“Thank fuck someone was. Pity he didn’t do anything about it.” I scrub my hands down my face as I try to grasp the seriousness of what she’s telling me. Sydney told me her father became controlling, and I get the sense she was holding stuff back. When I factor that in, it doesn’t sound so farfetched.
“I understand, Mum. I don’t forgive you for it, but I understand why you did what you did. I still don’t know how you could turn your back on her knowing that. Did you even check in on her?”
She hangs her head, and I have my answer.
“You could have gone to the authorities and reported him.”
“On what grounds, Jared?” She knots her hands on top of the table. “I couldn’t go to the police without any proof, and we were afraid of what else he could do to us. He was an extremely well-connected businessman, and he had skilled technologists working for him who could ruin people with a few strokes of their keyboards. We couldn’t take that risk. He had already robbed your father of his company, and we lost half of our wealth when we were forced to sell our shareholding at a rock-bottom price. We had enough to reestablish ourselves here, and that had to be a priority. You’re going to be a father soon. Then you’ll understand.”
“You could have gone to her when she was eighteen and helped Sydney to get away from him, or you could have told me then what you’d done, but you didn’t plan on ever telling me, did you?”
Her expression is resolute as she looks at me. “No. As long as Herman Shaw is alive, you are not safe if you go near his daughter.”
Harsh laughter rumbles through my chest. “Herman Shaw might have been able to control my life when I was a teen, but I’m a grown-ass man now with powerful contacts and resources of my own. He doesn’t get to dictate what I do now.”
“No, Jared.” Mum clutches her chest. “Please don’t pursue anything with Sydney. He’ll kill you!”
“Not if I kill him first.” I drain my beer, placing it down on the table this time. I’m eerily calm as I stand. “You need to understand something, Mum. I love Sydney. I have loved her my whole life, and I’m done living without her.”
I’m not sure how I’ll pull it off. I don’t know if Sydney still has feelings for me, how serious things are with her boyfriend, or if she’s willing to give me a second chance. If I can convince her to let me back into her life, there’s the obvious elephant in the room. Even though I’m no longer in a relationship with Toria, she is still having my baby. That won’t be easy for Sydney to accept, whether it’s now or after my son is born. But I’m hoping we can find a way to make it work because I want her back for good. That future I have always wanted is there for the taking, and I’m going to fight with everything I have.
Sydney belongs with me.
We can be a family.
Sydney would be a positive maternal figure in my son’s life and, if I end up getting full custody, his future stepmother.
We can make lots of beautiful babies together.
The thought of watching Sydney’s belly swell with our child brings out the Neanderthal in me as well as a jealous possessive side I have only ever felt with her.
“If you love her, you’ll leave her alone, Jared. No good can come from this. Please. I’m begging you.”
I thump a closed fist against my heart. “I am done living with this hole in my heart. A few hours in her company, and it reinforced what I have always known. Sydney is it for me. She’s the love of my life. Nothing and no one is keeping me from her again. Herman can send his goons after me. He can try to ruin me. I don’t fucking care because I’ll throw everything right back at him. All that matters is Sydney. I wasn’t there to protect her last time, but I’m sure as fuck going to be there for her now. If Herman comes for us, he’ll regret the day he crossed me, and that’s a promise.”
ChapterNineteen
Sydney
Warmth fills my chest as the sun crests the hazy blue sky, shooting glorious rays of buttery sunlight over the land below. Languid waves lap the sandy shore, ebbing and flowing with unhurried grace. The Pacific Ocean is peaceful at this time of morning, and the fresh salty air cleans my lungs and clears my head. Sitting back in my chair, propped in front of my easel, I admire the rugged beauty of the green Santa Cruz mountains in the distance. My gaze flits from my canvas to the awe-inspiring sight in front of me as I attempt to capture the sunrise in all its magnificence.
You haven’t lived if you haven’t experienced sunrise. It’s magical.
One of my favorite things to do now is get up early to paint or walk on the beach just as day is breaking. Apart from a few joggers, walkers, and fellow sunrise worshippers, the beach is usually pretty deserted at this hour. It feels like I’m the only person in Half Moon Bay, and I adore the serenity and the feeling of being at one with nature and the world.
In the month since I moved into my bungalow, I have tried my best to embrace my new life to the fullest. I’m enjoying my shared museum manager’s role at the Legion of Honor, the foremost fine arts museum in San Fran. Working part-time keeps it from becoming too stressful, and it gives me plenty of time to paint as well as work on getting my house fixed up exactly the way I want it. I’ve been painting it myself, taking time to live in the space before deciding on the right décor.
I’ve even been out on a few dates with Logan. He’s a nice guy. Attractive. Charming. Interesting. While there are no major sparks, I’m giving it a chance. I owe it to myself to try.
Humming quietly to myself, I dab my brush at the base of the horizon on my canvas, adding a few orange tones to mirror the view in front of me. I’m engrossed in my work, so I don’t see the jogger until he’s almost on top of me.
Exaggerated breathing and the pounding of sneakers on the sand breaks my concentration, and I look up, my mouth instantly slackening as the man slams to a halt, staring at me in equal shock.
It’s been three months since I last saw Jared in the flesh. The very last place on earth I thought I’d find him is here.
His Adam’s apple bobs in his throat as he looks at me. He’s shirtless, wearing only sneakers, flimsy running shorts, and a sheen of glistening sweat on his broad shoulders, toned abs, and defined chest. There is no missing the ink covering both arms and dancing across the top of his chest or the fact his nipples are pierced. A tempting layer of dark hair trails invitingly under the waistband of his shorts, reminding me Jared is all man now. Defined V-shaped indents at his hips are testament to dedication in the gym.
Jared King is the full package, and I’d challenge any woman not to fall at his feet if he showed up looking like this. Dragging his arm across the sweat beading at his brow, he cuts through the sand as he strides toward me with visible purpose.
