"Because it's the right thing to do. Because my father is—" He stopped, jaw working. "Because they don't get to control my life anymore. And they sure as hell don't get to disrespect you.Neveragain."
April was quiet for a long moment. Shane noticed that Kevin was no longer reading. He was probably fast asleep. Then April said, "There's something else I need to tell you.”
“Yeah?”
“When I came home from Vegas, Riversong’s bookkeeping was a mess. God love my parents—math is not their strong suit.”
“Which is why my father was able to take advantage of them with the terms of the loan.” Shane couldn’t help himself.
April smiled wryly. “Be that as it may, I figured something out when I took over the bookkeeping for Riversong."
Shane's stomach dropped. He knew where this was going.
"While I was in Vegas, I sent money home. Always from a different location because I was afraid they’d talk me into coming home.”
“And you couldn’t risk it because of my father’s threats.”
April ducked her head. “Yes. And, well, I won’t sugarcoat it—I didn’t want my folks to know where I was because I was ashamed of how I made my money.”
“That’s my fault. You should have been at some start-up in California and a multimillionaire by now.”
April held up her hand. “Don’t even.” Her sardonic smile returned. “Besides, compared to what tech bros do these days, counting cards in Vegas is way more honest work.”
Shane chuckled. “True.”
“It became apparent to me that my parents were actually ahead of where I expected them to be financially. I went back over those old records and I found something very interesting,” April continued, watching his face. “Someoneelsehad been sending them money, for years. My parents thought it was all from me. But it wasn't, was it?"
Heat crawled up Shane’s neck. He let go of her foot. "No. April?—"
"It was you." She wasn't asking.
Shane sighed. "My father—what he did—threatening you, holding that loan over your family's head—" His hands curled into fists on his thighs. "I couldn't fix it all. Couldn't make him change the terms or drop that bullshit early payment penalty. But I could still do something. So I did."
"Shane." April's voice broke slightly. "Do you know how much money that was? How many years?—"
"I don't care." He looked at her then, and he knew all of his emotions were written across his face. "I would have sent twice as much if I could have. But I was afraid your dad would figure out it was me never accept my money again. So I sent what I could."
April's eyes were bright with unshed tears. "Why?"
"You know why."
"I need to hear you say it."
Because I loved you.
I still do.
He’d never felt more certain of anything in his life. He loved April, loved her son, wanted to make a life with her. With them.
He also didn’t deserve that honor, that privilege.
Shane took a breath. "Because my father hurt you and I couldn't stand it. Because even when you were gone, even whenI thought I'd never see you again, I needed to do something to make it right."
April nodded slowly. “Because you wanted to make it right.”
“I also didn’t abandon you at the bus station. My father…prevented me from going.”
Pain flashed across April’s face. “I can imagine how. He beat the shit out of you, didn’t he?”
