“Hey, Randy,” I said, hugging her. “Is your dad home?”
“He’s in his den.” She opened the door wider so I could enter.
I walked in and found Seth in front of the television. “Hey, big bro.” He looked up, startled. “I thought I’d come see you today instead of you making the trip over to my place. I haven’t seen my nieces in a while.” The look on my face and stance must have cleared things for him. I clenched my fist at my side.
Miranda rushed up behind me, wringing the sleeves of her jacket. I knew she was aware of the ploy, but she was a kid and I shouldn’t put undue blame on herself because her father chose to lie.
“Could you give us a minute, Randy? I need to talk to Uncle Luke,” Seth said to his daughter, and she quietly backed away.
“Why, Seth? Why’d you lie to me? You’re my brother. Family. And with Audrey?”
He raked a hand over his face and seemed to relax. “Luke, we didn’t mean to hurt you. It just happened, you know. But it’s over now.”
It hit me then. Seth and I were talking about two different things.
“What?” I stepped forward. “You mean to tell me it was you? She’s been fucking you all this time? Man, I came here to ask you why you lied to me.”
His eyes widened and a flush crept up his neck. “Luke—”
I was on him in seconds and slammed my fist into his jaw. “You fucking scumbag.”
He tried to bring a hand up to block me, but I was too quick and headed him. He fell to the floor.
“I’m sorry,” he shouted, and I retreated, looking at a man I’d admired and looked up to for most of my life, and all I saw was a stranger.
I sank into a chair, shaking my head. “You are all the family I have, and you go and do that? I hope the pussy was worth it.” I ran my hands over my face, shaking my head then took in a deep breath. “I’ll deal with your betrayal another time. For now, I want you to tell me where Gregory Evans has my girl.”
“I told you I don’t know these people.”
“Yes, yes, you do, and they must have paid you a hell of a lot of money for you to deceive your brother the way you did, but then again, you are kind of used to doing things like that, right?”
“Luke, I—”
“Just stop!” I raised my hands in front of me. “I know she exists, and if she’s alive somewhere, I will find her, and you and your whore are not going to stop me.” I got up and walked out of my brother’s house, knowing I would never see him again.
It used to be us against the world, and now, now it was just me on my own, going to find the other part of me.
In haste, I packed my bags knowing time was of the essence. I opened my safe and pulled out my gun. I’d never had a reason to use it. It was just in case.
“Luke, is everything okay?” Audrey walked into the room and glanced at my bag. “Are you going somewhere?”
I ignored her, zipping up my bag, then brushed past her and ran down the staircase.
“I want your stuff cleared, my divorce papers signed, and you out of my life by the time I get back. You don’t have to pretend, Audrey. I know. I was blind for a long time, but now, I see you for what and who you are.”
She sat on the staircase, unable to say a word in her defense. Audrey had no idea what I knew. She probably just thought it was about the whole charade she and Seth had been playing.
I heard tires screech on my driveway.
“Luke, we just thought we were doing what was best for you.”
“Sometimes the best thing for someone is the truth, but honesty has never been your strong point, has it?” I glared at the woman who once meant the world to me. I loved her when we were together, and I would never have hurt her, not in this way. I realized when I looked at her, she was the one I should be feeling sorry for. It wasn’t Reece or me on the receiving end. No, it was them, Audrey and Seth. The ones who were never happy with what they had in front of them.
When the doorbell rang, I opened the door to Seth, who stood on my doorstep sheepishly. Miranda was standing next to him.
“What do you want?”
“He wants to help,” Miranda answered.
