Page 7 of His Gentle Omega
After asking if they had any paper maps, the kid who couldn’t be old enough to drink finally found some in a corner. He’d seemed really confused as to what the thing even was. Hell, he probably didn’t even know how to read one. The only reason I did was because my dad had insisted both Asher and I learn. Insisting we couldn’t always rely on our cell phone to do things for us.
Tonight, I was doubly grateful he had insisted we learn how to read a map. Saying a silent thanks to him for that, I added a couple of bottles of water to our pile, wincing at the outrageous total. Definitely should have stopped at Walmart.
Once Lucas was buckled in and talking softly to Mr. Rabbit all about road trips and snacks, I dug my cell phone out of my duffel and sat it in the console next to me. Swallowing three of the ibuprofen, I turned the truck in the direction of the highway. I doubted the little brown pills would put a dent in my aches and pains, but they were better than nothing.
“Daddy?” Lucas’s soft voice broke the silence a few minutes later.
“Yeah, buddy?” Making a quick detour down a side street at the last second, I answered him.
“Where are we going?”
He’d asked before and I hadn’t really answered him. “I have one more stop to make real quick, and then we are going to a place called Sweet Alps, California. We’re going to see your Uncle Asher.”
Glancing in the rear-view mirror, I saw him mulling over what I had told him. Lucas was a thoughtful kid, always thinking about people’s responses before he asked follow-up questions. But he was six, so I knew the questions were coming.
“Is it far?”
“Pretty far, yeah. We’ll make plenty of stops so we can stretch our legs, okay?” The rain started again, and I switched the wipers back on.
“Is he nice? My uncle?” His little voice was so hesitant it tore at my heartstrings. I had told him a few things about Asher, but not much. I hadn’t wanted him to ever say something in front of Edward, that would alert him to the fact that I had looked for–and found–my brother.
Pulling into the cemetery, I slowed on the little gravel road, surprised I remembered the way. It had been so fucking long since I had been here. But when we left tonight it would be for good. I had no intention of coming back to Dallas. Ever.
“Asher is very nice,” I whispered, and that weird, aching squeeze thing happened to my heart again. “He was the best big brother.”
And he had been. I’d been the one that had turned into a know-it-all little shit. I’d been the one that had turned my back on everyone I had ever loved. Acting like I was too good to be associated with them. Acting like I had a new family and didn’t have any use for my dad and my brother.
Asher had always protected me, and I prayed to the Goddess he would protect us now. And if not me, then Lucas.
Turning in the seat, I ignored the tug the movement caused my ribs. My entire body was one big, throbbing ache, which was becoming second nature.
“Stay here, okay?” Pointing to the headstones to the side of us, I instructed Lucas. “I’m going to be right there. You’ll be able to see me the whole time. But it’s raining, so you stay here. I just need to tell grandma and grandpa good-bye.”
He nodded, his blue eyes solemn. He should be sleeping at this time of night. Tucked safe and warm in his bed.
Rushing as fast as I could in the rain that had turned into a cold downpour, I stared down at the headstone, barely able to make out the letters in the dark. Elizabeth Pierce on one side, and Tristan on the other. Regret slammed into me like a real thing.
I had missed my dad’s funeral. Hadn’t been there in his last days. The shop had been sold, and I assumed the house we had grown up in along with it. I had a shit ton to answer for with my brother. I had a shit ton to answer for, period.
My chest tightened, and the infernal tickle that I knew preceded a coughing fit started in the back of my throat. The cough barked out of me, the force of it nearly making me fall into the headstone and grasping the cold, wet granite tightly with curled fingers.
I sounded like a fucking seal when I coughed, my sore throat burning with the effort to draw air into my lungs. Tears streamed down my face, mixing with the rain that soaked my skin and clothes.
“I’m sorry, Dad.” The ragged, whispered words tore from my throat. “I’m so sorry. For everything. I’m sorryI wasn’t a better son. But I’m taking Lucas and I’m getting him out of here. I hope you haven’t seen anything that’s happened, but if you have…well, I hope you know I did what you taught me. I never raised a hand to Edward. Not once. But I can’t do this anymore. I can’t do this to Lucas. He deserves better. We both do. I’m going to find Asher. I hope…I hope he’ll forgive me. I hope you can forgive me, too. I never stopped loving you. Just…I need you to know that. I’m going to try to be the man you raised me to be.”
I didn’t even try to wipe the tears that were falling freely down my face, at least from my one good eye. Lucas’s face peered at me from the truck window, looking small and scared.
Making my way back to the passenger side of the truck, I shivered as I opened the door and reached for my cell phone. I needed to ditch it, knowing Edward would be able to track me with it. The phone was in his name, and he used it like a weapon. It hadn’t taken me long to figure out he had some way to see what I was doing on my phone. Who I was texting. Even if I searched something on the internet.
At first, I had thought I was being paranoid. When I had done a search for Baby and Me classes when Lucas was a newborn, Edward had mentioned at dinner that night that he didn’t think it was something I needed to pursue. When I had been feeling lonely and wanted to try to get a piece of my old life back, I had sent a Facebook message to an old school friend. Edward had come home early in a jealous rage that had ended with my first broken nose.
After that, if I used the phone for anything other than answering his text or calls or for anything that didn’t pertain to Lucas’s doctor appointments, he would have the service shut off. Lucas had been a baby at the time, and I had been scared to death something would happen to him and I would have no way to callfor help. Edward had trained me like I was his damn dog, reliant on him for everything.
But I wasn’t as stupid as he thought. Wasn’t just the handsome alpha who worked on cars and looked good draped on his arm. He couldn’t trace the computers in the public library, where he allowed me to take Lucas for weekly story hour.
He never imagined I would enlist our butler’s help in documenting my bruises, cuts, and broken bones. Albert had used his personal cell phone to take pictures, set me up with an email Edward didn’t know about, and sent the pictures to it. An email I also sent addresses and phone numbers I might need, along with any articles that might someday be of use.
I knew this day was coming, and I knew I needed to be prepared, especially if I had a chance in hell of keeping Lucas safe. Edward–and his family–would fight me; I knew that. They had power, lots of money, and fancy lawyers backing them.
