Page 119 of Reckless Vengeance

“Fine. Let’s take this to court. Can’t wait to tell them all about the money you owe me for emotional distress as a child. Trying to exploit me and then abandoning me. Bet they’ll make you pay me more, maybe even put you behind bars.”

I followed as Josie stood and got between them, her voice firm.

“Tyler, you stay inside. I’ll make sure she leaves.”

“He’s my son!” Anika snapped, reaching for Tyler. “You need to come home with me. This woman has poisoned your brain.”

“I never once said a bad thing about you to that boy,” Josie hissed, jabbing her in the chest with her finger. “He eventually got tired of waiting for you, so you can’t be angry that he doesn’t know you. You’re the woman who abandoned him, Anika. You gave him that opinion of you all on your own. I raised him. I love him like he’s my own son, and he’s got a good future ahead of him because I was here to guide him. Take him to court if you really wish, but I’ll sue you for every cent you have left.”

She opened the door and motioned for her to leave, and when she didn’t move, Tyler walked up to her and backed her out with his body. She almost tripped but he didn’t touch her, knowing the paparazzi were watching and would see it on their cameras if he did.

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get out of town. There’s nothing left for you here,” he spat, cameras flashing at the obvious disagreement they were having.

She cleared her throat, trying to stand her ground.

“I’m very disappointed in you.”

“You’ve been nothing but a disappointment to me my whole life.”

“You’re embarrassing me.”

“Am I?” he asked with fake surprise, walking past her down the stairs. “Hey! Paps! Did you know my mother abandoned me here as a kid? Left me to fend for myself in that big house of ours? Josie Holloway raised me, not Anika!”

Anika chased after him frantically, and Josie grimaced. “I was hoping to avoid this.”

“I’ve got him,” I said as I jogged down the stairs in his direction.

“That’s right, I was a kid, man. She’s a terrible mother,” Tyler sighed, answering someone’s question through the gate. “She thought I was sixteen. Can you believe that? I’m eighteen.”

“He’s joking,” Anika babbled, trying to pull Tyler away, but he wasn’t budging.

“I’m not. I waited for years for her to return, along with my father, but they never did. I didn’t even know they were separated, or that I had a brother. I only found out because of Dad’s interview at Tyson’s debut announcement. I don’t know why he said I was proud of him. I didn’t even know he existed,” Tyler argued, pressing his hand on his chest like it caused him pain.

“Aurora! Do you have a comment for us? Where’s your father?” one of the reporters shouted as I approached, and I frowned.

“I don’t know.”

“He abandoned you to fend for yourself like Tyler’s parents left him?”

“I’m eighteen,” I deadpanned, taking Tyler’s hand and pulling him back a step. “Let’s go back inside.”

He held my hand a little tighter, and I could feel the tremor in it. The jokester was just a mask, hiding his anxiety and anger.

We left Anika at the gate to deal with them, and I kept Tyler’s hand in mine until we were shut inside away from prying eyes.

The shaking in his hand got worse, and he let go abruptly as he started walking through the house.

“He’ll head down to the gym. I’ll workout with him for a little while,” Caden murmured as he kissed my cheek and headed after Tyler, making Josie wince.

“This is why I’ve been dreading their return. He bottles his emotions until he explodes.”

“He’ll be okay. He’s got all of us,” I said confidently, wanting to go after him but knowing Caden had his back.

“I’ve been invited to a friend’s for lunch. I can stay home if⁠—”

“Go, we’re fine,” I insisted, motioning to Lukas and Jensen. “We’ll just hang out here while Caden and Ty work out. We’ll watch a movie or something.”

“You sure?”