Page 66 of Silver Sanctuary
Nash’s brows pulled together in confusion.
“All this time, I thought he died. But the night it happened, I freaked out—I didn’t check. That’s what my mother came to tell me today.” Lacy turned so she was facing the rest of the team. “He survived. She’s gotten clean since then, and now, they want one hundred thousand dollars, or they’re going to tell the police I attacked him and then they’re going to take Brie from me.”
“Walk us through how you ended up stabbing him. And what happened after.” Gunner spoke, his arms coming up to rest on the table in front of them while his eyes stayed glued on Lacy’s face.
“He didn’t like that I tried to refuse him. So, he forced me to…” She wanted to vomit. “I saw the moment he made up his mind...”
“That’s enough,” Nash barked. “You don’t need to tell us anything else, Lacy. We understand—the picture is clear. It was self-defense, and no one would be able to paint it anydifferently.”
She shuddered and forced herself to swallow down the repulsion cresting in her stomach. “I wasn’t protecting myself, Nash. I watched him turn toward the hall and I knew what he was going to do to her. I would never let anything,anyone, hurt her.”
“That’s why you ended up stabbing him? To stop him from hurting Embrie?” Hawk asked, his jaw moving side to side. There was restlessness in the group—knuckles cracking, unspoken words being shared through nods and grunts.
“Yes. He was stumbling away, and it gave me just enough time to run to the kitchen. I buried a knife in his side. He… He screamed for a minute before he passed out. I knew he would die, and I just stood there. I don’t know for how long, but my mom’s hysterical screams snapped me out of it. She’d been waiting in his car and came to look for him when he didn’t go back outside. I started running around, trying to grab whatever we would need, but she stopped me, told me she was calling the cops, screaming that I’d be the one in prison for the rest of my life. I-I panicked. I showed her the money I had saved up. She promised if I left it behind, she’d cover for me—that I could take Embrie and leave. So we did.” Her voice dropped, the next words out of her mouth a confession she wasn’t sure she was ready to face. “I thought I killed a man, and I just grabbed Brie and ran.”
“We won’t let her take Embrie,” Stone promised.
Warm tears were in her eyes once again. She hated being so emotional. It made her feel even more vulnerable, even more exposed, than she already was. “You won’t be able to stop it. I’m not her legal guardian.”
“You’re her mom. How is that possible?” Gunner asked.
“She’smy babyin every way. I’ve cared for her from the day she came home from the hospital. But biologically, I’m her sister.”
No one at the table moved. It was as if the air wentcompletely still with that confession, but she watched as all eyes turned on Nash. Waiting to see his reaction. Gauging if it was going to be an issue for him, she guessed.
“Lacy told me before we got here. And it changes nothing for me. Embrie is Lacy’s daughter, and she’s going to be my daughter one day soon. I don’t want to hear anything else on the subject.” Nash’s words were met with small nods from each of his friends, and Lacy’s heart, which had to be beating as fast as a hummingbird's wings, clenched tightly in her chest.
“It’s an incredible thing that you did, caring for your daughter like that. What you’ve shielded her from… you should feel proud of yourself.” Hawk’s words washed over her. She didn’t miss the way he hadn’t switched to calling Embrie her sister.
“I feel like a fool. I should have tried harder to get legal custody of her.”
“You went through the foster care system yourself. You were trying to spare her that pain, Lace. A judge will see that.” Nash rested his hand on her thigh, but as soon as his words registered in her head, she jolted back.
“A judge? No. No, Nash. A judge will take her away from me. I falsified her birth certificate—they can send me to prison for that. I’m not asking you to give her the money, but I can’t see a way where we can go to the police for this.”
“We need to talk to Cap. He’ll have lawyers, or his lawyers will know someone who can help us on this,” Gage offered.
“That’s very kind of you guys, but I don’t want to involve you any more than I already have.”
“It’s too late.” Gunner slammed down his coffee cup. “We know. So now, if we don’t go to the sheriff, we’re culpable too.”
“No. I didn’t mean for that to?—”
“Reap, do not speak to my wife like that.”
“She’s not your fucking wife yet, Nash! And I’m tellingthe truth. What she just admitted here has implications for us all. Everyone sitting at this table needs to be okay with this moving forward.”
“You’re outta line speaking to her like that, man.” Hawk stood and walked toward Lacy and Nash. “Sebastian’s lawyers will know how to handle all of this. It’s not going to get answered right now, though, so I say we all just come back together in the morning. Nash, you should give him a call, though. Explain what’s going on, and who we need to have here in the morning.”
“Yeah, Phoenix. Thanks. I think that sounds like a good idea.”
“Before you go, do you think I could have the note your mom left with her contact information?” Gage asked. “I’d like to see where she’s staying.”
“You think you can get something from that?” Nash asked as she reached into her pocket to pull out the piece of paper.
“We can at least set up some surveillance on the room. Keep an eye on her movements.”
“You can have it.” Lacy pushed the piece of paper over to him. “I’m truly sorry to have roped you guys into helping me, but I appreciate it nonetheless.”
