Page 62 of Single Mom's Undoing
“Clara, I will see to it that all of your financial needs are fully covered. Pick a town or a city as far away from here as possible to live in. I’ll buy you a house, I’ll cover your living expenses, I’ll set you up with a generous monthly allowance until Matthew turns eighteen, on top of covering everysingle medical bill that his care will incur. Everything. You’ll never be without while you’re raising my grandson.”
Sounds like a deal inked by the devil himself.
“What’s the catch?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
“No catch. You just have to leave Blackthorn Falls and never return,” he insists.
“You do realize Carter just met his son, right? I can’t disappear again. He’ll come after me. Mr. Lockwood, things are different now. What worked for you last time worked because I was scared and alone, I had no one to turn to. I’m not afraid of you anymore.”
That’s a bald-faced lie, but Bill doesn’t need to know that.
“I will deal with Carter,” Bill says. “He doesn’t have to know where you’re going. When the time is right, when Matthew comes of age, I’ll let the boy return and reacquaint himself with his father. But in the meantime, I need to make sure you stay as far away from here as possible.”
“I thought you were thrilled to have a grandson?” I counter.
“I am, but it’s just too dangerous to have you so close to my business, to my life.”
“Then why not just kill me?” I ask flippantly.
Bill shakes his head. “I could do that. But Matthew still needs his mother. I’m not a monster, Clara. What happened that night with your brother was horrific and unfortunate. I would give anything to take it back, but I let my rage get the better of me. No one else needs to suffer because of that, especially not my innocent grandson.”
“I have no intention of telling anyone about what happened that night,” I say, raising my chin in defiance. “But I’m done hiding. Mr. Lockwood, I don’t want your money. I just want to give my son a chance to grow up with two parents who love him. Carter is more than eager to help us on top of what Stephan left me in that trust fund. We don’t need your money.”
“Don’t say no just yet,” Bill replies, the hint of a smile fluttering across his cold face. “You never know how you might end up changing your mind.”
“I don’t want your money,” I repeat, a little more forcefully.
“I can’t let you stay here.”
“I just told you; I’m done hiding. Now, unless you want me to go public right now with what I know about that night, you will leave us alone.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “That would be unwise.”
“Maybe. But it’ll get you unwanted attention, which is what I know you’re desperately trying to avoid, otherwise, we wouldn’t be having this conversation in the first place,” I shoot back. “If you leave, I’ll keep my mouth shut. I don’t want any trouble. But I don’t want to run away again. Carter deserves better, and so does my son.”
Bill concedes, though I’m not sure it’s entirely genuine, and gives me a slight nod. “The offer stands, Miss Barnes. I’ll leave, but I hope you will reconsider.”
“Have a good evening, Mr. Lockwood.”
He walks out of the kitchen. I stay behind, listening to the sound of each heavy footstep until I hear the front door closebehind him. A split second later, Jodie rushes in to make sure I’m okay.
“Clara?”
I’m trembling, sweating, and damn near gasping for air. “I’m good.”
“You don’t look good.”
“I’m just nauseated. Pregnancy. You know, the usual.”
“What did he want?” Jodie asks as she gently escorts me back to the living room. The pregnancy test sits on the coffee table, glaring back at me.
I let a deep sigh roll from my chest, and with it departs a tremendous amount of pressure. “It’s complicated, Jodie. And believe me, you’re better off not knowing. “For your safety.”
“Clara, I know how two-faced and dangerous Bill Lockwood can be,” she insists. “I grew up in this town, too. Everybody knows. They just don’t do anything about it because of his money and influence. What did he want?”
“He heard about Matty,” I decide to give her a half-truth, instead.
“Through Margot, right?”
