Page 47 of Forbidden Love

I walk over to my office window and watch Caleb and his brothers hug Nancy and say their final goodbyes to Jared. I’ve never met brothers like them before. Selfless, kind, and will do anything to help anyone. It restored my faith in humanity because my family made me forget that good people exist.

Caleb looks over his shoulder and waves to me. I nod swiftly and return to my desk where the file Caleb left me is sitting, goading me to open it. I pick it up, open my drawer, and toss it inside. I will read it. I know it’s his partner’s story, but I’m not ready to go there. Not right now, anyway.

I walk out of my office, grab my car keys and jacket, and leave my house. I approach Nancy and Jared as they’re walking back inside.

“Where are we going?” asks Jared.

I shrug on my jacket. “Nowhere. Well, I need to go out, but you stay here. I’ll be back soon.”

Nancy catches my arm, and her sudden touch stops me in my tracks. I look at her small hand on my arm.

“You’re not going to do anything stupid, are you?” she asks.

I shake my head. “It’s something I should have done two days ago when Kally was taken away from me again. It’s something I need to do to get my head in the game, to be here when Kally needs me.”

“And you don’t need me?” asks Jared.

I shake my head. “I’ll be back soon.”

Nancy reluctantly lets my arm go. I can see the unshed tears in her eyes, and it hurts me that I’m hurting her, but I need to confront my demons once and for all.

I walk away from Nancy and Jared, beep my garage doors open, and pause when I feel a presence behind me. “Just remember you’re not your family, Clark. I don’t care what you think you need to do, you’re better than them. You always were. Don’t get yourself into trouble for them because they’re not worth it. Kally is going to need you on this side of the law when she comes home.”

I turn to face Nancy, walk towards her, and embrace her. She holds me tightly, just like she has done since I was a small child.

“I won’t be long, Nancy.”

I turn to leave her before I change my mind and get in my car. The thrum of the engine sends goosebumps throughout my body, and I reverse out of the garage and away from my house and the people I care about.

I have somewhere I need to be, people I need to see, and battles I need to win.

***

I pull up outside my family home and get out of my car. I look up at the large house and can’t help but think about all the pain and suffering Kally faced here. If only walls could talk. I shake away my disgust and take the steps two at a time. I’m not backing out now. Every single person who sat back and allowed this to happen to Kally has her blood, sweat, and tears on their hands. They might not have caused it, but they certainly did nothing to stop it.

“Clark, sweetheart. What a pleasant surprise,” says my mother as she walks down her grand staircase.

“Don’t, Mother. Where are they?”

“Who?”

I smirk. “Don’t play dumb. My sperm donor and brother.”

“Your father is in the study.”

I storm in the direction of the study, the one room that holds nothing but bad memories for me. The room I thought Kally was going to bleed out in.

“Clark.”

My father stands from his desk and walks around to meet me. He holds his hand out for me to shake, but I don’t extend mine. I can’t. I won’t shake hands with a man who stood back and let his son do whatever the fuck he liked to a defenseless girl, just because he could.

“I take it this isn’t a social call.” He smiles at me.

I see red. I don’t know what I’m thinking, but I throw my fist straight into my father’s nose. I hear the disturbing crack and see the blood pool between his fingers.

“What the fuck, Clark? What is your problem?”

I laugh. It’s fucking hilarious that he has to ask me what my problem is.

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