by Stacy Eaton
I clenched my jaw. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. If you want to be a part of this family, you could. You just need to believe in yourself, Greyson. Only you can decide if you are good enough to be what you want to be. I could hear my mother’s voice echoing around in my mind. She was right. Money didn’t say who you were, your actions did.
I went up to take a shower so I wouldn’t be late. I had a play date with a young lady. Before I left, I knelt down on the floor of my room and pulled open the top of the toy box I had built for Nate. Inside, I had his favorite toys. I had never had the heart to give them away.
I picked up the stuffed turtle that he had carried everywhere with him. The material was stiff and dusty from having sat so long in the box. I should wash it and put it out on my bed. I set it on the floor and dug through his fire trucks and police cars until I found the box at the bottom. It was a special toy I had made for Nate, and I knew that Nate would have had no problem sharing it with someone else.
I set the turtle on my dresser so I would remember to wash it, and took the box with me up to the main house.
When I arrived at the house, the conservatory was quiet, so I headed down to the library. The room was dark. I was about to head back to the kitchen, when I heard Barb yell, “Get your hands off of me.”
I took off toward the sound of her voice, dropping the box I carried on a side table before I went. I all but ran down the hall and stopped short when I reached the formal living room area. This was a room I had not spent any time in, but I couldn’t have cared less about the elegant decorations or seating arrangements. My focus was on the tall man standing in front of Barb. His hands were wrapped around her upper arms and he jerked her forward.
I saw red.
“Let me go, Todd!” she said through clenched teeth.
“Why should I? You think you can just walk away from me? Try to blackmail me? Did I not teach you anything, Barbara? I own you, bitch. You can’t walk away.”
As his right hand let go of her arm, I knew what was coming next. He pulled back as if to smack her. Her eyes went wide as they watched the arc of the hand, but right before it began the descent to her soft skin, I grabbed his wrist.
“Let her go,” I said with a low voice I didn’t recognize as my own.
His eyes snapped over his shoulder to mine, and he released her and turned. I threw his arm away from me and stepped closer to him.
“Don’t you ever touch her again.” I was practically nose to nose with him. I was only two inches taller, but I had quite a few inches on him in width.
“Who the hell are you?” He stepped back, not liking the threat on my face. I was not a violent man, but I would protect those I cared about.
“Who I am is no concern of yours. Now, get out of here.”
“Who do you think you are telling me what to do?” He puffed his chest up like it would make him bigger. It only showed me what a weak person he was.
Allie’s squeal reached our ears as she raced into the room. She stopped and stared up at us, her eyes going to the other man and her lip quivered. Jesus, this man had terrorized his own daughter. Todd stood between Barb and me, and I knew Barb was afraid to move, so I scooped Allie up in my arms. She hid her face in my neck and I felt her shaking.
“Get your hands off my daughter,” Todd said, and I heard Barb gasp.
“Your daughter?” she asked in disbelief, and stepped around Todd. “That is the first time I have ever heard you use those words.”
“Amelia,” I tried not to shout with Allie in my arms, but I didn’t want to leave Barb alone with Todd, and I needed Allie out of here.
“Yes, Mr. Bloodstone,” Amelia said as she entered the room on a half run. “I’m sorry, she got away from me.” Amelia reached for Allie, but Allie clasped her hands around my neck. I saw Todd’s jaw clench and his eyes turn hateful.
“Sweetie, it’s alright, you go with Amelia and play. Mommy will be there in a minute.” I pulled her arm off my neck and handed her to Amelia who spun and left the room as quickly as she could.
“Aw, look,” Todd sneered, “what a happy family.” He glared at Barb.
“Get out of here, Todd. We’re over.”
“What? You think just because you tried to run away, that I was going to give up so easily.” He stepped closer but stopped when I moved to stand behind Barb. He laughed, “You think your little boy toy can protect you? I don’t think so, Barb.”
“Get the hell out of my house.” I pushed Barb behind me. “You are not going to come in here and threaten her, not anymore. She’s done with you.”
“Your house? This isn’t your house.”
He was right, it wasn’t, but I had something else on him. “It might not be my house, but it is my home, and you aren’t welcome in it.”
“Again, this is not your house, you can’t tell me to do anything.”
“Seeing as I get my mail delivered here, and you don’t, I’d say you are wrong. Now get the hell out of my home.”
He glared at me then sneered over my shoulder at Barb. “This is not over. You will come home, and then we’ll see what happens.”
“You want to beat on someone? Why don’t you try someone your own size?” Todd flicked his gaze down my chest and shifted back. “I thought so, now get out,” I said through clenched teeth, “Before I throw you out.”
Todd opened his mouth to speak, but Gloria interrupted him, “I suggest you do what Mr. Bloodstone stated. If you do not, I’ll enjoy watching him kick your ass out the door while the police arrest you for trespassing.”
Todd sneered at all three of us but knew he was beat. He turned and stalked to the front door, shooting daggers at Barb before he pulled the door open, “You asked for it, bitch.”
When the door slammed, it vibrated the walls around the house. I turned, and Barb fell into my arms shaking. “What do you think he will do?” she despaired.
I didn’t know what he would do, but I knew whatever it was, it wasn’t going to be good.
“It’ll be alright, Barbie. It will be alright.” As the words left my mouth, I glanced at Gloria. She didn’t appear to believe what I was saying any more than I did.
Chapter Eighteen
Barb
After Grey left to get some work done, I sat down on the floor and played with Allie for a little while. We had picked up a couple of things at the store and I knew that by tomorrow, the boxes would arrive with the other items I had stowed away.
I watched Allie trying to fit shapes into a ball designed to sort items. From time to time I helped her adjust them, but mostly I watched her and thought about how Grey had not only kissed my forehead, but hers, too.
Allie had watched him walk out of sight, and I could only wonder what was going on inside her little brain as she did. I knew that in my mind, I was seeing the most wonderful man I had ever met stride proudly away. He wasn’t leaving us; he was just going to do his job—and I couldn’t wait to see him again later that night. I took an extra few minutes to make sure I was dressed nicely, although I only had on slacks and a blouse. Grey didn’t appear to be the type of guy to get turned on by expensive clothes, and I loved that about him.
There were many things that I liked about him, from the way the sun lightened his hair to the way his eyes sparkled as he looked at me with a smile.
I knew we were far from a point where either of us could state we had feelings for one another, but part of me wanted to believe in the romantic fairy tale of love at first sight—the night he had held Allie over the sink and grinned as she made a mess.
That night I saw a man I could love, a man who could not only love me, but my daughter as well. My rational mind knew it was way too early to even consider such things. After the relationship from hell that I had been in, and was still trying to legally get out of, you would think I would run for the hills to avoid any attachment, yet I longed for a loving family—something that I had been denied.
I wanted a man I could adore, and one that desired me
for who I was, not how I could please him. I wanted a father for Allie, someone she could look up to so she could experience that not all men are as horrible as her father. I wanted a friend with whom I could share my life, the ups and downs and twists and turns that life threw at you. I wanted to be loved like a woman, not be a possession to be controlled.
My head told me over and over it was too soon to even consider filling that position, but my heart told me to take the vacancy sign down because the spot had already been filled. How was that possible? I stared at myself in the mirror a moment longer. I had my whole life to fall in love and have a happy family. I would take it one day at a time.
I skipped down the stairs and had just reached the bottom step when the doorbell rang. I pulled the door open wide, and my heart dropped into my stomach as I was ripped off of cloud nine.
“Well, if it isn’t my dear, sweet wife,” Todd smirked. “Don’t you look lovely—and alive.”
“What are you doing here?” I gripped the door handle so hard, my hand ached.
“I came to bring you home.” He pushed past me and glanced around the foyer.
“I’m not going back, Todd,” I declared as I closed the door.
“Yes, you are,” he said dryly, and sauntered off to the room on the left.
I followed behind him, old habits die hard, but I had to get him to understand that I wasn’t going back. “No, Todd, I’m not. I already filed for divorce; I’m not coming back to you.”
He laughed, “You think I care about that stupid piece of paper. You’re my wife, and I invested too much time in you to just let you go.”
“Invested time in me? What? You think beating me to submission is investing time in me?” I was floored by his words.
He laughed again, “No, that was entertainment.” He turned and scanned the room, “So you thought you could hide out in Grandma’s house, huh? Didn’t think I would find you?”
“I knew you would. I was putting space between us.” I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.
“Yeah, well you had your little vacation. It’s time to go home.” He grabbed my arm, and I jerked away from him.
“I told you I’m not going anywhere with you. I’m done, Todd. Now, leave.”
He got in my face, “You think you can just walk out?” A muscle ticked in his cheek. “Don’t you realize I know all about what you did now? All it will take is a phone call, and I can have you arrested for kidnapping.”
I gasped, “Kidnapping! You don’t give two shits about Allie, you never have.”
“No, you’re right, I don’t, but I sure can play the grieving father.” He smirked and stepped away from me to sit down on the couch, crossing his ankle over his knee with an arrogant look on his face. He thought he was damned smart.
“No one would believe you. I have proof that you didn’t want anything to do with her.”
His eyebrows rose on his forehead, “And what proof could that be?”
“I have recordings of you threatening to hurt her, and beating me. Plus the hospital records that show the bruises and broken ribs after you tried to beat her out of me.”
He shifted to the end of the couch. “You recorded me?” A quiver of alarm went through me. Oh God! That was the wrong thing to say. “You recorded me, without my permission?” He stood, “Huh, well add wiretapping to the list of charges I will press against you if you don’t pack your shit right now and come home.” His voice had grown deadly as he spoke.
“No.” I stood my ground. I might be charged with those offenses, but I wasn’t going to allow him to coerce me into a corner, not anymore.
Todd grabbed my arms, “You don’t have a choice in this matter, Barbara.”
“Get your hands off me!” I shouted at him and tried to jerk out of his hold. His fingers bit into the muscles of my arms.
“Come on, baby, you know you love it when I get rough.” He tried to kiss me.
“Let go of me, Todd!” I yelled and tried to jerk away.
“Why should I? You think you can just walk away from me? Try to blackmail me? Did I not teach you anything, Barb? I own you, bitch. You can’t walk away.”
I saw the arm shift, and I knew what was coming, but before he could swing, Grey grabbed his wrist. “Let her go.” His voice was lethal and the look in his eyes, now dark blue, matched.
Todd and Grey eyed each other up and down, and a sick part of me was overjoyed when Todd backed off and seemed slightly afraid of Grey. There was no way he could win a fight with him; Grey was bigger, stronger, and smarter than Todd could ever be.
I watched them duel with words for a few moments, and my heart dropped to my knees when Allie ran into the room and stopped. Panic filled her features as her eyes landed on Todd. How had I not seen how afraid she was of him?
Thank God Grey was close enough to grab Allie and bring her to safety.
“Get your hands off my daughter,” Todd said and my mouth dropped open. I had been still since Grey had entered the room, but that got me moving again.
“Your daughter?” I stood two feet in front of him, “That is the first time I have ever heard you use those words.”
I was still staring at Todd when Amelia removed Allie from the room, and Todd went back to being a smartass by shrugging.
“Get out of here, Todd. We’re over.”
“What? You think just because you tried to run away, that I was going to give up so easily.” He stepped closer but looked over my shoulder and stopped hastily. I felt Grey’s presence behind me. Todd laughed, “You think your little boy toy can protect you? I don’t think so, Barb.”
I was torn over Grey coming to my rescue and trying to get Todd out of the house, and my feeling that I should be fighting my own battles.
Todd and Grey continued to square off and then Todd sent a glare my way that almost knocked me on my ass. “This is not over. You will come home and then we’ll see what happens.”
Grey never gave me a chance to respond before he moved closer to Todd, “You want to beat on someone? Why don’t you try someone your own size?” Anxiety flickered in Todd’s eyes as he took a step away from Grey, “I thought so, now get out—before I throw you out.”
None of us had noticed that Gigi had arrived to watch the pre-dinner show. Having one more person on my side tipped the scales enough for him to know he had no choice but to leave.
When the door slammed, the adrenaline brought forth the shakes, and my knees began to sag. Grey pulled me into his arms and tried to comfort me, but there were no words that could make me feel better. I was out for a fight, and this time I wasn’t going to be able to hide the bruises.
“I need to see Allie,” I let go of Grey and went in search of Amelia and my daughter. What the hell was I going to do now? What was Todd going to do? Would he really have me charged with kidnapping? Could he?
The realization that yes, he could, and yes, he probably would, almost brought me to my knees again. I found Allie in the kitchen munching on a cracker. The minute her eyes found me, she dropped it and threw her arms up for me.
I hugged her to me and tried to contain the sob that was rolling out of my chest, but I wasn’t quite able to. Tears ran down my cheeks, and I buried my face in her sweet-smelling hair.
I felt Grey’s hands on my shoulders, “Barbie, you need to calm down. This isn’t helping Allie. Let me take her while you get yourself together.” I held Allie a moment longer before I let him lift her from my arms.
“Come on, little button, I have a present for you.” Grey leaned over and kissed the top of my head again, “Take a few moments; we will be in the library.”
When they walked out the door, I sank into a chair and started to cry. Amelia quietly brought me a box of tissues and just as silently left the room.
Once the fear had subsided and I was able to get a hold of myself, I went in search of Grey and Allie. I found them on the floor of the library. Gigi was seated on the sofa near them, and Grey was showing Allie how to stack wooden
blocks on top of one another.
“Where did those come from?” I asked as I sank onto the cushion beside Gigi. She took my hand and squeezed it.
“What—the blocks?” Grey asked as he checked my face. I tried to smile, but it was strained.
“I made them. They were Nate’s.” The words were spoken softly and the meaning behind them was clear. He was sharing his son with my daughter. Our separate families were being intertwined. My feelings for him grew, and a tear dripped off my lower lid and ran down my cheek.
I swiped it away as he met my gaze again and winked. How did I get so lucky to meet a man like him? Gigi pulled me closer to her and tucked me into her shoulder. She felt so small and fragile as I held her that I wondered if she had lost weight. She seemed so tired these days. I had to find a way to keep the drama away from her so it didn’t affect her health.
Dinner went by at an easy pace. We all avoided any conversation about Todd or the situation. Gloria told Grey that she loved the design for the toy box and gave approval for him to start on them. He was going to be busy with so many toy boxes and rocking chairs to make.
After dinner, Amelia took Allie upstairs to get her ready for bed. Gloria excused herself to turn in also, and Grey and I wandered into the garden. It was a beautiful night, the sun was setting and the sky was filled with a rainbow of dusky colors. Crickets chirped as they came to life for the night, and fireflies flickered on and off around the area as we walked hand in hand.
Was it possible that all of this was going to end? Was Todd going to somehow get his way? Would I end up back in California one way or another?
I sighed, and Grey pulled me to a stop and took my other hand as he pulled me to stand in front of him. “Are you alright?”
I could have lied, but I didn’t, “No, I’m scared, Grey.”
He took me into his arms, holding me tightly to his chest, “I know you are, sweetheart. I’m not going to let him hurt you. I promise you that.”
I believed that Grey meant that, but I didn’t think he had any idea what that would entail or how vicious Todd could be.
