A moment later, another knock sounds on the door.
I greet Alex and Briana and join them on the landing. “Is she okay?” Alex asks. All they know is that Penny is sick and needs them.
I shake my head. “No. I’m going to tell you guys something that you’re not going to like. But Penny needs you right now, and because she’s not the one who told me this, I don’t think she can get in trouble for it.”
Their faces are full of confusion, and I start the story with the man in my chair today. I tell them everything he said, and Alex goes from shocked to murderous as I get to the end. Briana has tears streaming down her face.
“I don’t understand,” Briana cries out. “Why didn’t she tell us she knew who it was? For a while, I thought she waslying, but she wouldn’t budge, so then I thought she was actually telling the truth.”
“She signed an NDA,” I tell them. I’m not sure if this puts Penny in any legal trouble but I don’t really care at the moment.
“What?” Alex barks out. “What do you mean NDA?”
“He’s Senator Elias’s son,” I tell him.
I can see the gears turning in his head, and he turns on his heel to swear.
“Right now, I think she needs you guys. She’s not doing well.”
Briana pulls the door open and rushes inside, and Alex stays with me on the landing and tilts his head up to blink away tears. “I should have known. I should have pressed her more when she came home sobbing that she was pregnant. I know my daughter, and I was always highly suspicious of her story about how it was some random one-night stand. But I told myself that she would come to us when the time was right. But years went by, and she didn’t say anything. How did we not see this?” he says the last part to himself as a stray tear falls down his cheek.
I clamp my hand on his shoulder, and he wipes a hand down his face.
I can only imagine the mental gymnastics they’re going through, hearing their daughter’s story for the first time, the real story. Alex and Briana look like they are devastated by this revelation. I know when Penny first told me about thedouchebag, I felt so much rage, and now that I know who Autumn’s father is, my mind is wandering to some pretty dark places as far as his life is concerned.
No one gets to fuck with my wife’s mental state like he did. And no one gets to talk to her like he did. He should be grateful that it was Becca who punched him because if it were me, he would have ended up six feet deep.
We head inside, and Lucas, Alex, and I make sure Autumn has a belly full of food and is distracted while Jordan and Briana take care of Penny. A while later, Penny emerges from the bathroom and goes into her room with the two women.
I can’t even imagine how Penny is feeling right now. I want to be the one to hold her and comfort her, but I know that her mom and best friend are taking care of her fully.
My phone pings, and it’s a text from Jude.
Jude: You all good?
Me: I’m fine but Penny isn’t.
Jude: Just a heads up. That guy stood on his phone out front of the shop for a good half hour. He looked pissed as fuck. And before he hung up and left, he turned to the shop and smirked like he was up to no good.
Me: You think he’s coming back?
Jude: I do. He was spewing words about Penny, “the kid”, and Becca, that I won’t repeat.
Fuck. Out of all the tattoo shops in California, he had to make an appointment at mine. What are the odds?
“Everything good?” Lucas whispers.
I shake my head. “I don’t know. But I think trouble might come knocking.”
He nods his head toward the kitchen, and I get up and follow him. “What happened?”
I tell the story for the third time today, and Lucas nods the whole time with a neutral expression on his face. “Do you think this guy is dangerous?”
“Honestly, no. He seems more like the type of guy who has somebody else fix all his problems. I’m just not sure if that means a lawyer or muscle.”
“Well, whatever you need from me, I’m more than happy to help.”
I nod my head. “Thanks. I appreciateit.”
