the ghost wearing his face
Thomas Hartwell sat in the rich, leather chair of his home office, holding the phone an inch away from his ear. On the other end, Maureen was dissolving, her high-pitched, wet sobs a familiar, grating sound that set his teeth on edge. She had finally explained—between hiccupping gasps—that Kayden knew. He kneweverything. Abouthim. About him being his real father.
Thomas rubbed his temple, listening to her blow her nose with a loud, indelicatehonk. What now? Should he reach out and try to have a talk? Or stay hidden in the background, the role he’d played for decades? The entire situation was a complete, unmitigated mess. Much like Maureen herself.
“What do youwantfrom me, Maureen?” Thomas finally said, his voice flat and weary, cutting her off as she started to wind up again.
“Just... just be prepared,” she sniffled. “Be prepared that he’ll want to come and see you. I know my son very well.”
A bitter, humorless laugh almost escaped him. “I know him somewhat, Maureen. He ismyson, too. A fact you seem to forget unless you need something. You’ve abused my position as both his father and a judge foryearsbecause of it.”
There was a heavy silence. Maureen’s voice, when it came back, was suddenly small, stripped of its usual manipulative drama. “Listen, I don’t need a reminder. I know exactly what I’ve done, and I know it was not fair.”
He didn't say goodbye. Thomas just hung up the phone, theclickof the receiver echoing in the quiet, wood-paneled room. He leaned back in his chair, the old leather groaning in protest, and sighed, staring up at the coffered ceiling.
Thiswas the exact reason he’d kept his distance. Hisotherson, Joshua, already couldn’t stand Kayden. They’d despised each other as kids, a petty rivalry Thomas had once dismissed. But after Thomas had finally told him the truth a few years ago, Joshua’s dislike had curdled into something toxic and volatile. He had a permanent, massive chip on his shoulder.
It didn't help that his mother, Rebecca, had died shortly after the revelation, leaving Joshua to channel all his grief and white-hot rage onto his newfound, bastard half-brother. That stunt he’d pulled down at the city inspector’s office, trying to sabotage the hotel... it was immature and stupid—something he and Kayden, apparently, both had in common.
Thomas shook his head, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes as the deep, familiar throb of a migraine began to push into his temples. This was a mess of Maureen’s making, but he was the one who would have to clean it up. For now, he wouldn't say or do anything. Not until he knew more. And not until he spoke to Joshua first.
THE SUNBARELY shonethrough the filthy window pane of Kim’s apartment while her Shane, her probation officer, searched the room. Unsure of what he was looking for, she wasstill cool as a cucumber because she had the other ankle device hidden in the small ceiling access panel in the hallway. Shane stomped down the hallway, not necessarily upset, but he was determined. He didn’t say much to her but searched every nook and cranny of the apartment with his clipboard, checking off various items as he moved from room to room.
“So, is everything okay?” Kim asked, crossing her legs on the couch seductively.
She folded her arms defensively across her chest as Shane’s eyes snapped up at her for a moment, his brows pinched together.
“I suggest that you shut your mouth and let me do my job,” he spat, rolling his eyes.
He began searching through her refrigerator, checking off items on his clipboard.
“You’re extremely rude, and I do not appreciate it.”
“I don’t care what you think, as long as you stay on your leash,” Shane looked down at her ankle, as the lights blinked, then back up to her face, “The way bitches should always be kept.”
Kim’s mouth dropped open, not believing the words that just came out of his mouth. If someone talked to her that way a few months ago, she’d not only have his job, but her foot in his ass to boot. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the power she once did; she needed to play it safe and keep her thoughts to herself.
Now is not the time to piss this dude off,she thought as she watched him continue to tear apart her kitchen cabinets. He continued his abuse of power for thirty additional minutes, while she sat on the couch as quiet as a mouse. When he was finally done and she signed off on his inspection papers, she stared out the window to make sure he got into his car and drove off. Two hours passed before she felt safe enough to set off to do what she needed to finally.
With Lana and Kayden still gone, she had to take full advantage of the opportunity. Lana was a weakling, and Kim knew she didn’t have the balls to really come after her. If she really loved Kayden, why wasn’t she kicking her door in and dealing with the situation?Because she’s a scared little bitch who’s in over her head and no match for me,Kim thought, the evil grin baring all her teeth.
Kayden would see this and soon realize that he had made a terrible mistake by ever letting her go. Kim giggled inside as she let the thoughts swirl around her head and headed to the kitchen in search of a late lunch. She would need all the energy she had for what lay ahead.
LANA FINALLY GOTthelast of the boxes packed into the storage pod that sat outside the townhouse. She’d have it locked up and kept there for as long as she could until she decided what to do next. After the way she left things with Kayden on the phone a few days ago, she was unsure if any of its contents would make it back to Georgia at all. Just then, her phone chimed, and she looked at the screen. It was Jake Washington, Sam’s brother, who worked for the feds.
She had no intentions of taking Sam up on the offer at first, but the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach wouldn’t stop. There was more to Maureen’s story, and she needed more information. When Lana spoke with him on the phone, she explained in as much detail as she could about what Maureen had told her. Jake was sure to explain that he couldn’t make any promises but would see what he could dig up about the people involved.
That was yesterday, and the turnaround was faster than she anticipated. She stared down at the text message and wasn’t sure if she wanted to read the update. Deciding it could wait until she got inside, Lana pushed the phone back into her pocket.
She turned to head back into the quiet, empty house and…
There he stood. On her porch. Kayden.
His presence was sudden and monumental, as if the world had simply bent around him. His steely eyes, fierce and unwavering, were already searing into hers, a silent, powerful demand.How the hell did he get here without me seeing him?she thought, the question a fleeting, irrelevant flicker in her stunned mind. Her heart didn't just race; it hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. Her hand trembled, an involuntary spasm. All rational thought vanished, replaced by one undeniable, desperate need: to be near him.
A ragged, almost painful smile stretched across her face, pulling taut her aching cheeks. Time seemed to compress, then explode. She sprinted across the lawn, a blur of motion, launching herself into his arms. Their bodies didn't just meet; they crashed together, a fierce, desperate impact that left her breathless. He lifted her effortlessly, her legs wrapping instinctively around his waist, holding on as if her life depended on it.
They held onto one another for what felt like eons, a suspended moment outside of time, outside of all the pain and the lies and the fear. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, inhaling the deep, familiar scent of him—his skin, his clothes, the lingering trace of his cologne. It was home. It was salvation.
