by Ruby Rowe
Greyson told me yesterday that he’d let me decorate it however I wanted, and I was already thinking up a color scheme. After I saved some paychecks, I was going to buy my first comforter set.
It was stupid of me to think this could ever feel like home. Seeing him with her made me ill, and getting caught watching them was humiliating. How will I ever face Greyson again?
Leaning back against the dresser, I sink to the floor and pull my phone from my pocket. I’ll text Camilla and see if she’ll come get me, or maybe I should call an old friend instead. I’m a burden my sister doesn’t need.
I jump from the pounding on the door.
“I’m coming in. We need to talk.”
“No. Go away. I’ll be out of your hair as soon as I get a ride.”
“You’re not going anywhere.” He tries to come in, but the door’s locked. “Open this goddamn door. There’s things I can’t fix in my life, but this isn’t going to be one of them.”
“Please, go away.” I begin to sob, and I’m not sure of all the reasons why, but one that I’m certain of is I officially have a crush on a man I could never be with. It’s why I have to get out of here.
“Dammit, why are you crying?”
“Go. Away. I’m leaving.”
He mumbles something unintelligible and stomps away. Relieved he’s leaving me alone, I wipe my eyes and get up off the floor to finish packing. Within a minute, the handle jiggles again, and in seconds, Greyson shoves the door open.
His blond hair is in disarray, and his t-shirt hugs his muscles so beautifully tight. His face reveals anger and desperation, and I don’t want to hear why because I don’t want to care.
“I believe in facing things head on, if you haven’t noticed, so we’re airing this out now.”
I cross my arms. “Head on you say? It looked like from behind to me.”
Tightening his lips, he brings a fist up to his mouth, locking down whatever anger he’d prefer to unleash.
“OK, I deserved that, but only because you’re staying here. I have a right to fuck whoever and wherever in my own home, but since you’re living here, I should’ve remembered that you could walk in on us. I wasn’t thinking.”
“You should’ve told me you had a girlfriend. I never would’ve agreed to come here, and you should know a girlfriend would never approve of me being here, either.”
“I don’t care what Whitney thinks, and stop calling her my girlfriend.”
“What is she then? A random hookup?”
“No, she’s, she’s … it’s complicated.”
I stick out a hand. “This early in my recovery, I can’t get caught up in your drama, so I’m going to find somewhere else to stay. Thank you for all you’ve done for me. Now, please get out so I can pack in peace.”
Greyson stalks toward me like I’m some sort of prey, so I step back until my legs hit the bed.
“Why were you crying?” He brushes tears from my cheeks, so I pull back and look away.
“My own shit’s complicated, too, so let’s part ways now before we make our situations more fucked up than they already are.”
“I meant it when I said I wanted to help you. I slipped up, OK? I’m sorry. I’m used to being here alone, so when Whitney showed up uninvited and came on to me, I didn’t think about you walking in on us.
“I swear I won’t let it happen again. Actually, you saved me from a head-on collision. I was making the biggest mistake of my life letting her back in my personal space.”
I look at him and smirk. “She was definitely backing into your space.”
He cracks a grin, his dimples finally coming out to play along his flushed skin.
“That was another good comeback. Fucking embarrassing, but clever. See, I need this banter to keep me in check, so stay here. I promise I’ll behave.”
Exhaling, I examine his handsome face and a mouth that’s making promises I want to believe. He might behave, but my emotions won’t. I like him, and that won’t change if I continue to live with him.
“I’ll stay, but only for a short time. As soon as I save enough money, I’m moving out.”
“Thank you. Now, unpack your clothes and come watch some trashy television with me.”
“Uh, I have no desire to ever sit on your couch.”
“Oh, right.” He tilts his head to the side. “You did something to your hair. I like it.”
“I got it layered and added some highlights.”
“You already had those. Natural ones in about three different shades of brown.”
I scrunch my nose. “You noticed that?”
“Yeah, I did.” Lifting a piece of my hair, he eyes it. “I like this, too.”
“Thanks. I want to be sure I get up in the morning on time, so I better go to bed.”
“Yeah, I probably should, too. It was a long day. You promise you won’t sneak out of here?”
“I promise.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Camilla
“I’ll check on him,” I say to Ellis as I hurry off the bed and throw on my robe. Liam is screaming for me, and I can hear it on the monitor next to Ellis’s bed.
I run down the hallway and sling open his door. He’s reaching for me, his small hands opening and closing, and I have a flashback to when he tumbled down the staircase with Ellis. That same terror is etched on his face.
“Momma, Mommyyyyy,” he cries.
“Sweetie, what’s wrong?” Sitting on his bed, I pull him onto my lap. As I rock forward and back to soothe him, I stroke his hair and hum a song. Sniffling, he wipes his wet face and nose on the sleeve of my robe. “Did you have a bad dream?” I ask him.
“Chris,” he says before he cries again.
“Chris? Our friend Chris?”
Liam nods.
“What about him? Was he in your dream?”
“Secret,” he mumbles.
“Secret? Baby, I don’t understand.”
“Will you sleep with me?” Turning himself around in my lap, he wraps his arms around my neck like a vise. I kiss his head as I think about Ellis’s disapproval.
“Sure, I’ll sleep in here with you. Just tonight, though.”
***
“Camilla, wake up,” Ellis says. I open my eyes, and he’s touching my shoulder. Smelling his clean scent, I admire him in jeans and a thin brown sweater.
“Good morning,” I say before I look down and see that Liam’s still asleep next to me.
“What happened?”
“I guess he had his first night terror. He was petrified when I came in here. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t leave him.”
His gaze softens. “Don’t be sorry. I get it now.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too. Emma will be here in thirty minutes, and don’t forget that Liam’s first Italian lesson is at ten. The tutor’s name is Lorenzo, and he’s actually Italian, so maybe he’s familiar with the town your grandmother lives in.”
“I can’t talk to him about her.”
“Then, you need to talk to me soon. You have to tell me why you haven’t seen her in years.”
“I will, but right now I better get moving.”
“I have a business meeting at ten, so I’m leaving soon, but I’ll meet you downstairs for breakfast first.”
“Sounds good.” Waking Liam, I help him get dressed for the day. He takes his baths at night, so it normally makes for easier mornings, but not today.
He’s difficult and whiny and refuses to go downstairs, so I carry him there, which flares up my back pain. We reach the dining room, and his face lights up.
“Boss-Daddyyyy.”
Ellis and I both chuckle. “Hi, kid. That’s an interesting combination, and I can only imagine what my parents will think of it.” He brushes Liam’s hair from his face before he gets up to help him into his chair.
“Speaking of my parents, they’re coming for dinner at six this evening,” he says. “I couldn’t put them off any longer since they’re eager to mee
t Liam.”
“I want them to meet him, too. I’m excited for him to know his family.” I sit down at the table, and Irene serves Liam and me breakfast. As she begins to walk away, Liam crosses his arms.
“I don’t want eggs. I want French toast,” he spouts.
“OK, my piccolo. I’ll make you some,” Irene says.
“No, Irene, please don’t, but thank you,” I say as I look at Liam. “We’re not having French toast today. Irene was nice enough to make you breakfast, so we’re going to eat it and be thankful.”
I glance at Ellis, expecting him to disagree, but he gives Liam a stern look instead.
“Eat your eggs, and I’ll have Irene make you French toast in the morning. If you don’t eat your eggs, I’ll have her fix them again tomorrow with tuna fish on top.”
Liam’s little brow furrows the way his father’s does, but then he breaks into a smile over his dad’s funny comment. I stifle a giggle, wondering how I ever missed the uncanny similarities between them.
“I hate to run, but I have to get to my meeting,” Ellis says.
“OK. Be safe, and maybe this little guy will know an Italian word besides piccolo when you return.”
Ellis kisses the top of my head and Liam’s, too, and my heart is filled with joy this morning. My sister was happier than I’ve ever seen her last night, and Ellis and I are pulling off this parenting gig together.
Now, all I need to do is tell him about my past and have him take me back to the playroom. Then, I’ll be content.
Ellis
“Here’s what I have so far. It’s on Mr. Day, and you’re not going to like it,” Lawson says after handing me a file folder.
“You mean I’m going to dislike it more than meeting you at this busy coffee shop?”
He takes a sip from his cup. “I think you can make an exception, considering all I’m doing for you.”
As I open the file, I say, “Does this mean you’re going to take care of the more sensitive matter for me, as well?”
“Yes, but I need more time. I should be able to wipe her slate clean, and I’ll get you the documents you wanted, too. Oh, and I’ll check out her parents.”
“I can’t thank you enough.” I read over the first page in the file. “Wait, this can’t be right.” Sitting up straighter, I read the page again. “Are you sure you got the correct Christopher Day?”
“Yes, it’s him.”
“But this says his mother is Sandra Buchanan.”
“That’s correct. I’m guessing it’s not the news you were expecting.”
“I don’t know what I was expecting, but not this. Sandra Buchanan is his mother. This is unbelievable but explains so much.”
“What’s the significance?”
“Christopher’s mother is also my brother’s birth mother. Christopher is Tony’s half-brother.”
“Shit, did Tony know that?”
“If he did, he never told me. Did Sandra raise him?” I flip to the second page, looking for more information.
“Yes, she had custody of him. I couldn’t find where his father was ever in the picture, but his info’s in there, too.”
“Thank God we don’t share the same parents.” The anger swells inside me, and my pulse accelerates until there’s a pulsing in my temple. “Christopher Day is full of secrets.”
“There’s another one in there, and I have a feeling you won’t want him working for you after you read it. Page four.” Swiftly, I look for it. “What exactly happened here?”
“At sixteen he was charged with sexual assault against a fifteen-year-old girl, but due to lack of evidence, the case was closed. Then, he had a robbery conviction at seventeen and spent some time in juvenile detention.”
“This bastard’s in my home every day, and he’s spent more time with Camilla and my son than I have. This news makes me want to kill him.”
“Settle down there, cowboy.”
“As far as I know, Tony never saw his mother. He hated her for giving up custody in exchange for cash. If I had to guess, Christopher found Tony and befriended him for his personal gain. Hell, this makes me wonder a lot of things.”
I slam the file closed and drop it on the table. “Shit, do you think it’s possible he killed my brother?”
“I’m not on Tony’s case, but I can look into it for you.”
“I’ve tried to keep you away from the investigation since we don’t want it getting out how closely we work together, but if I haven’t used up all my favors, could you talk to your colleagues on the case and plant the seed of suspicion about Christopher?”
“Why not? What’s one more favor among friends?” He pushes back his dark hair and grins. “While I’m doing my research, I’ll envision my brand-spankin’-new lake house and boat. It’s the one you and I will be fishing from while we drink bourbon and celebrate my early retirement.”
“One day, my man.” I stand. “I have to get home. That scumbag’s working there this very minute, and I want him as far away from Camilla and my son as possible. Thank you, Lawson. I owe you big-time.”
Camilla
“Oh, my gosh, kid, what is going on with you?” I ask, exasperated by Liam’s foul behavior. He stomps his feet violently, and if his screams reach a decimal higher, Lorenzo will call Child Protective Services on me for suspected child abuse.
Needing to get back to the Italian tutor, I leave Liam in his room, along with the tantrum he’s throwing. Emma is waiting outside his door with round eyes.
“What’s that about?”
“I have no clue, but let him get it out of his system. Can you wait here by the door? I need to reschedule with Lorenzo and see him out. That is if he’ll even come back to teach the devil’s spawn.”
Beginning to laugh, she falls short at a giggle.
“Sorry, but that was funny.”
I head downstairs, and Lorenzo rises from the couch. Thankfully he grants me a warm smile as opposed to a look of horror.
The second he said hello to Liam in the grand hall, my child began throwing a hellacious fit I couldn’t get a handle on. I finally picked him up to remove him from the scene, and he proceeded to kick his legs at me all the way up the staircase. There was no consoling the little monster.
“Lorenzo, I’m so sorry. Liam’s normally well-behaved, but he had a nightmare last night and was up for a while. I believe the exhaustion and anxiety spurred his foul disposition this morning. I hope you’re willing to try again.”
“Absolutely. He’s not the first child who was alarmed when meeting me.”
“Thank you. This was especially important to Ellis.”
“Would you like to try again next week?”
“That’d be perfect.”
I show Lorenzo out, and I’m only midway up the staircase when I hear Liam again. Thankfully, his full-blown meltdown has run its course, and his cry is taking turns with a whine.
“Emma, you can go hang out in the family room and watch TV or play on your phone. I think I’m going to put him down for a nap. Maybe in a couple of hours, he’ll eat lunch and be more tolerable afterward.”
“OK, no problem.” She strolls off, and I enter Liam’s room. He’s lying on his back in the floor, holding a few Lego blocks above his face.
“Do you feel better now?” He only grunts and whines, so I sit next to him on the floor and pick up a red and blue block. “That man, Lorenzo, only wanted to help you like Emma does.
“He was going to teach you some cool, special words. Momma doesn’t even know them, but Boss does. I know you want to be like your daddy. He’s smart like you.”
Liam smiles, but once he realizes I can see it, he frowns. I pick up a few more blocks and begin building something. “Do you want to help me build a fort?”
Sitting up to face me, he rubs his nose on his arm. His eyes are swollen, and every inch of his face is pink.
“I can do it myself.”
“OK. You can have these, too.” I drop the Legos and reposition myself to sit
more comfortably. “What’s got you upset today?” He shrugs and snaps two blocks together. “Is it about the bad dream you had last night?”
“It’s a secret. I’m not awoud to tell you.”
“Who told you the secret?”
He sniffles. “Chris.”
“Oh, he did, huh? Liam, you don’t keep secrets like that from me. It’s my job to take care of you, and if something upsets you, you can always tell me.”
“I’ll get in trouble.”
“You won’t be in trouble for telling me your secret. I promise.”
He looks up at me for confirmation. “I promise, sweetie, now tell me what Chris said.”
Cocking his head to the side, he sniffles again and stares at his blocks.
“He said I might take a trip wif him. I asked him if you was going, too, and he said no. I don’t want to go wifhout you.”
My mouth dries in a split-second. If my blood could boil, it would spill over the pot. Speaking of stoves, I’d like to stick Christopher in the oven and set it to broil.
I take Liam’s hands in mine. “Listen to Momma. You’re never going on a trip with Chris. Not ever, so you don’t need to worry. You’ll always be with me.”
“And Boss-Daddy?”
I find a grin amid my anger. “Yes. Boss-Daddy and me will always keep you safe, and if you go on a trip, it will be with us. I’m proud of you for telling me the truth. That shows you’re growing into a big boy.”
Smiling, he hands me some Legos. “Here, let’s build a fort. I want to make it super tall so my Army men can fit inside it.” Holding up a green block, his face brightens. “Let’s use all the gween ones so it matches the gween guys.”
I’m utterly amazed by his ability to move on so quickly. It shows the trust he has in Ellis and me, but I’m feeling unworthy for not having a gut feeling that Christopher was up to something. Maybe it was a misunderstanding, but I find that hard to believe after the way Liam explained it.
I pull my phone from my pocket and text Emma to come up. I need her to distract Liam so I can confront Christopher. This can’t wait.
“Hi,” she says after cracking open his door.
