Page 76 of Lust

“Mine was on Thursday.” Links speaks and Elle, Asher and I look at him.

“Mine was Tuesday.” I say.

“Wednesday.” Asher says.

“I didn’t take his calls.” Elle blinks and tears spread in her eyes. “I didn’t even listen to the voice messages.”

I squeeze her thigh. And her hand goes over mine. Dad always met with us kids one on one once a month. It was normally a grilling on what we are doing wrong, but then he would always end it on a good note. Mine and his always ended with whiskey.

“Fuck those monthly meetings.” Links sighs and runs a hand over his head.

My mind went to my last conversation with him. It was about Kace and I buying a house. And the tears come this time and I can’t fight them.

Kace’s hand is on my thigh, and I know he is right beside me but I don’t need him. He doesn’t have to be here.

“Last month, he attacked my revenue mark.” Asher shares. “And I had a good month.”

The door burst open and we all look. Only to see Gabe.

“Any news?” he’s panicking like the rest of us.

“No.” We all say together.

“Where’s mom?”

“With the staff. She’s a surgeon she won’t not be involved.” Links tells Gabe.

Gabe nods his head and then sits down next to Asher. “I was booked in this week.” And we all sigh. And mutter same.

The door then opens. And it’s mom. It’s not who she is with that matters. It’s the look in her eyes. It’s the death gripping silence that follows.

The boys rush to her, while Elle and I remain seated and share a look. Dad wasn’t pulling through this.

“He’s on life support. It gives each of you to say a chance goodbye.” Mom walks towards us girls. “Ivory, there is a man outside you need to talk to.”

The boys look at me. And I’m a mess right now. “Who?” I shutter out and I want to know who is more important than me saying goodbye to my father.

“He worked endlessly beside your father. Sadly he couldn’t save him.” Mom cups my cheek. “Your father said he would always come back.”

I just blink, not understanding. But I glance at the boys and they all have this expression on their faces, like their worst nightmare is coming true. I guess it was in some ways because who would be stepping up running the companies when dad… I can’t finish that sentence.

“He’s in the hall.” Mom adds, and I nod my head, getting up. Glancing at Kace, should he come? “Best to be on your own Ivy.” Mom says like she can read my thoughts. And I look at Kace.

“I’ll be right back.” I look at him, but he’s looking at me like I won’t be.

I step out into the hall and my eyes land on…. Taylor. He walks towards me. “Told you I would be back buttercup.” And the wave of emotion, of everything that is happening, hits me. Taylor is back from war. And he’s standing right in front of me.

I don’t believe that I’m seeing him, until his arms wrap around me and I break.

KACE

“Want to explain who that is?”I look at Gabe who is glaring directly out the door at the man that I’m too glaring at.

“Her ex boyfriend.” He tells me news I don’t want to hear. Then he looks at me sighing. “If it makes you feel any better, we hate him more than we hate you. Well us boys do. The parents loved him.”

I swallow sharply. “Which one of them ended it?” I knew this would be the deciding key for if I was in trouble or not.

“Neither.” Lincoln steps to my side, also glaring out the door. “He just went to war, didn’t really tell her goodbye. It broke my sister.”

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