I sigh, “I have to be here in case she changes her mind.”
“What about work?” he asks.
“I’m taking some time off.”
“Liam, seriously. You can’t just sit here in this house all by yourself, haunted by memories slowly driving you insane.”
Why can’t he just leave? I don’t want him here; I need to be alone. I don’t need him trying to save me from myself.Nobody can save me except Mercy and I already know that isn’t going to happen.
“Xander, listen, I know you’re trying to help, but I really need to be alone right now.”
He glances around, “Who cleaned up? You said the house was trashed.”
“My maid.”
He nods, “Alright, I’ll go for now. But I’ll see you soon, yeah?”
Finally, he turns and leaves. I’m all alone with this pain in my chest. A few hours later I get a call from a number I don’t recognize but for some reason I answer it.
“Dad. I need a lawyer.”
I take a deep breath to control my rage, “Are you fucking kidding me? Abso-fucking-lutely not!”
I hang up.
I did not want him dead. I want him to live with what he did. He’s my son, I’ll always love him no matter what. But I’m done. I certainly will not help him get out of jail, that’s for damn sure. One thing is certain, my son has balls of steel.
Three
LIAM
One Month Later…
All charges were dropped against me which I was grateful for, but my world stopped the day I lost Mercy. She never came to pick up any of her things, it’s all sitting in my closet right where she left it. I have not called or even sent a text message. She wanted me to let her go and I have. Thanks to the magic of social media, I see that she’s okay. She has bounced back while I have not.
Tonight, she’s at On-Call, she checked in there on Facebook. Xander texted me and told me I should just casually drop by. But I’m not going to, that would be stalker-like, right? If I’m honest with myself, I couldn’t possibly stand to hear those words from her mouth again.It’s over Liam.It’s bad enough that they play on repeat in my fucking head. I don’t need to actually hear them again.
I’m no longer the man she wants. I don’t think it was anything I did. We were just fine until my asshole son kidnapped her and tried to rape her. Maybe it changed the way she sees me. Who could blame her really? Nash and I do look alike, perhaps she can’t stomach looking at me again. It’s pretty hard to have a relationship with someone that you can’t stand looking at.
A knock at my door snaps me out of my memories that seem to be on a twenty-four/seven torture reel.
I open the door to a police officer.
“Are you Dr. Liam Lexington?”
“Yes, how can I help you?”
“I’m Sergeant Benson, there has been an accident.”
I wave her in and immediately I start pacing, “Who?”
Please let Mercy be okay. She’s at the On-Call Room I remind myself, she’s safe.
“Your parents were hit by a drunk driver going the wrong way on the freeway. I’m sorry, sir, but they didn’t make it.”
She keeps talking but I don’t hear anything else. When she leaves, I call my little sister, Elle, and tell her what happened. After listening to her sob for an hour I book her a flight to come home. My sister is a supermodel, mostly in lingerie which I don’t like but at twenty she doesn’t listen to me. She’s simply stunning with blonde hair to the middle of her back and crystal blue eyes, it’s not at all surprising to me that she’s done so well for herself. Still, I wish it involved more clothes.
* * *