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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
It had taken all his willpower to stay awake. The only thing that kept Cam from falling asleep beside Bron was the need to put whatever secret Adrianna was keeping in the rear view. As soon as Bron sighed her first soft snore, he jumped out of the bed, tucked her in and headed for Adri’s office.
He considered putting his head down on the desk until she got back but soft steps tapped up the stairs and he stood up. Their gazes met when she reached the top step. She had a thick folder in her hand and a wary look in her eyes. The sigh that rushed out of her lips tore right through him.
“I put the monitor in Bron’s bedroom. She promised she wouldn’t eavesdrop, but I swear she looked like Chase when she said it.” He was only half joking and trying to coax a smile out of her. It didn’t work. “Chase was a learning experience. I hope Bron doesn’t get half as good at fibbing as he used to be.”
Her lips inched up but didn’t bend enough to pass for a smile. “What did Walter want with you?”
He shrugged. “What he always wants, money.”
“What did you say?”
“I pretty much told him to go to hell. He’s not getting a dime from me.”
She winced. “It’s not your responsibility to give it to him.”
“Exactly,” he agreed.
She walked around the desk, stopping to glance at the monitor, and then placed the thick folder on top of the desk. “It’s mine. That’s why I want you to give him this.” She pushed the envelope toward him.
His heart thumped, and he almost laughed at his own dramatic reaction. He gave it a brief glance. “What is that?”
“All the bistro’s papers, the deed to the building, and what’s left on my bank account,” she said.
God, he hated that fucking blank look on her face.
“I’m not giving this to him. That’s yours. You worked hard, sweated, and went without for it. Walter has never had to work for a damned thing in his life.”
“Whatever I have to give so he can leave myMomand Bron alone, it’s worth it.”
“Adri, he’s a bully. You would tell Bron not to give in to a bully.”
“This is not a fucking infomercial, Cam. He has us. Don’t you get it?” Her face stayed blank, even as she swore like she’d already resigned herself.
“I think it’s time you told me everything.”
“Fine, sit down.” She motioned to one of the chairs but took the one behind the desk.
“Come sit next to me.”
She shook her head. “It’s better if I’m on this side.”
It irked him. Not just her words but the drama and everything. “Okay, fine. But please don’t stall. Don’t drag it out. Just spit it out, Adri.”
Her eyes lit up in such a familiar way. He’d seen that light in every explosive fight they’d ever had and his most vivid memory of it had been that afternoon by the falls when she’d banned him from her life and he’d been stupid enough to listen. He wouldn’t have a repeat and opened his mouth to try and modify what he said.
“My mother and I shot my father and left him on the side of the road. He called your father and told him the whole story before he died. Your father has a recording of it. When I got pregnant with Bron, he threatened to send the audio to the cops if I went to you. How’s that for blurting it out?”
Cold rushed over Cam’s stomach, freezing his blood in place. He hadn’t known what she would say but this was definitely not what he expected. “Okay, I think you should start at the beginning.”
He would have preferred she’d reacted like this was any other fight. That she’d shoot him an I-told-you-so look or yell at him for not letting her tell him at her pace. Instead of all the things he would have rather seen, her face was unreadable again.
“You know my father went to jail and escaped. My mother had warned me like a million times not to let him in the house.He’s an escaped felon, hon, and even though he is your dad, we need to follow the law. He did something wrong and had to answer for it. But she never told me about the other things, like the beatings she took at his hands or how he’d steal from her. Fausto used me to manipulate her into giving him what he wanted and never pressing charges.”
He reached across the desk and tried to take her hand but she moved out of his reach and kept talking. His body shocked at the rejection.
“One day, he came to the house while she was at work. He told me we could be a family again. That he was sorry about all he had done. That all he wanted was a chance. When I didn’t let him in, he talked about family being there for each other and how he had not eaten and wasn’t well. He said he would be gone after he ate something and beforeMomgot home. I let him in. He showered, and I made him food but he wouldn’t leave. When my mom came home, he was sitting at our table. He sent me out of the room to get her something to drink. When I got back, my mom was crying and Fausto said we were going for a family ride.”
