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I flipped the image around, identifying his parents, him, Hannah, and Mallory. “Who is this? Do you know his friend?” My arm trembled from holding my cane in the air.
“Babe, I was four then. Dad and Mom had people over all the time. I have no idea who he is, but it’s one of the few pictures I have of my family together. Be upset with me but talk to me. Please.” Pain and fear clung to his expression, and my heart broke.
“You don’t know him?” My words stuck in my throat, and I swallowed over the dryness.
“I swear I don’t.”
I stared at him, unblinking. He seemed genuine and sincere. My mind sifted through my memories since I’d been here with Holden. As far as I knew, he’d never lied to me … even about the club. I lowered the cane, my knees buckling beneath me as I sank to the floor and burst into tears.
“River.” Holden’s arms were around me in seconds, and he pulled me into his lap. “It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you.” He kissed my hair and rocked me.
I clutched his shirt, my tears flowing faster as I gasped for air, shoving down the scream that threatened to tear through my throat.
“River?” Holden asked as I attempted to piece myself back together. “Do you know who the other man is?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“It’s … Logan.” My voice cracked with the mention of his name and my anxiety skyrocketed. “Holden, your father knows Logan.” The one person I’d finally allowed myself to feel safe with had just been ripped away from me. What if Holden’s dad was still in touch with Logan, or worse, they worked together? I would become a target the second his father set eyes on me, and there would be nowhere to run. I inwardly cringed as a dark thought clouded my mind. Holden was young, but he was in the picture, too. What if he knew Logan and had reached out to let him know where I was? The room spun, and I willed myself not to hurl all over Holden.
“What the fuck?” Holden lifted me off his lap and stood. I’d dropped the photo, and it had fluttered to the carpet beside me. He picked it up and studied it for a long moment, the muscle in his jaw tensing. “This was years ago. Are you sure it’s him?” He ran his fingers through his hair, a look of desperation flickering across his features.
I scrambled off the floor and peered at the man again as he held it for me. “Yes. He has a scar near his left eye.” I pointed at the image. “His hair has receded, but I have no doubt in my mind he’s the man between your dad and mom. Logan still has that evil glint in his eyes, too.”
Nausea swam up to my throat and I swallowed my fear back.
“Dammit. River, did you think I was the one that told Logan where you were?” Disbelief clung to his words. He dropped the picture on the bed and wrapped me in a tight embrace. “You have my word that I don’t know him. Hell, I don’t even remember him or that day. I was just a little kid.” He released me and placed his finger under my chin, tilting it up and forcing me to look at him. “I’ll kill anyone that ever lays a hand on you again, River. I swear it.”
My racing pulse slowed as I digested what he’d said. The shocked expression on his face and his words tugged at my insides. He was telling the truth. “I believe you.” Another tear streamed down my cheek, and Holden kissed it away. I needed a plan before his father came home.
“River, I was waiting for a better time to tell you, but—”
“Well, who do we have here?” a deep voice said from Holden’s doorway.
I screamed and jerked away from Holden, stumbling backward into the desk.
“Whoa, babe. Are you okay?” Holden reached for me and rubbed my back, soothing my frayed nerves.
Shaking like a leaf, I pressed my hand to my mouth and attempted to calm my galloping pulse. “I’m sorry. You scared me,” I finally managed.
“I heard.” With my heart in my throat, I came face-to-face with the older version of the man in the picture next to Logan. He and Holden shared the same dark hair and beautiful cheekbones, but that was all. Mr. Alastair was shorter and thicker than his son. He was barrel-chested and muscular, where Holden was leaner and cleared his father by several inches.
“Dad, this is River. River, this is Tim Alastair, my dad.”
I gave him a wave and a sheepish smile. “Nice to meet you,” I said, finally remembering my manners. If he already knew who I was, then I was in deep shit. Until I could gather my wits about me, being polite and not getting tossed out on my ass right into Logan’s arms was imperative.
Tim’s brown eyes darkened as his gaze lingered on my chest, then slowly traveled down my legs. Holden cleared his throat. “What are you doing home? I thought you wouldn’t be here for another week.”
“I have some business to attend to.” Tim shoved his hands into the pockets of his black dress slacks. “I arrived around ten this morning.”
I sucked in a breath. He’d been in the house, and I hadn’t known. Holden gently squeezed my shoulder.
“River’s staying with me,” Holden announced, not even blinking an eye.
“Fine. If that’s her food in the oven, the timer is going off.”
“Thank you. I didn’t hear it.” Over the pounding of my heart. I picked my cane up from off the floor and made my way past Holden, but Tim was blocking the doorway.
“Excuse me,” I said softly, unsure of who this man really was. I’d just found a picture of him and Logan together. Maybe I should give him the benefit of the doubt since it was years ago, but Becky’s nagging words broke through my thoughts once again. His behavior wasn’t helping the situation either. His tongue might as well have been hanging out of his mouth when he looked me up and down like I was a gourmet meal. Not to mention, he wasn’t allowing me around him. I mentally swore.
