voice is laced with a pain I haven’t had the luxury of fully releasing. “I was almost at the point of breaking down and giving in about the whole damn thing when the wreck happened. Death took away the chance I had to tell Jed he was right about what he was willing to give up for my son. I didn’t have the opportunity to ask him what he thought I should do. And now I never will.”
Turning I ask, “What I don’t understand is how you could lie to about me what you thought all these years.”
“I didn’t lie to you,” she whispers.
I say without turning around, “Right now, I’m finding that hard to believe. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to lie down. I’ll tell Kevin to come up when he’s hungry,” before I head to the stairs off the main room of the Smiths’ family home toward the basement.
“Kara, wait!”
I pause with my hand on the doorknob. Emotions are choking me. Keep it together, I warn myself. I wait for Maris to speak.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I’m saying. You know that’s not what I think. I don’t know where my head’s at. Please, please forgive me,” she begs.
Our sisterhood bonds may be strained, but I answer immediately. “I will. I just need time.” I pull the door open to the basement and call down. “Kevin? Maris made stew. I’m going to lie down for a bit.”
“Okay, Mom! I’ll be up in a few.”
Without another word, I close the door on the conversation both physically and metaphorically before heading up to the guest room. I need some privacy to process everything that I just learned and how it factors into how I deal with Jennings.
Because I need to dig deep for the courage I lost a long time ago. And there’s only one person I know who can give it to me.
Wearily, I make it up to my room and pull out my laptop. Opening up a new file, I start typing.
Dear Dean…
Jennings
“How did it go with Kara?” Kody asks me when I get back.
I don’t say anything, I just slap the folded stack of papers Kara handed to me in front of him.
“Tell me that bitch isn’t going to try to sue for custody at this late date,” Nick drawls.
I don’t know whether to thank him or rip his head off, but he just gave me a target for all the emotions seething inside of me. Turning, I manage to coldcock Nick Cain. It probably helps he’s sprawled across the couch with a tumbler of scotch in his hand, but I don’t give a shit. “Never, ever, call the mother of my child a bitch again.”
Nick surges to his feet with in seconds, the liquid falling forgotten to the floor. His fury is palpable, just like mine. Good, I need to do something to let out this impotent rage.
Unfortunately, Brad and Kody don’t see it quite the same way. Brad shoves himself in front of Nick, while Kody grabs my arms from behind. “The hell with this. If Jennings gets a free shot, then so do I,” Nick demands.
Brad growls, “Pretty certain you took yours first, man. Shitty thing to call Kara a bitch when Jennings hasn’t had a chance to tell us jack.”
Kody’s arms slacken. I twist and jerk until I’m free of his hold. I’m still breathing hard, my rage a tangible thing. But not at Nick. “I’ll take the hit; I deserve it.” My eyes are steady as I hold his.
Everyone freezes before there’s a cacophony of sound. “Are you insane?” “Did you get into a wreck on the way home?” And Nick, smug bastard he is: “They didn’t give me the belt for nothing, Jennings. Certainly not for that pansy-ass tap you gave me.”
“I was at the fight; I know what I’m asking for.” And then, fuck, even Nick gets a concerned look on his face. My jaw tightens when I pick up the papers and smack them so they fly across the room like I’m making it rain money. “Every. Few. Months. For fucking years. She’d email me. Asking me to call her. Saying she had something important to talk with me about. Then Jed meets Dean what, three years ago? That’s when the emails stop. I haven’t figured out why. What I do know is her good-for-nothing family cut her off.”
“Oh, God.” Brad collapses back on the sofa.
“Then, Jed kept telling me I should come visit.” Turning, I