But this was different. Luke needed to understand what his father had been protecting him from all these years. Because it was clear that his mother was messing with his head.
The blue in Lawson’s eyes darkened with emotion as I released his hand, and his throat worked as he swallowed. “Your mother went to prison for a year for child endangerment.”
Luke’s gaze jerked back to his dad. “No, she didn’t.”
“She did,” Lawson said gently. “You can look it up if you don’t believe me. The sentence is public record.”
“You sent her toprison?”
“I didn’t do anything.” Frustration leaked into Lawson’s voice. “She started taking you to parties while I was working nights. I didn’t know it was happening. Had no damned idea untilyoucalled me.”
Luke’s brow furrowed. “I didn’t call you from any party.”
“You did. You were ten years old and scared out of your mind. Drew was beside himself. Charlie wouldn’t stop crying. You had locked yourselves in a bedroom upstairs.”
“You’re lying!” Luke accused. “Mom warned me you would. That you’d make up crazy stories just because you want us to hate her like you do.”
Lawson’s hands fisted at his sides as he battled for control. But he pushed on. “You heard gunshots. Shouts. Someone crying. And you called me.”
Luke shook his head angrily. “Shut up! I didn’t. I didn’t hear any of that.”
“I had to trace the call to find the house. When I arrived with backup, a man had killed two people already, was threatening to kill more. Just so he could get drugs from the man your mother was having an affair with.”
Luke’s face screwed up. “Bullshit! I’d remember that. I was ten, not two!”
“Your mom didn’t have one word of concern about you and your brothers. She just wanted me to fix it so she wasn’t arrested. Wanted me to bribe my fellow officers.”
“S-she didn’t. I’d remember.” Luke’s voice trembled slightly as if he were battling with a memory.
“She’d completely forgotten she had kids to take care of. Drew had wet his pants. Charlie was so dehydrated we had to take him to the hospital.”
“I-I’d remember.”
Lawson moved in closer, slowly, gently. “You blocked out the trauma. You called me. You said—”
Luke stumbled back a step. “Daddy, I’m scared.”
He said the words as if recounting a memory.
“Someone was pounding on the door after the shots…” Luke’s words trailed off. “I didn’t know how to get Charlie to stop crying.”
“But you found a phone and called me,” Lawson said, moving toward his son. “You were so brave. And you got help.”
Luke’s gaze shot to Lawson, his eyes filling with tears. “She forgot us.”
Lawson pulled him into a hard hug. “You’re okay.”
“She left us there and didn’t care. I told her Charlie was crying, and she said to go away.”
Lawson gripped Luke harder. “But you got him help.”
“You came,” he croaked, his shoulders beginning to shake with the force of his sobs.
“I’ll always come for you, Luke. Always.”
Luke cried harder, and Lawson just held on as his boy let it all free. My heart broke into a million pieces. For all of them. For the damage Melody had wrought and the damage that had been done by trying to forget it had ever happened.
Lawson’s ravaged gaze connected with mine. I tried to pour every ounce of love into mine. To somehow silently tell him that I was here for him, that he had me. Always.
