Page 105 of What If I See You

She closes her eyes for a moment taking a steadying breath and when she reopens them, more tears trickle down her face.

“My mother thinks I’m nothing, Griffin. She’s never loved that I didn’t follow in my father’s footsteps. Or my older brother’s footsteps for that matter.” She shrugs. “I’m the ugly duckling. I’m the kid who didn’t turn out the way her cookie cutter molded me to. I’m the one they don’t want. And now they don’t care what I do as long as I’m not an embarrassment to my father.”

Shit.

I can’t let them continue to berate her.

I can’t let them have any power over her.

She’s my wife and I need to protect her.

I want to protect her.

“I’m sorry Griffin,” she says with a sniffle. “All I ever wanted growing up was a family who enjoyed spending time together like my other friends’ families. I wanted to go on vacation with my family. I wanted to go to the movies with them or even miniature gulf or bowling. Normal family type things, you know?” She shrugs, her face sullen. “I just wanted to be normal with a normal loving family only those aren’t the cards I was dealt. And you shouldn’t have to be distracted or bothered by my personal life.”

“No. We’re not doing this.” I shake my head defiantly. I reach down and lift her chin. “Layken you are my personal life. Everything about you is important to me. You owe your parents nothing. Do you hear me? Not one thing.” I lean down and press my lips softly to hers. “You’re my family now, Lake. And I refuse to allow you to see yourself as anything other than stellar any longer.” I tug on her hand. “Get your shoes on, you’re coming with me.”

Wiping her sleeve across her eyes dabbing at her tears, she asks, “Where are we going?”

“To see your parents. And then I’m taking you out.”

“Griffin…”

“Layken.” I take her hand in mine and place it on my chest, her helpless expression breaking my goddamn heart. “One question. And I need the most honest answer you can give me.”

“Okay.”

“Has anyone ever stood up to your parents in your defense?”

She answers with a scoff and an adamant, “Never. Who would’ve ever been in the place to do that? And besides…” She shakes her head. “It’s not anyone’s problem but mi?—”

I stop her with a finger to her lips, shaking my head. “I’m going to stop you right there because that’s where you’re wrong, Naughty. It’s not just your problem. You’re my wife and it’s my job to protect you so it’s my problem too now. It’s my problem because I want it to be my problem. And I want it to be my problem because I see parts of you that you can’t see for yourself and it breaks my heart that you don’t always see it. And the one thing I refuse to do any more is let you think less of yourself because the people who manufactured you don’t know what it means to love and care for their family no matter what. So, I need you to trust me. Can you do that?”

She dries her eyes and wraps herself gently into my chest, her arms circling my waist. “I always trust you, Griffin.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

Layken types her address into my GPS and I follow the directions straight to the home where she grew up. It’s an affluent part of town but a little older looking than the newer allotments that have gone up in the past ten years or so. We pull up to the house and I can feel Layken’s tension. She shifts uncomfortably in her seat and plays with her hair, stroking the ends of the long golden strands through her fingers. She clutches her hands in her lap and picks at her nails, so I calmly reach over and wrap my steady hand over hers.

“Hey.”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve got you. Okay?”

“Yeah.”

She’s not looking at me.

Not good enough.

“Lake?” I hook my finger under her chin and turn her face toward me and then I lean over and kiss her. “Trust me. I’m not going to let them hurt you. Never again on my watch. I promise you that.”

She nods and I open my door to step out of my car before walking around to help Layken out of her side. Still moving a little stiff, we make our way up the front steps to the door where I reach for and ring the front doorbell.

A woman looking almost identical to Layken except for a graying hair color and age lines that Layken doesn’t have answers the door. She glances at me and then her gaze moves to Layken and then back to me. She plasters on what I can tell is an obviously fake smile and says, “Layken! Baby! What a wonderful surprise! It’s so good to see you!” She moves to hug her daughter but Layken scowls and steps back. Her mother mirrors her expression and opens her mouth to say something but I squeeze Layken’s hand and then step slightly in front of her so her mother can look at no one but me.

Her smile falters and she purses her lips waiting for what I’m going to say. Realizing she’s not inviting us in, I grasp Layken’s hand and look her mother square in the face.

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