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My life is over.
Chapter 3
Clark
The last four days have been hell on Earth. I’ve been at work, attempting to keep things ticking over, but also, I’ve been working around the clock to get Kally out of this loveless contract she stupidly signed. I just wish she’d spoken to me first because I would have paid the debt for her father. I wouldn’t have asked for a penny in return because that’s how much I love that girl. I’ve worked damn hard to make a living to provide for us both. Everything I’ve done in the last couple of years was for our future. For us to have a happy life together. A life that I wasn’t brought up in.
“What’s going through that head of yours?” asks Damien as he sits down in front of my desk and stretches out his legs.
I keep forgetting he’s still here. He’s been working with my designer to design some shit for his new resort here in New Orleans. It’s going to be different from his usual hospitality business, but I haven’t taken in anything he’s told me. I can’t concentrate on anything other than Kally. I’m losing the will to live. I go to bed thinking about her, and I wake up with her being my very first thought. I even dream and have nightmares about her when I do eventually close my eyes.
Life over the last couple of years has been amazing. I’ve enjoyed living for probably the first time ever. The break away from my family and that existence was exactly what I needed. I worked my ass off to prove that I could live the way I wanted with no rules attached.
While Kally was still at school, I worked. The moment she finished school in the afternoon, she would either be at my apartment studying or in my office studying. Everywhere feels empty without her. We had very little downtime, but it worked for us both. We both knew we were mapping out our future. One where we would have endless time together to make lasting memories we could share with our kids and grandkids. We’ve always been inseparable, but now I feel like I’m missing a huge part of myself. I’m struggling to function.
I shrug and throw down the pen I was signing papers with. If I start talking about my thoughts and feelings, I’ll never fucking stop. I’ll drive everyone as crazy as I’m driving myself.
“Any word from Clive?”
I shake my head. Clive is my lawyer. I’ve set him to work on finding some way out of this nightmare for Kally. Money is no object. I’ll go bankrupt for her. Money means nothing to me if I don’t have the love of my life by my side.
“Have you seen her?” I ask Damien.
He nods.
My brother has been playing devil’s advocate, staying with me and visiting our parents’ house. We’re not stupid. My father won’t tell Damien anything he doesn’t want carried back to me, but it lets Damien have contact with Kally while I figure out a way out of this mess.
“And?” I question.
I sit forward and lean my arms out on the desk in front of me. I’m hoping and praying for a little piece of good news today. Anything that will give me the strength to carry on with this fight.
“She seems okay. She’s not the same happy-go-lucky girl we all know, but that’s to be expected. Her head must be a mess. She should be out enjoying life, getting ready for college next semester.”
“I doubt she’ll get to follow her dreams now. Why did they have to pick him? I would have even been happier for them to marry you off to her. At least I know you would have taken care of her.”
“We made our beds the minute we stepped away, bro. We might have thought we were the black sheep before we left our family heritage behind, but that only intensified when we went our separate ways. This wasn’t just to get what they were owed. This was to hurt you. Dad knows you love Kally. We all do. They found a way to get into your head and break you down. I might have stepped away from the family business, but to dad, you joined with the devil by taking over Pops’ business.”
“So you’re saying he’s doing this because I took over CC Publishing?”
“Honestly, I think so. He hasn’t done anything like this to me… yet. I’ll be waiting for it now, but I’m never here for him to hurt.”
If I had stayed with my corrupt family, Kally would be mine now. I hate this. I felt like I did the right thing by walking away from them. My options were limited, but I never regretted the decisions I made… until now. Now I’m paying for it. Kally’s paying for it. I’m learning the hard way, that doing the right thing isn’t always the best thing to do. My life will always be tainted by my family as long as they live.
“All I know is that, in three days, if we don’t find a way to stop this, Kally will be married to Colton. Then I’ve lost her for good.”
“And that’s going to happen.” Clive waltzes into my office and closes the door behind him.
“Speak.” I stand up.
Clive shakes his head and puts his hands deep into his pants pockets.
“Unless you can get Kally to tell the truth, to go to the police about what she’s being made to do, you have nothing to go on, Clark. She signed that contract willingly. It’s all above board legally, as fucked up as that is.”
“None of it is legal. Buying and selling people to cover debts is illegal. What the fuck do I pay you for?” I bang my hands down on the desk, feeling the pain shoot through my wrists.
“I know this isn’t what you wanted to hear, but your father was never going to let us find a way to sweep in there to get your girl back. Get her to talk.” Clive shrugs. “It’s the only way out of this mess.”
I shake my head and sit back down in my seat with a thud. “She won’t do that because her family’s life is at risk. I don’t have the same power as my father.”
