I don’t stay to see what happens next.
I have a wife who needs me more.
Chapter 30
Declan
Ibarge into Penny’s apartment as soon as I hit the landing. I don’t bother to knock, and Autumn comes running from the bathroom to see who it is.
“Dec!” she yells, coming to grab my hand. “Mommy is sick.”
Shit.
I can hear Penny puking in the bathroom, and Autumn drags me towards the sound.
Penny’s sitting on the floor on her knees, bent over the toilet bowl, and I immediately stand behind her to pullher hair back. Autumn is standing in the doorway with wide eyes, not sure what to do.
“Hey, baby girl. Can you go get me a water bottle from the fridge for mommy?” I give her a warm smile, and a moment later, she races to the kitchen.
Autumn loves her mom so much, and it’s written all over her face that she’s worried about Penny.
“Hey, are you okay?” I ask Penny, rubbing circles on her upper back.
She shakes her head, and Autumn returns with the water bottle.
“You know what, why don’t we leave mommy alone for a minute?” I tell Autumn, not wanting to convey that I’m worried about her, too. “Let’s go put a movie on.”
“I’ll be right back,” I tell Penny, and she nods, looking frighteningly pale.
Autumn reluctantly follows me, and I guide her to the couch to turn the TV on. “What movie do you want to watch?”
She looks at me with worried eyes. “Does mommy need to go to the doctor?”
I sit down next to her and pull her to my side. “I don’t think so. But I’m going to keep an eye on her, just in case.”
That seems to satisfy her for now, and we navigate the TV until we land on a popular princess movie. I make sure she’s set up with her blanket, and I start making phone calls. First to Lucas and Jordan, and next to Alex and Briana. Fuck the NDA Penny signed when she was just a teenager. She needsa support system right now, and everyone needs to know what’s going on.
As I wait for everyone’s replies, I do a quick internet search of Brad. There are countless articles and photos of him. And most aren’t in good light. There’s nothing too damning, but he’s always been partying, and from the looks of it, has gotten himself out of trouble multiple times. His mom has obviously covered up some shady shit for him.
I get a text from Lucas saying he and Jordan will be here in five, and Alex and Briana tell me they’re on their way.
I check on Penny in the bathroom, and she’s got her eyes closed and her arms wrapped around the toilet bowl. I get a wet washcloth, place it on the back of her neck, and then kiss the top of her head. “Autumn’s distracted,” I tell her. She nods her head, looking at me with sad eyes, and a moment later, I hear a knock on the door. “I’ll be right back.”
“What’s going on?” Jordan asks as she enters the apartment with Lucas on her heels. Her eyes are full of worry, and I don’t blame her.
Autumn pops up and yells, “Auntie, Jay! Mommy is sick.” She runs to give Jordan a hug, and Lucas looks at me with a grim expression on his face.
“What movie are you watching?” Lucas asks Autumn once she lets go of Jordan, distracting her so I can tell Jordan what’s going on.
“How much do you know about Autumn’s father?” I ask.
Her brows furrow in confusion, but she says, “Almost nothing. What I do know is that the story Penny tells everyone is a lie. But I’ve never pressed her because I figured she had a good reason for keeping it a secret.”
I swallow and then tell Jordan everything I know. As I recount what happened in the tattoo shop today, her eyes are wide, and she looks like she’s about to cry. “Isn’t that like rape or something?” she whispers in complete shock.
I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know. But it’s definitely not morally right. I’m only just processing this right now, and the more I think about it, the more I want to murder the guy.”
“You’re going to have to get in line. I’m going to go check on her,” she tells me and heads down the hallway.
