Chapter 36: Chapter 37

The conversation with Abel left my insides raw.

I knew he loved me, and my love for him nestled deep into my soul. I also knew the legal system couldn’t care less about my feelings for Abel. On paper, my decision to uproot my children and relocate to Michigan, then marry a felon and move in with him wasn’t a good look. At best, I appeared impulsive, and at worst, like I had a disregard for my children’s safety.

But they don’t know him.

Deep sadness unfolded in my chest as I stood in my lawyer’s office, staring down at the pile of paperwork, hating the lies they held.

Jared had the money to hire the country’s best attorney. He knew the children were the perfect way to punish me for leaving, and he had no qualms about using them against me.

Dissolution of our marriage wasn’t something that could happen overnight, but my attorney had started the process of severing my ties to Abel.

Optics, she called it.

Initially, I had balked at Abel’s suggestion for me and the twins to stay at the house while he slept at the cabin with Granddad. However, my attorney agreed that the optics of my separation with Abel would only work in our favor.

Every signature I scrawled was laced with regret.

My lawyer looked at me with kind eyes as my hand froze in the air. “This is simply to counter the points your ex-husband will inevitably use against you. Once this custody battle is behind you, you’re free to spend your time with whomever you choose.”

Her words were hollow and grim, offering no comfort to the ache in my stomach. Without looking, I scrawled my signature—Sloane Robinson—across the line.

I hadn’t even had the chance to take his name.

The thought was ridiculous. Even I knew we had started our relationship as a ruse. It shouldn’t have hurt so badly to end it, but every swipe of my signature felt like a betrayal—against him, against my heart.

By the time I was finished, my soul was drained. For now, it was a waiting game until the court hearing. I offered a weak goodbye and folded myself into my car. As soon as the door closed beside me, I burst into tears. Hard, aching sobs racked from my body as I hunched over the steering wheel.

How had I messed things up so badly?

All I had ever wanted was to feel safe. In Abel, I had found that plus so much more, and now it was being pulled out from under me. Like he had so many times before, Jared was controlling the narrative.

Sadness gave way to anger. I fucking hated him and everything he had put us through. I gripped the steering wheel and screamed at the windshield until my voice was raw.

I sat in silence, my angered howl still ringing in my ears as my breaths sawed in and out of me.

My phone rang and my chest tugged into a knot.

I didn’t recognize the number, but I swiped my fingers under my eyes and cleared my throat. “Hello?” I croaked.

“Sloane. This is Russell King. Are you all right?”

I swallowed and tried to sound normal. Nervousness rang through my body with a sharp edge. “I’m fine. Is something wrong? Is Abel okay?”

Russell chuckled on the other end. “As far as I understand, my son is doing very well—thanks to you, young lady. I’m calling because I heard a rumor that you might be in a spot of trouble, and I thought I could help.”

Unease rolled through me. Abel didn’t trust his father, and my alarm bells were ringing.

“Oh,” I said. “Thank you, but I think we have it handled.”

“Hmm.” Disappointment dripped through the phone. “Still . . . I’d like you to come by the house. Could you do that for me?”

My fingers twitched as I glanced at the clock. Abel was working at the brewery, and since he wasn’t staying at the house, I wanted to steal a few moments with him. Still, I knew Russell King was a powerful man, and if there was any way he might be able to help me, I’d be a fool not to take it.

Right?

Indecision gnawed at me.

“How about some lemonade and cookies? I won’t keep you long.” There was a softness in his request I wasn’t expecting.

“Um . . . okay. Sure.” I swallowed past the regret.

“Wonderful. I’ll be expecting you.” Russell King ended the call, and my stomach flopped over.

The drive to the King estate was short. Pulling down the long driveway, I was reminded of my first meeting with Abel’s father. I had been so nervous that he would suspect the marriage between Abel and me was fake. Now, I knew it was real and, still, the looming house filled me with unease.

I knocked, and Russell opened the door with a wide smile. He was dressed in a collared knit shirt, beige dress pants, and loafers. If I squinted hard enough, it reminded me of what Jared might grow to look like in a few decades.

“Sloane.” He stepped aside to open the door and stretched out his arms. “Please, come in.”

I ducked through the doorway, sidestepping him to avoid an awkward embrace. His hand landed softly on my back.

“Please, come this way. The office can be so stuffy. I have refreshments in the solarium.”

I followed behind him, taking in the grandeur and opulence of the King estate.

The interior was pristine. Sunlight danced through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a golden glow over the tastefully arranged furniture. Every corner exuded a sense of sophistication, with delicate lighting hanging from the high ceilings, and thick drapes cascading gracefully down the windows.

“This way, you remember,” he said. “It may not be as lovely as the wedding shower Bug decorated for, but I always enjoy a sunny spot.”

Together we walked to the back of the house, toward the solarium. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling glass. Without the wedding shower decorations, the windows provided an unobstructed view of the sprawling backyard. The home may have been nestled amid lush greenery and picturesque surroundings, but it stood as a testament to the King family’s wealth and opulence. It lacked the warmth and coziness of the home Abel had carved out for himself.

My soul ached at the mere thought of my husband.

Russell gestured toward a small tray with a plate of cookies and two tall glasses of iced lemonade.

I forced a smile. “It’s lovely. Thank you.”

Carefully, I sat down, and Russell took the seat next to me. A small table with our refreshments stood between us. He slid it in my direction. “Please. Enjoy.”

The glass was cool in my hands. I placed it against my lips and took a small sip. The lemonade was the perfect balance of sweet and sour. “Thank you.”

Russell did not move toward his glass, but rather folded his hands in his lap. A gold pinkie ring with a small diamond winked in the sunlight. “Outtatowner is a hidden gem, don’t you think?”

I smiled. “It’s perfect.”

He leaned back. “I thought so too. Nestled against the Western Michigan shores, you’ve got beauty and grandeur. I’m able to maintain my business and travel to Chicago when needed, but outside of our little town, very few people have heard of it. It’s quiet. Secluded.”

I stared down at my lemonade. “I think that’s why I chose here. I needed a fresh start, and my granddad was here. It seemed too good to be true.”

Russell nodded. “Bax Robinson is a good man. I’ve known him for many years.” His hand ran the length of his thigh. “Bit of a shame about his farmhouse—though I hear you’ve started rebuilding.”

I nodded. “Home Again Designs are taking on the renovation. It’s going to be really beautiful.”

He hummed, disgust laced in the single sound.

Russell King was known to hold grudges, and it was clear he did not like that I was associating with Kate Sullivan and the design company she ran with her husband.

He leaned against the armrest. “I don’t want you to worry, my dear. That’s why I asked you to come.”

I tipped my chin toward him, and my brows cinched down.

“Many people tell me many things in this town. I have to apologize for not letting on earlier, but I know about the heartache you and my son are enduring.” He exhaled a heavy sigh. “Now, I have to admit, when he paraded you in here the first time, I thought you were both lying to me. However, I have come to realize that you do care a great deal for my son—and he for you. Which is why I want you to know that you no longer need to worry about your ex-husband meddling with our family.”

I looked at him. “Sir?”

A slick grin spread across his face. He liked that I called him sir, and it made my stomach bunch.

Above all else, Russell King craved power.

He scoffed. “No one contends with a King and wins, my dear.”

I swallowed hard. My mind flipped across dangerous whisperings of Abel’s mother and Jared’s disappearance.

My eyes went wide. Russell took note of my fear, and his laugh rang out as his meaty palm patted my hand. “No need to be frightened. I simply want to reassure you that the problem has been silenced indefinitely.”

Why was he telling me this? What could he possibly gain from me knowing that he was responsible for something happening to Jared?

Blood drained from my face. “If my children ever ask about visiting their father . . .”

His icy eyes bore into me. “That is not an option, my dear.”

I blinked up at him, trying to buy some time so I could figure out what the hell to do, my heart rate spiking. “Thank you, sir.”

He laughed, sinking back into his chair and winking. “Now there’s a woman who knows her place. Abel sure picked a good one.”

I looked down at the simple silver band on my finger.

Abel’s mother.

I sucked in a breath and infused sweetness into my voice. “I’m surprised a man as benevolent and charming as yourself never remarried.”

“Ah.” His eyes glittered over my fawning. “I, like you, have not always had the best fortune in relationships.”

“Like Abel’s mother,” I offered innocently.

“Precisely. I tried for years to give her everything, and it was never enough.” His voice held wistful memories. “You aren’t the only person in this family who’s needed a problem to go away. I assure you, those are two inconveniences that won’t ever be found.” A twitch near his eye nearly gave him away. I was certain he hadn’t meant for that last bit to slip out, but he smiled to recover. “But we can keep that little tidbit between us. Is that a deal, my dear?”

Any deal with Russell King was a deal with the devil.

Abel’s words rattled around my brain.

“Of course.” I glanced at my watch as my brain screamed for an escape. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I need to get the kids soon.” I rose and he stood beside me. “Thank you—for everything.”

He walked me to the front door but stopped before opening it. His hand gripped my shoulder. “There’s safety in knowing your place. Don’t forget that.”

My lips formed a flat smile. “I won’t. Thank you, sir.”

Pacified, Russell released his grip, and I moved as quickly as my feet could carry me without running down the front steps and across the front lawn to my car.

I raised my hand in farewell and shut myself inside the safety of my car before watching Russell enclose himself inside his fortress.

A guttural exhale filled my car. My hands shook as I started the vehicle and backed out of the driveway.

One thing I knew for certain:

Russell King disappeared my ex-husband . . . just like he’d done with Abel’s mother.