Chapter 105

“He really isn’t coming,” Emma said. Her tone alerted Minnie, who was also concerned. It was late, well passed the time that Will should have arrived. When Will called her, she was delighted to hear from him. Divorcing that shrew was the best thing for him. Their conversation was long, and he explained all about his past with Emma. He was in love, and excited to be a father. His devotion to being better was evident. So, the fact that he wouldn’t show up without at least a call or message was concerning. Something was up. And Minnie’s gut was never wrong.
“I’m sure there’s an explanation as to why he isn’t here,” Minnie offered. She poured Emma a soothing cup of tea.
“No,” Emma lamented after taking a few sips. “This is just who he is. I can’t believe I fell for this again. Somehow, I get wrapped up in him, and then he lets me down. Guess I’ll never learn.” She stood and walked towards her room. “I’m going to bed.”
“Emma…” Minnie reached out for her.
“Good night” she closed the bedroom door behind her.
“Damn it, Will,” Minnie muttered under breath.
“What are we going to do?” Kelly asked, having watched the interaction from the kitchen.
“I don’t know. But something feels off about all of this.”
“I hope you’re wrong.”
“I hope so too.”
Emma was sulking in her room. Letting Will back into her life was a mistake. She called Sabrina to vent.
“I can’t believe myself,” she groaned. “How am I such an idiot?”
“You aren’t an idiot. Nothing is wrong with you. Will is the one who screwed up here.”
“Yeah, but I’m the one who took a chance on him. I should have known better.”
“Stop that. This is a different situation entirely. You don’t know what happened. For all you know he could be dead in a ditch somewhere.”
“He’s just putting himself first. Like the asshole he is.”
Sabrina was angry. Will was just popping in an out of Emma’s life at his convenience and it wasn’t fair. She knew her friend wouldn’t admit it, but Emma had grown t depend on Will and enjoyed having him around. There was something about seeing him with their baby that made Emma melt a little. Even Sabrina couldn’t deny it. They way he looked at Lizzie… it was intense. Will was a predator, ready to eviscerate anyone who dared to touch his baby.
She decided to call him, but his phone was turned off. That’s weird, she thought. Will’s phone was never off. She marched to find Alex. He would know something.
“Alex,” she said when she found him. “We need to talk.”
“What’s wrong?” he was sitting at the dining room table. There were files and paper strewn about him.
“Where is Will?” she demanded. “He left Emma hanging and his phone is turned off. What the hell is going on?”
Alex sighed. He gestured at all the paperwork around him.
“Take a seat. This is a crazy ass story.”
***
A father. That title carried more weight than Will had ever imagined. His entire world was wrapped in a bundle of blankets, completely defenseless. The instant he saw her he knew that would do anything to protect her. Anything.
What he didn’t realize is how quickly that pledge would be tested.
Meet me at Monarch Hills Academy, in the school yard. Be there next Friday afternoon.
It was from Grace. Bile rose in his throat at the sight of her message. He wanted nothing to do with her.
I don’t want to see you. I will not be going to meet you. Stop messaging me.
You’ll come. If you don’t, I can’t guarantee the safety of your newborn child of her mother.
Will narrowed his eyes at her threat. His fingers tightened around his phone. Before he could respond, photos arrived to his phone. Pictures of Emma in her hospital room, pictures of him holding Lizzie, pictures of Lizzie in the nursery… all sent from Grace.
You wouldn’t dare, he answered. His heart raced from panic and anger. You’re crazy.
Do you want to risk it and find out? I’m unstable and willing to do whatever it takes to get you back. Emma and your daughter are in my way. You’ll be there. Or else.
Will’s heart crashed in his chest. His vision went red with anger, but his blood was icy in his veins. He walked to the nursery and looked at Lizzie.
She was a small copy of him. Half of him lived in that tiny baby girl. It was astounding how captivated he already was by her. And Emma. His feelings for her hadn’t died. If anything, they were alive with vigor. He was consumed by her and craved to be with her again. He didn’t have a choice. He’d have to indulge her. But he couldn’t burden Emma or anyone with this. He’d have to deal with this on his own.
“Is… everything okay, Will?” Will hadn’t noticed when Sabrina came up next to him. “Yeah, it’s fine,” he answered. “It’s just… I want to be good enough for her. I need to be good enough for her.” He could tell that Sabrina wasn’t satisfied with what he said. She eyed him in that suspicious way of hers. Alex was in trouble with this one. Nothing got past her. She walked closer to him.
“Will…,” Sabrina reached out and touched his shoulder. “That fact that you care like this, means you will be. Is anything else wrong?” Her eyes seared, as though she were trying to see through him.
“No, nothing.”
He had to get it together. He had to keep his anger in check in order to throw Sabrina off his scent and keep Emma in the dark. The less anyone knew about this the better. There was no telling what Grace was capable of anymore. There was a chance he could walk himself right into her trap. He put on a smile and proceeded with the day.
This is stupid, he thought. Grace trapped Emma with a similar ruse once. It was act that drove the final wedge between them. This could backfire on him, but he had to risk it. Emma and Lizzie’s safety were at stake. Grace was capable of a lot of crazy things to get what she wanted, as he’s learned. By the end of the day, he’d made up his mind.
I’ll go.
Good choice.
Emma was discharged from the hospital and Will was with her as often as he could be. Hiring Minnie and her assistant was another layer of safety for them. Minnie knew Grace and would be able to spot her coming. Will hadn’t given Minnie the whole story but did warn her that Grace may be around to try and harass Emma and the new baby.
“I’ll be on the lookout,” Minnie said. “While I hope to never see that conniving woman again, it would be nice to be able to freely put her in her place,” she finished with a smirk.
“That’s a smackdown I’d pay to see,” Will smiled.
Emma pretended to be annoyed with him coming every day, but he saw the way she watched him when he held their baby. He carried that look with him on the drive to go meet with Grace.
He wasn’t a complete idiot though. He had his own plan.
“I don’t like it,” Alex said when Will called and told him everything that had happened. “It sounds like a trap.”
“It probably is. But I can’t risk it. After knowing everything’s done… she’s capable of anything. I’d rather she hurt me and not Emma and Lizzie.”
“Okay. So, what’s the plan?”
“If after an hour, I don’t call you… something’s gone wrong.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Tell Sabrina, so she can be on guard. And be on guard yourselves. I would hate for her to come after you two and Damian as well. Also, I’ll need you mobilize my attorneys.”
“It sounds like you anticipate something going wrong.”
“I do. So… be ready. If you don’t hear from me in an hour…”
“I got it. Good luck, bro.”
“Thanks.”
Will hung up just as he was pulling into the school yard. Monarch Hills Academy was a school for children of rich families. It sat among majestic hills of perfectly manicured, emerald grass and bright, florid fields. The landscape alone boasted a setting for the elite. Will pulled around to the school yard and was flooded with waves of nostalgia. He killed his car engine, waiting for some kind of signal.
Unlock your doors. I’m coming over.
Will did as he was asked, and within a minute Grace slid into his backseat. She carried a large duffle bag with her.
“Really?” he asked as she settled in. “This is how you want to do this?”
“We have a lot of history here,” she said. “In the schoolyard. It’s where you kissed me for the first time, where you first told me you loved me… do you remember?” Her voice was high pitched and far away. He looked back at her. Her eyes were red, puffy and her pupils were dilated.
“Are you… okay?” he raised an eyebrow.
“I miss us. I know I pushed you away and did some things I’m not proud of. But it was all because I love you.”
“Grace—”
“Please let me finish,” she put a hand up. “No one is ever going to know you or love you the way I do. No one. Emma is nothing and no one compared to me. I’m willing to forget everything that happened if you do. We can start over. Run away, just you and me.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Please, Will. I know you love me! I know you want to be with me!” she cried. Tears streamed down her face. “You want me!”
“I tried to be as clear as I could Grace. I do not want to be with you. I do not want anything to do with you anymore. Ever.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because you threatened my family!”
“We could have had a family!”
“You need help! You tried to rape me, and then faked a pregnancy! How do I think I could forget that?”
“We belong together! Why can’t you see that?”
“Grace, I don’t know what else to say to you. Our time is done. We are done. I came here because you said Emma and the baby wouldn’t be safe unless I did. Take your closure and go.”
She wiped her tears away and any semblance of sadness melted away.
“Okay. I understand. I’ll need to sometime to process this. Goodbye.”
Grace scrambled out of the car and left.
“This is too easy,” Will muttered. He turned the car back on and suddenly he was surrounded by red and blue lights and sirens.
“Put your hands up, Mr. Stewart! Or we’ll shoot!”
Will got out of his car and was immediately grabbed by an officer. His arm was twisted behind his back.
“What’s going on here?”
“You’re under arrest for possession and dealing of drugs!”
“What?” Will was shocked. An officer searched his car and crawled back with a suspicious package.
“There’s enough cocaine here to put you away for a long time.”
Grace, Will thought. This was a trap after all.
The police hauled him away. He didn’t panic as Alex was already on standby. When he arrived at the station, he promptly demanded his attorney.
“Hello, William,” the attorney arrived and shook Will’s hand.
“Hey, Sam.”
Sam Weaver was one of the city’s most prominent attorneys. He’d been part of Will’s legal counsel for years. Sam was used to getting Will out of sticky situations. But never one like this.
“I must say this is quite the predicament.”
“It’s Grace. She set me up and framed me. I fear she may have more up her sleeve.”
“Your wife?”
“Soon to be ex-wife. But yes, her. She’s threatened my child and her mother. I need her protected.”
“What else?”
“Alex. Get me Alex.”