“We can stay here.”
“Forever?”
“If you want.”
We remain like that for a moment before he pulls out of me and uses some tissues to clean me up. And then he’s between my legs as we fix each other’s clothes like we’re an old married couple. That puts a smile on my face as I adjust his tie.
“What are you smiling about?”
“This. Us spending peaceful time together.”
“We always did that when we used to live together.”
“Yeah, we did. I miss those days.”
He lifts my chin with two fingers. “We’ll go back to those days soon.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I have something on King.”
“Are you…are you going to hurt him?” Yes, he’s difficult and we’ve had our differences lately, but I’d never let anyone harm Dad. Not even Nate.
“Of course not. He’s your father. I would never hurt him, even if he deserves it.”
“Then what?”
“I’ll tell you when I have further proof.”
“Why don’t you tell me now?”
“I don’t want to raise your hopes for nothing.” He kisses the top of my head. “Go out first and I’ll follow after in case there’s someone outside.”
I wrap my arms around him, burying my face in his neck. I breathe him in and it’s so soothing and right. Why can’t Dad and the world see just how right this is?
Why can’t they understand that I’ve never wanted and needed someone as much as I do Nate?
“Gwyneth.”
“Just a moment. Let me recharge.”
I feel the vibration in his chest as he groans before his strong hand wraps around my head.
We stay like that for minutes, just hugging and feeling each other’s heartbeats. It’s peaceful, but just like any peace, it has to come to an end.
Because wars have to happen. Because they’re more permanent than peace, no matter how much I like to think otherwise.
Nate begrudgingly releases me. “Go before he notices you’ve been gone for too long. I don’t want him taking it out on you.”
“Will you kidnap me again like this, husband?”
“Absolutely, wife.”
I smile, kiss his lips, and carefully slip out of the supply room.
I tiptoe to the elevator—thank God my sneakers don’t make a sound—while watching my surroundings.
The parking garage appears haunting, its blinding white lights turning me anxious despite myself. Then something else kicks up my jittery insides a notch.
The very familiar voice talking somewhere.
Dad.
Shit. Shit.
If he smelled Nate on me after a mere brush of fingers, he’ll have a heart attack now.
I crouch behind one of the cars and watch through the windows. A frown forms between my brows when I see who my father is talking to.
It’s…Aspen.
My dad is talking to Aspen and for the first time since I met her, she’s shaking.
Flat out shaking, like when I’m about to have some sort of a meltdown.
I should probably leave, wash up, and pour perfume all over my body, but curiosity gets the better of me. Using the cars as camouflage, I slowly move toward them while still in my crouching position.
Jeez. This is harder than I thought.
I’m finally a car away and can hear them—or more like, hear my father. He sounds cold, not enraged like when he was with Nate, but there’s still that terrifying edge to his voice. He’s flipping his lighter on and off at a fast pace.
“You will leave. I don’t care where, but you’ll remove yourself from here.”
She shakes her head. “No…I didn’t even…I can’t leave…”
He grabs her by the elbow. “Listen to me, you fucking witch. You forfeited your parental rights the moment you left her at my door twenty years ago and never looked back. You were never a mother to her. You’re a nobody to her. And now you’ll disappear quietly like you did back then before I fucking break you.”
My chin trembles as I stare from him to Aspen. The her he’s talking about is me, right? No one left another baby at his door twenty years ago.
And…did he say a mother?
Aspen?
Mother?
My fingers dig into the metal of the car I’m hiding behind and it burns.
It burns so hot that I release it with a jolt and jump up. I do it so suddenly, so violently, that both of their attention jerks toward me.
Life as I’ve known it so far seems like a big, giant lie.