After realizing that if I sued him, I’d have to admit in public that he’d kicked my ass fair and square, I opted out of that real quick. Besides, I had more important stuff to worry about right now.
I paused at the front door — the very door that I’d picked out myself, that I would normally just fling open or unlock with my own key, and the one that I was expected to actually knock on now. It was irritating and unnerving and the anger rolling through my veins had me fantasizing about kicking the damned thing open, but I was already in enough lingering pain that I didn’t need my feet fucked up, too.
I opted for a polite knock and impatiently waited until Maggie opened the door.
“Oh. Hey,” she said, pulling open the door and walking away, neither surprised or happy to see me.
“What kind of greeting is that?” I asked. “No kiss for Dad?”
She turned back and half-hugged me before walking away and plopping down on the couch. She grabbed the remote and absentmindedly began flipping through the channels.
“I was hoping we could talk, Maggie,” I said.
She shrugged, without looking my way. “So talk.”
“Fine,” I said. “Where’s your Mom?”
“She went to pick up Clem. She stayed at a friend’s house this weekend.”
So Rose was alone most of the weekend. Or, rather had the house to herself without the kids. I pushed away the thought of what she and Blade may have been doing and concentrated on Maggie.
“I want to make up this missed weekend, Maggie. Instead of hanging out at my place this coming weekend, how about we take the week off and go to Hilton Head together for your birthday?” I asked, trying to sound happy and convincing. She looked over at me suspiciously.
“You can take the week off school,” I said. “Your mom might resist but I think I can talk her into it.”
“No,” she said, finally, shaking her head.
“What do you mean, no? I get you for your birthday, the court said so. We’ve known this for months now. And I could use some time away from work. We both need this, let’s do it. What do you say?”
“No!” She insisted.
“Maggie!” I shouted, anger rising in my throat. “I’m not taking no for an answer, young lady!”
“I don’t want to! I want to spend my birthday with my friends, Dad! What don’t you understand about that?”
“Maggie, I —.” My phone rang out, breaking the tension between us. I pulled it out and saw it was Beddingham. “I have to take this.” I answered and walked through the kitchen and into the back yard. “Davenport.”
“I didn’t appreciate your attitude yesterday, Davenport,” he said.
“I’m not sure what you expect,” I said. “This isn’t easy.”
“Of course it isn’t,” he replied. “Important things aren’t always easy. And this is big, I understand. We’re asking a lot of you, Davenport. But it’s important you don’t let us down. You understand that, right?”
“Yes.”
“Did you take care of the problem at the hospital?”
I sighed. “Not yet, I’m heading into work in a few minutes. I’ll take care of that then.”
“Excellent,” he said. “Now, about the other issue. Do we need to make this choice for you or can you truly take care of this yourself? We have a preference, of course. We can save the younger girl for later. But, if this is too much for you, Davenport, just say so and we can have someone else take care of Magnolia for you.”
“I can take care of Maggie myself!” I barked, fury pounding through my head.
“Very good then,” he said. “See that it’s taken care of. You don’t have much time.”
The phone clicked in my ear and I shoved it back in my pocket. I was exhausted and exasperated and more than anything, I needed a fucking drink.
Anton wanted me to sacrifice my daughter for him. And if I didn’t, he’d take them both. They wanted Maggie because the rumor in town was that she was still a virgin. It was her eighteenth birthday, and she was not only a Finley, she had Davenport blood, too. To them, she was the purest of pure, and her blood would absolve them of whatever bullshit they thought they needed to be absolved of.
And if I didn’t agree, they’d take matters into their own hands.
It was a situation that I never would be able to win. Unless we left and I bought some time to think of a way out. That’s why I was desperate to get away — now.
I walked back into the house and Maggie was still sitting on the couch glaring at me. I didn’t have the strength to argue with her anymore.
“We’re leaving tomorrow. Be packed in the morning,” I said, heading for the kitchen. I opened the cabinet we kept the liquor in and poured myself a big glass of whiskey, then turned back to Maggie.
She was gone.
The screen door slammed and I ran out just as she was sliding behind the wheel of her Rover.
“Maggie! Come back here!” I shouted.
“I hate you!” She cried out, before starting it up and roaring off down the driveway.
Chapter 45
GRACE
Hannah and I sat next to Cherry’s bed, playing cards to pass the time. Cherry was still sleeping but the nurses sounded hopeful that she might wake up today. The machine that monitored her brain waves had some indication of increased activity over night, but she’d gone back to sleep, if she’d ever really woken up.
Our hope renewed, we decided to stay close in case she woke up.
Lacey had been a dream this whole trip, basically keeping Sadie all day long and taking her to the park and playing with her as they strolled around Savannah, and then bringing
