Chapter Fourteen
Peyton
TODAY I HAVE to goback to the one place I didn’t want to go ever again.My parents and Jennifer did what they said and packed up the entire house I shared with Clark.They dealt with the realtor and all I had to do was sign paperwork giving my authorization to sell the house.The woman they chose to deal with listing the house is amazing and has taken care of everything.There really hasn’t been much for us to do if I’m being honest.My mom and Jennifer cleaned the house from top to bottom and made sure there wasn’t a single piece of evidence left behind showing Clark.The only reason I have to go there today is because Trisha, the realtor, found something she wouldn’t talk about over the phone and needs me to confirm why it’s there and if they can be removed.
When I talked to Matt about the realtor’s strange call, he had no clue what was going on but got a horrible feeling in his gut.He made me promise him I wouldn’t go to the house on my own regardless of if the realtor was there or not.That’s not a huge request from him and I honestly don’t want to go there alone anyway.So, my dad, Seth, Grudge, and a few others will be going with me today.
“Sweetheart, are you ready to head out?”my dad asks, walking into my office as I turn my computer off and stand from my seat.
Taking a few minutes, I stretch my back that’s been hurting more often than not these days.Once I’m ready to go, I grab my phone and purse from the desk where I set it this morning and follow my dad from the office.My mom is sitting on the couch with Caydence in her arms as Cedric plays on the living room floor with the bikes the guys have been getting him.He makes all the noises and everything as he races them across the floor as normal.
“I’m more than ready to get this shit taken care of.I don’t know what the hell Trisha found at the house, but I’m worried,” I tell my dad as we leave the house and find Callum standing on the front porch.“What are you doing here?”
“I’m here because Matt called me and told me what was goin’ on.Not lettin’ you head to the house on your own, Peyton.I know you got your dad and guys from the club goin’.But they aren’t Matt.Even Brick isn’t Matt and that’s not good enough for me.You need to have me at your side and I’m not gonna let either one of you down.I’m home and here for you.Just like I’d be there for Matt, Kimber, or Brick.You’re family and that’s all I need to know.My brother has loved you for as long as I can remember and I’ve heard more about you than anyone else in my life,” he tells me, his voice soft and gentle as he looks at me before stepping back and letting me and my dad walk in front of him.
I’m instantly surrounded by men.If anything, no one can see me as I make my way to the SUV and allow Callum to help me in the front passenger seat before he climbs in the back and my dad gets behind the wheel.When he’s here and I have to go somewhere, we always take one of the SUVs from the club because they’ve been reinforced and it will be harder for me to get hurt.
When we pull out of the compound, Brick and Grudge are in front of us with the Prospects behind the SUV.We get looks as we ride through town and I have to shake my head because everyone always wants to get close to the club members and don’t hesitate to stop whatever they’re doing on the sidewalk whenever anyone rides by them.I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this part of being with Matt though.
He’s always been content to be larger than life and enjoy the spotlight.Matt is the life of the party and enjoys being surrounded by people at all times.I’m the one who stays in the shadows and prefers cuddling up with my kids or a good book versus going out to some party.The most I’ll do is go to a family day at the clubhouse and that’s almost too much for me most days.We’re so damn different and I don’t believe I’ll ever get used to his world.
“She wouldn’t say what was found at the house when she called?”Callum asks, leaning forward in the seat and poking his head between my dad and me.
“No.Said she wouldn’t talk about it over the phone and it was something I had to see for myself in case I didn’t know what she was talking about.Since she’s done such amazing work so far, I have no reason not to trust her when she feels something is off,” I answer him honestly as I lean back in the seat and close my eyes wondering what the hell is going on.
“We’re here, Sweetheart,” my dad says, his voice making me pop my eyes open as I realize he’s pulling into the driveway Clark used to keep his car in.
The driveway I taught Cedric how to ride his bike.Both with training wheels and without.Clark couldn’t ever be bothered to teach our kids anything.Or spend any time with them.It was always one excuse after another about work or something else going on he couldn’t take time away from.Most often it was a woman or sitting on his ass in front of the TV while his eyes were glued to his phone.It’s only now that I see all the red flags and flaws that made up the man I thought I loved and wanted to spend my life with.Things I thought I was making up in my mind to justify why I had to do everything for him and our family.Now I see clearly that we never truly had a relationship.I was his maid and nothing more than an incubator so he had children to carry on his family name.
A ton of memories flash through my mind and I try to force them aside so I can get out of the SUV and head in the house we once shared and I tried to make a home.Callum gets out and opens the door, holding out his hand for me to use so I don’t trip over my own two feet.Yes, it’s happened in the past and I’m sure Matt has warned him about my clumsiness.
I’m shaking when I set my feet on solid ground once again.I don’t want to be here and relive anything.Even the good times feel as if they’re tainted somehow by the memory of Clark being in this house.He destroyed every good memory I could have kept with my children here.Instead, I chose to sell the house I thought I’d spend the rest of my life in before I begin living on my own terms in ways I never thought possible.
Matt gives me freedom and space where Clark always made me feel as if I had to walk on egg shells around him and watch every move I made and each word I spoke.I felt little and a mere shadow of the woman I always wanted to be.Especially once I had kids.Matt makes me believe in myself and feel as if I can be anyone I want.He’ll never do anything but support my dreams and the way I choose to live my life.He’s the one I should’ve been with since high school and I never once believed in him.I thought I was nothing more than a joke to him and we wasted so much time because I couldn’t believe in his words and actions.
“Are you ready to head inside?”my dad asks me, his voice shocking me out of my head as he places my hand on his arm.
“If I don’t go now then I don’t think I’ll ever go inside.Let’s get this shit over with,” I respond to him as Callum places a reassuring hand on my shoulder and I’m once again surrounded by the men here with me today.
We all walk in as a group to find Trisha in the front of the house waiting on me.She takes one look at all the men with me and I swear her eyes almost pop out of her head.Her confident energy switches to nervous as her fingers tremble when she reaches out to shake my hand.
“I’m sorry to have to call you here under these circumstances, Mrs.Mills.If I didn’t know these items weren’t where they were supposed to be, I would have handled it on my own or talked to your parents,” Trisha says, her voice shaking as Brick and Callum step even closer to me.“I know you have an upgraded security system installed in the house and there are cameras placed randomly in the house and around the property.That’s why what I’ve discovered seems extremely weird.When I was doing a last minute walkthrough, I found cameras placed in the master bedroom and bathroom.There’s also one right here in the living room.”
Trisha points to the corner of the room and I find a camera that’s never been there before.This is something that doesn’t even match our security system and I don’t know how long it’s been there.Brick swears under his breath and walks over to the camera in question.
