“Your birth certificate begs to differ, am I right, Maren?” the man scoffs, taking a step forward. “That’s no way to greet your father after all these years. Especially when I’ve come all this way to see you.”
“See me?” Liam’s voice is laced with anger. “You haven’t wanted to see me in years. What changed?”
“I heard about the fire,” Arnold says, his gaze sweeping around the café. “Heard you lost everything. Thought you might need a hand from your old man.”
“We don’t need anything from you,” Maren sobs, her face buried in Aunt Dee’s shoulder. “Please, Arnold, just leave. We have a restraining order against you.”
Arnold laughs, a harsh, grating sound. “That piece of paper doesn’t mean anything out here. And I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m here on official business.”
He gestures to his uniform, the Port Blossom Police Department patch on his sleeve looking faded and worn. “The new sheriff called me. Said you needed help with deliveries. Driftwood is running low on suppressants and other medical supplies. I’m just doing my job.”
“So you’re a glorified delivery boy now?” Liam laughs.
“Well, whose fault is that. After the little stunt you and your mother pulled, I had to take a demotion as the deputy sheriff. Iwas pretty angry, to be honest, but look at fate. It somehow led me right straight to you.”
I can feel the tension radiating from Liam, a palpable force that makes the air crackle around us. I turn to Jessica, who’s still standing in the corner, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear.
“Call the police,” I whisper, my hand reaching for hers. “Call Knox. Now.”
She nods, fumbling for her phone, her fingers shaking so badly she almost drops it.
Arnold’s eyes follow the movement, his expression hardening. “No need for that. I’ll be on my way as soon as I have a word with my wife.” He takes another step toward Maren, his hand outstretched. “Come on, Mare. Don’t be like that. We were good together once.”
“Don’t touch her,” Liam warns, moving to block his father’s path.
Arnold stops, his eyes narrowing. “Or what? You’ll stop me? You couldn’t stop me then, and you can’t stop me now. Remember what happened last time you tried to play the hero?”
He holds up his hands, wiggling his fingers. “I still remember the sound your arm made when it snapped. Such a delicate sound. Almost as delicate as your mother’s heart when I left.”
Liam flinches, a barely perceptible movement, but I feel it as if it were my own pain. I know bits and pieces of this story, fragments Liam has shared in dark, quiet moments, but seeing it play out in front of me is like watching a car crash in slow motion.
“That’s enough,” Aunt Dee says, stepping forward, her chin held high despite the tremor in her hands. “You need to leave, Arnold. You’re not welcome here.”
“This is between me and my family,” Arnold snarls, turning on her. “Stay out of it.”
“They are my family,” Aunt Dee retorts. “You lost that privilege a long time ago.”
“Is that so?” Arnold takes a step toward her, his posture threatening. “And who’s going to make me leave? You? The boy who broke his arm trying to be a man? Or the little Omega hiding behind him?”
His eyes land on me again, a predatory gleam in their depths. “You know, I always wanted a daughter. Someone sweet and obedient. Maybe you and I could get to know each other better.”
“Leave her out of this, Arnold,” Maren screams.
“Jealous? Maybe I should have signed those divorce papers after all. She’s pretty, isn’t she? Maybe I don’t need a daughter. She smells fucking amazing.”
That’s it. That’s the line.
Liam lunges forward, his face contorted with rage. “Don’t you dare talk about her. Don’t you even look at her.”
Arnold meets him halfway, his hand shooting out to grab Liam’s wrist. “I told you what would happen if you tried to stop me.”
He twists, and Liam cries out, a sound of pure agony that makes my heart seize. The brace on his wrist does little to protect him from the brutal force of Arnold’s grip.
“Let him go!” I scream, jumping forward.
“Stay out of this, little girl,” Arnold warns, his eyes still locked on Liam. “This is between men.”
“Then act like one,” Liam grits out, his face pale with pain. “Instead of a coward who preys on women and children.”
