I was sitting on the couch downstairs, watching Lucca play with his toys in the living room. There were a dozen police officers moving through the house and around the backyard combing the property for any piece of evidence they could find.

Anthony was barking orders from his permanent perch in the living room. He refused to let Lucca and me out of his sight.

I was thankful that he was staying close because I didn’t want him out of my sight either.

Like Lucca, he’s my anchor.

“You alright, sunshine?”

I nodded. “I’m fine.” Running a shaky hand through my hair, I looked over at him. “Just don’t leave, okay?”

He looked at me like I was stupid. It was almost comical. “I’m not going any-fucking-where. Far as I’m concerned, my ass is going to be glued to yours for the foreseeable future.”

With that, I snorted.

Anthony’s phone rang.

Without looking at the Caller ID, he answered it. “Moretti.” He audibly sighed. “She’s fine, Maddie.” He looked over at me, eyes wide. “You want to talk to her?” Standing up, Anthony brought me his phone. “Baby, please, talk to her. She sounds like she’s half a beat away from having a stroke.”

I pressed the phone to my ear. “Shelby!” She screamed loud enough to wake the dead. “All we h-heard were gunshots. Anthony told us to stay in the house. The cops they w-won’t let us over there. T-they threatened to arrest Hendrix if he t-tried to come over t-there a-again.”

Now there’s a sight I’d like to see.

“We’re fine, Mad.” My voice was amazingly calm. “We’re not hurt.” Maddie sobbed, and my chin wobbled in return. “Please don’t cry,” I begged her. “You’ve cried enough already.”

And she had.

Not just over me but over everyone else too. Maddie had endured enough pain to last a lifetime. She didn’t need to suffer through mine too. She deserved better than that.

“Shelby,” she continued to sob. “I can’t lose you or L-lucca.” More sobs; more crying. “I love you both t-too much. You’re like my s-sister.”

My head fell forward; my tears began to fall. “I love you too, sugar. More than you’ll ever know.”

Tires suddenly squealed on the road in front of the house.

I froze, and Anthony ran to the front door. Still shaky from what happened earlier, Lucca jerked and began to cry.

“Shelby!” Maddie screamed through the phone.

She must’ve heard it too.

Crossing the room, I scooped Lucca up into my arms.

Was Damien back?

Panic assailed me, but it quickly receded when I heard Pop’s loud mouth shouting from the front lawn. What he was hollering about, I didn’t have a clue. All I knew was that he sounded a wee bit pissed.

Okay, he sounded a whole lotta pissed.

Suddenly he appeared in the foyer, pushing past a handful of cops to get inside. “Where the hell is she?” He screamed, searching the house for who I assumed was me. “Damn it, Moretti, I asked you a question!”

“Motherfucker—” Anthony’s voice was cut off by the sound of Pop’s heavy footsteps as he stomped across the foyer.

When Pop’s big body stepped into the living room where Lucca and I were, I took an instinctual step back. Adrenaline still pumped through my veins, and I was on the edge of completely losing my shit. If he started with me right then, I was liable to grab the fireplace poker and stab him in the eye.

“Shelby.” He sounded relieved to see me.

That relief, however, was short-lived when he took a good look at me. I hadn’t looked in the mirror yet, but I’m sure I looked like shit. My face was streaked with tears, and my hair was a mess. My entire body throbbed from where Anthony had tackled me to the tile floor. I’d probably be covered in fresh bruises come morning.

“What the fuck happened here?” He barked in a harsh tone.

Anthony stepped in front of Pop, placing a barrier between him and me. Relief washed over me. Putting my lower hand on his back, I leaned into him. I needed his warmth, his comfort. He pushed back into me and took my right hand in his.

In my head, I could hear him saying, I’ve got you, sunshine.

“You need to leave, James,” Anthony said in a demanding voice. “Now.”

“Fuck no!” He hollered. “Not until I know what’s going on.”

Anthony’s entire body stiffened. “Someone shot at the house. Everyone is fine. I’m handling it. That’s all you need to know. Now feel free to get the hell out of my house.” His tone was short, clipped.

“Oh fuck this.” Pop ignored Anthony’s suggestion to leave. “Shelby, I need to talk to you. This shit can’t wait any longer!” I shook my head against Anthony’s back because now really wasn’t the time. Still, Pop continued. “Five minutes. Just give me five damn minutes!”

My heart rate skyrocketed.

Deep in my gut, I knew that something about this entire situation was off.

Just what that something was, I didn’t know.

More footsteps. “Shelby!” Maddie shouted my name from the foyer before moving into the living room. “Where is she?”

Guess the police out front changed their minds about letting them in.

Without moving from behind Anthony, I yelled back, “Over here, Mad.”

Hendrix along with Grandmama and Keith followed her to where I stood.

Great. The entire family is here.

Maddie was still wearing her bride-to-be slash across her chest, and I smiled at the sight. Despite the hell I was living in, the sight of that damn sash did funny things to my heart.

Grandmama was the first to grab me. In a frenzy, she ran her hands over my face, arms, and waist. “Are you hurt?” It was the second time I’d seen her cry. The other time was over Maddie. “Shelby, baby, tell me you aren’t hurt.” Her gaze locked on Lucca. “My sweet boy,” she cried. “With that smile on your face, I know you’re doing just fine.”

I shook my head. “I’m not hurt.” Wrapping my fingers around her forearm, I held on tight. “We’re okay.” I paused and took a shaky breath. “We’re both okay.”

Without wasting another second, she pulled me into her arms.

Moments passed before she took a step back. Maddie quickly took her spot. “I’m going to kill him myself!” She growled as she threw her arms around me and dug her fingers into my lower back. “Swear to God I am going to end him!”

Not likely.

Maddie couldn’t kill a spider, much less a human.

Anthony growled from in front of me. “Nobody touches him but me.”

We’ll see.

Letting me go, Maddie stepped back and leaned against Hendrix. He wrapped an arm around her, but his eyes never left Lucca and me.

“Shelby!” Pop once again screamed my name loud enough to wake the dead. “I need to talk to you.”

For fuck’s sake!

I stepped out from behind Anthony and handed Lucca to Hendrix.

“No.” I inhaled deeply and tried to regain my composure. “In case you haven’t noticed, right now isn’t a good time.”

Pop moved closer, but I didn’t retreat.

“Yeah,” he replied, “we’re going to talk about that in a minute because I’m not leaving here until I know exactly what happened.”

I shook my head back and forth. “Not your business, Pop. It doesn’t concern you so you might as well turn around and head back—”

His face reddened. “Everything involving you concerns me!”

Anthony stepped forward. “The hell it does.” He clenched his fists at his sides. “You have no damn right to question anything concerning her. Now get the fuck out of my house!”

At that, Pop’s anger reached a whole new level. “I have every damn right!”

Maddie, who looked as confused as the rest of us, spoke next. “Why?” She looked at Pop. “What is going on with you? You’ve been acting all sorts of crazy lately when it comes to Shelby, and now you’re saying it’s your right to be concerned about her?” Again, she asked, “Why?”

Pop took a deep breath, his nostrils flared. His eyes burned with an emotion I couldn’t decipher and I knew whatever was about to come out of his mouth would change my life forever. Call it instinct, call it a fricken premonition, whatever, but I knew things would never be the same again.

“I have every right because she’s my fucking daughter!”

My world stopped turning.

My mind stopped processing.

No! That can’t be right!

Maddie gasped, Grandmama stilled, and Hendrix yelled, “What. The. Fuck!”

Meanwhile, my heart began to pound against my rib cage so hard, I feared it would burst free of my chest and spill onto the floor.

She’s my daughter, she’s my daughter, she’s my daughter.

Clutching my aching chest with my palm, I took a step back. My knees began to shake, and I knew I was seconds away from falling face first onto the floor.

Keith moved toward me. “Shelby, sweetheart,” he said reaching for me. “Let’s sit down for a minute.”

Screw that.

I shook my head and swatted his hand away.

Anger surged through my veins, replacing the remnants of fear that had continued to linger from the attack. Adding a dose of starch to my spine, I squared my shoulders and headed for Pop.

Anthony tried to step in front of me, blocking my path, but I ducked around him. “Not now, stud muffin,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’m about to handle this shit.”

Clenching my hands into fists at my sides, I stopped a foot in front of Pop and looked up at the big bastard with all the malice I could muster. “I want you to answer one question.”

He visibly swallowed. “Did you know about me before I came to Georgia?”

Call me crazy, but I was momentarily giving him the benefit of my doubt. I didn’t know Pop too well, but I knew my mama like the back of my hand. Knowing her, she probably didn’t even tell him she was knocked up.

Stupid cow.

Pop shook his head. “No.” His answer was firm; resolute. “I didn’t know you existed until the night Maddie was hurt.” Hendrix growled beside him, but Pop didn’t pull his eyes from mine. “But the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew.” Again, he shook his head. “You look exactly like your mother.”

Physically needing to protect myself, I crossed my arms over my chest. “How do you know I’m yours? Just because I look like some woman that you used to screw doesn’t mean I’m the result of your sperm meeting her egg.”

I was uncharacteristically calm.

Usually, I would’ve already thrown a punch or two.

“Your mother’s name is Dixie Ann Cole. Her birthdate is July 3rd. She has golden blonde hair and blue eyes that are identical to yours. She’s five foot five and has a birthmark on her inner bicep that’s shaped like a whale.”

His words hit me directly in the solar plexus.

It was a minute or two before I could speak again. “Her name isn’t Cole any longer. It’s Mason.” His eyes slid closed as my confirmation sunk in. “How did you know her?”

“We were married.” He opened his eyes and turned to look at Hendrix. “Until she ran off, leaving me, and abandoning Hendrix.”

Hendrix was my brother.

My big brother.

I couldn’t even begin to process it.

Pinching the bridge of my nose between two fingers, I dipped my face to the floor. “Did you look for her after she left?”

“No.”

His answer pissed me right the hell off. My head snapped up. “Why?”

“Figured we were both better off without her. When she left, she wasn’t in good shape. She’d relapsed, started doing drugs again. Her and I, we’d been clean for three years, but when she fell off the wagon so did I. Only difference was: my vice was alcohol, hers was cocaine.”

Jesus fricken Christ.

I spun around and locked eyes with Anthony, who’d been surprisingly silent. I needed to know he was still there. “How old are you Hendrix?”

“Twenty-five.”

He answered immediately. “When is your birthday?”

June 5th.

I mentally calculated the time between dates. “I’m only nineteen months younger than you.”

Pop stepped closer to me, and I instinctively took a step closer to Anthony.

“So this is why you’ve been acting so crazy lately?” I asked.

I didn’t need to look at Pop to know he was nodding. “You’re my daughter, Shelby. I just want to keep you safe.”

It was the wrong thing for him to say.

Focusing on the anger that boiled beneath my skin, I whipped around and charged him. Hands balled into fists, I slammed them against his broad chest. “You son of a bitch!” I screamed. “If you wanted to protect me you should’ve chased my mother down and made sure she wasn’t pregnant. You should’ve taken me away from her the moment I was born!”

Once again, I was being irrational. I realized that.

Still, I couldn’t stop the rage, the fucking hurt that welled up inside of me.

“You have no idea what she did to me!” I pointed towards Hendrix who held Lucca in his arms. “What she did to us!”

Pop opened his mouth to speak, but I kept yelling, cutting him off.

He needed to know; he deserved to know, what had happened to me.

And quite frankly, I was tired of running from my past.

“My mother,” I hissed, emphasizing the word mother, “was a drug-addicted prostitute.” Pop froze, and Hendrix sucked in a breath. “My life with her was hell. When I was a kid, she used to lock me in the closet for days at a time while she got high and screwed every man within a twenty-mile radius.”

Maddie’s hand wrapped around my wrist.

“When I learned how to escape the closet, she started locking me outside. Summer, winter, rain, shine, it didn’t matter.”

I felt like vomiting at the memories.

“I was thirteen when the first of her customers snuck into my room one night.” Maddie’s hand tightened on my wrist. “I barely escaped his wandering hands.”

“Shelby, sweetheart—” Grandmama called my name; my eyes found hers. “Honey, you don’t have to do this.”

Yes, I did.

To be free of the chains that held me captive, I needed to set the demons that tormented me free. I needed to acknowledge the past, accept it, and prepare to fight for my future. If I continued to allow the darkness to hold me prisoner, there was no way in hell I’d be strong enough to defeat Damien.

Despite what Anthony thought, I knew that the moment my eyes met Damien’s again, I would freeze. And if that happened, he’d kill me.

Dying wasn’t an option for me.

For the first time in my life, happiness was within reach. I had a man who said he loved me, a son who adored me, and friends who’d fight to protect me. Failing, letting him win, allowing him to hurt me again—none of that was going to happen.

Break that bone!

“We never had food, never had clean water to drink. If it hadn’t been for eating and drinking at school, I would have died.” Pop still didn’t say anything. “She never hit me.” Hendrix blew out a breath at my words. “But she sure as hell tried to sell my body for a hundred bucks worth of dope shortly after my sixteenth birthday!”

Keith sat down on the couch and clutched his head in his hands. “Fucking Christ.”

“Because of the things that went on in that trailer, I was left vulnerable.” I shook my head as nightmares from the past began to torment me in a barrage painful memories. “And because I was left vulnerable, I fell into the unforgiving grip of a monster who nearly destroyed me!”

Lucca started to cry.

Keith jumped up from the couch. “Give him to me. I’ll take him back across the street.”

“No,” I snapped. “Not without—”

Evan appeared in the living room door. “I’ll go with him, Shelby. He’ll be fine, babydoll. Hope, Kyle, Carissa, Heidi, Clara and the boys are already over there.”

I didn’t want him out of my sight, but I knew he didn’t need to see this. “Go.”

Keith didn’t hesitate. Carrying the only good thing that had ever come from me in his arms, he moved out of the room and disappeared out of my sight. I turned back to face Pop. My fingers twitched with the urge to wrap my hands around his throat and squeeze until his eyeballs popped out of his head and rolled across the living room floor.

This son of a bitch!

He was my father.

My fucking father!

“You bastard!” I screamed, taking all the rage that was roaring through me out on him. “You could have stopped it all!”

Anthony’s arm wrapped around my belly from behind. He pulled me back into his chest. “Baby, calm down.”

No.

I would not calm down, and I wouldn’t hide my pain a moment longer.

I was sick of being strong, sick of trying to be a hardass.

I was waving my white flag, surrendering. In order to heal, I first needed to break, and I was on the verge of splintering in half. The only thing left for me to do was let it all out and hope like hell I was strong enough to put myself back together again.

“You don’t have a clue!” My face twisted in agony and tears began to pour from my eyes. “You don’t have a single clue what I went through!”

It felt like I was being ripped apart from the inside out as I looked to the side and met Hendrix’s gaze.

Met my brother’s gaze.

“I’m sorry, Henny,” I cried, calling him by the name Lucca had given him. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you, to protect you while you were growing up.” Sob after sob racked my body. My knees trembled, my legs grew weak. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t there to love you in the way only a sister can.” I wanted to hug him so badly, but I couldn’t force myself to do it. “And I’m so sorry that you were hurt as much as me.” Swear to Christ, I felt my heart breaking. “Neither of us deserved any of it.”

He took a step forward. “Shelby…”

Behind him, Grandmama wrapped her arms around a sobbing Maddie.

Anthony’s arm tightened around my waist. His strength poured into me, and his warmth heated my back. He was holding me together: physically, emotionally, mentally.

Sucking in a breath, my gaze bounced back to Pop’s. “How does it make you feel, you son of a bitch?” I shouldn’t have been directing all my anger at him, but I couldn’t help it. I was beyond the point of being rational. “How does it make you feel to know that your kids’ lives were destroyed because of you?” My throat hurt I was screaming so loud. “Because you cared more about drowning yourself in a bottle than you did about protecting us!”

His head jerked back like I’d slapped him. “I didn’t know about you, Shelby! If I had—”

“Would you have beaten me like you did Hendrix? Maybe given us a two for one deal?” Pop froze, but I didn’t relent. My tongue acted like a whip as I continued to throw verbal lash after verbal lash at him. “Would you have thrown me down the damn stairs and punched me like you did my big brother?” Hendrix flinched beside me. “Would you have scarred my face and broken my ribs like you did his?”

“Shelby,” Maddie cried my name, but I was too far gone to stop.

My mind raced, my heart thundered, and my vision bled red.

“I don’t care how many years you’ve been sober, I should kill you for what you did to him!” I didn’t stop to take a breath. “Just like I should kill that bitch that calls herself my mother for what she did to me and for what she allowed to happen to me!”

Pop’s face hardened. “What aren’t you telling me?” He moved closer. “What did she do besides what you’ve just told us?”

“She allowed Damien to sink his claws into me!”

“Who’s Damien?” Hendrix asked, his voice lethal.

My ears filled with static. “He’s the man who abused me for six years!” Pop’s jaw tightened, and his eyes darkened. “He’s the man who shot up my boyfriend’s house!” Hendrix’s back straightened. “He’s the monster who raped me!” Vision tunneling, I continued. “And he’s the monster who tried to kill his unborn child by cutting him from my belly!”

Hands shaking, I reached down and lifted my shirt, showing them my scars.

Grandmama gasped, but both Hendrix and Pop remained silent. “But he messed up.” I fought for breath as my throat began to close. “He thought he’d killed me, but he didn’t. I ran, I escaped.” I sagged against Anthony as my body began to go limp. Cutting my eyes to the right, I found Maddie. “I’m only alive because an angel saved me.”

Confusion flitted across Hendrix’s face as he looked back at Maddie.

Then, realization dawned.

My legs began to give way. “Shelby,” Anthony said, taking my weight in his arms. “Baby, breathe for me.”

“Hendrix may forgive you, Pop, but I don’t.”

Darkness began to surround me. “Until the day I die, I’ll never forgive you.”

“Shelby,” Pop whispered my name. “I didn’t know.”

My last thought before everything went black? I don’t care.