Page 82 of Ruthless Desires, Vol. Two (Ruthless Desires Series Extended Editions #2)

Rhett

One month after Ludo’s death

I slide my hands into my pockets after ringing the doorbell to Corinne’s home. As I wait for an answer, I stare up at the house that my father built. Did he ever feel any guilt about leaving me and Sammy behind? Did he ever blame himself for her death, or did he see it as a way out of a family he was trapped with?

It’s probably for the best that I’ll never know. I’m pretty sure the answer would only cause me more grief.

When the door opens, I plaster on a pleasant smile. I try not to think of Corinne as the woman my father cheated on my mother with. I think of her as my brothers’ mother—the woman who’s going to be in my life from this day forward no matter what.

The look of immediate recognition on Corinne’s face doesn’t surprise me. I’ve always hated how much I look like my father.

“Can I help you?”

she asks suspiciously.

For the briefest of moments, I stall. I thought about dozens of ways this conversation could end, but never how it would start. I suppose there’s no other way to go about this than to just dive right in.

I clear my throat.

“Yes. My name is Rhett Brooks. I’m not sure if Richard ever told you about me, but I’m his son from his first marriage.”

It’s the truth—I really don’t know if Richard kept us from her.

“I think he… mentioned you once or twice.”

“I saw his obituary in the paper. I’m so sorry for your loss.”

I infuse my voice with as much sympathy as I can.

“Thank you.”

She gives me a cautious smile.

“Do you think I could come in for a few minutes?”

Her eyes widen, and I can practically see her raising the walls she barely lowered for me.

“I saw in the obituary that I have two brothers, and I—”

“No, I don’t think that’d be a good idea.”

She starts closing the door.

I grab it, holding it open.

“Please, just a few minutes. I lost the only sibling I thought I had.”

I timed this almost perfectly. Once Benny got back into his normal routine, I kept an eye on his comings and goings as much as I could. Andrew left to pick him up from school a while ago, and they’ll be back any second now.

My suspicions seem to be correct. I’m sure Corinne knows more about me than she’s letting on, and I doubt she has any intention of welcoming me into her boys’ lives. But, quite frankly, I don’t give a shit.

“Please,”

I say again.

“I think we both know you at least owe me that.”

Her expression softens—not with compassion, but with guilt. Finally, she opens the door up enough that I can slip through.

The interior of the house looks much different in the daylight. It’s much warmer, although I don’t know if I could ever be comfortable in here.

“I saw in the paper that their names are Andrew and Benny,”

I say.

“Are they here? How old are they?”

“They’ll be home soon,”

Corinne says, wringing her hands.

“Drew is nineteen. Benny is twelve.”

My jaw drops, and I widen my eyes.

“Nine—nineteen? He’s that old?”

Corinne nods, avoiding my gaze.

“But that would mean…”

I pause, partially for dramatic effect and partially so it looks like I’m doing the mental math for the first time.

“I’m sorry, I must be confused. When did you and my father get together?”

Nervously, Corinne tucks some of her hair behind her ear.

“Don’t you think it’s more important to focus on the present? Andrew and Benny will be here soon, and then you can meet them. That’s what you want, right?”

I sigh. On my way here, I was hoping she’d own up to her past mistakes. But no, she’s trying to bury them, and she has the audacity to think I’ll go along with it.

“Did you know she had cancer?” I ask.

Corinne frowns. “Who?”

“The woman Richard was married to while he was fucking you behind her back,”

I say flatly.

“My mother. She was dying, and Richard was supposed to be there for her, but he abandoned her when she needed him the most. I won’t ask again. Did. you. know?”

She swallows, and her lack of an answer is all I need.

She’s just as much of a monster as he is.

“Do you at least feel guilty?”

“I—”

Her voice falters, so she tries again.

“Your father was lonely. You and your mother were a huge weight on his shoulders. And then Sammy came along, and Richard only felt more trapped.”

“So you think he was justified in abandoning us.”

“What? I—no, I just—”

She throws her hands up.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? My husband just died, and now you’re in here accusing me of what? Being the reason he cheated? That’s not my fault!”

“No, but you could’ve done what any decent person would’ve done,”

I growl.

“You could’ve told him to go back home to his family.”

“He was unhappy! Your mother—”

“Do you even know her name?”

I spit out.

“Of course I do.”

But her voice gets higher pitched, and she shifts her eyes away from me.

“Then say it.”

She opens her mouth, but then she closes it. Desperation fills her features, and finally, her shoulders sag.

“I forgot.”

My jaw clenches. Maybe it’s better this way. I don’t want to hear this woman speak my mother’s name, anyway.

“Look, I—”

“I hope you hate yourself.”

My voice is so calm, so nonchalant, that I have to hide my surprise. I feel oddly detached, like I’m watching this conversation instead of participating in it. Maybe it’s because I know that no matter what, I have to accept that this woman is part of my life now.

Her head jerks back like I just slapped her.

“That’s it. I’ve had enough. Get—”

“Do you know how Sammy died?”

I ask, not caring what she wants. Not one bit.

“Wrong place, wrong time.”

She shifts nervously.

“She was shot.”

“And why was she in that wrong place at the wrong time?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“Guess.”

She shakes her head. “I can’t.”

“Can’t?”

I ask.

“Or do you just not want to admit that he was with you when he should’ve been picking up his daughter from school?”

She swallows, staring at the floor.

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t deserve the life you have,”

I grit out, “and you definitely don’t deserve your children.”

For the first time, fear ignites in her eyes. She doesn’t know who I am—what I’ve done—but she’s getting a glimpse of it now.

“I can’t take you away from Benny,”

I say.

“I’m sure he loves you, and I won’t be the reason he loses his mother. But the moment I hear that you’re treating him poorly, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you never see him again. You understand?”

The anger that fizzled out due to her fear comes back full force.

“How dare you threaten to take my son away from me. He’s mine! You didn’t even know he existed a month ago. You’re a monster.”

“And you loved the man who created me. What does that say about you?”

She’s about to answer, but then we hear a shout from the driveway. When I look out the window, I see Benny running up the path. He must’ve seen my truck out front. He knows better than to let on that he knows who I am, but of course he’s excited.

I turn to Corinne, knowing we only have a few seconds alone.

“I’m in their life from this point on, whether you like it or not. My advice to you? Don’t fuck this up. Because if you do, you’ll regret ever getting involved with Richard in the first place.”

Just as the front door swings open, Corinne nods quickly. I can see it in her eyes. Now that Benny and Andrew are about to meet me, she’s lost control. They’ll never forgive her if she tries to push me out. Benny will continue living with her—as long as she treats him well—but she knows she can’t fight.

I’ve already won.