Page 90 of For Your Love

“The DA said Pike was arrested a couple of months ago; not long after Dad’s funeral. He pleaded guilty, so there won’t be a trial. The San Bernardino DA was on the local news and has asked any other victims to come forward. Motherfucker,” Ryan said through gritted teeth. “Who knew we had a pervert living next door to us?”

“Yeah, who knew?” Colleen whispered.

“Are you okay, Coll?” he asked with concern.

“Have you told Mom?” she asked, trying to change the focus from her. Colleen’s mind spun with the prospect of telling her mom. Her parents had just lost a baby during that time, the last thing Colleen wanted to do was make her mom feel like a bad parent, but she couldn’t put it off any longer.

“Not yet, she’s still in Montana with shitty phone service. I’ll send her an email.”

“Thanks for letting me know.”

“Anything for you, princess,” he said, hanging up.

Colleen was relieved Ryan didn’t ask her if Mr. Pike tried anything with her when she was a kid. Sooner or later, he would, but in the meantime, she had to focus on her own feelings. Taking a seat on the couch, she stared out at the cloudless, blue sky. She took a deep breath to center herself and focused on what mattered most in this moment. She was in love with a man who loved her in a way she’d never thought possible. They had waited long enough to be together. She no longer had to carry this painful burden alone.

She considered calling Finn, but she needed some time to contemplate what had happened before discussing it with him and Jalane.

As if on cue, Alfie got up from his bed and jumped onto the couch.

“Hey, Alfie. How did you know I needed you?” She stood and walked to the window, with Alfie in her arms, looking at the park below. She couldn’t hear them, but she could see the children playing with each other. Suddenly, she was overcome with regret for not telling her parents sooner about what Dan Pike had done to her. Maybe it would have prevented him from hurting all those other nameless little girls. She sobbed into Alfie’s fur, thankful Dan had been arrested and would be prevented from harming another child.

CHAPTER 37

FINN

“Thanks for meeting me at my office. Please,” Reed said, gesturing to a chair opposite his highly polished executive desk.

“What can I do for you?” Finn unbuttoned his suit jacket and took a seat. “The gala is in good hands with the planning committee, and I’m sure it will—”

“This isn’t about the gala,” Reed said, shaking his head. “It’s about your father.”

“I see.” Finn tensed as he waited for the bomb to drop.

Reed opened a tabloid magazine and pushed it across the desk to Finn. “O’Connor is Back!” was the title of the glossy article, full of photos of his father and Camille taken all over town. He had no idea why this woman stayed with his father. But here she was with a wide, toothy smile, beaming up at Patrick O’Connor. She was the ideal trophy wife for an obnoxious narcissist.

“So? Everyone knows he’s back. What’s this got to do with me?”

Reed sighed and pointed to an inset story with the title “All is Forgiven.”

Finn picked up the magazine for closer inspection. It was a photo of him kissing Colleen’s hand when they had dinner together last weekend. The detective his father had hired obviously followed them to the restaurant that night. And his father probably had a lot to do with tipping off the press. Skimming the article, the story stated Finn was dating Colleen Murphy—the daughter of one of the victims of Patrick O’Connor’s financial fraud. It was intended to suggest the Murphy family had forgiven Patrick O’Connor, even if the majority of the country had not. It would fit perfectly into the new narrative his father was creating for himself. Finn surged with anger. He would not allow his father to use Colleen to rehabilitate his reputation.

“Is this true?” Reed asked, crossing his arms across his chest. “Are you dating Colleen Murphy?”

“Yes, I am,” Finn snapped, without taking his eyes off Reed.

Reed shook his head with a long exhale. “It makes it seem that your father has been exonerated for his crimes.”

Finn knew better than anyone that his father’s crimes were not forgivable. He couldn’t control anyone’s opinions about his father, and he didn’t need a lecture from Reed, either. “He’s served his time and now he’s back. I wish he wasn’t living here, but it’s not in my control. And as far as the Murphy family is concerned, I’ve known them my entire life. Our fathers grew up together. Her brother has been my best friend for years. Colleen and I reconnected at her father’s funeral. She moved to New York and I invited her to dinner. That’s all anyone needs to know about it.”

Reed sat back in his chair and tossed his pen on the desk. “Are you bringing Colleen to the gala?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t like it,” Reed said, glaring across his desk.

What a pompous ass. “I’m not interested in what you like or don’t like. Colleen hasn’t committed a crime, my father has. You should focus your interest on the foundation and less on my private life.” Finn got to his feet and tossed the magazine in a nearby trash can. “Are we done?”

Reed didn’t stand. “You’re making a big mistake.”

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