"Caroline, get over here."
She didn't hear me. She was gone, lost somewhere in her mind. Tangled in the web that Luke had created. Her eyes darted between him and me.
"Caroline," I snapped.
It came out harsher than I intended, but shit, I needed her to get away from him. Fear crippled my ability to talk reasonably.
Caroline blinked, and this time when she looked at me, I could tell she actually saw me. Heard me. Even though her feet didn't move of their own accord, Caroline didn't resist when I reached out to grab her wrist and pull her to the other side of the counter.
She fell behind me, crumbling slightly and grabbing onto the edge of the farmhouse sink. I angled myself in front of her.
Luke laughed. "You always were dramatic, Bren. Always trying to be the protector."
He shook his head and leaned against the center island in the kitchen, elbows hitting the butcher block countertop Caroline had installed the other week. His dark eyes met mine. "Caroline doesn't need your protection, kid."
I glared at him. Like hell if I was going to believe that.
"I'm not going to hurt Caroline," he droned on when I stayed silent. Luke rolled his head to one side like he was bored.
I'd always thought that Caroline's kitchen was cheery. It was the kind of kitchen that looked lived-in, that hosted home-cooked meals. It was the kind of kitchen that produced apple pies in the fall and Christmas cookies in December. A little messy, a little disorganized. But welcoming in that way that a pristine kitchen wasn't.
The kitchen at my parent's place was never either of those things—pristine or welcoming. Meals made their way onto the table, but we ate to live. It was as simple as that.
There were undoubtedly differences between Caroline's home and mine growing up. But the similarity of this moment sent terror running through me.
"The last time I stood in a kitchen with you and a woman who I knew as my mother, it didn't end well," I said slowly.
Luke's eyes sharpened. "That was different."
I raised a brow. "Then you won't mind if Caroline leaves."
Caroline seemed to come to life at that. I heard her intake of breath and felt her presence at my shoulder. But Luke interrupted before she could speak.
"I do mind, actually," he said.
"Why?"
"I like Caroline."
I snorted at that.
"Well, that was rude," Luke said dryly.
"I like Caroline, too." I hated that I felt the need to explain myself. "But you don't expect me to believe that—"
"Why don't we sit down," Luke cut in. "I'm a bit tired. Coffee, anyone?" He looked to Caroline, and I followed his gaze, turning to see her hard expression. Anger, disgust, and shock all mingled on her face. She shot every ounce of it at Luke, and I knew she wasn't about to get anyone coffee.
"I'm plenty awake," I said, glancing back at my dad. He appeared unphased by Caroline's glare. And I wasn't surprised.
"Fine," he said, shrugging. Pushing back from the counter, Luke took a step away. Leaning against the opposite wall, he looked down at his nails, examining them.
He was stalling.
Why?
"So, you're here," I forced myself to say. I wanted to get this over with, and yet, I was terrified about what this would turn out to be.
I thought about trying to reach for my phone while he was distracted. Call the cops, let them know they'd be waiting in vain at Roselawn. But then Luke peeked at me out of the corner of his eye, and there was a warning there.
No, it was too late. He was here. This was happening.
"I'm here," he acknowledged.
"What do you want?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"No."
"You, of course." Luke looked up, leveling his gaze with mine. "I want my son back."
I withheld my snort this time. "That's not going to happen."
He shrugged. "We'll see."
"What are you going to do, dad? I'm twenty years old. I'm an adult. I'm in college. We can't go back in time, can't go back to living in the past. I'll never go anywhere with you. I'm never going to even fucking associate with you. You might as well kill me now if that's what you want."
He gave a rueful smile.
"I'm not going to kill you, Bren. And I know you can't come live with me. But I want to be your father. And now that Caroline and I are together, maybe we could be—"
"You're delusional," I cut in before he could mutter a family. Disgust swirled in my stomach.
"I'm not."
He seemed confident on that point, and I looked back at Caroline to check her reaction. Her brows were furrowed, her mouth hanging open like she wanted to say something. The words were stuck, though.
"You know," Luke went on. "If you're going to date, a girl like Caroline is who you need in your life. Someone strong. Someone who you don't have to protect all the time."
He crossed his arms over his chest, peering down at me with concerned eyes. Playing the role of a disappointed father figure. What a joke.
"I knew you'd ditch the blonde chick when you got that letter from me. You're always trying to save them, Bren," he said.
I narrowed my eyes and bit out, "I told you not to talk about Madie."
He rolled his eyes. And then he ignored me.
"Caroline has been there for you. She's a good woman. The kind of woman your mom should have been. "
I choked on air. On nothing but Luke's words. He was such a goddamn piece of shit.
"Mom was there for me, too," I seethed. "Until you fucking killed her when she tried to escape from you."
Luke scoffed. "You really think she would have been okay on her own? Bren, you would have ended up taking care of her. You're lucky that you landed with Caroline."
"Stop talking about me like I'm not right here," Caroline's cold voice cut in.
Apparently, she'd found her words.
Luke cast her a sympathetic look. "Sorry, dear."
"Don't fucking call me that." Red-rimmed eyes glared back at Luke.
Tension grew as the two of them locked gazes, and I could only imagine the pain Caroline felt. I saw her expression, but I was positive that only a surface-level glimpse of how Luke had affected her showed.
When I had decided to deal with my dad, I worried that Caroline would get hurt. But I never thought it would be like this.
Goddamn, I hated Luke Hadaway and what he kept doing to the people in my life.
At least—
"Bren!"
For the second time today, a voice burst through the front door that nearly brought me to my knees.
But this one was worse.
No. God, please no.
But there she was.
All rosy-cheeked and bright-eyed. Blonde hair flying haphazardly as she tried to catch her breath.
"No," I choked, shaking my head. "No. Madie, leave."
She stopped short, eyes growing wide as she took in the kitchen scene.
Fucking Beau Martin strolled in behind her, explaining how she'd gotten here. And my gaze instantly snapped to his.
"Beau, get her the fuck out of here." When he didn't move, I added, "Now."
As we breached the city limits of Fresno, I decided to call the police department one more time.
In talking to the same cop as before, I wore him down until he finally sighed. "Look," he said, "I can tell how upset you are. Would it make you feel better to know that we've already taken Luke Hadaway into custody?"
I blinked ahead, watching the stripes on the road disappear beneath the car as we got closer to Caroline's house. For the first time in hours, a bit of relief washed over me. And yet...
"Are you sure?" I couldn't help but ask. It all seemed too easy considering who I knew Luke was. "Are you sure it's him?"
"Pretty damn sure, but we're getting in touch with your boyfriend to verify."
My head fell back against the seat, and I blinked away tears. After thanking the officer, I hung up the phone and repeated what he'd said to Beau.
He gave me a reassuring smile as we pulled up to Caroline's.
The dread that I'd been feeling for hours dissipated. I was going to run inside and tell Bren some good news for once. And not a single part of me could wait.
As soon as Beau's Range Rover rocked to a halt, I jumped out. I flew up to the house, ignoring Beau's calls for me to wait.
I should have waited.
"Bren!" I yelled as I crashed through into Caroline's foyer, not bothering with knocking. I was so beyond waiting for this boy.
But the scene that I so briefly imagined was nothing like what greeted me.
Bren stood in the kitchen, his face clearly visible through the hallway that led from the front door to the back of the house. We were so close. So close that I could take a few more steps and launch myself into his arms. Feel him all around me again.
But Bren wasn't excited to see me. Nothing short of horror flashed across his face as brown eyes connected with mine.
"No," he said, his voice hollow. "No. Madie, leave."
Caroline was next to him. She looked just as stricken, but her attention wasn't on me. I followed her gaze.
I started as I noticed the man beside me. His head slowly turned, and an insincere smile spread across his bearded face.
Bren's sharp voice said something else, but I missed it, lost to the realization of who I was looking at.
He was nothing like his son.
I couldn't find a single similarity.
But Bren's reaction told me anything.
An arm wrapped around my waist from behind, and Beau's tense voice found my ears.
"Let's go, girl."
He hoisted me against him, but I fought his retreat. Like hell was I leaving Bren. Not now. Not like this.
"No," I said firmly. "I'm staying."
"Madeline," Bren replied harshly, and Beau managed to pull me a whole step back.
"No." Luke Hadaway's voice was lighter than I'd imagined it to be. Unbothered. And it sent chills down my back. "I think she should stay, too," he said calmly.
Bren's brown eyes darkened. Near-black with hatred and fear. "I don't give a shit what you think."
The swiftness in which Luke pulled his gun out and trained it on his son told me it was a practiced move. And god, did it send me reeling.
"She stays," Luke emphasized, giving Beau and me a meaningful look that clearly explained what would happen if I didn't.
Not this. Not this again. Oh god, not this again.
All the fear and dread that had disappeared moments ago came flooding back, hitting me like a tidal wave.
No. Not this.
Beau swore. He didn't release my waist, but he stopped fighting my efforts to stay. I grabbed at his arm, digging my nails in, begging him not to move.
A frightened, incoherent noise fell from Caroline's lips.
Bren wasn't concerned, though. Not about his dad. Not about the gun pointing at his face.
"Beau," he pleaded, his expression begging. He didn't bother asking me; I'd never leave him. "He's not going to. He's not going to shoot me. Get her out of here. Please."
There was a heavy pause—a deadly silence. The gun hovered between us, and terror dripped from the breath of everyone in the room. Everyone except Luke.
"Don't you dare," I said to Beau beneath my breath. Like hell if I was going to watch Bren get hurt again because of me. I didn't believe for a moment that Bren was safe right now.
Beau's chin or nose or something brushed against my hair as he shook his head. He exhaled. It was shaky. "I'm sorry, man," he said finally, talking over my head to Bren. "I—I can't."
His arm loosened its grip on me, and I similarly relaxed. Just slightly.
Bren closed his eyes in a slow defeat, and I watched as something broke in him.
But I didn't care. Because Luke had already lowered his weapon, slipping it back into his waistband.
And then he stalked to the barstool next to the kitchen island, dropping into it. As soon as he settled there, he swung his attention back to me.
"Welcome, Madie."
Luke gave me another insincere smile, and it took all my effort to stand tall. I was grateful for Beau. His firm presence behind me kept me upright, especially at Luke's next words.
"I've been waiting for you to join us."
🤍
Well, Madie and Bren are together again.
And Bren is not happy about it.
thoughts?
ahhh thank you so much for reading!
xoxo