Page 68 of Sweet Rule
Charlaine tips her head to the side and gives him a shrug. “People are weird about family and homes. You know how it is.”
“No, I don’t. Not with the way I lived.”
That stops me. Law’s never talked about his family, or what his life was like before me. I’ve only had glimpses of his past, and all of it seems to be a part of him he wishes I didn’t know about.
“What do you mean?” I ask him, but he ignores the question and keeps talking to Charlaine.
“Why didn’t he buy it back? If what you’re saying is true, the developers would have flipped it at next to nothing if there was no oil.”
Charlaine bites her lip and leans back in her seat. “I don’t know. That’s what hasn’t made sense about any of this. He could have gotten the land back at almost nothing because of the loss from investors who no doubt just wanted it gone, but he didn’t. He never made a move.”
“Until now,” Law says.
She nods and gives him a grim smile. “Until now,” she agrees. “I’m still trying to figure out what the hell is going on, but that’s how you’re all connected. I’m sure of it.”
“Fuck.”
“I don’t understand why he would do what he’s doing. Why did he force me to marry someone-,” I pause, because that’s not right. My father didn’t have it in his mind to have me marry just anyone. He was after Law. It’s all too neat to be a coincidence, so I try again. “Why would he want me to marry Law over a farm that I didn’t know was real? Why,” I stop and think about the question I’m trying to ask. It’s hard to put what I’m feeling into words.
What I want to ask is why is the father I never knew here, now? Where was he when all I wanted was safety and the gentle voice of a woman that put flowers in my hair? Why wasn’t he at that farm and why didn’t he make my mother stop? He could have stopped her from taking me, so where was he? He’d said he’d waited to confirm my paternity. That he had kept tabs on me only these past few years, but I had a grandmother that knew about me. One that had begged for me and wept when I was ripped from her arms.
Why did he lie about it? Why was he doing any of this? That’s what I want to know, but I don’t say any of that. I keep it inside because I don’t trust myself not to scream it rather than say it.
I give Charlaine a tight smile. “None of this makes sense, but if what you’re saying is true then he was going to get you involved no matter what, Law. It can’t be a coincidence that Law Acquisitions was the one that bought and sold the rose farm.”
It’s a relief to say that out loud. I’d thought I’d brought this down on Law, but I didn’t. He was marked from the beginning. It was me that wandered in like an idiot, but I guess Zeus had me marked since birth. He’s the only one that’s had all the pieces this entire time. We’ve all just been stumbling over the gameboard he’d laid out as best we can.
“You’re right, but until he makes a move we don’t know why he’s forced us together,” Law says. His arms are wrapped tight around me and I soak up his strength. I lean against him and take a deep breath and then another until I feel okay. Not normal, but okay is better than nothing so I’ll take it.
The past months and weeks have been a whirlwind since Law walked into my life. Nothing but the highest peaks and lowest valleys that has me spinning and feeling like I’m on unstable ground. After all of that, I should probably be able to absorb this new unexpected turn like all the rest, but I can’t. It sits heavy on me and I’m barely paying attention while Charlaine and Law make plans.
Charlaine promises to keep an eye on Zeus and his entourage. “I’ll make sure you’re the first to know if I find out anything. He sets a foot outside of that fucking club and I’ll know.”
“Thank you for helping,” I tell her. It feels like Charlaine is taking a big risk helping us. I don’t know what Law did for her but I’m willing to bet it was massive by the way she’s willing to help us take on Zeus.
She winks at me and stands from her seat, grabbing her bag and coat. “Honey, it’s a pleasure to help. Law’s saved my ass more times than I can count. I wouldn’t be here without your man and I want you to know I’ve got your back. You’re part of the family now,” she pauses in shrugging on her coat and winces, “I mean, it’s a pretty weird fucked up little family and we are not perfect, but we’re yours, you know?”
Family.
I think about Addie and Taylor. Tiffany. The grandmother I didn’t know. I think about Law and now Charlaine and I smile at her.
“I’ll take fucked up over perfect any day of the week, Charlaine.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX
LAW
Honey is quiet for the rest of the day. Every time I look her way I see her lost in her thoughts and it makes me tense. I don’t know what’s going on in my girl’s head. My wife. Those two words floor me. I swallow hard and look her over again. She’s staring out the window of the car. We’re on our way home now and while the thought of having a home where Honey belongs with me makes me feel damn good, I still don’t know what to make of the faraway look I see in her eyes.
The memories Charlaine’s questions brought up for her took her by surprise. I know that with the way she almost collapsed. I had to hold her up while she barely kept her feet under her. I’m not used to seeing my girl this fragile. She’s always been soft. Gentle in the way she looks at the world and it never fails to make me want to protect her.
I want to take away the ugly and make sure she never sees any of it. That nothing fucked up or twisted touches her. Life’s given her enough of that for the bitter taste to linger in her mouth for years yet.
Doesn’t mean I’m not going to do everything I can to take that bitterness away.
I reach over and take her hand. She’s surprised at my touch, slightly jumping in her seat as she turns her head to look at me. “You okay?” I ask her quietly.
Honey bites her bottom lip and then shakes her head. “Not really. I can’t stop…I just-I can’t stop the thoughts.”
