Closing her eyes, she cupped her hand over her mouth and shook her head. This time he couldn’t decipher her reaction. “I can’t even process this right now. I’ve spent years believing you got that money from a bank, not your low-life friends.”
“Banks don’t give that kind of money to guys like me, and the McNealys are not my friends.”
“Jesus, Lance.” Tears rimmed her eyes. “Why would you go to them? They kicked me and our daughter out of our home.”
Lance swallowed. “I know that night—”
“You know nothing about that night. You. Weren’t. There. They barged their way into my home and scared the hell out of me while I was holding our daughter. When I refused to leave, Mitch grabbed me by the throat and thrust the deed in my face and told me if I didn’t leave willingly, he’d force me out.”
He’d found Piper crying hysterically in her car. When she’d looked up to see him standing there, the rage that had encased her face had said it all. They were over. Without a word, she had left with their daughter and he didn’t see Skylar for months. Then her diagnosis changed everything.
“I swear to you I’m not gambling. I haven’t made a bet since that night. The only reason I went to the McNealys is because it was my only option. I had to give Skylar every chance to beat the leukemia.”
“I-I don’t know how to feel right now. If you hadn’t done it, Skylar would’ve never recovered. I get your motivation. I understand it. But look at you.” She waved at his face. “That’s what happens when you get involved with those two. I would’ve never allowed you to have Skylar back had I known you were mixed up with them again.”
“I know. That’s why I didn’t tell you.”
At his blunt answer, she jerked back. “W-why are you telling me now? Jesus, Lance, did they do something to her? Are you lying to me, and she did see this?”
“No.” He circled his face with his hands. “This is not what you think, but they did approach me while I had Skylar with me. She didn’t see them, but they were there. And as much as I don’t want to lose my daughter, I can’t have her around this. I need you to keep her until I get out of this mess. Once I am, things are going to be different.”
Piper stared at him with sad eyes. “I really wish I could believe you. But I know how you work. For some damn reason, you can’t seem to break away from those two. After this, there’ll be another reason you get involved with them.” She started backing up the drive. “And I’m sorry. Skylar will not be around that. I have to protect her.”
The pain that slashed across his heart almost brought him to his knees. He knew this would be the final outcome, had expected it, but all the preparing in the world didn’t stop the agony. “No matter what you think, Piper, I did this for her.”
“That’s the saddest damn thing about this. I know you did.” She shook her head. “But the McNealys are never the answer. You should’ve talked to me, included me, and we could have come up with a solution together—for our daughter. But you did something behind my back, again, and this time lied to me about it. How am I supposed to trust you when you keep doing the same thing over and over?”
There were no words to defend himself. He had deliberately kept her in the dark about how he’d gotten the money because he’d known she would’ve never taken it—even to save their daughter. The McNealys terrified her, he’d known that, and still he’d gone to them. And he didn’t regret it. His daughter was alive, and that was all that mattered.
She pointed at him. “I won’t be involved with this, Lance. If I see one hair on either one of those assholes’ heads, I’m going to the cops. As much as they like to believe they have the police department on their side, I’m sure there are a few they haven’t been able to buy off.”
With that, she turned and stormed back up the driveway.
He watched her go. As the front door closed, the curtains in the living room pulled back. Skylar’s face came into view and she gave him a sad wave. Emotions hit him hard and he blew her a kiss before climbing into the Jeep and leaving.
He glanced at his watch. He had an hour to get home, collect the needed paperwork and get across town to his meeting. If everything went as planned, he’d have the McNealys paid back by this afternoon and all this shit would be behind him. Finally.
…
“I’m sorry, Mr. Black,” the loan officer said as he shuffled through the stack of papers. “We can’t approve a loan for the amount you’re requesting.”
Lance stared at the man. This was the second time some suit behind a desk had denied him a loan. “I don’t understand. I have a house, a business, and more than enough income to cover a sixty thousand dollar loan.”