She’d only seen him a handful of times since he returned, trying to make amends in his sons’ lives. There were a few visits once or twice where he stopped by to visit Kaitlyn, but Jacob was always around. And even with Jacob nearby, the way that man looked at her with disdain and hatred left her feeling cautious around him; often, she’d simply make an excuse to leave the room.
The other spouses had told her Brock Norris gave some of them a hard time, while also doing his damnedest to convince each of his sons that marriage was not for them. It seemed like it was her turn today.
Opening the door was the last thing she wanted to do, but he was practically leaning on the bell again and the knocks shook through the front room. Worried he would wake Kaitlyn at this rate, she twisted the knob and pulled the door aside.
“Mr. Norris, Jacob is not home yet, and Kaitlyn is asleep.” Her voice was frosty and she tried to block the entrance with her body. “You can com—”
“Call me Brock. Mr. Norris is so formal, and we are going to be relatives again.” He moved closer, looming over her. “I can wait inside if you don’t mind for Jacob to arrive home or Kaitlyn to get up.”
When Sierra didn’t seem to budge, his face softened, along with his tone. “I would like to see her. How is she doing?”
Caught off guard by the sudden show of vulnerability, Sierra turned to look toward the stairs, wondering what she should say. Then he pushed past her and walked inside the home.
Though unsettled, Sierra tried to stay cordial. “She is doing very well, still gets a bit tired but her progress is great.” She smiled, shutting the door. He followed as she moved furtherdown the hallway; his presence left her nervous and on edge, despite the pleasant conversation they were having.
“Oh, that is nice, and I see you have too.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. The air suddenly filled with awkward silence.
“I was just tidying up the kitchen, you can wait for Jacob in his den if you like.” She gestured toward the room with her arm, hoping he’d just stay away from her.
“Yes. But first I need to use the washroom. Oh, would you be so gracious as to mix me a drink while I wait?” He didn’t tell her what to mix or what glass; Sierra knew he was plotting something, and the alarm bells got louder.
She narrowed her gaze on him. “Sorry, I do not touch the stuff, you are going to have to help yourself. Now if you will excuse me.” Though she knew Jacob kept the liquor behind a passcode-lock, Sierra was certain this man would find a way to get some. Entering back into the kitchen, Sierra dialled Jacob’s number, once, twice, but only his voicemail greeted her each time.
She tried again and hung up when she heard Brock’s voice behind her. “We need to talk.”
When she turned around, Brock Norris stood in the doorway, a glass of dark liquid palmed in his hand. Sierra tensed.Sonofabitch.
She was not going to pretend to see what he was up to. Her face set and her body stiffened in anger. “You need to leave. Now.”
He sat down at the table, swirling the drink. “Not ’til I’ve said my piece. Sit down.”
Sierra moved to sit across from him, wanting him to say whatever he was going to say and get out.
“How much will it cost for you to leave my son and granddaughter alone?”
She rolled her eyes and leaned forward, sneering in disgust. “Aren’t you tired of trying to bully your kids and their spouses into doing what you want? There is nothing you have that I want or cannot give to myself. I have my own money and don’t need the Norris wealth.”
He opened his mouth, but she didn’t let him speak. “And you can save whatever petty speech you have ready. I love Jacob and my daughter; I am not going anywhere. And I will fight whoever I need to, to prove it.” She lifted her chin, glaring coldly at the audacity of this man.
His eyebrows snapped down in anger, and he gave her a cold smile. Standing up, he set the glass down and pushed it across the table in her direction. “The problems that you and I have always get the best of us in the end and you will only hurt them with your addiction once you succumb to it again.”
“Get the fuck out. I am not like you and never will be.” Sierra clenched her hands at her sides, the anger close to exploding out of her chest. “I know how to feel love and give love, not a walking waste of skin like you.” She paused, then shook her head. “I feel sorry for you because you have missed out on so much. Yes, once we were alike; we both hurt the ones we loved and crashed and burned. But I got out of my despair and destruction, while you are still wallowing in it like a warm blanket.”
He reared back as if she had shot him. “My son will soon realize what a mistake it was to trust you.”
Having enough, Sierra pointed toward the kitchen doorway and said firmly through gritted teeth, “Now leave. I won’t ask you again.”
He nodded, losing all the hot air he came in with and in that moment, he suddenly looked old to her.
He glanced at something over her shoulder before finally taking his leave, not saying another word to her and she heard the door open and close.
That man has worse demons than I do.Sierra took deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves and shaking hands. Though she could empathize with his struggles, it was difficult to feel sorry for him. He had brought this lingering pain on himself.
Once the adrenaline had drained from her system, Sierra got to her feet and picked up the glass of liquor, getting ready to dump it, and stared into its dark amber depths. This was the cause of so much pain and destruction and wished she’d never tried it. Lost in her thoughts, she jumped when she heard.
“Are you fucking kidding me? I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you!” Jacob shouted from the kitchen doorway.
And that’s when Sierra realized that he’d not only just come to talk to her but his dad had set her up too. After forcing his way into the house, he’d left too easily. He’d no doubt called Jacob to find out how soon he’d be home, and only in that moment did she remember Brock Norris looking in the direction of the wall clock before walking out.
