Deadly Temptation (Book 3)

Deadly Temptation (24)

"So you're telling me that Carter was your stepfather back in LA and that he has a kid?"

"Her name is Tori and she's now eighteen." Keith said to a now very confused Holly.

Apparently, Carter had told her that he was from some M state like Montana or Michigan with no kids; needing a fresh start in Sin City itself. She was absolutely shocked to find out that Carter had a completely different life that involved drugs, alcohol and women. Not to mention a dead ex-wife...

"This is all too much," she held her head in her hands. "Why should I believe you?"

Keith could tell she was starting to get defensive about her husband. "That's entirely up to you. I just thought you should know just who your husband was,"

"Why come around now? Why not before, huh?"

"I couldn't find him before..." Keith's brows furrowed in confusion. This was not going the way how he expected it to.

"Then you can turn right back around and leave," she said while standing, "we don't need your fucking pity! We're doing just fine without you!" She started to get hysterical and Keith took a good look at her.

Her blonde hair looked a little pale today and the bags under her brown eyes were darker than he initially thought when he welcomed her into the house. She was wearing a beige wool cardigan that she continuously pulled tighter around her.

"I should have known," he scoffed and stood. "You're a junkie just like him."

"He's a good man— done nothing but provide for me the best way he knows how."

"You sound just like my mother," Keith fixed his suit. "The best way he knows how is drugs and prostitution! My little sister had to endure years of old perverts touching her at the age of just twelve!" He stepped closer to her as her eyes widened. "Do you wanna know what I had to go through at just twelve?"

He saw her slightly gulp then shake her head.

His eyes then caught a faint bruise just on her collar bone. It was barely there and already fading into that yellow-ish color.

"Yeah, actually, you do." He softly said while slowly pushing aside the collar of the cardigan to see the bruise continue along her collar bone.

She turned her head just then to suppress a sob. "You need to go,"

"This was a mistake, I get that now." Keith smiled sadly, "I will never understand what it was about that man to have women so naive and loyal to him."

Finally, he walked away from her and pulled open the front door with the intention of never coming back. They could have the fucking house—it didn't cost him that much any way. What this was costing him though, was his sanity and his priorities. He was so blinded by revenge that he couldn't see that it wasn't worth his time.

—which was exactly what Janessa was doing... he couldn't understand what her obsession with Reese was about until now...

"Wait!" Holly called after him. "Please don't hurt him. He's all I've got."

Keith took a card from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. "Call me when you're done protecting him. I'll make sure you're safe. I promise."

"Should I tell him you were here?" She bit her lip and looked down at her feet.

"That wouldn't be a good idea. I'm sure you understand why." He nodded to her and left the house. He knew for sure that if Carter found out that he came by, Holly would be the one paying for it.