Page 27 of Securing Samantha

“Victoria followed Kassie?” Whiskey felt really confused.

Saint frowned. “Never mind Whiskey. Let’s get back to the psycho meter.”

“How she reacted to anything you said to her indicates where you stand. If she’s angry or even hurt, she’ll have some reaction. If she goes all quiet, then she’s done. If she shows no emotion, it means she doesn’t care to work on the relationship anymore. Then you need to worry,” Shadow informed.

“Samantha was definitely mad. What do I do about it?” Whiskey sighed, feeling defeated.

“We can’t tell you what to do. Both of you experienced some heavy stuff. Maybe concentrate on one thing at a time. It’ll keep you from getting overwhelmed. Sending her divorce papers one day and then telling her you made a mistake won’t cut it. You can’t fuck with her heart,” Shadow advised.

“My intention wasn’t to wound her. I tried to save them from getting hurt,” Whiskey explained.

Taco leaned back in his chair. “Whiskey, we know things feel weird right now. You went through hell. You didn’t come back the exact same man, but she’s changed too. She grieved you. She became a single mom, lost her father, relocated here to give her son a better life. You insist you aren’t the same person because of what you withstood. Have you given any thought of what she’s experienced?” Taco added quietly.

“When’s Leo coming back?” Whiskey asked.

“Leo’s on a job. Whiskey, we can’t discuss this one with you, but as soon as we conclude our investigation, we’ll bring you in. If you need anything, we’ve got your back, brother,” Saint told him.

Whiskey left the group and walked down the hall. Did the guys have a point? Of course, he knew what Samantha went through in the hands of James Stanton. Leo assured him Samantha and LJ received the care they needed. Kassie also pitched in with setting up counseling appointments and moving Samantha’s salon to decrease her friend’s anxiety.

His old self would’ve rushed down the mountain, gathered his family, and handled that shit. The man he felt like now, let everyone else deal with their needs. Something in his gut churned at his spineless actions. Yet, he couldn’t muster the courage to do anything about it. He made his way to his room, shut the door, and sank onto the bed. The sense of loss felt like a boulder on his chest making it difficult to breathe. This wasn’t the man his family deserved and now he severed the ties which held them together. He wondered if he’d come to regret the consequences of his actions even more than he already did.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Samantha smiled as she watched her son press his face up to the airplane window as the plane descended.

“Mom, did you see how we went down?” LJ’s eyes resembled two round saucers as he turned in her direction, causing her and Becky to chuckle.

“Yes, I did. We’ll do it again in five days,” she told him.

He played with the set of miniature wings the flight attendant handed him. “I can’t wait to show Uncle Leo and the team my wings!” he exclaimed.

Sadness filled her when she realized her son still didn’t know about his father and he wasn’t included in his announcement. Maybe Whiskey’s actions were for the best.

Her heart sank at the thought, but he made his decision. She brushed the image of him sitting at the bar with his hand casually stroking the blonde’s leg. Tears welled in her eyes, and she blinked them away. As much as she wanted to confront him with his actions, what right did she have? He served her with the divorce papers and went to a bar the same night, without a single thought concerning their marriage, her or his son. He willingly let them go. The hurt sliced through her heart like a knife to the chest.

They walked to the luggage carousel and grabbed their luggage when an older man approached. “Ms. O’Neil?”

“Yes?” She turned toward him.

“My name’s Samuel. Mr. Jennings asked me to get you settled at the hotel. He’s caught in a meeting and asked me to relay a message to you. He will pick the three of you up for dinner at five-thirty. He guessed you might need time to freshen up or take a nap.”

She smiled at Bryan’s thoughtful gesture. Samuel took her bags and proceeded to lead her toward the limo.

Becky’s jaw dropped to the ground. “Wow, this made my whole trip. I’ve never gotten to ride in one of these,” she gushed.

Samantha buckled LJ in, and they took in the sights of the bustling city. LJ pointed and exclaimed he found the tallest building every other minute.

When they arrived at the posh hotel where Bryan made their reservations, even Samantha felt starstruck. As soon as the bellman opened the door to their rooms, LJ ran to the window and soaked in the sight of New York from above. His excitement seemed contagious as Becky joined him and they ran from one window to the next to compare the views.

Samantha hated disorganization. She started with LJ’s luggage and began to unpack and hang up his clothes. After putting away his suitcase, she made her way to the master suite. She unzipped her suitcase and began to organize her clothes. Her cell phone rang. Bryan’s name appeared on the screen.

“Hello Bryan, thank you for the lovely accommodations,” she answered.

“I searched the entire city for the ones which used all organic cleaning supplies in case you decided to pester them about the hazards of all the chemicals,” he teased and let out a chuckle.

“Very funny,” she laughed.

“Did you get settled?” he asked.

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