Secrets in Battle: Secrets of Savannah Series Book 3 (13 page)

Chapter 23

Once we finish getting the house back in order
, I get Ryder to go out back and have a beer with me. He’s still a little freaked out.

Princess
left to go to her parents. I’m still not thrilled about that. I don’t trust her parents.

Scarlet finally made her way downstairs. We have figured out that Nana took them to a show at Club One and then had a Grey themed party here. Old ladies and sex toys
, not something I want to picture.

I wonder if Princess got anything. I may need to ask her when she gets back.

I look over at Scarlet. “So Scar, you want something to drink? A little hair of the dog that bit you?”

She shakes her head. “No. I need bread, lots of bread. Ryder
, can you please get me some toast and a Coke?”

He nods. As he walks in the house
, I hear him grumbling about never leaving her in the care of his Nana again.

She looks over at me. “So did you guys have a good time at the game?”

I nod. “Yeah. It was a little intense for me, but I worked through it. There were just a lot of people in one place. Ryder kept me in check, though.”

She smiles. “Good. I’m glad. I’m also happy that you have Beau. He’
s such a sweetie. I told Ryder that I want to get a girl blood hound to be his girlfriend.”

“You already have Button
, your pet cow, Scar.” Ryder says as he comes out on the pool patio.

She looks at him sharply. “Are you saying that I can only have one pet?”

“No, I’m not. I’m just saying you’re busy and-.”

She cuts him off. “I’m going to find a girl dog and I’m going to name her Dixie.”

Ryder rolls his eyes. “How original.”

“Asshole.” Scarlet says as she goes to get up.

He grabs her around the waist. “Sorry, baby. You can have whatever you want and you can name it whatever you want.”

I shake my head. “You two are so damn cute it makes me a little queasy.”

They laugh. Scarlet smiles. “I’m gonna go back in for a minute.”

I look at my watch
and Ryder shakes his head. “Man, she’s been gone less than an hour. She’ll call one of us if she needs us. Okay? Don’t stress.”

“It’s driving me crazy. If she comes home with a busted lip again I may go to jail.”

He nods knowingly. “Trust me, if that happens, you may be there right beside Nana.”

I stare out across the back forty. “I’m sorry that you had to kind of babysit me at the game yesterday. I really wanted it to be fun for you.”

He shakes his head. “Hey man, I had a great time. So what, you had to do some breathing exercises and take a break every now and then. You did better after you had a couple of beers. You’re doing great. You realized while we were driving that you were going to have an episode so you stopped and gave it over to me. You admitted that you needed help. That is a big step.”

I nod. “Thanks
, man. I really am happy for you.”

He looks over at me and pretends to wipe his eyes. “Are you gonna loan me some tampons now? We really sound like pussies.”

I laugh. “Sorry, maybe should’ve had Nana throw you a bachelor party.”

“Fuck, I’m like Annabelle. I don’t know that we could hang.”

I slap his arm. “So did Scar say if she got anything good last night?”

“From what I’ve been able to piece together
, her mom gave her a gift certificate and Nana gave her some money to spend. I know there are bags of shit in our room.”

“She know you’re read
ing the books?”

“I think she found them in the bathroom. She hasn’t asked me about them
, though. I guess I’ll find out more when I see what all is in those damn bags.”

“I wonder if Princess got anything.”

“What’s the status with you guys? I mean Scarlet and I haven’t really wanted to ask.”

“We are taking things slow. No more sleep overs for a little while. No serious make out sessions. Just trying to get my head on straight and she’s trying to get through some personal stuff.”

He nods. “Sounds good. Her family, they aren’t good people. You guys are right to try and get your personal shit straight first. She loves you, man. That day we got the call, she fucking fell apart.”

I sigh. “I know. I love her
, too.”

Nana steps out the back door. “Y’all come on in. I fixed us some tomato sandwiches for lunch.
The tomatoes are fresh, I just picked them. Y’all come on.”

I look down at my watch again. He grabs my hand. “It’s only been an hour and a half now. Chill out.”

I sigh. “Okay. I’m going to try. I just worry.”

Chapter 24

Sitting between Chris and Vic at my parents
’ table, I’m listening to my father talk about family. How our family has grown apart and how we should be sticking together.

I pick at my summer salad
. Really, Heaven forbid my mother actually cook a meal. I zone out thinking about the food I’d be eating if I were at Nana’s. If we were doing a family lunch, we’d have fried chicken, some fried okra, squash, butter beans, maybe some greens and fried corn bread.

“Annabelle
, are you paying attention?” My father grabs my attention.

I look up. “I’m sorry.”

“Ugh. Why must I be surrounded by idiots? We are concerned that you are working too hard. These long hours at the hospital seem to be taking a toll on you from the looks of things. You should really find someone who’ll provide for you, take care of you.”

Okay
, it’s my turn I guess for the insults. He, Greg, Shane and Mom have went over Chris and Vic’s faults. Now on to me.

Greg looks up. “Yes
, those dark circles under your eyes are just horrible.”

My mother looks up. “Yes dear, how do expect to find someone suitable to marry if you don’t take better care of yourself?”

Shane looks at me. “Have you gained weight? Probably, living in that hospital like you do, eating garbage from the vending machines.”

I stand up. “Really? Okay
, I look like shit because I’m hung-over. I went out last night for Scarlet’s bachelorette party. Nana took us to Club One and then we had a sex toy party at the house. Guess what? It was a blast. Now, I’m not eating this summer salad because I really need some carbs to calm my stomach and this dressing tastes like shit.”

My father stands up. “Young lady
, don’t you talk like that at my dinner table.”

Vic stands up. “Why? Because you prefer her weak and defenseless?”

My father throws his glass against the wall. “Where did I fucking fail as a parent? I had two wonderful children and then somehow I ended up with three fuck ups. Well, I know how Vic ended up a fuck up, he’s not even mine.”

That stops everyone in their tracks. I grab Vic’s hand. My mother is looking at my dad like she could murder him. Shane and Greg look like the freaking Cheshire Cat.

Vic sits down beside me. “What are you talking about?”

Dad looks down at him. “Your mother had a bit of a problem back then. She couldn’t seem to keep her legs closed when it came to my business partner. You are not my son.”

I stand back up. “This is bullshit. You are all crazy.”

Vic starts laughing hysterically. I think he’s finally losing it.
I slide back down in my chair, trying to figure out if Vic’s about to lose his shit. He stands up. “You know what? This is the best fucking news I’ve had in my entire life. Thank God I’m not related to you. I’m out of school, you have nothing to hold over my head, Winston. Just pray to God you never get brought into my ER because I’m not sure I can abide my oath with you.”

Okay, shit officially lost.
Vic walks out. Chris and I sit there stunned. Chris looks up. “What about us?”

My mother rolls her eyes. “You are both his. My God
, what do you think of me?”

I look around. “I think this family is fucked up beyond belief
, that’s what I think.”

My mother stands up. “Annabelle
, quit acting like those hillbilly rednecks you’ve been living with!”

I walk over to my mother
, who I stand a good five inches taller than, and look down at her. “Those hillbilly rednecks, as you say, are more my family than this shit storm will ever be, and they have more money than you’ve ever dreamed of. You are so damn jealous of them you can’t see straight. So go screw yourself, Mother.” I turn to walk away. “Wait, maybe you can get another one of dad’s business partners to do it for you.”

My father shouts as I’m walking from the room. “Annabelle
, you get your ass back in here.” I’m about to walk past the keys to my Camaro. “Don’t think about taking that car young lady!”

I laugh grabbing up the keys. I run out to the garage and fire up the car. They want hillbilly rednecks
, I’ll give the lying, cheating bastards one. I squeal tires backing out of the garage. I see my brothers and parents run outside. I see my parents perfectly manicured lawn, complete with a bird bath that probably cost more than this car. They spend over ten thousand dollars a year on this lawn.

I slam the car
into gear and drive across their lawn, spinning grass and making doughnuts all across it. Then I floor it, heading for the all mighty, expensive ass bird bath. I slam into it. Of course airbags deploy and everything else.

I get out laughing. Shane comes running over
, grabbing me by my shoulders. “What the fuck is your problem?”

Vic shoves him away. I take the keys, walk calmly over to my dad and hand them to him. “Keep the fucking car. Park it up your ass for all I car
e, or maybe in mom’s vagina. It would probably fit.”

He attempts to slap me but Chris grabs his hand. “Old man
, don’t do it. I’ll spill your business all over town.” My dad looks at him oddly, like he’s hiding more. “Yeah, I fucking know, that’s right.” Chris turns to me. “Annabelle, care to know why they wanted you to marry creepy Patrick? It was a business arrangement. Dad’s company needs money and the Wilson’s were his means to do it. You were just a pawn, he just needed you to play the part of a stepford wife.

I’ve stopped laughing. I glare at my parents and then turn to Chris. “I’m ready to go home.” I start walking across the lawn to Chris’s car, Vic is walking behind us. I turn around
, looking at my oldest two brothers and my parents. “Oh and you guys can go to hell.” I look at my mother. “See ya in the welfare line since Dad’s business deal isn’t working out for ya.”

I flip them the bird and climb into Chris’s car, saying goodbye to the vultures I’m leaving behind.

Once I’m inside the car, I look at Chris. “Okay, tell me what you know.”

Chapter 25

Sitting on the swing with Beau, I see the car I’ve now come to realize is Chris’s. Princess gets out and speaks to him, then she waves goodbye.

She walks my direction. I smile when she reaches me and sits down with us on the swing.

She pets Beau. Without looking up she starts to speak. “It was a disaster. Luckily, I won’t have to deal with them ever again. What kind of father basically tries to make his daughter a business deal?”

I put my hand up. “Wait. What?”

“His company needs money, so I was supposed to marry Patrick Wilson.” She puts up her hand. “Wait, let’s go inside. I only want to explain this one time. Today was so fucking crazy they should do a Jerry Springer episode on it.”

I laugh and follow her in
to the main house. Nana, Ryder and Scarlet are sitting in the kitchen.

Scarlet jumps off the stool she’s sitting on. “How did today go?”

I shake my head, signaling for them to wait a minute. “She’s gonna explain.”

Nana stands up. “Did Winston put his hands on you again? I swear before
everything that’s holy that I will go over there and that man will know pain.”

She shakes her head. “Nana
, I’m going to explain.” She makes the motion for her to sit down.

I take a seat next to Ryder.

Princess looks around. “Well, let’s see, lunch started out with my father telling us how we were failures to him. Then he got pissed and announced that Vic isn’t his son and that mom screwed around with his partner. Shane called me fat. They all said I looked like shit. Well, except Vic and Chris. We had to eat summer salad that tasted like shit. All I could think about was the lunch Nana would have fixed. They said I was turning into the hillbilly rednecks I was living with because I told them how fucked up our family was.”

She was pacing the floor
and speaking very fast. “Then when I got up to leave, my dad said I couldn’t take the car, which I wasn’t going to until he said that. I grabbed the keys and tore out of the garage. I tore up my mother’s neatly manicured lawn and crashed that damn car into the bird bath. Probably totaled the car. My dad went to slap me but Vic stopped him. Chris ratted out the fact that my dad wanted me to marry Patrick Wilson so that the companies could merge. I was part of a fucking business deal. My dad is going broke and they needed money so he was basically willing to sell me to the highest bidder. They accused me of acting like a hillbilly redneck, so I acted like one. I flipped them off and told them to fuck off. I also told my mom I’d see her in the welfare line since Dad’s business deal didn’t work out.”

She collapses in a chair and lets out a huge sig
h. “Holy shit! That was a lot.”

Nana laughs. “So we are hillbilly rednecks
, huh?”

She laughs hugging Nana. “I told them they were jealous of y’all because you have more money than God.”

We all burst out into hysterical laughter. “Shit, Princess, you really know how to tell a story.”

Ryder looks over at her. “I guess you’ll be staying a little while longer?”

Princess gets a serious look. “I’m sorry, Ryder. I can...I can find a place if I need to.”

He laughs. “I’m just playing with you.” He puts his hand on her shoulder. “You’re family. You stay as long as you need to.”

I laugh. “You just may not want to. Especially after y’all’s toy party last night.”

Scarlet turns red. “You’re an ass
, Judd.”

Nana shakes her head
and gets up. “Damn crazy people.” She kisses Princess on the head. “I gotta go, baby. I’m sorry your family is such a bunch of assholes. You’re always welcome to stay here as long as you can deal with those two.” She points to Ryder and Scarlet. “With all of their damn exhibitionism.” She walks out the back door.

Scarlet speaks up, yelling to her. “We’re not that bad.”

Ryder looks at me. “It’s his fault. He loaned me those damn books you women have been raving about.”

Princess smiles at me. “You’ve read the books? Hmm. That explains a lot.”

I smiled. “Hey, gotta get the advantage where I can.”

Scarlet smiles and kisses my cheek. “Well
, thanks.” Then she turns to Princess. “We’ll try to keep the exhibitionism to a minimum.”

I shake my head and grab Princess’ hand. “Come on
, let’s go take Beau for a walk. Scarlet is planning on getting him a girlfriend so he needs to get in shape.”

Princess squeals to Scarlet. “Are you getting a puppy?”

Scarlet jumps up and down. “Yes! I’m gonna name her Dixie!”

Ryder rolls his eyes. “Jesus.
Scarlet, I’m going to dig in those bags from last night.”

Scarlet takes off running upstairs with Ryder on her heels. Then
we hear a bunch of giggling.

“We’d better go.”
I tug on her hand to go out the back door before we see some shit we don’t want to.

After we step outside
, Beau comes running up to us and lets out a bark. I rub his head. “Hey, boy. Yep, Princess is here.”

She reaches down
, rubbing his head. “You’re a sweet boy. I heard you’re getting a girlfriend. Let’s go for a walk, we need you to get in shape.”

I laugh and we start walking. “So lunch was a bust
, huh?”

She snorts. “You could say that. I’m done.”

“I’m sorry it was so shitty. I’m sorry your family is a bunch of fuckheads.”

She smiles. “Yeah
, me, too.”

“So Vic is only your half-brother?”

“I guess so. We asked if Chris and I were his. My mother looked at us like we were accusing her of something. Like she wasn’t just admitting to having an affair that led to a child.” She starts laughing. “I know I sound like a crazy person this afternoon. I’m laughing at my family. All of the secrets, all of the lies. They are all certifiably crazy and they were making me crazy. All of their demands, trying to make me marry someone because of money, keeping my mom’s affair a secret. Hell, Vic stood up and basically told them this was the happiest day of his life to find out he wasn’t Winston Garrett’s son. I know this just doesn’t happen in regular families. The general population cannot be this damn nuts.”

I pull her into my chest. “Hey
, it’s okay. No, not every family is this way. We’ll get through this part.”

She looks up at me and smiles. “You just said that we would get through this. Did you mean it?’

“Yes Princess, I sure did.” I did and I meant every word of it.