I pushed past him, full tears releasing at this point as I hurried down the steps toward my car.
“Paisley, wait.”
This was exactly what I never wanted. This back and forth pull of gravity we always held. Every time this happened he chiseled a piece of my heart off. Every time I walked away from him angry, and he walked from me angry leading to the most devastating time of my life when Tate Watson left me for good. I was better than and stronger than this. The life I deserved was out there. With who, I didn’t fully know. But seeing Tate’s eyes scramble with an excuse of whoever this person was, made me believe Clint all along. Why was my life ripping from the seams?
“Wait! Stop! Please,” He begged.
I reached my car and opened the door. He put his hand on the driver door, his body to my back.
“Turn around, Paisley Connor.”
I slowly turned to show him my tear stained face. Like a bullet to his chest, he seemed to have his breath taken away from seeing me so emotional.
My voice squeaked trying to be able to say what I had to say. “You enlisted in the military to get away from me, yes or no?”
He exhaled shaking his head. “It’s not like that.”
I made my voice louder and clearer. “Yes or no?”
His chest moved up and down panicked by my question.
“I said, yes or no!” I shouted louder.
By his threatening silence, I felt I knew the answer, but now I needed to fucking hear it.
“Yes.” He said in a whisper. “Let me explain. It’s not a black and white answer, baby.”
“Don’t call me that. It’s black and white to me, Tate! You just said yes, you enlisted in the military to get away from me. There is nothing further you can say that will explain yourself and make me feel better about it.”
“No! I was fucking scared, Paisley! I let my father get into my damn head saying I’d never be good enough for you! Your mother who basically said I should go! And you, you scared me bad with already bringing up marriage when I was barely an adult.”
“Who’s Piper?”
“She’s nobody.”
I seethed through my teeth, “Tell me the fucking truth! Who is Piper?”
“A woman in the army I pen-paled to when I enlisted.”
“You wanted to be with her?”
“No.”
My chest constricted and my tears were uncontrollable at this point. What did all this mean? Desperation winning over leaving, I had mended my heart from the pain I felt in the moment. I needed to hear him tell me why he left.
“Then what?”
“At the recruiting office they had people we could pen-pal with, that’s all it was. After a few months she stopped writing. I didn’t leave because I didn’t love you. I loved you more than life, Paisley. I was scared and raging from my father who made me feel lower than the earth. I was young and dumb and what happened, happened. There is no going back. I am standing here because I came home for my family, but I came to you because you are and have always been my family.”
My phone pinged with an incoming text message. I grabbed it out of my purse and saw I had quite a few.
Delaney: He hasn’t been back all day. Please stay safe, Van can’t even get a hold of him.
Tammy: Any news sis?
Brooks: Tate is probably coming by the house for you. Dad ain’t doing well.
Mom: Oh honey, I can be there tonight.
Then the last one hit me like a ton of bricks on my chest as I read it.
Cage: Listen to me when I tell you, you aren’t alone. You can’t hide from me. You are MY assistant. You are MINE.
“Paisley, what’s wrong?”
“Huh?” I looked up confused.
“You look like you seen a ghost. What’s the matter with you?”
“Nothing. Go to the hospital, Tate. I have some stuff I need to deal with.”
“Don’t push me away, damn it.”
“Go. You will regret not being there for your mother and your brothers. Be there for them. I have to go.”
I got in my car and yanked on the door before he let me close it. He was pissed I was leaving, but I couldn’t stand there any longer and not do anything about this Cage shit. His text went from insane and apologetic here’s some money, to psycho in a fraction of the time. Delaney was very right. The only difference between her and I, was how scared it rattled me. I was a mother. No man was going to get away with this especially when I had kids to protect. I had one friend we went to school with that was a local police officer that I recently saw on social media. He was my only hope.
I floored it down the drive and asked google to tell me his address. I couldn’t walk into the police station. If I wasn’t alone, I had hope his number and address was listed. Only a number popped up so I quickly dialed it in my phone.
“Hallo?” His southern accent rang deep as he answered the phone.
“Hey, Chuck?”
“Ye-ah. Who’s this?”
“I don’t know if you remember me, we went to school together, Paisley Connor.”
A moment of silence before something clicked. “Watson’s woman?”
“Previously. Look, I need a favor that is super important.”
“What’s up?”
“I need you to look into a woman for me who died of a suspected suicide. Karen Peterman.”
“You know I can’t do that, Paisley. I can’t tell you her file, that’s confidential.”
“Listen, if you don’t, the same thing will happen to me. I am counting on you, Chuck.”
“Are you saying you’ll kill yourself?”
“Look at the file, Chuck. This was no suicide.”
“Alright. This number where to call you?”
“Yup.”
I ended the call and tossed my phone on the seat next to me. Eerily the pieces started to fit a puzzle I wasn’t sure I was even solving. I needed something on him. I didn’t want to give Chuck too much information. I had to ease his trust, and he had to of me. If he saw anything fishy he’d know. If Delaney figured it out, surely he would too.
A new text alert.
Clint: Dad just passed away seconds after Tate got here.
I stopped the car and pulled over to the side and mourned. That man held a special place in my heart because he was a daddy I didn’t have around. He was the kids’ papa. The patriarch.
Me: I’m so sorry Clint…
Clint: Please let me see my kids.
The kids. They weren’t going to take this well. I called the school right away and called them out as I headed there to pick them up. Then I needed to head over to the tire shop and get me a damn new tire and get off this spare.
Me: I’m going to get them from school. I’ll meet you at my house.
The drive to the pick-up lane was fast and the kids were waiting. I hurried in and signed them out and the poor looks on their faces broke my heart. They knew. And it absolutely killed me to see them upset.
“Did papa die, mommy?” Livy spoke with tears in her eyes.
“No! I didn’t want him to die!” Jared cried.
“Your papa is in heaven now. Let’s go spend time with your daddy ok? The whole family is very sad.”
Just like that, the world changed.
Silenced filled the car besides for the occasional whimper or cry from the backseat. I held it together for them and I knew the true test would be once we got back to the house and Clint came.
I got the tire quickly fixed while the kids basically sat as close as they could next to me. I held them a little tighter knowing they truly didn’t understand death. What child did?
We had rough days ahead with the funeral and having all those boys in the same damn room. Belinda already probably lost her mind. I felt for the woman even though she wasn’t a fan of me. Tommy was a good person, he had his faults, but his love was strong, especially for my kids.
I sent out a message to Tammy.
Me: I need a favor tonight, can you help me?
DW became an escalation and it needs to be handled. I can’t let him hurt me or the kids. Ps, Tommy passed away.
Tammy: I’m sorry sis. Name the time and place. I’ll be there.
Me: Meet me at my house, nine pm.
Tammy: You got it.
The hardest part of watching everything fall apart was not knowing how the hell to put it back together.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
T rees swayed in the night breeze, the road was dark, perfecting that eerie night feeling where all you heard was wind blowing things, and all you saw were headlights on the empty road ahead. My stomach rumbled with nerves, and I sipped on some water to keep myself hydrated.
“Where’s he live at anyway?”
“Just up the road. You brought your hat right?”
“I brought two one for you, one for me. What if he’s home?”
“I don’t know where the hell he is, but I have to fish for anything I can get.”
“This is dangerous.”
“Tammy, if you want me to drop you off at home, I will. I’m not forcing you to do this with me.”
“I’ll go, I’ll go.”
We pulled the car up the long winding road to the subdivision of fancy, expensive ass houses. My eyes were only set on one. Cage’s house. I needed to know more and see for myself what kind of nut I’m dealing with. I saw the address and stopped down the street. All the lights were off in his mini mansion.
“Looks like he’s not home. Come on.”
“I don’t like this, Paisley.” Tammy got out of the car with me and we walked toward the back of the house, no movement made. I knew there had to be some sort of back door. Most people, I felt, didn’t lock their doors living out here in the south. My hands glued to the patio door and my head hit the glass peeking inside. I grabbed the handle and slid it slowly, to my surprise it opened.
“Paisley! This is breaking and entering. I am not going in there!”
“Then stay here and call me if you see anyone!”
I snuck through the door and closed it quietly shut behind me. The house was immaculate. Very clean, very organized, very large. This didn’t look like a house Cage lived in. I surveyed the bottom floor until I came across the fireplace with picture frames. He has a fucking family! A beautiful blonde wife with blonde hair blue eyed kids, three of them! What the hell? I kept looking but everything was so damn clean. It didn’t make sense. Was he a murderer? Did he slash my tires? What had his text meant? Was it a threat or did I take it out of context? Nah, he said I was his that I was his assistant he knew by saying that it was possessive and threatening. Why when he has this stunning family? I was about to take a step up the stairs when I saw car lights pull into the driveway. Fuck! I hid against the wall so I couldn’t be seen. My body on a high alert, I began to shake from head to toe whether fear or adrenaline I didn’t know which. I heard the door slam closed and a bunch of voices. I darted to the back door like a bat out of hell.
Tammy practically tackled me to the ground as the lights started popping on throughout the house. We rolled over toward the edge of the house with no windows. I crawled toward the window and Tammy slapped me.
“You’re fucking close enough! Let’s get the hell out of here!”
“I need to see, if it’s family, I am ringing the bell.”
“No the hell you aren’t.”
“Tammy, listen, I’ll play it off, not go all crazy on them.”
“No.” She spelled it out for me. “Don’t you dare try to convince me otherwise. Let’s go now.”
Rolling my eyes, we started walking back to my car nonchalantly to fit in.
“What did you see in there anyway?”
“A spotless home and a picture frame, multiple of a happy blonde hair blue eyed family. That I never even knew he had. I saw nothing suspicious. I tried going upstairs until they pulled up.”
“That’s crazy. What now, Paisley?”
“I don’t even know.”
“Focus on your family during this rough time, honey. I know the kids need you. Even if they’re with their daddy right now. If Cage has this crazy obsession with you, why would he want to hurt you?”
“I don’t know, why would he want to hurt his last assistant?”
“Maybe he didn’t.”
“I’ll know soon enough whenever Chuck calls me back.”
“This shit is making me a nervous wreck girl.” Tammy breathed heavily sitting next to me in the car.
“Did I ever tell you about what happened with Clint?”
I started driving out of the subdivision dreaming of the day I would be able to own a nice home like that. Tammy shook her head nervous of what I might say.
“I got drunk at Lucky Stripe and Dale called Clint to come take me home. He did, and then I puked all over myself and he cleaned me up. Like the nicest fucking thing ever. He isn’t with the bitch Chasity anymore and always wanted me back. But, he is dropping the case.”
“That’s the best news ever. Do you ever wonder why Cage is being this way? Like especially over the papers toward Clint? Do you think he’ll be even more pissed he’s dropping it?”
“I have no idea why Cage is doing any of this. Honestly.”
I kept driving back home and arrived at Tammy’s house.
“Thank you for everything. Really everything.”
“Best friends, nah, family, for a reason.”
“I like that, family.” I leaned over the console and hugged her tightly.
After she exited the car, I took a deep breath. My thoughts were turning so dark. Then they went to Tate like they always do. I decided to text him.
Me: Are you ok? Can I come by the house?
Tate: Yeah, we’re all here.
Noticing he didn’t respond to the question most importantly, I shrugged it off and set off toward the Watson family home. I meant to see where my mother was and almost like a mother’s intuition, her name popped up on my caller display.
“Hey, mama.”
“How is he?”
“He passed.”
“Aw, honey, I’m sorry. I’m almost in town.”
“Oh. Um, go to the Watson family home, that’s where I’m headed now to be with them and the kids.”
“Ok honey, I’ll meet you there.”
My heart did a small dance knowing she would be there to help me comfort the kiddos. It tore me apart knowing how broken they must feel. I pulled down the long drive to a slew of vehicles by the door. I parked in a spot off in the grass and made my way up to the door.
It swung open and Tate stepped out closing the door behind him.
“I’m sor—“
He cut me off, “I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t do anything, babe. I just, I keep reliving the past because it hurts. It doesn’t matter why you enlisted, who Piper was, what matters is what’s right in front of me.”
As I slowly stepped forward into his arms, he wrapped his strong muscles around me resting his chin on the top of my head.
“I love you, Paisley. I always have, always will.”
My phone went off, and Tate glanced at the screen with me:
Cage: Listen bitch, you’re not leaving me! It’s not happening! Answer me!
“What the fuck?” Tate roared.
“It’s nothing.” I tucked my phone into my back pocket.
“That was not nothing. Is that fucking Cage?
“How are you, babe? How is everyone in there?” I pointed to the door trying to move forward to it, but Tate grabbed my arm.
“You’re not going in there until you talk to me about this.”
“Not now, Tate, everyone’s mourning the loss of your daddy. I don’t want to make this a big deal.”
“I am concerned for your safety.”
“How long are you home anyway?”
“Possibly forever…”
“What?”
“My contract is up. After this mission I was going to sign another, but I’m not sure. I want to spend time with you.�
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I slid my hands along his chest and my eyes focused in on his soft lips. I moved to get closer and stood up on my tip toes and pressed my lips to his. Melting in him just where I loved to be. He kissed me back with such passion it spoke volumes to me. Lord, I loved this man.
The door opened behind us and immediately we stopped. Clint walked out, disappointment raining in his eyes.
“Oh.” He kept walking. “Don’t mean to interrupt anything.” He grabbed the smokes out of his pocket. I wasn’t aware he even smoked anymore. Then again, due to the circumstances, I didn’t harp on him. Hell, I smoked myself and now wanted one.
I squeezed Tate’s hands and moved over to Clint. “I’m so sorry, your daddy meant a lot to me and the kids.”
“Thanks, Pais, I’ll leave you guys to it.” He shoved past me and down the steps to his truck.
“Stop. Where are you going?”
“That’s no longer your business anymore. Remember, you divorced me? By the way, I need my work clothes back that I left at your house last night. Or was it this morning?” He smirked.
He got in his truck and tore out of the drive. The look on his face broke me all over again. What was with it with these Watson brothers? They had the stubborn mule gene in every one of them. I looked at Tate and saw his jaw tick. The timing on all of this wasn’t fair. Clint just helped me out and took care of me in a way so sweet. I actually felt the love he still had for me. Then there was Tate looking at me like I had two heads.
“What’s his work clothes doing at your house?”
I looked at Tate trying to read him, trying to figure out a way to tell him about last night without him thinking the worst.
“It’s not what you think. I am not doing this right now. I have to get inside to my kids.” I ran to the door and walked in seeing Belinda in tears next to Brooks. The kids were over in the playroom in the den and immediately they ran toward me.
I opened my arms wide and accepted their hugs. “Mommy, Grammy is so sad. You should give her a hug.” Livy smiled.
“I should. Come with me?” I offered my hand to her.
“Ok!” Livy said cheerfully.
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