Page 52 of Give Me Redemption

How it was? What does she mean by “how it was”? It was hell. I was never allowed to go anywhere after that. I was kept at home, under lock and key. My parents watched every move I made and wouldn’t take their damn eyes off of me. Not to mention the smothering. God, I wanted so much for things to get back to normal.

But I was the kid who was there. I was the kid who was left behind to deal with broken hearts and sad eyes.

“It was hell. It was fucking hell.” I stand up and walk to the door. “See you next week.”

I exhale and start my car. There’s nothing to see here. Bryce Grant is very sneaky. He knows what he’s doing. I’m going to have to get Jace to invite me inside.

I care about the guy, but this is my life. I have to get this case taken care of so I can get back to trying to find Chloe. I need to go to Maine myself. I need to be where the suspect was or is.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jace

Early morning sun brightens the sky, coloring the vast space with the softest blue. I sit on the tractor out at Grant Ranch after cutting it off and taking in the sunrise. Dalton’s words run through my mind.

“Don’t be too hard on your brother. He was older than you.”

I rest back, kicking my feet up as I slide my hands into my pockets.

I know the man is older than me. I know he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. The reasonable side of me does anyway.

The hurt side, the side that feels lied to, abandoned? That side can’t see reason. All it sees are pain and betrayal. How can Bryce help that woman?

We were disposable to Mary.

She proved that when she gave us up at the hospital.

I know we were better off in the long run with Pops and Emily. Our time growing up on the ranch was filled with lessons and hard work, but Emily and Pops made a life for us. A stable life, which is what kids need.

They need for you to be there for them, even when they’re trying to push you away.

My brother did everything he could to push them away, but they fought for him. I was the kid who didn’t cause too much drama. I stayed quiet and did what I was told.

Bryce went wild and tried to stay away as much as possible, because even though we knew we were better off, we still missed our parents. We still loved them and wanted them and not these strangers we were put with.

Over time, I got over it, though. I missed my mom and dad less and less. I moved on from the tragedy that was our life before. Bryce couldn’t shake it. It’s still affecting him to this day.

And I couldn’t understand why the one stable in my life chose to leave me.

We both have issues but for two different reasons. You toss a little war into the mix and the shit I’ve witnessed over the past few years, and well, you’ve got a person who feels nothing but guilt, pain, and rejection.

I don’t know why I made it out. I should feel grateful, but I can’t.

And now I’ve met the most amazing woman. I should feel even more blessed to be here right now.

Dalton is funny, kind, and she tries to see both sides of the matter. She’s never even met my brother and yet, she’s taking up for him. She’s gorgeous and smart and I love the sound of her laugh, so I find myself trying to make her do it, just so I can hear it.

I’ve been giving my brother shit for falling for Harrison, but what the hell is happening to me?

I shake my head, cut the tractor back on, and head back toward the barn. I know Emily has to have breakfast cooking.

____________

I hear voices when I near the back porch that leads into the kitchen. It’s my brother and Harrison.

Shit.

I wasn’t ready for this.

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