Legacy (Montgomery Brothers Series ~ Book 1)

by Laura Pavlov

  And, of course it worked for him. He looked sexy as hell. Even if he was in the midst of dumping me in front of everyone.

  “Baby, no. I was never upset with you. I didn’t want to leave a voicemail about something so—fucked up. You didn’t pick up my calls, so I thought you were upset with me. How could I ever blame you? I’m fucking pissed for you. I love you. And what Hanky, er, Bryce did to you… it’s unforgivable. Of course, it sucks to learn that he lied to us about the accident, but that has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with him. His character. Who he is. I think my father brought you to me. Brought us the truth. And for whatever fucked up reason, I’m proud of Dad for fighting for you. That’s who he was. He would never have been okay with the way you were treated. He brought us together in his own way. And he’d be happy the truth was out. I know it in my gut. And, at the end of the day, Hanky has to live with what he’s done to Dad and to you. But you and me—I love you. Nothing could change that.”

  I covered my mouth with my hand and shook my head. No words came. Tears started to fall, and a sob left my throat.

  He came around the counter and put a hand on each of my shoulders, bending down to meet my gaze. “I love you so much.”

  “I thought you changed your mind. I thought you’d choose him over me,” I said through my sobs. “I thought you’d blame me.”

  “Never. Never, baby. I love you. And I’m sorry for what he did to you. But know this—I will always choose you. You’re it for me, Harley DeLuca.”

  I wrapped my arms around his middle and rested my cheek on his chest as I tried to get my breathing under control. “I’ll always choose you, too.”

  “He came clean with his family. They know everything. He was driving the car that night. You were right. You were right about everything. He lied about it because he feared we’d blame him.”

  I pushed back to look up at him. “But he let you blame yourself.”

  “He did. But this is a man who turned his back on his own child, so I can’t be too surprised.”

  “So, what happens with his family? I mean, I know how close you all are with them. How are they taking the news?”

  “I think it’s safe to say they’re in shock right now. But as far as you’re concerned, no one thinks that you are to blame. Everyone is appalled at what he did to you. I’ve only spoken to Chanel, and I know she wants to reach out to you. We told her to give you some time.”

  I shook my head with disbelief. I was surprised that they didn’t blame me. I know it didn’t make sense for them to hold his actions against me, but in my world, injustice was not uncommon. I was the daughter of an addict. The lines between right and wrong were always blurred. And disappointment was something I was prepared for. Before Ford Montgomery came into my life, I wasn’t used to anyone standing up for me. Sure, Gram and Gramps tried, they took me from my mother in the end, but they’d always feared her. Feared she’d stop loving them maybe. Feared they’d lose her to that world completely if they ever drew a line in the sand. But Ford, well, he’d drawn a line in the sand, and he stood on my side.

  And it felt good.

  Scary at the same time. I wasn’t used to feeling joy or happiness.

  But I was going to try. Because this man made me feel things I never thought possible. And I wanted to keep feeling them. With him.

  “I don’t blame Chanel or her brother. I can’t believe I actually have siblings,” I said.

  “Chanel and Baron are good people, baby. They’ll be nothing but kind to you. And I don’t know where Marie will fall. I know that Hanky has moved out of the house for now.”

  I nodded. “Wow. He kept the secret for so long. He almost got away with it.”

  “He did. But I think he’s been drowning in all this guilt, I really do. It’s good that it all came out.”

  “Yeah. We’ll see what he does with it.”

  “Hey, any chance you can cover her the rest of the day?” Ford asked, turning to look at Molly.

  Her eyes were glossy with emotion, which made me laugh. My best friend was loyal to the core. She’d been afraid he’d hurt me, too. “Yes, the afternoons are easy, aside from the drug dealing kidnappers, that is.” Molly laughed.

  “I can stay and help for a few hours, as long as I can taste whatever I want. Sugar helps me when I’m hungover.” Jack waltzed behind the counter and helped himself to a cupcake.

  “I’ll head upstairs and make sure everything’s running smoothly,” Harrison said, pulling me in for a hug and lifting me off the ground. He whispered in my ear, “I’m sorry about Hanky. But you’ve got a family now, and we’ll never leave you.”

  “Thanks,” I said when he set me back on my feet.

  “Bring it in, Harls,” Jack said, arms wide open and icing on his top lip.

  I laughed and moved toward him as he enveloped me in a warm hug.

  “Love you, girl.”

  “Love you, too,” I said, swiping at my cheek.

  “Enough. Back off.” Ford pushed his brother away and took my hand to lead me around the counter.

  It was overwhelming to be loved like this. Because when Ford Montgomery loved you, so did his family. They lived large and loved hard. And I was happy that I’d found my way to this man.

  And I was never going to let him go.

  Chapter Twenty

  Harley

  It had been two weeks since everything had unraveled, and Ford and I were finding our new normal. We’d both been through a lot over the last few weeks, and it was nice to just enjoy one another without any drama. We worked long hours, but in our off time—it was just the two of us. I relished it.

  “That was a crazy morning, huh?” Molly said as she wiped down the tables and restocked the display case.

  “Yeah. I’m glad it finally died down. I can’t believe how busy we were.”

  The door chimed and my inner grump cringed. I needed a little time to get this place back in order.

  “Oh, hey,” Molly said.

  I looked up to see Chanel. Chanel Reynolds. She was what? The daughter of my sperm donor, which technically made her my sister. Butterflies swarmed my belly, and I wiped my hands on my apron and came around the counter to greet her. I knew she wasn’t coming here in anger, Ford had spoken to her a few times, and she was very upset by what her father had done.

  “Hi, Chanel. What can I do for you?” I asked. Molly scooched past me, tossing me a look, before she went in the back to the kitchen.

  “Can we sit?”

  Chanel wore a winter-white sweater dress and knee-high black heeled boots. She always looked so chic and elegant. Her hair was pulled back in a long blonde ponytail. I studied her features, and for the first time since I’d met her, I recognized some similarities, when her dark gaze that mirrored my own locked with mine.

  “Of course,” I said as we dropped to sit at the back table.

  “So, I didn’t know if it was okay for me to come by? I mean, if I ask Ford, he just keeps saying to give you time. And I get it, Harley, I really do. But the truth is, we’ve already lost so much time. What my father did to you,” she said, pausing to pinch the bridge of her nose. Her eyes watered, and I saw genuine pain there. “It’s inexcusable. But, my mom and my brother and me… we didn’t know about you. And I want to know you. I want to make up for lost time. And I understand if you hate me, I really do. But I can’t not try.”

  A tear ran down my cheek, catching me off guard. I swiped it away fast and let out a long breath. “I could never hate you. This isn’t your fault, Chanel. Or your mother’s or Baron’s. And Ford told me about what your father said. That he believes my mother, or the people she was with, drugged him. I want you to know—that is very possible. They aren’t good people. So, he’s probably telling the truth there. And believe it or not, I do understand why he was afraid to tell you all what happened. He just handled it real
ly poorly, and I don’t know that I could ever forgive him, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. He’s been a good dad to you and Baron from what Ford has told me, and I don’t want to cause a rift in your family. So just know that if you and I, or your mom and brother and I form a relationship, that isn’t contingent upon you not speaking to your father. You can have us both in your life.”

  Tears streamed down her face. “Well, I didn’t expect that. Thank you for saying it though. I don’t know what will happen with my father. I don’t know how to feel about him. There’s a lot of lying and deceit there, you know? But what I do know is that I have a sister, and I’ve always wanted one. And you’re also dating one of my best friends. And he hates everyone, so the mere fact that he’s crazy in love with you tells me how special you are. So, I just want a chance to get to know you, if you’re open to it.”

  I reached my hand across the table and squeezed hers. “I’m open to it.”

  “That makes me really happy, Harley. So where do we start? We have a lot of years to make up for,” she said with a smile.

  “Well, we can just start now. I wouldn’t mind getting some fashion tips from you.” I laughed.

  She clapped her hands together. “Ah, you’re singing my tune. You know one of the perks of being sisters, right?”

  “What’s that?”

  “We get to raid one another’s closets.” A wide grin spread across her face.

  “Well, not sure how much you’ll want to borrow from me.”

  “Hey, don’t knock the hipster-boho-chic look you rock. I envy it. I just dress up because my work requires it. But you own your own business. That takes a lot of hard work and discipline.”

  I chuckled. She was trying. Giving me a little more credit than I really deserved, I mean she was a partner at a law firm. I’d been beyond impressed with her long before I knew she was my sister. “Right back at you. Harvard Law. A partner at a firm.”

  “Did I just hear Harvard Law?” Molly peeked her head over the counter, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Come here. You’ve met before, but we didn’t know we were related.” I laughed.

  “Yep, I’m the big sister.”

  Molly smiled and looked between us. “So, I take it the talk went well.”

  “It did. And she said I could raid her closet,” I said with a smirk.

  “Oh, thank god. I love our girl here, but she could use some serious fashion help.”

  We talked for a while longer and agreed to meet for lunch this weekend. She asked if Baron could join us so she could make introductions. I agreed. It would be awkward, you know, meeting your brother twenty-three years later. But I would follow their lead. If they wanted to give this a shot, I was open to it. Molly went back behind the counter when a customer walked in.

  Chanel stood, and I leaned over and gave her a hug. She held me there for longer than normal, and I soaked it in.

  “Keep reaching out to Ford. He’ll come around,” I whispered. He’d mentioned to me that she’d called him several times, but he hadn’t found the time to return her call.

  “I get it. He’s hurt. And it sure makes this an uncomfortable situation because I know it would be easier for Ford if he just cut us all off, so he didn’t need to deal with Dad.” Her gaze locked with mine, and I saw the hurt. The disappointment.

  “Listen. I’ve lived in the shadow of my mother my entire life. More like a dark cloud. And I’m the first one to say that I am not my mother. I don’t want to be held accountable for all her wrongs. And you shouldn’t be either.”

  “Hey, I’m the older one, shouldn’t I be the wiser one?” she said with a chuckle. “Thank you. I’ll keep working on Ford. He’s a good man. And, I’ve known him since we were little kids, and I can honestly tell you that I’ve never seen him happier.”

  I smiled and bit down on my bottom lip. “I’m really happy too.”

  “I can tell. It suits you, you know? Happiness. You both wear it well. I’ll see you Saturday, Harley. Thanks for the talk.”

  She made her way out of the bakery and I watched as she walked down the street a bit. My sister. She also fit in my life in an unexplainable way. All of the voids in my life, things that had been missing for so long I’d given up hope, were now being filled.

  And I liked it.

  The last month had blown by in a blur. Ford and I were together and enjoying the quiet. We talked, we ate, we laughed, and we had lots of amazing sex. We had Netflix marathons and watched documentaries—and had more sex. This man. He was like finding a missing piece to a puzzle that I’d been searching for my entire life. Everything was good when he was beside me.

  For the first time in my life—I was really happy.

  Complete.

  Whole.

  I never thought another person could provide that for me, in fact I despised when women put too much stock in a man. But now—I totally got it. I wasn’t giving away my power by being with this man, I was strengthening it. I was stronger with him by my side. Seeing myself through Ford’s eyes had empowered me in so many ways.

  He made me feel like—more. More than just a baker. More than just a good student or a pretty girl. More than the daughter of Valentina DeLuca. More than the daughter of a man who didn’t want to claim her.

  Just more.

  “So, did you tell them you’re moving out?” Ford said when he walked in the bathroom. He leaned against the wall behind me, so I could see him in the mirror as I put on some mascara.

  “Not yet. I want to make sure you’re sure about it before I go packing up all my stuff.”

  “Baby, it’s time to say goodbye to the youth hostel.” He chuckled. “Come with me for a minute. I want to show you something,” he said, taking my hand and leading me down the hallway of his enormous apartment.

  I waved at Helena as she smiled at me from the kitchen.

  “Where are you taking me, Montgomery?” I groaned as the smell of bacon lingered as we passed. Yeah, Helena made us breakfast every morning. This was not a normal life, but somehow it had become mine.

  Ford pulled me into the library and shut the door. He flipped on the light and stood behind me, angling me toward a wall of empty shelves. “I had these built-ins added for your collection. I want this to be our place. Mine and yours. Together.”

  I studied the shelves before turning around to face him. “You’re just making all sorts of room for me, aren’t you?”

  “I’ve only known a few things for certain in my life,” he said, pushing my hair back from my face.

  “Yeah? What’s that?”

  “I knew I loved my family, from a very young age. I knew I wanted to work at Montgomery Media someday and follow in my father’s footsteps.” He grazed his lips over mine, teasing and taunting me.

  I moaned. “Yeah. What else?”

  “I knew I was a leader before I could speak in full sentences. I knew I enjoyed reading the first time I read a book on my own.”

  “Yes, go on,” I said as I tangled my fingers in his hair and urged him closer.

  “I knew I was going to love you forever that morning when I woke up in your shitty apartment and you’d taken care of my drunk ass the night before. I knew we had an unspeakable connection and I’d never felt it before. And I knew I’d die without it. Without you.”

  “Was that the morning after you puked on my Chucks?” I laughed against his mouth.

  “Yes, ma’am. That very morning.”

  “I love you,” I whispered.

  “Move in with me, baby. Make it official.”

  “Okay.” I wasn’t going to fight him. He’d asked a few times, and I just wanted to be sure we weren’t rushing. But being here with him… it was right. It’s where I belonged. I’d never belonged anywhere before I met Ford. And now, I belonged with him. He was mine and I was his.

  He spun me ar
ound and pressed my back up against the wall. “Good. Let’s celebrate by christening every room in the penthouse.”

  I laughed as his mouth crashed into mine. His hands tangling into my hair and angling my head so he could take the kiss deeper. Taking and claiming me in every way.

  “What if Helena comes in?” I said through my labored breaths.

  “The only one coming in this library is you.”

  I laughed against his mouth. “Is that so?”

  “That is so. Fuck. I love these skirts you wear. They’re so—accommodating.” He reached for a condom in his wallet before lifting my skirt and pushing my panties to the side.

  “What can I say, I’m an accommodating girl,” I said as he lifted me up and my legs wrapped around his waist.

  “You’re my girl,” he said before he moved his hips, filling me little by little.

  “Always.” My breaths came hard and fast as we moved together. Always in sync.

  I cried out my release, just as he tumbled over the edge right along with me.

  He smiled and helped me to my feet. “Not a bad way to start the day. Now let’s go get some bacon, and maybe I’ll take you again at the bakery after work.”

  “Don’t get cocky, Montgomery. I’m not that easy.”

  We laughed as we righted our clothing and I stopped in the bathroom to clean myself up. He stood behind me, and I glanced up in the mirror and caught him staring at me.

  “What?” I asked with a laugh. “Don’t get any ideas. I need to get to work. You already made me late.”

  “I’m just glad you agreed to move in. I love you. You make me so happy, baby.” He wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my shoulder, and I pushed the lump in the back of my throat away.

  “You make me really happy, too. I never thought I’d say that to anyone. Never thought I’d feel it.”

  He turned me around to face him and lifted my hand to his lips, kissing my palm.

  It was a damn good start to the day.