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I retraced my steps across the wood floors to my bed, bent, and inhaled deeply. Honey.
“Caught ya, Easy.”
I whistled as I sauntered to the shower. Soon I’d make things right. Soon.
Chapter Forty-Six
Holt
She’s been. . . close.
I stared up at the brownstone with my fists clenched at my sides. The location was maybe a fifteen minute walk from Dad’s, which in this city was practically next door. In my mind, I'd imagined an Upper East Side address worth tens of millions.
Maybe then I could justify why she’d left.
Sure, this was better than the apartment I’d grown up in, but it wasn’t the luxury I'd pictured.
A man gave me a nasty look as he edged around me. I was routed in place in the middle of the sidewalk.
You don't have to do this. She's not worth it.
She most certainly wasn't. I’d gotten a lot of the closure I needed during Andrew's wedding weekend. What I'd seen from the woman who'd given me life was disgusting. She didn't care about any of us.
And I'd let her keep me away from New York and my family for a month. I'd allowed her to steal even more time with the people I loved. It was time to stop running. Time to close the door.
I jogged up the steps and rang the bell.
Please don't lethimanswer.
I wanted nothing to do with the man who might be my biological father.
After an excruciatingly long time, the door creaked open. My pulse accelerated. I shouldn't be nervous. The woman before me didn’t matter, yet I lost the words I'd practiced on the way over.
She was as perfectly put together as before. The pale pink starched blouse was a disguise for all that ugly inside. Her pearls around her neck didn't fool me any longer. She wasn’t this picture of innocence she tried to portray.
She was the devil in pastels and pearls.
“Hello, son.” Her tone was as crisp as her slacks.
“I’m not your son.”
It was the same thing my brother had told her, but I needed to say it too.
Her false smile broadened. “They always let you hide in their shadows, didn't they? You never learned to be your own man, have your own thoughts.”
I scowled and reminded myself she spewed poison for her own pleasure.
“Stay away from Marlow. Stay away from Dad. Stay away from Andrew and his family. And stay the hell away from me.”
I didn't care so much about answers anymore. Why she'd left and if it was my fault no longer mattered. Dad said I wasn't the reason, and that was enough for me. He was the truth.Shewas a web of lies.
And the most important thing was making sure she didn't bother my family anymore.
She laughed, a fake sound that burned my ears. "This is precious. You think you can tell me what to do,son?”
I cringed at the word.
“I said I’m not—”
