When we got home we showed the video to Lacey and Faith and they almost died. They couldn’t believe what we’d done. They were too shocked to laugh. But after they’d watched it a few times and had downed a few bottles of wine, Faith and Lacey were making the lewdest jokes you’ve ever heard about cheating men, and they were laughing their faces off.
We emailed a link of the video to Matt’s employer, and to his wife. Lacey had found out her name during a period of online stalking that had bordered on an obsession.
“I know you wanted to keep your private life private,” I said to Lacey.
“Fuck that,” she said, downing her sixth glass of wine for the evening. “I don’t know how to thank you boys. You’ve fixed everything. For the first time in weeks, I feel like I’ve got the closure I needed. I finally feel like I can move on with my life.”
“Then our job’s done,” Grant said. “Both of you girls always remember, you’ve got the four of us to cover you for anything. Don’t keep secrets from us. We’re here for you. We’ve got your backs. We’re family.”
The following day, I was eating cheerios with Sam for breakfast. I slept at Faith’s house every night, and I got to see Sam all the time. We ate breakfast together, I dropped him off at school, I picked him up. In the afternoons he’d hang out with me and the brothers and help fix up the farmhouse for Faith.
He loved hanging out with us and I loved having all that time to spend with him. I could see his confidence grow by the day as he learned more and more about being a man from me and the brothers.
I’d say the proudest day of my life was the day I drove up to his school to pick him up, and he asked me if he could go play baseball with his new friends.
“Who are your new friends?” I asked.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you dad.”
“Try me.”
“Those guys,” he said, pointing at a group of four older boys across the lot.
I looked, and sure enough it was the four boys that used to bully him.
“You’re friends with those idiots now?” I said, grinning.
“They’re not that bad when you get to know them, dad.”
“What about the house? You were going to help Forrester with the baseboards in your bedroom.”
“Well, I thought about that, and my new friends have offered to come over this weekend and help me catch up on the work I miss today.”
“Is that so?” I said.
“Yeah, dad. So what do you say? Can I go play ball?”
I grabbed him and kissed his forehead. “Go hit a homer for me, buddy,” I said.
I slowed down as I passed them all on my way out of the lot and rolled down my window.
All the boys, including Sam, looked up at me.
“You fellas look after each other,” I said, “treat each other like brothers. One day you’ll need backup and you’ll have each other.”
Sam was doing great. Faith even told me his grades were up since my return. I was glad to hear it.
I also took Sam to meet his grandaddy. The old man was buried in the orchard behind the house, a stone grave under the biggest apple tree on the property. It was a beautiful, secluded spot.
“This is where my father’s buried,” I told Sam.
He took my hand.
“Your mother named you after him.”
Sam nodded.
“It was awfully nice of her to name you after my father. I mean, I wasn’t around in those days. I wanted to be, but I couldn’t.”
“I know,” Sam said.
“So your mother did the greatest thing a woman could ever do for a man. She raised you for me while I was away.”
Sam nodded.
“But I’m back now, Sam. And I’ll never go away ever again.”
He didn’t say anything but he squeezed my hand so tight it surprised me. I hadn’t realized he could be so strong.
“I love you, son,” I said, looking at my father’s grave.
“I love you too, dad.”
Hearing him say that made my life complete.
And being with Faith was like being with an angel. Every night before I fell asleep next to her, I silently thanked God for giving her to me. She was more than I deserved—far more. She always had been. Ever since the time she came into that motel, all those years before, and asked me for my help, she’d possessed my heart. Who’d have ever thought we’d make it so far?
I had her to thank for all the happiness in my life.
It looked like she’d been the desperate one back in that motel bar twelve years ago, but the truth was, I was the one who was desperate. I was the one who needed her. She’d saved my life in every single way.
Killing her enemies and making my way back to her was the hardest thing I’d ever done. And creating a child with her, and now, creating a loving home, were the best things that possibly could have happened.
I loved fucking her, long into the night, even when she begged me to stop. And I could spend the rest of my life doing it to her.
Chapter 50
Jackson
“COME ON,” I SAID, leading Faith by the hand. “It’s not much farther.”