70
ESTELLE
“That’s the dumbest idea I ever heard,” Kye countered after Linden told him his plan to catch Jake Boyd. “What made you think he would confess? Or worse, he will get spooked and hide or sue our asses for harassment. Let’s make it legit. First, we need evidence to start a case and a good prosecutor to bring him to court-martial. Who’s the victim?”
Skyla hesitantly raised her hand. Thankfully, Emery was not around. Mom took him with her to the park. And because mom loved kids.
“Oh.” Shocked, Kye shut his mouth before he cleared his throat. “When did this happen? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“Before the time Linden thought she was cheating on him,” Sax was the one who broke the news while my husband remained silent. And his silence spoke volumes. When he did that, a lot was going on in his mind. One of those was guilt— he was blaming himself.
“Seven, six years ago?”
“Seven. My son is six.”
“Shit. I’m sorry. I guess I wasn’t thinking about him.” Kye looked horrified and apologetic.
“It’s alright. I love him unconditionally. I may not have the choice to choose his father, but Emery’s nothing like him. He’s a good son.”
“I guess our choice in life, our actions, who we are, are not inherited,” he noted.
“Yeah. I guess so.” She drew her strength from within.
“Why didn’t you report it?”
“He threatened me and everyone around me, including Gabe, in the tour. He said he took pictures of me naked. We were at the bar when he came to join me with my girlfriends. I didn’t know he had bad intentions. He was friendly, offered to buy us drinks, and then drugged me.”
“Psychopath.”
“The next thing I knew, I suddenly felt drunk. He offered to send me home. I trusted him because he knew I was dating Gabe. I woke up—”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to tell us. I’m so sorry you went through so much. Why didn’t you tell him?” Kye tipped his head to a silent Linden.
“I was disgraced. He trusted me with our relationship while he was away fighting God knows what. I felt humiliated and filthy of myself. I couldn’t tell him that someone had taken advantage of my naivety while carrying the fruit of that assault. My dad died, and I never got the chance to tell him the truth.”
“I’m so sorry.” I pulled her into a hug. She was so tough despite what happened to her. “I cannot let him walk free and victimize God knows how many other women. He has to rot in jail.”
“Agree,” Kye said.
“Can you keep this between us?” Skyla asked.
“You can trust us.”
“I don’t trust myself right now. I wanna kill him.” Sax slumped himself back to the sofa. “I need a drink.”
“Calm down,” I told him.
“You know what? I think I’m calling Terzo.”
“Who’s Terzo?” she asked.
“You don’t wanna know, love.”
Linden and I shared a look before I averted my gaze and hid my smile.
“You’re not calling anyone.” Kye glared at him.
“Oh, I will. Terzo is good at skinning— ”
“Gabriel?” I called my husband when he hadn’t said a word.
“You’re blaming yourself,” Skyla looked at him.
“I know, but I couldn’t go back to that time and skin him alive. The best I could do is make him pay for what he did to you.”
“Um, I need to tell you something,” Skyla hesitated.
“What is it?” I asked her.
“He doesn’t know where I live. He knows I have a son. Once, he called me and threatened to take Emery, saying I won’t see my son again.”
“On the other thought, I don’t want to humiliate him anymore.” Linden’s jaw locked as he leaned his back.
Alarmed, I asked him quickly. “Baby, Gabriel, what are you saying?”
When he picked up his phone and could call someone, I snatched it from him. “You can’t take the law into your own hands.”
“Not me.”
“What do you mean?” Confused, I asked when all I saw in his eyes was a rage for revenge.
“Give me my phone, Estelle.”
“No. What are you planning on doing, husband?”
“This is why I don’t wanna tell him because he would take the law into his own hands,” Skyla said.
“Trust me. I just want to ask—”
“Terzo, for a favor?” My brows wrinkled harder. “Then you will be indebted to him for the rest of your life.”
“No, baby. I’ll ask him if he knows Boyd.”
“Fine.” I gave his phone back and offered dryly. “Put it on speaker?”
“You don’t trust me?”
“I trust you, but it’s him that I don’t trust.”
He dialed Terzo and put it on speaker. I went to his chair and sat next to him.
“Mio amico, I’m glad you’re still alive. I was worried when you didn’t call.”
“I was in the hospital for a few days.”
“Sorry to hear that. Don’t tell me you were in the underground fight—”
“You’re on speaker.” He was quick to cut him off.
“Oh. Sorry. Your wife is listening, isn’t she?”
“Yes, I’m here, Terzo.”
“Hello, mia cara.”
“Terzo, is someone owed you in the Bronx?” He cut to the chase.
“Money or life?”
Linden groaned.
“It’s a serious question, my friend. What is it all about?”
“Someone owed me from years ago.”
“All I need is a name.”
We got the same reaction, except for Linden, who didn’t seem to care but eyes filled with anger.
“I’ll call you back.”
“Anytime, man.”
The moment he hung up, I let go of a shuddering breath.
“Don’t go there, Gabe. Please? Once you’ve taken a life or been an accomplice to the crime—”
“I took lives—”
“In war. This is not your war,” Skyla said.
“You’re not at war anymore,” I added as I tried convincing him since I was his wife, and maybe he would be enlightened.
“The moment he did what he did to Skyla, it’s my war. He started a war with me seven years ago. And I don’t leave unfinished business.”
“Estelle, please tell him?” She turned to me. “This is not what I need from him. All I want is his support and maybe warn Jake to stop threatening me again, and I need a lawyer to issue him a restraining order or sue him for a felony.”
“You have a bigger case against him, but your son will be dragged into this. They will test him for DNA to see if it matches his father. Your past life and present will be open wide. If you have secrets, he will use them against you. Are you ready to face him in the court?”
Skyla hadn’t answered yet, but he was already dialing Moses.
“Hey, boss?”
“Who’s he calling?” Skyla whispered to me.
“He calls Moses boss.”
“Moses?”
“Moses Braddson.”
“The Moses Braddson?” Her eyes widened in shock.
“Yeah.”
“Oh.” She suddenly swallowed hard and shifted in the chair.
“I need your advice.”
“I remember the last time my son came to my office, he asked for a divorce lawyer. If you’re asking for the same, I’m sorry. I can’t help you.”
“Sorry to burst your bubble, but I’m not planning on divorcing my wife.” He wrapped his arm around me possessively and kissed the top of my head. “She’s stuck with me through eternity.”
“Then what is it? I can hear the depth of your pain through your words, son. What’s wrong?”
“Can we talk in person?”
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
“I’ll be there in twenty.”
“Thank you, boss.”
“Stuck with you through eternity?” I looked up at him. I wanted to lighten up his mood, and it worked.
“Yeah. Until we meet again in our next lives when our souls reincarnated.” He leaned in and kissed my lips. It was quick, but we still got different reactions.
“Jesus. Get a room. There’s still a single with you.”
Kye eyed Sax. “You mean singles.”
“Whatever.” Sax shrugged, still mad.
“Something huge got your boxers in a twist, my friend.”
He glared at Kye. “Just shut up.”
“Your mother, Estelle. She might want me to take Emery back.”
“Oh, no. I’m sure they’re having fun. You can call her if you’re worried.”
“I’m not worried. I don’t wanna bother her.”
“If you need someone to watch Emery, call her. She’s the best.”
I decided to lighten up the tension suffocating around us. We had snacks, but Linden barely touched his food. Sax, on the other hand, was frowning all the time. I didn’t know what his issue was, so I asked Linden.
He whispered, “He can be an asshole, but Sax has a soft heart. He despised the name Skyla for years. Now that he knows the truth, he wants to make up for it. He’s like that. He gets angry at someone, but he knows when to apologize.”
“I see. I thought he liked your ex,” I whispered back.
“I have no issue, baby because I know she’s in good hands. Sax is the most reliable man I know. He will gamble his life without a second thought. I trust him with my life, even yours.”
“Gabe?” Moses just arrived.
“Boss, thanks for coming so fast.” He got up to meet Moses.
“Hey, honey. How are you doing?”
I went to kiss him on the cheek. “Good patient, good wife.”
“That’s good to know.” He smiled.
“I’d like you to meet Skyla. Skyla, this is Moses Braddson. Striker’s father.”
“Hello, sir.” She shook Moses’ hand. “Nice to meet you. I only saw you on tv and the internet.”
“I hope not about the crash.”
Skyla smiled shyly. “No, sir.”
“What’s going on?” Moses asked Linden, making me suddenly worry.
“Can we talk inside?”
“Of course.”
When they went inside, I sat down. Sax and Kye suddenly paced back and forth, giving me a headache.
“I’m worried,” Skyla voiced out her concern.
“About Gabriel?”
“Yeah.”
“Trust me, whatever they talk about inside the house, the decision will come from Moses. He respects him a lot. Moses is like his second father.”
“I saw that. Isn’t he the wealthiest man in the world?”
“Yeah. And this house is his wedding gift.”
“What? That’s generous of him.” Her eyes widened. “And I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that you’re a billionaire.”
Sax suddenly laughed. “Striker and Cenric are billionaires. Of course, Linden is a secret billionaire. Don’t tell him I told you. I saw his tax form.”
“Really?” Kye reacted. “You sneaky son of a—”
I saw the pride in Skyla’s eyes and something else that sent my stomach knotting.
Then, I watched how they interacted with each other. There was definitely a spark, but none of them figured it out yet. Or I was twisting it in my brain.
“Yeah. I’m the only poor in the team.”
“I am poor, man,” Kye joined him.
“You bought a hundred acres of land, asshole. Me? Nada.”
“Oh, yeah? Do you think I wouldn’t know how much you invested in Osmium? You’re a major shareholder. How much is Osmium’s net worth?”
“Okay, guys. Settle down,” I told them both before I turned to Skyla. “Where do you work?”
“Astatine Marketing Service. The job can be demanding sometimes, but I was looking forward to the promotion next year.”
“To what position?” Sax seemingly paid enough attention.
“Head of Marketing Research.”
“If your job is demanding, you can work at Osmium, in her company, or with London, Cade Premium, or even at the Hover Subsidiaries.”
“Thanks, but I’m good.” She smiled shyly.
“He’s right. I can definitely give you a job.”
“Thank you. I keep that in mind if I need a new work environment.”
Moses and Linden finally came back, and they were laughing. Linden’s face lit up like Christmas lights. That was how Moses or his father, Jaymes, touched his heart.
“And you just ordered him, and he shut up.” Linden laughed again.
“What just happened?” Sax asked me when I, myself, was still dumbfounded.
“I have no freaking idea.”
