Page 44 of Sean

He had been, so busy that he hadn’t even realized the entire day had slipped away. “I hate that my work made me break my word to them.”

“Sean, it’s okay. Really. Kids rebound from these things fast. Promise to take them for a hike tomorrow if you like.” She took a sip of her beer. “It’s not like you’re their dad, so you don’t have to worry about them holding this over your head forever. You’re a nice guy who’s helping us out, but we’re not your top priority—and we shouldn’t be. You’re allowed to have your own life.”

Her reassurance just made him feel worse. He didn’t like that he was just some guy helping out. That no longer seemed enough for him.

Just like his “no-strings” relationship with Julia no longer seemed like enough. She meant something to him beyond late night sex. So did the kids. He wanted to know what they would be like in a year or five. Would Amos be taller than his sister eventually? Would Julia find a way to blend her career as a photographer with raising kids? And how would she manage that alone? Or did she want someone by her side long term…and it just didn’t happen to be him?

“Sean?” Julia touched his arm, knocking him out of his spiraling thoughts.

He didn’t know what to say to her, how to express what he was feeling. For the past four years, he’d avoided attachments to anyone, so he couldn’t be hurt when people left his life. He was out of practice with trying to make a relationship work—and that was assuming she even wanted one with him.

So he did the only thing he could, he smiled and leaned closer to kiss her. “Can you come to bed early tonight?”

“I think so.” She kissed him this time, a longer kiss. The kiss would have kept going if he hadn’t heard his father whistling as he approached.

When Joe entered, he gave them a look that probably missed nothing before wishing them both a good night and leaving the room.

“I’m going to check on the kids.” Julia slid off her stool. “See you soon.”

When he was alone, he wondered just what in the hell was going on with his life.

TWENTY-TWO

Julia was sitting up in Sean’s bed with her laptop balanced on her knees. It was late but Sean was still finishing up some work for his project across the room, so Julia was using the time to edit some photos she’d taken around the ranch. She’d caught pictures of wildflowers and trees in bloom in the spring sunshine. The location was beautiful, and she wanted to remember it when she had to leave it all behind.

She was so tempted to post some of the images on her professional site, but she didn’t dare. It would be a clue for Wilson about where she was with the kids. She did go to her site and check for messages, though. She’d had to turn down all the work queries she’d gotten, like the job in New Zealand, but at least if she responded to people promptly, she could maintain her professional relationships. She didn’t know what her work life would look like when all this was over and she was on her own again with the kids, but she did know that it was better not to burn any bridges.

She clicked on the message icon on her website and saw a new one had come in. Wilson again. She let out a long sigh. It had been several days since he’d threatened her—she guessed she was due.

“Something wrong, sweetheart?” Sean came over and joined her on the bed.

“Wilson.” She pointed to her laptop. “He’s left me a message. I’m so tempted to just delete it without listening.” She gave a shiver. “I don’t need to hear his threats again.”

“Let me listen if you don’t want to. He might reveal something that’s useful to us.”

Sean was right, and it was just like him to be willing to shoulder the burden so she wouldn’t have to. He’d been amazing to her and the kids, going far outside of his comfort zone for their sake. And to her, specifically, he’d become special in a number of ways.

“You have a point. I can do this.” Her finger hovered over the play button until Sean’s arm slipped around her shoulders. Then, she had the courage to hear what Wilson had to say.

He breathed heavily before he started speaking, like he’d been running. “Bitch, you listen and get this right. I’ve had enough of your bullshit. This is what you’re going to do, or I swear, bitch, when I get my hands on you, I’m going to put them around your throat—”

She clicked the pause button. “I hate this.”

“I know. So do I.” Sean pressed a kiss to her temple. “Remember that he wouldn’t be wasting his time on threats if he knew where you were.”

That was a small comfort, so she unpaused the message. “—and squeeze until you’re dead. I’ll do it in front of the kids, so they know who’s boss. You’ve probably made them even whinier than they were. Now, get this right. You bring the kids to the corner of Eighth and Washington on Friday at noon. Friday at noon. With the kids. Got that? You better be there, or you won’t like what happens.”

“He’s so awful. How could Mira ever have loved him?” She asked herself that so many times.

“He fooled a lot of people.” That much was true. He’d actually been pretty high up in society—golfing with the mayor, playing poker with the police chief—before news of his crimes had come to light. “Wilson seems ready to take action, which brings us closer to ending this thing. Do you recognize the address?” Sean asked.

“It’s a commercial area, I think.” She pulled up a map on her laptop to check the location. She clicked to zoom in to see the names of the businesses. Restaurants and stores—nothing that stood out to her. Then she saw the name of a bank that she recognized. She clicked on it and went to the bank’s website. “The kids have accounts there. College funds, probably. I remember seeing statements from that bank arrive at Wilson’s house. Do you think that could be connected to why he wants to meet there?”

“Maybe.” Sean took the laptop, slipped in his earbuds, and listened to the message again. She was grateful not to have to hear it a second time. Sean’s hand on her thigh helped to ground her. She’d never been one to rely on others, but she’d come to trust him and to care for him. Parting was going to be tough, but she refused to worry about that now. Not when there were so many other, more pressing things to worry about.

“I think I know what he’s up to,” Sean said as he put the laptop aside a few minutes later and turned to her. “Wilson is preparing to run for it, probably leave the country. For that, he’ll need money. His accounts are frozen, but the kids’ accounts aren’t. I don’t know if he planned for this and stashed getaway money in those accounts or if he just plans to take out the money he and Mira put aside for them for later, but I’m betting he plans to drain them dry.”

“But he opened the accounts in the first place. Why does he need the kids? Can’t he access them already?”

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