be taken away from me. It wasn't part of the deal.”
“What deal?”
“Let's go inside and sit down to talk.”
“What deal?”
“The bust. You and I were supposed to be put into the witness protection program together.”
I need to absorb the words he just said. I heard what he said, but it needs to sink in. “I don't know what bust you’re talking about.” I turn back around and walk away from him.
“Son, please don't go,” he yells to me. I don't stop though.
I get back to the rental and I'm so damn tempted to pack my shit and get the hell out of here. Yeah, that's what I'm going to do. I search for my phone, I'll need to rent a car. I find my cell in my shorts from last night.
“Everything alright?”
“Why are you up so early?”
“I got up to get a drink and heard you slam,” he glance at the door, “a sliding glass door. It shook the floor.” I start shoving my clothes in my bag. “Easton, what is going on?”
I zip the zipper on my bag. “I just spoke to my father. He said I wasn't supposed to be separated from him after the bust.”
“Really? What else did he say about it?”
“That's all I heard.”
“So, you didn't get the full story, instead you decided to run from it?”
“Yep. I don't need this shit at this important time in my life. I've lived thirty years without knowing. I can go longer.”
“We are going to get to the bottom of this today. Give me a half hour to shower and wake up.”
“We are not doing anything. I'm going home and you are staying put with your wife to enjoy this mini vacation. End of conversation.”
“You can do whatever you would like right after we have this talk with your father. This has gone on long enough without answers.”
“Keets, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I'm not ready.”
“Bullshit. If you weren't ready, you never would have spent the night with the girl. You seem to forget I know you very well, Abbott. We are doing this. End of conversation.”
Javen and I knock on the door of my father’s place. I still cannot believe I'm doing this. I don't feel ready to know the truth. Hell a part of me knows I might never be ready, so I might as well get this done and over with once and for all.
Eliza answers the door with a look of surprise on her face. She looks to me and then to Javen once she gets herself together. She opens the door wider and I follow Javen into the house.
“I will go get Sheldon.”
“Thank you,” Javen replies. He leans over in my space. “I take it you have unfinished business with the girl?”
“Her name is Eliza and yeah, maybe I do.”
Keets straightens back up once my father comes out of a room. I notice the way he carries himself. Apparently, so does Javen as he mentions how much I hold myself just like he does. I take in the way he squares his shoulders, the way he looks someone directly in the eyes and walks with strong confidence. I guess I inherited something good from him.
Sheldon stretches out a hand to me. “I'm glad you came back.” I reluctantly take his hand. He then extended his gesture to Keets. “I'm Sheldon Silverwood.”
“Nice to meet you.”
My father briefly waits for our names but neither Keets or I offer it. He invites us into his living room and we trail behind him. Keets and I have a seat on the sofa and he sits in a rocking
chair.
“I've waited a long time for this day to come.”
I raise an eyebrow and Keets just looks at me. He eventually says to Sheldon, “How about we clear the air. My friend here has told me a little bit of what's going on. How about we start with you telling us what the hell happened?”
He nods his head. “I don't know if you know or remember all the people constantly at our home or not. I was not on the up and up.”
“I know you were the mafia. I remember the guns, the drugs, and all the parties. Oh, and my mother dropping dead after sniffing too much coke up her nose.”
“Good memory.”
“Unfortunately, you are correct.”
“Well, son…”
I cut him off. “Stop calling me that.”
“Fair enough. A week after losing your mother, I knew I needed to change my life. Our lives. I started putting things in order. Documenting things and such. Six months later, I went to the FBI and asked for help. I turned on everyone I knew to get us out.”
“I was twelve when the bust happened.”
“You were. It took a year and a half to get us out. The FBI wanted more. The night of the bust. The SWAT team came in and took you to safety. They pretended to arrest me. The next day we were supposed to be given new identities and lives. That happened, but they fucked up. You were always meant to stay with me. I have spent the last thirty years looking for you.”
I get up from the sofa. Run my hands down my face. How did this happen? “If they fucked up why didn't they just come and get me? You must be lying.”
“I thought you might not believe me if this day ever came. I have proof I'm not lying. Give me a second to retrieve it.”
Sheldon is gone for at least three minutes but it feels much longer. I keep pacing the room soaking in all this information. I thought about many different scenarios as a kid. This one never came to mind. I pretty much assumed my father was somewhere locked up. It was all my brain could think of when I was a kid. Why else wouldn't I be with my dad? The older I got, I thought about if I would ever know if he got out of prison.
“He was never in prison as I thought.” I say that as a statement and not a question to Javen.
“That is fucked up if he's telling you the truth.”
“And if he is, I dedicated my life to the very people who took mine.”
“Abbott, you know that is two different situations, right?”
“Is it? I became who I am because of that SWAT team who took me from my life.”
“You said in your diary you hated your life.” Keets gets up from the sofa and comes over to me, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Alright, let's not attack each other. Let's just see what he has.”
I give him a nod. My father enters the room and he holds a box in his hands. “There's a lot in this box. If you want we can go through it together or you can take it with you.”
“I would like to take it with me, if you don't mind. I might need it a few days, there seems to be a lot of papers in here.”
“Take your time and go through it. I can stay here for however long you need. I no longer need to travel the world searching for my son.”
The little girl comes running into the room. “Daddy, daddy, Eliza taking me to beach. I have floaties.” She bounces up and down, showing off her arm floaties.
He smiles, picks her up, and tickles her belly. I narrow my eyes at him. Who the hell is this guy and why didn't he ever act this happy around me when I was a kid? He puts her down and tells her to finish her breakfast. I turn around to see Eliza in the doorway waiting with a bowl in one hand and a hand on her waist.
“Well, I have interrupted your breakfast. We are going to get out of your hair.”
I carry the box out of the house. I get down the steps and I hear Eliza’s voice, asking me to wait. She skips down the steps and Keets walks ahead.
“I didn't tell him your name.”
“I know you didn't. Thank you.”
“Does he know it?”
“No.”
She opens the lid on the box. “That's my number if you want to hang out later.”
I smile and then look at the house, to Keets who's waiting for me and back to Eliza. “I'll get a hold of you.”
I catch up to Keets. We talk about the box and I tell him I'm not doing anything with it today. I told him we are on vacation and we are going to do sightseeing or whatever Olivia has up her sleeve. It's just my way of taking control from my father. I'll go through all his “proof” on my time.
Chapter Eleven
When Keets and I learned that Olivia actually had nothing planned for the day. We all hung out at the house and enjoyed the beach. Justin invited the strawberry blonde he met last night over. I believe her name is Kim. She'll be joining us for dinner on the back deck. Bill and Keets are talking about building a fire pit down by the water for a relaxing evening by a fire. Olivia and Sandy have gone to the store for steaks and side dishes. I'm just sitting here chilling. I thought about calling Eliza and I've also been thinking about the box. A part of me wants to dig right in and read about the proof my father says he has, but a bigger part of me wants to forget all about the box and invite Eliza over. I accused her of doing something she didn't do and I want to apologize face to face.
“Are you going to sit there and mope or are you going to use the number I saw Eliza stick in the box?”
“I've been contemplating which one of those I want to do.”
“You idiot. Call the girl.”
“Are you sure that's wise? After all, she isn't a blonde and not the type I go after.”
Bill laughs. “And look how well that worked out for my wife.”
“See, Abbott, he has a good point.”
“I'm getting a beer. Do you boys want one?”
“Did I hear someone say beer?”
I look behind me and Justin has a six pack in his hand. I twist the cap off when he gives me one, letting the flavor of barley and hops fill my senses. Keets comes over and sits next to me.
“Last night in paradise, you should really call the girl. I know how weird you were about being the fifth wheel and all. As it stands you will be the seventh wheel tonight.”
“Keets, shut the fuck up.” I stand to go and get Eliza’s number. “Hey, thanks for this morning.”
“Anytime. When we get home tomorrow evening, I'm helping you tackle that box.”
“For the record, Eliza is my type.” I walk away and laugh to myself. Keets is a smart fucker, using my own words against me. I'll remember this and flip it on him one of these days.
I get into my bedroom, the box is on top of the dresser. I sit on the edge of the bed that remains unmade from last night. I look at the box and then run my hands through my hair. I know once I take the lid off I'm going to want to go through whatever is inside. Eliza just had to put her number in there instead of in my pocket or better yet, my hand.
I get up. I tell myself to just get the slip of paper and that's it. I touch the lid and I hear a knock on the glass. I glance over and smile. Perfect timing.
I walk over and let Eliza in. “Hi.”
“Hi. I hope you don't mind I came over uninvited.”
“I was just going to call you to invite you to have dinner with us.” She smiles. “I also wanted to apologize for this morning.”
“I'm sorry as well. I shouldn't have read your diary.”
“Would you care to stay for dinner?”
“I would love that. I do have a question, though.”
“Okay. Were you ever going to tell me your name?”
“It's not that I didn't want to. I just didn't want my father to find out. It didn't feel right to give you a fake one either.”
“I won't tell him. It isn't my place. I'm just the nanny, ya know? I knew Sheldon was looking for his son, but I didn't know about the things I read.”
“How about we forget about all of that and enjoy each other's company tonight.”
“Sounds good to me.”<
br />
I hold my hand out. “Hi, I'm Abbott Easton.”
She smiles. “Hi, I'm Eliza Lennox.”
I grab her by the waist and pull her body to mine. I bend and kiss her once she looks up to me. I kiss her with more dominance than last night, leaving her gasping for air.
I lean further down, my lips touch her ear as I say, “You know I'm going to have to punish you for reading my diary.”
“Hmm.” She licks her lips. “Yes, Sir.”
“We need supplies.”
I take Eliza’s hand and exit my bedroom. We go upstairs and I look out to the driveway. I tell her I'll be right back.
“Bill, can I borrow your car? I need to run to the store real quick.”
“Keys are on the counter.”
“Easton, do I need to tell Olivia to get another steak?”
“Yes. See you when we get back. Don't eat without us.”
We go into the department store. I find what I'm looking for in the hardware section. Eliza’s eyes show her curiosity, but she doesn't object to anything I put into the basket. I take us to another section of the store, and I hear her say to herself, “Can we skip dinner?” I pretend I didn't hear her because I don't believe I was supposed to hear her. I put a few more items in the carrying basket.
“Do you need anything?”
She gets up on her tiptoes, holding onto my shoulders. “Am I supposed to have a say in my punishment?”
“No. I meant like something specific to drink with dinner or whatever.”
“I'm good, Sir.”
Dark hair, light hair, it doesn't matter. Eliza is my type of woman. I look at her walking beside me. I am taking full advantage of this last night together. Another no strings attached kind of night. Tomorrow we will say our goodbyes and that will be that.
Dom Diaries: Tangled up in you Page 5
