A sniffle came through the line and she said, “You’re exactly what I’m wanting, right now and forever. For myself and for our children.”
The wobble in her voice told me the kinds of emotions that were running rampant through her right then, and the last thing I wanted her to do was cry. If she was going to cry, I didn’t want Adam the asshole to try and comfort her… that was my job.
I cleared my throat, straining to get my own damn feelings in check. “So, tell me more about the times when you were a hot little waitress in Brooklyn, back before you met the douchebag. I bet you were trouble with a capital T.”
She laughed and I felt relieved that I’d helped clear the air for the moment. There was nothing I wanted more than to talk about our future together, but I just couldn’t do it with her so vulnerable around him. Any second now he would come outside and want to know where she had gone.
“I used to smoke,” she confided.
“Seriously?” I laughed. “That shit’s terrible for you, naughty girl.”
“Yeah, when I found out I was pregnant, I had to quit cold turkey. I was a complete bitch.”
For the next twenty minutes or so, we sat on the phone and told each other stories about our past that we hadn’t yet divulged in one of our many late-night, under-the-covers, post-sex chat sessions. I made her laugh and in turn, she made me fall in love with her even more.
“Rae, do you realize that you left me a little over two hours ago and yet you’ve spent almost a quarter of that time talking to me?”
“I always want to talk to you.” After a pause, she sighed and finally asked, “Okay, can you come and get me? I guess whatever he’s talking about is much more important than discussing Braden. We’re at that burger house on McDermott.”
“Of course, babe. I’m leaving now.” I grappled for my car keys and went back inside to tell the guys.
“Thanks. I’ll wait out front for you.”
Through the line, I heard Adam’s voice growl from the background, “What the hell, Ree Ree? You didn't even finish eating.”
“You were busy, and now I’m ready to go home. There isn't anything left for us to discuss,” she responded.
“Like hell,” he said. “Tell your guard dog I’ll bring you home when I’m ready.”
“Too late, your guard dog is already on the way, babe,” I shouted through the line.
- NINETEEN -
RAEGAN -
“Raegan, why did you do that?” Adam looked at me with anger and confusion.
“Why are you making me do this? Why are you even here?” I raised my voice and held my hands out, indicating our location.
“Because I miss you. I’ve always missed you.”
“Bullshit, you left! You left the second you found out I was pregnant.”
“I was nineteen, Raegan. How the hell can you hold that against me?”
“Because he was your child. Because you were supposed to love me.”
“He’s still my child. I still love you.”
“No. He could have been, but he never was.” I chose to ignore his last statement. “You aren’t even on the birth certificate, nor does he hold your last name.” He cringed at my words, and I was shocked he actually had the balls to think he deserved any of those privileges. “I don't think you hold any claims, but I want you to sign a parental rights termination, just in case.”
“Hell no!” he growled.
“I can’t have you popping in and out of our lives whenever you’re feeling lonely.”
“Raegan, stop it.”
“I’ll find a way to cover all of the legal expenses; you won’t have to worry about any of that. Just sign the papers,” I continued on, ignoring his protests.
Suddenly, he had my shoulders in his hands and he begged, “Please, Raegan. We can be us again.”
“You want me. Not Braden. Please, understand what you’re saying. You don’t care about Braden and you can’t have me. Please don't drag him through this drama.”
“I miss you, honey,” he whispered. He moved in closer and all at once, I realized why he was doing it.
“DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE!” Lane’s voice roared from across the parking lot. Adam’s hands left my shoulders instantly, and I thanked the heavens for Lane’s timing.
He came running full speed from where his car was parked haphazardly near the curb. Jace pushed out of the passenger side and Jaxon pulled up in his truck behind them. He had brought the cavalry. Adam’s eyes widened when he saw the three of them quickly approaching. They were a magnificent sight.
“Who the hell are you hanging out with these days, Raegan?” Adam questioned harshly.
“My family.” I smiled at the boys who had come to help Lane. Not that he needed any help taking care of Adam, but I knew that they were coming to prevent him from doing something stupid. I moved into Lane’s large embrace and loved the comfort he exuded for only me.
“You good, babe?” he asked into my ear.
“I am now.”
“What’s up,” Jace said as he reached us, but it wasn’t really a question.
“Ready, Rae?” Jaxon asked when he reached his brother’s side.
I let go of Lane and looked toward Adam. “Please, just sign the papers when they come and leave us be.” I threaded my fingers back through Lane’s and pulled him away.
“Ree, please don’t do this.” Adam’s desperation was bleeding through his voice. “I’ve been waiting years for you. Don’t throw away what we once had for some guy… you just met.”
“We didn't just meet. I’ve known him,” I called back.
“Don’t bother, love,” Lane said gently down to me. “He’s egging you on.”
“It wasn’t fucking supposed to be like this!” Adam roared.
“Ignore it, Raegan,” Jaxon offered. “Let’s just get back to everyone.”
With Lane’s hand resting on my lower back, I straightened my spine and stayed on track for the car. He guided me toward the passenger door, and I looked back one more time at Adam, who had moved forward with us.
“Good-bye.”
Adam was rocking back and forth nervously with a pained expression on his face. I just wanted to get away from him. I could tell he thought that this was what he wanted, but I’m sure he’d been fine without me for years.
“Get in, babe. I want to go home,” I told Lane and gently pushed him in the direction of the driver’s side.
Adam groaned loudly. “We were supposed to be together again. You were going to take me back! Remember when I came to visit you again in New York?”
I did, unfortunately. He had come to see me a week before we’d been taken. He’d said he wanted to talk and I agreed to meet him. I didn't know what he wanted to tell me, and I had no idea what my feelings were when it came to him. I cringed to think that more than likely I would have taken him back. At least now I knew better.
“Yeah, I do remember, but I guess fate stepped in… in her own cruel way.”
“That wasn’t supposed to fucking happen!” he roared. “They weren’t supposed to take you or that other little girl. It was just supposed to be the boy.”
My entire body turned to ice and my head snapped up to face him. Jaxon moved to my side in an instant, and Jace barreled around the car toward Lane.
“What did you just say?” I spoke each word with a punch of rage.
“It wasn't supposed to happen like that…” he continued.
I moved forward but Jaxon grabbed my upper arms to hold me off. “Cut to the chase, dude,” Jaxon ground out. I looked back at Lane, who had gone as white as a ghost. Jace was barring him from moving forward, but it didn't seem like Lane was physically capable of moving anyway.
“It was just a bet,” Adam said simply. “I gambled against Flores in a fight, but I didn’t have the money to pay him off. I did have something he wanted more though.”
I lunged, but my movements were pointless with Jaxon containing me. Mentally, I was clawing his eyes out. “Pleas
e, don’t say what I think you’re saying!” Tears rushed to my eyes and the world around me blurred before me.
“Don’t you understand how much I love you? How much I wanted it to be just the two of us again? That’s why I did it,” Adam hollered back. “Flores was a powerful guy. He always bitched about his old lady wanting kids. Well, I had a kid!” His words were knives, and yet he had no fucking idea that he was killing me slowly.
“YOU DIDN’T HAVE A KID! I DID! LANE DID!" I pointed across the car. “YOU HAD NOTHING!”
Adam turned with wide eyes toward the man who could easily crush him with one blow. “That girl was yours? You were the police officer?”
Lane’s body hurled across the hood of the car in an action that would have made the Dukes of Hazzard jealous. Jace couldn't react quick enough to stop him, and Jaxon was too busy pulling me from his disastrous path. Lane’s landing was flawless as his feet planted him inches away from Adam’s frozen form.
“You gambled your son in a bet with Flores and lost?” Lane bit out.
“Flores thinks I lost. You don't win against a guy like that and live. I gambled something that he would think I was losing,” Adam returned, trembling slightly as he spoke.
I had always known Adam was a gambler. Hell, he used to tell me all the time about his wins. I was the naïve one who thought he was in Vegas just working some blackjack tables. Not this… never this kind of gambling.
Adam’s body hit the ground before any of us even realized that Lane had just punched him square in the nose. Blood poured from his nostrils and he moaned on the ground, while trying to scamper away like a petrified crab.
“You’re an idiot!” I screamed down at Adam. “You did lose! He took both of us!”
“Yeah, that wasn’t the fucking plan. His bitch had to get involved, and I guess when she met you in the park, her greedy ass wanted all of you. You were mine, Rae. First, that boy took you and then Flores took you.”
In the blink of an eye, Lane flung himself on top of Adam and pummeled his face. I turned and tucked my head into Jaxon’s chest to shield my eyes from the carnage.
“Please, stop him,” I whispered to Jace, who stood directly next to us.
“The guy got his daughter kidnapped… I don’t know if I can…” Jace stared with wild eyes down at the mess before us. Jaxon shoved me into Jace’s arms, and I vaguely heard him tell his brother to call the police.
Jaxon grunted as he manhandled Lane with all of his strength, pulling him from Adam’s limp body.
“How did they get into my apartment?” Lane barked down at Adam.
I peeked over at Adam as he groaned while writhing on the ground. I didn’t want to see all the blood I knew would be covering his face and Lane’s fists, but I wanted to know the answer just as much as Lane did. I watched Lane’s body in my periphery as it hovered over the man who I now knew had destroyed my life as I once knew it. When Lane jumped to attack again, Adam cried out.
“I took her keys!” His words were mixed with wet gurgles and I felt almost sick at the sound. “When I came to visit her, I stole her keys. I made a copy and tossed them back in her stroller when I saw her at the park.”
I thought I had gone crazy when those keys went missing. I’d turned the apartment upside down, and when I easily found them in the stroller later, I thought I had just majorly overlooked them. But he had stolen them and then allowed strangers to come in and take his son. I lunged for the flowerbed near us and threw up my entire dinner. Although it hadn’t been much, it was all gone now. Jace held back my hair and supported me by my arms. How could anyone betray someone they supposedly loved so much?
I heard Adam grunt again, and I assumed Lane had landed another of his deadly blows I prayed that he wouldn’t kill him. Adam deserved to rot in prison.
“Jace, Lane can’t go to jail. What about Kate?” I moaned.
“Jax has him. Adam’s… passed out,” Jace whispered in return.
“Passed out or…” I couldn't finish.
“He’s breathing.”
I sighed and slumped into Jace’s arms. Slowly, I turned and saw Lane staring down at his hands, looking as if he couldn’t figure out how they had become so bloody. He genuinely appeared puzzled and his confusion tore at my heart. I pulled out of Jace’s arms and stepped in front of my heartbroken man.
This wasn’t fair. It answered so many questions, but if given the choice, I think I would have chosen to never know. Not this—this was too sick.
“Lane…” I breathed. “Oh God, I can’t believe this.” I reached out for his shirt and he stepped back quickly.
“No,” he clipped out, “bl-blood.” His hands were covered in it, his shirt had splatters, and some of it had even reached his face. I dug around in my purse quickly for a tissue. When I reached up again—this time to help wipe his cheek—he turned away from me.
The sirens began to sound in the distance and Jace moved forward. “One of us should take Raegan back.”
“No—“ I started to protest, but then stared at the pained look on Lane’s face as he looked down at Adam’s prone body.
“Give him a moment,” Jace whispered. “He hates fighting unless it’s in the ring. A guy with his strength, he knows he can’t let that out and he just did. He needs some time.”
“He’s right, Rae.” Jaxon joined us. “It’s getting late, and the kids will wonder.”
And they would. Especially Braden. He’s a stickler about schedules and he knew I would return before bedtime. I swallowed harshly and looked back at Lane. Staying a safe distance from him, so he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable, I approached.
“I’m going to give you your moment. But I’m so sorry, Lane,” I whispered.
As if my words hadn’t even penetrated his brain at all, he croaked, “Please, leave Kate. Once I’m cleaned off, I need to hold her.” I looked at his face to try and understand what he had meant, but he moved away and continued pacing. He was in a state and I hated leaving him.
“You should take her,” Jaxon suggested to Jace. “I’m pretty familiar with the cops in this town.” A brief smirk crossed his face before he wiped it away.
“That’s no lie. They handcuffed you enough times in high school,” Jace responded dryly.
“I never actually got arrested though,” Jaxon jested. I handed him my little package of tissues so he could help Lane clean up a bit. I dug around further in my purse and also found a tube of hand sanitizer he could use. Jaxon nodded in appreciation.
When we climbed up in Jaxon’s truck, Jace turned the key and peeled out of the parking lot. The second my seat belt clicked in place and I looked over to see Lane’s hunched form in my mirror, I lost it. Big gulping breaths seized my throat and giant streams of tears poured from my eyes.
“What do you think I should do, Jace? What would you want?” I asked through my hiccupping sobs.
He cringed and said, “I have no idea. I think maybe he just needs a little time to process this.”
“Oh God, he’ll never look at me the same again.”
“Don’t say that. He loves you,” he consoled.
“No, think about it. He just found out that I was practically the reason his daughter was abducted. He’ll always think about that when he looks at me. Put it this way… Jocelyn is practically the same age Kate was when she was abducted. What if that had happened to you?” I don’t know why I said it like that, but my emotions were on overdrive. “He told me to leave Kate. Does that mean he wants me to leave?”
“Look, I’ve never handled emotional situations well. Hell, I once pushed Audrey away when push came to shove. I’m probably not the guy to go to for this type of thing.”
“He told me to leave Kate…” I repeated. “He doesn't plan on seeing me when he gets home.”
Jace kept quiet the remainder of the drive, and I used that time to sort out my thundering emotions and calm my quiet sobs. I couldn't let Kate and Braden see me this torn up. I wiped my tears dry. With my ring fingers, I massaged a
round my eyes, starting from my cheeks and working them out in little circles. I couldn’t go back with swollen eyes; Braden would know. Who was I kidding? Braden would know, regardless.
- TWENTY -
LANE -
Blood. It was splattered across my shirt and covered my hands. Even though I could tell it was mostly from his nose, it still made my stomach turn over. Those suckers really leaked when knocked just the right way. I’d seen it happen and I had been covered in it just like this a time or two, except every other time, a bell would chime or a ref would call for us to separate.
The part that worried me the most is that I hadn’t even fully unleashed. It had been building up to that point though. If he hadn’t passed out so quickly, I would probably still be working him over. Jaxon and Jace could have pulled me away a million times, but my fists still would have sought out his face.
I watched a trail of red liquid glide down my fingers and drip with a small splash on the ground. It hit me that I had done all of that with Raegan standing only a few feet away. She’d had to witness the rage inside of me that I tried to keep calm every single day. Ironically, boxing had helped me control my strength and harness it into something I was really good at. But I needed the restrictions. I craved the rules and the ropes that told me when to go hard and when to pull back. Not this concrete parking lot free-for-all.
I heard the sirens blaring closer, and the anger I felt toward myself reached an astronomical level. I thought I had been thinking of Kate. Of Raegan and Braden. I thought I had been avenging them somehow. But would Kate be proud of me for successfully pummeling the reason she had been taken from me for the first four years of her life if it landed me in jail for assault?
Jaxon shoved tissues and a miniature bottle of sanitizer in my hands and mumbled something about cleaning myself off. I ducked into my car and quickly scrubbed the carnage from my hands. The tissues flaked and it took even more time for me to remove all the pieces than it did to get rid of the blood. I bathed my hands in the sanitizer until the bottle was practically empty.
“I’m fucked,” I groaned when Jaxon moved to the open window.