Passion Revealed (COMPLETE)

Chapter 12 - Part 2

The night had gone better then he could have ever imagined. How she loved him was mind boggling, but he could tell she meant it. He was pretty sure he loved her too, but he wasn't ready to say it. It was a large step and he didn't want to take it just yet. But with the way she handled him last night he was starting to believe they could last forever.

He thought about the things he still hadn't told her. Secrets was his lifestyle and he couldn't tell her everything just yet. Maybe it was deceitful, but it was all he could do.

"Sarah, could you come in here for a second?" He poked his head out of the door and she quickly got up from her desk. They both walked into his office and he handed her a folder from his desk. "Have this filed please. And I need you to make sure that my four o'clock will still be here tomorrow." She nodded and left his office.

He settled back into his chair and began looking at the desk drawer. This time he felt the strength to open it. He took his keys and unlocked it- then pulled the drawer open and took out the large envelope.

His hands trembled as they reached for the seal. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know what it said inside. But it was time to open it. His heart pounded hard when he opened it and pulled out the papers inside.

Pictures and papers covered in various information was currently being held in his hands. Seeing the tall gruff looking man in the photos hit him hard. Recognition filled him. It felt like a blow to his chest as he stared at the photo. Memories flooded through him and he felt anger fill him. Quickly he flipped the picture over and looked at the next one. Luke's eyes widened when he saw the picture.

He jumped to his feet and rushed to the door. "Sarah!" He shouted out the door. She spun around in her chair and looked at him startled. "Yes sir, Mr. Striker?" She asked and he looked around for a second.
"I need you to get James in my office as soon as possible." "Yes, sir. Right away sir." She said and grabbed the phone in her hands.

Luke turned and walked back to his desk. He grabbed the photo and sat back down in his chair. The small child in the yard near the old run down house was all he could look at. He flipped to the next one and the child was in it too. As he looked closer he could see the bruises and he felt enraged.

The door to his office opened and a tall guy walked in. His hair was sandy blond and his eyes were bright blue. He was 28 and had on a black leather jacket and wore a wedding ring. Although he had a smile he looked serious and down to business. He was a Personal Bodygaurd and a private investigator, whichever Luke needed him to be. So pretty much he was his hired gun, but would spy on people of needed.

"Yes sir?" He said casually and Luke turned the picture around and handed it to him. As the man took the photo from his hands Luke stood to his feet and looked out the windows of his office. "Who is the child in that photo?"

"I listed all the information in the files contained in the envelope." Luke shook his head and turned, he couldn't bring himself to read the info himself. "That's not what I asked. Who is she James?" James let out a sigh and handed the photo back.

"Her name is Diana. She is six year old and the daughter of Dan Mitchell, your father." Luke's heart felt like it stopped for a second. He had a sister? A six year old little sister. He was exactly 20 years older then her, but the fact remained that his father had another child with some other woman.

"What else does it say in here? I can't bring myself to read it. Is he abusing her, James?" James clenched his jaw and released a chaste breath. "Most definitely he is sir. The child's mother died in a drunken car wreck two years ago. Dan is currently working in a crappy construction job and barely scraping by. But he most definitely is abusive towards her."

Luke slammed his closed fist down on the desk in front of him. All he felt was rage. That a**hole was doing it to another innocent child.
"From the hospital records that I dug up, he was abusing the mother as well, prior to her death. I wish I could've killed the guy right there."

He looked up and James seemed completely in control of himself. Luke had know idea of how he could be so calm. But then it was his job.
"Are there any other kids?" James shook his head in response.

"No, just several assault charges and he spent a few years in jail for one of them. But he was released seven years ago. That's when he met the 'said' mother. He is located in Witman Nabraska. It's a small town about an eight hour drive from here, probably an five hour flight time."

Luke shook his head and looked back at the picture. The small girl looked scared and her eyes seemed glazed over with pain. It was all to familiar to him.
"Has anyone called about the child? Does she have any sort of relative that could take her from Dan?" Again James shook his head, this time though he seemed saddened.

"Her only living relative is you. The mother (Nichole Thomas) had no family left, she was a drunk when Dan found her. All she has is Mr. Mitchell and you. But she doesn't even know of your existence."

Luke felt a heavy weight on his shoulders. He couldn't stand back and do nothing as his father victimized another child. The man was poison and deserved death. But what was he supposed to do? He couldn't take care of a child, he was a single 26 year old man. Sure he was rich and owned a huge company. But that wasn't completely his accomplishment.

Lukes eyes turned to the picture of his mother on the side of the desk. If he could've done something to save her, he would've. He knew he couldn't let Dan do this to another soul. Sure, Luke might not know this little girl, but he was her older brother and the only one that could save her.

"What do I do, James?" Luke sighed.
"I can't take care of a little girl, but I can't leave her there with him."

James began playing with the ring on his finger. "Family is important, and you never feel ready to raise a child. But trust me, you could do it. It'll take a lot of patients and love, but I trust that you could be a good parent figure. Some people aren't meant to be parents, but you are a good man Luke."

Luke felt as if his chest was closing around his lunges. It was hard to breath and his palms were hot and sweaty. He shook his head and looked down at the picture. "I don't know, man."

"Its all up to you. But just remember; You are it for that girl, no one else can help her. C.P.S. has already been called but they couldn't do anything. You are her only way out."

With that James turned for the door.
"I want you to watch her for the time being. Okay?" James nodded his head and walked out of the office. Luke was left with those words echoing in his head.

What could he do? He thought of Tessa and how things were just starting to get to a good place with them. Could this ruin it? He didn't want to lose her. Luke felt his heart torn in two.
~~~~

That night he didn't sleep. Tessa worked a late shift and he was already in bed when she got home. He tossed in the bed and tried to do everything to get his mind away from the stuff that haunted him, but it was impossible.

He reached for the large trunk under his bed and brought it up onto the matress. When he opened it he began going through old photos. His heart sank as he looked at his mother and then pictures of him and his father. That house held nothing but pain and anger, all his childhood he tried to escape it. When he looked at the small jewelry box he thought of Tess, his mother's favorite necklace looked so beautiful on her. Then he pulled out the small baby blanket, and remembered how his mother use to tell him stories about how much he had loved it as a baby.

A tear dripped down from his eyes and landed on the blanket. Next he saw the small baseball that he used to play catch with his mother. She was everything good in his life back then. He hated how much Dan had effected her though. It killed him to see her feel imprisoned by him. The rest of the memories that were inside that trunk weren't important, but these two meant more to him. He guessed it was because they were happy moments in that horror movie he lived.

For a second Luke thought about how it must be for Diana. She didn't have anyone, no one to make the pain feel better at times. He couldn't leave her to rot in that hellhole. Her happiness, her life, it all depended on him. It was something he couldn't take lightly.