Pierced Hearts (Southern Charmers 1)

Chapter 35

Darby

All eyes are on me as I descend the stairs with Jill. Maya and Cole are asleep, both of them seemingly unscathed after the events of the day. Pierce stands across the room, as far away as possible from where Connie sits with her parents. He holds his hand out to me, and I signal to give me a second. The room is uncomfortably silent, the tension thick. My parents went home, but Evin refused to leave while Connie was still here. Even with the traumatic events of what happened, his focus is on me.

I go to the kitchen, open a bottle of wine, and pour three generous glasses, taking two to Jill and Stephanie. It may only be daybreak, but we deserve this. I take Pierce’s elbow and lead him to sit across from the Webbers.

Mr. And Mrs. Webber are flanked on each side of Connie, slumped in exhaustion and fatigued. Their loyalty to Connie is being tested since they learned her quest for revenge. Apparently, once the truth came out, they saw a different side to their daughter. It was obvious they were terrified over the children missing, but they were even more upset when Maya told her version of what she had witnessed, overheard, and read with her mother’s attempt to take them away from Pierce.

Connie stares straight ahead, avoiding me. Her eyes are hollow, bloodshot, and loaded with grief. There actually are signs of guilt over her actions. Or it could be a mask to cover the humiliation of her children admitting to the officer involved, and a room full of people, they wanted to stay with Pierce indefinitely.

It could also be that they requested me to join Jill in getting them ready for bed. I tried to decline until Pierce shot me the most gorgeous look of appreciation and gratitude. Knowing her children chose me over her had to sting.

I didn’t know the Webbers well all those years ago, but I’d run into them a few times. They, like everyone, thought I’d left town to nurse a broken heart, so they assumed Connie’s pregnancy was the result of Pierce moving on to better things in life.

It is time to set the story straight. That is why I requested to speak to Connie. Pierce wanted her out of his house, Evin forbid me being alone with her, and Stephanie advised witnesses so she couldn’t twist my words later. I thought it was overkill to have the audience, but no one agreed.

Connie doesn’t deserve my secrets, but I’ll do anything to end this for Pierce. And he’d never deceive my trust by outing the truth. It has to be me.

“Contrary to popular belief, I didn’t run off on Pierce. I had my reasons,” I start, and Pierce’s head whips to me at the same time a breath hitches behind us.

“Don’t do this, Darby,” Miller grunts sharply.

I shoot him a thankful glare before continuing. “In May, thirteen years ago, Pierce and I found out I was pregnant. It was a beautiful surprise.”

I may be ready to spill, but Connie is getting the clean and basic version of my story.

“We were already planning to get married, so that was simple, and I was going to move in with him and Miller until we found our own place. August of that year, I lost our son. It was an ugly miscarriage that neither of us knew how to deal with.” Stephanie’s hand lands on my shoulder, and Pierce slips closer, his hand covering my lower abdomen. Connie’s eyes heat at him touching me with tenderness. She never got this. Even when fully round and carrying the kids, he didn’t show affection.

“I didn’t react well and, for the sake of privacy, left town to seek counseling. Only a few people knew, and Pierce was not one of them. He tried to track me down, find me, pull me back from drowning in misery. But I didn’t allow it. He turned to alcohol and marijuana to dull his own grief. Nothing about him was stable or predictable, and his own family couldn’t help. We all know you saw this.”

Connie squares her shoulders, slicing her eyes to each side before landing on mine. “What are you implying?”

“I’m not implying anything, only stating the facts. Miller, Jill, and Warren were trying their best but couldn’t break through. I was selfish and dealing with my own heartache. I live with that regret every day, not thinking about what was happening to him.”

“That’s enough,” Pierce grates out.

“No, I want to know what’s Darby’s getting at,” Connie says.

“We’re sorry to hear about your loss, but I agree with Connie. Why are you telling us this, and what does it have to do with anything?” Mrs. Webber eyes me wearily.

“Because, while I was working on myself, Pierce was wallowing in self-destruction, and his senses were impaired. Connie was by his side, matching him hit for hit and shot for shot.” I lock eyes with Connie, speaking directly to her now, ignoring our audience. “You encouraged him to bury himself in that dark place, and then you mapped out a plan to take advantage of him.”