Mind Pucked (Chicago Blue Jays #1)

29. Amelia

29

AMELIA

I stand in front of the home I grew up in and I’m nervous, to say the least. I raise my hand to knock on the door, but the door opens before I can.

I’m greeted by the maid of all people…she must have seen me coming in the ring camera.

The vast amount of security around my childhood home makes sense now that I know who and what my father is.

“Is he home?” I ask her, not even mentioning who he is…she knows who I’m talking about.

She nods without saying anything, and I know exactly where I’ll find him.

I head inside and march down the hall toward the study where father spends most of his time. I walk in without knocking and his head snaps up in surprise. He’s on the phone and his conversation stops abruptly.

“Lou, I’m gonna have to call you back. My daughter just barged in without knocking,” he says, looking at me in shock.

He knows I’m not normally like this, so he likely realizes I’m here for a reason. My father and stepmother have been begging me to come home for a while now…demanded it, in fact. Now that I’m here, I don’t know that my father is going to love the reason.

He slams the phone down in the cradle, clearly irritated that he’s had to end the call. He’s the only person I know who still has a landline in their home, but then again, he’s never been one to advance with technology.

I sit in the chair across from his desk and glare at him, hoping he can sense my anger. It’s been building inside me since I found out my brother is alive.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asks me, painting on the sickening father-of-the-year act he likes to use on me.

Once upon a time, it might have worked. But that was before I knew the truth.

“I want to talk to you about a few things and I swear to God, Dad, you better not lie to me,” I say through gritted teeth. “I’ll know if you lie, because honestly, I already know the truth, I just want to hear it from the horse’s mouth.”

I’m not sure where my bravery is coming from, but I know I better run with it before I get cold feet. I sit straighter in my chair and look him in the eyes. What I see there is something I’ve never seen before, and I don’t like it. I know in this moment that Preston is right about everything, but I still want to hear it from my dad. I want him to tell me the truth about himself.

“Jesus Christ, Amelia, what’s going on? I’ve never seen you so worked up before,” he says, concern flashing over his face for a brief second before his expression returns to its stoic stance.

“I want the truth from you. Did you kill Mom or have her killed? Did you try to have Preston killed after finding out he isn’t your biological son and realizing he knew the truth too?” I know I should only ask one question at a time, but I also know he likely won’t answer them all anyway.

I don’t miss the look in his eye when I say “ try to have Preston killed.” He clearly didn’t know Preston was still alive, and I just gave it away. Shit. If he wants Preston dead, then he’ll go after him again. I can’t let that happen. I won’t let it happen. I keep watching him as he squirms in his chair across from me. He doesn’t look at me for a long time, but finally his eyes meet mine.

“So, you found out your brother is still alive?” he asks, fake joy on his face. “Your mother will be so thrilled.”

“Stepmother,” I correct him for the first time ever. “Now, are you going to tell me the truth, or am I just going to have to assume that everything is true and leave with that realization?” I hold his gaze. “And never come back.”

I can tell by the way he’s acting that everything Preston told me is true. My heart thuds in my chest as I wait for him to speak up and tell me it’s not, that he couldn’t do such a thing, but that never happens. He continues to stare at me as if he’s challenging me to say more. My breath hitches in my throat, and I don’t know what to say. I swallow hard before sitting straighter in my chair and leaning forward, placing my elbows on the edge of his oak desk.

I look him right in his eyes, daring him to look away from me. A smirk crosses my face and for a moment he looks a little scared.

“I know everything about you, everything you’ve done. If you want to cast Preston to the side because he doesn’t carry your DNA, that’s fine, but the one thing you won’t do is take my brother away from me. He’s been the only one I could ever depend on and I will not let you take him away from me…again,” I seethe. “I’ve already missed two years with him because of you—I won’t lose any more time, you got that?”

I can tell by the look on his face that my words have hit a nerve, but I don’t care one bit. I sit back in my chair and wait for him to say something…anything. He stays quiet for a long time, and just when I think he isn’t going to say anything at all, he opens his mouth.

“What do you mean he’s the only one you could ever depend on? I’m very insulted by that statement, Amelia. I’ve always tried to be there for you,” he says, doing his best to look pained by my words. “I funded your trips abroad, paid for everything you ever wanted. I stood to the side while you went and played nanny to that brat of a child, and?—”

“Don’t you dare say one word about that little girl, not one damn word…or her father,” I tell him with my finger pointed toward his chest.

The look on his face tells me he’s angry, and for the first time I wonder if I shouldn’t have come here alone. I can’t be afraid, or at least I can’t look like I am.

“I was there for you, Amelia,” he tries to say, but I know different.

“Oh, please. You were barely ever home, and now I know why. You can say what you want to, but Preston was the only person who was constantly there for me after Mom died. You’re a shit human for doing what you did to take them both away from me. You are no longer a part of my life. I don’t want you in it anymore, but if you ever cared for me at all you’ll leave Preston alone and let him come back. Please,” I say, holding his stare. “I promise not to report any of this to the police, and so does Pres, but it’s time for you to be a decent man and do the right thing.”

We stare at each other for several minutes until I see him take a deep breath in and let it out. His eyes soften and he looks at me the way he used to look at me.

“Okay, he can come back. I’ll leave him alone like you want me to, but nobody is going to know about his paternity. He’s going to be an outcast from the family, so no one will find out. If anyone ever finds out, I’m gonna know you told them, and you’re going to be sorry,” he tells me, his voice gruff.

“Well, I think it’s a real shitty thing to do to the boy who’s been your son his whole life just because he doesn’t share your DNA, but it’s better than him being dead, so I’ll take it. I’m sure Preston will appreciate it too. I’ll be sure to give him your best regards.” I stand from my seat and walk to the door of the study.

I stop at the door and turn to face him one last time.

“One day, when you’re older and you’re alone with no one to take care of you, you’re going to regret doing what you’ve done to your children. You’ll want to make amends, you’ll want us to be in your life. You’ll want us to help you when you can’t help yourself anymore, but by then it will be too late. It’s already too late now.” I see the cup of half-drunk coffee sitting on his desk and I walk over, grab it, and toss it in his face.

He splutters and spits.

“What was that for?” he growls. “That was still hot.”

“That was for Jackson, the man I love, and his daughter Hayden. You took their wife and mother away from them. Screw you and your hidden life while I live mine out in the open.” I walk across the room and open the door, leaving before he can say another word.

I hurry down the hall and out the front door, almost sprinting to my car. It’s only once I’m inside it with the door shut behind me that I let the tears fall. Even though he was a world-class jerk my entire life, it still hurts to cut him out.

I know deep down it’s the right thing to do, especially after everything he’s done to Preston, but no child ever dreams of cutting ties with their parents. I start the car and pull out of the driveway one last time, not even bothering to look behind me.

It’s only forward from now on, and my future is a lot brighter than my past.