Tainted Love

by Stacy Claflin

  Nick tapped the table next to him, staring at the door Dave would walk through any minute. Or be shoved through, more likely. Prisoners were rarely happy about being visited by police, although Dave might be the rare exception given how much damage he’d happily inflicted on the families of the two men waiting for him.

  Alex wanted to say something, but the silence in the small room was already deafening.

  The door jiggled.

  He jumped, then sat up straighter and cleared his throat. If Nick noticed Alex’s jumpiness, he didn’t indicate it. His eyes were still zoned in on the door.

  It opened with a scuffle.

  Alex’s breath hitched. He hadn’t seen Dave since the trial, and even then he’d been more focused on Zoey than her captor. The only part of the trial Alex attended was when she’d needed to be there. Beyond that, they focused on healing and moving on. The courtroom only managed to bring them back to a time they wanted to forget.

  Dave appeared in a faded blue jumpsuit, chains attached to the cuffs on his wrists and ankles. He looked smaller now. Not that he actually was. Maybe it just seemed that way because Alex and Zoey had managed to move on. Or maybe because Alex had made him bigger in his mind. The man who had harmed Zoey, who could potentially take Zander from him. No, not potentially. Theoretically. He’d have to be freed from his multiple life sentences, and there was also the fact that he had no possibility of parole.

  The guard shoved him onto a chair across from them and cuffed him to a bar. He looked at Nick and Alex. “I’ll be on the other side of the door. Push the button if you need me.” Then he glared at Dave. “If you want your time outside today, you’ll be on your best behavior in here. Don’t forget, you’re one wrong move away from solitary. Again.”

  Dave smirked at Nick. “As long as I get my conjugal.”

  Nick didn’t so much as flinch.

  Nobody said a word until the guard left and the door slammed shut.

  Dave leaned back in his chair as best as he could with all the chains and cuffs. “What brings you two in?”

  Nick leaned forward. “Your son.”

  “Which one?” Dave sneered.

  Alex’s palms perspired. He couldn’t know about Zander.

  “Your only one!” Nick narrowed his eyes. “Mason. Have you been in contact with him?”

  “What’d he do now?” Dave sounded bored.

  “Don’t you know?”

  Dave’s brows furrowed. “Maybe you’ve noticed, but they keep me pretty busy in here. Don’t get much contact with those outside.”

  “Mason’s in custody.”

  His smug look faded. “What did he do?”

  Nick pressed his palms on the table. “You tell me.”

  “Don’t got a clue. If you don’t, either, I’ll just go back to my cell. I’ve got my own, you know. Everyone else has to share, but not me. I got it good here. Even get to see Corrine weekly. Surprised you haven’t asked about her.”

  “You can keep her.” Nick stared Dave down. “When was the last time you spoke with Mason?”

  “Got me. What month is it now?” He turned to Alex. “May? December? So hard to tell since I ain’t got a window.”

  Alex slammed his fist on the table. “Is that a reference to my wife?”

  “Huh?”

  “Don’t play stupid! May December refers to a relationship with an age gap, you lousy piece of—”

  “What do you know about Mason?” Nick interjected. “If you don’t tell us what you know, things could get worse for you in here. Or they could get better. Your choice.”

  Dave yawned. “I already have it pretty good.”

  Nick’s nostrils flared. “We’re talking potentially double the outside time and twice the conjugal visits.”

  “You have my attention.”

  “What do you know about Mason?” Spittle flew from Nick’s mouth.

  Dave crossed his arms, kind of. “Honestly, he’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I mean, really. He should’ve been able to figure out his relation to Ava.”

  “Don’t utter her name. You can refer to her as my daughter.”

  “Whatever. You want to know more about Mason or not?”

  “Continue.” Nick’s expression tightened.

  “I should probably feel bad about saying my kid ain’t all that bright, but they can’t all be, you know. You get what you get. Now my other s—”

  “Have you been in contact with Mason recently?” Nick shouted.

  Alex held his breath. If only Nick had let Dave say one more word, Alex would know if he would’ve said son or sons. Did the man have any clue about Zander? Alex’s mouth tasted like bile.

  Dave drew in a deep breath. Held it. Chewed on his lip.

  Nick looked like he was about to explode.

  “Mason called me on my birthday. Said he was having a great time with his grandparents.”

  “Don’t give me that!” The lines around Nick’s eyes were more pronounced. “We both know he’s been heading this way for the last year. Taking his slow time, pretending to have a girlfriend—but that could only be a lie, because who’d date that weasel?”

  Dave shrugged. “Can’t deny that. Why else would he have gone after his own sister?”

  “Half-sister,” Nick corrected.

  “Po-tay-to, po-tah-to.”

  “What has he been planning? Why did he come here?”

  Dave gave him a double-take. “He’s already in the state?”

  “Behind bars.”

  “You’re really not kidding me.”

  Nick shook his head.

  “Kid’s acting on his own, whatever he did. Like I said, haven’t talked to that dumb piece of crap since my birthday.”

  “What does he want with Ava?”

  “Got me.” Dave shrugged.

  Silence rested over the room.

  Alex leaned over the table. “How many kids have you fathered?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “Just answer the question.”

  Dave whispered, then held up one finger. Two. Three.

  Alex’s heart sank.

  “At least three,” Dave said. “Hard to say for sure. You know how women are. If they don’t like you, they won’t tell ya nothin’. I got one ex who swears her kid ain’t mine, but the brat is a spitting image of me.”

  “Who are the three?” Alex squeezed the arms of his chair.

  Dave rolled his eyes. “Mason, Parker, and the brat I just told you about.”

  Alex’s body turned to rubber. It took all his strength not to crumple with relief.

  “Parker is not yours!” Nick glared at him. “Get that thought out of your head.”

  Dave grinned. “Corrine says he is. I think she’d know.”

  “Yet she swore to me he’s mine.”

  “Believe what you want. Don’t matter to me none.”

  Nick’s face reddened. “You won’t tell us any more about what you and Mason have been discussing?”

  Dave shook his head. “I’m done here.”

  “Then I have no other choice than to suggest your outside time and conjugal visits be cut drastically.”

  “What?”

  Nick rose. “Have fun alone in your cell.”

  “Wait!”

  “See you around.” Nicked marched toward the door.

  “Stop!” Dave jumped up, but nearly fell because of the chains. “I admit I’ve been holding out.”

  Nick turned around. “Have you?”

  “Yeah. I’ll tell you everything.”

  “You’d better.” Nick sat back down. “Hurry up. I don’t have all day.”

  Dave cleared his throat. “Mason’s in love with Ava. I’ve tried to talk him out of it, but there’s no talking the boy out of his feelings. Like you said, though, she’s only his half-sister. It’s not like he likes guys, am I right?
”

  Alex buried his face in is palms. He was more messed up in the head than Alex had thought all along. And worst of all, this man had supplied half of Zander’s gene pool when he’d abducted Zoey. One set of twins, two fathers. The nurse at the hospital had told him it happened more than most people would believe.

  Dave’s voice pulled Alex from his thoughts. “Mason doesn’t want to hurt Ava. The kid just wants her to give him a chance. He’s so in love that nothing else matters. I’m sure you know how that feels.”

  Nick cleared his throat. “You’re saying he’s come all this way because he’s in love?”

  “The kid is determined. What can I say?”

  “We’re done here.” Nick rose. “For real, this time. I hope you’ve told us everything.”

  “I have! What about my privileges?”

  “We’ll see.” Nick pressed the button, then he and Alex left without another word. On the way out, he stopped at the nearest desk. “When is Dave Cooper’s birthday?”

  “Let me check.” She clacked on her keyboard then looked up. “Four days ago.”

  Nick muttered under his breath then thanked her for the information.

  “He spoke with Mason just four days ago?” Alex exclaimed.

  “And he can forget about all of his privileges.”

  “The good news is both of them are behind bars.”

  “Doesn’t make me feel much better,” Nick muttered.

  They gathered their things then headed for the parking lot. Nick stopped in his tracks staring at his phone.

  “What?” Alex tried to see the screen.

  Nick held it out. “Mason posted bail.”

  Confrontation

  Ava stuffed her phone in a pocket of her bag. She’d fallen asleep early and forgotten to charge her phone the night before. Now it was dead.

  At least now she had a good excuse for ignoring Braylon’s texts. She was growing less irritated with him but still wasn’t ready to talk. Not after he’d gone behind her back to her dad. Sure, she was glad to have Mason in jail, but her boyfriend should’ve spoken to her first and at least let her know he was thinking about going to her dad.

  She glanced around the cafeteria and luckily didn’t see Braylon or any of their friends. That would make it easier to grab something to eat and get out of the noisy room. She needed some space to think. There was too much going on, and hardly any time to process any of it—especially between the family meeting the night before and trying to get all her homework done.

  Ava made it through the line quickly, ordered a pizza pocket and drink, then made her way outside without running into anyone she was trying to avoid. It was a little cold, which was to her benefit—it meant more kids were staying inside.

  She found a tree near the property line and sat at the base, her back to the buildings. Finally, she relaxed. Hidden from everyone and with the next half hour to herself. She took a deep breath before biting into her food.

  Her mind raced, going over recent events. First, the meeting the night before. Parker had finally chilled, somewhat at least, and Genevieve had been totally cool. Stepparents got a bad rap, but as long as she didn’t have an about-face, she would be the opposite of wicked. They might actually feel like a real family.

  Then there was the issue of—

  “Oh, there you are,” came a familiar male voice on the right.

  Ava’s heart sank as she turned.

  Mason.

  Blood drained from her head.

  She stared at him, trying to think of something to say. Or to get her feet to run.

  He stood not much taller than her, though skinnier and with longer hair. It had been kept short before but now hung over his ears. His stance was that of a hunter awaiting its prey. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Or rather, someone you thought was in jail.”

  Her eyes widened as she struggled to think of a response. Or a way out. If she grabbed her things and ran, he would have enough time to react and catch her. If she left her stuff, he could go through it. The jerk knew how to hack his way past passcodes.

  “Cat got your tongue?”

  “How’d you get out?” Her voice wobbled, giving away her worry.

  He pursed his lips. “Of jail, you mean?”

  “Where else?”

  “I came up with the dough.”

  “How?”

  “We can talk about that later.”

  “You aren’t supposed to be here.”

  “I fit in, don’t you think? I’m in high school. Well, I would be if I hadn’t dropped out. Who needs school when you can make money delivering packages and giving people rides?”

  She rose to her feet and stuffed her shaking hands into her pockets. “What do you want?”

  “You.” He stared her down.

  “Why?”

  “I think you know the answer to that.”

  “Enlighten me.” She stepped away from the tree, now hoping one of her friends would find her.

  He puckered his lips.

  “You’re sick.”

  Mason looked her up and down. “I’m human, and you’re a hot little—”

  She shoved him. “Shut up! Leave me alone!”

  “Are you sure you want to do that? Hanna’s wearing a bright green dress today, isn’t she?”

  Ava tried to remember, but she hadn’t been paying attention that morning. “I call BS.”

  He smirked. “Sure you want to risk it? I know how protective you are of her.”

  “She’s your sister! How can you threaten her?”

  Mason cocked his brows. “You’re my sister, too, and I can guarantee my thoughts about you are much more—”

  “Stop!”

  He laughed.

  “What do you want?”

  “I already told you.”

  She clenched her fists. “I have a boyfriend.”

  “Spoiler alert. He’s a loser.”

  “Takes one to know one.”

  “So, you admit he’s a loser?”

  “No! Leave me alone. I don’t want anything to do with you. You need to get that through your head! You’re nothing to me—not a brother, not a love interest, nothing.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Leave me alone! Go away before I call the police.”

  “They just let me go, or did you already forget? They got nothin’ on me.”

  “Until I tell them you’re harassing me.”

  Mason licked his lips. “I haven’t touched you. They can’t do squat.”

  She stepped closer, daring him.

  He didn’t budge.

  “Go back home to your grandparents. There isn’t anything here for you. Dave’s in prison, and nobody else here wants anything to do with you.”

  “There’s nothing back there for me, either. In case you don’t remember, my grandparents can’t stand me. Remember when you guys all visited them? I had to stay home.”

  “I guess I have to give them credit for not being total idiots then, even considering they brought your dad into the world.”

  He rolled his eyes. “We never got that coffee you promised. Let’s get that. Hear me out. You owe me.”

  Ava shook her head. “I can’t leave school until the release bell rings.”

  Mason panned his palms around. “There’s nobody stopping you.”

  “I already got detention once because of you.”

  “That just adds to your coolness factor, babe.”

  She shoved him.

  “You know, I’m starting to think maybe I’m the one who needs to file a restraining order on you.”

  Ava grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. “I need to get to class.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “You really care that much about school?”

  “Yes, you idiot!”

  “That’s kinda hot.”

  She restrai
ned herself from slapping him across the face and stepped around him instead.

  He blocked her. “Tell you what.”

  “You’ll leave me alone forever and move back to the bottom of the pond where you belong?”

  “I like my women feisty.” He grinned. “But no, I’m not going anywhere. It took me long enough to get here. I’m going to make sure it’s worth my while.”

  She stepped back and rolled her eyes, refusing to dignify his stupidity with a response.

  Mason crossed his arms. “Okay, here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to let you finish your school day. Then you’re going to meet me for coffee afterwards. You aren’t going to tell anyone about any of this. If you don’t show up alone, or at all, or if I’m arrested again, or if anything goes wrong, then Hanna’s going to get hurt. I have someone ready to strike at my word, or should I say the lack of my word. If he doesn’t hear from me by the time the elementary school lets out, he’s going to make his move.”

  Ava’s mouth dropped open. “You’re lying.”

  “Is that a risk you’re willing to take?”

  She clenched her jaw. He had to be lying, but he was right about her not taking the risk. Not when it came to her innocent baby sister. “Fine. I’ll meet you.”

  “Good.”

  The bell sounded. She raced toward the school without a word.

  “Coffee shop!” he called. “Right after school!”

  Attempt

  Jess kissed Sammy before laying the sleepy boy in his new toddler bed. The crib would soon belong to the new baby. And if he took a long enough nap, she might be back with the baby before Sammy woke.

  Her heart raced at the thought.

  She tucked the covers around him then went out to the living room to check on the girls. Daisy was sleeping on the couch and Willow was coloring. Jess carried Daisy to her bed then sat next to her oldest. “You’re doing really good with that. Staying in the lines.”

  “Thanks.” Willow didn’t look up.

  “Your brother and sister are both napping.”

  Willow nodded, furiously coloring.

  “And I think it’s almost time to have the baby. Do you know what that means?”

  “Yeah. You have to go to the doctor and have him tell you what he thinks.”