It feels like eternity.
A part of me wonders if this is one of those moments that creates a fissure in your life. The before and the after.
Something tells me it is.
15
Wesley
Idon’t head over to Whitehorse right away.
I stop off at home to check on the kids. Kresley said she didn’t mind hanging out, so she’s keeping an eye on Tobie and Mally for me, right along with Eli. But no sooner do I pull into the driveway than I spot Chloe talking to Ellis out on the Harrisons’ expansive front lawn, and I don’t waste a minute in heading over.
“What do you think, Ellis?” I flash a manufactured smile over at my wicked ex. “Has she finally outdone herself, or is the best still yet to come?”
Ellis pinches his eyes shut a moment. His legs are sandy from the beach even though it’s so damn foggy out you can hardly see ten feet in front of you. But I suppose once you’re that stoned out of your mind, cold water feels good. It reminds you that you’re alive. He must have flown to the beach right after that sham of a meeting and dunked himself in the water just trying to escape this lunacy.
“Dude.” Ellis shakes his head at Chloe. “You know I’ve always thought of you as family—deranged family, but nonetheless you and I have a serious history. And I have never understood why you choose to implode.”
“She doesn’t implode,” I correct. “Chloe detonates and takes out as many living beings as she can in the process. I think Laken nailed it,” I say as I look her way. “You’re having a tantrum. And I don’t think you can help it. It’s the way you’re wired. I’ve seen the way your mother treats you. Cold, unfeeling, like you were nothing. The same way you treat your girls. But do you want to know what the difference is going to be? I’m going to lavish my girls with love. They’re going to know they are the reason I get up in the morning. They’re the reason I strive to be a better person—all of my kids are. The boys have Laken and Kresley to be a mother to them. But you left the girls with a void. Do you know Tobie is so hungry for a mom she calls Kres, Skyla,andLaken Mommy? And don’t think Mally won’t follow suit. That’s the one thing I can’t be for them. I can’t be you, Chloe. You will forever be the bruise on their existence. Hell, half the time you come up in conversation, Tobie is terrified you’ll eat her. I don’t know what that shit is about, but I’m not entertaining it. Just admit that your mother screwed you up and you’re still too immature emotionally to deal with it.” I snatch her by the arms and shake her. “Grow the hell up,” I thunder over her face.
Ellis pushes me away, and I gladly let go.
“Don’t worry, Ellis. I’m not the dangerous one around here.” I turn to leave before looking back at Chloe. “I know, you’re not a total idiot. In fact, you’re smarter than most. You’ve got instincts. And guts. And a fierce level of loyalty—all great traits for anyone to have. You just don’t apply yourself to the right things. But if you would…” I shake my head wistfully. “The world would have to watch out. Good things could come of it. You may think it’s too late to change, but I’m telling you right now it’s not. Look at me. I’m not the same person I was a couple of months ago.”
“Because you have a hard-on forLaken,” she howls as loudly as she can. “You didn’t do it for yourself, Wes. Don’t get all high and mighty on me.”
“I’m not asking you to do it for yourself. Screw yourself. Do it for your girls,” I riot back. “Show the universe you didn’t get sucked into the spiral of being a shitty mother. Your mother may have set the example, but you sure as hell don’t have to follow it. The biggest FU to that woman would be to become the polar opposite of who she groomed you to be. But instead, you’re falling right into the trap she set out for you. Walking in her crooked footsteps. Abandoning your kids like that? You couldn’t have made her happier if you tried. I bet she falls asleep with a smile on her face. You want to piss her off? Turn around and walk in the opposite direction. Be there for your kids. Show up. Encourage them, say you love them and mean it. Stop wasting your time and everybody else’s proving your mother right.” Chloe glances over my shoulder to the house that I’m raising our girls in, and her lips part as she struggles to catch her breath.
“I’ll see you later,” I say as I start to head for the house. “I’ve got to kiss my kids before I take off again. Because they deserve to know they’re loved and wanted.”
I do just that.
* * *
Whitehorse is lit up with a peachy glow as I pull up. Laken and Coop pull up right after me, so I don’t feel too bad about making a pit stop at home.
Laken nods my way. “Wes,” she says my name curt as she heads on into the house.
A smug laugh gurgles in my chest as I look to Cooper.
“She’s pissed at you, Coop. I recognize that look in her eyes. You screwed up royally for once.” I smack him on the back as we head up the walk. “It’s good for you. It keeps your ego in check. Proves you’re human.”
“I’m not that human, and neither are you,” he growls as he looks at the house.
“Relax, no one is cutting your balls off this afternoon. The truth is, you should have told Skyla asap when you found out what you did. But you played your cards. You wanted an edge with Laken and you made sure you got it.”
“All right.” He pauses and folds his arms across his chest. That pissed look on his face is just for me. “Let’s get it straight. Laken and I were bound to end up together. Stop acting like this was the deciding factor. Sorry to prick your ego again and again, but she’s with me and it’s staying that way. This isn’t your ace in the hole. None of this is about you. Once Skyla and Logan find out the truth, they’re going to want to find your brother. If I were you, I’d want to be there for him, too. Let’s not forget you were a part of this scheme as well. It affected you as much as it did him. You were played, Wes. And it was your love for Laken that was leveraged. I’m surprised you’re not white-hot pissed about this.”
My lips twitch. “Oh, I’m white-hot pissed, Coop. You have no idea. And I am very much planning my revenge.”
We head inside as Skyla and Logan usher us to the sofas. Skyla offers us each a cold drink and we politely decline. There’s a candle burning on the coffee table that lets off the scent of peppermint, and layered just beneath that the smell of sex. I’m sure Skyla and Logan were going at it like bunnies just before we arrived. Can’t blame them. I halfway feel like we’re intruding on their honeymoon.
Logan looks as if he’s about to murder both Coop and me.
“Shoot.” He nods to Coop. “Before I pull a gun out of the closet and do just that.”
Coop takes a deep breath as he looks to Laken. “First, I want to apologize to you. When I stumbled upon this information, I didn’t think about doing the right thing. I thought about how it might help land you back in my arms. You see, when the feds took you, and you were rescued only to have your memory wiped—Skyla and I made every effort to be near you as much as possible. We wanted you safe, and I wanted you back.”
