Tattered, p.23
Tattered, page 23
I leaned back, pushing the hair off her face. She turned her head into the blankets, trying to hide, but I tipped her chin toward me so she had to look at me. “Baby, what is it? These tears are killing me.”
“Sorry. It’s nothing.” She shook her head and sniffled, bringing up a hand to wipe her face. “I’m just emotional and I had too much champagne.”
“Come here.” I wrapped one arm around her, holding her to my chest, as the other jerked down the blankets. Then I pulled out and lifted her farther into the bed. “Be right back.”
I went to the bathroom and dealt with the condom, hurrying back to Thea’s side. With her back to my chest, I inhaled the lavender in her hair as I held her close. “It’s going to be okay.”
She nodded, sniffling again. “I know.”
Did she? Because there wasn’t a hint of confidence in her voice.
She tried to roll away to her pillow, but my arms banded tighter. I never thought I’d miss her tiny bed at the cottage, but this week had proved me wrong. When we’d been in her bed, there had been no choice except for us to sleep cuddled together. But with the space of my massive king, we’d both drift in our sleep.
Not tonight. Tonight, I didn’t want her going anywhere.
The way she snuggled backward, relaxing in my arms, I thought she wanted that too.
Except when I woke up the next morning, Thea was gone.
I shot up in a panic, searching the bathroom and closet for her. Then I went downstairs, hoping she’d just gotten up early for coffee and breakfast. But when I didn’t find her there, I searched every other room.
I finally found her, asleep in Charlie’s bed. Charlie’s feet were digging into her ribs and tears had dried on Thea’s cheeks.
“Daddy?”
“Yeah, peanut?” I looked at Charlie in the rearview mirror, smiling just like I did every time she called me Daddy.
“Are you going to come to my first day of school?”
“I, uh . . .”
My shoulders sagged. How the hell did I answer this question? I hoped she’d be going to school here, and in that case, I’d be taking her to school with Thea. I’d already had Sean make arrangements to get her enrolled at a small, private school a few blocks from the penthouse.
But with the way Thea had acted last night and this morning, I wasn’t as confident she’d say yes to my proposal as I had been a few days ago. Which meant there was a slim chance Charlie would have to start school in Lark Cove, then transfer once Thea and I worked everything out.
With school starting in two weeks, I couldn’t swing another trip to Lark Cove right now. One of my newest clients was restructuring their business over the next month and I had to be in town to participate in the discussions.
Would I be able to take Charlie to school? Only if Thea said yes to moving and marrying me.
“Are you?” Charlie asked again.
“Honey,” Thea turned in her seat, “we are going home on Monday. Remember? Logan has to stay here for work. But he’ll come and visit us as soon as he can. Mommy and Gran will take you to your first day of school, just like we did last year.”
“Oh.” Charlie’s disappointment darkened the car.
“I’m sorry,” I told her. “I’d be there if I could.”
Charlie nodded, then turned to look out her window.
I focused back on the road with a frown.
We were driving to my parents’ estate on Long Island. It had taken us an hour to get out of the city, but once we’d hit the Nassau County line, traffic had thinned. My white Land Rover, which spent most of its time in the garage at the penthouse, was free to zoom over the highway on our way to Oyster Bay.
I reached across the console, taking Thea’s hand in mine. She laced our fingers together but didn’t look over. Her sunglasses remained pointed out her own side window.
“Mommy, we didn’t get Uncle Jackson his meatballs.”
“It’s okay,” Thea said to the glass. “We’ve got those other presents we bought for him and Gran.”
“Meatballs?”
Thea sighed. “When we were kids, Jackson and I used to get these meatball sandwiches from a place in our neighborhood. I went to get some the other day but it didn’t work out.”
“Were they closed?”
Thea shook her head without further explanation.
“The lady was mean to Mommy.”
My hand tightened over Thea’s. “What lady?”
She shook her head. “Just someone I used to know. We used to be friends but had a falling out. I ran into her at Giovanni’s.”
Giovanni’s. I made a mental note to check it out next week.
“Can we stop for a sec?” Thea pointed to a gas station ahead. “I’d like a water and to use the restroom.”
“Sure.” I let go of her hand, slowing to pull into the parking lot.
Thea pulled up her purse from between her feet and dug through it for her wallet. Before she got it out, I had my money clip out and a hundred between my fingers. “Here.”
“Thanks.” She took the money, giving me a small smile. “Would you guys like anything?”
“Snacks!” Charlie and I said in unison, making us all laugh.
“Okay. Water and snacks. Be right back.”
She opened the door, setting her purse on the seat as she went inside. It fell open after she closed the door, spilling her phone on the leather.
The screen was lit with a new email. I dismissed it, but then did a double take when I made out the word cunt.
I grabbed the phone.
From: anonymous743
Subject: You’re nothing but a filthy cunt.
What the fuck? Red coated my vision and I gripped the phone tight, stopping myself before I cracked the damn thing. Who would send that kind of email to Thea? Was it the first? Or had this been going on for a while?
Alice’s face popped into my mind instantly. I could definitely see her doing something like this. Her maturity level was right on par with Sofia’s and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Alice was behind this disgusting message.
I set down Thea’s phone and pulled out my own, sending Sean a text.
Me: Someone is sending Thea threatening emails. Find out who. Yesterday.
He didn’t make me wait. He never did.
Sean: On it.
When it came to my assistants, I hired the best there was. Just like Piper, there was no one as good as Sean. He managed almost every aspect of my personal life including purchases, travel and even my security protocols. As a former hacker who’d once lived in his mother’s basement, he was now comfortable on the Upper West Side. Sean would have this asshole’s information to me tonight.
A few years ago, a creep had been stalking Emmeline. Sean had tracked him down and arranged for him to get the message that she was completely off-limits. I’d been angry back then, pissed someone would want to stalk Emmeline. But having someone threaten Thea sent me into a blind rage. If not for Charlie in the back, I would have pounded my fists into the steering wheel.
I was still seething by the time Thea came back to the car. She came in with a smile, but it vanished after one look at my face.
“What?”
I tossed over her phone. All the color in her face drained away before she even opened it up.
“How long has that been going on?”
She looked at her lap. “A couple weeks. It’s no big deal.”
“He called you a c—” I stopped myself before I could cuss in front of Charlie. I took a calming breath, lowering my voice. “This is not okay. We’re going to talk about this later.”
“Fine.” She nodded, her eyes turned down.
I backed out of the parking lot and pulled back onto the highway. As much as I wanted answers this instant, I had to wait. Before we talked about those emails and before I got to the bottom of why she was acting so strangely this week, we had to get through the afternoon and evening with my parents.
Shit. Shit. Fucking shit.
The last thing I wanted was for Logan to know about those emails.
We had so many more important things to worry about than some asshole who wanted to send me messages. I was sure that in a few more days, they’d stop. And if they didn’t, I’d tell Jackson. If he thought there was cause to worry, then I’d go to the sheriff. After all, it wasn’t the first time a patron had called me names. I doubted it would be the last. There was always some drunk who thought cussing at a bartender was acceptable.
I dismissed the email so I could put on my game face. We needed to be all smiles and laughs today for Logan’s family.
God, this is hard. Knowing good-bye was right around the corner was miserable. I dreaded it but wanted to get it over with all at the same time.
After Logan had fallen asleep last night, I’d fought hard not to cry again, but I’d lost the battle. So I’d escaped to Charlie’s room, where I could cry into her pillow without worrying she’d wake up.
Logan hadn’t been happy when he’d found me there this morning, but he hadn’t been angry, just worried. He kept looking at me, checking on me and touching me. I’d give him small smiles, hoping to reassure him that I was fine.
We both knew I wasn’t.
On top of it all, I was nervous for Charlie. She was meeting new grandparents today, and when I’d explained to her over breakfast we’d be spending the weekend with Logan’s parents, she’d immediately gone quiet.
She’d barely muttered anything as we’d packed our things and said good-bye to the penthouse. The three of us were staying at the Kendrick estate this weekend, then Monday morning, Charlie and I were flying home.
“How much longer?” Charlie asked from her seat.
“Just right down this road,” Logan said into the mirror. He smiled at her, then over at me, taking my hand in his.
At this point, every touch was torture. I craved them, but they stung. Still, I didn’t let go of his fingers, forcing Logan to drive with one hand.
He turned off the highway and down a road that wound past gate after gate. People didn’t get to just “pop in” around here. You made an appointment. You probably had to get a background check before they gave you a gate code to enter a property. Every home we passed got bigger and bigger until we reached the end of the road.
“Whoa.” I was stealing Charlie’s word as Logan turned down a private drive. “Is this it?”
“This is it.” Logan nodded, letting go of my hand to roll down the window as he approached the gate. An oval plaque engraved with KENDRICK was in the center of the iron bars.
I looked over my shoulder to a wide-eyed Charlie. Her mouth fell open as we pulled through the gate and slowly made our way up an incline to the mansion.
The grounds were enormous. Green grass and manicured shrubs sprawled on both sides of the drive leading to the estate. The cobblestone courtyard had enough room to fit at least ten cars, maybe more, even with the fountain in the center.
“Is this where you grew up?” I asked Logan.
“It sure is. We spent a lot of time in the city too, but this is where we lived most of the time and where I went to school.”
I couldn’t imagine being a child in this place. Like everything else about our lives, it was the polar opposite of the orphanage.
The gray stone exterior spoke to the home’s age, but it had been meticulously well kept. The many windows were large and sparkling in the afternoon sun. Their rich, cream trim matched the ornately carved scallops along the roofline.
Logan parked and shut off the car. “Ready?”
No. I nodded anyway, unbuckling my seatbelt as he went to the backseat to help Charlie out. He took her hand, leading the way to the front door.
I smoothed down the front of my jeans, wishing I’d worn the dress I’d brought for dinner. Logan was in jeans too, but his were a dark wash. Mine were cuffed in a loose boyfriend cut. My white tennis shoes were new but totally inappropriate for a home that screamed high heels only. I straightened at the hem of my black cardigan, making sure it covered my white tee and that my bra wasn’t showing through.
Charlie and I were wearing the same style today, except she had on her cap. I quickly swiped it off her head, earning a glare as I smoothed down her hair. “No hats inside.”
That had never been a rule before.
As Logan approached the front wooden door, it opened for him. The butler bowed—an actual bow—and waved us inside. “Mr. Kendrick.”
“Hello, Phil. How are you today?” Logan asked as we passed over the threshold.
“Very well, sir. Thank you. You are all set up in the guesthouse this weekend.”
“Thank you.” Logan grinned down at Charlie, swinging her hand a bit. “Phil, I’d like you to meet my daughter, Charlie. And this is my girlfriend, Thea.”
“Please to meet you, miss. Ma’am.” Phil smiled at us both, bowing again. “If that will be all, sir, I’ll take care of unpacking your belongings. Your parents have requested everyone meet in the east parlor for cocktails at five.”
“Excellent. Thanks.” Logan nodded and off Phil went, snapping his fingers as he walked out the door. From nowhere, two other butlers appeared, each wearing khaki pants and a white button-up shirt that matched Phil’s.
I followed Logan and Charlie farther inside, taking in the estate with its tall ceilings, gleaming wood and marble floors. Everything was pristine, from the crystal chandelier to the gold-framed artwork, likely worth millions. It was the most elaborate home I’d ever seen.
“Would you like a quick tour?” Logan’s voice echoed in the foyer.
Quick? Not likely. We could get lost in here. “Sure. That would be nice, wouldn’t it, Charlie?”
She nodded, her eyes scanning all over as she tried to take it all in.
We spent the next hour walking through the house where it seemed there were two of everything, formal and informal. Dining room. Sitting room. Parlors. Guest rooms. Bathrooms. Ten minutes into the tour and I was completely turned around. And the entire time, we didn’t see a single person.
Finally, after winding our way back to the main floor, Logan led us outside to a back patio. Right in its center was an enormous pool complete with a diving board, attached hot tub and mosaic mermaid tiled into the bottom.
“Mommy!” Charlie ran to the edge of the pool. “Can we go swimming?”
“Maybe tomorrow. We have to get ready for dinner tonight.”
“Oh.” She frowned, probably remembering that dinner meant another torturous dress. She shuffled back to Logan’s side just as a woman rushed out of the pool house, waving.
“Logan!” Her dark hair was tied up in a bun, much like mine, and I was relieved to see she was wearing frayed denim shorts and a tank top. Without an introduction, I knew this was Logan’s sister.
Just like I’d seen in the family picture at the penthouse, the resemblance between Charlie and Aubrey was even more uncanny in person. They had the same hair. The same nose. Even the same tilt of their upper lip.
“Hi, Aubrey.” Logan smiled and kissed her on the cheek. “Good to see you. Meet Charlie and Thea.”
Aubrey smiled at me first, then bent in front of Charlie and held out her hand. “Hi, Charlie. I’m your auntie Aubrey. Your dad has told me so much about you.”
Logan nudged Charlie and she returned Aubrey’s shake hesitantly before hiding behind his leg.
“We’ll get to know each other one of these days soon.” Aubrey winked at her, then stood again. This time she came right into my space for a tight hug. “Welcome. I’m so glad you’re both here.”
“Um, me too.” I hugged her back, unsure what else to do. I’d been prepared for a thorough inspection, so her friendly gestures were taking me off guard. If all of Logan’s family was like this, I had nothing to fear for the weekend.
“Well, I hate to say hello and run.” Aubrey glanced at her delicate gold watch. “But if I’m going to be ready for cocktail hour, I’d better get going. I need to change and return a couple of phone calls.”
“We should probably do the same.” Logan kissed his sister’s cheek once more before she disappeared inside the house. “Come on.”
He took Charlie and I each by a hand to lead us through a garden trail. At the edge of the garden, the path opened up to a huge lawn that stretched to a guesthouse set in a grove of trees at the edge of the estate.
“Is that where we’re staying?” Charlie asked, wiggling free of his grip to run on the grass.
“Yeah.” He let go of my hand and put his arm around my shoulder. “That is our spot for the weekend.”
I leaned in close, tucking my hand into the back pocket of his jeans. “This place is incredible.”
“It’s over the top but that’s Mom.”
It was over the top but still beautiful. The guesthouse ahead matched the main house, but it was much smaller and less ostentatious. It even had a porch swing by the front door. The house resembled something you might see in the wealthier neighborhoods of Lark Cove.
We walked along a paved path toward the guesthouse as Charlie ran ahead in the grass. She was making a beeline for the trees.
“Charlie!” I shouted. “Don’t get too dirty!”
“I won’t!” she called back over her shoulder.
“She totally will.”
Logan chuckled. “We’ve got time to clean her up.” He led me to the porch and toward the swing. “Come sit with me. We can let Charlie play for a little while.”
“Okay.” I sank into the wooden seat by his side, letting him gently rock us back and forth. It was cooler today, so I leaned in close.
“We need to talk.”
I smiled. “You’re supposed to say that and then hand me a tequila shot. Remember?”
“Sorry. I’m out of tequila at the moment.” He sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me about the emails? Or Giovanni’s?”
I shrugged. “Neither is that big of a deal. I’m used to taking shit from people and letting it roll off.”
