Taken by Storm (Give & Take) - By Kelli Maine Page 0,32
MJ said, lifting the tension. Neither of them wanted to use the “D” word.
“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Merrick said, holding out his hand to shake his son’s. “I’m sorry it took so long, but I didn’t know you existed.”
MJ shook his hand. “I know.”
“I’ll make it up to you.” Merrick had the same dark eyes as MJ. They had the power to hypnotize, to make you believe every word. “Let’s go for a walk. We have a lot to talk about.”
MJ nodded, his fists clenched and unclenched at his sides, like he was letting something go, something he’d held on to tightly for too many years. His eyes darted to Maddie’s, then away again.
She knew in his mind he was merging his past and his present, trying to figure out how all the pieces fit—if they would all fit.
Merrick and MJ took a few awkward steps, side-by-side, attempting a relaxed, friendly stroll. She wanted to tag along and hear every word. She’d played out this moment in her head a thousand times over the years, sometimes with MJ and other times alone in her bed at night. She never once stopped praying for this day to come.
But, as the two of them headed in the direction of the woods, dread seeped into her stomach. They’d visit the grave with the angel on top. The grave that held nothing but secrets and lies.
Twelve
Unease crept over MJ. Not because he was taking a leisurely walk with his dad beside the lake, but because the fact that he was taking a leisurely stroll with Merrick didn’t make him uneasy.
It should. He should be a nervous wreck, but he wasn’t. He couldn’t figure out if he was that much of a detached asshole to have no feelings about this at all, or if it just hadn’t sunk in enough for his brain to believe it was real.
He pretty much just didn’t know what the hell to think.
Beside him, Merrick let out a sharp, disdainful chuckle and shook his head. “Jesus, you’re a grown man. I missed everything.”
“It’s not your fault,” MJ said, wondering where the words were coming from. He must have some auto-responder in his brain turned on. God knows he’d thought about this moment enough times. His mouth probably had the words he’d wanted to say memorized.
“I’m sorry,” Merrick said. “You shouldn’t have had to grow up with him.”
The Old Man. Enzo. “Don’t worry about it. I survived.”
“I need to get you out of here. I don’t have any right to make you leave, but I can’t stand you being here with him.” Merrick reached up and ran his hand briskly over the back of his head, like the thought of Enzo made his skin crawl.
“Turtle Tear?” MJ asked. “Rachael asked me if I wanted to go.”
Merrick’s head snapped to look at him. “Will you?”
Maddie flashed in MJ’s mind. He’d been anxious to get away from her, but now he didn’t know if he wanted to. He knew he should. If he stayed, he’d pressure her into being with him just to win her from the other guy. He wouldn’t stop until she gave in, and that wasn’t how she should make her decision.
But he still wasn’t giving the ring back until she asked him for it.
Being at Turtle Tear with Merrick and Rachael—both strangers to him—and his aunt and uncle… Jesus, it would be like a freaking family reunion. Awkward with forced conversation and probably bad food too. But, the alternative wasn’t looking so hot either. “Yeah. I’ll go.”
“Good. I have to wrap up a few legal issues with your grandfather and my lawyer before I join you, but you and Rachael can leave in the morning.”
The morning? Nothing like having time to ease into the idea. “I can wait until you’ve got everything here done.”
Merrick shook his head, adamant. “I’d rather have you out from under his nose as soon as possible, if that’s okay with you?”
With his housing at school up in the air and Maddie hounding and haunting his every waking thought—what the hell?—he might as well take off. “Sounds good then.”
Merrick nodded to the tree line in front of them. “I used to hide out back here in the cemetery. Morbid, but nobody bothered me. Your aunt was afraid. Wouldn’t step foot in these woods.”
“My mom’s buried in the cemetery. Me and my friend Maddie used to hang out back here too.”
Merrick licked his lips and pressed them together tightly. “I’m sorry about your mom.”