Page 126 of Critical Doubt

"No, but Tyler has written to him, and Paul has written back. Tyler doesn't understand what happened. How could he? It's difficult for me to understand. But I told him that even though his father has done some things that were wrong, he still loves him very much. That seems to work for now."

"How are you feeling about Paul?"

"Like I need to let him go."

"Really?" she asked, a little surprised.

"It's not that I can't understand or even that I can't forgive him. I just don't think I love him the way I used to, the way I should if I'm going to stay married to him. To be honest, I think our love ended a long time ago. Paul realized it before I did. That's why he was drinking so much, why he was floundering. I'm always going to have feelings for him. He's the father of my son. But I don't want to be his wife anymore. Is it horrible that I don't want to support him through this? That I don’t want to wait for him?"

"No, it's not horrible; it's how you feel. And you're entitled to feel any way you want. Paul hurt you in a terrible way. Frankly, I don't know if I can forgive him for what he did to you and Tyler. But, on the other hand, I am grateful to him for saving Ryker's life and mine as well."

"He realized that he'd made a horrible mistake. When he found out Leo was alive, he knew there was a hidden agenda."

"Well, Leo will be going to jail for a very long time."

"I hope so. He's the reason we all ended up where we are. Although, I still don't know how the guys drifted so far from their moral compasses. They say war changes people. It must have changed them."

"I think it did."

"But Ryker would have never fallen for that scheme. And not because he has money, but because he has such a strong sense of right and wrong. I admire that about him."

"So do I. But he did feel bad for abandoning his guys for so long. He wants to make it right."

"I already got a check from the foundation he started. It was very generous. I hope one day when Paul gets out, maybe he can also give back. I think it would be good for him. Not that Ryker would probably want his help."

"He's open to it."

"Well, it's a long way off." Abby paused. "It looks like our party is getting bigger."

Savannah jumped to her feet as Jared, Jax, and Parisa came back, joined by Flynn and his now fiancée Callie. They'd gotten engaged a month ago and were planning a summer wedding. They'd also brought two large coolers with them as well as bags of food.

"This is amazing," she said.

"We were hungry," Jax told her with a laugh.

"You're always hungry," she reminded him.

"I work hard."

"And he plays hard," Flynn put in.

"You're just jealous cuz you can't play anymore," Jax retorted.

"That's right, he can't," Callie said.

"Hey, Stone, you want a beer?" Jax asked, as Ryker joined them, while her dad continued to entertain Tyler.

"Definitely," Ryker said. He took the beer out of Jax's hand and then put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a loving look. "How are you doing?"

"Great," she said, smiling back at him. "I like having everyone together. I spent so much of my life thinking I didn't really fit in anywhere, but this is where I fit."

"Your team loves you. I love you. Hell, even your dad loves you."

She laughed. "We're still a work in progress."

"I love you, too," Abby put in, as she got to her feet. "And you better be good to her, Ryker, because she is my oldest and best friend, and I will hunt you down if you don't treat her right."

"I will definitely treat her right," he promised.

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