The Definition of Fate

Chapter 46

you look at me and cry
everything hurts
I hold you and whisper
but everything can heal

- rupi kaur

I pull away from Josh and turn towards the door. I know that voice. I wish I didn't remember it; I wish I'd never heard it in the first place, but there he is. Lyndon Hunter, Josh's dad.

He stands in the doorway and glares at both of us with his hands on his hips. He wears a perfectly pressed navy suit and a dark frown, his blue eyes staring straight through me. The lines of his face have grown deeper and his eyes are shadowed by dark bags, but he's the same powerful, imperious man I remember. I bristle with resentment at his presence.

"Dad," Josh says, rising to his feet as if in a trance. He positions himself between his dad and me, keeping the door to Alicia's temporary room behind him. "What are you doing here?"

Lyndon laughs, stepping closer to us with an insidious gleam in his eyes. "Did you honestly think you could call my daughter without me finding out?"

A shiver goes down my spine; is he watching the Scotts? Does he keep tabs on Josh and his family too? Won't they ever be free of his corrupting presence?

"How did you know?" Josh seethes behind gritted teeth.

Lyndon ignores him and walks closer to the two of us. Even from a few feet away, I can smell the alcohol on his breath. "So what's she doing here? I thought your shrew of a mother told me you ruined that just like you almost failed yourself out of school."

Josh's shoulders tense as he stands before his father, keeping me behind him. Heat rushes through me; why does his father always have to tear him down and remind him of his worse failures?

"Dad, leave her out of it."

"Rachel, right?" he says, glowering at me. "I remember you. What, couldn't find anyone else so you came back to Josh? Figured it's better to have someone than be alone?"

"You're one to talk," Josh growls. "Who do you have left, Dad? Is there anyone out there who still loves you? Who you haven't ran off?"

Lyndon leers at both of us. "I just got a hot secretary about her age." He gestures to me and I swallow a wave of nausea. "A little curvier though. No offense, Rachel."

Josh lunges at his father, arms swinging, but I catch his arm before it can connect with Lyndon's face and hold him back. Lyndon laughs and backs away. "Still acting before you think, I see. Look where that's got you."

"How did you find us?" Josh growls. "Mom has a restraining order."
A restraining order. If Lyndon is on their property, doesn't that mean he's violated the restraining order? If things get worse, I swear I'll call the police. I'm not letting this man hurt anyone else in Josh's family.

"Your mother may not get any more of my money, but Irene's two girls and Ellie still need me, so as long as they need me, I get access to everything they spend their money on. I got an alert about a flight from Vermont to Ohio, and I knew you'd be behind it. You just can't let me go, can you?"

"So that's why you're giving Ellie money--to keep tabs on us." Josh grinds his teeth together. "Besides, you're the one standing on my property."

"Oh, right, it's so good to see you using your college degree." He laughs derisively.

"Why can't you just leave us alone?" Josh says, half a plea and half a threat.

"You think you're better off without me?" Lyndon growls, stepping closer until he's chest to chest with Josh.