Haunting Me (A Completed Steamy, Romance)EDITING

Part 28

Joey

I have never been so ashamed of my daughter, and she and I have a talk coming real soon.

"She's loyal to him," Hudson said.

"Yeah, it's a real problem. Rob can't understand why I don't want to lure him here, but it's Serenity. Our relationship is barely hanging by a thread."  I said.

The door opens, and Rob comes walking out and greets Hudson. "I'll see how lunch is coming along." I said, but I'm worried about my daughter.

I excused myself, and went for a deep breath. I have got to get my shit together. I can't do that to him anymore, I can't punish him for marrying another woman.

I went to find Serenity, and she was in her room. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't like that guy. You're leaving Daddy for him, aren't you?"

"Is that what you think? I'm not seeing that man. There are just things from my past I'm trying to work out. Honey, your father is mixed up with some things he shouldn't be, and I'm concerned about our safety. I have to figure a lot of things out." I said.

"Daddy isn't always a good man, but he does love you." She said.

"Sometimes there are things you wouldn't understand. That doesn't mean you are wrong for feeling protective of him."  I said.

A tear fell from her eye. "I'm just scared, Mom. If you make him angry, he will hurt you too."  She cried.

"What does that mean?"  I asked.

"Nothing, just be careful. If he knows about this man, he is going to go crazy."  She said.

"No, talk to me Serenity, did he hurt you?" I'm so scared right now.

She nodded. "Not since I was little, but he loves us now. If we are good, he won't hurt us."

My hands are starting to shake. "How did he hurt you? Did he do what he did to me?"

She shook her head. "Ewe, mom! No, of course not, but he used to get rough with us when you were sleeping. Oh my God, I can't believe you that he would...yuck, Mom!"

"Sorry, I'm just protective of my baby girl, but what do you mean by rough with you?"

"Pulling my hair, threatening to kill you if we weren't good, he once poured hot sauce down my throat and held my mouth shut. Whatever could not leave marks."

"Why are you so loyal to him now?"  I asked.

"It's not him I'm loyal to, Mom. It's you."

I hugged her and held her in my arms. "Hudson was the love of my life until I was forced to marry your father. He is an FBI agent, and he wants to help us get away from your father."  I said.

"Dad won't ever give us up, he's obsessed with you." She said.

"He is also in a lot of trouble," I added.

"Like being arrested?"  She asked.

"Like CIA looking for him, kind of trouble."  I answered.

"What are they going to do?"  She asked.

"I don't know sweetie."

"I'll do my best to be nice." She said.

"Okay, I better get back down there." I kissed her cheek and went to walk away.

"Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you a question without upsetting you?"  She asked.

"You can try, but no promises." It's true.

"Is he really my father?"  She asked.

"What?" I asked, feeling trapped.

"He said I'm not really his daughter, so hurting me won't be so hard." She said.

Oh, shit...

"No honey, he isn't your biological father. I was already pregnant when we were married."  I said.

She looked away from me. "It's the man downstairs?"

"Yes"

"Does Mason know?"  She asked.

"Yes"

"That little boy is my brother?" 

"Yes." Might as well not hold back.

"Does that man know?" She asked.

"Not until last night."  I answered.

She turned back toward me. "Well, then I guess I owe him an apology." She walked past me and left me stunned.