Page 117 of Somebody's Watching Me
It took untold amounts of internal strength on Charlie’s part to stay where he was. He needed an outlet for his anger, and there was no one better to receive it than Ben.
But the farther Ben traveled down the paved path, the urge to beat him to a pulp lessened. Music played from somewhere inside HavenHouse, drifting out over the night. It seeped through the open windows, blending with the sounds of laughter and children staying up well past their bedtime.
For a solid minute, Charlie stood listening. For a solid minute, he lurked in the shadows of the oaks as his brother went inside to be with his son. A son whom the outside world now accepted because Ben had given them no other choice.
Tobias deserved that same acceptance.
All his children did.
But there was nothing that could be done tonight.
Getting in his car, he sped home, beating Viv to the house. He quickly took a shower and scrubbed the stench of Becca off his skin. Standing under the double shower heads, the deluge of water helped wash his guilt down the drain, and he started to feel more like himself just as the shower door opened.
“Hello, handsome.”
Charlie peeked through the streams of water flowing in a rush down his face. Wearing a baby blue dress, Viv remained heartbreakingly gorgeous even after her impromptu flight. “Hello, beautiful.”
“Want some company?”
She squealed when he hauled her in, soaking her dress and hair. They laughed together as he stripped her naked, and then moaned together when he took her right there against the shower wall.
Life with Viv was easy.
Simple.
Real.
And he was happy to have his girl home.
During the first few years of their marriage, she had been so depressed over not being able to conceive. That’s when his mother had gotten involved, introducing Viv to a doctor who stuffed her full of medicationsshe really didn’t need. Those were rough times, and how he ended up with Rebecca to start with.
But with Helen no longer in power, he and Viv’s sister had worked to wean her off the meds. Bianca remained a bratty bitch, but at least she loved Viv as much as he did.
They cuddled in bed once done with the shower, aimlessly flipping through the TV channels.
“How’s your dad?”
Dropping her head on his chest, she snuggled up next to him. “The doctors are saying if he behaves, and takes care of himself, he could live another two decades.”
Wonderful.
“Hey, I heard a name I liked while in Texas.”
Viv kept a little notebook in her purse where she jotted down names she liked. Baby names for their future child.
He stroked her hair, landing on the weather station. That hurricane might not be so small after all. “What is it?”
“Tobias.”
His stomach seized, and he had to physically swallow down the vomit burning his throat.
“What do you think?
Charlie focused on the spinning storm and said the first thing that came to mind. “I think that’s a great name.”
Chapter 26
An outdoor party on the beach wouldn’t be complete without a proper weather event. As Liam steered her through the crush of people, a storm brewed offshore, causing many partygoers to pause in their discussions and gaze out over the darkened water.
