“I know, I know. I said I wasn’t going to do it, but I got carried away when she attacked Dad. I just couldn’t seem to stop myself.” I was really confused by the way I’d behaved.
“Auggie, listen to me. I want you to stop feeling bad about this right now. I went through the same thing with my father. We were, for lack of a better word, abused, by one of our parents throughout our entire childhood. Yours was verbal. Mine was verbal and physical. They were not good parents, but we were lucky enough to have one good parent and that’s the person we have to focus on. You blew off some steam. You said the things you wanted to for a long time. It’s much better out there, said, than stored up inside yourself. I’m here for you and we are a family.” He bent and kissed the baby’s head. “This is our family. We have no need for your mother or my father. Ford doesn’t need those examples in his life, either.”
“Worth, you should have seen Dad. He took it and took it… defended her and then finally, when he found out about Jervis, that was it. He’s divorcing her and she signed a prenuptial. He’s keeping everything, throwing her out within a month, bag and baggage. It’s over for her.”
“Are you feeling regret?” he asked me.
I sat back and looked at him. With all honesty, the only thing I could think to say was, “Hell, no!”
“That’s my girl.” Worth smiled and hugged me with his free arm. “Now, what do you say I take this family out to dinner?”
“I would be honored,” I answered. “Oh, and Worth?”
“Yes, Auggie?”
“I love you, by the way. I’m proud to be your wife and you’ll be the finest father anyone could ever have. Ford is a lucky boy.”
“I love you too, Auggie,” he responded and kissed me.
It just can’t get much better than this.
?EPILOGUE
Auggie
Mother left within the thirty days, just as Dad dictated. I think she went to live in an apartment on the west end of Louisville. Quite a comedown from where she had been, but she earned what she got. I didn’t make an effort to find her. She knew where I was and didn’t reach out to me, either. Dad divorced her and he and Worth’s mother have been keeping company lately. Who would have thought it?
Worth opened two more clinics and they’re doing very well, although it’s early. He was busier than ever and true to my word, I agreed to help him once Ford was old enough to be with a nanny. In the meantime, I was doing all the research I could to become more familiar with his industry.
Our life was idyllic, so much so that I’d begun to be suspicious of it. It didn’t feel natural for everything to go so well. That’s why I was perhaps not as shocked as I should have been when that day finally came.
Worth had already left for the clinic and I was looking after Ford in his nursery when I heard the doorbell ring.
“Betsy?” I called downstairs but she didn’t answer. I realized she was probably outdoors, taking out the garbage or hanging sheets. I loved the smell of line-dried sheets better than anything and had insisted on a series of clotheslines to accommodate the bedding.
I checked to see that Ford was fast asleep so I went down to answer the door myself. I was expecting Mr. McLean. We were going to discuss the offerings at the upcoming Keeneland sales. Beverly Dexter had completed our first set of barns and only Carlos had taken up residence to date.
I opened the door and there stood a man who looked vaguely familiar, although I couldn’t place why.
“May I help you?” I asked.
“I’m looking for Dr. Worth LaViere,” he said solemnly. Again, I was searching my memory for where I could have met this man and it was making me feel quite discomfited. I was generally pretty good at remembering faces.
“I’m sorry, but he’s not at home at the moment. You can find him at the clinic, though. Can I help you with something?”
“I see. No, I won’t bother him at the clinic. This is a personal matter, you see.”
I nodded and expected to see him turn to leave, but he held his stance.
“I’ll be glad to tell him you stopped by,” I offered in the language that said it was time to leave. “What’s your name?”
“That would be fine. Tell him I’ll come back another day, but I’m staying at the Hilton in the meantime.”
“And your name?” I prompted him again.
“Linc LaViere.”
THE END
Continue on to read BOOK TWO in The Bluegrass Billionaire Trilogy: Bluegrass Obsession.
Bluegrass Obsession
THE BLUEGRASS BILLIONAIRE TRILGOY
BOOK 2
Alice Ward & Jessica Blake
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Although a handsome and respected psychologist, Worth is unable to free himself from the curse of his father’s past. Nor can his beautiful wife, Auggie. Her mother’s deceit spawned the devil incarnate. A brother who rises from the depths of hell to haunt them with hatred and retribution.
Evil and manipulative, Linc doesn’t care who he hurts to get what he wants and must be stopped before he goes too far. Can Worth and Auggie fight him and rise above it all, finding salvation in each other? More importantly, can they protect their family from the legacy of inherited evil?
Bluegrass Obsession is a standalone novel with an HEA and No Cliffhanger.
CHAPTER ONE
Worth
I was in a separate cell from the general population. Now, while this might seem a very fine line of exception to those who knew and depended on me, it was broad enough to keep my ass out of trouble for the moment. Too bad I didn’t have that particular benefit of perspective earlier.
My head was beginning to clear from the anger, although the smell of urine and vomit permeated the air. It wasn’t unusual for me to sober up in such an atmosphere, but the stench and the voices of men arguing as they angled for alpha was. While I tried to relax and consider this as an opportunity to observe a jail population from a psychologist’s perspective, the memory of the night before continued to consume my attention. This made it impossible to remain indifferent. Indeed, I was simmering with rage. That said, I was in the grip of an even stronger emotion — fear. It was not for myself, but for Auggie and our infant son, Ford.
***
As I approached the house the day before, exhausted from a day touring the newest clinic, I had no idea of the cataclysmic uproar that awaited me. It’s not as if I’d any choice, but a warning would have been appreciated.
I found Auggie, my emerald-eyed wife of barely a year seated in the living room on the sofa nearest to the front door. It was an otherwise formal room, reserved for entertaining. In this instance, however, it was a strategic perch where she could intercept me before I could greet Betsy, the maid, or even snatch up Ford for a quick hug before retreating upstairs for a shower before dinner. I was instantly on high alert.