Page 83 of Entice

“Thank you.” His father sat down. “You’ve done well for yourself, and you look good, son.” He sighed, the deep, inward breath of a man with a lot on his conscience.

Jordan waited. He couldn’t have spoken if he’d wanted to. Anger and sadness flowed through him.

“Let me start by saying I’m sorry you had to witness what happened to your mother.”

Jordan stiffened. This was the last thing he expected. “That doesn’t bring her back or change the past. And don’t ever call me son.”

“Nothing excuses what I did. I had a horrible temper, and that night, it got out of control. I don’t blame you for testifying against me or for sending me to jail. I deserved it. I’ve lived with the guilt all these years. I paid the price for my actions. These past years have helped me heal and shown me a new side of myself.”

“Great for you, but it doesn’t explain why you’re here.”

“I came to see you and to let you know if you want a relationship, I’m open to it.”

Jordan’s gut clenched. His anger morphed into indifference. Yes, this man was his biological father, but his dad had been dead for a long time. “I will never forgive you for what you did.” He didn’t have it in him. “You took not only my mother from me that night, but your actions also meant I lost my father. Will you please leave?” Ambivalence in his voice. He was done. Jordan stood.

“I understand.” His father stood up. “You grew up quite well, and I’m happy you didn’t inherit my temper.” His father turned and left his office.

Jordan fell back into his chair. His mind was churning. He needed to get out of the office. His father. Crystal. It was all so overwhelming to him, and he was always in control. Jordan laughed, the sound sharp and bitter, even cynical in the silent room. His control was shot.

“Valerie,” he called on his way out of his office. “I’m leaving. Go ahead and close down early. I’ll see you Monday.” Once in his car, he drove toward Wicked Sanctuary. He needed to talk to someone.

* * * *

Crystal opened her apartment door to Sierra. She’d talked to her friends, but she hadn’t attended girls’ night. “Thanks for coming over.” Crystal hugged her friend. The time away from Jordan to think had helped Crystal make some hard decisions. About her family and her life.

“Anytime. I’m so glad you called me. We’ve all been worried.” Sierra stared at her.

“I’m sorry you were worried. I had to think everything through.” One of the issues was doing something productive about the old tapes playing in her head. Step one had been admitting she needed help; step two was finding someone to help her.

The therapist she’d seen every day for the past nine days, including the weekend, helped her see things more clearly and gave her coping tips on what to do when those tapes started playing. She would keep seeing the therapist for a while, but now, she had her head on straight. It was time for step three. Jordan.

“I understand.”

“I need your help.” This was another part of her therapy, to ask for help when she needed it instead of bottling everything up.

“You got it. What do you need?”

“I want to make a statement tonight. To Jordan.” A shiver of excitement slid over Crystal’s skin. She was ready to do this.

“It’s about time. He’s crazy about you.”

“I’m crazy about him.” A smile curved her lips.

“What took you so long?”

“I had to straighten out my head around my family and this whole letter thing.” She took a deep breath. “I wasn’t dealing with my emotions in connection to Jordan very well.”

“Have you not listened to your messages?”

Crystal ducked her head. “I did.” She’d listened to each and every one of them. He understood she needed time, and what she was trying to do and why. How she didn’t need to worry he’d wait for her because that’s what someone in love does. Yes, he loved her, and he’d wait, because he wasn’t letting her go. She’d cried for hours after hearing him confess his love. The hurt and pain in his voice sliced her heart to ribbons. She would make amends.

“Jordan misses you.” Sierra took Crystal by the shoulders. “He received a letter from the lawyer. Brady’s family dropped their threat.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful.” Crystal almost laughed. She’d made her decisions based on the letter without even knowing the threat had been resolved. It showed her how much she’d grown all because of Jordan. His touch, his belief in her, but most of all, his love. Yes, she felt his love day in and day out. She wasn’t afraid anymore.

“It is. So now what do you want to do?”

“I want you to help me dress for tonight at the club. I want to surprise Jordan, to show him how I feel about him, but I also want him to know I’m his.”

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