His face is etched with pain and fear, and I realize he’s worried I’m going to walk away.
“You have a child?” I question gently, reaching for his hand and slipping it into mine. When he shakes his head my heart gallops and my stomach drops. My brows crease into a frown as I stare at him.
“My father paid her, one million dollars to get rid of it.” His mouth purses into a grim line, but he doesn’t meet my gaze. I know why. He’s ashamed. It’s written all over his face. Guilt is a terrible emotion to live with for so long, and it’s been eating at him all these years.
“And did she?” I question.
He nods slowly and the words that were hanging in the air pop, dropping like lead weights. It resounds in my ears and I realize it’s my heart hammering.
“I’m sorry.”
His gaze snaps up to mine. “You shouldn’t be sorry, Ella. When I saw her after the fact, she told me she’d never wanted a child but needed money to get out of all her student loans and debt. She told me I was an easy target. She took the money and loved every moment of being free of the burden of being a mother.”
“Is she still a part of your life, Carter?”
“No. I wanted to tell you because it should come from me, no one else. There’s nothing to be jealous about. I spoke to Bennett and he’s agreed that if you decide to do this, it’s the three of us. Together.”
He doesn’t say anything more and I wonder if I should say something. Do I console him? I’m not angry. I can’t be a hypocrite and judge him on something in his past. Mine is littered with violence and heartache.
“She’s a mistake that happened so many years ago. I fu*ked up and I moved on. Nothing about her makes me want her, but when I look at you, I know in my heart I want everything with you. I want us.” He pulls me against him affectionately.
“Carter, I’m—”
“I’m not prepared to lose you.” His tone is adamant, confident in what he wants, and our gazes lock in a heated stare. His words are a salve to the open wounds in my heart and mind. I want to climb inside him. I want to find myself again. “Come on, eat your breakfast. I think we need to spend some time together.”
“I have work today.”
“Bennett will join us. You need a day to recoup and it will give you time to see how things would be between the three of us.”
“Are you two? I mean…”
“We’ve been together a few times, yes,” he answers my unasked question with honesty. That’s what I love about them. Both Bennett and Carter tell me what’s on their mind. There aren’t any games behind their words.
“Wow.”
“We’ll play tonight. Would you like to see us together?”
I never thought I’d be turned on seeing two men together, but the thought of him and Bennett causes my nipples to harden. “Yes.” I find myself responding because I do. I’d love to see it. “And as much as I’d love to spend the day with you both, there’s some urgent work I need to take care of.” There’s a new client I’m working with and even though the day out shopping sounds like my idea of heaven, I need to make sure we land this deal.
“Okay, but tonight, it will be the three of us,” Carter promises with a mischievous look in his sapphire gaze. An illicit promise.
Bennett
Leaving Ella last night was difficult, but I needed a moment to process. Everything happened so fast. She was perfect. Taking both of us like she was made to do it. We healed her. I felt it in her touch, heard it in her whispers.
But this morning’s meeting was important. I need to keep her safe and I’ll do anything in order to ensure her life is no longer threatened by that arsehole. As soon as I walked into the office, I knew something was wrong. Both men I hired left an hour ago, and now I find myself at the place I never wanted to visit again.
“Hello, Dad.”
“Bennett, come inside. We need to talk.” He glances at me. It’s been four years since he’s seen my face, but the whisky on his desk tells me nothing’s changed. An alcoholic father and a mother who ran off with some drug addict. It’s a wonder I actually made something of my life.
“We do need to talk,” I tell him, stalking farther into the dimly lit room.
My father has money. A lot of it. But I never took a penny from him. I didn’t want his filthy blood money. Nothing he’s ever done has been above board. All the deals he made, every pound he earned was nothing but payoffs from criminals. And now, he’s got me on his arse for one particular man.
“Do you know this man?” I chuck the photo on his desk, right under his nose. His dark eyes drop to the color photograph, then up at me. Guilt is written all over his wrinkled face. “How can you sit there calmly knowing this arsehole is on the loose?”
“What’s got you in such a huff about him? He has nothing to do with you.” His eyes meet mine with an expression of anger.
I shake my head at the uncaring fa?ade that he portrays. A man who’s been known to prey on innocent girls and my father is in bed with him, so to speak.
“Do you know what he’s wanted for?” I don’t tell him about Ella. I can’t. “This arsehole is going to die and I’ll make sure of it.” My tone is acidic, but when he stares at me I realize he has no idea what I’m talking about.
“Are you really going to break up a lifelong friendship over a woman?” he finally utters, realizing there’s more emotion behind my outburst than I should’ve let on. He slips into his office chair and watches me, tenting his fingers under his chin.
“Are you fu*king kidding me? Carter will be beside me when I drive a fu*king knife into this arsehole’s chest,” I hiss, but he doesn’t agree. He waits a beat and continues.
“I sent him away a long time ago. I’m not responsible for what he did when he wasn’t here. I’m sure you remember the day he left.”
I nod.
“I never denied he did questionable things, which is one of the reasons we sent him to the U.S.”
“What the fu*k are you talking about?”
“We found out he had a problem,” he admits easily.
Yes, I know he has a fu*king problem.
“It was after the Hamilton girl came forward.”
That’s when my world knocks off-kilter. I can’t feel the floor beneath my feet. It’s as if I’ve been punched in the gut. Winded. Sick. Bile rises into my throat and it burns.
“Katherine? Carter’s sister?”
He nods.
“What the fu*k? How did you not report the fu*ker?” My voice rises and I know everyone on the floor can hear me. However, my father sits calmly like he’s just told me about the weather.
Anger.
Rage.
Fury.
My body vibrates with each one of those emotions until I only see red. The monster will pay. I’ll fu*king ensure he never sees the light of day again.
He meets my gaze and then I see it. The truth of what he did is evident.