“He knew, Nathan. He knew about the affair. I don’t know how or when he found out, but he knew.” Pain is evident in his voice. Watching tears rolling down this shattered man’s face, my heart bleeds for him. He loved a woman he could never have, and he was forced to leave her with someone he didn’t trust.
“You’ve lived your life alone?”
“Yes, loving only her.”
“How did you survive it, Mac?”
“I didn’t.”
I stare into the eyes of a man who has given up so much. At the end of his story, he is without his love and battling for his life. Fuck. I can’t even imagine how strong this man is. I watch him, knowing this is the kind of man I want to be.
My phone rings. It’s Clayton.
“Did you find her?”
“Nathan, this doesn’t look good. Her car’s here, but no one answered the door. I found the Super and explained the situation. He let me in, but there’s no sign of her.”
I’m about to go ballistic. “Something is fucking wrong.”
“What’s going on?” Clayton asks.
“Come over.” I hang up then I turn to Uncle Mac. “Bryer is missing.”
“Does your father know you and Bryer know the truth?”
“My father... You think he’s involved?”
“Nathan, he killed the woman I loved. Your Mother. He’s capable of anything.”
“Fuck. I have no idea if he knows. We only learned about this today. How could he know?” Then, I remember. “Wait. Bryer knew something after my first hypnosis. She had details before I did. Fuck, I even mentioned that I was going to a hypnotherapist at dinner to my father. He must think she’s the threat. Not me.” Guilt rises up in my soul.
“Dear God, not her.”
Clayton flies through the door. “Fuckin’ tell me what’s going on?”
I put the tape in as an answer. Struggling, I listen to it once more.
“What? Your father’s a killer?”
“It’s worse.” I say to Clayton. “He’s got her. I know it. We have to move now.” I turn to my uncle. “Would he touch her Mac?”
“He’s not sane, Nathan.”
No, baby, God, no. I’ll kill him if he hurts her.
“Do you want me to go along, Nathan?” Uncle Mac asks.
“How selfish would I be if I said yes?”
He nods.
“I’ve got your six,” Clayton says.
“I’ll pull the SUV around.”
I embrace this skeleton of a man and I know Uncle Mac is my hero, no matter what has happen in the past. My mother loved him, and he’s an even better man than I gave him credit for.
All three of us get in to my SUV.
“He has a large storage facility he no longer uses, it’s off the grid.” I drive fast, daring any yellow light to turn red. “Keep her safe,” I say to any higher power who’s listening.
***
WAKING UP TO
unknown surroundings, my head is about to explode from the pain. My eyes won’t focus, but I can clearly see blood on my shirt. I hear voices, male voices. I start to struggle, but my hands are tied behind my back and secured to a wooden chair I’m sitting on. Where am I? Who would do this?
That’s when he slowly comes into focus.
Nathan’s father stands with two unknown men, I heard he had body guards, but these men are thugs. His arms are crossed as he stares at me. “Are you awake, Bryer?”
“What’s going on? Why am I here?”
“I thought you were a smart girl. We spoke at dinner about keeping the past in the past, but you didn’t listen. I don’t want Nathan digging into the past. It’s up to you to stop him, Bryer. He must never know.”
That’s when the pieces come together. He doesn’t realize that Nathan knows. He’s fucking delusional.
Nathan Sr. paces. “I didn’t think my men would hurt you. That was never my intention.” He shakes his head in, what? Regret? “I only wanted to warn you of the gravity of the situation.”
“And how is tying me up going to make sure I know the gravity?”
“That’s unfortunate, but necessary. What do you think you know, Bryer?”
“The truth.”
He approaches and my fear escalates. I know what he’s capable of. Once you commit murder, you have no boundaries any more. He’s a narcissist.
“I feel sick.”
“You’ll be fine, once I know everything.”
My wrists sting beneath the rope, as do my bound ankles. He means business.
“Answer me,” he yells.
“I know you had something to do with your wife’s suicide.”
“That’s right, Bryer. Suicide.”
“We both know that’s a lie.”
One of his thugs approaches and lifts his arm to hit me, but Nathan Sr. catches it before it meets its target.
“Not until I find out what she knows,” he commands.
***
“FUCK!” I SNAP,
losing my mind.
“We’ve searched everywhere. She’s not here. Never was.” Clayton hangs his head.
We scan the old, dirty storage facility one more time. Despair grips me, and I need to fucking smash something. Recklessly, I take a chair and throw it through the window, watching glass shatter. I don’t feel any better.
“What’s next?” Clayton and Uncle Max both look to me.
“His house.”
Standing outside my father’s house, I pound on the door. Mary Ann answers, but I can see the fear in her eyes.
“I didn’t mean to scare you, Mary Ann. Where’s my father?”
“He’s home. I just don’t know where.” She’s still uncertain about my demeanor.
Uncle Mac and Clayton follow me as I barge past her. No words are exchanged.
“Bryer.” I yell as I run through the house. I search his office, the gym, the basement, and his bedroom, while both Clayton and Uncle Mac follow close behind me. There’s no sign of him, but then it hits me.
“The pool house. He goes there when he wants privacy.”
“We’ll find her,” Uncle Mac says.
We reach the impressive pool house that is more like a second home. The shake siding has faded over the years. I notice lights, and my body goes on high alert. I Approach the door in silence, turning the handle, I find it’s locked.
“What the fuck.”
I pound on the door then kick it in.
Everything comes to a halt. The scene before me almost brings me to my knees. “Jesus.”
Uncle Mac and Clayton yell, but I don’t absorb a word.
Bryer’s tied to a chair. Blood stains her face, and my father is just feet away. Two unknown men hover close.
“Nathan!” Bryer screams and I start to race in her direction.
I’m stopped by the two men protecting my father. I punch guy number one in the jaw, as Clayton punches the other then shakes out the pain in his hand. But it doesn’t keep him down the guy takes off, slamming into my Uncle Mac with great force, causing him to slide down the door.
Guy two takes a swing and misses. Fucktard. Doesn’t he know who he’s dealing with? With one solid punch, he’s out. I nod to Clayton.
As he walks towards my wounded uncle.
My father is a foot away from me. “What the fuck have you done, you bastard? I should fucking kill you with my bare hands.”
“Nathan,” he shouts. “I was only protecting you.”
I look at him like he’s insane.
“How crazy are you to believe that?” I glance behind me and tell Clayton to call 911.
I run to Bryer and untie her. She’s going in and out and she looks drugged. Fuck. So I lay her on a rug and go after my father.
“You son of a bitch! You murdered my mother. And kidnapped the woman I love? Why?” I yell in his face with eighteen years of anger behind my words.
He only stares into my eyes with no emotion at all.
“Coward. Answer me.” I press my forearm into his neck. “Why? Goddamnit! Why did you hurt my mother? Why’d you kill her? I saw it all!”
“She was a whore, Nathan. She was sleeping with my own brother.” He glares at Mac. “She wanted to leave and take you away from me. The only thing I ever loved. I couldn’t let that happen. You’re my son. I love you. What I did, I did in the name of love.” “That’s not love you bastard.”
I shake my head. “You’re a sick fuck, you pathetic excuse for a human being.” After reaching for the rope he used on Bryer, I tie his hands and secure him to a beam. “Mark my words, I’m going to make sure you never hurt another living soul, if it’s the last thing that I do.”
I go to Bryer. “Baby, you’re safe now. Help’s on the way.” I pick her up and cradle her in my arms. She rests her head on my shoulder while going in and out of consciousness. “Baby, I love you.”
Her sweet eyes open and she whispers back, “I love you too. Please get me out of here.”
I could kill my father with my bare hands. The only thing stopping me is the fact I want him to suffer in prison. Evil will compensate evil.
Hearing the faint sounds of sirens, I breathe in relief, knowing they’re just minutes away. Glancing over at Uncle Mac, I’m worried. Clayton is holding him up, but he’s very pale.
After the police arrive, I give them all the details. I watch as my father is taken away in handcuffs. Then two stretchers arrive, and my girl is swept away from my arms and my uncle receives attention. Three men work on him then load him into the second ambulance and we rush to the hospital.
Minutes after the ambulances arrive, I’m forced into the waiting room. “It might as well be a fucking jail.”
“I know it’s hard Nathan. She’ll be all right.”
“Will she?”
For almost two hours, I pace the floor, until finally the doctor walks up to me.
“Nathan?”
“Tell me.”
“She’s going to be fine. They only gave her a sedative, and the head wound is superficial. Although I’ll be sending you home with some instructions, just in case. The rope burns will sting for a few days.”
“Fucking rope burns,” I growl. This is a living nightmare.
“The police want to talk to her, but I don’t see any reason why she can’t leave.”
“They can talk to her at home. My home. Thank God! Thank you. Can I see her?”
“Follow me,” he says, then leads me to her room.
“Hey baby. You had me worried.” I say, smiling while I attempt to cradle her in my arms.
“I’m fine, Nathan. The police want to talk to me.”
“We can do that at home. Please don’t worry.”
“I heard that they want to charge your dad with kidnapping and more,” she tells me.
“Yes, and they should.” Anger fills my voice. “Damnit, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you, baby. I died a thousand deaths when I couldn’t find you.” I touch her face gently.
“Don’t blame yourself for his actions. He’s a sick man,” she says softly. “You found me, you saved me. I never knew my capacity to love until you.”
“I need to see my uncle. Are you up to joining me?” I ask.
“Of course. I want to know how he’s doing too.”
I find a wheelchair. We’re told he’s in ICU and they allow both of us to go in, which is unusual. That doesn’t seem like a good sign.
Leaning over the bed rail, I take his hand, trying to make sense of it all. His eyes are closed, but that doesn’t stop me. “Uncle Mac, I’m so sorry for getting you involved. I know you weren’t up to it. Please forgive me.” As I rest my head on my arm, I wonder if today was a figment of my imagination.
“What’s all this?” His frail fingers touch me. “They’ll be none of that, Nathan. I’m so proud of you.”
I raise my head and meet his milky eyes. His skin is so pale. He’s a skeleton of the man I once knew, and my heart breaks while sorrow consumes me.
“I have always loved you Uncle Mac. I still look up to you.”
Bryer stands close and rubs my back, comforting me.
“My sweet boy. How can I bare my soul?” His breathing is weak. “But we each deserve peace.” He gasps and I feel defeated. “I had to protect you from the truth. I’ve lied to you.” After he clears his throat, he attempts to go on.
“Do you need water?”
Uncle Mac nods and I bend the straw so he can sip.
“Meredith and I made the toughest decision of our lives when you were born.” My eyes meet his and he has my full attention. “Whether to live a lie and keep you both safe, or risk everything to be together. There was no right answer, because it didn’t keep her safe and I lost both of you. True love has no ending. I told her that. We let you believe it only to save you. I wanted to run away with you both, but your mother knew if he found out you would be in danger. We all would’ve been, Nathan.” Tears run down his face. “He’s not your biological father.” With a shaky hand, he wipes his face. “I am.”
I pause to absorb the words, the meaning.
I’ve always felt so close to him. It makes sense. Leaning down, I look him in the eye and say,
“Thank God.”
The monitors go off as he struggles to breathe. A nurse appears to check him over and says, “I need to call the doctor.”
“Never live life unnoticed, my son,” he whispers with his eyes closed.
He’s shutting down, and I’m losing the only man I have ever truly respected. And he was my father.
Jesus.
We stand back as several people work on him. Bryer is in my arms, crying, but I have no tears. I believe he’s going to join my mother, where he belongs, and he fades away as we watch. I’m proud of his sacrifice, and now that I know the truth, it frees me.
WEEKS LATER, AFTER
we got through the funeral, I’m coming to terms with who I am, where I came from, and where I want my life to go. My past has finally caught up to my present and I’m not alone.
The police want several more statements. My father was denied bail, but I know that won’t last long. This isn’t over by a long shot, but he’ll never get away with hurting either of us again. I’ve arranged to have security around the clock.
Uncle Mac’s company is thriving. It just so happens that I love this new job. Somehow he knew that.
Bryer has agreed to move in with me. I’m thrilled to have my hell-cat under my roof. I couldn’t be happier, and I’m glad I let her slip through the cracks of my heart. I want a future with her.
The best news is that my nightmares have disappeared.
As I walk out onto the patio, I see her on the two-man lounger on her phone. “I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.”