Prologue
Joy
Footsteps outside draw my attention and I stiffen, my body wanting to flee, grab my daughter and get into our safe space in the closet. And then I remember that I’m not in the home that I shared with my husband. I’m in Switch’s guest house, hidden away at the end of his garden. Safe.
“Oh, Joyyyy!” A singsong voice calls out before incessant knocking on the door. “Joy. Joy. Joy.”
Shaking my head I take a deep breath to calm myself a little more, before making the short walk and opening the door.
“Hey, Chewy.”
“Hi, Joy,” Chewy says, not waiting for the invite, instead moving past me into the open plan living area.
“Thanks, Joy.” Rhodie says, giving me a nod as he follows his Ol Lady, Laney-May in his arms and their little gator Chomper following slowly behind on his deformed feet.
I can see now why they carry him or have him in his stroller. He’s very slow, slower than a usual gator from what I know of them. I wait patiently as he makes his way past, my shoulders a little tense at the impatient tapping of Chewy’s foot. Once Chomper’s tail slides into the doorway I gently close the door behind him and turn to meet Chewy’s gaze. Well, not quite. I look at Chewy, but her gaze moves over my shoulder.
“I come bearing good news!” she announces, fingers tapping on her thigh. “You are now the proud recipient of Travis Hitchens’ fortune. Which, might I add, is not bad.” With that she pastes a smile on her face, her gaze still over my shoulder.
“Oh, um, thank you?” I reply, hands clasped in front of me.
I’m unsure how to feel. Now that I’ve been safe and away from Travis for these past few weeks, the thought of him or anything to do with him makes my stomach sour.
“Thats it?” Chewy turns to Rhodie, “I really thought I’d get a bigger reaction.” She turns back to me, this time her eyes on me, assessing, head tilted as if I’m a puzzle.
“Wait, shouldn’t whatever he’s left go to the twins? Their mother was his legal wife.” The words feel like ash on my tongue. It’s just another facet of my life I thought was real, but it was all just a sick game played by a sick man.
“Pssh. You don’t know me well yet, but I’m very good at what I do. All of dear Travis’s legal wealth has been split between the twins and you.”
“Oh, that's good. Those little girls need all the help they can get.” I say, blowing out a breath. Logically I know that they’re Kit’s half sisters, and in a perfect world I would take them in so they can grow up together. But it’s not a perfect world and Iknow that they’re safe and thriving in Louisiana with the other DRMC chapter. Well, that’s what Switch told me at least.
“I don’t know whether you know this or not, but so do you,” Chewy says seriously. “You’re a single mom, out of an abusive relationship living in a guest house. If I were you I’d sell that house you were in to buy something for you and Kit. The rest of the money can be used on a college fund and to get yourself back on your feet.”
Chewy’s quick, staccato speech has my brain stumbling. The rest of the money? “Wait, what do you mean by ‘the rest of the money’?”
Even if I sell the house Travis and I lived in, I’d still have the bills associated with the house before I could even think to buy a small place for Kit and I. And there definitely wouldn't be any money left for college or even a pizza in whatever cheap, pokey place I could find us.
“Huh?” Chewy asks, distracted by Chomper and Laney playing on the floor.
“The rest of the money. What do you mean by that? We weren’t rich. We lived week to week and Travis’s pension split between the twins and Kit wouldn't amount to much.”
Chewy finally looks at me, brows pinched and eyes slightly narrowed. “Joy, how much do you think your fake bigamist husband was worth?”
My hands tighten their hold on each other, my right thumb scratching at the cuticle on my left. “He was just a normal deputy. Our house cost at least 60% of his wages and I doubt his pension would amount to much.”
Chewy looks at Rhodie in disbelief before turning back to me, a slow grin growing on her face. “Oh, you're gonna shit your pants when I tell you what I’ve found.”
Switch
“Youwhat!?”
“Oh, I hacked into his accounts and distributed the funds to both the twins and Joy and her daughter. They are all just shy of a million dollars richer. You’re welcome.” Chewy stares up at me expectantly.
My fists are balled at my sides and I can’t quite bring myself to thank Chewy even though what she’s done is the right thing. It’s just…I don’t want Joy to leave. I don’t want her and Kit to leave my guesthouse. I want to know where they are at all times, safe and sound on my property. I want to be able to check my security feed to make sure they’re doing OK while I’m at work. I want to watch the light return to their eyes as Kit plays in the yard space between my house and the guesthouse, Joy laughing as Kit learns to ride the bike I bought for her. It sounds caveman and wrong as fuck, but I want to keep them with me.
“Brother,” Rhodie starts, “You know you can’t keep her at your place forever.”
“Why not?” I fire back. “I like her. A lot,” I mumble. Which I admit sounds a lot like I’m yelling. I can’t help it.
