Easton

“What’s your point?”

“When Easton came back, we all knew something had happened, but we figured it was closure on Carla. It wasn’t. He’d met you, and once again, he had to give something up he loved. Carla was ripped from him, and the chance of any kind of happiness. With you, he pushed you away. I don’t know the exact nature of your relationship. What I’m saying is, take care of our guy, love him. He deserves to be loved and to have everything his heart desires. Please.”

Tears filled her eyes, and she had to look away and wipe her face to stop them from falling.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I can promise you, Liam and I, we only want the best for him. Easton deserves a chance to have a clean slate, and unfortunately, one of you isn’t exactly giving it to him.” She looked past Romeo into the other room. Taylor had her daughter on her hip.

She didn’t look threatening and there was a smile on her lips, but Scarlett wasn’t convinced. The woman had made her feelings known within the hospital, and whenever she was around, Scarlett would keep an eye on her so she didn’t hurt Easton.

“Yes. It would seem the pain is still there for her. We all know that. Axton, he can deal with her.”

“Really?” Scarlett asked. “Because if she thinks she can hurt his future, she will have to deal with me. She’s a brand-new mother, but I’ve been one for eleven years now. I know how to protect my family, and Easton, he’s my family.”

“He’s all of our family,” Romeo said. “We’re a fucked-up bunch. I’ll give you that.” Romeo hauled the box out of the bedroom.

Scarlett sat down on the edge of the bed. The mattress was bare, and Easton had told them there wasn’t any furniture he wanted to take.

It wasn’t lost on her the lack of possessions he had. For a rich man, he had a few items of clothing and jewelry, nothing of any real value to him that he wanted to take. He’d not set down roots. The only true enjoyment she saw he had was in cleaning. His cleaning closet was packed with clothes, polish, buckets, bags, and everything a cleaner would need.

Easton had it in abundance.

Seeing his supplies had made her smile.

Now, she felt gutted.

In the past eleven, nearly twelve years, he’d not found anyone else to share his life with or who had shown him how to live properly.

“You okay?” Liam asked, entering the room.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said, standing up.

She stepped toward him, wrapping her arms around him. “This doesn’t look like someone who is okay.”

“I’m fine, or I will be when we get him back home. I just can’t help but feel like he’s missed so much, and I know I’m the one to blame for that.”

“Guilt, life, it has a way of knocking you down and making you fight every single last breath you take.” Liam kissed her head.

“Life fucking sucks,” she said. She closed her eyes while resting her head against his chest.

“We’ll take care of him. We’ll help him find roots, settle down, and we will make sure he’s happy. It’s what we do.”

Scarlett opened her eyes, and tilted her head back. “Have you found it?”

Liam smirked. “Yes. I have.”

“Do you even know what I’m talking about?”

“I know what you’re talking about, and yes, I found it. I’m going to keep it as well. What about you? Will you be happy if I keep it?”

“You’re speaking in riddles.”

“Riddles you know.”

Scarlett smiled. “Yes, I’d be happy if you kept it and you never let it go. I don’t know how I got so lucky to be with a man like you, but I’m so glad I did. I’m so glad I went to that interview and met you.”

Liam stroked his fingers down her back. “My only regret is I didn’t fall for you sooner. We could have had more time together.”

“We will. With Easton and with Junior. I can’t believe that stuck, you know.”

“What?”

“Junior. One day you mentioned it, and we all just started following.”

“It’s because, my dear sweet, sexy wife, I know what’s best, and everyone around me knows that I know best.”

“I know what you did to my parents and their company,” Scarlett said.

She’d not spoken to Liam about it. She had seen the news.

“I didn’t know of their tax fraud and evasion,” he said. “I simply helped them to grow desperate. Are you pissed at me?”

Scarlett ran her hands up and down his arms, thinking about her father. The words he’d spewed her way.

“You think we’re going to allow you to raise a bastard child? You’re nothing more than a common whore. A slut who spread her legs for the first man that would offer you a smile. You are not my daughter, and your spawn will never know the life you had. Get out of my house because I have you locked away for trespassing, you fucking whore.”