Page 56 of Where You Belong

“You have to understand, my marriage with Atlas was like living every day waiting for the other shoe to drop, for his switch to flip. When Gage came to see me at the studio, I just, I don’t know. I guess I just lost it.”

Gage went to see her?

“When did he come see you?”

“The day Atlas attacked you, right as I was leaving work. I need you to know I didn’t know a lot about my father, or what he did to Gage’s uncle. I swear, I didn’t. I would never keep that from you.”

A pained look crosses her face, and a tear slips from her eye, trailing down her cheek.

“I know you didn’t,” I assure her, tilting her head back to look me in the eye. “This happened a long time ago, long before either of us was born. Even if you did know, what happened to his uncle is not your fault.”

Her body trembles with the emotions erupting out of her, and tears pour down her face.

“I’ve never known who my father truly was. Until last week, when I finally spoke to my mom, the story I had been told was that he’d been the one who died in the accident. Not Gage’s uncle.”

I wrap my arms around her, attempting to calm her and remind her I’m here. To sit here with her and see how hard the news has rocked her, it makes sense why she may have clung to her relationship with Atlas for so long. She didn’t want Huxton to miss out on the opportunity to have his dad in his life and for them to be a family.

“I always questioned the story my mom told me. Why didn’t she give me his last name? Why wasn’t he mentioned on my birth certificate?”

“She didn’t want you to be burdened with the truth.”

She nods. “I remember her taking me to see him when I was younger. She told me he was a friend of hers who went away for doing bad things. Memories from that day have started to come back to me. He was upset with her for bringing me with her. I was shocked by the way he spoke to her when she told him to take a good look at me because he’d never see me again. She didn’t think I heard her, but I did.”

“He looked me straight in the eyes. He had dark circles underneath them, void of any emotion. He didn’t say a word to me. He stood and pounded on the door, and without a second glance, they took him away.”

I didn’t want to tell her what I knew, not wanting to pain her with the truth.

Graham, Gage’s father, didn’t shy away from telling him the reason he opened Compass Security. The Krates were known for their involvement in running drugs through Iowa. His uncle worked as a police officer in Arbor Creek as well and got information about a job.

Rumors were running around he was involved in trafficking women. When he started poking around and asking questions, it ticked the Krates off. They wanted him off their trail, but he didn’t back down when they threatened him. If anything, it only got worse.

Graham was behind putting the Krates in prison, something that no doubt made a mark on him.

“Sometimes people don’t turn out to be who we thought they were.” I pause, looking over at her. “Sometimes things don’t work out how we hope they will either, and that’s okay too.”

She nods, her body deflating against the couch.

“I meant what I’ve said from the beginning. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not only here through the fun stage or when it’s easy. I’d never walk away from you either, especially when you need me the most.”

She purses her lips, blinking through the tears forming in her eyes.

“I know you’re scared, and I understand why, but you don’t need to be. Not with me.”

She adjusts her position, moving her leg over to straddle my lap. I guide her body closer to me, slipping my arms around her waist and ducking my head into the curve of her neck. She wraps her arms around mine, holding me against her while her body trembles with the emotions flowing out of her.

The room falls silent, and all I’m able to think about is how badly I’ve missed her and how much I’ve needed this when two knocks pound against the front door.

She pulls back, quickly climbing to her feet. She seems frantic, concerned about who it could be.

“Do you want me to answer it?” I ask, sensing her unease.

She walks toward the window, peering through the curtains before turning on her heel, her eyes wide.

“It’s Atlas,” she mouths.

“It’s okay,” I assure her, just as two more knocks bang against the door. This time much louder.

She grits her teeth, muttering under her breath about how he’s going to wake up Huxton intermixed with a stream of swear words.