Page 62 of Mistaken Identity
Audric’s dad, however, was sitting right next to Posy.
Audric’s dad, Carter Ingram, had aged like a fine wine.
If Audric looked anything like his father in thirty years, he would be drop-dead gorgeous.
Audric looked nothing like his mother, and everything like his dad.
“Well if it isn’t Little Miss Creole Williams.” Carter gave me a beaming smile. “Holding hands with my boy.”
I glanced at said boy and blurted, “I just lied to your wife and told her that I was marrying your son. If she asks, you have to play along.”
Carter’s eyebrows rose. “You went to see Ellis?”
Audric audibly swallowed before he took over the conversation. “We came over here to tell you not to fight her when she files for divorce.”
Carter’s face went blank. “What do you mean?”
Posy shifted on his feet, his arms crossing over his chest, and I could tell he was torn between leaving and staying where he was.
Hell, I was in the same boat.
If Audric didn’t have such a tight grip on my hand, I might have slipped away already.
As it was, I couldn’t feel my hand.
Audric explained everything, ending with, “And I know you’d let it go, but I don’t want to. The North Shore house is special, and I will die before I let it go.”
Carter’s shoulders slumped. “Fuck.”
Audric finally let my hand go, and blood instantly rushed back into my fingers.
I stepped away and felt more than saw Posy follow me.
“What was that all about?” he asked.
I looked over at Posy and spilled all.
“Whoa,” he breathed. “I knew that there was some issue there with Laney and Audric. He’d told me a lot of it. But I hadn’t realized all that. He never talks about it.”
“It’s a sticky situation,” I said. “How do you tell anyone that your wife isn’t your actual wife, and the only reason that you’re with her is because your mother attempted suicide and failed?”
He studied me for a few seconds before he said, “You would’ve married her and shared like he did?”
“In a heartbeat,” I admitted. “I was going to. Really I was, but we all knew that the Combs would fight this tooth and nail. They would’ve never let me win, and I had a lot going on. With my son and my mom both sick…I couldn’t have handled that. I would’ve folded like a house of cards. Audric was really the only answer.”
“Audric’s a strong man,” Posy admitted, his eyes laser focusing in on me. “Don’t hurt him.”
I flinched. “I’m past that point in my life. I’m not scared or angry at him anymore. In fact, he’s quickly becoming something more.” I turned to look at the two Ingram men staring at each other. “I thought that he was the bad guy. I was wrong, and I missed out on a lot of years with him when he needed me the most. I’m not going to keep making the same mistake.” I blew out a disgusted breath. “I hate myself for thinking he’d do something so sick anyway.”
It didn’t surprise me that Posy knew.
“The mind plays tricks during times of high stress. I’m sure you were confident. Kind of like how he was confident in what he saw.” Posy shook his head. “My suggestion? Let go of the past. Focus on your future.” He stared at me for a long moment. “And know that we’re fucking loyal. He’s our boy, and he’s gone through a lot.”
I knew what he wasn’t saying.
They wouldn’t hesitate to ruin me if I hurt him.
But I was confident in myself. “I won’t hurt him.”
