He laughs. “Your brother doesn’t scare me. Now get ready. We don’t want to be late.” He smiles and leaves the room.
I slowly get up, still in a bit of shock about Nelson’s behavior change. Even though he left the room, I still lock the bathroom door once inside. After a long, hot shower, I discover his slap left a red mark on my face. I don’t like to wear much makeup, but I guess today I have to.
I fight back the tears that threaten as I realize my prison is actually worse without my dad here.
“Delaney?” Duke calls.
I walk out of the bathroom to find my brother struggling with his tie.
“Can you help me with this?” he asks, then glances up. “Hey, what happened to your face?”
I undo the knot he made and retie it. “Nelson hit me. He says that he only didn’t before because of Dad.”
Duke’s hands fist by his sides. “Is that so?”
“He said he’s not afraid of you.” I finish and pat his chest.
He lifts my chin until I meet his gaze. “I’m sorry. I knew he was a bastard, but I didn’t realize he would hurt you.”
I turn away before I start to cry. I’m not used to such tenderness from my brother. Nor am I used to fighting off tears. It’s been an emotional morning. “This has to nullify whatever deal there was. I won’t stay married to that monster.”
He closes his eyes. “I’m sorry. But that doesn’t change anything as far as his family is concerned. Our lives would be in danger.”
I let the tears fall. It’s one thing to live with a man I don’t love but to endure whatever hell he has in store…I don’t think I can do it.
“There must be something we can do,” I say.
“Duke, there you are. Can I have a word?” Nelson asks from the door.
I walk to the bathroom. “I need to finish getting ready.” I close the door. Footsteps make their way down the hall, so I know I’m alone.
Fortunately, makeup can hide a lot. Once I’m presentable, I meet my brother and Nelson downstairs. We go to the church, and I’m still the dutiful daughter saying and doing all the right things. I know he was my father, and I should be sad, but after I learned who he really was, I could no longer view him as my dad. In my mind, the dad I loved died years ago.
We ride in silence from the service to the cemetery. There’s already a crowd building. I wonder if the man who shot my dad is here. Duke assured me he’d take care of the situation and not to worry. But I worry. Anyone outside of our family assumes I’m just as much a part of everything. I’m not. My dad never wanted me to know anything. And now Duke is fine having all the control.
We get out of the car, and Nelson takes my hand in his, leading me to the crowd. But I stop. I feel him.
Logan.
I haven’t felt him in twelve years, but right now, right here, I feel him. Is it possible he’s here? I scan the faces at the tent. No, why would he be here? Although my dad’s death did make the news.
Movement to my side catches my attention. A man in a hoodie is walking away from a grave toward a car. The way he walks, could it be him?Turn around,I will him. He doesn’t.
I sigh. I’m so desperate for any way out of my situation that I’m imagining Logan showing up after twelve years to save me. Now that is a fantasy.
“Stay here,” Nelson says.
Duke and Nelson follow the man in the hoodie. Then Duke puts a bag over his head. I glance back at the crowd. No one notices. How can no one notice? Are all these people so used to looking the other way? But why did Duke have a bag on him? Hell, maybe his pockets are full of torture devices.
I glance back as they all get into a car. I step in their direction, hoping to stop them, but someone grabs my wrist.
“Delaney, I’m so sorry,” one of my dad’s friends says. He drops my wrist, and I nod but don’t reply.
Thankfully, no one expects me to speak, as they are all certain I’m grief ridden. Another one of my dad’s friends leads me to the front of the crowd, in front of the casket. As I stare down at it, I’m angry. Angry for the position he put me in. For the one that Duke now says I must stay in, being married to Nelson.
My brother and husband return to the crowd quickly. Maybe they just drove the man out of the cemetery. Duke steps up beside me. As much as I want to ask about the guy, I know this is not the place.
We stand there, appearing sad through the rest of the service. Once it’s over, we return to the car that brought us here. Now that we have privacy, I turn to both men.
